Flower Moon

‘Flower Moon’ written by Gina Linka is a story of twins Tally and Tempest.  This is the story of sisters and what they grow to do with their lives in their families.  One summer these two sisters learn more about themselves while on summer vacation while working with a carnival Tally is the twin that seems to learn the most over this summer.   

‘Flower Moon’ is a middle school novel that teaches how sisters communicate in more ways than just through words.  Teachers could use this book to teach about a family from a social studies perspective or even as a language lesson on communication methods; as in non-verbal communication styles.  Twins are special and that is what Tally and Tempest learn.  This is also a book that teaches readers about various kinds of relationships. There is the mother relationship, the relative relationship, and the sister relationship.  ‘Flower Moon’ is the story of understanding each other.  My favorite sections of the story were when phrases like when the characters would state words “and what in the jelly sandwich did Tempest maybe know that I didn’t”.  These kinds of phrases Gina uses throughout the book.  This is when I began thinking this author is very creative and may help make reading more fun. 

In the classroom teachers will need to demonstrate proper communication skills that involve verbal and nonverbal styles.  They could start out the lesson by talking about the sender/receiver model.  Included in these styles they will need to mention posture, eye contact, various bodily movements as well as the words that were chosen to express themselves in various situations presented.  Teachers and even parents can form friends to friends, students to teachers, children, and parents, etc.