Feathers (Diversity Chapter Book)

Feathers, by Jacqueline Woodson, was a Newbery Honor Book in 2008.  The story is set in the 70s and the main character is an eleven-year-old girl named Frannie.  Even though segregation is over, the town where Frannie lives has self-segregated in a way.  Feathers explores the way Frannie struggles with and deals with her brother's deafness, her mother's miscarriages, her thoughts about religion, and the fact that a white boy has started attending her all black school.  Through several instances in the book, Frannie realizes that though we are different on the outside (a bully, stuck up, white, black, deaf, rich, poor) we all desire kindness, we all have things in common, and human nature is the same.

Finding a chapter book about diversity that I thought ALL libraries should have was the hardest task for this reading journal.  There are quite a few children's books that talk about how we are all different and yet all the same (like Let's Talk About Race from my previous post) but I couldn't find a chapter book that met the specifications I wanted.  I wanted a book that discussed all races so that it would be applicable in all libraries, no matter the demographics of the school and community.  I realized that was easier said than done so I finally just started reading Feathers, which was recommended to me in hopes that it would be "good enough".  As I read Feathers, I realized that even though the main story was about a white boy who starts going to an all black school and the difficulties that are faced, the overarching idea was that we are all the same inside (the same idea as Let's Talk About Race - exactly what I was looking for!).  Feathers is applicable for everyone because what you take away when you read the book is that we all have "stuff" in our lives that make us different - religion, race, parents, background, disabilities - but that we are all equal, no one is worth more or less than someone else.

Let's Talk About Race (Diversity Picture Book)

Let's Talk About Race (written by Julius Lester and illustrated by Karen Barbour) is a picture book about diversity that addresses diversity that I think should be in every elementary school library.  The book talks about how each of us has a life story: our birthplace, our religion, our hobbies, our likes and dislikes, and our race (to name a few).  Julius Lester points out that sometimes people say or think they are better than others for lots of reason: race, nationality, amount of money parents make, etc.  However, under our skin we are all the same.  The basic point of the book is that on the outside we are all different but on the inside we all look the same and that our race does not make us who we are.

Now, anyone who watches Bones knows that technically this is not true; in fact, Bones (Temperance Brennan, quirky anthropologist for the uninitiated) is usually able to determine sex and race just by looking at bones.  However, for the purpose of this book the idea that we are all the same under our skin is a great point.  All joking "technicalities" aside, I think this is a great book.  Let's Talk About Race is a wonderful way to teach children that they shouldn't judge someone because of how they look and that they aren't superior or inferior because of their race.  Actually, I think there a quite a few adults who could benefit from reading this book as well...  This book is a must-have for all libraries and I think the earlier we can teach children this lesson, the better off our world will be.

The Man Who Went to the Far Side of the Moon (International Literature #3)

The full title of this book is The Man Who Went to the Far Side of the Moon: The Story of Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins.  This book was written by Bea Uusma Schyffert in 1999 and was originally published in Sweden.  Emi Gunter translated it and it was first published in the United States in 2003.  Then in 2004 it became a Batchelder Honor Book.

Wow, wow, wow this book is AWESOME!  I really only picked it because it was one of the few books my library had that were translated from another language.  I expected it to be a boring biography but boy was I wrong.  This book was fascinating!  The format of the book is almost like a scrapbook with snapshots, diagrams, brief facts, and copies of notes all from about about Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and for the most part (as the name suggests) Michael Collins.  The focus is more about Michael Collins who was the third astronaut who went on the Apollo 11 mission to the moon but is rarely remembered because he didn't get to actually walk on the moon (someone had to fly the space shuttle!).  I read this book in the car and I kept reading parts of it aloud to my husband because I found them so interesting.  I ended up reading him almost the whole book because it was all so good!  The book was an easy, quick read but there everyone will enjoy it.  From the technical facts about the ship to the description of the food and how it's packaged to the gross details about bodily functions, children and adults will appreciate and learn from this book.  Of all the books I've read for this blog I think this is my favorite.

Check it out today!

Garmann's Summer (International Literature #2)

Garmann's Summer, written and illustrated by Stian Hole, was originally published in Norway in 2006.  Don Bartlett translated it into English and it was then published in the United States in 2008.  In 2009, it became a Batchelder Honor Book.  The story was good but the illustrations were creepy!  The story is about a six-year-old boy named Garmann who is about to start school.  Garmann is concerned that none of his teeth have fallen out yet; he talks to his mom, dad, and three elderly aunts who come visit every summer to see what they are scared of.  They all share their fears with him and help him to understand that it is okay to be afraid.  Garmann's Summer uses the characters of the aunts to address the issues of aging and death that are commonly avoided in children's books  These topics are discussed in a funny and light manner but effective manner.  Garmann takes things very literally, much like Amelia Bedelia, which adds another humorous element.

The illustrations, on the other hand, are just plain weird.  They are completely unlike anything I have ever seen in a picture book.  The people all have really big heads on little bodies and they are a mix of realistic pictures with cartoons.  That may appeal to some people but it just bothers me.  My advice: read the story, avoid looking at the pictures (unless you like unusual art).

