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The Treasure of Lemon Brown
6 pages, Unknown Binding
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About the author
Walter Dean Myers
224 books1,187 followerspseudonyms:
Stacie Williams
Stacie Johnson
Walter Dean Myers was born on August 12, 1937 in Martinsburg, West Virginia but moved to Harlem with his foster parents at age three. He was brought up and went to public school there. He attended Stuyvesant High School until the age of seventeen when he joined the army.
After serving four years in the army, he worked at various jobs and earned a BA from Empire State College. He wrote full time after 1977.
Walter wrote from childhood, first finding success in 1969 when he won the Council on Interracial Books for Children contest, which resulted in the publication of his first book for children, Where Does the Day Go?, by Parent's Magazine Press. He published over seventy books for children and young adults. He received many awards for his work in this field including the Coretta Scott King Award, five times. Two of his books were awarded Newbery Honors. He was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award and the Virginia Hamilton Award. For one of his books, Monster, he received the first Michael Printz Award for Young Adult literature awarded by the American Library Association. Monster and Autobiography of My Dead Brother were selected as National Book Award Finalists.
In addition to the publication of his books, Walter contributed to educational and literary publications. He visited schools to speak to children, teachers, librarians, and parents. For three years he led a writing workshop for children in a school in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Walter Dean Myers was married, had three grown children and lived in Jersey City, New Jersey. He died on July 1, 2014, following a brief illness. He was 76 years old.
Stacie Williams
Stacie Johnson
Walter Dean Myers was born on August 12, 1937 in Martinsburg, West Virginia but moved to Harlem with his foster parents at age three. He was brought up and went to public school there. He attended Stuyvesant High School until the age of seventeen when he joined the army.
After serving four years in the army, he worked at various jobs and earned a BA from Empire State College. He wrote full time after 1977.
Walter wrote from childhood, first finding success in 1969 when he won the Council on Interracial Books for Children contest, which resulted in the publication of his first book for children, Where Does the Day Go?, by Parent's Magazine Press. He published over seventy books for children and young adults. He received many awards for his work in this field including the Coretta Scott King Award, five times. Two of his books were awarded Newbery Honors. He was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award and the Virginia Hamilton Award. For one of his books, Monster, he received the first Michael Printz Award for Young Adult literature awarded by the American Library Association. Monster and Autobiography of My Dead Brother were selected as National Book Award Finalists.
In addition to the publication of his books, Walter contributed to educational and literary publications. He visited schools to speak to children, teachers, librarians, and parents. For three years he led a writing workshop for children in a school in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Walter Dean Myers was married, had three grown children and lived in Jersey City, New Jersey. He died on July 1, 2014, following a brief illness. He was 76 years old.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
December 26, 2023
Walter Dean Myers is a great staple of middle school English classes. “The Treasure of Lemon Brown” is a great short story that focuses on what we should truly treasure in our lives and the bond between fathers and sons. It’s a great little story that leaves quite the impression on young readers.
March 12, 2024
BOOOOOO
April 7, 2018
The Treasure of Lemon Brown is a short story written by an American writer Walter Dean Myers. It took place in Harlem (New York-city, USA). This is an urban place where mostly (or completely) African-Americans live.
The main character is Greg, a 14-year-old boy. Greg was disappointed after talking to his father. His father reproached him for lack of efforts in studying Math. Father compared the life of his son with his own experience during his childhood, he had to quit school because he needed to care about gaining some money for his family.
The father said that if Greg didn’t catch up with his classmates in Math, he would be not able to play basketball for the school’s team - the Scorpions. Greg was very upset by this restriction, he didn’t want to accept it. The weather was set according to his feelings:
“The dark sky, filled with angry, swirling clouds, reflected Greg Ridley’s mood as he sat on the stoop of his building. His father’s voice came to him again, first reading the letter the principal had sent to the house, then lecturing endlessly about his poor efforts in math.”
Greg went out of his home and crossed the street. He stayed in front of an abandoned house. He got away from the rain to that house. Soon he discovered that he is not alone in the house. Suddenly he heard a man’s voice behind him:
“Don’t try nothin’ ‘cause I got a razor sharp enough to cut a week into nine days!”
Greg was very afraid, he asked: “Who are you?” Greg hardly recognized his own voice. “I’m Lemon Brown,” came the answer”.
The man was old, it didn’t seem that he was dangerous. He said that he had hoped Greg came not for the purpose to grab his treasure. Greg asked if it was a real treasure. Lemon Brown answered that every man has a treasure.
As the old man explained, the name Lemon Brown or Sweet Lemon was his nickname when he was a blues singer. He was very famous in the past and he told about those times.
During their conversation they heard a noise around the house, somebody wanted to enter the house.
“They’s bad men,” Lemon Brown whispered….
“We heard you talking about your treasure.” The voice was slurred.”
Greg and Lemon Brown stayed in the dark, trying not to be noticed.
When it became clear that they couldn’t go unnoticed anymore, Lemon Brown came out of their hideout. For the question “You OK?” he answered “Few bumps and bruises”.
When Greg asked the old man if he really had a treasure, Lemon Brown showed the old newspapers with pictures and some descriptions of Lemon Brown’s play.
He started telling the story of his life. He had a wife and a son. His wife died, the son grew up with his mama’s sister. When the war started his son went off to join. The old man said:
“I didn’t have nothing to give him except these things that told him who I was, and what he come from.”
After a while, Mr.Brown knew that his son was killed during the war. He said:
“They sent back what he had with him over there, and what it was is this old mouth fiddle and these clippings. Him carrying it around with him like that told me it meant something to him. That was my treasure, and when I give it to him he treated it just like that, a treasure. Ain’t that something?”
The events which happened before changed Greg dramatically. It was expressed in the last lines:
“The night had warmed and the rain had stopped ... He thought ahead of what his father would say and wondered if he should tell him about Lemon Brown... Greg thought of the lecture he knew his father would give him, and smiled.”
This is a link to the story:
http://hcmsmosher.weebly.com/uploads/...
The main character is Greg, a 14-year-old boy. Greg was disappointed after talking to his father. His father reproached him for lack of efforts in studying Math. Father compared the life of his son with his own experience during his childhood, he had to quit school because he needed to care about gaining some money for his family.
The father said that if Greg didn’t catch up with his classmates in Math, he would be not able to play basketball for the school’s team - the Scorpions. Greg was very upset by this restriction, he didn’t want to accept it. The weather was set according to his feelings:
“The dark sky, filled with angry, swirling clouds, reflected Greg Ridley’s mood as he sat on the stoop of his building. His father’s voice came to him again, first reading the letter the principal had sent to the house, then lecturing endlessly about his poor efforts in math.”
Greg went out of his home and crossed the street. He stayed in front of an abandoned house. He got away from the rain to that house. Soon he discovered that he is not alone in the house. Suddenly he heard a man’s voice behind him:
“Don’t try nothin’ ‘cause I got a razor sharp enough to cut a week into nine days!”
Greg was very afraid, he asked: “Who are you?” Greg hardly recognized his own voice. “I’m Lemon Brown,” came the answer”.
The man was old, it didn’t seem that he was dangerous. He said that he had hoped Greg came not for the purpose to grab his treasure. Greg asked if it was a real treasure. Lemon Brown answered that every man has a treasure.
As the old man explained, the name Lemon Brown or Sweet Lemon was his nickname when he was a blues singer. He was very famous in the past and he told about those times.
During their conversation they heard a noise around the house, somebody wanted to enter the house.
“They’s bad men,” Lemon Brown whispered….
“We heard you talking about your treasure.” The voice was slurred.”
Greg and Lemon Brown stayed in the dark, trying not to be noticed.
When it became clear that they couldn’t go unnoticed anymore, Lemon Brown came out of their hideout. For the question “You OK?” he answered “Few bumps and bruises”.
When Greg asked the old man if he really had a treasure, Lemon Brown showed the old newspapers with pictures and some descriptions of Lemon Brown’s play.
He started telling the story of his life. He had a wife and a son. His wife died, the son grew up with his mama’s sister. When the war started his son went off to join. The old man said:
“I didn’t have nothing to give him except these things that told him who I was, and what he come from.”
After a while, Mr.Brown knew that his son was killed during the war. He said:
“They sent back what he had with him over there, and what it was is this old mouth fiddle and these clippings. Him carrying it around with him like that told me it meant something to him. That was my treasure, and when I give it to him he treated it just like that, a treasure. Ain’t that something?”
The events which happened before changed Greg dramatically. It was expressed in the last lines:
“The night had warmed and the rain had stopped ... He thought ahead of what his father would say and wondered if he should tell him about Lemon Brown... Greg thought of the lecture he knew his father would give him, and smiled.”
This is a link to the story:
http://hcmsmosher.weebly.com/uploads/...
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November 28, 2017what is the characterization of Greg Ridley?
September 21, 2018
Very accessible short story with a good moral. I am using this in contrast with other "coming of age" short stories for a college ENG 101 class; but, this story could be used in a classroom from middle school age up, or simply for anyone who wants to read a short story.
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October 2, 2019Really bad book
October 2, 2019
It was fun to read aloud and had some weird grammer.
October 22, 2019
It was fun to read aloud but a bad book.
October 22, 2019
Fun book to read but wish it could've been more specific on certain parts.
October 22, 2019
I liked the book i thought that it was intresting and i enjoyed it a lot.
October 22, 2019
I think that this book was ok because it wasn't the most interesting thing i've read but, it's not bad either
July 28, 2020
good good book :) stop putting fake bad reviews little kids >:(
January 20, 2021
A man trash could be another man treasure. I enjoyed it, short story for today but full of values.
December 11, 2021
Powerful lesson!
Can't wait to teach it!
Can't wait to teach it!
May 19, 2022
Good ol’ classic.
October 28, 2022
was a class book back in 8th grade
December 16, 2022
This one was cute I guess.
March 9, 2024
3.5 I liked this short story and understand why it would be used to teach descriptive writing.
December 4, 2024
3.5 rounded up
I had a good idea how the story would go. It was well written and I enjoyed it.
I had a good idea how the story would go. It was well written and I enjoyed it.
October 19, 2020
8th grade short story
December 11, 2017
Good ol’ classic.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews