2013 Fifty Fifty Me Challenge Summary

Clearly, I became increasingly unfaithful in reporting my fiftyfifty.me statistics as 2013 wore on. When I last reported in September, my stats were:

Books total: 90

Minus folktales: 53

Movies 28

Major 37/7

Minor 2/3

One thing I learned was that I was not going to watch 50 new movies in 2013. I would much rather read or watch a TV series on DVD or Netflix such as Orange is the New Black, Grimm or Murdoch Mysteries. So, I pretty much gave up that challenge. In fact, the only new (to me) movies I can remember watching between October-December were Enough Said and Despicable Me. So, I only watched 30 movies.

I think that I read twelve more chapter books/novels:

Alphabetical by author:

1. Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough
2. After: 19 Stories of Apocalypse & Dystopia Ed. by Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling
3. The Panopticon by Jenni Fagan
4. If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan
5. On the Day I Died: Stories from the Grave by Candace Fleming
6. Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman
7. Skylight Confessions by Alice Hoffman
8. The Great Trouble: a Mystery of London, The Blue Death, and a Boy Called Eel by Deborah Hopkinson
9. The Rebellion of Miss Lucy Ann Lobdell by William Klaber
10. The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long
11. Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness
12. UnSouled by Neal Shusterman

I only read two books by John Steinbeck in 2013. Maybe I'll read the last one in 2014.

I read twenty one more folktales, but I left Japan behind and visited stories of Aboriginal Australia and China. To see them, click my labels for each country.

 Final stats (or so I think, I've never been good at math):

Books total: 123

Minus folktales: 65

Movies 30

Major 37/7

Minor 2/3

Lani and the Secret of the Mountain

Lani and the Secret of the Mountain by Jewell Reinhart Coburn, Illus. by Mikki Senkarik, 1996.

This book is part of the Common Values series and, unlike most of the folktales that I have mentioned, was created specifically for teaching. It is intended for discussing values such as: "Responsibility, Loyalty, Compassion, Courage, Self-sacrifice and Thinking Consequentially." It is also a multilingual edition and contains a long version of the tale in English, plus shortened tellings in English, Chinese: Traditional & Hanyu Pinyin, Hmong, Cambodian (Khmer), Lao, Vietnamese and Spanish. Following the story is a teaching section, with background about China and this folktale, reading suggestions, story-related activities and discussion questions.

The story, also known as "The Long Haired Girl", it is about a brave young girl named Lani who saves her village from a terrible drought. The people and animals are suffering in the heat. Known to her neighbors as laughing and attractive, with long black hair that reaches the ground, Lani suddenly returns from the mountain with downcast eyes and lifeless, snow-white locks. She has learned that the mountain spirit is hording a special plant that can return water to the village, but she has been threatened with death if  she tells of it. Even so, she is willing to sacrifice herself and bring life back to her people. They rejoice in the water's return and the spirit of the mountain sentences her to die in payment. Fortunately, the newly releases water spirits have a plan to save Lani from her execution that also brings back her health and beauty.

Senkarik's illustrations are a mix of black and white and color pictures. Lani is first shown with a little face surrounded by her waves of dark hair, intentionally springing out around her like a halo. This contrasts with a saddened Lani with cascades of white tresses. From there, the illustrations are done in color, each with fancy border frames. Lani is shown with her animal friends, both her pet piglets and wild creatures.

Liang and the Magic Paintbrush

Liang and the Magic Paintbrush by Demi, 1980.

In the company of Han Gan and The Boy Who Drew Cats, Liang can draw things that become real and alive. He has the strong desire to paint and is driven away from an art school because he is only a beggar, but one night an old man riding a phoenix appears and gives him a magical paintbrush. He paints both useful things and toys for his poor friends. To make his living, he sells paintings of birds in the marketplace, but he always leaves a detail out to keep them from springing to life. One day, something happens that draws the attention of the greedy emperor. He demands that Liang give him the brush, and when he will not, and will not draw what he is commanded, the ruler has the boy imprisoned. The emperor tries to draw himself riches, but the magic fails. To prevent him from ruining the magic brush, Liang agrees to paint what the emperor wills. Yet, Liang and his magic paintbrush are enough to defeat the monarch and go back to aiding the poor.

Demi has illustrated her retelling with subtle watercolor paintings. Her books The Firebird  (retold & illustrated) and Bamboo Hats and a Rice Cake  (retold by Ann Tompert, illus. by Demi) are also described on this blog.

Seven Chinese Siblings

The Seven Chinese Brothers by Margaret Mahy, Illus. by Jean & Mu-sien Tseng, 1990.

According to the Editor's Note, this Han tale features an emperor who really lived from 259-210 B.C. Ch'in Shih Huang was known to be cruel, but he brought about the unification of China and planned the construction of the Great Wall. In this story, seven remarkable brothers live during Huang's rule. Each has a very special talent, from incredible hearing to amazing strength to fantastic instantly growing legs. One day First Brother hears some men struggling to repair a hole in the Great Wall, so the brothers send mighty Third Brother to help. When the emperor learns about this fellow, he is threatened and orders that he be captured and executed. Luckily, each brother in turn trade places, using their unique qualities to evade death. But finally, the emperor crosses the youngest brother, whose ability is crying very large tears, big enough that only a few can drown a whole city, which proves to be very unfortunate for the ruthless ruler.

The Tsengs provide watercolor paintings of the strongly similar brothers and their world.

The Seven Chinese Sisters by Kathy Tucker, Illus. by Grace Lin, 2003.

Seven Chinese Sisters is described as an update on the old folktale, and so reader's can enjoy six gifted girls as they rescue their baby sister from a  hungry dragon. Their talents range from riding a scooter as fast as the wind to counting to five hundred plus to making the most delicious noodle soup in the world. Lured by this tasty food, the dragon spots the youngest child and takes her instead. Fortunately, baby sister speaks her first word, "help!" and the sisters prove to be more than a match for him, even kindly promising to bring the starving creature soup on the next day. Readers will be delighted when they discover Seventh Sister's hidden talent when she "grows tall."

Grace Lin has created fun and sweetly detailed illustrations for the story. The sisters bear a strong family resemblance, but each one's personality comes through. They all have their own hairstyles. They share an affinity for the color blue, but each girl's clothing sports a different pattern. When moving about the house and the lawn, every girl is absorbed by her own interest, from karate to communing with a stray dog. Even the dedication page has a nice detail: the sisters' identical black shoes, lined up from the largest to smallest pair ease along the page.

The Magic Horse of Han Gan

The Magic Horse of Han Gan by Chen Jiang Hong, Trans. by Claudia Zoe Bedrick, 2006.

Young Han Gan loves to draw, but doesn't get much opportunity because he is from a poor family. One day, he delivers a meal to the painter Wang Wei and stops to sketch some horses in the sand. Impressed, the artist provides Han Gan with supplies and thereby launches his artistic career. The young man continues to paint horses, always showing them tethered because they are so lifelike that he fears they may run away. Like The Boy Who Drew Cats, Han Gan has a very special talent. Eventually, a great warrior comes to him, asking that he create a steed beyond any other, one the man can take into battle. Han Gan is willing to try, and makes a magical horse with no need for physical nourishment or sleep. The horse is wonderful indeed, but can such a special creature be made for a life of combat?

Although Han Gan's horse is a legend, the masterful painter lived 1,200 years ago in China. He painted his horses on silk, and an example of his work is included in the back of the book. Chiang Jiang Hong has illustrated the story using the same technique as Han Gan, painting directly on silk. Also as the fabled artist, Hong's horses look as though they might gallop off the page.

King Pom and the Fox

King Pom and the Fox by Jessica Souhami, 2007.

This Chinese story eventually became what we know as "Puss in Boots." Poor Li Ming owns nothing but a pomegranate tree, and is jokingly known as "King Pom." One day he catches a fox stealing his fruit and the animal promises to make him rich if he lets it go. He agrees and as in "Puss...", the clever creature contrives to win him a kingship, a beautiful queen and a palace. And they all, including the fox, live happily ever after!

Author Jessica Souhami also created the book's hand painted paper collage illustrations. Set against a creamy background, the bold colors pop, particularly the reds and oranges of the pomegranates and the fox's fur. The self-satisfied expression on the fox's face at Li Ming's wedding alone is worth a look at this merry retelling.

Why Rat Comes First: a Story of the Chinese Zodiac

Why Rat Comes First: a Story of the Chinese Zodiac retold by Clara Yen, Illus. by Hideo C. Yoshida, 1991.

This story has a different explanation for Rat's first place in the Chinese zodiac than his/her tricky behaviour with Cat. Author Clara Yen's father made it up to entertain her when she was a child. The Jade King in the clouds has heard tales about earth's animals, but he has never yet met any. So, he sends out invitations to a great feast. He is initially saddened when only twelve animals show up, but he decides to reward them by naming the years of the zodiac cycle after each of them. Rat feels that he should be first because he is smart, but Ox disagrees and thinks that he should be the leader due to his strength. When the animals argue over who should be the winner, the Jade King declares that earth's children should be the ones to choose. Information following the story describes the animal's characteristics and their ruling years.

Hideo C. Yoshida made the book's cheerful colored pencil and ink illustrations. The stylized animals are expressive and agreeable.