The Hickory Chair by Lisa Rowe Fraustino

The Hickory Chair by Lisa Rowe Fraustino and illustrated by Benny Andrews (published in 2001). Picture Book.  700L. R.L. 3.9. A boy discovers his special gifts in this story that tickles all your senses, especially your heart.

Booklist (March 1, 2001 (Vol. 97, No. 13))

Ages 4-8. Louis was born blind but Gran tells him, "You're my favorite youngest grandchild"and comforts and reassures him, "You got blind sight."Sure enough, when the grandchildren play hide-and-seek, Louis can "almost always sniff everyone out."And when Gran dies, it is Louis who finds the notes that she has hidden that tell each family member what she has left for him or her. Everyone except Louis gets a note. It's a heartbreaking moment, but children will find a reassuring surprise waiting for them at the end of the story, which is eloquent in its simplicity and elegant in its use of images to convey the sounds, smells, and tactile sensations of Louis'sightless world. Paper crackles "like hickory limbs in the wind,"and Gran smells of lilacs "with a whiff of bleach."Perfectly complementing the rich texture of these words are artist Andrews'beautifully colored, warmly tactile oil and fabric collages.

This is a story filled with love.  You feel it as you read it aloud to your students and your students feel it too. It can lead to wonderful discussions on how people show their love.  It's the perfect story for generating ideas, and it can easily become a mentor text for students writing personal narratives.  The hickory chair in the story becomes a symbol of love which is the perfect opportunity to get students to identify symbols in their own lives.

Posted by Kellie Hale