Ole! Flamenco by George Ancona

a. Bibliographic data
Ancona, George. 2010. OLE! FLAMENCO. New York: Lee & Low Books, Inc. ISBN 9781600603617

b. Brief plot summary
Author George Ancona provides young readers with a brief history of the flamenco before describing the elements of the flamenco: song, dance, and music. Each of these three elements is discussed in detail and invites readers into the world of these long standing and culturally diverse art form.

c. Critical analysis
While Ole! Flamenco is written with an heavy influence on the Hispanic culture, the background information on the art form provides readers with an understanding of many cultures and how each blended together to create the flamenco that is practiced today. Ancona, whose photographers accompany his text, took time to show the audience how the flamenco dance is portrayed through the eyes of a Mexican American family, the Cordovas. Several Spanish terms are used throughout this non-fiction piece and aide the reader in understanding the Spanish or Mexican American version of this widely known dance.

Ancona’s photographs, along with other photos and paintings used with permission, depict a variety of people and cultures. The traditional clothing worn by both men and women are discussed, as well as common hairstyles and facial expressions used while dancing the flamenco.

At first glance, this informational text seems to be an odd choice of topics for such a young reading audience but once the book is started, any reader who enjoys dance or music will enjoy learning about this interesting art form.

d. Reviews/Awards
• From SLJ: “Ancona turns his attention to flamenco in a photo essay about its history, technique, traditions, and performance. He features young students and performers of Flamenco's Next Generation, a Santa Fe group, and records their rehearsal solos and studio training. A discussion of Gypsy origins of the dance and its European development in southern Spain is included. Flamenco is presented as a changing, "living" art, incorporating the rhythms and styles of other cultures. Its three main elements—song, dance, and music—are each explained as are the performance of beat or rhythms, palmas (rhythmic hand clapping), flamenco guitar, cajón (percussive instrument), zapateado (footwork), hand positions, castanets, costuming, and facial expressions. The book's strength lies with the balance of maps, text, and colorful photographs that emphasize the joy of music through performance and family tradition. A general purchase for all libraries.”
• From Booklist: “Veteran photo-essayist Ancona turns to a subject that may not be an immediate choice for children, but they’ll soon be enticed by the story of flamenco, an art form that’s more than dancing and has been around for hundreds of years. He begins with a short introduction that chronicles his visit to Spain, where he encountered Gypsies (his term) practicing the flamenco, “the art of song, dance, and music.” He then returns readers to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where a group of young people are learning flamenco. A helpful map traces the art form’s roots, while the text explains both the history of the Gypsies and flamenco. Full-color photographs capture the excitement and dazzle.”

e. Connections
• Ole! Flamenco can be used to teach young students the beginning steps to learning the flamenco dance.
• Young readers who appreciate varying forms of dance can enjoy some of these other non-fiction books:
o Jose! Born to Dance: The Story of Jose Limon by Susanna Reich and Raul Colon
o Prima Princessa's Ballet for Beginners: Featuring the School of American Ballet by Stephanie Troeller and Mary Kate Mellow
o A Dictionary of Dance by Liz Murphy

• Other works written by Ancona for those who are interested in further reading:
o Charro: The Mexican Cowboy
o El pinatero/The Pinata Maker
o Let’s Dance
o Murals: Walls that Sing
o Somos Latinos/ We are Latinos series

Taking Sides by Gary Soto

a. Bibliographic data
Soto, Gary. 1991. TAKING SIDES. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. ISBN 0152840761

b. Brief plot summary
Lincoln Mendoza has moved from the barrio to suburbia after his mother decides that their old neighborhood is unsafe. Lincoln, a star basketball player, is now playing for a predominantly white team and feels like as outsider because he is Mexican. He longs to be back at his old school with his carnal, Tony. With the help of some new friends, some from unlikely sources, Linc comes to terms with life in a new town.

c. Critical analysis
Taking Sides examines the cultural differences between two neighborhoods, the barrio where Lincoln feels at home, and the middle class, predominantly white community where he and his mother move. Author Gary Soto uses vivid descriptions to contrast the differences in both the people and places of each neighborhood. While the white characters in the story lack description, the reader is given a glimpses of Lincoln who is described as having a face that is “brown, like coffee laced with cream, and hair as black as a chunk of asphalt” (pp. 2).

