The Arrival

  Literacy has always been defined by scholars as having the ability to read and write. Now studies suggest that our definition of literacy is too narrow and that we should also include visual literacy, which allow us to use pictures like words to draw meaning. The critically acclaimed graphic novel, The Arrival by Shaun Tan, is a wordless graphic novel that challenges our way of thinking and reading.

Description: In this wordless graphic novel, a man leaves his homeland and sets off for a new country, where he must build a new life for himself and his family.

Review: Tan expertly captures the displacement, fear, and awe with which immigrants respond to their new surroundings in this wordless graphic novel. The story is very simple, but the execution of it is very complex and multi-layered. The Arrival depicts the journey of one man, threatened by dark shapes that cast shadows on his family's life, to a new country. His native land is shown in ominous dark colors suggesting a cold and confining place. Some reviewers have suggested that the native land has a totalitarian government by focusing on some symbols, but in my opinion, I think that might be reading a little too in to the graphic novel.
  The unnamed man goes through the several motions like any immigrant who is preparing him/herself to go to another land. The only writing in The Arrival is an invented alphabet, which creates the sensation immigrants must feel when they encounter a strange new language and way of life. A wide variety of ethnicities is represented in Tan's hyper-realistic style, and the sense of warmth and caring for others, regardless of race, age, or background, is present on nearly every page.
  When I first read The Arrival I was taken aback on the strange illustrations, but once I started reading this graphic novel slowly to full embrace its narrative, everything started to click and I grew mesmerized by the  strange new world that Tan creates. The Arrival is a very quick read, but reading it quickly is a big disservice to the reader and to the graphic novel. Readers who take their time looking at the pictures will grasp the sense of strangeness and find themselves participating in the man's experiences. They will linger over the details in the beautiful sepia pictures and will likely read the book again as soon as they turn the last page.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Though the reading level for this graphic novel can be as low as Grade 4, I would recommended this graphic novel for mature Grades 7 readers and up due to the complex understanding of the visual symbolism.

If you like this book try:  The Wall by Peter Sis, American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

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Crescent

 Part of the fun of participating in the Middle Eastern Reading Challenge is learning about different countries, cultures, and exploring new authors. When I picked up Crescent, I was in the mood for an engrossing read especially after a few books that left me wanting more. I'm happy to say that Crescent delivered in lots of surprising ways.

Description (from book's inside panel): An Arab-American novel as delicious as Like Water for Chocolate. Praised by Critics from The New Yorker to USA Today for the first novel, Arabian Jazz ("an oracular tale that unfurls like gossamer"), Diana Abu-Jaber weaves with spellbinding magic a multidimensional love story set in the Arab-American community of Los Angeles. Thirty-nine-year-old Sitine, never married, lives with a devoted Iraqi-immigrnt uncle and an adoring dog named King Babar. She works as a chef in a Lebanese restaurant, her passions aroused only by the preparation of food--until an unbearably handsome Arabic literature professor starts dropping by for a little home cooking. Falling in love brings Sirene's whole heart to a boil--stirring up memories of her parents and questions about her identity as an Arab American. Written in a lush, lyrical style teminiscent of The God of Small Things, infused with the flavors and scents of Middle Eastern food, and spiced with history and fable, Creseent is a sensuous love story and a gripping tale of risk and commitment.

