I lead a book club for boys ages 8-10 in our local homeschool support group, and we recently read Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World by Mildred Pitts Walter. Over the years, the group has read dozens of books covering all sorts of characters and authors. If you’re interested in learning more, please check out How to Start a Book Club and the ongoing list of our Heritage Book Club Monthly Picks.

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“We must act and once we act on that good choice to do what is right for all living things, we will change. We will grow. We will become whole.”

Mildred Pitts Walter, Author

In this middle grade novel, ten-year-old Justin has a strained relationship with his sisters because they’re bossy, and he can’t seem to do anything right. They can cook and clean, but it never works out when he tries to help. He figures that he’s just not made for “women’s work,” so he prefers to just spend time playing basketball with friends.

“That’s why Justin is glad when his grandfather invites him back to his ranch for the summer where he can do some actual “men’s work,” such as cleaning fish, mending fences, and riding horses. But back at the ranch, Justin learns some unexpected lessons and soon realizes that anyone can do anything once they learn how.”

What I appreciated most was that the author took the opportunity to infuse this book with some interesting Black history without losing the light-hearted fun nature of the story. I was first introduced to the book when I was researching books about Black cowboys for my kids, and I’m so glad to have stumbled upon such a great find.

This book was originally published in 1986, so you won’t find it on any new release lists. It did win a prestigious award, but that was quite a long time ago. The title won’t show up anywhere as a must-read, but my son and his friends really enjoyed it so it’s now a “Heritage Mom Best Seller!”

“We were told humility cannot be humiliated. And because of that, I knew that there must be a time when we could act safely to free ourselves. As I look back, in my life it was a matter of choice, courage, and change. I knew that I could do any work that did not infringe on the rights of others or destroy my character.”

Mildred Pitts Walter, Author

Discussion Questions

I always prepare questions in case I need to help move our book discussion along, but the boys pretty much led this one on their own. They were really engaged with the story, and they especially enjoyed talking about cowboys. No surprises there!

• How does Justin feel about his sisters and why? What about his mom? What is your relationship like with your siblings?
• Do you think there is such a thing as “women’s work?” Explain.
• When it comes to his chores, what is Justin’s real issue?
• Have you ever been responsible for completing a task that you don’t know how to do?
• Why do you think Grandpa invited Justin to the ranch?
• How is Justin different, now that he is away from the rest of the family? How is he the same?
• What is riding fence, and why does it take so much time?
• Think about what Hadiya said about cooking being magical. Watching Grandpa make lunch, would Justin agree?
• Do you think the biscuits are really a secret? Why would Grandpa claim that
• they were?
• Why is Justin so interested in the history of black cowboys?
• Does Grandpa’s explanation of work make sense? Why?
• Why is Justin so concerned about Grandpa’s opinion?
• Why is it important for Justin to know his family history? What do you know about your family history and the people you come from?
• How has Justin changed by the end of the book?

I didn’t use this teaching resource, but it’s pretty robust if you’re interested in more questions or want to extend the learning from this book with your children or students.

The author of our book, Mildred Pitts Walter, is someone that I wanted the boys to meet. A former kindergarten teacher (who is now 99 years old!), Walter is widely admired for her positive, realistic portraits of African-American family life. She’s written over 20 books for young readers, and several of them have been named to the honor list of the Coretta Scott King Awards, including Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World. Walter was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame in 1986, and this video will give you a glimpse of her kind and determined personality:

Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World Follow-up Gifts

As I do every month, I mailed all of the children a small gift to celebrate the completion of this book. I looked everywhere for something themed with rodeos, cowboys, or biscuits (smile), and came up empty. Instead, I sent them all a copy of The Dangerous Book for Boys. It was a bit of a stretch and not as themed as I’d like, but I think it worked! The kids always look forward to receiving their monthly book club gift, and I really do have fun hunting down affordable items that fit the theme.

I included the following note with their books:

In our book, Justin learned how to do a lot of things on his own, and I hope that you’ll enjoy exploring some new and exciting things too. Have a great time!

Love, Ms. Amber

If you enjoyed these Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World book club lesson plans, you may enjoy reading about some of our previous meetings:

• Clubhouse Mysteries: The Buried Bones Mystery by Sharon M. Draper
• Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson
• Ansley’s Big Bake Off by Kaityln, Olivia, and Camryn Pitts
• The Toothpaste Millionaire by Jean Merrill
• The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar Giles
• Clayton Byrd Goes Underground by Rita Williams-Garcia

You can find me on Instagram at @heritagemomblog. See you there!