Miracle's Boys (10/26)

Title: Miracle's Boys

Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Type: Novel

Ages: 7+

Rating: 5

Summary: The story of three boys struggling to cope with their mother and father's death. 

 This story is written from Lafayette's point of view, who is the youngest of the three boys. We see a lot of maturation in Lafayette has he struggles to understand why his mother had to die. At the beginning he blames himself for his mother's death and so does his older brother Charlie. By the end of the story Lafayette has learned enough to realize it was not his fault that his mother died. 

My favorite character though is Charlie. Charlie was  at a correctional facility when his mother died. When he gets back he is a "New" Charlie. He hangs out with the wrong crowd and seems disinterested in everything he used to be interested in. Throughout all whole book though you can see the good in Charlie. The way he will try to talk quietly about the correctional facility when Laf is around.Through  Charlie's interactions with other people you can see that he is a scared boy, trying to suppress his feelings. 

There were two parts of the book that really stood out to me. On page 70 Laf and Ty'ree (the oldest brother) are talking and Ty'ree says, "Brother to Brother, Lafayette?" Lafayette responds with, "B to B." Laf goes on explain that when they say this to each other, they are saying I love you. This reminds of all the little quirks families have and I thought it was touching that this is how they expressed loved for one another. It's like a secret language between the two of them. 

Another part I found interesting was on page 83, Laf says; 

"Ty'ree was alright after Mama died. But I was all wrong. The year before, I'd seen this show about snakes. They showed this one snake slipping out of its old skin and then leaving that old skin on the ground him. That's how I felt-like Mama'd been my skin. But I hadn't grown a new underneath, like that snake had. I was just blood and bones spreading all over the place."

I thought this metaphor was extremely powerful and depicted just how he felt after his mother died. I have never experienced a death in the family that was that close to me but I can imagine if I did I might feel the same way. Every thing about this book empowered me. I really connected to this book. 

The Giver (10/26)

Title: The Giver
Author: Lois Lowry
Type: Novel
Ages: 7 years +
Rating: 4.5

Summary: Jonas lives in a structure community, where everything is hand picked for individuals. Jonas receives the role of being the carry of memories for his community. As he uncovers the truth behind his family and community will he be able to carry out his role as memory keeper?

Once you start reading this novel it is extremely hard to put down. This world you have never heard of becomes intriguing as you learn more and more about their odd behaviors. I think for younger readers it may be difficult to understand some parts so I think it would be best implemented as a novel that you read along with students in class. That way at the confusing parts you can stop and have discussion to clear up the confusing parts.

I think the most interesting chapters to discuss with students would be Chapter 12, 19, 20 and 23. I especially thinking discussing what the word "release" means would be interesting to discuss with students. I am sure there would be many different interpretations and you could compare the students definitions to Chapter 19 when Jonas first leans what release really means.

One activity I think I would do with this book would be to have the students each write an additional chapter for the book. The ending is very ambiguous and it is up to your interpretation of what happens to Jonas. I think having the students writing an additional chapter at the ending would let them explore their interpretation.

Why? (10/26)

Title: Why?
Author: Nikolai Popov
Ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book
Rating: 4

Summary: A wordless picture book about a mouse family and frog family that are at war with one another.
 

I really enjoyed the illustrations in this book. They were easy to follow and I could interpret what was happening in my own way since there were no words. It starts off very humorous, with the frog really confused as to why the mouse pushed him off the rock. The tone starts to get more serious when both families begin to be at war with one another. 

I am a little confused by the ending though. It ends with the frog and the mouse sitting there with everything around them destroyed. They are just looking at each other with apologetic looks on their face. I was confused if this means they regret what they did or that the war was simply pointless because they are right back where they started. I then read the author's note and Nikolai Popov says he wrote this book because he is anti-war and he says, 

"I have created this book because it seems to me that if Children can understand the senseless of war, if they can see how easily one can be sucked into a cycle of violence, they may become a force for peace in the future."

If it wasn't for the author's note I would have a difficult time understanding the end of the story. I am curious to see what children would think of the ending. I think that would be a fun activity to see what students think the ending means. Despite the ambiguous ending I still think this is a very good wordless picture book. 

Plink and Say (10/26)

Title: Pink and Say
Author: Patricia Polaccco
Type: Picture Book
Ages: Upper Elementary +
Rating: 4

Summary: Two fifteen year old boys, one African American and one White, become best friends when Pink saves Say’s life while fighting they are both fighting in the Civil War. When they become prisoners of a Confederate Camp they learn the harsh reality of racism.




In this picture book an unlikely friendship emerges from between Pink and Say. Pink is a fifteen year old African American soldier while Say is a fifteen year old White-American soldier. Pink is very brave for his age and is determined to fight for his people. Say on the other hand is very apprehensive and scared and misses his home and childhood. We see a big changed in Pink through out the course of the book. As soon as Say witnesses Pink's mothers get murdered, we see him start believing in himself and the Union. He changes for the better as a result of her death. 


