Woodson, Jacqueline. 1998. IF YOU COME SOFTLY. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons. ISBN 0399231129.
PLOT SUMMARY
Two fifteen year olds, Jeremiah and Ellie, meet at school and immediately feel an attraction between them. Jeremiah, an African American, is the son of a famous movie director and author. Ellie is the daughter of a white, Jewish doctor. Drawn together through shared pain, Jeremiah’s parents are divorced and Ellie’s mother has abandoned her in the past, they recognize a kindred spirit in each other. Even as Jeremiah and Ellie enjoy their developing relationship, the two must face the opposition they feel from family, friends, and outsiders.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Jacqueline Woodson draws from her own hardships in an interracial relationship with a Jewish woman to bring this story of new love to life. Both romantic and tragic, Jeremiah and Ellie’s relationship must stand up to the accusing looks and harsh words of strangers as they try to share the ordinarily commonplace teenage experience of dating. Woodson’s personal background lends an air of authenticity to this tale.
The author depicts the often unstated social rules that still govern much of American society. The teenagers’ relationship challenges many people’s ideas about so-called minority cultures. Woodson’s African American boy and white girl draw a lot of negative attention. Two elderly white ladies ask if Ellie is OK, just because she is walking with an African American boy. Later, a group of white boys shout racial slurs at the couple. Ellie’s reluctance to tell her parents about Jeremiah after her sister’s shocked reaction is an all too common occurrence for interracial couples.
Even though the young couple hides the relationship from Ellie’s parents, they are quite open with their affection in public. Their friends at school do not openly criticize, however many seem to turn around and pretend not to notice. Only Carlton, Jeremiah’s “home boy,” endorses the relationship and speaks kindly to the couple, presumably since he is a product of a biracial marriage. While Jeremiah and Ellie bravely struggle with hurtful comments when they are walking through the city, they soon discover a haven at Jeremiah’s mother’s house. Inside her beautiful and accepting home, the teenagers are free to enjoy each other’s company without prejudice. Woodson’s own experiences are shown in these scenes. The descriptions of African American culture and family are warm and moving.
Woodson offers accurate physical descriptions of her characters. Both Jeremiah and Ellie are realistically portrayed. In fact, Jeremiah’s “locks” and “smooth dark face” are some of the features that first attract Ellie to him. He, in turn, is mesmerized by her blue-gray eyes and smooth hair. Both teenagers enjoy looking at their interlocked white and brown fingers as they hold hands under the shady trees in Central Park. New York City is also depicted in detail, as the backdrop of Jeremiah and Ellie’s relationship. Descriptions of the various landmarks and boroughs further add to the richness of the story.
Language plays a part in the story, as well. The differences between Jeremiah’s casual language in Brooklyn and with his teammates and the more formal conversations in Ellie’s house subtly point to their conflicting cultures. When Carlton first meets Ellie, he uses a more formal register than when taunting Jeremiah into a basketball game, illustrating how some African Americans speak differently with the dominant culture than when at home.
The author’s use of cultural markers creates a believable and authentic love story. Jeremiah and Ellie are determined to withstand society’s prejudice and cruelty in order to be together. Even though Jeremiah and Ellie’s relationship has a tragic ending, Woodson’s young couple represents the hope that the future might be a more fair and accepting place where all cultures can live peacefully.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Publishers Weekly comments, “Once again, Woodson (I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This) handles delicate, even explosive subject matter with exceptional clarity, surety and depth…Both voices convincingly describe the couple's love-at-first-sight meeting and the gradual building of their trust. The intensity of their emotions will make hearts flutter, then ache as evidence mounts that Ellie's and Jeremiah's "perfect" love exists in a deeply flawed society. Even as Woodson's lyrical prose draws the audience into the tenderness of young love, her perceptive comments about race and racism will strike a chord with black readers and open the eyes of white readers.”
School Library Journal writes, “This fine author once again shows her gift for penning a novel that will ring true with young adults as it makes subtle comments on social situations.”
