May B - a recent favorite...and some companions for a book talk

May B by Caroline Starr Rose
Which readers: Third grade and up

I read a wonderful novel written in verse over the winter school holiday, and it returns again and again to my mind. As a little girl in the 1980s, I read and reread the Little House books, and this has such a LHOTP feel to it. But it definitely stands on its own two feet, and May's straightforward words and the strength of her spirit will grab you from the beginning.

May's homesteading family experiences hard times out on the Kansas prairie in the 1870s, and May's Pa takes her to live with a young neighboring couple to help out the new bride and earn some money..."just till Christmas." When something completely unforeseen happens in May's new and temporary home, she must rely on her wits to survive when it becomes apparent that help is not coming any time soon.

(I want to type more of a summary, but I do not want to give any spoilers!!!)

The writing here is beautiful but sparse, and it transports the reader to cold and unforgiving life on the prairie. May's voice is plain and straightforward, and when the situation becomes dire, the rising panic in her words will echo in the reader's ears. I think third graders and up, and particularly girls, will enjoy this book. It reads quickly, and I could not put it down. The beautiful cover art also drew me into the story. That lonely little soddy seems beautiful but desolate, and I wanted to know what would happen there.

One important element of this story is that May is a struggling reader. She often talks about a teacher who was helpful and understanding of her need to not be forced to read in front of the class, and how she often learned better by hearing the lesson before reading it. She later deals with a teacher who treats her terribly because of her difficulties, and she still has the emotional scars from these encounters. I think many dyslexics and other struggling readers will connect strongly with May's words and feelings, and the verse style novel lends itself to the needs of these learners.

May ends up in a soddy in this book, and her surroundings are so important that they essentially become another character. In doing a book talk about this book, I would begin with this NF picture book that gives lots of information about sod houses, and so much of the information (leaks, dirt floors, vermin) coincides with May B's experiences.




For readers who enjoy May B, an obvious follow-up recommendation would be Karen Hesse's Newbery winner Out of the Dust. So many similarities since they are both written in verse and have female main characters, but this is another completely different and engrossing story of survival on the plains during very hard times.



And the nonfiction that I ALWAYS mention to go with Out of the Dust is Jerry Stanley's Children of the Dust Bowl. Jerry Stanley is one of my top 3 favorite NF children's authors, and I'm sure I'll do an entire post on his work at some point. The story of the school at Weedpatch Camp is so inspiring and moving, and my sixth graders were always amazed by their spirit and tenacity.