Big thing popping in Broward County! The Broward County Teachers’ Union invited me to Nob Hill Elementary School for a literacy program designed around Junebug and the Gumbo Garden. In the proceeding weeks, nearly 200 4th and 5th graders at the school had been reading the book and I was coming in to discuss it with them.
The students were ENTHUSIASTIC and ENGAGED with the characters and the plot, and we explored several aspects of the story. We talked about the unique history of New Orleans, its culture, culinary treats, and Miss Marguerite Gautier’s connection to that place. Part of my focus was on Junebug’s GULLIABILITY and how the students could avoid Junebug’s fate using what I call the “Four Cs” – being careful, using caution, looking for clues, and being curious. Given all the horror stories in the media these days, our children need to be armed with a sense of awareness and alertness. I’m proud that Junebug can be used to convey that message.
The most gratifying part of the day was receiving the illustrations that some of the students prepared and shared with me. Their teachers asked them to pick a scene from the book and to illustrate it. The artwork was beautiful and it was moving to see how my creative work inspired the creativity in others.
Beyond that, the students had intriguing suggestions for the next Junebug story. Some wanted Miss Gautier to come back for her revenge. Others said that her sister (a new character!) should be the one to come after Junebug to avenge Miss Gautier. More than anything, these suggestions spoke to the fact that the students enjoyed the story and the characters so much that they want to see more. In terms of an endorsement, it doesn’t get any better than that!
