The Other Side by Woodson

Title: The Other Side

Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Illustrator: E.B. Lewis

Medium: Lifelike watercolor

Theme: In children’s eyes, the skin didn’t matter.

Summary:

It is about black girl, Clover and white girl, Annie wanting to play together but their mothers told them to not cross the fence. So they sat together and became friends. Clover’s friends became friends with Annie too then they think the fence should be taken down.

Genre: Historical Fiction

It is a historical fiction book because the racial tensions and segregation truly happened during Civil Rights movement in 1960's. The fiction part is the characters and the story of friendship. It is combined together to make a story.

Literacy Elements:

Setting:

Setting is really important in historical fiction. The book has well-drawn illustrations that includes what the readers need to know when and where the story is taken. For example, the houses are old fashioned and the clothes the children and mothers wore. The book didn’t tell when or where the story is taken so instead the illustrations tell the setting. The readers could identify that it is during Civil Rights movement and segregation. The fence symbolized as segregation. Therefore, the setting is integral.

Plot:

The plot is sequence of events. It is progressive plot where there is a process when the girls overcome the risks to develop their friendship. Since it is historical fiction, it gives the conflict where the girls could go through that period of time. The young children can identify with their conflicts because they know they would want to be friends. It is from child’s eyes, first point of view perspective. So the young readers could relate. It is self versus society. Mothers are the symbol of society that practiced segregation. The fence is symbol of the segregation. The girls found the way around it by sitting on it. There is no stereotypes or bias in the book.

Characterization:

The characters are well developed. They are possibly real characters that they tend to play outside when it is sunny. Clover is a main character. She was telling the story from her point of view (first point of view). Annie Paul was also main character that she became friends with Clover despites of the fence. They are child like because they seemed from 8 to 10 years old. The young readers can understand them easily that they can identify their problems.

Theme:

The book has the clear theme where it shows the girls cherishing their friendship against the society that should separate them. The author wanted to include interesting story for young readers to relate and think about segregation history for children. They could be friends but the society stopped them. The young readers could learn more about history through historical fiction. There are few specific symbols standing for real world application. It is well readily identified through plot and characters. The text and illustrations fit together well.

Style:

The author has unique style that it has rich language that children can understand. Because it is told by first point of view of little black girl, the young readers can relate. They can be read or read aloud. It also includes symbols that represent the society and history events of segregation. The illustration was well impressed because it describes everything inside the house, weather, yard, people’s clothes, town, and fence. The illustration matches the text that showed history of that period of time. It is a simple book for the children to enjoy and relate to the historical events.

Evaluation/reflection:

I personally enjoyed this book. It is a simple book. I did the book telling for this book in the classroom. It was a good experience, but it doesn’t include much of critical thinking. It is a historical fiction so it shows the history itself. When I will teach about civil rights movement, I would recommend them to read this book on their reading time. I don’t think I will require or book telling this story because there are so many picture books related to Civil Rights movement.