FEATHERS

Woodson, Jacqueline.  Feathers. New York:  G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2007.  ISBN 978-0-399-23989-2.


Plot Summary

In 1971, segregation is not quite a thing of the past.  When a new boy, who appears to be white, although he claims otherwise, enters Frannie's all-black class, no one is quick to accept him with open arms.  Eleven-year-old Frannie must decide what to do as she contemplates Emily Dickinson's poem, "Hope is the Thing with Feathers."


Critical Analysis

On October 29, 1969, a decade-and-a-half after Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court ordered schools to end segregation at once, in Alexander v. Holmes County Board of Education.  In 1971, informal segregation is not quite a thing of the past. Eleven-year-old Frannie and Sean, her older brother who is deaf, wonder what life is like on the other side of the highway.  Black people live on one side of the highway and attend schools on their side.  White people live on the other side of the highway and attend schools on their side.  The two don't mix...until a tall, skinny, white boy joined Frannie's all-black sixth-grade class.   The class is not thrilled to have this intruder invade their school halls, and they wonder why he doesn't go to school on the other side of the highway where he belongs.  Because of his long hair, the new white "cat" is given the nickname "Jesus Boy."  Some, including Frannie's best friend Samantha, think that perhaps this boy really is Jesus.  Frannie doesn't believe that because, according to her, "I don't be going for that church jive."  Nonetheless, Frannie forms a friendship with Jesus Boy which changes the way she looks at life.  The characters in Feathers complement each other and add to the believability of the story as a whole.

At one point Sean signs to Frannie, "Imagine if somebody built a bridge right outside our window and we could just walk across the highway and be on the other side."  Feathers looks at life in 1971 which was surrounded by prejudice and racial separation.  For the class bully, Trevor, the greatest insult was when someone mentioned that his father was white.  Races did not mix either in marriage or in day-to-day activities during this time period.  Woodson brings the racial tension alive in Feathers and allows young readers to gain a glimpse of what life was like 40 years ago. 

In addition to the tension at school, Frannie has problems at home which she has to sort out.  Frannie's mother is pregnant again.  What should be a joyous occasion scares Frannie to her core.  After Sean and Frannie, Lila was born; however, this tiny baby died before she barely had a chance to live.  A year after losing Lila, Frannie's mother had a miscarriage.  Sometime later, the Wright-Barnes family's next baby dies in utero.  Frannie's mother stayed in the hospital a long time to recover from this third tragedy.  When Frannie discovers that her mother is pregnant again, she is afraid that she will lose her, or at the very least, things will not be the same in her family.  Added to Frannie's burden is how people react to her brother being deaf.  She does not understand how people can be so cruel as to shun him as soon as they realize he is deaf.

Although words such as cat and jive are used to represent the vernacular of the time, Feathers could be set in the current decade and still seem realistic.  Even with the spattering of throw-back words, this book is one that would never go out-of-date.  Woodson has an easy-going conversational style which allows the readers to flow through the pages of the story with no trouble.  Woodson chose to have Frannie narrate much of the book.  This gives the reader the opportunity to see, not only what dilemmas the characters are facing, but also Frannie's thoughts and fears about each situation.  It is no wonder that Feathers is a Newbery Honor Book.

Racial tension, fear of losing loved ones, and the shunning of people with disabilities are all topics which are relevant today.  When Frannie is given Emily Dickinson's poem, "Hope is the Thing with Feathers," she doesn't understand it.  How can people who live in this crazy world have hope? 

 

Frannie:  "If Jesus came back to this world
-- I don't know what I'd want from him. 
I know what I'd ask, though.  I'd say, 'Mr. Jesus,
I'm sorry to bother you but I have a question. 
I wanted to know how do you have hope?'"

Hope is the theme that runs through Feathers.  Frannie's life is not easy, but her world begins to change as her friendship with Jesus Boy grows.  She realizes that dealing with life is not so much about the circumstances in which we find ourselves, rather, it's about how we react to the circumstances and people around us.  Readers today can relate to Frannie's inner struggles and learn from her journey.  Everyone has problems and obstacles to overcome in life.  Everyone is trying to cling to an ounce of hope that better things are on the horizon.  Just like Frannie, today's readers can come to realize that there is such a thing as hope.

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all

Awards and Honors

Newbery Honor Book, 2008
Book Sense Children's Pick, Spring 2007
American Booksellers Association NCTE Children's Literature Assembly
        Notable Children's Books in the English Language Arts, 2008
ALSC American Library Association Notable Children's Books, 2008
National Council for Social Studies Notable Social Studies Trade Books for
        Young People, 2008
Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award Nominee, 2009-2010
Georgia Children's Book Award Nominee, 2009-2010
Maine Student Book Award Nominee, 2008-2009
Massachusetts Children's Book Award Master List, 2009-2010
South Carolina Children's Book Award Nominee, 2008-2009


Review Excerpts

"Stepped through that door white and softly as the snow," notes sixth-grader Frannie, on the arrival of a pale, long-haired boy to her predominantly black middle school on a winter day in 1971. He is dubbed the Jesus Boy by the class rowdy, and the name seems to suit the newcomer's appearance and calm demeanor. Frannie is confused, not only by declarations that he's NOT white, but that her friend Samantha, daughter of a conservative Baptist minister, also seems to believe that he is Jesus. In light of this and other surprises in her life, Frannie questions her own faith and, most of all, the meaning of the Emily Dickinson poem that she is studying in class, "Hope is a thing with feathers/that perches in the soul/…." How does she maintain hope when her newly pregnant mother has lost three babies already? She also worries about her deaf older brother, Sean, who longs to be accepted in the hearing world. She sees the anger in the bully intensify as he targets Jesus Boy. With her usual talent for creating characters who confront, reflect, and grow into their own persons, Woodson creates in Frannie a strong protagonist who thinks for herself and recognizes the value and meaning of family. The story ends with hope and thoughtfulness while speaking to those adolescents who struggle with race, faith, and prejudice. They will appreciate its wisdom and positive connections.—D. Maria LaRocco, Cuyahoga Public Library, Strongsville, OH School Library Journal, 4/1/2007

