Based on a True Adventure
Chang, a fictional character, relates the tale of rescuing H'Non, an Asian elephant, from her abusive owner and the ensuing healing and adjustment process. The illustrations are stunning. Jeet Zdung is equally talented in several styles-realistic, cartoon, and manga. Some of the pages contained a lot of information. World magazine reviewed and recommended this graphic novel.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
I read a review about this book in World magazine.
Three different family members, Bruce (father), Linda (mother), and Sonny (daughter), share their perspective about the adoption of Minh (aka Mindy) after the Vietnam War. Each person relates a specific year (Bruce-2013 & 2014, Linda-1975, & Sonny-1985). Ms. Finkbeiner beautifully tells a cohesive story about the Matthews family across generations. Although the reader can ascertain that the family believes in God, He is not central to the story. Hints of Him and His provision are inserted throughout the story.
The story caused me to re-evaluate how I interact with children who are adopted and who are a different nationality. I liked Bruce probably the best . . . he causually quotes poetry or ideas he has read in books. He is deeper and more reflective. Although he was my favorite character, all of the characters were well-developed and had distinct voices. I enjoyed reading Sonny's account because it brought back memories of the 1980's music and fashion and her vehicle--El Camino (my dad had one when I was growing up. My brother eventually took it to college.)! I found it curious that Mrs. Finkbeiner didn't choose Mindy's character to share a point of view, even though the novel centered on her joining their family.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
Meryl Lee's (from Mr. Schmidt's The Wednesday Wars) best friend dies suddenly. Life has lost its meaning. The Blank seems to hover, threatening to consume her. Her parents decide to send her to a boarding school in Maine.
Matt Coffin is on the run. Shug always gets his man. Matt has something to belongs to him. Wherever a kind soul "adopts" Matt, the place is destroyed, and sometimes the person who harbored him is harmed.
Meryl Lee and Matt begin to find friendship and hope together and as individuals.
I loved reading this book. The setting and characters are well-developed and the plot kept me devouring the pages. Although Meryl Lee and Matt are in eighth grade, some aspects may not be appropriate for junior high (see warning section).
The setting is the same area as Schmidt's Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster's Boy. Some of those characters' relatives appear in this book! In fact I borrowed Lizzie Bright again from the library so I could trace the characters' ancestries! I really like how Mr. Schmidt integrates his characters into other his books.
One aspect that bothered me was how the characters who were more conservative politically were portrayed negatively. The reader will naturally like the characters that lean towards the Democratic and liberal beliefs. Darwin's Origin of Species is mentioned again (just in a couple of sentences).
I have not read Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath. It was mentioned throughout the book (Meryl Lee reads it several times. One teacher at the prep school insists it is lewd. Everyone who reads it, however, claims they cannot find any "lewd" parts.).
*Highly recommend (but read the "warning/points to discuss" section).
-Borrowed from the library.
Warnings/points to dicuss: divorce, boys are taken in as "slaves"-taught to steal for a mob, graphic violence, Vietnam War, death, comment about Scottish men "not wearing anything under their kilts", Meryl Lee and Matt kiss throughout the book (just on the cheek or it is just stated-"they kissed"), a couple of swear words
A ten-year-old girl shares the significance of the white table that dining halls of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force set up on Veterans Day. As she and her sisters wait her Uncle John, a Vietnam Veteran, to come visit, her mother explains the sacrifice he made for the country and for her.
This Veterans Day I had set up a white table and had discussed the meaning behind each of the items displayed on the table.
Small table-one soldier's lonely battle, white cloth-soldier's pure heart as answers call to duty, lemon slice-soldier's bitter fate, grains of salt-tears of family members waiting for their return, empty chair-missing soldiers not here, black napkin-sorrow of captivity, turned over glass-meal that won't be eaten, white candle-peace, red rose in vase with red ribbon-hope that missing soldiers return someday.
-Borrowed from the library.
