Book Review: Knots on a Counting Rope by Bill Martin Jr.

General Information

Title: Knots on a Counting Rope

Author: Bill Martin Jr. & John Archambault

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Publisher: Square Fish

Date of Publication: 1997

Illustrator: Ted Rand

NOTE: This review is based on an online read-aloud of Knots on a Counting Rope (read by William Daniels & Bonnie Bartlett), which can be found here: Knots on a Counting Rope - Storyline Online (read-aloud).

Lexile Level & Target Audience

Lexile: 480L

Age Range: 6-9

Audience: boys, children with positive grandparent interactions, Indian ethnicity

Brief Summary

Knots on a Counting Rope is told completely through a conversation held by an Indian grandfather and his grandson. They recount, among other things, the boy's birth story, when the boy's horse (Rainbow) was born, and when the boy first raced his horse. Interjecting to "help" his grandfather tell these stories, the boy says, repeatedly, "tell me that part, Grandfather, tell me that part," to which the grandfather replies, "you tell me, boy, I know you remember." The book concludes with the grandfather offering somber yet heartwarming words of wisdom to his grandson about the brevity of life and the reality that we are never alone.

Evaluation: Pros & Cons

Pros:

1. Gives an intimate glimpse into Indian culture, vocabulary, and tradition. This book contains vivid and descriptive vocabulary, which will reveal much about Indian culture and tradition. Examples include: "boy-child," the "naming ceremony," and the boy's name––"boy, strength of blue horses."

2. Conveys the reality of death and community. The book ends with the grandfather explaining that he will not always be physically present with his grandson on earth, but that he will always be "with" his grandson, and, furthermore, that his grandson will never truly be alone. It is helpful for students to be introduced to the very real concept of a grandparent's death while simultaneously realizing that death itself is not the end; there will still be people around them who love them.

Cons:

1. The use of metaphor and figurative language could be difficult for some readers. This is not necessarily a con, as it could be a wonderful teaching moment; however, as a read aloud, it could prove challenging for some students to grasp the concepts being introduced, which could prevent them from truly understanding the significance of the book's lesson and moral.

Literary Elements

Metaphor: The grandfather uses a metaphor ("cross the dark mountains") to explain the process of walking through challenges in life.

Dialogue: The conversation between the boy and his grandfather is captivating; the boy constantly interjects his own memories of the stories his grandfather tells, adding to the intrigue and genuine tone of the story. (In addition, this tone is communicated well by Daniels' and Bartlett's read-aloud, in which Daniels assumes the voice of the grandfather and Bartlett assumes the voice of the boy.)

Personification: In his description of the boy's birth, the grandfather says that the wind "howls" the words "boy, boy."

Illustrations

The illustrations work excellently to convey the mood of the story; rich, dark tones communicate the story's intimate/serious nature, and colorful hues communicate the vibrancy of Indian culture/dress.

Mini-lesson Idea(s)

Metaphor is a strong element of craft in this book. However, the way in which Martin utilizes metaphor is not straightforward; students will need to ask themselves questions like: "What about Martin's use of context makes his metaphor(s) work?" and "How can I do the same in my own writing?" From this place of questioning, students can begin to develop their own metaphors; it may help to have them begin by putting their own personal experiences or emotions into metaphor. For example, students might choose to describe their feeling of excitement ("a bubbling fountain") or their moment of discouragement ("a flower wilted").

Cheers!

- Aubrey