Heuston, K. (2008). The book of Jude. Honesdale, PA: Front Street, 217 pp.
fictional drama
age range: 9th-11th
possible classroom uses: individual, group, bridge to Sylvia Plath
Synopsis:
Judith Grace Wheelock is a fifteen year old girl who goes by the name of Jude. Her Mormon family moves to Czechoslovakia unexpectedly when her mother receives a Fulbright scholarship to study there. Jude is very upset by this drastic change and cannot seem to understand why her mother, father, twin sister, and younger sister seem to adjust to their new life so well. Jude’s incapability to cope with the stress of the move leads her into a series of uncontrollable episodes that culminate with her wrecking the family car after stealing it. This lands her in a psychiatric hospital where she learns that she has Borderline Personality Disorder, which means she does not react well to trying times because she is unable to draw support from her past fond memories. But she finds hope in the comfort of a loving family, a secure belief system, and wise old friends.
Evaluation:
It is evident throughout this piece of literature that Heuston is an accomplished novelist through her sure use of literary elements. The main characters are well-developed and dynamic. Even though the majority of the supporting characters tend to be flat, they add important dimensions to the novel as a whole. The plot was clearly defined, but the unfolding of the story as it progresses is unpredictable. The desire to understand oneself and be understood by others is a constant theme throughout the novel. The importance of strong family and friend structures is emphasized, and the value of personal feelings is stressed as well. With the setting changing from New York to Jude’s grandparent’s vineyard to Czechoslovakia all in 1989, Jude’s emotional progression from the familiar to nostalgia to the unknown is symbolized. The stream-of-consciousness style of narrative provides an inside look into a mental disability, a rare opportunity. Heuston also catches the reader’s interest by creating and maintaining a tone of the unknown. She accomplishes this by coupling the point of view of a girl with BPD with having the majority of the book take place in Czechoslovakia. Both, I venture to say, are relatively foreign concepts to most adolescent American readers.
Heuston connects with a variety of adolescents in her writing through several means. This novel illustrates how growing up can be overwhelming and seemingly impossible at times. Even though Jude is mentally disabled, most adolescents can relate to the confusion that she endures to some extent. This novel also reaches adolescents by validating the intense desire to be loved that all teenagers encounter. Heuston’s novel appeals to adolescent in a multicultural manner. Heuston validates adolescents with disabilities by writing from the perspective of a girl with BPD. Different cultures are recognized by having the main characters being impacted positively by non-Americans and by not only explaining the importance of historical events in other countries but also having those events directly affect Americans. Heuston also places value on both genders by having strong female and male roles.
Reaction:
Overall, I really enjoyed reading The Book of Jude. The description of Jude’s nightmares was captivating. Heuston incites fear in her readers as she blurs the lines between reality and fantasy in these scenes. It took me a while to figure out what was real and what was Jude’s imagination throughout the novel, and I think Heuston intends to do so in order to display Jude’s confusion and so that the reader can better understand Jude. Heuston masterfully blurs the lines of right and wrong through the characters in the novel. No one is fully bad or fully good, but most are usually displayed positively. Thus, the readers have the freedom to develop their own opinion about the characters. The readers are faced with discerning whether the father was overbearing or providing stability by continuously setting high standards for Jude, whether Merry was self-centered or simply trying to establish her own identity in the same way Jude was, or whether the mother is selfish for uprooting her family or simply fulfilling her own dreams. Heuston’s The Book of Jude is an intriguingly fascinating novel that is sure to captivate the minds of many adolescents.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Friday, August 1, 2008
the mice-men
Spiegelman, A. (1973). Maus. New York City: Pantheon Books, 159 pp.
Biography/graphic novel: 1988 Angoulême International Comics Festival Awards - Religious Award, 1988 Prize for Best Comic Book, 1988 Urhunden Prize, 1990 Max and Moritz Prize, and 1992 Pulitzer Prize
possible classroom uses: individual choice, small group, bridge to any holocaust literature
appropriate age: 7th-12th
Synopsis:
This is the story of an adult Jewish son interviewing his father about his experiences in the Holocaust. The biography records primarily the father's experiences in the Holocaust, but their interview dialogue is peppered throughout the novel. As a result, the reader comes a way with a personal testimony of the Holocaust and a clear understanding of this family's dynamics and history.
