Culture 6: Inclusive Literature

Module 6

Clements, Andrew. 2002. Things not seen. New York: Philomel Books.
ISBN 0-399-23626-0

Summary: Bobby gets up one morning and discovers that he is invisible. This creates a problem for his family, who must figure out how to explain why he is “missing”. His father is a physicist and busily tries to figure out if there is some scientific reason for this phenomenon. In the meantime, Bobby meets Alicia, a blind girl who knows he is there because she bumps into him. At first she doesn’t know he’s invisible, but then he tells her his secret. Eventually, her parents also get involved in trying to help Bobby. When it seems all is lost, the story ends with a surprising twist.

Critical Analysis: In this young adult novel, Clements is exploring invisibility from several different angles. The book is bordering on science fiction with its theories of how Bobby becomes invisible. Physical invisibility, though, is only one element. Invisibility can also be psychological. We also learn that sometimes Bobby feels invisible or unimportant in his family (a common adolescent feeling). His father is so involved in his research and his mother with her teaching that he often feels insignificant.

The other element is the physical disability of blindness, which affects Alicia. While the physical realm is invisible to her, she learns to “see” things in other ways that sighted people cannot. Her hearing and other senses are heightened.

Both Bobby and Alicia must come to grips with their disabilities. Alicia, who has dealt with hers for longer than Bobby gives him some insight. Together they are able to work towards a goal of discovering how to make Bobby visible.

The story will keep readers in suspense as Bobby’s family struggles with the issue of his invisibility. When Bobby figures out that the electric blanket might be a key to getting his visibility back, we see how he reasons with himself that this will make him more than visible. It will also help him gain respect in this father’s eyes.

Alicia’s character shows how people with disabilities can have depth of character, and can be “normal” in most of the ways teens are. We see how hard it was for her to accept her disability but we also see her strength in not letting it define who she was. In that way, she had lessons to teach Bobby and all of us.

This inclusive literature book is a great read. It is recommended for ages 12 and up.

Review Excerpts:
"As preposterous as the teens predicament may be, the author spins a convincing and affecting story," (Publisher’s Weekly, 2004)

“Through Alicia Bobby learns that there is something worse than being invisible, and that is being made to feel invisible.” (VOYA, Feb. 2002)

“As always, Clements's genius for developing credible plot lines (even from oddball premises) makes suspension of disbelief no problem. . . . . A readable, thought-provoking tour de force, alive with stimulating ideas, hard choices, and young people discovering bright possibilities ahead.” (Kirkus Reviews)

Connections: Have students read The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells, the classic of “invisible” stories. Also, young readers may enjoy these other books with invisibility themes:
• Up from Jericho Tel (E.L. Konigsburg)
• The Schwa was Here (Neal Shusterman)

Habibi

Module 6

Nye, Naomi Shihab. 1997. Habibi. New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.
ISBN 0-689-80149-1

Summary: Liyana’s family is moving from Missouri to Jerusalem. Her father is Palestinian and his family lives there but Liyana has never met this part of the family. Also, she isn’t sure she wants to leave the only home she’s ever known. Still, she is thrown into a completely new culture where she must learn to adapt. She also learns first hand about the struggle between two cultures, and how to find ways to build bridges instead of walls.

Critical Analysis: This novel is, in a sense, autobiographical. Nye had a Palestinian father and an American mother. She writes about these cross-cultural issues from an insider perspective. She has lived in both the United States and the Middle East, so is well equipped to write authentically about these cultures. She also understands well the Arab Israeli conflict that plays a major role in this story.

The Abboud family is not stereotyped. The father who is a doctor, has more enlightened views than most of us would expect from a Middle Eastern man. Even so, he counsels his daughter against public kissing in their new home. Liyana has been used to the more permissive American culture, and it is hard for her to adjust. The contrast between America and Israel is great. Not only are the language, the dress and the food different, but even relationships with the opposite sex.

