What is identity? What if you don’t know your identity? What if, all of a sudden, your identity is perceived differently?
These are all questions that young readers will examine as they explore the concept of identity with this week’s CLSC Young Readers selections. At 12:15 p.m. today in the porch of the Literary Arts Center at Alumni Hall, readers of all ages can come together to discuss Other Words for Home, by Jasmine Warga and, if time allows, Wutaryoo, by Nilah Magruder, the early readers pick for the week.
Other Words for Home is a middle-grade novel that follows Jude and her mother as they flee their town in Syria due to civil unrest — parting ways with Jude’s older brother and father who stay in Syria — and move to Cincinnati to stay with other family members. As she explores what it means to be “Middle Eastern” in America, she also experiences all the volatile responses and judgment that come with the imposed identity. Jude embarks on a personal journey of growth as she tries to find a sense of belonging in a new country.
“She has to learn how to build new friendships, build a family with her extended family and her mom without her older brother and her dad,” said Manager of Literary Arts Stephine Hunt. “All of these things kind of come together with her trying to find a place in the school by trying out for a school musical. It’s a really beautiful story about the other words for home, about her trying to find a home in herself and a home in this new place as a refugee.”
Leading today’s discussion and touching on the main themes and topics of the book will be Chautauquans Erin Gray and Irene Cramer. For those who haven’t read the book yet but want to participate, spoilers will be avoided.
Wutaryoo, this week’s early reader picture book, tells the tale of Wutaryoo, a mysterious creature with big ears and tiny horns who has no idea where she came from. With constant questions from her friends about what she is, where she’s from and how she came to be, Wutaryoo feels confused and tired of being in the dark. In this heartwarming tale, Wutaryoo goes in search of answers and begins her journey to discover her ancestry, but ends up building an identity that doesn’t require any knowledge of her past.
“The title itself is a play on that question, ‘What are you?’ Which extends into the larger questions — ‘Where are you from? Who are your people?’ Wutaryoo is trying to figure out who she is and where she comes from, and her adventures go through interactions with different species,” said Hunt. “She’s learning how to build her identity and story through interactions with other species, but also learning how these other species identify themselves and speak to their truth.”
Following the book discussion, a Play CHQ event will be hosted on the Alumni Hall Lawn if weather allows, where kids of any age can come engage in activities and games related to the books, as they get to know other young Chautauquans.
