Keeping the Night Watch

Keeping the Night Watch was written by Hope Anita Smith and Illustrated by E. B. Lewis. It is a chapter, poetry book. The theme of the book is the importance of family and trust. The primary character is C.J. and the secondary characters are his family, especially his father. The book was published in 2008 by Henry Holt and Company.

C.J. is the oldest child in his family. His father walked out on them and he took the father role in the family. Once his father comes back, everyone else is quick to trust him, but C.J. resents his father and does not want him back. C.J. writes about how his family handles his dad leaving and returning and the struggles he has about trusting him again. I would use this book to introduce older students to how poetry can be used in every day life. The author of this book wrote about his feelings towards his father. By reading this story, students could use it as a model to write a book about their own life or feelings.

Goin' Someplace Special

Goin' Someplace Special was written by Patricia McKissack and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. It is in the picture book genre, with realistic fiction and history. The theme of the story is that in order to get to where you want to be you will have to do hard work and overcome challenges and setbacks. The primary character in this story is Tricia Ann and her grandmother. It was published in 2001 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers. It is a Coretta Scott King Award Winner.

The story takes place in Nashville in the 1950's. Tricia Ann is a young girl who lives in a segregated community that is filled with Jim Crowe laws. Tricia Ann talks her grandmother into allowing her to go to "Someplace Special" all by herself. Tricia Ann starts on her trip very excited. However, as she comes across many incidents due to the Jim Crowe laws she finds herself more discouraged. She stumbles across an old lady who encourages her to keep on working to get to that place. Once Tricia Ann is able to finish her journey, she arrives at the public library and reads the sign: "All Are Welcome." I would use this book in many ways. This book could be incorporated into a black history lesson. Students could discuss the similarities and differences they have with Tricia Ann and how different their lives would be if they had these laws. Students would really love the story and could easily relate to it by living close to Nashville and being the same age as the young girl.