Quaking by Kathryn Erskine is a powerful book! Matt (Matilda) has been shuffled from one foster home to another since her mother was murdered by her abusive father. Matt has built a protective cover around herself to keep from being hurt anymore -gothic, uncaring, doing poorly in school. In actuality, Matt is very bright. At the beginning she is just arriving at a new home, relatives of Loopy's who are Quakers with a special needs child. This book is about how this peaceful and loving family break through her shell and show her how to love and care again.
Matt's inner belief in peace and what is right and wrong come through in her writings for her World Civics teacher who expects all of his students to only express the same beliefs he has concerning the war and patriotism. Matt can't do that. She expresses her belief that there is another side to everything and that peace is important. When she finally accepts that she cares and loves the family she is with, Matt realizes that Rat is headed to the Meeting House to firebomb it. When she struggles running through the freezing cold without a jacket and faces Rat and his Wall gang, she realizes she is finally also standing up to the Beast - her father - who made her build her protective shell. She embraces her new family and stands up for what is right and does not crouch and hide in fear anymore.
WOW!!! I loved this book. It was very thought provoking in so many ways - conscientious objector, abuse, gothic kids, perceptions, and special needs children. Though I couldn't use it with my elementary students, what a wonderful book for a government teacher to have the class read to go along with a lesson on patriotism or constitutional rights. After teaching the lesson, this could be a stimulus for discussion of how people view their rights. Can't wait to have my niece read this!
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