A. Bibliography: Seeger,Pete and Jacobs, Paul Dubois. Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. 2006. The Deaf Musicians. New York, NY: Penguin Group. ISBN:
039924316x.
B. Plot Summary
A group of deaf musicians form an exciting new band that exposes subway riders to a different kind of music.
C. Literary Analysis ( with Cultural Markers).
" The real music is in people joining together."
In this jazzy and engaging book, people find a way to a new identity through their disability. The vivid eye-popping acrylic and charcoal illustrations, the onomatopoeia musical sounds, and the irresistible, zippy rhymes tell the story of Lee, a musician who is losing his hearing. Pictures show a Lee who is confused and downcast until he sees an advertisement on the subway for a school for the deaf. Maybe I can learn how to do something new, he thinks.
Thus begins Lee's entry into an exciting new world. Lee goes to class and falls in love with sign language because it looks like jazz. Soon Lee meets Max, who eagerly discusses music with Lee in sign language, on the subway. They start to make their own kind of melodies and are happily joined by Rose and eventually her friend Ellie. In no time their unique talents are recognized and they draw a crowd of regular subway commuters, who answer the question ;"Who will listen to a deaf musician?" with an enthusiastic "everyone!"
This appealing story should be a crowd-pleaser because of the bright colors and jazz-like rhythm of the language. There are only a few markers of deaf-culture in the book. These include the postive attitude toward deafness and the joy in the rich expressiveness of sign language. However, this last attribute is not clearly demonstrated as the signing hands of the musicians appear very small in the illustrations. The hands are a little hard to see.
Even so,this book,with its exuberant cascade of words and lively, resourceful characters deserves a large audience of young children.
D. Review Excerpts
School Library Journal:
"Both uplifting and inclusive, it is a celebration of music and resilience."
Kirkus Reviews:
"An unusual story, both stylish and uplifting."
E. Connections.
Have a sign language group come in to present ASL (American Sign Language) poetry or view ASL poetry on DVDs for children.
Other picture books with a positive portrayal of disabled characters include:
Stryer,Andrea Stenn. Kami and the Yaks. ISBN: 9780977896103
Parker, Robert Andrew. Piano starts here:the Young Art Tatum. ISBN: 9780375839658
Uhlberg,Myron. Dad Jackie and Me. Illustrated by Colin Bootman. ISBN:1561453293
Monday, August 9, 2010
Module 6 Book 2 Gay Literature
A. Bibliography.
Sanchez, Alex. 2001. Rainbow Boys. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. ISBN: 0 689857705.
B. Plot summary.
Jason, Kyle and Nelson come to terms with their gay identity and look for love and freindship at their suburban Washington DC high school.
C. Literary Analysis (with cultural markers.)
Jason Carrillo, a star basketball player, Kyle, a sensitive and bright swimmer, and their flamboyant and impetuous friend Nelson don't really explore their cultural roots. Rather each character represents a type of "every boy" in this story about gay identity. The author chooses to explore a generic High School millieu rather than a specific culture. Although Jason has a Spanish surname, he only says one word in Spanish. Likewise the setting is only vaguely alluded to when the boys take the metro,but does not really matter.
Rainbow Boys explores the coming out process of three likeable gay boys in a non-judgemental, light and upbeat way. In contrast to older portrayals in YA literature, the boys are presented as fairly well-adjusted, if temporarily troubled. Their situation is recounted in a positive and understanding light with no tragic and overly melodramatic consequences.
It is this refreshing approach, rather than the flat characters, and odd stilted dialogue, and contrived situations, didactic tone that makes the Rainbow books so appealing. The budding romance between Jason and Kyle is portrayed sympathetically and with great respect and sensitivity. Although Jason's girlfriend Debra is really just another generic character, she is also shown to be angry, but ultimately kind and forgiving.
