BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Na, An. 2001. A Step From Heaven. New York, NY : Penguin Group. ISBN: 0142500275

PLOT SUMMARY:

When Young Ju Park is four years old, she is living a happy life in Korea with her mother and father. When her mother tells her they will be moving to Mi Gook (America), Young believes that Mi Gook must be heaven, since they will be flying in a plane way up high in the clouds. Her parents believe that moving to America will make their lives easier.

They are disillusioned once they arrive, living in cramped quarters with a relative. They finally find a tiny apartment in a rundown neighborhood to rent and Young soon has a baby brother. She attends school, learns English rapidly, and makes friends. Both parents work jobs and they still struggle to have enough food. Her father has the most difficult time adjusting to the move, never learning more than a few English words. He falls into a pattern of drinking; taking his anger out on his family, often times being physically abusive. Young deals with family stress by trying hard and excelling in school, earning honors. Her younger brother chooses the opposite; he escapes by skipping school.

This is a heart-wrenching story of a family trying to navigate the culture of a new country and the many hardships they must overcome.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

This story is told through Young Ju Park as she is growing up in America. Early in the book, we hear a young girl that thinks Mi Gook is heaven and it must be magical. When people smile widely, she calls it showing your “happy teeth”.

As the family struggles with poverty, we see Young Ju mature in her thoughts. While some of the problems that face this Korean family are the same that many Americans also have, poverty, hunger, job loss; we see how adapting to a new country and language increases the complications they face.

Though there is much despair in Young’s voice and thoughts, glimmers of hope are there as well. On the day her mother finally allows her to buy a Lotto card and indeed they do not win, Young thinks, “A dollar for afternoon dreams is expensive and cheap….But, someone has to win. Somebody gets the jackpot. Why not us?”

The author includes many Korean words, which add an interesting feel to the story being told. Young Ju and her brother play “guy-bye-boh”, rock-paper-scissors, a hand game many of the readers will be familiar with.

This story flows so well, it seems too early for the end when it comes. There is an epilogue titled “Hands” which beautifully compares Young Ju’s soft, tender hands with her mother’s hands, calloused and scarred from physical labor. The reality of how different Yung Ju’s life will be from her mother’s life.

This tender, coming of age story has the reader rooting for the family to overcome the huge obstacles that confront them.

AWARDS:

Michael J. Printz Award – 2002
Children’s Book Award in YA Fiction – International Reading Association – 2002

REVIEW EXCERPTS:

Starred Review – Booklist: “the coming-of-age drama will grab teens and make them think of their own conflicts between home and outside. As in the best writing, the particulars make the story universal.”

School Library Journal: “The loosely structured plot is a series of vignettes that touch upon the difficulties immigrants face… A beautifully written, affecting work.”

CONNECTIONS:

• Have a class discussion about Korea. Topics to include: Why Koreans may have wanted to immigrate to America, discuss the many hardships in adapting to a foreign country. Visit this website for further information:

http://www.asiaeducation.edu.au/gokorea/index1.html

• For more reading on cultural differences and coming of age in America try:

Thomas, Joyce Carol. A Gathering of Flowers: Stories About Being Young in America. ISBN: 9780064470827

Mazer, Anne. America Street: A Multicultural Anthology of Stories. ISBN: 9780892551910

Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. ISBN: 9780072435177

BIBLIOGRPAHY:

Lowry, Lois. 2002. The Giver. New York, NY : Random House Children’s Books. ISBN: 9780440237686

PLOT SUMMARY:

Jonas is a young boy about to turn twelve. He lives with his mother, father and sister in a community that is concerned with everything being the same, to make life easier. When a child turns twelve there is a special ceremony to award them what their future vocation will be. This is an eagerly awaited event but for Jonas his happy anticipation quickly turns to apprehension when he is told he will be the next “receiver”, a vocation he has never heard of.

Jonas learns that he will be receiving all the memories, both good and bad of past events for generations. The previous Receiver, now known as the Giver, will transmit all of these memories to Jonas. While going through his training he learns that the community he lives in is really far from the utopia they thought they had created. Once he experiences such emotions as love and happiness, he realizes with his newfound knowledge he can no longer remain a part of the world he grew up in.

