BIBLIOGRAPHY
Anderson, Laurie Halse. 1999. SPEAK. New York, NY: Penguin Group. ISBN 9780142414736
PLOT SUMMARY
After calling 911 at an end-of-summer party, Melinda suffers the heartbreaking result of being hated and becoming an outcast. She refuses to speak about the devastating event that preceded the phone call and her grades, family relationships and friendships suffer throughout the school year. Forced to finally confront the person who was at the root of all her suffering she finds her voice again.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The story is a touching look at a teenage girl's experience with sexual assualt and her unwillingness to speak to anyone about it. She called 911 at the drinking party where the assult occured and consequently suffered the wrath and outright hatred of classmates for her action, without knowing why the call was placed. Her parents are not speaking to each other and she is not speaking to them. All told, the poor girl suffers greatly and yet in the end, somehow, things begin to look up after she confronts her attacker. Throughout the book she has these interesting, witty conversations in her head with those individuals with whom she will not converse. Her first person narrative is captivating and pulls the reader into Melinda's world. Recommended for ages 12 and older.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Horn Book- "An uncannily funny book even as it plumbs the darkness, Speak will hold readers from first word to last."
KIRKUS- " The plot is gripping and the characters are powerfully drawn, but it is its raw and unvarnished look at the dynamics of the high school experience that makes this a novel that will be hard for readers to forget."
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Review of STITCHES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Small, David. 2009. STITCHES, A MEMOIR. New York, NY: W.W. Norton and Company. ISBN 978039333896
PLOT SUMMARY
An unusual memoir, it is in the form of a graphic novel. It starts out in Detroit when the author is a small child, age 6. The book moves through his life, his dreams, his nightmares, and delves deeply into his mother and her behaviors. He ends up with cancer, though his family keeps that truth from him for many years. He lives in a family filled with silence and describes his silence after the surgery, when in the presence of his friends, feeling like "a shadow flickering around the edges of every event." Small offers some insight to his family dynamics at the end of the book. A fresh, bold take on a memoir.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Quite an interesting approach to what can usually be a boring, or rather less interesting type of publication. A graphic novel form that uses very bold artwork to tell a story with minimal text. Extraordinary emotion is evident throughout the book, particularly his frustration in silence.
His crush on Mrs. Dillon and his description of her is amusing. The revelation by his father about his cancer when he was younger was handled in an interesting fashion, that leaves you feeling a great deal of empathy for young David. This particular work is engaging and mature work, not recommended for younger children. His notes at the end of the book about his parents gives readers an insight into David Small's childhood and what ultimately shaped him as an adult.
Review Excerpt(s)
Publisher's Weekly
"Small tells his story with haunting subtlety and power."
KIRKUS Reviews
"Emotionally raw, artistically compelling and psychologically devastating graphic memoir of childhood trauma."
CONNECTIONS
Have students use only art to tell about a childhood memory. Have them share with each other and tell their stories.
Small, David. 2009. STITCHES, A MEMOIR. New York, NY: W.W. Norton and Company. ISBN 978039333896
PLOT SUMMARY
An unusual memoir, it is in the form of a graphic novel. It starts out in Detroit when the author is a small child, age 6. The book moves through his life, his dreams, his nightmares, and delves deeply into his mother and her behaviors. He ends up with cancer, though his family keeps that truth from him for many years. He lives in a family filled with silence and describes his silence after the surgery, when in the presence of his friends, feeling like "a shadow flickering around the edges of every event." Small offers some insight to his family dynamics at the end of the book. A fresh, bold take on a memoir.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Quite an interesting approach to what can usually be a boring, or rather less interesting type of publication. A graphic novel form that uses very bold artwork to tell a story with minimal text. Extraordinary emotion is evident throughout the book, particularly his frustration in silence.
His crush on Mrs. Dillon and his description of her is amusing. The revelation by his father about his cancer when he was younger was handled in an interesting fashion, that leaves you feeling a great deal of empathy for young David. This particular work is engaging and mature work, not recommended for younger children. His notes at the end of the book about his parents gives readers an insight into David Small's childhood and what ultimately shaped him as an adult.
Review Excerpt(s)
Publisher's Weekly
"Small tells his story with haunting subtlety and power."
KIRKUS Reviews
"Emotionally raw, artistically compelling and psychologically devastating graphic memoir of childhood trauma."
CONNECTIONS
Have students use only art to tell about a childhood memory. Have them share with each other and tell their stories.
Review of The Graveyard Book
Bibliography
Gaiman, Neil. 2008. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. New York, NY: Harper Collins. ISBN 9780060530938
PLOT SUMMARY
After a toddler's family is murdered, he wanders into a graveyard where its inhabitants agree to keep and raise him. He is given the name Nobody Owens, called Bod for short and is really a normal boy except for his unusual upbringing and place of residence. The real dangers to the child lie beyond the gates of the graveyard, not within it. And then there's The Man, Jack, who waits to find him...
CRITICAL ANALYISIS
This book begins with a murder and the first reaction the reader may experience is a sense of grisly action. Macabre is the best way to describe this book. Each chapter chronicling Bod's life reads more like a short story rather than a part of the whole. Bod encounters ghosts who raise him, ghouls, the Indigo Man, the Sleer, and other creatures, including humans, of course. Gaiman's writing is well crafted within each chapter, but the book as a whole feels to have 'holes'. Entertaining, but not a book that I would recommend for a younger child. Perhaps age 10 or older would be a good choice. This book would make a nice read aloud for a fourth grade class or older, during the Halloween season.
Newbery Award Winner.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S):
Booklist:
“This is an utterly captivating tale that is cleverly told through an entertaining cast of ghostly characters."
Horn Book: "...Gaiman has created a rich, surprising, and sometimes disturbing tale of dreams, ghouls, murderers, trickery, and family."
CONNECTIONS:
After reading this book to a class have the students create their own fantasy worlds in which they could live.
other books by Gaiman:
Gaiman, Neil. 2003. CORALINE. ISBN 9780380807345
Gaiman, Neil. 2008. STARDUST. ISBN 13: 9780061689246
Gaiman, Neil. 2009. BLUEBERRY GIRL. ISBN 13: 9780060838089
Gaiman, Neil. 2008. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. New York, NY: Harper Collins. ISBN 9780060530938
PLOT SUMMARY
After a toddler's family is murdered, he wanders into a graveyard where its inhabitants agree to keep and raise him. He is given the name Nobody Owens, called Bod for short and is really a normal boy except for his unusual upbringing and place of residence. The real dangers to the child lie beyond the gates of the graveyard, not within it. And then there's The Man, Jack, who waits to find him...
CRITICAL ANALYISIS
This book begins with a murder and the first reaction the reader may experience is a sense of grisly action. Macabre is the best way to describe this book. Each chapter chronicling Bod's life reads more like a short story rather than a part of the whole. Bod encounters ghosts who raise him, ghouls, the Indigo Man, the Sleer, and other creatures, including humans, of course. Gaiman's writing is well crafted within each chapter, but the book as a whole feels to have 'holes'. Entertaining, but not a book that I would recommend for a younger child. Perhaps age 10 or older would be a good choice. This book would make a nice read aloud for a fourth grade class or older, during the Halloween season.
Newbery Award Winner.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S):
Booklist:
“This is an utterly captivating tale that is cleverly told through an entertaining cast of ghostly characters."
Horn Book: "...Gaiman has created a rich, surprising, and sometimes disturbing tale of dreams, ghouls, murderers, trickery, and family."
CONNECTIONS:
After reading this book to a class have the students create their own fantasy worlds in which they could live.
