Review: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alexie, Sherman. 2007. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Ill. by Ellen Forney. New York: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 9780316013680

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

Arnold Spirit Jr., born with hydrocephalus that causes multiple problems, is desperate to go to school outside of the Spokane Indian Reservation, to the nearby town of Reardon. He is being bullied constantly and is told by one of his teachers that he has to leave the reservation if he wants a better life. Arnold, known as Junior, risks the anger of his tribe and best friend to make the 22 mile journey each day to attend high school in Reardon. Junior deals with a number of difficulties including facing bullies at Reardon who make racist remarks, falling in love with Penelope, a popular white girl, and becoming friends with fellow outcast Gordy. After many personal tragedies and deaths of loved ones, Junior eventually triumphs on the basketball court, earning him the respect of his fellow tribe mates and classmates at Reardon. Told in first person as if reading his actual diary, Junior also provides humorous cartoon illustrations.

3.    CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Alexie based this novel on his on experiences growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington State. Like Junior, he also transferred to the (all white) high school in nearby Reardon. Alexie, through Junior, explores the darker sides of life on a reservation, including violence, alcoholism, racism, and poverty. Written as a personal journal/diary, Junior discusses life growing up on the reservation with his father, mother, sister, and grandmother. His father is an alcoholic, not uncommon on Indian reservations, and his mother is a former alcoholic. Junior doesn’t take much time describing his physical appearance but does describe his sister and other family members. He mentions the importance of long hair in Native American culture, and the fact that Rowdy cut off the braids of men who had made fun of Junior, in order to humiliate them.

Most of the action in the book takes place on the reservation, in Reardon, or on the road between the two places as Junior often has hitch rides or walks the 20 miles to and from school every day. He has problems typical of a 14 year old way, school, bullies, girls, but is also teased by both his tribe members on the reservation and school mates at Reardon due to his birth defects. Junior emphasizes the poverty faced daily on the rez, as he calls it, when people often don’t have any food or money to put gas in the car. Abuse is also common, as seen with Junior’s best friend Rowdy, who routinely gets beaten by his father. Rowdy, in turn, becomes a bully to most people except Junior. This alcoholism and desperation is part of a vicious circle that Indians are unable to get out of, according to Junior.

Although Junior idolizes the life he believes people living off the rez lead, he points out inconsistencies and biases white people have when discussing Native Americans. When Junior needed to have teeth pulled, he had to have it all done in one day due to Indian Health Service restrictions, and was only given half the pain medication because the “white dentist that Indians only felt half as much pain as white people.” In contrast to negative images of life on the reservation, Junior relishes describing powwows, eating fry bread with his sister, and the feast they eat at Thanksgiving. To the kids on the Spokane Reservation, basketball is an extremely important game. Junior describes the rivalry between them and the Reardon team in vivid detail. In the end, Alexie helps Junior and his readers understand the best and worst qualities of life on the reservation, as well as the racism and bullying that may occur to Native Americans off the reservation.

Ellen Forney has created illustrations from the point of view of Junior, as he is drawing in his journal. They are simple pen and ink characters not rooted in reality but are there as comic relief to take the sting out of the sadness in Alexie’s text. These are reminiscent of the illustrations found in the Wimpy Kid young adult books. The people Junior cares about are drawn more realistically, while others are portrayed in a more juvenile manner depending on the subject matter. Junior’s mom, dad, and sister are drawn with long dark hair, often in braids, and wearing cheap, threadbare clothing.

Absolutely True Diary shows the harsh reality facing many Native American teens living on reservations. There are brutal moments of reality and explorations of sexuality, so this book is recommended for high school aged teens and older.

4. AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
National Book Award Winner, 2007

Boston-Globe Horn Book Award Winner, 2008

Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist, 2007

Positive review in Booklist: “A few of the plotlines fade to gray by the end, but this ultimately affirms the incredible power of best friends to hurt and heal in equal measure.”

