Walking Home to Rosie Lee

Title:  Walking Home to Rosie Lee

Author:  A. LaFaye

Illustrator: Keith D. Shepherd

Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press

ISBN:  9781933693972

Audience: First grade and up, parents and children

Summary: Slavery separated many African American families as parents and children were sold and sent to different plantations. At the close of the Civil War these people were at last free to search for their loved ones. Freedmen’s Bureaus were established as clearing houses of information for people who were looking for their families. This poignant chapter in our history comes to life through Gabe, a boy searching for his mama, Rosie Lee. He joins the folks on the road who have freedom on their minds looking for work, dreaming dreams around night time camp fires, “all hope and hurry on.” Gabe’s memories of Rosie Lee-her sweet smell of jasmine, her good cooking, the yellow scarf around her neck, her sweet smile- keep him going month after month, town after town, until one day… The story ends with thanksgiving to God.

Literary elements at work in the story: This is a little known story in our tragic history of slavery that the author has researched through newspapers, diaries, articles and interviews. The story is told in Gabe’s voice that has a poetic, rhythmic quality.  The illustrations complement this voice with strength and feeling.

How does the perspective on gender/race/culture/economics/ability make a difference to the story? This is a story about poverty, prejudice, injustice, cruelty, sorrow that affects whole families but  it is not a story about passive or helpless people.

Theological Conversation Partners: The story of Gabe and Rosie Lee can engage us on two levels.  The first is the sad chapter of slavery in our nation’s history.  Adults and children of any race benefit from knowing this and giving thanks for changes.  The point is not to burden children with guilt but to help them see that such injustice can exist in our own society.  The lost boys of Sudan, refugee families, families separated by war and poverty are reminders that this tragedy exists today.  It’s a good plan to introduce children to something they can do when faced with wrong and the refugees of Sudan and now of Syria, offer an opportunity for prayer and gifts through denominational programs.  The second level is found in the yearning of Gabe and his mother for each other.  Psalm 90 begins, “Lord, you have always been our home. (TEV)” and home is not a place but a Person. The heart yearns for God as Gabe yearned for his mother. Jesus captured this in the story of the Prodigal Son. Luke 15.  Psalm 42:1,  63:1 are further statements of this yearning. For both Gabe and his mother, their relationship comes from God and rests in God. Parents and caring adults are a sign of God’s love and we can help children be aware of the Giver.

Faith Talk Questions:

1. Try to imagine what it would be like to have one of your parents taken to live in another town or place because they had been sold.  This was once a practice in our country.
2. Do you know of families that suffer separation today?
3. Have you ever been homesick?  Have you been homesick even if you were at home? Why?
4. Who helped Gabe as he was searching for Rosie Lee?
5. Are there adults as well as your parents who help you?
6. Why do we love our parents and adults who help us?
7. Jesus tells us that God is like a heavenly parent, father or mother, who wants to give us better gifts than even our real parents (Luke 11)

This review was written by regular contributor Virginia Thomas.

Invincible Louisa

Name of Book:  Invincible Louisa

Author:  Cornelia Meigs

Publisher:  Little, Brown and Company

ISBN:  978-0316565943

Audience:  An Amazon reviewer self-identified as “10-year old reader states “It is a wonderful book for 11, 12, and 13 year olds, or 10 year olds who are advanced in reading.” I would say that anyone who read Little Women and loved the story and characters would be the audience for this biography.

Summary: A biography of Louisa May Alcott detailing the events of her lifetime in the context of devotion to her family and their ideals and her drive to achieve security for them through her writing.

