Smoky Night Analysis

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Bunting, E., & Diaz, D. (1994). Smoky night. San Diego: Harcourt Brace. Summary: Daniel is a young boy living in an urban area where rioting is taking place. Smoky Night is the story of a scary, yet memorable night during the riots told from Daniel’s perspective. His story shares his thoughts and feelings as he and his mother and their racially divided neighborhood are directly affected by the riots. Daniel’s cat, Jasmine is a symbolic character in the story, as she makes an unlikely friend during the fire that drives the tenants of the apartment to a shelter… and friendship. ****************************************************************** Goble, P., & Bradbury Press. (1978). The girl who loved wild horses. Scarsdale, N.Y: Bradbury…show more content…
(1987). Mufaro's beautiful daughters: An African tale. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books. Summary: Long ago in Africa lived a man named Mufaro who had two beautiful, but very different daughters. Nyasha was kind and thoughtful and Manyara was bad-tempered and selfish. Mufaro was unaware of Manyara’s bad behavior as she kept it hidden from him. The king in the nearby city called for all worthy daughters to appear before him so that he could choose a wife. Mufaro was proud to send both daughters. Manyara, however, schemes to beat her sister to the king and win him over first. Manyara does not succeed, as her bad behavior brings about her downfall, and Nyasha wins the king’s heart. Personal Response: I thought the story was beautifully written and provides a wonderful moral lesson of the consequences of selfish actions. Through their encounters on their similar but separate journeys to see the king, the sisters show different reactions that are unknowingly being watched by the king. It shows that bad behavior, whether apparent or concealed, will not be rewarded. I believe the story is fairly predictable and that most will assume that good will ultimately conquer evil, but I enjoyed this twist on a Cinderalla-like…show more content…
The bold colors and harsh brush strokes create a feel of rapid movement and strong emotion. The artistic style, which I believe is expressionism, seems to reflect the turmoil of the 1960’s, a time of war and racial tension. They also represent the audacious, controversial and exciting figure that Muhammad Ali was. ****************************************************************************** Nelson, V., & Christie, R. (2009). Bad news for outlaws: The remarkable life of Bass Reeves, deputy U.S. marshal. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books. Summary: Bad News for Outlaws is the true story of legendary, African American U.S. Marshall, Bass Reeves. Reeves was born into slavery yet rose to become one of the most respected and feared deputy U.S. Marshall’s of the Old West. Described in this book are some of his many fascinating encounters with outlaws. Although cunning and deadly, Reeves was a man of admirable character who was dedicated to upholding the law and considered a hero to many. ****************************************************************************** Allsburg, C., & Allsburg, C. (1985). The Polar Express. Boston: Houghton
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    a year after it was published, Smoky Night won The 1995 Caldecott Medal. This picture book is about a night during the riots of Los Angeles that devastated the city in 1992. The story is told by a young boy, Daniel, as he sees people rioting in the streets across his apartment. He is unable to find rationale behind the mob’s aggressive behavior and at the same time he is terrorized to see them smashing, destroying and burning everything in their way. Later that night their apartment is set on fire

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