Collier, Bryan. 2000. Uptown. New York: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 0805057218
Summary
In this book written and illustrated by Bryan Collier, the reader is shown the sights of Harlem through the eyes of a young boy. This story does not have a traditional beginning, middle and end. Each page begins with a sentence about uptown. For example, “Uptown is little sisters. They’re on their way to church in matching yellow dresses (Collier 2000).”
Analysis
This book won a Coretta Scott King award for illustration in 2001 and it is beautifully illustrated. The pictures are a combination of collage with watercolor and the effect is stunning. The realistic elements in each picture go perfectly with the simple text. The boy explains his favorite parts of Harlem and is shown in most of the pictures.
Harlem is a historically African American neighborhood in New York City and all of the characters in this story are African American. Each character and place is shown through the eyes of the boy and we see his impressions of the places. For example, “Uptown is a row of brownstones. I like the way they come together when you look at them down the block. They look like they’re made of chocolate.” The descriptions and drawings of Harlem are accurate because the author actually lives and works in Harlem. While Mr. Collier was still an art student in New York he began to volunteer at the Harlem Horizon Studio and Harlem Hospital Center. The program offers work space and support for local artists (http://www.bryancollier.com/artist.html). Mr. Collier works on illustrating books full time now but he still volunteers at the center. Even though Mr. Collier is very talented, he tried for seven years to publish children’s books. Uptown is his first book and I recommend it highly.
Connections
This book can be used to introduce and study collages. It can also be used to study urban communities, or neighborhoods of New York City, or Harlem.
Reviews
In Book Links Magazine, Melinda Underwood says, “This is a tour of the sights of Harlem, including the train, brownstones, a barbershop, summer basketball, the Harlem Boys Choir, and sunset over the Hudson River -- all stunningly depicted by Collier’s unique collage technique (Underwood 2004).”
School Library Journal says “…Collier's evocative watercolor-and-collage illustrations create a unique sense of mood and place. Bold color choices for text as well as background pages complement engagingly detailed pictures of city life (Eames 2000).”
Works Cited
Collier, Bryan. 2009. http://www.bryancollier.com/artist.html
Eames, Alicia. 2000. "Uptown." School Library Journal 46, no. 7: 70. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 28, 2009).
Underwood, Melinda. 2004. "Uptown (Book)." Book Links 13, no. 4: 53-53. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 28, 2009).
Sunday, June 28, 2009
HEAVEN by Angela Johnson
Johnson, Angela. 1998. Heaven.
Summary
Fourteen year old Marley lives with her parents and her little brother in Heaven,
Analysis
This novel is divided into four parts. In the first part Marley describes her family lovingly. She is happy.
In the second part Marley discovers that her parents are really her aunt and uncle. She must come to terms that the people she trusted most in the world have concealed something so important. It is here that Marley begins to consider the main question of the novel, what makes a family a family?
In part three Marley grapples with her feelings toward her parents. She wrestles with the issue internally. Her parents give her box filled with items about her past. She carries it around with her but doesn’t open it. When she opens it for the first time, she can’t go through everything. She is not ready to deal with her past. At the end of part 3, she confronts the man she knows as Pops and lets him know that by not telling her the truth their relationship is fundamentally changed. Marley tells him, “I don’t know anymore. Maybe the one big lie makes everything a lie.” Pops says, “Maybe. Maybe it does (Johnson 1998 p.99).”
The fourth part of the novel deals with Marley’s acceptance of the situation. Marley reads the love letters in the box and she begins to forgive her family. “My family is still just that -- only the titles have been renamed (Johnson 1998 p.136).” At the very end of the book, Jack comes to see Marley and tells her stories about the mother she lost. The stories make Marley realize what a wonderful life she has had. Marley thinks of her biological mother, “Even though some of the stories will hurt my heart and sometimes make me afraid of losing more of what I have: I want her to know that it’s been a fine life, for a girl like me, in Heaven (Johnson 1998 p.138).”
