Things I Have to Tell You: Poems and Writing by Teenage Girls

Franco, Betsy. 2001. THINGS I HAVE TO TELL YOU: POEMS AND WRITING BY TEENAGE GIRLS. Photographs by Nina Nickles. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick. ISBN 9780763610357.

THINGS I HAVE TO TELL YOU is a collection of poetry and prose written by girls all over the country between the ages of twelve and eighteen. This is a great book for teenage girls who might think that no one understands their problems or issues. The entries are frankly written and say things that many girls think and would like to say.

The photographs found throughout the book add a lot to the entries. They are not photographs of the authors, but of teenagers. These photographs allow the reader to be able to see themselves in the poetry and prose. Sharon Korbeck wrote in her review, “Like snapshots from personal photo albums, the images of a multicultural array of "everygirls" are harmonious complements to this outstanding collection” (2001). In her preface Nina Nickles writes, “I didn’t pose any of the girls, rather, they let me be the proverbial fly on the wall, often forgetting that I was even there” (page xii).

There are many issues covered throughout the book. Some of the entries are light hearted such as “A Bad Hair Day.” Miriam Stone writes, “The day I met you was a bad hair day. /This one piece of hair /Just wouldn’t stay!” (page 34). Other entries deal with the pressure to be perfect. Some of the more heavy topics covered in the book are physical abuse and drug use. In “My Ode to Crank” Lisa Woodward writes, “Your love for crank has grown so strong…/The drug you loved so through and through /Has no feelings back for you” (page 44). Other entries show how the writer overcame challenges in their lives.

This book is a must have for middle and high school libraries. Teenage girls face so many pressures in their lives it is important they have books like this to let them know they are not alone. Sharon Korbeck also wrote in her review, “In allowing the words of teens from across the nation to shine through, without polishing or pushing, Franco has succeeded in compiling one of the brightest collections out there today” (2001).

Reference List:

Korbeck, Sharon. “Review of Things I Have to Tell You.” School Library Journal 47, no 5 (2001): 164. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2056/ehost/detail?vid=5&hid=127&sid=9dae787e-60cb-4eb3-b658-01d78b16409c%40sessionmgr115&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=lih&AN=4422027

Bronx Masquerade

Grimes, Nikki. 2002. BRONX MASQUERADE. New York: Dial Books. ISBN 9780142501894.

BRONX MASQUERADE is the story of an English class that begins Open Mike Fridays. This is a time when students can read poetry they have written in front of the peers. Many students use this time to share their personal feelings.

Many readers will relate to the fact that students are seeing their classmates in a new light after learning more about their lives and struggles. Young adults tend to stereotype others based on past experiences. The students in Mr. Ward’s English class begin to see that even though they are different races they have more in common than they originally thought. They also re-examine the way they treat each other. On page 49, Janelle reads her poem “Inside” and shares her feelings about being overweight in her “thick casing.” Afterwards Tyrone thinks about the times he made fun of her weight for a laugh and “listening to her now, it don’t seem all that funny” (page 50).

In her review Diane Roback stated that ”… there may be too many characters for the audience to penetrate deeply” (2001). I thought this too as I was reading the book. Although the overall plot of watching students learn to love poetry and Open Mike Friday’s was easy to follow, the individual stories were hard to follow. It was neat to see the poems written from so many points of view, but it was hard to keep track of which person had told which story earlier in the book. There were two characters that were featured throughout most of the book and I feel like the reader could easily connect with them but the other characters were not developed enough.

The setting of the book in the inner city is important. One reason is that it explains many of the life experiences these students have gone through. Many of the students have lost parents and loved ones to violence. Some of the students talk about just trying to make it out of there alive.

Throughout the book there are words in other languages that aren’t translated. Most meanings can be determined through context clues but in my opinion it takes away from the story to have to try to figure out the words. I think many readers would just skip over the words they didn’t know. An example found on page 35 is, “He was a jibaro through and through. He couldn’t wait to get back to his precious mountains!”

Overall I would recommend this book to young adults. It is a good way to introduce and get them interested in poetry. “Grimes's creative, contemporary premise will hook teens, and the poems may even inspire readers to try a few of their own” (Roback 2001).

Reference List:
Roback, Diane. “Review of Bronx Masquerade.” Publishers Weekly 248, no 51 (2001): 92. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2056/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=127&sid=9dae787e-60cb-4eb3-b658-01d78b16409c%40sessionmgr115&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ% 3d%3d#db=lih&AN=5741711

What My Mother Doesn't Know

Sones, Sonya. 2001. WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN’T KNOW. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780689855535

This verse novel is a look at the secret thoughts of Sophie, a normal teenage girl, as she goes throughout a year in high school.

Teenage girls will be able to relate to the strong emotions written about in this book. Sophie writes about her confusion in regards to her feelings for both Dylan and her cyber friend “Chaz.” On page 97 she writes, “I could just be /enjoying this thing with Chaz /totally and completely, /without one /single /speck /of guilt,/If it weren’t for Dylan.”

She also writes about how her parent’s fighting makes her feel. She writes, “Their shrieking whips around inside me like a tornado. And no fingers crammed in my ears, no pillows held over my head, can block it out. She also writes about being in love and how she feels when she finds out the truth about her cyber-boyfriend.

The format of this book is easy to follow. The chapters, which seem like journal entries will appeal to teenage readers. They will also appeal to reluctant readers because they are fairly short. Even though there are many different poems they fit together nicely to create a story that is easy to follow. This book is also a quick read, perfect for a rainy day. This book is set in recent times. The use of the internet to chat with others and email friends clues the reader in to this.

Teenagers that read this book might be surprised to find out that they are not the only ones with certain feelings and thoughts. In her review, Sharon Korbeck writes, “Sones's poems are glimpses through a peephole many teens may be peering through for the first time, unaware that others are seeing virtually the same new, scary, unfamiliar things…Sones's book makes these often-difficult years a little more livable by making them real, normal, and OK” (2001).

Reference List:

Korbeck, Sharon. “Review of What My Mother Doesn’t Know.” School Library Journal 47, no 10 (2001): 171.  http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2056/ehost/detail?vid=6&hid=127&sid= 9dae787e-60cb-4eb3-b658-01d78b16409c%40sessionmgr115&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc 3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=lih&AN=5318506.

Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine and the Lawless Years of Prohibition

Blumenthal, Karen. 2011. BOOTLEG: MURDER, MOONSHINE, AND THE LAWLESS YEARS OF PROHIBITION. Roaring Book Press: New York. ISBN978-1-59643-449-3.

