• Young Adult Literature
 Young Adult Literature

To Kill A Mockingbird 

12/10/2014

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Book:  Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1995.  
Awards: 
  • Pulitzer Prize - 1961 
  • Brotherhood Award of the National Conference of Christians and Jews 
  • Paperback of the Year - 1962 
  • Alabama Library Association Award 
Genre: Historical Fiction, Classic 
Summary: In a small Southern town during the Depression, Scout Finch lives with her brother Jem and her father Atticus. Atticus is an attorney who risks everything to defend a black man wrongly accused of raping a white woman. This book deals with issues like like racism, social injustice, and tolerance of other points of view. It is has plenty of humor, warmth, and timeless hometown wisdom. This book is definitely an American classic. 
Audience: I would read this book with students grades 9 through 12. 
Themes: One of this book's major themes is equality. Throughout the novel, Atticus fights for a black man because he has been accused of raping a white woman. A large part of this wrong accusation has to do with his race and her race. This would be an important theme to discuss with students - especially with the current events going on in the news right now. Students can compare and contrast the times during the Depression with today. 
Another major theme in this book is friendship. Scout is a relateable character for some students so this theme would be a great one to talk about. Relating the events/characteristics of Scout will help students understand the story better. 
Evidence: 
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” 
This is an important quote because no one really knows the truth about what happened in the legal case. Most people pass judgement and make assumptions but those are not based off facts. 
“Atticus, he was real nice."
"Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them.” 

I love this quote. It really sheds light on their family and how they are different than the majority of white families during this time. 
Connections: I remember reading this book in high school and my teacher collaborated with the history teacher because there are some great historical opportunities to learn about. I would do something similar as a teacher. Students will be more interested in this book if they know all the background knowledge behind the story. 
Reactions: I read this book for the first time in high school and I have loved it since then. I think it is an amazing story and has many great lessons. I think this is definitely an American classic that all high school students should read. I enjoyed the movie as well but the book is fantastic. I couldn't put it down!
Reception: 
"I read this book when I was 11-12. I know that it's known as a mature book that grown-ups read, but I've read it at least 16 times. I've done 2 projects on it and have written 6 book reports/reviews on it. It's one of my favorite books and though it may seem confusing at first it's really inspirational. There are MANY famous quotes and is a gives great morals. The only concern a parent should have is the accusation in the Tom Robinson case. Other than that, mature young readers should give it a go." 
"I was twelve when I read it...I should have waited a year, actually, but it wasn't a big deal, except I don't think I got as much out of it as I would have later. Violence: a lynch mob, and Tom Robinson gets shot at the end. Sex: Tom Robinson is accused of rape (he didn't do it), which is described in the courtroom; the way I read it, I think it implied that Mayella's father may have raped her. Language: well, they do use the n word, but it's clear that that's bad, so I don't feel like that was a problem. Drugs: there's a part where a woman's withdrawl from morphine is graphically described. Educational: tells about the 1930s South. Good role models: Atticus Finch. Overall, it was very good and educational, but you should wait until you're a teenager to read it." 
Hyperlinks: 
Scholastic 
Author Page 
Guide

