The Shadows of Ghadames
Bibliographic data
Stolz, Joëlle. 1999. THE SHADOWS OF GHADAMES. New York, NY: Delacorte Press. ISBN 0385901313.
Brief plot summary
Stolz focuses on the town of Ghadames, which is located in Libya. In Ghadames a young woman named Malika is soon becoming a woman and starts to learn the restrictions that are placed on women. While she is coping with these changes, a stranger arrives in the middle of the night while her father is away on business. The stranger, Abdelkarim, is being pursued by some of the townsmen called Aïssaouïa, who try to chase him out of town for attempting to preach a new religion. During the chase Abdelkarim gets injured. As the Aïssaouïa are chasing Abdelkarim, Malika’s father’s second wife, Bilkisu takes him in, and the women hide him while he is healing. During his stay, Abdelkarim’s views about women change and he teaches Malika how to read and write. Throughout all of these experiences, Malika comes to expect more from herself and become aware of the strengths of the women around her.
Critical analysis
Stolz portrays the harshness and the reality of the roles of women in Ghadames. Women must cover up in front of men, stay in their homes, never interact with other men that are not of their family, and marry at a young age. However, through all of this, Stolz introduces us to Malika, who yearns for more in her life but who must come to terms with the role of a woman and the responsibilities of her gender. Furthermore, Malika learns more about the strength of the Ghadames women, especially her father’s second wife Bilkisu, who stretches the boundaries of the traditional wife of a Ghadames husband. Bilkisu is presented as a strong role model for Malika. She says what she thinks but is still respectful of Malika’s mother, her father’s first wife Meriem. Bilkisu knows that it is the right thing to do by taking Abdelkarim in and is even courageous enough to risk the wrath and penalties of the Ghadames community by taking him in.
The focus of the plot is centered on the role of women and how the Ghadames women cope with the restrictions that are placed around them. During the women’s market while Abdelkarim is locked in the cupboard, he is privileged to hear what women talk about. The women are kind to one another and sell their products generously because “Who know if she herself won’t experience poverty tomorrow?” (76). This gives the reader further understanding of the vulnerability that women every day and that they are ultimately at the mercy of the community and especially at the mercy of a male dominated society. Abdelkarim starts to understand this and encourages Malika in her reading and writing.
The strength of the story focuses on Malika’s point of view, which gives the reader an opportunity to see the daily life of a young woman in the Middle East. Malika’s world is restricted and this can be seen as she realizes the things that she will never do such as travel with her father or play with her brother who “…is becoming a man…” (40). There is one weakness throughout the story in that the author does not let the reader know the decade that the story takes place until the very end of the story. However this can be seen as the timelessness in the world that Malika lived in and the agelessness of the Ghadames traditions and beliefs. Malika’s father also makes a prediction in the changes that are to come to Ghadames and to hold on to the knowledge that while cities may change, the stars are a force that will always remain the same (118).
Review excerpt(s)
Children’s Literature: “This novel's females are independent, strong, and resourceful, mentoring each other, questioning rules, and adjusting societal expectations.”
Booklist: “The vivid backdrop is intoxicating, but the story's universal concerns will touch readers most: sibling jealously, confusion about adult customs, and a growing interest in a world beyond family.”
Kirkus Reviews: “…a cast of distinct characters, each of which displays a unique blend of strengths and weaknesses, as well as sometimes unexpected intelligence and compassion.”
Connections
-Discuss and share cultural family customs. Compare similarities and traditions between the Middle Eastern culture with your own family and cultural traditions.
Further books about women of the Middle East:
Ellis, Deborah. MUD CITY. ISBN 0888995423
Laird, Elizabeth. KISS THE DUST. ISBN 0140368558
Nye, Naomi Shihab. HABIBI. ISBN 0689825234
Staples, Suzanne Fisher. SHABANU: DAUGHTER OF THE WIND. ISBN 0440238560
Koala Lou
Bibliographic data
Fox, Mem. 1988. KOALA LOU. Ill. by Pamela Lofts. New York, NY: Gulliver Books. ISBN 0152005021
Brief plot summary
Koala Lou is loved by those around her, especially by her mother. However, as the years pass, Koala Lou’s mom has other children and Koala Lou begins to feel that her mom doesn’t have time for her any more. So, Koala Lou decides to try out for the Bush Olympics, so that her mom will tell her “Koala Lou, I DO love you!” However, Koala Lou’s plan doesn’t go as she had hoped.
Critical analysis
Mem Fox introduces readers to Koala Lou who is her mother’s only child at the beginning of the story. Everyone around her thinks that she is adorable and lavishes attention upon Koala Lou. However, as time passes and Koala Lou grows up, her mother pays less attention to her and more toward her younger children. Koala Lou begins to become sad that her mother does not spend as much time with her anymore. Many older siblings can relate to the story as Koala Lou feels ignored by her mother because much of her mother’s attention is taken up by her younger brothers and sisters.
Pamela Lofts’ illustrations capture the warm loving world that Koala Lou lives. One of Lofts pictures depicts all those that love Koala Lou looking back at the readers with kindly faces. As the story progresses, the reader sees Koala Lou literally separate from her mother. This gives the reader a feeling of the loneliness that Koala Lou was feeling.
