Awards:
2011 Coretta Scott King Award Winner
2011 Newbery Honor Book
2011 Scott O’Dell Prize for Historical Fiction
2010 National Book Award Finalist
Junior Library Guild Selection
Texas Library Association Best Book for 2010
Here is the poem We Real Cool by Gwendolyn Brooks that Vonetta recites in the story:
The Pool Players.
Seven at the Golden Shovel.
We real cool. We
Left school. We
Lurk late. We
Strike straight. We
Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We
Jazz June. We
Die soon.
Seven at the Golden Shovel.
We real cool. We
Left school. We
Lurk late. We
Strike straight. We
Sing sin. We
Thin gin. We
Jazz June. We
Die soon.
Since we will not meet in person, please answer at least three questions in the comment section.
· What do you think of Pa forcing the girls to go to California?
· Do you think it was a good idea in the beginning? Did your view of that change by the end of the girls' story?
· What kind of a mother was Cecile?
· Do you think Cecile was horrible? Did she have any reasons to behave the way she was behaving?
· Do you think she should have left her daughter's and gone away? Why? Why not?
· Why Cecile was critical of old fashioned words like "negro" and "ma'am”?
· Do you think the girls got an education in Oakland they otherwise would not have gotten in Brooklyn? Why or why not?
· How do you think each sister changed during their four weeks abroad?
· What do you know about the Black Panther movement? What did you learn about it from this book?
· If you researched articles written in 1968 about the Black Panthers, what kind of information would you find? Do you think you'd find information about their breakfast programs for hungry kids and free day camps?
· What do you think happened when they got back to Brooklyn? Do you think they were different?
· Do you think they saw Cecile again? Why do you think they would or wouldn't want to see her again?
· How did the final scene in the airport affect you? Did it change your opinion of Cecile?
· Does this book challenge your assumptions or your understanding of African Americans?
· Is this book as much about gender as it is about race?
What kind of mother was Cecile?
ReplyDeleteCecile was an uncaring, distant female who gave birth to three children. While producing children make a female a reproductive incubator, it does not, however, make a female a “mother.” Mothers are supposed to be nurturing, caring and loving.
Do you think Cecile was horrible? Did she have any reasons to behave the way she was behaving?
While I think that Cecile displayed horrible behavior towards her children; I don’t necessarily think that she was a horrible person. At sixteen years of age, she was turned out on the street to fend for herself. While I am not excusing her horrible behavior toward her girls who came so far to be with her; her unfortunate troubled life may have contributed to her distant behavior toward her own children. Also, it maybe that she did not want the children to get attached to her and her way of life—if they think that she is a horrible person, they won’t want to spend any more time with her.
Do you think she should have left her daughters and gone away? Why? Why not?
The reason given for Cecile leaving her children—“Pa” did not want her to name Fern; is not a valid reason for her to leave them. However, there may have been other issues. Cecile’s troubled life may have contributed to her abandonment of her children. The relationship between “Pa” and her may not have been a healthy one. She might have not been able to take care of her children by herself; and rather than taking the children with her and not having the wherewithal to take care of them, she opt to leave them in a stable and loving environment. If there is a choice to be made between a healthy and stable environment for children and taking them on the street to battle the elements; then the option to leave them would be the better one.
Although circumstances may require a mother to leave her children for a while, there should always be constant communication between them. Because “Pa” was willing to send the children to visit Cecile, suggests that there was openness for Cecile to visit and speak to her children whenever she desired. She may have done what was in the best interest of the children by leaving them with their father since she was having issues with her own identity and self-worth. However, the opportunity presented itself when she could have embraced and cared for them, but she chose not to do so. Her hugging them when they were leaving, may have been too little, too late.
Q. What do you think of Pa forcing the girls to go to California?
ReplyDeleteQ. Do you think it was a good idea in the beginning?
