Title: Dicey's Song
Author: Cynthia Voight
Jacket Illustrator: James Shefcik
Publisher: Atheneum Macmillan Publishing Company
Copyright Year: 1982
Summary:
Dicey Tillerman and her three siblings have recently been abandoned by their mother and have no where to turn, except for an estranged grandmother. Like all young teenagers, Dicey wants to be able to spend more time worrying about herself and less time playing a mother to her two brothers, James and Sammy, and younger sister, Maybeth. However, she soon finds that letting go of her responsibilities for her siblings is harder than she imagined. This book is a sequel to Homecoming.
Recommendation for Parents:
Dicey's Song is the kind of book that may expose children to a different reality than they may be used to, or gives them a sense of understanding if their own stroy relates to Dicey's. It is a story that shows the amount of strength and responsibility that we each possess, even at a young age. When kids are going through the harsh developmental phases at ages eleven to thriteen, and maybe even beyond, it is comforting being able to relate to a storyline that perhaps articulates their feelings, or allows them to experience another's hardships through the eyes of someone their own age.
Recommendation for Other Teachers:
Teachers, in the middle grades, kids are becoming more and more concerned with what is going on in their own lives, and forgetting that there are others in the world with similar problems, or maybe even have it worse. This book is a great way to try and enlighten kids to the idea that there are others in the world who have hardships, similar to, and different from their own. Hopefully that realization will allow them to be more understanding to the feelings and lives of their peers.
Personal Notes:
I read this book when I was in middle school, a time in my life when I forgot that other people existed too. It is so easy for one to get lost in their own trials and tribulations, especially those that occur during this time period. However, this book opened my eyes to the concept that I am not alone in this world and others need just as much attention and compassion as I needed. Developing a sense of community understanding is difficult during this period of life, but hopefully through mutual understanding of this book, they can start to understand that everyone suffers their own hardships.
Title: A Light in the Attic
Author and Illustrator: Shel Silverstein
Copyright year: 1981
Publisher: Harper & Row, Publishers
Summary:
This book is a great compilation of poems that will introduce children to the world of poetry in an entertaining and nonthreatening way.
Recommendation for Parents:
This book is a fun and easy way to introduce children to poetry. Especially in this generation, poetry has become archaic and hard to relate to. However, these light-hearted poems are easy to memorize, recite, and relate to for most children.
Recommendation for Other Teachers:
For teachers who are working on building a child's understanding of different types of literature, this book allows children to see the light-hearted side of poetry. Too often, students see literature, especially poetry, as something that they cannot grasp or understand. However, this book will give students an opportunity to read and enjoy poetry that is meant specifically for them.
Personal Notes:
As a child, I read this book multiple times. The wonderful thing about this book is that students can read one or multiple poems at a time. They are fun to read and easy to memorize, making them all the more appealing to young poetry readers.
Title: Letters from a Slave Girl: The Story of Harriet Jacobs
Author: Mary E. Lyons
Jacket Illustrator: Todd L. W. Doney
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
An imprint of Simon & Schusters Children's Publishing Division
Copyright Year: 1992
Summary:
A book based on the 1861 autobiography of Harriet Jacobs, Letters from a Slave Girl tells the story of young girl escaping slavery in 1825. Harriet Jacobs was almost released from slavery when her kind-hearted master passed away, but was instead placed under the control of another master. Rather than remain in the control of a slave master, Harriet escapes her capturers in an attempt to move to the North. Harriet tells her tale through letters that she sends to her family, describing her life and her struggle.
Recommendation for Parents:
This story is written from the point of view of a young girl experiencing great injustices and depicts and inner strength that we should all hope our children possess. Because it is written from the eyes of a child, the story is easier for children to relate to. By reading this story, I hope that this book serves to educate children on the truths of our history, as well as evoke a grateful feeling for all that we have today.
Recommendation for Other Teachers:
In the 5th grade, when children are being introduced to American History, this book serves as a great compliment to their in-class lesson. I believe that children will better understand what they are learning in the classroom if they are able to relate to those truths on a personal level. This book allows students to see history through the eyes of someone their own age.
Personal Notes:
I read this book while I was in middle school, learning about American history. I found that reading a story from the perspective of someone who was, at the time, my own age, allowed me to better understand the plight that so many people were forced to suffer through. As children, we have a hard time understanding what concepts like slavery and injustice mean. However, when seeing these experiences from the eyes of a child, through literature, I was better able to grasp what these concepts mean, as well as how they have shaped the world that I live in today.