Bibliography:
Lowry, Lois. 2002. The Giver. New York. Laurel Leaf. ISBN 978-0440237686.
Plot Summary:
Jonas and his Family Unit live in a seemingly Utopian Community. Without freedom of choice, no one makes bad decisions, and everyone is content. Children spend their days being assimilated into the ways of the Community and are primed for Sameness. There is no poverty or crime because everyone is assigned the same things, no one wants for anything. There is no love, there is no hate, only existence. Anything that causes emotion like colors, animals, or music have been done away with. The weather is the same year around, “Climate control. Snow made growing food difficult and limited agricultural periods. And unpredictable weather made transportation almost impossible at times. It wasn’t a practical thing, so it became obsolete when we went to Sameness.” (pp. 83, 84). There is no sexuality, when children become pubescent they are giving a pill to suppress any sexual feelings which they will continue taking all their adult lives until they are Old, “The dream had felt pleasurable. Though the feelings were confused, he thought that he had liked the feelings hat his mother had called the Stirrings. He remembered that upon waking, he had waned to feel the Stirrings again.” (p. 39). Men and women are assigned partners to become a Family Unit, and are assigned a boy and girl to raise in their Family Unit. Only women given the job of Birthmother are allowed to give birth to children, although they will never raise children, only later to become laborers after they have given birth to three children. The job of birthmother is not one of respect in the community. “Jonas remembered that his mother had called it a job without honor.” (p. 53).
At the age of 12, children in the community are given their Assignments for which they will train and hold that job for their adult life, “This is the time…when we acknowledge differences. You Elevens have spent all your years till now learning to fit in, to standardize your behavior, to curb any impulse that might set you apart from the group. But today we honor your differences. They have determined your futures.” (pp. 51, 52). At the December ceremony everyone is given their Assignment except for Jonas. Jonas is told that he has been carefully watched over the years and he is to become the next Receiver, the most honorable position in the community, and a job that requires great courage and strength. The Receiver is responsible for keeping all of the memories, and it requires a great deal of physical pain.
When Jonas begins his training he has no idea what is in store. He is given memories from the former Receiver, now called The Giver. Jonas experiences color, snow, sunshine, starvation, warfare, and love: All of the things that have been done away with when the Community went to Sameness. After experiencing emotions he can no longer cope with the ideology of the Community and makes a brave move to escape and save the life of the young baby, Gabe.
Critical Analysis:
This book is perhaps so striking because, although it is fantasy, the reader can imagine present society finding a Utopian world appealing. People do not like the idea of war, starvation, and poverty, and living in a Community like the one in The Giver may seem like a very plausible answer. One can even see examples in the world we live today in religious communes where everyone dresses the same and has very specific roles or even in some dictatorial countries like North Korea where its citizens lack freedoms commonly found in other countries. This book requires the reader to examine what makes us human—love, freedom of choice, pain—and the cost of giving up that humanity.
Lois Lowry has expertly crafted the plot of this book so that the reader gets drawn in to this Utopian Community and initially becomes awe-struck at how comfortable and secure the Community seems. The children are all dressed alike and are very well behaved, never questioning their parents, teachers, authority figures, or Elders. “When the class took their seats at the conclusion of the patriotic hymn, Asher remained standing to make his public apology as was required. ‘I apologize for inconveniencing my learning community.’” (p. 3). The Family Unit in which the main character Jonas lives in seems very caring upon first examination. They share something from their day every evening at dinner, and at breakfast each day they share their dreams from the night before. We are introduced to this sharing very early in the book, “It was one of the rituals, the evening telling of feelings.” (p. 4). The idealistic picture of this family soon begins to unravel when the reader learns that this sharing is required in the Community, and the truth about the Family Unit is revealed, “ ‘Lily, Mother reminded her, smiling, ‘you know the rules.’ Two children --- one male, one female --- to each family unit. It was written very clearly in the rules.” (p. 8).
Jonas goes through much change in the novel. In the beginning we meet a compliant member of the community, very conscientious of the rules, yet sometimes he is left with questions. When he is given the Assignment to be the next Receiver and begins to experience the exhilarating and often painful memories, he begins to question the Community standards that have been so carefully planned. When Jonas receives the Giver’s favorite memory, that of a loving family with the Grandparents, parents, children, and dog right there celebrating Christmas together by a warm fireplace, Jonas longs to experience Love. Jonas questions his parents, “ ‘Do you love me?’ There was an awkward silence for a moment. Then father gave a little chuckle. ‘Jonas. You, of all people. Precision of language, please!’… ‘Your father means that you used a very general word, so meaningless that it’s become almost obsolete.’ His mother explained carefully.” (p. 127). We continue to witness Jonas’ increasing frustration with the rules. He longs for choice and love and all the things we know that make us human. The climax comes when Jonas finds out what it means to “Release” someone. Jonas watches as his father injects an infant with a fatal substance, and thus “Releases” him. All this time Jonas had been led to believe that Release was a happy time when the Old or anyone else scheduled for Release would go to a different community for the rest of his life. Jonas is horrified as he watches his father perform the Release, “The Giver turned to him. ‘Well there you are, Jonas. You were wondering about Release,’ he said in a bitter voice. Jonas felt a ripping sensation inside himself, the feeling of terrible pain clawing its way forward to emerge in a cry.” (p. 151).
Jonas and the Giver make a plan to release the memories they are holding, and Jonas is to flee the Community, “The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It’s the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared.” (p. 154). The intricate plan comes to a halt when Jonas learns that the young Gabe is scheduled to be Released. Jonas is forced to flee, and we see that a life with Choice and Love is worth any consequence, even worth dying for.
This Newberry-Medal winning story requires the reader to engage as an active-thinker. Young adults will be challenged by this novel as will adults. To say that this book is worth reading is an understatement since the questions it raises are critical.
Review Excerpts:
Amazon.comIn a world with no poverty, no crime, no sickness and no unemployment, and where every family is happy, 12-year-old Jonas is chosen to be the community's Receiver of Memories. Under the tutelage of the Elders and an old man known as the Giver, he discovers the disturbing truth about his utopian world and struggles against the weight of its hypocrisy. With echoes of Brave New World, in this 1994 Newbery Medal winner, Lowry examines the idea that people might freely choose to give up their humanity in order to create a more stable society. Gradually Jonas learns just how costly this ordered and pain-free society can be, and boldly decides he cannot pay the price. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From Publishers WeeklyIn the "ideal" world into which Jonas was born, everybody has sensibly agreed that well-matched married couples will raise exactly two offspring, one boy and one girl. These children's adolescent sexual impulses will be stifled with specially prescribed drugs; at age 12 they will receive an appropriate career assignment, sensibly chosen by the community's Elders. This is a world in which the old live in group homes and are "released"--to great celebration--at the proper time; the few infants who do not develop according to schedule are also "released," but with no fanfare. Lowry's development of this civilization is so deft that her readers, like the community's citizens, will be easily seduced by the chimera of this ordered, pain-free society. Until the time that Jonah begins training for his job assignment--the rigorous and prestigious position of Receiver of Memory--he, too, is a complacent model citizen. But as his near-mystical training progresses, and he is weighed down and enriched with society's collective memories of a world as stimulating as it was flawed, Jonas grows increasingly aware of the hypocrisy that rules his world. With a storyline that hints at Christian allegory and an eerie futuristic setting, this intriguing novel calls to mind John Christopher's Tripods trilogy and Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Match Girl. Lowry is once again in top form--raising many questions while answering few, and unwinding a tale fit for the most adventurous readers. Ages 12-14.
