A Taste of Blackberries
By: Doris Buchanan Smith
Jamie is a care-free spirit who is not afraid of anything. He hitchhikes rides, steals blackberries, and snags apples from a man with a gun. He plays jokes, teasing and fooling his friends all the time. One day, Mrs. Houser, Jamie's neighbor, hires the children of the community to help her get rid of the Japanese Beetles that feast on her grape vines. Jamie slacks on the work, and begins to poke a stick at a bee hive. When the bees begin to swarm around the kids, they all go home to give the bees a chance to calm down, except Jamie. Jamie gets stung by the bees and falls down. Because he is known for his attention getting pranks, all of this friends ignore him. Unfortunately, this time it was not a joke. Unknowingly, Jamie was allergic to bee stings, and because he did not receive help, he passed away. Now, his best friend is left alone to deal with the confusion and emptiness that Jamie's death left for the community. The young boy, realizes that even though Jamie is gone, he would want him to continue with his life, and enjoy the taste of blackberries.
I would use this book for upper elementary literature circles, in my future classroom. I think that this book is a good book to utilize to help teach the different elements of literature. I would have my students learn about characterization by having them create a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast Jamie and the narrator. They would continue to revisit and add to this chart, throughout the reading. The book is also an excellent way to begin a study on theme. This book has many themes, including relationships, confronting and resolving fears, dealing with death and grief, and learning to understand yourself. I would have students then write a story connecting their life with a theme that they chose from the book.
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