Lady Hahn and her Seven Friends


Heo, Y. (2012). Lady Hahn and Her Seven Friends. Henry Holt and Company (BYR).

ISBN: 978-0805041279



Plot Summary:

Lady Hahn is a seamstress, and her seven friends are the tools she uses to sew―Mrs. Ruler, Newlywed Scissors, Young Bride Needle, Young Bride Red Thread, Old Lady Thimble, Young Lady Flatiron, and Little Miss Iron. When Lady Hahn's friends start boasting about how important they are, Lady Hahn turns her back on them. But it's not long before she realizes how much she needs her friends as every one of them contributes in an important, special way.

-Amazon


Analysis:

The Author’s Note in this book explains that the story of Lady Hahn and her Seven Friends originated from a late 1800’s Korean classical essay, titled “Kyujung Chilwoo Jangrongi.” The illustrations show a woman in traditional Korean fashion sewing in her room. Each of her tools has a nickname: Mrs. Ruler, Newlywed Scissors, Young Bride Needle, Young Bride Red Thread, Old Lady Thimble, Young Lady Flatiron, and Little Miss Iron. The depictions in the book are colorfully drawn with the sewing theme on every page. The characters have whimsical expressions that make them come to life. The moral of the story is that by working together each person contributes a meaningful part that cannot be accomplished working alone. Yumi Heo has written and illustrated a lovely modern rendition of a traditional story.


Book Reviews:

“A Korean story from the late 19th century is the basis for this irresistible teaching tale about cooperation, respect for tools and sewing.” 

—Kirkus Reviews


“Heo's clear oil and pencil art is appealing, with skillful use of color to balance the compositions and engage viewers.” 

—School Library Journal


“Blending collage, pencil and oil paint, Heo creates an animated landscape with strong visual and auditory impact. . . . Heo mixes in her own refreshing brand of eccentricity and serves up artwork that is festive and fun.”

 ―Publishers Weekly



Connections:

This is a fun story about recognizing that everyone has value. It’s a fun illustration about working together.


Awards:

None



This review was created as an assignment for SHSU LSSL 5361.


Tea with Milk


Say, A. (1999). Tea with Milk. Houghton Mifflin.

ISBN: 978-0606106948


Plot Summary:

At home in San Francisco, May speaks Japanese and the family eats rice and miso soup and drinks green tea. When she visits her friends’ homes, she eats fried chicken and spaghetti.

May plans someday to go to college and live in an apartment of her own. But when her family moves back to Japan, she soon feels lost and homesick for America.

In Japan everyone calls her by her Japanese name, Masako. She has to wear kimonos and sit on the floor. Poor May is sure that she will never feel at home in this country. Eventually May is expected to marry and a matchmaker is hired.

Outraged at the thought, May sets out to find her own way in the big city of Osaka. The accompanying story of his mother and her journey as a young woman is heartfelt. Tea with Milk vividly portrays the graceful formality of Japan and captures the struggle between two cultures as May strives to live out her own life.

-Amazon


Analysis:

May is Japanese American, and her family has just moved back to Japan. She misses the freedoms women have in America; driving a car, holding a job, or going to college. She doesn’t fit the traditional Japanese expectations for a girl her age and she is lonely. The prospect of an arranged marriage is the last straw and she escapes to the city where she finds work in a department store. At first she is only allowed to be an elevator girl or bow at the door. But when she has an opportunity to help an English-speaking customer the store manager begins to see the value of her multi-cultural upbringing. Eventually she meets a friend who understands how difficult it has been for her to adjust to traditional life in Japan. May finds her balance and is able to appreciate her ability to be at home with herself no matter where she lives. The illustrations are realistic and add an important dimension to the story. From the traditional kimono she wears at home to the brightly colored dress she leaves for the city in and her formal work attire, these depictions are beautiful representations of May’s life. Tea with Milk is a brave story about pushing boundaries and listening to your heart.


