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Tornado Season: Story of the Month

Eastfield Common Book 2020-2021

Story of the Month

September

Pledge

“Pledge” is a story about a bilingual teacher and one of her students. As the teacher struggles with her first teaching assignment, she learns about the challenges one of her students faces.

Themes: Education, immigration, deportation, culture, language barriers, and bilingual education (Find Resources)


October

Statues

In “Statues,” the monuments of the past come to life when they are confronted with being removed.

Themes: History, monuments, memorialization, government, ideologies, philosophy, and elections (Find Resources)


November

Dia de Gracias

In “Dia de Gracias,” a young newly married American living in Mexico is trying to bring a little of the Thanksgiving spirit into her home since she cannot spend the holiday with her family in Texas.

Themes: Thanksgiving, immigration, different customs, intercultural marriage, acculturation, assimilation, multiculturalism and traditions (Find Resources)


February

 

Aerial Spray

When a community faces “Aerial Spray” to avoid the spread of disease, it leaves a young boy wondering what this will do to the tooth fairy.

Themes: Public health, the environment, domestic violence, childhood beliefs, loss of innocence, relationships, and family (Find Resources)

Donation

"Donation" is the story of an organ donor who takes commitment to self-sacrifice to an extreme.

Themes: Organ donations, giving of oneself, martyrdom, saviorism, good deeds, addiction, self-worth, philosophy, and death (Find Resources)


March

Tornado Season

Texans are familiar with “Tornado Season,” but a young woman faces her own whirlwind of emotions as she reconnects with a former foster brother while working on her doctoral thesis and trying to maintain her relationship with her boyfriend.

Themes: Inclement weather, weather as a metaphor, disaster preparedness, foster care system, social work, relationships and self-care (Find Resources)

Astromorphosis 

Mythological story of seven sisters of the sea that find the seven deadly sins.

Themes: Seven, mythology, sisters, divide and win, seven deadly sins


April

Frontera Seca

In “Frontera Seca,” a son and his father set out to unite the country they were born in with the one they call home.

Themes: Climate change, borders, immigration, deportation, family, family separation and cultural identity (Find Resources)

Volcano Climber

The final selection, “Volcano Climber,” is about a boy who faces nature to save his sister. His initial success brings fame but he ultimately realizes the futility of humankind in the eyes of nature.

Themes: Childhood illness, death, family relationships, climate change, borders, nature and the media (Find Resources)

 

Other Stories from Tornado Season

Kansas Before Oz

Carnival Ride

Astromorphosis

Snow Globe

Also Lonely, Although on Land

Goodness and Mercy

Til Morning

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