Rules

Bibliography

Lord, Cynthia. 2006. Rules. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 0439443822.

Plot Summary
Catherine is a twelve year old girl who is growing up with a brother who has autism. Catherine struggles to accept the fact that David will never be "normal" , her feelings of embarrassment, and her desire to have friends. Her best friend is away for the summer which leaves her with no one who understands her situation. A new neighbor is moving into the house across the street and Catherine hopes to kindle a new friendship. Although this friendship never really gets off the ground, her life begins to change when she meets Jason, a boy her age who is disabled and can only communicate with a picture communication board. ( http://www.pecs.com/) Ultimately, Catherine learns to accept the fact that David will always be David and that friends come in all shapes and sizes.


Critical Analysis
Cynthia Lord has written a wonderful book about a young girl who is struggling to deal with growing up with a brother who has autism. The story accurately describes Catherine's feelings, and the struggles the family deals with. Although David, Catherine's brother, is not the main character his voice shines through. His communication efforts may not be recognizable to readers who are not familiar with autism but those who are will understand immediately. Catherine has spent years teaching David the "rules" that will help avoid embarrassing behaviors. Each chapter is titled as one of these rules. David has learned some of these rules but does not always follow them. "No toys in the fish tank" is an example of one of the rules that Catherine has taught David. When he does put something in the fish tank he tells Catherine by stating this rule. He does not say, "Can you help me get my toy out of the fish tank?" which would be the typical request from a child. Another true to life illustration of autism is noted in this rule: "If it's too loud, cover your ears or ask the other person to be quiet." People with autism often have great difficulty screening out loud noises. Catherine has noticed these issues in David and has attempted to help him overcome these problems by teaching him rules. These rules are the titles of the chapters throughout the novel. Although the rules are meant for David, they often have a dual meaning: one for David and another for Catherine. Catherine's character is realistic and likable. She is portrayed as a responsible caretaker who loves her brother and also as a child struggling to fit in and have her own life and friends. She and David have developed a very loving, special relationship that others do not often understand. She has helped David to communicate by using words from the story of Toad and Frog. David can be soothed by their dialogue from this story. This in itself is one of the most poignant parts of the novel. Kristi, the new neighbor and Ryan the mean boy down the street are typical children who do not attempt to truly understand Catherine and her brother David. Readers will wish that Ryan would go jump in a lake and feel the pain that Catherine feels as he abuses David. Even so, this is a truly accurate portrait of how others often treat people with disabilities. It is often painful to read. At times, like all of those who are affected with autism she wishes that the development disability will just disappear. While Catherine is helping David get buckled in to the seat belt she is thinking:"I click the belt across me and open my sketchbook to the back pages. That's where I keep all the rules I'm teaching David so if my some-day-he'll -wake-up-a regular-brother wish doesn't ever come true, at least he'll know how the world work, and I won't have to keep explaining things."
The main problem in this story is Catherine's need to fit in and have friends. She wants and wishes for "normal" in her family life and learns that normal is not necessarily what she thinks. She and her mother take David to the clinic for occupation therapy each week. Although she is able to stay home by herself, she likes to spend the alone time in the waiting room with her mom. This quiet time is not often achieved with David around. The hour is spend reading and taking walks outside in the beautiful Maine setting. It is during this visit to the clinic that Catherine meets Jason. Jason is a boy about her age that can not speak and is in a wheelchair. Catherine discovers that although Jason is physically disabled, his mind is sharp and untouched. He communicates by using a communication board. She offers to create cards for him to add to his collection. She realized that the therapist and his mother treat him as a "child", not the teenager he really is. She creates cards such as "stinks a big one" to help him communicate his feelings better. Catherine is not comfortable discussing her friendship with anyone except her mother and she attempts to hide who Jason is from Kristi. She thinks that Kristi and Ryan might think she is "weird" for having a friend like Jason. He attempt to hide the relationship backfires when Jason asks her to attend the community center dance with him. She wants to go but knows that Kristi and Ryan will be there. She learns a hard lesson when Jason realizes how she is feeling. She finally admits to Jason that she was scared of what Kristi might think of her for being his friend. In the end, she understands that the rules she make for David can often apply to her as well.
Rules contains several themes throughout the novel. The most prominent one is Catherine's struggle to fit in with friends. This is a universal theme -especially during adolescence. Even those teenagers without disabled siblings struggle with feelings of embarrassment and not fitting in. Another theme illustrated is the problems faced by those families affected with a child who has a disability. Even adults have a difficult time understanding when they have not had to deal with a disability.
I really enjoyed Rules by Cynthia Lord. As a mother of a child with autism, I can relate to how Catherine feels. Prior to my son's diagnosis, I knew something was wrong, and felt embarrassed about how he acted. I have been told that I should spank him to make him behave, not to bring him back to a daycare setting (as Catherine's mother was told about David) and had many people give me parenting advice that was not solicited. This book has put in to words the feelings that my older son has felt as well. This is an excellent book about growing up and learning how accept others for who they are and to accept yourself as a person who is truly remarkable.

