Bibliography
Bunting, E. (1994). Smoky Night. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
ISBN: 0152699546
Story Summary
A boy and his mama are looking out into the street though their window. There is rioting going on outside their street. Mama explains why people riot. People are smashing everything in sight, looting from the shops, and stealing food from Mrs. Kim’s market. The boy and his mother do not buy from Mrs. Kim market because mama would rather buy from people her own kind. The boy’s cat and Mrs. Kim’s cat are always fighting. They go to sleep after the riots move. The boy is woken by his mama to a burning building and the smell of smoke He cannot find his cat Jasmine in the chaos. They are taken to a shelter together with Mrs. Kim who cannot find her cat as well. Later a fireman brings the two missing cats which he has rescued from the burning apartment. Everyone is surprised that the cats are no longer fighting. Mama introduces herself to Mrs. Kim and invites her bring her cat over to share a bowl of milk. Mrs. Kim thinks about it for a minute and accepts the invitation.
My Impression
In this book a mother explains the reason why people riot to his son as they witness an urban riot taking place right through their window. It also touches on the issue of neighbors from different cultures living next to each other without acknowledging. It is common for people to ignore other individuals who are different from them due to various reasons such skin color, culture, nationality or any other kind of difference. The boy and his mama only buy food from their “own people” and ignore Mrs. Kim’s food store which is right in their neighborhood. Some of these differences occur because people don’t take time to know their neighbors. The burning apartment brings people together just as the cats become friends after being stuck together in the burning apartment. Bunting uses words that change with the mood of the story and events that take place. The pictures are vibrant and depict different aspects of the riot such as people smashing cars and rooting. The boy’s curiosity as he looks out into the crowd of rioters is reflected in his eyes as he looks out the window. The pictures complement the story and give more color and life.
Reviews
Publishers Weekly
(January 31, 1994)
Bunting addresses urban violence in this thought-provoking and visually exciting picture book inspired by the Los Angeles riots. Although they're neighbors, Daniel's cat and Mrs. Kim's cat don't get along. Nor do Daniel and his mother shop at Mrs. Kim's market. ``It's better if we buy from our own people,'' Daniel's mother says. But when Daniel's apartment building goes up in flames, all of the neighbors (including the cats) learn the value of bridging differences. Bunting does not explicitly connect her message about racism with the riots in her story's background, but her work is thoroughly believable and taut, steering clear of the maudlin or didactic. Diaz's dazzling mixed-media collages superimpose bold acrylic illustrations on photographs of carefully arranged backgrounds that feature a wide array of symbolic materials--from scraps of paper and shards of broken glass to spilled rice and plastic dry-cleaner bags. Interestingly, Diaz doesn't strongly differentiate the presumably Asian American Mrs. Kim from the African American characters--even the artwork here cautions the reader against assumptions about race. Ages 5-up. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(January 31, 1994)
Bunting addresses urban violence in this thought-provoking and visually exciting picture book inspired by the Los Angeles riots. Although they're neighbors, Daniel's cat and Mrs. Kim's cat don't get along. Nor do Daniel and his mother shop at Mrs. Kim's market. ``It's better if we buy from our own people,'' Daniel's mother says. But when Daniel's apartment building goes up in flames, all of the neighbors (including the cats) learn the value of bridging differences. Bunting does not explicitly connect her message about racism with the riots in her story's background, but her work is thoroughly believable and taut, steering clear of the maudlin or didactic. Diaz's dazzling mixed-media collages superimpose bold acrylic illustrations on photographs of carefully arranged backgrounds that feature a wide array of symbolic materials--from scraps of paper and shards of broken glass to spilled rice and plastic dry-cleaner bags. Interestingly, Diaz doesn't strongly differentiate the presumably Asian American Mrs. Kim from the African American characters--even the artwork here cautions the reader against assumptions about race. Ages 5-up. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Use is a library setting
This book can be used in a classroom setting to discuss diversity and ethnic differences between different groups. The teacher can have children research different nationalities and make a presentation and come up with ideas of how diversity is beneficial to the community.
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