Perserverence in Literature by Darlene Beck Jacobson
Perseverance. Sticking to something even when we fail. Even when it's hard. Even when it seems impossible. Many of us have had to persevere as writers after many manuscript rejections. Learning a new skill such as skiing, surfing, watercolor, even baking, requires that we keep on practicing to improve and get to the level of competence. There are plenty of stories for middle grade that have themes of perseverance. Many of them feature themes of survival against all odds. Here is an oldie but goodie: THE TRUE CONFESSIONS OF CHARLOTTE DOYLE by Avi is one such book. A tale of a unique and unlikely thirteen-year-old upper-class girl who finds herself the only female aboard a ship sailing from Liverpool to America in 1852. Terror, courage, and intrigue meet the unpredictability of the high seas as Charlotte discovers herself and what it really means to be free. Survival requires not only courage, but perseverance against prejudice, acts of nature, and our own expec...