Review Excerpts

Booklist
No toys in the fish tank" is one of many rules that 12-year-old Catherine shares with her autistic younger brother, David, to help him understand his world. Lots of the rules are practical. Others are more subtle and shed light on issues in Catherine's own life. Torn between love for her brother and impatience with the responsibilities and embarrassment he brings, she strives to be on her parents' radar and to establish an identity of her own. At her brother's clinic, Catherine befriends a wheelchair-bound boy, Jason, who talks by pointing at word cards in a communication notebook. Her drawing skills and additional vocabulary cards--including "whatever" (which prompts Jason to roll his eyes at his mother)--enliven his speech. The details of autistic behavior are handled well, as are depictions of relationships: Catherine experiences some of the same unease with Jason that others do in the presence of her brother. In the end, Jason helps Catherine see that her rules may really be excuses, opening the way for her to look at things differently. A heartwarming first novel.

Kirkus
Catherine is an appealing and believable character, acutely self-conscious and torn between her love for her brother and her resentment of his special needs. Middle-grade readers will recognize her longing for acceptance and be intrigued by this exploration of dealing with differences

Connections
John Newbery Medal Honor Book 2007

Notable Children's Books, 2007 ; ALSC American Library Association

Author's Website: http://www.cynthialord.com/index.htm

Discussion Guide 1. : http://www.cynthialord.com/pdf/rules_discuss.pdf

Discussion Guide 2: : http://www.lesliepreddy.com/yhba/08-09/Intermediate/Rules-Reiff.pdf

David's Favorite Book: http://books.google.com/books?id=DkuaAtb5KdMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=frog+and+toad#PPP1,M1

Here is a great site that tells all about autism.

http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/brain/autism.html

Among The Hidden

Bibliography

Haddix, Margaret Peterson. 1998. Among The Hidden. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0689824750

Plot Summary

Among the Hidden is the story of Luke, a twelve year old boy whose existence is forbidden by the US government. In this futuristic story, the government regulates how many a children can have due to food shortages. Only allowed 2 children, Luke's parents find themselves with a third child and unable to bring themselves to "get rid of it" as the government demands. No one, except his immediate family knows that he exists- not even his grandparents. Luke has spent his entire life on the family farm far away from government eyes. He is allowed to help out in the barn and around the land but has never been to town, school, store for fear of the government punishing the family. When the government takes the wooded part of the family's land and builds an exclusive housing development, Luke's life changes for the worse. He is forced to live inside his windowless attic room-not even allowed to eat with the family. He eventually discovers that he can peer out the attic vents to see the outside world without being seen. One day, Luke sees a face of a child inside a house that he has determined has two boys visible. This startles him and he figures out that this girl must be just like him-a third child in hiding. After much deliberation, he decides to take a risk and sneak over to meet the child. Luke finds Jen who is indeed a third child. Since Jen's father is a government official, they have special privileges such as junk food, and computers. She shares her food such as cokes, and potato chips and introduces him to the computer and books that disagree with the governments population control laws. She tries to convince him to join her plan to protest to the police but she is unable to win him over. He is just too scared. Jen and Luke part ways-she is too angry to talk to him. Later, Luke learns that Jen and all of the other third children who attended the rally were shot and killed. Jen's father, who is under the watchful eye of the government, helps to get Luke a new identity. Luke leaves his family so that he can survive and they won't be punished. He will finally become a part of society.

