Littlejim - Softcover
What does a boy have to do to earn his father’s respect? Littlejim Houston is the best student in his school and an excellent writer, admired by everyone in his small North Carolina mountain community—everyone except for his father, Bigjim, whose respect he desires most. Rugged and stern, Bigjim is never satisfied with his son’s work on the family farm and doesn’t approve of Littlejim’s love for writing and schoolwork. Littlejim hopes he can finally earn his father’s respect and understanding by winning a local writing contest and getting his essay published in the Kansas City Star, but first he must find inspiration on the assigned topic, “What it means to be an American.” With a vivid depiction of Appalachian mountain life in the early 1900s and a cast of lovingly portrayed characters, Littlejim explores the values and spirit of immigrant Americans through the unforgettable eyes of a boy seeking his father’s approval. Honors for Littlejim, the novel: xInternational Reading Association’s Teachers’ Choices List xChildren’s Book Council’s Best Books for the Social Studies List xTexas Bluebonnet List xFlorida State Sunshine Awards List xFocus novel for the National Endowment for Humanities regional Big Read & Middle School Little Read portion included on the NC DOE End of Grade Test, 4th & 6th grades xIncluded in social studies curricula for 4th grade nationally xAdaptations: Three act musical: NYC: Jason Rhyne, playwright/composer-- part of his portfolio which won the Johathan Larson ( Rent) Musical Award & the Richard Rogers (numerous musicals) Award Mesa, AZ: premiered by the Mesa Performing Arts Center other productions presented nationally.
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About the Author:
Internationally respected author and educator, Houston is the author of multi-award winning, best selling books for young readers and one writing methods textbook, as well as academic articles.
Review:
Based on the author's family history, this novel set in rural North Carolina during the early 1900s traces a 12-year-old boy's struggle to prove his worth. As a top scholar and excellent writer, Littlejim Houston is admired in his small community by everyone except his rugged, practical-minded father. Littlejim hopes to gain Bigjim's respect by winning a local writing contest. But the assigned topic, "What it means to be an American," remains problematic until Littlejim receives inspiration from an Irish-born friend who works at Uncle Bob's sawmill. Although the protagonist's final triumphs are fairly predictable and themes of patriotism are perhaps overdrawn, the unfolding of the story's events is suspenseful and engaging. Through clear, unembellished prose, Houston ( The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree ) describes day-to-day life on a farm, reveals Littlejim's growth toward manhood and conveys the love that lies beneath his father's gruff exterior. This book succeeds in capturing the spirit of immigrant Americans who overcame obstacles to accomplish their dreams. Ages 8-12. --Publishers Weekly
Grade 4-8-- Littlejim Houston, 12, lives with his father, Bigjim; his German-born mother; and two younger sisters in rural North Carolina during World War I. Bigjim, a dour Freewill Baptist, is the best lumberman and athlete in the area. Littlejim excels at schoolwork, writing, and carving, activities that his father doesn't understand or appreciate. While Littlejim works hard at the sawmill and on their farm, he cannot please his father. When an essay contest on "What it means to be an American" is announced, with the winning entry to be published in the Kansas City Star, Littlejim enters in hopes of at last impressing his father. Houston enriches her story with vivid descriptions of rural life, manners, and values, while Allen's pencil drawings elaborate upon these themes. The people who surround and support Littlejim are lovingly depicted, even as readers understand that Bigjim's respect and love is somehow more important to Littlejim than they are. Like Lowry's Rabble Starkey (Houghton, 1987), this novel concerns itself with growth and the role writing can play in it. Like Hamilton's M. C. Higgins, the Great (Macmillan, 1974) and the Cleavers' Where the Lilies Bloom (Lippincott, 1969), it also increases readers' understanding of the Appalachian region and its people. --Barbara Chatton, College of Education, University of Wyoming-Laramie, School Library Journal