other books by Gaiman:
Gaiman, Neil. 2003. CORALINE. ISBN 9780380807345
Gaiman, Neil. 2008. STARDUST. ISBN 13: 9780061689246
Gaiman, Neil. 2009. BLUEBERRY GIRL. ISBN 13: 9780060838089
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Review of Elijah of Buxton
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Curtis, Christopher Paul. 2007. ELIJAH OF BUXTON. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439023459
PLOT SUMMARY
In the community of Buxton, in Canada reside both freed and runaway slaves. 11 year old Elijah was the first free child born there and he is considered fragile by some. But he proves himself to be less than fragile when he takes it upon himself to help when a slick preacher steals money meant to purchase a slave family and bring them to freedom in Canada.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Written in first person, this lively, entertaining tale of a young boy is both comical and, at times, heart-wrenching. Elijah Freeman is known for being able to catch fish by chunking rocks at their heads. People considered him fragile for many reasons; he's afraid of riding horses, and snakes. Curtis' use of casual register is possibly accurate, but at times borders on the stereotypical. Elijah is tested and is able prove himself in this coming of age novel when a freed man in town sends another trusted man to buy his family's freedom and he turns out to be crooked. Things go wrong and Elijah attempts to right the wrong, taking him across the border and perhaps into great danger. A book that is sure to win the hearts of many a reader.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
2008 Newbery Honor Book
Corretta Scott King Award Winner
KIRKUS REVIEWS: "This is Curtis' best novel yet, and no doubt many readers, young and old, will finish and say, "This is one of the best books I have ever read." "
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: "...demonstrating how Elijah, the "fra-gile" child has become sturdy, capable of stealing across the border in pursuit of the crooked preacher, and strong enough to withstand a confrontation with the horrors of slavery. The powerful ending is violent and unsettling, yet also manages to be uplifting."
CONNECTIONS
Have students visit the web site for the Buxton Settlement and research more about the real place where the fictional characters lived.
http://www.buxtonmuseum.com/history/hist-SETTLEMENT.html
National Geographic's site for the Underground Railroad:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/99/railroad/j1.html
Visit the University of Virginia's site for American Slave Narratives and have students listen to and read what they had to say about their enslavement:
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/wpa/wpahome.html
Other books about the Underground Railroad:
Monjo, F.N.. THE DRINKING GOURD:A STORY OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. ISBN 0064440427
Pearsall, Shelley. TROUBLE DON'T LAST. ISBN 04440418119
Polacco, Patricia. JANUARY'S SPARROW. ISBN 0399250778
Porter, Connie Rose. MEET ADDY: AN AMERICAN GIRL (AMERICAN GIRLS COLLECTION SERIES: ADDY #1). ISBN 1562470752
Hopkinson, Deborah. UNDER THE QUILT OF NIGHT. ISBN 0689877005
Curtis, Christopher Paul. 2007. ELIJAH OF BUXTON. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439023459
PLOT SUMMARY
In the community of Buxton, in Canada reside both freed and runaway slaves. 11 year old Elijah was the first free child born there and he is considered fragile by some. But he proves himself to be less than fragile when he takes it upon himself to help when a slick preacher steals money meant to purchase a slave family and bring them to freedom in Canada.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Written in first person, this lively, entertaining tale of a young boy is both comical and, at times, heart-wrenching. Elijah Freeman is known for being able to catch fish by chunking rocks at their heads. People considered him fragile for many reasons; he's afraid of riding horses, and snakes. Curtis' use of casual register is possibly accurate, but at times borders on the stereotypical. Elijah is tested and is able prove himself in this coming of age novel when a freed man in town sends another trusted man to buy his family's freedom and he turns out to be crooked. Things go wrong and Elijah attempts to right the wrong, taking him across the border and perhaps into great danger. A book that is sure to win the hearts of many a reader.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
2008 Newbery Honor Book
Corretta Scott King Award Winner
KIRKUS REVIEWS: "This is Curtis' best novel yet, and no doubt many readers, young and old, will finish and say, "This is one of the best books I have ever read." "
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: "...demonstrating how Elijah, the "fra-gile" child has become sturdy, capable of stealing across the border in pursuit of the crooked preacher, and strong enough to withstand a confrontation with the horrors of slavery. The powerful ending is violent and unsettling, yet also manages to be uplifting."
CONNECTIONS
Have students visit the web site for the Buxton Settlement and research more about the real place where the fictional characters lived.
http://www.buxtonmuseum.com/history/hist-SETTLEMENT.html
National Geographic's site for the Underground Railroad:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/99/railroad/j1.html
Visit the University of Virginia's site for American Slave Narratives and have students listen to and read what they had to say about their enslavement:
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/wpa/wpahome.html
Other books about the Underground Railroad:
Monjo, F.N.. THE DRINKING GOURD:A STORY OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. ISBN 0064440427
Pearsall, Shelley. TROUBLE DON'T LAST. ISBN 04440418119
Polacco, Patricia. JANUARY'S SPARROW. ISBN 0399250778
Porter, Connie Rose. MEET ADDY: AN AMERICAN GIRL (AMERICAN GIRLS COLLECTION SERIES: ADDY #1). ISBN 1562470752
Hopkinson, Deborah. UNDER THE QUILT OF NIGHT. ISBN 0689877005
Review of The Midwife's Apprentice
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cushman, Karen. 1995. THE MIDWIFE'S APPRENTICE. New York, NY: Harper Collins. ISBN 006440630x.