There are many positive things about this book. There are no stereotypes in the book. It centers on a strong, loving nuclear family. The father is involved with his family and spends time with his children. The problems the characters face in the book are not related to race or ethnic groups but could be faced by anyone. Angela Johnson never says the characters are African American; there are only subtle hints, like one mention of a character having dreadlocks and another sentence about a character having caramel colored skin.
One of the most significant relationships in the book is that of Bobby and his daughter Feather. Bobby is a devoted single father to his daughter. The relationship of Bobby and Feather is almost the antithesis of the relationship between Marley and Jack. Both Marley’s and Feather’s mothers die when the girls are babies. But Bobby takes his role of father very seriously and takes excellent care of Feather. He does not shirk his responsibilities. In contrast Marley’s father is so grief stricken that he cannot raise Marley and instead leaves her with his brother.
There are only a few things I didn’t like about the book. One thing is the character of Shoogy. Shoogy is described as being beautiful and having the perfect family. But Shoogy is troubled. She smokes cigarettes, is rebellious and cuts herself. We never find out why. I realize that Shoogy is a foil for Marley. Shoogy has everything and is unhappy while Marley’s mother is dead, she has been abandoned by her father but she is still better off than Shoogy. But I still would have liked to find out what is going on inside Shoogy’s family that makes her depressed and self-mutilating. I also wish there had been more details about Marley’s relationship with Jack. He and Marley meet in the last three pages of the book and it is a little unsatisfying not to find out if they develop a relationship.
Connections
This book would be good for a class to read and have book discussions. It could also be used to analyze what family means and how we understand the word. Also it could be used to discuss secrets and how keeping secrets can affect people.
Review Excerpts
According to Linda Bindner, “The various examples of "family" Marley encounters make her question what's real, what's true, what makes sense, and if any of that really matters as much as the love she continues to feel for her parents in spite of their seeming betrayal. Johnson exhibits admirable stylistic control over Marley's struggle to understand a concept that is often impossible to understand or even to define (Bindner 1998).”
Theresa Michelson says, “Over a period of weeks, Marley's anger and distrust turn to acceptance and a realization that she can't stop loving the people who raised her. When Uncle Jack comes to Heaven to visit her, Marley holds the hope that he may be able to restore some parts of her that she didn't even know were missing (Michelson 1999).”
Works Cited
Bindner, Linda. 1998. "Heaven." School Library Journal 44, no. 10: 136-136. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 28, 2009).
Johnson, Angela. 1998. Heaven.
Michelson, Theresa. 1999. "Reviews: Fiction." Book Report 18, no. 1: 64. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 28, 2009).
The ALL-I'LL-EVER-WANT CHRISTMAS DOLL review
McKissack, Patricia C. 2007. The All-I’ll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll. Ill. By Jerry Pinkney. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books. ISBN 9780375837593
Summary
It’s Christmas time at Nella’s house. Even though the country is in a depression, Nella wished for a store bought doll, Baby Betty. She writes a letter to Santa Clause asking for the doll and on Christmas morning, along with walnuts, a candy stick, an orange and a box of raisins, the doll is given to Nella and her two sisters. Finding it impossible to share a doll three ways, Nella convinces her sisters to let her keep it. While her sisters leave her alone with the doll, Nella discovers that getting what you wish for does not always make you happy.
