The End of the Semester, But Only the Beginning of My Adventures with YA Literature

Have I Gained Better Acquaintance with Contemporary YA Literature?

As a result of this course, I have a more thorough understanding of contemporary YA literature.  While I read many YA novels as a teenager, I did not usually read much by contemporary authors.  Also, since my teenage years ended about six years ago, my knowledge of the most recent YA authors is fairly limited.  After taking LTED 629, I am now familiar with the works of Ally Carter, Eric Luper, Ellen Hopkins, Deborah Ellis, and Suzanne Collins.  These authors stand out to me as having produced exemplary YA works.  In particular, Eric Luper’s Seth Baumgartner’s Love Manifesto (2010) and Ellen Hopkins’ Crank (2004) are two examples of the versatility of YA literature.  These also happen to be two of my favorite works of YA literature.

I believe I was able to “fully transact” with these works as a result of my own reading, my blog posts, and our class discussions.  My own readings of these novels provided the basis for my understanding and allowed me to connect the text to my own life experiences.  I was then able to further expand upon these connections in my blog posts and consider text-to-text as well as text-to-world connections.  Our class discussions allowed me to gain new perspectives on the literature based on my peers’ opinions of, and connections to, the text.  Through these discussions, I was able to extend my own ideas about the literature and develop my understanding of the topics addressed in these novels.

Our class discussions also enabled me to “look beyond the differences and take a step toward appreciating the cultural connectedness of all humanity” (Landt, 2006, p. 692).  In particular, our discussions of Deborah Ellis’ The Breadwinner (2000), Nujood Ali’s I Am Nujood, age 10 and Divorced (2010), and Jennifer Donnelly’s A Northern Light (2003) all helped me to look past my own personal opinions and beliefs about the texts in order to consider them in the context of their cultural and historical standpoints.  As Landt (2006) asserts, literature has the ability to “open doors in our minds” (p. 690).  The literature we have read and discussed in this course has truly opened my mind and expanded my views about various cultures and periods in history, as well as various situations teens encounter in today’s world.

Have I Developed an Understanding of How to Utilize YA Literature and Strategic Teaching Practices to Support Secondary School Curricula?

Prior to this course, I had a basic understanding of literary devices, such as imagery and communication.  However, I had somewhat foolishly believed that I had a complete understanding of these terms, based on my undergraduate studies in English Literature.  Once I began reading Moon’s (1999) Literary Terms:  A Practical Glossary, I realized my understanding of many of these terms was extremely basic.  As a result of our work with Moon’s (1999) text, I was able to have more consideration for the way these devices function in each work of YA literature we studied this semester.  Moon’s (1999) text also fostered a deeper knowledge of each literary device and the extent to which these devices are present in a given text. 

As a result of my “Meeting ELA Standards…” project, I was able to consider how graphic novels fit into the New York State standards.  I was also encouraged to think deeply about the ways communication and imagery are used in a particular text (in this case, in Persepolis (2003)).  In addition, I determined how to incorporate these literary devices into my classroom instruction.  Groenke & Scherff (2010) aided in my understanding of how to teach graphic novels in the classroom, and their use of Jago’s criteria allowed me to more closely consider the specific components of the text that make it appropriate to teach to an entire class.  Through my classmates’ presentations, I was able to gain new perspectives of each novel, as well as the literary devices at work in these texts. Also, these presentations provided me with additional ideas regarding how to teach YA literature to my future students.  Finally, creating my iMovie, or “End of Unit” Reader Response Project, encouraged me to further interact with my selected text in order to discover how to compose a book trailer that effectively engages the viewer and implements aspects of communication and imagery.  Creating my iMovie also enabled me to understand Sylvester and Greenidge’s (2009) assertion that this type of activity can highly motivate struggling writers.  As a result of this project, I not only have a deeper understanding of Persepolis (2003), but of graphic novels in general.  I am also more aware of the types of learning activities I can incorporate into a unit on YA literature. 

Have I Developed an Understanding of How to Utilize Digital Teaching and Learning Practices to Support Secondary School Curricula?

I believe I have been successful in meeting the learning goals for this course through my blog posts and class wiki.  My own personal blog aided me in processing ideas about the texts, while the class wiki assisted in building unity and a social environment among classmates.  In addition, both my personal blog and the class wiki allowed for the sharing of information between my peers and myself.  Solely relying on class discussions would result in students’ sharing only certain thoughts with the rest of the class.  By utilizing blogs and wikis, each student is able to contribute a wider variety of ideas to either their personal blog or the class wiki.  The blog is extremely helpful in allowing students to consider the text largely on their own, with the slight awareness that others can view and comment on their blog posts.  As a result, I personally believe that I most likely would not have thought as metacognitively about my own reading practices and my own learning if we had not used these digital tools in this course.

I also believe I have been successful in meeting the learning goals for this course through my digital reader response project, or iMovie.  This project added to my own understanding of how my students would approach the novel and this project.  In addition, this project allowed me to consider the way creating a digital response would encourage my students to share ideas, process ideas, share information and responses, and build a social environment “created in the electronic space” (Grisham & Wolsey, 2006, p. 654).  Through this project, I was also made aware of the way creating a digital response can motivate students, particularly struggling writers (Sylvester & Greenidge, 2009).  Through completing my iMovie, I discovered that the digital reader response project is particularly effective for the graphic novel genre, as I was able to see how images and words are combined to effectively communicate ideas.

Not only did this project allow me to develop a deeper appreciation for the literary elements of YA literature and the literary elements of the digital narrative, but it also allowed me to more fully engage with the text.  As a result of creating my iMovie, I became more familiar with the text, particularly the way certain images convey the intended emotions and ideas within the text.  I also learned new aspects of the program I used to create my digital response.  Previously, I had never added music to a video on iMovie.  Creating a digital response allows for more creativity and a different way of thinking about the text than a report or other written response would.  Overall, creating a digital response in this way supported my learning in a unique way.  I believe that I would not have been as successful in meeting the learning goals for this course had we not used these digital tools.

References

Donnelly, J. (2003). A northern light. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Books.

Ellis, D. (2000). The breadwinner. Toronto, Canada: Douglas & McIntyre.

Grisham, D. L. & Wolsey, T. D. (2006).  Recentering the middle school classroom as a vibrant learning community: Students, literacy, and technology intersect. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 49(8), 648-660.

