How My Parents Learned to Eat- Books that address Diversity

How My Parents Learned to Eat is a quaint little book that tells the story of a little girl's parents, way back before they were married. An American sailor and a Japanese schoolgirl fell in love, but they were both ashamed that they could not eat one another's food. The sailor did not know how to use chopsticks, and the schoolgirl didn't know how to use a knife and fork. So as they dated, they never ate a meal together, each being careful not to bring attention to their perceived handicaps. After a time, the sailor learned that his ship was going to set sail for the States. He was terrified that he would lose the girl he fell in love with, but he also reasoned that it would be unfair of him to ask for her hand if he could not eat the food she ate. "It is hard to be happy when you're hungry," he thought. So, in secret, he went to a Japanese restaurant and asked the waiter there to teach him to eat with chopsticks. It was a long night, but he finally learned. The next day, he asked the schoolgirl to dinner. She accepted, but quickly panicked. She was afraid that they would go to a Western restaurant, and she would be mortified at not knowing how to use all the foreign utensils. She went to her uncle, who had lived in England for a time. He took her to a Western restaurant, and taught her how to use a knife, spoon and fork. She was frustrated, but eventually, she learned. When the sailor picked her up that night, he noticed she wasn't wearing her kimono. "Aren't we going to a Japanese restaurant?" he wanted to know. She corrected him quickly, saying that of course she could eat Western food. So they made a deal, they would eat Western food tonight, and Japanese the next. Eventually the pair discover their partner's secret was their own, and get married. And that, says the little girl on the last page, is why they sometimes use chopsticks and sometimes they use knives and forks in their home. I loved this little story. It was more a love story about acceptance of other people and their cultures than a story about the little girl who narrates the story. This book teaches children that even if something someone does is strange or new to you, they might be having the very same feelings, and that acceptance and learning about one another is the very best way to go.

This book was a great one compared to other books about combing cultures. It wasn't contrived, it wasn't trite, and it wasn't cliched, it was just a very realistic, naturally flowing story about two people accepting one another's differences and being better for it.

I learned from this book that literature that addresses diversity doesn't have to be agonizingly contrived. I also thought that this sounded like a very real story, and would not be surprised if it were one based on a true story. It is one of the better books dealing with diversity that I have read, for its strong message layered beautifully with an engaging story.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine- Made into a Feature Film in 2004

Ella Enchanted is a fantastic book about a girl with a bizarre blessing- at birth she was blessed by a fairy to always be obedient. And it worked- Ella obeys EVERYONE when she is given a direct order. It makes life rather hard for her, and even more so when her mother dies and her absentee father comes home. He has plans to make them wealthy, involving marrying a mean ugly woman with, you guessed it, two horrible step-daughters. Ella is sent to a finishing school with the two of them, and when the uglier and slightly smarter of the two discover her secret, she has no choice but to run away. Ella decides to both escape her tormentors and find her arrogant and misguided fairy godmother in hopes that she will lift her curse.

This book was an absolute favorite of mine, and I was very excited when I heard it was being made into a movie. My hopes were a bit dashed upon viewing, however, as smart, clever Ella was transformed into a political activist for Ogre rights (a group of whom try to eat her in the book) and ends up singing an anthem by Queen when she finds her fairy godmother. On the whole I was a bit miffed they'd changed the storyline, but still enjoyed the movie. I also loved Fairest, which had the same setting as Ella Enchanted.

Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes- Newbery Honor Medal (2004)

