The Gifts of Wali Dad

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Shepard, Aaron (retold by) and San Souci, Daniel (illustrator). THE GIFTS OF WALI DAD: A TALE OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN. 1995. New York: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. ISBN: 9780684194455.

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Wali Dad is an old grass cutter who diligently saved his money and led a simple life. One day, he discovers that he has accumulated many coins, and decides to share his wealth with a gift to a noble lady. The surprised queen reciprocates with her own gift of silk. Anxious by what to do with the queen’s extravagant present, Wali Dad decides to send it to the noble king of Nekabad. In turn, the king reciprocates Wali Dad with twelve fine horses. The gift exchange continues on and on, with Wali Dad becoming more and more determined to return to his simple ways. With the help of two magical peris, a traveling merchant, and Wali Dad’s own humble nature, the two royals are brought together in an unexpected matrimonial match.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In the GIFTS OF WALI DAD, Shepard retells a heartwarming Indian and Pakistani tale with the theme of generosity resonating throughout the book. Wali Dad is a happy grass cutter whose simple life is turned upside down when his kindness is repaid with luxurious items he does not want. The plot thickens when the passing of gifts between Wali Dad and the nobles continues to grow more and more extravagant. The tale has a pleasing ending, with the discovery of true love and Wali Dad’s life returning to normal.

In the beginning of the tale, Shepard quickly establishes how Wali Dad leads a simple life and saves his money in “a clay pot under his bed.” Throughout the text, Shepard does well to present the worry and fear that Wali Dad feels if his true identity is revealed to the royals. Shepard also includes many references to the Indian and Pakistani culture, including descriptions of clothing (“a jeweled turban”) and gifts (“finest silks”), as well as the places in which the nobles reside—Khaistan and Nekabad. Mystical elements are also included with the appearance of “two radiant ladies”—the peris of Paradise.

San Souci’s illustrations compliment the tale by reflecting the Indian and Pakistani culture, with beautiful depictions of the marketplace, palaces, animal caravans, and costumes. Wali Dad is portrayed somewhat comically, with San Souci depicting him with larger facial features and having a smaller stature compared with the rest of the characters. Readers sense Wali Dad’s unease with luxury through his obvious expressions and poses.


4. AWARDS WON AND REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• School Library Journal (1995): “A superior retelling... Shepard has brought [the story] to life for new audiences…Full of interesting details, the pictures support and enlarge upon the text. A worthy addition.”

• Booklist (1995): “In addition to introducing some figures of Indian and Pakistani folklore, the illustrations convey an atmosphere of radiating generosity, which begins in the pictures of the golden wheat Wali Dad cuts and ends when Wali Dad is back in his cottage of golden straw, with a golden moon above.”

• Hornbook (1995): “Wali Dad, with his exaggerated features, is an amusing and sympathetic character in this humorous folktale.”

• Kirkus Review (1995): This happy story by Shepard has no evil characters and an irresistible hero, pictured by San Souci as a skinny old man with kind eyes and a big nose. The skillfully constructed watercolors are sometimes laid out in storyboard-fashion: The page is broken up into several frames, with different shots of the same scene. A fun, well-crafted book, with nothing out of place.

5. CONNECTIONS

• Recommended for children ages 5 to 8 years.

• Ask children to locate India and Pakistan on a globe or map. If reading other tales from around the world, also mark the location from where these folktales originated.

• Children may be interested in other folktales from India, including:
  -Cleveland, Robert (retold by). THE DRUM: A TALE FROM INDIA. 2006. August House. ISBN: 9780874838022.
  -Milbourne, Anna (retold by) and Edwards, Linda (illustrator). STORIES FROM INDIA. 2006. Usborne Books. ISBN: 9780794511517.
  -Verma, Jatinder (retold by) and Nilesh, Mistry (illustrator). THE STORY OF DIVAALI. 2002. Barefoot Books. ISBN: 9781841489360.
  

• For more information on author and illustrator Daniel San Souci, visit his Web site at: http://danielsansouci.com/.

