Venture into cultures: a resource book of multicultural materials and programs [2. ed] 0838935133, 9780838935132

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VENTURE INTO CULTURES

A Resource Book of Multicultural Materials and Programs

Second Edition

O LGA R. K UHARETS EDITOR

E THNIC AND M UL TICUL TURAL I NFORMATION E XCHANGE R OUND T ABLE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION Chicago and London

2001

While extensive effort has gone into ensuring the reliability of information appearing in this book, the publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, on the accuracy or reliability of the information, and does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in this publication. Art on pages 105–8 by Irina A. Kuharets Text design by Dianne M. Rooney Composition by ALA Editions in Bookman using QuarkXpress 4.1 for the PC Printed on 50-pound white offset, a pH-neutral stock, and bound in 10-point cover stock by Data Reproductions The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992. ∞ Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Venture into cultures : a resource book of multicultural materials & programs. — 2nd ed. / edited by Olga R. Kuharets for the Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8389-3513-3 1. Libraries—United States—Special collections—Minorities. 2. School libraries—Activity programs—United States. 3. Multicultural education—Activity programs—United States. 4. Children’s libraries—Activity programs—United States. 5. Children’s literature—Bibliography. 6. Children—Books and reading—United States. 7. Minorities—United States—Juvenile literature—Bibliography. 8. Pluralism (Social sciences)—Juvenile literature—Bibliography. I. Kuharets, Olga R. II. Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table. Z688.M84 V46 2001 011.62—dc21

2001022480

Copyright © 2001 by the American Library Association. All rights reserved except those which may be granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Printed in the United States of America. 05

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Contents

Preface

4 Jewish-American

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Introduction Confronting Diversity in a Homogeneous Environment

1 Africa J. B. Petty

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Recommended Materials Program Ideas 9 Websites 10 Resources 11

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Recommended Materials Program Ideas 22 Websites 25 Resources 26

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5 Korea Heawon Paick

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6 Latino Culture 61

Recommended Materials Program Ideas 69 Websites 71

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7 Middle East

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Recommended Materials Program Ideas 36 Websites 39 Resources 40

Recommended Materials Program Ideas 48 Websites 51 Resources 51

Oralia Garza de Cortés

3 India Cherri Jones and Gowri Patameswaran

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Recommended Materials Program Ideas 57 Websites 59 Resources 60

2 Caribbean Melinda Greenblatt

Jay Jacoby and Lenora Stein

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Allison Gray

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Recommended Materials Program Ideas 79 Websites 81

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Contents

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Native American Culture Doris Gebel

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Recommended Materials Program Ideas 93 Websites 94 Resources 95

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Russia Olga R. Kuharets

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Recommended Materials Program Ideas 103 Websites 111 Resources 112

Bibliography

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Contributors

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Index

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Preface

I came to this country when I was five years old. For as long as I can remember I have been asked, “What kind of name is Olga?” “Are you German?” “Are you Swedish?” No longer do those questions disturb me. In grade school when being accepted was so important, however, I had to face the unpleasant reality of my unusual name and heritage. At home, my Russian heritage shaped our family practices—hot tea for breakfast, museum visits on Sundays, and homemade borscht with sour cream for supper. In school, on the other hand, I was as American as can be. I did not want to be different. When I was in school, I studied ancient civilizations, world history, and American history. Try as I might, I can’t recall learning about the cultures I saw in the neighborhoods of New York City. I did not want to be a Russian immigrant. These days I am grateful for my namesake and my heritage. I appreciate my culture and embrace its traditions. The United States has also grown more diverse. Cities like New York, Chicago, Miami, and Los Angeles are no longer the only places we find diversity. Ethnicity can be encountered in Kansas, Wyoming, and North Dakota. Because communities today are so diverse, the importance of increasing sensitivity to ethnic groups cannot be ignored. The inspiration for the second edition of Venture into Cultures was a desire to help educators and librarians introduce various ethnic groups to children through programming and resources available in libraries and schools. Sharing stories, facts, and customs from around the globe allows children to become familiar with diversity and to become comfortable with adjusting to the unfamiliar. I encour-

age readers to use Venture into Cultures as a tool for programming ideas, collection development, and background knowledge about a particular culture. The list of contributors to Venture into Cultures is as diverse as the chapters they have created. Some of the contributors are educators, some are practicing librarians, and some are native to the culture about which they wrote. One common thread links us together: the passion to inspire children with the beauty of the world and its many differences. Together we have gathered all-new content for this second edition. Many contributors are members of ALA’s Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT). Founded in 1972 and granted Round Table status in 1982, EMIERT has been a source of information on ethnic collections, services, and programs for nearly forty years. Its members strive to produce quality programming and resources that foster a better understanding of various cultures. Nine years ago, beginning what I hope will be a long tradition, Carla Hayden edited the first edition of Venture into Cultures. Since then, children’s book publishers have significantly broadened cultural representation in their works. In addition, we can now go to the Web for multicultural resources. Since 1992, we have also seen continued interest in multiculturalism. Libraries are now providing services and programming related to other cultures such as celebrations of Cinco de Mayo, Chinese New Year programs, and Purim parties for their patrons, who can enjoy these programs and also learn from them.

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Preface Recognizing the value of this resource, David Cohen, activist and fearless leader of EMIERT, came to me a few years ago and said: “Olga, why don’t you do a second edition of Venture into Cultures?” Thank you, David, for realizing the importance of revisiting this body of work, and

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thank you for your leadership in the crusade to spread a greater understanding of our multiethnic diversity. Finally, I remain forever in debt to Patrick Hogan whose guidance, perseverance, and gentle reminders assured the completion of this project.

Introduction Confronting Diversity in a Homogeneous Environment James McShane

In today’s cultures, many people are under the damaging illusion that the homo sapiens species is inherently divided into races. There is a further misconception that particular races are inherently “pure” while others are not. At the most extreme, hate groups are the obvious purveyors of erroneous cultural messages like these. A less extreme but more prevalent condition is that these misconceptions are curiously comforting to some, because difference, once perceived, makes people nervous and motivates them to lean toward conformity. While conformity is a conscious effort toward an artificial sameness, nature tends toward difference and diversity. In their own ways, both conformity and diversity contribute to the strength of a culture. Conformity helps a group of people work as one. The popularity of teamwork in a business setting is just one example. Another is the cooperation between religious groups to achieve common political and social agendas. However, it is not difficult to see the dangers of conscious conformity; the examples of Nazi Germany and Hirohito’s Japan are of particular note. The continuing legacy of racism in the United States is similarly a result of conscious conformity. Diversity also contributes to the strength of a culture. It allows people to embrace different perspectives. For example, the Japanese model of industrial production demonstrates that there is more than one way of doing things. However, diversity can also lead to disintegration. The most obvious recent example is the shattering effect of the war in Kosova, where diversity fragmented the social fabric of a state. Former President Jimmy Carter alluded to the

polarity between conformity and diversity, noting that it is their co-existence that gives the culture of the United States its strength: “We are of course a nation of differences. Those differences don’t make us weak. They’re the source of our strength. . . . The question is not when we came here . . . but why our families came here. And what we did after we arrived” (Speech at Al Smith dinner, New York City, October 21, 1976. Bartlett’s Quotations, 1992). Conformity and diversity are allies, since each is dependent for its survival upon the other. As Carter stated, conformity cannot be achieved without first acknowledging the role diversity plays in American society. For more than fifteen years, the Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table of the American Library Association (EMIERT) has been involved in issues of multiculturalism and ethnic studies. The round table (initially called the Ethnic Materials and Information Exchange Round Table) was formed as the result of a task force concerned with developing ethnic collections to serve the increasingly diverse clientele of all types of libraries. A core group of concerned librarians met to address issues of diversity, multiculturalism, and ethnic studies. The resulting round table became a leader in a field that now includes such organizations as the Chinese American Library Association (CALA), the Jewish Librarian Association (JLA), the Jewish Information Committee (JIC), and the Armenian Libraries and Librarians Information Circle (ALLIC). (The latter two groups are subcommittees within EMIERT.) Since 1985, EMIERT has ventured into all types of cultures for the benefit of library patrons.

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Introduction

MULTICULTURALISM Over the last twenty years, the term multiculturalism has become increasingly amorphous. In many cases it is used to denote a movement that deals with a host of issues involving African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics, and Native American peoples, either individually or in varying combinations, along with issues involving women, gays and lesbians, and people with disabilities. In contrast, EMIERT has advocated a more focused definition of multiculturalism that better serves all cultures and ethnic groups. Our nation is made up of an incredible mixture of races, ethnic groups, and cultures, all of which have characteristics that set them apart and make them unique and worthy of study. EMIERT will continue to support this simpler, pluralistic definition of multiculturalism in its activities, publications, and programming. This inclusive approach to multiculturalism works well with the increasingly important priority that libraries place upon serving the needs and interests of the communities in which they are located. By examining their roots, people in areas traditionally thought of as lacking in diversity, such as the Midwest, are discovering that they have a rich and varied cultural history that, although it may not rival ethnic melting pots of New York or Los Angeles, is far more diverse than once thought. This broad-based approach to customer service that acknowledges the influences of diverse cultures on the community can be summed up in two words— community literacy.

EDUCATING PEOPLE LIVING IN A “HOMOGENEOUS” ENVIRONMENT ABOUT DIVERSITY I think we ought to read only the kinds of books that wound and stab us. . . . We need the books that affect us like a disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than ourselves, like being banished into forests far from everyone, like a suicide. A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us.

should not, because all of us are illiterate in one sense or another. Most people know what literacy means, but they have not really experienced it. Imagine visiting a foreign country, such as Thailand, China, Japan, or Mongolia, where the lack of knowledge of the written language makes you more of a stranger than, say, in France or Mexico. In this situation, you experience one type of illiteracy. Yet, there is a difference between feeling a stranger in a foreign country and feeling a stranger at home. To be illiterate is to be a stranger in one’s own home environment. To illustrate the experience of illiteracy, the phrase below is an English phrase written in Cyrillic, the alphabet forming the Russian language. It is a common English expression, which, if spoken, most people would comprehend and process with little or no thought.

ÅÈtnc htL Yfe@ Because the above is written in Cyrillic, the phrase has become inaccessible to everyone except those who can read these characters. Imagine all the information around you written in this script: the book in front of you, the calendar on the wall, the advertisements from your favorite store, even street signs. It is reading that keeps us from being strangers, yet how easily we take it for granted. If we look at the Cyrillic phrase again, we see that there are a number of things that, at first glance, seem familiar, but taken together make no sense. The “t”, “h”, and the “y” seem to be letters shared by both the Cyrillic and Latin alphabets, but still the meaning is elusive. Let’s decipher the phrase in order to have information to refer to later on. There are letters in this phrase that the two alphabets share: e, a, and t are three of them. They each stand for essentially the same sounds in both languages. The first letter of the first word is l, and the c stands for an s. (The acronym CCCP stands for the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republic.) The second word in the Cyrillic phrase begins with an r and ends with a d. The third word begins with an n and ends with a u or, in this case, what turns out to be a w. So the phrase using the Latin alphabet actually reads: Let’s Read Now!

—Franz Kafka (Bartlett’s Quotations, 1992)

Kafka’s passion for reading and his respect for the power of books is a sentiment librarians easily identify with, but it puts us at a great disadvantage when dealing with people who are illiterate. It

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CULTURAL LITERACY There are multiple cultures in the world, each separated by its differences. Differences between cul-

Introduction

tures are, in general, easy to recognize yet hard to comprehend. Comprehension is difficult because it depends upon viewing the culture from the inside rather than forming an understanding from the outside. Even from within, it is difficult to recognize cultural characteristics and understand them; they can be as elusive to insiders as they are to outsiders. This confusion is just one reason why so many people are fascinated by cultural diversity. It also helps explain why others are threatened by it. The translation of a simple Cyrillic phrase teaches us that there are three steps in deciphering meaning: first, begin with familiar elements; next, tackle elements that seem familiar; and last, translate elements that are completely alien. We can begin to decipher culture using these same three steps. In doing so, our ventures into culture help us celebrate diversity. They help us appreciate the ways in which we are similar to others and the ways in which we are completely different. Understanding our differences will, in the process, help us come to a better understanding of ourselves.

ELIMINATING BOUNDARIES I am not a social scientist, but a humanist. Consequently, I do not approach things with graphs and charts in search of some elusive definition of a condition or a movement. Instead, I prefer to step back and look at the larger picture. As Yogi Berra once remarked, “You can observe a lot by watching.” The subject of diversity is not one that can be proved or disproved with statistics. Rather, it is a reality that is in evidence all around us and is to be embraced. This is where libraries and librarians can make a significant impact in their communities throughout the coming years. John F. Kennedy said it best: “If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.” (Address at American University. Bartlett’s Quotations, 1992.) As with any good customer service organization, one objective of libraries needs to be the elimination of borders between each other, the patrons they serve, and the information those patrons request. The surest way of doing this is for librarians to make constant efforts to eliminate the walls that we, as a profession and as a society, have erected between the information we profess to safeguard and the people we profess to serve. We must eliminate not only physical and racial boundaries,

but also the intellectual boundaries we inadvertently support through outmoded means of handling information. We should do a reference interview with ourselves each day to find out what questions we are not asking, what ways we could make information more accessible, and what aspects of that information we may have overlooked. The goal is to make sure that our libraries are not impeding the free flow of information. If you do not think it is possible for librarians hinder the flow of information, look back into the institution’s own history and consider groups within our communities that our libraries neglected to serve as recently as twenty years ago.

TAILORING LIBRARY SERVICE TO SPECIFIC ETHNIC GROUPS In order to serve any group within a library’s community, the library must first know what that group values. Cultural differences presuppose different value systems. Ethnic and cultural differences, whether between different European groups or between one from the African continent and one from the Pacific Islands, are all valid and need to be understood if we are to improve our service to our patrons. One way of learning what is of value to ethnic groups is to ask them. Historically, specific groups have been very willing to work with libraries to improve programs and to tailor library services to suit their needs and interests. For instance, libraries can contact groups in their areas that are interested in bilingual education. The library can then enlist their help in creating a collection of second-language reference materials for children within the community whose parents were born overseas. The goal would be to keep an active knowledge of other languages alive for children of foreign descent. By taking action to discover the needs and interests of the multiple groups the library serves, librarians can improve their collections and tailor their services to their communities. The United States has come a long way in its short history, and its diversity is growing. Immigrants from all parts of the world continue to enrich our society in more ways than we can imagine. No matter what the race, color, nationality, or religion of our patrons is, librarians need to make our patrons feel that they are a part of our community. We can do that best by venturing into each culture, learning how best to serve its members.

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CHAPTER

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Africa J. B. Petty

In recent years, more and more children’s books feature the rich cultural heritages of many of the fifty-plus countries that make up the continent of Africa. As the world gets smaller due to more sophisticated global communications, African countries will become international players. Separating books about Africa from those about African Americans is not intended to deemphasize the importance of the heritage that African Americans claim from the lands of their ancestors. Rather, it is meant to show that the cultural heritages of African nations have remained distinct and, through books, to offer a broader understanding of each of the cultures represented.

AFRICA TODAY Modern African countries differ in many ways from the African nations that existed in the years before World War II. Following the war, colonial rule disappeared, one African country at a time. Independent states and countries established their own governments and began to take part in international affairs. Independence has brought about economic and social changes that have caused people worldwide to recognize that Africa is many countries, not one single “big” country. However, the effects of the artificial partitions established by European powers have continued to cause dissension and disruption in many African countries. As cultural groups artificially aligned by the Europeans have struggled to identify and accept their opposing cultural values, clashes have occurred. Countries have changed their names, forms of government, and heads of

state and have also experienced ethnic cleansing of varying degrees, sometimes with heavy losses of human life. Yet, many African countries have grown stronger and have begun to influence trade and industry worldwide.

Land Africa is rich in natural resources. The world’s largest supply of gold, diamonds, and fossil fuels comes from Africa. The equatorial rainforests and savannas are the natural habitats for many wildlife species, some of which are on the world’s endangered species lists. Several African countries have established game preserves to protect these species and have found that the preserves attract visitors from throughout the world. Money collected from tourism is used to support wildlife preservation efforts.

People The African population is one of contrasts, from the city rich to the rural poor. No longer is the nomadic African farmer in traditional tribal dress the only representation of African people. African people are represented in a wide array of ethnic groups, customs, and social and economic levels. The majority of Africans still live in rural areas, as did their ancestors. Their cultural roots are deep and rich, and their heritages have been passed down orally through generations with very little influence from the rest of the world. However, as people from rural areas move to the cities to seek steady jobs and higher wages, there is an increasing fear that cultural traditions will be lost.

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AFRICA

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AFRICA

Languages At least 1000 identified languages exist in Africa today. Most are oral only and have no indigenous written form, although today governments and outside mission groups are working to change this. Some, such as Swahili, have been written in Arabic script, while a few nations have invented their own scripts. Languages of former European colonial powers, including English, French, Dutch, and Portuguese, are today the national languages of independent nation-states and are gaining greater acceptance. Although the use of the European languages allows many African countries to share in global economics and politics, these languages and the people who brought them are responsible for the loss of many of the original languages of the indigenous African people.

Animals The continent of Africa is home to a vast variety of animals. Because of poachers, drought, climate change, and overpopulation of animals and humans, many species are endangered and face extinction. Some African nations have established game reserves and national parks in which wildlife can live in relative safety. They have also created laws to punish poachers. Officers vigorously pursue violators, but a lack of necessary equipment and funds to train and pay officers hinders efforts to some degree. International wildlife organizations have joined with African national governments to provide needed supplies and money. Development of travel and tourism to attract visitors who want to see the animals in their natural habitats provides revenues for preservation, as well as increasing the economy of these nations.

Folktales The essence of African cultures has been transmitted orally for thousands of years through folklore. Through simple tales, succeeding generations have learned the mores, values, history, and moral lessons of their ethnic groups. Animals were, and are, the principal characters in most African folktales. Personified animals celebrated the ingenuity of the downtrodden as they outwitted their oppressors. Small animals such as the mouse, rabbit, and turtle are the main characters in many tales. In West African tales, the crafty

spider is most commonly represented. Other animals appear in many of the pourquoi, or “why,” tales that attempt to explain the inexplicable, such as how things came to be. Anansi, the trickster spider, is a character that has transcended time and cultures to become a recognized icon of folklore. The Ashanti tales of Anansi were brought by slaves from Africa to the Caribbean and the Americas and were adapted by various groups. The Caribbean trickster is generally called Anansy; the Appalachian trickster has become Aunt Nancy, the tough, petite woman who can “best” any man. Variants of what are generally thought of as European tales can be found among the traditional folklore of African groups. Once thought to originate from European stories brought to the continent by colonists, researchers now think that the theme of the triumph of good over evil is common to all cultures, and similar tales developed in diverse cultures across time. Therefore, African tales that are similar to the European Cinderella or Snow White should not be interpreted as “copies” of the European tales but rather as authentic African stories that share common motifs and themes.

RECOMMENDED MATERIALS Each book included in the bibliography was read and evaluated with care. The author has attempted to include only those titles that would enhance a library’s collection of books that accurately portray the myriad cultures of Africa. Several books published by small African presses were identified through Africa World Press; although the intent was to include these titles in the bibliography, for a variety of reasons few were selected. Africa World Press has offices in the United States and distributes books from the small national African presses (see contact information in list of publishers), but most of the books were difficult to locate. Some that were evaluated but not included in the bibliography were eliminated because of poor quality of the paper and binding, the didactic nature of the contents, or mistakes or differences in spelling and grammar. K–3. Aardema, Verna, reteller. Anansi Does the Impossible: An Ashanti Tale. Illus. by Lisa Desimini. New York: Atheneum, 1997. Unpaged. In this Ashanti tale from Ghana, Anansi, the spider, must perform three impossible tasks in

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AFRICA order to have a request granted by the Sky God. Along with Aso, his cunning wife, the trickster Anansi accomplishes the three tasks and brings ownership of the tales to the people of West Africa. Desimini’s simple, bright collage art adds flavor, but it is the text itself that is most intriguing.

Sebgugugu, a poor man, is also lazy, greedy, and foolhardy. In the end, Sebgugugu’s greed causes him to lose everything—even his family. Clouse’s uncluttered cut-paper collages, done in vivid, warm colors, complement the text and invite the reader to a closer examination.

K–3. _______, reteller. Anansi Finds a Fool: An Ashanti Tale. Illus. by Bryna Waldman. New York: Dial, 1992. Unpaged.

K–3. _______, reteller. Traveling to Tondo: A Tale of the Nkundo of Zaire. Illus. by Will Hillenbrand. New York: Knopf, 1991. Unpaged.

In this Ashanti tale from Ghana, Anansi the man is “greedy and lazy and always up to some trick.” He sets out to find a “fool” for a partner who will do all the work while he gets all the fish. However, Anansi himself becomes the fool of the village. “It’s a true saying: When you dig a hole for someone else, you will fall into it yourself.” Waldman’s soft, realistic watercolors depict the emotions and humor of Anansi’s self-pride. Compare this version with Anansi Goes Fishing, retold by Eric Kimmel (Holiday House, 1994).

In this classic humorous cumulative tale, Aardema introduces Bowane, who dawdles on the way to his wedding. Much time passes, and when Bowane arrives at the home of his wife-tobe, she has married another. Hillenbrand’s delightfully expressive paintings add to the humor of the tale. This book was listed as an ALA Notable Children’s Book in 1992; it was also on the list of the Notable 1991 Children’s Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies.

K–3. _______, reteller. The Lonely Lioness and the Ostrich Chicks: A Masai Tale. Illus. by Yumi Heo. New York: Knopf, 1996. Unpaged. This retelling of an old Kenyan Masai tale begins with the Masai proverb, “Even the ostrich, with its long neck and sharp eyes, cannot see what will happen in the future.” As the lonely lioness steals four baby ostriches, the mother ostrich appeals to many other animals for their help in rescuing the chicks. Heo’s collage and simple primitive repetitive backgrounds enhance the story in a quiet, unobtrusive way. The style is one that children will and can try to imitate. 5–8. _______, reteller. Misoso: Once upon a Time Tales from Africa. Illus. by Reynold Ruffins. New York: Knopf, 1994. 88pp. The name of the book is Angolan for “Once upon a time” stories that are told purely for enjoyment. For this collection of African tales, Aardema has chosen tales from early sources that were recorded in a native language and then translated into English. Ruffins’s brightly colored humorous illustrations enliven each tale. This book is a must for any storyteller, but it is also an excellent book for children to read alone. K–4. _______, reteller. Sebgugugu the Glutton: A Bantu Tale from Rwanda. Illus. by Nancy L. Clouse. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1993. Unpaged.

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Addo, Peter Eric Adotey. How the Spider Became Bald: Folktales and Legends from West Africa. Greensboro, N.C.: Morgan Reynolds, 1993. 96 pp. This is a collection of tales of varying length from several cultural groups of West Africa. These collected tales are humorous, yet each contains a moral lesson for the young. Africa Trail. Learning Services. Hybrid CD-ROM. 1993. This CD-ROM is based on the bicycle trip chronicled in Dan Buettner’s Africatrek that is listed in this bibliography. Actual photographs and journals from the trip are included in the CD-ROM. Students can participate in the trip and “virtually” meet the people encountered in Buettner’s book. 2–5. Alexander, Lloyd. The Fortune Tellers. Illus. by Trina Schart Hyman. New York: Dutton, 1992. Unpaged. In the West African country of Cameroon, an unhappy farmer goes to the next town to have his fortune told. Hearing only the part of the fortune that he chooses, the farmer leaves in a disgruntled mood. After leaving the village, he returns, is mistaken for the fortune-teller who has vanished, and finds that this job is much easier than being a farmer. Alexander’s humorous text and Hyman’s exquisite illustrations make this a favorite book for children and adults.

AFRICA

Ancient Africa and Ancient Egypt. (Two of nine videos in the Ancient Civilizations of the World series). Library video. 23 minutes each. 1998. With these videos young people can explore archaeological sites and see actual artifacts, art, architecture, and early forms of writing, making these ancient civilizations understandable and meaningful. Each video has an accompanying teacher’s guide that gives additional information, activities, and recommended books and Internet sites. K–3. Arrington, H. J., reteller. The Heart of a Friendship: An East African Folktale. Illus. by JoAnn E. Kitchel. Gretna, La.: Pelican, 1997. Unpaged. Long ago near the coast of Kenya, there lived a monkey named Taki who loved to eat mangos. One day, the crocodile Baku swam upriver and watched Taki eat his mangos. After many days of sharing, Baku decided to trick Taki, kill him, and take his heart. Clever Taki outsmarted Baku and taught him that with this act their friendship was ended. Listeners will be drawn into the story very quickly, and readers will linger over Kitchel’s paintings looking for the little details hidden within. Ashabranner, Brent, and Russell Davis. The Lion’s Whiskers and Other Ethiopian Tales (revised edition of The Lion’s Whiskers: Tales of High Africa, 1959). Illus. by Helen Siegl. North Haven, Conn.: Linnet, 1997. 96pp. The first edition of The Lion’s Whiskers went through seven printings. In this revised edition, Ashabranner has collected the best from the first edition. While Ashabranner and Davis lived in Ethiopia and worked in the U.S. foreign assistance program during the late 1950s, they transcribed stories told by long-time residents of Ethiopia. Each story is preceded by an explanation about its origin and the person who told it. Although these stories are great for reading, they are even better for telling. K–5. Bateman, Robert, and Rick Archbold. Safari. Illus. with photographs by Robert Bateman. New York: Little, Brown, 1998. Unpaged. With exquisite, realistic paintings from his own photography and sketching and an engaging brief text, Bateman takes the reader on an African safari. Included, along with well-known

animals, are wildebeests, dik-diks, impalas, and kudus. Without being preachy, Bateman expresses his respect for the wild creatures and his desire for their protection, and he encourages their preservation. 5–7. Bryan, Ashley, reteller. The Ox of the Wonderful Horns and Other African Folktales. Illus. by Ashley Bryan. New York: Macmillan, 1993. 42pp. In this small collection of tales, Bryan retells five tales found in variants across the continent. Bryan’s black-and-white and earth-tone illustrations feature his characteristically bold line form. 2–4. _______, reteller. The Story of Lightening and Thunder. Illus. by Ashley Bryan. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993. Unpaged. In this pourquoi tale, Ma Sheep Thunder and her son, Ram Lightening, lived peacefully among the people until Ram Lightening began to cause disruptions in the village. With each incident, they moved farther from the village until they were sent to a new home in the sky. Bryan’s use of bold lines and flat, bright, almost geometricshaped “still-life” paintings adds character and interest to the story. His strong brush strokes bring emotion to the text. 5–8. Buettner, Dan. Africatrek: A Journey by Bicycle through Africa. Illus. with photographs by Dan Buettner. Minneapolis, Minn.: Lerner, 1997. 122pp. Much more than a travelogue or journal, this book reads as an intimate personal conversation with Buettner. Readers and listeners feel almost as if they are listening to Buettner recount and reflect on his 262-day, 11,855-mile bicycle trip from the Mediterranean Sea to the tip of South Africa where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Indian Ocean. Filled with information about the peoples and continent of Africa, the book is so well written that it would make a good read-aloud. Complete with table of contents, index, maps, glossary, and pronunciation guide, the book is a must for any study of Africa. K–3. Day, Nancy Raines. The Lion’s Whiskers: An Ethiopian Folktale. Illus. by Ann Grifalconi. New York: Scholastic, 1995. Unpaged. A woman tries to gain the love of her new stepson and learns that patience is the key.

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AFRICA Grifalconi’s collages, made from textured materials and colored papers, offer an interesting representation of the story.

Epanya uses oversized personified illustrations and borders that are examples of Kente cloth designs.

K–3. Gershator, Phillis. Zzzng! Zzzng! Zzzng! A Yoruba Tale. Illus. by Theresa Smith. New York: Orchard, 1998. 32pp.

Kimmel, Eric. A., adapter. Rimonah of the Flashing Sword: A North African Tale. Illus. by Omar Rayyan. New York: Holiday House, 1995. Unpaged.

Based on a traditional Nigerian tale, “The Mosquito and the Ear,” this sing-song tale is humorous and would engage the young listener. Children could be encouraged to participate in the story during a read-aloud. The sparse text and bright, simple paintings invite the reader’s attention. This book would be a good companion to Verna Aardema’s Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears. K–3. Gerson, Mary Joan, reteller. Why the Sky Is Far Away: A Nigerian Folktale. Illus. by Carla Golembe. New York: Little, Brown, 1992. Unpaged. In this retelling of a centuries-old Bini tale, the sky was so close in the beginning of time that when people were hungry they had only to reach up and take a piece. As people became wasteful and took more than they could eat, the sky became angry and moved far away. This ecologyfocused story is timely for today’s children. Golembe’s brightly colored illustrations recreate the colors and patterns of ancient Nigeria. Greaves, Nick, reteller. When Lion Could Fly and Other Tales from Africa. Illus. by Rod Clement. Hauppauge, N.Y.: Barrons, 1993. 144pp. At the end of each set of two stories, Greaves adds scientific, historical, and statistical information (including a map that shows population concentrations) for the animal, bird, reptile, or insect featured in the two stories. Each story is illustrated with realistic paintings of the featured creature in both color and black and white. Greaves includes a glossary, Africa facts, an extensive bibliography, and a short list of further readings. K–3. Kessler, Cristina, reteller. Konte Chameleon Fine, Fine, Fine! A West African Folktale. Illus. by Christian Epanya. Honesdale, Pa.: Boyds Mills, 1997. Unpaged. Konte Chameleon is hungry, but as he searches for food, he becomes frightened and changes colors to match the leaves upon which he sits.

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According to the author and illustrator notes, this story is Egyptian in origin, yet it reflects the flavor of Morocco and North Africa. Although the text is an intriguing variant on the story of Snow White, the book could be recommended for the richness of Rayyan’s paintings alone. Used with Rayyan’s other works, children discover the intricacies of Middle Eastern Islamic art. K–3. Lake, Mary Dixon, reteller. The Royal Drum: An Ashanti Tale. Illus. by Carol O’Malia. New York: Mondo, 1996. Unpaged. This tale, retold from the Ashanti people of Ghana, is another Anansi spider tale. In this rebus version, Lake and O’Malia bring the children into the telling. The king, represented by a lion, calls the animals and Anansi together to solve the problem of how to spread news quickly throughout the forest. O’Malia’s full-page realistic illustrations are vibrant and draw readers and listeners into the story. K–5. Martin, James. Chameleons: Dragons in the Trees. Photographs by Art Wolfe. New York: Crown, 1991. 36pp. “Chameleons are reptiles. They live only in Africa and in parts of Asia and Europe.” So begins this science concept book on chameleons. Martin’s simple text and Wolfe’s incredible photography bring the life cycle of several species of chameleons to “real” life. Although not focused exclusively on Africa, this book does examine another form of animal life that is found in parts of the continent. In the author’s note, Martin explains the difference between true chameleons and the small green lizards that live in the United States. K–3. McDermott, Gerald, reteller. Zomo, the Rabbit: A Trickster Tale from West Africa. Illus. by Gerald McDermott. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1992. 32pp. “Zomo, the rabbit, is not big nor strong, but he is clever . . . ,” begins the tale. Zomo wanted

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to be wise, so he asked Sky God for wisdom. McDermott’s brightly colored geometric illustrations add humorous exaggerations to the text. K–3. Medearis, Angela Shelf. The Singing Man. Illus. by Teren Shaffer. New York: Holiday House, 1994. Unpaged. Based on a folktale of the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria, this story of a griot (praise singer) emphasizes the importance of the oral tradition in preserving native African cultures. Banzar, the youngest of three sons, chooses not to enter a profitable profession; instead, he leaves his family and village, yearning to become a griot. It is he who, in the end, becomes wealthy and saves both his family and his village from ruin. Shaffer’s oil paintings and borders, made with oils and colored pencils, express emotions and actions described in the text. A 1995 Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies. 1–3. Mennen, Ingrid, and Niki Daly. Somewhere in Africa. Illus. by Nicolaas Maritz. New York: Dutton, 1992. Unpaged. This book introduces children to city life in African countries. Ashraf lives in a South African city and knows of the existence of lions and zebras only from the books he gets at the library. Children from other parts of the world can relate to his modern lifestyle as he goes about his normal routine. The two authors and the illustrator, all natives of Cape Town, South Africa, present a realistic picture of their hometown. 4–7. Mike, Jan M., reteller. Gift of the Nile: An Ancient Egyptian Legend. Legends of the World Series. Illus. by Charles Reasoner. Mahwah, N.J.: Troll, 1993. 32pp. This legend tells of the great love Pharaoh Senefru had for Mutemwia, the peasant girl who played the harp so beautifully that she could drive away his cares. An author’s note explains that the original story was found on a papyrus hieroglyph written about 3500 years ago. K–3. Mollel, Tololwa M., reteller. The Flying Tortoise: An Igbo Tale. Illus. by Barbara Spurll. Boston: Clarion, 1994. Unpaged. This Igbo tale explains that the tortoise has a rough shell because of his greed and pride. Mollel, a native of Tanzania, explains in an

author’s note how the Igbo peoples of southeastern Nigeria use these tales to teach accepted norms and mores to each generation. Spurll’s vibrant illustrations and use of braided borders that set the text apart from the illustrations enliven this trickster tale and invite the reader to identify the colorful birds of Africa. K–3. Mollel, Tololwa. Kitoko the Mighty. Illus. by Kristi Frost. Niagara Falls, N.Y.: General Distribution Services, 1998. 32pp. In this new version of an old tale, little Kitoko, a mouse who lives on the African savanna, seeks protection from the hawk. He finds it in a spunky girl mouse, Kigego, who agrees to protect Kitoko if he will teach her about the savanna. Frost’s exceptional illustrations take the reader to the savanna and allow the reader to be immersed in the tale and the setting. Comparing this version with Eric Kimmel’s The Greatest of All (1991) would be an interesting experience for children. K–4. ———, reteller. The Orphan Boy: A Maasai Story. Illus. by Paul Morin. Boston: Clarion, 1990. 29pp. In this Kenyan Maasai pourquoi tale from Mollel’s childhood, the movement of the planet Venus (Kileken) from east to west is represented in the story of Kileken, the orphan boy. Morin’s dark, mysterious paintings reflect the nomadic lifestyle of the Maasai people, and his ability to capture the emotions in the faces of his subjects brings their feelings to life as well. This haunting story will enthrall the reader. It was a 1993 ALA Notable Children’s Book and listed in the Notable 1991 Children’s Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies. K–3. Mollel, Tololwa M. Promise to the Sun: An African Story. Illus. by Beatriz Vidal. New York: Little, Brown, 1992. 29pp. This pourquoi story tells that the bat only comes out at night because he broke a promise to the sun. Although the elements of nature are personified, the story is intriguing. Vidal’s watercolor illustrations portray the birds that are native to the deep forests of the continent and add character to the story. Notable 1992 Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies.

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AFRICA K–5. Olaleye, Isaac. The Distant Talking Drum: Poems from Nigeria. Illus. by Frane Lessac. Honesdale, Pa.: Boyds Mills, 1995. 32pp. Each two-page spread includes a poem on one side and a full-page painting on the other. The poems reflect the action of daily life in Nigeria. Their rhythm makes the poems almost come to life. Lessac’s vividly colored paintings are one dimensional, almost naive, but they express the action of the poems quite well. She uses a variety of African designs as borders around each painting and as a banner on the page of the poem. The text and the paintings are full-bodied. K–3. Onyefulu, Obi, reteller. Chinye: A West African Folk Tale. Illus. by Evie Safarewicz. New York: Penguin, 1994. 27pp. Chinye is a West African Cinderella variant that is similar to Robert San Souci’s Talking Eggs. In this tale, Chinye is treated as a servant by her stepmother and stepsister, yet she is the one who is given riches by an old woman who appears out of nowhere. Safarewicz’s illustrations are reflective of the color and pattern of West African fabric and ceramic designs, and they portray the characters in their “true lights.” K–4. Onyefulu, Ifeoma. Emeka’s Gift: An African Counting Story. Illus. with photographs by Ifeoma Onyefulu. New York: Cobblehill, 1995. 19pp. Set in southern Nigeria, this counting concept story relates a young boy’s experiences as he travels to visit his grandmother in a neighboring village. As Emeka passes several merchant stands, he sees things he’d like to buy for her, but he has no money. His grandmother reassures him that he is the best gift of all. Onyefulu uses photographs of items found in traditional markets to introduce the numerals one through ten. K–3. Oyono, Eric, reteller. Gollo and the Lion. Illus. by Laurent Corvaisier. New York: Hyperion, 1994. Unpaged. This tale from Cameroon has similarities with both The Three Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood. Corvaisier’s acrylic paintings and use of bold lines and bright colors are reminiscent of the works of Matisse and Van Gogh. 3–6. Price, Leontyne, reteller. Aida. Illus. by Leo and Diane Dillon. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1990. 32pp.

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In this rich tale, Price retells the tragic tale of Aida, the Ethiopian. The lavish illustrations of the Dillons bring the vivid colors of royalty to a new height. This book, used in conjunction with Verdi’s music, would help middle-grade children visualize the action in Verdi’s opera. 4–8. Pringle, Laurence. Elephant Woman: Cynthia Moss Explores the World of Elephants. Photographs by Cynthia Moss. New York: Atheneum, 1997. 42pp. In the first chapter, Pringle introduces Moss and gives her background and interest in the study of Kenyan elephants. From this introduction the reader becomes an elephant researcher along with Moss. Written in the typical readable style of Pringle, the story absorbs the reader in the intricacies of elephant life and the precarious future of these majestic beasts. Moss’s photographs take the reader along on her study trips. K–3. Radcliff, Theresa. Bashi, Elephant Baby. Illus. by John Butler. New York: Penguin, 1997. Unpaged. This book, although written with a younger audience in mind, could be a companion book to Laurence Pringle’s Elephant Woman: Cynthia Moss Explores the World of Elephants. The birth and first day of an elephant’s life are similarly described in both books. Without using anthropomorphism, Radcliff shows the mothering instinct of the elephants and introduces children to the dangers young animals face. Butler’s soft illustrations set the tone of love and fear portrayed in the text. 3–6. Reynolds, Jan. Sahara: Vanishing Cultures. Photographs by the author. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1991. Unpaged. Reynolds uses the daily routine of a boy, Manda, to describe the contemporary social conditions of the nomadic Tuareg people of the Sahara. With her photographs, Reynolds adds realism to the plight of this vanishing culture. The book was among the Notable 1991 Children’s Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies. K–4. Roddy, Patricia. Api and the Boy Stranger: A Village Creation Tale. Illus. by Lynne Russell. New York: Dial, 1994. Unpaged. In the Ivory Coast, children are taught to honor and remember their ancestors. The story of Api and her family is the legend of the begin-

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ning of the village Becedi Brignan. The author incorporates the life of today’s village into the legend. Russell’s pastel oil illustrations on watercolor paper are based on actual photographs of the village as it exists today. 3–5. Schur, Maxine Rose. When I Left My Village. Illus. by Brian Pinkney. New York: Dial, 1996. 62pp. An Ethiopian Jewish family escapes from its home in the Gondor province in the Ethiopian mountains and makes the dangerous trek to a refugee camp in Sudan and then to safety in Israel. Although fiction, this realistic account parallels the horror that many Beta Israel people endured during the years of tyranny from 1978 to 1991. This book is similar to Sonia Levitin’s The Return, but is designed for a much younger audience. Pinkney’s black-and-white scratchboard drawings lend more suspense to an already suspenseful story. 2–3. Sisulu, Elinor Batezat. The Day Gogo Went to Vote: South Africa, April 1994. Illus. by Sharon Wilson. New York: Little, Brown, 1996. Unpaged. April 27, 1994, was an eventful day in the life of Thembi’s 100-year-old grandmother, Gogo. She, as a Black South African, could vote at last! Through the eyes of Thembi, the reader experiences the events that precede and encompass the important day. Wilson’s almost impressionistic pastel art allows the reader to experience the emotions of the day, yet remain outside as an observer. This historical fiction picture book is an important contribution to the understanding of the struggle for Black freedom in South Africa. K–3. Stewart, Dianne, reteller. Gift of the Sun: A Tale from South Africa. Illus. by Jude Daly. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1996. 28pp. This cumulative tale of the lessons learned by Thulani shows his laziness and craftiness until he finally realizes that life can be exciting and productive. In the beginning, Thulani would much rather bask in the sun than milk the cow. By the end he begins to trade and sell animals and has found that he has no time to lie lazily in the sun. Both the author and the illustrator live in South Africa and express their country’s culture and humor. 1–6. Swann, Brian. The House with No Door: African Riddle Poems. Illus. by Ashley Bryan. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1998. Unpaged.

Each brightly colored two-page spread has a full illustration on each page that illustrates one riddle. The note on the first page states that the art in each left-hand page contains the answer to the riddle. A strong hint of the answer appears on the facing right-hand page. Each short riddle leads the reader to seek for the sometimes elusive answer. Bryan’s illustrations are unique in that each appears to have a border, yet the border is a lighter continuation of the central illustration. This book is a fun, inviting way to acquaint children with the animals and plants of Africa. 2–8. Wisniewski, David. Sundiata: Lion King of Mali. Illus. by the author. Boston: Clarion, 1992. Unpaged. Using his trademark cut-paper technique, Wisniewski introduces the reader to Sundiata, the thirteenth-century king of the West African kingdom of Mali. Preserved by the griots, the story of Sundiata’s imprisonment, escape, and triumphant victory over his enemies was kept alive and passed down from generation to generation. A map and an author’s note give additional information about the famous king. The book was a 1993 ALA Notable Book and was listed in the 1992 Notable Children’s Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies. 5–12. Wonders of the African World with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (video). World. Washington, D.C.: PBS Video, 1999. Six 60-minute videos. In this six-part series, Henry Louis Gates Jr. travels through modern Africa to legendary sites such as Timbuktu. Along the way, Gates discovers that Africa’s little-known history still has vivid relevance for the present. Filmed over twelve months and in eleven countries, the series reveals new and surprising scenes of the continent, with Gates as an insightful, personable guide.

PROGRAM IDEAS Rather than activities and programming themselves, this chapter lists resources that teachers, parents, and librarians can use. These titles contain stories, activities, games, and recipes that will enhance studies of and programs about African cultures. Those marked with an asterisk (*) contain many activities. Hands On Heritage by Robyn Hamilton, African Crafts by Judith Corwin, and the

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AFRICA many Internet sites that highlight Africa will serve teachers and librarians well. *Allen, Judy, Earldene McNeill, and Velma Schmidt. Cultural Awareness for Children. Boston: Addison-Wesley, 1992. A chapter titled “African and African American Cultures” features information, activities, games, crafts, recipes, and holidays that originate in Africa. *Corwin, Judith Hoffman. African Crafts. Illus. by Judith Hoffman Corwin. New York: Franklin Watts, 1990. 48pp. The crafts and activities that Corwin includes in this short book are easy to follow and use materials that are readily available. She has illustrated each with one- or two-color drawings. Corwin gives a brief history of each craft or activity and explains whether it is unique to one ethnic group or exists in variations across groups. Her instructions for each activity are clear and precise.

thought-provoking questions to engage the child (or adult) reader. They compare modern times with the time of ancient Egypt and try to draw the readers into imagining they are in the days of the Pharaohs. Although the authors tend to generalize and take some liberties with historical facts, there are enough quality activities and games to make the book worthwhile. *Orlando, Louise. African Folktales and Activities. New York: Scholastic Professional Books, 1995. This book offers thirteen stories to tell children, facts that relate to the stories, activities to accompany each story, and literature extensions for a variety of content-area connections. WorldViews: Thomas P. Fenton and Mary J. Heffron, directors. Africa: Africa World Press Guide to Educational Resources from and about Africa. Lawrenceville, N.J.: Africa World Press, 1998. 198pp. This is an annotated guide to resources from and about Africa.

Fairman, Tony. Bury My Bones but Keep My Words: African Tales for Retelling. Illus. by Meshack Asare. New York: Henry Holt, 1992. This collection of tales celebrates the diversity and commonality of the people of Africa. Designed for the storyteller rather than the reader, the book included instructions for the teller to make the stories more suspenseful or to add more action. Fairman states that he has attempted to make the stories as true to the traditional ones as possible. Asare’s black-andwhite illustrations add character to each story. *Hamilton, Robyn. Hands-On Heritage: Africa, Activity Book, Arts, Crafts, Historical Aids. (Hands-On Heritage Series). Dana Point, Calif.: Edupress, 1996. Instructions for craft and cooking projects are included in this activity book. The activities range in complexity from very simple to more complex, allowing the book to appeal to a wide age span.

WEBSITES http://cwr.utoronto.ca/cultural/english/index.html This site offers current listings of national and religious holidays of the major African countries. It provides teachers or librarians with a beginning reference point from which to locate more detailed information on how holidays are celebrated. Kids Zone—The Countries of Africa www.afroam.org/children/discover/discover.html This site includes map quizzes, fun and games, brainteasers, myths, and fables that have African roots. The Living Africa http://library.advanced.org/16645

*Hart, Avery, and Paul Mantell. Pyramids! 50 Hands-On Activities to Experience Ancient Egypt. Charlotte, Vt.: Williamson, 1997. In this think-and-do book, the authors provide history, culture, games, activities, and

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This site includes pages on the people, land, wildlife, and national parks of Africa. Children can take a virtual safari and send virtual postcards from the site. It includes photographs of tribal and city life, landscapes, and animals.

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Indiana University—African Studies Program

Utah State University—Teacher Links

www.indiana.edu/~afrist/out/out.html

http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu (search: Africa)

This site is a lending library of African videos and artifact kits. The artifact kits contain lesson plans and teaching guides. Stamp on Black History—Black History Tour http://library.thinkquest.org/10320/Tourmenu.htm Although this site focuses on AfricanAmerican history and biography, the Black History tour includes one good section on the early history of Africa from 300 to 1619 and brings that history into the timeline of the history of African Americans in this country. University of Pennsylvania—African Studies Program www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/Home_Page/ AFR_GIDE.html An expansive Internet site with links to many other Africa-related sites. One of the subsites of the UPENN site is the K–12 Electronic Guide for African Resources on the Internet. The aim of this guide is to assist K–12 teachers, librarians, and students in locating online resources on Africa that can be used in the classroom and library for research and studies. This subsite has a large number of links itself.

This site is designed to provide teachers, other interested adults, and students with educational resources and links, lesson plans and classroom activities, and teacher materials. Africa is not its sole focus, but it has many resources and lesson plans on Africa and African countries.

RESOURCES Africa World Press and the Red Sea Press supply most books published by small presses in African nations. Their website is an important link to these presses and the growing body of African books for children in Africa. Africa World Press is also important because of its involvement in the Zimbabwe Book Fair that is held each summer in Harare, Zimbabwe. The fair is the second link between the national presses and the buying public of the world. Africa World Press, Inc. & The Red Sea Press, Inc. 11-D Princess Road Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 Tel: 609-844-9583 Fax: 609-844-0198 Website: www.africaworld.co

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CHAPTER

2

Caribbean Melinda Greenblatt

Although people from the Caribbean have been coming to the United States and Canada for many years, recent decades have witnessed an increase in the number of immigrants and a greater diversity in their places of origin. Strong communities have built up in many locations: Haitians, Jamaicans, and Trinidadians in Brooklyn, New York; Puerto Ricans in New York, especially in the Bronx and Manhattan; Dominicans in Washington Heights, New York; Cubans in Miami; Trinidadians and Jamaicans and citizens of other Englishspeaking islands in Toronto. Smaller groups of immigrants have pioneered in other states and provinces. Economic and political reasons for immigration continue today, and there are few signs that these will change in the near future.

THE ARTS Caribbean influence in the music, art, and literature has grown. Reggae and its predecessor, calypso, with their characteristic beats and their political and social influences are widespread. Haitian art is immediately recognizable to many viewers. Such writers as Jamaica Kincaid, Edwige Danticat, Derek Walcott, and V. S. Naipul are known throughout the literary world. The festivities of the Caribbean region have also spread as immigrants brought their social and religious celebrations with them to the United States. Carnival, celebrated in many countries before the Lenten season or during Christmas, is now held in Miami during the Columbus Day weekend and in Brooklyn on Labor Day to take advantage of the summer

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weather. The West Indian Day Parade, as it is known, has become a major festival in recent years, drawing participants from many different Caribbean communities and spectators from all over New York. In winter, the Puerto Rican community stages a Three Kings Day celebration, coordinated by El Museo del Barrio in New York City, complete with animals and large papier-mâché figures representing the Magi who bring gifts to the Christ Child and to children in Spanish-speaking communities on January 6.

THE ISLANDS The cultures of the Caribbean islands are a rich mixture of the many groups who settled in the region. In contrast to some of the cultures on the Latin American mainland, little material evidence can be found of the indigenous peoples who lived on the islands, the Arawaks and the Caribs. Some words, including the name of the region, artifacts, and archaeological sites do remain, but the European colonizers quickly decimated the native population of most islands. The Spanish, French, and English were the main European influences, although the Dutch and other nationalities also set up colonies in the Caribbean. African slaves were imported to work on the great plantations. Some European indentured servants also came. When slavery was outlawed, workers, especially from South Asia, were lured to the Caribbean, but often lived very difficult lives as agricultural laborers. At the end of the nineteenth century and during the twentieth century, the

CARIBBEAN United States wielded its military, political, and, in time, cultural influence over the region. The languages in the region continue to demonstrate the power of those early colonizers. Spanish is still dominant in Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic; French is the language of Haiti, Martinique, and Guadeloupe (still overseas departments of France), St. Barthelmy and St. Martin (two-thirds of an island shared with the Dutch-speaking St. Maarten); and English is still the official language in Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, and many other island nations. The Dutch language is still taught in the schools of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, also known as the ABC islands. (Note: Aruba now has a more independent status than the other two islands.) The people of these nations have also created their own forms of these languages, often with a distinct vocabulary and grammar, and with special qualities of beauty and humor. The customs and the folklore of the islands are also a mixture of the cultures that have passed through this watery crossroads. “Anansi the spider” and other animal trickster tales were brought from West Africa by the slaves and are found throughout the Caribbean in English, French, and Spanish versions. Carnival masquerades are a mixture of West African and European influences. Hindu and Muslim holidays are celebrated in Trinidad and other countries due to the migration of South Asian workers in the nineteenth century.

