Comments on The Picnic Basket: Denied, Detained, Deported • Nonfiction

I was disappointed in this book as I was expecting...

2009-08-18T11:40:28.160-04:00

I was disappointed in this book as I was expecting it to be stories of immigration to the United States; however, I found "opinions" and not always the facts. I give this book a 2.

This book presents the "other side", oft...

2009-08-09T22:59:06.485-04:00

This book presents the "other side", often left out of middle school texts. Immigration is a controversial and complex concept, and these chapters present the back stories that can spark discussions and create connections with current events.

The format is reader friendly, the pages feel substantial, and photographs and diary excerpts help the themes to resonate.

Our country's policy toward immigrants has changed as our politics have changed. This is brought out, along with questions that need to be considered, both as if we were living in that actual time period and also with the historical perspective that the passage of time gives us.

This book would be a beneficial resource with 8th grade (and older) US history classes.

Rating: 5

If you are looking for a book that will give middl...

2009-07-05T12:35:48.866-04:00

If you are looking for a book that will give middle/high school readers a starting point for research, this may be a good place to start. I found myself learning new information but hoping for more personal stories at times. The author does a fine job of presenting information, which may not shine the best light on America but needs to be told. This book would be good addition to a classroom library but plan on having a discussion with your readers during their discovery of information.

I think this book does a good job at giving some f...

2009-07-02T10:13:50.017-04:00

I think this book does a good job at giving some first hand accounts of the immigration process although I do think it is a bit biased in it's opinion of the immigration system we have here in this country. Having a husband who immigrated here from Canada and a daughter that we're adopting from China, we have had a lot of first-hand experience with the Immigration department and I think they are pretty well-organized and fair. Now, in all fairness, maybe they haven't ALWAYS been this way, but I think the intentions of the department have always been to protect our country and to be as fair as possible to those wishing to immigrate to our country. Anyhow, the book is well organized and thought-provoking and I would give it a 4/5. I learned a lot myself while reading it which is always a plus!

Denied, Detained, Deported is an impressive book, ...

2009-06-18T15:03:43.467-04:00

Denied, Detained, Deported is an impressive book, well-organized and clearly illustrated. The contrasting poems start it off on an intriguing note. The introduction gives us a teaser of the personal lives we can expect to explore, but I feel the book fails to live up to those expectations. Chapters 2, 3 and 4 are the most readable because they are more personal and narrative, but overall I found the author’s tone heavy-handed and biased. I agree with a previous comment that students will have a hard time separating factual information from persuasive technique at this level. I will, however, display this book in my 8th grade classroom library because it highlights important events in our history, some of which I was unaware myself. It is a good introduction to these dark times and a jumping-off point for further research. Rating = 2.

"Denied, Detained, Deported • Nonfiction"...

2009-06-16T12:28:40.491-04:00

"Denied, Detained, Deported • Nonfiction" is a great addition to the school library where I work. We have a struggle for justice curriculum theme each year, and this book fits right in with that theme. I think a book that shows the parts of U.S. that we might now be proud of is a very important type of book to have in a library, it helps show students how far we have come in terms of human rights, and it also gives perspective to current events today. I give this book a 4 out of 5, and will display it with pride in my library.

What an eye-opening read! Not only is this book in...

2009-06-16T11:29:07.579-04:00

What an eye-opening read! Not only is this book informative to students but it provides questions as springboards for discussions and higher level thinking. The back matter allows the reader to extend their learning beyond the book and is an excellent resource.
I think this book will spark readers' interest and motivate them to find out more.
I understood the message was to uncover the negetive side of immigration but felt it to be a little too negetive for the target audience.
I rate this book a 4 out of 5.
Laura Backman
Reading Specialist
Author of "Lemon the Duck"
http://lemontheduck.com

I found Denied, Detained, Deported to be a bit on ...

