The Wednesday Wars

By Gary D. Schmidt

Schmidt, Gary D. 2007. The Wednesday wars. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0-618-72483-4.

SUMMARY
The story is of Holling Hoodhood, a student in Ms. Baker’s seventh grade class at Camillo Junior High. Holling is convinced that Ms. Baker hates him. On Wednesdays while half of the class leaves for catechism class and the other half for Hebrew School, he is left alone to spend the afternoon with his teacher, Ms. Baker. The afternoons are filled with cleaning erasers, extra worksheets, cleaning the cage of the classroom’s pet rats, and washing the class chalkboard, however; when an unfortunate incident occur involving chalk dust and mouth-watering cream puffs, Holling is faced with reading Shakespeare instead of chasing the class pet rats, which accidentally got away from Holling as he was cleaning their cage. The author has created a compelling work of historical fiction; incorporating just the right amount of growing up in the 60’s, politics, and the Vietnam War with Shakespeare, yellow tights, and sentence diagramming.

Every reader, both young and old, will be able to identify with each character in this story. The author does a marvelous job of bringing out each character’s personality and the patterns of their daily life appropriate for that time. Although the time is 1967, the behavior and mannerisms they all display are familiar and real within our own homes and schools. The story’s protagonist, Holling Hoodhood is your typical seventh grade boy, who loves baseball, doesn’t get along with his older sister, and would not be caught dead in “girl” tights.

The social fabric of the time is clearly made obvious throughout the book through the incorporation of not only a focus on life at school yet furthermore, also a focus on life at home. The book contains many references to the Vietnam War and the political views of that time yet as serious as these subjects are, the author does an amazing job of keeping the narration true to a youthful point of view. For instance, I especially could not stop from giggling as I am reading Ms. Baker’s and the student’s reactions to the atomic bomb drills they are required to perform at school. The plot is most definitely not overwhelmed by historical details. The historical references, which are presented, are naturally integrated into the story.

The story’s setting is the year 1967; news of the Vietnam War can be heard from television sets all across America as Walter Cronkite reports for CBS. Songs from the Monkees can be heard playing from the bedroom of Holling’s sister. This is the same sister, who comes to dinner with a flower painted her cheek and calls herself a “flower child” because she wants to “believe in a bigger cause”. The author creates a historical setting of the time by including the attitudes, values, and morals of the time from various perspectives; those against the war, those for the war, those who have lost a loved one in war, and those who live in hope. In between the seriousness, the author also ties into the story the attitudes, values, and morals on baseball, friendship, family, school testing, Shakespeare, and the value of money.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
Newbery Honor Award, 2008
Cybils Finalist (Young Adult Fiction, 2007)
ALA Best Books for Young Adults, 2008
Judy Lopez Memorial Award, 2008
ALA Notable Children’s Book, 2008
IBBY Honour Book, 2010

EDITORIAL REVIEWS
"Schmidt...makes the implausible believable and the everyday momentous...a gentle, hopeful, moving story." --Booklist

"Schmidt rises above the novel's conventions to create memorable and believable characters." --Horn Book

"[An] entertaining and nuanced novel.... There are laugh-out-loud moments that leaven the many poignant ones." --School Library Journal

CONNECTIONS-Activities:
1) Have a discussion with students regarding which school year has been their most memorable thus far and why?

CONNECTIONS-Reading:1) Murray, Stuart. 2005. Vietnam War. New York: DK Pub.
2) Kadohata, Cynthia. 2007. Cracker!: the best dog in Vietnam. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

The Midwife's Apprentice

By Karen Cushman

Cushman, Karen. 1995. The midwife's apprentice. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0-395-69229-6.

SUMMARY

The story is of a young girl, who is as unsure of her name and age as she is of where she is going to lay her head down to sleep every night. She has neither home nor family and has only known of herself by the name Brat. Despite the many life obstacles she faces, she tackles life day by day and with each passing day she learns through her experiences and encounters more and more about herself; she learns self-value, her inner strength, her ability to learn, and most importantly her ability to love and be loved. With this self revelation, she becomes skillful in the profession of midwifery, a profession during 14th century medieval England, which included a “combination of common sense, herbal knowledge, and superstition.”

The characters within this story are all individuals we can easily identify within on our lives. Although I would like to hope that many of our children will never have the opportunity to experience being homeless and without a family; the truth of the matter is that it is an unfortunate circumstance, which still occurs today. The author does a magnificent job in creating characters with real personalities. It is each character’s behavioral qualities in conjunction with the attitudes, values, and morals of that time in history, which brings genuineness and authenticity into each character and the story as a whole. Every character in the story, including the cat, appears realistic and credible.

