Summary
Moving to a new place is always hard, but it is even harder when you, and your family, are unwanted. In Katherine Applegate’s Wishtree, readers are provided a unique perspective about the big ideas of immigration and friendship through the eyes (and branches) of an unlikely narrator. Known commonly as “the wishtree”, Red takes readers on a journey to try and make one specific wish come true, but this wise old oak tree may wind up needing a little help from others in the process.
Are any characters privileged or marginalized? How are critical social issues dealt with? Does the author foster social consciousness?
Samar, and her family, represent marginalized characters in this text because they are seen as the “others” in the neighborhood. The critical social issue of immigration is addressed in a realistic way as an individual carves the threatening message, “LEAVE” (Applegate, 2017, pp.50-51) into the tree outside of the family’s home. Samar’s family feels unwanted and unsafe in their adopted community despite its history as a refuge for immigrants. Applegate’s Wishtree, provides a unique perspective of immigration through the eyes and experiences of children rather than adults. This fosters a sense of social consciousness in readers as they are prompted to advocate for others just as Stephen did for Samar.
Classroom Connections
After reading Applegate’s Wishtree, I want to learn more about this tradition. And more importantly, I want my future students to learn about it with me! In order to do this, I would have students complete research about the wishing tree to learn more about the tradition across cultures. Then, we would organize our own May Day event at school. Students could use the research that they completed to create invitations explaining the tradition’s history and the event’s purpose to the other classes around our school. This would be the perfect way to incorporate persuasive writing into our novel study as a concluding activity and encourage my students’ curiosity about cultures other than their own.
Summary
Have you heard of the Statue of Liberty? She’s in New York. Have you seen her right foot? Probably not. In their book, Her Right Foot, Dave Eggers and Shawn Harris investigate something that few Americans have likely considered themselves. They present their findings using captivating illustrations and text that inform the reader that the Statue of Liberty is not only an iconic symbol of our nation, but she is on the move and she symbolizes far more than just freedom.
How does the point of view affect your reading? Who is the implied reader or intended audience of the book? Whose background knowledge is privileged in reading this text?
In Her Right Foot, David Eggers writes from an assumed perspective that his readers are going to be people who already have some background knowledge about the Statue of Liberty. In fact, those whose background may be particularly privileged in this story are Americans who have been previously been taught the history of the Statue of Liberty and its significant to our nation. Eggers makes statements like, “You may have known that the book the statue is carrying, the one in her left hand, features the date, July 4, 1776, on which the Declaration of Independence was signed” (2017, p. 31) and “You probably know that the torch she carries is a symbol of enlightenment, lighting the path to liberty and freedom” (2017, p. 35) which imply that his reader should have already been aware of these facts prior to opening the book. He follows these statements by using the language “But there is one thing you might not know” (Eggers, 2017, p. 43) to introduce the reader to his real purpose in writing.
Critical Literacy Analysis
In his article “’Nobody Spoke Like I Did’: Picture Books, Critical Literacy, and Global Contexts”, Jon Callow calls for “critical literacy, as part of our understanding of global literacy” to play a significant role in the teaching and learning within our classrooms (2017, p.231). He goes on to explain that “Exploring the powerful use of the written and visual modes should also raise our awareness that other stories and texts may seek to shape our views” (Callow, 2017, p. 235). On this particular spread of Her Right Foot, readers have just been clued in to the fact that the Statue of Liberty is not standing still but is actually moving. Author Dave Eggers has written, “That’s right! She is going somewhere! She is on the move!” (2017, p.49). This text is paired with an illustration of the Statue of Liberty and the New York skyline in the foreground against the warmer colors of a red and yellow sunset in the background. This contrast is highlighted by more than just the colors though. It is also evident through the lines that Shawn Harris uses to create the image. While the sunset uses curves and waves that seem to melt into one another, the Statue of Liberty and skyline are both created using precise angles and straight lines. The combination of all of these elements serve to emphasize the image of Lady Liberty on the move rather than as a stationary object.
Classroom Connections
While I found this book intriguing, and was genuinely interested in reading it, I find the particular language that Eggers uses to be exclusive. Readers who have never had the opportunity to visit or learn about the Statue of Liberty will likely feel left out of the conversation and may even be uninterested in this captivating text. To combat this, I would suggest using this book at the conclusion of lesson or unit that has given all students an opportunity to gain some background knowledge about the topic. The teacher’s guide for Her Right Foot provides links to archival images of the statue over time that students might utilize to complete this pre-reading activity. One might also establish a cross-curricular link by having students create their own models of the Statue of Liberty using a given scale. The resources to complete this activity can also be found as part of the classroom teacher’s guide.