Groenke, S. L. & Scherff, L. (2010). Teaching YA lit through differentiated instruction. Urbana, IL: NCTE.

Hopkins, E. (2004). Crank. New York, NY: Simon Pulse.

Landt, S. M. (2006). Multicultural literature and young adolescents: A kaleidoscope of opportunity. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 49(8), 690-697.

Luper, E. (2010). Seth Baumgartner’s love manifesto. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Moon, B. (1999). Literary terms: A practical glossary. Urbana, IL: NCTE.

Nujood, A. (2010). I am Nujood, age 10 and divorced. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press.

Satrapi, M. (2003). Persepolis: The story of a childhood. New York, NY: Pantheon.

Sylvester, R., & Greenidge, W. (2009). Digital storytelling: Extending the potential for struggling readers. The Reading Teacher, 63(4), 284-295.

More on Nancy Holder

I came across Nancy Holder's official website and thought it might be useful to anyone considering reading her books.

http://nancyholder.com/

I skimmed her biography and found it interesting that she used to be a ballet dancer!

Update on the Wicked series by Nancy Holder

It seems like it's taken me forever to finish the first book in the series, but I finally did!  That being said, I'm still processing how I feel about it.  While I really started getting into the book and caring about what happened to the characters, I also found much of it extremely strange.  Apparently the characters in medieval France that the novel kept flashing back to are actually connected to the current characters (Holly and Jeraud).  The medieval souls are attached to Holly and Jeraud and basically reenact their tragic love story in modern-day times.  Holly and Jeraud (and their counterparts, Isabeau and Jean) are members of warring families, the Cahors and the Deveraux.  These two families are witches and warlocks, respectively.  Despite the hatred between these two Covens, Isabeau and Jean are in love with each other, but their families' feud ends up killing Isabeau (in medieval France).  Basically, in an effort for both Isabeau and Jean's souls to be at rest, the horrible fire that was started by Isabeau's family (and ended up killing Isabeau, as well as much of Jean's family) was renewed during Holly's cousin's school play (of course, the play is Romeo and Juliet).  It was almost like history repeating itself.  However, rather than killing Holly, the fire kills Jeraud instead.  Now, one would think that everything would be fine now that Isabeau has "avenged" her death because Jeraud is dead, but it's not that simple (because then there wouldn't be another book in the series).  So at the end of the book, we find out that things aren't always as they seem and that Jeraud's father, Michael, is plotting even more evil directed at Holly and her twin cousins, Amanda and Nicole.  (Note:  Amanda and Nicole are also part of the Cahors family, so all three girls are descendants of the medieval French coven of witches.  However, none of the girls are aware of this fact at the beginning of the novel.)

I hope all of the above summarization makes sense; it was extremely difficult to speak briefly about this novel, both due to its length (361 pages) as well as its content.

In all, I'm glad I stuck it out and continued reading, in spite of my extreme confusion and uncertainty.  While there's quite a bit of gore and evil referenced considering this is supposed to be a book for teens, I can understand the overall appeal of the novel.  Not only is the love story aspect of the novel similar to Romeo and Juliet, but it is also reminiscent of the Twilight series.  In fact, the series seems very similar to Twilight, given the romance and the supernatural elements.  However, those who do not like Twilight, rest assured; this novel has certain elements that seem familiar, but it is a completely different series.  Personally, I am not a huge fan of vampires (and I was completely Team Jacob when reading Twilight).  I have always found stories about witches fascinating though.  As a child, I watched Sabrina the Teenage Witch and wanted so much to be able to do magic like her.  As a teen, I enjoyed reading The Crucible (I think I was one of the few who did), and thought about visiting Salem, MA.  Possibly due to these experiences, I generally found myself enjoying Wicked: Witch more than Twilight.

While I am still upset about the ending (which I'm not going to spoil for any of you), I feel the need to read the next book in the series in order to determine what happens next.  I believe there are at least three, maybe even four, books in the Wicked series, and I plan on reading them all.  While it was a complete fluke that I found this book and decided to read it, I am extremely happy that I took a chance on it.  Maybe Nancy Holder will come to TBF someday (or at least to Rochester) so I will be able to meet her. 

Second Post about The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin

While the ending wasn't a complete surprise, I felt the same way that Will did about who the killer was; he mentioned that he had suspected it for awhile, but hesitated to believe it.  I also thought about the likelihood that this person (I'll just call the person "M," so as not to give anything away) was the murderer, but did not want to believe this was true.  I'm not sure why I sympathized with "M" so much, since there was not much direct interaction between "M" and Will.  About 3/4 of the way through the novel, I realized that "M" was clearly one of the more likely suspects.  However, at times Berk makes the reader consider the fact that Devon or Will could have committed the crime.

I do wish that Berk would have treated "M"'s arrest with a bit more sympathy, considering Will's feelings toward "M."  I think much of the last portion of the book is told with little emotional investment, which leads me to wonder if Will is as sincere a character as he claims to be.  "M"'s motive for committing the crime is stated extremely briefly, and the possible implications of the arrest are only touched on briefly as well.  I was especially surprised that it is only mentioned that "they are talking about life in prison."  Maybe Berk was trying to avoid taking sides in what could end up being a moral debate?  Given the circumstances of "M"'s relationship with Pat, "M" could clearly have tried a self-defense plea or similar type of defense.  I guess I just find myself wishing that I knew how the inevitable trial turns out, but maybe it's better not to know.

I really like the twist about Purple's family history.  Finally Will knows more about his own family and might also have more connections with people in the public school.  However, I would have appreciated a family tree to better explain how the two are related (since Dummy Halpin is apparently Purple's great-uncle too...does that mean that there were other siblings somewhere?  Shouldn't he be her great-great-grandfather or something, since she is a Phimmul, not a Halpin?).  A visual tree would have greatly helped me understand this.

While I could see where the whole Ebony/Devon thing was going from the beginning, it was a nice addition to the story (although I do think that whole "dating your best friend's ex" thing is a little weird).

I also found it interesting that Berk includes many sections of text written as IM's back and forth between Will and Devon.  Students would probably find that type of writing easier to read and extremely relatable.  It also helps provide insight into both Will and Devon's personalities, as well as how they relate to each other.

