REVIEW OF INFORMATIONAL BOOK #3: A HOME FOR MR. EMERSON by Barbara Kerley and Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham

 

A Home for Mr. Emerson

 Review by Lucinda Zamora-Wiley

 1. Bibliography:

Kerley, Barbara. A Home for Mr. Emerson. Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham, New

York: Scholastic Press, 2014.

 2. Brief plot summary: This non-fiction work is a potently compact biography of one of the most iconic American writers in history: Ralph Waldo Emerson. The primary focus of this narrative, however, is on the house fire that Emerson and his wife endured when he was sixty-nine years old. Tragically, he and his wife lost most of their beloved home in Concord, Massachusetts, and though several neighbors were able to come to their aid to help rescue Emerson’s personal writings, his library, and some family mementos, most of his home was devastated. Kerley tells the story of how Emerson and his beloved daughter go on a European excursion in order for him to put some distance—both literal and psychological—between himself and the tragedy of the house fire. Little does he know that his neighbors and life-long friends have rebuilt and remodeled his beloved Concord farmhouse for him in his absence. Upon his arrival back home from Europe, Emerson is moved beyond all words to find his wife and friends waiting for him for the big reveal: his home is all back in one piece, and most importantly, his beloved home library is, too.

 3.   Critical analysis with specific literary considerations pertinent to each genre: 

Barbara Kerley is a master of incorporating some of Emerson’s philosophy of life into his own story by quoting directly from Emerson’s own journals and published writings. The flow between his words and her own is extremely smooth, adding incredible ethos to her writing. In addition, Kerley’s bibliography—within the book’s back matter—is exhaustive, showing citations for every Emerson quote present in the work. Also present in the back matter, is a beautiful family photograph of the Emerson Family in front of the Emerson homestead in Concord, MA; it is also here that Kerley reveals that Emerson entertained some beautiful and prominent authors and friends in his iconic home: Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau  (who built his iconic tiny cabin on Emerson’s Walden Pond). While this book is intended for an audience between 2^nd-4^th grade, it is rare that an elementary-aged reader would know enough about Emerson to be interested enough to pick up this particular book. However, the cover of the book is so enticing to young readers that many might opt to look inside just because of the cover art! On the cover, Emerson is flying above Concord on the inside of a large book, as if on a magic carpet ride…it’s truly lovely art! One could successfully argue that a secondary audience would take tremendous value from learning from this short informative reading. Kerley’s style paints an authentic portrait of a literary luminary in our country—one whose philosophy of life has become personal to so many Americans throughout history. Because Emerson was so philosophical, and because Kerley relies so heavily on Emerson’s own words within the text of her narrative, the style is exalted, but accessible. This may be the primary reason why the readership should extend beyond elementary-aged readers to include readers of all ages—from high school to college and beyond!

4.     Awards won (if any) and review excerpt(s):

·       Robert F. Sibert Honor Book

·       Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book

·       New York Public Library Best Children's Book

·       Washington Post Best Book for Young Readers

·       NCTE Orbus Pictus Honor Book

·       Booklist writes: “The brief text focuses on the story of Emerson’s community life and doesn’t bother much with why he was famous, which works well for the storytelling even as it may leave some readers wondering just who he was. Some of his famous quotes are placed in the endpapers and woven into the story. Back matter includes a helpful author’s note and a page of suggestions to encourage readers to examine their own lives and values.”

·       School Library Journal writes: “Emerson, who is likely little known to younger students, is brought to life in an approachable biography. The colorful depictions of Emerson are warm, cheerful, and full of movement. Children will love the cartoonlike illustrations that make Emerson seem like a superhero as he dives into oversized books and flies through the sky on another giant tome. Quotes from his writings are liberally used to illuminate moments of his life, allowing readers to get to know the man through his own words.”

 5.     Connections:

·       Students who read this work would probably enjoy reading further about some of Emerson’s friends and writing contemporaries: Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott, and Nathaniel Hawthorne, among others.

·       For high school students, this work would make a great preface to “Self-Reliance.”

·       For American history students in secondary grades, there is much to learn about the historical context of the era: the 1860s, in particular. There could be extended research into Abraham Lincoln and the antebellum and post-Civil War era.

·       For younger readers, students could research the geography of Concord, Massachusetts, including Walden Pond, which is now a protected area in the U.S.

·       For younger readers, it might be a fun activity for them to take a survey of loved ones in their family for their own personal philosophy of life…a collection of aphorisms could ensue for the whole classroom.