(6 bks)
Draper, S. (2006). Copper Sun. New York, NY. Antheneum Books for Young Readers
Grades: 8 and up
Awards:
2007 Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Summary: The focus of this book is on African slave trade and slavery in America. This is a historical fiction book about a 15-year-old Ashanti girl who is stolen from her home in Africa. This narrative begins with Amari’s village and happy home life. Slavers arrive and slaughter her village, leaving only the teenagers who are strong and able to make the trip. This story takes the reader through the horrors of the slave fort to the Middle Passage and finally to the auction in America. Amari is bought by a slave owner in South Carolina for his 16-year-old’s birthday present. Amari befriends a white indentured girl, the cook, and the cook’s son. Amari and Polly are ordered to help the master’s wife during childbirth but only to discover that she delivers a black baby. They try help the mistress by lying but the truth is recovered by the master’s son. The master becomes infuriated and tries to sell the girls along with the young boy that belongs to the cook. The master sends the three with the doctor, not knowing his feelings on slavery, to be sold in town. The doctor tells the children to head north to free country but they head south in hopes of finding Fort Mose, a Spanish colony that gives sanctuary to slaves. This story is of hope and courage as they make this incredible journey. Their journey is tough but eventually they find freedom.
Credibility of Author: Draper visited the slave castles in Ghana where millions of Africans were housed like cattle before being shipped as cargo and sold as slaves. She spent almost ten years doing research on this novel and editing it for accuracy of fact as well as sincerity of spirit.
National Standards: Uses of Geography, Era 2: Colonization and Settlement (1585-1763), Era 6: The Emergence of the First Global Age, 1450-1770
Access features: There is a book jacket that summary of the book and information about the author. Also, there is a poem by Countee Cullen. The chapter titles in this book give the reader an idea about what the chapter is going to be about. There is an author’s note that tells about her family and an afterword that gives more information about slavery and how this book was based on true facts about important information in history. The author gives web sites for teachers and students to use to further their research on slavery. She also gives other books that can be read about slavery.
My response to the book: This book was very powerful. I found myself crying during the most horrible events that Amari faced. However, I kept reading to find out what was going to happen next and hoping that she would keep the strength to keep going. It was only appropriate that Draper make a good ending for Amari after all of her struggles. This was a great book to read.
How I would use this book in my classroom: I would use this book if I was teaching about slavery. It would be most appropriate with my older students who can understand the journey that these characters went through to find freedom. Additional research on Fort Mose will be most effective. I had never heard of this place until I read this book.
Related text: Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson and Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford
Draper, S. (2006). Copper Sun. New York, NY. Antheneum Books for Young Readers
Grades: 8 and up
Awards:
2007 Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Summary: The focus of this book is on African slave trade and slavery in America. This is a historical fiction book about a 15-year-old Ashanti girl who is stolen from her home in Africa. This narrative begins with Amari’s village and happy home life. Slavers arrive and slaughter her village, leaving only the teenagers who are strong and able to make the trip. This story takes the reader through the horrors of the slave fort to the Middle Passage and finally to the auction in America. Amari is bought by a slave owner in South Carolina for his 16-year-old’s birthday present. Amari befriends a white indentured girl, the cook, and the cook’s son. Amari and Polly are ordered to help the master’s wife during childbirth but only to discover that she delivers a black baby. They try help the mistress by lying but the truth is recovered by the master’s son. The master becomes infuriated and tries to sell the girls along with the young boy that belongs to the cook. The master sends the three with the doctor, not knowing his feelings on slavery, to be sold in town. The doctor tells the children to head north to free country but they head south in hopes of finding Fort Mose, a Spanish colony that gives sanctuary to slaves. This story is of hope and courage as they make this incredible journey. Their journey is tough but eventually they find freedom.
Credibility of Author: Draper visited the slave castles in Ghana where millions of Africans were housed like cattle before being shipped as cargo and sold as slaves. She spent almost ten years doing research on this novel and editing it for accuracy of fact as well as sincerity of spirit.
National Standards: Uses of Geography, Era 2: Colonization and Settlement (1585-1763), Era 6: The Emergence of the First Global Age, 1450-1770
Access features: There is a book jacket that summary of the book and information about the author. Also, there is a poem by Countee Cullen. The chapter titles in this book give the reader an idea about what the chapter is going to be about. There is an author’s note that tells about her family and an afterword that gives more information about slavery and how this book was based on true facts about important information in history. The author gives web sites for teachers and students to use to further their research on slavery. She also gives other books that can be read about slavery.
My response to the book: This book was very powerful. I found myself crying during the most horrible events that Amari faced. However, I kept reading to find out what was going to happen next and hoping that she would keep the strength to keep going. It was only appropriate that Draper make a good ending for Amari after all of her struggles. This was a great book to read.
How I would use this book in my classroom: I would use this book if I was teaching about slavery. It would be most appropriate with my older students who can understand the journey that these characters went through to find freedom. Additional research on Fort Mose will be most effective. I had never heard of this place until I read this book.
Related text: Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson and Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford
No comments:
Post a Comment