International Friday: Books With International Focus

This week I decided to stay local, or glocal, as it were. I wanted to see what international treasures I could find at the library. I have seen kids' books in Hindi, Chinese, Turkish, Arabic, and Spanish at the library before, so I thought inspiration for this blog entry would hit me when I got there. Lo and behold, I was smitten not with foreign books, but with (American) English books with a global focus.

I stumbled upon Sitti's Secrets and I am so glad I did. This book was published in 1994, but sadly, it is still relevant today. Sitti's Secerets is about a young girl named Mona from the United States who visits her Sitti (which means "grandmother" in Arabic) living in Palestine. Using gentle, nostalgic language, Shihab Nye showcases the love between a granddaughter and grandmother but manages to delicately weave in the War as a silent, yet persistent character. It's a book that kids and their parents will definitely have to sit down and chat about, but that's a good thing. Because love, not war, is at the center of this book, all kids with loving grandparents will be able to relate to this story. I'm not a kid, and I almost cried at the end! Don't worry, parents, there's no violence or death in this book.

The next gem I found is for the younger set and is the perfect complement to Sitti's Secrets. It's called, appropriately, Little Treasures by Jacqueline K. Ogburn. Little Treasures lists endearments parents all over the world use on their children. While there's no story per se, Chris Raschka's darling illustrations are candy for the eyes--I just wanted to reach into the book and squeeze the pictures THEY WERE THAT CUTE. Ms. Ogburn's message is crystal clear and much-needed in today's world: People might look different and speak different languages, but no matter where they are, they love their children.

What are your favorite books with an international focus? Let me know in the comments section below!

Throwback Thursday: Old-School Middle Grade-- Stonewords: A Ghost Story!!!!

Yikes!

Stonewords. Wow! This book was creepy with a capital "C"!!!! The back of this book (Book Club Edition published in 1992 by Scholastic) says "RL5" or "Reading Level, 5th Grade." There were definitely parts of this book that were very graphic (rotting flesh and the like) that I'm not sure I would expose a ten-year-old to. The campy illustration on the outside and the larger size of the book scream "middle grade" (not sure why middle grade books are wider than regular books. Wider for smaller hands?) but the content and themes are more reminiscent of R.L. Stine's Fear Street series.

The story begins with Zoe retelling the story of how she was abandoned by her mother at age four. Wow! Way to hit the reader in the face with something heavy right at the beginning! Now, as an adult and a mother, my initial reaction was deep, deep sadness and empathy for the character. I wonder how a ten year old would take it? If he/she came from a similar background, this might be comforting and relatable. They might take it as, "Ah! Here's a girl like me! I was abandoned, too." Or, for a kid who's had both parents in his/her life, this might add another layer of scariness. Because what could be more frightening to a child than losing a parent he/she loves? I think it's interesting how Conrad used the character of the mother in this book. To fully understand it, I think I would need to re-read the book. And I'm not going to, because it's JUST THAT CREEPY (of course, this is a good thing for those of you who LOVE this genre, but I don't!)

Over the course of the novel, Zoe meets a ghost with her same name who lived in her house 200 years ago. They can travel to each other's world's using a staircase and...that's all I'm telling you, because you need to experience the creepy goodness for yourself! No, no, I don't get any renumeration from Scholastic, HarperCollins, or the Estate of Pam Conrad (I wish I did!) but I still recommend this book for the scary factor (if you're into that), crazy story (Remember? Middle grade readers still believe in the impossible!) and the poetry. Yes, the poetry! Here's the opening paragraph of Chapter Five:

Honeysuckle has been known to bloom in the snow. It has its own internal time schedule that has nothing to do with wind, weather, or season. It's as if honeysuckle were always daydreaming, coming out of deep thought to say something so off and disconnected that everyone around is confused and thrown off-balance. My mother was like this.

Bottom line: if your ten or eleven year old is used to blood and guts, this book might be okay. The beautiful language and heavy themes do make it a book worth picking up, but I think an older child, 12, or 13, would get more out of it.

Special thanks to Mikki R., for digging this out of her ancient middle grade fiction collection for me to read!

Print Media Monday: What's in a Bookcover?

I remember being in the fourth grade, in a dusty Catholic school library. Our teacher had overheard the conversation of my friends and me (I guess we weren't making any effort to be quiet in the library, lol!) about which books had the nicest covers. I remember my teacher spouting the well-known adage, "Don't judge a book by its cover!" in her stern teacher voice.

Of course we did, and still do. Everyone judges appearances, even if we like to think we are more enlightened than that. In her blog entry for the Huffington Post, YA author Maureen Johnson discusses how women have historically been sidelined in the world of literature, and how an overly "girly" bookcover can affect our perceptions of the "seriousness" of the author, because women are still perceived as not being able to write "serious" books. She started a Twitter campaign, #coverflip, which some of you may have participated in, asking folks to re-imagine gendered book covers (turning the girly masculine and vice versa). The results can be seen here. This blog entry made me think about the books my own daughter reads, which I talked about in last week's entry.

As my own middle-grade manuscript reaches completion, this article has me thinking about what the cover is going to look like, what kind of message it will send. Any writers out there have any interesting experiences with their publisher and book covers? Feel free to share in the comments section below!

International Friday: Pororo the Penguin!

It might be summer here on the East Coast, but in Pororo's village, it's always winter!

Pororo is a computer-animated cartoon from South Korea animated by Iconix. It's been a runaway commercial success, airing in about 100 countries. I'd heard about Pororo a couple of years back from a Korean-American friend of mine, but I never got the chance to actually check the show out for myself. All I can say is WOW! It's a good thing each episode is only five minutes long, because Pororo and his friends are so sweet they could give you cavities!