Q. Did your view of that change by the end of the girls' story?
A. Do I think it was a good idea for Pa to force the girls to go to California? Yes and no. At first I was thinking he’s crazy to be sending three young girls –alone- to someone they don’t even know! Although he was married to her and knew her, the girls didn’t know her at all and that has to be terrifying. Throughout the story I was convinced it was a bad decision to let them go there, and kept thinking why don’t they just call Pa and Big Ma and let him know what’s going on? After it was all said and done though, I think it was good that the girls got to see for themselves the real Cecile.
Q. How do you think each sister changed during their four weeks abroad?
A. I think that Delphine was very mature throughout the trip; always watching after her sisters and being responsible for them. She learned that the things that Big Ma said about Cecile were true, but I also think she needed to see it firsthand. She also bravely knew how to handle Cecile-like when she made dinner for them all in the forbidden kitchen. She is a strong character and a good role-model.
Fern, being the youngest, has all the reason to be immature but you definitely see a change in her towards the end of the book. When Vonetta draws all over her white baby doll Miss Patty Cake, I expected a complete meltdown and for Fern to be considerably mad for awhile – but she wasn’t. Is it because she outgrew her beloved baby doll? I’m not sure..but she handled it very maturely. Also she doesn’t back down to her mother refusing to call her by her real name which I thought was very cute and felt happy for her that she stood up to her.
Vonetta I would say changed the least throughout the trip. But I do think that she realized how much her sisters meant to her after their mother was scarily arrested. The sisters needed to rely on each other to get through and that was a change from her wanting almost nothing to do with them during the summer camp when she only cared about making new friends and fitting in with them, even if it meant going against her own sisters.
What do you think of Pa forcing the girls to go to California?
ReplyDeleteI believe that this was the right move for him as a father. While she may have not been the most caring mother, there were obviously things that were missing from the girls lives because they didn't have their mother with them. It would also have been selfish of him to keep the girls away from their mother, especially because he knew the real reason she left.
Is this book as much about gender as it is about race?
I don't believe that is "as much" about gender as it is about race. I believe that race is the main point in the novel and gender plays a smaller-though not necessarily less important-role. The girls learn more about their heritage and themselves based on their race and the issues facing African Americans at the time than they do about being women. Delphine begins to learn about boys, though that would have occurred naturally no matter where she was.
Do you think they saw Cecile again? Why do you think they would or wouldn't want to see her again?
I believe they did see Cecile again. The emotions that they faced when it came to loving their mother were complicated but were not likely to go away. Cecile even began to open her heart to them towards the end, allowing for mutual acceptance and love. The only issue I believe they may have faced was getting permission from their father and grandmother to return to Oakland after hearing anything that they went through. The girls needed their mother and they learned from her, much as she did from them. The relationship was far from over based on what happened on that one fateful trip.
What do you think of Pa forcing the girls to go to California?
ReplyDeleteIn some ways, I disagree with Pa sending the three young girls on a plane by themselves. Did they need to see and get to know their mother? Cecile was the one to run out on them, and from day one Delphine was one looking out for her sisters, being the mother and making sure they are taken care of. This whole trip forced her to grow up quickly.
What kind of mother was Cecile?
I feel she was never ready to be a mother. To her, her poetry was more important to her than her own children. Cecile said " "I didn't send for you. Didn't want you in the first place. Should have gone to Mexico to get rid of you when I had the chance." From the moment the three girls landed, she didn't want to be seen with them, she did't help them settle in and offered up some "air sandwiches" for food. I was really offended by her behavior. I wanted to pull her out of the book and slap her.
How did the final scene in the airport affect you? Did it change your opinion of Cecile?
The airport scene, for me, didn't fit. The entire time there girls were with them, she did not even care for them and all of a sudden, they are hugging her? Cecile was expecting Delphine to call Pa when she was arrested (Cecile not Delphine), But instead Delphine did what Big Ma told her to do and that was to look out for her sisters. Following these instructions and taking care of them, it offered her some down time to be like a kid when her friends parents temporally took them in.
1) What do you think of Pa forcing the girls to go to California?
ReplyDeleteInitially, I did not agree with this decision at all, mostly because she had "abandoned" them and they would be going on their own. However, after reading the book I realize that he had valid reason and at that point in their life they needed some type of motherly influence, even if she was a mother in the best sense of the word.
