Woodson, Jacqueline. (2007). FEATHERS. New York: Puffin Books. ISBN: 978-0-399-23989-2
Woodson’s novel FEATHERS is a story of hope and change. In less than 120 pages Woodson tackles such issues as religion, prejudice, family, friends and disability. It all begins with the arrival of the “new boy” and a line from Emily Dickinson’s poem, “Hope is the thing with feathers.” Frannie didn’t understand how her life would change when she wrote those words, but it did in a good way. It was in the quiet moments with her friend Samantha that she questioned her own faith, and then finds hope when she tells Samantha “Maybe Jesus is the hope you were feeling.” Hope grows as Frannie and her brother Sean make dinner while mama rests, and she sees her brother’s strength and hope for the future, not his disability. Hope replaces sadness when mama finds out everything is fine with the baby. Something changed for Frannie that day when the new boy dubbed “Jesus Boy” came into her class from across the highway. Her friendships and family, but most importantly she found the meaning of “Hope is the thing with feathers.”
Woodson weaves many cultural markers throughout the story that connect the reader to the African American culture. She uses language to give the reader a sense of the times. As we read about Frannie we know that she is a young girl in the sixth grade of a school that is “across the highway” with no white students. There are no real clues as to where the school is located, but we know from the reaction of the students that the school is located in an all black community and the highway is what divides the “white side “ from the African American side of town, When the “white boy enters the class with is white or “pale” skin and long hair it causes the class bully to question why he is there and when Trevor gets no response he says” You better learn how to answer a soul brother when they be talking to you, Jesus Boy.” Phrases such as “soul brother”, “jive turkey”, ‘brother man”,” Black Power”, and “Black is Beautiful” are markers of the language used in 1971. The references Frannie made to having her hair in an Afro was popular in the 70’s. She talked about having a “pick with the red, black and green Black Power fist can be traced back to the late 60’s and the very early 1970’s. At that time the Black Power fist was seen as a symbol for hope. Sean speaks about Wilt Chamberlain as he makes NBA history something that would not be recognized with such coverage just a few years earlier. The music of African American musical groups such as the 5th Dimension and the Jackson 5 were heard more often on the radio. I believe Woodson uses the references to organizations, music and people that show the change that is happening in the country and as examples of “hope.” Frannie’s brother Sean makes the comment,” Everything is changing”, but the change is slow as in 1971 it had been several years since the Civil Rights Movement and there are still segregated schools and communities. Woodson’s story shows the change in Frannie as she discovers the words she wrote on her paper on that winter day mean; “Hope is the thing with feathers.” Frannie begins to look forward and see how hope and change can be wonderful.
Reviews & Awards
Book Links (A.L.A.) 07/01/08 Publishers Weekly starred 01/08/07
Horn Book starred 10/01/07 School Library Journal starred 04/01/07
Newbery Medal/Honor 01/01/08 Wilson's Children 10/01/10
Notable/Best Books (A.L.A.) 01/01/08 Wilson's Junior High School 08/01/07
Full-Text Reviews
Booklist (November 15, 2006 (Vol. 103, No. 6))
There's a lot going on in this small, fast-moving novel that introduces big issues--faith, class, color, prejudice, family, disability, and friendship. Woodson tells her story with immediacy and realism through the stirring first-person narrative of a young girl, Frannie, growing up in 1971. The new boy in school is the only white kid in Frannie's sixth-grade class, and she wonders why he doesn't go to the white school across the highway. He's pleased when some of the kids call him Jesus Boy, and Frannie's devout friend, Samantha, thinks he may be the savior. A few of the boys harass him, especially bullying Trevor--who looks white himself. When the new kid turns out to be far from perfect, Frannie wonders: Was he God's child? Aren't we all? In her loving home, filled with light, hope, and laughter, a deaf older brother has always enriched her life, but Frannie realizes that she still has bridges of prejudice to cross. A good choice for discussion.
Horn Book (March/April, 2007)
As sixth-grader Frannie puzzles over the meaning of a line from an Emily Dickinson poem, "Hope is the thing with feathers," lots of questions start coming up. What does the music her deaf brother hears sound like? Why is Mama so tired during the day? How come the new white boy in class named Jesus says he's not white, and could he possibly be the Jesus, as Frannie's friend Samantha thinks? How does it feel to have that kind of faith, anyway? Frannie eventually works out her own answers, finding hope not in Samantha's big miracles but in everyday bits of goodness-the "moments" her teacher tells her to write about. Woodson deftly, even lyrically, weaves some large ideas through her story, set in the 1970s during a snowy winter, but as in much of her work it's those small moments-sitting on Grandma's lap one afternoon watching the sky outside turn gray-that linger so profoundly.
Kirkus Review (February 1, 2007)
One wintry day, a white boy with long curly hair enters Frannie's sixth-grade classroom. "Jesus Boy" is told he's on the "wrong side of the highway," and becomes a catalyst for a shift among friends and enemies in the classroom, all observed from Frannie's point of view. She's also got her eye on things at home: Suddenly her mother is strangely weary, while her older brother, who is deaf, seems impossibly quick to recover when girls attracted to his good looks are turned off by his silence. Frannie's questions about faith, friendship and bridging differences are expressed in a vibrant and accessible narrative set in the early 70s. The theme of "hope" recurs in the description of the Black Power movement, and in Frannie's musings on the Emily Dickinson poem, "Hope is the thing with feathers." Developing this metaphor, Woodson captures perfectly the questions and yearnings of a girl perched on the edge of adolescence, a girl who readers will take into their hearts and be glad to call their friend. (Fiction. 9-13)
School Library Journal (April 1, 2007) Gr 4-7-"Stepped through that door white and softly as the snow," notes sixth-grader Frannie, on the arrival of a pale, long-haired boy to her predominantly black middle school on a winter day in 1971. He is dubbed the Jesus Boy by the class rowdy, and the name seems to suit the newcomer's appearance and calm demeanor. Frannie is confused, not only by declarations that he's NOT white, but that her friend Samantha, daughter of a conservative Baptist minister, also seems to believe that he is Jesus. In light of this and other surprises in her life, Frannie questions her own faith and, most of all, the meaning of the Emily Dickinson poem that she is studying in class, "Hope is a thing with feathers/that perches in the soul/-." How does she maintain hope when her newly pregnant mother has lost three babies already?
Connections:
As a first grade teacher I would not be able to use this book in my classroom, but will be able to recommend this book to the upper grade teachers. After reading FIRST PART LAST by Angela Johnson I found that I was recommending it to not only middle school teachers I knew but to colleagues and friends with teen aged children. FEATHERS is another book I will recommend to colleagues and friends. . It tells a story of a time that really was not that long ago, in a way that I believe will make young adults think about how slow change can happen.
I noticed that Woodson included some excellent questions for discussion at the end of the book to use with older students to begin conversations. Having the students look for connections to the issues that are still relevant today; making connections. Questions for discussion is an excellent resource.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Goin' Someplace Special- MisKissack
McKissack, Patricia,C. 2001. GOIN’ SOMEPLACE SPECIAL.illus. Pinkney, Jerry. New York: Antheneum Books for Young Children. ISBN: 0-689-81885-8
Summary
The story begins with a very excited ‘Tricia Ann getting ready to make her first trip to the place she always refers to as “Someplace Special.” As Mama Frances, her grandmother ties her sash she reminds her to “hold yo’ head up” and “act like you b’long to somebody.” ‘Tricia Ann’s journey was not an easy one. She experiences the anger of having to “sit in the back of the bus”, the embarrassment of being yelled at, in the hotel and the fear she would not have the courage to finish her trip to the Special Place.’ ‘Tricia Ann was experiencing the injustice of the “Jim Crow” laws without her grandmother for the first time. It was the supportive words and kindness of friends from her neighborhood and the special message from Blooming Mary” to listen close” to hear her grandmother’s voice, that she found the courage from within to keep going. It is not until the end that we find out the “Special Place” is the Public Library where the words “ALL ARE WELCOME’ tells us why it is a “Special Place”. The author’s note tells us the story was based on Patricia McKissack’s childhood.
