Monthly Archives: December 2018

As Fast As Words Could Fly

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Title: As Fast As Words Could Fly

Author: Pamela M. Tuck

Illustrator: Eric Velasquez

Publisher and Year: Lee & Low Books  Inc. 2013

Number of pages: 32

Tags/Themes: Award Book, Diversity, Family, Historical Fiction, 6-8, Evan White

Genre: Historical fiction; Children’s; Cultural; Picture Books; Historical

Descriptive Annotation:  Mason is a young black boy during the civil rights movement era.  He types letters for his father to be sent to Congress to fight against inequality.  One day, Mason’s father told him the school bus was going to pick him up to bring him to a closer school.  Mason was scared since all the students were white in the new school.  The bus purposely didn’t pick up Mason the first two days, but eventually he got to school.  No one spoke to Mason or helped him.  Mason still did very well at school and eventually got a job as a typist in the library.  Masons father has to contact the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to fight with the Board of Education to make sure Mason could keep his job at the library.   Soon Mason won his school’s competition to go into a typing contest across many schools.  Many of the students were disgusted that Mason was representing their school.  Mason ended up winning the competition, but no one applauded for him and he got no award.  The book ends with his family being proud of him.  The students need a lot of historical knowledge for this book.  They need to know about the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Board of Education, and how integration in schools worked. They would also benefit from general knowledge of the civil rights era.

Classroom Application: This text can reinforce history.  This story is based off of real events and can be a gateway into what life was like for black students during the civil rights era.  The story has many historic references that could be expanded on like the SCLC and school integration.  This book can be used to expand students’ thinking by thinking how black people achieved in many ways not initially thought of to advance in equality.  Mason proved he had value and was capable of anything by showing his typing skills.  The white teachers and students didn’t expect anything from him, but Mason proved them wrong.  This stretches students to show there are many ways to fight against a system they don’t like and make change.

Linguistic and Cultural Diversity Analysis: This book represents the history of black culture and how Blacks were relentless during the civil rights movement.  Mason showed courage and strength for doing all his work in a white school.  This brings the black community closer to equality as each new change in society is a change for equality.  The story also shows the culture during this time period, how White people treated Black people.  The culture of schools is exposed to reject Black students. For instance, the book states,  “When the boys arrived at Belvoir High, the principal, Mr. Bullock barricaded the doorway.  He looked as if he had smelled a skunk” (15).  Mr. Bullock absolutely didn’t want the boys to be educated in his school, but the boys still succeeded.  Mason’s father also utilized the SCLS. “Mason had heard plenty of Pa’s stories about the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the organization that coordinated nonviolent actions to end segregation” (21).  This also shows the culture of how the black community seeks leadership in the church, as the church was their own institution to have control of, and a place for leadership.  I might introduce this book by having the students brainstorm ways the civil rights movements made changes in society.  From the list, we can talk about small victories are important for change to and read the story on Mason’s victory, showing there are many ways to win and create change.

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Desmond and the Very Mean Word

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Title: Desmond and the Very Mean Word

Author: Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Douglas Carlton Abrams

Illustrator: A.G. Ford

Publisher and Year: Candlewick Press, 2012

Number of pages: 32

Tags/Themes: Culture, Diversity, Emotion, Fiction Picture Book, 4-5, Evan White

Genre: Africa; Children’s; Cultural; Picture Books

Descriptive Annotation: Desmond is a young boy in a village in Africa who received a new bike.  He was very proud and wanted to show it to Father Trevor at his church.  While riding his bike he came across a few boys who called him “a very mean word.”  The mean word bothered Desmond and he couldn’t get it off his mind.  Father Trevor taught Desmond how one way to help heal the pain is to forgive the one who caused the pain.  One day Desmond finds the boy in a shop and says he forgives him.  Desmond felt relieved and stronger afterwards.  Later the boy gave him a piece of candy and Desmond thought how people can change if you forgive them. The author’s note explains how the story has some truth to it and explains who Father Trevor was.  Although the mean word is never said it can be implied to be a racial slur.  The students may need some inferring skills or be used to practice inferring before reading this book to fully understand why Desmond is upset and the history of why racial slurs are as damaging as they are .

