Cockroach Cooties by Laurence Yep

Yep, Lawrence. 2000. Cockroach Cooties. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 0786804874

Summary
When Teddy's little brother Bobby talks back to the neighborhood bully, Teddy steps up to defend his little brother. "If you pick on my little brother, you make it my business (Yep, 2000 p 5-6)." Unfortunately the bully is bigger that Teddy. The boys accidentally discover that Arnie the bully is afraid of cockroaches and Bobby decides that keeping a cockroach as a pet is the best way to protect themselves. Sadly, Hercules the cockroach gets squished by the boys' father and they must devise a new plan to keep Arnie away. In the process they learn a lot about bugs and ultimately about Arnie too.

Analysis
This story takes place in Chinatown and all the characters in the book are Chinese. There are many cultural markers. Some of the cultural markers from the book... all three boys study Chinese at school. Teddy and Bobby go with their parents to a banquet. At the banquet everyone eats many courses with chop sticks. Bobby and Teddy's neighbor, Mr. Wong, brews medicines in his apartment. And Teddy and Bobby's father mentions Chinese time and American time. I have never heard this expression before but from the context I think he means arriving late. "Father tapped his watch. "I'm trying to set an example for the boys. They should use American time, not Chinese time (Yep, 2000. p. 70)."

The character who seems to contradict most Chinese stereotypes is Arnie, the bully. Arnie can barely read and write English, but he is great in Chinese school. "He'd gone from being the dummy in the American classes to being the star in the Chinese class (Yep, 2000. p. 31)." So Arnie is not the stereotypical good student. Arnie also comes from a poor, broken home. Teddy and Bobby discover that Arnie hates bugs so much because they are all over his apartment. His mother works two jobs to support them and when she has time off she must rest.

While there are so many cultural markers in this story like setting, characters, and food, the Chinese culture represented is more of a backdrop rather than a main focus. The boys act like any set of young siblings. Bullies are everywhere and being bullied at school is not a unique problem. The author does a good job of presenting a good story with an authentic Chinese-American background. I recommend this book.

Connections
This book could be used to discuss bullying.
The kids could read this book as part of an author study.
The kids could do a compare/contrast of Teddy and bobby's family and their own.
Since there are so many insect facts worked into the story, this book could be used to build science lessons about bugs.

Review Excerpts
In School Library Journal Elizabeth Maggio says, "Set in the Chinatown section of San Francisco, this modern-day tale is about two brothers, eight and nine, previously featured in Later, Gator (Hyperion, 1995). Teddy, the older child, narrates. Bobby feels responsible for getting Teddy involved with a treacherous bully at school, so he devises a plan to scare the fiend with a cockroach that he obtains from "The Bug Lady," a neighbor studying entomology."

Publishers Weekly says, "Full of the sights and sounds of San Francisco's Chinatown, the tale zips along at a brisk pace, percolating with snappy dialogue."

Works Cited
Forecasts. 2000. "forecasts: Children's Books." Publishers Weekly 247, no. 7: 200. Academic Search Complete database. Last accessed July 31, 2009.

Maggio, Elizabeth. 2000. "Cockroach Cooties (Book Review)." School Library Journal 46, no. 5: 159. Academic Search Complete database. Last accessed July 31, 2009.

Yep, Lawrence. 2000. Cockroach Cooties. New York: Hyperion.

Nothing but the Truth (and a few white lies) by Justina Chen Headley

Headley, Justina Chen. 2006. Nothing but the Truth (and a few white lies). New York: Little Brown and Company. ISBN 0316011282

Summary
Patty Ho is fourteen, extremely tall, has a difficult mother, a popular brother, and doesn't fit in. Anywhere. Since her mother is from Taiwan and her father is white, Patty doesn't feel Taiwanese or white. "It's as if God cruised through one of those Chinese fast-food buffets and bought Abe the full meal deal so he can pass for Mama's beloved son. When it came to my turn, all that was left was one of those soggy egg rolls that doesn't qualify as real Chinese food (Headley, 2006 p. 21)." Patty's brother is off to Harvard in the fall, and Patty's Taiwanese mother is determined that Patty will excel. So Patty gets sent to math camp at Stanford. During her first extended trip away from home Patty will make new friends, have her first kiss, and learn the truth about her family.

Analysis
At the beginning of this book the character of Patty's mother seemed very stereotypical. Her character speaks in short sentences with few pronouns. "You need, you need. When I was little, we so poor even though my father was a dentist. But who could pay him? Not with money (Headley, 2006. p. 12)." She brags about her son getting into Harvard and puts pressure on Patty to succeed academically. But Patty's mother turns out not to be stereotypical at all. Patty imagines that her parent's divorce is her mother's fault. Patty imagines that her mother drove her father away but that is not what happened. Patty's mother left and took her children because Patty's father is abusive. We also find out that Patty's grandparents disowned Patty's mother for marrying a white man. Patty's mother is not the stereotypical docile Chinese woman.

