The graphic novel Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier, just as the previous three novels from these series, is a highly popular book among the 4th and 5th graders. The great appeal comes from a beautifully told story with cute, likable characters. The readers are challenged to be compassionate and to feel the sisterly love throughout the story. However, despite the overwhelming popularity, the book has received mixed reviews, particularly from the Mexican and Native American readers. The book is criticized for not having an accurate portrayal of ghosts and the celebration of the Day of the Dead what is to a large, living community a precious, ancient, and even sacred tradition. In addition, the story contains culturally insensitive references to the California Missions and their untold history.
Purpose:
The goal of this text set is not to discredit or tarnish the reputation of the novel or its author. The popularity of the novel is among the 4th and 5th grade students which is the same grade levels when the social studies curriculum presents the topics of California history such as Explorers,
Missions and War. The aim here is to teach children to look at text with a historical eye and be able to critically evaluate content based on facts rather than popularity factors.
Standards being addressed:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.6
Describe how a narrator's or speaker's point of view influences how events are described.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.6
Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.6
Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of a text.
Collection of Texts:
To begin, it is important for teachers and teacher librarians to be well educated and informed on the topics of ghosts and their relevance to the Mexican culture (an important theme of the novel).
In this blog post, first generation mexican writer and illustrator explores explains the meaning and significance of ghosts in the mexican culture and discusses discrepancies found in the novel Ghosts. |
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This blog post describes more in depth the inaccurate portrayal of the mission setting in the story Ghosts and offers teachers more culturally sensitive and historically accurate descriptions. |
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Book Review |
The New York Times’ book review below focuses on the literary aspects of the novel Ghosts and praises the author for a well developed plot, expressive characters and fanciful illustrations. |
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This site, built by the Graduate Students of San Jose State University's School of Information, serves as a comprehensive tool for 4th grade teachers teaching California History. It includes all the topics required by the CCSS, a wide range of resources covering different points of view as well as primary sources, accurate cultural references and facts. |
This blog offers a parent perspective to school curriculum on California Missions. Should be considered as good feedback as teachers plan teaching units. |
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This site provides interesting, useful, comprehensive and accurate information about all aspects of the fascinating California Missions. |
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The poem by Wendy Rose expresses outrage, disbelief, loss and mourning as the facts are discovered upon excavation of the Santa Barbara Mission in California. The poem also provides a depth of historical understanding from a unique point of view. |
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This article shows teachers how to train their students to think like a historian. Kids are capable to think deeply about the past and that is how they should be encouraged to think as they read the novel Ghosts. |
Savior Or Villain? The Complicated Story Of Pope Francis' Next SaintCalifornia missions: The quest to cast a spotlight on the darker side of the missionaries' march |
The two articles below presents two very different points of view. Students can compare and contrast the two opinions and perhaps even argue one of the perspectives. The two opinions are very well developed with strong supporting facts and historical evidence. The latter article also discusses the failing school curriculum on California Missions and offers an interesting alternative. |
Video Playlist
This YouTube playlist contains some videos that students can view to gain a better understanding of the Native American culture and the history of California missions.
Suggested Book List
The following book list conforms to the requirements of the CCSS as each book represents multiple viewpoints accurately reflecting the lives of American Indians. With such literature our students can be better informed which will allow them as readers to make truly meaningful connections. The book list was retrieved from Resources and Kid Lit About American Indians | Focus On article by Debbie Reese published in School Library Journal on November 5, 2013.
- EDWARDSON , Debby Dahl. Whale Snow. illus. by Annie Patterson. Charlesbridge. 2003. RTE $15.95. ISBN 978-1-57091-393-8; pap. $7.95. ISBN 978-1-57091-394-5.
K-Gr 2 –Through the teachings of his grandma, family, and community, a young Inupiaq boy develops his understanding of traditional ways of life and how deeply the culture is shaped by his community’s coexistence with whaling and the environment. The watercolor palette effectively captures the cold of the northern landscape and the warmth of the people. An Inupiaq edition is available on the author’s website, www.debbydahledwardson.com. - ERDRICH , Louise. Chickadee. illus. by author. HarperCollins/Harper. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-057790-2; lib. ed. $17.89. ISBN 978-0-06-057791-9; ebk. $6.99. ISBN 978-0-06-219007-9.
