Module 14: Time You Let Me In

Citation
Nye, N.  (2010).  Time You Let Me In.  New York: Greenwillow.

Summary
Texan Naomi Shihab Nye has accumulated a sampling of poetry from 26 poets under 25 (she miscounted: originally, it was supposed to be 25 poets under 25 as it reads on the cover).  The poets give voice to a variety of experiences, from war to immigration to love. 

Impressions
I will confess that this book surprised me.  There are some extremely talented young writers out there: watch out, world!  In fact, as I was reading the poems, a wire tripped, and I felt motivated to write my own verse (which, for now, will stay with me).  My favorites in this book include the following:
1) "Pupil" by Brianne Carpenter; it deals with the famous National Geographic photograph of a green-eyed Afghan girl. 
2) "invitation" by Mackenzie Connellee; the author writes about writing poetry.
3) "To Be Two" by Amal Khan; this excellent selection concludes with an interesting reflection on binary code in relationship to human perception.
4) "Living with a Bodhisattva Cat is Intimidating" by Margaret Bashaar; the cat "destroys all my knitting to teach me about impermanence." 
If poetry is the verbal distillation of emotion or experience which I believe it to be then this selection ranks as poetry of the highest order.  I would definitely seek it out for a middle or high school library and promote it with gusto.  I'm considering buying my own copy, and I will probably visit the websites of some of the authors to tell them how much I enjoyed their work.

Review
Rochman, H.  (2010).  Time you let me in [book review].  Booklist, 106(9), 58.
Moderation can wait––plenty of time for that later,” says acclaimed poet and anthologist Nye. She knows how to reach teens, and this lively collection by young contemporary writers is rooted in the strong, emotional particulars of family, friendship, childhood memories, school, dislocation, war, and more; interestingly, there is almost no talk of sex or romance. The spare lines are passionate, wry, irreverent, and eloquent about meaning found in daily-life scenarios. One poet describes a meditative moment with her cat that “destroys all my knitting to teach me about impermanence.” Another prays for a soldier, a “ kindergarten best friend” who has returned from Baghdad. In several selections, immigrants remember their arrival in the U.S. In a brief, appended biography, one poet describes her draw to poetry: “Unresolved, uncomfortable, and sometimes repulsive moments of memory can be made somehow graceful through writing.” Teens will connect with the passionate, unmoderated feelings that are given clarity and shape in each poem. Grades 7-12 

Suggestions for Use
As we have discussed in class, sometimes poetry is analyzed ad nauseum, and I would hate to do to much with this book.  It needs to be read and appreciated in all of its unmediated beauty.  However, I think that this book could serve as inspiration for young people to write their own poetry.  Perhaps the librarian could sponsor a poetry festival for which students would write, (pre-)submit, and read their own work (with supervision from the librarian and/or administrators).  Personally, I would seek to have some of these poets come visit my school.  Bringing such young writers and poets into the school environment would have the effect of demystifying poets and encouraging creative verbal expression from students.

Module 13: American-Born Chinese

Citation
Yang, G.  (2006).  American-Born Chinese.  New York: First Second.

Summary
In this graphic novel, Yang weaves together three different stories: tales about the Chinese folk hero Monkey King, a boy named Jin Wang, and the adventures of "average" American Danny and his (deliberately) stereotyped Chinese cousin.  Monkey King aspires to be a god.  Jin Wang wants the attention of a pretty girl in his seventh-grade class.  Danny finds himself constantly embarrassed by his cousin, Chin-Kee.   Yang leads readers to reconsider whether these are three distinct stories or really all the same -- just like the Transformer Jin holds on the cover..."more than meets the eye."

Impressions
First of all, I was hard-pressed to decide between this book and Pyongang for my blog selection this week.  Pyongang's account of North Korea pains, disturbs, and fascinates me.  However, American-Born Chinese stole my heart and mind with its depiction of Jin (and other characters), its thoughtful illustration, and the twist of its conclusion.  The narrative and graphics work seamlessly in depicting the stories of Monkey, Jin, and Danny.  The son of Taiwanese immigrants, American-born Jin wishes to fit in with mainstream American culture, but he finds himself isolated and teased.  Suffice it to say that Jin uncovers the importance of embracing his own American-born Chinese life, and Yang's understated eloquence and humor in telling this compelling tale prompts readers to examine themselves, in turn.