CULTURAL AWARENESS Although children’s and young adult books about the Caribbean experience or by Caribbean authors are still difficult to find, two important awards have recently been created to promote works about the region. A joint committee of members from the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association, and REFORMA (the National Association to Promote Library Services to the Spanish Speaking) selects the winners and honor books for the Pura Belpré Award. The biennial award is given to authors and illustrators of Latino heritage who create works for children that “portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latino/Latina cultural experience.” Books may be in English or Spanish and must be published in the United States or Puerto Rico. Several of the past award and honor books have been set in Puerto

Rico or in the Puerto Rican communities in the northeast. The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee coordinates the Américas Award, sponsored by the Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP). This award has a broader focus. It highlights books about all of Latin America and the Caribbean or about the ethnic groups from those places who have settled in North America. Each year’s committee considers authenticity, high literary and artistic quality, integration of cultural material, and usefulness in a school setting. Books may be in English or Spanish. The committee selects award winners and honorable mention recipients, and it also produces a very useful annotated list of commended books each year. Some recent books on the commended list were set in Martinique, Cuba, and Jamaica.

RECOMMENDED MATERIALS The following recommended materials have been selected to provide young people, teachers, librarians, youth workers, parents, and other interested adults with a strong sense of the history, folklore, cultural arts, geography, contemporary life, and multiethnic nature of the countries of the Caribbean region. Most have been published after 1995, but there are a few from the early 1990s that are particularly useful or directly related to some of the activities in the Program Ideas section that follows. Some books about the geographic area as a whole are included to give readers a sense of the region, but it is important to provide books that focus on the individual countries. There has been a tendency to lump these island nations together. Although similarities exist due to language, religious influences, historical forces, geographic proximity, and climate, children and young adults should be introduced to the diversity of Caribbean countries and cultures through many different resources. Some books are illustrated with some palm trees, beautiful beaches, and sparkling blue waters, producing books that are set in the Caribbean but give the reader no specific cultural details. Books produced in this manner are often attractive, and some that are meant for very young children are acceptable, if they are used along with other materials that convey more information about specific countries. I have used many professional journals to identify the books materials recommended here. Back

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CARIBBEAN and current issues of the Horn Book Guide (with its detailed subject indexing), Multicultural Review, School Library Journal, and Booklist were among the most useful. There are a few distributors that may be helpful in purchasing books from and about the Caribbean. These distributors are listed in the Program Resources section.

to be playwrights), and domestic workers. Ashabranner and Conklin met, interviewed, and photographed these individuals in different American cities and highlight their reasons for living in the United States, both economic and political. One chapter describes the role of the HaitianAmerican artist. Bibliography, index.

4–8. Ada, Alma Flor. Under the Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba. New York: Atheneum, 1998. 85pp.

2–6. Barlas, Bob. Jamaica. Illus. with color photographs. Festivals of the World series. Milwaukee, Wisc.: Gareth Stevens, 1998. 32pp.

A memoir by a well-known Latina children’s author who grew up in Cuba before the Revolution. A sequel to Where the Flame Trees Bloom (Atheneum, 1993). A Pura Belpré Award winner.

A colorful introduction to a few Jamaican festivals, including Carnival, Jonkonnu, and the Maroon Festival, which commemorates escaped slaves who ran away to live in the Jamaican hills. Includes instructions for a costume for the Jonkonnu festival (a pitchy-patchy man), a recipe for pineapple fool, a dessert, and instructions for maracas, along with the music and lyrics for “Water Come a Me Eye.” “Things to Look for in Your Library” is a useful reference. Excellent photographs. Also available in the series: Haiti by Rosaline Ng Cheong-Lum (1999). Short glossary, index.

2 and up. Agard, John, and Grace Nichols, eds. A Caribbean Dozen: A Collection of Poems. Illus. by Cathie Felstead. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick, 1994. 93pp. The work of twelve poets from English-speaking Caribbean countries is highlighted. Short autobiographical statements enhance this attractive anthology. Although by a single artist, the illustrations are painted in a variety of styles. Short biographies and an index of first lines are also included. 1–5. Ancona, George. Fiesta U.S.A. Illus. with color photographs by the author. New York: Lodestar, 1995. 48pp. One of the festivals included is the Three Kings Day (Epiphany) celebration sponsored by the Museo del Barrio in New York City, when a parade complete with animals is held in the streets near the museum. Also available in Spanish. 6–8. Ashabranner, Brent. To Seek a Better World: The Haitian Minority in America. Photographs by Paul Conklin. New York: Cobblehill/Dutton, 1997. 88pp. Although some of the factual information is becoming dated, interviews with Haitian Americans in many different fields and economic situations are valuable and give readers an intimate look at the situation of members of an immigrant group who are often portrayed in the media as “boat people.” Among the people featured are principals, teachers, social workers, business owners, unskilled laborers (some of whom were professionals in Haiti), artists, supervisors of airport parking facilities (who turn out

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4–6. Barraclough, John. Jamaica. World Focus series. Crystal Lake, Ill.: Rigby, 1996. 32pp. This book takes a more comprehensive look at the economic conditions in the country of Jamaica than many other books written for this age group. It was created in cooperation with Oxfam, the international development organization, but it does not have the flavor of a promotional piece. Barraclough provides the reader with general information about contemporary Jamaica and then introduces Norwood, a community near Montego Bay, where he focuses on one family that is living on “captured” land, a small plot between other houses. Squatters’ rights have been invoked, as is the case in other parts of the neighborhood. Some of the topics in the book include transportation, agriculture, industry, and challenges facing Jamaica today. There are several detailed maps, and numerous color photographs appear throughout the text. Glossary, index. 2–5. Beatty, Theresa M. Food and Recipes of the Caribbean. Kids in the Kitchen: The Library of Multicultural Cooking. New York: Power Kids Press, 1999. 24pp. The three recipes for fried plantains, Caribbean rice, and island sugar cakes are prob-

CARIBBEAN

ably the most useful part of this very limited exploration of Caribbean cooking. There are descriptions of important foods and styles of cooking, but this is a superficial introduction. Glossary and poor index.

described in a glossary and the vibrant oil paintings offer enticing images of such exotica as guineps, pawpaws, and guavas and the greedy girl who eats them all up. A yummy lead-in to a tasting party.

5–8. Belpré, Pura. Firefly Summer. Houston: Piñata, 1996. 205pp.

3–5. Brownlie, Alison. Cuba. Country Insight. Austin, Tex.: Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1998. 48pp.

A well-known librarian and storyteller who introduced the world of Puerto Rican folklore to several generations of children, Belpré also wrote this novel in the 1940s. It was not published when it was first written. Belpré has used her intimate knowledge of Puerto Rican religious ceremonies, music, dance, and folklore to enliven this story of a young girl returning to the family farm during a summer vacation at the turn of the last century.

By traveling back and forth between the urban atmosphere of Havana and the rural conditions in a small town, this volume attempts to give young readers a more complete picture of life today in Cuba than they usually get. It is written as a photo essay focusing on one family. The chapters, each dealing with a new topic such as land and climate, home life, culture, and work, introduce different people, but the information supplied is quite limited. The political situation and the hardships of the “Special Period,” since Cuba lost its Soviet support and has become more economically isolated in the world, is mentioned briefly. Some statistics are included and color pictures provide further opportunities for learning about the country. Brownlie has also written Jamaica (Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1998) in the same series. Index.

4–6. Bernier-Grand, Carmen T. In the Shade of the Níspero Tree. New York: Orchard, 1999. 186pp. As the novel opens, Tere and Ana are best friends in the Puerto Rico of the 1960s, but Tere’s mother is bound and determined to help her young daughter move into the rarified realm of the upper social class. She wants to send her to private school and encourages her to drop her former friend. The book touches on the racial and social issues of the times, but also provides a snapshot of child life, including glimpses of Christmas celebration and Carnival customs. K–3. Binch, Caroline. Gregory Cool. Illus. by the author. New York: Dial, 1994. 32pp. On a visit to Tobago to stay with his cousin and his grandparents, Gregory finds out that life on this Caribbean island can be fun when he looses his smug attitude about being from the United States Binch’s realistic watercolors bring the people of the story alive. She has also illustrated Hue Boy by Rita P. Mitchell (New York: Dial, 1993), set in a coastal Caribbean village. K–3. Bloom, Valerie. Fruits: A Caribbean Counting Rhyme. Illus. by David Axtell. New York: Henry Holt, 1997. 32pp. An original counting poem that tells a story about a girl who just cannot get enough of the fruits found in Jamaica and some of the other Caribbean islands. Bloom uses Jamaican Patwa (patois) to good effect as she introduces speech patterns that enliven her poem. The fruits are

2–4. Capek, Michael. Jamaica. A Ticket To series. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda, 1999. 48pp. Large print, many photographs, and an enthusiastic tone (which can be a little too excessive, as seen in the liberal use of exclamation points) are the hallmarks of this series for younger readers. As usual, the lack of information or the simplification of topics like Rastafarianism is the drawback. Note that the Globetrotters series (Carolrhoda) uses the same photographs with a text for grades 4–6. Glossary, bibliography (with suitable grade-appropriate titles), and index. 5–12. Carlson, Lori M. Cool Salsa: Poems on Growing Up Latino in the United States. New York: Henry Holt, 1994. 123pp. Poems for and about young people are presented in English and Spanish. The authors are from North and South America and include some poets of Puerto Rican and Cuban heritage. P–2. Charles, Faustin, compiler. A Caribbean Counting Book. Illus. by Roberto Arenson. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1996. 32pp.

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CARIBBEAN Counting rhymes from a variety of Caribbean countries. Some have been translated from French or Spanish. Bold illustrations accompany the rhymes. K–3. Cohen, Miriam. Down in the Subway. Illus. by Melanie Hope Greenberg. New York: DK, 1998. 32pp. A Caribbean atmosphere takes over a New York City subway train when the Island Lady empties her special bag. The sea, the music, and the foods of the region rush out to give Oscar and his family a magical experience. 1–4. Delacre, Lulu. Vejigante Masquerader. Illus. by the author. New York: Scholastic, 1993. 40pp. The Ponce Carnival has become well known for its lengthy celebration (the whole month of February) and the skill of the mask makers who reside in the seaside town. In this picture book, Ramon wants to join the ranks of the older boys who wear horned masks and colorful costumes and who shake vejigas, originally inflated cow bladders that have been painted. The bilingual text, mask-making instructions, chants, and explanations relating the celebration to other festivities in Latin America all combine to make this book a rich experience for children. There are even twenty-eight lizards to find, hidden in Delacre’s watercolor, pencil, and pastel artwork that depicts the colorful festival as well as the more ordinary aspects of daily life. K–3. Dorros, Arthur. Isla. Illus. by Elisa Kleven. New York: Dutton, 1995. 32pp. In this sequel to Abuela (Dutton, 1991), Rosalba and her grandmother take one of their imaginary flights to the island in the Caribbean (probably Puerto Rico), the original home of the family. The glowing illustrations and the use of Spanish phrases sprinkled throughout the text make this a good choice for reading aloud. Also available in Spanish as La Isla. Foley, Erin. Puerto Rico. Illus. with color photographs. Festivals of the World series. Milwaukee, Wisc.: Gareth Stevens, 1997. 32pp. Festivals for patron saints—including the festival of Santiago Apostal in Loiza Aldea, Christmas celebrations, and patriotic festivals— are highlighted in this breezy, upbeat introduction. The photographs are excellent. There are

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instructions for a vejigante mask for the festival in Loiza and a recipe for besitos de coco (coconut cookies). Glossary, index. 6–12. Fox, Mary Virginia. Cuba. Modern Nations of the World. San Diego, Calif.: Lucent, 1999. 112pp. Although this volume suffers from a humdrum format and a lack of color photographs, the information is solid and well balanced. It is as up-to-date as possible, including the Pope’s historic visit to Cuba in February 1998. With a strong emphasis on history, and briefer sections on geography, culture, and the country today, Fox gives readers a picture of Cuba and some speculations on its future. Includes a facts section, an excellent chronology, footnotes, bibliography for young people, a list of books and periodicals consulted, and a detailed index. 3–5. Fradin, Dennis Brindell, and Judith Bloom Fradin. Puerto Rico. From Sea to Shining Sea series. Danbury, Conn.: Children’s Press, 1995. 64p. For an overview of the history, geography, and culture of Puerto Rico, written in a way that children in the middle elementary grades can read themselves, seek out this volume. With more details than many series books, clear photographs, a comprehensive chronology (up to 1994), and a double-page fact spread, glossary and index, this book is helpful for school reports and general background information. K–2. Gershator, Phillis. Sweet, Sweet Fig Banana. Illus. by Fritz Millevoix. Morton Grove, Ill.: Albert Whitman, 1996. 32pp. Soto gives small bunches of fig bananas to each of the people who are kind to him: the hat seller who gives him a free straw hat, the fraico man who gives him a snow cone, and the librarian who shares wonderful books with him. He even writes a book and paints a picture for the library about his bananas, and young readers will be inspired to do the same. The illustrator is from Haiti and his acrylic naive paintings zestfully portray life on an unnamed island, which may be St. Thomas, Gershator’s current home. K–3. ______. Tukama Tootles the Flute: A Tale from the Antilles. Illus. by Cynthia Saint James. New York: Orchard, 1994. 32pp. With its jaunty song echoing throughout the text and its large, stylized illustrations, this story

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is excellent to use for a picture book presentation. Gershator has adapted a story from St. Thomas, found in the scholarly Folk-Lore of the Antilles, French and English, Part II by Elsie Clews Parson (New York: American Folk-Lore Society). She has created a fluent tale about a boy who never listens to his grandmother until he meets up with the two-headed giant that she constantly tells him about. His flute playing and his song, filled with the names of Caribbean fruits and nonsense words from children’s rhymes, help him escape. An author’s note gives us the source of the story and provides information about some of the details, such as the poisonous jumbie beads eaten by the giants. K–3. Goddad, Alex. Mama, Across the Sea. Illus. by the author. Adopted from the French by George Wen. New York: Henry Holt, 2000. 42pp. Although the island is not named, the author is probably writing about his birthplace, Guadeloupe. As in The Tangerine Tree by Regina Hanson (see below), Cecile’s parent has had to leave the Caribbean to find employment. Cecile yearns for her mother and is finally able to go visit her during the school vacation. The large format of the book, with its details of the island houses and fishing boats, is inviting. A folktale about a mermaid, told within the story, adds interest. 1–4. González, Lucía. The Bossy Gallito/El Gallo de Bodas. Illus. by Lulu Delacre. New York: Scholastic, 1994. 32pp. An engaging bilingual version of a cumulative Cuban folktale, with illustrations set in the Cuban-American community of Little Havana in Miami, Florida. The bossy rooster wants all the animals and objects that he sees along his way to a wedding to do his bidding. The tale would be easy to act out or retell because of its repetitive refrain. Includes background information about the tale and variations from other cultures. The author learned the tale from her great-aunt. 4–6. Gunning, Monica. Under the Breadfruit Tree: Island Poems. Illus. by Fabricio Vanden Broek. Wordsong. Honesdale, Pa.: Boyds Mills, 1998. 48pp. The author’s Jamaican childhood experiences are captured in poems that explore the happy times of youth and the sad memories, including

those of a young friend’s death. The foods, the pastimes, the relationships between people, the market ladies, and the large extended family that lives in the village are all found in these realistic poems that form a memoir-like patchwork. The black and white scratchboard illustrations have a rustic feeling that fits well with the poetry. Gunning also wrote Not a Copper Penny in Me House: Poems from the Caribbean (Boyds Mills Press, 1993). P–3. Hallworth, Grace. Down by the River: AfroCaribbean Rhymes, Games and Songs for Children. Illus. by Caroline Binch. New York: Scholastic, 1996. 32pp. Binch’s lively watercolors show children enjoying the ring games and other pastimes of Caribbean children. The rhymes and songs are found in many of the English-speaking islands, and some are variations of traditional rhymes also found in England and the United States. 4–8. Hamilton, Virginia. A Ring of Tricksters: Animal Tales from America, the West Indies, and Africa. Illus. by Barry Moser. New York: Scholastic, 1997. 111pp. Demonstrating the connection between the folklore of West Africa, the southern United States, and the Caribbean, these folktales features such characters as Anancy and Brer Rabbit. Moser’s animal characters are portrayed with wit and style. K–3. Hanson, Regina. The Tangerine Tree. Illus. by Harvey Stevenson. Boston: Clarion, 1995. 31pp. A young Jamaican girl must deal with the fact that her father is emigrating to the United States to find work.. She gives him the sun from the tangerine tree in a bottle to take with him to New York and vows to learn to read and write so that she can communicate with him. The rich acrylic paintings have a glow that radiates family warmth. The author also wrote The Face at the Window (Clarion, 1997), another picture book set in Jamaica. 1–4. Hausman, Gerald. Doctor Bird: Three Lookin’ Up Tales from Jamaica. Illus. by Ashley Wolff. New York: Philomel, 1998. 40pp. Contemporary storytellers recount these tales about the beautiful streamer-tail hummingbird,

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CARIBBEAN the national bird of Jamaica. Hausman collected the stories on the north coast of Jamaica. He acknowledges the tellers in his author’s note and offers them to young readers in a picture book format. Doctor Bird is a riddler and a trickster, but he also tries to help his fellow animals behave well toward each other, as in the story where he tries to help Mongoose learn to stop stealing. Owl, Mouse, Mongoose, and Doctor Bird with his top hat and frock coat share an amusing combination of human and animal characteristics in the paintings filled with the lush vegetation of Jamaica. Fourth through eighth graders may also enjoy the author’s welldocumented volume of Jamaican ghost stories, Duppy Talk: West Indian Tales of Mystery and Magic (Simon and Schuster, 1994). 5–8. Hintz, Martin. Haiti. Enchantment of the World series. Danbury, Conn.: Children’s Press, 1998. 143pp. Accessible and attractive, this entry in the long-popular series is a comprehensive introduction to the Caribbean country that has the longest history as an independent nation. Helpful features include a timeline, fast facts, an extensive index, some Creole phrases, a bibliography that is longer than most in books of this type, some relevant websites, and useful addresses. In addition to sections covering history, politics, geography, religion, culture, and recreation, the last chapter describes the contrasting experiences of two young people: an upper-class teenage girl in Port-au-Prince and a boy living on a farm. Their educational opportunities, the economic conditions that they face, and their lifestyles are highlighted. Hintz and his son, Stephen Hintz, also wrote The Bahamas (Children’s Press, 1997) in the same series. 6–8. Hodge, Merle. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1993. 214pp. For the Life of Laetitia. There is a strong sense of place in this novel about a twelve-year-old girl leaving her small village in Trinidad to attend school in a larger town. Laetitia must live with her estranged father and his new wife and give up the rural life that has always been hers. Although she has problems in school due to her social class, she makes one new friend, an Indian girl. Laetitia is devastated when Anjanee commits suicide as a result of her own untenable family situation. Hodge is from Trinidad, and the people and situations ring true.

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6 and up. Hoobler, Dorothy, and Thomas Hoobler. The Cuban American Family Album. American Family Albums. Introduction by Oscar Hijuelos. New York: Oxford, 1996. 127pp. A fascinating collection of memoirs, letters, interviews, and first-person accounts by a number of Cuban-Americans, some who are famous and others who are ordinary people. The blackand-white photographs on every page amplify the information given in the primary sources about the immigrant experience. The early immigration of cigar makers, the Revolution when a large number of people fled Cuba in a short time, the Mariel boat lift, and the development of a strong Cuban-American community in Miami are well covered. Full documentation of the excerpts will allow readers to follow up on many interesting sources. Index. 3–5. Illsley, Linda. The Caribbean. Food and Festivals. Austin, Tex.: Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1999. 32pp. Although there is scattered coverage of just a few islands, this title provides four recipes and brief descriptions of festivals that can be used in program planning. Recipes for saltfish cakes, curried lamb, candied sweet potatoes, and fried chicken are included. Information about Carnival, Jonkonnu, Christmas and New Year’s, Crop Over (a harvest festival), and Phagwa (a Hindu festival from Trinidad) is included. The text also attempts to identify similarities and differences among some of the Caribbean countries. Many of the color photographs show interesting details of festive celebrations. Glossary, short bibliography, index. P–2. Isadora, Rachel. Caribbean Dream. Illus. by the author. New York: Putnam, 1998. 32pp. The poetic text and gentle watercolor paintings of Caribbean children enjoying their island life will entice young readers. Use this simplest book as an introduction before following up with some of the books that offer more detail about the different countries. 5–8. Jacobs, Francine. The Tainos: The People Who Welcomed Columbus. Illus. by Patrick Collins. New York: Putnam, 1992. 107pp. A unique source of information about the Taino people, descendants of the Arawaks who originally left South America and traveled first to

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the lesser Antilles and then to the islands in the northern part of the Caribbean, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola (today’s Haiti and Dominican Republic), Cuba, and Jamaica. Although their populations were decimated by the Spanish takeover of the islands, we have some knowledge of the Taino culture through archaeological remains and documents written by the Spaniards. Jacobs has included a listing of museums in the United States, Great Britain, and the West Indies that have exhibits of Taino artifacts. Comprehensive bibliography. 1–5. Jaffe, Nina. The Golden Flower: A Taino Myth from Puerto Rico. Illus. by Enrique O. Sánchez. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996. 32pp. A master storyteller relates the story of the creation of the island that the Taino called “Boriquén.” The lush forest that spreads over its land and the beautiful waters that now surround the island were not there at the beginning of time. When a child plants seeds that he finds floating on the wind, trees and plants begin to grow. A large round orange ball-like object appears and two men fight over this magic pumpkin or calabaza and send it hurtling down the great mountain, until it breaks open and releases the sea with all its bounty. Taino designs have been incorporated into the glowing paintings. A Pura Belpré Honor Book. K–3. Joseph, Lyn. Jump Up Time: A Trinidad Carnival Story. Illus. by Linda Saport. Boston: Clarion, 1998. 32pp. In Trinidad, school-age children have their own Carnival celebration. Christine wants to be a hummingbird, and the whole family is involved in making her elaborate costume. Little sister Lily, who is not old enough to compete in the parade, is upset until Christine needs her help when she gets stage fright. Saport uses the swirling colors and shapes of the Trinidad Carnival in her radiant pastel drawings. 4–6. Joseph, Lyn. The Mermaid’s Twin Sister: More Stories from Trinidad. Illus. by Donna Perrone. Boston: Clarion, 1994. 63pp. Five traditional tales about Trinidad are presented within a frame story about contemporary children living on this Caribbean island. A sequel to A Wave in Her Pocket (Clarion, 1991).

2–5. Lankford, Mary D. Dominoes around the World. Illus. by Karen Dugan. New York: HarperCollins, 1998. 40pp. Dominoes is a game played with variations throughout the Caribbean and throughout the world. One version of the game as it is played in Cuban communities is presented. K–3. Lauture, Denize. Running the Road to ABC. Illus. by Reynold Ruffins. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996. 32pp. Stylized art in the Haitian tradition accompanies poetic text that celebrates the exuberant energy of six Haitian children who run to school each day. They are also running toward a brighter future on the road to literacy and learning. 3–6. McKenley, Yvonne. A Taste of the Caribbean. Illus. with color photographs. Food around the World series. Stamford, Conn.: Thomson Learning, 1995. 48pp. A very general overview of the region and the foods used in various Caribbean countries. Some recipes, including sorrel, a festive drink, banana bread, and jerk chicken, are presented. 4–6. Mohr, Nicholasa. The Song of el Coquí and Other Tales of Puerto Rico. Illus. by Antonio Martorell. New York: Viking, 1995. 40pp. Although these are not traditional tales, Mohr, a well-known realistic novelist for young people, has used folk motifs and animal characters to create her own stories reflecting the multicultural heritage of Puerto Rico. The three stories here are about the Tainos, the African slaves, and the Spaniards. The bold expressionistic paintings use imagery from many aspects of Puerto Rican culture. Mohr also wrote Old Letivia and the Mountain of Sorrows, a modern folktale about El Yunque, the rainforest of Puerto Rico (Viking, 1996). Both titles are available in Spanish. 3–6. Myers, Walter Dean. Toussaint L’Ouverture: The Fight for Haiti’s Freedom. Paintings by Jacob Lawrence. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996. 32pp. Lawrence, one of the most famous AfricanAmerican artists, created his series of paintings about the great Haitian revolutionary in 1938. These powerful graphic images have been coupled with a text that introduces children to a unique figure in Caribbean history. Toussaint,

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CARIBBEAN born into slavery, became the leader who would propel the Haitian people toward freedom from the French, although he did not live to see independence. K–2. Pluckrose, Henry. Jamaica. Picture a Country series. New York: Franklin Watts, 1999. 30pp. The large clear photographs are the main attraction here, as the afterword points out, but there is very little information to augment the visual learning that will take place. There is a good map of Jamaica, but young readers will have a difficult time finding the island on the larger map of the hemisphere. Although Bob Marley is noted as a Rastafarian, a Rastafarian family in a photograph is not noted as such. Purchase only if you need additional visual resources for very young children. Index. 3–5. Puerto Rico: A Portrait of the Country through Its Festivals and Traditions. Photographs by Bruce Mackie. Fiesta! series. Danbury, Conn.: Grolier, 1999. 32pp. Although this series is not as attractive as the Festivals of the World (Gareth Stevens), it may be considered as an additional resource for holiday and craft information. The Christmas season, the Santiago Apostal Festival, and Carnival are highlighted. Another volume in the series entitled Jamaica: A Portrait of the Country through Its Festivals and Traditions (1997) includes Jonkonnu, Christmas, Easter, the Fisherman’s Festival, Harvest, and National Heroes’ Day. K–3. Rahaman, Vashanti. O Christmas Tree. Illus. by Frane Lessac. Honesdale, Pa.: Boyds Mills, 1996. 32pp. A little boy, living on an island much like the Trinidad of the author’s youth, learns that the evergreen Christmas trees of the north are not always adaptable to the Caribbean climate. He learns that other trappings of the Christmas season, like ginger beer and sorrel drinks, black cake made with raisins and molasses, and poinsettias from another warm country, Mexico, have become part of the West Indian tradition. An author’s note has useful information about the mixture of cultural traditions in the Caribbean. 5–8 Rogers, Lura, and Barbara Radcliffe Rogers. The Dominican Republic. Enchantment of the World series. Danbury, Conn.: Children’s Press, 1999. 144pp.

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This volume does a very credible job of presenting the Dominican Republic’s checkered political past. It also provides the history and geography of the nation located on the island of Hispaniola. Cultural aspects of life are presented: a listing of holidays, a description of Carnival, a piece on the well-known musical form merengue, information about food including a recipe for conch fritters, and photographs of local crafts. Many features, including excellent color photographs, a timeline showing adjacent chronologies of Dominican and world history events, fast facts, and a short listing of books, websites, and useful addresses. 5–8. San Souci, Robert D. Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella. Illus. by Brian Pinkney. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1998. 40pp. The fairy godmother, a laundress who often nursed Cendrillon’s mother, is the intimate narrator in this new version of the popular fairy tale that traveled with the French colonists to the islands they governed in the Caribbean. San Souci has set the story on the island of Martinique and uses some French Creole words and phrases, which are defined on the last page. An author’s note explains his adaptations from his original source, a nineteenth-century text entitled Creole Grammar by Turiault. Pinkney’s rich scratchboard, oil, and gouache illustrations detail the mixture of French and Caribbean styles that characterize the upper classes in Martinique. 5–8. _______. The Faithful Friend. Illus. by Brian Pinkney. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995. 40pp. As usual, San Souci documents his sources in a very informative endnote, citing Caribbean and European sources for his sophisticated story about a young couple and the friend who saves them from certain death. The story takes place in Martinique, and the couple is from the Black upper class of an earlier century. Hippolyte, the faithful friend of the title, is the son of the French governess who raised Clement. Hippolyte defies the three zombie women who have undertaken the evil task of killing Clement and his bride-tobe, Pauline, and is turned to stone, but his good behavior in life saves him from this fate. The flavor of the Creole culture of Martinique is found in the details of the story and the scratchboard illustrations that are enhanced with oil paints.

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K–3. Temple, Frances. Tiger Soup. Illus. by the author. New York: Orchard, 1994. 32pp. There is great appeal in the immediacy of the cut-paper illustrations and the simple conversational telling of an Anansi story. The sly spider double-crosses everyone when he tricks Tiger out of his soup and fools the monkeys into saying that they ate it. Temple’s class performed this work as a play, and it would be fun to stage with simple masks or costumes. 6–12. Sheehan, Sean. Jamaica. Cultures of the World series. Tarrytown, N.Y.: Marshall Cavendish, 1994. 128pp. Detailed information on many interesting aspects of Jamaican life and culture can be found in this volume. There is a fairly comprehensive explanation of Rastafarianism, linking the religious movement to Haile Selassie, the former emperor of Ethiopia; a discussion of the different forms of language used in Jamaica today, including Standard English, Jamaican Creole, and Caribbean English; and a section on storytelling and the character of Anansi. There are short biographical sketches of musicians such as Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff. There are also instructions for playing cricket. Recipes are included for curried goat and plantain fritters, and the text also includes information about the role of rum and marijuana in Jamaican life (perhaps with a bit too much emphasis). There is a short bibliography, which is not very useful. Color photographs, a map, “quick notes” for ready reference, index, and glossary round out this comprehensive volume. Also available in the series: Dominican Republic by Erin Foley (1995), Haiti by Roseline Ng Cheong-Lum (1995), and Puerto Rico by Patricia Levy (1995). K–3. Sisnett, Ana. Grannie Jus’ Come. Illus. by Karen Lusebrink. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1997. 32pp. The author’s grandparents emigrated to Panama from Jamaica and Barbados, and she grew up speaking Caribbean English and Spanish. She uses the distinctive language of her childhood to recount a simple story about her grandmother’s visit one Tuesday. 3–6. Staub, Frank. Children of Cuba. Illus. with photographs by the author. The World’s Children series. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda, 1996. 48pp.

A general introduction to the geography and history of Cuba presented through the lives of contemporary children. Staub also wrote Children of Dominica (1999), one of the few books available about the Dominican Republic, largely untouched by the tourism so prevalent in the Caribbean, and which has some information about the Carib people who still have a small presence in Dominica. 4–6. Tamar, Erika. Alphabet City Ballet. New York: HarperCollins, 1996. 168pp. Marisol, a young Puerto Rican girl in New York City, has the chance to attend a professional ballet program, but she must find a way to get there from her Loisada (Lower East Side) neighborhood. Desirée, a Haitian girl who lives in the neighborhood shelter, also wins a scholarship. For a while Desirée’s mother can take the two girls until they learn that Desirée and her mother are moving to Brooklyn. Now Marisol must depend on her brother, but she is upset when she finds out that he is getting involved with the local drug dealers. The issues and opportunities in this book are realistically portrayed, and the New York setting is strongly integrated. 6–8. Temple, Frances. Tonight, by Sea. New York: Orchard, 1995. 152pp. Although the political situation has changed since 1993 when this book takes place, it is still important for young people to be aware of some of the reasons why the U.S. Haitian community grew in the early 1990s. Paulie, a young Haitian girl, leaves her homeland on a small boat with her uncle and others who supported Aristide. The novel gives the reader a picture of the difficult living conditions in Haiti and some insight into the political situation of the time. The glossary and the History around the Story section are especially helpful. Temple also wrote another strong novel about Aristide supporters, Taste of Salt: A Story of Modern Haiti (Orchard, 1992). 4–8. Turenne des Pres, François. Children of Yayoute: Folk Tales of Haiti. Illus. by the author. New York: Universe, 1994. 96pp. An anthology of tales told by a Haitian writer and painter. Several of the tales were originally published in Haiti in 1949. Ti Malice and Bouki, the quintessential Haitian characters, are found in several stories, and there is a tale about why

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CARIBBEAN pumpkin soup is eaten on New Year’s Day. The detailed paintings, richly patterned in glowing reds, golds, and greens, present the Haitian countryside. K–3. Van West, Patricia E. The Crab Man. Illus. by Cedric Lucas. New York: Turtle, 1998. 40pp. Neville collects hermit crabs to sell to the crab man so that he can earn money to buy a dress for his mother. He gets upset when he sees that the crabs are forced to race for the tourists at a big hotel. An interesting view of Jamaican life and the pressures a tourist economy has on individual lives.

tions of the informal storytelling events where Wolkstein first heard these stories. In her introduction, Wolkstein, a gifted American storyteller, writes about the groups of all ages that gather in the rural towns of Haiti and tell stories to entertain each other. She describes some of the master storytellers and their special relationship with the audience. For each story included, she documents the experience of collecting the tale. The stories run the gamut, from humorous to serious, from short to long, from tales that are European in origin to stories that originally came from Africa.

4–7. Wolf, Bernard. Cuba: After the Revolution. Photographs by the author. New York: Dutton, 1999. 64pp. The large number of arresting color images of Cuban life today and the artistic family that Wolf highlights in the second half of the book are the attractions that will draw readers in to learn more about a country that most Americans still know little about. Ana, an aspiring ballet dancer, and her parents, who are both painters, may not be run-of-the-mill Cuban citizens, but Wolf also provides information about other aspects of contemporary Cuba and portrays some of the economic difficulties. Some readers may feel that Wolf is overly enthusiastic about Cuba and its political system, as he does not really address any of the human rights issues that draw much heated discussion in some circles. He clearly takes the viewpoint that the United States should stop its trade embargo as a humanitarian act. K–3. Wolkstein, Diana. Bouki Dances the Kokioko: A Comical Tale from Haiti. Illus. by Jesse Sweetwater. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt Brace, 1997. 32pp. Bouki is a foolish character in Haitian folklore. Although he soon learns the new dance and wins the king’s money, his usual nemesis, Malice, manages to trick him yet one more time. Bold paintings, with a feeling of caricature, play along with the humorous story.

PROGRAM IDEAS Games DOMINOES

Dominoes are played all over the Caribbean in Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and other countries. Although adult men often play the game, children play, too. 1. Four players select ten tiles each. The rest of the dominoes stay “in the boneyard” (on the table) and are not used. 2. The player with the highest double tile starts first by placing the tile on the table. Play continues to the right. 3. The next player must match the number of dots on one end of the tile and puts his or her tile adjacent to the tile on the table. The other players follow suit. If a player cannot match the number of dots (or pips, as they are called), that player passes. No tiles are ever drawn from the boneyard. 4. When a player uses all tiles, he or she calls, “Domino” and is the winner. That player gets the point value of all the dots left in the other players’ hands.

4 and up. Wolkstein, Diane. The Magic Orange Tree and Other Haitian Folktales. Illus. by Elsa Henriquez. New York: Schocken, 1997. 212pp.

5. Often the game ends in a block, when no player can use up all his or her tiles. In that case, the player with the smallest number of dots will get the total value of all the players’ spots, minus his or her own.

First published in 1978, this is a classic in the field of folklore because of its fascinating descrip-

6. Rounds are played until one player scores 100 points.

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Holidays C A R N I VA L

Carnival is one of the most important and visually exciting holidays on many Caribbean islands. This celebration, originally brought from Roman Catholic France and Spain and to a lesser degree from England, is a traditional time of merry-making before the serious period of Lent begins. For many African slaves, Carnival was a period of time when they were free from the hard toil for a short time. By dressing up in fanciful clothing, sometimes in imitation of their masters, they were able to lampoon their owners’ behavior. For hundreds of years, it had been a custom in Europe for the servants and lower classes to make fun of the upper classes (and for wealthy people to dress as beggars) during this time, and so these activities were tolerated in the Caribbean colonies. The Trinidad Carnival is among the most well known celebrations, with its large parades and calypso competitions, but Haiti, Puerto Rico, and most other Caribbean countries have their own specific customs, masks, and disguises. As mentioned in the introduction, Caribbean Carnival celebrations have spread to the United States and Canada as immigrants have gathered in large cities. In Trinidad, children have their own Carnival competition. Groups of boys and girls wear elaborate costumes and perform songs and dances that they have practiced for months. Adults also work together in large groups to prepare their costumes and headpieces (which often are extremely large and heavy) and learn their songs and dance routines. Although the costumes are often pure flights of fancy, imagery is sometimes borrowed from the natural world, different historical eras, or Indian or African cultures. There are stock characters on many islands, including the vejigantes of Puerto Rico. The vejigantes are named after the vejigas, or inflated cow bladders that resemble long cylindrical balloons. These disguised men and boys dress in vivid clownlike suits of red and yellow and other colors and carry the vejigas. They wear horned papier-mâché masks called caretas or máscaras, which have devilish and animal-like features, and playfully hit spectators, especially women and girls, with the vejigas at the Ponce Carnival on the southern coast. The original function of the vejigantes was to scare people into following the dictates of the Church during Lent, but the custom has lost most of its religious significance. Today the vejigas may

be made out of plastic soda bottles or stuffed stockings or rubber gloves, and the costumed mischiefmakers are out for fun. There are families of Ponce artisans whose creations have become known far outside their own community, as tourists and collectors purchase them. Some of these masks have been exhibited at the Smithsonian. Loiza Aldea, a town near San Juan, is the home of another mask-making tradition. The descendants of African slaves are in the majority here, and the masks are made of coconut shells, resembling masks created by the Yorubas and other West African peoples. These masks have horns and devillike features. They are worn at the festival of Santiago Apostol, the feast day of St. James the Apostle, which is celebrated for three days starting July 25. Each day during the fiesta, a different statue of St. James, the patron saint of Spain, is carried through the town. Some people dress as Spanish caballeros, or knights, with wire mesh masks and protect the statue from evil. Others dress as vejigantes, viejos (old men), and locas (crazy women). There are religious ceremonies, elaborate processions, and much music, food, and merrymaking. The festival is a symbol of the richness of the Spanish and African cultural mix found in Puerto Rico. When slaves originally came to Puerto Rico, they brought their own religious figures with them. In time, the Nigerian gods became associated with some of the Catholic saints and Shango became associated with St. James. Puerto Rico (Fiesta! series) listed in Recommended Materials explains the Santiago Apostol festival and includes a photograph of the coconut mask.

Carnival Activities in Haiti

In Haiti, children, especially boys, have fun at Carnival time by making a lamayote. This is a small painted wooden box, often adorned with tissue paper decorations. Inside, children place a monster, such as an insect, a small lizard, a mouse, or some other small animal, and show off the creature to anyone who wants a look. Those who peek give a few coins for the privilege. Children wear their masks and costumes and attract attention by blowing whistles. To celebrate Carnival, Haiti-style, you can make small boxes out of wood or cardboard and put small animals made out of clay or other molding materials inside. Children can have fun showing them off to each other.

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CARIBBEAN Carnival Activities in Puerto Rico

Read aloud the story Vejigante Masquerader by Lulu Delacre (see Recommended Materials). The bilingual text offers instructions on how to make a vejigante mask and includes some of the estribillos, or traditional chants sung responsively by the vejigante and the members of the crowd. Other books that feature mask instructions are Puerto Rico (Fiesta! series) and Puerto Rico (Festivals of the World series) by Erin Foley (see Recommended Materials). Carnival Activities in Trinidad

Read Jump-Up Time: A Trinidad Carnival Story by Lyn Joseph, in Recommended Materials. Invite children to make costumes based on the photographs on the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival website (www.tidco.co.tt/Carnival1997) or in other books. Use your imagination. Costumes can be based on nature, different historical periods, different cultures, or something totally fantastic. Hold a parade. N E W Y E A R ’ S D AY

Haiti’s celebration of Independence Day on January 1 imbues the traditionally happy beginning of the New Year with a special meaning. Haiti declared its independence from France on January 1, 1804, becoming the first island in the Caribbean to proclaim its freedom from the European colonialists. Tragically, Toussaint L’Ouverture died shortly before this date, for it was due to his leadership that slavery ended in Haiti in 1793, paving the way for the Independence movement. Three of his army generals fought bravely against the French forces sent by Napoleon to take back control of the country from L’Ouverture. They were Jean-Jaques Dessalines, Henri Christophe, and Alexandre Pétion. The achievements of these freedom fighters are celebrated on January 1 with solemn ceremonies, parades, and family feasting. The holiday continues on January 2 when young men compete by climbing greased poles to win money and cakes that are placed at the top. New Year’s Day in Haiti

To celebrate New Year’s Day, read Toussaint L’Ouverture: The Fight for Haiti’s Freedom by Walter Dean Myers, in Recommended Materials. You may also want students to research this period of Haitian history, the leaders of the fight for independence, and the relationship to other historical events, including the French Revolution and the American Revolution.

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Children of Yayoute: Folktales of Haiti by François Turenne de Prés, in Recommended Materials, has a story about why pumpkin soup has become an important New Year’s dish. Read “The Dancing Poupées (The Dancing Dolls)” in which two dolls are changed back into children by the restorative power of pumpkin soup. Then serve pumpkin soup. Pumpkin Soup 10 to 12 servings

4 sliced onions (peeled) 4 tablespoons butter 10 slices of white bread 10 cups of chicken stock (use canned stock or make from a standard recipe) 1–2 small pieces of hot green pepper or a few drops of Tabasco sauce or other hot pepper sauce 4 sprigs parsley 2 cloves garlic (peeled) 2 1/2 tablespoons salt 5 cups of pumpkin cubes (peeled) 1/2 cup parsley or chives (finely chopped) Sauté the onions in the butter until they are thoroughly soft and translucent. Then bring the stock, the onions, and the bread to a boil. Pound together the garlic, salt, hot green pepper or Tabasco sauce, and parsley sprigs. Put this mixture in the soup. Add the pumpkin cubes and cook until soft. Pour the mixture through a food mill. Put in the chopped parsley or chives, and bring to boil once more.

Poetry The following project was carried out as a collaboration between teacher Eve Greenspan and Joan McCoy, the school librarian in PS 52 (District 22) in Brooklyn (N.Y.). If possible, this project should take place during several sessions. Immerse the group in a study of the Caribbean region. Use a large number of resources, including picture books, folktales, poetry, and informational sources. Make sure that children notice the visuals, including original illustration styles as well as photographs. Introduce children to the idea of acrostic poems in which each letter in a name becomes the first letter of a line of a poem. Have each child will choose a country and use the letters of the country name

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as the first letters of a poem. For example, the letters in Jamaica would form the first letters for the lines of a seven-line poem. Children will use the assortment of books to find images appropriate to the country they have selected. For example, the “C” in Jamaica could be for “coffee from the Blue Mountains” or “Carnival costumes, shiny and bright.” You may want to do some brainstorming about appropriate and authentic images for each country or work on group poems before the children tackle their own. Invite the children to work on their word choices, sharing examples from some of the poetry books in the bibliography. When the acrostic poems are done, have the children illustrate them. They can use paints, markers, crayons, or collage. Encourage the children to use the books as resources for the visual information that they need to accurately illustrate their imagery. Bind the results together into a book or hold a gallery exhibit. After children have used the acrostic poetic form, they could write their own poems in a style of their own choosing.

Singing Games and Rhymes The children of the Caribbean play an endless number of ring games and other singing games that combine European and African influences with the individual cultures of different Caribbean islands. Program leaders can teach a selection of singing games, rhymes, and chants and ask children to compare them with some of their favorite games and rhymes. Key words in these songs and rhymes are often the names of foods or objects from the region. Cultural information can often be introduced while learning the games or rhymes. Recordings can be used to help children learn the words and melodies. Many songs, music, game instructions, background information, and a discography of relevant Folkways recordings can be found in Brown Girl in the Ring: An Anthology of Song Games from the Eastern Caribbean by Lomax, Elder, and Hawes, in Program Resources. Other books that include traditional games and rhymes are A Caribbean Counting Book by Faustin Charles and Down by the River: Afro-Caribbean Rhymes, Games, and Songs for Children, compiled by Grace Hallworth.

Storytelling Trickster tales are a specialty in the Caribbean region. Many of the animal tales from West Africa were brought to the Caribbean by African slaves who managed to keep them alive through turbulent years even though they were forced to give up their own languages and cultures. Very often, these tales of a small animal like Anansi (or Anancy) the spider or Tío Conéjo, the rabbit who was able to hold his own against larger opponents, served as symbols of resistance to slavemasters and colonizers. There are also tricksters in human form. Ti Malice, a trickster character from Haiti, and Bouki, his poor foolish friend, are well known. Juan Bobo is a popular character in Puerto Rico. Other stories were brought from Europe and adapted to local conditions, such as Cendrillon (Cinderella) from Martinique and Perez and Martina, a tale brought to Puerto Rico by the Spaniards. (Actually, the Moors probably brought this tale, which is also told in Iran and Afghanistan, to Spain during their period of influence.) Tales of the supernatural are also prevalent, like the stories from Trinidad about la Diablesse, a woman with one cloven foot, and the Jamaican tales about the duppy, a ghost-like figure or spirit of the dead. Hold storytelling sessions either using the tales of a particular country or featuring stories with a common theme, such as the trickster tales, from different Caribbean cultures. Children can learn some of the stories themselves and perform them either individually or in a reader’s theater format, where one child acts as the narrator and other children act out the roles of individual characters. For a more polished performance, make some simple costumes or masks. Children can also write their own scripts based on traditional stories for puppet shows, which can then be produced. See Recommended Materials for ideas on stories to use.

Websites Many of the sites selected below are either personal web pages or commercial sites directed at increasing tourism to particular countries in the Caribbean region. They are listed here because they contain information related to cultural topics, such as festivals, the arts, and recipes, and other topics that may assist adults planning programs for children. Photographs, maps, and other visuals may

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CARIBBEAN also be of interest. Since some sites include chat rooms and similar features, I recommend that children use these sites under adult supervision to find the most appropriate information. Calypso Tent of the Air www.listen.to/kaiso This site includes a changing selection of Calypso music. Good links to other Caribbean general information and music sites. The Caribbean Students Association of Southern Illinois University www.siu.edu/~carib/index.html Hall of Fame: a listing and series of links to information about Caribbean writers, actors, musicians, and sports figures. These links lead to biographical information found in magazines, websites, personal home pages, and other sites. Embassy of the Republic of Haiti www.haiti.org/embassy/ Official government site that has limited information on topics such as the flag and the national anthem, a timeline, and interesting links to other topics, including art, music, and Kreyol language.

RESOURCES Publications Brown, Isabel Zakrewski. Culture and Customs of the Dominican Republic. Culture and Customs of Latin America and the Caribbean series. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood, 1999. 224pp. Detailed information on many cultural topics related to the Dominican Republic and the Dominican community in New York City. Howard, David. Dominican Republic: Guide to the People, Politics and Culture. In Focus series. Northampton, Mass.: Interlink, 1999. 94pp. Copublished in Great Britain, this unusual travel guide is for the tourist interested in the political and social history of the Dominican Republic. Gives limited background information on music, literature, and some other cultural information that may be useful for program planning. Lists several bookstores in Santo Domingo. Lalbachan, Pamela. The Complete Caribbean Cookbook. Boston: Tuttle, 1994. 304pp. Features color photographs of many dishes. The author is from Guyana, but she includes recipes from many different countries.

Hispanic Magazine Online www.hisp.com Includes selection of articles and links to websites of general interest about Latinos. Hispaniola.com: Dominican Republic www.hispaniola.com/DR/index.html General tourism sites, includes useful features such as a phrase book, good maps, an excellent selection of recipes, and visual panoramas of tourist sites. Trinidad and Tobago Carnival www.tidco.co.tt/Carnival1997/ Information on the traditions of Carnival. Welcome to Puerto Rico http://welcome.topuertorico.org/ Photographs of individual cities and towns.

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Lomax, Alan, J. D. Elder, and Bess Lomax Hawes. Brown Girl in the Ring: An Anthology of Song Games from the Eastern Caribbean. Black-andwhite photographs. New York: Pantheon, 1997. 220pp. A gem of a resource, this volume includes sixty-eight songs with music and lyrics from Trinidad, Tobago, Dominica, St. Lucia, Anguilla, Nevis, and Carriacou. The erudite yet accessible text describes the games that accompany many of these songs and the context in which the songs are performed. Bibliography and discography. Nunley, John W. Caribbean Festival Arts: Each and Every Bit of Difference. Illus. with photographs. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1988. 218pp. A scholarly work on the festivals of the Caribbean, with particular emphasis on the Carnival celebrations on various islands. There are also references to the Carnival-like parade in Brooklyn on Labor Day and on Mardi Gras in

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New Orleans. Excellent color photographs. Useful for background information. Ortiz, Elizabeth Lambert. Complete Book of Caribbean Cooking. New York: Ballantine, 1986. 442pp. Includes recipes from the entire region. Ranucci, Karen, and Julie Feldman. A Guide to Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino-Made Films. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow, 1998. 384pp. Includes films from Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Netherlands Antilles, and Puerto Rico. Although this book is concerned with films for adults, some are appropriate for showing to older children. Santiago, Esmeralda, and Joe Davidow, eds. Las Christmas: Favorite Latino Authors Share Their Holiday Memories. Illus. by Jose Ortega. New York: Knopf, 1998. 198pp. Includes short pieces by Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican authors. Silverman, Jerry. West Indian and Calypso Songs. Black-and-white photographs. Traditional Black Music series. New York: Chelsea, 1995. 64pp. Twenty-eight songs, with music and lyrics, from Jamaica, Trinidad, Haiti, Cuba, and other islands in the region. Silverman gives short explanations of the background of each song. A few are well known in the United States, including Day-O, popularized by Harry Belafonte.

Publishers and Other Organizations Bilingual Publications (Spanish language books) 270 Lafayette Street New York, NY 10012 212-431-3500 Caribbean Cultural Center 408 West 58th Street New York, NY 10019 www.blackcloudweb.com/development/clients/ caribbean/index.html

Desmond A. Reid Enterprises (books from and about the English-speaking Caribbean) 33 Lafayette Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11217 Fax: 718-625-0654 El Museo del Barrio 1230 Fifth Ave. New York City 10029 212-831-7272 www.elmuseo.org Haitiana Publications Inc. (materials about Guadeloupe, Haiti, and Martinique in French and Haitian Creole) 224-08 Linden Boulevard Cambria Heights, NY 11411 Fax: 718-978-6031 http://idt.net/~haitiana Isla (books, masks, music recordings, and other gift items from Puerto Rico) P.O. Box 9112 San Juan, PR 00908-0112 800-575-ISLA Latin American Video Archives 12 Washington Place New York, NY 10014 www.latinamericanvideo.org Librarie au Service de la Culture (distributor of French and Haitian books) P.O. Box 162236 Miami, FL 33116 Fax: 305-971-1217 Lectorum Publications, Inc. 111 Eighth Ave. New York, NY 10011-5201 Fax: 877-532-8678 Niños (Spanish language materials) P.O. Box 1603 Secaucus, NJ 07096-1603 800-634-3304 Fax: 201-583-3644 E-mail: [email protected]

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CHAPTER

3

India Cherri Jones and Gowri Patameswaran

India has often been referred to as a land of contradictions. Immense wealth exists alongside utter poverty and exuberant consumption alongside sublime spirituality. Life is lived with pomp and splendor amidst ordinary simplicity. India is a land of diversity—of religions, languages, races, and geography. India was granted independence from Great Britain on August 15, 1947. However, because of irreconcilable religious turmoil, it was split into two countries, Pakistan and India. Within India, thirty states were demarcated along linguistic and cultural lines. Today, India stands as the largest democracy in the world. With a population approaching one billion, it is the second largest country in Asia and the seventh largest country in the world. Over 325 languages are spoken. All the major religions of the world are represented, including some that had their origins in India. India has the largest number of holidays in the world, since the celebrations of most religions are recognized nationally.

