Less Than Half, More Than Whole

The main idea of this book is how everyone has his or her own unique identity. The story takes place with a boy who is teased by one of his friends for being “less than half” because he is multicultural. In our growing global community, many children will be able to identify with the main character as he struggles to find his own sense of self. The book highlights this when the brother says. “Sometimes you wonder where you belong.” Additionally, I enjoyed the use of parallels that the book uses. The grandfather compares his grandson to a spotted horse and a piece of corn, each beautiful to look at while composed of multiple different colors. The last thing I enjoyed about this book is it’s unique illustrations. As I saw in the show more back of the text, many of the illustrations of the book were actual Native American designs from trines like the Apache, Anasazi, and many more. This gives the book a very authentic feel, and isn’t just using a multicultural character without referencing their culture. show less

This book was great and I liked it for several reasons. First of all, the illustrations in the book are extremely vibrant and beautiful with big pictures of Native American patters all over them. Not only are they beautiful, they have great use in the book. This book teaches a wonderful lesson about diversity. It brings about the fact that the main character, a mixed boy of Caucasian and Native American descent, looks different than his two friends who have either full white or dark skin. This book is very relatable to not only children of different ethnicities but to all children as well. It gives the full-raced children an essence of why someone looks different and how they might feel about that. The main character was confused why he show more was the way he was and his grandfather explained it in a lovely way the child would understand. He was describing how his grandson was like corn of various colors and said, “Some will see only the blue in this ear of corn, and others will see only the red, but I do not see anything less than a whole ear of corn and all that it means to our people. You are not half a person because of your color, my son; you are a whole, beautiful person.” This is an imperative life-lesson to be learned by children so they understand that it is as beautiful to be different as it is to be “normal”. It also teaches a wonderful life-lesson of taking pride in who you are and where you come from, which is a message that every person, not just children, can learn from. show less

There are several reasons why I think this is a great book to read to all children. I loved how the story used comparisons of a mixed heritage with corn and horses, which is important to Native American culture. The main character, Tony, is half Native American and his uncle tell him that he is unique and special like the horse with many different colors. His grandfather also compares him to a piece of decorative corn that has blue, red, and purple in it. These comparisons make Tony feel very special and he understands that being half Native American does not make him less of a person. I also really liked that the book incorporated a lot of Native American culture. The illustrations are clearly modeled after Native American art. They show more represent the culture respectfully. The book also incorporates this culture through traditional food and language. The reader sees what a typical Native American family eats and their names from grandmother and grandfather (Saiya and TàTdà).
The book was about differences in skin color and culture and how each person is special because of those differences. I would describe this as a mirror and window book. It reflects every reader who is a mix of different cultures. It also acts as a window into Native American culture. Overall, I think this is a great book to help kids respect all types of people and realize “none are alike, but each is special.” show less

This is one of my favorite books I have read so far for a variety of reasons. First, the illustrations were amazing and detailed and I enjoyed looking at them as much as I enjoyed reading the story. Next, I enjoyed following the boys journey through finding out why he looked different than his two friends. This story I also connected with because it’s a story about a mixed boy feeling like he is not as whole and complete as his friends. I also really liked how the ending page of the book identified the symbolism throughout the story that’s from Native American culture. It was fun to learn about a different culture and see the symbolism in the book. The conclusion of the story when the boy is hearing his grandfather explain how the show more boy is “whole” was one of my favorite parts because you can see that the grandfather truly appreciates his culture and what his family is made up of. The main idea of this book is identity and culture. show less

"Less Than Half, More Than Whole" is another book about being bicultural, so I really enjoyed this book. What I liked most was that it wasn't a conflict of too many cultures, it was a conflict of feeling half part of a culture. This was something I had never thought of myself except for with C.O.D.As, child of a Deaf adult, so it allowed me to view being bicultural in a different way. My favorite part was when the grandfather explained that the most beautiful horses were the mixed horses, "without its different colors, it would not seem so special.". This quote explains the main idea perfectly. Being bicultural is something to be proud of not ashamed or saddened.

There are many reasons why I like this book. The book takes readers outside of their comfort zone and confronts the realities of how we sometimes question who we are and where we come from. The book illustrates this through Tony's curiosity. For example, "I don't look like Scott or Will, and Will says I'm less than half, what does that mean?" In this part of the story the author draws on the curiosity children feel when they do not look "similar" to others their age. It makes readers realize the realities childhood and how others can sometimes make us feel insecure about where we come from. Also, this can relate to others who have experienced the same thing, and also those who may have done this to someone else. Confronting this who may show more have made someone else feel less than. Another reason I like the story is because there are many children who come from mixed backgrounds, and this story reminds them that they are still just as special as someone who does not. For instance, "Some will only see blue in the ear of tis corn, some will only see red, but I do not see anything less than a whole ear of corn and all that it means to our people." Here Tony's grandfather makes him discover that where he comes from is unique and to appreciate it. This can help children who feel different to recognize that their background sets them aside from others in a positive way. The main message of the story is to appreciate your roots and that being different from others is what makes our stories unique. show less

In my opinion, this is a five-star children’s book to show different students appearances. This book expands on the idea that everyone is special and unique in their different ways, and no one person looks or has the same personality.
First, the illustrations throughout the novel supports the text. In the beginning of the book, Tony, the main character, and his friends mirror a pond that shows their reflections. Then, one friend makes the comment of “I think you’re only half, or less than half” which makes Tony conflicted with what that phrase means. The picture of the mirror with Tony’s reflection gives the reader a visual of what the text is directing to. In addition, in the ending of the book, a multiple colored corn shows show more symbolism. Tony’s family member said, “… a gift the creator has given me- my family of many colors.” This shows Tony’s representation of his beauty of the mixed races that creates him whole.
As well as the illustrations throughout the book, the extra-textual features sum the book as a whole. At the end of the book, a glossary is given with words and phrases explained in depth. The picture book brings Tony’s culture by introducing readers to food such as fried bread, which is not typical in American food culture. The glossary is helpful because it is like a dictionary to make sure readers are interpreting the plot accurately.
This children’s book pushes readers to view everyone as equal and as unique. Weather one is biracial or has a deformity, that does not conclude that one is “less” than another person. show less