The Land Grab: The Legend of Big Heart by Alfreda Beartrack-Algeo

The Land Grab is the first in a trilogy about Alfred Swallow and his Lakota family's life as Lakota people attempting to save what's left of their traditional way of life and their beliefs. In this short story, Alfred and his grandfather struggle to prevent corrupt government agents from stealing their land.

It is 1929 and eleven-year-old Alfred Swallow lives with his grandparents, Thomas and Lucille Plenty Buffalo, his nine--year brother Elmer, and his mother. They live on the Kul Wicasa Lakota Reservation in Iron Nation, South Dakota. Prior to this, Alfred and his family lied in house two miles west of his grandparents. Alfred's father had moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming to find work and send money home. But months later they had to move in with Alfred's grandparents. Despite this Alfred and his family are living according to their traditional values.

For the first day of spring, Alfred along with his brother Elmer and their grandfather walk to the Missouri River for a water ceremony. Grandfather tells Alfred that soon it will be time to dream his spirit name, the name that will protect him. Alfred has already had begun to have those dreams but he doesn't tell Grandfather this. Alfred's face is painted with sacred red-earth clay, his scalp lock bearing a golden eagle feather and he's wearing a pair of hard-soled quilled deerskin moccasins. Playing an elk-skin drum, Alfred sing the four directions song while his grandfather prays to the Great Spirit, Creator.

On Easter Sunday, after attending services at the Messiah Episcopal Church, Alfred decides to go to Medicine Creek to catch some fish for dinner. Accompanying him is his yellow Labrador, Chepa. He also brings his canvas tote bag containing water, dried deer pemmican and his sketch book and charcoal sticks. As he begins to draw an old gray cedar tree, Alfred hears Chepa bark. The black stone he picked up at the Missouri River seems to grow warm and vibrate.

Alfred notices a gray wolf next to the cedar tree, bearing her teeth and growling. He can hear her wolf pups probably near the cedar tree. Then with Chepa charging the wolves, the alpha wolf attacks Alfred, biting him in the thigh. He manages to strike the alpha wolf with a piece of driftwood, making him retreat.

A large golden eagle comes to Alfred's rescue, dropping tree limbs in front of him. He is able to make a dogwood travois and walks home with a badly  wounded Chepa on the travois before collapsing.

Alfred awakens a week later, weak but recovering, to find his grandmother has stitched his wounds.

Alfred's best friend, Orson High Elk comes to visit and helps him repair the chicken coop after it had been raided by a fox. As they finish, the two boys watch as a black Model T pulls into the driveway. It is Mr. Jim O'Neil, superintendent for the Lower Brule Agency. Superintendent O'Neil offers Grandfather "fifty-six cents an acre for your six hundred and forty acres along the river bottom." Grandfather adamantly refuses O'Neil's offer, telling him that six hundred and twenty of those acres belong to Alfred and Elmer as allotted acres. He also tells O'Neil that what he is doing is illegal, that the price is unfair and too low and that tilling the soil during a drought and planting non-Indigenous crops like Russian olives is not wise. He orders O'Neil off his property. Furious, O'Neil warns Grandfather that he will use the power he has to forcibly take his land.

Alfred races into the house after O'Neil leaves, questioning Grandfather if they will lose their land. Grandfather is upset but tells Alfred he needs time to consider what has happened. As O'Neil continues to threaten Grandfather, Alfred becomes determined to help save their land. But doing so places both Alfred and his grandfather in grave danger.

Discussion

The Land Grab is based on the life of Alfreda Beartrack's father, Alfred Zeigler's experiences growing up with her great-grandfather, Thomas Plenty Buffalo during the late 1920's. 

The Lakota, like many other Indian nations, did not have the same view of land as the Europeans who came to settle in North America. They saw the land as having no formal boundaries and was something to be used and shared by all. However, when U.S. government agents arrived in the area in 1804, they began to force the various Indigenous nations and tribes into treaties and agreements, the purpose of which was to set boundaries where they could live and in many cases to simply remove them from the land altogether. Further land grabs were designed to disband the nations and tribes and force them into assimilation with the white European culture. One way of doing this was the Indian General Allotment Act of 1887 in which individual heads of households were allotted land in increments of one hundred sixty acres. Smaller allotments were given to other members of a family. The land not allotted to Indian people was sold off by the government to non-Indians. 

In The Land Grab, the corrupt superintendent for the Lower Brule Agency, attempts to cheat Alfred's family out of their land. Thomas Plenty Buffalo learns that land documents are being tampered with, that several people are involved including some in the Office of Indian Affairs, in order to force Tribal members off their land allotments. Thomas Plenty Buffalo sees his land set on fire and is assaulted and kidnapped! With the help of a relative, Alfred's great-aunt, Pearl, and their fierce determination not to be scared off their land, Alfred and his family are able to save their land.

Alfreda Beartrack Algeo has written an engaging story that highlights the connection of the Lakota to their land, features some of their traditional beliefs and practices, and the strong inter-generational bond that existed within Lakota families. For example, upon hearing that the superintendent intends to plant non-native plants during a period of drought, Alfred's grandfather, states that this is not wise and that he will be maintaining the native grasses. When Alfred mentions to his grandfather that he plans to not only shoot the large old turkey but also take another one, his grandfather explains, "One turkey is enough. Remember, we should only take what we need and no more. When we need another turkey it will be there for us."  In fighting to protect his allotment, Thomas Plenty Buffalo is teaching Alfred the importance of integrity and justice. He does this within the law, rather than acting rashly.

Despite Alfred's father seemingly having abandoned his family, Alfred continues to think the best of his father, believing that he will someday return. He has a close bond with his grandparents and other family members. After helping his grandfather save their land and farm from a fire set by O'Neil and Miller, Alfred tells him, "Grandfather, you are my protector and my teacher. I love you deeply and honor you greatly. I will work hard and help you all I can. I hope you have a good night." Alfred shows his deep respect and love of his grandfather, a theme repeatedly demonstrated by the young boy whenever he interacts with the adults in his life. 

Alfred's character is revealed through is actions. He shows courage and compassion when he saves the life of Junior White Hail, the boy who has been mercilessly bullying him at school.  In doing so, he earns Junior's loyalty and friendship and comes to understand why Junior has been bullying him. He shows ingenuity and quick-thinking when he goes to see his Great-Aunt Pearl about the land documents he finds, knowing she can best help his family.

