Sunday, November 22, 2009
Review of THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Gaimin, Neil. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. Ill. by Dave McKean. 2008. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780060530921
2. PLOT SUMMARY
When a man named Jack, murders his family, a boy escapes by crawling out of his crib, to a nearby cemetery. Jack is still in pursuit, but the boys mother, who is a ghost now, begs the other ghosts in the cemetery to save her son and raise him. A couple, The Owens, agree to raise him, and another, Silas, agrees to help. They save the baby from Jack, and since the baby has no name, they call him Nobody Owens. Nobody grows up as the Owens’s child. He is allowed full access to the graveyard, but can’t leave because the killer Jack is still looking for him. He remains safely in the graveyard, and the characters from the graveyard try and give him an education. They also teach him how to fade, which comes in handy during his time at the graveyard. He makes a human friend named Scarlett, but her family soon moves away. As Nobody gets older, he finds that he is very lonely and yearns for the outside world. The Owens and Silas agree to let Nobody enroll in a school in the village. Things go okay for a time, but Nobody takes up for a bullied child, and his parents feel it is too risky for him to continue school in the real world. When he is fifteen, Scarlett comes back into his life. They form a great friendship. Scarlett also forms a friendship with the graveyard caretaker, Mr. Frost. He turns out to be Jack and tricks Nobody and Scarlett into going to his home, which is where Nobody’s family was murdered years ago. He tries to murder Nobody. We also find out that Jack is a member of a club called the “Jacks of All Trades.” They are a group of important Jacks that murder people. Nobody fades to get away and locks Jack in a room upstairs. He and Scarlett escape to the graveyard as three other Jacks show up. The other Jacks let Jack out of the room and they head for the graveyard to carry out their plan of murdering Nobody. Nobody is successful, with the help of his graveyard friends, to kill all the Jacks. Scarlett is horrified that Nobody could kill the Jacks and Silas has to erase her memory of Nobody and everything that happened. Nobody is sad because he has lost his only friend in the real world. Scarlett and her mother move away. Now that the Jacks are no longer searching for him, Nobody is now allowed to leave the graveyard and begin his life in the living world.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is great reading for grades 7-12. I read a few chapters to my 6th graders and they had a hard time following. My GT students in 6th grade however, are reading it on their own. This book has one of the most exciting first chapters that I have ever read. The plot and characters are well developed and the authors vivid descriptions take us away to this other world, the world of the dead. The plot draws you into the story. You must find out why this Jack is after Nobody, and why he murdered Nobody’s family. The characters created that exist in the graveyard, are original. Some are hilarious and others quite scary. The characters come from all different periods in time, and their language is true to their historical periods.
I was disappointed with the ending of the book. I wanted Nobody to end up with Scarlett, and have her helping him survive in the world of the living. I was also disappointed that Scarlett’s memory of Nobody had to be erased because she considered him a murderer. He saved her life, so I thought that this was not what this character would think or do. Even when her memory was erased, I wanted Nobody to leave the graveyard and find Scarlett by chance and the two could have some secret connection and become friends again. I found it very depressing that he just left the graveyard with no friends or family.
I also didn’t like the reason that Jack murdered Nobody’s family. I was expecting some intricate murder plot caused by revenge, jealousy, family secrets, or greed. I was really disappointed when I realized that Jack just murdered the family because that is what the Jacks do.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Review: “Grade 5–8—Somewhere in contemporary Britain, "the man Jack" uses his razor-sharp knife to murder a family, but the youngest, a toddler, slips away. The boy ends up in a graveyard, where the ghostly inhabitants adopt him to keep him safe. Nobody Owens, so named because he "looks like nobody but himself," grows up among a multigenerational cast of characters from different historical periods that includes matronly Mistress Owens; ancient Roman Caius Pompeius; an opinionated young witch; a melodramatic hack poet; and Bod's beloved mentor and guardian, Silas, who is neither living nor dead and has secrets of his own. As he grows up, Bod has a series of adventures, both in and out of the graveyard, and the threat of the man Jack who continues to hunt for him is ever present. Bod's love for his graveyard family and vice versa provide the emotional center, amid suspense, spot-on humor, and delightful scene-setting. The child Bod's behavior is occasionally too precocious to be believed, and a series of puns on the name Jack render the villain a bit less frightening than he should be, though only momentarily. Aside from these small flaws, however, Gaiman has created a rich, surprising, and sometimes disturbing tale of dreams, ghouls, murderers, trickery, and family.”
BOOKLIST Review: “*Starred Review* While a highly motivated killer murders his family, a baby, ignorant of the horrific goings-on but bent on independence, pulls himself out of his crib and toddles out of the house and into the night. This is most unfortunate for the killer, since the baby was his prime target. Finding his way through the barred fence of an ancient graveyard, the baby is discovered by Mr. and Mrs. Owens, a stable and caring couple with no children of their own—and who just happen to be dead. After much debate with the graveyard’s rather opinionated denizens, it is decided that the Owens’s will take in the child. Under their care and the sponsorship of the mysterious Silas, the baby is named “Nobody” and raised among the dead to protect him from the killer, who relentlessly pursues him. This is an utterly captivating tale that is cleverly told through an entertaining cast of ghostly characters. There is plenty of darkness, but the novel’s ultimate message is strong and life affirming. Although marketed to the younger YA set, this is a rich story with broad appeal and is highly recommended for teens of all ages. Grades 6-10.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Students could read the descriptions of the characters and pick one to illustrate. Students could display their vision of the characters. Students could also illustrate the graveyard, and then make a display with their characters in their vision of the graveyard.
Students could write epitaphs for themselves or a friend. What would you say about yourself at this time in your life? What would you say about your best friend, teacher, principal, or family member. Students could make a display and share.
Students could write a paper about what they think Nobody did after he left the graveyard. Where did he go and how did he connect with others?
Students could research the author, Neil Gaiman and his other books. They
could research his biography and the class could read some of his other books. CORALINE or M IS FOR MAGIC.
