tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52300317057653204212024-02-20T01:26:02.008-08:00Moving Train LibrarySuzanne Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07879453880832706974noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-72918114709412257502018-10-26T23:56:00.000-07:002018-10-27T07:51:20.808-07:00We Are the Vessels of Our Stories: Recording My Grandma's Stories So They May Exist Outside of HerI felt very lucky tonight. My mom, daughter, and I all went to visit my grandma whose health has been declining more once again, and this time it sounds dire. She has endured a series of incidences for years now, most recently suffering a stroke, which has limited her ability to eat, drink, and speak well. But, tonight, while garbled, she was in a talking mood.<br />
<br />
My grandma is the relative I've always felt most like. We joke in my family that, while we come from a strong line of women, the aspect of "girliness" skips generations. My mom always seemed disappointed that I didn't want to wear dresses and makeup; but, she at last found good company with my daughter who shares her interest in fashion.<br />
<br />
For me, I've always felt an affinity for basic styles like my grandma. I feel like we share a love for simplicity and practicality. Tonight, she told us how her mom, my great-grandma, used to think she was too much of a tomboy. Her mom was concerned about looks and would do things like shave my grandma's arms and legs since she was a hairy child. This once again supports the theory about beauty-obsession skipping generations!<br />
<br />
Regarding her tomboyishness, though, my grandma says she couldn't help it because she was sandwiched between two older brothers and two younger brothers before another girl was born. She would hang out with her brothers and they would let her tag along as long as she promised not to cry.<br />
<br />
These memories of her childhood, they come from the period before her whole family was sent away to Poston. As a child, my grandma grew up with her family on a farm in El Centro in the Central Valley. Tonight, she shared how her brothers would go swimming in a canal and her job was to keep watch since they weren't supposed to swim in the water meant for drinking. If she spotted someone coming, she would yell, "The man is coming!" and her brothers would get out of the water before getting caught.<br />
<br />
The whole concept of water during this time period is so hard for me to imagine given the privileged plumbing I enjoy. At their home, my grandma explained that there was a pond they used for water for things like washing clothes and drinking. The pond would run out, though, and so her mom would order more water "by the foot" and it would get delivered to refill the pond. Apparently, my great-grandma used to wash clothes by hand until her hands bled. For drinking, there was some sort of filtering system, and as far as toilets, it was just an outhouse.<br />
<br />
Life on the farm was hard work, but happy memories my grandma shares seem to often center around animals. As long as I've known my grandma, she has been both a dog lover and the most loved by all dogs. In the past, my grandma <a href="https://patch.com/california/lamesa/bp--my-grandmas-leaking-memories-about-the-japanese-iab328f7f8e" target="_blank">talked about her family's mules</a>, but tonight she spoke mostly of the dogs. She told the story about how she once fell asleep under her house. Her family was worried when they couldn't find her and looked all over when she was right underneath them all that time, sleeping snuggled up with a puppy.<br />
<br />
When it came to going to school, it was a dog once again that was always by my grandma's side. Every morning, she says that their German Shepherd would walk her to the bus stop, a distance she estimates was about a half-mile. After seeing her off, the dog would return home. But, it would go back every afternoon on its own to meet her at the same bus stop to accompany her home. She would give the dog a piece of bread when they arrived at the house and it would be so happy.<br />
<br />
The dog was so loyal that, even when they were sent to the incarceration camps and had to give it away to a neighbor, it would apparently go looking for them at their old home. It is a story similar to the <a href="https://patch.com/california/lamesa/bp--my-grandmas-leaking-memories-about-the-japanese-iab328f7f8e" target="_blank">mules returning to their stalls</a> and so I tried to confirm that all of these animals - the dog and the mules - were really returning in search of their old home and family. I started to wonder if my grandma's memories could be getting jumbled together; although, there is no way she could have even known back then since it would have all been secondhand stories reported to her from neighbors.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, it does seem like my grandma's family had some neighbors who extended kindness during the War. For instance, there were people who stored some of the family's belongings and supposedly kept them safe during the forced incarceration. The article of proof we have of this safekeeping is my grandma's <i>Ochigo </i>headpiece, which <a href="https://twitter.com/suzannesannwald/status/787712684141662208" target="_blank">my own daughter got to wear just a couple of years ago</a>.<br />
<br />
Another gesture of kindness that my grandma recalls is when the library staff in Poston gave her a birthday cake for her 18th birthday. (Yes, it turns out <a href="https://movingtrainlibrary.blogspot.com/2015/01/my-work-in-school-library-unexpectedly.html" target="_blank">my grandma had worked in a library like me</a>!) She was so excited to share it with her family that she ran to show her parents, only to learn that her father was in the camp hospital. He had suffered a heart attack and ended up dying on her birthday, the reason why she never enjoyed celebrating her birthday moving forward.<br />
<br />
My grandma has said in the past that maybe her father's heart attack was caused by stress over losing the farm since he died so soon after they had been forced from their home and livelihood. The one thing that seems certain is that he adored her, just as her mom did, too. She explains that she was her mom's "puppy," and given my grandma's love for dogs, this is a treasured role. Of course, she justifies that her parents depended on her and that she always said yes and never said no to them. She was loyal, indeed just like a puppy.<br />
<br />
Compliance, however, seems to have limited her in other ways. She remarked how her own mom got to go back to Japan two times to visit. But, having been born in the United States, she never got to go once. I can tell my mom is saddened by this trip that my grandma will never get to go on, and she tells my grandma how she would have certainly taken her if she had known that she wanted to go. Why didn't my grandma voice this desire? I guess my grandma did have plans at one time to travel to Japan with her sister Kik, but those plans fell through when her husband, my grandpa, got diagnosed with cancer. After he died, she says she just didn't care anymore.<br />
<br />
As my mom, my daughter, and I all sat next to my grandma tonight - four generations of women spanning in age from 95 to 8 years old - all I could feel was gratitude for getting to hear these stories. Some of them I've heard before and forgotten to different degrees. Some were brand new to me. Still, I can't help but wonder how many other stories remain that I will never get to hear.<br />
<br />
Before we said goodbye for the night, my grandma remarked with a sense of wonder something along the lines of, "I guess this old lady has been through some difficult times." She explained how she made it through growing up on the farm and going to camp. A specific memory surfaced about having to wait in long lines in the unbearable heat for food. It was so hot that she thought they would die while standing, carrying a plate, a fork, a knife, and a spoon. The worst part was, when they finally got their food, it was - and she paused a bit indicating her disappointment - "corned beef and cabbage."<br />
<br />
My mom perked up to have caught another new detail escape from my grandma that she had never heard before. It is another story that I am grateful to know, one more piece of my grandma's past that helps me imagine her life and my history. We were so in the moment of listening that we did not record her words on our phones and we did not attempt to write. All of that activity would have likely made her self-conscious and taken away our attention as listeners, as well.<br />
<br />
Of course, the moment that my mom, daughter, and I stepped outside my grandma's house, we all agreed that we needed to write down as much as possible before we forget. And so, this is my attempt to record the stories that my grandma shared tonight, so that they may survive outside of her and beyond us.Suzanne Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07879453880832706974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-31576778525320498652018-10-02T20:31:00.000-07:002018-10-03T14:19:12.096-07:00Why Don't They (Just) ____?: Dropping "Just" and Seeking to Understand<b>Asking As A Parent</b><br />
<br />
With two school-age children of my own, I have often heard complaints among parents in the vein of "Why don't they just ____?," where "they" are the school, the teacher, the principal, etc. I myself have been guilty of these exasperations:<br />
<ul>
<li>Why don't they <i>just </i>email us this information? </li>
<li>Why don't they <i>just </i>put this on the school website? </li>
<li>Why don't they <i>just </i>print this for us?</li>
</ul>
Working in a public school, though, I realize that the answers are often not so simple. It's not always a matter of "just."<br />
<br />
<i>Why don't they email? </i>Probably time. Teachers don't have a whole marketing or communications department on their side. It is just them, doing it all, and chances are high that it's all alone and on top of all of their other core responsibilities.<br />
<br />
<i>Why don't they put this on the website? </i>It could be time (see above). It could be that the school's web host was down. It could be a matter of who has editing access and if that person is available (see above regarding time).<br />
<br />
<i>Why don't they print out this form or that packet? </i>It could be time (see above). There may be no paper allowance available or the toner is out and there is no budget for more. Or, the machine could be broken... yet again.<br />
<br />
Is there room for improvement and should educators strive to improve? Of course! Always! But, as a parent, I try to regularly replace "just" with a little understanding.<br />
<br />
<b>Asking As An Educator</b><br />
<br />
Parents aren't the only ones guilty of asking "just" questions. Working at a school, I will hear staff members similarly question, "Why don't they just ____?" about students and parents. For instance, while managing Chromebooks for our district's 1:1 implementation, questions arise such as the following:<br />
<ul>
<li>Why don't they <i>just </i>charge their Chromebook at night?</li>
<li>Why don't they <i>just </i>write a better explanation about how they broke their Chromebook?</li>
<li>Why don't they <i>just </i>buy Chromebook insurance on the website?</li>
</ul>
<div>
Over the past four years of helping with Chromebooks, though, I have encountered circumstances that convince me that it is similarly not always a matter of "just." In fact, my recent experience with a parent crystallized this for me.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
To provide some context, managing Chromebooks is a lot of work. Helping students and parents with Chromebook insurance is just one element of management and it alone causes extra work at the beginning of the school year while the purchasing window is open. The recommended method for families to purchase insurance is online; but, even with this self-service process, parents often call or email for help figuring out what information they should enter on the online form.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Why don't they know what to put on the form? </i>Obviously, they don't live and breathe Chromebooks like those of us who manage them, and so it makes sense. It's tedious, but it is understandable.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If families don't use the online option, there's another layer of frustration since the paper form process causes an extra burden of work. We must still help with figuring out what information should be entered on the paper form. In addition, we must make copies of forms for the parent and the school, add notes to our online circulation system, package and mail forms and checks to the district, and double-check that submissions have been received and processed. So...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Why don't they buy Chromebook insurance on the website? </i>Some families may not have wifi access at home. Some families may not have the ability to make online payments. Or, my recent experience opened my eyes to another reason I had not considered.<br />
<br />
<b>Asking Because Of A Parent</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It started off with a phone call from the front office. There was a parent who wanted to purchase insurance and needed help. It was after my official workday was over and I was tired out, but I took a deep breath and explained the process and the fact that payment needed to be made by check. The parent did not have their checkbook with them and so we resolved to connect the next day.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
By the end of the next day, I had long forgotten about the parent until the library door opened and in they walked with a checkbook in hand. Spotting the checkbook, I knew right away why they were there and so I went to get the paper insurance form and printout with the student's Chromebook information that I had set aside the day before due to the phone call.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I handed the paperwork to the parent and then they leaned in and whispered, "I can't read or write." It must have been clear that the words didn't fully register with me upon the first utterance and so they repeated, "I can't read or write."<br />
<br />
<i>Why didn't they buy Chromebook insurance on the website? </i>Because they're illiterate.</div>
<div>
<br />
After processing what this meant in terms of completing the transaction, I quickly shifted gears to help fill out as many of the paper form fields as possible, all while explaining what I was writing: Chromebook model, serial number, and so forth. For fields that required personal information, the parent was able to write in the basics that they've surely mastered to memory over the years.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The point that really made me pause, though, was when it came to the parent writing a check for payment. I pointed out the payee so that they could copy it. I confirmed which plan they wanted and specified the corresponding payment amount required. They wrote the numbers in the box on the check, and then they unfolded a scrap of paper from their wallet with a handwritten reference chart for how to write out numbers in word form: twenty, thirty, forty, etc.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The parent found the words that matched with the corresponding numbers and then copied them to the check. They clearly had their system to navigate through the world, and any previous feelings of impatience I had slunk away. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I finished up the transaction with the parent and wrote down my contact information in case they had any further questions. Of course, now it is my own questions that keep bubbling up.</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><i>How did the parent learn about the option to purchase insurance?</i> It sounded like the child had perhaps told them. Although, the parent also mentioned that their child is "not always the most responsible" and so it is necessary to remind them about things a lot.</li>
<li><i>How challenging might it be to rely on a child for decoding the written world while still parenting that child?</i></li>
<li><i>How many times do I not consider barriers to entry that may exist?</i> As often as they are outside of my own experience. In this case, it took the parent making themself vulnerable to expand my awareness.</li>
</ul>
<div>
As I filed away a copy of the insurance registration paper form, I noted the two sets of handwriting: mine and that of the parent. When it came to filling out the form, I was helping them. But, as I picture the juxtaposition, I am left thinking of how the parent helped me. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
They reminded me about the importance of striking "just" from my questions and truly pausing to ask, "Why don't they ____?" </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If I am open to the full explanations for these questions, then perhaps I can make changes so that "they will ____." Or, in the least, I might at least understand why not.</div>
</div>
Suzanne Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07879453880832706974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-8803257802685701162018-09-21T06:34:00.000-07:002018-09-21T09:44:58.448-07:00Managing Chromebooks and the Stories of Our StuffAt the school where I work as a teacher librarian, this is the fourth year of our 1:1 technology implementation with students. While this has been a huge undertaking that takes a lot of work at both the district and site levels from a whole team of staff members, I have found myself on the frontline of customer service when it comes to Chromebooks at my site.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Managing Chromebooks has been an often overwhelming task, at times filling all of my day's work, and in the least, interrupting it sporadically throughout the day, every single day without fail. Yesterday, one of the interruptions made me cry.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Admittedly, Chromebooks have made me literally cry more than a few times due to sheer exhaustion or when I've reached my mental limit with the constant barrage of issues; but this time, it was a slow, still pooling of tears.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhuoU0bER-945S8ENx2slkU3iEFd-NFs4PC0mhv5qZgxyptQZZfjZrWVX51ou5br5sr729ep-tjdTnhjjlkrPwe55dI1ShDJxdRKNI4m5z-vP0Cv_NueCCpvxWYzHkd-SoU022weVRZdv/s1600/IMG_2451.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhuoU0bER-945S8ENx2slkU3iEFd-NFs4PC0mhv5qZgxyptQZZfjZrWVX51ou5br5sr729ep-tjdTnhjjlkrPwe55dI1ShDJxdRKNI4m5z-vP0Cv_NueCCpvxWYzHkd-SoU022weVRZdv/s400/IMG_2451.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The library door opened and an adult I didn't recognize entered with a Chromebook in hand. This is a common enough occurrence. It is typically a parent returning the Chromebook for a student who is exiting the school mid-year. I was all set to help with the "checking out" process when the person explained they were returning the Chromebook of a student who died last year.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The student's name was on a sticky note on the Chromebook's top cover. I didn't recognize the name, but my heart fell immediately. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My husband was an anthropology major in college, and so over the years, he's peppered in references to "contagious magic," the idea that things we've had contact with continue to hold a connection to us even after they're no longer part of us or in our direct possession. This instance brought the concept to my mind.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
With the logical part of my brain, I did my usual visual scan of Chromebook's condition. There was nothing broken, but it had the typical wear-and-tear evident from use. I scanned the barcode to check it back into our tracking system and then put it in a pile to be cleaned for future use.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsMBw7-y3fsnvrHOhd49HYwmkwL7PdxR0IDzDCspGXRCmRucLGU-pG2RHUkzfIKm8O4Kgmcmr-YIIrDM-h3nzBHbZ_GffT2bzuRNz8M0Mv1miS1iz28JtJeBOcFZ1APpuhgz1NzQ2gSGT/s1600/IMG_2446.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsMBw7-y3fsnvrHOhd49HYwmkwL7PdxR0IDzDCspGXRCmRucLGU-pG2RHUkzfIKm8O4Kgmcmr-YIIrDM-h3nzBHbZ_GffT2bzuRNz8M0Mv1miS1iz28JtJeBOcFZ1APpuhgz1NzQ2gSGT/s400/IMG_2446.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
With the emotional part of my heart, though, I couldn't help thinking that I was holding the machine that this student once held. As I used the touchpad to "remove the user" with the student's name and kitten profile image from the login screen, I thought about how student's fingertips once touched the same touchpad and keys countless times.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This was a machine the student likely used to interact with the outside world, writing their ideas into essays for classes, sending and receiving messages, peering into the lives of others on YouTube, searching up answers to questions.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The adult who brought in the Chromebook explained that while the student had passed away during the previous school year, the parents weren't able to deal with it earlier and they apologized because they didn't have the charger, but would continue to look for it.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
At a time when I can't imagine a parent feeling more powerless in the world, they were worried about finding the power adapter.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-IAYwwIUiVNmQVfJyeoUVuDaupRBaryGQaH7bbedBMJxLpd_PVTQN0Esg3WFsLBwJ9AmjsXkN3B5Mj3t_HGIEkScU4GajmJ6VgWgLmwrLi06RacSwo6wQSraJ__A50Z4phQAQBFCiJOfa/s1600/IMG_2452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-IAYwwIUiVNmQVfJyeoUVuDaupRBaryGQaH7bbedBMJxLpd_PVTQN0Esg3WFsLBwJ9AmjsXkN3B5Mj3t_HGIEkScU4GajmJ6VgWgLmwrLi06RacSwo6wQSraJ__A50Z4phQAQBFCiJOfa/s400/IMG_2452.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Most Chromebook stories that I hear do not end so tragically, yet bearing witness to the accounts is nonetheless a way I find myself connecting to students' lives and experiences.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There was the badly dented Chromebook that barely survived a car crash. The parents had been driving with the Chromebook in the backseat when the accident destroyed the entire back half of the car. The Chromebook was all bent up, but luckily nobody had been riding there. The whole family was grateful that it was just the Chromebook back there.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Another student reported getting their whole backpack, including their Chromebook, stolen when mugged at a park near their home. This was a student who was perpetually smiling, cheerful, and confidently friendly on a regular day. But, on this particular day, the student stood with their shoulders low and with a flatness in their demeanor I had never seen. They were scared.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There was the Chromebook with profane scars carved over its entire body, external expressions of anger and frustration.<br />
<br />
There was the charger left in a hotel room overseas when a student traveled to attend a family member's memorial service.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There was the Chromebook turned in by a stranger who found it behind an apartment washing machine. It turns out it had been left behind when the student's family was forced to move in a hurry.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
Fortunately, not all stories are sad. There are, for instance, many stories of new pets. Cute puppies can do a lot of damage! One visually memorable case came in at the beginning of this school year. It was the most destroyed charger I have ever seen. The student brought in every bit and piece of it, the work of a cute Jack Russell (I got the student to show me a photo).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEvGDD7zAF5go6ZGxKJiEmWEPrPa3Z-VUvwr2aWG4ZexPmEcO_pxETsTbf-3DW9lBRTNB2c7SK4P3WOsQ1bClzjqkaEylb40VbEGqH6ahB9Q_mpTA4d-ycxjlQj0JdibdJnWaIjlL_mkK/s1600/IMG_2448.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEvGDD7zAF5go6ZGxKJiEmWEPrPa3Z-VUvwr2aWG4ZexPmEcO_pxETsTbf-3DW9lBRTNB2c7SK4P3WOsQ1bClzjqkaEylb40VbEGqH6ahB9Q_mpTA4d-ycxjlQj0JdibdJnWaIjlL_mkK/s400/IMG_2448.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Another amusing damage case was a screen broken by yet another dog. The student had their pup's photo set as their wallpaper image, but there they were, the noteworthy cracks of a shattered screen now obscuring the dog's face. All you could see were the paws, the same ones that had done the damage.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBxUuZMZI0nOdo_ehRdvgQvlmd_jqnBgbuzj4X20tS5CK_h7xhLb2IxSsKzL1E2J0ogyDklZ4Ft8TiIaAU8HxX3vfN10Rrg2KwT4GGJLgVdSmoEzNivSQA60g042RvxpSIfgdvgY5cwiQ/s1600/CqoYmuvUkAAP9NA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBxUuZMZI0nOdo_ehRdvgQvlmd_jqnBgbuzj4X20tS5CK_h7xhLb2IxSsKzL1E2J0ogyDklZ4Ft8TiIaAU8HxX3vfN10Rrg2KwT4GGJLgVdSmoEzNivSQA60g042RvxpSIfgdvgY5cwiQ/s400/CqoYmuvUkAAP9NA.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
Whether it is regarding Chromebooks or helping students in other ways in the library, I see every interaction as an opportunity. Sometimes a transaction is just a simple transaction; but, sometimes it can reveal an entire story and I feel privileged when it allows me to connect with students.</div>