Classroom Application: This text meets Social and Emotional Learning Standards for using resources for emotional help and establishing positive relationships.  Desmond identified and used external resources for his emotional stress.  Father Trevor was able to guide Desmond on how to cope with his emotions, like how students need practice asking for help when in emotional strife.  Desmond was also able to identify his emotions and used a coping mechanism, that of forgiving others.  This teaches the students not to hold onto anger or grudges and moving on can be part of the healing process for emotional anger. This book can be used to teach students forgiveness is a key to the healing process.

Linguistic and Cultural Diversity Analysis: This book represents how black people persevere from racial slurs from a young age.  Desmond lives in Southern Africa where lighter skinned people have social privilege.  Kids grow up hearing racial slurs. “The boys scattered out of the way, but the tallest, a red-haired boy, spat out a very mean word.  The other boys laughed and shouted the mean word again and again.  Desmond pedaled away as fast as he could.  His heart pounded, and his chest ached” (7).  From this ache, Desmond went to Father Trevor.  The church is very prevalent in the African/black culture, since that is an institution they can let their culture shine without other intuitions breaching in.   The church is sanctuary and a place of leadership.  “Father Trevor said very softly, “Let me tell you a secret, Desmond.  When you forgive someone, you free yourself from what they have said or done.  Its like magic”” (22).  Father Trevor is the strong leader that his Desmond and his community relies on.  I might introduce this book by discussing who the students could go to for emotional help, creating a list on the board for everyone to see.  After the book, the students can update their list, to see of the story sparked other people they may not have thought about.

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The Secret to Freedom

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Title: The Secret to Freedom

Author: Marcia Vaughan

Illustrator: Larry Johnson

Publisher and Year: Lee & Low Books Inc. 2001

Number of pages: 32

Tags/Themes: Diversity, Emotion, Family, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Picture Book, 4-5, Evan White

Genre: Historical fiction; children’s; cultural; picture book

Descriptive Annotation: The Secret to Freedom is about Aunt Lucy sharing her story about her experiences in slavery to her grandniece.  Lucy’s parents were sold off and was left with her brother Albert.  Albert was part of the underground railroad movement and taught Lucy about quilts and how different designs tell the run-away slaves different information.  Albert and Lucy became agents to aid  slaves to freedom.  Albert was caught one night and was lashed in the back.  After that night they decided Albert needed to leave.  Once the two children were older and had their own families, Albert found Lucy again and reconnected.  Now Lucy’s grandniece knew their family history.  The students will need to know about Civil War era, about slavery, and why going up north meant freedom.  The back of the book has a brief history lesson and glossary for words the student may not understand.  The illustrations are unrefined paintings but are still very detailed and show sadness on the characters’ faces throughout the story.

Classroom Application: This text would reinforce history and specifically the Civil War era.  This text also meets Social and Emotional Learning Standards of handle challenging situations constructive and demonstrate caring and concern for others.  Lucy shows a lot of control in her emotions.  She identifies how depressed she is but is able to use her emotions to benefit runaway slaves.  This story can be used to stretch the students into using their emotions to make an impact for others even when their emotions are filled with fury or sadness.

Linguistic and Cultural Diversity Analysis: This book represents pride in sharing perseverance from slavery.  Aunt Lucy is proud of herself and Albert for assisting runaway slaves to freedom.  ““Now  I do declare, child, your eyes sparkle just like Albert’s did all those years ago” she said.  Then we sat in happy silence, shelling peas into the bowl while the curtains billowed in the breeze beside us” (31). This book shows the value of story telling and sharing family history and how history is imperative to understanding part of American and black culture.  The setting is also very explicit in showing Albert getting lashed and showing vivid images of it. For instance, the text reads, “Those men tied Albert to a tree and lashed him, lashed him hard till blood ran red down his back” (15).  The content of this story is very serious and illustrates how slaves were treated.  I would introduce the book by showing the students some images of common quilt patterns and what they meant.  This can help the students understand the importance of the secret code used in the book and in history.

