Welcome to the Underground Bookshelf Book Club! Throughout the month of February, we are reading two children's books. The first book, Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth by E.L. Konigsburg, is a Newbery Honor Book, an American Library Association Notable Children's Book, and is on The Horn Book Fanfare List.
At the time it was written, this book faced some controversy because it represented an interracial friendship and centered children who pretended to be witches. In this book, Elizabeth moves to a new town. While she struggles to fit in with her classmates, she meets Jennifer who teaches her how to become a witch.
In honor of Black History Month, our second book is One Crazy Summer by New York Times Bestselling Author, Rita Williams-Garcia. One Crazy Summer has received many awards and honors. It is a Newberry Honor Book, recipient of the Coretta Scott King Award, a National Book Award Finalist, an American Library Association Notable Book, an NAACP Image Award Nominee and more.
This book tells the story of three sisters who fly across the country to spend a month with the mother who left shortly after the birth of her youngest child. During their stay, they learn about the Black Panthers and their role in fighting for Civil Rights. One Crazy Summer is the first book in the Gaither Sisters Series.
If you can't find these books at a library or bookstore near you, InternetArchive is a great resource for reading books online, and you can use WorldCat or LibraryLink to search for these books at a location near you. Next week's discussion prompt will be dedicated to Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth and the remaining weeks of February will be focused on One Crazy Summer.
Prompt 1: Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth by E.L. Konigsburg
This week, we are discussing the children's book, Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth by E.L. Konigsburg. Written for ages 8-11, it follows the character, Elizabeth, who has just moved to a new town, and her friendship with Jennifer. In the past, this book has faced controversy because the children pretend to be witches and because it represents an interracial friendship.
For the majority of the book, Elizabeth and Jennifer build their relationship around researching witchcraft and creating a potion that will allow them to fly. This task allows them to play together and enjoy each other's company without calling what they have "friendship." A big fight causes them to stop pretending to be witches and to stop playing together. After a period of angst, they make up and play together as friends for the first time without any job or task bringing them together.
My prompt for this week is this: Why do you think the author formed their relationship this way? Why did they need this proverbial contract binding them together? Why couldn't they just be friends from the start? What about them as individuals made them need to complete a task in order to spend time together rather than admitting that they enjoyed each other's company?
Prompt 2: One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
This week, we are discussing the children's book, One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia. This book tells the story of three sisters who fly across the country to spend a month with the mother who left shortly after the birth of her youngest child. During their stay, they learn about the Black Panthers and their role in fighting for Civil Rights. One Crazy Summer is the first book in the Gaither Sisters Series.
The first part of this prompt comes from the Harper Collins Discussion Guide, and it relates to Delphine and her view of her mother. The prompt is: "Are Cecile and Delphine at all alike? How? How are they different? What does Cecile mean when she tells Delphine that it wouldn’t kill her to be selfish (p. 110)?"
The second part of this prompt is my own. This book specifically details actions which we would consider microaggressions toward Black Americans. For example: tourists who take pictures of three little Black girls traveling alone. Why do you think it was important for the author to include things like this in a children's book? How do readers benefit from reading about these kinds of real-life scenarios in children's fiction? Who do you think this was written for?
Prompt 3: One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
This week, we are discussing the children's book, One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia. This book tells the story of three sisters who fly across the country to spend a month with the mother who left shortly after the birth of her youngest child. During their stay, they learn about the Black Panthers and their role in fighting for Civil Rights. One Crazy Summer is the first book in the Gaither Sisters Series.
My prompts today come from the Harper Collins Discussion Guide. First: "What does the stool in the kitchen mean to Delphine? Does her relationship with Cecile change the evening the stool appears? How?"
Second: "How does Delphine feel about the messages of the Black Panthers? Why does she want to stop taking her sisters to the People’s Center and skip the rally? Do her beliefs about the Black Panthers and their messages change throughout the story? How would you have felt in her place?"
Add comment
Comments