Another part I really liked was when Pink and Say were held captive in the Confederate prison. They are taking Pink away, as the reader can assume because he is black and not white. Pink reaches out for Say's hand and says, "Let me touch the hand that touched Mr. Lincoln, Say, just one last time." The story of when Say touched Lincoln's hand was important to their friendship. The fact that these were the last words Pink said to Say show his love and devotion for his best friend. The picture that captures this moment is absolutely phenomenal too. 


I think this picture book is extremely good but it touches on a lot of sensitive topics so I think if anyone is going to use it in a classroom they need to have a well planned out lesson. It can be used to teach children about racism and the Civil War. When searching through things I came across a website that gives suggestions on how to teach some books. 


This link is a suggestion of a lesson plan after reading Pink and Say. It suggests you have the students write a letter to  a Confederate Soldier, Union Soldier,  a slave, etc. I really like this idea because it's asking the child to put their feelings about this book into a letter to send to someone who may have gone through this experience. 
http://www.ltl.appstate.edu/litcircleunits/litcirunits_Fall00/slavery_civwar/launchactivity.html








 

My Hiroshima (10/26)

Title: My Hiroshima
Author: Junko Morimoto
Type: Picture book
Ages: 7+
Rating: 5

Summary: A little girl retells her story of surviving the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima.
 

This is absolutely an excellent book! I love that it is told from the point of view of the youngest girl in the family. The words are simple and the sentences are short. It is very easy to understand even when talking about such a harsh topic. Many people may consider this a controversial book because it talks about war and dying. This book simply addresses the fact that people did die when the Atomic Bomb was dropped. The author was extremely lucky and her whole family survived the bombing, therefore, none of the characters you are connected to in the story die. It is an uplifting book in this sense. 

I also really liked the author's note in the back of the book. It tells us that the book was based off a true story. Junko Morimoto also expressed why she thinks it is important to teach children about the war. She states; 

"War, the atomic bomb...only human beings have produced them. They are the crimes of adults who forget the precious value of life. I believe it is the duty and the responsibility of adults to teach our children the importance of not repeating these mistakes and to give them the heart to care for and value all life on earth."

I think this is a very important point that Junko makes. We are currently in the middle of a war right now. The fighting may not be taking place in our country, but it is in other countries, and there are children who are experiencing what Junko went through. I think it is important to educate children about the dangers of war and killing other people. We cannot shelter our children forever. We may live in a country that does not allow children to enter war until 18 years old but not every country is like this so we need to educate our future generations. 

I Never Knew Your Name

Title: I Never Knew Your Name
Author: Sherry Garland
Illustrator: Sheldon Greenberg
Type: Picture Book
Age: Upper elementary and older
Rating: 5

Summary:A little boy recalls his memories of the teenager across the street who committed suicide.


After reading this book, I was speech less. I couldn't believe this little boy was so impacted by the death of the teenager. It then immediately make think of all the times I may have laughed at a joke at the extent of someone else or when I was the bunt of the jokes. Children and teenagers can be very cruel to one another without realizing it. The little boy describes all the times he saw the teenager alone, or being laughed at. He also expresses how there were many times he was going to try and hang out with the teen but it always seemed like a bad time. The book ends with the little boy saying, "I'm sorry I never knew your name. I wish we could have been friends."


I think a lot of children and teenagers can relate to this book. I think not only can it be used as a tool to teach about suicide but I think it can also be used as a suicide prevention book. I think it allows teens or children to learn that there is someone in the world, wether you know it or not, that will miss you if you take your own life. I rated this book for upper elementary and teenagers because I think suicide is tough topic to talk about and I am not sure younger children would be able to handle it. 
 

Smoky Night (10/26)

Title: Smoky Night

Author: Eve Bunting

Illustrator: David Diaz

Ages: 6 and up

Type: Picture Book

Rating: 5

Summary: During a night of rioting in Los Angeles,  friendships are made between neighbors who have never got along in the past. The illustrator David Diaz won a Caldecott Award for his collage illustrations in this book.

 

This book is very inspirational and teaches a very important lesson. Daniel, Daniel's mother and Mrs. Kim all mature from the beginning of the book to the end of the book, which is a key element in good literature.  Daniel explains to the audience that his mother, Mrs. Kim, his cat Jasmine and Mrs. Kim's cat have never gotten along in the past. The night the riots broke out both Daniel and Mrs. Kim lost their cats. At the end a fire-fighter brings the cats to the shelter and announces that he found the cats huddled together underneath stairs. At the end of the book Daniel's mother realizes that she never really know Mrs. Kim to make the judgement that she didn't like her, so she introduces herself. That is the beginning of their friendship. I think it is really creative and fun that two different families were brought together by their cats. It's a humorous way to teach the importance of getting to know people judging them.

I also really enjoyed the illustrations in this book. David Diaz's watercolors and collage illustrations paint a beautiful picture. ALl the pictures are all so bright and colorful.