Yang, Gene Luen. 2006. AMERICAN BORN CHINESE. New York, NY: First Second. ISBN 978-159643-152-2.
Plot Summary: American Born Chinese is comprised of three separate stories that overlap and eventually converge at the end of the book. The first story is about the Monkey King who is extremely unhappy about being a monkey and instead fancies himself a god, the second plot involves Jin Wang, born in America of immigrant parents, always feeling out of place and different, and the third is about a Caucasian teenager, Danny, who is embarrassed by his visiting “cousin” Chin-Kee, who embodies almost every negative Asian stereotype.
The three stories are cleverly resolved as the Monkey King realizes that there is nothing wrong with being what he is, a monkey, Jin Wang’s innermost wish is fulfilled as he becomes white, and Danny (in a plot twist, this is the character that Jin Wang becomes) is confronted by the Monkey King, who has been incarnated in the form of Chin-Kee in order to teach Jin Wang (Danny) a valuable lesson – to be proud of your heritage, to stand up for your beliefs, and to remain true to yourself.
Critical Analysis: Yang’s frank portrayal of teenage angst compounded by the impact of negative racial stereotypes is a brilliant morality play couched in the entertaining format of a graphic novel. Funny, poignant, and clever, American Born Chinese draws the reader into the three separate tales which are seamlessly woven into the book’s narrative. The final twists, that Danny and Jin Wang are one and the same and that Chin-Kee is really the Monkey King, are brilliant and serve to reinforce the book’s themes of pride, acceptance, and tolerance.
Yang’s beautiful illustrations are crisp, colorful, and clever and supplement the dialogue without distracting the reader from the intricate plot. This is a book that can actually be read twice, once using the dialogue and once just looking at the illustrations, which almost stand alone and definitely enhance the reader’s understanding of plot and characterization. The use of stereotypes is a rhetorical device that is at the heart of this graphic novel. The toy that appears at the beginning and the end of the story, a Transformer, is a metaphor for the desire of the main characters to be able to change into something else, something entirely different, and therefore escape their own particular reality (being a monkey when you want to be a god, being an Asian when you want to be just like everybody else, and being stuck in a bad situation – as Danny is when Chin-Kee comes to visit).
The main characters are three-dimensional, enhanced by not only the illustrations but also the internal dialogues of the main characters. The use of humor adds to the charm of the story and reminds the reader that life in high school, regardless of one’s race or ethnicity, can be both fun and painful. In this way, the novel is appealing not just to American-born Chinese but to anyone who has lived through (or is living through) their teenage years.
Reviews:
Award Winner: Michael L. Printz Award (2006)
Best book of the year: San Francisco Chronicle (2006)
National Book Award Finalist
Publishers Weekly:
“Yang accomplishes the remarkable feat of practicing what he preaches with this book: accept who you are and you'll already have reached out to others.”
School Library Journal:
“A well-crafted work that aptly explores issues of self-image, cultural identity, transformation, and self-acceptance. A satisfying coming-of-age novel that aptly blends traditional Chinese fables and legends with bathroom humor, action figures, and playground politics. A finely wrought story that is an effective combination of humor and drama.”
Booklist:
“With vibrant colors and visual panache, indie writer-illustrator Yang focuses on three characters in tales that touch on facets of Chinese American life. Each of the characters is flawed but familiar, and, in a clever postmodern twist, all share a deep, unforeseen connection. Yang helps the humor shine by using his art to exaggerate or contradict the words, creating a synthesis that marks an accomplished graphic storyteller. The stories have a simple, engaging sweep to them, but their weighty subjects--shame, racism, and friendship--receive thoughtful, powerful examination.”
Connections:
Read other books by Gene Luen Yang: The Eternal Smile, Rosary Comic Book, Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks, or Loyola Chin and the San Peligran Order.
Create a display of other Graphic Novels and Manga. Examples might include:
Runaways: Dead End Kids by Joss Whedon and Michael Ryan (Marvel, 2008)
Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, and Nathan Hale (Bloomsbury, 2008)
Laika by Nick Abadzis (First Second, 2007)
Robot Dreams by Sara Varon (First Second, 2007)
Discuss stereotypes. Identify the stereotypes presented in American Born Chinese and give examples of other stereotypes. Examine how stereotypes, while used as a literary device, can be hurtful when used in real life. Use the web site Authentic History (www.authentichistory.com) to research other common stereotypes (Teaching Diversity with Multimedia). From the web site:
Stereotypes can be both positive and negative, and can lead to a form of bias called prejudice (an attitude), and even used to justify discrimination (an action).
Older students can research stereotypes used for the following groups: Native Americans, African Americans, Latino, Jewish, Irish, and even women.
Have students interview friends and family to discover an interesting family story. Next, create a rough-draft storyboard with illustrations and text. The finished work could be an eight-panel cartoon. Create a display of the students’ finished products. A good resource for this is provided by the National Association of Comic Art Educators: (http://www.teachingcomics.org/attachments/137_howtodrawfinal.pdf)
Research Chinese folklore/mythology (the Monkey King is a central character in the book). Have students identify the creatures/characters with their attributes or legend and create a graphic organizer. Discuss what lessons these have for modern life.
Use the Teaching Tolerance web site (www.tolerance.org) to explore issues of intolerance, prejudice, and bias. For older students, take the ‘Hidden Bias Test’ to self evaluate. Be sure that the students can take the test privately and do not have their results revealed to the class. This should, however, serve as a springboard for a very relevant class discussion. Students may even volunteer instances where they were stereotyped or participated in stereotyping others.
Examine the contributions of Asian Americans in the arts, science, literature, and culture.
Reader’s Theater: Adapt portions of American Born Chinese for reader’s theater. This can be done by the teacher/librarian or by the students themselves, working in small groups.
Research the graphic novel and the use of cartoons in history. A good web site is Graphic Novels (http://www.graphicnovels.brodart.com/history.htm). Students can examine the ‘Yellow Kid’ from the age of Imperialism, the anti-Communist cartoons of the 1950s, as well as the evolution of the comic book/graphic novel in the last 25 years.
After listening to the song (or seeing a clip from the movie) have students analyze the lyrics from ‘You Have to be Carefully Taught’ from South Pacific and apply them to the issues brought up in American Born Chinese. Babies are born 'color blind'; where does prejudice come from?
You've got to be taught
To hate and fear
You've got to be taught
From year to Year
It's got to be drummed
in your dear little ear
You've got to be carefully taught
You've got to be taught
To be Afraid
Of people whose eyes
are oddly made
And people whose skin
Is a different shade
You've got to be carefully taught
You've got to be taught
Before it's too late
Before you are 6 or 7 or 8
To hate all the people
your relatives hate
You've got to be carefully taught
(Rodgers and Hammerstein, 1949)
Monday, July 27, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Historical Fiction: The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
Speare, Elizabeth George. 1958. THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND. New York, NY: Yearling (a division of Random House). ISBN 978-0-440-49596-3.
Plot Summary: In this classic Newbery-award winner by Elizabeth George Speare, a young girl, Kit Tyler, is uprooted from her comfortable, upper class life in Barbados and travels to Puritan Connecticut in 1687. Here she discovers that she is different from not only the townspeople but also from her stern uncle, longsuffering aunt, and two cousins, Mercy and Judith. Kit soon realizes that her free spirit and openness is not acceptable and quickly becomes an object of curiosity in the town of Wethersfield.
After getting in trouble for using unconventional teaching methods with the village’s young people, Kit goes to the Great Meadows to be alone and meets Hannah Tupper, an eccentric old woman who some claim is a witch. They strike up a friendship and it is this friendship that puts Kit in peril as she herself is accused of witchcraft.
The story also revolves around Kit’s adjustment to life in Puritan New England as well as her budding relationship with one of the most eligible bachelors in town. Kit eventually prevails, finds her true love, Nat, and realizes that life in Wethersfield is not her destiny. The very satisfying ending also finds her two cousins happily engaged (one to the eligible bachelor, the other to a minister), Hannah safe and sound, and even her Uncle’s stern exterior beginning to soften.
Interwoven into the story is the political conflict of the time, with the Restoration of James II and the arrival of Sir Edmund Andros to serve as colonial administrator. Foreshadowing the American Revolution, the colonists of Connecticut were divided between loyalty to a distant king and maintaining their independent lifestyle. This is a well-researched and vibrant portrait of life in Puritan Connecticut, with the characters, in particular Kit and Mercy, especially engaging.
Critical Analysis:
The characters are fully developed and the dialogue rings true. Especially poignant is the character Prudence, an abused child who Kit nurtures and teaches to read. Although separated by three centuries, the foibles of Kit and her two cousins will resonate with the young adult reader. The very believable plot unfolds effortlessly and remains accurate to actual events of the time. From Speare’s descriptions of the homes, clothing, food, and weather, the reader is able to almost visualize the village of Wethersfield and the people in it.
The themes include the importance of tolerance and overcoming adversity woven within the larger story of Kit’s inner journey toward adulthood. Young people reading this book will appreciate Kit’s anguish over her love life while cheering her strong will and courage in challenging authority. This is a classic that stands the test of time. First published in 1958, Speare proves that a good story, as well as good writing, is timeless.
Reviews:
Newbery Award, 1959
Children’s Book Watch: “…a moving story which combines a powerful plot and strong characterization with insights on social change.”
Booklist: "Strong plot, fully-realized characters, and convincing atmosphere distinguish this historical narrative of a girl whose rebellion against bigotry and her Puritan surroundings culminates in a witch hunt and trial."
The New York Times: "This book has a lively plot and excellent characterizations. The background has every dimension of reality."
