Hush! A Thai Lullaby

Ho, Minfong. 1996. HUSH! A THAI LULLABY. Illustrated by Holly Meade. New York: Orchard Books. 3-1551-03127-2771.

Plot Summary
In this Caldecott Winner, we learn a lullaby from Thailand. As a mother puts her child to sleep, she asks several animals to hush since her baby is sleeping. The irony in the story is that the baby is seen in the background not doing much sleeping at all.

Analysis
What is a mother to do if animals are strutting about making noises while her little one is drifting off to sleep?

“Wee-Wee,” A small mosquito
“Jeed-Jeed,” A fat gray mouse…
With illustrations that incorporate deep earth tones of orange and browns and with simple text-- but with a melodious repetitive refrain, the mother hushes the animals that roam about in order to allow her baby to sleep peacefully.

This melodic and repetitive refrain invites the listeners to join in:

Lizard, Lizard,
Don’t you cry,
My baby’s sleeping right nearby.

There is a secondary story in the background since the supposedly sleeping child is depicted in most illustrations as a busybody.

In the description of each animal the author inserts adjectives,
a long-tailed lizard,
a lean black cat,
a fat gray mouse…

These are simple enough for a preschooler to begin understanding the concept of describing words. These also would be of great benefit to English Language Learners in understanding adjectives and increasing their vocabulary. Likewise, the lullaby is also rich in the use of present progressive tenses -- wonderfully helping second language learners and toddlers to increase their vocabulary.

Who’s that weeping…
Who’s that peeping
Who’s that creeping…
The illustrator, Holly Meade, depicts the mother and child in a tan skin hue. And we take notice of the hut with the straw roof and the lack of electricity -- all of this accurately portraying Thailand's countryside. In her use of collage, she pays careful attention to detail. We can see the ridges in the elephant's legs, for example.
There may be some initial concern when we notice the character’s eyes in some illustrations are depicted as slits, without pupils -- but I feel this was done merely to show that their eyes were closed.

While there is no author’s note to provide background information regarding the lullaby, the author does dedicate the book to her father, stating that his wonderful stories would leave her more wide-eyed than sleepy as she was growing up. The author does; however, provide the subtitle of “A Thai Lullaby," thus informing the reader of the specific Asian group from which this lullaby originates.

Our family quickly took to this book. This has become a favorite bed time story. Like the author, this story often left my daughter more wide-eyed than sleepy. My three year old daughter made it a point to look for the child on each page and determine what exactly he was up to. Without a doubt this would make a fantastic read aloud. This book would also make a beautiful addition to a home or classroom collection.

Review Excerpts
"The setting, apparently a remote Thai village, is gently evoked in cut paper and ink pictures that are bold enough to be used with groups. The unusual compositions are visually arresting, thanks, in part, to bright orange outlines, and the comforting earth tones suit the quiet nature of the story" --from Booklist

"Exceptionally beautiful cut-paper-and-ink illustrations in earth tones use the varied textures of the paper to wonderful effect, depicting traditional Thai textiles, basketry, and building styles. All of young children's favorite elements are here: a reassuringly predictable, rhyming text, animals and their sounds, a mischievous subplot in the pictures, and an ever-so-slightly naughty child who fools everyone in the end. A sure winner."--From Kirkus Reviews

Connections
Other titles by the author include:

Peek!: A Thai Hide and Seek
Maples in the Mist: Children's Poems from the Tang Dynasty
Brother Rabbit: A Cambodian Tale
Website:
http://members.authorsguild.net/minfong/

Navajo Long Walk

Bruchac, Joseph. 2002. NAVAJO LONG WALK: THE TRAGIC STORY OF A PROUD PEOPLE'S FORCED MARCH FROM THEIR HOMELAND. Illustrated by Shonto Begay. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society.

Plot Summary

Joseph Bruchac and illustrator Shonto Begay come together to tell the tragic story of the forced march of thousands of Navajo from their homes and relocation to a reservation. The story also tells of the return of the Navajo to their home and how today the Navajos number more than 150,000 and live on what has become the largest of all reservations in the United States.

Analysis

Bruchac tells the story of the forced removal of the Navajos in seven chapters beginning with Broken Circle and concluding with The Walk Home. In the dedication page, both writer and illustrator acknowledge their ancestors. Bruchac acknowledges and is grateful to the Navajo Nation for their wisdom and guidance in the writing of this book. It is apparent that this work was handled with much reverence.

