By: Jeanette Winter
Jeanette Winter has written and collaborated with other authors to develop thirty two children’s books. Though she is not an OwnVoice author/illustrator, her biographical research and artistic ability to portray inspirational characters are award winning. For this book specifically, her ability to untraditionally combine two stories in one book demonstrates to students that a book doesn’t have to be in one format when writing their own. Below is the illustration that conjoins the two stories and marks the time that the reader has to flip the book to read the second story. I started reading with the story about Malala. I had background knowledge in seeing Malala in the news and other media when she was originally shot, and her continuous travels to spread her message in the world. When first looking at the book, I see that Malala is holding a book in front of mountains. The colors on her side are soft pink, orange, red, green, yellow and blues that correspond with each other. Then I noticed a two toned pink kite. It made me wonder if there was a story about Malala and a kite that I’ve never heard of, or if it was a symbol for something she says that I am not familiar with. It is really important as a reader to read or be read to about the author’s note left by Jeanette Winter. It describes the main aspects of Malala’s life that she is known for and sets new background information for those learning about her for the first time. It tells of the conflict of being marginalized as a female and trying to get an education. It describes how the non-Taliban population were fearful of actions that would cause them to be harmed. Then it goes into a short detail about how Malala was shot directly in the head and her fight for both her life and her voice of addressing injustice of denying girls the right to an education.
“Let us not pray to be sheltered from dangers, but to be fearless when facing them.” -Rabindranath Tagore
When looking at the illustrations, to me they were different than any children’s book that I’ve read this semester. It seems like they were more blocked off and designated to the upper part of each page. Each illustration gave support to the text separated below it. However, each illustration was bordered by a different pattern to mark the end of the illustration. The illustrations were not overwhelming to look at because of the color choices. In almost every illustration that was a darkened shadowed figure(s) which made Malala stand out. I think this was meant to have the reader focus on Malala’s action positions in each picture. Along with this, I noticed that there was a small kite on every illustration. It was either in the geographical landscape backgrounds or nonchalantly in the scene Malala was in. I was not sure if this was symbolism for her voice being carried beyond Pakistan.
Since the illustrations were designated to part of the page, it was easier to read the text below it. The text on each page was not overwhelming and the font was simple and spaced out. On page one, the line, “Who is Malala?” is in larger print and bolded for emphasis. It would be interesting to stop right at this line and have students answer this question from previous research they have done or have learned from the author’s note. Then from this page, I noticed that everytime Malala spoke, her words were in red font. This occurs on pages: 2, 5, 7, 9, and 13
Why did Jeanette Winter do this? What is the purpose of this?
I think this visually represents the voice of Malala. It shows her bravery to stand up for what was occurring in her society as being unfair. It also shows that her words stood out from others and that her perseverance after being shot demonstrates that though she was young, she was unafraid to speak up for what she thought. I would ask my students how they would feel if they got physically hurt after speaking up if they would continue? What does this show about Malala?
After reading the story about Malala, you then get to this page below. This illustration is so unique! The reader sees Malala and Iqbal on the same page on top of different mountains letting go different kites. To have a two page spread that incorporate each other’s respective colors shows that the second part of the story is going to continue on the theme of young activists defending with their bravery.
I have never heard of Iqbal Masih before reading this book. Jeanette Winter yet again started with a biography author’s note that gives brief details about the life of Iqbal. There were many similar medium details that were similar to those in the Malala story. The illustrations were bordered by patterns to mark their positioning on the page. There wasn’t too much print on each page so that it wouldn’t be too overwhelming for a reader. Most of the colors of the illustrations were more purple-blue shaded in pallet and darker. Near the ending of his story there were kites represented in the illustrations, but not on every page. This must have been a choice because Iqbal was recognized on the first page that he was flying a kite when he was free. Now reading his story, I see that once he recognizes that he is technically free from serving his debt, there are kites represented in the illustrations as well. On page eleven, Iqbal’s dialogue is in a purple toned font. This choice in making his voice stand out compared to others in his story coincides with that of Malala’s voice being a different color as well. Specifically on this page, Iqbal was quoted as wanting to do what Abraham Lincoln did. I would have students discuss what he meant by this and why he said this in his message of freedom to 3,000 children in Pakistan. How does this relate to your understanding of freedom?
One of the illustrations that really stuck with me and made me stop for a while just to stare at the illustrations was on page twelve. This page struck me emotionally. First, he was twelve. The age of possible audiences that I could read this book to. Then I noticed all these people behind buildings looking like they are yelling or running to the orange and yellow firework like shape. This represents the moment that Iqbal was killed and the letting go of his kite. This symbolism of his kite continuing to fly through the rest of his story shows his words never ended after his life.
Classroom Connections
With this book of two stories of bravery, there is a lesson idea from “The Classroom Bookshelf” that has students define the term bravery and ways they saw bravery in Malala, Iqbal, and even Amal in the novel Amal Unbound. Then students would read Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909 and discuss how these other characters demonstrate bravery. Since all of these books incorporate the prompt of what students can do in their own life to use their voice and bravery to make a change, I would have students then develop a specific plan in identifying something they want to change in their own life and ways they can enact this desire to change.
A common idea that was shared between Malala and Amal was their desire to want to have an education and being denied or oppressed for their passion of learning. Maybe an idea that could be developed within a classroom is how to support the idea of helping people learn how to read or learn the importance of education in the world?
Another common idea between Iqbal and Amal is the idea of having indentured servants or forcing children to do labor in order to pay for family debt. Is this fair? Is this still happening? How is it still happening and what are ways that it can be ended?
References
Cunningham, K. (2015). Malala: A Brave Girl from Pakistan/Iqbal: A Brave Boy from Pakistan. Retrieved from
Winter, J. (2014). Malala, a Brave Girl from Pakistan/ Iqbal, a Brave boy from Pakistan. New York: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.