Starred review in School Library Journal: “The teen's determination to both improve himself and overcome poverty, despite the handicaps of birth, circumstances, and race, delivers a positive message in a low-key manner. Alexie's tale of self-discovery is a first purchase for all libraries.”

Starred review in Publisher’s Weekly: “Screenwriter, novelist and poet, Alexie bounds into YA with what might be a Native American equivalent of Angela’s Ashes, a coming-of-age story so well observed that its very rootedness in one specific culture is also what lends it universality, and so emotionally honest that the humor almost always proves painful.”

5. CONNECTIONS

* Official website of the Spokane Indian Tribe: http://www.spokanetribe.com/

* Teacher’s Guide: http://www.amazon.com/Absolutely-True-Diary-Part-Indian/dp/1608780961/ref=pd_sim_b_2

           

* Other books about Native Americans for teens:

Fortunate Eagle, Adam. Pipestone: My Life in an Indian Boarding School. ISBN

9780806141145

O’Dell, Scott. Island of the Blue Dolphins. ISBN 9780547328614

Speare, Elizabeth George. The Sign of the Beaver. ISBN 9780547577111

Van Camp, Richard. The Lesser Blessed. ISBN 9781550545258

Review: Bad River Boys by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve

Bad River Boys by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sneve, Virginia Driving Hawk. 2005. Bad River Boys: A Meeting of the Lakota Sioux with Lewis and Clark. Ill. by Bill Farnsworth. New York: Holiday House, Inc. ISBN 0823418561

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

Bad River Boys details a fictionalized account of the real meeting between members of the Sioux tribe and the Lewis and Clark expedition. Three young Sioux boys, Cloud, Sun, and Antler spot a boat containing the members of the Lewis and Clark expedition coming up the river. The boys tell the elders of their tribe about the boat and strangers, so the elders, including chief Black Buffalo, go to meet members of the expedition. Through an inconsistent French interpreter, the tribe members exchange gifts with Lewis and Clark. Eventually, after exchanging gifts and settling many misunderstandings, Lewis and Clark were free to continue up the river on their expedition.

3.    CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve created an interesting picture book based on an important historical event, the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The timeline can be confusing on occasion, as can the action sequences described by Sneve between the Sioux and the Americans. Without prior knowledge about the location of the Lakota Sioux or other landmarks referenced in the text, the reader would not know the exact setting for the meeting. Much of the action takes place either on the shore of, or in the Bad River in modern day South Dakota.

The text is full of cultural details based on the author’s background in the Sioux tribe. The tribe members expect certain actions to occur, including celebrations and religious rituals, if the expedition intends to use their section of the Bad River. The women of the tribe brought roasted buffalo, corn and squash to the meetings with the Americans and were given articles of clothing, hats, and American flags in return. To celebrate the friendship of the Americans, the chief lit a peace pipe, lifting it to all directions and sharing with the expedition members. After the pipe ceremony, women danced around the bonfires to the sound of drums and rattles made of hooves as the men exchanged war stories. A few days later when the expedition was about to proceed up the Bad River, other chiefs demanded gifts of tobacco, angry that Black Buffalo received more than them. Sneve explains many traditions and ceremonies in her text, and emphasizes the fact that Lewis and Clark were clearly unaware of the proper way to honor all the Native American chiefs.

Characters are named in a traditional Native American manner. The three young boys are named Cloud, Sun and Antler. Black Buffalo, Cloud’s father, is a tribal elder and other tribal chiefs are named Black Medicine and Partisan. True Woman is the name of Cloud and Antler’s mother, while Sun’s mother is named Shell.

Sneve has added a historical notes section detailing the specific details behind the Lewis and Clark Expedition. She also has a glossary of Lakota Sioux words that were not defined in the text itself. Because this is a fictionalized account of this meeting, Sneve falls into the trap of making the Sioux seem noble and respectful while the Lewis and Clark expedition members are made to appear ignorant and disrespectful of Native American customs and traditions. She also fails to include reference sources to provide evidence for her slightly biased historical note.

