Going Home
Presented by Daisha Friedly - Section C
Bunting, E. (1996). Going home. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
Book Information
Author: Eve Bunting
Illustrator: David Diaz
Genre: General Fiction Multicultural
Theme/Subject: Changes, new experiences, family life, neighborhood life, Hispanic and American
About the Author
Eve Bunting was born in a small village in Northern Ireland. In 1958, she emigrated to the United States and raised three children. She did not begin writing until she moved to California after taking her first creative writing course. Bunting has since gone on to writing over 100 books for young readers. She has won many awards for her writings such as the Golden Kite Award for the Society of Children's Book Writers, the Pen Los -Angeles Center
Award for Special Achievement in Children's Literature, and the Edgar. Bunting is no longer writing and is currently living in Pasadena, California.
About the Illustrator
David Diaz was born in raised in Florida. He knew since he was in first grade that he wanted to do something with art for the rest of his life, but it wasn't until high school that Diaz knew he wanted to be an illustrator. David's illustration career started when he was in college in the San Diego Reader. His first picture book career began when he worked on a series of faces while he was traveling down the Amazon River. Since then David has been recognized for his dynamic work in national publications, popular products, and literary works.
An Illustration from the Book
The media used to illustrate this book was paint. In this illustration, Diaz used vibrant colors to truly show what the families home in Mexico looked like and to contrast Mexico to America.
Criteria for High Quality Multicultural Literature
- Themes are consistent with the values, beliefs, customs, traditions, and conflicts of the specific cultural group. In this book it is very clear that the characters hold pride in where they come from and how they were raised. They also talk in Spanish, which is their first language. Also, it is clear that the parents are having a hard time with English because the children have to help them out. This is a common problem when people come to the United States when they are older.
- Social issues and conflicts related to cultural groups should be treated honestly, accurately, and openly. The children are nervous about going back to Mexico. They double check to make sure their dad has the papers so they can get in and out of Mexico. This is a common problem in our society today because immigration is so hard for many people to attain.
- Characters should authentically reflect the distinct cultural experiences of a specific culture group. In this story, the parents moved to America to give their children better opportunities than they had in Mexico, but they want to go back when they can. This happens a lot today. People do not leave their country because they do not like it, they leave for a better life.
Classroom Application
Grade Level: 2nd
ELA-Literacy.RL.2.3 Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges
The students will describe how a main character is feeling after a major event in the literature using evidence from the text to support their reasoning.
Procedure:
- The teacher will start by asking the class if anyone knows someone that had to move to the United States from their home country for some reason. If any students know someone they can share with the class how that person felt when he/she had to move, why they had to move, and if they miss their home country.
- Then the teacher will introduce the book. She will let the class know that they are going to focus on how the characters in the book may be feeling.
- As she reads the book she should ask the students how characters may feel after big events and why they might be feeling that way.
- After reading that book as a class, the students will write a journal entry from one of the characters after on of the events from the book. For example, Write about Mama would have felt when she found out that the family was going to be able to go back and visit their family and friends in Mexico.
- Then, they will write their evidence from the book on the back to justify what they wrote.
- Once the students are done writing students will find a partner and share what they wrote with each other.