The Midwife's Apprentice

1.    BIBLIOGRAPHY:  Cushman, Karen. 1995. THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 006440630.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Brat had no memory of her past, but kept moving by living off scraps. She was clever and slept in the dung pile to keep warm, which got her the nickname of Beetle. A midwife, Jane, took her in.  Although she had to work hard, Beetle appreciated having a roof over her head.  She rescues a cat that has been teased all its life. The cat then becomes her constant companion. Beetle watches the midwife through windows and tries to be her apprentice.   She gets the opportunity to birth a baby but gets too scared to deliver it.  She renames herself Alyce.  Alyce saves a young boy named Will after he falls into the water and nearly drowns, even though he had been teasing her.   Alyce then creates a hoof mark to guide the townspeople in a process to expose the secrets of all of the people who had been taunting her.  They were under the assumption that the Devil was in the city.  Will meets her again, and this time she helps him birth two cows in a compassionate way that Jane does not have.  Alyce is later left alone with a mother-to-be while a wealthier woman is giving birth at the same time with Jane’s assistance. She is instructed not to do anything since the baby will die.  However, she delivers the baby. The new mother has a sister who is also pregnant and needs a midwife.  However, Alyce fails to deliver this baby and the midwife is then called in to deliver it.  Alyce runs away doubting herself and her intelligence.  She finds work at an inn, and there she begins to learn to read a little. However, she ends up realizing that the midwife had valued her, except she wanted Alyce  to not give up so easily.  One night someone comes to the inn needing help delivering their baby and she successfully delivers a baby boy.  Alyce goes back to Jane and tells her of all that she has learned and asks if she can come back.  At first, she is refused, but after she remembers to add that she learned to never give up, she is invited back.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is an excellent historical fiction novel dealing with life in Medieval England.   Karen Cushman shows us researched historical details. The character of Alyce is one that you cannot help but root for.  She comes from nothing, not even remembering her own name, to finding her purpose in life and valuing herself.  She struggles with her own courage.  The theme of never giving up is a great message for students. The plot allows us to use imagery about how Alyce would behave in various situations.  The details in the book illustrate the medical procedures that were used to deliver a baby at that time.  We always have a clear understanding of Alyce’s setting. The places that she goes really determine and influence how she acts. She starts off in the dung pile and ends up groomed and manicured with a purpose to her life.   We ge a sense of the familiar with the descriptions of the medieval English countryside, such as when Alyce visits a small boy and his is playing in the chicken coop.   Cushman also has a very clear style. She uses a dialect that is extremely appropriate for Medieval England; however, it does not distract from the portrayal of Alyce.

 
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
John Newberry Medal

Starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “Cushman has an almost unrivaled ability to build atmosphere, and her evocation of a medieval village, if not scholarly in its authenticity, is supremely colorful and pungent.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*It is great to use in an author study.

Other books by Karen Cushman:

Cushman, Karen.  CATHERINE CALLED BIRDY.  ISBN 0064405842.

Cushman, Karen.  THE BALLAD OF LUCY WHIPPLE.  ISBN 0064406849.

Cushman, Karen.  RODZINA.  ISBN 0618133518.

Cushman, Karen.  MATILDA BONE.  ISBN 0395881560.

*It is great to do use in conjunction with research on the Middle Ages.

Other books about the Middle Ages:

White, T.H.  THE SWORD IN THE STONE.  ISBN 0399225021.

White, T.H.  THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING.  ISBN 03441003834.

