Ask Me No Questions

Budhos, Marina.  2006. Ask Me No Questions. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1416903512.

Summary
Nadira and her family are applying for asylum in Canada after 9/11. At the Canadian border they are told to turn back...there's no room. Her father is detained due to their lack of visas, her mother stays with him, and send Nadira and her sister back to New York to live with relatives.  Nothing is the same as it was before.  Will the girls be able to finish school in the U.S.? Will they have to go back to Bangladesh?  Her whole family begins to fall apart.  Will Nadira be able to bring them back together?

Analysis
There are many cultural markers throughout this story. The first to stand out would be the names of the people throughout the story.  They are traditional and include: Nadira, Aisha, Tareq, Taslima, Naseem, and more.  In addition, Nadira calls her father "abba" and older men she is close to "name-Uncle."  For example, Naseem-Uncle and Ali-Uncle.

Language is also a large cultural marker that brings to light additional markers such as clothing and food.  For example, Nadira mentions her mother's "shalwar kameez" fluther in the wind when she gets out of the car. Some of the foods Nadira talks about about are "pooris," "alu gobi," "biryani," and chicken tandoori.  She also talks about her father going to a "mela" or a fair for the "Pohela Boishakh" or Bengali New Year.

Finally, within the story Budhos writes about Nadira's family's story that includes much of the history and struggles of both Bengal/Pakistan and Muslims in the U.S., especially after 9/11.  This novel showcases the worries and heartache that immigrant families go through whether they are here legally or not.



Review Excerpts
Booklist (starred) - Readers will feel the heartbreak, prejudice, kindness, and fear.
School Library Journal - The author explains their situation well, but the effect is more informational than fiction. Nadira and Aisha are clearly drawn characters, but they don't quite come alive, and their Bangladeshi-American background is more a backdrop than a way of life. Still, this is an important facet of the American immigrant experience, worthy of wider attention.

Connections
Read more about Muslim Teenagers in the U.S.:
Budhos, Marina. Tell Us We're Home. ISBN 978-1416903529
Abdel-Fattah, Randa. Does My Head Look Big in This? ISBN 978-0439922333
Hafiz et al. The American Muslim Teenage Handbook. ISBN 978-1416985785
Beshir, Sumaiva. Everyday Struggles: The Story of Muslim Teens. ISBN 978-1590080306

Nathan's Wish: A Story about Cerebral Palsy

Lears, Laurie.  2005. Nathan's Wish: A Story about Cerebral Palsy. ill. Stacy Schuett. Norton Grove, IL; Albert Whitman & Co. ISBN 0807571016.

Summary
Nathan has a disability called cerebral palsy.  He is confined to either a wheelchair or a walker to get around.  One of his favorite activities is to go to his neighbor's house and watch her work as a bird rehabilitator. Nathan wants very badly to help Miss Sandy but can't think what to do because of his disability.  However, after he sees a broken bird become a mother to some baby owls that aren't hers, he realizes that he can help...just in a different way.


Analysis
This book is a great way to introduce cerebral palsy to children and explain it well.  First, there is an introduction into cerebral palsy, what it is and how it effects those who have it.  In addition, this book shows children that, just because you can't do something specific, doesn't mean you can't find purpose and help in other ways.

This book's illustrations show Nathan using his wheelchair and canes to get around and to his neighbor's houses.  The illustrations also demonstrate Nathan as a different ethnicity than caucasian. 

Overall, this is a sweet book that will show children that just because someone they know (or they themselves) is affected by a disability, doesn't mean that they aren't good people.  The disability doesn't make the person who they are, it's what's inside that counts.

Review Excerpts
School Library Journal - An additional title for libraries in need of books featuring young children with disabilities.
School Library Journal - Warm illustrations with bold brush strokes complement this feel-good story.

Connections
Other stories about disabilities and disabled children:
Heelan, Jamee Riggio. Rolling Along: The Story of Taylor and His Wheelchair. ISBN 978-1561452194
Thomas, Pat. Don't Call Me Special. ISBN 978-0764121180
Lewis, Beverly. In Jesse's Shoes. ISBN 978-0764203138
Willis, Jeanne. Susan Laughs. ISBN 978-0805065015

Molly's Family

Garden, Nancy. 2004. Molly's Family. ill. Sharon Wooding. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux. ISBN 978-0374530024.

