The Wave (by Tyler Charlton)

Title:  The Wave

Author:  Tyler Charlton

Illustrator:  Tyler Charlton

Target Ages: 5 and up

Genre: Fiction Picture Book

Summary:  A young boy describes his experience with a wave of sadness that he must learn to navigate to get back to shore.

First Lines:  

“The last time it happened I was building a fort.  

Sometimes…

I lose my joy and I don’t know why…

…and the wave takes me away.”

Memorable Moment: 

“And even though the wave still has me…I can get to my feet.”

Evaluation: 

I pulled this book for a symbolism activity, but I felt it was worthy of a post on its own. In college, I took a course called Bibliotherapy.  It made me realize the power books can have to help someone deal and heal.  If I were teaching that course, I would use The Wave as an example book for educators to support their students and counselors to help their patients.  

I like this book because it illustrates and discusses depression in a concrete way that children can understand. The wave symbolism aptly captures how someone depressed feels–alone, joyless, overpowered.  The book extends beyond that though.  

The protagonist shares what he does to help him reach the shore (i.e. get through the depression and back to himself).  Even when the wave has him, he can get to his feet and keep moving.  He can protect himself from further hurt–emotional, mental, and physical.  He can look for (and move toward) the shore.  Just as a person caught in a wave will fight to protect himself and to gain his footing again, so should a person caught in a wave of sadness. The narrative shows these positive principles in the text and illustrations.

The story provides hope.  First, as mentioned previously, depressed people can do things to help them survive and eventually get back to themselves. Second, the story reminds readers that a wave eventually ends and makes it to the shore.  Similarly, the pain of depression will end for most.  Finally, the shore is hopeful because there are loved ones there waiting to support the protagonist.  In the same way, the reader has people wanting to help them.  The extended wave metaphor gives readers hope that the sad feeling can subside or end.  

For those experiencing depression, the wave captures what they are going through.  For those who do not experience depression, the wave illustrates what some of the peers and loved ones struggle with.  

The book is geared for children.  However, picture books like this one can be used with all ages–middle schoolers, high schoolers, adults–to help them identify their feelings or to build empathy for others.

Activities and Extension Ideas for Lesson Plans:

• Bibliotherapy:  Read the book with someone experiencing depression.  Use it as a starting point to discuss how he/she feels and how to cope with the feelings and symptoms. 

• Character Education:  Use this story to discuss how to show empathy for others. 

• Comparison:  Compare on a graphic organizer how a wave acts to how the character is feeling.  

• Figurative Language:  Use this book as a springboard to teach or to discuss symbolism and/or extended metaphors.  The wave is a powerful symbol for depression and its impact on a person.  

• Project Board:  Brainstorm ways to support someone struggling with depression.  Then, use a project board to educate others how to help people with depression.

• Poetry:  Older readers can study Atwood’s poem “Up” which describes in more depth what depression feels like. Use the poem to further the discussion of depression or compare it to the descriptive details in the book.

Looking to dive deeper into literary symbolism with your readers? Check out my Teach Symbolism Through Picture Book Analysis Activity—a flexible, discussion-rich resource that pairs perfectly with this book and many others. It's designed to build critical thinking through accessible texts and guided analysis that can be used with a broad range of school levels including middle, high, and even college. Find it now on TpT!

Spotlight on Friendship and Compassion in Books by Cori Doerrfeld

Today, I am highlighting two amazing picture books by author-illustrator Cori Doerrfeld.  The first title, The Rabbit Listened, has been on my to-review list for a while.  When I discovered Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! I decided to discuss these books together.  While they are diverse in their subject matter, they have some noteworthy commonalities. 

The Rabbit Listened 
Publisher Summary 
When something sad happens to Taylor, all the animals think they know how to help.  One by one they come, but nothing they say makes Taylor feel better.  Until the rabbit arrives…and the rabbit knows just what to do. 

Evaluation 
This book can be read on multiple levels.  On the one hand, it is a simple picture book about a child’s experience with pain.  However, it resonates as an allegorical tale for adults as well.  

Out of nowhere, life often comes crashing down. This idea of the unexpected in life and sense of things falling apart is a universal experience at all ages.   In the story, this idea is illustrated when a pack of black birds knock down an elaborate building the protagonist, Taylor, has built.

