Apple Pie 4th of July

Bibliography

Wong, Janet S. 2002. APPLE PIE 4^TH OF JULY. Ill. By Margaret Chodos-Irvine. San Diego: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 015202543X

Summary

When a Chinese American girl learns that her parents are making Chinese food to sell at their store on the Fourth of July, she begins to worry that nobody will come. “No one wants Chinese food on the Fourth of July, I say.” Customers come in at one, two, three, and four o’clock to buy ice cream, ice, and matches. When the little girl becomes discouraged that her parents do not understand that Americans do not eat Chinese food on the Fourth of July, customers finally begin arriving to eat their Chinese food.

Critical Analysis

Wong has created a story of a modern day Chinese American girl who struggles with mixing Chinese tradition and American traditions. The little girl does not think that people will come into her family’s store to by Chinese food on the Fourth of July. She hears booms from the parade and smells apple pie cooking upstairs. When she tells her father that no one will eat the food, her father replies, “Fireworks are Chinese.”

There are only a few cultural markers found in this short picture book. The Chinese American family made chow mein, sweet-and-sour pork, egg rolls, and noodles to serve at their store. Since they lived in America, the little girl did not think that Americans would want to eat this type of food on an American holiday. The little girl explains that her “parents do not understand all American things. They were not born here.” “Even though my father has lived here since he was twelve, even though my mother loves apple pie, I cannot expect them to know Americans do not eat Chinese food on the Fourth of July.”

After the family closes the doors at the end of the day, they end the evening sitting on the rooftop watching the fireworks and eating apple pie.

The illustrator, Margaret Chodos-Irvine, used a “variety of printmaking techniques” to capture the meaning of the story. The colors are bold and bright. The little girl is dressed in a red and white stripped shirt with blue overalls. She has black hair set in a short bob, and the reader is able to understand the little’s emotions from her facial expressions throughout the story.

Reviews

Publishers Weekly review: “The author and artist teamed for Buzz return for this carefully honed story about a girl's experience as a first-generation Chinese-American. Readers first encounter the unnamed narrator as she looks unhappily out the glass door of her parents' market, open for business even on the Fourth of July. Hearing the "boom, boom, boom" of the approaching parade, sniffing the apple pie baking in a neighbor's oven, she is distracted by the cooking smells from the store's kitchen, where her parents are preparing chow mein and sweet-and-sour pork. "No one wants Chinese food on the Fourth of July," she tries to explain, and her prediction seems right as the afternoon lengthily unfolds with almost no customers. "My parents do not understand all American things," she reminds herself, "They were not born here." But the evening brings a steady stream of patrons, and the holiday concludes with the family watching fireworks (invented by the Chinese) and eating what else? apple pie. The well-paced text heavily freighted at the beginning and swift by the end reflects the girl's changing emotions and moods. The art resembles cut-paper collage.”

School Library Journal review: “This simply told story explores a child's fears about cultural differences and fitting in with understanding and affection. A Chinese-American girl helps her parents open their small neighborhood grocery store every day of the year. However, today is the Fourth of July and her parents just don't understand that customers won't be ordering chow mein and sweet-and-sour pork on this very American holiday. As she spends the day working in the store and watching the local parade, she can't shake her anxiety about her parents' na‹vet‚. When evening arrives along with hungry customers looking "for some Chinese food to go," she is surprised but obviously proud that her parents were right after all: Americans do eat Chinese food on the Fourth of July. Nighttime finds the family atop their roof enjoying fireworks and sharing a neighbor's apple pie. Done in a "variety of printmaking techniques," Chodos-Irvine's illustrations are cheerfully bright and crisp, capturing the spirit of the day as well as the changing emotions of the main character.”

