This is a laugh-out-loud comedy. Although it would be classified by librarians as realistic fiction, I think it also is semi-autobiographical. The basic premise is that Jake Semple, juvenile delinquent, is going to be "saved" by a writer who brings him into their family's "home school." The Applewhites live in a compound of creativity and genius. (This is where I am put-off a bit by the semi-autobiographical nature of the book. But reality is always a good beginning point for fiction.
The book gives lots of opportunities for discussion of artistic temperament, education and family interactions. I enjoyed the book and will recommend it to others. However, I doubt that I would suggest it as a whole class reading. It is not quite strong enough in the area of universal themes to justify such a lofty place in the curriculum. I would recommend it to students who enjoy humor (including slapstick) and those with aspirations of a career in the arts.
Having worked with friends who were or are directors of high school drama productions and summer theater productions, I have to say that the book portrays the work that goes into such productions quite clearly. For students who want to be involved with the theater this would be a great book to recommend. It is also very useful to discuss inquiry projects.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Fablehaven: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary, by Brandon Mull
I have enjoyed the Fablehaven series and am delighted the Mull can continue the series with continued high quality. In this book Kendra is sent with a team to get a key to the next artifact (this is important in the overall series). The plot takes us outside of the New York sanctuary that is cared for by her grandparents.
If you are unfamiliar with the Fablehaven series, the important plot device is that there are magical creatures still living in the world, but they are primarily kept in "invisible" sanctuaries around the world. Kendra and Seth Sorenson (brother and sister) appear to be the likely successors as caretakers of the Fablehaven sanctuary currently managed by their grandparents. Of course, the forces of evil are trying to upset the balance of this arrangement. Kendra, Seth and others at Fablehaven are instrumental in fighting these forces of evil.
Back to Dragon Sanctuary... Of course, as per the title we are looking at a sanctuary for dragons in this book. Mull continues to engage the reader with plot and character twists that surprise the reader and will motivate almost all to continue reading.
If you are unfamiliar with the Fablehaven series, the important plot device is that there are magical creatures still living in the world, but they are primarily kept in "invisible" sanctuaries around the world. Kendra and Seth Sorenson (brother and sister) appear to be the likely successors as caretakers of the Fablehaven sanctuary currently managed by their grandparents. Of course, the forces of evil are trying to upset the balance of this arrangement. Kendra, Seth and others at Fablehaven are instrumental in fighting these forces of evil.
Back to Dragon Sanctuary... Of course, as per the title we are looking at a sanctuary for dragons in this book. Mull continues to engage the reader with plot and character twists that surprise the reader and will motivate almost all to continue reading.
The Reformed Vampire Support Group, by Catherine Jinks
Any teacher wanting to explore point of view should consider this book. Yes, it is about Vampires but, they...
I enjoyed every moment of the book. Especially if you are not a fantasy fan, this is a book you can share with the adolescents in your life. Even the most hard-core team Jacob or team Edward fan will enjoy this alternative view of vampire and werewolf cultures.
- live in Australia
- do not have super powers
- are sick and listless much of the time
I enjoyed every moment of the book. Especially if you are not a fantasy fan, this is a book you can share with the adolescents in your life. Even the most hard-core team Jacob or team Edward fan will enjoy this alternative view of vampire and werewolf cultures.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith, by Deborah Heiligman
In junior high I went through a phase of reading biographies. It feels like I read every biography on the shelf in my junior high school library. I have a visceral recollection of the study hall and library in the Ames Junior High School (Iowa). Dark wood, huge windows, creaking floors, and a raised platform for the study hall teacher. This was in the middle of the baby-boom so there were lots of students. I remember being very uneasy, even afraid, of the hour in study hall. Thus, I volunteered as a library aide to avoid the crowd. The building has been razed so when I return for reunions I cannot walk the halls. It is a ghost in my life.
