Freckle Juice is a classic children's book written by Judy Blume. Although written in 1971, the story can relate to every new generation of middle school aged children. The book revolves around Andrew Marcus, a freckleless boy with a burning desire to have freckles. His greatest object of envy is Nicky Lane, whom he sits behind in class. Nicky is covered with freckles. Unfortunately, Andrew also shares his classroom with Sharon, a conniving little girl. Once Sharon learns of Andrew's desire to have freckles, she sells him a bogus recipe for "Freckle Juice," which Sharon guarantees will produce freckles. The recipe is a nauseating concoction of kitchen items, including vinegar, onions, and mustard. When Andrew drinks the "Freckle Juice" he not only becomes violently sick, but fails to get any freckles. Not wanting to return to school still freckleless, Andrew covers his face with blue dots with a magic marker. His classmates find his blue freckles amusing. Then his teacher, Miss Kelley, gives him a "secret formula" to remove the "freckles," and stresses to Andrew that he is very handsome with without freckles. Andrew also learns that Nicky is actually envious of him because he doesn't have freckles.I enjoyed reading this book. I feel that someone in any age group could read the story, enjoy it, and understand the value of self concept and self esteem that it emphasizes. Nearly every human finds a flaw in them whether it is obesity, mannerisms, language, or not having freckles! This story encourages people to see themselves as others do, and to appreciate the qualities they possess. I strongly feel that Freckle Juice would be an important component to teach in the middle grade classroom. Children at this age level can feel extremely self conscious of their appearance, as they are evolving from adolescence to puberty.
It is well known that books read by adolescents are somewhat inappropriate in certain ways such as language and the types of actions done by the characters. Some books consist of drugs, sex, and violence which obviously isn’t very appropriate nor does it consist of positive values. It is easy to see why some books ar...
This book talk about the physical apperience of race. I like the fact that it was openly hounest about how society look at interracial couples. I also find it to be inerresting to introduce the fact that people are different to kids while they are young. This book gave the impression that mix children have wild sandy red color looking hair. When a child read this book it will teach them the difference but also open their mind to understand that everyone is different but they are still people. We are all unique in our own way.
In the book, “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry” by Mildred D. Taylor, a character in the story that makes me angry is Miss Crocker. The reason Miss Crocker makes me angry in the story is because she doesn’t understand why Little Man and Cassie are upset about their books. She doesn’t look at it from their perspective. Cassie Logan and Little Man Logan both are unhappy about their books because they thought that they were getting brand new books instead of old worn down books. Also they were upset that before they had their book, on the chart, all white people had the book before them and then when they looked at where the race of student was, on the last column, it says for them “nigra” and that upsets them
The Girl with the Brown Crayon tells a simple personal story of a teacher and a child, interweaving the themes of race, identity, gender, and the essential human needs to create, and to belong. With these characteristic charms, and wonder, Paley discovers how the unexplored territory unfolding before her and Reeny comes to mark the very essence of school, a common core of reference, something to ponder deeply and expand on extravagantly. The child, Reeny, meets a writer of books and story-teller, is introduced to his fictional characters, and debates, with other children, their virtues and weaknesses.
Janie’s first discovery about herself comes when she is a child. She is around the age of six when she realizes that she is colored. Janie’s confusion about her race is based on the reasoning that all her peers and the kids she grows up with are white. Janie and her Nanny live in the backyard of the white people that her Nanny works for. When Janie does not recognize herself on the picture that is taken by a photographer, the others find it funny and laughs, leaving Janie feeling humiliated. This racial discovery is not “social prejudice or personal meanness but affection” (Cooke 140). Janie is often teased at school because she lives with the white people and dresses better than the other colored kids. Even though the kids that tease her were all colored, this begins Janie’s experience to racial discrimination.
Chuck Berry is one of the founders of rock and roll. He is the only one living today. He has performed for millions of people with his famous “Duck Walk.” He still has what Corliss & Bland describe as a slim, toned body, wavy hair drenched in Valvoline oil, and a sharply cut masculine chin and cheeks etched with pain and promise. Even today he only wants a Lincoln Town Car, his Fender Bassman amp, and his guitar. Chuck Berry has had for decades one of the shortest and most ironclad contracts in the music business (Jacobson 6).
