#tbt: Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

Image: Simon & Schuster

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson. 336 p. Seeds of America #1. Atheneum/ Simon & Schuster, October, 2008. 9781416905851. Own.

#tbt features Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson. This is the first book in the author's Seeds of America trilogy. Isabel is looking forward to being freed along with her disabled sister upon her mistress' death. Unfortunately, the woman's heir has other plans. He sells them to the Lockton family of New York City. They are Loyalists during the beginning of the American Revolution. Isabel meets Curzon, who is enslaved to a Patriot family. He wants her to spy for the Patriots. Isabel agrees, but does not agree with Curzon's belief that fighting for the Patriots will result in liberty for them.

This layered, character-driven novel has a strong sense of place and explores the multifaceted reasons behind the colonists' fight for freedom juxtaposed against the enslaved people's desire for freedom. 

Chains was a National Book Award Finalist and won the Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award. It was named an ALA Notable Book as well as a YALSA Best book and many state book awards.

The trilogy continued with Forge in 2010, and concluded with Ashes in 2016. 

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander

Image: Hachette/ Little, Brown

The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~4 hours. Read by Kobna Holbrook-Smith. Hachette Audio/ Hachette, September, 2022. 978

Happy Monday. I hope you had a terrific weekend. Mine was again not as productive as I would've hoped. Middle Grade Monday features The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander. Eleven-year-old Kofi Offin has a pretty good life in Upper Kwanta. He is anticipating his manhood ceremony, is gently teased by his older brother, doted on by his mother and loves his grandfather's stories. He is a strong swimmer, loves nothing more than swimming in the river near his home and is determined to beat his overbearing, bullying cousin in a race. At school, he's learning the Queen's English and is punished when his school master overhears him speaking his tribal language. He also has a best mate and a crush on Ama. His idyllic life is turned upside down when his brother inadvertently kills an opponent from Lower Kwanta in an annual wrestling match. The victim was the king's nephew, and he demands retribution. When the courts decide that it was an accident, the king threatens revenge.

Revenge comes when Kofi and his brother are kidnapped and brought to the coast of western Africa. Mr. Alexander's historical verse novel, the first of a planned trilogy is utterly riveting from page one. The rich language evokes a myriad of emotion from warmth to humor to terror to despair as Kofi faces the door of no return. This important novel about the Middle Passage belongs in every school, public and classroom library. It is outstanding and I cannot wait for the next installment. I loved reading this one with my ears because the narrator was outstanding.

#tbt: Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson

Image: Penguin Random House

Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson. Illustrated by Hudson Talbott. unpgd. G. P. Putnam's Sons/ Penguin Random House, September, 2005 9780399237492. (Own.)

#tbt features Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson. Ms. Woodson can trace the matrilineal side of her family back seven or so generations to a Virginia plantation where "Soonie's great grandma" was sold at the age of seven, ripped away from her family and sent to a plantation in South Carolina with a needle, some red thread and a bit of muslin. Big Mama took care of Soonie's great grandma, taught her how to sew, but also told stories about freedom. The story follows each daughter through the years to Ms. Woodson's own daughter, who learns about Soonie's great-great grandma. I've read this "picture book for everyone" aloud to classes many times over the last fifteen years and the response is always the same - the room becomes pin-drop silent as students fall under the spell of Ms. Woodson's spare storytelling and Hudson Talbott's evocative mixed media illustrations. This is a True family story and, since some names were lost to history, the book is classified as a work of fiction. That doesn't make it any less True. 

This book is one of my all-time favorites; one I do not mind returning to again and again. One in which I continue to lose myself in the gorgeous writing and absolutely stunning spreads. Back in 2005, when I first read it, I thought, "Caldecott for sure!" Imagine my surprise when it received nothing from that committee. It did, however, win a Newbery Honor. the first of four Newbery Honors for this much revered former National Ambassador for Children's Literature. It is also one of few picture books to receive a Newbery nod.

Fact Friday: Etched in Clay: the life of Dave, enslaved potter and poet by Andrea Cheng

Image: Lee & Low Books

Etched in Clay: the life of Dave, enslaved and potter poet by Andrea Cheng. 160 p. Lee & Low Books, January, 2013. 9781600604515.

