Michelson, R (2006). Across the Alley. New York, N Y: G. P. Putnam's Sons. Illustrated by E.B. Lewis.  ISBN: 0-399-23970-7.

Two boys in Brooklyn, Abe and Willie who live a building apart become friends and share each others passions.  Their friendship begins when Willie writes “hi” on his frosted window and they talk about baseball and the violin.

Watercolors were used to create the illustrations.

Rating:  4Q/3P

Themes

Friendship

Race Relations

Theme Discussion 

The theme of Across the Alley by Richard Michelson is friendship between two boys unlikely to be friends. Abe is a white Jewish boy whose grandfather escaped to the United States before World War II.  Willie is a black boy whose father played baseball in the Negro league.  The boy’s bedroom window is across the alley from each other and one night, a friendship that would be unheard of due to racism and prejudice during that time, begins.  Abe’s grandfather wants him to play the violin while Willie’s father wants him to play baseball.  Both boys teach each other; Abe teaches Willie the violin and Willie teaches Abe baseball.  One night Abe’s grandfather discovers that the beautiful sounds of violin are being played by Willie.  The grandfather is encouraging and the boys become friends in the daylight to the stares of the neighborhood.  Both boys realize they have a lot more in common than they or their families would have thought.

MWood