Module 10: Pink and Say

Module 10: Pink and Say

Book Summary:

          This story is a recounting of two young Union soldiers and their time together.  Sheldon Russell Curtis (Say) is found injured in a field by Pinkus Aylee (Pink).  Pink carries Say back to his house where Pink’s mama nurses both the boys back to health. During their recovery time, the boys’ friendship blossoms even though Say is white and Pink is black. When trying to return to their Union outfits, Confederate soldiers capture the boys.  The boys are sent to Andersonville prisoners camp.

APA Reference of the Book:

Polacco, P. (1994). Pink and Say. New York, NY: Philomel Books.

Impressions:  

          I loved this story.  I love that Patricia Polacco shares this story as it was told to her by her father who is the great grandson of Sheldon Russell Curtis.  I think this story has a lot of warmth to it even though it is about the Civil War. I enjoyed that Pinkus knew how to read while Sheldon did not know how to read.  In the story, Pink is eager to return to the war for two reasons. One he is trying to protect his mom from marauders. Two, he wants to fight for a cause he believes in – ending slavery.  Say is scared to fight in the war. He confesses to Moe Moe Bay that he was shot trying to run away from the war.  I think this book offers different perspectives to Civil War. The story humanizes the Civil War.  Readers get a perspective of how young soldiers were and how frightened they were to fight and be in adult situations.      

         

Reviews:

From Kirkus Review-

A white youth from Ohio, Sheldon Russell Curtis (Say), and a black youth from Georgia, Pinkus Aylee (Pink), meet as young soldiers with the Union army. Pink finds Say wounded in the leg after a battle and brings him home with him. Pink's mother, Moe Moe Bay, cares for the boys while Say recuperates, feeding and comforting them and banishing the war for a time. Whereas Pink is eager to go back and fight against "the sickness" that is slavery, Say is afraid to return to his unit. But when he sees Moe Moe Bay die at the hands of marauders, he understands the need to return. Pink and Say are captured by Confederate soldiers and brought to the notorious Andersonville prison camp. Say is released months later, ill and undernourished, but Pink is never released, and Polacco reports that he was hanged that very first day because he was black. Polacco (Babushka Baba Yaga, 1993, etc; My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother, above) tells this story, which was passed down for generations in her family (Say was her great-great-grandfather), carefully and without melodrama so that it speaks for itself. The stunning illustrations -- reminiscent of the German expressionist Egon Shiele in their use of color and form -- are completely heartbreaking. A spectacular achievement. (Nonfiction/Picture book. 4- 8)

Kirkus Review. (2010, May 20).  [Review of Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco.] Kirkus Review. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/patricia-polacco/pink-and-say/

In the Library:

         

          I would use this book to introduce the Civil War to students. As the students learned more factual details about the Civil War, we could revisit this book to talk about the soldiers’ side of the story.  Students would blog about how they might feel to be a young soldier or nurse during the Civil War. 

           

Module 9: What Happened to Cass McBride?

Module 9: What Happened to Cass McBride? 

    Book Summary:

          A distraught young man kidnaps Cass McBride after his brother David commits suicide.  Kyle is determined to torture Cass the way his brother was tortured by her rejection, so Kyle buries Cass alive. He tapes a walkie talkie to her hand, so that she can communicate with him.  For 48 hours, Cass and Kyle drill each other over what really caused David to kill himself.  The truth shocks and disturbs Kyle and Cass.

APA Reference of the Book:

Giles, G.  (2006). What happened to Cass McBride? Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Company.

Impressions:  

          Gail Giles presents this story in an interesting way.  The story begins with the detectives questioning Kyle for kidnapping Cass.  The chapters are very short and are written from the lead detective Ben’s point of view as he investigates the case, as well as Cass’ and Kyle’s point of view.  Kyle’s chapter are written as he is being questioned by Ben, and Cass’ chapters are written while she is trapped inside a wooden box in a shallow grave.  I finished this book in one day.  Immediately, I was hooked and vested in the characters’ story. Cass’ last chapter completely stunned me.  I was not expecting the book to end the way it did.  As a reader, I did not feel any compassion for the characters because Cass and Kyle were so flawed, but I loved the way Giles divulges their story and their family lives.  As a reader, I felt Cass and Kyle did create a twisted connection based on David’s death and their negligent parents.  Although Cass and Kyle do not want to share similar personality traits, they realize that they have things in common. 

         

Reviews:

From Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books-

In this tripartite narrative, Kyle Kirby is being interrogated by the cops, the police are trying to find teen queen Cass McBride, and Cass is contemplating her dilemma: she's been placed in a crate and buried underground by Kyle, who has left her with a walkie-talkie through which he can taunt her. It soon becomes clear that Kyle is punishing Cass for the death by suicide of his younger brother, David, who hanged himself after finding a disparaging note about him from Cass, who had turned him down for a date; Cass, who's acquired master wheeler-dealer skills from her manipulative father, maneuvers Kyle into realizing that it wasn't Cass but the evil and dismissive Mrs. Kirby who pushed David to suicide, but will that be enough to save her before her oxygen runs out? This is an arresting premise, recalling Lois Duncan with its suspense and readability (short chapters, with point of view differentiated by typeface and title, make this particularly inviting to reluctant readers), and there's an interesting exploration of the character of Cass, a girl who's genuinely taking stock of her unquestioned drive to get ahead at all costs even as it's helping her survive. The writing is uneven, though, with the police sections particularly flat and stilted; Mrs. Kirby is a psychologically simplistic villain and Kyle fairly predictable, while Cass' iron will is so much in the forefront throughout the book that her post-release breakdown and reformation seem out of character. This will nonetheless be an easy booktalk, and fans of the author's Shattering Glass (BCCB 5/02) will likely forgive the deficits here to enjoy the psychological thrills.