Suzanne Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07879453880832706974noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-23919462290569028152017-02-11T09:12:00.000-08:002017-02-11T09:16:59.452-08:00The Shushing Stereotype and Communicating with HeartAs part of my MLIS ePortfolio work, I am now writing about Competency C: "Demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for professional work including collaboration and presentations." My post that follows is adapted from my competency reflection.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
When thinking about this competency related to communication, I reflected on how ironic it is that the stereotype of the shushing librarian is so common since it conveys the very shutting down of communication. With a ghostly apparition shushing in Ghostbusters and a gargantuan tentacled librarian in Monsters University hunting down mischief-makers, one might think that librarians are downright scary when it comes to enforcing silence.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/MYjFKsJjCP0/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MYjFKsJjCP0?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Xv_WUy_e8ho/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Xv_WUy_e8ho?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
However, let us consider the case of the <a href="https://mcphee.com/pages/librarian-action-figure" target="_blank">Nancy Pearl librarian action figure</a>. First released in 2003, the product description includes the following marketed feature: "Pull her arm down, then press the button on her back and the arm will move up to her lips with 'amazing shushing action!'"(Archie McPhee, 2017). Amazing shushing action! The thing is, the toy's producer Archie McPhee highlights the story of the librarian that the toy is modeled after: Nancy Pearl. Looking at Pearl's work, it is clear that she is far from obsessed with shushing. Perhaps best known for launching the first One City One Book program in Seattle in 1998 (S., 2005), Pearl is so busy communicating - whether writing books, teaching classes, or <a href="http://www.npr.org/people/6395311/nancy-pearl" target="_blank">speaking on NPR</a> - that "to use a singularly appropriate word, this woman is booked" (Broom, 2005).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodh-0d8ExSX_haAyTfR_t5GSB6Y9xitmTs2dmUNcGLxhQlpwh6N_khb2suEssh0ihXTNYz9BpN3vLFyvroQSe5nr09_JknsixAxhl0_2hZsBcCUQTi4K4CdRZCt6jNJqCNKXApY4zqVms/s1600/shush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodh-0d8ExSX_haAyTfR_t5GSB6Y9xitmTs2dmUNcGLxhQlpwh6N_khb2suEssh0ihXTNYz9BpN3vLFyvroQSe5nr09_JknsixAxhl0_2hZsBcCUQTi4K4CdRZCt6jNJqCNKXApY4zqVms/s320/shush.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a class="" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/slgc/3156799476" target="_blank">slgckgc</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Worth noting, Pearl did address opposition to the figure's shushing action: "There are too many other things in the world to be shocked and outraged about...As librarians, we need to take our work seriously, but we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously" (Broom, 2005). My philosophy is similar in terms of simply combatting stereotypes through the work that I do. In addressing this competency, this means consistently communicating in effective ways, whether the communication is oral or written, and whether I am helping an individual person or addressing a large audience. And, in terms of effectiveness, I want to emphasize the importance of communication being greater than just the message and the messenger. As we can learn by looking at communication theory, communication is dependent upon the receiver, as well.<br />
<br />
When thinking about ways to account for the receivers of messages, I love to learn from the field of User Experience (UX) and an article that has inspired me this past year is "<a href="https://austinknight.com/writing/good-design-is-humble/" target="_blank">Good Design is Humble</a>" by Austin Knight (2016) who writes:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
If there’s anything that design has taught me, it’s that my assumptions, while generally well-founded, are almost always wrong. No matter how much of an expert I become, I will never be able to represent the collective mass that is a user base. This is why humility in the design process is so important...the designer is not designing for themselves; they’re designing for the user. It’s simply in the nature of design: whenever you’re creating for someone else, the creation can’t be about you. And as such, designers must take a humble approach to design, or risk being handicapped by their own egos.</blockquote>
Knight uses terminology related to design, but his ideas are helpful when applied to communication in general. When communicating, it cannot be about me as the messenger, but about the users I am trying to communicate with. If the majority of my users do not receive messages the way I intend for them to, I cannot blame them. Instead, I must reflect on ways to improve <i>how </i>I am communicating. For instance, over time, I have learned to improve my library signage by using fewer words and more visuals. With printing in my library, I started off by creating detailed step-by-step instructions about how to print. The instructions were accurate, but students never read them and so they failed to effectively relay information. Rather than berating students to read the instructions, though, I have experimented with making new versions of guidance that are much simpler. While I have omitted details, I have left the markers that are most essential and highlighted those with visuals. Through trial and error and by observing the way that users interact with information, I constantly seek to refine my delivery to ensure messages are being received as I hope they will be.<br />
<br />
Finally, since the example about printing instructions is unidirectional with information flowing from me as the messenger to my students as receivers, I want to insert that my most powerful communication experiences are actually those that are multidirectional. More than lecturing, I thrive on conversation. More than leading alone, I gain strength from collaboration. Along these lines, I think the most effective communicators are those who observe, listen, and are open to receiving <i>from </i>others as much as they are to delivering <i>to </i>others. Activities such as listening may be assumed to be passive by some people, but as expressed with the Listen With Intent slide from Elgan (2013) below, listening is more than hearing and involves considering our own personal biases and seeking to understand others. Effective communication requires being present with undivided attention and heart, and this is how I aim to show up as a communicator in my work.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQ3qemB0LimQO5XbKvIUssOoDUC_qFp040Zaxl_K3SUkE-STSJjwzqFkyHIKSgzypx3vWOUSpKEiNAQHTYqP_DJgWTPNwoDxqcdVDW5jkyaF8yNnFxQAhb5uvJBPYOqPn5zaETN_WS0WV/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252810%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoQ3qemB0LimQO5XbKvIUssOoDUC_qFp040Zaxl_K3SUkE-STSJjwzqFkyHIKSgzypx3vWOUSpKEiNAQHTYqP_DJgWTPNwoDxqcdVDW5jkyaF8yNnFxQAhb5uvJBPYOqPn5zaETN_WS0WV/s400/Unnamed+image+%252810%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/AnthonyElgan/communication-listening-29114976/7" target="_blank">Anthony Elgan</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>References</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Archie McPhee. (2017). Librarian action figure. Retrieved from <a href="https://mcphee.com/pages/librarian-action-figure" target="_blank">https://mcphee.com/pages/librarian-action-figure</a></li>
<li>Broom, J. (2005, August 11). All booked up: Nancy Pearl's fame continues to grow. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/all-booked-up-nancy-pearls-fame-continues-to-grow" target="_blank">http://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/all-booked-up-nancy-pearls-fame-continues-to-grow</a>/</li>
<li>Elgan, A. (2013, December 11). Communication: Listening. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/AnthonyElgan/communication-listening-29114976/" target="_blank">http://www.slideshare.net/AnthonyElgan/communication-listening-29114976/</a></li>
<li>Knight, A. (2016, January 31). Good design is humble. Retrieved from <a href="https://austinknight.com/writing/good-design-is-humble/" target="_blank">https://austinknight.com/writing/good-design-is-humble/</a></li>
<li>P., S. (2005). "One Book" programs span the nation. <i>American Libraries, 36</i>(5), 19.</li>
</ul>
Akemi Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03273241834693200970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-6986591623650066682017-02-04T10:28:00.000-08:002017-02-11T09:12:52.170-08:00Libraries, Diversity, Inclusion, and (No) NeutralityAs part of my <a href="https://ischool.sjsu.edu/current-students/courses/289-e-portfolio-handbook" target="_blank">MLIS ePortfolio</a> work, I just finished writing about Competency C: "Recognize the diversity (such as cultural and economic) in the clientele and employees of an information organization and be familiar with actions the organization should take to address this diversity." My post that follows is adapted from my competency reflection.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
This week, I received an email about an American Library Association (ALA) press release, “<a href="https://href.li/?http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2017/01/ala-opposes-new-administration-policies-contradict-core-values" target="_blank">ALA opposes new administration policies that contradict core values</a>,” that current ALA President Julie Todaro issued in response to recent actions of the Trump Administration. Below are some excerpts from the statement.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Our nation’s 120,000 public, academic, school and special libraries serve all community members, including people of color, immigrants, people with disabilities and the most vulnerable in our communities, offering services and educational resources that transform communities, open minds, and promote inclusion and diversity.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
ALA believes that the struggle against racism, prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination is central to our mission. We will continue to speak out and support efforts to abolish intolerance and cultural invisibility, stand up for all the members of the communities we serve, and promote understanding and inclusion through our work. (American Library Association, 2017a)</blockquote>
Todaro ties her remarks to <a href="https://href.li/?http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/statementspols/corevalues" target="_blank">ALA’s core values</a> and she asserts how promoting diversity and inclusion is in fact integral to the work of library professionals. ALA’s proclaimed value for diversity may indeed be traced far back: “Since 1936, the American Library Association has been actively engaged in combating any and all attitudes, behavior, services or programs which amount to the exclusion or restriction of a targeted group of people based on a designation of race, skin color, ethnic origin or descent” (<a href="https://href.li/?http://www.ala.org/aboutala/governance/policymanual/updatedpolicymanual/section2/diversity" target="_blank">American Library Association, 2017b</a>).<br />
<br />
<b><i>Have libraries perfectly lived up to these values over the years? </i></b>Certainly not perfectly. Just consider the story of Congressman John Lewis who, when accepting the National Book Award this past year, shared his experience of being denied entry to a public library in 1956: “When I was 16 years old, some of my brothers and sisters and cousins [were] going down to the public library trying to get public library cards, and we were told the library was for whites only, not for coloureds” (<a href="https://href.li/?https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/nov/17/rep-john-lewis-national-book-awards-refused-entry-to-library-because-black" target="_blank">Flood, 2016</a>).<br />
<b><br /></b> <b><i>Have libraries improved since then?</i> </b>In many ways and with the promise that, as may be seen with this competency itself, professionals entering the field learn about how libraries may better address diversity. Also, as a positive addendum, librarians are now some of the biggest fans of John Lewis, with ALA hosting him as a speaker at its 2016 Annual Conference (<a href="https://href.li/?http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/70763-ala-2016-congressman-john-lewis-inspires-in-orlando.html" target="_blank">Albanese, 2016</a>) and recognizing his graphic memoir <i>March </i>with multiple book awards (<a href="https://href.li/?http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/01/23/511230924/john-lewis-graphic-novel-wins-4-american-library-association-awards" target="_blank">Neary, 2017</a>).<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, promoting diversity is not as straightforward as it may seem at first glance. What complicates matters is how efforts to address the needs of diverse and marginalized groups have become politicized. As long as acts promoting diversity are deemed to be partisan, there arises a conflict with claims that libraries should be neutral institutions.<br />
<br />
Supporting the standard of library neutrality in general, <a href="https://href.li/?http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2016/10/political-ethics-keeping-your-library-neutral/#_edn2" target="_blank">Hart (2016)</a> writes, “Keeping yourself and your collection politically neutral ensures that you are in good ethical standing…” He cites Section 5 of the IFLA Code of Ethics for Librarians and other Information Workers: “Librarians and other information workers have the right to free speech in the workplace provided it does not infringe the principle of neutrality towards users” (<a href="https://href.li/?http://www.ifla.org/publications/node/11092" target="_blank">International Federation of Library Associations, 2012</a>).<br />
<br />
<b><i>But, is it really possible for libraries to be neutral? </i></b>Perhaps it depends on how you define neutrality. <a href="https://href.li/?https://medium.com/malcolm-teller/should-libraries-be-neutral-an-examination-of-library-neutrality-in-the-age-of-black-lives-matter-4f9dbacc5aa4#.lz6zr4b93" target="_blank">Teller (2016)</a> suggests:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
…libraries can and should be neutral, in the sense that they provide curated information to as many groups as possible in the pursuit of serving all possible patronbases (carrying books by Queer Theory scholars on gay liberation, along with Christian theological works that write from the perspective that marriage is a spiritual union between a man and a woman, and on and on) and also the sense that they are there for everyone, not just for those in favor of (for example) Black Lives Matter, but also for law enforcement officers and police supporters who are critical of the movement.</blockquote>
As Teller continues, supporting Black Lives Matter – whether it is by creating diverse book displays or establishing safe spaces – is really just “<i>public libraries being public libraries</i>. It’s public libraries fulfilling their mission more fully, more honestly, more expansively, with an eye to serving underserved communities and making everyone feel welcome and valued in the library, and thereby hopefully, in the broader community in which the library exists.”<br />
<br />
By centering library values of diversity and democracy, support for movements such as Black Lives Matter may be considered as falling within the bounds of neutrality. Some people, however, view such promotion to be political and thus wholly unneutral. As a result, librarians may choose to avoid engagement and use what <a href="https://href.li/?http://bookriot.com/2016/07/25/why-public-libraries-should-support-black-lives-matter/" target="_blank">Mclain (2016)</a> calls the “non-partisan card.” Even though librarians might otherwise support various social justice movements due to their alignment with professional values supporting inclusion, inaction may be favored to avoid controversy.<br />
<br />
<b><i>This raises the question, is avoiding controversy really a neutral act? </i></b><a href="https://href.li/?http://www.slj.com/2016/08/opinion/libraries-are-not-neutral-opinion/" target="_blank">Eckert (2016)</a> posits, “all your decisions shape your library.” As follows, deciding to <i>not </i>act in support of a social justice movement has an impact as much as deciding to support it. Maintaining the status quo may not cause controversy, but it is just as <i>un</i>neutral as deciding to challenge it.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #767676; font-family: "lato" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 23.994px; font-style: italic;">“Neutrality can obfuscate injustices and the possibilities for active contributions. Often, neutrality is not a defense of the controversial, but rather an avoidance of it.” — </span><a href="https://href.li/?http://libraries4blacklives.org/neutrality-myth/" rel="noreferrer" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #81699b; font-family: Lato, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 23.994px; font-style: italic; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Pat Schuman</a></div>
<br />
Furthermore, when writing about the <i>critical librarianship</i> movement – a movement that promotes “examin[ing] and fight[ing] attempts at social oppression” – <a href="https://href.li/?https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2017/01/03/never-neutral-critlib-technology/" target="_blank">Farkas (2016)</a> cites a key tenet “that neutrality is not only unachievable, it is harmful to oppressed groups in our society.” She explains that “in a world that is fundamentally unequal, neutrality upholds inequality and represents indifference to the marginalization of members of our community.” In other words, choosing to uphold the “neutrality” of a status quo in which inequalities exist is actually a hurtful act since it perpetuates those inequalities. Farkas owns that “we are not being neutral when we advocate for our patrons,” but she asserts that when we do so, “we are being good librarians.”<br />
<br />
Taking a stance against neutrality may raise concern with some, but it is important to carefully understand how people are choosing to use and define terminology. For instance, while <a href="https://href.li/?http://www.slj.com/2016/08/opinion/libraries-are-not-neutral-opinion/" target="_blank">Eckert (2016)</a> asserts that libraries are not neutral, she pointedly emphasizes that she simultaneously stands behind creating “balanced collections, where people can freely research information and come to their own conclusions.” These stances are not mutually exclusive.<br />
<br />
Similarly, when <a href="https://href.li/?http://libraries4blacklives.org/neutrality-myth/" target="_blank">Sonnie (n.d.)</a> debunks the idea that libraries “cannot and never have been spaces of neutrality,” she positively affirms that “what libraries offer our communities, and will continue to offer our communities, are spaces to learn, debate, listen and engage. We advance a public commons for inquiry, empowerment and freedom.” The goal is just as much to “provide the greatest amount of access to as much diverse material as possible” as <a href="https://href.li/?http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2016/10/political-ethics-keeping-your-library-neutral/#_edn2" target="_blank">Hart (2016)</a> argues is his intent behind supporting neutrality.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Moving on from debates about terminology, where should we start? </i></b>While there are a number of ways to address diversity, I will close by sharing this simple advice from <a href="https://href.li/?https://chrisbourg.wordpress.com/2015/01/28/never-neutral-libraries-technology-and-inclusion/" target="_blank">Bourg (2015)</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
One way we might do better is simply by being aware and by asking the questions… Who is missing? Whose experience is being centered?</blockquote>
When we become aware of who is missing, we can strive to find ways to include them. When we see whose experiences are being centered, we can expand our focus to be shared with those on the periphery. And, another important point raised by Bourg is that we also consider the intersectional aspects of identity, not simply defining diversity in terms of any one factor (e.g., race, economic status, sexuality, etc.), but by looking at serving our patrons with nuance that recognizes their whole, multidimensional selves.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>[My review of evidence demonstrating competence continued here.]</i><br />
<br />
<b>Conclusion</b><br />
<br />
In my introduction to this competency, I shared the ALA press statement asserting the long-standing tradition of libraries valuing diversity and inclusion. Historically, libraries and librarians have not been perfect in this respect. Still, I am excited that the professional community is actively engaging in conversations about ways to improve. Regarding libraries and neutrality, a Twitter thread posted by <a href="https://twitter.com/StorytimeU" target="_blank">Storytime Underground</a> in July 2016 – <a href="https://href.li/?http://aplus.com/a/black-lives-matter-storytime-underground" target="_blank">captured here</a> – garnered considerable attention and inspired a general <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/noneutrallibraries?src=hash" target="_blank">#noneutrallibraries</a> discussion, which continues to carry momentum.<br />
<br />
While I am passionately curious to follow and participate in these discussions, I also hope that the promotion of diversity remains a value that people support regardless of where they fall on the debate of libraries being neutral or not. Rhetoric aside, I believe that we must not let differences in definitions detract from and discourage the work of diversity that we should be doing. In my everyday work, I prioritize taking actions that are inclusive and I commit to continually improving the ways that I support all community members.<br />
<br />
<b>References</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Alabanese, A. (2016, June 27). ALA 2016: Congressman John Lewis inspires in Orlando. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/70763-ala-2016-congressman-john-lewis-inspires-in-orlando.html" target="_blank">http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/70763-ala-2016-congressman-john-lewis-inspires-in-orlando.html</a></li>
<li>American Library Association. (2017a, January 30). ALA opposes new administration policies that contradict core values. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2017/01/ala-opposes-new-administration-policies-contradict-core-values" target="_blank">http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2017/01/ala-opposes-new-administration-policies-contradict-core-values</a></li>
<li>American Library Association. (2017b). B.3 diversity (old number 60). Retrieved from <a href="http://www.ala.org/aboutala/governance/policymanual/updatedpolicymanual/section2/diversity" target="_blank">http://www.ala.org/aboutala/governance/policymanual/updatedpolicymanual/section2/diversity</a></li>
<li>Bourg, C. (2015, January 28). Never neutral: Libraries, technology, and inclusion. Retrieved from <a href="https://chrisbourg.wordpress.com/2015/01/28/never-neutral-libraries-technology-and-inclusion/" target="_blank">https://chrisbourg.wordpress.com/2015/01/28/never-neutral-libraries-technology-and-inclusion/</a></li>
<li>Eckert, C. (2016, August 12). Libraries are not neutral. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.slj.com/2016/08/opinion/libraries-are-not-neutral-opinion/" target="_blank">http://www.slj.com/2016/08/opinion/libraries-are-not-neutral-opinion/</a></li>
<li>Farkas, M. (2017, January 3). Never neutral: Critical librarianship and technology. Retrieved from <a href="https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2017/01/03/never-neutral-critlib-technology/" target="_blank">https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2017/01/03/never-neutral-critlib-technology/</a></li>
<li>Flood, A. (2016, November 17). Rep John Lewis tells National Book awards how he was refused entry to library because he was black. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/nov/17/rep-john-lewis-national-book-awards-refused-entry-to-library-because-black" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/nov/17/rep-john-lewis-national-book-awards-refused-entry-to-library-because-black</a></li>
<li>Hart, A. (2016, October,19). Political ethics: Keeping your library neutral. Retrieved from <a href="http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2016/10/political-ethics-keeping-your-library-neutral/" target="_blank">http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2016/10/political-ethics-keeping-your-library-neutral/</a></li>
<li>International Federation of Library Associations. (2012, August). IFLA code of ethics for librarians and other information workers. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.ifla.org/publications/node/11092" target="_blank">http://www.ifla.org/publications/node/11092</a></li>