Fact Friday features Etched in Clay: the life of Dave, enslaved and potter poet by Andrea Cheng. This is a biography in verse about Dave, an enslaved young man, who, around 1815 was brought to Edgefield, South Carolina, and taught to throw pots. He learned quickly and was soon designing and creating a variety of beautiful and useful pottery. Defying anti-literacy laws, he taught himself to read and proved to be not only a master potter, but a poet. He carved poems which described his daily life into many of his pots. 

Picture Book Review: Freedom Soup by Tami Charles

image: Candlewick Press

Freedom Soup by Tami Charles. Illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara. unpgd. Candlewick Press, December10, 2019. 9780763689773. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)

It was a happy accident that this review of Freedom Soup ended up being published today - on New Year's Day. It was one of the last books read during my push to complete my GR goal yesterday.

It is a snowy New Year's Day in Ti Gran's house and she has decided that her granddaughter, Belle, has a "heart made for cooking." Belle is going to help Ti Gran make Freedom Soup, a Haitian traditional soup that is made each New Year, which also happens to be Haitian Independence Day. Ti Gran is a storyteller and history-keeper. Even though Belle has heard the story before, she relishes hearing it again. Ti Gran's words paint painful pictures on the way to triumph. Illustrations pop off the pages as Belle and Ti Gran bounce to the rhythm of Haitian music as they chop and stir. Little details draw the eye and invite lingering. The text has its own subtle rhythm. 

The best picture books transport readers so much so that they inhabit the book. They can feel the warmth and love and can smell the aromas. Freedom Soup is a feast for the eyes and soul. Don't read this book hungry! Even if you're not, you will get hungry reading about how this delectable dish is created. I am so making Freedom Soup this year. A recipe follows at the end along with an author's note. There is just so much to love and celebrate about Freedom Soup - a grandparent's love, cooking and storytelling as tradition and memory, history, and community. Highly recommended!

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland. Unabridged e-audiobook, 10 hours. Narrated by Bahni Turpin. HarperAudio, April, 2018. 9780062822956. (Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.)

Now, I don't like horror in general and zombie stories in particular. Except when I do. I force myself to read it because I have students who love horror. When I do read horror, it's usually been well-reviewed. I'd been hearing a lot about this one so when it popped up on the "new" list of audiobooks on Libby, I gave it a try. Bonus points for Bahni Turpin narrating. 

I will try to give a synopsis of this alternate history/ zombie mash-up; but I won't do justice to the world that Ireland has built. Zombies rise during the battle of Gettysburg derailing the efforts to abolish slavery. We don't know much about Jane McKeene except she's a crack zombie fighter training to become an elite attendant who will protect Baltimore's wealthy, white elite from zombie attacks. Plans go awry and Jane, her nemesis and her ex are shipped out west.

I loved Jane's voice from the start, smart and sarcastic, brash and bold. Of course she gets in trouble thanks to her mouth! The story is fast-paced and suspenseful. Events are totally believable! There are a fair number of social parallels to today as well. I was unaware that this is the first of a duology and cannot wait for the next installment.

As usual, Bahni Turpin turned in another flawless performance. 

Fact Friday: Forgotten Bones: uncovering a Slave Cemetery by Lois Miner Huey

Forgotten Bones: uncovering a slave cemetery by Lois Miner Huey. 56 p. Millbrook Press/ Lerner Publishing Group, October, 2015. 9781467733939. 

A backhoe operator digging up a street outside of Albany in 2005 happened to spot a skull roll down the pile of dirt he was making. Work on the sewer line had to stop while the police were called. They needed to determine whether or not the area was a crime scene. The police summoned the medical examiner, who eventually determined that the skull was several hundred years old. The utility workers could not resume however, since archaeologists were now interested in finding out whether this was the site of a burial ground. Remains were found in the area at another time of a single grave. What if this was an unmapped burial ground? The land was near to the site of a farm owned by the Schuyler family. They owned slaves. Could this be their slaves' burial ground? Now, archaeologists wanted to set up a dig to discover a new slave burial ground. The utility work would have to wait.