Book Reviews:

Through choice words and scrupulously choreographed paintings, Say's story communicates both the heart's yearning for individuality and freedom and how love and friendship can bridge cultural chasms.

—Publisher’s Weekly


"Continuing to explore place and home, Say tells the story of his mother, first introduced to readers in TREE OF CRANES. Born in California to Japanese immigrants, Masako is miserable when she moves to Japan with her parents after high school. The illustrations capture Masako's unhappiness and also her eventual contentment as she learns to combine two cultures."

 —Horn Book


Painted with characteristic control and restraint, Say's illustrations, largely portraits, begin with a sepia view of a sullen child in a kimono, gradually take on distinct, subdued color, and end with a formal shot of the smiling young couple in Western dress.

–Kirkus Reviews


Connections:

This book is for anyone who has had to leave home and try something new. It could be used for lessons on self-acceptance, friendship, and belonging.


Awards:

ALSC Notable Children's Books, 2000

Notable Books for a Global Society, 2000




This review was created as an assignment for SHSU LSSL 5361


The Thing About Luck


The Thing About Luck

Kadohata, C. (2014). The Thing About Luck. Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

ISBN: 978-1442474659


Plot Summary:

BeThere is bad luck, good luck, and making your own luck--which is exactly what Summer must do to save her family in this winner of the National Book Award by Newbery Medalist Cynthia Kadohata.


Summer knows that kouun means "good luck" in Japanese, and this year her family has none of it. Just when she thinks nothing else can possibly go wrong, an emergency whisks her parents away to Japan--right before harvest season. Summer and her little brother are left in the care of their grandparents -- Obaachan and Jiichan --  who come out of retirement in order to harvest wheat and help pay the bills.


The thing about Obaachan and Jiichan is that they are old-fashioned and demanding, and between helping Obaachan cook for the workers, covering for her when her back pain worsens, and worrying about her lonely little brother, Summer just barely has time to notice the attentions of their boss's cute son. But notice she does, and what begins as a welcome distraction from the hard work soon turns into a mess of its own.


Having thoroughly disappointed her grandmother, Summer figures the bad luck must be finished--but then it gets worse. And when that happens, Summer has to figure out how to change it herself, even if it means further displeasing Obaachan. Because it might be the only way to save her family.

-Amazon


Analysis:

This novel is a story about migrant farming in America. The family that is featured is Japanese American, but it turns out there are many cultures represented in this line of work. The hours are long and the work is physically demanding. Jaz and Summer are siblings who spend their summers trailing their grandparents through the midwestern wheat harvest. Obaachan and Jiichan (grandmother and grandfather) are aged and weary but they have high expectations of themselves and their grandchildren. Obaachan especially has a quick temper, but everyone knows that her love for her family runs deep. Jiichan is constant and steady. They both share stories to inspire and motivate Summer and Jaz, but like many teenagers, those lessons can sometimes take time and personal experience to sink in. The grandparents' health is a constant worry, but they are determined to push through the harvest to keep the family afloat. 

Summer is the age where she is getting curious about boys. When she is not trying to do homework or cooking for the team this is what she daydreams about. Jaz lives with some unnamed special needs. The book mentions some diagnoses, but the family has chosen not to treat him with Western medicine. 

Summer and Jaz’s parents were asked to return to Japan to care for ailing elderly relatives who needed their assistance back home. They are mentioned in the dialogue, but do not play a role in the story. This is an example of their family culture and how they value and care for each other. This dynamic is featured throughout the book.

In the end, this is something of a coming of age story for Summer. She has to step up and cover for both of her grandparents when they are sick and cannot do the work they are hired for. At only twelve years old she is cooking for a crew of 12, and secretly running a combine to harvest wheat at night. I was inspired by her determination, but also saddened that she felt the pressure of adulthood at such a tender age.

This book opened my eyes to what migrant farm work is like. Following the narrative from Summer’s pre-teen perspective also made me remember how much alike we all are.