Attention to detail in the illustrations and the story add depth to Koala Lou’s world. The illustrations depict a forest with bright and colorful bugs, lizards, and even frogs that are not found in North America. Mem Fox has Koala Lou competing in the Bush Olympics, where Koala Lou is racing to reach the top of a gum tree, which is more native to the Australian region. However, in spite of these geographical depictions of Australia, all readers can relate to Koala Lou’s attempt to win her mother’s attention.
Review excerpt(s)
The Horn Book: "A first-rate choice for bedtime, story hour, or reading aloud."
Publishers Weekly: “… Fox's books send out positive messages to children about the wonders of being human…”
Connections
-Disscuss, plan, and implement your own Bush Olympics.
-Have children point out the various different animals in Koala Lou. Then, have them research an animal of their choice.
Other books about koalas:
Crozat, Francois. I AM A LITTLE KOALA BEAR. ISBN 9780812064827
Dennard, Deborah. KOALA COUNTRY: A STORY OF AN AUSTRALIAN EUCALYPTUS FOREST. ISBN 9781568998886
Hamilton, Martha A. WHY KOALA HAS A STUMPY TAIL. ISBN 9780874838794
Butler, John. CAN YOU CUDDLE LIKE A KOALA? ISBN 9781561453474
Alice in Wonderland
Bibliographic data
Carroll, Lewis. ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Ill. by John Tenniel. New York, NY: Avenel Books.
*No ISBN or date of publication is listed in the book.
Brief plot summary
Lewis Carroll introduces a little girl named Alice who goes on several adventures in a Wonderland. One day Alice is lazily dozing outside with her sister when she sees a talking white rabbit. She follows it down a rabbit hole and enters a wonderland where, as the Cheshire cat says, “we’re all mad here” (90). Alice meets many mad people, goes to a never-ending tea party, and plays croquet with a temperamental queen who likes to have people’s heads chopped off. All of these adventures help Alice to find her courage to be more outspoken.
Critical analysis
Carroll’s story captures the imagination and takes it on a “mad” roller coaster ride. The characters, such as the Mad Hatter and the Duchess, add comical depth to the story. It is sometimes hard to make sense of why certain events happen, such as when the cook throws pots and pans at the Duchess, or when the baby turns into a pig. However, the reader is just as confused as Alice as to why these things happen. The readers can come to their own conclusions as to why some of these “mad” people act the way that they do. Readers can infer that the cook threw pots and pans at the duchess to symbolize the lower classes’ anger toward the aristocracy.
The mad, senseless events in the story can be seen as both a strength and a weakness to the story. A reader could get lost and frustrated trying to figure out exactly why the baby turns into a pig. However, the strength of the story can be the uniqueness and symbolism of a baby turning into a pig.
The story is deeply rooted in British culture. The game of croquet, the tea party, the Duchess, and the Queen all have British elements to them. The comical game of croquet in which Alice must play with a rolled up hedgehog and a flamingo add a mad twist to the traditional British croquet with hoops, ball, and a mallet. Additionally, the British language is seen throughout the story. Some readers might not know what some of the terms mean or what the characters are talking about, such as when the Dormouse talks about three sisters down in a well living off treacle. Many readers might not know what treacle or croquet is.
The illustrator John Tenniel who was the original illustrator of the first Alice in Wonderland portrays Alice with an almost adult-like face. She never seems to be smiling and some of the illustrations are a bit shocking, especially on page 15 in chapter two, “The Pool of Tears” where her neck is stretched almost like a giraffe’s and the rest of her body remains the same. However, these types of illustrations add to the creativeness of the story and give the reader a visual understanding of what Alice was experiencing. Another unique illustrations is in the chapter called “In a Little Bill” on page 55 where a tiny Alice was playing with a little puppy who is actually gigantic to Alice’s size. However, all of the illustrations are done with a skillfulness that makes the story more distinctive such as the size and the harshness of the Queen and the Duchess’s head.
Overall, the story and the illustrations make Alice in Wonderland a timeless classic that both children and adults can enjoy. Readers can learn much of the British culture and humor through the eyes of Alice, Carroll’s “mad” interpretations of British customs, and the Tenniel’s caricatures and illustrations.
Review excerpt(s)
Children’s Literature: “The actual social commentary and satire will elude most contemporary readers, but it in no way diminishes the joy of reading this classic story.”
Reading Matters (http://www.readingmatters.co.uk/book.php?id=65) “katriona, girl, age 10, from newport, United Kingdom, on 10th March 2006. Rating:” “This book is really fasinating and has great pictures and more people should read this more often because this is a FAB!!!!! book”
Connections
-Put an Alice in Wonderland tea party together. You can dress up as the characters and have a traditional British tea while you discuss the story and the author Lewis Carroll.
-Have a trivia game about Alice in Wonderland.
Other children and young adult books by British authors:
Austen, Jane. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. ISBN 0140373373
Dahl, Roald. JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH. ISBN 9780140374247
Goudge, Elizabeth. THE LITTLE WHITE HORSE. ISBN 9780142300275
Jones, Diana Wynne. CHARMED LIFE. ISBN 9780688155469
Lewis, C.S. THE CHRONICALS OF NARNIA. ISBN 0066238501
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