Analysis
This book is beautifully illustrated by multi-award wining illustrator Jerry Pinkney. During his career spanning more than 40 years, Mr. Pinkney has been awarded both the Caldecott Medal for illustrations and the Coretta Scott King award for illustrations five times each. Mr. Pinkney has illustrated over a hundred books for children. In his own words, “My intent and hope is to lead the viewer into a world that only exists because of that picture. Many of these speak to my culture, while other works are based on my experience of being Black in America (http://www.jerrypinkneystudio.com/frameset.html)." The illustrations for Mrs. McKissack’s book are realistic with the characters portrayed in a real-life fashion. Each of the little girls has sparkling eyes with realistic expressions, and braids with curls escaping. The effect is charming. Even though bright colors are used in the girl’s clothes, the overall effect is subdued. I think the best things about illustrations are the faces of the characters. When the girls begin to fight over the doll and their father must scold them, the reader can clearly see disapproval in his face. When Nella realizes that her new doll is no substitute for her sisters’ company and is comforted by her mother, the picture conveys emotions. The mother’s face shows gentle concern and the daughter looks sad and skeptical at the same time. Mr. Pinkney’s illustrations compliment Mrs. McKissack’s words perfectly.
The family in this story is African American, but the issues and reactions of the family are universal. Almost all siblings fight and almost all parents reprimand their children, no matter what ethnic group. When the girls begin to argue over the doll, the father scolds them. “When Daddy called us by our whole names, in birth order, we knew we were in trouble (McKissack 2007.)” There is some dialect that is written with a sort of dialect although to me it seems southern more that anything else. Miss is pronounced Miz and Santa Claus is called Santy Claus. But the colloquialisms come and go. The characters do not always speak the same way. At the beginning when Nella is wishing for the doll, her oldest sister Eddy Bernice says, “Why you wishin’ for somethin’ you ain’ never gon’ get? (McKissack 2007).” The later in the story Eddy Bernice asks, “And who would get to pour the pretend tea first? (McKissack 2007).” I am not sure why the dialect is inconsistent. Overall this is a wonderful book. The characters and illustrations are realistic, not stereotypical. The main themes of the book, to appreciate what you have and to share, are universal.
Conections
This book takes place during the Depression and could be used to discuss the hard times people faced then. Since the pictures are realistic, the book can help give students an idea of what life was like back then. It could be paired with Children of the Great Depression by Russell Freedman.
This book could also be used to discuss sharing.
Review Excerpts
In Booklist magazine, a starred review by Carolyn Phelan says, “As explained in the author’s note, McKissack takes a bit of oral history and retells it as a first-person memoir that works well as a picture-book text. Pinkney creates a series of beautiful narrative tableaux, illustrating the characters’ feelings as well as their actions with clarity and grace (2007 p 67).”
Horn Book Magazine says, “Though McKissack sets this story in the past, her characters’ feelings and desires are universal. Pinkney’s warm watercolor-and-pencil illustrations portray the family’s poverty yet glow with what it is rich in: love.
Works Cited
K. F. 2007. "The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll." Horn Book Magazine 83, no. 6: 633-633. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (Accessed June 28, 2009).
McKissack, Patricia C. 2007. The All-I’ll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll. Ill. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books.
Phelan, Carolyn. 2007. "The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll." Booklist 104, no. 2: 67. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (Accessed June 28, 2009).
Pinkney, Jerry. 2009. www.jerrypinkneystudio.com (Accessed June 28, 2009).
Summary
It’s Christmas time at Nella’s house. Even though the country is in a depression, Nella wished for a store bought doll, Baby Betty. She writes a letter to Santa Clause asking for the doll and on Christmas morning, along with walnuts, a candy stick, an orange and a box of raisins, the doll is given to Nella and her two sisters. Finding it impossible to share a doll three ways, Nella convinces her sisters to let her keep it. While her sisters leave her alone with the doll, Nella discovers that getting what you wish for does not always make you happy.
