The Game of Silence by Louise Erdrich

The Game of Silence by Louise Erdrich

*Review created for Texas Woman’s University graduate level class*

1.       BIBLIOGRAPHY

Erdrich, Louise. 2005. THE GAME OF SILENCE. New York. Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 0-06-029789-1

2.       SUMMARY

Omakayas, or Little Frog, is a young Ojibwe girl who lives on an island in Lake Superior.  The game of silence is played by the children of the tribe during an important meeting; if the children remain silent throughout the meeting they are allowed to pick out a gift.  Common gifts include marbles, dolls, makazinan, leather coats, and knives.  Other gifts may include maple candy, ribbons and more.  It is during this meeting that they learn that the chimookomanag, or white people, want them to leave their home to make room for white settlers.  The Game of Silence describes Omakayas last year on the island she calls home.  The book describes their different settlements based on the seasons; neebin or summer, dagwaging or fall, biboon or winter, and zeegwun or spring, and their move from their island home into the land of the Bwaanag, another Native American tribe. 

3.       CRITICAL REVIEW

Omakayas’ life is full of changes; changes from season to season, growing up, and having to move.  Any child who has ever had to move will relate to her plight.  Her life is full of tasks that her people have been doing for generations such as the girls learning to “sew and bead together, gathered berries, and helped their mothers clean fish.  They also learned early on how to tan hides, a task Omakayas despised.”  Readers may want to learn more about the expulsion of the Native American tribes to western lands, as well as the lives of different Native American tribes. 

The treaties were broken repeatedly by the chimookomanag, and the tribes were given rotting supplies, and blankets that were covered in diseases like small pox.  Erdrich gives details of the year, 1849, through the clothing the white settlers wear, the descriptions of the landscape, as well as the descriptions of the priest looking for souls and the tribe describing the priest as a “soul stealer”.  Readers will be able to identify with Omakayas and her fears of growing up, the love she has for her siblings, even Pinch who drives her crazy, and the love she has for her parents. 

4.       REVIEWS

“Eager readers beguiled by her sturdy and engaging person will scarcely notice that they have absorbed great draughts of Ojibwe culture, habits and language”… Kirkus Reviews

“this meticulously researched novel offers an even balance of joyful and sorrowful moments while conveying a perspective of America's past that is rarely found in history books”… Publishers Weekly

Winner of the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction

ALA Notable Children’s Book

ALA Booklist Editor’s Choice

5.       CONNECTIONS

Visit the local museum to see any Native American exhibits

Have children play a game of silence in class for rewards such as extra credit, candy bars, and free homework passes among others

Read The Birchbark House the prequel to The Game of Silence

Read The Porcupine Year, the sequel to The Game of Silence

Works Cited

Harper Collins Publishers. "The Game of Silence by Louise Erdrich." Accessed July 26, 2012. http://www.harpercollins.com/book/index.aspx?isbn=9780060297893.

Kirkus Reviews. "The Game of Silence." Accessed July 26, 2012. http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/louise-erdrich/the-game-of-silence/#review.

Publishers Weekly. "Children's Review: The Game of Silence." Accessed July 26, 2012. http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-06-029789-3.

Catherine, Called Birdy

Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman

*Review created for Texas Woman’s University graduate level class*

1.       BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cushman, Karen. 1994. CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY. New York. Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 978-0-06-440584-3

2.       SUMMARY

Catherine, also called Birdy, is not your average young maiden; not only does she not like the typical womanly things such as spinning, but she can also read and write.  During the Middle Ages, literacy is rare, even among men and nobility, let alone for a young maiden.  In order to avoid spinning, a chore she hates, she writes in her journal.  What results is a hysterical look into the life of a young noblewoman in the Middle Ages, trying to avoid her father’s machinations to marry her off to the wealthiest suitor.