Hitler Youth

1.     BIBLIOGRAPHY: Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. 2005. HITLER YOUTH: GROWING UP IN HITLER’S SHADOW. New York, NY: Scholastic. ISBN 9780439353793.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
This book shares chronologically the responsibility Hitler Youth had in the Nazi party through the eyes of twelve individuals.  Herbert Norkus, a Hitler Youth, was executed by being stabbed to death by a Communist rebel.  His brutal death as the youngest to be murdered led him to be a martyr, and his blood was on the Blood Banners.  Hitler wanted to increase nationalism in any way that he could.  As Hitler rose to power, he encouraged a program called the Hitler Youth.  It promised adventures and camping.  Millions of boys joined because it was very popular to be in the club.  It was also a way to check into the boys and girls lineage to prove their Aryan descent.  Boys played war games; while girls learned to be nurses, mothers, and wives (who did not smoke, drink, or wear make-up). Meanwhile, these children were also being taught Nazi propaganda and were able to aid in the firing of their teachers if they were not following the indoctrination.  Books that did not agree with the new teachings were burned.  Jewish people were the target of unacceptable horrors at Kristallnacht, which Hitler blamed on the fact that a Nazi officer was attacked and harmed even though Kristallnacht was planned well before this attack.  Hitler did deliver on the creation of jobs and the feeding of the people however.  Hitler Youth were required to serve in the military, farm, build roads (including the Autobahn), and later dig trenches for a year after graduating from high school.  Parents were turned into the Gestapo by their own children for saying anything against the Nazi party.  The children idolized and had a role model in their Hitler Youth leader.  When Berlin got bombed, children were evacuated and not allowed to see their parents for their own protection.  These same children got bombarded by Nazi propaganda and later enlisted in the Nazi party.  Hitler tricked many saying Poland attacked first.  On D-Day, many of the fighters were just teenagers or in their early twenties.  Hitler was reliant on the Hitler Youth to fight, and they were good soldiers since they were raised to know war strategies.  After one parent’s request to end their child’s suffering painlessly, Hitler started euthanizing those with mental or physical disabilities.  This gave him exposure to become the mass murderer that he was by switching to the gas chambers to be more efficient.  The horrors of the concentration camps were something that the Hitler Youth did not want to believe, even after viewing the truth of them after the Allies won the war.  Resistance parties of Hitler grew; however, the risk of being in them did too.  They were known as the White Rose, and those who were found out to be members were beheaded.  Many children had to join the Nazi party or face execution, especially near the end of the Nazi regime.     

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Bartoletti’s book on Hitler Youth is a captivating Social History!  The accuracy and attention to details is phenomenal in this book.  The author has a large section for the bibliography to substantiate her knowledge in this area.  The photographs all have captions and identify where she got them from and what is going on.  The author clearly states her point of view on how the youth of Germany got swept away in a horrendous journey through the portrayal and teachings that they received in the Hitler Youth.  She sticks to facts to illustrate the atrocities that these young boys and girls end up committing due to their manipulation by a treacherous leader.  The photographs really add a lot to the book to show the tragedy through the eyes of those children.  The organization is chronological.  This helps us see the horrors unfold gradually just like it was then.  The chapters divide the book into clear sections.  However, the most interesting text feature, or reference aid, are the captions.  These are very gripping photos, so they really help engage the reader more.  The design was very cleverly done, so students will flock to the book.  While it is a thick text, it has many pictures to help make it not look so intimidating.  The black and white photographs have a dark, stirring feel to them too, which is appropriate for the content of the book.  The author has a clear voice.  You have a desire to know what happens to each individual in the story.  It also warrants further research on the topic and the individuals, many of whom have their own stories that they wrote for further investigation.  This book was very enlightening of the propaganda that warranted so many children to join such a heinous organization.

 
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Newberry Honor Book

The Robert F. Sibert Honor Book
Starred Review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:  “The book is structured around 12 young individuals and their experiences, which clearly demonstrate how they were victims of leaders who took advantage of their innocence and enthusiasm for evil means. Their stories evolve from patriotic devotion to Hitler and zeal to join, to doubt, confusion, and disillusion. (An epilogue adds a powerful what-became-of-them relevance.) The large period photographs are a primary component and they include Nazi propaganda showing happy and healthy teens as well as the reality of concentration camps and young people with large guns. The final chapter superbly summarizes the weighty significance of this part of the 20th century and challenges young readers to prevent history from repeating itself. Bartoletti lets many of the subjects' words, emotions, and deeds speak for themselves, bringing them together clearly to tell this story unlike anyone else has.”

