Book Detail

Voice of Her Own, A

Publication Information
Author:  Lasky, Kathryn Illustrator:  Lee, Paul
Title:  Voice of Her Own, A Date:  2003
Publisher:  Candlewick City:  Cambridge, MA
ISBN, paperback:  0-7636-0252-3 ISBN, hardback:  

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

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

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

Summary:
This biography of Phillis Wheatley, a American Revolution era slave who became the first Black woman poet, includes excerpts of her poetry, an epilogue, and notes by the author and illustrator.

Teaching Ideas:
When used with a text set on The American Revolution, this book provides opportunites to imagine events from a different perspective. After searching the Internet for more information, students can determine what words/events/topics moved her to write. The book raises questions about Phillis's role as a black person and slave in the household, in the community, and later, in the country. In an effort to identify with Phillis, readers can write a letter to her or write a paragraph from her point of view describing how she feels not being a full member of either the white or black communities. Since the epilogue states that she died penniless just a few years after she left the Wheatley's, readers can search the Internet to discover what might have happened to her.

Teaching Strategies:
bullet Agree? Disagree? Why?
   http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/agree_disagree_why.pdf
bullet Helping Students in the Writing Process
   http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/help_writing_process.pdf
bullet Think-Pair-Share
   http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/think_pair_share.pdf
bullet Types of Journals
   http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/types_of_journals.pdf
bullet Unsent Letters
   http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka/strategies/unsent_letters.pdf

Keywords: select any link below for a list of resources which also have that keyword
bullet Ethnic Groups > African-American
bullet Education > literacy
bullet Emotions-Personal Issues > personal issues > individual > freedom
bullet Emotions-Personal Issues > emotions > imagination
bullet History > region > U.S. history > American Revolution
bullet Social Studies > sociology > social issues > racism > segregation
bullet Social Studies > sociology > women > women in history
bullet Literature and Language > poetry
bullet Education > listening


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