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The Fault In Our Stars 

12/10/2014

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Book: John Green. The Fault In Our Stars. New York: Penguin Group, 2012. 
Awards: Genre: 
  • #1 New York Times bestseller
  • #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller
  • #9 The Bookseller (UK) bestseller
  • #1 Indiebound bestseller
  • New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice
  • Starred reviews from Booklist, SLJ, Publisher’s Weekly, Horn Book, and Kirkus
Summary: Hazel Grace suffers from terminal cancer and thinks the rest of her life is already written. But, she meets Augustus Waters at a cancer support group. Her entire story is rewritten from that moment on. The book is about Hazel and Augustus falling in love and coping with their cancer, family and friends. Augustus does everything he can for Hazel, even using his wish on her, but his cancer wins in the end.  
Audience: I would use this book with students from grades 9 through 12. 
Themes: Illness is a major theme in this book. The book talks a lot about cancer because Hazel and Augustus both have a type of cancer. I think this would be an important theme to discuss with students because some students have experience with this and some do not. Being able to relate to their sicknesses is an important part while reading this book. 
Love is another main theme in this book. Hazel loves her family and eventually falls in love with Augustus. She doesn't always show it, but she loves her parents a lot. This is also an important theme to discuss with students because it is a big part of this book. Comparing and contrasting Hazel's life with the students' lives help the students understand the characters better.  
Evidence: 
“As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.”
"I'm in love with you, and I'm not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I'm in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we'll ever have, and I am in love with you.” 
“Some infinities are bigger than other infinities.” 
Reactions: This book is one of my favorites. I think it is definitely a classic because everyone would enjoy this book. It would be interesting to read this with students and see their reactions and discussions. I think this book is very well written and has a great plot. It brings out many emotions from the reader - laughter and tears especially. The movie is good but the book is much better (as usual). I would recommend this to anyone able to handle the emotional aspects in this book.  
Reception: 
"John Green enlightens his audience with a slue of characters that are both relatable and lovable. As the story lays itself before you, you enter into a world of love and defeat. Loss and victories. And you realize how fragile and valuable life really is. I loved this book. I will always love John Green and I have recommended this book to everyone in my life. It pens your eyes in a way that is memorable and incredible. Bravo, John. Bravo." 
"If you read looking for alaska and liked it you will like this book. IT has alot of the same stuff like, afterlife, living life to the fullest, trying new things, first love and stuff like that. IT wasnt as good as looking for alaska but its very sad. Its a realistic story of cancer not a im a survior feel bad for me story. But with cancer stories it was peridetiable cuz someone always dies in a cancer story."

Hyperlinks: 
Author Page

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The Watsons Go to Birmingham 

12/10/2014

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Book: Christopher Paul Curtis. The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963. New York: Delacorte Press, 1995.
Awards:  
  • Newbery Honor
  • Coretta Scott King Honor
  • Golden Kite Award
Genre: Historical Fiction 
Summary: Kenny is 9 years old and his family is known as the Weird Watsons of Flint, Michigan. When Kenny's 13-year-old brother, Byron, gets to be too much trouble, they head South to Birmingham to visit Grandma, the one person who can shape him up. Kenny and his family are in Birmingham when Grandma's church is blown up. This book is about the Civil Rights issues going on at the time and how the deal with it all. 
Audience: I would read this book with students grades 5 through 8. 
Themes: A major theme in this book civil rights. Throughout the entire book, civil rights, or the lack thereof, affect Kenny and his family. They are in the heart of the south when all of these issues are taking place. This book has numerous opportunities for discussion about historical events that took place during the time period of this book. We can talk about how this setting differs from today and how it is similar. 
Another main theme in this book is family. Kenny is very close with his family in this book and when something happen to his family, he is very affected by it. There are many things we can discuss about family life. We can talk about how the students' relate to Kenny and his family and how it's different from Kenny's. 
Evidence: 
“Having a little pee in your pants had to be better than being dinner for some redneck.” 
This quote depicts what it was like for Kenny because of his race. Like mentioned above, the Civil Rights Movement really affected them at this time. 
“Now, your mother and I made a deal when we first got married that if either one of us ever watched the 'wunnerful, wunnerful' Lawrence Welk Show or listened to country music the other one got to get a free divorce.” 
This passage shows that the life of the Black Americans was much different than White Americans at this time. They were really not happy with the white people because of how they treated them. 
Connections: This book can be compared with his other book Bud, Not Buudy. I read this book with my fifth graders in practicum this semester. It is a different plot but the civil rights are also an issue in that book. The students really enjoyed reading that book and it could be compared/contrasted with this book. 
Reactions: 
"I didn't like this very much. I think this is iffy for kids age 10. Some of the things in here really bothered me; when the mom tries to burn one of her kids fingers, the personification of the 'Wool Pooh' or whirlpool, the bombing of the church, and seeing a dead girl which the main character thought was his sister among other things. I think younger kids might get freaked out about some of the things that happen in this story." 
"My fifth-graders love to study this book at the same time we complete our Civil Rights unit in social studies. It is very funny. Many of my children come from similar socioeconomic groups, so they are able to relate to the children. They are also at a time where peer relations are becoming a big issue, and this story deals with this as well. Credit was also discussed and tied into economics lessons, in addition to inventions (the Ultra Glider, air conditioning, etc. Love the book. You can use it in some many different ways to teach." 
Reception: I loved this book! I think students would enjoy reading about this time in history. It was a very interesting story that had relateable language and writing. I would definitely use this book in my classroom.  
Hyperlinks: 
Author Page
Scholastic 

