I lead book club discussions with English language learners. Today I’m beginning to post images from books we read along with a taste of our discussions.
Italian emigrants, 1900, say good-bye
to Grandmother who remains behind, and calling,
“You’ll eat the food there and forget your home.”*
It is not true, my students say. They will not forget.
They say the grandmother is too old to make the journey.
They say this has happened in their family, too.
And here they make the food.
*Bagramibatoulline.com The Matchbox Diaries by Paul Fleischman, illus. by Bagram Ibatoulline, Candlewick Press