Book Detail

Freedom's Fruit

Publication Information
Author:  Hooks, William Illustrator:  Ransome, James
Title:  Freedom's Fruit Date:  1996
Publisher:  Alfred A. Knopf City:  New York
ISBN, paperback:  0-679-82438-3 ISBN, hardback:  

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

General Information:
Book Type(s):    legends, tales and myths, fiction, easy reading

HSE Descriptor(s):   

Summary:
Mama Marina, a conjure woman in the Low Country of the Carolinas in the time of slavery, uses a magic spell to free her daughter and the man she loves. The book includes an Author's Note that compares the American folktale with the Greek myth of Persephone. The illustrations are especially beautiful.

Teaching Ideas:
Use a Venn diagram to facilitate a comparison with the Persephone myth as a pre-writing activity. How do the grape vines parallel the illness of Sheba and Joe? Although the story revolves around a magic spell, the central theme of trust and belief could be explored in comparisons between Alston/Mama Marina, Mama Marina/Sheba and Joe, and the other slaves/Mama Marina. Students interested in the art work may want to look at other books illustrated by James Ransome. www.loggin.com/myth/content.html

Teaching Strategies:
bullet Venn Diagrams
   http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/venn_diagrams.pdf

Keywords: select any link below for a list of resources which also have that keyword
bullet Ethnic Groups > African-American
bullet Social Studies > anthropology > folklore > folktales
bullet Social Studies > anthropology > folklore > superstitions
bullet Emotions-Personal Issues > emotions > love
bullet Family > mothers > motherly love
bullet Literature and Language > figurative language > symbolism
bullet Literature and Language > mythology
bullet Social Studies > sociology > social issues > racism > race relations
bullet Communities


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