Culture 2: Feathers

Bibliography: Woodson, Jacqueline. 2007. Feathers. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. ISBN9780399239892

Plot Summary: Hope. That is what this story is about. Frannie is young African American girl growing up in the early 1970s. She has an older deaf brother who watches out for her and vice versa. Frannie lives in the black neighborhood that is right across the highway from the white neighborhood. One day a new student shows up in class. He was pale with long curly hair. The students start calling him Jesus Boy. Frannie has a special connection with him because he cam also speak in sign language. Frannie learns about hope through her relationships with her parents, brother, and her friends Samantha and Jesus Boy.

Critical Analysis (Including Cultural Markers):
Feathers is written in the first person. It is a story of hope, faith, friendship, and change. It is told through the eyes of Frannie, a young African American girl growing up in the early 1970s. There is a definite sense of segregation in the community she lives in. When a new students joins her sixth grade class some of the students question why the “tall, skinny, white” kid is at their school. There is a bridge that divides the whites from the blacks. Not only does the story deal with African Americans and whites it also deals with the hearing and nonhearing worlds. Frannie's brother is deaf and oftentimes Frannie is the one who translates between him and the girls who are interested in him.

The main characters in the story are Frannie, her brother Sean, her best friend Samantha, Mama, and her classmates Trevor, RayRay, and the new kid they call Jesus Boy. Trevor is described as “lighter than most of the other kids” at the school, and blue-eyed. One time another student asked him if was part white, and Trevor hit him, so no one asked him that again.

Some other cultural markers that are found in the story include language, hair styles, and music. Some phrases found in the story include “being jive”, “jive turkey”, “Black is Beautiful”, “brother-man” or “brother”, and “cat” for a person. Frannie talks about a time when her Mama tried to “straighten out the kink” but she did not like it so she mostly kept it in braids. Every once in a while she would “pick it out into an Afro” but Mama would put it right back into a braid if she saw her like that. Mama told her she needed to be a teenager before she could wear her hair in an Afro. The music they listened to included the Jackson 5 and the 5th Dimension.

Religion is important in Frannie’s family. While Frannie finds a hundred excuses not to go to church, her parents attend services every Sunday, and her grandmother went to two churches on Sundays. Even Frannie’s brother attends more than she does. Samantha helps strengthen Frannie’s religion. There is even discussion about whether or not Jesus is white.

Woodson makes it easy for the reader to empathize with the characters and really feel like they are a part of the story.

Review Excerpt(s):
From School Library Journal
Starred Review. "Stepped through that door white and softly as the snow," notes sixth-grader Frannie, on the arrival of a pale, long-haired boy to her predominantly black middle school on a winter day in 1971. He is dubbed the Jesus Boy by the class rowdy, and the name seems to suit the newcomer's appearance and calm demeanor. Frannie is confused, not only by declarations that he's NOT white, but that her friend Samantha, daughter of a conservative Baptist minister, also seems to believe that he is Jesus. In light of this and other surprises in her life, Frannie questions her own faith and, most of all, the meaning of the Emily Dickinson poem that she is studying in class, "Hope is a thing with feathers/that perches in the soul/…." How does she maintain hope when her newly pregnant mother has lost three babies already? She also worries about her deaf older brother, Sean, who longs to be accepted in the hearing world. She sees the anger in the bully intensify as he targets Jesus Boy. With her usual talent for creating characters who confront, reflect, and grow into their own persons, Woodson creates in Frannie a strong protagonist who thinks for herself and recognizes the value and meaning of family. The story ends with hope and thoughtfulness while speaking to those adolescents who struggle with race, faith, and prejudice. They will appreciate its wisdom and positive connections.—D. Maria LaRocco, Cuyahoga Public Library, Strongsville, OH
From Booklist
There's a lot going on in this small, fast-moving novel that introduces big issues--faith, class, color, prejudice, family, disability, and friendship. Woodson tells her story with immediacy and realism through the stirring first-person narrative of a young girl, Frannie, growing up in 1971. The new boy in school is the only white kid in Frannie's sixth-grade class, and she wonders why he doesn't go to the white school across the highway. He's pleased when some of the kids call him Jesus Boy, and Frannie's devout friend, Samantha, thinks he may be the savior. A few of the boys harass him, especially bullying Trevor--who looks white himself. When the new kid turns out to be far from perfect, Frannie wonders: Was he God's child? Aren't we all? In her loving home, filled with light, hope, and laughter, a deaf older brother has always enriched her life, but Frannie realizes that she still has bridges of prejudice to cross. A good choice for discussion. -Hazel Rochman