PLOT SUMMARY
Brat, Beetle, whatever her name, a girl who is orphaned, dirty, unloved and uncared for finds herself in the employ of the town's midwife. Suddenly with a roof over her head, food in her belly and a friend in the form of a cat, the 12 year old names herself Alyce and learns to deliver babies. She fails, runs away only to return and try again.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Cushman is a master storyteller and loses nothing in this 13th century tale of a young girl about 12 years old who is dirty, unloved, hungry and does not know her name. She has been called Brat, finds herself in the dung heap of a midwife, then renamed Beetle. The midwife, Jane Sharp, takes her in not so much as an apprentice, but more for the service she can get from the girl. Beetle renames herself Alyce and befriends the town cat as she can relate to his plight; they are both bullied and picked on. Alyce accompanies Jane on her duties and when called upon to deliver, she fails. She runs away, but then with pluck and fortitude decides to go back and try again to make her own place in the world. A lovely book that may help children find the courage to stand up for themselves and find their own independence as Alyce did. Introduces children to birth that is not often found in literature targeted for the young reader.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
1996 Newbery Medal Winner
Booklist: "Kids will like this short, fast-paced narrative about a hero who discovers that she's not ugly or stupid or alone."
School Library Journal: "Characters are sketched briefly but with telling, witty detail,and the very scents and sounds of the land and people's occupations fill each page as Alyce comes of age and heart."
Connections:
Have students hold a mock trial of Alyce with this lesson plan:
http://eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Language_Arts/Literature/Childrens_Literature/CHL0219.html
Another book by the same author:
Cushman, Karen. CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY. ISBN0064405842
Cushman, Karen. 1995. THE MIDWIFE'S APPRENTICE. New York, NY: Harper Collins. ISBN 006440630x.
PLOT SUMMARY
Brat, Beetle, whatever her name, a girl who is orphaned, dirty, unloved and uncared for finds herself in the employ of the town's midwife. Suddenly with a roof over her head, food in her belly and a friend in the form of a cat, the 12 year old names herself Alyce and learns to deliver babies. She fails, runs away only to return and try again.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Cushman is a master storyteller and loses nothing in this 13th century tale of a young girl about 12 years old who is dirty, unloved, hungry and does not know her name. She has been called Brat, finds herself in the dung heap of a midwife, then renamed Beetle. The midwife, Jane Sharp, takes her in not so much as an apprentice, but more for the service she can get from the girl. Beetle renames herself Alyce and befriends the town cat as she can relate to his plight; they are both bullied and picked on. Alyce accompanies Jane on her duties and when called upon to deliver, she fails. She runs away, but then with pluck and fortitude decides to go back and try again to make her own place in the world. A lovely book that may help children find the courage to stand up for themselves and find their own independence as Alyce did. Introduces children to birth that is not often found in literature targeted for the young reader.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
1996 Newbery Medal Winner
Booklist: "Kids will like this short, fast-paced narrative about a hero who discovers that she's not ugly or stupid or alone."
School Library Journal: "Characters are sketched briefly but with telling, witty detail,and the very scents and sounds of the land and people's occupations fill each page as Alyce comes of age and heart."