Reviews accessed at:
http://www.amazon.com/Giver-Lois-Lowry/dp/0440237688/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195879715&sr=1-1
Connections:
Lowry, Lois. 1998. Number the Stars. Laurel Leaf. ISBN 0440227534.
Lowry, Lois. 2005. The Silent Boy. Laurel Leaf. ISBN 0440419808.
Lowry, Lois. 2004. Messenger. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0618404414.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
How I Live Now
Bibliography:
Rosoff, Meg. 2004. How I Live Now. New York. Random House Children’s Books. ISBN 0-385-746776-6.
Plot Summary:
Fifteen-year-old Elizabeth, called Daisy, is leaving her life in Manhattan to live with an aunt and cousins she has never met. Her father’s girlfriend is pregnant, and Daisy is sure the baby will be evil spawn - - Damian she calls the unborn child. Daisy’s own mother died while giving birth to her.
Upon arriving in England, Daisy finds herself being picked up by her scruffy cousin, Edmond, “Now let me tell you what he looks like before I forget because it’s not exactly what you’d expect from you average fourteen-year-old what with the CIGARETTE and hair that looked like he cut it himself with a hatchet in the dead of night, but aside from that he’s exactly like some kind of mutt, you know the ones you see at the dog shelter who are kind of hopeful and sweet and put their nose straight into your hand when they meet you with a certain kind of dignity and you that from that second that you’re going to take him home? Well that’s him. Only he took me home.” (p. 3). Meg Rosoff’s use of capitalization and punctuation (or lack thereof) is unique and somehow makes the personality of young Daisy leap off the pages. The adolescent world, especially Daisy’s, does not follow conventional rules, and as such Rosoff throws conventional grammar out the window.
Daisy’s new family lives in an old house in the countryside. When she arrives she meets her other cousins, Osbert—the oldest, Isaac—who rarely speaks to humans but seems to have a special gift with animals, Piper—a girl and the youngest of the family. Aunt Penn is busy doing her Work, which later sends her away from the family to Oslow where she tries to fight the impending war. As Daisy discovers her new surroundings she is met with a sense of security and calm that she has never felt before. Daisy is soon aware that her cousin, Edmond is more in tune with her than anyone else has ever been. It soon becomes apparent that somehow Edmond is able to read her thoughts and feel her emotions. When Aunt Penn leaves for Oslow, Daisy and Edmond find themselves desperately in love with each other. Without adults, the cousins find themselves living in a kind of utopia with no rules, no school, just themselves and the beautiful countryside in which they live. They spend their days fishing, swimming, and basking in the sun. Things soon go from good to bad to worse when England finds itself under attack and at war. Provisions are rationed, roads are closed, and it is not long before the teenagers’ home is seized by the government and used as military barracks. The girls and boys are separated and forced to live elsewhere.
Separated from her teenage-cousin lover, Daisy’s desperation and despair is channeled into an effort to keep Piper and herself alive, and to somehow make her way back to the only family she has ever known. Daisy and Piper find themselves in survivalist situations, and witness horrible tragedies before they make their way back to their home in the country, which has been abandoned. Daisy’s father uses his connections to have Daisy sent home to America, and it is five years before the war is over and Daisy can go back to her cousins. When she does go back she finds Edmond forlorn and a shell of the being he was, having witnessed a massacre.
Critical Analysis:
Rosoff has written a very disturbing book; the reality of it being the most uncomfortable aspect. This book is set sometime in the near future in England. A war is raging between England and rebel covert fighters. The terrorist attacks including subway, train, and water supply attacks are realistic, and a fear we all live with. The realities of what life might be like in a war are frightening, “For instance, let’s say a kid gets appendicitis, or breaks his leg, there was no telephone to tell someone that the bone was sticking out of his thigh, no petrol to drive to a field hospital, if you happened to know where it was in the first place, and a big shortage of antibiotics if you did manage to get the kid to a surgeon somehow and wanted to make sure that he or she didn’t die of infection a week or so later.” (p. 84).
The character of young Daisy develops as the circumstances of her life necessitate maturity. In the beginning we meet a spoiled, melancholy girl from Manhattan, who has had trouble dealing with the death of her mother, and a father who has never related to her. It soon becomes obvious that Daisy is anorexic and has spent much time with therapists which she is flippant about, “I really tried to explain about at first not wanting to get poisoned by my stepmother and how much it annoyed her and how after a while I discovered I liked the feeling of being hungry and the fact that it drove everyone stark raving mad and cost my father a fortune in shrinks and also it was something I was good at. “ (pp. 42, 43). The first time we see Daisy softer and more vulnerable is when she is speaking with her Aunt Penn about her mother, “ …but I guess what you really want to know are the things you can’t ask like Did she have eyes like yours and When you pushed my hair back is that what it feels like to have your mother do it and Did her hands look serious and quiet like yours and Did she ever have a chance to look at me with a complicated expression like the one on your face, and Was she scared to die.” (p. 20). Daisy’s character adapts and responds to the circumstances in which she finds herself, ultimately keeping herself and her little cousin, Piper alive. It is through these tough times that we witness the evolution of Daisy from a spoiled New Yorker to a tough survivor, “And anyway, fighting back is what I’ve discovered I do best.” (p. 194).
Overall this Prince award-winning book gives a believable, if strange, plot. Despite the cousins in love, the survival situations that are depicted, and the seeming telepathy between Edmond and Daisy, the author has managed to make it all work. The author has taken our worst fears and innermost secrets and fit them into this teenager’s life, giving us all something we can relate to.
Review Excerpts:
Possibly one of the most talked about books of the year, Meg Rosoff's novel for young adults is the winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize 2004. Heralded by some as the next best adult crossover novel since Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, who himself has given the book a thunderously good quote, this author's debut is undoubtedly stylish, readable and fascinating.
Rosoff's story begins in modern day London, slightly in the future, and as its heroine has a 15-year-old Manhattanite called Daisy. She's picked up at the airport by Edmond, her English cousin, a boy in whose life she is destined to become intricately entwined. Daisy stays at her Aunt Penn's country farmhouse for the summer with Edmond and her other cousins. They spend some idyllic weeks together--often alone with Aunt Penn away travelling in Norway. Daisy's cousins seem to have an almost telepathic bond, and Daisy is mesmerized by Edmond and soon falls in love with him.
But their world changes forever when an unnamed aggressor invades England and begins a years-long occupation. Daisy and Edmond are separated when soldiers take over their home, and Daisy and Piper, her younger cousin, must travel to another place to work. Their experiences of occupation are never kind and Daisy's pain, living without Edmond, is tangible.