Review
Karp, J.  (2006).  American-born Chinese [book review].  Booklist, 103(1), 114.  Retrieved from Children's Literature Comprehensive Database
With vibrant colors and visual panache, indie writer-illustrator Yang (Rosary Comic Book) focuses on three characters in tales that touch on facets of Chinese American life. Jin is a boy faced with the casual racism of fellow students and the pressure of his crush on a Caucasian girl; the Monkey King, a character from Chinese folklore, has attained great power but feels he is being held back because of what the gods perceive as his lowly status; and Danny, a popular high-school student, suffers through an annual visit from his cousin Chin-Kee, a walking, talking compendium of exaggerated Chinese stereotypes. Each of the characters is flawed but familiar, and, in a clever postmodern twist, all share a deep, unforeseen connection. Yang helps the humor shine by using his art to exaggerate or contradict the words, creating a synthesis that marks an accomplished graphic storyteller. The stories have a simple, engaging sweep to them, but their weighty subjects--shame, racism, and friendship--receive thoughtful, powerful examination. Category: Books for Older Readers--Fiction. 2006, Roaring Brook/First Second, $16.95.

Suggestions for Use
This book deserves an honored spot in middle and high school libraries.  It could begin a thought-provoking discussion in an English or social studies class regarding stereotyping.  As secondary students are often struggling with their own identities, this book would provide insight into human motives for behavior.  For more advanced students, this book and Huckleberry Finn compared side by could provide an interesting discussion regarding stereotypes and humor in social commentary.

Module 1: Introduction; The Plot Chickens

I am thrilled to be starting this class.  While I have learned a great deal in all of my SLIS classes, I relish the opportunity to read for more than information.  For the first module, I chose to read four books: I Loved You Before You Were Born, The Runaway Bunny, Bats at the Library, and The Plot Chickens.

The first two were under the subtitle, "Books adults like that are not necessarily good books."  Before I continue with my formal review for this blog entry, I would like to make a plug for a heartwarming and qualitative parent-child book that, in my opinion, takes a poignant, humorous view of children's quest for independence and parents' struggle to let go: Pig Pig Rides Again, by David McPhail.

Delving into "Books about reading," I have chosen to review The Plot Chickens for this module.

Summary
Mary Jane and Herm Auch collaborate in this "punny" little book, in which enthusiastic reader Henrietta the Chicken and her aunts attempt to write a story, introducing pointers for good writing and tidbits about the publication process along the way.

Bibliography
Auch, M.J. & Auch, Herm.  (2009).  The Plot Chickens.  New York: Holiday House.

Impressions
I initially found the cartoonish nature of the cover and font to be rather off-putting.  However, I found myself engaged by "Buk"-loving Henrietta, her aunts, and the text's plentiful puns -- e.g., "eggstasy," "eggshilarating," the Hunt & Peck typewriter.  The illustrations are a combination of digital imagery and oil painting, and examination of the pages reveals attention to texture, detail, and expression.  The story-within-a-story convention works well for illustrating elements of fiction writing, such as employing a sensory-rich vocabulary and plot development.  Henrietta and her four dramatic aunts attempt to have their story of Maxine the chicken and a predatory wolf published.  The story would be a funny read-aloud for children, but elements of its more subtle humor would also appeal to adults: "Henrietta vowed not to brood over her rejection."  Perhaps it is simply my corny sense of humor, which would fit right in The Corn Book of the story, but despite my initial misgivings, this book won me over as a good selection for elementary-aged children.

Professional Review
Bates, I.  (2009).  The plot chickens [book review].  School Library Journal, 55(3), 105-106.  Retrieved from EBSCOhost

Excerpt: "It's a funny picture book that could be used as a manual on writing."

Library Use
Based upon my own opinion and the professional review, The Plot Chickens would be an excellent choice for reading aloud by a school librarian and for introducing puns and elements of good writing.   In collaboration with a classroom teacher, the librarian could design a lesson during which groups of children receive a basic plot to embellish and flesh out along the lines of Henrietta's story.  This activity would be completed after a reading and short discussion of the book.

This would also be fun to use with a young writer's workshop for grades 2 and up.  Even though it is below the reading level of many late elementary students, its content is valuable and cleverly presented enough to be relevant to older children.