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49th out of 72 books
—
16 voters
Yasmin's Hammer
In the noisy streets of Dhaka, Bangladesh, another busy morning is beginning as Yasmin rides to work in her father’s rattling rickshaw. Yasmin longs to go to school so she can learn to read, but her family needs the money she and her sister earn at the brickyard to help keep the rice bag full and the roof repaired.
As she hammers away at bricks day after day, Yasmin dreams...more
As she hammers away at bricks day after day, Yasmin dreams...more
Hardcover, 40 pages
Published
May 1st 2010
by Lee & Low Books
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Audience: 2nd – 5th grade, Bangladesh, humanitarian aid for children
Appeal: This story is based on actual events that the author has witnessed while traveling in South Asia. It follows the plight of a family uprooted by floods and forced to move to the city to earn income. This includes the two young girls in the family who must also work to help the family play for food and repair on their roof. The ultimate goal of the main character and her family is that both girls will eventually be able to...more
Appeal: This story is based on actual events that the author has witnessed while traveling in South Asia. It follows the plight of a family uprooted by floods and forced to move to the city to earn income. This includes the two young girls in the family who must also work to help the family play for food and repair on their roof. The ultimate goal of the main character and her family is that both girls will eventually be able to...more
In Dhaka, Bangladesh, Yasmin rides to work in the morning in her father’s rickshaw. Though Yasmin longs to go to school, she has to help earn money so that her family can eat and her father can someday purchase the rickshaw. Yasmin thinks about the quiet days in her village before the cyclone forced them to move to the noise and bustle of the city. Now she must work breaking bricks for use in building roads and buildings. Even Yasmin’s little sister must work in the brickyard so the family can s...more
I received my copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Yasmin is a young girl in Bangladesh who wishes to attend school. However, her family needs her to work to help support them. In the end, Yasmin uses the titular tool to earn enough money to attend school. The book necessarily evokes Mitali Perkins' Rickshaw Girl, and is tied up just as neatly at the end. The high point of Yasmin's Hammer is the list of sources at the end. In addition to information on aid organizations, ther...more
Yasmin is a young girl in Bangladesh who wishes to attend school. However, her family needs her to work to help support them. In the end, Yasmin uses the titular tool to earn enough money to attend school. The book necessarily evokes Mitali Perkins' Rickshaw Girl, and is tied up just as neatly at the end. The high point of Yasmin's Hammer is the list of sources at the end. In addition to information on aid organizations, ther...more
Natural disaster can strike a family at any given moment. Often families are left struggling with poverty, despair, and the feeling of abandonment. The 2010-2011 (APALA) Asian Pacific American Librarians Association Picture Book Winner, Yasmin’s Hammer, written by Ann Malaspina, transports readers to the busy streets of Dhaka, Bangladesh; where Yasmin and her family are trying to adjust to city life. Yasmin spent the majority of her young childhood in a small village. When a cyclone hit her comm...more
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"Yasmin's Hammer" is an intriguing tale of a young girl, Yasmin, whose family moved from the country (after their farm was flooded out) to Dhaka, the capital of Bangledesh. Every member of the family has to work very hard in order to make ends meet. Each morning that Yasmin and her sister Mita go to work crushing bricks with hammers, Yasmin dreams of being able to go to school. With great determination, the family figures out a way that allows Yasmin and Mita to go to school. The colorful pictur...more
Audience: I would read this book with 4th or 5th grade but it could work for lower grades too.
Appeal: THis book brings to light the hardships that many children around the world face. It may help kids who don't see value in reading or education.
Application: I would read this story with my class as part of a world geography lesson. WHen we talk about India and Bangladesh area we would read this to put a human connection to the are that we are learning about. In the back of the book there are maps...more
Appeal: THis book brings to light the hardships that many children around the world face. It may help kids who don't see value in reading or education.
Application: I would read this story with my class as part of a world geography lesson. WHen we talk about India and Bangladesh area we would read this to put a human connection to the are that we are learning about. In the back of the book there are maps...more
Audience: Third through fifth graders because the topics might be a little more advanced for younger grades.
Appeal: This story line would intrigue students because they could empathize with Yasmin and her family. Our American lifestyles are so different from the way she is living in Bangladesh, so the children could be pulled in by reading about such vast differences.
Application: We could make venn diagrams about what is different and similar to Yasmin's and our lives. We could then talk about...more
Appeal: This story line would intrigue students because they could empathize with Yasmin and her family. Our American lifestyles are so different from the way she is living in Bangladesh, so the children could be pulled in by reading about such vast differences.
Application: We could make venn diagrams about what is different and similar to Yasmin's and our lives. We could then talk about...more
How can one not love a book that emphasizes the importance of being able to read? Honestly, it's one skill that can make or break you. This book explores the lives of those whose quest to obtain this basic skill is much harder than most. Focusing on Yasmin and her family, we watch as they struggle to find some way to maintain an adequate living enviroment with the goal of one day sending their girls to school so they can drink of the knowledge they have for so long desired.