3.       CRITICAL REVIEW

Catherine is stubborn, intelligent, and voices her opinion.  She swears, would rather be a peasant than a noble woman, and definitely doesn’t want to be married.  Set in 1290, readers see what life was like in the Middle Ages, and the chores that a young maiden is responsible for, such as spinning, soap-making, making tonics for villagers, counting linens and sewing.  In addition to portraying the daily life and chores of the time, Cushman also presents aspects of living in the Middle Ages children are unlikely to think about, namely fleas, and poor personal hygiene.  Baths during the winter were few and far between and people often considered taking a bath to be bad for their health.  For instance, her entry is one example of the poor hygiene of the Middles Ages, “picked off twenty-nine fleas today.”   One other passage shows Birdy wanting a bath, “I wanted to take a bath, thinking that the dirt on my skin made the rash worse, but the bathing tub is being used as an extra table the kitchen and I cannot have it until spring.”  If I were Catherine in this instance I would be swearing, “Corpus bones”, or my favorite, “God’s thumbs!” 

Readers should be able to relate to the high spirited Catherine in her quest to outsmart her parents.  While readers will enjoy Birdy’s escapades, they may find it difficult to understand why a young girl would be getting married so young, or why she does not have a say in the marriage, but they will appreciate the creative ways she has to scare off potential suitors, including setting a privy on fire.  Cushman does a good job of balancing the culture and social mores of the Middle Ages with the expectations and morals of today’s society.  She does this by showing an independent and strong girl still having to fight against the shackles of her society for the opportunity to have a choice in which suitor she marries.  An overall interesting read that young adults are sure to enjoy. 

4.       REVIEWS

Newbery Honor Book

“at once comic and thought-provoking, this first novel is a delight”… Kirkus Reviews

“an admirable heroine and pungently evokes a largely unfamiliar setting”… Publishers Weekly

Starred Kirkus Review

5.       CONNECTIONS

Read The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman

Create a fashion magazine of medieval clothing and explain their functions

Create a calendar with the saint’s day

Listen to Medieval style music, such as Gregorian chanting

Works Cited

Kirkus Reviews. "Catherine, Called Birdy." Accessed July 27, 2012. http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/karen-cushman/catherine-called-birdy/#review.

Publishers Weekly. "Children's Review: Catherine, Called Birdy." Accessed July 27, 2012. http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-395-68186-2.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

*Review created for Texas Woman’s University graduate level class*

1.       BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sepetys, Ruta. 2011. BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY. London. Penquin Group. ISBN 978-0-14-242059-1

2.       SUMMARY

Lina Vilkas is a fifteen year old, opinionated, outspoken and intelligent girl.  She dreams of becoming an artist and attending an art school in Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania.  Her dreams are shattered when one night the NKVD barge into her home and arrest her, her brother Jonas, and her mother.  She later learns that her father is being sent to a prison, away from the rest of them, her and the rest of her family is sent to Siberia first, and then later to a village near the North Pole.  Her story becomes a story about survival; surviving the below freezing temperatures of the Arctic, the systematic starvation, the demanding labor, filthy conditions, the constant threat of separation from her family, and death.  Her story is one of love, and a story of hope that she and her family will be reunited and will make it back home.

3.       CRITICAL REVIEW

Sepetys presents a heartbreaking story about the Soviet imprisonment and murder of thousands of innocent people from Europe.  Lina is likeable, and young adults can readily identify with her and her art.  Lina’s worldview is black and white, right and wrong, and we see her identify herself as an artist, heavily influenced by Munch, in “shades of gray”.  Many historical novels tend to sugar coat the more tragic, despicable , or horrible moments in our world history.  Between Shades of Gray is a heartbreakingly authentic account of one of history’s most shameful moments.  The novel takes place in 1941, during World War II.  Sepetys provides haunting descriptions of the landscape that passes through the hole in the train, the village in Siberia, and the village of Trofimovsk.  Lina describes one of the last looks she has of her native Lithuania, “flowers burst with color against the June landscape.” Her description of Troimovsk is that of a desolate wasteland, “it was completely uninhabited, not a single bush or tree, just barren dirt to a shore of endless water.”  Other descriptions include the filthy living conditions she is forced to endure, “the smell of rotting flesh had become unbearable in the hot car. It made me retch.” 

