The Arrival by Shaun Tan

Shaun Tan- author and illustrator. The arrival. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-439-895293

Author website: http://www.shauntan.net/

Media: pencil on paper

Genre: graphic novel, steampunk, wordless graphic novel

Annotation

The Arrival, a wordless graphic novel, is the story of a man leaving his home and family to establish a new life in a new unseen land and the process of becoming familiarized with this strange and unfamiliar new land.

My thoughts

The Arrival is an award winning tale that provides an allegorical depiction of the emigrant experience. The protagonist of the story represents the universal emigrant travelling to a strange and unfamiliar land and experiencing new people, things, and places all at the same time. The man is willing to lose everything to move to a land far away to find a new life for his family.

By creating a fictional imaginary world, one that is unfamiliar with all readers of all different backgrounds, Shaun Tan lets the reader experience what it is like to travel to a new country. Even the most basic details are strange. The protagonist has to relearn and assimilate in order to make this his new home. Even the most basic aspects of his life seem confusing at first. He attempts to pour a glass of water from some odd highly complex mechanism and ends up squirting water all over. He goes to the market and discovers that none of the fruit is recognizable. These are all new species. The fruit sellers pantomime that the fruit tastes good. He is in a predicament where he must trust people. Light switches, running water, refrigeration, clothing, the weather, the creatures, pets and wildlife … everything is different.

The protagonist is wordless in this new world. He cannot speak because he doesn’t know the language. Shaun Tan decision to make this a wordless graphic novel heightens this experience of not being able to communicate. The reader is limited to looking and experiencing all of these strange beings, symbols, and invented alphabet with the same level of knowledge as the protagonist. The reader is required to really look at the images to see that there is a lot of communication happening without words. The lack of words really slows the reader down so that they have to focus on the visual details and think about each small object or action.

Gestures and facial expressions effectively carry communication. The emigrants are from all different lands but manage to communicate even through huge cultural and linguistic differences. The lack of words and dependence on the visual is mystifying experience and a very apt way to express this feeling of being in a new land. This really catapults the reader into the immigrant’s shoes.

In addition, because he uses images to tell the story it is interpreted differently depending on where each person is coming from. Some people might focus on the experience of the immigrant, while some people might focus more on the imaginative realm that Tan has created, and others might see it as a bizarre science fiction graphic novel. For me,  

About multiculturalism, this new land is full of people like the main character. The people are new and are also immigrants to this new land. They are all on the same journey and all are trying to find their bearings.

The society is built on ideas of pluralism with multiculturalism in its roots. There are so many different types of people in this society leaving harmoniously together. (They are recognizable by things like different hats). It is something that really can and should be appreciated.

This imaginative and magical realm is quite an experience and the illustrations are amazing and fantastical. The sepia-toned illustrations give the impression of an old photo album that can serve as reminders of the broader context of migration that many share in their family histories. It adds a bit of nostalgia.

At first, I paid more attention to the surreal illustrations and did not think about the book as an experience. Now, after living in Taiwan for a while, it is clear and the book has taken on new meaning for me. Shaun Tan definitely accomplished something very interesting and special with this book.

Curricular connections

Social Studies- Grade 7 and 8. Provides a good impetus for discussions about multiculturalism, pluralism, and diversity in addition to developing interpretation skills. The text offers opportunities to apply multiple critical perspectives to a single text and engaging student discussions.

In addition, The Arrival can be used for high school creative writing and senior English classes.  The graphic novel can help teach students how to identify formal literary devices, perspectives (feminist, cultural, historical, Marxist, etc), analyzing themes, et cetera .

Simulates visual literacy. From Shaun Tan’s Essay “PICTURE BOOKS: Who Are They For?”- “This is perhaps what reading and visual literacy are all about - and what picture books are good for - continuing that playful inquiry we began in childhood, of using imagination to find significance and meaning in those ordinary, day-to-day experiences that might otherwise remain unnoticed. The lessons we learn from studying pictures and stories are best applied to a similar study of life in general - people, places, objects, emotions, ideas and the relationships between them all. At it’s most successful, fiction offers us devices for interpreting reality, and imagining how many such interpretations might be possible.”

Lesson Plan
See 'Lesson Plan' page

Literary devices

Use of Symbolism: Shaun Tan uses symbolism throughout the novel. Nonsensical symbols and an invented alphabet is used to represent a foreign language. Being unable to understand the meaning of these symbols, Tan places the reader in the same frustrating shoes as the emigrant.

