Shadow

Author/ Illustrator:  Marcia Brown                                                        

About the Author:

Marcia Joan Brown was born on July 13, 1918, in Rochester, New York.  The family lived in many small towns in upstate New York including Cooperstown and Kingston as her father accepted new ministries.  She decided at an early age to become an artist and as a child, she constantly read, and especially loved folklore and fantasy. 

Genre: Fiction
Grade Level: 3-6

Synopsis:
This is a story about a shadow and what the essence of a shadow is.  The story describes what the shadow does during the night, and when there is a fire.  It is a shadow who traces back to its African roots.  In the story, the shadow takes on its own persona. 

The shadow is an African image.  It is shifts between the present and the spirits of the past.  It has no voice, it can put a spell over you, and it follows man everywhere, even to war.  The shadow becomes a part of everything.

Pre Reading Activity:

Questions:

Who has a shadow?  What makes a shadow?  Does the shadow go away or is it always there waiting for the light to be just right?

Activity:

Have the class make a list of things that cast shadows, and what makes them have a shadow.

Post Reading Activity:

Questions:

Where does the shadow live?  Do you think some cultures think shadows are more important than others? What do you think a shadow means for an African culture?  What do you think a shadow means to American culture?

Activity:

After reading the story, have the students draw an object and its shadow on a piece of paper and write a story from the shadows point of view.

Reflection:

I think this story is a great way to introduce multicultural literature into a classroom through something that is familiar to students.  It is a simple way to learn about another culture and what shadows mean to them.  I love the way the shadow takes on its own persona, making it important rather than just an image.