The Un-Wedding

Title: The Un-Wedding
Author and Illustrator: Babette Cole
Type: Picture
Grade Level: 2-5
Rating: 3 out of 5

Demetrius and Paula's parents do not get along.  The children fear it is their fault hut find out other children have the same exact problem.  Demetrius and Paula suggest an un-wedding and learn that everyone benefits from their parents' separation.

The book never actually says the word "divorce" but the reader infers that "unwedding" and divorce are the same thing.  Personally I did not experience divorce as a child but many of my friends did and like Demetrius and Paula they were confused and concerned it was their fault.  I think that the use of comedy makes the topic more light-hearted and easier to handle for the reader.  I could see parents potentially objecting to this book because of the unusual and uncomfortable topic but it is something children grapple with.

Divorce is an unusual classroom topic and especially unusual in children's literature but it is a relevant topic for many children.  With statistics as they are now then it is certain that several of my students will have parents that are divorced.  A book like this shows that parents disagreeing is common and that good can come out of a divorce.  I don't know how I would use this in my teaching but it would be a good reference to have available to my students.

White Wash

Title: Whitewash
Author: Ntozake Shange
Illustrator: Michael Sporn
Type: Picture
Grade Level: 2-5
Rating: 4 out of 5

A young African American girl and her brother are walking home from school when they are ambushed by a gang of older white boys.  The brother is beat up while Helene-Angel is held down and her face is painted white.

Parents might say this is an inappropriate and irrelevant book.  Yet children can usually handle more than they are given credit for.  And like Tunnel and Jacobs say, "Avoiding the harsh and often unsavory realities of life does not make them go away."  Although their black classmates may not be getting whitewashed they still go through the shame and self-doubt brought on by other forms of daily racism.  So no matter what parents may think, a book like this that shows the reality of racism and its effects.  Plus, Ntozake Shange is a reliable source considering she had to handle racism since childhood.

Helene-Angel and her brother, Mauricio, are verbally abused by racial and ethnic slurs and are physically abused by the white thugs on the street.  Afterwords, Helene-Angel is fearful, embarrassed and begins to see herself as ugly.  Mauricio is embarrassed and emasculated.  Yet with the love, strength and support of their family and friends of all races the two siblings are able to overcome this incident.  This story evokes a lot of emotion out of me as a reader and I know it would effect my students the same.  This book tackles racism and its effects on not just the people being targeted but everyone else around them.  It is important that children are exposed to topics like racism so they can become aware of it and act as agents against it.  I would read this book to my students and find out their reactions to it.  This book opens up discussion on racism, the effects, equality, fair treatment and ways to battle racism.