Literary elements at work in the story:  Originally published in 1933, this Newbery awarded biography has a refreshingly sweet tone, without being saccharine. It is of note that this biography was written in the shadow of WWI and in the Great Depression era; its language and uplifting style may reflect the need for cheer in that time. The author writes as an admirer, not only of Alcott’s writing but of, Alcott herself. Informed by Alcott’s letters and journals, works published by “those who knew her” and interviews with descendents, Louisa May Alcott’s life story is told with detailed description. I think many ‘tweens would identify with young Louisa who runs down open hillsides, sits in tree limbs thinking and “goes home with something new in her heart” after viewing a magnificent sunrise. History buffs would marvel at a life in the center of transcendentalism, abolition and the Civil War. Family friend, Emerson, is warmly portrayed. Louisa’s time as a nurse in a Washington hospital is vividly told and shows a side of war as tragic and terrible as the battlefield. It is the depiction of a loving family and Louisa’s fierce devotion to their well being that is the recurring theme of this well told life story. When a young girl reads Little Women, she often sees herself in Jo. Returning to the classic later in life, many of us hold to our identification with the feisty, independent daughter but also notice the resilience of Marmie. Reading Invincible Louisa, we see that Louisa May Alcott was as remarkable as any of her literary characters.

(How) does the perspective on gender/race/culture/economics/ability make a difference to the story?  The experiences and achievements of Louisa May Alcott are all the more remarkable because she was a woman of the 1800s when women had few rights separate from their fathers or husbands. “Poor as poverty, but serene as heaven” is relayed as a family saying and the struggle to survive economically is a major theme. Fighting the injustice of slavery during the Civil War era is a force of her family’s and Louisa’s actions and ideals.

Theological conversation partners: “God help us all and keep us for one another” is Louisa’s fervent prayer. Faith is relational and at best intergenerational: I wonder if this biography and all adolescent literature might not be an important way that an adult reminds themselves of the lives of young people. Personally, I would place this biography on the shelf next to Little Womenand remember that “part of the magic of Louisa’s charm for young people surely lies in the fact that she sees thing through their eyes, that she depicts the ups and downs of the early adventures of life from the young point of view. The youthful readers all feel entirely that Louisa is on their side”. (pg 181)

Faith Talk Questions:

1. What parts of the book would you describe as happy? Why?
2. What parts of the book would you describe as sad? Why?
3. What qualities about Louisa May Alcott allowed her success?
4. What did each member contribute to the family? Bronson, Abba, Anna, Elizabeth and May?
5. Louisa had “encouragers” like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Theodore Parker and Thomas Niles. Who are your “encouragers”? Who do you encourage and how?
6. A lot happened historically in Louisa May Alcott’s life time. What would a biographer record about the history of your life time?
7. Would you describe Louisa May Alcott’s life as faithful and why or why not?

This review was written by Union Presbyterian Seminary student Robin Crawford.

Snowshoe Thompson

Name of Book:  Snowshoe Thompson

Author:  Nancy Levinson

Publisher:  HarperCollins

ISBN:  978-0064442060

Audience:  Ages 3-6  (I Can Read)

Literary elements at work in the story:  Easy-to-read books often suffer from the use of limited vocabulary and sentence structure, but Levinson has overcome both of these obstacles.  This story is as compelling and interesting as any book for young readers.

How does the perspective on gender/race/culture/economics/ability make a difference to the story:  Historically correct, this story shows the hardships of the early west without being stereotypical.     A map and historical notes at the end add to the book’s authenticity.

Summary: Danny has written a letter to his dad, who is mining gold over the mountain.  However, due to the winter snows, the mail cannot be delivered until spring.  Danny is upset.  Spring is so far away.  But all is not lost.  John Thompson says he knows a way to get the mail through. He begins to make long strange “snowshoes.” As he does all think he is crazy, all except Danny.  As he helps John make his strange shoes that John calls skis, he begins to understand how John will do what all say is impossible.  John travels the 90 miles over the mountains and returns with a gift for Danny, a letter from his father.  The letter says his father will be home for Christmas, but how?  Why on skis, of course!

Scripture: Ezekiel 37: 1-14

Theology:  “Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off.”  The exiled Israelites felt as hopeless and helpless as Danny. How does one get past that hopelessness?  How does one get the mail over the snowbound mountains? How does one do any seemingly impossible task?  With faith, hope and the ability to see past the impossible to the possible.  How do we gain that hope? We do as Ezekiel tells the Israelites; we look towards God when faced with an “impossible” task and there you will find the possible.