Summary
Molly and her classmates are getting their classroom ready for Open House Night.  Molly and several of her friends draw their families to decorate the walls.  When Molly is told that she can't have two mommies, she's confused and sad.  No one else is like her and she is unsure if she wants to hang up her picture.

Analysis
This is a great book to teach children that there are several different types of families in the world today.  Some children don't know their fathers, others are adopted, some have two mommies, and even others have multiple generations in their home.  This book teaches children that just because their family is different, doesn't mean that it isn't a real family.  Love is what makes a family real.

This book is a gentle way to show children that it is okay to have gay parents.  The pictures are beautifully drawn and do not show any explicit or confusing scenes for children.  The mothers are only shown holding Molly's hands and tucking her in at night.  These are activities that are typical for many families.  The illustrations also show many different types of people and even puppies!

I believe this book is a good way to introduce children to the differences that make ourselves and our families unique.  It is also a good way to help children understand that acceptance is key in learning about someone.

Review Excerpts
"Long-overdue...why are there still so few Molly's for child readers to encounter?" -- Kirkus Reviews

"Less overtly messagey than Leslea Newman's Heather Has Two Mommies (1989), this will open up discussion in many families." -- Booklist

"By tying this specific household to the general diversity within all families, Garden manages to celebrate them all. The soft colored-pencil drawings with their many realistic details depict a room full of active kindergartners. There is a squat sweetness to the characters as they work together to make everything look and feel right." -- School Library Journal

Connections
Check out these books about different types of families:
Newman, Leslea. Mommy, Mama, and Me. ISBN 978-1582462639 .
Newman, Leslea. Daddy, Papa and Me. ISBN 978-1582462622 .
Tompkins, Crystal. Oh the Things Mommies Do. ISBN 978-0578027593 .
Parr, Thomas. The Family Book. ISBN 978-0316070409 .
Parnell, Peter. And Tango Makes Three. ISBN 978-0689878459.

The Year of the Rat

Lin, Grace. 2008. The Year of the Rat. New York: Little Brown and Co. ISBN 9780316114264.

Summary
The Year of the Rat is the beginning of the Chinese calendar and is known for bringing changes.  Last year, in the Year of the Dog, Pacy met her best friend and found her true talent.  This year, however, Pacy must face the fact that her life is changing.  Melody is moving across the country!  What is she to do? 

Analysis
First, the illustrations included cultural markers by showing many different things. For example, Pacy's family is well-represented.  In addition to people, Taiwanese foods, such as steamed buns, moon cakes, and long-life noodles are featured throughout the book. Lin even includes illustrations about clothing typical in a Taiwanese family like tiger shoes and the dress she had to wear that had dragons on it.  A picture of the Kitchen God is also included.

Within the text, the reader can see many cultural markers as well.  For example, Lin often includes other family members' stories within the text that tell of Chinese/Taiwanese markers.  The story of how the years came to be names was incredibly interesting.  In addition to traditional stories, Lin includes stories of inclusion and exclusion that her parents felt coming to America.

Finally, while these may not necessarily be cultural markers, Lin shares prejudice that Pacy encounters.  One example of this is Pacy's friends assuming that Pacy would have to marry Dun-Wei because he's the only other Asian in the school.  Also, so many students call Dun-Wei "Dumb-Way."  Pacy's friends even suggest that she do karate for the talent show.  She's never studied karate!  They just assume.

This is a great read for students of all ages.  Not only is this a good story, it shows perseverance, love, courage, and how to stand up for yourself, your beliefs, and what you're good at. 


Review Excerpts
School Library Journal- This heartwarming sequel will leave readers hoping for more about this engaging heroine and her family.

Kirkus Review - Readers of this gentle, appealing sequel will appreciate the way the engaging protagonist discovers she can survive the changes a new year brings.

