Harris and Me

Ahhh-- So much to say about this novel.  I am rereading this for the first time since I was a 5th grade teacher.  If you have a reluctant middle-grade male reader-- this may be the novel that does turn that reluctant reader into an engaged reader!

The setting of this book takes place a few years after WWII.  The narrator of this story is an 11-year old boy (we never know his name), and Harris, a distant cousin who lives life like he has never witnessed.  This book is full of hilarious pranks as the boys both work hard on the homestead by tending to the various animals and certainly play hard too.

I was listening to the Ted Radio hour podcast recently where they referenced a TED talk by Alvin Irby.  In this podcast, he shares how to encourage our kids to become lifelong readers (yes, like Donlyn Miller).  Specifically, he is an advocate for encouraging black male youth to read.  He cites startling research- such as --85 percent of black male fourth graders are not proficient in reading.

He also shares: 

"Scholastic's 2016 Kids and Family Report found that the number one thing children look for when choosing a book is a book that will make them laugh. So if we're serious about helping black boys and other children to read when it's not required, we need to incorporate relevant male reading models into early literacy. In exchange, some of the children's books that adults love so much for funny, silly or even gross books, like "Gross Greg"." 

While Harris & Me isn't a novel with a black male protagonist, it certainly is humorous as they wrestle pigs, hunt for mice, and engage in combat with the crazy rooster, Currently, in the novel, the main character is starting to turn a corner and begin to match Harris's pranks.  I recently read the most HILARIOUS part of the story when the narrator engages in the ultimate payback-- convincing Harris to urinate on an electric fence!  Yes, I did say that right... I was even brave enough to read this book aloud to students-- we could barely get past the laughter to read it.  Yes, there is some profanity in this book, and yes, I substituted the profanity with appropriate words.  :)

One other note of interest is the author of this novel, Gary Paulson, who is best known for the Hatchet series among other adventure novels.  This novel is out of context for this author and written in a completely different genre--I'd be interested to hear more about his inspiration for this narrative. 

Every teacher should read this book-- I promise it will make you laugh and touch your heart.  

Until next week,
Dr. K.

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