2009-06-08T11:50:27.197-04:00

I found Denied, Detained, Deported to be a bit on the controversial side as it presented Emma Goldman and her anarchist colleagues in a positive, victimized light. I don’t know much about Emma Goldman, the ideas of anarchy and the circumstances that surrounded hers and her colleague’s deportation, so, I’m not sure if the book does a thorough job of addressing the ideas of anarchy and what exactly the anarchists of that time were doing. The book does do a good job of shifting blame of their deportation to politics and Red Scare, but I’m left questioning if Goldman and her colleagues were only, innocently presenting “anarchy as an alternative to the authority-style rule of a typical government” (27). I’m a doubter and don’t take everything I read as truth. So, for this reason, as a potential educator, I would do a more thorough research of my own before presenting the second chapter of this book into a classroom setting. I also encourage anyone else who reads this book to do the same.

On the other hand, I did enjoy the other chapters in the book, and thought they would be very useful in giving children and adults all over the world an insight into different mistakes that have been made in the past that should not be made again.

As a whole, I think the book will provoke good discussion and is a good supplement for history/social studies/government classes.

I give the book a Picnic Basket rating of 4 out of 5.

Sarah Oyerinde
Marion, Indiana

The first thing I noticed was the National Geograp...

2009-06-02T19:56:21.234-04:00

The first thing I noticed was the National Geographic logo on the front cover. The book has a nice layout with a text format that is easy to read and accompanied by pictures. I especially liked the Timeline and Resource Guide at the end of the book. This would make a nice supplement to those learning about immigration and/or discrimination. (Chapter 3 provides some interesting information for those who may have heard the St. Louis voyage mentioned when reading accounts about the Holocaust.) I rate it 4 out of 5.

I was a bit nervous after looking at the cover of ...

2009-05-31T11:31:57.332-04:00

I was a bit nervous after looking at the cover of this book; it looked dark and a bit disturbing. However, I was pleased after reading it.
Most non-fiction is biased and this is no exception. The book takes a very critical look at immigration policies of the past 100 years or so. With that said, I believe it gives readers something to think about. I knew of the Japanese camps, but I was unaware of the situation regarding the other two chapters. I love it when I can learn!
It is a quick, easy read that goes into just enough detail to feel thrust into the stories. The narrative feel of the 3 middle chapters propel the reader.
The time line at the end is informative, but not easy on the eye.
I wish there was a bit more, but otherwise I was truly impressed with this book.
I give it a 5.

I teach ELA to grades 6, 7, 8. Too often the NY s...

2009-05-29T12:49:55.888-04:00

I teach ELA to grades 6, 7, 8. Too often the NY social studies curriculum covers an extremely broad range of US history, but lacks depth. Students who can handle the vast quantity of data are fine, but many find it overwhelming and too difficult to comprehend much less retain.

Pro's - the book adds personal stories to the study of immigration, and this alone provides students with more depth of understanding of a very complex social topic. Stories relating to 4 people (groups) would engage students to place immigration policies and history in various social contexts. The pictures (photos, illustrations) are engaging, the timeline at the end is helpful, the layout is easy to read.

Con's - the author's tone is quite critical and negative about US immigration policies. Students in this age group will see this book as "informational" and take all words at face value. They need to separate editorial content (leading questions such as "Can the country honor its commitment to freedom and democracy when it compromises those founding principles?") from factual information.

In conclusion, readers need to be sophisticated enough to understand the factual events and persuasive/editorial writing elements, provided those elements are taught by the teacher. I think 8th graders would benefit and enjoy using this book as a resource for social studies and even English language arts narrative study/writing.

Rating - 3.

PS - the sampler copy I received only contained a summary (not actual text) of chapters 4 & 5.

Do not hesitate to get this book for your classroo...

2009-05-28T06:42:22.021-04:00

Do not hesitate to get this book for your classroom or library. Once I saw the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC logo on the cover I knew I was in for a well documented reading experience. The layout of the book is nonthreatening to young readers with text double spaced for easier reading. Questions at the end of each section are open ended to spark new insights and commentary relates each topic to current events. The time line and extra resources at the back are excellent. I give this a solid 5!