I have read few biographies since that period. This was well worth a return to the genre. Heiligman's scholarship is quite remarkable. This, combined with a very well written story of the married life of Charles and Emma Darwin makes it a stunning biography. It is a love story, the story of Darwin's professional career after his return from his sea years and the story of a family. As a writer, it gave me great comfort to learn that it took Darwin 23 years to finish The Origin of the Species. Reading about his agonies in deciding to publish the book helped me appreciate the complexity of Charles Darwin's position. He loved his wife deeply and did not want to offend her religious beliefs. He had this same level of sensitivity to other friends and colleagues. He was very much aware of the controversy that his theory would incite and worried deeply about it.
Heiligman's book is not limited to a focus on Darwin's theory of evolution. Instead, although Origin occupies a large space in background, most of the book tells of daily life in the Darwin household and how this life sustained and distracted Darwin. Some things I came to appreciate about Darwin include: he was plagued with ill-health most of his life, he had a large family that he loved deeply, he was a respectful colleague who avoided the limelight and spotlight, he was a passionate scientist throughout his life, he and Emma both came from wealthy families (they had a houseful of servants and nannies). Some individual details, gleaned from letters, journals, and Darwin's autobiography make the rich complexity of daily life of this great man something that I will carry with me through the coming years. There are equally engaging details about Emma's life. Living with a "great man" required great support from his wife. It makes me contemplate how we have perhaps lost the space in our lives in which marriages can be great partnerships and individuals have time and quiet to carefully follow their scholarly pursuits. Emma was, in her own right, a thoughtful and supportive editor. She was Darwin's partner in every sense of the word throughout most of his professional career. I was cheered to learn that she also was a great reader of novels.
The stories of Darwin's careful scientific studies are particularly inspiring, yet subtly developed. For example, during the early 1850's Darwin decided to elaborate on his theory by an extensive study and classification of barnacles. He felt this was important to add substance and weight to his theory of evolution. The Down House (the family home) was filled with specimens and Darwin spent years detailing each separate species. Heiligman uses an anecdote from the family to show the passion with which this scientist worked instead of laborious accounts of Darwin's scientific methods. It is done simply--"He had worked so long on them (the barnacles) that once when one of the boys, Probably Lenny, went over to Sir John Lubbock's house to play with his son, he asked the Lubbock boy, where does your father do his barnacles?" What a wonderful detail that shows the passion and dedication of Charles Darwin. The book is filled with other such samples of great writing. I will use this book whenever I want to demonstrate "show don't tell" to developing writers.
At the end of the book I wept. Emma's loss of her husband fourteen years before her own death left me feeling bereft. It is a testimony to the strength of Heiligman's writing that she was able to produce such strong reaction. The book richly deserves all the awards and recognition it has garnered including: A Michale Prinz honor book, National Book Award Finalist, and YALSA-ALA award of excellence in young-adult nonfiction.
I have read few biographies since that period. This was well worth a return to the genre. Heiligman's scholarship is quite remarkable. This, combined with a very well written story of the married life of Charles and Emma Darwin makes it a stunning biography. It is a love story, the story of Darwin's professional career after his return from his sea years and the story of a family. As a writer, it gave me great comfort to learn that it took Darwin 23 years to finish The Origin of the Species. Reading about his agonies in deciding to publish the book helped me appreciate the complexity of Charles Darwin's position. He loved his wife deeply and did not want to offend her religious beliefs. He had this same level of sensitivity to other friends and colleagues. He was very much aware of the controversy that his theory would incite and worried deeply about it.
Heiligman's book is not limited to a focus on Darwin's theory of evolution. Instead, although Origin occupies a large space in background, most of the book tells of daily life in the Darwin household and how this life sustained and distracted Darwin. Some things I came to appreciate about Darwin include: he was plagued with ill-health most of his life, he had a large family that he loved deeply, he was a respectful colleague who avoided the limelight and spotlight, he was a passionate scientist throughout his life, he and Emma both came from wealthy families (they had a houseful of servants and nannies). Some individual details, gleaned from letters, journals, and Darwin's autobiography make the rich complexity of daily life of this great man something that I will carry with me through the coming years. There are equally engaging details about Emma's life. Living with a "great man" required great support from his wife. It makes me contemplate how we have perhaps lost the space in our lives in which marriages can be great partnerships and individuals have time and quiet to carefully follow their scholarly pursuits. Emma was, in her own right, a thoughtful and supportive editor. She was Darwin's partner in every sense of the word throughout most of his professional career. I was cheered to learn that she also was a great reader of novels.
