Lily's Crossing

Bibliography:

Giff, Patricia Reilly. 1997. Lily’s Crossing. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN: 0385321422.

Summary:

Every summer, Lily goes with her father and grandmother to Rockaway Beach, on the Atlantic Ocean. She’s full of excitement and plans for this summer, but then everything changes. It’s 1944, and though she doesn’t fully comprehend what she hears on the radio, she knows her father is leaving for Europe and that there’s a war going on. Lily’s sure her grandmother doesn’t understand her, and she feels alone. Then she meets Albert – a boy her age who happens to be a Hungarian refugee. He lost his parents, and his younger sister is sick somewhere in France. During that summer, Lily and Albert grieve and mature together, becoming close friends. They have fun too, swimming in the bay, sneaking into the movies, and rescuing a cat. At the end, both Lily’s father and Albert’s sister return, which is perhaps a bit contrived, but happy nonetheless.

Analysis:

Lily is a well-developed character with whom young kids can identify. She hates practicing the piano, she tells lies sometimes, she misses her mother, and she can’t wait for school to get out so she can escape her teacher. The historical details develop naturally: at the beginning, war is something distant, but it moves closer as people Lily knows become involved. From clues in her father’s letters, she figures out he is in France, and she studies a map of France while listening to the news. She listens to Albert’s story of the Nazis taking his parents and feels empathy for him. Though her father survives, her best friend’s brother does not, so Lily does experience the loss associated with war. Except for the refugee, the author loosely based the story on the experience of her own childhood at Rockaway Beach during the war, and the setting feels authentic.

Reviews/Awards:

Newbery Honor Book

“To Lily, World War II has been little more than an annoyance (the scarcity of candy) or an excuse for elaborate lies (claiming her aunt is a spy). Then Lily receives the first of many blows the war will deliver. Her only friend, Margaret, announces her family is moving to Detroit so her father can work in a war plant. Lily's father enlists in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Left alone with her bossy grandmother, Lily begins to realize the depth of tragedy the war can cause.”
School Library Journal

“When Lily's father has to leave to fight in France, she is so hurt and furious that she refuses even to say good-bye to him. As she gets to know Albert, an orphaned Hungarian refugee, she learns about his secret anguish: he is guilt-stricken about the younger sister he left behind (he, also, didn't say good-bye), and he is determined, somehow, to cross the ocean and find her.”
Booklist

“Closely observed, quickly paced and warmly told, this has all the ingredients that best reward readers.”
Publisher’s Weekly

Connections:
* Read The Little Ships by Louise Borden. Both books involve a young girl, her father, ships, and World War II. Discuss the differences, including the settings on opposite sides of the ocean.

Hattie Big Sky

Bibliography:

Larson, Kirby. 2006. Hattie Big Sky. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN: 0385733135.

Summary:

Hattie has been an orphan nearly as long as she can remember, shuffled around from relative to relative. Her life with Aunt Ivy isn’t easy, so when she gets a mysterious letter from a long-lost uncle, she jumps at the chance to escape. Her uncle died and left Hattie his claim in Montana. The year is 1917, and she has 10 months to “prove up” on the claim, meaning build a fence, plant crops, and pay the fees. Life is hard on the Montana prairie, especially for a girl of 16 living by herself. But Hattie is strong and determined, and she takes everything life throws at her. She writes of her adventures to her school chum, Charlie, who is fighting in the war. She also makes friends with her good-hearted neighbors, who need support against the anti-German sentiment around them. Though tragedy occurs and Hattie is unable to keep the claim, in those 10 months she discovers the family she always wanted and she finds herself as well.

Analysis:

The first-person narrative is lively and well-written. Hattie’s spunk and her many adventures will keep both girls and boys interested. The author’s description of life on the claim is realistic and at times humorous. Hattie deals with extreme cold, fights off a wolf and wild horses, milks a bad-tempered cow, and even delivers a neighbor’s baby. In a note, the author explains that Hattie is based on a real-life relative of hers, but though her relative did keep the Montana claim, she felt it was unrealistic to allow Hattie to do so. The ending is at the same time sad and hopeful. The book deals with many themes, including friendship, courage, integrity, and working hard.

Reviews/Awards:

Newbery Honor Book
Montana Book Award

“Larson creates a masterful picture of the homesteading experience and the people who persevered.”
School Library Journal, starred review

“The authentic first-person narrative, full of hope and anxiety, effectively portrays Hattie's struggles as a young woman with limited options, a homesteader facing terrible odds, and a loyal citizen confused about the war and the local anti-German bias that endangers her new friends.”
Booklist, starred review

Connections:
* Discuss the recipes printed in the back of the book and what it would have been like to live on a homestead.
* Look at the pictures in Photographing Montana 1894-1928: The Life and Work of Evelyn Cameron.

The Game of Silence

Bibliography:

Erdrich, Louise. 2005. The Game of Silence. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN: 0060297891.

Summary:

Omakayas, or Little Frog, lives with her parents, her lovestruck older sister, and her annoying little brother. She is a member of the Ojibwe tribe and they live on an island in Lake Superior. She plays with her cousins, helps plant a garden, goes on adventures with her pet crow and dog, and listens to her grandmother's stories around the fire. Life is full of ups and downs for Omakayas, but when her father goes missing, she discovers she has a special gift - the ability to see things through dreams. Her father is found, but another difficult time is on the way for the tribe. The white people are kicking them out of the land, breaking their peace treaty and sending them further west. Omakayas worries about losing “something so important that they never even knew that they had it in the first place” - her home. Still, the book ends with the hope of adventure and a new life as they sail away in canoes.

Analysis:

The author creates memorable characters: the feisty, independent Old Tallow who lives with her perfectly trained dogs; the Angry One, a boy with a tragic past who discovers kindness and healing; and Two Strike, a girl who wants to be a boy and proves herself by hunting and attacking. Words, phrases, customs, and stories of the tribe are woven seamlessly into the text. The author provides an endnote and a glossery about the Ojibwe language. The book has a good balance of historical detail, adventure, and humor. Stereotyping is avoided by showing kind white people as well as those forcing the tribe out of their home. The author's pencil illustrations are a wonderful accompaniment to the text and provide a look at the characters and setting described.

Reviews/Awards:

“Although the story is set on an island in Lake Superior in 1850, readers will identify with the everyday activities of the Ojibwa, from snowball fights to fishing excursions, providing a parallel to their own lives while encouraging an appreciation for one that is very different. The action is somewhat slow, but Erdrich's captivating tale of four seasons portrays a deep appreciation of our environment, our history, and our Native American sisters and brothers.”
School Library Journal

“In addition to an abundance of details about life through the seasons, Erdrich deals with the wider meaning of family and Omakayas' coming-of-age on a vision quest. Just on the edge of the child's daily life and coming ever closer are the whites--among them, a Catholic "soul-stealer" priest and a friendly teacher who helps the children learn to read and write both Ojibwe and English.”
Booklist, starred review

Connections:
* This book is a sequel to The Birchbark House. Read both together and discuss.
* Compare to Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series, set in the same time period.