Connections:
Prior to reading this book, have students research both the Puritans and the history of the Connecticut colony. This can be done using print-based media or the internet. Include a graphic organizer or a set of guiding questions. Go over this prior to reading the book. Clarify any unfamiliar vocabulary and be sure to identify both Barbados and Connecticut on a map so the students can see the distance Kit travels to find her Aunt Rachel.
Also, explain the concept of predestination and discuss how this motivated the Puritans to achieve perfection in their daily lives. Use a concept definition map to help the students grasp this abstract concept. A good site that has blank worksheets and samples is available in PDF format from Scholastic (http://www2.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/r/reading_bestpractices_vocabulary_tr_AllConcept.pdf). This will also allow them to evaluate the accuracy of the book.
A fantastic resource for the study of Puritan Connecticut is a digital book available free from Google (it is part of the public domain): A Catalogue of the Names of the First Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut. This contains actual demographic details from the town records. The book itself is 359 pages long but the librarian/teacher can use it to draw up brief biographical sketches. Provide each student with one of these sketches. As they read the book, they can keep a “response journal” stating how their assigned person would react to the major events in the story. This title can be accessed via Google Book Search (http://books.google.com/googlebooks/about.html).
After reading the book, explore events surrounding the Salem Witch Trials. There is an excellent video available online from Discovery Education (http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schooladventures/salemwitchtrials/story/story.html).
Depending on the age of the students and availability of computer terminals, there is an interactive site from National Geographic that puts the students into the story (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/salem/) while giving them a basic chronology of events as well as the causes and outcome of the Salem Witch Trials.
Provide the students with a list of other books by Elizabeth George Speare such as The Bronze Bow, The Sign of the Beaver, or Calico Captive. You can also provide a bibliography of both fiction and nonfiction books relating to this era. A good example of a fiction book about Puritans is Sarah Anne Hartford (American Diaries Series) by Kathleen Duey.
Use The Witch of Blackbird Pond to initiate a discussion about tolerance. The word “Puritanical” can be explored here using a concept definition map. Use Myra Zarnowski’s four-step process to compare/contrast the belief system of Puritan Connecticut with current-day issues such as racial discrimination, Anti-Semitism, or religious intolerance.
Plot Summary: In this classic Newbery-award winner by Elizabeth George Speare, a young girl, Kit Tyler, is uprooted from her comfortable, upper class life in Barbados and travels to Puritan Connecticut in 1687. Here she discovers that she is different from not only the townspeople but also from her stern uncle, longsuffering aunt, and two cousins, Mercy and Judith. Kit soon realizes that her free spirit and openness is not acceptable and quickly becomes an object of curiosity in the town of Wethersfield.
After getting in trouble for using unconventional teaching methods with the village’s young people, Kit goes to the Great Meadows to be alone and meets Hannah Tupper, an eccentric old woman who some claim is a witch. They strike up a friendship and it is this friendship that puts Kit in peril as she herself is accused of witchcraft.
The story also revolves around Kit’s adjustment to life in Puritan New England as well as her budding relationship with one of the most eligible bachelors in town. Kit eventually prevails, finds her true love, Nat, and realizes that life in Wethersfield is not her destiny. The very satisfying ending also finds her two cousins happily engaged (one to the eligible bachelor, the other to a minister), Hannah safe and sound, and even her Uncle’s stern exterior beginning to soften.
Interwoven into the story is the political conflict of the time, with the Restoration of James II and the arrival of Sir Edmund Andros to serve as colonial administrator. Foreshadowing the American Revolution, the colonists of Connecticut were divided between loyalty to a distant king and maintaining their independent lifestyle. This is a well-researched and vibrant portrait of life in Puritan Connecticut, with the characters, in particular Kit and Mercy, especially engaging.
Critical Analysis:
The characters are fully developed and the dialogue rings true. Especially poignant is the character Prudence, an abused child who Kit nurtures and teaches to read. Although separated by three centuries, the foibles of Kit and her two cousins will resonate with the young adult reader. The very believable plot unfolds effortlessly and remains accurate to actual events of the time. From Speare’s descriptions of the homes, clothing, food, and weather, the reader is able to almost visualize the village of Wethersfield and the people in it.
The themes include the importance of tolerance and overcoming adversity woven within the larger story of Kit’s inner journey toward adulthood. Young people reading this book will appreciate Kit’s anguish over her love life while cheering her strong will and courage in challenging authority. This is a classic that stands the test of time. First published in 1958, Speare proves that a good story, as well as good writing, is timeless.
Reviews:
Newbery Award, 1959
Children’s Book Watch: “…a moving story which combines a powerful plot and strong characterization with insights on social change.”
Booklist: "Strong plot, fully-realized characters, and convincing atmosphere distinguish this historical narrative of a girl whose rebellion against bigotry and her Puritan surroundings culminates in a witch hunt and trial."
The New York Times: "This book has a lively plot and excellent characterizations. The background has every dimension of reality."
Connections:
Prior to reading this book, have students research both the Puritans and the history of the Connecticut colony. This can be done using print-based media or the internet. Include a graphic organizer or a set of guiding questions. Go over this prior to reading the book. Clarify any unfamiliar vocabulary and be sure to identify both Barbados and Connecticut on a map so the students can see the distance Kit travels to find her Aunt Rachel.
Also, explain the concept of predestination and discuss how this motivated the Puritans to achieve perfection in their daily lives. Use a concept definition map to help the students grasp this abstract concept. A good site that has blank worksheets and samples is available in PDF format from Scholastic (http://www2.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/r/reading_bestpractices_vocabulary_tr_AllConcept.pdf). This will also allow them to evaluate the accuracy of the book.
A fantastic resource for the study of Puritan Connecticut is a digital book available free from Google (it is part of the public domain): A Catalogue of the Names of the First Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut. This contains actual demographic details from the town records. The book itself is 359 pages long but the librarian/teacher can use it to draw up brief biographical sketches. Provide each student with one of these sketches. As they read the book, they can keep a “response journal” stating how their assigned person would react to the major events in the story. This title can be accessed via Google Book Search (http://books.google.com/googlebooks/about.html).
After reading the book, explore events surrounding the Salem Witch Trials. There is an excellent video available online from Discovery Education (http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schooladventures/salemwitchtrials/story/story.html).
Depending on the age of the students and availability of computer terminals, there is an interactive site from National Geographic that puts the students into the story (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/salem/) while giving them a basic chronology of events as well as the causes and outcome of the Salem Witch Trials.
Provide the students with a list of other books by Elizabeth George Speare such as The Bronze Bow, The Sign of the Beaver, or Calico Captive. You can also provide a bibliography of both fiction and nonfiction books relating to this era. A good example of a fiction book about Puritans is Sarah Anne Hartford (American Diaries Series) by Kathleen Duey.
Use The Witch of Blackbird Pond to initiate a discussion about tolerance. The word “Puritanical” can be explored here using a concept definition map. Use Myra Zarnowski’s four-step process to compare/contrast the belief system of Puritan Connecticut with current-day issues such as racial discrimination, Anti-Semitism, or religious intolerance.
Historical Fiction: The River Between Us by Richard Peck
Peck, Richard. 2006. THE RIVER BETWEEN US (Audio CD-Unabridged). New York, NY: Random House. ISBN 978-1-400-08982-6.
Plot Summary: This tale-within-a-tale tells the story of the lives of the Pruitt family in Grand Tower, Illinois at the start of the Civil War. The family consists of the main character, Tilly, her twin brother, Noah, her psychically gifted sister, Cass, and her mother. Her father is not present, athough the impact of his absence is felt in the family’s economic condition. When two women, Delphine and Calinda, arrive from New Orleans, they bring a touch of sophistication and even mystery to the small pro-Union town which is located across the Mississippi from Tower Rock, Missouri, a pro-Confederate town (though Missouri was in reality a border state kept forcibly in the Union). They become boarders in the Pruitt house and soon become an integral part of the family while still representing the Confederate perspective.
Tilly and Delphine develop a relationship while Cass finds a soul mate in Calinda, who is also gifted with the ability to prophesize. Noah eventually joins the war effort for the Union and Tilly’s mother has what can only be described as a nervous breakdown, as she worries for his safety. This leads Tilly and Delphine to travel to Camp Defiance to find Noah and bring him home. It is on this trip that Tilly discovers that Delphine is a quadroon and that Calinda is her sister, not her slave. They discover Noah, quite ill from dysentery, and nurse him back to health, just in time to go into battle where he is wounded and loses an arm to amputation. When the two young women bring Noah home, they discover that their father has returned, albeit deceased, having fought for the Confederacy; and that their mother has drowned herself in the Mississippi as she thought the person in the coffin was Noah.
The story is framed by a trip by Model T to the homestead, taken in 1916, by what is thought to be Tilly’s son, Dr. Hutchings, and his three sons, the oldest being 15-year old Howard. The book ends with the revelation of a family secret, that Dr. Hutchings is not Tilly’s son but Delphine’s son, and is, therefore, part African American. The reader is left with Dr. Hutchings considering joining the war effort (WW I) and Howard contemplating his new-found heritage with great pride.
Critical Analysis: I chose to listen to this book on audio CD. In some ways I missed seeing the words on the page, but listening to the narration, the dialogue, and the accents made the story come alive. The writing is rich and the characters are for the most part fully developed. The reader gets a true sense of life during the Civil War and the political, social, and economic pressures faced by the townspeople on both sides of the river. The 1916 trip in the Model T is especially vivid, as is the author’s description of the field hospital at Fort Defiance. The dialogue is believable and one almost feels that they are a clandestine bystander, listening in on a private conversation.
Richard Peck’s research is thorough, and his attention to detail is evident, especially in chronicling the political turmoil of the time and the challenges faced by people of color. Peck resists the temptation to stereotype his characters; Calinda is certainly not a caricature and Delphine’s character is especially unique, with the author creating an air of mystery surrounding her, a mystery that is not completely revealed until the end of the book. The male characters are more one dimensional, but Peck’s portrayal of the female perspective is the main focus and is a welcome change from the usual focus of Civil War novels.
Peck’s choice to frame the main story of 1861 with the 1916 road trip helps define one of the major themes: finding one’s true identity and heritage. Loyalty, tenacity, and the importance of family are portrayed throughout the book; and the use of the river as a metaphor for the social and political divisions of the time (as well as divisions within families) is brilliant. Peck deftly reveals Delphine’s story bit by bit until the final truth is revealed. Tilly’s first person narration causes the reader to strongly identify with her and her family and admire her courage in the face of great change and loss.
Reviews:
School Library Journal: “In this thoroughly researched novel, Peck masterfully describes the female Civil War experience, the subtle and not-too-subtle ways the country was changing, and the split in loyalty that separated towns and even families. Although the book deals with some weighty themes, it is not without humor.”
Booklist: “Peck's spare writing has never been more eloquent than in this powerful mystery in which personal secrets drive the plot and reveal the history. Each sentence is a scrappy, melancholy, wry evocation of character, time, and place, and only the character of Delphine's companion, Calinda, comes close to stereotype. A final historical note and a framing device--a grandson writing 50 years after the story takes place--make the reading even better, the revelations more astonishing. It's a riveting story that shows racism everywhere and young people facing war, not sure what side to be on or why.”
The Washington Post: “This unusual Civil War novel really boosts Peck's credentials as America's best living author for young adults.”
Children’s Literature: “Unforgettable characters and handsome prose make this book one you won't want to miss.”
Connections:
Vocabulary activity: Prior to reading the book, have students define some of the words they might be unfamiliar with such as abolitionist, blockade, calico, jambalaya, levees, privy, quadroon, quarantine, secession. The Frayer Model (http://cfbstaff.cfbisd.edu/eleteams/templates.htm) would work well with this activity. The content frames could be printed eight or ten to a page (or four or five front and back).
(Frayer, D., Frederick, W. C., and Klausmeier, H. J. (1969). A Schema for Testing the Level of Cognitive Mastery. Madison, WI: Wisconsin Center for Education Research.)
Provide basic background information on the Civil War including reasons for secession, formation of the Confederacy, and leaders such as Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, U.S. Grant, and Robert E. Lee. A map activity would be beneficial to understand which were Southern States, Northern States, and Border States. Geography should also be incorporated with students identifying the Mississippi River, the Missouri River, the Gulf of Mexico, etc. Explain the importance of the Mississippi River to the Confederacy.
Constructing meaning using the metaphor: Using the book’s title, have students come up with other metaphors for conflict and disagreement (the author uses a river – the two sides are metaphorically on two sides of a river). Start out with a simile: conflict/disagreement is like _________________ (a broken watch, a coin, the colors black and white, the right hand and the left hand, etc.). Put it into a sentence: conflict/disagreement is like two sides of a coin because….Then have the students (alone, in pairs, or in small groups) come up with an alternative title for the book. This activity taps into the highest level of thinking: synthesis. An example might be “A Toss of the Coin”, “The Broken Watch”, “The Raven and the Dove” (color), or “Needing Bread” (this has two meanings, the word “need” and also “knead” – it takes two hands to knead bread and bread is necessary for life just as unity is necessary for the life of the nation). Have students illustrate their metaphor and present. These can be used to make a creative display on the book unit.
Examine medical practices during the Civil War. Students can work in small groups to conduct research on an assigned topic and present their findings to the class. If possible, have students create a power point presentation. Topics may include nurses in the Civil War, use of anesthetics, disease in the camps, sanitary conditions, burial practices, notifying relatives, etc.
Also, the Walt Whitman poem, “The Wound Dresser” can be broken into sections (it is quite long) and students can work in groups to analyze the poem and relate it to both the book and what they have learned about medical practices during the Civil War. Here is an excerpt from the third stanza that fits in well with Noah’s amputation:
On, on I go, (open doors of time! open hospital doors!)
The crush'd head I dress, (poor crazed hand tear not the bandage away,)
The neck of the cavalry-man with the bullet through and through examine,
Hard the breathing rattles, quite glazed already the eye, yet life
struggles hard,
(Come sweet death! be persuaded O beautiful death!
In mercy come quickly.)
From the stump of the arm, the amputated hand,
I undo the clotted lint, remove the slough, wash off the matter and blood,
Back on his pillow the soldier bends with curv'd neck and side falling
head,
His eyes are closed, his face is pale, he dares not look on the
bloody stump,
And has not yet look'd on it.
Use the ‘Valley of the Shadow’ web site (http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/) to access diary entries from both a northern and a southern perspective. There are so many available that the students can each get a diary excerpt. Have them read their entry and then pair them with students who had the alternative perspective. The two students can then work together to complete a set of questions that they must answer from their diary’s perspective. These questions should be designed so that some are ambiguous and spark debate and discussion. Examples: Is slavery morally wrong? Can the two (Union, Confederacy) survive without one another?
Use the photographs of Mathew Brady from the National Archives (http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/brady-photos/) and pair them with a writing activity. These are black and white photos so will be easy to reproduce. Put students in pairs and give each a photo. Make sure that the photo contains two or more people. Students must then write a fictional dialogue between the two, using information learned from the unit. They can then get up and present their dialogue to the class.
Use two songs from the Civil War Era, The Battle Hymn of the Republic and The Bonnie Blue flag. Play both songs and analyze the lyrics. Use a graphic organizer to identify major themes in each song (pride, confidence, belief that God is on their side, etc.). This can generate a good class discussion. Both sides thought they were right. Does God favor one side over another? Did the conclusion of the war reflect the desires of a higher being? What would loss do to the pride of the losing side and how might this be manifested?
Have students work in small groups to create a Civil War newspaper that reflects major events in the book. If possible, this should be done on a computer as there are programs that generate a newspaper format (Adobe InDesign). The finished product should reflect an understanding of the book and include specific elements: An eye-catching headline, a summary of a battle, a local gossip section, an obituary, an editorial, a letter to the editor, an advertisement, a visual like an illustration, photo, or map, etc.
Be sure to give the students examples of newspapers of the era (these are available on the Valley of the Shadow web site mentioned above). Groups could be assigned a perspective (North/South/Border). Finished products could be posted on the school or library website. An alternative to this would be to use Photo Story (Windows) to present the information. This is available for free download from Windows (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspx)
Plot Summary: This tale-within-a-tale tells the story of the lives of the Pruitt family in Grand Tower, Illinois at the start of the Civil War. The family consists of the main character, Tilly, her twin brother, Noah, her psychically gifted sister, Cass, and her mother. Her father is not present, athough the impact of his absence is felt in the family’s economic condition. When two women, Delphine and Calinda, arrive from New Orleans, they bring a touch of sophistication and even mystery to the small pro-Union town which is located across the Mississippi from Tower Rock, Missouri, a pro-Confederate town (though Missouri was in reality a border state kept forcibly in the Union). They become boarders in the Pruitt house and soon become an integral part of the family while still representing the Confederate perspective.
Tilly and Delphine develop a relationship while Cass finds a soul mate in Calinda, who is also gifted with the ability to prophesize. Noah eventually joins the war effort for the Union and Tilly’s mother has what can only be described as a nervous breakdown, as she worries for his safety. This leads Tilly and Delphine to travel to Camp Defiance to find Noah and bring him home. It is on this trip that Tilly discovers that Delphine is a quadroon and that Calinda is her sister, not her slave. They discover Noah, quite ill from dysentery, and nurse him back to health, just in time to go into battle where he is wounded and loses an arm to amputation. When the two young women bring Noah home, they discover that their father has returned, albeit deceased, having fought for the Confederacy; and that their mother has drowned herself in the Mississippi as she thought the person in the coffin was Noah.
The story is framed by a trip by Model T to the homestead, taken in 1916, by what is thought to be Tilly’s son, Dr. Hutchings, and his three sons, the oldest being 15-year old Howard. The book ends with the revelation of a family secret, that Dr. Hutchings is not Tilly’s son but Delphine’s son, and is, therefore, part African American. The reader is left with Dr. Hutchings considering joining the war effort (WW I) and Howard contemplating his new-found heritage with great pride.
Critical Analysis: I chose to listen to this book on audio CD. In some ways I missed seeing the words on the page, but listening to the narration, the dialogue, and the accents made the story come alive. The writing is rich and the characters are for the most part fully developed. The reader gets a true sense of life during the Civil War and the political, social, and economic pressures faced by the townspeople on both sides of the river. The 1916 trip in the Model T is especially vivid, as is the author’s description of the field hospital at Fort Defiance. The dialogue is believable and one almost feels that they are a clandestine bystander, listening in on a private conversation.
Richard Peck’s research is thorough, and his attention to detail is evident, especially in chronicling the political turmoil of the time and the challenges faced by people of color. Peck resists the temptation to stereotype his characters; Calinda is certainly not a caricature and Delphine’s character is especially unique, with the author creating an air of mystery surrounding her, a mystery that is not completely revealed until the end of the book. The male characters are more one dimensional, but Peck’s portrayal of the female perspective is the main focus and is a welcome change from the usual focus of Civil War novels.
Peck’s choice to frame the main story of 1861 with the 1916 road trip helps define one of the major themes: finding one’s true identity and heritage. Loyalty, tenacity, and the importance of family are portrayed throughout the book; and the use of the river as a metaphor for the social and political divisions of the time (as well as divisions within families) is brilliant. Peck deftly reveals Delphine’s story bit by bit until the final truth is revealed. Tilly’s first person narration causes the reader to strongly identify with her and her family and admire her courage in the face of great change and loss.
