1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lowry, Lois. 1998. Number the Stars. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN0395510600
2. PLOT SUMMARY
The happy-go-lucky life of ten year old Annemarie Johansen is turned upside down as the Germans take over Denmark in 1943. The young girl and her family are faced with having to protect their Jewish friends, the Rosens, when Nazi soldiers come to Copenhagen to “relocate” all the Jews in Denmark. Annemarie has her courage tested throughout the story when she has to face the stern soldiers on more than one occasion. Through the fictional families portrayed in the story, Number the Stars tells the story of how the Danish Resistance bravely assisted over 7000 Jewish people in escaping capture by the Nazi’s.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Lowry takes the story of two innocent young girls who enjoy playing with dolls and running through the streets and develops a frightening account of how their friendship must stand through the German invasion and subsequent evacuation of Annemarie’s best friend and her family in order to avoid capture. As the story unfolds, Annemarie must quickly grow up and take on tasks that require courage and bravery beyond her years. Young girls will be empowered by her story as we find out that one of her acts of bravery save a boat full of Jewish people from being discovered and avoiding certain death.
Throughout this novel, the reader is introduced to the way of life under Nazi rule. From the soldiers on every street corner to their invasion into people’s homes, we come to understand the overpowering sense of loss of all freedom that was felt by those who lived through it.
The story of the Danish Resistance has not been told as often in youth literature as many other World War II stories; therefore, Lowry takes this opportunity to expose young adults to another facet of the German’s treatment of the Jews and a nation’s determination to help their fellow countrymen.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: “Readers are taken to the very heart of Annemarie's experience, and, through her eyes, come to understand the true meaning of bravery.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY review: "The whole work is seamless, compelling, and memorable -- impossible to put down; difficult to forget."
5. CONNECTIONS
Have students write about or discuss a time when they had to stand up for someone else. How does it compare with Annemarie’s experience?
Have students research other acts of courage by people during wartime, including interviewing anyone they know who may have been in a war. (This is especially relevant in our day and particularly with my students since I teach in a military community.)
Monday, November 10, 2008
Review: GOOD MASTERS! SWEET LADIES! : VOICES FROM A MEDIEVAL VILLAGE by Laura Amy Schlitz
1. BIBLIOGRAPHYSchlitz, Laura Amy. 2007. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! : Voices from a Medieval Village. Ill. by Robert Byrd. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN 9780763615789
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Laura Amy Schlitz presents a series of monologues and a few dialogues based on the typical activities of a 13th Century English manor. The selections are based on the actions of young townsfolk between the ages of ten and fifteen. Her motivation for writing this book was to provide students an opportunity to put on a performance based on what they had been learning during a study of Medieval Times. The characters are varied, ranging from runaways and beggars to the son of a knight and the nephew of a lord. In several places throughout the text, Schlitz provides background information to help explain the motivations of the characters, the setting both in time and place, and the values and beliefs of those who lived in that period of time.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! is an enjoyable read either as a silent read or a read aloud. The characters are created to appeal to an audience of young and old alike. Not only are the selections fun to read but they are filled with the culture of 13th Century England. The reader (listener) learns about the traditions of the day such as holiday celebrations and falconry, the social hierarchy from peasant to miller to lord, and historical events such as the Crusades.
In addition to including pages on “a little background” throughout the book, Schlitz also provides side notes throughout the text to help explain medieval traditions to young readers. Through these notes and the background information, not only learn more about the time period, they are also able to more fully understand the content of the monologues and dialogues.
The illustrations by Robert Byrd not only provide aesthetic appeal, they also help the reader develop a “feel for the times” which is not always easy to do when the setting is several hundred years in the past. Each page is accented by color either by illustrations or by the broad almost stitched appearing vertical lines that frame each two page spread. Even the choice of font adds to the medieval setting.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
BOOKLIST review: “This unusually fine collection of related monologues and dialogues promises to be a rewarding choice for performance or for reading aloud in the classroom.”
KIRKUS review: “Schlitz takes the breath away with unabashed excellence in every direction. This wonderfully designed and produced volume contains 17 monologues for readers ten to 15, each in the voice of a character from an English town in 1255.”
5. CONNECTIONS
The most obvious connection, given that the book is a series of monologues, would be to perform the selections in a dramatic presentation. Conducting further research concerning styles of dress, mannerisms, accents, etc. of the medieval times would enrich the experience for the students.
If money and location allow, the best extension to this book would be to visit a Renaissance fair or festival to experience the culture first hand.
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Laura Amy Schlitz presents a series of monologues and a few dialogues based on the typical activities of a 13th Century English manor. The selections are based on the actions of young townsfolk between the ages of ten and fifteen. Her motivation for writing this book was to provide students an opportunity to put on a performance based on what they had been learning during a study of Medieval Times. The characters are varied, ranging from runaways and beggars to the son of a knight and the nephew of a lord. In several places throughout the text, Schlitz provides background information to help explain the motivations of the characters, the setting both in time and place, and the values and beliefs of those who lived in that period of time.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! is an enjoyable read either as a silent read or a read aloud. The characters are created to appeal to an audience of young and old alike. Not only are the selections fun to read but they are filled with the culture of 13th Century England. The reader (listener) learns about the traditions of the day such as holiday celebrations and falconry, the social hierarchy from peasant to miller to lord, and historical events such as the Crusades.
In addition to including pages on “a little background” throughout the book, Schlitz also provides side notes throughout the text to help explain medieval traditions to young readers. Through these notes and the background information, not only learn more about the time period, they are also able to more fully understand the content of the monologues and dialogues.
