Tandem Insights

Classroom Connections: The Year of the Rat

Besides being a great read-a-loud or book to read independently our Book of the Week, The Year of the Rat, can be used as a teaching tool in the classroom.  Ideas are not limited to:

Introducing a unit on parables- Throughout The Year of the Rat, Pacy’s mom and dad share meaningful anecdotes which connect Pacy to her Taiwanese heritage and serve as lessons.  An example to discuss as a class or small groups is her mom’s school lunch story from chapter 27.  There are many wonderful picture books which would work as well in a lesson on proverbs and parables for an elementary-aged audience.  Three titles that come to mind are all by Jon J. Muth.   

Teaching the popular origin myth about the Chinese New Year-  Pacy’s dad tell the Nian Monster story in chapter 34 which explains the reason Chinese New Year is celebrated.  There are many fantastic children’s websites to get students excited about the New Year, one such link is a Countdown to New Years from PBS Kids.

Explaining similes and how the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac are used as symbols- Students can research their own animal sign along the other zodiac animal signs to see which best represents them. A challenge would be to write a persuasive essay describing why that sign fits them best.  Students should avoid using physical characteristics alone to describe themselves (ie. eye color or height) while striving to include qualities (ie. a people person, trustworthy, or adventurous) to describe themselves.  Here’s a list of picture books which outline the Chinese zodiac.

Reviewing student’s resolutions made for the new year- Using Pacy’s experience in the book, can students communicate which resolutions may really be wishes or which of their resolutions rely more fate or destiny?

Book of the Week: The Year of the Rat

The Chinese New Year starts February 7, 2008 and goes through January 25, 2009.  First in the cycle of twelve animal signs, the Year of the Rat will be a time of hard work, activity, and renewal.  Some may find it a good year to begin a new job, get married or make a fresh start.

The Year of the Rat by Grace Lin is the sequel to The Year of the Dog and Pacy is not happy about the big changes the Rat Year has in store.  Students in Grades 3-5 will find it easy to relate to Pacy as throughout the year she finds the courage to face up to one change after another.  Near the end of the book Pacy’s attitude towards the Rat Year improves after she chooses to be ‘brave like a tiger’.  By reflecting on the changes through the year that had made her uncomfortable or nervous Pacy finds how much she's grown up during the Rat Year.  What's more, she finds she has the power to shape her own future and appreciate the differences between fate and destiny as well as wishes and resolutions.

What will the Year of the Rat bring for you?

One great book recommendation deserves another and another.  Check out these titles:
Great Picture Book Titles with Asian-American characters 
Great Elementary School Titles with Asian-American characters 
Great Middle School Titles with Asian-American characters 
Great High School Titles with Asian-American characters 

Movie Review

As promised in our Book of the Week post from November 20, 2007 we’ve prepared a movie review for The Golden Compass which is still in theaters.

Our group left the theater happy and has had time to mull over how well the movie compared to the book.  Many had recently read / re-read all or some of the trilogy before seeing Philip Pullman’s fantastical parallel universe brought so beautifully to the big screen and overall were very satisfied.  As is so often is the case with books made into movies, there are deviations from the book.  This includes a happy ending where there wasn’t one, but overall New Line's production kept with the integrity of the classic novel’s plot and characters.  Even Mrs. Coulter’s character with her dark hair, eyes and personality, whose impression has stayed with so many readers young and old through the years, came through equally as wicked as Nicole Kidman’s fair-complexioned characterization in the movie.

We drew a stalemate concerning what age movie goers would appreciate the fantasy epic’s adaptation. We agreed the movie may not show as well to a person under the age of 10 and it could enchant viewers up into adulthood with its complex characters and a fascinating, and at times all too familiar, plot.  References to philosophy and literature are abundant which count as a draw for many, while perceived anti-Catholic and atheistic themes may have kept some away, hurting the chances for cinematic adaptations of Subtle Knife or Amber Spyglass. 

We hope, as did other younger movie goers in nearby seats, we’ll have the pleasure of seeing more of Lyra’s world on the silver screen and that Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials will continue to enchant an ever growing audience of readers.

Featured List: Sportswriters

Sports stories, real or imagined, often feature several of the qualities that make great narrative: teamwork, competition, heartbreak, reward, heroism, to name a few. Good sportswriters are particularly adept in the use of synonyms, action words, and metaphor. From daily papers, popular magazines, and the Internet, some sportswriters have branched out to offer action-packed and thought-provoking titles for younger readers. Check out these great books by authors who make a living writing sports commentary.