Gaimin, Neil. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. Ill. by Dave McKean. 2008. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780060530921
2. PLOT SUMMARY
When a man named Jack, murders his family, a boy escapes by crawling out of his crib, to a nearby cemetery. Jack is still in pursuit, but the boys mother, who is a ghost now, begs the other ghosts in the cemetery to save her son and raise him. A couple, The Owens, agree to raise him, and another, Silas, agrees to help. They save the baby from Jack, and since the baby has no name, they call him Nobody Owens. Nobody grows up as the Owens’s child. He is allowed full access to the graveyard, but can’t leave because the killer Jack is still looking for him. He remains safely in the graveyard, and the characters from the graveyard try and give him an education. They also teach him how to fade, which comes in handy during his time at the graveyard. He makes a human friend named Scarlett, but her family soon moves away. As Nobody gets older, he finds that he is very lonely and yearns for the outside world. The Owens and Silas agree to let Nobody enroll in a school in the village. Things go okay for a time, but Nobody takes up for a bullied child, and his parents feel it is too risky for him to continue school in the real world. When he is fifteen, Scarlett comes back into his life. They form a great friendship. Scarlett also forms a friendship with the graveyard caretaker, Mr. Frost. He turns out to be Jack and tricks Nobody and Scarlett into going to his home, which is where Nobody’s family was murdered years ago. He tries to murder Nobody. We also find out that Jack is a member of a club called the “Jacks of All Trades.” They are a group of important Jacks that murder people. Nobody fades to get away and locks Jack in a room upstairs. He and Scarlett escape to the graveyard as three other Jacks show up. The other Jacks let Jack out of the room and they head for the graveyard to carry out their plan of murdering Nobody. Nobody is successful, with the help of his graveyard friends, to kill all the Jacks. Scarlett is horrified that Nobody could kill the Jacks and Silas has to erase her memory of Nobody and everything that happened. Nobody is sad because he has lost his only friend in the real world. Scarlett and her mother move away. Now that the Jacks are no longer searching for him, Nobody is now allowed to leave the graveyard and begin his life in the living world.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is great reading for grades 7-12. I read a few chapters to my 6th graders and they had a hard time following. My GT students in 6th grade however, are reading it on their own. This book has one of the most exciting first chapters that I have ever read. The plot and characters are well developed and the authors vivid descriptions take us away to this other world, the world of the dead. The plot draws you into the story. You must find out why this Jack is after Nobody, and why he murdered Nobody’s family. The characters created that exist in the graveyard, are original. Some are hilarious and others quite scary. The characters come from all different periods in time, and their language is true to their historical periods.
I was disappointed with the ending of the book. I wanted Nobody to end up with Scarlett, and have her helping him survive in the world of the living. I was also disappointed that Scarlett’s memory of Nobody had to be erased because she considered him a murderer. He saved her life, so I thought that this was not what this character would think or do. Even when her memory was erased, I wanted Nobody to leave the graveyard and find Scarlett by chance and the two could have some secret connection and become friends again. I found it very depressing that he just left the graveyard with no friends or family.
I also didn’t like the reason that Jack murdered Nobody’s family. I was expecting some intricate murder plot caused by revenge, jealousy, family secrets, or greed. I was really disappointed when I realized that Jack just murdered the family because that is what the Jacks do.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Review: “Grade 5–8—Somewhere in contemporary Britain, "the man Jack" uses his razor-sharp knife to murder a family, but the youngest, a toddler, slips away. The boy ends up in a graveyard, where the ghostly inhabitants adopt him to keep him safe. Nobody Owens, so named because he "looks like nobody but himself," grows up among a multigenerational cast of characters from different historical periods that includes matronly Mistress Owens; ancient Roman Caius Pompeius; an opinionated young witch; a melodramatic hack poet; and Bod's beloved mentor and guardian, Silas, who is neither living nor dead and has secrets of his own. As he grows up, Bod has a series of adventures, both in and out of the graveyard, and the threat of the man Jack who continues to hunt for him is ever present. Bod's love for his graveyard family and vice versa provide the emotional center, amid suspense, spot-on humor, and delightful scene-setting. The child Bod's behavior is occasionally too precocious to be believed, and a series of puns on the name Jack render the villain a bit less frightening than he should be, though only momentarily. Aside from these small flaws, however, Gaiman has created a rich, surprising, and sometimes disturbing tale of dreams, ghouls, murderers, trickery, and family.”
BOOKLIST Review: “*Starred Review* While a highly motivated killer murders his family, a baby, ignorant of the horrific goings-on but bent on independence, pulls himself out of his crib and toddles out of the house and into the night. This is most unfortunate for the killer, since the baby was his prime target. Finding his way through the barred fence of an ancient graveyard, the baby is discovered by Mr. and Mrs. Owens, a stable and caring couple with no children of their own—and who just happen to be dead. After much debate with the graveyard’s rather opinionated denizens, it is decided that the Owens’s will take in the child. Under their care and the sponsorship of the mysterious Silas, the baby is named “Nobody” and raised among the dead to protect him from the killer, who relentlessly pursues him. This is an utterly captivating tale that is cleverly told through an entertaining cast of ghostly characters. There is plenty of darkness, but the novel’s ultimate message is strong and life affirming. Although marketed to the younger YA set, this is a rich story with broad appeal and is highly recommended for teens of all ages. Grades 6-10.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Students could read the descriptions of the characters and pick one to illustrate. Students could display their vision of the characters. Students could also illustrate the graveyard, and then make a display with their characters in their vision of the graveyard.
Students could write epitaphs for themselves or a friend. What would you say about yourself at this time in your life? What would you say about your best friend, teacher, principal, or family member. Students could make a display and share.
Students could write a paper about what they think Nobody did after he left the graveyard. Where did he go and how did he connect with others?
Students could research the author, Neil Gaiman and his other books. They
could research his biography and the class could read some of his other books. CORALINE or M IS FOR MAGIC.