Reviews accessed at: http://www.amazon.com/You-Come-Softly-Jacqueline-Woodson/dp/0698118626
CONNECTIONS
Other books written by Jacqueline Woodson:
COMING ON HOME SOON. ISBN 0399237488
FROM THE NOTEBOOKS OF MELANIN SUN. ISBN 0590458817
I HADN’T MEANT TO TELL YOU THIS. ISBN 0142405558
LOCOMOTION. ISBN 0142401498
MIRACLE’S BOYS. ISBN 0142406023
SHOW WAY. ISBN 0399237496
Submitted by Kim
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Review of HARLEM
Myers, Walter Dean. 1997. HARLEM. Illustrated by Christopher Myers. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0590543407.
PLOT SUMMARY
Walter Dean Myers takes readers on a poetic journey through Harlem, the center of the African American Renaissance in New York City. Accompanied by his son’s vivid collages, Christopher Myers, the essence of Harlem is boldly portrayed throughout this picture book presentation. Music, language, dress, religion, food, art, entertainment, culture, sorrow, and celebration all combine to show the unique experience of being African American in the United States.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Cultural markers take center stage in this emotional book blending poetry and art. Both artists rejoice in what it means to be an African American. Poetic descriptions of “bright yellow shirts on burnt umber bodies demanding to be heard, seen” are accompanied by visually stunning and culturally accurate illustrations. The voice and style of the artists clearly express their passion for Harlem and its people. This Caldecott Honor book authentically portrays this unique setting and describes how our society has impacted this cultural group.
The flowing poetry scales a range of emotions, from bitterness to joy. Woven throughout the images, the reader is given an insight into the lives of children “waiting to sing their own sweet songs.” Universal themes of religion, entertainment, and food are seen through the African American perspective. The author mentions many Harlem landmarks and institutions by name, such as Abyssinian Baptist, the Cotton Club, and the Apollo. Myers also makes references to several key figures from African American history and the Civil Rights Movement. Langston, Du Bois, and Malcolm X all are featured in the haunting poetry.
Christopher Myers’ bold collages give vibrant life to the poetry. The interaction between poetry and illustrations is so well balanced, the reader can appreciate how this book won a Caldecott Honor award. Myers’ illustrations succeed on many levels. He definitely portrays the Harlem African American experience, while creating individuals as well, using varying skin tones, hair styles, and clothing in the collages.
Myers’s pictures depict both sorrow and hope in an older woman’s eyes as she listens to radio accounts of African American heroes like Sugar Ray trying to succeed in the dominant culture. On the facing page, Myers shows jubilant children dancing in the water from a broken fire hydrant. Throughout the illustrations, a complex and authentic range of images and emotions share the struggles and triumphs of African Americans with the reader.
Both artists have created an emotionally moving representation of Harlem and what it means to be an African American. This book would be a welcome addition in libraries and classroom. The only concern is the intended audience. African American children would recognize more of the references than other cultures, so background information would need to be given before reading.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Kirkus Reviews writes, “the text is rich with allusion. The imagery springs to life at once: ``Ring-a-levio warriors/Stickball heroes''; ``a full lipped, full hipped/Saint washing collard greens . . . Backing up Lady Day on the radio.'' A strong series of images of ink and gouache capture the beauty of faces, from the very old to very young, from golden to blue- black. Christopher Myers sets his scenes to match the streets, fire escapes, jazz clubs, and kitchens of Harlem, and makes them by turns starkly stylized as an Egyptian mask or sweet as a stained glass window.”
Booklist raves, “The two Myerses--author and artist, father and son--celebrate Harlem, which they perceive both as a city and a "promise of a better life," in quite different but wonderfully complementary ways… In a text that is as much song as poem, the author offers his impressionistic appreciation for a culture that is predominantly music-based, with its roots in "calls and songs and shouts" "first heard in the villages of Ghana/Mali/Senegal." In his hotly vibrant ink, gouache, and collage images, the artist shows us the textures of the city streets, the colors of "sun yellow shirts on burnt umber bodies," and even, it seems, the sounds the words themselves evoke. The very look of metaphorical moments is well served by the text, but it is Harlem as a visual experience that YAs will return to again and again, to admire and wonder at what is realized with truly extraordinary grace and power by this young artist of such wonderful promise.”