Rosoff's writing style is both brilliant and frustrating. Her descriptions are wonderful, as is her ability to portray the emotions of her characters. However, her long sentences and total lack of punctuation for dialogue can be exhausting. Her narrative is deeply engaging and yet a bit unbelievable. The end of the book is dramatic, but too sudden. The book has a raw, unfinished feel about it, yet that somehow adds to the experience of reading it. (Age 14 and over) --John McLay
From Publisher's WeeklyThis riveting first novel paints a frighteningly realistic picture of a world war breaking out in the 21st century. Told from the point of view of 15-year-old Manhattan native Daisy, the novel follows her arrival and her stay with cousins on a remote farm in England. Soon after Daisy settles into their farmhouse, her Aunt Penn becomes stranded in Oslo and terrorists invade and occupy England. Daisy's candid, intelligent narrative draws readers into her very private world, which appears almost utopian at first with no adult supervision (especially by contrast with her home life with her widowed father and his new wife). The heroine finds herself falling in love with cousin Edmond, and the author credibly creates a world in which social taboos are temporarily erased. When soldiers usurp the farm, they send the girls off separately from the boys, and Daisy becomes determined to keep herself and her youngest cousin, Piper, alive. Like the ripple effects of paranoia and panic in society, the changes within Daisy do not occur all at once, but they have dramatic effects. In the span of a few months, she goes from a self-centered, disgruntled teen to a courageous survivor motivated by love and compassion. How she comes to understand the effects the war has had on others provides the greatest evidence of her growth, as well as her motivation to get through to those who seem lost to war's consequences. Teens may feel that they have experienced a war themselves as they vicariously witness Daisy's worst nightmares. Like the heroine, readers will emerge from the rubble much shaken, a little wiser and with perhaps a greater sense of humanity. Ages 12-up. (Aug.)
Reviews accessed at:
http://www.amazon.com/How-Live-Now-Meg-Rosoff/dp/0553376055/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195675169&sr=1-1
Connections:
Hautman, Paul. 2005. Godless. Simon Pulse. ISBN 1416908161.
Lynch, Chris. 2007. Inexcusable. Simon Pulse. ISBN 1416939725.
Rosoff, Meg. 2004. How I Live Now. New York. Random House Children’s Books. ISBN 0-385-746776-6.
Plot Summary:
Fifteen-year-old Elizabeth, called Daisy, is leaving her life in Manhattan to live with an aunt and cousins she has never met. Her father’s girlfriend is pregnant, and Daisy is sure the baby will be evil spawn - - Damian she calls the unborn child. Daisy’s own mother died while giving birth to her.
Upon arriving in England, Daisy finds herself being picked up by her scruffy cousin, Edmond, “Now let me tell you what he looks like before I forget because it’s not exactly what you’d expect from you average fourteen-year-old what with the CIGARETTE and hair that looked like he cut it himself with a hatchet in the dead of night, but aside from that he’s exactly like some kind of mutt, you know the ones you see at the dog shelter who are kind of hopeful and sweet and put their nose straight into your hand when they meet you with a certain kind of dignity and you that from that second that you’re going to take him home? Well that’s him. Only he took me home.” (p. 3). Meg Rosoff’s use of capitalization and punctuation (or lack thereof) is unique and somehow makes the personality of young Daisy leap off the pages. The adolescent world, especially Daisy’s, does not follow conventional rules, and as such Rosoff throws conventional grammar out the window.
Daisy’s new family lives in an old house in the countryside. When she arrives she meets her other cousins, Osbert—the oldest, Isaac—who rarely speaks to humans but seems to have a special gift with animals, Piper—a girl and the youngest of the family. Aunt Penn is busy doing her Work, which later sends her away from the family to Oslow where she tries to fight the impending war. As Daisy discovers her new surroundings she is met with a sense of security and calm that she has never felt before. Daisy is soon aware that her cousin, Edmond is more in tune with her than anyone else has ever been. It soon becomes apparent that somehow Edmond is able to read her thoughts and feel her emotions. When Aunt Penn leaves for Oslow, Daisy and Edmond find themselves desperately in love with each other. Without adults, the cousins find themselves living in a kind of utopia with no rules, no school, just themselves and the beautiful countryside in which they live. They spend their days fishing, swimming, and basking in the sun. Things soon go from good to bad to worse when England finds itself under attack and at war. Provisions are rationed, roads are closed, and it is not long before the teenagers’ home is seized by the government and used as military barracks. The girls and boys are separated and forced to live elsewhere.
Separated from her teenage-cousin lover, Daisy’s desperation and despair is channeled into an effort to keep Piper and herself alive, and to somehow make her way back to the only family she has ever known. Daisy and Piper find themselves in survivalist situations, and witness horrible tragedies before they make their way back to their home in the country, which has been abandoned. Daisy’s father uses his connections to have Daisy sent home to America, and it is five years before the war is over and Daisy can go back to her cousins. When she does go back she finds Edmond forlorn and a shell of the being he was, having witnessed a massacre.
Critical Analysis:
Rosoff has written a very disturbing book; the reality of it being the most uncomfortable aspect. This book is set sometime in the near future in England. A war is raging between England and rebel covert fighters. The terrorist attacks including subway, train, and water supply attacks are realistic, and a fear we all live with. The realities of what life might be like in a war are frightening, “For instance, let’s say a kid gets appendicitis, or breaks his leg, there was no telephone to tell someone that the bone was sticking out of his thigh, no petrol to drive to a field hospital, if you happened to know where it was in the first place, and a big shortage of antibiotics if you did manage to get the kid to a surgeon somehow and wanted to make sure that he or she didn’t die of infection a week or so later.” (p. 84).
The character of young Daisy develops as the circumstances of her life necessitate maturity. In the beginning we meet a spoiled, melancholy girl from Manhattan, who has had trouble dealing with the death of her mother, and a father who has never related to her. It soon becomes obvious that Daisy is anorexic and has spent much time with therapists which she is flippant about, “I really tried to explain about at first not wanting to get poisoned by my stepmother and how much it annoyed her and how after a while I discovered I liked the feeling of being hungry and the fact that it drove everyone stark raving mad and cost my father a fortune in shrinks and also it was something I was good at. “ (pp. 42, 43). The first time we see Daisy softer and more vulnerable is when she is speaking with her Aunt Penn about her mother, “ …but I guess what you really want to know are the things you can’t ask like Did she have eyes like yours and When you pushed my hair back is that what it feels like to have your mother do it and Did her hands look serious and quiet like yours and Did she ever have a chance to look at me with a complicated expression like the one on your face, and Was she scared to die.” (p. 20). Daisy’s character adapts and responds to the circumstances in which she finds herself, ultimately keeping herself and her little cousin, Piper alive. It is through these tough times that we witness the evolution of Daisy from a spoiled New Yorker to a tough survivor, “And anyway, fighting back is what I’ve discovered I do best.” (p. 194).
Overall this Prince award-winning book gives a believable, if strange, plot. Despite the cousins in love, the survival situations that are depicted, and the seeming telepathy between Edmond and Daisy, the author has managed to make it all work. The author has taken our worst fears and innermost secrets and fit them into this teenager’s life, giving us all something we can relate to.
Review Excerpts:
Possibly one of the most talked about books of the year, Meg Rosoff's novel for young adults is the winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize 2004. Heralded by some as the next best adult crossover novel since Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, who himself has given the book a thunderously good quote, this author's debut is undoubtedly stylish, readable and fascinating.
