Gone Crazy in Alabama by Rita Williams-Garcia

Gone Crazy in Alabama

by Rita Williams-Garcia

  

Image Credit: Gone Crazy in Alabama at https://www.harpercollins.com

1. Bibliography

Williams-Garcia, Rita.  Gone Crazy in Alabama. New York: Harper Collins, 2008. ISBN 9780062215895

2. Plot Summary

Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern Gaither are back! With Delphine in charge, the trio --- now 12, 10 and 8 years of age, respectively --- head to Alabama to spend the summer of 1969 with their grandmother (Big Ma) and great-grandmother (Ma Charles). Obviously, the Deep South is nothing like Brooklyn, New York. There are a slew of unexpected experiences, which keep Delphine constantly on her toes since she has to deal with Vonetta's and Fern's outspoken viewpoints and persnickety ways. It doesn't help that Ma Charles has an estranged relationship with her stepsister, even though Delphine discovers eye-popping information about the Gaither ancestry along the way. Yet all the Alabama craziness pales in comparison to when Vonetta suddenly disappears during a tornado. (Summary Credit: Gone Crazy in Alabama at kidsread.com)

3. Critical Analysis

            The story is told from the point of view of the eldest daughter in a family with three girls.  Delphine and her sisters have a love/hate relationship that Delphine describes as being the “enemy and big sister”.  She is responsible, mature and caring and takes care of her younger sisters.  Sisterly relationships play a major role.  Two of the principal characters are Ma Charles (the children’s grandmother) and her half-sister Miss Trotter.  Their relationship resembles that of the children in that they pretend to not care about each other but continually show interest.  Mother-daughter relationships are also explored.  Big Ma (the children’s great-grandmother) and Ma Charles consistently take opposite sides to a topic but band together for important decisions.

            The setting is the rural south in the late 1960s.  And, many references are made to things happening during this time period; including the moon landing, freedom riders, Creek freedmen, Black Power and the KKK.  The country setting includes outhouses, a chicken coop and milking cows.  The story is rich in cultural details, celebrates diversity, invites reflection and analysis.

            There are many cultural references in the story.  The children’s hair is described as a “thick, thick head”.  The Mrs (their stepmother) has an Afro and Grandmother uses Dixie Peach hair grease.  There are references to the color of their skin, “three colored girls and Delphine describes a boy as being Hershey Brown and clay red.  There are references to music “catting and scatting”, “old man river”, Jackson Five, Stevie Wonder, doo-wop and grandmother’s tambourine.  Food references include fried chicken, pecans, shoofly pie, ham, biscuits and butter beans.  The girl's economic situation is referenced by the ride in a Greyhound, their uncles turn to drugs, people being “long gone”.  The girl’s father warns them about being in the south.  His advice is “don’t go grinning at every white kid”, “if they call you names, keep your mouth shut”, “don’t ball up your fists” and “the south isn’t like Brooklyn”.

4. Review Experts

~Coretta Scott King Award winner

~ALA Notable Book

~School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

~Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year

~Washington Post Best Books of the Year

~Kirkus Review: Character development again astonishes, the distinctive personalities of the girls ringing true and the supporting cast adding great depth and texture. Indeed, the girls’ cousin JimmyTrotter is so fully realized it seems unfair to think of him as secondary. This well-crafted depiction of a close-knit community in rural Alabama works beautifully, with language that captures its humor, sorrow and resilience. Rich in all areas, Delphine and her sisters’ third outing will fully satisfy the many fans of their first two.

~Publishers Weekly: For their third outing, the irrepressible Gaither sisters of Brooklyn get on a Greyhound bus bound for Alabama. It's 1969, and Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are spending the summer with Big Ma, their father's mother, and a passel of other vividly drawn relatives. Delphine, now 12, again narrates (which must make Vonetta spitting mad). The bickering between these sisters is as annoying as it is authentic, and it mirrors a long-simmering feud between Ma Charles (Big Ma's mother) and her half-sister, Miss Trotter, who uses Vonetta to send spiteful messages back to Ma Charles. The back-and-forth allows Williams-Garcia to unspool the Gaithers' complex family history: as slaves, as blacks in the segregated south, and in relation to the Native Americans who once called the area home. As a plot device, an argument between two grannies can't quite match the events that drove One Crazy Summer and P.S. Be Eleven. But it's reward enough just to spend more time with this feisty, close-knit family, whose loyalty to and love for each other trump everything else.

