Genre 5: Historical Fiction

Kira-Kira, by Cynthia Kadohata. 2005 Newbery Medal

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kadohata, Cynthia.2004. KIRA-KIRA. New York. Atheneum Books. ISBN 0689856393

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Narrated by young Katie Takeshima, this book chronicles the lives of the Takeshima family, a Japanese family living in Georgia in the 1950's. Katie describes with humor the trials and tribulations of growing up a minority in the rural south. When her beloved sister Lyn is diagnosed with lymphoma, we experience with Katie all the complex emotions that arise when faced with losing someone deeply loved.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Although hum

orous at times, this novel does not sugar coat the reality of racism in the 1950's.

The story is told with child-like innocence and later, with the wisdom and honesty of a child who is forced, by circumstances, to grow up before her time. I didn't get a strong sense of the place or the time period through the details of the story; -the isolation of the Takeshima family, the horrible working conditions, and the drive to make life better for their children, are all contemporary issues that immigrants and minorities still experience. But told from Katie's perspective, the story feels authentic. Told in a very simple, but child-like voice, this story left me devastated. In the following passage, Katie is attempting to accept her sister's death, so that she and her sister can 

move on: 

One thing about me was that when I was having a serious wish session, I tried never to wish impossible wishes. I might have wished for sixteen crayons instead of eight, but even when I was little, I never wished for a thousand crayons, because I knew a thousand different crayons did not exist. So on that forty-ninth day I did not wish that Lynn could be alive again, because I knew she was gone. I was worried that her spirit was watching me every time I cried. I was worried that if she saw me crying, she would be very unhappy and maybe she wouldn't be able to leave the earth the way she was supposed to. So even though I wnated her to keep watching me, I wished she would forget about me and never see me crying and never worry about me anymore, even if that meant I was now alone.

The themes of familial love, parental devotion, and inevitable loss which are conveyed with simple eloquence, confirm that this novel is a worthy recipient of the Newbery award.

4.REVIEW EXCERPTS
From The San Diego Union: "It's an unforgettable story, filled with memorable characters who find ho

pe at the end of a very long road."
From Booklist Starred Review: "In Kira -Kira Kadohata stays true to the child's viewpoint in plain, beautiful prose that can barely contain the passionate feelings....heart wrenching."

5. CONNECTIONS

A good book to use in a discussion about death and dying and managing grief. This book would pair well with Pearl S. Buck's novel, THE BIG WAVE. In both novels, a compassionate adult gently helps a child come through intense grief. 

Chains  (Sound Recording) National Book Award finalist, and 2009 Scott O Dell Award

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anderson, Laurie Halse. 2008. CHAINS. Grand Haven, Mich: Brilliance Audio. ISBN 9781423367307

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Set in New York City at the beginning of the Revolutionary War, this story features a 13 year old African American slave named Isabel, who is owned by cruel loyalists. Caught between the passions of

 the loyalists and the patriots, her main concern and  loyalty is to whichever side can help her and her little sister return to the home they were unjustly taken from. 

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Madisun Leigh narrates the unabridged audiobook version of the novel which consists of seven CDs and eight hours of listening. Although Ms. Leigh's diction is very clear and  easy to understand, the cadence of her voice did not match the emotional tenor of the events in the novel. This very intense novel, by Laurie Halse Anderson, about the  tumultuous life of a 

teenage slave girl named Isabel, has very few light-hearted moments, yet Leigh's tone of voice remained very bright and cheerful, which distracted from the story line. 

Hers was the only voice used, and she did a fine job of adjusting her voice to accommodate different characters. The story is compelling, and Laurie Halse Anderson's writing is rich with period details and her characters are well drawn and complicated.  For example, Isabel's loyalty to the Patriots changes depending on how well they can serve her purpose of freeing her and her little sister Ruth. Anderson doesn't offer a simple, neat explanation of the issue of human beings enslaving others; but highlights the contradiction and 

hypocrisy of the national struggle for independence while slavery still exists as an institution. For example, when the only white woman who ever showed Isabel any kindness, confesses on her death bed that she offered to purchase her from her cruel owner, Isabel feels conflicted.  Although she knew she was expected to be grateful, Isabel could not thank the woman for offering to participate in the buying and selling of human beings. 

