Book Of Virginia Hamilton example essay topic

I never thought seriously of any other career 1, Virginia Hamilton said, speaking of being an author. Virginia Hamilton is a very talented African American Childrens author. She was born on March 12, 1936 in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Her Mother had lived in Yellow Springs since the late 1850's. Virginia Hamilton said that she loves Yellow Springs. I live on land that has been in my family for generations 2 I love my hometown 3.

She says, as a child, both of her parents were enthusiastic readers and gifted storytellers. Hamilton recalls that her mother could take a slice of fiction and polish it into a saga. 4 Virginia Hamilton is known for her wonderful ability to create mood, tension and to build individualistic and complex characters. She also teaches the reader something whenever they read one of her books.

These expressive qualities have led her to win 2 numerous awards such as the Newbery Award, the Coretta Scott King Award, the Edgar Allen Poe Award, the National Book Award and many others as well. She has also been awarded three honorary doctorates and is the only Childrens author to have been awarded a Mac Author fellowship. In The House of Dies Drear and The Mystery of Drear House, Virginia Hamilton uses fictional stories with historic background to educate the reader about the Underground Railroad. The House of Dies Drear is a story about a family living in South Carolina.

In the beginning of the book, they move to Ohio, to a giant mansion that supposedly held secrets. The Small Family found out that the house is known to the town as haunted. Throughout this book, the house does prove itself as having secrets. Thomas Small finds secret passageways, special rooms, tunnels and many other secrets used in the Underground Railroad. The Small famil finds out that the house had a century-old legend, where two fugitive slaves, trying to escape, had been killed by bounty hunters. Also killed, was Dies Drear, the abolitionist who had made the house into a station 3 of the Underground Railroad.

The ghosts are still said to walk the rooms of Drear House. When they get to their house, they meet new people like the Darrows and the scary land lord, Mr. Pluto, who Thomas thinks is the devil. While they were living in Drear House, it was obvious some one did not want them to be there. They got many threats and damage to their house. In the end, Thomas and his Father stumble into Mr. Plutos underground lair. Mr. Plutos son is there, and they explain how the Darrows are trying to take over the treasure Mr. Pluto had.

So, Thomas, his Father, Mr. Pluto, Mr. Plutos son, and some of their friends scared the Darrows away by dressing up as ghost slaves. This story teaches the reader a lot about slavery and the Underground Railroad, while also having an entertaining fictional plot. Virginia Hamilton says, of her book, I needed to know how men, women and children could travel hundreds of miles on foot through enemy land. I found out that they were brave beyond belief.

Perhaps with this book I have at last touched them 4 the way they first touched me so long ago. 5 One of the reasons she became so interested in the Underground Railroad is because her hometown was one of the stops. It is said that her Great Grandmother was a conductor. Family stories of slavery and freedom fascinated Hamilton, and in her books, she explores both historical and contemporary African American experiences.

She also draws from her heritage, childhood and life experiences, and shares much of herself in her writing. Virginia Hamilton is one the countrys most versatile and spellbinding authors for young people. 6 The Mystery of Drear House is the sequel to The House of Dies Drear. In this book it is a lot like the first one, but just a little more deeper in detail. The reader gets to know the characters a little better. When Virginia Hamilton was talking about this book she said that when she wrote it she 5 realized that she had left something or someone out of the first book that she had put in this one.

Also, in this book, Thomas little brothers Buddy and Buster, the twins, were more a part of the main story. They were always getting in trouble and finding new passageways. They were even in physical danger, at one point, due to their toddler curiosity. This story also talks more about the hidden secret passageways of the Underground Railroad. It brings back the same characters from the other story, along with a new one. Thomas Small, the main character, in his early teenage years, full of curiosity and pensiveness.

His twin brothers, Buddy and Buster, the two toddlers always getting in trouble but also known for their powers to sense evil. Mr. and Mrs. Small, parents of Thomas, Buddy and Buster. Pesty and M.C. Darrow, Thomas friends and the only members of the Darrow family that are good. Pluto, the old landlord. The rest of the Darrow family, the bad people who are looking for hidden treasure. Darrows had been hunting for hidden treasure in the maze of underground slave escape 6 tunnels of the regions hills for generations.

7 Also, not a main character in the first book, Thomas Grandmother Jeffers from North Carolina, is much more of the Smalls lives. When asked how did Virginia Hamilton first know she wanted to be a writer, she replied, Well, Ive always written, since the time I was a child. I kept a notebook in which I kept all those things adults couch in cover up phrases so children wont understand. I figured someday I would know what they were talking about.

Unfortunately, I lost the notebook during my rush into puberty. 8 It is very evident when one reads a book of Virginia Hamilton, that she has had years of practice. Her stories have good plots and they teach the reader something. It is no wonder that many of her books have won awards and can always be found on childrens summer reading lists 7 everywhere. Also, they are also a great pick of librarians to read to their class or recommend to read outside class for fun. Mrs. Hamilton is also a very respectable and large achiever due to her hard work.

Before she was a writer she held other jobs such as a bookkeeper and singer in New York City. She worked her way up and now she is very successful. Virginia Hamilton uses historical undertones in The House of Dies Drear and The Mystery of Drear House with a fictional plot. This is what captures the reader. A child would probably not be very interested in a non-fiction book all about the history of slavery and the Underground Railroad. She creates a fun story to read where you enjoy the plot and also learn historical facts.

It is a combination of the two. That is what makes her stories so delightful to read. She writes about slavery and the Underground Railroad with knowing, because her family was involved in helping at stations 8 of the Underground Railroad. That also makes a story good, when the reader has experience and knowledge of the topic they write about. Mrs. Hamilton has many traits that classify her as a wonderful childrens author. She is hardworking, talented, knowledgeable and fun, which makes her the best candidate for any childrens author.

Bibliography

SOURCES CONSULTED Hamilton, Virginia. The House of Dies Drear. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1968.
The Mystery of Drear House. New York: Green willow Books, 1987.
Sweet Whispers Brother Rush. New York: Philomel Books, 1982.
The Mind of a Novel: The Heart of the Book. Childrens Literature Quarterly 8. (Winter 1983), pp.
10-13. Hamilton, Virginia, 1998.
Available web -- . available web Harper, Amy, Yellow Springs News, March 28, 1996.
Virginia Hamilton). as told to Hoffman, Tracy. An Exclusive Interview with Virginia Hamilton. Available web IPL Youth Division: Ask the Author, Virginia Hamilton. available web Landsberg, Michele. Kids Source, Entertainment Weekly, May 1, 1992.
ML Author Spotlight - Virginia Hamilton, 1998, McDougal Littell Inc.
Available web Reisman, Rosemary M. Canfield. Masterpieces of African American Literature. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1992.
pgs. 293-296 Walters, Susan. Virginia Hamilton Papers, April, 1995.