The Other Side

The Other Side

Module 6

SLIS 5420/Module 6/July 12-17

Book for this module

The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson

Bibliographic

Woodson,. (2001). The Other Side. New York: New York: Putnam Sons

Summary
This story reflection of children desiring to get to know each other but because of the racial tension in the town and between parents the children try to stay to themselves. When the children are at home a white fence is the only thing separating the two, and they usually spend more time staring and watching each other through the fence. As time progress on the little white girl sits on the fence and the little black girl joins her. They both came to the conclusion that their parents never said anything about not sitting on the fence to talk which leads to their bonding.

My Impression
The Other Side shows that children's desire to learn about each other and play is a natural thing, and parents can crush this by putting up barriers and creating racial tensions among the much younger generation. I personally believe racism is taught because when children see other children like them meaning size, age and height they are able to get along and look past the difference.

Reviews
The Other Side
School Library Journal
GR 1-4 A story of friendship across a racial divide. Clover, the young African-American narrator, lives beside a fence that segregates her town. Her mother instructs her never to climb over to the other side because it isn't safe. But one summer morning, Clover notices a girl on the other side. Both children are curious about one another, and as the summer stretches on, Clover and Annie work up the nerve to introduce themselves. They dodge the injunction against crossing the fence by sitting on top of it together, and Clover pretends not to care when her friends react strangely at the sight of her sitting side by side with a white girl. Eventually, it's the fence that's out of place, not the friendship. Woodson's space text is easy and unencumbered. In her deft care, a story that might have suffered from heavy-handed didacticism manages to plumb great depths with understated simplicity. In Lewis care accompanying watercolor illustrations, Clover and her friends pass their summer breath a blinding sun that casts dark but shallow shadows. Text and this art work together beautifully.

Use in Library Setting
This book is a great one to use on segregation and division. After reading this book students can retrieve material that will allow them to construct barriers that will not allow other students to cross. They can also develop consequences for breaking this made up law. Questions and answers will follow to get a feel of what students learned and how they plan to make people who are different feel comfortable by eliminating any preconceived ideas.