Rosoff's story begins in modern day London, slightly in the future, and as its heroine has a 15-year-old Manhattanite called Daisy. She's picked up at the airport by Edmond, her English cousin, a boy in whose life she is destined to become intricately entwined. Daisy stays at her Aunt Penn's country farmhouse for the summer with Edmond and her other cousins. They spend some idyllic weeks together--often alone with Aunt Penn away travelling in Norway. Daisy's cousins seem to have an almost telepathic bond, and Daisy is mesmerized by Edmond and soon falls in love with him.
But their world changes forever when an unnamed aggressor invades England and begins a years-long occupation. Daisy and Edmond are separated when soldiers take over their home, and Daisy and Piper, her younger cousin, must travel to another place to work. Their experiences of occupation are never kind and Daisy's pain, living without Edmond, is tangible.
Rosoff's writing style is both brilliant and frustrating. Her descriptions are wonderful, as is her ability to portray the emotions of her characters. However, her long sentences and total lack of punctuation for dialogue can be exhausting. Her narrative is deeply engaging and yet a bit unbelievable. The end of the book is dramatic, but too sudden. The book has a raw, unfinished feel about it, yet that somehow adds to the experience of reading it. (Age 14 and over) --John McLay
From Publisher's WeeklyThis riveting first novel paints a frighteningly realistic picture of a world war breaking out in the 21st century. Told from the point of view of 15-year-old Manhattan native Daisy, the novel follows her arrival and her stay with cousins on a remote farm in England. Soon after Daisy settles into their farmhouse, her Aunt Penn becomes stranded in Oslo and terrorists invade and occupy England. Daisy's candid, intelligent narrative draws readers into her very private world, which appears almost utopian at first with no adult supervision (especially by contrast with her home life with her widowed father and his new wife). The heroine finds herself falling in love with cousin Edmond, and the author credibly creates a world in which social taboos are temporarily erased. When soldiers usurp the farm, they send the girls off separately from the boys, and Daisy becomes determined to keep herself and her youngest cousin, Piper, alive. Like the ripple effects of paranoia and panic in society, the changes within Daisy do not occur all at once, but they have dramatic effects. In the span of a few months, she goes from a self-centered, disgruntled teen to a courageous survivor motivated by love and compassion. How she comes to understand the effects the war has had on others provides the greatest evidence of her growth, as well as her motivation to get through to those who seem lost to war's consequences. Teens may feel that they have experienced a war themselves as they vicariously witness Daisy's worst nightmares. Like the heroine, readers will emerge from the rubble much shaken, a little wiser and with perhaps a greater sense of humanity. Ages 12-up. (Aug.)
Reviews accessed at:
http://www.amazon.com/How-Live-Now-Meg-Rosoff/dp/0553376055/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195675169&sr=1-1
Connections:
Hautman, Paul. 2005. Godless. Simon Pulse. ISBN 1416908161.
Lynch, Chris. 2007. Inexcusable. Simon Pulse. ISBN 1416939725.
Rules
Bibliography:
Lord, Cynthia. 2006. Rules. New York. Scholastic Press. ISBN 978-0439443821.
Plot Summary:
Twelve-year old Christina has a brother with autism, and everything about him seems to define her adolescent world. Her father always works late, her mother works from home, and Christina is often left to baby-sit David. Christina often wishes that her brother would wake up one morning and be “fixed.” All of the normal, unspoken rules of society have to be spelled out for David, it is for this reason that Christina keeps a special section of her sketchbook where she can write down rules for David, “That’s where I keep all the rules I’m teaching David so if my someday-he’ll-wake-up-a-regular-brother wish doesn’t ever come true, at least he’ll know how the world works, and I won’t have to keep explaining things.” (p. 9). Christina longs for alone time with her mother and father. Most of their energy is taken up with her special needs brother. Christina accompanies her mother to David’s occupational therapist appointments during the summer, each time with the hope that her mom will go for a walk or go shopping with her alone while they wait for David’s appointment to finish, “It’s the only time in the week that I get Mom completely to myself and someone else is in charge of David. Mom likes to stay in the clinic waiting room so she can hear if David has a hard time, but I like when we leave because then she doesn’t look away from me every time she hears him shriek.” (p. 14). It is while Christina is in the waiting room that she meets Jason, a nonverbal paraplegic. The two soon become friends, and she begins using her artistic talent to make cards to add to his communication book. She carefully chooses words that allow Jason to better express himself, “I turn the pages of Jason’s communication book, reading through his cards so I don’t repeat the words or phrases he already has. Which shouldn’t be hard, since all his words are boring.” (p. 47).
In the meantime, a new family has moved in next-door. Christina has high hopes for a close friendship with Kristi, but it seems that Kristi has different interests than Christine, “My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved…But I think Ryan likes me.” (p. 92). Kristi is interested in cute clothes, nail polish, magazines, and boys. Kristi suggests that Christina ask Jason to the community center dance, but Christina has not told the whole truth about Jason and does not want Kristi to think she is weird. When Jason finds out about the dance and offers to go with Christina, she brings up her rule, “No dancing unless I’m alone in my room or it’s pitch-black dark.” (p. 176). Jason sees through this and replies, “RULE. Stupid. Excuse.” (p. 176). Christina is forced to examine what normal is, and in the end she chooses Jason who has been a true friend.
Critical Analysis:
Friendship and relationships are tough for young adults. In this book, the main character Catherine finds her world especially complicated because of her younger brother, David who has autism. The reader sees Catherine struggle between what she knows is right, and the longing to become friends with the new neighbor. An unlikely source, the nonverbal paraplegic Jason helps Catherine to see that some rules are meant to be broken. In the end we see Catherine gaining acceptance of her situation with her brother, her new friend Jason, and most importantly herself, “Standing there, in the middle of the floor, in front of everyone, I lift my hands and reach for the ceiling, the, sky, the stars. And I dance.” (p. 197).
Catherine narrates her story through a series of rules. Each chapter begins with a rule that she has written for David. “Some people know who you are, when really they don’t.” (p. 178). This chapter is the turning point for Catherine when she hurts Jason’s feelings by refusing to go to the dance with him. It is after this exchange that Catherine does some deep introspection. Catherine’s character is believable and easy to relate to, especially for young adults who often have to make difficult choices between what is popular and what is right.
The author shows the sensitive side of David and avoids stereotyping people with autism especially as Catherine and David have exchanges by using the words of Arnold Loebel. It is very touching to see David’s sensitivity to his sister, and in the end, when they share the words of Frog and Toad, Catherine realizes how special that is, “Tomorrow I’m going to tell Mom she has a point about David needing his own words, but other things matter too. Like sharing something small and special, just my brother and me.” (pp. 199, 200).
The author, Cynthia Lord won Newberry Honors for this book, and also the Schneider Family Book Award. She has a lot of experience with autism, herself a mother to a child with the disease. Her insight into the nuances and emotions that surround autism have helped to create a most believable realistic fiction novel for young adults.