Patty's mother was the only character that bordered on a caricature, the other characters seem true to life. Patty and her friends seem like normal teenage girls. Patty's struggles with being mixed come across as very genuine. When Patty learns the truth about her mother and father, it gives her permission to embrace her Taiwanese heritage and it doesn't seem contrived. This book was very funny. I recommend it.

Connections
For compare and contrast this book could be paired with The House you Pass on the Way by Jacqueline Woodson, or Mexican White Boy by Matt de la Pena.
This book could also be paired with biographies of famous people of mixed heritage like Tiger Woods or Barack Obama.

Review Excerpts
In School Library Media Connection, Shelley Glantz says, "Following an incident of racial discrimination where a fellow student spits upon her, she continues to struggle with the stereotypes forced upon her by her classmates. Her over-protective, overlypushy
mother forces her into attending a summer math camp at Stanford where she meets
others from similar situations, many of whom have found ways of coping."

School Library Journal says, " This novel is a mostly successful exploration of teen "hapa" (half white, half Asian) life and the struggles unique to those who live between two distinct cultures. High school sophomore Patty Ho feels like she doesn't fit in anywhere: in her family, she is a distant second to her older brother; she sometimes feels out of place among her white friends; and she is decidedly concerned about fitting in a the math camp that she's getting ready to attend.

Works Cited
Glantz, Shelley. 2007. "Nothing but the Truth (and a Few White Lies)." Library Media Connection 25, no. 4: 75-75. Academic Search Complete database. Last accessed July 30, 2009.

Headley, Justina Chen. 2006. Nothing but the Truth (and a few white lies). New York: Little Brown and Company.

Pattee, Amy S. 2006. "Nothing but the Truth (and a Few White Lies)." School Library Journal 52, no. 7: 104-104. Academic Search Complete database. Last accessed July 30, 2009.

Allison by Allen Say

Say, Allen. 1997. Allison. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 039585895

Summary
Allison is happy living with her parents and her doll Mei Mei. One day Allison gets a package with a kimono. When she puts it on, she realizes that she doesn't look at all like her parents, she looks like her doll. Her parents explain to her that they went to another country and brought Allison and Mei Mei home. "Father said, "Mommy and I went there and brought you and Mei Mei home with us (Say, 1997)." Allison has a difficult time accepting that her parents are not her biological parents. She also questions whether or not her parents really love her. Rescuing a stray cat helps Allison understand that she is an important, loved part of the family.

Analysis
Allen Say is an amazing artist. The watercolor illustrations that accompany the text are very realistic. Each character's emotions are clearly shown on their faces. Allison is depicted with a pageboy hair cut. Her hair is straight and black and her eyes are almond shaped dark brown. Her parents are an Anglo couple. The illustrations are not stereotypical or hackneyed, but true to life. Allison's doll, Mei Mei, appears to be a porcelain type doll. Mei Mei is shown as having dark hair and eyes that are similar to Allison's. Mei Mei is wearing a kimono.

I think the author wanted to tell an adoption story and it is a nice adoption story, but there are a few issues. Where is Allison originally from? The first guess is China. Many little girls are adopted from China every year. According to the State Department, Americans adopted more than 3,000 children from China in 2008. In 2005, more than 7,000 children were adopted from China (http://adoption.state.gov/news/total_chart.html). In contrast only about 40 children annually are adopted from Japan. Japan has very strict adoption rules and only a child who is an orphan can be adopted to a foreign country (http://adoption.state.gov/country/japan.html#statistics). Allison gets a kimono and her doll wears a kimono. Kimonos are the traditional dress in Japan, not China. So that suggests that Allison is from Japan. But if she were, she would be an orphan and then her parents would explain that in the story but they don't. Also, Allison's doll is called Mei Mei. Mei means plum in both Japanese and Chinese but Mei Mei is typically a Chinese name (http://www.encyclo.co.uk/define/Mei). While I think the story is nice and the illustrations are amazing, the book is Pan-Asian. There is no particular culture represented, but rather a mix of Chinese and Japanese.

Connections
This book could be used to talk about different kinds of families and adoption.
Since Allison rescues a stray cat, this book could also be used to teach about animal adoptions.
This book could also be part of a study about families.

Review Excerpts
In Horn Book Magazine, Roger Hutton says, " Allison's parents adopted her abroad (just where is not stated, a distracting obscurity), and upon realizing that she does not look like her (Caucasian) parents, Allison becomes angry and spiteful, tearing up her parents' prized souvenirs of their own childhoods."