Reviews accessed at:
http://www.amazon.com/Harlem-Picture-Books-Walter-Myers/dp/0590543415
CONNECTIONS
Other books written and illustrated by Walter Dean Myers and Christopher Myers:
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MY DEAD BROTHER. ISBN 0060582936
BLUES JOURNEY. ISBN 0823420795
JAZZ. ISBN 0823415457
SHADOW OF THE RED MOON. ISBN 0590458957
TIME TO LOVE: STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT. ISBN 0439220009
Submitted by Kim
PLOT SUMMARY
Walter Dean Myers takes readers on a poetic journey through Harlem, the center of the African American Renaissance in New York City. Accompanied by his son’s vivid collages, Christopher Myers, the essence of Harlem is boldly portrayed throughout this picture book presentation. Music, language, dress, religion, food, art, entertainment, culture, sorrow, and celebration all combine to show the unique experience of being African American in the United States.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Cultural markers take center stage in this emotional book blending poetry and art. Both artists rejoice in what it means to be an African American. Poetic descriptions of “bright yellow shirts on burnt umber bodies demanding to be heard, seen” are accompanied by visually stunning and culturally accurate illustrations. The voice and style of the artists clearly express their passion for Harlem and its people. This Caldecott Honor book authentically portrays this unique setting and describes how our society has impacted this cultural group.
The flowing poetry scales a range of emotions, from bitterness to joy. Woven throughout the images, the reader is given an insight into the lives of children “waiting to sing their own sweet songs.” Universal themes of religion, entertainment, and food are seen through the African American perspective. The author mentions many Harlem landmarks and institutions by name, such as Abyssinian Baptist, the Cotton Club, and the Apollo. Myers also makes references to several key figures from African American history and the Civil Rights Movement. Langston, Du Bois, and Malcolm X all are featured in the haunting poetry.
Christopher Myers’ bold collages give vibrant life to the poetry. The interaction between poetry and illustrations is so well balanced, the reader can appreciate how this book won a Caldecott Honor award. Myers’ illustrations succeed on many levels. He definitely portrays the Harlem African American experience, while creating individuals as well, using varying skin tones, hair styles, and clothing in the collages.
Myers’s pictures depict both sorrow and hope in an older woman’s eyes as she listens to radio accounts of African American heroes like Sugar Ray trying to succeed in the dominant culture. On the facing page, Myers shows jubilant children dancing in the water from a broken fire hydrant. Throughout the illustrations, a complex and authentic range of images and emotions share the struggles and triumphs of African Americans with the reader.
Both artists have created an emotionally moving representation of Harlem and what it means to be an African American. This book would be a welcome addition in libraries and classroom. The only concern is the intended audience. African American children would recognize more of the references than other cultures, so background information would need to be given before reading.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Kirkus Reviews writes, “the text is rich with allusion. The imagery springs to life at once: ``Ring-a-levio warriors/Stickball heroes''; ``a full lipped, full hipped/Saint washing collard greens . . . Backing up Lady Day on the radio.'' A strong series of images of ink and gouache capture the beauty of faces, from the very old to very young, from golden to blue- black. Christopher Myers sets his scenes to match the streets, fire escapes, jazz clubs, and kitchens of Harlem, and makes them by turns starkly stylized as an Egyptian mask or sweet as a stained glass window.”
Booklist raves, “The two Myerses--author and artist, father and son--celebrate Harlem, which they perceive both as a city and a "promise of a better life," in quite different but wonderfully complementary ways… In a text that is as much song as poem, the author offers his impressionistic appreciation for a culture that is predominantly music-based, with its roots in "calls and songs and shouts" "first heard in the villages of Ghana/Mali/Senegal." In his hotly vibrant ink, gouache, and collage images, the artist shows us the textures of the city streets, the colors of "sun yellow shirts on burnt umber bodies," and even, it seems, the sounds the words themselves evoke. The very look of metaphorical moments is well served by the text, but it is Harlem as a visual experience that YAs will return to again and again, to admire and wonder at what is realized with truly extraordinary grace and power by this young artist of such wonderful promise.”
Reviews accessed at:
http://www.amazon.com/Harlem-Picture-Books-Walter-Myers/dp/0590543415
CONNECTIONS
Other books written and illustrated by Walter Dean Myers and Christopher Myers:
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MY DEAD BROTHER. ISBN 0060582936
BLUES JOURNEY. ISBN 0823420795
JAZZ. ISBN 0823415457
SHADOW OF THE RED MOON. ISBN 0590458957
TIME TO LOVE: STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT. ISBN 0439220009
Submitted by Kim
Review of MINTY
Schroeder, Alan. 1996. MINTY: A STORY OF YOUNG HARRIET TUBMAN. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0803718888.
