Cynthia Bolanos Flores Blog

Bibliography Hughes, L., Collier, B., & Linn, L. (2012). I, too, am America. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Plot Summary This picture book uses vibrant illustrations to retell a poem by Langston Hughes. It tells the story of porters and the injustices they experienced. It shows how they did the best out of it and found a way to give back to their community. It tells a story of hope for a better future. Critical Analysis This picture book demonstrates African Americans wanting to be treated with equality and respect as others through a poem by Langston Hughes. It helps children understand how things were back then through pictures. It represents the hope individuals had for acceptance, a part of our history that impacted African American culture. The poem is retold in power illustrations that show African Americans in a setting which they were placed by society. It portrays the bravery and strength of African Americans that wanted change and had ...

Bibliography Pinkney, Andrea Davis. 2010. Sit-In:   How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down. Ill. by Brian Pinkney.   Boston:   Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 978-0-316-07016-4 Plot Summary Four college students wanted to change segregation into integration. They peaceful came to protest racial equality. Inspired by Martin Luther King and with hope for change they sat in a white’s only counter. Their act was spread across and they were joined by others. However, they had to endure the racism and hatred of others. Their sit in in Woolworth’s lunch counter became a defining moment in the growing civil rights movement. Critical Analysis The book is based on true events that were an important mark in African American history. Many individuals believed that change could come from a peaceful approach and not of hatred. The story mentions segregation and how African Americans wanted to treated as equals. The time period was during the Civil War. It started off...

Bibliography Woodson, J. W. (2014).  Brown Girl Dreaming . Penguin Group USA. ISBN 0399252517 Plot Summary Jacqueline Woodson in an African American girl telling her story in a  Brown Girl Dreaming.  Her   mother is from the south while her father is from up north. Her parents are from opposite ends of the United States were colored people are treated differently. Mary Ann and Jack eventually go their separate ways. Their views and feelings about the south cause turmoil between them. This leads Mary Ann to leave Jacqueline’s father and move in with her parents in Greenville, South Carolina. The south is very different from the north. There is visually still more racism and segregation in the south. Jacqueline her bother Hope, sister Odella, mother, and grandparents live in Greenville in an area known as Nicholtown which are mostly colored people. The children get attached to their grandparents and Jacqueline even begins to call her grandfather daddy....

One Crazy Summer Bibliography Williams-Garcia, Rita. One crazy summer. New York: Amistad, 2012. Print. ISBN 0060760885 Plot Summary Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are on their way to Oakland, California to meet their mother. Delphine feels like it is her responsibility to take care of her sisters. When the plane lands a stewardess is assigned to watch over the girls. Delphine spots her mother Cecile in the crowd pacing back and forth as if deciding whether to leave them there or not. Cecile leads them to her home a green stucco house. Delphine is surprised for the stories she had heard about her mother made her seem like she would never amount to anything. Cecile is not your typical mother and she makes it clear that this visit was not her idea. She does not cook for them or take them on outings, but instead sends them to a summer camp center supported by the Black Panthers and orders them to go get take out for dinner. The girls are not allowed to be at the house during...

Bibliography Downham, J. (n.d.). Unbecoming. New York: Findaway World. Plot summary This story follows three women all with different obstacles to encounter. Katie, her mother Caroline, and Grandmother Mary have secrets that will unravel. Katie is battling with her sexuality and the repercussions of kissing her best friend Esme. She tries to make the incident pass even by laughing at a girl that has come out. Caroline has to deal with raising her family and taking care of her youngest son who has special needs. Thus she is very controlling and a lot of kept anger. She is trying to keep it together after her husband has left her for a younger woman. Mary has dementia and her partner Jack has passed away. Since there is no one to take care of her responsibility lands on Caroline. Katie tries to help Mary not forget since her mother does not put much effort. As the story continues one comes to understand the relationship between Caroline and Mary. Katie as well begins to come to...

Bibliography Thor, A., & Schenck, L. (2011). The lily pond. New York: Delacorte Press. Plot Summary Stephnie Steiner along with her younger sister Nellie, left Vieena that had been occupied by Nazis. They found shelter in an island called Goteberg, Sweden. They had adapted to their new home and foster parents when Stephnie gets the opportunity to go back to school. In the process falls in love with a boy named Sven. He is older and the son of the family that she is staying with will attending school on a scholarship.   She makes a good friend in May and has a few issues with other classmates. Along with the struggles of the war Stephnie has to deal with the many troubles of being a teenager. As well as wonder about the well-being of their parents that had to stay back. CRITICAL ANALYSIS Author Annika Thor was born and raised Jewish in Göteborg, Sweden and one can tell by the text. She describes locations with many details. She describes the streets made of cobbl...

Bibliography Leroy, J., & Maudet, M. (2016). A well-mannered young wolf. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. Plot summary This wolf was raised to have manners. On his first hunting trip on his own he captures a rabbit and allows him to request a last wish. The rabbit asks for a story so the little wolf goes back home to grab a book, to his surprise the rabbit did not keep his promise and left. The wolf continues to hunt and catches a chicken. The chicken as well tricks the wolf and sends him in search of an instrument for a song as his last wish. Lastly, the wolf captures a boy. The boy keeps his promise and stays until the wolf returns to give him his last wish unlike his other preys. The wolf was surprised and allowed him to show the drawing to his friends who by luck are the chicken and rabbit. The wolf then lets the boy go in exchange eats the two preys that had lied to him. Critical Analysis A young wolf is trying to devour his prey, but before ...

Bibliography Fox, M. (2013). Good Night, Sleep Tight. Orchard Books Plot Summary Bonnie and Ben have their favorite babysitter to watch them. Before bedtime Skinny Doug sings a nursery rhyme to the children. They love it so much they ask to hear it again. Skinny Doug does something better and with every turn of a page there is another nursery rhyme until he says good night. Critical Analysis If I look back at my upbringing these were not the nursery rhymes my mom would singing to me. However, some sounded familiar while others I had to look up. These are nursery rhymes that young children in the U.S grow up with. They are used in elementary schools, sung by parents, and grandparents. The nursery rhymes originated from the United States and England. This picture book main characters include Ben, Bonnie, and Skinny Doug. They are home about to go to sleep when their favorite babysitter amuses them with several nursery rhymes. It does not stereotype and a great way to ...