Evaluation:
The characters are all dynamic, and the subtlety of character depiction is amazing. The reader thinnks that he or she is just reading a recollection of the Holocaust with some added blurbs of interactions between father and son, but the reader actually stumbles into a second fully developed story between two complex characters. The plot is fully fleshed out and extremely intriguing. It is definitely unpredictable. The themes throughout the novel are family dynamics, oppression, and suffering. The setting is in Poland during the Holocaust and also New York City during the 1970's. Adolescents can relate to this novel because even as a man, Art is trying to earn and maintain independence from his father. This struggle to become your own person independent of your family is a desire and a struggle for all adolescents. This book refers to specific social and emotional development that adolescents endure. This book addresses mutlicultural issues such as race, ethnicity, language, age, and religion by validifying different ones as important personal attributes, but this book addresses gender and social class by promoting one over another.
Reaction:
Maus was wonderful! It was so realistic and fluid, even though it would change from current to past. The graphics really helped describe the scene and improved the reader’s understanding. The father’s and son’s interaction with one another was very believable and genuine. The use of broken English magnified the authenticity of the characters even more. This novel retold a famous, familiar historical event in a new and fresh way. I felt like this novel was easy to relate to and understand. It increased my interest of the Holocaust. It made the devastating tragedy come alive for me in a way that I had never experienced before. It made the characters more than just holocaust survivors. They became people just like you and me, both the Jews and the Germans, who were simply trying to make their way in the world. I am not trying to simplify, nullify, or justify the horrific actions of people, but I am saying that this book made them more relatable. If a novel can introduce such a widely publicized event with a new perspective, then that author has done something truly great.
Biography/graphic novel: 1988 Angoulême International Comics Festival Awards - Religious Award, 1988 Prize for Best Comic Book, 1988 Urhunden Prize, 1990 Max and Moritz Prize, and 1992 Pulitzer Prize
possible classroom uses: individual choice, small group, bridge to any holocaust literature
appropriate age: 7th-12th
Synopsis:
This is the story of an adult Jewish son interviewing his father about his experiences in the Holocaust. The biography records primarily the father's experiences in the Holocaust, but their interview dialogue is peppered throughout the novel. As a result, the reader comes a way with a personal testimony of the Holocaust and a clear understanding of this family's dynamics and history.
Evaluation:
The characters are all dynamic, and the subtlety of character depiction is amazing. The reader thinnks that he or she is just reading a recollection of the Holocaust with some added blurbs of interactions between father and son, but the reader actually stumbles into a second fully developed story between two complex characters. The plot is fully fleshed out and extremely intriguing. It is definitely unpredictable. The themes throughout the novel are family dynamics, oppression, and suffering. The setting is in Poland during the Holocaust and also New York City during the 1970's. Adolescents can relate to this novel because even as a man, Art is trying to earn and maintain independence from his father. This struggle to become your own person independent of your family is a desire and a struggle for all adolescents. This book refers to specific social and emotional development that adolescents endure. This book addresses mutlicultural issues such as race, ethnicity, language, age, and religion by validifying different ones as important personal attributes, but this book addresses gender and social class by promoting one over another.
Reaction:
Maus was wonderful! It was so realistic and fluid, even though it would change from current to past. The graphics really helped describe the scene and improved the reader’s understanding. The father’s and son’s interaction with one another was very believable and genuine. The use of broken English magnified the authenticity of the characters even more. This novel retold a famous, familiar historical event in a new and fresh way. I felt like this novel was easy to relate to and understand. It increased my interest of the Holocaust. It made the devastating tragedy come alive for me in a way that I had never experienced before. It made the characters more than just holocaust survivors. They became people just like you and me, both the Jews and the Germans, who were simply trying to make their way in the world. I am not trying to simplify, nullify, or justify the horrific actions of people, but I am saying that this book made them more relatable. If a novel can introduce such a widely publicized event with a new perspective, then that author has done something truly great.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
burnt orange
Cisneros, S. (1984). The house on mango street. New York City: Knopf Publishing Group, 128 pp.
