Chains
Bibliographic Data:
Laurie Halse Anderson. Chains. New York: Simon & Schuster. 2008.
ISBN 978-1-4169-0585-1
Summary:
Set in the time leading up to the Revolutionary War, this story tells the journey of a slave girl. Thirteen year old Isabel and her younger sister Ruth are sold to a cruel couple, the Locktons, in New York City after their former owner dies. Before her death, the owner had promised the girls freedom and also gave them a great gift by teaching Isabel how to read and write. Together they endure physically and mental abuse, until Ruth disappears one day. Left on her own, Isabel agrees to spy on the Locktons for the Rebels after discovering the Loyalists support slavery.
Critical Analysis:
Halse Anderson does a great job of weaving great details of her characters along with great historical details. The reader is thrown back into the time of the Revolutionary War through the images created in their minds in the detail rich writing. Readers can hear the story through the dialect used when the characters speak. Halse Anderson furthers the connection to the past at the beginning of every chapter with various forms of printed materials from that time. There are excerpts from letters, newspaper articles, speeches, and more. The character of Isabel grows tremendously throughout the story as she begins to fight not only for her own freedom, but the freedom and safety of others. The reader can not help but to cheer her on through the story and to feel a connection to her through her struggles.
BOOKLIST review: "The story’s perspective creates effective contrasts.
Awards and Honors
Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2008
Best Books for Young Adults: 2009
Notable Children's Books: 2009
Connections:
Students research the lives of slaves living in the 1700's in the American colonies.
After additional research, students draw a picture of the living space for a slave.
Students write a journal entry as if they were a slave during this time.
Students write a newspaper article that would have appeared during the time of the story.
Students create a Venn Diagram comparing life in America now with the time of the story.
Students research to find a map of New York in present day and a map of New York during the Revolutionary War.
The Earth Dragon Awakes
Bibliographic Data:
Laurence Yep. The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. 2006.
ISBN 978-0-06-027525-9
Summary:
This story tells about eight year old Henry's and nine year old Chin's journey through the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Through their struggles they learn that the true heroes are not in their popular novels, but much closer to home.
Critical Analysis:
Young boys can relate to the two young characters in the story. Yep manages to put the underlying message of heroes throughout the story. Both of the young boys gain perspective of just how heroic their fathers and neighbors can be in times of crisis. The boys gain respect for their fathers and see them in a different light by the end of the story. Idealizes heroes in a book is for young boys and they move past that through the events of the earthquake.
Review Excerpt:
School Library Journal: "Its -natural disaster - subject is both timely and topical, and Yep weaves snippets of information on plate tectonics and more very neatly around his prose."
Connections:
Students research the earthquake of 1906. Then write a formative paper to go along with the story.
Students write a story about a different character living through the same earthquake.
Students choice Chin or Henry, then create a timeline of the events in the story. Students may only include ten events and must write about why they chose to include those facts.
Students draw of map of San Francisco before the earthquake of 1906 and then a map of the same area after the earthquake.
Students research all the earthquakes that have hit San Francisco and make a time line.
Writing Prompt:
If you were in an earthquake what three things would you save from your house?
Moon Over Manifest
Bibliographic Data:
Clare Vanderpool. Moon Over Manifest. New York: Delacorte Press. 2010.
ISBN 978-0-385-90750-7
Summary:
Abilene Tucker is sent to live in Manifest, Kansas for the summer of 1936 by her drifter father. She hopes that living in the town where he grew up will help her discover more about her distant father. Along the way she meets two friends, Lettie and Ruthanne, together the three discover the colorful past of many townspeople while trying to answer the questions of "Who is the rattler?"
Critical Analysis:
This is a coming of age story set during a time of change and uncertainty for young Abilene. Throughout the story she gains more understanding of her father's ways. She learns that he truly loves her and that was why he sent her away. There is also much change and development to the characters in the story within the story. Miss Sadie tells her about two boys, Jinx and Ned, who grew up in Manifest back in the early 1900's. The reader is able to follow the two stories together. Vanderpool even uses a different font to help readers keep the two weaved stories separate. While this story takes place in Manifest, Kansas a similar story could be told of any small town during that time. During the story, the reader can create a vivid image of this country town, with dirt roads, sprawling estates and one room schoolhouse that were so typical of that time in America's past.
Review Excerpt:
BOOKLIST review: "With believable dialogue, vocabulary and imagery appropriate to time and place, and well-developed characters, this rich and rewarding first novel is “like sucking on a butterscotch. Smooth and sweet.”"
Awards and Honors
Newbery Medal Winner: 2011
Notable Children's Books: 2011
Connections:
Students research the history of their city. Then the students take that information and write a short story about a character their age growing up in their town years ago. Students must incorporate facts about the city.
Students write about a time they were in a new situation and how they felt.
Students create a Venn diagram comparing themselves to a main character from the story.
Students create a timeline of one of the character's actions in the story.
Students describe the differences between their school and the school in Manifest.
Students draw a map of Manifest using details from the story.
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