Tag Archives: Emotion

Papa’s Mark

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IMG_4265Author(s): Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert

Illustrator/Photographer: Colin Bootman

Publisher and Year: Holiday House in 2004

Number of Pages: 30

Genre: Historical Fiction

Analysis:

This book is the story of how an African American boy named Simms, helped his father in becoming one of the first African Americans to vote in an election. Simms’s father does not know how to sign his name other than by just making a mark, therefore, Simms helps him learn how to write his name and encourages him and other African American men to vote in the election. In the end, Simms’s father and many other African American men vote despite any prior fears or uncertainties.

This book could serve as a window into seeing the injustice that many African Americans have faced, and still do today. This book could also function as a mirror for African American children, in which they may recognize the value of their culture and the role they play, as children, in their culture. I also believe that this story is a door for all people to really begin to recognize the racism that is still present in our world today, and encourage children to become advocates for their culture and their rights as humans. The illustrations that accompany the story portray the characters in a very accurate way, from the way they are dressed, to the expressions on their faces. The colors used throughout the book are fairly dark with a yellow and brown color scheme, which can represent the confinement felt by the African Americans in this book.

I thought that the author accurately described the challenges that faced many African Americans during the Civil Rights movement, and even after they earned the right to vote. This book does not go into much detail of what had happened in order for the African Americans to have the right to vote, but it does explain how literacy was one challenge for many African Americans and also the fear of what might happen to them if they do vote. Also, all throughout the story, Simms is always around to help his father like picking up groceries, teaching his father how to spell his name, making posters, and encouraging both his father and other African American males to vote which shows children that they are capable of helping their elders and making a difference in social justice situations. Simms can also be considered a symbol of younger generations and the huge impact they have on continuing the fight for civil rights.

Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon

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IMG_6200Title: Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon

Author:  Patty Lovell

Illustrator: Da vid Catrow

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2001

Number of Pages: 32 pages

Tags: Emotion, Family, Fiction, Friendship, Picture Book, K-5, Stephanie Prentice

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Analysis: Molly Lou Melon starts in a new school where a bully picks on her for her physical characteristics. Molly Lou Melon has buck teeth, is short, clumsy, and has a squeaky voice. Despite all this, Molly’s grandmother teaches her to be proud of herself. Her grandmother’s lessons are put to the test when she moves to a new school.

Children who have been picked on can very easily relate to this book. Molly Lou Melon is bullied by a student at her new school many times. In addition, children are able to see the way in which Molly Lou Melon stands up to the bully, giving them confidence of their own. This book can also provide children an inspiration to stop the act of bullying in their schools.

In the images, Molly Lou Melon is shown to be much smaller than the furniture in her room. There is a ladder for her to climb into bed, which emphasizes how short Molly Lou Melon is. The exaggeration of her physical characteristics makes the point of which the author is trying to make. The bold text used in the parts when Ronald Durkin was making fun of her exaggerate the act of bullying taking place. The images are very colorful and detailed, drawing a reader in. The repetitive use of “so shIMG_6201e did” shows the reader that Molly Lou Melon took her grandmother’s advice to heart. The lack of frames in the illustrations allows the reader to connect to Molly Lou Melon on a personal level. Ideologically, this book has many layers. One layer shows that if people stand up to bullies, the bullying stops. Each time Ronald Durkin bullied Molly Lou Melon, she did something that all her other classmates loved. Eventually Ronald Durkin stopped bullying her. The second layer teaches children to love who they are and what they look like. Molly Lou Melon has a lot of self confidence when it comes to doing anything. Molly Lou Melon’s grandmother teaches her that she can accomplish anything if she carries herself with confidence, and that’s just what she does. This book teaches children to value self confidence and individuality.

My Mom’s Having a Baby

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IMG_6197Title: My Mom’s Having a Baby

Author: Dori Hillestad Butler

Illustrator: Carol Thompson

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company

Number of Pages: 32 pages

Tags: Emotion, Family, Non-fiction, 2-3, 4-5, Stephanie Prentice

Genre: Non-Fiction

Analysis: This non-fiction book goes through the different stages of pregnancy in each month. The main character, Elizabeth, learns all about the baby’s development and growth inside her mom’s stomach. She seeks to answer many of the questions that young children have when they are expecting a baby brother or sister.