Symbolism also includes all of the archetypal imagery of the universal migrants’ experience. Also the shadow of the dragon’s tail wrapping through the migrant’s original city is a symbol/metaphor for oppression of some sort. The impression is that the migrant is leaving a fascist or oppressed city to find a new land for his family.

Birds are also symbols used through the book. The migrant lifts his hat to show his family a paper origami crane on his head and then gives it to his daughter. When in the new magical land, birds are all around.

Use of Metaphor: provides readers an insightful metaphor for the immigrant experience.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grade 7 and up/ Ages 12 and up

(Some of the imagery might by too ‘scary’ or too abstract for younger ages.)

Reviews and Awards

Booklist Starred Review

School Library Journal Starred Review

2007 Parents’ Choice Gold Award

2007 Booklist Editor’s Choice

2007 School Library Journal Best Book Selection

2007 Amazon.com Best Teen Book

2008 ALA Top Ten Books for Young Adults

2008 ALA Top Ten Graphic Novels for Teens

2008 Boston Globe / Horn Book Award

Hugo Award, Nominated for Best Related Book for The Arrival

Hugo Award, Nominated for Best Professional Artist (also in 2009 and 2010)

Angoulême International Comics Festival Prize for Best Comic Book for Là où vont nos pères, the French edition of The Arrival

World Fantasy Award for Best Artist

New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, Community Relations Commission Award for The Arrival

The Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards: Picture Book of the Year for 'The Arrival'.2006

Premier's Prize and Children's Books category winner in the Western Australian Premier's Book Awards for 'The Arrival'

Peter Pan Award 2011 for the Swedish translation of The Arrival

Many other positive reviews for The Arrival…

Shaun Tan also won the Swedish Astrid Lindgren prize in 2011 (The World's richest children's literature award), Academy awards Oscar for best animated short film for The Lost Thing.

Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down.

Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney, illustrator (2010).  Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down.  New York City, NY: Little, Brown and Company.  ISBN: 978-0-316-07016-4

Author website: No website found.

Ilustrator website: http://www.brianpinkney.net/

Media: watercolor and india ink

Genre: biography, non-fiction, juvenile literature, civil rights movement, history

Annotation

Four African American students in Greensboro (NC) peacefully refuse to leave Woolworth’s lunch counter that only served white people. Their peaceful nonviolent act would inspire others to follow and led to more sit-ins and the end of segregation.

My thoughts

Many have said ‘this is a powerful book’ and it really is. Based on true events that happened in Greensboro in 1960, this book serves as a pictorial representation of a pivotal turning point in our country’s social history. Sit-in: How Four Friends Stood up by Sitting Down is also is a good representative for the power of a good picture book. The storyline, quotes, comments, and illustrates all combine to make this a great multicultural picture book that showcases the Civil Rights and the struggle for equality of the 1960s.

Andrea Davis Pinkney takes this great event and through the personal perspectives of the teenagers and storyline she makes it come alive and become more relatable for children and teens. The book effectively demonstrates the power of people when they work together for a cause that is right inspired by Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Actual quotes from Dr. King's speeches within the text to help explain the protesters motivation to keep peaceful. These teenagers sat at a counter and asked for a simple doughnut and coffee. This was a peaceful sit-in for justice and equality not a complex revolution or a political scheme.

The watercolors by Brian Pinkney come across as modern and classic. They added to the story and did not distract from the powerful words and storyline.

The food metaphor and the story really hits you in the gut. Typically, the Civil Rights Movement is one that young people have trouble relating to because of its complexity, but stories such as this really help bring it to life. I also really enjoyed the back of the book's Civil Rights Timeline (in paragraph form from 1954 to 1964), the photograph of the "Greensboro Four" in Woolworth's, the more in depth look at the incident and the times, and additional recommended book and website resources. These 40 pages are really packed with information!

Memorable Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.’s quotes.

“We must meed violence with nonviolence.”

“Demonstrate… calm dignity.”

“We are all leaders.”

“We must… must meet hate with love.”

“Be loving enough to absorb evil.”

Other memorable quotes:

“They sat straight and proud. And waited. And wanted. A doughnut and coffee, with cream on the side.”

“Practicing peace while other showed hatred was tougher than any school test.”

“… it’s not about food – it’s about pride.”

Curricular connections

This material can be added into a Civil Rights Lesson plan for History and Social Studies (grade 4-6). Both the words and art can be added to a discussion.