Review: Crescent is a complex, rich novel with multiple layers that weaves the story of a romance between an alluring chef and a handsome, haunted Near Eastern Studies professor together with a fanciful tale of a mother's quest to find her wayward son. The author does an incredible job in exploring  private emotions and global politics with both grace and conviction.
  Sirine is a beautiful, single woman who also happens to be the leading chef at an Arabic cafe where many of the customers are Arab immigrant students who flock to the cafe in order to get a taste of home. Raised by her uncle after the death of her relief-worker parents, Sirine isn't really connected to her cultural roots. While others around her experience homesickness, Sirine feels a part of her that is missing. When her uncle introduces her to his colleague Hanif, her easy going lifestyle is disturbed.
  By far the most interesting character in Crescent is the male lead, Hanif, who has been exiled from Iraq and hasn't seen his family for twenty years. He is incredibly intelligent, filled with mysteries, and handsome. He constantly struggles to adjust to his life in the U.S. while still holding on to his fond memories of Baghdad he loved as a boy. I found myself being immediately drawn to him and I instantly wanted to know why and how he left Iraq and can't go back.
 While the romance between Sirine and Hanif happens rather quickly, you do get the sense that they have done the flirting dance for a while. Both are afraid of commitment though their definitions of commitment may be different. For Sirine, it's about embracing her Iraqi cultural roots and she seems to find that in Hanif. For Hanif, it's the balance between his past and his present which he seems to find in Sirine. Sirine and Hanif's relationship isn't perfect and it does have rocky moments, which made their romance realistic.
 Abu-Jaber's prose is sensuous. The city is vibrant and you can practically picture yourself sitting in the cafe as the sights, sounds, and smells come alive. Throughout the book I had a really strong craving for Middle Eastern cuisine and I will warn you that the multiple dishes mentions will make you hungry. The secondary characters also come alive, especially the wry, meddling, wise cafe owner Um-Nadia and the charmingly narcissistic poet and satyr Aziz, are appealingly eccentric. I loved that all the characters are real, honest, and three dimensional. They are not perfect. While I may not agree with the decisions they make, I can understand the choices they made.
  I thought the pacing was good and was surprised how quickly I finished the book. Normally, it takes me twice as long to finish an adult book instead of a YA or children because the setting, plot, and characters take time to fully establish. I think with my prior knowledge of the cuisine, familiarity with the language, and atrocities under the Saddam Hussain regime helped me read and enjoy the book much more. I know of many other readers who thought the book was slow and boring. I, however, was enthralled and enamored with the story. I look forward to reading more books by this author.  

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are some small sex scenes and some language in the book. Recommended for mature teens interested in multicultural fiction and adults.

If you like this book try: Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran, The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan, Chocolat by Joan Francis, Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

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Children Mini-Reviews Featuring Animal Heroes

  I realized that I still have some children's books that I didn't get a chance to review yet from last year. Though the mini-reviews are brief, I think they cut to the chase and let you know my impressions about the books. Today I'll be reviewing: Animal Heroes by Sandra Markle, Kira, Kira by Cynthia Kadohata, and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor.

Description (from book's back cover): A guide dog leads its owner to safety down seventy-seven flights of stairs in the World Trade Center before the building collapses. A female gorilla in a zoo picks up and protects an unconscious toddler who falls into her enclosure. An elderly dog named Frisky keeps his owner awake and alive when Hurricane Katrina floods the house. Winnie the cat saves her owners from carbon monoxide poisoning. Animals, both wild and domestic, have become heroes when they've come to the rescue of humans. In these heartwarming, true stories, Sandra Markle shows how dogs, cats, cows, monkeys, and even dolphins use their normal senses or special training to help people in trouble or in need all over the world.

Review: Animal Heroes is a juvenile nonfiction book that contains lots of colorful pictures and information. As the title suggests, the book features numerous animals who have rescued humans, either their own owners or complete strangers caught in a dangerous situation. Rescues from 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina as well as more obscure disasters are included. One of my favorite stories was about a gorilla at a zoo who helped keep a child, who accidentally slipped into the cage, safe. The stories are remarkable. The stories also contain informative panels that further explain the situation in scientific terms such as the animals habit, what it means to have frostbite or hypothermia. An extensive bibliography, including a few website links, and a glossary is included along with further reading suggestions.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are some photos and details of the 9/11 attack especially of the building crumbling and on fire which make be a bit scary for young readers. As an adult, I know I felt a bit uncomfortable. Recommended for Grades 3 to 6.

If you like this book try: Shelter Dogs by Peg Kehret



Description (from book's back cover): Glittering. That's how Katie Takeshima's sister, Lynn, makes everything seem. The sky is kira-kira for the same reason. And so are people's eyes. When Katie and her family move from a Japanese community in Iowa to the Deep South of Georgia, it's Lynn who explains to her why people stop them on the street to stare. And it's Lynn who, with her special way of viewing the world, teaches Katie to look beyond tomorrow. But when Lynn becomes desperately ill, and the whole family begins to fall apart, it is up to Katie to find a way to remind them all that there is always something glittering - kira-kira - in the future.

