Monday, September 26, 2011
Speak
Anderson. Laurie Halse. Speak. Thorndike, Maine: Throndike Press. 2000. ISBN: 9780142407325
AWARDS:
1999 National Book Award Finalist
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 1999
Booklist Editors' Choice
SUMMARY: Melinda Sordino is a freshman at Merryweather High School in Syracuse, New York. She finds herself friendless after a rape at a party. She calls the police to tell them she was raped, but she is too afraid. The whole high school knows that she is the girl that ruined the party so she is shunned. “I am Outcast. There is no point looking for friends,” she writes. She has lost her voice and refuses to speak because of her trauma. Her only comforts at school are her art teacher, Mr. Freeman, and her lab partner, David.
In the end, the rapist finds Melinda and confronts her again. He attacks her, but this time Melinda finds her voice, and is rescued by other students. She decides to tell her story to the one person who has believed in her throughout this terrible year, Mr. Freeman, the art teacher.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS: The main characters are well developed and believable. The villian is the stereotype of what a villain should be. He seems to have no redeeming qualities and evokes no sympathy. The character of Rachel is also the stereotypical best friend, who has more invested in being popular, than Melinda's friendship. I would have liked David’s character to be more developed in the book. I hoped that he and Melinda would become real friends.I would have enjoyed David being the one to save Melinda in the end.
The character of Melinda is well developed and most teenagers will be able to identify with her story. It is both funny and heart-wrenching with a great ending. Students will delight in how Melinda triumphs in the end. Her character is believable and the way she faces her challenges will have other teenagers thinking about how they might react.
The book is great for reluctant readers because it is written like a diary. The writing is short and concise, while still allowing us to feel the emotions Melinda is confronted with in the story. The setting is your typical high school.
For me, the theme is one of learning your strengths and finding your voice. The plot and theme are thought-provoking and will have teenagers discussing the events in the story. It contains several teenage taboo subjects which will interest most readers. These include: underage drinking, rape, absent parents, and isolation from peers.
I didn’t like the fact that Melinda didn’t tell any adult what happened to her. In reality, I am sure this is most likely the situation, but if the book is trying to send a message, she should have told someone. This boy needed to be punished, and she could have saved other girls the trauma that she experienced. This would have made her a true heroine. Eventually, she does tell, but the rapist has already done damage to other girls. Girls should tell and maybe crimes like this wouldn’t happen so often. If boys knew there might be a price to pay, they might decide it is not worth it in the end.
In conclusion, I did like Melinda and I enjoyed her journey. I am sure other teenagers will too.
CONNECTIONS: I think students would enjoy making up their own list about the 10 lies they tell you in high school. Students could also research what agencies are available and how Melinda could have gotten help in dealing with what happened to her. Students could also write about a teacher, current or past, that they have been able to confide in and why. Students could also research teenage drinking and the consequences. There are many great areas for discussion contained in this story.
REVIEWS:
The Horn Book Starred Review:
“An uncannily funny book even as it plumbs the darkness, Speak will hold readers from first word to last.”
Booklist Starred Review:
“Having broken up an end-of-summer party by calling the police, high-school freshman Melinda Sordino begins the school year as a social outcast. She's the only person who knows the real reason behind her call: she was raped at the party by Andy Evans, a popular senior at her school. Slowly, with the help of an eccentric and understanding art teacher, she begins to recover from the trauma, only to find Andy threatening her again. Melinda's voice is distinct, unusual, and very real as she recounts her past and present experiences in bitterly ironic, occasionally even amusing vignettes. In her YA fiction debut, Anderson perfectly captures the harsh conformity of high-school cliques and one teen's struggle to find acceptance from her peers. Melinda's sarcastic wit, honesty, and courage make her a memorable character whose ultimate triumph will inspire and empower readers.”
RESOURCES:
Anderson. Laurie Halse. Speak. Thorndike, Maine: Throndike Press. 2000.
TeenReads website.
http://www.teenreads.com/authors/au-anderson-laurie.asp
Laurie Halse Anderson website.
http://madwomanintheforest.com/laurie/
Image by Google Images.
AWARDS:
1999 National Book Award Finalist
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year 1999
Booklist Editors' Choice
SUMMARY: Melinda Sordino is a freshman at Merryweather High School in Syracuse, New York. She finds herself friendless after a rape at a party. She calls the police to tell them she was raped, but she is too afraid. The whole high school knows that she is the girl that ruined the party so she is shunned. “I am Outcast. There is no point looking for friends,” she writes. She has lost her voice and refuses to speak because of her trauma. Her only comforts at school are her art teacher, Mr. Freeman, and her lab partner, David.
In the end, the rapist finds Melinda and confronts her again. He attacks her, but this time Melinda finds her voice, and is rescued by other students. She decides to tell her story to the one person who has believed in her throughout this terrible year, Mr. Freeman, the art teacher.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS: The main characters are well developed and believable. The villian is the stereotype of what a villain should be. He seems to have no redeeming qualities and evokes no sympathy. The character of Rachel is also the stereotypical best friend, who has more invested in being popular, than Melinda's friendship. I would have liked David’s character to be more developed in the book. I hoped that he and Melinda would become real friends.I would have enjoyed David being the one to save Melinda in the end.