Religion is an important theme in this story. We see the struggle between the Muslim and Jewish faith. Never is this more apparent than in Jerusalem, a city that is considered sacred to both. Interestingly, amidst all this religion, the Abboud family didn’t consider themselves a “traditionally religious” family. Their beliefs were a mixture of positive thinking, Hinduism, Buddhism, with a little Christianity thrown in for good measure. This flies in the face of traditional Islam and Jewish religions, but sets this family apart as individuals, rather than stereotypes. The family has some interesting discussions about religion.

The names and terms of address are cultural markers in this book. Liyana and Rafik’s names reflect their heritage. The clothing worn in Israel is different from the clothing the children wore in the States and shows the adjustment they have to make to the new culture. Shorts and blue jeans are frowned upon. Food is another marker. The author describes some of the local dishes: honey-dipped dates, baked lamb with rice and pine nuts, liquid yogurt, hummus, katayet.

Also, some unusual customs are mentioned. When the children’s grandmother meets them at the airport, she makes a loud trilling noise to show her excitement. Also, Liyana notices that her grandmother has tattoos, which is another custom in that part of the world.

A main theme of the story seems to be building bridges between cultures. When Liyana meets a boy named Omer who is Jewish, she is worried about her family’s reaction. Surprisingly, it is her grandmother who accepts Omer and makes him feel welcome. The theme of reconciliation between cultures is strong.

This is a well-written novel that helps to break down a lot of barriers. It may be unrealistic to think that the Jewish and Palestinian people would find peace, but this book offers hope. It is recommended for young adults.

Review Excerpts:
“Nye expertly combines the Abbouds' gradual acceptance of Omer with a number of heart-wrenching episodes of persecution (by the different warring factions) against her friends and family to convey the extent to which the Arab-Israeli conflict infiltrates every aspect of their lives. Nye's climactic ending will leave readers pondering, long after the last page is turned, why Arabs, Jews, Greeks and Armenians can no longer live in harmony the way they once did.” (Publisher’s Weekly)

“Poetically imaged and leavened with humor, the story renders layered and complex history understandable through character and incident. Habibi succeeds in making the hope for peace compellingly personal and concrete...as long as individual citizens like Liyana's grandmother Sitti can say, "I never lost my peace inside." (School Library Journal)

Connections: Read other books about families living in the Middle East.
Some examples are Breadwinner and Parvana’s Journey, both written by Deborah Ellis. These books show a different perspective of people living in that part of the world.

King and King

Module 6

DeHaan, Linda and Stern Nijland. 2000. King and king. Berkely, CA: Tricycle Press. ISBN 1- 58246-061-2

Summary: The queen wanted her son to take over the kingdom, but he wasn’t married. She decided it was time for the prince to choose a princess to wed. The next day, princesses from near and far arrive. None of them meet the princes’ expectations. The truth is, the prince doesn’t care for princesses. Instead he falls in love with the brother of one of the princesses, Prince Lee. So they were married and as the story says “everyone lived happily ever after.”

Critical Analysis: This picture book is written like a fairy tale, but it takes the elements of a traditional fairy tale and rearranges it to create a different message. The intended message tries to get across an updated social idea or message. In this case, the message the authors are trying to convey is the acceptance of the gay lifestyle. By presenting this topic in a fairy tale form, the message doesn’t come across in a strong overbearing way. While the book definitely strays away from “traditionalism, it isn’t preachy about it. It simply presents a story from a particular perspective.

The illustrations are bright and colorful and use a mixture of watercolor and collage. Some of the pages are a little “busy” artistically. One of the illustrations of the queen is actually scary. For these reasons the book may not be the best choice for very young children, who need simple, clear illustrations.

This book is controversial because of the subject matter. It presents an alternative lifestyle, which some conservative families may find offensive. Librarians and teachers should be aware that this book might be challenged. On the other hand, alternative lifestyle families may appreciate this book as a way of passing on their values.

Originally published in the Netherlands, this book has received the Lamda Literary Award. It has been recommended for grades 3-5.

Review Excerpts:“This story recognizes no differences between homosexual and heterosexual relationships. Many youngsters will accept this in a matter-of-fact way, but others will have questions so parents should be prepared with age-appropriate answers. “ (Children’s Literature, 2002)

“Some of the details in the artwork are interesting, including the "crown kitty" performing antics in the periphery. However, that isn't enough to compensate for page after page of cluttered, disjointed, ill-conceived art. The book does present same-sex marriage as a viable, acceptable way of life within an immediately recognizable narrative form, the fairy tale.” (School Library Journal 2001)

Connections: Readers who enjoy this book, may wish to read its sequel, King and King Family which continues the story of the two kings.

Culture 5: Asian American Literature

Module 5

Yep, Laurence. 1991. Star fisher. New York: Morrow Junior Books. ISBN 0-688-09365-5

Summary: The Lee family moves from Ohio to West Virginia. They are originally from China and must adjust to life in America. When they move into the new community and set up their new Chinese laundry business they run into a lot of prejudice. This affects the family’s ability to make a living and causes hardships. Even so, their perseverance against all odds pays off in the end.

Critical Analysis:
Laurence Yep is a Chinese American, so he is writing from an insider perspective. Also, he drew from his own family history to write this story. His knowledge of his own Chinese American family (his mother’s family lived in Ohio and West Virginia) gives him his Chinese American identity which he is able to express in the story. He didn’t live in the time period and did not directly experience the events but he obviously did his research for this culturally specific purpose.

The story is told from the point of view of Joan, the fifteen year old daughter in the family. We see from her perspective what it means to feel like an outsider when you really want to just fit in.

The main theme of the story seems to be the immigrant family’s adjustment to life in America. We see the very real struggles of this family as they must accept certain realities about living in America. Mr. Lee was a scholar and a poet in China. Here he must accept his lot of running a Chinese laundry: not his idea of the American Dream. As many immigrants do, he misses his homeland and traditions and talks about returning.

We get a bit of Chinese history, when Mr. Lee talks about the Manchus and how life in China changed before he came to America. This gives us a bit of background on the Chinese culture and lends authenticity to the story.

The issue of race and prejudice is also a strong theme in this book. The family deals with a lot of discrimination when they first move to West Virginia. The Lee parents are especially isolated by their culture and language.

Cultural markers are obvious in the story. While Chinese words are not used, we know that Chinese is spoken as the first language in the Lee home. While the parents struggle with speaking English, the children, like many second generation immigrants, are bilingual. As is typical, the children must often translate for their parents. The laundry run by the family was a typical business operated by Chinese immigrants.

The children have English names, which shows some assimilation into American culture. The children seem to want to fit into the American culture which is common for immigrant children.

There is a lot of cross cultural conflict in this story. The Lee parents misunderstand Miss Lucy and don’t want her help. The family also experiences a lot of prejudice from the town people. We get a glimpse of this early in the story when they arrive at the train station and a man calls them “darn monkeys”. It’s interesting that even though Mr. Lee doesn’t know exactly what the man is saying, he knows prejudice when he sees it.

Even so, the family does assume a rather proactive role in solving their problems and forging cross cultural bonds. It starts when the girls go to tea with Miss Lucy. It continues when their mother tries her best to make an apple pie that will be enjoyed by the church people. They have searched for and found an Asian American identity.

In the beginning, Miss Lucy comes across as being a “savior” to the Lee family. The author quickly changes our opinion as we see how this immigrant family can fight their own battles.

The characters in this story have depth. They are not the quiet, always cheerful Asians that have long been the stereotypes in American literature. Yep shows the family with all their feelings and problems.

In the end, this family has to adjust and become more like Americans to fit in. It may be perhaps a bit unrealistic to think that simply making a good pie helped Mrs. Lee to be accepted, but it does show the truth that those of other cultures have to make more adjustments to find their place in American society.

This book is recommended for ages 12 and up.