Connections:
Discussion Questions and Activities:
The music of The Jackson 5 was mentioned several times in the story. What was some other popular music during this time period? (Teacher should have some sound recordings for the students to listen to.)
Why do you think Frannie would get so upset with the "hearing girls"? Would you react the same way? Why or why not?
Both Frannie and Jesus Boy reached out to help Trevor even after he was so ugly to them. What does this say about their character? Would you do the same thing to someone who was mean to you? Why or why not?
"Mrs. Johnson says everybody has a story." Write your story.
Other Books by Jacqueline Woodson:
Visiting Day- ISBN 9780590400053
Show Way- ISBN 9780399237492
Sweet, Sweet Memory- ISBN 9780786802418
I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This- ISBN 9780399244995

Culture 2: Rich: A Dyamonde Daniel Book

Bibliography: Grimes, Nikki. 2009. Rich: A Dyamonde Daniel Book. Ill. by R. Gregory Chrisitie. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. ISBN 9780399251764

Plot Summary: What does it mean to be rich? Is it how much money you have, or could it be something else? Something more? There is a poetry contest at the local library with a cash prize of $100 for the winning poem. The top 3 poems will also be published on the Kid's Page of the Sunday newspaper. Dyamonde's best friend wants to win the contest. He already has an idea about how he is going to spend his winnings, but the quietest girl in school also signs up for the contest. Dyamonde wants to learn more about this girl, and it is through this new friendship she really learns what it is to be rich.

Critical Analysis (Including Cultural Markers): Nikki Grimes has created an inspiring character in Dyamonde Daniel. Rich is the second book in the Dyamonde Daniel series. This book is told in short chapters, so it is an excellent choice for beginning or struggling readers.

Rich is a story about faith, family, and friendship. It opens with a quick description of the main characters in the story: Dyamonde (a third grader who likes to know everything that is going on), her best friend Free (who dreams buying all of the video games wants), Damaris (the quiet girl in class who never talks), and Dyamonde's mom (a single parent). The story takes place in school, Dyamonde's apartment, and her favorite store where she goes treasure hunting.

The African American culture is all around, but it is not all-consuming. The names of the characters and the illustrations throughout the story are what identify this the most. Dyamonde will start to use language such as "that don't mean" but she quickly corrects herself by saying, "that doesn't mean". All of the characters have hairstyles that are common with the African American culture- braids, Afro, and dreadlocks.

This story is told in the third person. It opens with Dyamonde and Free looking into a store window and Free talking about hating to be poor. Dyamonde lets him know that he is not poor. He has clothes, food, a place to live, and friends to count on. Free accepts this, but that doesn't change his mind in wanting that video game in the window! The next day at school their teacher announces a poetry contest with a $100 prize for first place. Free loves poetry, so he is excited to enter. Dyamonde prefers math, so she decides not to enter the contest. She notices the quietest girl in class raises her hand, and this makes her very curious. She befriends Damaris and learns that she lives in a shelter with her mom and 2 brothers, and she is very good at writing poetry. Dyamonde encourages her to write about her home so others can understand it, and she ends up winning the contest. Her poem is titled "Rich" and it describes how even though she has lost everything she still considers herself rich due to the friendships she has.

