Social Justice Literature for the Elementary Classroom

Farming of Bones

2010-03-26T21:43:00.000-07:00

Our group read "The Farming of Bones" by Edwidge Danticat. This book tells the story of the Haitian genocide that took place in the Dominican Republic in 1937 - something I had no idea existed. When people point to the Dominican Republic and say that the fact that it's so much better off than Haiti is proof that the earthquake is some sort of judgment on Haiti, I have to assume they don't know all the facts.
"The Farming of Bones" tells the story of Anabelle, a young woman who was orphaned at age eight when her parents drowned crossing the river that separated Haiti from the Dominican Republic after taking a day trip to a market there. Anabelle, stranded on the Dominican side, became a slave to a wealthy Dominican family who treated her with kindness. Their kindness would have allowed her to be fully satisfied with her life, had she not fallen in love with a poor Haitian day-laborer, who was beaten and considered sub-human by his Dominican boss. Though she didn't want to admit it, she soon was forced to see that her boyfriend's lot was the norm and her fate was the exception. As a nationalist movement spread through the Dominican Republic, Hatian communities began to be raided. Then the killings started, with Anabelle's boyfriend being an early victim. Anabelle escaped with a few close friends and survived traveling over mountains and through forests with little food and the treat of attack around every corner. She and one other member of their party survived and crossed over the river into Haiti. There Anabelle found her old village and made a life for herself, though she never married. About twenty years later, she went back to her Dominican mistress in search of answers as to what happened and why. Her mistress was just as mystified by the hate as she was. There were no good answers.
My favorite aspect of this book was that it told the story of horrible things that happened to the Haitians, but didn't present the main characters as helpless victims. Some people died, but others used their ingenuity to survive and escape. In fact, Anabelle was portrayed with a deep strength. She empowered those around her as she worked to save her people. This book shows Haitians as strong and enduring despite circumstances.
I also liked the way this book incorporated aspects of Haitian culture and life without being directly educational. It didn't come out and say, "Haitians really respect their elders," but I learned that they did from the way the characters interacted with each other. Through the book I got to see how Catholicism mixes seamlessly with their indigenous religion, how they think about birth and death, and what they value. You can tell the author, a Haitian herself, is just writing what she knows, not trying to teach or preach.
I wouldn't have elementary students read this book because it's a bit graphic, but it's a great reference for me as a teacher. I would consider giving a 5th grade class excerpts to read to give them a sense of how someone from Haiti thinks and expresses himself. This book also inspired me by showing me the value of first-hand accounts. I have Haitian friends that could come talk to my class, providing a far richer experience for them than reading an article or listening to me talk.

2010-03-26T14:37:00.000-07:00

Trouble on Thunder Mountain by Russell Hoban and Quentin Blake

The O’Saurus family has been living on Thunder Mountain for many years. One day, they receive a letter in the mail explaining that Mr. Flatbrain of Megafright International has purchased Thunder Mountain and they must move out within 24 hours. Mr. Flatbrain wants to make the mountain flat and build a high-tech plastic mountain them park on the flat land. The dinosaurs are angry and upset, but realize they cannot retaliate with violence to get their mountain back. The animals of Thunder Mountain devise a plan and work together to show everyone how fun and exciting the old mountain is and how it is so much better than the plastic mountain with rides that Mr. Flatbrain has built. At the end of the story, Mr. Flatbrain is defeated and becomes a common worker on the dinosaur-run mountain that he wished to change.

I like this book because it takes a very real issue and portrays it in a story that seems fictional. Our country faces the problem of large corporations taking over smaller companies and land to do as they wish and as they see fit, without thinking of the consequences placed on citizens who live there. This book can help students to understand that this is done and that there are nonviolent ways to go about preventing such drastic changes in our precious land. The story shows the reader how important a close-knit community is and how it is important for community members to work together to bring about a change. When a community is faced with a hardship, they must work together to bring social justice and change through by ensuring their voice is heard.

You can find purchasing information for this book on Amazon.com:

- http://www.amazon.com/Trouble-Thunder-Mountain-Russel-Hoban/dp/0531302067

Behind the Mountains

2010-03-23T17:38:00.000-07:00

Behind the Mountains

By: Edwidge Danticat

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Behind-the-Mountains/Edwidge-Danticat/e/9780439372992

This book is written in the format of first person fiction in the point of view of Celiane Espérance. Through her journal entries, Celiane opens the eyes of the readers to the life of child experiencing political unrest and corruption through first hand dangers and incidents that happen to her and her family. Celiane also gives insight to the struggles and of an immigrant child both in school and in the home since she not only has to adjust to a new school & friends, but a “new father” as well. The history of Haiti is also cleverly integrated into Celiane’s entries in order to teach the readers the accurate history of Haiti and also given recognition to important people in Haitian history. Surprisingly, this book also shines a light on school violence and gang-related issues present in schools.

Danticat’s book would be of excellent use for teaching the history of Haiti and heroes of Haiti. Danticat successfully integrates accurate information on both these topics in a subtle fashion. This book could be used in literacy in order to teach point of view in writing and journal writing as well. The fact that the book is entirely written in a journal format can also encourage journal writing to students with emotional and behavioral disorders and even immigrant children in order to provide them with a channel of how to release their inner frustrations. Moy’s paintings are emphasized much in this book and could lend itself for studying and making Haitian art. This book would also be of good use for community building skills since being part of a whole community is emphasized all throughout this book and students can have a healthier understanding of the life of an immigrant classmate. Since school violence is presented when Celiane moves to Brooklyn, New York; NYC public school teachers could also use this book in order to teach students about prevention of school violence in their own communities.

Social Justice Domains:

Self-love and acceptance: Yes, students learn how to value and appreciate the richness of Haiti and its people.
Respect for other: Yes, student will learn how to understand and respect the cultures of others by reading a first-hand account of an immigrant child.
Exploring issues of social justice: Yes, the corruption and political unrest will teach students about the oppression experienced by Haitian residents.
Social movements and social change: Yes, students learn how although there was political oppression in Haiti, people still stood up for what they believed for.
Taking social action: No.

Running the Road to ABC By Denize Lauture Illustrated by Reynold Ruffins

2010-03-19T16:11:00.000-07:00

This is a short book intended for young students. It vividly and beautifully describes the long and ardous journey of six Haitian children on their way to school. The writing in this story is very rich and poetic. These children must wake up extremely early and travel a great distance in order to attend school. Yet all this does not phase the children because they are so eager and excited to learn. I enjoyed the language and writing in this book. The illustrations are extremely vibrant and each picture frame appears as an individual, beautiful oil painting. I also really like this book because it describes children who are so eager and willing to learn that they endure countless obstacles each day.

This book could be part of a social justice unit but it could also be integrated into a social studies unit. The students could examine the school and education systems in other cultures and explore the sometimes stark differences. The students could look at the conditions and environments of other schools. This book falls into the domains of social justice education because its major themes are education and Haiti. The book is also a great segue into a discussion about the value, role, and accessibility of education in different countries. I would use this book to examine those issues and I would try to incorporate the student's personal school experiences. We could look at their routes to school and discuss what motivates them to come to school everyday.

For more information and to purchase the book go to:

www.amazon.com/running-road-aladdin-picture-books

Miyuki Daniels, Stephanie Pastrano, Maire McCormack

Selavi, That is Life: A Haitian Story of Hope

2010-03-17T20:18:00.000-07:00

Title: Selavi, That is Life: A Haitian Story of Hope
Author: Youme Landowne

Summary:
This book tells a story of Selavi, an orphan boy who finds himself homeless on the streets of Haiti. While living on the streets, he meets another boy named Tifre, who introduces Selavi to other homeless children who are willing to share their food and a place to sleep. Throughout the book, Selavi and his friends face many struggles, however together they overcome such challeges, through their strong determination and the help of a local church.

In the classroom:
This book can be used in many ways in a classroom. This book can be used as a read aloud to begin a unit on Haiti or a unit of the world countries. It can help segway into the conditions that some children are living in in Haiti. It is important that the students not look at Haiti in pity, but in ways to spread knowledge of these conditions. This book also can be used to try to build a community within the classroom. This book does a great job shedding light into the ideas of differences in social class and stereotypes. Not only does this book highlight the differences but it also shows that among the differences of people there are also similarities and that all people can get along. This book can help students to find things that can help them relate to each other. This book could help students look past social class as well as color of skin and typical generalizations that they may come across.

Social Justice Education:

What is unique about this book is that the later stages of social justice education are heavily discussed rather than earlier ones which we have seen so many times before in other texts. The reader is forced to delve right into the third stage of Exploring Issues of Social Justice. The first sentence ends, "leaving a small child alone in the world." The unfair conditions some children experience in Haiti are exemplified in this text. At one point each child recounts their own traumatic injustices they have experienced and the hardships they have faced. A powerful metaphor that recurs is though each child alone is a single drop of water, together they make can be a mighty river. The children work together not once but twice to take social action, the final stage of social justice education. They make the change to help save children's lives by building a place for those youngsters without homes to find refuge. Though their new dwelling is destroyed, again they come together to once more take action for social change. This time their efforts are doubled. A radio tower is built and they are able to send out a message to the public. "We will write out messages in the air where they cannot be painted out." The children not only take action but implore others to do so as well. This book is an excellent resource to use within a social justice curriculum.

To purchase and for more information:
http://www.amazon.com/Selavi-That-Life-Haitian-Story/dp/0938317849
http://www.cincopuntos.com/products_detail.sstg?id=92

BY: Alexis, Hanna, and Josephine

Edwidge Danticat: "Behind the Mountains" by Katie, Pin, Stela

2010-03-15T22:07:00.000-07:00

Katie, Pin, Stela
“Behind the Mountains” by Edwidge Danticat

For more information/Purchase: Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com.

The diary begins in October 2000, when Haiti is filled with violence and general unrest with the elections taking place and the promise of many changes. Celiane tells her own story, about life behind the mountains, far from the city and the problems there. Forced by economic circumstances to seek work in America, her father has been gone for three years and the family anticipates joining him when proper visas can be arranged. When Celiane is awarded a notebook from her teacher she decides to keep a journal of her thoughts on the events leading to her trip to America. Through Celiane’s writing we are introduced to her family and all the places that they visit, including Port Au Prince during election time, where a bomb almost kills Celiane and her mother. Their struggles in Haiti come to a close as they travel to meet father in New York. After the initial joy at the reunion, their family life starts to unravel. Celiane's brother Moy is not eager to quietly obey his father. It is freezing cold, school is difficult and lonely, and the parents work long hours. The father means well, but he frankly is out of touch with his children and how much older they are, especially his son, who now is a young man after all and not the young teenager the father left behind in Haiti so many years ago. The family finds that there are challenges to face and new struggles begin as they have to become accustomed to American life.

Behind the Mountains is set in Haiti and New York. The contrasts between the two settings and cultures are vivid and it is clear that it is difficult to find your way in a foreign country. Danticat brings her own firsthand knowledge of Haiti and immigrating to America to this story, told in diary format.

Behind the Mountains explores the themes of coming of age, family relationships, separation and reunification, as well as immigration and cultural identity.

Haiti is a country marked by its political unrest and economic depravity as a result of years of dictatorship, government corruption, and a gap between the wealthy elite and profitable cities and the poverty stricken non industrial provinces. Although fiscally poor, Haiti is a culture rich in its language, folktales, customs, and community.

After reading this novel, students can research Haiti and its history, Haitian culture, Haitian immigration. Reading this novel may help to increase student awareness at the adjustments faced by immigrants. The question of why people immigrate may be raised (people seeking opportunity vs. people forced to leave due to persecution). Students may research immigration to the US from countries other than Haiti (ex. interview family and friends about their immigration stories). Students may be asked to keep a reading journal to record their reactions to the reading and discussions of the story (details about characters, settings, themes etc). Other related topics students may research: location, economy, government, refugees, culture-shock, duality of cultures, assimilation, integration…

Sélavi - A Haitian Story of Hope

2010-03-12T09:45:00.000-08:00

Sélavi - A Haitian Story of Hope by Youme tells the tale of a young boy named Sélavi and his Haitian friends. Sélavi is an orphan who was living on the streets in Haiti when he met TiFrè, who introduced him to several other children who were living on the streets of Port-au-Prince. After the police threaten Sélavi and his friends, Sélavi finds refuge in a church. With the help of the church members, following the belief that "together, we can be a mighty river" an orphanage is built to house children like Sélavi. Unfortunately, Sélavi and his friends face many other struggles before finding success.

Not only was the text in this book informative, but it also told an inspiring true story through the illustrations. It delivered a message that even through hard times self-pity is not the answer, and by working together anything can be accomplished.

This book could be used in the classroom for a historical and cultural study of Haiti. You could also have the students create their own radio stations. Students could role play the different characters in the story to understand the various perspectives presented. Students could convert the story into a play, and go through all the steps of scripting, acting, editing, casting, staging, etc.

Self-love and acceptance - Sélavi never blamed himself or others for his misfortunes. This teaches students that they should continue loving themselves no matter what the circumstances.

Respect for others - Even when confronted by the Police, Sélavi's behavior was respectful. More significantly, he was more respectful of the others' stories.

Exploring issues of Social Justice - This book shows the lack of legislation protecting children in Haiti.

Taking Social Action - Sélavi and the others create their own orphanage and continue through the use of media to inform others of the situation.

By Mayrovy, Sarah, and Casey

Selavi- by Youme for book group, HeeYeon, Priscilla, and Me!

2010-03-07T17:32:00.000-08:00

1. Self Love-the story teaches about self love by the way it portrays the children of Haiti and how they decided to take measures into their own hands and not pity themselves, but do something beneficial for themselves.

2. Learning how to share in a community of other children where kids had to think of the common good of all opposed to the rights of just themselves. It gives them valuable lessons in respect, honor, pride and love.

3. Exploring issues of social injustice comes into play where the children are exposed to the world of injustice that children face such as no food, homes, working for insignificant wages, and being terrorized by the army.

4. They children built an orphanage for all street kids and also made a children's focus radio that allowed kids to voice their opinions and talk about things that affect them.

5.Students can become pen pals and then together they can lobby the Haitian government to make changes to better protect the children of Haiti. The students can also have a fundraiser and donate to UNICEF an organization that protects child rights in Haiti.

Pepita Talks Twice/ Pepita Habla Dos Veces

2010-02-28T13:20:00.000-08:00

Book: Pepita Talks Twice/Pepita Habla Dos Veces
Author: Ofelia Dumas Lachtman
Illustrator: Alex Pardo Delange

Age: Grade 1 +

Purchase info: Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Pepita-Talks-Twice-Habla-Veces/dp/1558850775

Other websites:
http://charactered.ocde.us/ICE/lessons_html/pepita_talks_twice.html

Summary:
This children’s book is appropriately written in both English and Spanish as it follow the story of Pepita, a girl who faces some qualms about being bilingual. Pepita became frustrated when her ability to speak both Spanish and English meant she had to consistently translate for her friends, family, and neighbors. She finally decides that she will no longer speak Spanish (no longer speak twice).

Pepita then faces a myriad of unanticipated problems when she limits herself to only speaking English. She could not ask for tacos with salsa or call her dog’s name, Lobo because they were all Spanish words. She could not help the new students at school, sing Spanish song with her friends, or listen to the stories her grandma told her in Spanish. The turning point was when her dog had chased a ball into the road and was about to be run over. Pepita decided to scream the dog’s Spanish name (Lobo) and tell him to come back in Spanish, the dog turned back just in time. She then realize that benefits and joys of being able to speak both English and Spanish.

How to incorporate in the classroom/curricular units:
The underlying story line is good for exploring ‘perspective taking’ and other literally elements. Teachers can use this book to talk about Pepita’s perspective and why she no longer wanted to speak Spanish and ultimately why she decided to come back to it. Along that same line of thought it could be used to teach students about weighing the pros and cons of a given situation. This book would also be good to look at character development.

Social Justice Education:
This book addresses the following stages of Social Justice Education.

Stage 1: Self Love and Acceptance
Stage 2: Respect for others
Stage 3: Exploring Issues of Social Justice à Bilingualism

This book would be good to explore the issues of bilingualism and it also captures the idea of biculturalism. This book specifically addresses the issue of identity and multicultural world that many children in the United States are a part of. Students can discuss about similar issues that may face in their own lives where they might be struggling with a certain part of their identity but how they have realized that it is a significant part of who they are.

All the Colors of the Earth

2010-02-28T13:10:00.000-08:00

Book: All the Colors of the Earth

Author: Sheila Hamanaka

Age: Grade 1 +

Purchase Info: Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/All-Colors-Earth-Sheila-Hamanaka/dp/0688111319/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0

Summary:
This children’s book has magnificent oil pictures accompanied by text that describes children’s skin tones and hair using beautiful metaphors and similes.(“ … the roaring browns of bears”; “… hair like bouncy baby lambs”)
The author also metaphorically describes the elegance of love and the energy of children all over the world. (“Love is amber and ivory and ginger and sweet”)

How to incorporate in the classroom/curricular units:
This book would be great to introduce younger students to metaphors and similes. Students can create their own metaphors of their own skin color, or the texture of their hair. This would be a good book to read for younger children (grade 1-2) as part of ‘knowing yourself’ unit or a unit that is aimed at celebrating diversity.
For older children, it is possible to lead a discussion about why the author felt necessary to create a book like this. The book also includes pictures of biracial couples which is not as common in most children’s book.

Social Justice Education:
This book addresses the beginning stages of Social Justice Education.
Stage 1: Self Love and Acceptance
Stage 2: Respect for others
The book does a good job of fostering an appreciation for students of all color and race. It acknowledges are physical difference, but also celebrates the energy that all children have. Unfortunately the book does not explore more complex issues of social justice, and the book is a simply one that celebrates the human race especially children. It could be use as a introduction book that can lead to more in-depth conversations.

Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg & Three Cups of Tea

2010-02-25T16:24:00.000-08:00

Listen to the Wind
By: Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth
Illustrated By: Susan L. Roth

Didn't quite catch a break when you were reading Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson? Well, your youngsters just might fall in love with this lovely picture book that encompasses the entire story told in Three Cups of Tea in a short story with beautiful collages in a kid-friendly picture book!

This story tells the tale of Doctor Greg Mortensen, who comes to Pakistan, a nurse, sick. He is taken care of by the people there of Korphe. Before Dr. Greg helps, the children do not have a proper building suitable to learn in. He promises to return and help them with their schooling. He eventually comes back and brings help with him, ready to build a school in order to educate the youth of Korphe.

Listen to the Wind is a great motivator in order to get students thinking of the way of life in other countries. For higher cognitive thinking students, questions can be asked such as, how do you think the people of Korphe are portrayed? How is Dr. Greg portrayed as coming from the United States? What are the conditions like in countries with not enough resources to fund a school? Why is education so important to the children in Korphe? What is the power of education as opposed to just donating money towards an organization?

The pictures in this book are marvelous. It all refers to some cultural aspects of the village of Korphe. I enjoyed this book a lot, because the pictures were collages, showing a lot of culture through texture. Students can also create their own collages, creating pictures and images the way Susan Roth did.

Since it is a fairly new storybook, students can discuss the current conditions in Pakistan. In the back of the picture book, there are also photographs of the true story of Greg Mortenson. It is a learning experience through photographs and photojournalism - telling the true story of the process of building a school, what it takes to put together a school, and the need for education. This is all social studies, art, and literacy combined into one.

