Weedflower

At first, Weedflower was a slow read. I approached it more like a history textbook than a children’s fiction book. However, I began to identify with Sumiko after her awful experience with the birthday party. I felt so sad because she had no idea how racist her community was. I remember being that age and being very excited when I would get invited to someone’s birthday party. I would have been crushed if I arrived at a birthday party and could not stay because of a reason that did not make sense to me or one that I had completely no control over.

As I continued to read, I really admired the work ethic of her family and how she and her brother stuck together and helped each other through their parents’ death. I even enjoyed her grandfather. He reminded me of my grandmother – lovable, but a little bit cranky. I feel that almost any child can relate to this book because Sumiko’s family is very unique but still a family. This book would be excellent for children raised by family members who are not their blood parents or who had to immigrate and work very hard for what they have.

I have never really been exposed to much information regarding Pearl Harbor and how Japanese Americans were treated following that event. I felt ashamed when I began reading when Sumiko’s family was split up amongst internment camps. I did not know that these existed until I was in high school. It is ironic how the American curriculum exposes us to the genocide and hatred that filled concentration camps in Europe but did not teach us about how they wanted to concentrate and “keep an eye on” an entire ethnicity of people.

I was happy to see that Sumiko had adjusted to life in the concentration camp, but as I grew more attached to her, it broke my heart when she said she probably was never going to own her own flower shop and gave up on her dream. She was so determined before and still was determined with her garden, but lost her dream. I wanted to see her still have faith in herself and follow through with the flower shop. She began to feel inferior and like she couldn’t follow her dreams because of her race and how it was viewed, not because of her capabilities as a person. Because of the lack of respect that was shown to her and her family she lost respect for herself.

This book made me wonder what I would do if I was in Sumiko’s position. It would just about break me to be away from my family and be so unsure of what was to come. I’m not sure I could make do with my life at an internment camp. I would live in constant fear of being separated from family, again, and I don’t think I would be too quick to judge and make new friends. Who knows, soon after I might have to leave them behind too. I would definitely try to shield myself from all that hurt, and by doing so, complete exhaust myself. I could not be as strong as Sumiko was throughout this entire story.

Sumiko all in all was a very strong protagonist and great example for young readers. She takes something as horrible as a weed flower (the internment camp) and makes it into something beautiful. She goes through more than the average elementary reader does, but by reading this book children do not only receive a taste of American history but of a completely different perspective. I might not have children in my classroom that must work on a farm, take care of their grandfather, and basically be a parent to their little siblings, but this is a great book to expose them to how different life was then and how different everyone’s life can be.

Ida B

Ida B ties with Becoming Naomi León for my favorite books in this course. I could not put the book down. I was upset with Ida B throughout most of the reading, but I also loved her. She is a little girl who seems to be on top of the world, then she receives horrible news that her mother is suffering from cancer. The life she knew of her wild imagination and being home-schooled with just her parents was completely shaken. Much like Naomi, I admire her for getting through her struggle and coming out even stronger than she was before.

Ida B is a good person. While she is completely mean to Claire and ignores most of her classmates after her mom becomes ill and is forced to go back to school, she knows what it is right and what is wrong. The things and people she loves, she loves with her entire heart. She appreciates her parents even though she is upset with them. I cheered for her throughout the whole book and patiently waited for her to return to her old self, because it’s Ida B, the reader just knows that she can’t stay a drab person with a tiny stone heart.

This book also captures the absolute essence of feelings and emotions and has a wide display of how different people deal with emotion. It shows her mom deals with emotions through overt expression, much like me. Her father deals with them silently, and Ida B deals with them by trying to bury them deep down and forget about it or just be mean because it is easier than being sad. While I personally believe the best way to deal with emotions is to address them, many students throughout all elementary grades can relate to one or more of these ways when it comes to dealing with emotions.

One of the most beautiful parts of the book that is incredibly touching is when Ida B and her father go for a walk after dinner. It captures feeling so well when it reads, “And neither of us said a word, but I swear I heard my daddy speak. Like the old tree speaks. Not in words, but a feeling that went straight into my heart (243).” She is only a girl yet knows that sometimes emotions are stronger than words could ever describe them. Words do not always adequately describe what a person is feeling. This is so beautiful and left me with such a warm feeling to have this recognized in children’s book.

Ida B is also great because many types of students can relate. A student with a vivid imagination, one who was home-schooled, one who someone close to them had/has cancer, one with the passion to read, etc will find joy in this book. It speaks to so many people with different messages to take away.