R. Gregory Christie is a three-time recipient of a Coretta Scott King Honor Award in Illustration. His illustrations in Rich are simple black and white illustrations that are geared toward the younger crowd. They are simple, yet they capture the mood completely. It is fun to see the relationship change between Dyamonde and Damaris from classmates to the best of friends.

Review Excerpt(s):
From School Library Journal
When their third grade teacher encourages students to enter a local poetry contest, Dyamonde is not interested. However, her best friend Free sees it as an opportunity to win the $100 prize and purchase a new video game. Damaris, a shy new student, also enters the contest, capturing Dyamonde's attention. The three soon become fast friends even as they discover Damaris' secret—she is living in a homeless shelter. Nikki Grimes's beginning chapter book (Putnam, 2009) features inviting characters, an engaging story, and a look at the challenges of poverty. It also poses the question: What makes one truly rich? The rhythm, pacing, and tone of Grimes's narration is captivating, although she doesn't provide unique voices for each character.—Deanna Romriell, Salt Lake City Public Library, UT
From Booklist
Though her best friend, Free, is excited about a poetry contest, Dyamonde has little interest in writing verse. She is curious, though, about Damaris, a new classmate with a secret. Dyamonde befriends her and encourages her to enter the contest with a poem that reveals what she’s been hiding. Featuring several of the same vividly drawn African American characters as the first book in the Dyamonde Daniel series, the second volume looks at the sensitive issues of poverty and homelessness from different angles and in a reassuringly matter-of-fact way. Expressive ink drawings illustrate this fine beginning chapter book. Grades 2-4. --Carolyn Phelan

Connections:
Discussion Questions and Activities:
Dyamonde, Free, and Damaris become best friends. Describe your best friends and explain how they became your best friends.
Why do you think Damaris hid the fact she lived in a homeless shelter?
Write a poem about your family or your friends.
Essay topic: "What Being Rich Means to Me"
What would you do with $100?
Other Books by Nikki Grimes:
From the Dyamonde Daniel Series: Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel ISBN 9780399251757 and Almost Zero ISBN 9780399251771
Oh, Brother! ISBN 9780688172947
Welcome Precious ISBN 9780439557023
When Gorilla Goes Walking ISBN 9780439317702
Danitra Brown, Class Clown ISBN 9780688172909

Culture 2: Minty- A Story of Young Harriet Tubman

Bibliography: Schroeder, Alan. 1996. Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman. Ill. by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0803718896


Plot Summary: This is the story of young Araminta whose nickname was "Minty". (Araminta was the "cradle" name of Harriet Tubman.) Minty was not a very good house slave, so she was sent to work in the fields when she was very young. Minty started thinking of running away after her mistress, Mrs. Brody, threw her favorite rag doll into the fire. Her mother tried to discourage her from having these thoughts, but her father taught her things she would need to know in order to be successful. He taught her how to read the stars, catch fish, swim, and run through the forest without making a sound. One night, after being severely beaten for letting muskrats free from their traps, Minty has the perfect opportunity for escape. Will she do it? Is this her shot at freedom?

Critical Analysis (Including Cultural Markers):
Alan Schroeder tells an inspiring story of a young Harriet Tubman. He opens the story with a message to the readers explaining that while some of the scenes were invented for narrative purposes, the basic facts of the story are true.

The setting of the story is on a plantation in the 1820s. There is a grand house where Mr. and Mrs. Brodas live, and then there is the small living quarters for Minty and her brothers and sisters and mother and father lived. They slept on the straw floor with a few blankets to keep them warm. Some nights Minty had to stick her feet in the ashes at the edge of the pit just to stay warm. Minty is seen wearing the same dull dress throughout the story. After she gets sent to work in the fields she starts wearing a red bandanna on her head to keep "from frying her brains out".

