Genre 5: Historical Fiction

Book #1

Bibliography:

Erdrich, Louise. The Game of Silence. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2005. 

ISBN: 0-06-029789-1

1. Character and Plot:

Louise Erdrich has developed a story that centers around an amazing young girl named Omakayas. Her family of the Ojibwe  nation tribe, also known as Anishinabeg, has a great historical North American Indian tradition. The family has resided in the Great Lakes area of Lake Superior for many generations.  Omakayas along with father Deydey, mother Yellow Kettle, grandmother Nokomis, sister Angeline, and brother Pinch have a traditional and spiritual existence in their native lands. Many generations have taught them how to live off of and coexist with the flora and fauna of each season.  Their native practice and faith give them a special connection to their place on the earth that can not entirely be explained in words; however, Erdrich somehow captures the essence of this connection.  This is especially true when they are forced out of their home by the chimookomanag (white people) to their new home on a Wisconsin reservation in about the 1850's.

2. Setting and Theme:

Erdrich manages to create visuals and emotions through her writing that relate some of that special connection that the Anishinabeg had for their homelands.  This connection is especially clear when she describes grandmother's garden:

Nokomis's garden was very old. She had inherited it from her mother, who had inherited it from hers. The earth had grown rich from generations of careful replenishment.... But the garden was more than the space it occupied. Its seeds, too, had been handed down for many generations.

 Grandmother's special garden had seen this tribal village and their ancestors through many harsh seasons and bitterly cold winters. The family has a great respect, in true native tradition, for the elder Nokomis and her knowledge of the land and preservation of it. Throughout the book, the family will interact with the land as they move seasonally to the place where they camp in the summer near the water, to the fall rice camp, as well as their winter cabin which is located further from the frozen over lake. One other connection to the land  is exhibited in the rite of passage that all young tribal members must fulfill to connect with the spirits and find their unique gift.  In other tribal traditions this is called a vision quest and requires participation in isolation where they can become one with nature, by fasting and praying in traditional form.  

3. Style and Additional Criterion:

Louise Erdrich is herself a member of the Chippewa, Ojibwe nation.  Though she provides a complete glossary of Ojibwe terms used throughout the book, context clues are also provided each time that she uses them.  She adds an extra note, before the glossary, explaining that she used idiosyncratic spellings of words to assist in pronunciation. She also provides a source to A Concise Dictionary of Minnesota Ojibwe, by John D. Nichols and Earl Nyholm for a more in-depth reference of the language and spellings.  

4. Awards and Recognition:

Louise Erdrich is a New York Times Best Selling Author who has been awarded for novels written for adults and children. The Game of Silence was a sequel to The Birchbark House with Omakayas as the central character as well.
Love Medicine- National Books Critics Circle Award
The Birchbark House- National Book Award for Young People's Literature

Reviews:

The action is somewhat slow, but Erdrich's captivating tale of our seasons portrays a deep appreciation of our environment, our history, and our Native American sisters and brothers.-School Library Journal

 Grades 5-8. As Erdrich said about The Birchbark House, her research into her ancestors revealed the horrifying history and also a culture rich, funny, and warm. In this heartrending novel the sense of what was lost is overwhelming.- Booklist, starred review

Book #2

Bibliography:

Cushman, Karen. Rodzina. New York: Dell Yearling, 2003. 

ISBN:  0-440-41993-X

1. Character and Plot:

This novel of the gilded age set in 1881 is based on the real life effort to save the many orphaned children of this dangerous industrial era in the United States.  Many immigrant families soon learned that the fast paced lifestyle of the industrial north was not the best place for family or children. Often parents and children fell victim to the harsh consequences of heavy industry which often resulted in alcoholism and even death.  Death occurred for many reasons including: lung cancer caused by poor air quality, alcoholism, and dangerous work environments. This was only made worse by the fact that people worked 12 to 16 hours a day.  Rodzina Brodski is the 12 year old Polish immigrant girl who tells the story of what might have happened to some of the orphaned children of the Gilded Age in American history. Her story begins on the streets of Chicago were she is found and taken by the city's Orphan Asylum who then put her on board a train. The orphan's only guidance comes from two adults named Mr. Szprot and Miss Doctor.

2. Setting and Theme:

The "orphan trains" as they were called became a way for these orphans to find new homes in the vast new territories of the recently acquired West.  The setting in the train is at first a negative experience for all of the orphans who have no idea what fate awaits them.  They are set to embark on an adventure that will take them into the far reaches of the western half of the United States. As Rodzina describes this event:

No, I surely did not want to get on the train, but the crowd of orphans shoved me onward. The long black wool stockings they'd given me at the orphan home itched something fierce, and pausing midway up the steps, I bent down to scratch my knees. Three orphans knocked right into me.

"You, Polish Girl," said Mr. Szprot, his voice even louder than his jacket, "try not to be so clumsy." 

