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Stitches: A Memoir

Publication Information

Author: Small, David

Illustrator: Small, David

Title: Stitches: A Memoir

Date: 2009

Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company

City: New York

ISBN, paperback:

ISBN, hardback: ISBN 978-0-393-33896-6

Recommended audience:

ABE/ABLE: Yes

ESOL:

Family: Yes

Young Adult: Yes

Picture:

General Information:

Book Type(s): memoirs/reminiscences, graphic novel, nonfiction, biography and autobiography

HSE Descriptor(s): language arts - reading| language arts - writing

Summary:

An autobiographical graphic novel that profoundly describes the author's disturbing and often horrific childhood. This is a riveting and groundbreaking work by children's book illustrator David Small.

Teaching Ideas:

This book needs to be talked about in Book Circles, Literature Discussion Groups and even as a read aloud/read along or Pair/Share read if multiple copies are available. During the reading encourage response in journals, letters, memoirs, poetry. This book is most definitely bibliotherapeutic. Ask students to read A Hole in my Life by Jack Gantos to note the similarities in the two memoirs. Students will want to look at Small's work as an illustrator to see how he did escape. Ask students to write their autobiography using non traditional format(poem,collage etc) Ask students to dramatize scenes from the book. Ask students to investigate books illustrated by the author noting how they differ from the illustrations used in this book.

Teaching Strategies: