Review of LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMINSTER BOY

Schmidt, Gary D. 2004. LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMINSTER BOY. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0-618-43929-3

In 1912, Phippsburg, Maine is replete with silvery maples, pine trees, outhouses, dirt roads, and church-goers. The citizens of Phippsburg also have their fair share of racism. Turner Buckminster discovers this head on. After spending a great day with a new friend, he is accused of consorting with a “Negress.” In fact, his new friend Lizzie Bright is the only person in the community with whom Turner feels comfortable. Even when Lizzie is not around, Turner imagines conversations with her. Schmidt creates multidimensional characters using both action and dialog. Turner is a quiet and determined young man. Though he appears to be timid, he manages well-placed quips on the town’s most intimidating characters. Lizzie’s bold spirit and down-to-earth perspective are evident. Though she is a young black girl, Lizzie walks into a white woman’s home and she freely tells Turner he needs “to get his head on straight.” The spinster, Mrs. Cobb, seems to be mean and racist, but turns out to be not so easily labeled. The plot, that of a new minister and his family moving from Boston to a small town, could be seen as typical. Also typical is the fact that the son doesn’t relate well to his new community. However, the interracial relationship and some characters’ willingness to stand up in 1912 for what is right set this book apart. Though timeless, the conflicts and triumphs in this story clearly occur in another era. Phrases such as “Golly Moses,” mention of horse drawn wagons, and the lack of amenities remind the reader this piece of fiction is historical rather than contemporary. By combining frequent dialog and first person narrative, Schmidt creates an intimacy between the reader and LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMINSTER BOY. Through Lizzie’s self assurance and Turner’s relentless quest for justice glimmers of hope shine through in this tragic story .

Having garnered the distinction of both a Newbery Honor Book as well as a Michael L. Printz Honor Book, this tragic historical fiction novel is highly recommended for readers grades 5-8.

Review of SO B. IT

Weeks, Sarah. 2004. SO B. IT. New York: Laura Geringer Books. ISBN 0-06-623622-3

Bluebonnet award nominee SO B. IT offers believable characters going through real crises. Heidi, a strong-willed 12-year old girl, takes a trip across the country to discover her identity. Author Sarah Weeks’ commitment to realism is evident. Though strong-willed, Heidi does not forge boldly into the unknown, rather she steps out with timid determination. Through a likely series of events, Heidi’s uncertainty comes and goes in waves. Her bouts of strength and resolve come from her connection to her care-giver, Bernadette. Though she is not with Bernadette, frequent phone calls from the road serve as a lifeline for Heidi. Together they work to accomplish Heidi’s goal: discovering the meaning of “soof.” Weeks uses Heidi’s voice to tell the story. On her sojourn, Heidi makes lists of her observations, such as “What I know about mama” and “What I know about lying.” These lists give the reader a snapshot of Heidi’s thoughts and growth. The setting of SO B. IT is critical to the functionality of the story. The combination of Nevada, with legalized gambling, and Heidi’s lucky streak, provides a financial means to support Heidi’s journey. Also, being a young girl in America both facilitates as well as adds conflict to the plot. Though the Unites States is a fairly open and free society, there are rules about young people traveling alone. This scenario would be less plausible in a culture which is more restrictive, in particular toward females. The “tween” years are a time during which many search for their identity. This theme is sure to strike home for the target audience. SO B. IT also perceptively explores the lives and families of those with mental disabilities.

This contemporary realistic fiction is recommended for readers grades 5-8.

Review of SAMIR AND YONATAN

Carmi, Daniella. 2000. SAMIR AND YONATAN. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN 9-780-4391-3504-7

PLOT SUMMARY
In this 2001 Batchelder Award winner, a young Palestinian boy must go to the Jewish hospital for surgery. Samir has shattered his knee and only through a connection with his mother’s employer is he able to get a “special permit for an operation at the Jews’ hospital.” Though he dreads going to the hospital, Samir has experiences unlike any he has had in his village. A fellow patient, Yonatan, teaches Samir about space and they develop a friendship which will impact Samir for the rest of his life.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
SAMIR AND YONATAN begins as a story about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. A boy from the occupied West Bank, Samir fears Jews and blames them for his brother’s death. However, Samir takes a journey—not just a physical journey to the hospital, but also an emotional journey to a place of understanding, tolerance, and acceptance. Carmi uses setting and characterization to craft these journeys.

