Theme: Educators can use the book, More Than Anything Else to introduce students to African-American history, salt workers, slavery and the life of Booker T. Washington.

Pre-reading: Show students the cover of the book and read its title as well as the names of the author and illustrator. Ask your class what they think the book will be about. Next show the illustration of the newspaper man writing Booker’s name in the sand. Now, ask them what they think the book will be about. Have the students look at an atlas of the United States. Find the Kanawha River and find out how far it is from your school (hint: West Virginia).

Reading: As you read the book, show students the illustrations have ask them to study the drawings. What details can they find in the pictures? Have them look closely at the expressions on Booker’s face. How does his expression change during the story? Ask the students how they think the characters are feeling throughout the story. Don’t forget to ask about how Booker’s mother is feeling when she hands him a book.

Interviews: Booker, Papa and John work all day as laborers at a salt mine. Coal miners, river men, loggers and coppers all gather in town to hear the newspaper man. Interview someone whose work is physically demanding and write their story. If you cannot find a laborer to interview, find someone famous who started out as a laborer (online or at the library) and write a short story about them.

Geography: Have the students plan a trip to Malden, West Virginia. Ask them to estimate the miles and how long will it take to arrive there. What will they need to pack for their journey? Have them look at a map and guess what they will see along the way – rivers, mountains, lakes, deserts, plains, farms, factories, cities etc.

Science: Booker eats sweet potatoes and corn cakes in the story. Discuss the farming and harvesting techniques for these foods. Where does the food come from? Where are sweet potatoes grown? Try growing plants in a variety of soils and/or hydroponics. Keep a journal of their growth. Which way of growing is the best for each plant?

In the story Booker, Papa and John shovel salt all day. What happens when there is a small cut on their skin? Does the cut hurt when it touches the salt? Discuss the chemical makeup of salt (a mineral made up of two elements, sodium and chloride). Discuss the importance of salt as a food. Explain that salt can be used as a disinfectant and discuss other uses of salt.

Social Studies: Spend more time reading about African-American history and explore the life of Booker T. Washington. Ask the students, why Booker and his brother were working and not at school? What were Booker T. Washington’s accomplishments when he grew up? Which college did he found?

Literature: Read Jeremiah Learns to Read by Jo Ellen Bogart, A Hunger for Learning by Gwenyth Swain, Booker T. Washington: A Modern Moses by Lois P. Nicholson, Momma, Where Are You From by Marie Brady. Look for other books by Marie Bradby and Chris Soentpiet. If you really enjoyed More Than Anything Else write a review and post it on the book pages at Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com so others can enjoy your reading experience.

Bulletin Board: Make a big list for the bulletin board and ask your students write down something they want MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE!

 

A Message From Marie Bradby

“I wrote More Than Anything Else for my son, then five years old, who was beginning to learn to read. It was a wonderful time, watching and helping him learn. Reading is one of the most important skills that a person can learn, especially in this age of communication. So I wanted to celebrate my son’s literacy – this very important time in his life.”