Summary
When everything around you is new, even the good things can be overwhelming. That’s how Cartwheel feels in her new home, surrounded by new people, new foods, and new words. She finds comfort in wrapping herself in an old blanket of words and noises that make her feel safe. This blanket is warm and soft unlike the new world that she finds herself in. But when a new friend kindly offers her experiences, and eventually words, Cartwheel find herself creating a new blanket for herself that fits just as well.
What values were conveyed through the book? How were these values or social views conveyed to the reader?
Throughout the book, the value of friendship is conveyed as the main character, Cartwheel, learns that a good friend can help to bridge the differences between people and cultures by making one feel like a part of something rather than an outsider. This value was conveyed through the extended metaphor of a blanket to represent the safety and security that often comes from being known and understood. In My Two Blankets, Cartwheel recounts “Every time I met the girl, she brought more words,” (Kobald, 2014, p.19) and later as she continues saying “Soon they didn’t sound so cold and sharp anymore. They started to sound warm and soft. I was weaving a new blanket” (Kobald, 2014, p. 24). These words, paired with Freya Blackwood’s illustrations, create an effective message that readers of all ages will understand and appreciate.
Classroom Connections
I would personally use My Two Blankets as a jumping off point for a get to know me activity. Because the book focuses on the idea of images and words that create a tapestry that defines the main character, I would ask my students to consider what images or words might be a part of their own personal tapestry. After brainstorming some of their ideas, I would have students create their own tapestry via a Pecha Kucha video. The Pecha Kucha is a Japanese presentation style that flashes images on the screen that the presenter than discusses the significance of. Students could use Adobe Spark, or another video making technology, to organize and present their images to the class. Once again, this classroom connection would enable students to learn about a culture beyond their own in an exciting way.
So what do these books have in common?
Each of the books from this week’s text set focused on the issue of immigration and the theme of acceptance. Wishtree relays this theme through an unconventional narrator who teaches the valuable lesson to everyone including Francesca who states, “Here in this neighborhood, we’re better than this. We don’t threaten people here. We welcome them” (Applegate, 2017, p. 205). Her Right Footleaves readers with the conclusion, “After all, the Statue of Liberty is an immigrant, too. And this is why she’s moving. This is why she’s striding. In welcoming the poor, the tired, the struggling to breathe free. She is not content to wait. She must meet them at sea” (Eggers, 2017, pp. 87-93). In My Two Blankets, Cartwheel finishes her story saying, “My new blanket grew just as warm and soft and comfortable as my old blanket. And now, no matter which blanket I use, I will always be me” (Kobald, 2014, pp. 27-29). Through each of these texts, readers are encouraged to consider this theme by analyzing how each of these stories can relate to their own lives and prompt them to respond with compassion to those who are different than themselves. In “Connections from the Classroom”, Amy Edwards makes the claim that “Considering multiple perspectives encourages students to think conceptually about global issues in their complexity” (Connections to the Classroom). While this theme can be intimidating to approach as a teacher in our current environment, there is a call for students to learn how to comprehend complex texts and relate them back to their own lives. In “Comprehension at the Core”, Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis make the claim that “Once readers begin to consciously merge their thinking with the content, they are able to turn that information into knowledge” (2013, p. 435). They continue by saying “Nothing is more important than teaching young people to use and recognize the power of their own minds,” (Harvey and Goudvis, 2013, p.439).
Sources
Applegate, K. (2017). Wishtree. New York, New York: Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.
Callow, J. 2017). “Nobody spoke like I did”: Picture books, critical literacy, and global contexts. The Reading Teacher, 71(2), 231-237.https://asulearn.appstate.edu/pluginfile.php/96942/mod_page/content/13/picture%20books%20crit%20lit%20global.pdf
Edwards, A. (n.d.). WOW stories: Connections from the classroom. Worlds of Worlds. Retrieved from https://wowlit.org/on-line-publications/stories/storiesi2/15/
Eggers, D. (2017). Her right foot. San Francisco, California: Chronicle Books, LLC.
Harvey, S., & Goudvis, A. (2013). Comprehending at the core. The Reading Teacher, 66(6), 432-439. https://drive.google.com/file/d/124WJ1EEPzq2r834W-6Av4xbLqdZuUtbM/view
Kobald, I. (2014). My two blankets. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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