<li>Lim, C. J. (2016, July 15). Librarians respond on Twitter to the idea that they shouldn’t have opinions. Retrieved from <a href="http://aplus.com/a/black-lives-matter-storytime-underground" target="_blank">http://aplus.com/a/black-lives-matter-storytime-underground</a></li>
<li>Mclain, K. (2016, July 25). Why public libraries should support Black Lives Matter. Retrieved from <a href="http://bookriot.com/2016/07/25/why-public-libraries-should-support-black-lives-matter/" target="_blank">http://bookriot.com/2016/07/25/why-public-libraries-should-support-black-lives-matter/</a></li>
<li>Neary, L. (2017, January 23). John Lewis’ graphic memoir wins 4 American Library Association awards. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/01/23/511230924/john-lewis-graphic-novel-wins-4-american-library-association-awards" target="_blank">http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/01/23/511230924/john-lewis-graphic-novel-wins-4-american-library-association-awards</a></li>
<li>Sonnie, A. (n.d.). But aren’t libraries neutral? Retrieved from <a href="http://libraries4blacklives.org/neutrality-myth/" target="_blank">http://libraries4blacklives.org/neutrality-myth/</a></li>
<li>Teller, M. (2016, July 27). Should libraries be neutral?: An examination of library neutrality in the age of Black Lives Matter. Retrieved from <a href="https://medium.com/malcolm-teller/should-libraries-be-neutral-an-examination-of-library-neutrality-in-the-age-of-black-lives-matter-4f9dbacc5aa4#.lz6zr4b93" target="_blank">https://medium.com/malcolm-teller/should-libraries-be-neutral-an-examination-of-library-neutrality-in-the-age-of-black-lives-matter-4f9dbacc5aa4#.lz6zr4b93</a></li>
</ul>
Akemi Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03273241834693200970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-28153650952550485012016-10-23T10:22:00.002-07:002017-01-05T08:18:46.513-08:00Librarians as Human Hyperlinks Rather Than "Search Engines"When reading for my <a href="http://ischoolapps.sjsu.edu/gss/ajax/showSheet.php?id=7128http://ischoolapps.sjsu.edu/gss/ajax/showSheet.php?id=7128" target="_blank">INFO 254 Information Literacy and Learning</a> course this week, there was an article about advocacy in which the author shared her personal favorite marketing slogan of: "The ultimate search engine is your librarian." I have seen this before, and it always makes me cringe. I also wince when seeing librarians proudly recite the Neil Gaiman quote: "Google can bring you back 100,000 answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one."<br />
<br />
Don't get me wrong. I love libraries and I love librarians. I work in a library. I am a librarian, I am married to a librarian, and many of my friends are librarians.<br />
<br />
But, I also worry when I see advocacy efforts that appear to be self-congratulatory or pre-emptively defensive. To me, the slogans above fail because they play into the false binary that people must choose between technology OR libraries rather than technology AND libraries.<br />
<br />
I worry, because I feel that non-library observers may interpret these slogans as librarians being dismissive of technology rather than as embracers and champions of positive and wise use of technology. I think these statements do not recognize the true value of librarians as humans who additively complement technology rather than replace or compete with it. And, to be frank, if we choose to compete with Google, we will lose.<br />
<br />
I strongly feel that we librarians will fail if we insist on selling ourselves as “all-knowing” or at least more knowledgeable than others. While I hope people may find helpful the unique training I have and purpose that I serve, I think that it is important to find messaging that simultaneously respects the expertise and capacity of others in a way that teachers are similarly shifting from roles as “sages on the stage” to “guides on the side.”<br />
<br />
I'm still thinking about what I would propose as alternative marketing, but one idea that comes to mind is libraries and librarians as embodiments of hyperlinks rather than as search engines. Instead of being gateway keepers to information or the sole or "best" means for access, how may we emphasize the way libraries facilitate unique opportunities for connection and librarians as humans who help other humans discover and develop connections?<br />
<br />
What marketing slogans do you like?Akemi Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03273241834693200970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-46528619254576889952016-10-09T11:12:00.005-07:002016-10-09T13:09:43.858-07:00Exploring a Youth Literature Trend: My Intro to WattpadIn <a href="http://ischoolapps.sjsu.edu/gss/ajax/showSheet.php?id=7144" target="_blank">INFO 268 History of Youth Literature</a>, our challenge this week has been to explore a trend that we do not have much experience with. We could, for instance, read a graphic novel or an e-book, or try out a book-based app.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My immediate thought was to pick a graphic novel from my reading wish list. But, having taken a course on graphic novels just this summer, I decided that since I already have a <a href="http://movingtrainlibrary.blogspot.com/2016/07/my-reignited-love-for-graphic-novels.html" target="_blank">collection of reviews about various graphic novels</a>, I should challenge myself to explore something else.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Racking my brain about what to look at, I then thought about my <a href="http://movingtrainlibrary.blogspot.com/2016/09/info-268-teen-interviews-regarding.html" target="_blank">recent interviews with teens regarding reading</a> and was reminded of <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/home" target="_blank">Wattpad</a>! Although I have had basic awareness of Wattpad as a way for students to share their creative writing works and read those of others, I have not previously spent time exploring it in depth, and so I used this week's assignment as an opportunity to do so.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
First of all, check out this "Did you know?" blurb from the bottom of the Wattpad website. I'd say it is definitely about time that I check it out!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8yfethyphenhyphen8_qIQHR90DKUQzHXNChaA1zoQaaT-QJ_JBSrlzeNFcgrE70Z84WnKpGEWx9TkUVBWPtHsrUQmJDGxtyiL-v782xdKZt4jHEpT4A5SULTSk3ySfS4Sht_htRiSQT9f7ufsAv5r1/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252817%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8yfethyphenhyphen8_qIQHR90DKUQzHXNChaA1zoQaaT-QJ_JBSrlzeNFcgrE70Z84WnKpGEWx9TkUVBWPtHsrUQmJDGxtyiL-v782xdKZt4jHEpT4A5SULTSk3ySfS4Sht_htRiSQT9f7ufsAv5r1/s400/Unnamed+image+%252817%2529.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
For my exploration, I looked at both Wattpad's website on my computer and also the app on my phone. When logging in, I noticed that there are a number of ways to browse and search for content:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><b>Browsing by genre/category</b><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUA-WvC5A4e7vJidd5Fk3Oh2cCfFFNZ530ToYKrqLUXODDgPQGl_2NDp3yHcycanqJc1qGyy9CSlFjww7LjXR9YNX6HUcdTysu9kKGdDrtjVnOlb8Sx4tFcVWqotBNtZW8Vh-Linv35_eu/s1600/Screenshot+%25285%2529.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUA-WvC5A4e7vJidd5Fk3Oh2cCfFFNZ530ToYKrqLUXODDgPQGl_2NDp3yHcycanqJc1qGyy9CSlFjww7LjXR9YNX6HUcdTysu9kKGdDrtjVnOlb8Sx4tFcVWqotBNtZW8Vh-Linv35_eu/s400/Screenshot+%25285%2529.png" width="400" /></a></li>
<li><b>Searching by tags</b> - Below are currently trending tags. I have traditionally thought of Wattpad in terms of fan fiction related to anime and manga, science fiction and fantasy, and popular entertainment. It was fun to discover there is such variety, including how the election has caused #politics to trend with stories such as <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/story/77331338-dernie~-a-donald-trump-x-bernie-sanders-fanfic" target="_blank">Dernie~ A Donald Trump x Bernie Sanders Fanfic</a>, <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/story/58889412-hillary-clinton-x-reader" target="_blank">Hillary Clinton X reader</a>, and <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/story/64140099-fifty-shades-of-republican" target="_blank">Fifty Shades of Republican</a>.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBcsio437_MojyOTodkp9FpaBivwgF9_HUjIZ8P9pHxstah7bCnmWZeHeKmAj5bL1IeBjBGmK7y0xH85zJGtE9dUsoWld7sntzd23GIJmIekrNOfyvD1Cj6uwi-7GM1rH8lS4_xPpLaC7/s1600/Screenshot+%25286%2529.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBcsio437_MojyOTodkp9FpaBivwgF9_HUjIZ8P9pHxstah7bCnmWZeHeKmAj5bL1IeBjBGmK7y0xH85zJGtE9dUsoWld7sntzd23GIJmIekrNOfyvD1Cj6uwi-7GM1rH8lS4_xPpLaC7/s320/Screenshot+%25286%2529.png" width="144" /></a></li>
<li><b>Following specific users </b>- Of note, there is no delineation between who is a reader and who is a writer. A user's profile features lists of what they have read or are reading, plus works that they have written. As an educator, I find it exciting that students may simultaneously participate as consumers and creators. This makes me think about my students who are aspiring writers. They can write <i>now </i>and share their works <i>now</i>. They do not need to simply aspire.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjja6VI275yhjKqgv9wRgUGAtmgqThPuGUjwpurQ1iZSUdfx3VkCrXHe-wI09vUKq6B7Ddm_iHNQ-jm_dz7haYwx76kOBu5jpiUXhh-hmA57-D87I_dFKqiUfLpCAPmPc0Q5uxAQQiEWwUK/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252818%2529.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjja6VI275yhjKqgv9wRgUGAtmgqThPuGUjwpurQ1iZSUdfx3VkCrXHe-wI09vUKq6B7Ddm_iHNQ-jm_dz7haYwx76kOBu5jpiUXhh-hmA57-D87I_dFKqiUfLpCAPmPc0Q5uxAQQiEWwUK/s320/Unnamed+image+%252818%2529.png" width="320" /></a></li>
<li><b>Exploring lists</b> - The sheer volume of content may be overwhelming, but Wattpad helps by including lists of what's new, recommended reads, related reads, user reading lists, and more.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQCs9rF56JW-0m4mU9OuHoSPnsl0y7OM7kvaesdAssh6L0JSJ4Zbs0yZ0QAJvQAyLLopvODch3LKCjs4uavD4dbn0hntD6osSGgorbgp4FrZtVmmlaMHNKGvTlh6sHu-74Adbygw7nN20/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252815%2529.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQCs9rF56JW-0m4mU9OuHoSPnsl0y7OM7kvaesdAssh6L0JSJ4Zbs0yZ0QAJvQAyLLopvODch3LKCjs4uavD4dbn0hntD6osSGgorbgp4FrZtVmmlaMHNKGvTlh6sHu-74Adbygw7nN20/s320/Unnamed+image+%252815%2529.png" width="320" /></a></li>
<li><b>Considering user rankings</b> - Stories may "rise to the top" based on the number of people who read them and how many times they are starred. Below is a story that has been read 47 million times and has 1.7 million starred ratings!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHApuMBYxOCjNKLo7_Rozu63XAsX79HBgNxQYjQBH-FYGT-oqkccHMOMxP8CFElAdQI0lxe29grnlRbYYpvsjAY_A5xYGsj6fUz9lc6hvd1IpW2MHpJJ4qz9zPE_tiX7g3B9TGCLcOgd2/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252816%2529.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHApuMBYxOCjNKLo7_Rozu63XAsX79HBgNxQYjQBH-FYGT-oqkccHMOMxP8CFElAdQI0lxe29grnlRbYYpvsjAY_A5xYGsj6fUz9lc6hvd1IpW2MHpJJ4qz9zPE_tiX7g3B9TGCLcOgd2/s320/Unnamed+image+%252816%2529.png" width="153" /></a></li>
<li><b>Checking out <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/TheWattys" target="_blank">Watty Award</a> winners </b>- Notice <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/story/31871058-she%27s-with-me-wattys2016" target="_blank">"She's With Me"</a> pictured directly above is tagged #Wattys2016. The Wattys are annual awards that recognize works entered into the writing contest. To enter this year, writers simply had to tag their stories with #Wattys2016. The winners haven't been announced yet, but you can check out the <a href="http://wattys.wattpad.com/2015/" target="_blank">2015 winners</a> who were selected out of over 75,000 entries. Works were recognized by genre (e.g., LGBT+, Urban, Fanfiction) and category (e.g., Hidden Gems, Best Use of Visuals, Cover-to-Cover), and there are even international winners (e.g., Filipino Winners, Turkish Winners, Russian Winners). In addition to the Watty Awards, Wattpad also encourages writing throughout the year by featuring <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/go/writing-contests/" target="_blank">shorter-term writing contests and challenges</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<div>
When actually reading a story, what I found to be most striking is the way that they are so conversational. Besides connecting with an author on their profile's Conversation page or in <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/clubs" target="_blank">club</a> discussion boards, the story text itself facilitates embedded opportunities. As you read, you may make comments and read the comments of other readers. Reading thus becomes a shared, social experience.<br />
<br />
The screenshots below show what it looks like when reading a story on the Wattpad app. The comment icons located in the right column may be tapped to reveal reader comments.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbzdHwBkRt7Q4THq4SyvZUIqxM9ej9gprvPn96YjwvjbP0OHKUQ5J5Av-KzIg_io0o1sinW-oTZ5diHPvEdLjHncQetZZtWOkXH2hyphenhyphenF9HIeRFRqN8vGAGH-Qv5BVWa5mPXJCDzDR3Fy3z/s1600/IMG_7725.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbzdHwBkRt7Q4THq4SyvZUIqxM9ej9gprvPn96YjwvjbP0OHKUQ5J5Av-KzIg_io0o1sinW-oTZ5diHPvEdLjHncQetZZtWOkXH2hyphenhyphenF9HIeRFRqN8vGAGH-Qv5BVWa5mPXJCDzDR3Fy3z/s320/IMG_7725.PNG" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAhC2aRdU-ybfZfBlHle6cl27-kStzIp1QZwJ92mt1HAKBpePKJfD3SLF4hM921zyFUMuyRKTQaNw9N-ekQKJlSUPgy0ztvJbFPKwaPQqaUaoVdRslvz7xCmfXrcAKFxJBv5mw5NA5r4f6/s1600/IMG_7726.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAhC2aRdU-ybfZfBlHle6cl27-kStzIp1QZwJ92mt1HAKBpePKJfD3SLF4hM921zyFUMuyRKTQaNw9N-ekQKJlSUPgy0ztvJbFPKwaPQqaUaoVdRslvz7xCmfXrcAKFxJBv5mw5NA5r4f6/s320/IMG_7726.PNG" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
Now that I've entered the world of Wattpad, I can definitely see how addicting it can be as both a reader and writer; and as a teacher librarian, I want to start thinking about possibilities for integrating it into my programming and literacy efforts.<br />
<br />
Even if I don't immediately integrate Wattpad, I am glad to be reminded that my students may be reading and writing in ways that I am not as familiar with. As adults, it is easy to assume that students are not actively engaged if we only look at traditionally prescribed channels. However, this exercise illustrates how, if we take the time to explore our teen's worlds with more curiosity, we may be pleasantly surprised - if not humbled - to learn that they are involved and innovating in remarkable ways on their own. If you haven't checked out Wattpad before or recently, I recommend you try it out!</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
NOTE: If you are not familiar with Wattpad, check out some concerns about it such as those shared in these <a href="https://www.commonsensemedia.org/website-reviews/wattpad" target="_blank">Common Sense Media reviews</a>. To balance concerns, though, also check out The Guardian article <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/aug/16/teen-writing-reading-wattpad-young-adults" target="_blank">"The Tales Teens Tell: What Wattpad Did for Girls."</a></div>
Akemi Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03273241834693200970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-57292213795813459352016-10-02T18:47:00.000-07:002016-10-02T18:55:13.459-07:00The Original Cinderella Was Chinese! And a Bilingual Version, TooCinderella is one of those fairy tales that has likely been written about a lot since there are countless versions of it, and so I wouldn’t have chosen it on my own. But, after <a href="http://movingtrainlibrary.blogspot.com/2016/09/on-reading-captain-underpants-and.html" target="_blank">reading and writing about Captain Underpants in honor of my son,</a> I decided to dedicate this <a href="http://ischoolapps.sjsu.edu/gss/ajax/showSheet.php?id=7144" target="_blank">INFO 268 History of Youth Literature</a> assignment to my six-year-old daughter. I asked her what her favorite fairy tale is, and she immediately answered: Cinderella. As I have learned, she's not alone in her love of Cinderella.<br />
<br />
In order to identify two different Cinderella versions to compare, a resource that I found helpful was <a href="http://www.ala.org/offices/resources/multicultural" target="_blank">“Multicultural Cinderella Stories”</a> by Mary Northrup. Northrup (2000) cites “more than 500 versions have been found--just in Europe!” and her look at this is nowhere near new since, as far back as 1893, Marian Roalfe Cox published the book <i><a href="https://archive.org/details/cinderellathreeh00coxmuoft" target="_blank">Cinderella: Three Hundred and Forty-Five Variants</a></i>. While there is a preponderance of Cinderella versions from Europe, it was interesting to learn that the original version is generally considered to be the tale of “Yeh-Shen” from ninth century China. Learning this, I decided to start by reading a modern retelling of Yeh-Shen.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Yeh-Shen-Cinderella-Story-Ai-Ling-Louie/dp/0698113888" target="_blank"><br /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPOpcD11wo0c7m80riGM3JKspCKOr441QCFAj7Tphw0-BHiwrfACVP2-s3oi9oYk3Vz650hQEWlG8x1OPhYovI8bBKDp5SMcP2s7uqsUPSmUf7rKeA9d-4Buo9db6HGk6S9NS48nrHBii-/s1600/yeh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPOpcD11wo0c7m80riGM3JKspCKOr441QCFAj7Tphw0-BHiwrfACVP2-s3oi9oYk3Vz650hQEWlG8x1OPhYovI8bBKDp5SMcP2s7uqsUPSmUf7rKeA9d-4Buo9db6HGk6S9NS48nrHBii-/s200/yeh.jpg" width="155" /></a><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Yeh-Shen-Cinderella-Story-Ai-Ling-Louie/dp/0698113888" target="_blank">Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China</a> </b><br />
Retold by Ai-Ling Louie<br />
Illustrated by Ed Young<br />
Originally Published in 1982<br />
<br />
In this book, Ai-Ling Louie has adapted the Chinese tale of Yeh-Shen, which is believed to have originated during the T'ang dynasty (618-907 A.D.). As is common to Cinderella stories, the protagonist Yeh-Shen is a stepdaughter who is subjected to abuse by her stepmother. Yeh-Shen shows kindness to a fish, sharing her meagre food portions with it until her stepmother finds out and ends up killing and eating the fish. All that Yeh-Shen has left are the bones, which grant her wishes. Yeh-Shen wishes for humble things such as food until there is a spring festival where people meet to marry. This time, Yeh-Shen wishes for nice clothes to attend the festival and is provided with an outfit, including beautiful golden slippers for her tiny feet. Unfortunately, at the festival, Yeh-Shen's stepsister recognizes her and so she must run away, and in doing so, she loses one of her slippers. The king, while not having seen Yeh-Shen, is intrigued by the slipper that was left behind, and he becomes intent on finding out its owner. He conducts a search and eventually discovers it belongs to Yeh-Shen. He believes he has found his true love and asks Yeh-Shen to marry him, but he forbids her to bring along her stepmother and stepsister since they had been unkind to her in the past. The story abruptly ends with them left in their cave home where "they were crushed to death in a shower of flying stones."<br />
<br />
As with the Disney version of Cinderella that my daughter is accustomed to, there are similar familial relationships, magical wishes, a party, a lost shoe, and a wedding at the end. The story, however, is darker with the fish getting killed and eaten and the family members being stoned at the end. It also stood out to me that when Yeh-Shen comes to retrieve her shoe, the king initially thinks she is a thief. It is not until "he caught a glimpse of her face" that he is able to see past the rags that she is wearing. His interest is piqued by her tiny feet, "the tiniest feet he had ever seen," and then when she is transformed into her beautiful outfit once again, it is "her loveliness" that "made her seem a heavenly being" and "the king suddenly knew in his heart that he had found his true love." Much like the Disney version of Cinderella, it is Yeh-Shen's beauty that causes the king to fall in love.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SboVXL6gx9g/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SboVXL6gx9g?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>My six-year-old daughter's review:</b> [Thumb's down] Bad, because it's creepy that people get killed at the end.</div>
<b><br /></b> <b>My nine-year-old son's review (since he ended up listening in as well):</b> It was darker, but it was a good story. Some parts didn't really resemble the Disney version of Cinderella, but the fish was an interesting addition.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">NOTE: While Ai-Ling Louie retells one version of Yeh-Shen, Smith (2013) traces variants of the story of Yeh-Shen, and even cites research that a Tibetan version may predate the ninth-century version commonly referenced. Smith also interestingly connects Yeh-Shen with validating the practice of footbinding.</span><br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
Also inspired by my daughter, I selected the second Cinderella version <i>Little Gold Star / Estrellita de oro: A Cinderella Cuento Retold in Spanish and English</i> since she is currently studying Spanish at a full immersion school, and the story is a bilingual retelling.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghciRrsv-D0zWqKiMbrW5EmyVudOwf24qQ2aT-uapZnZXZxuAy6387c52OxSkNCFSLbVW57iKmX0ILgbfd7Y6naaQGX-AEU5uV5z9k5LZ_YZFOfDnGfbBPXQe4w-GlQ4axXz2EP-0y7fD_/s1600/est.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghciRrsv-D0zWqKiMbrW5EmyVudOwf24qQ2aT-uapZnZXZxuAy6387c52OxSkNCFSLbVW57iKmX0ILgbfd7Y6naaQGX-AEU5uV5z9k5LZ_YZFOfDnGfbBPXQe4w-GlQ4axXz2EP-0y7fD_/s200/est.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Estrellita-oro-Little-Gold-Star/dp/0938317490/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1475351945&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=Little+Gold+Star+%2F+Estrellita+de+oro%3A+A+Cinderella+Cuento+retold+in+Spanish+and+English" target="_blank">Little Gold Star / Estrellita de oro: A Cinderella Cuento retold in Spanish and English</a></b><br />
Retold by Joe Hayes<br />
Illustrated by Gloria Osuna Perez and Lucia Angela Perez<br />
Originally Published in 2000<br />
<br />
In <i>Little Gold Star / Estrellita de oro</i>, Joe Hayes tells a version of Cinderella that evolved from Spanish settlers in the Americas. Told in both English and Spanish, this version "<a href="http://www.cincopuntos.com/products_detail.sstg?id=5" target="_blank">that is popular in the mountain communities of New Mexico</a>" features Arcía as the Cinderella character who convinces her father to marry stepmother Margarita, who initially seems to be "sweet," but turns out to be "bitter." The story departs from the Disney version of Cinderella much more since there is no lost slipper, and instead what distinguishes Arcía from her two stepsisters is a gold star on her forehead that she is given by a hawk after acting respectfully toward it. In contrast, her rude stepsisters are marked by the hawk's alternative gifts: a donkey ear on one stepsister's forehead and a green horn on the other's. Like the Disney Cinderella, there is a prince who hosts a party to find a bride, but Arcía does not transform herself to attend. Instead, she dutifully helps her stepsisters prepare for the party and only ends up sneaking there to peek in at it from outside. Marked by her goodness, though, Arcía's gold star on her forehead shines brightly and catches the attention of everyone, including the prince. Arcía runs off, and the prince goes in search of her. Like other Cinderella tales, he eventually finds her, falls in love immediately, and asks her to marry him. Unlike Yeh-Shen, though, even the stepmother and stepsisters are invited to the wedding party.<br />
<br />
When looking up information about <i>Little Gold Star / Estrellita de oro</i>, I was pleased to be introduced to its publisher, the independent small press <a href="http://www.cincopuntos.com/" target="_blank">Cinco Puntos</a>, which was started in 1985. I enjoyed the following statement on their <a href="http://www.cincopuntos.com/about.sstg" target="_blank">About Us</a> page:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>We come to publishing as writers. We aren’t educators. We think it’s important to note that. Manuscripts are really interesting to us when the writing is amazing or the voice of the author is unique or the book opens up a door into a culture or a people that hasn’t been opened before. Or when the writer is someone whose work we’ve just plain admired over a long period of time. There are so many fine publishers who understand the educational needs of children and what kids should be learning at what age, but that’s not how we approach publishing.</i></blockquote>