Analysis
There are many connections to the African American cultural through language. Mckissack expresses the emotions of a young girl who going on her first trip to “Someplace Special” alone. The words of her wise and loving grandmother, Mama Frances, give her courage and strength as she is confronted with the injustice of the “Jim Crow laws” along the way. Mama Frances sends her on her way with these words “hold yo’ head up and act like you b’long to somebody.” ‘Tricia remembered these words as she boarded and had to sit in the “Colored Section” of the bus. As her anger rose she heard the words that Mama Frances had told her “Those signs can tell us where to sit, but they can’t tell us what to think.” The irony of the “Jim Crow” laws, is realized when Jimmy Lee points to the restaurant and says, “ My brother cooks all the food they serve, but do you think we can sit at one of their tables and have a BLT and a cup of coffee together?” When ‘Tricia is swept inside the hotel, “What makes you think you can come inside? No colored people are allowed!” dissolve her confidence in herself and discourages her from making to her “Special Place” until she is reminded by Blooming Mary to listen close to hear her grandmother’s words; “ You are somebody, a human being- no better, no worse than anybody in this world.” When ‘Tricia is asked by a small boy if she is going to the movie, his sister reminds him that “ Colored people can’t come in the front door” and that she would have to sit in the “Buzzard’s Roost” she responds “ In the last three rows of the balcony? Why, I wouldn’t sit up there even if watermelons bloomed in January.” It is all of the references to Jim Crow laws along with the illustrations that allow the reader to connect the story to the 1950’s.in the South.
Pinckney’s illustrations are a beautiful compliment to McKissack’s words. He has ‘Tricia Ann in a bright teal and yellow dress that stands out on each page as the others pale in comparison. The details of the setting are told through the pictures in the authentic drawings of the bus, cars, the clothing, and the buildings seen throughout the book. The subtle yet very important signs we see in the windows, and on the park bench bring a greater understanding to the words and the times. The historical connections to the African American population under the “Jim Crow” laws is understood through the words and felt through the illustrations. McKissack and Pinkney strike a wonderful balance in the text and illustrations that tell the story of love, support, and determination of a young girl as she experiences the unfairness of segregation on her own.
Awards / Reviews
Book Links (A.L.A.) 01/01/07 Notable/Best Books (A.L.A.) 01/01/02
Booklist starred 08/01/01 Publishers Weekly 08/06/01
Coretta Scott King Award/Honor 01/01/02 School Library Journal 09/01/01
New York Times 02/10/02 Wilson's Children 10/01/10
Booklist starred (August 2001 (Vol. 97, No. 22))
Ages 5-8.-… Pinkney's watercolor paintings are lush and sprawling as they evoke southern city streets and sidewalks as well as Tricia Ann's inner glow. In an author's note, McKissack lays out the autobiographical roots of the story and what she faced as a child growing up in Nashville. This book carries a strong message of pride and self-confidence as well as a pointed history lesson. It is also a beautiful tribute to the libraries that were ahead of their time.
Horn Book (November/December, 2001)- …There are many books about a child's first trip alone, and many books about racism and the struggle for civil rights, but this book is about more than either: it is the story of a child facing a difficult time sustained by the support of the adults in her life. McKissack and Pinkney strike just the right balance in a picture book for young readers and listeners: informative without being preachy; hopeful without being sentimental.
Kirkus Review (September 15, 2001)-… Every plot element contributes to the theme, leaving McKissack's autobiographical work open to charges of didacticism. But no one can argue with its main themes: segregation is bad, learning and libraries are good. Pinkney's trademark watercolors teem with realistically drawn people, lush city scenes, and a spunky main character whose turquoise dress, enlivened with yellow flowers and trim, jumps out of every picture. A lengthy author's endnote fills in the background for adults on McKissack's childhood experiences with the Nashville Public Library. This library quietly integrated all of its facilities in the late 1950s, and provided her with the story's inspiration. A natural for group sharing; leave plenty of time for the questions and discussion that are sure to follow. "(Picture book. 5-9)"
Horn Book starred (Spring, 2002)
This is the story of a child facing a difficult time sustained by the support of the adults in her life. Going alone for the first time, 'Tricia Ann is off to Someplace Special--the public library where "All Are Welcome." The journey isn't easy: she must face the indignities of life in the Jim Crow South. The text and art strike just the right balance: informative without being preachy; hopeful without being sentimental.
Connections
I have used this book in my first grade classroom within the theme of the courage and determination of children and how the events in their childhood influenced them as adults. Although this story is fiction it is based on Patricia McKissack’s childhood memories. After reading the story, the discussion begins. The children are able to identify the unfair laws and unkind words that ‘Tricia Ann encounters, but more importantly it shows the courage and determination to move forward to a better place. In this story it is the Public Library where “All Are Welcome.” I like to ask the students “Did her love for the “Special Place” have any influence on her becoming an author?” Opening discussion.Some of the people we read about are; Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Louise Braille, Clara Barton, Ruby Bridges, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Harriet Tubman. The list grows each year.
Writing Activity- GOIN’ SOMEPLACE SPECIAL can be introduced during writer’s workshop as an example of how authors write about what they know. This is an example of a memory she had as a young girl and she created her story around it. As young children struggle with what to write this book can spur many new ideas that can be developed into a story. Some ideas have been: a time when you were sad or angry, a time you got to do something alone, a trip to the library or riding on the bus. Let the conversation flow and record the different topics that come up.
Art Activity- Spotlight Award winning iluustrator Jerry Pinkney. Have the students create a pencil and watercolor picture of a setting that will be used in a story the children write.
Summary
The story begins with a very excited ‘Tricia Ann getting ready to make her first trip to the place she always refers to as “Someplace Special.” As Mama Frances, her grandmother ties her sash she reminds her to “hold yo’ head up” and “act like you b’long to somebody.” ‘Tricia Ann’s journey was not an easy one. She experiences the anger of having to “sit in the back of the bus”, the embarrassment of being yelled at, in the hotel and the fear she would not have the courage to finish her trip to the Special Place.’ ‘Tricia Ann was experiencing the injustice of the “Jim Crow” laws without her grandmother for the first time. It was the supportive words and kindness of friends from her neighborhood and the special message from Blooming Mary” to listen close” to hear her grandmother’s voice, that she found the courage from within to keep going. It is not until the end that we find out the “Special Place” is the Public Library where the words “ALL ARE WELCOME’ tells us why it is a “Special Place”. The author’s note tells us the story was based on Patricia McKissack’s childhood.
Analysis
There are many connections to the African American cultural through language. Mckissack expresses the emotions of a young girl who going on her first trip to “Someplace Special” alone. The words of her wise and loving grandmother, Mama Frances, give her courage and strength as she is confronted with the injustice of the “Jim Crow laws” along the way. Mama Frances sends her on her way with these words “hold yo’ head up and act like you b’long to somebody.” ‘Tricia remembered these words as she boarded and had to sit in the “Colored Section” of the bus. As her anger rose she heard the words that Mama Frances had told her “Those signs can tell us where to sit, but they can’t tell us what to think.” The irony of the “Jim Crow” laws, is realized when Jimmy Lee points to the restaurant and says, “ My brother cooks all the food they serve, but do you think we can sit at one of their tables and have a BLT and a cup of coffee together?” When ‘Tricia is swept inside the hotel, “What makes you think you can come inside? No colored people are allowed!” dissolve her confidence in herself and discourages her from making to her “Special Place” until she is reminded by Blooming Mary to listen close to hear her grandmother’s words; “ You are somebody, a human being- no better, no worse than anybody in this world.” When ‘Tricia is asked by a small boy if she is going to the movie, his sister reminds him that “ Colored people can’t come in the front door” and that she would have to sit in the “Buzzard’s Roost” she responds “ In the last three rows of the balcony? Why, I wouldn’t sit up there even if watermelons bloomed in January.” It is all of the references to Jim Crow laws along with the illustrations that allow the reader to connect the story to the 1950’s.in the South.