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Ayobami and the names of animals

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Title: Ayobami and the names of animals

Author: Pilar López Ávila

Illustrator: Mar Azabal

Publisher and Year: Shanghai Chenxi Printing CO. 2018

Number of pages: 30

Tags/Themes: Animals, Culture, Fiction, K-5, Evan White

Genre: Africa; Animals; Education; children’s picture book

Descriptive Annotation:  Ayobami and the names of the animals is about a little African girl going back to school after a war.  Her father shows her a path to get to school, but she gets confused and lost.  She then asks for help from the animals in the jungle on how to get to school.  They only help her if she promises to write their name on a piece of paper and give it to them.  When she gets to school, she learns how to read a write, and she give a piece of paper with the animal’s name as she goes back home.  There is no vocab background knowledge to know, but the only back ground the students may need to know is why Ayobami is allowed to go back to school. It may be helpful to explain how having a war  takes away students’ opportunity for education.

Classroom Application: This text can be used to reinforce current events or recent events. This book shows how excited Ayobami is about going back to school because she want able to because of the war.  It is never stated what war occurred, but I think this book could be an introduction and talking about wars across the globe and the effect on students and their families.  I think I would introduce this book by having the kids display how they get to school.  Do they walk, drive, take a bus?  Who do they encounter on their way to school?  This will get them in the mindset to understand how Ayobami gets to school.

Linguistic and Cultural Diversity Analysis: This book represents a group of children in Africa who can’t go to school every day.  This generates conversations about what other places in the world is like, the difficulties people face but also how they have a goal to learn to read and write.  On each page, there are letters art of the scenery, emphasizing the need to learn letters.  “When the war finally came to an end, the teacher went from house to house, telling everyone that the children could go back to school the next day.  The children ran out into the street, shouting with joy.  They laughed and they hugged each other.  They were very, very happy” (1).  This quote shows how enthusiastic the students are for school and displays how much education means to them.  What is most important is the picture associated with this quote.  On the page, there are bullets on the ground, but cracked open.  Coming out of the bullets are letters and painted flowers, showing a new age of hope for the students, along with the students dancing.  “Ayobami’s father understood that she had learned to read and write at school.  He understood that she had made the animals dream about the sound of their names.  Clutching another piece of paper and another little stub of a pencil, the little girl set off to school again, along, the path that lead to the place where hope is born” (30).  This quote shows how proud Ayobami’s father is of her.  He expects greatness from and knows the value of learning reading and writing.  Ayobami also sparked dreams in animals too, which can lead to her being an influence to others on the future.  In the photo, Ayobami is dancing under a cloud that is raining letters.  She has immersed herself in language and is so happy about it.

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Grow

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Title: Grow

Author: Cynthia Platt

Illustrator: Olivia Holden

Publisher and Year Amicus Ink in 2018

Number of pages: 32

Tags/Themes: Fiction, K-1, Evan White

Genre: Nature, Fiction, children’s picture book

Descriptive Annotation:  A young black girl sees a plot of land in the city that was overgrown with dead grass.  The young girl decides to clear a little bit of the land to plant a flower seed.  Other people in the community notice and begin to help her and plant more flowers and regrow the grass. The plot of land brings the community together to revive the land into a beautiful park. 

Classroom Application: This text could be used to reinforce social sciences and science.  On one side it could be used to discuss urban areas and how nature is beneficial and can bring people together.  Working together in unison can result in accomplishing in beautiful creations.  On the other side, it can be used to reinforce science, but specifically with plants, and growing plants, showing the importance of growing and vitalizing a community.   The students can start a garden in school, or continue a preexisting one.  The students can garden in their homes or even create a garden in a dead space with family or friends.  They can live the book and experience how growing gardens creates community.

Linguistic and Cultural Diversity Analysis:  This book represents an urban community.  The book does not give detail on the community, but from the pictures, we know the plot of dead land is massive with buildings all around.  The garden becomes beautiful and the pictures show its beauty.  A young black girl also takes the initiative on her own to revitalize the land.  She takes initiative and uses her own resources to start the garden.  By her starting the garden, she is an inspiration to others.  A very subtle way to show black girls can be an inspiration for many.  I would introduce this book by showing the class similar community gardens in cities to show this book is realistic. “When you have one good seed of an idea, another one always seems to follow” (12).  This quote shows the simplicity of the book.  It encourages the students to stick to their ideas and they will start to snowball.  With time, the good idea becomes easier and easier as help will arise. “A little seed of an idea can turn into something quite big. If only you give it room to grow” (32).  This quote drives in the simplicity of the book.  It is meant for kindergartens or first graders to be straight forward and influence them their ideas matter and can make a beautiful difference in the world.  The last page in the book is the young black girl looking into the big healthy garden she started.  The girl is so proud of herself and the hard work paid off. 