Soto also uses many Spanish words and phrases throughout the novel that add cultural authenticity to Lincoln’s character. Many of the Spanish words used within Taking Sides surround mealtimes at the Mendoza house and offer the audience a taste of Mexican American dishes such as carne asada, chile verde, papas and frijoles.

The storyline is simple but stays true to the views and thoughts of a teenage boy who loves basketball. While there is no climax to the story, the reader stays entertained throughout this quick read.

d. Reviews/Awards
• From Publisher’s Weekly: “Once again, Soto ( Baseball in April ) masterfully conveys the Hispanic-American experience, and readers will respect Lincoln's values and good sportsmanship. Ultimately, the boy learns to adjust to a new situation and accept new challenges without compromising his individuality.”
• From SLJ: “Readers will easily understand the boy's dilemma. The conflicts of old vs. new and Hispanic vs. white culture are clearly delineated. So is the fact that the differences are not as great as they first appear. Lincoln is a typical adolescent: energetic, likable, moody at times, but adaptable… Because of its subject matter and its clear, straightforward prose, the book will be especially good for reluctant readers. A glossary of Spanish words appears at the end of the book.”
• From Kirkus Review: “Soto (Baseball in April, 1990) creates a believable, compelling picture of the stress that racial prejudice places on minority children. He respects the intelligence of his readers, sparing dramatics and allowing them to read between the lines of his quiet yet powerful scenes and bringing the racial issue closer to home for a mainstream readership: the Mendozas are now suburban and middle class and could be anyone's neighbors.”

e. Connections
• This book can help readers make a connection between a time when they were torn between two choices or when they felt like an outcast in a new setting.
• Using Taking Sides in a literature circle group could elicit interesting and though provoking discussions, especially among a group of culturally diverse students.
• Readers can enjoy some of these other works by Gary Soto:
o Baseball in April
o Too Many Tamales
o Chato’s Kitchen
o Neighborhood Odes
o Help Wanted
o The Skirt
o Marisol

Jazz by Walter Dean Myers; illustrated by Christopher Myers

a. Bibliographic data
Myers, Walter Dean. 2008. JAZZ. Ill. by Christopher Myers. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 9780823421732

b. Brief plot summary
A collection of poetry that allows the reader to step into the world of jazz.

c. Critical analysis
The structure of Myers’ poetry lends itself well to a read aloud setting. The lines are rhythmic and exude the aspects of Jazz music. The different poems describe the rhythm of the drums in Africa and the jazz beats of New Orleans, as well as significant African American musicians like Louis Armstrong. Each selection brings to life a variation of Jazz music, such as ragtime, be-bop, swing and fusion.

The illustrations provided by Christopher Myers, bring life to the text written by his author father. The varying skin tones and facial features of the African American characters echo the colorful imagery created by the author. Each illustration shows movement in the people and objects, an important ingredient in a book about Jazz music.

d. Reviews/Awards
• From Publisher’s Weekly: “Walter Dean Myers infuses his lines (and the rests between them) with so much savvy syncopation that readers can't help but be swept up in the rhythms.”
• From SLJ: “The expressionistic figures are surrounded by high-contrast colors in which the visible brushstrokes curve around their subjects, creating an aura that almost suggests sound waves.”
• From Booklist: “The father-son Myers team has put together an absolutely airtight melding of words and pictures that is perfectly accessible to a younger audience. The poems parallel significant stages in the development of jazz, but the historical connection is only tangential; the draw of the poems, as with the music, is rhythm, and Myers captures the rolling cadences of early New Orleans jazz as well as the staccato sounds of be-bop and beyond. And, best of all, Christopher Myers' pictures make those rhythms visual, the curving lines of his figures seeming to move off the page, swinging to the beat.”