Overall, young adults will want to learn more about the events of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic States.  Many of the deportees of these countries never made it home again because of the slave labor conditions, lack of food, shelter, proper clothing, and lack of medical care.  The conditions of filth they were forced to live in were more than appalling, and are reminiscent of the concentration camps of Germany.  “My head was curdled from the stench, and I itched terribly.  Lice were biting down the side of my hairline, behind my ears, and in my armpits.” 

4.       REVIEWS

Starred Kirkus Review

“This bitterly sad, fluidly written historical novel tackles a topic woefully underdiscussed in English-language children’s fiction: Joseph Stalin’s reign of terror”… Kirkus Reviews

“A harrowing page-turner, made all the more so for its basis in historical fact, the novel illuminates the persecution suffered by Stalin's victims”… Publishers Weekly

5.       CONNECTIONS

Read A World Apart: Imprisonment in a Soviet Labor Camp During World War II by Gustaw Herling

Discuss the similarities and differences between the Holocaust and the Soviet Occupation during World War II

Read Night by Elie Wiesel

Works Cited

Kirkus Reviews. "Between Shades of Gray." Accessed July 27, 2012. http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/sepetys-ruta/between-shades-gray/#review.

Publishers Weekly. "Children's Review: Between Shades of Gray." Accessed July 27, 2012. http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-399-25412-3.

Final Thoughts

“Evil will rule until good men or women choose to act.”  Ruta Sepetys
It is my hope that we will always remember the horror in our shared past, so history will not be doomed to 
repeat itself.

Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler's Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartolette

Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler’s Shadow by Susan Cambell Bartoletti

*Review created for Texas Woman’s University graduate level class*

1.       BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. 2005. HITLER YOUTH: GROWING UP IN HITLER’S SHADOW. New York. Scholastic Nonficiton. ISBN 978-0-439-35379-3

2.       SUMMARY

Hitler Youth describes the youth who followed Hitler, as well as young people who opposed him.  The book describes the Hitler Youth, or Hitlerjugend, an organization of teenagers that were dedicated to the leader of the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, or the Nazi party.  Bartoletti describes the mandatory participation in the Hitler Youth, the increasing responsibility of the Youth, the fanaticism of some members, and the courage of others to resist the Nazi regime.

3.       CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Bartoletti describes, with heart wrenching sadness, the corruption of the German youth and the lies Hitler told the children, and their families.  She uses quotes from members of the Hitler Youth as well as stark black and white photographs to show the systematic corruption and betrayal of the Hitler Youth.  Her book is visually grabbing through her use of photographs.  She captures the reader’s attention and keeps the reader wanting to know the fate of the members.  She showcases the increased discontent and rebellion of Sophie and Hans Scholl, young college students who became involved in the White Rose.  The White Rose was a group of students from the University of Munich who decided to speak out against the horrors and atrocities of Hitler’s regime; an action that would lead to their execution.  Hans was a young man who had at first been an eager member of the Hitler Youth, but had “rebelled against the conformity and loss of individual rights.” 

Bartoletti does an excellent job of sharing information and facts about the Hitlerjugend.  She invites readers to learn more with every page, but is careful to not overload the reader with information.  In addition, she does a wonderful job of maintaining the timeline of war in relation to increased involvement of the Hitler Youth.  In addition to her superb writing style, she also has a section at the end that gives further information about the German youth that are mentioned in Hitler Youth.  This is a fascinating section and invites readers to learn more about the Holocaust and war.  Hitler Youth has a bibliography section that includes more than 100 sources, many of them from firsthand accounts.  It is hard to imagine anyone not wanting to learn more about the Holocaust and World War II after reading Hitler Youth. 