From Chicago, Rodzina's train ride will take her to the territories of Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and finally,  California. The West of the 1880's was still very well preserved in its natural state where Native American Indians still roamed. 

3. Style and Additional Criterion:

Karen Cushman develops a relationship with these orphans that warms the heart. The desperation of the times rings through on page after page of this American historical novel.   With the exception of Mr. Szprot, each character's life story unravels and provides an explanation of how they became the unique individuals that they are. Cushman takes into account the many different scenarios that would put this group of orphans and service providers in each other's lives.  Cushman also explains that the orphan trains began in New York City with the minister Charles Loring Brace in 1853. Brace's "placing-out" agency was called the Children's Aid Society and was established with the goal of saving the orphans. Unfortunately, it often resulted in many of the children falling victim to abusive households and mistreatment. The Children's Aid Society was funded by private donations, churches and charitable organizations.  Almost all of the orphans were white and Christian because they were the most likely to be placed in homes. 

4. Awards and Recognition:

Rodzina is a Newberry Medal winner as are many of Karen Cushman's novels.

Reviews:

  Engaging characters, a vivid setting, and a prickly but endearing heroine...first-person narrative captures....personality and spirit... poignancy, humor. - School Library Journal

A natural for American history or social studies classes...especially interesting as a women's history title... a great story. - Booklist, starred review 

Rodzina is prickly, stubborn, and heart-sore but she's also honest, likable and smart...Enough unpredictability to nicely unsettle expectations. - The Horn Book

Book #3

Bibliography:

Schmidt, Gary D.  The Wednesday Wars. New York: Clarion Books, 2007. 

ISBN: 978-0-618-72483-3

1. Character and Plot:

Holling Hoodhood and his 7th grade teacher, Mrs. Baker, are supposed to be adversaries. At least that is what Holling figured, after his first day in her classroom. On this day Holling finds out that she and he would be spending each Wednesday afternoon together while the rest of the class goes to religious studies. His religious practice does not require him to attend religious studies classes. Holling just knows that his teacher hates him, especially when she assigns him to read Shakespeare's plays. His situation is made a little bit worse when no one in family will acknowledge his desperate situation. Especially Dad, who would very much like to sign an architectural contract with Mrs. Baker's family business. So now it is up to Holling to improve his situation with Mrs. Baker all on his own.  The nine month relationship between the two will grow and each phase of that growth seems to coincide with the themes of Shakespeare's plays.  

2. Setting and Theme:

The place is Long Island, New York and the middle school is Camillo Junior High, which is a K-8 school. The counter culture and anti-war sentiment (Vietnam and Cold War) do not evade this suburban neighborhood which is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from New York City.  And though Dad and Mom watch Walter Cronkite each and every evening, 12 year old 7th graders who believe that their teacher hates them can only give minimal attention to world events such as this. The tumultuous events of history at this time do not escape Holling's notice, but he is able to properly address them. For example, May was "Atomic Bomb Awareness Month" at Camillo Junior High as it had been for the six previous years.  He sees the drill as pointless and describes it like this:

But we followed the government's drill procedures precisely and stayed under our desks for eighteen minutes, until the wind would have whisked away the first waves of airborne radioactive particles, and the blast of burning air would have passed overheard, and the mushroom cloud would no longer be expanding, and every living thing would have been incinerated except for us because we were scrunched under our gummy desks with our hands over our heads, breathing quietly and evenly.

 It makes sense that this book only briefly touches upon the historical events of 1967-68 history, since they are important and would have been subjects discussed. The age group of Holling and his friends would only give the complex issue of the Vietnam War, for example, minimal acknowledgement because that would be appropriate behavior for their age group. After all, what they really need to know about war and history has already occurred in Shakespeare's plays. The message to learn here is not to repeat that history.

3. Style and Additional Criterion:

Author Gary D. Schmidt has written a very engaging historical novel that makes reference to political, social, and pop cultural history. 1968's most popular Yankees such as Mickey Mantle and Joe Pepitone make a few appearances in the book.  Perhaps though, it is the relationship that grows between Holling and Mrs. Baker that will keep the reader's interest.  The very wholesome quality of the characters could have placed the book in several other time periods with only historical event changes.

4. Awards and Recognition:
Gary D. Schmidt is a recipient of the 2008 Newbery Honor medal honoree for The Wednesday Wars.

Reviews:

...Schmidt has a way of getting to the emotional heart of every scene without overstatement, allowing the reader and Holling to understand the great truths revolving around them on their own terms.- Kirkus

...As fate sneaks up on him again and again, Holling finds Motivation-the Big M- in the most unexpected places and musters up the courage to embrace his destiny, in spite of himself. -Goodreads

...There are many strands in this story... I wondered whether all of the seeds Schmidt planted could flower... To his great credit, they do. - Tanya L. Stone New York Times