Connections

Other books written by Janet S. Wong include:

Wong, Janet S. 2000. THE NEXT NEW YEAR. ISBN 0374355037

Wong, Janet S. 2004. ALEX AND THE CHESS CLUB. ISBN 0689858906

Wong, Janet S. 2000. THE TRIP BACK HOME. ISBN 0152007849

Native American Literature

Crossing Bok Chitto

Bibliography

Tingle, Tim. 2006. CROSSING BOK CHITTO: A CHOCTAW TALE OF FRIENDSHIP & FREEDOM. Ill. By Jeanne Rorex Bridges. El Paso: Cinco Puntos Press. ISBN 9780938317777

Summary

This Choctaw story is about how two children from different cultures form a friendship and help each other out. Set in Mississippi, a river called Bok Chitto separated the Choctaw from the plantation owners and their slaves. Both had an agreement not to cross the river. While picking blackberries one day, Martha Tom, a young Choctaw girl, crossed the river and stumbled upon a group of slaves. Martha Tom was led back home by a boy named Little Mo. This began a beautiful friendship.

One day Little Mo’s mother was told that she was going to be shipped off to another plantation and would not be with her family any longer. Brave Little Mo led his family at night to the Bok Chitto River and with the help of the Choctaw women, the family crossed over the river to freedom.

Critical Analysis

Crossing Bok Chitto was set in Mississippi before the Civil war and the Trail of Tears. The Choctaw people lived on one side of the river and plantation owners and their slaves lived on the other side. There was a law that if a slave escaped and made it across the river, they were free. It is also said that the Choctaw built a secret path across the Mississippi river.

This story is filled with cultural markers that represent both Native American and African American culture. When Martha Tom crosses the river and stumbles upon the clearing, she discovers a secret forbidden slave church. She also discovered a hundred slaves appearing from the trees calling out “We are bound for the Promised Land!” The man began to preach and the slaves began to sing. Martha Tom was moved by the music because she had never heard anything like it before. When Little Mo’s father found Martha Tom and told his son that he would need to lead Martha Tom back to the river, he told his son how to move so the owners would not hear him. “You move not too fast, not too slow, eyes to the ground, away you go!” This phrase was also used again when Little Mo’s family escaped from the plantation to cross the river.

When Little Mo and Martha Tom crossed over to the Choctaw side the first time, Little Mo heard chanting, something he had never heard before. “He thought it must be the heartbeat of the earth itself.” This was the sound of men calling all of the Choctaw to the wedding. Tingles’ describes the wedding ceremony. The women were in white cotton dresses, “their shiny black hair fell well below their waists, as they formed a line and began a stomp dance to the beat of the chanting.” Tingle also describes the wedding song that the men would sing. This song is still sung in Mississippi and Oklahoma today.

“Way, hey ya hey ya Way, hey ya hey ya

You a hey you ay You a hey you ay

A hey ya a hey ya! A hey ya a hey ya!”

When Little Mo led his family to the river, he was afraid to cross it at night. Little Mo’s father told him to be brave because his name was Moses. So Little Mo crossed Bok Chitto and went to Martha Tom’s home. After explaining his story to Martha Tom’s mother, she quickly went to every home in the village and gathered all of the women to perform a ceremony. She told each woman to wear a white dress and bring a candle. As the women lined the edge of the river with the glow of their candles, Martha Tom walked across the water and led the family to freedom. As she led them, she sang the song she had heard the slaves sing at church, but this time she sang it in Choctaw.

Bridges does a beautiful job matching her illustrations to the story. On the cover of the book, four women are in white flowing gowns holding candles. The three women in the back have strong faces with black hair accented with silver. The front girl must be Martha Tom, a younger version of the ladies. At the beginning of the story, Martha Tom is wearing a red dress with a cover apron and leather shoes. Her hair is pulled back in a long braid. The men in the Choctaw tribe are wearing pants, shirts, and boots. One man also has braids while another is wearing a hat. This hat is also worn by the African Americans and the plantation owners. The skin tones used on the people of all backgrounds is represented well. The most moving illustration is the last one. It is the scene of the Choctaw women leading the seven slaves across the river. The women are glowing, giving the appearance that they are angels.

Following the story is a three page spread on the history of the Choctaws today and of the past. Tingles describes how this story, which began as a song, was created.

Reviews

School Library Journal review: “Dramatic, quiet, and warming, this is a story of friendship across cultures in 1800s Mississippi. While searching for blackberries, Martha Tom, a young Choctaw, breaks her village's rules against crossing the Bok Chitto. She meets and becomes friends with the slaves on the plantation on the other side of the river, and later helps a family escape across it to freedom when they hear that the mother is to be sold. 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.”

