Walk Two Moons

Walk Two Moons

by

Sharon Creech

Summary: 

        Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech is about a thirteen-year-old girl, Salamanca Tree Hiddle, who is trying to find her missing mother. Salamanca’s mother left her family in order to find herself and never returned. After her mother is gone for a year, Sal and her father leave their farm in Bybanks, Kentucky and move to Euclid, Ohio when her father finds a new job thanks to Mrs. Margaret Cadaver. Sal does not like anything about Ohio including Mrs. Margaret Cadaver. Sal and her Gram and Gramps embark on a trip from Ohio to Idaho in hopes of finding Sal's mom, Sugar. As they travel, her grandparents ask Sal to tell them a story. She tells her grandparents about her new friend, Phoebe Winterbottom, and her family. Phoebe's mother also mysteriously vanished, but after her disappearance, strange anonymous messages began appearing on the family’s porch. As she tells her story Sal begins to think about her own family's history, including her mother's mysterious trip to find herself in Idaho. Will Sal find her long lost mother or something else instead?

Evaluation: 

     Walk Two Moons is a must read for children ages 8 years and up. Being a realistic story of love and loss, mixed with humor and suspense it keeps young readers engaged. Also the fact that there are stories-within-a-story helps the readers to compare the reactions of the two friends to their similar situations with their families. Most young children at this age have experienced the loss of either a loved one or a pet making Sal's journey through the grieving process very relatable. From denial to anger and finally acceptance of her mother's death Creech truly takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster ride.

The plot is semi complicated due to the three stories intertwined with each other. The reader really has to pay attention to whose story they are reading and follow them all. They also have to make parallels between the stories in order to truly understand what is going on in Sal's life and head. But, in the end Creech ties all the stories together in one twist and does not leave any loose ends for the reader.
I really like the female characters in this book. They are all flawed in one way or another but very strong women and intricate characters. For example, Pheobe's neighbor, a women who had to deal with the death of her husband and blind mother all by herself. Pheobe who is my favorite character in the book because she is so funny and quirky with her strange obsession with cholesterol and belief that everyone she meets is a lunatic. Or Gram, who has to help Sal find herself while dealing with her own loss of her daughter. Then there is Sal herself. An amazing and capable preteen who is trying to learn what life and death is all about. Having the main protagonist be a 13 year old girl also makes the story very relatable to her target audience. Sal is smart, interesting, inspiring, flawed, and exhibits many of the same feelings that preteens go through on their journey into adulthood. In essence it is a story about growing up and working through the difficult aspects of the changing world around them. Sal is forced to move to a new state and grow up all at the same time after her mother disappears. Though some readers might not have such a big tragedy happen in their life the world around them is still changing and they have to adapt to it.
The story is told from first person point of view through Sal herself. But, Creech is still able to communicate a wisdom that goes beyond Sal's own understandings and words. Sal also is very truthful even though sometimes it puts herself in a bad light. That said, Sal is an unreliable narrator because there is a lot that she does not tell you according to her stage in the grieving process. With all the subtle hints along the way the reader is sure to miss them the first time around so reading it twice is highly suggested.
All in all this is a must read for anyone 8 years and up.  The characters are wonderful and perfectly flawed, the story line was engaging, and the ending offered closure without confusion. This is the perfect coming-of-age book that teaches readers young and old, "don't judge a man until you walked two moons in his moccasins."

Classroom Extension activities:

Social Studies

• When Sal and her grandparents stop at Injun Joe's Peace Palace Motel, Sal ponders the use of the term Indian vs. Native American. Sal's mom, Sugar, preferred the term Indian, but when Sal asks a man at Pipestone if he is a Native American he says, "No, I'm a person." When she inquires further he says that he is an "American Indian person." This part of the book would be good for the exploration of the issue of stereotyping versus historical cultural facts on Native Americans. Students can debate the use of Native American icons as sports mascots by writing a persuasive essay or creating a PowerPoint presentation.