Review Excerpts:
“Drawing on his mother's immigrant experience as the basis for this moving story, Newbery Honor author Yep ( Dragon wings ; The Rainbow People ) skillfully avoids pat or reductive explanations. He gives his heroine, for example, the maturity to recognize the biases her own family holds as well as the courage to stand up to the more blatant and violent prejudices of her neighbors.” (Publisher’s Weekly)

“Joan's story will appeal to any reader who has ever felt excluded, but she and her family seem to hold many more stories begging to be shared. Based on tales Yep gleaned from his mother and her family, whose resilience and humor shine through.” (School Library Journal)

Connections: This book could be paired with another by Laurence Yep (along with Kathleen Yep) The Dragon's Child: A Story of Angel Island, which also tells a story about Chinese American immigrants. This story is also based on experiences of Yep’s family. Talk about how children can take stories from their own family and write a new story that is part fiction and part fact. Discuss how writing about what we know makes for a better and more authentic story.

Tree of Cranes

Module 5


Say, Allen. 1991. Tree of cranes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. ISBN 0-395-52024-x

Summary: A young Japanese boy wants to visit a neighbor’s pond because it has bright colored carp. His mother is afraid that he will drown and warns him not to go, but he disobeys her. One day he comes home with wet mittens and his mother, afraid that he is ill (and perhaps a little upset with him) makes him take a hot bath, feeds him rice gruel, and puts him to bed. He thinks his mother is angry with him as her watches her work in the garden. Finally she brings in a small tree in a pot and decorates it with paper cranes. This is his first introduction to Christmas, a holiday his mother celebrated when she lived in the United States. He also receives his first Christmas present, a samurai kite.

Critical Analysis: This beautiful picture book by acclaimed writer/illustrator Allen Say is written from the perspective of a young Japanese boy. Say borrowed from his own recollections of growing up in a Japanese American family which immigrated to the United States.

This book provides a wonderful cross cultural experience. The mother in the story shares her recollections of growing up in California and celebrating Christmas. She blended both Japanese and American customs in a beautiful tree decorated with origami cranes.

The young boy is like many other young boys his age. He is interested in exploring his world, even to the point of breaking the rules.

Cultural markers are present throughout the story. The setting is definitely Japanese. The house has the typical Japanese sliding doors and windows. The clothing worn by the characters is a combination of Japanese and western style. In the home, the mother wears the traditional kimono, and when the boy comes home he also puts on more traditional Japanese clothing. The clothing he wears outside the home is more of a western style. Also, we notice that the father wears western style suit when he is at work. The furniture in the house is more Japanese style; the beds are mats on the floor. The bath is the traditional Japanese style bathtub with the implements for washing before one enters the tub. The food served in the story is traditional Japanese: rice gruel, sour plum and radishes.

The making of origami cranes is very old Japanese tradition. As the story suggests it is a tradition that is associated with making wishes,

Say authentically illustrates his Japanese characters. The skin and hair tone are accurate and there are no negative stereotypes. The illustrations are beautifully rendered in watercolors and set the tone for the story.

As the story is set in Japan, there are no indicators of racial prejudice or struggle. The main struggle, is a young boy’s worry about his relationship with his mother. The respect for parents and elders is more common in Japanese culture. Also, the quiet way in which the characters communicate with each other is more typically Japanese.

The young boys mother has successfully integrated both the American culture and the Japanese culture into her life. She has also passed on this cultural identity to her son. She wants her son to know about Christmas, an American holiday, but the gift she gives him (a samurai kite) is Japanese.

This lovely picture will give children ages 4-8 an authentic picture of Japanese life and culture.

