Bibliography:
Peck, R. 2003. THE RIVER BETWEEN US. New York, NY: Dial Books. ISBN: 0803727356
Plot Summary:
THE RIVER BETWEEN US begins in 1916 with 15 year-old Howard L. Hutchings recalling a visit he made with his father and two younger brothers to met his grandparents in Grand Tower, Illinois. His recollections sandwich the story of his grandmother, Tilly Pruitt, as a young girl in 1861 during the beginnings of the Civil War. Tilly’s story centers around how her family is affected by the war and the mysterious presence of two strangers, Delphine and Calinda. Howard’s family history unravels throughout the book revealing how war can affect friends, families, communities, and countries. Author Richard Peck includes an author’s note which provides additional information about events in the book.
Critical Analysis:
The story is told through the point of view of two different characters. Howard speaks from 1916, fifty-five years after the events in the novel occur which involved his grandmother Tilly. Tilly tells the story of how two strangers affected her family’s life during the Civil War. The dialogue in the story reflects the uneducated speech of the rural poor while also including terms specific to that time period. There are many instances where songs are included that tell of the political turmoil during that time period.
War is seen through the female perspective as Tilly shows concern for her twin-brother Noah. He yearns to enlist for the North despite his family’s protests. Readers can relate this to today’s war which is also hotly contested regarding right and wrong, and through family members that may have enlisted or were injured during service. Different women are portrayed in this novel. Tilly is a quiet, humble girl, Delpine an outspoken debutante, and Calinda a silent, enigmatic figure. The only characters that seem somewhat stereotypical are Calinda as a stoic slave figure and Delphine. Delphine begins the novel as an outrageous figure worthy of gossip, but her character is helped as she reveals her backbone during the battle scenes.
The town of Grand Tower is depicted as a small, poor community to contrast the worldliness Delpine brings into the town. This difference partly affects Tilly’s motivation to venture into the wider world. Overall the novel strives to show that there are no winners in war despite there being a valid, moral reason, that there are ramifications for every action, and that race does not define a person. This is a well-written novel that will help readers see the war from a different perspective.
Awards:
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books 2003
Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award 2004
American Library Association Notable Books for Children 2004
Review Excerpts:
BOOKLIST
“Peck's spare writing has never been more eloquent than in this powerful mystery in which personal secrets drive the plot and reveal the history. True to Tilly's first-person narrative, each sentence is a scrappy, melancholy, wry evocation of character, time, and place.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"The author crafts his characters impeccably and threads together their fates in surprising ways that shed light on the complicated events of the Civil War."
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
“In this thoroughly researched novel, Peck masterfully describes the female Civil War experience, the subtle and not-too-subtle ways the country was changing, and the split in loyalty that separated towns and even families.”
Connections:
Below is a list of many possible avenues of future study for students interested in the Civil War. Some books use actual documents from participants in the war, other provide alternate endings, and the rest are divided into different perspectives from the war.
-Non-Fiction: THE BIG BOOK OF THE CIVIL WAR: FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT THE CIVIL WAR, INCLUDING HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS, MAPS, AND DOCUMENTS by Joanne Mattern; EYEWITNESS: CIVIL WAR by John Stanchack; THE ROAD TO WAR: CAUSES OF CONFLICT by James F. Epperson; FIELDS OF FURY: THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR by James M. McPherson
-Fiction: ACROSS FIVE APRILS by Irene Hunt; IF THE SOUTH HAD WON THE CIVIL WAR by MacKinlay Kantor; READ-ALOUD PLAYS: CIVIL WAR (GRADES 4-8) by Timothy Nolan
-African-American’s Perspective: TO BE A SLAVE by Julius Lester; African-American Soldiers in the Civil War: Fighting for Freedom (Civil War Library) by Carin T. Ford
-Soldier’s Perspective: THE BOYS’ WAR: CONFEDERATE AND UNION SOLDIERS TALK ABOUT THE CIVIL WAR by Jim Murphy; BEHIND THE BLUE AND GRAY: THE SOLDIER’S LIFE IN THE CIVIL WAR by Delia Ray; THE SOLDIER’S LIFE IN THE CIVIL WAR by Douglas J. Savage
-Women’s Perspective: A SEPARATE BATTLE: WOMEN AND THE CIVIL WAR by Ina Chang
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
Bibliography:
MacLachlan, P. 1985. SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL. New York, NY: Harper & Row, Publishers. ISBN 0060241012
Plot Summary:
After the death of their mother, Caleb and Anna long for a mother that sings. Their papa, Jacob, who placed an ad in the newspaper for a wife, tells them that it has been answered by a woman named Sarah. After communicating through letters, Sarah agrees to visit for a month and the children are both hopeful and fearful about the outcome. Patricia MacLachlan writes a book about the sadness of loss and the hope of a family.
