Rickshaw Girl

            In a world in which it is believed that men should do the hard labor while women stay in the kitchen, it is difficult for a young girl named Naima to follow the rules.  Rickshaw Girl, by Mitali Perkins and Jamie Hogan, is a book about the Indian culture that is fascinating because the young, strong main character has a heart of gold and courage that most anyone doesn’t always have.  The beautiful art and the encouraging words of this story are what stick out most to me, and I would recommend it to anyone who needs just a little inspiration.

            The Indian culture is one that I have some experience with.  Still, I know my awareness of the culture is lacking and could be improved upon.  The illustrations in this novel are very meaningful to me because they allow for me to see into this Indian world.  Page 28 of the book shows a detailed drawing of Naima sticking out her tongue at her best friend.  In the picture, the boy is driving off in a rickshaw.  Never before had I even heard of a rickshaw, but seeing the extremely detailed picture combined with an authentic-looking Indian dress made me feel as though I were in the scene with them.   I think this is very important for a story of a different culture because only a few people really know the traditions and ways of life.  For someone like me really searching to understanding the different traditions of different people, I think the illustrations do a great job of allowing for that.  In addition, I had never seen or heard of an alpana painting before.  This beautiful outdoor artwork that the women take up is a tradition that keeps the landscape of homes up-to-date and catchy.  One example of the work is shown on page 49 of the story.  It was helpful for me to understand what sort of characteristics this art entails, and I only wished that I had half as much skill!  Beyond the art, however, is the encouraging message this story leaves.

            Naima lives in a classically male-dominated society, but when she realizes that she needs to help her family, she needs to move past the male domination.  Naima takes her own risks (willing to and understanding that she might fail) in order to save her family.  What is most important to her is the comfort of her father and the contentedness of her mother and sister.  While Naima stumbles along the way (by nearly ruining her family’s rickshaw), she realizes that she has the strength to make up for her own mistakes and bring honor and peace to her family.  I admire Naima because she ventures off into the unknown with an open heart.  She knows that she might fail again, but her love for her family is well worth that risk.  I hope that many girls can be inspired by her.  No one’s life is laid out exactly for them.  Anyone gets to choose their own path and decide what makes them most happy in the end.  This book is a short story with a happy ending that I would read over and over when I need that inspiration.

            The artwork in this story really helped me to become more involved with the words. I think with the two combined, this is a story that will reach out to many children.  Some might not understand the message that is to get out of your comfort zone, and some might be too scared to do so, but Naima is living under very harsh circumstances and manages to make things work for herself.  I think many of us can do the same with the right amount of smarts and courage.  I think this book is important for two reasons: for its seemingly authentic cultural perspective as well as for its message that can reach out to girls all over the world.  Not everything, even in America, is perfectly equal.  There are improvements to be made, and if a girl feels empowered enough to be part of that change, many things can come of it.  Naima is a shining example that change is well worth it.  I hope her story reaches out to people just as much as it did for me!

Perkins, Mitali, and Jamie Hogan. Rickshaw Girl. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2007. Print.

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place the Mysterious Howling, by Maryrose Wood, is a unique story of childhood and second chances.  I immediately fell in love with this story as I felt that I could connect so well to the main character, Penelope, as well as the crazy children.  The wild children are forced to assimilate into society, and that is something that Penelope is dedicated and happy to help them to do.   I love this story for the combined lessons and humor that the author provides as well as the very unique characterization.  I found myself smiling nearly nonstop as I read this well-imagined and unbelievable story.

Written with what I think is the intent to entertain and make children giggle, I think the author succeeds here.  Sometimes it is difficult to imagine a time different from that in which we currently live.  The author does a great job of comparing current times to the time Penelope lived in.  Wood always relates things humorously too.  For example, she says, “although they have fallen out of style, in Miss Penelope Lumley’s day tableaux vivant were all the rage…  no doubt this will sound dull to the modern viewer whose tastes have been shaped by more advanced forms of entertainment…” (213 & 214)  The author can so easily relate to what I am feeling when she makes these comments.  Since she is willing to make such statements, I laugh and become more part of the story even through the differences.  Also, the author mentions hyperbole often.  Hyperbole is a great exaggeration, and every time an exaggeration is made, she points it out.  Oftentimes, such exaggerations are very obvious, but when the author points them out, I giggle a little bit.  To read an explanation of the crazy circumstances makes the exaggeration all the more funny.  One short example is when Wood states, “perhaps Lady Constance was guilty of hyperbole when she said the children were ‘running amok’ or perhaps she was offering an accurate assessment of the situation” (231-233).  These short comments and explanations kept me interested and laughing throughout the entire story.

