Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman by Alan Schroeder and Jerry Pinkney

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1. Bibliography

Schroeder, Alan, and Jerry Pinkney. Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1996. ISBN 0803718896

2. Plot Summary

Minty is a fictional story about Harriet Tubman as a child. While the premise for the story is based in fact, the story itself is fiction. Harriet Tubman’s birth name was Araminta, or Minty for short. In this story, Minty was a difficult slave as a child. She was punished for it and sent to the fields to work. After a failed attempt at escaping while working the muskrat traps (and a brutal beating for it), Minty’s father began teaching her things she would need to know to survive if she ever successfully escaped. When an opportunity arrives for her to escape, she loses courage, but she dreams of a road through the forest that “one day, when she had the courage, would carry her to freedom.”

3. Critical Analysis

While Minty is a fictional story, the preface of the book explains that Alan Schroeder and Jerry Pinkney conducted much research on Harriet Tubman and on the style and details of plantations in Maryland in the 1820’s. Schroeder says while “some scenes have been invented for narrative purposes, the basic facts are true.” Minty lived on the Brodas plantation on Maryland’s Eastern Shore in the 1820’s. She was a difficult slave who was sent to work in the fields because she was too clumsy to be a house slave. This book depicts the reality and hardships of slavery. It causes the reader to have great empathy for the slaves and to desperately long for freedom for them.

Schroeder uses language and dialect to accurately portray the characters in this story. Minty and her family speak in African American dialect. One example of this is when Minty’s mother, Old Rit, says to Minty, “There’s somethin’ I got to say t’ you.” She proceeds to tell her a saying her daddy used to tell her. “‘If your head is in the lion’s mouth, it’s best to pat him a little.’ Your head’s in his mouth, Minty, but you sure ain’t doin’ any pattin’. You’re just fixin’ to get your head bit off.” Mrs. Brodas’s speech is indicative of Maryland in the 1820’s as well. She says, “Don’t lie to me, girl, ‘less you want a whippin’. Next time, you better jump to when I call.” Shroeder’s use of expressions and dialect bring the characters in this book to life.

The most obvious theme in this story is courage. Minty is courageous as a child, and her courage only grows as she grows. From her interactions with Mrs. Brodas to her attempt at escaping, her character exhibits great courage. Minty’s father exhibits courage by teaching Minty how to survive if and when she does escape the plantation. It take a courageous slave - one who knows the brutality of punishment - to empower his young daughter like that and essentially aid her escape. The Author’s Note at the end of the book goes on to speak of Minty’s courage later in life. In 1849, when she was about 29 years old, she successfully escaped the Brodas plantation. She had great courage to pursue her right of freedom. She went on to courageously free many through the Underground Railroad.

Jerry Pinkney uses pencil and watercolor to show what life was like for Minty and her family on the Brodas plantation. He portrays them with dark skin, simple clothing, and bandannas. Pinkney’s research about details regarding dress, food, and living conditions of the slaves and slave owners in Maryland during that time are obvious in his detailed paintings. In his research, he even learned about the style of plantations during that time, and his paintings depict that. Pinkney’s illustrations transport the reader directly to the Brodas plantation in 1820.

4. Review Excerpts

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (May 1, 1996): "This beautifully illustrated and moving fictional story can be used to introduce Harriet Tubman and the injustice of slavery to young audiences."

KIRKUS (April 15, 1996): "This exquisitely crafted book resonates well beyond its few pages."

Coretta Scott King Award Winner, 1997

5. Connections

Gather other books written by Alan Schroeder such as:

Satchmo’s Blues. (ISBN 978-0440414728)

Smoky Mountain Rose: An Appalachian Cinderella. (ISBN 978-0140566734)

Gather other books illustrated by Jerry Pinkney such as:

John Henry. (ISBN 978-0140566222)

Uncle Remus: The Complete Tails. (ISBN 978-0803724518)

• Read this book in conjunction with learning about slavery and the Underground Railroad.
• Have students conduct research on Harriet Tubman’s life and present their research.

The Shadows of Ghadames by Joëlle Stolz

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1. Bibliography

Stolz, Joëlle.The Shadows of Ghadames. Translated by Catherine Temerson. New York: Random House, Inc, 2004. ISBN 0385731043

2. Plot Summary

Eleven-year-old Malika lives in nineteenth century Ghadames, a city located in southern Libya near the borders of Algeria and Tunisia. She is nearly 12 years old, which means she is almost old enough to be married. As she is coming of age, she is discovering the beauty of what her new age will hold, as well as mourning the freedom she leaves behind in her childhood. In Ghadames there are two separate worlds - one for men and one for women. Women in Ghadames spend their days on the rooftops, which are “like a city above the city, an open, sunny town for women only, where they walk about, lead their own lives, visit one another, and never talk to men.” Malika knows that as a married woman she will be confined to the rooftops, but she is learning to be content with that. Throughout her experiences in this book - from her father’s travel to taking a strange man into her home who teaches her how to read, Malika’s eyes are opened to the world and to cultures beyond Ghadames.