The Afterward includes comments on the success of the Navajos as herdsmen and gifted artisans. Moreover, the contributions by the Navajo peoples during World War II in form of a code that was based on the Navajo language, contributed greatly to winning the war in the Pacific.

In order for the readers to fully understand the story, Bruchac takes the readers to the genesis of the Navajo peoples. He tells of the arrival of the Spaniards in 1540. We further understand how the Navajo people got their name. “ From the Pueblo peoples they learned agriculture –how to grow corn, beans, and squash. Indeed, the word ‘Navajo’ is derived from the Tewa Pueblo word Nabaju, which means 'people with planted fields.'" Bruchac’s interlingual use throughout the book adds authenticity to the tale and further demonstrates his knowledge of the Navajos.

Bruchac depicts the Navajo as real people, and not mystical figures that only possess good qualities. While he states that “The Navajo way has always been to seek the path of balance and beauty,” he also tells of the Diné Ana’í – the Enemy Navajos. “The Enemy Navajos were feared as slave raiders and later as scouts for the U.S. Army. It was not easy for Navajos to escape from their own people, who knew the language and the land.”
Bruchac chronologically breaks down the story, making it easy for readers to follow. Visual learners will also appreciate the inclusion of an 1863-1868 map that demonstrates the trails taken by the Navajo people for each of the three walks.

Another aspect that adds validity to the telling of this story is the fact that Bruchac’s tale is not one sided. In the same manner that not all Navajos were depicted as just, Bruchac does not portray all Americans as evil. He mentions Henry L. Dodge, appointed as an “Indian agent.” Bruchac states, “He was the first agent to actually live among the Navajos. He always treated them with respect and honesty and tried to act in their best interest. The Navajos grew to love Dodge…”
Finally, the illustrations presented convey the story in a convincing manner. The illustrator, Shonto Begay incorporates seven oil paintings and various two toned watercolor illustrations to accompany Bruchac’s text. For each acrylic painting, Begay annotates the connection between illustration and text. It is evident in the annotations that Begay has poured his heart and soul into this project. For example, in relating one of the walks of the Navajo people Bruchac writes, “Although the Army had orders to use wagons, horses, and mules to help carry the sick, the children, and the crippled, they were seldom used for this purpose. The soldiers rode and the Indians walked.” Of the accompanying illustration for this depiction Begay states, “…the cries of children, moans of the dying, futile prayers uttered in the snow and mud along a blood-soaked trail – [these] were emotionally difficult to recreate.”
I have to admit that the reality depicted in the illustrations and the inclusion of stories passed down and printed as Bruchac’s words, made a dramatic impact on me. There were instances when I was so overcome with grief that I had to put the book down and continue at a later time. One instance dealt with a pregnant woman. Bruchac writes,

"The late Howard Gorman, a deeply respected elder whose ancestors made that terrible journey, told a story passed down to him by his elders... a young woman who was about to give birth could keep up no longer. Her relatives begged the soldiers to wait for her. They were forced to move on. One soldier rode back. Then the sound of a gunshot was heard."

Notwithstanding, I do not believe that this is a book that should be hidden from students’ view. Quite the contrary, this is a story that must be heard by their ears because it is part of the tapestry that formed this nation. Bruchac also agrees as he states, "We were given two ears so that we may hear both sides of every story.” Without a doubt, this is a book that must imperatively be included in the libraries of our schools.

Review Excerpts

"Begay's paintings, rendered with acrylics on clay board in swirling brushstrokes, convey urgency and emotion. His art reaches a new level of accomplishment and his captions, explaining his use of symbols, will help youngsters interpret the cryptic moments in his work."– Publishers Weekly

"Told with drama, tension, conflict, and with a positive resolution the author gives dimension to 'one of the greatest and least known injustices in American history.' Shonto Begay has created extraordinary paintings using acrylics on clay board. They have an emotional intensity and eloquence." – From Children’s Literature

Connections

Other titles by Joseph Bruchac include:

The Warriors
The Waters Between
The Winter People

Pocahontas
Sacajawea
Children of the Longhouse
Dawn Land
Dog People, Native Dog Stories
Eagle Song
The Heart of a Chief

Seasons of the Circle
Skeleton Man

Website of illustrator:

http://www.shontobegay.com/