Critical Analysis

Haddix has written a thought provoking novel that will leave a lasting impression on readers. The main character, Luke and his friend Jen are two very different children facing the same problem. They are basically "illegal". Illegal because of a law that the government has instituted called the population control law. Readers will identify with these children and be appalled at the way they must live their lives. Older readers will understand the plight of the parents. In order to keep Luke safe, they must hid him and basically cut him off from the world-even their own dining table. These characters struggle daily to survive in this very different society.

Among the Hidden is set in futuristic America. This America is the opposite of the one we know. The government has control over every aspect of their lives. When Luke complains to his father about selling the woods, his dad replies:"Told you before, We didn't have a choice. Government wanted it. You can't tell the government no." One begins to realize just how little freedom people have. When Luke's friend, Jenn is killed protesting the population law, he realizes that life as he has known it is essentially over. The population is keeping a close eye on Jenn's dad who is a government worker. He and Luke realize that the police suspect that there is another third child. He offers to help Luke obtain a new identity. Although his mom does not want him to go, she too recognized the danger and reluctantly lets go. It is horrible to realize that Luke, who is only 12 years old, is in danger of being killed and must leave his family to survive. However horrifying it may seem, this story echos the plight of Jewish children and their families during the Nazi occupation. Just as Irena Sendler smuggled thousands of children out of Warsaw, Jenn's father will smuggle Luke to safety. One wonders if Jen's dad will continue to be a central figure in this series or if others will take his place. Most children who read this book will think that this situation could never happen in our country-could it?

Haddix tells the story in a simple style easily read by younger readers. However, it may be difficult for younger readers to understand what "government" is and how they can be so controlling. Among the Hidden is a great book to introduce themes such as liberty, the loss of free will, food shortages and friendship. Once you start the series, it will be difficult not to read one book after another. Look for books two: Among the Impostors.

Review Excerpts

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 1999)In a society where family size is strictly limited to two children, Luke is a third child. Living in an attic bedroom to avoid being seen by authorities, Luke peers through an outside vent and observes another "shadow child" hiding in a nearby home, thereby beginning a secret friendship with Jen, who plans to rebel against the government system. The conclusion is abrupt, but the novel plot is thought-provoking and readable.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, 1998)In a chilling and intelligent novel, Haddix (Leaving Fishers, 1997, etc.) envisions a near future where a totalitarian US limits families to only two children. Luke, 12, the third boy in his farming family, has been hidden since birth, mostly in the attic, safe for the time being from the Population Police, who eradicate such "shadow children." The seizing of farmlands, untenable food regulations, and other scenarios that have come to fruition in these pages will give readers a new appreciation for their own world after a visit to Luke's

Connections

http://www.haddixbooks.com/home.html

Introduce the Holocaust to children. Discuss how this story compares and contrast to the real horrors that the Jewish people faced during the Nazi occupation.

Books

Ten Thousand Children: True Stories Told by Children Who Escaped the Holocaust on the Kindertransport. Ann Fox, Eva Abraham. ISBN 0874416485

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. John Boyne. ISBN 0385751060

To find out more about Irena Sendler: www.irenasendler.org

How I Live Now

Bibliography

Rosoff, Meg. 2004. How I Live Now. New York, NY: Wendy Lamb Books. ISBN 0553376055
Plot Summary
Rosoff's novel, How I Live Now, takes place in England. Daisy, still struggling with her mother's death, her father's refusal to talk about her mother and determined to get away from her pregnant step mother visits her aunt and cousins. Daisy bonds with all of them, but especially Edmond, with whom she develops a strong physical and spiritual relationship. Shortly after she arrives, war breaks out. Her aunt travels to try and stop the coming war. When the war does break out, she is unable to reenter England to care for the teens . The children fend for themselves for a while thinking that their mother will arrive soon. When the army arrives, the children , Daisy, Piper and the boys are separated from each other and doled out to adults who attempt to care for them. Daisy and Piper escape after the death of the major who had taken them home. Daisy creates a plan to reunite with Edmond and the other boys and survives the journey through horrible conditions. The girls eventually make it back to the homestead. After several weeks, the boys have not returned. Before she knows if Edmond is alive or dead, Daisy is pulled out of England by her father and returned to the US. The next six years is spent not knowing what happened to her cousins in England. When she finally returns to England she finds that her aunt had died trying to regain entry into England during the war. Edmond is so emotionally scared that he speaks to no one. Her hope is fight past horrors and build a future with Edmond and the rest of the family.

