The Chronicles of Mrs. Major

  The Shade Tree by Suzy Lee 1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Lee, S. (2023). THE SHADE TREE . Greystone Books Ltd. ISBN: 978-1-77840-018-6 2.  PLOT SUMMARY This Korean folktale tells the story of a traveling man who buys the shade of a tree wherever it lands from a rich owner. He shares his purchase with other travelers, much to the dismay of the rich man.     3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS The main characters are a traveler and a rich man who owns the land of the shade tree. The secondary characters are villagers and other travelers. None of the characters have distinct features but are rather drawn as silhouettes. The travelers and villagers interact with each other and the traveler in positive ways under the shade of the tree. There is a definite protagonist and antagonist in this folktale.  Although not apparent to the reader the specific country of origin, clues in the pictures show an Asian descent. The homes, walls, clothing outlines, hats, and hair are drawn in the fashion o...

  Whoever You Are by Mem Fox 1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Fox, M.. (2017). WHOEVER YOU ARE . Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.  ISBN: 978-1-32889-581-3 2.  PLOT SUMMARY Children from around the world are shown in everyday situations to show the reader that even though we look and talk differently, we are the same. Even when we grow up and become different people, we all feel the same feelings.  3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS The characters represent many different cultures and nationalities of the world. They are shown in a variety of everyday activities that children would be engaged in when reading this book. While no specific culture/nationality is named, it is apparent that there are multiple depicted. Fox mentions they may have different skin, homes, etc.  On some pages, there is the world with many different children around it. There are also differing landscapes on other pages. There is a rounded horizon behind kids on many pages to represent the Earth in their region.  There are...

  Just a Girl by Lia Levi 1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Levi, L.. (2020). Just a Girl. HarperCollins Italia.  ISBN: 978-0-06-306508-6 2.  PLOT SUMMARY This memoir written by Lia Levi follows her navigating through Italy during WWII as a Jew. Beginning as a shy little girl, Lia speaks directly to the reader. Under Mussolini's law, Jews lose more and more as time goes on waiting on the Americans to rescue them.. She and her sisters are sent to a convent to live under a new name as Catholics for safety. When the war is over her mom tells her she’s just a girl, and no longer has to say she’s a Jewish girl.    3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS Lia Levi wrote this story as a memoir from World War II. She along with her two sisters lives with their parents and their nanny. The family begins the story as happy and content. While the war advances, they all grow more fearful and protective of each other. Her parents sacrifice their welfare to keep their daughters safe from the harm of advancing Na...

  Peter Lee's Notes from the Field 1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ahn, A. (2022). PETER LEE’S NOTES FROM THE FIELD . Tundra Books. ISBN: 978-0-73526-826-5 2.  PLOT SUMMARY This cultural fiction novel follows Peter, a Korean-Canadian boy with a deep passion for dinosaurs and paleontology. When his family takes him on a long-anticipated paleontology dig over the summer, things don’t go as planned, leaving Peter disheartened and ready to abandon his dream. At the same time, he notices his beloved grandmother acting strangely, prompting him to shift his focus to figure out how to help her.  3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS Peter lives with his sister, L.B., and his parents in a home near his grandparents, Hammy and Haji. He is obsessed with dinosaurs, which will resonate with readers. His sister, L.B. seems to have sensory processing issues, which Peter helps her navigate through during school and at home. L.B. is a genius who her parents think needs extra tutoring instead of letting her just be...