AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Richard Michelson/ E.B. Lewis
PUBLISHER: PUTNAM CHILDREN PUBLICATION DATE: 2006
BRIEF OVERVIEW: This story took place when people who were different colors or from different cultures were looked down
upon if they became friends. However, a Jewish Caucasian boy and African American boy do not care what others think. The parents of these children even become friends at the end of the story. When walking down the street side by side these boys are stared at because they have become friends, but this does not bother them in any way. At the end of the story Willie learns how to play the violin like he has always wanted to and the young Jewish boy finally gets to play baseball like he has always wanted to.
This story shows how sad it is that children of different color used to not be able to
play during the day but at night when nobody was watching they were best friends…
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: The teacher will then display a poster to the students that is broken into sections with the following titles: Theme, Conflict, Characters, and Resolution. The teacher will ask the students to state what each of these are regarding this particular story. The teacher will prompt the students if they cannot generate the answers. The theme of this story is that people can be friends regardless of what they
upon if they became friends. However, a Jewish Caucasian boy and African American boy do not care what others think. The parents of these children even become friends at the end of the story. When walking down the street side by side these boys are stared at because they have become friends, but this does not bother them in any way. At the end of the story Willie learns how to play the violin like he has always wanted to and the young Jewish boy finally gets to play baseball like he has always wanted to.
This story shows how sad it is that children of different color used to not be able to
play during the day but at night when nobody was watching they were best friends…
INTEGRATED ACTIVITY: The teacher will then display a poster to the students that is broken into sections with the following titles: Theme, Conflict, Characters, and Resolution. The teacher will ask the students to state what each of these are regarding this particular story. The teacher will prompt the students if they cannot generate the answers. The theme of this story is that people can be friends regardless of what they
look like.
The conflict in this story is that the boys are scared to act like they are friends in public and the characters are Willie, the Jewish boy, his grandpa,
and Willie’s father. The resolution occurs when Willie and the Jewish boy
decide to walk down the alley together side by side regardless of what other
people in the town think.
REVIEWER’S NAME & AFFILIATION: Mary Anna Dozier, Valdosta State University