2) Is this book as much about gender as it is about race?
I think that the book is much more about race, although their are obvious gender issue undertones throughout the story. The Civil Rights Movement in American history was the climax of hundreds of years of inequality. I think that the story is really trying to encapsulate the feelings and ideas of African American children that were living through this point in history.
3) What do you think happened when they got back to Brooklyn? Do you think they were different?
I think that the experience changed their outlook on not only their mother but how they viewed society. It might not have been something that they could articulate immediately, but hindsight tends to allow you to look back at things from your childhood that had a profound effect on you as a person, defining who you are and who you want to be.
What do you think of Pa forcing the girls to go to California?
ReplyDeletePart of me understands why Pa wanted the girls to go see Cecile. I think he would regret it, if he never let them see her again. I also feel that it answered questions that the girls might have been wondering about their mother. I also feel that Pa hoped that Cecile, even though not much of a mother, could show her children what she was all about;speaking her mind;expressing herself;writing poetry.
What kind of mother was Cecile?
I loved the descrption of Cecile in the book. As I was reading it, I was smiling, yes that is what a mother is:someone who tucks you in, cares for you when you are sick, gets you ready for picture day, etc. Cecile was selfish, engrossed in what she wanted to do, which was write poetry. How could she not hug those girls at the airport after not seeing them for so long? How could she be so cold to such sweet, innocent girls. She was no mother to those girls.
How did the final scene in the airport effect you? Did it change your opinion of Cecile?
Wow, a little surprised that she thought enough to stand up to the photographer trying to take pictures of the girls. Did she care about them? She wacthed them get on a line and didn't just walk away.. Was she questioning her actions during their visit, wishing she had done things differently? No, my views have not changed about Cecile because although she stopped and looked at the girls, she was not the one who ran and gave the girls a hug...sadly though.. it was the other way around...The girls knew what they wanted, what they came for..and because of them...got the touch of their "mother".
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ReplyDeleteDo you think it was good idea for Pa to force the girls to go to California in the beginning? Did your view of that change by the end of the girls' story?
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of the story, I felt that Pa shouldn't have forced the girls to go to California. Cecile left her children and didn't want anything to do with them while they visited. Also, Pa sent the girls knowing that Cecile didn't want them to come, so I didn't think it was fair that he didn't let them decide. At the end of the story, I realized that the girls needed to come visit their mother to figure out who their mother is and learn about themselves in the process. I felt that the girls can be content knowing that they at least got to meet their mother and learning about her life in California.
What kind of a mother was Cecile?
I feel that Cecile is a disconnected mother and doesn't understand her children. Cecile repeats several times in the book that she didn't even want the girls to come visit. She doesn't know how to care for her children and give them attention. I think that Cecile believes that her children should learn how to take care of themselves on their own because she was forced to take care of herself when her mother died and her aunt kicked her out. I think that Cecile wasn't ready to have children and was not able to handle having them.
Do you think they saw Cecile again? Why do you think they would or wouldn't want to see her again?
I think that the girls did see Cecile again. The ending of the story with the girls running to give their mother a hug before getting on the plane, makes it seem as if the girls will be back to visit their mother. I feel that the girls would want to see their mother again because they would want to continue to try to understand her and be able to connect with her more. I think the girls are willing to accept Cecile into their life even though she left theirs. I feel that Cecile opened up a little bit to the girls at the end of the story which was the opposite of how she acted to them when they first arrived. I think that since the girls have had the chance to see their mother they will want to continue to do so.
What do you think of Pa forcing the girls to go to California?
ReplyDeleteI don't think that it was a bad idea, I just think the way he went about it was wrong. Sending girls that age across the country to see someone they don't remember for that period of time would be scary. Just because she was their mother doesn't make it right. She was still a stranger to these children. I do think that they needed to get to know their mother to understand why she left.
What kind of a mother was Cecile?
Cecile could not be a mother to these girls because she did not know how. She grew up not knowing what a mother should be like and was too damaged to be able to raise children that she never wanted in the first place.
Do you think Cecile was horrible? Did she have any reasons to behave the way she was behaving?
