Paperboy

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Vawter, Vince.  2013. Paperboy. New York: Random House. ISBN:9780385742443

2. PLOT SUMMARY

In Memphis, Tennessee, during the summer of 1959, Vince, known as Little Man, agrees to take over his best friend’s paper route for a month after busting his lip with a baseball. Little Man is excited about the job because being a really great baseball pitcher should make it easy. However, he is concerned about collecting money each Friday because a severe stutter makes it difficult for him to communicate, and he is easily embarrassed by his speech difficulties. Throughout the month Little Man meets a rather unique group of people including an alcoholic housewife, a brilliant merchant marine, and a “TV boy.” Problems arise with the neighborhood junkman and Little Man’s housekeeper, Mam, risks her life to intervene and help. In the end, Little Man’s experiences that summer change him and his outlook on life for good.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This books gives a realistic look at life in Memphis in 1959.  Social injustices and race inequalities are evident through Mam’s conversations with Little Man, and Vawter does a great job describing the details like the heat of the summer and the smell of Ara T. Readers can even hear the southern dialect of the characters throughout the book.

I listened to this as an audiobook, and it really helped bring the main character to life. The technique that he uses to force out words without stuttering is unique to my ears and helped me to really hear how he would have sounded as he tried to push out a little air before forming a sound. I would not have read it the same way in my head, and I think hearing it aloud not only gave life to Little Man but also gave me the opportunity to really think about how he was perceived by others and what he thought of himself.

The interactions with the other characters lead to the major plot development in the story. While some of the conversations seem inconsequential, each exchange brings about a change in Little Man. The lessons that he learns from talking with Mr. Spiro eventually allow him to stand up for himself against another paperboy and admit to Mam the trouble he is having with Ara T. Ultimately, he finds an inner strength that leads him to be able to come to terms with his personal struggles. His perseverance is a timeless tale that many young readers will appreciate.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2014 NEWBERY HONOR BOOK

ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book

IRA Children’s and Young Adults’ Choice

IRA Teachers’ Choice

Junior Library Guild Selection

Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year

From Publisher’s Weekly: “[A] tense, memorable story.”

From School Library Journal: “Vawter portrays a protagonist so true to a disability that one cannot help but empathize with the difficult world of a stutterer. Yet, Victor's story has much broader appeal as the boy begins to mature and redefine his relationship with his parents, think about his aspirations for the future, and explore his budding spirituality. The deliberate pacing and unique narration make Paperboy a memorable coming-of-age novel.”

From Booklist: “In some ways, the story is a set piece, albeit a very good one: the well-crafted characters, hot Southern summer, and coming-of-age events are reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird. But this has added dimension in the way it brilliantly gets readers inside the head of a boy who stutters. First-time author Vawter has lived this story, so he is able to write movingly about what it’s like to have words exploding in your head with no reasonable exit. This paperboy is a fighter, and his hope fortifies and satisfies in equal measure.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other books about children with stuttering problems such as:

•                      Christopher, Matt. Glue Fingers. ISBN 0316139394

•                      Kline, Suzy. Mary Marony and the Snake. ISBN 0440411327 (or others in the Mary Marony series)

Gather other books set in the 1950s such as:

•                     Holm, Jennifer L. Penny from Heaven. ISBN 037583687X

•                     Levine, Kristin. Lions of Little Rock. ISBN 039925644X

•                     Holt, Kimberly Willis. My Louisiana Sky. ISBN 0440415705

Use with a history unit on the 1950s.

Use with a guidance lesson on learning differences.

One Crazy Summer

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Williams-Garcia, Rita. 2010. One Crazy Summer. New York, NY: Harper Collins Children’s Books. ISBN: 9780060760885

2. PLOT SUMMARY

After being abandoned by their mother, three girls, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern, are left to be raised by their father and grandmother. Seven years later, their father decides it is time for the girls to fly cross country for a visit. Upon landing in California, the girls are greeted with a less than warm reception, and it is clear that Cecile, their mother, has no desire to spend the summer with them. The girls end up spending their days at a local community center where they can get breakfast and participate in various programs. Being run by the Black Panthers, the girls begin to learn about the civil rights movement and eventually begin to win their mother’s heart.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This book paints a vivid picture of life in the 1960s for African Americans through the eyes of a child experiencing it. From the beginning, the three girls have been taught their “place” in the world, and they don’t question those rules. However, as the story progresses and the girls begin to learn about the civil rights movement, those values are challenged at every turn. The character traits of each girl are unique and capture not only the time period but also the bonds and hierarchy between sisters.

Being set in Oakland, California, is fundamental to the plot development of this story. It is here that the Black Panther Party was incredibly active in working toward equal rights. Their influence at the community center, where the girls spend the day, allows Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern to learn about rights and freedoms as well as many civil rights leaders. It is during this time that Delphine struggles the most because she only knows the violence of the Black Panthers, as shown on the news, yet they are so peaceful and, for the most part, kind at the center.