In School Library Journal Wendy Lukehart says, "It is finally the "adoption" of a stray cat, whose appearances frame the story, that helps Allison understand and appreciate her family While Say's watercolors are powerful--the skill with which he captures determination and longing in the muscles surrounding Allison's mouth, for example--and her anger is a believable reaction, the conclusion is abrupt and somewhat contrived."

Works Cited
Intercountry Adoption, Office of Child Issues, United States Department of State. 2009. http://adoption.state.gov Last accesses July 30, 2009.

Lukehart, Wendy. 1997. "Preschool to grade 4: Fiction." School Library Journal 43, no. 10: 109. Academic Search Complete Database. Last accessed July 30, 2009.

Say, Allen. 1997. Allison. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Sutton, Roger. 1998. "Allison." Horn Book Magazine 74, no. 1: 69-69. Academic Search Complete Database. Last Accessed July 30, 2009.

Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tail of Friendship and Freedom by Tim Tingle

Tingle, Tim. 2006. Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom. Ill by Jeanne Rorex Bridges. El Paso: Cinco Puntos Press. ISBN 0938317776

Summary
Martha Tom is a Choctaw girl living in Mississippi. Choctaw land is bordered by a river called Bok Chitto. On the other side of the river was where the plantation owners lived. Martha was sent to pick blackberries but she couldn't find any on the Choctaw side of the river. Even though she knew she shouldn't, Martha crossed the river on the hidden stone path that was just below the water. When Martha tried to go back home she got lost in the woods and stumbled upon a forbidden church service held by the slaves. One of the enslaved children, Little Mo is asked to show Martha home. When Little Mo takes her back to the river Martha shows him the stone path hidden below the water. Little Mo crosses with her and they become friends. Years later Little Mo finds out that his family is going to be split apart and his mother is going to be sold. He and his family decide to cross the river to the Choctaw side where they will be free.

Analysis
One major theme in this story is music. When Martha finds the church service and the people begin to sing, she is moved. "The old man began to preach and the people began to sing. Martha Tom had never heard music like this before, but it touched her deeply (Tingle 2006)."When Little Mo crosses Bok Chitto with Martha he is moved by the chanting of the wedding song. "Little Mo had never heard music like this before, but it touched him deeply." Both Little Mo and Martha hear music that is new and different but there is no distaste. Each of them appreciates and respects the music of the other culture.

Music also saves Little Mo. Martha liked the music she heard on the day she got lost so much that she returns every week to attend church with the African Americans. Martha translates it into Choctaw. When Mo and his family are escaping from the guards with their guns and dogs, Martha and other members of her tribe dress in white dresses and while singing the songs she learned, Martha and the other women guide Little Mo and his family across. The music and white dresses convinces the guards that they are seeing angels.

At the beginning of the book when Little Mo is going to show Martha the way back to the river, he worries about the plantation owners seeing him. His father tells him to act invisible so they won't be seen. "Well, it sounded like a fun game to play, so Little Mo took Martha Tom by the hand and off they went, just as Little Mo's daddy had taught him, not too fast, not too slow, eyes to the ground, away you go! (Tingle 2006)." The idea of blending into your surroundings made me think of a stereotype about Native Americans, that they are "one" with nature. Native Americans are often portrayed as being more in touch with nature than other ethnic groups and that idea is somewhat hackneyed. But this book avoids that because the idea doesn't come from a Native American, but from an enslaved African American. I also wonder if blending into the surroundings is a commentary on racism. Perhaps it refers to people being oblivious to others around them, especially if they are from another ethnic group.

The illustrations in this book are beautiful. The colors used are mostly muted shades of brown and green. The landscape and people are depicted realistically. The African Americans in the story are shown with dark brown skin, brown eyes and tightly curled hair. There is no exaggeration of features or clothing. The characters look as real people from that time might have looked. The Native Americans are shown with straight black hair, light brown skin and dark eyes. One of the most interesting illustrations in the book shows Martha and Little Mo as teenagers. They are standing side by side looking out at the reader. I was struck at how similar they looked. Then I realized it is the expression the artist painted on their faces, not the similarity of the faces. The illustrations in the book are very well done and complement the text very well.

Connections and Review Excerpts
This book could be used to learn about the historical relationship between Native Americans and African Americans. Fran Levin in Reading Teacher Magazine says, "This story chronicles the way in which the Choctaw people helped a family escape slavery using a secret river route. The compelling story coupled with the dignified illustrations make this book a great resource."

Jennifer Mattson in Book Links magazine suggests pairing this book with other stories that are cross-cultural and historical like Pink and Say by Patricia Polocco and The Long March by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick. Ms. Mattson also says, "In her first paintings for a picture book. Bridges conveys the humanity and resilience of both peoples in forceful acrylics, frequently centering on dignified figures standing erect before moody landscapes."

