Title: Freaky Green Eyes
ENGL 552-81, Spring 2009, Book Reviews, Round 1 of 3
Title: Freaky Green Eyes
Author: Joyce Carol Oates
Publisher/Imprint: Harper Collins Publishers
Copyright Date: 2003
Plot: Franky Pierson has the outer trappings of a good life. She is athletic and attractive, has close friends, and lives in an impressive postmodernist home in the hills above Seattle. Her father, a famous sportscaster and a larger-than-life personality, appears to adore his family and likes to keep them close. His attachment to his family soon takes on obsessive qualities, however, and only Franky’s brother escapes the “discipline” their father dispenses to keep the family intact and loyal to him. When Franky’s parents separate, and the children are left with their father, everyone in the family is angry and feels abandoned by Franky’s mom.
When her mom disappears, however, Franky is forced to rely on the secret source of strength she has within, the confident knowing self that she calls Freaky Green Eyes, in order to face some bitter truths about herself and her family. Franky has characterized her mother’s gradual disconnection from the family as a kind of “crossing over. From a known territory into an unknown.
From a place where people know you to a place where people only think they know you”(3). Franky’s journey parallels her mother’s as she, too, crosses
over and comes to important realizations.
Key Issues: The mother/daughter relationship is explored within the larger
context of trust. Frankie has to learn to trust herself before she can extend it to others. This is a coming-of-age story in which a frightened young girl develops an authentic sense of self.
Warnings: While there is physical and emotional abuse, it is not so graphic that this book couldn’t be used in the classroom. Teachers should be aware of this issue, however, and lead discussions with some sensitivity.
Audience: Both teenagers and adults could enjoy this novel. It probably is more of a girl’s book though; there are few redeeming male characters.
Teaching Ideas: Journals play a significant role in this story’s development. It might be helpful, therefore, to have students choose a character and write possible journal entries for significant parts of the plot. It could be challenging for the boys because the male characters are portrayed pretty negatively. However, it would be interesting to write from Franky’s brother’s perspective and see how it would feel to be immune to family violence and how that would influence your loyalties.
Tags: YA, abuse, adolescence, fathers and daughters, fiction, mothers and daughters, girls’ literature, psychological abuse, murder, mystery
Title: Whale Talk
Author: Chris Crutcher
Publisher/Imprint: Dell Laurel-Leaf/ an imprint of Random House, Inc.
Copyright Date: 2001
Plot: T.J. Jones is the product of a one-night stand between a white, crank-addicted mother and a black-Japanese father. Mercifully, he is adopted at the age of two by a white, middle class family that loves and supports him. He is surprisingly but realistically well-adjusted; he understands grief and loss at a primal level, and while unfairness and cruelty infuriate him, he has reasonable adults in his life that help him to make sense of things. T. J. thinks that the sport system at his school is constructed on policies of exclusion and abuses of power, and he intends to confront it.
Therefore, he forms a swim team of misfits whose primary goal is to force the school to recognize them by winning the ultimate prize: the varsity letter jacket. T.J.’s primary purpose is to discredit those who humiliate others.
What he ultimately discovers, however, is the individuality and humanity of all the boys who have been previously discounted by their school system.
Although Crutcher deals with difficult issues, he does so with wry sense of humor that makes the book entertaining to read.
Key Issues: Primarily this is an exploration into the issues of hatred and bigotry with its resulting damage to the self. Individuals are resilient in this novel, however, and relationships have restorative potential. In addition, Crutcher develops the idea of being a strong individual and of having the courage to defend one’s beliefs and values.
Warnings: This book takes a hard look at racism and child abuse: the “n” word is used repeatedly. Although the overall message is positive, a class discussion of this novel would have to be handled with care and sensitivity.
Audience: This story could be enjoyed by adolescents or adults. Although it has a male protagonist and is about sports, it does not only target boys (although it is boy-friendly). The issues raised are universal and not gender-specific, so it would be appropriate for girls as well as boys. This would be a great novel for any athletes in the class.
Teaching Ideas: Because this novel deals with sensitive issues, I don’t think that it would be appropriate for small group discussion, at least not initially. Even though many students might have intensely personal responses to the content , and most people are more comfortable sharing personal concerns in a smaller group, I think that the teacher would need to be present and leading the discussion in order to maintain an appropriate level of respect for the entire class. That said, there are a lot of great characters in this novel, and a character journal could be useful, in which each student picks a character and must write from the perspective of that character. Another strategy that I would use would be an anticipation guide to stimulate discussion about the nature of evil, hatred, or bigotry before we read the book.
Tags: YA, sports, swimming, coming of age, fiction, adoption, abuse, family, friendship, racism, bigotry, overcoming obstacles, students with disabilities
Title: I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Copyright Date: 2006
Plot: Carter tells the story of Cammie Morgan, a high school girl who attends Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women. The school, which from the outside appears to be a well-to-do boarding school for wealthy girls, is in fact a spy school known about only by elite members of the international spy ring around the world. On her first CoveOps mission Cammie meets a local boy, Josh, whom she quickly falls for. Cammie spends most of the novel working out ways to escape the boundaries of the school in order to meet up Josh, her first crush and boyfriend, but in the end must choose between the life of secrecy demanded of spies or Josh, and the world beyond the gates of Gallagher Academy.
Key Issues: First crushes; single parenting/being the child of a single parent: (Cammie’s father was killed prior to the start of the novel); making choices between family and friends,
Warnings: I have no warnings against this book. There is no adult content; I think even students in Middle School would enjoy reading this book. The language is very appropriate. In fact, in one instance Carter chooses not to use a cuss word and instead writes,
Macey only wrenched her arm out of Bex’s grasp and said, “Don’t touch me, b--.” (Yeah that’s right, she called Bex the B word.)
Now see, here’s where the whole private-school things puts a girl at a disadvantage. MTV will lead us to believe that the B word has become a term of endearment or slang among equals, but I still mainly think of it as the insult of choice for the inarticulate” (36).
Audience: Middle and High School students would enjoy this. Some of the later high school students may find it a little young, but I think that the story and the issues are still very appropriate.
Teaching Ideas: Though I’m not sure I would teach this book as a whole-class book, I think there are a lot of fun things you could do with it especially if you are in a class that is linked to a history class. I have been to the International Spy Museum in D.C. and I think if your students were going to be learning about it or visiting it, this would be a great book to read in conjunction. There are also many references to events in history, (i.e. JFK’s death) in which Carter claims that the girls at the Academy know “the real story” which I found to be very eye-opening and which forced me to really think outside of the box and question what I think I know. Finally, it would be a great supplement to any literature that deals with children having to make tough decisions about the future as well as dealing with the loss of a parent.
Title: Prom
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
Copyright Date: 2005
Plot: Ashley, a senior in high school, is an average student and has no plans to attend college after she graduates. She also has no plans to attend her senior prom. However, when the math teacher (and advisor to the prom committee) is arrested for stealing most of the money designated to pay for prom, Ashley is forced to help Natalia (her best friend and the chairman of the prom committee) plan the cheapest prom in the history of high school. During the hectic weeks leading up to prom, Ashley discovers that she loves each member of her family despite their idiosyncrasies, that she deserves a boyfriend who treats her with respect, and that she is far more capable than she once believed. Ultimately the prom is a huge success, and all of the students have a wonderful time dancing until dawn. In the end, Ashley decides not to rent a cheap studio apartment with her sleazy boyfriend, TJ. She is accepted into the local community college, moves into a house with Natalia (which just happens to be across the street from her parents’ house), and considers pursuing a career in accounting.
Key Issues:
Struggling with being an “average” student, Romantic relationships, Friendship, Popularity ,Peer pressure, Family dynamics, Poverty, Self-realization
Warnings:
Intense kissing scenes, School violence, Language, Smoking, Skipping school, Members of the opposite sex living together before marriage, Premarital sex, Drugs, Underage drinking, Teen pregnancy, Theft
Audience: Females (ages 15 – 18)
Teaching Ideas: I would not use this book in the classroom in any way because there are far too many sexual innuendos, inappropriate scenes, and curse words. The themes of self-discovery and friendship are admirable, but I know that there are better books available that convey the same messages. Furthermore, I would not recommend that my students read this book outside of my classroom either. I think that most parents would be upset by many aspects of this novel. To be honest, I am disappointed that this book is a New York Times best seller. I would not want my sixteen year old daughter reading about students “hooking up” after prom, experimenting with marijuana in the high school bathroom, or making plans to move in with their significant others after graduation. I realize that most teenagers see and hear far worse things on primetime television, but I firmly believe that teacher-recommended literature should be worthwhile and above reproach. Unfortunately, I found Laurie Halse Anderson’s novel to be neither.
Tags:
High school prom, Friendship, Romantic comedy, Self-discovery, Family dynamics
Title: Upstream
Author: Melissa Lion
Publisher: Random House, Inc.
Copyright Date: 2005
Plot: It is fall, and Marty is about to begin her senior year of high school. However, everything is different now; her boyfriend (Steven) was killed in a hunting accident during the summer. With help from her mother, her two sisters, and her close friend (Katherine), Marty is able to cope with the sadness of losing the only boy that she loves. Marty spends her afternoons fishing in the Alaskan rivers with her sister (Dorothy) and her nights working at the local movie theater (with Katherine). Uncertainly strikes Marty and her family when the sheriff begins to investigate the details surrounding Steven’s death. Marty fears that everyone will soon learn that she was the one who pulled the trigger; she is the one truly responsible for Steven’s death. In the end, Marty leaves Alaska and moves to Hawaii, where she plans to study marine biology and hopes to escape her guilt.
Key Issues:
Mourning the death of a close friend / significant other, Family dynamics, Friendship, High school, Trust, Opening up to others
Warnings:
Sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night, Death , Premarital sex, Absent father, Some language, Gruesome images (gunshot wound) , Keeping secrets from authority figures
Audience: Males and females (ages 15 to 18)
Teaching Ideas: I liked a lot of things about this novel, especially the imagery that the author uses to describe the Alaskan landscape. Melissa Lion uses a lot of figurative language to describe the smells, sounds, tastes, and sights that set Alaska apart from the other forty-nine states. I also liked the message of the novel; Marty depends on her family and friends to help her cope with the death of her boyfriend. However, I still would not teach Upstream in a whole class setting because the novel contains sexual innuendos and mild language, both of which I think are inappropriate in teacher-recommended literature. If I were on a continuing contract with a high school, I might possibly have a small group of mature students read this book in a literary circle. Of course, I would first send a letter home to the parents explaining to them about the contents of the novel. I would also alert the students ahead of time about the language and sexuality in Upstream. I think that this novel is worthwhile to read and explores some very interesting themes and issues.
Tags:
Alaska, Death, Family, Friendship
Title: Runner
Author: Carl Deuker
Publisher/Imprint: Grafia
Copyright Date: 2005
Plot: Chance Taylor, a high school senior, lives with his dad on a sailboat in Shilshole Marina in Seattle, Washington. Chance's father is both an Iraq War veteran and a drunk, and since his father has just lost his job again, Chance fears they may loose their boat; his father does not have the money to pay the monthly mooring fee. Although Chance is not a member of the school track team, he runs eight miles every day from the marina through the city and to the park near the coast; this helps him to clear his head.
Chance's daily runs gets noticed by the fat man who manages the marina office. One day, he stops Chance to offer him a job. All he has to do is run along his usual route and check for a package that will be waiting in some rocks in the park. Chance reluctantly decides to take the job; although, he knows that he will be involved in something illegal. At first, Chance enjoys the money that the new job affords. He is able to quit his old job washing pots at a local sea-food restaurant, and he can finally pay for a mocha and piece of cake when he meets Melissa, a girl in his class and the editor of the school paper.
From the vantage point of her high-dollar house overlooking the park, Melissa watches Chance and takes photos of him in the park. When she confronts him about the packages he retrieves, Chance promises to tell her all about it at the end of the school year, if she will just stay clear of him for a few more weeks. But soon the fat man ends up dead in mysterious suicide. Now Chance does not know what to do. He continues to store the packages with the playdough-like contents, and he suspects they contain explosives. Though he wants to get out of this situation, he can only wait to be contacted.
Meanwhile, he fears the police at every turn and worries that he could be the next one dead.
When the day arrives that the packages are to be delivered, Chance returns home to the boat and finds that someone has ransacked the place. He checks the secret area in the forward berth; the packages are still secure. He tells his father, already suspicious, what is happening. His father sends Chance to ask for help from Melissa's father, an attorney and an old friend.
While Chance is away, the terrorists return to hijack the boat and force Chance's father to take them directly towards one of the giant cruise ships in Puget Sound. Chance's father struggles with the terrorists, and the boat explodes before it reaches its goal. Chance is proud of his father's last brave act. Melissa's father offers to pay for Chance's community college tuition, finally giving him a chance at a future. But in the end, Chance decides it is better for him to forge his own life, and he resolves to call the Army recruiter as soon he graduates.
Key Issues: The key issues include poverty, military service, terrorism, crime, alcohol abuse, and ethical choices.
Warnings: There is little to no profanity. Some might find the subject matter objectionable.
Audience: This novel will appeal especially to high-school aged boys. However, girls who like this genre would also like it, since the story does not focus on Chance as a teenage boy, but as a person who gets involved in a terrorist plot. Based on the subject matter, it would be less suitable for younger teens.
Teaching Ideas: 1. Discuss whether there is any significance to the main character's name. 2. Discuss the meaning of the title, Runner. 3. Ask the students to imagine how it would feel to be in Chance's situation. Have them write a letter to a trusted friend in which they describe how they would feel. 4. In the novel, the Chance becomes mixed up in a terrorist plot. Ask the students if they think this plot is plausible today. In small groups, discuss or write about ways life has changed since the September 11 attacks.
Share ideas with the entire class. 5. Discuss the author's use of foreshadowing. In what way does the author signal the trouble that will follow? 6. Discuss the theme of fear. In what ways is Chance afraid both before, and during, his involvement in smuggling.
Title: The Outsiders
Author: S.E. Hinton
Publisher: Viking Press
Copyright Date: 1967
Plot: A first-person narrative of a week in the life of Ponyboy Curtis. Ponyboy lives with his two brothers and is a member of a gang called the Greasers, from the poor side of town. They regularly clash with the rich, privileged Socs (short for Socials). Most of their life is spent starting mischief and growing up on the streets. Things turn more serious, however, when his best friend Johnny kills a Soc.