Language Arts

•  have students explore point of view using the characters from the book. Students could retell the story from the point of view of one of the other characters in the novel. For example, how would Phoebe's mom or Mike have told the story? Another interesting assignment could a project on character development. 
• Using the famous quote from the book,  “Never judge a man before you've walked two moons in his moccasins,” as a starting point students could choose a character for and complete a character sketch. Students would be required to describe the physical appearance and emotional needs or wants of the character of their choice, and connect these traits to the story's plot. This will help them understand the elements of a character’s development through his/her words, actions, narrator's description, interaction with other characters, how motivations are revealed, character traits and motivations, stereotypes, relationships between character and plot development. Students would then share their character sketch with the class.
•  As a culminating activity, students should write a letter to the author about what they liked the most about the novel. The author, Sharon Creech, will write a letter back in response to the students giving them a personal connection with the book.

Annie Oakley: Young Markswoman

Annie Oakley: Young Markswoman

by

Ellen Wilson

Summary: This is a wonderful biography of Annie Oakley. It focuses mainly on her childhood but does end up diverging into her adult life. Annie was a young girl of many talents but her best one was hunting. When she was only 7 years old, she built a trap to get dinner for her family. Then another night a wolf was terrorizing her families chickens. She ran inside got her gun and CRACK! The wolf was dead in front of them. Annie was from a very poor family and the children had to live in other houses. Annie was never able to go to school even though she wanted to very much. Instead she was stent to a home where she worked around the clock. Things were so terrible for her that she ended up running away. It was in Cincinnati when she was living with her sister that she entered a shooting contest and became the most famous female shooter in the country. She ended up marrying the most famous male shooter in the country who she met and beat at the same contest. 

Evaluation: 

 This is a must read for children ages 9 years and above!  There are quite a few words on a page but they are interspersed with pictures. The pictures clearly show what Wilson is talking about. Growing up I use to love reading about Annie Oakley. She was such an inspiration and I believe children today will still see her as that. Children, especially girls, will love Annie Oakley because she defied all odds and was a true female American hero. She was unable to go to school like many young girls today but she was so determined to beat her odds and became a legend. Both girls and boys will be able to relate to her because she is from a poor family and was an avid hunter. Today there are many children who hunt, those it isn't necessarily to put food on the table many times that is what happens. Wilson clearly explains everything and the biography reads easily like a narrative keeping the reader engaged and interested in her life. 

The only part of this book that I would consider being a negative aspect would be the illustrations. They are all in black and white ink drawing. They do seem to convey what the author is talking about but are not very captivating. They could use a little more work and then this book would be all and all amazing!

I would still recommend this to anyone age 9 years and older because it is a great book and biography!

Nonfiction Mondays

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

December Secrets

December Secrets

by

Patricia Reilly Giff

Summary: Everyone in Ms. Rooney's class has been given a secret special person to be kind to for the whole month of December. Emily Arrow is stuck with Jill Simon, the class crybaby. Emily decides that she will make Jill happier and thinner. 

Evaluation: For this age group I do not think this book would be appropriate since it negatively deals with the issue of girls body image. Throughout most of this book Jill is bullied about her weight by her classmates including her secret pal Emily. While bullying is an issue that children in this target audience do face this book does not do a good job at addressing it. This teaches children that it is ok to make fun of someone just because they are a little on the heavy side and really highlight the more serious issue of female body image, which is not appropriate at this age. There are no positive messages about female body image or bullying until the very end of the  book and by that time for an early reader the damage has already been done. 

 While this is a good early reader as far as words on a page, size of the words, use of pictures in relation to the words, word spacing and difficulty of words, it is a horrible story line and has no redeeming literary qualities. The children in the target age group would learn nothing positive from this book.

I would not recommend this book to anyone!

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents

by

Terry Pratchett

Summary: The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents  is about a stupid looking kid named Keith, a conniving talking cat named Maurice, and a clan of educated talking rats. Keith, Maurice, and the rats go from town-to-town scamming people out of their money by plaguing them with rats and then leading them away. Then, they come upon the little town of Bad Blintz. Bad Blintz is not like the other towns they have scammed. Something in the town is not right. There are no keekee's, native nontalking rats, in the town though the rat catchers claim there is a plague of them. While the rats begin investigating the cellars and under workings of the town, Maurice and Keith meet Malicia Grim, the mayor's daughter. Malicia Grim is more intrigued by stories than reality. She is always prepared for outlandish adventures and offers unique tools that help save Maurice, Keith, and the rat clan. While in the underworld of the town they discover the rat catcher’s evil scheme to make money off the poor town’s people. There is also an evil so heinous that the educated rodents lose all speech and revert back to being just rats. The con is no longer a game. Now they are fighting for survival.

