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,

The Stephen Hawking Story: The Boy Who Turned Disability into the Ability to Embrace the Stars by T.S. Lee

T. S. Lee- author. Chad Walker- translator. The Stephen Hawking Story: The Boy Who Turned Disability into the Ability to Embrace the Stars. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Joyful Stories Press, 2009. First printing 2010. ISBN: 978-0-981954295.

Author website: No author website found.

Media: Pen and ink

Genre: Graphic Novel, Biography, Comic, Science

Annotation

Fictionalized manga biography about the genius physicist Stephen Hawking. The comic biography shows on how Hawking survived Lou Gehrig's and worked to become one of the world’s top physicists.

My thoughts

Stephen Hawking is a brilliant man and has striven through a lot of adversity and personal challenges to accomplish all of the things that he has accomplished. Overall, I think that this is a good biography. It kept information simple and did not oversimplify Hawking’s life or ideas. This level, the simple manga comic, makes it so that younger readers can know what Hawking is responsible for and learn about his work on black holes and the secrets of the universe and other highlights of science (like Galileo, Newton, and Einstein). Physicists, however, might cringe at the jump in physics to manga. So far, this book has not had too many reviews so it is difficult to know how actual scientists perceive the science in this graphic novel. It can be noted that the actual details of physics might have otherwise shied younger readers away from Hawking’s achievements and science.

Most the book focuses on how Stephen Hawking coped with being diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease). He learned in his early twenties that he had this disease and was given a couple of years to live. After the diagnosis and physical paralysis, he went on to get his advanced degrees, publish multiple books and articles (including the pivotal A Brief History of Time), propose many new theories, was appointed Lucasian Professor of Mathematics from Oxford University, and became one of the youngest Fellows of the Royal Society. In 1985 due to pneumonia had had a tracheotomy, which rendered him unable to speak without the aid of a voice synthesizer. Through all of this he continued with his interests about the universe and personal goals. The manga graphic novel starts with his children love for books (and memory for details) and covers these events.

Stephen Hawking has lived more than 40 years since he learned he had the disease. He beat the life-expectancy odd for people with ALS and serves as a role model for ALS patients, others who face adversities, and now also children. In addition, this book takes away mystery around the man who speaks with a voice synthesizer. This graphic novel format makes it so that his differences are not as intimidating or different.

Use of sophisticated language

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), epitome, Einstein’s theory of relativity, universal gravitation, celestial bodies, modern theoretical physics, inertia acceleration, reciprocal actions, singularity theorems, theories, degradation, tracheotomy, voice synthesizer.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grade 3-8

Reviews

The School Library Journal notes that fictionalized manga biographies are “appealing, but their usefulness is limited by their uneven translations” and made the criticism that statements are “incorrect, unclear, unsupported, and occasionally downright weird.” There are – other biographies in this series. I have not read the other biographies but the Stephen Hawking Story one did not contain too many overt errors. 

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson, Peter Parnell, and Henry Cole

Annotation

Picture book based on a true story of an unordinary penguin family living in New York City’s Central Park Zoo.

My thoughts

Roy and Silo are a couple of two adult male penguins who have changed the way people view penguins social life and penguin partnership. The parental life of penguins are already fascinating, as the males will spend time nesting whilst the female leaves, but this story about Tango and his ‘homosexual’ penguin parents is doubly interesting as a story and zoologically.

Tango’s birth was the result of a strategically placed egg. After the zookeeper noticed Silo and Roy’s multiple attempts to have a hatchling of their own, he place an ‘extra’ egg from another male/female penguin pair and gives it to Roy and Silo. They take care of the egg just as the other heterosexual penguins and Tango is born. This is a heartwarming story.

Banned Book

The American Library Association reports that And Tango Makes Three was the most challenged book of 2006 to 2010, except for 2009 when it was the second most challenged. Even though this is an account of a true animal story, there are school districts and parents around the country who are protesting this book and having it banned from school libraries due to the nature of the penguin's relationship in the book.

It’s a far off cry to take this book and try to make implications for it to be banned. This issue is one that should not be mixed with this light real life story about Roy, Silo, and Tango. The controversy of homosexuality and legal rights of marriage is a recent controversy and has become a complicated issue. The more complicated debates belong in different forums and shouldn’t be mixed with this sweet picture book.

Reading level/ Interest Age

PreSchool-Grade 3

Reviews and Awards

National book awards

American Library Association Notable Children's Book - 2006

ASPCA's Henry Bergh Award - 2005

Gustavus Myer Outstanding Book Award- 2006

Nick Jr. Family Magazine Best Book of the Year - 2006

Bank Street Best Book of the Year - 2006

Cooperative Children's Book Council Choice, and CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book - 2006

Lambda Literary Award finalist - 2006

Sheffield Children's Book Award - shortlisted – 2008

Other awards from children's groups

Author website: No websites found.

