Book Detail

Life Is So Good

Publication Information
Author:  Dawson, George & Glaubman, Richard Illustrator:  
Title:  Life Is So Good Date:  2000
Publisher:  Random House City:  New York
ISBN, paperback:  0-375-50396-X ISBN, hardback:  

Recommended audience:
ABE/ABLE:   Yes ESOL:  
Family:   Young Adult:   Yes
Picture:  

General Information:
Book Type(s):    biography and autobiography

HSE Descriptor(s):    language arts - writing| social studies

Summary:
This is the autobiography of George Dawson, grandson of slaves, who began to learn to read at age 98. Like Having Our Say, this book offers an African American perspective to 100 years of history. Moreover, Dawson's character and philosophy for living are clearly portrayed.

Teaching Ideas:
This would be a great teacher read-aloud book. More advanced readers may want to read it independently. Recommended strategies include timelines, map work, response journals, comparisons of George's experiences with those of others or historical happenings, or almost any nonfiction comprehension strategy. Students might enjoy making a character sketch as they read, perhaps then looking back at George's childhood to see which characteristics he had even as a child. As an inference activity, students might also enjoy discussing or writing about the relationship between George and his co-author, Richard Glaubman. Surely this book will spark interest in oral histories. Excerpts can be used to supplement and enliven study of almost anything in the 20th century. Related WWW sites include: LiteracyLink Forum: George Dawson http://www.pbs.org/literacy/forum/george/george.html and a couple of good book reviews: http://www.theage.com.au/books/ and

Keywords: select any link below for a list of resources which also have that keyword
bullet Ethnic Groups > African-American
bullet Education > literacy
bullet Education > reading
bullet Family > family history
bullet Family > father > father-child relationships
bullet Family > oral history
bullet History > time period > 20th Century
bullet Social Studies > sociology > social issues > racism > race relations
bullet Family > family heritage


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