Wonder (Module 6)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Palacio, R. J. 2012. Wonder. New York: Knopf Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780375869020.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Born with severe craniofacial difference, Auggie begins fifth grade at a public school for the first time ever. He encounters bullying, makes friends, and earns the respect of his peers. He learns what life is really all about while teaching others as well.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Palacio has created a very successful and sensitive treatment of a difficult topic. She uses different points of views to draw the reader in and round out the story. With each character that narrates, even for a short time, the reader gets to see Auggie from a new view and understand more completely not only what his life is like but what life is like for those who love him. It helps give a more holistic view of the story and the characters.

Entering middle school is a difficult time for most students, so a middle school is the ideal setting for this story. It allows for a unique group of characters that are on the cusp of changing and growing in big and small ways. The characters ring true like Julian that has all the adults thinking he's great while he's far from it, Summer who simply wants to be nice, and Jack who almost loses his friendship with Auggie while trying to look cool.

The adults bring in both great direction in the younger characters' lives and create problems as well. Auggie has wonderful parents that want the best for him, a principal that is trying to help him adjust while not being over controlling, and a teacher that wants the students to learn about life as much as the curriculum. However, there are also adults who don't want him around the school and feel he is pulling down the school. Adults sometimes who act worse than the kids.

Simple illustrations for each character help give a feel for them while not showing everything. Each drawing has only one eye and then an inspirational quote underneath. The simple drawings also emphasize the importance of the face in this story about craniofacial differences.

The precepts from Mr. Browne's class really encapsulate the theme of kindness and compassion in this book. They help younger readers interpret what they are reading as the novel progresses and helps readers think through how they should interact with others without sounding trite or cheesy. The invitation to create their own precepts at the end allows students to internalize what they have read.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• Texas Bluebonnet Book, 2012-13
• Publisher's Weekly Starred: “Few first novels pack more of a punch: it's a rare story with the power to open eyes-and hearts-to what it's like to be singled out for a difference you can't control, when all you want is to be just another face in the crowd.”
• Booklist Starred: “Palacio makes it feel not only effortless but downright graceful, and by the stand-up-and-cheer conclusion, readers will be doing just that, and feeling as if they are part of this troubled but ultimately warm-hearted community.”
• Kirkus Starred: “A memorable story of kindness, courage and wonder.”

5. CONNECTIONS

• R J Palacio's website has the trailer, book reviews, FAQs, annotations, author, and for teachers tabs. The annotations tab is filled with tidbits about the book readers would find interesting and the FAQs give insight into how Palacio created this book. The teacher tab has multiple discussion questions. It is a great place to go to start a study on this book.
• NPR has an interview with R J Palacio that gives background into the author's inspiration for the novel. Use it to do and author study, a preview before reading the book, or to stimulate discussion.
• Choose Kind website has been created for students to interact with the book. They can sign a kindness pledge, print out stickers, e-cards, and certificates. There are also educator resources available.

Ask Me No Questions (Module 6)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Budhos, Marina. 2007. Ask Me No Questions. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9781416903512.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Illegal immigrants from Bangladesh that have been living in New York for years, the Hossain's decide to try to flee to Canada for asylum after 9/11. The father of the feamily is arrested at the border and detained by US immigration. The two daughters, Nadira and Aisha, try to help, but Aisha, who is always put together, starts to fall apart. Nadira has to figure out how to save her father before they are all deported and the life that they have put together falls apart.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The first chapter draws the reader in as Budhos starts in the middle of the tension of the Hossain family fleeing to Canada for asylum. As the story goes on, the reader finds out more of the back story while continuing on with the conflict in the present. The facts that there are no answers to any of the questions, no one that can seemingly help, and the young girls are on their own build the tension and confusion needed for the story.

The culture of immigrants who are walking the line of holding their own culture while adjusting to their new country is well described. The Hossain family has adjusted and allowed their daughters to be American in many ways while still requiring them to hold onto some of their Bangladeshi culture. For example, they allow their daughters to wear American style clothing, but they still expect them to respect their elders and maintain their religion. Very few non-English words are included in the book, but those that are Budhos either explains in the text or the meaning can be easily inferred. The cultural cues mainly come from how they characters interact with each other and the American culture.