3. Critical Analysis

Joëlle Stolz allows readers to see nineteenth century Ghadames through the eyes of 11-year-old Malika. She uses the unique combination of childlike innocence and curiosity to relate details about the separate lives of Muslim men and women in this small town in Libya. Rarely would a reader - someone from a different culture - get such insight into the lives of these women. Stolz portrays them accurately, showing their contentedness and even joy to live separately from men, up on the rooftops, rather than imprisonment and confinement as our culture would often have us believe.

Stolz portrays the communal and familial relationships of the Libyan culture in her book. There is a great sense of community among women. They live on the rooftops together - seemingly all as one big family. They know each other’s lives so well that the slightest difference in routine would attract attention. When Malika and her family were trying to hide the fact that Abdelkarim was hiding in their food pantry, Malika’s mother wouldn’t dare enter the pantry. “For here, without seeming to, every woman watches the others and someone may be surprised to see us prowling around the food pantry.”

The Muslim culture is portrayed well by Stolz in her depiction of women. Women who are of age do not leave the home unless they are veiled, and women of “high birth” do not leave the home at all. Women are not to learn Arabic, which is a struggle that Malika has throughout the book. She wants to learn to read Arabic, but her mother doesn’t want her to, saying that men would not want to marry a woman who knows how to read and write. Stolz shows that in this culture women are not equal to men. When Abdelkarim is told he must dress up as a woman to safely leave Malika’s home, he says, “What about my dignity? It’s out of the question, I’ll never agree! I’d rather die.” However, through teaching Malika Arabic and hearing conversations of women on the rooftop, Abdelkarim comes to see that “the world of women is not as stupid as [he] thought.”

Stolz also portrays the culture of this small town in Libya through her talk about wives. Many men have two wives - the wife at home and the “wife from the journey.” This results in people with two colors of skin - dark skin from the wife from the south, and light skin from the wife at home. Light skin is thought to be more beautiful. Malika’s mother is her father’s first wife, of high birth, but Bilkusu is her father’s “wife from the journey.” Malika loves Bilkusu and prefers to spend time with her over her mother. Because of her low birth she leaves the home more often, and she often takes Malika with her.

Throughout the novel, Malika’s eyes are opened to the world beyond Ghadames. She says, “It had never occurred to me before then that there were people who lived differently from us.” In the end of the book, when her father brings back gifts from his journey to Istanbul, showing Turkish culture, Malika realizes how much more of the world there is beyond Ghadames. She say, “Ghadames, which seemed huge to me till now, is actually tiny - a few dried-mud houses surrounded by palm trees.” She comes away with a desire to travel and see the world, something completely out of the ordinary for a woman in her culture.

Stolz’s novel captured my attention from the beginning. My husband and I lived in Turkey for almost three years. During that time I got to live among women in a Muslim culture and see their lives for what they really are - not what our media and culture says they are. In my opinion, Stolz mostly depicts women accurately. While it might be a sad transition from girlhood to womanhood, women love their lives indoors. It is not burdensome and does not deprive them of freedom for them to not leave the home. To them it is more beautiful that way, and Stolz portrays those thoughts accurately, especially in the character of Malika’s mother.

4. Review Excerpts

From BOOKLIST (December 1, 2004): "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 a world beyond family."

From KIRKUS (October 1, 2004): "Setting her tale at the end of the 19th century, Stolz not only weaves the sights, sounds, and daily rhythms of life in Ghadames into a vivid tapestry, she creates a cast of distinct characters, each of which displays a unique blend of strengths and weaknesses, as well as sometimes unexpected intelligence and compassion. "

5. Connections

Read books similar to The Shadows of Ghadames such as:

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis. ISBN 9781554987658

Samir and Yonatan by Daniella Carmi. ISBN 9780439135238

Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind. ISBN 9780307977885

Rules of Summer by Shaun Tan

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1. Bibliography

Tan, Shaun. Rules of Summer. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2013. ISBN 9780545639125

2. Plot Summary

Summer of Rules follows the adventures of two brothers during a summer together. Each page depicts a new adventure and then gives a rule that has resulted from it. The rules are made by the older brother who seems to have the upper hand in their sibling relationship. He takes advantage of his age by making rules that only benefit himself, and that provide a valuable lesson for his younger brother. Rules such as “Never give your keys to a stranger,” because you might get stuck outside while the stranger takes your place on the couch. On their own, the rules wouldn’t make any sense to the reader. However, Shaun Tan’s beautiful illustrations give meaning and humor to each one.

