Some Places More Than Others

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I was surprised that deconstructing stereotypes surrounding gender roles was also included in this book. It was presented in a very accessible way to younger children and explained so well. I love that, because it is something that children need to learn. Another theme that was handled so well. Watson can do no wrong in this book.

Warming is already occurring in all areas of the globe, but models of future temperatures show that the changes will not be distributed equally. Polar regions and land areas are expected to see the largest temperature changes.

Reviews

One of Renée’s passions is using the arts to help youth cope with trauma. She has facilitated poetry and theatre workshops with young girls coping with sexual and physical abuse, children who have witnessed violence, children coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and children who relocated to New York City after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Renée graduated from The New School, where she studied Creative Writing and earned a certificate in Drama Therapy. Over the next few days, Amara begins to learn what happened between her dad and Grandpa Earl, even as she begins to formulate how she will present the family history she is discovering on this visit, in part by snooping, in part from Grandpa Earl talking to her and in part from being taken.

Until arriving at her grandfather's Harlem brownstone, Amara had only spoken to Grandpa Earl, a former basketball coach, on the phone for special occasions. And although her father manages to avoid him, Grandpa Earl and Amara immediately bond. Amara is excited to see the places where her dad grew up in Harlem, and Grandpa Earl can't wait to show her his favorite places, too. No sooner does the week begin, and her dad runs into an old friend who spills the beans about her dad writing poetry in high school, something Amara didn't know about him.

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A major part of this novel is Amara’s father’s relationship with his dad, Earl. There’s a lot of troubled water under their bridge and both men really have to work through their past missteps. It broke my heart to see that it’d taken so long to fix things between them. Yet, there’s still so much love and warmth in their family.

I think that Amara is a well-intentioned, but flawed character who nevertheless really understands what her week in New York means for her life, as she says "I want to feel like...there's a history keeping me moving, living. Like the journey I am on has many footprints, may stories coming with me." (pg. 103) Her awakening is such a wonderful part of this story. I don't read a lot of middle grade books, but I enjoyed Watson's contribution to the YA title, WATCH US RISE, that I really wanted to see more of her work. SOME PLACES MORE THAN OTHERS seemed like another title that would explore identity, heritage, and growing up in a positive and interesting way, delving in deeper to serious issues rather than merely scratching at the surface as so many books aimed at teens seem to do. From Newbery Honor- and Coretta Scott King Author Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author Renée Watson comes a heartwarming and inspiring novel for middle schoolers about finding deep roots and exploring the past, the present, and the places that make us who we are. PDF / EPUB File Name: Some_Places_More_Than_Others_-_Renee_Watson.pdf, Some_Places_More_Than_Others_-_Renee_Watson.epub Just the idea that people like Harriet Tubman, Adam Clayton Powell, and Langston Hughes were thinking that one day someone like me would exist in a free world makes my heart pound, my eyes water."There's a nice thread here, too, about privilege. Amara comes from a stable family -- upper middle class -- and seeing how her cousins live in a tiny apartment and without two parents working (their father is in jail) raises her awareness of being part of the "haves." This book heavily features parents and family ties. I loved seeing how included her mum and dad were throughout the whole novel. Her parents clearly love her, and while they have their own imperfections and learning to do, I love that they put Amara first. Extended family were also at the forefront of the novel, especially when it comes to living far from home and meeting them for the first time. I had this exact experience when I met my cousins from Jamaica for the first time (I’d never been before so it was like tapping into a realm of family I’d never had access to!) and it was such a good portrayal. Love, forgiveness and reconciliation are some important themes here. And the storyline of forgiveness and love was handled very well. Spelling Seeds have been designed to complement Writing Roots by providing weekly, contextualised sequences of sessions for the teaching of spelling that include open-ended investigations and opportunities to practise and apply within meaningful and purposeful contexts, linked (where relevant) to other areas of the curriculum and a suggestion of how to extend the investigation into home learning. I feel like I can just give any Renee Watson book 5 stars before I even start it. I love her writing and story telling so much. This book is middle grade, but perfect for anyone to read.

As the climate warms, the ocean is expected to warm more slowly than land because it takes much more heat to warm water than air and land. The air right above ocean water are expected to warm more slowly than land too. But New York City is not exactly what Amara thought it would be. It’s crowded, with confusing subways, suffocating sidewalks, and her father is too busy with work to spend time with her and too angry to spend time with Grandpa Earl. As she explores, asks questions, and learns more and more about Harlem and about her father and his family history, she realizes how, in some ways more than others, she connects with him, her home, and her family. All Amara wants for her birthday is to visit her father's family in New York City--Harlem, to be exact. She can't wait to finally meet her Grandpa Earl and cousins in person, and to stay in the brownstone where her father grew up. Maybe this will help her understand her family--and herself--in new way. But Amara’s nervous about welcoming a new baby. She’s also dying to visit Harlem, New York where her dad is from. Unfortunately, neither of her parents are particularly thrilled about her desire. Amara’s desire to go is heightened when she discovers that her father hasn’t spoken to his father since the day she was born — and her grandmother died.Regions of the world that are already prone to tropical cyclones (also known as hurricanes and typhoons) may see more impacts from them in the future. These storms derive their energy from warm ocean waters, so their winds become more intense as sea surface temperatures warm. Hurricanes are also able to carry more water vapor in a warmer climate, causing more rain which can cause flooding when they make landfall. Also, flooding from storm surge during hurricanes will wash further inland as sea level rises due to climate change.