BOOTLEG chronicles the Prohibition Era from the late 1800's to 1933 when Prohibition ended. The first part of the book shows the events that lead up to the Prohibition Amendment being passed. The reader will learn about major players in the temperance movement such as Morris Sheppard and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. These supporters of outlawing alcohol believed that doing so would cause there to be less violence and broken families. The rest of the book describes how Prohibition affected people in the United States and how it was eventually repealed.

The book is organized in such a way that the reader can easily follow the flow of events which surrounded Prohibition. Although almost half of the book is dedicated to the time before Prohibition it allows the reader to better understand Prohibition and why some thought it was necessary. The book is also very readable for this age group. There is a glossary in the back to explain some of the terms that readers might not have encountered before. Other than the words that are specific to the era, I do not think there are many other words that the reader will have difficulty understanding.

There are many photographs found throughout the book. I think they help tell the story of Prohibition. All the photographs in the book have captions that explain the picture. A photograph on page 66 shows men dumping liquid down the sewer. The caption explains, "In a scene that was repeated many times in the 1920s, law enforcement officials pour an illegal brew into the sewer." This picture depicts, for the reader, how desperate people were for alcohol that they knew it might be dumped out but made it anyway.

At the back of the book is a list of resources for those who want more information on Prohibition, temperance and alcohol. There are also lists of resources for more information about different people and groups in the book such as Morris Sheppard, The Anti-Saloon League, and Al Capone. There is also quite an extensive bibliography of the sources used to write the book. It is organized by chapter and is easy to read and find a particular sources used for a quote or fact. "The breadth of the well-researched material makes Bootleg a substantial resource for reports; a deep bibliography and copious source notes provide ample opportunities for further study…this book is also a lively read…” (Donsky 2011).

Reference List:
Donsky, Rebecca Dash. "Review of Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition." School Library Journal 57, no 7 (2011): 111-112. http://ezproxy.twu.edu: 2056/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&hid=126& sid=35792edb-1b40-4f16-a75b-e1ee40afab75%40sessionmgr113.

Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and the Recovery of the Past

Deem, James. 2008. BODIES FROM THE ICE: MELTING GLACIERS AND THE RECOVERY OF THE PAST. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN: 978-0-329-70908-2.

BODIES FROM THE ICE is a book brings together the fields of glaciology and anthropology. It is very interesting to see how these two fields can work together to determine how old bodies are and where they originally frozen into the glacier.

BODIES FROM THE ICE has a readability suitable for the age range. Although some scientific jargon is used, most of it is explained in the text. For example on the first page, "Although the Niederjoch had been gradually retreating, or thawing..." Readers might not know what retreating means in regards to glaciers, but it is explained in an easy way that doesn't take away from the text. Another example is found in a sidebar on page 24, "The father of glaciology (the study of glaciers)..."

The text is logically organized starting with the first major discovery from a melting glacier and then moving on to details about several other important discoveries. The book ends with a chapter about the increasing melting rate of glaciers and the implications that they have on the world.

There are a lot of different types of visuals used throughout the book. "Heavily illustrated with historical memorabilia as well as photos of bodies, scenery, artifacts, and rather simplistic maps, this offers a lot to look at and learn about." (Cooper 2008). The pictures on pages 32 and 33 of the Children of the Andes really show the reader how almost perfectly bodies can be preserved in the ice. There are also side bars that give the reader more information such as the sidebar on page 10 that describes the types of glaciers.

The information found in the book is backed up by a thorough bibliography. The illustration credits are very clearly labeled as to which picture they are referring to, the same cannot be said for the bibliography. There are no references in the book and the bibliography is just an alphabetical listing of sources. It would be very hard to find a particular source used for a fact or quote in the book. There is also a list of glaciers to visit and suggested websites to get more information.

Reference List:
Cooper, Ilene. "Reivew of Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and the Recovery of the Past." Booklist 105, no 7 (2008): 61. http://ezproxy.twu.edu: 2056/ehost /pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&hid=126&sid= 35792edb-1b40-4f16-a75b-e1ee40afab75%40sessionmgr113.

33 Things Every Girl Should Know

Bolden, Tonya. 1998. 33 THINGS EVERY GIRL SHOULD KNOW. New York: Crown Publishers. ISBN: 0-329-09027-5.

33 THINGS is a great book for young girls to read. The stories will help them see that that each of these girls has gone through the sometimes awful teenage years and made it through to the other side. 

This book has a great diversity of formats and is very readable for this age range. On page 8 it states, "And it's a mix - short stories, essays, a comic strip, two comix, a letter, a speech, an interview, a 'public-service announcement,' poems and more..." Each entry is fairly short in length lending this book to be great for this age range because they have such a short attention span. Struggling readers will enjoy this book as well because of the shortness of the entries. 

The writing styles are quite varied throughout the book. This was an aspect I enjoyed about the book. The reader doesn't have to like every entry, but there are enough entries that the reader is bound to connect with many of the stories. Although the styles differ, there seems to be a main theme running throughout the book to encourage young girls to know themselves and be true to themselves. "The topics covered vary greatly and include dealing with one's sexual orientation, overcoming and triumphing despite physical handicaps, combating the pervasive "thin is beautiful" culture, dealing with insensitive people, and just finding oneself." (Steinberg 1998).

The visuals found in the book emphasize the main ideas of the different entries. "Say what you DON'T WANT" by Deborah Tannen encourages girls to speak up especially in situations involving boys. The visual at the end of the entry is a speech bubble that states, "make it clear" (pgs 63-67). Another example is the many pictures included in "Imagine..." by Gretchen Rosenkranz. Gretchen was born with spina bifida and her parents were told she would never walk. She has competed in many wheelchair games and won medals in swimming events. The pictures accompanying her story show her learning to walk with a walker, competing in wheelchair races and participating in P.E. class. The pictures help the reader to better understand her story.

Information about each of the contributors can be found at the back of the book. Readers will enjoy finding out more information about the people who wrote this book.

Reference List:
Steinberg, Renee. "Review of 33 Things Every Girl Should Know: Stories, Songs, Poems & Smart Talk." School Library Journal 44, no 5 (1998): 150. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2056/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&hid=126 &sid=35792edb-1b40-4f16-a75b-e1ee40afab75%40sessionmgr113.