• Create a display showcasing the many picture books authored and/or illustrated by Daniel San Souci books, such as:
  -San Souci, Daniel (author) and Neilan, Eujin Kim. IN THE MOONLIGHT MIST: A KOREAN TALE. 1999. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press. ISBN: 9781563977541.
  -San Souci, Daniel (retold by) and Neilan, Eujin Kim. RABBIT AND THE DRAGON KING: BASED ON A KOREAN FOLKTALE. 2006. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press. ISBN: 9781590784181.
  -San Souci, Daniel. NORTH COUNTRY NIGHT. 1994. New York: Yearling. ISBN: 9780440410294.
  -San Souci, Robert (author) and San Souci, Daniel (illustrator). SOOTFACE: AN OJIBWA CINDERELLA STORY. 1997. New York: Random House Childrens Books. ISBN: 9780440413639.
  -London, Jonathon (author) and San Souci, Daniel (illustrator). RED WOLF COUNTRY. 1996. New York: Dutton Juvenile. ISBN:9780525451914.
  

And the Green Grass Grew All Around

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Schwartz, Alvin (author) and Truesdell, Sue (illustrator). AND THE GREEN GRASS GREW ALL AROUND: FOLK POETRY FROM EVERYONE. 1999. New York: HarperTrophy. ISBN: 978-0064462143.

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Schwartz shares a compilation of “folk poetry,” which is essentially poetry that is passed by word of mouth rather written down, with no known author. Many of these folk poems may be familiar to readers, with variations in some of the rhymes. As Schwartz explains, folk poetry can be just about anything—people, school, food, work, weather, the list goes on and on. Some of these rhymes may have been heard on the playground while jumping rope or bouncing a ball or are just silly riddles. One thing they all have in common is that they have existed for some time—whether it be from the turn of the century or even as long as 2,000 years ago!

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Many adults will feel nostalgic when reading Schwartz’s collection of folk poetry. Some of the rhymes are sarcastic (“Liar, liar, pants on fire, Tongue as long as a telephone wire”), catchy (“I’m the boss, Applesauce”), or downright silly (“Higglety, pigglety, pop, The dog has eaten the mop”). While some of the folk poems may not be familiar to younger readers, most will enjoy the nonsense and humor found in nearly all of the verses.

To give readers more perspective on the genre, near the end of the book Schwartz clearly explains how folk poems differ from literary poems, as well as how the poems sometimes evolve. Readers will be interested in learning that many verses originated a hundred or more years ago, when children were viewed as miniature adults and not sheltered from grievances of the times.

Truesdell’s illustrations are found throughout the book and add even more humor to the verses. Her fun and whimsical characters reflect the silliness of many of the poems, providing a comic book feel.

4. AWARDS WON AND REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• School Library Journal: “A marvelous book that is sure to become a classic if children have any say in the matter…Read this outrageous volume before it is shelved; once the kids discover it, it will always be checked out.”

• Kirkus Reviews: “Not since Carl Withers's A Rocket in My Pocket (1948) has there been such a grand compilation of familiar (and unfamiliar) rhymes and chants from the children's own tradition: riddles, games, wishes and taunts; poems about love, food, school, or animals; parodies, nonsense, and stories.”

5. CONNECTIONS

• For children ages 9 to 12; however, younger audiences would also appreciate many of the funny poems and songs.

• At the end of the book, Schwartz lists several additional books that may be of interest to young readers, including:

• Abrahams, Roger D. JUMP-ROPE RHYMES: A DICTIONARY. 1969. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. ISBN: 978-0292784000.

• Chase, Richard. AMERICAN FOLK TALES AND SONGS. 1971. New York: Dover Publications. ISBN: 978-0486226927.

• Emrich, Duncan. THE NONSENSE BOOK OF RIDDLES, RHMES, TONGUE TWISTERS, PUZZLES AND JOKES FROM AMRICAN FOLKLORE. 1970. New York: Four Winds Press. ISBN: 978-0590071574.

• To learn more about American Folk Life and for teacher/student resources on this topic, visit the American Folklife Center Web site: http://www.loc.gov/folklife/index.html

• Other books by Alvin Schwartz include:
  -Schwartz, Alvin (author) and Gammel, Stephanie (illustrator). SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK; COLLECTED FROM AMERICAN FOLKLORE. 1986. New York: HarperCollins Publishing. ISBN: 9780064401708.
  -Schwartz, Alvin (author) and Gammel, Stephanie (illustrator). MORE SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK. New York: HarperCollins Publishing. ISBN: 9780397320813.
  -Schwartz, Alvin. WITCRACKS: JOKES AND JESTS FROM AMERICAN FOLKLORE. 1973. New York: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN: 0397314760
  

Turkey Girl

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Pollock, Penny (author) and Young, Ed (illustrator). THE TURKEY GIRL: A ZUNI CINDERELLA STORY. 1996. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN: 978-0316713146


2. PLOT SUMMARY

A Native American orphaned girl lives in a small hut on the fringes of a pueblo village. Her clothes are tattered and her only companions are the turkeys she tends. When an upcoming celebration dance is announced in the village, Turkey Girl instead tearfully leads her flock to the plains. As if by magic, the turkeys speak to the girl and repay her kindness to them with beautiful clothes and jewelry so that she may also attend the festivities. The turkeys explain that she must agree not to forget them and must return before the “Sun-Father returns to his sacred place.” Unfortunately, Turkey Girl breaks her promise and ultimately loses her only friends forever.


3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Pollock thoughtfully retells the haunting Zuni version of Cinderella. The turkeys in the tale have human-like traits and are essentially the symbolic "godmothers", since they can talk and understand the feelings and desires of the poor turkey girl. Once the turkey girl is given her fancy garments and leaves for the dance, the reader feels the urgency of the clock ticking as the next day draws near and the turkey girl loses track of time. THE TURKEY GIRL emphasizes the theme of keeping promises and the consequences of breaking them. Unlike the happy endings of traditional European Cinderella stories, this version ends with the main character losing her turkey friends.

The pueblo village setting is presented at the very beginning of the tale and helps the reader imagine the life in which Turkey Girl lives. Vivid descriptions of the Native American culture are prevalent throughout the story, as when Pollock writes: “Each dawn, as Sun-Father began his long journey across the sky, the Turkey Girl, clad in her tattered dress, threadbare shawl, and yucca-cactus sandals, led the turkeys from Matsaki.” In addition, the turkeys speak with a wisdom and manner that reflects the Native American culture, such as when they first reveal their ability to speak: "We belong to an ancient race, Maiden Mother, and have many secrets our tall brothers do not know."

While the illustrations use deep colors to reflect the time of day, as well as tones of the American Southwest, they do not demonstrate the emotions and details that are revealed in the text. The colors used are often very dark and the pictures themselves are muted, with few features of the Turkey Girl and depictions of her traditional dress and jewelry. The text was often hard to read, since black and white typeface was inconsistently used throughout the text, particularly on the darker colored pages.


4. AWARDS WON AND REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• Booklist (April 15, 1996): “Pollock's retelling is steady and solid, and her source is clearly indicated in an author's note that gives some background on the tale.”

• Horn Book starred (September, 1996): “This unusual version with its rather abrupt ending provides an interesting contrast to European variations of the Cinderella story…Moody, textured pastel and oil-crayon illustrations evoke the southwestern desert.”

• Kirkus Review (1996): “Pollock tells the tale in formal, flowing style, with long sentences and polite dialogue; Young's large, impressionistic scenes only hint of place, dress, or culture, but fully capture the story's changing moods with floating, indistinct figures and strongly colored light. A graceful, dreamy episode.”

• School Library Journal (1996): “While his [the artist’s] palette jumps wildly from pale shades to the most vibrant pinks, blues, and golds of a vivid desert sunset, the illustrations do not detract from Pollock's thoughtful retelling, which itself gracefully captures the Zuni landscape. Unfortunately, many pages are difficult to read due to a lack of contrast between the illustrations and the words placed on top of them.”

