This was completely and totally fine. I could have done with more elephant. The mystery didn't really grab my attention and the subplot regarding infeThis was completely and totally fine. I could have done with more elephant. The mystery didn't really grab my attention and the subplot regarding infertility was very not okay. (view spoiler)[the Inspector and his wife are infertile. She both really wishes they'd had a child and worries she will lose him because she didn't give him a child so she has both her own sorrow and some self-worth/relationship security issues to deal with. Which is all pretty real. BUT. Then her cousin's daughter gets pregnant out of wedlock and Poppy hatches this scheme to convince the girl to give the baby up to her to adopt which the cousin and the girl agree to. But then Poppy's plan is to LIE TO HER HUSBAND AND SAY SHE IS PREGNANT. And he will somehow never know?? That she was not? And then pass the kid off as theirs. The scheme falls apart at the end, the cousin's daughter's boyfriend proposes and they'll marry and keep the kid. But Poppy has already lied to her husband and said she was pregnant. Which means that HE will have to go through the loss of infertility/miscarriage again, JUSTBECAUSESHELIED. And the fact that he will be okay that she was lying is somehow supposed to make him just a really great husband. It's all just awful. And it's a subplot. (hide spoiler)]...more
When Monsoon Summer opened in Berkeley with a do-gooder mother planning a trip where she was going to give back to the orphanage she was adopted from When Monsoon Summer opened in Berkeley with a do-gooder mother planning a trip where she was going to give back to the orphanage she was adopted from in India, I sighed a little. I mean how cliche, socially conscious people from Berkeley. Luckily, I had just read this piece by Colby Sharpe: That One Time When Linda Urban Put Me in My Place. Please go read it too, it’s short and it’s very much worth it. The thing is, kids (and teens) aren’t adults. They don’t have the years of experience we do. Unlike me, they probably didn’t yet spend four years at an extremely left leaning liberal arts college that could give Berkeley a run for its money when it comes to wanting to save the world.
When I stopped to think, I realized just how few books out there actually have a main focus of charitable works and active involvement in your community. I can’t name very many honestly. And that’s a big part part of what makes Monsoon Summer special. Sure, absolutely, it’s a book about a girl who is in love with her best friend but has no idea what to do about. It’s a book about a family vacation. But it’s also about how many ways there are to make a difference in someone’s life.
Another winning point for Monsoon Summer is that it a feminist book. The main character, Jazz does not conform to what she perceives as the US standard for beauty. She spends a lot of time comparing herself unfavorably with those around her, in a way that had me concerned at first. But Jazz’s trip to India shows her that different parts of the world see things differently. That different physical traits are valued. Which leads to her coming to an understanding that maybe there isn’t just one way to be beautiful. But Monsoon Summer has more to give. It shows women as business owners and developers, consistently showing them as successful entrepreneurs. Jazz’s mother, who is known for her considerable charitable works, is particularly focused on women’s health issues, especially surrounding pregnancy and childbirth (although this is handled with delicacy, for those concerned, neither contraception nor abortion is mentioned).
Despite packing in some pretty thought-provoking material, the book is about family and friendship and does not have a weighty or heavy feel. The tone is light, lots of good things happen for everyone, so in some ways, you have all the positive impact of an “issues� book with none of the real sorrow (except, you know, I had a really hard time leaving kids at the orphanage at the end. I had a strong desire for a completely out of left field ending that involved adoption of the masses).
Age Recommendation: I would recommend this for Grades 6+. The romance is very tame and there’s not very much in the way of concerning content. Readers this young will absolutely understand Jazz’s self-criticism and self-doubt and hopefully will make the journey towards confidence with her.
Are you the type who leafs past the prologue, eager to get on with the story? Don’t do it! Read the first line, only the first line and you will feel Are you the type who leafs past the prologue, eager to get on with the story? Don’t do it! Read the first line, only the first line and you will feel compelled to continue. You don’t even need to worry about coming up with a book talk if you want to convince readers to grab this one. Just read the prologue aloud. It is nearly impossible to resist.
Bilal’s father is dying and he must shoulder this burden alone. His mother is already gone and his older brother is never home, preferring to spend his time mixed up with troublemakers. As India nears Partition, Bilal is certain of one thing only, that it would break his father’s heart to learn that his beloved India was going to be divided. Dedicated to protecting his father, Bilal begins his beautiful lie, allowing his father to pass without ever knowing of the rocky future.
A Beautiful Lie does a remarkable job of evoking the feeling of tension and unrest that must have filled those days. In some strange way it reminds me of Betsy and the Great World which details the mood in Europe immediately proceeding the first World War. So many books are set during actual conflicts, or follow characters who are actively engaged in the fighting. It’s another thing entirely to follow those who were affected but were not directly part of the action and to capture their fears, concerns and dreams and A Beautiful Lie does it masterfully.
The moral side of Bilal’s dilemma is not ignored. Throughout the book, his own feelings shift and change. Others join him in the lie, some after persuasion and some devotedly, some who must be lied to in turn. It’s very well done and would make for an excellent discussion topic.