The story set in New York City in 1776 and 1777, has a lot of action and suspense and will engage middle grade readers with vivid descriptions of prison conditions, hangings, and espionage. Anderson did extensive research of New York City during that time period and includes many details about 

daily life, like what people ate; she includes an unforgettable description of how an eel is prepared for eel pie, and how people had to go to communal wells to get their drinking water, and what wealthy women wore to balls. And of course she writes at length about the terrible conditions under which slaves live and work.

This novel would be excellent to read aloud and could be used in a discussion about slavery, the Revolutionary War, or even urban life in America during the 18th century.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

From School Library Journal: "Well researched and affecting in its presentation, he story offers readers a fresh look at the conflict and struggle of a developing nation."

5. CONNECTIONS

Pair this with the sound recording of Julius Lester's book, TO BE A SLAVE, which is a collection

 of accounts by slaves and ex-slaves of their experiences of leaving Africa. ISBN 0788746413

Number the Stars. 1990 Newbery Medal Award

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lowry, Lois. 1989. NUMBER THE STARS. New York: Dell Publishing. ISBN

04404040327

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Lois Lowry's Newbery winner is based on a true account how people involved in the Danish resistance during WWII saved thousands of Jews from the Nazi death camps by smuggling them to Sweden. This tale centers around 10 year old Annemarie Johannson and her best friend, Ellen Rosen.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In the afterword of her book, NUMBER THE STARS, Lois Lowry reveals that the main character, Annemarie, is based on a person that Lowry knew. Annemarie's story closely resembles that of Lowry's friend, who really lived in Copenhagen during the Nazi occupation. The character, Peter, was based on a young man named Kim, who like Peter, was a member of the Danish resistance and who was executed by the Nazis.

Perhaps Lowry's personal connection to this horrible, but inspiring story, is what makes it so vivid for the readers. For example, she tells in the afterword about how the scientists in Sweden really did develop a concoction which disabled the dogs' sense of smell. Lowry's language is simple, and her talent to tell a story and describe a place in a very short novel for upper elementary students, is what makes this novel one that remains popular twenty years after it was first published. She visited the city and the very street where her story is set. But this book does not read like a history lesson.

This short novel is packed with suspense, danger, and at times comic relief provided by Annemarie's little sister, Kristi.  The theme is big; human courage and kindness prevailing over evil, and Lowry has a  gift for conveying this in an effortless, subtle way as the following passage which describes Copenhagen after the war ends illustrates:

Annemarie stood on the balcony of the apartment with her parents and sister, and watched. Up and down the street, and across the other side, and across the other side, she could see flags and banners in almost evry window. She knew that many of those apartments were empty. For nearly two years, now, the neighbors had tended the plants and dusted the furniture and polished the candlesticks for the Jews who had fled. Her mother had done so for the Rosens.

"It's what friends do," Mama had said."

This is a holocaust story that stands out because it highlights a brighter side of human nature which in this particular situation, outshines the darker side. A great read for anyone interested in a little known piece of history where the heros are everyday people who happened to have immense courage.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

From The Horn Book: " The whole work is seamless, compelling, and memorable-impossible to put down; difficult to forget."

From Booklist (starred review): Lowry tells her story well, fashioning a tense climax..."

5. CONNECTIONS

Compare the elements of the story of Little Red Riding Hood to the part in the story where Annemarie has to go through the woods to deliver a basket to her Uncle.

Pair this book with another novel for Young Adults about the Danish resistance by Sonia Levitin entitled, ROOM IN THE HEART.  ISBN 0142403393.