A Book Of Coupons (International Literature #1)

A Book of Coupons was written by Susie Morgenstern and illustrated by Serge Bloch.  This book was first published in France in 1999.  Gill Rosner translated it and in 2002 it became a Batchelder Honor Book.  A Book of Coupons is about a 5th grade class that returns to school after summer break to find that their new teacher is an old man, not the young handsome teacher they were expecting.  The old man, Monsieur Noel, gives them a coupon books full of coupons to use that year such as "one coupon for sleeping in class", "one coupon for clowning around", and "one coupon for being late to school".  He also teaches in a very non-traditional manner but it gets the students interested.  He teaches them  about patience, dancing, taking care of their teeth, Charles Dickens, and most importantly the "coupons" that life gives us.  The students didn't even want to use their coupons for not listening in class or not coming to school because the classes were so interesting.  Unfortunately the principal, Incarnation Perez, does not agree with Monsieur Noel's way of teaching and makes his job very difficult.

This book is a wonderful read for students because of the life lessons about using the "coupons" life has given us and learning as much as we can.  A Book of Coupons is also an excellent read for teachers to help us remember why we teach and how important it is to work to inspire learning in our students, even when facing opposition from other.  I highly recommend this book!

International Literature for Children

The Batchelder Award is awarded to an American publisher for a children's book considered to be the most outstanding of the books that are originally published in a language other than English and in a country other than the United States and are then translated and published in the United States.  The award is named after Mildred L. Batchelder who believed in the importance of good books for children that were translated from all parts of the world.  This award has been given by the ALSC  (Association for Library Service to Children), a division of ALA (American Library Association), annually since 1979 and serves to encourage American publishers to search out children's books from countries outside the United States.   More information can be found at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/batchelderaward/index.cfm.

The Book of the Year for Children Award and the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award are two awards given in Canada for books published in Canada written or illustrated by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.  The Book of the Year for Children Award can be given to any type of creative writing, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and collections.  The Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Award is given to books suitable for children up to twelve years of age.  More information about these awards and others for Canadian books and authors can be found athttp://www.cla.ca/Content/NavigationMenu/CLAatWork/AwardsScholarshipsGrants/default.htm.

The Marsh Award for Children's Literature in Translation is an award given every two years in the United Kingdom to the translator of an outstanding work of fiction for young readers translated into English.  More information and previous winners can be found athttp://www.marshchristiantrust.org/default.asp?V_ITEM_ID=519.

The Bisto Book of the Year Awards are given annually to writers and illustrators of children's books in Ireland.  The books can be written in English or Irish and the authors or illustrators must have been born in Ireland or be a resident of Ireland.  The awards first began in 1990 and consist of six total awards: Bisto Book of the Year Award, Eilis Dillon Award for a First Children's Book, Honour Award for Fiction, Honour Award for Illustration, Special Judges Award, and Children's Choice Award.  Visit http://www.childrensbooksireland.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=312&Itemid=439 for more information and criteria about these awards.

The Hans Christian Anderson Literature Award is a Danish literary award established in 2010 and awarded to a living author whose work resembles that of Hans Christian Anderson.  The first recipient of this award was J.K. Rowling.  The Hans Christian Anderson Literature Award is not to be confused with the Hans Christian Anderson Award which is the highest international recognition given to an author and an illustrator of children's books.  The Hans Christian Anderson Award is known as the "Nobel prize for children's literature". This award is given by the International Board on Books for Young People and has been given since 1956.  See http://www.ibby.org/index.php?id=273 for more details.

Lastly, the Pura Belpre Award is given by the ALSC and the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and Spanish-Speaking to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience.  This award was given biannually from 1996 to 2008 and is now given annually.  Find out more at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/belpremedal/belpreabout/index.cfm.

The Tale of Despereaux (Book vs. Movie #3)

  

The last book and movie that I decided to read, watch, and compare was The Tale of Despereaux. The book was written by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Timothy Basil Erving in 2003 and won a Newbery Medal in 2004.  An animated film based on the book was created in 2008.  First of all: have we not yet exhausted the topic of mice/rats that can talk and live like people?  I mean really, we've had The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary (my teacher read that to us in 3rd grade), the mice in the Disney version of Cinderella, Ratatouille, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien, Templeton from Charlotte's Web, and Stuart Little.  When I saw that The Tale of Despereaux was another book about mice and rats I was not looking forward to reading it, however, I was pleasantly surprised that I liked the story.  The gist of the book is about a mouse, Despereaux, who is unlike other mice in that he likes to listen to music and read, and he is much smaller with much larger ears than the others.  He falls in love with the Princess Pea, whose castle he lives in, when he hears her father singing to her.  Roscuro, a rat in the castle is an odd rat who likes light rather than dark.  His attraction to light causes him to fall in the queen's soup and kill her.  Roscure decides to kidnap the princess, along with the help of a castle servant named Miggery Sow who wants to be the princess so Despereaux must save the princess from this fate.  The plot is much more complicated than that and I've left out lots of the characters and story, so you'll just have to read it for yourself.  The book is a very good read, though.

On the other hand, the movie is a different story. I was pretty bored when I watched it.  Like most book to movie adaptations, this one had too many variations from the book.  I thought book had a perfectly fine story, I just don't understand why they had to change it.  I also thought that the movie left out some of the main parts of the story.  The characters had different personalities than the ones in the book.  The movie makers tried too hard to make it a happily ever after story when the book had a perfectly good ending, even if it wasn't a cookie cutter happy ending. My recommendation: read the book, don't waste your time on the movie.

Side note:  It just happened to be a coincidence that I picked two books written by Kate DiCamillo; I chose The Tale of Despereaux and Because of Winn Dixie based on recommendations from friends, not even noticing they were written by the same person until I had already read them.  I find it pretty impressive, though, that she has written two popular, very different, Newbery winning books that were also turned into films.