![]() I had high hopes for this book based on the acclaim it has received and the reviews I read; but unfortunately, I just did not love it. Apple is a memoir, so it is difficult for me to state that I did not enjoy the book, since it is someone's life experiences, but the writing style did not engage me. The memoir is written in verse which I normally enjoy, but this verse was not fluid and felt stilted to me. I simply never connected with the author's voice or his depiction of his life. That being said, I am very pleased this memoir was written and has received so much acclaim because it is important to hear from Native American perspectives since they are not highly represented in literature. Hearing a first person account is a bonus. This memoir recounts Gansworth's experiences being raised on a reservation and includes the history of some of his family members as well. I did enjoy seeing the photographs included within the memoir. This memoir has some high points, but it just did not engage me as highly as I had hoped. It might, however, be a great fit for you. Approximate Reading Level - 7th grade+
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![]() I absolutely adored this book for children, and although the intended audience is ages three-six, I believe it could definitely be used with older students as well. The story is told through short and repetitive phrasing such as “Fry bread is food” and “Fry bread is history” as it takes the reader through the sounds, sights, taste, and tradition of fry bread. And while the writing is catchy and informative, it is the illustrations that sell this book. Juana Martinez-Neal does an amazing job of illustrating characters of all ages interacting and enjoying the fry bread. The faces in the illustrations depict Native Americans and friends of varying ages, sizes, colors, and with hair of different textures and colors; the illustrations definitely provide a mirror for students to see themselves reflected within the story. All of the faces look to be enjoying the tradition of making fry bread and interacting with each other. The reader can feel the joy radiate from the illustrator’s colorful pictures, and the readers are given a small window into the tradition and importance of fry bread to the Native American culture. While the story is light-hearted and touching, it also includes some deeper messages such as how fry bread became part of the Native American diet because of being forced from their native lands by the United States government. Maillard also gives voice to many of the Native American tribes by including them within the story itself and then listing the names of many Indigenous communities and nations within the U.S. on the book’s end pages. Fry Bread is a great balance of information and entertainment with beautifully illustrated characters and scenes that children will enjoy. The author also includes an author’s note with his own recipe for fry bread so students can make it with their families. Approximate Reading Level: K-2nd grade ![]() I have missed feelings about Code Talker: A Novel about the Navajo Marines of World War Two by Joseph Bruchac. I am not a fan of Bruchac’s writing style, although I did find the storyline interesting. The book and characters overall just did not draw me into the story as I had hoped; it read more like a memoir than a novel, and I would have like more descriptive imagery and character development because overall the story just felt flat to me. That being said, it was interesting to learn a bit about the Navajo Code Talkers. While reading the novel, I used some of the questions within the “code book” shared in Abington-Pitre’s Selecting Appropriate Native American Children’s Literature, and I found some conflicting messages. While I do think Code Talker, is an acceptable piece of literature to share with students, there is a mix of stereotyping and derogatory language towards Native Americas, alongside, discussion of cultural authenticity. For example, the Marines, often referred to the Navajo Marines as “chief” and the teachers within the school looked down upon the Navajo students as inferior and unable to achieve as well as their white counterparts. This is balanced by the fact that the narrator, Ned, is very competent and achieves at a high level in school as well as during his time as a Marine. He, and the other Navajo Marines, are shown to persevere despite the stereotypes and obstacles they encounter. In fact, the Navajo were the ones to develop and implement the Code Talker program which is one of the pivotal achievements in winning World War Two. The reader also learns a bit about the Navajo culture such as their family values and religion through Ned’s discussions and reflections. Perhaps the conflicting treatment of the Navajo is something mirrored in students’ lives since most of us can relate to be viewed and treated positively and negatively in different situations. Although I did feel, Bruchac balanced out the negative perspective and stereotypes of the Navajo within the novel, I felt as if the Japanese were shown as the villains and were not given any real redeeming characteristics. While this might provide a window into how Americans and those fighting the war against the Japanese felt during the time period, I am not sure a book can truly be considered diverse if it praises one minority group while vilifying another. I would have liked to have seen a little internal conflict or reflection about how the Japanese were treated from the main characters. I do not know enough about World War Two and the Navajo Code Talkers initiative to know whether all of the information provided in the novel is accurate; although, it comes across as being valid and as with any text, I would encourage further research and study to validate the information. As a whole, I would recommend Code Talker to students because I feel like it is an interesting story that might further engage students in learning about the Navajo Code Talker program and provide them a window into what it may have been like to be involved in World War Two from the perspective of a Navajo soldier. Approximate Reading Level: 6th-9th grades |
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