Coming on Home Soon

by Jacqueline Woodson

Paperback, 2005

Status

Available

Call number

PB

Publication

Scholastic, Inc. (2005), Edition: 1st, 30 pages

Description

After Mama takes a job in Chicago during World War II, Ada Ruth stays with Grandma but misses her mother who loves her more than rain and snow.

User reviews

LibraryThing member Mluke04
The setting in this story is very important. The setting in this book is created by the time the book is set in: World War II. African Americans are still being discriminated against. With the men off fighting the war, the women had to do the men's work. Many companies even opened up to hire
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African American women which is why Ada Ruth's mother went to Chicago.
This book is an example of historical fiction because it is set in a time period that existed. During World War II many companies hired white and African American women to work in the factories and on the railroad.
Media: Watercolo
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LibraryThing member TatumNobis
Coming on Home Soon is a book set during the war. A Little girl named Ada Ruth is staying with her grandmother while her mother is off having to work in Chicago. Time passes and she still hasnt seen her mother, she continues to write letters to her mom hopeing she will come home soon.

My personal
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reaction to this book is very sad. it is sad when parents have to leave for work or war

in the classroom i could use this book to talk about historical fiction
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LibraryThing member aMylp85
Coming on home soon is a story about an African American girl named Ada Ruth, her mother and her grandmother. It is set during a war, but you are not told which war it is. Ada Ruth's mother is leaving Ada Ruth with her grandmother so she (the mother) can go make money for the family in Chicago.
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Throughout the book Ada Ruth is waiting for a letter from her mother, but much time goes by before she gets one. Her grandmother tries to keep her strong and tells her to keep writing and waiting. She finds a cat to keep her company, her grandmother takes a while to warm up to the cat (but she eventually does). Eventually the postman delivers a letter from her mother saying that she is coming on home soon.
I liked how this book shows struggles of the past. That families weren't always together, and the struggles a child of that time would have gone through. I like that the grandmother didn't baby her because the mother was gone and she was young. I also like how you can feel the emotion from all of the characters in this book. You can feel how Ada Ruth longs for a letter from her mother and the disappointment the grandmother feels after waiting so long for a letter.
You could use the book to accompany a unit on World War 2 (that is the time I think this book was set in). Talk about what the students may have gone through during this time if they were alive.
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LibraryThing member tmccollom
Coming on Home Soon is a story of a young girl who yearns for her mamas coming home. The young girl in the story, Ada Ruth, is staying with her grandma and a black and white kitten that she finds. Ada Ruth’s mama is gone working on the railroad. Throughout the whole book grandma and Ada Ruth are
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trying to keep each other strong while awaiting mama's arrival.

This book was very heartwarming. I could not imagine having to grow up during that time without my mom there all the time. I was very fortunate and had my mom there whenever I needed her.

This book could be used for an extension in a family unit. It could be used to represent a family that is lacking a father figure. This book could also be used as a part of a history unit because of the time period and the railroad history. The book could teach the children to not take anything that they have for granted.
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LibraryThing member StaceyTate
Ada Ruth lives with her grandma and her kitten because he mom has gone to work on railroad cars in the time of war. The grandma keeps telling Ada Ruth that her mom will be comming on home soon to not be so sad.

This book was a very heartwarming story. The dad was never mentioned though and that made
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me sad, becasue when i was small i relied a great deal on my mom and could not imagin what life would have been like without her for any period of time.

This book would be great in a family unit because it cover children with just a mom or those who live with grandma. You woould also be able to use this as a book to help children understand dialect, and also it could be used to make them more understanding of other peoples situations
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LibraryThing member mrs.mackey
"Coming on Home Soon" is a story about a young girl who lives with her mother and grandmother. Due to the war the girl's mother is forced to work away from home for the first time in the girl's life. The girl is afraid and worried that her mother might not come back. During this story she is
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delighted to find a kitten and hopes that her grandmother will let her keep it. Her grandmother insists that there is not enough food to feed the kitten. The girl spends her days playing with her kitten and waiting for word from her mother. She is relieved to finally get a letter in the mail from her mother.