3. Critical Analysis

This creatively written book filled with beautiful illustrations takes the reader on a summer adventure with two brothers. The book seems like a simple story at first, but when taking a closer look at the rules and the illustrations accompanying them, the reader gets an in-depth look at one of the aspects of a sibling relationship that anyone who has a sibling knows - the one in which the older sibling has the advantage. The older brother in this story uses his size, age, and cleverness throughout their summer to teach his younger brother lessons - mostly lessons about who is in charge! The younger brother learns to “Never forget the password,” because he’ll end up on his knees at the door begging his brother to come in. He learns to “Never argue with an umpire,” because you’ll never win - especially when the umpire is your brother. He learns to “Never wait for an apology,” because he’ll most likely be waiting until the end of time.

Shaun Tan finds inspiration for this story and illustrations from his own experiences growing up in Australia with an older brother. The buildings in Tan’s illustrations are inspired by Brunswick and Melbourne - sights that were most likely familiar to him as a child. Tan portrays the building in a way that makes them seem huge, the way they would be seen from a child’s perspective. Tan’s use of his own experiences in Australia, combined with his illustrations that are inspired by Australian architecture, are cultural markers in this book.

Each one of Tan’s drawings are beautifully unique and give incredible attention to detail. Just like childhood often seems like a dream of long ago, Tan’s illustrations portray this dream-like time in a person’s life. It was a time when imaginations ran wild, and we were all trying to figure out how just how relationships worked, whether with siblings, friends, or parents. Shaun Tan takes readers back in time to remember their own summer adventures with siblings and friends.

4. Review Excerpts

From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (May 1, 2014): "Sumptuous and sincere—this title is a winner."

From BOOKLIST (April 15, 2014): "Tan (The Bird King, 2013) continues to wow readers with his expansive, surreal images."

5. Connections

Gather other books written and illustrated by Shaun Tan such as:

Lost and Found. ISBN 9780545229241

Tales from Outer Suburbia. ISBN 9780545055871

The Red Tree. ISBN 9780734401724

Visit the following website for a Teacher’s Guide to Rules of Summer that includes activities for language and visual literacy, discussion, and creative arts:

http://www.rulesofsummer.com.au/downloads/Rules_of_summer_9780734410672_teachers_guide.pdf

Hello, Baby! by Mem Fox and Steve Jenkins

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1. Bibliography

Fox, Mem, and Steve Jenkins. Hello, Baby! New York: Beach Lane Books, 2009. ISBN 9781416985136

2. Plot Summary

This clever children’s book begins with the simple question to a baby of “Who are you?” That question is followed by more questions and speculations that the baby could be one of many different animals, including some animals that any child would be tickled by, like a monkey, a gecko, and a warthog. Each animal is made unique by a simple, rhyming description. However, in the end, when the baby has answered “no” to every question, one final question is asked: “Are you my treasure? The answer is Yes!”

3. Critical Analysis

In this beautiful children’s book, Mem Fox appeals to young children with the use of repetition, rhythm, and rhyme. Fox’s repetition allows Children to anticipate which new animal will be coming on the following page. With each new animal they’ll be prepared to answer the question as to who they are with a resounding “no!” Once they get to the end, they’ll feel loved by knowing that they stand out among all creatures as a treasure. Fox’s use of rhythm and rhyme along with the repetition from page to page gives the story a gentle flow - one that would appeal to a child. Cultural markers in this book include animals from all over the world. From the “lion with dust on its paws” to the “elephant wielding a tusk,” and the “warthog hilarious and hairy,” each animal represents various parts of the world.

The vibrant illustrations of Steve Jenkins in this book also highlight the culturally diverse animals in question. He uses paperwork art to piece together pictures of these animals that are both life-like and lovably appealing to children. The animal artwork and words on each page are placed on a white background, so when children look at each page they will be mesmerized by each new animal that is seemingly jumping off the page. On the final page, Jenkins perfectly portrays the baby as a treasure with the simple illustration of an adult’s hand reaching out for the baby’s hand. Mem Fox and Steve Jenkins have created a sweet book that will create memories for parents and children for years.

4. Review Excerpts

~BOOKLIST (May 15, 2009): "As in her best-selling title Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes (2008), a Booklist Editors’ Choice selection, Fox creates an affectionate, singsong picture book directed straight at small children."