Book Reviews:

"It seems that if Summer’s Japanese American family didn’t have bad luck, they’d have no luck at all. Certainly good luck (kouun) is elusive. Consider that Summer has had malaria; her little brother, Jaz, is friendless; her parents have to fly to Japan to take care of elderly relatives; and her grandmother (Obaachan) and grandfather (Jii-chan) must pay the mortgage by coming out of retirement to work for a custom harvesting company. When the siblings accompany their grandparents on the harvest, Summer helps her grandmother, a cook, while Jaz is Jaz: intense, focused, and bad-tempered. At first, things go reasonably well, but then Jii-chan becomes sick, and it appears that it might be up to Summer to save the day. Will she succeed? Kadohata has written a gentle family story that is unusual in its focus on the mechanics of wheat harvesting. Readers may skim the more arcane aspects of the labor-intensive work, focusing instead on the emotionally rich and often humorous dynamics of Summer’s relationship with her old-fashioned but endearing grandparents and her troubled younger brother. Another engaging novel from the Newbery Medal–winning Kadohata."

―Booklist


"Sharp characterizations and descriptive details about modern farming invigorate Newbery Medalist Kadohata’s (Kira-Kira) funny and warm story about the Japanese-American daughter of migrant workers. Twelve-year-old Summer’s family has suffered a year of bad luck that included Summer’s near-fatal contraction of malaria and her parents’ departure to Japan to be with ailing relatives. In order to make ends meet, Summer’s grandparents come out of retirement to work for custom harvesters, which requires them to travel throughout the Midwest. Taking time off from school to accompany them, Summer reflects on her paranoia about mosquitoes, her lonely younger brother’s inability to make friends, and her annoyance at her sharp-tongued grandmother. During a time of crisis, however, Summer must set her concerns aside to rise to a challenge. Lively dialogue and a succinct narrative laced with humor effectively convey Summer’s emotions, observations, and courage. Readers will relate to her uncertainties and admire both her compassion and her work ethic." 

―Publishers Weekly


Connections:

This story can support lessons about living with special needs, American farming practices, anc cultural differences in family relationships.


Awards:

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, 2014

National Book Award for Young People's Literature, 2013

SLJ Best Books of the Year, 2013

This review was created as an assignment for SHSU LSSL 5361.

 

The Year of the Dog


Lin, G. (2006). The year of the dog. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

ISBN: 978-0316060004


Plot Summary:

A breezy novel for middle grade readers is about Grace, whose life is an exuberant blend of home and school, family and friends, and Chinese and American traditions. On Chinese New Year, Grace learns that the upcoming Year of the Dog is supposed to be a good time to find out what you want to do with your life, and she’s eager to figure it out. 

-Cooperative Children’s Book Center


Analysis:

Pacy is a young Taiwanese American girl who spends the Chinese Year of the Dog on a quest to discover who she wants to be. Throughout the book she describes her experience as one of two Asian American students in her school. At school, Pacy goes by her American name, Grace. Her family does their best to honor their Taiwanese heritage while incorporating new American customs. The book opens and closes as the family celebrates Chinese New Year. They celebrate American holidays with their own Taiwanese interpretation which can be humorous at times. Pacy is part of two worlds, and sometimes she feels too Taiwanese to fit in with her friends at school, but too Americanized to fit in with other Asian Americans she meets. To help Pacy navigate this confusing world, her parents tell her stories from their past. These stories are highlighted throughout the book. Pacy likes to draw and the illustrations in the book are like sketches she would have made in her journal. They add something special to the book that makes the story more relatable. In the end, Pacy discovers her talent as an author and illustrator. She decides she wants to create books that represent her unique perspective and background. This was a sweet story about growing up that has you rooting for our girl as she tackles life lessons along the way.


Book Reviews:

 "Lin does a remarkable job capturing the soul and spirit of books like those of Hayward or Maud Hart Lovelace, reimagining them through the lens of her own story, and transforming their special qualities into something new for today's young readers."