I loved Claire. She is such a wonderful person. Ida B is nothing but mean and nasty to her at first, yet she continues to be nice and even tries to be her friend. After Ida B scares Claire and her brother on the farm, Claire does not try to retaliate or talk badly about Ida, like Ida expects. She simply does not want anything to do with Ida and tries to mind her own business. This is a great example for upper elementary and middle school girls to look at, since that is the time when girls become a little bit mean and start forming cliques.

The best message that I take away from this book is two-fold. It shows that hiding your emotions can be much more difficult than sharing them with someone. It takes more energy for Ida B to be “mean Ida B” than it does for her to be herself. She wants to be herself, but is afraid of getting hurt. However, it is not worth it because she sees she is missing on some of the most meaningful things in life. The other message this book shows is that something you think is bad can work out well in the end. Ida B’s mom had cancer and the family had to sell part of the farm, but in the end, they were still a family and Ida B even learned to enjoy school.

This book will most definitely be on my shelf in my classroom because it is high quality not only in the writing, but the themes it presents and explains. It has the ability to start great classroom conversations and give children a good introduction to dealing with emotional hardship, if they have not been exposed to it before.

Finding Your Voice

Becoming Naomi Leon was one of the most moving books I have ever read. It is a page turner that I simply could not put down once I started. It is about a girl who lives with her brother and great-grandmother in a trailer in San Diego. Her mom left them when they were very little and their dad has never been a part of their lives. Life is a little difficult, Owen suffers from a few physical disabilities, Gram is getting older, and Naomi has difficulty making friends at school and finding her voice to fight and stick up for what she believes. She and Owen have a few emotional issues. However, Gram and their neighbors/friends do the best in raising them.

I really identified with Naomi because for most of the book, she tries to make the best of her difficult situations. Her mom comes back, out of know where with a no good boyfriend and an alcohol problem, but Naomi gives her the benefit of the doubt. I often do this with people who repeatedly hurt me. It’s like sometimes I am under an illusion that this time around I won’t get hurt, if I do get hurt, I deserve it, I know better, or that somehow/someway this situation is just better than previous ones that were seemingly identical. Naomi for most of the book remains her timid self, worries herself sleepless, and really hopes that things will work out, like I often do. However, we differ because in the end she finds her voice and stands up for herself and the people she loves. She’s 10. I’m nearly 21 and still have trouble mustering up the courage to find my own voice. I eventually stand up for myself, but it takes a lot for me to get there. I was so proud of Naomi when she told the judge and jury all that happened. I even pumped my fist in the air after I read that part because I was so happy. My heart also went out to Owen. When “Skyla” returns, she clearly does not want anything to do with Owen and thinks that he can just be “fixed.” I was almost brought to tears because I cannot imagine having a child (or anyone in my family) and acting as though they do not exist, judging them for something in which they have no control, and the reason they are constantly bullied. Gram’s compassion and care kept me from tears because she sees and appreciates Owen for the sweet and thoughtful boy he is. I wanted to give Owen a hug as I read this book.

Another part of the book that pulled my heartstrings is when they all travel to Mexico in order to escape Skyla and Claude and have a little bit of fun for the holidays. When Naomi sees and connects with her father, it is inspiring. While I have known my father my entire life, and have had a great relationship with him, it is great for readers who haven’t met their dad to see that a happy reunion is possible. Yet, it is not overdone or over exaggerated. They do not run to each other and become the best father and daughter relationship model. In fact, nothing really changes, but everything changes. At the end of the book, she will still stay with Gram and attend the school in Lemon Tree she’s always gone to, but she knows who she is now – she has made peace with the León part of her and knows that the life she is living is the life she wants to live –with Gram and Owen. In the end, she finds her voice and stands up for the people she loves. She finds satisfaction at 10 that many people spend their entire lives searching for.

I want to teach this book in my class. It is not only an inspirational story because of what Naomi does for her family, but it is inspirational because it seems many multicultural students can identify with Naomi or her situation (I imagine, I can’t fairly say this since I am not in that category). A student being raised by people other than their birth parents can identify with Naomi because she does not live with her parents. A student who does not know who their father is or what he is like can identify with Naomi and Owen because they have never been around their father until years after they are born (at least at what they can remember). Furthermore, any student with a strained relationship with their mom can identify, or a child who does not feel the love of their mother can identify with both Naomi and Owen. They many cultures of families are represented within this book. Mexican culture is presented beautifully with the carvings Bernardo and Naomi make, and the festival they attend at Christmas time. Mexican-Americans can identify with this because of the vocabulary and some of the situations, but overall anyone who has ever had any familial strain, had to overcome being timid, find out who they are, or overcome a physical and emotional handicap can find common ground with this book. I did, and to think, when I picked up this book and read the back cover, I thought I really wasn’t going to enjoy it.