Starred Review in BOOKLIST:  “Bartoletti draws on oral histories, diaries, letters, and her own extensive interviews with Holocaust survivors, Hitler Youth, resisters, and bystanders to tell the history from the viewpoints of people who were there. Most of the accounts and photos bring close the experiences of those who followed Hitler and fought for the Nazis, revealing why they joined, how Hitler used them, what it was like. Henry Mentelmann, for example, talks about Kristallnacht, when Hitler Youth and Storm Troopers wrecked Jewish homes and stores, and remembers thinking that the victims deserved what they got. The stirring photos tell more of the story. One particularly moving picture shows young Germans undergoing de-Nazification by watching images of people in the camps. The handsome book design, with black-and-white historical photos on every double-page spread, will draw in readers and help spark deep discussion, which will extend beyond the Holocaust curriculum. The extensive back matter is a part of the gripping narrative.”

5. CONNECTIONS

*It would be great to use in conjunction with teaching about the holocaust.

Other books about the holocaust:

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell.  THE BOY WHO DARED.  ISBN 0439680134.

Heck, Anna.  A CHILD OF HITLER: GERMANY IN THE DAYS WHEN GOD WORE A SWASTIKA.  ISBN 0939650444.

Levine, Ellen.  DARKNESS OVER DENMARK: THE DANISH RESISTANCE AND THE RESCUE OF THE JEWS.  ISBN 0439296298.

Zullo, Allan, & Bovsun, Mara.  SURVIVORS: TRUE STORIES OF CHILDREN IN THE HOLOCAUST.  ISBN 0439669962.

Snakes

1.    BIBLIOGRAPHY:  Simon, Seymour. 1992.  SNAKES. New York, NY: HarperCollins Children’s Books. ISBN 0439148715.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
There are 2,500 kinds of snakes with only a few hundred being poisonous, and only fifty of the poisonous snakes are dangerous to humans.  They exist all over the world; however, they are more prone to warmer climates.  Snakes are reptiles.  They have a heart, lungs, stomach, and other organs.  Their vertebrae make up their backbone, which allow them to easily bend their body.  They have as many as 500 vertebrae, whereas people have up to 33.  Snakes continue to grow all their lives, faster when younger but a little when they are older too.  Snakes swallow their prey whole due to their double hinged jaws.  Depending on how big the animal is that it eats, a snake might not need to feed for a day, week, or month.  Snakes have inner ears for hearing the vibrations of their prey.  Their tongue helps them smell, bringing the smell to their pits which are called Jacobson’s organs.  Their color and pattern helps them camouflage.  Some snakes lay eggs while others have live birth.  Once snakes are born, their parents leave and the snakes are on their own for survival.  Most snakes are harmless, but they have defenses.   The hognose for example will mimic a rattlesnake, but if a predator continues to attack it will roll over on its back and play dead.  Most of the poisonous snakes in the U.S. are vipers.  Snakes help keep down rodent populations. 

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Seymour Simon’s book on Snakes is a wonderful photo essay!  It is clearly very accurate and well researched.  Seymour Simon is very well respected. There, however, is only a bibliography for his photos, not for his writing.  His point of view is very clear that we as humans do not need to worry about snakes.  They will not harm us.  He does this without using stereotypes, and he quotes statistics and facts.  The organization is very easy to follow with him going from general-to-specific.  Text and visual features, or reference aids, are not used other than photographs.  Topic sentences are most important in telling what that page will be about, since there are no subheadings.  The design is very inviting to children.  There is a huge photo that takes up one page every time you turn the pages.  There is plenty of white space around the words to help the page not look intimidating and overflowing to the younger reader.  The photographs really pull young readers in and also give clues to what that page is going to be about.  The style of Seymour Simon is very direct.  His voice is easy to hear.  The writing is very exciting and encourages more “I Wonder” statements from students.  This encourages future research and reading on the topic, which is the desired result. 

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Snakes are at their most beguiling in this beautifully photographed, well-organized introduction. The text succinctly describes their general physical and behavioral characteristics, and identifies the four major snake families. Fifteen species are depicted in the large, sharp, full-color photographs that appear on approximately every other page; most close-ups are so finely detailed that individual scales are visible.” Starred review in KIRKUS: "The dramatic cover photo of an orangey-gold boa snaking from a black background will insure that this doesn't sit long on the shelf. Inside, riveting full-page color photos on every spread and the clearly written (if rather difficult) text on life cycle, anatomy, reproduction, classification, movement, diet, and poisonous snakes will also draw an appreciative audience. Another winner from the prolific, reliable Simon.”
5. CONNECTIONS
*It would be great to use in conjunction with a lesson about snakes and adaptations.

