The Escape of Oney Judge

McCully, E. (2007). The escape of Oney Judge. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.

I will be perfectly honest that this is a book I would have never picked up. History is certainly not my favorite subject, but that does not mean that it doesn’t interest my students. As teachers, we should always consider and incorporate the interests of our students—even when it means that we aren’t interested ourselves. This goes back to the importance of knowing our students--their interests, likes, dislikes, families, hobbies, and more. From this, we can choose books that touch on their experiences and interests. In turn, students will be more engaged in their reading. 

I honestly wish my teachers had read more historical fiction when I was growing up. I believe this would have made the study of history much more interesting for me. When reading a textbook, history seems so distant and irrelevant. When reading a piece of literature, you are learning history through the lives of characters that are relatable. This makes the learning much more meaningful and memorable.

This story fits within the historical fiction genre, because it is based on true events; it is set in the past—during the time of George Washington’s presidency (1789). Oney Judge was born into slavery, but Martha Washington took favor on her and allowed her to be her seamstress. When George Washington was elected as president, the family moved to Philadelphia. For the first time, Oney saw free blacks. Although Oney is treated fairly well by the Washington family, they did not allow her to learn to read; she desired this above all. Additionally, Oney got word that she would be given to a relative of Martha’s. After hearing this, she ran away and eventually married and learned to read. As mentioned, this story is set in Mount Vernon and Philadelphia during the 1700s. In the case of this story, the setting is integral, because it would not be the same in any other time or place. This is true for all of historical fiction.

In addition to the touching story, this book is also filled with rich, beautiful watercolor illustrations. Additionally, ink was used to add fine details to the pictures. The book is full of print that helps to tell the story, but the illustrations certainly help to achieve this as well. I am certain that anyone reading this will be captivated by the illustrations. I found myself examining every little detail.

This story would probably not be appropriate to read with my kindergarteners. However, if I were to read it to older students, I would ask them to put themselves in Oney's position—imagining what it would be like to answer to someone else, to be forbidden to read, and to be forced to leave your own family. I think these questions could lead to some powerful conversations. 

Hatchet

Paulsen, G. (1987). Hatchet. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Throughout the course of this class, I have read books I wouldn’t have normally chosen for myself. In the end, though, I have actually enjoyed them! This book is another example of one that I was reluctant to start reading. However, I chose it because my husband recommended it. (He saw it on the list from the syllabus.) Once I checked out the book, it looked vaguely familiar—likely because it’s a popular, well-known book. It has earned the Newberry Honor.

This book fits within the realistic fiction genre, because the events in the story are possible. At the same time, though, they are not extremely probable. The chances of surviving a plane crash are limited. Additionally, it is unlikely that any person could survive in nature for nearly two months with only a hatchet. However, Brian beat the odds and did just that. And to top it all off, he was rescued by a fur buyer who heard the emergency transmitter that Brian managed to get out of the plane that was submerged in the lake.

As described in the text, there are a variety of topics included within the genre of realistic fiction. One topic is adventure and survival (Brown, Tomlinson, & Short, 2011). This novel obviously fits within that category—as it is set in an isolated place with the protagonist (Brian) relying on his own skillfulness to survive. Thankfully, Brian was incredibly resourceful and used the things available to him to make a shelter, fire, a bow/arrow, and more.

Throughout the story, flashbacks are used—as Brian is thinking back on a “Secret.” Brian had seen his mother kissing another man while riding his bike. The memory consumes him periodically throughout the story, and he has to stop himself from continuing in that mindset. His father is unaware of this “Secret,” which upsets Brian deeply. But even when he is reunited with his father at the end of the story, he never finds the nerve to tell him the truth.

When reflecting on this story, I tried to put myself in Brian’s shoes. I asked myself this question: Would I have enough drive, strength, willpower, and skill to survive in similar circumstances? Although it’s sad to admit, I think the answer is no. I am quite a worrier and a “scaredy-cat,” so I think I would have had a heart attack or nervous breakdown. I’m not sure I would have even tried to land the plane in the first place. I think I would have closed my eyes as the plane was going down and prayed my heart out—literally letting “Jesus Take the Wheel” as Carrie Underwood sings in her song! Sometimes, that’s all we can do!

Although I am a kindergarten teacher, I can imagine that this book would be very appealing to students in intermediate grades. I’m not sure that I would require all my students to read it, but I think it’s one that is worthy of being introduced and described to students. I would likely share it in a booktalk, and then make it available to students. Any child who is interested in the book could then check it out from our classroom library.

I found it incredibly interesting how Brian referred to his old self in this book. At one point, he says, “That was the kind of thing I would have down before… When I came here—I would have done that. Not now. Not now…” (pg. 175). I think this in itself could facilitate meaningful conversation with students of this age. After all, adolescents are often experiencing physical, emotional, social, and even spiritual change. I would ask the following questions to guide conversation with students. 

1.     Do you think you could have survived in Brian’s shoes? Why or why not?

2.     Brian refers to his old self several times in this novel. His time in the wilderness forced him to change. He became more observant, independent, and resourceful.

·      Do you feel that you have an “old self”?

·      How have you changed over the years?

·      What caused this change in you?

The 20th Century Children's Poetry Treasury

Prelutsky, J., & So, M. (1999). The 20th century children's poetry treasury. New York:

Alfred A. Knopf.

As a kindergarten teacher, I am ashamed that I didn’t know about this book. The poems included are absolutely delightful! I must admit, though, I do not use much poetry in my classroom. I do introduce a variety of nursery rhymes—from “Hey Diddle, Diddle” to “Itsy, Bitsy Spider” to “Three Blind Mice”. Beyond this, though, I do not read many other poems to my students. After years of having to memorize poems and analyze them in my high school courses, I grew to dislike poetry. The assignments I had took all the fun right out of it! I was glad to read about this in our textbook; now I know this is not best practice. I just hope my former teachers have learned this, so they aren’t creating a dislike of poetry in their current students. At the same time, I have a role to play in developing children’s interest and love of poetry. It is never too early to start!

After reading this book, I used it in my classroom almost immediately! My kids were captivated by the poems. I have been reading about two or three each day. With the exception of their laughter, poetry time is typically the quietest part of our day. They are completely tuned into every word I’m saying. After all, they can relate to many of these poems, because they draw on their experiences and prior knowledge (seasons, colors, school, homework, siblings, and more).

This book is considered an anthology of poetry, because it is filled with poems by a variety of authors. Additionally, the poems touch on a variety of topics and appeal to children of all ages. As with much of poetry, the poems in this book often have a rhythm or beat. The poem “June,” for instance, has short lines and an upbeat rhythm. This supports the happiness the author is feeling during this time of year. “The Secret Place,” on the other hand, has longer lines and a slower rhythm. This supports the tranquility the author feels in his special spot. In addition, many of the poems use sense imagery—with the author appealing to one or more of the senses. In the poem “Rain Sizes,” the author highlights the sense of touch when he writes, “It tickles your face with surprises, and tingles as if you’d been kissed.” I also saw examples of concrete poetry in this anthology—with some of the poems printed in a certain shape to support the meaning. The poem “Rolling Down a Hill,” for instance, is printed with the words rolling downward. The page has to be turned at different angles in order to read it.

I used the handout titled: “Tips for Reading a Poem” to guide me as I read one of the poems from the book. I chose the poem “Moving,” because I am actually in the process of moving myself. I am moving out of my parents’ house into a home my husband and I just purchased. Although I am very excited about starting a life with my husband, I am also very nervous and a bit sad to be leaving my loving, amazing parents. I have several other experiences with moving in my life. This makes up my background knowledge or schema. As I read the poem, I actually visualized myself—saying goodbye to my bedroom and my neighbors and my parents. It literally brought tears to my eyes, but I am just in an emotional state right now!

I love that these poems are so incredibly relatable—even to an adult like me. I recommend this book to any and everyone who is unsure of how to introduce poetry into his/her classroom! It has changed the way I view poetry, and I think that it will have a positive impact on students.

 

Chicken Little

Emberley, R., & Emberley, E. (2009). Chicken little. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

This story fits within the genre of traditional literature, because it is a folktale—a story that has been passed down for generations. There are two authors attributed to this story, because they have re-told the classic story in their own way.

