The following reviews were made as part of an assignment for the Literature for Children course through Sam Houston State University.
Beyond the Bright Sea
Wolk, L. (2017). Beyond the bright sea. New
York: Puffin Books. ISBN 978-1-549-06704-4
Crow and Osh live on their own little island in the Elizabeth
Islands off Massachusetts. Secured in a skiff, Crow was a brand-new baby, only
hours old, when she washed ashore near Osh’s home. He took her in and cared for
her as his own, naming her after the sounds of her hoarse cries when he found
her, helped along the way by Miss Maggie who lives on the larger island of Cuttyhunk.
The story takes place when Crow is 12 years old, a time when most children are
deciding who they are and want to be. It is no different with Crow, she wants
to know more about the parents that sent her out to sea and why the islanders
treated her differently. Miss Maggie has taught Crow to read and write as well
as other lessons they call “salt & pepper” lessons about the interesting
things they naturally encounter in day-to-day life. As she processes the things,
she knows she begins to realize things no one knew for sure. She was born on
the nearby island that was a place for lepers and she was sent away to give her
a chance at a better life than that of a child of lepers would find otherwise.
She learns about the family that was hers by birth and realizes in the end that
the only family she needs is the patchwork one that she has known her entire
life.
I had a little trouble getting into this book but once I
did, I did not want to put it down. This was the type of book that makes me
want to skip ahead to figure out what is coming even though I already know. It
is a beautiful story of the family we make and the real emotions about what is
and what could have been or could be. It is a beautiful story balancing
curiosity and contentment that appropriately leaves you satisfied but wanting
more. The book reads mostly as if it is contemporary but clues such as the
wooden ships that sail through the islands establish the historical time period
which the author tells us in the book notes at the end as the 1920s.
From CommonSense Media: “The book explores themes of family
(especially adoption), identity, and belonging. Great messages about how the
family you make isn't less real or important than family you're born into, and
the main characters all are positive role models for love, loyalty, and
unwavering support of one another.” Retrieved from: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/beyond-the-bright-sea.
Included at the end of the book are discussion questions for
a book club. This would also be an interesting class read with students
studying theme, characters, or plot summary.
You may also like: Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder or
Songs for a Whale by Lynne Kelly
The Storm in the Barn
Phelan, M. (2009). The storm in the barn. Candlewick
Press. ISBN 978-0-7636-3618-0
In this graphic novel we meet Jack, a young boy growing up during
the Dust Bowl in Kansas. His family, like many others, struggle to survive when
rainstorms have been replaced by dust storms. His sister Dorothy suffers from
dust pneumonia and Jack suffers from the weight of his father’s disappointment.
Dorothy finds adventure through reading about the fictitious Dorothy’s adventures
in Oz while Jack lives his own. After his neighbors leave for California as did
so many others during this time in history, he sees something in their barn.
Not sure what to make of it he tries to figure out what it is and stumbles upon
two odd things – a puddle in the empty barn in the middle of a drought and a
non-human, ominous figure that chases him away. While Jack’s parents decide
they too must leave for California as soon as his dad can get the car running
again, Jack struggles to find a way to be helpful. After witnessing a rabbit drive,
he decides to take on that figure in the barn that looks like the face of rain.
While battling he draws the figure out into the open by running off with its
bag which is ripped open allowing thunder to escape and the much-needed rain finally
comes and with it his father’s relief and appreciation.
The illustrations are skillfully done in pencil, ink, and
watercolor. Primarily neutral browns, grays, and pale orangey yellows are used
to pull the reader into the historical setting, I could almost feel the gritty
haze that would have covered everything during this time and a tickle in my nose
from the dusty air. Creating a tall tale in this time and place, author/illustrator
Matt Phelan has created a story rich with facts in a simple format. I would
have liked a little more narration to explain a few images, but the reader is
left to decide the details through their own interpretation.
From Historical Novel Society: ”The text is minimal, with many
wordless panels, letting Phelan’s drawings masterfully convey characters’
emotions with just a few changes of line. The soft edges are suited to the
dusty setting and evoke a real sense of place. Children will love the theme of
empowerment, when small, weak Jack finds a way to solve a problem that the
adults can’t.” Retrieved from: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/the-storm-in-the-barn/
This book would be a great resource during a history unit
on the Great Depression and Dust Bowl to pull students into the time and place.
