So Far From the Bamboo Grove

So Far From the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins was a touching story about a family's struggles during war. I read the forward of the book and immediately was intersted in this family's story. Looking back on what I read, I especially liked that the book switched back and forth between Yoko's journey and her brother, Hideyo's journey to Japan. I was deeply touched by some of the horrors that Yoko and Hideyo observed while trying to flee Korea. Yoko was such a strong young girl during unbearable times. I cannot imagine being hurt from the blast of a bomb and continuing to travel on foot to a different country. It would be so scarey to lose hearing in one ear. I did not realize her injuries were so bad until she reached Seoul and met with the doctor. Then I felt guilty for thinking she complained alot. I'm sure if I was her age and maybe even at my age now, that I would complain of pain, hunger and thirst on that long of a journey. It must have been really scarey being a Japanese family in a time when Korea was wanted to punish the Japanese. I cannot imagine all the fear a person would, constantly wondering if they would live to see the next day. Hideyo also showed remarkable strength and courage for survival. I felt like I was right next to Hideyo when he was hiding in the box at the factory. I almost closed my eyes to hide when the boot of the Korean soldier was right next to where he was hiding. It would be so frightening to see the people around you get shot with a machine gun. It would also be hard to travel alone on a long journey freezing and with barely any food to eat. Atleast Yoko had her sister and her mother although her mother does not live very long after arriving in Japan. It was so sad when the mother passed away on the bench in Japan. I cannot imagine going through something like this and then losing my mother. Yoko's mother seemed week for awhile, she was probably holding on to life as long as she could for the sake of the girls. Once she realized they were safe and in school and that her parents were dead she could not fight to live anymore. I felt so sad for Yoko and her sister, Ko. I can't imagine how terrible it would be to be a young girl with no parents, home, or food in Japan. They were so strong to carry on as best they could and attend school. My heart went out to Yoko when the girls at her school made fun of her by calling her "trash collector" and "rag doll". I think she would have quit school if it weren't for the janitor, Mr.Naido. He was such a sweetheart to Yoko and vice versa. This book was excellent and I it is definitely something I would read again and recommend to other readers. I felt so strongly for the characters by the end of the book I left wanting to hear more. I have unanswered questions running through my head. For instance, I wonder if Yoko's luck turned around once her brother joined them in Japan. And what happend when her father returned five years later? Did she continue to go to the school with Mr.Naido? Did she keep in touch with Mr.Matsumura? So Far From the Bamboo Grove truly was a touching story that helped me to be thankful for the life experiences I've had and the loved ones in my life.

Daddy's Wedding (controversial)

Daddy's Wedding by Michael Willhoite is a book about a gay man marring his partner. This is the sequal to the book Daddy's Roommate. In this book the dad is making a commitment to the one he loves and decides to ask his ten year old son, to be the best man for the ceremony. This is a book that represents the idea of same-sex marriage. Children may not understand the concept of a man marrying a man or a woman marrying a woman. If that is something you want to discuss with your kids, this is a possible book you could use to open up the topic for discussion. This is the first picture book I have found that addresses same-sex marriage. I thought this book was just okay. I thought the text could have been more interesting. It seemed like the author was more concerned about creating a book on same-sex marriage than the content of the writing. I'm also a big fan of illustrations and I did not find the cartoon like pictures in this book to be satisfying.

In the Night Kitchen (controversial)

In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak is a book that is engaging to young readers especially because of the illustrations. However, the illustrations have sparked controversy because the main character Mickey, is pictured naked. Mickey falls out of his pajamas while he is taking a night time adventure. He hears many noises coming from the kitchen and then dreams about an adventure to the kitchen. I don't see why this book caused such a big stir. Children often find it funny to run around naked so a book about a boy dreaming without clothes does not seem that absurd to me. I have a three year old neice and she loves to jump out of the tub and make my mom and I chase her around the house to put her clothes on. There is something about children and them enjoying streaking around the house. I think this was a good book, I always appreciate Maurice Sendak's illustrations. Readers should appreciate this book not only for the illustrations but because it represents a child confronting their fears or a child having an adventurous dream.

