Title: The People Could Fly
Author: Virginia Hamilton
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Genre: Traditional Literature
Discovery of Book: Library Catalog
Number of Pages: 34 pages
Reading Level: Lexile 480
Awards: Coretta Scott King Honor Book, Notable/Best Books (ALA), Wilson's Children
Summary: The People Could Fly is about a slave, Toby, who taught the other slaves around him to fly. Story has it that many slaves had wings when they were brought from their homeland. Many of their abilities to fly were suppressed do to the horrible conditions on both the boat and in their new homes. Toby helped the slaves at his plantation re-learn how to use their wings in order to escape the whipping Overseer.
Personal Connection: This African-American Folktale brings about many realizations of slavery. It's pictures are are detailed and powerful, showing the terror and pain on the slaves faces as the Overseers whip blows reigned down on them. The words of the story show the desperation of the slaves to escape their unintended destiny. Reading this book, anyone could easily get the sense that the time of slavery was nothing but hardship and injustice that was forced upon innocent human lives.
Evaluation/Analysis: The People Could Fly is an easy read for Middle Schooler's. This book could be used as a Literature Circle group read-aloud. Students could work with their team members to read through the story, looking for parts that showed injustice to others. The Literature Circle group could take notes about the content of the book which could help them determine, in the long run, if the time of slavery was a holocaust.
Author: Virginia Hamilton
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Genre: Traditional Literature
Discovery of Book: Library Catalog
Number of Pages: 34 pages
Reading Level: Lexile 480
Awards: Coretta Scott King Honor Book, Notable/Best Books (ALA), Wilson's Children
Summary: The People Could Fly is about a slave, Toby, who taught the other slaves around him to fly. Story has it that many slaves had wings when they were brought from their homeland. Many of their abilities to fly were suppressed do to the horrible conditions on both the boat and in their new homes. Toby helped the slaves at his plantation re-learn how to use their wings in order to escape the whipping Overseer.
Personal Connection: This African-American Folktale brings about many realizations of slavery. It's pictures are are detailed and powerful, showing the terror and pain on the slaves faces as the Overseers whip blows reigned down on them. The words of the story show the desperation of the slaves to escape their unintended destiny. Reading this book, anyone could easily get the sense that the time of slavery was nothing but hardship and injustice that was forced upon innocent human lives.
Evaluation/Analysis: The People Could Fly is an easy read for Middle Schooler's. This book could be used as a Literature Circle group read-aloud. Students could work with their team members to read through the story, looking for parts that showed injustice to others. The Literature Circle group could take notes about the content of the book which could help them determine, in the long run, if the time of slavery was a holocaust.
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