 

One wintry day, a white boy with long curly hair enters Frannie's sixth-grade classroom. "Jesus Boy" is told he's on the "wrong side of the highway," and becomes a catalyst for a shift among friends and enemies in the classroom, all observed from Frannie's point of view. She's also got her eye on things at home: Suddenly her mother is strangely weary, while her older brother, who is deaf, seems impossibly quick to recover when girls attracted to his good looks are turned off by his silence. Frannie's questions about faith, friendship and bridging differences are expressed in a vibrant and accessible narrative set in the early 70s. The theme of "hope" recurs in the description of the Black Power movement, and in Frannie's musings on the Emily Dickinson poem, "Hope is the thing with feathers." Developing this metaphor, Woodson captures perfectly the questions and yearnings of a girl perched on the edge of adolescence, a girl who readers will take into their hearts and be glad to call their friend. Kirkus Reviews, 2/1/2007

 

There's a lot going on in this small, fast-moving novel that introduces big issues--faith, class, color, prejudice, family, disability, and friendship. Woodson tells her story with immediacy and realism through the stirring first-person narrative of a young girl, Frannie, growing up in 1971. The new boy in school is the only white kid in Frannie's sixth-grade class, and she wonders why he doesn't go to the white school across the highway. He's pleased when some of the kids call him Jesus Boy, and Frannie's devout friend, Samantha, thinks he may be the savior. A few of the boys harass him, especially bullying Trevor--who looks white himself. When the new kid turns out to be far from perfect, Frannie wonders: Was he God's child? Aren't we all? In her loving home, filled with light, hope, and laughter, a deaf older brother has always enriched her life, but Frannie realizes that she still has bridges of prejudice to cross. A good choice for discussion. -- Hazel Rochman. BookList, 11/15/2006

The narrator of Woodson's 2008 Newbery Honor title is fascinated with Emily Dickinson's famous couplet Hope is the thing with feathers/ that perches in the soul. Frannie grapples with its meaning, especially after a white student joins her all-black sixth-grade classroom. Trevor, the classroom bully, nicknames him Jesus Boy, because he is pale and his hair [is] long. Frannie's best friend, a preacher's daughter, suggests that the new boy truly could be Jesus (If there was a world for Jesus to need to walk back into, wouldn't this one be it?). Set in 1971, the book raises important questions about religion and racial segregation, as well as issues surrounding the hearing-impaired.  Publisher's Weekly

 

Other Books by Jacqueline Woodson

Miracle's Boys
Visiting Day
Behind You

Visit her website for more information:  http://www.jacquelinewoodson.com/


Book Connections

With the Might of Angels:  The Diary of Dawnie Rae Johnson by Andrea
        Davis Pickney
Hope is an Open Heart by Lauren Thompson
The Smart Princess and Other Deaf Tales edited by Keelin Carey


Connection Activities

• Read the poem "Hope is the Thing with Feathers" by Emily Dickinson.  Allow students to consider the meaning of this poem and share their thoughts with the class.
• Discuss school segregation and the fallacies of "separate but equal."  Utilize the activities in The Civil Rights Movement for Kids:  A History with 21 Activities by Mary Turck, ISBN 9781556523700.  Have the students write  a report on what our school system would be like if segregation still existed today.

THE SCORPIO RACES

Stiefvater, Maggie.  The Scorpio Races.  [sound recording].  Read by Steve West and Fiona Hardingham.  n.p.:Scholastic Audiobooks, 2011.  ISBN 978-0-545-35702-9.

 

Plot Summary

Four-time champion Sean Kendrick prepares for the water horse race of his life.  First-ever female rider Kate "Puck" Connnolly rides in the deadly race out of desperation.  Both must win, but there can only be one victor in The Scorpio Races.

 

Critical Analysis

Sean Kendrick and Kate "Puck" Connolly are both strong-minded and courageous.  Both face their fears to ride in the November races to keep their hopes and dreams from slipping away.  Both have faced the tragic loss of at least one parent because of the carnivorous capall uisce, or water horses.  Neither Sean nor Kate fancied themselves becoming attracted to one another.  In fact, in their meeting on the beach, Sean demands that Kate get her pony off the beach.   Over time, they gain respect for one another and share an unspoken bond of the island and the sea.  They train together to win The Scorpio Races, but even if all goes according to plan, only one will win.  Stiefvater does an outstanding job of endearing these two characters to the reader.  The reader is torn between an allegiance to one or the other.  If Sean wins, Kate loses her parent's home.  If Kate wins, Sean loses his beloved Corr.  If the capall uisce win, they both may lose their lives. 

Each November, the sea spews out the monstrous capall uisce.  It is not safe to be on the beach because these water horses survive on blood.  Every inhabitant of Thisby has lost someone dear to them because of the flesh-eating sea creatures who hauntingly gallop across the island in search of a fresh kill.  Each November, riders from across the island gather their courage to ride in the annual Scorpio Races.  This is a time to test their mental fortitude, their steel resolve, and their ability to cross the finish line before dying on the five-minute stretch of sand.  Surviving the countless attacks of the water horses is what Thisbians have been taught to do their entire island-dwelling life.  It is man against animal, the sea, and all that the island can devise to block their success.  For Sean and Kate, the island is, and will always be, their home.  They will take the island head-on and spit in her eye.  They may risk their lives to compete in The Scorpio Races, but if they don't, part of them will die anyway.