PLOT SUMMARY
Young Harriet Tubman, known as Minty to her family, struggles against the bonds of slavery in Maryland during the early nineteenth century. She frequently rebels and refuses to obey her master’s orders. After a severe beating, with the threat of being “sold South” hanging over Minty, her father begins teaching her the road to freedom. Minty learns how to follow the North Star to Philadelphia and survive in the forest. Although this story ends before Harriet reaches adulthood, the reader is left feeling hopeful that Minty will eventually be brave enough to attempt her escape.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Alan Schroeder and Jerry Pinkney include many cultural markers in their dramatic picture book. Since not much is known of Harriet Tubman’s childhood as a slave beyond the most basic facts, some of the scenes in the book and the dialogue are fictional. However, the author and illustrator’s preface and note at the end of the story describe the research undertaken to ensure that this picture book is as true to the spirit of Minty as possible. The descriptions of life on the plantation, for both Minty’s family and the master’s, present stark contrasts and do not attempt to downplay the hardships of the enslaved people.
The author takes great care to accurately portray the language and dialect of the characters. Both Minty and the master’s wife sound authentic to the place and time, with phrases like, “whip her good,” immersing readers in the drama of the story. Schroeder takes care to describe some food, clothing, and chores on the plantation, but he fails to discuss physical traits like hair and skin color. He may have purposely left out these references, allowing the culturally accurate illustrations to speak for themselves.
With all picture books, the strength of the story depends as much on the illustrations as the text. Pinkney excels with his pencil and watercolor depictions of life on an 1820s Maryland plantation. The vivid illustrations accurately capture this setting, allowing readers to visualize the hardships endured by African Americans during a time when they were not even counted as full human beings. Even as he portrays the backbreaking labor of a field slave and the countless tasks required, Pinkney also shows Minty’s spirit longing with the universal desire to be free. She is poignantly reaching for the sky to fly away up North.
Teachers and librarians looking for a book about Harriet Tubman’s early life to complement a study of her life and achievements will be pleased with this Coretta Scott King award winning offering. Schroeder and Pinkney’s talents combine beautifully in a dramatic retelling of this heroine’s inspirational story. The note at the conclusion of the story is especially helpful for readers who may be unaware of Minty’s adult accomplishments.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Publishers Weekly states, “Schroeder's (Ragtime Tumpie; Carolina Shout!) choice of lively vignettes rather than a more traditional biography is a wise one. With color and feeling he humanizes a historic figure, coaxing readers to imagine or research the rest of the story. Pinkney's (John Henry) full-bodied watercolors evoke a strong sense of time and place. Laudably, Pinkney's scenes consistently depict young Minty's point of view, giving the harshness of her reality more resonance for readers. A formal author's note follows the text and both Schroeder and Pinkney have included personal messages about the history of the book project. A firm stepping stone toward discussions of slavery and U.S. history.”
School Library Journal writes, “Pinkney's illustrations are outstanding, even when compared to his other fine work. His paintings, done in pencil, colored-pencils, and watercolor, use light and shadow to great effect, and his depictions of Minty are particularly powerful and expressive. This is a dramatic story that will hold listeners' interest and may lead them to biographical material such as David A. Adler's A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman (Holiday, 1992) and Ann McGovern's Wanted Dead or Alive (Scholastic, 1991).”