The setting varies in SAMIR AND YONATAN. Samir spends much of the book in a children’s ward in the Jewish hospital. This hospital is clean and quiet. Samir notes he would be able to concentrate better at school were it equally as quiet. This calm, bright atmosphere is juxtaposed with Samir’s village. As he lays in his hospital bed, Samir recalls the blackouts, curfew, hunger, and poverty of his home. Despite the difficulties, the familiarity comforts him, “If there’s a curfew I won’t…have to travel with Mom to the Jews’ hospital.”

Carmi’s use of characterization successfully shows Samir’s growth and acceptance of the people around him. He begins to draw connections between the people at the Jews’ hospital and his family and friends back home. This evolution can be seen in how Samir refers to the other characters. For example, a maternal figure in the story, his nurse is initially referred to as “the fat nurse.” Later, she is called Nurse Vardina. Finally, Samir refers to her simply as Vardina. Throughout the course of the story, Yonatan, an Israeli boy, becomes Samir’s friend. Often Samir does not understand Yonatan. However, the two develop a connection which has more to do with being boys than with the war-torn time in which they live.

The most drastic evolution is in Samir’s relationship with Tzahi. Tzahi is a rambunctious patient who runs around and boasts that his brother is a paratrooper. When given candies by his brother, Tzahi taunts the other children by eating them one by one and not sharing. He rarely looks at Samir, much less does he address him. Throughout the story, Samir’s view of Tzahi as “the other”—to be feared and mistrusted—evolves to a feeling of camaraderie. In the end, each boy accepts the other as a friend as together they share one last mischievous event before Samir is discharged from the hospital.

Carmi includes many cultural terms throughout the book. Originally published in Hebrew, the use of vocabulary such as pasha, dinars, kinnar, and narghile is to be expected. Inclusion of these words in the English translation keeps the cultural references in the forefront of the reader’s mind. A glossary defining non-English words is provided at the end of the book.

While this story is clearly set in Israel, the character growth could be generalized to cultural conflicts around the globe. Seeing groups as “the other” rather than inhabitants of the same planet allows fear and mistrust to fester. By living with each other, the children at the hospital discovered the common ground on which they stood. The frailty of human life is illustrated through the different ailments suffered by the patients in SAMIR AND YONATAN. Carmi’s facility for storytelling reveals that neither group is immune to this frailty nor are the children alone or forgotten in their suffering.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Publisher’s Weekly notes, “A Palestinian boy comes to terms with his younger brother's death by an Israeli soldier in this slow-paced but affecting novel originally published in Hebrew in 1994.” (April 2002)
“The bitter suffering of a Palestinian family is at the center of this moving novel, eloquently translated from the Hebrew. ... {This is a} moving drama of individual kids who become friends and help each other through pain when they get a chance to know each other.” (Booklist, 2000)

Reviews obtained from Follett Library Resources and accessed at:
http://www.flr.follett.com/search?SID=c211074453f514ff63ced2a0fe154f24
and Book Review Digest Plus (an HW Wilson database).

CONNECTIONS
Other Batchelder Award Winners:
Delacorte Press for The Pull of the Ocean written by Jean-Claude Mourlevat and translated from the French by Y. Maudet. (2007)
Arthur A. Levine Books for An Innocent Soldier written by Josef Holub and translated from the German by Michael Hofmann (2006)
Delacorte Press/Random House Children's Books, for The Shadows of Ghadames by Joëlle Stolz, translated from the French by Catherine Temerson. (2005)

Children’s books on Israel & Judaism:
Waldman, Neil. 2003. The never-ending greenness : we made Israel bloom. Honesdale, PA : Boyds Mills Press. ISBN 978-1-59078-064-0
Oberman, Sheldon. 2005. The always prayer shawl. Honesdale, PA : Boyds Mills Press. ISBN 978-1-59078-332-0
Krensky, Stephen and Greg Harlin (Ill.). 2006. Hanukkah at Valley Forge. New York: Dutton Children’s Books. ISBN 0-525-47738-1

Review of THE MAGIC PAINTBRUSH

Yep, Lawrence. 2000. THE MAGIC PAINTBRUSH. New York, NY: Harper Collins. ISBN 9-780-0602-8199-1

PLOT SUMMARY
When Steve’s parents die, he must go to live with his only remaining relative, his grandfather. Steve isn’t sure of which he is more afraid—his grandfather or new neighborhood, Chinatown. Now, the one thing that gives Steve happiness is in jeopardy. Steve loves to paint. But, his brush is old and frayed and his grandfather cannot afford a new one. In a surprising twist, Steve’s grumpy grandfather gives him a paintbrush which is imbued with magical powers. Through this gift, Steve, his grandfather and those around them learn new things about living in Chinatown and what it truly means to be happy.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
THE MAGIC PAINTBRUSH uses a common theme as his vehicle for this story about a Chinese-American boy and his grandfather. Through the use of plot, setting, and characterization Lawrence Yep writes a tale in which unexpected—and sometimes unbelievable—events occur as a means of binding this family together and helping them find happiness.