Critical Analysis:
Told from Anna’s perspective, SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL is about how a woman who enters the life of a prairie family changing both hers and their lives forever. Leaving her home in Maine, Sarah visits Anna and her family as a prospective bride and mother. The novel provides an understanding of why a family would place an ad for a bride and why a woman would accept such a position.
The characters reflect both the lifestyle and the climate in which they lived. Details about plowing the field, bathing in a wooden tub, taking care of sheep, and driving a wagon infuse the story with information about life on the plains without distracting the reader from the plot. Readers will also see the reliance a family has on each other and how community interactions were affected by the distance between farms.
MacLachlan avoids using fancy phrases in favor of simple, straightforward writing. The plain words resembles life on the plains which was a slower, simpler life than today. This is a beautiful, heartfelt book that relates the sadness of losing a loved one, the fear of not being good enough, the joy of friendship and love, and the bonds created within a family. Readers will be able to relate to these emotions and leave with the understanding that thought it might be hard to leave the things you love, you might find something that is even better.
Awards:
Christopher Book Awards 1986
Newbery Medal 1986
Jefferson Cup Award 1986
Garden State Children's Book Awards 1988
Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award 1986
Review Excerpts:
BOOKLIST
“In a near-perfect miniature novel, two children experience the apprehensions and joys of the possibility of a new mother, when their father invites a mail-order bride to their prairie home.”
Connections:
-Students can continue reading about Jacob, Sarah, Anna, & Caleb through these sequels: SKYLARK, MORE PERFECT THAN THE MOON, CALEB’S STORY, and GRANDFATHER’S DANCE
-The class could read and then watch the movie SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL starring Glenn Close and Christopher Walken. Afterwards the class can discuss the translation from book to film, which they preferred, and if the movie matched how they envisioned the characters.
-Other historical fiction about mail-order brides and prairie life: RODZINA by K. Cushman; THE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE. Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder; THE BALLAD OF LUCY WHIPPLE by K. Cushman; and PRAIRIE SONG by P. Conrad and D.S. Zudeck
-For further reading students can investigate: THE NEW LAND: A FIRST YEAR ON THE PRAIRIE by M. Reynolds & S. McCallum and EVERYDAY LIFE: FRONTIER LIFE by W.A. Hazen
MacLachlan, P. 1985. SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL. New York, NY: Harper & Row, Publishers. ISBN 0060241012
Plot Summary:
After the death of their mother, Caleb and Anna long for a mother that sings. Their papa, Jacob, who placed an ad in the newspaper for a wife, tells them that it has been answered by a woman named Sarah. After communicating through letters, Sarah agrees to visit for a month and the children are both hopeful and fearful about the outcome. Patricia MacLachlan writes a book about the sadness of loss and the hope of a family.
Critical Analysis:
Told from Anna’s perspective, SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL is about how a woman who enters the life of a prairie family changing both hers and their lives forever. Leaving her home in Maine, Sarah visits Anna and her family as a prospective bride and mother. The novel provides an understanding of why a family would place an ad for a bride and why a woman would accept such a position.
The characters reflect both the lifestyle and the climate in which they lived. Details about plowing the field, bathing in a wooden tub, taking care of sheep, and driving a wagon infuse the story with information about life on the plains without distracting the reader from the plot. Readers will also see the reliance a family has on each other and how community interactions were affected by the distance between farms.
MacLachlan avoids using fancy phrases in favor of simple, straightforward writing. The plain words resembles life on the plains which was a slower, simpler life than today. This is a beautiful, heartfelt book that relates the sadness of losing a loved one, the fear of not being good enough, the joy of friendship and love, and the bonds created within a family. Readers will be able to relate to these emotions and leave with the understanding that thought it might be hard to leave the things you love, you might find something that is even better.