The African American culture is defined through the illustrations and language in the story. Some of the language includes “you know what my daddy done tol’ me?” “tell your mama to make you a bandanna, or, girl, you gonna fry your brains out” and “go up to the big house and ask Missus for some sugar”. Pinkney’s illustrations are extremely lifelike. You can see the anger in Mrs. Brodas’ face when Minty spills the cider, the sorrow in Minty’s face after losing her doll, and the utter hopelessness of her parent’s as they try to comfort her after she’s been beaten. In Pinkney’s opening words he explains how he did extensive research to uncover “the style of plantations” as well as “details regarding backgrounds, dress, food, and living conditions of the enslaved as well as the slave owners”.

Harriet Tubman did not escape from the Brodas plantation until 1849, when she was around twenty-nine years old. This book was so engaging I wish it would have told her story all the way up to this point in her life.

Review Excerpt(s):
From Publishers Weekly
This fictionalized account of Tubman's childhood on a Maryland plantation provides a cruel snapshot of life as a slave and the horrid circumstances that fueled the future Underground Railroad leader's passion and determination. At eight years old, Minty (so-called as a nickname for Araminta) boils with rebellion against her brutal owners and bucks their authority whenever possible. Deeming her too clumsy for housework, Mrs. Brodas banishes Minty to harder work in the fields. Toiling in the hot sun only intensifies Minty's desire to run away to freedom, and soon her father teaches her how to survive in the wild, so that she'll be prepared to make her break one day. Schroeder's (Ragtime Tumpie; Carolina Shout!) choice of lively vignettes rather than a more traditional biography is a wise one. With color and feeling he humanizes a historic figure, coaxing readers to imagine or research the rest of the story. Pinkney's (John Henry) full-bodied watercolors evoke a strong sense of time and place. Laudably, Pinkney's scenes consistently depict young Minty's point of view, giving the harshness of her reality more resonance for readers. A formal author's note follows the text and both Schroeder and Pinkney have included personal messages about the history of the book project. A firm stepping stone toward discussions of slavery and U.S. history. Ages 5-9.
From Booklist
Set on the Maryland plantation where Harriet Tubman ("Minty" ) was raised a slave, this fictionalized story dramatizes what daily life was like for her as a child. Schroeder's words are clear and strong. There's no gracious big house here, no happy slave. The angry Missus sends the "difficult" slave child Minty to work in the fields. When the overseer orders her to check the muskrat traps, she sets the animals free and is whipped for it. Pinkney's realistic portraits are powerful, and, as in John Henry (1994), the dappled double-page landscapes connect the strong child hero with the might of the natural world. Her mother tells her to "pat the lion," but her father knows she means to run away, and several idyllic paintings show him teaching her to read the night sky and swim in the river and survive in the woods. The blend of fact and fiction is occasionally problematic (was she really planning escape at eight years old, or was that age chosen to suit the picture-book audience?), but kids will be moved by the picture of secret childhood rebellion in someone who grew up to lead hundreds to freedom. Hazel Rochman

Connections:
Discussion Questions and Activities:
*Minty loved and valued her rag doll, Esther. Do you have something you value as much as Minty did? How would you feel if someone else destroyed it?
*Explain the saying 'If your head is in the lion's mouth, it's best to pat him a little' in your own words.
*Why do you think Minty's mother did not want her to run away, yet her father taught her what she needed to know in order to have a chance?
*Use three adjectives to describe how Minty felt when she first saw the horse and three different adjectives when she first heard the voices. Explain your choices.
Other books about Harriet Tubman:
A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman by David A. Adler. ISBN 9780823409266
Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom (Caldecott Honor Book) by Carole Boston Weatherford. ISBN 9780786851751
Go Free or Die: A Story About Harriet Tubman by Jeri Ferris. ISBN 9780876145043
Other books by Alan Schroeder:
Ragtime Tumpie- a fictional story about Josephine Baker. ISBN 9780316775045
Satchmo's Blues- a storybook biography of Louis Armstrong. ISBN 9780440414728
Carolina Shout- a picture book about Charleston Street Vendors. ISBN 9780803716766

Culture 1: The Pull of the Ocean

Bibliography: Mourlevat, Jean-Claude. 2006. The Pull of the Ocean. New York, NY: Delacorte Press. ISBN 9780385733489.