The story is filled with bright colors to support the hysteria that the chicken is feeling—as he is convinced that the sky is falling. The jagged lines also support his feeling of chaos. Additionally, doublespread illustrations are used throughout the book. At the end, a page folds out, and the illustration actually spans across three pages! In regard to the authors’ word choice, lots of repetition is used—making it wonderful for young children. Such repetitive stories are also called cumulative tales  (Brown, Tomlinson, & Short, 2011). I read this to my class of kindergarteners, and they quite naturally began to read along with me. Because of this, they were completely engaged in the text. Onomatopoeias are used to represent the sounds made when the chicken and his friends run into new characters. “Bonk!  Ack! Oop! Eep!” These words are also written in very large font for extra emphasis. My kids loved calling them out with me.

This story could easily be made into a readers’ theatre! The lines could be simplified depending on the ability of the readers. Every time I have used readers’ theatre with my students, they have loved it. They take such pride in themselves as they read their lines and hold the simple props they’ve made. I think it would also be interesting to read other versions of this classic story as well. Students could complete a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast different versions of the tale, which is a higher level skill. The level of support given by the teacher would depend on the ability of the students. 

Here are some questions I asked my students after we read the story together:

1.     Why did the chicken think the sky was falling?

2.     If you were one of the other ducks, would you believe the chicken and tag along? Why or why not?

3.     How did the fox trick the animals? 

4.     What do you think made the fox sneeze?

5.     Can you think of a time when you were wrong about something?

6.     What would you do if you thought the sky was falling?

After reading the story to my students, one child checked the book out to put in her book bag. During quiet reading time, I could hear her retelling the story. She was pretending to be the teacher—showing the illustrations to her invisible students. I heard her say, “The sky is falling, we have to run!” It was such a beautiful sight!

 

The Skin I'm In

Flake, S. (1998). The skin I'm in. New York: Scholastic.

This book was unlike anything I’d ever read, but it was an enjoyable and quick read. I’ll admit that it was incredibly upsetting to hear of the way others treated this young girl, Maleeka, because of her skin color. And what’s even more upsetting is that it’s something that has happened for hundreds of years and still happens today. It’s difficult for me to even make a text-to-self connection, because I have never in my life been treated so cruelly. I cannot even imagine how hurtful that must feel. Because of that, I think it would be extremely beneficial to read this story with young adults—especially with the bullying epidemic that is prevalent today. I believe that this book would facilitate meaningful conversations and reinforce the “Golden Rule”—treating others the way you want to be treated. This could be considered the overlying theme of this story.

This book fits within the multicultural genre of literature, because it focuses on the racial struggles of one young lady within her community. Books in this genre help us gain an appreciation for other cultures, and that is exactly what this book does (Brown, Tomlinson, & Short, 2011). The story is written in first-person from the perspective of Maleeka. Therefore, we know her every thought, worry, heartache, and joy. The book is written in the way that Maleeka speaks—showing her authentic dialect. What’s interesting, though, is that the writing style changes when we see Maleeka’s journal entries (as her fictional character Akeelma). In her journal entries, she writes in a much more formal way. This is even acknowledged in the story when another student, Desda, says, “How come you don’t talk proper, like Akeelma talks in her diary? Don’t nobody talk like that for real, only people in old movies and books.” Akeelma learned it from the books her father read her before he died. She is also an incredibly intelligent, young girl!

In the story, Maleeka is in conflict with others (person-against-person), but also herself (person-against-self). In this story, she desires to fit in so badly, but she is ridiculed because of her dark skin. She wears homemade clothes that her mother sews (a hobby she took on after her father’s death). Embarrassed by the uneven hemlines and crooked zippers, she borrows clothes from her “friend,” Char. Unfortunately, she is no friend at all and completely takes advantage of Maleeka—holding the borrowed clothing over her head. Because of this, Maleeka does Char’s homework and just about anything she asks—including burning some foreign money in Miss Saunders’ classroom in an act of revenge. Char and John-John are the antagonists in this story—as they are in opposition to sweet Maleeka. Thankfully, the new teacher Miss Saunders helps Maleeka find her true identify—as a wonderful writer and beautiful, young lady.

