A Boy and a Jaguar

A Boy and a Jaguar by Alan Rabinwitz Illustrated by Catia Chen is an autobiography picture book published in 2014 and intended for children ages 3 – 8 years old. This book was named one of the best picture books of 2014 by Published Weekly and the 2015 Schneider Family Book Award Winner. This real-life story with tender illustrations by Catia Chen explores truths not defined by the spoken word.

A boy and a Jaguar is both inspirational and heartwarming. The story is all about a little boy, his stutter, and a promise. The little boy is told that he is not allowed to be around his classmates because his stutter is distracting. This makes the boy upset, but does not stop him from trying to cure his stutter to keep his promise. Talking to his pets and animals at the zoo, are the only times when the little boy can speak without stuttering. The boy also cannot understand why the animals must be kept all alone in a bared cage. That is why the boy makes a promise to the Jaguar at the zoo that he is going to someday use his voice to help the animals find theirs. That is exactly what he works hard to do; the rest of the story explains how the boy achieves his promise as he grows up.

This text could be used to reinforce content from art. The illustrations in this book are outstanding. Cátia Chien uses watercolors in this book to display bright, vivid pictures in the readers mind. Students can talk about the texture and the mediums being used. Also, this text could be used to reinforce content from science. Younger elementary school students learn about animals and their interactions in the environment.

Discussion Questions:

1.  Based on the cover and title alone what do you think the story will be about?
2.  What is your favorite wild life animal?
3.  What is the definition of a promise?
4. What was the promise the boy made to the Jaguar?
5. Why was it so important that the boy save the jaguar land?
6.   How did he keep his promise?

Educational Activities:

                       Writing:

·         Student could write theoretical letters as “activists that are trying to save their favorite wildlife animal

Science:

·         Students can research information about a specific endangered animal with a partner and then give a short presentation about what they learned

        Physical Education:

·         Students can try to run like a jaguar

          Calculate how fast they can run a short distance and then compare it to statistics about how fast a jaguar can run.

Other books by Alan Rabinowitz:

·         Jaguar: One Man’s Struggle to Establish the First Jaguar Preserve

·         Chasing the Dragon’s Tail: The Struggle to Save Thailand’s Wild Cats

·         Beyond the Last Village: A Journey of Discovery in Asia’s Forbidden Wilderness

·         Life in the Valley of Death: The Fight to Save Tigers in the Land of Guns, Gold, and Greed

Rabinowitz, A., & Chien, C. (2014). A boy and a jaguar. Boston, USA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

White Socks Only

White Socks Only is a multicultural children’s book intended for young readers, ages 5-8 years old. It ws written by Evelyn Coleman and illustrated by Tyrone Geter in 1996. The book was about when a grandma was a little girl in Mississippi, she sneaked into town one hot summer day. She saw the "Whites Only" sign on the water fountain, she had no idea what she would happen when she took off her shoes and wearing her clean white socks.

The genre of this book is historical fiction.  Judging people by skin color is as thoughtless as judging people by the color of their socks because the little girl misinterpreted the “Whites Only” sign at the water fountain. She thought the sign meant that a person could only drink out of the fountain when wearing white and no other color. Back in the day, segregation was enforced and blacks and white were not allowed in the same area. The illustration of the book was very beautiful water color that made the story very engaging. Tyrone Geter’s paintings richly evoke its heat, mood, and legendary spirit.

Questions:

1. Why did the old black woman take off her shoes and drink from the fountain?
2. What did the little girl show the grown-ups that day in town? Why was it important?
3. What part did the Chicken Man play at the end of the story?
4. Why did the little girl take her shoes off to drink from the water fountain?

Motivational Activities!

• This book could generate great discussion on American views on segregation during the mid-1900s as well as the laws that stifled African Americans during that same time frame. Although the story was set during the 19^thcentury. You could have a class discussion about segregation and its contribution.
•  Review the history of Civil Rights with the class.

Key Topics: 

·   Pro-Social Behaviors

·   Civil Rights

·   Equal Rights

·   Segregation

·   Inclusion

·   Diversity

·   Citizenship

·   Superstition

If you enjoyed this book written by Evelyn Coleman you may also enjoy some of her other children’s books. A few examples for you are:

• Freedom Train
• Shadows on Society Hill
• Circle of Fire
• Born in Sin

Also what I really like about this author is that her novels are  for young readers, which have thoughtfully explored issues of race in ways that allow children to see realities without sugar-coating or bitterness!

Coleman, E., & Geter, T. (1996). White socks only. Morton Grove, Ill.: A. Whitman.