5. Connections

~Use in a literature section with other books by Rita Williams-Garcia include the prequels to this book:

            One Crazy Summer. ISBN 0060760907

            P.S. Be Eleven. ISBN 0061938645

            Clayton Byrd Goes Underground. ISBN 0062215930

            Jumped. ISBN 9780060760939

            Like Sisters on the Homefront. ISBN 9780140385618

~Use in a history unit about the late 1960s in America

~Use in a unit on Prejudice and Racism

            Woodson, Jacqueline Woodson.  Brown Girl Dreaming.  ISBN 0147515823

            Rhodes, Jewell Parker.  Ghost Boy. ISBN 9780316262286

Tonatiuh, Duncan.  Separate is Never Equal.  ISBN 1419710540

            Levine, Ellen. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson.  Henry’s Freedom Box. ISBN 043977733X

Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson

Feathers

by Jacqueline Woodson

Image Credit: Feathers at https://www.jacquelinewoodson.com

1. Bibliography

Woodson, Jacqueline.  Feathers. New York: G.P. Putnam and Sons, 2007. ISBN 0142415502

2. Plot Summary

"Hope is the thing with feathers..." starts the poem Frannie is reading in school. Frannie hasn't thought much about hope. There are so many other things to think about. Each day, her friend Samantha seems a bit more holy. There is a new boy in class everyone is calling the Jesus Boy. And although the new boy looks like a white kid, he says he's not white. Who is he? During a winter full of surprises, good and bad, Frannie starts seeing a lot of things in a new light — her brother Sean's deafness, her mother's fear, the class bully's anger, her best friend's faith and her own desire for the thing with feathers. In this Newbery Honor book, Jacqueline Woodson once again takes readers on a journey into a young girl's heart and reveals the pain and the joy of learning to look beneath the surface. (Summary Credit: Feathers at scholastic.com)

3. Critical Analysis

            The main character, Frannie, is in 6^th grade.  She worries about things that happen, changes and life in general.  However, she stands up for herself and her friends. She stands up for her brother, people being picked on by the class bully and the new kid.  She is the baby of the family and worries that things will change when the new baby comes along.  Her brother, Sean, is deaf.  Sean is good looking and therefore always is attracting girls.  Unfortunately, they always shut him down once they find out he is deaf.  His hearing closes down his interaction with the rest of the world so he longs to get out and see more of what the wide world has to offer.  The character only known as “Jesus Boy” is the primary antagonist whom the story revolves around.  He is new to all all-black school however he is white with long hair.  And, while at first, he appears to be different from the rest of his class, it is discovered that the children have more similarities than differences.

            All that is known of the setting is that it is a city or town in the United States in the 1970s.  Frannie’s family and her school are on “this” side of the highway.  And, the white families live on the other side.  Frannie loves her side of the highway and doesn’t understand why her brother and her friends would ever want to go to the other side of the highway or out in the rest of the world.  However, you can feel that “this” side of the highway is figuratively felt to be a prison by some of the characters who feel it unfair that they are expected to stay on their side.

            Because the book takes place in the 70s, it covers the time of the “Black Power” movement.  The children wear shirts that say Black Power and/or have the symbol of the raised fist.  The hairstyle for the older kids are afros with afro picks with the African American colors (red, black and green) tucked into their back pockets.  The language is consistent with a black community in the 70s.  Children say things like “don’t know palefaces go to this school”, “soul brother”, “jive turkey”, “right on, my brother man”, and “that cat’s saying”.  The children live in an economically depressed neighborhood.  There is cardboard on windows, graffiti on the buildings and most kids get free school lunch.  There is a rich tradition of going to church.  Frannie’s friend carries a bible and her father is the preacher of a storefront‘fire and brimstone’ church, Frannie’s parents go to church regularly and her grandmother goes to two churches on Sunday and keeps a bible where she can strike the children when they misbehave.  Other indicators of the culture include some of the children’s name (RayRay), the games they play (Down, Baby, Down – jump rope) and the music they listen to.