The Rainbow books are a breezy, strangely compulsive and uncomplicated read that shows Teen Gay readers a hopeful and positive look at Gay Life. Even kids who read below grade level can escape to the simpler world of Jason, Nelson and Kyle. The series is valuable, not for its literary merit,but because of its groundbreaking portrayal of ordinary Gay teens without censure and moralizing.
D. Review Excerpts
Booklist
Ultimately, the author demonstrates, coming out is really coming in--entering a circle of support and self-acceptance that may lead to a more universal community of acceptance and tolerance.
Horn Book
A well-observed, witty, and sexually honest look at the process of coming out both publicly and to oneself.
E.Connections.
Encourage Teens to form a Gay/ Straight alliance or seek out such a club.
Inform Teens of the following useful resources:
Human Rights Campaign- an organization that works for equality.
www.hrc.org
PFlag
Parents, Families, and Friends of Gays and Lesbians.
www.pflag.org.
Visit the website to find a local chapter.
Fight Violence and Hate Crimes against Gays and Lesbians.
www.avp.org.
Other books with positive portrayals of gay teens include:
Levithin, David. Boy Meets Boy. ISBN:0375824006
Burd, Nick. Vast Fields of Ordinary. ISBN:978-0803733404
Ryan, P.E. In Mike We Trust. ISBN:978-0060858131
Sanchez, Alex. 2001. Rainbow Boys. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. ISBN: 0 689857705.
B. Plot summary.
Jason, Kyle and Nelson come to terms with their gay identity and look for love and freindship at their suburban Washington DC high school.
C. Literary Analysis (with cultural markers.)
Jason Carrillo, a star basketball player, Kyle, a sensitive and bright swimmer, and their flamboyant and impetuous friend Nelson don't really explore their cultural roots. Rather each character represents a type of "every boy" in this story about gay identity. The author chooses to explore a generic High School millieu rather than a specific culture. Although Jason has a Spanish surname, he only says one word in Spanish. Likewise the setting is only vaguely alluded to when the boys take the metro,but does not really matter.
Rainbow Boys explores the coming out process of three likeable gay boys in a non-judgemental, light and upbeat way. In contrast to older portrayals in YA literature, the boys are presented as fairly well-adjusted, if temporarily troubled. Their situation is recounted in a positive and understanding light with no tragic and overly melodramatic consequences.
It is this refreshing approach, rather than the flat characters, and odd stilted dialogue, and contrived situations, didactic tone that makes the Rainbow books so appealing. The budding romance between Jason and Kyle is portrayed sympathetically and with great respect and sensitivity. Although Jason's girlfriend Debra is really just another generic character, she is also shown to be angry, but ultimately kind and forgiving.
The Rainbow books are a breezy, strangely compulsive and uncomplicated read that shows Teen Gay readers a hopeful and positive look at Gay Life. Even kids who read below grade level can escape to the simpler world of Jason, Nelson and Kyle. The series is valuable, not for its literary merit,but because of its groundbreaking portrayal of ordinary Gay teens without censure and moralizing.
D. Review Excerpts
Booklist
Ultimately, the author demonstrates, coming out is really coming in--entering a circle of support and self-acceptance that may lead to a more universal community of acceptance and tolerance.
Horn Book
A well-observed, witty, and sexually honest look at the process of coming out both publicly and to oneself.
E.Connections.
Encourage Teens to form a Gay/ Straight alliance or seek out such a club.
Inform Teens of the following useful resources:
Human Rights Campaign- an organization that works for equality.
www.hrc.org
PFlag
Parents, Families, and Friends of Gays and Lesbians.
www.pflag.org.
Visit the website to find a local chapter.
Fight Violence and Hate Crimes against Gays and Lesbians.
www.avp.org.
