Meeting Peter Sís!

Tonight I had the pleasure of attending the International Children's Literature Day celebration with Peter Sís as the keynote speaker. I was so excited to meet such an excellent illustrator and children's author because I had the pleasure of reading his works and including it in my blog!

As I walked in, I recognized the Bob Dylan song playing, and the psychedelic illustrations displayed on an enlarged projection screen immediately caught my attention. I sat and watched the video, almost in a trance, just listening to the music. Through his illustrations, I was taken back in time to a place where love and a sense of community ruled our nation. As the presentation began, Peter seemed so humble as he began to tell his life story of growing up in a place that "no longer exists" as he so accurately described Czechoslovakia, which is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. He described his parents, his upbringing, moving to America and the struggles he had gone through as a young adult, and lastly his children. Throughout the entire presentation, Peter consistently showed representations of how art impacted his life. He truly made an impact on me as an aspiring teacher, a published author, and a parent.

I simply couldn't wait to share my wonderful evening of meeting one of my favorite children's authors and personal role models on my blog :)

The Pot That Juan Built

  The Pot That Juan Built written by Nancy Andrews-Goebel and illustrated by David Diaz is a book with a very unique style in that it is both poetry and prose. In their accurate recreation of Juan Quezada, this multicultural nonfiction picturebook is a delight for readers. Having transformed his once impoverished village into a stable community by selling his handmade pots during the mid-twentieth century in Mexico, this inspirational story is sure to affect children everywhere. 

    I would love to read this story to children in my classroom. The Pot That Juan Built is written in a fun manner that draws attention of primary students, specifically grades 2 and 3. However, I feel that this story can interest anyone from 1st through 6th grade. The story can be read aloud to young students on one side of the page through short poetry. It can also challenge young readers by explaining the story with more advanced narration on adjacent pages. For example, in the photo below, poetry is read on the left hand side, on the right page has a more in-depth perspective of the events.
 

    
     Page 24 of Literature and the Child states that nonfiction books should include text that is clear and accurate by using stimulating writing. It also states that illustrations for the same category should clarify and elaborate of the facts and concepts through artful design. Again on page 306 we are given a checklist, assuring the text has accuracy, proper organization, design, and style. The Pot That Juan Built adheres with all of these requirements in a manner that in engaging for all readers.
    The illustrations in The Pot That Juan Built are just as inviting as the text. You can see in the photo below that through David Diaz's soft textures and faded lines, he is depicting movement. The reader can really feel the clay moving beneath his or her fingertips because the detailed design is so intricate. Using computer design as his media, Diaz is able to create bold colors that truly make a statement, which accentuate the folk art/representational style. There is also some transition at the end of the book with original photographs of Juan himself and his pots! The text and illustrations really create a respectful tribute to the Latino heritage by retelling the story of Juan Quezada.

     I thought of several great motivational activities for students. I thought for this book I would separate students into two groups. One group would be "Poetry", and the other "Prose". Both sides would have to summarize appropriate text into one giant poster. Groups would work together to figure out how the story can be told through one picture, or a collage of pictures, on one canvas. Since The Pot That Juan Built comes in a Spanish version, another great motivational activity is to teach Spanish with this book! We could read the poetry version in Spanish and compare it to English. What a great way to integrate two subjects! Another idea is, "Have students pretend they are television reporters. Ask them to write a list of questions they might ask Juan in an interview" (Lee & Low Books, 2008). I might even take it one step further and ask for a student to volunteer as Juan, and answer questions in which he felt that Juan would answer. My reader response questions for students would be:

1. "Why is it important for people to know about Juan Quezada? 
2. Why do you think the author chose to write the book in the way she did?"
   (Lee & Low Books, 2008)

References

     Andrews-Goebel, N., Diaz, D. (2002). The Pot That Juan Built. (1st ed.). China: Lee & Low Books.
    Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2011). Literature and the Child. (7th ed., pp. 24-306). Belmont: Wadsworth Pub Co. 
     Lee & Low Books. (2008). The Pot That Juan Built Teacher’s Guide. Retrieved from http://www.leeandlow.com/images/pdfs/juan.pdf