Review of DIARY OF A WIMPY KID by Jeff Kinney
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kinney, Jeff. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID. 2007. New York: Amulet Books. ISBN 9780810993136
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Greg, an unpopular junior high student, writes a journal just in case he becomes famous one day. He and his friend Rowley, are considered losers at their junior high school, but they are constantly striving to change this factor. The plot also revolves around a piece of cheese that has been on the basketball court for years. Anyone that touches it, is as unpopular as leprosy was in biblical days. Greg and Rowley taunt some high school kids on Halloween and they barely escape them by running to his grandmother’s house. They wait outside for them but Greg and Rowley get away. The next day, Greg’s grandmother’s house has been egged. Greg rationalizes that it’s okay because she probably didn’t have anything else to do, so being egged will keep her busy. Greg gets into skirmishes with high school kids and junior high bullies, but always seems to come out okay. He is happy to throw his friend Rowley to the wolves if he can save himself. In the end, Greg and Rowley are trapped by the high school boys they taunted on Halloween, and Rowley ends up having to eat “The Cheese.” Greg finally does a good deed, and tells everyone that he threw the cheese away. He is then, of course, ostracized because he has the dreaded “Cheese Touch.” Rowley ends up being the class clown, which is what Greg imagined for himself. In the end, I think everyone gets what they deserve. Rowley gets a little notoriety and Greg is still considered a loser.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is a fun book for grades 3-8. I have five sets of this book in my library, and I can’t keep it on the shelves. Students like it because it is an easy read, and it is funny. I can imagine everything in this book actually happening. This book is what junior high is for many students. It’s surviving by your wits. I don’t see any great moral lessons in this book. It does have Greg finally trying to protect Rowley in the end, but how many times does he let Rowley take the heat for his bad decisions? Sometimes kids don’t want a moral lesson, they just want to laugh. The characters are true to life, and the so are the situations. It should be read for fun, and sometimes that is just what a kid wants or needs.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
BOOKLIST Review: “The first year in the middle-school life of Greg Heffley is chronicled in this laugh-out-loud novel that first appeared on the Internet. Greg tells his story in a series of short, episodic chapters. Most revolve around the adolescent male curse: the need to do incredibly dumb things because they seem to be a good idea at the time. Yet, unlike some other books about kids of this age, there's no sense of a slightly condescending adult writer behind the main character. At every moment, Greg seems real, and the engrossed reader will even occasionally see the logic in some of his choices. Greatly adding to the humor are Kinney's cartoons, which appear on every page. The simple line drawings perfectly capture archetypes of growing up, such as a preschool-age little brother, out-of-touch teachers, and an assortment of class nerds. Lots of fun throughout”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Review: “Grade 5–8. Kinney does a masterful job of making the mundane life of boys on the brink of adolescence hilarious. Greg is a conflicted soul: he wants to do the right thing, but the constant quest for status and girls seems to undermine his every effort. His attempts to prove his worthiness in the popularity race (he estimates he's currently ranked 52nd or 53rd) are constantly foiled by well-meaning parents, a younger and older brother, and nerdy friends. While Greg is not the most principled protagonist, it is his very obliviousness to his faults that makes him such an appealing hero. Kinney's background as a cartoonist is apparent in this hybrid book that falls somewhere between traditional prose and graphic novel. The first of three installments, it is an excellent choice for reluctant readers, but more experienced readers will also find much to enjoy and relate to in one seventh grader's view of the everyday trials and tribulations of middle school.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Have students write about one of the worst things that has ever happened to them at school. Let them present their papers to the class if they want.
You could have a great discussion about the situations Greg gets himself into. Ask students about their own school experiences. It will make for some great discussions.
Students could illustrate a scene from the book. They could make it like a cartoon, or make it more elaborate. Then they could make cartoon captions for the scene.
There is a character chart on Greg Kinney’s website. Students could fill out the charts and compare them with other students. The teacher could list all the adjectives for the characters on the board, and the class could discuss the meanings.
Students could pair up and write questions for an interview with Greg. After they are completed, one student is Greg and the other is the interviewer. Each team could practice and present their interview. Students portraying Greg would have to answer questions like they think Greg would answer.
Students could write a journal like Greg. Language Arts teachers could use this as a writing grade. Students would write in their journals each day about what is going on in their lives. Teachers could do one also, and share some of it with the class.
Kinney, Jeff. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID. 2007. New York: Amulet Books. ISBN 9780810993136
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Greg, an unpopular junior high student, writes a journal just in case he becomes famous one day. He and his friend Rowley, are considered losers at their junior high school, but they are constantly striving to change this factor. The plot also revolves around a piece of cheese that has been on the basketball court for years. Anyone that touches it, is as unpopular as leprosy was in biblical days. Greg and Rowley taunt some high school kids on Halloween and they barely escape them by running to his grandmother’s house. They wait outside for them but Greg and Rowley get away. The next day, Greg’s grandmother’s house has been egged. Greg rationalizes that it’s okay because she probably didn’t have anything else to do, so being egged will keep her busy. Greg gets into skirmishes with high school kids and junior high bullies, but always seems to come out okay. He is happy to throw his friend Rowley to the wolves if he can save himself. In the end, Greg and Rowley are trapped by the high school boys they taunted on Halloween, and Rowley ends up having to eat “The Cheese.” Greg finally does a good deed, and tells everyone that he threw the cheese away. He is then, of course, ostracized because he has the dreaded “Cheese Touch.” Rowley ends up being the class clown, which is what Greg imagined for himself. In the end, I think everyone gets what they deserve. Rowley gets a little notoriety and Greg is still considered a loser.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is a fun book for grades 3-8. I have five sets of this book in my library, and I can’t keep it on the shelves. Students like it because it is an easy read, and it is funny. I can imagine everything in this book actually happening. This book is what junior high is for many students. It’s surviving by your wits. I don’t see any great moral lessons in this book. It does have Greg finally trying to protect Rowley in the end, but how many times does he let Rowley take the heat for his bad decisions? Sometimes kids don’t want a moral lesson, they just want to laugh. The characters are true to life, and the so are the situations. It should be read for fun, and sometimes that is just what a kid wants or needs.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
BOOKLIST Review: “The first year in the middle-school life of Greg Heffley is chronicled in this laugh-out-loud novel that first appeared on the Internet. Greg tells his story in a series of short, episodic chapters. Most revolve around the adolescent male curse: the need to do incredibly dumb things because they seem to be a good idea at the time. Yet, unlike some other books about kids of this age, there's no sense of a slightly condescending adult writer behind the main character. At every moment, Greg seems real, and the engrossed reader will even occasionally see the logic in some of his choices. Greatly adding to the humor are Kinney's cartoons, which appear on every page. The simple line drawings perfectly capture archetypes of growing up, such as a preschool-age little brother, out-of-touch teachers, and an assortment of class nerds. Lots of fun throughout”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Review: “Grade 5–8. Kinney does a masterful job of making the mundane life of boys on the brink of adolescence hilarious. Greg is a conflicted soul: he wants to do the right thing, but the constant quest for status and girls seems to undermine his every effort. His attempts to prove his worthiness in the popularity race (he estimates he's currently ranked 52nd or 53rd) are constantly foiled by well-meaning parents, a younger and older brother, and nerdy friends. While Greg is not the most principled protagonist, it is his very obliviousness to his faults that makes him such an appealing hero. Kinney's background as a cartoonist is apparent in this hybrid book that falls somewhere between traditional prose and graphic novel. The first of three installments, it is an excellent choice for reluctant readers, but more experienced readers will also find much to enjoy and relate to in one seventh grader's view of the everyday trials and tribulations of middle school.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Have students write about one of the worst things that has ever happened to them at school. Let them present their papers to the class if they want.