If you've watched other programs for the preschool set (Miffy and Friends, Teletubbies, Pocoyo) you'll notice how similar in format Pororo is to those shows (in fact, the founder of Iconix used The Teletubbies as inspiration for Pororo, which you can read about here, if you are so inclined). There is Pororo and his friends having all sorts of fun, and the unseen narrator who elaborates the actions (or one of the character's feelings) to the viewers. There's nothing earth-shatteringly great about the show, but there isn't anything earth-shatteringly bad, either. I'm still not certain why this show is so popular, but then again, who can resist a cute, blue, penguin? I know I can't!

Recommended for kids ages 2-5.

You can watch Pororo in English (and Chinese or Korean, for that matter) on his official YouTube channel here.

Picture of Pororo was taken from here.

Throwback Thursday: Highlights 67th Anniversary Issue!

Today is Throwback Thursday, and I am pleased to bring to you, a super-throwback, the 67th Anniversary issue of the beloved children's magazine, Highlights!

If you grew up in the United States, it was hard to escape Highlights magazine. From the dentist's office to free sample issues that came in the mail (free stickers, anyone?), Highlights was simply part of childhood.

Now, as a writer for children, it's fun to look at how far Highlights has come through a (lovingly) critical lens.

The issue in question (June, 1946) can be accessed here. (I'm not sure when the folks at Highlights plan to take this down, as this link was posted on their Twitter account a few days ago.)

On to the fun part!

My very first impression of this issue was how simple it was in design. Yellow cover, black and white inside. Lots of text. Then I became aware of two things: children back then (1946) probably had a greater attention span than our iPad-addicted darlings of today. Printing in colored ink was probably costly as well. Still, as a typography junkie, I love love love the cover, and how the "f" of the word "fun" elegantly curves from top to bottom.

The "Editor's Note" by the first Highlights editor, Garry Cleveland Meyers almost made me cry. It was addressed to the readers, the children of America. It's pretty evident he believed in the children of America:

To us who are much older than you are, you seem to grow so fast. We know it won't be long before you are men and women. Soon you will take our places. We believe you will be useful men and women. We believe that other persons will look up to you and speak well of you when you are as old as we are now.

And he went on for a few more heartwarming paragraphs about the children of America growing up to be good citizens, but also having useful fun with the magazine. He also reminded the readers not to forget to read their Bible and attend Sunday school, which surprised me at first. But of course, America was a very different place in in 1946.

There were many stories and activities, but most of them only a couple pages in length. My favorites were: the very first "Hidden Pictures"(pg. 25), "Animals No One Has Seen Before" (pg. 37) which features animals from the readers' imaginations, "A Little Log Cabin to Build on the Ground" (pg. 38) a piece on how to build a log cabin, complete with diagram! There were a couple of pieces that had a Mexican character, "Over the Cliff", and a Native American family, "Plant Trappers"--which surprised me, considering the time period in America. (Of course, the "Plant Trappers" story was a thinly-veiled science story and the father of the family was wearing a headful of feathers--but still, I appreciate the attempt at diversity, considering again, the time period.)

I highly recommend checking out this piece of American history. It's amazing to see how much has changed, but also how much has stayed the same.

Happy Birthday, Highlights! We (still) love having fun with a purpose!

Print Media Monday: What Do You Want To See In A Children's Book?

When I first started working on my manuscript (a middle-grade adventure/fantasy), my only concerns were 1.) Making the dialogue sound true 2.) Making sure the reader wouldn't be bored to tears. As I get deeper and deeper into the manuscript, however, I am beginning to wonder. What does a reader look for in a children's book? What do I, as a parent, look for in a book for my own daughter?

Of course, the answers to these questions are as diverse as the children and parents out there. Here is my own personal wish list. Feel free to add anything you feel is missing in the comments section below. I would love to hear from you!

1.)The book appeals to both genders.

I was browsing a certain online bookseller looking for my daughter's favorite series, Ivy and Bean when I saw a suggestion for a book series called, The Never Girls. I'd never heard of it before, so I clicked on it. Apparently, the premise for this series is that four girls get lost (somehow) in Never Land. Yes, the (Disney-fied version of) Never Land of Tinker Bell and Peter Pan. The front and back covers are very girly (not pink, but pale purple, and maybe sparkly). From the reviews of the book, it seems that all the readers are young girls.

So what's the problem, you ask? I don't have a problem per se. My own daughter reads Ivy and Bean, as I just mentioned, and that is also a series that appeals overwhelmingly to young girls. But she also reads books with gender neutral appeal, like anything by Roald Dahl. And I'll borrow books from the library about race cars and dinosaurs, and other random subject matter, especially if it's subject matter that's not typically thought of as something girls would be interested in.

So what's my point? I don't want to make it seem like I'm attacking fairy books, or Ivy and Bean, or any other books that are (gasp!) marketed toward young girls. But I do feel like we need to present a balanced world to our children. And if our children are lucky enough to have access to books, then a great way to expose them to the world is through books that show both sides, "boys' world" and "girls world." Why not let your son read The Never Girls or your daughter pick up a Ninjago book? Or better yet, why not let them read books that just have a great story, and are not trying to over-market a brand or product? *end rant*

2.) The book shows ethnic, class, personality, and ability diversity, in a genuine, and not token way. (whew!)

Growing up as a minority in the U.S, I always got excited when I saw someone who looked vaguely Asian on television. It was the same way for books. I think the first character I encountered who was Asian American was the Chinese-American girl (whose name I cannot remember) from Zilpha Keatly Snyder's The Egypt Game. That book was great in that it had ethnic diversity, but also family diversity. The main character, April, was living with her grandmother after a divorce at a time when divorce was something almost unheard of.

