Jacqueline Woodson Experience

            While I had never heard of Jacqueline Woodson before being assigned to read one of her novels, I am now very intrigued by her as an author. I love that she takes risks in her writing and touches on subject matter that many would stay away from, but yet is very beneficial for students to come into contact with and learn from as they grow into young adults and become increasingly more immersed in society.

            I read Woodson’s Hush, which I wrote about here, and as we discussed and related our novel to some of her other works, many common elements and themes were found across her writing. One of the major themes present in both Hush and The House You Pass on the Way is identity. Characters in both novels struggled with who they were and what defined them as people, which is a question that many of us deal with in the real world. Woodson’s approach to this theme involved exploration of identity, and I’m not sure that either of these book’s characters really came to any solid conclusion about their identity. In this way, I think Woodson navigates the question of identity in a rather peculiar way. For instance, it is strange to me that Evie in Hush would spend almost the entire book wondering who she is and trying to find a place for herself, only to be left as the reader still questioning that same thing. It’s true that Evie found a place on the track team, but I felt like she was still searching for something deeper. However, this interpretation of identity closely parallels reality in that I don’t think we ever do truly find our identity and can say that who we are is permanent. Rather, identity is something that is fluid and ever-changing as the seasons. As humans, we are constantly forming and reforming the critical elements of our lives that make up our identity, and so I find it fascinating that although this is what Evie was searching for, Woodson ends the novel absent of a final conclusion for this question.

            Woodson also tackles the idea of keeping memories alive in some of her literature. For example, this is a big part of Evie’s life as her family enters the Witness Protection Program and is also a major theme in her picture book, Sweet, Sweet Memory. In this story, Sarah and her family mourn the death of her grandfather, but find solace as they reminisce about things that he used to say and do. Woodson’s attention to the importance of memories is slightly bittersweet in Hush because it is Evie’s desire to return to the place of those memories that causes so much pain and hardship. Her family must move on and will never be able to go back to Denver, and Evie struggles to accept this fact and let go of the past. However, Sweet, Sweet Memory uses the past as a comforting element for Sarah after the passing of her grandpa. After remembering the words he used to say, she is able to share her own memory of him and smile. I think it’s interesting that Woodson uses the element of memories for these two very different purposes. However, the idea that memories should be preserved still prevails in both stories, as Evie eventually realizes that she doesn’t have to let go of the past in order to take comfort in the future.

            Overall, I think Woodson is unique in that a lot of her stories share a common thread, whether it is the challenges of finding ones identity or the importance of keeping memories alive. I think students would definitely benefit from reading her work, as they would certainly face difficult questions as they approach the struggles that characters like Evie face. However, it is through such questioning as we read that we are able to grow, and Woodson definitely provides many opportunities to do just that.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst, ill. by Ray Cruz

            Picture Book—
            Realistic Fiction

            Grades PreK-3

            Rating: 5 Stars!!

            Summary: Alexander experiences a day where everything seems to go wrong until he is ready to give up and move to Australia. At the end of the day, his mom reassures him by saying that everybody has bad days, even in Australia.

            Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day was one of my favorites as a kid! I can remember listening to my mom read it and chanting along with the refrain of “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day!” each time that line came up. What makes this story so charming is that everybody can relate to the day that Alexander experiences. We all have our ups and downs, and I can remember feeling the same way when I had a day full of seemingly unfair circumstances and situations that were not to my liking. It is also easy to relate because the things that frustrate Alexander are so real—being squished in the back seat of a car, finding out you have a cavity, and feeling left out at school. Peterson and Eeds point out that this ability to identify with characters is one element that helps to create a quality story, and I certainly agree that this is the case with this book (2007, p. 40). Lastly, each time that Alexander says that he wants to move to Australia, I just crack up. If only it were that easy!

            Alexander’s story is an obvious choice for discussing similar emotions that students may feel. As an adult, I relate to Alexander, and so there is no doubt that students will naturally see themselves in his character and in the situations that he deals with. As a teacher, I think it will be important to bring up the fact that everyone has bad days, and use this book as a jumping-off point to discuss how we can cope with the emotions that come with those days. Perhaps it is unrealistic to decide that we will move to Australia, but children might agree with Alexander on this point and so we could talk about how to confront feelings rather than escaping them. I think it is important to have these conversations when kids are young and teaching them coping skills for dealing with tough times. Overall, as their teacher,  I would hope to foster a safe environment for this type of discussion to take place and make sure students know that I am always available for them to talk to if they are having a bad day.

Absolutely Wild

Absolutely Wild by Dennis Webster, ill. by Kim Webster Cunningham

            Picture Book—Poetry

            Grades 2-6

            Rating: 5 Stars

            Summary:  A collection of poems about unusual animals, this book uses witty rhymes to describe yaks, puffins, gnus, gibbons, and more.

