Golden Sower
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This beautifully written, emotional debut perfect for fans of Lynda Mullaly Hunt or Ali Benjamin tells the story of a girl, her special needs brother, and the summer they will never forget.
"An engaging, honest book." --Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Newbery Honor-winning author of The War That Saved My Life "A beautiful story of family, forgiveness, life on an island, and growing up." --Kate Messner, author of Breakout and The Seventh Wish Cat and her brother Chicken have always had a very special bond--Cat is one of the few people who can keep Chicken happy. When he has a "meltdown" she’s the one who scratches his back and reads his favorite story. She’s the one who knows what Chicken needs. Since their mom has had to work double-hard to keep their family afloat after their father passed away, Cat has been the glue holding her family together. But even the strongest glue sometimes struggles to hold. When a summer trip doesn’t go according to plan, Cat and Chicken end up spending three weeks with grandparents they never knew. For the first time in years, Cat has the opportunity to be a kid again, and the journey she takes shows that even the most broken or strained relationships can be healed if people take the time to walk in one another’s shoes. An Indies Introduce Pick A Texas Bluebonnet Selection A Parents Best Book of the Year A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year An Amazon Best Book of the Year |
Activity 1:
Cat and Chicken have a lot of freedom to explore in their San Francisco neighborhood, which is called the “Inner Richmond.” Many of the places mentioned can be found using Google Maps or Google Earth. With adult supervision, try mapping: 544 Cabrillo Street, Frank McCoppin Elementary School, Green Apple Books, and Toy Boat Dessert Cafe. Zoom out to see how far their apartment is from the Steinhart Aquarium (California Academy of Sciences). How many blocks is their house from Ocean Beach?
After plans with Rishi’s family fall through, Mom takes Cat and Chicken to Gingerbread Island in North Carolina. This is not a real place but was based closely on Topsail Island in North Carolina. Use your mapping tool to locate Topsail Island. What are some differences you notice between San Francisco and Topsail Island? How far apart are they?
Cat and Chicken have a lot of freedom to explore in their San Francisco neighborhood, which is called the “Inner Richmond.” Many of the places mentioned can be found using Google Maps or Google Earth. With adult supervision, try mapping: 544 Cabrillo Street, Frank McCoppin Elementary School, Green Apple Books, and Toy Boat Dessert Cafe. Zoom out to see how far their apartment is from the Steinhart Aquarium (California Academy of Sciences). How many blocks is their house from Ocean Beach?
After plans with Rishi’s family fall through, Mom takes Cat and Chicken to Gingerbread Island in North Carolina. This is not a real place but was based closely on Topsail Island in North Carolina. Use your mapping tool to locate Topsail Island. What are some differences you notice between San Francisco and Topsail Island? How far apart are they?
Activity 2:
Miss Sunshine’s is known for their delicious ice cream and unique flavors. “The ice cream was rich and creamy. Turtle Egg was chocolate-caramel eggs with a raspberry ribbon. The Gingerbread Island flavor had gum drops and tiny gingerbread people. [Cat] tried each flavor, even though cotton candy bubble gum twist hurt her teeth.” (page 159) First, brainstorm some ideas for flavors that would fit well with the island. What would be on your ideal ice cream bar? Alternatively, ask an adult to help you search recipes for making ice cream in a bag.
Miss Sunshine’s is known for their delicious ice cream and unique flavors. “The ice cream was rich and creamy. Turtle Egg was chocolate-caramel eggs with a raspberry ribbon. The Gingerbread Island flavor had gum drops and tiny gingerbread people. [Cat] tried each flavor, even though cotton candy bubble gum twist hurt her teeth.” (page 159) First, brainstorm some ideas for flavors that would fit well with the island. What would be on your ideal ice cream bar? Alternatively, ask an adult to help you search recipes for making ice cream in a bag.
Activity 3:
Imagine that you are creating a travel brochure for visitors to Gingerbread Island. Using information from Caterpillar Summer, describe the different activities and destinations. On one side, draw a map of Gingerbread Island. Be sure to label the fishing pier, sea turtle nesting sites, the miniature golf course, the library, the playground, Willis General, and Miss Sunshine’s ice cream shop.
Imagine that you are creating a travel brochure for visitors to Gingerbread Island. Using information from Caterpillar Summer, describe the different activities and destinations. On one side, draw a map of Gingerbread Island. Be sure to label the fishing pier, sea turtle nesting sites, the miniature golf course, the library, the playground, Willis General, and Miss Sunshine’s ice cream shop.