Review: Kira, Kira won the Newbery Award in 2005. It's one of those books that make you scratch your head and wonder why it was awarded. The writing is quite good and the plot is ok, but there's nothing really remarkable about it. It moved at a snail's pace kinda like a movie you thought was finished but only to find another scene pop on the screen. I liked knowing Katie's family and the Japanese culture. I was a bit confused, however,  as to what ailed her sister Lynn. There are hints about a terminal illness, which I thought was cancer but the illness was never explained. In the end Kira, Kira really didn't do anything for me and had it not win the Newbery I wouldn't have picked it up.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There are some racial slurs and PG language in the book. Recommended for ages 12 and up.

If you like this book try: Return to Sender by Julia Alveraz


Description: A black family living in Mississippi during the Depression of the 1930s is faced with prejudice and discrimination which its children do not understand.

Review: I didn't realize that Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry was part of a series by Mildred Taylor. While I didn't feel lost reading the book, there's not much of a plot to the story. The book does a good job in showcasing the family's struggle against prejudice and racism. I loved learning about the members of the Logan family and was inspired by their tenacity to stand up to the injustice they are faced. My main problem with the book is how the adults, particularly the mother of the Logan family,  tries to shelter her children about what is happening around them such as the terrorism caused by the KKK. While her reasoning is understandable, I think it does a disservice to her children and I found it unbelievable. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry was awarded the Newbery Award in 1977.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: The "n" word is used quite frequently, but it does serve a purpose. There is also some violence in the book too. Recommended for strong Grade 5 readers and up.

If you like this book try: Logan family series by Mildred Taylor, Guardian by Julius Lester

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Unaccustomed Earth

 For my last book in the Southeast Asian Reading Challenge, I finished The Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpah Lahiri. This is Lahiri second collection of short stories and in my opinion a much strongely written and diverse enteries than her Pultizer Prize winning collection in Interpreter of the Maladies.

Description: Eight stories that take the reader from Cambridge and Seattle to India and Thailand as they enter and uncover the lives of sisters and brothers, fathers and mothers, daughters and sons, friends and lovers.

Review: My main complaint about short stories is one of its trademarks: brevity. By the time I get comfortable with the plot and warm up to its characters, the story is over and I feel cheated. Perhaps, I'm reading them wrong and should not approach them in the same way as I normally do with any fiction book. Writing a short story must be very hard and it takes a rare and particular talent to write captivating short stories. The author must perfectly craft every word, every sentence, in order to develop character, plot and intrigue in a limited space.
 Lahiri's eight stories featured in Unaccustomed Earth are much lengthier than most short stories I've read, but I welcomed them. I felt they gave her much needed room to explore not only the different themes, but also a showcasing the various relationships throughout her stories. Lahiri's stories always feature characters of Bengali descent who reside in America but they are far from formulaic. In the title and personally my favorite story, Unaccustomed Earth, Brooklyn-to-Seattle transplant Ruma frets about a presumed obligation to bring her widower father into her home, a stressful decision taken out of her hands by his unexpected independence. In another, the alcoholism of Rahul is described by his elder sister, Sudha, who struggles with her own disappointment, guilt, bewilderment and sense of duty. And in the loosely linked trio of stories closing the collection, the lives of Hema and Kaushik intersect over the years, first in 1974 when she is six and he is nine; then a few years later when, at 13, she swoons at the now-handsome 16-year-old teen's reappearance; and again in Italy, when she is a 37-year-old academic about to enter an arranged marriage, and he is a 40-year-old photojournalist. Lahiri's stories are surprising, aesthetically marvelous and shaped by a sure and provocative sense of inevitability. Her skill of storytelling is enchanting and I look forward to whatever she publishes next.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong languge, underage drinking, and semi-explicit sex scenes in a few stories. Recommended for teen readers interested in multicultural fiction and adults only.