The Color of Us

     The Colors of Us by Karen Katz is an adorable contemporary realistic fiction prose picturebook for young readers aged approximately six years and older. A little girl, Lena, and her mother explore their world, describing what people look like along the way by comparing skin colors to those of different foods. "We go to the playground where we see my friend Sonia. 'Sonia is a light brown,' Mom says. 'Just like creamy peanut butter,' I say, 'My favorite'" (Katz, 2003). Scenes like this continue throughout its entirety, and I just think it's the cutest little book.
      I enjoy Katz's friendly style. I have Peek-A-Baby, a flap-book that my infant son just loves. So it is no surprise that the first time I read The Colors of Us, I fell in love with how cute this book was. I found it interesting how The Colors of Us described differences in people's skin colors in a tasteful (pun intended) manner. However, I am not a fan of describing people by the color of their skin. When I hear people in public say things like "It's by that black woman", I find this offensive. Even though The Colors of Us is tactful in explaining race, I don't think it is a necessity to explain such differences, because race or ethnicity doesn't define a person. But that is just my personal my opinion. I later read from her website that Karen's inspiration for the main character, is her daughter, Lena, she and her husband adopted from Guatemala. What an inspiring story!
      Page 24 of our text, Literature and the Child, claims that contemporary realistic fiction text has a credible storyline, with a set conflict, and bold characterization. The illustrations should also be in compliance by enhancing the characterization and the plot from the text. Again on page 235 we are given a checklist for the quality of contemporary realistic fiction. 

• The Colors of Us has a storyline that illuminates the excellence within characters
• The Colors of Us has a vivid, realistic setting that enhances the story
• Lena and other characters are credible, non-stereotypical, multidimensional, and  grow over time
• The problems within The Colors of Us are believable and solved with respectful and culturally sound ways.
• Young readers can easily understand the plot.
• The theme is applicable (I mean, what child can't relate to food?)
•  The dialogue and thoughts are logical and realistic

     The illustrations are equally as impressive as the elaborate text. The Colors of Us is told from an artist's point of view, so there are a plethora of artistic elements used. "A range of values creates drama or movement" (Galda, Cullinan, & Sipe, 2011). While there isn't much movement in the illustrations, there is certainly a range of color to promote dramatic depictions of diversity. The very fine lines exaggerate facial features, and because the pictures focus so much on the people, the shapes are mostly geometrical. The design is whimsical meets reality, with a fine line dabbling in both categories. While the people are very much attractive and realistic, the artistry is still somewhat eccentric. For example, the arms on people are very wavy and almost silly. This is part of the reason why I love Katz's style so much! It just all blends together so well for excellent literature.
      I have already stated that I don't necessarily care for these types of books that blatantly point out differences in skin color, so I feel as though I would be apprehensive as a teacher to add this to my classroom's individual library. However, I have a great idea for a motivational activity that could involve this book. Once a week, I would take 4-5 students to the library to check out a multicultural book of their choice that isn't already in the Classroom Library. Students will check out a book of their choice, and I will read one book per day during Reading Circle Time. After reading the Book of the Day, we would engage in activities. If The Colors of Us were chosen by a student, we could do several things revolving around it! Since this book is told from the perspective of a painter, and is ultimately about the different colors of food, we could paint foods! I would encourage students to paint their favorite food from memory. I would allow them to dry by hanging them on a clothesline in the back of the room, and allow them to hang on display before they take them home! Karen Katz is such a great author, she even has a segment of her website designated for teachers, and has a link leading to activities for The Colors of Us! One great idea she had is "make a large map of the world on brown butcher paper. Draw the equator. Paste each child’s head on the part of the world from where their ancestors originated" (Katz, 2012). What a great idea!
My reader response questions would be:

1. What food does your skin look like?
2. What does that food taste like? Do you like it?
3. This book talks a lot about the differences in people. How did this make you feel?

References

        Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2011). Literature and the Child. (7th ed., pp. 24-260). Belmont: Wadsworth Pub Co.  