Literary devices

Use of Metaphor: The recipe for equality and integration throughout the book.

Use of Repetition: “They did not need menus. Their order was simple. A doughnut and coffee, with cream on the side.”

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grades 4-6

Reviews and Awards

Jane Addams Honor Book (Awards)

Booklist Starred Review

School Library Journal Starred Review

Skim by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki

Tamaki, Mariko – author, & Tamaki, Jillian - illustrator. (2008). Skim. Toronto: Groundwood Books. ISBN: 978-0888997531.

Annotation

Skim, an angst ridden disgruntled bi-racial overweight teenage girl whose parents are separated goes to an all-girls Catholic college-prep high school and attempts to find her identity during this formative time of life in 1993.

My thoughts

Depression, sexuality, spirituality, paganism, suicide, friendship, self-esteem, and first love are all themes within this book. This character is snarky. She practices astrology and Wiccan rituals, eats cookies without guilt, sometimes despises her supposed best friend, rebels against conformity, and grapples with her emerging gay identity yet she is relatable for many readers both those who are similar and those who are completely different. One reviewer said that, “It was pleasant in that way that quietly unpleasant stories are.” This is how I felt. The book contains difficult issues that show certain heartaches associated with coming of age.

The tale is narrated by Skim’s thoughtful diary. This allows the reader to have insight into the Skim's thoughts and feelings and makes the experience of this book very personal. The diary entries and narrator’s tone seem authentic. The metaphoric entries are a highlight. The character and the situation is so fragile and different. While being about a very 'different' person, the differences weren't shown as... differences. They felt normal. Painful, relatable, and normal. This is a step forward for those who have been labeled as different. For those who might be lesbian or gay or dealing with identity or racial issues.

The suicide attempt of the character of Katie Matthews and the suicide of her boyfriend who was rumored to be gay are potentially literary trite rubbernecking events but Mariko and Jillian capture these events in a way that draws the reader in without becoming stereotyped or tabloid-ish. This level of respect for the topics and the reader might be one reason for this book’s success.

The way the main character is rendered reminds me of the traditional depiction of women in Japanese woodcarving prints and ink paintings. I haven’t read much Japanese literature (Tales of Genji and modern authors) but I’m assuming that the character is foiled to the traditional. Skim is very westernized (practices of wicca and diet are the most obvious examples). Nonetheless, I liked the black and white style of the illustrations.

However, there were some elements bothered me but I can understand how this book would be popular for teenagers. I guess that it another part of the success. Now that I'm older, sometimes it's easy to think that these issues don't genuinely afflict teenagers. Skim is a reminder that they do and the book offers cautionary optimism. Things work out and fall into place for Skim in the end of the book. She finds a friend that she can better relate to and the heartbreak is out of sight and her heart. Overall, this is a unique coming of age story that tells of a conflicted plight that teenage girls will appreciate.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grade 10 and up/ age 14 and up.

Reviews and Awards

2008 Governor General's Literary Award Nominee (more)

2008 Ignatz Award for Best Graphic Novel

2008 New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Books List

2009 Doug Wright Award Winner, Best Book

2009 Eisner award nominee (Best Publication for Teens, Writer, New Graphic Album, Penciller/Inker)

2008 Best of Books of the Year: Publishers Weekly, Quill & Quire

2011 Most Awesome Book, Toms River Library Teen Gay Straight Book Club

Author website: No official author website found.

Illustrator website: http://www.jilliantamaki.com/

Media: ink

Genre: graphic novel,

Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi

Satrapi, M. (2005)- author and illustrator. Embroideries. New York, N.Y.: Pantheon Books. ISBN: 0375423052.

Annotation

Ten close-knit Iranian women get together to sip samovar tea, ‘ventilate the heart,’ and gossip about sex.

My thoughts

Embroideries examines a facet of Iranian women’s lives and introduces the reader into the inner chamber of a section of feminine discourse. What is really great about this book is that is takes the delicate topic of sex/sexuality and a group of women who are cross culturally believed to be reserved and demure, and illustrates all the bawdy and very funny discourse in a skillful narrative that puts “Sex in the City” to shame.

