"Belonging", Jeannie Baker 2004
Synopsis:
‘Belonging’ by Jeannie Baker is a text that is compiled purely of images. It is a picture book that shows incredible detail in telling the story of a girl from the day of her birth to the day she brings her own child back to the house. It unravels the joys of childhood to the rebellion of teenagers and everything beyond and in-between. The text not only unpacks the transitions that Tracy encounters within herself but also the transitions of the world around her, such as the changing landscape and environment in impeccable detail.
Reflection:
Belonging by Jeannie Baker would enrich the students’ exploration of the prescribed text as it depicts the changes and different stages that people go through as a part of life (Board of Studies English Stage 6 Prescriptions, 2014). This picture book is a great way for students to visually comprehend and understand the changes that are experienced not only by the person but also the transitions that occur within the environment and throughout society as time goes on. This text works well in conjunction with the prescribed text as it shows Tracy’s personal transition through life. The aspect of family is portrayed in a different way to the prescribed text, and this allows students to discover the different types of transitions that occur. The detail that the text presents allows students to notice something new every time they look through the text. It allows students to analyze the characteristics of what this text is aiming to convey in a very different and refreshing way in comparison to the prescribed text and this gives the student the opportunity to experiment with different ideas (Board of Studies English Stage 6 Syllabus 2009) and find different challenges and changes that Tracy goes through in comparison to Tom Brennan. Due to the fine details and personal growth in this text the students are able to achieve outcome 6: A student engages with the details of text in order to respond critically and personally (Board of Studies English Stage 6 Syllabus 2009).