Book reviews of titles that have helped shape my Millennial experience, and other self indulgent musings.
Book Review:
Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman
In Seedfolks, by author Paul Fleischman, we are given a small glimpse of how all things in life grow and change. It is in this parable that young readers can be exposed to the idea that we are all similar in our differences. This informative NPR interview, Paul gives readers an idea of the book's purpose from its creator himself. And here, within this blog, I will further elaborate on the book, its characters, and my own personal reaction to the content. I will also use this area to give you links for the novellas uses in the classroom and additional insight into the book and other readers reaction to it.
Points of Interest:
Major Story:
In this short novella, we are introduced to 13 characters of various ages, races, and ethnicities. They are all the star of the story as we explore how the vegetable garden being grown outside fo their apartment complex changes over the course of one year. In that one year time, we are also shown how much each character seems to blossom and grow in tandem with the garden. See this overview here on Shmoop where the major story and characters are given extensive detail. There is no need for me to give you a play by play here when it was done so brilliantly on Shmoop.
Minor Story:
Overall, this story can be described as an insightful observation on how we are all similar. Regardless of our outward appearance, the heart of the novel is that thoughts, feelings, wants, and desires are, ultimately universal. Written as a book for young readers, this is an important message to try and get across. All children are born without bias, it is only after being exposed to life where the bias comes in. This story turns that idea on its head by saying that it is life itself is what can change bias and cynism. By observing life as it grows, instead of allowing exposure to the darker elements of our own life, we can all become better people. It is an interesting concept and almost poetic in its simplicity.
"Now I see the secret to making the best person: it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth"- Walt Whitman
Character Analysis:
Because the story is told from 13 different POV's, I will only highlight six of the main characters. It is true that all characters serve a purpose in the story as a whole, but the book itself is only 69 pages. This led to many characters feeling flat and underdeveloped. Or even filler for an already drawn-out short story. Only the following six were nicely developed and, in my opinion, actually made the story what it is today. had the author made this a full novel, I believe the following characters would support the storyline. Accompanying the following images (copied illustrations by Judy Pederson), you will see one of the human sense for each character. With an extra one just for the heck of it. Click the image in the tree below to be directed to their quote.
Personal Reaction:
Though I enjoyed this book, it almost felt more like a collection of interviews. It seemed like the manuscript from a documentary. It didn't really feel like a Young Adult novel at all. That is due, in large part, to the length of the novel. The language is beautiful and the characterizations are creative and relevant, but overall, I felt cheated. This can be taught in class, but it would need to be supplemented with additional, meatier novels along the same vein.
Classroom Application:
I found some fantastic online resources on how to incorporate the reading of this material into a lesson plan. Teach young students the value of diversity, how it can be celebrated all month long, and in the vein of this novel, blossom into something magical. Here are just a few links to get a teacher started:
Library Sparks Lesson Plans and Activities
And here is a link to a teaching guide with other helpful materials that can be used to teach Seedfolks.