Stevenson, D. (December 2006).  [Review of What Happened to Cass McBride? by Gail Giles.] Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books 60(4), 171. Available from Project Muse at http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2124/article/206516

In the Library:

         

          This book would make a great book talk book.  As a librarian, I could assign groups of students David’s, Cass’, or Kyle’s character and have them present or argue the character’s traits, accusations, and role in David’s suicide.   One group could cover Detective Ben’s role as the lead investigator.  The theme of the book is revenge, so students could have a mock trial and put Cass or Kyle on the stand and decide how the jury or judge would rule in the case.  Also, there is the element of bullying presented in the story, so groups could discuss how to prevent bullying and verbal abuse and identify ways to stop or get help in bullying or abusive situations. In the back of the book, there are reading guide questions. These questions could be used in a class discussion.

           

Module 8: Divergent

Module 8: Divergent

Book Summary:

          In a futuristic time, the citizens of Chicago live among five factions. The citizens of each fiction model their lives after certain beliefs. Abnegation citizens live to be selfless and help people. Dauntless admire bravery and courage.  Candor citizens live their lives to be truthful.  Erudite citizens value intelligence while Amity citizens value peace.  When faction citizens reach the age of sixteen, they are given an aptitude test to determine what faction they will become.  For Beatrice Prior, her test results are inconclusive. She is considered Divergent.  She decides to join the Dauntless faction.  While going through initiation, Beatrice discovers a plot that will bring down her old faction, Abnegation.  Beatrice must not only prove her bravery and strength as she goes through Dauntless training, but save her former family from war. 

APA Reference of the Book:

Roth, V.  (2011). Divergent. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Impressions:  

          Divergent combines the fantasy, sci-fiction element of a dystopian society with mystery.  The beginning of the book starts out slow as Beatrice explains her family life and the factions of Chicago. Upon taking her placement test to determine what faction Beatrice truly belongs to, her results are inconclusive. She can remain in Abnegation or pick Dauntless, but she is considered divergent. She must not discuss her test results, or her life will be in danger. The pace of the book picks up as Beatrice becomes Tris and goes through the initiation stages of the Dauntless faction.  Tris is burdened with trying to discover if she belongs with the Dauntless faction or the Abnegation faction.  Throughout the book, Tris is trying to uncover what it means to be divergent, and her own self-identity.  During her Dauntless training, Tris makes some enemies and friends, but she also learns of a plot the Erudite faction has to start a war with the Abnegation faction. 

          Although I did enjoy reading this book, I did not really get into the book until the last one hundred pages. I had a hard time identifying with the emotions Tris was experiencing.  The mystery of the plot intrigued me more than the fantasy of the plot. The more I read, the more I wanted to uncover the secrecy of being divergent and the reason behind the Erudite wanting to involve the Dauntless in the war against the Abnegation citizens.  The book concludes with a cliffhanger as the book is part of a three-part series. I am curious to see how the series will end. I found this book to be similar to the Hunger Games series.  As I read Divergent, I could foresee a revolution occurring and Tris being the citizen to act as the leader and bring the uprising down.  I did find it interesting that each faction looks down on the other factions.  The values that each faction has are mocked by the other factions.  The factions are set up in a very separatist society, and they do not appreciate the goodness of other factions.  It seems to be a metaphor for today’s society where race, culture, and religious beliefs and differences are not really understood. 

         

Reviews:

From Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books-

In this dystopian adventure set in a future Chicago, citizens derive identity from belonging to one of five factions, and to be factionless makes you essentially invisible. Beatrice has grown up in Abnegation, but the test administered to all sixteen-year-olds reveals that she is actually a divergent, an extremely rare individual who doesn’t respond to the simulations as expected. She is told she could be Erudite, Dauntless, or Abnegation, but it takes Beatrice little time to decide that she belongs with the reckless, apparently fearless defenders of the community—the Dauntless. Once allied with her faction, Beatrice must grapple with her outsider status, some new romantic feelings, the risk to her life from both the initiation rites and those who fear her peculiar status, and her own uncertainty about the five-faction system as a realistic and productive way to shape the world. It’s a lot for one teen to soak in, especially as she’s finally found her niche when pursuing purely physical exertions and she’s tentatively bonding with friends she has clearly longed for her whole life. Beatrice has plenty of folks around her, however, who are aware that change comes through sacrifice, focus, and daring, and Roth wisely allows her protagonist to learn through their examples rather than making her the perfect heroine from the start. Beatrice is all the more likable for her faults, and the rather one-note side characters are acceptable as foils and guides to keep the reader focused on the girl who hopes to change the world. While dystopias are popping up all over right now, the depth and richness of Beatrice herself make this an accessible option for both sci-fi buffs and realistic fiction fans, lending this title a bit more flexibility than most in terms of audience.

Spisak, A. (May 2011).  [Review of Divergent by Veronica Roth.] Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books 64(1), 438. Available from Project Muse at http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2124/article/429934

In the Library:

         

          I think this book lends itself well for a book club read.  Divergent poses the question of how do individuals learn to get along in a society of mixed beliefs, culture, and practices?  Divergent would be a great book talk book.  Readers could discuss what faction they feel they would belong to and why.  Readers could discuss how they pick their friends and what qualities they value in their relationships with family members and friends.  This books lends itself well to the discussion of standardize testing and how the results shape the outcome of students’ lives, especially the SAT, ACT, or college entrance exams. Students could relate picking factions to picking colleges or careers.