Of course, diversity doesn't always have to mean something serious. On a lighter note, I love how Ivy and Bean of Ivy and Bean are imperfect in their imperfections. Bean hates to read (which makes me giggle considering she is a character in a book) while Ivy likes to make magic spells. I love that they are both weird and crazy and not obsessed with their test scores and soccer practices.

The world is wide and the kinds of people in it are many. If my child and I can learn something but also empathize with the characters, then I would say the book was a good read!

3.)The author tells a good story.

'Nuff said! Read on, write on!

International Friday: Little Krishna Episode One (English Version)

Little Krishna and his flute.

With all this hype about the new Superman movie, today we're going to talk about the original Superman, Krishna! More specifically, Big Animation's 3D television series Little Krishna.

Little Krishna is the result of seven years of research by the India Heritage Foundation and gorgeous, gorgeous animation by Big Animation. The stories presented in each episode are based on the childhood of Sri Krishna, a very important Hindu god, the 8th incarnation of the Lord Vishnu, to be exact. (Thanks, Wikipedia!) I wasn't really sure what to expect from this tv show. I wasn't raised in the Hindu religion, but still, I was a little nervous about how someone could turn something as weighty as the life of a god into a kids' cartoon.

But the show did not disappoint. I have seen very few things on television that I can describe using the word, "lush." But there is a richness about this show that is difficult to put into words. Perhaps it is the combination of entrancing music, superb voice acting, and eye-popping colors which wove a spell on me. I didn't notice any overt religious preaching. If you are unfamiliar with Hindu texts, you won't have any problems following the story (although a background in the subject matter of course, wouldn't hurt). Kids watching it will love the action and the friendship among the children. The writers did an amazing job of turning a Hindu god into a lovable little boy with superpowers. Who also happens to be blue.

Recommended for kids ages 6 and up. There are a couple of scary scenes here with the sea serpent, but the way Little Krishna handles him is very exciting to watch!

To watch this episode on Big Animation's YouTube channel, click here.

Photo Credits

Today's picture of Little Krishna was taken from here.

Print Media Monday: Superman Family Adventures #11

Hey all!

2013 is Superman's 75th anniversary. So in honor of the Man of Steel, the only one who can wear blue tights and red undies and still look good, we're going to review DC Comics' Superman Family Adventures #11!

*Author's Note*I did a bit of internet digging about twenty seconds ago, and found out that Superman Family Adventures has already ended with book #12. Boo! Sorry for being so late, folks! Our local Toys R Us is a bit behind when it comes to stocking comic books!

Back to the review! SFA is the work of creative team Art Baltazar and Franco, set in the Tiny Titans Universe. (Aw, yeah!) The art, like Tiny Titans, is bright and colorful. The villains are scary, but not too scary. In fact, (and I mean this in the best possible way) the illustrations look like they were done by a child, and that is part of its appeal. If you want to introduce your child to the world of super heroes without all the blood, liplock, and too-ample cleavage, this is the perfect series to do it with.

The other part of its appeal, of course, is Baltazar and Franco's whip-smart humor. I haven't picked up an issue since #2, so I had some trouble following the story line. Even then, almost every page got a giggle out of me.

Finally, no offense to the talented team at DC comics for making this comic happen, but the best part about this comic for me? The price! At $2.99, this comic can't be beat. For $2.99 you get a few minutes of quiet while your son or daughter has a few laughs, and some reading practice, too. What more could a parent ask for? :-)

Superman Family Adventures is rated "E" for everyone!

Photo Credits

The picture of the cover of SFA #11 was taken from here.

Thanks again for coming! Don't forget to comment and subscribe!

Blog on hiatus!

Hey Fans and Friends,

Eating Kids Media will be on un-official hiatus for a couple of weeks (meaning, if I post something, great, if not, you know why not).

Real life beckons, and it's pretty gosh darn exciting!

Take care, everyone! Until the next post!

Throwback Thursday: Thundercats are Loose!

Thundercats, HO!

If you were fortunate enough to have been a child for a part of the 1980s, you might remember a gem of a cartoon called Thundercats. (There was a 2011 remake of the cartoon with the same name, but we won't address that in this blog entry). Today we're going to be totally 80s, and talk about what is wrong, and oh so right with Thundercats!

My memory of the cartoon is a little fuzzy, so I wanted to watch one of the beginning episodes. Unfortunately, I was unable to find the first episode. Instead what I found (thanks to YouTube!) was the 1985 Thundercats movie, Thundercats, HO!, which is really more of a mini-series as it was composed of five separate episodes meant be watched on five separate occasions. This means, there was a ton of pointless fights, times where Lion-O ran off alone, got in trouble, was rescued, lather, rinse, repeat, and it happened all over again. The prisoners Lynx-O, Pumyra, and Bengali escaped their captors on three separate occasions, only to be captured again. The plot didn't actually pick up until the last 20 minutes, or what would have been the last episode in the mini-series.

I don't want to talk too much about the absurdity of the plot (the all-powerful and immortal Mumm-Ra sends his goons to do his bidding, but they are always defeated by the Thundercats. If he is so powerful, why does he have to rely on incompetents to do his bidding?) the bad acting, or the sometimes bad animation. I want to talk about the magic of the 1980s that Thundercats embodies.

In the world of the Thundercats, it's perfectly fine to be half-animal, half human. It's even better if you're half cat. It's even better if your name comes from the animal you're supposed to be (Lion-O, Cheetara, Lynx-O). It's even better if you wear leotards. It's even better if you have the technology to go to outer space, but no cell phone. It's even better if you can talk to dead people.