Through a series of life-changing events and tragedies, Ponyboy learns the value of true friendship, and the common suffering of everyone – rich and poor.
Key Issues: Acceptance of the differences among social groups.
Discovering one's own identity and gaining self-acceptance. Futility of violence and gang warfare. Loyalty to family and friends. Abusive home environments.
Warnings: Very few expletives, but definitely some violence including a stabbing and some gang fights. All the kids smoke, but it's not glamorized at all.
Audience: Middle and high school age. Suited for both genders, but probably slightly more geared towards guys. Students that feel like outcasts or have difficult home situations will relate particularly well.
Teaching Ideas:
Since the book was written by a 16-year old girl, the class can discuss the writer's craft and in what ways you can see her authorship coming through in the book. It can also be an inspiration to young writers in your class.
Since it was one of the first books written for young adults that dealt with real-life, gritty issues, the class can discuss the need for realism and truth-telling in literature.
The class can discuss the social cliques at their own school, perhaps starting by drawing a map of the lunchroom with jock table, black table, freak table, nerd table, band table, etc. They can begin talking about their differences, and through that and the book come to see the similarities and develop empathy for others.
Another way to approach this subject is to ask who the title "outsiders" is referring to. It's not immediately clear.
One of the book's strengths is its detailed character development. Through the book, the class can learn about developing the nuances and realism of interesting characters and how it adds to the overall effect of the work.
The novel is full of irony and teaching The Outsiders could be a great time to teach what can sometimes be a difficult concept for students to grasp.
Title: Gathering Blue
Author: Lois Lowry
Publisher/Imprint: Houghton Mifflin Company/Walter Lorraine Books
Copyright Date: 2000
Plot: Kira is all alone in the world. Her father was taken from her family by beasts before she was born and now her mother has died from a mysterious illness. Kira, who has had a crippled leg since birth, is of no use to her village and the women are now campaigning to have her turned out to die so that they can use her land to build a pen in which they will cage their children. Vandara is Kira’s leading opponent and is willing to stone Kira to death for possession of the land until Kira evokes the village law which designates all disputes be solved by the village counsel. Kira is spared by the counsel for one reason, her unusual skill in weaving. She is moved from the noisy, dirty village into the Counsel Edifice where she is fed three times a day and is first introduced to running water. Her days are spent preparing the ceremonious robe worn by the singer at the annual village Gathering. Within the Edifice, she encounters two other children with extraordinary talents of their own; Thomas, a wood carver who carves the singers staff, and Jo, a young village girl who will one day become the singer. While Kira restores the robe, her only regret is that she has no blue thread, which her teacher of dyes has told her grows a distance away. One day, Kira’s friend Matt disappears on a journey to find blue. He returns the day of the Gathering with two surprises; the color blue and Kira’s father, Christopher. Christopher explains to Kira that there are no beasts and that his disappearance was the result of an attack motivated by a fellow villager’s jealousy. Christopher was left for dead, but was taken by other men to a village of similarly wounded people and now he has come to take Kira there as well. In the end, however, Kira decides that it is her responsibility to stay in her village and use her talents to try and create a better future.
Key Issues: The Manipulation/Stifling of Individual Creativity- All three children are naturally talented, but the counsel wishes to abuse this talent and channel it into a specific, self-serving direction. Mankind’s Willingness to Accept What Is- The citizens of the village are greedy, cruel, and selfish because they have been taught that this is the only way to survive. Even Kira takes a while to understand that the future could be both different and better. The Loss of a Parent- Not only does Kira loose her mother, she believes for the majority of the novel that her father is dead as well. This would be meaningful to single parent students.
Warnings: This book uses no inappropriate language, graphic violence, or explicit sexuality. The villagers trivialize religion because they don’t understand it, but that would be the only issue that might merit a warning.
Audience: While Kira is a fairly asexual character, boys may not particularly like this novel. Its themes are subversive and the action is in no way intense. The simplistic style in which it is written makes it most appropriate for seventh, eighth, and ninth graders.
Teaching Ideas: Gathering Blue is a futuristic novel that would best be read by females. A good place to fit it into the curriculum would be within small reading groups that each portray a different view of society’s future (there are a lot of young adult books that do this). This could be done in accompaniment to classics like 1984, Brave New World, or A Wrinkle in Time which often have to be read by the whole class. After each group reads their futuristic novel, they can work to create their own idea of a coming society complete with governing style, career selection, new technologies, social practices and specific laws. Each group could then present their future to the class and discuss the positives and negatives of the worlds they created.
Ideas (full class): Fairytales, Lies and Authority: In Gathering Blue, the village’s authority figures have manufactured tales of beasts. Discuss with the class the reasoning behind this, providing any needed guidance towards the conclusion that it is a threat used to keep the villagers compliant. Next go over old fairy tales with students and discuss how they were used to achieve similar goals with children. Reflect on and discuss modern times. Are there any such tales still told (urban legends) and for what specific purpose? What about certain governments using fear as a controlling device? Has this happened anywhere lately (Bush administration)? Was this justifiable or not? **Make sure you are not a participant in this discussion and that you don’t insert your opinion. If the students do not reach certain conclusions based on open ended questions, do not push it.
Title: Fly on the Wall
Author: E. Lockhart
Publisher/Imprint: Delacorte Press/Random House Children’s Books
Copyright Date: 2006
Plot: In order to fit in at the Manhattan High School for the Arts one must do all she can to assert her individuality; despite her stop sign red hair and bi-racial parents, Gretchen Yee sees herself as being nothing but ordinary. Her comic book inspired drawings are constantly shot down by her art teacher for being hack imitations, her one friend, Katya, has been avoiding her lately, and she can’t summon enough courage to speak to Titus, the boy she is crazy about. When Gretchen learns that her Chinese American father and Jewish mother are getting a divorce, she feels further confusion over her identity, security, and the aliens known as the male sex. Soon after Gretchen’s parents tell her they will be signing divorce papers ASAP, they skip town for a week. Her father goes to a business trip to Japan and her mother takes a needed vacation to the Caribbean. Gretchen, who is left to take care of herself, wakes up on her first day alone as a fly stuck in the boys’ locker room at the Manhattan School for the Arts. Gretchen tries to reason out the transformation and can only conclude that it is the result of a wish she made the week before in an attempt to better understand boys. Gretchen’s week is spent watching the inner workings of the high school male’s world and all the pain and pleasure associated with it. She is also able to observe first hand that others don’t see her as she sees herself and how her behavior can negatively affect those she cares about. At the end of the week, Gretchen wakes up in her own bed. Her father comes home that evening and she is ready to deal more forgivingly with him. At school on Monday, she finally takes more risks, including asking Titus out, to which she receives an enthusiastic yes. Gretchen goes from being a metaphoric fly on to wall to an actual one, which allows her to transform into the girl she has always wanted to be.
Key Issues: Individuality and Self Expression- Gretchen feels that she must act and look a certain way in order to be accepted by her peers and draw a certain way in order to win the approval of her art teacher. She feels uncomfortable living up to standards that are not natural to her. Divorce- Not only do Gretchen’s parents get a divorce, but she incorrectly assumes her father is having an affair. Also, her parents seem to break the news to her in the worst possible manner. Gender Roles and Relationships- As a fly with access to naked boys, Gretchen is overwhelmed by the intensity of her physical desire for boys. She is also continually analyzing their words and behavior. Betrayal- Gretchen feels betrayed by her parents and her friend Katya. Not only must she face the difficulty of dealing with this, she must accept her role in their behavior as she delves more deeply into her own personality. Homosexuality/Homophobia/Language Abuse- One of the characters in the book is gay, though his struggle is not a focal point. Lockhart does stress the abuse of the word “faggot” by many of the boys in the book and why this is a dangerous adjective to use lightly.
Warnings: LANGUAGE- Just about every curse word (including “fuck”) is used in this novel. Sexuality- At times, Gretchen is fairly graphic in her descriptions of the physical urges she feels for some of the boys in the locker room. Homosexuality- There are several references to gay characters in the novel and while the overall goal is to promote the theme of tolerance, some conservative families may not want their child reading anything to do with homosexuality.
Audience: While Lockhart writes in a fragmented style, the writing is direct enough to be suitable for freshmen and sophomores. The themes and specific scenes, however, require a great deal of maturity, so it is essential to read the novel before hand and use good judgment when deciding if each individual class can handle it. I chose to read this novel because of the discussion it would prompt between males and females as to how each gender perceives the other. It turned out to be a humorous and honest novel that I believe both sexes could read with interest.
Teaching Ideas:
Placement: This novel could be read by the whole class in accompaniment to Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, an inspiration for the novel itself which Lockhart has the characters reading. There are many shared themes (dissatisfaction with the work/school environment, isolation, betrayal, feelings of insignificance) along with a similar three part structure. Using Fly on the Wall in accompaniment to The Metamorphosis could lead to comparative discussions and/or essays and creative writing assignments in which the student attempts to illustrate a character’s metamorphosis on their own.
Because there is a great chance that a teacher will not get permission to teach this book to every student in class, it would be more realistic to have a small group reading of this novel. Fly on the Wall would be a perfect story for a literature circle because Gretchen is so immersed in pop culture. One student could have the role of culture connoisseur, and find information on all of Gretchen’s collectables, psychotherapy references, and comic books. Another member could be a vocabulary enricher who would define some of the more complicated words used by the characters (ex. flummoxed). Three students could work as Kafka coordinators, explaining connections between the works and generating discussion questions. Each one of these students would only have to read one section of The Metamorphosis if it was not assigned to the whole class. Finally, a literary luminary could work to bring focus on specific speeches and parts of the text.
Ideas: A particularly important part of this novel which should be handled in a class discussion would be the speech given by Titus beginning on page 140. It deals with the importance of refraining from using the word “fag” or “faggot” in a casual and derogatory fashion. Many students today use the term “gay” in a similar fashion, which is dangerous because of the environment of intolerance it creates. I would recommend a discussion as opposed to a Socratic circle because, with such a sensitive topic, it may be necessary for the teacher to provide more guidance.
A before/during/after journal would be a great way for the students to interact with what they read and record ideas for a later discussion. Because Lockhart freely admits that the boys’ locker room scenes came completely from her imagination, it may be productive to have the boys voice their thoughts on the authenticity of the representation. Before the students read the novel, the girls can take time to write what goes on in a female locker room, away from the presence of males, and what they think goes on in a male one. The boys can write a similar response regarding their own experiences. While the scenes in the locker room are being read, students should record their reactions: Are the scenes believable? Accurate? Do they make the girls view boys differently? When the students complete the novel, they can discuss the boys’ locker room behavior, compare it to reality and see if the boys’ ideas of female locker rooms measure up to reality. Finally, students can write an after entry reflecting on anything they may have learned or any ways in which their viewpoints have been changed.
Title: Ark Angel
Author: Anthony Horowitz
Imprint: Speak
Publisher: Penguin
Copyright: 2006
Plot: Alex Rider is a government spy. He is 15 and a bit of a MacGuyver type. He unwittingly gets involved in a new assignment and finds himself going after “Force Three”: a previously unknown threat which has proved to be one of the most dangerous crime rings in the world.
Alex’s adventures involve protecting the teen son of one of the wealthiest men in the world; a man who hopes to increase his notoriety and bring Britain to the forefront of space technology by opening a hotel in space called Ark Angel.
Note: This book is book #6 in an ongoing series. It is not necessary, but may be slightly helpful, to read the previous books first.
Key Issues: This book encompasses several issues from emotional to environmental. One issue is the impact of advancing technology on wildlife. There are also some emotional/family issues addressed. Alex Rider is an orphan who has an adult name Jack (a woman) who has taken on a guardian role, but also a maternal role. Jack takes it upon himself to fill a protector role. He is sensitive and smart.
Paul, the son of the wealthy man, is a Richy Rich-type boy. He has places to live all over the world, with all the toys and gadgets a boy could ask for, but is totally estranged from his father, his mother is deceased, and he is home-schooled. He is depressed and friendless.
Warnings: This is a jam-packed action adventure that involves killing bad guys. There is violence, arson, and some foul language (although nothing too much more than S*@#).
Audience: This book is geared more for 12-16 year old boys; although I enjoyed it and girls who enjoy action stories would like it as well.
Teaching Ideas: The author of the books incorporates a spy gadget idea selected from a fan/reader in each story. Having a teaching unit researching some the world’s top intelligence agencies and giving a presentation on one may be fun; along with having students create their own spy gadget ideas and present them.
Another idea may be to research some current space project/satellite project ideas (like J.A.S.O.N. or the International Space Station (incorporates wildlife tracking via satellite)) and maybe have the students create their own bottle rockets and launch them one day.
Title: Crackback
Author: John Coy
Publisher: Scholastic
Copyright: 2005
Plot: This is the coming of age story of Miles Manning, a high school football player with the potential to play in college. The glue of the book is football, but in between practices and games Miles is faced with pressures from teammates, tension with his father and coaches, a school history project, and a new crush.
Key Issues: Peer pressure, drugs, dating, and the relationship of a teenage father and son
Warnings: This book is a scholastic book and does not contain any taboo subject matter. Drugs are addressed as is teenage partying, but not excessively and it is dealt with from the perspective of a teenage boy who has his head screwed on straight.
Audience: This book is geared more for 11-17 year old boys. Actual football defensive line plays are discussed in detail. Unless there are girls who are totally into football, this is not the book for them. (I liked it and actually learned a bit).
Teaching Ideas: Creating a family tree is something addressed in the book that would translate well into a class assignment. Having the kids make playbooks may be a way to get the athletes involved and maybe teach the non-athletes a bit more so they can appreciate the school games and create a sense of camaraderie.
Title: The Last Chance Texaco
Author: Brent Hartinger
Publisher/Imprint: Harper Tempest, an Imprint of Harper Collins Pub.