            I have always loved poetry and animals, and Absolutely Wild is an intriguing combination of the two! Webster’s descriptions are so hysterical and yet logical at the same time, for instance, when he describes the yak: “A shaggy species is the yak / With hairy front and hairy back / It isn’t very hard to spot him / With hairy top and hairy bottom.” I found myself laughing and eagerly turning from page to page to see what peculiar details are revealed about the next animal. Each poem has a slightly different style and rhyme scheme, but the overarching presence of rhyme and meter stabilizes the structure of the book as a whole and offers “unity and coherence” that help to make this book a success (Peterson & Eeds, 2007, p. 35). Also, the illustrations are absolutely amazing as they depict each species in dark ink and contrastingly vibrant color. This combination is simply stunning and adds to the text in a funky way that is very complementary to the spiritedness of the words themselves. I particularly enjoyed the picture of the snail with a house literally drawn on its back in reference to the lines, “Still, moving at all is hard, you know / When you carry your house wherever you go.”

            In the classroom, this book would be a great choice to introduce poetry to young students. Its animal subject matter is popular and relatable for children, as most are usually interested in animals. I think the illustrations would also be appealing to kids and would invite them to observe the pages during their independent reading. The fun descriptions might be useful when teaching a mini-lesson on adding detail to writing or using your voice in writing. For this purpose, I think this book would be a great choice in order to familiarize kids with poetry rather than the typical choice of a fictional picture book. I find that many children are unsure or unaware of poetry as a genre, so overall Absolutely Wild would be a good selection to have in a classroom library in order to expose students to the wonderful world of poetry.

Spaghetti Park

Spaghetti Park by DyAnne DiSalvo

            Picture Book—Multicultural

            Grades K-3

            Rating: 5 Stars

            Summary: Angelo and his grandfather, along with other residents of their Italian-American neighborhood, restore a park and create a bocce ball court in the midst of the parks trouble-making inhabitants. When they find that their work has been destroyed, they decide to begin again and are surprised that some of the troublemakers themselves pitch in to help.

            Spaghetti Park was such an enjoyable read for me, as I was able to relate to Angelo’s relationship with his grandfather. I grew up in a half-Italian family and, like Angelo, learned how to play bocce ball with my own grandpa. I liked reading as they worked together to restore to its original beauty the park that had become a hangout for the rowdy troublemakers. The ending is particularly gripping in that these very same kids turn from destroying the park to helping in the effort to restore it. This really shows the importance of standing for what you believe in, and I couldn’t help but feel proud that Angelo and his grandpa worked hard and were able to see the fruits of their labor. This particular lift in tension helps contribute to the lighter mood as everyone enjoys the park together at the end and revels in a sense of satisfaction in what they have achieved. In addition, as the reader we are able to “make adjustments in what we think the story is about” through this shift in tension (Peterson & Eeds, 2007, p. 37). Just when the outlook is gloomy, everyone comes together and I was left feeling happy and wanting to play bocce right along with them.

            This story would be an interesting choice for a class read-aloud because it is a socially conscious multicultural book. As the troublemakers, elders of the neighborhood, and Angelo work to restore the park, we see how these different social groups end up coming together. I think this message is pertinent for students as they are at some point likely to face social conflict among peer groups. With this book, I might consider having students share in groups, if they are comfortable, a situation they have faced when someone else opposed them and challenged to destroy their ideas or dreams. Angelo’s determination to do what is right is a great model to inspire students to stand firm in their beliefs and try to work together with others rather than engaging in confrontation or disagreement. 

Madlenka

Madlenka by Peter Sis

            Picture Book—Multicultural

            Grades PreK-3

            Rating: 5 Stars

            Summary: Madlenka takes a trip around her New York City block to tell everyone that her tooth is loose. Each new shop that she comes to becomes a virtual trip around the world for Madlenka as they all are characterized by elements of their owner’s home country.

            Madlenka is a treat in that we get to experience a tour of the world with Madlenka as she travels through the city block. I feel that this story is a mirror book for me in that my experience as a white American is similar to that of Madlenka. However, I have never experienced such diversity as a minority, and it was cool to see her curiosity and how she has come to understand the uniqueness of each vendor’s culture and background. Sis’s illustrations also add a certain dynamic to the story that deepens the richness of the experience as the book continues. His progressive use of color as Madlenka comes to each new vendor or shop is a neat feature that helps to draw attention to detail in a fun and dramatic way. Also, I love that each country is represented with a variety of elements that Madlenka tells us about and then concludes with an imaginary scene of her own immersion in that particular culture.

            This story is so interesting and interactive in its own way. As Madlenka journeys throughout the city block, we are invited to share in the experience and even physically turn the book all around to take it all in, which is an aspect of this story that I think would be appealing to kids. In the classroom, this story would complement a unit on the exploration of cultures from around the world, and would also help students understand that many of these cultures are represented here in America. I think that this fact alone would be a great topic to discuss so that children can see that the way people live across the globe is not separate from what we experience here. Rather, we will likely come into contact with people of many cultures just as Madlenka does, and so this story would be beneficial to help foster an appreciation for different cultures and show us that we all live together.

