I love getting good surprise emails about books. Recently Charlesbridge Publishing sent me a link with new titles. There were several that talked about cultures that are not usually ones we see or know about. I jumped on in, read the 17 that were in English (a few were in Spanish) and found these below.
I admit, I made some assumptions about Archie Celebrates an Indian Wedding. Which, actually, I’m glad I did. I was able to learn from that, and that one should not assume; as it not only makes an A$$-out-of- U and ME, you might miss something pretty special. I was able to see the wealth of information set in a delightful story of tradition, wedding nerves and family. I was able to see Archie and how she helps a new friend by making her feel comfortable and part of the family. Mitali Banerjee Ruths tells of how it is an Indian wedding, things happen, but the most important thing is to be happy. The lovely illustrations and fun extras tie everything together. Parwinder Singh uses details, colors and the energy of the culture to make illustrations that at first I was not a fan of, but they grew on me. They had a look that made things “off” but once the flow of hate story came into play everything meshed well (perhaps that is a symbol of the wedding itself, as the couple are a mixed couple). The character of Archie is fun, feels realistic and I like how there are bumps, but she keeps the spirit of the day.
I almost skipped Sami’s Special Gift by M O Yuksel and Huseyin Sonmezay. And that was unfortunately due to Sonmezay’s illustrations. They were awkward for me. They did not look “polished” and I was going to just forget about it. Plus, I had read some books about Eid al-Adha, so how could this be different? Despite my misgivings, I did enjoy Yuksel’s book. Not because of what we learn, but because of how it is presented. This is the first time Sami will be celebrating and going to the Carnival without his grandfather. A gift from his grandmother from Turkey, however, allows him to have a piece of his grandfather with him. But after learning about sharing and the other values one practices, especially during this time of year, and after meeting a boy in a homeless shelter, he finds a way to keep his grandfather close to him, and keep the spirit of his faith. Overall, things did not scream BEST BOOK EVER but they did hoot and say, “Pay attention!” and I am glad and appreciative that I read this story.