Booklist - An endearing story that will touch readers.
Connections
Read more fiction about Chinese/Taiwanese Americans:
Chen, Pauline. Peiling and the chicken-fried Christmas. 978-1-59990-122-0

Lin, Grace. The Year of the Dog. 978-0-316-06002-8

Hoobler, Dorothy. The Chinese American family album. 978-0-19-512421-7

Tea with Milk

Say, Allen. 1999. Tea with Milk. ill. Allen Say. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0395904951.

Summary
Leaving the only home you ever knew to move to the country your parents came from would be hard for anyone.  The same stands true for May, or Masako as she's called in Japan.  She misses so much from her home: fried chicken, spaghetti, college, San Francisco, and even taking her tea with milk and sugar.  She now has to go back to high school, learn calligraphy and flower arranging, and even be introduced to men through a matchmaker.  Through an act of rebellion, May learns that home can be wherever you make it and that love can cross many borders.

Analysis
This is a beautiful book full of many cultural markers.  First, the language is important in this book.  For example, many times May is called "gaijin" which means foreigner. In addition, Say discusses how May wears a kimono.  She is also taught how to perform the tea ceremony and has to work with a matchmaker to find her a husband.  The book also speaks how May's mother felt it was disgraceful for her to work.

In addition to the language, the illustrations about with cultural markers.  For example, in many she is wearing a kimono.  In the pictures, the reader can see the hair texture and styles, face shapes, and oftentimes, Japanese writing in the background.

Finally, this book talks about being out of place.  I think that, regardless of culture, if you are forced to move from your natal home, you feel like a fish out of water.  Any reader from any culture can identify with that feeling and the feeling of wanting what you used to have.

Review Excerpts
School Library Journal - This is a thoughtful and poignant book that will appeal to a wide range of readers, particularly our nation's many immigrants who grapple with some of the same challenges as May and Joseph, including feeling at home in a place that is not their own.

Library Journal - This perfect marriage of artwork and text offers readers a window into a different place and time.

Kirkus Reviews - In describing how his parents met, Say continues to explore the ways that differing cultures can harmonize; A stately cousin to Ina R. Friedman's How My Parents Learned To Eat (1984), also illustrated by Say.

Connections
More books by Allen Say about Japanese cultures:
Emma's Rug
Grandfather's Journey
Erika-San
Kamishibai Man
Tree of Cranes
The Bicycle Man
Home of the Brave
The Lost Lake
Allison
And more...

Bee-Bip Bop

Park, Linda Sue. 2005.  Bee-bim Bop! ill Ho-Baek Lee. New York: Clarion Books.  ISBN 0618265112.

Summary
"Hungry, hungry, hungry for some Bee-bim Bop!" is a phrase repeated often in this tale.  It's a story about the process of making this traditional Korean dish.  A little girl goes to the store with her mom then helps her prepare the ingredients.  She watches as her mom fries the eggs, cooks the rice, and prepares the meats and vegetables.  Then, finally, she gets to mix it up and eat it.

Analysis
This delightful picture book is fun book for all ages.  It's colorful illustrations, step-by-step process, and rhyming verses is a great way to teach children about this traditional Korean dish.  Park's book is a fun read-aloud and would open doors to conversations about traditional foods in the children's own kitchens.  Kids can relate to wanting to help and watching their parents cook their favorite foods.

The illustrations by Ho Baek Lee offer the cultural markers in this picture book.  First, the hair styles and textures of the characters, in addition to the skin tones and eye shapes, represent the Korean culture very well.  None of these seem stereotypical.  For example, the eyes are round, not slits.

Next, when preparing foods, the mother uses chopsticks, a whisk, a spoon, and a rice paddle.  These are all things that can be found in most homes, but especially a Korean-American one.  When the daughter sets the table, she puts both spoons and chopsticks on the table.

Finally, the grandmother lives with this family.  This is not often seen in American households.  However, it is traditionally held in many cultures that the elders live with their children and their families.  The grandmother is wearing traditional Korean dress.
Review Excerpts
School Library Journal - A fine addition to any collection, this book is a terrific way to introduce Korean culture to young children.