Cris Riedel in School Library Journal says, "The paintings are dark and solemn, and the artist has done a wonderful job of depicting all of the characters as individuals, with many of them looking out of the page right at readers. The layout is well designed for groups as the images are large and easily seen from a distance. There is a note on modern Choctaw culture, and one on the development of this particular work."
This story could be used as inspiration for painting portraits or landscapes.

This book won the American Indian Youth Literature Award in 2008.

Works Cited
Levin, Fran. 2007. "Encouraging Ethical Respect Through Multicultural Literature." Reading Teacher 61, no. 1: 101-104. Academic Search Complete database. Accessed July 19, 2009.

Mattson, Jennifer. 2006. "Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom." Book Links 16, no. 1: 7-8. Academic Search Complete database. Accessed July 19, 2009.

Riedel, Cris. 2006. "Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom." School Library Journal 52, no. 7: 88-88. Academic Search Complete database. Accessed July 19, 2009.

Tingle, Tim. 2006. Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom. El Paso: Cinco Puntos Press.

Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. 2000. Jingle Dancer. Ill. by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu. New York: Morrow Junior Books. ISBN 0688162428

Summary
Jenna daydreams of dancing to the beat of the powwow drum as well as her Grandma Wolfe. In order for Jenna's dress to sing as she dances, she needs four rows of jingles but there isn't enough time to order the materials to make the jingles before the next powwow. Jenna must find another way to make her dress sing. While visiting her Great-aunt Sis, Jenna borrows enough jingles to make a row and agrees to dance for her Aunt, who can no longer dance. Jenna's neighbor, Mrs. Scott will be selling food at the powwow. She gives Jenna enough jingles to make another row and Jenna agrees to dance for her also. Jenna's cousin, Elizabeth, is a lawyer and she must work on a case and will not be able to dance in the powwow. Elizabeth lends Jenna enough jingles to make a row and Jenna agrees to dance for Elizabeth as well. Finally, Jenna asks her grandmother for a row of jingles and Grandma Wolfe agrees. Grandma Wolfe helps Jenna sew her dress and at the powwow, Jenna dances for each of the four women who lent her jingles for her dress.

Analysis
The aspect of the story that struck me the most was the representation of the people in it. We learn in the author's note that Jenna is a member of the Muscogee Nation and lives in Oklahoma. Jenna is Native American but there is no stereotypical treatment of the characters, either in the text or in the illustrations. Jenna and the other women in the story are all drawn with dark hair and a light golden skin tone. The women are not depicted with braids or in buck skins but rather in modern clothes with modern hairstyles. When a woman is wearing a jingle dress and moccasins, the text makes clear that it is for a special occasion and not for everyday dress.

In some stories Native Americans are portrayed as a dying culture with few people left. In others Native Americans are portrayed as stuck in the past, clinging to old ways. While Jenna and her family have Native American traditions like eating fry bread, jingle dancing, and going to powwows, they are not radically different from other families. Jenna and her family live in a modern house complete with a garage, a TV, VCR, carpet, just like everyone else. They don't live in tipis or dress in buck skins. Besides looking modern, the women in the story are modern, complete with modern names. Jenna's Great-aunt Sis lives in a regular house, with a porch. When Jenna visits Mrs. Scott in her brand-new duplex the reader learns that Mrs. Scott has a business. That is why she gives Jenna a row of jingles, because she has to work selling food at the powwow and can't dance. Jenna's cousin Elizabeth is a lawyer who has her own apartment and is depicted dressed in a business suit with a brief case. It is refreshing to see strong, independent, intelligent, Native American women in literature.

According to the author's note, the number four is an important or possibly sacred number to many Native Americans because it symbolizes the four directions, four seasons, and more. The number four comes up repeatedly in the story. "Tink, tink, tink, tink, sang cone-shaped jingles sewn to Grandma Wolfe's dress (Smith 2000)." When Jenna imagines the beat of the powwow drum, it is in four beats. Jenna needs four rows of jingles so her dress can sing. As Jenna visits each person in the story, she heads in a different direction. All four cardinal directions are mentioned in the story. There are also four women in the story who help Jenna get enough jingles for her dress and Jenna dances for each of them. Jenna is one of four dancers at the powwow and she holds four eagle feathers in her hand when she dances. Since the number four is important to Native Americans, the reoccurring theme of four adds significance to the events.

Another cultural marker is the way that time is mentioned in the story. It can be a stereotype that Native American characters in stories are noble savages and speak in a kind of poetry. The figurative language of this story avoids that because it refers to time. The expressions, "Moon kissed the sun goodnight" and "sun fetched morning" are charming and easy to understand. Instead of being offensive the descriptions add flow and interest to the story without interrupting the narrative.

Connections
This book can be used as part of a unit on Native American dances, powwows, or costumes.
This book could be used for a character study of Jenna.
Children could do an author study on Cynthia Leitch Smith.