The illustrations by Robert Byrd not only provide aesthetic appeal, they also help the reader develop a “feel for the times” which is not always easy to do when the setting is several hundred years in the past. Each page is accented by color either by illustrations or by the broad almost stitched appearing vertical lines that frame each two page spread. Even the choice of font adds to the medieval setting.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
BOOKLIST review: “This unusually fine collection of related monologues and dialogues promises to be a rewarding choice for performance or for reading aloud in the classroom.”
KIRKUS review: “Schlitz takes the breath away with unabashed excellence in every direction. This wonderfully designed and produced volume contains 17 monologues for readers ten to 15, each in the voice of a character from an English town in 1255.”
5. CONNECTIONS
The most obvious connection, given that the book is a series of monologues, would be to perform the selections in a dramatic presentation. Conducting further research concerning styles of dress, mannerisms, accents, etc. of the medieval times would enrich the experience for the students.
If money and location allow, the best extension to this book would be to visit a Renaissance fair or festival to experience the culture first hand.
Review: THE RIVER BETWEEN US by Richard Peck
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Peck, Richard. 2003. The River Between Us. Read by Lina Patel and Daniel Passer. New York: Random House. ISBN 1400089824. Text ISBN 0803727356
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Set in Southern Illinois at the beginning of the Civil War, The River Between Us tells the story of a young teenage girl, Tilly, and her family; an absent father, a hard-working mother, her twin brother, and her younger sister who “sees” things others cannot. Tilly’s difficult but predictable life is turned upside down when two strangers, Delphine and Calinda, disembark from a steamboat passing through one evening. Tilly’s mother offers to take in the two mysterious young ladies who quickly become part of the household.
As the war heats up and one by one the local boys join the battle, it becomes inevitable that Tilly’s brother, Noah will also leave to fight for the Union. When her mother becomes so distraught over her son’s leaving, Tilly and Delphine journey to the battle fields to find Noah and bring him back home. There are twists and turns throughout the plot as triumph turns to tragedy over and over as the characters strive to come to peace with themselves.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
By beginning and ending the book with a chapter told from the point of view of Tilly’s “grandson,” Peck gives the reader insight to what happened to the family after the events surrounding the Civil War. It also shows the connection between the generations and how the actions of one generation forever affect those who come after.
The book is filled with true to life experiences as Peck unfolds the story of a young girl living through the terrible realities of a brutal war. His vivid use of description allows the reader to experience the wretched conditions of Camp Defiance and the pain and suffering of the soldiers living there. Peck also deals with the difficult subject of race relations and the controversial practice of plantation owners who not only had a “white” family but also a family with free “colored” women.
In the text version of the book, Peck includes a note at the end about his research on which he based the events in the story. He does explain more fully the historical basis for the custom of white men having families with their black mistresses.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
VOYA review: “Mixing vibrant characters, a gripping plot, and historical facts, Peck cooks a literary gumbo worthy of New Orleans' finest chefs.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY review: “The author crafts his characters impeccably and threads together their fates in surprising ways that shed light on the complicated events of the Civil War."
5. CONNECTIONS
This book can be used to supplement a study of the Civil War.
Further research into the role of women and girls during this time in history would also expand students understanding of the female point of view during a time which is usually covered mostly from the male “soldier” point of view.
Other novels by Richard Peck include:
A Long Way from Chicago. ISBN 0142401102
A Year Down Yonder. ISBN 0142300705
The Teacher’s Funeral. ISBN 0142405078
Peck, Richard. 2003. The River Between Us. Read by Lina Patel and Daniel Passer. New York: Random House. ISBN 1400089824. Text ISBN 0803727356
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Set in Southern Illinois at the beginning of the Civil War, The River Between Us tells the story of a young teenage girl, Tilly, and her family; an absent father, a hard-working mother, her twin brother, and her younger sister who “sees” things others cannot. Tilly’s difficult but predictable life is turned upside down when two strangers, Delphine and Calinda, disembark from a steamboat passing through one evening. Tilly’s mother offers to take in the two mysterious young ladies who quickly become part of the household.
As the war heats up and one by one the local boys join the battle, it becomes inevitable that Tilly’s brother, Noah will also leave to fight for the Union. When her mother becomes so distraught over her son’s leaving, Tilly and Delphine journey to the battle fields to find Noah and bring him back home. There are twists and turns throughout the plot as triumph turns to tragedy over and over as the characters strive to come to peace with themselves.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
By beginning and ending the book with a chapter told from the point of view of Tilly’s “grandson,” Peck gives the reader insight to what happened to the family after the events surrounding the Civil War. It also shows the connection between the generations and how the actions of one generation forever affect those who come after.
The book is filled with true to life experiences as Peck unfolds the story of a young girl living through the terrible realities of a brutal war. His vivid use of description allows the reader to experience the wretched conditions of Camp Defiance and the pain and suffering of the soldiers living there. Peck also deals with the difficult subject of race relations and the controversial practice of plantation owners who not only had a “white” family but also a family with free “colored” women.
In the text version of the book, Peck includes a note at the end about his research on which he based the events in the story. He does explain more fully the historical basis for the custom of white men having families with their black mistresses.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
VOYA review: “Mixing vibrant characters, a gripping plot, and historical facts, Peck cooks a literary gumbo worthy of New Orleans' finest chefs.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY review: “The author crafts his characters impeccably and threads together their fates in surprising ways that shed light on the complicated events of the Civil War."
5. CONNECTIONS
This book can be used to supplement a study of the Civil War.
Further research into the role of women and girls during this time in history would also expand students understanding of the female point of view during a time which is usually covered mostly from the male “soldier” point of view.
Other novels by Richard Peck include:
A Long Way from Chicago. ISBN 0142401102
A Year Down Yonder. ISBN 0142300705
The Teacher’s Funeral. ISBN 0142405078
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