18
TEACH READING & WRITING
9
AnAngel
forMay
BYMELVINBURGESS
(Andersen Press)
What’s the story
Whenwefirstmeet Tam,
he’s angry and confused and
in nomood to look beyond
appearances. Unhappy at home,
he runs off and discovers the
ruins of Thowt-It Farm, high in
the hills. There hemeetsMay,
who takes him into the farmas it
existed 50 years earlier. Why has
Tamgone back in time, andwhat’s
the connection between his new
friendMay andRosey, the local
‘Bag Lady’?
The events at Thowt-It
help Tamset aside his prejudices
and value the things that
reallymatter.
Known for his grittyYoung
Adult realism, Burgess’s subject
matter can be challenging, but in
writing for a younger audience
the darker side has been
temperedwith insight, positivity
and hope.
Deep thinking
Themes include divorce,
bullying, homelessness, being an
About the book
This book tells the story of
Orundellico, a boy fromTierra
del Fuegobrought toQueen
Victoria’sBritain. Known as
JemmyButton by the peoplewho
flocked tomeet him, Orundellico
finally returned home aftermany
years, but struggled to relearn his
native language and customs.
Uman andVidali met online
and correspondedbefore
collaborating on this picturebook.
Their images prompt an
emotional response and the
text is sparse, leaving roomfor
questions and connections. Did
Orundellico comewillingly, orwas
he kidnapped?What did he think
about his experiences?Andwhat
does itmean tobe civilised?
Inspiring artwork
Themes include the environment,
point of view, commonalities
anddifferences, ideas of
civilization and entitlement, loss,
change and return.
Try this...
●
What choices did the
illustrators make about
colour, composition and
perspective, and what impact
do these choices have on us?
What do the illustrators
want us to feel, as well as
see? The hand holding the
button is enormous, for
example. Why? And
what’s the effect of using
faceless silhouettes?
●
Research the story
behind this picturebook and
explore through drama. How
does it feel to be alone and
different in a new place?
Debate the rights and
wrongs of bringing
Orundellico to Britain.
●
For environmental
links, read Giant by Colin
McNaughton and The Promise
by Nicola Davies and Laura
Carlin (bothWalker). To think
more about difference, read
Beegu by Alexis Deacon and
Eric by Shaun Tan (Templar).
outsider, abuse, understanding
other points of view,
friendship, ageing and change.
Wherewill it
take you?
●
Cut out somemagazine
photographs and use to
generate questions: who is
this person?Whatmakes
himor her happy?What is
he or she afraid of? Invent
histories for these people,
and reasons for their
behaviour. In pairs,
roleplay conversations
between characters. What
prevents your characters
fromunderstanding each
other and how can these
barriers be overcome?
Use your inventions and
discoveries to inform
storywriting about a
particular type of prejudice
and its resolution.
●
Formore ‘timeslip empathy’,
try Tom’sMidnight Garden by
Philippa Pearce.
Key Stage2
8
Jemmy
Button
BYWABY JENIFER
UMANANDVALERIO
VIDALI (Templar)
Key Stage2