Review Excerpts:
From School Library JournalGrade 4-7-Twelve-year-old Catherine has conflicting feelings about her younger brother, David, who is autistic. While she loves him, she is also embarrassed by his behavior and feels neglected by their parents. In an effort to keep life on an even keel, Catherine creates rules for him (It's okay to hug Mom but not the clerk at the video store). Each chapter title is also a rule, and lots more are interspersed throughout the book. When Kristi moves in next door, Catherine hopes that the girl will become a friend, but is anxious about her reaction to David. Then Catherine meets and befriends Jason, a nonverbal paraplegic who uses a book of pictures to communicate, she begins to understand that normal is difficult, and perhaps unnecessary, to define. Rules of behavior are less important than acceptance of others. Catherine is an endearing narrator who tells her story with both humor and heartbreak. Her love for her brother is as real as are her frustrations with him. Lord has candidly captured the delicate dynamics in a family that revolves around a child's disability. Set in coastal Maine, this sensitive story is about being different, feeling different, and finding acceptance. A lovely, warm read, and a great discussion starter.-Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistGr. 4-7. "No toys in the fish tank" is one of many rules that 12-year-old Catherine shares with her autistic younger brother, David, to help him understand his world. Lots of the rules are practical. Others are more subtle and shed light on issues in Catherine's own life. Torn between love for her brother and impatience with the responsibilities and embarrassment he brings, she strives to be on her parents' radar and to establish an identity of her own. At her brother's clinic, Catherine befriends a wheelchair-bound boy, Jason, who talks by pointing at word cards in a communication notebook. Her drawing skills and additional vocabulary cards--including "whatever" (which prompts Jason to roll his eyes at his mother)--enliven his speech. The details of autistic behavior are handled well, as are depictions of relationships: Catherine experiences some of the same unease with Jason that others do in the presence of her brother. In the end, Jason helps Catherine see that her rules may really be excuses, opening the way for her to look at things differently. A heartwarming first novel. Cindy DobrezCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Reviews accessed at:
http://www.amazon.com/Rules-Newbery-Honor-Book-Cynthia/dp/0439443822/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195853856&sr=8-1
Connections:
Autism Society of America
AutismInfo.com
the "About" site for autism
Lord, Cynthia. 2006. Rules. New York. Scholastic Press. ISBN 978-0439443821.
Plot Summary:
Twelve-year old Christina has a brother with autism, and everything about him seems to define her adolescent world. Her father always works late, her mother works from home, and Christina is often left to baby-sit David. Christina often wishes that her brother would wake up one morning and be “fixed.” All of the normal, unspoken rules of society have to be spelled out for David, it is for this reason that Christina keeps a special section of her sketchbook where she can write down rules for David, “That’s where I keep all the rules I’m teaching David so if my someday-he’ll-wake-up-a-regular-brother wish doesn’t ever come true, at least he’ll know how the world works, and I won’t have to keep explaining things.” (p. 9). Christina longs for alone time with her mother and father. Most of their energy is taken up with her special needs brother. Christina accompanies her mother to David’s occupational therapist appointments during the summer, each time with the hope that her mom will go for a walk or go shopping with her alone while they wait for David’s appointment to finish, “It’s the only time in the week that I get Mom completely to myself and someone else is in charge of David. Mom likes to stay in the clinic waiting room so she can hear if David has a hard time, but I like when we leave because then she doesn’t look away from me every time she hears him shriek.” (p. 14). It is while Christina is in the waiting room that she meets Jason, a nonverbal paraplegic. The two soon become friends, and she begins using her artistic talent to make cards to add to his communication book. She carefully chooses words that allow Jason to better express himself, “I turn the pages of Jason’s communication book, reading through his cards so I don’t repeat the words or phrases he already has. Which shouldn’t be hard, since all his words are boring.” (p. 47).
In the meantime, a new family has moved in next-door. Christina has high hopes for a close friendship with Kristi, but it seems that Kristi has different interests than Christine, “My boyfriend and I broke up before I moved…But I think Ryan likes me.” (p. 92). Kristi is interested in cute clothes, nail polish, magazines, and boys. Kristi suggests that Christina ask Jason to the community center dance, but Christina has not told the whole truth about Jason and does not want Kristi to think she is weird. When Jason finds out about the dance and offers to go with Christina, she brings up her rule, “No dancing unless I’m alone in my room or it’s pitch-black dark.” (p. 176). Jason sees through this and replies, “RULE. Stupid. Excuse.” (p. 176). Christina is forced to examine what normal is, and in the end she chooses Jason who has been a true friend.
Critical Analysis:
Friendship and relationships are tough for young adults. In this book, the main character Catherine finds her world especially complicated because of her younger brother, David who has autism. The reader sees Catherine struggle between what she knows is right, and the longing to become friends with the new neighbor. An unlikely source, the nonverbal paraplegic Jason helps Catherine to see that some rules are meant to be broken. In the end we see Catherine gaining acceptance of her situation with her brother, her new friend Jason, and most importantly herself, “Standing there, in the middle of the floor, in front of everyone, I lift my hands and reach for the ceiling, the, sky, the stars. And I dance.” (p. 197).
Catherine narrates her story through a series of rules. Each chapter begins with a rule that she has written for David. “Some people know who you are, when really they don’t.” (p. 178). This chapter is the turning point for Catherine when she hurts Jason’s feelings by refusing to go to the dance with him. It is after this exchange that Catherine does some deep introspection. Catherine’s character is believable and easy to relate to, especially for young adults who often have to make difficult choices between what is popular and what is right.
The author shows the sensitive side of David and avoids stereotyping people with autism especially as Catherine and David have exchanges by using the words of Arnold Loebel. It is very touching to see David’s sensitivity to his sister, and in the end, when they share the words of Frog and Toad, Catherine realizes how special that is, “Tomorrow I’m going to tell Mom she has a point about David needing his own words, but other things matter too. Like sharing something small and special, just my brother and me.” (pp. 199, 200).
The author, Cynthia Lord won Newberry Honors for this book, and also the Schneider Family Book Award. She has a lot of experience with autism, herself a mother to a child with the disease. Her insight into the nuances and emotions that surround autism have helped to create a most believable realistic fiction novel for young adults.
Review Excerpts:
From School Library JournalGrade 4-7-Twelve-year-old Catherine has conflicting feelings about her younger brother, David, who is autistic. While she loves him, she is also embarrassed by his behavior and feels neglected by their parents. In an effort to keep life on an even keel, Catherine creates rules for him (It's okay to hug Mom but not the clerk at the video store). Each chapter title is also a rule, and lots more are interspersed throughout the book. When Kristi moves in next door, Catherine hopes that the girl will become a friend, but is anxious about her reaction to David. Then Catherine meets and befriends Jason, a nonverbal paraplegic who uses a book of pictures to communicate, she begins to understand that normal is difficult, and perhaps unnecessary, to define. Rules of behavior are less important than acceptance of others. Catherine is an endearing narrator who tells her story with both humor and heartbreak. Her love for her brother is as real as are her frustrations with him. Lord has candidly captured the delicate dynamics in a family that revolves around a child's disability. Set in coastal Maine, this sensitive story is about being different, feeling different, and finding acceptance. A lovely, warm read, and a great discussion starter.-Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistGr. 4-7. "No toys in the fish tank" is one of many rules that 12-year-old Catherine shares with her autistic younger brother, David, to help him understand his world. Lots of the rules are practical. Others are more subtle and shed light on issues in Catherine's own life. Torn between love for her brother and impatience with the responsibilities and embarrassment he brings, she strives to be on her parents' radar and to establish an identity of her own. At her brother's clinic, Catherine befriends a wheelchair-bound boy, Jason, who talks by pointing at word cards in a communication notebook. Her drawing skills and additional vocabulary cards--including "whatever" (which prompts Jason to roll his eyes at his mother)--enliven his speech. The details of autistic behavior are handled well, as are depictions of relationships: Catherine experiences some of the same unease with Jason that others do in the presence of her brother. In the end, Jason helps Catherine see that her rules may really be excuses, opening the way for her to look at things differently. A heartwarming first novel. Cindy DobrezCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Reviews accessed at:
http://www.amazon.com/Rules-Newbery-Honor-Book-Cynthia/dp/0439443822/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195853856&sr=8-1
Connections:
Autism Society of America
AutismInfo.com
the "About" site for autism
Thursday, November 8, 2007
The Voice That Challenged a Nation
Bibliography:
Freedman, Russell. 2004. The Voice That Challenged a Nation. New York. Clarion Books. ISBN 0-618-15976-2.