This is a valuable read and could spark a lot of good conversation about the primary themes of Hope, Understanding and Disability.  It is a great book in the African American genre and could also be used in a section about disability.

4. Review Experts

~Newbery Honor Book (2008)

~Kirkus Review: The theme of “hope” recurs in the description of the Black Power movement, and in Frannie’s musings on the Emily Dickinson poem, “Hope is the thing with feathers.” Developing this metaphor, Woodson captures perfectly the questions and yearnings of a girl perched on the edge of adolescence, a girl who readers will take into their hearts and be glad to call their friend.

~Publishers Weekly: Woodson’s novel skillfully weaves in the music and events surrounding the rising opposition to the Vietnam War, giving this timeless story depth. She raises important questions about God, racial segregation, and issues surrounding the hearing impaired with a light and thoughtful touch.

5. Connections

~Use in a literature section with other books by Jacqueline Woodson

            After Tupac and D Foster. ISBN 9780142413999

            Miracles Boys. ISBN 0142415537

            Locomotion. ISBN 0142415529

            Show Way. ISBN 0399237496

            Hush. ISBN 0142415510

~Use in a unit about the 1970s in America

~Use in a unit on Prejudice and Racism

            Woodson, Jacqueline Woodson.  Brown Girl Dreaming.  ISBN 0147515823

            Rhodes, Jewell Parker.  Ghost Boy. ISBN 9780316262286

Tonatiuh, Duncan.  Separate is Never Equal.  ISBN 1419710540

Williams-Garcia, Rita.  One Crazy Summer. ISBN 0060760907

Sukey and the Mermaid by Robert D San Souci

Sukey and the Mermaid

By: Robert D. San Souci Illustrated by Brian Pinkney

Image Credit: SUKEY AND THE MERMAID at simonandschuster.com

1. Bibliography

San Souci, Robert D. Illustrated by Brian Pinkney.  SUKEY AND THE MERMAID. New York: First Aladdin Paperback, 1996. ISBN 9780689807183

2. Plot Summary

Sukey's new step-pa is a mean, bossy man. Every day Sukey wakes at dawn to work in the garden. All her step-pa ever does is watch her and yell if she so much as stops to fan herself. Sukey's ma calls him Mister Jones. Sukey prefers the name "Mister Hard-Times." So one day, Sukey runs away to her secret place by the ocean. There, she calls up Mama Jo, a beautiful black mermaid. Mama Jo's got a surprise for Sukey; a magical kingdom beneath the sea without time or pain. But it's also without people. Is it really better than the world above? (Summary Credit: SUKEY AND THE MERMAID at simonandschuster.com)

3. Critical Analysis

The characters of Sukey and the Mermaid (Mama Jo) are well drawn and you feel for the experiences of Sukey and her hard times.  The description of her run-down cabin, hard chores and lazy abusive step-father show Sukey’s plight.  The use of language including words and phrases such as ‘oncet upon a time’, step-pa, skylarking, ‘sling her hoe’, won’t do a lick’ give an indication to Sukey’s economic status and region of the country in which she lives.  Sukey’s clothing such as her wide straw hat and the kerchief wound around her head are also indications of the culture in which she lives.  The balance between the good (Mama Jo) and evil (her step-pa) are well balanced, although her stepfather is only sketchily drawn.

Sukey lives in South Carolina on the coast.  It is difficult to tell the time period although you get the impression that it is in the past by the description of the cabin and Sukey’s dress.  The environment is well drawn and portrayed by the description the plants (palmetto, mossy oak) and the surrounding area (dunes, white sand, water).