Analysis
This book is beautifully illustrated by multi-award wining illustrator Jerry Pinkney. During his career spanning more than 40 years, Mr. Pinkney has been awarded both the Caldecott Medal for illustrations and the Coretta Scott King award for illustrations five times each. Mr. Pinkney has illustrated over a hundred books for children. In his own words, “My intent and hope is to lead the viewer into a world that only exists because of that picture. Many of these speak to my culture, while other works are based on my experience of being Black in America (http://www.jerrypinkneystudio.com/frameset.html)." The illustrations for Mrs. McKissack’s book are realistic with the characters portrayed in a real-life fashion. Each of the little girls has sparkling eyes with realistic expressions, and braids with curls escaping. The effect is charming. Even though bright colors are used in the girl’s clothes, the overall effect is subdued. I think the best things about illustrations are the faces of the characters. When the girls begin to fight over the doll and their father must scold them, the reader can clearly see disapproval in his face. When Nella realizes that her new doll is no substitute for her sisters’ company and is comforted by her mother, the picture conveys emotions. The mother’s face shows gentle concern and the daughter looks sad and skeptical at the same time. Mr. Pinkney’s illustrations compliment Mrs. McKissack’s words perfectly.
The family in this story is African American, but the issues and reactions of the family are universal. Almost all siblings fight and almost all parents reprimand their children, no matter what ethnic group. When the girls begin to argue over the doll, the father scolds them. “When Daddy called us by our whole names, in birth order, we knew we were in trouble (McKissack 2007.)” There is some dialect that is written with a sort of dialect although to me it seems southern more that anything else. Miss is pronounced Miz and Santa Claus is called Santy Claus. But the colloquialisms come and go. The characters do not always speak the same way. At the beginning when Nella is wishing for the doll, her oldest sister Eddy Bernice says, “Why you wishin’ for somethin’ you ain’ never gon’ get? (McKissack 2007).” The later in the story Eddy Bernice asks, “And who would get to pour the pretend tea first? (McKissack 2007).” I am not sure why the dialect is inconsistent. Overall this is a wonderful book. The characters and illustrations are realistic, not stereotypical. The main themes of the book, to appreciate what you have and to share, are universal.
Conections
This book takes place during the Depression and could be used to discuss the hard times people faced then. Since the pictures are realistic, the book can help give students an idea of what life was like back then. It could be paired with Children of the Great Depression by Russell Freedman.
This book could also be used to discuss sharing.
Review Excerpts
In Booklist magazine, a starred review by Carolyn Phelan says, “As explained in the author’s note, McKissack takes a bit of oral history and retells it as a first-person memoir that works well as a picture-book text. Pinkney creates a series of beautiful narrative tableaux, illustrating the characters’ feelings as well as their actions with clarity and grace (2007 p 67).”
Horn Book Magazine says, “Though McKissack sets this story in the past, her characters’ feelings and desires are universal. Pinkney’s warm watercolor-and-pencil illustrations portray the family’s poverty yet glow with what it is rich in: love.
Works Cited
K. F. 2007. "The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll." Horn Book Magazine 83, no. 6: 633-633. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (Accessed June 28, 2009).
McKissack, Patricia C. 2007. The All-I’ll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll. Ill. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books.
Phelan, Carolyn. 2007. "The All-I'll-Ever-Want Christmas Doll." Booklist 104, no. 2: 67. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (Accessed June 28, 2009).
Pinkney, Jerry. 2009. www.jerrypinkneystudio.com (Accessed June 28, 2009).
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Module 1 Book Review
Stolz, Joelle. The Shadows of Ghadames. New York: Delacorte Press, 2004. ISBN 0-385-73104-3 Originally published in French, this book was translated into English by Catherine Temerson.
Summary
This is the story of a young Berber girl growing up in Ghadames, Libya in the late 1800s. Malika longs to travel with her father and see the world but she knows that her life will soon be spent confined to her house and to the rooftops, the only places in her city where women can go freely. One night when the father of the family is traveling, the women of the house take in an injured stranger and nurse him back to health. The stranger offers to teach Malika to read and she begins learning, ensuring her mind will not be confined to the house and the rooftops.
