The Chronicles of Mrs. Major

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Alexander, K. (2013). He Said She Said: A Novel . Amistad.  ISBN: 9780062118981 2.  PLOT SUMMARY When Omar “T-Diddy” Smalls tries his usual seductive ways on studious Claudia, he falls short but doesn’t count himself out. Realizing he can work another angle with leading a protest, Omar not only develops feelings for Claudia but also brings attention to budget cuts. Mixed with social media and feelings, do these two actually have a chance at real feelings?   3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS The characters in He Said, She Said are authentic and representative of black teens in several ways. Omar is a stereotypical football star that is obsessed with the opposite sex. He begins a protest in hopes to win Claudia’s affection but learns through the experience that he is concerned with social issues. Claudia is the studious type as valedictorian and on the school newspaper. She fights for those in her community and plays an activist role in social issues. Their friends and t...

  1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Thomas, A. (2021). Concrete Rose. Balzer + Bray.  ISBN: 9780062846716 2.  PLOT SUMMARY This chapter book is a prequel to The Hate U Give which follows Star’s dad, Mav, through high school.  Becoming an unexpected dad and wrestling with the world between gangs and providing for his family, Mav has to decide what’s best for them. After a loved one's death, Mav must decide to seek revenge or break the cycle of violence.  3. CRITICAL ANALYSIs The characters in Concrete Rose all have authentic relationships and are supportive of each other. Mav finds out he is a father to Seven and ends up raising him because the mom abandons him. His mother gives tough love by making him take care of the baby day and night. His girlfriend Lisa also becomes pregnant by him. His cousin Dre is his best friend and mentor. He ends up getting shot and Mav has to come to terms with his death. Mr. Wyatt, neighbor and employer, steps in as the voice of reason and substitut...

  1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Harrison, V. (2023). Big . Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780316566223 2.  PLOT SUMMARY The picture book Big begins with others telling a black girl that she is too big both in size and age to do certain things. She is overwhelmed and constrained to the words said about her until she breaks free from the pages to be who she truly wants to be; not conforming to expectations.    3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS In Big the main character has a great rise and fall then rises again in the book. She begins as a positive and happy girl who loves life, especially ballet. She is told she is a big girl size wise and too big to do certain things. Her words of affirmation shift to words of doubt. She is able to shake these words and size that define her into a space of self-love and acceptance.  The setting is not of importance as much as the story being told. She is at a ballet studio, a playground, then trapped within the pages of the book, then bac...

  1. BIBLIOGRAPHY Lester, J. (1994). John Henry. Puffin Books. ISBN: 978-0-78571-862-8 2.  PLOT SUMMARY This African American folk tale tells of the larger-than-life John Henry. It is based on the ballad of John Henry that Julius Lester used to sing as a former folk singer. Always helping and determined, John Henry contributes wherever he goes. Threatened to be outdone by a steam drill, John takes on the largest task of his life. 3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS In John Henry, the characters are very authentic and culturally accurate physically. As the main character, John is strong and uses manual labor to assist others. He is enduring and determined. He always fights for what’s right. His parents, townspeople, and the railroad workers are all depicted with the correct clothing, hair, and accessories for the era of the book. The black characters have hairstyles and textures that are accurate. Their skin tones are correctly represented. The setting is the Midwest in the a cabin where Joh...