        Katz, K. (2003). The Colors of Us. (1st ed.). New York, NY: Owlet Paperbacks.
        Katz, K. (2012, November 25). Activities for The Colors of Us. Retrieved from http://www.karenkatz.com/colors of us.pdf

Cherry Blossom Winter

     Cherry Blossom Winter is a the sequel to When the Cherry Blossoms Fell, written by Jennifer Maruno and published in 2012. Intended for readers aged 12 and up, this multicultural fiction chapter book follows a young Japanese girl, Michiko, and her family as the government forces families to relocate time and time again, after World War I until eventually she moves to Ontario, Canada. "Recently, there have been several books that examine both the events and the nature of this war from the perspective of those left behind as well as those on the front lines" (Galda, Cullinan, & Sipe, 2011). This is somewhat true for Cherry Blossom Winter, as it fades back and forth from Michiko's father to herself, but does this more so in the first book than in this one. Cherry Blossom Winter is a heart grasping story of exodus will have readers all over the globe appreciating the Japanese culture and immigrants as a whole.
     For my twelfth blog entry on (mostly) multicultural children's literature, I wanted to write about my favorite culture in the world: Japanese. From the care that parents give their children to the love elders get even in the final moments of life, I am enthralled with the respectful and beautiful culture. I love the symbolic language they use, and their ever lasting culture that is even popular in America (koi fish, for example). "'You need to practice writing down your dreams,' her mother explained. 'All the people in Japan record their first dream of Hatusyume'" (Maruno, 2012). I love reading dialouge like this because as the characters explain their culture to readers, I think it embraces diversity which is such an important message. I read an interview with Maruno, and she said her inspiration came to her at a young age "When  I was a teenager, I baby-sat for a Japanese Canadian family. They often used phrases I didn’t understand, such as 'that was before we went to camp,' or 'our free ride to the mountains'" (Maruno, 2012) When I saw Cherry Blossom Winter at my local library, I immediately picked it up and began reading. I absolutely love this book and find it very hard to put down!
     To break the genre Cherry Blossom Winter even further from just fiction, I would categorize it as historical fiction because it is set in times of World War II. The text is accurate and the "setting affects plot and character: as well as including "authenticity of details and language" (Galda, Cullinan, & Sipe, 2011). Page 257 in Literature and the Child provides a detailed list of what historical fiction must accomplish:

"Historical Accuracy

•  Events and attitudes are consistent with historical evidence and appropriate to the time period.
•  Social issues are portrayed honestly, without condoning racism and sexism.

Literary quality

•  The work meets the criteria for all good narratives
• The setting is integral to the story and evokes a vivid historical time consistent with historical and geographical evidence.
•  The language patterns are historically authentic and in keeping with the mood and characterization, yet still understandable to readers.
•  Characters are well developed - with feelings, values, and behavior that reflect the historical period.
• The plot is based on authentic facts that are subordinate to the story itself
• The theme echos larger historical concerns"  (Galda, Cullinan, & Sipe, 2011).

     The book is a sequel to a best seller because the author, Maruno, grew up in Canada, where the bulk of these stories take place. It is evident that she has done research through photographs, interviews, and reading original news stories from that time. She in very well informed and tells Michiko's story very well.
      6th-8th grade classrooms would benefit the most from reading this book. In my 6th grade class, I would ask students to read this in the second semester of school (When the Cherry Blossoms Fell being the first) and along the way would ask them to write one page responses to how the book makes them feel, and how it compares and contrasts to the first book. I could ask students to draw, with their preferred method of medium, and accurate and detailed image of the Japanese culture. Students could choose a photograph and copy it from there so it wouldn't need to be from memory or imagination. These pictures can include anything from Japanese nature to family portraits. My reader response questions would be:

1. What city does Cherry Blossom Winter begin in?
2. Who is Michiko's teacher, and how did he become a teacher?
3. Michiko's mother is pregnant. What can you predict will happen, knowing that the big move to Ontario is coming up? (This question would be asked toward the beginning of the book. I would ask more about the pregnancy as students continued to read).