Copyright Date: 2004
Plot: Lucy Pitt, who has bounced from one foster home to another for the past eight years, now finds herself assigned to a group home. Kindle Home is only one step away from the juvenile detention center the “groupies” call Eat-Their-Young Island. Provoked by the taunting of a snobby clique, Lucy punches the most popular boy in school and is then forced to spend her afternoons helping him pick up trash around campus. Just as Lucy begins to feel truly cared for by the unconventional staff at Kindle Home, the government threatens to close the facility. When the neighborhood blames the juvenile delinquents at Kindle Home for a series of car fires, Lucy is determined to solve the mystery and catch the arsonist red-handed even if her actions land her on Eat-Their-Young Island.
Key Issues: Life in a group foster home, individual responsibility, romantic relationships
Warnings: Profanity; brief mentions of sex, homosexuality and suicide
Audience: Foster children, “at-risk” youth, high school students
Teaching Ideas: Though the characters are well-developed, the plot is riveting, and the moral issues addressed in this novel are poignant, I would not recommend it be taught in the classroom. Unfortunately, the dialogue is smattered with profanity. Students would certainly benefit from reading this book for pleasure outside of class, though.
Genre: Mystery, coming-of-age
Book Title: The Tales of Beedle the Bard
Author: J. K. Rowling
Publisher: Children’s High Level Group
Copyright Date: 2008
Plot: The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a compilation of fairy tales in which Rowling creates an antique feel by claiming that they were actually written by Beedle the Bard in the fifteenth century. In the Harry Potter series, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore bequeaths Hermione Granger the book in his will. According to this edition, Hermione translates the tales from the ancient runes and then provides Dumbledore's commentary that was alongside the actual text. The five tales all possess different morals and characters; many of the morals are similar to those one might find in Aesop's Fables or Grimm's Fairy Tales. Four out of the five tales are referenced in the Harry Potter series. The last story, "The Tale of the Three Brothers," is found in its entirety in the seventh book and plays a key role in the plot.
Each of the stories has its own plot. In the first story, “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot,” a young wizard must learn to put aside his dislike of muggles (non-magical people) and his selfishness in order to help others in need. “The Fountain of Fair Fortune” also contains protagonists who are forced to lay aside former ways of thought on their way to find a “magical” fountain that will give them better luck. In the end it turns out that the fountain contained no magical powers; the protagonists had “luck” within them all the time. In “The Warlock’s Hairy Heart,” the darkest of the tales, a warlock locks away his heart because he fears falling in love; once he decides to love again and to unlock his heart, he realizes that his heart has been darkened, and he kills himself and the one he chose to love. “Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump” is about a muggle king who hates magicians and who desires to exterminate them. In the end, however, the king is outsmarted by an old witch and thus repents. The final tale, “The Tale of the Three Brothers,” is about three brothers who encounter death and receive a gift from him. Each of the gifts end up leading to the demise of the brothers; however, the youngest and wisest brother controls his gift and is able to hand himself over to death when the time is right.
Key Issues: Although written about witches and wizards who use magic, the book constantly affirms that non-magical readers have the power within them to overcome difficult circumstances and to live selfless lives while helping others. Some specific key issues that Rowling addresses are avoiding arrogance, helping others in need, gratefulness, lying, prejudices, and greed.
Warnings: Parents and administrators would likely find little to complain about in this book. However, there is mild violence, murder, and use of magic. The preceding elements are used, however, to support higher morals and are not glorified. Parents and administrators who had a vendetta against the Harry Potter series, however, will likely dislike this book as well.
Teaching Ideas: Within the appropriate confines, teachers could use the book to compare and contrast the morals found within these tales with those round in traditional folklore and fairy tales. As a more creative writing assignment, teachers could have students rewrite a traditional fairy tale in a more modern setting or fantasy setting. For more artistic or musically inclined students, teachers could ask students to come up with a different theme song to go with each fairy tale, either one they write themselves or one that is already composed and then have the students explain how the song relates to the tale. For older students, teachers could have readers compare Tales to Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” and discuss how authors “antique” works and provide “staged” commentary for different purposes.
Audience: This book would be useful a whole class study for a younger (middle school) group of readers; however, older readers may only enjoy the book if they are avid Harry Potter fans. Thus, the book should be used as a recommendation for pleasure reading for older readers and/or as a small group study. Overall, readers who enjoyed Harry Potter and other books of the fantasy genre would likely enjoy Beedle the Bard. Those who are interested in mythology and folklore would also likely find interest in this book.
Title: Milkweed
Author: Jerry Spinelli
Publisher/Imprint: Alfred A. Knopf
Copyright Date: 2003
Plot: Set in Nazi-occupied Poland during WWII, Milkweed is told from the perspective of a homeless Gypsy boy. Misha, who remembers neither his parents nor his name, seeks shelter with a Jewish family confined to a walled-in Warsaw ghetto. The boy is a “smuggler,” sneaking through a hole in the ghetto’s wall each night to steal food for his family and the Jewish orphans. When the family is carted away by train to a concentration camp, Misha is left behind. He survives the war and immigrates to America, where he begins a family of his own.
Key Issues: The Holocaust, homelessness, orphans, survival
Warnings: Some derogatory phrases yelled by Nazis (“Jew dogs,” “filthy sons of Abraham”); descriptions of dead bodies; death; violence
Audience: Students studying the Holocaust or WWII, middle or high school students
Teaching Ideas: Because some students may not feel comfortable discussing race issues in front of a full classroom, I would suggest assigning this book to smaller literature circles. However, the content is appropriate for an entire class, and the novel is a winner of The Golden Kite Award.
Misha treasures the family history his friend creates for him. Have students fabricate positive stories about their classmates’ pasts and share them with each other.
Ask students to draw a map of the Warsaw ghetto based on the descriptions in the novel.
Genre: Historical fiction
Title: Gossip Girl
Author: Cecily von Ziegasar
Publisher/Imprint: Poppy
Copyright Date: 2002
Plot: A group of high school students begin their senior year and struggle to find acceptance, friendship, and to perform up to standard for the benefit of their reputations, upcoming college applications, and popularity. Serena van der Woodsen is the main character who returns to The Constance Billiard School for Girls after being kicked out of a private school in Europe for not returning to classes on time. The story of Serena and her friends revolve around the posts of Gossip Girl, an unknown figure who posts gossip about the group online. These posts both feed the popularity of Serena and cause her to lose friends, such as her former best friend Blair Waldorf (who is jealous of Serena because she is nervous that her boyfriend, Nate Archibald, likes Serena). While Serena is hurt by her former friends turning their backs on her, she does not let this stop her from having fun. Instead, she turns to former social outcasts, such as Dan and Jenny Humphrey and Vanessa Abrams (students she met when auditioning for a play, in hopes of boosting her college application). Throughout the book, readers watch as the high-schoolers party, drink, do drugs, smoke, and make out. Many of these activities occur on school nights and in interesting places such as hotel suites and the Met. Fashion, popularity, and “fabulosity” are all that concern these teenagers, and the author seems to promote and glorify these concerns. Rather than showing that there is more to life than being overly concerned with appearances and pop culture fascination, Gossip Girl glorifies the desire for a life of lavishness and ease, likely causing young readers to desire lifestyles beyond their grasp and to overlook more important aspects of life.
Key Issues: Acceptance, relationships, premarital sex, coming of age.
Warnings: The book is filled with drug use, alcohol use, and tobacco use. In addition, there are multiple scenes that discuss premarital sex, and there is one attempted rape scene. Parents and administrators would likely have many problems with this book, especially since the actions performed by these teenagers are constantly glorified and are never condemned by the author. The following is a typical scenario from the book: “So Blair and her friends could drink whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, as long as they kept up their grades and their looks. The same thing went for everything else, like sex or drugs – as long as you kept up appearances, you were all right” (6). The book is unrealistic because teenagers who partied as much as these did would be unable to keep up appearances; students in the classroom would likely be unable to do so either. However, the book implies that this is possible for not only the characters but also people in reality as well.
Audience: The book, if used, should only be used for older, more mature female readers. It is definitely a “chick lit” book, so males would likely dislike it. Teachers should be wary of recommending it, however, because of the “values” found within it. Recommending it as pleasure reading for students who are already watching the TV show could be a good idea, as it would perhaps spark an interest in reading.
Teaching Ideas: I strongly recommend that this book not be used in a classroom setting. If it is used, parents should be asked to sign a waiver, being aware of the contents of the book. Then, it could likely only be used for pleasure reading, not as a class study.
Title: Stealing Henry
Author: Carolyn MaCullough
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
Copyright Date: 2005
Plot: Stealing Henry is a coming-to-terms story of a teenage girl disillusioned with her own mother and looking to escape from an abusive stepfather. During one of her stepfather’s drunken fits, Savannah “brains” him with a frying pan and decides to leave home for good, taking her 8-year-old brother Henry with her. The reader follows Savannah and Henry on their journey back to their mother‘s hometown. Throughout the book, several chapters flash back to their mother Alice’s childhood in Portland Maine and explain how Alice met Savannah’s father Noah, a young black teen from Savannah Georgia who spent a summer in Portland. The two fell in love, but Noah was persuaded to leave town shortly after Alice became pregnant. Alice left home shortly thereafter and never returned. Savannah spent most of her young life roaming from town to town with her mother, changing schools while her mother struggled to support her. Despite the instability in their lives, Savannah adored her mother and was enchanted by her mother’s carefree and optimistic outlook. One day, when their old car breaks down on the highway for what seems like the last time, the two meet Jack. Alice marries Jack and from there, we learn that Savannah and her mother endure verbal and physical abuse by Jack, who turned out to be a belligerent alcoholic. One night, while Alice is working her night shift and Jack is drinking again, Savannah decides she must leave, and she takes her brother Henry with her. The rest of the story follows Savannah and Henry as they flee from home and authorities. In the end, they are found and while Henry returns home, Savannah stays with an aunt in Portland in the home where her mother grew up. It is unclear what the future holds for her.
Key Issues: Stealing Henry touches on several issues that may be of interest to young adult readers, including child abuse, biracial relationships, and teenage pregnancy.
Warnings: There is extreme profanity is some places and one incident of underage drinking.
Audience: This book would be ideal for young adults over age 16, primarily because of the mature themes and language. I think it would appeal to both girls and boys because the book touches on issues relatable to both genders. Savannah’s friends in the book are also male, which may appeal to boys.
Teaching Ideas: I would not recommend teaching this book in class primarily because of its profanity. While it was an interesting read and some of the themes, like Savannah’s complicated relationships with family and friends, may be relatable for some students, parents and administrators would likely find some of the language offensive.
If somehow a teacher could circumvent this problem, some teaching ideas may include:
1. At the end of the novel, Savannah carves her mother’s name Alice on the windowsill, next to her own name which her mother had carved many years ago. Why do you think Savannah does this? What do you think will happen to Savannah? Will she go home to her former life or find her own way? What do you think the future holds for her? Write an essay and explain.
2. There is a prospective romance between Savannah and her friend Matt, which is never realized in the novel. We know Matt cares for Savannah a great deal. Pretend you are Savannah and write a one-page entry in a journal describing your feelings for Matt.
Title: Invisible
Author: Pete Hautman
Publisher/Imprint: Simon Pulse (Imprint of Simon & Schuster’s Children’s Publishing Division)
Copyright Date: 2005
Plot: Pete Hautman’s Invisible tells the story of a teenage boy named Douglas who in the grief following a best friend’s death, loses his touch with reality. It is not until the end of the novel that we learn that Douglas’ best friend Andy, whom Douglas talks to and about throughout the novel, had died in a fire three years before. Douglas, who is hated by the girl of his dreams at school and beat up by boys for “stalking” the girl, finds an escape in an expansive railroad model that he is building in his basement. In his mind, Douglas also relies on his friendship with Andy to help him cope with his problems. He is an only child and misunderstood by his militant and unaffectionate parents. In the end, Douglas retaliates by calling in a bomb threat to the school, but he thinks that his dead friend Andy has done it. He is seen by witnesses making the call, and through interrogations with the police and his psychiatrist, he is forced to realize it was really him. Douglas’ parents are forced to move him to a school for mentally ill children, but on the morning he is set to leave for his new school, Douglas burns down his railroad model and burns himself. The novel ends with Douglas being treated in a hospital burn unit, where Douglas finds Andy at his bedside. Douglas asks Andy if he was “really there all the time.” Andy answers “You’re my best friend. I will never leave you.”
Key issues: Invisible deals with a number of young adult issues, including grief and loss, mental illness, bullying, and social outcasts.
Warnings: The mental illness theme, while conveyed in a relatively light and direct manner, may overall be a bit heavy for younger readers.
Audience: Invisible would be suitable for all young adults. The issues are relatable from both a girl or a boy’s point of view, as they deal with death, grief, self-doubt, and social acceptance.
Teaching Ideas:
1. Letter writing - Douglas struggles to accept his best friend Andy’s death. Pretend you are Douglas and write a letter to Andy, explaining why you are ready (or not ready) to let him go.
2. Poetry - Write a poem about the unlikely friendship between Douglas and Andy.
Title: Things Change
Author: Patrick Jones
Publisher/Imprint: Walker & Company/ New York
Copyright Date: 2004
Plot: The book focuses primarily on Johanna’s experiences through her junior year of high school, particularly her relationship with Paul. It demonstrates her transition from being somewhat nerdy and insecure, and how her connection with Paul leads her to find more confidence and even helps her create a few friendships along the way. The story slowly reveals that her dream guy is actually more of an abusive partner than a great catch. Mostly, the novel depicts how this relationship has a negative affect on Johanna and the actions she takes to correct these areas, such as her studies, her relationship with her parents, and even her friendships.
Key Issues: High school adventures of dating and the delicate balancing between social life and responsibilities. Abusive relationships and the impact they have.
Warnings: There are not many graphic descriptions, but physical and emotional abuse is presented as a major theme. The topic of sex is also included; some of the teenagers discuss their experiences. There is also limited profanity, but it seems to be appropriate considering the context in which it is used.
Audience: This would not serve as a good book for the entire classroom (I foresee parental issues). However, it would be a great book for a teen with a troubled family life, especially someone who may be dealing with abusive situations. On a smaller scale it may have some relevance of simple hardships of transitioning into adulthood, such as choosing a college or a path after high school graduation.
Teaching Ideas: This is an emotional book, so my recommendation is to have students write a short story or personal essay. Perhaps have them reflect on a time in their life when they had to overcome some challenge in a relationship or friendship. Also, letter writing is used consistently throughout the novel as a way of communicating; it would be a really good idea to have students write a letter from the perspective of one of the characters.
Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher/Imprint: Scholastic Press/ New York
Copyright Date: 2008
Plot: The fantasy novel centers on Katniss and her story of survival. The journey becomes more amplified once Katniss is entered as a contestant in the Hunger Games. Basically, the Hunger Games consist of a brutal annual contest -similar to a violent version of the Olympics- where the chosen children fight against one another in a deadly battle. The majority of the novel is dedicated to depicting the various strategies of survival, but an additional facet is revealed as the love story unravels between Katniss and her teammate, Peeta.
Key Issues: Death is the most prominent issue and includes death of animals, family members and even children. Love is also one of the dominating themes, particularly love between family and the bonds that are created under extreme situations. A Political aspect is also evident in the Capital’s strong control of the lives of everyone in the region.
Warnings: Graphic, graphic, and more graphic violence! The idea of death is also frequently presented and may not be suitable for young readers. There is some mention of alcohol usage, but probably not enough to stand out in comparison to the violence.
Audience: The book is borderline suitable for classroom reading for either boys or girls (perhaps with parental permission). Anyone interested in fantasy books, competitive avenues or even the reality show “Survivor”, may be especially interested in this literature.
Teaching Ideas: The character development is very important throughout the novel, so any activity devoted to further understanding of that subject would be appropriate. It would be wise to have students divide into small groups for discussion, maybe even create a biopoem of one character, and have the groups present their results to the class. For a fun twist, students could act out certain passages once they have discussed the characters in more detail.
Title: Stargirl
Author: Jerry Spinelli
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf, Random House, Inc.
Copyright Date: 2000
Plot: Jerry Spinelli tells the story of a high school boy, Leo Borlock. In the opening chapter of the story Leo appears as a somewhat average teenager, but one who, on his 14th birthday (in the past), receives a mysterious package with a porcupine tie to add to his “collection” from an anonymous person. After this mysterious first chapter, readers are brought to present-day in which Leo is a junior in high school. On the first day of classes Leo’s classmates are astir over strange new girl in school whom Leo discovers is called “Stargirl.” From the outset, Stargirl appears anything but average, wearing long “hippy” clothes, carrying an ukele on her back and a pet rat named Cinnamon in her schoolbag. However, Leo’s curiosity leads him to build a relationship between himself and Stargirl. Throughout their time together, Leo struggles to maintain his former lifestyle and friends while still getting to know and enjoying the quirky lifestyle he leads while with Stargirl. Eventually, the pair are “shunned” by their peers, (an extreme form of silent treatment) and Leo must choose who he will become by the end of the novel and inevitably deal with the consequences of his decision.
Key Issues: Peer pressure; finding/keeping friends; going against the grain; finding yourself
Warnings: I have no warnings against this book. The language of the book is absolutely suitable for children in 6th grade or higher and the content is likewise well monitored.
Audience: The book would probably be most suitable for early high school students whom I feel may be really struggling with identity crises and the issues of finding out who “I” really am. Older readers may find the language of the story a little juvenile, but the content may interest them. It is not an action-packed book, which sometimes left me a little bored, but there is a great deal of character development which many students may find relatable.
Teaching Ideas: I think this could be a great book for students to read as a class and perhaps discuss in small groups during a unit on the “self.” It could be a great book to start the year with if you plan to do a lot of focusing on characters, character development, discussions about how/why characters are as they are and do as they do, etc. An example of a book with which Stargirl might work is The Scarlet Letter and in particular Hester Prynn and her shunning from her town, but her insistence on maintaining the identity of the scarlet letter. I think Stargirl would be a good jumping-off point for getting students to relate to a character and talk about why they would/wouldn’t do as the characters in the story chose to do in a setting much like their own. From this book you could move to situations and circumstances that are more separate from their own lives, but the practice will have hopefully helped them to be able to do so more easily.
Title: The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening
Author: L.J. smith
Publisher/Imprint: Harper Collins Publishers
Copyright Date: 1991
Plot:
Elena Gilbert is a typical high-school beauty queen. Every girl in school envies her, and every boy wants to be with her. She's never failed in getting what she wants- until a new guy arrives. Stephan is handsome and mysterious. When he won't give Elena the time of day, she is determined to find a way into his heart. With the help of her friends, her beauty, and her power as queen of the school, she grows closer to Stephan.
Instead of the simple, romantic relationship she was expecting, Elena discovers Stephan has a horrifyingly dark past, and finds herself in terrifying situations she never thought possible.
Key Issues:
Unorthodox Love- Elena, a human, and Stephan, a vampire, fall in love.
Although the situation is not ideal, the couple seems destined to be together. Their love is tested as a number of situations arise- Stephan is completely in love with Elena, but must resist any natural urges to sink his teeth into her neck. Stephan’s brother Damon uses his power to try and persuade Elena to love him instead.
Sex and Dating- When Stephan doesn’t seem to notice Elena’s advances in the beginning of the novel, she tries to make him jealous by going out with Tyler Smallwood the night of the prom. Sexual situations arise when Tyler violently tries to make moves on Elena, while their friends have fun of their own nearby.
Isolation- Before the start the novel, Elena’s parents were killed in a car crash. As a result of her being an orphan, Elena feels isolated from the rest of the world, despite being the most popular girl in school. Her diary entries provided throughout the story give you a glimpse into her thoughts as she describes her loneliness and feelings of dread. Stephan also feels isolated as he begins attending a high school, knowing he has a dark secret, and no one to talk to. The only member of his family still alive from hundreds of years ago is his brother Damon, who is also his enemy.
Warnings:
There is a moderate amount of violence and death involving both humans and vampires throughout the story. There is a bit of sex mentioned, and a scene that could possibly be interpreted as attempted rape. Witchcraft and voodoo are also present in the novel.
Audience:
I would recommend this book to girls in the 7th through the 10th grade.
Those who enjoyed the Twilight Series, and who are looking for additional vampire novels, may enjoy this book. I would advise that The Vampire Diaries is not as good of quality as Twilight, but may be an agreeable alternative.
Teaching Ideas:
1) Pick a supporting character such as Bonnie, Damon, or Caroline, and write a scene from their point of view. For example, rewrite the scene as told from Bonnie’s point of view when she discovers that Mr. Tanner has been murdered at the school’s haunted house. Or, write from Damon’s point of view when he’s watching Elena for the first time in the beginning of the novel.
2) Create a soundtrack to accompany the book. For example, what song is playing when Elena and Stephan kiss for the first time? What song is playing in the background at the prom when Elena sees that Stephan has arrived with Caroline? Is it a scary or sad song playing at the end when Elena realizes that Damon has hurt or killed Stephan? Provide 5 different scenes with 5 different songs, and provide an explanation of why you picked the song and what kind of tone you are trying to convey.
3) Write a diary entry for the end of the novel that Elena might have written. What does she think happened to Stephan? Does she believe he’s still alive? What did she do after she left the cemetery? What does she want to say to Damon if she finds him? What else is she thinking?
Tags: Vampire, Romance, Horror, High School, Revenge
Title: Sloppy Firsts
Author: Megan McCafferty
Publisher/Imprint: Three Rivers Press
Copyright Date: 2001
Plot:
After her best friend, Hope, moves away, sarcastic and overly critical Jessica Darling has to deal with the chaos, drama, and awkwardness of high school without the company of the only person who truly understands her. Her sophomore year is filled with materialistic friends she doesn’t really like, a cute senior boy whom she does like, but doesn’t know she exists, and an annoyingly enthusiastic dad who is determined to train her to become an Olympic track & field gold medalist. It’s a fun, honest, and witty novel that anyone who went to high school can relate to.
Key Issues:
Coming of Age- Jessica endures a number of coming of age issues that she describes in her journal entries. She dances with an older boy at her sister’s wedding, and ends up kissing him after they have drifted away from the party. Jessica must make a decision when the boy asks for a little more. Near the end of the novel, Jessica mulls over the possibility of losing her virginity to Marcus Flutie. She makes a list of pros and cons, as she tries to figure out whether or not it’s a good idea.
Friendship- Hope moving away from Pineville has had a terrible impact on Jessica. Without her best friend by her side, she feels even more out of place at school. Jessica writes several letters to Hope throughout the novel sharing gossip about the Clueless Crew, the latest news about her senior crush, and how much she misses her. Jessica spends now must spend her time with the aforementioned Clueless Crew- a group of girls who lack intelligence and who are far too concerned with their looks. Jessica hardly considers these girls her friends in the beginning of the novel, but grows closer to some near the end.
Love- Jessica spends most of her track practice gazing across the field at cute senior Paul Parlipiano. She devises subtle plans to get Paul to notice her, and discovers a secret about him that may change her mind.
Meanwhile, Marcus Flutie, a former friend of Hope’s late brother, is playing games with Jessica’s head. He flirts with her, ignores her, flirts with her, and ignores her again. After Jessica finally convinces him to stop the charade, the two have an interestingly sweet relationship, and she begins to worry what this will do to her and Hope’s friendship.
Warnings: There is a good deal of sex mentioned, as well as profanity. The novel also deals with Hope’s brother, Heath who died of a drug overdose, and also mentions drug use pertaining to Heath’s friend, and possible love interest of Jessica, Marcus Flutie.
Audience: Any girls in the upper high school level would enjoy this book. Although the story takes place in high school, I would even recommend it to girls at the college level. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to
boys, but they may appreciate the humor and wit of the novel.
Teaching Ideas:
1) The novel provides several letters written from Jessica to Hope. Write a letter that Hope might have written to Jessica in response to one of those letters. Include details about what is going on in Hope’s life, and responses to the information that Jessica provided.
2) Write the next journal entry that Jessica might have written after the end of the story. What did the two friends do when Hope arrived? Does Jessica go through with telling her about Marcus Flutie? How did Hope react?
3) In the novel, Jessica describes her friends’ bedrooms and what the decor says about their personality. Hope’s old room has flowery wallpaper covered with drawings and sketches. A funeral mass card sits next to
photos of her brother. Bridget’s room is more like a shrine to her boyfriend. Jessica’s room is full of track trophies and photos of her and Hope. Write a paragraph about what your bedroom looks like and what it says about you. Do the same for a friend’s bedroom.
Tags: Jessica Darling, Megan McCafferty, Chick Lit, Contemporary Fiction, Coming of Age
Title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Author: J.K. Rowling
Publisher/Imprint: Scholastic Press
Copyright Date: 2007
Plot: For his 7th year at Hogwarts School, Harry doesn't actually attend school. Instead, he is on the run from the Dark Lord Voldemort and his army of Death Eaters, who are slowly overthrowing the Wizard government and instituting a regime of fear and hatred. Harry races against time to destroy the Horcruxes that will allow Voldemort to be defeated once and for all.
Key Issues: The final Harry Potter book is also the most mature, since J.K. Rowling expected her audience to grow up as the books were released. Therefore, the book deals with some very serious issues such as racism, eugenics, murder, death, and ineffective or evil government/regimes. But the book contains an equal number of valuable lessons, including the importance of friendship and cooperation and self-reliance, self-sacrifice, forgiveness, redemption, and a good education.
Warnings: This being a Harry Potter book, the most obvious warning would be to keep in mind that the book is about witches and wizards. If your class contains any particularly religious students (or any students with particularly religious parents) they might protest the witchcraft in the book. The book also contains a few violent scenes, including a few scenes of murder.
Audience: This book is good for any young adult, especially those who have read the whole series. It might not appeal to students who are completely unfamiliar with the series. From a learning perspective and not just a reading perspective, students from 7th grade up would probably be the most appropriate.
Teaching Ideas: If you are going to teach just one Harry Potter book, this would not be a good choice. Too many students would be so unfamiliar with the series that they would not benefit from the book. However, if you teach more than one Harry Potter book, this one could potentially be the second. This book lends itself particularly well to lessons involving ancient mythology and Arthurian legend, since much of Rowling's fantasy world borrows heavily from these sources. It might also be good for vocabulary, as Rowling uses Latin and Greek roots to "invent" the names of her spells and characters. It would be cool to show students how to use roots and prefixes/suffixes to invent words with certain definitions, or how to deduce the definition of words based on their roots by comparing them to other words they know (even if the words come from a Harry Potter book).
Title: The Declaration
Author: Gemma Malley
Publisher/Imprint: Bloomsbury USA
Copyright Date: 2007
Plot: In the utopic/dystopic future, man has found the cure for aging and most people now use immortality drugs to stay the same age forever. However, to prevent overpopulation, anyone who chooses immortality must sign The Declaration forbidding them to have children. Any children born to immortals are called "surplusses," and are rounded up and kept in child labor camps away from society. The book follows Anna, an initially obedient surplus, and newcomer Peter, who eventually brings Anna to the realization that her existence is not her fault and that she deserves a chance at a real life.
Key Issues: The book deals with issues such as overpopulation, totalitarianism, child labor, and in a round-about way abortion (unplanned/unwanted children). The book teaches lessons such as not judging people based on the sins of their parents, the importance of having loving parents, and the problems caused to society when people care only about themselves (those that take the immortality drugs).
Warnings: Overall, the book is pretty tame. There is no sex, no outright violence, and nothing particularly controversial. There are some scenes where the kids are treated rather poorly in the child labor facility, but nothing crazy or shocking. Overall, this is a safe book to teach in a classroom.
Audience: As an adult, I found some parts of the book to be a bit cliché and boring, but younger readers would probably not even notice this. Students 6th grade and up would benefit the most from this book. However, in the upper grades (11th or 12th) you'd probably be better off with more significant dystopic fiction, such as Brave New World or 1984.
Teaching Ideas: This book would be a perfect lead-in to classics such as Brave New World or 1984. If students read this book and enjoy it they would definitely be more receptive to those classics. This book would also be good for a discussion on important issues such as abortion due to the children being seen as surpluses and "disposed of."