And Tango Makes Three (controversial)

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell is a story about two male penguins who raise a baby penguin named "Tango". The book sparked controversy because of its implicaitons of homosexuality, the two penguin parents were the same sex. Some parents do not want their kids exposed to homosexuality. However, I think it is good to have books like this out there so that parents can discuss homosexuality with their kids. Children may go to school with kids who have two dads or two moms and this is a book you could use to talk with them about that. I found it even more interesting that this book was based on a true story of two penguins in New York City's Central Park Zoo.

Heather Has Two Mommies (controversial)

Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman is a book about a little girl named Heather who does have two mommies. Heather starts crying at school one day because everyone else in her class is talking about what their moms and dads do. She feels left out and different because she does not have a dad. Later Heather learns that not everyone comes from the same family. She begins to see that some of her classmates families are huge, some are small and some are non-traditional. From this experience she begins to see the true meaning of family. I like that there is a book out there for students with non-traditional families. I work at an after school program and two of the little girls have two moms. They would be so excited to read a book that is about their life! I'm sure many times they pick up a book and see a mom, dad and kids. They probably begin to feel bad about themselves, like Heather did and start to wonder why they don't have a dad. They long to read a book like this one, that is actually representative of their lives. Being able to connect to a book is very rewarding for kids. I think it is good that this book is out there for gay and lesbian parents, their children and anyone else who wants to expose their children to the fact that there are many different types of families in the world.

My Two Uncles (controversial)

My Two Uncles by Judith Vigna is a story about a family dealing with the fact that someone they are related to is gay. Some members of the family are okay with the fact that their cousin, brother etc. is gay and other people like his parents are not. This can be a difficult issue for families to deal with. I have a brother and a sister and I know that I would not think of them any differently if I found out either one of them were gay. However, I know my parents would be really upset and have a hard time accepting them after that. Like the father in the book, my dad would have a hard time being understanding if my brother was gay and brought home a partner. I can see my mom being like the mom in the book and even though she would not approve, she would atleast let her son know he was still loved. The mom in the book gives her son and his partner a hug but the dad remains outside. Sometimes it takes certain people longer than others to deal with certain situations. I think the dad wants to let his son know he is loved but it is going to take him awhile to deal with it. This book shows the reality of one of the struggles people face when they are homosexual.

Reflection

Reading five children's books and one novel each week has been going well. I enjoy going to the library and exploring the different types of children's literature that is out there. I have found some really good books that I plan on including in my classroom library one day. I have liked both of the assigned novels we have read so far. Love that Dog was such a cute story about a teacher's ability to reach every student. The Misfits brought me back to my own middle school experience and all the name calling that went on. I'm happy we discussed those two books as a class because other people pointed out things that I had not noticed when I read them. I find class discussions to be really helpful to achieve a broader understanding of books. I'm looking forward to the remainder of the semester and experiencing even more children's literature!

The Misfits Part 2

The second half of the Misfits by James Howe was also exciting! Bobby stepped up and spoke in front of the whole school on behalf of the party he started. I really liked how his character developed throughout the book. We found out a lot about where he was coming from when they explained the death of his mom and the reason behind eating peanut butter fluff sandwiches.
Bobby just seems like such a selfless twelve year old. Even after he delivered an awesome speech he remembered to credit his best friends. I was disappointed that they didn't win the election but in reality they probably wouldn't have. I know if a party like that had stood up in my middle school and delivered an awesome speech, people would have left and still voted for the most popular person in school. That's just how middle school is for many people. I liked that even though they lost the election there was still a no name day that year at the school.
We learned more about Mr.Kellerman's character in the second half of the book. I wondered why he left the store so abrubtly and once I heard it was because his mom passed away I felt sad. I'm not looking forward to the day when I lose either of my parents. Bobby and Mr.Kellerman finally had two things in common their names and the death of a mom.
I was kind of shocked that Colin didn't like Addie because he liked Joe. I did not see that coming, I thought that Colin liked Addie. I was happy that atleast DuShawn liked her so she didn't have to go to the dance alone. In the end everything seemed to work out for the "gang five". I don't think James Howe could have had a better ending.

