Susan Diane Strickland

SLIS 5960.001 – Jennings

Maymester 2002

Multicultural Literature Activities

Elementary Level

Information about the book

Bunting, Eve. So Far from the Sea. Illustrated by Chris K. Soentpiet. New York: Clarion, 1998.

Awards

· Nominated for the South Carolina Association of School Librarians Book Award, 2001

· FOCAL Award Winner (Friends of Children and Literature given by the Los Angeles Public Library Award), 1999

· Children's Picture StoryBook Award (Georgia), 2002

Reviews

· Horn Book Guide (Superior Rating), September 1, 1998

· School Library Journal, June 1, 1998

· Booklist, May 1, 1998

· Publishers Weekly (starred), April 20, 1998

· Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 1998

Summary

When seven-year-old Laura and her family visit Grandfather's grave at the Manzanar War Relocation Center, the Japanese American child leaves behind a special symbol.

Information about the author

Bowker's Author Biography: Eve Bunting

Eve Bunting was born in 1928 in Maghera, Ireland, as Anne Evelyn Bunting. She graduated from Northern Ireland's Methodist College in Belfast in 1945 and then studied at Belfast's Queen's College. She emigrated with her family in 1958 to California, and became a naturalized citizen in 1969.

That same year, she began her writing career, and in 1972, her first book, "The Two Giants" was published. In 1976, "One More Flight" won the Golden Kite Medal, and in 1978, "Ghost of Summer" won the Southern California's Council on Literature for Children and Young People's Award for fiction. "Smokey Night" won the American Library Association's Caldecott Medal in 1995 and "Winter's Coming" was voted one of the 10 Best Books of 1977 by the New York Times. She has written over 150 books in various genres such as children's books, contemporary, historic and realistic fiction, poetry, nonfiction and humor.

Information about the illustrator

Chris K. Soentpiet was born in Korea where he lived with his parents for eight years. After the tragic deaths of both parents, he was adopted by an American couple and moved to the United States. The thirty-two-year-old artist likes to photograph his subjects and then paint them with watercolors for his illustrations. Authenticity and accuracy are priorities for Mr. Soentpiet.

Website: http://www.soentpiet.com/index22.htm

Before Reading Activity

Discussion Questions

1. Has anyone seen or heard of the movie Pearl Harbor?

2. Does anyone know what happened at Pearl Harbor in 1942? Why it is important in American history?

3. How do you think Americans felt about Japanese Americans after the attack on Pearl Harbor?

After Reading Activity

Origami: Origami birds were left at the obelisk at Manazanar. The crane symbolizes peace.

a. Discussion Question: Why do you think these were left at the obelisk?

b. Make an origami crane. Instructions are available at the following website.

http://www.fascinating-folds.com/origamiland/easyfolds.html

c. Learn about the history of origami