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Anonymous.
AnonymousThese relate to our discussion of anime and manga. Nice to see the
Batchelder Award (for book published in another language and translated into
English) go to such popular stories.
Susan Dubin
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sako Ikegami"
To: "ccbc-net, Subscribers of"
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 4:35 PM
Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] Bachelder Award
> Hi Amy,
>
> Actually it may not be surprising at all. Both Brave Story and the
> Moribito series are children's novels that were very popular and
> therefore adapted into anime and manga. This is actually quite common in
> Japan, since sadly, the manga- and anime-consuming public far outnumbers
> book lovers.
>
> Since so few books are translated from the Japanese, and as far as I
> have heard, so difficult to sell in the States, perhaps books that are
> already available in other, more accesible forms such as manga and
> anime, are more likely to get published?
>
> FWIW, there are cases of the reverse, where very popular manga or anime
> (or TV dramas and movies) are novelized, but my impression is that this
> is much less common.
>
> Also, Viz Media is actually owned and run by Shogakukan and Shueisha.
> Yes, they're the source of tons of manga in Japan too, but the former is
> also one of the biggest publishers of children's magazines, books and
> educational materials (akin to Scholastic), while Shueisha publishes a
> huge number of magazines and books for all ages.
>
> Sako
>
> [email protected] wrote:
>> I find it interesting that this is the second year in a row that the
>> Bachelder was given to a novel translated from the Japanese, and that in
>> both cases, there's a link to the manga/anime industry. Last year it was
>> "Brave Story," published by Viz, which is primarily known for publishing
>> manga and anime. This year it's "Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit," which
>> was adapted into an anime series. Up until a week ago, the show was
>> broadcast by Cartoon Network.
>>
>> http://www.comicmix.com/news/2009/01/26/neil-gaiman-wins-newbery-award-moribito-wins-bachelder/
>>
>>
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clay dubeKay Haugaard has a great short story in the "The Kids' Reading Room" feature contained with the comics section of today's (3/8/09) Los Angeles Times.
Here's the link: http://www.latimes.com/features/kids/readingroom/la-et-story8a-2009mar08,0,648681.story
This short piece would allow for many discussions, including Daoist ideas that everything has its place, its nature, and that preserving this is the key to keeping everything in balance. It also fits with ideas regarding diet and environmental preservation, as well as matters of governance.
clay dubeToday's (5/10/2009) LA Times features an article by Susan Carpenter on the novel A Drifting Life by TATSUMI Yoshihiro. Tatsumi's novel was 11 years in the making. It is set in Osaka after the end of World War II in 1945. Carpenter writes that the novel "represents the 'dramatic pictures' (gekiga) for which Tatsumi is best known -- emotional and realistic renderings of a hard-knock life told from an underdog perspective. Rather than jokes and action, the emphasis is on character and narrative."
The full story is at: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-yoshihiro-tatsumi10-2009may10,0,4667068.story
It's an 840 page novel. Here's the publisher's page for the book: http://www.drawnandquarterly.com/shopCatalogLong.php?st=art&art=a41e32e169aff2. The publisher's page has a link to a sample pdf from the book.
Has anyone used Japanese graphic novels in class? I'm fond of the Japan, Inc. novel and have used it with undergraduates and frequently include it among materials we provide teachers. Please share your experiences with using such works.
AnonymousThis year I am teaching a seventh grade core. That is I have Two groups of students to whom I teach English and History. We have a four by four block schedule at my school so every student has two classes of English and two classes of math. They go to four classes every day. English and math every day and P.E., an elective, science, and history every other day. They are in the classroom for more total hours a year than with a traditional schedule and have twice as much time in a year of English and math. Knowing this was our schedule I asked to teach a seventh grade core. Seventh grade history is "World History and Geography: Medieval to Early Modern Times". With the time we have for English I am able to do all kinds of cross curricular things. Where the core really works well is with Europe and the evolution of the English language along with literature like Beowulf, Chaucer, Dante, Cervantes, and Shakespeare but I am also building my curriculum for Medieval Japanese history with Haiku and Japanes literature. I haven't done so well this year with Korean and Chinese literature. That's one reason I took this course. It has been very useful and have I have already integarted things into my curriculum for next year. Why teach Japanese, Chines, and Korean literature? My answer is because its there.