Critical Analysis

How I Live Now is one of the most surprising books I have ever read. It deals with some pretty tough themes such as war, incest, eating disorders, death and coming to terms with all of them. The story is told in first person by Daisy. She lost her mother when she was young-and her father won't even speak about her. This has a devastating effect on Daisy who starves herself to gain some semblance of control. Her voice is powerful but also sounds exactly like a fifteen year old girl who has had some major issues in her life. Little is known of her relationship with her father- only slightly more about her relationship with her step mother. We only know that they are willing to send her to England even though terrorism seems to be rampant. Other than that, the story is told through Daisy's eyes. Her cousins and aunt are all very nice to her and make her feel at home and finally relaxed. However, it is Edmond who is the center of her life. Edmond is young -only fourteen but seems to have a wisdom and solitude that Daisy felt "she would not be surprised if he turned out to be 35". They develop an almost telepathic sense of each other. During one scene, the family had gone fishing. "I was thinking about almost nothing except that bird and then Edmond was next to my ear whispering Skylark, and I just nodded, knowing it was futile to ask how he knew the answers to questions you hadn't even got around to asking yet." (pg. 18) When the horrors of war pull the two away from each other, readers can feel the physical pain it causes. They have not yet had enough experience to be able to reason out the pain. Through her experiences, Daisy soon realizes that starving herself is not the answer and has to grow up quickly just to survive. When she returns to England, she realizes that she has to fight for her life and her happiness. Readers are left with the impression that her life truly begins the minute she returns to England to be with Edmond.
Although war is the root problem in this story, it is not described in detail. The Who, What When, Where and Why of the war are not addressed. This rings true to a story told by a young girl in love. Nothing really matters except Edmond and the pain she feels when she is away from him. The events seem real enough but at times they seem to have an almost fantasy-like quality. Especially throughout the prose that explains the telepathic feelings between the two lovers. The setting feel contemporary yet it also seems unfamiliar and almost as if it is taking place in the past. Life on a farm, away from city life seems to be what makes this novel seem historic. The fact that technology such as phones, jets, cars etc. are mentioned lets readers know it is a contemporary setting. Still, the fact that there is no communication for a long period of times due to the war seems a bit far fetched.
Rosoff style is often hard to follow-a bit like being in someones head hearing thoughts but not able to piece everything together. Again, this is a pretty accurate accounting of how a teenage mind thinks and is reflective of Daisy's distinct personality. At times, the story was difficult for me to read due to the themes presented. I would recommend this book only to more mature readers-at least high school age. I am not sure that students younger than 17 or 18 would understand the relationship in the truest sense.
Review Excerpts
VOYA ,Ruth E. Cox : "The depth and starkness of Rosoff's writing is beautiful yet painful to read. This book about the emotional devastation of war raises the hair on a reader's arms and brings tears to one's eyes."

Booklist, Jennifer Mattson : A 15-year-old, contemporary urbanite named Daisy, sent to England to summer with relatives, falls in love with her aunt's "oldy worldy" farm and her soulful cousins--especially Edmond, with whom she forms "the world's most inappropriate case of sexual obsession." Matters veer in a startling direction when terrorists strike while Daisy's aunt is out of the country, war erupts, and soldiers divide the cousins by gender between two guardians. Determined to rejoin Edmond, Daisy and her youngest cousin embark upon a dangerous journey that brings them face to face with horrific violence and undreamt-of deprivation. Just prior to the hopeful conclusion, Rosoff introduces a jolting leap forward in time accompanied by an evocative graphic device that will undoubtedly spark lively discussions.
Connections
A great discussion guide for this novel can be found here:
http://www.multcolib.org/talk/guides-howilive.html

Author's Website: http://www.megrosoff.co.uk/
This site contains pictures, a diary and list of books from the author.
Awards:
WINNER 2005 - ALA Best Books for Young Adults
WINNER 2005 - Michael L. Printz Award Winner
WINNER - Publishers Weekly Flying Start AuthorWINNER - Booklist Books for Youth Editors' ChoiceWINNER - Kirkus Reviews Editor Choice AwardWINNER - Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of the YearWINNER - Horn Book Fanfare