The author expertly weaves the very spirit of each character throughout the story’s theme and setting. The attitudes, values, and morals for that time in history are evident throughout the story. The fact that they continue to hold relevancy today brings an authenticity to the story. For instance, the attitude and the value of determination; we are all taught that when one fails, you don’t give up but rather, get back up and try again. We are also taught that we must take life by the reins and not sit on the sidelines; we take every opportunity, every experience and squeeze the knowledge from it to become a better person. In the story, Brat begins to change her life and take “the reins” through her experiences and the self-knowledge she obtains from each her encounters.

The setting of the story is descriptively created through the lively narratives of the small English village, the cottages, the merchant, the inn, and the manor. We are taken alongside each character as if we are seeing, hearing, touching, and smelling the area through their senses at that particular moment in time. The solid floor of the cottage is beneath my feet as Brat, renamed Beetle by the mid-wife, sweeps the cottage’s dirt floor, sprinkling it with water and stamping it to keep it hard packed. I am walking beside Beetle at the merchant and seeing all the “bright booths with flags and pennants flying.” My nose just as Beetle’s nose quivers “at smells of roasting meats and fresh hot bread and pies stuffed with pork and raisins.” The author’s vivid recreation of the events appropriate to that time and place add to the authenticity of the story.

The author’s note provides insight into the history of midwifery. It reveals the historical accuracy of certain aspects within the story for instance, the choice of herbs and how they were used in practice and the superstitious rituals. It was not until I read the author’s note that I became aware of these detailed facts. The accuracy of these facts is a demonstration of the author’s ability to create a story realistic to the time period without overwhelming it with details. Until reading the author’s note, I truly believed that the midwife’s use of herbs and superstitious chants were part of her character and not factual. The author’s style captures not only her own individual voice however; it also captures the very essence of daily life within that time in history. The dialogue is suitable to the story; I love how it captures the language of that time and place.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS:
Newbery Medal, 1996
Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader’s Choice, 1998
ALA Best Books for Young Adults, 1996
A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book, 1996
ALA Notable Children’s Book, 1996
New York Public Library 1995 List of Recommended Books
Booklist “Books for Youth Editors’ Choice”
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 1995
An American Bookseller Association Pick of the Lists

EDITORIAL REVIEWS:
In reviewing this 1996 Newbery winner, PW said that Cushman "has an almost unrivaled ability to build atmosphere, and her evocation of a medieval village, if not scholarly in its authenticity, is supremely colorful and pungent." --Publisher Weekly

“An insider’s look at the life of Birdy, 14, the daughter of a minor English nobleman. The year is 1290 and the vehicle for storytelling is the girl’s witty, irreverent diary. She looks with a clear and critical eye upon the world around her….A feminist far ahead of her time, she is both believable and lovable….Superb historical fiction.” --School Library Journal, starred review

“Catherine’s rebellious nature, questioning mind, and underlying kindness to all creatures make her an amusing and sympathetic figure; the vivid picture of medieval life presents a seemingly eye-witness view of a culture remote from contemporary beliefs. Fascinating and thought-provoking.” --The Horn Book Magazine, starred review

CONNECTIONS-Activities:
1) Create an artistic cover for the book illustrating an interesting scene from the story.
2) Research life during medieval England then write a short story that is set during that time.
3) Act out certain parts in the story focusing on how you believe the characters felt at that time.

Elijah of Buxton

Written by Christopher Paul Curtis

Curtis, Christopher Paul. 2007. Elijah of Buxton. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0-439-02344-0.

SUMMARY
Elijah of Buxton, Canada, was the first child born into freedom. Knowing no other life than to be free, the story takes eleven year old Elijah through his daily life on the settlement. From school, to chores, to rock fishing, Elijah’s life is filled with love, family, and neighbors; all until the day the preacher steals the very same money Elijah’s friend, Mr. Leroy, is saving to buy his family from slavery in the South. Determined to help his friend get the money back, Elijah leaves the only life he knows behind and ventures out on a perilous journey to America. What he discovers is a life told many times by his parents yet, unbelievable until he became a witness for himself. Elijah returns back to Buxton without his friend’s money however; he brings back with him a new found respect for freedom and hope in the form and name of a little soul.

