All the Broken Pieces
Page 9
Sources:
Mason, Andrew. The Vietnam War: A Primary Source History.
Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2006.
Murray, Stuart. Vietnam War. New York: DK, 2005.
In All the Broken Pieces, Matt and his family spend one day a month with other adoptive families doing things that typical Vietnamese families do — such as participate in important holidays — so that Matt can experience his culture and share a part of his identity with his American family. One of the holidays Matt and his family celebrate, Tet Trung Thu, revolves around the moon (which is at its fullest during this festival) and is mainly for children. Families observe Tet Trung Thu by eating lots of sweets, such as mooncakes. Traditionally, these are small pastries filled with a thick paste of lotus or sweet bean, and salted duck egg yolks to represent the full moon. These ingredients are difficult to find in neighborhood grocery stores, but you can use this modified recipe to make your own sweet treat that features egg yolk.
Mooncakes
Equipment:
Large mixing bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
Plastic wrap
Foil
Cookie sheet
Pastry brush (optional)
Ingredients
½ cup salted butter
¼ cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup of your favorite jam
Instructions
In the large mixing bowl, combine butter, sugar, and one egg yolk. Stir until creamy and combined completely.
Add the flour and mix thoroughly. Form the dough into one large ball and wrap it in plastic wrap (or foil) and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Unwrap the chilled dough and form small balls (about the size of golf balls) with the palms of your hands.
Place these balls of dough on a cookie sheet covered in foil and use your thumb to gently make an impression in the center of each ball.
Fill each hole with about half a teaspoon of jam.
Beat the remaining egg yolk and brush some onto each cake. This will make your mooncakes golden!
Place the mooncakes in the oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes (or just until the outside edges are slightly brown).
Let cool slightly and enjoy!
Paper Lanterns
Creating paper lanterns is also a fun part of celebrating Tet Trung Thu. Follow these instructions to make your own!
Supplies
Construction paper
Scissors
Glue, tape, or a stapler
Instructions
Fold a rectangular piece of construction paper in half, lengthwise, making a long, thin rectangle.
Make a series of cuts (about a dozen or more) along the folded line. Make sure you don’t cut all the way to the edge of the paper.
Unfold the paper. Glue, tape, or staple the short edges of the paper together, making a cylindrical shape.
Cut a strip of paper six inches long and a half inch wide. Glue, tape, or staple this strip of paper across one end of your lantern to create a handle.
Baseball is an important part of All the Broken Pieces. How much do you know about the sport?
How many innings are in a game of baseball?
9
5
7
12
What does “the bases are loaded” mean?
There are no players on the bases.
There are players on first, second, and third base.
There are players on second and third base.
There is a player on first base.
What is a grand slam?
When two players collide on the field.
A home run with the bases loaded.
The special breakfast players eat before a game that consists of two eggs, two strips of bacon, two sausages, and two pancakes.
The official name for the sound of a baseball bat breaking.
Which of these is not a real baseball pitch?
Fastball
Curveball
Fly ball
Slider
What is the bullpen?
Where a team’s mascot is caged.
Where rowdy fans are kept.
Where aggressive players cool down after a fight.
Where pitchers warm up before and during games.
Which of these is not a real position in baseball?
Center Fielder
Catcher
Third Baseman
Base Runner
What is a changeup?
When teams transition from the infield to the outfield.
A slow pitch that is usually thrown after several fast ones to throw off a batter’s timing.
A change of uniforms during a game.
Switching pitchers in the middle of an inning.
Which of these is a real baseball term?
Pepper
Skip
Punt
Baser
1. A (If the game is tied at the ninth inning, the game continues until one team has a higher score at the end of a full inning.)
2. B
3. B
4. C (A fly ball is a ball that is hit high in the air.)
5. D (Usually located behind the outfield wall.)
6. D (A base runner is a player who safely reaches a base.)
7. B
8. A (A pre-game exercise in which one player hits balls to a group of fielders who are standing about twenty feet away. The fielders try to catch the ball and throw it back as quickly as possible.)
Writing — especially writing poetry — can seem intimidating, but as Ann puts it, “poetry tends to cut to the heart of the matter.” This is why she used poetry to express Matt’s feelings in All the Broken Pieces. Poems are personal, and free-verse poems, which Ann used to tell Matt’s story, have fewer rules than other forms of writing. Your words don’t have to rhyme or have a specific rhythm. You don’t have to write in full sentences or fill the page. Here are some suggestions to help you get started on writing a few poems of your own! If you get stuck, flip through All the Broken Pieces for inspiration from Ann (and Matt).
Create a list (poem). You can make a list poem out of anything, like your favorite books, foods, or movies. You could also write a more complicated poem that details how to play an instrument, lists things that frustrate you, or describes places you’ve gone on vacation with your family.
Address your poem to somebody or something. Think about someone with whom you have unfinished business, but are too shy or nervous to approach. Write down what you would say to them. You don’t have to take this type of poem so seriously, though. You can even address a poem to your favorite celebrity or your favorite pair of shoes!
Write from the point of view of another person or object. Let your imagination run wild as you explore what it might feel like to be an animal or an everyday object. It will probably be easiest to personify something that you can observe in your day-to-day life, like a pet, a trashcan, or your desk at school.
Tell a story. Write a poem about a special memory you have, or to tell a fictional story (like Matt’s in All the Broken Pieces). Use only the words that are most important in getting your story across. After all, you’re writing a poem, not an essay. Since you are telling a story (real or imagined), make sure you draw on all your senses — sight, sound, taste, touch, smell — so your poem feels more vivid.
Play around with your poem’s shape! The form of your poem doesn’t have to look like the form of an essay. Is your poem about static? Make your lines irregular and choppy, like real static. Is your poem about being on a deserted island? Make your poem small and centered on the page. This is called concrete poetry. Most of all, remember to have fun!
This book was originally published in hardcover by Scholastic Press in 2009.
Copyright © 2009 by Ann E. Burg. All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc. SCHOLASTI
C, AFTER WORDS, and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.
This edition, first printing March 2012
“Stayin’ Alive” (from Saturday Night Fever) Words and Music by Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, and Robin Gibb. Copyright © 1977 (renewed) Crompton Songs LLC and Gibb Brothers Music. All Rights for Crompton Songs LLC Administered by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission of Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.
Cover design by Marijka Kostiw
Cover art copyright © Jeffrey Coolidge/Getty Images
e-ISBN 978-0-545-39221-1
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