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The Hunger Games 

12/10/2014

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Book: Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2008. 
Awards:
  • #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
  • #1 USA TODAY BESTSELLER
  • WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER
  • PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER
  • PUBLISHERS WEEKLY'S BEST BOOKS OF 2008: CHILDREN'S FICTION
  • NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK OF 2008
  • AN AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION 
  • TOP TEN BEST BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTS SELECTION
  • AN ALA NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK
  • 2009 ALA AMELIA BLOOMER PROJECT LIST 
  • #1 ON WINTER '08/​'09 CHILDREN'S INDIE NEXT LIST
  • INDIES CHOICE--BEST INDIE YOUNG ADULT BUZZ BOOK HONOR
  • 2008 CYBIL AWARD--FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION
  • 2009 CHILDREN'S CHOICE BOOK AWARD
  • TEEN CHOICE BOOK OF THE YEAR FINALIST
  • YALSA'S TEENS' TOP TEN, 2009
  • NYPL “STUFF FOR THE TEEN AGE” LIST, 2009 
  • CCBC CHOICES 2009
  • A NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS' CHOICE 
  • A KIRKUS BEST BOOK OF 2008
  • A HORN BOOK FANFARE
  • SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOKS Of 2008
  • A BOOKLIST EDITORS' CHOICE, 2008
  • LA TIMES FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOKS, 2008
  • BARNES & NOBLE BEST BOOKS OF 2008 
  • FOR TEENS AND KIDS
  • BORDERS BEST BOOKS OF 2008: TEENS
  • AMAZON BEST BOOKS OF 2008: 
  • TOP 100 EDITORS' PICK
  • TOP 10 BOOKS: TEENS

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy 
Summary: In the nation of Panem, there are twelve districts. Every year, the Capitol draws one girl and one boy from each district to fight for their lives on national television in the Huger Games. When Katniss's sister, Primrose, is drawn from district twelve, Katniss volunteers for her. This story is all about the fight for her life, the relationships that form along the way, and the relationships that are lost. When Katniss and Peeta are the last two members of the Hunger Games, they try to eat poisonous berries. The Capitol stops them and announces them both as winners. What lies ahead for the two winner is an interesting adventure. 
Audience: I would read this book with grades 8 through 12. 
Themes: Survival is a major theme in this book. Throughout the entire book, Katniss and Peeta are fighting to stay alive. Even before the Hunger Games begin, their district is poverty-stricken and hunger is a main concern for Katniss and her family. This would be important to discuss with students because some students will not understand the importance of survival in their situation. 
Another theme in this book is violence. The Hunger Games is practically based off violence. The kids are fighting among each other and killing each other to survive. This is important to discuss with students because the violence can be a bit graphic. It is important to talk about how our world is compared to theirs. It is also important to make clear that that type of violence would be completely unacceptable in our society. 
Evidence: 
“Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor.”
This quote is said before the Hunger Games begin. It really shows that the Hunger Games are truly just a game to the Capitol and to the higher class people of the society. But, it essentially means death for the lower districts. 
“District 12: Where you can starve to death in safety.” 
This quote depicts the lives of the people living in district twelve. They are in the lowest district with the least amount of resources. Katniss illegally hunts just to put food on the table for her family, otherwise they would starve to death. But, the Capitol lives elegantly and wastes enough food for district twelve to be fed. 
Reaction: Personally, I love this book! This is one of my favorite series (tied with Harry Potter). I would definitely use this book in my classroom if my students are old enough/mature enough. Students would really get into this series, just like I did. The plot is fantastic and there are so many good elements of this story. The movies are great as well. I would definitely recommend this book to almost anyone that is old enough. 
Reception: 
"This book is amazing, and nothing you'll read can top it. Violence? A lot of scary stuff, including people who's tongues are cut out just for disobeying the government. Other violence includes a scene where a character is mauled by dogs, one scene where someone dies from bug stings, resulting in a bloated body covered with oozing pus. Sex? Katniss and Peeta kiss. Katniss is described to be naked in a few scenes. Language? Hell. Drinking, Drugs? Haymitch, Katniss and Peeta's only lifeline in the games, is a drunk beyond repair, that pukes on the mayor and falls off the stage in a comedic scene." 