If you like this book try: Interpreter of Maladies by Jhmpah Lahiri, Bittersweet by Roopa Farooki

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The Reel Shelf Presents: Jesminder 'Jess' Kaur Bhamra (Bend It Like Beckham)

  Welcome to The Reel Shelf, a new weekly feature here at Books in the Spotlight where I imagine what's on my favorite TV/Movie character's book shelves. When I watched Bend It Like Beckham for the first time I loved it immediately. The movie did such a great job in showcasing the traditional Indian culture, along with a strong and diverse cast, and a comedy that I think everyone can relate to one some level regardless of their own backgrounds.

Image and quote from IMDB

Anyone can cook aloo gobi, but who can bend a ball like Beckham?

  Today I'm featuring the protagonist of Bend It Like Beckham, Jesminder "Jess" Kaur Bhamra. Jess comes from a traditional Sikh family who lives in England. She's loves football (aka soccer) with a passion and has absolutely no desire to stay and learn how to cook. Jess walks the thin line between modernity and traditions that I often find myself walking on too. You really can't help but root for her. On Jess's bookshelves you will find a wide assortment of sport books featuring a female athlete. You will also find books that explore the different aspects of the Southeast Asian culture. Please note all the book descriptions are from Goodreads and/or from the book's panels.

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Illegal

  When you don't have many to pay for your bills, a roof over your head, and your father who promised to return but has suddenly disappeared, who do you turn to? Faith, family, friends? How do you keep going when every opportunity is closed to you? What risks are you willing to take? As the title of Bettina Restrepo's debut novel suggests, Illegal, tells the story of contemporary illegal immigrants.

Description: Nora’s lives in a small Mexican town called Cedula. Her family's farm is not having luck in selling crops and are rapidly running out of money. In order to help his family, Nora's Papa immigrants and illegally works on a construction site. Papa promises Nora that he will send money back hope and return in time for her quinceañera, her 15th birthday party, but that was three years ago. When the letters and money stop coming, Nora and Mama leave family behind and set out to find him.

Review: Illegal is a heart wrenching story that never trivializes the harsh daily struggles for illegal immigrants in search of food, shelter, and community. The book begins with an emotional goodbye as we see Nora's Papa leaves for Texas in hopes of providing his family with a better life. Unlike most immigrant novels I've read, the decision to migrant from one country to another is a last resort. It becomes apparent that Nora's family has done everything they could to stick together in Cedula until they ran out of options.
  What struck me the most in this book is Nora's voice and her resilience to push forward when anyone in her shoes, including me, would sit and cry in defeat. Nora is simply a teen who girl would love to paint her nails and wear nice clothes, but instead she has to accept the reality that her family need's come first before her own. Unlike most of us, Nora is forced to become an adult and take charge. She takes charge of devising a plan to find her father, convinces her mother to cross the border and to find a job. Nothing is easy for Nora. She doesn't speak fluent English but only recognizes a few words. She fights off violence, including an attempted gang rape; makes friends (who also need help and a place to belong); and questions her faith in God.
 While sometimes the book can come across like a documentary as other character's back stories are involved, Nora's daily struggle maintains the book's tension mounting and heartbreak. Nothing but her family's heartbreak is constant yet their determination to have a better life is memorable and admirable. There are a few small acts of kindness sprinkled throughout the harrowing journey to prevent the book from being completely dark. Restrepo doesn't glorify the dangers of crossing the border. Nora’s immediate first-person and honest narrative will hook readers with its gritty specifics, genuine anger, confusion and sorrow. 

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are a few instances where there are attempted rapes in the book. Gang violence is also suggested but take place mostly off the page. Recommended to Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: Crossing the Wire by Will Hobbs

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The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf

  The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf by Mohja Kahf was recommended to me by my dad or more accurately-one of my dad's student had recommended it to him, but since my dad doesn't read "novels", he passed it on to me. I wasn't in the mood to read a preachy book and thus had the title sitting on my shelf for about five years until I put in my list of top 10 books I resolved to read in 2011. I'm glad that I can finally pull it off from my bookshelf, but I can't seem to shake off my frustration with the title.

