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A Shelter in Our Car
tells the story of a mother and daughter who have left their
home in Jamaica for an uncertain and sometimes frightening
life in the United States. With Papa gone, Mama can’t
find a steady job that will sustain her and Zettie, and
so the two are forced to live in their car. As the story
unfolds, Zettie faces the many challenges of being homeless,
but her mother’s love and support give her the determination
to overcome them.
Together, author Monica Gunning and illustrator Elaine Pedlar
offer a moving and authentic story about homelessness in
an American city and about the real lives of the people
it affects. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness,
about 3 million people in the United States lack homes at
some time during the year. Almost half of these people are
school-age children. The causes of homelessness vary widely,
from the high cost of housing, to low wages or unemployment,
to mental or physical illness. Regardless of the reasons
for their situation, homeless children and adults frequently
find themselves struggling to survive and to meet their
basic needs for food, shelter, clothing, and education.
A Shelter in Our Car brings to
life in vivid detail the struggles that homeless families
face on a daily basis. As children get to know Zettie and
her mother, they will also identify the many characteristics
of a home: physical shelter from the elements, safety, and
caring relationships between family and community members.
Most of the activities described in this guide are designed
to familiarize children with the realities of homelessness
in the United States. However, you may have children in
your classroom who are currently homeless or who have been
homeless in the past. In either situation, be sure to lead
these activities in a manner that is sensitive to the needs
and emotions of your students and that demonstrates respect,
rather than pity, for people without homes.
Monica Gunning was inspired to write A Shelter
in Our Car while volunteering with her church
to feed the homeless. The experience left her with a renewed
understanding of people in that situation. “I realized
some were victims of circumstances, like the death of a
parent or loss of a job,” she says. “Children
need to know that homelessness can happen to anyone.”
With guidance and input from the Homeless Children’s
Network in San Francisco, Monica was able to create an authentic
and compassionate story about the lives of people often
ignored by society.
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Afro-Caribbean-American,
homeless |
Human Needs:
food and shelter; adequate clothing & education
Being Home:
characteristics of a "home"; impacts of immigration; family
life and routines
Family Structures:
parent-child relationships; single-parent families; family
interdependence
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| Monica Gunning
was born in Jamaica, West Indies, and immigrated
to the United States to work and further her
education. After graduating from the City University
in New York and from Mount Saint Mary’s
College in Los Angeles, she became a teacher
in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
The author of two critically acclaimed books
of poetry for children, Not a Copper Penny
in Me House and Under the Breadfruit
Tree, she has also published extensively
in magazines and anthologies. Ms. Gunning is
the proud mother of two sons, Michael and Mark,
and has four grandchildren. Monica lives in
Laguna Niguel in southern California where she
is currently working on her fourth book, America,
My New Home. |
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Elaine Pedlar was born in Rockaway
Beach, Queens, New York, and is the youngest
girl of seven children. She graduated from Parsons
School of Design in 1987 and, since then, has
been a fashion designer. Illustrating books
for children has been her constant dream, however,
and A Shelter in Our Car
was her first opportunity to make it come true.
Single and living in a loft in Brooklyn, she
has nine nieces and nephews that she loves dearly.
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Our thanks to the Irwin Home Equity Foundation for their
support in the production of this Teacher's Guide. |
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