Last night I kept waking up because I was having terrible nightmares. All the nightmares were a variation of one theme: being hunted by someone wanting to kill me. To say the least, the last thing I wanted to do each time I woke up was think about violence, which made me wish a had a copy of one of my favorite books at home: Seedfolks.
I continue to enjoy reading Seedfolks because it's one of the few books I can always count on to leave me feeling warm and fuzzy while reading, but not because it's sappy. I've even tried reading some silly kids' poems by Shel Silverstein and even reading Silverstein's poetry while I'm upset can be problematic because he sometimes has really bizaare illustrations and bizaare topics for the poetry (Skin-stealer is the name of one!). I love Silverstein's work, but sometimes I need something even more G-rated. I also have a birding guide, a tree guide and a flower guide on my nightstand in case I'm having a hard time clearing my head of stressful thoughts.
Seedfolks is a wonderful, short novel by Paul Fleischman (Sid Fleischman's son). It's set in Cleveland, OH, which is one of my favorite cities. The book follows 12+ different characters and it's told from each of their perspectives. There are a few characters mentioned in the novel briefly, but they don't get a chance to give their perspectives as well.
One of the main themes of the book is the notion that gardening is a universal theme- which means gardening bridges all cultures. The story shows problems with racial prejudice and the author is fabulous in that he recognizes stereotypes and he turns them upside down- by having the characters give their perspectives. This is a fabulous book for students to read in order to think about perspectives and the irrationality of prejudices.
As well, I enjoy this book because it shows the reader that individuals can make a difference. Reading Seedfolks makes you want to get involved in your community rather than sit back and simply gripe about the problems. I'm in the process of using this book as a spring board for talking about environmentalism, community, and diversity.
Another reason I love this book is because it's short! Most students can read this book in 2-3, 45 minute class periods. I set aside two periods to read it and allow my slow readers to borrow the book overnight. Depending on the version of the book, it's anywhere from 60 pages to 100 (which includes an afterward by the author). It's perfect for squeezing in between projects or even as a quick wrap-up book for the end of the year (especially because it's nice to read about the outdoors during spring/summer). As a whole, my students seem to really enjoy it and can usually relate to at least one of the characters because of the character diversity (from pregnant hispanic teen to a middle aged widower working as a janitor). The students also appreciate the little humor in such situations as a teenage boy being convinced to grow pumpkins for profit rather than farming marijuana.
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