by Dedie King (Author) Judith Inglese (Illustrator)
A day in the life of a child in Turkey told from the child's point of view.
I See the Sun in Turkey is one of the books in the multiple award-winning I See the Sun in... series of bi-lingual picture books, each focused on one country and one day in the life of one child with a story told from the child's perspective. I See the Sun in Turkey provides a unique introduction to the culture, family life and language of Turkey in a way that is age-appropriate and sensitive to the current culture and circumstances without becoming political.
As with the other books in the series, the author has spent a considerable amount of time in Turkey, not merely as a tourist, but immersed in the environment and living with families who have opened their homes and their hearts to her. Includes facts about the country and a glossary for extended learning. Written in English and translated into Turkish.
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K-Gr 3—King's addition to the bilingual series takes readers on a tour of Turkey through a young boys' eyes. From waking up to "the echoing morning prayer" of the mosque and seeing the sun, the story follows his typical day (going to a traditional Turkish school, going on an outing with his father, etc.). Focusing on destinations in Istanbul such as the Blue Mosque, Haghia Sophia, and the Galata Bridge, the book provides a slightly touristy but overall true glimpse of Turkey. The use of photos combined with Inglese's illustrations creates an interesting guidebooklike effect, while keeping consistent with the art style in the other books in the series. The bilingual nature of this picture book makes it better suited for independent or one-on-one reading. The story is well written; however, while the Turkish is quite fluid, the English is choppy. The translation is matched line to line giving it a robotic flow instead of a natural one The most useful parts of this book are the duo-language glossary, which offers a clear definition of some words that cannot be immediately explained in the text, and the "About Istanbul, Turkey" page, which includes facts and cultural information that is easy to understand for the younger crowd. VERDICT A fine addition to geography and bilingual collections.—Gilly Yildiz, Eisenhower Public Library, Harwood Heights, IL
Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Author, Dedie King, a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal, also taught school there. She travels extensively and spends a considerable amount of time, not as a tourist, but immersed in many cultures, living with families who open their homes to her. She holds a MEd and has taught elementary school and children with learning disabilities. Her interest in writing books about different cultures is to bring awareness to young children of both the sameness and the differences of cultures around the world.
Judith Inglese has been designing and fabricating ceramic tile murals for public environments for more than thirty years. Her commissions include libraries, schools, hospitals and municipal and institutional buildings like the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. Her murals often focus on the play and imagination of children as well as cross-cultural exchange and community. In the I See the Sun books, she combines photography, cut paper and drawing in her collage illustrations. Like her ceramic tile murals, her illustrations are colorful and detailed with strong forms and line work.