1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Frost, Helen. 2008. Diamond Willow. New York: Frances Foster Books. ISBN 978-0-374-31776-8
Frost, Helen. 2008. Diamond Willow. New York: Frances Foster Books. ISBN 978-0-374-31776-8
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Diamond Willow is a novel in verse about Willow, a shy, twelve-year-old girl, who lives with her family in Alaska. Diamond Willow is like a diary of her hopes, fears, and love of mushing with her father’s sled dogs. Like many girls her age, she struggles with who she is and who she wants to be, yearning for both acceptance and independence. Finally, her parents allow her to mush the dogs out to her grandparents’ house alone. And so begins her journey, one filled with beauty, tragedy, and surprising realizations about herself.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The title for Diamond Willow reflects not just the name of the main character, but the phenomenon where certain varieties of willow will develop a diamond-shaped mark with a dark center under their bark when a branch is removed. In the Author’s Note, Frost describes her own diamond willow lamp and walking stick, whose photo appears as a decorative element in the book. These objects were the spark for this story, which is told through a series of vignettes typeset in diamonds. Words near the center are set in bold, and can be read for their own meaning, a subtext of what Willow has the most trouble confiding and will not say directly even here.
The title for Diamond Willow reflects not just the name of the main character, but the phenomenon where certain varieties of willow will develop a diamond-shaped mark with a dark center under their bark when a branch is removed. In the Author’s Note, Frost describes her own diamond willow lamp and walking stick, whose photo appears as a decorative element in the book. These objects were the spark for this story, which is told through a series of vignettes typeset in diamonds. Words near the center are set in bold, and can be read for their own meaning, a subtext of what Willow has the most trouble confiding and will not say directly even here.
Willow’s story is told in first person present tense, so the
reader experiences the story as Willow experiences it. Interspersed among the
poems are prose interludes, which are the observations of animals who carry the
souls of her ancestors (Willow’s mother’s family are Native Americans in the
Athabascan tribe, as described in the Author’s Note and references in the text).
As they watch over Willow, the animals share insights with the reader, so there
are times when the reader knows more than Willow herself.
The diamond-shaped poems are free verse, having no meter or
rhymes. They are written as prose, with line breaks to fit the visual pattern
more than phrasing. As a story more than poems, language is more natural with
very few poetic elements like alliteration or onomatopoeia. Frost does craft similes
and metaphors between Willow and her natural world, in one case comparing
nagging doubts to hawks ready to dive on a timid mouse. Frost’s descriptions
allow the reader to make their own mental pictures of what is happening in the
story. Her words are carefully chosen to convey the events and their impact
concisely and in the voice of a twelve-year-old. Each scene fits in the bounds
of one diamond figure, and they gain beauty through their form. Each diamond is
unique, just as each event in our lives leaves a different impression on who we
are.
Traveling with Willow on her inner and outer journeys will
take the reader through a myriad of emotions: from self-consciousness and doubt
to despair and shame, panic and desperation, all the way up through strength,
devotion, and love. (I needed tissues!) The emotions flow naturally out of
Willow’s own reactions, bringing the reader deeper into the story.
There are no illustrations in Diamond Willow, though the cover illustration gives clues to the
story. Some are obvious from the beginning of the story, but there are meanings
that only become apparent once the reader has reached the end.
Diamond Willow
would be most appropriate for upper elementary and middle grade readers. With
themes of self-discovery and perseverance through adversity, Diamond Willow will resonate with youth
who may be dealing with similar feelings in their own lives. The story has a
timeless quality to it, and doesn’t contain any popular culture references that
would date it in the future.
4. REVIEW
EXCERPT(S) AND AWARDS
Best Books For Middle And Junior High
Readers: Grades 6-9 - Second Edition (2009)
Texas Lonestar
Young Adult Reading List Nominee, 2009
CCBC Choices List, 2009
Bank Street’s Best Children's Book
of the Year, 2009
Capitol Choices Noteworthy Titles
for Children and Teens, 2009
Winner of the Lee
Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award (Pennsylvania Center for the Book) and the Mitten
Award (Michigan Library Association)
The Lion and the Unicorn Award for
Excellence in North American Poetry Honor Book, 2009
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books: “Frost has spun metaphoric
gold out of an evocative natural landscape, and she knows just how to craft it
into an elegant and moving story of a young girl’s deepening understanding of
the relationships she shares with those around her.”
BookList: “Set in a remote part of
Alaska, this story in easy-to-read verse blends exciting survival adventure
with a contemporary girl’s discovery of family roots and secrets… The casual diamond shape of the poems reflects
how precious jewels of wisdom can grow around painful scars.”
School Library Journal: “As she unravels
the truth, Willow comes to understand the diamonds
and scars that bind her family together. She also gains awareness of her own
strength and place in her community…Frost casts a subtle spell
through innovative storytelling. Her poems offer pensive imagery and glimpses
of character, and strong emotion. This complex and elegant novel will resonate
with readers who savor powerful drama and multifaceted characters.”
School Library
Media Activities: “The imagery of the poetry is powerful. Readers will be
intrigued by the form of the storytelling and cheer for the strong and
independent Willow who is well on her way to discovering who she is.”
5. CONNECTIONS
-
Give a book talk about the plot of Diamond Willow, ending by reading the first couple of poems out
loud. Then, use a document camera to show the students what the pages look
like.
-
Read an interview with Helen Frost at http://www.helenfrost.net/item.php?postid=23
-
Learn more about dog sleds and the Iditarod. Here are
two websites mentioned on Helen Frost’s website:
-
Find out more about the Athabascan Native Americans
-
Explore diamond willow photographs. Many are available
online; teachers could select appropriate websites prior to showing to classes.
-
Ask students to write poems in a diamond shape with
hidden messages as in the format of Diamond Willow. Poems could be about
family, friends, beloved pets, or challenges. Allow students to write on a
topic that is not sensitive or embarrassing.
-
Ask students to write poetry in other natural shapes
that have meaning to them, like spiraling shells or clouds. For more
inspiration, check out:
Joyce Sidman, Joyce, and Krommes, Beth. Swirl by Swirl:
Spirals in Nature. ISBN 978-0547315836)
Yolen, Jane. Shape
Me a Rhyme: Natures Forms in Poetry. ISBN 978-1590784501
No comments:
Post a Comment