Hispanic American fiction, American Book Award 1985
possible classroom uses: individual choice, small group, bridge to immigration boom in America
appropriate age range: 9th-12th
Synopsis:
This novella tells the coming-of-age story of Esperanza Cordero. It details her life as Latino girl growing up in Chicago. Cisneros records Esperanza's adventures and misadventures with her neighborhood girlfriends. Esperanza grows up experiencing one harsh situation after another. She is faced with the challenge of maturing in the midst of strife and violence.
Evaluation:
The characters in this book are creatively developed through snippets of prose and poetry. The plot is fully developed but only through glimpses of action and scenes. The major theme is struggling with the concept of home. The setting is the Latino neighborhoods of Chicago in the 1980's. The style of Cisnero's writing is fictional prose with narrative poetry. The book addresses the adolescent need to feel safe and stable. This book deals with physical, social, and emotional adolescent issues. This book addresses race, ethnicity, and language by being embedded in a cross-cultural society. This book addresses gender, age, religion, and social class through showing the mistreatments within each area.
Reaction:
The House on Mango Street was an amazing novel. I loved the simultaneous implementation of prose and poetry. Although in some places it seemed a bit disjointed, overall the transitions were seamlessly smooth. This novel is unique because it creatively addresses the horrors of life experiences through the positive view of a young girl. Even though the author’s voice can be plainly heard through the narrator in spots, this stark contrast heightens the quality of the novel and peaks the interest of the reader. It also gives evidence supporting the artistic ability of the author. The author also provides fascinating insight into a subculture of urban Latinos in the 1980’s and brings out truth and hardships that all readers can relate to on some level or another. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenging way the author provides pieces of a story and the reader has to creatively fill in the gaps. Though some of the difficulties that arise in the novel are hard to swallow, I found this book very entertaining.
Hispanic American fiction, American Book Award 1985
possible classroom uses: individual choice, small group, bridge to immigration boom in America
appropriate age range: 9th-12th
Synopsis:
This novella tells the coming-of-age story of Esperanza Cordero. It details her life as Latino girl growing up in Chicago. Cisneros records Esperanza's adventures and misadventures with her neighborhood girlfriends. Esperanza grows up experiencing one harsh situation after another. She is faced with the challenge of maturing in the midst of strife and violence.
Evaluation:
The characters in this book are creatively developed through snippets of prose and poetry. The plot is fully developed but only through glimpses of action and scenes. The major theme is struggling with the concept of home. The setting is the Latino neighborhoods of Chicago in the 1980's. The style of Cisnero's writing is fictional prose with narrative poetry. The book addresses the adolescent need to feel safe and stable. This book deals with physical, social, and emotional adolescent issues. This book addresses race, ethnicity, and language by being embedded in a cross-cultural society. This book addresses gender, age, religion, and social class through showing the mistreatments within each area.
Reaction:
The House on Mango Street was an amazing novel. I loved the simultaneous implementation of prose and poetry. Although in some places it seemed a bit disjointed, overall the transitions were seamlessly smooth. This novel is unique because it creatively addresses the horrors of life experiences through the positive view of a young girl. Even though the author’s voice can be plainly heard through the narrator in spots, this stark contrast heightens the quality of the novel and peaks the interest of the reader. It also gives evidence supporting the artistic ability of the author. The author also provides fascinating insight into a subculture of urban Latinos in the 1980’s and brings out truth and hardships that all readers can relate to on some level or another. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenging way the author provides pieces of a story and the reader has to creatively fill in the gaps. Though some of the difficulties that arise in the novel are hard to swallow, I found this book very entertaining.
beneath the surface
Sachar, L. (1998). Holes. New York City: Dell Laurel-Leaf, 231 pp.