Faith Talk Questions:

1. Was Ezekiel really trying to make dead bones live again?
2. Why did the Israelites feel hopeless like Danny?
3. Ezekiel tells to look to God for a way past the impossible to the possible.  Can you think of a time when you thought something was impossible.
4. What did you do?
5. What can you do to look towards God when you need help?

Note: Also try Chang’s Paper Pony by Eleanor Coerr for another historical easy-to-read book that has similar themes.

This review was written by regular contributor Janet Lloyd.

Letting Swift River Go

Name of book:  Letting Swift River Go

Author:  Jane Yolen

Publisher:  Little Brown

ISBN: 978-0316968607

Audience:  Ages 4-8

Summary:  Sally Jane tells the story of the demise of her beloved town along the Swift River in Massachusetts. The town will be flooded along with the rest of the valley to form the Quabbin reservoir that will supply water to Boston. The story covers from 1927, when the town is told about the flooding, to 1946 when the flooding is completed. Sally is just six years old when the story begins. She watches as graves are moved, trees cut, homes destroyed and the river dammed. Later she and her father are in a boat on the now filled reservoir. As she looks down into the water she recalls something her mother told her when she wanted to keep lighting bugs in a jar, “ You have to let them go, Sally Jane.” As she looks into the water, she smiles and does just that, she lets it all go.

Literary elements at work in the story: This beautiful book for young readers is told in poetic narrative form perfectly illustrated by Barbara Cooney’s soft understated watercolors. The perspective is that of an adult recalling when she was six and the Swift river was flooded. This form allows the narrator to have insight a child would not have, but still keep a child’s perspective.

How does the perspective on gender/race/culture/economics/ability make a difference to the story: Both Yolen and Cooney bring to the story a personal understanding of the valley. Yolen often visited the Ouabbin Reservoir and Cooney lived not far away from the reservoir. The illustrations portray the time and place perfectly with carefully selected details that will appeal to children of any time period.

Scripture:  Luke 24: 36b-48

Theology:  Disbelief and disappointment are common to us all. Sally Jane just can’t believe what is happening around her. The town knew this was going to happen, but the eventuality of it all was shocking. In this passage, the disciples, like Sally, had been told what was going to happen, but they didn’t believe it. Then, when it comes, they are just as shocked and fearful as Sally was. Jesus calms their fears and opens their eyes and they are once again joyful. In the same way, Sally Jane’s boat ride on the reservoir helps her find joy once again. However joy, as great and healing as it may be, is not enough for the disciples or for Sally Jane.. Jesus tells his disciples they must spread their joy by preaching in His name and witnessing to others. We, like Sally Jane, must also pass on our stories of hope and joy to those around us. If the disciples had not passed on the joy of Christ where would we all be today. Don’t let you disappointments in life get in the way of living in Christ’s joy and then pass that joy on to others.

Faith Talk Questions:

1. How did Sally feel about what was happening around her?
2. How would you feel if someone said your town was going to be flooded so someone else miles away could have water?
3. Sally tells us her story to pass on her love for her town. What story can you pass on about something you love?
4. What does Jesus say to the disciples about passing on his story?
5. How can you pass on Jesus’ story?
6. Which of Jesus’ stories would you share and who would you share it with?

Review prepared by guest contributor Janet Lloyd.  (A review of Someday, a book for middle and high schoolers that chronicles the same event, was reviewed here yesterday.)

The Bracelet

Name of Book: The Bracelet

Author:  Yoshiko Uchida

Publisher:  Puffin

ISBN: 978-0698113909

Audience:  Ages 4-9

Summary:   During World War II, Second grader Emi is one of thousands told they must give up everything and move to an internment camp. Why? Because their relatives came from Japan. In many cases, as in Emi’s, those relatives came one or two generations before this and they are now citizens of the United States, but that does not matter. They are considered possible traitors or spies. While they are packing, Emi’s best friend Laurie comes to say goodbye and gives her a gold bracelet. Emi promises to always wear it to remember her friend. When Emi arrives in Montana, she realizes she has lost the bracelet. At first she is upset as the bracelet was the only link she had with her friend. As time passes, though, she begins to realize that she does not need the bracelet to remember her friend.