Behind the Mountains by Edwidge Danticat

2010-02-25T15:54:00.000-08:00

Summary:
In this short novel, a first person narrative, Celiane recounts her journey from her mountain village in Haiti to join her father in Brooklyn, NY in her diary. Living in Haiti, Celiane, her brother Moy, and her mother, Manman, are threatened by bombs going off in Port-au-Prince during election time when they travel there from their village in the mountains. Celiane writes of her mixed emotions of the uncertainty of their arrival in New York, where their father has been working to support them. As they begin their new life in New York as a family reunited, things are not as picture perfect as Celiane had imagined. Celiane encounters many things that confuse her emotions, including moving to a brand new country, riding in a bus that has been bombed, having a brother that moves out of the house. Celiane is able to record and sort out this spectrum of feelings by writing them in her little notebook.
Review:
We found this book to be an informative account of Celiane’s experiences living in rural Haiti where she received her early education. The author portrays a vivid picture of what life is like in rural Haiti in the beautiful mountains. She then goes on to describe a picture of stark contrast in Port-au-Prince and then further elaborates on her adjustment in New York City. The book sheds light on many areas of Celiane’s life through her personal account in her diary. Danticat explores the modern day immigration experience through the eyes of Celiane. This book is an absolute must read in the classroom setting in order to help students to understand more about Haiti in light of the devastating earthquake.
In the Classroom:
This book can be used as a basis for learning more about Haiti. Students can begin building background prior to reading this book by researching important facts about Haiti. Teachers can integrate History, Geography, and Math into the Language Arts curriculum by asking students to conduct this research. Teachers can ask students to compare and contrast their own experiences of living in NYC as first generation or second generation immigrants. The discussion can be used a powerful tool to gain a more comprehensive understanding of students within the classroom and teachers and students alike can gain more of an insight of the feelings and experiences of students.
http://www.lindakreft.com/Americas/pdf/voices_behind.pdf

"Moon Lady" by Amy Tan; Illustrated by Gretchen Schields

2010-02-24T11:55:00.000-08:00

Summary: This book is about a young girl's relationship with her grandmother. After the girl expresses that she wants her wishes to come true, her grandmother tells her an old Chinese folk tale from her own childhood about the magic of the Moon Lady and her power to grant wishes.

The acclaimed author, Amy Tan, is best known as a writer of popular adult novels, namely The Joy Luck Club. This book teaches great lessons about acceptance, patience, strong family ties, and confidence. The grandmother emphasizes that wishes are secret and individual to each person. As long as you can dream, you give yourself something to work for.

Review and Classroom use: I thought this book was EXTREMELY long. While it does not have many pages, each page is at least 4 paragraphs long, and certain pages do not even have pictures. That being said, the pictures are so detailed with vibrant colors, authentically depicting the rich Chinese culture. This book is perfect to integrate Chinese culture into any reader's workshop unit or to integrate strong sense of community (in the classroom and all over the world) into a study of China. This book also promotes hard work and believing in oneself to achieve goals and dreams-- which can be a good lesson for the students when setting weekly, monthly, yearly or end of lesson/unit goals.

This would be best suited for a 3-5th grade classroom and would definitely span at least a week of read alouds. The folk tale could add a particularly interesting component to a study of China to show the students the rich family ties and long-lasting stories of the culture they are studying.

A Chair For My Mother

2010-02-21T08:49:00.000-08:00

Purchase
About th e Au thor
A Video

This books discusses the hardships that Rosa's family experiences after a fire destroys their apartment and possessions. Rosa lives only with her mother and grandmother, who all save their dimes and nickles until they can purchase a new comfy chair, that all three of them can use.Luckily, Rosa's family was able to rely on her neighbors to help them replace some items from their old apartment, but they were missing was a chair. The story begins with Rosa, a young girl, describing her mother's waitress job at the Blue Tile Diner. Sometimes after school Rosa also works side by side with her mother. Rosa and her mother place their earnings in a savings jar, but Rosa learns that not everyday is a good day for the savings jar. Then one day Rosa,her mother and grandmother all take their jars to the bank to cash, and go shopping for new a chair. The story ends with Rosa sitting on her mother's lap in the new comfy chair that all of them can enjoy.

My response- I enjoyed reading this book because the story is not long but contains an important message for readers. The book has a clear beginning, middle, and end that allows students to predict what will happen next in the story. Many children don't have everything they need, I like how the story focuses one item that Rosa's family does not own. This story reminds us how friends and family can help us cope through tragic events. Also, I found the vivid illustrations an additional compliment to using this text.

This book is a great stepping stone for " self love" and "respect for others" and "exploring issues" in Social Justice Education. For self-love, this book shows how three generations of African American women rebuild their lifestyle after a fire. Students learn about their community and how the women seek help from others in their community. The pictures raise students' awareness by observing that Rosa's family lives in an homogeneous community.
For "Respect for Others," Students will learn that Rosa's family is struggling with finances,they are living pay check to pay check and decide to start for saving for a new chair. Students will be introduced to jobs that some may not view as professional. This book also raises questions about what defines a "family?" because Rosa has no father. For "Exploring Issues" Students will notice that Rosa's mother works long hours as a waitress but can't purchase the chair immediately. Rosa's mother works hard but does not receive adequate pay.

Activities- I would have students use mathematics with A Chair for My Mother to research specific jobs and their salaries wages through making a bar graph. Students will learn about the importance of saving and spending. It is necessary for students to understand that not everyone receives the same amount of money even if, they work just as long as some one else, like Rosa's mother. These various activities would allow students to begin taking social action on job wages and how not all are created equal.

"A Bad Case of Stripes" by David Shannon

2010-02-20T11:56:00.000-08:00

Summary: This charming and memorable book tells the story of a young girl who is afraid of what others might think of her. Her favorite food is lima beans but she never eats them because her friends hate them. She is very concerned with fitting in with her friends. The story begins with the anxiety associated with the first day of school and how our character, Camilla, deals with that. While trying to pick out the perfect first day of school outfit, something odd happens, as her body is covered in stripes. The story continues as all doctors and specialists are called to help Camilla, until the cause of her illness is revealed at the end of the story.

Review and Classroom use: There are many good lessons associated with this story. Many students can find something to relate to and it can be easily worked into a classroom curriculum. The issue of students trying to fit in with their friends and/or classmates, being afraid of what people think of you, trying to find and appreciate individuality, first day of school jitters, the message of "be yourself," etc. The story was creative, light, charming, informative, sweet and did a good job of conveying its many messages. The illustrations are vibrant and eye-catching. Any student would love to explore this book before and after reading and/or hearing the story. It is a long story so it might be best suit to read over the course of 2-3 days. This is good for a 2nd-4th grade classroom.

This addresses the 1st and 2nd stages of Social Justice Education: (1) Self Love and Acceptance and (2) Respect for others.

2010-02-19T05:36:00.001-08:00

Big Al and Shirmpy By Andrew Clements

Summary-

Shirmpy is the smallest fish in the ocean but also the smartest fish there is. All shrimpy wants is to have friends but the none of the fish accept for Big Al want to be his friend because he is small. Shrimpy, Big Al and the other fish were playing a game tag. Big Al was “it” first, he maybe fast but he could not zig zag which was his disadvantage and and he tagged Shrimpy who was slow because he was small. Then Shrimpy became “it”. But he was to slow to tag all the other fish so he hid in a corner and he and Big Al were just tagging each other. All the other fish said that was not fair. Shrimpy left the game with his new friend Big Al. They travel all around the sea Big Al puffed himself up and showed Shrimpy how he could push rocks down into the “big deep” all of sudden Big Al was pushing a rock and his fin got caught in the crack and down he went into the “big deep”. Shrimpy got scared and swam to get all the fish to help Big Al. All the fish came and Shrimpy gave them orders to follow in order to help Big Al. They all worked together as a team and saved Big Al. Shrimpy told them to turn around and they all headed home to have a party that night for the guest of honor Shrimpy, “the little fish with the big ideas”.

My Review-

I really enjoyed reading this picture book. It has great illustrations and the wording is very simply and easy to comprehend. I also enjoyed the message Clements sends to the reader, it does not how big or small one is, they can still be smart, after all Shrimpy was the smartest fish. This book is a great book to have in classroom because it can bring up the idea how children feel when they are left out of something, how they can help problem solve and use their smarts like Shrimpy. It could also be used to discuss motivation for change.

In the class room-

-In the classroom I would use this book to bring up the topic of how all the fish come together to help Big Al despites their difference in size, and how all my students can come together and work as team to help each despite their difference. I would create a puzzle and give each student a piece of the puzzle and write one thing that they think is different about them and then have the students put the puzzle together to see how people with differences can all work together. This can also bring up the topic of the importance of being an individual or role model and speaking for what they believe. Students would understand that no matter what one looks like they are all capable of making a change because its what is on the inside that really matters.

-This book can all be used in teaching students out ocean life. Students could look up the different fish that live in the ocean and the importance they have to ocean life. The students can also join an organization that helps with keeping the ocean and beaches clean.

Social Justice Education

1)Self love and Acceptance

2) Respect for others

3)Social Movement and Change

4) Taking Social Action

ANANSI THE SPIDER adapted and illustrated by Gerald McDermott

2010-02-18T07:54:00.000-08:00

Summary
Anansi goes out on a tricky journey and finds himself at the mercy of Fish and Falcon. One of his six sons See Trouble; who can see trouble a long way off sensed that his father was in danger. He calls upon his five brothers; Road Builder, River Drinker, Game Skinner, Stone Thrower and Cushion to follow him so they can help their father. Each son uses his skill to save Anansi. Anansi is so proud that when he finds "A great globe of light," he wants to reward his son, the one who rescued him, but which son? Anansi goes to Nyame, "The God of All Things" and asks for guidance. Anansi and his sons begin to argue over who should get the reward. Nyame sees the bickering within the family and decides to keep the light in the sky for all to see.
A note from the Prologue:
"Folklore...Mythology...A people's legends...Traditional stories...as in Africa. Mythology transforms, making the ordinary into the magical. It brings beauty to the ways of man, giving him dignity and expressing his joy in life. Folklore prepares a man for adult life. It places him within his culture. With oral traditions, retold through generations, the social group maintains its continuity, handing down its culture.
My Thoughts:
I was drawn to this book for many reasons. In particular, I feel that it expresses the importance of tradition, culture and the overall idea that its okay to depend on people and your family at times of distress. So often we try to fix things alone, while independence is important, but there are so many ways in which people can lean on one another to strengthen that independence. This book covers two social justice domains; self-love and acceptance, as well as, respect for others.
In the Classroom:
- Generating conversations that may include one or more of the following: family, tradition, culture, helping others, something the student is good at, feelings, etc...
- Students can begin to think of a time when they needed help and were afraid to ask for it. From there they can build on their thoughts to think of how the situation could have turned out if they had received help from others.
- This book can be an introduction to a cultural studies curricular unit, tying in other countries that have cultural traditions.
For more information on Anansi adventures google: Anansi Folktales
To purchase this and other Anansi books:
http://www.amazon.com/Anansi-Spider-Ashanti-Gerald-McDermott/dp/0805003118

Is There Really a Human Race

2010-02-14T12:59:00.000-08:00

Is There Really a Human Race?

Written by Jamie Lee Curtis

Illustrated by Laura Cornell

Summary:

This is a wonderful book for children of all ages. This entertaining and humorous book is full of a young boy's thought provoking questions about the human race. The boy questions appear to be referring to the word 'race', solely in terms of an event such as a running race, however it is t the 'human race' and the idea of the controversial significance and identification of races within the human population that is truly being explored. This book is an excellent way to have student begin to of continue to discuss, question, and become more aware of, the beautifully diverse world that surrounds them, as well as the terrible injustice and inequality that exists because of these differences.

*This is book provides a great way to integrate social justice eduction into a classroom curriculum. All five stages of social justice education can explored and implemented using this story as the starting point.

I like this book because of it raises such important and difficult questions and presents them in such a way that children can begin to think about and understand these complex ideas from the more familiar and comfortable perspective of a running race. I also like that end of the book takes away the competitive edge of a 'race' and stresses the significance of the 'journey' and 'the process', rather than focusing only on the 'end result.'

Activities:

- Children can think about how they have helped, and can help the human race

- Ask students to think about the meaning and definition of race.

- Celebrate the diversity of the human race. Have students study and share their cultures, ethnicities, languages, abilities, etc.

- Develop a system for students to become more aware of and recognize positive behaviors and actions in the class;

Recognize, share, and celebrate the positives.

For additional information about Is There Really a Human Race?, please see the following links:

- www.jamieleecurtisbooks.com/

- www.theteachersguide.com (type in title in sites search bar)

- www.amazon.com (type in title in search bar)

I Have Heard of a Land by Joyce Carol Thomas

2010-02-11T19:36:00.000-08:00

I Have Heard of a Land
by Joyce Carol Thomas

http://www.amazon.com/Have-Heard-Trophy-Picture-Books/dp/0064436179

This book takes place in Oklahoma in the late 1800s, a time during which many people were moving west, including many freed slaves. All pioneers could own land in the Oklahoma territory, including women. There are no real characters in the text of the book, but the illustrations portray black families enjoying their lives in this new land. Joyce Carol Thomas grew up in Oklahoma and is descended from a group of westward pioneers like the ones described in the book.

The text takes the form of a poem. There is no punctuation and the phrase "I have heard of a land" is repeated at the beginning of every page. I think that because of this, the book could be integrated into a poetry unit. There are two pages of higher level text at the back describing more about the historical period, and I think this could be a springboard for a social-justice unit about this historical time in the west. I think it would be interesting to explore the migration of freed male and female slaves to the west during this time period - the oppression they faced at home and the struggles and oppression they faced along the way, both in terms of being female and in terms of being freed black slaves. It would fall into the 3rd and 4th stages of social justice education: "Exploring Issues of Social Justice," and "Social Movements and Social Change."

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi

2010-02-11T16:16:00.000-08:00

http://www.amazon.com/Name-Jar-Yangsook-Choi/dp/037580613X

Unhei, a Korean girl who just moved to America, is teased by the children on the bus for her Korean name. When she reaches her classroom and is asked her name on her first day of school, she tells her classmates that she has not yet decided on one. To be helpful the children put their suggestions into a "name jar." Eventually the girl decides to keep her own name as one of her classmates takes pride in the new Korean nickname he has chosen, Chinku, meaning "friend."

This book is connected to the first two rungs on the SJE ladder: self-acceptance and acceptance of others' identities. The message that this book carries would serve as a community-building tool at the beginning of a school year, in any classroom. Since Unhei is given a stamp that represents her original Korean name (meaning "grace") students could do a study on Korean characters, even using them to rewrite their own names and, further, acrostic poetry.

The Empty Pot

2010-02-11T16:09:00.000-08:00

Title & Author:
The Empty Pot by Demi

Purchase & More Info:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Summary:
The Empty Pot is a story about a boy who wants to be the Emperor's successor. The Emperor announces that in order to select a successor, he will distribute seeds to all the children in the land, and whoever grows the most beautiful flowers from them will be his successor. All year long the boy cares for his seeds, yet nothing grows. On the day they must bring their flowers to the Emperor, the boy brings him an empty pot while all the other children have beautiful flowers to offer. The Emperor chooses the boy as his successor because all of the seeds he gave the children were cooked and they all were liars.

My Response:
The Empty Pot is a okay book in my opinion. I didnt see any signs of racism in the story or in the illustrations, but that is also because it is a folk tale. I had the discussion with my book group about whether or not the illustrations are racist if they are depicting a much older time period. I think it is an interesting question and am not very sure of the answer to this. I think this book could be an okay starting point for discussions about different cultures.

In The Classroom:
While I liked the story, it can only serve as a Level 1 of SJE in the classroom. It is a good source of showing differences, and can be a good starting point on a discussion about who controls our history and such. As a folk tale that essentially teaches about honesty, why do we never hear of this, yet stories like The Boy Who Cried Wolf are so prevalent in our culture? I guess you could also turn this into some sort of political discussion about how Emperors used to rule, but this is a stretch and doesnt really make much sense from this book.

Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold

2010-02-11T15:40:00.000-08:00

Tar Beach is a picture book about a young girl who lives with her family near the George Washington Bridge. In the story, Cassie dreams about flying wherever she wants and being able to give her family everything they cannot have because of their ethnicity.

Much of the story, which is fictional but based on Ringgold's life, includes elements linked to slavery and Civil Rights, making it great for social justice purposes. The pictures, based on a quilt by Ringgold on display in the Guggenheim, are amazingly colorful, which would help to draw young readers in.

This book could be used to work on student autobiographies and to have the students think about where they would fly to to help their families. It could also be used to help students integrate art with reading and writing, having them make their own quilts to represent something in their lives towards which they feel passionate. (There is a suggestion for this quilt in the back of the book!) Because of the topics it covers, somewhat subtly, this would be a good way to either introduce topics to students to have them think about how these major issues impact their lives or to use after some studying has been done, so that students are able to pick out the discrimination that occurs on their own and to discuss it, based on their newfound knowledge.

Within the stages of social justice education, this covers self-love and acceptance, respect for others, and exploring issues of social justice. The main character appreciates who she is and what she has, while thinking about those things that prevent her family from having all they want, so, by sharing this story with students, it is possible to foster a respect for other cultures, allowing students to see how similar they may be to Cassie and her family.

To purchase the book or for more ideas:
www.amazon.com/Tar-Beach-Caldecott-Honor-Book/dp/0517580306
www.randomhouse.com/teachers/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780517885444&view=tg

Mama Miti by Donna Jo Napoli

2010-02-11T14:35:00.000-08:00

This story was definitely delightful and inspirational. Not only does it speak about the culture of a Kenyan tribe, it also talks about how a village of people, through the help of one woman was able to preserve their countryside once again.

This story spoke to me because it helps elevate students who are girls realize that they too can accomplish wonderful feats. The woman this book was dedicated to was a remarkable woman named Wangari Muta Maathai. She was the first African-American to win the Nobel Peace Prize peace in 2004. She was also the first woman from Eastern Africa to receive a PhD. With that PhD she was able to do do research that help transform her country.

Uncle Jed's Barbershop

2010-02-11T14:29:00.001-08:00

Uncle Jed's Barbershop
by Margaree King Mitchell
Illustrated by James Ransome

Uncle Jed's Barbershop is the story of Sarah Jean and her favorite uncle, Jed. Uncle Jed is the only Black barber in the county and he travels all over giving people haircuts while trying to save money so he can open his own barbershop. Though he faces many struggles (Sarah Jean getting sick, the Great Depression), he is eventually able to open his own barbershop and fulfill his dream.

I really liked this book because of the inspiring story it told. In addition to covering some of the domains of Social Justice, it tells about a man who has faced many hardships in his life, but still won't give up. He continues to persevere and eventually is able to open up his own barbershop, which was his lifelong dream.

I think that this book could be used in many ways. It is set in a different time period, and could cover the racial prejudices that were taking place in the 1920s and 1930s, when Sarah Jean got sick and couldn't be helped at the hospital until the white patients had been seen. It could also be used for the Great Depression. I also think that this could be used to talk about community, or with a younger class, different jobs/roles that people have.