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Bibliography

Speare, Elizabeth George. The Witch Of Blackbird Pond. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1958. ISBN: 0440495962

Summary

When Kit Tyler’s grandfather passes away, she is forced to sell everything that her grandfather left her to pay the debts that he has accumulated. When all is paid, she has nothing left. Her grandfather's associate, who is fifty years old, offers to marry Kit so that she does not have to repay her grandfather's debt. Kit, who is sixteen, cannot imagine marrying the man and makes a decision that changes her life. She packs her trunks and sets sail on a ship bound for Connecticut. Kit is surprised at how different life is in the Connecticut Colony. She is used to the beautify island of Barbados where her grandfather had taught her about literature, music and plays. As she struggles to adapt to her new situation, she meets Hannah Tupper. The community has labeled Hannah a witch and her home is strictly off limits to Kit. Forced to choose between being a friend to a woman and following the strict rules of the Puritan community, Kit decides to remain true to her heart and help Hannah. The community eventually finds out about the friendship. Kit is accused and placed on trail.

Critical Analysis

Although most of the characters will seem very different from most present day sixteen year olds, Kit Tyler is a character that all readers will identify with. Her grandfather has raised her to be inquisitive, and accepting of others. This accepting attitude is the direct opposite of the characters we meet when Kit arrives in Wethersfield, Conneticut. The other characters-Aunt Rachel, Uncle Matthew, Mercy, Judith and the other community members are Puritans. Their faith emphasized reading the bible, long sermons, prayer and building an individual relationship with God. Their style of dress was plain in fashion, symbolizing their turning themselves away from materialism. They focused on a hardworking, simplified life where they would be provided for by their faith in God. Kit's accepting attitude and her unwillingness to be unkind to others who are different are ultimately what causes her to be imprisioned and placed on trial for witchcraft. Readers will identify with Kit on many levels-and will be horrified to learn that people who are supposed to be Christians actually burned people who were labeled for witchcraft just because they had different beliefs or could swim.

The beliefs and attitudes presented in this novel are accurate and presented in such a way that young readers are able to process what life was like during this time period. Speare's style and use of vocabulary captures the time period perfectly and allows students to sink in to the lives of Puritan colonists. Students will have many questions and are likely to be indignant when teachers explain to them why Hannah was labeled as a witch. Girls especially will relate to Kit's cousins, Mercy and Judith as they try on all the beautiful dresses that Kit has brought along and offered to share. They will be dismayed when they find out that Uncle Matthew refuses to allow his daughters to wear these dresses. The authors goes into great detail that will help readers to see the thoughts and feelings of the Puritan mind and how in the name of "God" and "Religion" some people are not accepted.

Speare's descriptions of the setting helps readers see how rural and cut off these colonies were. You can feel Kit's disappointment in what the land looks like compared to Barbados: "Her heart sank. This was Wethersfield! Just a narrow sandy stretch of shoreline, a few piles sunk in the river with rough planking for a platform. No town, not a house, only a few men and boys and two yapping dogs who had come to meet the boat."

The Witch of Blackbird Pond presents many themes for readers to contemplate. Physical abuse, slavery, prejudice, learning to fit in to a new place and dealing with disabilities are all presented. All of these issues were relevant in 1687 and are still relevant in 2009.

Although Elizabeth Speare does not provide a bibliography or additional information regarding the historic time period the novel describes, she does provide an author's note regarding the architecture, the town of Wethersfield and many of the people mentioned in the story. This note will allow readers to search for more information regarding these places and people of 1687.

Review Excerpt

Annette (BookHive (www.bookhive.org))Can you imagine growing up on the tropical island of Barbados, living in a beautiful plantation house, and having servants do everything for you? This is the life that sixteen-year-old Kit Tyler has led with her grandfather since her parents died when she was a baby. Then, in 1687, her grandfather dies, leaving Kit all alone in the world, with only an aunt in Connecticut. Join Kit as she sails to Connecticut to meet her aunt and see how she saves lives, faces a witch trial, and makes a life for herself in this strange, new land. Category: Award Books; Classics; Historical. Grade Level: Intermediate (4th-6th grade). 1958, Houghton Mifflin. Ages 9 to 12

Connections

There are many study guides that can be purchased for this novel.

