“The Baker Heater League” & “11:59”

“The Baker Heater League” &“11:59” By: Andrew, Dylan, Taylor, and Tommy

“The Baker Heater League” • Author: Patricia C. & Fredrick Mckissack

Info About the Author • Patricia L’Ann Mckissack was born to civil servant parents Robert and Erma Carwell on August 9, 1944, in Smyrna, Tennessee. • She was inspired by her mother to become a writer because of all the stories her mother had told her as a young child. • Later in her life when she went to return to her School which was the University of Georgia she met up with her childhood friend, Fredrick Mckissack who later became her husband. • She wrote 20 non-fiction books before she wrote her first picture book.

Setting of Story • The setting of the story “The Baker Heater League” is a train station and the porters in a train.

Point of View and Genre • The point of view is 3rd Person because someone else is telling the story. • The Genre of the story is non-fictions because the story gives facts about porters in the 1900’s.

Plot, Conflict, and Resolution • Introduction to the story. • Telling stories in back of train car telling stories about railroad legends like Casey Jones. • One of the legends the porters made up was Daddy Joe. He could do everything he wanted without any help. • All the porters knew that nobody could do everything like Daddy Joe.

Important Vocabulary • Mishaps • Burden • Porters • Pullman • Quarters (not money)

Charters and their Traits • Porters: Servants on the trains to help the passengers. • Passengers: Were the people on the train being helped by the porters.

Theme • The theme of the of the story is about the porters in the 1900’s that told stories about old railroad legends.

Questions Asked to Audience • Did you like the story, why or why not? • Would you recommend this story to another person? • Have you ever seen or meet a porter before?

The 11:59 Patricia C. Mckissack

More Info About the Author • Most of her stories were for children and young adults to read. • Her mothers favorite poet was Paul Lawrence Dunbar. • She wrote mostly non-fiction books that focused on issues such as racism.

Setting in the Story • The shoe shine at the dinner • The apartments at the train station for the porters

Point of View and Genre • The view of this story is 3rd person because someone else is telling about one of the characters Lester. • This story is fiction because it is not a true story and these event never happened.

Plot, Conflict, and Resolution • Telling stories about the 11:59 train. • Walking home and hears the 11:59 train whistle. • He goes home and unplugs everything and boards up all of his windows. • He dies of a heart attack.

Important Vocabulary to Know • Bid whist • Mesmerizing • Talk fest • Zephyr • Opelika

Characters and their Traits • Lester: has sense of humor, hates to think of dying, porter. • Porters: has to serve passenger on the train, hung out with one another a lot.

Theme of the Story • You can’t hide from death no matter what you do.

Questions to ask the Audience • What would you do if you heard the 11:59 whistle. • Do you think this is real or a figment of Lester’s imagination. • Would you do the same actions that Lester did.

“The Baker Heater League” & “11:59”