Spotlight on Friendship and Compassion in Books by Cori Doerrfeld

Today, I am highlighting two amazing picture books by author-illustrator Cori Doerrfeld.  The first title, The Rabbit Listened, has been on my to-review list for a while.  When I discovered Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! I decided to discuss these books together.  While they are diverse in their subject matter, they have some noteworthy commonalities. 

The Rabbit Listened 
Publisher Summary 
When something sad happens to Taylor, all the animals think they know how to help.  One by one they come, but nothing they say makes Taylor feel better.  Until the rabbit arrives…and the rabbit knows just what to do. 

Evaluation 
This book can be read on multiple levels.  On the one hand, it is a simple picture book about a child’s experience with pain.  However, it resonates as an allegorical tale for adults as well.  

Out of nowhere, life often comes crashing down. This idea of the unexpected in life and sense of things falling apart is a universal experience at all ages.   In the story, this idea is illustrated when a pack of black birds knock down an elaborate building the protagonist, Taylor, has built.

Various animals attempt to “comfort” Taylor.  Each animal parallels the types of people we encounter in life.  These people are often more concerned with their own agendas rather than genuinely helping someone.  In the story, the chicken just wants to talk, talk, talk about it. The bear wants to dwell on angry feelings while the elephant tries to fix it.  When their approach doesn’t work, they walk away.

The rabbit in the book is the only one concerned with just being present.  He is true to his nature:  He sits and listens.  Everyone needs someone just to be present sometimes.  The rabbit allows the protagonist to go through all the emotions he feels.  The rabbit represents what a true friend acts like—compassionate, supportive, and selfless.    

Goodbye, Friend!  Hello, Friend! 
Publisher Summary 
Every goodbye brings a new beginning.  Goodbye to snowmen means hello to stomping in puddles!  Goodbye to the sun means hello to the stars!  Sometimes goodbyes are especially hard, and sometimes new beginnings take time but tomorrow always comes. 

Evaluation 
Several life experiences are represented through this straightforward text all while exemplifying the saying: When one door closes, another one opens.

Initially, Stella is reluctant to go to school.  She learns to make friends and to follow a new routine.  Another aspect of change is having to transition from an activity she enjoys to another one.  

Stella deals with loss.  Her pet dies.  Later, her best friend Charlie moves away.

With each potentially negative experience, Stella learns to see the rainbow on the other side of the storm.  Sometimes optimism is a relatively easy choice,  like having to come inside when it gets dark or having to go to bed during a sleep over.  Other times, she learns this lesson in more challenging experiences like falling down while trying something new or losing a loved one.  

Goodbye, Friend!  Hello, Friend! illuminates the importance of resilience and optimism no matter the circumstances.  The story reminds us that a closed door isn't the end.  Instead, there is an opportunity for a new beginning.

Cori Doerrfeld demonstrates exceptional skill in both picture books.  She shows the complexities of life and friendship while keeping it all on a concrete child’s level. The Rabbit Listened and Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! are must-reads for home and the classroom.  They illustrate the importance of compassion, friendship, feelings, and optimism in challenging times. 

Across the Bay (Carlos Aponte)

Title:  Across the Bay

Author:  Carlos Aponte 

Target Ages:  4-10

Genre:  Realistic Fiction Picture Book

Award: Pura Belpre’ Illustrator Honor

Publisher Summary:  Carlitos lives in a happy home with his mother, his abuela, and Coco the cat.  Life in his hometown is cozy as can be, but the call of the capital city pulls Carlitos across the bay in search of his father.

Memorable Moment:
When Carlitos loses his only picture of his father, a park ranger helps him cope with his loss. 

Evaluation:
Carlitos has a loving home with his mother, abuela, and cat.  Nevertheless, he is spurred to search for what is missing—his father.  

After an unsuccessful quest to locate his father, Carlitos finds contentment in his circumstances.  He learns, “No matter the storm, the sun always returns.”  As he journeys back home, he has a renewed appreciation for the loving people in his life and they home they have created for him.  

Through Carlitos’ quest, author Carlos Aponte aptly conveys the heartache and loss a child feels when a parent is no longer in the home—especially when that parent is completely absent.  The story subtly but powerfully shows the longing and loss through the juxtaposition of Carlitos’ circumstances with those of other young boys who are sharing every day experiences with their father—in the neighborhood, the barbershop, and the city.  

