1 of 1 members found this review helpful.
“Wow!
Somehow I never read this book growing up. I am on a Newbery Medal kick and kept putting this on the To Read list.
We used this as a real aloud the past week or two. The language in the book is excellent! This is good literature.
I am not certain my students understood all the subtleties. I decided to read the N-Word and discuss its use. I think that went well.
My students were drawn to this book. I am not certain I would read this again to fourth graders.
I was taken with how well-written this book is. I suspect it is because the language Armstrong used is the language of my youth.
Is stealing always wrong?
A sharecropper provides for his family in this story set in the south during the 1800s. It's hard living. He likes to hunt with his coon dog, Sounder. But hunting and crops are scarce. The father brings home a ham for his family to feast on. His oldest son had had ham but once or twice in his life. While the food is good, it comes at a cost.
The boy matures with his father in jail and the dog crippled by the sheriff. His nature is to seek his father and care for his family. His heart is to learn to read. Based on a true story, the boy satisfies both his need and his desire.
The ending, while predictable, is sad, yet remarkably inspiring.
I recommend this book.”
Batona wrote this review Friday, May 9 2008.
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