Bill Farnsworth’s illustrations are reminiscent of vibrant old west landscapes. They are usually located in either full page or double page spreads, surround the text. Members of the Sioux tribe are shown with dark brown skin, black hair, and dark eyes. Males wear deerskin pants while females wear knee length deerskin dresses. Boys, such as Cloud, Sun and Antler wear their long hair in braids, but older men like chief Black Buffalo wear their hair long and straight. The Sioux live in a traditional Native American village setting, in teepees. Unfortunately, interesting details in the illustrations are lost due to Farnsworth’s fuzzy painting style. It is almost impossible to tell one character from another without additional identifying details.

4. AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Review in Booklist: “Sneve's narrative is long, and the slow pacing of the words sometimes feels at odds with the story's dramatic action, which is depicted in sweeping, feathery oil paintings. Still, Sneve tells a rare story from a Native American perspective that casts the famous expedition in an unflattering light and emphasizes how easily meaning can be lost in translation.”

Review in School Library Journal: “The author succeeds in portraying the anxious discomfort of the confrontation, but her poignant message is shoehorned into the picture-book format and the overall effect is at times muddled and unengaging. This book would be most helpful as a thoughtful supplement to units on the Lewis and Clark expedition.”

5. CONNECTIONS

* Other books from a Native American perspective by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve:

The Christmas Coat: Memories of My Sioux Childhood. ISBN 9780823421343

High Elk’s Treasure. ISBN 9780823402120

The Trickster and the Troll. ISBN 9780803292635

When Thunders Spoke. ISBN 9780823402304

           

* Other children’s books discussing the Lewis and Clark Expedition:

Eubank, Patti Reeder. Seaman’s Journal: On the Trail With Lewis and Clark. ISBN

9780824954420

Erdrich, Liselotte. Sacagawea. ISBN 9780876146460

Schanzer, Rosalyn. How We Crossed the West: The Adventures of Lewis and Clark.

ISBN 9780792237389         

Review: Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac

Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bruchac, Joseph. 2001. Skeleton Man. Ill. by Sally Wern Comport. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 9780060290764

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

After Molly’s parents vanished one night, she is turned over to the custody of her “uncle” whom she has never met and has heard nothing about. Taken to his large house located in an old bed and breakfast near the woods, she is locked in her room every night and is only allowed out of the house to go to school, which has become her refuge. While asleep every night, Molly has vivid dreams based on a Mohawk legend of the “Skeleton Man” told to her by her father who grew up on the Mohawk Reserve of Akwesasne. These dreams lead her to believe that the man posing as her uncle is the real skeleton man, and she believes he has her parents locked away. Molly’s dreams give her the strength she needs to outwit the skeleton man and save her parents.

3.    CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Skeleton Man is a dark, good vs. evil themed tale based on an old Mohawk legend. Molly is the epitome of a strong and intelligent character, and she would make an excellent role model for any young reader. The skeleton man, Molly’s nemesis, starts out as slightly sinister and develops into a full blown terrifying figure. Molly’s parents are only briefly mentioned in the beginning and end of the book, without much in-depth detail beyond their appearance and basic descriptions. The only other character that deserves recognition is Molly’s teacher Ms. Shabbas, who listens to Molly’s fears of her imposter uncle and offers help and support.

Molly describes herself as dark skinned with long think black hair. She believes her face is plain with round cheeks and full lips. In contrast to her traditional, Native American features, the skeleton man does not resemble her or her family members in any way. As Molly explains, “He didn’t look Indian” and his dark skin appeared although it was dyed rather than natural. He wears all grey clothing, and is extremely tall and thin making him resemble the skeleton in Molly’s dreams.

The majority of the action in Skeleton Man takes place in the uncle’s large house or in the woods near Three Falls Gorge in central New York. In Molly’s nightly dreams, she is in the distant past, in the place of a young girl running from the “Skeleton Man” of the Mohawk legend. These dreams are what Molly’s father describes as “aware dreams” in which she is supposed to receive a message of some kind that will help her out of a bad situation. The “dream Molly” lives in a cave with the skeleton man, checks snare traps in the woods, and speaks with a rabbit she frees from a trap. In the dream, the rabbit promises to help her because she set him free, a common theme in many Native American legends. Molly is told that it is the Mohawk way to trust your dreams and listen to the voices inside you.