~KIRKUS (April 1, 2009): "This picture book brims with fascinating animals,brilliant words and engaging artwork; it begs for cozy nightly readings. "

5. Connections

Gather other books written by Mem Fox such as:

• Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes. ISBN 9780547366203
• Koala Lou. ISBN 9780152000769
• Time for Bed. ISBN 9780152010669

Gather other books illustrated by Steve Jenkins such as:

• What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? ISBN 061899713X

• Biggest, Strongest, Fastest. ISBN 9780395861363
• Eye to Eye: How Animals See The World. ISBN 0547959079

Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Q9V2Cvb98 to watch a video of Mem Fox reading Hello, Baby!

Have children create a new page to include in the book. They can draw an animal that was not included and write their own line or question for a baby about the animal.

Lunch Lady and the Bake Sale Bandit by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

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1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Krosoczka, Jarrett J. Lunch Lady and the Bake Sale Bandit. New York, Random House, Inc.: 2010. ISBN: 9780375867293

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Today is the day for students to bring their goodies for the bake sale that will raise money for their upcoming field trip. When the goodies go missing, Lunch Lady doesn’t skip a beat. She immediately begins looking for clues to find who stole them. When the school day ends, the Breakfast Bunch takes it upon themselves to find the bake sale bandit. When they discover the bandit is Brenda the bus driver, she snatches them away on a bus ride. But they’re not gone for long. Their superhero Lunch Lady comes to save the day - and the bake sale.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Lunch Lady and the Bake Sale Bandit takes place in a school - one of the most familiar settings for young adults. The book starts out on the school bus and takes the reader through the locker-lined school hallways, to the cafeteria, and into classrooms. The book briefly moves away from the school setting for the Lunch Lady to make her superhero move, but it quickly returns. Not only are the school sights familiar to the reader, but sounds and smells are as well - from the school bell ringing to the cafeteria’s soggy tacos. Students can easily relate to the characters in the novel because of their own school experiences.

The main characters in the book are a group of students called the Breakfast Bunch. They seem to be typical students, with just a little bit of rebellion in them - or courage, depending on how you see it. They skip after school detention for the sake of catching the bake sale bandit. Other characters include the high school principal, bus driver, the janitor, and the superhero lunch lady. The bus driver is a deceptive character who drives recklessly and is mean to the kids, but who is on her best behavior when the principal is around and comes across as a model employee to him. The lunch lady, one of the most unlikely characters to steal the show in a book, turns out to be the hero of the book. She even uses her apron as a parachute after defeating the evil bus driver. Students will be endeared to the lunch lady character and might even walk through the cafeteria line with a new-found respect for their own lunch lady.

The reader is introduced to the evil bus driver from the very beginning of the book, creating a plot that involves a quest to overcome her, the villain of the book. Since most students only know their bus drivers as quiet, private people who simply drive along their route opening and closing the bus door at each stop, it makes sense that one would secretly be a villain. A villain bus driver might even go as far as stealing goodies from a bake sale. Choosing the secretive bus driver to play a villain makes the plot logical and believable.

The theme of good versus evil reigns throughout the book. The bus driver steals the bake sale goodies and the “good guys” spend the rest of the book trying to find the thief. In the end, the good lunch lady battles the evil bus driver, and she wins. Good overcomes evil and the bake sale goes on as planned.

The illustrations in this graphic novel are laid out well. The pages are not too crowded or busy. Most pages only hold three or four panels, which allows the reader to focus on what is happening in that panel and follow the flow of the story more easily. Each illustration is drawn using black, gray, and yellow. While these simple colors seem like they might leave the reader wanting more, each color is used to highlight something important from the story. For example, the speech bubbles that say “STOP!” and “WHISTLE” are shaded in yellow to emphasize them. These colors are used well to draw the reader’s eyes to the most important item in each panel.

Krosoczka’s creativity in writing this book and others in the Lunch Lady series will go a long way with young adult readers. He has chosen a topic and characters that students will relate to and will be left craving to read more of their adventures.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

From BOOKLIST - “The high action of the yellow-washed, black-and-white cartoon panels is echoed in the narrative’s pacing. The end clearly sets up the gang’s next adventure.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other books in the Lunch Lady series such as:

• Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute. 0375846832
• Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians. 0375846840
• Lunch Lady and the Author Visit Vendetta. 0375860940

Gather other books written by Jarrett J. Krosoczka to read such as:

• Comics Squad: Recess!. ISBN 0385370032

• Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked. ISBN 0062071645
• Peanut Butter and Jellyfish. ISBN 0375870369