Evaluation:

         Memorable characters and a dynamic plot combine to make this a must read book for children ages ten years and up. The human characters, especially Keith and Malicia, play supporting roles in the story. Malicia's successful attempts to create a whimsical story out of real life irritate Keith while providing valuable lessons for both the characters and the readers. For the most part it is the rats and talking cat who are the most interesting and developed characters. Unlike most children's stories that have animal protagonists who are cute, fluffy and sweet, Pratchett treats rats as they really are- smelly, unclean, incontinent, and at times cannibalistic. Boys and girls who read this book may have a hard time identifying with the characters, but will be highly entertained by the story line itself.

            Pratchett has taken the traditional folk tale of the pied piper and satirically paralleled it with current culture. The rats and Maurice struggle with the emergence of conscience. Maurice always gives his rodent victims a chance to talk before he devours them, the rats question of  their place in the world, and the powerful rat king who wants to use their new power of knowledge for war against humans. When the rats develop their writing in pictograms, it strongly parallels the history of human writing development starting with hieroglyphics. The rats clan also parallel human society development. In all human cultures we see a utopian society lost due to human greed and corruption, some type of holy writing, and struggle with conflict. In his story the rats mimic this human history with their dream of utopian rat island, the keeper of the flame, their own version of the holy book ("Once upon a time Mr. Bunnsy went into the Dark Woods"), and their struggle with conflict within their selves and their species. Like humans the rats have to decided how they are going to deal with greed, corruption, wickedness, and the new threat called EVIL. The target audience for this book should have at this point learned about the basics of human history and have most likely experienced greed, conflict, and possibly death making the story line easy to relate to.

            The book also has strong moral values for its young readers. The rats dream about having their own utopian island society and are on a quest to fulfill it, but get disillusioned along the way. This teaches the reader to not give up on their dreams no matter what happens. It also teaches the reader to work together to solve problems. The main problem that this story addresses is the human/animal relationship as it exists now. With human society destroying the worlds animal habitats, Pratchett urges the reader to think about them in a new light. His conclusion shows the reader that the process will not be simple and that we need to start thinking about how to do it now before it is too late. Having the main human characters as children shows the target audience that they have the power to come up with new ideas and change their world.

            All in all this was a great read and highly recommended.

Classroom Extension Activities:

Language Arts Classroom

• Have students pick their favorite character from the book and cast them in a new short story.
• Have students write one more chapter for the story. The book ends with, "Because some stories end, but old stories go on, and you gotta dance if you want to stay ahead."(p. 241) This closing sentence leaves the reader with a hunger for a sequel. Which is perfect for a starting point for students to continue the story.
• Create a travel brochure and ads for Bad Blintz. Students should include the main attractions such as the Rat Clock, rat piper and his dancing rats, as well as other attractions that the students think the town might now have. After the completion of their travel brochure students will present them to the class.
• Compare and contrast the story to other Pied Piper stories. Using the computer lab as well as the library students should compare and contrast at least two other Pied Piper stories setting, plot, characterization, etc. to the novel. How are the rat's point of view of the Pied Piper different from other versions you researched? What about the role of the children in the stories compared to the novel? How does perspective change the story?

History Classroom

• Research origins of the Pied Piper of Hamelin and historical significance

Science Classroom

• Topics to expand upon: habitat destruction, endangered species, rats intelligence 

            

The Healing Spell

The Healing Spell

by

Kimberley Griffiths Little

Summary: Eleven-year-old Olivia, "Livie," is living with a paralyzing secret. Her mother is in a coma and she knows she is responsible for it. Now she must be the one who wakes up her mother before anyone finds out what happened on that horrible day.