Other books with positive portrayals of gay teens include:
Levithin, David. Boy Meets Boy. ISBN:0375824006
Burd, Nick. Vast Fields of Ordinary. ISBN:978-0803733404
Ryan, P.E. In Mike We Trust. ISBN:978-0060858131
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Module 6 Book 1. Islamic- American Teens
A. Bibliography:
Budhos,Marina. 2006. Ask me no questions. New York,NY: Simon and Schuster.ISBN:1416903518
B. Plot Summary :
Nadira and Aisha, two Bangladeshi girls who have spent most of their lives in New York, must face an uncertain future after their father is arrested for an immigration violation while seeking asylum at the Canadian-American border.
C. Literary Analysis (with cultural markers)
The Bangladeshi-American culture is portrayed with detail and sensitivity. Because of Budhos' skill as a writer, the reader comes to understand what it is like to be Bangladeshi-American . This understanding goes beyond the knowledge that Nadira's Ali-Uncle (a good family friend) wears a khurta, or loose collarless shirt and that her Ma wears a shalwar kameez and that they eat luchis, spiced potatoes and polau, and celebrate Pohela Boiskahor Bengali New Year. Instead, Nadira's voice is so believable and compelling, that readers come to inhabit her skin and comprehend her values.
They come to understand Nadira's sense of unease with her outspoken and defiant,but ultimately successful, cousin Taslima. Readers come to share in the sense of comfort that she gets in the familiar surroundings of her Ali-Uncle's magazine shop and the importance of Nadira's Aunties and Uncles in her life.
Budhos also perfectly captures the sense of anxiety, fear and uncertainty that always follows the Hossein family. Important events in the history of the family like the violent partition of India into Muslim and Hindu states are also woven into the story in a masterful way that add to the reader's understanding of Nadira and Aisha's background.
The author gives us a sense of Bangladesh history using lyrical language, powerful allusions to water and vivid images of past catastrophes. "Generation after Generation the water and the land melt and blur;people move across borders that make no sense." and "When Abba and Ma were growing up the land began to rumble and shift again." It is this careful and deft use of language that sets this book apart as a Young Adult literary work.
The sisters respond to their situation and shared culture and history in different ways. Aisha, Nadira's eldest sister has always been the driven, bright, self-assured and determined one. Aisha is so fearless that she had no trouble , as a young teenager, calling an immigration lawyer that she saw on TV and convincing him to take the family's case. How can Nadira compete with that force of personality? Will she always be overshadowed by Aisha? But her father's detention and the possible loss of her academic dreams lead Aisha to break down. Nadira has always been the slower, chubby sister, but she finds a hidden strength. Her growth as a character seems natural and believable. The depth of her character also leads the reader to a sense of authenticity and understanding.
Other characters are also well drawn, giving us a real sense of life in the immigrant world of Flushing Queens, NY. "The Perfect Girls" Rose Chu, Kavita Menon and Risa Sharansky, who are Aisha's best friends and very competitive scholars , as well as accomplished at other activities, transcend the "model minority" stereotype because one sees the anxiety at the root of their brittle, competitive conversations. Characters such as Nadira's Ma, who learns bravery, wears a dashing purple thrift store coat with panache and improves her English from watching cooking shows on TV and her Auntie, who screws up her courage to get a part time job at the local Flushing, Queens dollar store, also come alive.
D. Review Excerpts
Horn Book
Nadira and Aisha's strategies for surviving and succeeding in high school offer sharp insight into the narrow margins between belonging and not belonging, and though the resolution of the story is perhaps more optimistic than realistic, it feels earned.
Publisher's Weekly
But the events of the novel are powerful enough to engage readers' attention and will make them pause to consider the effects of a legal practice that preys on prejudice and fear
E. Connections
Encourage students to discover volunteer opportunities at different social organizations that help recent immigrants.