Description: Khadra Shamy recalls what it was like growing up as a Syrian Muslim American during the 1970s in Indianapolis, Indiana. Her devout parents raise Khadra and her older brother, Eyad, to be observant of Islamic customs. As Khadra grows older, she reaches a cultural crossroad that forces her to question what it means to be "Muslim", "Syrian" or "American."

Review: The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf is a very ambitious novel that seems to tackle all the important complex issues tied to identity: religion, race, and politics. For Muslim Americans (such as me), the book forces them to see the rising problems in the Islamic community that are still relevant today. For those who are not familiar with Islam, the book is an eye opening experience of looking at America from a "foreigner's" point of view. Regardless from what perspective you are reading the book, it is undeniable that the issues it brings up is important, timely, and much needed, however; I can't honestly recommend it without some reservations.
 I had a really hard time reading this book. It's not that the language or themes were beyond my comprehension, but rather I found the writing and editing to be so poorly done. The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf has no plot, at least in the way we traditionally think of plot (beginning, middle, end or events leading to a climax and a resolution- depending on how you define plot). The prologue establishes our protagonist, Khadra, on a trip back home to Indianapolis, Indiana for a project she has to do for work. She has some trepidations in coming back home. The book immediately goes back in time to her childhood through adulthood with abrupt transitions to the present. There are large plot holes in the novel, particularly with the books timeline. In fact by the last few chapters of the story, I completely forgot Khadra was on a trip at all because I didn't know what she was doing in the present.
  In addition to the plot holes, there is an inconsistency with the translations of important Arabic phrases that are used throughout the book. While I have background knowledge of Islam, I did not have a problem understanding the terms, however, those who are not familiar with the Islamic faith could easily get confused and miss out its significance. I don't consider myself a lazy reader who is not willing to look up information in order to understand a book nor do I feel that an author needs to spoon feed me the information in order to enjoy his/her novel, but I do strongly believe there needs to be some context in which phrases are used. The author doesn't give any context clues nor a glossary, but only a haphazardly thrown bibliography of books that influenced her writing.
  Along with the book's disorganization, I did not feel there was any character growth for the characters. Kahf throws in characters right and left as if she's a chef preparing a complex dish. Characters disappear without leaving any impression on the reader. I didn't like Khadra at all. For the first half of the book, I found her to be insulting and condescending. She sees religion in its most puritanical form and those who don't follow her rules are deemed as unobservant and are "going to hell". While the book is a coming of age novel and most novels in this genre show the protagonist question authority and go on a quest to find their own identity, Khadra does neither for the first 300 pages. She follows the beliefs that her parents taught her blindly and absolutely. It is not until her trip to a politically charged Syria, does she reconsider her beliefs and only then her epiphany is only about 5 pages, which I found very hard to digest and believe.
 While the book addresses important issues such as gender equality, how one interprets religion, and tolerance, it superficially addresses them. One can argue that the book isn't really a novel with a message, but rather an expository piece that shows how fractured the Muslim community is in terms of what constitutes a Muslim identity and what is the correct way to interpret Islam in the 21st century. In that case, I can't help but think the book succeeds in this aspect only by the stereotypes it presents to the reader. 
 I appreciate the author's attempt in exploring the identity of a Muslim American, which has been routinely questioned by those who are first generation Muslim Americans (including myself). For most of us, our parents have raised us to follow Islam and the Islamic code the way they have been taught by their elders, however, things get murky when you live in a secular society like America (and that's not always a bad thing). Books like The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf that explores the identity crisis of Muslim Americans are desperately needed and I think book is in the right direction. Some readers may think the book is poignant and a great choice for book discussions, but it's definitely not for me.


Rating: 2 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language in the book including racial slurs. There is also allusions to rape and murder. Recommended to mature teens and adults only. For those readers who are unfamiliar with Islam, I would highly suggest you read some introductory materials to gain some background knowledge first before reading this book.

If you like this book try: The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

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