Booklist starred review: “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.”

2008-2009 Bluebonnet Nominee

2006 Teddy Award for Best Children's Book from the Texas Writer's League

Texas Institute of Letters Best Children's Book of 2006

The Great Ball Game: A Muskogee Story

Bibliography

Bruchac, Joseph. 1994. THE GREAT BALL GAME: A MUSKOGEE STORY. Ill. By Susan L. Roth. New York: Dial Books. ISBN 0803715390

Summary

When the animals and birds began to feud about who was better, the crane and bear decided to play a game of ball to determine the winner. “The first side to score a goal will win the argument, and the side that loses will have to accept the penalty given by the other side.” All of the animals divided up into two teams. One side was those who had wings and the other side was those who had teeth. Bat, who had both wings and teeth, asked both teams if he could play. The Birds laughed at Bat and told him that he was too little to help and they sent him away. Bear took pity on Bat and told him that even though he was small he could help.

The two teams began to play the game until it grew dark. Both the Birds and Animals had a hard time seeing the ball. When the Animals thought that Crane was about to reach the poles, Bat took the ball and flew to the other end scoring a goal. After that game, Bat was accepted as an Animal and told the Birds they “must leave this land for half of each year” as their penalty for losing the game.

Critical Analysis

This traditional Muskogee tale has been retold by Joseph Bruchac. In a foreword written by the author, Bruchac explains how ball games have been used to settle the score between feuds. The author shares that many versions of the ball game story have been shared. In this version, Bruchac chose to use the game of Lacrosse to play the game.

The theme of this tale shows that no matter your size, everyone can do their part. When Bat asked the Birds if he could be on their team, the birds laughed at Bat. Feeling sorry for Bat, Bear let him on the Animal’s team, but was told that he would have to let the big animals play first. In the end, it was Bat that made the goal for the Animals. As a result, Bat was considered an animal. Because the animals had won the game, Bat gave the Birds their penalty. He banished them to fly south for half of each year. This comical tale explains why a bat is considered an animal and why birds fly south for the winter.

Susan L. Roth used paper collected all over the world to create the illustrations. Roth used lots of bold colors like reds, blacks, browns, and yellows as backdrops for the paper collages. The animals and birds were comical with big teeth and rackets in their hands.

Reviews

Publishers Weekly review: “This adaptation of a popular Native American story pits Animals against Birds in a contest to settle an all-too-human question: Who's better? Here, it's the teeth versus the wings in stickball, a lacrosse-style game in which the players hold a stick in each hand. When the contestants take their sides, the anomalous Bat, who sports both teeth and wings, is rejected by both teams. Finally, Bear shows sympathy, saying, "You are not very big, but sometimes even the small ones can help." Bat is benched, however, until the Animals catch on to the Birds' obvious advantage: with ball in beak, the Birds fly high above the playing field. But as evening darkness descends, Bat flies into gear to win the game with his elusive, darting aerobatics. As the victor, Bat decrees that the Birds must leave for half the year. And, according to Muskogee legend, this resolution explains why bats are categorized as animals and why birds fly south for the winter.”

School Library Journal review: “In this traditional Muskogee story, the birds and the animals quarrel over which group is better, those with wings or those with teeth. The argument threatens to turn into all-out war, so the creatures decide to settle it by playing a ball game instead. When the game (which resembles lacrosse) starts, no one wants little, weak Bat to play on their side. But in the end it is Bat-with both teeth and wings-who wins the match for the animals. As a result the birds are banished to the south each winter. This porquoi tale is told in clean, spare sentences with the emphasis on action and character.”