Today for once, I won't talk about plot holes, or political incorrectness. I just want to talk about the freedom to be absurd. The freedom to make up a crazy story, and believe in the plausability of the story, and just have fun with it. There were a couple of times in the story where I felt that if my seven year old daughter had the chance to write for Thundercats, she would absolutely make the same choices. That's how imaginative it was. Pure, creative, craziness, where everyone is invited to join in and lose themselves in this world. Everyone is invited, everyone is welcome--especially cats in leotards!

Parents please be aware, this cartoon is not for small children due to violent images.

Photo Credits

The lovely Thundercats picture was taken from this site.

ABC Family's The Fosters

Tonight I watched the pilot episode of ABC Family's new series, The Fosters. I will be honest with you. I really, really wanted to hate this show. ABC is owned by Disney, and Disney is evil, right? And somehow, after watching the trailers, I felt that the show was trying too hard to be diverse and interesting. It almost seemed like the casting directors had a checklist of races and ethnicities they needed to have in the show. There was Teri Polo playing the blonde police officer, Stef, with the heart of gold. Sheri Saum plays the African-American vice principal of a perfect charter school, and Stef's wife. She also has a heart of gold. Stef has one biological child from her previous marriage with her ex-husband, who happens to be Latino. They adopted a pair of fraternal twins, Mariana and Jesus, played by Cierra Ramirez and Jake T. Austin who used to be their foster kids. And our protagonist, Callie, played by Maia Mitchell rounds out the cast. Before I watched the show I wondered, could they really pull off all the roles without falling into tokenism?

Thankfully, I was pleassantly surprised. If you watch the show, you will see that there are so many layers to the characters that you really begin to feel for them and relate to them as human beings. The acting is superb overall, with each actor adding depth to the characters they portray. By the end of the hour (which flew by) I saw them as a regular family facing struggles like any other. If that is the message the show's creators were trying to send out, I would say they succeeded.

My only complaint would be (and this probably not a problem for anyone else but me) is the lack of chemistry between Stef (Teri Polo) and Lena (Sherri Saum). I wonder if they did this on purpose?

Please be advised, due to violent scenes, this show is for older children.

Photo Credits

The Fosters logo was taken from here.

International Friday: Upin & Ipin and Friends Episode 1, Season 5

Welcome to the first "International Friday" post at Eating Kids' Media! Here we will explore kids' media around the world, because let's face it-- the world is wide and interesting!
Let's get blabbing!

I finally learned how to center a photo!

Upin & Ipin is a 3D-animated cartoon about five-year-old twin boys who live with their sister and grandmother in a village in Malaysia. I wasn't really sure what to expect from this show. I've seen bits and pieces of it, thanks to my Indonesian relatives (Upin and Ipin is also broadcast in Indonesia, oddly enough, with Indonesian subtitles) but I've never actually paid attention (Upin and Ipin's voices always annoyed me) so I always ended up leaving the room after five minutes. But something inside me said it might be a good topic to explore, so here we are today.

The episode I chose to watch was Episode 1, Season 5, "Belajar Lagi?" (Study again?). I chose this episode at random, because I knew that the characters don't age, like the Simpsons, so it wouldn't matter which episode I watched. In this episode, Upin and Ipin come back to school after an unnamed school holiday. There's lots of drama and excitement as they prepare for school, see their newly-renovated classroom, catch up with old friends, and play a game in school. After watching this 20 minute episode, I can honestly say that I am an Upin and Ipin convert.

Upin and Ipin is just pure kid fun. They might be Malaysian kids, but they act like any other kid on the planet. Everything about life is amazing to them, from the shoe polish that their sister uses on their shoes, to the way their new classroom shines. This show is a celebration of the magic of being a kid, without being too heavy-handed or moralistic. My favorite scene, and this is a SPOILER ALERT, in case you were thinking of watching, is when their classmate, Mail walks in to the classroom like a cowboy. When Mail's classmates ask him what's wrong, there is a unified gasp of horror when he answers, "circumcision." Circumcision is an everyday thing in a Muslim-majority country like Malaysia. But to see it through the eyes of a child brings laughter and joy to even a jaded adult like me.

If you're looking for something different to watch with the little ones, or you just want a good laugh, I recommend Upin and Ipin. I would like to say one final thing, however. I am not familiar with the socio-political situation in Malaysia, but there was one character who gave me pause. Upin and Ipin's classmate, Jarjit, is a Sikh boy (evident from the turban he wears) with a booming, adult voice. I'm not exactly sure if this is a stereotype, or if this is meant to be derogatory. If anyone out there knows, feel free to drop me a line, and I will post your answer on this page.

Photo Credits

The image of Upin & Ipin was taken from here.

Coming soon! Let's get some print media up in here! Plus a guest blog (or two) from my writer/editor friend, Shabana! Stay tuned logged in!

Also, don't forget to comment, share a post, or email me. My electronic door is always open!

Throwback Thursday: Gargoyles: Season One, Episode One

In the last post, I talked about Lego Ninjago, and how it's very heavily marketed toward boys. So I thought it would be nice to kick off the first "Throwback Thursday" post with a classic cartoon that crosses gender lines--the 1990s cartoon, Gargoyles.

I'll admit Gargoyles wasn't at the top of my list of throwbacks to review. But one day, when I was feeling nostalgic, I posted a Gargoyles video on Facebook (Yes, I'm outing myself--I'm a child of the 1990s!) All the people who commented on the video were female. Hmmmm, I thought. That's interesting. Using today's standards of what would make a good show "for girls" the show doesn't seem to have much girl appeal. Lots of fighting. No (cutesy) princesses. No pink. So what is it about Gargoyles that fans, both male and female, love?