Other books about snakes: 

Schwartz, Betty Ann, & Wilensky, Alexander.  SPLENDID SPOTTED SNAKE.  ISBN 0761163603.

Stewart, Melissa.  NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC READERS: SNAKES!.  ISBN 1426304285.

Gunzi, Christiane. THE BEST BOOK OF SNAKES. ISBN 0753459379.

*It would be great to use in conjunction with an author study.

Other books that are by Seymour Simon:

Simon, Seymour.  THE PAPER AIRPLANE BOOK.  ISBN 0140309256.

Simon, Seymour.  THE MOON.  ISBN 0689835639.

Simon, Seymour.  TROPICAL RAINFORESTS.  ISBN 0061142530.

Simon, Seymour.  OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.  ISBN 0061140082.

Simon, Seymour.  SEYMOUR SIMON’S BOOK OF TRUCKS.  ISBN 0064462242.

Simon, Seymour.  STORMS.  ISBN 0688117085.

Simon, Seymour.  SEYMOUR SIMON’S BOOK OF TRAINS.  ISBN 0064462235.

What To Do About Alice?

1.    BIBLIOGRAPHY:  Kerley, Barbara. 2008. WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE? Fotheringham, Edwin.  New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN 978043992231.

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Alice was a huge problem for her dad, Theodore Roosevelt.  He could herd thousands of cattle across the Dakotas, lead Rough Riders up Kettle Hill in Puerto Rico, kill a grizzly bear, capture outlaws, govern New York, and be the Vice President of the United States.  However, he could not contain and control his daughter.  She wanted to explore.  Her mom died two days after she was born, but her father eventually remarried and had more children.  She loved trying new things as her family moved for her father’s job between New York and Washington, D.C.  Alice especially loved to read and hear stories about Davy Crockett, George Armstrong Custer, and Daniel Boone.  She was home-schooled and became a tomboy wanting to wear pants and wanting a pet monkey.  She had to wear leg braces to make her legs grow properly, but then she was able to take them off and ride a bike.  Alice joined an all-boy club, which landed her the consequence of attending Miss Spence’s boarding school.  She cried and got out of it.  She ended up teaching herself by reading her father’s library.  When she was seventeen, Alice’s dad became the President.  Alice and her pet snake moved into the White House.  She decided that she would become a goodwill ambassador.  Alice travelled the world and had her own adventures while doing good around the world.  During her father’s 2^nd inauguration speech, she had to be told to sit down because she was waving so much to her friends.  After her father signed a peace treaty between Russia and Japan, she joined an American delegation going to Asia.  She received many gifts along the way and brought home a fiancé who was a congressman.  She even got her pet monkey! 

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book was an excellent picture book biography.  The information appears to be accurate.  The author cites her sources for the information, which includes direct letters from Theodore Roosevelt to his daughter and the Library of Congress.  These are very reliable resources.  The author does a splendid job of giving you information about Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency with a more interesting and inviting twist.  The style of using Alice as a main character really gives a voice that the students can relate to.  The naughty daughter that misbehaves and cannot be controlled even by such an accomplished president is hilarious and relatable to the students.  It livens up the story.  Rather than just listing everything Theodore does, it shows how it all interweaves into a family dynamic.  This is captivating and enlists the students to do a lot more research after reading this picture book biography.  My students read it and laughed hysterically.  They followed up with the question of whether or not it was real, including specific parts.  The curiosity and interest level to do more research and fact checking is exactly what we want our kids to do after reading a great informational text.  The organization is clear and concise in a chronological order.  The design is very enticing for the younger reader even.  The pages are filled with color and pictures.  The words are written to match the pictures, such as when there are stairs the words are in the shape of the stairs.  When Alice is being bossy or Theodore Roosevelt is trying to describe or tell her something to do, the print gets bigger and bolder, such as calling her ‘unruly’, ‘inconsiderate’, and a ‘tomboy’.  Sometimes the font type changes too.  This all aids in keeping the reader engaged in the book. 