Curriculum ties:

Coming to America, Early settlers, Puritans, Quakers, Salem Witch Trials, Rights of Individuals, Civic Ideas, Court Systems, Colonial Life, New England, Trading Routes

Make corn pudding and learn how they made candles to illustrate colonial life.

Here is an excellent site that has activities for the novel.

http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Language_Arts/Literature/Childrens_Literature/CHL0228.html

Other novels by Elizabeth George

Calico Captive ISBN 0440411564 The Bronze Bow ISBN 0395137195 The Sign of the Beaver ISBN 0440800382

The Green Glass Sea

Bibliography


Klages, Ellen. 2006. The Green Glass Sea. New York, NY: Puffin Books.ISBN 978014241149
Summary

The Green Glass Sea, written by Ellen Klages is a wonderful story set during World War II. Dewey, the main character has had a hard life. Her mother left Dewy and her father when she was a toddler. She has had to live with her grandmother while her father is away doing "war work". When we first meet her, Dewey is waiting for her father to come and take her to live with him. Her grandmother has fallen ill and needs to be placed in a nursing home. Imagine her surprise when an Army representative comes to pick her up and informs her that she is to travel all the way across the country to meet her father in a secret location. This turns out to be Los Alamos, New Mexico. Her father is a scientist who is working on a "gadet" that is supposed to win the war. When Dewey's father is called away, Dewey must move in with another family-one with a girl her own age who torments Dewey. Eventually, the friendship blossoms and they become friends.

Critical Analysis

The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages is a wonderful book about a topic that is rarely written about in children's literature. The two main characters, eleven year old Dewey and ten year old Suze are thrown together because their parents are scientist working to create a "gadget" that will win the war. Dewey loves to invent and build things like radios, robots and other "gizmos". Klages often gives clues about Dewey that are hard to decipher at first. For example, she mentions briefly that Dewey has one brown shoe that buttons down on the side and one regular shoe. Readers eventually find out the sad tale that has made Dewey physically different from other children. Suze is completely different from Dewey. She thinks that she is popular and part of the "in" crowd only to be humilated and hurt. This pain, along with the highly unusual circumstances, lead to a friendship that turns into a much stronger bond.

The book is an accurate representation of a time in history that no one will ever forget. Klages offers a bibliography of sources that readers can consult to find out more about the history of nuclear physics. The music, the pastimes and ideas of the American people of this time are accurately described and add to the authenticity of the story. In addition, the descriptions of Los Alamos help readers to realize that this is a real place where the hydrogen bomb was first tested.

Themes such as losing a parent, learning to be tolerant of others who are different, and the impact of war on humans are palpable throught the novel. Although the story takes place in 1943, these themes are still relevant for children around the world.

Klages also includes famous scientists as characters in the book. Figures such as Robert Oppenheimer, and Enrico Fermi are mentioned as other scientist working with the girl's parents on the secret invention.

The Green Glass Sea offers a look into the lives of the families who lived on "the hill" and worked on a project that is controversial to this day. Readers will come away with a better understanding of what happened during this time. If readers want to find out what happens next, Klages has written a sequel: White Sands, Red Menance. I highly recommend this book for readers of all ages. Although I am well past the age of "young adult", I did not know too much about where the atomic bomb was invented and tested. This book has peaked my interest and given me much to think about.

Review Excerpts

Publishers Weekly, 10/23/2006Klages makes an impressive debut with an ambitious, meticulously researched novel set during WWII. Writing from the points of view of two displaced children, she successfully recreates life at Los Alamos Camp, where scientists and mathematicians converge with their families to construct and test the first nuclear bomb. Eleven-year-old Dewey, the daughter of a math professor, is shunned by the other girls at the camp due to her passionate interest in mechanics and her fascination with the dump, which holds all sorts of mechanisms and tools she can use for her projects. Her classmate Suze is also often snubbed and has been nicknamed "Truck" by her classmates (" 'cause she's kind of big and likes to push people around," explains one boy). The two outcasts reluctantly come together when Dewey's father is called away to Washington, D.C., and Dewey temporarily moves in with Suze's family. Although the girls do not get along at first (Suze draws a chalk line in her room to separate their personal spaces), they gradually learn to rely on each other for comfort, support and companionship. Details about the era—popular music, pastimes and products—add authenticity to the story as do brief appearances of some historic figures including Robert Oppenheimer, who breaks the news to Dewey that her father has been killed in a car accident. If the book is a little slow-moving at times, the author provides much insight into the controversies surrounding the making of the bomb and brings to life the tensions of war experienced by adults and children alike. Ages 9-up.