The opening sequence of the first episode is action-packed, chock full of falling boulders, fire, and screaming people. It makes the viewer ask, "What the heck is going on?" Five seconds later, a beautiful but obviously strong woman detective comes on the scene, only identifying herself as "Maza." (I liked that they used a less-common Latin last name like Maza. The name firmly establishes her Latin identity without making her the token minority, which would have happened if they used a more common name like Lopez or Gomez). Maza's strong, yet attractive and not too overly-primped character makes the viewers want to know more about her and also gives the female viewers someone to identify with.

Edit I just checked the Wikipedia entry for Elisa Maza. It turns out that she is not Latina, but half-Nigerian, and half-Native American. Of course, this wasn't revealed in the first episode, which was the only episode I watched. According to the creators of the show, Maza's parents' relationship is supposed to parallel her later relationship with Goliath. Whoa! Inter-species love!

Flash backward to Scotland, A.D. 994. The origin of the Gargoyles is revealed. There's betrayal, murder, friendship, and true Gargoyle love all rolled into one. There's also tension between the Gargoyle and Human races. In spite of their service to the humans, the gargoyles are under constant threat of violence and vitriol. At one point, Goliath, the head honcho, wisely says, "It is human nature to fear what they don't understand."

So what's so great about Gargoyles? Everything! Both male and female fans can enjoy the great story, wise lessons, deep characterization, interesting relationships, and of course, action. It's a cartoon worth watching. No pink or token characters required.

To purchase Gargoyles, visit Amazon.

Please be advised that due to violent content, Gargoyles may not be a cartoon for very young children. I would personally rate this a cartoon for kids 11 and up, but the best thing would be to watch it first before showing it to your child.

Photo Credits

The picture of Demona kicking butt was taken from here.

Our New Look!

Hey All,

I hope you like the new look of the blog. I finally figured out how to arrange and re-arrange some things. Until the next post! ^.~

Lego Ninjago: Episode 1, Way of the Ninja

Yes, yes, for those of you who are familiar with the series, you have every right to tell me I am a couple of years late. You are correct. But since the last topic was Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse, I thought it would be nice to discuss another iconic toy-turned-series.

Legos. Some of you may remember them, before they got super-commercialized and over-marketed as a toy only for boys (I actually owned one of these blue buckets!!!!):

Back then, it was absolutely possible to buy a Lego set that wasn't from a television show:

Sadly, times are different. But, seeing as the Lego: Ninjago series has become such a cultural force, it would be best to confront it rather than run from it. Ninja-style!!!!

I know that the Ninjago series will be entering its third season, but I decided to start with the first episode of the first season, since I have only watched the series intermittently in the past.

The episode starts out ordinarily enough, with the as-yet unnamed Old Mysterious Asian Guy coming into a sword shop run by Kai, the blacksmith, and his sister, Nya. The Old Mysterious Asian guy says something pseudo-profound (like something from a fortune cookie), the sword shop gets attacked, and all heck breaks loose. Nya, the only female for miles around gets kidnapped by the bad guys (of course), Kai begins his ninja training with the Old Man, who now has a name (Master Wu), and so our story begins.

Innocuous-sounding enough, right? No sex, drugs, or violence (wait, no, there's violence!) But there are plenty of ninjas. Who doesn't love ninjas? Ninjas are fun. Like pirates or cowboys.

...except that, if you're going to talk about ninjas (I'm looking at you, Cartoon Network!) Please keep your cultural references straight!

In the opening sequence, Kai and the Old Man are talking about samurai and ninja. Both are names of different kinds of warriors from Japan. So obviously, one would think, the Land of Ninjago is based on a village from old Japan, if a village from old Japan were made out of Lego. So if Kai and Nya are Japanese, why is Nya wearing Chinese clothing? (See illustration below. Just pretend the blouse on the left is red).

Why does the ninja master from Ninjago (Master Wu), have the tenth most common Chinese name in Mainland China, according to Wikipedia?

Samurai met their official end in the late 1800s. If Ninjago is loosely based on late 1800s Japan (yes, yes, I know it's a television show, but still) could it be that Master Wu and Nya are just incredibly open-minded, or is it that the creators of the show don't know the different between China and Japan?

I'll let you decide, gentle reader. The only cool thing about the first episode for me, was when Nya helped her brother fight when their shop was under attack. Nya can kick butt! Now, if we could only get her in some culturally-correct clothing....

Coming soon, a new design for the blog, and a review of a vintage cartoon!!! Can't wait to see you there!

Photo Credits

All photos were used for illustration purposes only. No profit was made from them, nor am I associated with any of the web sites or companies listed below.

The original picture of the Lego CITY set can be found here.

And at the same web site, the Lego bucket.

The Chinese blouse was taken from here.

Here is the original picture of Nya

And lastly, Kai the Ninja!

Clips, clips, clips!

Dear All,

Thanks for reading my blog so far! I'm going to take a break in posting, to post some clips from some publications that I have written for in the past. (I haven't quite figured out how to post them on my main web site yet).

The first two clips below were published in the fall of 2008 in the Fil-Asian Bulletin, a Jersey City-based newspaper, now out of business.