5. CONNECTIONS

• Introduce children to other Zuni legends and traditional stories by visiting:
  - http://www.native-languages.org/zuni-legends.htm
  - http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/Legends-VZ.html#Zun
  - http://www.legendsofamerica.com/NA-ZuniLegends.html
  

• Other Native American Cinderella stories include:
  -Algonquin Indians: Martin, Rafe. ROUGH-FACE GIRL. 1998. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN: 978-0698116269.
  -Ojibwa Indians: San Souci, Robert (author) and San Souci, Daniel (illustrator). SOOTFACE: AN OJIBWA CINDERELLA STORY. 1997. New York: Random House Childrens Books. ISBN: 9780440413639.
  

• Children may be interested in seeing examples of Zuni costumes, jewelry, and pottery. Examples can be found at:
  -The Kennedy Museum of Art Web site: http://www.ohio.edu/museum/zuni/
  -Steve Elmore Indian Art Web site:
  http://elmoreindianart.com/Collections/Pueblo_Pottery/Zuni_Pottery/
  -Manataka American Indian Council Web site: http://www.manataka.org/page1206.html
  

• Children may be interested in hearing a traditional Zuni song, similar to the type of music Turkey Girl may have danced to during the celebration. An example may be found at: http://www.amazon.com/Talking-Spirits-Native-American-Pueblos/dp/B000003ISK)

• Read children a couple of European versions of Cinderella. Discuss how THE TURKEY GIRL story differs from these stories.

• Children may be interested in Cinderella stories from other cultures (e.g., Asian, European, African, South American, etc.). Use a map or globe to illustrate how so many versions of this story exist and represent many different cultures/locations around the world.

Talking with Artists

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cummings, Pat. 1992. TALKING WITH ARTISTS, Vol. 1. New York: Bradbury Press. ISBN: 978-0027242454

2. PLOT SUMMARY

In Talking with Artists, fourteen children’s book illustrators share stories of their lives as artists. At the beginning of each section, the artists share memories from their childhoods and what ultimately led them to the field of book illustration. Pat Cummings, who complied, edited, as well as contributed to the book, also asks the artists questions about how they develop their artistic ideas, what a normal work day is like, where they work, as well as what they enjoy drawing most.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Young readers are given a glimpse of life as a children’s book illustrator through Cummings compilation of interviews with several picture book artists. Cummings provides readers with a unique opportunity to learn the background and artistic inspirations of fourteen illustrators by asking candid questions about their lives. Throughout the book, Cummings asks each author similar questions, which provides an easy to read, consistent format. However, the variation in the artists’ responses is what makes the reading so engaging. While familiar published illustrations from the artists are presented, what makes this book such an enjoyable read is the wonderful artwork the illustrators share from each of their childhoods.

4. AWARDS WON AND REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• The Horn Book Award given by the Boston Globe for outstanding nonfiction (1992).
  
• School Library Journal (starred review) (1992): “Young artists will learn a lot; teachers and other children will also love it. Well designed and well conceived, this book will be welcomed in all those classrooms in which children's literature has become central to the curriculum.”

5. CONNECTIONS

• Recommended for children ages 9 to 12.

• Read picture books illustrated by the authors presented in the book (i.e., Victoria Chess, Pat Cummings, Leo and Diane Dillon, Richard Eglieski, Lois Ehlert, Lisa Campbell Ernst, Tom Feelings, Steven Kellogg, Jerry Pinkney, Amy Schwartz, Lane Smith, Chris Van Allsburg, and David Weisner).

• Create a display showcasing the many picture books created by one of the specific illustrators. Include excerpts from Talking with Artists, such as what the artist’s interests were as a child, where the artist grew up, what the artist’s normal day is like, where does the artist get his/her ideas, what media is used to create the artist’s illustrations, etc.

• Ask children to research another famous children’s book illustrator. Ask them to find one or two picture books illustrated by that person and find two or three facts about that illustrator (e.g., where the artist was born, what media the illustrator uses, etc.).

• Two other volumes also compiled by Pat Cummings include:
  -Cummings Pat. Talking with Artists, Vol. 2. 1995. New York: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. ISBN: 9780689803109
  -Cumming, Pat. Talking with Artists, Vol. 3. 1999. New York: Clarion.
  ISBN: 9780395891322.