A.Bibliographic Data:
Nye, Naomi Shihab. 1999. Habibi. Simon & Shuster Children's Publishing Division: New York, New York. ISBN 0-689-80149-1(hc.) ISBN 0-689-82523-4 (pbk.).
B. Plot Summary:
Habibi is a coming of age story of a young girl named Liyana who was born and lived in the United States until she was fourteen years old when her father decides that the family needs to move to Jerusalem with their Pakistanian family. Liyana is not very happy about moving but gradually begins to let go and starts learning about and taking in her families culture. She meets a young boy and they become intimate friends, and who she discovers is Jewish. She introduces him to her family who at first has difficulty accepting him because he is Jewish but who soon overcome their prejudices and accept him.
C. Critical Analysis:
Naomi Shihabb Nye has created a wonderful story in which we see events that are actually occuring in the middle east through the eyes of a teenage girl who is an intermediate and is struggling to understand why the fighting can't simply stop. Naomi does a great job using examples in this book that help readers relate to the story. She uses scenes such as the one where the Abbouds are discussing why people fight and Mrs. Abboud tells her children, “How many fights are there in families, very day. People in families love each other, or want to love each other, but they fight anyway. With strangers you don't care so much. Think about it.” After reading this Naomi really does make readers stop and think about the concept of fighting and how natural it is, and the story becomes more intriguing. The cultural markers in this book are the detailed descriptions of the places that Liyana is experiencing for the first time, and the historical accuracy in the story.
D. Review Excerpt:
From Horn Book Magazine:
“The message isn't preachy and remains almost secondary to the story of Liyana's search for her identity as she goes from feeling homesick to feeling very much at home. Habibi, or darling, is what Liyana's father calls her and her younger brother; it is a soothing, loving word, and Liyana gradually finds herself comfortable "living in the land of Habibi," where she is showered with love by her huge extended family. The leisurely progression of the narrative matches the slow and stately pace of daily life in this ancient land, and the text's poetic turns of phrase accurately reflect Liyana's passion for words and language.” By Jennifer Brabander.
E. Connections
Divide students into two groups, have one group and research and represent the Jewish community, and the other group research and represent the Pakistanian community. The two groups will represent their research to each other, then they will sit as a whole group and brainstorm strategies to help stop the fighting.
Work with technology instructor and have students set up buddy mail with students from Jerusalem and keep a journal of the interaction going on between each other.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Moses Goes to a Concert by Isaac Millman.
A.Bibliographic Data:
Millman, Isaac. 1998. Moses Goes to a Concert. Frances Foster Books: New York, New York.
B. Plot Summary:
Moses is a young boy with a hearing impairment. He uses sign language to communicate with people, and his sense of touch to feel the vibrations of sounds. On a special field trip to a concert Moses meets Ms. Marjorie Elwyn who is the percussionist in the concert and is also deaf. She shares her experience of being deaf and working hard to accomplish her dream of becoming a percussionist. Moses goes home to tell his parents that he learned that if you really set your mind to something you can accomplish and that he wants to become a percussionist.
C. Critical Analysis:
Isaac Millman's illustrations compliment the story, and Moses and his classmates are depicted are drawn just like the other children. Moses's and his classmate's disability is mentioned in the beginning of the story and is reinforced through out the story with the small pictures of Moses signing words of the event that that specific text is referring. Moses's disability is not the focus of the story, the focus of the story is that through strong will you can accomplish anything. In the story we are provided with an example of a young woman who although is deaf is part of something that most people would think requires the ability to hear. In this book Isaac proves that a hearing impairment doesn't stop you from doing many things that regular people can do. Moses character is is very bright and vivid and full of life along with all of the other characters in the story.
D. Review Excerpt:
From School Library Journal:
“Cheerful watercolor illustrations show the multiethnic children enjoying themselves at the concert, while smaller cartoon strips feature Moses's additional comments in sign language. A page displaying the manual alphabet and a conversion in sign language in which Moses tells his parents about his day enhance the upbeat story.” By Sally R. Dow.
E. Connections
Have student use hypothesis to determine if certain conductors allow them to feel vibrations produced by sound. Like the balloon used in the story.
Have students play game where one student signs words to students who write down the translation to accumulate points. Winner gets prize!
Millman, Isaac. 1998. Moses Goes to a Concert. Frances Foster Books: New York, New York.
B. Plot Summary:
Moses is a young boy with a hearing impairment. He uses sign language to communicate with people, and his sense of touch to feel the vibrations of sounds. On a special field trip to a concert Moses meets Ms. Marjorie Elwyn who is the percussionist in the concert and is also deaf. She shares her experience of being deaf and working hard to accomplish her dream of becoming a percussionist. Moses goes home to tell his parents that he learned that if you really set your mind to something you can accomplish and that he wants to become a percussionist.