This book allows the children to see how the pregnancy process works. It is a very informative book with lots of information. Boys and girls can see how they individually play a role in creating a baby. This book also allows them to reflect on when they were conceived as well. This book gives children the power because it is told from Elizabeth’s point of view.

The book is set up by explaining what happens in each month that Elizabeth’s mom is pregnant. Each month the images show the growth and development that takes place. For example, in October, Elizabeth explains tIMG_6199hat the baby has finger nails, eyes, and ears. It shows the actual size of the embryo at this point in the pregnancy. When Elizabeth wonders how the baby got there, the process of creating a baby is explained. The images include the human anatomy of the female and the male as well as an honest explanation of how the baby got there. The images are pencil drawings with some water color. The use of text bubbles emphasizes the idea that the questions asked in this book are common from children who are expecting to be a big brother or sister. The text in the bubbles also resembles a child’s handwriting, giving it a sense of authenticity.

Since this book is completely honest while answering questions regarding how making a baby works, some people may be against this. Some may think it ruins a child’s innocence if they know truly how a baby is conceived. However, others may be attracted to the honest answer to many children’s wonders. This book offers a non-fiction, medical explanation of pregnancy. It also allows children to see the development of the baby inside of a mother’s stomach. However, because of the content and illustrations of this book, teachers should not read this book in classrooms without parental consent. IMG_6198

Knock, Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me

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Title: Knock, Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me

IMG_6195Author: Daniel Beaty

Illustrator: Bryan Collier

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, 2013

Number of Pages: 40 pages

Tags:

Genre: Fiction

Analysis: In this story, a boy talks about his morning routine that involves his father knocking on his door to wake him up. However, his father doesn’t come to his door one morning because he is incarcerated. He waits patiently, but his father never shows back up. The rest of the story is told through a letter that his father writes him from jail describing the dreams he holds for his son. This book is a Coretta Scott King Award Winner.

This book serves as a mirror to the children who have an absent parent in their life for any reason. The story talks about the process of growing into adulthood while missing a parent. It is told from the child’s point of view, displaying the wide range of emotions that took place during these times. The child in the story never finds out where his father is, which can be representative of some children’s reality. However, as the story goes on we see the child grow in age and see him accomplish many things. For this reason, the book also serves as a door to its readers. It gives them courage to keep going when they might be scared without parental guidance. In the author’s note, we learn that the author created this book in regards to his own personal life. His father was placed in jail when he was only three years old.

The illustrations in this book are put together with collage materials and water colors, giving a feel for the Harlem area in which the story is set.  There are other children’s faces used on the buildings. The images of the other children and sometimes clear and sometimes faded. Perhaps they are symbolic of memories fading away with time. The emotions on the narrator’s face are clear and add an element that is not described in the text. The father’s tie is present in the beginning of the book, but as the story goes on we see the main character put the tie on himself as he grows older. We also see the growth of the boy, symbolizing the time passing while his father is still gone. The structure of this book relies heavily on the letter the boy’s father sends him. The letter discusses many life lessons that a father can teach his son such as shaving for the first time. The father tells the boy to knock down doors that IMG_6196he couldn’t, as well as knock to open the doors to his dreams. This element ties into the game they used to play when he as a child. Ideologically, this book has many important lessons. While it speaks to the children who have lost a parent, it also aims to show hope, the importance of making good decisions, and to not let a past define a future. This book speaks to all children who may have the odds stacked against them. Some people may believe that this book is stereotypical because the father, an African American, is sent to jail. However, I believe that this book is great for all children, regardless of their situation.

Monday, Wednesday, and Every Other Weekend

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Title: Monday, Wednesday, and Every Other Weekend

IMG_6189Author: Karen Stanton

Illustrator: Karen Stanton

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends, 2014

Number of Pages: 40 pages

Tags: 

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Analysis: In this story, Henry’s parents are divorced and he lives in two different houses. On Monday, Wednesday, and every other weekend Henry and his dog, Pomegranate, live with their mom in her apartment. On Tuesday, Thursday, and every other weekend, they live with their dad in his new house.  Pomegranate gets confused with the new changes and wants to go back to his old home.

This story serves as a mirror, allowing children with divorced parents to see their own life reflected in the story. It deals with the many changes that take place during a divorce. The images also include children of different cultures which creates diversity. In addition, the images are created using different texts from French, Italian, and other languages. Children who have not experienced this significant change in their life can grasp an idea of how other children may feel in this situation.