You could have a great discussion about the situations Greg gets himself into. Ask students about their own school experiences. It will make for some great discussions.
Students could illustrate a scene from the book. They could make it like a cartoon, or make it more elaborate. Then they could make cartoon captions for the scene.
There is a character chart on Greg Kinney’s website. Students could fill out the charts and compare them with other students. The teacher could list all the adjectives for the characters on the board, and the class could discuss the meanings.
Students could pair up and write questions for an interview with Greg. After they are completed, one student is Greg and the other is the interviewer. Each team could practice and present their interview. Students portraying Greg would have to answer questions like they think Greg would answer.
Students could write a journal like Greg. Language Arts teachers could use this as a writing grade. Students would write in their journals each day about what is going on in their lives. Teachers could do one also, and share some of it with the class.
Review of THIS IS HOW I LIVE NOW by Meg Rosoff
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Rosoff, Meg. HOW I LIVE NOW. 2004. New York: Random House. ISBN 0385746776
2. PLOT SUMMARY
A teen-age American girl, Elizabeth, is sent by her father and step-mother, to live in England with her dead mother’s sister and her family. Elizabeth doesn’t get along with her step-mother, and has developed an eating disorder. She arrives in England and meets her new family. Her Aunt Penn lives on a farm in the country. Aunt Penn’s children are Edmond, Isaac, Osbert, and a girl, named Piper. She instantly bonds with the family, and enters into a romantic relationship with Edmond. A war breaks out and the family is separated from Aunt Penn. Then, Piper and Daisy are separated further from Edmond, Isaac, and Osbert. The two girls go to live with a couple, Mr. and Mrs. McEvoy. They go to different areas to do farm chores each day, but one day on the way back to the couple’s home, Mr. McEvoy is shot and killed. The girls, Mrs. McEvoy, and her young son, are taken to a farm, which is also a makeshift army base. The two girls decide to try and get back to their farm. They travel for weeks and finally make it to back home. The home is deserted, except for the corpses of fifteen men, women, and children. They stay on the farm until the war is over. Daisy, is forced by her father to come back to America. There, she enters the hospital. After she is released, she goes back to England to be with Edmond. He has post war trauma because he can’t bear all the terrible things he saw. He was also taken prisoner by the enemy, but later allowed to leave. He hasn’t spoken since the war. Aunt Penn died during the war and Piper, her boyfriend Jonathan, Edmond, and Isaac live at the farm that was their home before the war started. Osment moved out to live with his girlfriend. Daisy arrives and decides to stay on and hope that Edmond will someday recover.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is a great read for grades 9-12. It contains sexual situations, as well as violence. The main character has an eating disorder, as well as emotional turmoil in her relationship with her step-mother. The characters are well developed and we feel their pain. The author’s vivid writing allows us to visualize what war feels like. The story is set in England during a war which has not yet happened. Her description of how a war in modern times would feel like, is very believable. The story is told in the present until Daisy is sent back to America, and then the story fast forwards to six years after the war.
I think most teen-agers can relate to Daisy and how she is forced to be a hero. She has to learn to survive on her own, as well as take care of her cousin Piper. Teen-agers will see that she is an ordinary teen-ager faced with extraordinary conflicts.
I had some problems with the fact that she falls in love with her cousin. I don’t really know how teen-agers will react to that part of the story, but it bothered me. Why couldn’t it have been a friend of the family, or why couldn’t Edmond be adopted?
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY Review: “This riveting first novel paints a frighteningly realistic picture of a world war breaking out in the 21st century. Told from the point of view of 15-year-old Manhattan native Daisy, the novel follows her arrival and her stay with cousins on a remote farm in England. Soon after Daisy settles into their farmhouse, her Aunt Penn becomes stranded in Oslo and terrorists invade and occupy England. Daisy's candid, intelligent narrative draws readers into her very private world, which appears almost utopian at first with no adult supervision (especially by contrast with her home life with her widowed father and his new wife). The heroine finds herself falling in love with cousin Edmond, and the author credibly creates a world in which social taboos are temporarily erased. When soldiers usurp the farm, they send the girls off separately from the boys, and Daisy becomes determined to keep herself and her youngest cousin, Piper, alive. Like the ripple effects of paranoia and panic in society, the changes within Daisy do not occur all at once, but they have dramatic effects. In the span of a few months, she goes from a self-centered, disgruntled teen to a courageous survivor motivated by love and compassion. How she comes to understand the effects the war has had on others provides the greatest evidence of her growth, as well as her motivation to get through to those who seem lost to war's consequences. Teens may feel that they have experienced a war themselves as they vicariously witness Daisy's worst nightmares. Like the heroine, readers will emerge from the rubble much shaken, a little wiser and with perhaps a greater sense of humanity. Ages 12-up.”
BOOKLIST Review: “*Starred Review* Gr. 8-11. A 15-year-old, contemporary urbanite named Daisy, sent to England to summer with relatives, falls in love with her aunt's "oldy worldy" farm and her soulful cousins--especially Edmond, with whom she forms "the world's most inappropriate case of sexual obsession." Matters veer in a startling direction when terrorists strike while Daisy's aunt is out of the country, war erupts, and soldiers divide the cousins by gender between two guardians. Determined to rejoin Edmond, Daisy and her youngest cousin embark upon a dangerous journey that brings them face to face with horrific violence and undreamt-of deprivation. Just prior to the hopeful conclusion, Rosoff introduces a jolting leap forward in time accompanied by an evocative graphic device that will undoubtedly spark lively discussions. As for the incestuous romance, Daisy and Edmond's separation for most of the novel and the obvious emotional sustenance Daisy draws from their bond sensitively shift the focus away from the relationship's implicit (and potentially discomfiting) physical dimension. More central to the potency of Rosoff's debut, though, is the ominous prognostication of what a third world war might look like, and the opportunity it provides for teens to imagine themselves, like Daisy, exhibiting courage and resilience in roles traditionally occupied by earlier generations.”
