1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Nettie's Trip South Review, November 29, 2005
This review is from: Nettie's Trip South (Hardcover)
One of the reasons why I enjoyed Ann Turner's literature is because I love historical fiction. I remember in second grade, our teacher assigned us to read the Laura Ingles Wilder books, and I enjoyed learning about Laura's life as a pioneer. Since she lived during the mid 1800's, her life dramatically differed from mine! Therefore, I allowed my imagination to soar as I read her books and learned about her family's lifestyle. For example, substantial living fascinated me, and I remember wanting a garden and farm animals! As I grew older, my passion for historical fiction increased, and I loved learning about the Oregon Trail. The families that traveled on this trail had courage and adventure that was amazed me; they had to face broken wagon axles, disease, and treacherous river crossings. But, their hope for fertile land and close family relationships kept the pioneers strong. Several books written by Turner include journeys by wagon train and life as a pioneer. Turner also wrote about subjects, such as slavery, colonialism, and the Eskimo life.
An efferent reason for choosing to read Turner's books is the ability to learn skills. Since many people grew their own crops, I learned different farming facts from Grasshopper Summer, such as when to harvest corn. I also learned how to catch fish in Alaska and the best way to sneak up on caribou or seals after reading A Hunter Comes Homes.
Ann Turner contributes to children's education by writing from children's perspectives. Therefore, when children read her literature, they feel a part of the story. Since the stories are written from a child's perspective, many of the readers' observations may be similar to the characters' observations; the readers connect with the characters and with the story. For example, in Nettie's Trip South, Nettie did not understand why adults considered slaves to only be 3/5 human. She did not see any body parts missing from the slaves; she saw them as completely human. Turner deals with this ethical question in a clear, simple way that children can understand.
Turner also contributes to children's literature by helping readers empathize with people different from themselves. After reading about characters' struggles, readers begin to connect their own struggles with the characters' struggles. After connecting with the characters, the readers can relate to people in their own life even though they might be different from them. Since they learned that people experience similar feelings regardless of race or economic status, they will treat their peers with respect. This valuable lesson will benefit them both in school and in their home community.
Nettie's Trip South is set in the North. Nettie, her brother Lockwood, and her sister Julia rode a train to the South so Lockwood could write a newspaper article. When they arrived in the South, they watched a slave auction. Nettie grew sick at the white people because they treated the slaves like animals. They only called slaves by their first names and split families apart at the auction. She did not understand why white people viewed African Americans as 3/5 of a person. They had families and feelings just like everyone else. This book was written in the form of a letter; Nettie was writing to her friend Addie. Nettie told Addie that if they were slaves, they would be asked to jump and would have to obey. They might be separated, and they would not be respected. She realized this cruelty, and it bothered her so much that she had bad dreams at night. The conflict in this book is between the white people and the African Americans. There is also a conflict within Nettie as she tries to deal with the issue of slavery. Since the book is written as a letter, it is written in first person point of view. The theme of Nettie's Trip South is the cruelty of slavery.
Nettie's Trip South is both a poetry and picture book. According to the Temple text, poetry is a concise and memorable cast of language, with intense feeling, imagery, and qualities of sound that bounce pleasingly off the tongue, tickle the ear, and leave the mind something to ponder. Good poetry for children incorporates sound, images, and insight into the literature. Nettie's Trip South incorporates the sounds of the train. Turner described the train as it "chuffed and puffed and hooted..." (pg. 3) She also included vivid imagery at the slave auction. Nettie wrote, "There was a black woman on the platform. `Jump, aunt, jump!' the man shouted. Someone called out a price and she was gone. Gone, Addie, like a sack of flour pushed across a store counter." (pg. 13) This book was insightful because it described Nettie's confusing thoughts about slaves only being 3/5 of a person.
Nettie's Trip South is also a picture book. According to the Temple text, there are several aspects that describe a picture book. Characterization refers to the way in which an illustrator makes readers identify a particular character and continue to recognize that character throughout the changes of scene or status in the whole book. In Nettie's Trip South, I recognized Nettie by her tight curls. She was also shorter than her sister. Ronald Himler did a wonderful job illustrating Nettie's face because he showed her compassion and confusion towards the cruelty of slavery. For example, one illustration showed Nettie covering her face with her handkerchief and looking away.
Another characteristic of picture books is perspective. Himler only sketched his illustrations from the perspective of a human. The illustrations are directly in front of the readers as if they are watching the scenes themselves.
Another characteristic of picture books is the background. Instead of just drawing the characters, Himler drew scenery to portray the story's setting. One of the illustrations showed Nettie lying in bed. There is a porcelain pitcher sitting on the dresser. Therefore, readers understand that Nettie lived before people invented indoor plumbing.
Another characteristic of picture books is color. According to the Temple text, color is often used to reflect emotions and communicate moods. Nettie's Trip South only has black-and-white sketches. Therefore, the readers cannot rely on colors to understand character's emotions. Instead, they must pay attention to facial expressions and body language.
According to the Temple text, there are three aspects to consider in evaluating the quality of a picture book. First, does the text alone hold the reader's attention? One of Nettie's Trip South's strengths is Turner's writing style. Since it is written as a letter, the readers can personally connect with Nettie's emotions, especially towards slavery. They can travel with Nettie on her journey as she describes the train, slave auction, and her reaction to the South. The phrases are also very descriptive; Turner writes "if we slipped into a black skin like a tight coat, everything would change." Turner compares changing races to putting on clothing. Tight clothing is very restrictive; there is no freedom, and slavery is very restrictive.
Another aspect to consider is the illustrations. Is the art accessible and interesting to the intended audience? Since the illustrations are sketches, the readers can observe the detailed faces and clothing. However, there is no color. This is a slight weakness to Nettie's Trip South because children are captivated by color. If they flip through the book without reading the accompanying text, they may not be as interested in reading it. The dull shades make the book to appear boring and outdated.
Integration of text and illustrations is the final aspect to evaluating the quality of a picture book. Do the pictures fit the text? How well do they work together to clarify, enhance, and extend each other? The illustrations do compliment the words because when Nettie describes an incident, such as traveling on a train, Himler provided a sketch of that incident. The sketches also give visual pictures for the characters. Readers can better identify with Nettie after seeing a picture of her. Seeing her upset face causes readers to connect to the text. After observing how upset she was over slavery, readers think about the issue themselves. Would they have reacted in the same way? Therefore, the illustrations do offer extensions to the text.
There are several extension activities to use after reading Nettie's Trip South in the classroom. First, students could write a letter to Nettie, her siblings, or the slave auctioneer. Students explain their own feelings about slavery and offer any advice towards reacting to this cruel treatment. For example, students might tell Lockwood to write about the slave auction in his newspaper article. If the Northern citizens understand that the slave's families are being torn apart, they might help slaves escape from the South. Or, students might write a letter to the slave auctioneer and express their anger towards him. They could explain why auctioning slaves is wrong and command him to stop. This activity is helpful because it lets students respond emotionally to the story and offer ways to stop slavery. Students also practice their writing skills in forms of letters.
Another teaching suggestion is dividing the class into small groups and assigning each group a topic of slavery to research. Examples of topics include slave auctions, the Underground Railroad, and famous abolitionists. After researching their topic, students make a brochure about their topic. Their brochure could include facts, dates, famous people involved, pictures, and possibly maps. Students then share their topic with the class. This activity is helpful because it gives students the chance to become an expert for their topic. When students teach others, they remember the information better, and they develop confidence speaking in front of others. They also express...
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