References

      Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2011). Literature and the Child. (7th ed., pp. 24-260). Belmont: Wadsworth Pub Co.   
      Maruno, J. (2012). Cherry Blossom Winter. (1st ed.). Tanowanda, NY: Dundurn.
      Maruno, J. (2012, September 01). Interview by Caitlyn N/A [Web Based Recording]. Author Interview with Jennifer Maruno. Defining Canada, New York., Retrieved from http://www.definingcanada.ca/2012/09/01/author-interview-with-jennifer-maruno/

Rosa

     Rosa is a nonfiction picturebook that tells the story of Rosa Parks and her daring actions during the Civil Rights Movements to not move out of her seat on a bus for someone of another color. It accurately depicts the story for young readers, around 6 or 7 years old. Rosa was written by Nikki Giovanni, illustrated by Bryan Collier, and was published in 2005. This modern adaptation of the events that ultimately became an icon for an entire movement brings excitement to readers as they learn just how differently life was in 1955.
    I personally loved this book. When I first read the title from the list of books that had won awards in Appendix A from Literature and the Child, I was immediately drawn to it. The transition of American lifestyles from the 1950s and into the 1960s is my favorite time frame of all history, and Giovanni accurately retells the story of Rosa Parks' life and actions. Bryan Collier, the illustrator, has also "received a Caldecott Honor for his illustrations in Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Bryan now lives in Harlem, New York" (Giovanni & Collier, 2005). I loved Rosa and couldn't wait to write about it!
     Nonfiction books should include text that clarify the event with accurate information and uses language that attracts readers. "In simple but elegantly subtle language, Giovanni tells Rosa's story, with allusions to other important civil rights events" (Galda, Cullinan, & Sipe, 2011). The illustrations sum up the story with a representational picture using eclectic design. Nonfiction books should also be accurate, using current and credible facts, and the subject should be one that the author is well-informed on. The organization of the book should flow well and logically, with appropriate mannerisms. Giovanni does a wonderful job and follows all of these requirements, writing very accurate descriptions and also lays out the story beginning on the morning she decided not to move on the bus, and proceeds until almost a year later. Time moves swiftly and effortlessly, making for a very logical layout. The writing style that Giovanni uses is interesting and shows her enthusiasm, all while using appropriate language and terminology that does not come across as disrespectful, in fact it is quite honorable! Perhaps that is why it won The Coretta Scott King Award for illustrator in 2006! 
     Picturebooks should use an array of elements that blend together to create the perfect illustrations, and Rosa certainly does just that. Continuing from the checklist about nonfiction books, illustrations should be appealing and appropriate, and enhance the text by adding details to faces. going back to page 62, we are given an explanation of art elements. he representational art styles accurately depict what Rosa Parks, her family, and the other characters in the story looked like, what they wore, and how they conducted themselves. The heavily shaded color adds plenty of darker colors to show how glum the times were. The geometrical shapes, like the rectangles that create a night's sky, draw attention to the pictures so that young children can look at all the different details and remain entertained as Rosa is being read to them. The soft textures lead me to believe that the illustrations are paint, because even when condensed and mass produced, the magnificent detail really brings the story to life, much like paint is known to do. With the accurate and appealing text combined with the detailed and intricate illustration, this book is jam packed with information that young readers will instantly be drawn to.
       Within my classroom, I would read this to students anytime of the year because Rosa Parks made such a huge impact for our society that she should always be celebrated. A great idea I have about this book would be to "Make A Change". I would ask students to write down or say aloud changes they want made within the school. We could then discuss how we could make these changes, and possibly make a difference for our community! I would think big: solar panel roof! "You can start a letter writing campaign to send to a message to your community's leaders or start an organization that helps increase awareness" (BrainPop, Jr., 2012). Another great exercise that my class could do after reading this story is to act out the scene of Rosa on the bus with students. This would allow young children to understand first hand how it felt for Rosa to make such a daring move. My reader resonse questions would be:

1. How do you think Rosa Parks felt when she refused to move from her seat on the bus?
2. What year did this event occur?
3. If you were her, would you have done the same thing? Why or why not?