Fiction, Newberry Medal, 1999
possible classroom uses: read aloud, individual choice, small group, bridge to Huckleberry Finn
appropriate age range: 7th-8th
Synopsis:
This novel is the story of Stanley Yelnats' experience at a juvenile detention center called Camp Green Lake. This camp has unusual disciplinary strategies and suspicious staff members. In an adventurous tale of bravery and curiosity, Stanley uncovers the connetion between a local history story, his family's past, and a new friend.
Evaluation:
Sachar's characters are diverse, but slightly flat. The only truly dymanic character is Stanley. The other characters change only in discovering their connectedness instead of undergoing true character development. The plot is the main appeal to this novel. It is fun and exciting. There is little suspense because the reader knows before the characters what is going to happen, but the storyline is complex and imaginative. The themes of overcoming all odds and identity found in one's family history are evident throughout the novel. The setting is a deserted, dry plane which serves as a juvenile correction facility in Texas. The story is told in third-person narrative. This novel addresses adolescent's need for social support and the roles played within that support system. This novel addresses how adolescents develop socially and physically. This book address multicultural stereotypes of racial profiling, gender roles, language, age, exceptionality, and social class.
Reaction:
Holes is amazingly wonderful. It is an all-around “feel-good” book. There is intrigue, adventure, excitement, fun, and seemingly unbearable challenges. Just reading it pumped me up and encouraged me. It had a fanciful element to it which made it alittle unrealistic, but that didn’t inhibit the relatability of the novel to adolescents. The fanciful tone was not extravagant by any means, but it allowed the author more freedom with the dialogue. In other words, I think adolescents will be more forgiving of the cheesier parts in the novel because of its semi-fanciful nature. I thought it was an extremely well-written, out-of-the-box novel that will appeal to a wide variety of adolescents.
Fiction, Newberry Medal, 1999
possible classroom uses: read aloud, individual choice, small group, bridge to Huckleberry Finn
appropriate age range: 7th-8th
Synopsis:
This novel is the story of Stanley Yelnats' experience at a juvenile detention center called Camp Green Lake. This camp has unusual disciplinary strategies and suspicious staff members. In an adventurous tale of bravery and curiosity, Stanley uncovers the connetion between a local history story, his family's past, and a new friend.
Evaluation:
Sachar's characters are diverse, but slightly flat. The only truly dymanic character is Stanley. The other characters change only in discovering their connectedness instead of undergoing true character development. The plot is the main appeal to this novel. It is fun and exciting. There is little suspense because the reader knows before the characters what is going to happen, but the storyline is complex and imaginative. The themes of overcoming all odds and identity found in one's family history are evident throughout the novel. The setting is a deserted, dry plane which serves as a juvenile correction facility in Texas. The story is told in third-person narrative. This novel addresses adolescent's need for social support and the roles played within that support system. This novel addresses how adolescents develop socially and physically. This book address multicultural stereotypes of racial profiling, gender roles, language, age, exceptionality, and social class.
Reaction:
Holes is amazingly wonderful. It is an all-around “feel-good” book. There is intrigue, adventure, excitement, fun, and seemingly unbearable challenges. Just reading it pumped me up and encouraged me. It had a fanciful element to it which made it alittle unrealistic, but that didn’t inhibit the relatability of the novel to adolescents. The fanciful tone was not extravagant by any means, but it allowed the author more freedom with the dialogue. In other words, I think adolescents will be more forgiving of the cheesier parts in the novel because of its semi-fanciful nature. I thought it was an extremely well-written, out-of-the-box novel that will appeal to a wide variety of adolescents.
the value of life
Myers, W. D. (2008). Sunrise over Fallujah. New York City: Scolastic Press, 290 pp.
Fiction
possible classroom uses: read aloud, individual choice, small group, bridge to any war literature
appropriate age range: 7th-12th
Synopsis:
This book is about Americn soldiers in Iraq. It is told from the perspective of a young soldier name Robin (aka Birdie). We get to learn about his daily events through his dialogue with his fellow soldiers, his thoughts and reflections about the day's events, and his letters to his Uncle Richie. This is the story of a boy becoming a man when he is faced with the possibility of death in battle on a daily basis. He records stories of developing friendships with other soldiers, close calls in battle, and ethical issues that arise.