Genre 4: Non-Fiction

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell.2005. HITLER YOUTH: GROWING UP IN HITLER'S SHADOW. New York: Scholastic Non-Fiction. ISBN 

0439353793

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Explores the various forces that led to the formation of the Hitler Youth, an army of young people who dedicated their lives to serving Adolf Hitler.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Through extensive research including oral histories, diaries, letters and other personal accounts, Susan Bartoletti tells the disturbing, but fascinating story of how the youth of Germany helped Hitler rise to power. She focuses on twelve individuals some dedicated soldiers in Hitler's army, and some brave young men and women who resisted the Nazi movement. The photographs included were carefully selected from the National Archives and Records Administration, the online photograph collections at the Library of Congress and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and from family albums with special permission from their owners. Every page in this oversized book has at least one photograph showing a portrait of one of the subjects, or a particular place where a significant event occurred.  This visual accompaniment to the story has the powerful effect of giving life to this historical tragedy. For example, we see a photograph of Helmuth Hubener and his two friends, who at fifteen wrote anti nazi essays and secretly distributed them.  We learn how he was found out and arrested and we view a picture of his "mug shot"taken at the time of his arrest by the Gestapo.   At the end of the book, Bartoletti tells what became of the young people featured in the book. For example, the eight-year old Elisabeth Vetter, who turned her own parents in for not allowing her to join the Hitler youth, emigrated to the United States, had five children, and is quoted as saying, "I still feel terrible about it. My parents were wonderful people." 

The Epilogue is followed by a time line of the Hitler Youth, an Author's note where she discusses her initial interest in the subject as well as her travels, interviews and the research she conducted for the book; a note about the photographs, a list of quote sources, a bibliography and an index. These details leave no doubt in this reader's mind that this amazing book is historically accurate and very well-researched. This is an exemplary social history book.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

From "The Horn Book" (starred review): "The power of the account...matched by he many period photographs, well-married to the text by strong captions and placement..."

From "Kirkus Review"  (starred review): "Case studies...root the work...and clear prose, thorough documentation and an attractive format...make this non-fiction writing at its best."

5. CONNECTIONS

This book would be essential to any middle to high school student interested in the terrible phenomenon of Adolf Hitler's rise to power. 

Other books that would p

air well with this: 

Spiegelman, Art. MAUS: A SURVIVORS TALE.

Warren, Andrea. SURVIVING HITLER: A BOY IN THE NAZI DEATH CAMPS

                      

 The Man-Eating Tigers of Sundarbans

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Montgomery, Sy. 2001. THE MAN-EATING TIGERS OF SUNDARBANS. Photo. by Eleanor Briggs. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0618077049

2. PLOT SUMMARY

A riveting account of the author's trip to the mangrove forests of the Sundarban Tiger Reserve in Bangladesh, where she attempts to explain the science behind the behavior of the man-eating tigers that live there.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In the book, The Man Eating Tigers of Sundarbans, Sy Montgomery visits a tiger reserve where there are more cases of tigers attacking and eating people than anywhere else in the world. She is not a scientist, but she is a naturalist and a reporter and her mission there is to reveal a phenomenon of why the tigers are so aggressive toward the humans in this particular region of the world. The author never comes up with any solid conclusions, but her questions posed to scientist and the villagers who live on the edge of the reserve,  open a world up to the reader that is full of beauty, danger and mystery. The author includes photographs of herself with a family who, like most of the villagers, have great respect and fear for the tigers.  

The most striking feature of this non-fiction book by Sy Montgomery is the author's obvious passion and enthusiasm for the topic. Her writing is lively and her use of second person narration allows the reader to put herself into the position of tiger researcher: "Perhaps you could find some clues from learning about the forest in which these strange tigers live.....Perhaps you might also try to track the tigers. You could follow their footprints to find out where they go and what they do and compare your answers with the ways tigers live in other places. " 

In the end, we never learn why these tigers are man-eaters, but we do learn that the villagers do not want them exterminated, they believe that "our world can't be whole without tigers" and that even dangerous, man-eating tigers may do us more good than harm because perhaps they guard the forest on which everyone depends."