This is a biographical memoir from the best-selling author of Persepolis. It opens with the family sitting at the family table with Marjane’s grandfather thanking her grandmother for such a great lunch. The grandmother humbly and primely replies that “Satrapi” flatters her. (Using his last name out of polite respect.) The tone changes after they leave the table. Marjane makes a special tea (opium based) for her grandmother. The afternoon and night tea includes discussions where the female member of the family, friends, and neighbors get together to speak and ventilate the heart. The book is the discussion that follows. And the reader is the lucky wallflower to these secrets of the heart and other regions.

Oh, and do they ventilate the heart. They tell stories of lost lovers, lovers that need to get lost, nagging husbands, adulteresses and husbands, husbands who are adulterers, inadequate sex, bad choices, lies, and personal wishes. Some of the stories are really funny while others reveal a patriarchal society where women are sometimes forced into arranged marriages. Importantly, the arranged marriage part of the story has a character (an aunt) who is modern and presents her point of view and encourages the mother to let her child marry for love and not wealth.

It is so nice to get a perspective from Tehran and Iranian women. In recent years, they have been forced around a shroud of secrecy and misunderstanding. It is really revealing to pull that shroud to see these extraordinary very modern women. Few books capture similarities rather than just showing the differences. This should be recognized as important in itself.

Curricular connections

Literary devices

Use of allusion:

“That’s life! Sometimes you’re on the horse’s back, and sometimes it’s the horse that’s on your back.”

Metaphor: The title and the association with historical female sewing/embroidery circles and the surgical restoration.

Reading level/ Interest Age

High school (Embroideries refers to the surgical restoration of one’s vagina to appear virginal. The mature ideas and the discussions about sex might be reserved for older high school students/ female readers interested in sex and gender).

Reviews and Awards

Best-selling author

Author website: No website found.

Media: Black sharpie

Genre: Graphic novel

Michael Rosen's Sad Book by Michael Rosen and Quentin Blake

Rosen, Michael- author, & Blake, Quentin - illustrator (2005). Michael Rosen's Sad Book. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press. ISBN: 0-7636-2597-3

Annotation

Illustrated biographical book about the author’s sadness after his mother and son pass away.

My thoughts

This is a sad book. It opens with the author’s confession, “This is me being sad. Maybe you think that I’m happy in this picture. Really I’m sad but pretending I’m happy. I’m doing that because I think people won’t like me if I look sad.” Above is the said picture of a sad man smiling but obviously not in synch. Quentin Blake’s illustrations capture the emotional underside of the story. They break down this huge cloud-bursting tear provoking concept in a way that younger readers can see and empathize with. Watercolors are leached from scenes to give in a four-sectioned page spread as the cartooned figure of Rosen walks along a street. What begins in a reality based ordinary spring or summerlike day with green trees, birds flying, children playing, and a mother pushing a stroller turns progresses into a dark stormy day where Rosen is left as the only figure walking on a barren street with decrepit buildings and a now leafless tree. This reflects the interior psychological shift, of coping and dealing with such loss, in a very easily understandable and relatable way.

In addition, Quentin Blake’s illustrations have an associated history with younger readers. These illustrated cartoon figures are very like the much-loved Ronald Dahl characters that Quentin Blake illustrated. This can make the book along with the heavy concept of loss and sadness more understandable.

The process of grief and loss hits all ages, because of this reason Sad Book can be good for any age. In fact, the opening page of Rosen's grin was a learning lesson for me. It's easy to forget such simple things. I know that it isn't healthy to fake happiness, but either is projecting negative emotions onto those around us. Recently, I've forgotten to smile to strangers. It's pretty simple... mechanics wise. Corners up. It's just easy to get caught up in one's own world. For me, I've have a rough couple of weeks. One of my cats passed away from FIP (it's like cat AIDS over here) the second to die of three of my Singaporean family. And, we've been developing a stronger immune system (i.e. we've been catching all of the stomach flus and respiratory colds of this region). And, the company husband is with has been "acquired" which means restructuring and possible restructuring our lives. I am sad about my cat. Everything else will work out as long as I try to find those moments, the things, that spark... like Michael Rosen's candles.

Quotes:

“Where is sad? Sad is anywhere. It comes along and finds you. When is sad? Sad is any time. It comes along and finds you. Who is sad? Sad is anyone. It comes along and finds you.”

Literary devices

Use of metaphor:

Sometimes I'm sad and I don’t know why.

It's just a cloud that comes along and covers me up.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Kindergarten and up.


Of course, there is a balance. 