Evaluation:
Myers develops the characters flawlessly. They are not simply soldiers but actual scared people with convictions and personal lives. The plot is thorough and exhilarating. The theme of questioning how much the end should justify the means arises along with the fragility of life reoccurring. The setting is in the current war zone in Iraq. This book addresses the uncertainty that adolescents are plagued with. This book also represents with a real circumstance the intense emotion that adolescents feel all of the time about "normal" daily occurrences. This book addresses the distrust of people of different race or ethnicity that surrounds everyone. It also blurs the lines of gender roles, implying that neither should be or actually can be defined by one set stereotype. This also addresses the difference in how much religion affects people's lives.
Reaction:
Sunrise over Fallujah was amazing! This book is authentic. It is not just another story about war written during the time of war to sell books. I felt like it gave an accurate portrayal of all sides represented in the controversy over the war in Iraq in a simplified way. I enjoyed reading about the details of soldiers lives in Iraq. I realize that this is a fictional story, but I felt that it was believably based in truth. I think that the reality of the war was fully portrayed to the degree that would be acceptable for most adolescents. I appreciated the fact that the heart of the issues were fully addressed without the aspects of a soldier's life that would be inappropriate for young adolescents. I really enjoyed reading the story because I was emotionally invested in the characters. Walter dean myers is an excellent writer who truly captivates, engages, and drives his readers on to continue reading.
Fiction
possible classroom uses: read aloud, individual choice, small group, bridge to any war literature
appropriate age range: 7th-12th
Synopsis:
This book is about Americn soldiers in Iraq. It is told from the perspective of a young soldier name Robin (aka Birdie). We get to learn about his daily events through his dialogue with his fellow soldiers, his thoughts and reflections about the day's events, and his letters to his Uncle Richie. This is the story of a boy becoming a man when he is faced with the possibility of death in battle on a daily basis. He records stories of developing friendships with other soldiers, close calls in battle, and ethical issues that arise.
Evaluation:
Myers develops the characters flawlessly. They are not simply soldiers but actual scared people with convictions and personal lives. The plot is thorough and exhilarating. The theme of questioning how much the end should justify the means arises along with the fragility of life reoccurring. The setting is in the current war zone in Iraq. This book addresses the uncertainty that adolescents are plagued with. This book also represents with a real circumstance the intense emotion that adolescents feel all of the time about "normal" daily occurrences. This book addresses the distrust of people of different race or ethnicity that surrounds everyone. It also blurs the lines of gender roles, implying that neither should be or actually can be defined by one set stereotype. This also addresses the difference in how much religion affects people's lives.
Reaction:
Sunrise over Fallujah was amazing! This book is authentic. It is not just another story about war written during the time of war to sell books. I felt like it gave an accurate portrayal of all sides represented in the controversy over the war in Iraq in a simplified way. I enjoyed reading about the details of soldiers lives in Iraq. I realize that this is a fictional story, but I felt that it was believably based in truth. I think that the reality of the war was fully portrayed to the degree that would be acceptable for most adolescents. I appreciated the fact that the heart of the issues were fully addressed without the aspects of a soldier's life that would be inappropriate for young adolescents. I really enjoyed reading the story because I was emotionally invested in the characters. Walter dean myers is an excellent writer who truly captivates, engages, and drives his readers on to continue reading.
girl vs. war
Satrapi, M. (2003). Persepolis. Paris: L'Association, 341 pp.
Autobiography/graphic novel: Alex Award, Best Books for Young Adults, and Editor's Choice for Young Adults
possible classroom uses: individual choice, small group, bridge to literature about war in other countries
appropriate age range: 8th-11th
Synopsis:
Persepolis is the autobiographical story of Marjane Satrapi. She details her life as an Iranian adolescent. She records the beginning of the Iranian war with Iraq as she entered her teenaged years, her parent's decision to send her to Austria for safety, and her return to Iran. During this time she shares intimate details about her growing-up process. She highlights the Iranian government's reaction to the war, several invasions on her hometown, and the effects of these on the Iranian culture. Satrapi simultaneously details how she deals with all of the immense changes that are going on around her and within her.
