In the Small, Small Night

In the Small, Small Night

by Jane Kurtz (2005)

            The dialogue between siblings in this text carries this story, although embedded within the story are Ghanaian folk tales that remind the children of the home they left behind so they do not forget it. The illustrations by Rachel Isadora nicely juxtapose the dark, starry night where the children are confronting their fears and the vivacious colors of Africa where their stories take place. Not only do their stories comfort Abena and Kofi because they remind them of home, but also because the stories empower the underdogs to confront their fears and continue onward. The dual stories meld nicely together.
            This would be an excellent read-aloud for children of any age because of the natural feel of the dialogue and the embedded stories. It could be used to share storytelling traditions from other countries, or it could be used to show how immigrants bring their home to America through their traditions. For this reason I included the text in a text set on modern immigrant families.

The Color of Home

The Color of Home
by Mary Hoffman (2002)

            Karin Littlewood's vibrant watercolor illustrations work phenomenally with the text, and even the title of the book itself. I do wish, however, that some subdued tones were used at the beginning of the book since young Somalian refugee Hassan thinks that America is washed in shades of gray. The structure of the story follows Hassan's losses, memories, fears, and final release as he realizes that telling his story lifts some of the weight from his shoulders. After 'spoiling' a painting of his native home by adding blood, fire, and bullets Hassan repaints his home in a way that can bring the important parts of Somalia home to his wall in America. It is a very melancholy story following tragic real-world events, but the tone of the book -- bolstered by the beautiful illustrations -- becomes a positive story of remembering and redefining home.
            This book would be a beautiful text to share about loss of family members and loss of home. I believe this shows some ways that art and storytelling can become part of the healing process, especially for children. In a class I might also use this stories to share about the realities of war and its lingering terrors, or to share about struggles that displaced people face in their new homes. It is for this reason that I included this book in a text set about modern immigrant families.

A Place To Grow

A Place To Grow
by Soyung Pak (2002)

            This book is written entirely using the imagery of seeds and gardening, but the language weaves in and out of literal and figurative representations. The extended metaphor is tenuous in parts, but the word choice is careful and the overall feel quite dramatic. The story follows a young girl and her father as they plant a garden together in their home in America, but there are also flashbacks as the father tells her daughter of his journey from South Korea. The seed and land imagery are literal as the family plants seeds, as the bright outdoor colors in the illustrations fit nicely with these cheerful moments. The same words become metaphorical as the father tells of his journey "flying with the wind" to the United States, where the illustrations by Marcelino Truong become subdued and darker. I like the play between the images and the words in this text, and I feel older students would also appreciate it.
            In the classroom this book could be used to show how extended metaphor is used throughout a text. Parts of the metaphor may be lost on the younger children that this book is intended for, but the overall message about keeping home in your heart no matter how far you fly from home is a universal one. I also feel that introducing the book by showing the inner flap (which reads "A family is like a seed. It needs a good, safe place to grow. Sometimes that place is just a hop away. Sometimes it's a long, hard journey. This book is a tribute to all parents who took that journey in order for their families to blossom") may help younger children think about the metaphors before reading the book in full. This book could also be used to discuss different types of immigrants in the United States -- as I did in a text set about modern immigrant families.

Something About America

Something About America
by Maria Testa (2005)

            Maria Testa's poetry in this book, which reads much like prose with a defined sense of rhythm, explores so many different issues:  finding home in a foreign land, what it means to be American, the relationships between parents and children, the realities of war, and so many others. The simple language choice nicely reflects how the 14-year-old narrator might write to herself, but the way the stanzas are composed and the way the words combine make her voice come alive. The girl writing the poems feels she is fully American, yet the scars that cover her body up to her chin make it hard for her parents to forget their home in Yugoslavia, especially after 9/11 when neighboring communities want to run immigrants out. But the girl wants her parents to make themselves welcome, and her new motto is "If you can't find the welcome mat when you arrive, put one out yourself."
            This book covers the complex relationship between parents and children, especially in immigrant families where being American sometimes seems like leaving the past behind and forgetting where you came from. A similar contradiction -- trying to live a life that is not too American and not too foreign -- is also found in An Na's A Step From Heaven. I have chosen to include both texts in my text set about modern immigrant families. Something About America is also short enough that it would make a good read aloud, with either the instructor doing the reading or students practicing reading free verse poetry.