Reviews:
School Library Journal: “In this thoroughly researched novel, Peck masterfully describes the female Civil War experience, the subtle and not-too-subtle ways the country was changing, and the split in loyalty that separated towns and even families. Although the book deals with some weighty themes, it is not without humor.”
Booklist: “Peck's spare writing has never been more eloquent than in this powerful mystery in which personal secrets drive the plot and reveal the history. Each sentence is a scrappy, melancholy, wry evocation of character, time, and place, and only the character of Delphine's companion, Calinda, comes close to stereotype. A final historical note and a framing device--a grandson writing 50 years after the story takes place--make the reading even better, the revelations more astonishing. It's a riveting story that shows racism everywhere and young people facing war, not sure what side to be on or why.”
The Washington Post: “This unusual Civil War novel really boosts Peck's credentials as America's best living author for young adults.”
Children’s Literature: “Unforgettable characters and handsome prose make this book one you won't want to miss.”
Connections:
Vocabulary activity: Prior to reading the book, have students define some of the words they might be unfamiliar with such as abolitionist, blockade, calico, jambalaya, levees, privy, quadroon, quarantine, secession. The Frayer Model (http://cfbstaff.cfbisd.edu/eleteams/templates.htm) would work well with this activity. The content frames could be printed eight or ten to a page (or four or five front and back).
(Frayer, D., Frederick, W. C., and Klausmeier, H. J. (1969). A Schema for Testing the Level of Cognitive Mastery. Madison, WI: Wisconsin Center for Education Research.)
Provide basic background information on the Civil War including reasons for secession, formation of the Confederacy, and leaders such as Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, U.S. Grant, and Robert E. Lee. A map activity would be beneficial to understand which were Southern States, Northern States, and Border States. Geography should also be incorporated with students identifying the Mississippi River, the Missouri River, the Gulf of Mexico, etc. Explain the importance of the Mississippi River to the Confederacy.
Constructing meaning using the metaphor: Using the book’s title, have students come up with other metaphors for conflict and disagreement (the author uses a river – the two sides are metaphorically on two sides of a river). Start out with a simile: conflict/disagreement is like _________________ (a broken watch, a coin, the colors black and white, the right hand and the left hand, etc.). Put it into a sentence: conflict/disagreement is like two sides of a coin because….Then have the students (alone, in pairs, or in small groups) come up with an alternative title for the book. This activity taps into the highest level of thinking: synthesis. An example might be “A Toss of the Coin”, “The Broken Watch”, “The Raven and the Dove” (color), or “Needing Bread” (this has two meanings, the word “need” and also “knead” – it takes two hands to knead bread and bread is necessary for life just as unity is necessary for the life of the nation). Have students illustrate their metaphor and present. These can be used to make a creative display on the book unit.
Examine medical practices during the Civil War. Students can work in small groups to conduct research on an assigned topic and present their findings to the class. If possible, have students create a power point presentation. Topics may include nurses in the Civil War, use of anesthetics, disease in the camps, sanitary conditions, burial practices, notifying relatives, etc.
Also, the Walt Whitman poem, “The Wound Dresser” can be broken into sections (it is quite long) and students can work in groups to analyze the poem and relate it to both the book and what they have learned about medical practices during the Civil War. Here is an excerpt from the third stanza that fits in well with Noah’s amputation:
On, on I go, (open doors of time! open hospital doors!)
The crush'd head I dress, (poor crazed hand tear not the bandage away,)
The neck of the cavalry-man with the bullet through and through examine,
Hard the breathing rattles, quite glazed already the eye, yet life
struggles hard,
(Come sweet death! be persuaded O beautiful death!
In mercy come quickly.)
From the stump of the arm, the amputated hand,
I undo the clotted lint, remove the slough, wash off the matter and blood,
Back on his pillow the soldier bends with curv'd neck and side falling
head,
His eyes are closed, his face is pale, he dares not look on the
bloody stump,
And has not yet look'd on it.
Use the ‘Valley of the Shadow’ web site (http://valley.lib.virginia.edu/) to access diary entries from both a northern and a southern perspective. There are so many available that the students can each get a diary excerpt. Have them read their entry and then pair them with students who had the alternative perspective. The two students can then work together to complete a set of questions that they must answer from their diary’s perspective. These questions should be designed so that some are ambiguous and spark debate and discussion. Examples: Is slavery morally wrong? Can the two (Union, Confederacy) survive without one another?
Use the photographs of Mathew Brady from the National Archives (http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/brady-photos/) and pair them with a writing activity. These are black and white photos so will be easy to reproduce. Put students in pairs and give each a photo. Make sure that the photo contains two or more people. Students must then write a fictional dialogue between the two, using information learned from the unit. They can then get up and present their dialogue to the class.
Use two songs from the Civil War Era, The Battle Hymn of the Republic and The Bonnie Blue flag. Play both songs and analyze the lyrics. Use a graphic organizer to identify major themes in each song (pride, confidence, belief that God is on their side, etc.). This can generate a good class discussion. Both sides thought they were right. Does God favor one side over another? Did the conclusion of the war reflect the desires of a higher being? What would loss do to the pride of the losing side and how might this be manifested?
Have students work in small groups to create a Civil War newspaper that reflects major events in the book. If possible, this should be done on a computer as there are programs that generate a newspaper format (Adobe InDesign). The finished product should reflect an understanding of the book and include specific elements: An eye-catching headline, a summary of a battle, a local gossip section, an obituary, an editorial, a letter to the editor, an advertisement, a visual like an illustration, photo, or map, etc.
Be sure to give the students examples of newspapers of the era (these are available on the Valley of the Shadow web site mentioned above). Groups could be assigned a perspective (North/South/Border). Finished products could be posted on the school or library website. An alternative to this would be to use Photo Story (Windows) to present the information. This is available for free download from Windows (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspx)
Historical Fiction: Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi
Avi. 2002. CRISPIN: THE CROSS OF LEAD. Waterville Maine: Thorndike Press. ISBN 0-7862-5501-3 (Large print edition)
Plot Summary: Set in the Middle Ages, this Newbery-award winning coming-of-age story chronicles the adventures of a boy known only as “son of Asta”, whose mother dies, thus making him an orphan. He had been told that his father had died prior to his birth so now he was left alone in the world, a serf, with only the kindness of the local priest, Father Quinel, to sustain him. After overhearing a conversation between the cruel steward, Aycliffe, and a stranger, the boy’s world changes forever as he is falsely accused of theft and pursued relentlessly. This leads him to leave the only world he has ever known, the estate of Lord Furnival, and go out into the world, penniless and alone.
He soon meets a mummer, a traveling entertainer, named Bear, who teaches him the trade and becomes a father figure to the nameless boy. The adventure that follows takes the two to the large town of Great Wexly where with Bear’s help, the boy discovers his true identity, his real name, and his destiny.
This fast-paced story keeps the reader enthralled and there is never a dull moment. The climactic escape from Great Wexly, however, seems contrived and unbelievable, and one must wonder why the author did not develop this scene more carefully. Otherwise, this is a fun read with an uplifting message for boys and girls alike: believe in yourself, find your passion, and claim your destiny.
Critical Analysis: The characters including Crispin, Bear, Father Quinel, and John Aycliffe are well developed and believable. The reader is compelled to fear for Crispin, respect Bear and Father Quinel and despise John Aycliffe. Dialogue is not written in the vernacular, thus making the story easy to follow and identify with. Avi’s descriptions of medieval life ring true and the reader’s imagination completes the picture. The characters are memorable while still retaining their imperfections. The cross of lead is a perfect metaphor for Crispin, plain, simple, yet malleable, representing the fact that Crispin, like many of the readers of the book, is changing. When he leaves the cross behind, the symbolism reflects leaving his old life behind and embracing his future as Crispin, free man, and apprentice of Bear.
The short chapters are perfect for the upper-elementary school reader and keep the plot moving. Just enough detail is provided to engage the reader and give them a glimpse of the period, while not overwhelming them with things they do not understand (an example is architecture: Avi describes the cathedral in simple terms without going into the detail of flying buttresses and the shift from Romanesque to Gothic).
There are no stereotypes in the book, although good and evil is clearly personified in Aycliffe and Quinel, respectively. The character of Bear is interesting in that at first, the reader is not quite sure into which category he falls. The book includes themes such as good triumphing over evil, loyalty, and self discovery. In many ways the book follows the classic journey of the hero: banishment, a quest, a talisman, and a chance encounter; and therefore is a timeless story that will appeal to many students. The lack of strong female characters should not discourage girls from reading the book, as they too can identify with the journey of Crispin and Bear.
Reviews:
Newbery Award, 2003
Publishers Weekly: “…the compellingly drawn relationship between Crispin and Bear provides the heart of this story. A page turner to delight Avi's fans, it will leave readers hoping for a sequel.”
School Library Journal: “Avi has done an excellent job of integrating background and historical information, of pacing the plot so that the book is a page-turner from beginning to end, and of creating characters for whom readers will have great empathy. The result is a meticulously crafted story, full of adventure, mystery, and action.”
Booklist: “Avi builds an impressive backdrop for his arresting characters: a tense medieval world in which hostility against the landowners and their cruelties is increasing. There's also other nail-biting tension in the story that builds to a gripping, somewhat confusing ending, which finds Crispin, once weak, now strong. Readers may not understand every nuance of the political machinations that propel the story, but they will feel the shifting winds of change beginning to blow through a feudal society.”
Connections:
Field Trip: If possible, visit a local Renaissance Fair. Although this story takes place in 1377, a transitional period between the High Middle Ages and the early Renaissance, a visit to a themed fair would expose the children to the sights, smells, and sounds of the period, thus making the story come to life. It would be best to have this field trip occur during the reading of the book. Students can follow up with a writing activity, a journal entry of their experience at the fair.