 
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Bluebonnet Award Nominee 2009-2010

Starred review in BOOKLIST: “Irrepressible Alice Roosevelt gets a treatment every bit as attractive and exuberant as she was....The large format gives Fotheringham, in his debut, plenty of room for spectacular art.”

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:  “Kerley’s text gallops along with a vitality to match her subject s antics, as the girl greets White House visitors accompanied by her pet snake, refuses to let leg braces cramp her style, dives fully clothed into a ship’s swimming pool, and also earns her place in history as one of her father s trusted advisers. Fotheringham’s digitally rendered, retro-style illustrations are a superb match for the text."

Starred review in KIRKUS: “Theodore Roosevelt s irrepressible oldest child receives an appropriately vivacious appreciation in this superb picture book.... Kerley s precise text presents readers with a devilishly smart, strong-willed girl who was determined to live life on her own terms and largely succeeded."

5. CONNECTIONS
*It is great to use in conjunction with a unit on Theodore Roosevelt.

Other books for children about Theodore Roosevelt:

Fritz, Jean.  BULLY FOR YOU, TEDDY ROOSEVELT! Wimmer, Mike. ISBN 0689116097.

Harness, Cheryl.  YOUNG TEDDY ROOSEVELT.  ISBN 0792270940.

Hollihan, Kerrie.  THEODORE ROOSEVELT FOR KIDS: HIS LIFE AND TIMES, 21 ACTIVITIES. ISBN 1556529554.

Gayle, Sharon. TEDDY ROOSEVELT: THE PEOPLE’S PRESIDENT. Dacey, Bob, & Bandelin, Debra. ISBN 0689858256.

Harness, Charyl.  THE REMARKABLE ROUGH-RIDING LIFE OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT AND THE RISE OF EMPIRE AMERICA. ISBN 1426300085. 

Amber Was Brave, Essie Was Smart

Bibliography

Williams, Vera B. 2001. Amber Was Brave, Essie Was Smart. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.  ISBN 0060294604.

Recommended Age Levels 7-13

Summary of Book

In the collection of poems called Amber Was Brave, Essie Was Smart, Amber is the main character, while Essie is her sister.  They are very poor and have to rely on one another.  The two girls cuddle together with Amber’s teddy bear Wilson in a “Best Sandwich” in order to keep warm because their heater is broken.  They cannot use a telephone, because their mother cannot pay the bill.  Their mother works hard to take care of the family, but she is not around often, except for late in the evenings and on Sunday.  Sunday is finger nail painting day and their mother ends up insulting their new friend Nata-Lee who has recently moved in on the top floor of their building.  Their dad is in jail because he forged a check.  This is devastating for Amber, and she sends him her braids to ensure that he remembers her.  The poems reveal the relationship of Amber and Essie as both sisters and confidants.  We really feel their inner struggles with the world, their family, and each other.  The story is so direct, yet the emotions are so rich.  The pictures help emphasize that also by going from black and white to colored pencil drawings.  In the end, they go with their uncle and mom to buy groceries just before their dad comes home.

Review Excerpts

“Williams opens with full-color portraits of the girls and closes with pastel drawings of the more dramatic moments; she punctuates the poems with black-and-white pencil drawings that convey the deep affection between these sympathetic sisters. Though the author taps into difficult themes, by relaying the events through the eyes of the two girls, she maintains a ray of hope throughout the volume.”

·         Publishers Weekly

“Williams's heartwarming story takes readers on the emotional roller-coaster ride that is Amber and Essie's life. Williams's spare and touching verses capture every detail with clarity, humor, and heart. While the text is accessible to children just venturing beyond easy-readers, the story has a great deal of substance for older readers as well. Black-pencil sketches are full of action and as lively as Williams's poems, and fully capture the joys and sorrows of the girls' life. Finally, when the story has ended (or perhaps just begun), readers are treated to a full-color album of most of the high points and some of the low points the youngsters experience. A poignant testament to what it means to have a sister.”