I do think that Cecile was horrible. I can understand that she didn't want the children and left to lead her own life. My problem is that they are still children. Any person would want to look out for a child even if they were a stranger's child. The fact that she could not even tend to the children's basic needs of food and safety shows her lack of common sense. My question is why did she even agree to let them come if she wasn't going to take care of them?
What kind of mother was Cecil?
ReplyDeleteCecil was a very complicated woman who had a very difficult adolescence which inhibited her ability to be an in tune mother. I believe that she was unable to mother her children when they were young because she was very young herself. Cecil was not mature enough to handle such responsibilities and also lacked maternal instincts.
Do you think the girls got an education in Oakland they otherwise would not have gotten in Brooklyn? Why or why not?
Yes, the girls definitely experience a great deal in Oakland that they would not necessarily have gotten in Brooklyn. Pa and Big Ma appear to be very traditional and sheltered the young girls from the changes occurring in the late 1960s. By attending the Black Panther Breakfast and Summer Camp Program, the three girls were able to learn about the history of the movement and the importance of expression and working for a common goal of change.
What do you think happened when they got back to Brooklyn? Do you think they were different?
After returning home, I think the girls especially Delfine, were able to formulate a deeper understanding of Cecil and her struggles. I think they were also able to finally feel their mother’s love. I think the Panther’ philosophy for self expression and change allowed the girls to understand themselves more accurately as well.
What do you think of Pa forcing the girls to go to California?
ReplyDeleteI am torn between agreeing with Pa and disagreeing with him for sending the girls to California. Part of me believes he wanted them to form their own opinion about their mother and not base it off of what Big Ma told them or what they have heard throughout the years. I also think the independence they earned from traveling alone and learning about the special bond sisters have was a priceless experience for them and, perhaps, much needed.
What kind of mother was Cecile?
To me, Cecile seemed like a teenage mother who was neither prepared for the responsibilities of motherhood nor wanting of them. She was self centered and focused on her needs only. What kind of mother tells her children she did not want them to come visit or that she was not responsible for making them dinner? Delphine was so strong for her age, something I can't imagine myself being if I were in her position.
What do you think happened when they got back to Brooklyn? Do you think they were different?
I think the girls matured a lot from their trip in Oakland and were able to view life differently. I especially think they had a better understanding of their mother and got what they needed from her. I also believe each sister was able to define themselves through the roles they played for each other and grew a stronger bond because of what they went through together. I believe, too, that perhaps the girls were a little more liberal and open minded due to their awareness and involvement around the Black Panthers.
Do you think it was a good idea in the beginning? Did your view of that change by the end of the girls' story?
ReplyDeleteA: At first, it seemed irresponsible for their father and grandmother to send all of them across the U.S. to see a person, mother or not, that is clearly unstable. She left them, and as a mother, she's gone. However, at the end of the book, this proved that tough love may sometimes work - meaning I understand why they sent them. It is better to see things for yourselves rather than wonder and create wrong images about someone like that.
Do you think she should have left her daughter's and gone away? Why? Why not?
A: As much as I find child abandonment to be unthinkable, some parents are clearly not fit for the job. She knew her children were in good hands, and it must take a lot to leave your own children behind. I suppose she was right to leave her children, although leaving your children like that will create obvious psychological damage, staying and raising your children when you are not ready can be even worse. In this case, she was right to leave them. I don't think she actually left over Fern's name, but perhaps her strong personality and possible disorders caused her to snap like that.
How did the final scene in the airport affect you? Did it change your opinion of Cecile?
A; It still didn't change my opinion of Cecile, if anything, I disliked her more. She was only proud of them and finally admitted to having children after they took her side at the rally. One's own children shouldn't have to have the same opinion or interests as you to be proud of them. She never accepted them, and even now, she somewhat did but had no problem with them leaving. Maybe it was because she realized they didn't need her, and that they're ok without her, but I still felt it could've been the reason why they reconnected and started a relationship. It's probably better that they all don't see each other, and I think the children and Cecile realized this at the airport, but I still don't like Cecile.