Asian Pacific American Lit: Home Is In Between

 

 Home Is In Between

A Review by Amanda Kendall

Bibliography:

Perkins, Mitali. 2021. Home is in Between. Ill. by Lavanya Naidu. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux. ISBN 0374303673

 

Plot Summary:

Shanti moves from the "warm monsoon rains" (Perkins 2021) of India to a "town with cold rain" (Perkins 2021) in the United States. Shanti finds her new apartment still feels like her old village but everything outside of that is very strange and new. As she starts school, makes friends, and learns the town she finds herself going back and forth. At home she learns to Kathak with her Ma and learns Bangla letters with Baba. Out of the house she goes to ballet and laughs at Hollywood movies with her friends. Her parents hold tight to the village and her friends show her the town. Pretty soon, Shanti is exhausted from bouncing back and forth between to cultures and needs to rest. She wakes up ready to embrace her bi-cultural life find her home is right there in the in between.

Critical Analysis:

Perkins and Naidu have created a beautifully authentic celebration of growing up as a first generation immigrant in the United States. Perkins skillfully contrasts Shanti's two worlds on every double page spread. From watching Bollywood films with her family to laughing at Hollywood movies with her friends and learning to dance Kathak with her Ma to visiting a ballet class with Tonya, Shanti is constantly immersed in both worlds everyday. Each double page spread shows Shanti experiencing similar things but in different ways. For example, Baba teaches Shanti Bangla letters one one page and then Shanti reads The Little Engine that Could to Baba in English on the page that follows. The structure of the text along with the repetition of the lines "back and forth she ran....again and again. In between" (Perkins 2021) emphasize how Shanti switches from one culture to another as she grows up in both at the same time and how exhausting this back and forth can be. Shanti is finally able to find peace when she realizes that she is from the in between or "the space between cultures" - equally part of both.

Naidu's illustrations are vibrant and almost cartoon like in design. She fully captures the two cultures that make up Shanti's life from the very beginning. The village on the first page is lush and filled with green foliage, while the illustration of the town that follows is rainy and grey. The vibrancy of the village not only captures the authentic foliage and landscape of India but mirrors Shant's feelings toward the two places. The town is initially shown as rainy and grey, unwelcoming, and difficult to understand, but as Shanti finds her place in her new life the town warms up to become as vibrant as her home in the village. In the end, both places are filled with life and color and prove to be an important part of Shanti's identity.

 

Naidu's skillfully uses facial expressions throughout the book to capture character emotions and expand on the text. For example, when Ma and Shanti are in the restaurant, you see Shanti looking around the corner curiously while Ma looks troubled reading the menu.  A few pages later, Ma is checking out at the store while other customers are seen scowling and checking their watch. Shanti is scowling right back. In these little moments a picture is worth a thousand words, capturing Shanti's joy, pain, bewilderment, exhaustion and everything in between. Illustrations range from full page spreads to square box vignettes that showcase Shanti's experiences in both worlds, often with Shanti walking back and forth between the pages. Each illustration is carefully laid out to emphasize the back and forth of Shanti's life as she code switches between her two worlds. 

 

Cultural markers fill the text and illustration on every page. The characters are authentically represented in skin tone, dress, and hairstyle. Stereotypes are avoided entirely, with characters that are proudly showing off their culture on each page. Perkins includes many cultural references including luchi, a Bengali puffed deep fried bread and frequent mentions of Bangla, the Bengali language. Shanti watches Bollyhood films, celebrates Holi, and plays the harmonium. The entire book from cover to cover is a celebration of the combining of American and Indian culture within Shanti. In the author's note, Perkins explains her own experiences growing up as a first generation immigrant and her desire to understand "American manners, slant, trends and rituals - the "code" at school" while also "trying to stay fluent in traditional Benglai culture and language - the "code" of home" (Perkins 2021). She goes on to explain how this code switching has become her greatest superpower and offers hope to those immigrants in similar situations. The book wraps up with a helpful glossary of terms and a pronunciation guide for readers. 

 

With detailed expressive pictures and thoughtfully written text, Home is In Between shows readers the beauty and power of being a first generation immigrant, proof that one can have their American identify while holding on to their cultural identity in the perfectly balanced in between.

Review Excerpts & Awards: 
 

BOOKLIST (June 1, 2021) "Reflecting the experiences of Perkins and many other immigrant children, this heartfelt picture book records the push/pull of remembering the old ways while learning the new ones. Lively and specific in its references, the writing sets up cultural dichotomies that work particularly well in expressive, richly colored artwork by Naidu, an Indian animator and illustrator. By shining a light on one girl’s story, this vibrant picture book illuminates the experience of many immigrant children"

 

PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY (January 4, 2021) "Animation-style characters by Naidu (Susie Will Not Speak) reflect emotion clearly, while straightforward writing by Perkins (Between Us and Abuela) shows how Shanti learns to appreciate aspects of her new life while keeping people and elements from her old one close to her heart.