C. Critical Analysis:
Isaac Millman's illustrations compliment the story, and Moses and his classmates are depicted are drawn just like the other children. Moses's and his classmate's disability is mentioned in the beginning of the story and is reinforced through out the story with the small pictures of Moses signing words of the event that that specific text is referring. Moses's disability is not the focus of the story, the focus of the story is that through strong will you can accomplish anything. In the story we are provided with an example of a young woman who although is deaf is part of something that most people would think requires the ability to hear. In this book Isaac proves that a hearing impairment doesn't stop you from doing many things that regular people can do. Moses character is is very bright and vivid and full of life along with all of the other characters in the story.
D. Review Excerpt:
From School Library Journal:
“Cheerful watercolor illustrations show the multiethnic children enjoying themselves at the concert, while smaller cartoon strips feature Moses's additional comments in sign language. A page displaying the manual alphabet and a conversion in sign language in which Moses tells his parents about his day enhance the upbeat story.” By Sally R. Dow.
E. Connections
Have student use hypothesis to determine if certain conductors allow them to feel vibrations produced by sound. Like the balloon used in the story.
Have students play game where one student signs words to students who write down the translation to accumulate points. Winner gets prize!
King and King by Linda de Haan & Stern Nijland.
A.Bibliographic Data:
Haan, Linda & Stern Nijland. 2000. King & King. Tricycle Press: Berkeley, California. ISBN 1-58246-061-2.
B. Plot Summary:
This fairy tale is the story of a young prince who lived in a castle with his mother the queen, and the crown-kitty. The queen is urging her son to marry and nags him until he finally agrees, although he warns his mother that he has never cared much for princesses. The queen arranges for princesses to go to their castle so that her son can choose one. Princess after princess is dismissed because the prince was not “hitting it off” with any of them, and the queen and prince realize that this is not an easy task. The prince finally falls in love with the brother of one of the princesses. The two princes marry and they they proceed to live happily ever after.
C. Critical Analysis:
The story has all of the elements of a fairy tale and the story line is amusing but I agree with the following review excerpt from the School Library Journal below. Considering that this is an issue that some students may not have been exposed to the artwork in the book is a bit distracting.
D. Review Excerpt:
From School Library Journal:
“Originally published in the Netherlands, this is a commendable fledgling effort with good intentions toward its subject matter. Unfortunately, though, the book is hobbled by thin characterization and ugly artwork; the homosexual prince comes across as fragile and languid, while the dour, matronly queen is a dead ringer for England's Victoria at her aesthetic worst. Some of the details in the artwork are interesting, including the "crown kitty" performing antics in the periphery. However, that isn't enough to compensate for page after page of cluttered, disjointed, ill-conceived art. The book does present same-sex marriage as a viable, acceptable way of life within an immediately recognizable narrative form, the fairy tale. However, those looking for picture books about alternative lifestyles may want to keep looking for a barrier-breaking classic on the subject.” By: Threadgill, Catherine, Mandell, Phyllis Levy, Minkel, Walter.
E. Connections:
Have the students create a collage of a fairy tale of their choice.
Have the students study the components of a fairy tale, group them, and have them create a fairy tale of their own, they will then choose their own method of presentation (Powerpoint presentation, acting out the scenes etc.)
Haan, Linda & Stern Nijland. 2000. King & King. Tricycle Press: Berkeley, California. ISBN 1-58246-061-2.
B. Plot Summary:
This fairy tale is the story of a young prince who lived in a castle with his mother the queen, and the crown-kitty. The queen is urging her son to marry and nags him until he finally agrees, although he warns his mother that he has never cared much for princesses. The queen arranges for princesses to go to their castle so that her son can choose one. Princess after princess is dismissed because the prince was not “hitting it off” with any of them, and the queen and prince realize that this is not an easy task. The prince finally falls in love with the brother of one of the princesses. The two princes marry and they they proceed to live happily ever after.
C. Critical Analysis:
The story has all of the elements of a fairy tale and the story line is amusing but I agree with the following review excerpt from the School Library Journal below. Considering that this is an issue that some students may not have been exposed to the artwork in the book is a bit distracting.
D. Review Excerpt:
From School Library Journal:
“Originally published in the Netherlands, this is a commendable fledgling effort with good intentions toward its subject matter. Unfortunately, though, the book is hobbled by thin characterization and ugly artwork; the homosexual prince comes across as fragile and languid, while the dour, matronly queen is a dead ringer for England's Victoria at her aesthetic worst. Some of the details in the artwork are interesting, including the "crown kitty" performing antics in the periphery. However, that isn't enough to compensate for page after page of cluttered, disjointed, ill-conceived art. The book does present same-sex marriage as a viable, acceptable way of life within an immediately recognizable narrative form, the fairy tale. However, those looking for picture books about alternative lifestyles may want to keep looking for a barrier-breaking classic on the subject.” By: Threadgill, Catherine, Mandell, Phyllis Levy, Minkel, Walter.
E. Connections:
Have the students create a collage of a fairy tale of their choice.
Have the students study the components of a fairy tale, group them, and have them create a fairy tale of their own, they will then choose their own method of presentation (Powerpoint presentation, acting out the scenes etc.)
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