Not to be super critical, but I had two complaints about this book. First, it was too predictable for me. I feel like the plot followed the same storyline that I have heard many many times. The kidnapping from Africa, the journey to America, being enslaved, and escaping to freedom. All very real things, but too redundant in slave tales. However, for younger children who have not yet been exposed to this type of story I guess it would be ok. Second, in my opinion the semi unrealistic, dramatic, and happy-ending second half of the story takes away from the first half. The first half of the book presents a harsher depiction of the slave process and in my opinion does a good job at accounting factual events in a way that is appropriate for a younger audience. I think that it is both entertaining and educational for this audience, and for that I commend the author. However, the second half, while still depicting actual events, is more of a "story". I think that the second half of the book almost erases the first half and the audience gets caught up in all that is happening to the main characters. Overall, this subtracts from the impact the book has on the readers. I would almost argue that the second half of the book should have been left out so the reader would have been left to consider what might happen to Amari and so that the realness of the first half would have a lasting impression.
Enough of the criticism, I did find some things in the book enjoyable. It was different for me reading this book in the way that the author captured the point of view and inner thoughts of Amari. The imagery and references to nature especially illustrated the thoughts of Amari to me. I found that when examples of nature were pointed out, it symbolized Amaris inner thoughts and sometimes her self reflection on events or on realizations of the world that she grew to understand as the story unfolds. I found this part of the book very believable despite the fact that it is fiction. The authors use of this technique was also successful in getting me to think, like Amari did, about her situation and about all the things that she was discovering.
The one thing that I found very interesting about the second youtube video was how in the song "For Sale" the singer/songwriter paralleled the selling of both men and women slaves to how people are still living their lives today. The song referenced women who appear in music videos and how that can bee seen as selling yourself or your body, and therefore equates it back to the selling of slaves. This perspective was new for me, but what was not new was the perspective that by choice or force, African Americans are still being oppressed today. Personally I can see evidence for arguing this issue on both sides of the fence and have no grudge against it, however I do feel that this issue is in the media a lot in a variety of ways and I think that the attention it gets does not solve any problems.
I agree with many of the ideas presented in the "Louie article", especially veryifying the accuracy of novels. Just as we discussed in class, many of the issues that arise from people not being educated on the factual events of slavery come simply from the fact that many people have not been exposed to the facts. Just as important as it is to be educated and exposed to the real events of slavery, it is important to make sure that the events and "facts" you are reading are indeed true. Without doing this, you are insuring that the opinions and perceptions by the children reading unverified books will be based on fiction.
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