The Land Grab is an easy, quick, high-interest read that will appeal to reluctant readers, especially boys. Beartrack-Algeo's story is action driven, with believable characters who highlight many important virtues such as industriousness, honesty, filial respect, and kindness. Unfortunately, with the exception of Deputy Sheriff John Riggs who accepts the evidence Thomas Plenty Buffalo provides, all the white characters are portrayed as corrupt.

Alfreda Beartrack-Algeo is a member of the Lower Brule Lakota Nation, Kul Wicasa Oyate, Lower Brule, South Dakota. She is a storyteller and artist who currently resides in Colorado.

Book Details:

The Land Grab: The Legend of Big Heart by Alfreda Beartrack-Algeo
Summertown, TN: 7th Generation Book Publishing Company     2022
119 pp.

As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

Eighteen year old Salama Kassab is struggling to survive in Old Homs with her sister-in-law Layla.  A year ago, the Arab Spring ignited Syrian's demands for freedom from the dictatorship ruling their country for decades. But the dictatorship ruling Syria brutally fought back. Salama's Baba and her brother Hamza went to the first protest but were taken away and imprisoned. Prior to leaving for the protest, Hamza had made Salama promise to care for their mother and his wife, Layla. Then a week later, Mama was killed when their house was destroyed by a bomb. Salama was also injured, receiving a head wound and wounds from shrapnel in her hands. 

After she recovered, Salama began working at Zaytouna Hospital. Prior to the revolution, life was very different for Salama and her family.  Salama had dreams of attending university, becoming a pharmacist at Zaytouna Hospital and traveling the world. But as the protests continued, the government began killing the doctors, leading to a shortage of those who could treat the wounded. With only one year of pharmacy school, Salama found herself  pressed into working as a doctor at the hospital.

When Salama returns home from a shift at the hospital, Layla who is seven months pregnant, asks if she's spoken to Am at the hospital about paying for a boat to take them across the Mediterranean Sea to Italy. But Salama has been stalling. Alone in her room, Salama is visited by Khawf. He is, as Salama describes, "My terror has mutated in my mind, bestowed with a life and a voice that never fails to show up at night." Khwaf insists that Salama ask Am about the boat. He warns her that he will "tear her world apart" unless she does this. Salama has a vision of her promise to her brother Hamza to keep Layla and Mama safe. She has a flashback to the day their mother died when their building was bombed.

At the hospital the next day, Dr. Zaid  who has connections to the Free Syrian Army, orders Salama to help the children who are casualties of a bomb hitting Al-Ghouta. Salama eventually speaks with Am, who tells her that he will drive her to Tartus, where they take a boat to Italy and then a bus to Germany. Am's price is four thousand dollars! This information is devastating to Salama because they do not have the money. Layla's solution is for them to sell some of their gold.

At the hospital, Salama is heartbroken as she watches a little boy named Ahmad slowly die from a head wound. Then she sees a boy who had brought in his sister with a shrapnel wound the previous day, arrive frantic. Salama follows him to his home where she finds his nine-year-old sister in pain from a piece of shrapnel still embedded in her stomach. Salama removes the metal and gives them medicine. Salama is certain she's met this boy, named Kenan before and she learns that his name is Kenan Aljendi. Salama and he were supposed to meet at a marriage proposal set up by their mothers, but the revolution prevented the meeting.

Staying overnight at Kenan's home due to the snipers, Salama learns that he has no plans to leave Syria because his videos on YouTube are showing the world what is happening. Salama challenges Kenan to record what is happening within the hospital and he agrees and Dr. Ziad gives his permission. 

Then Am arrives with his daughter Samar, who has a bullet wound in her neck. Salama threatens to let his daughter bleed to death if he doesn't get her and Layla on a boat. Desperate, Am agrees and Salama saves Samar. Over the next few days Salama bargains with Am and secures passage for her and Layla. In the meantime, her relationship with Kenan continues to blossom; they get engaged and marry. At the same time the war comes to Homs when the military breaks through the Free Syrian Army. Salama, Kenan and his siblings barely escape with their lives. It becomes apparent to both Salama and Kenan that staying in their beloved Syria is no longer an option. But will they survive the treacherous journey to freedom? "If we stay we die.....If we leave we might die."

Discussion

As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow is a story about hope and resiliency amidst the horrors of Syrian revolution.

Katouh has crafted a very realistic character in Salama Kassab; she is intelligent, courageous and resilient.  Like any young woman,  eighteen-year-old Salama had hopes and dreams: she was a pharmacy student with a bright future. She now works as a doctor in the hospital in Old Homs trying to save the victims of the Syrian government's attacks. Salama has lost all of her family and is suffering from the effects of PTSD. The trauma she has experienced as a result of her own injuries and from treating the wounded and dying manifests as hallucinations. 

One hallucination is a man dressed in a suit with drops of blood on the lapels whom Salama has named Khawf which is Arabic for fear.  Salama knows that Khawf is a creation of her mind, helping her to process her trauma and survive. "He's a defense mechanism my brain has provided, trying to ensure my survival by any means necessary..." 

Every time Khawf "appears", he torments Salama, telling her she needs to leave Syria, to escape via a boat across the Mediterranean Sea to Italy and then to Germany. Salama recognizes what he is and what he's trying to do. "Maybe the reason he's willing to break me in order to get me on a boat can be explained in a scientific manner: He's a defense mechanism my brain has provided, trying to ensure my survival by any means necessary." 

This leaves Salama deeply conflicted: she loves her country and wants to help her fellow Syrians achieve freedom. Fleeing Syria feels like abandoning her country  and seems wrong. Staying means breaking her promise to Hawza to protect their Mama and Layla to keep them safe and to risk death. To cope, Salama's mind has created a figure who will take responsibility for her actions.

Khawf also serves to show Salama the reality of what her life has become. As Salama continues to question whether or not to leave, Khawf reminds her through flashbacks of her life that once was, telling her,  "...of what true happiness was. This doesn't exist anymore. This isn't something you'll find here."

Salama's trauma is so profound that she has also been experiencing detachment from reality by way of a second hallucination. This hallucination is foreshadowed in a description of a sniper attack near her home that she describes to Kenan and is revealed later on in the novel. Kenan helps her to deal with this hallucination and it vanishes.