Evaluation:
The characters in this novel are dymanic and realistic, but their development is some what overshadowed by the setting with the detailed information of the war. The plot is clear and interesting as it develops and closes. The autobiographical style personalizes the war, increasing the reality of the devestation it causes. Adolescents should be intrigued at least with the story, if not be able to relate with the Satrapi. While the difficulties and hardships she experiences are more extreme than most adolescents' experiences, they will definitely be able to identify with her desire to fit in and belong. An overarching theme of loneliness and the longing to find one's identity are constant throughout the book. Satrapi addresses the physical, social, cognitive, and emotional development that all adolescents go through, so there are many areas to which adolescent readers can connect. This book's message is that multicultural issues of language, race, ethnicity, gender, age, and religion are important and each person should find value in firmly establishing themselves using these various facets. Satrapi struggles to find herself in all of these areas, and eventually she succeeds by becoming comfortable with herself in all of these areas.
Reaction:
I felt that Persepolis accurately details the condition of iran in the 1980’s. sometimes I got lost in the details of the battle which caused me to disengage from the overall story. I appreciated the Satrapi’s desire to convey the truth about the Iranian war, but I felt that there might be too many details that might seem boring to adolescents and not enough emphasis on the story so that adolescents could truly connect with the characters. In any autobiography, the setting is extremely important, but in this case I felt like it was overemphasized. I felt like she was trying to do too much at once. If she wanted to write an autobiography of herself, she should have focused more on her particular circumstances; if she wanted to write about the war in iran, she should have emphasized her personal story less. I just got frustrated in reading it because I felt like she was having two competing main topics. She should have chosen one or the other without having both of them be equally important. There were simply too many details to record about both her life and the war in iran to have both of them be equally represented in one book. However, I did enjoy the simplicity of her graphics. They were creative and descriptive, but they were also clear and concise. Overall, I felt like this was an important piece of history that needs to be shared with the world, but I wish it could have been told more cohesively.
Autobiography/graphic novel: Alex Award, Best Books for Young Adults, and Editor's Choice for Young Adults
possible classroom uses: individual choice, small group, bridge to literature about war in other countries
appropriate age range: 8th-11th
Synopsis:
Persepolis is the autobiographical story of Marjane Satrapi. She details her life as an Iranian adolescent. She records the beginning of the Iranian war with Iraq as she entered her teenaged years, her parent's decision to send her to Austria for safety, and her return to Iran. During this time she shares intimate details about her growing-up process. She highlights the Iranian government's reaction to the war, several invasions on her hometown, and the effects of these on the Iranian culture. Satrapi simultaneously details how she deals with all of the immense changes that are going on around her and within her.
Evaluation:
The characters in this novel are dymanic and realistic, but their development is some what overshadowed by the setting with the detailed information of the war. The plot is clear and interesting as it develops and closes. The autobiographical style personalizes the war, increasing the reality of the devestation it causes. Adolescents should be intrigued at least with the story, if not be able to relate with the Satrapi. While the difficulties and hardships she experiences are more extreme than most adolescents' experiences, they will definitely be able to identify with her desire to fit in and belong. An overarching theme of loneliness and the longing to find one's identity are constant throughout the book. Satrapi addresses the physical, social, cognitive, and emotional development that all adolescents go through, so there are many areas to which adolescent readers can connect. This book's message is that multicultural issues of language, race, ethnicity, gender, age, and religion are important and each person should find value in firmly establishing themselves using these various facets. Satrapi struggles to find herself in all of these areas, and eventually she succeeds by becoming comfortable with herself in all of these areas.