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Same, Same, but Different

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Title: Same, Same, but Different

Author: Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

Illustrator: Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

Publisher and Year: Henry Holt and Company, 2011

Number of pages: 40

Tags/Themes: Award Book, Culture, Fiction, Picture Book, Social Science, K-5, Evan White

Genre: India; Children’s; cultural; picture book

Descriptive Annotation:  Same, Same, but Different is about two pen pals named Elliot and Kailash.  Elliot lives in America and Kailash lives in India. They write back and forth about their life.  As they write they discover there are a lot of similarities between the two, like climbing trees, taking a school bus, and how they live with their families.  With every similarity, there is a photo to show the cultural differences between the two cultures and a photo of the boys doing the same activity just in different ways. The students need no background knowledge.

Classroom Application: This text can be used to reinforce social science and cultures.  Possibly when learning about continents/countries, a teacher could use this text to learn a little about India.  It can be used to encourage students to think more in similarities with humans rather than finding differences, crafting a social bonding with people of diverse cultures/communities, regardless of where they live.  This book could also be used to introduce pen pals for the classroom, encouraging the students to learn about their new friends’ culture and how it relates to theirs.  This can build appreciation in their real life.

Linguistic and Cultural Diversity Analysis:  This book represents the Indian culture.  It shows beautiful drawings of Kailash living in a diverse yet similar way to Americans that highlights his value.  Kailash shows Elliot how his family, school, and city works outlining some basic cultural values and norms within India.  I think this book could be introduced by teaching the students what a pen pal is, then going into the story.  Ending the story with starting a pen pal assignment to put in practice what the story spoke about .  There is much to ask about a pen pal and learning differences and the value in those differences.  “That is my tree house where I play. I live in a red brick building with my mom, dad, and my baby sister.  I live with my family too-all twenty-three of us-my mom, dad, sister, brother, grandmother, grandfather, aunties, uncles, cousins…” (8).  This quote is awesome because it shows how what American culture sees extended family can be internal for other people.  In addition, this is common for families in America too.  “A great river flows through my village.  Peacocks dance under trees shaped like umbrellas” (13).  This quote shows how beautiful Kailash’s village is.  The page has bright colors with beautiful buildings with peacocks dancing.  It’s very elegant and shows so much value in their city Kailash loves.

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Fly Away Home

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Title: Fly Away Home

Author: Eve Bunting

Illustrator: Ronald Himler

Publisher and Year Clarion Books, 1991

Number of pages: 32

Tags/Themes: Emotion, Family, Fiction, Picture Book, 2-3, Evan White

Genre: Realistic Fiction; Family, Children’s Book

Descriptive Annotation:  Fly Away Home is about a father and son living in an airport.  There are special rules on how to live in the airport so they don’t get caught like to always be moving and not talking to people.  The son observes how his dad is always trying to find a job so they can find a real home for them, but often falls short.  The boy is still optimistic and works to help his dad.  He returns bags for 50 cents and believes he will find a permanent home one day.

Classroom Application: I can use this book to reinforce social sciences/culture to show different areas of living.  A unit like urbanism, suburbs, rural and going deeper into types of places people live in and discuss different homeless areas.  This text also demonstrates Social and Emotional Learning Standards  about demonstrating caring and concern for others.  Teaching the students how anyone can be affected by a situation and their bad situation does not necessarily mean it’s the induvial fault to create empathy.

Linguistic and Cultural Diversity Analysis: This book represents the poor/homeless culture.  Teaching kids’ different people can be homeless, the young, old, families.  Also teaching being poor does not mean you’re stupid or deserving of it like media can display.  The young boy is responsible and saves his money, the father works endlessly to provide for his son.  The Father and son are very smart and know how not to get caught, and they are very friendly with the other homeless residents.  I might introduce this book giving each student or group of students a setting and they can brainstorm how they might survive or be able to live in the setting.  “He and I collect rented luggage cars that people have left outside and return them for fifty cents each.  If the crowds are big and safe, we offer to carry bags” (22).  This quote would connect to the students before text activity.  The young boy uses his head to find a way to make money.  I think this quote also shoes how the boy are maturing faster than other children.  The tone is serious and very straightforward.  The son needs to be quick and fast in his days’ work to make the most money and his language shows he needs to be straight to the point.  Even though the boy is maturing faster he still does not know how to handle his emotions. “Sometimes I get mad and I want to run at them and push them and shout, ‘Why do you have homes when we don’t? What makes you so special?’ that would get us noticed all right” (30).  This quote shows the difficulty of being homeless and the toll is does to your emotions.  The text shows how the boy is struggling to control his emotions.  He wants to release his emotions in an outburst , but the boy still knows what consequences could be for out bursting.  It shows the students there are consequences for actions they can do on impulse, especially impulse actions the homeless could do in an airport.

