Daddy's Roommate

Book: Daddy's Roommate

Author: Michael Willhoite

Brief Introduction: 

       This is a Germany children's book, which talks about the homosexual. In this book, there are 4 characters: the boy, Mom, Dad and Frank. Dad and mom divorced, and Dad moves with Frank, Frank is Dad's partner. Then the author uses Mom describing the homosexual to the boy, and promotes that homosexual has no different from heterosexual, even the gender is different, however, the love is the same. 

Setting:

- Narrative Point of View:  First-Person Narrator (The boy)

- Plot: journey (The boy describes the experience that  happened in his own life.)

- Conflict: Protagonist against Society ("Homosexual" has been a sensitive issue for a long time, especially in children's education. However, the author uses a right direction to lead not only children but also adult nowadays to treat them equally.) 

- Theme: "Homosexuality is just another type of love, but love is only way to achieve happiness."

- Style: Sentences (pictures)

- Tone: Didacticism (The author tries to use boy's tone to describes that homosexual has no different from heterosexual, and I think has a little sense of "Even the children knows, how can you those adult do not understand? ")

Reflection: 

(**This book is not from Emily's books collection, but from the Internet. If you want to read it, just click the

link: http://goo.gl/jbdav) 

       "Homosexual issue" has been a sensitive issue for a long time, it is not about the right or wrong, but the cognitive. I remember there was a arguing about "Is homosexual issue put into the teaching material of fifth grade's elementary student positive or negative?" Not surprising, there still  lots of people including parents, teachers or students are not agree, even has a activity on Facebook which is all opposition. In fact, it is because the atmosphere in Taiwan, which is more traditional, some kinds of different from West Country.

       When I was in elementary school, the "gay," this word showed up first time in my life. At that time, I think it is strange, but not have special feeling about it yet. Then I was a junior high school student, I found there have a homosexuality which is my best friend. I felt uncomfortable, but I didn't want to lose this friend, so even I didn't agree with homosexual, I was still his best friend. He kept telling me that how upset that he found out the truth, and the feeling of his heart, I ignored it, because I don't understand it, and totally disagree with it that I couldn't have any "agree voice" in my mind. 

       Now I am a university student, I change my thought about it. As I found that if I leave the "homosexual" behind, my friend is still my friend, the interesting, funny guy, which is more tender than other boys. Moreover, I understand that the period of time when a homosexuality admits him/herself as a "homosexuality," how difficult they felt. He or she will afraid to telling their parents, because their parents may feel upset even angry about it; They are afraid of telling the truth to their friends, since some opponent will leave them, then he or she loses a friend. Homosexuality is human being as we. We are social animals, so do them. Homosexual will not change their personality, if you feel some different between you and your friend, that must be your change. 

       The atmosphere nowadays about "Homosexual" still has a long way to go, I believe someday, I believe someday, this kind of children literature will be open everywhere, and every people will treat them equally. 

Tar Beach

Book: Tar Beach

Author: Faith Ringgold

Brief Introduction:

       In this book, there have 6 characters: Daddy, Mommy, Mr. & Mrs. Honey, Be Be and Cassie.

Cassie wanna go wherever she wants, one night the dream come true on their roof, she is flying upon the city, and see the George Washington  Bridge, the union building, the ice cream factory. All of the building she see are what she wants, but she is not a greedy girl, she just want her family become wealthier, that her mom will not cry, can sleep a little late like Mrs. Honey, her dad can find a stable job, they can have dessert after dinner.

Setting:

- Narrative Point of View: First-Person Narrator (Cassie)

- Plot: flashback (At the first page, she mention on that she cannot forget the day she flied upon the George Washington Bridge, and there have stars around her. Then she began to say why she is flying, how, and when.)

- Conflict: Protagonist against Society (In this book, there mention on that the labor union, but her dad cannot be a member of  union, she said it is because grandpa is not a member of it, in fact, it is because they are African Americans. It is a kind of racial problem, caused her dad cannot find a stable job, or maybe not enough pay. )

- Theme: "Do not have different racial identify, and hope the government can pay attention on this kind of problem and improve it."

- Style: Exposition and Dialogue (picture)

- Tone: Sentimentalism (After read this book, I feel sad for the Cassie. She is always stand in her parents' shoes, understanding the situation of them, and wants to improve it. However, the real situation can't change. How can a kind girl limited by the racial problem? )

Reflection:

       After reading this book, I feel so proud also sad for the Cassie, she is so strong, and imitate. From the beginning of the  story to the end, she never said one thing about "me" but "Mommy" "Daddy" and "Be-Be." She stand in other's shoes, never ask her parents for something she want, and she also takes a great care of her brother, what a good child. How can a nice girl live under the racial problem in America? (The Africa American and Native American cannot be a member of union, so her father's job is not stable, and maybe the pay is not enough.) This book teaches children that in this world, there have different races of people, sometimes their treatment is a little different from them, and they need to treasure what they own, do best to treat others equally. 