Reviews accessed at:
http://www.amazon.com/Minty-Harriet-Tubman-Picture-Puffin/dp/014056196X
CONNECTIONS
Other books about Harriet Tubman:
Adler, David A. A PICTURE BOOK OF HARRIET TUBMAN. Illustrated by Samuel Byrd. ISBN 082341065X
McGovern, Ann. WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE: THE TRUE STORY OF HARRIET TUBMAN. ISBN 0590442120
Petry, Ann. HARRIET TUBMAN: CONDUCTOR ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. ISBN 0064461815
Sterling, Dorothy. FREEDOM TRAIN: THE STORY OF HARRIET TUBMAN. ISBN 0590436287
Weatherford, Carole Boston . MOSES: WHEN HARRIET TUBMAN LED HER PEOPLE TO FREEDOM. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. ISBN 0786851759
Submitted by Kim
PLOT SUMMARY
Young Harriet Tubman, known as Minty to her family, struggles against the bonds of slavery in Maryland during the early nineteenth century. She frequently rebels and refuses to obey her master’s orders. After a severe beating, with the threat of being “sold South” hanging over Minty, her father begins teaching her the road to freedom. Minty learns how to follow the North Star to Philadelphia and survive in the forest. Although this story ends before Harriet reaches adulthood, the reader is left feeling hopeful that Minty will eventually be brave enough to attempt her escape.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Alan Schroeder and Jerry Pinkney include many cultural markers in their dramatic picture book. Since not much is known of Harriet Tubman’s childhood as a slave beyond the most basic facts, some of the scenes in the book and the dialogue are fictional. However, the author and illustrator’s preface and note at the end of the story describe the research undertaken to ensure that this picture book is as true to the spirit of Minty as possible. The descriptions of life on the plantation, for both Minty’s family and the master’s, present stark contrasts and do not attempt to downplay the hardships of the enslaved people.
The author takes great care to accurately portray the language and dialect of the characters. Both Minty and the master’s wife sound authentic to the place and time, with phrases like, “whip her good,” immersing readers in the drama of the story. Schroeder takes care to describe some food, clothing, and chores on the plantation, but he fails to discuss physical traits like hair and skin color. He may have purposely left out these references, allowing the culturally accurate illustrations to speak for themselves.
With all picture books, the strength of the story depends as much on the illustrations as the text. Pinkney excels with his pencil and watercolor depictions of life on an 1820s Maryland plantation. The vivid illustrations accurately capture this setting, allowing readers to visualize the hardships endured by African Americans during a time when they were not even counted as full human beings. Even as he portrays the backbreaking labor of a field slave and the countless tasks required, Pinkney also shows Minty’s spirit longing with the universal desire to be free. She is poignantly reaching for the sky to fly away up North.
Teachers and librarians looking for a book about Harriet Tubman’s early life to complement a study of her life and achievements will be pleased with this Coretta Scott King award winning offering. Schroeder and Pinkney’s talents combine beautifully in a dramatic retelling of this heroine’s inspirational story. The note at the conclusion of the story is especially helpful for readers who may be unaware of Minty’s adult accomplishments.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Publishers Weekly states, “Schroeder's (Ragtime Tumpie; Carolina Shout!) choice of lively vignettes rather than a more traditional biography is a wise one. With color and feeling he humanizes a historic figure, coaxing readers to imagine or research the rest of the story. Pinkney's (John Henry) full-bodied watercolors evoke a strong sense of time and place. Laudably, Pinkney's scenes consistently depict young Minty's point of view, giving the harshness of her reality more resonance for readers. A formal author's note follows the text and both Schroeder and Pinkney have included personal messages about the history of the book project. A firm stepping stone toward discussions of slavery and U.S. history.”
School Library Journal writes, “Pinkney's illustrations are outstanding, even when compared to his other fine work. His paintings, done in pencil, colored-pencils, and watercolor, use light and shadow to great effect, and his depictions of Minty are particularly powerful and expressive. This is a dramatic story that will hold listeners' interest and may lead them to biographical material such as David A. Adler's A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman (Holiday, 1992) and Ann McGovern's Wanted Dead or Alive (Scholastic, 1991).”
Reviews accessed at:
http://www.amazon.com/Minty-Harriet-Tubman-Picture-Puffin/dp/014056196X
CONNECTIONS
Other books about Harriet Tubman:
Adler, David A. A PICTURE BOOK OF HARRIET TUBMAN. Illustrated by Samuel Byrd. ISBN 082341065X
McGovern, Ann. WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE: THE TRUE STORY OF HARRIET TUBMAN. ISBN 0590442120
Petry, Ann. HARRIET TUBMAN: CONDUCTOR ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. ISBN 0064461815
Sterling, Dorothy. FREEDOM TRAIN: THE STORY OF HARRIET TUBMAN. ISBN 0590436287
Weatherford, Carole Boston . MOSES: WHEN HARRIET TUBMAN LED HER PEOPLE TO FREEDOM. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. ISBN 0786851759
Submitted by Kim
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