The character of Melinda is well developed and most teenagers will be able to identify with her story. It is both funny and heart-wrenching with a great ending. Students will delight in how Melinda triumphs in the end. Her character is believable and the way she faces her challenges will have other teenagers thinking about how they might react.
The book is great for reluctant readers because it is written like a diary. The writing is short and concise, while still allowing us to feel the emotions Melinda is confronted with in the story. The setting is your typical high school.
For me, the theme is one of learning your strengths and finding your voice. The plot and theme are thought-provoking and will have teenagers discussing the events in the story. It contains several teenage taboo subjects which will interest most readers. These include: underage drinking, rape, absent parents, and isolation from peers.
I didn’t like the fact that Melinda didn’t tell any adult what happened to her. In reality, I am sure this is most likely the situation, but if the book is trying to send a message, she should have told someone. This boy needed to be punished, and she could have saved other girls the trauma that she experienced. This would have made her a true heroine. Eventually, she does tell, but the rapist has already done damage to other girls. Girls should tell and maybe crimes like this wouldn’t happen so often. If boys knew there might be a price to pay, they might decide it is not worth it in the end.
In conclusion, I did like Melinda and I enjoyed her journey. I am sure other teenagers will too.
CONNECTIONS: I think students would enjoy making up their own list about the 10 lies they tell you in high school. Students could also research what agencies are available and how Melinda could have gotten help in dealing with what happened to her. Students could also write about a teacher, current or past, that they have been able to confide in and why. Students could also research teenage drinking and the consequences. There are many great areas for discussion contained in this story.
REVIEWS:
The Horn Book Starred Review:
“An uncannily funny book even as it plumbs the darkness, Speak will hold readers from first word to last.”
Booklist Starred Review:
“Having broken up an end-of-summer party by calling the police, high-school freshman Melinda Sordino begins the school year as a social outcast. She's the only person who knows the real reason behind her call: she was raped at the party by Andy Evans, a popular senior at her school. Slowly, with the help of an eccentric and understanding art teacher, she begins to recover from the trauma, only to find Andy threatening her again. Melinda's voice is distinct, unusual, and very real as she recounts her past and present experiences in bitterly ironic, occasionally even amusing vignettes. In her YA fiction debut, Anderson perfectly captures the harsh conformity of high-school cliques and one teen's struggle to find acceptance from her peers. Melinda's sarcastic wit, honesty, and courage make her a memorable character whose ultimate triumph will inspire and empower readers.”
RESOURCES:
Anderson. Laurie Halse. Speak. Thorndike, Maine: Throndike Press. 2000.
TeenReads website.
http://www.teenreads.com/authors/au-anderson-laurie.asp
Laurie Halse Anderson website.
http://madwomanintheforest.com/laurie/
Image by Google Images.
Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging
Rennison, Louise. Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. 1999. ISBN 0060288140.
AWARDS:
Nestlé Children's Book Prize
Branford Boase Award
BBC - The Big Read - Top 200 Books
Michael L. Printz Honor Book.
SUMMARY: Georgia Nicolson is a typical high school student. She lives with her mother, father, and three year-old sister, Libby. She also has a giant cat named Angus that terrorizes the neighbor’s poodle. The story is set in England and follows Georgia though her sophomore year at her all girls’ high school, Latimer and Ridgely. They swoon over the boys at the nearby Foxwood School. Georgia meets the boy of her dreams. The boy likes her also, but through a series of mishaps Georgia doesn’t get the boy. In fact, he won’t even speak to her. Georgia dates several boys through the year, including a boy who gives “snogging” lessons. In the end, after all the misunderstandings, Georgia finally ends up with the boy she has lusted after the whole year. This happens just as her mother tells her they are leaving town for the whole summer. Her reaction, “Sacre bloody bleu and merde!!!”
CRITICAL ANALYSIS: This hilarious romp through Georgia’s sophomore year of high school is a great read for any student, especially girls. Georgia develops her character through her own diary postings. The postings are short and concise, so it is perfect for the reluctant reader. This is also one book in a series, so students can continue to read more about Georgia and her antics.
The character, Georgia is a girl anyone would love to have for a friend. Good natured and insecure, she is laugh out loud funny. She is believable and I think girls can connect with her. Her little sister Libby is adorable and you can feel the love between the sisters. Her parents are the stereotypical embarrassment to her, as parents are to every normal teenager. Her cat Angus is also a great and unexpected character, harassing the neighbor’s poodle.
The plot is believable and contains three important themes. The first is Georgia's insecurity with her looks. The second is her passion for finding the perfect boyfriend. The third is her passion for her friends. Doing well in school is an afterthought. Her social life is the most important thing to Georgia. I think these traits are typical for most teenagers and make the story real.