Illustrator website: www.henrycole.net/

Media:

Genre: juvenile picture book, juvenile

Remember: The Journey to School Integration by Toni Morrison

Morrison, Toni - author. (2004). Remember: The Journey to School Integration. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. ISBN: 978-0618397402

Annotation

Photographs taken during the period after segregated schools were declared unconstitutional that captures this important and difficult time of integration in American history.

My thoughts

These powerful photographs became Toni Morrison’s inspiration for the fictional narrative. These two elements, narrative and photographs, can actually be discussed as separate but equal in importance in the production of this book.

These archival photographs go a step beyond journalizing because they are so close to the subjects. These are not merely newspaper photos documenting the difficulties. They show the good and bad, and the façade of good. Photos of newly integrated students sitting together during a quaint circle time lesson are followed by photos of Caucasian teenagers protesting integration. A young boy wears a klan hood and smiles for the camera while watching a Ku Klux Klan cross burn. There are some disturbing truthful photographs that can be invaluable in a history/social studies class.

In addition, Toni Morrison provides the facts. Brown v. Board of Education is an important part of history, but the dry legal case name often causes history classes to simplify the lesson. The narrative and book will flesh it out. Morrison also includes a New York Times front-page announcement of the court decision and a key event timeline for civil rights and school integration history. Photo notes provide additional interesting facts. These are incredible, compelling, and unforgettable photographs and a very important time that shouldn’t be forgotten.

Curricular connections

Social Studies and Middle School History/civil rights.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grade 4-12

Reviews and Awards

Coretta Scott King Award

Bccb Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award (Awards)

Author website: www.tonimorrisonsociety.org/

Media: Photography

Genre: nonfiction, history

Why War is Never a Good Idea by Alice Walker and Stefano Vitale

Walker, Alice - author, & Vitale, Stefano - illustrator (2007). Why War is Never a Good Idea. New York, NY: HarperCollinsPublishers. ISBN: 978-0060753856.

Annotation

Powerful, evocative, hard hitting, gut wrenching poem about the devastating effects of war.

My thoughts

This is a pacifist’s poem in the extreme, and if it isn’t then as the pages turn the reader will think about pacifism. It doesn’t rationalize a war instead it turns war into this evil personified thing that destroys life and has wide consequences. “When it comes/ To nursing/ Mothers/ It is blind;/ Milk, especially/Human,/ It cannot/ See.” These words are tragic and very scary because it doesn’t show the supposed just-causes of war it shows the unintended consequences on the lives of innocents.

The illustrations start off bright and capture the various regions in descriptively vague ways. China, South America, Cambodia, a jungle, European architecture, Middle-east architecture, and Africa are depicted showing the global scale. The people from these places are shown going about their innocent daily duties and lives. “Through War has a mind of its own/ war never knows/ Who/ It is going/ To hit.” A church and homes are depicted with many people playing, talking, working, walking, riding, fishing, drinking, swimming, sitting, kissing, etc. A death cloud looms on the following page. The illustrations get darker until the last page. The final page is painted from the perspective of the bottom of a well looking up at the moon. Looking down into the well are silhouetted forms with lit eyes looking into the war-tainted water. These people are innocent various global representatives representing the wide spread effects.

Curricular connections

History

Literary devices

Use of Personification: “the power and wanton devastation of war” is represented in this poem. The illustrations show the consequences of war.

Reading level/ Interest Age

Grade 5 and up. The book jacket says “all ages.” Some people feel that this book is “scary” and disturbing. It is just as war is. I think that children are exposed to so much directly and indirectly though life and through the media. The earlier children are introduced to truths (like war is devastatingly terrible) the better. Otherwise, there is the chance of raising a generation who is blind to the consequences or sees the wrong causes. This is just a personal opinion, however. There are other people who view this book and poem as political propaganda meant to indoctrinate children to be peaceful. In addition, this particular personified war is evil. It doesn’t show the version where people gain freedom and are liberated. Books like this are great for discussions. I would think it would be good for a middle school debate.

Unfortunately, perhaps books that have these ‘mature’ concepts should be suggested with discretion in a public library setting or for individuals (parents, teachers, etc.) interested in and inquiring about war in general.

Reviews and Awards

Alice Walker won the Pulitzer Prize and an American Book Award for her novel The Color Purple. School Library Journal included Why War is Never a Good Idea in its Best Books of 2007 list.

Author website: No known website.

Illustrator website: www.stefanovitale.com/

Media: Acrylic painting

Genre: Juvenile picture book, poetry

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