Connections

Other stories written by Joseph Bruschac include:

Bruschac, Joseph. 1996. BETWEEN EARTH AND SKY: LEGENDS OF NATIVE AMERICAN SACRED PLACES. ISBN 0152000429

Bruschac, Joseph. 1994. A BOY CALLED SLOW: THE TRUE STORY OF SITTING BULL. ISBN 0399226923

Bruschac, Joseph. 2008. BUFFALO SONG. ISBN 1584302801

Jingle Dancer

Bibliography

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. 2000. JINGLE DANCER. Ill by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu. New York: Morrow Junior Books. ISBN 0688162428

Summary

Jingle Dancer is a modern day story of a Muscogee girl who wants to be a jingle dancer. She watches her Grandma Wolfe jingle dance on the TV and begins to practice the steps. When Jenna learns that her dress would not be ready because it needed four rows of jingles, she travels in four directions to find enough jingles so her dress would sing.

Critical Analysis

This modern day story is a wonderful story that intertwines everyday life with Muscogee tradition. Jenna is a young girl who wants to become a jingle dancer like her grandmother.

There were many cultural markers identified in this story. The use of the four directions, east, south, west, and north were used as Jenna went from place to place to gather her jingle bells. The north direction led her back to her Grandma Wolfe’s home. The author also describes the time of the day as Jenna went from each home: “As Sun fetched morning, Jenna danced east-As sun arrived at midcircle, Jenna skipped south-As Sun caught a glimpse of Moon, Jenna strolled west-As Moon glowed pale, Jenna shuffled north.” The use of the number four is used with the directions, number of family members that provided her with jingle bells, and the number of rows of bells sewn onto her dress. In the authors note, Smith tells that many Native Americans believe that numbers are symbolic.

Other cultural markers found in the book include foods, a Muscogee Creek story, the powwow, and regalia worn at the powwow. Jenna is eating fry bread with honey at the beginning of the story and later Mrs. Scott told Jenna that she would be making fry bread and Indian tacos to sell at the powwow. As Jenna asked for jingles from each of the ladies, a line was repeated each time. “May I borrow enough jingles to make a row? Jenna asked, not wanting to take so many that their dress would lose its voice.” Each of the ladies gave her a row of jingles and asked her to dance form them at the powwow. A brief Muscogee Creek story about a bat who one the game was mentioned in the story, too.

The full-color water illustrations captured both modern and traditional images of these Native Americans. Jenna lives in a “contemporary intertribal community.” Their homes line up in a neighborhood and are furnished with typical American furniture and Native American decorations. Jenna wears jeans, a t-shirt, and tennis shoes, and all of the women in the story have dark brown hair with light colored skin. At the powwow, all of the girls are wearing brightly colored dresses, scarves around their necks, moccasin boots, and holding a feather.

An author’s note and glossary of terms is provided at the back of the book. Smith, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, describes the Muscogee tribe and the importance of jingle dresses.

Reviews

Booklist review: “This contemporary Native American tale highlights the importance of family and community through a young girl's dream of joining the dancers at the next powwow. Jenna is a girl of Muscogee (Creek) and Ojibway (Chippewa/Anishinabe) descent. She has practiced the steps for the jingle dance by following her grandmother's moves on a video. Now she must get enough jingles (traditionally made of tin, aluminum, or gold canning lids rolled into cones) to sew on her dress to make a satisfying "tink, tink" as she dances. The colorful, well-executed watercolor illustrations lend warmth to the story. A note explaining Jenna's heritage and a brief glossary are appended.”

Publishers Weekly review: “Smith, a mixed-blood member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, convincingly juxtaposes cherished Native American tradition and contemporary lifestyle in this smooth debut. Van Wright and Hu's (Jewels) lifelike renderings capture the genuine affection between Jenna and these caring older women. Their easy integration of Native and standard furnishings and clothing gracefully complement Smith's heartening portrait of a harmonious meshing of old and new.”

Connections

Other books written by Cynthia Leitich Smith include:

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. 2001. RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME. ISBN 0688173977

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. 2007. TANTALIZE. ISBN 0763627917

Mexican American Literature

Tomas and the Library Lady

Bibliography

Mora, Pat. 1997. TOMÁS AND THE LIBRARY LADY. Ill. Raul Colón. New York: Knopf. ISBN 0679804013

Summary

Tomás, the son of migrant workers, lives in Texas during the year with his family while they pick crops and travels to Iowa during the summer where there is work. While Tomás’ parents are in the fields picking corn, Tomás plays ball with his younger brother Enrique. When the two get hot, they sit under the tree to hear stories from Papá Grande. Papá Grande encourages Tomás to go to the public library so that he can teach his family new stories.