       In addition, about this book, first, I like the part which put at the back of front cover, there have a unit which is describes the meaning of union, and put some questions to ask children, make them think and have some reflection, instead of read through it as a simple story.  

What is union..., etc.

       Second, below every page, there have lines which are decorated by colorful quilts. It is the specialty which author enjoy to use, which warms me, feels exotic. 

Colorful quilts

       In conclusion, it teaches children there have other races of people in the world, requires them to treat other different races people equally. They are not poor, but government treats them unequally. Moreover, it teaches children need to stand in other's shoes, do not always ask parents give everything they want, and be kind children like Cassie.

Rosie's Walk

Book: Rosie's Walk

Author: 

Pat Hutchins

Brief Introduction:

       One day, a hen, Rosie, was taking a walk in the farm. There was is a fox following her, Rosie walked across the yard, walked around the pond, walked over the haystack, etc. Finally, she went back home safely and in time for dinner. However, how was the fox? That is just what the story talking about.

Setting:

- Narrative Point of View: Omniscient Narrator

- Plot: Episodic Plot 

(There have 6 parts in this story. 

 1. Rosie walked across the yard, the fox bumped into a rake.

 2. Rosie walked around the pond, the fox fell into the pond. 

 3. Rosie walked over the haystack, the fox was buried into haystack.

 4. Rosie walked past the mill, the fox was hit by the flour.

 5. Rosie walked through the fence, the fox was fell into a cart.

 6. Rosie walked under the beehives, the fox was on the cart, and the cart was moving, than bumped into the beehives, all of the bee was catching the fox. 

 Then Rosie went back home safely and in time for dinner.)

- Conflict: Protagonist against Another (The fox tried to catch Rosie, but Rosie just wanna took a walk.)

- Theme: "Do not try to get a thing as a ill-wisher, or you will get troubles."

- Style: Sentences (look at the pictures. The whole book's style is like these.)

-Tone: Humor (This book use humorous pictures to describe the misfortunes that the fox met.)

 Reflection:

       I enjoy reading this book, because it is attracting me,  I am lazy to see so many words after whole day long classes, so I choose to read this book first. The author use pictures to show how the animals' behaviors,  instead of a lot of words. I believe children will enjoy this book as well as me.  

         First, the thing which catches my eye in this book is the painting. The unconcerned expression of Rosie the hen, and from the fox's ambitious expression when he was hidden for catching Rosie, to the frustrated face of fox, the painter use the simple lines and colorful color to paint, those are vivid. 

       Second, the simple words. The author keep using words which can train children's the sense of space, for example, across, around, over, under, etc. Children can understand those words with pictures, and let them know the space. 

       The author only uses few words but a lot of pictures to show this story. However, human beings are visual type animals, we can easily understand the story even without words. It relaxes me after a whole day long classes, I am quite enjoy in it. 

I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato

Book: 

I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato

Author: Lauren Child

Brief Introduction:

       In this book, there have 2 main characters: Charlie, the brother, and Lola, the younger sister. Lola is a picky eater, she doesn't like eat peas, carrots, potatoes, etc. especially hates tomatoes. Charlie wants to make his sister eat foods that she doesn't like, so he use the "imagination" to encourage Lola to eat. At last, unexpectedly, Lora tells his brother give her the tomatoes, and she eats it.

Setting:

- Narrative Point View: First-Person Narrator (Charlie)

- Plot: Dramatic Plot 

(Setting: Lola is a picky eater, sometimes it is hard for their parents to prepare food for her.

Conflict: Lola is too picky that almost everything she doesn't eat. Charlie want let her eat foods she doesn't like.

Rising action: Charlie keeps using imagination to encourage, to lead  Lola to eat.

Climax: Lola tells Charlie passes the tomatoes to her.

Denouement: Lola finally eats what she hatest, tomatoes, and Charlie still cannot believe it.)

- Conflict: Protagonist against Another (Charlie tells Lola to eat tomatoes and other foods she doesn't like.)

- Theme: "Every children are teachable, but they need a suitable way to be educated."

- Tone: didacticism

Reflection:

       I had been reading this book's Chinese version from my cousin. My aunt bought this book for my cousin because he also hate tomatoes, he never eat that, so she want my cousin read it, and educated, than eat tomatoes, but it seems have not success.
       I really enjoy reading this book. First of all, because there is full of child's imagination, for intense, the carrots are not carrots, but the orange Twiglets (kind of cookie which shape is stripe.) form Jupiter; The green peas are rain drops from Greenland, etc. Secondly, those words have special arrangement, for example, the carrots part , which arranges the words like floating in the outer space;

and the mashed potato part, which builds like a mountain.

Those images catch not only children, but also adults' eyes. 

       It is really a cute book. Childlike imagination always surprised me, in my eyes, peas are peas, never be rain drops, mashed potatoes are mashed potatoes, never be cloud fluff, because I am an adult. Well, Even my cousin still doesn't want to eat tomatoes, but I believe this book will be effective to some little picky eater.