e. Connections
• Readers who enjoy reading about Jazz may like these other titles:
o Jazz on a Saturday Night by Leo and Diane Dillon
o I See the Rhythm by Toyomi Igus
o Ella Fitzgerald: A Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa or Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra by Andrea Davis Pinkey
o Charlie Parker Played Be Bop by Christopher Raschka
o Before John Was a Jazz Giant: A Song of John Coltrane by Carole Boston Weatherford
• Read one of the many picture books, poetry books, or novels written by Myers
o Monster
o The Outside Shot
o Bad Boy: A Memoir
o Lockdown
o 145th Street: Short Stories
o Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam
o Blues Journey

The First Part Last by Angela Johnson

a. Bibliographic data
Johnson, Angela. 2003. THE FIRST PART LAST. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0756939259

b. Brief plot summary
On Bobby’s sixteenth birthday, he discovers that his girlfriend Nia is pregnant. Bobby struggles with the idea of being a father throughout Nia’s pregnancy but ultimately ends up being baby Feather’s sole guardian once she is born. Although he still feels like a kid himself, a very sleep deprived Bobby tries to balance high school, raising a baby and having a social life as best he can.

c. Critical analysis
This emotional story of young Bobby has the ability to transcend cultural boundaries and reach a wide audience of young adult readers. The voice of the main character is authentic to a teenage boy who is adjusting to life as a parent, and although author Angela Johnson describes Bobby as an African American teen, any reader can relate to the experience.

While Johnson never states that the characters are African American, the descriptions of the characters, particularly baby Feather (caramel skin and dark, curly hair) and her mother Nia paint of picture of the African American culture. Johnson does an excellent job of portraying the life of teens in New York City. The sights and sounds of living in the city are well documented throughout the novel and add character and personality to the setting.

d. Reviews/Awards
• Printz Award (2004)
• Coretta Scott King Award (Author, 2004)
• ALA Best Books for Young Adults (2004)
• From SLJ: “Brief, poetic, and absolutely riveting, this gem of a novel tells the story of a young father struggling to raise an infant.”
• From Booklist: “From the first page, readers feel the physical reality of Bobby's new world: what it's like to hold Feather on his stomach, smell her skin, touch her clenched fists, feel her shiver, and kiss the top of her curly head. Johnson makes poetry with the simplest words in short, spare sentences that teens will read again and again.”

e. Connections
• Read some of Johnson’s other novels and picture books
o Heaven
o When I am Old With You
o Looking for Red
o I Dream of Trains
o Violet’s Music
o Toning the Sweep
• Use a book club selection with middle or high school students. This novel can open up a lot of discussion among older students about the consequences of being sexually active and will definitely make them think.

Ella Fitzgerald: A Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa by Andrea Davis Pinkney; illustrated Brian Pinkney

a. Bibliographic data
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. 2002. ELLA FITZGERALD: THE TALE OF A VOCAL VIRTUOSA. Ill. by Brian Pinkey. New York: Hyperion Books. ISBN 0786805684

b. Brief plot summary
Told through the words of Scat Cat Monroe, Ella Fitzgerald’s life unfolds in four “tracks” that enable the audience to follow Ella from the streets of Yonkers to the Apollo Theatre to stomping at The Savoy. Scat Cat Monroe notes the influential people in Ella’s career, as well as the memorable impression she left behind her as she became the “Queen of Scat”.

c. Critical analysis
Author Andrea Davis Pinkney weaves the world of music into this beautifully written biography of Ella Fitzgerald. The be-bop rhythm and syncopated style of text echoes that of the African American musical trends life during the Harlem Renaissance. The narration of Scat Cat Monroe sets the melodic tone of the story with his introduction and continues throughout the book while detailing the events that lead to Ella’s discovery and beyond.

The illustrator, Brian Pinkney, uses a technique called Scratchboard that makes the illustration style unique and very appealing to the reader. The use of color stays true to the Art Deco movement in which Ella lived. Characters are depicted in varying skin tones and body types which add value to the story. Pinkney also paid careful attention to the drawings of Ella Fitzgerald, which helps the biography’s authenticity.

d. Reviews/Awards
• From Publisher’s Weekly: “The prose, while occasionally labored, swings to a syncopated beat and piles on the synesthesia. Brian Pinkney turns out some of his best work yet. Rendered in a pleasingly high-contrast palette of pastels, the scratchboard illustrations are invested with magical realism, complete with dancers flying off the pages and topsy-turvy musicians.”
• From SLJ: “Brian Pinkney's distinctive scratchboard-and-acrylic paintings evoke the rhythm of the text and invite readers along on the ride…Bright colors, jazzy words, and energetic artwork bring the music of scat and Fitzgerald to life….This beautifully rendered tribute to the "Vocal Virtuosa" will be a welcome addition in all libraries.”

e. Connections
• Use as an introduction to be bop or scat in a music education classroom.
• Combine with A Tisket, A Tasket by Ella Fitzgerald herself
• Other biographies of African Americans by Andrea Davis Pinkney
o Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra
o Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
o Alvin Ailey

(LS 5653) A Time of Miracles by Anne-Laure Bondoux

a. Bibliographic data
Bondoux, Anne-Laure. 2010. A TIME OF MIRACLES. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 0385739222

b. Brief plot summary
A Time of Miracles tells the story of a young man recounting his journey from the former Soviet Union to France and the memories he makes along the way while traveling with his guardian, Gloria. While crossing borders and living in refugee camps, Koumail and Gloria encounter and sometimes befriend a variety of characters that all leave their mark on Koumail as he grows older. Now nineteen, Koumail, who is known as the French citizen Blaise Fortune, searches for the birth mother he learned about in his favorite childhood bedtime story and for Gloria, who he lost along the way to freedom all those years ago.

c. Critical analysis
A Time of Miracles is a well written novel that appeals to any reader who has ever questioned who they are. This piece of International literature weaves together the fictional journey of two deeply loving, but flawed characters with historical tidbits so that the reader is able to grasp the difficulties and dangers of life after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The author’s attention to detail does not go unnoticed, as people and places are vibrantly described and the reader is transported to a life behind the Iron Curtain.
The story is set in the 1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The characters names and dialect used throughout the novel showcase traits of both Koumail’s soviet background and the French culture that Gloria hopes to provide for Blaise Fortune. Many of the characters are described in great detail and the author provides a small back story for those from other cultures (ex: Hoop Earring, the gypsy boy who fights Koumail, Stambeck, who was trapped under debris from a bomb and now has “wind in his head” and Fatima, who refuses to open her eyes since witnessing her father’s murder). Each new character introduces a new story, language, and culture; making A Time of Miracles a melting pot of the Eastern Hemisphere.

d. Awards and/or review excerpt(s)
• 2011 Mildred L. Batchelder Award .winner
• From School Library Journal: “The story is written in beautiful, quiet prose and offers a touch of hope, along with tragedy.”
• From Horn Book: “…readers will find themselves mesmerized not only by the eloquent language but by a plot every bit as harrowing and surprising as Koumail’s cherished bedtime story.”

e. Connections
• Use as introduction or engagement lesson to discuss European history or the collapse of the Soviet Union.
• Pair with How I Learned Geography by Uri Shulevitz. This book provides an additional look at fleeing from the Soviet collapse. The main character, a young boy, uses a map his father bought at a bazaar to spur his imagination while moving from place to place with his family.

(LS 5653) The Death Defying Pepper Roux by Geraldine McCaughrean

a. Bibliographic data
McCaughrean, Geraldine. 2010. THE DEATH DEFYING PEPPER ROUX. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 0061836656

b. Brief plot summary
Paul “Pepper” Roux wakes up on his fourteenth birthday, sure of one thing: today he will die. From the day he was born, Pepper has been waiting for his aunt’s dream, the dream where Saint Constance told his aunt that he would not live past his fourteenth birthday. Trying to outrun fate, Pepper boards his father’s ship and begins a fantastic journey full of secret identities, humor, and lies. Through each new identity Pepper tries his best to be good and treat others kindly, which always leads to chaos and ends with Pepper shifting into a new name, occupation and home. Throughout the story Pepper makes new friends, acquires a handful of enemies, is always on the lookout for the angels who is he sure are chasing him. Most importantly, he learns what it means to be the death-defying Pepper Roux.

