SOL 4: Oh Dear!

Our son has baseball practice in the evenings this month. The other night, Wes called, soon after leaving for practice. He began the phone conversation by saying, “I’m okay, but …. ”

Those words brought a mixture of feelings: Relief, yes. Fear, yes! Questions, plenty.

The next line Wes spoke has spurred a short poem for Poetry Friday.

“Dad. I hit a deer.”

OH DEAR!

Someplace Special

I love author’s notes!  I fell like having a personal interview with each author.  Patricia McKissack explains that Goin’ Someplace Special is her story, based upon the segregation she grew up with.

‘Tricia Ann wanted to go to her favorite place.  She had gone there many times with her grandmother, but today she was going on her own.  ‘Tricia rides the bus, sitting in the ‘colored section’.  As she walks to her destination, ‘Tricia gets caught in a crowd and is swept into a hotel where she faces hostility.

Through the encouragement of a kind woman, ‘Tricia is reminded of her grandmother’s words:

“And no matter what,” Mama Frances called after her, “hold yo’ head up and act like you b’long to somebody.”

Arriving at her destination ‘Tricia An was thrilled.  It was a place of freedom.  It was the Nashville Library.  The fron facing declared, “Public Library:  All are Welcome”.

Savorings for reading and in writing for Goin’ Someplace Special:

• Love of Reading
• Determination
• Show don’t Tell – “What’s got yo’ face all clouded up like a stormy day?”
• Visualizing
• Grabber Lead – “Tricia Ann was about to burst with excitement.”