Bee & Jacky
Publication Information
Author:  Coman, Carolyn	Illustrator:
Title:  Bee & Jacky	Date:  1998
Publisher:  Front Street	City:  Ashville, N.C.
ISBN, paperback:  1-886-91033-2	ISBN, hardback:
Recommended audience:
ABE/ABLE:   Yes	ESOL:
Family:	Young Adult:   Yes
Picture:
General Information:
Book Type(s):
HSE Descriptor(s):
Summary:
A brother and sister suffer the effects of their father's Vietnam trauma and their mother's ineffectualness by resuming a physical relationship. This moving, psychologically honest book is difficult to read because the real or imagined incest is portrayed indirectly through symbolic imagery.
Teaching Ideas:
Because the content is so emotionally loaded, learners may want to keep a reader's journal in which they respond and ask questions. They may also want to keep a timeline to sort out the Vietnam and Decatur flashbacks. Students might want to respond to Bee's thought that "she saw that they were ALL hurt--not just her, not just in wars, whether it showed on their bodies or not." This could lead to a discussion of how each character was hurt and how this hurt was manifested. Students can discuss how the symbolism of wild animals, tree roots, and fire relate to sexuality and the violence of war.
Keywords: select any link below for a list of resources which also have that keyword
Emotions-Personal Issues > personal issues > individual > coming-of-age Emotions-Personal Issues > emotions > fear Emotions-Personal Issues > emotions > loss Emotions-Personal Issues > personal issues > individual > physical issues > sexuality Family > children > childhood Family > father > father-child relationships Family > mothers > mother-child relationships History > topic > war > children and war Family > siblings History > topic > war > Vietnam

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