c. Critical analysis
While the story is far-fetched, young readers will enjoy this fast paced adventure nonetheless. Set in France, The Death Defying Pepper Roux shares many cultural markers with the reading audience. Readers will enjoy the sailing vocabulary that is present throughout the story and will be captivated by the unique cast of characters, none more than the story’s protagonist, Pepper Roux. Pepper is portrayed as a unique, fourteen year old boy who has a wild imagination and deep seated conscious, characteristics normally associated with children of that age.
The story is set in France and the characters, who are undoubtedly French, use words intermittently throughout the story, such as L’ Ombrage (the ship Pepper captains), la pauvre(the nickname Pepper’s aunt bestowed upon him), as well as the formal address of Madame or Monsieur. The use of language in this novel adds a sense of location to the story and makes the characters more authentic.
Paul “Pepper” Roux is a very religious character and as a result much of the novel has an underlying religious tone to it. The saints and angels who are presumably out to get Pepper and the prayers written by Aunt Mireille and tucked into Pepper’s pockets show a connection to the Catholic religion.

d. Review excerpt(s)
• From School Library Journal: “Pepper, in all his endearing innocence and goodness, will capture readers' hearts, and Duchesse, the cross-dressing steward, may be the most hilarious yet wise character in children's literature this decade.”
• From Booklist: “McCaughrean’s exuberant prose and whirling humor animate an unforgettable cast of characters.”
• From Horn Book: “Geraldine McCaughrean’s The Death-Defying Pepper Roux will satisfy even the most voracious appetite for excitement.”

e. Connections
• Couple with The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain to discuss the harrowing adventures of teenage boys in literature.
• Compare with other works by Geraldine McCaughrean, such as the Printz Award winner, The White Darkness or the Whitbread Children’s Book Award winning, Not the End of the World

(LS 5653) Wombat Divine by Mem Fox

Wombat Divine by Mem Fox

a. Bibliographic data
Fox, Mem. 1995. WOMBAT DIVINE. Ill. by Kerry Argent. Florida: Harvourt Brace and Co. ISBN 0152014160

b. Brief plot summary
Wombat loves Christmas and is excited to finally be old enough to audition for the Nativity play. As each role is cast and Wombat learns that he isn’t quite right for the part. Wombat thinks there are no roles left and becomes sad until a friend discovers the perfect part for him.

c. Critical analysis with specific consideration of cultural markers for each book.
This holiday tale is a great story to share with children. The character Wombat will definitely resonate with younger children who often get discouraged about not being old enough to do something and also relates with older students who may have experienced being left out/not right for a part or place in a game, play or sport.
One of the most obvious cultural markers in this story by native Australian Mem Fox are the animals that were chosen to represent characters in this story. Each animal pictured in this beautifully illustrated book are animals that are considered native to Australia, such as the wombat, bilby, emu, and kangaroo. While many cultures and countries celebrate Christmas with a nativity play, the use of these native animals makes Wombat Divine unique and perfectly suited for a discussion about holiday celebrations in the outback.
A subtle, yet important cultural marker is the mention of plum pudding at the end of the story. Plum pudding is a traditional Australian dish that families eat during the Christmas holiday. Normally, a silver coin or some type of trinket are hidden in the pudding during preparation and brings good luck to the person that finds it.

d. Review excerpt(s)
• The New York Times Book Review : "The story and the illustrations are both enchanting and endearing.”
• From Booklist: “As usual, Fox spiffily combines a witty text with her wonderful art. Here the fun comes with seeing all sorts of Australian animals (emu, bilby, kangaroo) decked out in their Christmas-play garb. The crisp watercolors set against pure white backgrounds will delight story-hour audiences and lap sitters alike.”

e. Connections
• This book fits perfectly with a Christmas or Holidays Around the World thematic unit or lesson and can be used to discuss native animals to Australia.
• Pair with other books by Mem Fox to complete an author study.
• Pair Wombat Divine with Edward the Emu by Sheena Knowles. Both stories have the main character trying a variety of roles before finding the perfect place.