Review Excerpts:
“The story is a poignant one, illuminated with finely drawn illustrations reflecting the serenity of a Japanese home and the quiet love between mother and son. Say ( The Bicycle Man ; El Chino ), who came to this country from Japan when he was a teenager, again exhibits a laudable sensitivity to Eastern and Western cultures--and to both the differences and the similarities between them. (Publisher’s Weekly)

”Japanese life-style is delicately described in the paintings which convey a sense of peace, quiet and love.” (Children’s Literature)

Connections: Read Tree of Cranes along with these other books about Japanese Americans by Allen Say:
• Emma’s Rug
• Stranger in the Mirror
• Music for Alice
• Allison
• Tea with Milk

When My Name was Keoko

Module 5

Park, Linda Sue. 2002. When my name was Keoko. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0-618-13335-6

Summary: Sun-hee and Tae-yul lived in Korea when it was ruled by Japan. When Japan took over they forced Koreans to speak only Japanese and even to change their Korean names to Japanese ones. Their uncle was part of the resistance, but went into hiding when it is feared that he would be discovered. After World War II begins Tae-yul decides to join the Japanese army and winds up volunteering to serve as a kamikaze (suicide) pilot. Then the family receives word that he died on a mission. When the Japanese surrender, the family receives a great gift.

Critical Analysis: Linda Sue Park is the daughter Korean immigrants and draws from her family history to write this novel. While a fiction story, it is based on very true facts about what happened in Korea during the time of Japanese rule. Also, some of the incidents are based on stories from the childhood of her parents, who lived during that time.

The book is written in the first person, alternating between the viewpoints of Sun-hee and Tae-yul, who are brother and sister. This helps us to see the same events through the eyes of two different people.

The book is painfully descriptive of the plight of the Korean people and their suffering under the Japanese. The Koreans had their identity stripped away during that time period. Having to speak Japanese only and having their names changed was a terrible blow to their national pride. The Korean people were proud of their culture with its distinctive qualities. To be forcibly absorbed into the Japanese culture was very difficult and caused a lot of cross cultural conflict.

The search for cultural identity is a significant theme in this book. The children cling to what they can of their culture even when they have to do it privately. The family found secret ways to maintain their identity by choosing names carefully to honor their family history. Another way was keeping one small rose of Sharon tree hidden from the Japanese after they were forced to burn the rest. In spite of the danger, they kept it as a symbol of their identity.

The author tries to point out the differences between Korean and Japanese cultures. She makes a point to describe their physical characteristics as different. Also, she points out the difference in names: Japanese family names are usually long while Korean ones are short. Japanese and Korean words are used throughout the book. The terms of address s are Korean: Abuji and Omoni are the parents. This is a very important part of the culture and create authenticity for the story. A note at the beginning of the book explains the Korean terms of address used in the story.

Cultural markers help to make the story more credible. Respect for elders is an important element. Children bow to their parents (and others) and are very careful not to offend them. Traditional foods are mentioned. Rice was a staple; red beans and rice was a delicacy, but during the war was largely unavailable. A special treat named duk (sweetened rice cake) is mentioned. Along with this is the way the family acts at mealtime. A traditional saying is mentioned by Uncle: “ . . . eat when you are eating, talk when you are finished.” In other words, it wasn’t good manners to do both at the same time.

Women in the culture were also traditionally subservient to the men. This was shown in the way Sun-hee and her mother related to the men in the family. The mother in this story tends to dress traditionally and wears her hair in a braid coiled in a bun. Keoko wore trousers to school and had her hair cut short with bangs because it was required (another way the Japanese were trying to kill the Korean culture).

Respect for learning and education is an important part of the culture. They found ways to learn about their history and culture in private, secretive ways.

The story was difficult to read because so much of it really happened. Although the Japanese tried to wipe out all vestiges of Korean culture, the Korean people showed their strength in tradition Korean ways: silently and secretly. This helped them survive this difficult time. Linda Sue Park has successfully given us an authentic look inside of a culture.

This book is recommended for ages 10-14.

Review Excerpts: “As she did so effectively in her Newbery Award winner, A Single Shard, Park makes Korean history emotionally compelling in this excellent novel. . . . This is a gripping read.” (Book Magazine)

"Through the use of the shifting narrators, Park subtly points up the differences between male and female roles in Korean society and telling details provide a clear picture of the siblings and their world.” (Publisher’s Weekly 2004)

“Park is a masterful prose stylist, and her characters are developed beautifully. She excels at making traditional Korean culture accessible to Western readers. This lovely and powerful novel is one clearly deserving of award consideration. “ (VOYA, 2004).