Budhos has written an important novel laying out how illegal immigrants are so often hidden people, yet right in front of our eyes, and how those from the Middle East became painfully visible in light of 9/11. The novel also gives insight into some of the problems with immigration system in US. In the midst of all of this, the themes of the importance of family and standing up for what is right are artfully woven into the fabric of this novel.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• Booklist Starred: "Readers will feel the heartbreak, prejudice, kindness, and fear."
• Library Media Connection starred: "This book is a well-written and needed counterpoint in the body of September 11th literature."
• Kirkus Reviews: "A perceptive peek into the lives of foreigners on the fringe."

5. CONNECTIONS

• Marina Budhos' website gives insight to who she is as an author, the books she has written, and a blog for young readers (among other things). It is a great place to start working on an author study. Further information can be found in an author interview on Cynthia Leitich Smith's webpage and the publisher's author page as well.
• There is a Middle East Literature lesson plan on Read Write Think. It modifies literature circles to use a cultural response perspective in collaborative groups. It would be a lesson to use with a class before or after reading Budhos' book.
• Other books about middle eastern teens:

Abdel-fattah, Randa. Does my head look big in this? ISBN: 9780439922333.

Al-Maria, Sophia. The Girl Who Fell to Earth: A Memoir. ISBN: 9780061999758

Abirached, Zeina. A Game for Swallows: To Die, To Leave, To Return. ISBN: 9781575059419.

In Our Mothers' House (Module 6)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Polacco, Patricia. 2009. In Our Mother's House. New York: Philomel. ISBN: 9780399250767.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Three adopted children enjoy their lives with their two mothers. The moms wear dresses for the first time for their mother-daughter tea, the neighborhood helps them build a tree house in the backyard, and the family helps organize a neighborhood carnival. Even though they face a neighbor who treats them horribly, the rest of the neighbors gather around them to show they care.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Although the perfection of this family life seems a bit over the top, Polacco does a good job of sharing how all types of families can be happy and full of love. She also does a great job of foreshadowing the hate of the neighbor through the neighbor not being responsive to the family when they come to her door at Halloween. Later, the family is fully attacked by her at the neighborhood carnival. This foreshadowing helps build the tension and makes the attack more believable than if the neighbor hadn't been introduced earlier in the book.

The artwork is full of joy and fun. Each page is full of soft color, life, and movement. The page where the family go over to the hateful neighbor's to trick-or-treat is great as it depicts the joy of the children and mothers, the cuteness of all their costumes, and hints at the attack that will come later as the neighbor feels shields herself with the door from the family. Readers will also want to spend much time staring at the carnival page with all its busyness and details to look at all the games.

Themes of the importance of family and love permeate this picture book. The beauty of the neighborhood outweighs the ugliness of one neighbor, yet the sting of the attack rings true. Polacco has done an excellent job of showing that caring and compassion can go so much further than hate.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• Booklist: “This portrait of a loving family celebrates differences.”
• School Library Journal: “A lovely book that can help youngsters better understand their world.”
• Library Media Connection starred: “This is a strong and memorable story of a peaceful, devoted family unit.”

5. CONNECTIONS

• Through Patricia Polacco's website, readers can send their own e-postcards with artwork from the book. The page on this book also features some of the artwork with the words blocked out. These can be used to analyze the art itself, have students guess what might be happening in the artwork before reading, and fill in what they remember about the book after reading. The website also has information on Polacco's books and biographical information. The fun stuff tab has puzzles, color-ins, and bookmarks activities. There are also broad discussion questions with some kids' answers published on the site on everything from kindness to overcoming fears.
• Have students talk about what makes up a family. Tolerance.org has a great lesson on what makes a family. It includes clips from a documentary for grades K-8 called That's a Family. It also includes data from the 2010 US Census.
• Other picture books that address different kinds of families:

Skutch, Robert. Who's in a Family? ISBN: 9781883672669.

Parr, Todd. The Family Book. ISBN: 9780316070409.

Lewis, Rose A. Every Year on Your Birthday. ISBN: 0316525529.