Plot Summary: This is the story of Yann Doutreleau and his six brothers. Yann is the youngest of the brothers and the only one who does not have a twin. He is quite small and only communicates with gestures. One night he overhears his parents talk about their plan of killing "all seven of them". He quickly gathers all of his brothers, and they begin their journey to a safe place. They have many mishaps and adventures on their way toward the ocean.

Critical Analysis (Including Cultural Markers): The Pull of the Ocean is a social fable. It is Jean-Claude Mourlevat’s modern reinterpretation of Tom Thumb. The story begins through the eyes of a social worker, Nathalie Josse, who is taking Yann back home after he forgot his book bag for school She leaves the farm feeling very uncomfortable after being treated badly by the mother and witnessing the family environment. Natalie fears she is the last one who sees Yann alive. And thus begins the mystery of Yann’s story.

Each chapter is told through the eyes of different characters- Yann’s parents, brothers, and strangers they come in contact with along the way. The main focus always remains Yann, who is definitely the leader of the group despite his size. The setting takes place in France, with Bordeaux, France being the final destination for the boys’ journey. They are trying to get to the Atlantic Ocean.

The reader is quickly drawn into the lives of these characters and will actually be cheering for the boys’ as they make their way to the ocean. The humorous, dangerous, scary, and enlightening adventures will keep the reader on their toes not wanting the story to end.

Review Excerpt(s):
Mildred L. Batchelder Award (2007)
Starred review, School Library Journal, January 1, 2007:
"A well-crafted mystery awaits anyone reading this fabled jigsaw puzzle . . . a memorable novel that readers will find engaging and intellectually satisfying."
Starred review, Publishers Weekly, January 1, 2007:
"Mourlevat enchantingly blends the harshly read and the make-believe ... [in this] effectively haunting, fluidly translated tale."
From Booklist
Unlike his six older brothers--three sets of twins--who are all tall for their age, 10-year-old Yann is a miniature, no more than two feet tall. However, despite his diminutive stature, his youth, and the fact that he is mute, he is the cleverest of the lot and their unquestioned leader. When he wakes his brothers one dark and stormy night and convinces them that they must leave their parents' farm, they follow him unquestioningly. Sound familiar? It should; it's a retelling of "Tom Thumb." In addition to giving his version a contemporary setting, French author Mourlevat tells the story from multiple points of view. He also invests it with some symbolic weight--Yann can be viewed as a Christ figure. The ending leaves readers a bit at sea, but the story is intriguing, and the relationship among the brothers is heartwarming. -Michael Cart

Connections:
Classroom Activities-
Read Tom Thumb and then compare/contrast the stories using a Venn diagram.
Write your own account of their adventures. Pretend you were one of the witnesses. What did you see? How did you help them?
Write a continuation of the story. Where did Yann end up and what is he doing? What happened to his brothers once they got home?
Other Batchelder Award Winning Books-
2010 A Faraway Island, written by Annika Thor, translated from the Swedish by Linda Schenck. ISBN 0385736177
2009 Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit, written by Nahoko Uehashi, translated from the Japanese by Cathy Hirano. ISBN 9780545005432
2008 Brave Story, written by Miyuki Miyabe and translated from the Japanese by Alexander O. Smith. ISBN 9781421527734
2006 An Innocent Soldier written by Josef Holub and translated from the German by Michael Hofmann. ISBN 9780439627719
2005 The Shadows of Ghadames by Joëlle Stolz, translated from the French by Catherine Temerson. ISBN 9780440419495

Culture 1: Garmann's Street

Bibliography: Hole, Stian. 2008. Garmann's Street. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780802853578.

