Summary: The book Mick Harte was Here, by Barbara Park, tells the story of a family that has to come to terms with the death of one of its members in a bicycle accident. The story is told from the viewpoint of Mick Harte's sister, Phoebe. Phoebe tells the story of the aftermath of Mick's death in a way that is both sarcastically humorous and heart wrenching. At the conclusion of the novel, Phoebe uses a stick to carve into a fresh concrete sidewalk at her school the words "MICK HARTE WAS HERE." These words are Phoebe's lasting tribute to her brother.
Point of View:
This story is told from the first person point of view of thirteen-year-old Phoebe Harte. Phoebe is the sister of twelve-year-old Mick Harte, who was killed in a bicycle accident.
Setting: This story takes place in a small suburban town.
Themes: Helmet safety and dealing with the grief and loss of a loved one.
Biographical Aspects: The biographical clues in this book that relate back to Barbara Park would be the emphasis on bike/helmet safety. Barbara Park is a mother to two sons (David and Steve Park) and like many other mothers, I'm sure she had trouble getting her sons to practice bike safety. Another biographical clue is the setting. The story takes place in small suburban town much like the one Barbara raised her sons in.
My Response: I absolutely loved this book. I remember when my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Borry, read it to our class. We then were able to host our own bike safety assembly, like Phoebe, to promote the practice of proper bike safety.
Point of View:
This story is told from the first person point of view of thirteen-year-old Phoebe Harte. Phoebe is the sister of twelve-year-old Mick Harte, who was killed in a bicycle accident.
Setting: This story takes place in a small suburban town.
Themes: Helmet safety and dealing with the grief and loss of a loved one.
Biographical Aspects: The biographical clues in this book that relate back to Barbara Park would be the emphasis on bike/helmet safety. Barbara Park is a mother to two sons (David and Steve Park) and like many other mothers, I'm sure she had trouble getting her sons to practice bike safety. Another biographical clue is the setting. The story takes place in small suburban town much like the one Barbara raised her sons in.
My Response: I absolutely loved this book. I remember when my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Borry, read it to our class. We then were able to host our own bike safety assembly, like Phoebe, to promote the practice of proper bike safety.