GG
AnonymousMy students tend to enter sixth grade reading at a third grade level. A major challenge I often face is finding books that are written at an appropriate reading level and finding books that interest them. I have had a lot of success giving my reluctant readers graphic novels; they love that they are fun, and the pictures help their comprehension.
I looked at the information about A Drifting Life that Clay included in the posting, and it looks interesting, but clearly wouldn't be appropriate for my students. But, I am interested in getting a few copies of age and reading-level appropriate Japanese graphic novels for my students. The website http://mangaforkids.com sells a number of graphic novels written for young people under the age of 12; according to the website, these titles do not feature any of the age innappropriate surprises that some manga contains. Also, these titles supposedly teach lessons; I think I'm going to buy one or two and see what they're like; it could be a cool way to draw reluctant readers in, do a brief introduction to the manga genre, and if these really do "teach lessons" I could maybe incorporate parts into lessons on theme.
-Karen
ps- this website contains more information about these books and the reasons behind creating a set of manga just for kids Making UDON
clay dubeI'm glad to hear about Manga for Kids. It will be great to read what you think of the books available. As LA Times readers, at least those who begin Sunday with the comics (yes, that includes me), know, they've carried a manga series for a couple years now. I never read it, but I'm wondering if any of you do or if anyone has students who follow it. It is produced by Tokyo Pop, an LA company which produces English language works that can be found in many bookstores.
For those teachers outside the LA Times area, do you know of any mainstream papers which also carry manga?
Here's an article which includes mention of Stuart Levy's success bringing manga to the masses:
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jan/17/entertainment/gd-cover17
Here's the Tokyo Pop website, look for Peach Fuzz, the LAT story....
http://www.tokyopop.com/
AnonymousAdmittedly, I know little about Manga. But I'm curious and would like to potentially use it in my English classes in the future. I thought I'd share this website that I found useful:
http://www.koyagi.com/recManga.html
I like that it gives me a list of some famous manga with which to start. It also gives a brief description of each and suggests for which grades they might be appropriate.
AnonymousManga has been growing in popularity in the schools. We have an Anime Club at Golden Valley High School in Santa Clarita. The students meet to watch, read, create and discuss.
In addition, there were so many great ideas expressed in the Asia in my Classroom session this past fall, that I am going to take the bull by the horns. I was able to get a pass for Comic-Con in San Diego next week. There are numerous manga companies at the site and I plan to pump them for ideas and information. If I get great links, tips and news, I will gladly share the companies names, contacts, links etc. with the forum.
Personally, I'm finishing summer school in my district, and with four weeks off, there is not enough time to begin planning. But I want to make use of the many resources I have been given and all the terrific ideas offered on the forum.
Will check back after next weekend.
Kyle Kulish[Edit by="kkulish on Nov 29, 2:31:06 PM"]Realized this was never updated.
Went to the convention but the workers at the booths had little to no insight, but kept giving me samples for the Anime club at school. I missed one good managa panel and hope to be able to attend this coming summer and seek greater insight.
My apologies for the delay in follow-up.[/Edit]
AnonymousBecause without literature about China (The Good Earth, by Pear S. Buck) how can our eyes be open to the richness told of a poor peasant woman (O-Lan.) SHe is long suffering, delivering babies alone in the rice fields, enduring famines and constant insults about her plainness. She is married to a grain merchant, a greedy and unfaithful man (Wang Lung.) I have never forgotten this story, and the visual representation about the rice fields, the realities of bringing another woman into one's household (Lotus, ) and the imagery of pillaging a rich man's house. Oh, the protectiveness O-Lan had for her two meager pearls! Oh, the humilitation she felt at her husbands infedelities and cruelty. Thank you Pearl S. Buck, who is not opened my eyes to another land in another time.