Reaction:
I felt that Persepolis accurately details the condition of iran in the 1980’s. sometimes I got lost in the details of the battle which caused me to disengage from the overall story. I appreciated the Satrapi’s desire to convey the truth about the Iranian war, but I felt that there might be too many details that might seem boring to adolescents and not enough emphasis on the story so that adolescents could truly connect with the characters. In any autobiography, the setting is extremely important, but in this case I felt like it was overemphasized. I felt like she was trying to do too much at once. If she wanted to write an autobiography of herself, she should have focused more on her particular circumstances; if she wanted to write about the war in iran, she should have emphasized her personal story less. I just got frustrated in reading it because I felt like she was having two competing main topics. She should have chosen one or the other without having both of them be equally important. There were simply too many details to record about both her life and the war in iran to have both of them be equally represented in one book. However, I did enjoy the simplicity of her graphics. They were creative and descriptive, but they were also clear and concise. Overall, I felt like this was an important piece of history that needs to be shared with the world, but I wish it could have been told more cohesively.
the king of the random tangents
Haddon, M. (2003). The curious incident of the dog in the night-time. London: Jonathan Cape, Ltd, 226 pp.
Fiction, Whitbread Book of the Year 2003 and New York Times Notable Book 2003
possible classroom uses: read aloud, individual choice, small group, bridge to Sherlock Holmes novels
appropriate age range: 9th-12th
Synopsis: This is the story of Christopher John Francis Boone who is an autistic teenaged boy. The story begins with him finding a dead dog in the middle of his neighborhood street in the middle of the night, and he is determined to solve this mystery. In uncovering who killed the dog, he learns the truth about his mother, more details about his neighbors' lives, and lies his father told him. Amid his quest for truth, he unintentionally stumbles upon life lessons about growing up, forgiveness, and flexibility. Christopher is a very determined young man who is simply captivating with his elaborately complex tangents that he willingly shares without a moment's notice.
Evaluation: I thought the characterization was phenomenal. The majority of the characters were fully developed and dynamic with only a few flat characters throughout the novel. There was a little good and a little bad to each main character, making it difficult to categorize the characters and more challenging as a reader to define the characters. The plot was clearly defined but unexpected and unpredictable. The themes throughout the book were death, confusion, disrupting structure. The book was set in Swindon, England and London, England. The style was stream-of-consciousness fiction. The book illustrates how growing up can be frightening, frustrating, and confusing; and it illustrates an extreme version of some adolescents' coping strategies. Haddon addresses primarily the cognitive and emotional development of adolescents through Christopher's character. This book addresses the multicultural issues of exceptionality through divulging the inner workings of an autistic mind. The other characters treat Christopher as a valued individual who deserves respect and independence. This novel also addresses gender by questioning the stereotypes of gender roles.
Reaction: I loved The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. It was extremely interesting viewing the world from the mind of an autistic teenage boy. His descriptions of the people in his life, his daily circumstances, and the tangents pulled from his memory are portrayed from a unique perspective. The story is cohesive and fluid, yet it is constantly interrupted with obscure thoughts from the speaker’s point of view adding to the validity that the speaker is a teenage boy with autism. Mark Haddon conveys a deep novel that continually drives the reader on to see what will happen next. He uses the intriguing tangents as an agent of suspense, and he succeeds beautifully.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
the other son
Grimes, N. (2005). Dark sons. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children, 216 pp.
Poetry, Coretta Scott King Award Honor, 2006
possible classroom uses: individual choice, small group, bridge to stories in The Bible
age range: 7th-8th grade
Synopsis:
Dark Sons tells the story of two boys coping with the loss of their fathers. One boy is Ishmael, Abraham's son from The Bible, who expresses in modern language the pains of growing up knowing that he was only the first born by birth, not according to his father's love or treatment of him. Many stories about Abraham's family are referred to from a new, unusual perspective. Ishmael references the conflict between his mother Hagar and Abraham's first wife Sarah and the birth of Isaac, Abraham's and Sarah's promised son. Sam is the modern day equivalent of Ishmael. He chronicles his parent's divorce, his father's new wife, and his step-brother's birth. Both Ishmael and Sam details his thoughts, emotions and perceptions of his family's struggles from his point of view though poetry.