Little Brother

Doctorow, Cory. 2008. LITTLE BROTHER. New York: TOR Teen Book. ISBN: 978-0-7653-1985-2\

LITTLE BROTHER is set in the not too distant future in San Francisco. Marcus and his friends have ditched school to play Harajuku F'uii Madness when a terrorist attacks the city. When found in the vicinity of the attack they get detained by the Department of Homeland Security. Marcus is released after being imprisoned for several days. After he is free he is determined to uncover the illegal behavior of the DHS.

Marcus is a very believable character. He is a teenager who has typical problems such as fighting with his friends, getting in trouble at school and developing a relationship with a girl friend. In his review of the book, Chris Shoemaker writes that “Marcus is a wonderfully developed character: hyperaware of his surroundings, trying to redress past wrongs, and rebelling against authority” (2008). The other characters are not as well developed as Marcus but are still believable.

Teens will be able to relate to Marcus trying to figure out his problems on his own. He doesn’t feel like his mom or dad will understand or accept him if they knew his true feelings and his actions. Marcus finally breaks down and shares what is going on with his mom. “I took a deep breath…and I told her everything. Everything. Well, most of it.” (page 251).

The theme of this book seems to be finding the strength to stand up for your beliefs. Marcus knows he wants to uncover the unjustness of the Department of Homeland Security’s treatment of its prisoners and the tracking of everyone in the city. He just isn’t sure how he can do that without getting himself arrested. At times during the story he doubts himself and his motives, but he always comes back around to the unfair treatment by the DHS.

There is quite a bit of technology jargon used in the book, but it was not overwhelming even for a non-techie like me. Doctorow explains everything in very simple terms so the reader does not lose their focus on the story. It was very interesting to read how Marcus used the Xbox to bypass government security on the Internet. “Teen espionage fans will appreciate the numerous gadgets made from everyday materials” (Shoemaker 2008).

Invasion of privacy is also a big part of the book. After the terrorist attacks the DHS starts tracking peoples every movement. Where they use their debit card, what bus they get on, what traffic lights and toll booths they pass and even more.

This book will really make the reader think about what could happen in the future as the government tries to keep America safe from further terrorist attacks.

Reference List:
Shoemaker, Chris. “Review of Little Brother.” School Library Journal 54, no 5 (2008): 121. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2056/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=4&hid=113&sid=a92428dd-9a2b-449e-b306-7683bd04afca%40sessionmgr110 (accessed November 1, 2011).

The Hunger Games



Collins, Suzanne. 2008. THE HUNGER GAMES. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 978-0439023528.

THE HUNGER GAMES is the first book in a trilogy. It is set in the future in the country of Panem, which is where the United States once was. The government is very strict in Panem. Each year the Capitol hosts the Hunger Games. One boy and one girl from each of the 12 districts in the country are chosen at random to participate.

A theme of this book is government control. The government controls almost everything its citizens do. It sets limits for where they can hunt and what is the main trade in each district. They also mandate that every citizen watch the Hunger Games, which is the only time some districts are ensured power. They want the citizens to remember what could happen if they try to overthrow the government which is the motivation behind the hunger games. “Taking the kids from our districts, forcing them to kill one another while we watch – this is the Capitol’s way of reminding us how totally we are at their mercy” (page 17).

Another theme is doing what you have to do to survive. Katniss and Gale hunt illegally outside the gate of District 12 so they can feed their families. They know they could get in trouble, but without the food and the money they get from selling it their families would not be able to survive. During the games Katniss is very skeptical at first about teaming up with another player. She knows she has to survive and doesn’t want to trust someone else with her life. When she teams up with Peeta she knows she has to play up their romance. Although she doesn’t have true feelings for him in the beginning she knows that her survival depends on pretending she is in love with Peeta. During dire circumstances people will do many things they thought they wouldn’t do so they and their families can survive.

Most of the book I found to be believable, but one aspect that I found hard to believe is that the government could control the weather during the games. They made it rain for several days, made it hotter during the days, and colder at night. There was no mention as to how they controlled the weather, I think that is why it was easy to doubt. The element of the reality television will resonate with readers who have watched shows such as Survivor and Big Brother. The “plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing” (Henriksen 2008). Although the plot stretches the imagination, it is very believable.

Katniss is a very strong female protagonist. She is able to support her family by working and hunting and emotionally supports her younger sister Prim. She is also very protective of Prim, even taking her place when her name is called for the hunger games. She is very intelligent as well, out-smarting many of her opponents during the games. Readers can relate to the other characters that are also very believable. “Collins's characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds” (Henriksen 2008).

Reference List:
Henriksen, Jane. “Review of The Hunger Games.” School Library Journal 54, no 9 (2008): 176. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2056/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&hid=113&sid=a92428dd-9a2b-449e-b306-7683bd04afca%40sessionmgr110 (accessed November 1, 2011).

Uglies

Tally is the main protagonist in UGLIES. She is about to turn sixteen and undergo a surgery that will turn her into a “Pretty.” Teens will relate to her as she desperately wants to join all of her friends that have already had the surgery. Because of her late summer birthday she feels like she is being left behind by everyone else.

The government keeps the “Uglies” very sheltered and only teaches them what they want them to know. For example, the history of the “Rusties” is very mysterious and no one really knows why the society is no longer around and the government wants to keep it that way.

The characters are very well developed throughout the story. Tally wants nothing more than to become pretty and has never questioned the government’s motives around the operation. Shay on the hand wants nothing to do with becoming pretty and wants to live in a society where everyone can be themselves.

There are three futuristic settings in this dystopian society book and they are all very different. Uglyville is strictly run by the government. This is where the children go years before they have their operation. The government raises the children and has very specific rules for what they are and are not allowed to do. They have to wear rings that track their every movement. New Pretty Town is where the children went to live right after their operation. People in New Pretty Town do not have a care in the world. Their only concern is what they are going to wear to the next party and how much they had to drink the night before. In contrast to both of these places is the Smoke. People in the Smoke run their own lives. There is no set ruler and everyone pitches in to do their part. People in the Smoke have not had the pretty operation so they accept each other how they are and place very little importance on looks.

Young Adults will be able to relate to the importance placed on looks in Uglyville and New Pretty Town. There is so much pressure for teens today to look a certain way or wear a particular brand of clothes that often they lose sight of what should be really important. Children in Uglyville have been trained to place a lot of importance on looks and to think they are ugly until their operation. When Tally meets David he tries to show her the error in her thinking. Tally thinks, “Maybe he really could see past her ugly face. Maybe what was inside her did matter to him more than anything else” (page 279).

