Carvell, Marlene. Who Will Tell My Brother. Burbank: Disney Pr, 2004. Print.
Through lyrical, free verse poetry, Evan Hill demonstrates his objection to having an "Indian" as the school's mascot--a crusade that had begun with his older brother. Evan visits the board every month to see to it that it is removed, but to no avail. During graduation, when the Indian banner became displayed, individuals in the audience took place in a silent protest as they sympathized with Evan. Evan learns a great deal about courage and perseverance.
Electronic Resources:
About the Author
Readers can gain the back story of Marlene Carvell, and how she came about her writing of Who Will Tell My Brother?
Article on Ending Racial Bigotry
This is a news article found on nativenews.org that may spark the interest of the students as they research the debates that take place concerning offensive mascots.
Teaching Suggestions:
Key Vocabulary:
alienation
offensive
mascot
intolerance
stereotype
ignorance
determined
methodically
urgently
prejudice
humiliation
Before Reading:
Take some time to review some current cases regarding the removal of particular mascots. Discuss the obstacles one would have to face to change something that has been around "forever." Is it worth the pain and suffering along the way?
Responding to the Text:
Encourage students to write their own poem about something they would like to change or in response to Evan's poetry. Ask students to share their poems with the class if they wish, and compare and contrast similar and different themes that exist in the students' poetry.
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