In contrast to Salama, is the quiet perseverance and determination of Kenan who offers her hope, unconditional love and the ability to see colour again in life, amidst all the blood and death. Dr. Ziad is representative of the Syrian "martyrs" who have remained in Syria, resisting the military.

As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow effectively portrays the plight of Syrian refugees, highlighting their deep love for their country, and the desperation that motivates them to leave. Katouh portrays the brutality, destruction and loss individual Syrians, experienced during the conflict: cold blooded murder of chidren, bombing of hospitals, sniper attacks that target women and children and the gassing of civilians. In her Author's Note, Katouh writes, "This novel delves into the human emotion behind the conflict, because we are not numbers. For years Syrians have been tortured, murdered, and banished from their country at the hands of a tyrannical regime, and we owe it to them to know their stories."

The lemon trees, referenced in the title and throughout the novel,  are a symbol of hope, that someday Syria will be free. The author has indicated that the title is a reference to a line in one of the poems of Syrian poet, lawyer and diplomat Nizar Qabbani, "every lemon shall bring forth a child and lemons will never die out." - a reference to a hopeful future. 

Despite the heavy issues explored in the novel - and there are many, the story ends on a hopeful tone. As they are readying to leave Syria, Salama tells Kenan, "And we will come back," I say, my voice wavering. "Insh'Allah, we will come back home. We will plant new lemon trees. We'll rebuild our cities, and we will be free."

Although listed as a young adult novel, As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow is suited for older teens and adults.  Zoulfa Katouh plans a sequel to As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow which will explore life as a refugee and explore the themes of recovering identity, racism and trauma. 

Book Details:

As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

New York: Little, Brown and Company    2022
417 pp.

Daughter of Sparta by Claire M. Andrews

Seventeen-year-old Daphne is a Mothakes, an outsider, someone not born in Sparta. She and her brothers, Alkaios and Lykou were adopted by an ephor after the death of their parents.

It is Carneia, the annual festival honoring Apollo. The festival includes duels, drinking, feasting and the agon. Daphne is being challenged by her brother Lykou as King Melenaus and Queen Helen watch.  Paidonomos Leonides gives both of them a dory, a spear used by Spartan soldiers. A glancing blow is enough to end the duel and declare a winner. After a short battle, Daphne's dory grazes Lykou's side, tearing part of his black chiton. She has won this duel, her win acknowledged by the king. As she leaves, Daphne is reminded by Paidonomos Leonides to pay her respects to the king and she kneels briefly before him. Lykou praises Daphne for her victory, telling her she has shown that the Spartan army needs women warriors like her.

The time arrives for the agon, the climax of the Carneia. In this event, "...five unmarried men are chosen by Sparta's five ephors to chase a deer. If it is caught, the year will be a superb one for the harvests and army. And if not...disaster awaits." It is especially important they succeed as Menelaus and Helen are to meet with the mad king of Crete.

Daphne's brother,Pyrrhus has been chosen as one of the five men to run the agon. He believes he will easily win the race and brags about it to Daphne during the party. However, when the racers are summoned with the call of a horn, Daphne is shocked to see Pyrrhus hasn't shown up. So amid gasps of dismay, she steps forward to take his place. A deer is brought out, with a garland of laurel branches and flowers around its neck. King Melenaus tells the runners they must retrieve the garland before dawn to prevent the failure of Sparta's crops, the Eurotas from drying up, and disaster befalling the Spartan army. The race is to ask for Apollo's divine favour and his strength. The winner will receive many gifts, including a beautiful dory.

Daphne along with Castor and Lykou and two other runners make for the Taygetus Forest. But once inside the forest, in a moonlit glen, Daphne comes upon the deer as well as the goddess of hunt, Artemis who reveals that her powers and that of her family, the gods of Olympus are dying. Just then Pyrrhus emerges into the glen, his face bloodied and bruised begging Artemis to forgive him. She turns him into a stag and turns on Daphne, slicing her with a golden arrow that was a gift from her Uncle Hephaestus. 

Artemis reveals to Daphne that something very dear to her father, Zeus has been stolen and without it, the powers of Olympus will fail. This will mean disaster for humans, and the armies of Greece will be overrun. Only one person knows who stole them and where they are hidden. To be certain Daphne won't betray her, Artemis drives the golden arrow into her abdomen causing a solid gold line to begin to form. This, the Midas Curse, blossoms and slithers across Daphne's torso, binding her to Artemis, but threatening to kill her too. If she cannot find where the Olympian powers have been hidden away, she will die as will her brother Pyrrhus. She gives Daphne the laurel to claim the prize of the Carneia, telling Daphne she has until the harvest moon to meet her obligation to Artemis.

As winner of the agon, Daphne receives the dory from Queen Helen who along with King Menelaus return to the palace while the Carneia continues. Daphne sets out on her journey, asking Ligeia, her handmaid, to make an explanation for her sudden disappearance. Her promised escort turns out to be Artemis's twin, Apollo who tells her they are travelling to Mount Kazbek where "an old friend...has the answers...". Apollo is accompanying her in an attempt earn his father's favour and forgiveness.

Soon Apollo discovers Daphne's friend, Lykon has been following them. To prevent his interference, Apollo turns Lykon into a wolf but allows him to accompany them. They arrive at the foothills of Mount Kazbek after seven days. While Lykon stays with the horses, Daphne and Apollo climb the rocky, treeless mountain. At the top, Daphne finds Prometheus chained between two stone columns. But when she questions him about what was stolen from Olympus and where Apollo can find it, he refuses unless Apollo leaves. 

Prometheus reveals that nine things were stolen from Olympus and must be returned because these "pieces" are the power of the gods. Whoever has them can harness this power, making it dangerous. He tells her a traitor took them. After showing her a vision of the circumstances of her birth and the death of her mother, Prometheus gives her several clues. In the vision, Daphne learns that "three have been traded to the anax of Crete as playthings for his unruly son... three more have been given to the plague of Thebes as a sacrifice so that the power may never return..." and that "Their only salvation lies behind doors opened through a test of wit and words."  Finally, the god tells her, " A sacrifice will reveal two at the limits of Okeanos, mean to sow dissent, their fates bound to the river of the dead. And the last, the most celebrated, joins Tantalus, demanding body and soul." 

