Book Detail
Secret Life of Bees, The |
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Publication Information |
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| Author: Kidd, Sue Monk | Illustrator: |
| Title: Secret Life of Bees, The | Date: 2002 |
| Publisher: Penguin | City: New York |
| ISBN, paperback: | ISBN, hardback: 0-14-200174-0 |
Recommended audience: |
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| ABE/ABLE: Yes | ESOL: |
| Family: | Young Adult: Yes |
| Picture: | |
General Information: |
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| Book Type(s): fiction | |
HSE Descriptor(s): |
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Summary: |
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| Fourteen-year-old Lily and Rosaleen, the black servant who has look after her since her mother died 10 years earlier, run from Lily's abusive father and the brutality and racism of the police. Against the historical events of 1964 in South Carolina, they find refuge and clues about Lily's mother in the home of three black sisters who make Black Madonna Honey. | |
Teaching Ideas: |
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| Students could keep a journal of their responses to the many references to bees and honey to see how the symbols support the plot and characterizations in the book. Noting the last lines of the novel, "And there they were. All these mothers. I have more mothers than any eight girls off the street. They are the moons shining over me," learners might enjoy exploring the sources of nurturing that Lily encounters and discuss or write about what each contributes to her maturation. This activity could lead to a discussion of what constitutes a family with a family map/tree activity. Making a timeline of the larger events of the Civil Rights Movement would help to show how Lily's life reflects historical changes. Teachers can encourage students to predict what Lily, Rosaleen, and August will be doing in 1 year and in 5 years. | |
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