"Absolutely amazing book. I read all 300 + pages in one day, which is rare even for me, an avid reader. The violence level reminded me of the original Halloween: You're so caught up in the excitement and horror of what's going on that you don't realize until much later that you've hardly seen any blood or graphic gore. It is very violent, though, and the idea of kids being forced to kill each other off on live TV is disturbing, especially with the reality show trend today. But that's probably why the series is so popular -- it strikes a nerve with people in our culture." 
Hyperlinks: 
Author Webpage 
Scholastic 

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The Graduation of Jake Moon

12/10/2014

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Book: Barbara Park. The Graduation of Jake Moon. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2000.  
Awards: Could not find awards received specifically for this book. 
Genre: Realistic Fiction 
Summary: In this book, Jake Moon adores his grandfather, Skelly. Throughout the book, Skelly's mind deteriorates. He develops Alzheimer's which forces Jake to become like the adult. It is very difficult for Jake and his entire family. The story is about the balance that Jake is forced to find between his personal and personal life and his family issues. It is a complex situation that he goes through andn struggles to cope with what is happening to Skelly.  
Audience: I would read this book with grades 5 through 8. 
Themes: Disease is a major theme in this book. As mentioned above, Skelly has Alzheimer's Disease in this book. Some students will have experiences with this and some students will have no knowledge of this disease. This will be important to discuss with the students because this knowledge is very helpful when reading this book. Sharing my experience with my great grandmother will also be important to help the students relate. 
Balance is another important theme in this book. Jake struggles throughout this book to find the balance between school, his friends, his family member, the things his grandfather is going through, Jake's new responsibilities, etc. Having discussions about this with the students will be important. Finding things that they can relate to will help the students understand what Jake is going through. Some students will have similar experiences and some students will have to use other experiences to relate.  

Evidence: 
"The two boys shut up after that. I mean, they chuckle a little bit and all. But you can tell they're not exactly busting with pride over making fun of a retarded old man." pg. 2.
"On account of the third kid turned out to be the most shameful of all. Because the third kid was me. And the old man in the Dumpster was my grandfather." pg. 3.
"It's one of those lessons in life we can all learn from, I think. Never complain about a hair in your pie when your waitress is teetering on the brink of insanity." pg. 6
Connections: This book is somewhat similar to Heartbeat that we read earlier this semester. Annie goes through a similar experience with her grandfather and finds ways to cope and find a balance in her life. I would use this book if a student was going through a struggle with their family. This book could help that student relate to other kids or find new ways to cope. 
Reactions: I didn't hate this book but I personally didn't really get into it. I really like Barbara Park but I don't think this is her best work. I found it to be a bit boring and hard to get through. I probably wouldn't use this book in my classroom. I liked Heartbeat much better for coping skills and such. Other than that, I think students would find this book somewhat boring. 
Reception: 
"This book seriously was the most amazing book I have read in a long time. Although I felt dumb at Einstein Bagels today reading a 115 page, kid-print book, I didn't even care because I was so consumed in the plot line. I love how the author Barbara Park shows a child's view of peer acceptance, single-parenting, dysfunctional family dynamics, and maturing. The whole book Jake Moon would try to make light of his grandpa's Alzheimer's and he always said how embarrassing and hard it was to be a kid. But at the conclusion, he came to terms that he loved his grandpa in sickness or in health. Having my grandpa die of Alzheimer's my freshman year of high school, I didn't really understand what was going on; I was about Jake's age. Contrasting our maturity, I really see the other side of things. This book made me feel genuine empathy towards mine and Jake's grandpa's illness. They are still great people, just an illness keeps them from being the way they used to be. I love how Jake in the end realizes what matter most, loving your family. He showed that by helping his grandpa on stage and by sticking by his mom's side and helping out most the book." 
"The Graduation of Jake Moon" was a good book. It was a quick read, compared to other books I have read.
 The book gave some insight about Alzheimer’s disease due to Jake's grandpa's(Skelly) condition. Overall, I would not read this book again due to the lack of action. However, it was well written and is a good story. I would recommend this book to middle school or freshman students, because it was an easy read since Jake was graduating from middle school and they would be able to connect with him." 
Hyperlinks: 
Scholastic