In 1932, Hitler asked, “What can happen to a people whose youth sacrifices everything in order to serve its great ideals?” As Bartoletti says, “No one could have predicted the answer to that question”.  She also leaves us with one startling thought, “could another despot like Hitler rise to power on the shoulders of young people?” 

4.       REVIEWS/AWARDS

ALA Notable Children’s Book

Newbery Honor Book

Robert F. Sibert Honor Book

“ Essential for WWII collections as well as teaching units on conformity, peer pressure and resistance. Superb. “ … Kirkus Reviews

 “This excellent history shows how he attempted to carry out his mission with the establishment of the Hitler Youth.” … Starred review from School Library Journal

5.       CONNECTIONS

Read A Child of Hitler: Germany in the Days When God Wore a Swastika, The Burden of Hitler’s Legacy, and Parallel Journeys by Alfons Heck (Former Hitler Youth featured in Hitler Youth.  Parallel Journeys coauthored with an Auschwitz survivor

Read Through Hell for Hitler and A Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Germany in the 1930s by Henry Metelmann (Former Hitler Youth featured in Hitler Youth)

Read On the Run in Nazi Berlin (Featured in Hitler Youth, a Jewish youth during WWII)

Watch the documentary, Heil Hitler! Confessions of a Hitler Youth based on Alfons Heck. 

Read The Price: The True Story of a Mormon Who Defied Hitler by Karl-Heinz Schnibbe (a teen who defied Hitler with Helmuth Hubner, who died for his friends and his beliefs, and Rudi Wobbe)

Watch Truth and Conviction: The Helmuth Hubener Story about Helmuth Huebner, Karl-Heinz Scnibbe and Rudi Wobbe

Read Before the Blood Tribunal coauthored by Rudi Wobbe. 

Read The White Rose: Munich 1942-1943 by Inge Scholl, sister of Sophie and Hans Scholl who died for their convictions

Read The Diary of Anne Frank

Read other books written by Holocasut survivors; Primo Levi, Nechama Tec among others. 

Look at http://www.holocaustsurvivors.org/ a website about survivors of the Holocaust

Ask children to consider how the world would be different if Nazi Germany had won the war

Final Thoughts

Some of the most atrocious crimes ever committed in the history of mankind were committed during the Holocaust; as members of the human race, no matter what creed, nationality, sex, religion, or sexual orientation, we are bound by our duty to remember it.

“Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it.”  Edmund Burke

“History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.” Maya Angelou

Works Cited

Brainy Quote. Accessed July 17, 2012. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/history.html.

Kirkus Reviews. "Hitler Youth ." Accessed July 17, 2012. http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/susan-campbell-bartoletti/hitler-youth/#review.

Menszer, John. Holocaust Survivors. Accessed July 17, 2012. http://www.holocaustsurvivors.org/.

Medlar, Andrew. "Book of the Week." School Library Journal. Accessed July 17, 2012. http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA604629.html.

Knights and Castles by Seymour Simon

Knights and Castles by Simon Seymour

*Review created for Texas Woman’s University graduate level class*

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

             Simon, Seymour.2006. KNIGHTS AND CASTLES. San Francisco, CA. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0-8118-5408-5

            2. SUMMARY

            Simon entrances young children with information on knights, castles, and lords in the Middle Ages.  In addition, Simon provides information on the weaponry and armor of knights, as well as their training.  Boys at the age of 7 were sent away to begin training as a knight; at the age of 14 they were made squires, and at 21 they were finally made a knight. 

3. CRITICAL REVIEW

Jousting, swords, lances, arrows, crossbows, horses and armor; what do these all have in common?  Knights and the castles they lived in.  Simon presents Knights and Castles in a comprehensive format for children between the ages of 7-9.  Simon uses visually attractive photographs of the armor, clothing, weaponry, and castles, interspersed with text.  The text is filled with factual information about how knights lived, the armor and weaponry of the Middle Ages, as well as the castles and keeps they built for defense and survival.

