Teaching Notes The Day My Father Became a Bush by Joke van Leeuwen

Transcription

1 Teaching Notes The Day My Father Became a Bush by Joke van Leeuwen Synopsis Before he becomes a bush, Toda s father is a pastry chef. He gets up at the crack of dawn every day to bake twenty different sorts of pastries and three kinds of cakes. Then one day everything changes. War breaks out and Toda s father must go away to fight. Luckily, he has been given a manual called What Every Soldier Needs to Know. This tells him how to hide from the enemy by disguising himself as a bush. While her father fights, Toda remains in the city with her gran until it is decided this is no longer safe. Then she sent is to stay with her mother who lives across the border. Her journey is full of danger and adventure, but Toda, all the while thinking of her father camouflaged as a bush, never gives up. She must find her mother. The Author/ Illustrator Joke van Leeuwen (1952) studied history at the University of Brussels, performs in cabaret and theatre shows, writes stories and poems for children which she illustrates herself, and writes prose and poetry for adults. She has received innumerable awards, including the prestigious Theo Thijssen Prize, the triennial Dutch State Prize for youth literature. 1

2 Themes This clear-eyed, funny and off-beat novel about a girl making sense of a baffling world has several themes. The first of these includes the chaos of war. As war breaks out Toda must make a dangerous journey through a war-damaged country to reach, and illegally cross, the border. On the way she sees the damage war has inflicted, not only on the countryside and buildings, but also on the people. Children and the elderly are forced from their homes into Welfare Centres, and soldiers are faced with fighting and personal challenges. Other themes relating to war also include patriotism, sacrifice and loyalty. These are evident with Toda s father going to fight for his country, Gran sacrificing Toda to get her to a safer place, and loyalty to the cause as is seen with the struggling captain who Toda meets in the forest. The theme of the complexities of family relationships is also explored. Toda has not lived with her mother since she was very little. Despite this, when war breaks out, Toda s Gran makes the decision that Toda would be best living with her estranged parent. Despite not knowing her mother, the need and desire to get to her helps Toda continue her perilous journey. Toda ultimately reaches her destination and starts to tentatively re-establish a relationship with her mother. Courage and determination in the face of adversity are further themes. These attributes help Toda overcome all the hurdles she encounters on her journey. A final theme is that of humanity. The characters Toda meets on her journey show how humans will help or hinder each other in times of crises. Toda experiences many aspects of human behaviour, such as, her Gran forcing her to start her journey, the captain helping her in the forest, the strange retired general intimidating her, and the kindly translator encouraging her in the Child Welfare Centre. Activities 1. Before reading the book, look at the cover image and title. Discuss what you think this story might be about? 2. Before he becomes a bush, Toda s father is a pastry chef who bakes twenty different sorts of pastries and three kinds of cakes every morning (p. 6). Find a recipe for one type of pastry and one type of cake. Create illustrated recipe book entries for your choices. 2

3 3. Toda s Gran had lived through one war already (p. 14). Research a past or present war, for example, find out how it started, who was involved, what the major events or battles were, if and how it was resolved, etc. Imagine you are a war correspondent. Choose one of the major events from the war you have researched and write an article about it for your local newspaper. 4. Toda packs a small bag to take with her, the contents of which include a notebook (pp ). Imagine you are forced to leave your home suddenly and have to pack one small bag. List what you would pack. Then, based on Toda s notebook and list, create your own version. 5. The book is full of descriptions of different interiors and exteriors, such as the Public Welfare Centre (pp ) and the retired general s home (p. 45). Choose another description from the book and draw your interpretation of it. Then, write a description of an interior or exterior that you are familiar with, for example, your classroom, school grounds, bedroom, a local park, etc. In pairs, draw a picture based on each other s descriptions. 6. Imagine you are one of the children or the stand-in grandmothers Toda encounters in the Public Welfare Centre (pp ). Write a personal diary entry about an incident that takes place from your point of view, such as having to accept a toy you did not want, or hoping Toda would choose you as her adoptive grandmother. Think about how you would describe the physical scene and the other characters, as well as your feelings about the incident. 7. Toda has a vivid dream while in the Public Welfare Centre (p. 31). Using another medium, for example, drawing, painting, sculpture or photography, create your own artistic interpretation of Toda s dream. 8. Toda has to pay a man to cross the border illegally (p. 38). Find out about other refugees from recent conflicts or wars. How are they being helped? In groups, find a charity that has been set up to help. Design a marketing campaign to help draw attention to their work. The campaign could include elements such as pamphlets, scripts for school talks, radio jingles, posters, slogans, etc. 9. There is some vocabulary relating to war in the book, such as no-man s land (p. 39). Find some more examples from the book. Write a poem about one of the characters from the book and include the war vocabulary you have found. 10. There is some vocabulary relating to war in the book, such as no-man s land (p. 39). Find some more examples from the book. Write a poem about one of the characters from the book and include the war vocabulary you have found. 3

4 11. The retired general shows Toda his decorations which were awarded for deceiving the enemy, courage, leadership and loyalty, as well as for inventing different types of camouflage and bravery (pp ). Think of three good qualities that you feel are important in everyday life that are worthy of recognition. Design and draw or make three decorative badges that represent your chosen qualities. 12. The book is full of dramatic, suspense-filled action sequences, such as, Toda s crossing of the border (pp ) and the capture of the captain (pp ). Look at the language the author uses in these sequences. Write a dramatic action scene about something that has happened to you. 13. The captain tells Toda they must follow the bright pole star in order to get to the border (p. 67). Write a poem or descriptive short story using the pole star as inspiration. 14. At the Child Welfare Centre Toda is given a book explaining points of etiquette in her new country (pp ). Imagine you have been asked to write an etiquette guide for your country. Create and illustrate your guide including at least five points. 15. Together Toda and her mother write a letter to the captain s wife and daughter about how he helped Toda and what happened to him in the forest (p. 104). Write this letter. 16. There are many language features in book, for example, similes, metaphors, imperatives, personification, tongue-twisters and onomatopoeia. Find the definition of each and then match each with an example from the book, listed below: - Rustle, rustle (p. 8) - I was frozen with fear (p. 13) - She sells seashells by the seafloor (p. 28) - The sagging door groaned as I opened it (p. 62) - As stiff as a plank (p. 63) 17. Examine the illustrations in the book. What attracts your attention to a particular picture? What colours are used? What kinds of lines and textures are used? Do the pictures mirror the text or go beyond what the story tells you? Which is your favourite illustration and why? Choose a section from the book that doesn t have an accompanying illustration and draw your own. 18. Which is your favourite chapter in the book? Why? Write a plot summary of it. 4

5 19. Review the book for your favourite magazine or website. What did you like about the book? Why? What did you dislike about the book? Why? Give it a rating, such as stars or a number out of ten. 20. In groups, choose an event from the book, such as when Toda and her mother are reunited. Devise a script, costumes, and scenery. Act it out for you class. If you have access to a video camera, tape it. 21. Joke van Leeuwen is the author of Eep! Find and read this book and write a book report. 5