The Scorpio Races is set on the fictional island of Thisby.   The reader can hear the waves crashing against the rock cliffs, feel the emotional strain of facing death at every turn, and taste the sweet drippings of the tasty honey-laden November cakes.  The cliffs along the beach add an element of danger to Stiefvater's death-trap island.  At no point does the reader disbelieve that he is on the island teeming with blood-thirsty capall uisce.

The larger theme is one must overcome many obstacles and dangers in order to find their path in life.  The more personal theme of Sean and Kate is tearing down walls of self-preservation may be initially costly, but the end result has lasting rewards.  The bond of Kate and her family, the bond Sean and Kate share with each other, and the bond of the sea will not be broken, even when tragedy rears its ugly head.  Readers today can relate to the bond of family, the fear of growing apart, and the determination to take on difficult challenges in life in spite of seemingly insurmountable odds.

The audio version of The Scorpio Races allows the readers to hear the correct pronunciation of words such as capall uisce [ka' pul ish' kuh].  The audio book is on 10 CDs for a total of 727 minutes of attention-grabbing entertainment.  The voice actors, Steve West and Fiona Hardingham, do an outstanding job.  The accents of the actors help the readers imagine they are truly listening to two people from the island of Thisby.  They help encourage laughter in the brief times of happiness and tears during the times of sorrow.  At the end of the book, Maggie Stiefvater gives her thoughts on writing and what inspired her to pen The Scorpio Races. 

Stiefvater's choice of randomly alternating chapters between Sean and Puck kept the reader's attention.  It was enlightening to see a scene through the eyes, and narration, of one of the two protagonists.  The Scorpio Races gallops the reader's emotions from a chuckle to a few tears being shed.  It has the reader gripping the edge of his seat in anticipation of the horrendous acts of the capall uisce.  Readers easily suspend their disbelief and enter the deadly island of Thisby.

 

Awards and Honors

Michael L. Printz Award Honor, 2012
The Odyssey Honor Award for Best Audio Production, 2012
Los Angeles Times Book Times Award Finalist, 2012
ALA Notable Books for Children, 2012
The New York Times Notable Childrens' Books, 2011
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books, 2011
Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best, 2012
Amazon's Best Books for Teens, 2011
School Library Journal's Best Books of the Year
Kirkus' Best Teen Books of the Year, 2011
Horn Book Best Books, 2011
Children's Book Committee Best Children's Books of the Year, 2012
Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature Finalist, 2012
YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults, 2012
Best Foreign Teen Novel Grand Prix de L'imaginaire, 2013
YALSA Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults, 2012
NCTE/ CLA Notable Children's Book in the English Language Arts, 2012
Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award Nominee, 2012-2013
Kansas Reading Circle Catalog, 2012
Westchester Fiction Award, 2011
PSLA Young Adult Top Ten, 2011-2012
Flume: NH Teen Readers' Choice Award, 2013
Keystone to Reading Book Award, 2013
Virginia Readers Choice, 2013-2014
Oklahoma Sequoyah Award, 2013-2014

 

Review Excerpts

Sean Kendrick is one of the racers, a four-time champion on his trusty stead. Kat. Puc. Connolly is new to the races and the first woman rider.  Both riders have deeper personal motives for wanting to win. Stiefvater has created a thrilling backdrop for the love story that blooms between Sean and Puck. And in the water horses, based on mostly Celtic legends, she's created scary yet compelling forces of nature. A book appealing to lovers of fantasy, horse stories, romance, and action-adventure alike.  Kare Cruze, Booklist, 2010, Starred Review

 

On the island of Thisby, the Scorpio Races are held every November, when the driven or the crazy ride the beaches on the backs of these mounts. Sean Kendrick does it for love, winning year after year on the stallion Corr; Puck Connolly, pitting her ordinary horse against the killers, does it out of desperation, to win money to keep her home and to earn respect from her older brother, who threatens to desert the family.  As a study of courage and loyalty tested, however, it is an utterly compelling read.  Publisher's Weekly

When the carnivorous capaill uisce, or water horses, rise from the sea each year, the island men prepare to prove their brawn and courage by outrunning the deadly beasts. And now, Kate, the first girl to enter the race, is determined to win it, facing fierce competition from Sean, to whom she is strangely attracted. Intense action, riveting suspense, and two determined protagonists make this a competition to remember.  School Library Journal, 2011

Other Books by Maggie Stiefvater 

The Raven Boys

The Dream Thieves

Shiver

Visit her website for more information:  http://maggiestiefvater.com/

 

Book Connections

The Island Stallion by Walter Farley

The Black Stallion and the Shape-Shifter by Steven Farley 

Horses of Myth by Gerald Hausman

Connection Activities

• Watch the 10 minute movie A Race of Horses [motion picture],  ISBN 7570239198418.  Discuss what kind of commitment it takes to train a race horse and the risks involved.
• Have students re-write the ending of The Scorpio Races and answer the following questions in their story.  Who would win?  What would happen during the race?  Who would live/die?  What would the future hold?

CALAMITY JACK

Hale, Shannon, and Dean Hale.  Calamity Jack.  Ill. by Nathan Hale.  New York:  Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2010.  ISBN 978-1-59990-076-6.

 

Plot Summary

Jack is a boy whose wild schemes, although concocted to help his widowed mother, always get him in endless trouble.  After destroying the buildings in his neighborhood, Jack searches for a way to make things right.
 