The setting for the story is England, and it is great fun using the glossary at the end to find out what the English slang words throughout the novel mean. I also liked that she told the reader about the glossary at the end of the book, in the preface. The setting in England is also important, because teenagers everywhere can see that the things they desire and worry about are universal.
Georgia's great personality and her insecurity make her diary a joy to read. I came to love Georgia, and it brought me back to my high school days, which unfortunately are far gone.
CONNECTIONS: One way to get students involved in the book could be for them to right a glossary of their own slang, or go through Georgia’s glossary and translate her words into American slang. Students could also write their own Six Things That Are Very Wrong with My Life. Students could also discuss the similarities and differences between English high schools and their students and American teenagers.
REVIEWS:
Publishers Weekly:
“British writer Rennison's subject matter may be the stuff of Bridget Jones's Diary, but the wit and bite of her delivery shares more in common with Monty Python. In a spectacular YA debut (Rennison is a comedy writer and columnist), the author creates a winning protagonist in the persona of 14-year-old Georgia Nicolson, whose wry observations and self-deprecating humor covers everything from prudish parents and bed-wetting three-year-old siblings to errant cat behavior and kissing (aka snogging) lessons. Teens will discover that nothing is sacred here (e.g., "Talking of breasts, I'm worried that I may end up like the rest of the women in my family, with just the one bust, like a sort of shelf affair"). Rennison exquisitely captures the fine art of the adolescent ability to turn chaos into stand-up comedy. For instance, when Georgia's father finds a new job in New Zealand, the teen says she's already formed her opinion of the country based on the TV show Neighbors; when her mother says, "Well, that's set in Australia," Georgia thinks, "What is this, a family crisis or a geography test?" Written as diary entries, the novel flouts the conceit, as when Georgia reports on a tennis match that she's playing concurrently ("I fall to my knees like McEnroe and the crowd is going mad"). The author bio indicates that Rennison is working on two more Georgia books; readers can only hope this heroine will keep them laughing all the way through high school.”
School Library Journal:
“This is the hilarious Bridget Jones-like diary of 14-year-old Georgia, who has a rather wild cat named Angus, a three-year-old sister who pees in her bed, and a best friend who is in love with the vegetable seller's son. Georgia discusses kissing (snogging) lessons, which she needs because she has just met the "Sex God" of her dreams; what to wear to parties and school; and how to spy on your crush's girlfriend (this is where thongs come into play). In typical teen manner, Georgia lives in her own world; she thinks she is ugly, is convinced that her parents are weird, positively abhors schoolwork, and has a deep desire to be beautiful and older. Yet she still has time to enjoy the mad antics of her cat and indulge her odd but sweet sister. It will take a sophisticated reader to enjoy the wit and wisdom of this charming British import, but those who relish humor will be satisfied. Fresh, lively, and engaging.”
RESOURCES:
Rennison, Louise. Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. 1999.
Georgia Nicolson Fan Club
http://www.fanpop.com/spots/georgia-nicolson/images/1703925/title/robbie-georgia-photo
Georgia Nicolson website
http://www.georgianicolson.com/meet.html
Fantastic Fiction/Louise Rennison website
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/louise-rennison/
Image by Google Images.
AWARDS:
Nestlé Children's Book Prize
Branford Boase Award
BBC - The Big Read - Top 200 Books
Michael L. Printz Honor Book.
SUMMARY: Georgia Nicolson is a typical high school student. She lives with her mother, father, and three year-old sister, Libby. She also has a giant cat named Angus that terrorizes the neighbor’s poodle. The story is set in England and follows Georgia though her sophomore year at her all girls’ high school, Latimer and Ridgely. They swoon over the boys at the nearby Foxwood School. Georgia meets the boy of her dreams. The boy likes her also, but through a series of mishaps Georgia doesn’t get the boy. In fact, he won’t even speak to her. Georgia dates several boys through the year, including a boy who gives “snogging” lessons. In the end, after all the misunderstandings, Georgia finally ends up with the boy she has lusted after the whole year. This happens just as her mother tells her they are leaving town for the whole summer. Her reaction, “Sacre bloody bleu and merde!!!”
CRITICAL ANALYSIS: This hilarious romp through Georgia’s sophomore year of high school is a great read for any student, especially girls. Georgia develops her character through her own diary postings. The postings are short and concise, so it is perfect for the reluctant reader. This is also one book in a series, so students can continue to read more about Georgia and her antics.
The character, Georgia is a girl anyone would love to have for a friend. Good natured and insecure, she is laugh out loud funny. She is believable and I think girls can connect with her. Her little sister Libby is adorable and you can feel the love between the sisters. Her parents are the stereotypical embarrassment to her, as parents are to every normal teenager. Her cat Angus is also a great and unexpected character, harassing the neighbor’s poodle.
The plot is believable and contains three important themes. The first is Georgia's insecurity with her looks. The second is her passion for finding the perfect boyfriend. The third is her passion for her friends. Doing well in school is an afterthought. Her social life is the most important thing to Georgia. I think these traits are typical for most teenagers and make the story real.
