Good friends, (including animals) are important throughout our lives - individuals we can confide in, trust, and be accepted by. In the same way, books can be friends to a lonely reader- reaching out to her and letting her know she is not alone in her struggles. Books with themes of friendship model the ups and downs that can happen in these relationships. We hope that this issue, full of books and activities about friendship, will be a resource for you or your students.
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When you think of war, friendship probably doesn’t spring to mind. But during the Revolutionary War, friendship proved more useful than all of our weapons combined. During research for my first two books, the Marquis de Lafayette kept popping up. I wondered: What was this French guy doing there, and why was he so important? I found out that Lafayette’s friendship with George Washington made him important.
Imagine this: surrounded by the British, facing imminent loss and being berated by the Continental Congress, George Washington met nineteen year old Lafayette at dinner. Lafayette had defied his king and sneaked out of France to help us. He faced prison when he returned.
Washington was struck by the lad’s eagerness and adoration. This was a man who had no time to waste. Nevertheless,Washington devoted time to Lafayette. I studied primary source documents to get the feel of this extraordinary relationship. Washington invited Lafayette to live at headquarters that night. Soon, he was calling him “son.”
I love the juxtaposition between the horror of war and the joy of friendship. Washington and Lafayette’s bond proves that friendship is an extraordinary phenomenon which may occur in even the tensest of times. Friendship ultimately won the war for us – because Lafayette went back to France and, after serving time under house arrest, he convinced the king to send troops. This changed everything. An unlikely friendship at an even more unlikely time is the core of our nation’s beginning. A powerful lesson on humanity, indeed.
Selene is the author of several picture books about the Revolutionary War - Upon Secrecy, By the Sword, and Revolutionary Friends. She has also authored powerful YA fiction. You can see her books at her website. Note that she is giving away a copy of Revolutionary Friends (referred to in this article). |
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Of A Song by Debbie Levy. We Shall Overcome won an honor for Jane Addams Book Award for books that promote peace and justice. Read more about Vanessa's thoughts on the need for diversity in children's literature on Carol's blog.
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by Carol 
Explore one of the following topics using an activity listed below.
TOPIC
- How would you define the characteristics of a good friend?
- What qualities do you admire in your friends?
- Do you feel as if you exhibit these "friendly" characteristics? Why or why not?
- Has a friend ever misunderstood you? Betrayed you? How did you handle it?
- What racial or ethnic barriers to friendship exist in your school?
ACTIVITIES
- Write a poem, journal entry, or fictional dialogue in response to one of these questions.
- Create a role-playing skit demonstrating a problem between friends. Ask your classmates to brainstorm ways in which the problem could be resolved.
- Examine the lives of either real or fictional friends. Example: Tolkien and C.S. Lewis or the characters in The Hunger Games.
- Write a recipe for friendship. What would you include?
- Create a friendship quilt.
- Make a new friend by becoming a pen pal with someone from another country or a nursing home pal to someone in your community.
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Introduction by Avery Voth
In this book the main character's name is August. He's not a normal kid. He is deformed so it is hard for him to get a friend. His mom makes him go to a school that he didn't want to go to. But pretty soon this kid named Jack decides August can't be that bad. They turn into really good friends. There's a girl named Summer who is really nice to August and they turn out to be really good friends also.
Introduction by Malin Voth
Pia gets leprosy and on the ship ride to Moloka'i, Hawaii - the place where all the lepers are going to prevent others from getting leprosy - he thinks of all the times he had with his friend Kamaka who is like a father and brother to him. Pia thinks that Kamaka deserted him, but really Kamaka is afraid of leprosy. Kamaka comes to Moloka'i with his wife Malia who has leprosy - even though he is not sick himself. Pia turns on Kamaka although Kamaka has done nothing against Pia. Pia realizes he ought to befriend Kamaka because Kamaka is all he has left on the island. Is there a chance that Pia and Kamaka's relationship might be healed?
Introduction by Malin Voth
This book starts out with a silly mouse who wants to become like his hero, Martin the Warrior. The mouse, Matthias, lives at Redwall; a place of friendship and peace. He enjoys life with his animal friends whose ambition is to overcome Cluny the Scourge. Cluny attacks Redwall more than once, but he fails even when he teams up with others. On his way to defeat his enemy the adder, Matthias meets some new friends, the Guosim Shrews. Together can Martin and his friends defeat Cluny and save the Abbey?
Avery is 9 and in the 4th grade. She loves living at a summer camp and all the activity it involves. She enjoys playing in the creek, baking amazing chocolate chip cookies, and making her family feel loved.
Malin is 11 and is excited about finishing the 6th grade so she can spend her days reading, spending time with her family, and playing outside. Malin is an organizer and a leader who creates fun, memorable moments for her friends.
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Want to explore a
Writer-in-Residence Workshop or Author Visit?
We'd love to hear from you!
We each offer our own author visits or we'll conduct writer residencies together. Contact us to design a program that meets your needs.
Joyce Hostetter
Carol Baldwin
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Create a "Talking Story" folder where you file old issues. Then you'll have them handy when you've got time to read, and you'll always be able to view past issues.
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Join is in July/August when we examine
"Brain Health In the Classroom."
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For best results,
"View as Webpage"
(on pale yellow bar at the top.)
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Send us an
and we'll enter your name to win one of the following four giveaways.
If you have a book preference please mention that.
We will try to honor requests.
Enter before
May 19
(Or better yet, enter right now!)
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by Connie Campbell Dierking
& Susan Anderson-Mcelveen
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PICTURE BOOKS
by Susan L. Meyer
by Susanna Moores
by Bhagavan Antle & Thea Feldman
by Mary Ann Rodman
BOOKS FOR YOUNG
READERS
by Hilary McKay
by Suzanne Trip Jermain
Soldiers' Best Friends on the Battlefield and Beyond
by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
by Peter Brown
by Julie Bowe
MIDDLE SCHOOL BOOKS
by Peter Nelson
by Nikki Loftin
YOUNG ADULT BOOKS
by Ally Carter
by Donna Cooner
by Ann Brashares
by Rick Riordian
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Congratulations to our winners from the
last issue.
* Linda Phillips won Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude
* Susan Light won Season of Change
* Michelle Wall won Cowboy Up!
* Esther Harder won Under the Never Sky
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Joyce now has a
Guides for her other books are on the way.
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Carol's book is now available as an ebook or on CD.
Use it to help your students write a story about friendship. A great end-of-year activity!
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* Selene Castrovilla for her article
*Vanessa Brantley-Newton for sharing an illustration.
* Avery and Malin Voth for their book introductions.
* Joanne Hunsberger for proofreading.
for great book recommendations.
* Selene Castrovilla, Joyce Hostetter, Boyds Mills Press, and Maupin House for book donations.
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We Welcome Young Reviewers!
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Do you know a young person who loves to read? We'd love to hear from you with name and contact information. We ask reviewers to read three books and write brief introductions.
This is a great opportunity for young people to gain experience in writing for publication.
Please email us if you know someone who would be interested! Thanks. |
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