Analysis
Ghadames is a real city near the borders of Algeria and Tunisia that was declared a World Heritage site by the UNESCO. The architecture of the city is uniquely suited to the climate. The houses are built with locally made bricks. The houses have thick walls and the streets and alleys are almost completely covered to keep out the harsh sun. Life in Ghadames at the time of the story was dominated by religious customs and the architecture of the city. Malika is a Muslim girl, and women were kept separate from men. Women in that city were confined mostly to their houses or the rooftops. Women did not walk in the streets or alleys down in the town, instead they used walkways that connected rooftops to move around and visit other women. The men used the streets below. The author writes about these customs in the book but there is no judgement. The author does an excellent job at presenting this culture as it was and not as it is seen through western eyes.
The author of Shadows of Ghadames is a French woman who obviously researched and visited the city to be able to bring the old city and it's customs to life. The character of Malika is vividly written. It is easy to imagine a young girl who wants adventure and feels confined by her circumstances. In the book it is surprising that her father is fairly open minded and agrees to let her learn to read. I wonder if that would have been common then.
Review Excerpt
"The story of an outsider who unsettles a household and helps a young person to grow is certainly nothing new, and some of the lessons here are purposeful. But Stoltz invigorates her wail with elegant prise and a deft portrayal of a girl verging on adolescence. The vivid backdrop is intoxicating, but the story;s universal concerns will touch readers most: sibling jealousy, confusion about adult customs and a growing interest in the world beyond family (Gillian Engberg)."
Uses
This book can be used to learn about and discuss women's rights.
This book can also be used to learn about the history of Libya and the Berbers.
Architecture can also be a focus of this book. The city of Ghadames was carefully built to be cool during the heat of the day and to keep warm during the cold desert nights.
Caravans and trade of the late 1800s are also topics in this book. The story could supplement a study of trade history.
Works Cited
Engberg, Gillian. 2005. The Shadows of Ghadames. Book Links 14, no. 4: 28-28. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 18, 2009).
Book Review Module 1
Fox,Mem. Shoes from Grandpa. New York: Orchard Books, 1990. Illustrated by Patricia Mullins. ISBN 0-531-05848-4
Summary
When Grandpa noticed how much Jessie had grown, he offers to buy her a new pair of shoes and he gets her a nice pair of red boots. Written in the style of the House that Jack Built, other family members begin to buy Jessie things to go with her shoes resulting in a cumulative rhyme. The illustrations by Patricia Mullins are very creative collages. This is a charming story.
Analysis
Even though Mem Fox is from Australia and this book qualifies as an international book, there is nothing particularly Australian about it. There are almost no differences in the English used in the book and the English used in the United States. The story begins with a family having a barbecue, and it is not called a barbie. The only language difference I noticed is calling a store a shop. "I'll buy you some socks from the local shops, to go with the shoes from Grandpa." In the United States that is not a common thing to say. Other than that the characters in the book could be from Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand or the United States. All of the characters are Anglos and the clothes they wear are not ethnic or noticeably from any particular country.
Review Excerpts
"Brightly colored torn-paper collages fill appealing double-page illustrations portraying Jessie increasingly laden down with everyone else's idea of the perfect addition to her outfit. Finally, shedding all her mismatched apparel, she tactfully speaks her mind: "You're all so kind that I hate to be mean, but please, would one of you buy me some jeans?"
Uses
This book could be used in several ways. Kids could use this book as a guide to write their own cumulative rhymes.
It could easily be turned into a readers' theater.
Also the illustrations could be used as example for making torn paper collages.
Works Cited
Ayres, Carey. 1990. "Shoes from Grandpa (Book)." School Library Journal 36, no. 4: 89. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 18, 2009).
Summary
When Grandpa noticed how much Jessie had grown, he offers to buy her a new pair of shoes and he gets her a nice pair of red boots. Written in the style of the House that Jack Built, other family members begin to buy Jessie things to go with her shoes resulting in a cumulative rhyme. The illustrations by Patricia Mullins are very creative collages. This is a charming story.
