Yellow Star

Author:  Jennifer Roy, 2006, Marshall Cavendish Corporation

Yellow Star is another heartwrenching tale of an oppressed people overcoming adversity.  In this first-person account, a woman named Sylvia recounts her childhood as a Jew growing up in Poland during the second World War.  Sylvia is the name she took on as an American, whereas her birth name was Syvia.  Young Syvia and her mother, father, and sister, Dora, are forced to leave their home and relocate in Lodz, Poland, a Jewish internment camp when Syvia is five years old.  For the next five years, Syvia remained in hiding while her parents and sister worked, while narrowly escaping the clutches of Nazi soldiers who were searching for children.  Many of the Jewish children were sent to extermination camps under the guise of being taken care of by the Nazi government.  Due to the tireless efforts of her parents and only sister, Dora lives to see the rescue of her camp by the Russians, and her family is freed.  The author of this book is Syvia's niece, and she recorded her aunt's stories from telephone conversations and put them into a book.

I enjoyed this story because I consider it a primary source of history.  These words are straight from the mouth of someone who lived through one of the most horrifying times in the modern age, and they are a reminder to us of how evil people really can be.  I suggest teachers be mindful of the content and weight of this book before they assign it in their classrooms.  Seventh and eighth grades would be my ideal age suggestion, but one could easily extend that range into high school.  I definitely would not recommend this for any child under the seventh grade, simply because students need a concrete understanding of the events surrounding this time period, as well as the maturity that comes with older age.  Overall, this book was a somber account of a fairly recent occurrance, and it paints a picture of bleak optimism in a terrifying time.  

Hoover's Bride

Author:  David Small, 1995, Scholastic

Don't get too distracted by the title of this book.  At first, I thought it was a story about our 31st president:  Herbert Hoover.  As someone who loves history, I was excited to read a poem about a historical figure. 

But this has nothing to do with Herbert Hoover.

Hoover's Bride is a silly rhyming story about a man who marries his vacuum cleaner.  Hoover, the main character, lives alone and never cleans his house.  It acquires so much dust and dirt that one day, all the dust falls on Hoover.  His neighbors introduce him to a vacuum cleaner named Elektra, and instead of merely cleaning his house, he falls in love with it.  Somehow, they are able to get married, and while they are on their honeymoon, the people in the hotel room next door have a loud noise in their room.  When Hoover inquires about the racket, he finds a woman and her "husband", a lawn mower.  She, too, fell in love with her appliance and married it.  Long story short--she and Hoover end up legitimately married, and the two ex-spouses end up rusting together in the dump.  After all, a lawn mower can only go so far without gas and a vacuum cleaner needs someone to plug it in!

This story, while humorous, is absolutely ridiculous.  I understand the humor behind it, but what child will accept the idea that a man can marry a vacuum?  I would not use this story in my classroom, but again, it is what I like to call a "mindless read."  If it is one you have on your bookshelf, go ahead and leave it there, but if not, leave it in the dust.     

The Adventures of Ook and Gluk: Kung-Fu Cavemen from the Future

Authors:  George Beard and Harold Hutchins, 2010, Scholastic

Until I heard that I had to read a graphic novel for my children's literature class, I did not know what one was.  I never read comics as a child, so the idea of putting comics in a story format (such as a book) was hard for me to understand.  I must say, though, that I loved The Adventures of Ook and Gluk.  From a teacher's standpoint, I recognized its terrible grammar, punctuation, and word conjugation.  From a reader's standpoint, however, I though it was hilarious.  The two characters and their baby dinosaur set out to destroy Mr. Goppernopper, the leader of Caveland.  On the way, they get transported to the year 2222 A.D., where they stay and learn Kung-Fu for seven years.  The knowledge they gain under Mr. Wong, the Kung-Fu teacher, propels them to outwit Mr. Goppernopper and take back Caveland.  And, in the end, Ook marries Mr. Wong's daughter and takes her back in time.

The spelling and grammar is a nightmare for any teacher.  Just the idea that students read material like this makes me cringe.  It is almost written in a child-like format.  The illustrations are all done in pencil, retained in black and white, and reflect an elementary artistic pattern.  (Disclaimer:  I am not one to judge art because of my lack of artistic ability, but it is evident that this book is meant for young children.)  Nevertheless, as an educator, I see the value in reading for pleasure without needing to think critically, something I often refer to as "mindless reading."  This book certainly fits that bill.  I finished the book in just over an hour, and it made me laugh more than once while never managing to tax my mind. 

I would not suggest this book to be read aloud to a classroom because I think one might send the wrong idea to children, especially in a time when "text" language is already so prevalent.  However, this is a way to get your students who don't particularly care for heavy reading to enjoy books.  I especially think  boys will like this, and it is a great way to get them interested in reading.

Weedflower

Author:  Cynthia Kadohata, 2006, Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Cynthia Kadohata takes her readers on a trip of sadness and heartbreak in the book Weedflower.  Twelve-year-old Sumiko and her six-year-old brother Tak-Tak live with their aunt, uncle, cousins, and grandfather on their flower farm in California.  Sumiko and Tak-Tak came into their relatives' care when their parents perished in a car accident.  Their family unit is very strong, and their main struggle is to fit in with the rest of the world.  That is not a big issue, however, until December 7, 1941 when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.  Suddenly, Japanese-Americans become the target of hostility, racism, and segregation.  Sumiko's uncle and grandfather are moved to a work camp in North Dakota, and the rest of her family, including Sumiko, are shipped to Poston, Ariz. where there is a permanent relocation site for Japanese.  As far as the reader knows, Sumiko never returns to her home in California; rather, she spends many days in Poston, then moves near Chicago.  During her time in Poston, Sumiko makes many friends, and it is sad when she has to leave them behind.  This was a time of great sorrow for Japanese-Americans as they were treated like baggage instead of human beings.

