Written by: Jennifer L. Holm
Jacket Illustration by: Craig Nelson
Random House Children's Books, New York, New York
Lexile: 730L
Accelerated Reader: 7.0
Culturally rich, Dynamic, Amusing, Coming of Age, Relatable
Suggested Delivery: whole class read aloud
Electronic Resources to Support Learning:
This site provides information on the events leading up to, and the actual internment of thousands of Italian Americans in the United States for suspicion of alliance with Mussolini. Just as Penny's father was taken into an internment camp, thousands of other innocent Italian Americans were forced into internment camps during WWII.
This website explains what the National Italian American Foundation is and its importance; membership requirements, culture, programs, events, and scholarships available for students.
Key Vocabulary:
- guffaw - a loud, boisterous laugh
- rotunda - a round building with a dome
- patanella mia - Italian, meaning "my little potato"
- pastiera - Italian dish, made with spaghetti, eggs, cheese, and black pepper, baked and served cold
- tesoro mio - Italian for "my treasure"
- snide - acting in a nasty, rude manner
- turpentine - distilled from the resin of pine trees, may be used to remove stains or medicinally
Before Reading: Mrs. Lewis, a 2nd grade teacher in the building, has a grandmother that came over with her family from Italy and had to adjust to an American way of life. Although she never had to go to an internment camp because she completed her American citizenship, she knew of many who were abruptly taken from their families and forced into internment camps. Mrs. Lewis's grandmother, Mrs. Falucci, will come in and speak to the class about what life was like as an Italian American, the challenges she faced getting accustomed to a different way of life, and give students insight on some Italian customs.
During Reading: Although Frankie is Penny's cousin and best friend, many adults distrust him and disapprove of Penny hanging out with him so much. Using what students have read so far about Frankie throughout the book (how he cheats during card games and never listens to adults), read aloud to the class Chapter 15, stopping on page 179 when Frankie is trying to convince Penny to go to the pool even though she's not allowed. Pose the question to students of "What do you think will happen if Penny goes to the pool with Frankie?" Students will discuss this question and its implications with their classmates at their groups, then report their predictions aloud to the whole group. Students are encouraged to discuss punishments as well as safety issues or threats (polio is a big concern during this time to Penny's mother), as well as any embarrassing scenarios that could occur. After discussing, finish reading the chapter aloud and compare what events occurred in the story to students' predictions.
After Reading: Students will participate in a socratic seminar to debate and discuss the internment camps that were present during WWII, specifically the Italian American internment camps. The whole class will read aloud together the "Author's Note" on pages 259-265 to learn more about the fear and propaganda the U.S. Government placed in its citizens during the war. Students are encouraged to discuss why internment camps were formed and the underlying fear of the unknown that may have been the root cause. How do we still see fear of the unknown in various cultures in present times? Students will then research images of propaganda from various wars or aimed towards specific cultures and share their findings with the class.
Writing Activity: Students are to talk to their family and find out about their own culture and heritage. After taking notes, interviewing family members, bringing in photographs or artifacts, students will write about their background and where their ancestors came from. Students are encouraged to write about family customs their family used to do or still do, favorite cultural foods, cultural activities, pasttimes, etc. Students should also include why it is important to learn about your family background and the customs that shape individual cultures.
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