A good story at face v...more
A good story at face v...more
Audience: Upper primary readers
Appeal: This book would appeal to boys and girls, anyone who loves learning about other cultures, and children who don't take school seriously.
Application: This book would be great to teach that school is not a right; it is a privelage. You could also speak about Bangladesh. For an activity, you could have every student bring their bike to school and have them pull something with a little weight. Make sure to explain that this is what Abba, a character in the story...more
Appeal: This book would appeal to boys and girls, anyone who loves learning about other cultures, and children who don't take school seriously.
Application: This book would be great to teach that school is not a right; it is a privelage. You could also speak about Bangladesh. For an activity, you could have every student bring their bike to school and have them pull something with a little weight. Make sure to explain that this is what Abba, a character in the story...more
Yasmin’s Hammer is a book by Ann Malaspina. Yasmin and her sister chip at bricks all day to get money for the family, even though they really want to go to school. Yasmin comes up with a secret plan to get closer to her dream. The best part is probably how excited they are about books. Definitely something to share with our alliterate students.
A page in the back of the book has a glossary and pronunciation guide as well as information on advocacy. Other books are suggested as well.
See the CIA W...more
A page in the back of the book has a glossary and pronunciation guide as well as information on advocacy. Other books are suggested as well.
See the CIA W...more
While she works diligently chipping at bricks, Yasmin has a dream that sustains her--one day she wants to go to school. She realizes at a young age that getting an education will allow her to break her family's cycle of poverty. Ann Malaspina's story is set in Bangladesh and serves as a gentle introduction to the country and the issues surrounding the education of girls. Doug Chayka's colorful and catching illustrations provide a glimpse of the countryside and bustling city of Dhaka and are remi...more
I always enjoy books set in other countries and this one brings home the different life children in Bangladesh lead compared to here in the U.S. Two sisters work all day breaking up bricks to earn money for their family while longing to attend school. This would be a good picture book accompaniment to the prior MCBA nominee Rickshaw Girl. This book tells an interesting story and give kids a peek into another culture. Nicely illustrated in rich, warm tones.
Audience: Grade 1-up, Social Studies teacher, anyone working towards a dream
Appeal: love of family, shows perseverance, hopeful, very specific, easy to picture living in Dhaka, vividly shows the hard life in Dhaka, includes map for greater understanding
(2010-2011 APALA Award) Asian Pacific American Literature Award
Appeal: love of family, shows perseverance, hopeful, very specific, easy to picture living in Dhaka, vividly shows the hard life in Dhaka, includes map for greater understanding
(2010-2011 APALA Award) Asian Pacific American Literature Award
List: Asian Pacific American Award for Literature
Audience: 1st-4th grade, people from Bangladesh, historians, young students, teachers
Appeal: Lots of bright artwork, learn about the culture there, interesting story, quick read about Yasmin who daydreams of being in school while she's stuck working with her hammer.
Award: Asian Pacific American Award for Literature
Audience: 1st-4th grade, people from Bangladesh, historians, young students, teachers
Appeal: Lots of bright artwork, learn about the culture there, interesting story, quick read about Yasmin who daydreams of being in school while she's stuck working with her hammer.
Award: Asian Pacific American Award for Literature
Audience: boys and girls grades 3 and 4 would best appreciate this story
Appeal: colorful and detailed pictures add to the text, message about education being the key to success
List: APALA 2010-2011
I personally did not care for this book. I think there are better ways to teach about poverty, Bangladesh, and the value of education.
An inspiring picture book that tells the story of a young girl who yearns for books and a better life for herself and her family. This book tells a great story to young people ages 8-up. I felt that it was a little wordy however for younger children/students.
Too long for storytime. A gentle way to introduce children to the value of an education and how hard it is for some children to obtain one.
Children work in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Yasmin and her sister break bricks all day. The denoument comes too easily. The slum looks too good.
Great story about the value of education and an enlightening look at the difficult life representative of many children in southeast Asia.
Accurate depictions of characters & culture, emotional, Author has travelled to South Asia
Mar 24, 2010
Fatimah
marked it as to-read
Cant wait to read it!!
A poor Bangladeshi family has been made homeless by a cyclone, so they move to the city to start a new life. The story centers around the oldest daughter, Yasmin, who wants to go to school and learn how to read. However, she and her sister must work instead. What we take for granted in this country means so much to people in other lands. Such a small (to us) amount of money would get this family on their feet. This is a great story to read to children who complain about going to school! Highly r...more
I received this book for free through Goodreads first reads. I enjoyed this children's book, but the true test was when I read it to my kids and no sooner did I finish the story they asked that I read it to them again. It is a good story that covers another culture. My children not only enjoyed the story and pictures, but they learned a little bit about another country that is very different from our own. Thank you to Lee & Low who listed this book for giveaway.
May 09, 2013
Daniela
marked it as to-read
May 08, 2013
Jlo
marked it as to-read
Mar 23, 2013
Angel Dibello conley
marked it as to-read
Feb 08, 2013
H.k.
marked it as to-read
Feb 07, 2013
Nick Molinet
marked it as to-read
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