The theme in THE MAGIC PAINT BRUSH is a common one. A boy loses his parents and, therefore, must go to live with a relative whom he does not know. However, this frequently-used theme takes a turn when the grandfather gives Steve a magic brush. Everything he paints becomes real. None of the characters; neither Steve, his grandfather, nor his Uncle Fong are happy with their lives. With this paintbrush they learn to be content with their lives rather than resentful. At first, the magic is predictable and helpful. As the story progresses, the journeys they take with the paintbrush become surreal. This step into the bizarre detracts from the message of the story and the reader’s ability to suspend disbelief.

Yep’s use of characterization is this story’s best quality. Steve is an eight-year-old boy who feels he alone is grieving his parents’ death. His grandfather not only doesn’t seem to mourn their death, he apparently dislikes Steve and resents having to care for him. Steve recalls that his grandfather “never spoke to [him] except to scold him” (p. 2). However, when Steve comes home late from school, the grandfather’s worry surprises him. “You were worried about me?” (p. 7). Slowly, Steve and his grandfather realize they have much in common and differ mainly in the expression of their emotions. This difference is not only generational, but also cultural. Steve was born in the United States while his grandfather was born in China and became a “Chinatowner.”

The setting gives glimpses of several places: Chinatown in San Francisco, a peach orchard in Dragon Back village in China, and Chinatown’s “moon.” Each of these places is distinctly different and shows a different side of Chinese-American culture portrayed in THE MAGIC PAINTBRUSH. To Steve, Chinatown is a scary, foreign neighborhood of dark doorways, dingy apartment buildings and narrow alleyways. Dragon Back, Uncle Fong’s hometown, is a light, airy village surrounded by a fragrant orchard. Dragon Back’s irrigation system, called a water chain, alludes to the time and place which they are visiting. Lastly, a cassia tree, an enchanted rabbit and a small pagoda style building represent the Chinatown moon: a mythical place from the Chinatown story, The Lady on the Moon.

The plot, characters, and setting in THE MAGIC PAINTBRUSH provide a taste of Chinese-American culture, especially as it is in San Francisco’s Chinatown. While the plot twists are somewhat strange, Yep’s characters and use of varied settings give the reader a plethora of details which allow insight to this ancient yet dynamic culture.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
“Ancient popular Chinese myths as well as some more recent urban Chinese legends are woven into this story of modern America. . . . Written at an easy level, this is a great story for the elementary grades” (Multicultural Review)
“Steve learns about his grandfather's past, about Chinese legends, and about life as a "Chinatowner." Through simple yet sensitive dialogue, the author weaves a tale of alienation turning into affection, and of good prevailing over meanness.” (School Library Journal)
“Set in San Francisco's Chinatown, this novel mixes elements of fantasy and fairy tale as an eight-year-old boy gets a paintbrush that transforms his dreary life. "Snappy dialogue, realistic characters and plenty of wise humor keep the pages turning,” (Publisher’s Weekly)

Reviews obtained from Follett Library Resources and accessed at:
http://www.flr.follett.com/search?SID=c211074453f514ff63ced2a0fe154f24
and from Book Review Digest Plus database, courtesy of Texas Woman’s University Library.

CONNECTIONS
Other books by Lawrence Yep:
THE DRAGON PRINCE: A CHINESE BEAUTY & THE BEAST TALE. ISBN 978-0-06-443518-5
COCKROACH COOTIES. ISBN 978-0-7868-1338-4
THE CASE OF THE GOBLIN PEARLS. ISBN 978-0-06-440552-2

Other picture books and young adult novels about Chinese Americans:
Yamate, Sandra S. 2000. CHAR SIU BAO BOY. NY: Polychrome. ISBN 978-1-879965-19-5
Roth, Susan L. 2001. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. KANG. National Geographic Society. ISBN 978-0-7922-7723-1
Yin. 2001. COOLIES. NY: Philomel Books. ISBN 978-0-399-23227-5
Yin. 2006. BROTHERS. NY: Philomel Books. ISBN 978-0-399-23406-4

