Glenn, Mel. 1996. Who killed Mr. Chippendale? New York: Lodestar Books. ISBN 9780525675303.
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I read this book in one sitting and it is powerful! This is a book of free verse poems that describe the reactions of students, teachers, and others when a high school teacher is shot to death at the beginning of a school day. Each poem is from a different character in the story and they are all about one-page long. They are written in such a way as for the reader to receive some insight into the characters and to be able to start to make judgemenst, right or wrong. As in all schools, some of the kids liked the teacher and others did not. There is an accusation of wrong doing against the teacher, but is it real, or just in the imagination of a young girl? The police get involved and then the questions and answers really start as they dig for information to find the killer and what the motive could be.
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This is a real who-dun-it, and a page turner. It is an easy book to read and I believe that if a student picked it up and read a just a little, they would get hooked quickly.
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This is free verse poetry, and it is there to tell a story. You really do not find the poetic elements of rhythm, sound, and figurative language. It is just a very clever and creative way to tell a story in short sentences and from various points of view. The "mystery" part is a bonus. The book is a quality story with a natural appeal to find out who the killer is. It will command attention as the reader gets involved, and it is fairly simple to understand. The imagery is there as that the setting of the school is familiar, and many students will be able to visualize it in their mind's eye.
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One of the poems that is interesting is:
Cynthia Arroyo
I hate workin' here at the mall.
Is that all
At the mall?
Not according to Mr. Chippendale,
Who saw my job at Hot Dog Heaven
Not in terms of minimum wage,
but maximum opportunity.
"You want to be a writer?" he said.
"Study people's faces, not french fries.
Hear how they order, not what,
And imagine a minibiography
For each of them.
Make a connection, no matter how brief,
A short take on them while they take out.
What do you think they feel?
What do you feel about them?
Even if it's about customers and condiments.
Learning about life is a painstaking task,
But it has to be done with
Relish."
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This poem gives you a bit of insight not necessarily into the character of Cynthia, but more into Mr. Chippendale, the murdered teacher. The poem is simple, but contains a strong message.
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In pondering how to use this book with students, I would love to have a book club meet and discuss this book. There are so many facets to this murder case, and it would be really interesting to see the various things that students pick up on, and how they understand the different points of view. The topic, about murdering a teacher, is a sensitive subject, but this book is well-written and shows a lot of reality into everyday school life and the multitude of personalities, emotions, situations, etc., that kids deal with daily. I think there are good talking points here and it is a worthy choice for high school students.
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