Last Summer with Maizon by Jacqueline Woodson: Fiction (Chapter Book)

Last Summer with Maizon by Jacqueline Woodson: Fiction (Chapter Book)

I really loved reading this book. The book reminded me of my best friend and I relationship, because when my best friend and I was in the 9th grade she had to move away and we both were really upset about the situation. We prayed and prayed that her mom would change her mind about moving, but her mom did not change her mind. So we both felt like Margaret did in the book, we felt like God did not answer our prayers.

In this book Margaret and Maizon are best friends and they live a couple houses down from each other. They attend the same elementary school and they have been friends for about 6 years. The two may not be family, but they feel like sisters. The two are not so much alike but they get along well and they do everything together. One summer Maizon takes a test that will allow her to go to school in Connecticut. Maizon grandmother tells her that this is a really good school and her grandmother wanted Maizon to get the best education. All summer long Margaret was praying that Maizon did not get into the school because she did not want her best friend to move away. Margaret felt like everything was being taken away from her because during that summer her father died from cancer, so she did not want Maizon to be taken from her too. Towards the end of the summer Maizon gets her acceptance letter because she passes the test and instead of Margaret being happy she was upset and sad. Maizon goes to this school in Connecticut and Margaret does not hear anything from her for a few months; then Margaret gets a call from Maizon. Maizon was really upset and she told Margaret she wanted to come home, and she did not like the school. Maizon comes back home and Margaret was happy to have her best friend back. Maizon tells Margaret all about her experience in Connecticut and their friendship goes back the way it was before Maizon left.

I like this book because you can use this book in the classroom in many ways. You can teach students about friendship, what to do after losing someone in their family, and how to make other friends. In the book Margaret lost her father to cancer, her best friend moved away, and none of the other students really liked her in school because she was friends with Maizon. Students can learn about the importance of friendship from this book because the two girls told each other everything. The two girls did everything together and when Margaret lost her father Maizon was there to comfort her. Students can learn how to be a true friend from Maizon and Margaret’s relationship.