Avi has written over 50 books. After reading Crispin, allow students to choose another Avi book or another book set during the Middle Ages or Renaissance. An excellent choice for girls is The Smile by Donna Jo Napoli (2008) about the woman behind the enigmatic smile – The Mona Lisa. There is a wealth of books for boys such as The Squire’s Tale by Gerald Morris (1998).
Incorporating primary sources: Using the web site Eyewitness to History (www.eyewitnesstohistory.com), find primary source documents from this time period. Have students read these and compare them to the information presented in the book. Have them evaluate the accuracy of Avi’s research. An example is a primary source excerpt entitled “Anarchy in 12th Century England”, which describes in detail the oppression of the common people by the nobility (http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/medievalengland.htm). A graphic organizer would help the students compare and contrast the historical fiction with the historical fact. An excellent site for graphic organizers is Graphic Organizers (http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/) and these are available free of charge in PDF format.
After reading the book, have a Medieval Festival. Students can research food and entertainment during the Middle Ages. Feasts typically had 5 courses and entertainment ranged from juggling, playing the recorder, jousts, games like archery, and dancing. If possible, have a professional come in to teach all the students to juggle and/or play the recorder. The students can also research clothing of the time and come in costume. Parent participation (and permission) will be integral with this activity and much planning would be needed to make this a successful event but it has the potential to become an annual tradition. A good site for research is a site maintained by Portland State University: (http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/medieval/index.htm).
Plot Summary: Set in the Middle Ages, this Newbery-award winning coming-of-age story chronicles the adventures of a boy known only as “son of Asta”, whose mother dies, thus making him an orphan. He had been told that his father had died prior to his birth so now he was left alone in the world, a serf, with only the kindness of the local priest, Father Quinel, to sustain him. After overhearing a conversation between the cruel steward, Aycliffe, and a stranger, the boy’s world changes forever as he is falsely accused of theft and pursued relentlessly. This leads him to leave the only world he has ever known, the estate of Lord Furnival, and go out into the world, penniless and alone.
He soon meets a mummer, a traveling entertainer, named Bear, who teaches him the trade and becomes a father figure to the nameless boy. The adventure that follows takes the two to the large town of Great Wexly where with Bear’s help, the boy discovers his true identity, his real name, and his destiny.
This fast-paced story keeps the reader enthralled and there is never a dull moment. The climactic escape from Great Wexly, however, seems contrived and unbelievable, and one must wonder why the author did not develop this scene more carefully. Otherwise, this is a fun read with an uplifting message for boys and girls alike: believe in yourself, find your passion, and claim your destiny.
Critical Analysis: The characters including Crispin, Bear, Father Quinel, and John Aycliffe are well developed and believable. The reader is compelled to fear for Crispin, respect Bear and Father Quinel and despise John Aycliffe. Dialogue is not written in the vernacular, thus making the story easy to follow and identify with. Avi’s descriptions of medieval life ring true and the reader’s imagination completes the picture. The characters are memorable while still retaining their imperfections. The cross of lead is a perfect metaphor for Crispin, plain, simple, yet malleable, representing the fact that Crispin, like many of the readers of the book, is changing. When he leaves the cross behind, the symbolism reflects leaving his old life behind and embracing his future as Crispin, free man, and apprentice of Bear.
The short chapters are perfect for the upper-elementary school reader and keep the plot moving. Just enough detail is provided to engage the reader and give them a glimpse of the period, while not overwhelming them with things they do not understand (an example is architecture: Avi describes the cathedral in simple terms without going into the detail of flying buttresses and the shift from Romanesque to Gothic).
There are no stereotypes in the book, although good and evil is clearly personified in Aycliffe and Quinel, respectively. The character of Bear is interesting in that at first, the reader is not quite sure into which category he falls. The book includes themes such as good triumphing over evil, loyalty, and self discovery. In many ways the book follows the classic journey of the hero: banishment, a quest, a talisman, and a chance encounter; and therefore is a timeless story that will appeal to many students. The lack of strong female characters should not discourage girls from reading the book, as they too can identify with the journey of Crispin and Bear.
Reviews:
Newbery Award, 2003
Publishers Weekly: “…the compellingly drawn relationship between Crispin and Bear provides the heart of this story. A page turner to delight Avi's fans, it will leave readers hoping for a sequel.”
School Library Journal: “Avi has done an excellent job of integrating background and historical information, of pacing the plot so that the book is a page-turner from beginning to end, and of creating characters for whom readers will have great empathy. The result is a meticulously crafted story, full of adventure, mystery, and action.”
Booklist: “Avi builds an impressive backdrop for his arresting characters: a tense medieval world in which hostility against the landowners and their cruelties is increasing. There's also other nail-biting tension in the story that builds to a gripping, somewhat confusing ending, which finds Crispin, once weak, now strong. Readers may not understand every nuance of the political machinations that propel the story, but they will feel the shifting winds of change beginning to blow through a feudal society.”
Connections:
Field Trip: If possible, visit a local Renaissance Fair. Although this story takes place in 1377, a transitional period between the High Middle Ages and the early Renaissance, a visit to a themed fair would expose the children to the sights, smells, and sounds of the period, thus making the story come to life. It would be best to have this field trip occur during the reading of the book. Students can follow up with a writing activity, a journal entry of their experience at the fair.
Avi has written over 50 books. After reading Crispin, allow students to choose another Avi book or another book set during the Middle Ages or Renaissance. An excellent choice for girls is The Smile by Donna Jo Napoli (2008) about the woman behind the enigmatic smile – The Mona Lisa. There is a wealth of books for boys such as The Squire’s Tale by Gerald Morris (1998).
Incorporating primary sources: Using the web site Eyewitness to History (www.eyewitnesstohistory.com), find primary source documents from this time period. Have students read these and compare them to the information presented in the book. Have them evaluate the accuracy of Avi’s research. An example is a primary source excerpt entitled “Anarchy in 12th Century England”, which describes in detail the oppression of the common people by the nobility (http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/medievalengland.htm). A graphic organizer would help the students compare and contrast the historical fiction with the historical fact. An excellent site for graphic organizers is Graphic Organizers (http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/) and these are available free of charge in PDF format.
After reading the book, have a Medieval Festival. Students can research food and entertainment during the Middle Ages. Feasts typically had 5 courses and entertainment ranged from juggling, playing the recorder, jousts, games like archery, and dancing. If possible, have a professional come in to teach all the students to juggle and/or play the recorder. The students can also research clothing of the time and come in costume. Parent participation (and permission) will be integral with this activity and much planning would be needed to make this a successful event but it has the potential to become an annual tradition. A good site for research is a site maintained by Portland State University: (http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/medieval/index.htm).
Monday, July 6, 2009
Social History: An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 by Jim Murphy
Murphy, Jim. 2003. AN AMERICAN PLAGUE: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN 0-395-77608-2.
Summary: An American Plague chronicles the 1793 yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia. The book traces the progression of the epidemic from a handful of cases in August through the height of the occurrence in September to January, 1794, when the disease virtually disappeared. Along the way, the reader is introduced to George Washington, Benjamin Rush, and Absalom Jones as well as less well-known participants such as Richard Denny, Mathew Carey, and Elizabeth Drinker.
Using journal entries, letters, contemporary newspaper accounts, and even committee minutes, Murphy effectively draws the reader into the crisis in the first few pages. Reading almost like a novel (without dialogue), the author takes a very complex subject and makes it both engaging and comprehensible.
Murphy goes beyond a chronological account of the tragedy by outlining the social, political, and economic impact of the epidemic. Tensions between the rich and poor, Federalists and Jeffersonians, and especially whites and blacks are exposed by the crisis, and Murphy clearly draws a correlation between what is happening in the city and long-term changes in how the Federal Government works, race relations, demographic shifts, and sanitation practices.
He concludes the book with an overview of yellow fever epidemics post 1793, the discovery of the role played by the mosquito, and even warns of the future implications should the disease reemerge in modern-day America. The inclusion of maps, newspaper facsimiles, and even a cartoon helps the reader comprehend the event and feel not only sympathy but empathy for the real-life players in this significant historic event. This is a riveting and easy-to-understand account of a very tragic calamity in American History.
Analysis: Citing numerous primary and secondary sources, the accuracy of this book is superb. The use of letters, journals, demographic data, and medical treatises lets the reader know that Murphy, while not a medical doctor or scientist, has meticulously researched the topic. That knowledge, that authority, allows the reader to know that what they are reading is as accurate as possible, thus making the experience even more enjoyable. Reading something while feeling doubt or skepticism is not a pleasant experience and with this book, the veracity of the information is irrefutable. Murphy’s exhaustive research pays off.
The book is organized chronologically but also is subdivided into categories such as economic impact, racial tension, and demographic change. Verbal access features such as a table of contents, index, and an extensive sources section makes this an excellent book for student research. The visual access features such as maps, photographs and drawings, and newspaper facsimiles enrich the book and help the reader anchor themselves in time and space while providing a glimpse into life in the 18th Century. The writing is engaging and shows not only a firm understanding of the event but an enthusiasm for the topic. The book is written in an intelligent style that draws the reader in quickly. A brief glossary might help younger readers who choose this book. Definitions for words like epidemic, pestilence, and camphor would be helpful for the struggling reader and facilitate vocabulary development.
The inclusion of modern-day connections and 13 pages of sources serve to whet the reader’s appetite for more books on this topic (both non-fiction and fiction). This book should be appealing to both girls and boys and is even appropriate for the adult reader. Top notch resource for history and English teachers as well as the casual reader.
Reviews:
School Library Journal: “Black-and-white reproductions of period art, coupled with chapter headings that face full-page copies of newspaper articles of the time, help bring this dreadful episode to life. An afterword explains the yellow fever phenomenon, its causes, and contemporary outbreaks, and source notes are extensive and interesting.”
