Like many of his powerful, popular novels, Chris Crutcher’s autobiography is funny and poignant. He writes in a conversational tone about growing up in a small town in Idaho. Despite the town’s macho atmosphere, he failed to toughen up or get good at sports. Without bitterness, Crutcher reveals some of his family’s problems including his mother’s drinking and his father’s demanding nature. The anecdotes and themes show the roots of some of his novels. For example, he struggled with a bad temper, a trait that recurs in his fictional protagonists. Near the end, Crutcher talks about his work as a therapist with abused kids and describes how he became a writer. He also addresses why he uses expletives in his novels as part of his goal of showing life as he knows it, not an idealized version. This is a pleasure to read, especially for Crutcher fans.
Reading Std #8: Delineate and evaluate argument and specific claims in a text, assessing reasoning and evidence. Crutcher’s books are often challenged in schools and sometimes removed from the curriculum or library shelves because of their use of expletives. Have students consider Crutcher’s argument for including strong language and the broader question of removing books. A debate format would work well for this topic.
Fiction tie-in: While any of his novels would pair well with this autobiography, The Sledding Hill especially lends itself to the discussion of banned books. Crutcher appears in the novel as the author of a book that some want removed from the school library. The Sledding Hill also ties in to the autobiography's chapter, ""Dead Boy Sledding; or, Why Things Happen," about a friend of Crutcher's who died during his childhood.
Common Core has expanded the Lexile levels in their standards, giving teachers who are being required to use the Lexiles more flexibility in their choice of books. The change was slipped into the fairly new publication, "Supplemental Information for Appendix A of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy: New Research on Text Complexity" found at
http://www.corestandards.org/assets/E0813_Appendix_A_New_Research_on_Text_Complexity.pdf
You'll find the expanded Lexiles on page 4 of that document along with other reading formula levels by grade band. The footnote explains that, "This change was provided in response to feedback received since publication of the original scale (published in terms of the Lexile® metric) in Appendix A." To my mind, this is one more indication that the standards were rushed out without being tested.
At some point, the Common Core website added a "Myths vs. Facts" page in answer to questions and complaints. Ironically, there are some myths slipped in as facts. For example, it says of Appendix B, "The exemplars of high quality texts at each grade level provide a rich set of possibilities and have been very well received." I've searched "Appendix B" extensively on the Internet and I haven't seen one place where it was "very well received." Not surprising, since it recommends Little Women as a text for middle school (at what school?) and Russell Freedman's Lincoln: A Photobiography as a good read-aloud for second and third grade (a great book for middle school, not a read-aloud for second and third grade). Find the Myths vs. Facts page here: http://www.corestandards.org/about-the-standards/myths-vs-facts
Bausum, Ann. With Courage and Cloth: Winning the Fight for a Woman's Right to Vote. 2004. 111pp. Lexile 1080.
In a time when many don’t exercise their right to vote, this book will open the eyes of readers the era when half of the adult population was denied that right. Bausum does an excellent job of recapping the struggle of women’s suffrage, with a focus on 1906 to 1920. These last fourteen years were the most radical as American women adopted techniques of the British, spending more time in jail, conducting hunger strikes, and picketing the White House. Often they were arrested just for silently holding a banner. The dedication and courage of these suffragists drew public sympathy for their cause, and the story concludes with the slow but exciting process, as first the House, then the Senate, and finally the states ratified the 19th amendment. Excellent historical photographs and an elegant design help convey the inspiring story.
Fiction/poetry tie-in: In Helen Frost's Crossing Stones, set in 1917, two sets of older teenage siblings live near each other on Michigan farms. The two boys head off to fight in World War I; one comes back missing an arm. Muriel, strong-minded and uneasy with traditional female roles, goes to Washington D.C. when her aunt goes on a hunger strike for women's rights. A world opens up for Muriel when she meets kindred spirits and joins the suffragists' protests. The two girls and one of the boys tell their stories in poetry: Muriel's free verse alternates with tightly-formatted poems from the viewpoint of the other two in this outstanding verse novel.
Thimmesh, Catherine. Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon. 2006. 80pp. Lexile 1060.
In this large, beautifully designed book that won the Sibert Award, Thimmesh draws on interviews and oral histories from those who, although not the astronauts themselves, were instrumental in getting astronauts on the moon in 1969. The 400,000 people mentioned in the subtitle include those at Rockwell, the company that built the command module, and Grumman, which built the lunar module. Fifteen thousand NASA employees worked for many years before the launch to prepare for the historic flight. Five hundred people were involved just in designing and sewing the spacesuits. Excellent use of quotations and photographs distinguishes this book, as does the choice of white print on black background. The unusually thoughtful back matter includes profiles of important players; sources and chapter notes; suggested resources for "further exploration;" a short time line of Apollo missions; an index; and a glossary.
Reading Std #2: Determine central ideas or themes and analyze their development; summarize key supporting details and ideas. Thimmesh states her central idea in the subtitle. Have students find specific examples and quotations that provide supporting details. They might also think about other large enterprises that highlight a few individuals but need a large effort to succeed.
Web Tie-in: Thimmesh recommends the Apollo Lunar Journal online (hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/) as the richest online resource on the moon landing. It provides mission transcripts, interviews, multimedia, reports, and more. She describes it as "a treasure not to be missed."