LIFESTYLES Throughout its history, people in other parts of the world who were discriminated against for religious reasons have found refuge in India because of its generally tolerant atmosphere. The waves of immigration into India over the ages have produced a tremendous variety of lifestyles. People only a few miles away from each other often have very different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Lifestyles in the northern part of India are significantly different from those in southern India. Books that do not

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take these differences into account are of little value in imparting information on the country and its cultures. Childhood in India is typically very sheltered among the middle class. Stress within the immediate family is diluted because of the ever present support of the extended family and the presence of “fictive kin” in the neighborhood. There is little perceived need for manufactured toys because the social lives of children are very rich. Children rarely spend time indoors but instead play in common courtyards and streets bordering homes under the watchful eyes of “grandmothers” and “aunts.” Some popular street games are cricket, kabaddi, soccer, gulli-danda, and hopscotch. Among girls, staging weddings with dolls is quite common.

EMIGRANT CHILDREN As of 1990, approximately 1.5 million Indians lived in other countries; over 748,000 Indians lived in the United States. Immigrant children often have to fit into two very different worlds. In areas with a large number of Indian immigrants, such as New York, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, parents often make an attempt to keep their children connected with their native culture and language. This practice shelters the children, but it also isolates them from mainstream American culture. Children of Indian origin who live in areas not densely populated with other Indians face a different dilemma. Their culture is invisible to other children and to teachers. They often stand at the edge of the white middle-class world that they inhabit.

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In an attempt to protect them from the “evils” of life around them, Indian parents allow children little contact with people who do not subscribe to their values. These children find it difficult to be accepted by their peers, and their Indian culture is negated by the media and the adults in their

schools. At the same time they find no meaning in the world that their parents hold out to them. The stories below give readers a glimpse of what it is like to live as an Indian emigrant in a western country. Within India, books for children were not really published until its independence. The oral tradition

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INDIA was, and is still, very much the norm. Stories are told regularly as part of worship experiences in the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Jain religions, and are often accompanied by specific dances and music. The oral tradition is woven into everyday life. Still, after the independence, a concerted effort was made to promote literacy and children’s books proliferated. At this point in time there are many titles available for children. The most popular format is the comic-book style; hundreds of traditional tales are put into this form for the enjoyment of children across the continent. These stories have been found to be popular with American children and are an enjoyable way to impart the cultural mores of India. There is even a web page that provides access to these books in English online (www.freeindia.org/ack/). Stories of India for children appeared in the United States as early as the turn of the century. Most of the stories published in the United States over the years have been drawn from traditional Indian sources, such as the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, the Panchatantra, and the Jataka. In fact, one can find many books of traditional Indian tales in almost any library. A few books, usually fictionalized, describing a child’s life in India have appeared in each decade since the 1930s. These, of course, are not a realistic portrayal of life in India today. Nonfiction series books have been produced by and large according to formula and often have shown only one facet of Indian culture. Fortunately, more recent books have attempted to capture the immense diversity found within India. There have also been some good books describing various religions within India. Very little, however, has been published about the experiences of Indian immigrants to the West.

TRADITIONAL TALES Traditional tales like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata form the backbone of the Hindus’ guide to living right. They are epics written between 200 BC and 500 AD that tell the exploits of the two great Hindu gods, Rama and Krishna, who were both reincarnations of Vishnu. These epic tales describe the wars fought between good and evil and the ultimate triumph of the forces of good. They exemplify the struggle to do the right thing that often goes on within a person. Both epics have been translated into all the Indian languages and are recited every year at major holy festivals.

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Set within the Mahabharata is the Bhagavad Geeta, probably the closest thing to a holy book that Hindus have. In this book, Prince Arjun is reluctant to go to battle, but Krishna explains to him why he must do his duty as a warrior. In doing so he reveals the truth about life and death and explains the proper way to reach God. The Jataka tales, the Panchatantra, and the Puranas are collections of traditional tales and parables that convey moral messages. The Jataka tales have Buddhist origins, while the Panchatantra and the Puranas are derived from Hindu traditions. In fact, it is said that Aesop’s fables have their origins in the Panchatantra. The stories are usually retold or reenacted in Hindu temples and Buddhist chaitras as well as on street corners. To learn more about India’s storytelling traditions, the adult reader can refer to Folktales of India, edited by Brenda E. F. Beck and others (University of Chicago Press, 1987).

RECOMMENDED MATERIALS In the listings that follow, an asterisk (*) denotes materials that contain activities, recipes, crafts, and other ideas useful for programming. K–5. Axworthy, Ann. Anni’s India Diary. Boston: Whispering Coyote Press, 1992. 32pp. As Anni travels with her family throughout India she describes her experiences in a lively manner. The cheerful scrapbook format is filled with colorful illustrations that introduce the reader to many facets of Indian culture. K–5. Atkins, Jeannine. Aani and the Tree Huggers. New York: Lee & Low, 1995. 28pp. By hugging their beloved trees, Aani and the other women in her village prevent them from being cut down. The story is based on the successful environmental movement that took place in northern India in the 1970s, which was inspired by the seventeenth-century story recounted in The People Who Hugged the Trees by Deborah Lee Rose (see below). This is both a good introduction to life in the rural north as well as an empowering book on preservation. The artist, Venantius Pinto, states that his colorful illustrations were inspired by seventeenth-century styles of northern Indian miniature painting.

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2–5. Barry, David, reteller. The Rajah’s Rice: A Mathematical Folktale from India. Scientific American Books for Young Readers. Illus. by Donna Perrone. New York: W. H. Freeman, 1994. 28pp. Offering her the most costly jewels in his kingdom as a reward for curing his sick elephants, the Rajah is only too happy when young Chandra asks for one grain of rice, to be doubled for each square upon his chessboard. Her choice saves her village from hunger and cures the Rajah of his greed. A different version of the story is told by Demi in One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale (Scholastic, 1997). 3–7. Bash, Barbara. In the Heart of the Village: The World of the Indian Banyan Tree. Tree Tales. San Francisco: Sierra Club, 1996. 28pp. On double-page spreads, vibrant and colorful watercolor illustrations show the central role a banyan tree plays in the life of a rural Indian village. The villagers seek its shade for their market, school, after-class play, evening discussion, and theater presentations. Birds, monkeys, and bats rely on the tree as well. This is a beautiful snapshot of life in one Indian village today. The preface recounts an Orissan myth about the origin of the banyan tree. 2–5. Bond, Ruskin. Binya’s Blue Umbrella. Illus. by Vera Rosenberry. Honesdale, Pa.: Boyds Mills, 1995. 68pp. Binya lives in the small village of Tibri in the western Himalayas. While herding her family’s two cows, she comes across wealthy picnickers and trades her leopard-claw necklace for a delicate blue silk umbrella. Little does she know that Ram Bharosa, the local tea-shop owner, plans to make the umbrella his own. A charming tale that effortlessly weaves details of day-to-day life in Tibri in with the story; this is a good choice to read aloud. K–3. _______. The Cherry Tree. Illus. by Allan Eitzen. Honesdale, Pa.: Caroline House, Boyds Mills, 1991. 28pp. This picture book depicts the life of Rakhi, a girl growing up in the Himalayan foothills of northern India, and follows the growth of the cherry tree she planted when she was six. Evocative illustrations give warmth and depth to this appealing story.

P–3. Bonnici, Peter. The Festival. Illus. by Lisa Kopper. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda, 1985. 28pp. While visiting his grandmother, Arjuna learns he will sit with the men at the village’s annual festival. Soft brown and gray watercolor-and-ink drawings bring life to a rural Indian village. “A Note from Arjuna” at the end of the story gives readers more details about Indian festivals and foods. See also Bonnici’s The First Rains (Carolrhoda, 1984). 5–8. Cumming, David. India. Countries of the World. Photographs by Jimmy Holmes. New York: Bookwright, 1989. 48pp. In twenty short chapters, Cumming provides a clear but brief introduction to India. His emphasis on the widely varying geography, cultures, customs, and economy of this vast country is underscored by numerous colorful photographs. The author has an engaging, straightforward style and includes many intriguing details sure to interest readers. 3–5. Dalal-Clayton, Diksha, reteller. The Adventures of Young Krishna: The Blue God of India. New York: Oxford, 1992. 114pp. Eleven tales chronicle the boyhood adventures of the mischievous Krishna, an important Hindu god. Known as much for his pranks as for fighting for good causes, Krishna is much loved in India. Told with a lilting cadence, these stories are well-suited to reading aloud. K–5. Das, Prodeepta. I Is for India. Parsippany, N.J.: Silver Press, 1997. 24pp. Beautiful color photographs capture the richness of life in Orissa, an eastern state in India. The author has chosen a wide variety of subjects to give readers a glimpse into modern-day Indian life. 2 and up. Demi, reteller and illustrator. Buddha Stories. New York: Henry Holt, 1997. 24pp. Ten short Jataka tales, retold in a lively and engaging manner, are presented here in a unique format. Demi has modeled her book on “The world’s first printed book . . . a Buddhist sutra, or teaching, made with woodblocks in 600 AD.” Her delicate pen-and-ink drawings are reproduced in gold on deep indigo paper, creating a visual feast in a traditional stylized design.

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INDIA *3–7. Denny, Roz. A Taste of India. Food around the World. Stamford, Conn.: Thomson Learning, 1994. 48pp. After a brief introduction to India, the author describes regional specialties, typical meals, eating etiquette, descriptions of the main spices and curries, and festival foods. With numerous recipes tailored for children to follow and bright photographs throughout, this is a must for those wishing to explore India through its food. 5–8. Dhanjal, Beryl. Amritsar. Holy Cities. Parsippany, N.J.: Dillon, 1994. 46pp. Amritsar is the most sacred city for the world’s 18.5 million Sikhs. This book describes Amritsar’s history and traditions from its founding by the religion’s fourth guru, Ram Das, to the strained relations it has with the Indian government in the present day. Filled with colorful photographs and illustrations and including explanations of key words found in bold text, this will be a good classroom resource. K–5. Families of India. Video. Families of the World. Wilmington, Del.: Arden Media Resources, 1995. Running time: 30 minutes. Two separate fifteen-minute segments follow the everyday lives of two middle-class children, eight-year-old Raja and five-year-old Bavika, who live in northern Gujarat. Getting ready for school, preparing and eating meals, and bedtime routines offer points of reference for these warm views of life in another culture. 4–8. Field, Dorothy. In the Street of the Temple Cloth Printers. Vancouver, B.C.: Pacific Educational Press, 1996. 36pp. Numerous black-and-white photographs and illustrations highlight the creation of a temple cloth by printer Vaghi and his family. As various parts of the cloth are printed, the author tells the story the pictures relate. This book gives readers a good feel for one family’s life in a western Indian city. 4–8. Fisher, Leonard Everett. Gandhi. Illus. by the author. New York: Atheneum, 1995. 28pp. Bold, full-page illustrations in black and white highlight this concise but compelling account of Gandhi’s extraordinary life and accomplishments. No study of India would be complete without understanding Gandhi’s philosophy and

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his impact on the world. More complete information can be found in Severance’s Gandhi: Great Soul (see below). 5–8. Ganeri, Anita. Exploration into India. New York: New Discovery, 1994. 48pp. This concise history of India is well organized and includes many maps and illustrations that help the reader place events in time and space. It covers events from 1500 BC to the present, showing the many ways in which the subcontinent has been divided politically, as well as the influence India has had on world history. 3–6. ———. What Do We Know about Buddhism? Lincolnwood, Ill.: NTC Publishing Group, 1997. 40pp.; What Do We Know about Hinduism? Lincolnwood, Ill.: NTC Publishing Group, 1996. Dhanjal, Beryl. What Do We Know about Sikhism? Lincolnwood, Ill.: NTC Publishing Group, 1996. How did Buddhism begin? Which are the Hindus’ sacred books? Does Buddhism have any gods? This well-produced series describes a particular religion by answering specific questions such as these. Each double-page spread is surrounded by a colorful, decorative border and addresses one specific question. Numerous photos and colorful illustrations and art reproductions accompany the text. Religious beliefs and practices are described in a matter-of-fact, respectful tone that appears to be from the perspective of a believer rather than an outsider. Explanations of details such as why worshippers do not wear shoes will be sure to intrigue children who want a brief introduction to some of India’s major religions. 5–8. Ganeri, Anita, and Jonardon Ganeri. India. Country Fact Files. Austin, Tex.: Raintree SteckVaughn, 1995. 45pp. An introduction filled with photographs, charts, and lists of key facts provides a broad introduction to India’s geography, resources, trade, transportation, and government. It touches on the roles of religion and tradition in people’s everyday lives, giving a sense of the country’s great diversity. K–3. Gilmore, Rachna. Lights for Gita. Illus. by Alice Priestly. Gardiner, Me.: Tilbury House, 1994. 23pp.

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Having recently moved to Canada, Gita misses her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins as her family prepares for Divali, the Hindu festival of lights. When icy rain prevents her friends from coming over to celebrate, Gita is devastated. But as her diyas, or clay lamps, light up the house when the ice causes a power outage, Gita finds new meaning in Divali. Soft illustrations add to the warmth of this story. 2–5. Gleeson, Brian, reteller. The Tiger and the Brahmin. Illus. by Kurt Vargo. Rowayton, Conn.: Rabbit Ears, 1992. 32pp.; Ben Kingsley Reads “The Tiger and the Brahmin.” (We All Have Tales.) Audiocassette and book. Rowayton, Conn.: Rabbit Ears Productions, 1991. When a holy Brahmin releases him from his cage, Tiger threatens to eat him unless the Brahmin can find someone who feels the tiger’s actions are unjust. Failing in this, the Brahmin despairs until a lowly jackal tricks the tiger. Large, colorful geometric illustrations give this traditional tale a modern edge. The audiocassette presents a polished reading by Ben Kingsley with traditional music played by Ravi Shankar. 3–5. Godden, Rumer. Premlata and the Festival of Lights. Illus. by Ian Andrew. New York: Greenwillow, 1996. 58pp. After her father’s death, times are hard for Premlata and her family. The young Bengali girl is determined, however, to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights held for the goddess Kali, with the traditional clay lamps, or diyas, her family has always used. She comes up with a daring plan that changes the course of her family’s fortunes. K–3. Harvey, Miles. Look What Came from India. New York: Franklin Watts, 1999. 31pp. Many things that are familiar to western children originated in India. Colorful photographs in double-page spreads show such things as food, musical instruments, animals, games, and words. A good companion to other informational books on India.

readers learn about different children, they also discover much about the religious, cultural, and geographic diversity of India. Children and adults will find this a fascinating read. *K–5. Hirst, Mike. India. Food and Festivals. Austin, Tex.: Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1999. 32pp. Brightly colored photographs and illustrations accompany brief explanations of the basic foods found in India. The author then focuses on holidays from three of the country’s religious traditions. Recipes include clear, illustrated directions. *K–4. India: A Portrait of the Country through Its Festivals and Traditions. Ed. by Susie Dawson. Danbury, Conn.: Grolier, 1997. 32pp. Although too slight in its coverage to be considered a “portrait” of India, this does give information on some of the major holidays of the country. Recipes, songs, and craft instructions are included and can easily augment programs or units on India. 2–8. Just A Little Red Dot. Video. Eugene, Ore.: New Dimension Media, 1995. Running time: 32 min. When some students wear red dots, or bindis, on their foreheads as a sign of respect for their new Indian classmate, Parvati, they are shocked and hurt when they are called racist names by other students in the schoolyard. They decide to rename the bindis “cool dots” and work together to change the racist attitudes they encounter. Based on a true story, this is well acted and moving. K–4. Kajpust, Melissa, reteller and illustrator. The Peacock’s Pride. Boston: Disney Press, 1997. 32pp. After he saves the birds’ water hole from an evil viper snake, a peacock becomes impossible to live with, and the others find a way to teach him that “each of us is special in our own way.” Rich colors and large, luminous illustrations make this a great read-aloud.

K–8. Hermes, Jules. The Children of India. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda, 1993. 48pp.

*K to adult. Khanna, Sudarshan, Gita Wolf, and Anushka Ravishankar. Toys and Tales with Everyday Materials. Chennai, India: Tara, 1999. 143pp.

Striking color photographs introduce children from various parts of India, while the accompanying text tells about their lives and activities. As

The result of a workshop on folk toymaking in India, this book gives directions and “troubleshooting tips” for making twenty-five toys with

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INDIA easy-to-find materials. The authors include questions for the children to answer that will prompt them to think about how and why certain toys work the way they do; the book is educational as well as fun. 4 and up. Krishnaswami, Uma, reteller. Shower of Gold: Girls and Women in the Stories of India. Illus. by Maniam Selven. North Haven, Conn.: Linnet, 1999. 125pp. Eighteen stories from Hindu and Buddhist traditions, popular folklore, and historically based legend present strong heroines and the choices they face. Written with a storyteller’s flair, the tales move quickly and reveal much about the cultures from which they derive. Background information and sources are provided. Blackand-white line drawings accompany the text. 6–9. Lal, Sunandini Arora. India. Countries of the World. Milwaukee, Wisc.: Gareth Stevens, 1999. 96pp. Beginning with an extensive overview of India, including its geography, history, government, culture, and arts, this book turns to look at particular “facets of Indian society that make the country unique.” A section on relations with North America includes information on Indian immigrants in Canada and the United States. Color photographs and illustrations are well placed. P–4. Lewin, Ted. Tiger Trek. New York: Macmillan, 1990. 32pp. The author describes some of the animals he sees on a trek through two of India’s national parks, and he traces the path of a tiger in search of food for her cubs. Large, luminous watercolor illustrations give the reader a strong sense of place. K and up. Martin, Rafe, reteller. The Monkey Bridge. Illus. by Fahimeh Amiri. New York: Knopf, 1997. 30pp. Touched and chastened by the Monkey King’s willingness to sacrifice himself for his people, the selfish King of Benares promises to protect the monkeys and their amazing fruit tree. Richly colored illustrations with decorative borders evoke traditional Indian paintings in this tale from the Jatakas.

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*2–5. Mamdani, Shelby. Traditions from India. Cultural Journeys. Austin, Tex.: Steck-Vaughn, 1999. 48pp. Large, colorful photographs and a conversational writing style make this introduction to India easily accessible. Along with a basic overview of the country, this covers food, clothing, music, dance, religion, festivals, and games. Sidebars include activities such as making decorations or cooking. 5–8. Perkins, Mitali. The Sunita Experiment. New York: Little, Brown, 1993. 179pp. Eighth-grader Sunita Sen resents the changes in her life when her grandparents come from Calcutta for an extended visit. Suddenly, her mom is wearing only sarees and has quit her job to stay home and cook Indian meals, and Sunita’s almost-boyfriend Michael is no longer allowed to come over because her grandparents might not consider it “proper.” Sunita learns that her friends are more accepting than she had thought—and so are her grandparents. 2 and up. Philip, Neil, compiler. The Ocean of Story: Fairy Tales from India. Retold by Caroline Ness. Illus. by Jacqueline Mair. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1995. 123pp. This collection of eighteen traditional Indian tales includes a number of antecedents to familiar Western tales, from Andersen’s “The Princess and the Pea” to a version of Cinderella. The stories are well told and move at a brisk pace. From its endpapers to the traditionally designed illustrations, this is an inviting book. 2 and up. Rose, Deborah Lee, adaptor. The People Who Hugged the Trees. Illus. by Birgitta Saflund. Niwot, Colo.: Roberts Rinehart, 1990. 29pp. When the Maharajah’s axemen come to cut down their forest for a new fortress, Amrita and her village hug their trees to save them. Finely detailed illustrations capture the spirit of the story, which, an author’s note explains, is based on a true story with a tragic ending that became the basis for this folktale. Aani and the Tree Huggers, by Jeannine Atkins, recounts a similar, true story that took place in the 1970s (see above). 3 and up. Schmidt, Jeremy. In the Village of the Elephants. Photographs by Ted Wood. New York: Walker, 1994. 30pp.

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Bomman wishes to become a mahout, or elephant driver, like his father. This photo essay traces a day in his life as he helps his father with their elephant Mudumalai. The photographs help explain the text and give an idea of what daily life is like in Bomman’s village of Abhayaranayam. Use this with other books that show urban life and life in other rural areas to provide a more balanced view of modern-day life in India. 5–9. Severance, John B. Gandhi: Great Soul. Boston: Clarion, 1997. 143pp. Describes in detail the events in Gandhi’s life that led to his philosophy of Satyagraha and to India’s eventual freedom from British rule. Good organization, an easygoing writing style, and numerous photographs will keep older readers turning the pages. *3–5. Shalant, Phyllis. Look What We’ve Brought You from India: Crafts, Games, Recipes, Stories, and Other Cultural Activities from Indian Americans. New York: Julian Messner, 1998. 48pp. Easy-to-do projects, colorful illustrations and photographs, and brief explanations of various Indian customs and Indian history make this a good browser for the classroom. 3–5. Shankar, reteller. Treasury of Indian Tales: Book 1. New Delhi, India: Children’s Book Trust, 1993. 105pp. Twelve folk tales told in a storyteller’s voice with much dialog move at a rapid pace. Each has a strong moral and satisfying ending. The watercolor illustrations in black, white, and shades of orange are reminiscent of woodcuts. The illustrations, which are quite different than those found in most western books, are well placed and add interest to the tales. 2–5. Shepard, Aaron, reteller. The Gifts of Wali Dad: A Tale of India and Pakistan. Illus. by Daniel San Souci. New York: Atheneum, 1995. 28pp. When he realizes he has more money than he needs, Wali Dad, a grass cutter, asks his friend the merchant to deliver a golden bracelet to “the noblest lady” in all the world. When she reciprocates, he asks the merchant to bring the gifts to “the noblest man.” As the gift giving becomes more extravagant, Wali Dad is caught in the mid-

dle. Exaggerated illustrations will appeal to children, as will the humorous twists in this tale. 2 to adult. Shepard, Aaron, reteller. Savitri: A Tale of Ancient India. Illus. by Vera Rosenberry. Morton Grove, Ill.: Albert Whitman, 1992. 33pp. When Yama, the god of death, comes to take her husband, Savitri finds a way to outwit him and regain Satyavan’s life. The story of this resourceful princess is one of the best-known tales of the Mahabharata. Full-page watercolors enhance the story and highlight Savitri’s beauty and courage. 2–5. Shivkumar, reteller. Stories from Panchatantra, Book III. Illus. by Debabrata Mukerji. New Delhi, India: Children’s Book Trust, 1993. 65pp. According to the preface, stories of Panchatantra depict nitishastra, or “wise conduct of life.” Children throughout India are familiar with these delightful animal stories, told here with verve and accompanied with soft watercolor illustrations in black, white, and shades of orange. 3–7. Singh, Rina, reteller. The Foolish Men of Agra: And Other Tales of Mogul India. Illus. by Farida Zaman. Toronto, Ont.: Key Porter, 1998. Distributed in the United States by Firefly Books. 48pp. Ten delightfully told tales drawn from the traditional tales of Mogul India are illustrated with zest and humor in colorful watercolors. The stories tell of the adventures of Birbal, a clever Hindu courtier who became the confidante of the great emperor, Akbar. Children will enjoy the way Birbal outwits jealous rivals and extricates innocent people from difficult situations. K–5. Souhami, Jessica, reteller and illustrator. Rama and the Demon King: An Ancient Tale from India. New York: DK, 1997. 30pp. The story of how Rama and his friends rescue his wife Sita from the demon king is told with vivid, collage-style illustrations. 4–6. Sreenivasan, Jyotsna. Aruna’s Journeys. Illus. by Merryl Winstein. St. Louis, Mo.: Smooth Stone Press, 1997. Eleven-year-old Aruna wants to be “a normal American,” and feels out of place in her new school. She does not want to go visit her relatives

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INDIA in India, but the experience teaches her more about herself and makes her feel more comfortable with her heritage—and better able to find her niche in her new community in the United States. 3–5. Tagore, Rabindranath. Amal and the Letter from the King. An adaptation of the play The Post Office, by Rabindranath Tagore, retold by Chitra Gajadin. Honesdale, Pa.: Caroline House, Boyds Mills, 1992. 32pp. A young boy, terminally ill, dreams of playing outside and takes every advantage to talk to those who walk outside his window. The people he speaks with represent both the great and petty aspects of humankind. As an allegory of life and death, the story can be read on many levels. The power of one of India’s greatest poets, who won the 1913 Nobel Prize for literature, is felt by young and old in this tale. This is a story with which almost all Indians are familiar, and will offer much to western readers. K–5. ———. Paper Boats. Illus. by Grayce Bochak. Honesdale, Pa.: Caroline House, Boyds Mills, 1992. 26pp. Nobel Laureate Tagore’s quiet poem describes a boy who daily launches paper boats down a stream, hoping that someone from another country will find them. Bochak’s finely crafted paper illustrations present a modern Indian boy and preserve the delicate mood of the poem. K–3. Yamate, Sandra S. Ashok by Any Other Name. Illus. by Janice Tohinaka. Chicago: Polychrome, 1992. 30pp. Unhappy with his name, Ashok decides to change it to one that sounds more “American.” After a series of mishaps with the names he chooses, Ashok happens to talk with Mr. Fletcher. When he learns that Africans who came to America as slaves were not allowed to keep their own names, Ashok decides that his name might be the best one after all. P–3. Young, Ed, reteller and illustrator. Seven Blind Mice. New York: Philomel, 1992. 38pp. Simple yet striking collages accompany this classic tale of the way that seven blind mice perceive the various parts of an elephant. The contrast Young makes between the huge elephant and the small, brightly colored mice brings home the message of the tale. A Caldecott honor book, this belongs in every collection.

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PROGRAM IDEAS Arts and Crafts MEHNDI DESIGNS

You will need nontoxic, red thin-tipped markers, Alternatively, purchase Alta from a local Indian store or from an Internet site. This is a nontoxic dye that is worn by professional dancers in India. It will wash off easily. You will also need patterns; many are available on the web. Try Rupal Pinto’s website (www.geocities.com/mehndiart) or search the Internet for the term mehndi. Directions: Following a chosen pattern, make designs on a friend’s palm using red markers. Create original designs as well. Directions for younger children: Have children trace their hands on a piece of construction paper or tagboard. Make mehndi designs on the hands. Cut out the final product and mount on colored construction paper.

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LEAF OR FLOWER STREAMERS

RANGOLI

Streamers have religious significance for Hindus. They are hung over doorways to invite the gods into the home on auspicious occasions and produce fragrance in the house. Women string flowers together and wear them in their hair as decorations. Some favorite items for stringing are mango leaves, flowers, and palm leaves. Favorite flowers for women to wear include hibiscus, roses, jasmine, oleander, lilacs, lilies, and lotuses.

Rangolis or kolams, as they are called in the south, are designs usually painted with rice flour on the floor. The colorful patterns are supposed to be gateways to the divine. Rice flour is used so that ants can eat the rice throughout the day; this symbolizes one’s connection to the rest of one’s world. Rangolis can range from very simple geometrical patterns to elaborate motifs that span the entire courtyard. The inspirations for the patterns are usually flowers, fruits, animals, and sacred symbols. They are usually begun with one dot, around which other dots are arranged and connected with each other in a symmetrical pattern. Rangolis were an inspiration for Carl Jung’s concept of a mandala. To learn more about rangoli and see some interesting designs, go to the website Kamat’s Potpourri at www.kamat.com, click Arts of India, and then click Rangoli articles.

Fresh Flower Streamers

Materials needed: Heavy thread or yarn; large yarn needle; assortment of fresh leaves or flowers. (Check with a florist to see if leftover flowers and leaves are available.) Directions: Using a four- to six-foot length of heavy thread or yarn, older children can tie the thread around each flower or leaf stem to make a colorful streamer. Younger children can poke a hole through the plants with a plastic yarn needle and pull the yarn through it. Tissue Paper Flower Streamers

Materials needed: Large squares of butcher paper, or a sidewalk or floor; white paper; bag of flour, powdered tempera, and large bowls to make colored flour; funnel; sidewalk chalk (for younger children to use instead of flour).

Materials needed: Tissue paper; scissors; needle; heavy thread.

Directions:

Directions:

1. Color the flour. For each color, place two cups of flour into a bowl, and add one tablespoon of powdered tempera paint. Stir well.

1. Cut three or four layers of colored tissue paper into squares. Fold in half. Fold in half again. 2. Cut the loose corners into a petal shape. 3. Open up the tissue. Sew the layers together using a double-knotted thread. Gently pinch the flowers into a realistic shape with your fingers. 4. Cut leaf shapes from green tissue paper. 5. String twenty or thirty finished flowers on a four-foot length of heavy thread, using a needle or tying each on individually. Intersperse the leaf shapes with the flowers as they are sewn onto the streamer.

2. Trace a design on a piece of white paper with a pencil. Make the dots for the design, then connect the dots. 3. When the design is complete, make dots on the ground or the large piece of butcher paper using a small amount of flour. Connect the dots by letting a small amount of flour trickle from your fingers in a line. This can be difficult for younger children, who may want to use a large funnel and “tap” the flour out of the end of the funnel to make the line. Some children may prefer to use sidewalk chalk to make their designs.

RAKHI BRACELET

A rakhi bracelet can be woven from thick strands of embroidery thread and tied to the wrist. To decorate it further, buttons or beads might be added. For specific directions, check with your local craft store, or see India: A Portrait of the Country through its Festivals and Traditions, page 15, listed in Recommended Materials.

D I YA L A M P

Materials needed: a piece of clay about two inches in diameter (use clay that will air-harden); a small, squat candle (inexpensive ones are available at most craft stores); paint (tempera or finger-paint); brushes.

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INDIA Directions: 1. Gently push your thumb into the clay. Smooth it out and make a flat bottom on the inside that will hold the candle. Insert the candle to be sure it fits well, then remove it. 2. Let the diya dry for a few days. 3. When the diya is dry, paint it with bright colors. Use a picture book that shows traditional Indian designs for inspiration! 4. When the paint is dry, place the candle inside.

Children’s Games For street games of India that all children will enjoy, visit the Pitara website (www.pitara.com/activities/ indiangames/index.htm). S O T O PA N I

Sotopani is a version of “Drop the Handkerchief.” Materials needed: a scarf or handkerchief.

2. To begin the game, place seven tiles on top of each other in the middle of the yard. The opposing team throws a ball at the pile toppling them down. 3. One member of the “It” team throws the ball back at the members of the opposing team. The “It” team rearranges the toppled tiles, one on top of the other, while the opposing team throws the ball back at the pile or at a player. The “It” team throws the ball back at the opposing team, trying to hit a player. 4. Players who are hit by the ball (on either team) are considered “dead” and can no longer help their teammates. If an “It” team member accidentally hits the tiles with the ball, a “dead” player returns to the game. 5. When the “It” team successfully piles all seven tiles on top of each other, the “It” team wins the game. The opposing team becomes “It” for the next game.

Directions: 1. The players sit in a circle, while one player is assigned to be “It”. 2. “It” runs around the outside of the circle several times. He surreptitiously drops the scarf behind one of the players. Everybody else except the person behind whom it has been dropped can see that it has been dropped, and they try their best not to give it away. 3. When the target person realizes that the scarf has been dropped behind her, she picks it up and tries to tag “It.” “It” dodges her and attempts to sit down in her vacated position before being tagged. 4. If “It” succeeds, the target person becomes “It.” If the target person tags “It” before he can take her place, he remains “It” for another turn. LAGORI (SEVEN TILES)

The object of lagori, or seven-tiles, is for children on one team to pile seven tiles on top of each other before children on the opposing team can hit the pile with a ball. Materials needed: seven tiles (or flat rocks), a rubber ball or tennis ball. Directions: 1. The players are divided into two teams. One team is assigned to be “It” and the other is the opposing team.

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Festivals The customs for each holiday vary widely from region to region, as do the reasons for celebrating a particular festival. Even the names of the gods and goddesses differ from region to region. For this reason, the programs for each festival below are only suggestions. Feel free to “mix and match” the recipes, games, crafts, and music listed here with others in this section. Instructions for making Indian toys, for example, are found in Toys and Tales with Everyday Materials by Sudarshan Khanna, and on the Pitara website (www.pitara. com/activities/indiangames/index.htm). Activities that are customarily undertaken for a particular holiday are denoted with an asterisk (*). It is suggested that programmers contact a member of the Asian Indian group in their area to invite a resource person to speak about India and to assist with program planning. This invitation would be welcomed and would help ensure authenticity of the program and the information presented. D I WA L I

Diwali, which literally means “the festival of lights,” is the most important holiday for Hindus. In this three-day celebration, each day marks a different event in the mythological life of Hindu deities. In the northern part of India, this festival also celebrates the day that Ram and Sita returned after killing the cruel demon Ravan. To celebrate, new

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clothes are purchased and oil lamps and candles are lit on the balconies and verandahs of homes to guide the deities into the home. Setting off firecrackers and playing with sparklers is an exciting part of Diwali. In the United States, Diwali is the major Indian holiday of the year. Indian communities organize a number of events that involve singing songs, performing ritual dances, eating Indian food, and visiting together. Celebrate Diwali by reading a version of the story of how Rama defeats the demon king or by reading a story about Lakshmi—see Rama and the Demon King, retold by Jessica Souhami. Cook Indian food. Make Rangoli designs. Make flower and leaf streamers. Play some games from India. Have some diya lamps* ready for the children to decorate. Light all the lamps at once and listen to Indian music. Read Premlata and the Festival of Lights by Rumer Godden, Lights for Gita by Rachna Gilmore, or India by Donna Bailey and Malcolm Rodgers to learn more about Diwali.

Listen to music by Dya Singh, a Sikh musician, on www.sikhnet.com or on one of his CDs. RAKSHA-BANDHEN

The holiday of Raksha-Bandhen usually occurs in March. It symbolizes the bonds between brother and sister. Accepting a rakhi, or braided bracelet, from a girl means the boy will be responsible for protecting her. When she gives him a rakhi, he must give a gift in return, such as a small toy or a scarf. This ritual is taken very seriously in India. The girls do not wear the bracelets—only the boys wear them. To celebrate Raksha-Bandhen, the girls can make a rakhi bracelet* for a brother or a male friend, and the boys can make a small toy* to give as a gift. See Toys and Tales with Everyday Materials by Sudarshan Khanna, or consult the Pitara website (www.pitara.com/activities/indiangames/index. htm). While making these crafts, listen to Indian music and read some Indian folktales. Make Indian food for snacks. RAMADAN

H A R V E S T F E S T I VA L S : S A N K R AT I , PONGAL, AND BAISAKHI

Sankrati, Pongal, and Baisakhi are festivals that mark the beginning of the harvest season in India. In south and central India the celebrations are called Sankrati and Pongal, and they are called Baisakhi in the northwest. Baisakhi marks the day that Gautham Buddha received his enlightenment and the day the Sikh Guru Gobind Singh created the Khalsa (the Sikh temple) in Amritsar. To celebrate the harvest, create an open-air market, and fill it with books, pictures, and maps of India. Decorate the market with Indian scarves or fabric. Display a number of Indian foods and spices, including a number of fresh vegetables to represent the harvest. Decorate the room with flower streamers. Listen to Indian music. Since rice symbolizes a good harvest in India, cook some Indian rice dishes. In south India, people begin cooking rice early in the morning. When it boils over, everyone yells “Pongolo Pongal!” The rice is first given to the family cow. The cow, an important source of milk, is decorated with ribbons and colored vegetable dyes. Children can decorate pictures of cows with ribbons and buttons and colored paints or markers. For Baisakhi, learn more about the Sikh religion and its history by reading Amritsar, by Beryl Dhanjal. Go to the Sikh website at www.sikhnet. com for further information and for Sikh stories.

Ramadan is a Muslim festival that calls for all observers to fast during daylight hours for the month of Ramadan on the Islamic calendar (since the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, the months are shorter than months on the traditional calendar and are not parallel to them. In 2001, Ramadan begins November 17). Fasting begins before dawn and is broken at dusk. When the new moon comes at the end of the month the Eid celebrations begin. Families and friends visit one another, and many wonderful foods are prepared for the Eid day meal. At the end of the meal children receive presents. Many people have mehndi on their hands and feet, using a special dye to decorate them with beautiful designs. Learn more about the Muslim religion and about Ramadan in particular. Make and enjoy a typical Eid day dish of milk pudding with rice. Make some Indian toys to give to a friend. Decorate hands with mehndi* designs. Play some Indian music.

WEBSITES Amar Chitra Katha Comics. www.freeindia.org/ack/ Read over 300 comic book versions of Indian stories on the web. Many of India’s traditional tales are found here. Purchasing information is included on the site.

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INDIA Pitara for Kids. Electronic magazine and virtual community for children. www.pitara.com A plethora of activities, from reading a story online to making Indian toys to learning how to play Indian games. INDOlink www.indolink.com Fun games, a riddle of the day, and stories can be found by clicking on “Kids” under the heading “Family” on this website.

teachers to use to research specific topics. Find music for children to listen to by clicking on “Entertainment” and then on “Music.”

RESOURCES Arden Resources 1105 N. Franklin Street Wilmington, DE 19806 302-571-1754 Fax: 402-571-1744 [email protected]

India on Internet www.allindia.com Click Indiaguide.com on this informative website and take a tour of one of India’s major cities, go on a safari in one of the national parks, find out about some of India’s national monuments, or discover some of the adventure sports the country has to offer.

Association of Grandparents of Indian Immigrants (AGII) 2619 Bradwell Court Baltimore, MD 21234 410-661-8659 www.indolink.com/AGII Offers inexpensive audio/visual materials of selected Indian stories in English.

India World www.indiaworld.co.in This all-encompassing site takes time to explore, but it has fascinating information for teachers, including the history of India and travelogs of various parts of the country. Parts of the site can be used with children. Makar Records www.makar-records.com Source for classical Indian music that has been recorded in India. The website includes descriptions of Indian classical music and of Indian instruments along with brief biographical entries of Indian musicians and recordings of their music. Sikhnet www.sikhnet.com This site serves as a connection for Sikhs throughout the world. Click on “Youth and Children” and read some Sikh stories, or download pictures to color. Click on “Jukebox” in the Gurbani section to listen to Sikh music. SurfIndia www.surfindia.com A good jumping-off point for finding other websites about India. It is a good source for

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Beacon Films 1560 Sherman Avenue, Suite 100 Evanston, IL 60201 800-323-9084 Cherdi Kala 436 N. Bedford Drive, Suite 308 Beverly Hills, CA 90210 310-550-6893 Sikh music available for purchase. Children’s Book Trust Nehru House 4 Bahadur, Shah Zafar Marg New Delhi 110002 India 91-11-3316970-74 Fax: 91-11-3721090 [email protected]. www.childrensbooktrust.com Indian stories in English available for purchase. GPN 1800 North 33rd Street PO Box 80669 Lincoln, NE 65801 402-472-2007, 800-228-4630 Video source.

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Jewish-American Jay Jacoby and Lenora Stein

The difficulty of defining what actually constitutes Jewish culture may account for the omission of this group from some multicultural programming. Unlike other groups represented in this collection, Jews are not a race or nationality. They may be studied as a group whose faith is different from that of other groups, but not all Jews share the same religious beliefs. As Rabbi Benjamin Blech notes, “even though Judaism is monotheistic, it’s not monolithic.” (See The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Jewish History and Culture. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999, p. 5.) Ultimately, as another rabbi observes, the “kinship felt by the Jewish people may be more of a ‘mystical’ experience than a rationally definable one.” (See Donin, Hayim. To Be a Jew: A Guide to Jewish Observance in Contemporary Life. New York: Basic Books, 1991, p. 7.) Nonetheless, whether Jews are bound together by religion, politics, or folklore, one fact remains clear: most Jews do hope to preserve their identity and to have that identity recognized by the majority culture. We hope that the resources and programming that we have recommended will serve to expand significantly young people’s knowledge and understanding of Jewish culture. In particular, we hope that rather than perceiving Jews almost exclusively as victims, our audiences will recognize the distinctive nature of Jewish history and culture and the various contributions the culture has made to civilization over the past 6,000 years.

RECOMMENDED MATERIALS The following bibliography of nearly one hundred recent works in print can assist individuals in

launching children’s programs that relate to Judaism and Jewish Americans. In assembling the bibliography, we are indebted to the Jewish juvenile book compilations created by Marcia W. Posner during the past several years for the Jewish Book Annual (see Resources). In selecting materials, we focused primarily on works that illuminate Judaic principles and practices and Jewish history and culture in the United States. Omitted from our selections are Bible stories retold for children. While Moses, David, and Ruth qualify as Jewish heroes, it should be understood that Jews hold no monopoly on such figures. We also chose not to include books dealing with Jewish life outside of the United States, other than works based on folklore. There is diversity enough in the lifestyles of Jews in the United States; we felt that considering Jewish life in Israel, Russia, or Argentina went beyond the scope of this collection. Finally, we elected not to include works treating the Holocaust—a most difficult decision. Nearly 20 percent of all Jewish children’s books published annually deal in some way with the Holocaust. The events surrounding the eradication of two-thirds of Europe’s Jews have been indelibly impressed on Jewish life in the second half of the twentieth century. Many fine bibliographies of works for young readers already exist on this subject. (See, for example, Stephens, Elaine C., Jean E. Brown, and Janet E. Rubin. Learning about the Holocaust: Literature and Other Resources for Young People. New Haven, Conn.: Shoe String, 1995.) We chose not to list works that deal exclusively with the Holocaust in order to prevent the identification many people make between Jews and the Holocaust, which, unfortunately, is often made to

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JEWISH-AMERICAN the total exclusion of anything else that would also constitute Jewish identity. (See Stotsky, Sandra. “Is the Holocaust the Chief Contribution of the Jewish People to World Civilization and History? A Survey of Leading Literature Anthologies and Reading Instructional Textbooks.” English Journal [February 1996]: 52–59.) Unquestionably, study of the Holocaust is a significant addition to any school curriculum, but its inclusion is better suited for discussions of racial oppression than as a substitute for the study of an ethnic American culture. 4–8. Bader, Bonnie. East Side Story. New York: Silver Moon, 1995. 108pp. The story of a young woman’s struggle to improve working conditions in the sweatshops of New York’s Lower East Side in the early twentieth century.

A rich source book of information on religious customs, holidays, history, crafts, cooking, stories, and more. 4–8. _______. Our Land of Israel. New York: Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 1998. 152pp. In addition to providing information about the history and geography of Israel, this text also focuses on the important connections between American Jews and Israel. 3–6. Bush, Lawrence. Ema Ansky-Levine and Her Mitzvah Machine. Illus. by Joel Iskowitz. New York: Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 1998. 115pp. A computer helps a bat mitzvah girl become more aware of her Jewish identity.

K–3. Bar-Nissim, Barbara. The Jews: One People. Illus. by Marlene L. Ruthen. New York: United Synagogue Book Service, 1989. 55pp.

4–8. Chaikin, Miriam. Menorahs, Mezuzas, and Other Jewish Symbols. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1990. 102pp.

Jews live in many different places and look different from one another, but they are all one people. A well-illustrated introduction for young readers.

An essential introduction to many Jewish symbols and rituals.

5–8. Berkow, Ira. Hank Greenberg: Hall-of-Fame Slugger. Illus. by Mick Ellison. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1991. 108pp. Biography of the first Jewish player to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. 3–6. Blanc, Esther Silverstein. Berchick. Illus. by Tennessee Dixon. Volcano, Calif.: Volcano, 1989. 32pp. How a Jewish family maintained its identity on the Wyoming prairie. Berchick is the pony they must leave behind when they move to the city. Winner of the National Jewish Book Award for picture books in 1990.

K–3. Cohen, Barbara. Make a Wish, Molly. Illus. by Jan Naimo Jones. New York: Yearling, 1995. 48pp. A young Russian-Jewish immigrant struggles with the issue of not violating Passover restrictions (such as not eating baked goods with leavening) while attending a secular birthday celebration. 4–6. Cohn, Janice. The Christmas Menorahs: How a Town Fought Hate. Illus. by Bill Farnsworth. Morton Grove, Ill.: Albert Whitman, 1995. 40pp. Based on an actual incident in Montana, this book tells the story of how citizens joined together to fight racial prejudice by aiding a Jewish family during the festival of Hanukkah.

4–8. Blos, Joan W. Brooklyn Doesn’t Rhyme. Illus. by Paul Birling. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994. 96pp.

4–8. Cone, Molly. Listen to the Trees: Jews and the Earth. Illus. by Roy Doty. New York: Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 1998. 84pp.

Sensitively rendered vignettes of a Polish immigrant family in New York before World War I.

Drawing upon the Torah, this book provides a variety of teachings about human responsibility for the earth, animals, plants, and so on.

3–8. Burstein, Chaya M. The Jewish Kid’s Catalog. 8th rev. Illus. by the author. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1993. 224pp.

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4–8. _______. The Mystery of Being Jewish. New York: Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 1989. 176pp.

JEWISH-AMERICAN

Short biographies of twenty famous Jews, ranging individuals from such as Woody Allen and Barbra Streisand to Albert Einstein and Golda Meir. K–3. Drucker, Malka. The Family Treasury of Jewish Holidays. Illus. by Nancy Patz. New York: Little, Brown, 1999. 192pp. Songs, recipes, and stories in a remarkably thorough survey of how the Jewish holidays are celebrated. P–2. Fishman, Cathy. On Hanukkah. Illus. by Melanie Hall. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1998. 40pp.

P–2. Gilman, Phoebe. Something from Nothing. Illus. by the author. New York: Scholastic, 1993. 27pp. Retelling of a folktale about a community where nothing goes to waste. Winner of the 1993 Sydney Taylor Book Award from the Jewish Library Association. 5–8. Goldin, Barbara. Bat Mitzvah: A Jewish Girl’s Coming of Age. Illus. by Erika Weihs. New York: Viking, 1995. 139pp. An ideal introduction to the meaning of this coming-of-age event in the life cycle of Jewish girls.

Easy-to-understand information on the history and customs of the holiday Hanukkah.

3–6. _______. Fire! The Beginnings of the Labor Movement. Illus. by James Watling. New York: Puffin, 1997. 64pp.

P–2. _______. On Passover. Illus. by Melanie Hall. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. 40pp.

An eleven-year-old girl’s account of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, an event that helped launch the labor movement in the United States.

Passover is explained to a young girl. Hall’s illustrations are exquisite. P–2. _______. On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Illus. by Melanie Hall. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. 40pp. The Jewish High Holidays as seen through the eyes of a young girl. 3–8. Freedman, E. B., et al. What Does Being Jewish Mean? Read-Aloud Responses to Questions Jewish Children Ask about History, Culture, and Religion. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1991. Clear, nondenominational explanations of a variety of issues relating to Jewish culture and religion. 6–8. Freedman, Suzanne. Louis Brandeis: The People’s Justice. Berkeley Heights, N.J.: Enslow, 1996. 104pp. A biography of the first Jew nominated to the United States Supreme Court. P–2. Geras, Adele, compiler. A Treasury of Jewish Stories. Illus. by Jane Cope. New York: Kingfisher, 1996. 160pp. Geras has compiled a rich collection of folktales drawn from classic Jewish texts. Stories are followed by questions to reinforce moral themes.

K–3. ______. The Magician’s Visit. Illus. by Robert Andrew Parker. New York: Puffin, 1995. 32pp. An adaptation of I. L. Peretz’s Yiddish tale about one of the many mysterious and charitable appearances of Elijah the prophet. 3–6. _______. The Passover Journey: A Seder Companion. Illus. by Neil Waldman. New York: Puffin, 1997. 64pp. A thorough retelling of the Exodus story which includes thoughtful commentary on the traditions surrounding the Passover meal. P–2. _______. The World’s Birthday: A Rosh Hashanah Story. Illus. by Jeanette Winter. Minneapolis: Econo-Clad, 1999. 32pp. The meaning of the holiday becomes clear as a young boy seeks to bake a cake for the world’s birthday. P–2. Goldreich, Gloria. Ten Traditional Jewish Children’s Stories. Illus. by Jeffrey Allon. New York: Pitspopany, 1996. 48pp. Tales from nineteenth- and twentieth-century Europe by an award-winning author. P–2. Greenberg, Melanie Hope. Blessings: Our Jewish Ceremonies. Illus. by the author.

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JEWISH-AMERICAN Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1995. 32pp. An introduction to several basic ceremonies, accompanied by brightly colored paintings. P–2. Heller, Linda. The Castle on Hester Street. Illus. by the author. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1990. 32pp. A grandfather tells tall tales of coming to America, but a grandmother sets the record straight. Association of Jewish Librarians Best Book Award. 5–8. Henry, Sondra, and Emily Taitz. Everyone Wears His Name: A Biography of Levi Strauss. Parsippany, N.J.: Silver Burdett, 1990. 112pp. A thorough life story of the German-Jewish manufacturer of blue jeans. 3–6. Herman, Charlotte. What Happened to Heather Hopkowitz? Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1994. 186pp. An assimilated Jewish girl spends a month with an observant Orthodox Jewish family and begins to appreciate traditional rituals. 3–6. Hesse, Karen. Letters from Rifka. New York: Puffin, 1993. In letters to a cousin, a young girl relates all that happens to her on her journey from Berdichev, Russia, to Ellis Island. Winner of the National Jewish Book Award for children’s books in 1993 and the 1992 Sydney Taylor Book Award from the Jewish Library Association.

A ten-year-old girl from a nonobservant Jewish family begins to explore her religious heritage. 3–6. Jaffe, Nina. The Uninvited Guest and Other Jewish Holiday Tales. Illus. by Elivia. New York: Scholastic, 1995. 72pp. An outstanding collection of folklore and legends surrounding Jewish holidays. Winner of the 1993 Sydney Taylor Book Award from the Jewish Library Association. 3–6. _______, and Steve Zeitlin. While Standing on One Foot: Puzzle Stories and Wisdom Tales from the Jewish Tradition. Illus. by John Segal. New York: Henry Holt, 1996. 128pp. A fine collection of seventeen tales in which Jewish heroes resolve conflicts. This book sheds great insight into Jewish teachings through the ages. K–4. Kimmel, Eric A. The Adventures of Herschel of Ostropol. Illus. by Trina Schart Hyman. New York: Holiday House, 1998. 64pp. A fine collection of seven tales of a classic Jewish luftmensch, a person who manages to pull his living from the air. 5–8. _______. Bar Mitzvah: A Jewish Boy’s Coming of Age. Illus. by Erika Weihs. New York: Puffin, 1997. 160pp. An ideal introduction to the meaning of this coming-of-age event in the life cycle of Jewish boys (see also Goldin, Bat Mitzvah: A Jewish Girl’s Coming of Age, above).