The setting for the story is England, and it is great fun using the glossary at the end to find out what the English slang words throughout the novel mean. I also liked that she told the reader about the glossary at the end of the book, in the preface. The setting in England is also important, because teenagers everywhere can see that the things they desire and worry about are universal.
Georgia's great personality and her insecurity make her diary a joy to read. I came to love Georgia, and it brought me back to my high school days, which unfortunately are far gone.
CONNECTIONS: One way to get students involved in the book could be for them to right a glossary of their own slang, or go through Georgia’s glossary and translate her words into American slang. Students could also write their own Six Things That Are Very Wrong with My Life. Students could also discuss the similarities and differences between English high schools and their students and American teenagers.
REVIEWS:
Publishers Weekly:
“British writer Rennison's subject matter may be the stuff of Bridget Jones's Diary, but the wit and bite of her delivery shares more in common with Monty Python. In a spectacular YA debut (Rennison is a comedy writer and columnist), the author creates a winning protagonist in the persona of 14-year-old Georgia Nicolson, whose wry observations and self-deprecating humor covers everything from prudish parents and bed-wetting three-year-old siblings to errant cat behavior and kissing (aka snogging) lessons. Teens will discover that nothing is sacred here (e.g., "Talking of breasts, I'm worried that I may end up like the rest of the women in my family, with just the one bust, like a sort of shelf affair"). Rennison exquisitely captures the fine art of the adolescent ability to turn chaos into stand-up comedy. For instance, when Georgia's father finds a new job in New Zealand, the teen says she's already formed her opinion of the country based on the TV show Neighbors; when her mother says, "Well, that's set in Australia," Georgia thinks, "What is this, a family crisis or a geography test?" Written as diary entries, the novel flouts the conceit, as when Georgia reports on a tennis match that she's playing concurrently ("I fall to my knees like McEnroe and the crowd is going mad"). The author bio indicates that Rennison is working on two more Georgia books; readers can only hope this heroine will keep them laughing all the way through high school.”
School Library Journal:
“This is the hilarious Bridget Jones-like diary of 14-year-old Georgia, who has a rather wild cat named Angus, a three-year-old sister who pees in her bed, and a best friend who is in love with the vegetable seller's son. Georgia discusses kissing (snogging) lessons, which she needs because she has just met the "Sex God" of her dreams; what to wear to parties and school; and how to spy on your crush's girlfriend (this is where thongs come into play). In typical teen manner, Georgia lives in her own world; she thinks she is ugly, is convinced that her parents are weird, positively abhors schoolwork, and has a deep desire to be beautiful and older. Yet she still has time to enjoy the mad antics of her cat and indulge her odd but sweet sister. It will take a sophisticated reader to enjoy the wit and wisdom of this charming British import, but those who relish humor will be satisfied. Fresh, lively, and engaging.”
RESOURCES:
Rennison, Louise. Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. 1999.
Georgia Nicolson Fan Club
http://www.fanpop.com/spots/georgia-nicolson/images/1703925/title/robbie-georgia-photo
Georgia Nicolson website
http://www.georgianicolson.com/meet.html
Fantastic Fiction/Louise Rennison website
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/louise-rennison/
Image by Google Images.
Sweethearts
Zarr, Sara. Sweethearts. New York: Little, Brown and Company. 2008. ISBN 9780316014557.
AWARDS:
2008 Cybil Awards Finalist
Oprah Book Club Kids Reading List
American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults
New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age Reader
SUMMARY: In elementary school Jennifer Harris and Cameron Quick are friends and outcasts. The whole school refers to her as “Fattifer.” She is the daughter of a single mom who has little time for her daughter. Cameron and Jennifer suffer a terrifying ordeal which is told through Jennifer’s memories throughout the story. Cameron moves away a few weeks after this incident without saying goodbye. She learns that he is dead and grieves. Without Cameron to lean on, Jennifer reinvents herself. Her mother marries a wonderful man and he adopts Jennifer.
She is turning seventeen and her name is now Jennifer Vaughn. She is thin, popular, and has a devoted boyfriend. She has moved to a nice neighborhood and attends a private school. Her life is great until she receives a note from Cameron. He is obviously not dead, and he is back and attending her school. She lets him into her group of friends and every day he is around she relapses back to her old habits of overeating and stealing. They discuss the trauma they went through at the hands of Cameron’s father. Cameron’s return also gives her the courage to tell her mother what happened and try to salvage their relationship. Once again, Cameron leaves as suddenly as he arrived.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS: Written effectively in journal form, we get to know Jennifer’s innermost feelings. She has been through a lot in her seventeen years. We feel that she has overcome all her childhood insecurities, but has she? I enjoyed the evolution of Jennifer, as well as the relapse she experiences, when she lets Cameron back into her life. It is true in life, that certain people we allow in our lives are associated with particular behaviors. When we are around those people from our pasts, we engage in the behavior that we associate with them. I thought the book was very real from that perspective. Jennifer explains it best when she writes, “I think about how there are certain people who come into your life, and leave a mark.” For Jennifer, Cameron is that person.