Pinckney’s illustrations are a beautiful compliment to McKissack’s words. He has ‘Tricia Ann in a bright teal and yellow dress that stands out on each page as the others pale in comparison. The details of the setting are told through the pictures in the authentic drawings of the bus, cars, the clothing, and the buildings seen throughout the book. The subtle yet very important signs we see in the windows, and on the park bench bring a greater understanding to the words and the times. The historical connections to the African American population under the “Jim Crow” laws is understood through the words and felt through the illustrations. McKissack and Pinkney strike a wonderful balance in the text and illustrations that tell the story of love, support, and determination of a young girl as she experiences the unfairness of segregation on her own.
Awards / Reviews
Book Links (A.L.A.) 01/01/07 Notable/Best Books (A.L.A.) 01/01/02
Booklist starred 08/01/01 Publishers Weekly 08/06/01
Coretta Scott King Award/Honor 01/01/02 School Library Journal 09/01/01
New York Times 02/10/02 Wilson's Children 10/01/10
Booklist starred (August 2001 (Vol. 97, No. 22))
Ages 5-8.-… Pinkney's watercolor paintings are lush and sprawling as they evoke southern city streets and sidewalks as well as Tricia Ann's inner glow. In an author's note, McKissack lays out the autobiographical roots of the story and what she faced as a child growing up in Nashville. This book carries a strong message of pride and self-confidence as well as a pointed history lesson. It is also a beautiful tribute to the libraries that were ahead of their time.
Horn Book (November/December, 2001)- …There are many books about a child's first trip alone, and many books about racism and the struggle for civil rights, but this book is about more than either: it is the story of a child facing a difficult time sustained by the support of the adults in her life. McKissack and Pinkney strike just the right balance in a picture book for young readers and listeners: informative without being preachy; hopeful without being sentimental.
Kirkus Review (September 15, 2001)-… Every plot element contributes to the theme, leaving McKissack's autobiographical work open to charges of didacticism. But no one can argue with its main themes: segregation is bad, learning and libraries are good. Pinkney's trademark watercolors teem with realistically drawn people, lush city scenes, and a spunky main character whose turquoise dress, enlivened with yellow flowers and trim, jumps out of every picture. A lengthy author's endnote fills in the background for adults on McKissack's childhood experiences with the Nashville Public Library. This library quietly integrated all of its facilities in the late 1950s, and provided her with the story's inspiration. A natural for group sharing; leave plenty of time for the questions and discussion that are sure to follow. "(Picture book. 5-9)"
Horn Book starred (Spring, 2002)
This is the story of a child facing a difficult time sustained by the support of the adults in her life. Going alone for the first time, 'Tricia Ann is off to Someplace Special--the public library where "All Are Welcome." The journey isn't easy: she must face the indignities of life in the Jim Crow South. The text and art strike just the right balance: informative without being preachy; hopeful without being sentimental.
Connections
I have used this book in my first grade classroom within the theme of the courage and determination of children and how the events in their childhood influenced them as adults. Although this story is fiction it is based on Patricia McKissack’s childhood memories. After reading the story, the discussion begins. The children are able to identify the unfair laws and unkind words that ‘Tricia Ann encounters, but more importantly it shows the courage and determination to move forward to a better place. In this story it is the Public Library where “All Are Welcome.” I like to ask the students “Did her love for the “Special Place” have any influence on her becoming an author?” Opening discussion.Some of the people we read about are; Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Louise Braille, Clara Barton, Ruby Bridges, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Harriet Tubman. The list grows each year.
Writing Activity- GOIN’ SOMEPLACE SPECIAL can be introduced during writer’s workshop as an example of how authors write about what they know. This is an example of a memory she had as a young girl and she created her story around it. As young children struggle with what to write this book can spur many new ideas that can be developed into a story. Some ideas have been: a time when you were sad or angry, a time you got to do something alone, a trip to the library or riding on the bus. Let the conversation flow and record the different topics that come up.
Art Activity- Spotlight Award winning iluustrator Jerry Pinkney. Have the students create a pencil and watercolor picture of a setting that will be used in a story the children write.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Schroeder- MINTY: A STORY OF A YOUNG HARRIET TUBMAN
Schroeder, Alan. 1996. MINTY A STORY OF YOUNG HARRIET TUBMAN. Illus. Pinkney, Jerry. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0-8037-1888-8
Summary
Minty was the nickname given to a young Harriet Tubman, a spirited young girl that was born a slave in the 1820. Minty dreamed that one day she would run away and be free. Minty’s clumsiness and her desire to be free caused her to have many problems on the plantation. Minty’s mother, Old Rit would tell her to get along and not make trouble for fear she would be sent “downriver.” Old Ben, Minty’s father saw his child’s stubbornness and determination in her eyes and he knew he had to teach her about the night. Old Ben knew Minty would escape one day or die trying. Her father took her out that night and began his lessons by showing her the North Star and the stars next to it known to the slaves as the “Drinking Gourd”. He taught her how to swim, skin a squirrel and run in the woods without making a sound. Minty learned from her father what she would need to know and understand if she was to make it to Philadelphia- freedom. As the story ends we are left wondering if Minty ever made it off the plantation.
The author’s note allows the reader to learn more about Minty, later known as Harriet Tubman. It finished the story for young readers who will want to know if she ran away. The information begins with the time that Minty made her escape to the development of the Underground Railroad. The stubbornness and determination as well as the bravery Minty showed in the book served her well into her adult life. Harriet Tubman returned many times to help free other slaves through what was eventually called the “Underground Railroad.”
Analysis
Schroeder’s text allows the reader a better understanding through the use of many cultural markers that connect the story to the African American culture during the 1800’s. The story begins with a little African American child hiding from a woman who is yelling for her to “get in here!” The reader is given a hint at the beginning of little girl known as “Minty” strong will as she hides and sticks her tongue out when she is called and thinks to herself “ I’ll come when I am good and ready”, knowing if caught she would be for a whippin’. Minty is a house slave that is moved to the fields due to her clumsiness. The story continues to tell the painful life of a slave that does not follow the rules. It is heart wrenching to hear the words “Whip her good” and how the ‘overseer roughly rips her shirt and raises the whip.” Minty’s family loved and worried for all their family but it was Minty’s spirit that gave them the most concern. It was this concern that had her mother telling her about the consequences of her behavior by saying “If your head is in the lion’s mouth, it’s best to pat him a little. Your head’s in his mouth, Minty, but you sure ain’t doin’ any pattin’. You’re just fixin’ to get your head bit off.” Minty would always say “I’m gonna run away.” It was then that her father told her “if you’re gonna run go at night.” Her father teaching her what she would need to know. He would point out the “North Star”, the “Big Dipper” and explain what is historically known as “The Drinking Gourd”. Old Ben taught Minty to “read a tree” and to know that moss “always grows on the north side of a tree.” Follow the star and go north to Philadelphia father would tell Minty so that when she did run away she had a chance of making it to freedom.
Award winning illustrator, Jerry Pinkney researched plantations around Maryland as well as details about the background, dress, food and the living conditions before creating the illustrations to Schroeder’s words. His commitment to authenticity is evident in this book. Pinkney’s remarkable pencil, colored pencil and watercolor illustrations conveyed the feelings of the character in an almost haunting way. It was the facial features and the eyes that conveyed the real emotions of the characters. In Pinkney’s illustration of the “missus” and the “overseer” he captured the anger and hatred of the characters for the young slave girl. He was able to show the hope in a little girl’s eyes as she is holding her rag doll or being a sunflower in the field or the sadness of a child that has just been whipped, back to the love that shines in the eyes of Minty when she realizes her father accepts and loves her so much that he teaches her how to survive in the woods on her own.
Pinkney’s illustrations capture the Brodas plantation in Maryland in the early 1800’s.He presents the white owner’s home as a large and beautifully furnished in contrast to the shack like homes of the slaves which would be historically accurate for the time. He continues to show the authenticity of the times in the setting of this story with the illustrations showing the slaves working in the fields as the overseer on horseback watches with a keen eye. . The historical content of this book is told in such a sensitive yet authentic way through both words and pictures. The story of a young Harriet Tubman could be one of sadness but the message of hope and family shine through the words and the pictures.
Schroeder is telling the story through his words but at the same time Pinkney is telling a more emotional story through illustrations that seem to convey all the emotions that the words could not.
Rewards and Reviews
Book Links (A.L.A.) 02/01/02 Publishers Weekly 11/06/00
Coretta Scott King Award/Honor 01/01/97 Publishers Weekly starred 05/20/96
Horn Book starred 09/01/96 School Library Journal 05/01/96
Notable/Best Books (A.L.A.) 01/01/97
Publishers Weekly
This fictionalized account of Tubman's childhood on a Maryland plantation provides a cruel snapshot of life as a slave and the horrid circumstances that fueled the future Underground Railroad leader's passion and determination. At eight years old, Minty (so-called as a nickname for Araminta) boils with rebellion against her brutal owners and bucks their authority whenever possible. Deeming her too...
"Rich with melodrama, suspense, pathos, and a powerful vision of freedom. This exquisitely crafted book resonates well beyond its few pages." -Kirkus Reviews, pointer review
Pinkney is the only illustrator to have won the Coretta Scott King Award for illustration four times, and he has received an impressive four Caldecott Honor Medals. His books include "Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman" (1997), "Mirandy and Brother Wind" (1989), and "The Patchwork Quilt" (1986). He lives in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y. ( Book Links (A.L.A.) 02/01/02
Connections:
As a first grade teacher this book allows me to go in many different directions and areas of the curriculum. The first thinking is to use the book Minty, a story of a young Harriet Tubman as a bridge into a greater variety of nonfiction books I would use this book as a springboard to research Harriet Tubman’s life further.
Spotlight on an Illustrator -
This book is a great way to introduce an award winning illustrator to students. Have an area devoted to an illustrator and /or author a month. Having the collections change every 2-3 weeks.
There are many websites that have booklists of Jerry Pinkney illustrated books.
Partial booklist of Jerry Pinkney Books:
The Patchwork Quilt (written by Valerie Flournoy)
The Tales of Uncle Remus (written by Julius Lester)
MIrandy and Brother Wind (written by Patricia McKissack)
Back Home (written by Gloria Jean Pinkney)
The Sunday Outing (written by Gloria Jean Pinkney)
Other Activities:
The Drinking Gourd is a book and a song that primary students would enjoy while learning the history of African American Slaves.
The following website for Follow the Drinking Gourd Song (The Drinking Gourd, otherwise known as the Big Dipper, helped to lead slaves to Canada. Once in Canada, slaves gained their freedom and were no longer an object owned by a master. )
• http://www.teachervision.fen.com/music/activity/9406.html
• Follow the Drinking Gourd Song
Teach students about Harriet Tubman and the song she used to sing while leading slaves to their freedom in Canada.
Additional books on Harriet Tubman:
Humphreville, Frances. Harriet Tubman, Flame of Freedom. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1967.
Levine, Ellen. ..If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad. NY: Scholastic, 1988.
McLoone, Margo. Harriet Tubman: A Photo-Illustrated Biography. Mankato: Bridgestone Press, 1997.
Monjo, FN. The Drinking Gourd. USA: Harper Collins, 1993.
Moore, Kay. ...If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War. NY: Scholastic, 1994.
Petry, Ann. Harriet Tubmen: Conductor on the Underground Railroad. Harper Trophy: 1996.
Ringgold, Faith. Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky. NY: Crown Publishers, 1992.
Taylor, M.W. Black Americans of Achievement Harriet Tubman Antislavery Activist. NY: Chelsea House, 1991.
Summary
Minty was the nickname given to a young Harriet Tubman, a spirited young girl that was born a slave in the 1820. Minty dreamed that one day she would run away and be free. Minty’s clumsiness and her desire to be free caused her to have many problems on the plantation. Minty’s mother, Old Rit would tell her to get along and not make trouble for fear she would be sent “downriver.” Old Ben, Minty’s father saw his child’s stubbornness and determination in her eyes and he knew he had to teach her about the night. Old Ben knew Minty would escape one day or die trying. Her father took her out that night and began his lessons by showing her the North Star and the stars next to it known to the slaves as the “Drinking Gourd”. He taught her how to swim, skin a squirrel and run in the woods without making a sound. Minty learned from her father what she would need to know and understand if she was to make it to Philadelphia- freedom. As the story ends we are left wondering if Minty ever made it off the plantation.
The author’s note allows the reader to learn more about Minty, later known as Harriet Tubman. It finished the story for young readers who will want to know if she ran away. The information begins with the time that Minty made her escape to the development of the Underground Railroad. The stubbornness and determination as well as the bravery Minty showed in the book served her well into her adult life. Harriet Tubman returned many times to help free other slaves through what was eventually called the “Underground Railroad.”
Analysis
Schroeder’s text allows the reader a better understanding through the use of many cultural markers that connect the story to the African American culture during the 1800’s. The story begins with a little African American child hiding from a woman who is yelling for her to “get in here!” The reader is given a hint at the beginning of little girl known as “Minty” strong will as she hides and sticks her tongue out when she is called and thinks to herself “ I’ll come when I am good and ready”, knowing if caught she would be for a whippin’. Minty is a house slave that is moved to the fields due to her clumsiness. The story continues to tell the painful life of a slave that does not follow the rules. It is heart wrenching to hear the words “Whip her good” and how the ‘overseer roughly rips her shirt and raises the whip.” Minty’s family loved and worried for all their family but it was Minty’s spirit that gave them the most concern. It was this concern that had her mother telling her about the consequences of her behavior by saying “If your head is in the lion’s mouth, it’s best to pat him a little. Your head’s in his mouth, Minty, but you sure ain’t doin’ any pattin’. You’re just fixin’ to get your head bit off.” Minty would always say “I’m gonna run away.” It was then that her father told her “if you’re gonna run go at night.” Her father teaching her what she would need to know. He would point out the “North Star”, the “Big Dipper” and explain what is historically known as “The Drinking Gourd”. Old Ben taught Minty to “read a tree” and to know that moss “always grows on the north side of a tree.” Follow the star and go north to Philadelphia father would tell Minty so that when she did run away she had a chance of making it to freedom.
Award winning illustrator, Jerry Pinkney researched plantations around Maryland as well as details about the background, dress, food and the living conditions before creating the illustrations to Schroeder’s words. His commitment to authenticity is evident in this book. Pinkney’s remarkable pencil, colored pencil and watercolor illustrations conveyed the feelings of the character in an almost haunting way. It was the facial features and the eyes that conveyed the real emotions of the characters. In Pinkney’s illustration of the “missus” and the “overseer” he captured the anger and hatred of the characters for the young slave girl. He was able to show the hope in a little girl’s eyes as she is holding her rag doll or being a sunflower in the field or the sadness of a child that has just been whipped, back to the love that shines in the eyes of Minty when she realizes her father accepts and loves her so much that he teaches her how to survive in the woods on her own.