Together Jonas and the Giver make a plan to change what they can and hopefully share some of their knowledge.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

The Giver is science fiction and told in the third person. Many ideas are presented in this story that makes one take a fresh look at the freedom of having choice and variety. The overriding theme in this novel is censorship and not allowing diversity. Everyone is the same. Children all receive a bicycle in their ninth year, and all learn what their vocation will be in their twelfth. Choice of food, work and family is all decided for you.

So many things that we take for granted or that seem small because they are automatic loom large once the idea is presented of not having them. Things like weather: snow and rain. What would it be like to live in a climate-controlled environment where each day the weather was the same? Would life be better? As the Giver states to Jonas, “Our people made that choice, the choice of sameness…we gained control of many things, but had to let go of others.”

The story ends with no real conclusion. The reader is left to decide the fate of young Jonas. I found the lack of a concrete ending somewhat disturbing. The desire to know whether or not Jonas survives his journey is great. The Giver is sure to generate much discussion whether read in the classroom or book group.

AWARDS:

* The 1994 Newbery Medal
* The 1996 William Allen White Award
* ALA list for “Best Book for Young Adults”
* ALA “Notable Children’s Book,”
* ALA “100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000.”
* A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book
* Winner of the Regina Medal
* IRA/CBC Children’s Choice
* Booklist Editors’ Choice
* A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

REVIEW EXCERPTS:

Publishers Weekly: “Lowry is once again in top form… unwinding a tale fit for the most adventurous readers.”

Children’s Literature: ” This is a stunning, provocative science fiction story that will inspire discussion.”

ALAN Review: “Winner of the 1994 Newbery Medal, Lowry’s thought-provoking fantasy challenges adolescents to explore important social and political issues.”

CONNECTIONS:

• Have a class discussion on utopia versus dystopia. Have students write about a day from life in a community such as Jonas’.

• To read more by Lois Lowry dealing with alternate societies:

Lowry, Lois. 2004. The Messenger. ISBN: 9780618404414

Lowry, Lois. 2000. Gathering Blue. ISBN: 9780618055814

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

DiCamillo, Kate. 2003. The Tale of Despereaux. Ill. by Timothy Basil Ering. Cambridge, MA : Candlewick Press. ISBN: 9780763617226

PLOT SUMMARY:

This is a story of an unusually small mouse named Despereaux Tilling. He was born into a family that resides in a castle. Little Despereaux is far more interested in the music he hears, and the words that he finds printed across the pages of books than he is in scurrying about in search of food or to be nibbling the pages of the books he ponders. He is a large disappointment to his family; they wonder why he can’t be a normal mouse. His brother and sister try to teach him their tricks for navigating the castle undetected while on their quest for food. Despereaux tries to be interested, but instead discovers the Princess Pea and falls in love.

When it is discovered that Despereaux was seen talking with the King and his daughter, Princess Pea, the mouse council considers him too great a risk and sentences Despereaux to the rat infested dungeon, a death sentence for sure. His parents do nothing to save him and Despereaux is led to the dungeon by two hooded mice. When one of them orders him down the steps of the dungeon, Despereaux recognizes his brother’s voice. Fearful of the unknown, and realizing his family has abandoned him, Despereaux struggles to survive in the dungeon.

From here, Despereaux’s path crosses with the scheming rat Roscuro, and the doltishly naïve servant, Miggery Sow. Upon hearing their plans to kidnap Princess Pea, Despereaux begins a journey that tests his bravery, trust and his will to forgive.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

The Tale of Despereaux is delivered in narration style, and one truly has the feeling of having a story told to them. The narrator telling this tale has clever way of including the reader by posing a question and prompting the reader on.

“Can you imagine it? Can you imagine your father selling you for
a tablecloth, a hen, and a handful of cigarettes? Close your eyes
please, and consider it for just a moment. Done? I hope that the
hair on the back of your neck stood up as you thought of Meg’s
fate and how it would be if it were your own.”

The Narrator occasionally includes the reader, foreshadowing the next scene to unfold.

“But reader, there is no comfort in the word “farewell” even if you
say it in French. “Farewell” is a word that, in any language, is full
of sorrow. It is a word that promises absolutely nothing.”