 Curricular Connections:

• Shanti learns many new things throughout the book. Have students learn something new. From learning a new recipe to learning a new trick on the bike encourage students to try something new to broaden their experiences.
  
• Shanti's identity continues to grow and change throughout the book. Have students make an identity web about themselves.
  

Asian Pacific American Lit: Grandfather's Journey

 Grandfather's Journey

A Review by Amanda Kendall

Bibliography:

Say, Allen. 1993. Grandfather's Journey. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0544050509

 

Plot Summary:

When Allen Say's grandfather was a young man he left Japan and went to explore the world. He traveled by boat, train, riverboat, and foot. He saw the oceans, fields, mountains, and rivers, but his favorite place was California. Say's grandfather settled in California, returning to Japan to marry and then choosing to raise his family in San Fransisco. When his daughter was a young woman, he returned to Japan with his family and found solace in his old friends and childhood mountains and rivers. Eventually, the grandfather's daughter got married and Allen was born. Allen grew up spending time with his grandfather and hearing stories of his travels. Although Grandfather never returned to California, Allen did and found a lasting connection with his grandfather: the feeling of home in both countries.

Critical Analysis:

Allen Say's delightful tribute to his grandfather celebrates his life and his experiences as an American immigrant. The text is is beautifully crafted, yet clear and concise. Each page has a sentence or two that pauses at the important life milestones of his grandfather. Broad transitions are used to show the passage of time. For example, Say writes "After a time, he returned to his village in Japan to marry his childhood sweetheart. Then he brought his bridge back to his new country" (1996).  There is no way to measure the amount of time Say's grandfather remained in any one place, but rather that he was there and then he moved on. Delicately balanced to include the moments in life, the beauty of the world traveled, and the reflection of the life's journey, the text thoughtfully walks the reader through Grandfather's life.

 

Say's gorgeous illustrations are powerful and calming. Each illustration is outlined with a black border framing the illustration in simple elegance. The soft color palette, curved shapes, and inclusion of landscape images create gentle images throughout the book.  Many of the illustrations are portraits that frame Say's grandfather and family in a moment in time much like a photograph. The people are posed exactly as they would have been in a photograph from that era. One of the most impressive aspects of the illustrations is the accuracy and historical context of each one. For example, in the illustration of Say's mother as a young girl she is seen with a blonde hair, blue eyed doll, showing her access to American cultural toys rather than a doll that represented her cultural heritage or family. This subtle inclusion of the baby doll is an excellent example of how Say includes some of the realities of being a Japanese American. 

 

Cultural markers are beautifully woven into the illustrations and simple elegance of the story.  The characters presented are authentic in appearance, dress, and cultural representation. The first page introduces Say's grandfather in traditional Japanese attire, and then shows his change to European clothes for the journey to America. The first time in European clothes, he is pictured in a too large coat and awkwardly holding his hat, showing how he is uncomfortable in this change but bravely taking it on. In the pages that follow, the clothes are a better fit illustrating how Say's grandfather has found his place in America. We see similar cultural markers with clothing throughout the book. Say's mother is shown as a young woman in both an American style dress and hat when arriving in Japan and then in a Japanese kimono for her wedding. By showing characters in both styles of clothing, the reader understands how they are a part of each culture.

Themes of immigration, family, and nature are strong throughout the memoir. Say's grandfather is drawn to the beauty of the world and he is continually amazed by the splendor of the mountains and oceans. Whether in Japan or California, his appreciation and love of nature is apparent. Family is another strong theme throughout the story. Many of Say's grandfather's decisions in life were made with family in mind. He returns to Japan to marry is childhood sweetheart. He moves to a larger city in Japan to accommodate his San Fransisco born daughter. Family is a guiding force for his life decisions. Not only is Say sharing his grandfather's immigration story, but also his own. Mirroring his grandfather's love of adventure, Say immigrates to the United States and finds a home in California while keeping his ties to his home in Japan. Here, Say captures the immigrants experience of being a part of two different worlds and finding they are both a strong part of their identity saying, "The funny thing is, the moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other" (Say 1996).

Review Excerpts & Awards:   

 

PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY (August 16, 1993) "Say transcends the achievements of his Tree of Cranes and A River Dream with this breathtaking picture book, at once a very personal tribute to his grandfather and a distillation of universally shared emotions. Elegantly honed text accompanies large, formally composed paintings to convey Say's family history; the sepia tones and delicately faded colors of the art suggest a much-cherished and carefully preserved family album."

 

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (September 1993) "A personal history of three generations of the author's family that points out the emotions that are common to the immigrant experience. Splendid, photoreal watercolors have the look of formal family portraits or candid snapshots, all set against idyllic landscapes in Japan and in the U.S."

•  Caldecott Medal, 1994
  

 Curricular Connections:

• Say shares a story from his family's history. Invite students to interview an older relative about their childhood and/or younger years. Encourage students to learn more about their family history.
  
• Birds are an important symbol used throughout the book. Say's grandfather keeps warblers and silver eyes when living in Japan and other various songbirds while living in America. Conduct some research about birds local to the area in which you live. What types of songbirds live in your area?
  

