Lucky Beans
By Becky Birtha and Nicole Tadgell
4/5
()
About this ebook
2010 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing (New York Public Library)
2012-2013 Show Me Readers Nominee List (Missouri)
2013 Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award
2010 Smithsonian Magazine Notable Books for Children
Like so many people during the Great Depression of the 1930s, Marshall Loman's dad has lost his job. There's little money, but there are plenty of beans-in fact, Ma cooks them for supper every single night! Beans start looking better when Marshall sees the contest posted in the furniture store window. HOW MANY BEANS ARE IN THE JAR? WIN THIS BRAND NEW SEWING MACHINE! Ma needs that sewing machine-but how can Lomans possibly guess right? Then Marshall remembers something he learned in arithmetic class. Becky Birtha's engaging story, based on her grandmother's memories of Depression years in the African American community, is illustrated by Nicole Tadgell's expressive paintings.
Becky Birtha
Becky Birtha is the author of several picture books, including Grandmama's Pride and Lucky Beans. She has experienced having a family member in jail. Becky lives in Pennsylvania.
Read more from Becky Birtha
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Reviews for Lucky Beans
29 ratings3 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5SummaryThe story, "Lucky Beans", is about a little African American boy named Marshall that during the Great Depression his family does not have much money but has a lot of beans. His dad is out of work, relatives move in, and his mother is a housewife. Marshall is tired of eating beans even though his mom says they are lucky to have them. When he is walking home one day he sees a new sewing machine in a store window and there is a contest to guess how many beans are in the jar. If you guess the right amount, you win the sewing machine. Marshall asks the owner if you have to be a white lady to enter the contest and the owner says that this is America and to be fair anyone can enter. Marshall really wants to win that sewing machine for his mother. After studying measuring on his homework paper, his mother helps him estimate how many beans are in that jar. Marshall was working very hard on his new skills and his his estimate is correct and wins the new sewing machine. ReactionThis a great problem solving story. I love the way the mother "assists" Marshall in solving how many beans that he's tired of eating can fit into the large jar. Using math skills on paper and seeing how they apply to something tangible like cups, pints and quarts is awesome! Classroom Extension1. The students can apply the math skills from the story to counting items in a jar in the classroom.2. This story can be an example of how people didn't have much during the Great Depression.3. The teacher can discuss other ways and use examples of problem solving with math. Examples could be measuring fabric or wood.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5An engaging Great Depression-era family story. Nicely illustrated.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Story of a little boy during the depression that is tired of eating beans even though his mom says they are lucky. When he is walking home one day he sees a new sewing machine in a store window and a contest to guess how many beans in the jar and if you guess right you win the sewing machine. Marshall will do anything to get that machine for his mom. After studying measuring in school he applies his knowledge to be able to estimate how many beans were really in that jar. His calculations were correct and his mom went home with that new sewing machine.