Review: Buffalo Song by Joseph Bruchac

by Lori Calabrese

Who will ever forget when they saw a buffalo for the first time? I'll always remember the sight of them lounging in the grass on a hot summer day at the zoo, batting the bugs away, swinging their tails side to side. Joseph Bruchac's own interest in buffalo grew when he was a child, standing in front of a pen at the Catskill Game Farm in upstate New York. Because of it, he brings us this powerful tale about how this American symbol was saved from extinction.

For thousands of years massive herds of buffalo roamed across much of North America, but by the 1870s, fewer than fifteen hundred of these animals remained. Hunted to the brink of extinction, the buffalo were in danger of vanishing. Thanks to the efforts of a few individuals, we are able to gaze at these amazing creatures today.

The story begins as a confused, hungry, and frightened buffalo calf has lost her mother and the rest of her herd to white hunters. Rescued by two members of the Nez Perce tribe who happened to pass by and find her, she is taken to a small refuge for buffalo orphans started and run by Walking Coyote and his wife Mary. They nurse the calf back to health, and along with several other buffalo orphans, make the dangerous journey across a large mountain pass in order to deliver the buffalo to a larger sanctuary and pasture for grazing. The orphans ultimately wind up at the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana where, together with other buffalo that Walking Coyote and other like-minded individuals rescued, they prosper and grow into a herd of about seven hundred.

You can't help but feel close to the main character, Walking Coyote. You feel for his family who is poor and on a mission to save these creatures one by one. You're also pulled in by the story of the calf who loses her herd and eventually becomes a leader herself. The story reminds us just how important these animals are to America and it gives us an idea of the individuals who took on such a huge undertaking. If it wasn't for Walking Coyote and others, we wouldn't have our memories of watching those Buffalo bat their tails at the zoo. For that alone, I recommend everyone to read Buffalo Song.

Read Booktalk with author, Joseph Bruchac.
Author: Joseph Bruchac
Illustrator: Bill Farnsworth
Publisher:Lee & Low Books, March 2008
Reading level: Ages 4-8
ISBN-10: 1584302801
ISBN-13: 978-1584302803

Lori Calabrese is a freelance writer who specializes in parenting and children in both her personal and professional life. Lori's publishing credits include Boys' Life, Odyssey, Appleseeds, Focus on the Family Clubhouse Jr., Stories for Children Magazine, and The Institute of Children's Literature's Rx for Writers. Lori is a graduate of The Institute of Children's Literature and a member of The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

To learn more, please visit http://www.loricalabrese.com

Review: Strawberry Girl

by Carma Dutra

Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski is one of the classic Newbery Medal Winners. Awarded the medal in 1946, it speaks of a time that was more familiar and current than today. Today this rich novel opens the window into a time few can remember. This is one of many books Lenski wrote with an emphasis on regional stories allowing young readers to get a taste of how American children lived during the early part of the twentieth century.

Strawberry Girl is an interesting read. At first glance the title and the cover picture of a young girl carrying a fruit basket can mislead the reader to expect a cute little story of a young girl who loves strawberries. Conversely, the story is more about clashes and tribulations between farmers and cattlemen along with how they resolved violent conflict than it is picking strawberries.

Strawberry Girl depicts two families, the Boyer's and the Slater's. The Boyer's move from North Carolina to Florida to raise strawberries, sweet potatoes and harvest oranges. The Slater's are cattle people and have lived in central Florida for a long time. They do not believe in putting up fences and they let their cattle roam all over the county even if it means destroying their neighbor's crops. The two families argue through out the entire book. The Slater family thinks the Boyer's are "uppidity" because of the Boyer's successful farming enterprises. The Slater's routine is to sit back and do nothing to improve their way of life.

This way of thinking creates hostile actions and feelings between the two families. Violence and drunkenness escalate through out the story. This book may cross the line with many adults when the neighbors begin to kill each others animals in addition to the school teacher getting beat up by the Slater boys. This incident forced the school to close for weeks. Certainly a little discussion with young children may be desired to explain why these incidents happened.

Additionally, Lenski writes in a Florida backwoods dialect typical of the time period which might be too challenging for third and fourth graders to read. I think this story should be read aloud to get the full effect of what the southern dialogue sounded like. For example, talk like

"Ha, ha! Hain't no dog! Hit's a coon." and "will git you yet, jest you wait."