I decided to do the “Twitter Tweet” strategy from Maleeka’s perspective (prior to her self-discovery at the end of the book). If I were Maleeka, this is what I would tweet:

When will I ever stop caring what everybody else thinks? Why can’t I just look at myself with my own eyes like Daddy taught me? #missingyoudaddy

If I were to use this book with a class of adolescents, these are the big questions I’d ask to facilitate conversation:

1.     Why does Maleeka continue to help Char?

2.     What do you think is most important to Maleeka?

3.     What would you do if you were in Maleeka’s shoes?

4.     Why do people continue to tease Maleeka?

a.    Why do people tease and bully in the first place?

5.     Do you see this happening in our school? For what reasons? 

The Giver

Lowry, L. (2002). The giver. New York: Laurel-Leaf Books.

I decided to read this book, because I have never had the opportunity to do so. It’s almost embarrassing to admit it, because it’s such a classic and very well known. It even earned the Newberry Medal for being an excellent contribution to children’s literature.

This story fits within the science fiction genre. Though the events are imaginative in nature, they could actually happen. Additionally, it touches on the topic of mind control, which is popular in books of this genre (Brown, Tomlinson, & Short, 2011). The story was written in third person, but we cannot see into the minds of all the characters. Instead, we can really only see inside Jonas’ mind—understanding his every thought, fear, worry, and desire (limited omniscient). Additionally, we come to understand that he is in conflict with society (person-against-society). When he is selected as the Receiver of Memory, he begins to realize that the community’s effort to achieve “sameness” is preventing the people from truly living and experiencing real emotions. For that reason, he desires to make a change. Ultimately, he decides to escape the community, which forces the people to experience the memories he held for them.

I definitely enjoyed reading this story, and found myself completely immersed in Jonas’ life as a twelve-year-old boy in a society that strived for “sameness”. This was all in an effort to prevent pain and suffering in the lives of the residents. Because of this, though, they led lives absent of true emotion. One of my favorite moments of the entire book is when the Giver transmits the memory of a family gathered around a Christmas tree opening presents. For the first time, Jonas experiences real love, and he finds himself wishing that it existed in his society, too. I honestly believe that Jonas begins to feel love toward the Giver and also Gabriel, the infant his father had been nurturing. 

Another part of the story that sticks out in my mind is when the Giver explains the importance of having a Receiver of Memory in the community. This person takes on all the burdens and pain of the residents, so they can live carefree lives. Quite honestly, this reminded me of God’s grace—in that He sent His Son, Jesus, to carry our burdens. He died on a cross as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, so that we may be forgiven. What a selfless, glorious act of love! Similarly, the Receiver of Memory is devoted to his community. He so graciously takes on the weight of the world for the people, so they do not have to suffer.

In my personal opinion, I felt that the story ended too abruptly. The author leads us to believe that Jonas and Gabriel made their way to “Elsewhere”. Still, we don’t know exactly where they settled and what happened to his former community. I suppose this is what makes the writing so exceptional. The reader is left thinking, predicting, and questioning. Every reader may have a different interpretation and idea of what happened, and that’s okay.

I really enjoyed the “Mark My Words” strategy and can see that it is one that would benefit students in regard to vocabulary development. When I was in school, I can remember copying definitions from the dictionary. This did not help me to internalize the words or retain them. With this strategy, I would have students choose words they are not familiar with, but also encourage them to use the words throughout the week. Here are the words I chose from The Giver.

·      wheedle: p. 5 (coax or entice)

·      nondescript: p. 24 (no outstanding features)

·      torrent: p. 81 (rushing)

·      rueful: p. 154 (inspiring pity)

Here are some “big questions” I’d use to facilitate discussion with this book:

1.     Would you like living in a community free from pain and suffering? Would you like living in a community that had no true joy or happiness?

2.     How would you feel if you were chosen to take on the pain (and joy) for all of Owensboro, Kentucky?

3.     Why do you think the author ended the story so abruptly?

4.     What do you think happened to Jonas and Gabriel? What do you think happened to his former community? What leads you to think this?