I think Susan Hunter from the School Library Journal summed the book up best in her review. “Characterization, which flirts so openly with the importance of teen self-concept, is strong, and although lengthy, the novel is highly readable with a convincing plot that incorporates futuristic technologies and a disturbing commentary on our current public policies” (2005).

Reference List:
Hunter, Susan. “Review of Uglies.” School Library Journal 51, no 3 (2005): 221. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2056/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&hid=113&sid=a92428dd-9a2b-449e-b306-7683bd04afca%40sessionmgr110 (accessed November 2, 2011).

The Terrorist

Cooney, Caroline B. 1997. THE TERRORIST. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780590228534.

Laura and Billy are enjoying their year in London while their dad is working in and around the city. They are making new friends at school and learning more about public transportation. Billy is a care-free boy who makes friends easily and tries everything he can to make money. When Billy is killed in a terrorist attack, Laura decides she needs to find his killer.

The setting of this book is in London several years before the 9/11 attacks. Laura’s family is there for a year while their dad works around London. The school Laura and Billy attend in London plays a very important role in the story. They attend the London International Academy which educates students from countries all over the world. Most of the students are very studious and up-to-date with world news. Laura has classmates from Syria, Israel, and Iraq along with many other countries. Laura is portrayed as a typical American who is not very educated on world events. She is more concerned with what mysterious, romantic boy will be taking her to the upcoming dance than which country is at war with which country. After Billy’s death she realizes how little she knows. “I’m ignorant, thought Laura. I was proud of being ignorant. I felt superior because I didn’t know anything” (page 72). Although this was hard to read, I have to admit that I am not as educated as I would like to be about world events.

The conflict in this story is between Laura and her peace of mind. She feels like she has to figure out who killed Billy in order to know his death was not a senseless act of violence. She becomes obsessed with finding the killer and begins to alienate herself from her friends. “Laura’s eyes burned, dimly seeing the outline of killers where before she had had friends” (page 66). She becomes so preoccupied with finding his killer that the important people slip under her radar. At L.I.A. Laura and her brother learned early that you do not ask other their country of origin. This becomes especially important after Billy’s death when Laura begins digging in to her classmates backgrounds in order to find Billy’s killer. She is reminded by several of her friends that it is not a good idea to pry into other people’s lives.

The point of view is different from most of the other books young adult books I have read. Instead of the traditional first person, this book uses the third person point of view. It skips around among the characters giving the reader a close look at all of the characters. We can see that Billy sacrificed his life to save others. Right after he is handed the package he thinks, “He could not throw the package into the innocent crowd…In front of him was a sleeping baby” (page 11). When Thomas is trying to console his daughter Laura we see the trouble he has coming up with words to say. “Thomas could think of nothing to say to Laura. (It’s okay. Everything will be all right. We’ll fix it.) No. It wasn’t okay. He could not fix it” (page 40).

A theme for this book is that justice is not always served. Even though we find out Billy’s killer at the end, there is never a punishment for that person. Since she is a minor she is placed in a foster home, but runs away after a few months and is never seen again. Justice is never served for Billy’s killer but Laura and her family still have to find a way to move on. “In the end, readers may not be quite satisfied with the revelations about classmate Jehran and her mysterious household as they relate to the Williams tragedy, but the book does a fine job of conveying the ambiguity and void facing a family looking for answers from the dark underground of terrorism.” (O’Malley 1997).

Reference List:
O’Malley, Anne. “Review of The Terrorist.” Booklist 93, no 21 (1997): 1810. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?&id=GALE%7CA19635177&v=2.1&u=txshracd2583&it=r&p=LitRC&sw=w (accessed October 24, 2011).

Sunrise over Fallujah

Myers, Walter Dean. 2008. SUNRISE OVER FALLUJAH. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780439916240.

SUNRISE OVER FALLUHAH is the story of Robin (AKA Birdy) who joins the military after graduating from high school. Joining the military is very much against what his father would like for him to do with this life, but Robin feels like he needs to make a difference in the world.

Robin's first person point of view as narrator allows the reader to really experience what it would be like to be in Iraq fighting a war. "But it was the idea that at any moment it could all be over, that I could be dead or lying in the sand twisting in agony, that filled me with a terror that I hadn't known before" (page 71). He goes through many emotions such as pride, disgust, and exhilaration that are described in detail for the reader. Robin also shows the reader how there was a lot of confusion because you never knew which Iraqi's you could trust and which ones wanted you dead. One review points out that although there were many emotions shown the thoughts are still true to a young man in the war. "His voice and perspective never waver from that of a young man trying to make some sense out of his tasks and his duty" (B.C. 2008). This point of view really opened my eyes to what it would be like to fight in a war.

The setting is all over the country of Iraq. The descriptions of the countryside are almost too wordy for this age reader. I found myself getting lost in the descriptions and getting the different cities mixed up. The timing of the story is very important because it is at the beginning of the war. I also felt like I never really knew the characters in the story. They were not very well developed and there were a lot of different characters to keep up with.

Throughout the story Robin continues to think about the conflict between him and his dad. He joined the military against his father's wishes and wants more than anything for his dad to approve of his actions. In one letter to his uncle Robin writes, "If you talk to your brother, aka Dad, you might tell him that I was waiting for a letter from him" (page 24). The letters throughout the book break up the text for the reader. They are mostly between Robin and his Uncle Richie, but some letters are exchanged between him and his mom. The letters to his uncle, who is a Vietnam veteran, are much more heartfelt and filled with details. In contrast, the letters to his mom paint a much rosier picture to help her not worry about her son.

In the end Robin realizes why his uncle never wanted to talk much about the Vietnam War. "Now I understand how light the words seem...I'll tell them something because I'll want them to know about war. But are there really enough words to make them understand?" (page 282).

Reference List:
B.C. "Review of Sunrise over Fallujah." Horn Book 84, no 3 (2008): 324. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2056/ ehost /pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&hid=104&sid=6b79d05e-4601-4e86-8623-f4fdc6baf86d%40 sessionmgr115 (accessed October 24, 2011).

Whale Talk

Crutcher, Chris. 2001. WHALE TALK. New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN 9780688180195.

The Tao Jones, or T.J., is one of the few multi-racial residents in Spokane, Washington. He enjoys many different sports but chooses not to participate in organized sports, until one of his teachers asks him for a favor. Mr. Simet wants to start a swim team so he doesn't have to coach wrestling. T.J. puts together an unorthodox group that begins to practice and compete as a team. As they become more comfortable with each other they begin to open up more and teach each other that they all have things in their life to overcome.