Sy Montgomery does an excellent job of teaching the reader about the natural history and culture of a unique and exotic part of the world, while engaging the reader in a suspenseful, chilling tale.  The story is a great example of the genius of symbiosis in the natural world because Montgomery concludes that perhaps the tigers serve the purpose of protecting this rich habitat from human interference and destruction.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

From "Booklist": "...immediately captures attention with fresh, engaging writing that turns a scientific study into a page-turning mystery."

From "School Library Journal": "It's the text with as many questions as answers that excites as a fascinating topic meets a talented storyteller."

5. CONNECTIONS

This book would fit in a science unit about symbiotic relationships in the natural world. 

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez. (A Pura Belpre Honor Book)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Krull, Kathleen. (2003). HARVESTING HOPE:THE STORY OF CESAR CHAVEZ. Ill. by Yuyi Morales. ISBN 0152014373

2. PLOT SUMMARY

This biography is about Cesar Chavez, the Mexican-American man who organized and led the first successful agricultural strike in U.S. history and became the founder of the United Farm Workers Association.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This book is beautifully illustrated by Yuyi Morales, who in researching the march described in the book, traveled the entire route of the protesters. Her paintings are reminiscent of the Mexican folk art in Diego Rivera's murals with rounded figures and large expressive faces. The paintings draw the reader into the story that begins when Chavez is a child living on his family owned ranch. When a drought hits, the family can no longer afford the ranch and they are forced to work as migrant farm laborers under horrible conditions and terrible pay. The story is told with a simple eloquence that is accessible to young readers including details that make a strong impression. For example, "Cesar was stubborn, but he was not a fighter. His mother cautioned her children against fighting, urging them to use their minds and mouths to work out conflicts." This establishes Chavez's later non-violent stance in La Causa or the cause, where he encouraged people to use strategies taught by Martin Luther King and Mahatma Ghandi to affect change. The second half of the book focuses on the 1963 three-hundred mile March from Delano to Sacramento in protest of the poor work conditions and low wages.  It is a well organized, episodic story that makes a complicated issue easy for young people to understand. This adult learned that the black eagle on the United Farm Workers Association's flag is the sacred bird of the Aztec Indians. 

4. REVEIW EXCERPTS

From School Library Journal, " A fine addition to any school library collection."

5. CONNECTIONS

Pair this with Atkin, S. (2001) VOICES FROM THE FIELDS:CHILDREN OF MIGRANT FARMWORKERS TELL THEIR STORIES. ISBN 0316056200

Genre 3: Poetry

Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY:

George, Kristine O'Connell. 2001. TOASTING MARSHMALLOWS: CAMPING POEMS. Ill. by Kate Kiesler. New York: Clarion. ISBN 061804597X

2. PLOT SUMMARY:

In thirty poems, the reader experiences the joys of camping from pitching a tent, to getting dressed inside a sleeping bag, to toasting marshmallows.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

This is a very child friendly book with accessible language and beautiful acrylic paintings that offer the sounds, sights and scents of the wilderness experience to seasoned campers as well as those who have never stepped foot out of the city. The poem, "Rowing to the Island", is Haiku-like in it's simplicity:

 "Mom and I row/

and row/leaving the shore in our wake./Such hard work,/pulling an island/across a lake." This is one example of how George's use of rhythm elicits a visceral reaction to the poem; one can feel the movement of the paddles and imagine the physical exertion of rowing hard but making little progress. Her use of  onomatopoeia in "Mosquito Song" will surely elicit laughter in young children listening to this read aloud, and the sophisticated and creative use of language in "Rain Dance" evokes a clear image of birds stirring the leaves of a wet tree: "It was dry/under these trees/until a confetti of birds/in the wet leaves/danced another rain shower." The arrangement of poems throughout the book vary from contemplative and pensive,  to silly and entertaining. A wonderful book to share with preschool children as well as older children who will enjoy the nostalgic tone.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS:

School Library Journal: "The poems are varied and inventive, replete with marvelous images and unive

rsal truths..."