Grade 4-8-- Littlejim Houston, 12, lives with his father, Bigjim; his German-born mother; and two younger sisters in rural North Carolina during World War I. Bigjim, a dour Freewill Baptist, is the best lumberman and athlete in the area. Littlejim excels at schoolwork, writing, and carving, activities that his father doesn't understand or appreciate. While Littlejim works hard at the sawmill and on their farm, he cannot please his father. When an essay contest on "What it means to be an American" is announced, with the winning entry to be published in the Kansas City Star, Littlejim enters in hopes of at last impressing his father. Houston enriches her story with vivid descriptions of rural life, manners, and values, while Allen's pencil drawings elaborate upon these themes. The people who surround and support Littlejim are lovingly depicted, even as readers understand that Bigjim's respect and love is somehow more important to Littlejim than they are. Like Lowry's Rabble Starkey (Houghton, 1987), this novel concerns itself with growth and the role writing can play in it. Like Hamilton's M. C. Higgins, the Great (Macmillan, 1974) and the Cleavers' Where the Lilies Bloom (Lippincott, 1969), it also increases readers' understanding of the Appalachian region and its people. --Barbara Chatton, College of Education, University of Wyoming-Laramie, School Library Journal
Grade 4-8-- Littlejim Houston, 12, lives with his father, Bigjim; his German-born mother; and two younger sisters in rural North Carolina during World War I. Bigjim, a dour Freewill Baptist, is the best lumberman and athlete in the area. Littlejim excels at schoolwork, writing, and carving, activities that his father doesn't understand or appreciate. While Littlejim works hard at the sawmill and on their farm, he cannot please his father. When an essay contest on "What it means to be an American" is announced, with the winning entry to be published in the Kansas City Star, Littlejim enters in hopes of at last impressing his father. Houston enriches her story with vivid descriptions of rural life, manners, and values, while Allen's pencil drawings elaborate upon these themes. The people who surround and support Littlejim are lovingly depicted, even as readers understand that Bigjim's respect and love is somehow more important to Littlejim than they are. Like Lowry's Rabble Starkey (Houghton, 1987), this novel concerns itself with growth and the role writing can play in it. Like Hamilton's M. C. Higgins, the Great (Macmillan, 1974) and the Cleavers' Where the Lilies Bloom (Lippincott, 1969), it also increases readers' understanding of the Appalachian region and its people. --Barbara Chatton, College of Education, University of Wyoming-Laramie, School Library Journal
Grade 4-8-- Littlejim Houston, 12, lives with his father, Bigjim; his German-born mother; and two younger sisters in rural North Carolina during World War I. Bigjim, a dour Freewill Baptist, is the best lumberman and athlete in the area. Littlejim excels at schoolwork, writing, and carving, activities that his father doesn't understand or appreciate. While Littlejim works hard at the sawmill and on their farm, he cannot please his father. When an essay contest on "What it means to be an American" is announced, with the winning entry to be published in the Kansas City Star, Littlejim enters in hopes of at last impressing his father. Houston enriches her story with vivid descriptions of rural life, manners, and values, while Allen's pencil drawings elaborate upon these themes. The people who surround and support Littlejim are lovingly depicted, even as readers understand that Bigjim's respect and love is somehow more important to Littlejim than they are. Like Lowry's Rabble Starkey (Houghton, 1987), this novel concerns itself with growth and the role writing can play in it. Like Hamilton's M. C. Higgins, the Great (Macmillan, 1974) and the Cleavers' Where the Lilies Bloom (Lippincott, 1969), it also increases readers' understanding of the Appalachian region and its people. --Barbara Chatton, College of Education, University of Wyoming-Laramie, School Library Journal
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- PublisherCreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
- Publication date2012
- ISBN 10 1475190638
- ISBN 13 9781475190632
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages144
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Littlejim
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ISBN 13: 9781475190632
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. 144 pages. 9.00x6.00x0.36 inches. In Stock. This item is printed on demand. Seller Inventory # 1475190638
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