6–8. Hoobler, Dorothy, and Thomas Hoobler. The Jewish American Family Album. New York: Oxford, 1998. 128pp.

3–6. _______. Days of Awe: Stories for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Illus. by Erika Weihs. New York: Puffin, 1993. 48pp.

An essential history of Jews in nineteenthand twentieth-century America, richly illustrated with photographs, which emphasizes not only family life but also the contributions made by Jews in the United States.

Three traditional stories follow the author’s explanation of the Jewish High Holidays. P–2. _______. A Hanukkah Treasury. Illus. by Emily Lisker. New York: Henry Holt, 1998. 112pp.

5–8. Hurwitz, Johanna. Leonard Bernstein: A Passion for Music. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1993. 72pp.

A rich compilation of stories, history, recipes, songs, and other information.

A biography of the great Jewish-American composer and conductor.

K–4. _______. Onions and Garlic: An Old Tale. Illus. by Katya Arnold. New York: Holiday House, 1996. 32pp.

4–8. _______. Once I Was a Plum Tree. Illus. by Ingrid Fetz. New York: William Morrow, 1992. 160pp.

Retelling of a classic story in which a young boy trades a king onions for treasure.

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P–2. Kimmelman, Leslie. Hooray! It’s Passover! Illus. by John Kimmelman. New York: Harper Trophy, 1997. 24pp.

4–6. Mayerson, Evelyn Wilde. The Cat Who Escaped from Steerage: A Bubbemeiser. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1990. 64pp.

A family celebrates the Passover holiday with the ritual meal, a seder.

The odyssey of a nine-year-old Polish girl and a cat on their voyage to America.

2–4. Kolatch, Alfred J. The Jewish Child’s First Book of Why. Illus. by Harry Araten. Middle Village, N.Y.: Jonathan David, 1992. 32pp.

6–8. Meachum, Virginia. Steven Spielberg: Hollywood Filmmaker. Berkeley Heights, N.J.: Enslow, 1996. 112pp.

Easy-to-understand explanations of thirtytwo Jewish ceremonies and customs.

A biography, with some emphasis on how Spielberg’s Jewish heritage influenced his vocation and on the making of Schindler’s List.

P–2. Kuskin, Karla. A Great Miracle Happened There: A Chanukah Story. Illus. by Robert A. Parker. Minneapolis: Econo-Clad Books, 1999. 32pp. Fine illustrations highlight this story, which offers both history and family traditions. 3–6. Levine, Ellen. If Your Name Was Changed at Ellis Island. Illus. by Wayne Parmenter. New York: Scholastic, 1994. 80pp. A clear account of what immigrants experienced when they entered the United States at Ellis Island. Easy-to-read question-and-answer format. 5–8. Levitin, Sonia. Annie’s Promise. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996. 192pp. A novel of a young girl’s experiences at an overnight camp, which include encounters with an anti-Semitic bully. 2–5. Liss-Levinson, Nechama. When a Grandparent Dies: A Kid’s Own Remembering Workbook for Dealing with Shiva and the Year Beyond. Illus. by Karen Savery. Woodstock, Vt.: Jewish Lights, 1995. 48pp. An introduction to the various customs surrounding death and the period of mourning (shiva), emphasizing how to remember those who have died.

2–5. Nathan, Joan. The Children’s Jewish Holiday Kitchen: Seventy Ways to Have Fun with Your Kids and Make Your Family’s Celebrations Special. Illus. by Brooke Scudder. New York: Random House, 1995. 157pp. Recipes and activities for Jewish holidays throughout the year are combined with the author’s memoirs and family history. K–3. Oberman, Sheldon. The Always Prayer Shawl. Illus. by Ted Lewin. New York: Puffin, 1997. 40pp. A wonderfully illustrated story of how a family keeps tradition alive as a prayer shawl is passed from generation to generation. Winner of the National Jewish Book Award for picture books and the Sydney Taylor Book Award from the Jewish Library Association in 1994. 1–4. Pearl, Sydelle. Elijah’s Tears: Stories for the Jewish Holidays. Illus. by Rossitza Penney. New York: Henry Holt, 1997. Five stories place the Jewish holidays in a very human context. 5–8. Perl, Lila. Isaac Bashevis Singer: The Life of a Storyteller. Illus. by Donna Ruff. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1994. 102pp. Biography of one of our greatest JewishAmerican authors with insights into his life in Poland and America.

P–2. Manushkin, Fran. Starlight and Candles: The Joy of the Sabbath. Illus. by Jacqueline Chwast. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995. 32pp.

K–4. Podwal, Mark. Golem: A Giant Made of Mud. Illus. by the author. New York: Greenwillow, 1995. 32pp.

A story of how one Jewish family celebrates the Sabbath, complete with blessings and a glossary.

A richly illustrated retelling of the classic folk legend of a creature created to protect Jews from persecution, but who eventually runs out of control.

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JEWISH-AMERICAN P–2. Polacco, Patricia. Mrs. Katz and Tush. Illus. by the author. New York: Dell, 1994. 32pp. An elderly Jewish woman and an AfricanAmerican child share Passover with a cat. P–2. _______. Tikvah Means Hope. Illus. by the author. New York: Bantam, 1996. 40pp. A story of the holiday of sukkot in which a cat named Tikvah survives a fire by taking refuge in a sukkah, a portable shelter built for the holiday. K–4. Prose, Francine. The Angel’s Mistake: Stories of Chelm. Illus. by Mark Podwal. New York: Greenwillow, 1997. 24pp. Tales of the origin and fate of a city inhabited entirely by fools. K–4. _______. Dybbuk: A Story Made in Heaven. Illus. by Mark Podwal. New York: Greenwillow, 1996. 24pp. A wedding is interrupted by a dybbuk, a spirit who is restless because of unfinished business on earth.

legend. Winner of the 1997 Jewish Book Award for children’s books. 2–4. Rose, Deborah Lee. The Rose Horse. Illus. by Greg Shed. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1995. 60pp. A story of Coney Island in the early twentieth century, revealing not only Jewish heritage but also the art and craft of the Jewish carvers of carousel animals. K–3. Rosen, Michael J. Elijah’s Angel: A Story for Chanukah and Christmas. Illus. by Aminah Robinson. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1992. 32pp. The story of the friendship between a nineyear-old boy and an African-American barber. Inspired by a real figure, this is a fine tale of interfaith understanding. Winner of the National Jewish Book Award for picture books in 1993. P–4. Ross, Kathy. The Jewish Holiday Craft Book. Illus. by Melinda Levine. Brookfield, Conn.: Millbrook Press, 1997. 96pp.

K–4. _______. You Never Know: A Legend of the Lamed-Vavniks. Illus. by Mark Podwal. New York: Greenwillow, 1998. 24pp.

Over fifty projects that are fun and easy to assemble, relating to ten Jewish holidays.

The legend of thirty-six righteous people (whose identities remain secret) who keep the world from being destroyed.

P–2. Rothenberg, Joan. Inside-Out Grandma. Illus. by the author. New York: Hyperion, 1997. 32pp.

2–4. Pushker, Gloria. A Belfer Bar Mitzvah. Illus. by Judith Hierstein. Gretna, La.: Pelican, 1995. 32pp.

A comic bubbemeise (grandmother tale) about a woman who wears her clothes inside out to help her to remember to buy oil to make potato pancakes.

A clear explanation of the ceremony surrounding a Jewish boy’s coming of age as perceived through the perspective of a nine-year-old girl. P–2. Rael, Elsa Okun. When Zaydeh Danced on Eldridge Street. Illus. by Marjorie Priceman. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. 40pp. A young girl and her grandfather share the holiday of Simchas Torah. Winner of the 1997 Sydney Taylor Book Award from the Jewish Library Association. 6–8. Rogasky, Barbara. The Golem: A Version. Illus. by Trina Schart Hyman. New York: Holiday House, 1996. 96pp. A sophisticated retelling of the classic Jewish

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K–3. _______. Yettele’s Feathers. Illus. by the author. New York: Hyperion, 1996. 40pp. A folktale about the dangers of spreading rumors. Great moral advice. P–2. Sanfield, Steve. Strudel, Strudel, Strudel. Illus. by Emily Lisker. New York: Orchard, 1995. 32pp. A classic Chelm tale about a couple’s scatterbrained plans to save money. 3–6. Schnur, Steven. The Koufax Dilemma. Illus. by Meryl Treatner. New York: William Morrow, 1997. 96pp. A young boy must choose between baseball and loyalty to his faith.

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K–3. _______. The Tie Man’s Miracle: A Chanukah Tale. Illus. by Stephen T. Johnson. New York: William Morrow, 1995. 32pp.

5–8. Sherman, Eileen Bluestone. Independence Avenue. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1990. 164pp.

A sensitively told story that combines the miracle of Chanukah with the reality of surviving the Holocaust.

The story of a fourteen-year-old RussianJewish immigrant who arrives in Kansas City in 1907.

P–2. Schotter, Roni. Hanukkah! Illus. by Marilyn Hafner. New York: Little, Brown, 1993.

5–8. Sherman, Josepha, compiler. Rachel the Clever and Other Jewish Folktales. Little Rock, Ark.: August House, 1993. 171pp.

Five children celebrate the holiday in a heartwarming book for very young readers. Winner of the 1991 National Jewish Book Award for picture books. P–2. _______. Purim Play. Illus. by Marilyn Hafner. New York: Little, Brown, 1998. The story behind the festival of Purim, complete with a traditional recipe and lots of fun. K–3. Schram, Peninnah. Ten Classic Jewish Children’s Stories. Illus. by Jeffrey Allon. New York: Pitspopany, 1998. 48pp. Stories that link the written and oral tradition to the Jewish people. Each tale is followed by a Now Consider This section. 3–6. Schwartz, Howard. The Diamond Tree: Jewish Tales from around the World. Illus. by Uri Shulevitz. New York: HarperCollins, 1998. 112pp. Fifteen world tales, skillfully retold and beautifully illustrated. Winner of the 1991 Sydney Taylor Book Award from the Jewish Library Association. K–3. _______. A Journey to Paradise and Other Jewish Tales. Illus. by Giora Carmi. New York: Pitspopany, 1999. 48pp.

A rich and varied collection of forty-six readable folktales representing Jews from around the world. 3–6. Siegel, Danny. Tell Me a Mitzvah: Little and Big Ways to Repair the World. Illus. by Judith Friedman. Rockville, Md.: Kar-Ben, 1993. 64pp. Twelve stories of people who engaged in tikkun olam, making the world a better place, with suggestions of how young readers can also get involved. 4–6. Siskind, Leda. The Hopscotch Tree. New York: Bantam, 1995. 128pp. A young girl confronts anti-Semitism at school and overcomes it with the help of a Yiddish proverb. 2–4. Sperber, Chana, and Daniel Sperber. The Ten Best Jewish Children’s Stories. Illus. by Jeffrey Allon. New York: Pitspopany, 1995. 48pp. A collection of brightly illustrated, readable stories that impart important ethical lessons. 4–8. Stark, Mark. Mark Stark’s Amazing Jewish Cookbook for the Entire Family. Illus. by the author. Los Angeles: Alef Design, 1997. 320pp.

Folktales that focus on the question of how we are judged by God.

Delightfully illustrated, easy-to-follow, and informative recipes for all the Jewish holidays and beyond.

3–6. _______, and Barbara Rush. A Coat for the Moon and Other Jewish Tales. Illus. by Michael Iofin. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1999. 81pp.

5–8. Stern, Ellen Norman. Elie Wiesel: A Voice for Humanity. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1996. 168pp.

Classic Jewish tales from around the world. P–2. Schwartz, L ynne Sharon. The Four Questions. Illus. by Ori Sherman. New York: Puffin, 1994. 32pp. Extraordinary illustrations of animals and text explain the meaning of Passover.

An outstanding biography of the Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner. K–3. Techner, David, and Judith Hirt Manheimer. A Candle for Grandpa: A Guide to the Jewish Funeral for Children and Parents. Illus. by Joel Iskowitz. New York: Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 1993. 32pp.

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JEWISH-AMERICAN An excellent introduction to Jewish funeral practices, as explained by an eleven-year-old boy. 5–8. Weissenberg, Fran. The Streets Are Paved with Gold. Niwot, Colo.: Roberts Rinehart, 1990. 160pp. An eighth-grader attempts to reconcile her traditional Jewish upbringing with her desire to fit in at school. 3–6. Wisniewski, David. Golem. Illus. by the author. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997. 31pp. The classic story of the Jewish Frankenstein. Winner of the 1997 Caldecott Medal. 5–8. Wolff, Ferida. Pink Slippers, Bat Mitzvah Blues. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1995. 144pp. After her bat mitzvah, a young girl must decide between her first love—ballet—and her Jewish obligations. 3–6. Yolen, Jane. Milk and Honey: A Year of Jewish Holidays. Illus. by Louise August. New York: Putnam, 1996. 80pp. Rich information—songs, plays, tales—by an award-winning author. 4–8. Zalben, Jane Breskin. Beni’s Family Cookbook for the Jewish Holidays. Illus. by the author. New York: Henry Holt, 1996. 96pp. Traditional Jewish recipes for the holidays. Children will need help with the cooking, but the illustrations will engage young readers. P–2. _______. Beni’s Family Treasury: Stories for the Jewish Holidays. Illus. by the author. New York: Henry Holt, 1997. 128pp. A treasury of five stories of the Jewish holidays as experienced by a family of bears. P–2. _______. Beni’s First Wedding. Illus. by the author. New York: Henry Holt, 1998. 32pp. The tradition of a Jewish wedding as seen through the eyes of Beni Bear.

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PROGRAM IDEAS Festivals SUKKOT

The festival of Sukkot occurs in autumn, shortly after the High Holidays of Rosh Hashana (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). Sukkot commemorates a period in history when Jewish people had no homeland and had to wander from place to place. During those times, each family would live in a sukkah, a portable hut or boothlike structure. Sukkot is the plural for sukkah, and the holiday is sometimes referred to as the “festival of booths.” Because it occurs in the fall, Sukkot is also known as the “festival of in-gathering.” In fact, some believe that it was a harvest festival, that the temporary shelters were built during the harvest season, and that the festival commemorated the ingathering of various fruits and vegetables rather than the Jews’ wanderings in the desert. A popular custom is to eat a variety of dishes containing fruits and vegetables, among them apple strudel. Although it does not relate directly to the festival of Sukkot, another delightful picture book is Steve Sanfield’s Strudel, Strudel, Strudel. A recipe for apple strudel can be found in Mark Stark’s Amazing Jewish Cookbook for the Entire Family. Making a Sukkah

One of the traditions of Sukkot is the building of temporary huts, in either full-scale form or as table-top replicas. These sukkot are usually decorated by hanging real fruit and vegetables (or replicas) from the thatched roof or walls. Other decorations include paper chains and pictures of harvest scenes. Directions for making a life-size sukkah appear in 100+ Jewish Art Projects for Children by Nina Streisand Sher and Margaret A. Feldman (see Recommended Materials). For smaller versions of a sukkah, children can build table-top models following directions such as these which appear in Jewish Holiday Crafts for Little Hands by Ruth Esrig Brinn et al. (see Resources). Materials: Tissue box or small shoe box without lid; drinking straws; hole punch; magazines; colored paper or paint; leaves or greens; scissors; glue.

JEWISH-AMERICAN

Model for a sukkah

Directions:

T U B I S H VAT

1. Cut the top of the tissue box. Cut out a door.

Tu Bishvat occurs on the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Shevat, usually sometime in February. This holiday, also known as the New Year of the Trees, is essentially a Jewish arbor day, a time to celebrate the land and its capacity for growing things. The festival is usually commemorated by the practice of eating fruit associated with the land of Israel—figs, pomegranates, olives, almonds, dates, and grapes—and food made with the grains wheat and barley. Tu Bishvat is also a time for elaborate tree-planting ceremonies. In recent years, the holiday has provided the occasion for Jews to raise

2. Paint the sides or cover them with colored paper. If you use paint, mix it with liquid detergent to help it stick better. 3. Cut out picture of colorful fruits and vegetables from magazines. Use them to decorate the inside walls. 4. Punch holes across the tops of the two long sides. Push straws through the holes. Put pretty leaves or greens on top of the straws. 5. Invite your friends to a sukkah party.

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JEWISH-AMERICAN awareness of environmental concerns and reflect on their responsibilities as stewards of the earth, of conservation, ecology, and so on. The festival of Tu Bishvat is written about in several of the books on Jewish holidays in Recommended Materials. Its spirit, however, is nowhere better represented than in Molly Cone’s wonderful book, Listen to the Trees: Jews and the Earth. Gabriel Goldman has prepared a fine Teacher’s Guide to Listen to the Trees, which contains a rich variety of teaching and family nature activities such as writing letters about endangered species, building bird feeders, recycling activities, and so on.

Tzedaka One of the most important concepts of Judaism is tzedaka, which literally translates as justice or righteousness. Performing deeds of justice and loving kindness is perhaps the most important obligation imposed on the Jewish people. According to the Talmud, tzedaka is equal to all the other commandments combined. Many of the stories and folktales listed in Recommended Materials focus on moral behavior and on acting charitably and righteously. One simple project that encourages tzedaka is making a pushka (Yiddish for a box or can) used to collect coins to be donated to charity. Instructions for making a tzedaka box can be found in Jewish Holiday Crafts for Little Hands by Ruth Esrig Brin, listed under Resources. The best overall treatment of the concept of tzedaka appears in Danny Siegel’s Tell Me a

Mitzvah: Little and Big Ways to Repair the World (see Recommended Materials). Siegel’s book is based on two important Jewish ideas: mitzvot (plural of mitzvah), which literally means commandments, but is often translated as good deeds, and tikkun olam, which translates as repairing the world. In his book, Siegel provides young readers with all sorts of ideas for fixing up a world that is broken in many big and small ways. Some ideas include buying something extra each time you go to the supermarket with the intention of giving it away, saving money to purchase large-print books for people who are visually impaired, and collecting flowers after social functions, such as weddings, and delivering them to people in the hospital. Siegel calls the following idea for repairing the world a “mitzvah crib.” Children can set up a mitzvah crib in their synagogue or school. Start by getting someone to lend a crib. Then make lists of the things you want to collect. They can be small items, diapers, formula, baby food, clothes, blankets, toys, stuffed animals, pacifiers, baby soap, and shampoo. You may also want to include larger items, such as high chairs, playpens, and car seats. Post the list on the crib and on the synagogue bulletin board, and send copies home with nursery and religious school students. Ask the synagogue sisterhood and brotherhood to publish the list in monthly bulletins, and remind people of the project at their meetings. Find a shelter or agency that works with needy families, and as the crib fills up, arrange to deliver the contents.

tzedaka box

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JEWISH-AMERICAN

WEBSITES Association of Jewish Libraries www.jewishlibraries.org Useful links, including a listing of Sydney Taylor Book Award winners for children’s books. Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education

Sparks! www.sparksmag.com Webzine for Jewish kids, ages nine through thirteen, with stories, computer games, and more. Virtual Jerusalem www.virtualjerusalem.com Gateway to all things Israel and Jewish.

www.caje.org Provides a useful curriculum bank with lesson plans. Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life

World of Jewish Music www.jewishmusic.com The most comprehensive site on the Web for Jewish music online listening station.

www.coejl.org A useful link connecting Jewish culture to conservation concerns. The Database of Jewish Educational Materials www.jajz-ed.org.il/datajem/index.html A searchable, online, annotated international Jewish education library of published materials. Jewish Education Service of North America www.jesna.org Multiple links to educational websites. Jewish Family and Life! www.jewishfamily.com Online webzine for families. Jewish Outreach Institute www.joi.org Contains materials on holidays and other useful information. Jewish Yahoo www.jewhoo.com A site that is fun to visit. Judaism and Jewish Resources www.shamash.org/trb/judaism.html Thorough listings on Judaism and Jewish Resources. Maven: The Jewish Portal www.maven.co.il A gateway to a number of interesting sites.

RESOURCES Publications Biale, David, et al., eds. Insider/Outsider: American Jews and Multiculturalism. Berkeley, Calif.: University of California Press, 1998. Blech, Benjamin. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Jewish History and Culture. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999. Brin, Ruth. Jewish Holiday Crafts for Little Hands. Rockville, Md.: Kar-Ben, 1993. Cahill, Thomas. The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels. New York: Anchor, 1999. Davis, Enid. A Comprehensive Guide to Children’s Literature with a Jewish Theme. New York: Schocken, 1981. Donin, Hayim. To Be a Jew: A Guide to Jewish Observance in Contemporary Life. New York: Basic Books, 1991. Goodman, Robert. Teaching Jewish Holidays: History, Values, Activities. Denver: A.R.E. Publishing, 1997. Kadden, Barbara, and Bruce Kadden. Teaching Jewish Life Cycle. Denver: A.R.E. Publishing, 1997. Kolatch, Alfred. Jewish Book of Why. 2 vols. Middle Village, N.Y.: Jonathan David, 1989. Langman, Peter. Jewish Issues in Multiculturalism: A Handbook for Educators and Clinicians. Leonia, N.J.: Jason Aronson, 1999.

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JEWISH-AMERICAN Posner, Marcia. “Fifty Years of Jewish Children’s Books in the Jewish Book Annual.” Jewish Book Annual. Vol. 54. Philip E. Miller, ed. New York: Jewish Book Council, 1997. _______. Jewish Book Annual. Vols. 48–56. New York: Jewish Book Council, 1991–1999. _______. Juvenile Judaica: The Jewish Values Book Finder. Skokie, Ill.: Association of Jewish Libraries, 1985. _______. Selected Jewish Children’s Books. New York: Jewish Book Council, 1984. Sher, Nina Streisand, and Margaret A. Feldman. 100+ Jewish Art Projects. Denver: A.R.E. Publishing, 1996. Strassfeld, Michael. The Jewish Holidays: A Guide and Commentary. New York: HarperCollins, 1985. Telushkin, Joseph. Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know about the Jewish Religion, Its People, and Its History. New York: William Morrow, 1991.

Jewish Book Council/Jewish Music Council 15 E. 26th Street New York, NY 10010 212-532-4949 Jewish Education Service of North America 111 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10011 212-284-6950 Jewish Educational Toys 2501 W. Peterson Avenue Chicago, IL 60659 800-695-6378 Kar-Ben Copies, Inc. 6800 Tildenwood Lane Rockville, MD 20852 800-452-7236 Ktav Publishing House 900 Jefferson Street Hoboken, NJ 07030 201-963-9524

Publishers and Other Organizations Alternatives in Religious Education A.R.E. Publishing Company 3945 South Oneida Street Denver, CO 80237 Behrman House Publishers 235 Watchung Avenue West Orange, NJ 07052 800-221-2755 Coalition for Alternatives in Jewish Education 261 W. 35th Street, Floor 12A New York, NY 10001 212-268-4210 Ergo Media Video Catalog 668 American Legion Drive Teaneck, NJ 07666 201-692-0404

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Sounds Write Productions 6685 Norman Lane San Diego, CA 92120 Tara Publications P.O. 707 Owings Mills, MD 21117 Torah Aurah Productions 4423 Fruitland Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90058 Union of Hebrew American Congregations 633 Third Avenue New York, NY 10017 212-650-4121

CHAPTER

5

Korea Heawon Paick

With its rich history and 5000-year-old culture Korea is known as the Land of Morning Calm or Kumsu Kangsan (translated literally, Kumsu Kangsan means “rivers and mountains embroidered in silk”). Korea is a land of mild climate, many mountains, clean rivers and streams, blue skies, and four distinct seasons. Koreans have never invaded other countries but have fought throughout their history to defend themselves. Though they avoided quarrels and loved peace, they would fight to the death if mistreated. Koreans have always wanted to achieve strength as a nation, not by their military power but through an advanced culture and its heritage. Koreans are one ethnic family that speaks one language. Various studies show the clear distinction between Korean and other Asian countries such as China and Japan. The Koreans are a proud people with one of the longest national histories in the world.

CELEBRATIONS With its 5000-year-old history, Korea has a very rich cultural heritage. Traditional and national holidays are observed in both the lunar and solar calendars. Korean holidays blend the past and the present in unusual, interesting ways and offer a wide range of cuisines. In rural areas, people still celebrate the holidays in a traditional way, but in the cities, traditions are blended into busy city lives. Local festivals augment a year full of national celebrations.

N E W Y E A R ’ S D AY

New Year’s Day is celebrated on January 1 and 2 on the solar calendar. Family members get up early and dress in hanbok (traditional clothing). Children bow to their parents, and the parents give them blessings or wish them well for the new year. Extended families gather together to eat and play games such as Yut.

S O L N A L ( L U N A R N E W Y E A R ’ S D AY )

Sol Nal is the second most important holiday in Korea. It is celebrated in a manner similar to New Year’s Day but on a grander scale. It is observed on the first three days of the first lunar month. When possible, the entire immediate and extended family gathers together, usually at the home of the eldest male family member, to celebrate the new beginning. Women start to prepare the food the day before, including ttok-kuk, a rice cake soup that celebrates the family becoming one year older. On New Year’s Day, the younger generations bow deeply (saebae) to the elders. The elders reply with toktam, well-wishing remarks for the New Year, and with gifts, usually in money. People place straw scoopers, rakes, or sieves on their doors and walls to protect their homes from evil spirits and any wrongdoing. They also hold solemn ancestral memorial rites to remember their origins. Family members eat, play traditional games such as Yut or see-saw, and talk all day. Some families observe both solar and lunar New Year’s Day; others celebrate one or the other.

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KOREA CONG WOL DAE PO RUM (THE FIRST FULL-MOON D AY O F T H E Y E A R )

Celebrated (but not officially observed) on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Cong Wol Dae Po Rum signals the beginning of the agricultural cycle. Koreans eat special five-grain rice, meant to ward off the heat in the summer, and various nuts, hoping to prevent swellings or abscesses. They drink kwibalki wul, or “ear-sharpening wine,” to clear their ears for good news. In rural communities, people hold rites for local spirits, hoping for a good harvest. People play games such as tug-of-war and perform lion dances. At night they perform tal maji (welcoming of the first full moon), believed to make wishes come true. I N D E P E N D E N C E M O V E M E N T D AY

Independence Movement Day is observed and celebrated to commemorate the independence movement against Japanese colonial rule that was launched nationwide on March 1, 1919. Many Koreans were captured, imprisoned, and killed by Japanese police. The ceremony features an annual reading of the Korean Proclamation of Independence. M E M O R I A L D AY

Similar to Memorial Day in the United States, Memorial Day in Korea is observed on June 6 to pay tribute to the war dead. The memorial service is being held at the national cemeteries. C O N S T I T U T I O N D AY

ilies get together and make songp’yon, crescentshaped rice cakes stuffed with sesame seeds, chestnut paste, or beans, which are a Chusok favorite. They then start the day with rites honoring their ancestors with newly harvested foods. After breakfast, the entire family visits the graves of its ancestors to bow and give thanks for the good harvest, and they clean the graves for the coming winter. In rural communities, various activities are held, such as the masked dance, kang-gang-su-wol-lae (an ancient circle dance by women), tug-of-war, and kobuk-nori (the tortoise game, in which two men dress as a tortoise and tour the village, dancing and performing for food and drink). N AT I O N A L F O U N D AT I O N D AY

National Foundation Day commemorates the foundation of the Ko Choson kingdom (the first Korean kingdom) in 2333 BC by Tangun, the legendary son of the Heavenly God. H A N ’ G U L D AY

Han’gul Day commemorates the birth of Han’gul, the Korean language, which was invented in 1443 by a group of scholars under the direction of the Great King Sejong. The day is celebrated but not officially observed. O T H E R H O L I D AY S

Other holidays celebrated in Korea include Children’s Day (May 5), Buddha’s Day (the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, to celebrate Buddha’s birth), and Christmas Day.

Constitution Day is observed to commemorate the proclamation of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea on July 17, 1948. T H E L I B E R AT I O N D AY, O R T H E R E S T O R AT I O N D AY

Liberation Day is observed to celebrate two anniversaries: the liberation from Japanese colonial rule on August 15, 1945, and the establishment of the Korean government on August 15, 1948. CHUSOK (THE HARVEST M O O N F E S T I VA L )

Chusok is the most important holiday in Korea, when Koreans give thanks for the harvest and strengthen family and community ties. Similar to Thanksgiving Day in the United States, Chusok is observed on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month (usually in September). The day before, fam-

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RECOMMENDED MATERIALS Books marked with an asterisk (*) can be purchased through the distributor. Check for other titles and the availability. 3–4. Balgassi, Heami. Peacebound Trains. Illus. by Chris K. Soentpiet. Boston: Clarion, 1996. 47 pp. While Sumi and her grandmother watch the trains that will eventually bring Sumi’s mother back from army service, Sumi’s grandmother tells the story of her family’s escape from Seoul during the Korean War. 5 and up. Carpenter, Frances. Tales of a Korean Grandmother. Boston: Tuttle, 1973. 287pp.

KOREA

Thirty-two folk stories capturing a history rich in imagery and philosophy are complemented by illustrations from old Korean paintings. 5–7. Choi, Sook Nyul. Echoes of the White Giraffe. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1993. 137pp. Sequel to Year of Impossible Good-byes. 5–7. _______. Year of Impossible Good-byes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1991. 171pp. A young Korean girl survives the oppressive Japanese and Russian occupation of North Korea during the 1940s and escapes later to freedom in South Korea. 2–3. _______. Yunmi and Halmoni’s Trip. Illus. by Karen Dugan. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997. 32pp. When she goes to Korea with her grandmother, Halmoni, Yunmi looks forward to visiting relatives she has never seen, but she also worries whether Halmoni will want to return to New York. 2–6. Chung, Okwha, and Judy Monroe. Cooking the Korean Way. Photographs by Robert L. Wolfe and Diane Wolfe. Minneapolis: Lerner, 1988. 47pp. Featuring dozens of recipes, this illustrated cookbook introduces Korean cooking, a delicious, healthy cuisine based on five colors and five flavors. 2–3. Climo, Shirley. Korean Cinderella. Illus. by Ruth Heller. New York: HarperCollins, 1993. 48pp. In this version of Cinderella set in ancient Korea, Pear Blossom is a stepchild who eventually comes to be chosen by the magistrate to be his wife. 1–2. Farley, Carol J. Mr. Pak Buys a Story. Illus. by Benrei Huang. Morton Grove, Ill.: Albert Whitman, 1997. 32pp. This brightly illustrated retelling of an old Korean tale follows Mr. Pak, who purchases a story from a travelling stranger and in doing so ironically saves his wealthy master from a band of thieves. 1–2. Ginsburg, Mirra. Chinese Mirror. Illus. by Margot Zemach. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt Brace 1991.

A retelling of a traditional Korean tale, in which a mirror brought from China causes confusion within a family as each member looks into it and sees a different stranger. 3–4. Girard, Linda W. We Adopted You, Benjamin Koo. Illus. by Linda Shute. Morton Grove, Ill.: Albert Whitman, 1992. 32pp. Nine-year-old Benjamin Koo Andrew, adopted from Korea as an infant, describes what it is like to grow up adopted from another country. 1–2. Gukova, Julia. The Mole’s Daughter: An Adaptation of a Korean Folktale. Illus. by the author. Willowdale, Ontario: Annick, 1998. 32pp. An old mole is so proud of his beautiful daughter that he tries to find her the strongest possible husband. 1–2. Han, Suzanne Crowder. The Rabbit’s Tail: A Story from Korea. Illus. by Richard Wehrman. New York: Henry Holt, 1999. 32pp. Tiger is afraid of being eaten by a fearsome persimmon, but when Rabbit tries to convince him he is wrong, Rabbit loses his long tail. 1–2. Heo, Yumi. Father’s Rubber Shoes. Illus. by the author. New York: Orchard, 1995. 32pp. Youngsu misses Korea terribly, and his father is too busy at the store to notice how he is feeling. 1–2. ———. The Green Frogs: A Korean Folktale. Illus. by the author. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1996. 32pp. This folktale, about two green frogs that always disobey their mother, explains why green frogs cry out whenever it rains. 5–7. Kim, Helen. Long Season of Rain. New York: Henry Holt, 1996. 275pp. The story of Junehee Lee and her three sisters, her busybody grandmother, her mother, and the orphan boy who comes to stay is one of women, tradition, change, and the coming of age. Filled with closely observed details of Korean life. 3–4. Koh, Frances M., and Tony Letournean. Korean Games. Minneapolis: East West, 1997. 32pp. Discusses the equipment needed and the rules of play for a variety of indoor and outdoor Korean games.

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KOREA 4–6. _______. Korean Holidays and Festivals. Minneapolis: East West, 1990. 32pp.

3–4. _______. Seesaw Girl. Boston: Clarion, 1999. 90pp.

Examines seven Korean holidays and Christmas by looking at how they are celebrated and the goods that are specific to each event.

Impatient with the constraints put on her as an aristocratic girl living in Korea during the seventeenth century, twelve-year-old Jade Blossom determines to see beyond her small world.

2–3. Landau, Elaine. Korea. Danbury, Conn.: Children’s Press, 1999. 47pp. A basic overview of the history, geography, climate, and culture of North and South Korea. 3–4. McMahon, Patricia. Chi-Hoon: A Korean Girl. Madison, Wisc.: Demco Media Distribution, 1999. 47pp. The story of a young Korean girl, her family, and their life in Seoul, Korea. 4–6. Neuberger, Ann E. Girl-Son. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda, 1997. 131pp. A story based on the life of Induk Pahk, a Korean educator, whose widowed mother disguised her as a boy at the age of eight in order for her to attend school, a choice forbidden to girls in the early twentieth century in Korea. 1–2. Park, Frances, and Ginger Park. My Freedom Trip. Illus. by Debra Reid Jenkins. Honesdale, Pa.: Boyds Mills, 1998. 32pp. Soo, a young girl living in North Korea prior to the start of the Korean War, must leave her mother behind in order to make a dangerous journey to cross into South Korea and be reunited with her father. Based on the life of the author’s mother. 1–2. _______. The Royal Bee. Illus. by Christopher Zhang-Yuan Zhang. Honesdale, Pa.: Boyds Mills, 2000. 32pp. A poor Korean boy is chosen by his classmates to represent his school in a royal contest to select the number one student in the land. 4–6. Park, Linda Sue. The Kite Fighters. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2000. 136pp. In Korea in 1473, eleven-year-old Young-Sup overcomes his rivalry with his older brother KeeSup, who as the first-born son receives special treatment from their father, and combines his kite-flying skill with Kee-Sup’s kite-making skill in an attempt to win the New Year Kite-Fighting competition.

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2–3. Reasoner, Charles. Magic Amber: A Korean Legend. Mahwah, N.J.: Troll Communication, 1993. 32pp. An old rice farmer and his wife are repaid for their kindness and generosity. 4–6. San Souci, Daniel. In the Moonlight Mist: A Korean Tale. Illus. by Eujin Kim Neilan. Honesdale, Pa.: Boyds Mills, 1992. 32pp. In a retelling of a Korean folktale, a woodcutter rescues a deer from a hunter and is granted the knowledge to find a wife. But unless he follows one important piece of advice, he could lose his new wife forever. 2–3. Schecter, Ellen. Sim Chung and the River Dragon: A Folktale from Korea. Illus. by June Otani. Milwaukee, Wisc.: Gareth Stevens, 1997. 48pp. In order to obtain a cure for her father’s blindness, a loving young girl agrees to marry a terrifying dragon. 4–6. Seros, Kathleen, and Norman Sibley. Sun and Moon: Fairy Tales from Korea. Seoul, Korea: Hollym. 64pp.* Seven stories deal with a hungry tiger, an enchanted frog, a nine-headed giant, a magic mallet, a heavenly maiden, a clever rabbit, and a magic pumpkin. 4–6. Sur, Kingsley C. Korean Folk Stories for Children. Illus. by Park Chong-Dok. Seoul, Korea: Sam Seong, 1984. 20vols.* This twenty-volume set of Korean folktales, told in both English and Korean, includes two cases of tape for read-along activities, one in English and the other in Korean. With beautiful illustrations, some with a comic touch, this is a satisfying collection. 2–3. Suyenaga, Ruth, Young Sook Kim, and Young Mi Pak. Korean Children’s Day. Illus. by Nani Kyong-Nan. Cleveland: Modern Curriculum Press, 1992. 22pp.

KOREA

A young Korean-American describes traditional activities that are part of Children’s Day in Korea, including the game of Yut, foods, song and drum dances, and taekwondo. 3–5. Vorhees, Duance, and Mark Mueller, eds. The Woodcutter and the Heavenly Maiden. Seoul, Korea: Hollym, 1990. 10vols.* The first volume in a ten-volume set, this collection of the most popular Korean folktales is told in both English and Korean. Attractive, childlike illustrations. 7–9. Williams, Jean K. South Korea. San Diego, Calif.: Lucent, 1999. 111pp. Discusses the history, geography, culture, and current state of South Korea, a land of both tradition and modern development. P–1. Wong, Janet S. The Trip Back Home. Illus. by Bo Jia. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt, 2000. 32pp. When a Korean-American child visits his mother’s homeland, he soon realizes that the bond of a family and the love they share never fade.

large area for tossing the sticks; cardboard or heavy paper for board. Create a board as shown in the illustration. Mark one side of the wood or sticks as “back” and the other side as “face.” Directions: The four sticks represent the four most important animals in farm life. To means a pig, Kae means a dog, Kol means sheep, Yut means a cow, and Mo means a horse. Moving spaces means one step of Mo (horse) equals five steps of To ( pig). 1. Players take turns tossing the four wooden sticks in the air. Each player moves a pawn, beginning at circle 1 on the board, according to the fall of the sticks: To: One piece shows its face. Move one space. Kae: Two pieces show their face. Move two spaces. Kol: Three pieces show their face. Move three spaces. Yut: All four pieces show their face. Move four spaces and take another turn.

1–2. Yi, Ok-Pae. Sori’s Harvest Moon Day: A Story of Korea. Norwalk, Conn.: Soundprints, 1999. 29pp. As she travels from the city to her grandmother’s village, a young girl looks forward to her family’s celebration of Chusok, the Harvest Moon Festival.

PROGRAM IDEAS Games YUT

This traditional Korean game originated in the ninth century during the Paekche Dynasty. It is played by two to four players or by two to four teams. Contributed by Ginny Lee, Suzanne Lo, and Susan Ma. Materials: four pieces of flat wood or popsicle sticks; four red and four green pawns, or buttons or checkers in any two colors; a large square blanket or a

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KOREA Mo: All four pieces show their back. Move five spaces and take another turn. 2. The first player who moves all four pawns, passing through the final goal (circle 1) wins. 3. There are four routes players can take: circles 1-2-3-4-1, circles1-2-3-5-1, circles1-2-5-4-1, and and circles1-2-5-1, which is the shortest route. If the player gets four Mos, one Yut, and one Gol, the game is over and the player wins! 4. If a player’s pawn lands on the same spot as the pawn of an opponent, the opponent’s pawn must return to circle 1, and the player gets another toss. 5. A player can take a shortcut if the pawn lands on circles 2, 3, or 5, which allow a player to turn to the left and follow the shorter route on the next turn.

7. If the guard cannot see any movement until one of the players is close enough to tap her shoulder, she must play guard again and the game repeats from the beginning. T TA N G T TA M O K K I

Translated as “Taking the Land,” this is a game for four children and can be played indoors on a large square of paper or outdoors on the sidewalk or in a playground. Materials: large square piece of paper or room enough to draw a large square on the ground; crayon or sidewalk chalk (one color for each player). Directions:

6. If two pawns belonging to one player land on the same spot, they may be moved together as one.

1. If playing outdoors, draw a large square using sidewalk chalk. If playing indoors, use a crayon to draw a large square on the paper.

M U G U N G H WA K K O T I P ’ I O T S U M N I D A

2. Each player sits outside the square at a corner.

Translated as “The Rose of Sharon Has Blossomed,” this game is for five or more players and can be played outdoors.

3. The first player takes land by putting the tip of his thumb at the corner and stretching the tip of his middle finger, as shown in the illustration. He then draws as big an arc as possible, from one side of the square to the other, as shown in the illustration. The other players do the same at their corners.

Directions: 1. Choose a base, such as a wall or a tree. Mark a line at least twenty-five feet from the base. 2. One player is the guard, who stands facing the base. The rest of the players stand behind the line drawn. 3. The guard covers her eyes and calls out “Mugunghwa kkot I p’iotsumnida” (or any phrase of her choice), speaking it quickly or slowly. While she is saying the phrase, the other players can move toward the base. 4. On finishing the phrase, the guard tries to turn around quickly enough to see the other players still moving. If she sees a player moving, he becomes a prisoner and stands next to her. She turns around again and repeats the phrase. 5. An uncaptured player can free the prisoners by touching one of their hands without being seen by the guard. Once a prisoner is freed, all players run back to the start line. If the guard sees them running and calls “Stop,” all players must freeze. 6. If the guard can make three hops and reach a player to tag him, he becomes the new guard and the game repeats from the beginning.

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4. The first player then puts the tip of his thumb at the center of the first arc, stretching the tip of his middle finger, and draws his second arc. The other players follow in turn.

KOREA

5. Children keep drawing arcs until the paper is filled, as shown in the illustration.

Korea Insights: The Korean Culture and Arts on the Internet

6. The player who takes the most land space wins.

www.korea.insights.co.kr/english/ Compiled by the Samsung Corporation. With links for children. Korea on the Internet www.svpa.hawaii.edu/korea/koreaotherlinks.htm Compiled by the University of Hawaii School of Hawaiian, Asian, and Pacific Studies, Center for Korean Studies. With various useful links on Korea and Korean American communities. Korea Window www.kois.go.kr

WEBSITES Books in English about Korea www.hollym.co.kr/main.html Books published in English about Korea Chong Wa Dae (office of the president of the Republic of Korea) www.cwd.go.kr/english Information about Korea and its culture, as well as information on the activities of the Korean government. With links for children. CIA—The World Factbook www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/kn. html With statistical information compiled by the CIA. English Information on Korea http://korea.net Comprehensive information and Internet sites about Korea. Similar to Yahoo.com. For literature information, click “Arts & Culture, Literature.” Flavors of Korea www.quaypress.com/korea/koreacore.html Information on Korean food, including a glossary of terms and many recipes.

Up-to-the-minute news and articles on Korean culture and history, painting, music, and more. With links to various Korean Cultural Services in cities throughout the world. Korean Folktales www.csun.edu/~hcedu004/index.html English translation of a number of famous Korean folktales. Korean government home page www.korea.go.kr/ehtm/ushome.html Basic information about Korea and its culture. Korean holiday information www.media.gwu.edu/~ksagw/culture.html www.koreascope.org/english/sub/1/1/index 5-d.htm http://pasture.ecn.purdue.edu/~agenhtm/agenmc/ korea/event.htm http://korea.insights.co.kr/english/festival/ fes_10.htm http://imperial.park.org/Korea/Pavilions…Image/ e-information/culture/tra-005.htm These sites provide information on Korean holidays. Korean national anthem www.musicsales.co.kr/music/na-eng.htm Piano sheet music of the Korea National Anthem. Life in Korea www.lifeinkorea.com Information and activities about Korea. Many useful links.

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KOREA Myths and legends of ancient Korea http://violet.berkeley.edu/~korea/legends.html Collection of widely known myths, motifs, and legends. South Korea—a country study http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/krtoc.html History of Korea from its origins to the end of the Chun Regime in 1987. Library of Congress website. Tae Kwon Do www.elim.net/taekwondo/ Thorough information on taekwondo, including its history.

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RESOURCES Publications Nahm, Andrew C., B.J. Jones, and Gi-eun Lee, ed. I Love Korea! Seoul, Korea: Hollym, 1991. Uri Minsok Togam. Seoul, Korea: Yerimdang, 1999.

Other Organizations JeongEum Imports, Inc. Attn: Clara Choi 3921 Wilshire Boulevard, #501 Los Angeles, CA 90010 213-738-9140 Fax: 213-738-9141 [email protected]

CHAPTER

6

Latino Culture Oralia Garza de Cortés

The last decade has seen noticeable increases in the production of Latino books for children. While increasing, the number of titles does not by any means adequately reflect the size of the Latino population in the United States. The steady publication of twenty to thirty books per year has contributed toward the development of a body of work that is beginning to reflect accurately a Latino cultural perspective. For the most part, the books provide accurate portrayals, although in many instances stereotypical representation of Latino people and lifestyles are still perpetuated. The development of the Américas, Pura Belpré, and Tomás Rivera awards for Latino children’s literature, originated during the last ten years, is a direct response to the crying need for more accurate representation of Latino culture. From distinct professions, librarians, scholars, and teachers have all criticized quantity of book publication, as well as the quality of story and illustration, in the publishing of materials for and about Latino children. Unbeknownst to the others, each group responded to the problem with a similar solution: a book award that would help to set quality standards for Latino publishing.

CULTURAL CONTENT This chapter hopes to broaden the traditional approach taken to the study of American children’s literature. Defined primarily by cultural content, Latino children’s literature encompasses materials about the Latino experience as it is found in North America, including Canada, the United States and

Mexico, Central and South America, and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. Chapter 2 contains more material on the Caribbean. The population of Latino children in the United States is growing exponentially. It is simply no longer possible to talk about Latin-American literature as a foreign literary form, since economic and political conditions have led large numbers of people from Latin America to make North America their home. The evolving literature is not just about what has been left behind, but about what is vibrant and alive both in the present and in memory. To capture this spirit in literature is to give a gift to Latino children, providing them the means to hold onto memories of their past as they forge new lives. The literature helps them understand the past in the midst of new transitions, serving as a link to their Latino heritage.

RECOMMENDED MATERIALS Latino materials defy categorization. They emanate from thirty-five distinct Spanish-speaking countries from North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean. As Latino children become acculturated and their populations continue to rise, program materials may best be described in terms of country of origin—rather than grouping them together as Latino-American, it may be more appropriate to refer to them as Colombian-American, Salvadoran-American, Costa Rican American, and so on. The materials chosen for this chapter are far from comprehensive. The intent is to provide a

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LATINO CULTURE glimpse from among the best of the materials that authentically represent cultural expressions and realities. Individual selections reflect particular aspects of Latino culture but, when viewed as a whole, the collection represent a multiplicity of unique cultural experiences. P–3. Ada, Alma Flor. Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet Book in Spanish and English. Illus. By Simon Silva. New York: Morrow, 1997. 40pp. Powerful images in bold red and yellow and orange sun tones evoke the enduring strength of farmworker families in this alphabet picture book that pays homage to the dignity of farmworker life. The bold-sized paintings depict the family in a positive, dignified manner. A 1998 Pura Belpré Honor book. 5–12. Aiken, Beth. Voices from the Fields: Children of Migrant Farmworkers Tell Their Stories. Introduction by Francisco Jimenez. Photos by the author. New York: Little, Brown, 1993. 96pp. Nine brutally honest interviews with children who share their life stories, expressing how they live and how their parents manage to raise them amid poverty and deprivation. Each narrative is prefaced by a poem written by migrant children who have managed to overcome the migrant lifestyle. The poems are laid out in an introductory paragraph that focuses on the hardships of migrant children in general. A common thread that surfaces in these interviews is the youngsters’ closeness with and deep love for their families. P–3. Alarcón, Francisco X. Laughing Tomatoes and Other Spring Poems/Jitomates Risuenos y Otros Poemas de Primavera. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1997. 32pp. Alarcón’s first bilingual poetry collection for children exhumes the spirit and joy of Latino cultural life. Alarcón is a gifted poet with the rare ability to express his feelings and sentiments to reflect the dual reality of living in two cultures and speaking two languages fluidly. P–3. Altman, Linda Jacobs. Amelia’s Road. Illus. by Enrique O. Sanchez. New York: Lee & Low, 1994. 32pp. Amelia, a young migrant child traveling with her family, hates the many roads that lead to nowhere and yearns to have a special place she

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can call her own. One day, she accidentally stumbles upon a road that leads to a beautiful tree. Amelia stakes out the tree and decides to make it her own. By burying her belongings in a box near the tree, she ensures her own place on return visits. With lovely color illustrations. Spanish edition, El Camino de Abuela, also available. P–3. Anaya, Rudolfo. The Farolitos of Christmas. Illus. by Edward Gonzales. New York: Hyperion, 1987, 1995. 32pp. Each year it is Luz’s grandfather’s responsibility to cut the piñon logs and place them along the edge of road. The logs serve as a guiding light for the pastores, the group of actors who each Christmas select the home with the brightest luminarias (lights) as the place to sing their songs on their journey to the church for the reenactment of the shepherds’ visit to the newborn Christ. This year, however, Luz’s grandfather is not well. With a little ingenuity and problem solving, Luz figures out a way to continue the family tradition. The perfect Christmas Eve is made even more special by the arrival of Luz’s dad, a soldier home from the war. Anaya further extends the farolitos theme through the telling of yet another modern, family tradition in the sequel, Farolitos for Abuela (Hyperion, 1999). P–3. Ancona, George. Charro: The Mexican Cowboy. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt, 1999. 48pp. George Ancona takes his readers to Guadalajara, Mexico, the heart of the Mexican rodeo, for an in-depth look at the charreada, the horse-riding and ropes skill competition that closely resembles a rodeo. Ancona photographs men and women charras, as well as aspiring young boys practicing and honing their skills. Includes a glossary of terms for thirty-three Spanish words. P–3. _______. Fiesta U.S.A. New York: Dutton/ Lodestar, 1995. 48pp. Ancona’s brilliant color photographs serve as a visual invitation to the reader to join in the spirit of celebration of four cultural celebrations held in Latino communities in San Francisco, New Mexico, northern New Mexico, and East Harlem. A Spanish edition by the same title is also available.

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P–5. _______. Pablo Remembers: The Fiesta of the Day of the Dead. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1993. 48pp. Vibrant color photographs of the Montaño Ruiz family capture the spirit and celebration of the two-day feast as it is celebrated in an Oaxacan village in Mexico. The book describes the fiesta from the actual purchase of the necessary items in a mercado and the preparation of the foods to the actual building of the altars to honor the deceased relatives. Ancona includes a U.S. frame of reference for death: All Hallows Eve and the Catholic ritual of All Souls Day, which helps demonstrate the cultural influences of the universality of the celebration of death. Spanish edition, Pablo Recuerda: La Fiesta del Día de los Muertos, also available. 2–5. Argueta, Manlio. Magic Dogs of the Volcanoes/Los Perros Mágicos de Los Volcanes. Illus. by Elly Simmons. Translated from the Spanish by Stacey Ross. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1990. 30pp. The cadejos, the magical white dogs believed to be the great-great-grandchildren of the volcanoes, are beloved by all the people of the village, who live alongside the slopes of the volcanoes. The people have always trusted the cadejos to protect them from harm and danger. All, that is, except for the fourteen brothers who own the land and think that the cadejos are turning the people into lazy, demanding beings. With the help of the two volcanoes, the cadejos help the people to overcome the power of evil. Simmons’ dramatic, colorful illustrations enhance the mood and tension of the story. Bilingual text. 4–6. Carlson, Lori M., ed. Cool Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Growing Up Latino in the United States. Introduction by Oscar Hijuelos. New York: Henry Holt, 1994. 123pp. A wonderful anthology of poems for youth that reflect the often conflicted feelings of growing up in two cultures. Contemporary Latina poets include Sandra Cisneros, Judith Coffer Ortiz, Ana Castillo, Pat Mora, and the Chicano poet Abelardo Delgado. Each poem appears in its original language with parallel translation. A glossary of Spanish words and terms as used in the poem is provided. Excellent biographical notes on each poet included.

4–8. _______, and Cynthia L. Ventura, eds. Where Angels Glide at Dawn: New Stories from Latin America. Introduction by Isabel Allenda. Illus. by José Ortega. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1990. 114pp. Ten stories by distinguished Latin American writers. From exiled Chilean Americans Marjorie Agosín and Ariel Dorfman to the Salvadoran Mario Bencastro, these authors write about their beloved homeland. Using a variety of writing styles from bittersweet humor to metaphor, these authors transform memory and remembrances into fictional work that speaks to the present reality of cultural and political experiences. A glossary helps define Spanish terms. Biographies of the authors help young readers learn more about these great Latin-American writers. P–3. _______. Abuela’s Weave. Illus. by Enrique O. Sanchez. New York: Lee & Low Books, 1993. 32pp. P–3. Castañeda, Omar S. El Tapiz de Abuela. Illus. by Enrique O. Sánchez. New York: Lee & Low Books, 1993. 32pp. Esperanza is a young Guatemalan girl who works side by side with her grandmother, Abuela, a master weaver. Abuela is feared by many because her facial birthmark is considered the work of evil spirits. How Esperanza overcomes this barrier to market-day sales is the topic of the heartwarming story told by the beloved Guatemalan American who left his imprint on Latino children’s literature. With color illustrations that match the rich colors of Guatemalan weaving. 5–9. Chambers, Veronica. Marisol and Magdalena: The Sound of Our Sisterhood. New York: Hyperion, 1999. 141pp. Two vibrant teenagers share common experiences at home and at school in New York City. They also have a solid bond as cousins with Dominican-American heritage. One day, Magdalena learns that her cousin Marisol is about to experience the change of her life as she discovers the new plan Marisol’s mother has set for her. At the same time, Magdalena begins her own struggle to obtain a master’s degree. P–3. Chin-Lee, Cynthia, and Terri de la Pena. A Is for the Americas. Illus. by Enrique O. Sanchez. New York: Orchard, 1999. 32pp.

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LATINO CULTURE This writing team incorporates descriptive narratives to highlight motifs commonly associated with a specific geographic area or culture: from drink (horchata) and food (empanadas, maize, and jalapeños) to cultural celebrations (Día de los Muertos and posadas) and animals (bison, quetzal, and ocelot), the chosen motifs span a broad range of geography, culture, and language to spell out the letters of the alphabet. Three additional letters of the Spanish alphabet (ch, ll and ñ) are also included. Sanchez’s vibrant paintings in acrylic and gouache convey the sense of wonder and discovery that children will find in this well-researched alphabet book. 5 and up. Cofer, Judith Ortiz. An Island like You: Stories of the Barrio. New York: Orchard, 1995. 176pp. The lives of Latino youth are carefully sketched in twelve interwoven stories that comprise this superb collection. The youth share a common ground in “el building,” their urban tenement in a Patterson, New Jersey, barrio. The stories characterize teenagers, who each day must negotiate their own identities, vacillating between the world of family and the development of their own identities, independent of cultural ties. The stories are vivid and memorable, each reflecting the many issues Latino youth face: potential early death, peer friendship, freedom, honesty, integrity, and doing the right thing. 2–5. Corpi, Lucha. When Fireflies Dance/Ahí Donde Bailan las Luciérnagas. Illus. by Mira Reisberg. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1997. 32pp. This intriguing story interweaves Mexican legend and folklore with modern-day feminism to retell the story of a brave young girl determined to become independent. Encouraged by her mother, she embarks on a journey across time and place, crossing rivers and generations in her quest to find her own destiny, her own place among the fireflies. With colorful, appealing illustrations. P–3. Delacre, Lulu, reteller. Golden Tales: Myths, Legends, and Folktales from Latin America. Illus. by the author. New York: Scholastic, 1996. 73pp. Four cultural regions are the subject of this dramatic collection of folktales retold and illustrated by an accomplished artist and writer. Delacre’s canvas consists of four cultural regions

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including the Taino (Carribean), Zapotec (Mexico), Muisca (Columbia), and Quechua (Inca). The stories, some recorded for children for the first time, are as dramatically told as they are illustrated. An introduction to each region precedes the stories, and additional notes and sources are provided. With a pronunciation guide. 3–6. _______. Salsa Stories. New York: Scholastic, 2000. 105pp. It is New Year’s Day, and Carmen Teresa, her sister Laura, and their parents welcome the entourage of family and friends who have come to share this special day. Doña Josefa brings gifts for the two girls: a diary. Family and friends entertain their own notions of what Carmen Teresa should gather for this diary: their stories. One by one, each adult present takes turn telling a favorite story from childhood. The common thread to these stories is food. Includes a rich sampling of those favored recipes gathered from the author’s own family traditions and from friends. Also includes a useful glossary and pronunciation guide for the Spanish words used in the text. P–3. Delacre, Lulu. Vejigante Masquerader. New York: Scholastic, 1993. 40pp. Ramón has made himself a vejigante costume so that he can join the older boys in the annual community celebration of Carnaval. Ramón joins a group of masqueraders as they play goodnatured pranks upon families and friends who do not recognize the young boys in their disguises. But Ramon’s costume is really not well put together. How Ramón manages to fix his costume and participate in the month-long event of fun and activities is the surprise ending to a delightful story that gives children a flavor for this unique festival as it is celebrated in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Includes pattern and instructions for making a mask. Sample chant dialogue used by vejigantes is also included. Illustration is mixed-media pencil, pastels, and watercolor. Bilingual text. P–3. Dorros, Arthur. Radio Man: A Story in English and Spanish. Translated by Sandra Marulanda Dorros. New York: HarperCollins, 1993. 37pp. Two farmworker friends, Diego and David, venture with their families on separate routes along the migrant stream. Beginning in his home

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state of Texas, Diego’s family follows the crops through Arizona, California, and Washington. Always Diego looks for signs of David. But it is only by means of the local radio station that Diego is able to communicate with David and learn of his location. With colorful illustrations, including a map of the United States that children can use to trace the migrant stream. Bilingual. P–3. _______. Tonight Is Carnaval. Illus. by the Club de Madres Virgen del Carmen, Lima, Peru. New York: Dutton, 1991. 32pp. Using the first-person narrative voice, a little queña (flute) player relates the details involved in preparing for Carnaval in his small village high in the Peruvian Andes. Illustrations are character dolls constructed from cloth, with cloth materials forming the backdrop, known as arpilleras, composed by a collective. With color photographs that show the collective at work. Includes a semiillustrated glossary of terms. 1–3. Garay, Luis. The Long Road. Illus. by the author. Toronto, Ontario: Tundra, 1997. 32pp. José and his mother return to their village after visiting José’s grandmother, but everyone is gone. An old man remains who warns José’s mother “Señora Moreno, leave. Take this boy and go. And do not tell me where.” José and his mother seek a safe place to live away from gunfire, fighting, and military death squads. Garay’s handsome, textured paintings portray the reality of life for children and their families as they fled their war-torn Central American towns to seek political asylum and a new life in North America. P–2. Gerson, Mary-Joan. People of Corn: A Mayan Story. Illus. by Carla Golembe. New York: Little, Brown, 1995. 32pp. A beautiful retelling of the creation myth from the book of the Popol Vuh that recalls ancient Mayan beliefs. According to this myth, corn was more than mere food and sustenance, but the spirit and essence of life itself. A noteworthy introduction on the ancient Mayas and their discovery of corn and farming will help readers better understand the significance of this ancient civilization. P–3. González Bertrand, Diane. Family, Familia. Illus. by Pauline Rodriguez Howard. Translated

by Julia Mercedes Castilla. Houston: Piñata, 1999. 32pp. Daniel is a young boy from Kingsville, South Texas, and is not particularly pleased to have to sit between his two sisters on a long car ride to a family reunion to see old people he does not know and, frankly, does not care about. When the family arrives in San Antonio and the day’s events unfold, Daniel begins to experience the joy and fun that make up this unique cultural experience. Daniel meets Brian, a kid his own age, from Dallas. Although Brian has red hair unlike his own brown, Daniel discovers they have more than a common heritage in common. Gonzáles Bertrand captures the mood, the excitement, and the fun of large family gatherings in this heartwarming story that brings home the message of the connectedness of families, no matter the color or the distance. Lively, full-page color-pencil and paint illustrations and the illustrations framing the text pages give a photographic quality to this picture-perfect bilingual children’s book. P–3. González, Lucía. The Bossy Gallito/El Gallo de Bodas. Illus. by Lulu Delacre. New York: Scholastic, 1994. 32pp. Set in Miami, Florida, in the Cuban-American neighborhoods known as Calle Ocho, this is a delightful, cumulative story about a rooster who dirties his beak on his way to his uncle’s wedding. Delacre effectively uses mixed-media watercolor and colored pencil with gouache and places text and illustrations onto oval-shaped frames that provide mood and setting for this outstanding picture book. A 1996 Pura Belpré Honor Book. Spanish paperback edition, El Gallo de Bodas, also available. P–3. _______, reteller. Señor Cat’s Romance and Other Favorite Stories from Latin America. New York: Scholastic, 1997. 46pp. Gonzalez vividly retells six stories from among the most popular stories told throughout Latin America. The stories are short yet delightful and include the classics of Latin American literature; among them are “Perez and Martina,” “The Little Half Chick,” and the title story. An author’s note supplements each story, providing readers with background knowledge that serves to authenticate its cultural nuance. The stories are graced with Delacre’s eloquent paintings that transform ordinary characters into dramatic personalities.

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LATINO CULTURE 5–9. Harris, Zoe, and Suzanne Williams. Piñatas and Smiling Skeletons: Celebrating Mexican Festivals. Illus. by Yolanda Garfias Woo. Berkeley, Calif.: Pacific View Press, 1995. 48pp. A fact-filled book filled with interesting information designed to help children better understand the events, traditions, and customs celebrated by Mexican and Mexican-American children everywhere. The information is arranged from major celebration topics, such as el Día de los Muertos and la Navidad, to some culture specific festivals, such as Carnaval and Corpus Christi. The information in each chapter varies from stories drawn from the mythology of ancient cultures, to recipes for sweet tamales and biscochitos (cookies), to examples of calaveras, or skull poems, intended to poke fun of the living during Day of the Dead festivities. Includes a dictionary of Spanish terms. P–3. Karusa. The Streets Are Free. Translated by Karen Englander. Illus. by Monika Doppert. Willowdale, Ontario: Annick, 1995. 48pp. Three youngsters—Cheo, Carlitos, and Camila— are playing on the street when they are almost run over by a truck. The incident sparks their anger and their curiosity about finding a solution to the issue of safe places for children to play. Spanish text, La Calle Es Libre, is available from EkareBanco del Libro. 2–5. Krull, Kathleen. The Other Side: How Kids Live in a California Latino Neighborhood. Photographs by David Hautzig. New York: Lodestar, 1994. 48pp. Young readers are introduced to the three Guzmán children and their family, recent Mexican immigrants making their home seven miles from the California-Mexico border. The writer-photographer teams follow the children through the course of their daily life, documenting the uniqueness of their cultural surroundings as well as the universality of their everyday lives. 2–5. Lomas Garza, Carmen. In My Family/En Mi Familia. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1996. 32pp. The Pura Belpré honor–winning illustrator expands the theme of family life with her warm depictions of images of Mexican American family

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life. Using a brief narrative style similar to the petitions found in the retablo art form of popular religiosity, everyday descriptions of family life are lovingly told from the point of view of the young children who narrate their stories. The stories are augmented by bright, bold colors that beautifully portray a Mexican-American childhood during the mid-twentieth century. 2–6. _______. Magic Windows/Ventanas Mágicas. David Schecter, ed. Translated by Francisco X. Alarcón. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1999. 32pp. Using the art of papel picado (the use of delicate tissue paper to construct colorful illustrations that unfold as dramatic scenes), Lomas Garza explores themes of nature, la naturaleza. We learn a mixture of history and ecological lessons as she shares her knowledge of the history and symbolism of certain creatures: the horned toad, the hummingbird, the deer, the turkey, and the fish. Her lessons serve to inform and convey a message of the importance of these animals to the history of ancient Mexico and their importance to us to this day. 2–6. _______. Making Magic Windows: Creating Papel Picado/Cut-Paper Art with Carmen Lomas Garza. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1999. 61pp. This accompanying paperback workbook to Magic Windows/Ventanas Mágicas permits us truly to appreciate the artist’s craft of making papel picado. The booklet is intended to be used by audiences of all ages to utilize the patterns, designs, and instructions provided by this talented artist. Pattern designs ranging from flowers to twinkling stars to diamonds are simple and easy enough for adults and children to follow. 3–6. Lourie, Peter. Lost Treasure of the Inca. Honesdale, Pa.: Boyds Mills, 1999. 48pp. Lourie embarks into a journey like no other as he takes his readers into high adventure, this time 14,000 feet high into the mountains of Ecuador, in search of Inca gold. Lourie combines history with adventure and first-person account as he draws readers into one of the most fascinating mysteries of all time. Includes colorful graphic maps, glossary of Spanish and English terminology, and index.

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4 and up. Machado, Ana Maria. Exploration into Latin America. New York: New Discovery, 1995. 48pp. Written by the well-known Brazilian children’s writer and 2000 Hans Christian Anderson medalist, this well-designed information book is handsomely illustrated with color graphics that include maps, photos, portraits, drawings, and facsimiles that serve to enhance students’ appreciation for the study of Latin-American events. Includes glossary and index. 4–8. Montejo, Victor, reteller. Popol Vuh: A Sacred Book of the Maya. Translated from the Spanish by David Unger. Toronto, Ontario: Groundwood, 1999. 85pp. Renowned anthologist Victor Montejo makes this illustrated collection of the sacred stories of the Mayans accessible to children. The stories are told in four parts: creation stories, the adventures of Junajpu and Wuqub-Junajpu, the story of the creation of men from corn, and three additional stories, including a genealogy of the descendents of the first four fathers. Storytellers looking for authentic Mayan cultural material will revel in this cultural find. Splendid illustrations by a renowned Nicaraguan painter are rendered in a style reminiscent of Rousseau’s landscapes. Excellent translation from the Spanish by the Guatemalan-born writer and translator David Unger. Spanish-speaking children will enjoy equally hearing and reading the lively stories in Montego’s original adaptation available in the Spanish edition, Popol Vuh: El Libro Sagrado de los Maya. Includes an extensive glossary subdivided into categories that include gods, demigods, the human world, animals, plants, and places. P–2. Mora, Pat. The Desert Is My Mother/El Desierto Es Mi Madre. Illus. by Daniel Lechón. Houston: Piñata, 1994. 31pp. In a refreshing tone, the legendary Tejana poet resonates her love of the desert for its nurturing, life-giving gifts. Vivid color illustrations of a young girl absorbing all that the desert has to offer. A perfect complement to Mora’s Listen to the Desert/Oye al Desierto (Boston: Clarion, l994). Bilingual edition. P–3. _______. The Rainbow Tulip. Boston: Clarion, 1999. 32pp.

At home she is the endearing Estelita; at school her Anglicized name is Stella. One day Estelita’s teacher announces the class will hold a May Parade and all the girls will be dressed as tulips. Estelita, displaying marked independence, decides her costume will reflect every color. It is only when she sees that she is the only rainbow-colored tulip that she recognizes her difference. Her strong, supportive mother, also different from all the other mothers, lingers in the background, always ready to support Estelita as she weaves her way through her newfound identity and independence. A quiet book that speaks volumes to today’s immigrant child. P–3. ______. Tomás and the Library Lady. New York: Knopf, 1997. 32pp. P–3. ______. Tomás y la Señora de la Biblioteca. New York: Knopf, 1997. 32pp. Undeterred by the harshness of migrant farm life, a young boy from Texas finds joy in hearing the stories that his grandfather, Papa Grande, tells. But when Papa Grande discovers that Tomás knows all his stories by heart, he suggests going to the library to find new stories to tell. Tomás visits the public library, and is befriended by the librarian who takes an interest in the boy and nurtures his interest in reading. Raul Colón’s stylistic use of brown scratchboard is dramatic and wonderfully blends eloquence with tenderness. The illustrations capture the spirit of imagination that nurtures Tomás in his quest for stories. The little boy who learned to tell stories from his grandfather and who loved to read at the library grew up to become chancellor of the University of California at Riverside. 2–10. Nye, Naomi Shihab, ed. The Tree Is Older Than You Are: A Bilingual Gathering of Poems and Stories from Mexico. Paintings by Mexican Artists. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995. 112pp. Mostly poems and some stories are included in this collection of poetry and art from throughout Mexico. They are arranged into broad themes of people, earth, and animals. Each poem appears side by side with its corresponding English translation. Many of the poems are written by well-known Mexican literary figures; others are children’s works. The stories are mostly folktales, some appearing for the first time in English; some are Spanish translations of mate-

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LATINO CULTURE rial gathered from indigenous native cultures. The handsome paintings, though few in numbers, are superb.

3 and up. Rohmer, Harriet, ed. Honoring Our Ancestors: Stories and Pictures by Fourteen Artists. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1999. 32pp.

P–3. Orozco, José-Luis. De Colores and Other Latin American Folk Songs for Children. Illus. by Elisa Kleven. New York: Dutton, 1994. 56pp.

Using varying media, fourteen talented artists pay moving tribute through text and illustration to family members who have influenced them in some significant way. Among the noted Latino illustrators included here are George Crespo, Maya Christina González, Enrique Chagoya, and Patssi Valdez.

Selected, arranged, and translated by Orozco. Includes such favorites as “Chocolate” (hot chocolate), “Los Diez Elefantes” (the ten elephants), “Caballito Blanco” (little white horse), and many more. A brief introduction describes each song and offers suggestions for play. Country of origin and English verses are also included. This collection of Orozco’s life’s work come vividly alive through the delightful, whimsical full-color illustrations by Kleven. A subsequent title, Diez Dedito: Ten Little Fingers and Other Play Rhymes and Action Songs, from Latin America, continues in the same vein. P–3. Pico, Fernando. The Red Comb. Illus. by Maria Antónia Ordonez. Mahwah, N.J.: Bridgewater, 1991. 48pp. This fictional story captures the historical reality of slavery in Puerto Rico in the mid-nineteenth century. Don Pedro Calderón is the envy of the village men. He is a bounty hunter who is handsomely paid for each runaway slave that he captures. But Señora Rosa, an old woman in the village, is quick to remind the men that their own ancestors were once runaway slaves. Original Spanish title, La Peineta Colorada (Ediciones Huracán and Ekare-Banco del Libro, 1991), remains a classic of Puerto Rican children’s literature. 9 to adult. Rivera, Tomás. . . . And the Earth Did Not Devour Him/. . . Y No Se Lo Trago la Tierra. Rev. ed. Translated by Evangelina Vigil. Houston: Arte Publico Press, 1992. 208pp. Considered a classic of Chicano literature, the twelve vignettes are representative of a migrant year and are a testament to the dignity of the human spirit of migrant farmworkers everywhere. Told through the eyes of an unnamed protagonist, the stories recall the everyday tragedies and hardships of farmworker life. The title is a reflective piece in which a young boy tests God’s wrath by deliberately invoking His name for allowing pain and suffering among farmworkers to prevail. Bilingual edition.

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P–3. Soto, Gary. Chato’s Kitchen. Illus. by Susan Guevara. New York: Putnam, 1995. 32pp. Chato, a low-riding homeboy, and his best friend, Novio Boy, are conniving cats who scheme a neighborly feast as they lure a family of mice over for dinner. The clever mice, who invite their friend Chorizo, a dog, to the fiesta, outwit the cats. The 1996 Pura Belpré Award winner for illustrations. 3 and up. _______. Neighborhood Odes. Illus. by David Diaz. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt, 1992. 80pp. Using the ode as a metaphor, Soto, a gifted poet, appeals to the everyday likes of young people in this superb collection of poems that pay homage to common objects important in the life of kids: tennis shoes, tortilla, and the library. P–3. _______. Snapshots from the Wedding. Illus. by Stephanie Garcia. New York: Putnam, 1998. 32pp. Maya the flower girl doubles as a rookie photographer to provide a visual as well as verbal account of a family wedding as seen from a child’s perspective. Using diorama stage sets as frames for each wedding scene, Garcia, the 1998 Pura Belpré Award winner for illustration, cleverly sculpts her characters from clay and then adorns them with intricate details that enhance the peculiarities of cultural nuances. 4–10. Sullivan, Charles, ed. Here Is My Kingdom: Hispanic-American Literature and Art for Young People. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1994. 119pp. This collection of seventy-seven illustrations brings the finest Hispanic art and literature to young readers. The collection spans from the earliest cave paintings found in Spain, dated from 15,000 BC, up to El Greco. Highlights

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include the work of Puerto Rico’s Rafael Tufina and the Southwest’s Malaquias Montoya, combined with the strong literary voices of Rosario Castellano, Tomás Rivera, Cesar Chavez, and Carmen Tafolla. The result is a powerful blend of art and literature. In selecting from such a broad cultural spectrum, the editor hopes young readers will be able to reflect upon their own unique cultural history and continue to define for themselves their own identity. P–3. Torres, Leyla. Saturday Sancocho. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1995. 32pp. Every Saturday, Maria Lili looks forward to making sancocho with her grandparents. One Saturday morning, Papá Angelino announces that there is no money to buy the ingredients to make the tasty soup. With Mama Ana’s ingenuity and resourcefulness, the grandmother and Maria Lili embark on a day filled with bartering and trading. Includes a tasty recipe for making the delicious soup. Simultaneous Spanish edition, El Sabado de Sancocho, also available from the publisher. P–3. Williams, Sherley Anne. Working Cotton. Illus. by Carole Byard. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt, 1992. 32pp. A day in the life of a migrant farmworker’s child is told with delicate simplicity and grace. The illustrations eloquently capture the intensity and mood throughout the long hours in the day, starting with the early morning. A 1993 Caldecott and Coretta Scott King Award honor winner for illustration.

PROGRAM IDEAS Books marked with an asterisk (*) are listed in Recommended Materials.

Día de los Muertos/ Day of the Dead The Day of the Dead honors a beloved family member who is deceased. The tradition is firmly rooted in the belief that the souls of the dead return for a yearly visit. The two-day ritual takes place on November 1 and 2, with the first day dedicated to

honoring all children who have died. The primary custom associated with this celebration is the arrangement of a special altar in memory of the deceased person. Another practice is to hold an allnight vigil in the cemetery, where the family shares favorite foods. The custom dates back to preColumbian times. C R E AT E A N A L TA R

This program is designed for ages five and up. Before beginning the program, set up several tables, preferably tables that are at eye level for children. Drape them with colorful rebozos that can be used as tablecloths. If no rebozos are available, use a white or other solid-color tablecloth. Place cardboard boxes on tables and drape them with cloth as well to provide depth and dimension for the arrangement of items on the table. In another corner, set aside all the materials needed to construct an altar to honor the dead. (For a complete list of materials, consult Salinas-Norman, Bobbi SalinasNorman. Indo-Hispanic Folk Art Traditions II/Tradiciones Artesanales Indo-Hispanas. Houston: Piñata, 1990.) Begin the program by asking children to name various ways in which we honor people who have died. Examples might include naming a school or a street after them, holding a parade, such as the Veteran’s Day parade, or setting aside special days on the calendar in their honor, such as Presidents Day. Explain how people from Mexico honor those they love who have died. On November 1 and 2, they bring flowers, special pastries called pan dulce (sweet bread), their favorite foods, and favorite drinks to an altar. As you are talking about the various things needed in order to construct the altar, call on children to bring these items forward, one at a time, until have all been placed on the altar. STORYTELLING

Conduct a storyhour with Día de los Muertos/Day of the Dead as the theme. Before the program begins, play music appropriate to the theme. Read from Day of the Dead titles, and have a craft activity. Storytelling Books

*Ancona, George. Pablo Remembers: The Fiesta of the Day of the Dead. *Delgado, Abelardo. “Día de los Muertos.” Carlson, Lori M., ed. Cool Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Growing Up Latino in the United States.

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LATINO CULTURE Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane. Day of the Dead: A Mexican American Celebration. Photographs by Lawrence Migdale. New York: Holiday House, 1994. Books for Adults

Carillo Hocker, Bea. Ritual and El Día de los Muertos: A Day of the Dead Curriculum for Teachers. San Francisco: The Mexican Museum, 1988. Carmichael, Elizabeth, and Chloe Sayer. The Skeleton at the Feast: The Day of the Dead in Mexico. Austin, Tex.: University of Texas Press, 1991. Gonzalez-Crussi, Frank, M.D. The Day of the Dead and Other Mortal Reflections. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt, 1993. Salinas-Norman, Bobbi. Indo-Hispanic Folk Art Traditions II/Tradiciones Artesanales IndoHispanas II. Houston: Piñata, 1990. Craft

Make puppet skeletons and color them. Have skeletons perform on a puppet stage to “Chumba la Cachumba.” Twelve skeletons are needed—one for each hour of the song.

Making Magic Windows (see Recommended Materials). Make paper flowers. Make a Mother’s Day Card. Have the children write a poem to express their affection for their mothers, grandmothers, or aunts. Have them use a quote from a famous poet, either in Spanish or English. Storytelling Books

*Castaneda, Omar. Abuela’s Weave. *Lomas Garza, Carmen. “Paper Flowers/Flores de Papel.” Magic Windows/Ventanas Magicas. Mora, Pat. A Birthday Basket for Tia. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1992. Poetry

“Las Canciones de Mi Abuelita/My Grandma’s Songs,” “Madrecita Mia.” Zwick, Louise Yarain, and Oralia Garza de Cortes. Rimas y Cancioncitas para Niños. Houston: Houston Public Library, 1984. Mistral, Gabriela. “Abuelita’s Lap.” Confetti: Poems for Children. Illus. by Enrique O. Sanchez. New York: Lee & Low, 1996.

Music

Cotte, Carlos. “Chumba la Cachumba.” Chumba la Cachumba. Brooklyn, N.Y.: Kane Miller, 1998. Orozco, José-Luis. “Día de los Muertos.” Fiestas Holidays con Jose-Luis Orozco, Volume 6. Berkeley, Calif.: Arcoiris Records, 1995.

Music

Orozco, José-Luis. “Las Mañanitas” (traditional serenade for special occasions), “10 de Mayo.” Fiestas Holidays con José-Luis Orozco, Volume 6. Berkeley, Calif.: Arcoiris Records, 1995.

Videos

El Día de los Muertos: The Day of the Dead. Video. Austin, Tex.: Institute of Texan Cultures, 1991. 21 minutes. High school to adult.

Cesar Chavez

Portillo, Lourdes, and Susana Muñoz. La Ofrenda: The Days of the Dead. Video. Santa Monica, Calif.: Direct Cinema Limited, 1989. 50 minutes.

Cesar Chavez is one of the most important Latino leaders of the twentieth century. He led a civil rights movement that demanded that farmworkers be paid decent wages and that their working and living conditions change. A follower of Gandhi, he adopted the use of the boycott as a effective tool for nonviolent change.

Mother’s Day Programs

P R O G R A M F O R E L E M E N TA R Y G R A D E S

In Mexico, May 10 is celebrated as Mother’s Day, when all women who are mothers are honored. STORYTIME Crafts

Make a papel picado by cutting paper strands using patterns found in Lomas Garza, Carmen.

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To prepare, read Collins, David R. The Farmworkers Friend: The Story of Cesar Chavez. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda, 1996; and Del Castillo, Richard, and Richard A. Garcia. Cesar Chavez: A Triumph of Spirit. University of Oklahoma Press, 1995. You can also visit the UFW website at www.ufw.org to get background information about Cesar Chavez.

LATINO CULTURE

Before beginning the program, play the song “De Colores” from ¡Sí, Se Puede! (CD-ROM available from UFW Headquarters, P.O. Box 62, Keene, CA.) This is the theme song of the Farmworkers Movement. Talk about the words in the song. Show a picture of Cesar Chavez, such as the picture in Ada, Alma Flor. Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English.

the morning? Where would they have to go to school if they were migrant farmworkers? Chants

Lead children in “Viva Cesar Chavez” and “¡Sí, Se Puede!” chants. Orozco, José-Luis. Fiestas Holidays con José-Luis Orozco, Volume 6. Berkeley, Calif.: Arcoiris Records, 1995.

Stories

Read a story about the life of Cesar Chavez, selected from Recommended Materials: *Aiken, Beth. Voices from the Fields: Children of Migrant Farmworkers Tell Their Stories. *Altman, Linda Jacobs. Amelia’s Road. *Dorros, Arthur. Radio Man: A Story in English and Spanish. *Mora, Pat. Tomás and the Library Lady.

WEBSITES The following recommended web pages were selected as a supplement to the annotations and programs provided. Several sites are aimed primarily at professionals working with Latino children and families. They provide general information on Latino children’s literature, as well as information on Latino book awards.

*Rivera, Tomás. . . . And the Earth Did Not Devour Him/. . . Y No Se Lo Trago la Tierra.

Américas Award

*Williams, Sherley Anne. Working Cotton.

www.uwm.edu/Dept/CLACS/outreach_americas. html

Poetry

Read and talk about any of the following poems about Chavez: *Ada, Alma Flor. “Niña Campesina/Field Girl.” Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English. Share other poems from the alphabet book Gathering the Sun as time allows. *Alarcón, Francisco X. “Un Arbol para Cesar Chavez/A Tree for Cesar Chavez.” Laughing Tomatoes and Other Spring Poems/Jitomates Risuenos y Otros Poemas de Primavera. *_______. “Strawberries/Las Fresas.” Laughing Tomatoes and Other Spring Poems/Jitomates Risuenos y Otros Poemas de Primavera.

Sponsored by the Consortium of Latin American Studies Program (CLASP) at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. This annual award honors works written by or about the Latino experience. Site lists the top winner or winners and honor books, with full annotations. Culture and Language, Words and Art: Bilingual Picture Books www.scils.rutgers.edu/special/dagosto/bilingual. html Site examines the uses of Spanish in English texts in picture books for children. Selected links point to other important, related sites. Latinolink www.latino.com Excellent source of information for current events and special reports, such as Latino celebrities and immigration. Extensive search options.

Cumpián, Carlos. “Cesar Chavez.” Latino Rainbow: Poems about Latino Americans. Illus. by Richard Leonard. Danbury, Conn.: Children’s Press, 1994.

LatinoUSA: Radio Journal of News and Culture

Discussion

www.latinousa.org

Begin a conversation with the children about what life might be like for them if they were farmworker children. What time would they have to get up in

Web page of the only U.S. Latino weekly news and information program. Programs are indexed by date as well as by topic.

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LATINO CULTURE Pathfinder

Tomás Rivera Award

www.atm-info.com/pathfind.htm

http://education.swt.edu/Rivera/mainpage.html

Extensive, highly selective, and well-organized collection of website links related to all aspects of Chicano/Latino life. Within two major headings (Mega Sites and General Sites) the links are arranged alphabetically by topics: Art, Business, Education, Health, Libraries, and so on. Pura Belpré Award www.ala.org/alsc/belpre.html An award given by the American Library Association for Latino children’s literature honoring Latino authors and illustrators for the best book published in the United States. Cosponsored by REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services for Latinos and the Spanish Speaking, and ALSC, the Association for Library Service to Children, the award is given biennially.

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Children’s literature award that honors Mexican-American authors and illustrators of works for children, given by Southwest Texas State University. United Farm Workers Union, AFL-CIO www.ufw.org Official website of the union founded by Cesar Chavez. Provides histories, biographies, and chronologies, as well as the most recent information on the continuing struggle of farmworkers to organize their own unions.

CHAPTER

7

Middle East Allison Gray

Is there any cultural group so misunderstood as that of the Middle East? Stereotypes and Western preconceptions of Arabic cultures and countries are consistently represented as fact in television, film, literature, and the press. Fear of Muslim fundamentalism is surely responsible for part of the primarily negative portrayal of Arabic peoples, even though all Arabs are not Muslim and all Muslims are not fundamentalists. While conflict seems to merit extensive press coverage, the rich cultural and historical traditions of the Middle East are frequently ignored. In a time when cultural awareness is of vast interest, it is frankly unconscionable that a vast segment of the global population continues to be represented in such a negative manner. The Middle East consists of a large group of countries in southwestern Asia and northern Africa. It is generally agreed that these countries are: Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Each country has its own dialects, identity, and traditions.

RELIGION AND CULTURE More than 75 percent of the Middle East population is of Arabic ethnicity, and approximately 90 percent of this group is Muslim. The word Muslim means “follower of Islam.” Islam is the second largest world religion after Christianity. It began in the six hundreds when Mohammed began spreading revelations given to him by the angel Gabriel.

The Islamic calendar started at year 1 when Mohammed and his followers left Mecca in 622 AD. By the time of Mohammed’s death, Islam had spread throughout the Arabic world to become the dominant religion. During the eighth and ninth centuries, Islamic believers split into two groups: the Sunnites and the Shi’ites. The latter are the smaller group within the Islamic religion. Their largest number is in Iran. Sunnites comprise the majority of the world’s Muslim population. There are also some Christian Arabs. Islamic culture has affected the world in many ways—for example, in architecture, glassware, textiles, and book decoration. In addition, Muslims were responsible for the translation and distribution of ancient Greek texts and culture. The written Arabic language gave rise to the art of calligraphy. Arabic numerals were, of course, created there.

Today It is difficult not to make generalizations when discussing a region with such a diverse number of countries. In the modern Middle East, there are a number of types of governments, including kingdoms and democracies. These countries all use the same Arabic language for writing. The spoken language, however, differs in dialect from region to region. While the perception remains that many Arabs live in small villages, this is no longer accurate. Approximately one half of the Middle Eastern population inhabits cities and large towns.

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RECOMMENDED MATERIALS According to the Arab American Institute, there are now approximately 3 million Arab Americans living in the United States. Limited literature is available about this growing segment of the American population. In view of the United States’s proud history as a “melting pot” society, unbiased materials that represent the culture of the Middle East would be welcome. Publication of children’s materials that accurately reflect Middle Eastern influence and culture can only help combat ignorance and prejudice. Because of the unavailability of materials on Arab Americans, the selections here represent Middle Eastern culture in general. Criteria for selection required that the books be aimed at elementary school–aged children. The focus is on fiction and folklore, and the titles contain accurate information on Middle Eastern and Arab American cultures of the past and present. Materials containing negative stereotyping are not included. Although none of the titles is bilingual, many contain Arabic words. The majority of Middle Eastern countries are neglected in Recommended Materials simply because there are no children’s books about them published in the United States. Israel, considered part of the Middle East, is the country best represented in American children’s literature; because Jewish-American culture is covered in Chapter 4, it is not be included here. Of all the Middle East countries covered, Egypt and its ancient history are most frequently listed. Books produced by American publishers on ancient Egypt have long been readily available to librarians, teachers, and parents. Given the fact that publishers did not have to concern themselves with Islamic content in books about ancient Egypt, the prevalence of such materials is unsurprising. Folklore of the Middle East has occasionally been published in the United States. Much of it is based on the traditions of The Arabian Nights, including many versions of the Ali Baba story. Arabic versions of various folktale motifs are now becoming more available. For example, selections listed under Recommended Materials include Persian, Egyptian, and Iraqi versions of the universal Cinderella motif. Children’s nonfiction materials about Muslim culture and traditions are also beginning to be published in the United States, although their quality varies. Arabic holidays and Muslim religious observances are now included in many religious, craft, and holiday books. Fiction set in modern Arabic

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countries is also occasionally published for older children. It is only recently that modern Arabic life has been represented in picture-book format, most of which are based on Middle Eastern folklore rather than on the realities of life in modern Middle Eastern and Arab American homes. Although some situations in Middle Eastern countries are beyond the maturity level of picture book audiences, aspects of family traditions, faith, and the arts would provide marvelous material for extending an understanding of Arabic culture. Some authors are writing picture book fiction that gives a modern perspective on Arabic culture to children. Books by Florence Parry Heide and her daughter, Judith Heide Gilliland, take place in modern Cairo and Beirut. Naomi Shihab Nye, an influential and active Arab American writer for youth, writes of an Arab American girl’s visit to her Palestinian grandmother in Sitti’s Secrets. In The Stars in My Geddoh’s Sky, Claire Sidhom Matze tells the story of a young boy who is visited by his Arabic grandfather. While these four books are wonderful, is it not discouraging that they are the only readily available fiction picture books about modern Arabic life to be published in the 1990s? K–3. Bahous, Sally. Sitti and the Cats: A Tale of Friendship. Illus. by Nancy Malick. Niwot, Colo.: Roberts Rinehart, 1993. 32pp. This Palestinian folktale tells of a kind woman who gives aid to a beautifully dressed kitten. The bag of onions and garlic the woman receives as a reward for her kindness transforms overnight into a large pile of coins. A jealous neighbor attempts the same results but is unpleasant and unable to achieve a positive outcome. The lesson is that kindness is rewarded while selfishness is not. This long picture storybook is wordy and didactic, but it does impart many interesting details of Arabic life. There are boxed definitions of Arabic words as well as information on geography, weather, and culture. Illustrations are stylized and moody, reflecting the Middle Eastern origins of the tale. K–3. Ben-Ezer, Ehud. Hosni the Dreamer: An Arabian Tale. Illus. by Uri Shulevitz. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1997. 32pp. In this briskly written folktale, Hosni, a shepherd in the employ of a sheikh, longs to visit the city. Eventually he is allowed to go there with the other shepherds. Hosni buys nothing in the

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bazaar until he sees a sign saying “One verse for one gold dinar.” He buys a verse and is told not to cross the water. On the way home a sudden flood takes all but Hosni and a canopied camel that carries a maiden, whom Hosni marries. Illustrations by Caldecott-winner Shulevitz are comic and bright, using colors of the desert. 3–6. Bunting, Eve. I Am the Mummy Heb-Nefert. Illus. by David Christiana. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt, 1997. 32pp. A mummy recounts the story of her life as the wife of a pharoah’s brother in ancient Egypt. In evocative language, Heb-Nefert recounts her privileged lifestyle. She also describes life in working class homes. After she dies, she is mummified; this process is carefully delineated. Although somewhat grim in tone, this book reveals much about life and death in ancient Egypt. Illustrations are muted in tone yet show pertinent details of the time period. 3–6. Clements, Andrew. Temple Cat. Illus. by Kate Kiesler. Boston: Clarion, 1997. 32pp. A temple cat in ancient Egypt describes a life of being pampered and worshiped. Servants keep him from doing anything vaguely catlike. He eventually escapes from the rigid way of life at the temple in Neba and wanders toward the sea. By now hungry and thin, the cat is fed by a kind fisherman whose children pet and play with him. Now part of an affectionate family, the temple cat’s happiness is complete. Beautiful oil paintings in rich earth tones show the architecture, paintings, clothing, and cities of ancient Egypt. The fishermen’s huts are simple and depict the less opulent lifestyle of many families during this time. The depiction of the cat in all its moods is perfect. K–3. Climo, Shirley. The Persian Cinderella. Illus. by Robert Florczak. New York: HarperCollins, 1999. 32pp. In a Persian tale from The Arabian Nights, a No Ruz (New Year) celebration leads to happily ever after for a prince and a maiden. Settareh is mistreated by her stepfamily. When the women receive money to buy finery to wear to the No Ruz celebration, Settareh spends hers on food, alms for a poor woman, and a cracked blue jug in which she finds a pari (fairy)—the pari is unique to Persian lore. After Settareh wins the prince’s

heart, her stepsisters cast an enchantment upon her. Eventually the prince breaks the spell. Set in fifteenth-century Persia, the book’s vibrant and jewel-like illustrations reflect life in a wealthy family with realistic detail. According to author and illustrator notes, extensive research on Persian life was completed before the creation of this beautifully illustrated folktale. The separation of the sexes in this culture and time are realistically portrayed and should lead to interesting discussion. The universal Cinderella motif will help children relate to the Middle Eastern aspects of this less familiar version. K–3. Cohen, Barbara. The Secret Grove. Illus. by Michael J. Deraney. New York: Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 1985. 40pp. This older but still available story is written from the perspective of an Israeli boy who as a child becomes friendly with a Jordanian boy when they meet in an orange grove. Although each boy clearly has a stereotypical attitude toward the other’s religion and culture, both find similarities in their lives and enjoy comparing their languages. Their worlds are essentially the same, in terms of family, recreation, and so on. Their last meeting is spent planting orange seeds where they had met. As an adult, Beni fights in two Arab/Israeli wars and wonders whether Ahmed did as well. The black-and-white illustrations complement the somewhat long text about children who are willing to look past their personal prejudices. 3–6. Courlander, Harold. The Tiger’s Whisker. Illus. by Enrico Arno. New York: Henry Holt, 1995. 152pp. Three tales perfect for storytelling. “The Philosophers of King Darius” originated in Iran and professes that truth is the greatest and most powerful thing of all. The Arabian tale “Abunuwas the Trickster” will leave you laughing. “The Spotted Rug,” also from Arabia, explains a popular saying there. K–3. Gerrard, Roy. Croco’nile. Illus. by the author. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1994. 32pp. While playing in the Nile with their crocodile in ancient Egypt, Hamut and his sister Nekatu mischievously hide on a boat in this rhyming picture book that is fun to read. After reaching a

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MIDDLE EAST city, Hamut learns to sculpt while Nekatu becomes a great artist. Eventually they are kidnapped and sold as slaves. When the boat on which the children are being transported sinks, their crocodile saves them. This engaging fantasy gives a real flavor of life and particularly the arts in ancient Egypt. Hieroglyphics are used throughout the illustrations, which show cityscapes, building, decorations, and the vibrant use of colors in the arts of that time. Note the hidden messages conveyed in hieroglyphics in ten of the illustrations. K–3. Ghazi, Suhaib Hamid. Ramadan. Illus. by Omar Rayyan. New York: Holiday House, 1996. 32pp. This nonfiction picture book looks at the Muslim holiday Ramadan through a young boy’s eyes. Information is given about Muslim culture around the world, emphasizing that Muslims are to be found in most countries. Hakeem and his family appear to live in the Middle East. The illustrations and text convey an emphasis on multiculturalism, not politics, helping to allay Westerners’ fears of this religion so that nonMuslims learn the basic tenets of much-celebrated holiday. Watercolor illustrations enhance the descriptive text by showing Hakeem and other Muslims from the past and present in their Ramadan and Eid ul-Fitr celebrations. Rayyan conveys a warmth in his illustrations, reflecting traditional Islamic style and lettering with intricately detailed borders. The blending of accessible text and gentle illustrations sends a message that Muslims and the Islamic world are not to be feared because of their differences. K–3. Heide, Florence Parry, and Judith Heide Gilliland. The Day of Ahmed’s Secret. Illus. by Ted Lewin. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1990. 30pp. Ahmed is a butagaz boy, meaning that he sells cooking gas to people in Cairo. During the course of his day, Ahmed thinks about his special secret. The suspense about what his secret could be builds for the reader as Ahmed describes a typical day. He focuses particularly on the sounds and the colors of Cairo, which are beautifully described and portrayed, as are the people with whom Ahmed interacts. The watercolor illustrations pay warm attention to the everyday aspects of life in a Middle Eastern city that blends the old with the new. Artwork and text

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effectively show the ways in which daily life there may be different from life in the Western world. The book also shows how Ahmed is like any child in the world—excited and proud when he reveals his secret: writing his name in Arabic for the very first time. ALA Notable Book. K–3. _______. The House of Wisdom. Illus. by Mary Grandpré. New York: DK, 1999. 40pp. Ishaq and his family live in the bayt al-hikmah (House of Wisdom), a great library in ninth-century Baghdad. Each day Ishaq explores the vast international collection and is puzzled by the way the scholars are completely absorbed in their learning. His father explains that no matter what time or culture people belong to, they have much in common. As an adult, Ishaq is sent on an expedition to gather more books for the Caliph al-Ma’mun, the leader of the faith in Baghdad at that time. While reading a text by Aristotle, Ishaq finally comes to understand the power of books in connecting past and present, as well as providing understanding about different cultures. The full-page, dramatically colorful pastel illustrations show the ethnic diversity of the people who frequented the pivotal city of Baghdad in the ninth century. Islamic architecture, decorative arts, and clothing are conveyed throughout. Beautifully written and illustrated, this true story is a fine account of a time and place when the acquisition of knowledge was greatly valued. K–5. _______. Sami in the Time of the Troubles. Illus. by Ted Lewin. Boston: Clarion, 1992. 32pp. The authors tell the story of a ten-year-old boy named Sami, who lives in Beirut with his extended family. Much of the story occurs while they are in their basement shelter during outbreaks of violence. Although his father was killed in a marketplace bombing, Sami has moments when he is able to enjoy everyday pleasures. Soft watercolor illustrations portray many facets of Beirut life. Grandfather tells stories about the day children marched on the streets of Beirut, calling for an end to all fighting. The book ends on a hopeful note that the violence will soon end, but it is authentic in its depiction of the emotional scars constant violence brings to both adults and children. A realistic view of a child’s life during wartime, this book will spark thoughtful discussion.

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K–3. Kherdian, David. The Rose’s Smile: Farizad of the Arabian Nights. Illus. by Stefano Vitale. New York: Henry Holt, 1997. 32pp. Sibling jealousy affects two generations of a family. When the youngest sister marries the sultan, her two older sisters connive to make her life a misery. They steal her newborn son and daughter, replacing them with animals, which leads to her banishment. A poor gardener then raises the two children, Farizad and Farid. Now grown, they are sent on a quest for three magical items. During the quest Farizad must rescue her brother. A happy ending ensues when the siblings’ identities are revealed to the sultan and his wife. The stunning illustrations in this tale are richly detailed, adding much to the cultural qualities in this ancient folktale. The combination of vibrant illustrations and an exciting story make this a wonderful example of traditional Persian folklore. The strong female protagonist who saves the day is an unusual and welcome theme. K–3. Kimmel, Eric A. Rimonah of the Flashing Sword: A North African Tale. Illus. by Omar Rayyan. New York: Holiday House, 1995. 32pp. This Egyptian version of Snow White includes the addition of forty thieves. Forced into hiding because of her wicked stepmother, Rimonah becomes a fierce warrior in a Bedouin encampment of thieves. After several attempts, the wicked queen succeeds in sending Rimonah into an enchanted sleep. Rescued by a prince and the thieves, Rimonah finds her father and defeats her stepmother. Beautiful watercolor illustrations convey a great sense of movement, drama, and strength. Artful placement of text and illustration adds to the attractive and textured Middle Eastern qualities of the book. Rayyan notes that he created the artwork using the influences of ancient Egypt, Judea, Persia, the Ottoman Empire, and Morocco. K–5. _______. The Tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves: A Story from the Arabian Nights. Illus. by Will Hillenbrand. New York: Holiday House, 1996. 32pp. Kimmel retells the story of Ali Baba and his clever friend Marghana. Ali Baba overhears the password that enables one to enter a mysterious cave. Upon entering, he finds treasure. He takes some gold, which is discovered by his brother

Quasim. Quasim’s greed leads to a rather gruesome death. Fortunately, the slave girl Marghana is able to use her considerable intelligence to protect Ali Baba from several evil plots. Hillenbrand uses desert tones in his somewhat cartoon-like illustrations. The humor evident in each picture helps allay the bloodthirsty aspects of the story. Scenes portraying sinister events are frequently done in a dark, moody palette, while more cheerful paintings nearly leap off the page with the bright use of color and contrast. K–3. _______. The Three Princes: A Tale from the Middle East. Illus. by Leonard Everett Fisher. New York: Holiday House, 1994. 32pp. A princess must choose a husband from three suitors. While she prefers Prince Mohsen, she sends all three out into the world to bring back the rarest thing they can find. Prince Muhammed brings a crystal ball, Prince Fahad a flying carpet, and Prince Mohsen an orange. The three must cooperate in order to return to the princess, who is gravely ill. Healed after eating the orange, she chooses Prince Mohsen, who has given up his treasure for her. Richly colored illustrations enhance the story by contrasting dark shadows with bright and bold areas of color. Note in particular the crescent moon and five-pointed star, long-time symbols of Islam, in illustrations of the night sky. K–3. Lewin, Betsy. What’s the Matter, Habibi? Boston: Clarion, 1997. 32pp. Habibi the camel gives rides to children near the bazaar. One day he refuses to stand up no matter how Ahmed pleads with him. Suspecting that his darling Habibi’s feet hurt, Ahmed gives him his babouches (shoes). Habibi trades the babouches for a red fez with black tassels and then jauntily returns to the bazaar, assured of his handsome appearance. This wonderful readaloud is illustrated with great verve. Done in a breezy and whimsical cartoon style, the illustrations add humor to the tale of the endearing friendship between Ahmed and Habibi. K–3. Matze, Claire Sidhom. The Stars in My Geddoh’s Sky. Illus. by Bill Farnsworth. Morton Grove, Ill.: Albert Whitman, 1999. 32pp. Young Arab-American Alex is waiting for his geddoh (grandfather) to visit. Geddoh tells Alex about daily life in his unidentified Middle East

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MIDDLE EAST country, describing the city, countryside, and the daily calls to prayer. They make a deliciously described meal together and spend time at the beach. Alex is upset to realize that Geddoh is going back to his homeland until Geddoh points to the stars that both he and Alex can see from their respective countries. Soft, lovely oil paintings illustrate this gentle and informative story. Much of Arabic and Islamic culture is depicted in a way that makes it easy for children to understand. The universal theme of the loving guidance imparted by a grandfather to his grandchild gives children of all cultures something to relate to in this warm portrayal. K–3. Nye, Naomi Shihab. Sitti’s Secrets. Illus. by Nancy Carpenter. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994. 32pp. Mona and her father go to visit her sitti (grandmother) who lives in Palestine. After a wonderful visit, Mona sadly goes back to her home in the United States. She writes a letter to the U.S. president, asking for world peace and an end to the fighting in the Middle East. Colorful mixedmedia collage paintings show many aspects of modern Arabic culture. The small Palestinian village displays the juxtaposition between ancient and new. The humanity of the characters shines through in the depictions of their faces and their closeness to one another. An excellent story time book with its themes of peace and the commonality of humankind, Sitti’s Secrets is one book you must own. K–3. Oppenheim, Shulamith Levey. The Hundredth Name. Illus. by Michael Hays. Honesdale, Pa.: Boyds Mills, 1995. 32pp. Salah, a young Egyptian boy, is worried because his beloved camel Qadiim never looks happy. After a long discussion about their Islamic faith with his father, Salah comes up with a plan. He prays to Allah that Qadiim be told the hundredth and most important name of Allah, unknown to humans. Salah knows that Qadiim will be so proud to know this secret that he will be happy to the end of his days. Lovely acrylic paintings set the mood in an Egyptian village through the use of muted colors showing water and sand. The close relationship between father and son is gently portrayed in both illustration and text. Many issues arise in this understated picture book: religious faith, concern for others, parent/child relationships. All are han-

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dled capably, with an ending that not only satisfies Salah and Qadiim, but the reader as well. K–3. Sabuda, Robert. Tutankhamen’s Gift. New York: Atheneum, 1994. 60pp. Young Tutankhamen loves watching craftsmen create works of art to honor the gods of ancient Egypt. When Tutankhamen’s older brother Amenhotep IV becomes pharoah he declares that only the god of the sun can now be worshiped and causes the destruction of many beautiful temples. At the age of ten, Tutankhamen becomes pharoah after the mysterious death of his brother. Although young, Tutankhamen orders temples rebuilt to give faith back to the Egyptian people. While the text reveals many fascinating details of life in ancient Egypt, spectacular artwork is the strength of this book. Using intricate cut black papers glued on to brightly painted Egyptian papyrus, Sabuda reveals fascinating details of the artwork, architecture, clothing, and personal adornments of ancient Egypt. K–3. Shah, Idries. The Magic Horse. Illus. by Julie Freeman. Los Altos, Calif.: Hoopoe, 1997. 40pp. Shah recounts an ancient Sufi tale in which numerous adventures occur. When Prince Tambal receives a magical wooden horse that takes its rider to his heart’s desire he flies to a city in the sky where a princess is imprisoned by her father. Tambal must use all his wits to rescue her and live happily ever after. Although wordy, this is one of few Sufi tales in picturebook format available in the United States. Illustrations are vibrant, with decoratively designed borders. Mystical aspects of Sufism are implied through the story, illustrations, and explanation of a Sufi saying. K–3. _______. Neem the Half-Boy. Illus. by Midori Mori and Robert Revels. Los Altos, Calif.: Hoopoe, 1997. 32pp. In a Sufi tale that has existed for a thousand years, the Queen of Hich-Hich gives birth to a half-boy because she only ate half of the apple that Arif the Wise Man sent her to help her conceive. When he is older, Neem wants to become a whole human being and seeks advice from Arif. After pacifying an unhappy dragon, Neem drinks the medicine that will make him whole. Stylized and brightly colored illustrations reflect the opulence of ancient Middle Eastern decorative arts.