This style works and leaves one wanting to turn the page and to find out what happens next.

Kate DiCamillo’s vivid descriptions bring the story to life. One can easily visualize the dungeon with its mucky floors and the sound of rats with long tails slithering around, teeth gnashing, waiting for their next victim. The author includes several challenging words within the story that can possibly be defined just by the events of the scene. An example being the use of the word perfidy to describe the broken trust Despereaux feels as his family turns against him. Readers may be inspired to take a moment and look up the definitions for words new to them.

The illustrations by Timothy Basil Ering are done in pencil and delicately capture the mood of the scenes depicted, adding more delight to the story.

This tale moves quickly and one is left with wanting more once the story ends.

AWARDS:

Newberry Medal Award 2004

EXCERPT REVIEWS:

Starred review, Booklist: “A fairy tale full of quirky, unforgettable characters, with twenty-four stunning black-and-white illustrations by Timothy Basil Ering.”

Children’s Literature: “Each character’s desires, hopes and fears combine in this marvelous questing fantasy. This is a tale made for reading aloud and family enjoyment.”

Kirkus Reviews: “And so unwinds a tale with twists and turns, full of forbidden soup and ladles, rats lusting for mouse blood, a servant who wishes to be a princess, a knight in shining-or, at least, furry-armor, and all the ingredients of an old-fashioned drama.”

CONNECTIONS:

• For more books by Kate DiCamillo try:

DiCamillo, Kate. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. ISBN: 9780763639877

DiCamillo, Kate. The Tiger Rising. ISBN: 9780763618988

DiCamillo, Kate. Because of Winn-Dixie. ISBN: 9780763616052

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

LaFaye, A. Worth. 2006. Fleming, Tommy, Narrator. Pine Plains, NY : Live Oak Media. ISBN: 9781595197658

PLOT SUMMARY:

The setting is late nineteenth century on a farm in the middle of the Nebraska prairie. Eleven-year-old Nate is frantically helping his father gather cut hay into the barn before a fierce thunderstorm rolls in and ruins the entire cutting. In their scramble to work quickly, Nate’s pitchfork gets stuck in the hay wagon. As Nate struggles to free his pitchfork, he loses his balance and falls down on the ground. A crash of thunder startles the horse and jolts the wagon forward, the wheel crushing young Nate’s leg beneath it.

The local doctor sets Nate’s leg and orders him to bed rest and to avoid moving his leg. The months of confinement for Nate are filled with pain and the stark realization that he will never be able to move about as he once did, and will not be able to help on the family farm.

Nate’s mother is at his bedside and full of encouragement, Nate’s father deals with his sorrow and feelings of guilt over the accident by withdrawing, often unable to even look at his son and his suffering. Unable to work the farm alone, the father goes into town when the orphan train comes through to bring home a boy that is strong and able to help on the farm.

When the father returns with young John Worth, there is much competition between the boys as they each deal with their own fears and losses. John arrived on the orphan train from New York City after losing his entire family in a tenement fire. He has never known anything but crowded, inner city living. The wide-open country terrifies him and he knows nothing of farming or animals. Nate has his own fears over what his future will be with a handicapped leg. Both boys vie for the attention and respect of Nate’s father.

This is a touching story of strength, perseverance and trust. The journey the boys travel to find acceptance in each other and themselves is one that young readers will find appealing and exciting.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

This was the unabridged audio version of Worth, narrated by Tommy Fleming. This edition has two compact discs, packaged in individual sleeves within a plastic case. Tommy Fleming’s narration was superb as he was able to smoothly navigate dialog from young boy, to mother, to father and include an array of emotions from anger to fear to humiliation and ultimately confidence and happiness. The sound on this recording was excellent; this was a pleasure to listen to and listeners will find themselves carried along into the story and feel the powerful struggle of “worth” that plays out in this story.

Orphan trains were used in the United States approximately between the years of 1853 and 1929. They carried inner city children from Northeastern states into the Midwest. The idea was to take abandoned or unwanted children off of the city streets and bring them to homes of families that wanted children. Many of these children did help out on family farms. The orphan trains had both success and failure for these children. This is a piece of American history that many may not know about. This story lends the opportunity to learn more about this period.