Title: The City of Ember
Author: Jeanne Du Prau
Publisher/Imprint: Yearling, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
Copyright Date: 2003
Plot: This novel centers on the lives of two twelve-year-olds, Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow. They live in a city called Ember, which is “the only light in a dark world.” The city is lit with lightbulbs and run by a generator; however, no one knows how exactly the generator works. Outside of the city is covered in darkness, called the Unknown Regions. The City of Ember has a problem: the generator randomly stops working and the city is covered in complete and total darkness for several minutes at a time and that’s not all—there are whispers that they are running out of supplies and food. The story begins on Lina’s and Doon’s last day of school, when everyone in the city is assigned a job. Lina and Doon each get stuck with jobs they don’t like, so Doon suggests a trade. Lina is able to have the job she has always wanted, a messenger, which will allow her to explore every nook and cranny of the city. Doon now works in the Pipeworks, which he hopes will bring him in close proximity to the generator so he can figure out how it works in order to fix it and help save the city. As the city’s panic grows and the blackouts occur more and more frequently, both of their jobs lead them to discover things about the city that no one else knows—including the shady dealings of the mayor and people stealing from the supply rooms. When Lina finds some old and incomplete instructions left by the Builders, the people who built the city over two hundred years ago, she and Doon work together to find out what the broken and unfamiliar words could possibly mean. Deciphering the message from the builders will lead Lina and Doon on an adventure in which they must defy the corrupt authority vested in the mayor and leave their city, along everything and everyone they have ever known, behind.
Key Issues: Coming of age—when Lina and Doon turn twelve, their lives become dramatically different. They each have the responsibility of a job now, and both must work to support themselves and their family. Their new responsibilities lead them to view their city and its government in a new light, so to speak. Doon also must learn to deal with his temper, as he learns gradually throughout the book that his outbursts always come with negative consequences. With the death of her only elder relative, Granny, Lina that she is now a mother figure to her sister, Poppy, and what happens to her sister is essentially up to her. Defying Authority—when Lina and Doon find out that their own mayor is stealing from the city and the people of Ember to guarantee his own safety and well-being, they try to find a way to notify the rest of the citizens of Ember at any cost, even if it puts them in danger. Family—The novel explores the relationships between unconventional families, including Lina, Granny, and Poppy. With the death of her grandmother, Lina and her sister are taken in by Mrs. Murdo, a woman who has acted as a substitute family member to the girls since the death of her parents. Doon and his father also have a complex relationship; Doon consistently feels as though he must prove himself to his father in order to make him proud, although his father makes no indication during the novel that Doon must do so in order to deserve his love.
Warnings: There are no warnings to speak of in this novel. It is extremely mild with no cursing or other risqué themes and behaviors.
Audience: Early middle school or younger, ages 9-12. This novel would be appropriate for a sixth grader or perhaps an older middle school student on a lower reading level. However, the adventurous feel of the novel makes it a fun and exciting read for all ages.
Teaching Ideas: Students could participate in Assignment Day, in which they must randomly draw an assignment out of a hat. They then would write a response, explaining in detail their reaction to the job (positive or
negative) and how they would handle having that job and no other for the next three years.
Also: Lina and Doon each believe they have their own special talents. Lina loves to draw, and Doon likes to figure out how things work by studying them, taking them apart, and putting them back together. Students could write a few paragraphs which describe what they like to do, or what they think their special talent is, and why.
Title: This Lullaby
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher/Imprint: Speak, an Imprint of Penguin Group
Copyright Date: 2002
Plot: This Lullaby is the coming of age story of Remy, a high school senior whose definition of love is formulated by her absent father and her mother (who has just been married for the fifth time).
Remy knows how to manage relationships – she dates a guy for three to six months then breaks up with him, thus ensuring that she will never experience a broken heart. However, Remy meets Dexter, a quirky musician, who begins to show her that love exists.
Throughout the novel, Remy is torn between breaking up with Dexter and staying in a relationship with him. Eventually, she ends their relationship, but she is bereft. After dating another boy, Remy comes to the realization that the search for true love may involve heart break, and if she ever wants to experience love, she must open her heart and make herself vulnerable.
Eventually, Remy discovers the true meaning of love, reunites with Dexter, and becomes a stronger individual.
Key Issues: This Lullaby is fully concerned with discovering the true definition of love and the exploration of how to express love. The main character learns that love may involve heartbreak and that truly loving another person makes one vulnerable; however, the danger of vulnerability is well worth the reward of experiencing love.
Warnings: 1. The main character, Remy, flits from boy to boy and sleeps with almost all of them. 2. Curse words are liberally sprinkled throughout this work (including the “f-word”). 3. The main character and her friends frequently participate in underage drinking and become very intoxicated several times throughout the course of the novel.
Audience: This Lullaby is intended for high school girls, and, while ninth or tenth grade girls would like the book, I would suggest it for more mature and older high school girls due to its language and content.
Teaching Ideas: 1. Instruct students to re-write a key passage of the novel from Dexter’s (or another character’s) point of view. 2. Have students identify the various parts of the story’s plot (initial incident, rising action, falling action, etc.). 3. Ask the students what Remy’s mother’s book symbolizes and what it reveals about the characters. 4. Have students write their own lullaby. They can write lyrics to accompany an existing sound track, or they can create an original song. 5. Ask students to create discussion questions, which are centered around the book’s themes (love, anger, forgiveness, etc.). Then, arrange the students into a literary circle and ask them to engage in a student lead discussion about the novel’s themes.
Title: Elsewhere
Author: Gabrielle Zevin
Publisher/Imprint: Square Fish, an Imprint of Holtzbrinck Publishers
Copyright Date: 2005
Plot: Elsewhere is the story of Elizabeth Hall who, at the age of fifteen, is struck and killed by a taxi cab. Upon her death, Elizabeth, otherwise known as Liz, awakes to find herself on a large cruise ship, which is filled with an overwhelming amount of old people. During the course of the cruise, Liz learns that she is dead. Eventually, the cruise ship docks at a place called “Elsewhere,” and Liz goes to live with her grandmother. During the next four months, Liz struggles to come to terms with her untimely death and decides to visit the Well, a place located deep in the ocean that enables the dead to make contact with the living. Liz’s attempt to contact her family results in an arrest by detective Owen Welles. After arresting Liz, Owen visits her at work. Slowly, their relationship becomes romantic. One day, Owen’s wife, Emily, comes to Elsewhere, which effectively ends Liz and Owen’s relationship. Liz then decides that she wants to return to Earth under the Sneaker Clause, which states that anyone can return to Earth during their first year in Elsewhere. Liz attempts to return, but she becomes lost. In the meantime, Owen and Emily end their relationship. Owen sets out to rescue Liz. He is successful and brings her back to Elsewhere. Liz and Owen remain together through the duration of their life in Elsewhere, and when they become children they are returned to Earth, thus continuing the cycle of life.
Key Issues: Ultimately, Elsewhere is about death – the cycle of life, the grieving process, and each person’s journey to come to terms with death. Revenge is another heavy theme that is laced throughout Elsewhere. Throughout the novel, Liz grapples with the fact that the man who killed her goes unpunished. The theme of revenge turns to the idea of forgiveness, as Liz learns to forgive the man who killed her.
Warnings: 1. Elsewhere does contain some bad language. Overall, there is little language in the novel – curse words are used sporadically, and the “f” word is never used. 2. This novel also contains some sexual content with the main character watching her parents have sex and, later, watching two teenagers have sex. However, there is absolutely no description of what she sees. 3. Finally, Elsewhere is fully concerned with death, which may make it difficult for teenagers who are struggling with the death of a loved one.
Audience: While Elsewhere proves to be entertaining to the occasional young male, this book is largely intended to be read by girls. More specifically, I would recommend this book for girls in grades seven thru 10.
Teaching Ideas: 1. Comparing and contrasting Elsewhere with Hamlet (or another classic) could prove interesting, as both works deal with the idea of revenge. 2. Have students journal about their experiences with death and what advice they would give someone who has just lost a loved one. 3. Have students write their own eulogy in which they identify the things for which they want to be remembered. 4. Have students identify the passage in which Liz experiences an epiphany. 5. Then, have students detail why Liz is a dynamic character. 6. Ask students to identify an example of each kind of character – flat, round, dynamic, static, and stock.
Title: Wicked: Witch and Curse
Author: Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
Publisher/Imprint: Simon Pulse/An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division Copyright Date: Witch: 2002, Curse: 2003
Plot: Holly Cathers is on a whitewater rafting trip with her parents, who seem to be on the brink of divorce, and her best friend, Tina, when tragedy strikes. Holly’s parents, Tina, and the guide all drown as a result of a sudden, violent storm. Somehow, Holly survives, and through a series of eerie events, has no other choice but to leave San Francisco live with her aunt’s family, whom she has never heard of nor met. Soon after arriving in Seattle, Holly discovers that she is a witch, a descendant of the ancient magical family of the Cahors, which also makes her part of a deadly family feud that has lasted for centuries with another wizarding family, the ruthless and evil Deveraux. Sometimes, she completely loses her identity and is possessed by Isabeau, one of her ancestors who was married to a Deveraux, Jean, in an attempt at a tentative peace between the families and in hopes of producing the most powerful union in the magical world. Despite Isabeau’s and Jean’s love, their marriage ended in both of their deaths as a result of their family’s treachery and the infamous conjuring of the Black Fire. When Holly meets Jer Deveraux in Seattle, she feels an instant connection and learns that he, also, is mysteriously connected with his ancestor. They fall uncontrollably in love, and must risk everything in order to end the feud between their families and stop Jer’s father, Michael, from killing them all in a quest to exterminate all remaining members of the Cahors family by conjuring the Black Fire once more.
Key Issues: Identity—When Holly finds out she is a witch, she fights the urge to run away from her new life and decides to embrace it. She discovers that she has more power inside of herself than she ever dreamed possible. She walks a fine line between being good and evil in order to avoid losing who she was before she knew she was a witch. Family—When Holly loses her parents, her best friend, and her aunt to the evil machinations of Michael Deveraux, she creates a makeshift family for herself out of her uncle, cousins, and friends, most of them eventually becoming part of her coven.
Holly will do anything, even sacrifice her cousin’s own familiar, Hecate, in order to protect the remaining family she has.
Warnings: I would not recommend this book to be taught to a class or given to an individual student to read during SSR or for pleasure reading. Aside from witchcraft, to which many parents already seem to object, it contains cursing, evil/devil worship, murder, animal and human sacrifice, and adultery. This book does not contain the same kind of benign witchcraft and wizardry one might find in a Harry Potter novel.
Audience: Because of the adult themes that run throughout this novel, it should probably only be read by juniors in high school and older. The protagonist, Holly Cathers, is a senior in high school at the beginning of Witch. Give it to kids any younger and you might risk scarring (seriously, I had nightmares as a result of this novel).
Teaching Ideas: As I would not recommend teaching this novel on a small or large scale, it is impossible to think of ways one might teach it in a classroom setting.
Title: Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment
Author: James Patterson
Publisher/Imprint: Little, Brown and Company
Copyright Date: 2005
Plot: The book follows the lives of a group of 6 children who have been genetically altered to possess the DNA of birds, enabling them to have wings so that they can fly. An organization called “The School” attempts to find these children and continue experimenting on them, forcing the children constantly to run from them. Maximum Ride is the name of the 14 year-old girl who acts as leader to this group of children, whose names are Angel, Iggy, Fang, Gasman, and Nudge. The children are running from creatures called “Erasers” which are children who have been genetically altered with wolf DNA, enabling them to transform into wolves to better chase Max and her family. Max and the others simply run from the Erasers for the whole book. Because of the plot, this book would fall into the genre of action/adventure and sci-fi.
Key Issues: This book contains themes related to family dynamics, the abduction of children, and genetic manipulation.
Warnings: This book contains cursing and violence. Violence, here, means not only physical fighting, but also gun violence and other weapon usage. At one point in the book, the characters mention that perhaps Fang’s mom was “addicted to crack.” So, because of these references, this book is definitely not going to be easy to teach.
Audience: While James Patterson’s website lists this book for children ages 8 and up, I would not recommend it to anyone under the age of 12, because of the violence and cursing. Both boys and girls would enjoy reading this book because it is fast-paced and exciting. While the main character is a female, there are enough male characters and action to keep boys very interested.
Teaching Ideas: This book would be very difficult to teach in a class setting simply because of the cursing and violence; however, if the teacher is able to justify the teaching of the book, there are some things that can be done with it. First, the teacher can have the students perform research of genetic manipulation and discuss in class, either in small groups or a larger class setting whether or not they feel that it is positive or negative, and why. The teacher could have the students do a written research assignment on the same topic and have them turn their ideas into a paper rather than an aloud discussion, or the teacher can do both a paper and a discussion on that topic. Additionally, for something a little more creative, the teacher can have the students go through the book, highlighting the arguments both for and against genetic manipulation. Using only what appears in the book, the students could then split into two groups, one that argues for genetic manipulation, and one that argues against it. The students could also discuss how James Patterson feels about genetic manipulation and what does the text reveal about his view. In addition, the teacher can discuss point-of-view with the class, as the whole book is from Max’s perspective, talking about why Patterson would choose to have her be the narrator and what information the reader is missing because of this choice. Maximum Ride also has its own website at where students can create themselves into one of the children in the book. Using this, the teacher could have the students create a character for homework, print out their character, and bring it into class to discuss why they chose what they did.
Title: Maximum Ride: School’s Out Forever
Author: James Patterson
Publisher/Imprint: Little, Brown and Company
Copyright Date: 2006
Plot: This is the second book in the Maximum Ride series that follows the lives of Max, Angel, Fang, Iggy, Gasman, and Nudge as they try to stay one-step ahead of the School and the Erasers trying to capture them. The children meet interesting characters and Iggy comes face to face with his biological parents. For the most part, the plot of this second book is the same as the first one in that they are still running for their lives, but much more is revealed about each character and Max begins to discover truths about herself and the people she thought she could trust.
Key Issues: This book contains themes related to family dynamics, the abduction of children, genetic manipulation, and both a negative and positive side of the American government.
Warnings: This book contains only one or two instances of cursing. The violence, however, is still very much there, along with psychological manipulation.
Audience: As with the first book in this series, I would not recommend it to anyone under the age of 12, because of the violence. Again, with the first book in the series, this book will also appeal to both boys and girls.