Overall, I think this is a great mystery book that most students will be able to relate to in some way.  I also think it sheds light on how difficult it can be for students with special needs to participate in mainstream education, especially when the school district is not equipped to provide the necessary services.

First Post about The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin

Wow...
For the first 100 pages of this novel, I kept asking myself "Where's the mystery?  Am I missing something?"  And then it happened:  someone actually did die!  Obviously I didn't want a tragedy to occur, but now that it has, I'm wondering who did it.  There really are many suspects.  I'm trying not to give too much away here, since I know not everyone in class is reading this book.  It's a really interesting story so far though, so I highly recommend it. 

Will Halpin is one of the most fun narrators I've encountered in my recent reading.  He's always making jokes (oftentimes at his own expense) and referring to his weight issues in a semi-humorous, semi-tragic manner.  Now that I'm thinking about it a bit more, I'm wondering if I should be suspecting Will himself of committing the crime.  To fill in those who are not familiar with the novel, the murder occurs during a class field trip to a coal mine.  There's a point during the field trip in which all lights are turned off, so students are able to experience their surroundings as the miner's would have.  I remember when Will referred to this time period, his reference to it was very vague.  It would be horrible if Will committed the crime though, since I like him as a character and do not want him to go to (fictional) jail.  That would not be an ideal ending to the novel. 

At this point, it seems that all of the suspects mentioned by Devon Smiley and Will Halpin could have committed the crime.  The teacher, the bus driver, the kid named A.J....it seems that many people had a motive for killing the most popular kid at school (except the bus driver...I can't figure out what his motive would be).  Did I mention that Devon and Will are investigating the case together?  I think it's awesome that Will found a friend in Devon and that they are taking this case on themselves (even though they are still high school students).  Maybe they'll solve the case before the police do?

All of this talk of high school crime solvers makes me think of the days when I used to read Nancy Drew mysteries.  Maybe Devon and Will really are the modern-day version of the Hardy Boys?  They reference this series in the novel, and Will and Devon even take on the names of two Hardy Boys characters.  As a lover of anything mysterious or mystery-related, I'm thoroughly enjoying where this book is headed.  While reading about Will's daily high school adventures for the first portion of the novel was also interesting, I have a feeling that the next portion of the novel will be even more intriguing now that there's a mystery to solve. 

As a complete aside from all of this (and since I have no idea where to put this thought, but still wanted to express it), I am so glad that Will's mom let him keep the dog!  It was so strange how the dog just came up to Will, and it seemed like the whole thing was something Will really needed.  It sounds as though Will is an only child, so having a dog could help to provide some companionship.  This is especially important now that he's in a mainstream school; a school that does not provide much in the way of accommodations for Will.  Between becoming friends with Devon and keeping the dog, things seem to be looking up for Will.  I hope it continues. 

1984 Remembering Question #2

Winston:  He has a job that involves rewriting history and altering previously published documents to align with the Party's current goals/positions.  In spite of his membership in the Outer Party and the presence of a telescreen in his apartment, Winston continues to have ideas that represent thoughtcrime, or a rebellion against the Party in the form of his thoughts.  He even goes so far as to buy a journal and write his thoughts down.  Winston begins to have an affair with Julia and confides in her.  He seems to hold his disagreements in spite of all torture imposed upon him, except when he encounters his one weakness:  rats.

Julia:  While not as rebellious in thoughts as Winston (she does not hope for a large-scale rebellion against Big Brother), Julia tries to complete small actions in order to disobey the Party.  For example, she has affairs with members of the Party, even though she could face severe punishment.  Julia does not take the ideology as seriously as Winston, expressing little to no interest in the book.

Big Brother:  While no one knows exactly who he is, and he doesn't seem to make any actual appearances, the face of Big Brother is on all government posters.  Also, all citizens have the idea that Big Brother is the one watching over them through their telescreens.  He represents the Party.

O'Brien:  While seeming to be an Inner Party member who is one of the leaders of the secret revolutionary Brotherhood, O'Brien ends up recruiting Winston and then leading Winston to be arrested and captured.  O'Brien was involved in much of Winston's torture and "rehabilitation."

Mr. Charrington:  Charrington seems like an older man who collects antiques and relics from the time before the Party.  However, he is a member of the Thought Police, who was spying on Winston while Winston staying in the room he rented from Charrington. 

Texts versus Our World

The Texts' World:  oppressive, controlling, limited freedoms, individual sacrifice for good of the district or country as a whole, focus on hatred and anger, conformity, facts are altered/information is limited to a specific viewpoint (that of the government)


Our World:  individual freedoms, self-sacrifice is not mandatory (unless there is another draft), intellectual freedoms, citizens can disagree with the government, communication and dispensation of information is generally encouraged and allowed, technology used for both beneficial and not-so-beneficial purposes


Both:  fear can be used to control actions and beliefs of citizens, increasing level of scrutiny and surveillance of individuals

The Hunger Games and 1984

While I am not usually a fan of this genre, I was surprised by how interested I became in The Hunger Games.  The idea for the Hunger Games horrified me, but I was completely invested in Katniss' successful completion of the Games.  Especially when it became evident that Katniss and Peeta would be among the few remaining survivors, I was intensely curious as to how the novel would end.  Now I feel as though I have to read the next book, in order to see what happens between Katniss and Peeta.  I think this is a great novel to use with students who may have the same feelings about this genre as I did prior to reading this book. 

It amazed me how much of The Hunger Games could be likened to today's society.  Katniss' prep team and those in the Capitol remind me of people in Hollywood and fashion designers.  The way that the Capitol was described as only wanting a good show and becoming "bored" if there were no killings made me think of today's society and our tendency to constantly want new television and movies in order to keep us entertained.  I feel as though The Hunger Games is an extreme version of our easily distracted and easily bored culture.  This aspect of the novel really frightened me, as I could see society escalating to something at least vaguely similar to that represented in The Hunger Games.  Also, with Facebook and other media, there are some that believe we are isolating ourselves and losing the ability to interact face-to-face.  This could easily lead to a lack of sympathy and empathy with others, which appears to be the principle reason that the Hunger Games are allowed to continue.  The gamemakers and the Capitol do not actually care about the lives of the tributes.  They have no conscience about the fact that they are orchestrating the deaths of innocent adolescents.  This kind of apathy and disconnect is dangerous to have, and I hope that our internet-loving society does not allow ourselves to completely disassociate from other human beings in this way. 