AWARDS:

Battle of the Books Reading List
Booklist Editors’ Choice
Charlotte Award Suggested Reading List (NY)
Golden Archer Award Master List (WI)
KSRC Intermediate Titles-TOP PICK
Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice Master List
Nebraska Book Award Honor Book
Scott O’Dell Award
Southern California Literature Council Book Award
Spur Award Finalist (Western Writers of America)

REVIEW EXCERPTS:

School Library Journal: “A compelling and historically accurate story beautifully rendered.”

AudioFile: “Tommy Fleming narrates with an edgy voice that helps the listener understand the raw feelings that permeate the story. Heartfelt emotions are evident, and Fleming’s youthful voice and slight Midwestern accent add to the story’s authenticity.”

Starred review from Booklist: The short, spare novel doesn’t need the heavy heroic parallels; it tells its own story of darkness and courage. A great choice for American history classes.

CONNECTIONS:

• For more books about the orphan trains try:

Nixon, Jean Lowry. A Family Apart (The Orphan Train Adventures Series #1). ISBN: 9780440226765

O’Connor, Stephen. Orphan Trains : The Story of Charles Loring Brace and the Children He Saved and Failed. ISBN: 9780226616674

Warren, Andrea. Orphan Train Rider : One Boy’s True Story. ISBN: 9780395913628

• Further Information on the Orphan Trains:

http://www.genealinks.com/orphantrain.htm

A collection of information on the Orphan Trains and the children that rode them, includes photographs.

http://www.orphantraindepot.com/OrphanTrainHistory.html

“The Museum and Research Center are dedicated to the preservation of
the stories and artifacts of those who were part of the Orphan Train
Movement from 1854-1929.”

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Stanley, Fay. 1991. The Last Princess: The Story of Princess Ka’iulani of Hawaii. Ill. by Diane Stanley. New York, NY : Four Winds Press. ISBN: 9780027867855

PLOT SUMMARY:

Princess Ka’iulani was born in Hawaii in 1875. The meaning of her name, Ka’iulani is “the royal scared one”, and she was destined to one day became the queen of Hawaii. Princess Ka’iulani was born into wealth and comfort, but never became spoiled. She had a happy disposition and was pleasant to all. When Ka’iulani was twelve, her mother became gravely ill. Just before her death, her mother spoke quietly to Ka’iulani and predicted that her daughter would travel far from home and family and be away for a long time and that she would also never marry.

Ka’iulani was second in line for the throne after her aunt. When she was fourteen, her father sent her to England to further her education. She was sad to think of leaving her home and family, but quickly adapted to life in London and flourished with the studies and many social activities that she was surrounded with. Letters that arrived from home soon began to tell of troubles in Hawaii. Many foreigners (“haole”) had been taking over the land and estates of the Hawaiians. Most of these “haole” were white Americans, many of them missionaries. The people of Hawaii were losing more and more of their freedoms and property.

The King of Hawaii died, and Ka’iulani’s aunt took the throne, but was soon overpowered by foreigners. Her aunt urged Ka’iulani to leave England and go to the United States and seek help from the president to block the takeover of Hawaii. Ka’iulani felt she must do whatever she could to help her homeland. President Cleveland vowed to block the annexing of Hawaii as long as he was President, but would not send any of his army to help defend the people of Hawaii against the foreigners.

Shortly after President Cleveland left office, congress voted to annex Hawaii to the United States. Ka’iulani fell into despair over not being able to save the land she grew up in and loved from the takeover of foreigners. She grew ill and lay in a feverish state for months before quietly dying. Thousands mourned her death and the chance she never had of becoming queen of the land that she loved so.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

Many reading The Last Princess may not be familiar with the history of how Hawaii became a part of the United States. Or that Hawaii was referred to as a Kingdom with kings, queens and princesses. This biography takes the reader back in time to a Hawaii that had royalty and was a thriving independent set of islands.

The biography outlines the events that took place leading to Hawaii’s annexing to the United States and their eventual loss of independence. The story of Ka’iulani and the brave steps she took to save her country at a very young age will intrigue young readers. The artwork by Diane Stanley is outstanding. Her illustrations are done with vibrant colors of guache watercolor; the details on each page are stunning.

