"Emily"-Michael Bedard

This is a realistic/historical book. A young girl becomes interested in her next door neighbor who is rarely seen and others call her the myth. The myth has contacted her family and requested that the mother comes over and plays the piano for her to make her feel revived like the spring. This young woman who is so reclusive is named Emily. The young girl who lives next door to Emily is so intrigued by Emily and who she is. Her mother invites her to go to Emily’s house while she plays for her, the young girl becomes worried about what she will see and find when she visits Emily. During the visit Emily does not come down to listen to the music, she sits upstairs to listen, but the young girl wonders around the house and finds Emily. Emily is quite pleased to see the young girl. The young girl gives Emily a few lily bulbs and Emily feels she must give her something in return. Emily gives the young girl a poem that she has written and the young girl cherishes the poem for the rest of her life. The young girl plants the lily bulbs in the spring and thinks about Emily and the mysteries of life. A later note we find out that Emily in the story is Emily Dickinson.
For this book I would discuss with the students about how sometimes things my appear to be one way and but in reality they are opposite of what they seem. Also students can discuss Emily Dickinson and what they know about her.