Evaluation:

          Livie lives with her family on the bayous of Lousiana. She is stuck in the middle of two sisters who are nothing like her. Feeling like an outsider in her own home she is terrified to tell anyone what really happened to her mother for fear that they would hate her. When her father decides against the doctor's orders to bring her mother home, Livie is mortified. How can she help take care of her mother when she can't even touch her. The burden of guilt weighs Livie down to the point that she thinks it is written on her face. But, that is not the only thing that is weighing on her mind. Livie's world is changing. Her Aunt Colleen and cousin have come down from Minnesota to help, but do not understand her families dynamics. Almost immediately friction begins to tear the family apart. Her sisters, aunt, and cousin all resent Livie for not helping to take care of or even touch her mom. They all know she is hiding something but no one can figure out what. To make matters worse. her older sister, Faye, is getting married in a few weeks and leaving home, her little sister, Crickett, cries all the time, and her father is forced to quit his job so he can care for their mother.         This is a must read for anyone age nine and above. Though this is a middle grade reader, I thoroughly enjoyed it as an adult. Little has the reader laughing, crying, hurting, and thinking along with Livie throughout the whole novel.

          With her world drastically changing, Livie decides that it is up to her to make her mother wake up. It is the only thing that can make things right. So she and her best friend visit the local traiteur to find a healing spell. To her surprise the healing spell is not a bunch of magic words, creepy voodoo, or automatic results. Instead, it forces her to find faith in herself, her family, and God. It also helps to break the chains of anger and guilt she feels for her mother. Her bravery is inspirational to young readers and her journey into coming of age is moving.

          This book is wonderful for young readers because it is about finding faith, having courage, healing, and the strength of family bonds. Being a realistic fiction, there are no true bad guys or evil doers. Instead, there are real feelings, situations, and universal truths that are applicable to almost all adolescents. Throughout the book, Livie struggles to find herself. She is constantly torn between doing the activities she loves, such as hunting and fishing, and becoming the proper young lady that her mother wants her to be. Her fears, anxieties, reactions, and points of view are so relatable that it even took me back to my preteen years. I love the part where she has to keep a memory journal. As a preteen this is a wonderful idea to help them only remember the good memories and let go of the bad.

          I highly recommend this book for all preteens. With the element of the super natural and the real life family drama of the Mouton clan make this an enjoyable read for all. Having the main character an eleven year old girl also makes the story very relatable. Most preteens at some point in their lives will try to find their independence, question their place in their family, and feel unloved. Livie's bravery and growth show the reader that our families do love us and see the good in us that sometimes even we don't see. It also teaches the reader that all members of our family have their own struggles and burdens to bear, and they are in need of our help, love, and forgiveness as we are in need of theirs.

Age and Genre: 9-11 years and up, Realistic Fiction

Links:
Author's Home page
The Healing Spell Book Trailer

Wednesday Wars

Wednesday Wars

by Gary D. Schmidt

Summary:

      This book is about a 7th grade boy named Holling Hoodhood. Holling, unlike the rest of his class who attend Hebrew School or Catechism every Wednesday afternoon, is Presbyterian and must spend his with his teacher Mrs. Baker. From the first day of school, Holling is convinced that Mrs. Baker hates his guts and is out to get him. She makes him clean, clap all the erasers, clean the rat's cage, and worst of all read Shakespeare outside of class. While Holling is worried about what Mrs. Baker is going to do next to destroy him, the rest of the country is worried about the war going on in Vietnam.

Evaluation:
      While this book starts of slow and has some far fetched ideas in it this would be a good book for children ages 10 years and up, especially boys. Boys will love this book because it is relevant to their life through the male protagonist, events such as escaped rats, tons of pranks, famous baseball players, and of course the school bully.
      I generally liked this book but the one thing that really bothered me and took away from the story is Holling Hoodhood's family dynamics. Holling's family lives in the perfect house in the perfect spot in town. His family however, is far from perfect. Holling's father Mr. Hoodhood is an architect whose only concern is keeping his business' reputation safe. Throughout the book, the reader sees Mr. Hoodhood's stubbornness and neglectful nature destroy the parent-child relationship for both Holling and his sister. Mrs. Hoodhood is complete opposite of her husband, though just as neglectful. She is an obedient housewife who is clearly depressed and under her husband's complete control. Holling's older sister, is a "flower child" who throughout the story is trying to find her place in a war torn world. The worst part of the story for me was when Holling got hit by a bus saving his sister, and neither of his parents even showed up at the hospital. While for some students reading this story this type of behavior might be reality, I do not think it made the story any better. The reader already see's how much Mrs. Baker cares for Holling. Making his parents neglectful and borderline child abusers did not strengthen the story line any. In fact, for me it almost broke it. It took me a while afterwards to like the story again. 