AWARDS:

ALA Notable Book
National Council for the Social Studies
Carter G. Woodson Award
Booklist Editor’s Choice
IRA-CBC Children’s Choices
Parents’ Magazine Best Kids Books
Notable Children’s Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies

REVIEW EXCERPTS:
Starred review in School Library Journal: As with Stanley’s other biographies, readers are transported into another very believable world. The full-page paintings are stunning, reflecting the beauty of the islands and the handsome, racially mixed people who live there.

Children’s Literature: Stanley recounts the story of Hawaii’s last heir to the throne, who was denied her right to rule when the monarchy was abolished. It is a fascinating piece of American history.

CONNECTIONS:

• For further reading on the life of Princess Ka’iulani try:

Linnea, Sharon. Princess Ka’iulani: Hope of a Nation, Heart of a People. ISBN: 9780802850881

Webb, Nancy. Ka’iulani, Crown Princess of Hawaii. ISBN: 9781566472067

• For young adult reading on the history of Hawaii try:

Doak, Robin. Hawaii: The Aloha State. ISBN: 9780836851496

Marsh, Carole. Hawaii Timeline: A Chronology of Hawaii History, Mystery, Trivia, Legend, Lore and More. ISBN: 9780793359080

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Kadohata, Cynthia. 2006. Weedflower. New York, NY : Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780689865749

PLOT SUMMARY:

After losing their parents in an automobile accident years ago, twelve-year-old Sumiko and her younger brother went to live with their aunt and uncle on their flower farm in California. The whole family is Japanese American except for the grandfather who came to America to raise his family. The family works on the farm, and takes great pride in the flowers they grow and sell in the marketplace. The school that Sumiko attends has very few Japanese students and she is often left out of things or teased for being different. Sumiko finds happiness in her dream to one day have her own flower shop.

The year is 1941 and their lives change dramatically after Japan bombs Pearl Harbor. Americans become wary of all Japanese people living in the United States, afraid that they may be spies. Sumiko and her family, along with all of their neighbors are ordered to clear out their houses and pack only what they can carry. They are removed from their homes and sent by train to internment camps to various parts of the United States. They had no idea what to pack for clothing, as they were not told where they were being taken.

Sumiko and her family ended up on an Indian Reservation in Arizona. All families were given a small room in army type barracks to live in. Sumiko missed the daily routine of her life of school and work on the flower farm. She grew bored and felt the chances for the future she had hoped for, slipping away.

Sumiko began to wander off the reservation and met a Mojave boy that was her age. They both knew that they weren’t supposed to be talking to each other, but found they had much in common and a friendship blossomed. Sumiko also befriends a neighbor in the barracks and together they create a beautiful garden out of the desert dirt. This is the story of a young girl forced to live in an internment camp and how she manages to keep her spirit alive.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

This story is delivered through the eyes of a twelve-year-old Sumiko; her voice and thoughts are believable and captivating. The author, Cynthia Kadohata did considerable research when writing this book, and has done a superb job of weaving history into the fascinating story of a young girl caught in a tumultuous time. The reader will be swept into the drama that Sumiko’s family faced by being evacuated from their home and shipped to an internment camp with very few possessions. The feelings and emotions of young Sumiko will resonate with contemporary young adults today.

The story is well paced and may leave you wondering about other personal histories from this time period. The author cites many of the resources that she used in her forward to this book.

REVIEW EXCERPTS:

(Starred Review) School Library Journal: “The concise yet lyrical prose conveys her story in a compelling narrative that will resonate with a wide audience.”

(Starred Review) KLIATT: “…it is a haunting story of dramatic loss and subtle triumphs.”

Kirkus Reviews: ” Like weedflowers, hope survives in this quietly powerful story.”

CONNECTIONS:

• For other historical fiction accounts of living in internment camps try:

Houston, James D. Farewell to Manzanar. ISBN: 9780618216208

Mochizuki, Ken. Baseball Saved Us. ISBN: 9781880000199

Patneaude, David. Thin Wood Walls. ISBN: 9780618342907

• To view a collection of photographs from life inside internment camps:

http://www.csuohio.edu/art_photos/famalbum/famalbum.html