AnonymousI teach 6th grade Language Arts, and have found some great resources/stories in the HOLT Language of Literature series. We've recently read Japanese stories: The Bracelet, Wartime Mistakes...Peacetime Apologies, Go for Broke/Purple Heart team, The last Samurai, Japanese Folk Tales and Chinese: The All American Slurp.
The kids had their eyes opened about the predjudice and mistreatment of Japanese Americans, learned about internment camps, and were able to bring stories to the classroom after talking with their familes about their relatives who witnessed, or experienced the atrocities.
The short story: All American Slurp is about a Chinese American girl and her family who have difficulties adjusting to the various cultural norms. There are comparisons between her family and another American fam.. : from PTA meetings, mastering English, having dinner parties, food choices, wardrobe, proper etiquette at a restaurant, etc. There are many faux pas that they survive, and as we watch the family go through all their scenarios, my students can definitely relate to situations that they'd endured and how we all have had embarrasing things happen to us.
AnonymousIt sounds like you are giving up on the art of teaching, but you have to remember that for many of the disabled readers, high interest materials is paramount to creating an interest in reading and getting the students to appreciate learning and what they can get out of it. High interest materials is always a good place to start with those students that do not want to read, because they have had so much trouble with processing information in that specific genre. I would start with the boys by introducing them to Asian Motorcycles, and how they are made. for the ladies, i would start by introducing them to Asian fashion in the world today. Also try Asian soap Operas, that a good interest getter ! Don't give up on them.
AnonymousAnd do not forget "The Pillow Book."
Sei Shōnagon's musings on people and court life resonates with my students today and they completely identify with her commentaries today.
We imagined what it would have been like for her to have an iPhone in the palace and what her comments/apps would be.
One slight selection is:
"It's also amusing to witness someone for some reason lose her temper and burst into tears, and roundly abuse anyone who has struck her." -- and it, among other comments, is fit for someone jotting a text or tweeting their thoughts on what they are doing or seeing right now.
It mixes the modern with the old and makes for fun connections.
AnonymousWhy not use Asian Literature in the clasroom ? Some of the most magnificent works of literature are either about Asia, China in specific, or written in English from a Chinese or Asian Text. The good earth is a good example of an American written work about the horrors of China during the early twentieth century. Pearl Buck did an amazing job on this book, and I enjoy reading it to this day, time and time again. I know that we use in our eighth grade classrooms literature by Laurence Yep, which is about Chinese Life in San Francisco. It is a heartwarming story about a family that owns a grocery store in San Francisco, and they get invaded by an American Rat. It goes through great detail about the family and its dysfunctional elements between the father and their son, the one in particular that has asthma. The other son is a winner, and can play sports like his father, but the father does not recognize his disabled son as anything important. The story is a heartwarming depiction of Chinese American Life, and our eighth grade English Language Classes love it. Unless students are exposed to language and literature from other cultures, they become like barn sour horses, and they never want to leave the barn. Here ! Here ! for Asian Literature.
AnonymousThe Manga For Kids site is a great resource for finding age-appropriate manga for my fourth graders. A few of my students love to create their own and more of these books in our classroom library will be very inspiring!
clay dubeHi Folks,
It's not just students in the US, Korea, and Australia who have undertaken the study of Chinese. Today's Los Angeles Times has a great article about efforts to teach Chinese in places such as Aguascalientes, Mexico. I'm impressed at how forward-thinking the people behind this initiative are.
Here's a link to the article:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-mexico-china-20100607,0,7370017.story
Among other things this is a great response for those who think only families of Chinese heritage would be interested in having their kids study Chinese. We can all benefit from learning more about China, its remarkable past, and its dynamic present.