Self-love and Acceptance - Sarah Jean learns about her community/culture from her uncle and is shown pride and perseverance.

Exploring issues of Social Justice - This book talks about racism, when the white patients are treated before Sarah Jean, and briefly mentions how Sarah Jean's family is lucky because they own some land, but that a lot of people are sharecroppers.

Social movements and social change - I think that Uncle Jed's struggle, even though it mostly effected him, was him moving for social change. At the beginning of the story they had to travel 30 miles to get a haircut, but since Uncle Jed started cutting hair and eventually opened his barbershop, it changed the community.

Uncle Jed's Barbershop at Barnes and Noble
Uncle Jed's Barbershop at Amazon

How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz

2010-02-10T22:08:00.000-08:00

Stela Bastijancic

How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz

To learn more about/purchase:
http ://us.macmillan.com/howilearnedgeography
http://www.amazon.com/How-Learned-Geography-Uri-Shulevitz/dp/0374334994

A young boy and his parents flee their country with only the clothes on their backs during the war, winding up as refugees in a new land with hot, dusty summers and cold winters. They are given shelter by strangers but the adjustment is difficult, with little food to eat and no toys for the boy to play with. When the father goes to the market one day to buy bread and returns instead with a large world map, the boy and his mother are confused and angry. But over the course of time, the map provides the boy with endless opportunities to use his imagination for forgetting about his hungry stomach and escaping to exotic countries.

In this book Uri Shulevitz draws on his memories of escaping from Poland to Turkestan during World War II and starting over in an entirely different social and economic setting. The text and rich illustrations give a powerful lesson in economics about how a child faces and deals with scarcity, hunger, and poverty.

What is special about this book is that the pictures can tell the story virtually by themselves. In one of the illustrations, the boy’s family appears off to the side, dressed in black, like mourners, exiles as they walk into the village where men sit in brightly colored clothes or with confidence walk the streets. It is also interesting that no other children can be seen.

I love how this story challenges readers to redefine or rethink what it means to be wealthy and what we think it means to be poor. Even though the Shulevitzes did not have much money to spend, certainly not on luxuries, their son was rich in imagination and passion, and what seemed to be a frivolous purchase turned out to be a life altering, enriching gift.

This is an excellent book for teachers to use in the classroom. The main themes addressed are poverty and displacement, in this case due to war. The book could be used to teach different cultures/geographic regions, and to research different locations and find out what you would need to know to travel/live effectively in those cultures. Topics such as refugees and immigration may be explored. The book could be used as part of a lesson with English language learners, who might find the story relatable to their own circumstances.

Rosa by Nikki Giovanni

2010-02-10T17:43:00.000-08:00

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Rosa-Nikki-Giovanni/dp/0312376022/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265852882&sr=1-1

This book is the story of Rosa Parks, and the incident on the bus. It includes a background on her life prior to the bus incident and her fame.

I like this version of the story because it shows the historical incident without the excessive herofication. Rosa Parks is portrayed as a typical woman living in her time, who simply becomes tired of the way she and African American people are being treated on the bus. The story goes on to introduce Martin Luther King Jr.

I would try to use this book for activities based on character development, sequencing, and more.

I believe this book falls into all 5 of the SJE categories.

I would use this book when studying African American History, studying important/influential people, as well as, United States history.

Hina Patel

A Girl Named Helen Keller by Margo Lundell

2010-02-10T16:40:00.000-08:00

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Named-Helen-Keller-level-Reader/dp/0590479636

This book is the story of Helen Keller's life. The story begins from her birth. It goes through the struggles she and her family went through, and the gradual understanding of Helen Keller's obstacles. And the change that can happen when a teacher gives her all and always keeps hope.

I like the book because it shows true difficulties and set backs families, like Helen Keller's family, can go through. It shows that there aren't always answers for everything that is happening. The ending of the story shows a small accomplishment, but an important start. Also, it briefly attends to her life after the overcoming of her difficulties. As a bonus, the last page has the alphabet in ASL.

If I were to use this book in my classroom, it could be used as an introduction to a curriculum on able-ism, and or important/influential people in the world.

This book would fall into the awareness domain of sje.

Hina Patel

Home To Me

2010-02-10T15:27:00.000-08:00

Home to Me, Poems Across America

Selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins

Illustrated by Stephen Alcorn

Link

Amazon

Summary

The poems included in the book are set in a number of different locations across America, from the prairie, to the city, and more. Each poem has its own story to tell in a unique way. The colorful illustrations which accompany them add to the imagination and images pulled from the text.

Personal Response

I was excited to find this book because I felt that it was a way to make poetry personal for students, and yet universal at the same time. Poems can have many subjects, and this anthology collects snapshots of experiences across our country. Additionally, in the back there is a short explanation of each poet contributor that I think makes the poems meaningful.

Classroom Connection

Poetry is not just for April. I think that poetry is a beneficial medium for writing. This book can help to introduce poetry as well as develop author studies and work on developing poems in different styles. I also saw it as a way to incorporate the “Who I Am” poems from the beginning of last semester. While not as structured as those, it paints different images of where people are from. I also enjoy that it’s an anthology of poems, so that for a read aloud or shared reading the poems can be looked separately as well as in comparison to one another. It will help children recognize their own culture and backgrounds, as well as hopefully prove as a starting point to generate discussion about accepting others. From this book it is possible to move even further, discussing living experiences in other places, not only differences, but also where there may be inequalities; why they may be so, and how to make a change.

2010-02-10T14:04:00.001-08:00

How My Parents Learned to Eat

By: Ina R. Friedman

Summary: In this story, a young girl explains why at her house, sometimes her family eats with chopsticks and sometimes they eat with forks and knives. She explains that when her parents met, her mother was a Japanese schoolgirl and her father was a sailor stationed in Japan. There, the two met and spent afternoons walking around together. However, neither of them knew if the other could eat with the utensils of their own cultures so the two never had food together. One day, the girl’s father found out he was leaving in three weeks and so he decided that he needed to have a meal with this woman he loved because he wanted to marry her. So, he asked her out to dinner and she said, “yes”. Worried he would make a fool of himself he learned to eat with chopsticks and similarly she learned to eat with a knife and fork. Finally, the two meet and have American food one day and decide on Japanese food for the next. The man and woman eventually got married and used both types of utensils in their house.

My Review: I think that this is a wonderful book that explores the idea of every person being different. The part of the story that discusses how the girl’s mother and father were both nervous to eat with the other because they did not know the cultural norms reflects on most people’s fear and uncertainty of other cultures. However, both of the girl’s parents worked individually to learn about the other’s culture. This story is wonderful because it reflects the normal uncertainties that people face about other cultures, yet shows how through understanding and education, understanding can become easier and interesting.

In the Classroom: This book is a great way to teach children that it is okay to be nervous about new and different cultures than one’s own, but through learning about it, people can become friends and understand one another better. I think that this book would be a great way to integrate a multi-subject study about culture and the different cultures in the classroom. By exploring the different cultures in the classroom through food, the students would have the opportunity to learn about different cultures as well as understand their own culture as well.

The Woman Who Outshone the Sun by Alejandro Cruz Martinez

2010-02-10T09:50:00.000-08:00

Summary:
The story is based upon a poem by Alejandro Cruz Martinez, who was a young Zapoteca poet who spent years collecting the oral traditions of his people. The Zapotecas are great storytellers and the tale of Lucia Zenteno comes from that grand tradition. In 1986 he published his version of this story as a poem and was later killed in 1987 while organizing the Zapotecas to regain their lost water rights.
The story is about a legendary character, Lucia Zenteno. When she arrives at the village, people were afraid of her because she was different and seemed to have magical powers. The elders told the village people to respect her, but they did not listen to them. They called her cruel names and tried to cause her harm until they drove her out of the village. When she left, the river left with her. Then there came a drought to the village and the people realized that they had mistreated her. They asked for her forgiveness and Lucia returned alond with the river. She asked everyone in the village to treat each other with kindness.
My Review:
This story has a strong, underlying moral message about treating each other with kindness. I actually used this story with my third grade class and prior to reading it, we brainstormed ways that people honor nature, such as by keeping the Earth clean, conserving energy and resources, and appreciating the gifts of forests and rivers. The students recorded their responses in a web and then worked in groups to create a mural illustrating the ideas in the web. I then did a picture walk of the book with my students in order to preview and predict what they thought the story was about based on the colorful illustrations.
Stages of Social Justice:
The Woman Who Outshone the Sun explores many of the stages in social justice education including self-love and acceptance, respect for others, and exploring issues of social justice like the forms of cruelty that she incurred at the hands of the village people. It can be used to celebrate differences and tolerate differences by identifying the tolerant and intolerant behaviors in the story.
In the Classroom:
Speaking/Listening: Tell the students to pretend that they are one of the elders in the village giving the townspeople a presentation on how to persuade Lucia to come back. Have each student tell his or her reasons to the class.
Explore Setting Words: Explain to students that in the story a number of words give information about the setting. The word iguana, for example, indicates that the story probably takes place in a hot dry place because that is the environment in which most iguanas live. Invite students to work in pairs to locate other story words that give information about the setting.
Links:
http://www.palmbeach.k12.fl.us/Multicultural/curriculum/LanguageArts/Hispanic/TheWomanWhoOutshone.pdf
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/using-picture-books-explore-952.html

This Is Our House

2010-02-10T08:34:00.000-08:00

Summary:This book is about a little boy, who built a "house" with his friend. After they built the house, he refuses to share the house with his friends. He descriminates against them because of their hair color, their siblings, and their other activities. In the end the boy has to use the bathroom so he goes and his friends take over the house, when he comes back, they do not let him in. Eventually they all decided that the house is for everyone.

My Response: At first I did not know how i felt about the book, because it did not deal with race or the typical Social Justice Issues. As i continued to read the story, I enjoyed it more, because this was a story that students would be able to relate and eventual make a connection of what being prejudices means. Also it may look like at first that the picutres of the children look all the same, with different colors drawn in, but when looked at closesly it is clear that the way the pictures are drawn is the style of the illustrator. therefore this book does not have has many problems as I thought it would, and is actually a great book, to introduce the idea of prejudices to younger classes.

In the Classroom: This book can be used in the classroom, by introducing the idea of prejudices. It can begin with a read aloud, and the students can answer questions such as :do you think that as nice? Is he being mean? ETC. This book is just scratching the surface of issues, but I blieve is a great way to introduce big issues as well as use in a younger class.

Hannah Is My Name by Belle Yang

2010-02-10T08:20:00.000-08:00

Hannah Is My Name is about a young Chinese girl who emigrates with her family to the San Francisco in hopes of living a better life. Throughout the book, the family tries their best to assimilate with the neighborhood and the American culture while waiting for their green cards. Na-Li is Hannah's real name, but she goes by Hannah in America. She has to learn English in school and meet new friends. While waiting on the arrivals of their green cards, the family lives with great caution. Eventually, their green cards arrive and America is considered to be their new home.

This book touches upon history when many Chinese families were emigrating into America for better and prosperous lives. However, the story, itself, made it sound as if it was necessary for the family to adopt American culture and somewhat neglect their own culture. This may have been true in history, but, as educators, we must teach the students to be proud of their culture and to learn about various cultures. Also, the pictures were stereotypical and can be addressed in the classroom.

This book can be an introduction to personal cultures in the classroom or a way to open discussion among the students about the characters in the story.

Goal! by Mina Javaherbin

2010-02-09T19:29:00.001-08:00

This book is about a group of kids who live in South Africa. They are united by their love of soccer and so when one of the boys gets a new soccer ball as a prize at school, they are all excited and can't wait to play. However, since they know their neighborhood is unsafe they always have to be careful and watch out for bullies. While they are playing, the bullies come and the boys manage to hide their new ball from the bullies, who steal their old ball instead.

At the end, there is an author's note that talks about how poverty, bullies, and unsafe alleys are rampant in rural areas like the one in the book and how soccer is a form of uniting the people who live through this and persevere.

I think this book is a great and subtle way to talk about issues in our community and communities around us because the students could relate to the story well. I also like how the author sheds light on sports as something strong that unifies a community to pull through difficult times.

The book can definitely be applied to sj levels 1, 2, and 3. Students can talk about things that bring them and their families (and/or communities) together. The book also could potentially go into the 3rd level because you can explore issues of class, neighborhood, etc. and what brings about things like poverty. As a follow up to the book, if things like "what we can do about these issues..." are discussed then it could also serve as an introduction to level 4 and possibly 5, depending on how far the teacher and students are willing to expand on it.

Am I a Color Too? By Heidi Cole and Nancy Vogl

2010-02-08T08:42:00.000-08:00

I am a Human Being,
Not a color, not a word.
I have my hopes and dreams
And a voice that will be heard.

To find out more about this book visit the official website.
Buy "Am I a Color Too?" here.

In this story, a young boy grapples with his identity. He hears people say that his father is Black and his mother is White. He wonders, "Am I a color too?" Throughout the book, this young man thinks about the people he sees everyday and their colors. He comes to realize that he is not a color, but a person named Tyler. In the end, Tyler understands that people aren't words, they are individuals who have similarities and differences.

I very much enjoyed reading this book. Not only is the story one that children who are racially mixed can identify with, but the illustrations alone are reason enough to read "Am I a Color Too?" The beautiful, realistic drawings represent diverse ethnicities. The book's rhyming pattern makes it an appropriate read aloud book for children as young as 4 or 5. "Am I a Color Too?" could be used as a point of reference for an "All About Me" unit. It serves as a way to learn about children who are diverse in their ethnicity.

Within the domains of social justice, this book mainly touches upon the first two stages of "Self-Love and Acceptance" and "Respect for Others." Tyler learns to love himself for who he is and doesn't get caught up with identifying himself as a particular color or word. The people that he sees are of diverse races and he accepts them for and celebrates their similarities and differences. The third stage of "Exploring Issues of Social Justice" is subtly addressed within one page of the book. An illustration shows Tyler sitting under a table that is flooded with boxes labeled "Mixed", "Other", "Mulatto", "Bi-Racial", "White", "Black", and "Human Being". Students can explore the meanings of the these words and their affect on people's feelings.

If America Were a Village

2010-02-08T07:54:00.000-08:00

If America Were a Village: A Book about the People of the United States

by David J. Smith

(available in bookstores and amazon.com)

Smith decreased the number of Americans in the United States from 306 million to 100 people. He broke down the population so America became a village of 100, and he gave figures and facts that were easier to understand. "In this village: 75 are white, 12 are black...82 speak English as their first language..." He talks about race, language, religions, jobs, ages, wealth, energy use and health. As I was reading the book, I was fascinated by the amazing facts I was unaware of.

This book falls into step 1 and 2 of the social justice education. The students develop love and acceptance for themselves and others. Through this book, they will learn to appreciate the diversity around them. Teachers can use this book in math to teach statistics, ratio, and facts. Students can study the population of United States and explore diversity.

As a fun activity, the students can create their own book "If Our School Were a Village." They can survey and collect data on students' race and langauge. Instead of collecting data on wealth and religion, they can survey their favorite foods, TV shows, sports, and other topics that students are interested in finding.

The Music of Dolphins By Karen Hesse

2010-02-07T20:09:00.000-08:00

This book is a fairly sophisticated and complex story about a young teenage girl named Mila who has been living in a secluded location with dolphins for most of her life. She is eventually discovered, taken to a research facility against her will, and scientists attempt to teach Mila the English language as well as other American customs. Mila progresses quickly and is eager to learn, but struggles with adapting to the different environment she finds herself in. She longs for her home, the language and traditions she’s familiar with, and the dolphin family she left behind. Although Mila is amazed by all the things this new world has to offer her, she wishes to go back to the ocean where she believes she genuinely belongs.
I like this book because I believe it address many important themes and issues regarding conformity and cultural differences. It may appear that this book is not relevant to a social justice curriculum but Mila’s dolphin culture is very distinct and is constantly being dismissed as not legitimate throughout the book, speaking very realistically to our current society. Also in my experience, students really enjoy reading this book because its written as a series of diary entries written by Mila that become increasingly more sophisticated as Mila attains more language skills.
I used this book before with advanced readers from a fourth grade class. We read the book for a book club and the students and I were able to thoroughly and meaningfully connect the themes raised in the book to current issues in society and significant events in the past. We discussed why people in the book didn’t acknowledge Mila’s dolphin culture and how Mila’s abduction and forced conformity to the dominant culture is similar to other events in history such as slavery. When used in this way, this book can definitely be integrated into a social justice unit.

For more information visit: http://books.google.com/books?id=sNOL2J3zNVEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=the+music+of+dolphins&source=bl&ots=6tIKKGbAQD&sig=tIRH2_dAPm1eIPVHp8m-mEdufOg&hl=en&ei=ro9vS67UCc-XtgfHkrSEBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CA0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=&f=false

The Other Side By Jacqueline Woodson

2010-02-06T18:08:00.000-08:00

http://www.amazon.com/Other-Side-Jacqueline-Woodson/dp/0399231161

https://www.discountbooksale.com/store/productView.aspx?idProduct=15165&ec=1&ProdId=112&AWTrck=1038137580&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=the%20other%20side%20woodson&utm_campaign=acc010-0237&b=GGL_DBS_1

This book showcases a very simplistic story about a black and white girl who must overcome the stifling effect of racism in childhood. A fence separates the town into two sides, one side for blacks and the other side for whites. Although the girls are advised to never go to the other side, they decide that sitting on the fence isn’t going against the rules, leading them to become friends with one another. By the end of the story Annie says, “Someday somebody’s going to come along and knock this old fence down” which is the most important line of the book that easily leads the teacher into the third and fourth domain of sje. The teacher can focus on people in history who have knocked the “fence” [racism] down and could also encourage social action within the children by asking how they could knock the fence down. This book also promotes respect between black and white students. What I liked most about the book is how simple the message of racism comes through; making it easy to use with younger children without disturbing them. This book is excellent for studying literary elements such as symbolism [the fence] and for teaching literacy lessons through read alouds. Also, weather is a major component of the book and can be used as part of the science curricula.

White Socks Only

2010-02-06T15:38:00.001-08:00

White Socks Only

By: Evelyn Coleman

Illustrations by Tyrone Geter

available: http://www.amazon.com/White-Socks-Only-Evelyn-Coleman/dp/080758956X

White Socks Only is a flashback story told by a Grandma to a little girl. The grandma chronicles her journey into town on a hot day when she took eggs to see if they could fry on the sidewalk. The little girl hid the eggs on her sides, and one had broken, but she did make it to crack one and see it fry. However, it was such a hot day and she was covered in eggs, so she wanted a drink of water. She saw a white only fountain, so she took her shoes off and took a drink wearing her white socks. Of course, a white man came by and scolded the little girl. However, a woman from her church and other members of the Black community came up and supported her by drinking out of the fountain as well.

I like this book because it shows how people can band together to create change. I also like the subtle humor of the little girl taking off her shoes and using white socks. I also like the stock character sense that is created by the Big white man and the Chicken man. I think there are problems because this book makes it seem like it was SO easy to create change, when we know that people had to work a lot harder. We also might explore how the Chicken man may or may not perform Voodoo, which could be why the whites seem fearful of him.

I would use this book as a read-aloud. I might even include it in my science units because of the idea of frying an egg on the sidewalk when its hot.