Plot Summary:
From washing front porch steps for ten cents to singing in the New York Metropolitan Opera House, Marian Anderson’s life is a story of true humble beginnings and grand accomplishments. Marian Anderson was born to a loving family in Philadelphia, but when her father died leaving her mother to raise three children, the family hit hard times. Marian stopped attending school after eighth grade because the cost of books, clothes, and social expenses was too great. She worked to help support her sisters and her mother. Marian stopped school, but she never stopped singing, which was her true passion in life. The strong black community that surrounded Marian recognized her talent and supported the young girl, even giving her money enough to re-enter school at age 19. They raised money to buy her an evening dress for concerts and to hire a voice coach for Marian, “…again the congregation of Union Baptist Church came to Marian’s aid, organizing a benefit concert that raised $566 so that she could study with Boghetti.” (p. 19). Support from the community and those closest to her proved to be vital to Marian’s success through out her career. Marian and Billy King began touring together giving concerts at black colleges and in small concert halls all over the country.
It was while on tour that Marian first experienced the humiliation of Jim Crow segregation laws. Marian wrote about this experience to her mother, “I had heard about Jim Crow, but meeting it bit deeply into the soul…I had looked closely at my people in that train. Some seemed to be embarrassed to the core. Others appeared to accept the situation as if it were beyond repair.” (p. 17). Marian’s career kept growing, and the young singer toured in Europe, singing for Kings and Queens, but when she returned to her home country, Jim Crow segregation laws and racial prejudice would cause the singer much heart ache. When trying to schedule Marian Anderson for a yearly concert, Howard University needed a large venue so they tried Constitution Hall in Washington D.C. The Daughters of the American Revolution had made a policy that no blacks could perform, and Howard University’s request was denied. Despite Marian Anderson being a world-renowned vocalist, having even performed at the White House, she was not to perform at a concert hall in her own country because of her race. Soon after hearing about this, Eleanor Roosevelt, herself a DAR member, resigned from the organization, writing to the President of DAR, “You had an opportunity to lead in an enlightened way, and it seems to me that your organization has failed.” (p. 54). Mrs. Roosevelt later explained in her newspaper column, “The question is, if you belong to an organization and disapprove of an action which is typical of a policy, should you resign or is it better to work for a changed point of view from within the organization? In this case…to remain as a member implies approval of that action, and I am therefore resigning.” (p. 54). Marian Anderson’s denial to sing in her home country outraged many people across the country. It was arranged for Anderson to sing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, which “established the Lincoln Memorial as moral high ground for generations of protesters.” (p. 71). Mary Bethune soon encouraged Marian Anderson not to sing in places that practiced segregation, and Marian agreed. It was not long before the DAR invited one of the most sought after musicians, Marian Anderson to sing for their WWII benefit concert series in Constitution Hall. This time, Marian sang on her terms; no segregated audience would be allowed. In 1955, “Anderson broke one of the last remaining barriers to black singers in America. …she became the first African American to be a soloist at New York’s Metropolitan Opera.” (p. 82). Marian had never intended to be a social activist, but she felt someone in her position had a lot of power to change things. However, she never claimed to be anything more than a singer, “But it is not right for me to try to mimic somebody who writes or who speaks. That is their forte. I think first of music and of being there where music is, and of music being where I am. What I had was singing, and if my career has been of some consequence, then that’s my contribution.” (p. 92). She was appointed as a delegate to the UN, and awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Her career was truly of great consequence.
Critical Analysis:
Marian Anderson’s life story is one of true inspiration, a Cinderella story. Russell Freedman does a fine job relating the events and facts of Marian’s life without turning it into a happily ever-after, Disney storybook. He has done much research and gives an accurate, authentic portrayal of Marian, a voice that challenged a nation, someone who is worthy of admiration. Freedman expertly balances his portrayal of the shy and humble side of Marian along with the brave, strong woman who advanced the fight for civil rights. Marian was humble until the very end. Before she died she gave directions to her nephew about her funeral arrangements, “Jim, don’t let them make a big fuss. And no speeches.” (p. 89). At her funeral, 14 of Marian’s recordings were played. After a standing ovation, that was it. Marian went out of this world as humbly as she entered.
This book is well-organized, following Marian’s life from beginning to end. In only 92 pages, the author’s inviting style paints a vivid picture of this woman who faced great adversity, but that is never the focus. The focus is on the entire woman, her race and struggles being second to her accomplishments. Freedman uses many artifacts in this book, including playbills, portraits, and pictures. There is some kind of graphic on almost every page, adding to the appeal of this Robert Sibert award-winning book.
This is an important book, Marian’s life is a significant part of American history. The racism Marian faced is shameful, her triumph inspiring- a story that we must not forget.
.
Review Excerpts:
From School Library Journal
Grade 5-9–In the initial chapter, Freedman movingly and dramatically sets the stage for the performer's historic 1939 Easter concert at the Lincoln Memorial. In less than two pages, he captures the huge crowd's eager anticipation, briefly describes the controversy sparked by the Daughters of the American Revolution's refusal to allow Anderson to appear at Constitution Hall, and mentions the significance of the concert. He leaves readers at the moment when "A profound hush settled over the crowd.… she closed her eyes, lifted her head, clasped her hands before her, and began to sing." The author then switches to a chronological account of Anderson's life from her childhood in Philadelphia through her acclaimed U.S. and European concert tours in the 1920s and 1930s. He then gives a fuller account of the famous outdoor concert, which he refers to as a milestone in both musical and civil rights history. Freedman acknowledges that the singer did not set out to be a political activist or a crusader for civil rights. Numerous archival photographs, thorough chapter notes, a selected bibliography of works for both adult and younger readers, and a selected discography of currently available Anderson CDs are included. This inspiring work once again demonstrates Freedman's talent for showing how a person's life is molded by its historical and cultural context. Readers of Pam Muñoz Ryan's When Marian Sang (Scholastic, 2002) will appreciate this lengthier account of Anderson's life, as will all readers of biography, U.S. history, and musical history.–Ginny Gustin, Sonoma County Library System, Santa Rosa, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Gr. 4-8. In lush operatic style, Pam Munoz Ryan's picture-book biography When Marian Sang (2002), with beautiful illustrations by Brian Selznick, celebrated the triumph of the great African American vocalist in the face of the vicious segregation of her time. Now for middle-grade and junior-high readers comes this handsome, spaciously designed photo-biography. In his signature prose, plain yet eloquent, Freedman tells Anderson's triumphant story, with numerous black-and-white documentary photos and prints that convey her personal struggle, professional artistry, and landmark civil rights role. Everything leads up to her 1939 historic performance at the Lincoln Memorial, where, denied the right to sing at Constitution Hall, she thrilled a crowd of 75,000 and a national radio audience. Freedman reveals that Anderson never invited political confrontation, but with the support of such friends as Eleanor Roosevelt, she had a profound effect on the nation. Documentation is an essential part of her exciting story, with many pages of source notes as well as an enthusiastic, annotated bibliography, and, of course, a discography. Older readers and adults will want this, too. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Reviews accessed at:
Connections:
Ryan, Pam Munoz. 2002. When Marian Sang. Scholastic. ISBN 0439269679.