With these clues, Daphne, Apollo and Lykon set out for Crete knowing they must enter the palace of King Minos whose "unruly son" is known as the Minotaur.  There they will learn more about the missing "pieces", who is responsible and who is working to thwart them. Their battle with the Minotaur will be the first of  many brutal battles as they work to restore the powers of the gods!

Discussion

Daughter of Sparta is a remix of Greek mythology that includes most of the Greek gods and goddesses and their stories. In Greek mythology, Daphne was a naiad, a nymph  who becomes a victim of Apollo's infatuation as a result of a curse made by Cupid on the god.  She was pursued relentlessly by Apollo. When he finally caught her, Daphne prayed to her father, the river god Peneus, who changed her into a laurel tree. In Daughter of Sparta, the myth of Daphne is re-imagined, transforming her from a victim of the gods to a fierce warrior.

Andrews writes in her Author's Note that her " goal was to bring to light the often-underappreciated women of Greek myth and history..." Instead of "...the jealous wives and damsels - here are strong, nuanced women who tell their own stories. Women in ancient Greece were allowed very few, if any liberties; places like Sparta, where they  were allowed many more privileges and rights, were the exception, and make for some exciting storytelling, both in historic and contemporary writing." As a result, Andrews does mess with timelines and stories a bit: Daphne kills the Minotaur instead of the Athenian hero, Theseus, who in turn is later killed by King Minos instead of Lycomedes, King of Scyros

Daphne's quest is truly Olympian in nature and breadth. She initially doesn't know what the "pieces" are that have been stolen from Olympus, nor who has stolen them and betrayed the gods. Her escort, Apollo insists that this task is now his responsibility but he doesn't divulge why. It is in the palace of King Minos that Daphne learns the truth about her task: it isn't objects that have been stolen but the nine Muses from Olympus. The Muses, who "are the sacred caretakers of the Hesperides, the source of all the power of Olympus", are under the protection of Apollo who somehow lost them. Daphne realizes that Apollo knew all along what was stolen.

Although Daphne has fulfilled her duty to Artemis - to obtain clues from Prometheus, she decides to help Apollo despite his deception. She angrily tells Apollo, "You and Artemis never intended for me to save all the Muses. You just wanted to use me to get Prometheus to speak."  As they travel to Thebes, Daphne learns through a vision that Ares stole the Muses, that their efforts have been betrayed by Hermes, and she eventually learns how Apollo lost the Muses from the Garden of the Hesperides. 

During her quest, Daphne engages in many battles: she fights the Minotaur (whom she slays), she also battles the Kentauroi of Foloi who are led by Eurytion and allied with Nyx, goddess of the night, she fights the Sphinx in the Cithaeron mountains, out witting and slaying her, she kills King Minos and the two demons who attempt to avenge the Minotaur's death, and she takes on Ares, stabbing him. In fact there are so many bloody battles that by the time the novel gets to the climax, which involves Daphne confronting Nyx to free the last Muse, the events are almost anti-climactic and the reader somewhat battle-weary.

At times Daughter of Sparta reads like a romance novel, as Daphne's feelings for Apollo grow throughout their journey. Eventually the two kiss. "Warm and sweet, our lips fold together in a warm embrace. A fire erupts inside me, turning my fears and doubts to ashes. And from the ashes rises a wanting so intense my entire body aches....." In the end however, Daphne, furious at his betrayal, repudiates the god, telling him he has to earn her trust again.

Although this novel isn't true to the stories in Greek mythology, it should appeal to those who enjoy this genre and who grew up on the Rick Riordan Percy Jackson novels and who have read the D'Aulaire's Greek Mythology. For those who have a more limited knowledge of Greek mythology, a Glossary of the Greek gods and goddess as well as a cast of characters would have been very helpful. Andrews does include a map of ancient Greece and a Greek Glossary of some of the words used throughout the novel.

Daughter of Sparta is the first novel in a trilogy. The conclusion sees Zeus asking Daphne to become the Storm of Olympus. He promises to give her the means to become the greatest warrior in Sparta, but Daphne only will agree if they will protect her family. Because Nyx is only wounded, Zeus tells Daphne that she will continue to be hunted by the goddess of the night. He tells he they will empower her to take on Nyx but only if she becomes their "emissary to the realm of men." Persephone and Hades give Daphne tokes of the debt they owe her, telling her she can claim then when needed. Athena offers her the answer to a much needed question in the future, while Aphrodite and Hera refuse to offer even their thanks. Dionysus offers Daphne a drink of wine, Hephaestus promises weapons and armour designed just for her, while Artemis offers nothing. Hypnos, son of Nyx also offers Daphne help in the future, betraying his own mother. Andrews has fashioned a fitting ending, open to Daphne's new adventures in the next book in the series.

Book Details:

Daughter of Sparta by Claire M. Andrews
New York: Jimmy Patterson Books, Little, Brown and Company   2021
375 pp.

A Brush Full of Color: The World of Ted Harrison by Margriet Ruurs & Katherine Gibson

A Brush Full of Color is the picture-book biography of artist, teacher and author, Ted Harrison. Edward (Ted) Hardy Harrison was born in 1926 in Wingate, County Durham, England. Ted was a twin, sharing his birthday with sister Mary Algar (Olga). Ted's father was a coal miner, a dangerous job that did not pay well and which he did not like. Despite the black, drab countryside, the Harrison home was a happy one, that was clean and warm. Ted's mother cooked good meals and they were kept well dressed.

Ted's father enjoyed sketching and he encouraged Ted to draw as did his Latin and English teacher, when he was older. Because Ted's father had quit school when he was twelve to work in the mines, he was determined his children would receive more of an education than he had. Ted and his twin sister Olga loved the encyclopedia set their father gifted them and Ted loved to read.

During World War II, Ted first saw a crate of apples that had been sent to County Durham from British Columbia, Canada in his uncle's store. During the war, Olga became a nurse while Ted enrolled in the Hartlepool College of Art. After the war, in 1946, Ted sailed to Bombay, India as part of British military intelligence. There he spent time drawing the rich culture of India. He also travelled to Egypt, Kenya in East Africa before returning home to England. These travels showed him both the happy and sad side of life.