The illustrations show the beauty and diversity of Puerto Rico as Carlitos traverses the ancient city of Old San Juan and his more modern hometown of Catano.  From the colorful foliage to the vast array of people and activities, young readers get a glimpse of island life. 

Across the Bay reminds us of the quiet desperation many children around the world feel for a missing parent. This poignant narrative is both heartbreaking and uplifting, a blast to the heart and a spark of delight. 

Interview with Carlos Aponte 

Finding Langston (Lesa Cline-Ransome)

Title:  Finding Langston, A Novel

Author:  Lesa Cline-Ransome

Target Ages:  9-13

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Awards:  Coretta Scott King Honor Book, 2019 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction,  Junior Library Guild selection

Publisher Summary: 

When eleven-year-old Langston’s mother died in 1946, he and his father move from Alabama to Chicago’s Bronzeville.  Langston must leave behind everything he cherishes:  family, friends, Grandma’s Sunday suppers, even the magnolia trees Mama loved so much.  The northern city is noisy and hectic, and their kitchenette apartment is just a lonely room with old newspapers covering up holes.  At school Langston is tormented for being too country.  But his new home has something his old one did not:  unlike the whites-only library back home, the George Cleveland Hall Library welcomes everyone.  There, hiding out after school, Langston discovers another Langston, a poet whose words are powerful.  In one of his poems lies a secret that will bring Langston closer to his mother’s spirit. 

First Lines:

“Never really thought much about Alabama’s red dirt roads, but now, all I can think about is kicking up their dust.  I miss the hot sun on the back of my neck and how now the racket of cicadas, seems like not sound at all.” 

Memorable Moment:

“I get to thinking how much I didn’t know about my Daddy when we lived in Alabama.  With Mama there, he barely spoke to me, and I didn’t know what to say to him.  But now, with just us two in Chicago, I know Daddy better than I ever hoped to” (103).

Evaluation:

Finding Langston would fit well into a middle grade classroom.  The post-World War II setting focuses on black Americans who are a part of the Great Migration.  People at different places in the process from second generation to newly arrived illustrate the successes and struggles. 

The influence of Harlem Renaissance, especially its poetry, is shown as the renewed pride in black culture and literature impacts the protagonist, Langston.  As he discovers the connection of his name to the beloved poet Langston Hughes and his mother’s secret passion, the protagonist begins to understand himself, his mother, and his heritage on a deeper level.

The story and characters connect well with middle grade readers.  Short chapters, well-paced plot, and relatable experiences will keep them turning the pages. 

Langston deals with many common middle grade trials.  He experiences loss—both of his mother (and another dear relative) as well as his home when he moves away.  These situations make him feel lonely and isolated.  As the new kid, he tries to fit in, but instead he is mercilessly bullied.  Langston struggles in his relationship with his father, who is a good man dealing with his own loss and trying to make a better life for his son.

Langston learns to see people in a more multi-faceted way.  He is willing to re-examine his initial impressions, allowing him to come to appreciate others.  In addition, he finds positive ways to cope with his loss and loneliness, which helps him make friends with others and become more connected to his new community.

I highly recommend Finding Langston for middle grade teachers and readers.

Historical Connections:

Great Migration

Harlem Renaissance

Langston Hughes Poetry

For other great middle grade book suggestions, visit Always in the Middle for the Marvelous Middle Grade Monday Round Up.

The Way a Door Closes (Hope Anita Smith )

Title:  The Way a Door Closes

Author:  Hope Anita Smith 

Illustrator:  Shane W. Evans

Target Ages:  8-12

Genre:  Poetry Narrative Picture Book Format

Publisher Summary: With a click, a bang, a whisper—or no noise at all.  There are so many ways that a door can close, but it’s not just the closing; it's the knowing.  And thirteen-year-old C.J. knows too much—about disappearing father, his family’s pain, and especially about what it means to hold things together when times are tough. 

Sample Poem:

“The Way a Door Closes”

When Grandmomma comes through a door

it closes quietly.

It is whispered shut

by the breath of God—

who acts as a doorman for

one of His good and faithful servants.