Literary elements at work in the story: Uchida uses a simple, descriptive style, that allows a child’s feelings to show through without becoming sentimental. Yardley’s watercolor illustrations match the characters and are historically accurate.

How does the perspective on gender/race/culture/economics/ability make a difference to the story: This story is about the history of the Japanese Americans in the United States during World War II. The history is portrayed with grace without diluting the fact that it was wrong. The conversations with Emi and Laurie are particularity good at showing how confusing this part of our history was. An afterword gives historical context to the story.

Scripture:  Jonah 2: 1-9.  When Jonah first arrived in the belly of the whale, he must have felt a bit like Emi when she lost her bracelet. He must have felt that he had lost all connection with the outside world. However, he, like Emi, begin to remember and understand and eventually hope comes. With hope he, like Emi, can see clearly. For Emi it means that she will not forget her past. For Jonah hope means that even in the belly of the whale, God will save him. When you are in the “belly of the whale,” when you are in distress, pray as Jonah did, as if you are already saved, for you are!

Faith Questions:

1. How did Emi feel about leaving her home?
2. What did the bracelet mean/represent to her?
3. How did she overcome her unhappiness about loosing the bracelet?
4. Have you ever been sad like Emi was when she had to leave her home and when she lost her bracelet?
5. What did you do?
6. How did Jonah feel about being in the belly of the whale?
7. Who did he come to understand would save him?
8. Why?
9. Can you think of something that makes you unhappy?
10. Can we go around the table and ask God to help us find hope in our unhappiness?

Review prepared by guest blogger Janet Lloyd

Train to Somewhere

Name of Book: Train to Somewhere

Author: Eve Bunting

Illustrator: Ronald Himler

Publisher: Clarion Books, New York

Audience: Ages 8-13

Summary: From the mid-1850s to the late 1920s, “Orphan Trains” took children from the streets and orphanages of New York City to adoptive families in the West.  Some of the children found loving homes.  Others traded one sort of misery for another.  Some families adopted children who could labor on the farm or help with housework and younger children.  Marianne, an older, plain-looking girl is the narrator of this touching story.  Marianne is one of 14 children making the trip.  She is hoping to be reunited with her mother who left several years previously to make a new life for them in the West and who had promised to send for Marianne.  At each stop, Marianne searches the crowds for her mother and watches as the boys and the younger girls are chosen for adoption.  Finally only Marianne and Miss Randolph are left on the train.  Somewhere, Iowa is the last stop.  Waiting for them are an older couple who had been hoping for a boy.  The grandmotherly woman looks at Marianne and recognizes the hurt of not being chosen and of not finding her mother.  She tells Marianne that “Sometimes what you get turns out to be better than what you wanted in the first place.”  The story ends on this hopeful note.  Readers may be interested in learning more about the Orphan Trains and what happened to those children seeking a loving home and family.

Literary Elements at work in the story: The setting and theme of this book opens a window to a little-known aspect of history.  The illustrations convey the emotions of the story.  The story presents the universal desire of every child for a loving family.

Perspective on gender/race/culture/economic/ability:  The people portrayed are all Caucasian.  Orphans who did not have other family to care for them were usually from the poor economic strata of the time.  You may want to learn about life for orphans of all ethnicities in this era.