Awards:
Christopher Book Awards 1986
Newbery Medal 1986
Jefferson Cup Award 1986
Garden State Children's Book Awards 1988
Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award 1986
Review Excerpts:
BOOKLIST
“In a near-perfect miniature novel, two children experience the apprehensions and joys of the possibility of a new mother, when their father invites a mail-order bride to their prairie home.”
Connections:
-Students can continue reading about Jacob, Sarah, Anna, & Caleb through these sequels: SKYLARK, MORE PERFECT THAN THE MOON, CALEB’S STORY, and GRANDFATHER’S DANCE
-The class could read and then watch the movie SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL starring Glenn Close and Christopher Walken. Afterwards the class can discuss the translation from book to film, which they preferred, and if the movie matched how they envisioned the characters.
-Other historical fiction about mail-order brides and prairie life: RODZINA by K. Cushman; THE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE. Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder; THE BALLAD OF LUCY WHIPPLE by K. Cushman; and PRAIRIE SONG by P. Conrad and D.S. Zudeck
-For further reading students can investigate: THE NEW LAND: A FIRST YEAR ON THE PRAIRIE by M. Reynolds & S. McCallum and EVERYDAY LIFE: FRONTIER LIFE by W.A. Hazen
Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman
Bibliography:
Cushman, K. 1994. CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY. New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN: 0395681863.
Plot Summary:
Catherine, the headstrong heroine of CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY, defies the boundaries of her position as a knight’s daughter in 13th century England when she must wed a man of her father’s choosing. Preferring to control her choices, she fends off suitors while exploring her other career options such as seamstress, crusader, and monk. Throughout the year, her diary entries reveal the concerns of a young woman in 13th century England and how she learned to accept both her self and position. The entries also reveal aspects of daily life on a Medieval such as the social concerns of marriage, status of the residents, and health concerns. Written in an honest, spunky voice Karen Cushman makes Catherine and her world come alive. The book includes an author’s note that addresses Medieval life and provides a list of fiction, non-fiction, and historical documents for further reading.
Critical Analysis:
Karen Cushman’s first novel, set in 1290 on an English manor, depicts life during the Middle Ages through the voice of Catherine, a 14 year-old girl, whose father plans on wedding her to the highest bidder. The premise of the book begins with Catherine’s older brother Edward encouraging her to write a diary to document her days in the hopes of helping her mature faster. Her daily accounts tell of life on the manor such as killing fleas, attending feasts and fairs, making medicines for hangovers and toothaches, types of food such as eel pie, and the business of marriage contracts.
Catherine is fully fleshed out with her own distinct voice that expresses the myriad of emotions involved in growing up regardless of the time period. Her interactions with the supporting characters such as the goat boy Perkin, her Uncle George, and her betrothed Shaggy Beard enhances Catherine’s perspective and provides more information about how society and their roles within it affected their lives. The characters do not follow stereotypes because each character is represented with both positive and negative aspects.
Cushman creates a youthful character who speaks about her life in a clear, honest voice full of humor while imparting facts about living during the Middle Ages. The facts are in turns shocking like using manure to cure a toothache to heartbreaking when Catherine believes she has cursed her Uncle George. Though the lifestyle is very different from today, CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY gives an authentic description of life during the Middle Ages and provides readers with a likable protagonist that they can relate to.
Review Excerpts:
KIRKUS REVIEWS
“The period has rarely been presented for young people with such authenticity; the exotic details will intrigue readers while they relate more closely to Birdy's yen for independence and her sensibilities toward the downtrodden. Her tenacity and ebullient naïveté are extraordinary; at once comic and thought-provoking, this first novel is a delight.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
“Birdy's journal, begun as an assignment, first wells up in the reluctant and aggressive prose of hated homework, and then eases into the lighthearted flow of descriptive adventures and true confessions; the narrative device reveals Birdy's passage from rebellious child to responsible adult.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
“The 14-year-old daughter of a rustic knight records the events of her days in the year 1290, writing perceptive, scathing, and often raucously funny observations about her family, friends, and would-be suitors. A delightful, rebellious heroine, determined not to marry the man of her father's choice.”