Home of the Brave

Home of the Brave

by Katherine Applegate (2007)

            I had never read a novel of this length composed entirely in free verse poetry, but Applegate's word choice combines the style of a child in a new place with poignant and lush imagery. This is the story of Kek, a Sudanese refugee with no father and brother and a missing mother, who has just moved to the United States to live with an aunt and cousin who are also scarred from the war they left behind. Kek faces new struggles in America, but he finds friends in unexpected places, even a cow who begins to represent much of what he left behind. The stanzas powerfully convey the confusion Kek feels in huge grocery stores, laundromats, and school, but also the longing he feels for a home that no longer exists for him. "This is a light switch. / He pushes a tiny stick on the wall / and the room turns to night / then blinks awake. / In my old home / my real home / the sun gave us light / and the stars / watched us sleep." But it is partly this beautiful conception of his home in Africa that allows Kek to keep hoping his mother will return and allows him to begin building a new home for himself.

            This would be an excellent example of free verse poetry and word choice. Many of the stanzas have unusual but effective adjectives and metaphors: "I have my father's will / my brother's eyes / and my mother's light. / She is like the newborn sun / fresh with promise / the just-beginning moments / before the day / fills like a bucket / with good and bad / sweat and longing." Kek's voice changes throughout the book, as well, as he learns English words for items that have no counterpart in his homeland, and as he gains confidence in his ability to define home. This book would also be an excellent addition to a unit on the struggles facing immigrants in the United States -- for this reason I have included it in my modern immigrant families text set.

Creativity

Creativity

by John Steptoe (1997)

            This is a book about immigration narrated from the perspective of a somewhat naive African American elementary student. It's written almost entirely in slang -- the narrator Charles' creative use of language -- and starts in an almost contrived fashion: "I was sittin' in class one day when this new dude walks in." I slowly got used to the narration, though, and even enjoyed some of Charles' interpretations of events ("I didn't want to hurt Hector's feelings, so I didn't say nothin' about them float-boats he was carryin' around on his feet"). The realistic, vibrant watercolor paintings by E.B. Lewis are expressive and make the characters come alive in a way which the somewhat stilted text does not always succeed. The overall message covers bullying and fitting in in a surprising way, however, and I believe students would take away these important points from the text. Some students and parents may not approve of a book written in non-standard English, but I believe this could be used to my advantage in the classroom.
            This book would be a great starting point for a discussion about perspective because what we know about Hector, the Puerto Rican immigrant, is entirely filtered through Charles' explanations. The style of the book is changed drastically because it is narrated by Charles -- which also relates to the language that he chooses to portray events. The first person narrative allows for this type of slang, which is also included in books through dialogue. The class could discuss whether it would be appropriate to use this style in a book narrated from the omniscient perspective, and what might change about the book if it were. This book could also be used to discuss struggles faced by immigrants in the United States -- as I did in a text set about modern immigrant families.

One Green Apple

One Green Apple

by Eve Bunting (2006)

2006 Arab American Book Award Winner

            Fantastically illustrated by Ted Lewin, this book follows a newly arrived Arab immigrant girl, Farah, as she goes on a field trip to an apple orchard with her class. She cannot find the words to express herself to her teacher or classmates, but she is also worried about opening up to them. As the students pick apples Farah finds a small tree with green apples that does not seem to belong, but when she adds it to the class apple cider she feels she can taste her addition -- a clear metaphor for her feelings about belonging, but trying to find a place in her new world. The story is told through Farah's perspective in short but compelling sentences as she tries to understand the world around her and understand herself. I believe anyone could relate to the Farah's feeling of loneliness in a group of people who she has yet to understand -- and children of all backgrounds, especially, would empathize with the struggle to fit in with peers.
            This book would be a great introduction for younger students to some of the struggles that immigrants face when they come to school for the first time. Since many immigrant children are bullied in their classes, it is important for other children to see through to a character's inner thoughts on the subject and understand the barriers they are facing on top of all of the other stresses in school. For this reason I have included it in a text set about modern immigrant families.