I had less sympathy for Cameron's character. I didn't feel that I knew enough about his character. Why did he disrupt her life and then leave after such a short time? Why enroll in her school and settle in her neighborhood, when he knew he was leaving so abruptly? Without knowing more about his character, I found him to be selfish. I felt that the only good thing that came about from Cameron’s reappearance was that Jennifer was finally able to tell her mother what happened with Cameron’s father so long ago. I think that that was something that Jennifer needed to do to heal.
I found her mother to be the stereotypical single mother with too little time to do anything but support the family. It bothered me that even when she remarried, she still seemed to know very little about her daughter. It seemed that her step-father was more in touch with Jennifer than her mother. I liked that the step-father was a a caring and loving man. Most step-fathers are portrayed as unloving and unhappy about parenting a child that is not their own. I found this refreshing.
I enjoyed this book and thought its dialogue and descriptions of teenagers was very realistic. The plot was believable, yet I never understood Cameron's motives. The book contains some very real problems which today's teenagers can relate to. These include: absent parents, step-parents, peer pressure, childhood obesity, abuse, and homelessness.
The setting was in the state of Utah. I think it was important because Jennifer, Cameron, and their families were not Mormon, which ostracized them even more. Her school changes from public to private school between elementary and high school. This may have been to show that she was more accepted at a private school where everyone was not Mormon. Her private high school seems typical of almost in high school in America.
I enjoyed the book and most teenager's can relate to Jennifer's evolution from "Fattifer," to Jennifer Vaughn.
CONNECTIONS:
Students could write about some transformations they have made since being in elementary school. They could also write about one person in their lives that they completely trust and knows them completely. Students could also discuss if they think it was a good thing for Cameron to come back into Jennifer’s life or not. Students could also do art or an essay showing Jennifer’s transformation. They could discuss Life With Cameron and Life Without Cameron.
REVIEWS:
Booklist Starred Review:
"Zarr's writing is remarkable."
Publishers Weekly Starred Review:
"Engrossing."
RESOURCES:
Zarr, Sara. Sweethearts. New York: Little, Brown and Company. 2008.
Sara Zarr website.
http://www.sarazarr.com/
TeenReads website.
http://www.teenreads.com/authors/au-zarr-sara.asp
Image by Google Images.
AWARDS:
2008 Cybil Awards Finalist
Oprah Book Club Kids Reading List
American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults
New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age Reader
SUMMARY: In elementary school Jennifer Harris and Cameron Quick are friends and outcasts. The whole school refers to her as “Fattifer.” She is the daughter of a single mom who has little time for her daughter. Cameron and Jennifer suffer a terrifying ordeal which is told through Jennifer’s memories throughout the story. Cameron moves away a few weeks after this incident without saying goodbye. She learns that he is dead and grieves. Without Cameron to lean on, Jennifer reinvents herself. Her mother marries a wonderful man and he adopts Jennifer.
She is turning seventeen and her name is now Jennifer Vaughn. She is thin, popular, and has a devoted boyfriend. She has moved to a nice neighborhood and attends a private school. Her life is great until she receives a note from Cameron. He is obviously not dead, and he is back and attending her school. She lets him into her group of friends and every day he is around she relapses back to her old habits of overeating and stealing. They discuss the trauma they went through at the hands of Cameron’s father. Cameron’s return also gives her the courage to tell her mother what happened and try to salvage their relationship. Once again, Cameron leaves as suddenly as he arrived.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS: Written effectively in journal form, we get to know Jennifer’s innermost feelings. She has been through a lot in her seventeen years. We feel that she has overcome all her childhood insecurities, but has she? I enjoyed the evolution of Jennifer, as well as the relapse she experiences, when she lets Cameron back into her life. It is true in life, that certain people we allow in our lives are associated with particular behaviors. When we are around those people from our pasts, we engage in the behavior that we associate with them. I thought the book was very real from that perspective. Jennifer explains it best when she writes, “I think about how there are certain people who come into your life, and leave a mark.” For Jennifer, Cameron is that person.
I had less sympathy for Cameron's character. I didn't feel that I knew enough about his character. Why did he disrupt her life and then leave after such a short time? Why enroll in her school and settle in her neighborhood, when he knew he was leaving so abruptly? Without knowing more about his character, I found him to be selfish. I felt that the only good thing that came about from Cameron’s reappearance was that Jennifer was finally able to tell her mother what happened with Cameron’s father so long ago. I think that that was something that Jennifer needed to do to heal.
I found her mother to be the stereotypical single mother with too little time to do anything but support the family. It bothered me that even when she remarried, she still seemed to know very little about her daughter. It seemed that her step-father was more in touch with Jennifer than her mother. I liked that the step-father was a a caring and loving man. Most step-fathers are portrayed as unloving and unhappy about parenting a child that is not their own. I found this refreshing.