Pinkney’s illustrations capture the Brodas plantation in Maryland in the early 1800’s.He presents the white owner’s home as a large and beautifully furnished in contrast to the shack like homes of the slaves which would be historically accurate for the time. He continues to show the authenticity of the times in the setting of this story with the illustrations showing the slaves working in the fields as the overseer on horseback watches with a keen eye. . The historical content of this book is told in such a sensitive yet authentic way through both words and pictures. The story of a young Harriet Tubman could be one of sadness but the message of hope and family shine through the words and the pictures.
Schroeder is telling the story through his words but at the same time Pinkney is telling a more emotional story through illustrations that seem to convey all the emotions that the words could not.
Rewards and Reviews
Book Links (A.L.A.) 02/01/02 Publishers Weekly 11/06/00
Coretta Scott King Award/Honor 01/01/97 Publishers Weekly starred 05/20/96
Horn Book starred 09/01/96 School Library Journal 05/01/96
Notable/Best Books (A.L.A.) 01/01/97
Publishers Weekly
This fictionalized account of Tubman's childhood on a Maryland plantation provides a cruel snapshot of life as a slave and the horrid circumstances that fueled the future Underground Railroad leader's passion and determination. At eight years old, Minty (so-called as a nickname for Araminta) boils with rebellion against her brutal owners and bucks their authority whenever possible. Deeming her too...
"Rich with melodrama, suspense, pathos, and a powerful vision of freedom. This exquisitely crafted book resonates well beyond its few pages." -Kirkus Reviews, pointer review
Pinkney is the only illustrator to have won the Coretta Scott King Award for illustration four times, and he has received an impressive four Caldecott Honor Medals. His books include "Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman" (1997), "Mirandy and Brother Wind" (1989), and "The Patchwork Quilt" (1986). He lives in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y. ( Book Links (A.L.A.) 02/01/02
Connections:
As a first grade teacher this book allows me to go in many different directions and areas of the curriculum. The first thinking is to use the book Minty, a story of a young Harriet Tubman as a bridge into a greater variety of nonfiction books I would use this book as a springboard to research Harriet Tubman’s life further.
Spotlight on an Illustrator -
This book is a great way to introduce an award winning illustrator to students. Have an area devoted to an illustrator and /or author a month. Having the collections change every 2-3 weeks.
There are many websites that have booklists of Jerry Pinkney illustrated books.
Partial booklist of Jerry Pinkney Books:
The Patchwork Quilt (written by Valerie Flournoy)
The Tales of Uncle Remus (written by Julius Lester)
MIrandy and Brother Wind (written by Patricia McKissack)
Back Home (written by Gloria Jean Pinkney)
The Sunday Outing (written by Gloria Jean Pinkney)
Other Activities:
The Drinking Gourd is a book and a song that primary students would enjoy while learning the history of African American Slaves.
The following website for Follow the Drinking Gourd Song (The Drinking Gourd, otherwise known as the Big Dipper, helped to lead slaves to Canada. Once in Canada, slaves gained their freedom and were no longer an object owned by a master. )
• http://www.teachervision.fen.com/music/activity/9406.html
• Follow the Drinking Gourd Song
Teach students about Harriet Tubman and the song she used to sing while leading slaves to their freedom in Canada.
Additional books on Harriet Tubman:
Humphreville, Frances. Harriet Tubman, Flame of Freedom. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1967.
Levine, Ellen. ..If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad. NY: Scholastic, 1988.
McLoone, Margo. Harriet Tubman: A Photo-Illustrated Biography. Mankato: Bridgestone Press, 1997.
Monjo, FN. The Drinking Gourd. USA: Harper Collins, 1993.
Moore, Kay. ...If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War. NY: Scholastic, 1994.
Petry, Ann. Harriet Tubmen: Conductor on the Underground Railroad. Harper Trophy: 1996.
Ringgold, Faith. Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky. NY: Crown Publishers, 1992.
Taylor, M.W. Black Americans of Achievement Harriet Tubman Antislavery Activist. NY: Chelsea House, 1991.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
WISHING FOR TOMORROW- Hilary McKay
Mckay, Hilary. 2009. WISHING FOR TOMORROW; THE SEQUEL TO A LITTLE PRINCESS. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN -13-978-1-44240-169-3
Summary
After Hilary McKay read A LITTLE PRINCESS by Frances Hodgson Burnett she wondered “what happened next?” and years later her daughter asked the same question. The sequel tries to answer the question of what happened to Ermengarde, Lottie, Lavinia and the rest of the girls that were left at Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies after Sara left. The story takes the reader through the heartbreak Ermengarde felt losing her best friend and the responsibility of looking after Lottie. It was friendship and determination that helped the girls of Miss Minchin’s go on with their daily lives and hope for better tomorrow. For Ermengarde that friendship included a rat named Melchisedec and a cat named Bosco. Lavinia is finds a way to further her education and sees this as her way out of the “trap” of the girls school. With the help of the new neighbors she secretly finds the answers she is looking for in education. The girl’s lives are not especially happy in the Minchin’s house but together they survive. In the end their ability to work together and use the little known secrets of the house the girls were able to escape the fire. With the end of Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies; new beginnings happened for all from Miss Minchin’s. I have not read the original novel but did not need to, to enjoy the sequel.
Analysis
The setting of Wishing for Tomorrow was established in the original novel A Little Princess and takes place in Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies in London, England. The description of the row house that became the school and the square with its trees and cobbled streets as depicted in the black and white illustrations help the reader establish the setting, both time period and location. McKay continues the historical aspect of the novel when Lottie describes The Tower of London seen on a post card and again as Ermengarde is going to the Duke of York Theatre.
McKay continued using a variety of words and events that reinforce the time period of the original novel. The characters were young girls that were “detached” from their families. They would spend their days with school work and their free time was spent doing needlework and writing to their families. Lottie would take the “post” and go through the “scullery maid’s” window. Later Lottie would help Alice, the scullery maid clean the steps with “a donkey stone” and split the coal and then have “mutton fat” rubbed into her hands. McKay continued using a variety of words and events that reinforce the time period of the original novel.
Wishing for Tomorrow was written a hundred years after the original but maintains the historical aspect throughout the story. Never having read the original I appreciated the author revisiting the characters in the first few chapters and providing the background of the characters. I was able to understand how the departure had affected the others in the house. McKay was able to capture the old fashion ways while eliciting emotions about friendship, ambition and empathy for others.
Awards/ Reviews
Booklist 12/15/09 Library Media Connection 08/01/10
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 02/01/10
Horn Book 01/01/10
Kirkus Review starred 12/01/09
Booklist (December 15, 2009 (Vol. 106, No. 8))
Grades 3-6. For many readers, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic novel A Little Princess remains a perfect story a century after it was first published. But as McKay points out in her introduction to this original sequel, Burnett’s ending leaves the reader right where he (or, most likely, she) started: back at Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary, a grim boarding school in early-twentieth-century London, without Sara, the rags-to-riches star of the novel. McKay’s offering, which begins shortly before Sara leaves, lacks the original novel’s exciting trajectory and focuses instead on creating back stories for Burnett’s characters. Here, snotty Lavinia is actually a young feminist who dreams of attending Oxford; tenderhearted, dull-witted Ermengarde discovers that she is brave and imaginative; and irrepressible young wild child Lottie turns out to be the unlikely voice of reason. Readers new to the story may struggle to make connections between characters and events, but with her trademark blend of sly comedy and emotional insights, McKay captures the enchanting, old-fashioned mood of the original while adding some timeless truths about friendship, female ambition, and children’s resilience.
