Grades 5, 6, 7, and 8
Dear Teacher/parent: You may find other ways this book has been helpful to discussion and understanding. If you would like to have some of your own ideas considered for expansion to this guide, please e-mail me with your suggestions.
"Etta May, a self-proclaimed magnet for disaster, carries more than her share of burdens. Soon after the death of her beloved grandmother, her grandfather Gent grows too weak from emphysema to tend his cherished roses or take care of the rundown trailer where he and Etta May live. When Etta May realizes that Gent's disease is terminal, she resolves to carry out his last wish: to die in his own bed. She wages a lonely battle against doctors and, even more painfully, the absentee mother she has hitherto seen 'all of nine times.' In the tradition of Where the Lilies Bloom and A Day No Pigs Would Die, this story about love and compromise traces the struggles of a determined child taking on adult responsibilities. Scenes depicting the clash of wills among three generations are balanced with portrayals of familial tenderness and compassion. Masters' quick dialogue adds color, while poignant narrative evokes the frustration, fear and final acceptance experienced in the face of a deep loss." -- Publishers Weekly
Summer Song appeals to a wide audience of young readers, many whom may be facing difficult issues themselves. Because the plot deals realistically about a fractured family and a teen's struggle for control, students can better grasp what Etta May herself finally comes to understand: while we cannot control life, we can affect parts of it. Bits of humor help lighten what could be a heavy tone as it asks readers to think about family, separation, and loss.
Ask students to describe Etta May and Quentin's friendship. Etta May calls him her best friend. What are the qualities in Quentin that she says, "made me forget the rough edges?" Both of their mothers have left for different reasons. How might this strengthen their friendship? At first Etta May doesn't trust her neighbor Mrs. Moreles who she thinks is a snoop. How and when does her attitude change?
Ask students to describe the relationship between Etta May and Gent, and Etta May and her mother Claire. Ask how Etta May deals with the feelings she has for Claire, bringing in during the discussion the word "ambivalence." At what point in the story does Etta May finally gain a sense that the three of them are truly a family? How does this affect what she does next?
Etta May is caught between her promise to Gent who wants to die at home in his "own bed" and her mother who wants to move them to Pittsburgh to live with her. Could Etta May have resolved her dilemma differently? Would it have been better than the path she chose and why?
Etta May and Quentin both experience separation from their mothers. Ask students to compare and contrast the way each one deals with their feelings. Later, Etta May and her mother face the loss of Gent. How do you think they might help support each other after his death? While readers know that Gent will eventually die, still they are left with a sense of hope. Have students explain.
If Etta May were to keep a journal, what might she write after she and Claire return home from the hospital (pages 38-39) and they are starting to get along? What might Etta May write the next day when she finds out about Eddie and the fact that her mother is going back to Pittsburgh for what she calls "an emergency?" Does it remind you of a similar experience you might have had or read about?
Quentin has his heart set on an electric guitar that he has seen at the mall in Liberty. Have students look up the price of a new instrument verses the cost of renting a similar one. Make a chart showing all the charges and insurance fees. Over a year's time, which would be more economical? What are the advantages/disadvantages of renting verses purchasing an instrument
Invite a Hospice volunteer to the classroom to share his/her own experiences with the students as well as the philosophy of the program.
Quentin makes up his own country western songs. Bring in to class a variety of music (country western, jazz, rap, rock/roll, classical, etc.) Ask the students to describe how they are similar and how they are different. Discuss the fact that the various styles do not remain static; they evolve over time (i.e., the number and type of electrical instruments used today verses years ago.)
Etta May first hears about the "WHUG Jumpin' Jamboree Talent Show" on the radio. Ask each student to design a poster advertising the event.
Etta May finally came to understand that while we cannot control life, we can affect parts of it. How did this help Etta May resolve what seemed an insurmountable problem? Ask students how it might help with their own lives?