Analysis
Even though Mem Fox is from Australia and this book qualifies as an international book, there is nothing particularly Australian about it. There are almost no differences in the English used in the book and the English used in the United States. The story begins with a family having a barbecue, and it is not called a barbie. The only language difference I noticed is calling a store a shop. "I'll buy you some socks from the local shops, to go with the shoes from Grandpa." In the United States that is not a common thing to say. Other than that the characters in the book could be from Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand or the United States. All of the characters are Anglos and the clothes they wear are not ethnic or noticeably from any particular country.
Review Excerpts
"Brightly colored torn-paper collages fill appealing double-page illustrations portraying Jessie increasingly laden down with everyone else's idea of the perfect addition to her outfit. Finally, shedding all her mismatched apparel, she tactfully speaks her mind: "You're all so kind that I hate to be mean, but please, would one of you buy me some jeans?"
Uses
This book could be used in several ways. Kids could use this book as a guide to write their own cumulative rhymes.
It could easily be turned into a readers' theater.
Also the illustrations could be used as example for making torn paper collages.
Works Cited
Ayres, Carey. 1990. "Shoes from Grandpa (Book)." School Library Journal 36, no. 4: 89. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 18, 2009).
Book Review Module 1
Orlev,Uri. Run, Boy, Run. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003. ISBN 0-618-16465-0
Originally published in Hebrew, the book was translated by Hillel Halkin.
Summary
Run, Boy, Run is the story of a young Jewish boy hiding from the Nazis during World War II. Eight year old Srulik Frydman is taken with his family from their Polish village to the ghetto in Warsaw. Srulik and his mother are trying to find food in a dumpster when Srulik becomes separated from her. When soldiers discover him, he escapes into the woods. Amazingly Srulik finds his father on the run and his father tells him that he must do whatever it takes to survive. He must change his name and learn to act like a Christian. Srulik becomes Jurek Staniak, a Polish orphan, rather than a Jewish boy on the run. Will his new identity help him survive the war?
Analysis
Srulik is told to forget his identity as a Jewish boy, but there are cultural markers that prevent him from hiding it. He is told never to take his pants off. Srulik doesn't understand why and it is explained to him that only Jews are circumcised. This cultural marker comes up several times in the story. When he knocks on a farmhouse door, half-dead, a woman gives him a bath and feeds him. He was afraid that she would not help him after giving him a bath. Later in the story when Srulik injures his arm a doctor in the hospital refuses to operate on his arm because he is Jewish. Eventually he develops gangrene and his arm is amputated. At the end of the story when Srulik is taken to a children's home for Jewish orphans, the fact that he is circumcised convinces them that he is Jewish.
Most Holocaust books are very emotional, but this book is not. The book is written in a very matter of fact way. The boy doesn't expand on his emotions or even explain how he feels. It feels more like the boy is just trying to survive and doesn't have time to sort out his feelings.
Amazingly, this book is based on a true story. Srulik Frydman (Jurek Staniak) grew up and moved to Israel where he became a college professor. The author of this story, Uri Orlev, heard the story and was moved to tears. He decided to write about it. Orlev is a Polish man who spent time in the Warsaw ghetto as a child. In 1943 he was taken with his brother and aunt to Bergen-Belsen Concentration camp. After the war, he went to Paris with other orphaned children and eventually to Israel. Besides being interesting and well written, the experiences of the author, Uri Orlev, help make this book very authentic.
Review Excerpts
"Part survival adventure, part Holocaust history, these novels tell their story through the eyes of a Polish orphan on the run from the Nazis. Orlev is a Holocaust survivor, and his award-winning novels about being a child in the Warsaw ghetto, including The Man from the Other Side (1991), are widely read. This new story is not based on his own experience, but it does come from real life--the experience of an illiterate ghetto survivor who escaped into the Polish countryside, stealing, foraging, begging, working (Hazel Rochman, 2003)."