5. CONNECTIONS
The internet claims that this book is going to become a movie. Students could write about what actor and actress they think should play the characters Edmond and Daisy in the movie and why.
Students could make a display of things they would take with them if they were forced to leave their homes. What would they take with them if they had five minutes to pack. Students could explain to the class why they would take the items chosen. Students could then compare their items with other classmates.
Students could also make a chart of one of the main characters, and come up with adjectives to describe them before the war, and then after the war. Then present their display to the class.
Students could also write a paper about the changes one of the main characters goes through because of the war.
Rosoff, Meg. HOW I LIVE NOW. 2004. New York: Random House. ISBN 0385746776
2. PLOT SUMMARY
A teen-age American girl, Elizabeth, is sent by her father and step-mother, to live in England with her dead mother’s sister and her family. Elizabeth doesn’t get along with her step-mother, and has developed an eating disorder. She arrives in England and meets her new family. Her Aunt Penn lives on a farm in the country. Aunt Penn’s children are Edmond, Isaac, Osbert, and a girl, named Piper. She instantly bonds with the family, and enters into a romantic relationship with Edmond. A war breaks out and the family is separated from Aunt Penn. Then, Piper and Daisy are separated further from Edmond, Isaac, and Osbert. The two girls go to live with a couple, Mr. and Mrs. McEvoy. They go to different areas to do farm chores each day, but one day on the way back to the couple’s home, Mr. McEvoy is shot and killed. The girls, Mrs. McEvoy, and her young son, are taken to a farm, which is also a makeshift army base. The two girls decide to try and get back to their farm. They travel for weeks and finally make it to back home. The home is deserted, except for the corpses of fifteen men, women, and children. They stay on the farm until the war is over. Daisy, is forced by her father to come back to America. There, she enters the hospital. After she is released, she goes back to England to be with Edmond. He has post war trauma because he can’t bear all the terrible things he saw. He was also taken prisoner by the enemy, but later allowed to leave. He hasn’t spoken since the war. Aunt Penn died during the war and Piper, her boyfriend Jonathan, Edmond, and Isaac live at the farm that was their home before the war started. Osment moved out to live with his girlfriend. Daisy arrives and decides to stay on and hope that Edmond will someday recover.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is a great read for grades 9-12. It contains sexual situations, as well as violence. The main character has an eating disorder, as well as emotional turmoil in her relationship with her step-mother. The characters are well developed and we feel their pain. The author’s vivid writing allows us to visualize what war feels like. The story is set in England during a war which has not yet happened. Her description of how a war in modern times would feel like, is very believable. The story is told in the present until Daisy is sent back to America, and then the story fast forwards to six years after the war.
I think most teen-agers can relate to Daisy and how she is forced to be a hero. She has to learn to survive on her own, as well as take care of her cousin Piper. Teen-agers will see that she is an ordinary teen-ager faced with extraordinary conflicts.
I had some problems with the fact that she falls in love with her cousin. I don’t really know how teen-agers will react to that part of the story, but it bothered me. Why couldn’t it have been a friend of the family, or why couldn’t Edmond be adopted?
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY Review: “This riveting first novel paints a frighteningly realistic picture of a world war breaking out in the 21st century. Told from the point of view of 15-year-old Manhattan native Daisy, the novel follows her arrival and her stay with cousins on a remote farm in England. Soon after Daisy settles into their farmhouse, her Aunt Penn becomes stranded in Oslo and terrorists invade and occupy England. Daisy's candid, intelligent narrative draws readers into her very private world, which appears almost utopian at first with no adult supervision (especially by contrast with her home life with her widowed father and his new wife). The heroine finds herself falling in love with cousin Edmond, and the author credibly creates a world in which social taboos are temporarily erased. When soldiers usurp the farm, they send the girls off separately from the boys, and Daisy becomes determined to keep herself and her youngest cousin, Piper, alive. Like the ripple effects of paranoia and panic in society, the changes within Daisy do not occur all at once, but they have dramatic effects. In the span of a few months, she goes from a self-centered, disgruntled teen to a courageous survivor motivated by love and compassion. How she comes to understand the effects the war has had on others provides the greatest evidence of her growth, as well as her motivation to get through to those who seem lost to war's consequences. Teens may feel that they have experienced a war themselves as they vicariously witness Daisy's worst nightmares. Like the heroine, readers will emerge from the rubble much shaken, a little wiser and with perhaps a greater sense of humanity. Ages 12-up.”
BOOKLIST Review: “*Starred Review* Gr. 8-11. A 15-year-old, contemporary urbanite named Daisy, sent to England to summer with relatives, falls in love with her aunt's "oldy worldy" farm and her soulful cousins--especially Edmond, with whom she forms "the world's most inappropriate case of sexual obsession." Matters veer in a startling direction when terrorists strike while Daisy's aunt is out of the country, war erupts, and soldiers divide the cousins by gender between two guardians. Determined to rejoin Edmond, Daisy and her youngest cousin embark upon a dangerous journey that brings them face to face with horrific violence and undreamt-of deprivation. Just prior to the hopeful conclusion, Rosoff introduces a jolting leap forward in time accompanied by an evocative graphic device that will undoubtedly spark lively discussions. As for the incestuous romance, Daisy and Edmond's separation for most of the novel and the obvious emotional sustenance Daisy draws from their bond sensitively shift the focus away from the relationship's implicit (and potentially discomfiting) physical dimension. More central to the potency of Rosoff's debut, though, is the ominous prognostication of what a third world war might look like, and the opportunity it provides for teens to imagine themselves, like Daisy, exhibiting courage and resilience in roles traditionally occupied by earlier generations.”
5. CONNECTIONS
The internet claims that this book is going to become a movie. Students could write about what actor and actress they think should play the characters Edmond and Daisy in the movie and why.
Students could make a display of things they would take with them if they were forced to leave their homes. What would they take with them if they had five minutes to pack. Students could explain to the class why they would take the items chosen. Students could then compare their items with other classmates.
Students could also make a chart of one of the main characters, and come up with adjectives to describe them before the war, and then after the war. Then present their display to the class.