·         School Library Journal

“Two sections of full-color pencil illustrations add surprise and detail to the text. The opener, "Introducing Amber and Essie 4 Portraits," shows the girls from front and back, giving the reader a delightfully well-rounded portrait of each. The closing section, "Amber and Essie: An Album," adds additional action and color to some of the incidents. Poems and illustrations provide a portrait of close sisterly relationship that intimately and lovingly draws the reader into the joys and sadness of their lives. A wonderful story, brilliantly told.”

·         Kirkus Reviews

Awards / Honors Received

·         Boston Globe–Horn Book Award Honor Book

·         ALA Notable Children’s Book

·         Riverbank Review Children’s Books of Distinction Award

·         ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice

·         Publishers Weekly Best Book

·         School Library Journal Best Book

·         New York Public Library's "One Hundred Titles for Reading and Sharing"

·         Jane Addams Book Award Honor Book

·         Horn Book Fanfare

·         Book Sense 76 Pick

·         Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee 2004-2005

·         Claudia Lewis Poetry Award 2002

Questions to Ask Before Reading

Have the students discuss the following questions before reading aloud Amber Was Brave, Essie Was Smart.

·         Before showing the students the title of the book, ask Have you ever been compared to your brother or sister?  After several responses are shared, show children the title and ask What clues do we have that this book is going to look at the differences between two sisters?

·         Do you have a brother or sister?  What are some things that you do together?

·         Do you have someone that you share your feelings and experiences with?  Where do you share these things?  Do you always get along with them?  Explain.

·         What are the differences between having one person at home versus two parents at home?  What would you miss most about your family if it changed? 

·         How does your family cheer each other up?  Is there something that always happens when someone in the family is sad or going through a hard time?

·         What is it like to meet someone new?  Where did you meet them?  How did you become friends?

·         What is a routine or tradition?  Do you have a routine or tradition in your family?  Is there something special that your family does on a set day or occasion? 

Suggestions for Reading Poems Aloud

·         “Conversation Under the Bed” – Have the students separated into 5 groups (organized by their tables), so each group gets a stanza to read aloud.  They may act it out as a group when it is their turn to read aloud.  This will help them focus on the meaning of a stanza and the meaning in the stanza.

·         “Daddy Song” – Have all the children choral read the word daddy on every other line.  They will then really hear the other words emphasized and as the focus.  They get to see how things evolve or change with her experience with her dad.  The main idea is Daddy, and the students will pick up on that from this activity.

·         “No I Won’t / Yes I Will” – Divide the students into two groups.  Have them take turns being either Essie or Amber.  They will act it out bantering back and forth.  This poem is perfect for this, because it is written like it should be a dialogue!  

Follow Up Activities

Writing

·         In this poetry book, Essie helps Amber cut her braids.  Amber wants to send her braids to Daddy, so he does not forget her.  Amber would have liked to have included a letter with her braids.  The letter would have reminded her dad why she is so special.  Have the students write a personal essay about why they are special.

·         In the book, Nata-Lee gets her feelings hurt on “Sunday Beauty Parlor”.  The mother of Amber and Essie tells Nata-Lee that she cannot participate as fully or as well, because she does not take care of her fingers.  Amber becomes embarrassed by her mother.  Have the students write a personal narrative about a time when they got embarrassed by a family member.

·         In the book, Nata-Lee becomes a new friend to Amber and Essie.  It was a very convenient friendship, since she moved into the same building.  Have the students write a personal essay about a time that they made a new friend. 

Math

·         After reading the poem At the Table in Nata-Lee’s Turret House and Knowledge, discuss fractions with the students.  Essie, Amber, and Nata-Lee split four apples evenly among three people.  Have them think of things that they share and split among friends.  Practice by splitting the pencils, crayons, erasers or snacks evenly among the students. 

·         After comparing the two poems, Thursday Afternoon, where money and food were difficult to obtain, and Full Cart, where money was not as much of an issue, talk to the students about money.  Discuss the importance of a budget and spending money wisely.  Practice by giving the students a realistic budget for groceries.  Print up a list of items at the grocery store, and let them ‘purchase’ and total their mock-bill.  Have them sort what they bought and determine how many meals they can make with what they bought.  Afterwards, discuss positive choices.  They are also then practicing addition. 