In addition to his splendid style of engaging children, he also gives the pronunciation of unfamiliar words such as Renaissance, jousting, mythological among others, to help children and their pronunciation.  Simon captures the reader’s attention, but does not overload the reader with information; just another example of his superb style.  Knights and Castles is sure to engage children with its story like quality, visually entertaining pictures, and interesting facts about knights.  Did you know that a trained archer could fire 12 arrows a minute?  I didn’t. 

4. REVIEWS/AWARDS

“Large, bright pictures instantly engage readers in the subject”… Chronicle Books

Author is the winner of several different awards, including the Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children

Author of more than 250 children’s science books

5. CONNECTIONS

Read other nonfiction books by Seymour Science

Have children create their own nonfiction book about any topic

Read other books, both nonfiction and fiction, about knights, castles, and the Middle Ages

Make fake armor out of cardboard and aluminum foil

Have children create their own coat of arms on a cardboard shield

Do a general ancestry search, perhaps some of the children are related to knights

Works Cited

Powell's Books. "Knights and Castles." Accessed July 14, 2012. http://www.powells.com/biblio?show=TRADE%20PAPER:USED:9780811854092:2.50#synopses_and_reviews.

Seymour Simon. "About Seymour Simon." Accessed July 14, 2012. http://www.seymoursimon.com/index.php/about_seymour_simon/bio/.

Lafayette and the American Revolution by Russell Freedman

Lafayette and the American Revolution by Russell Freedman

*Review created for Texas Woman’s University graduate level class*

1.       BIBLIOGRAPHY

Freedman, Russell. 2010. LAFAYETTE AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. New York. Holiday House. ISBN 978-0-8234-2182-4

2.       SUMMARY

Freedman brings to life one of the most intriguing heroes of the Revolutionary War; a young, French nobleman who believed risked the anger of king, country, and family to fight.  Freedman describes the life of Gilbert de Lafayette, a 19 year old, French marquis, who helped a group of colonies become a nation.  Lafayette played a pivotal role in the American Revolution, won the respect of his soldiers, Native Americans, congressman, and George Washington.  He often bought supplies for his men, using his personal fortune, and was a key figure in the Battle of Yorktown, the last major battle in the war. 

3.       CRITICAL REVIEW

Freedman portrays 19 year old marquis de Lafayette.  Freedman’s use of photographs and other images help gain the attention of readers.  Lafayette and the American Revolution showcases his talent of merging text and visuals in an entertaining informational book.  Lafayette is organized in a way that makes it easy for readers to understand.  He includes a time line of events, notes and citations by chapter, picture credits, and an index for readers.  This is a wonderful resource to help teach children how to use common organizational tools used in informational texts. 

In addition to his organization and style, Freedman provides source notes and citations for his information and includes quotes from letters.  These materials are a demonstration to the accuracy of the book.  The letters are written to a variety of people; Adrienne (his wife), as well as George Washington among others.  In one letter to Lafayette, Washington writes “whether that was the last sight I ever should have of you? And though I wished to say no, my fears answered yes.”  It is through the letters and accounts of Washington and his aides that we see the friendship and respect that Lafayette gained from Washington, his men, and other key figures, all while serving as an unpaid general.  Lafayette was also a key figure in gaining recognition and aid from France.  In summary, any child interested in the Revolution will find Lafayette and the American Revolution worthy of attention. 

4.       REVIEWS/AWARDS

“a gorgeously illustrated, beautifully laid out production in an oversized format.”  School Library Journal

Robert F. Sibert Honor Book

“Freedman knows how to distill a lively and focused story from a swamp of information on a much-studied subject, writing with an acute eye for fascinating detail and significant facts.” Starred Kirkus review

5.       CONNECTIONS

Read Washington at Valley Forge, and The Boston Tea Partyby Russell Freedman

Create a timeline of the American Revolution with major battles and events

Read other books written about Lafayette, Washington and others.