Morrison, Toni. 2004. Remember: The Journey to School Integration. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 061839740X.
The Art of Keeping Cool
Bibliography:
Lisle, Janet Taylor. 2000. The Art of Keeping Cool. New York. Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0-689-83787-9
Plot Summary:
It is March of 1942, and in the small town of Sachem’s Head, the streets are lined with children and adults trying to get a glimpse of the “big guns.” It is three months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and America is at war fighting the Nazis and the Japanese. The young narrator Robert, and his dreamy artist and cousin Elliott, are among the crowd. The small, vulnerable coastal city next to Fort Brooks is on alert. Citizens use black-out curtains at night and paint the top half of their headlights black so as not to allow enemies to view the goings on of the Fort. Everyone is taking their patriotism very seriously, and soon the eccentric German artist, Abel Hoffman, who lives in the woods, becomes a target of the townspeople’s xenophobia. Elliott, who has befriended the artist and spends his afternoons painting with the once-famous German impressionist soon finds himself the target of FBI questioning. When Abel finds himself the victim of a beating and is no longer able to go into town without enduring jeers, racist comments, and things being thrown at him, Elliott begins to run errands for the artist. This relationship angers young Robert who has moved with his mother and sister from their farm in Ohio to a cottage near his father’s family. Robert’s father is in the Canadian Royal Air Force flying fighter jets in the war, and when he hears news that his father’s plane went down and is missing, Robert uses Abel’s mysteriousness as a scapegoat to answer questions for the FBI. Meanwhile, Robert is trying to solve the mystery of why his grandmother and grandfather will never speak of his father. After prodding his cousin, Robert finds out that his grandfather shot his father in the leg after trying to leave their house to pursue his dreams. The relationship between Robert and Elliott has softened after the sharing of this history, and Elliott convinces Robert to come to Abel’s to see his latest work. At this meeting, Abel shares the details of his horrible treatment in Nazi Germany. When the boys begin to leave, Abel makes them take his latest masterpiece. Robert can tell that the atmosphere of his small town is not unlike that of the intolerant Nazi Germany that Abel escaped from. Abel is soon arrested for having detailed drawings of the Fort and guns in his possession. These drawings are actually Elliott’s, but no one will believe the young boy. Robert goes to the police station to plea for the release of Abel, and at that time they find out that Abel’s boat home in the woods has been torched. Everyone runs to the woods, Abel in the lead, and when he sees his precious paintings once again being burned as they were in Germany, he walks into the flames. After his tragic death, no one in the town will speak of Abel, his innocence being obvious after a search of his home recovered nothing except liquor bottles hidden in the floorboards. When Robert’s dad returns home, the family returns to their Ohio farm, taking Elliott with them. Robert has a successful college career, and is headed on the path to medical school, ironically like his hot-tempered grandfather. And Elliott finds success at an art school in Chicago, and still keeps the priceless painting of Abel Hoffman.
This book is the winner of the Scott O’Dell Historical Fiction Award, and does a nice job bringing to life the feelings and events of World War II, as seen through the eyes of a young boy experiencing the emotions of having a father fighting in the war as he comes to know himself and makes some important decisions about right and wrong along the way.
Critical Analysis:
The most important element of a historical fiction novel is its authenticity. The historical fiction novel should be able to reveal elements of the time period being depicted without reading like a history book. The author has done a fine job telling the story through the eyes of a young boy using his encounters with his surroundings to unveil the particulars of the time period. For example, when Robert and Elliott are listening to Abel’s (the German artist) story of his treatment in Nazi Germany, the reader learns of the regime’s intolerance of modern art, “One night, in the town square, a huge bonfire is lit for the enjoyment of the people. The fuel is books, furniture, musical manuscripts, Parisian hats, paintings, photographs, and masses of indistinguishable junk. In the fire, the painter catches sight of a pile of his canvases just beginning to ignite.” (p. 150). The author has Abel speak in the third person, creating an image of the artist looking outside in. In Abel’s short, urgent sentences we see that he has separated himself from the events of Nazi Germany, and the reader feels the foreshadowing, like a black veil about to come down on the innocent artist who has already been persecuted by one group of people. This is a major turning point for the narrator, Robert, who we see making the connection between the injustices of Nazi Germany and the small town he lives in. This subtle style of expertly paralleling the horrors of Nazi Germany to a small town’s prejudice, makes the tragedies of that time strike a chord with modern readers and makes Janet Taylor Lisle’s book worthy of the prestigious Scott O’Dell award.
The setting of this story unfolds through young Robert’s experiences. The setting is during the time of WWII and the reader learns of nuances of the time such as gas rationing cards, victory gardens, and women entering the workforce in masses for the first time. The family builds a bomb shelter, and air sirens go off from time to time. Details of the war are learned as Robert follows the happenings intently as his father fights in the war, “We already knew how the Germans had invaded all of Europe, and how they were bombing England to pieces, which was pretty frightening when I thought about my father being there. Sometime in April, reports began to come in of German U-boats, submarines that is, being sighted off our coast.” (p. 19). These details become interesting in the context of Robert’s life and not cumbersome like most history books.
This book is an excellent choice, especially for the fifth through seventh grade age group. Teachers could use this book as a supplement or even the basis for teaching WWII history. This novel will give young readers characters they can identify with, and the history of the time will therefore come alive and strike the curiosity of readers who may otherwise feel like a war that happened over fifty years ago is ancient history.
Review Excerpts:
From Publishers Weekly
PW said, "This wrenching WWII novel traces the relationship between two 13-year-old American boys and a German-born Expressionist painter reputed to be a spy. The intimate first-person narrative brings universal themes of prejudice and loss to a personal level." Ages 10-14. (May)
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 5-7-Despite a misleading title (the word "cool" does not conjure up the 1940s), this is a well-drawn story that is part coming-of-age, part mystery. Robert and his mother have come to live with his grandparents on the Rhode Island coast in 1942, soon after his father has gone off to fight in the war. The coastal residents are getting ready for war and a German painter, living like a hermit on the outskirts of town, has raised suspicions of being a spy. To complicate matters, Robert's cousin Elliott, also an artist, is at odds with their grandfather, an imposing patriarch prone to anger. As the summer unfolds, the tension mounts. Robert and his mother wait anxiously for word from the front; Elliott grows more unhappy at home as he befriends the painter; the town turns against the outsider with tragic consequences; and Robert finally learns why his father has been estranged from his family. The focus is clearly on the men of the household, and cursory treatment is given to the women's feelings and thoughts. Although women in such situations are indeed often overshadowed by their husbands or fathers, the emotional depth of this story is undercut by their portrayals. Still this is a heartfelt story about family dynamics and the harmful power of prejudice and hatred.
