Middle Grade Monday: The Dreamer (by Pam Munoz Ryan)

Summary of The Dreamer (by Pam Munoz Ryan)

As a young boy growing up in a Chilean village, Neftalí stands out from his peers.  His shyness and timidity cause him to spend most of his time alone with his imagination and books.  He stutters, but loves words so much that he writes them on pieces of paper and saves them.  While outside, he explores nature and collects interesting objects—shiny keys, beautiful stones, sea glass.  Stories come alive in his mind with the sights and rhythmic sounds around him of the forest, the rain, the ocean, and even his backyard.  

To Neftalí, family is vital.  He has a loving stepmother and inspiring progressive uncle who both encourage him to pursue his dreams.  His younger sister is sometimes a playmate, but always a loyal supporter.  However, his authoritarian father ridicules and often frightens Neftalí while attempting to encourage him to follow a traditional path of manhood and life. 

From harrowing days forced in the rugged ocean to an alarming fire in his uncle’s newspaper to witnessing racism toward native Mapuche, Neftalí finds his voice and path.  He grows up to become Pablo Neruda, a great poet and essayists. 

Using elements of Neruda’s biography and literary license, this story of truth and magic realism comes alive.  It is a story of compassion, perseverance, and splendor. The Dreamer, the 2011 Pure Belpre Award winner for fiction, is illustrated by the awarding winning Peter Sis.

Evaluation

The Dreamer is beautifully written. Pam Munoz Ryan does the fictional biography of a poet justice with her dreamy and vivid language.  For instance, when Neftalí first sees the ocean the author states, “He had never imagined the height of the white spray breaking against the rocks, the dark sand, or the air that whispered of fish and salt.”  

In addition, occasional poetic bits are intertwined like “I am poetry, prowling the blue, tempting my prey with fish, shell, and sky.” and “I am poetry, surrounding the dreamer.  Ever present, I capture the spirit, enslave the reluctant pen.”  These poetic elements represent Neftalí/Pablo’s calling to be a writer and poet. 

While the story is primarily realistic fiction, it floats into magic realism with Neftalí’s imagination.  For instance, he opens a window:  “A carpet of rain swept in and carried Neftalí to the distant oceans he had only seen in books.  There, he was the captain of a ship, it prow slicing through the blue.  Salt water spraying his cheeks.  His clothes fluttered against his body.  He gripped the mast, looking back on his country, Chile.”  These imaginative muses often accompany creative illustrations.  The novel is an excellent opportunity to discuss with children the difference between fantasy and reality in literature.

Most of the family relationships are positive and typical of a middle grade novel.  The only exception is the boy’s relationship with his father who is rigid and narrow-minded.  He has unreasonable expectations of his children.  Also, he is far too interested in his image than the well-being of his family.  Unfortunately, some children do have this experience. 

The majority of the book focuses on Neftalí as a boy and young teen, but readers also get a glimpse at what becomes of him when he leaves for university.  Overall, the novel is engaging to read.  Because it is so imaginatively created, it leads to many extension activities in reading, art, science, geography, and history.  

I recommend this book for children 9-13.  You can see a preview of the book here. 

Other Teaching Ideas

Art/Prediction Skills:  At the beginning of each chapter, there are 3 small simple pictures that preview what will occur in the narrative.  They are ideal for practicing predicting skills.  Show the pictures to the children and allow them to guess what might happen based on each one.  At the end of the chapter, revisit the pictures and evaluate the guesses.  I love this idea for other books as well.  After listening/reading to a chapter, students can draw 3 pictures that represent the major events that took place.   

Journaling/Writing:  Interspersed are some profound and imaginative questions which are perfect for creative or journal writing.  Like a poet, children can muse about abstract ideas like:  “What wisdom does the eagle whisper to those who are learning to fly?” and “Where will the waves take the debris abandoned in the freckled sand?”  

Poetry/History:  Pablo Neruda is a Nobel Prize willing poet.  Some examples of his poetry are included in the novel.  Older children can read additional poems by Neruda and even practice writing their own poetry.  They can also learn about his life and activism in his country.  (There is a brief overview at the end of the novel.)

Research/Social Studies: The Dreamer represents an authentic Latino voice and story to expand children’s experience of multicultural literature and lives.  Children may compare and contrast life in their communities with the Neftalí’s life in Chile.  In addition, use the novel as an opportunity to expand knowledge of Chile, other Latino American countries, the rain forest, and the ocean by doing further research to share or allowing students to do it for class projects. 

Scholastic has some discussion questions and links for additional educational opportunities.

Check out other Middle Grade Monday titles at Ramblings of a Wanna Be Scribe. 

Picture Book: Rumble in the Jungle

I came across another wonderful book from Tiger Tales called Rumble in the Jungle.   It prompted me to consider: What is the difference between the rainforest and the jungle?  Here is a quick overview:

Though jungle and rainforest might appear to be similar, there are differences between the two. A rainforest area is often surrounded by a jungle, with the primary difference being that a rainforest has a very thick canopy of tall trees, which make it very difficult for light to penetrate to the ground level making it difficult for plants to flourish. A jungle floor on the other hand will usually have a thick undergrowth of plants and vegetation.