Various animals attempt to “comfort” Taylor.  Each animal parallels the types of people we encounter in life.  These people are often more concerned with their own agendas rather than genuinely helping someone.  In the story, the chicken just wants to talk, talk, talk about it. The bear wants to dwell on angry feelings while the elephant tries to fix it.  When their approach doesn’t work, they walk away.

The rabbit in the book is the only one concerned with just being present.  He is true to his nature:  He sits and listens.  Everyone needs someone just to be present sometimes.  The rabbit allows the protagonist to go through all the emotions he feels.  The rabbit represents what a true friend acts like—compassionate, supportive, and selfless.    

Goodbye, Friend!  Hello, Friend! 
Publisher Summary 
Every goodbye brings a new beginning.  Goodbye to snowmen means hello to stomping in puddles!  Goodbye to the sun means hello to the stars!  Sometimes goodbyes are especially hard, and sometimes new beginnings take time but tomorrow always comes. 

Evaluation 
Several life experiences are represented through this straightforward text all while exemplifying the saying: When one door closes, another one opens.

Initially, Stella is reluctant to go to school.  She learns to make friends and to follow a new routine.  Another aspect of change is having to transition from an activity she enjoys to another one.  

Stella deals with loss.  Her pet dies.  Later, her best friend Charlie moves away.

With each potentially negative experience, Stella learns to see the rainbow on the other side of the storm.  Sometimes optimism is a relatively easy choice,  like having to come inside when it gets dark or having to go to bed during a sleep over.  Other times, she learns this lesson in more challenging experiences like falling down while trying something new or losing a loved one.  

Goodbye, Friend!  Hello, Friend! illuminates the importance of resilience and optimism no matter the circumstances.  The story reminds us that a closed door isn't the end.  Instead, there is an opportunity for a new beginning.

Cori Doerrfeld demonstrates exceptional skill in both picture books.  She shows the complexities of life and friendship while keeping it all on a concrete child’s level. The Rabbit Listened and Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! are must-reads for home and the classroom.  They illustrate the importance of compassion, friendship, feelings, and optimism in challenging times. 

The Breaking News (Sarah Lynne Reul)

Title:  The Breaking News

Author:  Sarah Lynne Reul

Illustrator:  Sarah Lynne Reul

Target Ages:  5-10

Genre:  Realistic Fiction Picture Book

Publisher Summary:

When devastating news rattles a young girl's community, her normally attentive parents and neighbors are suddenly exhausted and distracted. At school, her teacher tells the class to look for the helpers—the good people working to make things better in big and small ways. She wants more than anything to help in a BIG way, but maybe she can start with one small act of kindness instead . . . and then another, and another. Small things can compound, after all, to make a world of difference.

First Lines:

I remember when we heard the bad news.

Suddenly Mom is glued to the television.

Dad can’t stop checking his phone.

They whisper and I pretend not to hear.

It is more than a little scary.

Memorable Moment:

Small things don’t solve everything.

The bad new is still there, after all.

But then again…so…are…we.

(Sweeping illustration of neighbors working to make the community a better place.)

Evaluation: 

The Breaking News aptly captures our contemporary 24-hour new cycle, where not only do we hear about all the tragedies that occur—the information is played over and over, dissected into small parts, and heavily sensationalized.  If the situation isn’t bad enough, the news coverage is sure to depress you.

As a society, we do not think often enough about how all this news impacts children.  I grew up in a world of relative innocence.  I was not aware of tragedies.  As a result, I spent my days cheerful and free, playing outside.  The first tragic event I remember was the assassination attempt on President Reagan when I was 9 years old.  My teacher yelled at the class about it (as if we had something to do with it).  Outside of that incident, I had no idea how my parents and community felt or what was going on.  They did not let the news--something I had no control over--impact me.  I am glad they didn't.  

The devastating event is generic--no specific details are given.  The reader just knows an event occurred that is making people sad.  As a result, the story can be read to young children and applied to any news event or personal situation.   Teachers and parents can use it to begin a conversation on age-appropriate, positive coping tools.  

I was challenged to consider many questions:  How much should I expose my children to?  How is my response impacting them?  If the adults are angry, distressed, or depressed, how are the children going to learn positive coping?