School Library Journal, 11/01/2006Gr 5-8 –Two girls spend a year in Los Alamos as their parents work on the secret “gadget” that will end World War II. Dewey is a mechanically minded 10-year-old who gets along fine with the scientists at the site, but is teased by girls her own age. When her mathematician father is called away, she moves in with Suze, who initially detests her new roommate. The two draw closer, though, and their growing friendship is neatly set against the tenseness of the Los Alamos compound as the project nears completion. Clear prose brings readers right into the unusual atmosphere of the secretive scientific community, seen through the eyes of the kids and their families. Dewey is an especially engaging character, plunging on with her mechanical projects and ignoring any questions about gender roles. Occasional shifts into first person highlight the protagonist’s most emotional moments, including her journey to the site and her reaction to her father’s unexpected death. After the atomic bomb test succeeds, ethical concerns of both youngsters and adults intensify as the characters learn how it is ultimately used. Many readers will know as little about the true nature of the project as the girls do, so the gradual revelation of facts is especially effective, while those who already know about Los Alamos’s historical significance will experience the story in a different, but equally powerful, way.

Connections
Awards: The Scott O'dell Historical Fiction Award, 2007
Author's Website: http://ellenklages.com/index.html

The Green Glass Sea was orginially written as short story. This short story eventually became the last chapter in the novel. The story, along with unique illustrations can be found here:

http://www.strangehorizons.com/2004/20040906/greenglass-f.shtml

Here is a link to a wordsearch puzzle created for the novel.
http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/libdev/OBOK/2009/WordSearchPuzzle.pdf

More information and actual pictures from the time can be found at this website:

http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Tests/Trinity.html

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices From a Medieval Village

Bibliography
Schlitz, Laura Amy. 2007. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices From a Medieval Village. Ill. by Robert Byrd. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick. ISBN 9780763615789

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village (unabr.). 2 cassettes or 2 CDs. 1:30 hrs. Recorded Books. 2008. CD: ISBN 978-1-4361-1963-4.

Summary

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies is a collection of 19 monologues and 2 dialogues written in the form of short poetry or prose. Set in 1255, each monologue reveals information about the lives of children and adolescents living in a medieval manor. Laura Amy Schlitz wrote this collection of stories for her students who were studying the Middle Ages. Schlitz wrote the collection of monologues and dialogues to be performed on stage-allowing all to be stars.

Critical Analysis

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies is a wonderful collection of monologues and dialogues that help students learn about what life was like in medieval times . Each monologue is connected to another, helping readers learn a little bit more about life in the medieval village. The characters represent the class system from nobility all the way down to the lowest peasant. Although it can be difficult to imagine what life was like during this time, readers are introduced to these characters in a way that allows them to relate and compare their lives. Hugo, the lord’s nephew learns how to battle fear and become a man by killing a wild boar. Hugo feels proud of his accomplishment yet struggles with his fear: “I could smell my sweat, rank with fear, and then –it was like my dream- the underbrush moved, and the sticks shattered. I saw it-bristling, dark as the devil, huge as a horse-and my bowels turned to water.” Girls can relate to Taggot (the blacksmith’s daughter) as she worries about her looks, her size and if she will ever marry. The dialogue between Jacob Ben Salomon and Petronella –a Jewish boy and Christian girl (who actually forget for a few moments that they are supposed to hate each other) help students to understand that religious differences affected children back then as it does today.