Horn Book (January/February, 2010)
"This is the story of what happened next, after Sara went away." In this "sequel" to Frances Hodgson Burnett's A Little Princess, McKay makes a valiant effort to color within the lines, to set her book in the same moral universe as Burnett's -- where Miss Minchin is unequivocally detestable and Sara Crewe a paragon of goodness and quality. It takes a while for McKay to get her bearings, as the first few chapters waffle between recapping the events of A Little Princess (from the formerly disdained Ermengarde's point of view) and moving the new story forward.
Kirkus Review starred (December 1, 2009)
Sequels to beloved classics penned by contemporary authors have at best a mixed track record, and the author of the quirky Casson family novels makes an unlikely successor to Frances Hodgson Burnett. As such, this slyly engaging follow-up to A Little Princess is a welcome surprise. The result is storytelling magic. (Historical fiction. 8-12)
School Library Journal (March 1, 2010)
Gr 4-7-One hundred years after the publication of Frances Hodgson Burnett's A Little Princess, this welcome sequel opens with a quick, smooth retelling of the original story, then launches into the new one as Sara Crewe and erstwhile scullery maid Becky leave the Select Seminary for Young Ladies. …McKay has skillfully captured and enhanced the flavor of the original with her droll style and spot-on characterization; despite the insipid title, her lively, absorbing storytelling has left melodrama behind. Her blending of the hilarious with the grave (the fire is truly terrifying) is fast paced and pitch-perfect for the modern reader. With this worthy sequel, McKay has given the classic story new life. Pen-and-ink single- and double-page sketches, reminiscent of the work of Quentin Blake, add a light visual touch to this delightful novel.-Marie Orlando, North Shore Public Library, Shoreham, NY Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.
Connections
Suggested Readings:
Hale, Shannon. 2005. PRINCESS ACADEMY. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 13978043988110
This is another book about the strength of girls in adverse conditions.
There are many Fairy tale books that have sequels written that tell what happened next and are good examples of perspective. I have listed two as examples and many titles are available through a variety of websites that have booklists.
Scieska, Jon. 1989. THE TRUE STORY OF THE 3 LITTLE PIGS. New York: Viking. ISBN13-978-0-670-82759-6
Triviza, Eugene. 1993. THE THREE LITTLE WOLVES and the BIG BAD PIG. New York: Simon & Schuster
Writing Activity:
Have students look at the story from the different characters perspective.
Using this book or a book of their choice write from the perspective of one of the characters what happened next.
This concept of perspective can generate many discussions that will allow students to see how events are influenced by the reader or writer’s perspective.
The historical landmarks of the Tower of London and Duke of York Theatre mentioned in the story make a great start to researching those two landmarks.
The following website has the history of the Tower of London and that can lead to learning more about castles.
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/medieval/architecture/towerlondon.htm has easy to read information about the Tower of London and suggests additional books about castles.
The site also has a suggestion on how to build a castle that is interesting.
Summary
After Hilary McKay read A LITTLE PRINCESS by Frances Hodgson Burnett she wondered “what happened next?” and years later her daughter asked the same question. The sequel tries to answer the question of what happened to Ermengarde, Lottie, Lavinia and the rest of the girls that were left at Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies after Sara left. The story takes the reader through the heartbreak Ermengarde felt losing her best friend and the responsibility of looking after Lottie. It was friendship and determination that helped the girls of Miss Minchin’s go on with their daily lives and hope for better tomorrow. For Ermengarde that friendship included a rat named Melchisedec and a cat named Bosco. Lavinia is finds a way to further her education and sees this as her way out of the “trap” of the girls school. With the help of the new neighbors she secretly finds the answers she is looking for in education. The girl’s lives are not especially happy in the Minchin’s house but together they survive. In the end their ability to work together and use the little known secrets of the house the girls were able to escape the fire. With the end of Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies; new beginnings happened for all from Miss Minchin’s. I have not read the original novel but did not need to, to enjoy the sequel.
Analysis
The setting of Wishing for Tomorrow was established in the original novel A Little Princess and takes place in Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies in London, England. The description of the row house that became the school and the square with its trees and cobbled streets as depicted in the black and white illustrations help the reader establish the setting, both time period and location. McKay continues the historical aspect of the novel when Lottie describes The Tower of London seen on a post card and again as Ermengarde is going to the Duke of York Theatre.
McKay continued using a variety of words and events that reinforce the time period of the original novel. The characters were young girls that were “detached” from their families. They would spend their days with school work and their free time was spent doing needlework and writing to their families. Lottie would take the “post” and go through the “scullery maid’s” window. Later Lottie would help Alice, the scullery maid clean the steps with “a donkey stone” and split the coal and then have “mutton fat” rubbed into her hands. McKay continued using a variety of words and events that reinforce the time period of the original novel.
Wishing for Tomorrow was written a hundred years after the original but maintains the historical aspect throughout the story. Never having read the original I appreciated the author revisiting the characters in the first few chapters and providing the background of the characters. I was able to understand how the departure had affected the others in the house. McKay was able to capture the old fashion ways while eliciting emotions about friendship, ambition and empathy for others.
Awards/ Reviews
Booklist 12/15/09 Library Media Connection 08/01/10
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 02/01/10
Horn Book 01/01/10
Kirkus Review starred 12/01/09
Booklist (December 15, 2009 (Vol. 106, No. 8))
Grades 3-6. For many readers, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic novel A Little Princess remains a perfect story a century after it was first published. But as McKay points out in her introduction to this original sequel, Burnett’s ending leaves the reader right where he (or, most likely, she) started: back at Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary, a grim boarding school in early-twentieth-century London, without Sara, the rags-to-riches star of the novel. McKay’s offering, which begins shortly before Sara leaves, lacks the original novel’s exciting trajectory and focuses instead on creating back stories for Burnett’s characters. Here, snotty Lavinia is actually a young feminist who dreams of attending Oxford; tenderhearted, dull-witted Ermengarde discovers that she is brave and imaginative; and irrepressible young wild child Lottie turns out to be the unlikely voice of reason. Readers new to the story may struggle to make connections between characters and events, but with her trademark blend of sly comedy and emotional insights, McKay captures the enchanting, old-fashioned mood of the original while adding some timeless truths about friendship, female ambition, and children’s resilience.
Horn Book (January/February, 2010)
"This is the story of what happened next, after Sara went away." In this "sequel" to Frances Hodgson Burnett's A Little Princess, McKay makes a valiant effort to color within the lines, to set her book in the same moral universe as Burnett's -- where Miss Minchin is unequivocally detestable and Sara Crewe a paragon of goodness and quality. It takes a while for McKay to get her bearings, as the first few chapters waffle between recapping the events of A Little Princess (from the formerly disdained Ermengarde's point of view) and moving the new story forward.
Kirkus Review starred (December 1, 2009)
Sequels to beloved classics penned by contemporary authors have at best a mixed track record, and the author of the quirky Casson family novels makes an unlikely successor to Frances Hodgson Burnett. As such, this slyly engaging follow-up to A Little Princess is a welcome surprise. The result is storytelling magic. (Historical fiction. 8-12)
School Library Journal (March 1, 2010)
Gr 4-7-One hundred years after the publication of Frances Hodgson Burnett's A Little Princess, this welcome sequel opens with a quick, smooth retelling of the original story, then launches into the new one as Sara Crewe and erstwhile scullery maid Becky leave the Select Seminary for Young Ladies. …McKay has skillfully captured and enhanced the flavor of the original with her droll style and spot-on characterization; despite the insipid title, her lively, absorbing storytelling has left melodrama behind. Her blending of the hilarious with the grave (the fire is truly terrifying) is fast paced and pitch-perfect for the modern reader. With this worthy sequel, McKay has given the classic story new life. Pen-and-ink single- and double-page sketches, reminiscent of the work of Quentin Blake, add a light visual touch to this delightful novel.-Marie Orlando, North Shore Public Library, Shoreham, NY Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.