I enjoyed this book and thought its dialogue and descriptions of teenagers was very realistic. The plot was believable, yet I never understood Cameron's motives. The book contains some very real problems which today's teenagers can relate to. These include: absent parents, step-parents, peer pressure, childhood obesity, abuse, and homelessness.
The setting was in the state of Utah. I think it was important because Jennifer, Cameron, and their families were not Mormon, which ostracized them even more. Her school changes from public to private school between elementary and high school. This may have been to show that she was more accepted at a private school where everyone was not Mormon. Her private high school seems typical of almost in high school in America.
I enjoyed the book and most teenager's can relate to Jennifer's evolution from "Fattifer," to Jennifer Vaughn.
CONNECTIONS:
Students could write about some transformations they have made since being in elementary school. They could also write about one person in their lives that they completely trust and knows them completely. Students could also discuss if they think it was a good thing for Cameron to come back into Jennifer’s life or not. Students could also do art or an essay showing Jennifer’s transformation. They could discuss Life With Cameron and Life Without Cameron.
REVIEWS:
Booklist Starred Review:
"Zarr's writing is remarkable."
Publishers Weekly Starred Review:
"Engrossing."
RESOURCES:
Zarr, Sara. Sweethearts. New York: Little, Brown and Company. 2008.
Sara Zarr website.
http://www.sarazarr.com/
TeenReads website.
http://www.teenreads.com/authors/au-zarr-sara.asp
Image by Google Images.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
YOUNG ADULT CLASSIC REVIEW
Cormier, Robert. The Chocolate War. New York: Random House Children’s Books. 1974.
AWARDS: An ALA Best Books for Young Adults
A School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Choice
A New York Times Outstanding Books of the Year
SUMMARY: Jerry is a student at a boy’s catholic high school named The Trinity School. Trinity School is led by the Assistant Head Master, Brother Leon, who is taking over while the Head Master is recovering from an unknown illness. Trinity is also run by a gang called the Vigils, which is ruled over by Archie Costello. The Vigils main duty is to terrorize the rest of the school. Archie picks on students by providing them with an assignment to carry out. The Vigils never get in trouble for any of their offenses and it seems Archie has control of the adults running the school as well.
Brother Leon has spent money that the school doesn’t have on boxes of chocolate for the students to sell as a fundraiser. To make sure that the sale is a success, Leon asks the Vigils to help him with the sale by showing their support. Archie agrees, but at the same time he gives an assignment to freshman, Jerry Renault. He tells Jerry that he should refuse to sell chocolate for the first ten days of the sale. To everyone’s surprise, after ten days, Jerry still refuses to sell chocolate for the fund raiser. Brother Leon again asks Archie and the Vigils for help in getting the chocolate sale to be successful. Unfortunately, Jerry Renault is no longer playing anyone’s game. He gathers inspiration from the poster in his locker which reads, “Do I Dare to Disturb the Universe?”(Cormier, 1971).
The Vigils decide to step up their abuse of Jerry and try and force him to sell chocolates. He refuses, no matter how much they abuse him physically or mentally. In the end, violence takes over. Jerry has no intention of fighting, but is forced to participate. Jerry is hurt so badly in the milieu that he ends up in the hospital. Brother Leon has watched the whole situation unfold, and has done nothing to stop the violence.
Brother Jaques is about to come down hard on Archie, but Brother Leon comes in and saves Archie and the Vigils from any punishment. On his way to the hospital, Jerry tells his only friend Goober, “Don’t disturb the universe Goober, no matter what the posters say.”(Cormier, 1974)
CRITICAL ANALYSIS: This story of boys attending a Catholic Boys school in 1974 is considered a classic because its theme of violence, corrupt authority figures, and sexual situations were something that had not been written about before in such a brutally honest way. The story allows the villains to win, with the lone sympathetic character failing miserably. The characters are well developed and you will hate to see Jerry go on a downward spiral, from hero to the most hated boy in his school. I felt the emotions of Jerry while reading the story. I felt his contentment when all the boys admired his decision to boycott the candy sell. I also felt his fear when he heard the voices outside his apartment heckling him. Archie and Brother Leon are easy to despise as the villains and the ending made me feel sad. I personally enjoyed the book, although I found the first few chapters hard to follow and didn’t really get invested in the story until a few chapters later.
I think students in high school today would find this story hard to believe. It was such a different time and most students today would not tolerate the bullying, corrupt teachers, and harassment that Jerry took without ever asking anyone for help. Today, Brother Leon would probably be fired and Archie would most likely be in a juvenile facility somewhere. The school would probably be closed completely if an event like the final showdown was allowed to take place on school property. Students and parents are savvier, and authority figures are questioned today when a situation like the one in the book occurs. Cell phones, Facebook, and You Tube make it impossible for any event to occur without some documentation of it. Students today don’t understand that Jerry couldn’t text his dad from class and tell him what was happening. Parents didn’t fix every problem their children encountered, like they do today.
