Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir by Margarita Engle

Hardcover, 208 pages

Published August 4th 2015 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

In this poetic memoir, Margarita Engle, the first Latina woman to receive a Newbery Honor, tells of growing up as a child of two cultures during the Cold War.

Margarita is a girl from two worlds. Her heart lies in Cuba, her mother's tropical island country, a place so lush with vibrant life that it seems like a fairy tale kingdom. But most of the time she lives in Los Angeles, lonely in the noisy city and dreaming of the summers when she can take a plane through the enchanted air to her beloved island. Words and images are her constant companions, friendly and comforting when the children at school are not.

Then a revolution breaks out in Cuba. Margarita fears for her far-away family. When the hostility between Cuba and the United States erupts at the Bay of Pigs Invasion, Margarita's worlds collide in the worst way possible. How can the two countries she loves hate each other so much? And will she ever get to visit her beautiful island again?

This beautiful memoir gives us a glance into the life of a child living in two worlds and trying to find herself in the midst of a world that is in chaos. Hearing from the first person narrative gives the reader a new perspective on a crisis that is sometimes overlooked. I loved this book from cover to cover and will definitely be using it in my classroom as not only a mentor text for poetry, but also in conjunction with my Social Studies teachers lessons when it comes time. I love the idea of taking pieces of her life as we are working through the historical context. Having a first person perspective through the events will definitely bring a new piece to our classrooms! Absolutely stunning piece!

Counting Lions: Portraits from the Wild by Katie Cotton, Stephen Walton (Illustrations)

Hardcover, 40 pages
Published: October 2015

Exquisite charcoal drawings of ten endangered creatures—lions, elephants, giraffes, pandas, tigers, chimpanzees, penguins, turtles, macaws, and zebras—startle the viewer with their size and astonishing detail. A poetic text notes each creature’s particular qualities and behavior, while providing a quiet counting exercise and a reminder that these animals must be cherished and protected.

This exquisite book takes readers from one lion all the way to ten macaws all the while enchanting us with the art work, poetry, and knowledge. The book is HUGE (it is considered an "oversized" book) and allows the reader to really experience the art along with the beautiful words on the page.

Another of the amazing parts of this book are the last few pages which give the reader more information about each of the species being counted and their danger of possible extinction. Both of my children poured over this book (we laid it out on the floor and truly experienced it) and it prompted them to go look for the animals and research more about each one. That alone thrilled my nerdy heart!

This book is a fantastic addition to a home or classroom library!



Ideas for the Classroom:

This book is ideal for the Science classroom when talking about endangered species and habitats. Students will be able to get a glimpse into the life of the species through the pages and gain additional information through the final pages. After this introduction, teachers could break the class into pairs or small groups and have each one research further the species they are assigned. Using technology such as Google Earth to locate the animal could also be a lot of fun! Check out this amazing pack on TeachersPayTeachers from Meridian which has an Endangered Species activity using Google Earth already created (along with some other cool ones).

Students could also research an endangered species not featured in the book (the teacher may want to come up with a suggested list) and have your class create their own book using Counting Lions as a model. Have the students complete their research, write their poems, create their own art, and compile them all into a class book. If you can, give each child in the class a copy of the book. Staples and Office Depot both bind books if your school doesn't have a binding machine. Partnering with the art teacher would also be fantastic with this project so that they can analyze the book from an art standpoint and help the student with their art. Cross-curricular collaboration is a fantastic way to show your students the importance of all classes and to support each other!

Happy reading!

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

Hardcover, 272 pages

Published February 22nd 2011 by HarperCollins 

 

 

Inside Out and Back Again is a New York Times bestseller, a Newbery Honor Book, and a winner of the National Book Award! 

 

Inspired by the author's childhood experience of fleeing Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon and immigrating to Alabama, this coming-of-age debut novel told in verse has been celebrated for its touching child's-eye view of family and immigration.

For all the ten years of her life, Hà has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope. In America, Hà discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food . . . and the strength of her very own family.

This moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing received four starred reviews, including one from Kirkus which proclaimed it "enlightening, poignant, and unexpectedly funny." An author's note explains how and why Thanhha Lai translated her personal experiences into Hà's story.

This book is simply amazing. The story of a young girl's life as she goes through a major change during such a tumultuous time in history is beautifully written and allows readers to see what it was like from a different perspective. Since this was based on the author's life, there is an authenticity on these pages that allows readers to experience the grief, change, fear, and so much more. It was amazing to me how we tend to think that we experience things that are particular to us, but this novel shows how so many things we experience are universal. Simply stated, I loved this book. 

Teaching Ideas: 

This book is one that Social Studies teachers should have in their classrooms. When teaching about the Vietnam War, there are many books that teachers can use to discuss the American side of it. This book, however, shows another perspective of the Vietnam War and allows readers to experience that through the eyes of someone who experienced it first hand. This book would be a great mentor text to give to a group of students to read or even as a great read aloud. 

Happy reading!