However, I don't believe this book won the Newbery Award for its depiction of aggression. Times were hard in the early 1900's and resolution of conflicts back then is not typical of today. Strawberry Girl explains the day to day activities of the Boyer family. A young reader can learn exactly how to grind sugar cane and pull it for fun afterwards. Also the book explains the details of Florida weather in the spring and summer. Additionally it goes into detail on how to raise strawberries in sandy soil. Part of the charm of this middle grade novel is in describing how the old Florida pioneers did it.

Strawberry Girl is a sharply written novel about harsh times. It accurately describes a true to life pioneer adventure.

Learn more about children's writing tips and award winning book reviews by visiting Carma's Window at http://carmaswindow.blogspot.com - Download the free EBook, "Unite to Write," a compilation of thirteen top expert authors as read on Ezine article directory and "Free Tips on Freelance Writing."

Review: American Diaries - Janey G Blue, Pearl Harbor 1941

By Carma Dutra

American Diaries: Janey G. Blue, Pearl Harbor 1941.
Author: Kathleen Duey

Janey is a 12 year old girl who has recently moved from Kansas to Hawaii with her family. Her father is a civil service worker at Hickam Field in Pearl Harbor. Her experiences and impressions of December 7 take place from Sunday, December 7 at 7 a.m. to Monday December 8, 7 a.m.

Janey loves the trees, fresh fruit and all the people on Oahu but she misses Kansas and her best friend Tilly even more. Besides, all the talk of impending war makes Janey nervous and scared. The evening before December 7, 1941 Janey writes in her diary "Last night after the Christmas concert the grown-ups got going about the war again. Holy Golly, I am sick of hearing it. Its bad enough we have to listen to the planes from Hickam Field drill all the time. Some pilots pretend to be invading and the others practice defending the harbor and the airfields and they all pretend to fight. It's so noisy that Pokey (dog) hides under the bed."

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor begins confusion spreads like wildfire. No one knows what is happening or where to go. Janey believes she must stay calm so her four year old brother will not be scared and her mother can concentrate on finding out what is happening at Hickam Field.

Through the words of Janey G. Blue, Kathleen Duey captures helplessness, fear and anxiety many people must have felt that fateful day; December 7, 1941. Kathleen Duey is an award winning author who has written more than 50 books for children, YA and adults. Thirty-three of these books have been historical and adventure fiction. She also novelized the DreamWorks movie Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.

American Diaries is a collection of books written in a similar fashion as a series except the characters do not repeat nor does the historical events. American Diaries books are about 140 pages in length and are written through the eyes of a twelve year old within a twenty-four hour period portraying some historical event or period.

Learn more about children's writing tips and award winning book reviews by visiting Carma's Window at http://carmaswindow.blogspot.com. Download the free EBook, "Unite to Write," a compilation of thirteen top expert authors as read on Ezine article directory and "Free Tips on Freelance Writing."

Review: Rose's Journal, The Story of a Girl in the Great Depression

By Suzanne Lieurance

This book lets kids travel back in time to the 1930s with a young girl named Rose who lives on a farm in Kansas during the Great Depression. The pink pages of Rose's journal take readers on a journey to see for themselves just what life was like from month to month on the farm. It also includes information about what was happening across the nation back then. Historical black and white photographs make this journal seem more real and help to give kids a glimpse of just how bleak life was for a girl like Rose.

Rose's Journal is an enjoyable way for young readers to learn about one of the most fascinating periods in American history - when Amelia Earhart made her solo flight from Hawaii to California, yet times were so tough for most Americans that they lived by this motto for making do with what little they had: "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."

The journal is printed on lines which look like notebook paper, as if each page were handwritten by Rose. It includes drawings of important things in Rose's life, like her puppy, the radio (which was a big part of everyone's life back then), and her family, etc. Kids and adults alike will find this to be an entertaining read that leaves them with a good idea of just difficult the Great Depression, dust storms, and droughts must have been for someone like young Rose.

Title: ROSE'S JOURNAL: THE STORY OF A GIRL IN THE GREAT DEPRESSION (A Young American Voices Book)

Author: Marissa Moss

Publisher: Silver Whistle Paperbacks; reprint edition, $7.00

Date: March 2003

ISBN: 0-15-204605-4

Ages: 9-12.

For more children's book reviews, as well as articles of interest to children's writers, visit the National Writing for Children Center at http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com/ and sign up for the mailing list to receive a free e-book for writers.

Suzanne Lieurance is a fulltime freelance writer, children's author, and writing coach. She is also the founder and director of the National Writing for Children Center. Visit her author's website at http://www.suzannelieurance.com