This book falls into the domains of SJE exploring issues of social justice, and social movements and change.

It would fall nicely into a literature unit about stock characters. It would also fall nicely into a literature unit introducing the idea of symbolism and allegory. It would also even introduce the technique of flashback.

The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq

2010-02-06T10:39:00.000-08:00

The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq

Written and Illustrated by Jeanette Winter

Summary:

Alia Muhammas Baker is the chief librarian of Basra, Iraq's central library. When Alia hears of the impending war in Basra, she worries her library will be destroyed in the fighting. Determined to save the books, "which are more precious to her than mountains of gold," Alia works to secretly transfer over 30,000 books from the library to safer areas, such as a nearby restaurant, the homes of friends, scattered throughout the community. Alia rescues the books just in time, as nine days later the library is destroyed. With the books now in safe keeping, Alia patiently waits for the war to end, as she dreams of a new library.

This book can be integrated into several areas of study:

Math: Students can focus on the books transferred. May have students place books in equal groupings and 'spread'

throughout town in a certain number of trips. Can give students dimensions of houses, and have students apply area formulas to decide how many books could fit in each house, etc.

Social Studies: Study the geography of the Middle East, of Iraq, of Basra; the restricted roles of women in some regions of the country; the various cultures of the region; The importance and value of books in society - the knowledge and history they contain; Learning more about the story of Alia and read interviews with her, learn about how and why the author chose

to write the book, etc.

Domains of Social Justice Education:

The Librarian of Basra has a strong focus on:

Step 3: Exploring issues of Social Justice

Step 4: Social Movement and Social Change

These are two areas that student can delve deeper into, and begin to study and explore how forms of oppression are confronted and how people have struggled to social change. In addition, students may want to fundraise money, to help the book's publishing company, Harcourt, who is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book to a special American Library Association fund set up to help buy books for Basra's Central Library, which is still awaiting funding to be rebuilt.

Don't Say Ain't

2010-02-05T16:56:00.000-08:00

Don't Say Ain't

by: Irene Smalls

Illustrated by Colin Bootman

Don't Say Ain't is about a little girl, Dana, who lives with her Godmother. She has two best girlfriends, with whom she likes to play double-dutch. Dana gets into an advanced school, and soon learns that there are certain ways to behave and speak in school. Her friends from her neighborhood stop speaking to her, and Dana is very confused. Then Dana's teacher comes to visit their home, and she is speaking just like Dana and her Godmother and friends, and she becomes equally confused. She then tries desperately to get her friends to speak to her again, to no avail. It is not until Dana learns that she can do well at school, but still have fun with her friends that she is happy again!

available via amazon, although I found it in a great little children's store in East Harlem called Grandma's Place:

http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Say-Aint-Irene-Smalls/dp/157091382X

Reflection:

I like this story because of the way the little girls' friendship is tested. I also like the way it can allow us to think about the uses of language and for older kids, the notion of "acting white". It also of course talks about how we can all have multiple sides to our personalities. It also speaks about the ability of a good school to change the outcome of your life.

I think this story is really a read-aloud book. The book is kind of difficult to digest, but it might also work in small book groups. I think it is a good way to talk about families, interpersonal relationships, and perhaps introduce past-times into the classroom, like double-dutch.

I think this book falls into Self-Love and Acceptance. It also speaks a little bit about respect for others. The book itself does not explore the issues of social justice in an upfront manner, but with a class discussion the stereotypes of attending a good school, and the marginalization of Ebonics by non-Blacks can be confronted.

It doesn't really connect to any curricular units that are already in place from the DOE, however, I think with a little creativity you could fit it in really nicely to some. Perhaps character study and the use of dialogue in stories might be best.

This book spoke to me personally because I had moved from a neighborhood school to a gifted talented program. I experienced how it is really hard to maintain friendships with people if you are in limbo between socio-economic groups. This also could be a similar experience for any student who does not "fit" into a category of oppression perfectly.

Samantha Reed

The Golden Rule by: Ilene Cooper

2010-02-05T13:31:00.000-08:00

Summary: This book is about the rule that has no boundaries which is to "do unto others as you would have them do unto to you." This book begins with a boy noticing a billboard with this message written on it and he questions his Grandfather as to the meaning of the quote. His Grandfather then goes on to explain to him the rule and how it is worded differently. After he explained how it is a universal rule that is found in almost all religions for example, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc... So then the boy questions how could he follow the rule and the Grandfather gives him examples of what to do if there is a new kid in class or if he was getting bullied. Then the kid came to the realization that not everyone follows that rule, but that it has to start with him.

Reflection: I liked this book the moment I saw the title because I know of this golden rule and the illustrations are very colorful and soft. I was a bit on edge when I hit the part where the Grandfather begins to talk about religions simply because this is a touchy subject in a public environment but then I realized that his use is simply educational. Also I caught myself because I had to remind myself that the idea behind this class is to not be afraid to tackle the touchy subjects in an educational manor.

In the classroom: I would use this book in terms of respect for others and in terms of social action. If I read this book aloud to say my first graders I could focus on the main idea of how to respect others because this is how we would like to be treated. I could use the example of the new kid and bullying or teasing and how we should behave. In the same respect I could also focus on the part where the boy begins to realize that not everybody follows this rule and when the grandfather asks why is he saying that, he responds that he has made the observation that if the golden rule were to be followed by all then there would be no war. This fact I would help them expand and then I would introduce a place where war is happening, specifically I was thinking of a place where genocide takes place like Darfur. We would learn about this country, the reasons for the issues that take place there, and together decide how we can become involved. I also said that I would use this book as a read aloud in High School, specifically for world history as an introduction to those religions.

Mayrovy De Leon

2010-02-05T05:42:00.000-08:00

Unique Monique By Maria Rousaki

Can be purchased on Amazon. com or Barnes and Noble

Summary-

Monique is a girl who goes to a uniform school where all the boys and girls wear the same clothing. They wore blue sweaters and brown skirts or pants. Monique thinks these are the ugliest colors let alone the ugliest clothes a person could wear. Every day she says to her mom “I don’t want to wear my uniform”. All Monique wanted was to be different. Monique found an old trunk in her attack with a red hat, and other accessories to spice up her uniform. Monique decided she would wear the different things she found to school each day and each time she wore something “unique” the teacher would have her remove it. The students enjoyed seeing Monique being unique and after each day of wearing a new trend they would come to school in it the next day and get yelled at by the principal for it. One day Monique came to school looking like all the other students; to say the least, her teacher was thrilled and called her to the front of the room to be a role model. Just then Monique smiled; she had a full mouth of bright red braces. “At last she was unique”.

My review-

I really enjoyed reading the book Unique Monique. Like Monique, I went to a school where everyone had to wear a uniform. All I wanted to do, like Monique, was to find a way to be unique and break away from the dress code. Like Monique it was hard to break away from the dress code because the teachers were always looking to get the out-of-dress-code person in trouble. This is a great book to have in any classroom as it is an easy, funny book to read and has wonderful illustrations. It is also great to have in a classroom because it addresses the idea of being unique, being an individual, and a leader. This book can be used to build classroom as well as used to do a word study on the word unique.

In the classroom-

One way I would use Unique Monique in the classroom is by doing a word study on the word unique and what it means to be unique. I would then have students come up with a list of several things that makes them unique, what makes their family unique, and what makes their classroom unique. Once students have an idea of all the aspects that make them unique as in school, outside of school and as individuals I would then go on to talk to the students about what it means to have a community and how all of their unique qualities help make their classroom special.

If I was teaching in a school where the students wore uniforms like Monique and all looked alike I would work with my students on creating a petition to the principal of the school asking to allow the students to have a day once a month of to wear whatever they wanted. This would allow the students the opportunity to show their individual uniqueness through how they dress.

As a teacher it is important to make my students feel special and embrace whatever unique qualities they have. As a teacher I want to make sure all of my students are proud of who they are and express themselves and not conform to what someone else wants them to be. Each student should stand proud and accounted for.

Social justice Education

Self Love and acceptance

Respect for others

*3. Taking social action (if in a school where the students wear uniforms)

Different Just Like Me by: Lori Mitchell

2010-02-04T20:49:00.000-08:00

Summary: The story Different Just Like Me is about a young girl named April who through the course of a week discovers that people, much like flowers, are all different and yet the same because they are all beautiful. The story begins with April anxiously waiting for Friday to arrive so that she can go visit her grandmother. On Monday, on the bus, she notices a boy and a girl talking through signs. Her mother explains they are using sign language. On Tuesday, she went to the market and noticed all of the different people there. "They came in all sizes, shapes and colors. Some of them even spoke different languages." On Wednesday, she rides the elevator to her father's office and she watches a lady, who is accompanied by a dog, feel the little bumps that are underneath each number before pressing her floor. On Thursday, she over hears a customer ordering what she likes to eat at her favorite diner. Friday finally comes and April gets to explore in her grandmother's garden where she realizes that everyone is different and therefore that makes them just like her.

Reflection: I found this book in the library of my first grade classroom. It is a level M and when I first saw the title I did not expect it to touch on the many subjects it mentions. For example, in this book April encounters someone who is deaf, blind, African American, Asian, artistic, etc... I really like this book because it not only can be used to show respect for others, and to draw the comparisons that all human being have, but it can also be used from a self love aspect. Through out the book April reaffirms to herself how all of these different people are like her and most importantly she finds all of these differences beautiful, which in turn makes her beautiful.

In the classroom: I would use this book either as an introduction to a unit on self love or respecting others or as the ending of a respecting other unit. First I would use this book as an introduction to the unit because I think this is a good read aloud story in which a discussion can be centered around. I would read this book and ask, what do you notice about the people in this story? Look closely at the illustrations. In what way do the characters appear different from April and how are they just like her? From that discussion we would enter into the unit of respecting other. I could also end a unit with this book if I were to focus specifically on one difference. For example, if I were to receive a new student in my class who has a hearing impediment then I would like the class to learn more about how to support this new child. So I would create a mini unit on this disability and then end with the book focusing on how being deaf is not the only difference we can encounter out in the world. I would discuss the other differences April experiences and challenge them to be more aware in their environment. By doing this I would be allowing room for discussion on how to treat someone who may seem different.

Goin' Someplace Special

2010-02-04T20:48:00.000-08:00

Title: Goin' Someplace Special
Author: Patricia C. McKissack, Jerry Pinkney
Buy It: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Goin-Someplace-Special/Patricia-C-McKissack/e/9781416927358/?itm=1&USRI=goin+someplace+special

This book follows the journey of an African American girl named 'Tricia Ann (the work is somewhat autobiographical of the first author) as she navigates her way through a town that follows the Jim Crow laws. She deals with "Whites only" benches, sitting at the back of the bus, getting kicked out of a building, while trying to keep her sense of pride. Though there are times when she feels like giving up, she learns that her value doesn't come from the way other people treat her, but from her courage and determination. At the end she finds her own little utopia - a public library where "All Are Welcome."
This book is a valuable resource for the classroom because it shows how a child handled the social injustices of her day. It's a great example of Stage 1 of social justice education, where students establish a sense of self, and of Stage 2. 'Tricia Ann learns to be proud of who she is as a person even when others only judge her by the color of her skin. Though this book doesn't show an active fight against the Jim Crow laws, such as a protest, it shows how real people fought back in quiet ways as they never let white people's treatment of them rob them of their sense of dignity. I like this book because it doesn't try to make any statements about the way black people responded in general, it tells a personal narrative about the way one person handled a situation. Students can learn from this book that there are different ways to handle injustices as well as different kinds of strength. However, this book can also serve as a springboard into discussions about racism that is still present today, and more active roles they can take in addressing this injustice.
Naturally, this book could be used in a social studies unit that addresses racism or post-Civil War history, but it could also be used in other contexts. Because the story takes place as 'Tricia Ann moves from her home to the public library, students can study mapping as they plot her journey. This mapping can also form a sequencing activity as students label what happened to her at each point. Students can also study motivation as they look at why 'Tricia Ann behaved the way she did. In addition, a teacher can use this book to teach about fractions, decimals, and percents as students study what part of the whole bus was portioned off for African Americans, the percent of buildings in a town that African Americans could enter, etc.
I highly recommend this inspirational book.

A Circle of Friends by Giora Carmi

2010-02-04T18:45:00.000-08:00

Summary:
A Circle of Friends is an inspiring wordless book about a child (boy, girl...) who is looking out of the window. The next few pages show him receiving money from a guardian (mother, nanny, aunt...) and he arrives at a bakery to purchase a muffin (blueberry, chocolate chip, banana-nut...). As he's walking, he sees a man sleeping on a bench. The child leaves his bitten muffin next to the man, where the man wakes up and takes a bite out of the present from the child. The man notices some birds in the tree and a newborn bird, so he decides to leave some crumbs for the birds to retrieve. The birds accept the gifts and the baby bird flies down to meet the man. He gives him another gift, a seed, but the bird takes it and plants it in the child's window. This book demonstrates the full circle of good deeds taking a toll in various lives and the importance of caring for your neighbors.

Reflection:
I was worried when I first stumbled upon this book because it did not have any words for the story. It did not take me long to realize the beauty of the pictures alone because they told the story nice and clear without any words, but through the importance of actions. Though the reader may follow along with the story relatively easily, there is still some room for interpretation. This book opens the doors of awareness for the people in the community surrounding the readers, thus challenging the readers to think beyond themselves and for the people who deserve and need recognition because it goes a long way.

In the Classroom:
This book can be implemented into the classroom in many ways because the students can make their own dialogues and write their own stories. This encourages creativity and participation from the students. Students will also be introduced different social issues such as poverty and the environment. This book also challenges students to recognize the passing of time for each page and for them to imagine what is happening in between the pages. After reading this book, the teacher can apply many activities relating to the theme. First, teachers can ask the students to retell what happened in the book with their own words by describing the situation, the emotions, and the results. Second, teachers can introduce various social issues and make those into complete unites. Third, teachers can challenge students to 'Pay It Forward', like the movie, and have the students carry out a good deed to six different people. If there is time one day, the teachers may show the movie to the students so the students could see the potential ripple effects of their good deeds. Of course, the ending of the movie is going to cause a range of reactions and should be discussed with great sensitivity.

The Gardener

2010-02-04T18:31:00.000-08:00

The Gardener
By Sarah Stewart

This picture book is told in the format of letters of a girl named Lydia Grace. Through her letters, we find out that her dad hasn't been working and that her mother's business is failing, and her uncle needs her to come live with him in the city for a little while. She is unsure of what to expect, because her only skill is gardening. It's a wonderful tale of Lydia Grace always receiving bulbs and seeds from her Grandmother and mom back home. As each letter is sent from Lydia Grace, she continues to tell her family the progress she is making with Uncle Jim by helping his business and trying to make him smile. She continues to grow flowers everywhere in the city until finally she creates an entire garden on the roof of his building in the city.

This story, although unlike the other stories in this blog, is a short picture one and geared toward the younger grades. Students can learn how talents in another place can be of use. Lydia Grace only had one thing she was confident about, which was gardening. Though she was unsure of what to do or expect when living with her Uncle Jim, she found her happiness through doing what she knew how to do. In the city, which is where these students are from (most of them living in apartment buildings in Manhattan) - students can explore the joy and beauty of urban gardening. I thought it was a short great picture book story to introduce youngsters to urban gardening. Social justice ideas are difficult to grasp, especially for the younger students like in kindergarten. Some have probably never even heard of gardening or seen gardens. It allows them to stretch their imaginations to the idea of urban gardening - and perhaps the teacher then can go over the idea of it, thoughts on why people garden, the importance of gardening, and the value of gardening in the city.

Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman

2010-02-04T16:51:00.000-08:00

Stela Bastijancic

Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman, illustrated by Caroline Binch

To purchase/find more info:
http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Grace-Reading-Rainbow-Book/dp/0803710402

Grace was a little girl who loved stories her grandmother told her, and would often act out all the parts. When the teacher announced that the class was to perform Peter Pan as a play, Grace wanted the part of Peter Pan. Her classmates told her she could not play Pater Pan because he was a boy, and he was not black. Grace auditions anyway and wins the part, proving she can be anything she wants to be.

Amazing Grace is a great story with a great message. It tells children there are no limits to what they can be. Not only does it reinforce the positive message that you can do anything, but it also teaches tolerance and gives a broader perspective of what can and cannot be. This is a story that confronts racism and shatters stereotypes. Any child that is repressed for any reason can identify with Grace.

Some of the major themes touched on in the story are:
GENDER: Why did Grace want a role that is usually played by a boy? Is it ok for girls to do boy things? This might lead into conversations about girls in certain jobs and how students view the roles of boys and girls.
DIVERSITY: Not only is Grace a girl, but she is also black and wants to play a part of a white boy. Students can discuss fairness and prejudices people have. This discussion might be about how people are different in ways besides skin color or gender, such as disabilities, language, family life.
COURAGE: What does it say about Grace’s character that she went ahead and tried out for the part? How did Grace feel doing something others thought was unusual, or even wrong?
FAMILY: Grace’s mother and grandmother were supportive of her decision and encouraged her to try out for the part.

This is an excellent book for teachers to use in the classroom for students to learn about the importance of self esteem, to recognize that people should not be limited because of their gender or race, to promote reading of children’s literature. There are many activities that can be done to accompany the reading: put on a class play, use in unit on racism and segregation, have dress up day where students can be whoever they want to be…

Jacob's Rescue by Malka Drucker and Michael Halperin

2010-02-04T15:27:00.000-08:00

Title: Jacob's Rescue by Malka Drucker and Michael Halperin

Resources:

Amazon

Cheap Books

Summary: Jacob Gutgeld lives in Warsaw Poland, in the year, 1939 when the Nazis first invade Poland. Over time, the Jewish people start losing their rights such as going to school and playing outside while non-Jewish families could. Soon, Jacob’s comfortable lifestyle vanishes and is replaced with one that is living in poverty and harsh conditions. Jacob forms a close relationship with the non-Jewish family , the Roslan,who hide him from Nazi’s in their household. However, not all of Jacob’s family members survive. His brothers come down with Scarlet fever and are not able to seek medical attention because they may kidnap by the Nazis. Throughout the story, the Roslan family has to keep moving to prevent the Nazis from finding Jacob. By the end of the story, Jacob immigrates to America with the Roslan family and is united with his father.

Reflection:I chose this book because my 6^th grade students just finished this book, and really enjoyed reading it! One aspect that I liked of the book was that the main character, Jacob Gutgeld, does not die in the story. This allowed students to form a close relationship with the protagonist throughout the story. Another aspect that I liked was, the book is based on real people and events that happened during the Holocaust. During the story, readers are gradually introduced to the hardships that the Jewish families experienced, and does not make the reader become too overwhelmed.

Self-love and acceptance- The book talks about some Jewish customs, such as Jacob reading a special book called the “ Haggadah” for Passover. Also during some parts of the book, Jacob and his Jewish family speak Yiddish.

Respect for Others- In the beginning of the book, Jacob grapples with the idea why his family is being persecuted, unlike the Roslan family, who are able to maintain their rights. He soon discovers that his religion separates himself from the Roslan family, which upsets him. Later on, Jacob accepts the Roslan family and they soon become allies.

Exploring issues of Social Justice- This book explores anti-Semitism and the Jewish being oppressed by the Nazis.