(No Author Web Page Found)

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Heartbeat

11/16/2014

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Book: Sharon Creech. Heartbeat. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2004.  
Awards: 

·        Amazon.com Customers’ Favorite
·        #1 Book Sense Children’s Pick
·        Publishers Weekly Best Book
·        School Library Journal Best Book
·        Child Magazine Best Book
·        People Magazine Best Kids’ Book
·        iParenting Media Award
·        New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
·       
New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing

Genre: Verse novel/poetry, realistic fiction. 
Summary: In this book, Annie is a twelve-year old who loves to run. She runs, runs and runs some more. The loves the rhythm of running; but things soon begin to change. It seems like nothing is staying the same. Her grandpa is losing his memory, her mom is pregnant with an alien-baby and Max, her best friend, is always moody. Her life is changing as much as the apple that she is assigned to draw every day is changing. Although it takes her awhile to understand and cope with the many changes, everything works okay for Annie, her family and Annie's friendship with Max. 
Audience: I would use this book with grades 3 through 6 depending on the students' reading levels. 
Themes: 

       Change is a major theme in this book. This is an important one to discuss with students because everyone experiences change at some point in life and children should learn how to deal with it. Annie has a lot of changes happening at once and she copes with it by running. She also kind of gets in a fight with her best friend as well because she is stressed and trying to understand everything. This would be great to talk about with students. 
       Another theme in this book is friendship. Throughout the book, her friendship with Max is somewhat of a roller coaster. She gets upset with him because he didn't appreciate her but then he something for Annie in return. The ups and downs of friendships would be another great topic for discussion. Students can talk about working through arguments with friends and how it takes work to have friends and to be a good friend. You could go many way with this theme. 
Evidence: 
“And what did I think
when I was small
and why did I forget?
And what else will I forget
when I grow older?
And if you forget
is it as if
it never happened?
Will none of the things
you saw or thought or dreamed
matter?” 
This quote is interesting because it really shows how mature Annie is. She has many thoughts that many kids her age don't. She enjoys and dislikes things much different than her peers. Knowing this helps us understand her character better. 

“Am I supposed to do something 
important?
It doesn't seem enough
to merely take up space
on this planet
in this country
in this state
in this town
in this family.” 
I really like this quote because I think everyone asks themselves questions like this at some point in their lives. This would be a good one to have a discussion about. It really brings out a "coming of age" theme. 
Connections: You could do many things with this book. There are social skills, creative writing and art that you could easily incorporate. An art project would be great to do with students like the apple project that Annie did. There are TONS of opportunities to do with poetry since this book is written as a poem. Students could write their own poems about their life. Students could also do numerous writing activities with this book. You could also incorporate other books written as poems. 
Reactions: Personally, I really enjoyed this book. I have never read a book in poetry but I really liked the style. It was much easier and lighter to read and I think that is appealing to students. I thought the themes were great and very age-appropriate. I would love to read some other books by Sharon Creech. I would definitely use this in my own classroom. My practicum teacher used it in literature circles and the girls loved it. 
Reception: 

"I was really touched by this short novel written in verse. I find it amazing that I could know the characters so well with such sparse language." So true! 
"This book was okay but not my favorite. I liked the way it was written because it's different and interesting. However, I thought that it was a little boring at some parts and could've had more to the story line."
Hyperlinks: 
Scholastic
Author Page  

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A Diamond In The Desert

9/22/2014

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Book: Kathryn Fitzmaurice. A Diamond In The Desert. New York: Penguin Group, 2012. 
Awards: 
  • New York Historical Society Book Prize Finalist 
  • Bank Street Best Book for 2013
  • 2013 Judy Lopez Memorial Awards Honor Book
  • VOYA 2012 Top Shelf Fiction choice for Middle School readers
  • Nominated Title on the 2013 ALSC Notable Children’s Book List
  • Indiebound Kid’s Next List pick for Spring 2012
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Summary:  In this story, Tetsu and his family are forced out of their home and into a camp for Japanese Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Before being put in the camp, Tetsu absolutely loved baseball. Baseball was his life. After being put in the camp, this was forced to change. Until the boys built the baseball field at the camp, there was no baseball. Tetsu's little sister, Kimi, got sick and everything changed again. He refused to play baseball. Tetsu has to learn how to overcome obstacles in his life to still enjoy what he loves. 
Audience: I would use this book for grades 4th through 6th. 
Themes: One major theme in this book is family. Tetsu goes through a lot with his family and learns a lot about being a part of a family. His father is gone for the beginning half of the book and Tetsu's family really struggles with this. Once he returns, things start going back to "normal". Things aren't always easy while living in the camp, but they stick together and everything ends up being okay in the end. 
Another major theme in this book is baseball. There is more to it than just a game in this book. It is Tetsu's love and passion. It brings a special bond to him and his dad; as well as the boys in the camp. Tetsu made wonderful friends at camp once they started a baseball team. He also had a great role model as his coach. There was also some patriotic symbolism behind this theme (discussed further below).  
Evidence: 
"He'll never be a red-orange fish. But he can be a white fish." Page 220
I thought this was an interesting quote that Kimi says to Horse. I think it could be interpreted in different ways; maybe Kimi is saying they will never be Americans but they will be Japanese- Americans. Or, maybe she is talking about family. Horse's aunt will never be his parents but at least he has family. 
"I thought about why my family was being forced to leave everything. I thought about the 'Star Spangled Banner'. How the song said it was waving over the land of the free and the home of the brave." 
I think this quote was a very interesting one. It really makes you think about these families being forced into the camps and having their freedom essentially taken away. It really puts thing into perspective while reading this book. 
Connections: I would use this book in my classroom with a Social Studies lesson. This would be a much more interesting way to learn about the Japanese Internment Camps rather than reading about it out of a textbook. This book really brings this time period alive. Boys especially, would love reading about baseball and learning about the history at the same time. This book would be a great tool. 
Reactions: Personally, I enjoyed this book. It wasn't one of my favorites but I think students would enjoy it. The format threw me off a little bit, but students might like it broken up how it was. Like I said earlier, it would be a good book to read when teaching Social Studies or American History. Other than that, I probably wouldn't have chosen this book on my own. 
Reception: "This is an okay book for an upper elementary or middle school student who has never read about Japanese internment camps. I have read others on the same topic that I found more engaging, so this didn't exactly hold my attention. The breaks were too short/frequent (They aren't really chapters as they have no numbers or titles, just diamonds). I would understand if the breaks were more like daily diary entries, but sometimes they were continuing action that appeared broken up for no reason to me." -Jeanne, Adult  
"This is an okay book for an upper elementary or middle school student who has never read about Japanese internment camps. I have read others on the same topic that I found more engaging, so this didn't exactly hold my attention. The breaks were too short/frequent (They aren't really chapters as they have no numbers or titles, just diamonds). I would understand if the breaks were more like daily diary entries, but sometimes they were continuing action that appeared broken up for no reason to me." -Jeanne, Adult  
Hyperlinks: 
Author Website
Book Reviews 


