Bunting, E. (1994). Smoky Night. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Inc.
Brief Annotation: Told in words and David Diaz’s illustrations, Smoky Night is the story of a young boy, Daniel, and his experiences of race rioting in Los Angelos. As a result of a building fire and a recovered cat, Daniel learns a valuable lesson about community and reaching across difference.
Genre: Picture book, historical fiction
Grade Level: 2-6
Readers who will like this: students who enjoy books that evoke emotions, readers interested in historical events, kids who respond to rich, colorful illustrations.
Response/Rating (1-4): **** This book presents a difficult topic in a accessible manner for children. Through the personal story of a young boy, students can learn about the larger story of racial inequalities and violence. Its conclusion leaves will students with the powerful message that these challenges can be overcome, as Daniel provides an example of making connections across racial and cultural difference.
One question you would ask before a read aloud: What is a riot?
No comments:
Post a Comment