Learn more about the War of 1812

Watch The Crossing starring Jeff Daniels about Washington crossing the Delaware River during winter and attacking the Hessian Army in Trenton

Read the historical fiction novel Time Enough for Drums by Ann Rinaldi about a teen girl and her experiences during the war-this would be a good book to read with the movie The Crossing because the story is set in Trenton. 

Works Cited

Hunt, Jonathan. "Best Books." School Library Journal. Accessed July 17, 2012. http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/heavymedal/2010/11/17/best-books/.

Kirkus Reviews. "Lafayette and the American Revolution." Accessed July 17, 2012. http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/russell-freedman/lafayette-and-american-revolution/#review. 

Mirror Mirror by Marilyn Singer

Mirror Mirror by Marilyn Singer

*Review created for Texas Woman’s University graduate level class*

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

                Singer, Marilyn. 2010. MIRROR MIRROR. Ill by Josée Masse. New York, New York. Dutton Children’s Books. ISBN 978-0-525-47901-7

2. SUMMARY

Mirror Mirror is a book of poetry based on fairy tales.  What makes this so interesting is that the poetry is in reverse and only changes in punctuation and capitalization can be made.  In essence, you have two poems, from two different viewpoints.  Did you ever wonder how Rumplestiltskin must feel, or how about the giant in Jack and the Beanstalk?  Now is your chance to find out!

3. CRITICAL REVIEWS

Singer’s reversible poetry is fun and engaging; children and adults are sure to like it.  The rhythm in this book tends to be short lines and creates an interesting, staccato, beat when read aloud.  This poem begs to be read aloud because of its fun, interesting, rhythm, and superb rhyming.  The rhyming does not feel forced, or lose any of its meaning.  Singer uses the long “a” and “o” in many of the reversible poems, which adds musicality to the poetry.  Children are going to love reading this aloud and discovering how musical Singer’s poetry is. 

The language Singer uses create a visual image of the poetry that children will love.

A moist muzzle

can welcome

a rose.

A hairy ear

can prize

a nightingale, singing.

(Marilyn Singer, “Mirror Mirror”)

Her use of imagery is perfect for children, her imagery is fun and interesting such as “a hairy ear” or “all that pale, tangled, dangling hair”.  In addition to her use of imagery, she also connects with readers emotionally, especially through humor.  Two of my favorite poems are told through the eyes of the The Sleeping Beauty and The Prince.  Sleeping Beauty complains about having to sleep all the time and being stuck inside.  The Prince complains about how he always has to work, “hacking through briars” and never being able to sleep.

The illustrations, done by Masse, are beautifully rendered and portray some of the common motifs of fairy tales, such as the rose in Beauty and the Beast, or the bone that Hansel holds out to the witch in Hansel and Gretel.  The illustrations do not help the move the poetry along, but helps clarify the poem.  It is visually entertaining for children.   All in all, Singer does a wonderful job of creating a stunning book of fairy tale poems that help children understand that in stories, and in life, there are always two sides to every tale.  After all if

A beast

can love

beauty.

Then surely

Beauty

can love

a Beast.

(Marilyn Singer, “Mirror, Mirror”)

It’s amazing what punctuation and capitalization can do.

4. REVIEWS/AWARDS

ALA Notable

Cybil Award in Poetry

Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee

5. CONNECTIONS

Read other reversible poetry, or other poetry books by Marilyn Singer.

Have a Skype appearance by Marilyn Singer, and read other poetry and books by her.

Have children try to create their own reversible poetry.

Have the children read aloud the poetry using props.

Works Cited

Marilyn Singer. "Poetry." Accessed July 3, 2012. http://marilynsinger.net/books/mirror-mirror-dutton-2010/. 