The stories of Darwin's careful scientific studies are particularly inspiring, yet subtly developed. For example, during the early 1850's Darwin decided to elaborate on his theory by an extensive study and classification of barnacles. He felt this was important to add substance and weight to his theory of evolution. The Down House (the family home) was filled with specimens and Darwin spent years detailing each separate species. Heiligman uses an anecdote from the family to show the passion with which this scientist worked instead of laborious accounts of Darwin's scientific methods. It is done simply--"He had worked so long on them (the barnacles) that once when one of the boys, Probably Lenny, went over to Sir John Lubbock's house to play with his son, he asked the Lubbock boy, where does your father do his barnacles?" What a wonderful detail that shows the passion and dedication of Charles Darwin. The book is filled with other such samples of great writing. I will use this book whenever I want to demonstrate "show don't tell" to developing writers.
At the end of the book I wept. Emma's loss of her husband fourteen years before her own death left me feeling bereft. It is a testimony to the strength of Heiligman's writing that she was able to produce such strong reaction. The book richly deserves all the awards and recognition it has garnered including: A Michale Prinz honor book, National Book Award Finalist, and YALSA-ALA award of excellence in young-adult nonfiction.
Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson (2008)
Yet another book that I had passed over, but picked up on the advice of friends. Chains tells the story of Isabel, a 13 year old slave, whose journey to freedom is not smooth. Slavery is one of the topics (along with the Holocaust and Civil War) that I am no longer drawn to, but this book is certainly worth putting aside my reluctance.
I think part of the reason that I found this such an engaging read is that most of the story is set in New York City at the beginning of the American Revolution. So in addition to reading a story of the day-to-day life of a slave in a northern, urban setting, we also get a sense of the beginning of the revolution from a loyalist perspective. Although there are episodes of cruelty there is little of the violent, horrific episodes that and dominate other accounts of slavery.
The ending did leave me a bit dissatisfied. There were two plot lines that were not resolved. I suppose that this leaves the option for sequel open. On the other hand, in some ways leaving these plot elements unresolved is authentic. Life in the 1700's often left questions unresolved. We forget in our modern world that generations past often were often unable to discover what happened in situations removed from their immediate circumstances.
Chains has been recognized by both The National Book Award and Scott O'Dell committees. It was awarded the Scott O'Dell Award for historical fiction. It was a finalist for the National Book Award. Overall both this book and the recognition it has received has confirmed my appreciation of Laurie Halse Anderson as an author. Not only does she write compelling stories, she also has a wide range of topics that she is able to write on. Her historical fiction is as strong as her contemporary realistic fiction stories. Lately, as I read book notes and acknowledgements I am also finding her mentioned as a supporter of several other writers. She is officially on my "watch list." I'll read each of her books as they come out.
I think part of the reason that I found this such an engaging read is that most of the story is set in New York City at the beginning of the American Revolution. So in addition to reading a story of the day-to-day life of a slave in a northern, urban setting, we also get a sense of the beginning of the revolution from a loyalist perspective. Although there are episodes of cruelty there is little of the violent, horrific episodes that and dominate other accounts of slavery.
The ending did leave me a bit dissatisfied. There were two plot lines that were not resolved. I suppose that this leaves the option for sequel open. On the other hand, in some ways leaving these plot elements unresolved is authentic. Life in the 1700's often left questions unresolved. We forget in our modern world that generations past often were often unable to discover what happened in situations removed from their immediate circumstances.
Chains has been recognized by both The National Book Award and Scott O'Dell committees. It was awarded the Scott O'Dell Award for historical fiction. It was a finalist for the National Book Award. Overall both this book and the recognition it has received has confirmed my appreciation of Laurie Halse Anderson as an author. Not only does she write compelling stories, she also has a wide range of topics that she is able to write on. Her historical fiction is as strong as her contemporary realistic fiction stories. Lately, as I read book notes and acknowledgements I am also finding her mentioned as a supporter of several other writers. She is officially on my "watch list." I'll read each of her books as they come out.