Have students create and draw their own superhero character. Then have them write their own graphic short story about the character and his/her adventures.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

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1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anderson, Laurie Halse. Speak. New York, Farrar, Straus and Giroux: 1999. ISBN: 0374371520

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Melinda Sordino is an outcast from the first day of her Freshman year at Merryweather High. She called the cops at an end-of-summer party, resulting in several student arrests, and now her friends want nothing to do with her. She is harassed and ridiculed. What no one knows is the real reason Melinda made that phone call. She was raped by a popular senior boy whom she refers to as “IT.” “I see IT in the hallway. IT goes to Merryweather … IT is my nightmare and I can’t wake up.” Instead of telling someone - anyone - she hides away inside her head and stops speaking. With the help of Mr. Freeman, her art teacher, she learns how to draw a tree that is alive and breathing, and in the process she gains her own life back - and her voice.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Laurie Halse Anderson creates a character in Melinda who has no voice. She says, “Every time I try to talk to my parents or a teacher, I sputter or freeze.... It's like I have some kind of spastic laryngitis.” Ironically, by creating a character with no voice, she gives her a voice that is loud and clear. She is a voice speaking out on behalf of all young adults who have been the victim of sexual assault or rape. She says that there is life and breath beyond the hurt and pain. While Anderson creates a good story about a high school freshman who is outcast because of a bad decision at a party, Melinda’s journey to regain her voice, and her life, is the true story.

The story in this novel is true to life and portrays a typical high school experience. There are cliques, clans, bullies, hunks, and jocks. Rumors are spread quickly, and reputations are at stake. Melinda’s voice inside her head is characteristic of the typical high schooler. She makes up nicknames for the teachers and administration like, “Principal Principal” and “Mr. Neck.” She plays on words and calls Phys Ed “Fizz Ed” instead. These small details are appealing to high schools because they can relate to her feelings about her teachers. The reader is pulling for Melinda and for the truth to be revealed to everyone.

The setting for Speak is Syracuse, New York. A date isn’t given in the book, but the reader can assume it takes place in the 1990s. While much of the novel is set in Merryweather High School and Melinda’s house, the action mostly takes place inside Melinda’s head. The reader gets a front row seat to Melinda’s thoughts and feelings.

There are several themes throughout this novel - isolation, finding your voice, fear, life, and more. The one that stands out most is the theme of life. This theme begins when Mr. Freeman, the art teacher, assigns Melinda an object that she will spend the rest of the year learning how to turn into a piece of art. She is assigned a tree. Trees are a universal symbol for life - for growth and redemption. Melinda struggles throughout the book to turn a tree into a piece of art that doesn’t look dead. It is only at the end of the book, when she regains her own life, that she finally gets her tree right. She says, “My tree is definitely breathing; little shallow breaths like it just shot up through the ground this morning … Roots knob out of the ground and the crown reaches for the sun, tall and healthy. The new growth is the best part.” She is finally alive again, after her “long undersnow dormancy” and her new growth is the best part. She has survived.

Anderson’s organization of this novel is much like the organization of a high schooler’s life. It’s divided into four sections - a section for each of the marking periods for the school year. Each section concludes with Melinda’s report card for that marking period. By organizing the book this way, Anderson relates to high school students whose lives beat to the same rhythm. She also relates to adult readers who are well past this stage of life. She transports them back to the days when it seemed like what people thought of you made you who you were. In the end, all high schoolers are trying to find their voice and their life - who they are - whether it’s due to painful experiences or not. Anderson writes a novel about a difficult topic, and at the same time composes a universal story.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2000 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature Honor Book

From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - “Anderson expresses the emotions and the struggles of teenagers perfectly. Melinda's pain is palpable, and readers will totally empathize with her. This is a compelling book, with sharp, crisp writing that draws readers in, engulfing them in the story.”

From BOOKLIST - “Melinda's sarcastic wit, honesty, and courage make her a memorable character whose ultimate triumph will inspire and empower readers.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other books written by Laurie Halse Anderson to read such as:

• Fever 1793. ISBN 0689848919

• Wintergirls. ISBN 067001110X
• The Impossible Knife of Memory. ISBN 0670012092

Visit Laurie Halse Anderson’s official website here http://teachers.madwomanintheforest.com/youngadult-speak/ for a teacher’s guide (including a guide for student discussion on rape, social action projects, a poem written by Anderson for analysis and comparison, and more).

Have students keep a journal while they read the book. Journal topics include: first day of school, high school cliques, lies they tell you in school, embarrassing or humiliating moments, what your report cards say about you, etc.