References

    BrainPop, Jr. (2012, November). Brain Pop: Rosa Parks. Retrieved from http://www.brainpopjr.com/socialstudies/biographies/rosaparks/grownups.weml
    Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2011). Literature and the Child. (7th ed., pp. 24-260). Belmont: Wadsworth Pub Co.   
    Giovanni, N., & Collier, B. (2005). Rosa. (1st ed.). New York, NY: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR).

Uncommon Traveler: Mary Kingsley in Africa

     When I think of multicultural books, I tend to think of immigrants that come to the United States. That's why I was so pleased when I found Uncommon Traveler: Mary Kingsley in Africa. It is the true story of a young girl who grows up in London, England and travels to West Africa when she is 31. To be quite honest, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and Uncommon Traveler: Mary Kingsley in Africa are the only books I've chosen simply because their plot looked so intriguing.
    I am from Kansas City, and after to moving to Florida just 5 short months ago, I was in for a mild culture shock. I was sitting by a lake after a workout late at night (it's the only time I can sneak away from my mommy-obsessed toddler, which was fine until this happened!) when all of a sudden I see ripples from the corner of my eye. No sooner than me catching sight of movement did I actively watch a five-foot alligator head straight towards me as he rose from the lake. I shone my cell phone on myself because I knew alligators were afraid of people, so I knew that once he was aware of my knowledge of him that he would stop moving. I then proceeded to run like a white girl from Kansas City who was about to be eaten by the largest wild animal she'd ever seen! When I saw the cover of Uncommon Traveler: Mary Kingsley in Africa shortly after my life-threatening experience, I stopped dead in my tracks. I had to see what Mary does about being so close, and with such limited resources, when faced with a crocodile: the alligator's not-so-scared-of-people cousin!
     Set in the 1860s-90s, Uncommon Traveler: Mary Kingsley in Africa is a nonfiction picturebook that really attracts readers of all ages, but was designed to be read by students aged approximately 5-7 years old. Page 24 of our text, Literature and the Child, states that the text within nonfiction picturebooks should be precise, accurate, and have interesting terminology. The illustrations should also be appealing, accurate, and concise. Again on page 306 we are provided with a checklist for the text portion of nonfiction books. Accuracy should be researched through credible facts and artifacts, and the author should be knowledgeable on subject. This is very true and evident within  Uncommon Traveler: Mary Kingsley in Africa. "In a swamp, an eight-foot-long crocodile 'chose to get his front paws over the stern of my canoe'" (Brown, 2002). It is through sentences like these in which Brown quotes Kingsley's own words from her journals. Nonfiction books should also have logical and easily understandable organization of ideas, and include an equal balance of fact and theories. The design should be appealing with eye-catching accurate and representational illustrations. Proper syntax and terminology for the settings should be exemplified, and all of this is true for the retelling of Kingsley's journeys in Africa. In 2001 it won a Boston Globe-Horn award for Nonfiction Honor Books, and is listed on page 399 in our text.
    The illustrations are just as important in a nonfiction book, with a soft watercolor medium, Brown depicts a portrait of a woman through soft textures and representational art style. The animals she comes in contact with are brought to life through the saturated colors. The bold outlines leave room for imagination as the detail isn't very specific, especially in characters' faces. Readers are still able to see an accurate setting for the different scenarios, and the illustrations enhance the story in tenfold.     
     For my young classroom, I would like to read an array of different genres. The fist time I read this book was for this blog, and as an adult I even thought it was fictional until I looked at it deeper once I got home. I would ask the children to gather around for story time, and when I finished, I would ask students if they thought it was fiction or nonfiction, which would also allow me a moment to reiterate the differences between the two, and if you have followed my blog, you know how much I love repeating things for the sake of retaining it! So gathering around as a group to read Uncommon Traveler: Mary Kingsley in Africa would allow for several different things to be discussed. Another great activity revolving around this book is to act as our favorite animal that Mary comes in contact with. For example, if a student's favorite animal was the crocodile, he or she could stand in place moving their stiff arms adjacent to one another, to represent a crocodile's jaws moving up and down. We could also color in animals that were incorporated to the story to their accurate colors. My reader response questions would be:

1. Which part of the story was your favorite? Why?
2. Which animal that Mary came in contact with did you not like? Why didn't you like that animal?
3.  Why do you think Mary moved across the world?
4. Would you ever go on a journey like this? Why or why not? 
5. If you could go anywhere in the world like Mary did, where would you go? 