We Are America by Walter Dean Meyers

We Are America by Walter Dean Myers

*Review created for Texas Woman’s University graduate level class*

1. BIBLIOHRAPHY

Myers, Walter Dean. 2011. WE ARE AMERICA. Ill by Christopher Myers. New York, New York. Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 978-0-06052308-4

2. SUMMARY

The book is written in free verse poetry and tells the story of America through its citizens, and alternates between  poetry and a quote by an American.  Included are quotes by Edward Johnson, The Declarations of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, Tecumseh, Andrew Hamilton, and more.

3. CRITICAL REVIEW

Myers creates a masterpiece of discovery.  His book about what it is to be an American is enlightening, as well as beautiful.  Myers uses metaphors to great effect when he describes Americans.  For instance, “we were machines belching smoke” when he describes the industrial efforts of Americans.  The author uses a short, staccato, beat to help add meaning to the poem.  The poem is free verse although there is some rhyming, such as

We wanted to be free of tyranny

Free from kings and queens

To pursue our own ideas

Our own destiny.

(Walter Dean Myers, “We Are America”)

The author has a good command of poetry and uses imagery to help readers imagine the life of Americans.  It is hard to choose which lines best show his exquisite imagery.  This line comes close;

Freedom like water on the tongues of thirsting men

freedom as sweet as young love.

(Walter Dean Myers, “We Are America”)

 These lines are beautifully rendered and help the reader connect to the best part of America; the freedoms that we have and fought for. The illustrations, done by Christopher Myers, his son, are beautifully rendered and help portray the poem, as well as provide another dimension to the poems.  In one illustration, which was done in pastels and dark colors, show a slave with his scarred back, men lying dead after the Battle at Wounded Knee, and Japanese Americans behind a fence; these images show some of the darkest moments in our history.  At the end of the book, Myers has a brief paragraph describing each of the quotes, and some information about the author of the quotes.

The reader is able to connect emotionally to the poem, because every American is able to understand the hope for a better future, and the regret of mistakes made in the past.  Myers describes America through the eyes of factory workers, Native Americans, civil rights fighters, soldiers, immigrants, and above all, dreamers.  He describes America, the good, the bad, and the promise of a better life. 

To each heart give the promise

Of America.

(Walter Dean Myers, “We Are America”)

4. REVIEWS

“The Myers team shares their heartfelt and stirring vision of an America flawed but filled with promises and dreams”… Kirkus Reviews

“A thought-provoking and largely accomplished work for students of American history”... Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library

“Readers will take every opportunity to pause and reflect and trace their fingers along the glorious artwork. Stunning”… Kikrus Reviews

5. CONNECTIONS

Read other books written by Walter Dean Myers such as Here in Harlem.

Learn more about some of the events mentioned in the poem such as the Japanese Americans placed in internment camps during World War II, or about the Native American and American relations such as Wounded Knee, or the Cherokee Trail of Tears.

Have children create a poem about what they feel is it to be an American, and then publish them online, or hang them up in the hallways at school. 

Listen to the short interview the author gives about We Are America on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDQXjG0hjLQ

Works Cited

Kirkus Reviews. "We Are America." Accessed July 2, 2012. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/walter-dean-myers/we-are-america/#review.

School Library Journal. "SLJ's Recent Reviews of Walter Dean Myers Books." Accessed July 2, 2012. http://www.slj.com/slj/home/893229-312/sljs_recent_reviews_of_walter.html.csp.

You Tube. "We Are America: Walter Dean Myers and Christopher Myers." Accessed July 2, 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDQXjG0hjLQ. 