Booklist: “History, science, politics, and public health come together in this dramatic account of the disastrous yellow fever epidemic that hit the nation's capital more than 200 years ago. Drawing on firsthand accounts, medical and non-medical, Murphy re-creates the fear and panic in the infected city.”
Kirkus Reviews: "A mesmerizing, macabre account...powerful evocative prose... compelling subject matter...fascinating discussion...valuable lesson in reading and writing history.”
NY Times Book Review: "Lavishly illustrated . . . Murphy unflinchingly presents the horrors. . . he has produced another book that can make history come alive.”
Horn Book Magazine: “Diverse voices...representative images...Everywhere, Murphy is attentive to telling detail...Thoroughly documented...the work is both rigorous and inviting."
Connections:
Pair this book with Purple Death: The Mysterious Flu of 1918 by David Getz and Bubonic Plague by Jim Whiting. Use a graphic organizer to compare and contrast the three major pandemics.
Use the PBS-produced American Experience: Influenza 1918. While it may not be appropriate to watch the entire DVD (it is 60 minutes long), selected clips might give the children a perspective on the effect of a pandemic in a more contemporary time period.
Using a map of 18th Century Philadelphia (available online from Teaching American History - http://teachingamericanhistory.org/convention/map/) trace the progression of the disease. This map shows actual locations mentioned in the book. It can be blown up for a group discussion or individual copies can be provided. Lead a discussion about the nature of epidemics. Children should be able to make connections between disease and population density, proximity to water, sanitation practices, and socioeconomic conditions.
Relate these past pandemics to the current Swine Flu outbreak. This is a good opportunity to discuss basic hygiene such as covering your mouth when you cough and washing your hands frequently. A school nurse or health professional could be brought in to answer children’s questions.
Use the book to examine the economic, social, political, and demographic impact of an epidemic. A graphic organizer could be used using the above categories paired with the groups: the rich, the middle class, the poor, African Americans, the politicians and public officials, etc.
Math skills: Much of the book discusses statistics such as costs, number of lives lost, and distance between Philadelphia and surrounding cities and towns. Design a math handout that has the children calculate population change, total costs, and distance people had to travel to escape the epidemic.
Before reading, assign the students/children people from the book. As the book is read, have them keep a journal of events as they impacted their person during and after the event plus have them write about their feelings (scared, sad, lonely, confused, hopeful). Be sure to assign someone who survived. For children this age, it might be traumatic to have their person die.
Pair this book with an historical fiction book on the same topic such as Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. Compare the fictional account with Murphy’s non-fiction account.
Science Connection: Use the picture book Mosquito Bite by Alexandra Siy. Although written at a lower level than An American Plague, the vibrant photographs and detailed illustrations might help the students understand how the mosquito transmits diseases like yellow fever and malaria and what precautions can be taken to eliminate or ameliorate their impact, especially in developing countries.
If practical, use a portion of library fines to donate to Nothing But Nets which provides mosquito netting to African families. While mainly used to prevent malaria, this will help the children see the real-world connections. A special collection jar could also be used if the library allows. Note: It only takes a $10 donation to provide a net. http://www.nothingbutnets.net/
Summary: An American Plague chronicles the 1793 yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia. The book traces the progression of the epidemic from a handful of cases in August through the height of the occurrence in September to January, 1794, when the disease virtually disappeared. Along the way, the reader is introduced to George Washington, Benjamin Rush, and Absalom Jones as well as less well-known participants such as Richard Denny, Mathew Carey, and Elizabeth Drinker.
Using journal entries, letters, contemporary newspaper accounts, and even committee minutes, Murphy effectively draws the reader into the crisis in the first few pages. Reading almost like a novel (without dialogue), the author takes a very complex subject and makes it both engaging and comprehensible.
Murphy goes beyond a chronological account of the tragedy by outlining the social, political, and economic impact of the epidemic. Tensions between the rich and poor, Federalists and Jeffersonians, and especially whites and blacks are exposed by the crisis, and Murphy clearly draws a correlation between what is happening in the city and long-term changes in how the Federal Government works, race relations, demographic shifts, and sanitation practices.
He concludes the book with an overview of yellow fever epidemics post 1793, the discovery of the role played by the mosquito, and even warns of the future implications should the disease reemerge in modern-day America. The inclusion of maps, newspaper facsimiles, and even a cartoon helps the reader comprehend the event and feel not only sympathy but empathy for the real-life players in this significant historic event. This is a riveting and easy-to-understand account of a very tragic calamity in American History.
Analysis: Citing numerous primary and secondary sources, the accuracy of this book is superb. The use of letters, journals, demographic data, and medical treatises lets the reader know that Murphy, while not a medical doctor or scientist, has meticulously researched the topic. That knowledge, that authority, allows the reader to know that what they are reading is as accurate as possible, thus making the experience even more enjoyable. Reading something while feeling doubt or skepticism is not a pleasant experience and with this book, the veracity of the information is irrefutable. Murphy’s exhaustive research pays off.
The book is organized chronologically but also is subdivided into categories such as economic impact, racial tension, and demographic change. Verbal access features such as a table of contents, index, and an extensive sources section makes this an excellent book for student research. The visual access features such as maps, photographs and drawings, and newspaper facsimiles enrich the book and help the reader anchor themselves in time and space while providing a glimpse into life in the 18th Century. The writing is engaging and shows not only a firm understanding of the event but an enthusiasm for the topic. The book is written in an intelligent style that draws the reader in quickly. A brief glossary might help younger readers who choose this book. Definitions for words like epidemic, pestilence, and camphor would be helpful for the struggling reader and facilitate vocabulary development.
The inclusion of modern-day connections and 13 pages of sources serve to whet the reader’s appetite for more books on this topic (both non-fiction and fiction). This book should be appealing to both girls and boys and is even appropriate for the adult reader. Top notch resource for history and English teachers as well as the casual reader.
Reviews:
School Library Journal: “Black-and-white reproductions of period art, coupled with chapter headings that face full-page copies of newspaper articles of the time, help bring this dreadful episode to life. An afterword explains the yellow fever phenomenon, its causes, and contemporary outbreaks, and source notes are extensive and interesting.”
Booklist: “History, science, politics, and public health come together in this dramatic account of the disastrous yellow fever epidemic that hit the nation's capital more than 200 years ago. Drawing on firsthand accounts, medical and non-medical, Murphy re-creates the fear and panic in the infected city.”
Kirkus Reviews: "A mesmerizing, macabre account...powerful evocative prose... compelling subject matter...fascinating discussion...valuable lesson in reading and writing history.”
NY Times Book Review: "Lavishly illustrated . . . Murphy unflinchingly presents the horrors. . . he has produced another book that can make history come alive.”
Horn Book Magazine: “Diverse voices...representative images...Everywhere, Murphy is attentive to telling detail...Thoroughly documented...the work is both rigorous and inviting."
Connections:
Pair this book with Purple Death: The Mysterious Flu of 1918 by David Getz and Bubonic Plague by Jim Whiting. Use a graphic organizer to compare and contrast the three major pandemics.
Use the PBS-produced American Experience: Influenza 1918. While it may not be appropriate to watch the entire DVD (it is 60 minutes long), selected clips might give the children a perspective on the effect of a pandemic in a more contemporary time period.
Using a map of 18th Century Philadelphia (available online from Teaching American History - http://teachingamericanhistory.org/convention/map/) trace the progression of the disease. This map shows actual locations mentioned in the book. It can be blown up for a group discussion or individual copies can be provided. Lead a discussion about the nature of epidemics. Children should be able to make connections between disease and population density, proximity to water, sanitation practices, and socioeconomic conditions.
Relate these past pandemics to the current Swine Flu outbreak. This is a good opportunity to discuss basic hygiene such as covering your mouth when you cough and washing your hands frequently. A school nurse or health professional could be brought in to answer children’s questions.
Use the book to examine the economic, social, political, and demographic impact of an epidemic. A graphic organizer could be used using the above categories paired with the groups: the rich, the middle class, the poor, African Americans, the politicians and public officials, etc.
Math skills: Much of the book discusses statistics such as costs, number of lives lost, and distance between Philadelphia and surrounding cities and towns. Design a math handout that has the children calculate population change, total costs, and distance people had to travel to escape the epidemic.
Before reading, assign the students/children people from the book. As the book is read, have them keep a journal of events as they impacted their person during and after the event plus have them write about their feelings (scared, sad, lonely, confused, hopeful). Be sure to assign someone who survived. For children this age, it might be traumatic to have their person die.
Pair this book with an historical fiction book on the same topic such as Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. Compare the fictional account with Murphy’s non-fiction account.
Science Connection: Use the picture book Mosquito Bite by Alexandra Siy. Although written at a lower level than An American Plague, the vibrant photographs and detailed illustrations might help the students understand how the mosquito transmits diseases like yellow fever and malaria and what precautions can be taken to eliminate or ameliorate their impact, especially in developing countries.
If practical, use a portion of library fines to donate to Nothing But Nets which provides mosquito netting to African families. While mainly used to prevent malaria, this will help the children see the real-world connections. A special collection jar could also be used if the library allows. Note: It only takes a $10 donation to provide a net. http://www.nothingbutnets.net/
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Biography Review: The Boy on Fairfield Street by Kathleen Krull with paintings by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher
Krull, Kathleen. 2004. THE BOY ON FAIRFIELD STREET: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Seuss. New York, NY: Random House. ISNB 0-375-92298-9.