Ted next took a position as an art teacher in Malaysia where he found the rich colours of flowers, waterfalls and tea plantations. In Malaysia, Ted met his wife Nicky who was from Scotland and was the administrator at the school where he taught. When Ted's mother died in 1965, he and Nicky, and their adopted son Charles moved back to England. But teaching at Wingate wasn't rewarding, so Ted and his family moved to Wabasca, Alberta where he was a teacher.

In Alberta, Ted enjoyed teaching his Cree students who often brought him unique gifts like a bird's egg. Ted would draw pictures for them and tell them funny stories. He found the Dick and Jane readers used to teach students to read were not relatable to the young Cree students so he made his own book filled with his drawings.

Ted and Nicky moved to Carcross, Yukon where he taught mathematics, science and reading to elementary students and Nicky became a kindergarten teacher. In the Yukon, Ted's style of painting changed from the strict rules he had been taught in England. Instead he decided, "I'm going to paint my Yukon!" Using the styles and techniques he had encountered in his many travels to Africa, Asia and New Zealand, Ted began to paint in the way that he felt captured Canada's North. In 1981, Ted retired from teaching to become a full-time painter. Ted was asked to illustrate the Robert Service poem, "The Cremation of Sam McGee", he designed the Yukon Pavillion for Expo '86 in Vancouver and had his art exhibited in galleries and in many private collections.

Discussion

A Brush Full of Color is a colourful, engaging book about British-Canadian artist and author, Ted Harrison. Ruurs and Gibson provide readers with Harrison's life story, showing how his love of learning saved him from work in the mins, and portrays how his life experiences ultimately influenced his art.

Although his experiences living in Africa and Asia would come to influence how he would paint the Canadian North, it was Harrison's experience living and teaching in northern Canada that had the most profound effect. His life experience in the North compelled him to change his style in order to capture the landscape and life in the Yukon. The impetus for this change seems to have been triggered by his recognition that the old style readers written for children who lived a very different life  simply did not reflect life in northern Alberta and the Yukon. These readers did not reflect life in the North and the style of painting Harrison was taught in England did not allow him to capture the beauty of life in northern Canada. 

A Brush Full of Color portrays Harrison's artistic transition by offering readers plenty of images of Harrison's art prior to coming to Canada, his work when he first came to Canada and then many images of his paintings after living and working in the Canadian north for a time. His paintings are filled with unique colours for houses, sky, clouds, the sea and the sun. Ordinary, everyday items like houses have unusual shapes. His flowing freestyle of painting captures the wind, the movement of the sea, the sun and the people. Harrison's paintings offer a vibrant perspective to northern life that many who live in Canada's south may never have realized.

The strength of this picture book is the portrayal of Ted Harrison's artistic journey, and the numerous pictures of  the artist's artwork, allowing readers to become very familiar with his unique style. Author Katherine Gibson spent four years interviewing Harrison for her biography, Ted Harrison: Painting Paradise. It's obvious she knows her subject well and this is conveyed to readers, young and old.

Book Details:

A Brush Full of Color: The World of Ted Harrison by Margriet Ruurs
Toronto: Pajama Press     2014

40 pp.

Muhammad Najem, War Reporter by Muhammad Najem and Nora Neus

January 2011 in Eastern Ghouta, Syria. Eight-year-old Muhammad loved being in his father's carpentry shop where he always felt safe. He was his parents' "miracle child", born after his older sister Hiba and two brothers, Firas and Fada, when his parents thought there would be no more children. Then President Bashar al-Assad's men came one day to their city to search for military-aged men to serve in his army. Because the men hide, Assad's soldiers searched homes including Muhammad's father's shop.

At home, Muhammad's father (Baba) explains that the mukhabarat or secret police are everywhere and that even the candy-seller on their street might be working for them. Therefore, they are not to go near him. 

In March 2011, after other uprisings in Egypt and Libya, known as the Arab Spring, protestors began demonstrating against Assad in Syria. When Assad's men came to their city, Muhammad's family would flee to a small apartment outside the city, returning when his Baba determined it was safe.  When they returned to their home, they, along with Muhammad's Uncle Nazar and Aunt Nasrin, would often find their shop had been broken into and damaged by Assad's soldiers. 

By February 2012, despite the fighting and tanks coming closer, life had some happy moments. Muhammad's family had a parrot now and his mother had a baby boy named Karam in June. They often had to flee the city at a moment's notice.

In 2015, when Muhammad was twelve-years-old, the fighting in Syria continued on, drawing in other countries and factions: ISIS, Kurdish fighters, the United States and Russia.

Muhammad's brother, Firas has been selling photographs of the planes, the airstrikes and the aftermath of the bombing to support their family which now included a new baby girl, Batul.

Once again Muhammad's family was forced to flee - this time to an abandoned apartment. They had to leave behind their beloved parrot. Later on when Uncle Nazar arrives, he tells them their home and workshop has been completely destroyed.

They moved into another apartment. They continued to have to flee to the basement during bombings. Hiba's university had closed so she was unable to finish the two remaining classes for her medical degree. She began working at a clinic a short bus ride away, while Baby volunteered at a soup kitchen. He would always bring home some food for the family. One night, Muhammad's father told him about Emad, a painter from Damascus who lost his entire family in an airstrike.  He reminded Muhammad that everyone has a story and it is important to listen to people because it makes them feel seen. 

That night, while praying in the mosque with Uncle Nazar, Muhammad's father is killed by a missile. Muhammad and his family are stunned at such a loss. Devastated, Muhammed is certain Baba would want them to help the people in their neighborhood and to listen to their stories. For Hiba it meant working at the medical center and Firas it meant telling the world what was happening by selling his videos. But Muhammad wondered what it would mean for him.

In December, 2017 while talking to Firas about his videos, Muhammad asked why he doesn't video kids, asking them how they revolution has affected them. When Muhammad suggested that he do it, Firas encouraged him, telling him he could publish his own videos on social media. These videos would show the world how the war is impacting Syria's children. But Firas cautioned Muhammed because once posted, he would not be able to take the videos back.