Plot Summary: Garmann is a young boy who is constantly bullied by an older boy from his neighborhood named Roy. Roy makes up stories and tells lies yet everyone listens to him. One day Garmann walks into Stamp Man's yard to collect flowers for his flower book for school. Roy suddenly appears and bullies him into lighting a match. Garmann drops the match after it burns his fingers and the dry grass in the yard catches fire. He tries desperately to put it out but he cannot do it alone. Firefighters are finally able to put the fire out before Stamp Man's house catches fire. Stamp Man is impressed that Garmann did not try to run away after starting the fire, and he ends up taking the matches and hiding them before Garmann's mom sees them. Garmann and Stamp Man become unlikely friends in the end.


Critical Analysis (Including Cultural Markers): Stian Hole is an award-winning Norwegian author and illustrator. The realistic illustrations are what drew me to this book. (I especially liked Elvis is the leaf blower at the end of the story.) The facial expressions of each of the characters sometimes say more than the words on the pages. The reader can empathize with Garmann as he is being bullied. We are scared with him as he is trying to put out the fire, and we feel the pain of Stamp Man as he watches the fire consume his yard and quite possibly his house. And even though Roy, the bully, is showing the "peace" sign you can see mischievousness all over his face.

The types of flowers found in his flower book, germander speedwell, bloody cranesbill, and hairy rock cress, are one indication the story takes place outside of the United States. There are also postage stamps from around the world on various pages throughout the book.

Garmann's father always says that "life is never completely safe". Garmann thinks about this as he wanders into Stamp Man's overgrown yard. The neighborhood kids think Stamp Man is a creepy old man whose head is "full of ideas that haven't been sorted". An unlikely friendship forms after the fire. Garmann starts to realize that the Stamp Man is not so bad after all. He starts to spend more and more time with him. They share quirky facts with each other like "you think 50,000 thoughts every day" and "there are 440 steps to school". The story begins and ends with Garmann making observations of everything he sees outside of his window.

This is the follow-up book to Garmann's Summer, which won the 2007 Bologna Ragazzi Award.

Review Excerpts:
Publishers Weekly
This sequel to Garmann's Summer traverses equally inventive, if unsettling, territory. A bully named Roy, who is “Congress, God, the basketball team's top scorer, and first in everything” pressures Garmann to light a match, which starts a fire in the yard of a scary, eccentric neighbor, known as the “Stamp Man.” The fire is put out, and an odd friendship grows between Garmann and the man, who shares with the boy his stamp collection and unconventional trains of thought. “If you stretch out your intestines, they will be over twenty-five feet long,” he says, to which Garmann replies, “There are 440 steps to school, 230 days until summer vacation... and I am always last to be picked when we make teams at recess time.” Such revealing, unexpected connections also occur in the wild juxtaposition of illustrations and photos, including oversize heads, stamp cancellations, and a rainstorm comprising people in parachutes. With its dark undercurrents and startlingly original style, this book may not have broad appeal. But for children aware that “Life is never completely safe,” as Garmann's father says, it will be reassuring to see the help a like-minded companion can offer. Ages 6-10. (Apr.)
From Booklist
Norwegian author-illustrator Hole applies his philosophical sensibility and blisteringly original visual style to another multilayered peek into the life of young Garmann. Egged on by the neighborhood alpha boy, Garmann lights a match and accidentally sets a fire in the overgrown yard of the strange old man who lives at the end of the street. After an intense sequence putting the blaze out, Garmann and the man form the cautious friendship of kindred spirits. The old man's transformation from a creepy weirdo to a quirky grandfather figure is pitched nearly seamlessly. Hole's mixed-media collage artwork may be unmatched in capturing some of the true flavor of childhood whimsy and wonder, including the sometimes darker side. Here he hints at this subtext, but it never becomes quite as unsettling (or as powerful) as the scary spreads of the deaths-head aunts in his Batchelder Honor Book, Garmann's Summer (2008). With the same respect for the intelligence and mental flexibility of his audience, Hole suggests much but tells little in this deceptively simple slice-of-life tale. Grades 1-3. --Ian Chipman