CONNECTIONS:
This story has several teachable moments. Students can learn that a few decades ago, authority figures, especially educators were not questioned about their decisions. Bullying and harassment was more accepted because students didn’t tell their parents everything and parents weren’t as involved as they are today. I think the book has many qualities that students today should learn about. I think that students would be shocked at the cruelty exhibited by the whole school over a chocolate sale. The whole situation is really about power and has nothing to do with chocolate, but it is still shocking. Students can also discuss how they could “Disturb the universe,” today.
REVIEWS:
School Library Journal-Starred Review:
"The characterizations of all the boys are superb... This novel [is] unique in its uncompromising portrait of human cruelty and conformity."
The New York Times Book Review:
"The Chocolate War is masterfully structured and rich in theme; the action is well crafted, well timed, suspenseful; complex ideas develop and unfold with clarity."
RESOURCES:
Cormier, Robert. The Chocolate War. New York: Random House Children’s Books. 1974.
Fantastic Fiction website/Robert Cormier.
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/robert-cormier/
Teen Reads website/Robert Cormier.
http://teenreads.com/authors/au-cormier-robert.asp
Image by Google Images.
RECENT AWARD WINNER REVIEW
Blundell, Judy. What I Saw, And How I Lied. New York: Scholastic Press. 2008.
AWARDS:
2008 National Book Award for Young People's Literature.
SUMMARY: The story revolves around a 15 year old girl, Evie Spooner who lives in Queens, New York. She lives with her mother Beverly, her stepfather Joe, and his mother. Joe has been away serving in the Army overseas during World War II. The war has recently ended and he has only been home a short while. Joe has bought a store which sells appliances.
School is about to start and Joe suddenly decides that they need a vacation. Joe, Beverly, and Evie get into the car and head for Palm Beach, Florida. They meet a couple, the Graysons. They become friends and spend most of their time together. Standing by the poo one evening, Evie sees a very attractive man named Peter Coleridge. Evie is infatuated with Peter instantly. Peter begins hanging out with Evie and her family, as well as the Graysons.
Joe and Beverly begin fighting and Evie seeks out Peter whenever she can. Mr. Grayson proposes that Joe and he go into business together. He wants to buy the hotel where they are staying. Beverly and Joe disagree over the business deal. Evie and Beverly spend most of their time with Peter. Evie thinks that Peter is interested in her, but it begins to become clear that Peter wants her beautiful mother Beverly.
The business deal between the Graysons and Joe falls apart when the hotel owner finds out that the Graysons are Jewish. They are asked to leave the hotel and never come back. The Graysons leave and Joe is angry over this development.
The last day of their stay, Joe suggests that Peter take Joe and Beverly out on a boat. A Hurricane is headed toward Palm Beach but is not supposed to hit immediately. Joe insists that Peter go ahead and take them out on the boat. The hurricane hits and the boat doesn’t return. Evie and a boy from the hotel, Wally, offers to go to the beach to help her look for them. He makes a pass at Evie, which she resists. Wally tears her dress and the hotel manager sees this on their return. Wally is fired for his indiscretion.
Joe and Beverly come back with the boat, but Peter was thrown overboard and drowned. Joe and Beverly might be charged with murder. Joe and Beverly hire then convince Evie to lie.
Wally comes forward and states that he saw Beverly kissing Peter on the beach one night during their stay. Evie gets on the stand and tells what Wally tried to do to her trying to discredit him. She states that it was her in her mother’s dress that was kissing Peter on the beach. The case is dropped and Evie, Joe, and Beverly go back to Queens.
Before his death, Peter tells Evie a secret about Joe. Peter was a serviceman under Joe. It seems Joe took money during the war from selling items he recovered from the Nazis. These items belonged to Jewish people killed or imprisoned during the war. Joe was supposed to give Peter half the money but never paid him.
Once back home, disgusted with her parents behavior, she gets the stolen money and finds the Graysons. She gives the Graysons the money and tells them to help out any Jewish people the Graysons might know who were affected by the war. She knows it will be hard living with her parents because of the money, but she knows she is doing the right thing.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a great mystery and also includes historical fiction. I thought this book read more like an adult mystery told through a teen-ager’s eyes. It was fast paced and caught my attention immediately. The characters were believable and the plot was exciting, but not too complicated for a teenager to understand. I liked the main character, Evie, and I felt the anguish that Evie feels when she realizes that Peter is attracted to her beautiful mother. Teenagers can relate to Evie dealing with her stepfather and that she never knew her real father. They can also relate to Evie having little confidence with boys and always standing in the shadow of her beautiful mother. Seeing the characters develop, you are not surprised at their actions at the end of the story.
I don’t think this would be a book I would recommend for reluctant readers because the plot is somewhat sophisticated. I think girls will like this book more than boys. I found there were no male characters with any kind of integrity. They were all disappointing. Evie is a heroine and great example for girls. Although she lies for her parents, she tries making everything right in the end.
CONNECTIONS:
I think this book has some great opportunities for class discussions. Would your students lie about a murder to save their parents? Do they understand the underlying plot about the Jewish friends, the Graysons? Did they realize there was prejudice toward Jews in this country? Could they have done something so unselfish as turn the money over to Mrs. Grayson to help other Jews? Was it right for Evie to steal money that wasn’t hers any more than it was Joe’s? These are some of the great discussion questions proposed by this story.