The images are very colorful and lively, creating a positive mood. They are made with a mixture of acrylic paint and some collage materials.  In addition, it is obvious through the illustrations that Mama’s and Papa’s house are very different places. Mama lives in an apartment while Papa has his own house down the street. In the images, the reader can see the calendars shown on the wall. In each house, the calendar on the wall shows thIMG_6192e days that Henry will spend there. The author and illustrator uses Pomegranate to display most of the emotions felt by children during times of divorce within their family. For example, Pomegranate runs away and Henry knows just where to find him. Henry runs to his old house, “the house where we all used to live together,” and finds Pomegranate there. However, she portrays the main character Henry as happy and well adjusted to his new life, but does not underplay the emotions Henry experiences. The author also portrays each parent positively, listing the perks of living in each house.  While searching for the dog, the illustrator creates a map that allows the reader to see the town in which Henry lives. The dots on the map show where Henry goes to find his dog. This book handles the feelings surrounding divorce in a positive way. This book can be used by families who are struggling to establish a new way of living after divorce. This book is relatable to a lot of children who experience this shift in family dynamics.

Each Kindness

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Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Illustrator: E.B. Lewis

Publisher and Year: Nancy Paulson Books 2012

Number of pages: 28

Genre: Fiction

Analysis

Each Kindness is a Coretta Scott King Award winner and tells the story of an elementary school classroom that gets a new student named Maya. Maya often dresses in worn out clothes and is ignored and made fun of by the other children, especially the narrator Chloe. Chloe is one of Maya’s biggest bullies. Maya does not make friends with the class and eventually her family moves. After Maya’s departure, the teacher, Ms. Albert, speaks to the class about kindness and changes Chloe’s mind about being kind to others.

This story is told from the perspective of Maya’s classmate who she sits next to and attempts to interact with. Chloe is consistently rude, ignores Maya, and makes fun of her with her friends. In the end, after Ms. Albert conducts the lesson on kindness, Chloe reflects on her sadness that she mistreated Maya and would not have a chance to make it up to her. This book delves into the importance of economic differences and bullying in schools.

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While this book is a good tool to show how kindness can be spread, there are some flaws in the presentation of a classroom. While Maya struggles consistently for several months with the rest of the class, her teacher does not step in and attempt to make the rest of the class stop bullying Maya, until she is gone. At that point it makes a change in Chloe’s future action, but does not change her previous actions to Maya. This enforces the idea that in a classroom the teacher wouldn’t step in until it is too late to benefit the person being picked on. While the teacher’s lesson at the end of the book about ripples and chain reactions in relation to kindness is proven to be a successful lesson with the way it impacts Chloe, there is no impact on Maya. This is a problem because it reinforces the idea that the students can get away with this bullying behavior and only have repercussions later on.

One of the positive things about the book is that in the classroom the students are illustrated as all different races. Overall, this book would be a good tool to use in a classroom to teach about kindness and deal with bullying problems, but classroom ideologies should not be modeled after the teacher in the text and one should be more vigilant in looking out for these bullying behaviors.

Loretta Ace Pinky Scout

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Title: Loretta Ace Pinky Scout

Author: Keith Graves

Illustrator: Keith Graves

Publishers and Year: Scholastic Press, 2002

Number of pages: 30

Genre: Fiction

Loretta Ace Pinky Scout is the story of a young girl who, due to pressures of living in a perfect family, aspires to perfection herself. It tells the story of her attempt and failure at winning a marshmallow-roasting badge. This failure sends her into a spiral with the realization that she is not perfect after all. A visit from the spirit of her grandmother reveals the imperfections in all of the people she viewed as perfect, allowing Loretta to see that it is okay to have flaws.

This book functions as a mirror to its readers. All people, adults and children alike, compare themselves to others at times or strive, sometimes without knowing it, for perfection in one area or another. This book allows children to see the benefits of imperfections and flaws in Loretta and her family with the intent of allowing them to come to terms with their own limitations and flaws in a healthy manner.

The dynamic of power is interesting in this story in that Loretta is portrayed by the illustrator as very small compared to most objects (i.e. World-dominating chicken, scout book, etc.). This shows the readers a lack of power, despite the fact that the words are emphasizing her power. I think that is important because all of this takes places before she realizes the beauty in her flaws. The only time she is shown as large is the very last page. On this page she is receiving a medal for saving the world. I think that this shift in power is crucial in allowing the reader to see that that he or she is only truly powerful when they accept themselves as they are rather than trying to be a perfected version of themselves.