Social Movement and Social Change- The Roslan family, who were not Jewish, took Jacob’s family in and hid them from the Nazi’s. They did not agree with what was going on at the current time.

Taking Social Action- Yes, this book definitely encourages students to take social action. At the end of the story, Jacob praises the Roslan family for their courage, hiding his family during the Holocaust. He addresses how it is not easy to go against others who are in control. Also in the book’s afterward, it encourages students to continue social action by suggesting to visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C..

Activities/Units: This book could definitely be tied into Language Arts and Mathematics like, determining the daily calorie intact that Jacob and his family endured, while living under these harsh conditions. For language Arts, I would use journal writing from Jacob’s perspective, so that students could explore the feelings and issues which Jacob faced.

The Steel Pan Man of Harlem by Colin Bootman

2010-02-04T15:03:00.000-08:00

The Steel Pan Man of Harlem by Colin Bootman

http://www.amazon.com/Steel-Pan-Man-Harlem/dp/0822590263

Summary:
This book is based on Robert Browning’s poem, The Pied Piper of Hamelin. It takes place in Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance. Harlem is overrun with rats, and even though the citizens of Harlem complain to the mayor, he does not know how to fix the problem. A mysterious man, the steel pan man, comes to Harlem and plays a song so exciting that people can’t help themselves – they just keep dancing. The steel pan man tells the mayor that he can play a song to make the rats go away. The mayor agrees to pay the man one million dollars if he chases all the rats away, but does not own up to his word and pay the steel pan man the money. The steel pan man is angry and casts a dancing spell on the mayor. The mayor ends up paying the steel pan man the money, but the dancing spell forces the mayor to dance his way out of the city.

Reflection:
I really like this book because the author and illustrator, Colin Bootman, is a local New Yorker. He lived in Trinidad until he was seven and then moved to the United States. He is particularly interested in the Harlem Renaissance because many people living in Harlem during that time period were immigrants from the Caribbean. Colin Bootman has written other books and I think he might be an interesting subject for an author study. Since Colin Bootman lives in Brooklyn, student may take a particular interest in learning more about him and his life.
I think this book could be used to introduce the concept of taking social action (the 5th level of Social Justice Education). The steel pan man recognizes a problem in the community and after addressing the mayor directly, takes action to fix the problem. He does so in a fantastical way – by playing a song that makes rats dance out of the city – but the concept of standing up as an individual to enact change is still present in a comprehensible way. Because it takes place during the Harlem Renaissance, this book could also tie into a community study of Harlem or a social studies unit on the Harlem Renaissance.

A Song for Cambodia By Michelle Lord

2010-02-04T07:19:00.000-08:00

Title: A Song for Cambodia
Author: Michelle Lord

Summary:
This book is based on a true story about a Cambodian boy named Arn who survived the war in Cambodia in 1975. With the Khmer Rough rule, Cambodia suffered greatly. Arn is separated from his family--both of his parents, grandfather, and 10 siblings--and forced into a children's work camp to work in the rice paddies. When the soldiers at the camp finally get sick of the silence and ask for volunteers to join a musical group, Arn remembers playing and listening to his grandfather's music and bravely volunteers to learn the khim (a wooden string instrument). In only five days Arn becomes the best student. Unfortunately, the nice old man with the sad eyes who taught him how to play, along with three other students who could not learn the khim, are killed by a camp soldier. Arn mourns their deaths but hold in his tears, for he could be killed if caught while crying. Arn learns to sooth his broken heart and pain while playing the khim and imagining being somewhere other than
the cruel camp. Arn plays the khim at the camp for four long years, until he is 12 years old, when South Vietnam invades Cambodia. Arn runs away to a jungle near the country of Thailand and is placed in the Sakeo Refugee Camp. One day, a flood sweeps through the camp and Reverend Peter Pond, and American volunteer, saves Arn from drowning. The two of them become friends even though they did not share the same language, and Reverend Peter decides to adopt Arn. The story ends as Arn learns to assimilate to the American culture and heal his internal wounds through playing Cambodian music. The afterword also reveals that Arn Chorn-Pong has founded many organizations to help rebuild Cambodia, to save other children of war, and to reintroduce traditional Cambodian music and arts. "Music saved his life. Now it is Arn's mission to save the music."

Review:
This was a very touching book (tear-jerker, for sure!). There's a lot of vocabulary that children need and should know in order to learn about social justice. Even though Arn is "saved" by an American volunteer, the book does not stereotype Americans as the saviors, but rather states the truth about how the war in Cambodia was broken out in the first place. There are subtle references to Cambodian culture such as: the religion, family life, musical instruments, food, and climate/geography. Children can learn about Cambodia and the war that Arn is a part of in this book. The book also mentions the Vietnam War several times. I think it is very important for children to realize that a war has a huge impact on both the people of the countries involved, as well as the people in countries that are bordering, or are close to the countries in the war. Arn's courage, dedication, and motivation to survive is also an important aspect of this book that children need to take away
from the reading. Especially for children who have difficulties expressing their feelings or moods through words, a man as successful as Arn with such a tragic childhood story can be a hero to them.

Uses in the Classroom:
This book is both beautiful and wonderful in that it can teach children about wars, history, as well as how to deal with sadness, anger, and separation. Music can be incorporated into this lesson as well, because the book definitely would have children asking, "what a khim?" or "what do Cambodian music sound like?" Children can learn about the different sounds of different cultures and the importance of keeping the music alive for future generations. This book can also help children learn to appreciate their lives in America, where children do not have to fear soldiers separating them from their parents, or forcing them to work at rice paddies. This can be connected into a unit about wars that are currently going on and how the children in those wars may feel. This book has so much potential and can be incorporated to literally, EVERY SUBJECT! I highly recommend this book for grades 3 and up.

More Information:
http://wellreadchild.blogspot.com/2008/05/song-for-cambodia-by-michelle-lord.html (other summary/comments on the book)
http://www.cambodianlivingarts.org/people/arnchornpond (more about Arn Chorn-Pond and other resources related to Arn)
http://www.pbs.org/pov/thefluteplayer/ (a video of Arn called "The Flute Player")

Fishing Day

2010-02-03T20:04:00.000-08:00

Fishing Day by Andrea Pinkey and Shane Evans

Summary:
This book was about a black girl who goes fishing with her mother. They have trouble catching fish. While they are fishing a white man and his son come to the same river which is called the Jim Crow river. It glosses over what Jim Crow Laws were. Eventually the little girl is able to catch a fish, but the boy is unable, and therefore he gets angry and starts to throw rocks at the little girl. The mother and the daughter decide to go home, but before they leave, the little girl gives the boy her special bait and he ends up catching a fish.

Response:
I enjoyed the book, because it was not the usual theme of a white person having to do something spectacular for the someone that is a minority race to achieve something. One thing that bothered me was that the black person had to be the bigger person. The little girl was the one that had to swallow her pride despite the fact that she was wronged.

In the Classroom:
I would use this book in the classroom to introduce what Jim Crow laws. This book touches upon the Jim Crow laws, but did not go into depth. I could use this book as a read-aloud at the beginning of a unit on segregation. This book could be used to stir up discussion about the idea of segregation and to gain prior knowledge of what the students know and want to know. A KWL chart could be created to have in the classroom to have the students continue to think about and to challenge their ideas of race, segregation, and discrimination.

Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Sarajevo by Zlata Filipovic

2010-02-03T17:53:00.000-08:00

I keep thinking about the march I joined today. It's bigger and stronger than war. That's why it will win. The people must be the ones to win, not the war, because war has nothing to do with humanity. War is something inhuman.

Summary
Zlata's Diary was written during the Bosnian War by a girl who was then turning eleven years old. Zlata Filipovic, the author, wrote a series of entries in her journal, which she named Mimmy, from 1991 to 1993. The beginning starts as any other fifth grader’s journal would. Zlata writes about the daily events of her life; going to school, playing with friends, being with her family. But her entries are soon filled with the retellings of the horrors she is facing living in Sarajevo, which becomes under siege. Zlata’s Diary documents the appalling aspects of war witnessed from the innocence of a child.

Reflection
I first read Zlata's Diary when I was in the fifth grade. I remember feeling shocked about the things this young girl, who was exactly my age, was experiencing. The book made a big impact on me, which is why I chose to reread it as an adult. Zlata’s Diary is written from a child’s perspective. Yet while the language is that of an elementary school student, the content is something no child should have to write about. Because this is told in a first person point-of-view, Zlata makes it easy for us to empathize and identify with her though she is experiencing things foreign to most people. The diary style employed invites intimacy and allows for a close connection with the text.

In the Classroom
I would use this book in older elementary school grades. Children around that age can identify with the act of writing in a diary or a journal. The language lends itself easily to children of this age, as well. Zlata’s character development as the book progresses is an area of reading and writing that can be deeply explored. An entire unit can be developed around Zlata’s Diary to learn about the Bosnian War. Zlata’s experiences and the war itself can also be learned with and compared to other wars dealing with genocide and religious differences, such as World War II and the Holocaust. The book can be used as an outside resource to learn about these topics.

Domains of SJE
Self-love and acceptance as well as respect for others are explored within the book. Zlata has a hard time understanding why anyone would want to hurt others based on their beliefs and practices. She sees war as a completely useless and horrible act. Discussions with her family and friends are retold to readers that address her confusions and anger about what is going on around her. Themes of social justice are highly present within the book. Students will read about the hardships and triumphs that Zlata undergoes to create social change and take action for what she believes in.

To learn more about the book visit the Wikipedia page. Buy it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

William's Doll by Charlotte Zolotow

2010-02-02T17:38:00.000-08:00

Buy it at Amazon or Barnes and Noble:

http://www.amazon.com/Williams-Doll-Charlotte-Zolotow/dp/0060270470#noop

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Williams-Doll/Charlotte-Zolotow/e/9780064430678

This book is about a little boy who wanted a doll more than anything. His brother and other male friends would make fun of him and call him a "sissy" because dolls are typically not for boys. Even his father tried to persuade him to want a beasketball instead, but all William could think about is what his doll would look like. However, his father still bought him a basketball to make him play basketball,and a train set and workbench to try to make him interested in "boy stuff". William played with these things but he still always thought about the doll he wanted. One day, when his grandmother visits, she finally buys William a doll so that he'll take care of it and know how to be a father.

I like this book because it challenges the traditional gender stereotypes that children grow up with. Even before we're born, parents decide on blue for boys and pink for girls (for the most part). Children are told that girls play with dolls and boys play with cars and if girls like cars or boys like dolls, there is something "wrong" with them. This book can show children from an early age that it is ok to like whatever they like and they shouldn't have to hide their interests just because society has made them "gender specific".

In the younger grades I would use the book to highlight that people are different in many ways and have different interests and that you should be proud of who you are and love yourself for you. In the older grades, I would use it to introduce gender roles and possibly discrimination based on gender.

This book would fall under the first 3 social justice stages. It shows children how you can love and accept yourself for who you are. It can show them how to have respect for others and their differences. I included the 3rd stage because I think I could definitely use it an introduction to things like sexism and possibly even homophobia, depending on the class, grade, and how it's integrated.

The Sound of Colors

2010-02-02T17:10:00.000-08:00

Title & Author

The Sound of Colors, A Journey of the Imagination By Jimmy Liao

Links

Amazon

Barnes and Nobles

Summary

The story follows the narrator, a woman who has lost her sight, through her journey around the city. She navigates the subway and the city she knows, with language and description that tap into her imagination, as well as her inner most thoughts and feelings. As readers, we not only read the colorful language, but also are able to take into account the vibrant and imaginative illustrations accompanying her.

Personal Response

This book bridged a new topic for me, and it did so in a colorful, creative, imaginative, and yet real way. The character that we follow has depth, she has her own fears, her own wants, her own thoughts, and yet what is most impressive is her imagination. The illustrations are beautiful and a link to her creativity and description of her experiences.

Classroom Connection

We’ve discussed that while not every book is perfect, there can be many beneficial aspects in some, while being sure to look at every angle. One thing that really stood out to me in this book was the descriptive language and imagination. Using this book as a tool to having students tap into their own imagination and use of description is key. However additionally at play is the main characters use of her imagination and memory in lieu of sight. The woman was not born blind, instead she slowly lost her site. To start, I think that looking at the characters experiences, as a way of developing respect for others, is important. The position of the narrator may not be that of the students and taking on a new perspective promotes understanding and empathy. I feel as though this character is identified as a real person, with a real personality. Additionally, I think it brings about a good question for students to explore about what they know about particular disabilities and differences, and in the instance of a someone who is blind, how does the city account for their needs? This can link into, what I feel, is an under developed emphasis and education of individuals who are differently abled and their history, culture, and experiences.

My Name Is Yoon

2010-02-02T15:13:00.000-08:00

Title & Author:
My Name Is Yoon by Helen Recorvits

Purchase & More Info:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Summary:
My Name Is Yoon is a story about a Korean girl who moves to the United States as a small girl. The story is told through the perspective of the young girl. Her name in Korean means "Shining Wisdom," and Yoon absolutely loves how her name looks when written in Korean. Now that she is going to school in America, her father tells her that she has to learn how to learn her name in English. When he teaches her how she becomes upset, saying "I did not like Yoon. Lines. Cirlcles. Each standing alone." She goes on to tell how much more she likes to write her name in Korean because all of the lines in the character "dance together." Instead of writing her actual name on her papers, she wants to write other words that she learns because they make her happy.

My Response:
This book is very similar to another book that I have read called "The Name Jar." In both accounts there is a Korean girl struggling with her new identity as an American student. I love the illustrations in the book because they are so imaginative, and I also think it is a positive that the Korean symbol for her name is included in the book. I agree with what Josephine said about the depictions of Korean people as sometimes making them look "crazy" but feel that this book does not follow this path.

In The Classroom:
This book is beneficial because while it is about a Korean girl and her Korean background, the concept is one that is easily applicable to many students. As our classrooms grow more and more culturally diverse, there is a good chance that we will have students who were born somewhere other than the US. A book such as this helps them deal with some of the identity issues in coming to a new country and feeling as though you don't "fit in." Additionally, I think that with names being so much a part of who we are, this book could be the beginning of an early in the year project with younger students. We could look at various languages and cultures, and identify their names within them to create a board of self-identities. This could tie in nicely with the pastel portrait project we did, and any Korean symbols for names could even be included in the actual drawings. With self-identity being a large issue, I felt this book did a pretty good job of giving a starting point for discussions, without being offensive to any cultures or groups portrayed.

2010-02-02T11:36:00.001-08:00

The Butterfly
Written and Illustrated by Patricia Polacco

Summary: The Butterfly is about a girl named Monique who lives in Nazi occupied France. One night she wakes up and thinks she sees a ghost. Monique later discovers that the ghost is actually a girl named Sevrine, who is hiding with her family (they are Jewish) in Monique's house. When one of Monique's neighbors sees the two of them together, Monique's mother has to help Sevrine and her family escape to avoid the Nazis.

My thoughts: I was drawn to this book because I have read many other books by Patricia Polacco. The story and illustrations are beautiful and it is a story that has been passed down to her by her aunt, Monique. This book, I thought, brought a very touching story about a difficult subject to life in an accessible way. The Butterfly has a lot of possibilities for further discussion in it as well. I also really liked that in this story it is Monique's mother who is the strong character working for the resistance.

In the classroom: This book could work well with a unit about the Holocaust and World War II. I also think that it could be tied in with literacy through a character study of Monique. This book could also be used to talk about discrimination (antisemitism).

Domains of SJE: Some of the domains are just briefly touched upon in the book, but I think that it could be a jumping off point to discuss some of these topics further.

Self-love and acceptance - Sevrine briefly mentions some traditions that her family carried out before the Nazis forced them into hiding. This could be expanded upon to learn more about Jewish customs and traditions.

Respect for others - Monique's questioning why the Nazis are persecuting Jewish people as a whole could lead to talking about how she respected their differences and accepted Sevrine as a close friend even though many people at that time wouldn't have.

Exploring issues of Social Justice - Exploring antisemitism and how Jewish people were oppressed and persecuted during this time.

Social Movements and Social Change - Monique's mother didn't agree with what was happening in France and took her own steps to make a change, working with the French resistance.

Taking Social Action - Although the book doesn't necessarily encourage students to take it upon themselves to change the world, I think that after learning about the oppression and persecution that took place, many students might be interested in finding out if this is still happening and how they could change it.

Patricia Polacco's website
The Butterfly at Barnes and Noble
The Butterfly at Amazon

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

2010-02-01T20:46:00.000-08:00

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry tells the story of a young girl, Annemarie, and her life in Denmark during World War II. With Nazi soldiers positioned throughout Copenhagen, life had already been made difficult, but things become worse for everyone, especially Annemarie's friend Ellen and her family, when the Nazis begin a "relocation" program for all Jews. As Annemarie learns more about the bravery of others, especially her own family members, she grapples with the thought of just how courageous she could be. In an effort to save her friend's life, as well as those of several others, Annemarie is forced to come face to face with her fears and, in the end, to uncover how brave she truly is.

This book is a great read for elementary school students. It is a powerful text in the way it conveys the struggles of people during World War II in a manner not found within textbooks, and it portrays both men and women in courageous, powerful positions. It would be an excellent tool to show children that even the youngest members of society can have a positive impact on social justice issues.

The book can be used in a number of curricular units. Because it focuses mostly on the character of Annemarie, it could be used for a character study unit within language arts, showing the many thoughts and emotions she experiences and how she develops over the course of the book. Also in terms of language arts, the book could be used as part of an author study, reading this and other texts by Lois Lowry and exploring the similarities and differences, as well as part of a unit of books that include strong female characters. It could also be used in conjunction with a unit on World War II, focusing on the specific impact of "relocation." This could be done in terms of individuals and families, like the Rosens and the Johansens, as well as businesses/institutions, including Mrs. Hirsch's button shop. Students could use the text to uncover ways in which people in their own neighborhoods are discriminated against, as well, lending to a more personal and relevant social justice education. This may lead to further investigations of these issues, and students may wish to take some form of social action to assert their beliefs.

Number the Stars falls into many of the social justice education domains. Because it discusses the Jewish culture, it can be used to engage children in the realm of self-love and acceptance, and, since many of the individuals in the book who are not Jewish are more than willing to open their homes and risk their lives for their Jewish neighbors, it also encourages a sense of respect for others. The entire book covers the topic of "relocation" during World War II and the ways in which Jews were treated, or at least considered, by others in negative ways, so it helps explore issues of social justice. It also tackles social movements and social change, discussing how many people of Denmark took steps to do what they felt was right.