Connections:
Have students hold a mock trial of Alyce with this lesson plan:
http://eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Language_Arts/Literature/Childrens_Literature/CHL0219.html
Another book by the same author:
Cushman, Karen. CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY. ISBN0064405842
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Review of Hattie Big Sky
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Larson, Kirby. 2006. HATTIE BIG SKY. New York, NY: Random House. ISBN 9780385735957
PLOT SUMMARY
Hattie Brooks inherits her uncle's Montana claim in 1917. As a sixteen-year-old orphan, the chance to have a place of her own proved to be the driving force behind her determination to prove the claim. Moving from Iowa to Montana, Hattie encounters plenty of obstacles during her first year in this World War I novel.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Written in first person, Hattie Inez Brooks has called herself "Hattie Here And There" since her parents died. Passed around from one relative to the next, she jumps at the chance to move to Montana and finish proving her uncle's claim. For the first time, she feels like she will have a place to call her very own. She exchanges letters quite often with a very close friend, Charlie, who is in Europe fighting during World War I. After her arrival in Montana she makes some very close friends, and also learns that the war in Europe is having a profound effect on the people of Montana as well, producing strong anti-German sentiment. She learns to battle the elements, run a fence line, work with animals, plant crops and how to deal with prejudice and loss.
Inspired by the author's Great-grandmother by the same name, the reader is given a look at what life was like for many late 19th century and early 20th century pioneers. The feelings of anti-German sentiment in the novel was accurate to the time period, and mirrors current anti-Muslim sentiment that has been stirred during war. It will challenge readers to see current issues and reminds of the destructiveness of hate. Well researched, the book is difficult to put down. Hattie is a character that is easy to like and you want the best for her. Includes recipes, author's note, bibliography for further reading.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
2007 Newbery Honor book
2006 Montana Book Award
Kirkus: "Based on a bit of Larson's family history, this is not so much a happily-ever-after story as a next-year-will-be-better tale, with Hattie's new-found definition of home. This fine offering may well inspire readers to find out more about their own family histories."
KLIATT: "Hattie's strength and intelligence, her courage and loyal friendship make her a real hero."
CONNECTIONS
Another book about WWI:
Lowery, Lois. LIKE THE WILLOW TREE. ISBN 0545265568
Lesson plan unit http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/advancedacademics/gifted/gifted_downloads/learn_contract/Hattie_Big_Sky.pdf
Larson, Kirby. 2006. HATTIE BIG SKY. New York, NY: Random House. ISBN 9780385735957
PLOT SUMMARY
Hattie Brooks inherits her uncle's Montana claim in 1917. As a sixteen-year-old orphan, the chance to have a place of her own proved to be the driving force behind her determination to prove the claim. Moving from Iowa to Montana, Hattie encounters plenty of obstacles during her first year in this World War I novel.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Written in first person, Hattie Inez Brooks has called herself "Hattie Here And There" since her parents died. Passed around from one relative to the next, she jumps at the chance to move to Montana and finish proving her uncle's claim. For the first time, she feels like she will have a place to call her very own. She exchanges letters quite often with a very close friend, Charlie, who is in Europe fighting during World War I. After her arrival in Montana she makes some very close friends, and also learns that the war in Europe is having a profound effect on the people of Montana as well, producing strong anti-German sentiment. She learns to battle the elements, run a fence line, work with animals, plant crops and how to deal with prejudice and loss.
Inspired by the author's Great-grandmother by the same name, the reader is given a look at what life was like for many late 19th century and early 20th century pioneers. The feelings of anti-German sentiment in the novel was accurate to the time period, and mirrors current anti-Muslim sentiment that has been stirred during war. It will challenge readers to see current issues and reminds of the destructiveness of hate. Well researched, the book is difficult to put down. Hattie is a character that is easy to like and you want the best for her. Includes recipes, author's note, bibliography for further reading.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
2007 Newbery Honor book
2006 Montana Book Award
Kirkus: "Based on a bit of Larson's family history, this is not so much a happily-ever-after story as a next-year-will-be-better tale, with Hattie's new-found definition of home. This fine offering may well inspire readers to find out more about their own family histories."
KLIATT: "Hattie's strength and intelligence, her courage and loyal friendship make her a real hero."
