Oh, Brother

Oh, Brother
By Johniece Marshall Wilson

Scholastic Press
New York
1989
 
This is a realistic story of sibling rivalry between two young African-American boys who learn to overcome their character flaws. Andrew and Alex are opposites in personality and always manage to get on each other's nerves. Andrew, the older brother, likes to socialize and has a hard time keeping a part-time job. Alex, the younger brother, is athletic and a paperboy with his own bicycle. Their relationship changes for the better when a gang of boys harasses Andrew and steals the bicycle he borrowed from Alex. The fight inspires Alex take matters into his own hands, while Andrew learns how to be a more responsible person.

Noteworthy Features:

• Sibling Rivalry
• Bullying

Students will enjoy this book because they can relate to it. Most children can relate to a sibling rivalry. This makes it a good book to engage students in reading and help them enjoy reading. I would not do activities with this book. I would use this book as a method of getting students to read for the enjoyment of reading. This factor of reading is missing so often in school. 

Playing Right Field

Playing Right Field
Willy Welch

Scholastic Inc
New York
2000

In this poem, the school's baseball team is playing on a bright Saturday afternoon and the score is nearly tied. The book's narrator, a lonely young boy, has been sent out to cover right field while the more athletic and popular boys share center field. The boy dreams of making the catch of his life but he knows for sure it won't happen. Suddenly, he hears the crowd roar. A quick look up in the sky, and here comes the ball! When the ball lands in his baseball mitt, the boy can't believe it. And neither can his classmates! 

Noteworthy Features:

• Illustrations: watercolor drawings
• Baseball
• School life

This is a great way to introduce to students how poetry can still tell a story like other fictional books they read. Students, especially boys, will like that the book is about baseball. The book also includes important themes such as anti-bullying and courage.

Links to Classroom Activities:

• PBS Activities 

The Hundred Dresses

The Hundred Dresses
Eleanor Estes

Harcourt Brace and Company
San Diego
1994

This award winning book has a message of the effects of bullying. Wanda Petronski wears the same dress to school everyday, yet she claims that she has 100 hundred dresses. The others girls in the class tease Wanda. One day Wanda stops coming to school because of the bullying. Her father sends a note to school saying that they are moving to prevent Wanda from experiencing the bullying. Meanwhile, there is a drawing competition occurring. When the girls come to school on the day the winner will be announced, the see Wanda's 100 hundred dresses, all drawings. Wanda wins the contest, but she is not there because she is moving. The girls realize the mistake they made in teasing her. They try to make amends for their words and actions, but they learn that sometimes that is not enough.

Noteworthy Features:

• Message: This book provides a good message about bullying. It illuminates the struggles a child being bullied faces, along with consequences. It shows how bullies cannot take back what they did even if they wish that they could. 
• Themes: Courage, compassion, diversity
• Illustrations: The book contains many illustrations that depict what is happening in the book. The illustrations do not have very distinct lines and are colored in quick shaded manner. 

This book is particularly of interest for young girls. This would be a great book for a teacher to read with a group of girls who may be struggling with bullying and/or girl drama in the classroom. It will help the girls recognize the effects bullying has both on the victim and on the bully.

Links to Classroom Activities:

• Scholastic - Lesson Plan
• Lesson Plan on Courage and Teasing
• Discussion Questions
• Activity Guide