Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Kindred Souls, by Patricia MacLachlan

MacLachlan, Patricia. Kindred Souls. New York: HarperCollin's Publishers, 2012. Print.

Additional Information:
  • Young Hoosier Book Award winner
  • Author of Sarah, Plain and Tall
  • Hardcover, 119 pages
Synopsis: This is a quick read about a young boy named Jake and his grandfather, Billy.  Billy reminisces about the past, especially when thinking about the old sod house in which he grew up.  He tells Jake that all he wants is to have that sod house again one day.  When Billy gets sick, Jake decides to build him the sod house he has always wanted.  When the house is finished, Billy feels truly happy once again, and passes away in his rocking chair within the sod house.  Although Jake and his family are saddened by the passing of Billy, they understand that his death demonstrated his ultimate happiness and freedom. 

 Book Notes: Kindred Souls is beautifully written in a simple fashion, very similar to Sarah, Plain and Tall.  It is an easy read but covers serious topics, such as grief, loss, and death.  It is a wonderful story to teach about these themes in a light way so that it is appropriate for children.  

Critique: Although this story concludes on a sad note, it includes themes of relief and contentment.  Because it is a very quick read, it allows students to partake in an enjoyable story for pleasure and pursue reading as a recreational activity.  This book would be easy to read aloud, especially in tandem with Sarah, Plain and Tall, by the same author.

Classroom Activities: This is a very short book that is simple to read.  It can be read aloud or recommended for individual reading.  It is more of a book for entertainment rather than one inclined for a novel study, but would be well suited toward third grade.  Below are suggestions of classroom activities.

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