Module 3: The Cat Who Went to Heaven

Book Summary:
A poor Japanese painter requests that his housekeeper purchases food from the local market with his last bit of money. She comes back with a cat instead, that has three dots on its side. The cat is deemed lucky and named Good Fortune. The very next day upon adopting the cat, a local priest comes to the painter's house and requests that he create a large painting of Buddha's final days. The painter is overwhelmed with emotion because of this good fortune and he thinks he has been granted this commission because of the lucky cat. He meditates about Buddha's dying days and the animals that came to bid him farewell. The painter adds each animal to the painting in the days that follow and Good Fortune comes to check his progress. In mythology, the cat did not go to Heaven with Buddha, but the painter, believing Good Fortune is lucky decides to add the cat to the painting. When the priest sees the painting, he proclaims that it must be destroyed since the cat was never allowed to go to Heaven. Good Fortune, seeing herself painted into the painting, dies of happiness. The next day the town is loud with excitement. The painting, intending to be burned, is now the center of attention, as the cat is now mysteriously under the hand of Buddha and not at the end where she had been painted.

This book won the 1931 Newbery Award.

APA Reference of Book:

Coatsworth, E. (1958). The cat who went to heaven. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Impressions: While this story was intended for younger readers, I feel it has relevance to older readers as well.  At first, I thought that it may be considered didactic, but the message of the story is not overwhelming. There is universality in the belief of acceptance from higher beings, regardless of religion or position in life. The steady pacing of the story feels like a folklore tale and it is easy to imagine that this story has been told orally for generations. Those interested in Japanese mythology or even cats in Japanese culture, may find this story interesting. With the prevalence of lucky cats as symbols within Japanese culture, I was surprised to read that the belief was that cats were rebellious and were considered demons. The painter in this story puts aside the societal stigma of cats and is courageous in painting the cat because he feels that it is right. This may also provoke discussion about rights and wrongs in the face of religious or cultural beliefs. I think this is a message on values that could be understood and discussed by children and teens.

Professional Review: "A cat looks on as her master, a poor Japanese artist, works on a painting commissioned by a high priest. The artist must paint all the animals blessed by Buddha except cats, which have been excluded from paradise. Despite the risk, the compassionate artist decides to include a cat in his painting and is rewarded (Books in Print, 2008)"

Books in Print (2008, July). [Review of the book The cat who went to heaven, by E. Coatsworth] Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:8060/DetailedView.aspxhreciid=|358361|231055&mc=USA#

Library Uses: A year or so ago, I had taken a webinar on Reader's Advisory and the various requests children and teens may ask.  One of the suggestions intended for gifted and talented was recommending classic books, including older Newbery's, to children with advanced reading levels.  I think this title is challenging enough for advanced readers, especially in reading comprehension, while also remaining content appropriate for younger readers.

Module 3: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Book Summary: This story is about the Logan family, a black family that owns land, during 1930s Mississippi.  The story is told from the perspective of Cassie Logan, who at one point is publicly humiliated by a white family, simply because she is black.  Cassie's mother, is a school teacher and courageous in her own ways against the prejudices the black families feel during this time.  She discovers that the school books given to the students are in such disrepair that the only reason they received them from the state was because they were considered unfit for white children.  She carefully pastes white paper over the inside covers to conceal their state identifications.  Cassie's father goes away to work on a railroad to make sure the family has money to keep their land.  The land is considered a source of pride for the Logan family, as it was purchased fairly, after slaves were freed from the Granger family, the white next-door neighbors.  The Grangers, however, are spiteful and want to get any former land of theirs back.  The Avery's are a family close to the Logan family in proximity by land and the children of the two families are friends.  T.J. Avery, however, becomes friendly with some of the elder Granger children, causing trouble for himself in the end.

This book won the 1977 Newbery Award.

APA Reference of Book:
Taylor, M.D. (1976). Roll of thunder, hear my cry. New York, NY: Dial Press.

Impressions: Mildred D. Taylor had written this story about her family and it is easy to believe that she came from a line of storytellers.  The chapters, in some ways, feel like a series of vignettes that all collect to the main story of saving T.J. from lynching.  Through these smaller stories, you begin to understand the individual characters.  The writing is all-encompassing and you get the sense that you are sitting in arm's reach within any of the Logan family characters as they experience prejudices and question the world around them.  Taylor provides an atmosphere of uncertainty that no doubt was the atmosphere felt by her real-life family members with night riders and the possibility of lynching.  The imagery is so profound that I began to wonder why such awful things could happen to people.  However, I think this is key to the story's purpose, especially in education since it is often read in school.  It showcases a time period that is not fondly remembered for its prejudicial viewpoints and is a reminder why society needed then (and still needs) to grow beyond racial prejudice.