For the classroom, I would have my students pretend they were the girl in the story and write a letter to their mother who was away.
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LibraryThing member tracyslaybaugh
“Coming on Home Soon” is the story of a mother who has to leave her daughter with her grandmother so she can go work in Chicago during World War 2.

This is a heartwarming story that makes you feel very sad for the little girl who misses her mom terribly. The illustrations in the book are done
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beautifully.

You could use this book for a history unit when discussing war and how families are affected. This book would also be helpful if you have a lot of students with parents that are in the military and are away.
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LibraryThing member JackieKuhlman
Ada Ruth's grandmother takes care of her while her mother must go to Chicago and work during the war. Both Ada Ruth and Grandma miss mother terribly, but try to be strong for each other until they can see her again. They keep writing letters, hoping one day the postman will stop and give them one.
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They wait and wait, but nothing comes. Until one day...

This story touched my heart because of the hardship many families did and still have to go through during a time of war. Although we only see the emotion of Ada Ruth and Grandma, we can only imagine what the mother must feel having no one to hdlp encourage her.

Some children can not understand their loved ones going away during war time and this book is a wonderful way of explaining to children and even using it in your classroom to use.
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LibraryThing member NET73546
Coming On Home soon is about a young African American girl whose mother leaves to go north to help clean trains since all the men are off at war. Ada Ruth, the young girl stays with her grandma. Ada Ruth is kept busy by her grandma as they both await the letter and money her momma is supposed to be
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sending. A stray kitten shows up and even though grandma says they should not keep it she allows Ada Ruth to. Ada Ruth and her grandma is some what concerned that their might not be a letter after all, but just in time there is and it says momma is coming on home soon.

This is a cute little book about how one young girl patiently awaits her mothers return. As you read this book you can not help but to get wrapped up in it, yet in the most peaceful way. The illustrations of her grandma and the snow are quite calming. I like where they place the words on the pages and sometimes it is just two or three words, yet it says just enough.

This book would be good to use to show how women both white and African American stepped up to do men’s’ work while they were off fighting a war. It could be used to show how after the slave days that African Americans stepped up to help the United States when they needed it. This book also could be used to show off they book it self from it’s illustrations to its uniqueness.
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LibraryThing member ht107821
Coming Home Soon is a story that is about a mother who leaves her younger daughter with her mother while she travels off durinh WW2 to Chicago in order to get a job.

In the book the younger girl misses her mother terribly and so does the grandmother, they wait everyday waiting to hear from her. I
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loved this book and think it was a wonderful hear warming tale, no wonder it got a Caldacott.
The illistrations are beautiful and capture the book amazingly.

An extention idea, discussion in History about the War, the book was over and also the war we are still in. Living in lawton we have a ton of military families and I think they would enjoy this book knowing that the mother came home.
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LibraryThing member jessy555
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Critique of Genre: This is a good example of realistic fiction because we get to see what this child has to go through when her mother has to leave the town and live in Chicago for work to support her family. The mother and daughter write letters back and forth and waits for
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her mama’s return.
Characterization: Ada Ruth is a pretty flat character. Throughout the book we get to hear her thoughts about her mother being gone, but we don’t know much about her outside of her longings for her mother to be home.
Media: Watercolo
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LibraryThing member adrianneosmus
Coming on Home Soon is a book set during the war. Ada Ruth is a little girl who is staying with her grandmother while her mother is off working. Time passes and she still hasnt seen her mother, she continues to write letters to her mom hooping she will come home soon. Ada Ruth really misses her mom
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and hopes she comes home soon.

I honestly didn't really care for this book. It didn't jump out and grab me like other books have. I might keep it in my library but I do not really see myself using this book as part of my lesson plans. This book does have great pictures.

You could let your students act like their are Ada Ruth and tell them to write a letter to their moms asking her when she is coming home. You could aslo talk about the war and the changes that the war caused the American people.
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LibraryThing member zimmy09
This book is about a mom, grandmother, and daughter. It is wartime so none of the men are home to work. So the mother has to go off to work. The daughter and grandmother are sad but they get a kittin wich helps to keep them company until the mother gets home.

I like this book because it shows just
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how hard it used to be back in the day. It will help to show children how good they have it now.