Teens might want to explore the immigrant experience with these books. Some of these books are more humorous in tone than Ask Me No Questions:
Hidier, Desai Tanuja. 2002. Born Confused. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN:9780439357623
Marina, Tamar Budhos. 2010. Tell Us We're Home. New York,NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9781416903529
Sheba, Karim. 2009. Skunk Girl. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.ISBN:9780374370114
Budhos,Marina. 2006. Ask me no questions. New York,NY: Simon and Schuster.ISBN:1416903518
B. Plot Summary :
Nadira and Aisha, two Bangladeshi girls who have spent most of their lives in New York, must face an uncertain future after their father is arrested for an immigration violation while seeking asylum at the Canadian-American border.
C. Literary Analysis (with cultural markers)
The Bangladeshi-American culture is portrayed with detail and sensitivity. Because of Budhos' skill as a writer, the reader comes to understand what it is like to be Bangladeshi-American . This understanding goes beyond the knowledge that Nadira's Ali-Uncle (a good family friend) wears a khurta, or loose collarless shirt and that her Ma wears a shalwar kameez and that they eat luchis, spiced potatoes and polau, and celebrate Pohela Boiskahor Bengali New Year. Instead, Nadira's voice is so believable and compelling, that readers come to inhabit her skin and comprehend her values.
They come to understand Nadira's sense of unease with her outspoken and defiant,but ultimately successful, cousin Taslima. Readers come to share in the sense of comfort that she gets in the familiar surroundings of her Ali-Uncle's magazine shop and the importance of Nadira's Aunties and Uncles in her life.
Budhos also perfectly captures the sense of anxiety, fear and uncertainty that always follows the Hossein family. Important events in the history of the family like the violent partition of India into Muslim and Hindu states are also woven into the story in a masterful way that add to the reader's understanding of Nadira and Aisha's background.
The author gives us a sense of Bangladesh history using lyrical language, powerful allusions to water and vivid images of past catastrophes. "Generation after Generation the water and the land melt and blur;people move across borders that make no sense." and "When Abba and Ma were growing up the land began to rumble and shift again." It is this careful and deft use of language that sets this book apart as a Young Adult literary work.
The sisters respond to their situation and shared culture and history in different ways. Aisha, Nadira's eldest sister has always been the driven, bright, self-assured and determined one. Aisha is so fearless that she had no trouble , as a young teenager, calling an immigration lawyer that she saw on TV and convincing him to take the family's case. How can Nadira compete with that force of personality? Will she always be overshadowed by Aisha? But her father's detention and the possible loss of her academic dreams lead Aisha to break down. Nadira has always been the slower, chubby sister, but she finds a hidden strength. Her growth as a character seems natural and believable. The depth of her character also leads the reader to a sense of authenticity and understanding.
Other characters are also well drawn, giving us a real sense of life in the immigrant world of Flushing Queens, NY. "The Perfect Girls" Rose Chu, Kavita Menon and Risa Sharansky, who are Aisha's best friends and very competitive scholars , as well as accomplished at other activities, transcend the "model minority" stereotype because one sees the anxiety at the root of their brittle, competitive conversations. Characters such as Nadira's Ma, who learns bravery, wears a dashing purple thrift store coat with panache and improves her English from watching cooking shows on TV and her Auntie, who screws up her courage to get a part time job at the local Flushing, Queens dollar store, also come alive.
D. Review Excerpts
Horn Book
Nadira and Aisha's strategies for surviving and succeeding in high school offer sharp insight into the narrow margins between belonging and not belonging, and though the resolution of the story is perhaps more optimistic than realistic, it feels earned.
Publisher's Weekly
But the events of the novel are powerful enough to engage readers' attention and will make them pause to consider the effects of a legal practice that preys on prejudice and fear
E. Connections
Encourage students to discover volunteer opportunities at different social organizations that help recent immigrants.
Teens might want to explore the immigrant experience with these books. Some of these books are more humorous in tone than Ask Me No Questions:
Hidier, Desai Tanuja. 2002. Born Confused. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN:9780439357623
Marina, Tamar Budhos. 2010. Tell Us We're Home. New York,NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9781416903529
Sheba, Karim. 2009. Skunk Girl. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.ISBN:9780374370114
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