Teaching Ideas: This book would be much easier to teach than the second because the cursing is mostly gone except for one or two instances of cursing. Again, like the first book, the teacher can have the students perform research of genetic manipulation and discuss in class, either in small groups or a larger class setting whether or not they feel that it is positive or negative, and why, using this topic as a formal writing assignment as well. For an alternative assignment that is more creative, the teacher can use what is directly in the text. There is one point in the work, where Angel, the youngest, uses her powers and manipulates the President of the United States into giving money to the school system rather than spending it on military enhancement. Using this instance in the text, the teacher could have her students say what they would have the President do if they could do manipulate him and why. The teacher could also have the students write a letter to the President arguing the reasons behind their choice. The letter would act as a writing assignment, enabling students to learn the format of letters, but then, also prevent them from suggesting something to the President that they could not logically argue. There is also a point in the text where Iggy finally meets his biological parents. The teacher could have the students look at this part in the text and talk about their reactions to it. For a writing assignment, the students could pretend to be Iggy writing to his parents saying why he is leaving them. This allows the students to understand the character a little better while changing the point-of-view of the text from Max to Iggy in the classroom briefly. In addition, there is a point in the text where Max has to physically fight a different embodiment of her. The teacher could have the students discuss what they would do if they were in the same situation as Max, faced with a scary and important decision like that, then branching out the topic from being about fighting “oneself” physically to fighting oneself emotionally/inwardly and how they come to make important decisions in general, using one specific moment in his/her life.
Title: Leaving Protection
Author: Will Hobbs
Publisher/Imprint: HarperTrophy, An Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers
Copyright Date: 2004
Plot: 16 year old Robbie Daniels leaves his family and his floathouse home on the edge of the isolated Port Protection in Alaska to seek the small fortune to be had as a deckhand on the salmon boat of a highliner during the lucrative king salmon season. After an initial stroke of bad luck finding a ship captain, he stumbles upon the Storm Petral, captained by third generation Norweigian Salmon Fisherman Tor Torsen. Torsen reluctantly agrees to take Robbie on to Robbie’s initial delight. Soon after fishing begins Robbie finds himself enthralled with the sheer thrill of adventure to be found with Torsen’s revelation of a treasure other than fish that he is really seeking off the ports of the Gulf of Alaska. Robbie’s initial delight with this trip however soon transforms into an ominous sense of impending danger as he realizes Tor’s ruthless nature and he begins to seek a way to get off the boat and away from the crazed treasure hunter. This is an excellent adventure book.
Key Issues: The only really significant key issues that Leaving Protection deals with are the coming of age of Robbie Daniels through danger and adventure on the high seas, and the themes of moral decision making. Throughout the book Robbie also deals with the theme of social responsibility. The looting of treasure is at odds with preserving the history of the artifacts in their original context at the place of origin.
Warnings: This is a pretty wholesome book throughout, aside from the occasional allusion or reference to death on the sea. There is little violence and no foul language.
Audience: This book should be targeted towards middle school students.
Teaching Ideas: This is the type of survival book whose moral decisions could be analyzed in a Socratic Seminar, the same format that the moral dilemmas of Mikaelson’s Touching Spirit Bear have found many examples of successful classroom analysis in. Having students write about this book would work well too. Throughout the novel Robbie Daniels is faced with what he feels to be a moral dilemma, yet his inability to deal with this dilemma in the way that he wants to may strike a nerve with middle school students in a way that allows them to open up in writing. Students are becoming increasingly idealistic in middle school and they may have a lot to say about these issues. Another example of a good writing exercise for middle school students would be a character sketch of a man like Tor Thorsen. Without giving too much of the book away, I will say that he is a very complex and interesting character in his own right. All in all there are various exercises that could be put to good use in teaching this book. I believe it to be an excellent book for the entire class at the middle school level.
Title: Does This Book Make Me Look Fat? (Stories about loving—and loathing—your body)
Editor: Marissa Walsh
Publisher/Imprint: Clarion Books an imprint of Houghton Mifflin/Harcourt Publishing Company
Copyright Date: 2008
Plot: Marissa Walsh has gathered stories collected out of every context from other short-story collections to books to magazines. These stories deal with the issues of body image in young people. The collection contains light-hearted stories like Megan McCafferty’s Mirror, Mirror which is the tale of the afternoon ranting of a very trendy set of girls told from the perspective of a dressing room mirror that is observing their behavior, as well as those of a darker note like Matt de la Pena’s Last Red Light Before We’re Their, which tells of how an older brother’s vanity and inability to settle for anything less than perfection in the women he dates leads to his impressionable young sister starving herself nearly to death. There are also stories like Sarra Manning’s Some Girls are Bigger Than Others which deals with the issue of female breast size in adolescent development through the depiction of the interactions of two teens who work together: one with huge breasts and one with virtually none at all. The collection even contains stories in non-traditional formats such as poetry and manga, represented by the comic style of Barry Lyga’s The Mating Habits of Whales which is illustrated beautifully by Jeff Dillon.
Key Issues: The key issues addressed of course are images of self-esteem, self-perception, and body image. This book allows for readers to gain new insight and perhaps a new perspective from sharing in the collected experiences of others. The chief key issue of this book deals with characters’ struggles to form a sense of self-worth.
Warnings: This book’s stories involve very serious issues. They are issues however, that are central to the lives of most high school students. There is strong language and sexual content in some stories that may prevent their use in the classroom without parental consent however most of the stories are fine.
Audience: This book works well for all high school students; girls as well as boys. At the very least, I would recommend this book for supplemental reading but it has important teaching applications as well.
Teaching Ideas: This collection has great value for inciting and promoting class discussion. It may be helpful to pick and choose the stories you feel would most fit a certain group. I believe every story to be relevant to any high school student and see this book as a great jumping off point for discussions of such issues as, “How would you have behaved differently in this situation? What actions do you agree with?” or “What could this character have done or realized?” I think the value of books like this one in school is not fully appreciated.
Title: Nation
Author: Terry Pratchett
Publisher/Imprint: Harper Collins
Copyright Date: 2008
Plot: The Nation, an island and a people in the South Pelagic Ocean (an alternate version of the South Pacific), is slammed by a tidal wave. Mau, returning from a month of solitude spent in preparing for manhood, finds himself the only one of his people left. The wave also wrecks a ship upon the island. Daphne, an English aristocrat, is the sole survivor. In the weeks and months that follow, Mau and Daphne learn to communicate with each other. They bury the dead and struggle to build/rebuild. They welcome refugees scattered by the wave, and a ragtag community of survivors takes root. Mau searches for meaning in the customs and gods of his lost people (what is worth preserving?); while Daphne, armed with a scientifically-informed mind, searches for answers to the artifactual questions that the Nation presents.
As the separate strains move toward confluence, the Nation is threatened by
cannibalistic Raiders, and ruthless mutineers.
Key Issues: national identity/tradition; coming-of-age; the constitution of manhood; justification for religion; necessity of scientific inquiry; influence of environment on culture; starting over
Warnings: There is a lot of death: the wave leaves scores of drowned bodies; there are several killings; death is even a character – Locaha.
The book engages in the dynamics of religious belief and scientific inquest. Ataba the priest refers to Mau as “demon boy” because he renounces the gods. Daphne feeds on the ideas of Darwin and Newton. I think the book achieves a well-earned mutual embracement (the final chapter is peerless), but just dealing with the issues might be hot-button.
Audience: Boys and girls, seventh grade through eleventh. Point-of-view alternates between Mau and Daphne, providing each sex with a powerful voice.
The book is epic, packed with enough high drama to hook younger readers, while maintaining enough thematic depth to string along more mature readers.
Teaching Ideas: Create a new you. As a pre-reading exercise, put students in a last-person-on-earth scenario (similar to Mau). Faced with starting over, what would they change, what would they keep, why?
There are plenty of opportunities for cross-curriculum activities. A historical look at non-European (no Columbus or Magellan) explorations – Mau’s forefathers (and historical equivalents), it turns out, were extremely well-traveled. A historical look at nineteenth-century imperialism – unbeknownst to Mau, his Nation is in the midst of an English-colonized belt of islands.
In current events, the building/rebuilding of the Nation can segue into discussion about the United States’ presence in the Middle East; the tidal wave of the book can segue into a look at recent environmental disasters (hurricane, tsunami).
In science, students can create an eco-system. The Nation has a varied landscape and a rich biodiversity. Students can create a landscape and imagine creatures or vegetation to fill environmental roles (carnivores, herbivores, food chains, etc.). In the book, Pratchett creates, among other things, the pantaloon bird, the tree-climbing octopus, and they ever-handy paper vine plant.
Title: Coraline
Author: Neil Gaiman, with illustrations by Dave McKean
Publisher/Imprint: Harper Collins/Harper Trophy
Copyright Date: 2002
Plot: Coraline is an explorer at heart. When she and her parents move into a new flat, the middle floor of a very old house, she ventures through a mysterious door in the drawing room. Beyond the door is another flat, in another house, with other parents - eerily similar to her own; but tailored to accommodate the deficiencies of her own: the food is more savory, the books and toys are more interesting, and the other parents are downright doting. But there is a seediness to the place, to the other parents’ loving intentions. They want to CHANGE her, to LOVE her, to NEVER let her go.
Coraline retreats back to her side of the door, only to find that the other mother has nabbed her parents. Coraline swallows her fear and returns to the other world, where she must challenge and outwit the other mother in order to save her parents and herself.
Key Issues: the real over the ideal; the nature of bravery; interpretation of clues/signs; love of people/love of things
Warnings: There are some genuinely frightening images and progressions; nightmare-inducing stuff. Black buttons sewn into eye sockets. A severed hand runs amok. A man falls apart, into a score of scampering rats. But I think it is ultimately in great fun, and the book sports a laundry list of accolades for support.
Audience: Middle school boys and girls. The language is simple and effective; but in a high school environment it may be perceived as reading down.
Teaching Ideas: Reading aloud. The language is simple and effective. There is tons of imagery, a haunted-house-full of suspense, and it’s all in a fit 162-pages. I read it aloud to myself.
Create an other. Students list what they feel needs improvement in their lives. Lists are jumbled and redistributed. Students create a completely separate environment that entirely appeases the problems listed. The papers are handed back to the list-makers. Are the problems solved? What is meant by the phrase “too good to be true”? Are problems of themselves, or tied to specific people?
Title: Cuba 15
Author: Nancy Osa
Publisher/Imprint: Delacorte Publishers
Copyright Date: 2003
Plot: Violet, a "half-Polish, half-Cuban, 100% American girl," is turning 15, and her grandparents want to throw her a quincenero, a traditional Cuban coming of age birthday party. Although hesitant about the idea at first, in planning the party Violet discovers her Cuban roots and starts to understand more about herself, too.
Key Issues: Coming of age, multiculturalism, identity, family
Warnings: None
Audience: 7th-9th grade, primarily female
Teaching Ideas: Voice and first person, vocabulary- Spanish words (cross-curriculum), speech writing and performing, family heritage project, Cuban history (cross-curriculum), music project. As an end of the unit celebration the class could even have a Quince party, just like Violet!
Tag: Cuban, multicultural, quinceanero
Title: The Book Thief
Author: Markus Zusak
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Copyright Date: 2005
Plot: Liesel, a nine year old orphan, begins stealing books in Nazi Germany before she has even learned to read. Aided by her foster father and her accumulation of stolen books, she learns to read and appreciate words. With Hitler's rise to power books become more and more scarce, and the opportunity to steal them more and more tempting. Adventures ensue and lessons are learned as Liesel and her family harbor a Jewish man and attempt to live some semblance of a normal life during this chaotic and tragic time period in history.
Key Issues: Holocaust, Nazi, Germany, reading, books
Warnings: Mature subject--death and the Holocaust
Audience: High school, male and female, reluctant and voracious readers
Teaching Ideas:
1.) Themes--guilt, abandonment, love.
2.)Great, short sections for reluctant readers. Also, the use of lists and illustrations, including a 15 page book within the book, help to break up what could at first glance look like an intimidating book to a reluctant reader.
3.)Vocabulary--Liesel's love of words, the importance of words, German words (cross-curriculum).
4.)Point of view--told by Death, could do many interesting things with that, for example, "How would the narrative be different if told from the point of view of Life?"
5.)World War II history (cross-curriculum).
6.)Foreshadowing is abundant in the novel-- where and why does the author use this technique?
7.) Last line of the novel: "I am haunted by humans." What does this mean?
Why does the author choose to end the book in this way?
8.)Tone--not sentimental. How does this affect the narrative? How would it have been different if the horrific events were told with sentimentality and emotion?
9.) So important for students to see that not every novel needs to be told in words only. Evaluate and reflect on the use of illustrations. Create graphic novels in class.
Tags: Historical fiction, Nazi, Germany
Title: Swiss Mist
Author: Randy Powell
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Copyright Date: 2008
Plot:
In fifth grade, Milo's philosophical, psychedelic-drug taking father leaves he and his mother to fend for themselves. This forces Milo to leave the school and friends he loves in Seattle and move to an outlying, poorer neighborhood full of kids destined for lives of crime. His mother goes back to school and Milo tries his hardest to stay out of trouble and excel at school and sports. Still, he worries that he can't be the deep thinker that his father has always wanted him to be. He's more concerned about BMX racing, and longs for his old life with his favorite teacher Mrs. Swinford, his friend Penny, and the days when he could sit in the backyard with his dad. Swiss Mist follows Milo from the 5th grade year his life fell apart through 10th grade, when his mother marries a rich businessman and they move back to Seattle. Through therapy, a trip with his dad, and a bizarre encounter with his long-lost teacher Milo finds a strange kind of peace with his past. He doesn't discover the truth his father always wanted, but discovers the lessons inherent in the journey.
Key Issues:
Divorce of parents. Dealing with life with a single-mother. Moving away from friends and familiarity. Making the right kinds of friends.
Discovering identity. Coming of age.
Warnings:
There is definitely some language to worry about if you were to teach a whole class. The father takes drugs, but it is shown fairly negatively. One of the heroes of the book turns out to be a stripper, adding a valuable complexity to the character, but also might cause alarm for some parents.
Audience:
For advanced middle schoolers and high schoolers. The language and ideas are easy, but the subject matter is more suited for older students. Probably around 10th grade, which is how old Milo is when the book ends. Boys and girls can both enjoy the book and gain from the issues confronted, but boys will probably resonate with Milo's interests a little more. It would be particularly good for students going through a divorce and move.
Teaching ideas:
-The topics and issues of the book are ripe for group discussions.