Connections
Suggested Readings:
Hale, Shannon. 2005. PRINCESS ACADEMY. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 13978043988110
This is another book about the strength of girls in adverse conditions.
There are many Fairy tale books that have sequels written that tell what happened next and are good examples of perspective. I have listed two as examples and many titles are available through a variety of websites that have booklists.
Scieska, Jon. 1989. THE TRUE STORY OF THE 3 LITTLE PIGS. New York: Viking. ISBN13-978-0-670-82759-6
Triviza, Eugene. 1993. THE THREE LITTLE WOLVES and the BIG BAD PIG. New York: Simon & Schuster
Writing Activity:
Have students look at the story from the different characters perspective.
Using this book or a book of their choice write from the perspective of one of the characters what happened next.
This concept of perspective can generate many discussions that will allow students to see how events are influenced by the reader or writer’s perspective.
The historical landmarks of the Tower of London and Duke of York Theatre mentioned in the story make a great start to researching those two landmarks.
The following website has the history of the Tower of London and that can lead to learning more about castles.
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/medieval/architecture/towerlondon.htm has easy to read information about the Tower of London and suggests additional books about castles.
The site also has a suggestion on how to build a castle that is interesting.
Friday, June 10, 2011
THE PULL of the OCEAN- Jean- Claude Mourlevat
Mourlevat, Jean- Claude. 2006. THE PULL of the OCEAN. New York: Random House Inc. ISBN -13: 978-0385-73348-9
Translated from the French by Y.Maudet
Summary
Yann is a ten year boy that has never experienced love or happiness from his parents in his life. He was born alone, not as a twin as his other six brothers and a “miniature”. At age ten he was barely two and a half feet tall; with features not that of a dwarf but features that are harmonious to his size. He was small and different from everyone around him. Yann was intelligent and yearned to learn and be free of the parents that found his intelligence disturbing. Yann was unable to communicate with his voice, but through what seemed to magic he was able to speak so that others who cared to listen could understand. Yann had his brothers and they proved to be his lifeline to a new life away from all he knew. Yann used his size and his intelligence to get to the ocean. The ocean was Yann’s freedom and he smiled the most beautiful smile as the ship went due west. This book is a translation from French to English that does not lose the meaning of brotherhood and love for Yann the boy that was different.
Analysis
Jean – Claude Mourlevat provides the reader with some insights into the life of Yann and his brothers. While the parent provided for the family, it was limited and many times finding food for the family was left up to the mother. The parents had little use for education and commented, “His brothers were already attending school, but at least they didn’t try to learn nothin’.”(p. 15) While Yann loved school and was always showing it until the father smacked him so hard his nose bled. The parents made sure that Yann knew he was a disappointment and not worthy of their love.
The setting for the story was the home of Yann and the land that lay between their home and the Atlantic Ocean near Bordeaux, France. The farm was secluded from the road; it was ugly and dirty with a heap of scrap metal piled up in the yard. The weeds were over grown and the roof was falling apart. It was a dirty and unpleasant place.
The children traveled five days going west towards the ocean and their journey took them through small villages, along back roads and river banks while cold, freezing rain continued to fall. The seven children were always traveling west towards the ocean with Yann as the leader.
The brothers in this story each had their relationship with their “little” brother. They loved and took care of Yann and more than that, they understood their brother. He was respected for what he knew and was their leader on a long and scary journey. The brothers always knew Yann was special not just different.
“The parents took a dislike to him.” They took out their disappointment out on the tiny child.
The story portrays the positive in being different and overcoming diversity. The love the brothers had for their brother, made a difference in Yann’s life. Yann loved his brothers, but he could not endure life on the farm any longer he needed his brothers to be a part of him getting out. At the end the older brother knew he had to let Yann go and he held his brother’s hand until the ambulance stopped in Bordeaux and that would be the last time Yann spoke to his brother. “Tell the others, won’t you?” were his last words.
The author portrays the characters in a variety of ways that allow the reader to understand the physical, emotional and social attributes. The feeling of wanting the children to have a better life as they endure the five days of hard times has the reader hoping they make it to the ocean. At the end when it is only Yann that makes it the reader is left with the feeling that all will be fine. The simple words of “I’m a grandfather and a child like this one can turn me to putty”, assures the reader Yann is in a better place.
Reviews and Awards
WINNER 2007 Mildred L. Batchelder Award Winner
WINNER 2007 ALA Notable Children's Book
Starred review, School Library Journal, January 1, 2007:
"A well-crafted mystery awaits anyone reading this fabled jigsaw puzzle . . . a memorable novel that readers will find engaging and intellectually satisfying."
Starred review, Publishers Weekly, January 1, 2007:
"Mourlevat enchantingly blends the harshly read and the make-believe ... [in this] effectively daunting, fluidly translated tale."
Kirkus Reviews "The prose is nightmarish but occasionally lovely, and older readers will appreciate its dark magic."
Connections
Map lessons:
Finding the towns and the route the boys may have taken.
This book is one that I would use with older students third grade and up.
The book is compared to the story of Tom Thumb so having students doing a compare and contrast to Tom Thumb.
There are many discussion opportunities for older students.
The students can identify the character’s attribute- social, emotional and physical. Find the words used to create the visual image you create as this story is read. What did the author do to elicit emotions from the reader and what emotions did the reader experience. The social aspect from home to school could be examined to see if this contributed to the feelings the parents had for their son.
Students can look at each set of twins and find their special connection to Yann.
Have students explain the parent’s reaction to their son, Yann.
What were the family dynamics in the home?
I really liked this book and will recommend to teachers in my school that taught third- fifth grade.
I would not use this as a read aloud in my first grade class at this time, although I may use parts of the book when teaching about creating visual pictures and using what we refer to as “sparkle words” to make our writing more interesting. The sentence that stands out for me is “Everything about him was harmonious, but everything was … small.”(p.3) The word harmonious is something I think my first grade students would find interesting.
Translated from the French by Y.Maudet
Summary
Yann is a ten year boy that has never experienced love or happiness from his parents in his life. He was born alone, not as a twin as his other six brothers and a “miniature”. At age ten he was barely two and a half feet tall; with features not that of a dwarf but features that are harmonious to his size. He was small and different from everyone around him. Yann was intelligent and yearned to learn and be free of the parents that found his intelligence disturbing. Yann was unable to communicate with his voice, but through what seemed to magic he was able to speak so that others who cared to listen could understand. Yann had his brothers and they proved to be his lifeline to a new life away from all he knew. Yann used his size and his intelligence to get to the ocean. The ocean was Yann’s freedom and he smiled the most beautiful smile as the ship went due west. This book is a translation from French to English that does not lose the meaning of brotherhood and love for Yann the boy that was different.
Analysis
Jean – Claude Mourlevat provides the reader with some insights into the life of Yann and his brothers. While the parent provided for the family, it was limited and many times finding food for the family was left up to the mother. The parents had little use for education and commented, “His brothers were already attending school, but at least they didn’t try to learn nothin’.”(p. 15) While Yann loved school and was always showing it until the father smacked him so hard his nose bled. The parents made sure that Yann knew he was a disappointment and not worthy of their love.
The setting for the story was the home of Yann and the land that lay between their home and the Atlantic Ocean near Bordeaux, France. The farm was secluded from the road; it was ugly and dirty with a heap of scrap metal piled up in the yard. The weeds were over grown and the roof was falling apart. It was a dirty and unpleasant place.
The children traveled five days going west towards the ocean and their journey took them through small villages, along back roads and river banks while cold, freezing rain continued to fall. The seven children were always traveling west towards the ocean with Yann as the leader.
