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Tuesday
March 16, 2010 Since 1922 |
Story reflects kids at school
By JoAn Martin
Baytown Sun Published August 8, 2004 O’Connor Barbara, Fame and Glory in Freedom Georgia. New York. Frances Foster Books. Farrar Straus Giroux. 2003. Hardback. 104 pages. $16. ISBN 0-374-32258-9.
Bird Weaver’s only friend is Miss Delphine Reese who gave up a good job to come back to Freedom, Ga., and care for her father, who has had a stroke. Bird recognizes the good in Miss Delphine and admires her as a caring person. She always makes Bird feel special.
Delphine encourages the unpopular sixth-grader to make friends at school. When silent, glaring Harlem, who acts dumb and looks mean, moves to Freedom, Bird figures since he is the least popular boy in school, maybe he will be her friend. The other kids call him “retard” and “freak.”
Bird’s two goals in life are to get noticed by the people in Freedom, just for a few minutes of fame and glory, and to somehow get to Disney World, just once.
The spelling bee is the perfect answer. Prizes for the winner include a trip to Disney World, the Happiest Place on Earth. The only drawback? Bird can’t spell.
Bird tells Miss Delphine that Harlem is not the least bit friendly and is weird. His appearance is like a giant with long greasy hair hanging down in his face. If anyone looks at him, he glares at them as mean as anything. He never answers in class, but Bird is surprised to see a sign he wrote for the tattoo parlor.
She finally persuades Harlem to be her partner for the spelling bee. Miss Delphine gives them a dictionary and suggest they start with “A” and work their way to “Z,” practicing spelling every word. Bird is more interested in solving the mystery of who Harlem is and where he came from. Why does he live upstairs above the tattoo parlor with Mr. Moody?
In the process of studying, Bird manages to get Ray, the tattoo artist, and Miss Delphine, who needs friends also, together.
Ray’s best tattoo is an eyeball with wings peeking out the top of his shirt, but Bird recognizes that a person might look mean on the outside, but the value of what a person is like, is on the inside.
Barbara O’Connor writes a story that reflects kids at school and how they deal with relationships.
JoAn Martin reviews children’s books for The Baytown Sun. She is a retired teacher and may be reached at josbook(at)mindspring.com.
Baytown Sun Published August 8, 2004 O’Connor Barbara, Fame and Glory in Freedom Georgia. New York. Frances Foster Books. Farrar Straus Giroux. 2003. Hardback. 104 pages. $16. ISBN 0-374-32258-9.
Bird Weaver’s only friend is Miss Delphine Reese who gave up a good job to come back to Freedom, Ga., and care for her father, who has had a stroke. Bird recognizes the good in Miss Delphine and admires her as a caring person. She always makes Bird feel special.
Delphine encourages the unpopular sixth-grader to make friends at school. When silent, glaring Harlem, who acts dumb and looks mean, moves to Freedom, Bird figures since he is the least popular boy in school, maybe he will be her friend. The other kids call him “retard” and “freak.”
Bird’s two goals in life are to get noticed by the people in Freedom, just for a few minutes of fame and glory, and to somehow get to Disney World, just once.
The spelling bee is the perfect answer. Prizes for the winner include a trip to Disney World, the Happiest Place on Earth. The only drawback? Bird can’t spell.
Bird tells Miss Delphine that Harlem is not the least bit friendly and is weird. His appearance is like a giant with long greasy hair hanging down in his face. If anyone looks at him, he glares at them as mean as anything. He never answers in class, but Bird is surprised to see a sign he wrote for the tattoo parlor.
She finally persuades Harlem to be her partner for the spelling bee. Miss Delphine gives them a dictionary and suggest they start with “A” and work their way to “Z,” practicing spelling every word. Bird is more interested in solving the mystery of who Harlem is and where he came from. Why does he live upstairs above the tattoo parlor with Mr. Moody?
In the process of studying, Bird manages to get Ray, the tattoo artist, and Miss Delphine, who needs friends also, together.
Ray’s best tattoo is an eyeball with wings peeking out the top of his shirt, but Bird recognizes that a person might look mean on the outside, but the value of what a person is like, is on the inside.
Barbara O’Connor writes a story that reflects kids at school and how they deal with relationships.
JoAn Martin reviews children’s books for The Baytown Sun. She is a retired teacher and may be reached at josbook(at)mindspring.com.