Connections:
-Other books by Karen Cushman set in Medieval Times: THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE and MATILDA BONE
-This book can be included with a study of Medieval Times. Factual books about that time period include: MEDIEVAL LIFE by A. Langley; HOW WOULD YOU SURVIVE IN THE MIDDLE AGES by F. MacDonald, D. Salariya, & M. Peppe; DAYS OF KNIGHTS AND DAMSELS by L. Carlson; A MEDIEVAL FEAST by Aliki; ARCHERS, ALCHEMISTS, & 98 OTHER MEDIEVAL JOBS YOU MIGHT HAVE LOVED OR LOATHED by P. Galloway & M. Newbigging; and WOMEN IN MEDIEVAL TIMES by F. MacDonald
-Depending on location and funding, students could attend Medieval Times to get an understanding of the feast, jousting, and the aesthetic feel of the time period.
Cushman, K. 1994. CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY. New York, NY: Clarion Books. ISBN: 0395681863.
Plot Summary:
Catherine, the headstrong heroine of CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY, defies the boundaries of her position as a knight’s daughter in 13th century England when she must wed a man of her father’s choosing. Preferring to control her choices, she fends off suitors while exploring her other career options such as seamstress, crusader, and monk. Throughout the year, her diary entries reveal the concerns of a young woman in 13th century England and how she learned to accept both her self and position. The entries also reveal aspects of daily life on a Medieval such as the social concerns of marriage, status of the residents, and health concerns. Written in an honest, spunky voice Karen Cushman makes Catherine and her world come alive. The book includes an author’s note that addresses Medieval life and provides a list of fiction, non-fiction, and historical documents for further reading.
Critical Analysis:
Karen Cushman’s first novel, set in 1290 on an English manor, depicts life during the Middle Ages through the voice of Catherine, a 14 year-old girl, whose father plans on wedding her to the highest bidder. The premise of the book begins with Catherine’s older brother Edward encouraging her to write a diary to document her days in the hopes of helping her mature faster. Her daily accounts tell of life on the manor such as killing fleas, attending feasts and fairs, making medicines for hangovers and toothaches, types of food such as eel pie, and the business of marriage contracts.
Catherine is fully fleshed out with her own distinct voice that expresses the myriad of emotions involved in growing up regardless of the time period. Her interactions with the supporting characters such as the goat boy Perkin, her Uncle George, and her betrothed Shaggy Beard enhances Catherine’s perspective and provides more information about how society and their roles within it affected their lives. The characters do not follow stereotypes because each character is represented with both positive and negative aspects.
Cushman creates a youthful character who speaks about her life in a clear, honest voice full of humor while imparting facts about living during the Middle Ages. The facts are in turns shocking like using manure to cure a toothache to heartbreaking when Catherine believes she has cursed her Uncle George. Though the lifestyle is very different from today, CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY gives an authentic description of life during the Middle Ages and provides readers with a likable protagonist that they can relate to.
Review Excerpts:
KIRKUS REVIEWS
“The period has rarely been presented for young people with such authenticity; the exotic details will intrigue readers while they relate more closely to Birdy's yen for independence and her sensibilities toward the downtrodden. Her tenacity and ebullient naïveté are extraordinary; at once comic and thought-provoking, this first novel is a delight.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
“Birdy's journal, begun as an assignment, first wells up in the reluctant and aggressive prose of hated homework, and then eases into the lighthearted flow of descriptive adventures and true confessions; the narrative device reveals Birdy's passage from rebellious child to responsible adult.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
“The 14-year-old daughter of a rustic knight records the events of her days in the year 1290, writing perceptive, scathing, and often raucously funny observations about her family, friends, and would-be suitors. A delightful, rebellious heroine, determined not to marry the man of her father's choice.”
Connections:
-Other books by Karen Cushman set in Medieval Times: THE MIDWIFE’S APPRENTICE and MATILDA BONE
-This book can be included with a study of Medieval Times. Factual books about that time period include: MEDIEVAL LIFE by A. Langley; HOW WOULD YOU SURVIVE IN THE MIDDLE AGES by F. MacDonald, D. Salariya, & M. Peppe; DAYS OF KNIGHTS AND DAMSELS by L. Carlson; A MEDIEVAL FEAST by Aliki; ARCHERS, ALCHEMISTS, & 98 OTHER MEDIEVAL JOBS YOU MIGHT HAVE LOVED OR LOATHED by P. Galloway & M. Newbigging; and WOMEN IN MEDIEVAL TIMES by F. MacDonald
-Depending on location and funding, students could attend Medieval Times to get an understanding of the feast, jousting, and the aesthetic feel of the time period.
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