Review Excerpts
Ginny Gustin in School Library Journal says, "Seeing Jenna as both a modern girl in the suburban homes of her intertribal community and as one of many traditionally costumed participants at the powwow will give some readers a new view of a contemporary Native American way of life. An author's note and glossary tell more about the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, the Ojibway origins of jingle dancing, and the significance of the number four in Native American tradition. This picture book will not only satisfy a need for materials on Native American customs, but will also be a welcome addition to stories about traditions passed down by the women of a culture."

In Library Talk Magazine, Suzanne Johnson says, "Jenna, a young Native American of Muscogee and Ojibway heritage, longs to dance the jingle dance at a powwow.This dance, in which females dance with jingling cones on their dresses, is authentically depicted by Smith, who is herself a member of the Muscogee Nation."

Works Cited
Gustin, Ginny. 2000. "Jingle Dancer." School Library Journal 46, no. 7: 87. Academic Search Complete database. Accessed July 19, 2009.

Johnson, Suanne. 2000. "Jingle Dancer (Book Review)." Library Talk 13, no. 4: 51. Academic Search Complete database. Accessed July 19, 2009.

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. 2000. Jingle Dancer. New York: Morrow Junior Books.

Raccoon's Last Race

Bruchac, Joseph and James Bruchac. 2004. Raccoon's Last Race. Ill. by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0803729774

Summary
This traditional Abenaki story, retold by Joseph and James Bruchac, explains why a raccoon looks the way he does. The story begins, "Long ago, Raccoon did not look the way he does now (Bruchac and Bruchac, 2004)." Azban the Raccoon had long legs and was a very fast runner but he was also not very nice. He challenged the other animals to races and gloated when he won. Azban also played tricks on all of the other animals. But no one could catch him because he was so fast. One day Azban challenges a rock to a race. When the rock flattens Azban, who will help him get back to his original shape?

Analysis
This story is a trickster tale. In the author's note it says, "Azban is a kind of character called a Trickster, a human or animal who deliberately tries to deceive or cause trouble for others, but often ends up as the victim of his own actions (Bruchac and Bruchac, 2004)." Tricksters appear frequently in folktales worldwide and there are many Native American folktales that feature them (http://members.cox.net/academia/coyote.html). Even though tricksters are common, this story is not a flat, stereotypical retelling but rather a rich experience. The story is simple and relatively short and that helps this story to be great orally. Since this format is in a book, the illustrations must fill in for the missing voice and actions that go with oral tales.

The illustrations of the animals are well done. The animals are drawn relatively realistically with natural colors. They are not a stylized version of animals and there is no attempt to make them seem Native American. The animals do have expressive faces though. The anxiety on their faces is clear when they are racing with Azban as is their annoyance when Azban taunts them.

Trickster tales are also cautionary tales. Mr. Bruchac says that the story of Azban the Raccoon is used to discipline children. It is a behavior lesson for children because understanding that all of Raccoon's bragging and bad behavior led to his problems, it is an example of how not to act. It is a nice way of teaching a lesson without having a "wise Native American" stereotype thrown in.

Although when Azban addresses the rock, he calls him "Grandfather." Calling the rock Grandfather is meant to be a term of respect, but it comes dangerously close to sounding stereotypical. According to the Dictionary of the American West, Grandfather means different things to different tribes. In some tribes it is a term for a deity and in others it is simply a term of respect for an older man. But it does sound like a term that would be in a Native American story, authentic or not.

A common Native American theme is a connection with nature. This book has that connection. It shows that animals are not looked down upon, but are intelligent and respected. When no animals will help Azban get stretched back into his original size, he asks an ant for help. Even though the ants agree to help Azban in order to gain more respect from the other animals, the ants are good guys in the story. "And so before long, all of the ants, thousands of them, gathered around the raccoon and began to do something they do very well: work together (Bruchac and Bruchac, 2004)." If Azban had been patient and grateful the ants probably would have restored him to original size, but he brushes the ants off, calls the horrible and leaves. So Azban has learned a lesson. He is short and wide because he was prideful and he did not return to his original shape when he spurned the only animals who tried to help him. A good lesson for everyone to learn.

Review Excerpts
School Library Journal says, "The text reads aloud smoothly and keeps the action moving quickly. Done in pen-and-ink, gouache, and pastel, the illustrations accentuate the humor of the tale."

Hornbook Magazine says, "The Bruchacs’ well-paced retelling is alive with sound (zip-zip; ka-bunk, kabunk), making the story well suited to reading aloud. Aruego and Dewey’s distinctive illustrations humorously convey the animals’ irritation and Azban’s arrogance; even Big Rock manages to be expressive. The authors’ notes discuss sources and Azban’s place in Abenaki folklore as well as the tale’s clear lesson about the consequences of one’s actions."

