Young, Ed. 2004. I, DOKO: THE TALE OF A BASKET. Ill. Young, Ed. New York, NY: Philomel Books. ISBN-0-399-23625-2.
PLOTA Nepalese folktale adaptation of other Asian stories, the author begins the story with a young man who chooses a "Doko", the basket, to serve their young family. Tending rice fields, supporting babies, fire kindling and carrying a mother to her grave, this "family member" recounts through personal narrative family life until finally the basket is washed new as a dowry gift for the sons wedding to begin life again.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The adage,"what comes around, goes around" may sound familiar but written differently and included by Young. Kung Fu Tze, Sixth Century B.C. states, "What one wishes not upon oneself, one burdens not upon another". This symbolic portraiture of the basket, what we carry in our lives of importance, if events could talk to noting observations about our lives is Young's depth of storytelling. He supports this story with illustrations that bring to life the basket, the focus point on each page. Using the wisdom of youth to begin the story, the wisdom of a grandson closes the tale and teaches the tribe a lesson on how to treat others. The basket can be used as a personal mirror reflecting how we treat others, young and old.
The soft illustrations created from pastel, gouache and collage trim each page using gold to authenticate an Asian feel to the story. Young paints the setting for the story to be told not only in words but in colored detail. Young has quoted from his website, "A Chinese painting is often accompanied by words. They are complimentary. There are things that words do that pictures never can,likewise, there are images that words can never describe." http://edyoungart.com/about.html. Accessed June20, 2009).
He has taught us the art of simple images and the beauty of language.
Booktalk-Ed Young (www.leeandlow.com/p/young.mhtml
REVIEW EXCERPT
Caldecott Medalist
Children's Book Page: Beckwith, Lynn. www.bookpage.com/0411bp/children/i_doko.html
(accessed June 21, 2009). "I, Doko: The Tale of a Basket is indeed the tale of a basket, but it is also the tale of a family and a culture. Born of oral tradition, and with a deft stroke of his talented paintbrush makes it a visual treat for readers and listeners. Like many folktales, there is a lesson at the heart of the story, treating older people with respect."
Publisher's Weekly, "Doko asks readers, 'What could I, a basket do?' " Copyright 2004. Reed Business Information, Inc.
Horn Book Magazine. "A superb rendition of a tale with universal resonance."
Booklist. "As increasing numbers of families anticipate in-home care for elderly relatives, parents will want to share this story's poignant message with their children. The book may also inspire students' recastings of familiar tales from unusual points of view."
CONNECTIONS
School Library. Theme, "What are baskets used for anyways?" Creating literature to present the purpose of baskets, cultures that make baskets, history through basketmaking and compare stories that include "baskets". After exposure to the many cultural arts of baskets, students choose a type of basket and using paper or the real fiber learn to "weave" or make their own "basket tales".
Public Library. Celebrate Grandparents Day in the community. Invite some of the "oldest" community residents to be read to by younger citizens showing "respect" for grandparents and making cards for them to take home after Storytelling Hour. Post activities in the local newspaper or the online "Happenings" library events page to include literary activities honoring and respecting the aging throughout the week.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
SanSouci, Robert D.2000. CINDERELLA SKELETON. ILL. Catrow, David. New York, NY: Silver Whistle. Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 0-15-202003-9.
PLOT
Skeletal characters fashion a rhyming retelling of a sister trio looking for their graveyard prince at the Halloween Ball. A wicked stepmother tries to bury the blooming relationship between her stepdaughter and prince ghoul. No bones about it, a happy ever-after ending is laid to rest at the cememtary.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
An excerpt, not for reproduction purposes only for narrative illustration begins this review introducing the reader to SanSouci's Cinderella character:
"Cinderella Skeleton!
The rarest gem the world has seen!
Your gleaming skull and burnished bones,
Your teeth like polished kidney stones.
Your dampish silks and dankish hair
There's nothing like you anywhere.
You make each day a Halloween".(2000).