So as the bombing continued in Eastern Ghouta, Muhammad attended school run by Hiba and a man named Mourad, and posted videos of the bombings, the devastation and how his friends were affected. As he posted more and more videos, Muhammad began to attract the attention of the western media. In February 2018, Muhammad was contacted by Nora Neus who worked for CNN news. Nora would give Muhammad a wider platform to tell the world the reality of the Syrian conflict, as his best friend Selem lost his little sister Raghad, as his Uncle Nazar was killed in a bombing and as he and his family were forced to flee their home north to Idlib. There Muhammad continued to report and soon found himself attracting even more attention. When Assad targeted northern Syria, Muhammad and his family decided it was finally time to leave for the safety of Turkey.

Discussion

Muhammad Najem, War Reporter tells the story of a young Syrian boy determined to tell the world what is happening in his country during the civil war. Muhammad wanted the world to know the impact of the war on children like himself and his friends.

The use of the graphic format for this purpose was ideal as the illustrations by Julie Robine are very well done and capture the many aspects of life during war. The artwork is clean, colourful and fresh, with the different members of Muhammad's life easily recognizable, making the story easy to follow. Muhammad is able to portray to his young readers life during the Syrian civil war: living underground for days at a time, the lack of food, fresh air and exercise, the loss of family and close friends -fathers and uncles, sisters and cousins, and the struggle to continue attending makeshift schools. The artwork also effectively captures the fear and isolation Muhammad experienced, the terror of the bombings and being trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings, but also the wonderful family moments too. This makes the loss of his beloved father and then later his Uncle Nazar who took the place of his father even more profound. 

Muhammad Najem, War Reporter also captures the immense resiliency, determination and courage of the Syrian people as they resist Assad. This is shown by Muhammad's father who, after losing his carpentry shop to the bombing, decided to help those around him, working at a soup kitchen and when necessary, just listening to those who have suffered the loss of family, friends and all they own. This sense of service to others passed to his children, Firas, Muhammad and Hiba after his death. They all work in their own way, to help their fellow Syrians. 

For Muhammad,  the way to help was to give a voice to the people of Syria being targeted by their own government. His method was to post videos of the aftermath of Assad's bombings on social media, a risk he was willing to take. But his decision was not without doubts and inner conflict, especially early when his videos did not have many views. Instead of remaining anonymous, Muhammad identified himself, posting videos of bombings, what it was like to live in Syria at war and even filming his family as they were trapped after a bombing. Now living in Turkey, Muhammad continues to report on behalf of Syria, still at war and suffering the aftermath of a devastating earthquake. 

This graphic novel is yet another medium for Muhammad to inform the world about what is really happening in Syria and more importantly to reach a younger audience who might relate to him. Muhammad Najem, War Reporter is well crafted, informative and offers readers colour photographs of  Muhammad and his family and friends at the back.

Book Details:

Muhammad Najem, War Reporter by Muhammad Najem and Nora Neus

New York: Little, Brown and Company      2022
314 pp.

Cleopatra Queen of the Nile by Dominic Sandbrook

Eleven-year-old Cleopatra has dreamed of  visiting the tomb of Alexander ever since she can remember. This night, she is successful, avoiding the tomb guards and is now able to gaze on the face of Alexander, "...a warrior, hero, King of Kings and Son of Zeus."

Alexander the Great became King of Macedonia and then conquered Persia and then Egypt, becoming "Lord of the Two Lands (Upper and Lower Egypt), Heir of Horus and Beloved of Amun" as well as learning from the Oracle of Siwa that he was the son of the god Zeus Ammon. Alexander then continued east, where he met and married Roxana after he conquered the Amazons. He also travelled into Afghanistan and India. But Alexander died suddenly when he was only thirty-two years old. 

One of his captains, his boyhood friend, Ptolemy, returned to Egypt, bringing with him, Alexander's body. Ptolemy installed himself as King and Pharaoh, and heir of Alexander. Ptolemy was Cleopatra's great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather. He moved the capital of Egypt from Memphis to Alexandria, the city that Alexander the Great had planned himself. Under his rule, Egypt had expanded its borders toward Syria, into Libya and into the southern deserts of Nubia. The island of Cyprus also became part of Egypt.

Cleopatra's family, the Ptolemies have the strange custom of marrying their sisters, something the native Egyptians believe is wrong. This is done to keep the royalty and power within their family but it has made for "bitter rivalries" and a dangerous place for someone like Cleopatra to grow up in.

Cleopatra's father is the twelfth King Ptolemy meaning the Ptolemies have reigned for over three hundred years. Cleopatra was born in 69 B.C., one of five children that included Berenike, Arsinoe, Ptolemy Sr. and Ptolemy Jr.  Her father decides to take Cleopatra with him on a trip down the River Nile. The royal barge along with a fleet of boats travels through Krokodilopolis or Crocodile City, past the ancient pyramids to Memphis. There Cleopatra and her father visit the great white temple and the Egyptian priests. 

In Memphis, Ptolemy reveals to Cleopatra that he plans for her to learn how Egypt works. It is a rich country, able to make money, drachmae minted in silver in Alexandria, from what the country grows. It is his intention that she one day wear the Double Crown of the Two Lands. But Ptolemy explains to Cleopatra she will need "...to win the hearts and minds of the ordinary Egyptians." Outside the temple Cleopatra encounters a strange woman near a large stone slab carved with hieroglyphics. The woman translates the stone which writes about Isis, who had ruled Egypt with her brother-husband, Osiris.

The story then shifts to Rome, which would be a major factor in Cleopatra's life. A thousand miles to the north, Rome rules the Mediterranean, except for Egypt, something they have done since Cleopatra's birth in 69 B.C. With each new conquest, Rome finds it's culture, traditions and deities challenged.

During Cleopatra's childhood, Rome was ruled by Pompey the Great, a cruel conqueror. But in 60 B.C., he made a deal with two rivals, Marcus Licinius Crassus, a general and businessman, and a younger man named Julius Caesar who claimed to be descended from the goddess Venus. This alliance was known as the Triumvirate.

Rome and Egypt had been partners for centuries. Egypt was the oldest and richest country during this time but its influence was fading. Rome's power and influence grew as Egypt became divided because of the Ptolemy family feuds. Cleopatra's father, Ptolemy XII had a difficult balancing act - to keep his own people happy and to stand up to Rome while not antagonizing this new power. To accomplish this, Ptolemy bribed the most powerful Romans, including Julius Caesar.