The setting of this book is very important. The story takes place in Spokane, Washington where there are not many multi-racial people. There is a lot of racism directed towards T.J. mainly from other students and a few adults. There is no specific mention of the year the story is set in but since people are using cell phones you can deduce that it’s fairly recent.

The main conflict in this book is between T.J. and the jocks at this school. He has been at odds with them for years because he feels like they run the school. He has amazing athletic ability but refuses to participate in organized sports because he doesn’t like people, especially coaches, telling him what to do. He also feels like the jocks take every opportunity to put down those who are not athletic. When T.J. sees one of the football players picking on a mentally handicapped boy for wearing his dead brothers letter jacket he makes up his mind to fight back. He decides to invite people to be on the swim team that otherwise wouldn’t be considered for a letter jacket. He thinks this will allow them to get a letter jacket and show the jocks they don’t run the school.
The characterization in this story lets the reader really get to know the many different characters. “The veteran author once again uses well-constructed characters and quick pacing to examine how the sometimes cruel and abusive circumstances of life affect every link in the human chain…” (Halls 2001).

One of the themes of this book is overcoming adversity. T.J. faces a lot of prejudice from others because he is multi-racial. He has learned how to let most of the comments slide past him, but from the first person point of view we see all the work T.J. has put in to get to that point. It has taken the love of his once hippie adoptive parents and a multi-racial counselor to help T.J. get to the place he is at now. The Cutter swim team also has to overcome adversity in many different areas. It is a struggle just for them to practice because they don’t have a pool at their school. The swim team is not comprised of your typical members. There is “one swimmer of color, a representative from each extreme of the educational spectrum, a muscle man, a giant, a chameleon, and a one-legged psychopath” (page 85).

The theme of forgiveness is also found throughout the book. T.J.’s father has struggled his whole life to forgive himself for a freak trucking accident that killed an eighteen month old boy. “I thought I’d have to kill myself,” he told me later, “just to end the pain” (page 59). At the end of the book when T.J’s father dies he demands T.J. to forgive his killer and spend “not one minute for revenge. I’ve spent my life…looking back…wanting to change things…” (page 212).

Reference List:
Halls, Kelly. “Review of Whale Talk.” Booklist 97, no. 15 (2001): 1462. http://ezproxy.twu .edu:2178/ps/retrieve.do?retrieveFormat=PDF_FROM_CALLISTO&inPS=true&prodId=LitRC&userGroupName=txshracd2583&workId=PI-1598-2001-APR01-IDSI-35.JPG&docId=GALE% 7CA74091353&callistoContentSet=PER&isAcrobatAvailable=true (accessed October 24, 2011).

Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pies

Sonnenblick, Jordan. 2004. DRUMS GIRLS &DANGEROUS PIE. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN0439755190

Steven reminisces about his school year during his 8th grade graduation. He first remembers a journal entry from back in September when he had to write about "the most annoying thing in the world" (pg. 1). He chose to write about his brother Jeffrey who is younger than him by 8 years. This all changes when Jeffrey is diagnosed with leukemia. Steven's world is turned upside down. His mom takes a leave of absence from her job to care for Jeffrey and his dad withdraws as he tries to deal with the fact that his son has leukemia. Steven tries to take care of things on his own, but eventually everything crumples around him.

The plot is very believable because so often when a child gets diagnosed with a serious illness they become the center of their parent's universe as they try to find the right treatment. From the first person point of view we understand that Steven felt abandoned by his family while they were getting his brother treated. Sonneblick really shows the emotions that go along with having a serious illness in the family. One thing Steven seemed to feel was helplessness. He didn't feel like he could do anything to help anyone. His school counselor gave him some advice that is good for all young adults to hear, “Instead of agonizing about the things you can't change, why don't you try working on the things you can change” (page 184). The characters are also authentic and well developed.

DRUMS, GIRLS & DANGEROUS PIE has a universal theme of overcoming adversity. Steven finally brings all of his grades up after letting them fall only to get the flu and get further behind. He realizes that there will always be problems and it is up to him to overcome them.

This book appeals to a wide variety of young adults, because most people have either had someone in their family or they know someone who has been diagnosed with a serious illness. "A story that could have morphed into melodrama is saved by reality, rawness, and the wit Sonnenblick infuses into Steven's first-person voice...Most important for a middle-grade audience, Sonneblick shows that even in the midst of tragedy, life goes on, love can flower, and the one thing you can always change is yourself." (Cooper 2005).

Reference List:
Cooper, Ilene. "Review of Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie." Booklist 15, no. 2 (2005): 12. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2056/ehost/detail?vid=7&hid=113&sid=bf241bbb-0fb5-4254-84cb-0c636be40609%40sessionmgr114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=lih&AN=18824975 (accessed September 30, 2011).



Girl, 15, Charming but Insane

Limb, Sue. 2004. GIRL, 15, CHARMING BUT INSANE. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN 9781415610336

Jess is a typical high school student who wants her back side smaller, her front side bigger and a date with the handsome Ben Jones. Her mother is a feminist and her dad lives far away. She doesn’t talk to her dad very often, but he does send her a silly horoscope everyday, which happen to be the chapter titles. She feels like she lives in the shadow of her beautiful, over-achieving best friend Flora.

The theme of this book seems to be that even if things go awry everything will still be okay. Jess seems to have mishaps at every turn. When she is supposed to shop for a birthday present her grandmother floods the kitchen and she misses the party. When it is finally her time to shine at the talent show she gets sick and can’t attend.

The story is told from Jess’ point of view and we are privy to her personal thoughts. This really helps readers understand how Jess is feeling during the story. When an embarrassing video tape of Jess mysteriously disappears before anyone can see it she thinks “Thank you, you guardian angel, whoever you are. This is the best moment of my life so far!” (page 80). After receiving a speech from one of her teachers about how she should try harder she thinks, “A shame there isn’t a prize for underachievement. I’d walk it.” (page 7).

The setting in England might be confusing to some readers in America. Some of the words might be hard to decipher for younger readers and they might not understand the importance of the geographic distance from where Jess lives to St. Ives where her dad lives. The time is a modern shown by the fact that Jess’ dad sends her text messages and Exterminator 3, which came out in 2003, is referenced.

This is the first book of four books about Jess Jordan and the style will keep readers coming back for more. “The way the author handles the situation and adds a few levels of conflict and a few possible love triangles will have readers ready for the second installment. This title will appeal to fans…who like heroines who have a little vinegar to go with their sugar.” (Patrick 2004).


Reference List:
Patrick, Amy. "Review of Girl, 15, Charming but Insane." School Library Journal 50, no. 9 (2004): 211. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2056/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=113&sid=bf241bbb-0fb5-4254-84cb-0c636be40609%40sessionmgr114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2Z Q%3d%3d#db=lih&AN=14408206 (accessed October 1, 2011).



Twisted

Anderson, Laurie Halse. 2007. TWISTED. New York: Viking. ISBN 9780670061013.

Tyler pulled what he thought was a funny prank at the end of his junior year that got him in serious trouble. After spending the summer doing character building manual labor Tyler is ready to suffer through his senior year. He dreads going back to school and facing his bullies again. “I was good at digging holes. It was the rest of life I sucked at.” (page 25). At school he finds he has a new reputation based on his arrest record and the muscles he developed over the summer. Following a wild party Tyler gets accused of an Internet crime and is shunned again at school. Throughout all of this he has to deal with an overstressed father who loves to yell and a mother who isn't home very often. Tyler begins thinking dark thoughts and has to decide what voices he will follow.

One aspect of this book that most readers will be able to relate to is the fact that Tyler uses video gaming to escape reality. Most people have something that they do to get away from reality, if even just for a short period of time. When Tyler is stressed out, either about his home life or his school life, he finds solace in his video game. This book also shows the consequences of underage drinking. After getting drunk at a party naked pictures of Bethany show up on the Internet. She is humiliated and charges are pressed against the boy who took the pictures. Tyler also potentially faces trouble because he is on probation and went to the party. These are things that happen at high school and college parties.

Through the first person point of view we are able to see what Tyler is thinking. For example, when he faces ridicule at school and when Bethany finally notices him. The tone of the book varies throughout the story. When Tyler is hanging out with Bethany the tone is very euphoric. When he feels like he has messed up so much that he can’t keep going and contemplates suicide the tone becomes very dark. The changing tone will keep readers interested in what is coming next. The setting is very modern shown by the use of online computer games and the use of the Internet. This helps readers relate to the story because they feel it is something that could happen to them.

The writing style will appeal to young adults because it is fast paced and not too complicated. "What works well here is the frank, on-target humor, the taut pacing, and the small moments recounted in Tyler's first-person voice that illuminate his emotional anguish. Writing for the first time from a male perspective, Anderson skillfully explores identity and power struggles that all young people will recognize."

Reference List:
Engberg, Gillian. "Review of Twisted." Booklist 103, no. 9/10 (2007): 78. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2056/ehost/detail?vid=8&hid=113&sid=bf241bbb-0fb5-4254-84cb-0c636be40609%40sessionmgr114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=lih&AN=23776793 (accessed September 30, 2011).

The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things

Mackler, Carolyn. 2003. THE EARTH, MY BUTT & OTHER BIG ROUND THINGS. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN: 9780763620912.

THE EARTH, MY BUTT & OTHER BIG ROUND THINGS is a coming of age novel about Virginia Shreves as she struggles to find a place to fit in at school and longs for her parent’s approval all the while obsessing about being overweight. Virginia is sure she was switched at birth. "I just know there's a stout, blong family out there, wondering how they wound up with a beautiful, slim, borwn-haired daughter" (page 15). She lives by a Fat Girl Code of Conduct which includes rules for relationships with boys. She knows she can never live up to the expectations her parents have for her. She has an older sister who joined the Peace Corp and an older brother who was the rugby hero of the school. After dealing with the fact that her brother is less than perfect she comes to find out that she has to be true to herself and that will make her happy. When Virginia decides to start doing the things that make her happy she realizes that even though she will still face trials, she will make it.

Teens will be able to relate to Virginia either through the fact that she is overweight, has trouble finding new friends at school after her best friend moves away, or wishing her parents would notice something about her besides her weight. The only part of the book that teens might find unbelievable is the fact that when she stands up to her parents at the end it seems that all is right with her world. 

The plot is fast paced and easy to follow. It will keep the readers attention from beginning to end. “Told through first-person narrative, journal entries, and e-mail, Virginia's story will interest readers who are looking for one more book with teen angst, a bit of romance, and a kid who is a bit like them or their friends” (Richmond 2003).

This book covers some heavy topics such as eating disorders, both binge eating and bulimia. It also discusses date rape and the consequences of those actions. Librarians can help students connect to this book by asking them if they have ever felt like they were put in the wrong family. This is a great book for young adults to read to help them discover that life is not perfect no matter how perfect it looks on the outside.

Reference List:
Richmond, Gail. "Review of The Earth, My Butt, & other Big Round Things." School Library Journal 49, no. 9 (2003): 218. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=ehost&defaultdb=lih (accessed September 17, 2011).

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Alexie, Sherman. 2007. THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN. Illustrated by Ellen Forney. New York: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 9780329653163.

Arnold, Junior, Spirit was born with quite a few health problems and has been picked on by everyone his entire life. His best friend Rowdy is the only person he can really call a friend. Junior realizes that he lives in poverty and this frustrates him. “Poverty doesn't give you strength or teach you lessons about perseverance. No, poverty only teaches you how to be poor” (page 13).

Junior wants a better life for himself. After an incident at the school on the reservation, or rez, and a conversation with his math teacher he decides he deserves a better education than the one he will receive on the reservation. He makes up his mind that he is going to enroll in school in the neighboring town. Although he becomes an outcast on the reservation and doesn’t really fit in at his new school he knows he is doing what is best for him. 

During the book Junior struggles trying to figure out who he really is. He feels torn between the person he is at school and the reservation, especially knowing that he doesn't really fit in at either place. " I was half Indian in one place and half white in the other" (page 118).

Even though he is considered an outsider on the reservation there is still a strong sense of family when Junior’s grandmother dies. People respect him enough to leave him alone while he is grieving the loss of his grandmother. Although the book stereotypically portrays Indians as mostly drunk, poor, and abusive, it does reinforce the strong sense of community found among Indians.

Junior uses real, modern language to describe being an Indian. Young Adults will be able to relate more to the book because of this language. The use of illustrations throughout the book breaks up the text for readers. The illustrations also help make points during the story such as the full-page illustration on page 89. It shows the trouble Junior has getting to the school each day. It reinforces the fact that he is dedicated to getting an education no matter the cost.