Reviews and Awards

SLJ starred review

Booklist starred review

Author website: www.michaelrosen.co.uk/

Ilustrator website: www.quentinblake.com/

Media: Watercolor and ink

Genre: Juvenile picture book

Why? by Nikolai Popov

Nikolai Popov- author(1996). Why? New York: North-South Books. ISBN: 1558585346.

Author website: No official web site found.

Media: pastel

Genre: juvenile fiction, war

Annotation

A story about a conflict between a frog and a mouse that starts out as a simple act of jealousy and quickly escalates into a full-blown war between mice and frogs.

My thoughts

This wordless tale, about a frog and mouse in a meadow, turns into a meaningful commentary on the futility and pointlessness of war. At first, this story was registered a giggle of understanding. This response quickly changed as the story and ploys accelerated.

The story begins with a frog sitting happily on a rock with a flower. Nearby, a straight-faced mouse also is sitting but with a yellow umbrella. The mouse looks over at the frog and decides that he wants that particular flower even though there are a dozen others of that same flower growing in that vicinity. The mouse casts his umbrella aside and bombards the frog with both fists scaring the frog and using the opportunity to snatch the flower for his own self. Two larger frogs defend the smaller and scare the mouse away. They dance and joyfully celebrate throwing dozens of flowers until the mouse returns with friends in a mouse boot tank arms with guns. The two parties each have loses and victories until the final catastrophe and they are left in a battle-scarred field. Everything is gone. There are no more flowers for anyone.

The seemingly simple and avoidable incident between the frog and mouse and shows how events can easily accelerate into a crisis’s then warped into a full-blown war. It demonstrates the importance of not only avoiding potential incidents that can accelerate but also the need for conflict resolution. This book would work well in a war related lesson plan to get children thinking about the effects of war. Being wordless, will allow students to interpret the story and draw their own conclusions. This should encourage students to become more comfortable with discussing this difficult theme.  

Curricular connections

History 4^th grade and up

Literary devices

Use of Metaphor: The battle between frog and mouse can represent war in general. 

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grade 4 and up.

Amelia and Eleanor Go For A Ride: Based On A True Story by Pam Muñoz Ryan and Brian Selznick

Ryan, Pam Muñoz, and Brian Selznick. 1999. Amelia and Eleanor Go For A Ride: Based On A True Story. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 978-0590960755.

Annotation

Amelia, the famous aviator Amelia Earhart who was the first woman to fly the Atlantic Ocean; and Eleanor was Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the United States and committed activist for human rights take to the sky in this picture book based on a true incident.

My thoughts

It’s great to see a book about these two historically strong women doing things that were out of the social norm of their time. This story is based on the night of April 20, 1933 when Eleanor Roosevelt invited Amelia Earhart to the White House for dinner. During the dinner, Amelia was asked what it is like to fly at night. “Very few people in the whole world had ever flown at night, and Amelia was one of them.” The guests listen with closed eyes imagining the experience of flying at night. Eleanor asks about the view of the Capital at night and Amelia arranges for a ride on an Eastern Air Transport Plane (a Curtis Condor twin-motor airplane). Within an hour, the two women were up in the air experiencing a clear night’s view of the area between Baltimore and Washington D.C.

This little known true account revealed a spontaneous side of Eleanor Roosevelt and takes the reader back to a time when flying at night was a big deal. So many things have changed over the last century, but hopefully the feeling of being completely in awe of the stars remains the same. With Eleanor and Amelia’s bold personalities, and Selznick’s breathtaking illustrations, readers are inspired to take actions to make their own dreams to come true.

Focus on the Art

Brian Selznick’s pencil illustrations capture this bygone era by resembling old photographs and carry this story beautifully. The details have been carefully researched (actual China patterns, an Evening Star newspaper from Washington D.C. with factual headlines, furniture and fashions of the time period, etc.) In addition, there is a beautifully illustrated nighttime view of Washington D.C that captures the Capital dome and famous monuments.

Curricular connections

Grade 4-6: Social studies lesson with focus on Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt and also the geography of the area described in the story.

Literary devices

Use of Metaphor: (p. 5) “Amelia and Eleanor were birds of a feather.”

Reading level/ Interest Age

Ages 5-9

Reviews and Awards

ALA Notable Children’s Book

Book Sense Book of the Year Finalist

Author website: http://www.pammunozryan.com/

Illustrator website: http://www.theinventionofhugocabret.com/

Media: Pencil on Paper

Genre: Juvenile picture books, nonfiction

The Boy Who Loved Words by R. Schotter and G. Potter

Schotter, R., & Potter, G. (ill.) (2006). The Boy Who Loved Words. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books. ISBN: 978-0375836015.