Critical Analysis

The two main protagonists in the Hale's version of Jack and the Bean Stalk are Jack and Rapunzel.  Aside from the fact that Jack climbs a beanstalk and battles giants, he is an ordinary young man who loves his mother dearly.  In his youth, Jack walked on the shady side of the street.  His nickel-and-dime thieveries got him into hot water, but that didn't slow his desire to plan the next big caper.  Rapunzel is the Old West version of Wonder Woman as she uses her severed braided hair as a lasso to fight the bad guys.  Although Jack is the man with the plan, it is usually Rapunzel who is able to save Jack from himself. 

The antagonist is Blunderboar, a giant who lives in a floating penthouse.  The reader is drawn into this fantasy world of carnivorous giants, two-timing fairies, and deceptive ant people.  The only slight criticism might be in the artwork involving Blunderboar.  In the beginning of the book, the head of Jack's mother reached well past the bottom of Blunderboar's vest.  In a scene near the end of the book, her head merely reaches to the midway point of Blunderboar's thigh.  Although this isn't exactly the characterization of the giant, the mental picture of each character should be consistent throughout the book.  The great variation in height tarnished the believability of the giant.  As a side note, the illustrator's inclusion of a rendition of his library, where he worked on the illustrations for this book, on the top of page 21 was appreciated from a professional point-of-view.

Jack's main goal throughout the book is to help his widowed mother.  She works tirelessly at her bakery and struggles to make ends meet.  Jack's scheming ways generally end up with him getting into trouble and his mother wondering where she went wrong in rearing him.  When one of Jack's more notorious schemes ends up destroying the buildings in his neighborhood, including his mother's bakery, he runs away.  Later, with the support of Rapunzel, Jack returns to fix the wrongs he created.  However, the town he left is not the town to which he returns.  Blunderboar has taken over the city in an effort to protect it from the dreaded ant people.  The city lies in ruins and the people closest to Jack are in danger.  When Jack's mother is taken captive by Blunderboar, Jack comes up with a plan to rescue his mother.  As with all his other schemes in the past, his plan fails.  What happens next?  Read the book to find out!

The setting is as believable as any author can make a city lined with fairies, ant people, and giants.  Perhaps because Jack and the Beanstalk is such an accepted and well-loved fairytale, it was not hard to believe that a bean stalk would be the logical thing to use to get into the giant's lair.  The illustrations of Jack and Rapunzel hunkered down in Prudence's fairy house help remind the viewer that as big as the giants are to humans, the humans are giants to the fairies.  Whether the story was on the train, in the sewers, or in the floating penthouse, the Hale's storytelling, coupled with the illustrations, gave the reader plenty of literal and implied visual clues to make this fantasy world become reality, if only within the pages of the book.

The theme of the love of family rings true throughout this book.  Readers, young and old alike, can appreciate and relate to wanting the acceptance of a parent and/or a significant other.  Jack tries everything to prove that he is worthy of the affection of his mother and Rapunzel.  It is only by being honest about himself that he finds self-worth and is able to accept the love of those around him.

Much of the book involves conversations between the characters with some narration from Jack.  There are many invented terms and fanciful characters in this story:  Blunderboar, cocky 'wocks, screaming brownies, wee waddlepuppies, coney-hackets, rapscallions,  and bum-skeeters.  Although the reader is unfamiliar with these terms, they become accepted as a matter-of-fact way of referring to this character or that monster. 

Some of the character's lines reveal their philosophies on life:

Jack:  "I think of myself as a criminal mastermind ...

...with an unfortunate amount of bad luck."

 

Rapunzel:  "I'm from out west, but bad guys

are the same no matter where you are."

Jack discovers in the end that it is love and family
~ instead of riches ~
 that brings lasting happiness. 

 

Jack:  "Momma, I just want you to know, I'm done with the stealing and scheming, forever.  I'm one of the good guys.

 

Jack's mother:  "Yes, you are.  Your poppa would be proud."

 

Jack:  She touched my cheek and something inside me slid back into place.  Something broken didn't hurt anymore.

 

Love can restore what money can never buy. 

 

Awards and Honors

Junior Library Guild Selection
YALSA Great Graphic Novel, 2011
Texas Maverick Graphic Novel
SLJ Best Comic for Kids, 2011
Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, starred for Outstanding Merit
Utah Book Award for best children's book, 2011
Shortlisted for the Lincolnshire Young People Book Award (UK)
Children's Choices Reading List selection, 2011
Popular Paperback for Young Adults (YALSA), 2013

 

Review Excerpts

"The swashbuckling plot shines in the graphic-novel format... Easily as strong as the first entry, this steampunk-flavored fairy tale will appeal to boy-, girl-, reluctant- and eager readers alike."  The Horn Book

"The urban setting suits this retelling of the familiar beanstalk tale; Nathan Hale's art gives it a steampunk twist, and the addition of fairy-tale creatures like giants and pixies is natural and convincing. Shannon and Dean Hale have done an excellent job stretching the bones of the traditional fable into a high-action coming-of-age story that will keep young teen readers excited and engaged."  Booklist

"[T]his fantastic yarn has something for everyone... Readers will relish this gleeful mix of fairy tale, adventure and romance."  Kirkus Reviews

"truly refreshing and fun...Nathan Hale (no relation) continues to draw in a clear and energetic style equally suited to the steampunk city as to the Wild West. Fans of the previous book will be happy to see this new installment, which should handily garner new fans as well."  VOYA

"...a charming update of Jack and Beanstalk... The dynamic artwork fits well with Jack and Rapunzel's quick tongues, as they flirt their way through numerous hair-raising situations."  Publishers Weekly