I found this book fascinating. The narrative was well-organized and filled with lots of detail about the meticulous work of the archaeologists both in the field and in the lab. Two chapters were devoted to explaining slavery in the north.  Backmatter includes an author's note, two-page glossary, source notes, a selected bibliography, books and websites and places to visit. 

I loved the design as well. How can one resist that cover?  Compelling photos abound inside from color photos of the dig through black and white historical photos and maps. The layout is pleasing with the background alternating between creamy tan and graph paper and sometimes both. Readers learn the importance of graph paper and meticulous notes to an archaeologist, so it's a fitting design detail. 

I have no idea how I missed reading this but am glad I finally did. A great addition to any library collection.

Non-Fiction Monday: Frederick's Journey: the life of Frederick Douglass by Doreen Rappaport

Frederick's Journey: the life of Frederick Douglass by Doreen Rappaport. 48 p. Jump at the Sun/ Disney-Hyperion, November, 2015. 9781423114383.

There is no room for a title on the cover of this powerful picture book biography. Frederick Douglass' visage commands attention and gets it. 

A spare and starkly told narrative begins with the words, "Frederick was taken from his mother
when he was a baby and
sent to live with his grandparents." 

A one-and-a-half page spread accompanies these words. A grieving black woman is held back by a stern white man, while a flint-faced white man carries a swaddled baby away. Interspersed in the narrative, which continues to say that because his mother worked six days a week and the farm was twelve miles away, Frederick rarely saw his mother, are Frederick Douglass' own words, "I do not recollect ever seeing my mother by the light of day. She would lie down with me and get me to sleep but long before I waked, she was gone."

The next page turn features a stunning double-page spread showing a young Frederick learning to fish with his beloved grandmother and is almost soothing. "Living with my grandmother, whose kindness and love stood in place of my mother's, it was some time before I knew myself to be a slave."

These times ended when Frederick was six and his grandmother was ordered to walk the boy the twelve miles to bring Frederick to his master's farm where he slept in closet and wore only an itchy shirt. He witnessed much violence and always feared, "Her fate might be mine next."

Frederick was gifted to Old Master's relatives in Baltimore and there he was given clean clothes to wear and taught to read by his new mistress until she was ordered to stop by her husband. The seeds were planted though and Frederick was soon trading food for words.

This picture book biography is an eloquent but quick overview of the life of a complicated man. The illustrations are all quite powerful. I could not find what media the artist used. He does not mention it in his note, but does state that he grew his hair long, learned to tie a tie in the fashion and listened to Douglass' autobiography while painting for inspiration.

The slightly oversized book is beautifully designed. The end-pages feature watermarked portraits and two quotes. There's a short author's note, a timeline of important dates, selected research sources, and suggestions of books and websites for readers wanting to learn more about Frederick Douglass. I think I'm going to order his autobiography as an audiobook.

Non-Fiction Monday: Four Must-have Picture Books for Middle School Social Studies

Well, there are many more than four picture books that can be used effectively in middle school social studies, but I read three of these this March and the fourth last fall. Technically two are fiction, so I will lead off with the two non-fiction books. There is no rule that the social studies teacher may use only informational books, especially when introducing a unit, especially when a story feels True.

The Price of Freedom: how one town stood up to slavery by Judith Bloom Fradin & Dennis Brindell Fradin. Illustrated by Eric Velasquez. 48 p. Walker Books for Young Readers/ Bloomsbury, January, 2013. 9780802721662. (Purchased)

This is the story of John Price and the town of Oberlin, Ohio. In 1856, Price and two friends, Frank and Dinah, escaped slavery and crossed the frozen Ohio River to Oberlin, where all three were hidden for the winter. Price and Frank were able to get work and were made to feel welcome by most folks. In fact, Oberlin was so welcoming that nearly 400 former slaves decided against continuing their journey to Canada and settled there despite the threat of The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.