Crossing Stones by Helen Frost

Crossing Stones by Helen Frost

*Review created for Texas Woman’s University graduate level class*

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Frost, Helen. 2009. CROSSING STONES. New York, New York. Frances Foster Books. ISBN 978-0-374-31653-2

2. SUMMARY

        Crossing Stones, a verse novel, focuses on the lives of three characters, the siblings Muriel and Ollie, and on Emma, their next door neighbor.  The novel tells the story of their life, their hardships and triumphs during World War I through poetry.  Muriel, who is a free thinker, faces criticism for her dislike of the war. Ollie makes the decision to leave home and school, and lies about his age to enlist.  Emma is friends with Muriel, but often does not know why Muriel is discontented with her life; Emma is content with the thought of marrying and raising kids of her own one day.  Through the verse of Emma, Ollie, and Muriel,  we see Frank.  Frank, in love with Muriel, never makes it back home.  Ollie manages to return home from war, missing his arm, and scarred emotionally from the horrors of war, but is able to connect with Emma.  Muriel finds her path, and as her mother says, “some women seem to prefer to rock the boat”. 

3. CRITICAL REVIEWS

Crossing Stones is written in a beautiful cupped hand sonnet form in which the first line rhymes with the last, the second line rhymes with the second to last line, and so on.  The rhyming is not noticeable at first, but after multiple readings, the rhyme becomes visible.  The pattern of the verse novel is also interesting.  Muriel’s poems are laid out, according to Richie Partington’s review, like a river; Ollie and Emma’s poems are like the stepping stones (helenfrost.net, 2010).  The sound of the verse novel reads very similar to that of a book, but still wonderful to read aloud.  Frost uses some alliteration as seen in the line, “such good solid stuff” throughout the novel.   Frost does a wonderful job of changing the styles depending on the character she is trying to portray.  The rhythm of the novel changes from character to character, Frost does a beautiful job of differentiating between the voices of the novel.  Ollie’s voice is much different from that of Muriel. Muriel’s voice is made of a mixture of long and short lines, with a flowing rhythm, whereas Ollie tends to have mostly long lines, although his format changes with his surroundings, during war they are short lines, succinct.  He does have longer verses, and Emma tends to follow the same format.   
Frost is a master at using metaphors.  I am chilled by her description of Muriel’s reaction to seeing that Ollie has lost his arm;

the absence of Ollie’s right arm spreads

icy fingers over me.

(Helen Frost, “Crossing Stones”)

  Frost uses imagery to great effect as well.  Her words help bring to life how the characters feel, or the scenery.  The line “the crunch of dry leaves” is especially vivid to me.   Another aspect of the superb command of poetry Frost has is her use of similes.  Her use of “it’s spreading like an epidemic” clearly shows how Emma feels about all of the young men in her class going off to war, and helps the reader become emotionally connected.  In other areas we see the dread Muriel feels when she sees that Ollie has lost his arm, the terror Muriel feels when she sees the messenger coming to bear bad news, and the relief when she realizes that the news is meant for her neighbors, the sadness when Emma and her family receive the news that Frank is dead, and even humor when Ollie falls into Crabapple Creek.  Crossing Stones is an engaging, beautiful story about the hardships of war, as well as the moving tale of a young woman who finds her place as a suffragist and teacher. Crossing Stones is a stunning example of a verse novel for young adults. 

4. REVIEWS

“This gorgeous collection of "cupped-hand" sonnets tells the story of two families whose lives are forever changed by World War I”… Kirkus Reviews

Lee Bennett Hopkins Award, Honor Book

YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2010

5. CONNECTIONS

Look at World War I or women’s suffrage history

Class art project-create a river (paste Muriel’s words in the water) with stepping stones (paste Ollie and Emma’s words on the stones).

Create a diorama of both farms with Crabapple Creek and two farm houses. 

Create a purple and gold suffrage sash, or a banner.

Watch the movie Iron Jawed Angels about the suffragists and their war time protests, arrest, and hunger strike. 

Works Cited

Helen Frost. "Crossing Stones." Accessed July 2, 2012. http://www.helenfrost.net/item.php?postid=27.

Kirkus Reviews. "Crossing Stones." Accessed July 2, 2012. http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/helen-frost/crossing-stones/.