Connections: Read these other books by Linda Sue Park:
• A Single Shard
• The Kite Fighters
• Project Mulberry

Culture 4: Native American Literature

Module 4

Dorris, Michael. 1992. Morning girl. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 156282-284-5

Summary: Morning Girl and her brother Star Boy live on an island in the Bahamas in 1492. Brother and sister are as different as night and day, just as their names are. Like any brother and sister, they have trouble getting along. Even so, we see that family ties are very important and that eventually she will as her mother predicts, be friends with her brother. Life on the island is filled with other normal family events and some not so normal. A hurricane touches the island and afterwards the community gathers together to celebrate the fact that they have survived. At the end of the story, Star Girl sees strangers coming to the island. These strangers will bring change to the islanders and to history.

Critical analysis: The characters in this fiction book are of the Taino culture, which was a dominant during the pre-Columbian period in the Caribbean islands. They are considered part of historical Native American cultures and were probably some of the first people that Columbus saw when he came to the Americas. An epilogue at the end of the book contains a journal entry from 1492 which was written by Christopher Columbus and lends authenticity to the historical facts of the culture.

The author uses a style of writing that alternates point of view. Morning Girl and Star Boy take turns, each one taking every other chapter to tell their story. This helps us know what both of them are thinking and feeling.

The story seems to focus on family relationships. Brother sister relationships seem to be the same, no matter what century you live in. Morning Girl and Star boy are the same as many modern brothers and sisters: they have trouble getting along. And just as in today’s culture, “blood is thicker than water”: Morning Girl is the first to defend her brother when someone else is criticizing him.

Other family relationships in the story are cultural markers that fit in with the characteristics we see in modern Native American literature. Family is very important in these cultures. We see the respect and love that Morning Girl and Star Boy have for their parents. When their mother loses her baby, they are saddened and want to comfort her. Their father is someone who is there for them emotionally and physically; their respect for him is deep. Also, respect for elders and grandparents is evident. When Star Boy is caught in the middle of the hurricane, he hears his dead grandfather’s voice telling him that he will be safe.

The names of Star Boy and Morning Girl are indicative of the culture. Native Americans frequently gave their children names that had something to do with their character. Names had meaning and sometimes the names changed. For example, as the story tells us, Star Boy was once called Hungry. As Morning girl said, “ If your name is true, it is who you are.”

The description of the environment clearly sets the story in the Carri bean islands. The climate, the beaches, palms, conch shells, flowers and birds are all part of that culture. Some of the foods mentioned, coconuts and fish, would have been part of their diet. After the hurricane, the people dressed up to celebrate by painting their bodies and wearing flowers.

Also, after the hurricane hits, we see the importance of community to this culture. They all band together to help each other and to celebrate that they are all alive. They shared food, including favorite recipes. Also, the community banded together to chastise Star Boy when he took too much food at the celebration.

This story is a delightful picture of a family and a culture, which existed long ago but has much in common with Native American cultures today. The epilogue, a journal entry by Christopher Columbus gives us a sad commentary on the attitudes of Europeans who came to the Americas. The myth of Anglo superiority comes across quite clearly in Columbus’ statements when he refers them as capable of becoming “good and intelligent servants”. This also comes out in his attitudes about their lack of religion.

This book is recommended for ages 8-12.

Review Excerpts:“A story of a Taino girl and her brother, set in 1492 in the Bahamas. Sibling rivalry, jealously, and love all are related with elegance and warmth, reflecting a simplicity of lifestyle and universality of experiences. ( School Library Journal, Oct. 1992)

“This gentle story reveals the rhythms of life on the island before the Europeans came, showing listeners the richness of the islanders' lives.” (School Library Journal, 2005)

Connections:Have children write a sequel to this story. What do they think happened after Columbus arrived? They might want to read other books that give an account of how the European arrival affected the Native Americans.