To Be a Kid

To Be a Kid by Maya Ajmera and John D. Ivanko

            Picture Book—Multicultural

            Grades PreK-3

            Rating: 5 Stars

            Summary: This photo picture book shows that kids from all over the world do the same things—they play, care for animals, spend time with family, and all of the things that make them a kid.

            To Be a Kid made such a powerful statement to me as an adult that I can only imagine how eye-opening it would be for children. In our society, it is often easy to view the world through the lenses of our own experience, but this book truly enlightens its readers to the experiences of people throughout the globe. However, its focus is not on what makes us different, but on all of the ways that kids around the world are alike through the similar games they play and how they interact with family and friends each day. I love that this book shows that we are all the same, no matter what skin color or race that we are, where we live, or what language we speak. I feel like our society damages this message by emphasizing how these things make us different, and so this book is so refreshing in that it sends the opposite message.

            This book contains such a significant message that is crucial for students today to understand. I think that as a child, I often viewed people from around the world as so different that they were not relatable to me. I hope to inspire exactly the opposite in the minds of my students, and this book would definitely help to illuminate the fact that kids from other parts of the world are no different than they are. By recognizing the similarities between themselves and kids from other countries, students might “acquire a sense of acceptance and appreciation for others,” rather than simply viewing these children as different (Hillard, 1995, p. 728).  Overall, I feel that this is an important message of multicultural literature, but it is often hindered by the sense that children should learn about other cultures and how they are different, instead of what makes us all the same as humans. I think it would be neat to follow up this book with a pen pal program so that my students could write to an international pen pal and further come to understand how they are alike as kids. 

Hush

Hush by Jacqueline Woodson

            Children’s Novel—Realistic Fiction

            Grades 6 and up

            Rating: 5 Stars

            Summary: After her father witnesses a race-related murder, the safety of Toswiah’s family is threatened and they must move away and change their identities. Toswiah becomes Evie and tries to reinvent herself in a strange place amidst a family that is quickly falling apart.

             I have always wondered what life is like for those that enter the Witness Protection Program and must begin a life in an identity that is completely different from who they really are. After reading Hush, I can say for sure that I would never want to go through the utter hell that Evie and her family experience as a result of a separation from everything the once knew.

            First off, I think that this novel is a great piece of literature. It was a page turner and I simply could not put it down! Woodson portrays the story in the first person through Evie’s perspective, and I think this choice enables you as the reader to “have the knowledge of the experience,” including her struggles, in a very authentic way (Peterson and Eeds, p. 50). It is through her eyes that we see how difficult it is for Evie to cope not only in a new environment, but as a new person in that environment. Her emotions are so raw that it is impossible not to feel a tug on your own heart for this poor girl. I truly cannot fathom having to leave everything that you have ever known behind and begin a new life. In the end, Evie shines through as a courageous warrior, albeit with her share of battle wounds. However, as Peterson and Eeds discuss, the way that a character copes with problems is what makes them human (p. 40). Although I can’t relate to the same situation and struggle of identity, Evie’s vulnerability really opens her up as a character that is innately human, which allows me as the reader to connect with her on a deeper, more emotional level.

            Many of the issues in Hush would make it a very controversial choice in the classroom. I imagine that many parents would be unhappy if I asked their child to read this book, however I feel like many of these topics are vital to talk about with kids and this book would be a worthwhile read. The issue of racial conflict is an obvious one. I think it would be beneficial just to get a feel for what students think is at work behind this conflict and see where that conversation leads. Even the simple act of facilitating discussion among students so that they can begin to think about issues of race is important. Naturally, kids might wonder about how race played into the murder of Raymond Taylor, and this is something that I would not try to shelter my students from. Unfortunately, racial discrimination is a very real part of the society we live in and if children don’t encounter this fact in school, then they will inevitably encounter it somewhere else. As a teacher, I think it is my responsibility to talk about these societal issues because school is a much safer place to ask questions and voice opinions, rather than sending kids out into the real world to learn about it on their own.

            Another relevant topic discussed in Hush is the formation of identity. I would read this novel with middle school students, as this is the age at which kids are really starting to question their own identities and form who they are as human beings. I think it would be neat to talk about Evie’s struggles with identity and the things that she did not want to let go of. Everyone goes through that phase of wondering who we are, and this book challenges the essential pieces of our identity and whether or not we would be able to let go of that. This could turn into a project for students to explore the hypothetical—if they were to enter the Witness Protection Program, what would they miss the most about their live? What might be difficult about creating a new identity? Since this is something that most people don’t have to think about, we often take things in life for granted. Reflecting on Evie’s experiences and struggles would be a good way for students to stop and think about their own lives, and perhaps learn to appreciate who they are and what they have.