This was my second time reading 1984.  The first time I read this book, it was summer reading for my Humanities class in 12th grade.  Not only was I resentful I had to read such a challenging book over the summer, but I absolutely hated the novel itself.  While I appreciated Orwell's social commentary and understood the importance of the book, I found it difficult to read and highly disturbing.  Also, the subject-matter was such that I found myself thinking about how the book could relate to today's society and how it may have related to Orwell's intended society.  It was a bit overwhelming.

Now that I have read the book a second time, I can appreciate it more than I originally did.  It still highly depresses me, and I would rather read other books that contain the same message than this particular book.  However, I noticed that I understood the pivotal scenes better than I had when I first read the book.  The scene when Winston and Julia are caught at their hideout made much more sense to me, and I found I actually could pick out the foreshadowing this time. 

In a way, Winston's society seems much scarier with much less hope of any rebellion or change than Katniss' society.  While Winston was constantly under surveillance, later captured and made to endure torture in order to conform to the Party's ideas, Katniss' main period of surveillance came when she was a tribute.  It seems that there was less surveillance in each particular district (Katniss' district seemed particularly lenient).  In this way, there was the ability for politicians to "look the other way" and to avoid fully punishing members of their districts of certain crimes, especially if those members brought them strawberries or squirrels (as in Katniss' case).  The only 24 hour surveillance that seems to occur is during the Hunger Games themselves.  While this is still not an ideal situation, it does seem like less of an invasive government than Winston's. 

Overall, I think these two novels go well together, and that it was a great idea for Heather to pair these two for her presentation.  I am glad I had another opportunity to read 1984 and give it another chance.  I definitely have a better opinion of it after the second reading. 

Wicked (the series) by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

I just began this series and I'm really not sure how I feel about it yet.  The book that I have is actually the first two books in the series (Witch and Curse) in one volume.  This is not to be confused with Gregory Maguire's Wicked, which is the book that the musical is based on.

I guess the trouble I am having with this book is that it keeps switching between time periods.  First, we are introduced to Holly Cathers, an only child who has taken a white water rafting trip with her parents and her best friend.  Holly keeps referencing arguments between her parents and something that had happened to her a year ago (she refers to it as a "nightmare").  This nightmare seems to be the catalyst that caused all of the subsequent events and arguments to happen.  As though these events aren't dark and foreboding enough, a huge storm forms overhead as Holly and her family are rafting.  It doesn't look good for them as even their rafting guide becomes nervous and encourages them to jump ship.  As Holly becomes submerged under water, the novel switches to a witches' gathering that seems to have taken place hundreds of years ago (based on the language used by the characters).  At this point, the story became increasingly strange and I skimmed ahead enough to know that Holly's parents do not survive the rafting accident.

While I am curious as to how Holly is involved in the events that happened hundreds of years ago (as the book seems to imply), I am unsure whether I want to continue reading.  However, knowing me, I will finish reading (at least the first book), because I have to give it a chance.  I think I might end up liking it, if I keep plugging along.  It almost seems as though the witches from hundreds of years ago want Holly for some reason.  I'm not sure if she's a descendant of these witches or if she's important for some other reason, but that's probably one of the main issues keeping me interested in continuing with this book.

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

I recently finished reading I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter.  What first drew me to the book was it's title, but the actual contents of the book was not at all what I expected.  I suppose I should back-up and explain a little by stating that this book is part of Carter's Gallagher Girls series.  Since I was unfamiliar with the series, I was expecting the book to be about a prep-school student who falls in love with a guy and various trouble ensues based on that relationship.  I guess my prediction was partially correct, except for the small fact that the main character (Cammie) goes to a SPY school!  Only the students and faculty know that this is a spy school, though.  The rest of the small town located near the school simply considers it a boarding school for rich, spoiled girls. 

This book is in no way like those we have been reading.  I remember Carrie mentioning our "heavy" books last week and, as I read this book, I quickly realized it's more of a light read.  It was actually a nice change, and I did like most aspects of the book.  While I did have to suspend my belief a bit, especially when memory-erasing tea and a Covert Operations class (for 10th graders!) were mentioned, the book does have a certain level of realism.  Even if Cammie's life is not typical of most 10th graders, her emotions and willingness to risk her secret spy life in order to see Josh was extremely realistic and believable.  Also, Josh's (and, to some extent, Cammie's) conflicting feelings about their respective "family businesses" and the expectation that they would carry on in their parents' footsteps is a real concern for some teens. 

While I don't think I have read a book about spies before (the topic doesn't necessarily interest me), this was a good introduction into the topic for me.  As I mentioned above, I was not expecting the book to be about spies, and once I got about 20 pages into it, I considered stopping right there and starting a different book.  However, I am glad that I stuck it out, because reading this book did make me less averse to the topic of spies, and I am considering reading the next book in the series (especially to find out whether Josh and Cammie will get back together). 

One of my only complains with this book is that there were some points at which it seemed that the book skipped information or felt as though something was missing.  For example, Cammie and her three friends are forced to room with the new girl (who is a spoiled, rude, daughter of a Senator).  Since this girl was saying mean things to most of the girls at the school, I found it odd that she was not mentioned for a good two weeks as the three friends were gathering information about Josh.  Where was Macy?  She lives in the same room as the other three girls, so as they are studying, talking about Josh, and gathering information about him, you would think there would be some mention of her...but there isn't.  Then, suddenly, she reappears and the girls begin to become friends with her as she gives them advice about boys.  This is just one example, and it is possible that there was a reference to Macy's whereabouts that I missed, but I feel that it at least should have been more clear if there was a reference made at all.  Aside from this issue, the book is well-written and did surprise me a few times. 

While I do not want to give away the ending of the book, there is a particular line that I love.  This one line says so much about the characters and about Cammie's future with Josh.  I just love that Ally Carter seems to present the story one way and "tie up" loose ends, and just as the reader begins to consider the implications of this ending, she includes this one line.  Josh's character says this line, just as he is leaving the Academy, "Oh, tell your mom thanks for the tea."  I'll leave you all to guess what this means (or you can just make it easy on yourselves and read the book).  I had to mention this line though, because I think it's a really clever way to sneak in a hint about the start of the next book.  It did make me feel a little sad though, since Cammie got her hopes up that she could be completely honest with Josh.  Also, I thought maybe her mom was going to trust the situation and trust Josh, but I guess spies don't leave anything to chance.  Did I mention that Cammie's mom is also a spy and that she is the headmistress of Gallagher Academy?  Cammie's father was a spy too, but he died during a classified mission, so Cammie does not know much about his death.  I wonder if this will be addressed in the next book...?  Hmm...I guess I really do need to read the next one now...

