Part of Me: Stories of a Louisiana Family
Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that there is a fairly gruesome scene of a dog caught in an animal trap. Also, there are references to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and sex, but no descriptions or discussion.
Families who read this book could discuss the ways in which books play a part in every generation of this story. How do they affect each character? What about those who say they don't like books? Also, this book might inspire your kids to want to know more about their own family history.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Matt Berman
Kimberly Willis Holt writes gentle little character-driven stories that lyrically convey the rhythms, pace, and quirks of life in the deep South. Like her other books, PART OF ME is a book that only a Southerner could write. It doesn't just describe what a visiting observer could see and hear -- every page is steeped in the languid and sultry cadences, the ancient traditions, and cultural eccentricities of the Bayou.
The format, of related short stories crossing four generations, means that the reader never establishes a deep connection to any one character. Rather, the connection here is to a place and a way of life; a world in which an old oysterman who plays the fiddle in his pirogue has the power in his community that comes from earthy wisdom and gentle understanding. With its leisurely pace and lack of action, this is not a book for every child. But for one who has the patience to wait to see what appears around the next bend in the bayou, it can reveal a world few outsiders get to see.
From The Book
Papa left the summer the windmill broke. Our fields dried up along with Momma's heart and for a while I thought each day was the end of the world. Then the peach tree burst into full bloom and I knew somehow we were going to survive -- Momma, Pie, Possum, and me. Momma must have known, too, because she got out of bed one morning and announced, "I t'ink today is a good day for a picnic." So we packed a basket with bread and the last jar of dill pickles, and spread a blanket near the trickle of water that used to be Muddy Creek. That afternoon we listened to the mockingbirds' sweet songs, and when the sun set, the cicadas serenaded us all the way home.
Plot Summary:
Ten related stories link together the generations of a Louisiana family, beginning (and ending) with Rose who, in 1939, is forced to leave school to help support her family. Though she dreams of being a writer, instead she lies her way into a job driving a library bookmobile into the small bayou communities around Houma.
Her son, Merle, becomes a trapper, until a horrible accident makes him think twice about what he's doing. His daughter, Annabeth, learns courage from a dead boy, and her son, Kyle, changes his mind about books after acting them out for toddlers.
Related Books:
Other Books by Kimberly Willis Holt:
Mister and Me
My Louisiana Sky
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town
Dancing in Cadillac Light
Keeper of the Night
More Books of Related Short Stories:
What Hearts by Bruce Brooks
The Lucky Stone by Lucille Clifton
The Hollow Land by Jane Gardam
Walking Stars by Victor Villaseñor
The Library Card by Jerry Spinelli
A Long Way from Chicago: A Novel in Stories by Richard Peck
Dolores: Seven Stories About Her by Bruce Brooks
More Multigenerational Stories:
Steal Away by Jennifer Armstrong
The Stone Book Quartet by Alan Garner
The Glory Field by Walter Dean Myers
Related Web Site
Author's Site
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Sexual ContentAn older, married man looks lustfully at a teen; a boy overhears a talk about where babies come from; mention of a period starting. |
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ViolenceDrunken fighting referred to; a parent beats up a mean coach; animals are trapped, killed (including drowning), and skinned, and a dog accidentally caught in a trap loses a leg; a couple have a physical fight. |
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LanguageA bit of moderate swearing ("assholes"). |
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Message |
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Social BehaviorA teen lies about her age to get a license and a job. |
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CommercialismPop Tarts, Coke, Snickers. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoDrinking and drunkenness mentioned; an adult smokes; mention of selling marijuana. |
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