The Misfits Part 1

The Misfits by James Howe is an awesome book that grabs your attention and sucks you into the pages. The story is told from the perspective of a twelve year old named Bobby who is fed up with all the name calling going on amongst his peers. The book reminds me of middle school, an akward time for most people and a time when people call eachother cruel names. The list of names Bobby and his friends Skeezie, Addie and Joe have been called is similar to what I remember people being called when they were being made fun of. I always hated when I heard other people being talked about or called names and looking back I wish I would have stuck up for them. I like the direction this book is going, it's good that Bobby and his friends want to form a party to stick up for those who have been a "minority" because they are different from the popular kids in school. Bobby has some great ideas and I'm interested to see if he steps up and does more than just form the ideas for the group. I also want to know what is going on with Mr.Kellerman from Bobby's work. At first Bobby called him "killer man" behind his back but once he asked Pam what the story was of his past he could no longer dislike him. I feel like there is more going on there than we know right now. I'm excited about reading the second half of this book and finding out more about Bobby, the "no name party" and Mr.Kellerman!

The Ocean Alphabet Book

The Ocean Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta introduces the many creatures that exist in the large body of water. Personally the ocean is one of my favorite things so I was drawn to pick this book off the shelf when I spotted it. This Ocean Alphabet Book would be great to use when talking about the alphabet in the classroom. I remember in 2nd grade our room was the "whale room" and our teacher had the room decorated with all kinds of different things from the ocean. Two big killer whales hung from our ceiling and dolphins were all over the walls. Our class loved it and we learned so much about the ocean that year. Kids really enjoy learning about new creatures and I think this would be a great book to show them all the things that exist in the ocean. The illustrations could be better but it's still a book worth taking a look at!

Twilight Comes Twice

Twilight Comes Twice by Ralph Fletcher talks about the passing of a day. This is another book that uses many sensory details. Although there are no characters mentioned the pictures tell a story of their own. A little girl and her dog are illustrated waling around and experiencing the different times of day together. It seems like a wonderful story of a bond between humans, animals and nature. I imagine the story being told by this girl and I appreciate the story even more that way. Because the details about the girl and the dog are so vague I feel like I am that little girl with her dog exploring nature. In one picture the girl is shown eating breakfast with her mom and dad. Since my brother and sister are so much older than me, many times it was just my parents and I at breakfast. This book made me miss home and spring time. I can't wait until it's warm and I can walk around and explore outside again myself!

Working Cotton

Working Cotton by Sherley Anne Williams is a book about a day of doing work picking cotton. The story is written from the perspective of a young girl whose family works laboring the land. She talks about their early journey to the fields in the morning and their return to home late at night. The illustrations are beautifully crafted and you can get a sense of the hardships of working as a family in the fields. The young girl does not enjoy spending her days laboring in the hot, blistering sun but she makes the best of it. The father in the family is a very hardworker, he reminds me of my dad. I thought this was a good story that gives you perspective on what it is like to do work that involves labor.

Night in the Country

Night in the Country by Cynthia Rylant is a book that uses many sensory details. When I was reading through it I actually felt like I was back home. Where I live it is so quiet you can hear all the noises a house makes. In the book she talks hearing frogs and apples drop and becuase of the details you feel like you are actually there. Sensory details help the reader to better understand where you are coming from. I loved this book because it uses the senses. It talks about how when you are having trouble sleeping you can hear all those noises around you. Hearing the noises frogs make at night when you can't sleep is the worst for me. You just want silence but if you were really tired enough you would easily tune out the sounds and fall asleep. This would be a good book to read to students if they are lacking details in their writing.

The Rainbow Fish

The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister is a wonderful book about a beautiful fish and happiness! I love that some of the scales on the fish are done with silvery shiny paper. It makes me want to read the book over and over again. This story presents the importance of sharing. The story also shows us that material possessions and appearance do not make us happy. When the beautiful fish refuses to give one of his scales to a friend no one wants to be around him. He is very lonely and is unsure of what to do, he couldn’t understand why no one wanted to be his friend when he was so beautiful. After talking with a wise octopus he decides to share his scales to find happiness. The fish truly is happy after sharing with the other fish in the ocean. This book shows us that material possessions and appearance cannot make us happy. Other things in life like friendship create happiness! I thought this was a great book and that kids would love it especially because of the silvery scales on the pages.