Julia
Child: An Extraordinary Life in Words and Pictures (DuoPress,
2015) brings culinary pioneer Julia Child to fascinating life. Author Erin Hagar and illustrator Joanna Gorham create an innovative
biography that combines vivid, informative prose with wordless double-page
spreads that dramatize key moments in Julia’s life.
Below
are a few writing prompts for the classroom or for individual writers ages 8
and up. (The biography’s engaging form
is similar to that of Brian Selznick’s Caldecott-winning novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret.)
Writing About
Professional Hopes: Many young
people seem to have only a vague idea of what a specific profession involves, or
they are starstruck and seem to think that being a professional singer or athlete
means doing so only at the top. This
biography takes a close look at someone with an expertise—cooking, food
writing—that may intrigue young people.
Classroom
Discussion: Ask students to read this or the biography of
another noteworthy figure from the 20th or 21st centuries. Have
them jot down answers to the following:
Why does this person intrigue you?
How did the person become involved in his/her life’s work? What were setbacks? How were they handled?
Research: Have students do some Internet research on professions/jobs they may be interested in. Why does this work interest them? What
does training involve? What are some
tasks/activities involved on a regular basis?
Classroom
Writing: Brainstorm questions to ask someone who does this type of work. (How did you get started? When did you know this job/profession is what
you wanted to do? What’s the
funniest/most surprising thing that ever happened to you on the job? The most challenging? Have students
ask these questions of someone (preferably not in their immediate
family). In addition to adults in the
neighborhood or extended family, youngsters might look at websites for organizations or professional associations. Many have public relations departments or do
educational outreach, and the websites can be helpful sources when students are
doing research or trying to identify possible interviewees. Ask students
to write what they discovered in a few paragraphs.
Sharing: Mount the writing on a bulletin board, and
give youngsters a chance to share more information or ask questions of one
another. What was the most surprising or
favorite thing they learned about this job or person?
For More Information: To learn more about the professions of chef,
author, and illustrator, check the official website for Julia Child , Erin Hagar, and Joanna Gorham,
Related
Projects/Reading:
This biography of Julia Child makes a wonderful book for a classroom
library. Or educators might check this
one and other biographies of recent figures out of the library and display them
in the classroom. Even a kid picking up
and briefly leafing through a biography can learn a lot. It’s hard for kids to imagine possible life
paths unless they “see” them, whether on TV, in the neighborhood, in their family
or those of their friends, or in books.
 |
| Erin Hagar |
Too
often, biographies for youngsters highlight worthy artists, writers, activists,
athletes, and politicians. They’re all
important to the historical landscape, of course, but where are the biographies
of those with recent accomplishments in the fields of science, agriculture, the
culinary arts, business, and engineering?
Where are the life stories that might guide and inspire youngsters with
an interest in professions beyond those usually featured?
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