Connections
This book can be used as a moral tale to teach children to be mindful of their actions.
This book can be part of a study of Trickster tales.
Children could perform this story either for their class or as part of a story telling contest.

Works Cited
Blevins, Win. 2008. Dictionary of the American West. Fort Worth: Texas Christian University Press.

Bruchac, Joseph and James Bruchac. 2004. Raccoon's Last Race. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

Flynn, Kitty. 2005. "Raccoon's Last Race: A Traditional Abenaki Story." Horn Book Magazine 81, no. 1: 102-103. Academic Search Complete database accessed July 19, 2009.

Nichols, K.L. 2009. Native American Trickster Tales. http://members.cox.net/academia/coyote.html. Accessed July 19, 2009.

Threadgill, Catherine, and Daryl Grabarek. 2004. "Raccoon's Last Race: A Traditional Abenaki Story." School Library Journal 50, no. 12: 127-127. Academic Search Complete database accessed July 19, 2009.

Buried Onions by Gary Soto

Soto, Gary. 1997. Buried Onions. San Diego: Harcourt Brace. ISBN 9780152013332.

Summary
Buried Onions is the story of Eddie, a Mexican American teenager living in Fresno, California. Eddie's father, uncles and cousin Jesus have all died and Eddie is trying avoid the violence that killed them. "I never ran with gangs, never kicked it with weasel-necked vatos locos, but you had to be careful, quick as a rabbit. Once a dude pointed you out in a 7-Eleven parking lot or some filthy gas station, there was no mercy, no time to explain that you were a father or a good son or an alter boy with combed hair (Soto 1997 p. 6)." Eddie has dropped out of community college and is working painting addresses on curbs while he tries to figure out how to escape the cycle of violence and poverty.

Analysis
There are Spanish words throughout the story. Many of the words are recognizable to non Spanish speakers such as the kinship terms like Mama and abuelo, or food words like tortillas. The words that are unfamiliar are words that could be described as slang terms like cholo (gang boy) or gavacho (white person). These Spanish words are not translated but the readers should be able to figure out most of the words through context. There is also a glossary in the back. The use of Spanish adds authenticity to the story because they are used accurately and naturally. The reader believes that Eddie is from a bilingual background and these words are simply part of his regular vocabulary.

One character in the story, Mr. Styles is a white man. Eddie begins doing odd jobs for him and looks to Mr. Styles as a way to a better job and future. ""Mr. Styles," I mumbled to myself and prayed. "My dear Savior Mr. Styles, please come through." (Soto 1997 p. 19)." At first reading this could be construed as a white man swooping to save the Latino character, but Mr. Soto avoids that stereotype because Mr. Styles doesn't solve Eddie's problems or remove him from poverty. In fact, Eddie's involvement with Mr. Styles leads to more problems when his truck is stolen from Eddie.

The title of the story, Buried Onions, refers to a giant onion Eddie imagines is buried in the ground. "This onion made us cry. Tears leapt from our eyelashes and stained our faces. Babies in strollers pinched up their faces and wailed for no reason. Perhaps as practice for the coming years. I though about the giant onion, that remarkable bulb of sadness (Soto 1997, p. 2)." Exactly what the onion represents is open to interpretation, but I think it is poverty. Although this story is told through the eyes of a Latino character, the main theme is escaping poverty. Many of Eddie's experiences could be happen to anyone living in a poor neighborhood. Everyday poor people are marginalized, no matter their ethnic group. Across the world poor people join gangs to fit in with a group and have people they can count on. And Eddie's solution to escape poverty by joining the military is a common one. According to the Washington Post more military recruits come from poor households, "Many of today's recruits are financially strapped, with nearly half coming from lower-middle-class to poor households, according to new Pentagon data based on Zip codes and census estimates of mean household income (www.washingotnpost.com)." So while Eddie's story is powerful and moving, it is not a stereotypical Mexican-American story, but rather a commentary on a poor Mexican American desperately trying to overcome poverty.

Connections
This book could be part of an author study about Gary Soto.
Kids could read this book to learn about personal choices and overcoming circumstances.
This book could be paired with Snitch by Allison Van Diepen or It Doesn't Have to be this Way: A Barrio Story by Luis Rodriguez.

Review Excerpts
Publishers Weekly says, "This bleak, claustrophobic novel perfectly captures the cyclical despair of Eddie, a 19-year-old Hispanic teen in depressed Fresno, Calif. Every time he tried to improve his life -- painting house numbers on curbs on the rich side of town, planting trees or doing odd jobs--his efforts are crushed. " The review goes on to say, "Although it is a realistic antidote to simplistic advice that tells kids to pull themselves up by their boot straps, this novel offers little hope and may shake up teens who haven't yet had to venture past curbs of their own suburban neighborhoods."