Aside from being inspirational and easy to identify with, I want to teach this book in my classroom because I can introduce in a multicultural unit, a family unit, or a unit on award winning books. You can take this book and go in any direction to teach with. The bottom line is it is of high quality and exposes children to the diversity of ethnicity, families, and how to find your own voice.

The Mysterious Howling

The book The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place – The Mysterious Howling made me laugh, yet pulled on my heart strings. It is about three children who are seemingly raised by wolves, yet are very intelligent. The lady of the house, Lady Constance, sees them as nothing but wild beasts and her husband, Lord Ashton, sees them as prized possessions. The governess – Miss Lumley seems to be the only ones willing to give the children a chance and is not scared off by them. Before she begins teaching them, they look and act like wolves. However, she sees that these children are just that – children, and that they need the normal experiences, love, and schooling that all other children across England at the time were receiving.

I really enjoyed how the author was a bit sarcastic, such as on page 100 when talking about the renaming of the capital of Norway, and how throughout the book the author sarcastically defines pretty well known terms and people, such as Charles Dickens, on page 251. Even though it takes place a long time ago in a country that I am not familiar with, I feel I can relate to the main characters better because the author directly addresses the reader throughout the book. The sarcasm is both witty and funny.

This book pulled on my heartstrings because the premise of the book is that three children were found in the forest and it is assumed by their behavior that they were raised by wolves. Lord Ashton is hunting and nearly kills them before he takes them back to his grand house. I cannot even begin to imagine how it feels to be a young child raised by wolves, see other wild animals be hunted, and then nearly be hunted yourself! Ashton’s wife, Lady Constance, wants nothing to do with them and thinks that they should be thrown back into the wild. I feel awful for these children because they did not decide their fate. Their parents did not want them and abandoned them in forest, it can only be assumed. And now the person that took them in only seems to want them to show off to his friends and brag about how they are savage beasts. I am so thankful for Miss Lumley because she shows them the tender loving care they deserve and does it with a smile. It would be a challenge to take responsibility for teaching three students like these children, but I think I would because I would feel so bad for their situation. And after the reader and Miss Lumley get to know them, the children are not so bad. They are in fact sweet and smart, which made me even a little bit sadder when reading. They care so much for Miss Lumley. It is such a shame the way the Ashtons treat them since they seem to have hearts of gold.

I am very pleased that this book is part of a series because I could not put it down and want to keep on reading. It reminded me a lot of The Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. It is witty, funny, pokes fun at somewhat evil or troubled people, and cannot be put down! Both of these series are amongst my favorite books!

Poetry!

As an elementary student, I loved when we would study poetry. My favorite poet of all time was Shel Silverstein. His poems always made me laugh and I would go home to recite them to my parents. I constantly recited Sick Day and begged my mom for a copy of Where the Sidewalk Ends so I could read it over and over again. To this day I still love humorous poetry and prefer it to all other kinds. For the longest time I thought poetry was only words grouped together that rhymed and were about silly topics. However, as my understanding of poetry matured, I did not enjoy it as much as an elementary student. Beowulf and Paradise Lost discouraged me from further expanding my scope of poetry and dreaded when it would be introduced to a unit.

A Family of Poems is no exception to this. I was expecting light hearted poetry suited for all ages, but mostly children. Many of the poems within this book confused me or their meanings were heavier than what I was willing to understand, for example, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and Hope Is the Thing with Feathers by Emily Dickinson. Poetry is a beautiful form of expression, and I think it is wonderful that authors try to convey intense emotion and meanings when writing, but for me poetry is an escape from the complications of life. I do not want to complicate mine any further by reading it.

Also, A Family of Poems surprised me because I think that most of the poetry is suited for children. Many of the poems are by authors that I did not study until high school or college. I am not sure that I would use this poetry book to read to my children. There are a few nonsensical humorous poems, but for the most part I do not think that this book was entertaining. When I have kids, I think I will want to read them something a little more light-hearted. The poems in this book could be unpacked for deeper meaning. However, the illustrations were beautiful and did add to the poem when I felt it was lacking. A great example of this is on pages forty six and forty seven when the poetry is about frogs and the background is a green pond. All in all, the poems in here are well known, well written, and popular, but they are not my favorites. I am not sure that I want to hold onto this book.