CONNECTIONS
Another book about WWI:
Lowery, Lois. LIKE THE WILLOW TREE. ISBN 0545265568
Lesson plan unit http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/advancedacademics/gifted/gifted_downloads/learn_contract/Hattie_Big_Sky.pdf
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Review of THE VOICE THAT CHALLENGED A NATION: MARION ANDERSON AND THE STRUGGLE FOR EQUAL RIGHTS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Freedman, Russell. 2004. THE VOICE THAT CHALLENGED A NATION: MARION ANDERSON AND THE STRUGGLE FOR EQUAL RIGHTS. New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN 0618159762
PLOT SUMMARY
Most of us find it inconceivable that prejudice and malice would or could keep a talented singer from performing in any venue, but that is precisely what happened to Marion Anderson. Born in 1897, Anderson was the oldest daughter in a family of three girls. Living in Philadelphia in a neighborhood of mixed races, Marion really didn't experience prejudice growing up. As a young adult, Marion finally did what she loved to do-sing. She sang all over the world, but was banned from performing here in Constitution Hall by the DAR. That began her battle to break down the barrier.
Critical Analysis
This book contains a lot of white space in eight chapters. There are plenty of photographs (all black and white) that document Anderson's struggle for the right to sing anywhere, but young readers may not be drawn to it visually. Freedman's handling of the subject is both matter-of-fact and empathetic. Using both personal accounts and those of her contemporaries, Freedman shows that Marion Anderson was willing to become a crusader for freedoms she had been previously denied along with many performers of color. She was not a natural crusader, but through her efforts, and with the help of then first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, Anderson was able to perform before a record crowd on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1939 signaling the beginning of the end of segregation in the arts. Contains bibliography, discography, acknowledgements, picture credits and index. Winner of the Robert F Sibert Medal, and a Newbery Honor Book.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Kirkus Reviews: "Well-chosen, well placed archival photographs, clear writing, abundant research seamlessly woven into the text, and careful documentation make an outstanding, handsome biography."
Publisher's Weekly: "An engrossing biography."
CONNECTIONS
Read some other books by Russell Freedman:
Freedman, Russell. THE WAR TO END ALL WARS: WORLD WAR I. ISBN 9780547026862
Freedman, Russell. CHILDREN OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION/ EDITION 1. ISBN 9780618446308
Freedman, Russell. LINCOLN: A PHOTOBIOGRAPHY. ISBN 9780395518489
Freedman, Russell. IMMIGRANT KIDS. ISBN 9780140375947
Learn to interview family members and maybe their friends and write someone's biography.
Freedman, Russell. 2004. THE VOICE THAT CHALLENGED A NATION: MARION ANDERSON AND THE STRUGGLE FOR EQUAL RIGHTS. New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN 0618159762
PLOT SUMMARY
Most of us find it inconceivable that prejudice and malice would or could keep a talented singer from performing in any venue, but that is precisely what happened to Marion Anderson. Born in 1897, Anderson was the oldest daughter in a family of three girls. Living in Philadelphia in a neighborhood of mixed races, Marion really didn't experience prejudice growing up. As a young adult, Marion finally did what she loved to do-sing. She sang all over the world, but was banned from performing here in Constitution Hall by the DAR. That began her battle to break down the barrier.
Critical Analysis
This book contains a lot of white space in eight chapters. There are plenty of photographs (all black and white) that document Anderson's struggle for the right to sing anywhere, but young readers may not be drawn to it visually. Freedman's handling of the subject is both matter-of-fact and empathetic. Using both personal accounts and those of her contemporaries, Freedman shows that Marion Anderson was willing to become a crusader for freedoms she had been previously denied along with many performers of color. She was not a natural crusader, but through her efforts, and with the help of then first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, Anderson was able to perform before a record crowd on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1939 signaling the beginning of the end of segregation in the arts. Contains bibliography, discography, acknowledgements, picture credits and index. Winner of the Robert F Sibert Medal, and a Newbery Honor Book.
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Kirkus Reviews: "Well-chosen, well placed archival photographs, clear writing, abundant research seamlessly woven into the text, and careful documentation make an outstanding, handsome biography."
Publisher's Weekly: "An engrossing biography."
CONNECTIONS
Read some other books by Russell Freedman:
Freedman, Russell. THE WAR TO END ALL WARS: WORLD WAR I. ISBN 9780547026862
Freedman, Russell. CHILDREN OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION/ EDITION 1. ISBN 9780618446308
Freedman, Russell. LINCOLN: A PHOTOBIOGRAPHY. ISBN 9780395518489
Freedman, Russell. IMMIGRANT KIDS. ISBN 9780140375947
Learn to interview family members and maybe their friends and write someone's biography.
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