To the Discussion Leader
The popularity of the Dear
America diaries for older readers, coupled with the requests
from children, teachers, and parents for similar books that make
American history come alive for younger students, led to the creation
of the My America diaries aimed at youngsters in the 7-10
age range. Students at this age love meeting a main character in
one book whom they can follow through a series of novels. Five
Smooth Stones: Hope's Diary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1776
is the first diary in a projected series of books that will follow
the adventures of nine-year-old Hope, her family, and friends as
they live through the American Revolution. Kristiana Gregory, the
author of Hope's Diary, starts off this series with Hope
describing events leading up to the creation of the Declaration
of Independence. Five Smooth Stones helps readers put a human
face on history as they encounter Benjamin Franklin, George Washington,
Thomas Jefferson, and various other Tories and Patriots.
Summary
"Methinks of my brother Ethan
every hour," writes nine-year-old Hope in her diary. "Where is he?
Nearly seven weeks he has been gone from us. And Papa...eight months
since he last set his hand on my head." It is 1776 in Philadelphia.
The Declaration of Independence has been signed, and Americans rejoice
at having "stood up" to King George in England. But Hope worries
about her father who left suddenly on a "secret mission." And Ethan,
believing his father has joined the Tories, has run off to find
him. Now the British Army is burning New York City, and soon it
may no longer be safe in Philadelphia. Hope, her mother, and her
baby sister must flee and travel to their relatives' farm in Valley
Forge, Pennsylvania. Hope is sad to leave her home and her best
friend Polly, wondering if she'll ever see them again. Just as they
are about to go, a letter arrives from Ethan. He is in a Redcoat
prison, accused of being a spy. All Hope can do now is pray for
him. Six weeks later, word comes that General George Washington's
army has finally won a battle against the British. Everyone is relieved
and hopeful, and Hope writes, "I know in my heart that Papa and
Ethan shall return to us."
Thinking About the Book
1. Is Five Smooth
Stones a good title for this book? Why do you think the author
chose this title?
2. Define the following. Why is each term important in
Hope's diary?
Patriot
Tory
King George
Betsy Ross
Liberty Bell
Thomas Jefferson
Declaration of Independence
Redcoats
3. If Hope considers July 9th a day of sorrow in her home,
which day do you think Hope considers a day of happiness? Why?
4. Why would you not want to be a student in the school
Hope and Polly attend? List two or three incidents that convince
you Teacher is "mean."
5. Hope and Polly are best friends. What are some things
they do together? What games do they play? How are they similar
to girls today? How are they different?
6. In Hope's diary several of the characters are Quakers
who were "read out." What does this mean? Why were Miss Sarah and
Mr. Dean "read out?"
7. What does Benjamin Franklin give to Hope? How is this
gift important later on in the story?
8.Hope's mother says these words to her, "Daughter, thou
must first remove the log from your own eye before removing the
splinter from your neighbor's." Why does her mother say this? What
does it mean?
Student Activities
1. In Hope's family,
the elder child is given the privilege of choosing the middle name
for the newest brother or sister. Recall how Hope received her middle
name. Why was she so named? Why did Hope give her baby sister the
middle name of Strawberry? Do you have a middle name? Tell why you
were given that name.
2. Girls in Hope's day stitched samplers to show they were
handy with a needle and thread. These often included the alphabet,
pictures, a proverb, and the girl's name and date. Click on http://www.sewexciting.com/samplerkits/
to see what a sampler looked like. Take a piece of drawing paper
and design a sampler you might like to stitch. (Colonial sampler
kits with all necessary materials can be purchased/viewed at http://www.oldsturbridgevillage.org/Gifts/Index.html.)
3. Hope tells of church bells ringing to celebrate freedom
and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The most famous
bell of all is the Liberty Bell. Look up http://www.ushistory.org/libertybell/index.html
and learn more about it. How did it become cracked? Where is it
today?
4. In the Historical Note at the end of Hope's diary you
can see a picture of a famous painting called Washington Crossing
the Delaware. Look at http://metmuseum.org/explore/gw/el_gw.htm.
Who is the painter? What can you tell about the weather from the
painting? Why do you suppose the painter chose to have General Washington
standing up in the boat as they made the crossing?
5. Examine a copy of the Declaration of Independence. Find
the passage that Hope remembered in her diary entry of July 8th.
Why do you think those words were special to her? Can you find the
signatures of Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin? (A copy of
the Declaration of Independence and a quill pen can be purchased
at http://www.oldsturbridgevillage.org/Gifts/Index.html.)
6. Hope's Diary ends leaving readers wondering
just what will happen next. Using a quill pen perhaps, write a diary
entry where you guess what will happen to Ethan and Papa? To Sarah
and Mr. Dean? Compare your entries with others in your discussion
group. When the next part of Hope's diary is published, read it
and see if you or your friends guessed correctly.
Discussion Guide written by Richard F. Abrahamson,
Ph.D., Professor of Literature for Children and Young Adults, University
of Houston and Eleanore S. Tyson, Ed.D., Clinical Assistant Professor,
University of Houston, Department of Curriculum and Instruction,
Houston, Texas.
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