Every day, nine-year-old Yasmin borrows a book from Book Uncle, a retired teacher who has set up a free lending library next to her apartment building. But when the mayor tries to shut down the rickety bookstand, Yasmin has to take her nose out of her book and do something. This book explores activism and how children can take a stand and be activists too. It also explores the themes: friendship and the love and importance of books.
Extra Resource:
The Paper Bag Princess:
The Princess Elizabeth is slated to marry Prince Ronald when a dragon attacks the castle and kidnaps Ronald. In resourceful and humorous fashion, Elizabeth finds the dragon, outsmarts him, and rescues Ronald--who is less than pleased at her un-princess-like appearance This book disrupts and challenges the idea of typical gender roles.
Emmanuel's Dream:
Born in Ghana, West Africa, with one deformed leg, he was dismissed by most people--but not by his mother, who taught him to reach for his dreams. As a boy, Emmanuel hopped to school more than two miles each way, learned to play soccer, left home at age thirteen to provide for his family, and, eventually, became a cyclist. He rode an astonishing four hundred miles across Ghana in 2001, spreading his powerful message: disability is not inability. Today, Emmanuel continues to work on behalf of the disabled. This book raises awareness about disabilities, standing up, and inspiring others.
A company that creates dolls to look like real people, disabilities and all: https://lammily.com
One Plastic Bag:
One woman’s efforts to rid her Gambian village of trash sparks a recycling movement in this uplifting tale inspired by true events. As a girl, Isatou admired the colors and myriad uses of the plastic bags that began to proliferate in her community. But years later, the same plastic bags, festering in trash heaps or floating through the air, have become a menace to humans and animals. Compelled to make her home beautiful, Isatou gathers the bags, cleans them, and crochets them into purses. She teaches other women to do the same, and an ecologically-minded enterprise is born.
Possible lesson incorporation: A few days before reading this book, give students a plastic bag to take home and let them brainstorm what they can do with it. Have students come up with at least one other way to use a plastic bag besides for carrying things or for trash.
Problem-Posing Questions:
Who does the author portray as the hero in this book?
In this book, Isatou is portrayed as the hero because she notices a problem in her community and she works to create a solution. Isatous actions help both her community and her family.
What is the author’s message or big idea in this book?
The author’s message in this book is to inform readers about the plastic issue in our society, as well as, to motivate and encourage readers to act. If we see a problem, we need to act on it. We need to work to find a solution to our problem, in order to create positive change.
Who is the focus and what voices are represented?
The focus and voices represented in this book are the women of The Gambia. The women are the dominant gender portrayed and the West African community is the most common race and culture seen.
Whose perspective is missing in the book?
In this book, readers hear about the neighbors in the village and how they commonly use plastic. As Isatou is walking through the market, readers see these neighbors and how they are using plastic to carry things, drink water from, and wrap up items (minties) to sell. In the book, we do not hear from the voices of the neighbors or their opinions on plastic. From the illustrations, it looks like the neighbors depend on plastic in order to sell items at the market, making a living for themselves. It would be interesting to hear the neighbors views on plastic and why they use it. This could turn into finding new solutions to the neighbors plastic use.
What does Isatou do that makes her seem good or positive? What do the characters do that are portrayed negatively?
Isatou is seen as a “good character” because she finds a solution to the plastic/pollution problem in her village. She learns how to crochet from her sister and turns plastic into recycled purses to sell. Her neighbors on the other hand, are portrayed as “bad characters” because they are seen using plastic at the market, further contributing to the issue in the village. Lastly, the other women who mock Isatou for selling recycled purses are portrayed as rude and mean.
Why do you think the other women laughed at Isatou when she was making and selling the purses?
The other women may have laughed at Isatou because she was going against the norm. She was taking a stand and doing something “unusual” that has never been done in the community. The other women may have laughed at her because what she was doing did not fit into their view of what society should look and act like. Isatou ignored them saying: “I believe what we are doing is good”.
What can I do in my community to make an impact on or change this problem that the book brings to light?
Some ways I can find solutions to this problem are to do research, talk to other community members, or read books. To combat pollution and plastic use, I could educate my peers on the importance of recycling and make sure there is a recycling can in every classroom.
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