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Title: A Day No Pigs Would Die
Author: Robert Newton Peck
Age level: Middle School, eighth grade
Recommended by: Gail Lindenberg, Nogales High School, California Summary:
While the reading level of this novel is ideal for eighth grade, because of the issues raised, the book can be used with High School students as well. It is a reflective autobiographical work told in the voice of a young Shaker boy who is among the first of his generation to be Schooled outside the community after the passage of the U.S. compulsory education law. Rob's maturation as he sees life beyond his Shaker ways is made even more poignant as he explores his relationship with his father in the year before his death. It is hauntingly simple and lyrically elegant in prose style and will touch the heart of any reader of any age.
Teaching suggestions:
I most recently used this with a group of sheltered juniors (new to the language). Their response and resultant grades on comprehension of the material were the best I've seen. A reflective essay asking students to write about a time in their lives when they have gained a measure of maturity makes a good writing connection. Also, having students do an informal debate "vote with your feet" activity on the topic of compulsory education works well with this book. A research activity on the Shaker, the Amish and the Quaker in our society is a strong cultural diversity search.
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