In addition, the characterization was something I could relate to throughout the story.  I most especially relate to Penelope because she is a young woman looking to achieve and make a name for herself now that she is independent.  She cares so much for the children she is teaching, and I know that I will put a lot into my teaching in the future as well.  In addition, even though the children act like wolves, their pure innocence and sweetness makes me smile every time.  I understand how much they want to please and impress Penelope because when I was little, I always wanted my teachers to notice me and praise me for doing exceptional work.  I wanted to see the children happy and safe throughout the entire story.  I worried when Penelope worried and got angry when she got angry.  I was just so pleased to feel so connected to the main characters.  I want to read the rest of the series because I, like Penelope, want to make sure that the children remain safe and happy through their lives.

I didn’t completely expect to enjoy this story.  In fact, I thought it would be somewhat strange and uninteresting.  In many circumstances, it is hard to relate to wolf children.  I have never been a wolf (obviously) or been abandoned by my parents.  Their innocence and kindness, however, made me care for them and understand, like Penelope, that they too are children.  For that reason, the story became a lot less “weird” to me.  The main characters were more my friends.  They went through any normal struggle that protagonists do in a story, and I was so excited to fight through the challenges with them the entire time.

Wood, Maryrose, and J. ,. Klassen. The Mysterious Howling. New York: Balzer Bray, 2010. Print.

Locomotion

Poetry has never been a favorite of mine.  There have poetry units in nearly every language arts class I have been in, and I have always found myself discouraged and disgruntled.  I never found my words were poetic or anything different from a story I could have written.  It all seemed awkward to me.  Locomotion, by Jacqueline Woodson, however, has helped steer me toward a slightly more positive opinion of poetry.  The way each poem tells a mini story about the main character (Lonnie)'s life is enlightening.  It made me much more open to reading the story because it seemed almost more sincere in the way it was written.  Poetry is known to come from the heart and often express emotion. Lonnie seemed sincere and almost unfiltered in the thoughts he shared throughout the story.  I want to touch on Lonnie's method of sharing his story, the significance of poetry as the method of writing, and lastly the connections I was able to make with Lonnie even though he lived in a completely different place and time than I do now.  All of these pieces I got from the story truly helped to bring poetry alive for me, and I will start with Lonnie and the character he portrayed himself as.

Lonnie does not seem to have much of a filter as he tells his story.  He tells things as he sees them.  On days that he doesn’t like his teacher, for example, he expresses that blatantly in his writing.  Once Lonnie says, “Sometimes Ms. Marcus makes me sick!” (49)  It is almost humorous as much as it is perfectly human and understandable that Lonnie is having a bad day.  I appreciate that he is willing to share his day with us.  The poem shows that writing is not always about the beautiful flowers and love in life.  I think Lonnie gets his messages across so well because he is never afraid to show his true emotions.  There are times when he is lost in sorrow about his parents.  There are times when he is seeking hope to fully reunite with his sister again.  His complete honesty allows me to relate to him much more and feel how he feels.  In the same way, I feel that only poetry can make these emotions clear.

            Lonnie says early in the story that “this whole book’s a poem because poetry’s short and/ this whole book’s a poem ‘cause Ms. Marcus says/ write it down before it leaves your brain” (1).  Poetry is short and to the point.  In so few words, poetry can portray a lifetime of emotion.  Lonnie tells us that early on in life he loses his parents to a fire. Shortly after, he loses his sister to a different foster parent.  As a result, he is forced to start his life over again and find peace within.  The entire story is a sort of window that allows us to watch Lonnie slowly accept his new life with the new people surrounding him.  This progress is revealed with a combination of flashback poems and poems of present situations.  I feel that his artistic flow keeps me motivated to continue reading.  I can feel how much Lonnie is putting into his work.  I can feel how much he cares about what he is writing because there is some sort of system and thought to every word of each poem he is putting to a page.  For this reason, I feel that poetry is the best choice for a story like this.  It keeps me close to the reader and so understanding of the life that he is living.