Though set in modern times, Skeleton Man references a few other Native American cultural markers. In the original Skeleton Man tale explained by Molly in the beginning of the book, the original name of the skeleton man was “Lazy Uncle” and in Molly’s dreams, the rabbit refers to Molly as “Little Sister.” When Molly realizes her parents are missing and is afraid, she sings a song taught to her by her mother, called the “Lonesome Song.” Finally, Molly recalls an explanation of lighting and thunder told to her by her father. He said Henos, the Thunder Beings, throw lighting spears through the sky in order to defeat monsters.

The occasional pencil illustrations by Sally Wern Comport add a spooky aura to Bruchac’s text. During the flashback portions of the text, Comport illustrates Molly in a traditional Mohican outfit. She wears a deerskin dress and moccasins, and jewelry. The skeleton man is rarely shown except for brief illustrations of his bony hand, or his silhouette in shadow. These small illustrations appear at the beginning of each chapter and sporadically throughout the text.

Bruchac does not include further references for the future study of the “skeleton man” legend. Providing a list of sources would have been an excellent supplement to this young adult novel. Due to the scary subject matter and dark themes, Skeleton Man should be for middle grades and older.

4. AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee 2002-2003

School Library Journal Best Book

ALA Notable Children’s Book

IRA/CBC Children's Choice

Parent's Guide to Children's Media Award

Starred review in School Library Journal: “In the classic horror tradition, Bruchac offers a timely tale that will make hearts beat and brows sweat, and it has the bonus of a resourceful heroine to put the world right again.”

Positive review in Publisher’s Weekly: “The mix of traditional and contemporary cultural references adds to the story's haunting appeal, and the quick pace and suspense, particularly in the last few chapters, will likely hold the interest of young readers.”

5. CONNECTIONS

* This novel could be used during a study of Native American myths and legends. It is also a great addition to non-traditional Halloween literature. 

* Mohawk legends: http://www.native-languages.org/mohawk-legends.htm

* Other young adult books by Joseph Bruchac:

The Return of Skeleton Man. ISBN 9780060580926 (Sequel to Skeleton Man)

Bearwalker. ISBN 9780061123153

Whisper in the Dark. ISBN 9780060580879

The Dark Pond. ISBN 9780060529987

Wolf Mark. ISBN 9781600606618

Review: The Afterlife by Gary Soto

       

The Afterlife by Gary Soto

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Soto, Gary. 2003. The Afterlife. New York: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 9780152047740

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

The sequel to Buried Onions, The Afterlife begins with the stabbing death of Chuy in the bathroom of a night club by a teen he calls “Yellow Shoes.” Chuy is now a ghost, and floats around his hometown of Fresno, California aimlessly while attempting to understand what will happen to him now that he is dead. He visits his family, friends, and a girl he liked while alive to witness their grief and anger at his death. Chuy also stumbles upon “Yellow Shoes” a few times, but can only chill the air with his ghostly presence rather than get the revenge he seeks. While roaming the city, Chuy finds a young woman named Crystal who very recently took her own life. Chuy helps her understand her new form and accompanies her on a visit to her old home. Chuy also attempts to save a homeless man’s life and keep his spirit inside his body, but ultimately fails. In repayment for Chuy’s kindness, the homeless man, Robert Montgomery, slips into the body of “Yellow Shoes” with the hope of redeeming him for Chuy’s murder. Eventually, as Chuy’s phantom limbs begin to fade, he and Crystal float away together content to have each other.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The Afterlife has some extremely heavy themes that may be disturbing to younger teens. The first chapter contains the death of Chuy in extreme detail, and Crystal’s death from suicide is also explored in graphic terms later in the novel. The aftermath of violent crime and how it affects those left behind is explored with Chuy’s friends and family. Chuy’s mother is determined to find the killer of her child, and gives a family member a gun while begging him to take the law into his own hands.

