Susan Straight

"A California epic following several native, diverse Californians gasping for air in a world that continues to marginalize them"--

In August in Rio Seco, California, the ground is too hard to bury a body. But Glorette Picard is dead, and across the canal, out in the orange groves, they'll gather shovels and pickaxes and soak the dirt until they can lay her coffin down. First, someone needs to find her son Victor, who memorizes SAT words to avoid the guys selling rock, and someone needs to tell her uncle Enrique, who will be the one to hunt down her killer, and someone needs to...

Includes interviews, commentaries and excerpts from the novel, providing first-hand accounts of why The Grapes of Wrath remains so compelling seven decades after its initial publication. Teacher's guide contains ten lessons, each with a focus topic, discussion activities, writing exercises, and homework assignments. Also includes capstone projects, suggested essay topics, handouts with more background information, and bibliographical references. Lessons...