I was pleasantly surprised at the depth and originality this variant offers the reader. Not my usual style of illustration I chose this book and read it to my three daughters, ages, 4, 6 and 8 years-old. I was hesitant however that the graphics might be too scary. The youngest however loved it and found it each time I put it away in the reading bag.
A good use of vocabulary for English Language Learners and use of metaphors, "like polished kidney stones". Descriptive and uncommon word usage presented for example, "dampish, dankish, burnished, mausoleum, decrepit,gristlene and ghastliest" may challenge younger readers to higher insight.
REVIEW EXCERPT
Horn Book. Anita L. Burkam stated that Catrow's drawings "employ long lines and angles of skeletons to create particularly dynamic compositions".
Horn Book: "In this sweet tale of corpse-meets-corpse, SanSouci creates a bony heroine whose trip to the ball has a distinctly Halloweenish cast. The plot follows the original folktale closely, with one grisly exception: instead of retaining her glass slipper, Prince Charnel gets her entire foot, snapped off halfway up the leg bone. The potentially scary moments are made humorous in Catrow's caricatures and dynamic composition" 2001. All Rights Reserved.
CONNECTIONS
School Library-Perfect for a Halloween theme adjective, adverb activity builder. Students take from the story words unfamiliar to them and look up noun, adjective, adverb or verb. Students can "dress up" in ghoulish 3x5 notecards matching "pairs" with other students choices. The "Ball" could be a class chart to post the "ghoulish vocabulary pairs".
Students could also "build a skeleton" by using 3x5 notecards as the "bones" finding and writing new vocabulary words on the word wall.
Public Library-Children come dressed in their skeleton costumes for Storytime reading other stories using bones and taking home with them a color page of a skeleton that has a title of a book to be read each day of the month. Cut off a "section" of the skeleton once a book has been read.
BIBLIOGRAPHYSimonds, Nina. Leslie Swartz and The Children's Museum, Boston. 2002. MOONBEAMS,DUMPLINGS & DRAGON BOATS. Ill. Meilo So.San Diego, CA: Gulliver Books. Harcourt,Inc. ISBN-10 015219839.
PLOT
Looking for a "prosperity plate"?This book is full of fun Asian goodies and New Year's treats. The reader can fill themself with cultural tales, history, Chinese zodiac food and games from the Lantern Festival, to Dragon Boat Festival to Mid-Autumn Moon festival-a year feast!
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The author has spent more than thirty years devoting time to Chinese culture and cooking and brings her expertise to a children's book that will entertain the whole family. With Amazon, this book is ranked #10 in books under this string of headings>Children's Books>Educational>Explore the world>Asia.
REVIEW EXCERPT
Kirkus Review: "No library should be without this well-designed, beautiful, and informative resource.
School Library Journal. Grades 4-7. Reviewed by Ginny Gustin, Sonoma County Library System, Santa Rosa, CA.
"This book features five holidays: Chinese New Year and the Lantern FEstival, Qing Ming, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. Each section begins with a one-page description of history and customs followed by four-to six-page story, recipes and two or three crafts and games. The headings appear in both English typeface and Chinese calligraphy. A two-page resource section is divided into three parts: of interest to adults, of interest to young readers and Internet sources. Moonbeams is a useful, visually appealing addition to any holiday collection.Copyright 2002. Reed Business Information, Inc.
CONNECTIONS
Read the book online, cook a treat, play a game. This book is meant to make connections and listed are a few interactive resources that could be used at either the school or public library setting.
Listen to real media, a 6minute 28sec presentation from morning edition, January 31, 2003. NPR's Linda Wertheimer narrates through Chinese New Year providing listeners with explanation of the book. Such as mooncakes and the Kitchen god.
Read the complete book on line with a story on the wall. A good use of technology and a different way to present the story. http://books.google.com/books?id=9RWmKQW1wC&dq=moonbeams,dumplings,+%26+dragon+boats&printsec=frontcover&
Students can then create their Chinese tale, research a recipe that would fit an appropriate holiday related to the tale, illustrate on a clear transparency and project their tale on the wall. The can tell their tale or have another student narrate for them.
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