Olive's Ocean is a strange, haunting book. It revolves around Martha, who barely knew Olive, who was killed in a car accident while riding her bicycle. Olive was a plain girl with no friends, and Martha is baffled when Olive's mother appears on her doorstep with a note from Olive. Olive cites Martha as the nicest girl she knows. Martha is continually haunted by Olive's death, and discovers from her writings that Olive wanted to be a writer, the same thing that Martha has been secretly wishing to do with her life. Martha's family goes in vacation to Godbee, where her grandparents live. Here Martha has her first brush with romance and kisses a local boy, but is betrayed when she discovers that a kiss was the result of a bet. Martha is confused, but then the perpetrator's brother gives her hope for his gender before she leaves Godbee. On the way home, Martha is still thinking of Olive, and decides to continue Olive's dream of becoming a writer. She finally confesses her desire to her father, who is also writing a novel and whom Martha doesn't want to think she is copying. To her relief, her father is supportive. I really enjoyed this book, and thought that it was a very interesting book on the topic of children dealing with death.  It was a harder level than say, A Taste of Blackberries, which whose theme was  also children dealing with a death of a friend. This book was alot lengthier, and I thought, dealt more with Martha figuring out herself and how she was perceived, rather than grief over a close friend, which Martha was not.

I'd never read a book that dealt with a child working through the death of someone not close to them. Olive was just a girl in Martha's class; they weren't friends, or even true acquaintances. However, Martha learned about herself by pondering the strange links that she and Olive shared. It was a really interesting read from which I learned alot.

The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron- 2007 Newbery Medal

The Higher Power of Lucky is a unique ans quirky volume of fiction for young readers. Lucky is a girl living in a small town whose mother died a couple of years ago. Her father, who never really wanted children, decides to bring his ex-wife, from France to take care of Lucky, though Lucky doubts she even wants to be there at all. Lucky herself is a fun, lovable, sometimes questionable character who loves Charles Darwin and calls her dog the HMS Beagle. She overhears some of the rhetoric from her small town's 12-step meetings and starts looking for her higher power, and when she perceives three 'signs' that Brigette is going to leave her on her own, Lucky decides to run away.
I thought this book was very quirky and loved Lucky's energy. This book was really moving and a quick read, and I do recommend it.However, this book sparked some controversy over the use of the word 'scrotum' several times, which earned it bans from school libraries and teacher's collections across the country.

I've never read anything else by this author, but this book compares very well to some other classics in the young adult genre. Lucky has a slightly strange upbringing, and her friends are just as eccentric as she is, which makes for much more intriguing reading than say, Babysitter's Club books, with squeaky clean, nearly unbeleivable characters with run-of-the-mill problems which are meant to be relatable, but teeter on boring and a little silly.

I learned from the Higher Power of Lucky that simply because it's a children's story doesn't mean it has to be boring or run-of-the-mill. The Higher Power of Lucky is a really interesting, engaging story with a fresh, new take on dealing with a difficult upbringing and a confusing, unsure future.

Rosa by Nikki Giovanni- Caldecott Honor Book (2006)

Rosa is a wonderful book that introduces Rosa Parks to the reader and takes him through her mental processes, her mindset, and through the fateful day on which she was arrested and sparked the Montgomery bus boycott. This narrative not only talks about Civil Rights and Mrs. Parks role in the movement, but also humanizes Mrs. Parks ad makes her into a quiet, strong hero that readers can only respect, rather than a dusty photograph of an unknown historical figure.

I really liked this book for its format. It begins as any other story, with a hardworking and relatable main character who's having a nice day and wants to make dinner for her husband. Rather than beginning, as many books pertaining to Mrs. Parks do, with lots of technical backstory and unfamiliar historical context, students are eased into the Parks narrative in the format of a beautiful and well written picture book. After Mrs. Parks is arrested, the book continues, and demonstrates the impact that her simple, dignified act had on an entire nation, and how she inspired others working for civil rights. On the other hand, I felt that the language used in this book is probably suited for higher elementary or even middle grades students, many of whom feel they are past picture books. This is my only criticism of the work.
As I mentioned before, this book is a pleasant change from overly-historical and harshly worded books that I have seen on Rosa Parks in the past. The reader becomes familiar with Mrs. Parks, gets a feel for her personality and integrity and then watches as an injust system takes hold of her and other people in her position. This simple picture book is empowering rather than dull and dusty.

I think I learned from Rosa that picture books can be more than they seem. What I assumed to be just another sterile and scary account of Rosa Parks' arrest turned out to be a beautifully illustrated and inspiring version of this civil rights story. This seemingly simple picture book is educational and historical enough to be appropriate for references, but still very readable and uplifting.