Reader Response to Parvana's Journey

First Reaction:  Though Parvana does seem like a real person to me, I do not feel that I can relate to her very well, considering I have not been in a situation as extreme as hers.  I have not been separated from my family for months and have gone hungry while traveling around my country searching for them.  Parvana is relatable as a human being and I am able to sympathize with the challenges she faces.

Feelings/emotions:  While I sympathize with Parvana's character and hope that everything works out for her in the end, it is very difficult for me to completely understand how she feels.  If I was ever separated from my family, could not find them, and worried that they were dead, I am not sure if I could maintain the strength to keep going and continue my search for them.  Especially since Parvana is near starvation and is only a child, her struggle seems particularly challenging and insurmountable. 

Perceptions:  While I've only seen or heard of these events happening in the media, I do believe that the things Parvana went through could happen in real life.  I'm sure children of war (and children in impoverished nations in general) endure many hardships and risk starvation.  As Parvana herself mentions a few times throughout the novel, the adults that are supposed to be caring for them and protecting them are gone.  The adults are either dead, lost, or involved in war (such as drafted for the army), so it is impossible for these children to count on them.  Rather, these children must grow up quickly and learn how to survive on their own.  I'm sure many children have stories similar to Parvana's, if not even more tragic.

Associations:  This text reminds me of other novels about war and survival, such as Baghdad Burning, The Art of War, and even Maus. 

Thoughts/Ideas:  I am extremely different at home than at school.  My "school self" is more reserved and quiet, while at home, I talk...a lot.  I think at home I'm also more inclined to share my thoughts and ideas with my family.  I feel that this difference is, at least in part, due to the amount of trust and freedom I feel with my family members.

Author:  I imagine that Deborah Ellis is an extremely compassionate person who is interested in the plight of others, especially those in Afghanistan and other war-torn countries.  I also believe that Deborah Ellis must like children and want to give a voice to those children who are suffering and starving like Parvana and her friends. 

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A. S. King

I just recently finished Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A. S. King and I loved it!  For those who haven't read it yet, the book is about a high-school senior named Vera Dietz whose best friend Charlie dies suddenly.  Throughout the book, Vera considers her friendship with Charlie and tries to cope with his death, as well as his horrible treatment of her in the months before he dies.  I think the reader will be surprised by the truth about Charlie's death; I know I did not expect certain portions of the "true story."

In terms of Vera's character, I thought she was extremely relate-able (minus the drinking problem).  Her issues with her father and her efforts to determine what direction her life is headed give her credibility as a "real" teen.  However, some of the issues that Vera deals with are relatively unique and some teens may not understand or sympathize.  For example, Vera is continuously haunted by Charlie throughout the book.  Although I'm sure most of you are imagining Vera seeing the image of Charlie from time-to-time or hearing his voice, what actually happens is a bit more intense.  Rather than seeing one Charlie, Vera is haunted by numerous Charlies (at some points I think she mentions a specific number, such as 100 or 1,000).  These Charlies suffocate Vera and actually interfere with her life a little bit.  Some students may find this unbelievable (I admit, at times I thought the Charlies were behaving a bit ridiculously).  However, I think their presence and the way they affect Vera successfully conveys how much Charlie's death affects Vera and how Vera needs to unburden herself (and clear Charlie's name) by confessing the truth. 

One of my favorite elements of this book is how A. S. King includes certain chapters from the point of view of Charlie, Mr. Dietz, and the Pagoda (an inanimate object).  I think this provides the reader with helpful information and allows us to believe that both of these important men in Vera's life truly care(d) about her and want the best for her.  In addition, I also think it helps the reader to understand the flaws of both men and how some of their actions toward Vera were inappropriate or not supportive.  Mr. Dietz's flow charts are particularly amusing, since they provide the reader with a good insight into his character (he constantly thinks of actions in terms of consequences or where the action will lead you.  Also, Mr. Dietz is a very rational character and, as an accountant, the flow charts seem to make sense for his character.

At times throughout the novel, I became frustrated with Mr. Dietz's character because of some of his actions.  I felt that he was too controlling with Vera at certain points, while too lenient at others.  When he actually had Vera call her mother (who had abandoned the family 6 years ago) to talk to her rather than talk to her about her drinking and dating a 23-year-old, I felt that he was being particularly ridiculous.  Why rely on Vera's conversation with her mother to set her on the "right path?"  Especially since Mr. Dietz was the parent who had the problems with alcohol.  I was surprised he did not handle that part himself.  Did he really think Vera would be receptive to her mother who is no longer around and only sends her a birthday card?  By the end of the book, however, Mr. Dietz's actions made more sense to me.  One aspect of his character that I simply could not get over was some of his hypocrisy.  For instance, he keeps rationalizing the fact that he does not encourage Vera's love of animals or allow her to have a pet by stating that people spend too much money on their pets.  Mr. Dietz opines that there are starving children all over the world (even in their own town) and yet people spend lots of money taking care of their pets.  He believes that these people should spend that "extra" money on the starving children.  While I think that this is a valid opinion in theory, Mr. Dietz's character is so tight with money, I don't think he spends the extra money that he saves by not allowing Vera to have a pet on the starving children of the town.  While this is not explicitly stated, I'm just guessing that he doesn't.  It doesn't seem likely.  So that hypocrisy really bothers me.  Also, the fact that he does not encourage Vera to work with animals, which is something she loves so much (and could be therapeutic for her after her mother's abandonment) struck me as kind of...cold.  I was going to type "heartless," but I really don't believe Mr. Dietz is heartless, just misguided and somewhat lost.

