RM Winter 2017 FINAL

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Reading Matters
Literature Matters
Reading Matters | Volume 16 • Winter 2016 | |71|
lemonade to only each other, to losing their hats in their freshly
raked pile of leaves, and even battling a winter cold. Ling and
Ting can have fun in rain or shine, as long as they are together.
Ling and Ting’s personalities shine not only through the text,
but also through the illustrations. Ting is even differentiated
by her jagged bangs. The illustrations show the twins’ humor
and their true feelings towards events throughout the story. In
chapter 1, Ling and Ting claim to be just surprised from the
storm, but you can tell by the way they are hiding under the
covers that they are actually terrified. These illustrations can help
students infer the characters’ emotions through illustrations.
The twins in this series know how to make the most out of
every day of the year, and make reading double the fun.
In the Footsteps of
Crazy Horse
Marshall, Joseph III. (2015) Illus. by Jim
Yellowhawk. 166 pages. Abrams. 978-1-
41970-785-8 $16.95 (Intermediate)
– Hannah Kate Christopher
Knowing the ancestry of one’s
family is important so that children
can understand who they are
and where they come from. In the
Footsteps of Crazy Horse Jimmy
learns just that. He is concerned with the children at school
teasing him because he claims to be a Native American though
he has “blue eyes and light-brown hair” (p. 2). Nyles High Eagle,
or Grandpa Nyles, uses that summer vacation to teach Jimmy
about his Lakota background and the Native American Hero,
Crazy Horse, who fought for his people’s land and freedom--and
like Jimmy had light skin and brown hair. They visit Montana,
Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota, places
Jimmy has never been to see battle fields, old Indian Reserves,
and trails used during westward explanation so that Grandpa
Nyles can teach him all there is to know about his history. This
novel teaches children important historical facts about Native
Americans from a Native American perspective. It shows the
important relationship between family and identity and teaches
a lesson about the significance in knowing where you come
from. In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse may lead children to explore
aspects of Native American history while compelling them to
search for and understand their own individual family histories.
The Boy in the Black Suit
Reynolds, Jason. (2015). 255 pages.
Atheneum. 978-1-44245-950-2 $17.99
(Young Adult)
– Katie Thomas, guest reviewer
from the University of Tennessee
Jason Reynolds brings us a
great piece of realistic fiction
dealing with the complex process
of adolescent grief. The Boy in
the Black Suit tells the story of
seventeen-year- old Matt Miller,
who, feeling the need to contribute financially to the family,
seeks a job at the local greasy spoon, The Cluck Bucket. While
there, the town’s funeral director, Mr. Ray, offers him a job
working at the funeral home instead. As resistant as Matt is,
this ends up being an opportunity for him to daily confront the
grief of losing his mother, just months earlier, to breast cancer.
Each day is a different, new challenge; even his friends treat
him differently and he is separated from the life he knew before
his mother’s passing. Through his job at the funeral home,
where he puts on his black suit to act as armor, Matt seeks out
solace in the grief he shares with others and he experiences
a catharsis by observing their outward expressions of grief.
Reynolds writes about Matt’s community with a familial
presence, where each member teaches Matt about his mother,
his world, and himself. Through his boss, Mr. Ray, Matt learns
life lessons such as how to play the cards that life deals you and
appreciate the important things in life. Matt also discovers his
own strength and independence when his father (who begins
to drink in order to deal with his grief ) is seriously injured
and forced to rehabilitate in a medical facility. Through a
beautiful new crush, Love, Matt learns how to care for others
and how to let the negative snapshots of your life develop
into a beautiful picture. Love also teaches Matt how to be
tough. She has seen her share of troublesome times too,
although she never cries. Matt’s mother, Daisy, also teaches
him life lessons through a cookbook they began writing
together before she died. The Boy in the Black Suit provides
strong male role models and illustrates authentic portrayals
of meaningful relationships. Each supporting character is
complex and rich with emotional layers of their own. When
Matt forges relationships with these people, he learns about
their life mosaic, which helps him create his own.
What a Wonderful World (as
sung by Louis Armstrong)
Thiele, Bob &Weiss, George David. (2014).
Illus. by Tim Hopgood. Unpaged. Henry Holt.
978-1-622779-254-7 $17.99 (Primary)
– Jaclyn Bruton
This classic song was first
recorded by Louis Armstrong in
1967 and has since sold more than one million copies and been
inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Tim Hopgood takes
readers on an adventure with a young boy who experiences
the beautiful world in which we live. Each page presents a line
(e.g., “I see trees of green”) from“What a Wonderful World”with
illustrations, created “using pencil, calligraphy ink, wax crayon,
and chalk pastel,” that truly bring this song to life. The illustrations
are filled with images such as hearts, butterflies, and birds that
capture the essence of the lyrics. No matter the age of the reader,
this book can bring warmth to people’s hearts and a smile to their
face. The book concludes with the complete lyrics and a note
from the author about his feelings related to this song. Don’t miss
the chance to travel on this vivacious journey that will leave a
person more and more appreciative of our “Wonderful World”!