The first clip is about then-Vice President of the Philippines Noli De Castro's visit to the Philippine Consulate in New York City:

VICE PRESIDENT NOLI DE CASTRO VISITS THE PHILIPPINE CONSULATE

By: Maureen Roble

Vice President Noli De Castro received a warm welcome on Wednesday, October 3rd at the Philippine Consulate in New York City. Despite Consulate hopes for an "intimate affair," Kalayaan Hall was bursting with Filipinos from the Tri-State area, as well as Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Many from the crowd hailed from the Vice President's native Mindoro. Other visitors, young and old, came out of curiosity. If there were any skeptics in the crowd, no one showed it. Upon entering the hall, the former Magandang Gabi, Bayan host was mobbed for photographs by excited visitors. There was much speculation surrounding the motive for the Vice President's visit, although Consulate staff maintained that De Castro simply wanted to meet members of the Filipino community, not boost public relations. De Castro's main purpose for being in New York was official business. He delivered the Philippine government's Statement on Interreligious and Intercultural Cooperation at the High Level Dialogue for Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace at the United Nations.

The theme of the night appeared to be development of the Philippines. In her welcome address, Consul General Cecilia Rebong highlighted the generosity and achievements of Fil-Ams. According to Consul General Rebong, Fil-Ams are "more Filipino than Filipinos in the Philippines" because of the work they do to alleviate poverty in the Philippines. She cited examples such as medical missions run by Filipino doctors and nurses, schools built by Fil-Ams for Filipino students, and the swiftness of Fil-Am organizations to gather funds in times of natural disasters. Along the same vein, Philippine Ambassador to the United Nations Hilario Davide called the audience "angels" and the Vice President an angel as well. The Ambassador declared that the President and Vice President's visits (GMA was at the Consulate a week prior) were a sign of their love for the Filipino people, as well as an urging to Fil-Ams to return to the Philippines and help.

Vice President De Castro began his speech with the hot-button issues of the day: the ZTE Broadband scandal and former-President Estrada. He assured the crowd that the ZTE Broadband scandal was under investigation. He believes the Filipino people have reached a "political maturity" that will allow them to make their own judgements once the investigation is over. In Estrada's case, the Vice President asked the President to consider presidential pardon. However, the focus of De Castro's speech was the development of the Philippines, a topic he feels does not receive enough exposure.

The Vice President outlined the recent economic achievements of the Philippines.

-High economic performance in the second quarter, exceeding government forecasters' expectations. Gross Domestic Product was up 7.5%, Gross National Product was up 8.3%

-A budget surplus of 13.9 billion pesos (due largely in part to remittances by Overseas Filipino Workers).

-The strong peso (43 pesos to one dollar exchange rate).

-Interest rates going down. The Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), the agency of which De Castro is Chairman, has lowered interest rates for housing down to 6% or 7%, making housing more accessible to the poor.

-Concentration on building infrastructure. Agriculture in North Luzon and Mindanao, tourism in the central Philippines, and trade and industry in Metro Manila. The construction of the North and South Luzon Railway, which will run from Pampanga to Laguna. 36,000 squatters were "relocated" as a result of this project.

In spite of the good news, the Vice President emphasized that there are ways Filipinos in America can still help. "Keep the money flowing" was the Vice President's message. De Castro suggested Fil-Ams become tourists, invest in the Philippine stock market, or donate money to build a home for those displaced by the North and South Luzon Railway. At the end of his speech, De Castro implored the Fil-Am community to work with Filipinos in the Philippines to create a brighter future. "Together build a strong and progressive Philippines, not only for ourselves, but our loved ones, the ones we left in the Philippines." He quoted a popular saying from the University of the Philippines, "Kung hindi tayo, sino ba? Kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa?"

The applause for De Castro's speech was cut off when Potri Ranka Manis, a Maranao princess and founder of Kinding Sindaw, a performance ensemble dedicated to preserving indigenous performance, asked about Mindanao. The Vice President hastily added that the Philippines was involved in the High Level Dialogue for Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace at the United Nations. De Castro quickly left the stage, and Secretary Jesus Dureza, the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process took his place. He spoke very briefly about Philippine participation in the Dialogue.

In a meeting with the press after the speech, the Vice President was coy about his plans for 2010. In response to an ABS-CBN reporter's question on whether or not De Castro would be running, De Castro replied, "Malayo pa. Let's talk of the present." If he does run, Vice President De Castro has at least one vote. When asked by the Bulletin if she would vote for a Presidential candidate De Castro, a Mindoreña from the crowd answered with gusto, "Of course!"

The second clip is from a column I used to write about local business people:

FAB’s BUSINESS OF THE WEEK

By Maureen Roble

He barely looks old enough to be running his own business, let alone be married with two kids. But 27 year old Orvin Sibug is doing both successfully. His wireless services store, G- Wire, located at 578 West Side Avenue, rarely sees a dull moment. In the morning and evening Orvin is taking care of people’s cell phone needs. The after school crowd brings kids looking to update their ringtones. “I can’t complain” Orvin says with a smile, when FAB asks how sales are doing. This year, Orvin is really excited about the new Boost plan, which is $55/month for unlimited calling. The Nokia N95 is also a popular item lately, perhaps because of the oncoming holiday rush.

Despite his apparent happiness with his current position, Orvin was not always a businessman. In his past existence, Orvin followed the path many young Filipinos followed-he was a nurse. However, his own desire to be in business, as well as a chance encounter with a good friend made him the proprietor of his own shop. His advice to Pinoy and Pinay youth considering their own paths? “Go to school, do what you like. If you want to do business…plan, plan, plan.” A large dose of hard work is needed as well. Orvin describes his work as “grueling” and there are days he is in the store 12 hours.

For Orvin, the chance to serve the community makes it all worthwhile. He prides himself on being the local cellphone shop with the heart of gold. “I don’t want people to have to go far for their cellphones. Just cross the street, and you’re here…being able to offer the best price while still staying afloat-that’s my goal.” When it comes to making it in a competitive industry, such as the cellphone industry, Orvin holds true to a basic principle. “Fair price. That’s it.”

