That Book Woman

Title: That Book Woman

Author: Heather Henson

Illustrator: David Small

Copyright Date: 2008

Genre: Historical Fiction

Theme: Appalachia, history, Social Studies, reading, librarians, school

Grades: 2-5

Awards: Anne Izard Storytellers' Choice Award (NY), Beehive Award Master List (UT), CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book, Christopher Award, Golden Sower Masterlist (NE), Great Lakes Book Award, Kentucky Bluegrass Award Master List, Keystone to Reading Book Award (PA), Parents' Choice Award, Storytelling World Award, Storytelling World Award Honor Book, "Stories for Young Listeners, Texas Bluebonnet Master List (Source)

Summary

Cal, his Pap, Mama, sister Lark, and the rest of his family live on their farm high up in the Appalachian Mountains, away from schools, towns and other people. Lark always seems to have her head in a book, but Cal feels that since he knows how to help run the farm, there isn't a need for "dumb old books." One day a visitor, a woman wearing pants, arrives on horseback to give Cal's family some books for free. Not only does she visit once, but she returns again and again to exchange those books for new ones.

What will the Book Woman do when winter hits the mountain? Will Cal's disapproval of reading ever change? Read this book to find out.

Pre-reading Activity

Before reading the story, it would help to get students to understand the educational situation Cal's family and other families living in the Appalachian Mountains during the Great Depression. Start by talking to the class and asking how far away they live from the school. Some will live in close walking distance and some need a car or bus ride. Ask them how easy it would be to get to school if they had to walk because cars would be much too expensive to own and there weren't any school buses. Then how hard it would be if they had to walk miles to and from school? Then what if that distance included going up and down a mountain? Then what about during blizzards?  Would you be able to do that and still work a full day of work on a farm? Explain that during the Great Depression, children living in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky were put in this exact situation. Because of all of these challenges, many children never went to school, and so they learned things like reading in a different way.

During Reading Activity

This book is a great one for tracking changes in characters throughout the story. Classes could take notes on Cal's feelings toward reading at the beginning, middle, and end of the story, as an example of character evolution. 

Post-reading Activity

After the story has been read, students can make connections to their own life by writing a response, with a prompt such as "Has there ever been a time in your life when you changed your opinion about something you disliked like Cal did? What caused you to change your mind?." It also may be good for students to write a comparison piece, describing how they learned to read (in an organized school, with a building, teachers, etc.) and how Cal and other Appalachian students during that time period (at home, teaching themselves and each other with materials provided by the Pack Horse Librarians). 

Author and Illustrator

Heather Henson worked at HarperCollins Publishers in Brooklyn for years editing other people's books before returning home to Kentucky to write her own. Along with That Book Woman, she has written five other books, including Grumpy Grandpa and Making the Run. She currently lives in Kentucky. (Source: book jacket and here)

David Small has won numerous awards for his work illustrating over forty children's books including the Caldecott Medal for his work on So You Want to Be President?. Not only does he illustrate other authors' books, but also is an author himself, including being the author and illustrator of the classic book, Imogene's Antlers. He currently lives in Michigan. (Source: book jacket and here)

Reflections

I am sadly unknowledgeable about the history and culture of those living in Appalachia, and so I found this book no only enjoyable but also educational for me. I learned a lot about this often overlooked part of history and the country, and I'm sure students of all grades would take away something new as well. I loved how it was written with the dialect of the region represented and respected and of course the art is fantastic. I highly recommend it.

If you are interested in purchasing this book, click here.

I Lay My Stitches Down

Title: I Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery

Author: Cynthia Grady

Illustrator: Michelle Wood

Copyright Date: 2012

Genre: Poetry

Theme: Poetry, non-fiction, Social Studies, African-American, slavery, biography, history

Grades: 5 and up

Awards: Parent's Choice Silver Honor (source)

Summary

This book is a beautifully written and illustrated collection of poems about the experiences of those living as slaves in America. The poems cover topics such as working in the home and fields, punishment, secretly educating themselves, and their escape through the Underground Railroad among others. These poems are backed up with great quilt inspired illustrations and sections of historical context to help explain the poems.

What was life like for the African-Americans living in slavery? Read this book to find out.

Pre-reading Activity

Because this book covers so many different aspects of life as a slave, it lends itself well to a KWL chart. Before reading the book have the students share everything they know about slavery and record it in the first column of a three columned chart. This will be the "what I already Know" column. Record everything, even if it is a misconception. All of this is their background knowledge of the subject. Next, in the second column, write down all the questions they might have about slavery. This is the "What I want to know" column. Any question about slavery will work here. This is the information they will be looking for during the story. 

During Reading Activity

While reading the story, if an answer to a question comes up, write a note next to the question in the third column of the chart. This is the "What I learned" column. This is also a good place to write some information that may contradict some of the misconceptions students may have had before too.

Post-reading Activity

After reading through the book, and finishing the chart of all the new information and greater understanding they have about slavery, this would be a great time for students to do some writing. Since the KWL chart contains the notes from the book, students can use the information to write a paragraph about life in slavery. For older students, you could bring in more texts and have them synthesize them into a true research paper.   

Author and Illustrator

Cynthia Grady works as a middle school librarian when she isn't writing or making quilts. This book is her very first book to be published. She currently lives in Washington DC. (Source: book jacket and here)

Michelle Wood is an award winning artist, earning the American Book Award for the first book she illustrated, Going Back Home. Since then she has earned other awards, including the Coretta Scott King Award and her work has received lots of praise from critics. She currently lives in Indiana. (Source: book jacket and here)

Reflections

I'm a big fan of this book. Not only are the poems meaning AND accessible, but the illustrations just makes everything come alive. This is a great way to introduce this difficult part of American history to young students, especially with the contextual paragraphs on each page. A very good book.

If you are interested in purchasing this book, click here.