·         After reading the poem Amber’s Pleasure, discuss the value of 150.  Bring in containers or things that have more or less than 150 items in them.  Discuss with the students greater than, less than, and equal to.  Students can then bring in their own items and make an anchor chart of their things that are greater than, less than, and equal to.

Social Studies

·         Students can begin a unit of study on the Great Depression.  They can research using both historical fiction and nonfiction texts.  They can then compare and contrast the recession now to the Great Depression then.  Additional information available at http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/themes/great-depression/students.html.

·         After reading the poem Knowledge, have the students locate the equator and the continents.  Have them create and label a map.  Sing the continent song, which is viewable at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVrN-0aQV1o.

·         During the Great Depression, many people struggled financially.  Discuss the economic ramifications this poverty caused in the family structure. 

Science

·         After reading the poem Best Sandwich, discuss friction.  Amber and Essie had to try to keep warm.  They chose snuggling up close to each other to do so.  Have students try rubbing their hands back and forth together to create heat.  Discuss why this works and identify this as friction.  Also, have the students breathe on their own hands to feel heat. 

·         After reading the poems Amber’s Pleasure and Whoops, discuss gravity.  Discuss which objects they think will hit the ground first with different objects and model it.  Have the students pick an object that they would like to test in groups.  Calculate the time that each object takes to reach the floor when dropped at the same height.  Discuss the principle that all take the same amount of time and that it is called gravity.  

·         After reading the poem Full Cart, discuss the importance of a balanced nutrition.  Discuss healthy foods while looking at the food pyramid.  Discuss the benefits of eating healthy, such as increased energy and healthfulness.  Have children create a poster advertising delicious healthy foods and their benefits. 

Arts – Music, Art, Drama

·         Students can create their own play to perform a Reader’s Theater.  Once a script is written, allow the students to assign roles and gather props.  Allow the students ample time to rehearse their parts.  Let them perform their Reader’s Theater.

·         Have the students write a song just like Amber did for Daddy Song.

·         Review the pictures at the beginning of the book.  The author Vera Williams created the pictures by using colored pencils.  Take a picture of the kid’s faces and the backs of their heads.  Give them their photos and have them create their own portraits using the same materials as Vera Williams.  

Counseling Issues

·         A counselor may use this book to lead into whole group or one-on-one discussions with children about friendship, sibling rivalry, latchkey kids, poverty, death of a parent, single parent households, or having a parent in jail.

Related Web Sites

An Interview with Vera B. Williams

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNIXrAxonMo

[Check out this video clip to hear Vera Williams say this book is her favorite and say how it was inspired by her own life experience.]

Great Depression

www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/themes/great-depression/students.html

[Check out this website for more information about the history of the Great Depression.]

Vera B. Williams

http://whatsupwiththebooks.edu.glogster.com/verabwilliams/

[Check out this website for more information about the author and her other works.]

Related Books

Fiction

Hanson, Warren. 2005. Raising You Alone.  Tristan Publishing. ISBN 0972650466.

Downey, Roma. 2001. Love is a Family. Gasquet, Justine. HanpeerEntertainment. ISBN 0060393742.

Jenkins, Emily. 2004. Daffodil. Bogacki, Tomek. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.  ISBN 037316767.

Amato, Mary. 2008. The Children of the Family. Durand, Delphine. Putnam. ISBN 0399241965.

Nonfiction

Freedman, Russell. 2010. Children of the Great Depression. Sandpiper. ISBN 0547480350.

Stanley, Jerry. 1993. Children of the Dust Bowl: The True Story of the School at Weedpatch Camp. Crown Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0517880946.

Lied, Kate. 2002. Potato: A Tale from the Great Depression. Ernst, Lisa. National Geographic Children’s Books. ISBN 0792269462.

Poetry

Winter, Jonah. 2011. Born and Bred in the Great Depression. Root, Kimberly. Schwartz and Wade. ISBN 0375861971.

Hesse, Karen. 1999. Out of the Dust. Scholastic. ISBN 0590371258.

Greenfield, Eloise. 2008. Brothers and Sisters: Family Poems. Amistad. ISBN 0060562846.

George, Kristine O’Connell. 2011. Emma Dilemma: Big Sister Poems. Carpenter, Nancy. Clarion. ISBN 0618428429.