"Nathan Hale's artwork again places the action in a fairy-tale version of the American West, now with the city as backdrop. His character sketches are delightfully expressive, and the book has the same rich palette as the previous story. It should satisfy readers who enjoy adventure, fairy tales, and anyone who loves a rogue."  School Library Journal

"Once again authors (and spouses) Shannon and Dean Hale have concocted a story that will have readers on the edge of their seats. The beautifully drawn illustrations by Nathan Hale (no relation) add verve, detail and humor to the story."  The Washington Post

"Readers will still be caught up by Shannon and Dean Hale's terrific use of language and good sense of pacing... They understand the comic medium and use it to its fullest potential, never making the mistake of allowing their words to say too much at a time in which Nathan Hale's art could be doing the work. For his part, his art walks the fine line of being terrific for younger readers and yet not too young for older ones... Readers in grades 5 and up will thrill at Jack and Rapunzel's most recent adventures."  GraphicNovelReporter

"This GN was so much fun that just writing this review makes me want to read it again! Batten down the hatches and tie up the dirigiblesÐ this is one wild ride."  ReadingRants.org

"Rapunzel's Revenge and Calamity Jack are a librarian's dream come true! The Hales combine witty dialogue, action and adventure, beautiful detailed artwork and lots of humor to create the perfect graphic novel."  GreenBeanTeenQueen.com

"I had one of those brilliant and painful moments upon reaching the end of this comic. I hated finishing it. I hated it because I was totally conscious that I could never again read Calamity Jack for the first time, no matter how much I might enjoy it on the second, third and twentieth time. So I shouted at the torrential sky, "WHY CAN'T ALL COMICS BE THIS GOOD?" and then sank into a puddle, sobbing. "Why, God. Why?"  Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show

"This Western/steampunk/fairy tale combo is packed full of adventure, is loads of fun, and has broad appeal for all readers."  School Library Journal Best Comics committee

 

Other Books by Shannon Hale

 

Book of a Thousand Days
Princess Academy
The  Goose Girl 

Visit her website for more information:  http://www.squeetus.com/stage/main.html

Book Connections

Rapunzel's Revenge (prequel to Calamity Jack) by Shannon and Dean Hale

Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman

Giants by John Malam

Connection Activities

 

• Read different versions of Jack and the Beanstalk (e.g. Crazy Jack by Donna Jo Napoli, Foolish Jack and The Bean Stack by Laurence Anholt, and Cinderella and the Beanstalk by Hilary Robinson).  Contrast the versions and have students list what they think are the pros and cons of each story.
• Divide the class into groups and have them create their own version of Jack and the Beanstalk.

WILL SPARROW'S ROAD

Cushman, Karen.  Will Sparrow's Road.  New York:  Clarion Books, 2012.  ISBN 978-0-547-73962-5.
 

Plot Summary

Set in 1599 England, Will Sparrow's Road follows the adventures of twelve-year-old Will Sparrow as he flees a life of servitude and despair.  He joins a troupe of "oddities and prodigies" as they travel the countryside from fair to fair.  On the way he discovers what it means to care for someone other than himself.

 

Critical Analysis

Newbery Award winning author Karen Cushman is a self-described lover of research.  In addition to her online research, some of the books she uses for her medieval research include:

• Writer’s Guide to Everyday Life in the Middle Ages by  Sherrilyn Kenyon
• The Time Traveler’s Guide to Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century by Ian Mortimer
• Growing Up in Medieval London by Barbara A. Hanawalt
• A World Lit Only By Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance by William Manchester
• A Medieval Home Companion: Housekeeping in the14th Century translated by Tania Bayard
• Lost Country Life by Dorothy Hartley
• Fabulous Feasts: Medieval Cookery and Ceremony by Madeleine Pelner Cosman
• Gerard’s Herbal: A History of Plants by Marcus Woodward, editor
• Castle by David Macaulay
• Oxford Dictionary of Saints

The setting of Will Sparrow's Road is in England, specifically fairs in various cities, in 1599.  Cushman includes a list of books in her notes which she used for the research of Will Sparrow's Road.  The fairs, which spanned much of Will Sparrow's Road, have a long history in England.  They may have been started as a temporary market to buy, sell, and trade goods.  In addition, the timing of a fair usually corresponded to the feast day of a particular saint.  The fair could last from one day to many weeks.

The oddities and spectacles described in Will Sparrow's Road were not unusual in 16th and 17th century England.  Cushman used the first-hand accounts from the diaries of Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) as he described seeing "monkeys dancing on the rope, a goose with four feet and a cock with three, a legless man who danced on his hands, and other oddities."  It was not uncommon for many of the oddity specimens to be fake, just as in the case of Master Tidball's specimens.  Duchess was inspired by a trained pig from London during the 1780's.  Grace Wyse was inspired by the Gonzales family who suffered from a rare genetic condition called hypertrichosis, which caused them to be extremely hairy.  Unlike Grace, the real-life Gonzales family was accepted by society.

The food Cushman described throughout Will's travels was accurate for the day.  A normal diet for a poor person during this time would consist of bread, cheese, and onions in the morning.  If you were rich your bread was made with fine white flour, however, the poor man's bread was made with barley or rye.  On a day when Fitz was prosperous, "he dropped an armload of onions, bread, and wedges of crumbly yellow cheese into Grace's lap."  They generally had one cooked meal a day which consisted of a mixture of grain, water, and vegetables.  If one could afford it, strips of meat were added to the mixture as well.  Normally people did not drink water because it wasn't safe to do so.  Very young children drank milk, all classes drank ale or beer, and the rich drank wine.  Will is mentioned getting ale on several occasions throughout the book.  Unlike his father, Will did not have a drinking problem, this was the customary beverage of the day.

