Knots in My Yo-Yo String

Knots in My Yo-Yo String

by 

Jerry Spinelli

Summary:

This is a autobiography about Jerry Spinelli, a Newberry Medalist and excellent children's author. In his book he takes the reader from his first memories as a child to high school. He has the reader reliving his first kiss, first fight, first trip to the principal's office, first humiliating sports experience, and overall life growing up in the 1950's. Even though he only read comic books and cereal boxes as a child, he shows the reader how the seeds of a great writer were planted.

Evaluation:

 I would highly recommend this book to anyone ages 10 years and up. Though this is his autobiography it engages the reader as much as his fictional books do. He writes in a warm conversational tone, making the reader feel as though he is right beside them telling his life story. The black-and-white pictures are engaging and amusing images from his past that help to capture what he is telling his readers about his life. Being a famous and well published children's author Jerry Spinelli's autobiography is both interesting and relevant for his target audience. The issues and events that he relives in his book are very relatable to children ages 10 and up because they are for the most part a universal part of growing up. His side-splitting recollections of preadolescent and adolescent events are sure to keep the reader engaged. 

Spinelli talks about how his dreams and accomplishments as a child effected and shaped him as an adult and writer. Young readers are sure to relate to this and feel empowered by their dreams and accomplishments. He also gives the reader a sense of hope. Having so many relatable childhood and adolescent experiences lets the young reader feel that even if there are some painful, embarrassing, or not so nice things going on in their life right now that in the end it might all be ok.
A definite must read for all!

Classroom Extension Activities:

Language Arts Classroom

• Have students write a journal about their dreams and aspirations and the obstacles they might have to over come to accomplish them.
•  Compare growing up in the 1950's to today

Math Classroom

• Compare the price of living from the 1950's to today (price of bread, gas, etc.)

History Classroom

• Expand upon topics from the 1950's such as the Cold War, communism, capitalism, Space Race, nuclear weapons, etc.

Nonfiction Monday's