Soto does not specifically state the time period in which The Afterlife takes place, but his descriptions of Fresno, California make the reader feel as though they were traveling along with Chuy. He is from a poor area of Fresno, with low-cost government housing, drug activity, alcoholics and drug addicts living on the street, and multiple abandoned buildings. Most of the people living in his area of Fresno are either Mexican or Hmong. His father is a blue collar worker at a cement factory and later Chuy reminisces how his father tried to instill a work ethic in him by making him pick grapes at Crystal’s family farm. This is one of the only mentions of Mexican American migrant workers. Other than referring to himself as “ordinary”, Chuy does not describe the other characters in much detail except for when they are grieving. At that point he remarks that “they were ghosts themselves, white in spite of the Mexican-ness.”

The most obvious cultural markers appear when Soto describes Chuy’s family, friends, and the personalities of the characters. The importance of a strong male presence in a Hispanic family is emphasized on one occasion, as Chuy follows police officers to the scene of a domestic argument. He comments on the weakness of a husband making a scene and harming his wife in front of their children. Chuy’s funeral is a major event, due to his family’s Catholic background. Cars are an important part of the Hispanic culture, as seen in the way Chuy’s Uncle Richard cared for his Honda: large speakers, lowered body frame and special clear lights. All aspects of the Hispanic culture in Fresno are referred to naturally, without appearing forced simply to make a culturally diverse novel for teens. When Chuy talks about watching telenovelas, listening to rancheras or eating churros, pan dulce, or menudo, the reader senses the importance of food, music, and television shows in the Hispanic culture.

Chuy engages in code switching constantly throughout the book, using Spanish words, phrases and slang, on occasion providing the English translation but often leaving the reader to understand the words based on the context of the text. This is accomplished in a natural and authentic way, as Chuy refers to his “mami” and “papi”. Soto makes the Spanish words stand out by putting them in italics, but does not over emphasize them in the text, only using them in appropriate instances. He also provides a guide at the end of The Afterlife, with Spanish words and phrases used in the book. The guide provides a glimpse into the world of Hispanic teenagers living in California.

The ending to The Afterlife may leave some readers feeling unsatisfied. While it may be true that not all criminals are caught or get punished for their crimes, there needs to be some sort of resolution to give readers hope.

      4. AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
 Américas Book Award Commendation for Children’s and Young Adult Literature, 2003

Starred review in Booklist: "Soto has remade Our Town into Fresno, California, and he not only paints the scenery brilliantly but also captures the pain that follows an early death. In many ways, this is as much a story about a hardscrabble place as it is about a boy who is murdered. Both pulse with life and will stay in memory.”

Review in School Library Journal: “After a strong start, The Afterlife seems to become a series of brief images that drift off as though in a dream. Soto's simple and poetic language, leavened with Mexican Spanish with such care to context that the appended glossary is scarcely needed, is clear, but Chuy's ultimate destiny isn't.”

5. CONNECTIONS

* Other books by Gary Soto:

Buried Onions. ISBN 9780152062651

Accidental Love. ISBN 9780152061135

Taking Sides. ISBN 9780152046941    

           

Review: Yum! ¡Mmmm! ¡Qué rico! by Pat Mora

Yum! ¡Mmmm! ¡Qué rico! America’s Sproutings by Pat Mora

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Mora, Pat. 2007. Yum! ¡Mmmm! ¡Qué rico! America’s Sproutings. Ill. by Rafael López. New York: Lee and Low Books Inc. ISBN 9781584302711

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

Yum! ¡Mmmm! ¡Qué rico! America’s Sproutings is a poetry book dedicated to the fruits and flavors of Central America, South America and North America. Blueberries, chiles, papaya, and pecans are only a few of the delicious foods lovingly described. Each page includes a haiku about a special food and a brief paragraph with additional details about the origin, uses, and special facts of that food. Lush, double page illustrations accompany every poem.

