The Battle of Jericho
Instructional Resources
Book Review
Written by Sharon Draper
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Publication Date: 1/01/2005
ISBN-13: 978-0689842337Age 12 and up
Awards
Coretta Scott King Book Award, 2004
YALSA Teens Top Ten, 2004
Society of School Librarians International Book Awards, 2003
High school can be a tough place...all of a sudden you are the small fish in a big pond so ask yourself, How far will you go to find a place and fit in? Would you humiliate yourself? Would you break the law? Would you leave things you love behind?
The Battle of Jericho is the story of Jericho, a junior who gets the chance to be a big fish by pledging the exclusive Warriors of Distinction club. Jericho battles himself as he begins to question if the sacrifices he is making are really worth it.
Sharon Draper skillfully examines one of the things teens (and adults ) crave: acceptance. The concept of hazing is brought to the forefront and the reader must examine themselves, just as Jericho does, to determine their own personal limits in the quest for acceptance. All the characters are well written and several subplots involving them combine to make a great story. This book is followed by November Blues and Just Another Hero, which complete the Jericho trilogy.
This book would be an excellent read for boys and students of color.
In the Classroom
The Warriors of Distinction have been an all male organization throughout their 50-year history. Dana is inadvertently chosen to become the first female warrior. Should Dana have broken the gender prohibition on joining the club? Write a persuasive paper arguing either side of the issue.
SOLs Addressed: Writing 10.6, Reading 10.4
While the Warriors that Jericho pledged lost sight of their ideals, some of their activities were helpful. Create a mission statement and guidelines for bonding for a new version of the warriors. Use examples from the text to support your new mission and guidelines.
SOLs Addressed: Reading 10.4, Family Life 10.3, 10.4
Jericho's trumpet was named for the writer Zora Neale Hurston, whose most famous work is Their Eyes Were Watching God. After reading Hurston's work, explore the theme of women being treated as the property of men in relationships. Trace that theme in the relationship between Dana and Eddie in The Battle of Jericho.
SOLs Addressed: Reading 10.4,
Students will research using various resources to determine the definition of hazing, give examples of hazing and find ways to prevent hazing. Students will create a multimedia presentation utilizing assorted web tools to present their findings.
SOLs Addressed: Writing 10.6, Research 10.8, Family Life 10.1, 10.3
Students will form groups to create a webquest to learn and educate others about people living with disabilities, such as mobility challenges, hearing loss, vision impairments, autism spectrum disorders, etc. Students will use one of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Kids' Quests as a model to create a TeenQuest. Students will create original media in addition to finding websites, videos and other resources to include in the TeenQuest.
SOLs Addressed: Family Life 12.5, Communication: Speaking, Listening, Media Literacy 10.1
Pair This Book With...
November Blues
Draper, S. M. (2007). November blues. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
Just Another Hero
Draper, S. M. (2009). Just another hero. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
Haze
Thomas, E. L. (2012). Haze. Victoria, BC: Orca Book Publishers.
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Hurston's most famous work, this story tells the life of Janie Crawford, a woman who is married to three different men during her lifetime. In each marriage, Janie's role in relation to her spouse is shown as it evolves. Janie moves from being the "mule or maid" of her husband to a relationship that is more equal.
Hurston, Z. N. (1990). Their eyes were watching God: A novel.
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
Lockhart, E., & Hyperion (Publisher). (2008). The disreputable history of Frankie Landau-Banks: A novel. New York, NY: Hyperion.
Further Resources
- Find out more about Sharon Draper and her other books at her website.
- Figure out what hazing is and how to stop hazing.
- Learn about Wynton Marsalis, the famous trumpeter Jericho likes.
- Interested in pursuing the performing arts? See what it takes to make it into Julliard.
- Help provide gifts and toys for economically disadvantaged children.
- Jericho got a red 1994 Grand Am for Christmas. Take a look at it.
- If you have experienced the death of a friend or loved one, you may be experiencing a lot of emotions. Find out more about death and grief.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015, February 7). Mobility | Kids' quest | NCBDDD | CDC. Retrieved July 25, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/kids/mobility.html#questions
Hazing | StopHazing | A leading resource for hazing research and prevention. (2015). Retrieved July 25, 2015, from http://www.stophazing.org/
Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. (2015). Home Page. Retrieved July 25, 2015, from http://www.toysfortots.org/Default.aspx
Nemours. (2015). Death and grief. Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/emotions/someone_died.html#
The Julliard School. (2015). Home | The Juilliard School. Retrieved July 25, 2015, from http://www.juilliard.edu/
Welcome to the official site of Sharon Draper. (2015). Retrieved July 25, 2015, from http://sharondraper.com/
Wynton Marsalis Enterprises. (2015). Wynton Marsalis official website. Retrieved July 25, 2015, from http://wyntonmarsalis.org/