This book will resonate with students who are trying to find a place to fit in and with those who are looking for a better life. “ The story is bittersweet and intense; events are sometimes shocking, but the author does an excellent job of keeping the novel moving at an interesting pace” (Glantz 2008).

Throughout the book Junior discovers that even though circumstances might not always be in his favor he has an inner strength that will help him get through even the toughest times. 

Reference List:
Glantz, Shelley. "Review of The Absoluetly True Diary of a Part-Time Indian." Library Media Connection 26, no. 4 (2008): 75. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=ehost&defaultdb=lih (accessed September 17, 2011).

The Outsiders

Hinton, S.E.. 1995. THE OUTSIDERS. New York: Speak. ISBN: 9780758777539

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is a classic that teens enjoy year after year. Teens are able to relate to the struggle between groups of teens who are all just trying to find their place.

Ponyboy is a greaser, known for their long greasy hair, who is being raised by his two brothers Sodapop and Darry. They are known for being a rough and tumble group who fight a lot to prove they are better than everyone else. They have a grudge against the Socs, short for Socials, who they feel have all the best things money can buy and no problems at all. Ponyboy writes “And you can't win against them no matter how hard you try, because they've got all the breaks and even whipping them isn't going to change that fact" (page 11). Each group of boys has a very strong sense of family. They look out for each other and definitely back each other up in a fight after fight.

Ponyboy’s oldest brother, Darry, is hard on him because he wants him to succeed and graduate from school. After getting into a fight with his brother and running away, Ponyboy and Johnny get jumped by a group of Socs and Johnny ends up killing one of them to protect Ponyboy. Afraid of the consequences, they decide to run away. After a week they decide they can't run from the consequences forever and decide to return home. Before they return home they save some children from a burning building and become heroes. When they return home Ponyboy realizes that things are never going to change for him if he doesn't do something to change his circumstances.

Throughout the book Ponyboy begins to recognize that the Greasers and the Socials are not that different after all. Although they have different situations in which they live but they have common experiences. “It seemed funny to me that the sunset she saw from her patio and the one I saw from the back steps was the same one. Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren’t so different. We saw the same sunset" (page 41).

"The Outsiders was a story for teenagers, about teenagers, written by a teenager. Hinton's candid, canny appraisal of the conflict between Socs, or Socials, and Greasers (for which one might substitute Jets and Sharks), published when she was 17, was an immediate hit and remains the best-selling young-adult novel of all time" (Peck 2007).

Reference List:
Peck, Dale. "'The Outsiders': 40 Years Later." New York Times Book Review (2007): 31. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost. com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,uid&profile=ehost&defaultdb=lih
(accessed September 17, 2011).



Does My Head Look Big in This?

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abdel-Fattah, Randa. 2008. DOES MY HEAD LOOK BIG IN THIS? New York: Orchard Books. ISBN 978-0439922333

PLOT SUMMARY

Amal is an 11^th grader who has decided to make a bold move. She has decided to wear her hijab full time to show her commitment to her Muslim faith. She knows she will face stares and hurtful comments from her classmates, but she decides she is ready…she thinks.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

There are many cultural markers found in this novel and they do not seem to be forced but are seamlessly integrated. The most prominent one is the wearing of the hijab. There are those called “part-timers” who only wear the hijab when they are at a mosque or an Islamic school. The “full-timers” wear the hijab whenever they are in the presence of men who aren’t immediate family.  There is some language throughout the book such as "Yallah" which means hurry up and "Assalamu Alaykom" which is a greeting that means "peace be upon you."

Another cultural marker is the Muslim religious practices that Amal and her family participate in. They pray five times a day and this involves waking up at dawn for "morning fajr or prayer." Every time they pray they have to perform the "wuduh" which involves wetting their hands, face, arms, feet and top of their head. One of Amal's teachers, Mrs. Pearse, lets her use his office to pray during the day. They also participate in Ramadan. Although it is hard to not eat or drink from sun-up to sun-down Amal enjoys participating in Ramadan. She says, "I always feel a little sad and nostalgic at Eid breakfast. Ramadan sure is hard but I really do love the whole atmosphere of it."

As with any religion this book shows us the differences exist among Muslims. Leila’s family thinks she doesn't need an education; they are "more interested in her getting a marriage license than a high school diploma."  They are very old-school and stuck with the culture from their village. The other extreme is Amal’s Uncle Ismail and Aunt Aysha who have changed their names to assimilate better with the Australian culture. To them “foreign is the f-word” and they go over the top to fit in and not stick out. They do not practice Muslim traditions such as praying five times a day and fasting during Ramadan. But they bring up cultural Muslim cultural expectations when they think their daughter is sleeping with her boyfriend.

Amal had to face prejudices and stereotypes when she decided to wear the hijab to school. Students questioned her saying “Did your parents force you?” and “Will you ever cover yours [face]?” I’m not sure that students would be as interested in learning about her as the students in this book. But, it is great to see students learning about each other’s differences.  She is also turned down for a job at a fast food restaurant because of her hijab. She is told "we sell an image up front," and "it's not hygienic and it just don't look good up at the front of the shop."

The setting mainly takes place at Amal’s school and her home. The setting of her school is important because she is the only person at her school wearing the hijab. Wearing the hijab wouldn’t be as novel if she was still at her Islamic school, Hidaya. When she first decides to wear the hijab she talks to the principal who is quite shocked and asks her if her parent's forced her to wear it. After meeting with her parents she call Amal back into her office and tell her, "I've put you down as an agenda item in tonight's staff meeting so that your situation can be explained to the teachers." This just reinforces the fact that Amal sticks out like a sore thumb at McCleans Preparatory School.

Amal and her family are portrayed as modern day Muslims. Although she is wearing the hijab, Amal is still very concerned with her clothes. She makes sure her hijab matches her clothes and that she is still stylish. This is a contrast to how women wearing the hijab are normally shown wearing long skirts that do not look very stylish. Amal describes her mother as "wearing a hijab and Gucci sunnies, and drives a car with an ‘Islam means peace’ bumper sticker."

