Goin' Someplace Special

Module 10 - March 29-April 4

Goin' Someplace Special by Patricia C. McKissack

Summary:
This story is about a young girl in the South and her journey to her 'special place' during the 1950's, a time of segregation. She wants to show her independence and goes out on the town alone without her granny for the first time. She find the journey difficult and becomes discouraged and disheartened by the segregation laws. She eventually finds the courage to make it to her 'special place' - the Public Library. The one place that, at the time, accepted all people equally.

Thoughts of a Book Worm:
I truly enjoyed this book which gives readers a true perception of the life of a young girl during the time of segregation. McKissack shows the both the discouragement and strength of African Americans during this unjust period in history. The story is based on events from McKissack's own life growing up in Nashville.

Reviews:
"McKissack draws from her childhood in Nashville for this instructive picture book. "I don't know if I'm ready to turn you loose in the world," Mama Frances tells her granddaughter when she asks if she can go by herself to "Someplace Special" (the destination remains unidentified until the end of the story). 'Tricia Ann does obtain permission, and begins a bittersweet journey downtown, her pride battered by the indignities of Jim Crow laws. She's ejected from a hotel lobby and snubbed as she walks by a movie theater ("Colored people can't come in the front door," she hears a girl explaining to her brother. "They got to go 'round back and sit up in the Buzzard's Roost"). She almost gives up, but, buoyed by the encouragement of adult acquaintances ("Carry yo'self proud," one of her grandmother's friends tells her from the Colored section on the bus), she finally arrives at Someplace Special a place Mama Frances calls "a doorway to freedom" the public library. An afterword explains McKissack's connection to the tale, and by putting such a personal face on segregation she makes its injustices painfully real for her audience. Pinkney's (previously paired with McKissack for Mirandy and Brother Wind) luminescent watercolors evoke the '50s, from fashions to finned cars, and he captures every ounce of 'Tricia Ann's eagerness, humiliation and quiet triumph at the end." Ages 4-8 Publisher's Weekly Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

"Tricia Ann endures the indignities of segregation in the 1950s South, fortified with the love of her family and friends. As a Negro, she must sit at the back of the bus. Because of Jim Crow laws, she can only sit in the back of the balcony at the theater. When a crowd rushes into a plush downtown hotel following a celebrity, 'Tricia Ann is caught up in the throng—and then thrown out of the all-white establishment. She tolerates all of these insults because she is on her way to Someplace Special. That someplace is full of good things and it welcomes all people. That place is the Public Library. Based on McKissack's early life in Nashville, Tennessee, this is a story about how unfair life can be—and how love and persistence can triumph over injustice. Artwork is rendered in pencil and watercolor on paper by artist Jerry Pinkney, the only illustrator to have won the Coretta Scott King Award four times." Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer:Chris Gill -Children's Literature

Suggested Activities:
This book can help lead a discussion to how African Americans were treated differently during this period in time. Before reading the book, tell the girls that they seem hungry & could use a little snack. Give each girl 2-3 M&Ms or some other type of candy. Do not give any to the boys & do not offer any explanation other than the candies are only for the girls. Then read the book. After the book is read, ask the students how 'Tricia Ann felt as she went on her journey to the library. Discuss the fairness of the laws at the time. Now ask the boys how they felt being left out of the snack. Discuss whether or not that situation was 'fair'. At the end, give the boys some of the M&Ms.

Bibliography: McKissack, P.C. (2001). Goin' someplace special. New York: Scholastic Incorporated.

Where's The Big Bad Wolf?

Module 9 - March 22-28

Where's the Big Bad Wolf? by Eileen Christelow

Summary:
Detective Doggedly sets out to find out who is bothering the pigs in the area. The only one he ever finds in the area at the time of each event is Esmerelda, an odd looking sheep who loves to give the pigs bad advice. The Doggedly eventually solves the riddle in time to save the pigs.

Thoughts of a Book Worm:
I thought this book was hilarious. Adults and children alike will enjoy following Doggedly as he slowly discovers the culprit - a wolf in sheep's clothing. Christelow does a great job of adding some fun twists and turns to this children's classic. Young children quickly solve the mystery and laugh aloud as they anxiously await for Doggedly to discover what they already know!

Reviews:
"Christelow (The Great Pig Search) offers more animals who bamboozle slow-witted innocents in this rib-tickling take on the Three Little Pigs. Canine detective Phineas T. Doggedly asserts, "There's only one no-good rascal in this town... the Big Bad Wolf!" So when "a big gust of wind Hufffs and Pufffs," he sets out to round up the usual suspect, who's nowhere to be found. The fact that an odd-looking sheep named Esmerelda happens to be strolling by every time disaster strikes seems odd to the sleuth, but, he says, "I just can't quite put my paw on what it is." Young readers will likely spy the big gray nose sticking out of Esmerelda's white wool long before Phineas does, and will follow the action with relish. Comic-book-style panels alternate with full-bleed spreads as Doggedly's midnight stake-outs fail to produce results. When he finally nabs the wolf ("This no-good, pig-poaching, huffing, puffing, wolf-in-sheep's-clothing is under arrest!") the scoundrel spends a couple of nights in jail before he's back to his usual tricks. The familiar story line allows Christelow to include plenty of details and extra cast members; two elderly cows in bathrobes provide comic running commentary. Both adults and children will enjoy listening to Esmerelda urge the pigs to put down those bricks: "Build a cardboard house. It's so much easier!" - Publisher's Weekly Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

"Gr 1-2-A determined Detective Doggedly pursues the elusive BBW (Big Bad Wolf) in a delicious parody of the traditional tale. Three dim-witted and naive pigs, a wolf with a taste for unusual costuming, and three sharp-eyed residents of the nearby "Home for Elderly Cows" create a mystery worthy of the slightly befuddled detective: who is destroying the pigs' houses, when the wolf is currently hospitalized with mysterious flulike symptoms? Doggedly catches the culprit, but one doubts that this "egg-snatching, pie-pinching, chicken-chasing, pig-poaching" villain is ready to change his habits when released. Christelow's pen-and-ink and gouache cartoons show sticks and straw flying across pages, the not-too-bright protagonist, and a hilarious wolf in sheep's clothing. Characters comment on all the goings-on in dialogue balloons that add to the fun and humor. Pair this book with Jon Scieszka's True Story of the Three Little Pigs (Viking, 1989), another choice for lovers of fractured tales." Reviewer:Mary Elan -School Library Journal Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Suggested Activities:
This book book can be used to compare and contrast storylines. The teacher can read the classic version and then read this version. Students can compare and contrast the similarities and differences in the story. Teachers can continue the activity by finding other versions of the story as well.

Bibliography: Marsh, K. (2007). The night tourist. New York: Hyperlion Books for Children.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

Module 8 - March 8-14

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Summary:
This story opens with Jenna Fox struggling to regain her memory after 'waking' 18 months after a terrible car accident. Her memory comes back in fragmented bits and pieces. She realizes that she looks the same but cannot shake the feeling that she doesn't feel the same. Intuitively, she realizes that she is not the same Jenna that she sees starring in her parents home movies. In her quest to find herself, Jenna stumbles upon the discovery that her parents broke laws to use new medical advancements to save her life. Jenna now finds herself struggling not only to find out who she is but to also find out what she is. How much of original Jenna enough? How far would YOU go to save a life of a loved one?

Thoughts of a Book Worm:
I enjoyed this book for the thought provoking questions that it inspires. In an era of rapidly advancing technology and medical advancements, we must take the time to consider the morality and ethical responsibilites that we as a society face when going forward with some of these medical advancements. This story introduces these difficult questions through the life of a teenage girl who just wants to be normal. The author does an excellent job of helping the reader to feel the pain, frustration, and confusion as Jenna tries to come to grips with her new reality.

Reviews:
"Outstanding examination of identity, science and ethics. "I used to be someone. / Someone named Jenna Fox. / That's what they tell me," begins the hypnotic first-person narration. She woke from an 18-month coma two weeks ago, but she doesn't know how to smile or who her parents are. She watches recordings of each childhood year but they ring no bells. Why has her family brought her to a hidden cottage in California, distant from home and doctors? Mental flashes reveal a void of paralysis where "darkness and silence go on forever." Was that her coma? Voices call Jenna, hurry! into her ears-are those from the night of the accident, which she can't remember? Jenna recognizes that her gait is awkward and her memory peculiar (spotty about childhood while disturbingly perfect about academics), but asking questions provokes only furtive glances between her parents. Pearson reveals the truth layer by layer, maintaining taut suspense and psychological realism as she probes philosophical notions of personhood. A deeply humane and gripping descendent of Peter Dickinson's classic Eva." - Kirkus Reviews