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Freak the Mighty

9/16/2014

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Book: Rodman Philbrick. Freak the Mighty. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1993. 
Awards: 
  • Judy Lopez Honor Book
  • ALA Best Books for Young Adults
  • ALA Recommended Books for Reluctant Readers
  • California Young Readers Medal Winner
  • Arizona Young Readers Medal Winner
  • Maryland Middle School Book Award
  • Nebraska Golden Sower Award
  • New York 'Charlotte's Web' Award.
  • Wyoming 'Soaring Eagle Book Award
Genre:  Realistic Fiction 
Summary: In this novel, Max is dumb, slow, and huge. Kevin, also known as Freak, was just that: a freak. He has a tiny body with a huge brain. Max was used to being alone; until Kevin came along. The two boys had an immediate bond that turned into a great friendship. Max and Kevin became Freak the Mighty. They were unstoppable together because Kevin had the brains and Max had the brawn. Everything was going well until Kevin had some major health complications and suddenly passed away. Max was forced to learn how to cope with the loss and become an independent person. 
Audience: I would use this book with 4th through 8th grades. 
Themes: One major theme in this book is bullying. I think it is a great book to do some lessons on social skills with. Throughout the novel, Max and Kevin are both bullied. Max talked about it a lot in the beginning of the book. He was called numerous hurtful names and had a very low self-esteem because of it. I would also talk about the language in this book. Some of the language can be somewhat offensive so I would talk about better words to use. Another major theme is friendship. Max and Kevin discover friendship throughout this novel. For many kids, they have not had a "best friend" like Freak the Mighty was. This is a great theme to discuss in class and could also be used to talk about social skills again. We could discuss how to be a good friend and what it means to be unfriendly. 
Evidence: 
“You don't need a time machine if you know how to remember.”
This is a great quote from this book. Memory is somewhat a new concept to Max. Kevin uses his memory as an imaginative concept. He shows Max how to use his imagination and they really build their friendship this way. 
“His heart was simply to big for his body.”  
I chose this quote because it is a wonderful representation of Kevin. He was the most caring, kind, and smart little boy. Although Max was crushed when Kevin passed away, he taught Kevin many very important lessons about himself and about life. Kevin was a great friend for Max. 
Connections: There are many ways I would use this in my classroom. It is a great book to read if there are bullying issues going on in the classroom; especially if it is in regards to students with disabilities. This would also be a great book if a student is going through the loss of a loved one. It goes through the grief process and how Max moved on from it but still became a better person. Lastly, it is a great book if I have a student with an "nontraditional" home situation.  
Reactions: Personally, I enjoyed reading this book. I thought it was a very light, easy read but still a very likable book. I think students would have a similar opinion. I sometimes felt that the language was a bit offensive and would need to be discussed so students wouldn't use words that are now inappropriate. Other than that, it was an inspirational pick-me-up type of book. I would recommend it to my students. 
Reception: 
"Who are the parents who think it's "good" for their child to be exposed to a father who murdered his wife in cold blood by strangling her to death in front of their 4-year old son? The son recounts the events of that horrible night shortly after a woman frees him from the chair where his father has bound him hand and foot and gagged him, only to have the father return unexpectedly and begin strangling yet another woman, graphically choking the life out of her. Once the boy, our main character, reveals that he witnessed his father murder his mother, good ol' dad begins to strangle HIM, too, and the children who are the target audience get to read from a young man's perspective what it's like to be strangled nearly to death. Unbelievably raw portrayals of blind rage and a murderous father who willingly kills first the mom and then attempts to strangle the son. Who thought this was a good idea for children???" -Parent of a 6 and 8 year old
"I absolutely loved this story. It has great messages for readers of all ages. It deals with a lot of issues, such as friendship, myth and reality, death, and disabilities." -13 year old
Hyperlinks: 
Book Reviews
Author Website
Scholastic 