     There are many redeeming factors in this story. One of my favorites is the teacher who is constantly picked on by students and ends up working in the board office. As a teacher this of course made me laugh. But, she in the end comes back and is the only person who is not afraid to capture the evil rats. Another redeeming part of the story is the school bully, Doug Sweiteck's brother. Throughout the story he picks on Holling even going so far as putting up flyers all through the school of him in his yellow tights. But, when Holling saves his sister, Doug Sweiteck is the first one who praises him throughout the school and calls him a hero.

     I really like how Schmidt incorporates the Vietnam War and it's affects on the various characters in the story. With the war going on in Afghanistan many young folks can relate to this scenario. Mrs. Baker is a work-a-holic who only slightly lets on to her students her inner turmoil with her husband being at war and then missing in action. Mai Thi, is a Vietnames child who is brought over by the Catholic Relief Agency and is a student in their class. She is constantly abused by the cafeteria lady whose husband is killed in action. After 9-11 Muslim students have had it harder in school. They too can be victims of abuse by both adults and other students. This aspect of the book is great because we see its affects on Mai Thi as a child. This is such a wonderful teaching element that can be used in the classroom about the effects of bullying based on ethnicity and or religion. Though, Mai Thi's happy ending at the end of the book does seem a bit farfetched and forced.

     The book does have many happy endings, though none to do with Holling's parents. Many children these days do come from broken homes and dysfunctional families. They could relate to Holling's childhood experiences and look for teachers as saviors. Mrs. Baker gives Holling some great advice that the young readers can take to heart. She tells him to, "learn everything you can-everything. And then use all that you have learned to be a wise and good man." Children reading this book can learn from Holling's struggles and growth throughout the story. Holling could have easily been like his father who is greedy and stagnant. But instead he grows to be a high-quality young man. Nothing is perfect all the time, but at least in this story the heroes do get their just rewards.
      As you can see this book would be an excellent choice for upper elementary students to young adults. It is a compelling story with various important themes, and witty characters making it an enjoyable and teachable read. 

Classroom Extension Ideas:

Language Arts Classroom:

• Have students choose and read selected sections from one of the Shakespeare plays that Holling read. Following this reading students could create a comparison chart between their thoughts and what Holling has to say about it.
• At the end of the book, students could respond to the following writing prompt: If The Wednesday Wars was written by William Shakespeare, instead of Gary Schmidt, would it be classified as a comedy, history, or tragedy? Why? Have students use excerpts from the book to justify their answer.
• At the end of the book, have students predict what happens to Holling after he graduates high school. Write an additional chapter based on their prediction.

History Classroom:

• Teachers have many topics they can expand on such as: the atomic bomb, the Civil Rights Movement, Robert Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Vietnam War, Mickey Mantle, 1960's era, and historic architectural landmarks in their own town

Math Classroom:

• Research and compare prices of soda, gas, New York Yankees tickets, bread, cars, bus fares, etc. from 1967 to present day

  

The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963

The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963

by Christopher Paul Curtis

Summary:

This book  is about a middle class, nine year old, African American boy named Kenny. Kenny lives in Flint, Michigan with his family who people call the Weird Watson's. His older brother, Byron, is always getting into trouble. Finally, his parents have had enough and they decide to take a family road trip to visit the only person who can straighten Kenny out, Grandma Sands. They spruce up their car, the Brown Bomber, for the long trip to Birmingham, Alabama. While in Birmingham the family finds themselves caught in the middle of one of the most famous and tragic events of the Civil Rights Movement, the bombing of the Sixteenth Avenue Baptist Church. 

Evaluation:

               Anyone who is looking for a great book that you won't want to put down, The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 is the perfect book. It is a must read for children ages 8 years to adult. I love how the author incorporated historical events with adventure and hysterical family drama. The book starts off being a light read full of hilarious events. One of my favorite events was when the two brothers, Kenny and Byron, had to go de-ice the car so they could go to their Aunt's house for the night to keep warm. Kenny was working hard so he could get going, but Byron on the other hand was admiring himself in the mirror. When Byron kissed his reflection his lips inevitably got stuck. I was laughing so hard as the family worked to get his lips unstuck because I could envision one of my younger brothers doing the same thing.