References

     Brown, D. (2002). Uncommon traveler: Mary Kingsley in Africa. (1st ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.
     Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2011). Literature and the Child. (7th ed., pp. 24 - 399). Belmont: Wadsworth Pub Co.    

Messengers of Rain and Other Poems from Latin America

     Messengers of Rain and Other Poems from Latin America is a book formed of collaborative poetry. Published in 2002, it is considered a modern multicultural book. It is respectful and mindful of the Latin American heritage and culture, and includes the finest representational poems they could find! The illustrations are great, and I personally love this book and can't wait to share it!
    My personal favorite is "The Key" written by Humberto Ak'abal from Guatemala.

"The key was in her possession;
that was her habit.

And grandma Saq'kil,
some days before leaving us,
squeezed a key
in her hand

What did she keep in her chest?

The last day 
her hand relaxed
and she let it fall.

From the chest flew
a golden butterfly" (Lee & Yockteng, 2002). 

     This is my favorite because it relays a message that the elderly are so wise, and so generous. Our older family members are just as important as any other member, and should be treated as such. I feel that my own grandmother's heart is made from gold, just as grandma Saq'kil's was. Messengers of Rain and Other Poems from Latin America is full of poems as meaningful as "The Key", and is really very enjoyable.
    On page 24 in Literature and the Child, the criteria for poetry is very clear. The text should be compact with elegant language and the illustrations should go beyond the surface of the poem's meaning. Messengers of Rain and Other Poems from Latin America certainly does that, especially on page 43 with a snake with wings, a man with an elongated neck, and an exaggerated feast will entice any reader! Again on page 144 we are given a checklist for poetry.

Individual poetry pieces

•  Should include interesting and easily comprehensible works
• Sould use creative syntax that utilizes poetic devices effectively
• Easy to follow structure

Anthologies should demonstrate

•  Careful consideration of characteristic poetry
•  Logical arrangement of poems
•  A wide array of styles of poems

   While there aren't many illustrations aside from the book jacket/cover, there are a few pictures randomly placed throughout the book that relates to certain poems. They have soft textures, and used a watercolor medium that provides the reader with a free flowing and carefree attitude. The colors are saturated and bold, but not so bold so as to draw attention away from the poem. The design of the pictures are subtle and small, generally placed in a corner on the pages away from the text, yet they enhance the poem in a way that brings readers to better understand the poem. For example, the poem "Castles" has a small little castle painted above the title, which intrigues the browser to read on. When the poems change themes, like from magic to the beach, vivid illustrations paint an impressionistic yet exaggerated picture that prepares the reader to dive on in!
    I would introduce Messengers of Rain and Other Poems from Latin America to students approximately ages of 7-10. It is flexible in that younger and more advanced readers alike can enjoy this book, and I am especially fond that younger readers can enjoy it because I am very excited to share it during Latin Heritage Month in October. After reading some of these poems, around three, I could ask my first grade students to tell me which of the three they read was their favorite and why, then draw a picture of what their favorite poem was about. This book could inspire us to do something more for Hispanic Heritage Month, like find songs from Latin America and share them with the class! These would be three great ideas that my first grade students to be assigned. My reader response questions would be:

1. Read three poems from the book. Which was your favorite and why?
2. Which was your least favorite and why?
3. How were the poems you read alike, and how were they different?
4. Do any of the poems you read remind you of your life and your family? How so?

    

References

     Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2011). Literature and the Child. (7th ed., pp. 24 - 165). Belmont: Wadsworth Pub Co.   
      Lee, C., & Yockteng, R. (2002). Messengers of Rain and Other Poems from Latin America. (1st ed., p. 59). Berkely, CA: Groundwood Books.