Evaluation:
I think the characters were a little oversimplified because they were defined by their issues instead of being teenaged boys who were experiencing these situations. The plot was well developed. The theme was how to deal with rejection. The settings were in startk contrast to one another because Ishmael was living in the desert of modern-day Middle East during ancient times while Sam was living in New York City in the present. This contrast provided dynamic and though-provoking reading. The style is narrative poetry, and the story is easily understood. There is definitely a Christian undertone if not overtone throughout the novel, so not all adolescents could relate to or enjoy that. It definitely addresses the feeling of neglect and abandonment that many adolescents struggle with and can relate to. Adolescents from various cultures could appreciate this novel because the two main characters are a black boy and a middle eastern boy, one is rich and one is poor, one is urban and one is rural, and both are Christians.
Reaction:
This book was not what I expected when I sat down to read it. Grimes recorded with surprisingly accurate detail Ishmael's family story. I thoroughly enjoyed the poetic presentation of Bible stories I grew up hearing. Grimes did an excellent job of writing a relatable Ishmael character. His language and emotional expressiveness were so contemporary that the only way I gathered the setting was from specific references to his surroundings. The poems provided enough details that the storyline was fully developed to the point that I almost forgot I was reading only glimpses of Ishmael's life, but they were each individual enough that they could stand alone as a complete work. Sam was just as intriguing as Ishmael. Although he was a little more typical and seemed a bit cheesy at times, he was believable for the most part. In reading about his delimma of supporting his depressed mother and accepting his dad's new wife and baby boy, I really sympathized with him and found him to be a very relatable character. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this novel. My absolute favorite thing about it was the entire story was told through poetry. The ability to write a good novel in poetry blows my mind!
Poetry, Coretta Scott King Award Honor, 2006
possible classroom uses: individual choice, small group, bridge to stories in The Bible
age range: 7th-8th grade
Synopsis:
Dark Sons tells the story of two boys coping with the loss of their fathers. One boy is Ishmael, Abraham's son from The Bible, who expresses in modern language the pains of growing up knowing that he was only the first born by birth, not according to his father's love or treatment of him. Many stories about Abraham's family are referred to from a new, unusual perspective. Ishmael references the conflict between his mother Hagar and Abraham's first wife Sarah and the birth of Isaac, Abraham's and Sarah's promised son. Sam is the modern day equivalent of Ishmael. He chronicles his parent's divorce, his father's new wife, and his step-brother's birth. Both Ishmael and Sam details his thoughts, emotions and perceptions of his family's struggles from his point of view though poetry.
Evaluation:
I think the characters were a little oversimplified because they were defined by their issues instead of being teenaged boys who were experiencing these situations. The plot was well developed. The theme was how to deal with rejection. The settings were in startk contrast to one another because Ishmael was living in the desert of modern-day Middle East during ancient times while Sam was living in New York City in the present. This contrast provided dynamic and though-provoking reading. The style is narrative poetry, and the story is easily understood. There is definitely a Christian undertone if not overtone throughout the novel, so not all adolescents could relate to or enjoy that. It definitely addresses the feeling of neglect and abandonment that many adolescents struggle with and can relate to. Adolescents from various cultures could appreciate this novel because the two main characters are a black boy and a middle eastern boy, one is rich and one is poor, one is urban and one is rural, and both are Christians.
Reaction:
This book was not what I expected when I sat down to read it. Grimes recorded with surprisingly accurate detail Ishmael's family story. I thoroughly enjoyed the poetic presentation of Bible stories I grew up hearing. Grimes did an excellent job of writing a relatable Ishmael character. His language and emotional expressiveness were so contemporary that the only way I gathered the setting was from specific references to his surroundings. The poems provided enough details that the storyline was fully developed to the point that I almost forgot I was reading only glimpses of Ishmael's life, but they were each individual enough that they could stand alone as a complete work. Sam was just as intriguing as Ishmael. Although he was a little more typical and seemed a bit cheesy at times, he was believable for the most part. In reading about his delimma of supporting his depressed mother and accepting his dad's new wife and baby boy, I really sympathized with him and found him to be a very relatable character. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this novel. My absolute favorite thing about it was the entire story was told through poetry. The ability to write a good novel in poetry blows my mind!
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