Also linked on their website was a <a href="http://www.cincopuntos.com/pdf/Little%20Gold%20Star.pdf" target="_blank">teacher's guide</a>, which included a moving story about the co-illustrators, mother and daughter pair Gloria Osuna Perez and Lucia Angela Perez. Mother Gloria started off creating paintings for the book, but as she had ovarian cancer, she only finished three. Her daughter who was caring for her ended up finishing the rest:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>While Lucia was taking care of her, Gloria talked to her about the colors she was using and what she wanted for each of the scenes she had sketched out. After her mother died, Lucia painted the twelve remaining scenes, always with her eye on the work her mom had begun, always remembering her mother’s words. The result is truly remarkable, a tribute to the powerful relationship between a mother and her daughter.</i></blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eRvuYRisFgg/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eRvuYRisFgg?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<i><br /></i> <b>My six-year-old daughter's review:</b> Good! Since they [the stepsisters] were always making her [Arcía] do all the work and she thought of helping her dad first, she got a star and the others got a cow horn and a donkey ear. They really did deserve that.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<b><br /></b> <b>References</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Hayes, J. (2000). <i>Little gold star / estrellita de oro: A Cinderella cuento retold in Spanish and English</i>. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos.</li>
<li>Louie, A. (1982). <i>Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella story from China</i>. New York: Putnam.</li>
<li>McMillie, K., & Rivera, L. (n.d.). Teacher's guide: Little Gold Star / Estrellita de oro. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.cincopuntos.com/pdf/Little%20Gold%20Star.pdf">http://www.cincopuntos.com/pdf/Little%20Gold%20Star.pdf</a></li>
<li>Northrup, M. (2000, May). Multicultural Cinderella stories. <i>Book Links, 9</i>(5). Retrieved from <a href="http://www.ala.org/offices/resources/multicultural%C2%A0" target="_blank">http://www.ala.org/offices/resources/multicultural</a></li>
<li>Smith, T. S. (2013, May). Cinderella's lessons on footbinding: How tiny feet found their way into the Chinese Cinderella story. <i>Transnational Literature, 5</i>(2), 1-8. </li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Further Reading</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Ho, A. (2014, February 11). Between the lines: The Cinderella story is common to many different cultures. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-education/article/1425237/between-lines-cinderella-story-common-many-different">http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-education/article/1425237/between-lines-cinderella-story-common-many-different</a></li>
<li>Holmes, L. (2015, March 13). A girl, a shoe, a prince: The endlessly evolving Cinderella. Retrieved from <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/monkeysee/2015/03/13/392358854/a-girl-a-shoe-a-prince-the-endlessly-evolving-cinderella">http://www.npr.org/sections/monkeysee/2015/03/13/392358854/a-girl-a-shoe-a-prince-the-endlessly-evolving-cinderella</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
Akemi Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03273241834693200970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-15686704525652581902016-10-01T10:41:00.001-07:002016-10-01T11:41:57.678-07:00The Etisalat Award and Emerging Arabic Children's LiteratureAs part of this week's assignments for <a href="http://ischoolapps.sjsu.edu/gss/ajax/showSheet.php?id=7144" target="_blank">INFO 268 History of Youth Literature</a>, we have been tasked with going on a virtual visit to an international children's literature exhibit, collection, etc. We were provided with a list of options organized by country and region, and I was immediately drawn to exploring information related to the Middle East.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Living and working as an educator in the East County region of San Diego, I have been aware of the <a href="http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/sdut-refugees-resettle-syria-iraq-chaldean-saigon-2015oct07-htmlstory.html" target="_blank">growing community of refugee immigrants from the Middle East</a>, and I have realized how sorely uninformed I am about this region's history and culture, other than war-related narratives told from an American perspective. As a result, I have been making efforts in recent years to learn more in terms of the history of the region, and I was excited to get this chance to look at children's literature since I have never done so before.</div>
<div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
The award that I chose to explore is the <a href="http://www.etisalataward.ae/en/home.aspx" target="_blank">Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature</a>. which was established recently in 2009, thanks to an "initiative of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodour_bint_Sultan_bin_Muhammad_Al_Qasimi" target="_blank">Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al-Qasimi</a>, President of the United Arab Emirates Board on Books for Young People and Founder / CEO of Kalimat publishing house" [<a href="http://www.etisalataward.ae/en/home.aspx" target="_blank">source</a>]. The award is managed by the UAE's Board on Books for Young People, which is part of the <a href="http://www.ibby.org/" target="_blank">International Board on Books for Young People</a> (IBBY), and has quickly filled a void in recognizing and promoting growth in Arabic children's literature.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Since its launch, the award has added more categories and expanded to include young adult fiction. Currently, the total monetary amount awarded annually is 1,000,000 AED, which is about equivalent about $270,000 USD. This amount is divided among winners of different categories, including:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Best Text: 100,000 AED</li>
<li>Best Illustration: 100,000 AED</li>
<li>Best Production: 100,000 AED</li>
<li>Best Children's Book of the Year: 100,000 AED to author, 100,000 AED to illustrator, and 100,000 to publisher</li>
<li>Best Young Adult Book of the Year.100,000 AED to author, 100,000 AED to publisher</li>
</ul>
<div>
The remaining 200,000 AED is allocated for Warsha, the Etisalat Award Workshops for Children's Books. The <a href="http://www.etisalataward.ae/en/warsha/about-warsha.aspx" target="_blank">Warsha initiative</a> features programs in illustration, writing, and publishing to encourage continued growth in Arabic children's books.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As I explored the Etisalat Award website and did more related searching online, it became apparent to me that the Warsha program is truly important since children's book publishing in the Middle East is still just emerging. For instance, a <a href="http://www.etisalataward.ae/en/media-center/video-gallery.aspx" target="_blank">Video Gallery</a> clip (see below) that I found interesting features Ahmed Al Amri, Director of the <a href="http://www.sharjahbookfair.com/default.aspx" target="_blank">Shrajah International Book Fair</a>, which a large literary exhibition fair hosted annually in the Arab region. He explains how the Etisalat Award has "add[ed] a new dimension to the fair by encouraging the development of better quality children's literature and showcasing it on a global platform."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/CeBPeFAFU64/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CeBPeFAFU64?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As he mentions, showcasing works is just one element, and the other is encouraging development. This is where Warsha seems to be making a valuable impact, as can be seen in a 2015 documentary (see below) of participants who were provided with the opportunity to attend the <a href="http://www.bolognachildrensbookfair.com/home/878.html" target="_blank">Bologna Children's Book Fair</a>. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ogogdOZN7rg/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ogogdOZN7rg?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Abdulla Al Sharhan, an illustrator from the Emirates, explains how attending the fair was "a turning point in my life," because gaining access to look "at different illustrations from different countries highly expanded our horizons." He suggests that this will enable him to "make a quantum leap in my coming work." Hanan Kai, illustrator from Lebanon, similarly expresses that "the most beautiful thing about Warsha is that our aim is not just to see the things of high standards, but to move these standards to the Arab world to have stories not only like the stories we see here but more beautiful."</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div>
Fortunately, it appears that the Etisalat Award is already making an impact. <a href="http://www.etisalataward.ae/en/media-centre/news/20/9/2016/etisalat-award-for-arabic-childrens-literature-draws-151-entries-from-13-countries.aspx" target="_blank">As reported within the past month</a>, the award's eighth year has reaped the biggest participation yet, with 151 submissions coming from 13 Arab countries. It will indeed be exciting to see who the winners are when they are announced at the Sharjah International Book Fair on November 2nd!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In the meantime, though, I have attempted to find more information about last year's winners and my findings are telling. The 2015 top award (and also Best Production winner) went to <i>The Judge's Mule</i> by Shafeek Mehdi. While I recognize that some of my difficulty in finding information about the book may be due to differences in translation, I found it disappointing that I was unable to locate the book to purchase via any traditional American online booksellers when searching by title, author, and ISBN. Searching American Google by ISBN, I was only returned 9 search results total!</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7prZZc6r_lRrdqX1xlUfOichVhSsS2x2r12zgSvXtXnROExi4aEyGsTNgXBuDD9L6H794C5tjVF_uFyeZhniGNVik3Rdm6yDnFsmI5wamtoD0jpdiI7OL248WewDkHBuAyLMcYe-ch1IG/s1600/Unnamed+image+%25289%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7prZZc6r_lRrdqX1xlUfOichVhSsS2x2r12zgSvXtXnROExi4aEyGsTNgXBuDD9L6H794C5tjVF_uFyeZhniGNVik3Rdm6yDnFsmI5wamtoD0jpdiI7OL248WewDkHBuAyLMcYe-ch1IG/s320/Unnamed+image+%25289%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Searching for other award winners proved to be just as challenging. When searching for the 2015 Best Young Adult book of the Year, <i>Getting Out of the Bubble</i> by Taiba Abdullah, an American Google search by ISBN only returned 6 results, although it was interesting that one link was to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25040941" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYXgD6e5mBQ2Tkbv9Se_OMCGM2DBHfak2fKp99grzY3vZ8UjtvVZyNUCri5_QiTIY1Ib9UNT2F5MS6GQrpE4TQyLgJLBQ69KQiyBPfPzJ9W8pHkVsT6YqN2RcP_kWpMd8zRJZvVPEyByd/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252810%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYXgD6e5mBQ2Tkbv9Se_OMCGM2DBHfak2fKp99grzY3vZ8UjtvVZyNUCri5_QiTIY1Ib9UNT2F5MS6GQrpE4TQyLgJLBQ69KQiyBPfPzJ9W8pHkVsT6YqN2RcP_kWpMd8zRJZvVPEyByd/s320/Unnamed+image+%252810%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
All of the Goodreads reviews are written in Arabic, and out of curiosity, I checked out the user profiles of reviewers to determine where they live. Their profiles all note that they live in Arab nations, although I suppose this should not be surprising since it seems to be difficult to purchase even these few award-winning titles in the United States.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Only after a bit of searching did I manage to find 2015 Best Illustration winner, <i>Noor Runs Away</i> by Abeer Ali Al Kalbani, for sale on Amazon through a third-party seller and <i>Me and My Granny</i> by Ibtihaj Al Harthi for sale on Barnes & Noble's website under the title <i>Mah and Me</i>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyIRLuAmDZsk6TDnvNnPioDuFS9V6U9o1EArkkuAoivFOBffwVBL1pM6_s0Yc1NVDieIPZ8mhH3OZbycw-Htp_gxtlmSznVgQZYJBG5OMzt7ptqxAajN6o3q35XcxkbywSxfcZvSMMnaK/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252811%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="78" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuyIRLuAmDZsk6TDnvNnPioDuFS9V6U9o1EArkkuAoivFOBffwVBL1pM6_s0Yc1NVDieIPZ8mhH3OZbycw-Htp_gxtlmSznVgQZYJBG5OMzt7ptqxAajN6o3q35XcxkbywSxfcZvSMMnaK/s320/Unnamed+image+%252811%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXgxZfodj31xDyqhXHWZmZS6eH77odNlS6Lqh1MaRdz4WMRam8q-NsJXUrGDbvQTbF5ZX6lxplUG24mCVQAs4eLgu5V_2qmzldPn_zwYue9b-Fr3hHtFd9avvRRo54TeLHT-PaTwMyV5y/s1600/Screenshot+%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXgxZfodj31xDyqhXHWZmZS6eH77odNlS6Lqh1MaRdz4WMRam8q-NsJXUrGDbvQTbF5ZX6lxplUG24mCVQAs4eLgu5V_2qmzldPn_zwYue9b-Fr3hHtFd9avvRRo54TeLHT-PaTwMyV5y/s320/Screenshot+%25281%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In terms of library collections, when searching (by ISBN) using <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/" target="_blank">WorldCat</a>, which "connects you to the collections...of more than 10,000 libraries worldwide," I found the following meagre results:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><i>The Judge's Mule</i> was not available at any library;</li>
<li><i>Getting Out of the Bubble </i>only showed as being available at 3 libraries, two in Denmark and one in Australia;</li>
<li><i>Me and My Granny </i>was only available at 2 libraries, one in Scotland and one in Sweden; and</li>
<li><i>Noor Runs Away</i> was only at 1 library, although finally one in the United States: the UCLA library.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div>
</div>
<div>
As a Teacher Librarian working in a region with a number of Arabic-speaking students, I am glad to learn about the Etisalat Award since it may be helpful when it comes to identifying quality children's literature in a language that I do not personally know. I had no idea that this is in fact such a unique period of creative growth for authors and illustrators in Arab nations, and I look forward to seeing an increase in high quality Arabic children's books being created and made readily available for young readers around the world. It will be exciting to follow what continues to emerge!</div>
Akemi Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03273241834693200970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-88560165582525401272016-09-18T18:52:00.001-07:002016-09-18T18:52:46.754-07:00On Reading Captain Underpants and Validating Our Children's Interests<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcai_QEUhCM8iyQ5eR0IUSdZlmGJ3mUwB4a4CdmK6A5_obqYhuAx3Ex5n61r9XuCghPu6wvyJI476fjHAmdlC38NJfhD4N_GHdz5b9Rb7tIintuTSWTBIgB3lUcxyXuWVYVCCt1TcZhya6/s1600/Captain_underpants_book_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcai_QEUhCM8iyQ5eR0IUSdZlmGJ3mUwB4a4CdmK6A5_obqYhuAx3Ex5n61r9XuCghPu6wvyJI476fjHAmdlC38NJfhD4N_GHdz5b9Rb7tIintuTSWTBIgB3lUcxyXuWVYVCCt1TcZhya6/s1600/Captain_underpants_book_10.jpg" /></a></div>
I have looked at portions of the <i>Captain Underpants</i> books in the past since it is my nine-year-old son’s favorite book series right now, but I’ve never actually read through one...until now. I decided that I would use this week’s <a href="http://ischoolapps.sjsu.edu/gss/ajax/showSheet.php?id=7144" target="_blank">INFO 268 History of Youth Literature</a> "series" assignment as an opportunity to connect with him, and so I asked him to recommend a book to read from any of the series that he likes, which also includes <i>Magic Treehouse</i>, <i>Goosebumps</i>, and <i>Diary of a Wimpy Kid</i>. Without pause, he said that I had to read Captain Underpants, and when I asked if he would recommend a particular book in the series, he identified book ten “the one with the boxer shorts on the cover” as the one I must read.<br />
<br />
And so I did. Here are my thoughts on Dav Pilkey's <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Captain-Underpants-Revolting-Radioactive-Robo-Boxers/dp/0545175364/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474249140&sr=8-1&keywords=captain+underpants+books+10" target="_blank">Captain Underpants and the Revolting Revenge of the Radioactive Robo-Boxers</a></i>.<br />
<br />
Overall, the book details the story of two fourth grade - the same grade as my son - boys named George and Harold who go to school with a grumpy principal Mr. Krupp who turns into Captain Underpants. In this particular volume, George and Harold must protect Captain Underpants from nemesis Tippy Tinkletrousers, who is a “mad professor”-looking little man who rides on the top of giant trousers. Throughout the book, the characters time travel into the distant past and then into the future using ridiculous-sounding technical contraptions. They encounter different versions of themselves as they time travel, change in physical size from teeny tiny to gigantic, and they come across dinosaurs and cavemen, as well.<br />
<br />
In terms of format and style, I think the book is appealing due to the creative use of cute drawings throughout, whether they are simple illustrations that accompany text or when they appear as sections of full-page comics or interactive “flip-o-rama” pages. It is also interesting how Pilkey directly addresses “you” as the reader, making conscious acknowledgement of the book format. For instance, near the beginning of the book, he writes: “By the time you get to page 210, you’ll know it all” (p. 18). In a similar spirit, Pilkey provides fan service for his devoted readers by referencing previous books: “...Captain Underpants destroyed it back in chapter eight of our last epic novel!” (p. 64).<br />
<br />
In terms of language, the book opens with a comic that was enough to make me cringe since it features a number of misspellings reflecting the authentic work of a child. Once I got past that comic, though, I was pleasantly surprised to note the high level vocabulary that is used. Some of it is intentionally over-the-top to sound scientific-like to a silly degree (e.g., molecularly modified, carbonite-and-tibanna-gas-infused ice, electrified ozone, polarity on the emulsifying sossiflange inhibitor). But, there are also a number of vocabulary words that would be useful for children to encounter: misdirection, ferociously, petrified, delinquents, disintegrated, despicable, maniacally, refuge, nemesis, peevishly, treacherous, engrossed, emanating, devious, doppelgängers, primeval, rivets, tempestuous, diabolical, stratosphere, detonate, incredulously, colossal, haughtily, bemoaned, and predicament.<br />
<br />
Pilkey makes an allusion to the Tortoise and the Hare and a jab at <i>Sarah Plain and Tall</i>, which I know that my son knows nothing about. When time traveling, the characters visit the Mesozoic, Cretaceous, Cenozoic, and Pleistocene periods; and at one point, they geographically span North America from the Gulf of Mexico to the Yucatan Peninsula. These references sound academic on the one hand, but they are of course balanced with plenty of scatological humor such as: “My name is no longer Professor Poopypants. I changed it to Tippy Tinkletrousers” (p. 38). There is no doubt that the book caters to its young audience.<br />
<br />
Beyond humor, Pilkey shows value for young people’s feelings, opinions, and experiences. Here are a couple of examples that stood out to me.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Near the beginning of the book, the pages below had me cracking up. I asked my son if he could relate to this, and he nodded in emphatic agreement. I took pictures of the pages so that you can catch a glimpse of him, too.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-CD8zQ4I1QWpH23PYiuf4qXOLVWRWpVrQuViXAGAniv5imB3saHOcpHWqcMYldiXn_p18o97ML7jGSl_LkBfueLTdkxG3SfTYt8_Il-xtM6AR-4ZMeDa9Tl3rqzST25AVs06crCXE3Qc/s1600/IMG_7477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-CD8zQ4I1QWpH23PYiuf4qXOLVWRWpVrQuViXAGAniv5imB3saHOcpHWqcMYldiXn_p18o97ML7jGSl_LkBfueLTdkxG3SfTYt8_Il-xtM6AR-4ZMeDa9Tl3rqzST25AVs06crCXE3Qc/s400/IMG_7477.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1it-QWNMJB7qHPvDyY5Lr8a7YDMUJ7-ZOMvCcvKibeStLO88fi2dm3ned6C69uGhFRT5k6rwzWam22pnFmT0ulAI12ZJVITqFgfa1cxEceq7UMugwaUl7UgIi-bHkcenhnmL3rssJepZr/s1600/IMG_7479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1it-QWNMJB7qHPvDyY5Lr8a7YDMUJ7-ZOMvCcvKibeStLO88fi2dm3ned6C69uGhFRT5k6rwzWam22pnFmT0ulAI12ZJVITqFgfa1cxEceq7UMugwaUl7UgIi-bHkcenhnmL3rssJepZr/s400/IMG_7479.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Later, at the end of the book, George and Harold vow “We need to quit making comic books and start paying more attention to our schoolwork” (p. 169). But, they then travel into the future and see that this vow results in them becoming just the types of adults that they hate and so they then “vow a new vow that unvows the old vow we just vowed” (p. 181). This is the one serious moment in the book. “George and Harold shook hands and promised to always be themselves” (p. 183). They successfully reverse their future of becoming grumpy adults and George proclaims: “You mean it’s that easy? All you have to do is make up your mind and stick to it, and you can change the future?” (p. 183). For all of the silliness and wacky adventure, it was nice to come across this more thoughtful moment, even if it is then paired by Harold’s response that keeps the scene from becoming overly sappy: “Yeah, I guess so” </li>
</ul>
<br />
Reading this book was a nice chance to enter a world that my son loves so much. I’m not sure that I will read more of them, but I do think it is a good exercise to validate the interests of children by trying them out. He was so happy to see me reading and that made it a worthwhile experience.Akemi Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03273241834693200970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-17733500026687075282016-09-18T11:01:00.001-07:002016-10-01T11:21:49.625-07:00Student Research Habits, Social Justice in Information, and Balancing Concepts and SkillsIn my <a href="http://ischoolapps.sjsu.edu/gss/ajax/showSheet.php?id=7128" target="_blank">INFO 254 Information Literacy and Learning</a> course, we were given a menu of discussion board prompts to respond to this week, and I was immediately drawn to one regarding a 2010 Inside Higher Ed article <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/09/29/search" target="_blank">"Searching for Better Research Habits"</a> by Steve Kolowich. The discussion in this article resonated with thoughts I have been considering lately regarding research instruction.<br />
<br />
For instance, the initial portion of the article mentions how students do not understand the way a Google search functions and how they practically suggest that it works like “magic.” This reminds me of a session that I attended during the 2016 ALA Annual Conference. The UCLA professor Safiya Umoja Noble spoke on the topic: <a href="https://www.eventscribe.com/2016/ala-annual/fsPopup.asp?Mode=presInfo&PresentationID=138000" target="_blank">Toward an Ethic of Social Justice in Information</a>. In her remarks, she brought up how people commonly and falsely assume that Google searches are unbiased. She provided a number of examples that shed light on how we might critically regard the search results that we are returned (to read more, check out Noble’s dissertation <a href="https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/handle/2142/42315" target="_blank">“Searching for Black Girls: Old Traditions in the New Media”</a>), and challenged the assumptions and stereotypes that are perpetuated through corporate algorithms.<br />
<br />
In a <a href="http://researchtoolkit.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Research Toolkit</a> resource that my Teacher Librarian colleagues and I have created (and plan to continue to refine), we feature a <a href="http://researchtoolkit.weebly.com/searching-google-smartly.html" target="_blank">Searching Google Smartly</a> page that includes technical tips about how to use search filters and an advanced search. However, we also include a section on “Understanding How Google Works,” which links to two resources that I have found to be interesting and helpful: an infographic <a href="http://ppcblog.com/how-google-works/" target="_blank">Learn How Google Works: In Gory Detail</a> and video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNHR6IQJGZs" target="_blank">How Search Works</a>.<br />
<br />
Along the lines of trying to help students focus more on concepts, I also developed an infographic regarding looking at types of information. Here is the <a href="http://researchtoolkit.weebly.com/types-of-information-resources.html" target="_blank">toolkit page on it</a> and the <a href="https://magic.piktochart.com/output/14900974-categorizing-information-resources-for-academic-research" target="_blank">standalone infographic</a>. The reason I was prompted to create this was because I had a difficult time finding resources that did more than look at information in terms of A) primary, secondary, tertiary or B) book, magazine, newspaper, journal, etc. While I may show students the technical skills of filtering search results in an online database by book, magazine, newspaper, journal, etc. - I feel that they also need this conceptual context.<br />
<br />
Overall, though, my personal approach to instruction and the level of conceptual background that I delve into with students is not something that I consider to be a rigid formula. To me, it depends on their specific learning need, the scope of the assignment, the proficiency level of students, and the amount of time that I have with them. I hope to include conceptual information to some minimal degree no matter what, but sometimes I think that hard skills in terms of “click here” is necessary for them to experience success.<br />
<br />