The wardrobe in Will Sparrow's Road is also consistent with the time period.  The dress of a poor man was garments made out of coarse wool or linen.  Those who were rich wore garments made of fine wool, cotton, or silk which may have been embroidered with silk, gold, or silver thread.  A jerkin was a jacket worn over a doublet and under a gown, cloak, or cape.  "As they ran, they pulled off their hats and caps, doublets and jerkins, and threw them down on the grass near where Will stood."  In the crowds described attending the fair, it is easy to detect which class of people they were based on their dress.  It is obviously a rich man and his companion described when the story relates a “man in velvet doublet and polished sword kicked a small girl out of his way, which made her cry and his ­raspberry-silked companion giggle.”

Cushman allows the reader to experience the dialogue of the time without overwhelming them.  Some of the words and phrases of the time include:  aye, scurvy lord, anon, certes, drinking smoke, hie, mingy moldwarp, knave, axwaddle, good morrow, avaunt, aroint, and nipper.  When Will meets the nipper, Nell Liftpurse, her hand is branded with a "T" for her thieveries.  The characters remain true to the time period in their dress, in their daily life, and in their dialogue.

The story begins as Will, who was sold by his father in exchange for ale, is caught stealing food from his new master.  The innkeeper intends to sell Will to a chimney sweep.  "'There always be a market for such,' the innkeeper continued.  'Them don't last long.  They lungs go.'"  Determined not to face such a dreadful end to his young and troubled life, Will escapes with only the clothes on his back and no boots on his feet.  On his travels, Will is deceived time and time again by liars, thieves, and cons.  Because of his past history, it is not surprising that his new mantra is self-serving and cynical.  "I care for no one but myself and nothing but my belly," is Will's outlook on the world and everyone in it.  Every person in Will's life has misused him in some way.  He is understandably mistrustful of everyone he meets.  When he first joined the troupe of "oddities and prodigies" he disliked them and looked for any opportunity to leave them behind.  With no other prospects to keep food in his belly, Will stayed with the troupe and, over time, discovered that they weren't so odd after all.  He comes to respect Fitz and realizes that the physical stature of a man does not measure his character.  He also realizes that he does care for someone other than himself.  When given the opportunity to leave Grace, Fritz, and Benjamin to their own devices, Will returns to help those with whom he has formed a bond.  Readers today can relate to the inner struggle of trusting someone after they have been mistreated by people in their past.  Although it was difficult for Will to open up his broken and bruised heart, he found healing in his courageous act of friendship in the last stretch of Will Sparrow's Road.

 

Awards and Honors

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Recommended Title

Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee

Review Excerpts

“A compelling coming-of-age road trip.”  Kirkus Reviews

“Offering action, humor, and heart in equal doses, Cushman’s story is, at its core, about creating and claiming a family of one’s own. Readers will be ready to follow Will anywhere from the very first page.”  Publishers Weekly, starred review

 

“‘Will Sparrow was a liar and a thief, and hungry’ begins Karen Cushman’s latest novel. One of her recurring themes is that with enough pluck and mulishness, children will play through the bad hand fate deals them—once they've glimpsed a reason to do so. ‘I care for no one but myself,’ the boy starts out saying, ‘and nothing but my belly!’ while stealing a cold rabbit pie. By the end of Will Sparrow’s Road, when the boy’s conscience blossoms as he envisions a different life, we will have traveled with him through a lively and amusing parade of the late 16th century and through the hero's own personal journey.” —“In His Own Time: Karen Cushman's young hero comes of age in the 16th century.” Michael Sims, The New York Times

 

“A coming-of-age story set in a very different time from our own, this tale of Cushman's makes this world come alive for middle readers.”  Books for Kids Blog

Other Books by Karen Cushman 

The Midwife's Apprentice
Catherine, Called Birdy
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple 

Visit her website for more information:  http://www.karencushman.com/

 

Book Connections
 

Elizabethan England  by Ruth Ashby

Food & Feasts in Tudor Times by Richard Balkwill

The Sterkarm Handshake by Susan Price

Connection Activities

• Listen to A Bawdy Elizabethan Evening in Merrie Old England [sound recording] produced by Legacy International (ISBN 3314043999991).  Discuss the various instruments used during this time period:  fiddle, viola, lute, organ, and harpsichord.  Have the students create their own madrigals.
• Divide the students into groups and assign each group a topic concerning the history of 16th century England (e.g. dress, social classes, architecture, food, geography, transportation, entertainment, etc.).  Have each group create a poster depicting what they have learned through research about their particular area.  When completed, have each group present and explain their poster to the class.

TURTLE IN PARADISE

Holm, Jennifer L.  Turtle in Paradise.  New York:  Random House, 2010.  ISBN 978-0-375-83688-6.
 

Plot Summary

Set in 1935, the Great Depression is in full effect and jobs are very scarce.  Eleven-year-old Turtle is sent to stay with relatives in Key West, Florida when her mother lands a housekeeping job for a woman who doesn't like children.  

 

Critical Analysis

Life was challenging, to say the least, during the Great Depression.  In 1935, the unemployment rate was 20.1%.  Families were forced to relocate and sometimes live apart in order to find work and survive the economic hardships.  Holm paints the picture of these tough economic times as Turtle's mother, Sadiebelle, sends her off to live with relatives she has never met.  It was understood that this separation was necessary in order to maintain employment.  Such was life in this era.  The author's notes in the back of the book give the historical facts of the time.  She notes that in 1934, the town of Key West officially declared bankruptcy.  The majority of the town's population was on public relief just as was mentioned in Turtle in Paradise.  Key West was beginning to get back on its feet when the Labor Day Hurricane struck on September 2, 1935. 

