Hush

Title: Hush

Author:  Eishes Chayil (pseudonym)

Publisher: Walker Publishing Company

Copyright: 2010
Reading Level: Approximately Grade 6

Summary:

The story takes place in a Brooklyn Hasidic community where the rules of life are very clear. When Gittel was just a child, she witnessed a tragic event that changed her perspectives on people, life and religion. After ten years, the reader discovers that Gittel’s best friend, Devory, committed suicide because she was raped by the person she most trusted, her brother. Gittel wants the community to find out what happened but everybody around her persuaded themselves to believe nothing happened. Obligated to remain silent, Gittel starts to question the rules of life.

Suggested Delivery:

The best delivery methods for this book is silent reading followed by a jigsaw puzzle to finish the book.

Electronic Resources:

1. The Real Eishet Chayil- This website can be used before the reading so students can create their journal's cover. The website includes information about Jewish culture, such as songs and Holidays. This is also a great tool to use to find out more about Jewish woman and current issues related to Jewish.

2. Review- A great tool for teachers and students to utilize after the reading. This website includes a brief book review and other book titles that can be of interest for students.

3. Darkness- This website is mostly for parents and teachers to utilize. It is an informative website related to sexual abuse and how to deal with it after is has occur.

Teaching Suggestions:

1. Vocabulary- Gentile, Unfathomably, Goy, Ecstatically, Furtively, Uncomprehendingly, Pseudonym

2. Reading Strategies-

Before Reading: Pair up students and give them some time to use the computers to find out more about Jews and their culture. Based on their research, have them create their journal’s cover page. For the first journal entry, have them write predictions about what the book might be about and opinions about the cover page image. Introduce new vocabulary and encourage students to keep a section in their journal where they can keep vocabulary questions.

During Reading: Teachers will assign reading every night and for every reading students have to write a journal entry. They have to write their opinions, thoughts, feelings and vocabulary questions. In that journal entry, students should also write five questions they have about the reading that needs clarification. Instead of traveling into the book, students will write a short story (second part of the book) in which the narrator travels out of the book into today’s world. The main point of the made up story is to talk about how culture and life rules have changed from the narrator's time.

Collect journals and choose five questions you think students are struggling with the most. Divide the class into five groups and assign each group a question (jigsaw puzzle activity). They must provide evidence from the book to support their answer.  Students should also become familiar with the answer because each group will be taking turns presenting their answers to the class.

After Reading: Using their journal, students will have a silent conversation activity with a partner. Basically, students write a reflection about the book on their journal. The reflection should include:

         - What they have learned from the book

         - What part was most shocking to them and why?

         - Did they liked or disliked the book and why?

Once the journal entry is completed, they will exchange it with another student who will then respond to the first student’s reflection.

3. Writing activity- Instead of traveling into the book, students will write a short story in which the narrator travels out of the book into today’s world. The main point of the made up story is to talk about how culture and life rules have changed from the narrator’s time.