The end of the Kolowich article is a bit dismaying - although relatable - with some scholars determining that we are unlikely to change student search behaviors and need to work instead on improving our interfaces. While I think there is some truth to that, I still hope to influence my students to be skeptical and open to the information that they encounter (I love the idea of “skeptical and open” from our previous readings). Furthermore, acknowledging concerns raised by Noble, I believe we all must be vigilant when developing and using interfaces so that we may not only improve search effectiveness, but do so with mindfulness to identify and address biases in our systems.
Akemi Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03273241834693200970noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-79904491596297940962016-09-17T15:51:00.000-07:002016-09-17T15:56:24.926-07:00Time Traveling to 1909 Through The Youth's CompanionThis week in <a href="http://ischoolapps.sjsu.edu/gss/ajax/showSheet.php?id=7144">INFO 268 History of Youth Literature</a>, we are looking at the history of juvenile series and one activity involves exploring a historical children's magazine. As our professor makes good use of jigsawing, each student only needs to focus on a particular journal and issue. For me, this happens to be the <a href="https://openlibrary.org/books/OL25191621M/The_youth%27s_companion" target="_blank">February 11, 1909 "Lincoln and Washington" edition</a> of <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Youth%27s_Companion">The Youth's Companion</a></i>.<br />
<br />
<i>Personal Note: I picked this issue since my mom's birthday is February 11th!</i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<b>Advertisements as a Window into the Times</b><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
As described in the magazine itself, "<i>The Youth's Companion</i> is an illustrated weekly paper for all the family."<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6fC-P4PYNdpHTjJPwbNql5lw2P53wOr5OVObo7nqrEDR8TkA3lSJCFqiiWGkD6FBZlR77UDPWrt2Jz6aVgPMkl5ge9QmIJ4h2ZfvYrlleC_v7rlnrtlvrz6eHibLuVF7r52BbSlYE8Cr/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252831%2529.png"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6fC-P4PYNdpHTjJPwbNql5lw2P53wOr5OVObo7nqrEDR8TkA3lSJCFqiiWGkD6FBZlR77UDPWrt2Jz6aVgPMkl5ge9QmIJ4h2ZfvYrlleC_v7rlnrtlvrz6eHibLuVF7r52BbSlYE8Cr/s320/Unnamed+image+%252831%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Given the context of our current times, it is hard for me to imagine children enjoying a publication like this today; but then again, reading the scanned magazine makes it clear that life was quite different then. What illustrates this best to me are the advertisements. Here are just a few.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8fc8Fq5Aw0oT80hRHPQb6yNLN-2Uzf6mohIHnZBhnsgUjF0rLvlYQ20wNdRMwRm903tcWovLYtJ3vMvClrugPcZ26rdpawY9HoIZExbkkqjhgJOBCFl70eas6AX6lWce7vD3SNRmMbYq/s1600/Unnamed+image+%25288%2529.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8fc8Fq5Aw0oT80hRHPQb6yNLN-2Uzf6mohIHnZBhnsgUjF0rLvlYQ20wNdRMwRm903tcWovLYtJ3vMvClrugPcZ26rdpawY9HoIZExbkkqjhgJOBCFl70eas6AX6lWce7vD3SNRmMbYq/s320/Unnamed+image+%25288%2529.png" width="217" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kellogg Corn Flakes! Here is a product that is still around today, <br />
but the "sweetheart of the corn" is long gone.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8bSVXhIBx2RfStH2i-iXcQ0XHhVAXDnqZD-REZIeyFiLCVegt_oQhIRdR27gT6aSwwjWyS1BkxmPbn1NiYJMoxo2dFXMTDyLFyQRTt8KX0LjC-FFu_4ptpdPaHQDr3wMxuJWcatxjx19/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252822%2529.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8bSVXhIBx2RfStH2i-iXcQ0XHhVAXDnqZD-REZIeyFiLCVegt_oQhIRdR27gT6aSwwjWyS1BkxmPbn1NiYJMoxo2dFXMTDyLFyQRTt8KX0LjC-FFu_4ptpdPaHQDr3wMxuJWcatxjx19/s320/Unnamed+image+%252822%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You sure don't find ads today with children polishing stoves! I also love how they highlight:<br />
"It is absolutely safe for a child to use - not inflammable or explosive like some inferior so-called liquids"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7w93EV0Y9DCnegwedljZ_eGHZm5Ly4zHAjh6s4k1fwGIwqKeMy2-u9BDt9v9-hOzzp_2FQ48j1dWS0EPFI9F90JCuGc_DgloB985aqzRDZKDIdlXeo1olWdNDddceuzSpEIkOzQz4_t0/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252825%2529.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7w93EV0Y9DCnegwedljZ_eGHZm5Ly4zHAjh6s4k1fwGIwqKeMy2-u9BDt9v9-hOzzp_2FQ48j1dWS0EPFI9F90JCuGc_DgloB985aqzRDZKDIdlXeo1olWdNDddceuzSpEIkOzQz4_t0/s400/Unnamed+image+%252825%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is just the top portion of a full quarter page ad about a vacuum cleaner.<br />
There are seriously a lot of ads related to cleaning products.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioaN2jn9mPaw4OWxL1CWjzmB1XABJ8Y9QRwPcY3BDxbBz7V0Xlwe64bYMb0-BUCmWCnGeXACOoI-O2cpfza1QlJnbbWTYROeeOjBTiLrwXBNjhMxHUJwbU-X17ru_V2m72r_mBYmMeXwR1/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252823%2529.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioaN2jn9mPaw4OWxL1CWjzmB1XABJ8Y9QRwPcY3BDxbBz7V0Xlwe64bYMb0-BUCmWCnGeXACOoI-O2cpfza1QlJnbbWTYROeeOjBTiLrwXBNjhMxHUJwbU-X17ru_V2m72r_mBYmMeXwR1/s320/Unnamed+image+%252823%2529.png" width="284" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prophylactic has a whole different meaning today.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uzf4aQpCJw44qk2tqpwKKBuckmd2BQrfk855X7z_aBvOdFxDT1X_AzE_u34c5wLxob8jjxmX5kuoFSXl7jMZMJqU2174KZuagDoxMF_qcOBGD8lidl151cDzmrzLmmFXpBH8SzOSbHKh/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252824%2529.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uzf4aQpCJw44qk2tqpwKKBuckmd2BQrfk855X7z_aBvOdFxDT1X_AzE_u34c5wLxob8jjxmX5kuoFSXl7jMZMJqU2174KZuagDoxMF_qcOBGD8lidl151cDzmrzLmmFXpBH8SzOSbHKh/s320/Unnamed+image+%252824%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The early version of Cutco knives sales?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgywO_4Nck74kCdkitBvjEEenyFljMTNhMZPTZjRNKmljvk2f3H06TMu8i0R-zHAYayVCqGpXPth3O9bPBR6nI7WdKq4gxZJdXELES-6a9vq69p-UAQbmkO0aFfl4ktu3n9g_at3DwA7vH-/s1600/Unnamed+image+%25289%2529.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgywO_4Nck74kCdkitBvjEEenyFljMTNhMZPTZjRNKmljvk2f3H06TMu8i0R-zHAYayVCqGpXPth3O9bPBR6nI7WdKq4gxZJdXELES-6a9vq69p-UAQbmkO0aFfl4ktu3n9g_at3DwA7vH-/s320/Unnamed+image+%25289%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This pen ad most reflected the theme of the issue by highlighting that the company's <br />
"Quarter Centennial Anniversary" just so happens to coincide with the <br />
"Centennial Birthday" of Lincoln, "the emancipator of a nation's slaves."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The advertisements provide an interesting backdrop for the main content. This reminds me of a listserv message that I recently read (I can't find it again!). A teacher wants to study magazine advertisements, but the online databases with magazine content only provide standalone article text. This is an interesting point that sometimes we may think about information as simply what is conveyed through words without considering the impact of layout and the context of the overall publication.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Oh, The Variety of Content</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Ads aside, the content in <i>The Youth's Companion</i> spans a wide range of topics and forms, from fictional stories to short news blurbs and scientific updates. To give you an idea of the array, here are a few snippets that I found amusing.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXssBzv9CxoLEgB-yzwqFq0PYDMIuHC8EjHel-qb5tiXi3NS_rA0HoOUZlq1RHdtkRwNIyMy0TmsI62L4Ld2bAE0_fewHBDWSXkOYFAL8rpe5HrRf8gdgcrLY-lFg5tLYOnKdG31l6ZrYh/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252819%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXssBzv9CxoLEgB-yzwqFq0PYDMIuHC8EjHel-qb5tiXi3NS_rA0HoOUZlq1RHdtkRwNIyMy0TmsI62L4Ld2bAE0_fewHBDWSXkOYFAL8rpe5HrRf8gdgcrLY-lFg5tLYOnKdG31l6ZrYh/s400/Unnamed+image+%252819%2529.png" width="323" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This article gives serious attention to the technology of the umbrella.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiK-Qip3IFj8UdCABanVRIRpFb64UmCN5Mutm35Tyvs-2nS7TpMnpJaLM9A6VdcbMfJ3M77WjovLVV7Z-XMF0Upb3sPdgG4xGmz1bw8SRXu8bs3vVsMqyL5Zc9UkZBiG28jeToafuWjp3X/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252813%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiK-Qip3IFj8UdCABanVRIRpFb64UmCN5Mutm35Tyvs-2nS7TpMnpJaLM9A6VdcbMfJ3M77WjovLVV7Z-XMF0Upb3sPdgG4xGmz1bw8SRXu8bs3vVsMqyL5Zc9UkZBiG28jeToafuWjp3X/s320/Unnamed+image+%252813%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is newsworthy that flat-top desks are surpassing roll-top desks, <br />
and even back then, the Fourth of July prompts safety warnings about explosives.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzH5nBR9mSF9cicJXEwrTtGqq-ObTntjUqa5UJtLjLbWOrxZOte2RULJTm3aDPSJGa9wVWeEUFZifD7-LT-WQTr88L-CnGlYv8shfeDtvdykx_bVcxzicjD4kziMwKQHWnQds8qneiVcuN/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252815%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzH5nBR9mSF9cicJXEwrTtGqq-ObTntjUqa5UJtLjLbWOrxZOte2RULJTm3aDPSJGa9wVWeEUFZifD7-LT-WQTr88L-CnGlYv8shfeDtvdykx_bVcxzicjD4kziMwKQHWnQds8qneiVcuN/s320/Unnamed+image+%252815%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Discussion regarding the death penalty hasn't necessarily progressed much today.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
While the magazine largely features shorter informational writings, it opens with a more substantial headline feature, which is chapter ten of Homer Greene's eleven part serial "A Lincoln Conscript." The author does not spare any drama, starting off the piece - and thus also the entire issue - with graphic detail. In the first paragraph, the character Bob Bannister is described with his scalp "torn loose."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrRvY_dJC1nc72UH_aWJG6xcuGsbUVMNg23XM1f_su1isMk7yuCew_UvXOZ4xdxWHUkQx2lNTqnS4PVCpUMq8MK-z0v8XaSCB0znmKsMdl3Us2t-dbkWtvPWTbNmYHnDB7DBX2P_Z6_60/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252826%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrRvY_dJC1nc72UH_aWJG6xcuGsbUVMNg23XM1f_su1isMk7yuCew_UvXOZ4xdxWHUkQx2lNTqnS4PVCpUMq8MK-z0v8XaSCB0znmKsMdl3Us2t-dbkWtvPWTbNmYHnDB7DBX2P_Z6_60/s320/Unnamed+image+%252826%2529.png" width="181" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Later in Greene's piece, after Lincoln has been shot, the president's body is described as an "unconscious burden" and he dies.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2827ZuM_IToScZOG7hto-G-HuZ8MF7fI6NOnI88KTQN1jNgcrdl_MYaQb2yaXOPFQK3zuvDJYPqgxZ1p3Lx06k6zdqmXrq6eb8YMVPWhQEFykbMRMBzWlLGwDA9XCYwyEA4QrAXCqHl-/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252810%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2827ZuM_IToScZOG7hto-G-HuZ8MF7fI6NOnI88KTQN1jNgcrdl_MYaQb2yaXOPFQK3zuvDJYPqgxZ1p3Lx06k6zdqmXrq6eb8YMVPWhQEFykbMRMBzWlLGwDA9XCYwyEA4QrAXCqHl-/s320/Unnamed+image+%252810%2529.png" width="278" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As this is the tenth installment of the serial, I am now curious to know what happened in the previous nine parts and how it ends!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Evidence of Existing Cultural Norms</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Throughout the magazine, cultural values of the times present both a striking contrast with today, as well as eery parallelism. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
As if the ads were not telling enough with women doing all of the cleaning, the articles echo rigid gender stereotypes. In "A Life-Preserver," it is asserted that "one of the tragic facts of life" is "the midde-aged, untrained woman suddenly left without means of support." These women are labeled a "melancholy, struggling army of the unfit" and their position in life is deemed to be a "catastrophe." </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOR9x8OumjeguYj6Yr98oW8pM4DBJOmdgcMBzKK8Z5SiKMH9KHLEdBMl5hzXMQ8hmQkHuQ8Jrwqh6nizl8AvtfgBMHjVs1EnLBu4C1RbZbSiFwCcLtpPd0iU1VvmuyWWPvOvxEB4X6qBKR/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252816%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOR9x8OumjeguYj6Yr98oW8pM4DBJOmdgcMBzKK8Z5SiKMH9KHLEdBMl5hzXMQ8hmQkHuQ8Jrwqh6nizl8AvtfgBMHjVs1EnLBu4C1RbZbSiFwCcLtpPd0iU1VvmuyWWPvOvxEB4X6qBKR/s320/Unnamed+image+%252816%2529.png" width="274" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The "pathetic" woman is meanwhile contrasted with what is being considered to be the ideal in articles such as "Just Like Teacher." In order to be successful, all that a girl has to do is "marry a man that'll always have a steady job. And when I'm cookin' and washin' dishes I'll be smiley in my eyes all the time, just like my teacher."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9-7sqCvKuCwyqQcRSFkYlkZ13vms0baeuTJK3_3wP-9mGoEnko_ALKeZNDEyPqkLgYnURCz93EsPm9ykzB1CsfSa3TP-DlKIjI9RY_tTCzNd5hgSpFLPLNvAaeEBJ3-l_mkXof8AaPrp/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252820%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9-7sqCvKuCwyqQcRSFkYlkZ13vms0baeuTJK3_3wP-9mGoEnko_ALKeZNDEyPqkLgYnURCz93EsPm9ykzB1CsfSa3TP-DlKIjI9RY_tTCzNd5hgSpFLPLNvAaeEBJ3-l_mkXof8AaPrp/s320/Unnamed+image+%252820%2529.png" width="307" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The idealized female teacher is also portrayed in the short story "Maddalena Bottesini American" by Mabel Nelson Thurston. In this piece, the model American teacher is to be "worshiped" by her subordinate - and "dirty" - immigrant students, which include Italian American Maddalena.</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7FUeej5-EOCxET-kQzPpETDAWaI8jEdWfXX6APcbRefTow0Bsm9KvNNkYXY8d3qstUqARMrdUmPAZR4aixZkatTIqtwyAMFKT-d-jbSIvIkPkhY0t-jVUmXA60-CvgEzTM4mpA295wNV/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252811%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7FUeej5-EOCxET-kQzPpETDAWaI8jEdWfXX6APcbRefTow0Bsm9KvNNkYXY8d3qstUqARMrdUmPAZR4aixZkatTIqtwyAMFKT-d-jbSIvIkPkhY0t-jVUmXA60-CvgEzTM4mpA295wNV/s320/Unnamed+image+%252811%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Patriotism is extolled through a lesson about taking good care of the American flag.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvM_SeMV-qJ2DIc0ALPEOIuKDbUWzKfzqoA5HhMO3H57k7rrSVYDzlT9eghe_8XIrdb9BsKDtV85iLHIKyFzcW4ssndskhfh3-BcmhYQBnYXtsxjh4RbIHqAHQz4CntFH3kIfAHMSkEhnE/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252812%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvM_SeMV-qJ2DIc0ALPEOIuKDbUWzKfzqoA5HhMO3H57k7rrSVYDzlT9eghe_8XIrdb9BsKDtV85iLHIKyFzcW4ssndskhfh3-BcmhYQBnYXtsxjh4RbIHqAHQz4CntFH3kIfAHMSkEhnE/s320/Unnamed+image+%252812%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
And, in fact, proving oneself patriotic is celebrated, even if the results are one's own tragic death, as is the case with little Maddalena.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9I6prrhHyH1j4zeABw_R1ZaX_P0RUROssh-zIcd2W9oHQb2WEgWeDv_Yi6fG0prS_uHhqLDEs-eZ7Ag2917lcs4ZAb5aMSCzrQO9CQ65NrkwIDN9F0OTHveop9GI04fL_Y_GfM8L3wHG/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252814%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9I6prrhHyH1j4zeABw_R1ZaX_P0RUROssh-zIcd2W9oHQb2WEgWeDv_Yi6fG0prS_uHhqLDEs-eZ7Ag2917lcs4ZAb5aMSCzrQO9CQ65NrkwIDN9F0OTHveop9GI04fL_Y_GfM8L3wHG/s320/Unnamed+image+%252814%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Cultural stereotypes may also be seen in the editorial piece "Slaves of Superstition." While the authors opens with an acknowledgment that some people of the times promote religious tolerance, he warns "against this easy theory" in favor of what he considers to be the "facts" of "the honest student of civilization."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkqLjrOiOX30Skcqf6HEzpmm2duRmjyta7DfV9B49m2-ujFraqQQCv4K40ZF1Qu8tPJe156QvRCCcSb7HkJrzauh0WDUWv_dopi54PUThQ2Zwv43fhjwaQjlJwKMXCrwsr8Vss9oSmz8G/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252817%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwkqLjrOiOX30Skcqf6HEzpmm2duRmjyta7DfV9B49m2-ujFraqQQCv4K40ZF1Qu8tPJe156QvRCCcSb7HkJrzauh0WDUWv_dopi54PUThQ2Zwv43fhjwaQjlJwKMXCrwsr8Vss9oSmz8G/s400/Unnamed+image+%252817%2529.png" width="332" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The author uses fear tactics, suggesting that it is common that Hindus engage in a "frightful ceremony" of burning wives alive with their dead husbands. Although, what is perhaps most telling is the emphasis on equating anything that is "unchristian" as being "unscholarly." </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1pFlFMeLn1uk45zjou3hQsgcXZ9BSwXsAYBEifSsjpH5s-2iTC10NzL9Na0x8MNw-CqnaK6kZig1PAM3MLm0jYw0vYvGjQAsgfQtHOQ5ocYwxOOCvaFa2XUOBdIa03EIlucuU9SzU6Lh/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252818%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ1pFlFMeLn1uk45zjou3hQsgcXZ9BSwXsAYBEifSsjpH5s-2iTC10NzL9Na0x8MNw-CqnaK6kZig1PAM3MLm0jYw0vYvGjQAsgfQtHOQ5ocYwxOOCvaFa2XUOBdIa03EIlucuU9SzU6Lh/s320/Unnamed+image+%252818%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
One final clipping that I'll share is a news brief regarding anti-Japanese bills in California. As a Japanese American living in California, this immediately caught my eye. I am used to finding information about Japanese in America during World War II, but it was interesting to see this antecedent from 1909.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5LrSQAgo6S3o0u3FEGnRNfyMJWfqdlLGj1BuVhZbtaoCAabxvEoMniX5u-u3WshyphenhyphenkeRF26ZA-ZzNXqdTBgLLMansuCCOt4FNsDMjqquv-AHxVDoKGaZVt6o0WCK1j6h0c9l_WmKzHXf8/s1600/Unnamed+image+%252821%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ5LrSQAgo6S3o0u3FEGnRNfyMJWfqdlLGj1BuVhZbtaoCAabxvEoMniX5u-u3WshyphenhyphenkeRF26ZA-ZzNXqdTBgLLMansuCCOt4FNsDMjqquv-AHxVDoKGaZVt6o0WCK1j6h0c9l_WmKzHXf8/s320/Unnamed+image+%252821%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
It could be easy to read these clips from the past with judgment. However, as much as I'd like to hope that our American society has progressed in terms of being more open-minded, this recent political season has generated language that is immediately reminiscent, whether demeaning the role of women or setting bars for proving one's patriotic worthiness. If we were to time travel another century into the future, I wonder how our current day may appear just as antiquated.</div>
</div>
Akemi Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03273241834693200970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-48174272178303177752016-09-17T13:20:00.000-07:002016-09-17T13:27:36.721-07:00My YA Milestone Read: Intersectionality, Marginalia, and the Secrets of the UniverseIn <a href="http://ischoolapps.sjsu.edu/gss/ajax/showSheet.php?id=7144" target="_blank">INFO 268 History of Youth Literature</a>, our unit on the history of teen lit required us to read a milestone YA book and I chose to read a <a href="http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklistsawards/bookawards/printzaward/previouswinners/winners" target="_blank">Michael L. Print honor book</a>: <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Aristotle-Dante-Discover-Secrets-Universe/dp/1442408936" target="_blank">Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe</a></i> by Benjamin Alire Sáenz.<br />
<br />
On Monday morning of this week, I checked out a copy of the book from the high school library where I work, and I immediately fell in love. I woke up earlier than normal the next day so that I could read it before work, and I managed to get to the satisfying ending by the same evening.<br />
<br />
From start to finish, <i>Aristotle and Dante</i> is a beautifully poetic read that traces the friendship and love experienced by two high school teenagers named Aristotle "Ari" and Dante. Narrated through Ari's first-person perspective, Sáenz masterfully explores layered issues related to identity, family relationships, trauma, sexuality, and healing.<br />
<br />
Regarding identity, I appreciated that the characters articulate and inhabit <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-theory/wp/2015/09/21/intersectionality-a-primer/?tid=a_inl&utm_term=.0901002d9955" target="_blank">intersectionality</a>. Ari and Dante are both Mexican American, and as we come to learn, they are both boys who fall in love with one another. The thing is, they are not just simply "Mexican," but express uncertainty about being considered or feeling Mexican enough. In a similar way, the words "homosexual" and "gay" are never used in the book. The expression of their love defies labels. They defy labels.<br />
<br />
What makes this book so universally relatable - and "normal" - is the idea that there are "secrets of the universe." Ari considers himself weird and thinks that others must have life figured out more than him since he feels so lost. He struggles with being vulnerable with others and even with himself. He comes to see his parents as flawed, but comfortingly human. He feels alone, and yet learns to let others into his life. These are such typical struggles that any teen - or adult - goes through.<br />
<br />
As the physical book that I read was from my library, a bonus treat that I discovered was artwork that a student had added to the pages, expressing their reaction at two points in the book. See below.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
While writing in library books is frowned upon, I <3 this marginalia in <a href="https://twitter.com/arianddante">@arianddante</a> I found like gifts when reading <a href="https://t.co/9oOOJDSrzs">pic.twitter.com/9oOOJDSrzs</a></div>
— Suzanne Sannwald (@suzannesannwald) <a href="https://twitter.com/suzannesannwald/status/775872882056372224">September 14, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br />
While drawing in library books is generally frowned upon, it was fun to see evidence of a student’s reading of and engagement with the copy. This is the second book I’ve come across in my collection with art from the same student. The first time was when I read <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/I-Am-J-Cris-Beam/dp/0316053600/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1474144010&sr=1-1&keywords=i+am+j" target="_blank">I am J</a></i> back in November 2015.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Marginalia throughout <a href="https://twitter.com/cbnewyork">@cbnewyork</a>'s I am J is evidence of the power of lit & having inclusive library collections <a href="https://t.co/SBGAhcY4ep">pic.twitter.com/SBGAhcY4ep</a></div>
— Suzanne Sannwald (@suzannesannwald) <a href="https://twitter.com/suzannesannwald/status/668928957824131072">November 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
I never did speak to the student about the art (it seemed like too private a thing to comment about), but I know who it was and they have since graduated. I have left their marks in these books, because I regard it as a touching imprint that captures the student’s reading experience like a time capsule. It provides a special glimpse into their thoughts and feelings, and to me, this tangible evidence illustrates the power that stories can play in the emotional lives of students.Akemi Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03273241834693200970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-6828728888954399952016-09-11T05:44:00.000-07:002016-09-11T05:44:10.126-07:00INFO 268 Teen Interviews Regarding ReadingThis week's adventure task for <a href="http://ischoolapps.sjsu.edu/gss/ajax/showSheet.php?id=7144" target="_blank">INFO 268 History of Youth Literature</a>, "Teenagers in the Mist," charged us "to track down a teen or tween in the wild and observe their reading habits" by interviewing them. Since I work in a high school library, this one was an easy one for me. All the same, it prompted me to seek out conversations with different students that I wouldn't have had otherwise.<br />
<br />
While we only needed to interview one youth, I had so much fun that I ended up talking with four different students, two males and two females. I spoke with each of them separately and tried to seek out students who are in different social circles to see what differences I would get with their responses. Below are some of the most interesting findings.<br />
<ul>
<li>All four of the students I spoke with said that they read for pleasure as time allows with their studies. They deeply enjoy their personal reading, but rarely enjoy assigned readings for school. In fact, the only assigned reading that was talked about in a positive light was two students agreed that they liked <i>Of Mice and Men</i>.</li>
<li>In terms of what the students choose to read on their own, there was a range of responses. One student likes popular titles such as <i>Perks of Being a Wallflower </i>and works by John Green and Rainbow Rowell. Another student prefers manga and comics, and yet another discussed liking fantasy novels and recently enjoyed <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Last-Dogs-Vanishing-Christopher-Holt/dp/0316200042" target="_blank">The Last Dogs: The Vanishing</a></i>, which is an animal-based fantasy.</li>
<li>Three of the four students said that they enjoy reading series. The ones they named are: a manga series <i>Tsubasa</i>, Riordan's <i>Percy Jackson </i>series, and the <i>Twilight </i>series.</li>
<li>The students varied in terms of their ideas about what influences their reading. Most said that they don't read reviews, except one said he reads them on Amazon. Two said that they generally rely on recommendations from friends, both in-person and online on social media. One, though, mentioned that she actually avoids books recommended to her by peers, because she is skeptical of what other people like. Three of the four said that they don't choose books based on the covers, but that they are influenced by titles and summaries on the covers.</li>