Scripture:  Many passages record God’s instructions to care for marginalized people such as orphans.  See also Matthew 25:37-40; 1 Peter 2:9-10

Theology:  Caring for the marginalized people; Family

Faith Talk Questions:

1. What is a family?  What makes people a family?
2. What is a “church family?”  How are the people with whom we worship at church our family?
3. Research the orphan trains.  Why did people think sending orphans to new families was a good thing to do?  How do you suppose the children felt?
4. How do we provide for children who need families today?
5. What problems do some children face today regarding families and places to live?  What is being done for children who are homeless, living in poverty, etc?
6. What challenges, opportunities, emotions face children in foster care?
7. How has the adoption procedure changed since the days of the orphan trains?  What are the challenges, opportunities, emotions faced by adoptive parents? By children who were adopted?  By those awaiting adoption?
8. Do you think Marianne and her mother ever find each other?  Why or why not?
9. Marianne felt that she was not desirable to potential parents who wanted boys or younger children or those who were prettier.  What characteristics does society value in people?  What does God value?

Review prepared by Union Presbyterian Seminary graduate Mary Anne Welch

Bread and Roses, Too

Name of Book: Bread and Roses, Too

Author: Katherine Paterson

Publisher: Sandpiper an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

ISBN: 978-0-547-07651-5

Audience: Grades 4-8

Summary: A historical fiction novel that follows Jake and Rose, two children whose lives are impacted by the struggles of immigrant workers during a labor strike of a mill during the industrial revolution.

Literary elements at work in the story:

Genre: Historical fiction

Setting: Lawrence, MA at the turn of the 20^th century textile mill community and Barre, Vermont

Characterization: Poor immigrant workers and their struggle for fair labor practices.

Plot: How two children’s lives come together unexpectantly during a labor strike by immigrant workers protesting unfair labor practices.

Theme: Justice and grace

Point of View:  Children of immigrant workers and child laborers

Style:   Narrative

Perspective on:

Gender: Girls and boys are both reflected equally.

Race: Immigrants from Western Europe only.

Theology: God’ grace and hope can be find in the most unlikely situations.

Faith Talk Questions:

1.      What does the title of the book really mean?

2.      How does the community help one another during the strike?

3.      What does Rose discover about the meaning of family by the end of the book?

4.      What does Jake discover about the meaning of family by the end of the book?

5.      How does this story connect to current events and what should be the response of the church?

Review by Union Presbyterian Seminary student Jill Kimbirl

John Calvin

Name of Book: John Calvin

Author: Simonetta Carr

Illustrator: Emmanuele Taglietti

Publisher: Reformation Heritage Books

ISBN: 9781601780553

Audience: Ages: 7-10

Summary: This is a biography of the reformer, John Calvin, that provides the reader with the basics of Calvin’s life and teaching in a very readable and interesting way. The author does not spend a great deal of time on insignificant details but gives the main points of Calvin’s life, theology and ministry. The seven chapters (which chronologically follow Calvin’s life) are of appropriate length and depth of information to help the reader be able to divide it into manageable portions in order to study different aspects of Calvin’s life.  The author does an excellent job in this book of presenting the more human side of this great theologian and reformer.

Literary elements at work in the story:  As a biographical account of the life and works of John Calvin the book does an excellent job of highlighting Calvin’s personality, his love for God and the church, and the personal challenges he faced, in a simple and straightforward manner.  The books illustrations allow the reader to be transported back into history and to gain some visual insights into the struggles that Calvin faced as he fought for the reformation of the church.  Also, the last few pages of the book provide some “Did you know?” questions that provide an opportunity for additional learning regarding the customs and culture in which Calvin lived.

Perspective on gender/race/culture/economic ability:  As this is an historical accounting of a specific person’s life this book does not give an overall perspective other than that of a reformer. Therefore, this book would be appropriate for all audiences that have an interest in learning more about the history of Christianity and the reformed tradition.

Theological conversation: Servanthood, Church doctrines

Faith Talk Questions:

1. What does “reformed” mean?

2. Why did John Calvin think that the church needed to be reformed?

3. What happened to John Calvin as a result of his beliefs?

4. What would be considered the most important book that John Calvin

published?

5. How important was that book to the reformation? Why?

6. Do you believe that John Calvin was a faithful servant?  Why?

7. Does John Calvin’s life present any ideas about how we should live our lives?

Review prepared by Union Presbyterian Seminary student Donna Fair

For a previous review of this book, click here.