BOOK REVIEWS:
Booklist Review:
“Using pitch-perfect dialogue and short sentences filled with meaning, Blundell has crafted a suspenseful, historical mystery that not only subtly explores issues of post–WWII racism, sexism, and socioeconomic class, but also realistically captures the headiness of first love and the crushing realization that adults are not all-powerful."
Publisher’s Weekly:
"Readers can taste Evie's alienation and her yearning; it's a stylish, addictive brew."
RESOURCES:
Blundell, Judy. What I Saw, And How I Lied. New York: Scholastic Press. 2008.
Judy Blundell website.
http://www.judyblundell.com/
Image by Google Images.
PRINTZ AWARD WINNER
Mackler, Carolyn. The Earth, My Butt And Other Big Round Things. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. 2003.
AWARDS:
A Michael L. Printz Honor Book
An American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults
A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
A YALSA Teens' Top Ten Book
Publishers Weekly Cuffie Award winner for Best Book Title
SUMMARY: This story revolves around the life of teenager Virginia Shreves. She lives in Manhattan with her father and mother. She also has a perfect brother and sister. The brother Byron is a very attractive honor student at Columbia University. Her sister Anais has graduated from college and joined the Peace Corps, much to her parents’ dismay. Virginia is a typical teen-ager with low self-esteem exaggerated by the fact that she is overweight. Her only real friend Shannon has left New York and moved to Washington State with her family for a year. Virginia’s family has no time for her. Her mother Phyllis is a busy adolescent psychologist and her father is a high powered software executive. They spend week-ends in Connecticut and Virginia is left alone to fend for herself. She is lonely and uses food for comfort. This only drives a bigger wedge between her and her parents who want her to be thin. They are constantly on her case to lose weight, taking her to doctors and humiliating her. Virginia likes a boy Froggy, but he only pays attention to her when they sneak to her apartment to make out. Virginia knows that she has no chance with him in public, so she doesn’t ask him for more.
The parents are shocked when they get a call one day about Byron. He has been suspended from Columbia for a semester because a girl has accused him of date rape. This sends the family into chaos.
During Thanksgiving, Virginia goes to see Shannon in Washington. Virginia has her eyebrow pierced while Shannon gets her tongue done. The reaction at school is all positive and she decides to rebel further. She gets her hair dyed purple and buys clothes from a store her mother doesn’t approve of. Virginia begins to come out of her shell and students at school begin to notice her. Her family finally begins to see her differently also. Virginia takes up kick-boxing and starts to feel better about her body.
Virginia decides to develop a website for students to complain about whatever they want online. Froggy joins the group and they decide to name the website Earthquack. Froggy and Virginia confess that they’d like to see each other again and Froggy kisses her in front of everyone.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
This is a well written book. It is fast paced and easy to read, which teenagers will like. The main character is a great heroine, coming out of her shell without doing major things to change her body. She also makes her own world better without the help of her family. She is someone teenage girls should look to as a role model.
The parents are believable also. They provide money and shelter, but little attention and support. I think many teens today can relate to parents so caught up in their own lives, they have little left for their children. To make this even more absurd, is the fact that the mother is an adolescent psychologist. The parents want their perfect little family without having to put in the time or emotion to have it. Byron being charged with date rape was a surprising plot twist.
I was so proud of Virginia when she realizes that she has to make herself happy, not her family. I think girls can also relate to why Virginia allows Froggy to treat her as he does. She has so little self-confidence when the story begins that she doesn’t even realize that Froggy might want more. The fact that they really like each other at the end made the story even better. I think most girls will love getting to know Virginia and hopefully they can learn something from her journey.
CONNECTIONS:
I think one great way to get students to relate to this book is for them to discuss or write the ways that their own family is like Virginia’s family. Another great activity would be for students to compare themselves to Virginia. Compare her by personality, as well as her physical description. Ask teenagers if they have ever felt that their parents favored their brothers or sisters over them and how it made them feel? Have they ever felt like they were switched at birth and put in the wrong family and if so, why?
BOOK REVIEWS:
School Library Journal:
"Told through first-person narrative, journal entries, and e-mail, Virginia's story will interest readers who are looking for one more book with teen angst, a bit of romance, and a kid who is a bit like them or their friends."
Publishers Weekly:
"The e-mails she exchanges with Shannon, and the lists she makes (e.g., "The Fat Girl Code of Conduct") add both realism and insight to her character. The heroine's transformation into someone who finds her own style and speaks her own mind is believable — and worthy of applause."
RESOURCES:
Mackler, Carolyn. The Earth, My Butt, And Other Big Round Thing. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. 2003.
Carolyn Mackler website.
http://carolynmackler.com/Carolyn-Mackler-Home-Page.asp
Teen Reads website.
http://www.teenreads.com/authors/au-mackler-carolyn.asp
Image by Google Images.
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