G-WIRE

578 West Side Avenue

Open M-Sat. 11AM-7PM

Gogwire@gmail.com

201-377-1743

The next clip about the Filipino-American health crisis was published online on the web site, BakitWhy, a web magazine that discusses Filipino-American lifestyle. It was also published in 2008. Although the web magazine still exists, the link to my article is no longer functional. Please read the clip below:

It’s rare to hear about Asian American health in the news, outside the context of the miraculous healing powers of green tea, meditation, and eating lots of fish—the evening news takes Asian Americans to be one homogeneous group that has excellent health. Not only is this false, but buying into the stereotype can be deadly. The fact of the matter is Filipino Americans are facing a silent health crisis, and your 50-year-old Tito Alfredo is not the only one who should be worrying. Young men between the ages of 18 and 49, and women need to increase their health awareness, as well. Heart disease, hypertension, cancer, and diabetes are big problems in the community. Here are the alarming statistics:

Heart disease claims the lives of a third the Filipino American population…About a third of Filipino men between the ages of 18 and 49 suffer from uncontrolled hypertension. The rate increases to 51% for those over the age of 50. The corresponding rate is 61% for Filipino women of the same age range, a figure that is 1.7 times higher than whites and 1.4 times the rate for black women.

(Italics added for emphasis. Taken from NYU Langone Medical Center News Releases Website, March 27, 2006. Accessed 9/24/08) http://communications.med.nyu.edu/news/2006/nyu-center-for-the-study-of-asian-american-health

This information may come as a big surprise considering that most Fil-Ams, male or female are petite in size. But don’t let looks deceive, cautions Dr. Mariano Jose Rey, Director at the NYU Institute of Community Health and Research. He told the Asian Journal, “Filipinos die in their 30s or 40s of heart attack and strokes even though they’re thin. They’re one of two or three populations in the entire planet who while being thin, develop severe heart and brain disease.”

(Posted on ManilaMailDC.net, 11/17/2007, Accessed 9/24/08) http://www.manilamaildc.net/2007/11/17/heart-ills-top-filams%E2%80%99-ailments/

Heart disease is not the only problem. According to a 1993 study by the Northern California Cancer Center, Filipino women had the lowest breast cancer survival rate among several racial/ethnic groups (white, African American, Chinese, Japanese) except African Americans. (“Health and Health Care of Filipino American Elders”, Accessed 9/24/2008) http://www.stanford.edu/group/ethnoger/filipino.html

Causes

What is the cause of poor Fil-Am health, and what can one do about it? Health professionals believe several factors are to blame: high fat, high cholesterol, high sodium diet (patis with your pork fat, anyone?), a scarcity of culturally and linguistically appropriate medical screening and educational materials, a high-stress environment at the workplace, and cheap and accessible processed foods.

Cures

Unfortunately, there’s no other way around tried and true diet and exercise. Thankfully, “diet” and “exercise” don’t have to be unpleasant things. The autumn has not only brought the east coast cooler weather, but a fresh harvest as well. Visit your local farmer’s market and see the difference fresh ingredients make on the taste of your cooked meals (you’ll be less likely to overdo the patis this way). Try eating less meat and more fish and vegetables, and when you do, go easy on the frying. Bring your own heart-healthy baon (lunch) to work. Hot dogs with rice don’t count! Walk, bike, or skate more, drive less. Your wallet and heart will thank you. Finally, get regular medical check-ups with a doctor who is open to discussing your health concerns and questions, and encourage your loved ones to do so as well. Beware of doctors who buy into the stereotype that all Asians drink green tea and eat seaweed! They might overlook important medical tests that can save your life or the life of a relative.

Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse

Before I begin my post about Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse (a post you're all dying to read, I know) I'd like to take a minute to say, that I haven't been paid to review anything that appears on this website. In the event that I have been paid (woo hoo!), I will make sure to post it here on the blog. In the meantime, you can be sure that everything I write is my free and honest opinion.

Back to the blog.

If you watch television with your son or daughter, you've likely seen the commercials for the Barbie Dreamhouse. (For some reason I could only find the German version of the commercial. If you want to see it, you can click here). You've also probably seen the short ad that comes after it, advertising the web television show, Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse. Oddly enough, my daughter didn't bother me about getting a Dreamhouse. She seemed more intrigued by the web show, and kept begging me to let her log on and watch it. Finally, after the ten gazillionth plea, I relented.

I really, really, really wanted to hate the series. I had decided, even before watching, that there would be nothing of value to my daughter in the show. Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse? Come on! Isn't each web show just a long commercial for the toy?

But after watching one episode, I am ashamed to say, I really, really, really like the series.

As of writing there are 31 episodes, each about three minutes long. There are also some extras like music videos, and Barbie's little sister's reading fan mail. Each episode deals with Barbie and her friends' (mis)adventures in and around the Malibu Dreamhouse. Although the show is being used to endlessly promote the toy, as well as the Barbie brand (I haven't even tackled the endless activities and games on the Barbie web site, though I plan on doing that in a future post) which I HATE, the show itself is smart and funny, which I LOVE. It constantly pokes fun at the Barbie brand, reality television, commercialism, and the over-the-top Malibu lifestyle. Episode 22 shows what happens when there's a glitter shortage in Malibu. Episode 29 shows what happens when Ken tries to get a life that doesn't involve Barbie--with crazy results. Each episode has something to giggle about.

The only thing that gives me pause about the series is the racial tokenism. Barbie has exactly one African-American friend (Nikki), and one Latina friend (Teresa). Barbie's enemy, Raquelle, has black hair and could be seen as Asian or also Latina. (The name Raquelle brings to mind the actress Raquel Welch, an American actress of Bolivian descent). I think it's great that the Barbie series has a diverse cast, but the characters don't really seem to have any shape or form of their own outside of Barbie. (See Episode 31, "Let's Make a Doll"). I question the judgement of the series creators in giving Raquelle black hair. Even in the name of diversity, why should the villain have darker hair and darker skin? What does this say about our perceptions of dark-haired, darker-skinned people in America?

Overall, I would rate this web series as safe, and even enjoyable to watch with your kids. I WOULD however, be ready to ask and answer tough questions about race in America, especially if your child, like mine, is a child of color.

To watch the Barbie:Life in the Dreamhouse series, click here.

Thoughts on this anyone?

Next post, boys' media!!! (I personally don't believe in strictly for boys or girls television shows, but I know that marketing and culture would mark certain television shows, movies, and toys as such.) So, see you soon! In the meantime, don't forget to comment.

Disney Channel's Jessie

I've been meaning to watch the show Jessie for a long time. I came across it one night while channel surfing, and I got really excited when I saw an Indian kid! (Actor Karan Brar).

Growing up Filipino-American in the United States, I always got excited when I saw an Asian person on television. Now that I have a child, I am even more excited when I see people of Asian descent on TV. I want my daughter to see that there are people who look like her, that she isn't an anomaly.

But my excitement soon vanished after a few minutes of watching, when Karan Brar's character Ravi Ross turned out to have a really bad Indian accent. Oh boy. In 2013, can't we let go of the "awkward Asian kid with the really thick accent" stereotype yet? Do we still poke fun at minorities for laughs? Is this kind of garbage still on TV? I changed the channel and vowed I would watch again when I could watch from the beginning, and get a fuller picture of what this TV show was about.

So I tuned in yesterday, May 14, (albeit 5 minutes late). According to my cable TV guide, it said the episode, "All the Knight Moves" was a rerun that originally aired on May 5. No matter. I just wanted to see a full episode. I wanted to see that I wasn't misjudging the whole thing from the few minutes that I saw. Boy, was my first impression right!

I knew the basic premise of the show, that Jessie (actress Debby Ryan) is the nanny to four kids adopted from all over the world by a rich family (Think: Brangelina). I suppose I can't fairly judge other episodes, but in this particular episode, I didn't actually see her do any nanny work. Sure, she is around when the kids are, but she barely offers them any supervision or guidance. In this episode, her biggest role is persuading Zuri, the youngest, to enter a chess competition so that she could win Jessie a trip to Paris. When Zuri buckles under the pressure and has a nightmare about it, Jessie, dressed as the "Queen" chess piece is telling her, "You have to practice [chess] so the Queen can meet cute French guys." Wow. Is that supposed to be funny? Meanwhile, Jessie gets Ravi (the boy with the really fake Indian accent) a gig emceeing the competition, but pokes fun at his "nerdiness" the entire time. What a great nanny! In the end, when Zuri throws the competition so her opponent, the appropriately named "Creme Brulee" can visit his family, all I'm thinking is, "What about leaning in??? I thought this show was supposed to have pseudo-feminist overtones!" (See the next two paragraphs). Creme Brulee then credits Jessie for raising Zuri to have a good heart, and Zuri fixes everything by calling their super-rich parents and asking for the use of the family jet to go to Paris. And everyone lives happily ever after.

Now I know what you might be thinking. This is a television show, Maureen. And a sitcom at that. Fiction. Why get all twisted up in knots? The fact of the matter is, this television show is marketed to kids, kids who parents may not be (are probably not) around to explain to them the problematic parts of the show. I think to understand why the show is problematic, one needs also to look at the original premise of the show.

According to Wikipedia, 18 year old Jessie defies her father by leaving her tiny Texas town to make it big in the Big Apple. Somehow, instead of stardom, she gets the nanny gig instead, where she is entrusted with the lives of four kids, all while looking fabulous, making wise cracks, and barely lifting a finger. I guess the "defying her father" part fits in with other Disney Princess movies: The Little Mermaid, Brave, Tangled, to name a few. And I suppose that it what is supposed to make you root for Jessie. It's supposed to make you think that Jessie is a strong woman, maybe even a feminist. "Look at her! She defied her parents to come to New York City, and look at her now!"

Indeed. Look at her now. She portrays the work of nanny, a very important and very difficult job, as something an 18 year old can fall into without qualifications. She is constantly manipulating or making fun of her charges, especially the one with the funny accent. JESSIE fans can correct me if I'm wrong, but Jessie, despite her young age, isn't shown trying to improve herself by going to college, or learning some other skills pertinent to her job (CPR, anyone?)

I'm super-disappointed, Disney. I will never watch this television show again.

*Edit 5/23/2012* The Huffington Post posted an article about how Disney had to pull an episode of JESSIE after negative audience feedback regarding the way the television show portrayed children with gluten allergies. It just keeps getting better and better, Disney!

My first post...gack!

As the mother of a 6.5 year old girl, I've always been conscious of what she consumes--veggies, check. Fruits--check. No artificial colors or flavors--check (most of the time). It was so easy in the beginning. But as she's gotten older, I've realized that media is another thing on the list of things she consumes, and it's yet another thing I have to be careful about. Is this television show sending the right messages to young girls? To young boys? Is that commercial racist? So I have finally decided to start a blog about all the things that have been brewing in my head about all these television and internet shows, movies, books my daughter is allowed or not allowed to consume. I am hoping to start a conversation with you out there in the hopes of...well, starting a conversation! So let's get talking!