The brothers in this story each had their relationship with their “little” brother. They loved and took care of Yann and more than that, they understood their brother. He was respected for what he knew and was their leader on a long and scary journey. The brothers always knew Yann was special not just different.
“The parents took a dislike to him.” They took out their disappointment out on the tiny child.
The story portrays the positive in being different and overcoming diversity. The love the brothers had for their brother, made a difference in Yann’s life. Yann loved his brothers, but he could not endure life on the farm any longer he needed his brothers to be a part of him getting out. At the end the older brother knew he had to let Yann go and he held his brother’s hand until the ambulance stopped in Bordeaux and that would be the last time Yann spoke to his brother. “Tell the others, won’t you?” were his last words.
The author portrays the characters in a variety of ways that allow the reader to understand the physical, emotional and social attributes. The feeling of wanting the children to have a better life as they endure the five days of hard times has the reader hoping they make it to the ocean. At the end when it is only Yann that makes it the reader is left with the feeling that all will be fine. The simple words of “I’m a grandfather and a child like this one can turn me to putty”, assures the reader Yann is in a better place.
Reviews and Awards
WINNER 2007 Mildred L. Batchelder Award Winner
WINNER 2007 ALA Notable Children's Book
Starred review, School Library Journal, January 1, 2007:
"A well-crafted mystery awaits anyone reading this fabled jigsaw puzzle . . . a memorable novel that readers will find engaging and intellectually satisfying."
Starred review, Publishers Weekly, January 1, 2007:
"Mourlevat enchantingly blends the harshly read and the make-believe ... [in this] effectively daunting, fluidly translated tale."
Kirkus Reviews "The prose is nightmarish but occasionally lovely, and older readers will appreciate its dark magic."
Connections
Map lessons:
Finding the towns and the route the boys may have taken.
This book is one that I would use with older students third grade and up.
The book is compared to the story of Tom Thumb so having students doing a compare and contrast to Tom Thumb.
There are many discussion opportunities for older students.
The students can identify the character’s attribute- social, emotional and physical. Find the words used to create the visual image you create as this story is read. What did the author do to elicit emotions from the reader and what emotions did the reader experience. The social aspect from home to school could be examined to see if this contributed to the feelings the parents had for their son.
Students can look at each set of twins and find their special connection to Yann.
Have students explain the parent’s reaction to their son, Yann.
What were the family dynamics in the home?
I really liked this book and will recommend to teachers in my school that taught third- fifth grade.
I would not use this as a read aloud in my first grade class at this time, although I may use parts of the book when teaching about creating visual pictures and using what we refer to as “sparkle words” to make our writing more interesting. The sentence that stands out for me is “Everything about him was harmonious, but everything was … small.”(p.3) The word harmonious is something I think my first grade students would find interesting.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Mem Fox- KOALA FOX
Mem Fox – Koala Lou
Fox, Mem. 1988. KOALA LOU. New York: Harcourt Brace & Company. ISBN 0 – 15 -200502- 1
Summary
Koala Lou the first born in her family and was loved by all, the emu and the platypus, but most of all by her mother. Koala loved hearing her mother say “I DO love you”. As the years passed Koala had many brothers and sisters that took much of mother’s time. Koala missed hearing those special words of love from her mother. Koala decides that if she won the Bush Olympics her mother would hug her neck and say “I DO love you” once again. Koala does not win and after many tears and sadness comes home to find her mother waiting for her. Mother hugs her neck and says those magical words “I DO love you”. Letting Koala Lou know that she is loved no matter what place you win.
Analysis
In this story the reader feels Koala Lou’s feeling of loss when she must share her mother’s love with many brothers and sisters. The feeling of competition within the family was translated in Koala’s idea to compete in the Bush Olympics. The sadness that Koala experienced when she lost was soon replaced with her mother’s love. Koala was reminded that she is loved no matter what place she received in the competition. This is an important message for children to hear and Mem Fox conveys this message through delightful characters and Pam Lofts’ expressive illustrations that allow children to understand Koala Lou’s feelings. The story offers glimpses of Australia with references to the bush country and the gum trees that are favored by koalas. The theme of a mother’s love is not confined to one region and one that many children can make a connection no matter where they live.
Reviews
Horn Book starred (February, 1990)
In a gentle tale set in the Australian bush, Koala Lou wants to win the Bush Olympics. A good choice for story hour, bedtime, or reading aloud. Review, p. 757.
Kirkus Review (1989)
This satisfying reworking of a familiar and ever-important theme is appealingly illustrated--bright colors, soft-edged sculptural forms, precise detail, dozens of expressive animals. Another winning import from one of Australia's favorite authors.
Publishers Weekly (August 11, 1989)
…as perfect examples of why the Australian writer has become one of today's top authors of children's books.
Connections
Many young children deal with sibling rivalry and missing their mother’s attention. Stories about this theme can help children realize they are not alone in these feelings.
Audrey, Penn. 2006. THE KISSING HAND. ISBN – 13-978-1-933718-00-2
A delightful story of how a mother was able to make the transition from home to school much easier for her little one.
http://www.carolhurst.com/index.html
This website is a wealth of information on many different books and themes for children of all ages.
http://www.memfox.net/welcome.html
In Mem Fox’s website she reveals that Koala Lou is one of her favorite books and the very interesting background of how the book came to be. This information is interesting to budding young authors in the early grades.
Fox, Mem. 1988. KOALA LOU. New York: Harcourt Brace & Company. ISBN 0 – 15 -200502- 1
Summary
Koala Lou the first born in her family and was loved by all, the emu and the platypus, but most of all by her mother. Koala loved hearing her mother say “I DO love you”. As the years passed Koala had many brothers and sisters that took much of mother’s time. Koala missed hearing those special words of love from her mother. Koala decides that if she won the Bush Olympics her mother would hug her neck and say “I DO love you” once again. Koala does not win and after many tears and sadness comes home to find her mother waiting for her. Mother hugs her neck and says those magical words “I DO love you”. Letting Koala Lou know that she is loved no matter what place you win.
Analysis
In this story the reader feels Koala Lou’s feeling of loss when she must share her mother’s love with many brothers and sisters. The feeling of competition within the family was translated in Koala’s idea to compete in the Bush Olympics. The sadness that Koala experienced when she lost was soon replaced with her mother’s love. Koala was reminded that she is loved no matter what place she received in the competition. This is an important message for children to hear and Mem Fox conveys this message through delightful characters and Pam Lofts’ expressive illustrations that allow children to understand Koala Lou’s feelings. The story offers glimpses of Australia with references to the bush country and the gum trees that are favored by koalas. The theme of a mother’s love is not confined to one region and one that many children can make a connection no matter where they live.
Reviews
Horn Book starred (February, 1990)
In a gentle tale set in the Australian bush, Koala Lou wants to win the Bush Olympics. A good choice for story hour, bedtime, or reading aloud. Review, p. 757.
Kirkus Review (1989)
This satisfying reworking of a familiar and ever-important theme is appealingly illustrated--bright colors, soft-edged sculptural forms, precise detail, dozens of expressive animals. Another winning import from one of Australia's favorite authors.
Publishers Weekly (August 11, 1989)
…as perfect examples of why the Australian writer has become one of today's top authors of children's books.
Connections
Many young children deal with sibling rivalry and missing their mother’s attention. Stories about this theme can help children realize they are not alone in these feelings.
Audrey, Penn. 2006. THE KISSING HAND. ISBN – 13-978-1-933718-00-2
A delightful story of how a mother was able to make the transition from home to school much easier for her little one.
http://www.carolhurst.com/index.html
This website is a wealth of information on many different books and themes for children of all ages.
http://www.memfox.net/welcome.html
In Mem Fox’s website she reveals that Koala Lou is one of her favorite books and the very interesting background of how the book came to be. This information is interesting to budding young authors in the early grades.
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