The seizure of Cyprus, an island once belonging to Egypt, the heavy taxes levied to pay Roman bribes resulted in riots, looting and the burning of Alexandria, and almost the destruction of the beautiful library there, led to rioting in Alexandria. Ptolemy fled to Rome and nineteen-year-old Berenike became Queen of Egypt. In Rome, Ptolemy used more Roman money to raise support while Berenike remained on the throne in Egypt. Eventually Ptolemy regained his throne with the help of the Roman governor of Syria, Aulus Gabinius. With him was a young cavalry officer named Marc Antony who would play a significant part in Cleopatra's life later on. To pay for his victory, Ptolemy taxed Egyptians to their very limits.

In 51 B.C., Ptolemy XII died and the crown passed to eighteen-year-old Cleopatra and her ten-year-old brother Ptolemy Senior. They were to rule and husband and wife, with Rome as their guardians. However, from the beginning, there was division and tension between the two. It was to be a foreshadowing of the many difficulties Cleopatra would face both within Egypt and with Rome as she struggled to save her country.

Discussion

Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile is the fifth book in Dominic Sandbrook's Adventures In Time series about famous historical figures and events.

Because Egypt's history was tied so closely to that of Rome's during the time of Cleopatra, Sandbrook offers readers much historical information about both nations, allowing young readers to place Cleopatra's life and the choices she made within the proper historical context. It also means that Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile is rich in historical detail Sandbrook seamlessly incorporates into the narrative. For example, when Cleopatra visits the tomb of Alexander - a fictional event described at the beginning of the novel, Sandbrook uses this to explain how Cleopatra's ancestor, Alexander's boyhood friend Ptolemy came to rule Egypt and begin the reign of the Ptolemies. This information also sets the stage for the events that happen later on in Cleopatra's life as her brothers and sisters turn against one another, in their ongoing struggle for power. 

In the chapter, The Sons of the Wolf, Sandbrook gives similar treatment to the history of Rome, describing how it grew to become a great power, able to challenge Egypt's dominance. This too provides readers with the context for the events surrounding Julius Caesar and later on Marc Antony as well as Octavian who eventually defeats Cleopatra and Marc Antony, subjugating Egypt.

As Sandbrook mentions in his Author's Note, almost all our knowledge about Cleopara comes from Roman sources. And these sources tend to portray the Egyptian queen as a villain, not surprising since Egypt was at odds with Rome, as it was the only territory it had not yet conquered. Little is known about her early life growing up in Egypt so the author has imagined the events of her childhood. Cleopatra is portrayed as an intelligent woman, capable and determined to save her country and preserve its power. No story of Cleopatra is complete without exploring her relationships with Julius Caesar and Marc Antony which Sandbrook does in an engaging and balanced manner.

Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile is an engaging biography that informs, but also brings alive this very interesting period of history. There is a map of the Cleopatra's Empire in 34 B.C. but it would have been interesting to have had a map of Alexandria during Cleopatra's time to help readers understand the location of some of the events described in the city.

Overall, this is a refreshing historical novel in a series that seems to be very promising. It's definitely geared to older readers or those interested in history, especially given the detail as well as the subject matter of Cleopatra's relationships with Julius Caesar and Marc Antony.

Book Details:

Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile by Dominic Sandbrook
Canada: Particular Books    2022
316 pp.

Tokyo Rose: Zero Hour by Andre Frattino

Tokyo Rose - Zero Hour is the story of Iva Toguri, a Japanese-American woman who found herself trapped in Japan during World War II and forced to broadcast propaganda for the Japanese. This graphic novel tells of her prosecution by the U.S. government and eventual her redemption decades after World War II.

In the book's Preface, the author sets the stage for the events described in the graphic novel. Iva Toguri, aka Tokyo Rose was born to Jun and Fumi Toguri on July 4th, 1916 in Los Angeles. A first generation Japanese-American or what was termed Nisei, Iva did what many American children did growing up: she went to high school, was involved in sports and Girl Scouts. Iva enrolled in Compton Junior College and then transferred to UCLA where she majored in zoology. Iva spent many holidays on desert field trips in Southern California and in Arizona.

In June 1941, Iva's mother Fumi learned that her sister Shizu in Japan, was seriously ill. Iva's parents decided to send her to Japan in their place as neither could travel. Iva was reluctant to go but obeyed her parents wishes, thinking she would soon return home. But it didn't work out that way at all. It is from this point the graphic memoir begins.

Initially the story fast forwards eight years into the future to the Federal District Court in San Francisco where everyone is waiting for "Public Enemy Number 1" to arrive. In the courtroom is Harry Brundidge an Army reporter, some U.S. soldiers and Iva's family. Iva hurriedly gets dressed in her cell as her two army guards, one of whom is very hostile, barge in to take her to the court.

In Chapter 1, after travelling by boat to Japan in July, 1941, twenty-five-year-old Iva is met by her Uncle Hottori to take her to his home some distance away. At the home of her uncle and aunt, Iva receives an unfriendly welcome from her sickly Aunt Shizu. Iva meets her cousins, Aika and Itsuki and learns that their brother Akihiro is training with the Japanese army. Iva finds herself doing chores, attending vocational school and doing the grocery shopping. She is bored and feels even more a stranger in Japan because "...being an American instantly puts people off." She is labelled a "Nisei". 

On December 3, 1941, Iva receives a letter from her father indicating that she is to return home by booking passage on the Tatsuta - the following day! To her shock, Iva realizes the letter was mailed a month ago. Initially, she isn't alarmed, believing she just has to pack her suitcase and show up to book a ticket on the boat. However, when Iva attempts to book passage on the ship she discovers she needs three letters for the ticket. Iva manages to get two of the letters, but the third, a letter of finance won't be ready for four days. Still undaunted, Iva plans to book passage home then.

But on December 11, 1941, Japan bombs Pearl Harbor and the U.S. declares war on the country, leaving Iva trapped in Japan. At her uncle's home, Iva is visited by Mr. Fugiwara, a member of the "Thought Police". He tells her "...in order to continue your life comfortably you have only to become Japanese. To continue as an American is to risk...discomfort."  That night Iva's uncle suggests it might be best for her to remain at home, stating that as a Nisei she risks bringing herself dishonor. But Iva believes they are more concerned about her bringing dishonor to them. Furious, she packs her bags and leaves, renting a room in a building filled with others trapped in Japan.

Iva soon finds that the people of Japan consider her an enemy and that many Nisei are giving up their American citizenship, after being threatened with jail. Meanwhile back in America, Iva's family are being "relocated" under Executive Order 9066 as a matter of public security.

At Nippon Hoso Kyokai (Japanese Broadcasting Corp.) in the Military Department of Communication, Major Tsuneishi is told his efforts to ruin American troop morale are not working but he insists his new idea called Zero Hour will work. Yuchi Hirakawa, Head of Radio Tokyo and leader of the Department of American Intelligence at NHK, tells him he has hired Nisei from the West who have pledged allegiance to Japan and who are professional broadcasters. 

Iva is now working at Radio Tokyo where she meets two POWs, Major Charles Cousens and Major Reyes. They have been POW's for almost a year. She sneaks Japanese beer into the writers room where they work and lets them know that if they need anything she can help. Cousens, who is from Australia, is forced to co-operate with Major Tsuneishi's plans for Zero Hour by writing the scripts that the Western Nisei women broadcasters will read. Tsuneishi's intent is to destroy the morale of American soldiers. But Cousens believes if they can get someone to do the broadcasts who is sympathetic to the Allies, the broadcasts will not be taken seriously and may have the opposite effect. He decides to enlist Iva as the broadcaster, believing that her delivery of his script is the key to thwarting Tsuneishi's plans. He eventually gets Iva to agree to his plan and has her call herself "Orphan Ann". 

Iva does the broadcasts and at first Tusneishi seems pleased. In Australia, the Allied command believe that Orphan Ann wants them to take the propaganda out of context. They refer to her "Tokyo Rose" although it is explained that this name refers to a group of Japanese women propagandists and not one person. They are hopeful this "Tokyo Rose" is on their side. But then Major Cousens collapses. Iva finds herself replaced by Tsuneishi's Western Nisei broadcasters and he reveals that he has seen through Cousen's attempts. By this time it is 1945, Japan is losing the war and when the Allies invade Japan, Felipe D'Aquino whom Iva has been living with proposes. She accepts. 

With the surrender of Japan, Iva and Felipe, now married and expecting a baby, are looking for a way to travel to the United States. Iva learns that Harry Brundidge, a journalist from Cosmopolitan is offering two thousand dollars for an interview with "Tokyo Rose". Although Iva never used this moniker, desperate for money, she decides to do the interview, claiming to be Tokyo Rose, against Felipe's advice. Little does she know it will be the beginning of years of persecution and have serious repercussions for both her and Felipe.

Discussion

Tokyo Rose: Zero Hour is a graphic novel that tells the real story of Iva Toguri, a Japanese-American who did radio broadcasts for Radio Tokyo during World War II. These broadcasts were directed at Allied troops in the South Pacific. Toguri who called herself "Orphan Ann" on the broadcasts, mistakenly became identified as "Tokyo Rose". 

In the post-war period, two reporters, Harry T. Brundidge and Clark Lee were determined to learn the identity of the mythical Tokyo Rose, the name given by Allied soldiers in the Pacific to the women who did radio broadcasts intended to demoralize troops. There was no one person identified as Tokyo Rose. However, Iva Toguri D'Aquino, now married to Felipe D'Aquino and desperate to get home to California learned of a two thousand dollar payment for an interview with the woman who was Tokyo Rose. Lacking the funds to travel back to the U.S., Iva passed herself off as Tokyo Rose and agreed to do the interview with Brundidge. However, when Brundidge's story was rejected by Cosmopolitan after they learned she lost her baby during her arrest, he refused to pay Iva. Instead, he went to Walter Winchell, a radio host who often posted sensationalist stories. Iva had been arrested in Japan and cleared of any charges of treason, but Winchell's story reopened this claim. Iva was convicted of treason and spent eight years in jail. She was pardoned in 1977 by President Gerald Ford. Her story is partly one of ongoing racism towards Japanese-Americans in the post-war period as well as the failure of the American justice system. It was later determined that the two star witnesses for the prosecution, George Mitsushio and Kenkichi Oki perjured themselves at the direction of the FBI.

But Iva Toguri's story is also one of honor, loyalty, determination in the face of adversity and belief in her own worth as a human being. Frattino states that "...it was immensely important to us that we be respectful and sensitive in chronicling Iva's experience, not only for her own legacy but for the entire Asian-American community as a whole." To that end, Frattino and Kasenow "...assembled a volunteer committee of Asian-American readers...to review our content" for accuracy. They worked to be historically accurate basing their story on "recorded testimonies, personal interviews and documented statements."

In the Preface, Janice Chiang who lettered this graphic novel highlights what made Iva Toguri so special as well as some of the issues she faced. She had to "straddle two worlds  and two cultures" both in America and in Japan during the war. As Chiang points out, these two world views could be a point of strength.

Tokyo Rose offers young readers much to consider. Iva was a young woman who believed in her own self worth, so much so that she left her uncle's home - a risky choice during the war, determined to be true to herself and her beliefs. Her own family believed her presence brought them dishonor. This belief reflected "the deep prejudice and condescension towards those who have immigrated to other parts of the world".

Iva proved herself not only a loyal American but loyal to the ideals of freedom and democratic rights as well. She refused to renounce her American citizenship, insisting she was American and she risked jail or worse helping American POWs in Japan. She also agreed to work with Cousens in the hope of thwarting the Japanese attempt to demoralize American troops during the brutal Pacific campaign. For her loyalty she was labeled a traitor, largely due to the efforts of Harry Brundidge, Walter Winchell and the FBI. The result was her incarceration in an American prison. But Iva persisted and eventually her name was cleared and she was pardoned.

This well-written and richly illustrated graphic novel brings to light the truth about the Tokyo Rose saga, exposing the difficulties many first-generation Americans experience, as they find themselves straddling two cultures. It also highlights the effects of war in perpetuating fear and racism towards those who are different. Tokyo Rose portrays the courage and resiliency of Iva Toguri, mislabeled Public Enemy Number 1, but in reality,  a loyal American citizen.

Book Details:

Tokyo Rose - Zero Hour by Andre Frattino and Kate Kasenow
Rutland, Vermont: Tuttle Publishing   2022