I really enjoyed the fact that Vera's character is independent and strong.  While she does make mistakes and still obviously has some emotions about her mother that have not been dealt with, Vera is a good example of someone who does not allow others' opinions or attitudes toward her to affect her life very much.  Although I would not advocate teens to take Vera's "please ignore Vera Dietz" approach while in school, I am glad to see a female protagonist who refuses to join the "Detentionheads" in their ridiculous behavior, even after her best friend begins to hang out with them.  I also admire A. S. King for writing a female character who feels that she does not have to behave like Jenny Flick in order to get a guy to like her.  In my opinion, there are too many "Jenny Flicks" in the world.  While not all of them are as cruel or as much of a sociopath as Jenny's character, I think that many girls today feel that they need to dress in a revealing way or wear too much makeup or do poorly in school simply to attract male attention.  I found it particularly interesting that Charlie actually confesses that the reason why Jenny Flick never liked Vera is because "she's [Vera's] classy without having to try" (p. 293).  Hopefully teen girls who read this book will finally realize that being classy and having standards is extremely important and that guys (especially the right kind of guys) will love them for these attributes.  While this seems to be a subtle message, I think it is important that A. S. King included that sentence in the book.

Overall, I highly recommend reading this book.  I'm seriously considering purchasing it so that I can read it again in the future.

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Since this was my second time reading Crank, I took care to notice differences between this reading and the first.  The first thing I noticed was that I had a terrible time motivating myself to begin reading the book a second time.  While Crank is extremely powerful and is a novel I would highly recommend reading, the content was so emotionally wrenching that I really did not want to subject myself to the "emotional roller coaster" a second time.  That being said, once I actually started reading, I could not put the book down.  I think I read it even quicker the second time than I did the first!

In terms of my understanding of the characters and my ability to connect with Kristina/Bree, I think reading the book a second time was extremely helpful.  Throughout my first reading, I was so shocked and upset by what was happening to Kristina that I could barely wrap my head around her addiction and her "alter ego."  While reading the second time, I had a better understanding of Kristina and of the emotions and events that led "Bree" to take over.  As I re-read the novel, it still terrified me how quickly Kristina became addicted and allowed the drugs to completely change her life.  Within the course of six months, not only is Kristina severely addicted, but she is also almost broke and expecting a baby.  It is amazing how someone who is a good student and a good person can get caught up in addiction so severely and so suddenly.

As I read the novel a second time, I was better able to notice the way that Hopkins arranges the phrases of the verse novel.  Often, the words and phrases will take the shape of the very thing Kristina is referring to in that particular passage.  For example, when Kristina discusses the heart tattoo Adam gave her, the words form the shape of a heart.  While I noticed this to some extent during my first reading, I was able to catch even more of these instances as I re-read the novel.

Possibly one of the scariest aspects of reading this novel (both times) is that, as Hopkins describes Kristina's drug use, I found myself becoming very curious about how a person feels while experiencing being high on this drug.  This disturbed me (and continues to disturb me).  Then, as I read the horrible withdrawal symptoms that Kristina was experiencing, I remembered that this drug is particularly addictive and extremely horrible for the body.  So I guess what I'm trying to convey (although it is really difficult for me to explain how I felt as I read this novel), is that I consistently experienced both a curiosity and a repulsion for this drug as I read Crank.  I don't know if Hopkins' intention was to take the reader along on an emotional roller coaster, but that is definitely what this novel does for me.  Especially during my second reading, I allowed myself to really identify with Kristina.  As I re-read, I was better able to feel how powerless a person (in this case Kristina) is to their addiction (the "monster").

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

While it took me at least 100 pages to really get into the story, I ended up loving everything about this novel.  It was very interesting that Donnelly begins each chapter with a vocabulary word (at least, those chapters that take place in the past).  I found the shift between the past and the present in this novel to be very skillful.  However, as I was reading, I often thought about how aspects of this novel would be received in a high school classroom.  Not only might the shifts in time confuse students, but the sheer length of the novel and some of the dated ways of speaking and referencing might be intimidating.  But maybe I'm not giving today's teens enough credit.  I do know that my childhood reading interests and experiences greatly aided in my ability to comprehend this novel.  It felt so much like reading Anne of Green Gables and Little House on the Prairie (two of my favorite series when I was younger).  I have always been fascinated by this time period (late 1800s-early 1900s), so my enthusiasm for this novel continued to increase as I read.  Hopefully students' interest in the novel would increase as they read it as well.  I only wish that Donnelly had spent a little less time setting up the story and discussing Mattie's home life so students are less likely to stop reading before becoming thoroughly interested in Mattie's fate. 

Aside from the larger issue of women's rights and views of women's roles at that time, I couldn't help but focus also on the large number of references to farming and natural remedies to cure illness.  It really makes me wonder:  if we were unable to get our groceries at Wegmans and have access to a hospital in today's world, would any of us know what else to do?  Would we know enough to go out and dig up blackberry roots to help our families recover from illness?  And what on earth are fiddleheads?  I need to remember to look this information up once I'm done composing my post.  There are so many cultural differences, and it makes me feel almost sad for what we've possibly lost.  However, I do realize that we have gained much as well.  I often felt angered by Mattie's father's reactions to her writing and schooling.  I also felt angry at Mattie a few times too.  There were moments when I felt like screaming at the book, "Who cares about a promise you made to your mother?  She probably would've wanted you to go to college!"  Then I felt insensitive, so I tried to let that feeling go.  But I had to work really hard to remember that girls during this time were expected to get married and have children.

Miss Wilcox's storyline completely took me by surprise.  I suppose I should have seen it coming, but I was shocked to discover that she was actually the author of one of the books she gave to Mattie.  It seems unbelievable to me that a woman could get in so much trouble just by writing her true feelings about gender roles.  Thank goodness things are different now.  I find it sad to think about how we now tote the philosophy that everyone is a unique individual with different interests and can be whatever he or she wants to be, however during this time, all women were expected to want the same thing.  I can't imagine the fear and depression experienced by those women who realized they did not want to marry and have children.  It also seems awfully scary that a woman's husband could so easily send her to a sanatorium.  I've heard about how oftentimes people were put in those institutions in spite of the fact that they were not actually crazy or sick. 