Author Reul gives us a starting point: “Even when the news is bad, you can still find good people trying to make things better in big and small ways.”  This insight prompts the child protagonists to make a difference in their own way—helping out, being silly, brainstorming solutions.  When the parents do not initially cheer up, the children do not give up. (I love their resilience.) Eventually, not only do their parents pick themselves up and make an empowering change, the whole community does. 

I love the message of the story—you do not have to solve the world’s problems to make a positive impact and to be joyful. Keep doing good. One task at a time…even if you feel small and discouraged. Overcome your feelings with positive actions.  

I highly recommend The Breaking News for libraries, schools, and homes.  The story is insightful and optimistic--two qualities we desperately need.  

Ideas for Extension Activities at Home or Lesson Plans for Teachers:

• Gratitude:  As part of the daily class or home routine, practice being grateful.  Not just grateful for the “good” but for the “bad.”  Not just grateful for what is solved now, but for what will be solved.
• Current Events:  Next time there is a tragic event, begin the day reading The Breaking News. Then discuss ways children can be empowered.  Limit children’s exposure to the news coverage, especially if the children are in elementary school or younger.
• Communication: Encourage children to express their fears and concerns about the event.
• Community Service:  Brainstorm ways students or the family can make a positive difference.  In a class, have the children bring in a picture of something they did to help out a person in need at home or in the neighborhood.  Or volunteer to do a task in the community or around the school—pulling weeds, picking up trash, or cleaning up the lunch room.  Make something for people in need.  For instance, replant flowers in small pots.  Visit a hospital or nursing home to give out.  Draw pictures or write a note to someone in the hospital or in need.

Historical Connections:

No one event is mentioned, but it can be applied to a discussion on any tragic event like...
9/11

School Shootings
Terrorist Attacks

Freedom Over Me (Ashley Bryan)

Title:  Freedom Over Me:  Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life

Author:  Ashley Bryan

Illustrator:  Ashley Bryan

Target Ages:  8 and up

Genre:  Poetry Historical Fiction

Awards: Coretta Scott King Author Honor, Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, Newbery Honor Book, Boston Globe/Horn Book Award

Publisher Summary: 

Imagine being looked up and down and being valued as less than chair. Less than an ox. Less than a dress. Maybe about the same as…a lantern.

You, an object. An object to sell.

In his gentle yet deeply powerful way, Ashley Bryan goes to the heart of how a slave is given a monetary value by the slave owner, tempering this with the one thing that CAN’T be bought or sold—dreams. Inspired by the actual will of a plantation owner that lists the worth of each and every one of his “workers,” Bryan has created collages around that document, and others like it. 

Sample Lines:

from “Peggy Dreams”

My knowledge makes me

hunger for more. 

Relieving the aches,

the pains,

the suffering

of the slaves

is my chief joy.

from “Athelia”

As slaves,

we do what our owners

expect and demand of us. 

As human beings,

our real lives are

our precious secret.

from “Mulvina Dreams”

Years of driven labor

have not driven

the ancestral thoughts

out of me. 

My memories of teaching—

surrounded by children,

singing songs of our history—

lives always with me.

Evaluation:

I began by listening to the audio book (which I recommend). I was immediately mesmerized by this narrative. The different voices bring the characters to life. Then, I read the book again and again. It is really hard to know where to begin discussing this powerful collection of poems.

Author Ashley Bryan sketched out multidimensional characters based on a historical document he came across listing the financial assets of an antebellum south plantation which included several enslaved people. In this historical fiction work, the enslaved characters each have two poems. One describes their role and life on the plantation.  The other is a stream of conscious “dream” revealing their inner desires and our common humanity. 

The central theme woven throughout is a deep longing for freedom and autonomy.  A couple powerful lines epitomize this universal desire: “Owners of the slaves think reading would give us ideas of freedom.  We know that whether we can read or not, we all want to be free.”

In addition, the characters’ unique skills and talents as well as their love for others resonate beyond race, culture, and class. Their feelings of pride for who they are and what they add to the world round out their character profiles.  

In addition, the poems illustrate the importance of their African heritage.  Some of them were born in Africa, so they still have the memories.  Those who are American born are inspired by the stories of their ancestral home.