Review of TONING THE SWEEP

Johnson, Angela. 1993. TONING THE SWEEP. New York, NY: Orchard Books. ISBN 978-0-531-086261

PLOT SUMMARY
Emmie and her mother are going to the desert to collect Ola, Emmie’s grandmother. Unlike her annual summer visits to Ola’s house, this time Emmie is helping her move to Cleveland to live with them. Before they leave, Emmie sets out to gather memories for Ola by videotaping her friends and neighbors. Not only does she learn how much her grandmother is loved, but also why her own mother is sometimes so sad and angry. In this slow-moving novel, a young girl helps her mother and grandmother through a process of healing and closure. Author Angela Johnson attempts to reveal how emotional hurt runs as deeply as that of physical ailments in TONING THE SWEEP.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
TONING THE SWEEP is the story of a 14-year old African-American girl who travels to her grandmother’s house with her mother. The girl, Emmie, has visited Ola, her grandmother, every summer since she was two. This visit, however, is different. Through the use of language, characterization and setting, Angela Johnson writes a story which allows the reader to watch a family deal with life-threatening disease and the loss of loved ones through a uniquely African-American lens.

As the characters talk to one another, their relationships as well as their culture are exposed. “Girl, you’d better put that hat on…” (p. 8). “I hope you never get to see hate, baby” (p. 33). The characters’ concern and love for one another comes through in their dialog. Further, terms of endearment such as baby, girl, honey, and sister are terms often used in African-American culture. Other phrases which connote generational as much as ethnic culture are used throughout the novel. As Emmie practices using the video camera she admits, “guess I’ll get it when I chill a little” (p. 19).

While ethnicity is never an overt topic in TONING THE SWEEP, characterization provides hints throughout the story. The main character, Emmie, has a variety of characteristics. Her grandmother affirms she is a “smart ass”—a typical teenage trait. However, Emmie admits to not having a clue about how to be cool. She thinks to herself that most of her friends wouldn’t admit to liking their grandmothers as she does. Ola is an irreverent and bold character. At one point in the story she tells Emmie, “Hair should be kept at home—not loaned out to people who want to put strange objects and creams in it…when you know your pets will be scared of you when you get back to the house” (p. 44). This statement can be attributed to Ola’s lack of vanity. However, it may also be a rejection of the phenomenon of Black people buying into the White definition of beauty. Ola surrounds herself with good friends such as the aunts. The aunts are described in the story as wild and free. They tell stories, braid hair, and roll on the floor laughing. With Johnson’s description, it is easy to draw a mental picture of these senior African-American sisters.

The dry, seemingly infertile setting of the desert is juxtaposed with the thriving, fertile personalities which inhabit it. While Ola initially wonders what she will be able to grow in “the dry,” it is clear she has nurtured many lush relationships. These relationships helped her to survive losing her husband and growing apart from her daughter. Despite her loses, Ola’s warm and easy relationship with her granddaughter flourishes like kudzu vine in this barren setting.

The language, characterization and setting in TONING THE SWEEP contribute to the plot and cultural relevance of the story. As the characters interact with the setting and one another, the reader senses the familial bonds and culture which Johnson has set forth.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
“Johnson's spare, beautifully written first novel—a thematic extension of Tell Me a Story, Mama (1989)—portrays a crucial turning point for African-American women from three generations.” (Kirkus Reviews)
“PW, in a starred review, praised this “thoughtfully nuanced and penetrating” novel about three generations of women from an African American family who must cope with a beloved grandmother's illness.” (Publisher’s Weekly)
Coretta Scott King Award, 1994

Reviews obtained from Follett Library Resources and accessed at:
http://www.flr.follett.com/main?SID=b8eed00e8fcf7b8bd35cecbbffabda05

CONNECTIONS
Other books by Angela Johnson:
Bird, ISBN 978-0-14-240544-4
The Other Side: Shorter poems, ISBN 978-0-531-07167-0
The First Part Last, ISBN 978-0-689-84923-7
Heaven, ISBN 978-0-689-82229-2

Books by Jacqueline Woodson:
Behind You, ISBN 978-0-14-240390-7
Between Madison and Palmetto, ISBN 978-0-399-23757-7
Locomotion, ISBN 978-0-14-240149-1