Students could also write a paper about the changes one of the main characters goes through because of the war.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Review of THE RIVER BETWEEN US by Richard Peck
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Peck, Richard. THE RIVER BETWEEN US. 2003. New York: Dial Group. ISBN 0803727356
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In 1916, a father and his three sons go to Illinois to visit the father’s family. The boys meet their Grandma Tilly, her husband, their great uncle Noah, and his dying wife, Delphine. The story then goes back to 1861, as Grandma Tilly tells the boys about the history of their family during the Civil War. Grandma Tilly and Noah were siblings. They had their Mama, but their father had been out of the picture for some time. They also had a sister, Cass, who sees visions of what has happened in the past and into the future. Their lives in a small village in Illinois is disrupted by the arrival of a beautiful New Orleans woman, named Delphine. She is accompanied by another woman, Calinda. Mama decides that the two, who are stranded, can take a room in their home. From the moment they arrive, the whole town is mesmerized by the beautiful and obviously rich, Delphine. Calinda is much like Cass, as in she can see visions. She is also a great cook and nurse. Noah goes off to join the army, and his mother is devastated. She makes Tilly go to find him and bring him home. Tilly and Delphine go together, with the help of Dr William Hutchings, to find Noah. He gets his arm cut off in battle, and then is sent home with the women. In the meantime, Mama sees a coffin coming toward the house, thinks it is Noah, and drowns herself in the river. While gone they also discover that Delphine is part African American and that Calinda is her sister. Noah falls in love with Delphine, they have a child, but let Tilly raise it because they don’t want the child to endure prejudice. Tilly marries Dr. Hutchings, and they raise the child as their own.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
I would highly recommend this book for grades 7-12 because it has references to mistresses and Delphine being the result of an affair. Delphine also talks about living in the same town as her white father’s legal wife and children.
The author takes us back to the 1800’s through his writing. This is an emotional book about the sacrifices a family makes because of the Civil War. The terrible trips to see Noah on the battlefields and our hope that he will make it home to see his mother, is a very horrific and emotional scene. The description of the setting takes you back to a simpler time. The arrival of Delphine and her beautiful clothes and possessions, totally takes over the life of the small village where Tilly lives. We can imagine how wonderful it would be to have light in the house at night, which Tilly’s family never had before Delphine moved in.
The author starts the book in 1916, with the second generation after the war going to visit Grandma Tilly. She then tell s the story of the family’s true ancestry. I feel this makes the story more effective. The language used by the characters throughout makes the story more accurate. This is a wonderful book about the Civil War from a woman’s perspective.
The story seems researched and accurate from the language to war situations. It is fast paced and just a beautiful book about this time.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Review: “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. A scene involving strapping on a corset is worthy of Grandma Dowdel herself.”
BOOKLIST Review: “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. True to Tilly's first-person narrative, 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.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Students could read another novel from a different perspective. A male or a possibly another girl on a different side. Student’s could compare and contrast the experiences in each book. Make a display and present.
Delphine was thought by the town to be a spy. Students could do research about spies and spying during the Civil War. I have a message decoder that they used back then. Students can make it easily with cardboard and brads. Students could make messages to each other and decode them. Students could also present their research about what spies used and did to get information for the other side. Make a display. I know the whole school would be interested in this assignment.
Students could read nonfiction books about the Civil War and compare with the book for accurate details. Make a display board showing what they found.
Students could write a reader’s theater. Split into groups and have them write and present it. Then, let groups switch and do each other’s play. Props could be added also if you were going to spend several days on this activity.
Peck, Richard. THE RIVER BETWEEN US. 2003. New York: Dial Group. ISBN 0803727356
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In 1916, a father and his three sons go to Illinois to visit the father’s family. The boys meet their Grandma Tilly, her husband, their great uncle Noah, and his dying wife, Delphine. The story then goes back to 1861, as Grandma Tilly tells the boys about the history of their family during the Civil War. Grandma Tilly and Noah were siblings. They had their Mama, but their father had been out of the picture for some time. They also had a sister, Cass, who sees visions of what has happened in the past and into the future. Their lives in a small village in Illinois is disrupted by the arrival of a beautiful New Orleans woman, named Delphine. She is accompanied by another woman, Calinda. Mama decides that the two, who are stranded, can take a room in their home. From the moment they arrive, the whole town is mesmerized by the beautiful and obviously rich, Delphine. Calinda is much like Cass, as in she can see visions. She is also a great cook and nurse. Noah goes off to join the army, and his mother is devastated. She makes Tilly go to find him and bring him home. Tilly and Delphine go together, with the help of Dr William Hutchings, to find Noah. He gets his arm cut off in battle, and then is sent home with the women. In the meantime, Mama sees a coffin coming toward the house, thinks it is Noah, and drowns herself in the river. While gone they also discover that Delphine is part African American and that Calinda is her sister. Noah falls in love with Delphine, they have a child, but let Tilly raise it because they don’t want the child to endure prejudice. Tilly marries Dr. Hutchings, and they raise the child as their own.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
I would highly recommend this book for grades 7-12 because it has references to mistresses and Delphine being the result of an affair. Delphine also talks about living in the same town as her white father’s legal wife and children.
The author takes us back to the 1800’s through his writing. This is an emotional book about the sacrifices a family makes because of the Civil War. The terrible trips to see Noah on the battlefields and our hope that he will make it home to see his mother, is a very horrific and emotional scene. The description of the setting takes you back to a simpler time. The arrival of Delphine and her beautiful clothes and possessions, totally takes over the life of the small village where Tilly lives. We can imagine how wonderful it would be to have light in the house at night, which Tilly’s family never had before Delphine moved in.
The author starts the book in 1916, with the second generation after the war going to visit Grandma Tilly. She then tell s the story of the family’s true ancestry. I feel this makes the story more effective. The language used by the characters throughout makes the story more accurate. This is a wonderful book about the Civil War from a woman’s perspective.
The story seems researched and accurate from the language to war situations. It is fast paced and just a beautiful book about this time.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Review: “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. A scene involving strapping on a corset is worthy of Grandma Dowdel herself.”
BOOKLIST Review: “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. True to Tilly's first-person narrative, 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.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Students could read another novel from a different perspective. A male or a possibly another girl on a different side. Student’s could compare and contrast the experiences in each book. Make a display and present.
Delphine was thought by the town to be a spy. Students could do research about spies and spying during the Civil War. I have a message decoder that they used back then. Students can make it easily with cardboard and brads. Students could make messages to each other and decode them. Students could also present their research about what spies used and did to get information for the other side. Make a display. I know the whole school would be interested in this assignment.
