Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein (Grades 9-12)

Wein, E. (2013). Rose under fire. New York, NY: Disney-Hyperion.

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein is an USBBY 2014 Outstanding International Book for grades nine through twelve. I think what initially drew me to this novel was the sheer amount of awards it has received. This particular work of Wein's is a recipient of the Schneider Family Book Award, Josette Frank Award, Boston Globe/Horn Book Award, Gold Kite Award Honor, and ABA Indies Choice Award Honor and was shortlisted for the Costa Award for Children. Additionally, it was a finalist for an Audie Award. Obviously, I had to investigate what all the acclaim was about.

Personally, I enjoyed this book. However, before delving in, you need to know what you're getting into. Let me explain with a summary found on the author's web page:

Rose Justice is a young pilot with the Air Transport Auxiliary during the Second World War. On her way back from a semi-secret flight in the waning days of the war, Rose is captured by the Germans and ends up in Ravensbrück, the notorious Nazi women's concentration camp. There, she meets an unforgettable group of women, including a once glamorous and celebrated French detective novelist whose Jewish husband and three young sons have been killed; a resilient young girl who was a human guinea pig for Nazi doctors trying to learn how to treat German war wounds; and a Nachthexen, or Night Witch, a female fighter pilot and military ace for the Soviet air force. These damaged women must bond together to help each other survive.

As one can tell, this book is intense, but Rose Under Fire is so, so beautifully written and features both original poetry by the main character Rose and the incredibly talented Edna St. Vincent Millay. Written as journal entries, readers get a heart-wrenching glimpse into the horrific time period that was World War II. At times, yes, the novel was hard to get through; it hits you hard and makes you contemplate many things, especially humanity and war. However, I would still recommend this book to anyone. This book stays with you for a while after finishing, and I think that feeling is something that readers need to experience sometime.

Although I am a huge fan of this text and that author's entire body of work, there are questions that readers should consider:

• Why are so many books that make the USBBY Outstanding International Book List set in the era of World War II? Does this choice of setting truly represent international children's literature at its best or is it simply a universal theme, a topic that many questions can relate to, as they were involved in the conflict? 
• Other than its setting, how is Rose Under Fire a companion text for Code Name Verity, a 2013 USBBY Outstanding International Book also by Elizabeth Wein?
• Do authors who have previously had a book on the USBBY Outstanding International Book list take precedent when consideration for the upcoming year's list over those who have not?

Coming soon... a post for Code Name Verity!

Sopa de Frijoles (2010) & Arroz con Leche (2011) by Jorge Argueta (Grades PreK-2)

This week, I chose to take a look at two bilingual books by Jorge Argueta -- Sopa de Frijoles and Arroz con Leche -- that made the USBBY Outstanding International Book list in two consecutive years.  Both are charming poems about cooking and contain recipes for delicious recipes, bean soup and rice pudding.  (I've made both of the recipes and can vouch for them -- they're delicious!)

Since Argueta is originally from El Salvador, we can see how these books reflect aspects of his home culture, as the dishes depicted in the poems are well-loved comfort foods that are popular throughout Latin America.  Also, the presence of both Spanish and English in the text shows the connection between Argueta's first language and the language of his adopted country, the United States.

Here are reviews from Kirkus:

Argueta, J. (2009). Sopa de frijoles / Bean soup. Toronto: Groundwood Books.

This free-verse cooking poem is more than a simple recipe for bean soup. Argueta’s lyrical Spanish translated into its counterpart English is filled with visual and aromatic imagery that turns soup-making into art. Describing ingredients such as water “whose caresses give us life,” garlic cloves each “in a little white dress” and salt sprinkled “as though it were rain blossoming from your hand,” Argueta’s metaphorical instructions produce bean-filled water that doesn’t just boil, but sings as it turns brown, “the color of mother Earth,” making the house smell “like the earth after the first winter rains.” Yockteng’s parallel earthy-toned paintings oppose each new instructive page, illustrating an animated boy performing each step of the recipe until the inviting scent and warmth of the kitchen beckons a loving family to the table. Starred cues appropriately indicate adult help where needed in this eloquent rendering of a nutritious and delicious meal.

Argueta, J. (2010). Arroz con leche / Rice pudding. Toronto: Groundwood Books.

A lyrical recipe presented in the form of a free-verse poem, this bilingual (Spanish/English) selection combines the fun of cooking with the tenderness of a mother-son relationship. Subtle, stylized illustrations convey a sense of joy and excitement in this paean to rice pudding as a boy embarks on a culinary adventure with help from his mom. Asterisks indicate when an adult’s help is needed, and young readers will delight in following the simple-to-prepare recipe. The text sparkles with clarity and purpose in both languages, and youngsters will appreciate the very accessible yet graceful and gently humorous poetic descriptions ("The little white grains of rice / rain music and sing / as they fall"). Naturally, the last part of the poem deals with the serving of the delicious pudding to the whole family. The warmth and love put into the dish radiates out over the dinner table to the boy and his parents and sister and then rises in clearly fragrant ribbons outside their cozy home. A nice introduction to the joys of cooking, as well as a strong bilingual addition to any collection.

When I was searching the USBBY Outstanding International Books list for these titles, I noticed something strange -- both books are listed as Canadian.  Yes, they were published in Canada by Groundwood Books (a wonderful company that focuses on quality multicultural children's literature), but are they Canadian?  No!  

Jorge Argueta is Salvadoran, and I think that USBBY should list the titles as such.  This discrepancy might be confusing for parents or teachers who are skimming the list looking for award-winning children's books with Latin American roots.

What do you think?  Why would USBBY choose to label books with their publishing origin rather than the author's or story's origin?