When the Shadbush Blooms

Title:  When the Shadbush Blooms 

Author/Illustrator: Carla Messinger and Susan Katz/David Kanietakeron Fadden 

APA Citation: Messinger, C., & Katz, S. (2007). When the shadbush blooms. Berkeley, CA: Tricycle Press. 

Lexile Score: NC860L- (Ages 6-9) 

Target Audience: I think this is a great story for a variety of ages.  With a good plot line and historical accuracy, I believe it would be a great book to inspire critical thinking of a variety of topics. 

Summary: In this story, a young girl describes how her family's activities changed with the seasons.  While this story had a fairly basic plot, the story that was told when the illustrations and the text were combined gave the reader a wonderful comparison of Native American life in the past and the present. 

Side note:  I really appreciated the fact that this book details the Lenni Lenape people and provided well researched and accurate information regarding their lives.

Evaluation: 

	4	3	2	1
Theme/Moral	Theme of the story was worthwhile but portrayed a somewhat biased message for the reader.	Theme of the story was somewhat worthwhile, but portrayed a biased message for the reader.	Theme/moral of the story was not worthwhile and portrayed a biased message for the reader.
Characterization	Characters in the story were relatable and did not portray typical stereotypes.	Characters in the story were relatable but some characteristics portrayed typical stereotypes.	Characters in the story were somewhat relatable, however portrayed characteristics  typical of stereotypes.	Characters in the story were relatable and portrayed characteristics  typical of stereotypes.
Illustrations	Illustrations in the story were relatable and did not portray typical stereotypes.	Illustrations in the story were relatable but some characteristics portrayed typical stereotypes.	Illustrations in the story were somewhat relatable, however portrayed characteristics  typical of stereotypes.	Illustrations in the story were not relatable and portrayed characteristics  typical of stereotypes.
Multicultural Aspects	Story provided accurate representations of  several cultures.	Story provided accurate representations of more than one culture.	Story provided accurate representation of only one culture.	Story did not provide accurate representations of  the culture discussed.
Historical Value	The story's historical references were accurate and did not convey a biased opinion of the event depicted.	The story's historical references were accurate, did not convey some biased opinion of the event depicted.	The story's historical references were somewhat accurate, and did convey a biased opinion of the event depicted.	The story's historical references were not accurate, and conveyed a biased opinion of the event depicted.
Self and Social Identities	This book positively counteracts stereotypical messages based on gender, color, economic status, family structure, and/or abilities.	This book attempts to counteracts stereotypical messages based on gender, color, economic status, family structure, and/or abilities.	This book does not reinforce stereotypical messages based on gender, color, economic status, family structure, and/or abilities.	This book reinforces stereotypical messages based on gender, color, economic status, family structure, and/or abilities.
Language	This book did not contain any "loaded" words, and used alternatives to generic terms.	This book did not contain any "loaded" words, but did use some generic terms.	This book did not contain "loaded" words, however, consistently used generic terms.	This book did contain "loaded words, and consistently used generic terms.
Overall Rating	I would use this book in my future classroom and recommend it to other teachers.	I would try to use this book in my future classroom and might recommend it to other teachers.	If the occasion arose, I might read this book, but probably would not recommend it.	I would not use or recommend this book.

Overall Score: 30/32 

Literary Elements: Similes, metaphors, personification 

Social Justice Elements:  Strong sense of family, understanding and appreciating one's heritage, preserving nature 

Sample Lesson:  If I were to do a lesson on this book, I would have the students go through page by page and list the similarities and differences between the images of the past and the present.  After reviewing the story in this way, I would have the students interview one of their grandparents or older family friend to compare that person's childhood with their own.