Monday, March 14, 2011
The Good Neighbors, by Holly Black and Ted Naifeh
First, I am not a regular reader of graphic novels. As a kid I read comic books, but Manga and graphic novels have not been something I'm picking up. When I saw this graphic novel by Holly Black I checked it out. I've greatly appreciated Ms. Black's writing in the past. A few years ago I had the great joy of seeing Black and Linda Sue Park speaking together at a NCTE national conference. [It was a very strange pairing of authors--but they did a wonderful job of talking about the creative process of writing.] I really enjoyed getting a personal impression of Holly Black, she's a very interesting and thoughtful person.
This graphic novel made me a bit uneasy. I was able to follow the plot line but felt there was a lot missing. Duh--look at the pictures. I really felt I was trespassing in teen world! I believe that I understand a bit more how the graphic novels capture such a large fan base. The story of how Rue comes to understand her connections to the world of faerie is well done. Readers do have to really use the graphics to follow all of the plot. I think it was also extremely useful to me to have read Black's books Tithe, Valiant, and Ironside. Without such a background in fantasy I would have probably been more than a little perplexed.
Concurrently I found the images very helpful in coming to understand both Black's previous work and Cassandra Clare's novels. The two authors are friends and seem to be creating a fantasy universe of their own. I doubt that they are planning this together, but being aware of each others works certainly creates some layerings of fantasy that make for interesting connections between the writings of the two authors.
This graphic novel made me a bit uneasy. I was able to follow the plot line but felt there was a lot missing. Duh--look at the pictures. I really felt I was trespassing in teen world! I believe that I understand a bit more how the graphic novels capture such a large fan base. The story of how Rue comes to understand her connections to the world of faerie is well done. Readers do have to really use the graphics to follow all of the plot. I think it was also extremely useful to me to have read Black's books Tithe, Valiant, and Ironside. Without such a background in fantasy I would have probably been more than a little perplexed.
Concurrently I found the images very helpful in coming to understand both Black's previous work and Cassandra Clare's novels. The two authors are friends and seem to be creating a fantasy universe of their own. I doubt that they are planning this together, but being aware of each others works certainly creates some layerings of fantasy that make for interesting connections between the writings of the two authors.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Peak, by Roland Smith (2007)
What's a 14 year-old boy doing trying to climb Mt. Everest? It makes more sense if both of your parents are or have been mountain climbers. Then, if they decided to name you "Peak" it makes even more sense.
Smith has written another compelling adventure story. This time the setting is the Tibet side of the mountain, controlled by the Chinese government. In writing this adventure story Smith has added in a bit of politics and quite a bit about the controversy surrounding "tourist" trips to Everest.
I first became aware of some of the Everest controversies when I read "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer. It has become something of a "notch in the belt" that many adventurers desire. The down side, implied by Smith and discussed by Krakauer, is that very few of those who try these guided trips to the mountain are really physically ready to take on the challenge. "Because it is there" may not be a good enough reason to let people attempt the climb. In doing so they a
re damaging the fragile ecology of the mountain and putting many others' lives at risk.Contrasted with this is the life that the Sherpas and Tibetan citizens lead. Taking these "tourist" trips to Tibet is enriching the Chinese government and allowing for the continuation of repression of the Tibetan people.
Smith further complicates all by exploring the motivations of those who guide these tours. It is quite clear by the end of the book that Smith is opposed to such ventures. Although not directly stated, I believe he takes a strong stand against the Everest Tourist business.
Added in is a great story about families. For readers who have "blended" families and are looking for models to guide their thinking/experiences--this is a good book to begin some discussion. In addition to a good book about family it also is an excellent "coming of age" story. Peak has to make several hard decisions. Smith has given the reader many opportunities to follow Peak's thinking as he works his way through these issues. Talking with any young adult about Peak's quandaries and the thinking he does to reach a decision will offer rich opportunities for discussions of important issues.
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