Tag Archives: Culture

The Other Side

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Title: The Other Side

Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Illustrator: E.B. Lewis

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2001

Number of pages: 32 Pages

Tags: Culture, Diversity, Emotion, Friendship, Historical Fiction, Picture Book, K-5, Stephanie Prentice

Genre: Historical Fiction

Analysis

Clover’s mother will not allow her to cross the fence that separates the African-American side of town from the White side of town where Anna lives because she claims it is not safe. After spending the summer wondering why she is not allowed to cross the fence, Clover gets closer and closer to the fence. Eventually, Clover begins talking to Anna and their friendship grows despite Clover’s moms wishes.

This text allows readers to tap into the realities of African-Americans during the Civil Rights Movement. Clover’s mother is hesitant to allow her to cross into the White part of town because of safety concerns. The depictions of African American as well as American girls allows readers to see themselves and their culture. Despite the common belief that all African Americans during this time period are poor and unprivileged, the illustrations shows Clover and her mother nicely dressed while walking through town. The pictures are very realistic, which mirrors the idea that racism and prejudice is a very realistic problem. The author also discusses the fact that Clover’s mother has bought her toys to play with inside on rainy days. The story seems to take place in a rural setting, which was usually where segregation was heavy during this time period. The power seems to lie in the hands of the White side of town because of Clover’s situation. This story acts as a door because it inspires readers to knock down the fences in their own lives.

Perceptually, the images are usually only one page with the text on the other. The first and last pages have images that cover a double page spread. Especially on the last page, the double spread picture symbolizes the growth that took place within the story. The growth of Clover and Anna’s friendship is symbolized in the pictures. At the beginning, there is tension and distance IMG_5984between both girls. As they continue to talk, the girls move closer together. In the story, the fence is a physical barrier between the interaction of the African American and the White populations. It also symbolically represents the barriers that people, especially African Americans, face in their lives. This title, The Other Side, also refers to another aspect of the story. This story features a main character that questions why racism and prejudice are ruling people’s lives. In this case, the character is the person on the other side of the powerful race during this time. This powerful theme carries into other aspects of life. Readers will benefit from the tolerance displayed in the story.

 

Happy in Our Skin

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Title: Happy in Our SkinIMG_5977

Author: Fran Manushkin

Illustrator: Lauren Tobia

Publisher: Candlewick Press 2015

Number of pages: 32 pages

Tags: Diversity, Culture, Picture Book, K-1, Stephanie Prentice

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Analysis

Happy in Our Skin is a book that discusses the many differences that children have, while showing that we should be proud of our differences. It shows a family of mixed ethnicities going to the park, the pool, and a block party.

In all these scenes, the author shows how everybody is the same regardless of what they look like. The similarities and differences discussed in this book aim to show that even though someone’s skin may look different, it is the same in reality. For example, the author discusses the function of skin as “keeping the outsides out and the insides in” (Manushkin, p. 8). Serving as a window, the diversity in this book allows children of many different ethnicities to relate. It also allows children to reflect on their own personal attributes and find similarities and differences that make them unique. The illustrator incorporates children of many different ethnicities and cultures to emphasize the author’s main idea that each child has the same skin regardless of it’s color or other features. They also include illustrations of children in wheelchairs.

Structurally the book includes a slight rhyming scheme that allows for fluent reading. The text is important, but the location of the words on the page is not relevant. The images are very vibrantIMG_5978 and bright. The images often reinforce the ideas presented in the text, and sometimes act as an enhancement. They show the diversity in skin color and features as well as the physical abilities that are discussed in the text. This book allows for children to see that each person has the same physical feature, skin. It teaches them the importance of skin and how it helps our body. This allows for an easy opportunity for educators or parents to have discussions about race. It teaches the importance of tolerance and acceptance of others who may look different.  The illustrations radiate the idea of acceptance, as we see children of all ethnicities and cultures interacting in public places.

 

Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909

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Title: Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909

IMG_5975Author: Michelle Markel

Illustrator: Melissa Sweet

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers, 2013

Number of pages: 32 pages

Tags: Culture, Emotion, Non-Fiction, Picture Book, 2-3, Stephanie Prentice

Genre: Biography

Analysis

Clara Lemlich was an immigrant that came to America in hopes of a better life. She was unaware that immigrant women were hired into garment workshops to make blouses and other articles of clothing. After realizing that the conditions in which she and millions of other women worked, she lead many revolts and strikes to change the conditions of their work.

This children’s book allows students to see the struggles of the immigrants in the 1900’s first hand, especially those of women. The culture of America is represented in this story, focusing on the industrial movement during this time period. Students are able to grasp the values of the United States through the pictures as well as the text. Readers can see the value of mass production in the illustrator’s depiction of the workshops. The distribution of power in this story shifts from the owners of the garment shops to those who work are employed in these shops. Before Clara leads the revolts, the garment shop owners are in complete control of the conditions and hours the immigrant women were to work. After the story, we see the power shift to the immigrant workers as they battled for their rights.

Looking at the pictures closely, students can get a feel for the conditions many immigrants faced. FoIMG_5976r example, when Clara arrives in America on the boat, the illustrator included an image of the long line of people waiting on the boat for their new life in America. The text is displayed on a stitched piece of fabric that connects to the main theme of the story very well. The pictures are often sewn into the text, making them resemble a quilt. Clara is often found looking or moving to the right of the page, signifying the change that is going to happen. The author uses many adjectives that emphasize the struggles Clara and her colleagues faced. For example, when Clara first arrives, the author introduces her as dirt poor and five feet tall. Ideologically, this story has many things that children can take away after reading. First and foremost, this book gives the students a historical look into the life of immigrants, especially those of women. This book focuses on the hardships and challenges that Clara faced with work and learning to speak English. Secondly, it shows students how important it is to stand up for what they know is right. If Clara were not to stand up for what she believed was right, many workers would have suffered for a longer period of time. Even after Clara faced many arrests, beatings, and threats to be fired, she kept the fight for her rights alive. It proves that determination and perseverance can lead to change for what is right.  At the end of the book, readers are introduced to more information about the garment industry that can further their understanding on the topic.

Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale

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Author/Illustrator: John Steptoe

Publisher and Year: Puffin Books, 1987

Number of Pages: 29

Genre: Folktalemufaro

Analysis: In “Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale,” Mufaro has two beautiful daughters: Nyasha, who is kind and considerate, and Manyara, who is rude and selfish. Manyara learns a valuable lesson when she uses sneaky tactics to become the queen. This book would work well as a mirror for the intended audience. Firstly, young, African American girls should know that they are beautiful. Secondly, it teaches children that kindness and generosity will prevail over spitefulness and rudeness. There is a King who is searching for a wife to make the queen. Together, these two have all of the power over the people. This story is an African tale, so the African culture is represented and it is evident in the clothing and accessories that the people wear. It is also evident in the marrying off of daughters to the King. From my understanding, the outfits, traditions, and names align well with the African culture.

In this book, the text (mostly dialog) tells the story and explains the images. The text is off to the side of pictures, although the text does play a major part in the understanding of the book.

Nyasha is often in a darker light when she is being made fun of by her sister. When Nyasha is not being insulted by her sister, she looks majestic and a light shines on her, while Manyara always has her hands on her hips and a disapproving look on her face. Nyasha appears much bigger than Manyara when she is crowned queen.

Manyara teaches us to always be kind to others. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

 

Flotsam

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Author/Illustrator: David Wiesner

Publisher and Year: Clarion Books, 2006

Number of Pages: 36

Genre: Realistic Fiction

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Analysis: “Flotsam” is about a boy who goes on a casual trip to the beach with his family. On the trip, he finds a camera with a long-lasting tradition attached to it. This book could work as a window to perhaps view another culture through this little boy’s adventures. There is a sample of each child’s culture through their picture, and although every person’s culture may differ, they are all still brought together with the camera. This may even work as a mirror for those who could see themselves as the young boy who finds the camera. The images provided portray each child in a different light, and we can see it in the way that they dress and their background.

Perceptually, this book has no words, it is a picture narrative.

Structurally, some pictures are framed with a limited view, and the entire story is “told” through expressions and pictures.

Ideologically, this book teaches the importance of tradition, and that the curiosity and imagination of child could go a long way.

The Name Jar

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Title: The Name Jar

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Author: Yangsook Choi

Illustrator: Yangsook Choi

Publisher and Year: Alfred A. Knopf, 2001

Number of Pages: 30

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Analysis: The Name Jar is about a young girl, Unhei, and her family’s adjustment after their move from Korea to America. Once in America, Unhei realizes that her name is different and she decides that she is going to come up with a new name using her classmates’ suggestions in the name jar. At the end of the book, Unhei realizes that she doesn’t feel like herself with any of the American names and decides to keep her Korean name because it makes her unique.

This book can function as a window for people not from Korea. The culture portrayed throughout the book teaches the audience lessons about differences between the American and Korean culture. Another function of this book is a mirror for people who move from Korea to the United States. This book allows Korean children who move to the United States to understand and relate to Unhei and her family.

Perceptually, the front cover leaves the reader with a mysterious feeling and numerous thoughts and questions about the entirety of the book.  The ambiguity of the front cover draws the audience in to read more of the book. Once starting to read the book, there is a lot of text per page, which means the author has a lot of information to share. Along with the length of the text, the color of the text was typically black on a white or light background. Occasionally the text was white on a dark background, but either way the text was simple and easy to read.

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Structurally, Unhei faces to the right, representing that she is less secure, but after she decides to keep her Korean name she faces towards the left. Unhei’s security within herself could be based off of lack of security after moving to a new country, making new friends, and having a new school. However, once she adjusts and learns that her name is special after all, Unhei has gained security within herself. Throughout most of the book, the images mirror the text further emphasizing what the text is saying in a different way.  However a couple times the text adds to the images. Typically the text is added to the images when something is written in Korean. Unhei’s stamp or letter from her grandmother were written in Korean and the reader could not have known what the stamp or letter said without having the text to support the images.

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Ideologically, this book portrays important life lessons for school age children. One lesson that is taught to the reader is that individuality helps make one unique and special! This book also demonstrates the meaning and importance of true friendship through Joey and Unhei’s friendship. From the beginning of the book, Joey was friendly to Unhei and wanted to get to know more about her. Joey was such an incredible friend that it was actually he who indirectly showed Unhei how special and important her name truly was.

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Barefoot: Escape on the Underground Railroad

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Title: Barefoot: Escape on the Underground Railroad

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Author: Pamela Duncan Edwards

Illustrator/Photographer: Henry Cole

Publisher and Year: HarperCollins Publishers in 1997

Number of pages: 28 pgs

Tags: Olivia Simkins, Realistic Fiction, 2-3, 4-5, Culture, Picture Book

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Analysis:

This book is about the path a runaway slave takes. It is from the perspective of the person’s foot and all the creatures it encounters along the way. The animals in the story help lead the foot to a safe house where the boy will stay.

This text functions as a window for its audience. The text is intended to let the reader in on what the barefoot has to go through in order to be safe. It helps the audience get a look into what it was like during an escape from a slave owner. With this book being aimed more towards younger readers, the audience has never experienced what it was like to escape and travel on the Underground Railroad. The only thing that I found interesting was that the writer and the illustrator are both Caucasian. I think they did a good job at creating the story however I feel that it may be more accurate if the writer was someone who experienced it or knew someone experienced it. However, the illustrator did an excellent job of making all the picture dark, mysterious, and having no frame giving the audience the feeling as if they were there with the main character. When looking more closely at the images, you can see whenever they show the slave owners walking through the woods looking for the boy, you can notice a horizon. The significance of this is to signify the on coming danger.

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Last Stop on Market Street

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Title: Last Stop on Market Street

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Author: Matt de la Pena

Illustrator/Photographer: Christian Robinson

Publisher and Year: The Penguin Group in 2015

Number of pages: 29 pgs

Tags: Olivia Simkins, Realistic Fiction, 2-3, 4-5, Culture, Picture Book, Family, Award Book

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Analysis:

This book is about a little boy named CJ who is taking a trip to the soup kitchen with his Nana. Along the way CJ questions his Nana about why they are walking in the rain, why they have to ride the bus and why he does not have an iPod. He learns along the way to enjoy the things he has. This book has won the Coretta Scott King Award and the Newberry Award and is a Caldecott Honor book as well.

This story could serve as a door, and a mirror. The readers can view it as a mirror because they connect to a part in the novel. They might be able to connect about the time they rode on the bus or the time they volunteered at a soup kitchen or some place else. It can also serve as a door to inspire the readers to help at their local soup kitchen or volunteer in their community. I also feel like the illustrator wanted to represent all the different cultures in the story but I found out some underlying ideological features in this book. I feel that there is stereotypes represented when CJ is asking his Nana about not having a car. His friend who has a car is Caucasian and CJ is African American. This could be problematic for some readers because it could make them feel like this book is presenting racist stereotypes.

After analyzing the perceptual features of this book, I have noticed the use of colors. In the beginning of the book CJ talks about walking out of church and how he felt free. The use of colors in this book supports that statement as well. The colors are all very bright, and when looking into what bright color represent, it states that they represent freedom.

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Papá and Me

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Title: Papá and Me

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Author: Arthur Dorros

Illustrator/Photographer: Rudy Gutierrez

Publisher and Year: HarperCollins Publisher and 2008

Number of pages: 24 pgs

Tags: Olivia Simkins, Realistic Fiction, 2-3, Culture, Picture Book, 4-5, Family

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Analysis:

This book is about a little boy, his Papá, and their day that they spend together. They make pancakes, go to the park and visit the little boy’s grandparents. This text can serve as a window or a mirror for the audience. It may serve as a window because it could be a new culture that one may not be familiar with. This book has a lot of Spanish words and phrases that are explained in English as well so the reader, if not familiar with the Spanish language, can follow along. It also has a glossary at the end to help define the unknown terms and has pictures to explain to the audience what a Mariachi band is and what the instruments they use look like. It can also serve as a mirror for an audience of the Hispanic culture. The reader may read this and be able to relate because they speak Spanish or because they are close to their father as well. They may also relate in going to visit their grandparents with their family. I feel that culture is represented well in this book through its use of the Spanish language. It also does an excellent job with its use of colors. The illustrations help to show movement through the lines and vibrant colors. The use of reds, oranges, and yellows show happiness. This book also distorts pictures to have the boy appear to be higher than the father when he talks about being high up in a tree.

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Marc Just Couldn’t Sleep

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Title: Marc Just Couldn’t Sleep

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Author: Gabriela Keselman

Illustrator/Photographer: Noewmí Vilamuza

Publisher and Year: Kane/Miller Book Publishers and 2004

Number of pages: 24 pgs

Tags: Olivia Simkins, Realistic Fiction, 2-3, K-1, Culture, Picture Book, Family

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Analysis:

Marc is a little boy who is scared of everything. In order to go to sleep, he makes sure his mom does everything she can to make sure nothing will be able to scare him anymore so he can fall asleep. Finally, his mom can do nothing more than sit on his bed with him and he finally falls asleep. This book could function as a mirror for the intended audience. I feel that it is a window because the audience reading this may be a parent or child that have experienced being afraid or not being able to fall asleep because something scared them. This book can also relate to parents because parents make a lot of scarifies for their children, even if it means going out of their way to make sure their child is not afraid of anything. The readers could relate in many ways. They could relate to it because their guardian or mom used to tuck them into bed or comfort them when they were scared. The audience can apply their schema and relate to it in some way. This book depicts an African American boy and his mother whose family culture is seen through out the different images in the book. Although, without the illustrations we would not be able to decided on our own what race or culture the main characters are. The illustrations add to the text giving us a visual as to what the characters and setting look like. It also helps to define unknown terms for readers and fill in the gaps so the audience can visually see what is happening in the story.

The story shows Marc rather small in the beginning of the story and as it goes on, he grows bigger and bigger. This shows that his character is getting stronger and stronger and in the parts where Marc is scared he appears to be small which shows his character as weak and frightened. The story does not have frames until the very end where Marc is shown in a round frame when he finally falls asleep showing that Marc is content and secure. When a picture book has frames in it, the audience is not apart of the story. They are just looking into it. However, this book does not have frames so, us as readers, are apart of the story and experiencing the story as it happens.

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