I loved this book from cover to cover.  When I started reading, I did not realize that the setting was December, 1941, so I had no idea what was ahead.  Sumiko struggles to fit in with her peers, but she finds steadfast love and friendship in Poston.  I was amazed by how caring Sumiko was to Tak-Tak.  Tak-Tak seemed innocent and trusting, and he followed his sister everywhere.  Through the heartbreak of losing their parents to being relocated in a concentration camp, Sumiko and her brother never seemed to lose hope in the future.  Honestly, I do not know if I would have been as calm as Sumiko had I been in the same situation.  Looking back, some of the greatest injustices in history were done to some of the most innocent people, and Weedflower documents a story of strength, trust, and determination through a time of injustice.  For that reason, I will always remember this book.    

John, Paul, George and Ben

Author:  Lane Smith, 2006, Scholastic

If, by now, you have read some of the picture books I have reviewed, you have no doubt laughed several times.  Are you ready for another "laugher"?  I present to you:  John, Paul, George and Ben.  This children's book highlights facts about our founding fathers in an extremely hysterical way.  John (Hancock) had the best penmanship as a student; Paul (Revere) shouted very loudly; George (Washington), could chop down trees like nobody's business; and Ben (Franklin) always had a saying appropriate to the situation.  Perhaps the funniest part about this book is that all of these things were true when the men were adults.  We have no idea if they acted in this manner as children, but the author has presented historical facts to children in a funny way.

The first time I read this, I was laughing so hard that I was crying.  (If you did not get the same effect, you can stop reading now.)  I could picture these old men as children who were 10-going-on-50.  As the author notes in the front cover, this book is  "loosely based on the history tales [he] remembered from school."  Benjamin Franklin's sayings are true, John Hancock really did have beautiful cursive, George Washington cut down one or two trees, and Paul Revere announced that the British were coming.  The history is accurate, and the pictures are hysterical.  Read it for yourself and see if you can't stop laughing.  I guarantee that if you think it's funny, so will your young students.

Bill and Pete

Author:  Tomie de Paola, 1978, G. P. Putnam's Sons

I know what you are thinking:  Why on earth would Mr. Leeper choose a picture book from 1978 when there are so many new ones to choose from?  You have a very valid point, but I did this for a reason.  You see, this was another one of my favorites when I was a child.  The copy I have is actually my mother's (most likely from 1978!), and it is still in great condition.  The way I see it, no matter what the publication date is, if it is good literature, keep a copy on your bookshelf.  That is exactly what I have done with this story by Tomie de Paola.

William Everett is a crocodile who is getting ready to start school.  His mom takes him to the store to pick out a toothbrush, which is actually a living bird named Pete.  When William Everett starts school, he learns many things, including how to write his name.  Since his name is so long, he shortens it to"Bill" after Pete convinces him it is much simpler to write.  Bill and Pete become steadfast friends, and when an evil man steals Bill from the River Nile to make a suitcase out of him, Pete comes to the rescue, picks the lock of the cage, and lets Bill out.  Bill, wanting to make sure the man can never make suitcases out of a crocodile again, scares him while he is taking a bath.  And guess what?  The man didn't stop running until he got to Cairo.

In today's politically correct culture, teachers may not want to expose children to the reality of making suitcases out of crocodiles.  That is their call.  However, I challenge them to look past the evilness of that act and see the story rooted in friendship and love.  The pictures reflect de Paola's typical style, as seen in such books as Strega Nona.  I think this is a wonderful story and a reflection of a simpler time.  And, it showcases two friends and a loving mom, which will always remain very important parts of life.        

Owen

Author:  Kevin Henkes, 1993, Greenwillow Books

For my children's literature class this week, I am required to read five picture books.  As you can see from my recent posts, I tend to rate picture books very highly because they are so enjoyable to read.  So now, I present to you one of the best picture books ever written:  Owen.  I know by now you have looked at the copyright date and thought 1993 was ages ago, but that is beside the point.  Owen was one of my favorite books when I was a child, and it remains at that status 20 years later.  It is a story about a little mouse who loves carrying his blankie everywhere he goes.  It accumulates stains, smells, and general wear and tear, but no one can pry Owen away from his blankie.  His neighbor, Mrs. Tweezers, reminds Owen and his parents that he cannot take that blankie to school, and that greatly distresses Owen.  His mother figures out that by making small hankies from the blankie, Owen can preserve his best friend and still carry small pieces of it to school.

This is the story of my childhood.  I had a blanket that I drug around everywhere.  It got so thin and worn that everytime I visited one of my aunts or grandmas, someone had to mend it.  I was just like Owen.  And perhaps that is why my aunt gave me this book as a present when she got married.  It remains at the top of my picture book list, and I encourage anyone who teaches kindergarten to read it to their students.  It will bring a smile to your face as it still does to me, even after so many years.