Summary: This heavily-illustrated biography of Theodore Geisel chronicles his boyhood in Springfield, Massachusetts, the influence of his parents, his education, and finally his early successes as an illustrator. The book ends with the future Dr. Seuss, age 22, living in Greenwich Village, immersed in his art, with his whole career ahead of him. Krull chooses to end the book here, however, in an addendum “On Beyond Fairfield Street” provides a four-page summary of his life and a comprehensive list of the “Great Works Written and Illustrated by Dr. Seuss.”
Ted Geisel was born in 1904 to a first-generation German-American family who nurtured Geisel’s curiosity and creativity. His mother read to him at bedtime and his father, who eventually became superintendent of parks in Springfield, told the younger Geisel about the antics of the zoo animals. His idyllic childhood was not without trials. He was often teased for being different, suffered discrimination during the WW I years, and was rebuked by an art teacher who told him “he would never be successful at art” (20). In addition, me met with mixed success at college, being more interested in drawing and creating fanciful stories than academics.
Ted Geisel did not give up in the face of adversity and rejection. He persisted, encouraged by a fellow student who would later become his wife, and sold his first cartoon to The Saturday Evening Post for $25. This was the beginning of an illustrious career. His mother always wanted him to become a doctor and he did indeed become one of the most famous in the world: Dr. Seuss.
Analysis: This picture book biography is both informative and engaging. The illustrations, along with the inclusion of original Seuss drawings, are helpful not only in understanding his youth but his later career as well. Johnson and Fancher use detailed watercolor paintings executed in a style reminiscent of turn-of-the-century Americana. They portray a warm and inviting childhood using figures that, while not cartoonish and definitely not caricature are not realistic either. They are not sharp images and their soft, hazy character enhances the feeling of going back in time to experience Geisel’s world. They complement the storyline without being obtrusive.
Krull’s prose is simple, straightforward, and linear, with no attempt made at humor, conjectured dialogue, or evaluation. It is a gentle narration of an ideal childhood and as a read-aloud book will create a feeling of calm, optimism, and empowerment. It is designed to be read in one sitting and does not lend itself to skimming. No table of contents or index is provided and no glossary is required, as Krull does not use complex language or terminology. The few instances of words that may be unfamiliar to a student (skeet shooting, bratwurst) do not justify a glossary and can be explained ahead of time. Perhaps here is the only place where the illustrations fall short as the illustrators could have easily incorporated these into their drawings.
A “For Further Reading” list is provided, leading the reader to assume that the majority of information for this book was gleaned from those sources. If this is indeed the author’s sources of information, it would be better to call it a Bibliography. As it is, it is unclear as to what the author’s sources are and therefore difficult to determine the accuracy of the information, although there is no reason to believe that any inaccurate information is present. Including a comprehensive list of all of Dr. Seuss’ published works, while not encouraging critical thinking, may stimulate evaluation and a desire to seek out and read more Seuss titles.
This book is a wonderful introduction to the life of Dr. Seuss as well as a glimpse into a simpler time. For children living an increasingly complex and hectic lifestyle, this book will serve as a delightful respite, a glimpse into early 20th Century life, and an inspiration to follow their dreams.
Reviews:
Booklist: “Krull's pithy text is extended by full-page paintings that glow with the memory of yesteryear and capture the mix of humor and poignancy that comes with trying to fit in. Spot art from Geisel's own books enlivens the text pages.”
Publishers Weekly: “Nostalgic paintings effectively evoke both the period and Geisel's appealingly puckish personality. Featured in spot art, familiar Seuss characters frolic through these pages, thematically complementing the illustrations while reminding readers why Geisel's life is worth celebrating.”
Children’s Literature: “Kids who doodle when they are supposed to be doing something else will find redemption in the story of Ted Geisel's childhood. The book is a perfect reminder to teachers of how powerfully early experiences can shape our lives as adults and to kids that a favorite author was once a child himself.”
School Library Journal: “This picture-book biography is a winner. Krull's work is a terrific look at the boyhood of one of the most beloved author/illustrators of the 20th century.”
Kirkus Reviews: “The magic of his name will make this a huge hit, but it's the lively writing that puts the hat on the cat.”
Connections:
Use this biography to motivate children to read other biographies of writers, artists, filmmakers or musicians. Examples of biographies are Walt Disney: Young Movie Maker by Marie Hammontree, Norman Rockwell: Storyteller with a Brush by Beverly Gherman, or Michael Jackson by Theresa Overbey.
Create a display of Dr. Seuss books such as Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, and The Butter Battle Book. Include stuffed characters, other books about Dr. Seuss, DVDs of How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Horton Hears a Who, and an audio book such as the Dr. Seuss Audio Collection narrated by the author. This could be done in March as he was born March 2, 1904.
Create an age-appropriate crossword puzzle or word search based on the book. A good site for creating custom crossword puzzles is available at Online Crossword Puzzle Maker (http://www.puzzle-maker.com/CW/).
A good site for creating word search puzzles is A to Z Teacher Stuff(http://tools.atozteacherstuff.com/word-search-maker/wordsearch.php).
Have the children create an illustrated timeline of the early life of Dr. Seuss. This can either be done free form on blank paper or a format could be provided (such as a street or tree). Have them choose the ten events that had the most impact on Dr. Seuss’ life. This artistic activity also uses one of the higher-level thinking skills, evaluation, as the students themselves must decide which events were most important.
Brainstorm with the students and create a list of ways in which Dr. Seuss felt different (he spoke German, he had a three-legged dog, he didn’t do well at sports). Lead a discussion about being different. Have students share (on a volunteer basis) ways in which they are different. The teacher/librarian might want to go first (“everyone in my family is right-handed but I’m left-handed” for example). Examine the positive aspects of being different as well as the downside (being teased or ostracized). This discussion can be very valuable in showing appreciation for diversity and that it is OK to be different.
Dr. Seuss received a lot of fan mail. After reading more of his books, have the students write a fan letter to Dr. Seuss. These can be displayed in the library or the students may decide to keep them. The students can also create colorful envelopes to keep all their Dr. Seuss activities (word search, puzzle, fan letter, timeline). This can become a craft project using glitter, colored markers, and construction paper and would be a great end-of-unit activity.
Summary: This heavily-illustrated biography of Theodore Geisel chronicles his boyhood in Springfield, Massachusetts, the influence of his parents, his education, and finally his early successes as an illustrator. The book ends with the future Dr. Seuss, age 22, living in Greenwich Village, immersed in his art, with his whole career ahead of him. Krull chooses to end the book here, however, in an addendum “On Beyond Fairfield Street” provides a four-page summary of his life and a comprehensive list of the “Great Works Written and Illustrated by Dr. Seuss.”
Ted Geisel was born in 1904 to a first-generation German-American family who nurtured Geisel’s curiosity and creativity. His mother read to him at bedtime and his father, who eventually became superintendent of parks in Springfield, told the younger Geisel about the antics of the zoo animals. His idyllic childhood was not without trials. He was often teased for being different, suffered discrimination during the WW I years, and was rebuked by an art teacher who told him “he would never be successful at art” (20). In addition, me met with mixed success at college, being more interested in drawing and creating fanciful stories than academics.
Ted Geisel did not give up in the face of adversity and rejection. He persisted, encouraged by a fellow student who would later become his wife, and sold his first cartoon to The Saturday Evening Post for $25. This was the beginning of an illustrious career. His mother always wanted him to become a doctor and he did indeed become one of the most famous in the world: Dr. Seuss.
Analysis: This picture book biography is both informative and engaging. The illustrations, along with the inclusion of original Seuss drawings, are helpful not only in understanding his youth but his later career as well. Johnson and Fancher use detailed watercolor paintings executed in a style reminiscent of turn-of-the-century Americana. They portray a warm and inviting childhood using figures that, while not cartoonish and definitely not caricature are not realistic either. They are not sharp images and their soft, hazy character enhances the feeling of going back in time to experience Geisel’s world. They complement the storyline without being obtrusive.
Krull’s prose is simple, straightforward, and linear, with no attempt made at humor, conjectured dialogue, or evaluation. It is a gentle narration of an ideal childhood and as a read-aloud book will create a feeling of calm, optimism, and empowerment. It is designed to be read in one sitting and does not lend itself to skimming. No table of contents or index is provided and no glossary is required, as Krull does not use complex language or terminology. The few instances of words that may be unfamiliar to a student (skeet shooting, bratwurst) do not justify a glossary and can be explained ahead of time. Perhaps here is the only place where the illustrations fall short as the illustrators could have easily incorporated these into their drawings.
A “For Further Reading” list is provided, leading the reader to assume that the majority of information for this book was gleaned from those sources. If this is indeed the author’s sources of information, it would be better to call it a Bibliography. As it is, it is unclear as to what the author’s sources are and therefore difficult to determine the accuracy of the information, although there is no reason to believe that any inaccurate information is present. Including a comprehensive list of all of Dr. Seuss’ published works, while not encouraging critical thinking, may stimulate evaluation and a desire to seek out and read more Seuss titles.
This book is a wonderful introduction to the life of Dr. Seuss as well as a glimpse into a simpler time. For children living an increasingly complex and hectic lifestyle, this book will serve as a delightful respite, a glimpse into early 20th Century life, and an inspiration to follow their dreams.
Reviews:
Booklist: “Krull's pithy text is extended by full-page paintings that glow with the memory of yesteryear and capture the mix of humor and poignancy that comes with trying to fit in. Spot art from Geisel's own books enlivens the text pages.”
Publishers Weekly: “Nostalgic paintings effectively evoke both the period and Geisel's appealingly puckish personality. Featured in spot art, familiar Seuss characters frolic through these pages, thematically complementing the illustrations while reminding readers why Geisel's life is worth celebrating.”
Children’s Literature: “Kids who doodle when they are supposed to be doing something else will find redemption in the story of Ted Geisel's childhood. The book is a perfect reminder to teachers of how powerfully early experiences can shape our lives as adults and to kids that a favorite author was once a child himself.”