As the story progresses, the girls begin to embrace what they are learning at the center and in doing so, Delphine is able to speak with her mother in ways she couldn’t before. These stolen moments of time spent together eventually help her mother to open up to her daughters. This was definitely a fun read with a gentler perspective on the civil rights time period that is so often portrayed with tremendous violence. With relatable themes like family, love, and acceptance, simply providing some historical background would make most students incredibly successful with this book.   

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2011 CORETTA SCOTT KING AWARD WINNER

2011 SCOTT O’DELL AWARD FOR HISTORICAL FICTION

2011 NEWBERY HONOR BOOK

Children’s Notable Book

From Publisher’s Weekly: “Delphine’s growing awareness of injustice on a personal and universal level is smoothly woven into the story in poetic language that will stimulate and move readers.”

From School Library Journal, starred review: “Emotionally challenging and beautifully written, this book immerses readers in a time and place and raises difficult questions of cultural and ethnic identity and personal responsibility. With memorable characters (all three girls have engaging, strong voices) and a powerful story, this is a book well worth reading and rereading.”

From Booklist, starred review: “Set during a pivotal moment in African American history, this vibrant novel shows the subtle ways that political movements affect personal lives; but just as memorable is the finely drawn, universal story of children reclaiming a reluctant parent’s love.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other Civil Rights era books to read such as:

•                      Curtis, Christopher Paul. The Watson’s Go to Birmingham-1963. ISBN 044022800X

•                      Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy. ISBN 0553494104

Gather other Patricia Reilly Giff books to read such as:

•                     P.S. Be Eleven. ISBN 0061938645 (sequel to One Crazy Summer)

•                     Gone Crazy in Alabama. ISBN 0062215876

•                     Jumped. ISBN 0060760931 (older readers)

•                     Like Sisters on the Homefront. ISBN 0140385614 (older readers)

Use in conjunction with Black History month activities.

Use with a history unit on the Civil Rights era and the political leaders of the time.

Use with a persuasive writing unit, asking students (individual or group) to research and support a cause that is meaningful to them.

Lily's Crossing

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Reilly Giff, Patricia. 1997. Lily’s Crossing. New York, NY: Delacorte Press. ISBN 0440414539

2. PLOT SUMMARY

This is the story of a girl named Lily who has a major character flaw; she likes to tell lies.  She spends each summer in Rockaway on the Atlantic ocean with her grandmother and father. The summer of 1944 is no different until her best friend moves away to a town with a wartime factory and her father is sent to fight in World War II. Lily is lonely but is introduced to a boy named Albert, a Hungarian refugee living with another family in town. A friendship eventually forms between the two, but Lily tells a big lie that prompts Albert to risk his life in order to return to his sister who was left behind during his escape from Europe.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Lily’s Crossing begins by focusing on the character development of the protagonist, Lily. I will admit to not liking her right away, which hindered my progression in the book. The lies she tells seem very far fetched, and I wondered why anyone would believe her, much less be her friend. This character flaw, however, is the basis for the plot development and her eventual change.

The setting of Rockaway is beautifully portrayed throughout the book and is based on the author’s memories of visiting there during her childhood. The historical accuracy of the steamer ships heading to Europe, the rationing and lack of supplies, and the fears of war, including a local boy missing in action, come through in the voice of a frightened child who misses her best friend and her father.

As the story develops, Lily and Albert are forced to deal with some rather adult situations related to the war that children today would find rather foreign. At times, these characters behave in a very grown up manner, considering the effects and consequences of their actions, and other times like the impulsive children that they are. The short chapters and dialogue should make this an easy read, but younger readers without some background knowledge of World War II may have trouble filling in the blanks of history and connecting with the text. Overall, the resolution and redemption of Lily made this a great book. I am glad I didn’t give up on it half way through, or I would have missed a beautiful story of friendship and hope.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

1997 BOSTON GLOBE - HORN BOOK HONOR BOOK

1998 NEWBERY HONOR BOOK

ALA Notable Book

From Kirkus: “Much of the plot, characters, and premise is conventional, but Giff …really pulls readers' heartstrings with Albert's memories of his family, the loss of Margaret's well-liked brother in the war, and Lily's joyful reunion with Poppy. Pull out the hankies for the final scene… It's a strong ending to a deftly told story.”

From School Library Journal: “The developing friendship between Lily and Albert… will grab readers' attention and sustain it to book's end. Despite convenient plot twists to reach a happy ending, Giff's well-drawn, believable characters and vivid prose style make this an excellent choice.”

From Booklist: “With wry comedy and intense feeling, and without intrusive historical detail, Giff gets across a strong sense of what it was like on the home front during World War II.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other World War II books to read such as:

•                      Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars. ISBN 0547577095

•                      Boyne, John. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. ISBN 9780385751063

Gather other Patricia Reilly Giff books to read such as:

•                     Nory Ryan’s Song. ISBN 0440418291

•                     Maggie’s Door. ISBN 0440415810

•                     Willow Run. ISBN 0440238013

•                     Water Street. ISBN 9780440419211

Use as a guidance lesson on friendship or honesty.

Use with a history unit on World War II. Include the events of the war but also the effects on other countries and sacrifices that were made by families.