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Game Changer

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Title: Game Changer

Author: John Coy

Illustrator: Randy DuBurke

Publisher and Year: Carolrhoda Books (October 1, 2015)

Number of pages: 32

Tags/Themes: Diversity, Picture Book, Social Science, 4-5, 6-8, Evan White

Genre: History; Non-fiction; sports

Descriptive Annotation:  Game changer is the true story of Coach John McLendon organizing a basketball game between the best white college basketball players from Duke University Medical School and his team from North Carolina College of Negroes in 1944, whose team was called the Eagles.  The teams met up in a gym and locked the doors so no one could walk in.  Both teams played as hard as they could but the Eagles won 88 to 44.  The next day, the two teams decided to play again, but mix the teams up.  This was the first time there was inter racial basketball.  The boys all had a great time playing mixed together but also knew it was not socially unacceptable if outsiders found out.  All the boys began to grow closer together and learn from one another.  The artwork of the book is very dark but the tone of the writing has a message of optimism of time changing.  At the back of the book, there is a timeline of civil rights movement and progression of black athletes coming into the spot light.

The students will need to know about segregation, the term negroes, prejudice, and the KKK.

Classroom Application:   This text can be used to reinforce history, and could be used as the sports perspective within civil rights.  The book also explores the progression of equality in America in different areas, like sports.  Game Changer can also be used to reinforce history with breaking down barriers.  As the coach did a brave thing for the time period and can teach how it is important to take risks that go against social norms.  A social norm doesn’t mean it’s a moral norm, so taking risks and stepping outside of comfortable spaces can lead to impact on society.

Linguistic and Cultural Diversity Analysis: This book represents the culture in the 1940s and how the black community stood together to progress in equality.  This book could be used to generate discussion in looking at current sports diversity and examine if they are diverse, how diverse, and if certain groups are not represented in sports.  This can be done by using percentages and ratios of diverse athletes with a math reinforcement.  Using the charts, we can look at the time the athletes were playing.   “Nineteen years before Dr. King’s “I have a Dream” speech and three years before Jackie Robinson broke the color line in Major League Baseball, black players and white players worked together as teammates in an illegal game in segregated North Caroline” (19).  I think this quote is important because it established there are leaders in civil rights other than Martin Luther King.  It is important to learn about more than one leader, and how there was multiple leaders in civil rights through the years, no matter how famous they became.   Learning about strong leaders would lead into this next quote.  “A reporter for the Caroline Times, Durham’s black weekly newspaper, heard about the game, but he agreed not to publish the story at McLendon’s request since the Ku Klux Klan was active and considered ‘race mixing’ a crime punishable by death” (24).  This is a powerful quote that should be used with a mature class ready for these topics.  This quote shows the serious tone of the book and paints a picture of how brave the boys were for playing in an interracial basketball game.  Understanding the serious consequences makes the coach and players stronger leaders for the students.

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Funny Bones

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Title: Funny Bones

Author(s) Duncan Tonatiuh

Illustrator/Photographer Duncan Tonatiuh

Publisher and Year: Harry N. Abrams, 2015

Number of pages: 40

Tags/Themes: Award Book, Culture, Diversity, Fine Arts, Non-fiction, Picture Book, 4-5, Evan White

Genre: biography; art; history; cultural picture book, children

Descriptive Annotation:  Funny Bones is biography of José Guadalupe (Lupe) Posada.  Lupe was a famous Mexican artist in the late 1800s and early 1900s.  He was most famous for his calaveras (skull or skeleton drawings).  The book starts at Lupe’s childhood and how he learned different art forms like lithography and wood engraving.  As Lupe grew older, he opened his own shop in Mexico City and would draw calaveras in current political events like the Mexican revolution and the corrupt government at the time.  The students will need no background knowledge as the book explains the Spanish words and what Day of the Dead is.  The author’s note has a detailed explanation of Day of the Dead with its history of calaveras.  There is also a glossary of Spanish words for a more detailed definition .