Great for: I highly recommend using this is in a classroom setting with students who are old enough. There is so much here to talk about and think about! Plus, it serves as an introduction to a very interesting historical period that may be unfamiliar to them.
For full review including any potentially concerning content, see my full post at: ...more
Despite the crazy love for this book shown in the comments below, I'm going to rain on Younguncle's parade. It's the type of kids' book that adults loDespite the crazy love for this book shown in the comments below, I'm going to rain on Younguncle's parade. It's the type of kids' book that adults love, but I'm not so sure kids will. The vocabulary is crazy difficult, there are some wacky philosophical elements and then there's the fact that it seems aimed at a younger age group than could practically enjoy it....more
Maya’s middle school existence is all mixed up. She can’t quite figure out how to fit in. She doesn’t feel Indian enough when she’s with around other Maya’s middle school existence is all mixed up. She can’t quite figure out how to fit in. She doesn’t feel Indian enough when she’s with around other Indians, but at her school in a small Canadian town, she certainly doesn’t feel Canadian enough. While one boy at school is hurling racist slurs at her (warning: the n-word is in this book repeatedly), another boy (Maya’s crush) seems to like her in part because she is exotic. When Maya’s cousin Pinky arrives from India, Maya feels even more threatened. Pinky is gorgeous and self-possessed, she stands up to the bully and tantalizes Maya’s crush. Lost and desperate, Maya begs help from the Hindu elephant god, Ganesh.
And that is when the story gets fun. The middle school angst was all right, but when Maya wakes up in the middle of the night to find the small golden statue of Ganesh munching away at jelly bellies, we are taken on a flight of fantasy. Ganesh cheerfully grants Maya’s wishes, and she’ll soon find out whether having your dreams come true is something you actually want.
The book is nearly half regular middle school and half fantasy. While the first part is fine, the candy gobbling elephant is a delight and I tore through the rest of the book. There is a great deal of Indian vocabulary which may slow down readers unfamiliar with the culture. My recommendation of teen can be taken with grain of salt, many middle schoolers will enjoy this provided you’re okay with the content. Also, the book is set in the 1970s which may make it more difficult for some readers who are unfamiliar with pop culture references from the time period.
Full review including all potentially concerning content is available at my blog: ...more
I probably would have hated this book as a child, but I loved it as an adult. It handles the question of child labor in a very age appropriate contextI probably would have hated this book as a child, but I loved it as an adult. It handles the question of child labor in a very age appropriate context. I was anticipating this book to be appropriate mainly for tweens, but I have third and fourth grade students who would have done very well with this. It's also so out of the norm - a great opportunity for kids to read about a whole different world and life.
Gopal’s family has fallen on hard times. His father owes more to the moneylender than he can hope to repay. They have lost the family farm that was their main source of income and the jobs they do now do not earn enough money. They set out for Mumbai believing jobs and a better life await them, but it is not long before they learn that thousands of others have the same idea.
At 11, Gopal is old enough that he must help his parents. They cannot read and are unsure of themselves in the bustling city. But he is too eager and too trusting and when a boy offers him work, he follows. Soon he is imprisoned with a group of other boys, working long hours with little food and no hope of escape. Gopal dreams of returning to his family but he must first find a way to gain the trust of the others. Without them there can be no hope.
This story about child labor and loss is very different from what most Americans experience. It really draws you into another world. I worry that the topic might not interest all readers, but it would make an excellent assignment or read-aloud as well. At the risk of spoiling things, the book turns out all right in the end, probably better than most in these situations can hope for, but as it is a middle grades book and not YA I am okay with that choice. Sheth offers a glossary and links at the end to help readers who want to know more.
Age Recommendation: Grade 4 and up. The handling of the subject matter here is very age appropriate, so it comes down to the difficulty of the text. I have very advanced third and fourth grade students who would have enjoyed it, but I expect the main audience for this would be slightly older � probably fifth and sixth grade.
There were many things I liked about this story, the story of coming from India to the United States, learning friendship with Mukta, trying to find aThere were many things I liked about this story, the story of coming from India to the United States, learning friendship with Mukta, trying to find a way to fit in - the way it shared some of her mother's struggles as well as Seema's own. Especially interesting is Seema's discovery of the shift in meaning between swastikas in India and their meaning in the US due to WWII and the Nazis.
I had a few problems with it though. The language of the book is easy enough for my more advanced third graders, but the book also contains a mild swear (the "h" word) which is largely unnecessary but makes the book less recommendable to young readers - no other themes are really too difficult for grades 3-6. Also, I felt the storyline about Seema and Carrie was far-fetched and a bit overly rosy towards the end. Life doesn't work out where the mean people turn out to be your good friends and since children learn from books and bring their own experiences to books, I think this will ring false with them, even if it is teaching a good lesson about being the better person, it's important to acknowledge that sometimes the only reward you get for that is actually being the better person....more
carrietracy
>
Books:
india
(22)
Loading...