―Booklist, starred review


"Lin creates an endearing protagonist, realistically dealing with universal emotions and situations. Girls everywhere, but especially those in the Asian-American community, will find much to embrace here."

Publishers Weekly


Connections:

This is a good story about not giving up. It shows how someone can keep trying new things and learn who they are along the way.


Awards:

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, 2007

ALSC Notable Children's Books, 2007

CCBC Choices, 2007


*This review was created as an assignment for SHSU LSSL 5361.


Crazy Horse’s Vision


Bruchac, J., & Nelson, S. D. (2000). Crazy Horse's Vision. Lee & Low Books.

ISBN: 978-1880000946



Plot Summary:

Crazy Horse is among the best known Native American heroes. Yet many people do not know his boyhood name was Curly, inspired by his curly hair.

Curly was a leader even as a young boy, taming wild horses and hunting powerful buffalo. But all his bravery could not prepare him for the trouble he and the other Lakota Indians would face with the white settlers. Wanting to help his people after a fierce battle that mortally wounded Chief Conquering Bear, Curly defied traditional custom and risked his own life by running away, up to the hills, to seek a vision. 

-Amazon


Analysis:

The story of Crazy Horse is legendary in Native American folklore. This depiction of him as a young Lakota boy known as Curly, shows that even as a child his spirit was full of leadership, wisdom, generosity, and determination. When white men built a fort on Lakota land and conflict erupted, Curly went on a vision quest looking for answers that would protect his people. The message he came home with was to “keep nothing for yourself”. When the time was right he shared the vision with his father. His father, Tashunka Witco (meaning Crazy Horse when translated to English), proudly bestowed his own name upon his son. Crazy Horse defended his people bravely for the rest of his life. The illustrations in this book are full of traditional symbols and symbolic colors. Perspective, color and texture are all windows into traditional art of the Plains Indians. The ledger-style paintings on the front and back endpapers of the book show the Battle of Little Bighorn. They are depictions representing the violence and carnage of battle. These painted scenes with guns, bows and arrows and knives may be upsetting to sensitive readers.  I recommend this book as it may help readers understand the Lakota people and this tragic historical time.


Book Reviews:

Bruchac has created a memorable tale about Crazy Horse's childhood, capturing the spirit of one of the most dedicated and daring leaders among the Lakota. In beautiful illustrations inspired by the ledger book style of the Plains Indians, Sioux artist Nelson fills the pages with both action and quiet drama. An author's note provides information about Crazy Horse's adult years and death, and an illustrator's note explains the art. 

—Booklist


His stormy vision of a rider with a lightning bolt on his cheek, spots like hail on his chest, and a clear, if unspoken, command to keep nothing for yourself, led him to become a man as noble as he was brilliant and daring. Inspired by the ledger-book art of the Plains Indians, Nelson paints his figures with stylized forms, chiseled features, and indistinct expressions, adding realistic depth of field but giving Crazy Horse blue skin to emphasize his connection to the spirit world. 

—Kirkus Reviews



Connections:

This book could be a study in Plains Indian art as well as a discussion point about this time in American history.


Awards:

ALSC Notable Children's Books, 2001

CCBC Choices, 2001



This review was created as an assignment for SHSU LSSL 5361.


The Second Chance of Benjamin Waterfalls


Bird, J. (2022). The Second Chance of Benjamin Waterfalls. Feiwel & Friends.

ISBN: 978-1250811561


Plot Summary:

Benjamin Waterfalls comes from a broken home, and the quickest fix he’s found for his life is to fill that emptiness with stuff he steals and then sells. But he’s been caught one too many times, and when he appears before a tough judge, his mother proposes sending him to “boot camp” at the Ojibwe reservation where they used to live.


Soon he is on his way to Grand Portage, Minnesota, to live with his father – the man Benny hasn’t seen in years. Not only is “boot camp” not what he expects, but his rehabilitation seems to be in the hands of the tribal leader’s daughter, who wears a mask. Why? Finding the answer to this and so many other questions prove tougher than any military-style boot camp. Will answers be enough for Benny to turn his life around and embrace his second chance?