For more information or lessons or to purchase the text, go to:
http://www.mce.k12tn.net/reading23/number_the_stars.htm
http://www.amazon.com/Number-Stars-Lois-Lowry/dp/0440227534
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1557344248/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0440227534&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0R3GZCVBJ41STNAABGDJ
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/literature/litlibrary/pdf/number_the_stars.pdf

Jin Woo by Eve Bunting

2010-01-31T19:52:00.000-08:00

Title & Author
Jin Woo by Eve Bunting
To Purchase & More Information
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Jin-Woo/Eve-Bunting/e/9780395938720/
http://www.amazon.com/Jin-Woo-Eve-Bunting/dp/0395938724
Summary
Author Eve Bunting tells a story about a White family, including a Mom, Dad, and their son named David who is adopting a baby from Korea named Jin Woo. Initially, David does not like the idea of having another brother in the family because he likes the family the way its always been. Since a lot of attention is given to Jin Woo, David feels like no one loves or cares for him anymore. However, his mother has written a letter to David from Jin Woo's point of view, which explains to David that although there is a new baby in the family, he is still loved unconditionally. After the letter, David tries harder to help take care of Jin Woo.
My Response
This is a very typical story where a White family is portrayed as a model family that adopts a child of a different ethnicity. The Korean traditions that are mentioned in this story are accurate, however they are only briefly mentioned. The illustrations in this book can also be considered offensive because as we discussed in our book club and with Bree, the way that the Koreans were drawn makes them look crazy.
In The Classroom
This is a very weak book regarding multicultural education, however if I were to use it in my classroom, I would use it to discuss different types of families. Specifically, by studying the type of family that is portrayed in this book, the students will also learn about adoption and orphans, and how their lives might differ from those children who are orphans.
SJE
2. Respect For Others
- In the book, the Korean traditions of Jin Woo are respected although they are only briefly mentioned. Since each student is different, whether it is regarding their ethnicity, family, abilities, etc., this book teaches that to interact with others, it is important to learn about and respect other's background.

Tricyle Written by Elisa Amado Illustrated by Alfonso Ruano

2010-01-31T16:52:00.000-08:00

This book is about a young girl named Margarita who lives in a big house with her family in Guatemala. Margarita enjoys climbing a tree in her backyard so she can look down at at her garden and the beautiful area that surrounds her house. Margarita's friend Rosario and her family live in "the shacks" on the other side of the hedge that surrounds Margarita's house. One day while Margarita is enjoying her view from the tree, she witnesses Rosario and her brother pushing her tricycle that she absentmindedly left in the hedge earlier to their own house. Later Margarita's mother asks her where her tricycle is and Margarita lies about its whereabouts. Margarita is plagued by this situation as she considers her friend's intentions, her sense of responsibility, and the negative comments she's heard about people of lower socio-economic status.

I like this book because I think it subtly examines social standing and class relations in a way that is comprehensible for young students and applicable to the diverse classroom. There is no overt message, so the book leaves room to explore its contents in different ways. With this book there are opportunities to discuss/learn about discrimination, stereotyping, social responsibility, etc. I believe if appropriately used, this can be an excellent tool in the classroom. Also, the illustrations are very beautiful and intricate.

This book could be used in multiple ways but it mainly could be an effective tool to study class relations. Often young children are unaware of the circumstances of others and rarely have the opportunity to address this concept and how it affects so many aspects of our lives. This book could be a great segue into a unit on developing nations or something very similar. It falls into the domains of social justice education because the book focuses on a young Guatemalan girl and her emerging consciousness of the gap between rich and poor people.

Although I enjoyed this book and believe it can be a useful tool in the classroom, after doing some research it became evident that many people don't share my sentiment. This book can be problematic and the teacher has to plan accordingly. Although the book does not directly say Rosario and her brother were stealing Margarita's tricycle, it is implied and could serve to only encourage stereotypes surrounding financially disadvantaged people. I would like to not assume this is the case in the story so I believe this book can still be used. Also when Margarita hears the prejudice remarks made regarding the people who live in "the shacks" one woman claims "They're all thieves. They should be shot." This is very strong language and means this book is obviously not for every classroom. So, on the surface this can seem like a superficial story that goes against the ideas of social justice education but I believe the knowledgeable and creative teacher can still use it and use it well in the classroom.

To purchase it or for more information visit:
http://www.amazon.com/Tricycle-Elisa-Amado/dp/0888996144/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1264985970&sr=8-1-fkmr0

Going Home By Eve Bunting

2010-01-31T16:05:00.000-08:00

Summary

Going Home by Eve Bunting is a unique book that portrays a Mexican family that goes on a trip back to Mexico. The narrator of the story, Maria, is the middle child of three daughters. After having three children, Maria's parents immigrated to the U.S. in order to provide "more opportunities" for their daughters. Even though Maria was born in Mexico, and therefore her parents call it her "home," Maria's narrative reveals her confusion of whether to call it her real home. Maria describes her excitement and nervousness as they drive across the border and drive through other Mexican towns. Once she arrives in La Perla (the name of her parents' hometown), Maria realizes all the similarities and difference between La Perla and where she lives in the U.S. Even though Maria is young, she begins to understand how happier and more comfortable her parents seem at La Perla and realizes how much her parents have given up in order to provide more opportunities for their daughters. The book ends when Maria has this epiphany and her older sister tells her that their parents are planning to move back to La Perla someday. Maria understands this and smiles and thinks, "Good, it will be after our opportunities."

Review

I loved this book because the illustration is colorful, unique, and reflective of Maria's Mexican culture. The background pages are also photos of real objects that are significant to the Mexican culture, such as dolls used in celebration of the Day of the Dead and hay-woven decorations. Unlike other books about immigrants that tell stories of how people assimilate to the American society, Going Home reveals the reality of many immigrants who only come to the U.S. for the opportunities but end up going back home because of their extended family. This is also a great book for students who are 1.5 immigrant generations who probably could relate to Maria's confusion and realization throughout the book. Additionally, this book is a great way to show the similarities and differences between two countries divided only by a border.

Uses in the Classroom

I would use this book mainly to teach students about immigration. The main vocabulary word that students will learn about will be opportunities - for that is the reason why most people immigrate to the U.S. Students will learn to answer questions such as: Why are there more opportunities in the U.S.? Why do people move to the U.S. when all their family and friends are back where they were born? How hard is it for immigrants to assimilate to the American culture (learning English, fitting in to society, etc). Students can learn about such topics through pretend activities and reading other stories about immigrants. The classroom can be transformed into a different country in which students will have to learn to communicate and fit into the norms of society without knowing the language or having knowledge of the culture. With upper grades, students can even learn about the U.S. law on immigration and citizenship, and what it means to fight for/against "illegal aliens" (and the significance of this label). This book can be used in subject areas such as ELA, art, social studies (culture, history, law), and social justice education.

More Information

For more reviews, uses, and tags for this book, go to: http://www.librarything.com/work/1239313

Why Should I Save Energy? By Jen Green

2010-01-31T15:30:00.000-08:00

Why Should I Save Energy?

By Jen Green

Illustrated by Mike Gordon

This book is part of the “WHY SHOULD I?” series, which includes books about different environmental issues and how children can help to help our environment. The books include: Why Should I Protect Nature?, Why Should I Recycle?, Why Should I Save Energy?, and Why Should I Save Water?

The book begins by a girl talking about how her family is careful about how they use energy but that they were not always careful. She describes all the ways in which her family used to use energy with no care and how it was very wasteful (including but not limited to leaving the lights on all the time and having the heat on full blast). It wasn’t until the little girl was playing with her friend at her house and they experienced a power outage that the girl realized the importance of energy. The book then goes into the many reasons why energy is precious and why we need to conserve it so we do not run out. The book dedicates a few pages to showing us what our lives would look like without power. They then discuss things that we can do every day to save energy and to make sure we never run out. At the end of the book, there are “notes for parents and teachers” which offer suggestions for reading the book with children (such as what questions to ask throughout the reading and how to engage children and ask them for their thoughts and ideas on how to save energy) and suggestions for follow-up activities (great ideas for teachers to use in a classroom after reading the book in a read aloud). There is also a list of six other books that would be good to read as supplemental readings with this text.

I think that it is very important to talk to kids about the importance of energy, what energy is, and what they can do to make a difference. Often, people think that “one person” will not make a difference in “saving our environment” but it is our goal as teachers to tell our students that as individuals, they are the first step to social action and social change. Reading a book like this in the classroom and having the students engage in activities encouraging them to go further with what they have read is a great way to show students first hand that they can cause change in their environment and make a difference.

Purchasing information:

1. http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Why-Should-I-Save-Energy/Jen-Green/e/9780764131561

2. http://www.tower.com/why-should-i-save-energy-jen-green-paperback/wapi/107168184

3. http://www.amazon.com/Why-Should-Save-Energy/dp/0764131567

Katie Taber: Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges

2010-01-31T09:40:00.001-08:00

1. "Through My Eyes" is a nonfiction, first-person account of Ruby Bridges' experience of integrating William Frantz Public School. Bridges begins with a preface to her story, giving a description of her family life and childhood previous to her experience. At first, her father did not believe equality and change would ever come; her mother, on the other hand was convinced that Ruby receiving the best education possible was worth the risk. Eventually, Ruby recalls her first day at Willian Frantz (being escorted into the school by US Marshalls), her days spent with her teacher Mrs. Henry (Ruby was the only child in the classroom, since most of the white students' parents insisted they be removed from having contact with Ruby) and the riots in New Orleans occuring at the time of this Civil Rights Movement. I really enjoyed this book because it is filled with photographs of all of the real people involved as well as anecdotes and letters recalling exactly what was happening at this groundbreaking moment in history (letters from Mrs. Henry, newspaper stories, John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King, and John Steinbeck). Even though this is a nonfiction work, Ruby Bridges is characterized as a strong, brave person who faced more challenges at seven-years-old than most people everhave to face in a lifetime.

2. I can think of many way to use this book in a classroom, first being to use it as a research tool in document-based research. I think it would also serve as an excellent model for students to create their own personal biographies "Through My Eyes" as a beginning of the year exercise to illustrate their own backgrounds. Since this book has so many ways of presenting information, students would be able to account their own histories in any form, whether it be poetry, photography with captions, narratives, or yes even comic strips. I also envision allowing students to personify other people from history an writing from their perspective while researching about that person's life. As a final presentation we could create a class "Living Wax Museum" and students would dress as that person and read their narrative.

3. This falls into social justice education because it informs students about the Civil Rights Movement from an eye-witness' point of view. There are also many other perspectives shared throughout the book, lending to the idea that there are always many sides to one story (i.e. Ruby's father believing that Ruby should not integrate at first). This story would fit perfectly with the activity we did in class about integration, assigning roles to different groups and making an argument for or against integration. This book directly connects and relates to the Social Studies unit of Civil Rights.

Karla Rodriguez: My Name Is Maria Isabel by Alma Flor Ada

2010-01-30T15:22:00.000-08:00

My Name Is Maria Isabel

By: Alma Flor Ada

http://www.almaflorada.com/mynameismariaisabel.htm Website for general information and purchasing information as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Name-Maria-Isabel-Aladdin-Chapter/dp/068980217X Website for purchasing information

Reflection:

·This chapter book is about a little girl, Maria Isabel, who has to go through the usual challenges of being a new student. Her biggest problem, however, is to be called Mary Lopez by her teacher instead of the name she was born with and is supremely proud of-Maria Isabel Salazar Sanchez. To her, this name has so much meaning because of her grandparents and feels that it is one of the most important aspects about her. Throughout the book she struggles to find the courage to stand up for the way she feels and to be understood by her teacher.

· I like this book because it highlights the Hispanic culture which allows Latino students to feel empowered but also encourages respect and acceptance of other cultures since they are focused on as well. I also like that the book revolves around the issue of valuing student’s names and cultures and that it helps students and teachers to realize that these are extremely important aspects of a person that should be respected and understood.

· Currently, I am using Maria Isabel for a book club and will use it to teach literacy while integrating social studies, math, art, and issues of social justice. Social studies ideas: studying Puerto Rican people who have made a change in society, learning about Puerto Rico’s relationship with the United States. Literacy ideas: character analysis, reading comprehension strategies, learning of literary elements, persuasive writing, text to self connections, text to text connections. Math ideas: graphing the increase of Maria Isabel’s courage throughout the book. Social justice ideas: exploring their own identities (all of these students are of Hispanic culture), exploring methods of how they can be courageous, learning and exploring other cultures, learning about the importance of their names and culture, exploring and accepting other people’s holidays and traditions, teaching children conflict/resolution/communication strategies Arts ideas: creating a web of problems and how to get out of it and performing Amahl.

· Ways in which it falls in the domains of sje:

1. Children of Hispanic culture are encouraged to love and accept themselves.

2. Various cultures are represented in the book and encourage acceptance of other’s cultures, traditions, and holidays.

3. This book deals with racism and oppression.

4. The method in which Maria Isabel stands up for herself is through a courage driven, detailed essay to the teacher describing why her culture is so important and why devaluing her name and culture is like overlooking the biggest part of her. Students will see how these small social movements can easily be done within the classroom community.

5. This book doesn’t directly apply to this domain.

· This book can easily connect to the literacy curricular unit but not limited to the subjects that have been mentioned above.

Whoever You Are

2010-01-29T15:18:00.000-08:00

Whoever You Are
by Mem Fox

For more information: http://www.memfox.com/whoever-you-are.html (can be purchased through Amazon.com and any bookstores)

"Whoever You Are" is a book on peace and equality that lets children know that "whoever your are, wherever you are" people are just like you inside. It is a great book to read to teach young children diversity and acceptance. It represents a great range of cultures, ethnicities, and languages, yet it shows that we all have dreams, hopes, and needs. This is something children should be introduced to at a young age because they pick up prejudice and perceive the difference early. The more they are exposed to these types of texts, the more tolerant they will be as they grow up. I would use this book at the beginning of a school year, or in social studies to celebrate the diversity in my classroom. As an activity, the students can draw a self-portrait of themselves and write something about their appearance or culture. Their pictures and writings will be compiled into a class-book, and at the end, it will show that the core of students are alike.
"Whoever You Are" falls into the first domain of social justice education. The students will indirectly learn about their own culture, and clearly the book identifies self-love and acceptance. By celebrating the differences and realizing that human beings are the same inside, children will have respect for others and strengthen intercultural competence.
During my book club discussion, one of my members brought up a point that the illustrations may be stereotypes of race and cultures. The pictures show Mexicans riding on a donkey, Chinese wearing straw hats selling fruits, and Africans not wearing shirts. Although children may generalize from these pictures, I believe they don't carry derogatory implications nor do they depict certain groups as subservient or passive. The colorful illustrations and wonderful story line will catch the students' attention, and open their eyes up to diversity and acceptance.

Sojourner Truth's Step-Stomp Stride

2010-01-28T20:05:00.000-08:00

This book is amazing to use for elementary grade level children when exploring issues of social justice. Not only does it discuss issues of racism it shares a story about another injustice Sojourner faced that is not as well known. This preliminary stance against sexism helped pave the way for other advocates for women's rights. The book touches on the 5 domains of social justice by allowing students to learn about their culture, respects others feelings, explore issues of social justice, understanding what actually happens while struggling for justice, and then developing tools to work for change.

For one, students will be able to learn about the phobias and racism that existed during slavery and how Sojourner fought against that oppression. She also pioneered the fight for women's rights and demanded respect for all the capabilities she had as a woman. Students will also be able to see that change does not come overnight, but, the seedling planted is what grows a huge tree over time, and that even if their goals are not accomplished today, there's always tomorrow, and always someone willing to pick up the torch to fight for social equality. Students will also be able to understand what roles they have in their homes, communities and schools and develop ideas and strategies about taking social action. No idea is too big or too small!

I really enjoyed the pictures in this book too. It stayed true to Sojourner's image. It was overall an amazing read. There are several lessons you can use with this one book too. For example, when discussing black history, one could use this book to explore justice issues of slavery and oppression and what ways are oppression made manifest today. Another use would be about women's rights and how women are often depicted as fragile and needy but Sojourner proved that that was not the standard. Then we can address issues of the constitution where it is written all men were created equal and why do they think the word women was left out. Was it deliberate? Maybe a change for justice would be to write an amendment and send it to Washington so that it can be changed.

I could keep going on an on, but I won't. Just grab the book and maybe we can put our heads together and develop a few lessons. :-)

Ten Boys Who Changed The World

2010-01-28T17:46:00.001-08:00

Title: Ten Boys Who Changed The World
Author: Irene Howat
Buy It: http://www.amazon.com/Ten-Boys-Changed-World-Lightkeepers/dp/1857925793/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264728462&sr=8-1

This book gives a brief history of ten men (never fear, there's another book in the series that talks about women!) who addressed social justice issues of their day. Some of my favorites were Billy Graham, who worked to bring about racial reconciliation in the deep south; George Muller, who started orphanages when he realized the children in his village were starving; and Brother Andrew, who worked for the freedom of those living in the Soviet Union. At the end of each chapter there is a brief page of facts that give background on the social justice issue being addressed and information on ways the reader can join the ongoing fight against this particular injustice. I loved this book because it not only shows children ways others have fought to right the wrongs they see in society, but also reminds them that these wrongs still exist and gives practical suggestions on steps they can take right now to emulate these great men.
From a social justice standpoint, this book is good because it presents heroes from a variety of cultures, including Puerto Rico and Argentina. It also presents examples of people who addressed issues in their own country and those who took on world problems. Each chapter talks about individuals and individual encounters rather than dealing with any racial, classist, gender, etc stereotypes.
This book would be an invaluable resource in a character study because it focuses on the character traits of the men as children that later influenced them to take on social justice issues. Students can study different aspects of personalities as well as common threads that they see in people who make a difference in their society.
I could use this book in a variety of ways to teach a variety of subjects. It can be used in a literacy or social studies context, of course, but individual chapters focus on other subjects as well. For example, the chapter on David Livingston focuses on his exploration of the continent of Africa and can be used to teach geography and get students excited about exploring. The chapter on George Muller includes a lot of math concepts as he struggled to pay for the food for the orphans he cared for and can become the basis for word problems. The applications of this book are as varied as the lives of the people in it!

The Year of the Dog

2009-04-25T21:19:00.000-07:00

The Year of the Dog

by Grace Lin

Summary: This story is about a young Taiwanese-American girl named Pacy who assimilates into the American culture while still discovering new aspects of her native culture. The story starts off with the celebration of the Chinese New Year and the welcoming of the Year of the Dog. Pacy’s family integrates the American culture into their home life and she is able to explore the best of both worlds. She struggles to make sense of finding herself and dealing with disappointment through various situations at school and with family and friends. She becomes best friends with a new student at her school who happens to be Taiwanese as well. Through her friendship, she experiences different aspects of her native culture. The story is filled with a genuine experience of a young girl who finds out something new about herself and her Taiwanese and American cultures with each passing day.

How I would use this in a classroom: This book is a great way to explore aspects of Taiwanese and Chinese cultures which include holidays, customs and cuisine. Several informative facts are included in the story and can serve as a great supplement to a social studies unit on the study of China. It can also be used for character study because it explores the main character’s growth and experiences. The book can be used as an introduction for a discussion of students’ different cultures. It also includes several personal anecdotes of the different characters in the story and can be used as a part of a writing unit.

Supplemental Links:
http://www.gracelin.com/content.php?page=book_yeardog
http://suzyred.com/2007yearofdog.html

Domains of Social Justice:
1) Self-love and Acceptance: Children learn about their own culture. Pacy explores her cultural background and slowly begins to understand its influence on her life. She is able to connect with others of the same culture, her own passions and talents. She begins to accept herself for who she is and realizes not to be limited or defined only by her culture. Her story encourages and examines self-discovery and emphasizes not being bound by one prevalent characteristic.

2) Respect for Others: Strengthens intercultural competence. Pacy assimilates into the American culture while still learning about her Taiwanese culture. The story emphasizes how stereotypes are not binding.