3.    CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The theme for this children’s poetry book, as is common in Hispanic literature, is one of the importance of food. Each food in Mora’s book of poetry is the focus on a large, two-page spread. The haiku is located on the right page and the small, historical background paragraph is on the right. Mora intersperses Spanish and English words in her haikus, creating glorious imagery as seen in her tribute to the pumpkin:

“Under round luna,

scattered tumblings down the rows,

autumn’s orange face.”

The historical details provided by Mora are a wonderful addition to the poetry and provide a great background to the origins of foods. She adds Spanish words in the explanatory paragraphs but lacks pronunciation guides. The word chocolate, for example, comes from the Nahuatl word “xocolatl” which means bitter water, but no information on how to pronounce it. The entire book is a celebration of traditional foods used in the Hispanic culture. Mora’s author’s note indicates her purpose of writing this book was to show all the native foods grown in the America’s before the countries were created.

While most of the foreign language words are defined in the background paragraphs on each page, the Spanish words in the haikus are not. For the few Spanish words Mora uses in her haikus, she defines them in the beginning of the book so as not to interrupt the flow of her poetry. Under the Spanish definitions she includes a brief list of sources for her historical backgrounds of the indigenous foods with the acknowledgment that some food origins are still in debate and under discussion by experts. Opposite the source/definition page in the beginning of the book is a map of the Americas, illustrated by López, to assist readers in finding the countries of origin for the foods discussed.

Rafael López created rich and glossy illustrations using acrylic on wood panels to perfectly complement the haikus written by Pat Mora. The cranberry haiku compares cranberries to fireworks when they are cooked in a hot pot. López illustrates the poetry, making sure to have details in the illustrations correspond to the origin of each food. Because cranberries are grown in watery marshes, the illustration shows a young girl standing hip deep in a cranberry bog. She is holding a pot of hot cranberries that shoot from the pot through the sky as described in Mora’s poetry.

Images of people in the book are culturally accurate based on various indigenous people who live in the Americas. Skin color is shown in various shades, as are clothing and hairstyles. The illustrations include many images of anthropomorphized foods and animals dancing and smiling along with humans. This style is sure to appeal to readers of any age, especially those interested in learning about the origins of their favorite foods.

4. AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee 2009-2010

ALA Notable Book 2008

Américas Award for Children’s Literature 2008

Starred review in Booklist: "This inventive stew of food haiku celebrates the indigenous foods of the Americas."

Positive review in School Library Journal: “Teachers will find this a welcome addition to their social-studies units, but it should also win a broad general audience for its inventive, fun-filled approach to an ever-popular topic: food.”

5. CONNECTIONS

* There are multiple uses for this picture book. Use in a classroom to discuss poetry forms, or use to learn Spanish words for common foods. After reading each haiku and accompanying origin paragraph, use the map at the beginning of the book to show where each food came from.

           

* Curriculum activities for Que Rico and other Pat Mora books: http://www.patmora.com/ideas.htm#yum

* Poetry activity pages: http://www.patmora.com/morafiles/other/yum_poetrydish.pdf

* Other bilingual books by Pat Mora:

The Bakery Lady/La señora de la panadería. ISBN 9781558853430

Book Fiesta! ISBN 9780061288777

Gracias-Thanks. ISBN 9781600602580

Review: Just a Minute by Yuyi Morales

Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book by Yuyi Morales

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Morales, Yuyi. 2003. Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book. San Francisco: Chronicle Books ISBN 0811837580

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

Early one morning, Señor Calavera comes to take Grandma Beetle away, but she has a busy day ahead of her! “Just a minute” she tells him, she has one chore to do, so he waits patiently. But she isn’t finished, for now she has two pots of tea to boil. Again, he waits, but each time she finishes a task, she moves on to the next which frustrates poor Señor Calavera. Eventually Señor Calavera helps her with three pounds of corn, four fruits to slice, five cheeses to melt, six pots of food to cook, seven piñatas to fill and eight plates of food to set on the table! Finally, Grandma Beetle is finished! But, here come her nine grandchildren! She invites Señor Calavera to sit at the table and be her tenth special guest at the birthday party he has been helping her to prepare for all day! Once the party was over, Grandma Beetle was content and finally ready to go with Señor Calavera, but he was gone and left a note behind. He explains how much fun he had at her party and that he will see her next year!

3.     CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Yuyi Morales has created not only an original trickster tale with a theme of death and celebration but she has also written this book as a way to help young children learn Spanish numbers one through ten. Morales makes an interlingual use of Spanish in the text in a natural and easy to follow way. On every page, while Grandma Beetle is counting, the text shows the English number in big, bold letters. Señor Calavera then repeats the number in Spanish, and it is also in bold letters, bigger than the rest of the text on the page. The entire book takes place in various rooms at Grandma Beetle’s home, so the time period and specific setting are relatively unknown.

Many Hispanic cultural markers are present as Grandma Beetle prepares for her party. She pounds corn using traditional, old fashioned instruments so she can make homemade tortillas. Papayas are cut up into fruit salad and large pots of food are cooked. Seven colorful piñatas in the shape of birds, donkeys, turtles, butterflies and many more are stuffed full for her grandchildren to break open. The birthday celebration with the whole family and Señor Calavera invited is typical of the kind of welcoming value system typical in the Hispanic culture.

The illustrations, also by Yuyi Morales, look as though they came straight from a Dia de los Muertos celebration. The colors are deep and rich, and Grandma Beetle’s house appears to be made in a traditional Mexican style. Brightly colored tiles surround the door frames and trail along the walls. Every wall has been painted a different color. Grandma Beetle has the appearance of a typical gray haired grandmother, with a polka dot dress and overcoat, but she occasionally winks at the reader, hinting at her plan to trick Señor Calavera. She and her grandchildren all have slightly brown skin and large dark eyes and the children all have dark hair in various shades consistent with general portrayals of people within the Hispanic culture.

Although Señor Calavera is shown as a full skeleton, he is illustration in such a way as to be appealing rather than frightening. His mouth, eyes, nose and eyebrows are all brightly decorated, and with flowers in his eyes and designs along most of his bones, he is completely non-threatening. 

The Hispanic culture has a tradition of being open, honest and celebratory about death and dying. Morales has created this trickster tale to joke about the way Grandma Beetle is able to distract Death (Señor Calavera) and make him forget why he had come to get her. While very young children may not understand who Señor Calavera is and why he wants Grandma Beetle, they will enjoy the joking and tricking and the bright illustrations are eye-catching.

4. AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Pura Belpre Medal for Best Illustration 2004
Parent's Choice Award Winner 2003  CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center) Choices selection 2004  Américas Book Award Winner for Children’s and Young Adult Literature, 2003

Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award 2004
Latino Literary Award for Best Children's Book 2004

Starred review in Kirkus: “Lit with dancing lines and warm colors, Morales' illustrations enhance the appeal of this winning story even further.”

Starred review in Booklist: “Even if children don't grasp the implications of the skeleton's visit, they'll enjoy seeing him join the fun, and when he extends Grandma's lease on life, the relieved, loving embrace she gives her grandchildren will satisfy young ones at a gut level.”

5. CONNECTIONS

* Señor Calavera has his own website, created by Yuyi Morales. Craft and enrichment activities are available: http://www.srcalavera.com/chupirul.html

* Reader’s Guide for Just a Minute from Chronicle Books: http://www.chroniclebooks.com/landing-pages/pdfs/Just_A_min.pdf

*Other books written by Yuyi Morales:

Just in Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book. ISBN 9781596433298

(Featuring Señor Calavera)

Little Night. ISBN 9781596430884

* Other books illustrated by Yuyi Morales:

Johnston, Tony. Mi Abuelita. ISBN 9780152163303

Krull, Kathleen. Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez. ISBN 9780152014377

Montes, Marisa. Los Gatos Black on Halloween. ISBN 9780805074291

White, Amanda. Sand Sister. ISBN 9781841486178