In School Library Journal Mary Hopf says, "Soto's writing is apt; he provides readers with strong images through the eyes and voice of Eddie. The young man frequently describes his surroundings, "I returned to my apartment, which was in a part of Fresno where fences sagged and the paint blistered on houses....Laundry wept from the lines, the faded flags of poor, ignorant, unemployable people." Additionally, the author stirs more senses with his descriptions of smells and sounds. The only drawback to the story is that it is somewhat repetitious. Characters are introduced then reenter the story with repeated delineation. Still, Soto's descriptions are poetic, and he creates deep feelings of heat and despair. A powerful and thought-provoking read."

Works Cited
Devereaux, Elizabeth, and Iane Roback. 1997. "Forecasts: Children's Books." Publishers Weekly 244, no. 32: 75. Academic Search Complete database (accessed July 10, 2009).

Hopf, Mary M. 1998. "Grades 5 & up: Fiction." School Library Journal 44, no. 1: 114. Academic Search Complete database (accessed July 10, 2009).

Soto, Gary. 1997. Buried Onions. San Diego: Harcourt Brace.

Tyson, Ann Scott. 2005. Youths in Rural US are Drawn to Military: Recruits' Job Worries Outweigh Fears. Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/03/AR2005110302528.html (accessed July 10, 2009).

Just in Case by Yuyi Morales

Morales, Yuyi. 2008. Just in Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book. New York: Roaring Brook Press. ISBN 9781596433298

Summary

It is Grandma Beetle's birthday and Señor Calavera is getting ready. Grandma Beetle is one of his best friends and he can't wait to go to her party. Suddenly Zelmiro the Ghost appears and reminds him that he has forgotten a gift for Grandma Beetle. Señor Calavera rushes home and gathers several items together that he thinks will be good gifts. As he rushes out the door again, Zelmiro asks if the gifts are what Grandma Beetle will love the most. Every time Señor Calavera goes out the door, Zelmiro's comments send him back inside to look for more presents. Will Señor Calavera ever make it to the party with the present Grandma Beetle will love the most?

Analysis

This book is beautifully illustrated. Originally from Mexico, writer and artist Yuyi Morales has won the Pura Belpré medal for illustration three times. Once for Los Gatos Black on Halloween, the second time for Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book and the third medal was for this book. The illustrations compliment the Spanish/English text perfectly because on each page there is something that is common in Mexican culture.

On the first page when we see Señor Calavera in his house, he looks like the skeletons used in Mexico to celebrate Day of the Dead. In his house are cempasúchil flowers. The cempasúchil flower is an orange marigold that is traditionally placed on alters and used in decorations during Day of the Dead celebrations. He also has painted dark wood furniture and a woven rug, both are in a traditional rustic Mexican style.

The items that Señor Calavera collects are named in Spanish with an English definition. For example he collects , "Bigotes. A mustache because she had none. Cosquillas. Tickles to make her laugh. Un CHflido. A whistle he trapped in a bag (Morales 2008)." The way it is written does not seem condescending to the monolingual or bilingual reader because the sentence provides added detail, not just repitition. The story part of the text is written in English.

One of the most interesting parts of this book are the illustrations. On each page are references to Mexican culture that an outsider might not understand. One of the gifts Señor Calavera gathers is a historieta and it is described as a one-of-a-kind comic book. It is that but it is also a short comic book based on an historical event. Another gift is a lotería which is a kind of bingo game palyed in Mexico. The first picture on the card is called the artist and it is a picture of Frida Kahlo. When Senor Calavera gathers up fifteen years to give to Grandma Beetle, the accompanying illustration is a cake with a girl on top. It is a cake for a Mexican girl's fifteenth birthday or Quinceañera. There is also a blue butterfly in a different place on each page for the kids to find.

It is really neat how this book includes so much Mexican culture in such a subtle way. It would also be very encouraging to a Mexican or Mexican American child to see their culture depicted in such a positive and beautiful manner. This book can also be a good way to introduce children to Mexican culture. I strongly recommend this book award winning book.

Connections
This book can be used to teach Mexican culture, including Day of the Dead.
Children could use this book as a model to create their own alphabet books.
This book could be used for a scavenger hunt. Kids could be divided into teams to see who can find the most Mexican cultural references.
Children could create their own historietas.

Review Excerpts
In School Library Journal Mary Jean Smith writes, "Luminous, jewel-tone spreads chronicle the collection of gifts and pay homage to a rich Mexican culture."

According to Ann Bryan Nelson in Library Media Connection, "Several of the gifts could provide book extension activities, and many clever connections could be made for hilarious activities on Halloween or Day of the Dead or for a cultural fair during reading month."