3) Exploring Issues of Social Justice – Racism, Classism, Sexism, Homophobia and other forms of oppression are confronted. Pacy experiences subtle forms of racism in her school community of being a Taiwanese-American. Her differences are made apparent by the faculty and she realizes how her race might define her competencies. For example, in her school play of The Wizard of Oz, she felt as though she could not play the part of Dorothy because of her appearance. Her story examines being a different nationality in a predominantly Caucasian population in contrast to assimilating into a new culture.

5) Taking Social Action: Students explore their own context and develop tools to work for change. The book and story itself can be used to promote cultural discovery and acceptance. It can aid in helping students realize the part that their own cultures play in their lives and how it is important to be accepting of other cultures as well.

Schooled

2009-02-25T05:30:00.001-08:00

Schooled By Gordon Korman

(please click on either link above for more information about the book or author!)

Summary: This book is a really great selection for a 4th or 5th grade group of students. The protagonist Cap Anderson moves from a rural town where he is home schooled to a public middle school in a suburban town. Cap is very different from the rest of his peers, he has never watched TV, eaten pizza, any doesn't know anything about sports. The other students at the school make fun of Cap for his unique ways, particularly his Buddist religion, his hemp clothing and especially how he practices tai chi on the schools lawn. As the year goes by, the students start to appreciate Cap for his uniqueness and their opinions of him drastically change.

Annmarie's Reflection: Schooled is a really great story because of the way that it encourages people to accept other's for their differences and unique talents. Many children can relate to this in an urban environment because of the different cultures, religions,

and lifestyles they all live.

Mila: This addresses several dimensions of social justice education. It addresses Social Justice domain 1, Self Love and Acceptance, because Cap is forced to accept himself for who he is. He may not be exactly like everyone else, but he is pretty special, and has a lot to offer. This also addresses Social Justice domain 2, Respect for Others. In the beginning of the story, Cap's peers think he is strange and don't want to be friends with him. However, throughout the story they begin to appreciate him for who he is and how unique of an individual he is.

Mila's Reflection: I liked this story because it was such an unusual story. Growing up in a very cookie cutter suburb, I never knew anyone like Cap. I think it would have been interesting to have been a fly on the wall in this situation. I also thought that Cap handled his situation really well. I would definitely read this book with my class.

Lexie's Reflection: I love how different the premise of this story is from other books. It deals with a unique culture-- that of individuals who practice Zen Buddhism and Tai Chi, and live on a commune. This "hippy" culture is not often explored in children's literature, and it is interesting to see a main character with this background. When Cap- who has been homeschooled for many years- is placed in a typical school, it is the common story of an outcast. Only this time, the outcast is placed immediately in a position of power- that of class President. Korman's choice to set the plot up this way was different and intriguing. The story that unfolds is touching- I definitely recommend this book!

For purchasing options, please click here.

The Black Book of Colors

2009-02-24T19:00:00.000-08:00

The Black Book of Colors (Emily, Julia, and Jen)
By: Menena Cottin and Rosana Faria

http://kidslit.menashalibrary.org/2008/09/the-black-book-of-colors.html
http://www.groundwoodbooks.com/gw_titles.cfm?pub_id=1254

Summary: This is a picture book about colors, but it is all black. It gives insight into how blind people “see” colors. For those of us who know what colors look like, it is so difficult to imagine how blind people see them in their minds. This book describes colors through the four other senses we often take for granted; touch, taste, smell and hearing. The words are written in white and accompanied by Braille. The opposite page depicts the description. The black line drawings are raised in different ways so that the illustrations can be felt. This book gives an idea of what it is like for the blind population on a daily basis. The Braille alphabet is also at the end of the book.

How it could be used: You could use the book to teach how there's many ways to enjoy and experience the world, the five senses and the symbolism of color. In the classroom, I would read the book to the students and have them explore what the pages feel like. I would discuss with them how, when you cannot see something, you can still enjoy and experience it because you can feel it, hear it...I would then discuss the five senses and the way each color was described in the book. I would then have the students think of what each color feels like, sounds like...to them personally, and then have them write poems for each color using the sensory descriptions they came up with.

Domains of Social Justice:
Self Love and Acceptance: Children Learn about their own culture. The book explores color an unconventional way. Since experiencing color affects almost everybody, this exploration helps show the significance of using our other senses to explain something that is traditionally perceived by only one of our senses.
Respect for Others: Strengthens intercultural competence. Because this book focuses on giving an explanation of something we normally visually perceive without giving us the visuals to see it, The Black Book of Colors helps us understand what it may feel like to be blind. It makes the reader aware of the difficulties of explaining something when you cannot see it, but also of the benefits of experiencing something, such as color, in a different way. Also, students are exposed to Braille, the alphabet and reading system that the Blind use.
Exploring Issues of Social Justice: Racism, classism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of oppression are confronted. People do not often think that blind people would fall into a social injustice because being blind does not have anything to do with race or beliefs, but people do not realize that Blind people are oppressed in ways that we take for granted. This is a picture book with illustrations in black and white, something that normally does not appeal to children who like to be visually stimulated. Most books out there, especially for children, rely on illustrations to strengthen its meaning. The Black Book of Colors itself confronts the idea that something as simple as colors should not be excluded from a Blind person’s experience.

My Freedom Trip

2009-02-22T22:23:00.001-08:00

My Freedom Trip: A Child's Escape from North Korea

by Francis Park and Ginger Park

(Nathalie, Aminah, and April)

Summary: This book is about a young girl's journey to freedom in South Korea. Young Soo, a little girl living in North Korea, begins to realize that one by one her friends are missing from school. She discovers that they have made freedom trips to South Korea to escape the unjust limitations on their once enjoyed freedom. Soon Soo's family makes arrangements to escape with the help of a family friend. Her father goes first, leaving Soo and her mother behind. Next, despite a terrifying encounter, Soo successfully makes the trip to the freedom land. Her mother faces no such luck. Security tightens along the border and Soo's mother never gets to join her and her father in the freedom land-- South Korea.

Reflection: We love the illustrations in this book! My Freedom Trip is filled with beautiful brushstrokes and colors which effectively set the tone for each page. We also enjoyed being able to explore a little bit of Korean culture--learning different Korean words, characters, and games. Furthermore, we liked this book because it is a real account of someones struggle and journey to freedom. Although very sad at times, this book is real and ends in a bittersweet way.

Use: This book can be a great resource if doing a study on Korea or the conflict between the two hemispheres of Korea in Social Studies. It goes beyond mere fact and enters into a personal story. Other historical events like the Korean War can also be introduced. We also thought this book could be used in a writing lesson. The main character uses very descriptive language to describe the setting and a lesson on using such language can be beneficial to student writing. Additionally, this book can be part of a study on personal narratives and help students write their own real-life story.

Links:

http://www.parksisters.com/books/freedom.htm

http://www.amazon.com/My-Freedom-Trip-Frances-Park/dp/1563974681

http://www.bookpage.com/9809bp/childrens/my_freedom_trip.html

Domains of Social Justice

1. Self-love and Acceptance: Korean students can learn about "who they are" and "where they come from" through this book. The beauty of Korean landscape as well as a few aspects of Korean culture are highlighted.

2. Respect for Others: Exploring Korean culture (games, words, characters, etc).

3. Exploring Issues of Social Injustice: Touching upon the injustice experienced by those living in North Korea.

5. Taking Social Action: The notion of fighting for you freedom, leaving the place you call home to attain it, is extremely powerful. While the book only talks about this one family, this could definitely be viewed on a wider scale, and the book can help initiate such conservation.

The Color of My Words By Lynn Joseph

2009-02-22T19:04:00.000-08:00

Summary: Ana Rosa, a twelve-year-old girl, tells her coming of age story, through her passion, words. In Dominican Republic, writers are never allowed to express themselves freely and Ana Rosa's family knows the struggles that she will have to face and suppress her talent. One day, this all changes and Ana Rosa is able to help her community and is granted the greatest gift she could ever receive, a notebook of her own. Unfortunately, she shuts herself down after witnessing the murder of her greatest hero and supporter, her brother. Read this book and experience the ups and downs of this world from a Gri Gri tree.

Reflection: This book is ideal for fourth-graders. Our group was moved by Ana Rosa's inspirational story of how she had to overcome such difficulties. This book allows children from all cultures connect to the main character. We believed that it can be used to inspire discussions on Hispanic culture, poetry, death and activism. It can also lead to discussions on the different roles Ana Rosa's family members had, which is very important in this book. We enjoyed it and hope that your future students will too.

Link: http:/teacherweb.com/NY/NorthShoreSchools/MsPerdios/wqr4.stm

Social Justice Education:

Self-Love and Acceptance - We would allow students to learn about Hispanic music, beginning with merengue, because it is heard throughout the book and plays a very important role in not only Domican culture but especially in Ana Rosa's life. We would want students to gain a respect for cultures other than their own.

Exploring Issues of Solution - As Americans, it is easy for us to take things for granted. We rarely think that doing laundry would be such a tedious task that would take the whole day; however, for Ana Rosa and her mother it does. We would want to make students aware of what they have and understand how classism affects Dominicans.

Taking Social Action - Guario, the hero of this book, dies a tragic death defending his communities rights. We would want to show students that activism does not equal violence and find non-violent solutions that do not resort to death. We would also want to show the role that media has on activism and how it can help or hinder a cause.

Link to buy Locomotion

2009-02-22T13:20:00.000-08:00

You can buy this book at

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Locomotion/Jacqueline-Woodson/e/9780142401491/?itm=2

Locomotion

2009-02-22T12:41:00.000-08:00

Summary: Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson is about a young boy who is growing up in foster care. The story is told through a book of poems. Lonnie, also known as Locomotion, expresses his experiences in school, with his foster mom, his sister, and memories of his parents in all different forms of poems. The story deals with deep issues regarding race, social class, and war.

Reflection/ Activities: Our group felt that this book would be a great resource for the classroom. The story deals with so many deep issues through the eyes of a child. We thought that students would be able to connect to the reading easily, which would help to lead to activities in the classroom. This book could be used for literacy lessons on different forms of poetry. The book also leads to a great discussion on different family types. It would also be good for discussing writing as a form of expression, which could also lead to a deeper discussion of how you can use writing for change.

Domains of Social Justice:

Self Love and Acceptance: Lonnie is very proud of his family and background. Through his poetry and writing we see that Lonnie appreciates where he comes from and is not ashamed of who he is.

Respect for Others: Lonnie shows respect for others through his relationship with Edna and his friends at school. He also shows respect through his relationship with his sister whose foster parents disapprove of him since he is a black boy.

Exploring Issues of Social Justice: Locomotion explores racism through Lonnie's experience at school and through his relationship with his sister's foster parents.

All for the Better: A Story of El Barrio

2009-02-22T06:46:00.000-08:00

All for the Better: A Story of El Barrio

by Nicholasa Mohr

http://www.amazon.ca/All-Better-Story-El-Barrio/dp/0811472205

Group Members: Angelica Conway, Christina Kirsch, Sarah North

This book tells the story of a little girl named Evelina, who is born in Puerto Rico during the Great Depression. Her mother sends her by herself to the US, where she goes to live with her aunt and uncle in El Barrio in Manhattan. It takes a little while, but she soon learns English and fits in at school, making a close friend named Sarah. A few black girls at school bully and tease her, but Evelina learns not to use violence and is able to stand up to them, and the girls soon become friends. Because of the depression, many of the families in El Barrio are on welfare and are entitled to collect food, but many are too embarrassed to go get it. Evelina arranges a way to get the food herself and deliver it to the needy families. She begins to encourage them to start going themselves, pointing out it is ok to accept help. Evelina has saved up many she has made translating for people in the neighborhood who speak only Spanish, and soon her mother and sisters are able to come live in New York too. As an adult, Evelina continues her activism and becomes involved in improving the education system.

The book can be used during a unit on immigration. Students will have the chance to discuss Evelina's journey and what feelings she had before, during, and after the trip to America. Students can write their own story about coming to America (either real or fictional) and document what it would be like for someone their age to come to the U.S. alone. Students can role play different parts of Evelina's experience and discuss them afterward. This book can also be used when discussing the Great Depression and the hardships people faced at the time. It introduces a culture's experience that is rarely portrayed in books. The book also includes multiple Spanish phrases and words which gives the reader a glimpse into Evelina's home culture and having to deal with making sense out of a new life. This could be something relatable for some students. The book also opens the door to talk about the hardships faced within families and familial relationships. At the beginning of the 1st cha pter it says the mother had to make the hard decision to send Evelina and then she had to deal with leaving her family and missing her siblings grow up. Students can discuss"What's the definition of 'home'?" and "What does that look/feel like to different people?"

Social Justice Education

1. Self-Love and Acceptance: The main character, Evelina, is faced with racism and prejudice from a bully and the bully’s friend but she is able to stand up against it eventually. She does this because she recognizes the importance in speaking up and being proud of your heritage.

2. Respect for Others: Evelina makes a best friend in Sarah and they work together to learn each other’s cultures—Sarah is particularly good about this because she helps Evelina learn English. Evelina’s aunt also explains to Evelina that there is a connection between the other people in her community even if it feels like they are very different. Evelina eventually even became friends with the bully and the bully’s friend.

3. Exploring Issues of Social Justice: Racism is faced, particularly in the scene with the bully. In this scene the bully picks on Evelina and calls her a “spick girl,” therefore making use of derogatory language. Classism is also certainly addressed rather evidently. Evelina begins to help her neighbors who are poor and unwilling to claim their government-sponsored food. It is indirectly stated that low socioeconomic status means people cannot care for themselves and do not have food to put on their tables.

4. Social Movements and Social Change: The poor people in the community did not want to be perceived as beggars so they have a hard time breaking through the barrier towards social change. Evelina wants to help them change and get food for the poor but it takes some convincing on her part in order to get them to agree.

5. Taking Social Action: Evelina went to her neighbors’ doors and had them fill out the paperwork to receive their food and then she offered to go uptown to pick it all up that day. She recruited people to help her and was eventually able to motivate her neighbors to take care of themselves and gave them the skills they need to be self-sufficient. Evelina also worked to save money for her aunt and uncle who were having a difficult time making ends meet during the Depression.

The Blind Hunter by Kristina Rodanas

2009-02-21T20:06:00.001-08:00

Book Club Members: Katrina Tattoli, Sara Sepulveda, and Annmarie Forde

Book: The Blind Hunter by Kristina Rodanas

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Blind-Hunter-Kristina-Rodanas/dp/0761451323/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234320585&sr=8-1

Summary: In the story, a blind man goes hunting with a traveler. The traveler asks him many questions, marveling at his ability to use other senses than sight to keep the couple out of danger. When they set traps and catch two quails, the traveler tries to take advantage of the man’s blindness by giving him the smaller one and telling him it’s the biggest. The blind man knows it’s a trick, and tells the traveler. In the end, they become friends and learn a lesson about morality.

How to use this book: I would use this book to teach awareness about disabilities, especially since in the beginning, the blind man is tending to his plentiful garden, something impressive for anyone despite ability level. It can also be used to discuss Africa, African folk tales, and adaptations, given that it is adapted from am African folk tale. It could be used to teach sharing, to talk about pictures matching words (they match perfectly in this book), to show community/friendship, and to teach about stealing.

Stages of Social Justice Education:

Self-love and acceptance- It can be used in a culture study unit, and students can learn to appreciate African culture if it is their own. It can also be used in a folktale unit with various folktales from the students’ own backgrounds.

Respect for others- Students can learn to respect people with disabilities and see them as able, functioning individuals. Students can do a character comparison between the traveler and the blind man, and see that both of them were valuable, and in this story, the blind man even more so.

Exploring issues of Social Justice- Students can use this book as a springboard for looking at perceptions of people with disabilities. We can use this book in comparison with others that only feature people with disabilities as peripheral characters, or only display characters in wheelchairs. They can look at the new MTV Show “How’s Your News?” and talk about how people react to interviews with people with disabilities.

Social Movements & Social Change- Students can learn about different social action organizations that exist in New York City and throughout the world, including Camp Jabberwocky, an outdoors summer camp for children with disabilities and the Special Olympics. This can help them understand that charities run by able-bodied individuals are not the only thing available to people with disabilities, and that there are many organizations run by people with disabilities trying to affect change. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1996 can also be discussed here.

Taking Social Action- Students can do a classroom library investigation and look at the way people with disabilities are portrayed in classroom books. This can be extended to the school library. Students can write letters, organize petitions, and raise awareness of stereotypes about disabilities that are being perpetrated in which texts. The students can also check if the local libraries or book stores have them, and can write a letter or send the petition to the owners/library director as well.

How My Parents Learned to Eat

2009-02-20T16:39:00.000-08:00

Summary How My Parents Learned to Eat
By: Ira R. Friedman

Everyone uses different utensils when eating different kinds of food – spoons are used to drink soup, forks are used to pick up food, and even hands are used to eat! How My Parents Learned to Eat illustrates a story, narrated by a young girl, about a Japanese woman named Aiko and an American sailor named John who express a fear of dinner dates. Aiko is unfamiliar with using knives and forks as John is with using chopsticks. Fostering similar concerns, the couple secretly tries to learn each other’s tradition of eating, practicing with mashed potatoes and peas and sukiyaki. Eventually, Aiko and John agree to help one another learn and become familiar with each other’s traditions. Ira R. Friedman places great, positive emphasis on the ways in which diverse cultures affect people by broadening their knowledge.

How the book would be used in the classroom.

The book How My Parents Learned to Eat can be used in a variety of ways inside the classroom, particularly in a unit on family. The story of Aiko and John can be used to explore the uniqueness of each family – cultures, traditions, and ways of life. This book can be used to illustrate that each family is different in a positive light. Lessons may also be implemented focusing on different kinds of family structures as the young girl comes from a biracial family.

Domains of Social Justice Education

♦ Self Love and Acceptance: Students will learn about their family, their own culture and their own community. In this story, the mom and dad came from two different cultures, and then formed a bi-racial family. Students should learn to feel proud of their own family, culture and community.

♦ Respect for Others: Students will learn that we all come from different culture and family, and the differences between each culture and family are what make our world beautiful and unique. In the story, mom and dad were willing to learn about each other’s culture and tradition, so they were able to communicate and enjoy the difference between two cultures. The narrator in this story is a bi-racial girl, so teacher can also help students to learn about and respect different types of family.

Website:
http://www.amazon.com/Parents-Learned-Sandpiper-Houghton-Mifflin/dp/0395442354

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis

2009-02-19T15:57:00.000-08:00

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis

Summary: This story chronicles the struggle of a family to stay together in tumultuous Afghanistan. The story is told from the point of view of Parvana, the middle child of the family. Parvana sees war rip apart the fabric of her family and has to take on new responsibilities in this uncertain time. Growing up all too fast, Parvana quickly learns how harsh the world can be, but also manages to see the glimmers of beauty amidst the rubble of modern day Kabul.

Reflection: I, along with my group, absolutely loved reading this book. I found myself immediately swept up in this story and relating to Parvana in ways that frightened me. She was pulled out of her sixth grade classroom right around the time we were taking our time in sixth grade for granted. The sharp contrast between the life she leads and the life we lead was striking to see. I also found that I learned a lot about what is currently happening in Afghanistan. The brutal regulations that the Taliban put on the people of Afghanistan, in particular the women, are unbelievable. I found myself trying to reconcile my lifestyle with that of the people of Afghanistan. It was a real eye-opening novel.

