Emmanuel's Dream Blog Tour!

Title: Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah
Author: Laurie Ann Thompson   
Illustrator: Sean Qualls 
Publisher: Schwartz and Wade  
Publication Date: January 6th, 2015 
Genre/Format: Non-Fiction/Picture Book 
GoodReads Summary: Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah's inspiring true story—which was turned into a film, Emmanuel's Gift, narrated by Oprah Winfrey—is nothing short of remarkable. 

Born in Ghana, West Africa, with one deformed leg, he was dismissed by most people—but not by his mother, who taught him to reach for his dreams. As a boy, Emmanuel hopped to school more than two miles each way, learned to play soccer, left home at age thirteen to provide for his family, and eventually, became a cyclist. He rode an astonishing four hundred miles across Ghana in 2001, spreading his powerful message: disability is not inability. Today, Emmanuel continues to work on behalf of the disabled. Thompson's lyrical prose and Qualls's bold collage illustrations offer a powerful celebration of triumphing over adversity.  
What I Think: This book is an inspiration. Laurie put together beautiful words and Sean created wonderful artwork that bring this story to life so masterfully. Being able to share this story has goosebumps up and down my arms. I just finished reading Brown Girl Dreaming which I'll be sharing this week and now reading Emmanuel's Dream has me just marinating in powerful stories of people who overcome. I'm glad we continue to tell stories like this, I don't think we can ever have enough of them.
     The snatch of text I grabbed is a page that stood out to me because of the description but also because of the repetition of words at the beginning of each sentence. I'm a fan of repetition when it's used right. As I read, I could imagine the wheels spinning as Emmanuel pedaled along. I love to show how reading leads to more reading and in order to be able to visualize this part of the story, there are some words or here that students might need to look up. Thanks to technology, it's so easy to type in a few words and pull up numerous images and explanations. The author also builds a sense of how much distance he has covered by sharing how the scenery changes along the way. As a mentor text, I love how this can be used to visualize and to discuss how to use resources when we need them but also how to use repetition for a purpose in writing.
Read Together: Grades 1 - 12
Read Alone: Grades 1 -  5
Read With: Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen, Wonder by RJ Palacio, Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine, Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
Snatch of Text:  

"Emmanuel pedaled through the bustling city of Accra.

He pedaled through rain forests,

over rolling hills,

and across wide, muddy rivers.

He pedaled past odum forests and plantain farms

and through the market city of Kumasi.

He pedaled as trucks roared past on the narrow highways

and wild animals stalked his thoughts.

He pedaled through vast grasslands 

and into the ancient city of Tamale.

He rode up, down, across, and around his country,

proudly wearing the colors of its flag

on a shirt printed with the words THE POZO,

or "the disabled person".   

Writing Prompts: Write about someone who inspires you for something they were able to overcome. Write about a time in your life when you didn't give up even when some people doubted you.
Topics Covered: Family, Self-Esteem, Self-Worth, Perseverance, Determination 

I *heart* It:

I'm thrilled to be the last stop on the blog tour for Emmanuel's Dream by Laurie Ann Thompson! Laurie is also the author of Be a Changemaker: How to Start Something That Matters, a how-to guide for teens who want to change the world. An advocate for social justice, Laurie is dedicated to inspiring and empowering young readers. Emmanuel's Dream is her picture-book debut. Visit her at lauriethompson.com. A CCSS-aligned curriculum guide is also available, just click here.

Check back at all the stops on Laurie’s blog tour!

Mon, Jan 12	Great Kid Books	http://greatkidbooks.blogspot.com/
Tues, Jan 13	5 Minutes for Books	http://www.5minutesformom.com/category/feature-columns/5-minutes-for-books/
Wed, Jan 14	Unleashing Readers	http://www.unleashingreaders.com/
Thurs, Jan 15	Sharpread	http://mrcolbysharp.com/
Fri, Jan 16	Cracking the Cover	http://www.crackingthecover.com/
Sat, Jan 17	Booking Mama	http://www.bookingmama.net/
Mon, Jan 19 (MLK Jr bday)	Once Upon a Story	http://mariaburel.com/
Tues, Jan 20	Proseandkahn	http://proseandkahn.blogspot.com/
Wed, Jan 21	Geo Librarian	http://geolibrarian.blogspot.com/
Thurs, Jan 22	Nonfiction Detectives	http://www.nonfictiondetectives.com/
Fri, Jan 23	The Fourth Musketeer AND  Kirby’s Lane	http://fourthmusketeer.blogspot.com/ http://kirbyslane.blogspot.com/
Mon, Jan 26	NC Teacher Stuff	http://ncteacherstuff.blogspot.com/
Tues, Jan 27	Teach Mentor Texts	http://www.teachmentortexts.com/#axzz3OuxvCMnV

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