As far as the stories of pirates and hidden treasure, Holm's draws on the personal accounts of Jeane Porter in Key West:  Conch Smiles and Charlotte Niedhauk in Charlotte's Story.  Historical photographs taken during this time period are an added benefit to correlate the scenes of Turtle in Paradise with what life on Key West actually looked like in the 1930's.  Additionally, Holm's has a present day view of life on Key West with many landmarks of the 1930's still present.  See the connection activities for a link to these colorful photographs.  Holm gives an accurate description of the town, as shown by the photographs from the 1930's and present day.  Holm also lists resources, websites, and the personal account of her grandmother as sources which she used to authenticate the historical facts presented in Turtle in Paradise. 

Economic times are tough during the Great Depression regardless of what part of the country one would venture.  There is mention of the Dust Bowl to which Mr. Edgit has the remedy.  "He says folks in the Dust Bowl wouldn't be having so much trouble if they'd just move near some water."  Every place has its own set of problems.  The setting of the story takes place in Key West, Florida from June through September 1935.  There is plenty of water in Florida, however, it is also the place of a very destructive and deadly hurricane in 1935 which was known as the Labor Day Hurricane.  

The characters, mostly boys, are believable in their thoughts, speech, and actions.  The Diaper Gang was a bit on the odd side, however, desperate economic times call for desperate employment measures.  The boy's secret diaper rash remedy was actually passed down from Holm's family, which would give more credence to this part of the story.  Talk of Little Orphan Annie, Shirley Temple, the Shadow, Terry and the Pirates, and Flash Gordon would all be of interest to children during this time period.  As far as their dress, the character's wardrobe depicts a typical poor islander.  Turtle comments at one point that she has yet to see a boy wearing shoes.  By the end of the story, she is running around the island shoeless as well.  The boys nocturnal mischievousness of "tick-tocking" was actually done by boys on Key West in the 1930's.  According to Holm, many of the actions of her characters in Turtle in Paradise were inspired by the actions of real people in the history of Key West.  Even the writer, who was later identified as Hemingway, was based on the Ernest Hemingway who lived in Key West at the time of the horrific hurricane described in the book.

"This is the bee's knees, fellas!"  What a classic expression, that is non-existent for the children of today, but most appropriate for the 1930's.  Holm's young characters use the respectful dialogue which was observed during this era.  When reprimanded, the boys would reply with a dutiful "yes, ma'am." 

The underlying storyline in Turtle in Paradise is for Turtle to achieve her dream of finding treasure.  In the beginning, the dream of she and her mother owning their own home, the Bellewood, Model #3304, is what drives her.  Later, when she finds what might be a treasure map, the thought of finding pirate's gold is all she desires.  Finally, with the thought of a family and a town to call her home, Turtle discovers that this is the true treasure she has been seeking. 

It is this thought of the love of family which transcends the decades of time.  Children today can recognize the value of family.  As seen in Turtle in Paradise and in the present day, although economic times are tough, and trusted people can turn out to be not so trustworthy, people can always rely on their family to come together and help each other over the rough patches in life.  Turtle in Paradise, a book historically based on the past which is also a reflection of our world today.

Awards and Honors

Newbery Honor Book, 2011

An ALA Notable Book

Booklist Editor's Choice

Chicago Library Best of the Best

Texas Bluebonnet List

A Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book of 2010

Spring 2010 Junior Library Guild Selection

New York Times Best Seller

 

Review Excerpts

"Infused with period pop culture references, a strong sense of place, and the unique traditions and culture of Key West natives (aka "Conchs"), this humorous adventure effectively portrays Turtle as caught between her mother's Hollywood-inspired dreams and the very real family and geography that offer a different kind of paradise."  Publisher's Weekly

"Turtle is just the right mixture of knowingness and hope; the plot is a hilarious blend of family dramas seasoned with a dollop of adventure."  Booklist, Starred Review 
 

"Sweet, funny and superb."  Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review 

 

Other Books by Jennifer L. Holm 

Penny from Heaven

Our Only May Amelia

The Boston Jane Trilogy

Visit her website for more information:  http://www.jenniferholm.com/

 

Book Connections

Children of the Great Depression by Russell Freedman

Blown Away by Joan Hiatt Harlow 

Hurricanes [electronic resource] by Gary Jeffrey

Years of Dust:  The Story of the Dust Bowl by Albert Marrin

Connection Activities
 

• Take Turtle's "walking tour" of Key West  (http://www.helpreaderslovereading.com/2011/03/turtle-in-paradise-by-jennifer-l-holm.html).  Compare this to what takes place during and after a hurricane (e.g. watch The Most Dangerous Hurricanes pt. 1 and 2 [dvd] (ISBN  9781593757489).  Discuss what causes a hurricane and what one should do if facing a storm of this magnitude.
• Listen to a sound recording of The Twelve Biggest News Stories of 1935 [sound recording].  This presentation is narrated by Seymour Birkson of the Universal News Service (ISBN 2001659510986).   Discuss the effects of the Great Depression.  If faced with a similar situation today, brainstorm ideas on what to do to survive the economic hardship.

DEAD END IN NORVELT

Gantos, Jack.  Dead End in Norvelt.  New York:  Farrar Straus Giroux, 2011.  ISBN 978-0-374-37993-3.

Plot Summary

Set in Norvelt, PA, twelve-year-old Jack Gantos is grounded for the summer in 1962 because he accidently fired his father's WWII Japanese rifle.  His punishment is temporarily lifted to help his elderly neighbor write obituaries infused with historical facts for the town's newspaper.