There are several cultural markers; the primary of these is the language.  Sukey and the narrator’s dialect show her culture.  Also, there are poetic verses used throughout that incorporate the rhythm of the language/dialect used.  The description and illustration clearly show how the social-economic situation in which she lives.  It is clear that there are gender roles.  Sukey’s step-pa is the patriarch and Sukey and her mother are expected to live within his rules.  The author explains, in the afterward, that the story is based on one of the few African-American folktales that include mermaids.  The story is similar to the Goose Who Laid the Golden Egg.  Is it best to have one coin every day or to hunt the mermaid who gives you the coin?  Because slaves were not allowed to read and write, a rich oral tradition developed.  Sukey and the Mermaid was one of the tales passed down orally before it was ever written down. And, stories were often told in verse in order to make them easier to memorize.  Thus, the verses included in the tale are in keeping with that oral tradition.

The illustrations also show cultural markers in the clothing and hairstyle of Sukey and her mother.  The textiles used are colorful woven patterns and Sukey’s hair is worn in a braid, both common in the culture.  The illustrations are done in a style called scratchboard which appears like the old game we used to play in making a drawing, covering it in black ink and then scratching away to reveal the color underneath.  This works especially well to show the swirling of the ocean, wind and blowing of textiles included in the story.

           

4. Review Experts

~Coretta Scott King Honor (1993)

~KIRKUS REVIEW (February 1992): "A careful note explains that this eventful, richly complex story was based on a folktale from the Sea Islands of South Carolina, as well as on Caribbean and West African sources. Pinkney's delicately tinted scratchboard illustrations are his best yet; the many fine lines swirl through the dramatic black ground, catching the sea's luminous glow and softening the sturdy figures with diaphanous garments. An unusually handsome presentation of an appealing tale. "

5. Connections

~Compare and contrast Sukey and the Mermaid to other culture’s Cinderella stories

            Climo, Shirley.  Illustrated by Ruth Heller. Egyptian Cinderella. ISBN 0064432793

Climo, Shirley.  Illustrated by Ruth Heller. The Korean Cinderella.  ISBN 0064433978

            Martin, Rafe.  Illustrated by David Shannon.  Rough-Faced Girl. ISBN 0698116267

~Read other stories by Robert D San Souci

            Illustrated by Raul Colon.  A Weave of Words. ISBN 9780531300534

            Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. The Talking Eggs. ISBN 9780803706194

            Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. Brave Margaret: An Irish Adventure. ISBN 0689848501

~Read other books illustrated by Brian Pinkney

San Souci, Robert D. The Faithful Friend. ISBN 9780689824586

San Souci, Robert D. Cut from the Same Cloth: American Women of Myth, Legend and Tall Tale. ISBN 0698118111

Pinkney, Andrea Davis. Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra. ISBN 0786814209

The Blue Jackal by Shobha Viswanath

The Blue Jackal

Written by Shobha Viswanath, Illustrated by Dileep Joshi

Image Credit: The Blue Jackal at amazon.com

1. Bibliography

Viswanath, Shobha. The Blue Jackal. Illustrated by Dileep Joshi. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2016. ISBN 0802854664.

2. Plot Summary

This is a retelling of a folktale from India. While the story is told in simple, clear language appropriate for any age (the story is about identity, sense of self and self-worth), the artwork is what makes this special. The darker palette reinforces the night setting of the story, and the drawings are suggestive of cave drawings. They seem to float, crawl, and fly across the page. Based on Indian Warli artwork of white rice flour painting on a mud background, the drawings are reduced to complex patterns of lines that come alive in swirls and repetitive motions and counter-motions. The story and art are well integrated. Highly recommended for children, and any adults interested in modern re-use of ancient art-forms. This title expands the current folk lit area to include India. (From the librarything.com)

3. Critical Analysis

The main character of Juno lives the story of someone who is harassed and bullied and overcomes the adversity in his life.  The character is someone that kids can relate to while bringing a unique perspective.  Overcoming his difficulty in a unique way, becoming the animal king and then being found out – and run out – makes the young reader want to know what becomes of Juno in the end.  This would be great for a reader’s circle or a writing assignment – complete the story.  The plot is a situation kids can relate to, overcoming the harassment to which he was subjected. The resolution may not be satisfying for a young audience. Children may want Juno to get a fulfilling end because of what he has had to overcome.