Professional Review:
Anita Silvey, in her book 100 Best Books for Children (2004), placed this book in her picks.  "One of Taylor's greatest strengths as a novelist lies in her ability to show racial prejudice from the viewpoint of a child" (Silvey, 2004, p. 148).  Silvey also mentions the lasting legacy of this story because for children today and tomorrow, it explores a time period unknown to them (Silvey, 2004).

Silvey, A. (2004). 100 best books for children. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Library Uses: As someone who works in a public library, I know that this title is often tied with required school reading.  However, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a story that explores a family's perspective of racial prejudice in the south during the 1930s, regardless of its educational connection.  

Module 2: Epossumondas

Book Summary: "Epossumondas was his mama's and his auntie's sweet little patootie (Salley, 2002, p. 3). He is a baby possum that takes everything literally. When he is handed off a piece of cake from his auntie, he scrunches it up in his hands to take it to his mother. Once he is home, all he has left are little bits of crumbs in his fingers.  His mother explains the right way to carry a cake is to put it on his head. The next time he goes to visit his auntie, she gives him a pound of butter. He then places the butter on the top of his head because that is where his mother had instructed him to carry cake.  The story continues with more hilarious misinterpretations.  

APA Reference of Book: 
Salley, C. (2002). Epossumondas. San Diego, CA: Harcourt, Inc.

Impressions: My initial impression was that this book was similar to Amelia Bedelia in the literal interpretations in the requests of Epossumondas' mother. The repetition in this story appears related to its lineage as a folktale. When I finished the story, I considered how much I would enjoy sharing this book with a group of people.  The women in the story seemed oddly familiar and I noticed in the back portion of the book jacket in the illustrator biography that the mother and auntie are based on drawings Janet Stevens had done for the story To Market, To Market by Anne Miranda.  In fact, Stevens had used Salley as a model for the woman in that story as indicated by the illustrator acknowledgment in that book (Miranda, 1997). Somehow knowing that the storyteller herself is the model for the mother and auntie make the expressions (especially in exasperation) seem much more realistic. 

Professional Review:
"Foolish Jack is cast here as a pampered, over-mothered Louisiana possum in a refreshingly retold version by New Orleans storyteller Salley (Who's That Trippin' over My Bridge?). This familiar story takes on new silliness as the improbable possum-child interacts with his human mother...Salley narrates the series of mishaps with a storyteller's impeccable timing and a pleasing Southern patois that should inspire many spirited read-alouds" (Publisher's Weekly, 2002).

Publisher's Weekly (2002, June 17). [Review of the book Epossumondas, by C. Salley] 
            Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-15-216748-6

Library Uses: Since this story is based on a classic tall tale, I think it would be a great book to share with younger school age children. In fact, I plan to share it with a K-6th grade group in a few weeks so we can discuss storytelling, tall tales, and funny stories. I think this one will be clever enough to hold the attention of the various age groups.

Additional Reference:
Miranda, A. (1997). To market, to market. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Inc.

Module 2: Grandfather's Journey

Book Summary: The author, Allen Say, narrates this story about his Japanese born grandfather.  His grandfather was born in Japan and decides to travel by boat to America.  He explores North America by train, riverboat, and walking.  He loves California the best, but decides to go home to Japan to marry his childhood sweetheart.  The couple go to San Francisco and have a baby girl.  Say's grandfather misses Japan and the family returns home, where his daughter (Say's mother) grows up.  This is a story about Say's grandfather belonging to two countries: Japan and America.

APA Reference of Book: Say, A. (1993). Grandfather's journey. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Impressions: This book is very much about wanting to find home in its various contexts.  Since this book won the Caldecott in 1994, I examined the pictures carefully in conjunction with the text.  The watercolor pictures and accompanying text are sparse, almost mimicking postcards.  Some of the pictures look like family photographs; perhaps they were painted from photographs.  The expressions on Say's family faces are neutral.  However, there is the universal theme of longing to be in different places and loving two countries at once.

Professional Review: 
"In lucid, graceful language, he chronicles these passages, reflecting his love of both countries--plus the expatriate's ever-present longing for home--in both simple text and exquisitely composed watercolors: scenes of his grandfather discovering his new country and returning with new appreciation to the old, and pensive portraits recalling family photos, including two evoking the war and its aftermath. Lovely, quiet--with a tenderness and warmth new to this fine illustrator's work" (Kirkus, 1993).

Kirkus (1993, October 1). [Review of the book Grandfather's journey, by A. Say]. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/allen-say/grandfathers-journey/

Library Uses: Many teachers and education students come into my library to check out materials. I think this book would be a good recommendation concerning multicultural projects. 

Module 1: Millions of Cats

Book Summary: An old man and woman are lonely and would like to have some companionship in the form of a cat. The old man travels over the hill to find a cat to take home, but has a hard time deciding the prettiest cat to bring back. Soon enough, all of the cats come with him back home. With too many hanging around the house, the old woman declares that the cats should decide which one is the prettiest cat. The cats quarrel until no cat is left but one. This cat said it did not think it was a pretty cat, but a homely cat and therefore managed to stay out of the quarrel. The old man and woman happily take in the cat and feed it until it grows healthy, becoming the most beautiful cat.