The stunning watercolor paintings capture the characters' resilience and beauty. Hope, love, and creativity shine through despite living in the worse possible circumstances. Readers or all ages must experience Freedom Over Me.

Historical Connections:

African Kidnapping

Traveling the Middle Passage

Slavery and the American South
Slave Resistance and Runaways

Antebellum Southern Plantations

It is Poetry Friday!  Visit Michelle Kogan's Blog for more great poems.

Bird (by Zetta Elliott)

Title:  Bird

Author:  Zetta Elliott

Illustrator:  Shadra Strickland

Target Ages:  8 and up

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Awards: Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for new Talent in Illustrations, Ezra Jack Keats Book Award, ALA Notable Children’s book, and several others

Publisher Summary:  Young Mehkai, better known as Bird, loves to draw.  With drawings, he can erase the things that don’t turn out right.  In real life, problems aren’t so easily fixed.  As Bird struggles to understand the death of his beloved grandfather and his older brother’s drug addiction, he escapes into his art.  Drawing is an outlet for Bird’s emotions and imagination, and provides a path to making sense of his world.  In time, with the help of his grandfather’s friend, Bird finds his own special somethin’ and wings to fly.

Watch the book trailer here.  

First Lines: 

Today I saw a bird outside my window. 

It was perched on the rusty rail of the fire escape

shivering in the window. 

I wanted to open my window

and bring the bird inside

where it was warm,

but a sudden gust of wind

blew the bird away.

I drew a picture so I wouldn’t forget.

Evaluation: 

Bird is a picture book, so you may be wondering why I am posting it for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday.  To be fair, the book is shelved with the middle grade fiction in my library.  The target age, according to the publisher, is 8-13.  Also, the tone, content, and themes—addiction, loss, crime—are heavy.  Bird is not a book you would typically pull out for circle story time fun.  Despite the picture book format, it is definitely geared for middle grade readers.

The story is written in free verse.  The non-linear storyline works overall, but I did get a little confused at one point.  It begins with Bird spending time with his Uncle Son (a family friend), which is where the protagonist’s character begins to unfold.  Then, it switches to his relationship with his brother and to a lesser degree his grandfather.  The reader gets snapshots of their interactions; however, the exact time and space blends together like a mingling of memory and time.  The ending re-establishes the present—Bird learning from his mentor Uncle Son, who has taken on the role of grandfather, parent, and mentor.

Bird is the age of the target audience—about 10 or 11.  He is mature and reflective in many ways, but in others he is naïve and searching.   This story gives a voice to the many children who live in the urban setting and must face issues like dealing with drug addicted loved ones, having all their possesses stolen from their home, fending for themselves afterschool, and relying on community members for guidance. 

The picture book format adds complexity and characterization. The illustrations reflect both Bird’s reality and his imagination.   Illustrator Shadra Strickland uses watercolors and gouache in blues, greys, and blacks to depict the text.  The muted colors add to the urban setting and protagonist’s internal conflict.  While he has an outlet in his drawing and the support of caring adults, he is dealing with some harsh realities.  The darker colors reflect that reality astutely.  In contrast, charcoal and pen sketches are intertwined to illustrate Bird’s drawings.  By studying them, the reader learns more about the protagonist’s inner thought-life.

Both his parents work long hours.  As a result, Bird often goes to Uncle Son’s apartment after school.  Other than the occasional interactions with his brother, he spends much of his time alone—drawing, reflecting, and dreaming. Those activities not only help him cope, but also give him a hope for the future.  Bird exhibits a strong sense of resilience in the midst of adversity.

The narrative and illustrations have a lot to unpack.  The theme and characterization build empathy.  As a result, I highly recommend Bird for middle grade readers. 

Ideas for Extension Activities at Home or Lesson Plans for Teachers:

• Study the illustrations to discover more about the character. 
• Look up the symbolic meanings of the bird.  Discuss which meanings relate to the character and how they add multiple layers to the text. 
• Discuss the loss of a loved one as well as ways people cope and heal.
• Evaluate what the tone is and how it is interwoven throughout the narrative. 
• Analyze the non-linear story structure.
• Teacher’s Guide

For other Marvelous Middle Grade Monday recommendations, check out Always in the Middle.

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