 

Critical Analysis

Gantos weaves a very humorous and believable tale around the ordinary lives of twelve-year-old Jack Gantos and his elderly neighbor, Miss Volker.  The book takes place in Norvelt, PA in 1962.  The author lived in Norvelt as a child so it makes one wonder if the book, and the main character of the same name, is an autobiographical reflection of his past.  The town, as mentioned in the book, was founded as part of Eleanor Roosevelt's efforts in creating the New Deal Homestead Act.  Scroll down to the connection activities for a link which will give more information on this historic fact.  The name of the town, Norvelt, was in honor of EleaNOR RooseVELT.  There is no specific significance as to why the book was set in 1962.  Perhaps it was to honor the memory of Eleanor Roosevelt who died November 7, 1962.

The cast of characters remain true-to-life throughout the book.  Jack seems like any boy his age.  A good lad but always getting into trouble.  Miss Volker is the no-nonsense calls-it-like-she-sees-it elderly neighbor who befriends Jack, perhaps out of necessity more than anything else.  She takes her death-watch duty, as promised to Mrs. Roosevelt herself, very seriously.  The supporting characters are just as life-like and believable:  Jack's parents, Mr. Spizz, Bunny, Mr. Huffer, Mertie-Jo, Mr. Kernecky, and the Hells Angels, just to name a few.  It is easy to picture each character and imagine what he or she looked like, how they would have felt in 1962,  and what they were like.  Gantos captured each person perfectly and never wavered in his characterization.  The setting, the thoughts and fears of the characters, and the storyline itself is carefully orchestrated to create a fictional story out of historical events.  In Dead End in Norvelt, Jack's father mentions building a bomb shelter.  This would have been consistent with the thoughts of the time.  In 1960, the Russians claimed to have downed a U.S. spy plane.  That same year, Cuba aligned itself with the Soviet Union.  In 1962, there was a credible threat of Soviet missiles bombarding the U.S. via launch sites in Cuba. 

A story which hinges around the deaths of the original Norvelters would evoke thoughts of being grim, despondent, and hopeless.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  Dead End in Norvelt is laugh-out-loud funny.  Gantos is witty and spotlights the humorous events which occur on any ordinary day, or at least an ordinary day in Norvelt, PA.  For example, when Jack needs to check to see if one of the town folk has joined the dearly departed, he dons a Grim Reaper costume and sneaks into her house.   Mrs. Dubicki is not dead.  She gets the start of her life when she awakes from her nap to find Norvelt's Grim Reaper hovering over her.  Getting over her initial shock, she asks Jack, a.k.a. Norvelt's Grim Reaper for the Public Good, if he could fit her into his schedule in two weeks so she wouldn't miss her grandson's birthday on July 3rd.  When Mr. Reaper agrees, Mrs. Dubicki, remembering her manners as a good hostess, invites the Grim Reaper to join her for a cup of tea. 

Jack is grounded for the summer because he accidently fired his father's WWII Japanese rifle which, by the way, he wasn't supposed to touch.  His only reprieve from his punishment is helping his elderly neighbor, Miss. Volker.  Miss Volker is the town's chief medical examiner and obituary writer for the Norvelt News.  Because of her arthritis, Jack is her scribe, typist, and errand boy.  In each obituary, Miss Volker includes historical facts which occurred on that particular day in history.  For example, when Mrs. Dubicki died on July 4, 1962, Miss Volker writes about the deaths of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson on July 4, 1826.  This historical information can be verified (e.g. http://askville.amazon.com/john-Adams-Thomas-Jefferson-die-day-July-4th-1826/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=7977517).  Another example of the history-infused obituary would be when Mrs. Hamsby died on August 1, 1962, Miss Volker wrote about what happened on August 1, 1944.  It was on this day that Anne Frank made the last entry into her diary.  This can be verified by different sources (e.g. http://voices.yahoo.com/this-day-history-august-1st-1944-anne-franks-last-3933830.html).  There are many tidbits of history inlaid throughout Gantos' Dead End in Norvelt.  The reader is able to glean a lesson in history while enjoying a thoroughly entertaining story! 

Awards and Honors

Newbery Medal, 2012

Scott O'Dell Award, 2012

Review Excerpts

“This is a brilliant book, full of history, mystery, and laughs. It reminded me of my small-town childhood, although my small town was never as delightfully weird as Norvelt.” —Dave Barry

“A bit of autobiography works its way into all of Gantos’s work, but he one-ups himself in this wildly entertaining meld of truth and fiction by naming the main character . . . Jackie Gantos.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“A fast-paced and witty read.” —School Library Journal

“There’s more than laugh-out-loud gothic comedy here. This is a richly layered semi-autobiographical tale, an ode to a time and place, to history and the power of reading.” —The Horn Book, starred review

“Gantos, as always, delivers bushels of food for thought and plenty of outright guffaws.” —Booklist

 

Other Books by Jack Gantos

From Norvelt to Nowhere

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key

Jack Adrift:  Fourth Grade Without a Clue

Visit his website for more information:  http://www.jackgantos.com/

Book Connections

Eleanor Roosevelt:  An Inspiring Life by Elizabeth MacLeod

True Colors by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock

Rex Zero and the End of the World by Tim Wynne-Jones

 

Connection Activities

• Listen to the Great Events of 1962 & 1963 [video recording] published by the Madacy Entertainment Group, Inc. (ISBN 7102019199997).  Create a poster depicting the historical events which took place in 1962-1963.
• Discuss the history of Norvelt, PA and the New Deal Homestead Project(e.g. http://www.norvelt.org/Norvelt/History.html and http://www.lib.iup.edu/depts/speccol/exhibits/norvelt.html).  Would this project be successful today?  After reviewing historical facts, have the students discuss this question and draw their own conclusions.