I think I really started getting into the book once Mattie began reading Grace Brown's letters.  The whole Grace Brown/Chester Gillette story really interests me (as is probably evidenced by my previous post).  Once I started to read more about it, I realized I had heard about the murder before.  This book was a very clever way for Jennifer Donnelly to write about a historical event.  I'm also rather shocked that someone actually chose to write a YA book about a murder like this.  This isn't an event that history books usually even mention, yet I feel that this murder case does much to explain gender roles and expectations during this time in history.  While many history teachers may not view this event to be as significant as a war or other political event, it serves to demonstrate the position of women prior to the ratification of the 19th amendment.  I think this book would be an excellent example to teenage girls of the way that women's rights and gender roles have changed over time.  I also think that modern teen magazines still emphasize "getting the guy" as though that's the only important thing.  This novel serves to help underscore that, especially in today's world, women have many options about their futures, and they do not need to focus solely on marriage and children (unless they really want to). 

I love the ending of this novel.  Mattie made the choice that I was hoping she would make.  While it was a difficult choice for her, I am glad she is able to live her life the way she wants to and can potentially achieve her dreams.  If she had married Royal, she most likely would never have been able to write (or even read).  Royal would have wanted her to help him work in the fields or look after the house and their future children.  Since he didn't understand or appreciate Mattie's love of books, it is unlikely that he would have been sympathetic if she had expressed a desire to have time to write and publish any literature. 

I had so many favorite lines in this book!  I just have to include some here:  "There's no going back once you're already gone." (p. 377); "I know it is a bad thing to break a promise, but I think now that it is a worse thing to let a promise break you." (p. 374); "'Cripes, Miss Wilcox, they're not guns,' I said.  'No, they're not, Mattie, they're books.  And a hundred times more dangerous.'" (p. 203-204). 

Overall, this was a great book! 

Information on the real life Chester Gillette/Grace Brown murder case

I'm about halfway through A Northern Light, and I became so curious about the Chester Gillette-Grace Brown storyline, that I looked for information online.  The following is a link to TruTV's summary of the case.  It is so interesting!

http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/classics/chester_gillette/index.html

I also found the website for the actual Glenmore Hotel, with a page devoted to the Chester Gillette murder trial (I have included the link below).  Once I began reading A Northern Light, I realized that I had heard about this murder before when I watched a TV show about hauntings and ghost stories (a guilty pleasure of mine).  I'm almost positive the Glenmore was featured on one of these shows as the site of a potential haunting due to the murder that took place near the hotel.


http://glenmorebarandgrill.com/index.php/big-moose-lake/the-murder-trial-of-chester-gillette/

The Breadwinner

I read all of The Breadwinner in one sitting; it was so good!  Dr. Jones was right, the ending left me wanting to know what happens next.  I couldn't believe what happened to Parvana's father and everything that her family had to go through after he got arrested.  While I had known that the Taliban imposed strict rules on the citizens of Afghanistan, I had no idea about some of the things they were expected to do.  For example, blacking out all windows so that the women inside the house could not be seen.  It's all so extreme, I have trouble containing my outrage that people are expected to live like this, especially those who disagree so strongly with the Taliban.  It is unfortunate that people like Parvana's parents were forced out of their jobs and had to hide their books and other signs of education.

I guess my biggest challenge is understanding how a small faction of people who believe in these extreme views were able to come to power and force their beliefs on the other citizens of the country.  I guess having a stronger sense of Middle Eastern history would help me with this.  Also, this book reminded me of how precarious any civil war or revolt in a country can be.  It seems that Afghanistan was susceptible to Taliban takeover after the Soviets left the country.  While I can't say that Soviet control (or control by any other country for that matter) would have been better for Afghanistan, I wish there was a better way for a country to begin self-government after a foreign invader leaves.  Although Egypt's current situation is not exactly similar (its citizens are currently rebelling against their 30-year "elected" president), I saw a political cartoon in the Democrat and Chronicle that implied that Egypt could be the next "domino" to fall to radical Islam.  Judging from what has happened in many other Middle Eastern countries, this does not seem like an impossible fate.  I hope, however, that Egypt's current situation does not lead to Taliban control, especially if this means that citizens will endure the same rules and regulations that have sequestered and impoverished Parvana's family.

The scene in the stadium when Parvana and her friend are watching the Taliban deal with prisoners was particularly shocking to me.  The fact that her mother then said that it happens "every Friday" was even more chilling.  No wonder no one in the country wants to speak out against the Taliban!  No one wants to end up dead, in jail,...or worse.  I sincerely hope that the citizens of Afghanistan can unite and regain control of their government in order to establish a less cruel ruling system.

While I was reading, I found myself holding my breath when Parvana walked outside without a male escort.  It was almost as though I was walking with her, looking for Taliban militia at every turn.  When Parvana (as a boy) escorts her older sister and other siblings outside for the first time in a year and a half, I found myself imagining how the suns rays must feel when you haven't been outside in such a long time.  This also really made me appreciate being born and raised in this country.  I think, too often, I take it for granted that I can walk outside whenever I want and travel anywhere in the country without fear of being arrested or bombed or anything.  I can't imagine what women like Parvana and her mother and sisters go through having to live in virtual seclusion every day. 

Overall, I loved this book, and I want to read the next one as soon as possible!

Hurricane by Terry Trueman

What first interested me about this book is it's sharp contrast to Tricks, which I just finished reading.  Toward the end of Tricks, many of the characters come to realize that there are good people in the world who are willing to help out someone in need.  One character in particular, Eden, is continually aided by kind people along her journey at the end of the book.  In Hurricane, there is a more uplifting feeling to the book, in spite of the hurricane that rips through Jose's small town.  Also, the presence of characters who are willing to help out others in the community is stronger and more evident throughout the whole novel.  Jose's neighbors are all forced to gather at his house to recover from the hurricane's wake, as a giant mudslide has destroyed almost all of the other houses in town.  This strength in the face of adversity really appealed to me and caused me to rarely put the book down.  I was so interested to find out what happens to Jose and the remaining members of his town, as well as discover whether his father, brother, and sister ever come home after being away during the hurricane's arrival. 

Considering I would have been about 11 years old when Hurricane Martin hit Honduras, I do not remember the hurricane or the destruction that it left in that country.  However, it was interesting to read about how a natural disaster can completely change the lives of everyone affected by it.  One day you have a house and a family in a perfectly normal neighborhood, and the next day everything is gone while you fight to find food and clean water to survive.  It's really scary to think about.  Trueman even includes an Addendum at the end of the book that mentions Hurricane Katrina and how similar devastation was experienced in our country when that disaster occurred.  To read a story that describes in such detail all of the emotions and situations caused by hurricanes and other disasters is really poignant.  Aside from watching films like Twister, I have relatively little firsthand experience with the effects that natural disasters have on people's lives.  This book is really enlightening and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in hurricanes, humans overcoming diversity, and/or Terry Trueman's writing.