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K–3. Shepard, Aaron. The Enchanted Storks: A Tale of Bagdad. Illus. by Alisher Dianov. Boston: Clarion, 1995. 32pp. The Caliph, the supreme ruler of all Islam, is much loved by his people in this folktale set in Bagdad. The Caliph frequently disguises himself and his vizier Ali ben Manzar so they can walk unnoticed around the city. One day an old peddler sells them a gold snuffbox containing a spell. The two good men are turned into storks. After realizing that they have been tricked by an evil sorcerer, the Caliph and the vizier must break the spell in order to save the kingdom. The folktale begins and ends with a two-line verse dedicating it to the glory of Allah. Carpet-like decorations on the edges of the pages add to the Middle Eastern flavor of the book. An author’s note describes the evolution of this folk tale and gives some of the history of Bagdad. K–3. _______. Forty Fortunes: A Tale of Iran. Illus. by Alisher Dianov. Boston: Clarion, 1999. 32pp. Wishing to have more money, Ahmed’s wife Jamell forces him to pretend to be a fortuneteller. After forty chests of riches are stolen from the king, Ahmed is made to act as fortuneteller and find the missing fortune. With a bit of good luck, he manages to be responsible for the return of the riches. Text is placed on scrolls frequently held by one of the story’s characters. The overall tone of the watercolor paintings is of golden sand with brightly colored clothing for contrast. The style of illustration adds to the humor of the text. Source notes at the end are informative and include the author’s website address. K–3. Yolen, Jane. Little Mouse and Elephant: A Tale From Turkey. Illus. by John Segal. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996. 32pp. Little Mouse is a braggart with excessive pride and insufficient common sense. His grandfather thinks to teach Little Mouse a lesson by threatening that Elephant, the master of the forest, will hear his bragging. Undaunted, Little Mouse sets out to prove his superiority over Elephant. This charming adventure ends with Little Mouse triumphant but no wiser. Readers will understand what really happens to Little Mouse through the simple but humorous illustrations. The wry language used in telling the tale and sheer obliviousness of the main character will entertain children tremendously.

PROGRAM IDEAS Arts and Crafts ARABIC WRITING DESIGNS

Read The Day of Ahmed’s Secret by Florence Parry Heide and Judith Heide Gilliland (see Recommended Materials). Find the Arabic alphabet in an encyclopedia and help the children write their names on a piece of construction paper—remember that Arabic writing goes from the right to the left. The children can then do decorative artwork and borders around their names.

BOOK MAKING

After reading The House of Wisdom by Florence Parry Heide and Judith Heide Gilliland (see Recommended Materials), have children make their own beautiful books. The covers can be in the shape of mosques, carpets, street scenes, etc.

EGYPTIAN PYRAMID

Materials: tag board, markers, tape or glue, scissors. Directions: 1. Give each child a 8" x 8" cardboard square. 2. Cut the squares into four triangles. The base of each triangle should be 8" and the triangle sides should be equal in length. 3. Have each child decorate one side of each of the triangles using markers. Children can use hieroglyphics, tomb paintings, or any other type of ancient Egyptian design. Let dry. 4. Put the decorated side of the triangles face down on the table. Align the triangle bases around the edges of the square. Tape each triangle base to one side of the square. 5. Lift up the tops of the four triangles to form the pyramid shape and secure with clear tape.

FEZ

Make a fez for each child to wear during the reading of What’s the Matter, Habibi? by Betsy Lewin (see Recommended Materials). Materials: Red construction paper, crayons, tape, yarn.

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MIDDLE EAST Directions:

MEHNDI

1. Give each child a piece of red construction paper, 8" high and wide enough to wrap around his or her head.

After reading The Golden Sandal, use eye makeup pencils to allow the children to decorate each others’ hands in the style of mehndi. Dover Publications has temporary tattoos in the Arabian designs, if you prefer. (Chapter 3 also contains information about mehndi.)

2. Have them decorate one side of the paper with Arabic designs. 3. Roll the paper into a cylinder shape and put it on child’s head to size it. When it is the right size, tape it together. 4. Cut a circle of red paper with tabs to fit on top of the hat. Secure the tabs with tape or glue. 5. Put a tassel on the top, using yarn.

G E O M E T R I C PAT T E R N D E S I G N S

The Islamic faith prohibits the realistic depiction of human or animal figures in artwork. Hence, their artists have created artwork using stylized geometric shapes. These designs are found on carpets, textiles, books, and architecture. Materials: tag board, large pieces of paper, pencils, black marker, crayons Directions: 1. Create templates by cutting stars, circles, crescent moons, arrows, and geometric figures such as hexagons out of tag board. Children could also trace various household objects to create interesting templates. 2. Have the children use a pencil to trace around the templates to create interlocking patterns on a large piece of paper. The patterns should be as intricate as possible, and the shapes should connect to each other. 3. When the children are satisfied with their designs, outline the shapes with black marker. 4. Children can then color in the design using bold colors.

H I E R O G LY P H I C A R T

Children love working with the hieroglyphic alphabet. Go to one of the pages listed in Websites and transcribe messages from English into hieroglyphics. Children can translate their names or make posters or cards with their own messages. Children could also make cartouches or decorative medallions, using self-drying clay or plaster of paris, decorated with hieroglyphics.

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PERSIAN MOSAIC DESIGNS

Beautiful and intricate mosaic patterns were found on many buildings in ancient Persia. You can guide children in the making of mosaics with any number of materials. Different colors of paper can be cut in to small shapes and glued onto tag board, paper plates, or trays. You could also provide each child with an empty cigar box upon which they glue shells, tiles, or other brightly colored materials. Refer to The Persian Cinderella by Shirley Climo or The Enchanted Storks by Aaron Shepard for Persian artwork designs (see Recommended Materials).

Drama Read any of the books by Aaron Shepard. Visit his website (www.aaronshep.com/extras) and print out one of the plays he has written based on his folktales. The plays can be acted out by young children.

Games You can find many examples of popular children’s games of the Middle East in your library collection. Here are two to get you started. KALAH

Materials: 1 empty egg carton per game; dried beans or small pebbles; tape Directions: 1. Cut off the top of the egg carton. Cut the top in half. Tape these halves to the ends of the bottom part of the egg carton, making bowls. These end bowls are called kalahs. You should have a total of 14 depressions, including the two kalahs. 2. Each player puts three beans into every cup on his or her side of the egg carton. 3. The first person takes all three beans out of one of the cups on his or her side. Drop one bean into the next three cups, always moving clockwise. Since each player’s kalah is consid-

MIDDLE EAST

ered a cup, if a player can put the third bean into it, that player gets to go again. Once the player’s moves end without putting a bean into his or her kalah, the next player gets a turn. The player should not deposit stones in the other player’s kalah. 4. When a player puts the third bean into an empty cup on his or her side of the board, that player takes all of the beans from the cup opposite the one he or she landed in. The player takes the beans from the opposite side and puts them in his or her kalah.

WEBSITES Ancient Egypt www.tqjunior.advanced.org/4368/ Many activities on ancient Egypt. Arab Gateway www.al-bab.com/arab/ Links on all facets of Arabic life. Cultural Connections—Egypt

5. Play continues until one side of the game board is empty of beans or pebbles. Whoever has the most beans in his or her kalah wins.

www.library.advanced.org/50055/egypt.htm

TURKISH CIRCLE GAME

Exploring Ancient World Cultures

This game can involve as many players as you like, so long as the string is long enough to be held by each player.

www.eawc.evansville.edu/egpage.htm

Materials: long string; ring. Directions: 1. Put the string through the ring and tie the ends of the string together to make a large circle. 2. All but one of the children sit in a circle. They each holding a piece of the string circle in front of them. One child sits in the middle and is It. 3. Players pass the ring from person to person without It figuring out who has it. Have the children use all their acting skills!

Activities and facts relating to modern and ancient Egypt.

Information on the ancient Egypt and Islamic worlds. Focus Online Magazine www.focusmm.com.au/kids/story_1.htm#country Information on Mediterranean countries: Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia. Ramadan on the Net www.holidays.net/ramadan/index.htm Stories, information, e-cards, and more celebrating Ramadan and Eid ul-Fitr.

4. When It figures out who has the ring, that person becomes the new It.

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CHAPTER

8

Native American Culture Doris Gebel

The selections that follow include several books written from within the culture by Native American people. You will also find books written by nonNative American authors. These titles have been evaluated using several useful tools that are referenced at the end of this chapter. Books and materials cover a wide geographic area, allowing readers to grasp the vast diversity of Native American cultures. Whenever available, books about contemporary Native American peoples are included for each geographic region, as well as a mix of historical fiction, nonfiction, and folklore. Also included are books that can be used to prepare programs and lessons. Whenever possible, the author’s tribal affiliation and the book’s geographic region have been noted in parentheses at the end of the annotation.

RECOMMENDED MATERIALS K–2. Andrews, Jan. The Very Last First Time. Illus. by Ian Wallace. New York: Aladdin, 1998. 32pp. Eva lowers herself under the ice and searches for mussels by candlelight, forgetting her mother’s warning to return before the tide rushes into shore. (Arctic) P–2. Ate, Te. Baby Rattlesnake. Illus. by Mira Reisberg. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1979. 32pp. Baby Rattlesnake is too young to have a rattle, but he throws a tantrum until the people say,

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“Go ahead, give him a rattle. He’s too young and he’ll get into trouble. But let him learn a lesson.” And Baby Rattlesnake does learn a lesson. (Chickasaw; Southwest) K–5. Bad Hand Terry, Michael. Daily Life in a Plains Indian Village, 1868. Boston: Clarion, 1999. 48pp. Filmmaker Michael Bad Hand Terry uses his skill in preparing remarkable tableau scenes depicting representations of Cheyenne family life, clothing, horses, tipis, and crafts of the late 1800s on the Great Plains in full color photographs. (Great Plains) K–2. Begay, Shonto. Ma’ii and Cousin Horned Toad: A Traditional Navajo Story. New York: Scholastic, 1992. 32pp. Hungry coyote Ma’ii decides it’s time to visit his hardworking cousin Horned Toad in order to get a good meal. Though Toad generously shares his corn, Ma’ii takes more and more, until clever Toad finds a way to teach him a lesson. (Navajo; Southwest) K–2. Bierhorst, John. The People with Five Fingers: A Native Californian Creation Tale. Illus. by Robert Andrew Parker. Tarrytown, N.Y.: Marshall Cavendish, 2000. 32pp. This tale, shared by many native peoples of California, tells of an ancient time when the animals could talk. Coyote made wishes and plans and, with help from the animals, prepared for the future of the many different peoples who walk the earth. (California)

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Arctic Subarctic Arctic

Northwest Coast Platean

Great Basin

Great Plains

Northeast

California

Southwest

Southeast

Native American geographic map

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NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE K–2. Birchfield, Don L. Rabbit. Illus. by Diana Manusan. New York: Scholastic, 1995. 32pp. From the Animal Lore and Legend series, these traditional stories about the rabbit include trickster legends from various geographic regions and are combined with interesting facts about this animal. Other titles in the series include Owl by Native American author Vee Browne (Navaho), Bear by E. K. Caldwell (Cherokee), and Buffalo by Tiffany Midge (Hunkpapa Lakota). (Choctaw/Chickasaw)

K–5. _______. Many Nations: An Alphabet of Native America. Illus. by Robert Goetzel. Mahwah, N.J.: Bridgewater, 1997. 32pp. The purpose of this beautifully illustrated book is to help children recognize the diversity of Native Americans by presenting a cross section of Native Americans in relation to their environment: “Anishanabe artists making birch bark bowls, Penobscot mothers singing their little ones to sleep, Shinnecock dancers feet shaping a dream.” Covers several geographic regions. (Abenaki)

5 and up. Bragg, Lynn E. A River Lost. Illus. by Virgil “Smoker” Marchand. Blaine, Wash.: Hancock House, 1995. 32pp.

2–6. _______. Seeing the Circle. Katonah, N.Y.: Owen, 1999. 32pp.

A story, told through the eyes of Grandma Toopa, of a people’s ancient way of life that is forever changed in an instant when the Grand Coulee Dam floods their lands. (Metis, Colville Confederated Tribes; Subarctic)

This picture book biography shows a day in the life of the author and highlights his belief in first listening, then observing, then remembering, and finally sharing. He also tells how he learned about his own Native American background. (Abenaki; Northeast)

K–3. Brewer, Linda Skinner. O Wakaga: Activities for Learning about the Plains Indians. Seattle, Wash.: Daybreak Star, 1984. 44pp. O Wakaga translates to “I made it.” This largeformat book emphasizes the Lakota people and includes information on life ways and language. Instructions for making a drum, mobile, and tipi are included along with recipes. (Choctaw; Great Plains) 2–6. Bruchac, Joseph. Arrow over the Door. New York: Dial, 1998. 89pp. Based on a historical incident and told in alternating points of view, this is a fast-paced story of a meeting between fourteen-year-old Samuel Russell, called coward for his peace-loving Quaker beliefs, and Stands Straight, a young Abenaki Indian who has been sent on a scouting mission by King George. (Abenaki; Northeast) K–5. _______. The Earth under Sky Bear’s Feet. New York: Philomel, 1995. 30pp. Stars, moon, earth, night, and tales of the Big Dipper are represented in these poems from various North American cultures in this companion to Thirteen Moons on Turtle’s Back. Luminous full-page acrylic paintings extend the concept that everything in nature holds a story. Covers several geographic regions. (Abenaki)

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K–2. _______, and Gayle Ross. The Story of the Milky Way: A Cherokee Tale. Illus. by Virginia A. Stroud. New York: Dial, 1995. 32pp. With the help of the entire community, Beloved Woman devises a plan to get rid of the thief, frightening the spirit dog away. Source notes and a brief history of the forced removal of the Cherokee are appended. (Abenaki, Cherokee; Southeast) 5–6. Buffalohead, Priscilla. Inside the Culture Series. Illus. by Robert Des Jarlait. Coon Rapids, Minn.: Anoka-Hennepin School District, Minnesota State Department of Education, 1988. The goal of these workbooks is to provide fifthand sixth-grade students with a better understanding of the contributions of American Indian peoples in four areas: astronomy, communication systems, timekeeping devices, and toys and games. Workbooks in series cover several geographic areas. K–2. Bunting, Eve. Cheyenne Again. Illus. by Irving Toddy. Boston: Clarion, 1995. 32pp. Though he is forced to give up his language and tradition when he is taken to a boarding school, Young Bull holds fast to his memories when he snips through the thin blue lines of his ledger book to draw memories of warriors riding side by side. (Great Plains)

NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE

5 and up. Caduto, Michael, and Joseph Bruchac. Keepers of the Animals: Native Stories and Wildlife Activities for Children. Golden, Colo.: Fulcrum, 1991. 266pp.

The text, which is in both Inuktitut and English, describes a now-vanished way of life for the Inuit. (Inuit; Arctic)

Each chapter begins with a story that evokes interest in the subject, which is then explored with many accompanying activities. Covers several geographic areas. (Abenaki)

2–5. Erdrich, Louise. The Birchbark House. New York: Hyperion, 1999. 244pp.

2–5. Cohlene, Terri. Ka-ha-si and the Loon: An Eskimo Legend. Illus. by Charles Reasoner. Designed by Vic Warren. Vero Beach, Fla.: Rourke, 1990. 47pp. This retelling of the legend of Ka-ha-si tells how he acquired strength and boldness and used these attributes to rescue his people in time of peril. Extensive endnotes include information and photographs of Inuit food, clothing, and shelter, both then and now. (Arctic) K–2. Dengler, Marianna. The Worry Stone. Illus. by Sibyl Graber Gerig. Flagstaff, Ariz.: Northland, 1996. 32pp. The author deftly weaves three stories together in this narrative. The first is the story of a lonely old woman reflecting on the strength passed on to her by her grandfather, in part through the retelling of an ancient Chumash legend. She in turn passes on that strength by sharing the legend with a vulnerable young boy. (California) 2–6. Dorris, Michael. Sees behind Trees. New York: Hyperion, 1996. 128pp. Walnut journeys with elder Gray Fire and learns to “see” beyond his poor eyesight, turning his handicap into an advantage and earning the respect of his peers. This story is set in sixteenth-century America. (Modoc; Northeast)) 5 and up. Durrant, Lynda. The Beaded Moccasin. Boston: Clarion, 1998. 183pp. Captured by a group of Delaware Indians, twelve-year-old Mary Campbell is forced to travel west with them to Ohio. As the seasons change, Mary finds herself understanding and adapting to life in this new culture. This book is based on a true story. (Northeast) 2–5. Ekoomiak, Normee. Arctic Memories. New York: Henry Holt, 1992. 32pp.

Omakayas, a seven-year old Ojibwa girl, survives a deadly smallpox epidemic and is rescued and raised by a loving family. Set in 1847, this book portrays the perils and joys of survival on an island in Lake Superior. (Ojibwa; Northeast) P–K. Eyvindson, Peter. Chester Bear, Where Are You? Winnipeg, British Manitoba: Pemmican, 1988. 48pp. It is bedtime and Kyle cannot find his friend, Chester Bear. Without him, Kyle will have to face the night alone. (Subarctic) 3 and up. From the Roots: California Indian Basketweavers. Video. Nevada City, Calif.: California Indian Basketweavers Association, 1996. 28 min., color. Basketweavers speak of the baskets and the plants they use, showing the challenges they face in carrying on the tradition. (California) 2–5. Goble, Paul. Iktomi and the Coyote: A Plains Indian Story. New York: Orchard, 1998. 27pp. After tricking some prairie dogs into becoming his dinner, Iktomi is himself outwitted by a coyote. (Great Plains) 5 and up. Grutman, Jewel H., and Gay Matthaei. The Ledgerbook of Thomas Blue Eagle. Charlottesville, Va.: Thomasson-Grant, 1994. 72pp. Written under the guidance of a Lakota advisor, this book simulates a boy’s journal. It tells about his life growing up on the Plains and his move to the Carlisle school in the late nineteenth century. (Great Plains) K–2. Harrell, Beatrice Orcutt. How Thunder and Lightning Came to Be: A Choctaw Legend. Collages by Susan Roth. New York: Dial, 1995. 32pp. It was from her mother that the author learned that thunder and lightning were two great birds who lived in the clouds warning the Choctaw people of a coming rainstorm. Brightly

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NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE colored torn-paper collages reflect the humor in this tale. (Choctaw; Southeast) 5 and up. _______. Longwalker’s Journey: A Novel of the Choctaw Trail of Tears. Illus. by Tony Meers. New York: Dial, 1999. 133pp. When the government removal of the Choctaw begins in October 1831, ten-year-old Minko Ushi and his father travel ahead to prepare a home. This story is based on the arduous journey of the author’s great-grandfather. Though only two episodes are true, she has filled in the details based on extensive research. (Choctaw; Southeast) 2–5. Hazen-Hammond, Susan. Thunder Bear and Ko: The Buffalo Nation and Nambe Pueblo. New York: Dutton, 1999. 32pp. This photo essay tells its story through the eyes of Thunder Bear Yates, an eight-year-old boy whose grandfather, Herbert Yates, helped bring the buffalo (Ko) back to Nambe Pueblo. He tells about the importance of the buffalo to Pueblo culture, history, and spirituality. (Southwest) 2–5. Heinz, Brian. Kayuktuk: An Arctic Quest. Illus. by Jon Van Zyle. San Francisco: Chronicle, 1996. 36pp. Aknik, a young Inupiat boy, must prove to his tribe that he can hunt before he is accepted as a man. (Arctic) 2–5. Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane. Potlatch: A Tsimshian Celebration. Photographs by Lawrence Migdale. New York: Holiday House, 1997. 32pp. David, aged thirteen, spends the summer in Metlakatla, Alaska, at his father’s boyhood home and celebrates a Potlatch to honor their heritage. This book includes a glossary and index. (Arctic) 2–5. Hucko, Bruce. A Rainbow at Night: The World in Words and Pictures by Navajo Children. San Francisco: Chronicle, 1996. 44pp.

Based on the oral tradition of the Yahi, this story fragment is a translation based on the original phonetic transcriptions of Ishi. Lizard, who is good at making arrows, is interrupted by Long Tailed Lizard. Illustrated with torn paper collage. (Yahi; California) K–2. Johnson, Dolores. Seminole Diary: Remembrances of a Slave. New York: Macmillan, 1994. 32pp. Libbie, a young African-American slave, escapes from a plantation in 1834 with her father and sister and is taken south to Florida, where they are invited to join a Seminole Indian tribe. (Southeast) K–2. Jones, Jennifer Berry. Heetunka’s Harvest: A Tale of the Plains Indians. Illus. by Shannon Keegan. Niwot, Colo.: Roberts Rinehart, 1994. 32pp. A Dakota woman learns a hard lesson about greed and selfishness when she takes the winter supply of beans from the Bean Mouse and leaves nothing in return. (Great Plains) 2–6. Keams, Geri. Snail Girl Brings Water: A Navajo Story. Flagstaff, Ariz.: Rising Moon, 1998. 32pp. A retelling of a traditional Navajo creation myth which explains how water came to earth. By the same author as Grandmother Spider Brings the Sun. (Navajo; Southwest) K–2. Keegan, Marcia. Pueblo Girls: Growing Up in Two Worlds. Santa Fe, N.M.: Clear Light, 1999. 48pp. The everyday life of ten-year-old Sonja and her eight-year-old sister Desiree at the San Ildefonso Pueblo is portrayed in this color photo essay. An excellent companion to the author’s Pueblo Boy, Pueblo People and Southwest Indian Cookbook. (Southwest) 2–5. Keyworth, C. L. California Indians (The First Americans). New York: Checkmark, 1999. 95pp.

A special group of Navajo children shares their art in this book, which introduces the reader to their history and vibrant culture. The book includes activities relating to family and feelings. (Southwest)

This book is surveys the tribes of the California region, including the Hupa, Pomo, Chumash, Miwok, and Yorok. A discussion of the history, culture, and current situation is accompanied by more than eighty black-and-white and color photographs. (California)

2–5. Ishi. Ishi’s Tale of Lizard. Translated by Leanne Hinton. Illus. by Susan L. Roth. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1992. 32pp.

K–2. Koller, Jackie French. Nickommoh! A Thanksgiving Celebration. Illus. by Marcia Sewell. New York: Atheneum, 1999. 32pp.

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This book describes a Narragansett Nickommoh, or harvest celebration. The feasting, gaming, and dancing that accompany this harvest celebration are poetically described. A glossary is appended which lists all Narragansett words used in the text. (Northeast) K–2. Krupinski, Loretta. Best Friends. New York: Hyperion, 1998. 32pp. Charlotte moves to the western wilderness of the Snake River in the 1870s and is befriended by Lily, a young Nez Perce girl. When she learns that soldiers will force Lily’s people off the nearby land, Charlotte uses a doll to warn her friend of the impending danger. This original story is based on an actual historical event. (Great Basin, Plateaus) 2–5. Kusugak, Michael Arvaarluk. My Arctic 1,2,3. Illus. by Vladyana Krykorka. Willowdale, Ontario: Annick/Firefly, 1998. 24pp. Growing up in Repulse Bay, the author spent much time watching animals and the way they hunt. This counting book introduces not only the numbers in English and Inuktitut, but also these arctic animals. Vibrant watercolor artwork portrays the arctic landscape. (Arctic) 2–5. ________. Northern Lights: The Soccer Trails. Willowdale, Ontario: Annick/Firefly, 1993. 24pp. The story of a young girl’s mother, whose grandmother guides her through her grief as they witness the Northern Lights. (Arctic) K–2. Lacapa, Kathleen, and Michael Lacapa. Less than Half, More than Whole. Flagstaff, Ariz.: Northland, 1994. 40pp. Tony is comforted by family members who help him understand that in the combination of many heritages, he becomes “more than whole.” A glossary of concepts, terms, and designs of the various cultures represented by the characters in this story is appended. Covers several geographic regions. (Mohawk, Apache, Hopi, Tewa) 2–5. Larrabee, Lisa. Grandmother Five Baskets. Illus. by Lori Sawyer. Tucson, Ariz.: Harbinger House, 1993. 60pp. Anna, a young Poarch Creek Indian, begins to learn the art of basket making, but Grandmother warns her that she will find herself tested as “she begins to learn this traditional art,” and indeed, she does. Information about the history of the

Poarch Creek Indians in Alabama is appended. (Southeast) K–5. Left Hand Bull, Jacqueline. Lakota Hoop Dancer. Photographs by Suzanne Haldane. New York: Dutton, 1999. 32pp. Kevin Locke, a Hunkpapa Indian, prepares for and performs a traditional Lakota Hoop dance in this beautifully illustrated color photo essay. (Great Plains) 2–5. Lelooska, Don. Echoes of the Elders: The Stories and Paintings of Chief Lelooska. Christine Normandin, ed. New York: DK/Callaway, 1997. 38pp. Five tales of the Kwakiutl are told by Chief Lelooska. Each tale is accompanied by extensive notes and elaborate illustrations. This book includes a CD-ROM recording of Chief Lelooska reading his stories, accompanied by music. (Northwest Coast) K–2. Lewis, Paul Owen. Storm Boy. Berkeley, Calif.: Tricycle Press, 1999. 32pp. A story drawn from Haida Indian literary tradition, in which a boy falls from his canoe into a world of eighteen-foot-tall human-like creatures. They welcome him and eventually return him to his village. American Book Award. Best Children’s Book of the Pacific Northwest. (Northwest Coast) 2–5. Littlechild, George. This Land Is My Land. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1993. 30pp. Using text and his own vibrant collage paintings, the author describes the experiences of Indians of North America in general as well as his experiences growing up as a Plains Cree Indian in Canada. (Cree; Subarctic) K–2. London, Jonathan, with Lanny Pinola. Fire Race: A Karuk Coyote Tale about How Fire Came to the People. Illus. by Sylvia Long. San Francisco: Chronicle, 1993. Old Coyote manages to acquire fire from the wicked Yellow Jacket sisters with the help of many animal friends. A note about the importance of storytelling written by Julian Lang (Karuk) and an extensive bibliography of sources are appended. Meticulous illustrations capture the setting. (Pomo/Miwok; California)

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NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE K–2. Luenn, Nancy. The Miser on the Mountain: A Nisqually Legend of Mount Rainier. Illus. by Pierr Morgan. Seattle: Sasquatch, 1997. 32pp. The author consulted with members of the Nisqually tribe to bring us this traditional story of a greedy man who climbs the mountain and sacrifices all to acquire a valuable shell treasure. Instead, he discovers a valuable truth. (Northwest Coast) K–5. MacLay, Elise. The Forest Has Eyes. Paintings by Bev Doolittle. Shelton, Conn.: Greenwich Workshop, 1998. 32pp. “Artists have magic eyes to see hidden things,” and that’s what these twelve camouflage-art paintings of the western wilderness invite the reader to do. Covers several geographic regions. K–3. Mathers, Sharon. The Mamook Book: Activities for Learning about the Northwest Coast Indians. Seattle: Daybreak Star Press, 1979. 36pp. Mamook means “to do” in Chinook jargon. This large book contains directions for a longhouse, transformation masks, a mobile, and a salmon game. Contains both historical and contemporary scenes. (Cherokee; Northwest Coast) 5 and up. Mayfield, Thomas Jefferson. Adopted by Indians: A True Story. Malcolm Margolin, ed. Illus. by Hilair Chism and Rich Jones. Berkeley, Calif.: Heyday, 1997. 140pp. Thomas Mayfield was eight years old when his mother died and left him in the care of the Choinumne Indians, who raised him. Much information about the San Joaquin Valley Indians is learned while reading this biography. (California) K–2. Mayo, Gretchen Will. Here Comes Tricky Rabbit. New York: Walker, 1994. 38pp. Six stories featuring the trickster rabbit are written for beginner readers. Source notes and a brief essay are included which explain about the importance of trickster in Native American folklore. Other books in the Native American Trickster Tale series include That Tricky Coyote and Big Trouble for Tricky Rabbit. Covers several geographic regions. K–2. McDonald, Megan. Tundra Mouse: A Story Knife Tale. Illus. by S. D. Schindler. New York: Orchard, 1997. 32pp. Elena, a Yupuik girl, uses her “storyknife” to tell Lissie the story of the tundra mouse and the

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house mouse. Line drawings representing the lines drawn on the ground with a storyknife accompany this beautifully illustrated tale from southwestern Alaska. (Arctic) K–5. McNutt, Nan. The Button Blanket: An Activity Book Ages 6–10. Illus. by Roger Fernandes and Susan Point. Seattle: Sasquatch, 1997. 32pp. Part of a series that teaches children about Northwest Coast Indians through various games and activities. Reviewed for cultural accuracy by tribal members. Other books in the series include The Cedar Plank Mask and The Bentwood Box. (Northwest Coast) 2–5. Manitonquat. Children of the Morning Light. Illus. by Mary F. Arquette. New York: Macmillan, 1994. 72pp. These Wampanoag tales are told by Manitonquat, an elder, spritual leader, and storyteller of the tribe and include pourquoi tales, creation myths, and legends as well as tales that are humorous. The illustrations are realistic watercolor. (Medicine Story; Northeast) 5 and up. Margolin, Malcolm, and Yolanda Montijo, eds. Native Ways: California Indian Stories and Memories. Berkeley, Calif.: Heyday, 1995. 127pp. This collection of stories and memories provides an overview of the culture and history of California Indian Tribes, and is illustrated with dozens of historic and modern photographs. (California) 2–5. Marra, Ben. Powwow: Images along the Red Road. Foreword by Richard Hill. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1996. 112pp. Photographer Ben Marra presents striking portraits of children, men, and women as they participate in this multitribal celebration of Native song and dance. K–2. Midge, Tiffany. Buffalo: American Indian Legends. Illus. by Diane Magnuson. New York: Scholastic, 1995. 32pp. Three traditional buffalo stories from the Seneca, Omaha, Ojibwa, Wichita, Apache, and Kiowa peoples, retold with interesting facts about the animal. (Hunkpapa Lakota; Great Plains) K–2. Mitchell, Barbara. Red Bird. Illus. by Todd L. W. Doney. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1996. 32pp. Katie, whose Native name is Red Bird, joins her

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family and Indians from many other tribes at the Nanticoke annual powwow in southern Delaware, where they celebrate their heritage with music, dancing, and special foods. (Northeast) 4 and up. Moccasin Flats. Video. Montreal: National Film Board, 1992. 30 min. When Cree cousins Joe and Rena get ousted from Joe’s “no-girls-allowed club,” they get unasked-for assistance from the great Wisahkecahk. (Subarctic)

2–5. Pennington, Daniel. Itse Selu: Cherokee Harvest Festival. Illus. by Don Stewart. Watertown, Mass.: Charlesbridge, 1994. 30pp. Little Wolf, a young child, and his family prepare for Itse Selu, the Green Corn Festival, a Thanksgiving celebration for the corn harvest and a celebration of the new year. Many details of traditional Cherokee life are incorporated into the story, along with words from the eastern dialect of the Cherokee. (Cherokee; Southeast)

2–4. Mosionier, Beatrice. Christopher’s Folly. Illus. by Terry Gallagher. Winnipeg, Manitoba: Pemmican, 1996. 48pp.

2–5. Peters, Russell M. Clambake: A Wampanoag Tradition. Photographs by John Madama. Minneapolis: Lerner, 1992. 48pp.

In a dream, Christopher finds out the importance of not taking without giving something in return. Black-and-white woodcuts are used to illustrate the story. (Metis; Subarctic)

A color photo essay that portrays twelve-yearold Steven and his grandfather, Fast Turtle, preparing to host an Appanaug—a clambake ceremony. (Northeast)

K–2. Munsch, Robert, and Michael Kusugak. A Promise Is a Promise. Art by Vladyana Krykorka. Willowdale, Ontario: Annick, 1993. 32pp.

5 and up. Philip, Neil, ed. In a Sacred Manner I Live: Native American Wisdom. Boston: Clarion, 1997. 93pp.

Allashua’s parents warn her not to go fishing on the dangerous sea ice, but she breaks her promise and is pulled down under the ice by the Qallupilluit. She escapes only with another promise to bring her brother and sister back. A promise is a promise, but clever mother has a plan. An interactive multimedia CD-ROM is available from Discis Knowledge Research. (Inuit; Arctic)

An anthology of words and photographs that takes us to the heart of Native American life and thought. Included are the historic texts of Chief Seattle, Chief Joseph, and Cochise, as well as many contemporary voices. Covers several geographic regions.

2–5. Neitzel, Shirley. From the Land of the White Birch. Pictures by Daniel Powers. Spring Lake, Mich.: River Road Publications, 1997. 30pp. Three Ojibwa creation legends are included: “The Sun Snarer,” “Ojeeg’s Search for Summer,” and “Wassamowin and the Thunderbirds.” (Northeast) 2–5. Norman, Howard A. Trickster and the Fainting Birds. Illus. by Tom Pohrt. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt, 1999. 96pp. This book contains a collection of seven Cree and Chippewa trickster tales collected by the author in northern Labrador, Manitoba, and the Alberta Coast. (Subarctic) 2 and up. Ortiz, Simon. The People Shall Continue. Illus. by Sharol Graves. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1988. 24pp. A Native American poet traces the progress of Native Americans from the time of creation to the present. Covers several geographic regions. (Acoma)

2–5. _______Songs Are Thoughts: Poems of the Inuit. Illus. by Maryclare Foa. New York: Orchard, 1995. 32pp. An English translation of Inuit poems, collected primarily by Danish ethnologist Knud Rasmussen. Each poem is accompanied by a full color oil painting. (Arctic) K–2. Raczek, Linda. The Night the Grandfathers Danced. Illus. by Katalin Olah Ehling. Flagstaff, Ariz.: Northland, 1995. 30pp. Autumn Eyetoo, a young Ute girl, is excited as she prepares for her first Mama kwa kap, Bear Dance. But when the young boys will not dance with her, Autumn Eyetoo decides to ask one of the grandfathers to dance. Illustrated in batik. (Great Basin and Plateau) 2–5. Regguinti, Gordown. The Sacred Harvest: Ojibway Wild Rice Gathering. Photographs by Dale Kakkak. Minneapolis: Lerner, 1992. 48pp.

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NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE Excellent color photographs illustrate elevenyear-old Glen as he takes part in the traditional gathering of wild rice on the Leech Lake Reservation in Minnesota. (Northeast) 2–5. Renner, Michelle. The Girl Who Swam with the Fish: An Athabascan Legend. Anchorage: Alaska Northwest, 1995. 32pp. A young girl waits patiently on the bank of a river for the salmon to return in this retelling of an old tale narrated by the late Miska Deaphon, an elder from the Alaska village of Nikolai. She wonders what life would be like as a salmon, and then finds out. Originally translated and published as part of a collection, this tale of the girl’s adventures under the water reminds us of the sacredness of the natural world. (Arctic) 2–5. Roessel, Monty. Songs from the Loom: A Navajo Girl Learns to Weave. Minneapolis: Lerner, 1995. 48pp. Jaclyn’s grandmother teaches her not only the technique of weaving but also stories and songs that go along with it. Each step of the process is beautifully portrayed in this color photo essay. (Southwest) K–5. Rose, Lavera. Grandchildren of the Lakota. Photographs by Cheryl Walsh Bellville. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda, 1999. 47pp. Introduces the history, culture, and beliefs of the Lakota Indians through a description of the lives of several children living on the Rosebud Sioux reservation in South Dakota. (Great Plains) K–2. Rosen, Michael. Crow and Hawk: A Traditional Pueblo Indian Story. Illus. by John Clementson. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt, 1995. 30pp. When Hawk observes Crow’s abandoned eggs, she sits on them until they hatch and cares for the young crows. After they are grown, Crow decides she wants them back. To which mother do the birds belong? Eagle, king of the birds, must decide. Simple rhythmic language illustrated in vivid paper collage. (Southwest) K–5. Rosen, Michael J. The Dog Who Walked with God. Illus. by Stan Fellows. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick, 1998. 36pp. The Kato Indians of Northern California tell of the Great Traveler, who, accompanied by his dog,

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begins to fashion a new earth after it is swept away by water in this creation story. (California) K–2. Ross, Gayle. How Turtle’s Back Was Cracked: A Traditional Cherokee Tale. Illus. by Marv Jacob. New York: Dial, 1995. 32pp. Long ago when Turtle and Possum were friends and all the animals spoke the same language, Turtle’s back was smooth, but his boastful ways soon led to trouble. (Cherokee; Southeast) K–2. Sanderson, Esther. Two Pairs of Shoes. Illus. by David Beyer. Winnipeg, British Manitoba: Pemmican, 1990. 40pp. Maggie, an Ojibway girl, receives a shiny pair of leather shoes from her mother. Grandmother gives her a pair of beautiful beaded moccasins, blending the contemporary with the traditional in this simple story of a loving family. (Cree; Northeast) K–2. San Souci, Robert D. Two Bear Cubs: A Miwok Legend from California’s Yosemite Valley. Illus. by Daniel San Souci. Yosemite, Calif.: Yosemite Association, 1997. 36pp. This retelling is based on a traditional Southern Sierra Miwok tale. Two disobedient cubs wander away from their mother. All of the animals search for the missing bears, and Redtailed Hawk finds them high atop a huge granite stone. Notes about the story and the Miwok people are appended with an extensive list of related readings. (California) 2–5. Santiago, Chiori. Home to Medicine Mountain. Illus. by Judith Lowry. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press, 1998. 30pp. Benny Len and his brother are young Maidu Indian boys. They are sent to live at a government-run Indian boarding school in California in the 1930s but find a way to return home. This tale of courage is complemented by arresting illustrations. (California) 2–5. Savageau, Cheryl. Muskrat Will Be Swimming. Illus. by Robert Hynes. Flagstaff, Ariz.: Northland, 1996. 28pp. A young girl receives guidance from her grandfather who helps her find the courage to face her taunting classmates when he relates a Seneca tale. (Abenaki; Northeast)

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K–2. Schick, Eleanor. Navajo Wedding Day: A Dine Marriage Ceremony. Tarrytown, N.Y.: Marshall Cavendish, 1999. 40pp. Told from the point of view of a young girl who is not Navajo, this story relates the events that occur when she attends the wedding of her best friend’s cousin. The author presents Navajo wedding customs as told to her by the women of the Bitterwater Clan in Shinto, Arizona. Soft coloredpencil illustrations accompany the story. (Southwest) K–2. Scott, Ann Herbert. Brave as a Mountain Lion. Illus. by Glo Coalson. Boston: Clarion, 1996. 31pp. Spider has earned a chance to be in the spelling bee, but he is too frightened to go on stage. His family encourages him to overcome his fear. This story takes place on a Shoshone reservation and portrays a loving Native American family blending elements of their cultural traditions into a contemporary lifestyle. (Great Basin and Plateau) 2–5. Shemie, Bonnie. Mounds of Earth and Shell; Native Site: The Southeast. Toronto, Ontario: Tundra, 1993. 24pp. Describes the materials, construction, and uses of the mounds built by ancient NativeAmerican peoples, including the Adena, the Hopewells, and the Mississippians. Shaded pastel and black-and-white drawings illustrate this text and the others in Shemie’s Native Dwellings series. Covers several geographic regions.

and customs of men, women, and children; also includes a section about the life of the Cheyenne people today. (Lakota; Great Plains) 2–5. _______. The Trickster and the Troll. Lincoln, Nebr.: University of Nebraska Press, 1997. The author’s family is bicultural, and the duality of her children’s heritage inspired this story in which a traditional Lakota trickster, Iktomi, meets a Norwegian mountain troll. The two become competitors, helpers, and friends as they struggle to hold on to their own native ways. (Lakota; Great Plains) 2–5. Spider Spins a Story. Jill Max, ed. Illus. by Robert Anesley. Flagstaff, Ariz.: Rising Moon, 1997. 63pp. A full-page color illustration from various Native American artists accompanies each of the fourteen tales from several Native American peoples, including: Kiowa, Zuni, Cherokee, Hopi, Lakota, and Muskogee. Each features a spider character, representing different aspects of his personality: mentor, trickster, and ally. Covers several geographic regions. K–2. Steltzer, Ulli. Building an Igloo. New York: Henry Holt, 1999. 32pp. This black-and-white photo essay shows Tookillkee and his son Jopee building an igloo, step by step, that they will use for shelter while on a hunting trip. (Arctic)

2–5. Sherrow, Victoria, and Arlene Hirschfelder. Indians of the Plateau and Great Basin. New York: Facts on File, 1992. 96pp.

5 and up. Sterling, Shirley. My Name Is Seepeetza. Toronto, Ontario: Groundwood/Douglas & McIntyre, 1997. 126pp.

Another book in the First Americans series, this title describes the tribal roots, ways of life, rituals, and history of several Indian tribes of the Plateau and Great Basin, including the Paiute, Shoshone, Ute, and Flathead. (Great Basin and Plateau)

Based on her own experiences growing up in an Indian Residential school in the 1950s, Sterling has written a powerful first novel in diary format. Winner of the Sheila A. Egoff Book Prize, and shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award. (Salish; Northwest Coast)

K–5. Sneve, Virginia Driving Hawk. The Cheyennes. Illus. by Ronald Himler. New York: Holiday House, 1996. 32pp.

K–2. Stevens, Janet. Old Bag of Bones: A Coyote Tale. New York: Holiday House, 1996. 32pp.

This book begins with a creation story that sets the tone for an overview of the social life, customs, and history of Cheyenne people. Watercolor illustrations with maps portray homelands

Loosely based on the tale “Old Man Coyote and Buffalo Power” in Alice Marriott’s Plains Indian Mythology, this Shoshone tale tells how Coyote convinces old Buffalo to share his youth and strength. (Great Plains)

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NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE 2–5. Stroud, Virginia A. Doesn’t Fall Off His Horse. New York: Dial, 1994. 32pp.

kind from seven different tribes: Zuni, Mandan, Cree, Chuckchee, Osage, Mohawk, and Modoc. Very brief notes about each tribe are appended. Covers several geographic areas. (Mohawk)

Saygee waits patiently until her Kiowa greatgrandfather is ready to tell her the true story of how he got his name, Doesn’t Fall Off His Horse, during his youth at the end of the nineteenth century. Portrays camp life in the Kiowa village. Includes a glossary. (Cherokee; Great Plains)

2–5. Thomason, Dovie. Wopila—A Giveaway: Lakota Stories. Audiocassette. Somerville, Mass.: Yellow Moon, 1993. 60 min.

K–2. ________. The Path of the Quiet Elk: A Native American Alphabet Book. New York: Dial, 1996. 32pp.

Includes a telling of traditional stories, such as “The Pet Donkey,” “The Spirit Wife,” “The Rabbit People,” “Iya,” “Iktomi and Buzzard,” and others. (Lakota/Kiowa, Apache; Great Plains)

A young Plains Indian girl walks through the woods with a medicine woman. Each letter from A to Z is illustrated with a nature scene. Set in the late 1800s. (Cherokee; Great Plains) K–2. _______. A Walk to the Great Mystery. New York: Dial, 1995. 32pp. Two children learn about the life that is all around them while exploring the woods with their Grandmother Ann, a Cherokee medicine woman. This book has a strong message about the interconnectedness of nature. (Cherokee; Southeast) K–2. Swamp, Jake. Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message. Illus. by Erwin Printup Jr. New York: Lee & Low, 1995. 20pp. Known as the Thanksgiving Address, this message is taught by Mohawk parents to their children as a way to start the day, giving thanks to Mother Earth. It is based on the belief that the natural world is a rare and precious gift. (Akwesasne Mohawk; Northeast) 2–5. Swentzell, Rina. Children of Clay: A Family of Pueblo Potters. Photographs by Bill Steen. Foreword by Michael Dorris. Minneapolis: Lerner, 1992. 40pp. Gia Rose and her family spend a day together digging, preparing, and forming clay. This book gives the reader a view of contemporary Pueblo people continuing the age-old tradition of pottery making. (Tewa; Southwest) 5 and up. Taylor, Carrie J. Bones in the Basket: Native Stories of the Origin of People. Toronto, Ontario: Tundra, 1994. 32pp. Mohawk artist Taylor illustrates stories that open readers’ eyes to the wonders around them. Seven legends describe the creation of human-

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5 and up. Tiulana, Paul. Wise Words of Paul Tiulana: An Inupiat Alaskan’s Life. Vivian Senungetuk, ed. New York: Franklin Watts, 1998. 80pp. Presents the life of an Alaskan hunter, storyteller, craftsman, and traditional leader who grew up on King Island, Alaska, in the 1920s. (Arctic) 5 and up. Traveling the Distance: The Shinnecock 50th Anniversary Pow Wow and Its People. Video. East Northport, N.Y.: Rabbit Foot Productions, 1997. Filmed with permission in 1996 at the fiftieth anniversary Shinnecock Labor Day Pow Wow, this winner of the 1997 best feature documentary film award at the Long Island Film Festival chronicles the importance of the event for its Native American participants. A P.B.S. Heritage Film Presentation. Distributed by Ziggy Films. Contact: Ofer Cohen, 35 Roosevelt Ave., E. Northport, NY 11731. 631-754-8455. (Northeast) 2–5. Trottier, Maxine. Native Crafts: Inspired by North America’s First Peoples. Illus. by Esperanca Melo. Tonawanda, N.Y.: Kids Can Press, 2000. 20pp. This slim volume provides instructions that show how to adapt crafts from thirty-three Native American peoples. There is also a brief introduction and a map of the traditional territories of nine culture groups. Each project has a materials list and easy-to-follow, step-by-step directions. Projects include jewelry, clay posts, a pouch, moccasins, dolls, and musical instruments. Covers several geographic regions. 2–5. Van Laan, Nancy. In a Circle Long Ago: A Treasury of Native Lore from North America. Illus. by Lisa Desimini. New York: Knopf, 1995. 128pp.

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These twenty-five stories, poems, and songs are selected especially for young children. They are illustrated with bold, spirited artwork and organized by culture region. Each region has a brief introduction. Covers several geographic regions. 5 and up. Viola, Herman J. It Is a Good Day to Die: Indian Eyewitnesses Tell the Story of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. New York: Crown, 1998. 101pp. A series of eyewitness accounts of the 1876 Battle of Little Bighorn and the defeat of General Custer, as told by Native American participants in the war. Excerpts from memoirs are arranged to give a sense of the chaotic, violent nature of that day. (Great Plains) K–2. Waboose, Jan Bourdeau. Morning on the Lake. Illus. by Karen Reczuch. Tonawanda, N.Y.: Kids Can Press, 1998. 32pp. Noshen, an Ojibwa boy, spends an entire day from dawn to dusk with his grandfather. Watercolor illustrations are interspersed with detailed representations of beadwork. (Anishinabe; Southeast) 2–5. Walking Turtle, Eagle. Full Moon Stories: Thirteen Native American Legends. New York: Hyperion, 1997. 47pp. Grandpa Iron tells thirteen stories to Eagle Walking Turtle, which he recalls from his youth. One tale is told for each full moon of the year and conveys some of the traditions and beliefs of his Arapaho people. (Choctaw; Great Plains) 2–5. Wallace, Mary. The Inuksuk Book. Toronto, Ontario: Owl, 1999. 64pp. An inuksuk is a rock structure, a “thing that can act in the place of a human being.” It can serve many functions, including communication of knowledge for survival and expression of joy. This book through photographs and illustration describes the five essential types of inuksuk and includes directions for constructing an inuksuk. A glossary of Inuktitut words is appended. (Arctic) 2–5. Walters, Anna Lee. The Two-Legged Creature: An Otoe Story. Illus. by Carol Bowles. Flagstaff, Ariz.: Northland, 1993. 32pp. This traditional Otoe legend tells how people once lived in harmony with the world and the

animal kingdom but become separated when man became greedy. (Pawnee/Otoe; Great Plains) K–2. Wheeler, Bernelda. Where Did You Get Your Moccasins? Illus. by Herman Bekkering. Winnipeg, British Manitoba: Pemmican, 1992, 1995. 21pp. This cumulative tale describes how a young boy’s grandmother, his kookum, makes his moccasins and clearly portrays a contemporary Native American child participating in traditional activities. (Cree; Subarctic) 2–5. Yamane, Linda. Weaving a California Tradition: A Native American Basketmaker. Photographs by Dugan Aguilar. Minneapolis: Lerner, 1997. 48pp. This book follows an eleven-year-old Western Mono Indian as she and her relatives prepare materials needed for basketweaving, make the baskets, and attend the California Indian Basketweavers Association’s annual gathering. (Rumisen Ohlone; California)

PROGRAM IDEAS Activities The following activities are broken down by geographic region. NORTHEAST

Storytelling is important to many Native tribes. Encourage children to listen to stories and help them to share the stories with others by creating a storytelling bag. Directions to make a story telling bag can be found in Carlson, Laurie. More than Moccasins: A Kid’s Guide to Traditional North American Indian Life. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 1994. Nine activities for kids, including directions for making animal finger puppets, word search, crossword puzzle, matching game, and maze can be found at www.nativetech.org/Nipmuc/kidscorner.html. This site is posted by the Nipmuc Indian Association of Connecticut.