Annotation

Selig is an unordinary boy. He loves words and he loves to collect words and share his favorites with other people.

My thoughts

This is a wordy book, but in a really good way. The Boy who Loved Words is a great book for readers who love words and for children who enjoy learning new words. In the back there is a glossary that includes words in the story. The extra words that are on just about every pages, including the inside front and back covers are not included in the glossary. I loved the intent of the book and the many marvelous words. All of the descriptive words and different types of words that were used are great vocabulary builders. This book is great for both in and outside of the class and makes learning new words fun. The words really are impressive. It also helps teach children how to learn meanings through context which is also an important skill.

Potter’s style and warm-toned illustrations give this book a vintage feeling. Overall, they compliment the story and incorporate the words into the picture in a way that is fun for children.

Curricular connections

Grade 1-5: Social Studies: vocabulary lessons

Art: Students can make their own wordy pieces of art.

Literary devices

Use of Sophisticated Words: predilection, emporium amphora, disburse, lozenge, lemon, licorice, tintinnabulating, oddball, aflutter, windmill, tantalizing, chum, dusk, gusto, licketysplit, rucksack, savory, slumber, spry, strudel, tantalizing, toddle, etc.

Use of Metaphor: Waving her arms in the air, she was a windmill of worry.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Preschool and up.

Reviews and Awards

Parents’ Choice 2006 Gold Award Winner.

Author website: www.ronischotter.com/

Illustrator website: www.gisellepotter.com/

Media: Pencil, ink, gouache, gesso, watercolor, and collage

Genre: Juvenile picture book

Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection by Matt Dembicki

Matt Dembicki - author. Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection. Golden, Colo.: Fulcrum Pub., 2010. ISBN: 978-1-55591-7241

Author website: http://matt-dembicki.blogspot.tw/

Ilustrator website: There are 21 different illustrators.

Media: Various medias mainly pen and ink, watercolor, pencil.

Genre: Graphic Novel, Anthology

Annotation
 Twenty-one folktales based on various ‘trickster’ characters from a span of Native American tribes.

My thoughts

I’m constantly revising my opinion about this book. Right now, it is neutral and even though it is not a personal favorite, it is a book worth knowing about to recommend to younger readers because it might appeal to them and teach them some valuable lessons.

Originally, I checked out the 2010 edition, Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection. Perhaps, part of the problem is that I was excited about this book and had high expectations. I think that there is a very rich tradition of Native American tales and art to be preserved and that the majority of stories in this book failed in representing both. There were some very good successes, some that were acceptable, and some that failed. This pattern of successful and those that aren’t as good seem to be typical of anthologies.  

Instead, a few stories represented good concepts and stories with cartoonish and commercialized illustrations that were not so good and added text that seemed too silly (like in the "Rabbit's Choctaw Tail Tale"). I understand that it not meant for adult connoisseurs and see that this humor might potentially be amusing for children learning about Native American folklore and are interested in the Trickster character. I did like "The Coyote and the Pebbles", "Raven the Trickster", "Azban and the Crayfish", "Rabbit and the Tug of War", and a couple of others.

My personal opinion is that the folklore would have been better served with art other than American styled cartoon art. But, in hindsight, I guess if that is what it takes to bring these stories to younger reader then so be it. It would probably be better to recommend this book and encourage an interest and supplement it with other Native American books than to dismiss it entirely.  

Overall, maybe I’m being too harsh and judging it more for myself than for its intended audience. I think that it is great that there was an attempt to make this anthology. In addition, I am aware that there aren’t too many folklore books being published for this demographic and there are even less on Native American folklore. That does add a few good points to this book. In addition, the range is impressive. There are over twenty stories and over twenty artists to illustrate those stories. And of course, it is interesting to compare the idea and representation of the trickster from the differing folklores. Short folklore stories provide a quick window into the tribes that might otherwise be lost.

Curricular connections
This book can act as a supplement to the academic studies of Native Americans or suggested to children interested in folklore, tricksters, Native Americans, cartoons, history, etc. Native American Studies grade 5-8.

Literary Devices
Use of Metaphors: (an example: the Raven kicking the sea anemones because he can and because he delights in disorder can serve as a deeper metaphor for the need of a good leader.)

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grade 3/ Age 9 and up

Rewards

2010 Cybil’s nominee