The use of the different color background to show the different time of day is smart.  The art form, originally rice flour on mud, conveys the old-fashioned Indian form. But, the story of overcoming adversity is universal, no matter how the situation is resolved. The moral of the blue jackal story for kids is that those who leave their kind will not be able to live happily, you cannot deny what you are and where you came from. The style in which the story is told is a simple rhythming voice.  It is a retelling of a very old oral tradition story/fable.  The rhythm helps bring the children to the story, it makes the story approachable to a culture unfamiliar with the story.

The illustrations are simple and made to replicate those of an artist drawing with rice flour on a mud floor.  Most are done in white on brown, deep blue or black depending on the time of day they represent.  The only variation is the dye colors are vibrant.  The vats show rich colors of green, red, orange or the bright blue, which the jackal fell into.  Then, when Juno gets the idea to be their king, the lettering is shown on the blue color background of the king. Until the day Juno is found out and the lettering is again shown on a black background.  The culture is depicted in the stylistic drawing of the animals, the simple drawing and color.  None are stereotypical, only bringing the new styling of the culture.

4. Review Experts

~ United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY), Outstanding International Books (2017)

~Kirkus Reviews (February 2016): "Scenes inspired by the traditional art of India’s Warli people illustrate a retold Panchatantra tale about a jackal who falls into a vat of dye. Chased by village dogs, pipsqueak Juno the jackal blindly jumps into a vat of indigo. His bright new color so frightens the other animals in the wild that he proclaims himself king. But when he hears his banished jackal clan howling at the moon, he joins in—thus betraying his true nature to the other creatures, who angrily drive him away. Viswanath embellishes more-traditional versions both with added details and by casting the tale into lumbering verse: “Juno was terribly puny and lean, / and the bigger jackals were really quite mean. / They laughed at him cruelly for being so skinny, / calling him names, like sissy and ninny.” (She also follows the lead of most modern renditions by allowing the imposter to survive rather than being killed by his erstwhile subjects.) Drawn in white on dark, monochrome backgrounds, the illustrations are large-scale scenes with freely placed figures of animals and foliage that are small and often stylized beyond easy recognition. They are striking, but the visual narrative they convey is not easy for readers from outside the culture to parse. Possibly of anthropological interest, but as a story for a wide audience, it’s no improvement on other versions."

~School Library Journal: “This is a strong retelling of one of the tales from the Panchatantra, a third-century BCE text of Indian literature. This retelling from Sanskrit flows well and begs to be read aloud. It tells the tale of a bullied runt jackal who is accidentally dyed indigo and is subsequently mistaken for a king. He betrays himself by howling along with the other jackals. The rain washes away his indigo fur, but he retains the memory of having once been a king. The story would be interesting as a group presentation and could lead to discussions regarding identity. The illustrations, which are the true standout here, will not work well in a large group, because of their intricate detail. They are done in the style of the Warli tribe of East India—white paintings done in rice flour on a dark background. They will intrigue children who have an eye for such things. VERDICT This book fills a void in terms of Indian literature directed at children, but it will need an introduction or some promotion if it is going to circulate.”

5. Connections

~ Use with other folktales from different parts of the world

   https://www.worldoftales.com/

~ Use with other Indian tales

   Chopra, Shweta. The Diwali Gift. 3 Curious Monkeys, 2015. ISBN 0996192204

Patel, Sanjay, Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth. Chronicle Books, 2015. ISBN 1452145563

Khemka, Nitya. Good Night India. Good Night Books, 2017.  ISBN 1602194777

~ Use in a writing assignment to have children write their own endings.

~ Use in a social studies assignment when learning about India.