Booklist - Lee's watercolors extend the flurry of activity, humor, and delight in uncluttered spreads, many from a child's-eye view.  Step-by-step descriptions will intrigue children who love learning about the process of putting a meal together.  A recipe for Bee-bim Bop, with instructions for "you" and a "grown up" closes this cheerful offering, which will partner nicely with the books in the adjacent read-alikes, "Kids in the Kitchen."

Connections
More stories about Korea and its culture:
So-Un, Kim. Korean Children's Favorite Stories.  ISBN 0804835918 .
Heo, Yumi. The Green Frogs: A Korean Folktale. ISBN 0618432280.
Cheung, Heychong. K is for Korea (World Alphabets). ISBN 184507789X.
Patz, Nancy. Babies Can't Eat Kimchee. ISBN 1599900173.
Tae-Jun, Lee.  Waiting for Mama (English and Korean Edition). ISBN 0735821437.
Recorvits, Helen. My Name is Yoon. ISBN 0374351147.

The Magic Spider Woman

Duncan, Lois.  1996.  The Magic Spider Woman. ill. Shonto Begay. New York: Scholastic Inc. ISBN 0590461567.

Summary
In every culture, disobeying a deity is a bad idea.  The Wandering Girl, after bringing her sheep back from grazing on the mountain, has returned to find her people living in 'hogans' and she had no home.  The Spider Woman teaches the Wandering Girl how to weave in order to stay warm.  Renamed Weaving Woman, she wonders how can she weave in the cold winter?  Man Who is Happy invites Weaving Woman to marry him and live in his hogan and weave all winter long.

The Weaving Woman was warned by the Spider Woman not to weave for too long, as the Navajo People try to live their lives in balance and respect the Middle Way.  After the idea comes to her to weave a picture for the Spirit Being, she becomes enthralled in her work and ends up disobeying the Spider Woman. 

Analysis
This book is a long picture book.  I feel that this book is best for children 4th grade and up to read.  I think the concepts would be lost on a younger audience.  It begins with a drawn-out history that I don't find overly necessary.  Perhaps in the context of oral story-telling it would come across better?  The illustrations, however, are beautiful and do seem to depict the story Duncan is re-telling.

The illustrations show beautiful Native American skin tones and the landscape in which they lived.  In addition, the reader can see the clothing, shoes, hair styles, and accessories the Navajo people wore.  The 'hogan' is also depicted in the illustrations and shows the type of dwelling used in that area by the Navajo.

The narration discussed many cultural markers.  First, is the language.  Duncan uses names indigenous to the population such as Wandering Woman, Fourth World, Spirit Being, and more.  In addition, the narration shows the changing of names when new crafts or events are introduced to their lives.  Native words are also used throughout the book including Dineh and hogan.

In addition to the language depictions, Duncan also introduces other traditions such as the Hand Trembler and Shaman and how they ground cornmeal and chanted in order to heal the Weaving Woman.  And finally, in the end, the book discusses the moral of not doubting the wisdom of the creators.

Review Excerpts
School Library Journal - Begay's dramatic shifts of perspective, his innate sensitivity to the land and people depicted, and the text's powerful message about pride's deadly effects combine in an appealing and meaningful way.
Booklist -
Although the message may have more resonance for adults than for kids, the tale appears here in a colorful, picture book edition that should hold the interest of primary-grade children.

Kirkus Reviews - After a start too dense with background, irregularities further spoil this tale: Spirit Being, who fills ``the earth, the sky, and the mountaintops,'' teaches all the people his ways, but somehow skips Wandering Girl; enthusiasm and artistic passion somehow become pridefulness; there may be a connection between perfection and entrapment, but children are unlikely to comprehend it. Begay's vibrant paintings are replete with the dreaminess that cradles the story, far outstripping it in their beauty.
Connections
Try reading some of these other Navajo tales:
Thompson, Hildegard. Navajo Coyote Tales.  ISBN 0941270521 .
Oughton, Jerrie. How the Stars Fell into the Sky: A Navajo Legend.  ISBN 0395779383 .
Oughton, Jerrie.  The Magic Weaver of Rugs: A Tale of the Navajo.  ISBN 0395661404.
Keams, Geri. The Snail Girl Brings Water: A Navajo Story.  ISBN 0873587731 .