Smith, Anita Hope. 2008. KEEPING THE NIGHT WATCH. Ill. E. B. Lewis. Square Fish. New York, NY. ISBN 978-0-312-65936-3

BIBLIOGRPAHY 

Smith, Anita Hope. 2008. KEEPING THE NIGHT WATCH. Ill. E. B. Lewis. Square Fish. New York, NY. ISBN 978-0-312-65936-3 

PLOT SUMMARY 

C.J., a young man who worked hard to fill in his father’s shoes is confused upon his return. He is faced with having to forgive his father for his sudden absence or work to forgive him. He feels like a stranger in his own home refusing to speak to his father but overcomes his fear of letting him back in because through life lessons and conversations with his grandmother, he realizes his family’s foundation is solid and accepting of one another.  

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS) 

Keeping the night watch, a Coretta Scott King Honor book, is made up of novels in verse. The beginning of the story shows C.J. painted in warm watercolors with facial expressions downcast and sad. As the family is processing their father’s return, C.J. experiences anger. Zuri, his sister’s puffy curly hair is as high as her imagination of her adopted pet and C.J.’s face-to-face confrontation with his dad shows the immense tension of power in the household. This is an authentic reflection of the home life experiences some families face. In his tension with his dad, C. J. reflects his short-temper ready to explode when he says, “I walk around with my words drawn, ready to fire.” 

Although the first half of the book is of mixed emotions, the second half shows a good balance of social and emotional characteristics. C.J. begins to fall in love and learns how to shave, which all comes with growing up. We see a piece of his grandmother’s social ways when she makes place cards when setting the table and giving a lecture about how people don’t really enjoy that when there are issues between people. This shows a glimpse into how she keeps her own traditions alive. Each verse is moving, and the accompanying illustrations perfectly complement the feeling they evoke.  

The illustrations show accurate depictions and examples of the feeling for each verse. For example, C.J. can be seen walking away from his sister’s room head down and sad as his father took his place in the nightly routine of a bedtime story. The expressions on their faces describe the situation without words needed. The first part of the book is Fall and the illustrations show more dark and gloomy tones versus the Spring part of the book where the colors are brighter and facial expressions are happier. The format was appealing because each poem had an illustration that accurately reflected the verse. 

REVIEW EXCERPTS 

ALA Notable Children’s Books, 2009 

Book Links, 01/0109 

Booklist starred, 03/15/08 

Booklist starred, 03/15/08 

Coretta Scott King Author Honor, 2009 

Horn Book Magazine, 07/01/08 

Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA), 02/01/08 

Library Media Connection starred, 08/01/08 

Booklist starred (March 15, 2008 (Vil. 104, No. 14)): “Although mainly free verse, there’s also a sonnet, and in one chatty 26-line piece, each line begins with a different letter of the alphabet, arranged in successive order.” 

Horn Book Magazine (July/August 2008): “The first-person account gives readers an intimate view of C.J.’s confusing mix of feelings toward his father.” 

Library Media Connection starred, 08/01/08: “The poems are deeply moving and powerful. They tug at the heart and show the struggles every family must go through to stay together.” 

CONNECTIONS 

Butler, Dori Hillestad. DO YOU KNOW THE MONKEY MAN? ISBN 978-1-68263-038-9 

Hill, Kirkpatrick. DO NOT PASS GO. ISBN 978-1-41691-400-6 

Woodson, Jacqueline. FEATHERS. ISBN 978-0-329-75923-0 

Students can create their own free verse poem describing a situation they are experiencing or have experienced and draw an illustration and paint with watercolor to match the style of this book.  

Zuri’s ABC’s is a great layout for creating a 26- line verse of anything students want to write about. This will get students thinking but give them a clear layout to follow.