Native American Lit: Crossing Bok Chitto

 

 Crossing Bok Chitto:

A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom

A Review by Amanda Kendall

 

Bibliography:

Tingle, Tim. 2006. Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw tale of friendship & freedom. Ill. by Jeanne Rorex Bridges. El Paso, Texas: Cinco Puntos Press. ISBN 0938317776

 

Plot Summary:

In the early nineteenth century, there was a river in Mississippi called Bok Chitto. The river separated the Choctaw Nation and American plantation owners and the enslaved people who lived there. The river acted as a border if an enslaved person made it across the river, they were considered free. 

 

Martha Tom, a young Choctaw girl, was sent by her mother to find blackberries. When she couldn't find any on the Choctaw's side of the river, she crossed. On the other side she found both blackberries and dozens of enslaved people attending the forbidden slave church. She was quickly discovered and escorted home by a young enslaved boy, Little Mo. Although they were from different sides of the river, the two became fast friends. When Little Mo's mother is sold from the plantation, he suggests to his family that they cross Bok Chitto to get to freedom. Desperate to save his family, Little Mo goes to Martha Tom for help. Martha organizes all the women in the village bring a candle to the river while dressed in white. Looking like angles, the Choctaw women distract the guards and bring Little Mo and his family safely across the river to freedom.

 
Critical Analysis:

 As a member of the Choctaw Nation, Tingle tells the story of Crossing Bok Chitto with honesty and authenticity. In his author's note he states that, "We Choctaw live by our stories" (Tingle 2006). This natural ability to tell a good story comes across on each page. There is a casual note to the narration that adds to the storytelling experience and makes the story accessible and engaging for all ages. 

  

Tingle's story is captivating from the beginning, explaining the significance of a single river and the power of crossing it. As the story unfolds, each character shows both fear and courage as they trust each other with their lives. The friendship developed between Little Mo and Martha Tom develops naturally, clearly showing respect for the other's culture. Tingle shows this mutual appreciation through the story. First when Little Mo visits the Choctaw side of the river and hears old men chanting. He says "it touched him deeply." And when Martha Tom starts attending church every Sunday to listen to the preacher and sing songs.

 

Bridges's illustrations aptly pair with the storytelling style of the text. The illustrations capture the  sweet yet somber mood of the story with muted colors and blurry backgrounds. Skin tones, clothing, and hairstyle and structure all reflect cultural and historical authenticity. In the image of Martha Tom and Little Mo crossing the hidden rocks in the river, the reader is drawn to the authentic Choctaw shoes while Little Mo is seen barefoot and in torn pants. The entirety of the story takes places outside and Bridges's illustrations are a beautiful blend of natural colors and hues. Finally, Bridges's captures the emotions of the characters fully with her expressive faces throughout the story. Many pages feature large full front portraits of characters, highlighting their emotions throughout the story. She elegantly captures the pain and sorrow of Little Mo and his family, as well as the determination and strength of the Choctaw women who come to the family's aid. 

Themes of family, empathy, friendship, and bravery ring true throughout the book. Tingle and Bridges have collaborated to create a tale that honors and celebrates the many different Native Nations that helped enslaved people find freedom (Tingle 2006). Cultural markers are embedded throughout the story and naturally incorporated into the illustrations. Tingle includes lyrics to Choctaw songs as they are still sung today, "Way, hey ya hey ya" (Tingle 2006) and includes a song from the forbidden slave church translated into Choctaw. All of these elements, plus the after notes at the end of the book provide the reader with the most authentic experience learning about the Choctaw in the past and today. Tingle's note links the past with the present, as the Choctaw Nation remains large, prosperous, and strong with a natural inclination to tell a good story (Tingle 2006).

Review Excerpts & Awards: 

BOOKLIST (April 15, 2006) "In a picture book that highlights rarely discussed intersections between Native Americans in the South and African Americans in bondage, a noted Choctaw storyteller and Cherokee artist join forces with stirring results...In her first paintings for a picture book, Bridges conveys the humanity and resilience of both peoples in forceful acrylics, frequently centering on dignified figures standing erect before moody landscapes."

 

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (July 1, 2006) "Tingle is a performing storyteller, and his text has the rhythm and grace of that oral tradition. It will be easily and effectively read aloud. The paintings are dark and solemn, and the artist has done a wonderful job of depicting all of the characters as individuals, with many of them looking out of the page right at readers. The layout is well designed for groups as the images are large and easily seen from a distance. There is a note on modern Choctaw culture, and one on the development of this particular work. This is a lovely story, beautifully illustrated, though the ending requires a somewhat large leap of the imagination."

• American Indian Youth Literature Award, 2008
• ALA Notable Children's Books, 2007
  
• Bluebonnet Award Nominee, 2008-2009

 Curricular Connections:

• Tim Tingle writes "modern business and traditional culture live comfortably side-by-side" when describing the life of the Mississippi Choctaw today. Research more on the Choctaw tribe to learn what traditions endure today.