Tomás goes to the library and meets the librarian who brings him books on dinosaurs and tigers. Tomás begins to read the books and finds that he enjoys reading. Tomás takes home two books and reads the stories to his Mamá, Papá, Enrique, and Papá Grande. Throughout the summer, Tomás continues to visit the library where he reads new books and teaches the librarian Spanish words. When it is time for Tomás and his family to return to Texas, he brings the librarian pan dulce, sweet bread. In return, the librarian gives Tomás a brand new book.

Critical Analysis

Based on true events, Tomás and the Library Lady is about Tomás Rivera’s childhood experiences as a son of migrant workers. In order to maintain work, Tomás and his family must travel back and forth from Texas and Iowa to work in the fields. The reader is able to gather that the Rivera family is has little money. The Rivera family travel each year in a “rusty old car”, “sleep on cots in the small house that his family shared with the other workers”, “the boys played with a ball Mamá had sewn from an old teddy bear”, and his family would go to the town dump to “look for pieces of iron to sell.”

Mora integrates Spanish words beautifully throughout the story. Both Tomás and Enrique are authentic names, and Tomás talks to his family he calls them Mamá, Papá, and Papá Grande. Phrases such as: “Buenas noches” which means “Good night”, “En un tiempo pasado” which means “Once upon a time,” and “¡Qué tigre tan grande!” which means “What a big tiger!” are used to capture both English and Spanish speaking audiences.

A few other cultural markers evident in the story are the importance of family and education. The reader can tell that Tomás and is family is close. His Papá Grande lives and travels with Tomás and his family. To entertain one another, they sit together and share stories. Also, Tomás and his brother Enrique help their parents by carrying water to them in the fields. Papá Grande encourages Tomás to go to the library so that he can learn new stories to share. Because of his Papá Grande and the librarian, Tomás Rivera became a writer and professor.

Illustrator Raul Colón uses warm browns and golds to capture the lives of migrant workers. Tomás and his family have carmel colored skin and dark brown hair. His Papá Grande has a long mustache and silver hair. The reader can tell that the family is happy when they are together. Several illustrations capture the love that Tomás has for reading. On the very last page, Tomás has his eyes closed, hugging his book, and dreaming of the dinosaurs in his story. “Tomás closed his eyes. He saw the dinosaurs drinking cool water long ago. He heard the cry of the wild snakebird. He felt the warm neck of the dinosaur as he held on tight for a bumpy ride.”

A note about the story is written at the back of the book. This story was based on true events about Tomás Rivera.

Reviews

School Library Journal review: “Here, Mora tells the fictionalized story of one summer in his childhood during which his love of books and reading is fostered by a librarian in Iowa, who takes him under her wing while his family works the harvest. She introduces him to stories about dinosaurs, horses, and American Indians and allows him to take books home where he shares them with his parents, grandfather, and brother. When it is time for the family to return to Texas, she gives Tomas the greatest gift of all?a book of his own to keep. Colon's earthy, sun-warmed colors, textured with swirling lines, add life to this biographical fragment and help portray Tomas's reading adventures in appealing ways.”

Booklist review: “From the immigrant slums of New York City to the fields of California, it's an elemental American experience: the uprooted child who finds a home in the library. Mora's story is based on a true incident in the life of the famous writer Tomas Rivera, the son of migrant workers who became an education leader and university president. Far from his home in Texas, the small boy is working with his family picking corn in Iowa. Inspired by the Spanish stories his grandfather (Papa Grande) tells, Tomas goes to the library to find more stories.”

Connections

Other stories written by Pat Mora include:

Mora, Pat. 1997. A BIRTHDAY BASKET FOR TIA. ISBN 0689813287

Mora, Pat. 1996. CONFETTI: POEMS FOR CHILDREN. ISBN 1880000253

Mora, Pat. 1994. PABLO’S TREE. ISBN 0027674010