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Learn about petroglyphs from the Southwest. Use LaPierre, Yvette. Native American Rock Art: Messages from the Past. Charlottesville, Va.: ThomassonGrant, 1994. Children can learn to create their own petroglyphs using a stamp kit in Dupre, Judith. Native American Rock Art: A Petroglyph Stamp Kit for All Ages. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1997. This kit includes 24 rubber stamps as well as a booklet tracing the history, archaeology, motifs, and meaning of rock art and project ideas for using the stamps. Help children learn about some of the skills needed to weave by following instructions for making a loom in Haslam, Andrew, and Alexandra Parsons. Make It Work! Native American Indians. Stamford, Conn.: Two-Can/Thomson Learning, 1995. NORTHWEST

Several activities and projects are described in the following two books: Michael Caduto and Joseph Bruchac, Keepers of the Animals: Native American Stories of Wildlife Activities for Children (see Recommended Materials). Can be used to develop a program for children. Shemie, Bonnie. Houses of Wood: Native Dwellings; The Northwest Coast. Toronto, Ontario: Tundra, 1992. Includes instructions for building a plank house.

Alexandra Parsons. Make It Work! Native American Indians. Stamford, Conn.: Two-Can/Thomson Learning, 1995. GENERAL

Create a spiderweb, using a hula hoop for a frame and yarn for the strands. Use the pattern found in Caduto, Michael, and Joseph Bruchac. Keepers of the Animals: Native American Stories of Wildlife Activities for Children (see Recommended Materials).

WEBSITES If I Can Read, I Can Do Anything www.gslis.utexas.edu/~ifican This organization’s mission statement is “to assist the libraries serving Native American children in increasing reading skills while preserving Native identity through a family literacy program.” Excellent links, including Bureau of Indian Affairs, Native American Authors, American Indian Library Association, and plenty of Native American websites. Native American Books http://indy4.fdl.cc.mn.us/~isk/books/bookmenu. html This site features Native American books and includes indexes, reviews by author, title, tribe, and grade level.

G R E AT B A S I N A N D P L AT E A U

Native American Sites

Stick games were popular among many Native American peoples. Instructions for stick games may be found in the following books:

www.pitt.edu/%7Elmitten/indians.html

Carlson, Laurie. More than Moccasins: A Kids Activity Guide to Traditional North American Indian Life. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 1994. Hirschfelder, Arlene. Native American Almanac: A Portrait of Native America Today. New York: Prentice Hall, 1993. CALIFORNIA

Help children appreciate the skills needed to create Native American baskets by reading Yamane, Linda. Weaving a California Tradition and viewing the movie From the Roots (see Recommended Materials). Give them an opportunity to create a basket using the instructions in Haslam, Andrew, and

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Includes links to many tribal home pages as well as native organizations. Nativeculture.com www.nativeculture.com A comprehensive portal site for Native American resources on the Internet. Resources for educators and librarians on Native American and minority library literature organizations. Extensive links provide a wealth of information. Nihewan Foundation—CradleBoard Teaching Project www.cradleboard.org/main.html This site, developed by songwriter/teacher Buffy Sainte-Marie (Cree), provides numerous links to tribal sites and Native American organi-

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zations as well as information about Native American curriculum and resources. North American Native Authors Catalog http://nativeauthors.com This project, directed by Jesse Bruchac, is an online bookstore featuring books only by Native American authors. It also acts as a distributor for materials published by small presses. Oyote www.oyote.org Oyote is a Native organization working to see that Native lives and histories are portrayed honestly. The website contains evaluations of texts by Native American peoples, and it makes available resource material and fiction by and about Native American peoples. Techniques for Evaluating American Indian Web Sites www.u.arizona.edu/~ecubbins/webcrit.html Techniques for evaluating American Indian websites are given at this site. Virtual tour of the National Museum of the American Indian www.conexus.si.edu/VRTour/ Virtual tour of the National Museum of the American Indian, created by students from the Four Directions schools in Santa Clara, New Mexico. Tour the permanent exhibitions in the George Gustan Heye facility in New York, complete with descriptions of the artifacts written by children. Links to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. A worthwhile site to explore with students.

RESOURCES

trayal of Native American peoples in textbooks and children’s literature. Many titles have been added to the bibliographies of books that are not recommended as well as to those that are recommended. Reese, Debbie. “Mom, Look! It’s George and He’s a TV Indian.” Horn Book Magazine. OctoberNovember, 1998: 636–643. This article points to the need for books that tell stories about contemporary Native American children and annotates twelve books currently available. _______. Native Americans: Recommended Books and Resources. September, 1999. ERIC; http:// ericeece.org. This current and useful document lists fiction, nonfiction, and folktales about contemporary Native American people. There are also listings of books about boarding school experiences. Call 800-583-4135 for a free copy. Slapin, Beverly, and Doris Seale. Through Indian Eyes: The Native Experience in Books for Children. Rev. ed. Los Angeles: University of California American Indian Studies Center, 1998. A compilation of work by Native American parents, educators, poets, and writers containing essays, poetry, and critical reviews of more than 100 books by and about American Indian people. Though some entries have been dropped because they have become dated, the authors do not consider this a new edition. Stott, Jon. Native Americans in Children’s Literature. Phoenix, Ariz.: Oryx, 1995. This book includes a foreword by Joseph Bruchac and several essays that provide helpful insights when evaluating books about Native Americans. Critical evaluations of many current books are also included.

Publications Hirschfelder, Arlene, Paulette Fairbanks Polin, and Yvonne Wakim. American Indian Stereotypes in the World of Children. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow, 1999. This update of the earlier 1982 edition adds several new articles dealing with children’s misconceptions of American Indians and the por-

Publishers and Other Organizations Akwesansne Notes Kahniakehaka Nation P.O. Box 196 Rooseveltown, NY 13683 518-358-9531 Fax: 613-575-2935

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NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE American Indian Curricula Development Program United Tribes Technical College 3315 University Drive Bismark, ND 58504 701-255-3285 Fax: 701-255-1844 Daybreak Star Press Daybreak Star Cultural and Educational Center 1945 Yale Place East Seattle, WA 98102 206-285-4425 Fax: 206-282-3640 Heyday Books P.O. Box 9145 Berkeley, CA 94709 510-549-3564 Fax: 510-549-1889 [email protected]

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Native American Authors Distribution Project The Greenfield Review Press 2 Middle Grove Road P.O. Box 308 Greenfield Center, NY 12833 Oyote 2702 Mathews Street Berkeley, CA 94702 510-848-6700 Fax: 510-848-4815 www.oyote.com Pemmican Publications Unit #2-1635 Barrows Avenue Winnipeg, British Manitoba R2XOT1 Canada 204-589-6346 Fax: 204-589-2063 www.fox.nstn.ca/~pemmican

CHAPTER

9

Russia Olga R. Kuharets

This chapter focuses on resources and programming ideas for Russia only—not for any other former Soviet republic.

HISTORY Russia dates back over one thousand years to 800 AD, when Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible) became the first czar to rule Russia. (The word czar is derived from the Roman word Caesar.) Under the leadership of the czars, Russia grew to its present size by the time of Peter the Great in the late 1600s. The 1800s was a period of political unrest in Russia, culminating in the October Revolution in 1917 and the formation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). At the end of 1991, the Soviet Union broke into individual nations, and the Russian Federation was born.

RUSSIA TODAY Since the breakup of the Soviet Union into fifteen republics, each republic has struggled to regain its unique nationality, identity, and culture, including Russia. Today, over 100 various ethnic groups reside in Russia, but 82 percent of the population are ethnic Russians. Even without the other 14 former republics, Russia is still the largest country in the world, stretching over 6.5 million square miles. More than twice the size of the United States, Russia covers one-eighth of the land on the planet, spans eleven time zones, and has climates ranging from the fierce cold of Siberia to the warmth of the Black Sea region.

Since the breakup of the former Soviet Union, Russia has experienced its own turmoil from a fragile economy, to the onset of crime, to political unrest. Although many religions can be found in Russia, Orthodoxy has regained official support since 1990, and the Church has rapidly revived.

Food All cultures have a distinguishable cuisine, and Russia is no exception. It is their simplicity that makes traditional Russian dishes unique. Many dishes have their origin in traditional peasant cuisine, while elaborate Russian cooking, such as the foods served to the czars or to nobility, was influenced by the Europeans. Vegetables commonly used in peasant recipes include beets, carrots, cabbage, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, and radishes. Russians are very fond of soups, which are usually made with a combination of these vegetables and/or meat. Unlike modern Americans who consider sugar taboo, Russians consume large quantities of sugar without guilt. Bread is eaten at every meal, and zakuski, or appetizers, are often served either at the start of a meal or as a snack in between larger meals. Zakuski may include a combination of the following foods: salami, ham, cheeses, pickles, cucumbers, tomatoes, smoked herring, and, of course, bread. Favorite Russian dishes include borsch, a soup made of beets; bliny, pancakes; ukha, fish soup; and pirozhki, small pies or pastries filled with meat, cabbage, or farmer cheese.

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RUSSIA To introduce Russian cuisine, serve hot tea with honey, jam, or sugar and some of the appetizers listed above. Alternatively, simply compare Russians snacks to traditional afterschool snacks in the United States. For more elaborate ideas on introducing Russian foods, refer to Plotkin, Gregory, and Rita Plotkin. Cooking the Russian Way, in Recommended Materials.

Facts for Fun When presenting programs about Russia, it is interesting to weave together distinctive facts about the country and its culture and to encourage students to draw comparisons with their own lifestyles or with other cultures with which they are familiar. Compare everyday leisure activities, for example. Russians spend more time in museums than do people in the United States or in most European countries. Popular Russian pastimes include volleyball, soccer, winter sports (such as hockey, iceskating, and skiing), chess, dominoes, and mushroom picking. A popular tradition is the weekly trip to the banya, or steam bath, where people typically steam their bodies to extreme temperatures, beat themselves with a venik, or birch twig, and plunge into a cold bath or roll around in the snow. Although many American children play soccer and iceskate, few will have picked mushrooms or experienced a banya. Another interesting point of study is the Russian alphabet, called the Cyrillic alphabet after Saint Cyril who adopted the Greek alphabet in the ninth century to provide a written language for Slavic peoples. Compare the Greek, Latin, and Cyrillic alphabets. How many letters are the same? How many are different? Unlike the Roman alphabet used with the English language, the thirty-three letters in the Cyrillic alphabet match the vowels and consonants used in Russian speech—the language written just as it is spoken. The Russian language is one of the six official languages of the United Nations, and 153 million people speak Russian today.

RECOMMENDED MATERIALS In the Recommended Materials that follow, picture books have been chosen for their quality of text and illustration. Emphasis is placed on titles that are appropriate for reading aloud and retelling, or for use in programs. Folktale editions have been

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selected that are true to the original Russian versions; although folklore from other Slavic countries may resemble Russian folklore, titles included here are limited to those of Russian heritage. K–3. Arnold, Katya. Duck, Duck, Goose? New York: Holiday House, 1997. 32pp. This book retells a story by Vladimir Grigorievich Suteev, in which Goose, who looks like any other goose, longs to be different. Jealous of other birds, she borrows their attributes, such as Swan’s neck, Pelican’s beak, and so on. Soon she does not look anything like a goose. Arnold’s bright acrylic collage and brilliant watercolor with a separate overlay of black line add irresistible humor to the smooth read-aloud story. Let the story teach young children that it is best to be oneself. K–2. _______. Knock, Knock, Teremok! New York: North-South, 1994. 32pp. Retelling of a popular participatory Russian folktale. According to the author, teremok is a diminutive of terem—a fancy traditional Russian house. In this version of the story different animals come to live together in the small hut. A fly, mouse, frog, duck, hare, fox, pig, and wolf are all happy sharing the hut until a bear comes along, sits on the roof, and squashes the house. Arnold’s thick black line drawings with vivid watercolors complement the simple rhyming text. Children will chime along with the repetitive text: “Knock, knock, knock.” P–K. _______. Meow! New York: Holiday House, 1998. 32pp. Based on Suteev’s book and movie, Who Said Meow? originally released in 1955. Suteev is known as the Russian Walt Disney, and Arnold does him justice in this hilarious tale of a puppy trying to figure out who said “meow.” Along the way he meets other animals, such as a rooster, a mouse, and a frog, and learns a variety of animal sounds. The bright geometric illustrations with thick black outlines are just right for this read-aloud for younger audiences. According to the author’s note, Suteev’s version of the story is often used as a kindergarten play in Russia today. 3–5. _______, and Sam Swope. Katya’s Book of Mushrooms. New York: Henry Holt, 1997. 46pp.

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This story introduces mushrooms and the traditional Russian pastime of mushrooming. The text explains what a mushroom is and describes different varieties, including poisonous mushrooms. The author includes mushroom trivia, personal accounts of mushroom hunting from all over the world, and important facts about various mushrooms. Bold and bright geometric illustrations are playful and vibrant, making this picture book nonfiction essay worthy of reading aloud. Includes references, a glossary and an index. 3–6. Ayer, Eleanor H. Boris Yeltsin: Man of the People. New York: Macmillan, 1992. 144pp. Lively text and short chapters, with blackand-white photographs portray the childhood, education, and career of the Russian Republic’s first elected president, elected in 1991. Covered are Yeltsin’s experiences on a collective farm and his job as a civil engineer. Part of the People in Focus series. 1–4. Bliss, Corinne Demas. The Littlest Matryoshka. Illus. by Kathryn Brown. New York: Hyperion, 1999. 32pp. Nikolai the doll maker has made a matryoshka of six nesting dolls, each fitting inside the other. He named each of his dolls, from biggest to smallest: Anna, Olga, Varka, Vanda, Nadia, and Nina. The matryoshka ends up in a toy shop in America where the littlest doll, Nina, is lost during a snow storm. Jessie, a young girl, has always wanted a matryoshka and is delighted to purchase Anna and her remaining sisters at half price. Through a series of events, Nina ends up back with her sisters where she belongs. Brown’s soft watercolors depict the sweetness of this gentle tale and show the traditional matryoshka pattern. The author includes a brief history of matryoshkas at the end. 3–6. Brewster, Hugh. Anastasia’s Album. New York: Hyperion, 1996. 64pp. Modern color photographs, excerpts from Anastasia’s own scrapbook, and quotes from Tsar Nicholas II accompany a lively text that provides the reader with an intimate look at the life of the most famous daughter of Russia’s last czar. The scrapbook format and attractive layout will appeal to children who may have already begun diaries or scrapbooks of their own.

3–6. Buettner, Dan. Sovietrek: A Journey by Bicycle across Russia. Minneapolis: Lerner, 1994. 104pp. This lengthy photo essay traces the bike route a team of two Americans and two Russians took in 1990 across the central Siberian plateau. Written by one of the team members, the text is simple and provides interesting insights about the ups and downs of the trek. Numerous photographs of rural Russians and their surroundings are included as well as preliminary information about Russian culture and the way of life. Pronunciation guide, glossary, and index are included. An interesting look at one of the most fascinating areas in all of Russia. K–3. Croll, Carolyn. The Little Snowgirl. New York: Putman, 1989. 32pp. Pavel the woodcutter and his wife Caterina were married for many years, but they did not have what they wanted most—a child. One winter night, Pavel goes out into the snow and makes a little snowgirl. In the morning the snowgirl comes to life. Pavel and Caterina are delighted with their new dochinka (daughter). On Christmas morning Babouschka brings the snowgirl the thing she wanted most in the world: to be a real little girl. Croll’s watercolor illustrations are full of Russian folkloric symbols: shawls, matryoshkas, wooden chairs, and a hearty pechka (stove). Croll has captured the essence of Russian culture. Note from Tomie dePaola explains that this version of the story is based on “The Little Daughter of Snow” from Old Peter’s Russian Tales, collected by Arthur Ransome (see below). 3–6. Demi. The Firebird. New York: Holt, 1994. 32pp. With the help of his wise and powerful horse, the young archer Dimitri accomplishes the nearly impossible tasks given to him by the greedy Tsar Ivan. Extravagantly elegant illustrations full of majestic gold and red compliment the suspenseful tale. A retelling of one of more than six hundred folktales collected by Russian ethnographer Alexander Afanasiev. According to an author’s note, this picture book version is based on the translation found in Arthur Ransome’s Old Peter’s Russian Tales (see below).

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RUSSIA 3–6. _______. The Magic Gold Fish: A Russian Folktale. New York: Holt, 1995. 32pp. This adaptation of Pushkin’s fairy tale relates the story of an old fisherman who catches a magical talking gold fish. Hearing that the fish can grant wishes, the fisherman’s greedy wife asks first for a washtub, next for a cottage, next to be czarina, and, finally to be mistress of the seas, with the gold fish as her servant. The magical fish teaches her that greed does not pay by taking back all the treasures he bestowed upon her and leaving her just as she was before: poor and miserable. Demi’s rich illustrations evoke traditional Russian motifs. The text appears on the left of the double page spread, while the right side depicts scenes from the story placed in a luscious gold circle. Appropriate for reading aloud to older audiences. 4–8. Fader, Kim Brown. Russia. San Diego, Calif.: Lucent, 1998. 144pp. A detailed history of Russia, beginning from 800 BC. Divided into the following chapters: Land of the Slavic People, An Imperial Vision, Communist Vision, The New Russia, Arts and Traditions, and Russia in the World Community. The text examines the history of the country now known as the Russian Federation from its earliest beginnings, through its role as part of the Soviet Union, to its current place in the world. Includes chronology, bibliography, index, blackand-white maps, and photographs. P–2. Gambrell, Jamey. Telephone by Kornei Chukovsky. Illus. by Vladimir Radunsky. New York: North-South, 1996. 26pp. All Russian children are familiar with this nonsense rhyme by Chukovsky. In this picture book version with vivid hysterical collages, Gambrell’s translation brings justice to whimsical phone calls in which elephant calls Chez Porcupine to ask for peanut butter, crocodile needs galoshes, baboons ask for spoons, kangaroo is looking for Winnie-the-Pooh, and so on. A perfect read-aloud.

2–6. Heins, Ethel. The Cat and the Cook and Other Fables of Krylov. Illus. by Anita Lobel. New York: Greenwillow, 1995. 32pp. Lively retelling of twelve Krylov fables, including “The Kitten and the Starling,” “Fortune and the Beggar,” “The Eagle and the Spider,” and “The Kite.” The text of each fable faces a full-page detailed watercolor-and-gouache illustration depicting either Russian peasantry or the animals in the fables. The author includes sources and a brief biography on Russia’s greatest fabulist. The use of storytelling prose makes this collection perfect for reading aloud. 4–6. Kransnopolsky, Fara Lynn. I Remember. Illus. by Gennady Schikarioff and Tatyana Mamonova. Boston: Clarion, 1995. 165pp. Writing in her diary, Hannah a Jewish girl in pre–Revolutionary Russia provides the reader with a clear picture of middle-class life in a small Russian village. 3–6. Leder, Jane Mersky. A Russian Jewish Family. Minneapolis: Lerner, 1996. 56pp. Photo essay describes the everyday life of a Russian-Jewish family from the Chicago suburbs. K–2. Levitin, Sonia. A Piece of Home. Illus. by Juan Wijngaard. New York: Dial, 1996. 32pp. Gregor’s family is moving to America to join his Aunt Marissa, Uncle Ivan, and Cousin Elie. Gregor can chose only one treasure to bring with him. He chooses the blanket his great-grandmother made. Unsure of how his cousin will act when he sees a grown boy with a blanket, Gregor is anxious throughout the long journey. The touching narrative has a surprise ending, making the transition to the unfamiliar for both families comfortable. Wijngaard’s soft watercolors depict a contemporary Russian and RussianAmerican family. The author explains the meanings of the Russian objects which appear in the story: a garmoshka (small accordion) and a samovar (a small urn used to heat water).

K–2. Haskins, Jim. Count Your Way through Russia. Illus. by Vera Mednikov. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda, 1987. 24pp.

2–4. Lewis, J. Patrick. The Frog Princess. Illus. by Gennady Spirin. New York: Dial, 1994. 32pp.

Use this nonfiction picture book to learn to count to ten in Russian, and pick up ten interesting facts about the country along the way.

In this version of the folktale, the czar commands his three sons to marry and tells them, “Shoot an arrow as far as you can into the heart

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of Russia. Whoever finds your arrow shall be your bride.” The youngest son’s arrow is found by a frog who is really the beautiful princess Vasilisa the Wise. Baba Yaga and the evil Koshchei the Invincible both appear in this tale, attempting to stop Prince Ivan from breaking the spell that turned Princess Vasilisa into a frog. Rich watercolors by Spirin demonstrate the opulence of Czarist Russia. K–2. Lurie, Alison. The Black Geese: A Baba Yaga Story from Russia. Illus. by Jessica Souhami. New York: DK, 1999. 32pp. Elena is cautioned to stay in the house and watch her baby brother while her parents go off to market, for Baba Yaga’s black geese have been seen flying over the village and taking young children for Baba Yaga to eat. Elena, however, goes outside to play with her friends and sets her brother down on the grass. The black geese come and seize the brother away, and Elena resolves to find him. On her way to Baba Yaga’s hut, she helps a fish, a squirrel, and a mouse who in turn present her with three gifts that help Elena escape the clutches of the witch. Souhami’s bold watercolor and pen-and-ink collages are inspired by traditional Russian folk art. The mixture of text and bright illustrations create a perfect read aloud. Text first appeared in Lurie’s Clever Gretchen and Other Forgotten Folktalkes. K–5. Mahoney, Judy. Teach Me . . . Russian. Audiocassette, book. Minnetonka, Minn.: Teach Me Tapes, 1991. Audiocassette and twenty-page booklet with simple Russian phrases and songs provide a good introduction to the Russian language for young children. 3–6. Marshak, Samuel. The Month Brothers: A Slavic Tale. Illus. by Diane Stanley. Translated by Thomas P. Whitney. New York: William Morrow, 1983. 32pp. A young girl is ordered by her wicked stepmother to go to the forest in January and not return until her basket is full of snowdrops that bloom in March. In the forest the girl meets the Month Brothers who let March come for just one hour, long enough for the girl to fill her basket with fragrant flowers. Upon her return home, her greedy stepsister decides to venture into the for-

est herself and ask other months for strawberries, mushrooms, and cucumbers. Her greediness is rewarded with a snowstorm, in which she is lost. The stepmother tries to find her daughter, and she too freezes in the forest. The young girl gets married and raises a family and is blessed by the Month Brothers with a garden and fruit trees more wonderful than anyone else’s. Stanley’s full-page watercolor illustrations appear opposite a page of text and appropriately represent the scenery of Bohemia, the setting for this Slavic tale. P–2. Marshak, Samuel. The Pup Grew Up! Translated by Richard Pevear. Illus. by Vladimir Radunsky. New York: Henry Holt, 1989. 32pp. Translation of the popular Russian rhyme, in which a mix-up at the train station turns a lady’s Pekinese into a Great Dane at the end of her trip. Cut-paper collages by Vladimir Radunsky add humor to this beloved poem. K–3. Mayer, Marianna. Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave. Illus. by K. Y. Craft. New York: Morrow, 1994. 32pp. Luscious illustrations with dark tones rendered in watercolor, gouache, and oil by Kinuko Craft set the mood for an old Russian fairy tale about an evil stepmother, the beautiful Vasilisa, and the classic ogre in Russian folklore, Baba Yaga. With the help of a doll Vasilisa’s mother made for her before she died, the young girl outwits Baba Yaga and ends up marrying the czar. K–3. Mikolaycak, Charles. Babushka. New York: Holiday House, 1984. 32pp. Retelling of the traditional tale in which an old lady, having missed the chance to take gifts to the Christ Child, still wanders leaving gifts for all children in hopes that one day she will come upon Him. Illustrations produced by applying watercolor and color pencils to diazo prints made from original pencil drawings. The scenery changes with the passing of time, from village life in Russia to a Christmas morning of today. P–3. Morgan, Pierr. The Turnip: An Old Russian Folktale. New York: Philomel, 1990. 32pp. “One day Dedoushka planted a turnip seed.” The turnip grew and grew. Morgan’s cheerful illustrations accompany a spirited retelling of the popular traditional folktale in which Baboushka,

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RUSSIA Mashenka, Geouchka, and a tiny field mouse work together to pull the enormous turnip from the ground. This version retains the Russian names for grandfather, grandmother, and all the characters. The rhythm of the text makes the story perfect for reading aloud to younger children. K–5. Plotkin, Gregory, and Rita Plotkin. Cooking the Russian Way. Minneapolis: Lerner, 1986. 47pp. A very brief history of Russia is included, along with recipes for traditional Russian dishes such as bliny, borsch, and beef Stroganov. 2–4. Ransome, Arthur. The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1968. 48pp. An engaging story about a fool, the youngest of three brothers, who is determined to marry the czar’s daughter. With the help of an ancient wise man and seven companions with superhuman characteristics, the “Fool of the World” is able to meet all of the czar’s unreasonable demands and marry his daughter. Shulevitz’s watercolor illustrations add Russian flavor to the text and complete this humorous tale. Caldecott Medal Winner and ALA Notable Book. 2–8. _______. Old Peter’s Russian Tales. Illus. by Faith Jaques. New York: Puffin, 1974. 254pp. This collection of over twenty popular tales includes Baba Yaga, the Fire-Bird, and the Golden Fish. Tales are appropriate for retelling for older audiences. 4–8. Resnick, Abraham. The Commonwealth of Independent States: Russia and Other Republics. Danbury, Conn.: Children’s Press, 1993. 144pp. Part of the Enchantment of the World series. Text, maps, and photographs explain the Commonwealth. K–3. Reyher, Becky. My Mother Is the Most Beautiful Woman in the World. Illus. by Ruth Chrisman Gannett. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1945. 37pp. A Russian folktale, which confirms the old Russian proverb, “We do not love people because they are beautiful, but they seem beautiful to us because we love them!” Illustrations furnish the reader with a picture-perfect vision of peasant life in a Russian village. Caldecott Honor Book.

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2–4. San Souci, Robert D. The Firebird. Illus. by Kris Waldherr. New York: Dial, 1992. 32pp. Retelling of the folktale based on Stravinsky’s ballet. Elaborate illustrations accompany a suspenseful plot. 2–4. _______. The Tsar’s Promise. Illus. by Lauren Mills. New York: Philomel, 1992. 32pp. Inspired by the story “King Kojata” from Andrew Lang’s classic The Green Fairy Book. Young Tsarevitch Ivan shows courage when he faces a demon who has a claim on him from a hasty promise made by his father. Glowing watercolors accompany the solid text. 4–8. Selfridge, John W. Mikhail Gorbachev: World Statesman. New York: Chelsea, 1992. 80pp. Biography of the 1990 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize offers readers many historical and political insights to the former leader of the Soviet Union. 2–4. Shepard, Aaron. The Sea King’s Daughter: A Russian Legend. Illus. by Gennady Spirin. New York: Atheneum, 1997. 28pp. Lavish watercolor-and-pencil illustrations accompany the retelling of the story of Sadko, a Novgorod musician with a hard choice to make: love of a city or love of a woman. 2–4. Sherman, Josephina. Vassilisa the Wise: A Tale of Medieval Russia. Illus. by Daniel San Souci. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt Brace, 1988. 32pp. A solid retelling of the fairy tale in which the wise and beautiful Vassilisa outwits Prince Vladimir and frees her husband from the dungeon. This version of the story emphasizes the strength of females. Detailed watercolors illustrate traditional costumes, homes, and way of life in tenth-century Russia. A longer story to share with older children. Compare to tales of King Arthur’s court. 2–4. Stanley, Diane. Peter the Great. New York: Four Winds, 1986. 32pp. Carefully researched text mesmerizes readers revealing the impact of the czar’s effort to modernize Russia. Handsome illustrations bring to life the court of Peter the Great. K–3. Trivas, Irene. Annie . . . Anya. New York: Orchard, 1992. 30pp.

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Five-year-old Annie spends one month in Moscow with her parents. At first Annie is bitter about being away from the familiarity of home. However, with the help of her new friend Anya, Annie learns to appreciate learning new Russian words and realizes that people are the same in any land. Trivas’s soft watercolor illustrations capture the essence of Moscow and Russian culture. Russian words appear in the illustrations, and Trivas incorporates the translations in her text. A perfect read aloud.

2–4. Zemach, Harve. Salt: A Russian Tale. Illus. by Margot Zemach. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1965. 32pp. Ivan the fool trades his cargo of salt for gold, silver, and a beautiful princess. A favorite tale simply retold, with Margot Zemach’s uncluttered watercolor illustrations. Based on the original tale in Afanasyev’s collection of Russian tales.

PROGRAM IDEAS 4–8. Vail, John J. “Peace, Land, Bread?”: A History of the Russian Revolution. New York: Facts on File, 1996. 148pp. History of the Russian Revolution. 3–5. Venezia, Mike. Igor Stravinsky. Danbury, Conn.: Children’s Press, 1996. 32pp. Photographs, humorous cartoons, paintings, and line drawings combined with simple text are blended into a unique presentation of composer Igor Stravinsky’s life. The composer is best known for his scores of the Russian ballets, The Firebird, Petrushka, and The Rite of Spring. Part of the Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Composers series. 3–5. _______. Peter Tchaikovsky. Danbury, Conn.: Children’s Press, 1994. 32pp. Same format as Venezia’s biography on Stravinsky (see above). Composer Tchaikovsky is best known for his scores to three ballets, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker. As in Igor Stravinsky, Venezia provides us with interesting tidbits about the composer’s life. Part of the Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Composers series. 2–5. Winthrop, Elizabeth. The Little Humpbacked Horse: A Russian Tale. Illus. by Alexander Koshkin. Boston: Clarion, 1997. 24pp. The story of Ivan, the youngest of three peasant brothers, who becomes the czar’s “Master of Stables.” Ivan is assisted by his faithful companion, the magical Little Humpbacked Horse, to fulfill all the tasks the greedy czar demands of him. Bright detailed illustrations with golden hues rendered in watercolor, tempura, and gouache accompany an effective and captivating retelling of a classic Russian tale.

The crafts, games, and reader’s theater activities described below can be used separately or in various combinations, depending on how much time is allowed for the program. Plan on three activities for a forty-five-minute program: one read-aloud, one craft, and one game.

Book-Related Activities The following activities are designed to be used in conjunction with specific books, all of which are listed under Recommended Materials. CRAFTS

Read Baba Yaga and Vasilissa the Brave by Marianna Mayer. Have the children make dolls similar to the doll that Vasilissa’s mother gave her. Instructions for simple or more complex doll making can be found in many craft books. Read Duck, Duck, Goose? by Katya Arnold. Photocopy various animal patterns from flannelboard books or other sources. Cut up the reproductions so that the beaks, heads, feet, bodies, etc., are all separated. Have the children mix and match the patterns, color the new animal, and glue the shapes on paper. They will have created their own unique animal. If time permits, have each child describe the special attributes of the new animal (such as the beak of a duck, tail of a cow, and so on). MUSIC

Russia has produced many great composers, including Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Prokofiev, and Peter Tchaikovsky. Introduce the children to music. Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf” can be used with younger children to reach the various instruments that represent the characters in the story. Music by these composers can also be used as background during a program.

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Introduce some famous people in Russian history using the biographies in Recommended Materials. Peter the Great, Anastasia, and Igor Stravinsky are three historical figures who have led interesting lives, and facts about their lives will appeal to children. For example, Peter the Great became czar of Russia at age thirteen. While he was czar, he passed a law that any man who wore a beard must also wear a bronze medal around his neck that said, “Beards are a ridiculous ornament.” Stravinsky composed some of the music used in Disney’s “Fantasia.” Share excerpts from Anastasia’s Album and compare the book to the image of Anastasia from the movies.

does not open or the largest one (answer: the smallest). Remind children that matryoshkas were originally designed as toys. Matryoshkas represent a variety of figures: the Russian nobility, characters from folklore and literature, and peasants. Matryoshkas can be symbolic of various roles, for example, cook, warrior, and artist. Today one can find images of just about any one on the dolls, including images of the monsters and Max from Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are. After a brief introduction, read The Littlest Matryoshka by Corinne Demas Bliss. Then proceed to make a matryoshka. Simple Matryoshka

Crafts

Materials: copies of the pattern, paper rolls, crayons or markers, scissors, and tape.

M AT R Y O S H K A (ages 6 and up)

Directions:

For many of us, Russian matryoshkas (nesting dolls) symbolize Russian culture. Since they are eye catching and intriguing to children of any age, a craft project including a matryoshka is especially recommended. If possible, have at least one “real” nesting doll on display. During the program, introduce some interesting facts about the dolls. The dolls date back to the 1880s when a seven-piece figurine was brought from the island of Honshu (Japan) to Russia. Matryoshkas are handmade from wood (typically lime, aspen, alder, or birch). Traditionally, the logs are kept in the open for two years and only a craftsman knows when the wood is ready. Craftsmen use very small tools to make them. They make no measurements but instead use intuition and skill. Matryoshkas may consist of as little as two pieces or as many as twenty-four. One of the matryoshkas has seventy-two pieces. Have the children guess which piece is made first—the smallest one that

1. Color the pattern (if possible, have samples of traditional matryoshka designs).

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2. Cut out the doll in one piece, leaving the arms connected. 3. Fold around paper roll and tape arms together. Funnel-Shaped Matryoshka

Materials: copies of pattern, crayons or markers, scissors, and tape. Directions: 1. Follow the first two steps for the simple matryoshka. 2. After cutting out the pattern simply roll into a funnel shape and tape the flap. Note: For a more extensive project, the pattern can be reduced to various sizes to make a set of nesting dolls.

A simple matryoshka

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Decorated matryoshka

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Funnel-shaped matryoshka

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Funnel-shaped matryoshka

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RUSSIA

PA I N T E D E G G S (ages 6 and up)

Traditionally during the celebration of Easter in Russia, painted eggs are given to friends and relatives as an Easter salutation. The red egg is considered a symbol of Easter, and there is a proverb that says if you wash your face in the water with an Easter egg in it, you will always be healthy and beautiful. Simple instructions on how to paint eggs may be found in Cole, Ann. A Pumpkin in a Pear Tree. New York: Little Brown, 1976, pp. 40–44. S N O W F L A K E (ages 5 and up)

Read The Little Snowgirl by Carolyn Croll. Make snowflake patterns and decorate the room. Simple instructions on making snowflakes can be found in Judith Hoffman, Christmas Fun. New York: Messner Holiday Library, 1982, pp. 22–23.

Games All of the games described here are traditional Russian games. Some of them have been played since the seventeenth century. The versions presented below are contemporary. The history of the evolution of the games is beyond the scope of this chapter; according to students of Russian folklore, the exact origin of most games is difficult to determine. The traditional Russian khoravod (round dance) is intentionally not included here. These games are dances, usually set to folk songs, with original poetic verses that usually give instructions to the participants as though they were playing a game. It would take a significant amount of time for non–Russian-speaking participants to learn any one of the round dances before the group can enjoy one. Even carefully translated verses would be hard to appreciate, and English-speaking children might not enjoy them as they do in Russia. Some studies of Russian folklore note that it is especially difficult to establish the derivation of this dance. No other European culture has embraced round dances and incorporated them into their culture, as did Russia. Although the exclusion of the khoravod is intentional, it is by no means meant to diminish the importance of this tradition in Russian culture. Even today, round dances are part of all celebrations in Russian culture, from birthday parties to holidays. If possible, an attempt should be made to view traditional dances on video or have members from the Russian community demonstrate a khoravod.

B L A C K A N D W H I T E Y O U C A N N O T H AV E , Y E S A N D N O Y O U C A N N O T S AY (ages 8 and up)

This is one of the oldest Russian word games and is played by two people or more. One person is selected as the questioner. The questioner selects another from the group to be the receiver. All others listen and wait for their turn. The object of the game is for the questioner to fool the receiver into saying one of the four forbidden words: black, white, yes, or no. The success of the questioner lies in how fast he or she paces questions. The questioner must always use an opening line summarizing the rules before the very first question: “Black and white you can not have, yes and no you can not say . . . are you going to the fair?” A traditional opening line of questioning might then be, “Grandma has sent $100 (or 100 rubles) for you to buy whatever you like, as long as it is not black or white. You may answer as you wish as long as you do not say ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ Would you like to spend the money?” Other examples of questions that may be asked include “What color are the clouds in the sky?” or “What color is the cat that brings bad luck?” If the receiver stumbles and uses one of the words he or she loses the round. The game is played until allotted time runs out. B U R N E R S (ages 8 and up)

Gorelki, or burners, is one of the most popular games in Russia among children and adults. There are many variations for both indoor and outdoor play. A minimum of seven players is suggested for this variation. Children stand in pairs, one or two feet apart; the odd person is “the keeper.” A “safe zone” should be marked approximately twenty paces ahead of the first pair. The keeper begins the game standing between the pairs and the safe zone, facing away from the group. To begin the game, the pairs recite the following phrase: “Stars are shining, Cranes are calling: Goo-Goo-Goo—run and shoo. 1, 2 don’t delay! 3, 4 fire—run!” As soon as the phrase is finished, the pair at the end of the row farthest from the safe zone runs on

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RUSSIA the outside of the row, attempting to get past the keeper and into the safe zone. If the keeper tags one of the players, he or she becomes the new keeper. The old keeper joins the head of the pairs with the child who was untouched. If the players manage to pass the keeper and join hands successfully in the safe zone, they are safe and the keeper must try again. The game is played until all but one player (the keeper) manage to get into the safe zone.

All players form a line. One player is chosen to be It. A prize is placed underneath the pot, approximately twenty paces away from It.

C AT A N D M O U S E (5 and up)

Play music or use an egg timer to control the amount of time It has to search for the pot. If successful, It wins the prize under the pot. If It is not successful, he or she goes to the back of the line and the next player in line becomes It, and the game is repeated.

A minimum of ten players is suggested; however, it is feasible to play with eight. Two players are chosen from the group: one to be the cat and one to be the mouse. The remainder of the players stand in a circle holding hands raised up high. The mouse begins the game in the middle of the circle (the safe zone) and the cat is on the outside. The object of the game is for cat to tag mouse. The circle moves quickly both to the left and right with the players continuing to hold hands up high. When the cat approaches an opening, the players at that end lower hands in an attempt to keep the cat away from mouse. Cat may try to crawl through, so players may need to duck down low. Cat is forbidden to jump over the hands or forcibly break through. If the cat gets in, the players can raise their hands to let the mouse out and the process is reversed, with cat attempting to get out of the circle to tag mouse. Once mouse is captured (or cat surrenders) the two players join the circle and another cat and mouse are chosen. The game ends when allotted time has expired. C L AY P O T (ages 6 and up)

Traditionally a clay pot was used for this game, which would be smashed in order to win a prize. Materials: metal cooking pot (or basket), small trinkets as prizes, a blindfold, and a stick. Directions: The object of the game is to bang a pot three times while blindfolded in order to win a prize hidden beneath it. Decide ahead of time how long each player will have to try to bang the pot, based on the age of the audience and number of participants.

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It walks around the room to establish his or her bearings. It then goes to the front of the line, is blindfolded, and spun around at least three times. It is then handed a stick and must attempt to find the pot and bang on it three times. In the meantime, the other players whoop, holler, and clap their hands in an effort to distract It.

The game continues until all prizes have been given out or as time permits. C Z A R / C Z A R I N A (ages 8 and up)

Materials: a crown, a cape and scepter (optional), small sheets of paper, pencils, and a basket or hat. Directions: A minimum of three players is suggested. One child is chosen to be the czar (boy) or czarina (girl). He or she puts on the crown and cape and holds the scepter, if used, and sits in the middle of a circle, with the hat. The czar/czarina writes the name of an object on a piece of paper and hides it so the rest of the participants cannot see. The rest of the participants also write the name of an object on a piece of paper and pass it to the czar/czarina to put in the hat or basket. The czar/czarina shuffles the papers and passes them out randomly to the other children. He or she then announces the name of his or her object. He or she points to a player and instructs that player to read the word on the piece of paper he or she received. That child must then describe either a similarity or difference (the czar/czarina decides which) between the two objects. For example, if the czar/czarina wrote door and the player wrote window, the child could say, “A door and window are both parts of a house” (similarity) or “You can see through a window but you cannot see through a door” (difference).

RUSSIA A judge, such as an adult moderator, decides whether the phrase is acceptable. The players with acceptable phrases can receive small tokens (candies or stickers) for their efforts, distributed by the czar. The game ends when time allotted expires. W H O H A S T H E R I N G ? (ages 8 and up)

This circle game, played traditionally by girls, can be played with a minimum of seven children. Players stand in a circle holding a ribbon with a ring tied loosely onto it. One player is It and stands in the middle of the circle. The players in the circle all clench their fists and shout all at once: “I have it! I have it!” The person in the middle tries to guess who has the ring by approaching one child at a time and asking her to open her fists. In the meantime, the other players shuffle the ring from hand to hand, without letting It notice who has it. If It guesses incorrectly, she tries again. When the ring is uncovered the ring bearer and It switch places and the game repeats. Game ends when allotted time has expired.

Language Children are fascinated with new sounds and words. The Cyrillic alphabet has some letters that are similar to the Latin alphabet and some that are different. For example: A is also pronounced A in Cyrillic; however, the Latin H is pronounced as N in Cyrillic. Spend some time learning a few simple Russian words, such as “Da” (yes) and “Nyet” (no) and have the children practice them. Learn to count in Russian. If possible have the words and pronunciations written on a flip chart before the program. Practice your new words throughout the activity. Judy Mahoney’s Teach Me Russian (see Recommended Materials) has some excellent examples of simple phrases, songs, and rhymes you can share during the program. One option to avoid mispronouncing words is to use the book and tape and learn new words during the program. R E A D E R ’ S T H E AT E R ( a g e s 6 a n d u p )

Pierr Morgan's The Turnip and Katya Arnold's Meow! are two books that lend themselves to performance by the youngest of children (see Recommended Materials). The Turnip is a cumulative story, while Meow! is a repetitive one. In both cases, the number of characters can be increased

or decreased depending on the size of the group. First, share the story with the group. Next, have the children act out the various parts in the story. For The Turnip, you may wish to have a prop symbolizing the giant turnip. An overstuffed white pillowcase tied with a green scarf or cloth works well. The plays can be performed with several variations depending on the age and confidence of the children. For example, the adult can read all the parts and children simply act out the motions. In the case of The Turnip, children would pull and pull, making believe they are attempting to extract the huge turnip from the ground. For Meow! children can act surprised like the puppy in the story, or pretend to be the other animals puppy encounters. Another option for performing stories is to have children recite only the refrains from the story: “And they pulled, and they pulled, but the enormous turnip did not budge.” For Meow! children can make the various animal sounds and movements while an adult reads the remainder of the text: Adult: “Puppy ran outside. He saw Rooster. ‘Did you say meow?’ ‘Not me.’ said Rooster. ‘I say. . . ’ ” Child (or all the children together): “Cock-a-doodle-doo!” Another idea is to make stick puppets for either one of these books and have the children recite the different parts. If the children can read, glue the text onto the backs of the puppets.

WEBSITES Annenberg/CPB Exhibits—Russia www.learner.org/exhibits/russia/ Learn how change has affected the former Soviet Union. Includes information on other republics as well as more links about Russia. CIA. The World Factbook 1999: Russia www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rs.html Abundance of brief up-to-date facts about the country. Sections include Geography, People, Government, Economy, Communications, Transportation, Military, and Transnational Issues.

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RUSSIA Education World www.education-world.com Search term: Russia. Search engine for educational sites only. Useful links. Face of Russia Homepage www.pbs.org/weta/faceorussia Explore Russia through this PBS series. Links from the homepage include timelines, history, biographies, culture, and links to other sites. Library of Congress, Federal Research Department, Area Handbook Series, Russia

burg, Lake Baikal, Trans-Siberian Railway, the Arctic, and more. Official Site of St. Petersburg, Russia http://wwweng.gov.spb.ru/index-eng.asp Explore the city through its website. Learn about its history, culture, and government. Treasures of the Czars www.sptimes.com/Treasures/Default.html Awesome site contains timeline of the czars, artifacts from the Romanovs, Russian language tutorial, and more.

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/rutoc.html Exhaustive history of Russia, from before 1917 to modern day. Includes search capability.

RESOURCES Moscow Kremlin http://utts.cc.utexas.edu/~powellm/kremlin.html View the Kremlin and its buildings from a variety of angles. Brief information included with good visuals. Official Tourist Site of the Moscow Government www.moscow-guide.ru/ Facts about various Moscow neighborhoods and information about Russian folk items such as pottery, textiles, costumes, and more. Information about the Metro and some Russian holidays. Official Site of the Russian National Tourist Office www.interknowledge.com/russia Photographs and information about the vast areas of Russia; includes Moscow, St. Peters-

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Adams, Cynthia G. Exploring the World on the Net. New York: Good Year Books, 1999. Lists seventeen websites about Russia and other countries. Lye, Keith. Passport to Russia. New York: Franklin Watts, 1996. Murrell, Kathleen Berton. Russia. New York: Knopf, 1998. Pankeev, I. A. Russkie narodnye igry (Russian Folk Games). Moscow: Iauza Eksmo, 1998. Petrov, R. M.; Grishina, G. N.; Korotkova, L. D. Letnie prazdniki, igry I zabavy dlia detei. Moscow: Sfera, 1999. Soloviova, L. N. Matryoshka. Moscow: Interbook, 1997. Steissguth, Tom. Russia. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda, 1997.

Bibliography

Alire, Camila. Serving Latino Communities: A Howto-Do-It Manual for Librarians. New York: NealSchuman, 1998. Banks, James A. An Introduction to Multicultural Education. Needham Heights, Mass.: Allyn & Bacon, 1998. Bartlett, John. Familiar Quotations: A Collection of Passages, Phrases, and Proverbs Traced to Their Sources in Ancient and Modern Literature. Justin Kaplan and the editorial staff of Little, Brown and Company, eds. New York: Little, Brown, 1992.

Volume 1. Colorado Springs, Colo.: PEAK Parent Center, 1998. Latrobe, Kathy Howard. Multicultural Aspects of Library Media Programs. Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, 1992. Maciel, David R., ed. Culture across Borders: Mexican Immigration and Popular Culture. Tucson, Ariz.: University of Arizona Press, 1998. Riggs, Donald E., and Patricia A. Tarins, eds. Cultural Diversity in Libraries. New York: NealSchuman, 1994.

Ch’mai, Betty E. M., ed. Multicultural America: A Resource Book for Teachers of Humanities and American Studies. Lanham, Md.: University Press of America, 1993.

Roberts, Patricia. Multicultural Friendship Stories and Activities for Children Ages 5–14. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow, 1998.

Dilworth, Mary E., ed. Being Responsive to Cultural Differences: How Teachers Learn. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin, 1998.

Russell, Cheryl. Racial and Ethnic Diversity: Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Whites. Ithaca, N.Y.: New Strategist, 1998.

“E Pluribus Unum: Sunflower Journeys, Program 913.” Video. Topeka, Kans.: KTWU/Channel 11, 1996. VHS. 29 min.

Swiniarski, Louise B. Educating the Global Village: Including the Young Child in the World. New York: Prentice Hall, 1998.

Hernandez Sheets, Rosa, ed. Racial and Ethnic Identity in School Practices: Aspects of Human Development. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1999.

Webber, Desiree, et al. Travel the Globe: Multicultural Story Times. Illus. by Sandy Shropshire. Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, 1998.

Katz, Leah. Activities for a Diverse Classroom: Connecting Students. Connecting Students Series,

York, Stacey. Roots and Wings: Affirming Culture in Early Childhood Programs. St. Paul, Minn.: Redleaf, 1991.

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Contributors

Olga Kuharets is currently the children’s manager of a children’s department for a regional library in the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County in Charlotte, North Carolina. Before coming to Charlotte, she had worked for the New York Public Library since 1991 in various branches in Manhattan after receiving her master’s degree in library science from Queens College, New York.

Western Reserve University in 1978. She was privileged to work at the U.S. Committee for UNICEF to develop a resource center for the International Year of the Child, 1979. She has worked as a school library media specialist in the Comsewogue School District and as a public librarian for the Cuyahoga County Public Library and for Smithtown Library. She is currently the head of children’s services for the Northport–East Northport Public Library.

ORALIA GARZA DE CORTÉS

A L L I S O N G R AY

Oralia Garza de Cortés is a leading authority on Latino children’s literature and an advocate for library services for Latino children and their families. She formerly was the coordinator of library services to the Spanish speaking for the San Antonio Public Library and was also the children’s department manager for the Central Library of the San Antonio Public Library. She is the 2000–2001 president of REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking, an ALA affiliate. Garza de Cortés was a cofounder of the Pura Belpré Award, an ALA award honoring Latino authors and illustrators. She is the author of a forthcoming ALA Editions book tentatively titled Developing Library Services for Latino Children and Their Families, which is scheduled for publication in 2002.

It was perhaps inevitable that Allison Gray, whose mother was an enthusiastic children’s librarian, went on to receive her master’s degree in library science in 1991. Since then, she has served on both the Managing Children’s Services and the Preschool Services and Parent Guidance committees of ALSC. She was also appointed to the 2001 Newbery Committee. She has served for nine years as head of children’s services for an active, suburban public library, and she recently added the duties of assistant director to her position.