In the classroom, I would use this book to show what it was like back then when it was war time compared to now. Also,I would have the children who want to bring things from home to send the soliders who are over in Iraq right now.
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LibraryThing member maeganpollard
This is a book about a mother who has to leave her daughter with her grandmother in order to go to work in Chicago. She is a black woman in the time of the work who gets to work because all the men are serving in the war. The little girl writes her mother everyday and does not get a response. Her
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mother hasn't sent any money home either. While her mother is gone the little girl finds a kitten, and it reminds her of her mother. She starts to get attached to the kitten. While she holds the kitten she begins to get sad because her mother hasn't answered any of her letters. Her grandmother tells her to be strong and not to cry. Finally, she gets a letter from her mother saying she will be home soon, and here is some money to help out. The little girl was very happy.

I liked this book because it told the side of the little girl and how she felt while her mther was away. I also like the pictures because they had things in them that children today would not be so familiar with such as a wood stove and the little girl and her grandma sitting in front of the box radio to listen about the war.

In the classroom, we could write letters to our relatives who are far away from us to tell them how we are doing and ask how they are. We could also make a list of things out of the book that we still use today and things we do not use any more.
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LibraryThing member Orpgirl1
This exquistely told and painted book tells of a fairly unknown time in American history: homelife in an African-American community during WWII. Ada Rose's mother has gone to Chicago to earn money during the war, and Ada Rose is left at home with her grandmother and a new found stray cat.
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Illustrations for this book are done in muted and dark watercolors, and bring a sense of depth and heaviness to a story about the loneliness of a little girl's heart. Woodson's words are moving in their sparseness and simplicity, as Ada Rose's grandmother trys to hold everything together while also worrying herself. Based in a time when the word 'colored' was the norm, this book evokes not only feelings of pain for a lonely girl but also grief and wonderment at a time of history when a black woman getting a well-paid job was a novelty. With strong female characters, a focus on family, and an introduction to a unique part of WWII history, this book would be a great addition to a literary discussion or selection regarding African-American or WWII history.
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LibraryThing member nenewton
This is a GREAT book for many reasons. First of all, this is an easy read but full of great use of vocabulary and a unique storyline. The book contains historic information in small pieces which is just enough for the age group that would read this book.
LibraryThing member ashclark
Summary: A girl’s mother must go to the city to find work, she tells her daughter she will write and send money to her and her grandmother. The story is just about what the girl does while waiting for her mothers’ letter with her grandmother. Until, her mother finally sends the letter and the
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girl talks about how much she misses her mother.
Personal Reaction: I thought that this story was very sad but heart-warming.
Classroom Extension: This story would be a good example of history for the classroom and it would even be good for a family lesson about how some families are (without a parent).
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LibraryThing member LaRisaNelson
This is a wonderful historical fiction book that shows the effects of WW2 on African American families. The main character Ada Ruth befriends a kitten while her mother left to Chicago looking for work and she was at home with her grandmother.

I think this is a pretty good book to show what life was
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like for some children during World War two when families had to be separated due to unemployment. I believe it will capture the children's attention because it is about a child and how that child dealt with her mother being away.

For an extention I would ask the children to describe the pet they would have if their parents had to leave for a long while. They would describe and name the pet as well as tell how that pet should be taken care of.
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LibraryThing member samitay89
This book is about a girl’s mother must go to the city to find work.So, she tells her daughter she will write and send money to her and her grandmother. The story is just about what the girl does while waiting for her mothers’ letter with her grandmother. Until, her mother finally sends the
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letter and the girl talks about how much she misses her mother.

I like this book. It had really pretty pictures and i think it would help children if they ever have to deal with separation.

I would only read this book or let a student read it when i know they are going through separation with a family memeber or friend.
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LibraryThing member lynny_nicole
This book is about a little girl who is separated from her mother because her mother needed to go to the city to find work. She was left to live with her mother. While living wither her grandmother the little girl befriends a little cat that keeps her preoccupied while her mother is gone.

I thought
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the book was very cute. I described that it is difficult to be separated from family and that it is ok to be sad and lonely. I also loved the pictures and thought they were beautiful.