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The Outsiders 

9/3/2014

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Book: S.E. Hinton. The Outsiders. New York: Penguin Group, 1967.
Awards: 
  • New York Herald Tribune Best Teenage Books List, 1967
  • Chicago Tribune Book World Spring BookFestival Honor Book, 1967
  • Media and Methods Maxi Award, 1975
  • ALA Best Young Adult Books, 1975
  • Massachusetts Children’s Book Award, 1979
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Summary: There are two types in Ponyboy's world. The Socs had the good life. The Greasers, which he was, didn't have it so easy. Ponyboy and his two older brothers hung out with their gang and tried to stay out of trouble; until the Socs stepped on their turf. Everything was fine until the night a Greaser stabbed a Soc to save Ponyboy's life. Their adventure begins with staying hidden and then the two boys become heroes.    
Audience: I would recommend reading this book with high school grades. Possibly 8th grade, depending on maturity levels. 
Themes: A major theme in this book is the society and classes. The Socs and the Greasers were battling with each other throughout the entire book. The Socs were the ones with the money and easier lives. The Greasers despised them for those reasons. They realized that they actually had a lot in common. They both had their own struggles on opposite sides of town. Another important theme in this book was violence. There was a lot of violence between the two gangs. It will be important to talk about this in future classrooms because violence doesn't solve problems.  
Evidence: 
“Stay gold, Ponyboy, stay gold.” (page 157
Ponyboy explains earlier in the book that nothing remains golden; all good things come to an end. Gold can also mean innocent. Johny's last words were one of the most famous words in the book. 
“It seemed funny that the sunset she saw from her patio and the one I saw from the back steps was the same one. Maybe the two worlds we lived in weren’t so different. We saw the same sunset.”
This quote is significant because this is Ponyboy's epiphany where he realizes that maybe the Socs and the Greasers aren't as different from each other as he and everyone else thinks. 
Reactions: Personally, this is one of my favorite books. I think it's amazing that it was written by Hinton when she was 17 years old. Although this book was written many years ago, every generation is able to relate to the characters and feelings in this book. It is written very well and I can never put it down when I start reading it! 
Reception: 
"'Iffy' for age 13? Off for under that? You've got to be kidding me. Annoying Overprotective Parent (AOP): Isn't Ponyboy in a gang? I don't want my darling little -insert name here- reading that. Me: Yes, he's part of a gang, but it even says in the book that it's not an organized gang. The only fighting they do is self defense against the Socs, a group of vicious rich kids who jump Greasers for fun." 
-12 year old from Common Sense Media
"This was a phenomenal book hands down. 'Nothing gold stays' was the theme. It gives you a great message but a sad ending."
-14 year old from Common Sense Media  
Hyperlinks: 
S.E. Hinton 
Common Sense Media 
Scholastic 

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The Giver - Movie 

9/2/2014

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Personally, I did not really enjoy this movie. It was very different from the book. Since the book was written in 1994 and the movie was made in 2014, there were obviously many differences due to the difference in time periods. There were also many differences that I am not sure what the purpose was.  
  • The book was much more futuristic than I pictured while reading. This didn't bother me too much because I understand why it was made that way. 
  • The characters were portrayed differently than in the book. The Giver was much more tough while I thought he would be much more gentle from the book. Jonas was much older and he also didn't have pale eyes (which really bothered me). 
  • Jonas and Fiona had much more of a love story going on. This was far from the book and I believe it was as more of a selling aspect than the book. 
  • The setting was a little different than I pictured from the book as well. Elsewhere was more of an unreachable place separated by a cliff. 
  • Like I mentioned in my blog post about the book itself, I did not like the ending in the movie either. I wish we would have seen the Community after the memories were released. 
Other than those points that were much different from the look, I still enjoyed a few parts more than the book. I really enjoyed actually visually experiencing the memories that Jonas received from the Giver. They were beautiful, colorful and powerful memories of the world. 
Personally, I would not recommend that my future students watch this movie after reading The Giver. I do not think it enhanced my view of the story. I think it actually did the opposite. 

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    Author

    My name is Shelby and I am a junior in the Education Program. I'm studying Elementary Education and Middle Level Education. 

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