OLGA R. KUHARETS

DORIS GEBEL

Doris Gebel is a 1975 graduate of the State University of New York College at Geneseo with a bachelor of arts degree in anthropology and English. She received a double master’s degree, in library science and in anthropology, from Case

M E L I N D A G R E E N B L AT T

Melinda Greenblatt is a library consultant and senior program officer for New Visions for Public Schools in New York City. In this position she has worked on many library, literacy, and technology initiatives, including Library Power. She was formerly the director of the Information Center on Children’s Cultures, a service of the U.S. Committee for UNICEF, where her interest in Caribbean resources began. She has been a reviewer for Multicultural Review and the Horn Book Guide. An active member of ALA, she recently served on the

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CONTRIBUTORS Newbery Committee and as chair of the Pura Belpré Award Committee. She contributed two chapters to Miller-Lachmann, L ynn, ed. Our Family, Our Friends, Our World: An Annotated Guide to Significant Multicultural Books for Children and Teenagers. New York: Bowker, 1992. J AY J A C O B Y

Jay Jacoby is professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he has taught since 1978. His primary areas of interest are English education and multicultural literatures. He regularly teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in Jewish-American and immigrant literature. His scholarship includes papers, articles, and chapters on European influences in children’s picture books, on integrating transformation tales into the elementary curriculum, and on the figures of the schlemiel, the Golem, and Lilith in Jewish literature. CHERRI JONES

Cherri Jones has worked as a school librarian, a children’s librarian in public libraries, and a storyteller for children and adults. She is currently the education librarian and an assistant professor of library science for Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. JAMES MCSHANE

James McShane has been editor of the EMIE Bulletin for some time now. Through his work with that publication he has addressed issues concerning all ethnic groups. He is of Irish and English ancestry. As of the year 2000 he resides in Kansas. H E A W O N PA I C K

Heawon Paick received her master’s degree in library science in 1992 from the Graduate School of Library and Information Science of the University of Tennessee. After graduation, she worked as an in-house librarian for a Los Angeles book distributing company. In 1995 she began working for the Los Angeles Public Library, first as a children’s librarian at the Washington Irving branch, followed by a brief stay at the Cahuenga branch. Since December 1999 she has served as a young adult librarian at the Pico Pico Koreatown branch. Her heart is always with children’s work, and she strongly believes that once a children’s librarian, forever a children’s librarian.

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G O W R I PATA M E S WA R A N

Gowri Patameswaran’s interests include exploring gender and cross-cultural issues in the social and cognitive development of children as well as the theories of Piaget and Vygotsky and their applications in the learning setting. She obtained her bachelor of arts and master’s degrees at Bombay University, India, and completed doctoral work at Rutgers University. She is currently an associate professor in the department of psychology at Southwest Missouri State University. JENNY B. PETTY

Jenny B. Petty received her master of library science degree from the University of Missouri and her doctorate degree in library science from Texas Woman’s University. She has eleven years of experience as a public school library media specialist, eleven years as an academic librarian. She has taught children’s literature and currently is an associate professor at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri, where she is the coordinator of library science education and development. Her doctoral study focused on the involvement of school library media specialists in promoting cultural awareness through the use of multicultural books for children. She is the children’s book review editor for the EMIE Bulletin and also is a reviewer for Children’s Literature. LENORA S. STEIN

Lenora S. Stein is the executive director of the Carolina Agency for Jewish Education (CAJE) in Charlotte, N.C. During the last fourteen years, she has developed the agency to serve a statewide network of schools, synagogues, organizations, clergy, teachers, and families across the greater Carolinas region. She has held a number of library and educational positions for a variety of agencies and has served as the director of the Graduate School of Management Library at Vanderbilt University.

Index

A A Is for the Americas, 63–64 Aani and the Tree Huggers, 30 Aardema, Verna, 3–4 Abuela’s Weave, 63, 70 “Abuelita’s Lap,” 70 Ada, Alma Flor, 14, 62, 71 Addo, Peter Eric Adotey, 4 Adopted by Indians: A True Story, 88 Adventures of Herschel of Ostropol, 44 Adventures of Young Krishna: The Blue God of India, 31 Africa description of, 1–3 recommended materials, 3–10 resources, 11 websites, 10–11 Africa: Africa World Press Guide to Educational Resources from and about Africa, 10 Africa Trail, 4 Africa World Press, Inc., 11 African Crafts, 10 African Folktales and Activities, 10 Africatrek: A Journey by Bicycle through Africa, 4, 5 After the Revolution, 22 Agard, John, 14 Ahí Donde Bailan las Luciérnagas, 64 Aida, 8 Aiken, Beth, 62, 71 Alarcón, Francisco X., 62, 71 Alexander, Lloyd, 4 Allen, Judy, 10 Alphabet City Ballet, 21 Altman, Linda Jacobs, 62, 71 Always Prayer Shawl, 45 Amal and the Letter from the King, 36 Amar Chitra Katha Comics (website), 39 Amelia’s Road, 62, 71 Américas Award, 13

Américas Award (website), 71 Amritsar, 32 Anansi Does the Impossible: An Ashanti Tale, 3–4 Anansi Finds a Fool: An Ashanti Tale, 4 Anastasia’s Album, 99 Anaya, Rudolfo, 62 Ancient Africa (video), 5 Ancient Civilizations of the World (video), 5 Ancient Egypt (video), 5 Ancient Egypt (website), 81 Ancona, George, 14, 62–63, 69 And the Earth Did Not Devour Him/...Y No Se Lo Trago la Tierra, 68, 71 Andrews, Jan, 82 Angel’s Mistake: Stories of Chelm, 46 Annenberg/CPB Exhibits—Russia (website), 111 Annie...Anya, 102–3 Annie’s Promise, 45 Anni’s India Diary, 30 Api and the Boy Stranger: A Village Creation Tale, 8–9 Arab Gateway (website), 81 Arabian Nights, 74 Archbold, Rick, 5 Arctic Memories, 85 Argueta, Manlio, 63 Arnold, Katya, 98, 103, 111 Arrington, H. J., 5 Arrow over the Door, 84 Aruna’s Journeys, 35–36 Ashabranner, Brent, 5, 14 Ashok by Any Other Name, 36 Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), 13 Association of Jewish Libraries (website), 51 Ate, Te, 82 Atkins, Jeannine, 30

Axworthy, Ann, 30 Ayer, Eleanor H., 99 B Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave, 101, 103 Babushka, 101 Baby Rattlesnake, 82 Bad Hand Terry, Michael, 82 Bader, Bonnie, 42 Bahous, Sally, 74 Balgasi, Heami, 54 Bar Mitzvah: A Jewish Boy’s Coming of Age, 44 Bar-Nissim, Barbara, 42 Barlas, Bob, 14 Barraclough, John, 14 Barry, David, 31 Bash, Barbara, 31 Bashi, Elephant Baby, 8 Bat Mitzvah: A Jewish Girl’s Coming of Age, 43 Bateman, Robert, 5 Beaded Moccasin, 85 Beaty, Theresa M., 14 Begay, Shonto, 82 Belfer Bar Mitzvah, 46 Belpré, Pura, 15 Ben-Ezer, Ehud, 74 Ben Kingsley Reads “The Tiger and the Brahmin,” 33 Beni’s Family Cookbook for the Jewish Holidays, 48 Beni’s Family Treasury: Stories for the Jewish Holidays, 48 Beni’s First Wedding, 48 Berchick, 42 Berkow, Ira, 42 Bernier-Grand, Carmen T., 15 Best Friends, 87 Bierhorst, John, 82

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Index Binch, Caroline, 15 Binya’s Blue Umbrella, 31 Birchbark House, 85 Birchfield, Don L., 84 Birthday Basket for Tia, 70 Black Geese: A Baba Yaga Story from Russia, 101 Blanc, Esther Silverstein, 42 Blessings: Our Jewish Ceremonies, 43–44 Bliss, Corinne Demas, 99 Bloom, Valerie, 15 Blos, Joan W., 42 Bond, Ruskin, 31 Bones in the Basket: Native Stories of the Origin of People, 92 Bonnici, Peter, 31 Books in English about Korea (website), 59 Boris Yeltsin: Man of the People, 99 Bossy Gallito/El Gallo de Bodas, 17, 65 Bouki Dances the Kokioko: A Comical Tale from Haiti, 22 Bragg, Lynn E., 84 Brave as a Mountain Lion, 91 Brewer, Linda Skinner, 84 Brewster, Hugh, 99 Brooklyn Doesn’t Rhyme, 42 Brown Girl in the Ring: An Anthology of Song Games from the Eastern Caribbean, 25–26 Brown, Isabel Zakrewski, 26 Brownlie, Alison, 15 Bruchac, Joseph, 84–85, 94 Bryan, Ashley, 5 Buddha Stories, 31 Buettner, Dan, 4, 99 Buffalo: American Indian Legends, 88–89 Buffalohead, Priscilla, 84 Building an Igloo, 91 Bunting, Eve, 75, 84 Burstein, Chaya M., 42 Bury My Bones but Keep My Words: African Tales for Retelling, 10 Bush, Lawrence, 42 Button Blanket: An Activity Book Ages 6–10, 88

C Caduto, Michael, 85, 94 California Indians (The First Americans), 86 Calypso Tent of the Air (website), 26 Candle for Grandpa: A Guide to the Jewish Funeral for Children and Parents, 47–48 Capek, Michael, 15 Caribbean, 18 Caribbean description of, 12–13 program ideas, 22–25

118

publications, 27 recommended materials, 13–22 resources, 26–27 websites, 25–26 Caribbean Counting Book, 15–16, 25 Caribbean Counting Rhyme, 15 Caribbean Dozen: A Collection of Poems, 14 Caribbean Dream, 18 Caribbean Festival Arts: Each and Every Bit of Difference, 26–27 Caribbean Students Association of Southern Illinois University (website), 26 Carillo Hocker, Bea, 70 Carlson, Lori M., 15, 63, 93–94 Carmichael, Elizabeth, 70 Carpenter, Frances, 54 Castañeda, Omar S., 63, 70 Castilla, Julia Mercedes, 65 Castle on Hester Street, 44 Cat and the Cook and Other Fables of Krylov, 100 Cat Who Escaped from Steerage: A Bubbemeiser, 45 Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella, 20 “Cesar Chavez,” 71 Cesar Chavez: A Triumph of Spirit, 70 Chaikin, Miriam, 42 Chambers, Veronica, 63 Chamelions: Dragons in the Trees, 6 Charles, Faustin, 15, 25 Charro: The Mexican Cowboy, 62 Chato’s Kitchen, 68 Cherry Tree, 31 Chester Bear, 85 Cheyenne Again, 84–85 Cheyennes, 91 Chi-Hoon: A Korean Girl, 56 Children of Clay: A Family of Pueblo Potters, 92 Children of Cuba, 21 Children of India, 33 Children of the Morning Light, 88 Children of Yayoute: Folk Tales of Haiti, 21–22 Children’s Jewish Holiday Kitchen: Seventy Ways to Have Fun with Your Kids and Make Your Family’s Celebrations Special, 45 Chin-Lee, Cynthia, 63 Chinese Mirror, 55 Chinye: A West African Folk Tale, 8 Choi, Sook Nyul, 55 Chong Wa Dae, 59 Christmas Fun, 109 Christmas Menorahs: How a Town Fought Hate, 42 Christopher’s Folly, 89 Chumba la Cachumba (music), 70 Chung, Okwha, 55 CIA-The World Factbook (website), 59

CIA. The World Factbook 1999: Russia (website), 111 Clambake: A Wampanoag Tradition, 89 CLASP, 13 Clements, Andrew, 75 Climo, Shirley, 55, 75 Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education (website), 51 Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (website), 51 Coat for the Moon and Other Jewish Tales, 47 Cofer, Judith Ortiz, 63 Cohen, Barbara, 42, 75 Cohen, Miriam, 16 Cohlene, Terri, 85 Cohn, Janice, 42 Cole, Ann 109 Collins, David R., 70 Commonwealth of Independent States: Russia and Other Republics, 102 Complete Book of Caribbean Cooking, 27 Complete Caribbean Cookbook, 26 Cone, Molly, 42 Confetti: Poems for Children, 70 Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP), 13 Cooking the Korean Way, 55 Cooking the Russian Way, 102 Cool Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Growing Up Latino in the United States, 63, 69 Cool Salsa: Poems on Growing Up Latino in the United States, 15 Corpi, Lucha, 63 Corwin, Judith Hoffman, 10 Cotte, Carlos, 70 Count Your Way through Russia, 100 Courlander, Harold, 75 Crab Man, 22 Croco’nile, 75–76 Croll, Carolyn, 99, 109 Crow and Hawk: A Traditional Pueblo Indian Story, 90 Cuba, 15, 16 Cuban American Family Album, 18 Cultural Awareness for Children, 10 Cultural Connections—Egypt (website), 81 Culture and Customs of the Dominican Republic, 26 Culture and Language, Words and Art: Bilingual Picture Books (website), 71 Cumming, David, 31 Cumpián, Carlos, 71

D Daily Life in a Plains Indian Village, 82 Dalal-Clayton, Diksha, 31 Daly, Niki, 7

Index

Das, Prodeepta, 31 Database of Jewish Educational Materials (website), 51 Davidow, Joe, 27 Davis, Russell, 5 Dawson, Susie, 33 Day Gogo Went to Vote: South Africa, April 1994, 9 Day, Nancy Raines, 5 Day of Ahmed’s Secret, 76, 79 Day of the Dead: A Mexican American Celebration, 70 Day of the Dead and Other Mortal Reflections, 70 Days of Awe: Stories for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, 44 De Colores and Other Latin American Folk Songs for Children, 68 de la Pena, Terri, 63 Del Castillo, Richard, 70 Delacre, Lulu, 16, 63 Delgado, Abelardo, 69 Demi, 31, 99–100 Dengler, Marianna, 85 Denny, Roz, 32 Desert Is My Mother/El Desierto Es Mi Madre, 67 Dhanjal, Beryl, 32 “Día de los Muertos” (music), 70 Diamond Tree: Jewish Tales from around the World, 47 Distant Talking Drum: Poems from Nigeria, 8 Doctor Bird: Three Lookin’ Up Tales from Jamaica, 17–18 Doesn’t Fall Off His Horse, 92 Dog Who Walked with God, 90 Dominican Republic, 20 Dominican Republic: Guide to the People, Politics and Culture, 26 Dominoes, 22 Dominoes around the World, 19 Dorris, Michael, 85 Dorros, Arthur, 16, 63, 71 Dorros, Sandra Marulanda, 64–65 Down by the River: Afro-Caribbean Rhymes, Games, and Songs for Children, 17, 25 Down in the Subway, 16 Drucker, Malka, 43 Duck, Duck, Goose?, 98, 103 Dupre, Judith, 94 Durrant, Lynda, 85 Dybbuk: A Story Made in Heaven, 46

E Earldene, McNeill, 10 Earth under Sky Bear’s Feet, 84 East Side Story, 42 Echoes of the Elders: The Stories and Paintings of Chief Lelooska, 87

Echoes of the White Giraffe, 55 Education World (website), 112 Ekoomiak, Normee, 85 El Desierto Es Mi Madre, 67 El Día de los Muertos: The Day of the Dead (video), 70 El Gallo de Bodas, 17, 65 El Tapiz de Abuela, 63 Elder, J. D., 25–26 Elephant Woman: Cynthia Moss Explores the World of Elephants, 8 Elie Wiesel: A Voice for Humanity, 47 Elijah’s Angel: A Story for Chanukah and Christmas, 46 Elijah’s Tears: Stories for the Jewish Holidays, 45 Ema Ansky-Levine and Her Mitzvah Machine, 42 Embassy of the Republic of Haiti (website), 26 Emeka’s Gift: An African Counting Story, 8 En Mi Familia, 66 Enchanted Storks: A Tale of Bagdad, 79 English information on Korea (website), 59 Erdrich, Louise, 85 Everyone Wears His Name: A Biography of Levi Strauss, 44 Exploration into India, 32 Exploring Ancient World Cultures (website), 81 Eyvindson, Peter, 85 F Face of Russia Homepage (website), 112 Fader, Kim Brown, 100 Fairman, Tony, 10 Faithful Friend, 20 Families of India (video), 32 Family, Familia, 65 Family Treasury of Jewish Holidays, 43 Farley, Carol J., 55 Farmworkers Friend: The Story of Cesar Chavez, 70 Farolitos of Christmas, 62 Father’s Rubbert Shoes, 55 Feldman, Julie, 27 Fenton, Thomas P., 10 Festival, 31 Firefly Summer, 15 Field, Dorothy, 32 “Field Girl,” 71 Fiesta U.S.A., 14, 62 Fiestas Holidays con José-Luis Orozco, Volume 6, 70, 71 Fire Race: A Karuk Coyote Tale about How Fire Came to the People, 87 Fire! The Beginnings of the Labor Movement, 43 Firebird, 99, 102 Fisher, Leonard Everett, 32

Fishman, Cathy, 43 Flavors of Korea (website), 59 Flores de Papel, 70 Flying Tortoise: An Igbo Tale, 7 Focus Online Magazine (website), 81 Foley, Erin, 16 Food and Recipes of the Caribbean, 14–15 Fool of the World and the Flying Ship, 102 Foolish Men of Agra: And Other Tales of Mogul India, 35 For the Life of Laetitia, 18 Forest Has Eyes, 88 Fortune Tellers, 4 Forty Fortunes: A Tale of Iran, 79 Four Questions, 47 Fox, Mary Virginia, 16 Fradin, Dennis Brindell, 16 Fradin, Judith Bloom, 16 Freedman, E. B., 43 Freedman, Suzanne, 43 Frog Princess, 100–101 From the Land of the White Birch, 89 From the Roots: California Indian Basketweavers (video), 85, 94 Full Moon Stories: Thirteen Native American Legends, 93

G Gambrell, Jamey, 100 Gandhi, 32 Gandhi: Great Soul, 35 Ganeri, Anita, 32 Ganeri, Jonardon, 32 Garay, Luis, 65 Garcia, Richard A., 70 Garza de Cortes, Oralia, 70 Gates, Henry Louis, Jr., 9 Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet Book in Spanish and English, 62, 71 Geras, Adele, 43 Geron, Mary-Joan, 65 Gerrard, Roy, 75 Gershator, Phillis, 6, 16 Gerson, Mary Joan, 6 Ghazi, Suhaib Hamid, 76 Gift of the Nile: An Ancient Egyptian Legend, 7 Gift of the Sun: A Tale from South Africa, 9 Gifts of Wali Dad: A Tale of India and Pakistan, 35 Gilliland, Judith Heide, 74, 76, 79 Gilman, Phoebe, 43 Gilmore, Rachna, 32 Ginsburg, Mirra, 55 Girard, Linda W., 55 Girl-Son, 56 Girl Who Swam with the Fish: An Athabascan Legend, 90

119

Index Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message, 92 Gleeson, Brian, 33 Goble, Paul, 85 Goddad, Alex, 17 Godden, Rumer, 33 Golden Flower: A Taino Myth from Puerto Rico, 19 Golden Tales: Myths, Legends, and Folktales from Latin America, 64 Goldin, Barbara, 43 Goldreich, Gloria, 43 Golem, 48 Golem: A Giant Made of Mud, 45 Golem: A Version, 46 Gollo and the Lion, 8 González Bertrand, Diane, 65 Gonzalez-Crussi, Frank, 70 González, Lucía, 17, 65 Grandmother Five Baskets, 87 Grannie Jus’ Come, 21 Great Miracle Happened There: A Chanukah Story, 45 Greaves, Nick, 6 Green Frogs: A Korean Folktale, 55 Greenberg, Melanie Hope, 43 Gregory Cool, 15 Grutman, Jewel H., 85 Guide to Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino-Made Films, 27 Gukova, Julia, 55 Gunning, Monica, 17

H Haiti, 18 Hallworth, Grace, 17, 25 Hamilton, Robyn, 10 Hamilton, Virginia, 17 Han, Suzanne Crowder, 55 Hands-On Heritage: Africa, Activity Book, Arts, Crafts, Historical Aids, 10 Hank Greenburg: Hall-of-Fame Slugger, 42 Hanson, Regina, 17 Hanukkah!, 47 Hanukkah Treasury, 44 Harrell, Beatrice Orcutt, 85–86 Harris, Zoe, 66 Hart, Avery, 10 Harvey, Miles, 33 Haskins, Jim, 100 Haslam, Andrew, 94 Hausman, Gerald, 17 Hawes, Bess Lomax, 25–26 Hazen-Hammond, Susan, 86 Heart of a Friendship: An East African Folktale, 5 Heetunka’s Harvest: A Tale of the Plains Indians, 86

120

Heffron, Mary J., 10 Heide, Florence Parry, 74, 76, 79 Heins, Ethel, 100 Heinz, Brian, 86 Heller, Linda, 44 Henry, Sondra, 44 Heo, Yumi, 55 Here Comes Tricky Rabbit, 88 Here Is My Kingdom: Hispanic-American Literature and Art for Young People, 68–69 Herman, Charlotte, 44 Hermes, Jules, 33 Hesse, Karen, 44 Hinton, Leanne, 86 Hintz, Martin, 18 Hipaniola.com: Dominican Republic (website), 26 Hirschfelder, Arlene, 91, 94 Hirst, Mike, 33 Hispanic Magazine Online (website), 26 Hodge, Merle, 18 Hoffman, Judith, 109 Holidays Carnival, 23–24 New Year’s Day, 24 Home to Medicine Mountain, 90 Honoring Our Ancestors: Stories and Pictures by Fourteen Artists, 68 Hoobler, Dorothy, 18, 44 Hoobler, Thomas, 18, 44 Hooray! It’s Passover!, 45 Hopscotch Tree, 47 Hosni the Dreamer: An Arabian Tale, 74–75 House of Wisdom, 76, 79 House with No Door: African Riddle Poems, 9 Houses of Wood: Native Dwellings; The Northwest Coast, 94 How the Spider Became Bald: Folktales and Legends from West Africa, 4 How Thunder and Lightning Came to Be: A Choctaw Legend, 85 How Turtle’s Back Was Cracked: A Traditional Cherokee Tale, 90 Howard, David, 26 Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane, 70, 86 Hucko, Bruce, 86 Hundredth Name, 78 Hurwitz, Johanna, 44

Igor Stravinsky, 103 Iktomi and the Coyote: A Plains Indian Story, 85 Illsley, Linda, 18 In a Circle Long Ago: A Treasury of Native Lore from North America, 92–93 In a Sacred Manner I Live: Native American Wisdom, 89 In Focus series, 26 In My Family/En Mi Familia, 66 In the Heart of the Village: The World of the Indian Banyan Tree, 31 In the Street of the Temple Cloth Printers, 32 In the Village of the Elephants, 34–35 Independence Avenue, 47 India, 31, 32, 33, 34 India description of, 28–30 program ideas, 36–39 recommended materials, 30–36 resources, 40 websites, 39–40 India: A Portrait of the Country through Its Festival and Traditions, 33 India on Internet (website), 40 India World (website), 40 Indiana University—African Studies Program (website), 11 Indians of the Plateau and Great Basin, 91 Indo-Hispanic Folk Art Traditions II/ Tradiciones Artesanales IndoHispanas, 69, 70 INDOlink (website), 40 Inside-Out Grandma, 46 Inside the Culture Series, 84 Inuksuk Book, 93 Isaac Bashevis Singer: The Life of a Storyteller, 45 Isadora, Rachel, 18 Ishi, 86 Ishi’s Tale of Lizard, 86 Isla, 16 Island like You: Stories of the Barrio, 64 It Is a Good Day to Die: Indian Eyewitnesses Tell the Story of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, 93 Itse Selu: Cherokee Harvest Festival, 89

I I Am the Mummy Heb-Nefert, 75 I Is for India, 31 I Remember, 100 If I Can Read, I Can Do Anything (website), 94 If Your Name Was Changed at Ellis Island, 45

J Jacobs, Francine, 18 Jaffe, Nina, 19, 44 Jamaica, 14, 15, 20, 21 Jewish-American description of, 41 program ideas, 48–50 recommended materials, 41–48

Index

resources, 50–51 websites, 50 Jewish American Family Album, 44 Jewish Child’s First Book of Why, 45 Jewish Education Service of North America (website), 51 Jewish Family and Life! (website), 51 Jewish Holiday Craft Book, 46 Jewish Kid’s Catalog, 42 Jewish Outreach Institute (website), 51 Jewish Yahoo (website), 51 Jews: One People, 42 Jitomates Risuenos y Otros Poemas de Primavera, 62, 71 Johnson, Dolores, 86 Jones, Jennifer Berry, 86 Joseph, Lyn, 19 Journey to Paradise and Other Jewish Tales, 47 Judaism and Jewish Resources (website), 51 Jump Up Time: A Trinidad Carnival Story, 19 Just a Little Red Dot, 33 K Ka-ha-si and the Loon: An Eskimo Legend, 85 Kajpust, Melissa, 33 Karusa, 66 Katya’s Book of Mushrooms, 98–99 Kayuktuk: An Arctic Quest, 86 Keams, Geri, 86 Keegan, Marcia, 86 Keepers of the Animals: Native Stories and Wildlife Activities for Children, 85, 94 Kessler, Cristina, 6 Keyworth, C. L., 86 Khanna, Sudarshan, 33 Kherdian, David, 77 Kids Zone—The Countries of Africa (website), 10 Kim, Helen, 55 Kimmel, Eric A., 6, 44, 77 Kimmelman, Leslie, 45 Kite Fighters, 56 Kitoko the Mighty, 7 Knock, Knock, Teremok!, 98 Koh, France M., 55–56 Kolatch, Alfred J., 45 Koller, Jackie French, 86 Konte Chameleon Fine, Fine, Fine!, 6 Korea, 56 Korea description of, 53–54 program ideas, 57–59 recommended materials, 54–57 resources, 60 websites, 59–60

Korea Insights: The Korean Culture and Arts on the Internet (website), 59 Korea on the Internet (website), 59 Korea Window (website), 59 Korean Children’s Day, 56 Korean Cinderella, 55 Korean Folk Stories for Children, 56 Korean Folktales (website), 59 Korean Games, 55 Korean government home page (website), 59 Korean holiday information (website), 59 Korean Holidays and Festivals, 56 Korean national anthem (website), 59 Koufax Dilemma, 46 Kransnopolky, Fara Lynn, 100 Krishnaswami, Uma, 34 Krull, Kathleen, 66 Krupinski, Loretta, 87 Kuskin, Karla, 45 Kusugak, Michael Arvaarluk, 87, 89 L Lacapa, Kathleen, 87 Lacapa, Michael, 87 Lake, Mary Dixon, 6 Lakota Hoop Dancer, 87 Lal, Sunandini Arora, 34 Lalbachan, Pamela, 26 Landau, Elaine, 56 Lankford, Mary D., 19 LaPierre, Yvette, 94 Larrabee, Lisa, 87 Las Christmas: Favorite Latino Authors Share Their Holiday Memories, 27 “Las Mañanitas,” 70 Latino culture description of, 61 program ideas, 69–71 recommended materials, 61–69 websites, 71–72 Latino Rainbow: Poems about Latino Americans, 71 Latinolink (website), 71 LatinoUSA: Radio Journal of News and Culture (website), 71 Laughing Tomatoes and Other Spring Poems, 62, 71 Lauture, Denize, 19 Leder, Jane Mersky, 100 Ledgerbook of Thomas Blue Eagle, 85 Left Hand Bull, Jacqueline, 87 Lelooska, Don, 87 Leonard Bernstein: A Passion for Music, 44 Less than Half, More than Whole, 87 Letournean, Tony, 55–56 Letters from Rifka, 44 Levine, Ellen, 45 Levitin, Sonia, 45, 100

Lewin, Betsy, 77, 79 Lewin, Ted, 34 Lewis, Paul Owen, 87 Library of Congress, Federal Research Department, Area Handbook Series, Russia (website), 112 Life in Korea (website), 59 Lights for Gita, 32–33 Lion’s Whiskers: An Ethiopian Folktale, 5–6 Lion’s Whiskers and Other Ethiopian Tales, 5 Liss-Levinson, Nechama, 45 Listen to the Trees: Jews and the Earth, 42 Little Humpbacked Horse: A Russian Tale, 103 Little Mouse and Elephant: A Tale from Turkey, 79 Little Snowgirl, 99, 109 Littlechild, George, 87 Littlest Matryoshka, 99 Living Africa (website), 10 Lomas Garza, Carmen, 66, 70 Lomax, Alan, 25–26 London, Jonathan, 87 Lonely Lioness and the Ostrich Chick: A Masai Tale, 4 Long Road, 65 Long Season of Rain, 55 Longwalker’s Journey: A Novel of the Choctaw Trail of Tears, 86 Look What Came from India, 33 Look What We’ve Brought You from India: Crafts, Games, Recipes, Stories, and Other Cultural Activities from Indian Americans, 35 “Los Canciones de Mi Abuelita/My Grandma’s Songs,” 70 Los Perros Mágicos de Los Volcanes, 63 Lost Treasure of the Inca, 66–67 Louis Brandeis: The People’s Justice, 43 Lourie, Peter, 66 Luenn, Nancy, 88 Lurie, Alison, 101 M Machado, Ana Maria, 67 Mackie, Bruce, 20 MacLay, Elise, 88 “Madrecita Mia,” 70 Magic Amber: A Korean Legend, 56 Magic Dogs of the Volcanoes, 63 Magic Gold Fish: A Russian Folktale, 100 Magic Horse, 78 Magic Orange Tree and Other Haitian Folktales, 22 Magic Windows/Ventanas Mágicas, 66

121

Index Magician’s Visit, 43 Mahoney, Judy, 101, 111 Ma’ii and Cousin Horned Toad: A Traditional Navajo Story, 82 Makar Records (website), 40 Make a Wish, Molly, 42 Make It Work! Native American Indians, 94 Making Magic Windows: Creating Papel Picado/Cut-Paper Art with Carmen Lomas Garza, 66 Mama, Across the Sea, 17 Mamdani, Shelby, 34 Mamook Book: Activities for Learning about the Northwest Coast Indians, 88 Manheimer, Judith Hirt, 47 Manitonquat, 88 Mantell, Paul, 10 Manushkin, Fran, 45 Many Nations: An Alphabet of Native Americans, 84 Margolin, Malcolm, 88 Marisol and Magdalena: The Sound of Our Sisterhood, 63 Mark Stark’s Amazing Jewish Cookbook for the Entire Family, 47 Marra, Ben, 88 Marshak, Samuel, 101 Martin, James, 6 Martin, Rafe, 34 Mathers, Sharon, 88 Matthaei, Gay, 85 Matze, Claire Sidhom, 74, 77 Maven: The Jewish Portal (website), 51 Max, Jill, 91 Mayer, Marianna, 101, 103 Mayerson, Evelyn Wilde, 45 Mayfield, Thomas Jefferson, 88 Mayo, Gretchen Will, 88 McDermot, Gerald, 6 McDonald, Megan, 88 McKenley, Yvonne, 19 McMahon, Patricia, 56 McNutt, Nan, 88 Meachum, Virginia, 45 Medearis, Angela Shelf, 7 Mennen, Ingrid, 7 Menorahs, Mezuzas, and Other Jewish Symbols, 42 Meow!, 98, 111 Mermaid’s Twin Sister: More Stories from Trinidad, 19 Middle East description of, 73 program ideas, 79–81 recommended materials, 74–79 websites, 81 Midge, Tiffany, 88 Mike, Jan M., 7 Mikhail Gorbachev: World Statesman, 102

122

Mikolaycak, Charles, 101 Milk and Honey: A Year of Jewish Holidays, 48 Miser on the Mountain: A Nisqually Legend of Mount Rainier, 88 Misoo: Once upon a Time Tales from Africa, 4 Mistral, Gabriela, 70 Mitchell, Barbara, 88 Moccasin Flats, 89 Mohr, Nicholasa, 19 Mole’s Daughter: An Adaptation of a Korean Folktale, 55 Mollel, Tololwa, 7 Monkey Bridge, 34 Monroe, Judy, 55 Montejo, Victor, 67 Month Brothers: A Slavic Tale, 101 Montijo, Yolanda, 88 Moonlight Mist: A Korean Tale, 56 Mora, Pat, 67, 70-71 More than Moccasins: A Kid’s Guide to Traditional North American Indian Life, 93, 94 Morgan, Pierr, 101, 111 Morning on the Lake, 93 Moscow Kremlin (website), 112 Mosionier, Beatrice, 89 Mounds of Earth and Shell; Native Site: The Southeast, 91 Mr. Pak Buys a Story, 55 Mrs. Katz and Tush, 46 Mueller, Mark, 57 Muñoz, Susana, 70 Munsch, Robert, 89 Muskrat Will Be Swimming, 90–91 My Arctic 1, 2, 3, 87 My Freedom Trip, 56 “My Grandma’s Songs,” 70 My Mother Is the Most Beautiful Woman in the World, 102 My Name Is Seepeetza, 91 Myers, Walter Dean, 19 Mystery of Being Jewish, 42–43 Myths and legends of ancient Korea (website), 60 N Nathan, Joan, 45 National Association to Promote Library Services to the Spanish Speaking, 13 Native American Almanac: A Portrait of Native America Today, 94 Native American Books (website), 94 Native American culture program ideas, 93–94 recommended materials, 82–93 resources, 95–96 websites, 94–95 Native American Rock Art: A Petroglyph Stamp Kit for All Ages, 94

Native American Rock Art: Messages from the Past, 94 Native Crafts: Inspired by North America’s First Peoples, 92 Native Ways: California Indian Stories and Memories, 88 Nativeculture.com (website), 94 Navajo Wedding Day: A Dine Marriage Ceremony, 91 Neem the Half-Boy, 78 Neighborhood Ode, 68 Neitzel, Shirley, 89 Neuberger, Ann E., 56 New Year’s Day, 24 Nichols, Grace, 14 Nickommoh! A Thanksgiving Celebration, 86–87 Night the Grandfathers Danced, 89 Nihewan Foundation—CradleBoard Teaching Project, 94–95 “Niña Campesina/Field Girl,” 71 Norman, Howard A., 89 North American Native Authors Catalog (website), 95 Northern Lights: The Soccer Trails, 87 Nunley, John W., 26 Nye, Naomi Shihab, 67, 74, 78 O O Christmas Tree, 20 O Wakaga: Activities for Learning about the Plains Indians, 84 Oberman, Sheldon, 45 Ocean of Story: Fairy Tales from India, 34 Official Site of St. Petersburg, Russia (website), 112 Official Site of the Russian National Tourist Office (website), 112 Official Tourist Site of the Moscow Government (website), 112 Ofrenda: The Days of the Dead (video), 70 Olaleye, Isaac, 8 Old Bag of Bones: A Coyote Tale, 91–92 Old Peter’s Russian Tales, 102 On Hanukkah, 43 On Passover, 43 On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, 43 Once I Was a Plum Tree, 44 Onions and Garlic: An Old Tale, 44 Onyefulu, Ifeoma, 8 Onyefulu, Obi, 8 Oppenheim, Shulamith Levey, 78 Orlando, Louise, 10 Orozco, José-Luis, 68, 70–71 Orphan Boy: A Maasai Story, 7 Ortiz, Elizabeth Lambert, 27 Ortiz, Simon, 89 Other Side: How Kids Live in a California Latino Neighborhood, 66 Our Land of Israel, 42

Index

Ox of the Wonderful Horns and Other African Folktales, 5 Oyono, Eric, 8 Oyote (website), 95 P Pablo Remembers: The Fiesta of the Day of the Dead, 63, 69 Paper Boats, 36 Paper Flowers/Flores de Papel, 70 Park, Frances, 56 Park, Ginger, 56 Park, Linda Sue, 56 Parsons, Alexandra, 94 Parsons, Andrew, 94 Passover Journey: A Seder Companion, 43 Path of the Quiet Elk: A Native American Alphabet Book, 92 Pathfinder (website), 72 “Peace, Land, Bread?”: A History of the Russian Revolution, 103 Peacebound Train, 54 Peacock’s Pride, 33 Pearl, Sydelle, 45 Peninnah, 47 Pennington, Daniel, 89 People of Corn: A Mayan Story, 65 People Shall Continue, 89 People Who Hugged the Trees, 34 People with Five Fingers: A Native Californian Creation Tale, 82 Perez and Martina, 25 Perkins, Mitali, 34 Perl, Lila, 45 Persian Cinderella, 75 Peter Tchaikovsky, 103 Peter the Great, 102 Peters, Russell M., 89 Philip, Neil, 34, 89 Pico, Fernando, 68 Piece of Home, 100 Piñatas and Smiling Skeletons: Celebrating Mexican Festivals, 66 Pink Slippers, Bat Mitzvah Blues, 48 Pinola, Lanny, 87 Pitara for Kids (website), 40 Plotkin, Gregory, 102 Plotkin, Rita, 102 Pluckrose, Henry, 20 Podwal, Mark, 45 Polacco, Patricia, 46 Popol Vuh: A Sacred Book of the Maya, 67 Portillo, Lourdes, 70 Potlatch: A Tsimshiam Celebration, 86 Powwow: Images along the Red Road, 88 Premlata and the Festival of Lights, 33 Prevear, Richard, 101 Price, Leontyne, 8 Pringle, Laurence, 8

Promise to the Sun: An African Story, 7 Prose, Francine, 46 Pueblo Girls: Growing Up in Two Worlds, 86 Puerto Rico, 16, 24 Puerto Rico: A Portrait of the Country through Its Festivals and Traditions, 20 Pumpkin in a Pear Tree, 109 Pup Grew Up!, 101 Pura Belpré Award, 13 Pura Belpré Award (website), 72 Purim Play, 47 Pushker, Gloria, 46 Pyramids! 50 Hands-On Activities to Experience Ancient Egypt, 10 R Rabbit, 84 Rabbit’s Tail: A Story from Korea, 55 Rachel the Clever and Other Jewish Folktales, 47 Raczek, Linda, 89 Radcliff, Theresa, 8 Radio Man: A Story in English and Spanish, 64–65, 71 Rael, Elsa Okun, 46 Rahaman, Vashanti, 20 Rainbow at Night: The World in Words and Pictures by Navajo Children, 86 Rajah’s Rice: A Mathematical Folktale from India, 31 Rama and the Demon King: An Ancient Tale from India, 35 Ramadan, 76 Ramadan on the Net (website), 81 Ransome, Arthur, 102 Ranucci, Karen, 27 Ravishankar, Anushka, 33–34 Reasoner, Charles, 56 Red Bird, 88 Red Comb, 68 Red Sea Press, Inc., 11 REFORMA, 13 Regguinti, Gordown, 89 Renner, Michelle, 90 Resnick, Abraham, 102 Reyher, Becky, 102 Reynolds, Jan, 8 Rimas y Cancioncitas para Niños, 70 Rimonah of the Flashing Sword: A North African Tale, 6, 77 Ring of Tricksters: Animal Tales from America, the West Indies, and Africa, 17 River Lost, 84 Rivera, Tomás, 68, 71 Roddy, Patricia, 8 Roessel, Monty, 90 Rogasky, Barbara, 46

Rogers, Barbara Radcliffe, 20 Rogers, Lura, 20 Rohmer, Harriet, 68 Rose, Deborah Lee, 34, 46 Rose Horse, 46 Rose, Lavera, 90 Rosen, Michael, 90 Rosen, Michael J., 46, 90 Rose’s Smile: Farizad of the Arabian Nights, 77 Ross, Gayle, 84, 90 Ross, Kathy, 46 Ross, Stacy, 63 Rothenberg, Joan, 46 Royal Bee, 56 Royal Drum: An Ashanti Tale, 6 Running the Road to ABC, 19 Russia, 100 Russia description of, 97–98 program ideas, 103–12 recommended materials, 98–103 resources, 112 websites, 111–12 Russian Jewish Family, 100 S Sabuda, Robert, 78 Sacred Harvest: Ojibway Wild Rice Gathering, 89–90 Safari, 5 Sahara: Vanishing Cultures, 8 Salinas-Norman, Bobbi, 69–70 Salsa Stories, 64 Salt: A Russian Tale, 103 Sami in the Time of the Troubles, 76 San Souci, Daniel, 56 San Souci, Robert D., 20, 90, 102 Sanderson, Esther, 90 Sanfield, Steve, 46 Santiago, Chiori, 90 Santiago, Esmeralda, 27 Saturday Sancocho, 69 Savageau, Cheryl, 90 Savitri: A Tale of Ancient India, 35 Schecter, David, 66 Schecter, Ellen, 56 Schick, Eleanor, 91 Schmidt, Jeremy, 34 Schmidt, Velma, 10 Schnur, Steven, 46–47 Schotter, Roni, 47 Schram, Peninnah, 47 Schur, Maxine Rose, 9 Schwartz, Howard, 47 Schwartz, Lynne Sharon, 47 Scott, Ann Herbert, 91 Sea King’s Daughter: A Russian Legend, 102 Sebgugugu the Glutton: A Bantu Tale from Rwanda, 4

123

Index Secret Grove, 75 Seeing the Circle, 84 Sees behind Trees, 85 Seesaw Girl, 56 Selfridge, John W., 102 Seminole Diary: Remembrances of a Slave, 86 Señor Cat’s Romance and Other Favorite Stories from Latin America, 65 Senungetuk, Vivian, 92 Seros, Kathleen, 56 Seven Blind Mice, 36 Severance, John B., 35 Shade of the Nípero Tree, 15 Shah, Idries, 78 Shalant, Phyllis, 35 Shankar, 35 Sheehan, Sean, 21 Shemie, Bonnie, 91, 94 Shepard, Aaron, 35, 79, 80, 102 Sherman, Eileen Bluestone, 47 Sherman, Josepha, 47 Sherman, Josephina, 102 Sherrow, Victoria, 91 Shivkumar, 35 Shower of Gold: Girl and Women in the Stories of India, 34 Sibley, Norman, 56 Siegel, Danny, 47 Sikhnet (website), 40 Silverman, Jerry, 27 Sim Chung and the River Dragon: A Folktale from Korea, 56 Singh, Rina, 35 Singing Man, 7 Siskind, Leda, 47 Sisnett, Ana, 21 Sisulu, Elinor Batezat, 9 Sitti and the Cats: A Tale of Friendship, 74 Sitti’s Secrets, 74, 78 Skeleton at the Feast: The Day of the Dead in Mexico, 70 Snail Girl Brings Water: A Navajo Story, 86 Snapshots from the Wedding, 68 Sneve, Virginia Driving Hawk, 91 Something from Nothing, 43 Somewhere in Africa, 7 Song of el Coquí and Other Tales of Puerto Rico, 19 Songs Are Thoughts: Poems of the Inuit, 89 Songs from the Loom: A Navajo Girl Learns to Weave, 90 Sori’s Harvest Moon Day: A Story of Korea, 57 Soto, Gary, 68 Souhami, Jessica, 35 South Korea, 57 South Korea—a country study (website), 60

124

Sovietrek: A Journey by Bicycle across Russia, 99 Sparks! (website), 51 Sperber, Chana, 47 Sperber, Daniel, 47 Spider Spins a Story, 91 Sreenivasan, Jyotsna, 35 Stamp on Black History—Black History Tour (website), 11 Stanley, Diane, 102 Stark, Mark, 47 Starlight and Candles: The Joy of the Sabbath, 45 Stars in My Geddoh’s Sky, 74, 77–78 Staub, Frank, 21 Steltzer, Ulli, 91 Sterling, Shirley, 91 Stern, Ellen Norman, 47 Steven Spielberg: Hollywood Filmmaker, 45 Stevens, Janet, 91 Stewart, Dianne, 9 Stories from Panchatantra, Book III, 35 Storm Boy, 87 Story of Lightening and Thunder, 5 Story of the Milky Way, 84 Streets Are Free, 66 Streets Are Paved with Gold, 48 Stroud, Virginia A., 92 Strudel, Strudel, Strudel, 46 Sullivan, Charles, 68 Sun and Moon: Fairy Tales from Korea, 56 Sundiata: Lion King of Mali, 9 Sunita Experiment, 34 Sur, Kingsley C., 56 Surfindia (website), 40 Suteev, Grigorievich, 98 Suyenaga, Ruth, 56 Swamp, Jake, 92 Swann, Brian, 9 Sweet, Sweet Fig Banana, 16 Swentzell, Rina, 92

T Tae Kwon Do (website), 60 Tagore, Rabindranath, 36 Tainos: The People Who Welcomed Columbus, 18–19 Taitz, Emily, 44 Tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves: A Story from the Arabian Nights, 77 Tales of a Korean Grandmother, 54–55 Tamar, Erika, 21 Tangerine Tree, 17 Taste of India, 32 Taste of the Caribbean, 19 Taylor, Carrie J., 92 Teach Me...Russian, 101, 111 Techner, David, 47

Techniques for Evaluating American Indian Web Sites (website), 95 Telephone by Kornei Chukovsky, 100 Tell Me a Mitzvah: Little and Big Ways to Repair the World, 47 Temple Cat, 75 Temple, Frances, 21 Ten Best Jewish Children’s Stories, 47 Ten Classic Jewish Children’s Stories, 47 “10 de Mayo,” 70 Ten Traditional Jewish Children’s Stories, 43 This Land Is My Land, 87 Thomason, Dovie, 92 Three Princes: A Tale from the Middle East, 77 Thunder Bear and Ko: The Buffalo Nation and Nambe Pueblo, 86 Tie Man’s Miracle: A Chanukah Tale, 47 Tiger and the Brahmin, 33 Tiger Soup, 21 Tiger Trek, 34 Tiger’s Whisker, 75 Tikvah Means Hope, 46 Tiulana, Paul, 92 To Seek a Better World: The Haitian Minority in America, 14 Tomás and the Library Lady, 67, 71 Tomás Rivera Award (website), 72 Tomás y la Señora de la Biblioteca, 67 Tonight, by Sea, 21 Tonight Is Carnaval, 65 Torres, Leyla, 69 Toussaint L’Ouverture: The Fight for Haiti’s Freedom, 19–20 Toys and Tales with Everyday Materials, 33–34 Tradiciones Artesanales Indo-Hispanas, 69–70 Traditions from India, 34 Traveling the Distance: The Shinnecock 50th Anniversary Pow Wow and Its People (video), 92 Traveling to Tondo: A Tale of the Nkundo of Zaire, 4 Treasures of the Czars (website), 112 Treasury of Indian Tales: Book 1, 35 Treasury of Jewish Stories, 43 “Tree for Cesar Chavez,” 71 Tree Is Older Than You Are: A Bilingual Gathering of Poems and Stories from Mexico, 67–68 Trickster and the Fainting Birds, 89 Trickster and the Troll, 91 Trinidad and Tobago Carnival (website), 26 Trip Back Home, 57 Trivas, Irene, 102 Trottier, Maxine, 92 Tsar’s Promise, 102

Index

Tukama Tootles the Flute: A Tale from the Antilles, 16–17 Tundra Mouse: A Story Knife Tale, 88 Turenne des Pres, François, 21 Turnip: An Old Russian Folktale, 101–2, 111 Tutankhamen’s Gift, 78 Two Bear Cubs: A Miwok Legend from California’s Yosemite Valley, 90 Two-Legged Creature: An Otoe Story, 93 Two Pairs of Shoes, 90

U “Un Arbol para Cesar Chavez/A Tree for Cesar Chavez,” 71 Under the Breadfruit Tree: Island Poems, 17 Under the Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba, 14 Unger, David, 67 Uninvited Guest and Other Jewish Holiday Tales, 44 United Farm Workers Union, AFL-CIO (website), 72 University of Pennsylvania—African Studies Program (website), 11 Utah State University—Teacher Links (website), 11

V Vail, John J., 103 Van Laan, Nancy, 92 Van West, Patricia E., 22 Vassilia the Wise: A Tale of Medieval Russia, 102 Vejigante Masquerader, 16, 64 Venezia, Mike, 103 Ventanas Mágicas, 66 Ventura, Cynthia L., 63 Very Last First Time, 82 Vigil, Evangelina, 68 Viola, Herman J., 93 Virtual Jerusalem (website), 51 Virtual Tour of the National Museum of the American Indian (website), 95

Voices from the Fields: Children of Migrant Farmworkers Tell Their Stories, 62, 71 Vorhees, Duance, 57 W Waboose, Jan Bourdeau, 93 Walk to the Great Mystery, 92 Walking Turtle, Eagle, 93 Wallace, Mary, 93 Walters, Anna Lee, 93 We Adopted You, Benjamin Koo, 55 Weaving a California Tradition: A Native American Basketmaker, 93, 94 Weissenberg, Fran, 48 Welcome to Puerto Rico (website), 26 West Indian and Calypso Songs, 27 What Do We Know about Buddhism?, 32 What Do We Know about Hinduism?, 32 What Do We Know about Sikhism?, 32 What Does Being Jewish Mean? ReadAloud Reponses to Questions Jewish Children Ask about History, Culture, and Religion, 43 What Happened to Heather Hopkowitz?, 44 What’s the Matter, Habibi?, 77, 79 Wheeler, Bernelda, 93 When a Grandparent Dies: A Kid’s Own Remembering Workbook for Dealing with Shiva and the Year Beyond, 45 When Fireflies Dance, 64 When I Left My Village, 9 When Lion Could Fly and Other Tales from Africa, 6 When Zaydeh Danced on Eldridge Street, 46 Where Angels Glide at Dawn: New Stories from Latin America, 63 Where Did You Get Your Moccasins?, 93 While Standing on One Foot: Puzzle Stories and Wisdom Tales from the Jewish Tradition, 44 Whitney, Thomas P., 101 Why the Sky Is Far Away: A Nigerian Folktale, 6

William, Jean K., 57 Williams, Sherley Anne, 69, 71 Williams, Suzanne, 66 Winthrop, Elizabeth, 103 Wise Words of Paul Tiulana: An Inupiat Alaskan’s Life, 92 Wisniewski, David, 9, 48 Wolf, Bernard, 22 Wolf, Gita, 33 Wolff, Ferida, 48 Wolkstein, Diana, 22 Wonders of the African World with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (video), 9 Wong, Janet S., 57 Woodcutter and the Heavenly Maiden, 57 Wopila—A Giveaway: Lakota Stories (audiocassette), 92 Working Cotton, 69, 71 World of Jewish Music (website), 51 World’s Birthday: A Rosh Hashanah Story, 43 Worry Stone, 85

Y Y No Se Lo Trago la Tierra, 68, 71 Yamane, Linda, 93–94 Yamate, Sandra S., 36 Year of Impossible Good-byes, 55 Yettele’s Feathers, 46 Yi, Ok-Pae, 57 Yolen, Jane, 48, 79 You Never Know: A Legend of the LamedVavniks, 46 Young, Ed, 36 Yunmi and Halmoni’s Trip, 55

Z Zalben, Jane Breskin, 48 Zeitlin, Steve, 44 Zemach, Harve, 103 Zomo, the Rabbit: A Trickster Tale from West Africa, 6–7 Zwick, Louise Yarain, 70 Zzzng! Zzzng! Zzzng! A Yoruba Tale, 6

125