The images in this story do a fantastic job of showcasing Loretta’s accomplishments in a way that add to the image of perfection. The readers are visually overwhelmed with her deeds and character, heartbroken with her over her failure, and able to champion her well in her new found identity as an imperfect but powerful human. In addition to the images playing a major role in the story, there are strategically placed thought bubbles that give us greater clues to Loretta’s thought process. I think this was an intentional and genius decision of the illustrator that really helps to move the book along. Overall, this book addresses an important self-worth issue among children: Perfection is a fake ideology. This shatters the glass on perfectionism, and thankfully so. Hopefully children will be able to read this and realize that, like Loretta, they do not need to be perfect to be accepted or even good.

My Name is María Isabel

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Author: Alma Ada Flor

Illustrator: K. Dyble Thompson

Publisher/Year: Athenaeum Macmillan Publishing Company, 1993

Pages: 57

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Analysis:

María Isabel Salazar López, a third grader born in Puerto Rico, struggles to fit in at her new school in the United States, especially when her teacher insists on calling her “Mary Lopez” to avoid confusion with two other classmates named María. María Isabel wants to make her parents and ancestors proud, but feels incapable of doing so when she must “listen so carefully every time the teacher calls for ‘Mary Lopez’” (p. 27). However, after reading that María Isabel’s greatest wish is to be called by her given name, María’s teacher allows her to participate in the Winter Pageant—a valuable opportunity María was excluded from when she did not answer to “Mary Lopez.

This short chapter book can function as a mirror for all children, as Alma Ada Flor writes in her dedication, “who believed, at one time or another, that they should change their names” against their own will. Such children can personally identify with the frustration María Isabel felt using an Americanized name she did not choose. All new students, be they American or foreign-born, can relate to María’s emotional and mental adjustment after changing schools. My Name is María Isabel acts as a window for American students by illustrating how central a given name or surname is to one’s pride, heritage, and cultural identity. Alma Ada Flor’s book can also function as a door. María Isabel models how seemingly insurmountable problems can be solved through honesty. María Isabel used the opportunity presented by a writing assignment to express how culturally and personally significant her real name is, and her teacher listened and responded.

The illustrations and descriptions of María Isabel and her family accurately represent Latino culture in the United States. Alma Ada Flor exposes young readers to some basic and authentic Spanish words and nicknames, such as Maribel, cariño, Belita, Chabelita, Papá, and Papi. The book also explores other aspects of immigrant and ethnic culture, such as the importance of family pride, special gifts from ancestors in the home country, and the need for both parents to work to make ends meet.

The text communicates the importance of names and surnames, specifically what it means to be named after beloved ancestors and how names keep alive memories of the home country. María Isabel, her Puerto Rican family, and other minority characters do not look like white people and are drawn as individuals with distinctive features and tinted skin. Alma Ada Flor uses symbolism to illustrate how, at school, María Isabel feels trapped in a spider web that grows thicker every time she is called Mary Lopez; this web acts as a backdrop in two illustrations to show this dilemma. Illustrations are framed and drawn in grayscale to emphasize how María’s new name caused her to feel confined and troubled. The value of multiculturalism and cultural diversity is evident in My Name is María Isabel. María Isabel, though Hispanic and most likely Catholic, was thrilled to sing her favorite song about Hanukkah candles at the Winter Pageant. Although Alma Ada Flor’s book seeks to highlight how important names are to identity, it places characters in rather stereotypical roles: a white, female teacher who exercises her cultural ignorance over María Isabel, and a minority victim who passively resists this oppression by never directly confronting her teacher and only explaining her feelings in writing.

The Dot

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Author: Peter H. Reynolds

Illustrator: Peter H. Reynolds

Publisher/Year: Candlewick Press, 2003

Pages: 28

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Analysis:

The Dot chronicles the creative endeavors of a young Indian student, Vashti, who transforms a simple jab of her pencil into a diverse gallery of dot masterpieces after her art teacher suggests she “make a mark” (p. 5).  At the end of the story, Vashti instills confidence in a little boy and his squiggle by encouraging him to sign his work, just as Vashti’s art teacher had done for her.

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The Dot illustrates Vashti’s transformation from a young girl who stubbornly accepts her artistic inability to an artist who found her personal calling after taking a leap of faith. Children who have felt racked for inspiration, doubtful of their talent, or motivated to action by the sheer encouragement of an elder can relate to Vashti’s transformation and her relationship with her art teacher. For children who do not identify with Vashti’s inspiration struggle, The Dot can function as a window. The Dot raises the idea that talent does not always come easily, and that not all those who are talented realize it immediately and without fear, anxiety, or a leap into the unknown. The Dot also functions as a door by modeling appropriate behavior and responses; rather than competing with others, Vashti decides to test her own ability. The Dot also encourages readers to pay it forward as Vashti did by inspiring confidence and pride in a classmate who faced a similar struggle.

Power, in the form of confidence, is evenly distributed in The Dot because it is relayed between the art teacher, Vashti, and the young boy. Culture and diversity are represented through multiracial characters; Vashti is Indian, and the art teacher, young boy, and other characters are drawn as African Americans. The Dot assumes a non-traditional view of culture and race; Vashti and her teacher challenge the norms of teachers being white and individuals of Indian descent being geared towards careers in math, science, and medicine.

Adjectives and exclamations add a dramatic feel and describe the creative energy Vashti experiences. The placement of text in The Dot does not influence the readers understanding of the story. In fact, the images can stand alone for they adequately sequence all of Vashti’s trials and successes. A watercolor dot becomes the symbol for Vashti’s creative energy (both positive and negative) and acts as a sort of spotlight and frame. As she moves from stubbornness to success, Vashti is drawn amidst a filled dot; the brushstrokes also get softer and less jagged as Vashti opens up to the creative experience. A filled dot also encircles the young boy during his talk with Vashti, further showing the power of inspiration. The Dot indirectly explores gender roles. Although Vashti and her female art teacher fit the stereotype of women being interested in the fine arts, Reynolds treats this representation with positivity. Vashti, though a girl, is illustrated in relatively gender-neutral clothing, which suggests that any child create art. Reynolds does not demean or objectify women either; the authority to give confidence and inspiration to others lies with the female characters. The young boy even looks up to Vashti as a role model and talented individual.

 

Otto: The Autobiography of a Teddy Bear

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Author/ Illustrator: Tomi Ungerer

Publishing Information: Phaidon Press Limited, 2010

Number of Pages: 29

Genre: Biography, Historical Fiction, Picture book

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Analysis:

Otto is a teddy bear. He, David and Oskar are best friends. The war keeps them separated but they never forget each other. The war ends and the three friends finally get their reunion when they are very old.

The story is based on historical facts. During World War II, people lived in danger all the time and often got separated from their families. Jews were treated unfairly and got expelled. It is a first-person narrative from a teddy bear’s perspective. The book functions as both a window and a mirror to show children what really happened on another land decades ago and what war would bring to us.

I found one of the plots in the book problematic. When Oskar’s mother explained to him “what is a Jew” (P. 7), her words sound extremely insensitive. According to the text, she said, “Jews are different to us, they have another religion. The government is against them and makes life very difficult for them. It is unfair and very sad, but they must now wear this yellow star to be singled out” (P. 7). Although she said “it is unfair and sad” (P. 7), she did not want to do anything to fight against the unfairness. Such indifference reminds me the provocative poem written by Pastor Martin Niemöller. “First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out — Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out — Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out — Because I was not Jew. Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me.” Children should learn to stand for what is right and what is wrong. It is important for them to learn social justice from the story. The other thing I notice is that one of the illustration in the book seems a little bit strange. When Jasmin, the soldier Charlie’s daughter, plays with the teddy bear, three boys hit the bear with baseball bat. In the image, there are two adults sitting in the back sneering. It might give children the wrong impression that it is okay, even amusing, to bully. Besides, one of the boy’s shirt said “NYU”, which stands for New York University. It is not fair to put the school name on a negative character.

Perceptually, the illustrator uses various colors to illustrate the story. He uses brighter colors to depict happy moments and darker colors to depict the war. Structurally, text and images do not overlap. Ideologically, this book introduces religious diversity to children and shows them people with different religions can be best friends. Also, the book conveys that friendship can last forever. Finally, the story tells children that wars can hurt people we love. We should cherish the peace and freedom we have today.