They can discuss family issues, moving to a new place and making new friends, fitting in, etc.
- Each chapter begins with a strange list of words that describe vaguely what goes on in the chapter. It would be fun to use for vocabulary, and easy to teach as the students can look for examples of the words contained in the chapter.
-Memories are an important motif throughout the book and students could have fun writing about their own important memories.
Title: Tree Girl
Author: Ben Mikaelsen
Publisher/Imprint: Rayo; Harper Tempest; an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Copyright Date: 2004
Plot: Gabriela is a Mayan girl living in a remote, Guatemalan village who is about to have her “quincearnera,” a coming of age celebration for turning 15 years old. Her family is poor but happy. She is the only one of her six siblings to go to school, which is unusual because she is not the oldest or male. Her parents, however, recognize that she is extremely intelligent and hope that she will become a teacher in the future. Known as “Tree Girl” to the villagers, Gabriela has an uncanny ability to scale to the tops of the rain forest trees very quickly.
As the novel progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that their peaceful Mayan village is becoming more and more vulnerable to both the government troops and the guerilla fighters who are at war with one another. Gabriela’s family wants to stay out of the political warfare, although her father recognizes the blatant inequalities which the Mayans suffer from the Guatemalan government. In fact, it is not long before any efforts to stay out of the escalating danger are pointless. Government soldiers begin to become increasingly hostile and threatening to the village -- until the unthinkable happens. Gabriela’s entire village is destroyed one day when she is out to market; all of her family, friends and neighbors are violently killed. Then, Gabriela must begin the arduous journey to the safety of a Mexican refugee camp, walking for months viewing unspeakable acts of violence and privation along the way. Gabriela suffers from survival guilt, as well as feelings of remorse for her inability to stop the atrocities that she witnesses regularly. So, she vows to never again be “Tree Girl,” hiding in the tree’s canopy while soldiers commit torture, rape and murder before her eyes.
Key Issues: the horror of genocide and war, overcoming loss, struggles to survive and find hope again.
Warnings: There is a great deal of violence: characters being killed, tortured and raped are all graphically described.
Audience: I would suggest this for students who find true life stories interesting, and whose parents are open to more adult-like themes because of the graphic depictions of wartime atrocities.
Teaching Ideas: Imagine what Gabriela’s life is like after leaving the refugee camp – students will have to do historical research of Guatemalan refugees in Mexico, and predict what happens to her later (as her eventual fate is never addressed in the narrative). Also, this would be a good novel to teach alongside literature concerning other historic genocides, such as: the Holocaust, the Armenian genocide, the Rwandan genocide and what is currently going on in Darfur.
Tag: Inspired by a true story; Guatemalan refugee and war crime story.
Title: Graceling
Author: Kristin Cashore
Publisher/Imprint: Harcourt, Inc.
Copyright Date: 2008
Plot: Katsa, the protagonist, is a gifted woman, a “graceling.” Her Uncle Randa is the king of the Middluns Empire, and he exploits her “grace” of extreme speed and strength in fighting to inspire terror in his enemies. Used as a pawn by her uncle, Katsa finds peace in working with a secret Council to restore order to the various kingdoms, helping the weak and powerless. After rescuing Prince Tealeaf, the father of the Lienid king, from imprisonment, Katsa sets off on an adventure across the various kingdoms to discover why someone would sponsor the kidnap and imprisonment of a harmless old man.
As the novel progresses, Katsa meets Prince Po, Prince Tealeaf’s grandson. Like Katsa, Po is also “graced” – he has the ability to sense the presence of all living things as well as the ability to read peoples’ minds. Through Po’s influence, Katsa is finally able to stand up to her Uncle Randa and no longer serve as his “weapon” to intimidate his enemies and subjects. After Katsa saves Prince Tealeaf, Katsa and Po set off to discover why he was kidnapped in the first place. Their discovery of the truth leads them to make enemies with the powerful King Leck of Monsea, a man whose “grace” is so strong that he has the ability to make everyone believe that he is a benevolent king and compassionate person, in spite of the horrors that they see him commit. With the help of Po, the one person who is not captivated by King Leck’s grace, they save the king’s daughter, Bitterblue, from certain danger at the hands of her cruel father. The rest of the novel is a race to hide Bitterblue from her father, and to expose King Leck’s treachery to the rest of the world before it is too late.
Key Issues: coming of age; finding love without compromising one’s way of life; making decisions under extremely adverse conditions; coping with a disability.
Warnings: Mild references to violence, sexual situations, and the main characters decide not to marry but do become lovers.
Audience: I would recommend this book to students who love fantasy fiction. Although the protagonist is female, boys would probably like the novel as much as girls because it is also an action packed adventure story.
Teaching Ideas: Come up with their own “graceling” power, and write a description or story discussing what they would do with it.
Tag: Although primarily a fantasy novel, the story could also be classified as a coming of age, adventure and survival story.
Title: Names Will Never Hurt Me
Author: Jaime Adoff
Publisher/Imprint: Speak/Penguin Group
Copyright Date: 2004
Plot: The events of the book take place over the period of one day at Rockville High School. It is the one-year anniversary of the shooting and death of a student at the high school. The story is told through the voices of the four main characters who are each characterized by a different stereotype: Ryan the "jock," Kurt the "freak," Tisha the "bi-racial girl," and Floater the "bully." The book is broken up into small sections that are about a half page to two pages long, and each section is told in a different character's voice. The plot is very loosely developed, and many of the comments made by the characters are repetitive expressions of the stereotype that they fit into. However, the general purpose seems to be to give insight into the struggles that each character experiences on a daily basis at school as well as the influence of each student's family life or background on their experience. The students' struggles inside and outside of school create a tension at the school among peers and ultimately result in a semi-violent, "close-call" ending.
Key Issues: teen stereotypes, bullying, insecurities, search for identity, teen violence, school shootings, family problems
Warnings: This book contains a lot of cursing and some sexual references and activities.
Audience: older high school students
Teaching Ideas: I would not teach this book or recommend it to a student. Besides the prolific presence of cursing and sexual references, the plot, character development, and dialogue were loosely and superficially developed. The book touched on a wide variety of teen issues, but did not develop them.
Title: Sold
Author: Patricia McCormick
Publisher/Imprint: Hyperion Paperbacks
Copyright Date: 2006
Plot: Lakshmi is a thirteen year old girl who lives with her mother, little brother, and stepfather in a village in the Himalayan Mountains of Nepal. She is close to her loving mother, Ama, but her stepfather is lazy and spends the family's earnings on gambling in tea houses. Lakshmi and her mother work hard each day, but their work is wasted by the stepfather's selfish spending. One day, her stepfather insists that she be sent to "the city" to work as a maid in order to earn money for the family. Lakshmi is proud to be able to go off to work for the well-being of their family, and she hopes to one day have enough money to buy a tin roof for their home. After being sold off to several people, Lakshmi realizes her stepfather has sold her to a prostitution business across the border in India. Although she makes all attempts to get out, she is now trapped in a brothel and must work as a prostitute to pay off a large debt to the "Auntie" of the house. This book offers insight into the world of girls who have been submitted to a life of sexual slavery in India. In order to do research for the book, the author traveled to Nepal and India and interviewed aid workers as well as girls from Nepal who had been sold to the brothels of India.
Key Issues: prostitution, sex trade/slavery, rape, Nepalese and Indian culture, adolescence, sexually transmitted diseases, human cruelty, human kindness, family, poverty, friendship
Warnings: This book contains some descriptions of forced sexual encounters. These descriptions are not extremely detailed or explicit, but are disturbing.
Audience: I think that high school seniors (and possibly juniors) would be mature enough for the content, however I recommend that the teacher review the content and make their own judgments.
Teaching Ideas: Because the main issue of this book is a forced life of prostitution, I am not sure that it would be approved for classroom teaching. It is a National Book Award Finalist, and I thought that it was a well-written book. With approval of the school and parents, I would recommend this to a mature high school student, either for outside reading or small- group reading. The book is written from Lakshmi's perspective and in journal form, so teachers could have students respond to the book in journal form. They could write a journal entry from Lakshmi's perspective reflecting on her experience when she is older and understands more of what happened. In the book, Lakshmi's journal entries include descriptions of her village life in comparison to the unfamiliar and chaotic life of the city. Students could imagine that Lakshmi visits their hometown in the U.S. and write a journal entry from her perspective. This book could also be referenced in conjunction with a history class that involves Indian culture.
Title: Thirteen Reasons Why
Author: Jay Asher
Publisher: Razorbill, The Penguin Group
Copyright Date: 2007
Plot: Two weeks after Hannah Baker’s death, Clay Jensen--who had a crush on Hannah--receives a shoebox-sized package containing seven cassette tapes. Recorded by Hannah before her death, the cassette tapes chronicle the events leading up to her death and identify the thirteen people she believes to be instrumental in her death. The novel unfolds in Clay’s head, as he wanders the city listening to Hannah’s tapes, giving readers insight to both Hannah’s thoughts and Clay’s thoughts. Unable to figure out why Hannah has named him as one of the thirteen people responsible for her suicide, Clay carefully listens to the tapes in search of his connection and unveils a brutal, incredibly interwoven tapestry of deceit and lies.
Key Issues: Suicide; loneliness; peer pressure; peer relations; bullying.
Warnings: Though Thirteen Reasons Why delivers a truly great message and encourages readers to contemplate how their actions affect other people, many readers will find the content—suicide, sex, rape, drugs and death—taboo.
Audience: Though Asher’s novel is written at a lower reading level, I would recommend this book, due to its content, to high school student in grades 9-12.
Teaching Ideas: As a pre-reading activity, have students write about how they cope with difficult problems. After reading the novel, have students discuss Hannah’s reasons for taking her own life; while some readers may judge Hannah, finding her reasons for suicide unjustifiable, others may identify with her. Have the class as a whole discuss how characters contributed to Hannah’s suicide—there are no heroes in this novel and even Hannah, herself, is not free from guilt.
Tags: Suicide; young adult; high school; death; rape; betrayal; bullying; fiction.
Title: Go Ask Alice
Author: Anonymous
Publisher: Simon Pulse, Simon & Schuster
Copyright Date: 1971
Plot: An unnamed fifteen-year-old, whom the novel’s title refers to as “Alice,” starts a diary. When Alice begins writing in her diary, she discusses “healthy,” normal adolescent preoccupations: boys, diets, popularity, and family life. Alas, her preoccupations become less “healthy” after she unwittingly ingests LSD at a party. After this first unwitting, yet pleasurable experience, Alice intentionally seeks and uses drugs; voyeuristic appeal entices readers to keep turning the pages as they watch how drug addiction transforms Alice from a sweet, innocent girl into a lascivious, drug-dealing prostitute. And then, despite Alice’s attempts to reform her life, the book ends with an alleged overdose.
Key Issues: Drugs; drug addiction; peer pressure; identity problems.
Warnings: While the main focus of Go Ask Alice is drug use and how it affects Alice’s life, most readers will condemn it for its profanity, its sexual situations, and its blatant drug content.
Audience: In the novel, Alice sells drugs to elementary school students. I’ll say it again. Alice sells drugs to elementary school students. Let that sink in for a moment. School students, regardless of their age, are susceptible to drug usage. Unfortunately, it is Alice’s vulgar language and sexual content, rather than its drug content, which makes it inappropriate material for young children to read. Therefore, I would recommend it to high school students in grades 9-12.
Teaching Ideas: As a pre-reading activity, play an audio recording of Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit,” and then have students analyze the Alice described in the song. While reading the book, have student write their responses to Alice’s decisions and behaviors in journals. As various types of drugs are mentioned, have students research the drugs, their effects, and their potential for addiction. At the end of the novel, divide students into groups and have them write letter of advice to other teens on ways to combat drug use.
Tags: Drugs; drug addiction; young adult; high school; sex; sexual promiscuity; rape; homosexuality; peer pressure; bullying; eating disorders; fiction; non-fiction; diary.
Title: Spud
Author: John van de Ruit
Publisher/Imprint: Razorbill
Copyright Date: 2007
Plot: Spud is the humorous story of 13-year-old John “Spud” Milton and his first year at a private, all-boys boarding school in South Africa in 1990. As a backdrop to the story, the president of South Africa has just announced the end of apartheid and the release of Nelson Mandela.
The novel takes the form of a journal as Spud records his life in the dorms, interactions with drunken professors, the peculiarities of his house mates, late-night mischief-making, and his demented family members. Through the course of the year, Spud holds his own with bullies, experiences his first kiss, and learns about true friendship and courage. The way Spud's diary recounts one crazy episode after the other reminds the reader of Candide.
The changes in South African society inspire Spud to be a “freedom fighter”; although he remarks at the beginning that his head of house, a student named PJ, is the first black person he's ever taken orders from. In contrast, Spud's father's reaction is like many others in the country: he fears for the total collapse of their society. In other ways, Spud is not the average pupil; he regularly meets his raving English professor “the Guv” to discuss outside readings. Spud's literary journey through Waiting for Godot, Catch-22, The Lord of the Rings, and others parallels his course through the school year. At times Spud compares his life to those in the literature he reads.
Spud's physical development is behind the other boys; this earns him his nick-name and causes him some consternation. Yet his unbroken soprano voice helps him to win the lead role of Oliver in a school musical production. As a result, Spud endures more harassment for his hair, which he is required to grow out to please his eccentric drama coach. But Spud's performance in the musical is brilliant, and he enjoys the celebrity and appreciation of his house-mates and the upperclassmen. His fame also has him choosing between different girlfriends. Unfortunately, Spud must use his beautiful voice again when he sings at the funeral of someone close to him.
As the novel ends and the school-year closes, the headmaster announces the selection of the new head boy for the following year, PJ, the black student who is head of Spud's house. Spud observes that his country has a bright future indeed if PJ is representative of the character of the native South Africans.
Key Issues: The key issues of the book include growing-up, opposite-sex relationships, bullying, courage and friendship, death, black-white relations, and apartheid.
Warnings: The author realistically depicts the speech and lives of school-aged boys, so there are many episodes which would not be appropriate to be discussed in a public school setting. Although there is little profanity, there is discussion of sex as well as an affair between a student and a female teacher. In addition, someone not familiar with British English or slang may encounter a few words they do not understand.