"Jenna Angeline Fox has ostensibly just awakened from a year-long coma, supposedly the result of a serious accident, and she cannot remember anything about her prior life. Her parents assure her that will change. They are living in a crumbling California house with her maternal grandmother, Lily, who seems inexplicably hostile, although Jenna feels sure that was not always the case. Jenna's memory does begin to come back, but in strange ways. She can remember things that happened when she was much too young to have clear memories (her baptism), and yet she cannot remember if she ever had any friends. Her parents have documented her life in hours of video recordings, and Jenna watches them in an effort to recover her life and herself. What she finds is that her parents adored her, almost to the point of obsession. Can someone love you too much? As a parent, what would you do to save your child? This is a speculative novel set in perhaps a not-too-distant future when biogenetics can preserve and even promulgate life. Science has run amuck, and millions have died or been maimed by antibiotic-resistant germs. The backlash has created government mandates about what some see as life-saving technology. Jenna's narrative as she gradually uncovers the mystery of her history and existence is haunting and compelling. The other characters—family members, neighborhood friends, school friends—are equally complex and believable. Teen readers will be drawn in because the story is well-written, it is well-paced, and it deals with many of the same relationship and existential issues that shape adolescence. But the story also pushes us to think about larger philosophical questions such aswhat is it that makes us truly human? Neal Shusterman's Unwind and Nancy Farmer's The House of the Scorpion examine similarly thorny dilemmas about the value and meaning of an individual life. This book would be a great catalyst for a discussion around science and ethics—about our responsibilities to one another, to the environment and to society at large." Reviewer: Paula McMillen, Ph.D. -Children's Literature

Suggested Activities:
This book would work well to introduce a discussion on science and medical advancements. Students can prepare a debate from the perspectives of Jenna and her classmate Allys.

Bibliography: Pearson, M.E. (2008). The adoration of jenna fox. New York: Square Fish.

The Night Tourist

Module 8 - March 8-14

The Night Tourist by Katherine Marsh

Summary:
Take a journey into the underworld with Jack, a ninth-grader who is intrigued with the Classics. Jack is involved in a car accident that literally changes the way that he sees things. Jack has an unusual meeting with a girl in New York's Grand Central Station. As he explores the station with Euri, he discovers areas of the station that are unknown to the living world. Soon he discovers himself in a ghostly adventure in the secret underworld of the dead. He dodges Cerberus, the three-headed dog, flys through the New York skyline, and experiences sledding - ghost style. Thoughout the course of his adventure, Jack discovers dark secrets about his family and finds that he is capable of meaningful relationships.

Thoughts of a Book Worm:
I thought this was a wonderfully written story. I enjoyed the modern day references of New York mixed with the history and legends of this historical state. Marsh also creatively infused pieces of Classical mythology, writers, and poets into the storyline. The storyline was one in which those who are familiar with the Classics would enjoy the references but those who are not familiar would still be intrigued by the overall plot.

Reviews:
"It was just after dusk when the accident happened." This alluring first sentence grabs readers' attention, and the compelling story line will hold that interest. Marsh's story focuses on ninth-grader Jack Perdu, a prodigy of classic mythology. Absorbed in a book, Jack fails to see the car that knocks him down. He's physically okay, but after the accident he sees ghostly beings. In New York City's subway, he meets Euri, a spectral girl who leads him eight stories below Grand Central Station, and together they enter the residence of hundreds of ghosts. The spirits, several dead for more than 200 years, are suspicious of Jack, because to them he appears to be alive. Is Jack actually dead? If so, will he be able to locate his mother who disappeared years before? Both Jack and readers will simultaneously unravel the mystery surrounding the author's surreal setting as he learns how to enter and exit this supernatural world. Teenagers knowledgeable about mythology and appreciative of sophisticated wordplay will especially enjoy this intricate read." (Fiction. 12-15) - Kirkus Reviews

"Gr 7 Up -Jack Perdue, a prodigy, lives with his father on the Yale campus where he buries himself in classical literature. When an accident leaves Jack with a head injury, his father sends him to a very strange doctor in New York. Jack has not been to New York since his mother died and he and his dad moved to New Haven. In Grand Central Station, Jack takes a tour and meets a girl named Euri who suggests that he might want to see the underground station-places that the public never get to see. So begins the adventure into the underworld of ghosts as he searches for his mother and learns about her mysterious life and death. Adventure abounds as Jack and Euri visit with deceased authors and constantly avoid the ghost police with a three-headed dog looking for anyone who might be living. Along the way, Jack discovers some truths about Euri, himself, and his father. Actor Andrew Rannels narrates and provides a realistic voice for each character. Harry Potter fans will enjoy this fantasy (Hyperion, 2007)" Reviewed by:Jeana Actkinson - School Library Journal

