Book Analysis
African-American: SUMMER SUN RISIN'

W. Nikola-Lisa, Author, Don Tate, Illustrator, illus. By Don Tate. 2002.

An Afro-American lad helps his parents to work on their farm, rather leisurely as they enjoy the gradual movement of the sun to dusk. The family creates time for some fun after a long day's work on the farm, including hoeing, milking the cows, tending hedges, among other tasks in the simmering heat of the day's sun.

A summer day is captured by the artistic expression of verses in colloquial and paintings on paper texture. The expression on the characters' faces depicts contentment and confidence. The manipulation of the views may be rather disturbing, but the images will surely capture the audience. The full-bleed works of Tate portrayed advantageously in the horizontal view of the book's format, stretch the expanse of the plains one bit more by portraying the horizon as an unmistakable gentle arc. The farm appears as though it hugs the globe's edge.

The brief verses capture the events on the farm and the sun's position. By adopting a laconic country life voice, the character Nikola Lisa commonly moves over to the monotonous side once in a while. Nevertheless, he manages to capture a soothing and compelling rhythm with attention to detail, including the roosting birds, cows lined up, cracking of the door by Pa, and more.

The book focuses on several themes, including biodiversity, poetry, Africa, Afro-American interests, enthusiasm, pride, real fiction, being responsible, seasons, family, food, farming activity, experiences in childhood, the environment, and careers. The infused rhythmic verses seem to call to be uttered loudly. The choice colors and the typesetting are assertive enough for sharing in a group. There is a lively preamble to life on the farm and easy poetry, which ushers the reader to the inner core of Afro-American culture. It should be quickly noted that the latter is not a theme in the literary piece.

Asian-American: Dim Sum for Everyone!

By GRACE LIN Illustrated by GRACE LIN, 2003

While in English, the expression \"dim sum\" means to touch the heart. However, the girl in focus here uses it to mean \"delicious.\" On a trip to a vivacious little dim sum restaurant, members of a family choose their choice dishes from the trolleys issuing steam from their surface as they are packed with hotcakes, buns, and more. It is filled with fun. Everyone shares their candy and cake with everyone else. Dim Sum for everyone is a reenactment of a universal cultural engagement that is eating together.

Every page is portrayed in the scarlet red rag color of the restaurant. It sparks off a kaleidoscope of bright colors of people's apparel and the glistening carts with their goodies. The letters of the text often take shapes that match the table pictures or line up at the periphery to avoid distracting the visual images. One of the striking spreads is pushed back and reveals six tables with small dishes and the glistening carts winding through. The images are carefully chosen appropriately and are indeed precise.

The papers at the end are donned with tableware, delicacies, and condiment, while the endpapers at the back portray a couple of dozens of dim sum dishes. Children who have enjoyed dim Sum will find it highly interesting, and those who have not had the experience will be glad to have picked it up for a read.

The book does not stereotype. The author has achieved this end by the use of striking colors and images. The size of the font and the elaborate explanation of dim Sum has helped too.

As far as culture is concerned, the book's illustrations have faced criticism as being rather amateur in nature and texture. The use of extremely shortened sentences falls short in telling the reader the culture of Asian America and what the social aspect of dining is.

Hispanic: My Papi Has a Motorcycle

by Isabel Quintero, illustrated by Zeke Peña, 2019

The story revolves around a small girl named Daisy and her Papi. It begins with the girl taking a ride with her father around their residence. Then speeded around past shopping points, her grannies' place, school, and where her friends live. They return home with her dad buying some ice and her adventure-filled day stops there. The books capture the moment by the expression that...…trip. The story is a mystic tale that helps us remember that even though our loved ones may have left us, we can still commune with them and that sometimes all it takes is to look up into the moon sky and recall.

Suhaila, the little girl, feels she would be fulfilled if she had met her grandma. Her mother tells her that she could have cuddled Suhaila. Fortunately for Suhaila, one day, she notices a golden ladder brought down next to her room window. It is her grandma. She invites her on a mystic journey. The mystic tale reminds us that even though we may have lost a loved one, we still have a chance to commune with them, albeit in a different way. All we need is to find space and remember them.

The authors use the granddaughter and her grandma to merge the sky and the earth in n effort to make life better.

The artist makes use of radiant images in acrylic. The images use hues of golden texture, brush strokes, and lines that swirl to invoke a sense of movement, sturdiness, and mystery in the moon ladder anchored on the moon. The depiction and image succeed to lure the reader into the fairy and hence are regarded as appropriate and true.

The author has succeeded in avoiding stereotypes by establishing diversity that is universal about religion. For instance, Annie, the granny, catches wind of the prayer that people make for each other: for peace. They see the struggles of children against a tsunami. Annie urges the children to swim on. Since Suhaila notes that there is room for everyone on the moon, she requests that they join them. Diversity in the story obliterates the notion that religion is what makes the poor lose their consciousness.

The book achieved what religion is meant to achieve in people's lives: to give them hope. The author has successfully developed a truthful and memorable tribute to her daughters and mother. We also realize the essence of our common human nature in the same breath. The loving grannies and parents will find it fulfilling reading this story to children aged between 4 and 8…