Downey, Roma. Love is a Family. ISBN: 9780439444231.

Roots and Wings (Module 5)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ly, Many. 2008. Roots and Wings. New York: Delacorte. ISBN: 978385735001.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Grace has grown up not knowing much about her family and her family's past (even who her father was) because her mother won't tell her anything. Then, when her grandmother passes away, they return to where her mother grew up to have a Cambodian funeral. While there, Grace is confronted with her mother's and grandmother's past, and she must learn how to allow her past to inform her future.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Roots and Wings is a contemporary fiction novel focused on the experiences of on a first generation Cambodian American girl, Grace, who has grown up with only her mom and grandmother. These two women are also the only other Cambodians Grace has ever really had in her life. The book centers in many ways around this point of not knowing any other Cambodians, even though she knows her mother spent her time after immigrating to the US in a Cambodian community in St. Petersburg, FL. Grace's main drive in wanting to go back to St. Petersburg is also to discover who her father is and try to meet him.

The book is written in a way that interweaves the world of Cambodian Americans now with experiences earlier in Cambodia. The atrocities that many experienced are handled gently while not veering away from the ugliness of war. Ly manages not only to share these stories but also shows how those experiences have shaped the Cambodian refugees in American and their children, who may not even know the stories. To enhance the reader's experience of this culture, khmer words and cultural details are found throughout the book. Some are explained, while others need to be inferred.

Many Ly has written a wonderful book that gives insight into the Cambodian American culture that very few have written about. She has created a relatable cast of characters that ring true and shares many details about the culture that progress the storyline as well as add historical facts. Grace navigates well what it means to be American and how her Cambodian culture has affected her in ways she never realized before. There is a great need for good Cambodian American literature, and Many Ly has definitely succeeded with this novel.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• 2008 Asian Pacific American Library Association Award Book
• Kirkus Reviews: "Replete with details depicting religious and social beliefs, Grace's quest for answers makes for an intriguing contemplation on life within Cambodian-American immigrant community, as well as a satisfying coming-of-age story."
• School Library Journal: "The author allows family secrets to unfold carefully and explores them with sincerity."
• Horn Book: “Replete with Cambodian historical and religious details, this thoughtful coming-of-age story is grounded in family and tradition.”

5. CONNECTIONS

• Many Ly's website has a biography page that is a fascinating look at her life fleeing from Cambodia an arriving in America. Use this website to begin an author study on Many Ly.
• A recent independent movie about Cambodia now can give students some perspective on the country. You can watch the trailer and get more information here: http://ariverchangescourse.com/. The Documentation Center of Cambodia is also a good place to get information on Cambodia's past and present. Students should be encouraged to study the culture of Cambodia before Pol Pot, during the terrible years of Pol Pot, and modern day Cambodia.
• Other young adult books about Cambodians:
  Crew, Linda. Children of the River. ISBN: 9780440210221.
  Keat, Nawuth with Martha Kendall. Alive in the Killing Fields: Surviving the Khmer Rouge Genocide. ISBN: 9781426305153
  Ly, Many. Home is East. ISBN: 9780307530899
  McCormick, Patricia. Never Fall Down: A Novel. ISBN: 9780061730955
  Ung, Loung. First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers. ISBN: 9780060856267 

Year of the Dog (Module 5)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lin, Grace. 2006. The Year of The Dog. New York: Little, Brown. ISBN: 978-0-316-06002-8

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Having grown up so far as the only Taiwanese American family in her town, Pacy is surprised to find another Taiwanese American girl in her school. They soon become best friends and work towards finding their luck and accomplishing their goals as they live through the Chinese zodiac year of the dog.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Grace Lin tells the story of a young Taiwanese girl, Pacy, in an almost episodic fashion moving from story to story about her life during the year of the dog. The story is primarily light and fun because the main character is so likeable and relatable. For example, she is trying to figure out what she wants to do as an adult, hoping to try out for a school play, and competing to win the science fair. The book is written without the Western basis of plot structure with one big conflict to resolve. Instead, it has more of an Eastern feel in which we are dropped into Pacy's life, enjoy the ups and downs, and leave feeling satisfied, yet expecting to hear more from her (which we do in future books).