-Amazon


Analysis:

Benjamin Waterfalls does not deserve a second chance. He is an unremorseful thief with no intention of changing his ways. He is standing before the judge, again, awaiting sentencing. His mother intervenes and tells the judge she supports the toughest sentencing, but makes a suggestion that ultimately saves Benjamin from a life of crime. He will live with his father and experience a reservation-style reformation that he calls boot camp. Life on the reservation is not what he expects. His relationship with his father is strained and throughout the story you learn more about why his father left and what his path to rehabilitation was like.The tribe appoints a 13 year-old girl, Niimi, to “bloom” Benjamin. Her insightful expertise is a surprise at every turn. She helps him understand the three warriors in his body: A superhero, someone who needs help, and a villain. It’s up to him which one he wants to be. The Objibwe natives are quick to laugh and steady in their commitment to love and support each other. It is announced to the tribe that Benjamin is a thief and he needs their help and they welcome him without judgment. The reformation of Benjamin feels manipulative at times, as he is “set up” to gain insights and learn who he is. The story has a spiritual or magical element to it, but it’s told in the most practical and unassuming way. This is a coming of age story with a good message and solid insights on becoming our best selves.


Book Reviews:

"Bird's strengths include his multidimensional characters (each of whom has flaws that they struggle to overcome) as well as the vivid descriptions of Grand Portage, Minnesota, home of the Gitchi Onigaming Ojibwe. Of equal importance is the more understated message that Indigenous ways of knowing and approaches to problems can be extremely effective, despite the dominant culture's insistence on discounting them. ... Benny's progress is heartening and sure to encourage readers."

―Booklist


"A heartfelt, endearing, and inspiring story of second chances and first steps toward greatness."

―School Library Journal


Connections:

This story could be connected to lessons about honesty, friendship, family relationships, traditions or recovery. 


Awards:

SLJ Best Books of the Year, 2022

El día de los niños / El día de los libros, 2024


Crossing Bok Chitto


Tingle, T., & Bridges, J. R. (2006). Crossing Bok Chitto. Cinco Puntos Press.

ISBN: 0-938317-77-6


Plot Summary:

There is a river called Bok Chitto that cuts through Mississippi. In the days before the War Between the States, in the days before the Trail of Tears, Bok Chitto was a boundary. On one side of the river lived the Choctaws. On the other side lived the plantation owners and their slaves. If a slave escaped and made his way across Bok Chitto, the slave was free.

Thus begins Crossing Bok Chitto, told by award-winning Choctaw storyteller Tim Tingle and brought to life with the rich illustrations of Jeanne Rorex Bridges.

Martha Tom, a young Choctaw girl, knows better than to cross Bok Chitto, but one day—in search of blackberries—she disobeys her mother and finds herself on the other side. A tall slave discovers Martha Tom. A friendship begins between Martha Tom and the slave’s family, most particularly his young son, Little Mo. Soon afterwards, Little Mo’s mother finds out that she is going to be sold. The situation seems hopeless, except that Martha Tom teaches Little Mo’s family how to walk on water to their freedom.

-Amazon


Analysis:

This beautifully illustrated book tells a story where Choctaw Indians intersect with the American slave trade in the old south. I was unaware of this juxtaposition before I read this story. Choctaw land was separated from plantation land by the Bok Chitto river. This Mississippi band of Choctaw helped runaway slaves make their way to freedom by giving them safe passage across the river. The writing follows two young friends, one on each side of the river. Their unlikely friendship is compelling and full of risk. The Choctaw and the Slaves are both living under oppression and yet they find ways to help and uplift one another. The illustrations are moving and bring emotion to every page. Black and brown skinned people look out from the pages with determination in their eyes and years of hardship strengthening their features. Traditional Choctaw celebrations and rituals ring out on one side of the river, and a forbidden slave church sings on the other. This is a beautiful story of humanity, acceptance, and friendship set against a backdrop of unimaginable pain and oppression. The ending is a spiritual leap, but one worth some reflection. It’s a beautiful story with many worthwhile lessons. 