Gr 4-8 –In this, the fourth book in the “Birchbark House” series, Omakayas is now grown and the mother of eight-year-old twin boys, one of whom is kidnapped. As Chickadee and his family try to find one another, Erdrich eloquently imparts Ojibwe stories, history, and knowledge, and, as in the previous books, her own illustrations add charm to the stories. - FRANCIS , Lee DeCora. Kunu’s Basket: A Story from Indian Island. illus. by Susan Drucker. Tilbury. 2012. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-88448-330-4.
K-Gr 2 –With the help of his caring and patient grandfather, Kunu, a contemporary Penobscot boy, overcomes his struggles to learn how to make the baskets Penobscot men have crafted for generations. In the process, he learns a bit about Penobscot history, too. Illustrations are gentle in tone, reflecting the relationship between Kunu and his grandfather. - GALVAN , Glenda . Chikasha Stories, Volume One: Shared Spirit. illus. by Jeannie Barbour. Chickasaw Press. 2011. Tr $36. ISBN 978-1-935684-04-6.
Gr 2-4 –Why do skunks smell bad? The answer, from the Chickasaw perspective, is conveyed in one of five traditional stories presented with text in English and Chickasaw. Whimsical illustrations rendered in vivid colors invite a chuckle as the stories unfold. Notes from the author, illustrator, and people who provided the Chickasaw text provide insights into the publication of the series, which includes Chikasha Stories, Volume Two: Shared Voices (Chickasaw, 2012). A third volume was published in October 2013. - JORDAN-FENTON , Christy & Margaret Pokiak-Fenton. Fatty Legs: A True Story. illus. by Liz Amini-Holmes. Annick. 2010. Tr $21.95. ISBN 978-1-55451-247-8.
Gr 4-8 –Olemaun, an eight-year-old Inuit girl, begs to go to boarding school to learn to read. Once there, she realizes the education provided is meant to strip Native peoples of their cultures. Margaret’s autobiography and its sequel, A Stranger at Home (Annick, 2011), include photographs of Inuit and school life along with dark-toned acrylics that reflect the somber realities of the boarding schools. - NELSON , S. D. Greet the Dawn: The Lakota Way. illus. by author. South Dakota State Historical Society. 2012. Tr $18.95. ISBN 978-0-9845041-6-9.
K-Gr 5 –Nelson takes readers through a day in the life of Lakota children. Like any kids, they wear jeans and sneakers as they ride a yellow bus to school, but their traditional Lakota ways are part of that day, too. Nelson’s distinctive style of illustration blends the realistic here-and-now with representations of the spiritual dimensions of Lakota life. - NELSON , S. D., retel. Buffalo Bird Girl: A Hidatsa Story . illus. by reteller. Abrams. 2012. RTE $19.95. ISBN 978-1-4197-0355-3.
Gr 3-6 –With a mix of photographs and interpretive artwork, Nelson’s biography of Buffalo Bird Woman (1839-1932) is a comprehensive and unflinching look at how the Hidatsa people and their nation were impacted by Native and non-Native nations, while still being mindful of the book’s audience. Notes provide teachers with information to supplement the content. - SNEVE , Virginia Driving Hawk . The Christmas Coat: Memories of My Sioux Childhood. illus. by Ellen Beier. Holiday House. 2011. RTE 16.95. ISBN 978-0-8234-2134-3.
Gr 1-4 –Sneve offers a look into how her childhood was infused with traditional Lakota ways, but enriched, too, by the Episcopal church on her reservation. From the toys in Santa’s bag to the setting for the autobiographical story, Beier’s research is evident in the detail of her outstanding illustrations. - TINGLE , Tim . Saltypie: A Choctaw Journey from Darkness into Light. illus. by Karen Clarkson. Cinco Puntos. 2010. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-933693-67-5.
K-Gr 5 –Tingle shares his family history and their experience with racism. Clarkson’s illustrations quietly capture the sadness and joy of Tingle’s words as he recounts how his grandmother lost and eventually regained her sight. The story and the author’s intimate and heartfelt notes provide multiple opportunities for readers to move from darkness into light. - ULUADLUAK , Donald . Kamik: An Inuit Puppy Story. illus. Qin Leng. Inhabit Media. 2013. pap. $10.95. ISBN 978-1-9270-9511-9.
Gr 1-4 –How to train a puppy, or what not to do when training a puppy, is the theme of this delightful picture book. From his grandfather’s stories, Jake learns what his pup must be taught as it takes its place as a sled dog in an Inuit community. Leng’s exquisite and lively illustrations capture the exuberance of puppyhood.