Lin also touches on more serious issues about growing Taiwanese American though. For example, when Pacy hopes to try out for the Wizard of Oz play at her school, she really wants to be Dorothy, but another student tells her she can't try out because she is Asian. Also, when her family goes to Taiwanese American Camp, she encounters others who call her a “Twinkie” because she can't speak Taiwanese or Chinese and therefore is yellow on the outside but white on the inside. Lin delves into these bicultural issues well and gives the reader an understanding of how Pacy feels as well as how she handles the situations.

Taiwanese culture is touched upon through stories and explanations throughout the book that give readers background knowledge. These stories and asides are wonderfully handled as Lin has different characters “telling” them. Both Chinese and Taiwanese languages are woven in the text, but meaings can typically be inferred or are even just explained in the text as well.

The illustrations are simple line drawings, leaving the impression that the character Pacy is drawing them herself. They range from illustrations that move the story along to a "how-to" on drawing a dog for the Chinese zodiac year that they are celebrating.

The overall effect of the book is that the reader feels like a part of the family. We get to enjoy seeing Pacy grow as we feel bad for her in the tough times and rejoice with her in her triumphs.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• 2006 Asian Pacific American Library Association Honor Book
• Texas Bluebonnet Book, 2007-08
• Booklist Starred: "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."
• School Library Journal: "A lighthearted coming-of-age novel with a cultural twist."
• Publisher's Weekly: "Lin creates an endearing protagonist, realistically dealing with universal emotions and situations."

5. CONNECTIONS

• Grace Lin's website has a few pages dedicated to this book. There is a page that shares some of the true events from the book called “Behind the Story.” There are also activity ideas like memoir writing, making a new year banner, and studying the Chinese horoscope. Her webpage can also be used for an author study. Lin's FAQ page is full of good information, and the Fun Facts page is a particularly amusing look at the author.
• Grace Lin's publisher has a downloadable educator's guide to The Year of the Dog with discussion questions and a writing activity.
• This book is followed up by The Year of the Rat and Dumpling Days. Dumpling Days has a good book trailer on Grace Lin's Youtube page.

Kamishibai Man (Module 5)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Say, Allen. 2005. Kamishibai Man. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 9780618479542.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
In Japan, the kamishibai man returns to the city he used to tell stories in. He finds the city to be different and begins to reminisce about the days when he was popular and why he stopped coming. However, as he finishes his story of the old days, he finds himself surrounded with an audience who still want him to tell his stories and bring his candy.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Allen Say's Kamishibai Man gives insight into a slice of Japanese culture and history. The story grabs the readers attention by starting with modern day and a “Jiichan” (Grandpa) and “Baachan” (Grandma) that have no children discussing missing something that requires a bicycle and candy. Through a flashback, Say lays out what kimishibai is and how this man used to make his living then gave it up. The conclusion of being surrounded by adults who remembered him as children is touching and poignant without feeling trite or sappy. This is a well-told tale filled with emotion and historical fact.

The illustrations are gorgeously painted, as we've come to expect from this Caldecott winning artist. Say distinguishes the modern day story from the flashback by making the flashback drawings less detailed and smaller on the page. These flashback illustrations are sized more like kimishibai cards and we find ourselves being drawn into a kimishibai story about the storyteller with a cliffhanger. However, our cliffhanger is resolved as we then come back to modern day and the joyful recepetion the kimishibai man has received.

Kimishibai Man is an excellent historical fiction picture book that draws the reader into the story while teaching about Japanese culture as well. A foreword from Allen Say and afterword by Japanese folklore scholar Tara McGowan give both the personal reason for Say to write this book and historical background to the story. Many readers will find it interesting that kimishibai was the precursor to Japanese manga and anime.


4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• Booklist starred: “Its exquisite art, in the style of Kamishibai picture cards, will attract even the most jaded kid away from the TV to enjoy a good, good book.”
• Kirkus Reviews: “A fascinating window on a bygone art form.”
• School Library Journal: “The power of the story and the importance of the storyteller are felt in this nostalgic piece that makes readers think about 'progress.'”

5. CONNECTIONS

• Allow students to experience kamishabai. There is an interactive kamishibai theater on Japanese National American Museum kid's website that focuses on the Japanese internment in the US during WWII. Theaters are available for purchase at sites like Kamishibai for Kids, or try making a mini one with instructions with this lesson plan.
• Teachers Lani Horan and Jamie Berkmeyer created a webquest for fourth grade students that could easily be tweaked for other grades that focuses on exploring Allen Say's personal background, his home, his work as an author, and his work as an illustrator.
• Books about using kimishibai in the classroom:
  
  
  De Las Casas, Dianne. Kamishibai Story Theater: The Art of Picture Telling. ISBN: 9781591584049.
  
  
  McGowan, Tara. The Kamishibai Classroom: Engaging Multiple Literacies Through the Art of "Paper Theater.” ISBN: 9781591588733.
  
  
  Nash, Eric. Manga Kamishibai: The Art of Japanese Paper Theater. ISBN: 9780810953031.

Jingle Dancer (Module 4)

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. 2000. Jingle Dancer. Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu, illus. New York: Morrow Junior Books. ISBN: 9780688162412.

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Jenna wants to dance at the next powwow, but she needs to find enough jingles for her dress. She finds that she can borrow a line of jingles from different women in her life so that her own dress can have jingles as well.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Jingle Dancer is a wonderful contemporary story of a young girl who is both Muscogee (Creek) Nation and Ojibway (Chippewa/Anishinabe). The emphasis of Cynthia Leitich Smith seems to be pointing to how Native Americans live today. Jenna lives in Oklahoma in a neighborhood that looks like it could be just about anywhere USA. She practices her dance steps by watching a recording of her grandmother dance on TV. The women who cannot dance are selling flatbread, working as lawyers, or unable physically to dance. The text emphasizes that Native Americans are not a historical people that no longer exist. They are living lives that any reader could relate to in some way.

The illustrations are light and airy. They show a variety of face structures, skin colors, and decorating styles among the characters. There is nothing stereotyped about how these Native Americans are depicted. The illustrations of Jenna dancing are especially beautiful as they show the grace of the dance and a varied community in the blur of the audience.

Children should be able to relate to Jenna wanting to be old enough to do something. They will like how she solved the problem herself by asking her community to help her. As is important to this culture, the theme of four (needing four rows of jingles) is prevalent as well as respect for elders and the importance of community. Jingle Dancer is a great example of contemporary Native American literature and can help readers relate to this culture. An author's note and glossary conclude the book and help educate readers more on cultural aspects they may not have understood.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• School Library Journal: a welcome addition to stories about traditions passed down by the women of a culture.
• Publisher's Weekly: Smith, a mixed-blood member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, convincingly juxtaposes cherished Native American tradition and contemporary lifestyle in this smooth debut.
• Kirkus Reviews:  A useful portrayal of an important cultural event in a Creek girl's year. 

5. CONNECTIONS

• Cynthia Leitich Smith has a website that is full of wonderful resources. She has four pages of teacher's guides on this book that include an overview with other websites to visit, prereading questions, comprehension questions, and bloom's multiple intelligence discussion questions and projects. Use these to lead students in discussions that will help them with text-to-text, text-to-self, and text-to-world connections.
• Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu have had great careers as illustrators. The interview that is on Cynthia Leitich Smith's website talks about how they got started in illustrating and some of the works they have done. Another interview on The Brown Bookshelf with Van Wright talks a little more about the multicultural aspects of their illustrations. Do an illustrator study on these two and have students look at the multicultural aspects of the different characters. Have them note different features, skin tones, home environments, etc. Ask them to talk about what they can learn from simply “reading” the illustrations.
• Other Native American picture books with contemporary settings:
  
  Manuel, Margaret. I See Me. ISBN: 978-1-894778-85-5.
  
  
  Sneve, Virginia Driving Hawk. The Christmas Coat: Memories of My Sioux Childhood ISBN: 9780823421343.
  
  
  Tingle, Tim. Saltypie: A Choctaw Journey from Darkness into Light. ISBN: 9781933693675.