<li>All four said that they have a personal collection of print books at home and that they enjoy buying them from physical bookstores such as Barnes and Noble. All four said that they read print "regular" books, but that they will also read on electronic devices. One uses a Kindle, one uses an iPad, and two use their phones. They use a mix of apps including iBooks, <a href="http://openebooks.net/" target="_blank">Open eBooks</a> (thanks to our school library setup!), and Wattpad, although only one student said he reads mostly on an electronic device.</li>
<li>Two of the four student regularly check out books from the school library, but none of them said that they use the public library. One student explained that she prefers the school library books, because she has found that the public library books are often in poor shape with pages missing, etc. Along these lines, one of the non-library using students explained he is very particular about reading books that are pristine and so a book that is "used" makes him cringe while reading - he is also the student who reads mostly ebooks.</li>
<li>Regarding <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/" target="_blank">Wattpad</a>, three of the four students spoke about having read extensively on Wattpad. One student, in particular, is a heavy Wattpad user and engages as both a reader and writer. This student explained that reading serves as the foundation for worlds that she creates in her head for her writing. I know of Wattpad, but I haven't done much reading on it. Now I am inspired to check it out more. I was particularly intrigued by a student mentioning how she likes "<a href="http://fanlore.org/wiki/Reader-Insert" target="_blank">reader-insert</a>" or "x-reader." Having never heard of these terms before, I asked her to explain the idea to me, and she detailed how it is writing that places the reader as the protagonist. There are conventions that have developed such as using "Y/N" to indicate when the reader should insert "your name." I find this interesting and exciting that young writers are creating new narrative techniques and forms!</li>
<li>Finally, the answer that really touched me was when I asked "How would you describe your perfect book?" One student immediately replied that it would be the description of <i>The Secret Garden</i> and <i>A Little Princess</i>. She explained how these are personal favorites that she read "during my days of solitude." The books helped her during this time, and to me, this so powerfully demonstrates the meaningful impact that reading can make in people's lives.</li>
</ul>
Akemi Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03273241834693200970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-30060850901497415262016-09-03T17:14:00.000-07:002016-09-03T17:29:01.194-07:00INFO 268 Picture Book Depictions of Family: An Unexpected Comparison Across DecadesThis week, in my <a href="http://ischoolapps.sjsu.edu/gss/ajax/showSheet.php?id=7144" target="_blank">INFO 268 History of Youth Literature</a> course, we have been tasked with locating two picture books from different decades that depict families. I looked through my family's bookshelves and have selected an unlikely pair. Separated by roughly four decades, the two books that I will be comparing are the following:<br />
<ul>
<li><i>The Stupids Step Out</i>, written by Harry Allard and illustrated by James Marshall, copyright 1974</li>
<li><i>Last Stop on Market Street</i>, written by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson, copyright 2015</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0xD9g9X_cWx4zqZyeTeiAB7M4i5Qy5zC4a4z4U4sq8ifSvbWPO-bdGKSRO-cn9MAkgBEugfPU0h7THkw2UyHO8Wpgl9GBxjdTNr7gCXZ8H1f1C64PdS_sTHM8kiI8BYZIY32TcbU-urAN/s1600/024.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0xD9g9X_cWx4zqZyeTeiAB7M4i5Qy5zC4a4z4U4sq8ifSvbWPO-bdGKSRO-cn9MAkgBEugfPU0h7THkw2UyHO8Wpgl9GBxjdTNr7gCXZ8H1f1C64PdS_sTHM8kiI8BYZIY32TcbU-urAN/s400/024.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both;">
From the outset, the two titles appear to be very different. <i>The Stupids Step Out</i> is intended to be ridiculous and comical, whereas <i>Last Stop on Market Street</i> is beautifully thoughtful and inspirational. The recognition garnered by each title similarly falls on opposite ends of the spectrum, with <i>The Stupids Step</i> Out securing a position as the <a href="http://www.ala.org/bbooks/top-100-bannedchallenged-books-2000-2009" target="_blank">62nd most frequently challenged book of the 2000s decade</a> and <i>Last Stop of Market Street</i> earning countless accolades including the 2016 Newbery Medal, a 2016 Caldecott Honor, and 2016 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor. All the same, I found the two titles to be an oddly perfect pair to look at in tandem.</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both;">
<hr />
<div class="" style="clear: both;">
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_a1kJORucokFimukVN2cAsIdsCz6FWjnNXdu5l1srMYeocQP2fy2YO2grMNuvHMRdXPXwSh8CJjLQBum92Ron2oTkGPa5T7gzja7MJ9l5HqZo4BMzEPPfgM3yf-XMDtj4g3CZ8g08s1R/s1600/Picture2.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_a1kJORucokFimukVN2cAsIdsCz6FWjnNXdu5l1srMYeocQP2fy2YO2grMNuvHMRdXPXwSh8CJjLQBum92Ron2oTkGPa5T7gzja7MJ9l5HqZo4BMzEPPfgM3yf-XMDtj4g3CZ8g08s1R/s200/Picture2.png" width="200" /></a>First of all, I want to acknowledge Professor Melba Tomeo for starting out this week's video message to our class as she did. You may not be able to tell from this screenshot, but she has a pipe in her mouth to go along with her mustache. She explained that it is her "impression of every father in every children's book probably right up through the 1980s. Dad's always in his chair, smoking his pipe and reading a paper." Now cut forward to my analysis...<br />
<br />
Published in 1974, and even though it is farcical at its core, <i>The Stupids Step </i><i>Out </i>plays out this exact stereotype, featuring the father Stanley Stupid in his chair and with his pipe on the first page. While there are ridiculous features on the page such as a picture of a tree labeled "flower" and Stanley is wearing a tacky palm tree tie, I don't believe that the stereotypical father imagery is intended as farce.<br />
<br />
In terms of family power dynamics, I also think it is telling that the story starts out only showing the father and that the first line is: "One day Stanley Q. Stupid had an idea." The punchline is that "This was unusual," but still, he is established as the thinker of the family and the one who leads them on their journey.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJin9waVzjBZjz8NVhtSVjJuNBEAVK_JBwqMRGi_Kf386mrHBwLwVB1xZnXh8t4XCHfNmWcxDpaxfIdr1srGi3nDpxOJeFOwIk04OMgRYxhQbtLFlFQ_40nk3x0IE3cTnZ7oQ4puGvOxN/s1600/031.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJin9waVzjBZjz8NVhtSVjJuNBEAVK_JBwqMRGi_Kf386mrHBwLwVB1xZnXh8t4XCHfNmWcxDpaxfIdr1srGi3nDpxOJeFOwIk04OMgRYxhQbtLFlFQ_40nk3x0IE3cTnZ7oQ4puGvOxN/s400/031.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In contrast, check out the opening pages of <i>Last Stop on Market Street</i>. Rather than prominently featuring a solitary man planted stationary in his resting chair, there is a mix of people, including people with different skin tones and hair colors, who fluidly move as they are connected in community. Regarding "connection," just notice many people are holding hands! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The first pages of <i>Last Stop on Market Street</i> also happen to feature a tree, but it is a living one and not just a mislabeled representation of a tree. In addition, as if there couldn't be a greater difference when it comes to agency, <i>Last Stop on Market </i><i class="">Street</i><span class="">'s opening lines are</span> with: "CJ pushed through the church doors, skipped down the steps. The outside air smelled like freedom..." In this way, we are introduced to the main protagonist, the child CJ. CJ has power to "push through" and the joy to "skip." He is free.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6sTKjjX5WyFUwLb2b6uK39va7xVYdATpXH43u_vIOzpU-FvitKB30porrCAxSCIcjJBgN58JJAuhY8ROrNv6JSlLFfgQRoW1e1f8BPGkBcBcM544zDP_PNPx-LPy-L4yMe8ssSCJv70_M/s1600/032.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6sTKjjX5WyFUwLb2b6uK39va7xVYdATpXH43u_vIOzpU-FvitKB30porrCAxSCIcjJBgN58JJAuhY8ROrNv6JSlLFfgQRoW1e1f8BPGkBcBcM544zDP_PNPx-LPy-L4yMe8ssSCJv70_M/s400/032.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<hr style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Moving along. When turning the first page of <i>The Stupids Step Out</i>, we meet the entire family, which is a stereotypically nuclear Caucasian family. Father Stupid is married to Mrs. Stupid and they have a son Buster Stupid, a daughter Petunia Stupid, one dog, and one cat. They are undeniably ridiculous in terms of how they dress and do things like stand upside down, and yet the family itself is completely conventional in terms of societal norms related to family structure. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Regarding plot, Stanley announces, "The Stupids are stepping out today" and the rest of the family is "delighted." Looking at the illustrations, it is interesting to note that Stanley stands alone with his finger triumphantly pointed in the air while the mother and daughter are mirror images, with perfectly feminine bows in their hair and their hands touching their faces, as if in glowing admiration of Stanley.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCSO3aooIPdSNT_1Ksuyu720Yj1bt0fRfYUGr_HHCL4eR9XF7bCNp9YIxBQ_4Y9SpyZCw2GyxipxbCLWcF5t7QqJjYwiROd_8HXGEs9H5RmVW7_JRv8XPR5BgEuXKoQbRjuqfTTXWen5l/s1600/034.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCSO3aooIPdSNT_1Ksuyu720Yj1bt0fRfYUGr_HHCL4eR9XF7bCNp9YIxBQ_4Y9SpyZCw2GyxipxbCLWcF5t7QqJjYwiROd_8HXGEs9H5RmVW7_JRv8XPR5BgEuXKoQbRjuqfTTXWen5l/s400/034.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Turning the first page of <i>Last Stop on Market Street </i>coincidentally echoes this plot. We meet the central family of the story. But, in this case, the family unit that is depicted is simply CJ and his nana. There is no indication in the book as to whether or not Nana is CJ's sole caregiver or just taking her grandson out on a Sunday afternoon. Regardless, the family unit that is highlighted is markedly unconventional when compared with the Stupids.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9F44rHOnlvh9dn_nCDt9Af6PLkwF2kb1O6QssjH7J1bhQhAh_9GZ9PzT4FYVImgF0qWZXlJQVJn6OhbVG3aK06bFTRCb4UwST3R0O_8cMQqy89yaDvSKURGjDgS8lTBlBcTeK5lEeUtIY/s1600/033.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9F44rHOnlvh9dn_nCDt9Af6PLkwF2kb1O6QssjH7J1bhQhAh_9GZ9PzT4FYVImgF0qWZXlJQVJn6OhbVG3aK06bFTRCb4UwST3R0O_8cMQqy89yaDvSKURGjDgS8lTBlBcTeK5lEeUtIY/s400/033.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
You can also see in the illustration above that, as CJ and his nana step out, there is rain falling. CJ asks, "How come we gotta wait for the bus in all this wet?" Rather than disparage the rain, CJ's nana values it: "Trees get thirsty, too...don't you see that big one drinking through a straw?" Getting wet is not an inconvenience. Instead, the rain is acknowledged as life-giving.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Meanwhile, as Mrs. Stupid announces that it is "Bath Time!" - note how she is allowed to provide leadership when it comes to a conventional women's task related to cleaning - there is no water. Daughter Petunia asks, "But where's the water?," and father Stanley answers, "Don't be stupid...if we fill up the tub, our clothes will get wet." This is surely silly, but it is also interesting to see how wetness is an inconvenience, even when it is warranted and expected. The page also ends with Mrs. Stupid telling her children, "Listen to your father." Even when the father is being absurd, and when he chides his daughter to not be "stupid," he is to be listened to.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-HbckQHDXRoQPgbYsWWCSB2n7z_iFJYuaNxU4pH5Hyt05z0YzIcLl5qTt8MIB8576BERuSL3ZscOw5AaWVa2wv064gjALCPu8w58ztlM7SoC0EX2q6GvBe-A8pQICX43KVdWsZe0THAhU/s1600/025.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-HbckQHDXRoQPgbYsWWCSB2n7z_iFJYuaNxU4pH5Hyt05z0YzIcLl5qTt8MIB8576BERuSL3ZscOw5AaWVa2wv064gjALCPu8w58ztlM7SoC0EX2q6GvBe-A8pQICX43KVdWsZe0THAhU/s400/025.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The image of the Stupids self-contained in their waterless bathtub is interesting to juxtapose with CJ and his nana after they board the public bus (they don't travel in a personal car like the Stupids). Rather than closing themselves off physically, the two are depicted with openness, inviting others into their lives as they shake hands with a blind man and are surrounded by other diverse passengers. Parallel to Petunia, CJ asks a question, "How come that man can't see?" and Nana answers, "Boy, what do you know about seeing?" This is strangely reminiscent of Stanley's "don't be stupid" comment, but rather than continuing with a punchline explanation, Nana finishes philosophically: "Some people watch the world with their ears."</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGttWUfV626gjFbWSrm7NnCWERzCLQmAq6GmoDMS3prvqjxdXKAKc-bsFfHSVLVgSAzYMT-QLvHplWTJ_YFRdHZrjtSFU402_xZWtrsC_Jl6PyCLSKHGehUrnw44ey7GMo9BtDCpW8zgMQ/s1600/026.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGttWUfV626gjFbWSrm7NnCWERzCLQmAq6GmoDMS3prvqjxdXKAKc-bsFfHSVLVgSAzYMT-QLvHplWTJ_YFRdHZrjtSFU402_xZWtrsC_Jl6PyCLSKHGehUrnw44ey7GMo9BtDCpW8zgMQ/s400/026.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<hr style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Returning to the Stupids, we learn that their journey has taken them to visit Stanley's parents, Grandfather and Grandmother Stupid. In line with the male patriarchy motif, Grandfather Stupid is the one who answers the door and Grandmother Stupid is relegated to residing the the closet "where she always is." This is certainly meant to be ridiculous, but it is also somewhat cringeworthy to me when doing this analysis. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Also cringeworthy, the main joke is that Grandfather Stupid doesn't recognize his own family. Having had a grandmother with dementia who did eventually come to not recognize me, I can unfortunately see this joke falling flat for some people, even though this was obviously not how the author intended it to be read.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoF8pQyFMQGxQ1wpNH6qX9_tBPufDE7czNpVj5GG1LQdgk4FQHRxxo9H3ny0I7eSh7G7IThgTYJaOWsiVcpTT-ObMPf8RuwQ5t973_p9Yeelrve8uygFHbwCrUUY3z8zD8wj1iNrrcYtp/s1600/028.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoF8pQyFMQGxQ1wpNH6qX9_tBPufDE7czNpVj5GG1LQdgk4FQHRxxo9H3ny0I7eSh7G7IThgTYJaOWsiVcpTT-ObMPf8RuwQ5t973_p9Yeelrve8uygFHbwCrUUY3z8zD8wj1iNrrcYtp/s400/028.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The theme of "recognition" is played out in the total opposite way in <i>Last Stop on Market Street</i>. In this case, even when all of the passengers are essentially strangers to one another, the music of a guitar player is enough to bring them together such that when his song ends, "Everyone on the bus clapped, even the boys in the back." We are shown how even strangers can recognize the value and humanity of one another.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqN4v31I5tnAmpGZ4Foy5HMdiKnxUwegC0ZWXbP1tcm6BHRQH8d6l_HqnA4UlyhuR8d3p9dRS9exdDihuGc907y9JEdIro7vYr9OSspJxIlG6KrMIhNJMKg0EJZHxb3mZylOVtDuCSJPs/s1600/030.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqN4v31I5tnAmpGZ4Foy5HMdiKnxUwegC0ZWXbP1tcm6BHRQH8d6l_HqnA4UlyhuR8d3p9dRS9exdDihuGc907y9JEdIro7vYr9OSspJxIlG6KrMIhNJMKg0EJZHxb3mZylOVtDuCSJPs/s400/030.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<hr style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Finally, as the journeys and days end in these two books, there is food. Of course, just as the books have starkly contrasted as much as they have exhibited parallels, the Stupids indulge in ridiculously decadent mashed potato sundaes with butterscotch syrup while CJ and his nana serve meals at a food kitchen. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGIzj24wrmYKmuDhh-SrBVIIbkbx6xNSRM-CNJM_bGFXGGNzv-_TuCfrYbsRNAydBIB7Sja2B5Htl785INzmP3dWX1McQwxp8y1kNDcG5Ig1UidHisB1iFBMSqgWIg6aPUg8SZgHKVogCk/s1600/029.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGIzj24wrmYKmuDhh-SrBVIIbkbx6xNSRM-CNJM_bGFXGGNzv-_TuCfrYbsRNAydBIB7Sja2B5Htl785INzmP3dWX1McQwxp8y1kNDcG5Ig1UidHisB1iFBMSqgWIg6aPUg8SZgHKVogCk/s400/029.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7xBGTmY__HmJFKb9E9wWAgAi8k6Ups0Y3Su-VAnCrzbnWFufWLVBXp2tL2DilwIHWZHSVbjIdrT0XcwZVYM3a17c96RURo_xSCZ6dP9qXU8eha0AFhfdtL0Je54q6c-x3Mo-guz0iDsM/s1600/IMG_7296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7xBGTmY__HmJFKb9E9wWAgAi8k6Ups0Y3Su-VAnCrzbnWFufWLVBXp2tL2DilwIHWZHSVbjIdrT0XcwZVYM3a17c96RURo_xSCZ6dP9qXU8eha0AFhfdtL0Je54q6c-x3Mo-guz0iDsM/s200/IMG_7296.JPG" width="200" /></a>As luck would have it, both books even feature dogs in the illustrations at this point. The Stupid family's dog sits at the dinner table, wearing a Native American headdress, which is painfully insensitive when you think about the fact that it is intended to be as "stupid" as Mrs. Stupid hearing a cat on her head or Mr. Stupid wearing socks on his ears. Meanwhile, in <i>Last Stop on Market Street</i>, the smiling dog pictured is a homeless man's companion as they wait in line for their meal.</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWuPlqCwQ7xkB5uYWlm8TOPeuXcytUOVz0qxoXqN2CNN4X7Mrm2AaJIZ09AJyCOIiYmqmWbBFUJC6_AVqt6mzbCUQGhQ5jBmejgug4zr6bp8t45jmCD46QqwmkDSn5GbqUuwtuL0sgXTI/s1600/027.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWuPlqCwQ7xkB5uYWlm8TOPeuXcytUOVz0qxoXqN2CNN4X7Mrm2AaJIZ09AJyCOIiYmqmWbBFUJC6_AVqt6mzbCUQGhQ5jBmejgug4zr6bp8t45jmCD46QqwmkDSn5GbqUuwtuL0sgXTI/s400/027.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This is how CJ's journey ends. While he had demonstrated some resistance earlier in the book, he comes to feel "glad we came." Upon admitting this, he worries that "his nana might laugh her deep laugh, but she didn't." She is simply glad, too.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In the world of the Stupids, there is also a tidy resolution with the Stupids going to sleep upside down, with their feet on their pillows. The conventional gender roles also close out the book with Mrs. Stupid kissing her husband on the cheek and thanking him for the day. The final line is "It certainly has been fun," and the book indeed functions for the purpose of plain and simple fun. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOqQzrnzSi2ri-w6BERBp1ensWD20oM7tFS9TgmVV8zeaZbHT8EcPKx33bi9o77vFucTXYlkVmaMBRZF5TxkWUizrE79_JlsRfAMqjhbl-cGt6yqVEpbysBBM0cns3KZZfLO1gzP184Wi/s1600/IMG_7297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOqQzrnzSi2ri-w6BERBp1ensWD20oM7tFS9TgmVV8zeaZbHT8EcPKx33bi9o77vFucTXYlkVmaMBRZF5TxkWUizrE79_JlsRfAMqjhbl-cGt6yqVEpbysBBM0cns3KZZfLO1gzP184Wi/s400/IMG_7297.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<hr style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
While I have provided some serious critique of the Stupids, I can still appreciate it for its silliness. My son, whose favorite books are the Captain Underpants series, spotted the cover and was immediately interested based on the title and cute drawings. I don't worry about his ability to spot what is silly, and I am definitely not someone who would ever propose banning the book. Still, I am glad - and believe that it is essential - that the title shares our family bookshelves with plenty of other stories such as <i>Last Stop on Market Street </i>so that my children may meet a variety of families who go on a number of different journeys.</div>
Akemi Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03273241834693200970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-53620628272288104012016-08-29T20:37:00.000-07:002016-08-29T20:46:59.605-07:00My INFO 268 Attic AdventureIn my <a href="http://ischoolapps.sjsu.edu/gss/ajax/showSheet.php?id=7144">INFO 268 History of Youth Literature</a> course, we have been given a mission to locate the oldest children's book we can find. We have been challenged to find a book published pre-1900, if possible, and while I haven't been able to find one that old in my family's collections, I am sharing what I have managed to find.<br />
<br />
All of the old children's books that I found were at my mother-in-law's home. She was excited when I asked for her help, and despite her mobility issues, she got down onto the ground to scour through the bookshelves. She's always been a reader, and so I like to think that looking at these childhood books brought back some good memories for her.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Pp7YTcbxS0eoGGmsOae8NcoDXwUAy3iw27fTMFXqplqzCXSTQ1zDgAzpnvhf1l273LsazZvIl18FunjXWLQQvt6t3lJygqet-0nwxmeGrnfyLCyMwM79svflgd7fcyZkdrF6tDq31s4t/s1600/001.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Pp7YTcbxS0eoGGmsOae8NcoDXwUAy3iw27fTMFXqplqzCXSTQ1zDgAzpnvhf1l273LsazZvIl18FunjXWLQQvt6t3lJygqet-0nwxmeGrnfyLCyMwM79svflgd7fcyZkdrF6tDq31s4t/s200/001.JPG" width="150" /></a>The oldest find was <i>Wolf </i>by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Payson_Terhune" target="_blank">Albert Payson Terhune</a>, published in 1925. As you can tell from the cover of the book and the illustrations inside, the book is about dogs. Terhune was a dog breeder of collies and is perhaps best known for writing a number of fictional books featuring dogs. A Goodreads review that stood out to me is the following from Trey Alison, who rated <i>Wolf </i>with five out of five stars:<br />
<br />
<i>This book was a wonderful statement about being "different," and an introduction to the form of the tragedy. As a child it was my first tragedy and it taught me that endings are not always happy ones, but there is great comfort in the memory of a loved ones heroic last act. </i><br />
<i><br /></i> <i>The self-acceptance and confidence of the outcast Wolf influenced me greatly and at the end, oh, how I wept!! And read it again and again. It was one of the formative books of my junior years. </i>(Alison, 2013).<br />
<br />
In terms of the timeline of youth literature, I would place <i>Wolf</i> in the modern age. Published in the 20th century, the story seems to be less focused prescriptively about morality and represents a sub-genre aimed at adolescents. Below are pictures of the inside cover, the title page, and the title verso. The artwork that is peppered throughout the book is charming and in this same style.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJgMnSWa_bKnJxF34ifgnbOCoPUn8w87XBLkUXl-ZPp2ZgMhN6bNKQsCfSRAbfOIb14LxywQQK3lPU54vEkQYSo-AsLenW1axCzQAtpzA1Vh3yTAOiMmIuRGU7RzsLVfmen1kiHWzsW5z1/s1600/002.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJgMnSWa_bKnJxF34ifgnbOCoPUn8w87XBLkUXl-ZPp2ZgMhN6bNKQsCfSRAbfOIb14LxywQQK3lPU54vEkQYSo-AsLenW1axCzQAtpzA1Vh3yTAOiMmIuRGU7RzsLVfmen1kiHWzsW5z1/s320/002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlr-XPoI3DEIckJvNAxrRczrPPpPNXJB0w2Ych_MgLSQwzEKDncYnb53E-1UHSwtPTdnGRxnl7zESgZ5s347DhzPywtCQJFfwQ6ehnKnqMwaOXdNJOaN31_D5JfearnnXsWkSOARr9wa_y/s1600/003.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlr-XPoI3DEIckJvNAxrRczrPPpPNXJB0w2Ych_MgLSQwzEKDncYnb53E-1UHSwtPTdnGRxnl7zESgZ5s347DhzPywtCQJFfwQ6ehnKnqMwaOXdNJOaN31_D5JfearnnXsWkSOARr9wa_y/s320/003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55K-yMGHWNBaRyzmAkr8rhyphenhyphenCc4_wktsJQvdC1CMylQyvgitVCj_XWdLUJv-ITwgGoVrHKTHYEmql-g9KiTp553gYL61KRkWnOHqtq5N4X06toFtsFZ5lDtsQtBLNBhCMdCBejAIYwZ_Ny/s1600/004.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55K-yMGHWNBaRyzmAkr8rhyphenhyphenCc4_wktsJQvdC1CMylQyvgitVCj_XWdLUJv-ITwgGoVrHKTHYEmql-g9KiTp553gYL61KRkWnOHqtq5N4X06toFtsFZ5lDtsQtBLNBhCMdCBejAIYwZ_Ny/s320/004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<hr />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9z8rMtKOCkSRxIT2gz1K_hVvVyNbjTXyWDTU8SVUtCS3mwo0EJ1Qqdv9tKJha3KjzOaU9x_9Ip7w2Km3ZpAVDp3nCItpla0Ed6EM8kzTtoZE7WsJJGZRqtaWkpEbI8z3aRQnKxXN6oRyj/s1600/005.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9z8rMtKOCkSRxIT2gz1K_hVvVyNbjTXyWDTU8SVUtCS3mwo0EJ1Qqdv9tKJha3KjzOaU9x_9Ip7w2Km3ZpAVDp3nCItpla0Ed6EM8kzTtoZE7WsJJGZRqtaWkpEbI8z3aRQnKxXN6oRyj/s200/005.JPG" width="150" /></a>While some of the other books that I discovered are not as old as <i>Wolf</i>, they were still a lot of fun to flip through and explore. One of my favorite finds was my mother-in-law's copy of <i>Little Women. </i>I couldn't determine the publication date of the Heirloom Library edition, but it had her handwritten information inside the book with her maiden name, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/606+james+rockford,+illinois/@42.2731615,-89.0535539,3a,75y,270.82h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m4!1seiK2Pr7pmHLxd5espYFgBw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xc97051568ed2161c!6m1!1e1" target="_blank">old home address</a> (which I brought up on Google Maps, sparking my husband's memories), and "Grade 4." Since my son is just now starting fourth grade, it was fun to be able to show him how the book is one she enjoyed when she was his same age. Again, I also love the artwork, which you can get a taste of below.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcikS1l6hTGJoFCQOjth1Ig8oVgc8OwvfYJNdUqIDhxzJgjfJKWH1VsdY4_JDRTvaPf4M7_Ji0HpM-RfM7yyGMB4x53VD0lzHIs24m5tPOfqq2GRDTIim_3ryOI0EnYDHmbMaZ8KycGgVJ/s1600/006.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcikS1l6hTGJoFCQOjth1Ig8oVgc8OwvfYJNdUqIDhxzJgjfJKWH1VsdY4_JDRTvaPf4M7_Ji0HpM-RfM7yyGMB4x53VD0lzHIs24m5tPOfqq2GRDTIim_3ryOI0EnYDHmbMaZ8KycGgVJ/s320/006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQfgSRJhzxAwfnLEU1g7f4_U2NGGXphjAU93Xc4pTHttugvkT3zvGHf29ZLM6DWZfwvipn7B-YNJKZJTdd_wbAGZtB1ZLfsZ6E16bGzoLnGPotcpEJqQ2WI5f-PI7HC-0egwq0w7Ndn8h/s1600/007.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQfgSRJhzxAwfnLEU1g7f4_U2NGGXphjAU93Xc4pTHttugvkT3zvGHf29ZLM6DWZfwvipn7B-YNJKZJTdd_wbAGZtB1ZLfsZ6E16bGzoLnGPotcpEJqQ2WI5f-PI7HC-0egwq0w7Ndn8h/s320/007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<hr />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5jXJgU8kBntMOh9uurRqDr1Yjou9LRisLqGSH1cCFyzMYzn-o8rz9PEq88V1kf0c-ny4lqYLM-zWNhcedbl4faURHyeIHwfdUbjnzkGBmJdm6WUterCkp2IOGhrsNsKgPLW229erxQuk/s1600/017.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5jXJgU8kBntMOh9uurRqDr1Yjou9LRisLqGSH1cCFyzMYzn-o8rz9PEq88V1kf0c-ny4lqYLM-zWNhcedbl4faURHyeIHwfdUbjnzkGBmJdm6WUterCkp2IOGhrsNsKgPLW229erxQuk/s200/017.JPG" width="150" /></a>The most primary level of the children's books that we unearthed was a copy of <i>The Little Green Car </i>from 1950. In that year, my mother-in-law would have been seven years old. Out of all of the books, this is the one that she seemed to reminisce about most fondly, as she said she can clearly remember reading it.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