"Orlev tells his tale with few flourishes, the straightforward narration oddly unemotional; it is through Srulik/Jurek's actions that the reader divines his inner state, not narrative revelation. As declarative sentence leads to declarative sentence, the story marches to its conclusion, Srulik/Jurek's ultimate inability to sort out his own fact from the fiction he has been living speaking quiet volumes (Kirkus Reviews, 2003.)"
Connections
This book can be used in a Holocaust unit. Many Holocuast stories for kids take place in concentration camps and this book doesn't. it can be used to compare and contrast different World War II experiences.
Works Cited
Kirkus Reviews, October 15, 2003 (Vol. 71, No. 20).
Rochman, Hazel. 2003. Booklist, Oct. 15, 2003 (Vol. 100, No. 4).
Originally published in Hebrew, the book was translated by Hillel Halkin.
Summary
Run, Boy, Run is the story of a young Jewish boy hiding from the Nazis during World War II. Eight year old Srulik Frydman is taken with his family from their Polish village to the ghetto in Warsaw. Srulik and his mother are trying to find food in a dumpster when Srulik becomes separated from her. When soldiers discover him, he escapes into the woods. Amazingly Srulik finds his father on the run and his father tells him that he must do whatever it takes to survive. He must change his name and learn to act like a Christian. Srulik becomes Jurek Staniak, a Polish orphan, rather than a Jewish boy on the run. Will his new identity help him survive the war?
Analysis
Srulik is told to forget his identity as a Jewish boy, but there are cultural markers that prevent him from hiding it. He is told never to take his pants off. Srulik doesn't understand why and it is explained to him that only Jews are circumcised. This cultural marker comes up several times in the story. When he knocks on a farmhouse door, half-dead, a woman gives him a bath and feeds him. He was afraid that she would not help him after giving him a bath. Later in the story when Srulik injures his arm a doctor in the hospital refuses to operate on his arm because he is Jewish. Eventually he develops gangrene and his arm is amputated. At the end of the story when Srulik is taken to a children's home for Jewish orphans, the fact that he is circumcised convinces them that he is Jewish.
Most Holocaust books are very emotional, but this book is not. The book is written in a very matter of fact way. The boy doesn't expand on his emotions or even explain how he feels. It feels more like the boy is just trying to survive and doesn't have time to sort out his feelings.
Amazingly, this book is based on a true story. Srulik Frydman (Jurek Staniak) grew up and moved to Israel where he became a college professor. The author of this story, Uri Orlev, heard the story and was moved to tears. He decided to write about it. Orlev is a Polish man who spent time in the Warsaw ghetto as a child. In 1943 he was taken with his brother and aunt to Bergen-Belsen Concentration camp. After the war, he went to Paris with other orphaned children and eventually to Israel. Besides being interesting and well written, the experiences of the author, Uri Orlev, help make this book very authentic.
Review Excerpts
"Part survival adventure, part Holocaust history, these novels tell their story through the eyes of a Polish orphan on the run from the Nazis. Orlev is a Holocaust survivor, and his award-winning novels about being a child in the Warsaw ghetto, including The Man from the Other Side (1991), are widely read. This new story is not based on his own experience, but it does come from real life--the experience of an illiterate ghetto survivor who escaped into the Polish countryside, stealing, foraging, begging, working (Hazel Rochman, 2003)."
"Orlev tells his tale with few flourishes, the straightforward narration oddly unemotional; it is through Srulik/Jurek's actions that the reader divines his inner state, not narrative revelation. As declarative sentence leads to declarative sentence, the story marches to its conclusion, Srulik/Jurek's ultimate inability to sort out his own fact from the fiction he has been living speaking quiet volumes (Kirkus Reviews, 2003.)"
Connections
This book can be used in a Holocaust unit. Many Holocuast stories for kids take place in concentration camps and this book doesn't. it can be used to compare and contrast different World War II experiences.
Works Cited
Kirkus Reviews, October 15, 2003 (Vol. 71, No. 20).
Rochman, Hazel. 2003. Booklist, Oct. 15, 2003 (Vol. 100, No. 4).
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