Esperanza Rising

2009-02-18T16:51:00.003-08:00

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

Summary: (See Kristin's comment)

Reflection: (See Kristin's comment)

How I would use this in the classroom:

This book could be taken in so many different directions. There are so many different issues that are thoroughly touched upon in this book: immigration, racism, sexism, classism, even ageism. Students could be challenged to look at the different issues of social issues in this book, choose one that speaks to them, then do a "study" of that social issue - how have they/others been affected by this issue, why, where, etc. It's also perfect for book groups. You could even group kids by the different social issues that they are interested in (one group could focus on the immigration aspect, one could focus on sexism, etc.) Pam Munoz Ryan is a wonderful author and it would be great to do an author study of her (I think Hannah is doing that in her class pretty soon).

Domains of Social Justice:

Self-Love and Acceptance: Esperanza and her family clearly have a deep appreciation for their culture and it comes through very vividly in the book.

Respect for Others: Esperanza is always learning about this throughout the book, so it is easy to make parallels.

Exploring Issues of Social Justice: This book deals with TONS of issues (immigration, racism, sexism, ageism, classism).

Social Movements and Social Change: This book is partly based on a true story. Esperanza and her family experience social change by moving to the U.S. There are lots of issues around immigration and social change touched upon in this book.

Different Just Like Me

2009-02-16T13:06:00.000-08:00

Different Just Like Me

by Lori Mitchell

Summary: A young girl named April experiences living in a diverse society. She is looking forward to visiting her grandmother at the end of the week. On each day that passes, April notices something new about the people in her community. Even though all the people she observes are different in their own ways, April always finds a common similarity. She sees deaf children communicating, people of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds shopping for food, a blind woman taking an elevator, adults with common interests, a woman with physical disabilities, and notices the variety of stores and landscapes in her environment. The story explores the world we live in and how we all cohabitate peacefully with one another.

Reflection: Before discussing community, I think it's important to begin with awareness about the different types of people who are around them. It can often be overlooked and once noticed, there are a multitude of observations that students can make. This book is a great way to introduce the differences that make us all individuals but create a unified society of peace and cooperation.

How would I use this in a classroom: This book is a wonderful way to introduce the idea of living in a community and creating awareness about the different types of people who exist. This book can be used with younger grades because the illustrations are very vivid and clearly show what the idea of the story is trying to convey. Students can then write their own stories about the communities that they live in and brainstorm about the different types of people they notice around them. It is a great way to show through written language and illustrations about community, diversity and to celebrate cultural and individual differences.

Domains of Social Justice:
1) Self Love and Acceptance: Children learn about their own culture. Children learn about the culture of their own community. Diversity is celebrated and emphasized by simply noticing and appreciating all the different types of people who coexist.
2) Respect for Others: Strengthens intercultural competence. April points out the differences of each individual she meets but is able to find common ground of similarities. Differences should not be the basis of judgment but rather appreciation. April admires the variety of abilities that others have.

Additional Links:
www.differentjustlikeme.cc

Alex and the Amazing Lemonade Stand

2009-02-11T07:51:00.000-08:00

Alex and the Amazing Lemonade Stand by Liz and Jay Scott, with help from Alex Scott

http://www.strandbooks.com/app/www/p/profile/?isbn=0975320009

For more information on Alex's amazing journey: www.alexlemonade.org (This website also has lesson plans!)

Summary: This is a true story of a girl named Alex who, at a very young age, is diagnosed with cancer. Once diagnosed, she becomes determined to help herself and others facing the same problem as she. And so, she decides to have a lemonade stand and give the money to her hospital in order that a cure might be found. Her story traveled throughout the States and her once little lemonade stand has become a Foundation for Childhood Cancer.

How I would use this in the classroom: Although this book does not directly involve the typical issues of social justice education (e.g. racism, sexism etc.), I find this book to be a great motivation for children of all ages. In reading about a very young girl taking a stand for an issue that directly affected her life and the lives of many others, students can see that they too can make a difference.

Domains of Social Justice:

Social Movements and Social Change: Alex worked extremely hard to raise money to help children with cancer. And, it was her determination that she was able to accomplish so much at such a young age.
Taking Social Action: Students can look at their own lives, just as Alex did, to see what specifically needs change and then plan their own "lemonade stand" initiative.

Mississippi Bridge

2009-02-11T07:49:00.000-08:00

Mississippi Bridge

By: Mildred D. Taylor

http://www.amazon.com/Mississippi-Bridge-Mildred-D-Taylor/dp/0553159925/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_a

Summary: This story takes place in Mississippi in the 1930's. The Logans see their grandmother off on a trip as she travels with Josias because he has a new job. Because they are Black, they are told to get off the bus when there is not enough room on the bus because more white passengers board. After they get off, the bus crashes off the bridge into the water and they help the people in the water.

How i would use this in the classroom: I would use this book to teach younger elementary school children about Jim Crow. It describes how a family and a culure stuck together. it describes the conditions of segregation. At the end of the book, even though Josias and the grandmother were thrown off the bus, they went back and helped the same passengers and driver who were mean to them. It's a great book to use for character study because there are different types of characters and roles in the book.

Domains of Social Justice:

1. self love and acceptance: The Logan family is very close and the grandmother is the rock of the family, she teaches them pride.

2. respect for others: even though there is such a division, josias saves some people from the bus accident especially a white mother and daughter they know from the town.

3. exploring issues of social justice: The book heavily deals with racism and segregation. it shows white priority and how certain people deal with it differently.

4. social movements and social change: this book can be used to connect the ideas of the incident with Rosa Parks and the civil rights movement.

5. taking social action:

Don't Hold Me Back

2009-02-11T07:33:00.001-08:00

Don’t Hold Me Back
My Life and Art by: Winfred Rembert
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Dont-Hold-Me-Back/Winfred-Rembert/e/9780812627039
http://www.footstepsmagazine.com/issues/2003/05/2003-05-more.html

Summary/Reflection: This is the true story of Winfred Rembert, a black man who grew up in Georgia in the 1950’s. Passed from his mother to his great aunt, he lived on a plantation and was forced to work. He talks about a corner on the street where every Saturday you could see any “colored folk” you wished to get in touch with. He made friends here, and grew accustomed to visiting the same shops weekly. Winfred began to make his own toys, so original that the other children would buy toys from the toy shop to trade Winfred for his hand-made toys. As a teenager, he began to get very angry about how black people were being treated. Though his great aunt begged him not to, he joined the civil rights movement. He was arrested with no trial and no charge and put in jail for seven years. Here, he had several odd jobs before finding a project he loved; carving illustrations on leather. When he got married and was sharing his stories with his family, his wife suggested he make this his profession. He now creates artwork carving and dying leather. The illustrations accompanying his story are exquisite.
One quote that I think is extremely important in this book is one that he uses to describe a painting of graves from the lynchings: “I have seven graves here, six for the victims I’ve imagined, and a seventh to bury hate, ‘cause I figured that, if we bury hate, then maybe this won’t happen again.”

How to Use This in the Classroom: This would be a great way to add to a civil rights unit. I could see using this story along with Leon’s Story. The illustration are so personal and unique, there could also be many great art projects to do. Children could discuss how recent this issue is. Winfred’s account takes place between the years of 1950 and 1996, very recent.

Domains of Social Justice:
Self-love and acceptance: Winfred always stays positive. He declares from the age of 12 that he will not be working on plantation his whole live. He loves art and finds a way to make that his livelihood.

Exploring Issues of Social Justice: This first hand account describes intimate issues of civil rights, racism, and segregation. It is very honest and informative.

2009-02-10T22:19:00.000-08:00

Ellinfton Was Not a Street

http://www.amazon.com/Ellington-Was-Street-Ntozake-Shange/dp/0689828845

Summary:

Ellington Was Not a Street is a book written by Ntozake Shange in the form of a poem. In this poem, the author recalls many childhood memories of growing up in the company of "men who changed the world." She describes the open doors of her childhood home welcoming such historical and influential figures as Duke Ellington, W. E. B. DuBois, Paul Robeson, Ray Barretto, and many more. She remembers listening to these innovators as they gathered in her home to discuss politics. The poem paints a picture of the time period, capturing the mood and the warm attitudes of these important men. The last few pages of the book give a short biography of each influential figure mentioned in the poem.

Reflection:

I really enjoyed reading this book and think it would be a great resource in the classroom. The illustrations are beautiful and really draw the reader into the scene described by the little girl. The fact that the story is told from the perspective of a young girl, and told as a personal story of memories from home, makes it a great way to introduce big ideas even to young children.

How to use this book in the classroom:

This poem, which is told from the perspective of a little girl, could spark many, many history lessons. I would definitely use this book to as an introduction to a unit on the Civil Rights Movement. It could be used to begin research projects on the influential figures who appear in the poem, or on the time period and movement in general. There are so many important people introduced, students could choose just one of the people, and research further into the role that person played in shaping history. I think the way the poem begins and ends with "it hasn't always been this way / Ellington was not a street, " could begin a discussion on how things have changes from then to now. From this, students could also investigate street names in their neighborhood and research about other important people who have has streets named after them. Because the book is written in the form of a poem, it could also easily be used in a poetry writing or reading unit. The poem makes use of many literary elements such as repetition, simile, and imagery. Even visually and rhythmically, the line breaks and form of the poem would be interesting to focus on.

Social Justice Education:

This book relates to many of the stages of social Justice Education.

2) Respect for Others: This book could be used to introduce students to the history and culture of African Americans in this country. The poem portrays these characters in history as innovative, respectable, and intelligent people whose hearts and minds were open.

3) Exploring issues of Social Justice: Although the issues are not named in the poem, the ideas of such social justice issues are addressed in the work of the men who were fighting against racism and segregation, and towards rights and equality.

4)Social Movements and Social Change: The poem is all about the men who worked to bring social change to this country.

Rickshaw Girl

2009-02-10T19:34:00.000-08:00

Rickshaw Girl

Summary:

This Chapter book focuses on a young girl, Naima, who lives in Bangladesh. The story focuses on her family's economic struggles due to the fact that her father is the only one in her family who can work due to cultural restraints against women making money. Naima is very frustrated with her inability to do anything to financially support her family. As a result, she decides to dress like a boy and take her fathers rickshaw in order to give her father a break from his long work hours. When this ends up making matters even worse, she is forced to be resourceful and use her skills at painting Alpanas, a Bangladeshi art, in order to make money for her family to repay the debt that she caused. The story integrates many aspects of the bangladeshi culture, and includes a glossary in the back explaining some of the terms that the book uses.

I really like this book because it allows the students to be immersed in the culture of Naima. The language in the book is very descriptive and incorporates so much of the Bangladeshi culture, that it really helps the students feel like they are living in this culture. I also think it points out some very interesting factors surrounding cultural restrictions. Since, in the Bangladeshi culture women are not suppose to make a living, I think this would be a good way to discuss women's rights and cultural roles.

How I Would Use This in the Classroom:

This book is very useful in the classroom, not only is it a good read aloud for students either looking at the Bangladeshi culture, but also if they are focusing on women's rights and cultural restrictions. It would be interesting to compare this to either their own culture or another culture they have been studying. Another interesting activity I was thinking of would be to have the students in the class go home and talk to an older member of their family or parents or grandparents about their own culture and ask if they had any restraints while growing up. This book would also be a really good book club book, because it does incorporate a lot of character development, while still exposing the students to the cultural aspects of the story.

Social Justice Education:

This book can be viewed in many different stages of social justice. The main stage would be the Respect for others, because it really give the students a very descriptive view of the life in Bangladesh and the cultural beliefs in their society. The book also includes a lot of different cultural vocabulary words and gives a very descriptive analysis of those words in the glossary in the back. It even describes what a Sari is and how the women wore them, with a diagram of how to put it on.

I also think that this book can fit into the Exploring Issues of Social Justice, because it does go into the idea of women's rights and how culture plays a role in that. Also, if you were to do the activity where the children looked at their own culture in comparison, it would touch on the first stage, Self-love and acceptance. I think this would be a really unique way to touch on this stage as well, because it would allow the students to compare their own culture to one that is more restrictive and unique in comparison to others.

Where you can find this book:

This website has some great activities that you can use with this book-http://www.charlesbridge.com/client/client_pdfs/downloadables/RickshawGirlGuide.pdf

Buy the book here or go to strand and get it for $4.95

http://www.amazon.com/Rickshaw-Girl-Mitali-Perkins/dp/1580893082

Castle on Hester Street

2009-02-10T18:54:00.000-08:00

Castle On Hester Street

Summary:

This picture book looks at the multiple perspectives surrounding immigration. The story is about a little girl named Julie, whose grandparents are telling her about her experiences immigrating from Russia to the New York City. Her grandfather tells her a more idealistic and imaginative version of their journey, while her grandmother informs her of the more realistic and unpleasant version. The story flows in a way where the grandfather will tell his side on one page and then the next side will be the grandmother's point of view on that same aspect of the trip.

I think this story is really great to use in the classroom, because it really allows the students to see the two side of the story, and discuss what they think one might be more accurate than the other. The grandfather's story is more in line with the common misconceptions of what immigration was like, where as the grandmother highlights more of the negative yet in a way more truthful side. It also goes through the process of what one had to do to immigrate to the United States, while still making it interesting and intriguing for students by using beautiful illustrations and a funny conflicting story line. I think this is a great book for any grade class learning about immigration.

How Would I Use this in the Classroom:

Like I said previously this is a great book for any grade classroom studying immigration, because it really allows the kids to see the different viewpoints surrounding the issue. It is a common misconception to view immigration as this amazing journey to a country with gold paved roads, but this book allows kids to see a more realistic viewpoint in comparison. I think the book illustrates very well the process of what people went through to come to the United States, and it would be a great sequence book to use. It also brings up many interesting discussion topics like, "Why did people want to come over to the United States?" and for some of the older children discussing why there is such differences in the two stories. I really like the idea of the multiple perspectives and talking about how a lot of times there are two sides to a story surrounding many of the social justice issues.

Also, if you are doing a unit on immigration a interesting activity to do with kids surrounding the reasons for immigrating would be through a stimulation activity. I did this with my students last year and it worked out really interestingly. We had split the class in two groups (one smaller than the other) and had the kids play a game where they were suppose to make little pictures on index cards to get points. For the larger group we gave a bunch of markers and index cards to and for the smaller group we gave them one marker and not enough index cards and told them their cards were worth less points. Instantly this became a problem with the students in the smaller group, and they were saying how unfair it was. After about 5 minutes we brought them back to the rug, and asked the smaller group of students if they wanted to be in the other group, they all said yes. We told them that during immigration there was countries that had really unfair rules and not enough supplies and as a result it made a lot of people want to come to the united states where they heard that the "streets were paved with gold". We later discussed how this was not the case, but the activity really helped the kids understand why someone might want to immigrate to another country.

Social Justice Education:

I think that this mostly falls into the Respect for others stage, because it really allows the students to see the perspectives of someone who is immigrating to another country and the process that they have to go through. It also helps them see the more negative aspects of that journey.

I also think that this could fall in the the Exploring Issues of Social Justice because it talks a lot about the common misconception of what it was like to immigrate, and talking about the oppression that many immigrants had to face.

Where you can buy the book:

You can either buy it from here or go to Strand and get it for around $6.95 (I think- it was somewhere around that...VERY cheap!)

http://www.amazon.com/Castle-Hester-Street-Linda-Heller/dp/0689874340

Uncle Jed's Barbershop

2009-02-10T16:04:00.000-08:00

Uncle Jed's Barbershop by Margaree King Mitchell is a book about sticking to your goals and accomplishing your dreams. Sara Jean's Uncle Jed has a lifelong dream to open up a barbershop, but he had to raise the money to do so first. However, Sara Jean gets sick, and Uncle Jed gives her family money for the surgery, even though this will delay his dream of opening a barbershop. The book takes place in the South in the early 1900s, and gives the reader a glimpse at racism, segregation, sharecropping, and the general life of a Black person living during this time. The tone that the author uses to describe these conditions is really similar to the tone used in Leon's Story, she provides the facts without accusing anyone. When Uncle Jed finally has enough money saved up to start working on getting a barbershop together, one of his friends comes over to break the news- his bank just declared bankruptcy and Uncle Jed has lost all his money- it's the start of the great depression. However, throughout all these hardships, Uncle Jed continues cutting hair, continues working towards his goal, and slowly but surely, he starts saving money all over again. At the end of the story he finally opens his barbershop and people from all over the county come to honor him.

I think this book is a great way to discuss segregation, sharecropping, and the conditions in the Jim Crowe South with the younger grades, as well as the economic situation during the great depression and the economic situation today. The book also strongly promotes saving money, and working little by little to solve a longterm goal.

Domains of Social Justice:
1. Self Love and Acceptance: One of the main themes in this story is to believe in yourself and follow your dreams- I think that's a huge aspect of accepting and loving yourself!

2. Respect for Others: Throughout the whole book, the author highlights moments in which people show each other care and respect. For instance, when Uncle Jed gave his hard earned money to Sara Jean for her surgery, or during the great depression when Uncle Jed continued traveling around the county and cutting hair, even though most of his customers couldn't afford it. In turn, his customers share with him whatever food they have.

3. Exploring Issues of Social Justice: The author delicately touches upon topics such as racism, segregation, and delivers this information in such a way that it influences the reader to think about the injustices, without attacking any group of people.

Home to Medicine Mountain By: Chiori Santiago

2009-02-09T17:17:00.000-08:00

Links:

www.childrensbookpress.org/ob/home.html

Summary: In the 1930s young Native American children were taken from their families and forced to attend boarding schools, far away from their homes. While the schools would pay for the students' train fare in order to go to school, they would not pay for their trip back home. Unfortunately, many families could not afford to pay for the trip back.

This story is about the struggle, determination, and longing of two boys trying to get home on their own. Benny Lee and his brother Stanley disliked school. They couldn't stand how the uniforms they were forced to wear scratched their bodies and made them itch all over. They hated how the hard leather shoes they wore kept them from the comfort of the earth in between their toes. They wished for the day to go back home to their grandmother's house and here her tell stories about the bear spirit that protected the people of Medicine Mountain.

When the summer came some students were able to go back home to their families, but those that couldn't afford the train fare would have to stay at school and work. Benny Lee and his brother were not one of the lucky ones. However, this did not keep them from missing their home. One night the two boys escaped from school and rode on the top of boxcars all the way back to Medicine Mountain. Though they were eventually forced to go back to school, the brothers now knew the way back home and would never let distance stand in the way of their families.

Reflect: This story really touched my heart, especially because it's a true story. What really inspired though me was that the illustrator of the book is Benny Lee's daughter. He had told her this story and she decided to share it with the world.

Use in the Classroom: I could see myself using this book in order to help students write about important people in their lives or events in which they are not the main character. This story could also be used to begin a unit on family, and how different people value the importance of family. This could also be used to talk about illustration and the value that pictures play in texts.

Stages of Social Justice:

Exploring issues of social justice: Benny Lee and Stanley's story dealt with the struggle that young Native American children had to face. This was a form of segregation that effected many lives and has had numerous repercussions on generations afterwards.