Students could read nonfiction books about the Civil War and compare with the book for accurate details. Make a display board showing what they found.
Students could write a reader’s theater. Split into groups and have them write and present it. Then, let groups switch and do each other’s play. Props could be added also if you were going to spend several days on this activity.
Review of NUMBER THE STARS by Lois Lowry
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lowry, Lois. NUMBER THE STARS. 1989. New York: Random House. ISBN 0440403278
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In World War II, Annemarie Johansen, a Christian, and Ellen Rosen, a Jew, are best friends in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Nazis have taken over the country, and have begun arresting and deporting Jewish residents. Annemarie’s family decide to help the Rosen family escape to neutral Sweden. Emily pretends to be the Johansen’s other daughter Lise, who died fighting for the Resistance. This was an underground group that tried to sabotage the Nazi’s takeover. The Johansens take Ellen to their Uncle Henrick’s home, hoping to smuggle the Rosens into Sweden by using fishing boats. After several very close calls with the Nazi’s, the Rosens escape to Sweden with several other Jewish families smuggled in the bottom of a fishing boat.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is geared toward ages ten and older. The book has many suspense filled moments that began early in book, which will keep readers immersed in the story. The cover shows the Star of David, and students might need to research the Jewish religion to completely understand the star and what it represents. Denmark and King Christian would also be some other subjects that could be researched before reading. Students should also have some knowledge of World War II and what the Nazi’s were doing to the Jews. This book handles the Nazi’s plots against the Jews without focusing on the atrocities, but creating a compelling story of hope and friendship. The excitement starts early and never ceases. There are many heart stopping moments and students will feel Annemarie’s fear through the author’s wonderful writing.
The characters struggles and issues with bravery are at the core of this novel. Students can relate to the girls’ friendship. The two families closeness. The Johansen’s decision to try and smuggle the family to Sweden. The bravery that Annemarie showed when she knew it might mean life and death for her friend. This book will lead to many good discussions in any class that chooses to read it. It is a wonderful book, about an important time, and ultimately, it relays a wonderful message about friendship and doing the right thing.
One of my favorite parts of the book is the Afterword. The author tells about things in the book that are made-up and what is true. She discusses which characters are fictional, and if so, who they are based on. She also discusses other things like the handkerchief Annemarie concealed from the Nazi’s and Kirsten’s fish shoes. Students will love this, because it explains several things in the story.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Review: “The gripping story of a ten-year-old Danish girl and her family's courageous efforts to smuggle Jews out of their Nazi-occupied homeland to safety in Sweden. Readers are taken to the very heart of Annemarie's experience, and, through her eyes, come to understand the true meaning of bravery.”
PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY Review: “Set in Nazi-occupied Denmark in 1943, this 1990 Newbery winner tells of a 10-year-old girl who undertakes a dangerous mission to save her best friend.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Students could research life in Denmark during World War II and check the book for it’s accuracy. Students could pick one the subjects from the Afterword and do research about it and make a display or present their findings.
Read a nonfiction book about King Christian, leader of Denmark during World War II. There are several good nonfiction children’s books about him. Have students write down reasons why he might have so much respect from his people that a small boy would say, “All of Denmark is his bodyguard.”
Read a nonfiction story or memoir about another Jewish child that didn’t escape from the Nazi’s and what her life was like during that time. Show students that not all countries tried to protect the Jews from persecution. Many of them even helped the Nazis. Students could compare the two girls story’s and make a display along with a timeline to show how the two girl’s lives were different and alike. How they might have been very alike before the war and what changes the war caused for each one.
I would try and fit this in with the Social Studies Curriculum. Students would have a better understanding about the time and events, rather than reading it without some prior knowledge. They would relate more to the story with the background.
Lowry, Lois. NUMBER THE STARS. 1989. New York: Random House. ISBN 0440403278
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In World War II, Annemarie Johansen, a Christian, and Ellen Rosen, a Jew, are best friends in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Nazis have taken over the country, and have begun arresting and deporting Jewish residents. Annemarie’s family decide to help the Rosen family escape to neutral Sweden. Emily pretends to be the Johansen’s other daughter Lise, who died fighting for the Resistance. This was an underground group that tried to sabotage the Nazi’s takeover. The Johansens take Ellen to their Uncle Henrick’s home, hoping to smuggle the Rosens into Sweden by using fishing boats. After several very close calls with the Nazi’s, the Rosens escape to Sweden with several other Jewish families smuggled in the bottom of a fishing boat.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is geared toward ages ten and older. The book has many suspense filled moments that began early in book, which will keep readers immersed in the story. The cover shows the Star of David, and students might need to research the Jewish religion to completely understand the star and what it represents. Denmark and King Christian would also be some other subjects that could be researched before reading. Students should also have some knowledge of World War II and what the Nazi’s were doing to the Jews. This book handles the Nazi’s plots against the Jews without focusing on the atrocities, but creating a compelling story of hope and friendship. The excitement starts early and never ceases. There are many heart stopping moments and students will feel Annemarie’s fear through the author’s wonderful writing.
The characters struggles and issues with bravery are at the core of this novel. Students can relate to the girls’ friendship. The two families closeness. The Johansen’s decision to try and smuggle the family to Sweden. The bravery that Annemarie showed when she knew it might mean life and death for her friend. This book will lead to many good discussions in any class that chooses to read it. It is a wonderful book, about an important time, and ultimately, it relays a wonderful message about friendship and doing the right thing.
One of my favorite parts of the book is the Afterword. The author tells about things in the book that are made-up and what is true. She discusses which characters are fictional, and if so, who they are based on. She also discusses other things like the handkerchief Annemarie concealed from the Nazi’s and Kirsten’s fish shoes. Students will love this, because it explains several things in the story.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Review: “The gripping story of a ten-year-old Danish girl and her family's courageous efforts to smuggle Jews out of their Nazi-occupied homeland to safety in Sweden. Readers are taken to the very heart of Annemarie's experience, and, through her eyes, come to understand the true meaning of bravery.”
PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY Review: “Set in Nazi-occupied Denmark in 1943, this 1990 Newbery winner tells of a 10-year-old girl who undertakes a dangerous mission to save her best friend.”
5. CONNECTIONS
Students could research life in Denmark during World War II and check the book for it’s accuracy. Students could pick one the subjects from the Afterword and do research about it and make a display or present their findings.