I would read this book then have the students tell about a time when they had to be separated from their loved ones and have them describe how they felt. I would also give this book to a child that was dealing with separation from a family member.
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LibraryThing member jlowens4
I thought that the book, "Coming on Home Soon" was an amazing book. I would read this book to first, second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth grade students. The book begins with a mother leaving her little girl to go work in another city. She told the little girl that money is better in chicago and
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I am doing this for our family. The little girl goes to live with her grandmother and waits for her mom to come home. The book takes place in a very country setting during the war. SO the grandmother and the little girl at night time would sit by a coal burning stove and listen to the radio tell about the war. Every night the little girl would cry in her grandmother's arms and miss her mother. One day they get a letter and it is from her mother, she said she is coming home soon. The next day the little girl and her grandmother went for a walk in the snow and when they came home her mother was there. I thought this book was wonderful. It could help children in so many different ways. This book could relate to students if their parents are divorced, in jail, over seas, or dead. I think that this book would also be good to show a different culture. The book had only african american characters and they were in a very poor place. I really think that this book would be a great addition to any teacher's library.
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LibraryThing member ecrobinson
Ada Ruth's mother just got a new job in Chicago cleaning trains. Since there is a war going on, she has to leave so that she can earn some money to send to Ada Ruth and her grandmother. However, she promises to be home soon. A long time passes and Ada Ruth hasn't heard from her mother, but she did
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adopt a kitten. After Ada Ruth and her grandmother have almost given up hope, the mailman finally comes to their door and hands them a letter from Mama. Money falls out as they open the letter in which Mama promises she will be home soon.
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LibraryThing member AngMarWilson
This book is about a little girl named Ada Ruth and her separation from her mother. Her mother went to Chicago to clean trains because all the men were away at war. Ada Ruth stayed with grandmother and befriended a small, black kitten. While Ada's mother was way, Ada wrote numerous letters to her
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mother as a form of dealing with the separation.

I thought this was a wonderful book. It depicts separation perfectly. People find different ways to cope with the separation from their loved ones. Nowadays, this book could be a wonderful tool to many people who's loved ones are away at war.

I would definitely lend this book out to any student dealing with separation from a loved one. This book would also be good to use when teaching the roles of women and African Americans during the WWI and/or WWII.
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LibraryThing member AlyssaSadler
In this historical fiction book it is war time and a girl's mom goes to work, since all of the men are fighting. The girl and her grandma try to keep each other busy so that they won't be sad and miss her. However, a kitten comes along and helps both of them out until the girl's mother comes home.
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I liked this book because it deals with history and shows how hard it was for families during the war.

I would use this book in the classroom when a child is seperated from a loved one. Also, this would be a great way for kids to understand family life during the war.
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LibraryThing member lisa_tugmon
This book is about a little girl who stays with her grandmother while her mother is off searching for a job. It's set in World War II so the men are off at war and the women have to work. The little girl is upset at the fact that her mother has been gone so long but finally a letter comes in the
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mail and the first thing it says is "Tell Ada Ruth I'll be coming home soon" and it also hold some much needed money. Finally, the little girls mother arrives at home.

This was definately a heart felt book. The illustrations of the girl longing and waiting for her mother show the sadness she must have been feeling. It's a great story.

Classroom Extension #1: Have the children write one paragraph about a time when they had to wait on something and what they did while they waited.

Classroom Extension #2: For younger children I would talk about the story and how the little girl must have felt with her mother being gone for so long. I would then ask the children how they feel when their mother or father is gone for any amount of time. I would have them draw a face showing the expression of how they feel in those situations.
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Awards

Caldecott Medal (Honor Book — 2005)
Young Hoosier Book Award (Nominee — Picture Book — 2008)
Georgia Children's Book Award (Finalist — Picturebook — 2009)
Monarch Award (Nominee — 2007)
Utah Beehive Book Award (Nominee — Children's Picture — 2009)
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Nominee — Picture Books — 2007)
Charlotte Zolotow Award (Honor Book — 2005)
South Carolina Book Awards (Nominee — Picture Book Award — 2008)

Language

Original publication date

2004

ISBN

0439808103 / 9780439808101

Barcode

9180
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