When my brother and I

go out the door,

it closes like a clap of thunder.

We are always in a hurry

to be somewhere.

My little sister closes the door

just so.

As if there were a prize for

getting it right.

My momma likes doors open.

It's her way of inviting the world in.

But last night

Daddy said,

“I’m going out,”

and he stood buttoning his coat

just so.

As if there were a prize for

getting it right. 

Then he looked at each of us

 a moment too long.

And when he went out the door

he held on to the knob.

The door closed with a

click.

I felt all the air leave the room

and we were vacuum-sealed inside.

I shook it off.

I told myself it was nothing

but

somewhere deep inside

I knew better.

I can tell a lot by

the way a door closes.

Evaluation: 

The poet uses startling and profound imagery to convey a wide-range of emotion and experience, all in just 34 poems. Each one centers around 12 year old C.J.’s family experience.  They read like journal entries, giving snapshots of what is going on and what he is feeling at each moment of time.  The early poems depict a strong, close family—at least by all appearances.

Then, the cracks begin to show when his father loses his job and struggles to find a new one.  The protagonist’s conflicting emotions about his father come out when he says, “He gives me words, each one a gem, words I wish someone had given him.”  At this point, no definite reason is give for this passive aggressive hostility. 

The next poem entry, which discusses various fears and pain, reveals C.J. is praying for his dad to get another job.  As time goes on and “each day bring nothing,” the tension thickens to the point the father leaves the family. 

C.J. does what he can to hold it together for his family and his own well being.  He struggles with feeling jaded.  On his birthday, he refuses to make a wish because he knows “how much it hurts when wishes don’t come true.”  On the other hand, he tells his friend, “My dad is coming back.”  When his friend says, “that only happens one in a blue moon,” C.J. responses with “but it happens.”   He feels angry, hurt, lost, and broken.  Despite all of it,  he holds on to hope.  C.J. desperately wants his family back together. 

The poems aptly illustrate the loss and pain that comes from a broken home in a realistic way as well as the facets of dealing with it—within the individual, the family, and the community.  This picture book is ideal for the elementary and middle school classroom because it is concise, yet powerful.  Many children and tweens will be able to relate to the experience and feel solace that they are not alone.

I highly recommend The Way a Door Closes as a profound look at the modern family in crisis.

There is also a sequel, Keeping the Night Watch, which I hope to read soon.

Poetry Friday is being hosted by Reading to the Core today.

Juna's Jar (Jane Bahk)

Title:  Juna’s Jar

Author:  Jane Bahk

Illustrator:  Felicia Hoshino

Target Ages:  4-9

Genre:  Magical Realism

Publisher Summary:  

Juna and her best friend, Hector, love to go on adventures in the park, collecting things to put in Juna’s empty kimchi jars. But then one day Hector unexpectedly moves away, and Juna is left wondering who will play with her. With the help of her special jar, Juna searches for her friend the world over. What Juna finds is that adventure—and new friends—can be found in the most unexpected places. 

First Lines:

Juna’s family always has a large jar of kimchi in their fridge.  After they finished eating all the kimchi, Juna sometimes got to keep the empty jar. 

Memorable Moment:

There was Hector asleep in his bed.  And on the bedside table was the kimichi jar Juna has given him.  Hector looked like he was having happy dreams.

Evaluation: 

Juna’s Jar is a sweet book about friendship, loss, and imagination.  The jar, a symbol of Juna’s feelings of emptiness, is filled each day with something new—a plant, a fish, and a cricket. 

During the night, she dreams of an adventure related to the item in the jar.  Each adventure reveals Juna’s feelings of loss.  When she imagines seeing Hector sleeping peacefully with a remembrance of her nearby, she gets the closure she needs. Using the jar adventure to reflect and to resolve her inner conflict is both inventive and effective. 

Juna meets a new friend at the park who shares her love of nature.  Her jar (and her heart) is empty no more.

Juna’s Jar can be used as a conversation starter for a class or child who has experienced a friend moving away.  The book also encourages empathy and imagination. 

