Black Birds the the Sky

by Brandy Colbert

Week 5:  Native American/African American Literature

This week's theme was to find young adult books about Native American or African Americans as the lead characters or topic.  As I was trying to find a book for this theme I googled "Young Adult African American literature"  This sent me to a list of books considered "young adult" of about 25 books for suggestions.  "Black Birds in the Sky" was one listed and it mentioned that it was about the "Tulsa Race Massacre."  I thought this sounded like a good read because I live in Oklahoma and know some about the Tulsa Race Massacre but not as much as I would like. The book does cover how the negro part of Tulsa were attacked and many were killed in 1921. 

I found the book on my public library app on my phone and downloaded it to read.  I prefer holding a book but this was easier.  Right away I could tell that this was not a read for "entertainment."  It was not a personal story (which I was hoping) it was more of an informative text.  It reads like something straight out of a history book.  It even goes into the history of Oklahoma becoming a state.  

I understand that in order to talk about the "Tulsa Race Massacre" there is a lot of background knowledge to cover in order for it to make any sense of what events lead up to it happening.  However this was not very entertaining book, unless you just love historical facts.  For this reason, it was kind of a hard read.  If it had been written as a story it would have been much more enjoyable.  Honestly, the best part of the book were the quotes from the actual survivors and the photos. 

 I made it through the book, and some of the stories were very interesting.  I just didn't feel that this type of book would be something that many young adults would find entertaining.  It just depends on the person reading the book and what they are wanting to get out of it, entertainment or information or both.   I was hoping for both.

 The Snowy Day

by Ezra Jack Keats 

Week 5:  Native American/African American Literature

"The Snowy Day" is the story of Peter and experience in 1962, when he wakes up and the world is covered with snow.  He puts on his red snowsuit and goes out and has little adventures in the snow.  It's a simple book, but there is something magical about being apart of Peter's day.  Student s can all relate to what's like to have a day to just go play and explore in the snow.

Ezra Jack Keats won the 1963 Caldecott Medal for "The Snowy Day" and it has been a classroom favorite every since.  Even though Ezra Jack Keats was not an African American it was important for him to have multiracial characters. His books opened the door for other books to have a African American as the lead character. 

“If we could see each other exactly as the other is,” he wrote, “this would be a different world.”]

In the classroom "The Snowy Day"can be used as a week long book study with each day covering a different reading strategy. The kids love it because they can relate the Peter's adventures in the snow.  There is also a short comprehension quiz at the end of the week.  It is perfect for a week in the month of January. I like to do a fun craft of Peter in his snowsuit.  It makes for a fun bulletin board. 

 Narwal: Unicorn of the Sea

 by Ben Clanton

Week 4:  Graphic Novels

Narwhal by Ben Clanton is a cute graphic novel for younger children.  It is easy to read and they love the graphics. This series had five books, "Unicorn of the Sea" is the first of the series.  The "Narwhal" series is popular with both boys and girls.  

"Narwhal" is a Narwhal in the ocean who discovers a new friend "Jellyfish."  Even though they don 't have a lot in common they become good friends.   The book has three different stories in the book, one where they become friends, one where they make a "pod" of friends, and one where they discover "the best book ever."   It's a great beginning book for learning how to read. 

In the classroom I would go over reading comprehension questions.  There are worksheets that have questions that they can answer independently and then can be discussed in a whole group. There are also writing crafts that can be done for a bulletin board.  

  

 

 Guts 

by     Raina Telgemeier

Week 4: Graphic Novels

"Guts" is the true story about the author, Raina Telgemeier.   "Guts" is based on her experiences growing up with anxiety and personal issues.  "Guts" is her fifth book in a series that includes other graphic novels such as  "Smile, Sisters, Drama, and Ghosts."  All have been best selling young adult graphic novels.   Her books are written more for girls, but many boys have enjoyed them also.  

In "Guts" the main character's name is Raina.   It starts with Raina and her mom getting a horrible stomach bug and missing some school.  When she returns she has to deal this friend drama and other issues that cause her stomach troubles to not go away.   Raina and her family realize that her tummy troubles are because of anxiety. Her family then is very supportive and gets her the help she needs.   Once she confides in her friends she realizes that she is not alone in her fears.  This book in today's society is very relatable and talks about issues that many girls are going though.  This book spoke to me on a personal level because my daughter struggled with anxiety.  Raina Telgemeier's graphic novels have really gotten girls interesting in reading for fun and not just as an assignment or chore for school. 

In the classroom I would use this for independent reading time.   I feel like this is such a personal book that I would not use it as a read aloud or group discussion.  I can see suggesting it as a good read for AR points or if they are needing to read something to reach a  goal.   

 The One and Only Ivan

by Katherine Applegate

Week 3: Books for Boys

This book is inspired by a true story of a gorilla kept in captivity named Ivan.  The book is told from the point of view of Ivan himself.  Ivan has spent 27 years behind glass walls at a shopping center and has been the big attraction to attract visitors.  This is the story of him and his friends, Stella an elephant, and Bob a stray dog.  His world changes though when they get a new baby elephant called Ruby.  Ruby makes him think about his home and how they are treated by their owner, Mack.  Ivan likes to paint and learns new ways to express himself throughout the book.  In the end his art leads him to many changes in his life. 