Suggested Activities:
This book be a great introduction or serve as an extension to the study of some of the famous Classical mythology stories or Classical plays. In particular, the study of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. Students should compare and contrast the stories of Jack and Euri with Orpheus and Eurydice. Students could extend this study all the way to re-creating a play of Orpheus and Eurydice.

Bibliography: Marsh, K. (2007). The night tourist. New York: Hyperlion Books for Children.

My Louisiana Sky

Module 7 - March 1-7

My Louisiana Sky by Kimberly Willis Holt

Summary:
Tiger Ann is a bright girl who is quickly entering her pre-teen years. As most girls this age, Tiger is becoming very aware of herself and how she compares to others around her. Tiger suddenly becomes self-conscious of how the other girls don't play boyish sports such as baseball. She also becomes painfully aware that her parent's mental disabilities make them different from the other parents. Tiger is thankful for her grandmother who is the one she looks to for help in overcoming her frustrations. However, her life is turned upside down when her grandmother dies suddenly. Tiger's sophisticated aunt offers her the opportunity to reinvent herself in a big, exciting new city. In the end, Tiger learns a lot about families and discovers where she truly belongs.

Thoughts of a Book Worm:
Although this book starts off a little slow, the characters develop into ones that you can almost see and hear. I felt that the author truly established Tiger Ann as a believable, pre-teen who struggles with the fact that her family is 'different'. I think many pre-teens and teenagers can relate as they notice qualities about their own families that embarass them. In this sweet coming of age story, Tiger learns that there is no set definition of a family. All families have their different strengths and weaknesses that allow them to love and care for each other through the good times and the hard times.

Reviews:
"For eleven-year-old Tiger Ann Parker, Saitter, Louisiana, is not only the place where she has lived her whole life with Momma and Daddy and Granny, but also a place where some people think that her "Momma and Daddy should have never been allowed to get married because they're different"-or "retarded." Momma giggles and coos in front of the new rabbit-eared television from morning 'til night ("It's Howdy Doody time...") and Daddy can't even do simple math. Granny, the backbone of the household and an integral source of strength for Tiger, tells her, "People are afraid of what's different. That don't mean different is bad. Just means different is different." But for Tiger, "different" has become just plain embarrassing. Why can't her parents be more like Aunt Dorie Kay, Momma's younger sister, who wears high-heels and make-up and has a fancy job in Baton Rouge? When the death of her grandmother presents Tiger with the opportunity to move with Dorie Kay to Baton Rouge, even in her grief she can hardly leave Saitter fast enough. But after cutting her hair . la Audrey Hepburn and going by "Ann" for a while, Tiger begins to see the ways of her parents that, while not glamorous or book-smart, root her to home and to herself. Holt's languid storytelling style is as unhurried as a Louisiana summer, a soft steady breeze turning the pages. She exercises unusual restraint for a first-time novelist as she eases the action along with a low-key, unpretentious plot, never resorting to over-dramatization or sentimentality in developing her uncannily credible characters. So honest is Holt's portrayal of Tiger, Momma, Daddy, Granny, and the rest that one wonders if she wrote their story while sitting in a rocker on a Saitter front porch, under the vast promises of a Louisiana sky." - The Horn Book Magazine

"Tiger wonders why she's so different from her parents, why she can get all A's in school when her mother is sweet, but childlike, and her father is considered retarded. Luckily, she has her Granny to hold the odd household together-until Granny dies. Tiger faces discrimination from her classmates and even considers accepting her "normal" aunt's offer to move in with her in Baton Rouge. How she comes to terms with her backcountry family and the world of the nineteen-fifties is the meat of this delicately written book." - Children's Literature

Suggested Activities:
Students can create a chart that depicts the similarities and differences between big cities and small towns. Students can then discuss the pros and cons of living in a big city or small town. Afterwards, they can further extend the activity by writing a persuasive paragraph that persuades the reader to move to either a small town or a big city.

Bibliography: Holt, K. W. (1998). My Louisiana Sky. New York: Dell Yearling.