Book Reviews:

Tingle is a performing storyteller, and his text has the rhythm and grace of that oral tradition. It will be easily and effectively read aloud. The paintings are dark and solemn, and the artist has done a wonderful job of depicting all of the characters as individuals, with many of them looking out of the page right at readers. The layout is well designed for groups as the images are large and easily seen from a distance. There is a note on modern Choctaw culture, and one on the development of this particular work. This is a lovely story, beautifully illustrated, though the ending requires a somewhat large leap of the imagination.

—School Library Journal


 In a picture book that highlights rarely discussed intersections between Native Americans in the South and African Americans in bondage, a noted Choctaw storyteller and Cherokee artist join forces with stirring results. 

 —Booklist


Connections:

This book is a rare look at American history that will spark discussions about slavery, and the plight of American Indians. 


Awards:

American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL): Lists of Best Books, 2010

American Indian Youth Literature Award, 2008

ALSC Notable Children's Books, 2007

Jane Addams Children's Book Awards, 2007



This review was created as an assignment for SHSU LSSL 5361.


Morning Girl


Dorris, M. (1992). Morning Girl. Hyperion Book CH.

ISBN: 978-1562822842



Morning Girl, who loves the day, and her younger brother Star Boy, who loves the night, take turns describing their life on an island in pre-Columbian America; in Morning Girl's last narrative, she witnesses the arrival of the first Europeans to her world.Tells the story of Morning Girl and her brother, Star Boy, two Native Americans of the Taino tribe, their family, and their community, as they grow up together in the Bahamas in the fateful year of 1492

-Amazon


Analysis:

This story is a beautiful portrait of a Native Bahamian family living in 1492. Depictions of family life, spirit, and culture are told through the eyes of two siblings. The older sister, Morning Girl,  is steady as the morning, constant, still, and obedient. The younger brother, Star Boy, watches over the night. He experiences the world by doing, seeing, hearing, and being. The only thing he despises is “nothing”. Something must always be happening. The two resent their differences and struggle to accept the complementary nature of their relationship. The story is told with lovely figurative language that is close to meditation. 

Both children, at different points in the story, wonder what they look like. Looking for similarities, Morning girl touches her face with one hand while touching her mothers face with the other. Their father has them look at their reflection in his eyes and they wonder who those people are living in his pupils. This is profound as the readers begin to realize the value of something as simple as a mirror to show you who you are.

The spiritual traditions and beliefs of their small community are widely accepted and practiced. And yet, human nature to judge, tease, or question are as real in this 1492 depiction as they are today. Human experiences like their mother’s miscarriage, the death of grandparents, parenting, making mistakes and moving forward, hunger, and loss are all part of the story. This element provides connections that keep the reader engaged. 

The sea, the wind, and the forest all have roles in the writing that become secondary characters. The old tree that becomes a refuge for Star Boy lends a connection to his ancestors and the earth itself. Dorris uses these symbolic and tangible references throughout the book.

The historical importance of this story does not fully come to light until the epilogue. All at once the safety, security and traditions of this family are threatened and as 21st century readers we know that they will fail and their island will be conquered. 



Book Reviews:

The way this text and recording bring alive a lesser-known side of a well-studied bit of world history may well spark discussion in classrooms and family kitchens.”

--Publishers Weekly


“A Soulful, affecting portrait of a Bahamian family in 1492.”

--Publishers Weekly



Connections:

Parts of this book could be used as a meditation. 

The story is a history lesson  with an introduction that draws you in and then breaks your heart. 


Awards:

Phoenix Award, 2012

Scott O’Dell Award, 1993


This review was created as an assignment for SHSU LSSL 5361.