            I feel that I can somewhat relate to Lonnie because he is an elementary student growing up trying to fit in and find meaning in life.  I always struggled to fit in all the way through my junior year in high school.  I was always looking to find the right friends, and I judged and tried to understand everyone around me in order to do that.  Lonnie seems to do the same throughout this story.  He is also seeking to please his sister in any way he possibly can.  He continues to search for his ultimate belief in God, and it doesn’t always seem to be an easy task.  When I was in elementary school, I also wanted to please everyone around me because I felt accepted and loved.  These little connections I can make allow me to understand the bigger picture of the situation Lonnie is living.  Through his poetry, I can understand that Lonnie just wants his family.  Lonnie wants to be loved.  It is only human to want that love and belonging in the world.  Lonnie has had a tougher life than some of us have, but I appreciate that it all comes down to one fundamental human need: love.  Because I could make such a connection so important to my own needs in life, I appreciate this story all the more because it brings poetry and my heart together as one.

Pandora's Box

Pandora's Box, by Robert Burleigh, is a story that has been told over and over again through time.  The ancient stories of the Greek gods and goddesses are known to some extent by almost all children and adults.  This version is one that is easy to follow.  Through its pictures, the story gives a vivid picture of the trouble Pandora struggles through.  The illustrations combined with the poetic text in this story help give a feel for the ancient Greek culture while also providing an entertaining tale to get lost in.  I was able to connect to this story as well, and I feel many readers will feel the same as it is easy to understand how hard it is to want something that you know you can't have.

 The illustrations in Pandora's Box have a rustic look to them.  The rich green, gold, and red colors are easy on the eyes as well as warming to look at.  These colors have an almost ancient feel to them.  We are just given a small glimpse into the ancient Greek world that we hear so much about.  The intricate detail given to the characters of the story help to give the impression that we almost know them personally.  For example, a picture of Pandora running away from something troubling clearly shows the worry on her face and her desire to be elsewhere.  The background of the picture is a bit more blurred so that we can truly focus on what the character is experiencing.  This is important because Pandora is from a time that we are not as able to relate to.  Knowing and truly being able to see how she is feeling makes her life much more understandable and easy to relate to.  With each new page I can feel Pandora's excitement when she is near the box or understand her worry as she releases all the bad things into the world.  These pictures combined with the poetic writing create a mood that is easy to get lost in throughout the story.

Page 1 of this story begins with "What was in the jar?  The jar that was closeted tight And not to be opened!  What was in the jar?  It was all Pandora could think of!"  The lines are short and catchy.  They are almost thrilling.  I want to follow Pandora along and know what is in the jar as much as she does.  Since the reading is so fast, it is easy to stay interested as well.  I feel like I am almost singing a song or the story of Pandora's adventures.  It is catchy and moving.  The words leave more of an impact on me because they are easier to remember.  They flow.  There is not an overabundance of words that need to be connected to the pictures.  Instead, the two work together to tell the story.  The poetic phrasing sticks with me as I glance over the pictures.  The two work together.  The pictures express more of the emotions Pandora is feeling, such as her curiosity on page 1 (as she stares intently at the jar), while the words discuss the moment and hand and various actions and thoughts that pass through her mind.  This cultural tale, then, is better understood because as I exist in my culture today, I can still feel as if I am part of Pandora's.
   Most important to the story is my ease to connect to Pandora's emotions.  There have been many times I have been told that I am not allowed to do something.  Perhaps I wasn't allowed to eat another cookie, or maybe there was a secret that a friend trusted me not to tell anyone.  In the instance of the cookie, the thought of another tasty bite in my mouth consumed me.  I didn't ever steal one, and I never told my secrets, but the thoughts did become consuming until I could finally put them out of my mind.  Pandora didn't have as much success as I did, but I can certainly understand and relate to her struggles.  For that reason, the story was all the more interesting.  I wanted to stick by her until she could finally get rid of her curiosity.  Unfortunately she did it the wrong way.  Even so, because I knew the feeling, I felt sympathy for her struggles in the end and hoped that she could make the best of it.
    The story ends with an understanding of how all the bad has come into this world.  It was the releasing of all the horrors in the box that brought greed, jealousy, and other negative things into our lives today.  This cultural tale is one that is catchy and memorable.  Being able to understand that by connecting to the pictures and prose made it all the more enjoyable and meaningful to read.  Pandora's Box is a catchy story that brings out a unique culture and history in a way that I will always remember and enjoy.