Connections
Discussion Questions:
Describe a time when you or a friend were bullied. How did you respond to it?
Describe Garmann's character. What kind of person was he?
How did the illustrations help you understand the characters and story better?
Other books by this author:
Garmann's Summer (translated by Don Bartlett)ISBN 9780802853394
Other 2011 USBBY Outstanding International Books:
I Know Here by Laurel Croza. Illus. by Matt James. (Canada) ISBN 9780888999238
April and Esme, Tooth Fairies by Bob Graham. (Australia) ISBN 9780763646837
Oops! by Jean-Luc Fromental. Translated by Thomas Connors. Illus. by Joëlle Jolivet. (France) ISBN 9780810987494
The Shadow Hunt by Katherine Langrish. (UK)ISBN 9780061116766

Culture 1- Feathers and Fools

by Mem Fox


A. Bibliography: Fox, Mem. 1996. Feathers and Fools. Ill. by Nicholas Wilton. San Diego: Harcourt Brace & Company. ISBN 9780152004736.

B. Plot Summary This is a modern fable about some peacocks and swans who allow the fears of their differences to become so great they end up destroying each other. The peacocks first observe the swans can swim and fly yet they cannot. They became paranoid and worried the swans were going to try to change their way of life. They prepare to defend themselves against the swans if needed. The swans, hearing of the peacocks' plans, prepare themselves for battle too. A fight to the death breaks out after a peacock mistakenly identifies a swan as carrying an arrow instead of a reed for nest-making. A baby peacock and swan hatch and notice they are both alike with feathers and wings. They become fast friends and focus on their similarities rather than their differences.

C. Critical Analysis (Including Cultural Markers) Mem Fox tells an important universal message in her story Feathers and Fools. Too often we judge others on misperceptions or our own insecurities which can become our biggest downfall. What a wonderful, peaceful world it would be if only we were like the young peacock and swan who only focus on what they have in common and not their differences.

The setting of the story occurs in a garden near a clear blue lake. It could be at any place in the world. The illustrations are brilliant. Wilton uses bright, vivid colors to show the beauty of both the peacocks and the swans. The colors turn to darker shades when the insecurities of the birds start to appear. Wilton made a good decision by choosing not to show the carnage left after the bloody battle. Instead he makes his point by coloring the entire page in a deep maroon. The colors become brighter again as we see eggs hatching and bringing new life again.

Fox's picture book makes the reader think about the world we live in and how peaceful it could be if only we would let it. It is easy to replace the birds in the story with humans. It is a powerful message that reaches across the continents.


D. Review Excerpts
From Publishers Weekly
PW said of this allegorical tale of war between swans and peacocks, "The text's pointed poetry will sink directly into children's hearts, while the mysteries [depicted in] the sophisticated acrylics offer possibilities for contemplation and discovery." Ages 6-9. (May.-- the sophisticated acrylics offer possibilities for contemplation and discovery." Ages 6-9. (May)
From School Library Journal
This allegory is alive with symbolic references and ideas. The pictures, however, are what lift the story out of the ordinary. Wilton's full-page acrylic paintings on the right are framed with primitive borders laid against a second border of solid black. The left-hand page displays brief text set on a background of geometric and natural forms in symbolic shapes (roses and thorns, snakes and fish) in colors that are shaded with darkness but nonetheless vivid. This tale will be an easy step-off to discussion of the late arms-race, perhaps helping to clarify thoughts, even to changing opinions. Fox clearly implies that war is the result of stupidity and unreasonable fear.

E. Connections
Discussion questions:
Why did the peacocks become fearful of the swans?
Why did they swans start making their own weapons?
Describe the friendship between the peacock and swan in 5 years.
What are the similarities and differences between us in this classroom?

Other picture books by Mem Fox:
Koala Lou (illustrated by Pamela Lofts) ISBN 9780152005023
Whoever You Are (illustrated by Leslie Staub) ISBN 9780152007874
Possum Magic (illustrated by Julie Vivas) ISBN 9780152005726
Harriet, You'll Drive Me Wild! (illustrated by Marla Frazee)ISBN 9780152019778