School Library Journal: “This picture-book biography is a winner. Krull's work is a terrific look at the boyhood of one of the most beloved author/illustrators of the 20th century.”
Kirkus Reviews: “The magic of his name will make this a huge hit, but it's the lively writing that puts the hat on the cat.”
Connections:
Use this biography to motivate children to read other biographies of writers, artists, filmmakers or musicians. Examples of biographies are Walt Disney: Young Movie Maker by Marie Hammontree, Norman Rockwell: Storyteller with a Brush by Beverly Gherman, or Michael Jackson by Theresa Overbey.
Create a display of Dr. Seuss books such as Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, and The Butter Battle Book. Include stuffed characters, other books about Dr. Seuss, DVDs of How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Horton Hears a Who, and an audio book such as the Dr. Seuss Audio Collection narrated by the author. This could be done in March as he was born March 2, 1904.
Create an age-appropriate crossword puzzle or word search based on the book. A good site for creating custom crossword puzzles is available at Online Crossword Puzzle Maker (http://www.puzzle-maker.com/CW/).
A good site for creating word search puzzles is A to Z Teacher Stuff(http://tools.atozteacherstuff.com/word-search-maker/wordsearch.php).
Have the children create an illustrated timeline of the early life of Dr. Seuss. This can either be done free form on blank paper or a format could be provided (such as a street or tree). Have them choose the ten events that had the most impact on Dr. Seuss’ life. This artistic activity also uses one of the higher-level thinking skills, evaluation, as the students themselves must decide which events were most important.
Brainstorm with the students and create a list of ways in which Dr. Seuss felt different (he spoke German, he had a three-legged dog, he didn’t do well at sports). Lead a discussion about being different. Have students share (on a volunteer basis) ways in which they are different. The teacher/librarian might want to go first (“everyone in my family is right-handed but I’m left-handed” for example). Examine the positive aspects of being different as well as the downside (being teased or ostracized). This discussion can be very valuable in showing appreciation for diversity and that it is OK to be different.
Dr. Seuss received a lot of fan mail. After reading more of his books, have the students write a fan letter to Dr. Seuss. These can be displayed in the library or the students may decide to keep them. The students can also create colorful envelopes to keep all their Dr. Seuss activities (word search, puzzle, fan letter, timeline). This can become a craft project using glitter, colored markers, and construction paper and would be a great end-of-unit activity.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Informational Book Review: Guts: Our Digestive System by Seymour Simon
Simon, Seymour. 2005. GUTS: OUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-054651-4.
Summary: This informational photo essay/picture book by Seymour Simon presents a comprehensive yet easy-to-understand overview of the human digestive system. Starting with food intake and proceeding through the esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, and finally the anus, this book is both entertaining and informative. The reader is invited to chew on a piece of bread to demonstrate the conversion of starch into sugar and “Point to your stomach. Surprise! It’s not behind your belly button…” These interactive features bring the reader into the story as do the colorful and detailed photographs and illustrations, some by Simon. The importance of good nutrition is also included as is the caveat “If you ever think that there is something wrong…you should talk to a parent, teacher, school nurse, or doctor”. Although written for the elementary student, this book can also be helpful to older readers and adapted for younger readers as well.
Analysis: The book is organized logically from the start of digestion to the end, taking the reader on a step-by-step journey. In dealing with the specific organs, Simon gives the reader a basic definition and overview and then provides concrete examples, dimensions, and analogies to facilitate understanding. The book’s design is inviting and draws the reader in. The combination of black pages with white print and white pages with black print provides a nice contrast to the photographs, many of which are X-Rays or color enhanced to accentuate the distinct features/purpose of the specific organ. Simon’s clear writing style is effective in that he does not talk down to the reader but utilizes an almost conversational tone that is appropriate for the elementary school-aged child. The book also encourages the reader to use the information in their lives by emphasizing good nutrition.
Although an excellent overview with user-friendly text and accompanying photographs and illustrations (most with captions, and/or labels) the book lacks access points. There is no table of contents, glossary, index, or page numbers. The inclusion of these features would help the reader, especially one engaged in research for a school project. Accuracy of the information is validated by the author’s special thanks to a doctoral student (Osteopathic Medicine), although a bibliography would be helpful to direct the reader to other sources and input from more than one expert in the field would ensure the reader’s confidence in the book’s accuracy (although Simon’s reputation in and of itself virtually guarantees the accuracy of this book).
Reviews:
School Library Journal: “Simon’s specialty of drawing in readers through large, detailed, breathtaking photos and then entertaining them with facts is again in evidence…Writers of health-related reports, as well as casual browsers, will surely put this title to use.”
Booklist: “…Accessible without being cute or condescending…Readers older than the target audience may want to look at this, too.”
Childrens Literature: “…Many questions posed by children are answered in a straightforward manner. Highly recommended.”
Kirkus Reviews: “Guts has a lot going for it…free of distracting sidebars and other trendy bells and whistles…”
Connections:
Read other books written by Simon including Bones, Muscles, The Heart, and The Brain.
Have students create a skit, rap, or song about the book. The teacher/librarian could model using one of Simon’s other books (example: “We all really need our heart, It is with us from the start” using Twinkle Twinkle).
Invite a health professional or school nurse in to discuss digestion and proper nutrition. Give each student a copy of the USDA Food Pyramid to take home. Have them design a nutritious meal (or a sample day’s menu) using these guidelines. This information could be compiled into a handout of a model week’s diet or made into a poster for display in the library.
Using craft products (playdoh or clay, pipe cleaners, felt, yarn) have students create 3-D models of the parts of the digestive system. The pipe cleaners would work especially well for the small intestine. Create a display using the students’ finished products. For younger children, have them label and color a worksheet showing the human digestive system.
Explore how other species eat and digest food. A good example is a sponge, a cow (four “stomachs”) or snakes. Older students can be assigned a species; they can then complete research (print and online) and present their findings to the group.
Watch an educational video clip about the digestive system. A good one can be viewed online from KidsHealth: (http://kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?lic=1&article_set=59299&cat_id=20607)
Since this clip prompts the students for answers, it should be shown at the end of the activities for Guts.
Summary: This informational photo essay/picture book by Seymour Simon presents a comprehensive yet easy-to-understand overview of the human digestive system. Starting with food intake and proceeding through the esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, and finally the anus, this book is both entertaining and informative. The reader is invited to chew on a piece of bread to demonstrate the conversion of starch into sugar and “Point to your stomach. Surprise! It’s not behind your belly button…” These interactive features bring the reader into the story as do the colorful and detailed photographs and illustrations, some by Simon. The importance of good nutrition is also included as is the caveat “If you ever think that there is something wrong…you should talk to a parent, teacher, school nurse, or doctor”. Although written for the elementary student, this book can also be helpful to older readers and adapted for younger readers as well.
Analysis: The book is organized logically from the start of digestion to the end, taking the reader on a step-by-step journey. In dealing with the specific organs, Simon gives the reader a basic definition and overview and then provides concrete examples, dimensions, and analogies to facilitate understanding. The book’s design is inviting and draws the reader in. The combination of black pages with white print and white pages with black print provides a nice contrast to the photographs, many of which are X-Rays or color enhanced to accentuate the distinct features/purpose of the specific organ. Simon’s clear writing style is effective in that he does not talk down to the reader but utilizes an almost conversational tone that is appropriate for the elementary school-aged child. The book also encourages the reader to use the information in their lives by emphasizing good nutrition.
Although an excellent overview with user-friendly text and accompanying photographs and illustrations (most with captions, and/or labels) the book lacks access points. There is no table of contents, glossary, index, or page numbers. The inclusion of these features would help the reader, especially one engaged in research for a school project. Accuracy of the information is validated by the author’s special thanks to a doctoral student (Osteopathic Medicine), although a bibliography would be helpful to direct the reader to other sources and input from more than one expert in the field would ensure the reader’s confidence in the book’s accuracy (although Simon’s reputation in and of itself virtually guarantees the accuracy of this book).
Reviews:
School Library Journal: “Simon’s specialty of drawing in readers through large, detailed, breathtaking photos and then entertaining them with facts is again in evidence…Writers of health-related reports, as well as casual browsers, will surely put this title to use.”
Booklist: “…Accessible without being cute or condescending…Readers older than the target audience may want to look at this, too.”
Childrens Literature: “…Many questions posed by children are answered in a straightforward manner. Highly recommended.”
Kirkus Reviews: “Guts has a lot going for it…free of distracting sidebars and other trendy bells and whistles…”
Connections:
Read other books written by Simon including Bones, Muscles, The Heart, and The Brain.
Have students create a skit, rap, or song about the book. The teacher/librarian could model using one of Simon’s other books (example: “We all really need our heart, It is with us from the start” using Twinkle Twinkle).
Invite a health professional or school nurse in to discuss digestion and proper nutrition. Give each student a copy of the USDA Food Pyramid to take home. Have them design a nutritious meal (or a sample day’s menu) using these guidelines. This information could be compiled into a handout of a model week’s diet or made into a poster for display in the library.
Using craft products (playdoh or clay, pipe cleaners, felt, yarn) have students create 3-D models of the parts of the digestive system. The pipe cleaners would work especially well for the small intestine. Create a display using the students’ finished products. For younger children, have them label and color a worksheet showing the human digestive system.
Explore how other species eat and digest food. A good example is a sponge, a cow (four “stomachs”) or snakes. Older students can be assigned a species; they can then complete research (print and online) and present their findings to the group.
Watch an educational video clip about the digestive system. A good one can be viewed online from KidsHealth: (http://kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?lic=1&article_set=59299&cat_id=20607)
Since this clip prompts the students for answers, it should be shown at the end of the activities for Guts.
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