The publisher offers Teacher’s Guide with discussion questions and activities
that can be found at https://www.btsb.com/libcorner/lp/TG-Storm-in-the-Barn.pdf.
Under the Blood-Red Sun
Salisbury, G. (1994). Under the blood-red sun. New
York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 0-385-32099-X
Tomikazu, the American born son of Japanese immigrants,
lives a normal life in Hawai’i. His father is a fisherman who is gone to sea
for days or weeks at a time. His mother works as a maid for the family whose
land they live on. His grandfather lives with them and stirs up trouble whenever
he misses his homeland too much and waves – in many cases literally – his ethnic
pride for anyone to see. Although the family is proud of their heritage, the
others know to be careful as the world is at war once again even though it is
far away. December 7, 1941, changes Tomi’s and his family’s lives. The Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor makes life much more difficult for the family when his
mother losses her job, his father is shot at when returning to the island from
a fishing voyage and arrested, and eventually his grandfather is arrested as
well. Tomi experiences unwavering loyalty from his friends on his baseball team
as he learns how to be the man of the house and adjust to the changes that occur
quickly after the attack.
The first of the Prisoners of the Empire series, this book illustrates,
without malice, the common human reaction to an attack from “outside.” During
World War II it was the Germans, Italians, and Japanese – the focus of this story.
Tomi’s story tells how things that are ordinary and meaningless can suddenly be
the detail that causes others to question intent and loyalty. Even worse, it
often becomes proof of guilt for far too many who are innocent. Perhaps my
favorite aspect of the book was how the author writes conversations phonetically
so that the reader can more authentically hear the separate voices of the mix
of characters with influences of Japanese, Pidgin (Hawai’ian Creole English),
English, and some Hawai’ian as well.
From Publisher’s Weekly “Salisbury skillfully describes
Tomi's emotional highs and lows and has a particular knack for realistically
portraying the camaraderie and dialogue between boyhood chums. …readers are
rewarded with steadily building dramatic tension in the novel's second half and
a satisfyingly open-ended finale.” Retrieved from: https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-385-32099-3
A great addition to any unit that covers World War II, it also
provides a boy’s eyewitness perspective of the attack that could be read as a
part of class on December 7th with or without further exploration of
the events of that day. Penguin Random House Audio has a teacher’s guide with
activities related to this book for a variety of content areas that can be
found at: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/teachers-guide/159970/under-the-blood-red-sun/.
The Night Diary
Hiranandani, V. (2018). The night diary. New
York: Kokila. ISBN 978-1-725-42438-8
Each night, twelve-year-old Nisha writes in her diary. She
describes the events of the day in the form of letters to her mother who died
when she and her twin brother were born. Nisha and her brother Amil are opposites
– she is quiet, contemplative, and book-smart, he is loud, speaks without thinking,
and is an artist. Their parents love brought together two families from
different religions. Religions that were (and still are) at odds as India
prepared for independence from Britain. The leaders decide to partition India,
separating out the northwestern area of the country for Muslims and creating the
nation of Pakistan. Everyone else would live in what remained India. Nisha’s
family are Hindu, but her mother was Muslim, they live in the area that is to
become Pakistan and must relocate. The story of the partitioning of India and
the resulting violence between the religions is told through the simplistic
eyes of a child who can’t understand why everyone can not just get along. The
family must leave their home under cover of darkness and travel many miles
across the desert landscape during the rainy season, except there is no rain.
As they encounter families coming and going there is danger and small mistakes
may have big consequences.
This was an emotional story that would not be too
overwhelming for young readers. Although there are a few instances of violence
they are appropriate to the telling of the story. The author describes Indian
society of the time that is still reflected in the country today. Having
traveled to India prior to the pandemic I could practically taste the dishes
that Nisha helps their cook prepare for the family but I imagine the
descriptions could make most mouths water.
Kirkus Reviews “Hiranandani (The Whole Story of Half a Girl,
2013) compassionately portrays one of the bloodiest periods in world history
through diary entries Nisha writes to her deceased mother. Nisha’s voice is the
right mix of innocence and strength, and her transformation is both believable
and heartbreaking.” Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/veera-hiranandani/the-night-diary/
This book would be great to use in a world history or world
cultures class. Teaching Books has some audio resources such as meet the author
and an audio excerpt as well as a variety of activities available at https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=58107.
You may also like: The War That Saved My Life or The
War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.
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