Also, as a side note, the ending to this book is not horribly depressing as one would expect a book about a hurricane would be.  So to those who hate when books leave you feeling down, don't worry about that with this book.  I was very pleased with the resolution at the end.  

Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

I'm about halfway through Tricks and am really impressed by the way Ellen Hopkins weaves together the stories of five teens' lives.  From the very beginning of the book, I really enjoyed the way that the reader can relate to each teen's emotions and/or situations.  I think every reader could identify with at least one of the characters, to some extent.  The only issue is that, at this point in the book, all of the character's lives are going downhill.  While this is a really interesting and well-written novel, it can be slightly depressing to realize that each character is making choices that may not benefit him or her in the future.  I hope that at least a few of the characters are able to get their lives back on track, but, having read other books by this author, I am not holding my breath.  I am interested to find out how the book ends for each of the characters, though. 

Monster

After reading Monster by Walter Dean Myers, I remain in awe as to how I had not read or heard of this book previously.  This novel reminds me a lot of Native Son by Richard Wright, in that they both deal with young men who have committed a crime and are dealing with the justice system.  However, Monster deals almost exclusively with Steve Harmon's trial and takes place more recently than Native Son.  In this way, Monster is able to address the social issues that are still relevant to our culture today.   

Monster is about the trial of Steve Harmon, a sixteen year old who was allegedly involved in a robbery that resulted in a murder.  The whole novel is written in the form of a movie script, even going so far as to describe the type of camera shots used for each scene.  As the reader continues through the novel, it is revealed that one of Steve's favorite hobbies is the school film club.  Suddenly, it makes perfect sense as to why Steve is telling the story of his trial in the form of a movie script; he is a filmmaker.  Not only does the script format add to the novel's look and appeal, it also makes for more interesting and engaging reading.  As I read Monster, I was able to envision how the scenes would look if they were actually part of a real movie.

During my senior year of high school, I took a Law and Justice course in which we learned about the criminal justice system, to an extent.  I think reading Monster would have greatly aided in students' understanding of the justice system and how much the outcome of the case really depends on the lawyers and the jury, rather than the actual truth of what happened.  What I find interesting is that Steve never actually admits to doing anything wrong, but we can infer by his reflections on his conversations with James King that he was most likely involved.  In spite of this fact, I found myself wanting Steve to win the trial and to be released from prison as soon as I began reading the novel.  Something about him made me sympathize with him, and he definitely seems to be a more genuine and kind person than the other men who were (allegedly) involved in the robbery.  Reading this novel in high school would help students to understand how every action has a consequence and that the actions that end up taking place could be different from what was intended.  For example, the men who committed the robbery did not necessarily intend to kill anyone that day.  However, certain events that occurred during the robbery led to a man's murder.  Now, instead of merely being charged for robbery, Steve and James King are on trial for murder as well.  This novel offers the perfect opportunity to teach students that life sometimes does not happen as planned and that one bad decision can result in prison, or even death.

In addition to providing teachable moments, this novel also deals with the ways that incarceration not only affects the prisoner, but also the prisoner's family and friends.  I like that Myers includes scenes with Steve's mother, father, and brother, to further demonstrate that Steve is a person, just like anyone else, and that he is loved by his family.  The fact that his parents did not seem to realize the type of friends Steve has and what he is capable of doing allows the audience to see how easy it is for a young person to get caught up in a potentially life-changing and damaging situation.  With parents and a brother like those that Steve has, I felt myself continually asking "Why?" throughout the novel.  I wanted a reason; I wanted to know why Steve is on trial and why he was (allegedly) involved in the robbery.  Was it so that he could appear tough in front of his friends?  Was he bored?  What interested me the most throughout the novel is that Steve seems to be dealing with this issue as well.  He does not understand what led him to this trial, just as we, the audience, do not understand.  How did his life get this bad?  He has a loving family and he seems to believe that he should not be sent to prison.  Therefore, I continue to wonder what led Steve to become involved with the other characters and what will happen to him after the novel ends.  Will this experience serve as a wake-up call that will inspire Steve to actually create a movie based on his trial?  Will Steve ever determine who he is, in "one true image"?  I guess I'll never know (unless Myers writes a sequel).

I Am Nujood

After reading I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced, I remain amazed at the courage displayed by a ten-year-old girl.  I was also struck by the amount of fear and frustration that she must have felt, and how this led her to become desperate enough to seek a divorce.  As I read this novel, I was continually led to compare divorces in the United States with those of Yemen.  While divorces in this country are sometimes still challenging and difficult to go through, it seems that divorces in the United States pale in comparison to those in other cultures. The fact that familial honor plays such a large role and that women have virtually no role in determining who they marry is very disconcerting to me.  Throughout the novel, I kept thinking how lucky I am to live in a society that would allow me to choose who I marry and would also grant me a divorce without making me feel as though I was doing something wrong.  I also feel thankful that I was allowed to have a childhood without fear of being married at such a young age.  In spite of my comparisons and my national pride, I do not believe that Nujood intends for her audience to pity her or to criticize her culture.  By writing this novel, it seems that Nujood simply wants her voice to be heard and to spark some reform in her country.  The fact that she returns home to her family and to the very person who caused her to be married so young (her father) after her divorce is granted, proves that she still has a very strong bond with her family.  It surprised me that Nujood was able to forgive her father (to some extent) and to return home to live with him and the rest of her family.  However, whenever she speaks of her younger sister and her desire to protect her from going through what Nujood went through, it is clear that Nujood feels that her purpose is to take care of her family, especially the women of her family, in order to ensure that they have a chance to have an education and some autonomy.  Taken as a whole, I believe that Nujood's story speaks to the bravery of a little girl who was able to stand up for her own rights, in spite of the beliefs of her family and her society.

Welcome to My Blog!

While this is not my first blog, I am very excited to begin posting to this blog.  Over the winter break, I began reading a few YA books, and am currently in the process of reading a few more.  I look forward to working through my thoughts about this literature as I continue reading.  I hope that this blog is able to convey my current thoughts and ideas to anyone who reads it, as well as help me to further clarify how I interpret and relate to each work.