The stories are written in English; however, some of the vocabulary is unfamiliar. Schlitz has included definitions and explanations of the words and phrases to help the reader more fully understand the text. Each monologue is full of information that is accurately represented. The author provides a bibliography for further reading. In addition, Schlitz provides informational sections called “A Little Background” and explains about the Three Field System of farming, Medieval Pilgrimages, Jews in Medieval Society, and Towns and Freedom. This background knowledge helps readers to understand the children’s situations better. Some of the stories can be shocking as in the monologue of Barbary, The Mud Slinger. After throwing muck at the Isobel, the lord’s daughter, Barbary feels regret. She runs to the church, encumbered by her twin brothers to pray. She states, “It made me think, how all women are the same-silk or sackcloth, all the same…Isobel, the lord’s daughter will have to be married, and squat in the straw, and scream with the pain and pray for her life, same as me.” Although shocking, it is an accurate portrayal of the life of women during this time. Robert Byrd did the illustrations in ink and watercolor. His stylized illustrations begin with a map of the manor and lands, and each character has a small-boxed illustration representing a portion of the story.

Good Masters, Sweet Ladies was published in 2007. In 2008, Recorded Books produced an audio-taped version. Narrated by Christina Moore, and a full cast of actors, this audio version is beautifully produced. Music from the time enhances the stories and adds to the authenticity of the story. The actor’s portrayals truly help readers (and listeners) to develop a deeper understanding of the subject. The characters become real, individuals through this production. I listened to the CD version after reading the book and found it to hold my attention better than reading the book. I highly recommend sharing this book in audio form to students.

Although younger readers with excellent reading skills would be able to read Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!, I would actually recommend this book for students 13 and older. Some of the characters speak of issues that would be difficult to explain to younger students. This book will allow older readers to understand what life was like in the Middle Ages.

Review Excerpts

Ann Ritchie (Audiofile, August/September 2008)
Life in a medieval village comes alive in Schlitz's monologues and dialogues. They were originally written for students at her school, who were studying England of 1255 and who all wanted to have parts in a school production about the period. Listeners will hear about hunting wild boar, blowing glass, suffering the ignominy of plain looks, crop and field rotation, the trickery of the jester, and the despised miller. Christina Moore sets the stage, and the full cast brings individuality to each personage. Attention to feelings and mood is evident. These medieval young people are genuine in their excitement and their concerns. Through characterization, gentle British accents, and accompanying period music, the listener is treated to theater of the mind with this 2008 Newbery Medal winner. A.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine 2008

School Library Journal

Couplets, blank verse, and prose bring children living in a medieval village in 1255 to life in this Newbery Medal-winning book (Candlewick, 2007) by Laura Amy Schlitz. Schlitz created these monologues for 23 characters, ranging in age between 10 and 15, to be performed by the students at the school where she is the librarian. A full cast of narrators do an exceptional job of distinguishing the different characters: the nephew of the Lord, a half-wit, a shepherdess, the blacksmith's daughter, a runaway villain, and others. Along the way, the host steps in and provides more in-depth explanations about topics such as pilgrimages, crusades, falconry, feudal land laws, and Jews in medieval society. The language is lyrical and the separate stories mesh to provide a rich picture of medieval life. Listeners will be drawn in and sympathize with the many different points of view that are offered. Robert Byrd's watercolor-tinted ink drawings add to the telling and will give teachers ideas for costumes. Youngsters who enjoy historical fiction will be enchanted. Drama, social studies, and English teachers will find multiple uses for this audio version. This performance breathes life into the print version and should be considered an essential purchase

Connections

Awards: Cybils Finalist 2007 Poetry, Newbery Medal Winner, 2008

Here is a link to an excellent unit for Good Master! Sweet Ladies! Voices From a Medieval Village. Although this is a subscription website, the $ 39.99 everything subscription is well worth the price. I was able to download PDF files that contained activities for reading skills, vocabulary and spelling, crossword puzzles, word searches, quizzes over each monlogue, writing prompts and pictures that illustrate the difficult vocabulary.
http://search.edhelper.com/cgi-bin/ednet.cgi
Other Books by Laura Amy Schlitz
A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama ISBN: 076363812
The Bearskinner: A Tale of the Brothers Grimm ISBN: 0763627305

School Library Journal Blog: Presents an interview with Laura Amy Schlitz
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1790000379/post/420016842.html

Park School Library
http://www.parkschool.net/academics/library/index.cfm