Kirkus: The chan

ging layout of each page gives a sense of surprise to the most ordinary events..."

5. CONNECTIONS:

Ask children to write a concrete poem like George's poem "Eavesdropping" which is a short simple poem about a moon in the shape of a half moon. 

Look at other nature books by Kristine O'Connell George that feature other illustrators and ask the children to compare the pictures.

Keesha's House (2004 Printz Honor book award)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Frost, Helen. 2003. KEESHA'S HOUSE. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0374340641

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Seven teenagers describe in poetic form what circumstances led them to Keesha's house; a safe place for runaways to find shelter and friendship.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Frost gives a short, but succinct explanation of the poetic forms she uses in this free verse novel. The writing flows effortlessly and the story is revealed so naturally, that I'm sure I am not the only reader that was surprised to learn about the technical skill that went into creating this novel. Each character has a complex and tragic story that unfolds in alternating chapters. The teen voices are authentic and their issues, which range from pregnancy, to homosexuality, to sexual abuse are ones that 

many teenagers will relate to because Frost handles their struggle with so much integrity. There are no easy solutions, the adults are portrayed as troubled, conflicted human beings who don't have all the answers, but are grappling with their issues. In a later chapter, Frost uses the English sonnet form to give voice to the adults who poignantly struggle with their shortcomings and inner conflicts, not unlike Shakespeare's characters. This is a highly accessible short novel with compelling and convincing characters.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

From "VOYA": "Spare, elegant and eloquently concise, Frost's novel will reach reluctant readers as well as [other teen readers]."

From "Publishers Weekly": "..artfully revealed, Frost makes her characters and their daily lives seem relevant and authentic."

5. CONNECTIONS

Pair with Shakespearean sonnets to compare the poetic form and discuss the tragic element in Shakespear's characters.

Read other books in

 verse like those of Sonya Sones and Karen Hesse.

The World According to Dog: Poems and Teen Voices

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sidman, Joyce. 2003. THE WORLD ACCORDING TO DOG: POEMS AND TEEN VOICES. Photographs by Doug Mindell. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0618174974

2. PLOT SUMMARY

In a collection of essays and poems about the dogs in their lives, teens discuss the joys, heartbreak and hilarity that comes with loving these loyal animals.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Joyce Sidman uses a variety of poetic forms like blank verse and Haiku, in her collection of poems about dogs and their humans. The photographs by Doug Mindell are lovely and amusing and compliment the essays written by the teen owners of the subjects in the photos and some are wonderful illustrations of the poems. In the Haiku, "Awakening" a blurred, close-up of a dog's nose mirrors the sentiment in the poem: "I dream of deep-sea/fishing: awake to find dog/breathing in my face." The poems are appealing, but the essays are what makes this book a gem. Teens will relate to the honesty and deep connection the authors have with dogs. In the essay entitled, "Bandy" a girl relates a story about how her mom, a misfit, loner finds an abandoned puppy who teaches her important life lessons: "Although there are no remaining photos of Bandy, her memory will live on forever She helped my mother understand the importance of life and affection. She guided my mother to appreciating everything and everyone as much as possible."

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS

From "School Library Journal": "Sidman's poetic observations of beloved pets are interspersed with essays by teens are sure to engage dog fanciers."

From "Booklist": Illustrated with striking blurred, black and white photos, this collection muses on canine wisdom and charm; what dogs can teach us, why they are lovable."

5. CONNECTIONS

This would work well as a writing exercise with students required to write a short essay or poem about a dog they know.

Pair with novels about dogs that would appeal to teens: 

Lee, Ingrid. DOG LOST. ISBN 9780545085786