Ideas for Extension Activities at Home or Lesson Plans for Teachers:

• Letting Writing:  Write a letter from Juna to Hector or from Hector to Juna (or both).  Younger children can write it as a class or a parent.  Allow older children to write on their own.  Teach the basic format of letter writing as well as encourage children to imagine what they would say to each other.
• Art or Writing:  Allow the children to imagine another jar journey.  Either draw a picture or write a story. 
• Teacher’s Guide:  Lee and Low has tons of activities, comprehension questions, and across the curriculum connections. 

                Visit Susanna Hill for Perfect Picture Book Friday. 

Bird (by Zetta Elliott)

Title:  Bird

Author:  Zetta Elliott

Illustrator:  Shadra Strickland

Target Ages:  8 and up

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Awards: Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for new Talent in Illustrations, Ezra Jack Keats Book Award, ALA Notable Children’s book, and several others

Publisher Summary:  Young Mehkai, better known as Bird, loves to draw.  With drawings, he can erase the things that don’t turn out right.  In real life, problems aren’t so easily fixed.  As Bird struggles to understand the death of his beloved grandfather and his older brother’s drug addiction, he escapes into his art.  Drawing is an outlet for Bird’s emotions and imagination, and provides a path to making sense of his world.  In time, with the help of his grandfather’s friend, Bird finds his own special somethin’ and wings to fly.

Watch the book trailer here.  

First Lines: 

Today I saw a bird outside my window. 

It was perched on the rusty rail of the fire escape

shivering in the window. 

I wanted to open my window

and bring the bird inside

where it was warm,

but a sudden gust of wind

blew the bird away.

I drew a picture so I wouldn’t forget.

Evaluation: 

Bird is a picture book, so you may be wondering why I am posting it for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday.  To be fair, the book is shelved with the middle grade fiction in my library.  The target age, according to the publisher, is 8-13.  Also, the tone, content, and themes—addiction, loss, crime—are heavy.  Bird is not a book you would typically pull out for circle story time fun.  Despite the picture book format, it is definitely geared for middle grade readers.

The story is written in free verse.  The non-linear storyline works overall, but I did get a little confused at one point.  It begins with Bird spending time with his Uncle Son (a family friend), which is where the protagonist’s character begins to unfold.  Then, it switches to his relationship with his brother and to a lesser degree his grandfather.  The reader gets snapshots of their interactions; however, the exact time and space blends together like a mingling of memory and time.  The ending re-establishes the present—Bird learning from his mentor Uncle Son, who has taken on the role of grandfather, parent, and mentor.

Bird is the age of the target audience—about 10 or 11.  He is mature and reflective in many ways, but in others he is naïve and searching.   This story gives a voice to the many children who live in the urban setting and must face issues like dealing with drug addicted loved ones, having all their possesses stolen from their home, fending for themselves afterschool, and relying on community members for guidance. 

The picture book format adds complexity and characterization. The illustrations reflect both Bird’s reality and his imagination.   Illustrator Shadra Strickland uses watercolors and gouache in blues, greys, and blacks to depict the text.  The muted colors add to the urban setting and protagonist’s internal conflict.  While he has an outlet in his drawing and the support of caring adults, he is dealing with some harsh realities.  The darker colors reflect that reality astutely.  In contrast, charcoal and pen sketches are intertwined to illustrate Bird’s drawings.  By studying them, the reader learns more about the protagonist’s inner thought-life.

Both his parents work long hours.  As a result, Bird often goes to Uncle Son’s apartment after school.  Other than the occasional interactions with his brother, he spends much of his time alone—drawing, reflecting, and dreaming. Those activities not only help him cope, but also give him a hope for the future.  Bird exhibits a strong sense of resilience in the midst of adversity.

The narrative and illustrations have a lot to unpack.  The theme and characterization build empathy.  As a result, I highly recommend Bird for middle grade readers. 

Ideas for Extension Activities at Home or Lesson Plans for Teachers:

• Study the illustrations to discover more about the character. 
• Look up the symbolic meanings of the bird.  Discuss which meanings relate to the character and how they add multiple layers to the text. 
• Discuss the loss of a loved one as well as ways people cope and heal.
• Evaluate what the tone is and how it is interwoven throughout the narrative. 
• Analyze the non-linear story structure.
• Teacher’s Guide

For other Marvelous Middle Grade Monday recommendations, check out Always in the Middle.

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