Children have often been viewed as innocent and innocent may be a nicer way to call children naive. Since children’s lives are so worry free they lack the knowledge of how to transition from being a child to becoming an adolescent. Their lack of knowledge may be a large part of their difficulties growing up, which could be a few rough years for many. In books like the boy in the striped pajamas the story is told from the point of view of a little boy, this way we get a full view of how innocent he is. In this book the writer shows the reader first hand how a child viewed the holocaust and how his innocence cost him his life. Then in books like the perks of being a wallflower Charlie is a teen whom is struggling with the transition from being a child to becoming an adolescent. In this book the writer gives a first hand look at how difficult it can be to transition into an adolescent. Charlie has many difficulties in this book; he is in search of his identity and how to fit in.
Murphy expresses how justifying bad deeds for good is cruel by first stirring the reader’s emotions on the topic of bullying with pathos. In “White Lies,” Murphy shares a childhood memory that takes the readers into a pitiful classroom setting with Arpi, a Lebanese girl, and the arrival of Connie, the new girl. Murphy describes how Arpi was teased about how she spoke and her name “a Lebanese girl who pronounced ask as ax...had a name that sounded too close to Alpo, a brand of dog food...” (382). For Connie, being albino made her different and alone from everyone else around her “Connie was albino, exceptionally white even by the ultra-Caucasian standards... Connie by comparison, was alone in her difference” (382). Murphy tries to get the readers to relate and pity the girls, who were bullied for being different. The author also stirs the readers to dislike the bullies and their fifth grade teacher. Murphy shares a few of the hurtful comments Connie faced such as “Casper, chalk face, Q-Tip... What’d ya do take a bath in bleach? Who’s your boyfriend-Frosty the Snowman?” (382). Reading the cruel words can immediately help one to remember a personal memory of a hurtful comment said to them and conclude a negative opinion of the bullies. The same goes for the fifth grade teac...
Fiction Studies 49.3 (Fall 2003): 443-468. Rpt. in Children's Literature Review. Ed. Jelena Krstovic. Vol. 176. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Literature Resource Center. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.
High school students in many American schools first read this book in an English class, which has been a staple for many schools. A required reading assignment exposes many more people to the book. Even though the book is considered to be a children’s book by many, it is still enjoyed by people of all ages.
Harvey Milk said, “If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door.”(Aretha 83). Harvey Milk was the first gay politician that moved people’s hearts. He changed the way people thought about gay people back in the 1970’s. Defending homosexuals from criticism, he civilized them with the people. Since the background of homosexuality was harsh which affected Harvey Milk’s early life, he took the action to process of becoming civilized as an officer, and he left many legacies.
The search for the "fountain of youth" or the "elixir of life" is something that we have read about in many myths and fiction stories throughout the year. They are also things real life explorers looked for dating back centuries, the most famous of which is Ponce de Leon whose search of this elusive fountain took him to Florida in the late 1400 's and early 1500 's. However, He was not the first looking for this fountain that is said to give you the power of endless youth, the desire to stay young is a desire that may date back to the beginning of mankind itself. Although, as civilization has advanced through the centuries most people have given up on magical fountain and elixirs that extends your life while making you young again, and turned to
For this assignment I chose to review the book Shades of Black by Sandra Pinkney and illustrated by Myles Pinkney. This book was published in January of 2006 by Cartwheel Books. This book teaches young children about the differences in culture, and how there is not one stereotype to being black. Black men and woman can be several shades, have several eye colors, ect., and still love their self. This book teaches children to recognize differences amongst other people, and not exclude them because they are different. This story is a great multicultural literature choice for children aged 3-10, pointing out physical challenges in an honest and positive way. This book gives very clear descriptions of ethnic customs and clothing throughout the book
Skin complexion is a physical feature of an individual that cannot be changed. For example, Emma is very unsatisfied with her skin complexion and she internalizes her pain very deeply. She feels she could escape the pain she experiences at home, school, and in her neighborhood if she finds a way to lighten her skin. As a result, Emma uses products such as cream and ointment to bleach her skin in hopes of having a lighter skin complexion. However, she is unsuccessful with lightening her skin and continues to encounter negative experiences of discrimination. Skin color is different than other physical features such as hair which can be straightened, curled, or styled in a variety of ways. The reasoning behind Emma’s motives for lightening her skin is the perception and value of lighter skin in
Children literature is a term that refers to the texts written for children. The artist uses creative ways to ensure that children are provided with educational books, touching on a variety of themes. This paper will include comparison of two characters from the two texts, “Hana's Suitcase: A True Story,” authored by Karen Levine and “Charlotte’s Web,” written by E.B. White, with the aim of understanding ways in which problems are solvable as indicated by selected characters.