Because jungles and rainforests are closely connected, they share some similar animals.  On the other hand, the rainforest has many rare plants and animals only found in that habitat that make it indispensable to mankind.  Read more at Difference Between.  

Summary of Rumble in the Jungle:  

As the morning light sifts through the trees, there is a rumble in the jungle and a whisper in the trees.  The animals are waking up!  The hidden narrator invites the reader along on a jungle expedition:

Some animals are frightening,

And some are sweet and kind,

So let’s go to the jungle now

And see who we can find...

Lots of funny, scary, and marvelous creatures are encountered on this extraordinary day trip—monkeys, big cats, zebras, gazelles, snakes, and much more.   Using free-verse poetic stanzas, each animal reveals a little about itself.  Here are a couple samples: 

Chimpanzee

It’s great to be a chimpanzee

Swinging through the trees,

And if we can’t find nuts to eat

We munch each other’s fleas!

Gorilla

The gorilla is big, black, and hairy,

And the thing that he likes to do best

 Is to look all ferocious and scary

And wallop his giant great chest.

The narrative concludes with the night falling on the jungle.  Animals like the vulture and the leopard are still slowly and softly moving about while many others are quietly dozing off.

Evaluation:

Giles Andreae’s Rumble in the Jungle is a humorous rhyming safari.  The rich illustrations (by David Wojtowycz) are dynamic and delightful.  Oversized drawings make it a perfect read-out-loud book for classrooms and small groups.  Along with the bold pictures, children will enjoy the poetic verses and witty creatures.  I recommend this book for ages 3-8.  There are many excellent opportunities for extension activities and lessons from the basic (identifying animals) to the more challenging (learning the difference between the jungle and the rainforest). 

Teaching Opportunities:

• Pre-Reading—Identify the animals and their sounds (where applicable)
• Poetry—Read the individual stanzas to identify sound devices (rhyme, alliteration) and to discover information about each creature
• Science—Read other books about favorite creatures illustrated in the book
• Science—Teach the difference between the jungle and the rainforest habitats; identify animals that dwell in both
• Language—Locate examples of onomatopoeia in the illustrations; discuss (or guess) the sounds of animals whose sounds are not revealed in the text
• Art—Create animal masks using paper plates; have an animal safari parade around the class, house, or school
• Writing—Compose a first person free-verse stanza for another animal in the jungle as a class or in small groups OR allow students to compose a first person stanza about themselves (can be done as homework with their families)

Picture Books: The Rainforest

Children’s imaginations are sure to soar as they discover and explore the rainforest. We’re Roaming in the Rainforest: An Amazon Adventure and The Rainforest Grew All Around are two remarkable picture books to use in your study of this extraordinary habitat.  

We’re Roaming in the Rainforest: An Amazon Adventure (ages 4-10) by Laurie Krebs 

As the sun rises, three children trek through the colorful and lively rainforest, discovering amazing creatures of all kinds.  Written in playful poetic verse, rainforest animal habitats and behaviors are revealed.  For example:

“Fly,” squawk the parrots,

from branches and twigs.

“We’ll swoop down to breakfast

on ripe, juicy figs.” 

The illustrations (by Anne Wilson) are vivid and energetic.  Butterflies are fluttering in search of nectar.   Leaf-cutter ants are on parade.  Monkeys swing in the branches.  Other pictures depict a quieter side of the rainforest.  Sloths are yawning and dozing on trees.  A jaguar stalks its prey.  Otters cuddle together as they fall asleep.  As the day comes to a close, the children leave the lulling sounds of the night.  We’re Roaming in the Rainforest offers a sweeping look at a day in this mysterious and irreplaceable habitat.  Children will become familiar with many of the creatures that dwell there which include birds, insects, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.  The concluding pages include a wealth of information about the Amazon Rainforest, the native people, conservation, and creatures. 

The Rainforest Grew All Around (ages 4-9) by Susan K. Mitchell 

Using a clever adaption of the song “The Green Grass Grows All Around,” children learn about the rainforest from the floor to the canopy.  It begins with a seed of a Kapok tree which grows to become an essential habitat for many creatures—jaguar, emerald tree snake, leaf-cutter ants, sloth, poison dart frogs, toucans, bats, and many insects.  The poetic song is cumulative with a repeating stanza for choral reading: 

And by the snake

there crawled an ant…

the busiest ant

that you ever did see.

the ant by the snake,

and the snake by the vine,

and the vine near the cat,

and the cat in the tree,

and the tree from the seed,

and the seed in the ground,

and the rainforest grew

all around, all around;

the rainforest grew all around.

The wondrous world of the rainforest is depicted in the brilliant illustrations (by Connie McLennan).  Each page spread also has a side bar with fascinating facts about the plants, animals, and insects highlighted in the book.  The end pages provide activities, including a cookie recipe with many ingredients that come from the rainforest.  As always, Sylvan Dell provides an extensive across-the-curriculum teaching guide and other resources at their website to accompany your study and assist you in your lesson planning.