Read a nonfiction book about King Christian, leader of Denmark during World War II. There are several good nonfiction children’s books about him. Have students write down reasons why he might have so much respect from his people that a small boy would say, “All of Denmark is his bodyguard.”
Read a nonfiction story or memoir about another Jewish child that didn’t escape from the Nazi’s and what her life was like during that time. Show students that not all countries tried to protect the Jews from persecution. Many of them even helped the Nazis. Students could compare the two girls story’s and make a display along with a timeline to show how the two girl’s lives were different and alike. How they might have been very alike before the war and what changes the war caused for each one.
I would try and fit this in with the Social Studies Curriculum. Students would have a better understanding about the time and events, rather than reading it without some prior knowledge. They would relate more to the story with the background.
Review of NIGHT JOURNEYS by Avi
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Wortis, Avi. NIGHT JOURNEYS. 1989. New York: Random House. ISBN 0394941160
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Peter York, recently orphaned, is sent to live with a Quaker family. The Shinn family reside in a small village in Pennsylvania in 1767. Mr. Shinn is the Justice of the Peace in their town. One night they are called upon to catch two runaway indentured servants. Peter is excited to catch them and receive the reward. He wants to buy the family a new horse, so his beloved horse Jumper, can once again belong to him alone. He is forced to take the family gun when he and Mr. Shinn set out to arrest the fugitives. After several mishaps, Peter leaves the gun behind. He goes back to get it and runs into one of the fugitives, a small girl named Elizabeth. He tries to trick her and she runs away. In his excitement, he accidentally shoots her. He then decides that he should try and help her rather than arrest her. In the meantime, Mr. Shinn has caught the other fugitive, a small boy named Robert. Peter promises both fugitives that he will try and help them escape. In the end, he helps the two escape with the blessing of Mr. Shinn. He even allows them to take his beloved horse, Jumper, to help them get away quickly. His new family supports him, and they realize that he was the only one who willing to do the right thing.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is a great read for 4-8 grade students. The cover and the title of the book are both mysterious and they intrigue you to see what this book is about. The author takes you back to the 1700’s through the language used, and the vivid descriptions of the landscape throughout the book. The story moves quickly and should hold students’ attention throughout. The story seems believable and accurate. Students would need some background on the Quakers and indentured servants to help explain the story.
The main focus of the story is the character’s emotional struggles, which any student can relate to. Peter wants to please his new family, but he knows he has to do what is right after he stumbles on to one of the young fugitives. Students may not be asked to make life and death decisions like Peter, but every student has to choose between right and wrong on a daily basis. This book will provide plenty of good discussions with students.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
BOOKLIST Review: “Memorable . . . a story to cherish.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Review: "An insightful portrayal of appealing, uncommon character."
5. CONNECTIONS
The chapters have no names. Students could come up with names for each chapter and vote on the one they like best. At the end of the book, have students assigned chapters. They write a summary and illustrate their chapter, using the class chapter name. When they are done, laminate them and hang them in the hall. The book will have each chapter summarized, the name of the chapter, and a picture of something that happens in that chapter.
Read a nonfiction book about life during this period. Discuss the accuracy of the book, its plot, and the characters. Use a Venn Diagram and compare the facts in that book with the novel.
Read a nonfiction book about indentured servants. Was the book accurate in its portrayal of Elizabeth and Robert? Have students research and write about a “Day in the Life” of an indentured servant.
Read a nonfiction book about life as a Quaker in the 1700’s. Have students discuss if the book gave an accurate description of Quaker life. Have students research what the Quaker’s believed and how they lived. Was the fact that Mr. Shinn did not carry a gun have anything to do with his being a Quaker?
Wortis, Avi. NIGHT JOURNEYS. 1989. New York: Random House. ISBN 0394941160
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Peter York, recently orphaned, is sent to live with a Quaker family. The Shinn family reside in a small village in Pennsylvania in 1767. Mr. Shinn is the Justice of the Peace in their town. One night they are called upon to catch two runaway indentured servants. Peter is excited to catch them and receive the reward. He wants to buy the family a new horse, so his beloved horse Jumper, can once again belong to him alone. He is forced to take the family gun when he and Mr. Shinn set out to arrest the fugitives. After several mishaps, Peter leaves the gun behind. He goes back to get it and runs into one of the fugitives, a small girl named Elizabeth. He tries to trick her and she runs away. In his excitement, he accidentally shoots her. He then decides that he should try and help her rather than arrest her. In the meantime, Mr. Shinn has caught the other fugitive, a small boy named Robert. Peter promises both fugitives that he will try and help them escape. In the end, he helps the two escape with the blessing of Mr. Shinn. He even allows them to take his beloved horse, Jumper, to help them get away quickly. His new family supports him, and they realize that he was the only one who willing to do the right thing.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is a great read for 4-8 grade students. The cover and the title of the book are both mysterious and they intrigue you to see what this book is about. The author takes you back to the 1700’s through the language used, and the vivid descriptions of the landscape throughout the book. The story moves quickly and should hold students’ attention throughout. The story seems believable and accurate. Students would need some background on the Quakers and indentured servants to help explain the story.
The main focus of the story is the character’s emotional struggles, which any student can relate to. Peter wants to please his new family, but he knows he has to do what is right after he stumbles on to one of the young fugitives. Students may not be asked to make life and death decisions like Peter, but every student has to choose between right and wrong on a daily basis. This book will provide plenty of good discussions with students.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
BOOKLIST Review: “Memorable . . . a story to cherish.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Review: "An insightful portrayal of appealing, uncommon character."
5. CONNECTIONS
The chapters have no names. Students could come up with names for each chapter and vote on the one they like best. At the end of the book, have students assigned chapters. They write a summary and illustrate their chapter, using the class chapter name. When they are done, laminate them and hang them in the hall. The book will have each chapter summarized, the name of the chapter, and a picture of something that happens in that chapter.
Read a nonfiction book about life during this period. Discuss the accuracy of the book, its plot, and the characters. Use a Venn Diagram and compare the facts in that book with the novel.
Read a nonfiction book about indentured servants. Was the book accurate in its portrayal of Elizabeth and Robert? Have students research and write about a “Day in the Life” of an indentured servant.
Read a nonfiction book about life as a Quaker in the 1700’s. Have students discuss if the book gave an accurate description of Quaker life. Have students research what the Quaker’s believed and how they lived. Was the fact that Mr. Shinn did not carry a gun have anything to do with his being a Quaker?
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