Gettin' Through Thursday by Melrose Cooper

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Gettin' Through Thursday by Melrose CooperGettin' Through Thursday was written by Melrose Cooper. She is the author of several books for children and young adults, including I Got Family and Life Riddles. She lives in upstate New York with her family. Nneka Bennett was praised for her illustrations for Juma and the Honey Guide as powerfully modeled and distinctive by Kirkus Reviews. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, she lives in Boston with her husband.[1]

Summary

Andre dreads Thursdays. Thursday is the day before Mama gets paid at work each week -- it's the day when money is tight and spirits are low for Andre and his older brother and sister. As report card day approaches, Andre anticipates making the honor roll, and Mama said she'd throw a royal party for just such an event. But Andre can't believe his eyes when he looks at the calendar and sees that report card day falls on the worst possible day of the week -- a Thursday. Andre's predicament and the loving solution that his family offers will strike a chord with readers of all backgrounds. Melrose Cooper and Nneka Bennett present a warm and touching portrait of a child who experiences a celebration he'll never forget. [2]

Pros

This book is about an African American family, and the hardships they face due to poverty. The mother works hard to earn all of the money for the family to live off of, but she only gets paid on Fridays. Andre is the main character in the book and the youngest son. He received honor roll, which meant he would get a celebration. This book could be used as an introduction to a lesson about the Great Depression. This would allow the teacher to do an activity on the effects of the economy and the importance of saving money when it is necessary. This could also be used as a math activity where students started out with a certain amount of money, but then they had to take away or add to their amount when the circumstances and situations change, explained Morgan Rudeseal on one online site.[3]

According to Kirkus Reviews, this book described that Cooper's rhythmic writing sings, and the authentic voices of her characters resonate in this heartwarming story about simple but meaningful gestures that link the world of adult worries with more childlike concerns. Bennett depicts the characters' emotions exceptionally and realistically; the facial expressions tell readers all they need to know about the story's subtext.[4]

References

  1. Gettin' Through Thursday. amazon.com. Retrieved January 31st, 2021.
  2. Gettin' Through Thursday. Retrieved January 31st, 2021.
  3. Gettin' Through Thursday. goodreads.com. January 31st, 2021.
  4. Gettin' Through Thursday. kirkusreviews.com. January 31st, 2021