Katherine Applegate is a storyteller like no other and won the Newberry Medal for "The One and Only Ivan."  When we read this book in class the boys loved it and couldn't wait till the sequel "The One and Only Bob" to come out.  We had to read it too.  Boys like books that are in series and that if they love one they will love the others by the same author. 

One of the boys in my class loved "The One and Only Ivan" so much that he found another book by Katherine Applegate , "Crenshaw", and read it also.  

In the classroom I used "The One and Only Ivan" to do a "Compare and Contrast" lesson.  We watched the movie after we were done reading it and then did a Venn diagram on how the book and the movie were a like and how they were different.  

 Pumpkin Jack

By Will Hubbell

Week 3:  Books for Boys 

"Pumpkin Jack" is a story about a boy named Tim and his Halloween pumpkin.  It goes through the process of Tim carving the pumpkin and giving it the name "Jack."  Once Halloween is over, instead of throwing the pumpkin away, Tim sits him outside and watches him decompose.  After a while he sits the pumpkin in their garden and watches him slowly disappear.  In the spring, he watches Jack some back to life in the form of a green plant that in the fall produces many pumpkins.  Tim shares the new pumpkins with his friends and then carves one for himself and says "Welcome Back, Jack."   

This book appeals to boys because it has a boy as the main character and most of them love Halloween themed books.  The boys in the class always enjoy when we spend a week doing a book study over "Pumpkin Jack."   Boys also seem to like stories that are more scientific. This book talks about decaying, the mold growing on the pumpkins, and it coming back to life.  

This is a great book to do in the Classroom the week of Halloween.  This year in our class we read it that week and on Halloween we carved Jack.  You would be surprised how many first graders had never seen a pumpkin carved or had ever seen the inside.  We do a whole "pumpkin investigation" that is science based.  We even count all the seeds!   Then we left him in the classroom until he started to get too moldy and then moved him outside to our garden box. 

We put the seeds back inside and watched him decay and disappear.  Then in the Spring....

Jack came back!  The kids would walk by and say "Welcome Back Jack!"  Our hope is to have some pumpkins this Fall! 

 

 The Sneetches

By Dr. Seuss

Week 2:  Diversity

The "Sneetches" is about a group of Sneetches that live together, but some of the Sneetches have Stars on their bellies and some do not.  The Sneetches that have stars on the bellies feel that they are superior to the Sneetches that do not have stars on their bellies. They leave them out of parties, events, and treat them poorly because they do not have stars.  In comes a man called "McBean" that has a machine that will add stars to the bellies to the Sneetches that do not have them, for a small fee. From there, everything gets turned upside down, but in the end they all learn a valuable lesson on how to treat others. 

My absolute, all time, favorite Seuss book is the "Sneetches."  It is such a wonderful way to introduce segregation.  It makes it look so silly but when compared to history so comparable.  The lesson that it teaches is so important and Dr. Seuss does it in a way that children can really understand the moral of the story.

In the classroom:  This is a great book for having to teach segregation to elementary age students.  I would use it for Martin Luther King Jr. Day or Black History Month.  It can also be used during Read Across America week.  My third grade class did a paper comparing the "Sneetches"  to segregation and there is a great template for that online for teachers to print off. I don't do the writing activity with my first grade class because I feel they are too young,  I do read them the book and discuss how we should always "treat other people the way we would want them to treat us." 

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 To Kill A Mockingbird  

By Harper Lee

Week 2 Theme: Diversity

"To Kill a Mockingbird" is an American classic.  It teaches compassion, empathy, inclusion and diversity.  The book shows apart of American History that we are not proud of but that we need to learn.  It shows us how far we have come as a nation and yet how we still need to always strive to do better. 

The book follows the trail of a black man charged with the rape of a white woman in the 1930's in the deep south.  It is told through the eyes of Scout and Jim Finch, the children of Atticus Finch who is the lawyer defending Tim Robinson, the black man being accused.   It does deal with serious issues such as rape and racial inequality, but it also deals with mental issues with the character Boo Radley.  This book teaches everyone who reads it lessons that they need to learn.  Atticus Finch teaches his children throughout the book that "you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view....until you climb inside his skin and walk around in it." 

I love this book and think that it should be taught in every school across America.  Sadly some do no feel the same and it has been on many lists of books to be banned.  It does deal with heavy issue of rape and does have some slang words that are not used anymore.  However, the history should be remembered.  Harper Lee based this book on the town she grew up in and the prejudices that she witnessed growing up.  This book will always be one of my favorite, I even named my youngest son Atticus.  If you ever get a chance to see the Broadway play version I would highly recommend it, it is fantastic. 

In the classroom, I would do this as a read aloud with discussions along the way. Students could also do a report on one of the many lessons that it taught.  Then I would have students take a comprehension test on the content.   Since I teacher elementary age students, I may never get the chance of teaching this in a classroom but may someday.  I do think that age level should be 16 and above due to the content.  I don't think that it should not be taught though.