Cyrisse Jaffee, formerly at Newton Public Schools, MA
Reviews accessed at:
Connections:
Lisle, Janet Taylor. 2005. The Crying Rocks. Simon Pulse. ISBN 0689853203.
Lisle, Janet Taylor. 1996. The Gold Dust Letters. Harper Trophy. ISBN 0380725169.
When My Name was Keoko
Bibliography:
Park, Linda Sue. 2002. When My Name was Keoko. New York. Clarion Books. ISBN 0-618-13335-6
Plot Summary
There are no more Rose of Sharon trees planted in Sun-hee’s family’s yard. World War II is raging, and the Japanese have taken control of Korea. Every aspect of life for the Kim family and every Korean has changed. Food is in short supply; the family is forced to eat meager broth with corn maise, the food of chickens and livestock; and the Japanese have ordered the Korean National Tree, The Rose of Sharon, dug up, destroyed and replaced with Japan’s Cherry Tree. All Koreans are ordered to register under new Japanese names; no Korean may hold a ruling office--Sun-hee’s scholarly father can only be vice-principal at her school. The Korean language must not be spoken in public or printed; the schools have abandoned their lessons for more important war preparations such as building sandbags. Korean schoolgirls are told they are going to Japan to sew uniforms but are really forced into sexual servitude, and citizens are beaten in the street for no reason. Worst of all, home is no longer home when soldiers can march in at anytime and demand to search and or seize anything at anytime. It is during this time of turmoil and upheaval that Sun-hee and her brother, Tae-yal are growing up and becoming adults. The Kim family faces many challenges during this time, including an Uncle who is working for the Korean resistance and must go in hiding, Tae-Yal in an effort to protect his Uncle joins the Japanese army and volunteers to become a Kamikaze fighter pilot, and through it all, the father quietly guides his family through the difficult times, until at last the war is over and things begin to look up for the Kim family and all of Korea.
Critical Analysis:
Linda Sue Park, herself of Korean descent, has conducted much research to breathe life into the events of years past. She has even used actual experiences that her family remembers from the time of the second World War and weaved them into the novel, “Class…The Emperor has sent a gift to every student in the land. In honor of the victories of His Imperial forces in the rubber-producing countries of the tropics, you are each to receive a rubber ball!” (p. 59) This is an actual memory of Linda Sue Park’s father, and she has used it brilliantly in this novel to show Tae-yul’s feelings of anger towards the Japanese government, “What they take: our rice, our language, our names. What they give: little rubber balls. I can’t feel grateful about such a bad deal.” This novel makes the events of World War II relevant to today’s reader through the lives of the Kim family. The rationale of the Kamikaze pilot is learned through the eyes of young Tae-yul, and Park in her afterward explains that there were at least ten Korean Kamikaze pilots. Linda Sue Park’s attention to such details as a rubber ball allow the reader to become transported and absorbed into a time and place that would otherwise remain foreign.
In this story, the reader can identify with the two young main characters, both struggling to find identity in a time of wide-scale turmoil. This is a coming of age story for both Sun-hee and Tae-yal, and at the same time, we see them both standing up for what is right. In order to avoid being part of a military plot to capture his uncle, Tae-yal volunteers for the Japanese Imperial Army, risking his own life, “Everything is so inside out. I believe in Uncle and in the things he believes in. I’d do anything not to betray him. Anything. Even join the army of his sworn enemy.” (p. 121).
The setting is during the time of WWII in southern Korea and the reader learns of many details of day to day life, such as when rice and even barley become scarce during wartime and the family is forced to resort to millet, “That’s millet, nephew. Come, now—chickens and pigs love it, so I’m sure it will be good for you too!” (p. 31). The reader experiences raids in the middle of the night through the eyes of Sun-hee and Tae-yal, “When the officer asked ‘Whose scribblings are these?’ I’d answered at once. And right at that moment I hadn’t felt afraid. I’d felt proud.” (p. 105). The night raids and day-to-day life become exciting within the context of the story of the Kim family’s life.
The Newberry-award winning author, Linda Sue Park has made history palpable with characters young readers can identify with. Her writing is authentic, even though she is familiar with the Korean culture she conducted much research when writing this novel. This book is highly recommended for adolescents and adults.
Review Excerpts:
Amazon.com
Inspired by her own family's stories of living in South Korea during the Japanese occupation in the years preceding World War II, Newbery Medal-winning author Linda Sue Park chronicles the compelling story of two siblings, 10-year-old Sun-hee and 13-year-old Tae-yul, and their battle to maintain their identity and dignity during one of Korea's most difficult and turbulent times. In alternating first-person chapters, they relate their family's troubles under the strict fascist regime. The Kim family is stripped of their cultural symbols, only permitted to learn Japanese history and language, and forced to convert their names to Japanese. Sun-hee, now Keoko, struggles to reconcile her Korean home life with her Japanese school and friends, while Tae-yul, now Nobuo, attempts to convert his growing anger into a more positive passion for flight and airplanes. Both are worried for their uncle, whom they discover is printing an underground Korean resistance paper. When Sun-hee inadvertently puts her uncle's life in danger, she sets in motion a chain of events that results in her brother volunteering as a pilot for the Japanese near the end of WWII. While Sun-hee and her parents wait in breathless uncertainty to hear from Tae-yul, the war rushes to a close, leaving Korea's destiny hanging in the balance. This well-researched historical novel is accompanied by a thoughtful author's note that explains what happened to Korea and families like the Kims after WWII and a bibliography to entice interested young readers into learning more about a topic largely unknown to American audiences. (Ages 10 to 14) --Jennifer Hubert --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Publishers Weekly
A brother and sister alternate as narrators in Newbery Medalist Park's (A Single Shard) well-constructed novel, which takes place from 1940-1945 in Japanese-occupied Korea. The Japanese government forbids the Korean language to be spoken and the country's flag to be flown, and even forces Korean families like Tae-yul and Sun-hee's to change their names (Sun-hee becomes Keoko). Through the use of the shifting narrators, Park subtly points up the differences between male and female roles in Korean society; and the father's process of choosing the family's Japanese name speaks volumes about his strength and intelligence. As the war intensifies, each family member asserts his or her individuality, from Sun-hee, who continues to keep a journal after a soldier calls it "a crime against our Divine Emperor," to her uncle, who prints a revolutionary newspaper in hiding, to Tae-yul, who joins the Japanese army to avoid helping the military police capture his uncle only to be chosen as a kamikaze pilot. The son comes to an understanding of his father rather abruptly at the novel's close, and some readers may wonder why Tae-yul was not labeled a chin-il-pa ("lover of Japan" ). But, in the end, telling details provide a clear picture of Sun-hee and Tae-yul and their world. Readers will come away with an appreciation of this period of history and likely a greater interest in learning more about it. Ages 10-14.
From Publishers Weekly
PW said, "This wrenching WWII novel traces the relationship between two 13-year-old
Reviews accessed at:
http://www.amazon.com/When-My-Name-Was-Keoko/dp/0440419441/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-5566611-7598454?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194399917&sr=8-1
Connections:
Park, Linda Sue. 2002. The Kite Fighters. Yearling. ISBN 0440418135.
Park, Linda Sue. 2003. A Single Shard. Yearling. ISBN 0440418518.
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