Classroom Application: This text can be used to reinforce social science and used to give more detail into Day of the Dead and its culture.  This book could be used in a series for students to compare and contrast Day of the Dead and Halloween so the students understand the cultural differences and appreciate the differences.  This book does an excellent job showcasing the artwork for Day of the Dead, with the detail in the calaveras.  Funny Bones could also be used to reinforce poetry.  Calavera drawings could have a funny poem with the drawing, and the students can work on creating fun and silly poems.

Linguistic and Cultural Diversity Analysis: Funny Bones would teach about the art culture within the Mexican Culture, diving deep into different aspects of Mexican culture.  I might introduce this book by introducing the art forms of drawing calaveras first or give the students a picture of calaveras, and they have to create a poem around the photo.  Funny Bones also shows different aspects of Day of the Dead.  “On those days, the city was full of vendors who sold pan de muerto (bread), cempasúchil (marigold flowers), alfeñiques (sugar Skulls), and papel picado (paper cutouts).  People bought these and other items to decorate the ofrendas (offerings they made for their loved ones who had died)” (15).  This quote gives an insight into what a day is like and what people would normally buy during this time.  On page 17, there is a drawing of a calavera proposing so another calavera.  “I am sorry Senñor.  But that cannot be.  You’re handsome and all, but too skinny for me!”  This can be a good example for the students for what poems in calaveras are like.  They are short and sweet with some humor in them.  The text is printed on the poster of the calavera drawings with distinct font.

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Audrey’s Magic Nine

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Title: Audrey’s Magic Nine

Author: Michelle Wright

Illustrator: Courtney Huddleston

Publisher and year: Penny-Farthing Productions Inc. 2018

Number of pages: 144.

Tags/Themes: Adventure, Diversity, Family, Fantasy, Fiction, Friendship, Graphic Novel, 2-3,e

Genre: fantasy, sequential art, graphic novel, adoption

Descriptive Annotation:  Audrey is a 10-year-old black girl who has been in the foster care her whole life.  Her foster parents neglected her and her foster siblings giving her little food, and when the news station reported it, Tabitha saw Audrey and wanted to adopt her.  Tabitha and her husband overworked Audrey with piano, violin, ballet, and school work when all Audrey wanted to do was draw in her notebook.  One night she finds a magic puppet from another world who was kicked out of his world from an evil magic queen.  Audrey and her new friend Asa try to find his new friends while Audrey is learning how to live with her new parents.

The graphic novel does a good job showing Audrey’s drawings as a central piece to storytelling in the book .

Classroom Application:  Audrey draws to help her cope and deal with any stress she has.  The book can be used to encourage the children to use the arts as a way to express themselves.  Children learning how to express and explain their thoughts or emotions will be very helpful as they grow up.  Methods can be comic making, drawing, paintings, creative writing, acting and script writing, or sculpting.  Students can do a writing piece filled with their emotion and do a companion piece of art to complement their writing.

Linguistic and Cultural Diversity Analysis: This book has a representation of the foster care system and highlights issues like child neglect, overcoming personal problems, and using art as a coping mechanism.  It gives a sense that families come in different forms (step-parents, multi-racial families) teaching children not to make assumptions about others’ family structures.  When in new or stressful family situations, the book teaches how to use expressive skills so family issues do not get bottled up causing any future emotional harm.  The story also shows a strong female character who is brave and wants to help her friends.  I might introduce this graphic novel by having the students describe their favorite super powers, what they admire in heroes, and what they don’t like about super villains.  This can set up their interests with the super  powered puppets, creating future empathy with the characters and a greater admiration for Audrey being brave throughout the story.  “There were several young girls in the Mercer fosters home, ranging in ages 5-16 and allegedly subjected to such punishments as hours spent in a small, locked closet ” (12).  This sets up the tone right away.  This graphic novel is serious and straight to the point.  It is not afraid to state the facts what life is like for some children.  “But those people have put that poor woman in danger, just for taking pizza out of the trash ” (73).  This shows the empathy Audrey has the for the world.  Even though she has been is foster care where she can’t express her emotions, she is still seeing the beauty in people and wants everyone to be valued.

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