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

I Am the Messenger

by Markus Zusak

Image Credit: I Am the Messenger at penguinrandomhouse.com

1.      Bibliography

Zusak, Markus. I Am the Messenger. Penguin Random House. New York: 2002. ISBN 0375836675.

2.      Plot Summary

Nineteen-year-old Ed Kennedy is a loser, an underage taxi driver who lives in a rundown shack with a seventeen-year-old coffee-drinking dog.  There isn’t much of a future for Ed until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery and is hailed a hero by a local newspaper.  Then, he begins receiving playing cards in the mail.  His instincts tell him that the words on the cards are clues to a larger message.  He is led to a lonely old lady, and poses as her deceased husband; he gives a barefoot runner the courage to race without shoes; he saves a woman from being abused by her husband; and, he fills Father O’Reilly’s church.  In all, Ed delivers twelve messages.  Some are easier than others.  The final clue, and maybe the most difficult of all, is Ed’s address. (From Random House)

3.      Critical Analysis

Ed and his environment are well drawn.  Ed is a realistic character and it is rewarding to watch him grow personally as he assists others.  His friends are all emotionally stunted in some regard but through Ed’s assistance they all change and grow.  You know that Ed has a heart from the beginning by the way he loves and cares for his dog Doorman.  There is a good balance between good and evil.  The unseen character that delivers the cards (missions) seems to do bad things for the ultimate good.  And, the evil delivery men are funnier than they are dangerous.

The Australian setting comes through mostly through the dialog.  Zusak uses words and phrases that remind the reader that the characters are not in/from the United States.  However, the area in which Ed lives, ‘the bad part of town’, many readers will be able to relate to.  The author provides enough detail for the reader to feel the filth and grime of Ed’s surroundings.

The situations in which Ed finds himself invite the reading audience to reflect, analyze and discuss.  Each ‘mission’ that Ed is sent on prompts the reader to reflect on whether his response is the appropriate reaction.

4.      Review Experts

~ Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year for Children (2005)

~ Honour Book, Michael L. Printz Award (2006)^[

~Common Sense Media (February 2006): “When it's good, it's very good; this award-winning novel about a slacker whose life is altered when he starts receiving mysterious playing cards in the mail has glimpses of brilliance. Aussie author Markus Zusak has that down-under way of being relaxed and hard-edged at the same time, allowing him to deal with some serious subject matter in a way that's both light and powerful. He also has a way of making his slacker characters so intelligent and appealing that it makes the reader wonder just what exactly is wrong with a life lived small and free of ambition. The resolution to the big mystery of who is sending the cards reads as if Zusak just couldn't figure out how to get out of the hole he'd dug for himself, so he just slapped this on. But if you can ignore the last 10 pages, this is a terrific, at times moving, and thought-provoking story that can lead readers to look at their own worlds in a slightly different way.”

~Kirkus Reviews (May 2010): " Kennedy slouches through life driving a taxi, playing poker with his buddies, and hanging out with his personable dog, Doorman. The girl he loves just wants to be friends, and his mother constantly insults him, both of which make Ed, an engaging, warm-hearted narrator, feel like a loser. But he starts to overcome his low self-esteem when he foils a bank robbery and then receives a series of messages that lead him to do good deeds. He buys Christmas lights for a poor family, helps a local priest, and forces a rapist out of town. With each act, he feels better about himself and builds a community of friends. The openly sentimental elements are balanced by swearing, some drinking and violence, and edgy friendships. Suspense builds about who is sending the messages, but readers hoping for a satisfying solution to that mystery will be disappointed. Those, however, who like to speculate about the nature of fiction, might enjoy the unlikely, even gimmicky, conclusion."

5.      Connections

~ Would be a good book for a book discussion.  How would the reader solve each mission on which Ed is sent?