Audience: Middle and high school-aged boys will enjoy this novel, girls possibly as well. For those who enjoy humor, albeit occasionally crude, there is plenty to keep the reader laughing throughout. The book may also appeal to those who enjoy literature and a play on words, puns, and subtle allusions. Spud was an ALA nominee for young adult literature and has won awards in South Africa.
Teaching Ideas: 1. Spud's grandfather tells him: “Every man's life, no matter how routine, will fill a chest of books, and if he's lucky, a million miles of film. Forget nothing lest yourself be forgotten.” If you kept a journal of your life, what would it look like. Have students keep a journal for a week or the entire semester. 2. Spud reads several works of literature throughout his first year of school. In addition, Spud sometimes compares his life to that of Frodo in Lord of the Rings. The class can study one of the works Spud reads in the novel, or students can choose a character in a book or film and compare their own life to that person's. 3. Spud's best friend dies and he must sing at the funeral. Students can do a creative project to express how they would honor the loss of someone close or discuss whether any have experienced a death. 4. The novel takes place in South Africa at the end of apartheid, and Spud wants to be “freedom fighter.” Have students learn about apartheid in South Africa and do a presentation on civil rights or its leaders, either in the past or in the present. Discuss whether there are still civil rights problems today. 5. Discuss the significance of the protagonist's name: John Milton. 6. Ask the students to write a humorous episode about their own life and problems in the way Spud writes about his problems at home and school. Ask volunteers to share their work.
Title: After Tupac and D Foster
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Publisher/Imprint: G. P. Putnam's Sons
Copyright Date: 2008
Plot: The narrator and her best friend Neeka are eleven years old and live on the same block in Queens, New York. One afternoon while sitting on Neeka's apartment steps, they meet eleven year old D, who had wandered to their neighborhood. After their first meeting, D continues to return to the neighborhood to spend time with the other two girls, and the three form close friendships. D has lived a wanderer's life, because her mom has come in and out of her life and she's been passed around to several foster mom's. The narrator and Neeka envy D's freedom to wander the city alone, but D envies the mama's that the other two girls have always had. The girls slowly learn about the differences in each other's lives and add perspective and support to one another. They spend time talking about their families, joking with each other and Neeka's siblings, sitting on the apartment steps, sneaking off "the block," and wondering about their "Big Purpose" in life. They share a love of Tupac Shakur's music and watch his bootleg music videos together. D feels a strong connection to Tupac because he writes songs about family struggles similar to what she's experienced. When Tupac is shot and jailed, the three girls feel like they have lost something dear to them and grieve together. After the girls have been friends for three years, they will have to accept D's moving away when her real mama returns, and D has the opportunity to form the relationship she's always wanted. This is mostly a story of the girls' friendship and coming of age, however several social issues that affect the girls' lives are woven into the plot throughout the book.
Key Issues: adolescent friendship, coming of age, African American culture, musical influences, race relations, prejudice based on race and sexual orientation, injustice
Warnings: There are a few mild curse words in this book, but the ones I remember were used in a light-hearted context.
Audience: The main characters are age 11 to 13. I think this book would be relevant and enjoyable for middle and high schoolers.
Teaching Ideas: D introduced the idea of one's "Big Purpose" to the other girls, saying that everyone has one and they just need to figure out what it is. Students could respond in a journal entry to the girls' conversation about their "Big Purpose." One of the book's themes is music's influence on a young person's life. Student's could bring in and/or write about a song that strongly affected them or that they feel a connection to. Freedom is another theme in the book. Students could write about a freedom they wish they had.
Title: Blue is for Nightmares
Author: Stolarz, Laurie Faria
Publisher/Imprint: Llewellyn Publications
Copyright Date: 2003
Plot: Stacey Brown is a normal sixteen-year-old girl who attends private school, fights with her best friend/roommate, has a crush on a boy, and stresses about her grades in school. But there is something unique about Stacey: she is a witch. Lately she has been having nightmares about a person who is after her best friend, Drea, but Stacey does not know who the person is. When Stacey does a card-reading for Drea, the cards predict several things that will happen, but the most frightening prediction is Drea’s death. As the events predicted by the cards begin to happen, the girls realize that they must come up with a plan in order to save Drea’s life. There are several suspects: Chad, Drea’s ex-boyfriend; the anonymous caller who Drea has been chatting with in secret; Donovan, the boy who has been obsessed with Drea for years; and Veronica, a girl who is jealous of Drea and her relationship with Chad. Along with their friend Amber, Stacey and Drea try to work together to change the future. Although they have their share of disagreements and misunderstandings, Stacey is determined to use her magic to help her friend and to prevent the death of someone who she loves.
Key Issues: Murder, Mystery, Friendship, Jealousy, Romantic Relationships, Self-Esteem, Personal Strength and Growth, Trust.
Warnings: This novel contains profane language and some mild sexual content. The sexual content is seen in the discussions that the friends have with each other about sex and their experience with boys.
Audience: Although I think that this novel could appeal to both sexes, it would probably appeal more to adolescent females. The mystery and suspense would appeal to males and females, but the focus on female friendships and on romantic relationships from the perspective of the girl would be more appealing to a female audience. Because is does contain some profane language and mild sexual content, it is appropriate for high school students, ages fourteen to eighteen. I would not recommend it for a younger audience.
Teaching Ideas: Although I don’t think that this book would work well for a whole class (I don’t think it ranges in interest enough for both males and females), it would be good for a small book group or an individual book project. This book could be used very creatively. Because it is a mystery novel, the students could keep track of the suspects and, using evidence from the text, determine who the mystery stalker (the potential murderer in Stacey’s dreams) is. Students could keep a “detective journal” as they read to record evidence and potential suspects. They could also create character profiles for the suspects and use evidence from the text to support a description of the character and to explain why they think that character should be considered a suspect. These types of activities will get the students involved with and interested in the story, and will also create fun and useful discussions in a small book group.
Title: Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist
Author: Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Publisher/Imprint: Alfred A. Knopf
Copyright Date: 2006
Plot: Nick has just been dumped by his girlfriend (now ex-girlfriend), Tris. Norah is still getting over her ex-boyfriend, Tal. Nick is in a band and is playing at a music venue in the city. Norah is hanging out in her uncle’s music venue, looking after her drunk best friend, Caroline. When Nick’s ex-girlfriend shows up with another guy, he asks the girl standing next to him to be his girlfriend for five minutes. Keeping an eye on Caroline, who is shamelessly flirting with a guy in one of the bands, Norah is asked by the guy standing next to her if she will be his girlfriend for five minutes. When Norah see her sometimes-friend, Tris, walking towards them, she suddenly agrees to the five-minute deal and kisses Nick. When Nick and Norah realize they both know Tris, the endless night begins. Norah needs to get Caroline home, and Nick needs to know how Norah knows his ex. Norah finds a ride in Nick’s car, but Nick’s friends want him to get over Tris and they give Norah money to take Nick out. These two teens, both broken-hearted and trying to figure out their lives, end up spending a crazy night together. They talk about past relationships, music, parents, friends, and religion, and share jokes and random thoughts. While they both are not sure if they are ready for another relationship, they can’t seem to stay away from each other. As the night goes on, Nick and Norah figure things out about themselves that they never knew before, and begin to fall in love (again). Told from alternating points of view (Nick’s and Norah’s), this novel is endlessly entertaining, touching, funny, sad, hopeful, and surprising.
Key Issues: Love, Sex, Romantic Relationships, Break-ups, Growing Up, Friendship
Warnings: Profanity, Sexually Explicit Scenes, Discussion of Drugs
Audience: This book is appropriate for males and females. Because of the profanity and the sexual content, I would not recommend it to readers younger than fourteen. For the same reasons, I do not think it would be appropriate for the classroom. Parents could find many reasons why this book would be inappropriate for school, and it probably would not be approved by an administrator.
Teaching Ideas: Even though you would not be able to teach this novel in school, if you could, it would be a great novel to use to teach point of view. You could have students look at two different chapters, each from a different perspective, and analyze how the characters “see” differently. Because the two perspectives do not coincide chronologically, you could have students pick a chapter and write it from the other character’s perspective, using the same voice and tone that is used throughout the novel. This would also be a great book to do a music project with. Students could come up with a “playlist” for the book, thinking specifically about tone and mood, or the students could create a playlist for the greatest night of their own lives, writing about why they chose each song and explaining each song’s significance.
Title: Hope Was Here
Author: Joan Bauer
Publisher/Imprint: Penguin Group
Copyright Date: 2000
Plot: Hope Was Here is about a girl named Hope, Tulip by birth. She is given up by her mother when she was born and handed over to her aunt. Her aunt, Addie, has taken wonderful care of Hope, but has moved her around the country many times over the years. Addie is a cook and Hope has finally become a waitress. They have to move around the country because the restaurants they work at keep closing, and the last one they left was part-owned by Addie and another owner. The other owner stole all of Addie and Hope’s money and left them stranded. They picked up and moved again, this time to a small town in Wisconsin. They begin working for G.T., who is the owner of the Welcome Stairways restaurant. He is suffering from leukemia, but has announced he is running for mayor. He leaves the running of the restaurant to Addie and Hope. Hope struggles to live up to her name, but finds strength through all the people around her. She finally has a family and place to call home. Even though the book does not end on a happy note it is as heart-warming as one of Addie’s buttery pancakes!
Key Issues: Coming-of-age, Family, Courage, Kindness, Death, Life lessons, and Strong protagonist.
Warnings: I do not have any warning towards this book. I think it would be a great addition to any classroom. Though the protagonist is a girl, I believe that boys can enjoy this book as well. There are no uses of inappropriate language or references. There is one reference to death, but nothing a student could not handle. I would feel comfortable recommending this book to my students without the parents’ permission. It is a good, wholesome book.
Audience: Seventh to tenth grade. I think any older and the students would be bored and any younger and they would not be able to catch on to some of the underlying meanings.
Teaching Ideas: A pre-read idea would be to have the students think about how they would feel if they had to keep moving around the country. They could think about military families and how it must feel for kids their age to have to keep picking up and moving to a different town and school. They could get into groups and discuss their feelings or they could write a paragraph or two to hand in. A class discussion could be done after either of these.
As students are reading the book the teacher could assign a stopping point during the reading and have the students participate in a reader-response activity. Students could be asked to predict what will happen during the campaign race. Who they think will win. They can come up with pros and cons of G.T. becoming mayor. Perhaps, one group of students could be G.T. and the other group Millstone. Each group could come up with their arguments as to why they should be mayor, and have a debate.
Student’s can also come up with a different ending to the book. Did they like the ending? How would they have wanted it to end?
Title: Can’t Get There From Here
Author: Todd Strasser
Publisher/Imprint: Simon Pulse/Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
Copyright: 2004
Plot: On the cold streets of New York they call her Maybe. Maybe is homeless but finds comfort in staying with a group of other homeless teens in abandoned houses, under bridges, and in alleyways. Outside of the Good Life Deli, she and her “tribe” of street friends; Maggot, Rainbow, Tears, and 2Moro beg for change or coffee. The story follows Maybe and her struggle to eat and stay warm on the streets without being killed or arrested. Each member of the tribe has a different background and difficult reason for being homeless. They face many dangers and cruelties and are constantly reminded that no matter how much they dream of a better life the “can’t get there from here”. Maybe slowly realizes as she watches kids on the street die one by one that she has do something. That maybe, just maybe, she could find something better.
Key Issues: This book deals with a surprisingly dense host of issues. It is a very realistic and dark portrayal of the lives of homeless teens. Strasser is not shy to expose the reader to the realities of each member of the tribe’s life and death. He tells of abuse, prostitution, jail, drugs, suicide, HIV and a multitude of other dangers these youth face. The main character guides the reader as she encounters and deals with her friends’ and their deaths but leaves the reader with a small sense of hope.
Warnings: This book comes with a laundry list of warnings. While it exposes the reader to the realities of street life, it can’t do so honestly without including topics such as physical and sexual abuse, abandonment, suicide, prostitution, drugs, HIV, and violence. While the book does not use profane language and is well written I would not recommend its use in the classroom.
Audience: Older high school students, “at-risk” youth, anyone dealing with issues of homelessness
Teaching Ideas: Again, I would not use this book in a classroom. However, I think it could be useful for a counseling group or for a special program that deals with “at-risk” youth. I would use this book to guide a discussion of homelessness and the dangers of living a “street” life. I also might have the reader write a creative response discussing what they think the only two characters that survive might be doing now. I think it would make for a very interesting paper/ discussion.
Title: Code Orange
Author: Caroline B. Cooney
Publisher/ imprint: Laurel-Leaf/ Random House Children’s Books
Copyright: 2005
Plot: Mitty Blake is a fun-loving student at one of New York’s best private high schools. You have to be either very rich or very talented to get in and Mitty is rich. He rarely does his school work as he prefers to listen to music (like Widespread Panic) or watch sports (especially UCONN) or spends the weekend at his family’s county home. Mitty’s science class is assigned to research infectious diseases and Mitty would skip the project all together if it didn’t mean getting kicked out of the class and thus not being able to see Olivia. At the last minute he finds a century old medical book about Variola major (smallpox) so that he can do his project. Except that inside are some old scabs from victims of the virus. The rest of the story follows Mitty as he deals with being wanted by bio-terrorists, the CDC, and the FBI as he potentially hold the key to killing everyone in New York.
Key Issues: Cooney deals with the fear of terrorism in New York City after the attacks of 9/11. The book also includes kidnapping, romantic relationships and deadly diseases.
Warnings: This book was fairly tame. There was no profanity and it did not deal overtly with sex or violence. There is brief discussion of suicide. Also, the book deals mainly with disease and terrorism which may be controversial for some readers.
Audience: This book is not likely to be a great choice for a whole class assignment but might be very interesting for a student who enjoys fast paces mysteries and thrillers. This book could be enjoyed by readers in the 7th to 10th grade ranges. Older readers could also find pleasure in the fast-paced book but may feel disappointed by the lack of depth and detail dealing with the major issues.
Teaching Ideas: There is a reader’s guide at the end of the novel with a number of interesting topics to discuss or write about. The book might make for an interesting project mirroring the main character’s science project. The book also deals with research in some detail so it could be used to sag-way into proper and effective research practices and methods.
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