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Sam and the Tigers
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From: Donna Scanlon <dscanlon>
Date: Wed, 23 Oct 1996 09:28:05 -0400 (EDT)
Hello!
First, since this is my first posting, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Donna Scanlon, and I have been a children's librarian at the Lancaster County Library for the past seven years. My supervisor is JoAnne Foss, and I know that many of the people on this list know her.
Jerry Pinkney has been one of my favorite illustrators ever since I chose his name from a list to do an assignment on illustrators in Melody Allen's children's literature class at Simmons. So, I was thrilled--and awed--when School Library Journal sent me *Sam and the Tigers* to review. I also felt
*very* white. I asked an African American staff member to read it and give me some feedback, and she really liked it. Ann (the staff memeber) told me that she and her brothers and sisters loved the story when they were kids, but that it was spoiled by the "Sambo" association. She appreciated the
"reclaiming" of the story, although she did comment on Sam's red jacket. She told me that some African Americans won't wear red--she cited her husband and sister as examples--but someone else told me that was not universal.
This was a very difficult review to write. I didn't want to get up on a soapbox, since my main job was to evaluate the text and illustrations and the value of the book for school and public libraries. I believe I did that. I thought it was a stunning book. I felt I had to comment on the
"historical baggage" aspect because it's an issue that is felt keenly--I had read excerpts of the discussion about Little Black Sambo on ChildLit. Some people will be able to overcome that baggage. Others won't.
I also recognize that while Lester and Pinkney are African Americans, they don't necessarily speak for all African Americans--and neither does one staff member.
I think the reason that I didn't explore the issue of why Lester called all the people "Sam" was because Lester discusses it in his source note. I commented on the humor it added to the book--I couldn't help but think of Monty Python's "Philosopher's College" sketch where the staff member named Michael was going to cause confusion because his name wasn't Bruce!
You know, Lester never says that ALL the people and animals work together. Every society is going to have bullies, unfriendly people, etc. And while I enjoyed The Horn Book article too, I was mystified by the comment that you never see the tiger wearing the shoes or the other tiger with the umbrella--yes you do, in that magnificent double spread! (I think the Kirkus reviewer made a similar comment.)
I've gone on long enough--I could go on forever about Jerry Pinkney's work.
(I would love to see him win the Caldecott one year.) Thanks for your attention.
Sincerely, Donna Scanlon Donna L. Scanlon dscanlon at lancaster.lib.pa.us Children's Librarian Lancaster County Library Voice: 717/396?13 X137 125 N. Duke Street Fax: 717/394083 Lancaster PA 17602
Received on Wed 23 Oct 1996 08:28:05 AM CDT
Date: Wed, 23 Oct 1996 09:28:05 -0400 (EDT)
Hello!
First, since this is my first posting, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Donna Scanlon, and I have been a children's librarian at the Lancaster County Library for the past seven years. My supervisor is JoAnne Foss, and I know that many of the people on this list know her.
Jerry Pinkney has been one of my favorite illustrators ever since I chose his name from a list to do an assignment on illustrators in Melody Allen's children's literature class at Simmons. So, I was thrilled--and awed--when School Library Journal sent me *Sam and the Tigers* to review. I also felt
*very* white. I asked an African American staff member to read it and give me some feedback, and she really liked it. Ann (the staff memeber) told me that she and her brothers and sisters loved the story when they were kids, but that it was spoiled by the "Sambo" association. She appreciated the
"reclaiming" of the story, although she did comment on Sam's red jacket. She told me that some African Americans won't wear red--she cited her husband and sister as examples--but someone else told me that was not universal.
This was a very difficult review to write. I didn't want to get up on a soapbox, since my main job was to evaluate the text and illustrations and the value of the book for school and public libraries. I believe I did that. I thought it was a stunning book. I felt I had to comment on the
"historical baggage" aspect because it's an issue that is felt keenly--I had read excerpts of the discussion about Little Black Sambo on ChildLit. Some people will be able to overcome that baggage. Others won't.
I also recognize that while Lester and Pinkney are African Americans, they don't necessarily speak for all African Americans--and neither does one staff member.
I think the reason that I didn't explore the issue of why Lester called all the people "Sam" was because Lester discusses it in his source note. I commented on the humor it added to the book--I couldn't help but think of Monty Python's "Philosopher's College" sketch where the staff member named Michael was going to cause confusion because his name wasn't Bruce!
You know, Lester never says that ALL the people and animals work together. Every society is going to have bullies, unfriendly people, etc. And while I enjoyed The Horn Book article too, I was mystified by the comment that you never see the tiger wearing the shoes or the other tiger with the umbrella--yes you do, in that magnificent double spread! (I think the Kirkus reviewer made a similar comment.)
I've gone on long enough--I could go on forever about Jerry Pinkney's work.
(I would love to see him win the Caldecott one year.) Thanks for your attention.
Sincerely, Donna Scanlon Donna L. Scanlon dscanlon at lancaster.lib.pa.us Children's Librarian Lancaster County Library Voice: 717/396?13 X137 125 N. Duke Street Fax: 717/394083 Lancaster PA 17602
Received on Wed 23 Oct 1996 08:28:05 AM CDT