Our Children Can Soar

Name of Book:  Our Children Can Soar

Author:  Michelle Cook

Illustrator:  Cozbi Cabrera, R. Gregroy Christie; Bryan Collier; Pat Cummings; Leo and Diane Dillon; AG Ford; E.B. Lewis; Frank Morrison; James Ransome; Charlotte Riley Webb; Shadra Strickland; Eric Velasquez

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Audience: 3-8 years old

Summary: This book highlights some key figures in the African American fight for equality. Their contribution resulted in bringing about change that has shaped American history. The author uses a chronological progression from our early ancestors who fought to present day Barack Obama who holds the most powerful office as president. The story illustrates that our children can soar because their future have been paved by the path our ancestors have taken.

Literary elements at work in the story:

Genre: Picture book collective partial biography featuring significant African American in history

Setting: Historical progression of some African American who have made significant contributions to our history.

Characterization: Each person is noted in one sentence for the contribution that each has made to bring about change.

Plot: The author follows along a chronological time line and attempts to show how each individual contribution impacted another leader that followed.

Theme:  The theme of this book is centered on the achievements of American Africans who helped to shape the future, brought about change and left a lasting impact on the generation to follow.

Point of View: Story begins with a first person pronoun “our” and then shifts to a third person point of view.

Style: Author uses a single sentence to sum up the contribution of each person that has been highlighted.  She begins the next sentence with the contribution made from the previous person and then the page turns.

Perspective on:

Gender: No gender stereotyping; Story is a collective biography of specific African Americans.

Race: African American focus.

Culture:  Contributions of key African American figures during certain periods of America’s history.
Economic: African Americans struggling to gain equality

Ability:  No representation of anyone being handicapped

Scripture :  1 Kings 8:57-58

Theology talk: Ancestors and ancestry

Faith Talk Questions:

1.       Why are our ancestors important?

2.       The Bible points to some important ancestors for our faith. Can you name any of our biblical ancestors?

Review prepared by Union Presbyterian Seminary student Dee Osbourne-Smart

Whittington

Name of Book:   Whittington

Author:  Alan Armstrong

Illustrator:  S. D. Schindler

Publisher:  Random House Children’s Books

Audience:   Ages 8 and up

Summary: This is a story of the animals that live in Bernie’s barn.  Bernie takes in the animals that no one else has any use for – two retired sulky horses, an overly enthusiastic rooster, a Muscovy duck with clipped wings.  It’s also a story of Bernie’s grandson, Ben, who is reading below grade level and struggles with lessons.  To this community comes the storytelling cat, Whittington.  His story of Dick Whittington, a man who once made his fortune because of a nameless cat, acts as a balm for Ben after his grueling lessons to learn to read.

This is also a novel about the healing, transcendent power of storytelling and how, if you have loved ones surrounding you and good stories to tell, to listen to, and to read, you have something of true value in this world.

Literary elements at work in the story:  Whittington is a science fiction chapter book (subgenre: personified animals) that was a Newbery Honor Book in 2006.  There is also some history in this book which was well researched and cleverly employed in Whittington’s storytelling.

Perspective on gender/race/culture/economics/ability:      The “law” in the barn is the Moscovy duck.  What the Lady says, goes and all look to her for leadership.  It is primarily due to her that all of the animals in the barn can live peacefully together.  She even makes a pact with the rats that allows them to live in the barn if they will stop stealing the grain, eggs, and baby animals that live there.

Scripture:  Hebrews 13:2

Theology:  This is a rich tale of the “other” – outcasts, throw aways –  and how they come together as a community to support, defend, and care for each other.

Faith Talk Questions:

1. How did the animals in the barn help Ben to learn to read?  The Lady said they all passed the third grade when Ben did.  What do you think she meant by that?
2. In what ways did the barn animals take care of each other?  Why do you think they did that?
3. Do you have a best friend?  What makes that person your best friend?  What would you be willing to do to help your friends?

Review prepared by Union Presbyterian Student Kelly Hames