APA Reference of Book:
Gag, W. (1928). Millions of cats. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Impressions: The title was what initially drew me to the book. The black and white illustrations and hand-lettered text drew me into the story. I had never read this picture book before, even though I had come across it on the shelves every now and again. There are multiple elements in the story that make it an interesting read. First, there is the plot, which is somewhat like a fairy tale moral: even a homely cat can become a beautiful one. This is not a heavy-handed message in the story, but is something I noticed. There is the element of surprise when the cats essentially fight each other to nothingness; it feels like a darkly humorous plot point. This leads to questions: did the cats eat each other? Did they quarrel their way back home? Finally, the most important aspect to the story, I feel, is the rhythmic language and repetition of the lines: "hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions and trillions of cats." This creates a predictable aspect to the story and one I would want to share aloud.

Professional Review: This professional review of the book was included in a 2012 list of the top 100 picture books by School Library Journal.  This book made number 21 on their list and this review was a collection of comments and historical insight into the book. The book was granted a Newbery Honor award in 1929, even though librarians were unsure to award a literature award to something composed primarily of pictures.  The Caldecott award would not come into fruition until 1938. Interesting trivia: the refrain throughout the story was initiated with the advice of Ernestine Evans of the publisher Coward-McCann, later absorbed into the G.P. Putnam publishing house (Bird, 2012). This change undoubtedly made it become one of the most popular picture books.

Bird, E. (2012, June 11). Top 100 Picture Books [Review of the book Millions of cats, by W. Gag]. School Library Journal, retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2012/06/11/top-100-picture-books-21-millions-of-cats-by-wanda-gag/#_

Library Uses: I could see myself reading this book to preschool or kindergarten age children for story time. The plot has enough tension to keep the audience attentive. I like that I can have audience participation by having the kids and parents/caregivers help me say: "hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions and trillions of cats" whenever it comes up in the story.

Module 1: Mr. Popper's Penguins

Book Summary: Mr. Popper is a house painter and known to the people of Stillwater as a dreamer. Even though Mr. Popper is happily married and has two children and a small house on 432 Proudfoot Avenue, he wishes most of all he could visit the North and South Poles. He watches movies about the Arctic and Antarctic, checks out the newest books on the subject at the local library, and keeps pictures from the National Geographic on his wall. He sends a letter to Admiral Drake, an explorer in Antarctica and he responds with a message over the radio that he is sending Mr. Popper a surprise. The surprise turns out to be a penguin that Mr. Popper names Captain Cook. The family transitions their lives in order to accommodate the penguin. Soon, Captain Cook becomes listless and they find a companion for him, resulting in many more penguins. The Poppers become locally well-known for their brood of penguins and they put together a traveling performance; chaos inevitably ensues.

APA Reference of Book: 
Atwater, R., & Atwater, F. (1938). Mr. popper's penguins. Boston, MA: Little, Brown, and Co.

Impressions: This book has always been in my periphery as a child, working in bookstores, and finally at the library. I had never read it until this class and I was glad that I did. The story has some silly moments and moves quickly with the shorter chapters. The properness of the language, since it was written in 1938, keeps a level of authenticity to the story; it prevents it from becoming too ridiculous. Mr. Popper is nothing but calm when requesting a hole to be drilled in his refrigerator or allowing snow to come into his house so the penguins can glide around his living room. Mrs. Popper is willing to go along with the scheme and provides musical accompaniment to the penguins' performance in the form of piano. However, there are some dated aspects to the story since Mrs. Popper is the stereotypical mother worried about finances and trying to keep Mr. Popper in order. Also, the children, Bill and Janie, are only small characters in the story. This may reduce some of the relate ability of the plot. The illustrations, especially those of the penguins, by Robert Lawson are a positive addition to the book. Overall, the story is similar to the comedy movies during the era when it was written.

Professional Review: "This is rather a silly story, and I don't believe children will think it particularly funny. A paper hanger and painter finds time on his hands in winter, and spends it in reading of arctic exploration. It is all given reality when he receives a present of a penguin, which makes its nest in the refrigerator on cubes of ice, mates with a lonely penguin from the zoo, and produces a family of penguins which help set the Poppers on their feet."

Kirkus Reviews (1938, September 1). [Review of the book Mr. popper's penguins, by R. Atwater & F. Atwater]. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/richard-atwater/mr-poppers-penguins/

Library Uses: I imagine this book would be a title to recommend when conducting Reader's Advisory. Frequently, kids request books that are "funny" and since this book is considered a classic, parents may be familiar with it and want to read it to or with their children, too. I could also see this book in conjunction with a lesson on penguins or the Antarctic. Since there are some penguin behaviors and necessary environments described to maintain penguins, I could see children debunking some of the ideas presented in this fictional story with non-fictional resources.