            The author really focuses on family ties as one of the main themes of the book. Along with the historical problems the country is facing the reader also see's the problems of the Watson family. Curtis has the reader feeling what the characters in the story are feeling, whether good or bad. The reader laughs and cries alongside with the Weird Watsons throughout the book. Once the reader is emotionally attached to the Watson family a drastic turn of events almost turns the book into a tragedy. It engages the reader to think about the historical events that took place during the Civil Rights Movement, specifically the Sixteenth Avenue Baptist Church bombing, from a personal perspective.

            Growing up I learned about the Civil Rights Movement, but it was not until this book that I viewed it in a more personal light. I saw the four little girls that died that day as little Joey Watson's, who the I grew to love throughout the story.  Joey reminded me so much of my own daughters, that I felt the anguish and pain that the Watson's felt when they thought Joey was in the church. I also love how Curtis does not dismiss Kenny's feelings after the event. We see Kenny suffering as a child would who has witnessed such a tragic event. But, Curtis uses Byron as a savior to Kenny which I really admired.

    I believe The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 should be a staple in the middle school classroom as well as on home books shelves everywhere. The characters in this book are easy for a children and adults to relate to. Kenny and Byron have many of the same experiences and feelings as children today. Growing up, no matter what state or time period you are in, is hard. And, raising children in this era is no easier. Like the Watson brothers, teenagers today are trying to make sense of the world they live in, while exploring the hopes and stumbling blocks of growing up. The Weird Watsons provide children as well as adults with a unique opportunity to experience the Civil Rights Movement events through the eyes of a child and his parents. This is a memorable story of family bonds and friendship built between brothers, which is a stirring contrast to the lasting impression of the horrible tragedy that took place in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963.

Classroom Extension Ideas:

LANGUAGE ARTS CLASSROOM: have the students explore characterization. Students can pick one of the characters from the book and create a treasure chest for them. Have the students put items into the chest that would reflect what the character is like. Then have them share their treasure with the class at the end of the book. Another idea is to have the students keep a daily reading journal in order to reflect upon what they read that day. Students could also write short essays on some of the main points of the book such as family, first impressions, bullying, and equality. For example, have students define and write about what family means to them. For their essay on first impressions have them answer the question: How do first impressions create our opinions of someone. Are they always right, why or why not? Then for their essay on equality have students think of a time that they have been treated unfairly because of their family, background, culture, age or social status and write about how they felt and handled the situation.

HISTORY CLASSROOM: students can research and do projects on the Civil Rights Movement. One idea is to have students create a newspaper from 1963. They can interview parents, grandparents, neighbors, and relatives who lived through and remember the Civil Rights Movement. Students can then put their findings in a article. They can also research the Sixteenth Avenue Baptist Church bombing and write their own news report of the events that took place. They can include adds for movies, music, cars, gadgets, and other popular items of the era. Another idea is to utilize the map skills that Mr. and Mrs. Watson hat to use since they did not have GPS. While reading the story students can find where the Watson's are on a United States Map and determine how many miles they have traveled and have left to go. They can also research different facts about the states along I-75 from Flint, Michigan to Birmingham, Alabama just as Wilona did in her notebook, and share them with the class.

MATH CLASSROOM: Teachers can have students research the cost of items from the 1960's and compare them to today's prices. They can also create word problems about the trip including mileage, travel time, and distance.

Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby

Summary:
Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby retold by Karmina Amin is a traditional folk tale about trickster, Brer Fox who hates Brer Rabbit. Brer Fox plays a trick on Brer Rabbit by means of a tar baby. When the tar baby doesn't answer Brer Rabbit, he gets mad and starts to fight the tar baby. Brer Fox thinks he finally has done in Brer Rabbit, but Brer Rabbit is too fast a thinker for Brer Fox and ends up tricking him instead.

Evaluation:
This was one of my favorite stories growing up and this is a wonderful rendition of the classic southern folk tale. The illustrations in this book are amazing and very modernized so children of any race and background can focus on the actual story and the lesson it has to teach. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Age & Genre:
folk tale
9-11 years and up

Where can I buy this book? 
http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Brer-Rabbit-Friends/dp/0756618134/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358640637&sr=1-5&keywords=brer+rabbit+and+the+tar+baby