Works Cited
Morales, Yuyi. 2008. Just in Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

Nelson, Ann Bryan. 2009. "Just in Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book." Library Media Connection 27, no. 6: 62. Academic Search Complete Database (accessed July 8, 2009).

Smith, Mary Jean. 2008. "Just in Case: A Trikster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book." School Library Journal 54, no. 9: 155-156 Academic Search Complete Database (accessed July 8, 2009).

Pablo's Tree

Mora, Pat. 1994. Pablo's Tree. ill by Cecily Lang. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company. ISBN 0027674010

Summary
Told from Pablo's point of view, this is the story of a little boy and his relationship with his grandfather. Every year on his birthday, Pablo goes to spend the night with his grandfather. The visit is even more special to Pablo because he can't wait to see what his grandfather has used to decorate the birthday tree, a tree planted by grandpa the day Pablo was brought home. Every year Pablo's grandfather, Lito, decorates the birthday tree a different way and Pablo and Lito sit under the tree and remember birthdays past.

Analysis
The family in this story is Latino as evidenced by the way they look in the illustrations, their names, and the use of Spanish. Even thought the characters are Latino, it is impossible to tell which cultural background they have because there is no specific cultural reference, implied or stated.

The illustration by Cecily Lang are collage style. The characters and backgrounds are created with cut paper. Both Pablo and his mother are shown with light brown skin, dark hair and dark eyes, and there is nothing stereotypical about the way they are depicted. For instance, none of the characters are wearing sombreros or huipils. The abuelo is shown with a white mustache and hair. He also has dark eyes and brown skin.

The characters in the story are named Lito (short for abulelito), Pablo, and Mamá. Pablo is a common Spanish name. I have never heard anyone call a grandfather Lito but on the first page Pablo thinks, "I wonder if Lito, my grandfather, remembered." Then Pablo asks his mother, "Mamá, did Abuelito decorate my tree?" Using the diminutive of abuelo, abuelito, usually shows affection in Spanish. According to Rosalinda Barrera and Ruth Quiroa the use of kinship terms "is to capture and convey the emotional closeness between Latino family members (Stories Matter, 2003 p.250)."

There are Spanish phrases in the book besides kinship terms. Both the mother and Pablo use words or phrases in Spanish while the grandfather uses complete Spanish sentences. When the Grandfather speaks in Spanish, his sentences are immediately followed by the English translation. These translations are done for the monolingual reader because if Pablo speaks Spanish, it would sound odd for the grandfather to say the same thing twice. Barrera and Quiroa say that translations like this result "... in a strange, if not inauthentic, bilingual speaker who often repeats what she says in one language in the other language, creating concurrent or "double talk" (Stories Matter, 2003 p. 259)." They go on to say that when the text is presented this way, it comes across as an attempt to teach the reader Spanish since most of the text is in English ((Stories Matter, 2003 p. 259). Perhaps the Grandfather's double talk is actually for the benefit of the grandfather himself. Maybe he is the first generation to migrate to the United States and he is reinforcing his English. This is just speculation, there is no proof in the text.

There is something in the story that is not typical in stories about Latino families, Pablo is adopted by a single woman. Pablo's grandfather goes to buy the tree when the mother tells him she is going to adopt a baby. There is no discussion about the circumstances or judgements. The grandfather is thrilled to have a grandchild and doesn't care where the baby comes from. The fact that Pablo is adopted by a single woman is just part of the story and not a central theme. It is just part of the story.

Overall this is a good book. The illustrations are well done and the story is pleasant. It will appeal to most elementary kids. This book was named a Commended Book in 1994 by the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies.

Connections
This book could be used to discuss different types of families or relationships in families.
This book could also be used to discuss adoption.
Or this book could be used to discuss different ways to celebrate birthdays.

Review Excerpts
Annie Ayers in Booklist Magazine says, "As in A Birthday Basket for Tia (1992), Mora and Lang tell a story that focuses on the special relationship between a child and an older person within a Hispanic family."

Horn Book Magazine says, "Pablo is reminded that his grandfather bought the tree when Pablo's mother announced her intention to adopt a baby, nursing it carefully until the day his new grandson arrived, when it was finally time to plant it. The tree has become an important symbol of Pablo's own growth and his relationship to his grandfather."

Works Cited
Ayers, Annie. 1994. Booklist 91, no. 5: Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (accessed July 7, 2009).

Fox, Dana and Short, Kathy. 2003. Stories Matter: The Complexity of Cultural Authenticity in Children's Literature. Urbana, Il: National Council of Teachers of English.

Mora, Pat. 1994. Pablo's Tree. ill by Cecily Lang. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company.

M.V.K. and Silvey, Anita and et. al. Pablo's Tree. Horn Book Magazine 70, no. 6: Academic Search Complete (accessed July 7, 2009).