There books that I also have vivid memories of reading as a child. Looking back, they were not impressive writing-wise, but I knew that I liked them and connected with them. It is fun to imagine my young mother-in-law drawn into the world of this green car.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3593z-qCONCmsD5TktGE3fTjgpwywuGuxPiL2o0cEam9iApCIv5cRcrcg0VdCZJYi2Q9xo-9NdkV_gkPSZldbUQ65lzwTdeHtOyJLSBP94X-PPWaXw6qWUNac8veEH0XUA8BaVXUXswX/s1600/018.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3593z-qCONCmsD5TktGE3fTjgpwywuGuxPiL2o0cEam9iApCIv5cRcrcg0VdCZJYi2Q9xo-9NdkV_gkPSZldbUQ65lzwTdeHtOyJLSBP94X-PPWaXw6qWUNac8veEH0XUA8BaVXUXswX/s320/018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZDqdBYldn224vuyG3oJVN-vFT6igxoBlQ8eYDEP_Hh2TQlElwvYTzp4mVOCsPD3b0Zz0FssJU-7qW-epq86082O_rOwMtfm-sjy1XM_pl7JUOdxSduk2HXQkVSPwYEcyt93ZdFy5HDTC/s1600/019.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZDqdBYldn224vuyG3oJVN-vFT6igxoBlQ8eYDEP_Hh2TQlElwvYTzp4mVOCsPD3b0Zz0FssJU-7qW-epq86082O_rOwMtfm-sjy1XM_pl7JUOdxSduk2HXQkVSPwYEcyt93ZdFy5HDTC/s320/019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkvicRYybls-V1gbNeRtGXg4EW-vtJLnnZvoBiy7b1uHXs02CmD-MW848vZDb4nZJOZRr7-gB3VxJUFeKcTmk446H8ftYgqVAgrNZlzTQQ7hVR1sI99o87221vyGMgPJxGkms0a0EIxMId/s1600/020.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkvicRYybls-V1gbNeRtGXg4EW-vtJLnnZvoBiy7b1uHXs02CmD-MW848vZDb4nZJOZRr7-gB3VxJUFeKcTmk446H8ftYgqVAgrNZlzTQQ7hVR1sI99o87221vyGMgPJxGkms0a0EIxMId/s320/020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<hr />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggI3bg9hLqrfpwKg_afbbAmu5zEm6SRU1rH6vEXAo-mnyLNRTn2qpVtu1zy7gw-ggN4khakS26B6ljZZ8c73876nar5pOvwibSwpxbMSEnvJMtfBUsQr6nDOe3C5inynftiFkcdy6916z3/s1600/granny4.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggI3bg9hLqrfpwKg_afbbAmu5zEm6SRU1rH6vEXAo-mnyLNRTn2qpVtu1zy7gw-ggN4khakS26B6ljZZ8c73876nar5pOvwibSwpxbMSEnvJMtfBUsQr6nDOe3C5inynftiFkcdy6916z3/s320/granny4.jpg" width="320" /></a>I find it apt that one of the few pictures we have of my mother-in-law as a child is her reading. Maybe the book that she is holding is <i>The Little Green Car </i>and when I read this same book to my own children, it's like the generations being connected in the same world, simply across time. For comparison, see the picture below to see my mother-in-law today with her three grandchildren.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfmS5-SnWqKlF0WNdVbSvEopB13mP6BW52H3wMO9n0C8Wk0B_BwDuLb7pncu4X1YUeNHNLDGARs11-V6sVG3HhnukZ5fqcuI5jWcmXwtKUuuBes-OHmUOrsnsYn-AAGYt8rc3L3TlSVGo/s1600/110.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfmS5-SnWqKlF0WNdVbSvEopB13mP6BW52H3wMO9n0C8Wk0B_BwDuLb7pncu4X1YUeNHNLDGARs11-V6sVG3HhnukZ5fqcuI5jWcmXwtKUuuBes-OHmUOrsnsYn-AAGYt8rc3L3TlSVGo/s320/110.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<hr />
<br />
Regarding books from my own side of the family, the only "old" ones that I have been able to find are not books <i>for</i> children, but books <i>about </i>children. I share this since I find it interesting to think about children's books within the context of the times they were created and published.<br />
<br />
When I had my own children within the past decade, my mom gifted me the two childrearing publications that were once my grandma's and that I share below. I've included a picture of my grandma with my mom in the late 1940s, which is around the time she would have been reading the publications. I have also included a modern day photo of my grandma with my own daughter.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTvGcLKCzJk2_szySjDgFo-YpSuYReu_8X9UsGKXzoe8AkAKMnNEUWBzFohrzoz1amB52WN7v2X6UTCQJ_IntvlRlvUVzM7DFZFbGs88BbXC62qtcJBpz5HnVwoNxzZbjjS4TGtX27AGX/s1600/Keiko+%2526+Mom+1948.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTvGcLKCzJk2_szySjDgFo-YpSuYReu_8X9UsGKXzoe8AkAKMnNEUWBzFohrzoz1amB52WN7v2X6UTCQJ_IntvlRlvUVzM7DFZFbGs88BbXC62qtcJBpz5HnVwoNxzZbjjS4TGtX27AGX/s320/Keiko+%2526+Mom+1948.jpg" width="248" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7nZ4V6hLHnvW-g7IifdPpRupeTd4t526NH2c5hx_ayoSaqW-AjHh_m6WPSa7D7lAFrLG-htbvga9q9SAt3QnjZnX6sO6yVOSkYC0ROtJEBfi6Qxet-O1LlnOA-ueMIxLRTF96eWKbtGeY/s1600/019.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7nZ4V6hLHnvW-g7IifdPpRupeTd4t526NH2c5hx_ayoSaqW-AjHh_m6WPSa7D7lAFrLG-htbvga9q9SAt3QnjZnX6sO6yVOSkYC0ROtJEBfi6Qxet-O1LlnOA-ueMIxLRTF96eWKbtGeY/s200/019.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<hr />
<br />
First, the Gerber's <i>Baby's Book</i>, revised in 1944, covers a number of topics related to caring for babies and toddlers. One thing that stood out to me is how it starts with a chapter "Attention, New Fathers." It was good to see "it is assumed that father is going to share the responsibilities and delights of caring for the newcomer," but more telling is when it continues:<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>If you are free on Sundays you have an excellent chance to help with the bathing and weighing and dressing and perhaps the formula making. Or on a Saturday afternoon why not take entire charge of the schedule for the remainder of the day?</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xpiqJutfAVtvFihtWAjS_9IBKTYb16bDzPR11S_eM1fWQ4OW_ogSWyaMFhGONN9FiMpdF9awSunOWAIBPqEvYqs5mEYPE4C2gRr07W1mtovMy65vtr9HWUCttFxgag2vigDw0oTq1CVU/s1600/033.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xpiqJutfAVtvFihtWAjS_9IBKTYb16bDzPR11S_eM1fWQ4OW_ogSWyaMFhGONN9FiMpdF9awSunOWAIBPqEvYqs5mEYPE4C2gRr07W1mtovMy65vtr9HWUCttFxgag2vigDw0oTq1CVU/s200/033.JPG" width="150" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_pr0ui7ZZ4tqIsrnO0n8KuR-mKPKhP7084CLa7LudQPBSN6RA58u5XwQOTyC9zpVTgOkhpHcJrmxAuis-mi1f1teZ3A0TjnDbbSpXIyfEdCs1UnNjcRQkcj0xM1VsWgSrFkJuAZhhxub/s1600/034.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_pr0ui7ZZ4tqIsrnO0n8KuR-mKPKhP7084CLa7LudQPBSN6RA58u5XwQOTyC9zpVTgOkhpHcJrmxAuis-mi1f1teZ3A0TjnDbbSpXIyfEdCs1UnNjcRQkcj0xM1VsWgSrFkJuAZhhxub/s200/034.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcztCawxSMUUXhCA1E5BAsU-23XQJD37zSrsNslMnbIhWYQgre0MXcJ-1G845JKo-B6yjb48QsXBKjVJTST37QzpbDPTs3kcUu_va7hAE5n25qF8QE2FV-xgLUyF597XevB5bPli1kW0LU/s1600/035.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcztCawxSMUUXhCA1E5BAsU-23XQJD37zSrsNslMnbIhWYQgre0MXcJ-1G845JKo-B6yjb48QsXBKjVJTST37QzpbDPTs3kcUu_va7hAE5n25qF8QE2FV-xgLUyF597XevB5bPli1kW0LU/s200/035.JPG" width="150" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3nBQKCLZkT-699cpn1swZIE6os7CZAiwMPMaSQDrRB3PEqFdck36roHhIgC6IKv9tSpIazREIdAwC-X9cILrrqlo4Xuc6STaPE1fhAHMsrkmKFgf5zGuTs40pXDPoG-U123yvRgX28Pz/s1600/036.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3nBQKCLZkT-699cpn1swZIE6os7CZAiwMPMaSQDrRB3PEqFdck36roHhIgC6IKv9tSpIazREIdAwC-X9cILrrqlo4Xuc6STaPE1fhAHMsrkmKFgf5zGuTs40pXDPoG-U123yvRgX28Pz/s200/036.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<hr />
<br />
The other child-rearing publication, <i>Your Child From One to Six</i>, was published as revised in 1945 by the Social Security Administration's U. S. Children's Bureau. Of note, there is a section that addresses children's books.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8gbzzYCwrJWs9cbgvM2lymZK2QImoMnGpELAbffQtqMZQosZCAmmwMsjW_49O0fHSw_g_2IeR3VJqtypHUtVtnTgkzvC7C6HTGn8IPTa5RoZuvK7IQJDVgoezUFc7clcYCDQWDH4dih3/s1600/037.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8gbzzYCwrJWs9cbgvM2lymZK2QImoMnGpELAbffQtqMZQosZCAmmwMsjW_49O0fHSw_g_2IeR3VJqtypHUtVtnTgkzvC7C6HTGn8IPTa5RoZuvK7IQJDVgoezUFc7clcYCDQWDH4dih3/s200/037.JPG" width="150" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidGinz1hr8GOMdG9OvrerVzwtS-xfNlDM7U6ry5JnQ3AuprLNxvdUOki4t_GfiAFnrqu_ghrZ5x2trh1Px1F9Pb4_pqJBXfOVEmeqXt733GE13DiBxGrqtYdplwE70bhk751ongBSTVT3o/s1600/038.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidGinz1hr8GOMdG9OvrerVzwtS-xfNlDM7U6ry5JnQ3AuprLNxvdUOki4t_GfiAFnrqu_ghrZ5x2trh1Px1F9Pb4_pqJBXfOVEmeqXt733GE13DiBxGrqtYdplwE70bhk751ongBSTVT3o/s200/038.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
The passage below details helping young children learn how to handle books carefully and how "a child actually learns more easily to show respect for a good book than a cheap, flimsy one." Along these lines, it is stressed that book selection is important since "there are many poor, crudely colored ones that do nothing to encourage good taste." Adult guidance, or authority, for determining good taste is thus reinforced, which is interesting in light of my own experience that celebrates reading of any sort when it comes to children.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuVIzVXB3y-Wbm9yKh-V1gdYZiATNH9qtI5JxTWuhbu-wUeDqmgyGcNxFVNMtlVQgdxTQoB4ngqL1mPp1xuuwBMqc1IU-aWTduN7DJMSv52Lalz6vlpW1WByoXefJDfoUvVJ4AFBrSEZc/s1600/041.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuVIzVXB3y-Wbm9yKh-V1gdYZiATNH9qtI5JxTWuhbu-wUeDqmgyGcNxFVNMtlVQgdxTQoB4ngqL1mPp1xuuwBMqc1IU-aWTduN7DJMSv52Lalz6vlpW1WByoXefJDfoUvVJ4AFBrSEZc/s320/041.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikL2cEZ4y81vBM2ZsV7WfwJo9MydPOZzdlYZlyB-fWlG4hcSqOKXT9SiU_17nfuZCOYqUuMMTSKQsOGCE6-SdE77ZZ7OQQPLFjV6u9TmBqnV4V5Eo8iKhzO_iNJYLSSYyZN5FL_yzYRoDA/s1600/040.JPG" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikL2cEZ4y81vBM2ZsV7WfwJo9MydPOZzdlYZlyB-fWlG4hcSqOKXT9SiU_17nfuZCOYqUuMMTSKQsOGCE6-SdE77ZZ7OQQPLFjV6u9TmBqnV4V5Eo8iKhzO_iNJYLSSYyZN5FL_yzYRoDA/s200/040.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGRRDn3Kqvn57owdv4QSk5v1J2LLC5CuzfjegG6TvEocvs55IlzcQdk1t6WBIiX3byULoSU-Yjk6PFhFjrDOB_0upBw77zADM2wsE-YuJKgGfxh7A7jI373UrI15xcSpw39SysY7Gom9u/s1600/039.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGRRDn3Kqvn57owdv4QSk5v1J2LLC5CuzfjegG6TvEocvs55IlzcQdk1t6WBIiX3byULoSU-Yjk6PFhFjrDOB_0upBw77zADM2wsE-YuJKgGfxh7A7jI373UrI15xcSpw39SysY7Gom9u/s200/039.JPG" width="150" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I will make a few more attempts to locate some older books in the next week, and I think I'll have my eye out in general moving forward. In the meantime, though, I have thoroughly enjoyed these family finds and how they have uncovered my new understanding of their earlier lives.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<hr />
<br />
Reference<br />
<ul>
<li>Alison, T. (2013, July 3). Wolf [Review]. Retrieved from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/126784.Wolf">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/126784.Wolf</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
Akemi Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03273241834693200970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-33484507199945900742016-07-25T16:37:00.000-07:002017-01-05T08:19:34.095-08:00My Reignited Love for Graphic Novels and More Inspiration at ALA and Comic ConI have plenty of excuses for having fallen out of reading graphic novels (and sadly reading for fun in general). I have kids. I work. I've been in grad school twice in the past few years... I'm busy. But then again, plenty of people are busy.<br />
<br />
And so, right here and now, I commit myself to un-busying myself, at least enough to make time and space in my life for inspiration. Why now?<br />
<br />
Because this summer I have gotten a taste of feeling inspired again.<br />
<br />
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
Graphic Novels Course</h4>
<br />
There have been multiple contributing factors to my rejevenation, but one that set off a whole domino effect was taking a San Jose State University School of Information summer course on <a href="http://ischoolapps.sjsu.edu/gss/ajax/showSheet.php?id=7005" target="_blank">Graphic Novels</a> taught by <a href="https://twitter.com/aelurophile" target="_blank">Morgan Pershing</a>.<br />
<br />
As a whole class, we read <a href="https://twitter.com/scottmccloud" target="_blank">Scott McCloud</a>'s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Comics-Invisible-Scott-McCloud/dp/006097625X" target="_blank">Understanding Comics</a>, which I had read years ago, but enjoyed reading again and still highly recommend to others. We then got to choose ten titles to read from a list divided into five categories, two titles from each category. I posted reflections on the ten that I selected on this blog:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://movingtrainlibrary.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-arrival-by-shaun-tan-graphic-novel.html" target="_blank">The Arrival</a></li>
<li><a href="https://movingtrainlibrary.blogspot.com/2016/06/marvels-hawkeye-volume-1-graphic-novel.html" target="_blank">Hawkeye, Volume 1</a></li>
<li><a href="https://movingtrainlibrary.blogspot.com/2016/06/ms-marvel-no-normal-graphic-novel-quick.html" target="_blank">Ms. Marvel: No Normal</a></li>
<li><a href="https://movingtrainlibrary.blogspot.com/2016/06/this-one-summer-by-jillian-tamaki-and.html" target="_blank">This One Summer</a></li>
<li><a href="https://movingtrainlibrary.blogspot.com/2016/06/my-friend-dahmer-by-derf-backderf-derf.html" target="_blank">My Friend Dahmer</a></li>
<li><a href="https://movingtrainlibrary.blogspot.com/2016/06/march-book-one-graphic-novel-quick.html" target="_blank">March, Book One</a></li>
<li><a href="https://movingtrainlibrary.blogspot.com/2016/06/y-last-man-graphic-novel-quick.html" target="_blank">Y, The Last Man</a></li>
<li><a href="https://movingtrainlibrary.blogspot.com/2016/06/stitches-by-david-small-graphic-novel.html" target="_blank">Stitches</a></li>
<li><a href="https://movingtrainlibrary.blogspot.com/2016/06/here-by-richard-mcguire-graphic-novel.html" target="_blank">Here</a></li>
<li><a href="https://movingtrainlibrary.blogspot.com/2016/06/building-stories-by-chris-ware-graphic.html" target="_blank">Building Stories</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
As a shout-out to my local public libraries, I was able to read all of these titles and more - for free - by requesting them from the <a href="http://www.sdcl.org/" target="_blank">San Diego County Library</a> and <a href="https://www.sandiego.gov/public-library" target="_blank">San Diego Public Library</a> systems. I also emphasize "more," because once I started reading, I couldn't stop. I continued to read other titles from my instructor's reading list, recommendations from classmates, and subsequent volumes in the series that I fell in love with the most: Y, The Last Man, March, and Ms. Marvel.<br />
<br />
<h4>
ALA Annual Conference</h4>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As my luck played out, I then had the timely opportunity to attend the <a href="http://2016.alaannual.org/" target="_blank">American Library Association (ALA) 2016 Annual Conference</a> as a <a href="http://www.ala.org/offices/diversity/spectrum" target="_blank">Spectrum Scholar</a>. Connecting with fellow scholars grounded me in a positive, diversely inclusive network that I've lacked since being an undergraduate nearly two decades ago. Being part of this community felt so instantly familiar and like a homecoming of sorts, even though I hadn't realized I've been missing it until finding it.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Some noteworthy conference experiences that further lit up parts of me include:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.eventscribe.com/2016/ala-annual/fsPopup.asp?Mode=presInfo&PresentationID=143438" target="_blank"><b>March with Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, & Nate Powell</b></a> - After having just read March for my Graphic Novels class, it was amazing to be in a room with the three creators, hearing directly from them. John Lewis had barely made it to the conference since he had been leading a <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/22/politics/john-lewis-sit-in-gun-violence/" target="_blank">sit-in on the House floor regarding gun control</a>, a current-day example of his continued advocacy work. I was also so impressed by Aydin that when I returned home, I read his thesis: <a href="chrome-extension://ecnphlgnajanjnkcmbpancdjoidceilk/content/web/viewer.html?file=https%3A%2F%2Frepository.library.georgetown.edu%2Fbitstream%2Fhandle%2F10822%2F557709%2FAydin_georgetown_0076M_11959.pdf%3Fsequence%3D1" target="_blank">The Comic Book That Changed The World</a>. It is engagingly readable for a thesis and captures a lot of the content he relayed in person - check it out!</li>
<li><a href="http://connect.ala.org/node/249294" target="_blank"><b>#BlackLivesMatter: Documenting a Digital Protest Movement</b></a> - As a high school teacher librarian, this more academic discussion may not seem directly related to my work, but it was enlightening and got me thinking about how I might weave in themes with my students about how they may participate not just as recipients of knowledge who access history, but also as <a href="https://twitter.com/suzannesannwald/status/747118173896400896" target="_blank">information contributors and captors who help create and improve the accuracy of the historical record</a>.<a href="http://www.eventscribe.com/2016/ala-annual/fsPopup.asp?Mode=presInfo&PresentationID=138000" target="_blank"><br /></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.eventscribe.com/2016/ala-annual/fsPopup.asp?Mode=presInfo&PresentationID=138000" target="_blank"><b>Toward an Ethic of Social Justice in Information with Dr. Safiya Noble</b></a> - My Spectrum Scholar hotel roommate is currently in UCLA's MLIS program and has had the fortune of studying under <a href="https://safiyaunoble.com/" target="_blank">Dr. Noble</a>. On several occasions, my roommate recommended hearing Dr. Noble speak, and I am so glad that I did. Dr. Noble covered so much content that piqued my interest, including seeing how assumptions about the neutrality of Google searches is flawed. As a Google Apps for Education educator who deeply appreciates how Google's tools can empower people (a great example of this is the recent <a href="https://lettersforblacklives.com/?gi=8b39b76177bc" target="_blank">Letters for Black Lives</a> collaboration facilitated by Google Docs), it is a good reminder to approach this technology, as anything, with a critical and inquisitive eye.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.eventscribe.com/2016/ala-annual/fsPopup.asp?Mode=presInfo&PresentationID=139552" target="_blank"><b>ALA President's Program Speaker: Diane Guererro</b></a> - Unfortunately, I was unable to attend this event since I had to catch my flight back home, but it made me aware of Guererro's book: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Country-We-Love-Family-Divided/dp/1627795278" target="_blank">In the Country We Love: The True Story of a Family Divided</a>. While a fan of both Orange is the New Black and Jane the Virgin, I hadn't heard of the book, and so I was happy to make the discovery and eagerly applied one of my Audible credits toward the listen. Hearing Guererro's story made me think about an experience this year of observing students in my school library engage in a "for fun" debate about immigration. The "us" vs. "them" language that I heard made me cringe then and Guererro's book connected with the only interjection I made, which is that both sides make an effort to learn personal stories before making blanket assumptions about whole groups of people. This also leads into ideas I'm working on about how I can try to make a difference in my current work. Below is a sample idea I would love to collaborate on with a teacher - any takers?</li>
</ul>
</div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Trad controversial issue projects are framed as debates w pros & cons re an issue, which often ends up being for & against diff people</div>
— Suzanne Sannwald (@suzannesannwald) <a href="https://twitter.com/suzannesannwald/status/751432451516305410">July 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
W debate there is a "winner" & "loser." What if we instead have Ssgenerate solutions, looking at pros/cons (how they impact diff people)?</div>
— Suzanne Sannwald(@suzannesannwald) <a href="https://twitter.com/suzannesannwald/status/751433245665800192">July 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script asyncsrc="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Rather than bolstering only 1 side to win, Sscan identify & address pro/con root concerns to increase pro & reduce con effects</div>
— Suzanne Sannwald(@suzannesannwald) <a href="https://twitter.com/suzannesannwald/status/751434053346144257">July 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script asyncsrc="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
e.g. Rather than arguing for or agimmigration, Ssdevelop an immigration policy that identifies & addresses diff perspectives & concerns</div>
— Suzanne Sannwald(@suzannesannwald) <a href="https://twitter.com/suzannesannwald/status/751435215877214208">July 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script asyncsrc="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<br />
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
Comic Con</h4>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Perhaps the best cap-off for my summer has been attending San Diego Comic-Con. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I've never actually dressed up for Comic Con, but my adventurous daughter usually does. This year, she decided to dress up like Ms. Marvel, and I agreed to dress up along with her. If I ever needed a firsthand experience to validate the importance of the <a href="http://weneeddiversebooks.org/" target="_blank">We Need Diverse Books</a> (<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23wndb&src=typd" target="_blank">#wndb</a>) movement, this was it.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
While a mix of my Japanese and my husband's Caucasian ancestry, my daughter was born with skin even darker than my own. As her kindergarten classmate innocently puzzled over how my husband could possibly be her father: "You [pointing at my husband] have light skin...she [pointing at me] has dark skin...but she [pointing at my daughter] is full on dark...?"</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Over the years, my daughter has dressed up like <a href="http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Elsa_the_Snow_Queen" target="_blank">Elsa from Frozen</a> and <a href="http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Evie" target="_blank">Evie from the Descendants</a>, but this time, her natural resemblance with <a href="http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Kamala_Khan_(Earth-616)" target="_blank">Ms. Marvel</a> was finally a close match. As we worked on the costumes, she exclaimed, "My skin is perfect!" She meant it was a perfect match with Ms. Marvel's skin, but it touched me how this also represents her feeling perfect being in her skin just as she is.</div>
<div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Kamala Khan Ms<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Marvel?src=hash">#Marvel</a> x2 of <a href="https://twitter.com/GWillowWilson">@GWillowWilson</a> en route to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SDCC2016?src=hash">#SDCC2016</a> - my daughter loves the superhero brown like her <a href="https://t.co/LbIZwPFe4F">pic.twitter.com/LbIZwPFe4F</a></div>
— Suzanne Sannwald(@suzannesannwald) <a href="https://twitter.com/suzannesannwald/status/756207552757583873">July 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script asyncsrc="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<div>
<br />
As a bonus, we managed to meet the author of Ms. Marvel, <a href="https://twitter.com/GWillowWilson" target="_blank">G. Willow Wilson</a>, and she was incredibly kind in person, aligning perfectly with the character Kamala Khan that she has so lovingly brought to life.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/GWillowWilson">@GWillowWilson</a> It was a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SDCC?src=hash">#SDCC</a> highlight to meet you! MsMarvel really is the only superhero comics I have ever liked <a href="https://t.co/S7v1sLtRVk">pic.twitter.com/S7v1sLtRVk</a></div>
— Suzanne Sannwald(@suzannesannwald) <a href="https://twitter.com/suzannesannwald/status/756275818465112069">July 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script asyncsrc="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<br />
