Summary
This book is about a young girl who is with her grandmother. She wears golden bangles on her wrists just like her grandmother Aziza. When they have to pack up and leave their home they are only allowed to take one bag each, which forces them to consider what they need and what they may not need. Shoham can not take any jewelry, meaning she bust leave her beloved bangles. Her grandmother knows how much these bangles mean to Shoham and herself, so she must get creative so they can keep them.
Theme(s):
Family, Tradition, Culture, Love
Personal Response
I thought this was a really sweet read. It shows a really important relationship between a grandmother and her granddaughter. The grandmother is trying to share the traditions and important parts of their culture her grandmother. Their jewelry is an important part of their culture, and when they must move and can no longer wear their jewelry, the grandmother shows the ultimate act of love and kindness towards her granddaughter by finding a way to save their beloved bangles for them to wear.
Teaching Ideas
I think a good teaching idea for this book would be to have students put themselves in Shoham and her grandmother’s shoes. I would have students start by writing some of the most valuable things that they own. Then, I would have the students imagine what it would be like if they had to leave their home and leave behind these items they love so much. It is important for students to have empathy, so understanding the feelings of characters we read about is a great way to help them develop this.
Recommended Reading Level
Birth-PreK, Grade 01, Grade 02, Grade 03