The characters in this story are as real and believable as the very same image, which stares back at you in the mirror. Although young readers today may be not fully comprehend the institution of slavery and the appreciation of freedom; they can relate to the daily life patterns of an eleven year old boy, who is free. The author stays true to a youthful point of view by doing just that. He does a tremendous job of recreating Elijah’s pattern of daily life. His daily life consists, amongst other things, of rock fishing, chores, friends, pranks, church, and going to school. The author dramatically recreates that time in history by playing on the reader’s emotions and thoroughly describing the settlement and area at that time all the way down to the weather conditions common to the area.

All the characters within the story remain true in the clothing, the attitude, and what I found even more compelling; in the language of the time. “Well, Elijah, seem to me what’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.” The author uses a dialect within the story that brings authenticity. There is a reasonably good amount of dialogue within the story however; it works as an advantage by capturing the speech patterns of the era. The author’s style brings each character to life through the use of mannerisms and the language and idioms appropriate to the time. All these elements work in unison to bring authenticity to the story.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
Booklist Top of the List: Best of Editor’s Choice, 2007
TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, 2008
Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People, 2008
CLA Book of the Year, 2008
Governor General’s Literary Award Finalist
Newbery Award Honor Book, 2008
Red Maple Nominee
Coretta Scott King Award, 2008
Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, 2008
ALA Notable Children’s Book, 2008
Michigan Notable Books, 2008
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, 2007
Great Lakes Book Award Finalist (Children’s Chapter Books, 2008)
A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book, 2007
Odyssey Award Nominee (2009, Listening Library, Narrated by MirronWillis)

EDITORIAL REVIEWS
After his mother rebukes him for screaming that hoop snakes have invaded Buxton, gullible 11-year-old Elijah confesses to readers that "there ain't nothing in the world she wants more than for me to quit being so doggone fra-gile." Inexperienced and prone to mistakes, yet kind, courageous, and understanding, Elijah has the distinction of being the first child born in the Buxton Settlement, which was founded in Ontario in 1849 as a haven for former slaves. Narrator Elijah tells an episodic story that builds a broad picture of Buxton's residents before plunging into the dramatic events that take him out of Buxton and, quite possibly, out of his depth. In the author's note, Curtis relates the difficulty of tackling the subject of slavery realistically through a child's first-person perspective. Here, readers learn about conditions in slavery at a distance, though the horrors become increasingly apparent. Among the more memorable scenes are those in which Elijah meets escaped slaves—first, those who have made it to Canada and, later, those who have been retaken by slave catchers. Central to the story, these scenes show an emotional range and a subtlety unusual in children's fiction. Many readers drawn to the book by humor will find themselves at times on the edges of their seats in suspense and, at other moments, moved to tears. A fine, original novel from a gifted storyteller. --Booklist

Floating up like a bubble through layers of history, buoyed with hope and comic energy…Elijah of Buxton tells the story of Elijah Freeman, the first freeborn child in the historic Elgin Settlement, a village of escaped slaves in Canada…As in his previous novels, Curtis is a master at balancing the serious and the lighthearted: as Langston Hughes said of the blues, "not softened with tears, but hardened with laughter." He has already received a Newbery medal and an honor for two novels rooted in the experience of black Americans: "The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963 and Bud, Not Buddy. His latest book is another natural award candidate and makes an excellent case, in a story positively brimming with both truth and sense, for the ability of historical fiction to bring history to life. --The New York Times

Set in 1860, 11-year-old Elijah is the first child born into freedom in Buxton, Canada, a settlement of runaway and freed slaves, in Christopher Paul Curtis's Newbery Honor book (Scholastic, 2007). When money that Elijah's friend has been saving to send to America to buy his family's freedom is stolen, Elijah crosses the border into Detroit on a dangerous mission to help recover it. Narrated by Elijah, the horrors of slavery are revealed. This engrossing tale is read by Mirron Willis who effortlessly varies his rich, textured voice to make each character unique. This story will captivate listeners. --School Library Journal

CONNECTIONS-Activities:
1) Have a discussion about why Chloe gave her baby to Elijah? Follow up with thoughts about how the baby’s life will be different in Buxton.
2) Discuss the “underground railroad”. If possible, review with students the following National Geographic website, which takes users on a journey through the Underground Railroad. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/railroad/

CONNECTIONS-Reading:
1) Anderson, Laurie Halse. Chains. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2008

LETMEPLAY: The Story of Title IX - the law that changed the future of girls in America

Written by Karen Blumenthal

Blumenthal, Karen. 2005. Let me play: the story of Title IX : the law that changed the future of girls in America. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0-689-85957-0.