~Read with other books by Markus Zusak

          Bridge of Clay, ISBN 0375845593

          The Book Thief, ISBN 0375842209

          Underdogs, ISBN 0545542596

          Getting the Girl, ISBN 0439389496

~Use with other books with a similar theme:

     Lowery, Lois. The Giver. ISBN 0544336267

     Lowery, Lois. Messenger. ISBN 0385732538

     Lowery, Lois. Gathering Blue. ISBN 0547904142
     Sachar, Louis. Small Steps. ISBN 0385733151

The Shadows of Ghadames by Joelle Stolz

The Shadows of Ghadames

By: Joelle Stolz

Image Credit: The Shadows of Ghadames at Kirkus Reviews

1.      Bibliography

Stolz, Joelle. The Shadows of Ghadames. Yearling, 1999. ISBN 0-385-73104-3

2.      Plot Summary

A Muslim child poised on the threshold of adulthood comes to understand that her world is less constrained than she supposes. Bolstered by centuries of custom, the streets of the Libyan city of Ghadames are considered men’s territory, while, with limited exceptions, the women are confined to the connected rooftops. Though Malika has the freedom of those rooftops, she yearns for more: to travel with her merchant father, to learn to read, to see what lies beyond the heavy veils and limited roles that women are expected to assume. But she gets startling insight into just how powerful and complex that woman’s world is when, with her father away on business, his two wives defy law and morality by sheltering a wounded fugitive in the house (From Kirkus Reviews).

3.      Critical Analysis

Set at the end of the nineteenth century in a southern Libyan town, Malika’s story gives a glimpse of what life was like for a young Muslim girl in a time where girls were restricted to limited interactions with the world. The story feels authentic to the part of the world and time period in which the story occurs.  It reflects those experiences of Muslim girls in a time period over a hundred years ago.  And, is still being experienced around the world by some central Asian cultures in remote villages today.  The story is told, not about good and evil characters but just shows the characters in their truth.

The story is historically significant for the time period in which it is told but could also be true for Muslim girls, in parts of the world, today.  It also shows what life is like in the deserts of the Middle East/central Asian cultures.

Originally written in French in 1999 and translated by Catherine Temerson in 2004. Muslim American girls could see some similarities, in the culture, religion, gender roles and customs depicted in the book.  The book is steeped in Muslim culture, tradition and values.

This book could spark good conversation about the customs, tradition, values, beliefs and gender roles of the Muslim culture.  It invites reflection and response about Muslims, not only around the world, but more specifically here in the United States.

4.      Review Experts

~Winner of the Mildred L. Batchelder Award

~ALA Notable Book

~Booklist (March 2011): Editor’s Choice. “Stolz invigorates her tale with elegant prose and a deft portrayed of a girl verging on adolescence.  The vivid backdrop is intoxicating, but the story’s universal concerns will touch readers most.”

~Kirkus Reviews (May 2010): "Setting her tale at the end of the 19th century, Stolz not only weaves the sights, sounds, and daily rhythms of life in Ghadames into a vivid tapestry, she creates a cast of distinct characters, each of which displays a unique blend of strengths and weaknesses, as well as sometimes unexpected intelligence and compassion."

5.      Connections

~ Other fictional books for young people about the Middle East and Northern Africa:

Carmi, Daniella. Samir and Yonathan. ISBN 0439135044.
Dalokay, Vedat. Sister Shako and Kola the Goat: Memories of My Childhood in Turkey. ISBN 0688132715.
Nye, Naomi Shehab. Habibi. ISBN 0689825234.
Staples, Suzanne F. Shabanu, Daughter of the Wind. ISBN 0679810307.

~ This novel could be useful in comparing and contrasting other ancient cultures' expectations for women. Debate could be utilized to discuss the merits of a world dominated by men vs. one where women are more equal.

~Could be used to discuss the similarities and difference of Muslim culture in other parts of the world and in the United States.

Wormser, Richard. American Islam: Growing Up Muslim in America. ISBN 0756784239

Brown, Tricia. Salaam: A Muslim American Boy's Story. ISBN 0805065385

Beshir, Sumaiya. Everyday Struggles: The Stories of Muslim Teens. ISBN 1590080300