The other author meeting that made my Con on was meeting <a href="https://twitter.com/geneluenyang" target="_blank">Gene Luen Yang</a> at the <a href="http://www.firstsecondbooks.com/" target="_blank">First Second Books</a> booth. While I have previously read Yang's other books such as <a href="https://www.amazon.com/American-Born-Chinese-Gene-Luen/dp/0312384483/ref=la_B001JP26JI_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1469479585&sr=1-3" target="_blank">American Born Chinese</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Boxers-Saints-Boxed-Gene-Luen/dp/1596439246/ref=la_B001JP26JI_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1469479585&sr=1-6" target="_blank">Boxers & Saints</a>, I hadn't yet checked out <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Coders-Gene-Luen-Yang/dp/1626720754" target="_blank">Secret Coders</a>, which is what we picked up and got signed.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Mini Ms<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Marvel?src=hash">#Marvel</a> can't wait to read <a href="https://twitter.com/01FirstSecond">@01FirstSecond</a> Secret Coders just signed by <a href="https://twitter.com/geneluenyang">@geneluenyang</a> at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SDCC2016?src=hash">#SDCC2016</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SDCC?src=hash">#SDCC</a> <a href="https://t.co/AoIYqrgvHm">pic.twitter.com/AoIYqrgvHm</a></div>
— Suzanne Sannwald(@suzannesannwald) <a href="https://twitter.com/suzannesannwald/status/756975454888660992">July 23, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script asyncsrc="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <br />Maybe it was getting to meet the author, but whatever the case, my daughter begged me to read her the books while we were still at the convention center. After our reading, she exclaimed: "I just love Secret Coders!" It tickled me to see her: A) reading in general, B) appreciating comics in particular, C) geeking out on a STEM topic, D) relating to a female, hapa/mixed protagonist like herself, E) enjoying work written by an Asian American*.<br />
<br />
*NOTE: Regarding Yang's "diversity," just as I value his important work with American Born Chinese that was very much about culture as a subject, I appreciate how Secret Coders stands as an example of Diversity 2.0 (<a href="https://twitter.com/suzannesannwald/status/756634368576253955" target="_blank">I recently heard the term Diversity 2.0 used by Matt de la Peña on the 88 Cups of Tea podcast</a>). The story is not about the main character's culture, but importantly, she is visibly present with her mixed Asian background and she has agency with a fully developed narrative.<br />
<br />
As we rode the trolley home from Comic-Con that day, my daughter claimed herself to be a Secret Coder, coding the binary number sequence 0, 1, 2, 3 with her eyes just like the birds do in Yang's book. She was inspired and I am, too.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/geneluenyang">@geneluenyang</a> We read & "Ijust love Secret Coders!" She is counting w her eyes as we ride the trolley home fr<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SDCC?src=hash">#SDCC</a> <a href="https://t.co/F0sAR6geDF">pic.twitter.com/F0sAR6geDF</a></div>
— Suzanne Sannwald(@suzannesannwald) <a href="https://twitter.com/suzannesannwald/status/757053402488508416">July 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script asyncsrc="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
Suzanne Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07879453880832706974noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-75148652556276528842016-06-21T09:15:00.002-07:002017-01-05T08:19:34.112-08:00Building Stories by Chris Ware (A Graphic Novel Quick Recap)<i>Building Stories</i> was the perfect cap off to my graphic novel reading spree in conjunction with <a href="http://ischoolapps.sjsu.edu/gss/ajax/showSheet.php?id=7005" target="_blank">SJSU iSchool's INFO 281</a>. Although I may not continue with my written recaps, I am inspired to keep reading. There has been so much fresh material added to the graphic novel scene in recent years, and I'm excited to keep exploring. But first, my final annotated bibliography write-up...<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGqa9-c8M0ZqHXclMGxFDXyZYAmuNZcFb7s7zfOW-p51vr2v9AKrxCpJ4htqVEEvJutIn6hnI0z4x5_eqAxf5mzAe1bRy1jQjAdO4EWlR8yMm-wE2DabiNhLiDWLv-OxDNtajkQp8N45c/s1600/bs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGqa9-c8M0ZqHXclMGxFDXyZYAmuNZcFb7s7zfOW-p51vr2v9AKrxCpJ4htqVEEvJutIn6hnI0z4x5_eqAxf5mzAe1bRy1jQjAdO4EWlR8yMm-wE2DabiNhLiDWLv-OxDNtajkQp8N45c/s200/bs.jpg" width="140" /></a><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Building-Stories-Pantheon-Graphic-Novels/dp/0375424334/" target="_blank">Building Stories by Chris Ware</a></b><br />
<br />
Presented in a cardboard box similar to a board game - which itself serves as part of the storytelling package - <i>Building Stories</i> defies being neatly boxed up into any typical categories. It is not just a “book,” but a container within which Ware has included an assortment of fourteen separate publications that vary in size and format. While tied together by consistent artwork and stories that overlap within the same world, the medium of delivery ranges from a large cardboard foldout and faux newspaper to a “Little Golden Books” style book and pamphlets of different dimensions. The experience of reading <i>Building Stories </i>was like participating as a voyeur, catching glimpses into the lives of Ware’s characters as their stories are revealed in snapshots, short anecdotes, and sometimes longer sequences. As I gained increasing insight into the characters, it was clear that the title <i>Building Stories</i> functions two ways: first, referring to stories about a building (and its inhabitants), and second, in terms of the process of building (i.e., constructing) stories. And, in terms of story construction, Ware has delivered a most uniquely constructed storytelling experience. The effect, for me, was profound. I have emerged from my reading, feeling as if I have developed a deep connection with this fictional place and its people. I feel like I have gained sacred insight into the characters’ vulnerable, precious inner lives; and, while their life experiences are not mine, I can recognize myself in their small moments of raw human emotion, such as loneliness and longing, that Ware has captured and portrayed so well.Suzanne Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07879453880832706974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-64638738535344876942016-06-21T06:14:00.002-07:002017-01-05T08:19:34.108-08:00Here by Richard McGuire (A Graphic Novel Quick Recap)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqX8fzk-1AAectaFyzl3wl2k7IShFVPhfABQCG-gH3r2dhzSO4_K45WGQnUs009cEe_rLRy3_Ye8NJcdHTsptIM13_N1k5lW-09PoNuWvAfPwFzXUwVb2O42kycmdKnJDBwgh0jkYernGO/s1600/here.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqX8fzk-1AAectaFyzl3wl2k7IShFVPhfABQCG-gH3r2dhzSO4_K45WGQnUs009cEe_rLRy3_Ye8NJcdHTsptIM13_N1k5lW-09PoNuWvAfPwFzXUwVb2O42kycmdKnJDBwgh0jkYernGO/s200/here.jpg" width="140" /></a><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pantheon-Graphic-Novels-Richard-McGuire/dp/0375406506/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466514750&sr=8-1&keywords=here+mcguire" target="_blank">Here by Richard McGuire</a></b><br />
<br />
<i>Here </i>is a strikingly unique graphic novel, which is difficult to sum up without experiencing firsthand. The basic setup is that McGuire depicts a single corner of a room - or the space that room otherwise inhabits - capturing snapshot moments that take place in it, but across different times, from prehistoric periods to eras far into the future. Each two page spread represents at least one such time, although there may also be cutouts within pages that depict different embedded times. Some sequences or juxtapositions within the book make logical sense. For instance, there is a spread that shows a series of people holding babies in various time periods. In this, we see continuity over time, and how life is cyclical. At other points, the connections are not so apparent, such as when McGuire leaps to prehistoric times when the area was swampland or a future that reveals the area flooded and existing underwater. These scenes suggest the random nature of life and our lack of control. While I attempted to keep track of the different times - and McGuire aids with this by using distinct color palettes for various periods - I ultimately surrendered myself to the reading experience, not trying to understand it all, but simply immersing myself. Rather than walking away with a neat storyline, I emerged as if I had experienced a bizarre trip of emotions that ranged from appreciating tiny and palpable everyday moments to sensing the enormity of the universe and the incomprehensible expansiveness of infinite time. And, as I look around my own home, I can’t help but also imagine an overlay of what has occurred here during times past and present.Suzanne Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07879453880832706974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-35962907808765607312016-06-21T05:59:00.000-07:002017-01-05T08:19:34.099-08:00Stitches by David Small (A Graphic Novel Quick Recap)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6C4LAhRzP-t3o8_TyqjCKIsGiuKOcs2M38iAhyphenhyphenBzsQ2aKtKDQ_nYDLi-CIf5FHDt_NF0h2-PVXj-79g9twSeMhSGosmxMGiXZhDoM_s3AgiftyEtdSRMGzuk5_HjoJvrmF-sXIcoa7CJ/s1600/stitches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6C4LAhRzP-t3o8_TyqjCKIsGiuKOcs2M38iAhyphenhyphenBzsQ2aKtKDQ_nYDLi-CIf5FHDt_NF0h2-PVXj-79g9twSeMhSGosmxMGiXZhDoM_s3AgiftyEtdSRMGzuk5_HjoJvrmF-sXIcoa7CJ/s200/stitches.jpg" width="155" /></a><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/David-Small-Stitches-Hardcover-2009/dp/B01FMW1FK4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1466513824&sr=8-4&keywords=stitches+by+david+small" target="_blank">Stitches by David Small</a></b><br />
<br />
Voicelessness is a key theme throughout David Small’s memoir <i>Stitches</i>. David grew up in a household where members did not communicate and with the legacy of a great-grandfather who destroyed his vocal cords when trying to kill himself by drinking Drano. He himself becomes physically mute after having throat surgery for cancer that his parents hide from him and that his doctor father eventually claims responsibility for causing due to over x-raying his own child. David’s childhood experience of this dysfunctional silence is mirrored in his graphic novel, which features many sequences devoid of text. While David was alone then, observing his family’s tragic history without anyone to confide in until he eventually connects with a counselor, <i>Stitches </i>invites readers to stand as his witnesses. As readers, we are able to escape into his fantastical dreams and nightmares, and we are confronted with zoomed in views of his physical stitches, which simultaneously reflect both the trauma that he has endured and his path to healing. I was deeply moved by Small’s memoir. He authentically portrayed his feelings of fear and anger, while sensitively acknowledging the cyclical roots of hurt in his family. This is well encapsulated in the ending dream sequence that reveals his grandmother in an asylum, and his mother “sweeping the path clearing the way for [him] to follow.” He ends simply with: “I didn’t.” Breaking his family’s pattern, Small has reclaimed his voice through the telling of this story, and his strength may hopefully inspire others that it is possible to also forge their own, healthier paths in life.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Suzanne Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07879453880832706974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-13309743673731484542016-06-18T08:30:00.000-07:002017-01-05T08:19:34.079-08:00Y, The Last Man (A Graphic Novel Quick Recap)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFC-Mf1hpoaTrC0-x5ae2fxLl-izr5qASeIOnJek3ySLaoKXpP8lHntII9queDjHIVGg5k1pM-AfTd2Rs2sFkrSa779rvCLe6ghAqBfimAF34J1Hjtr5m6JE6a6Hy3WtF6c46O9GIhDjg/s1600/y.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFC-Mf1hpoaTrC0-x5ae2fxLl-izr5qASeIOnJek3ySLaoKXpP8lHntII9queDjHIVGg5k1pM-AfTd2Rs2sFkrSa779rvCLe6ghAqBfimAF34J1Hjtr5m6JE6a6Hy3WtF6c46O9GIhDjg/s200/y.jpg" width="129" /></a><br />
<b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Y-Last-Man-Book-One/dp/140125151X/" target="_blank">Y, The Last Man (Book 1)</a></b><br />
<div style="font-style: italic;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<i>Y, The Last Man </i>is a graphic novel that fits into the apocalyptic, dystopian science fiction genre. Told through jumps in timeline and geographic location, the story depicts a scenario in which all humans and mammals with a Y chromosome - in other words, all boys and men - suddenly die unexpectedly in one instant. There are just two exceptions to the mass extinction: Yorick “Y” Brown and his male Capuchin monkey named Ampersand, both of whom add a lot of whimsy to the story. As is typical of the genre, readers follow how the remaining society react in different ways to survive, from the wives of dead congressmen who storm the White House to the Daughters of the Amazon who celebrate the demise of men. The range of characters who span the globe are differentiated seamlessly with simple shorthands such as enclosing dialogue translated from other languages within < and > angle brackets, and time and location are clearly announced as headings at the beginning of each transition. While the adventure tale is humorous and entertaining, it also raises questions about the status of women by drawing attention to the fact that men continue to hold the majority of leadership positions as “99% of the world’s landowners...95% of all commercial pilots...85% of all government representatives” and so forth. I think this would be an easy book to sell to my high school students since it is an engaging read and transfers well from other popular stories such as <i>The Walking Dead</i>; a bonus is that it might also get them to think about gender issues at the same time.Suzanne Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07879453880832706974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-75626810948189842882016-06-18T07:51:00.002-07:002017-01-05T08:19:34.116-08:00March, Book One (A Graphic Novel Quick Recap)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4bF5wnUS2CSE8DtF9o2ncokVhN1hAdqhXvCgHat6iqbRaqBGKhm29r1gnizkaDTmGssmFJnENnpBnyLgXJRb9pXh5SzUa83v06rbIKLEor3nVhEU3J9I6CnYK45Eo0rc2gHKXe_fsDwb/s1600/march.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4bF5wnUS2CSE8DtF9o2ncokVhN1hAdqhXvCgHat6iqbRaqBGKhm29r1gnizkaDTmGssmFJnENnpBnyLgXJRb9pXh5SzUa83v06rbIKLEor3nVhEU3J9I6CnYK45Eo0rc2gHKXe_fsDwb/s200/march.jpg" width="136" /></a><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/March-Book-One-John-Lewis/dp/1603093001" target="_blank">March (Book One) written by John Lewis</a></b><br />
<br />
<i>March </i>is the personal historical narrative of Congressman John Lewis and his active participation in the civil rights movement. Book one covers Lewis’s childhood growing up in a family of sharecroppers in Alabama and shows how, from an early age, he demonstrated core values that would guide the rest of his life. The illustrated retelling of how he protected the farm chickens reflected his belief in nonviolence and respecting life; and when he defied his parents, escaping to school rather than helping at the farm, he asserted his commitment to education. Lewis continually proved himself to be a standout leader early on, preaching in his teens, connecting with Martin Luther King, Jr. as a college student, and co-founding and chairing the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). The book depicts Lewis’s involvement in organizing peaceful sit-ins in Nashville, which were sadly met with violence portrayed through menacingly dark hues in the comic, and how Lewis remained courageously steadfast in his commitment to establishing equal rights. While I am familiar with the most commonly told stories of the civil rights movement such as Little Rock, Dr. King, and Rosa Parks, it was refreshing to revisit the period both in a graphic novel medium and from Lewis’s perspective since he was integrally involved, but is not always highlighted. His story reminds me how the movement truly required the concerted efforts of many people, not just a few individuals, and this is important to keep in mind when attempting to affect change in the present.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Suzanne Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07879453880832706974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-27140730738912620972016-06-18T06:45:00.002-07:002017-01-05T08:19:34.091-08:00My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf (A Graphic Novel Quick Recap)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXvoyvzhtxRaIZ61Vs1CeC7MDFiRaQRmAhDgLm-9xZ2yIHMo7CfE7WQ3oh4aNR4AGvMKAwolRal5mjy5SKkuyPZvHWyi_aNKdm7a5_7R5KEC7hhC4FmJyTI_53STCf-Xslc6CNxr4Aub7/s1600/mfd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXvoyvzhtxRaIZ61Vs1CeC7MDFiRaQRmAhDgLm-9xZ2yIHMo7CfE7WQ3oh4aNR4AGvMKAwolRal5mjy5SKkuyPZvHWyi_aNKdm7a5_7R5KEC7hhC4FmJyTI_53STCf-Xslc6CNxr4Aub7/s200/mfd.jpg" width="129" /></a><br />
<b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/My-Friend-Dahmer-Derf-Backderf/dp/1419702173" target="_blank">My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf</a></b><br />
<br />
Derf Backderf wrote and illustrated <i>My Friend Dahmer</i> recounting his personal experiences with serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer before the murders, back when they were in high school together. Growing up in a small town in Ohio, Backderf and his friends not only noticed Dahmer, but were perhaps the closest thing he ever had as friends. They did not cruelly bully him as others did, but sadly he was not much more than an oddity to them. His strange behaviors - such as how he mimicked a speech impediment and faked seizures - were their entertainment, and they even went so far as to create a “Dahmer Fan Club.” While Backderf’s group was not aware of the seriousness of Dahmer’s issues, Backderf holds the adults in their lives accountable for not noticing the issues at all. Whether it was Dahmer’s parents who were too busy fighting with one another or school teachers who were oblivious to the fact that Dahmer showed up to school drunk regularly, Backderf raises the concern that they failed to recognize any of the warning signs and get him help. At the same time, Backderf clearly asserts that as soon as Dahmer commits his first murder, he becomes fully responsible for the crimes. Backderf’s storytelling and artwork work extremely well together with details such as a “Congratulations” sign with the C askew signaling that things are off kilter from the beginning. Working at a school, this tragic real-life tale moved me, and I am reminded how critical it is to notice all students and speak up when my intuition kicks in.Suzanne Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07879453880832706974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-16933105737469861362016-06-17T11:12:00.001-07:002017-01-05T08:19:34.083-08:00This One Summer (A Graphic Novel Quick Recap)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzrLQ1jk0wQl0qUuSVtiUDvbdTeO5I8mlN5HLAYOx07vizE2DB8B6jA6i7Mkzf8GMhpesw_5Dr8o_IahmKLfRUqjdegthJkAL31mtUu51Akr0lGyL1hgmH1X2emZfadig4q9abbTAkBYiA/s1600/thisone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzrLQ1jk0wQl0qUuSVtiUDvbdTeO5I8mlN5HLAYOx07vizE2DB8B6jA6i7Mkzf8GMhpesw_5Dr8o_IahmKLfRUqjdegthJkAL31mtUu51Akr0lGyL1hgmH1X2emZfadig4q9abbTAkBYiA/s200/thisone.jpg" width="140" /></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/This-One-Summer-Mariko-Tamaki/dp/159643774X" target="_blank"><b>This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki</b></a><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>This One Summer</i> immerses the reader into a nostalgic summer retreat at Awago Beach with the adolescent main character Rose, her parents, her friend Misty, and other characters from the surrounding small town. The coming-of-age story reflects Rose’s perspective as she observes those around her and tries to make sense of what she sees. She follows the drama of teenage “Dunc” who works at the local mom-and-pop shop and won’t take responsibility when a girl becomes pregnant and identifies him as the father. When witnessing her parents fight, Rose makes assumptions about the reasons, but it turns out she is unaware of deeper roots. She may not be able to understand all that she observes, but she is noticing details that she was likely oblivious to in the past. As she explores Awago Beach, discovering the literal trash hidden behind people’s fences, she simultaneously becomes aware of the emotional baggage that others figuratively carry. She even gains her own role in their webbed stories when spotting someone in danger and getting them help. Working in a school, I can predict concerns regarding some of the language, but I found it works to realistically portray the experience of children transitioning from a sheltered and protected existence to a more expansive worldview that includes grittier elements and suffering. Overall, I enjoyed the beautiful artwork of <i>This One Summer</i> and feel it effectively transported me to experience the summer along with Rose, while also reconnecting me with my own childhood emotions.Suzanne Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07879453880832706974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5230031705765320421.post-58215947969027658092016-06-17T09:42:00.001-07:002017-01-05T08:19:34.104-08:00Ms. Marvel: No Normal (A Graphic Novel Quick Recap)As I am now halfway through SJSU iSchool's <a href="http://ischoolapps.sjsu.edu/gss/ajax/showSheet.php?id=7005" target="_blank">1-unit course on Graphic Novels</a>, I have to say that this has turned out to be a most fun experience. And, as I continue to read a wide array of graphic novels, I gain new appreciation for the medium.<br />
<br />
I started off by reading <a href="http://movingtrainlibrary.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-arrival-by-shaun-tan-graphic-novel.html" target="_blank"><i>The Arrival</i></a>, and while I wasn't sure that I loved it, I did find it to be a thoughtful read with beautiful artwork. After that I read <i><a href="http://movingtrainlibrary.blogspot.com/2016/06/marvels-hawkeye-volume-1-graphic-novel.html" target="_blank">Hawkeye</a>, </i>and while I know that it has been well received and lauded, the story was just okay to me. Next, I read <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/This-One-Summer-Mariko-Tamaki/dp/159643774X" target="_blank">This One Summer</a></i>, which has also been widely recognized, and I liked it enough, but I still didn't love it.<br />
<br />
At this point, my husband was joking that I must just be super critical. Worried that this may indeed be the case, I started to read <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Out-Wire-Storytelling-Secrets-Masters/dp/0385348436" target="_blank">Out on the Wire: The Storytelling Secrets of the New Masters of Radio</a>. </i>I figured this would be a slam dunk "like" for me since I love listening to NPR-style radio shows and podcasts. Instead, as I read it, I suddenly missed the interesting art of the other books that I had just read. As much as I was enjoying the content, I put <i>Out on the Wire </i>on hold and instead decided to pick up something that might be more visually artistic. This led me to <i>Ms. Marvel</i>. I had finally found a match for my reading mood, and I am in love!<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVcqY2FIHLm5PqjVZgzSzMdxPMx9hUN7DKkY2hLnvV1ZLa0yYY8_IfOt5dnGTbnWtSQds_yV0_2sOuX8HeUh1-j9X2JcxkgWa75mWzBIC-G-2vv-nmqQldghh-c8tm2srHPoTLf-1jqUP6/s1600/marvel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVcqY2FIHLm5PqjVZgzSzMdxPMx9hUN7DKkY2hLnvV1ZLa0yYY8_IfOt5dnGTbnWtSQds_yV0_2sOuX8HeUh1-j9X2JcxkgWa75mWzBIC-G-2vv-nmqQldghh-c8tm2srHPoTLf-1jqUP6/s200/marvel.jpg" width="130" /></a><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ms-Marvel-Normal-Graphic-Novels/dp/078519021X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466181839&sr=8-1&keywords=ms+marvel+vol+1" target="_blank"><b>Ms. Marvel: No Normal written by G. Willow Wilson</b></a><br />
<br />
The first volume of <i>Ms. Marvel</i> introduces Kamala Khan, a teen whose family is Muslim and of Pakistani descent. While Kamala navigates typical adolescent issues such as boys, fitting in, and asserting her independence from her parents, she also discovers her superpowers, which include being able to change her physical appearance. When Kamala first uses her powers, she transforms into her idol, the blonde-haired Carol Danvers version of Ms. Marvel. Kamala gains attention for her heroic actions as Ms. Marvel, and so she continues to use this identity when helping others. At the same time, she comes to embrace her own strength, and thus, while keeping the moniker and basic costume, she ends up reclaiming her own physical appearance otherwise. I have never been able to relate well to superhero comics until reading <i>Ms. Marvel</i>. There are still classic superhero elements that I would expect, such as when the mysterious mist falls upon the city, when Kamala shape shifts or changes size, or when the villain The Inventor enters the story. These elements are so expertly weaved into the story, though, and Kamala’s reactions and thoughts make them relatable as the reader. For instance, when Kamala becomes aware of her abnormal powers, she has an utterly normal struggle deciding whether to confide in her best friend Bruno since she he tipped off her parents that she had snuck out of the house. Kamala, as Ms. Marvel, is an emerging superhero who is wonderfully human, and I look forward to following her adventures and growth.Suzanne Sannwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07879453880832706974noreply@blogger.com0