SUMMARY
In this non-fictional work of art, author Karen Blumenthal examines the history of Title IX; the law that opened the doors of educational and athletic opportunities for all American girls. This book is an exceptional informational book in that it provides an in-depth look at the events and individuals, who not only advocated for women’s rights, for instance the right to vote and the right for equal pay; it also chronologically details the events and documents the women, who advocated and supported Title IX. Throughout the book there are narrations of various women and their personal battles to overcome discrimination of various forms.

Karen Blumenthal is an acclaimed author. She has more than 25 years of experience as a financial journalist and was the Journal’s Dallas bureau chief for eight years. She is highly recognized as a non-fictional writer and has received several distinguished awards and nominations for her writings including several for this book. Ms. Blumenthal writes with experience and precision. She avoids stereotypes by capturing the sentiments and reactions of the time from several perspectives. She provides factual information and documents the information through source notes for each chapter, photo credits, and a selected bibliography. She also includes a section that lists relevant books and websites “for further information”. The relevant books focus on girls and sports, women’s rights, and information about Title IX.

The organization of the book is chronological in sequence. It begins with events in 1848 and continues with prominent milestones up through the year to 2003. Reference aids are provided and include a table of contents, a title IX timeline, and an index. There are several illustrations and cartoons throughout the book. They are all appropriate and compliment the text magnificently. On a blog posting I came across, Karen Blumenthal states, “As a nonfiction author, I've come to appreciate that powerful photographs and cartoons of the day can truly help bring a time period alive for a young reader.” I do agree, the cartoons invite the reader into the book and motivate the reader to look in depth at the subject matter.

The author’s unique style, which is visible through her word usage and how she combines the text and illustrations all work together to present a work of literature that clearly and appropriately demonstrates her enthusiasm. Page after page, the author’s presentation of the information is direct and without misunderstanding. One can especially appreciate the chapter headings, which are quite catchy and suit the topic. The “instant replays” adds emphasis and the “player profiles” encourages thinking and further reading.

AWARDS/NOMINATIONS
• ALA Amelia Bloomer Project
• ALA Best Books For Young Adults
• ALA Notable Children's Books
• Bank Street Best Books of the Year
• CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
• CCBC Choices (Cooperative Children's Book Council)
• Golden Spur Award Honor Book
• IRA Children's Book Award Notable
• Jane Addams Children's Book Award
• Kansas State Reading Circle Middle School Titles
• Maine Student Book Award Master List
• SLJ Best Book of the Year
• SSLI Book Award Honor Book

EDITORIAL REVIEWS
Starred Review. Grade 7 Up -A fascinating look at the birth, growth, stagnation, and final emergence of Title IX. While acknowledging the controversy surrounding this law, the author is unwaveringly supportive of its passage and implementation. Interesting and easy-to-follow chapters highlight the process of creating, revising, fighting for, and ultimately passing this legislation that gave girls and women equal access to physical-education classes, gymnasiums, universities, and graduate schools. Human-interest stories personalize the issues, and photographs of congresswomen fighting for equal opportunities for girls, women demonstrating, and the ultimate victory-a woman on the cover of Sports Illustrated-show how challenging, yet ultimately rewarding, the battle has been. Charts depict amazing statistics about the increase in athletic participation by females from 1970 to 2001. Cartoons show the humorous but painfully true attitudes of our culture toward women as they have strived to achieve equality in this country. The book closes with a "Then and Now" section highlighting the changes Title IX has brought about. Lynn M. Messina's Sports in America (H. W. Wilson, 2001) and Victoria Sherrow's Encyclopedia of Women and Sports (ABC-CLIO, 1996) both offer bits of information, but nothing out there comes close to Blumenthal's portrait of the emergence of women athletes in our society. --School Library Journal

Gr. 6-9. As in Six Days in October (2002), a compelling overview of the 1929 stock market crash and a financial primer, Wall Street Journal editor Blumenthal uses specific facts and fascinating personal stories to give readers a wide view of history. Here, the author looks at American women's evolving rights by focusing on the history and future of Title IX, which bans sex discrimination in U.S. education. Profiles of groundbreaking female athletes and legislators deftly alternate with highlights of the women's movement, from the early twentieth century through today. The dull paper stock diminishes the many black-and-white photos, but the images are still gripping, and relevant political cartoons and fact boxes add further interest. Few books cover the last few decades of American women's history with such clarity and detail, and this comprehensive title draws attention to the hard-won battles, the struggles that remain, and the chilling possibility that rights, if not fiercely protected, can easily be lost. --Booklist

http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2011/09/guest-post-karen-blumenthal-on-power.html