Not all the folks of Oberlin felt welcoming though. When a band of slave hunters led by Anderson Jennings took lodgings in a flophouse, their presence was reported by a ten-year-old, but Jennings still found his way to the Boyntons who were one of the few families that supported the Act. Their thirteen-year-old son was hired to help. He told both John and Frank that he knew of someone looking to hire and offered to take them. Frank begged off, but John accompanied the boy right into an ambush. He was bound and thrown into the back of the wagon. Upon seeing a young college student walking toward Oberlin, John yelled that he was being kidnapped. Seeing no reaction from the student, John despaired. 

That solitary student set straight to work alerting the townsfolk, including former slaves, who armed themselves and set out to rescue John.

The illustrations are atmospheric. Inky night scenes cause the viewer to peer into the shadows to make out the subjects. John Price's kidnappers are menacing and the resolve  of the townsfolk is absolute. The final double-page illustration is a black and white photo of the rescuers, who were found guild of defying the Fugitive Slave Law and jailed for three months. Pages containing a note about the Underground Railroad and Oberlin; a bibliography, suggestions for further reading and websites conclude this compelling story. 

Brick by Brick by Charles R. Smith Jr. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. 32 p. Amistad/ HarperCollins Publishers, December, 2012. 9780061920720. (Purchased)

Charles R. Smith Jr. pays homage to the many anonymous slaves whose labor was invaluable in the construction of the White House. In rhythmic verse, Smith depicts the long hours and sometimes dangerous work required to clear the mosquito and snake infested land, haul and cut the stone, and lay the bricks, while their owners earned the money.

Floyd Cooper's signature style shines here. His palette is sandy, muted and grainy save for the faces and hands of the workers. The eye is drawn to each careworn face in turn, and then are drawn to the hands - strong hands - hands that are busy for most of the day only to return home empty.

I am embarrassed to admit that I never thought about the construction of the White House. This is but one reason why one is never too old for picture books. There is always something new to learn in bite-sized manageable chunks. This moving story belongs in all school libraries from elementary through high school.

The author flap lists websites for both the author and illustrator, only the illustrator's site seems to have been removed. The link is dead. Interested readers may visit the author's site here.

Light in the Darkness: a story about how slaves learned in secret by Lesa Cline-Ransome. Illustrated by James E. Ransome. 40 p. Disney/ Jump at the Sun Books/ Hyperion Books for Children, January, 2013. 9781423134954. (Purchased)

Rosa, a young slave girl is awakened by her mother in the middle of the night with the words, "It's time." Soundlessly, they slip out of their cabin into the night, taking care to avoid the patrollers. It is time for Rosa to learn to read.

She knows the stakes are high. It is illegal for slaves to learn to read, but a man named Morris learned from his master's wife and he now teaches others in a "pit school." Any slave caught learning to read risks a whipping or worse. 

Morris is a patient and competent teacher. Young and old are gathered in the pit watching him make letters with sticks and imitating the sounds he says that each letter makes. 

"Touch it," Morris says. "So you remember with your eyes, your ears, and your hands."

So they learn through the night, return to the quarters just before dawn and try to stay awake to work during the day, all the while keeping the secret.

The author explains that she discovered the existence of these schools while researching her biography of Frederick Douglass.

Unspoken: a story from the Underground Railroad by Henry Cole. 40 p. Scholastic, Inc., November, 2012. 978-545399975. (Purchased)

Silence can be a very scary thing sometimes. When a farm child accidentally discovers a runaway slave in the barn at the same time slave hunters arrive, she know enough to keep silent. Once they leave, she silently offers food while her parents are none the wiser. She discovers that the fugitive has moved on when she finds a cornhusk doll left as thanks for her silent acceptance and aid.

The pencil (charcoal?) sketches are atmospheric and surprisingly detailed. This is one intense and moving book that asks, "What would you do?" at the end, and begs thoughtful reflection, discussion and answers.

I never did get around to reviewing this wordless wonder. I did share it with the ESL teacher at my school when we presented together at a workshop. We shared a wordless unit we developed with area ESL teachers in late October. The book released early and I was able to bring it to the workshop. My colleague fell instantly in love and folded it into her unit on the Underground Railroad for her eighth grade students. Its usage is not limited to ESL students nor is it limited to only the social studies classroom.

These are just four picture books recently added to my school library collection to support the curriculum and inspire.