Although there are quite a few cultural markers found in this book, readers from all cultures will be able to relate to the different storylines. Worrying about your appearance, arguing with your parents and struggling with peer pressure are things that teenagers from every culture deal with. Teenagers will also connect with Simone as she struggles with her weight, Amal as she obsess about her crush on Adam, and everyone as they deal with the snobby Tia. Muslim students will be able to relate to Amal as she struggles to deal with the effects of her decision to wear the hijab. Other students will benefit from this book by learning more about the Islamic faith.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Australian 11th-grader Amal is smart, funny, outspoken, a good student, and a loyal friend. She is also a devout Muslim who decides to wear the hijab, or head covering, full-time. The story tells of her emotional and spiritual journey as she copes with a mad crush on a boy, befriends an elderly Greek neighbor, tries to help a friend who aspires to be a lawyer but whose well-intentioned mother is trying to force her to leave school and get married. Amal is also battling the misconceptions of non-Muslims about her religion and culture”

BOOKLIST Starred Review: “At 16, she loves shopping, watches Sex and the City, and IMs her friends about her crush on a classmate. She also wants to wear the hijab, to be strong enough to show a badge of her deeply held faith, even if she confronts insults from some at her snotty prep school, and she is refused a part-time job in the food court (she is "not hygienic"). Without heavy preaching, the issues of faith and culture are part of the story, from fasting at Ramadan to refusing sex before marriage. More than the usual story of the immigrant teen's conflict with her traditional parents, the funny, touching contemporary narrative will grab teens everywhere.

CONNECTIONS
-Have students write about a time when they felt judged by other people.

Other books about Muslim teenagers:
Budhos, Marina. ASK ME NO QUESTIONS. ISBN 9781416949206
Abdel-Fattah, Randa. TEN THINGS I HATE ABOUT ME. ISBN 9780545050562

The Pirate of Kindergarten

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lyon, George Ella. 2010. THE PIRATE OF KINDERGARTEN. Illustrated by Lynne Avril. New York: Antheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9781416950240.

PLOT SUMMARY

Ginny suffers from an undiagnosed vision problem. It causes her to see two of everything making it hard to read, cut paper, and even walk without running into things. When the school nurse diagnoses her problem she becomes a pirate who no longer sees double.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
The illustrations do a wonderful job of helping children comprehend how Ginny sees two of everything. Without the illustrations children might not understand the book as well. You can see a change in Ginny's confidence in her face when she gets her patch and can see things more clearly.

One interesting thing for teachers is that the teacher in this book unintentionally makes things harder for Ginny. She told Ginny, "don't squint," "we read it just once," and "we read with our eyes, not our noses." These things are a good reminder that there are things going on with students that we do not always know about. It's important for teachers to stop and talk to their students when they have ongoing struggles in class.

I did not find any cultural markers in this book, but it is about a subject on which we do not see many books published. This book is a great way to show young children how even though we might not know some students see things differently.  It is a great book to use to lead into conversations about students hearing, acting and looking different from everyone else.   

REVIEW EXCERPTS

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Ginny suffers from undiagnosed double vision, and seeing two of everything is causing her difficulties in school… Lyon's short, descriptive sentences set up the situation deftly, and Avril's astute chalk, pencil, and acrylic drawings of "two of everything" provide a vivid window into Ginny's pre-treatment world.”

BOOKLIST: “Avril’s bold and wonderfully vivid mixed-media illustrations sometimes portray the classroom through Ginny’s eyes, with overlapping images of chairs, books, and people, though they usually present an outside perspective. Based on Lyon’s own experience, the sensitively written story radiates empathy and good humor. Even children who have not experienced Ginny’s problem will understand her occasional frustration and find it intriguing that one person can literally see the world differently from another.”

CONNECTIONS
Share this book with young students and discuss how we should treat those that look different.

Look at this website for more books on disabilities and learning differences
http://www.monroe.lib.in.us/childrens/booklists/disabilitybib.html

In Our Mothers' House

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Polacco, Patricia. 2009. IN OUR MOTHERS’ HOUSE. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 9780399250767

PLOT SUMMARY
A grown woman reminisces about growing up with her family of two mothers, a brother and a sister. She remembers the love and laughter that filled her home.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

The three children in the family all come from different cultures: African America, Caucasian and Asian. One of her mother's, Meema is Italian and nothing is mentioned about Mermee's ethnicity. One example of Meema's Italian culture is the fact that the kitchen is such an important part of the home. They are shown cooking family meals together in the kitchen and the narrator remembers, "The kitchen in our mother's house was the center of everything that was happening in our household."

There are many cultures represented in the characters in the story. When they have a neighborhood block party the families bring foods that represent their culture. The Mardicians served "stuffed grape leaves and ground lamb," the Polos served "spanakopita and Greek salads," the Abdullas served "hummus and tabouli." Other families served sushi, fried clams and crawdads.

I feel that the hair styles and clothing choices are very stereotypical of lesbians. The women have their hair cut very short and wear clothes that make them look more masculine. The narrator even points out that it was a big deal for them to wear dresses to the tea party they hosted. She remembers, "We had never seen either of them in a dress...ever!"

There is a character is the book that shows us how intolerance affects others. Mrs. Lockner is very rude to the narrator’s family. She shuts the door on them when they come trick-or-treating, won’t let her children come over for a sleepover and confronts the family at the block party. She approaches the mothers and says, “I don’t appreciate what you two are.” The narrator doesn’t understand Mrs. Lockner’s behavior and Meema explains it by saying, “She is full of fear sweetie. She's afraid of what she cannot understand: she doesn't understand us."

The illustrations in this book really express the facial expressions of the characters. You can see the love and adoration in Meema and Marmee's eyes when they first bring each of their children home. They show the joy on the children's faces and they dance, fix family dinners and get ready for their tea party. The illustrations are particularly good at showing how Mrs. Lockner's outburst effected everyone at the block party.

Even though the narrator didn’t have what most view as a traditional family, she still had a wonderful childhood full of fond family memories. The love and laughter that filled her home is what she remembers when she is grown. Although this book is a bit lengthy it is a great introduction to young children about how all families look different.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “This gem of a book illustrates how love makes a family, even if it's not a traditional one… the story serves as a model of inclusiveness for children who have same-sex parents, as well as for children who may have questions about a "different" family in their neighborhood. A lovely book that can help youngsters better understand their world.”

BOOKLIST: “The oldest of three adopted children recalls her childhood with mothers Marmee and Meema, as they raised their African American daughter, Asian American son, and Caucasian daughter in a lively, supportive neighborhood. The energetic illustrations in pencil and marker, though perhaps not as well-rendered as in some previous works, teem with family activities and neighborhood festivity. Quieter moments radiate the love the mothers feel for their children and for each other.”

CONNECTIONS
-Talk to students about accepting others even if they are different than you, use quotes from the book to show how hurtful comments can be.

-Have students write about how they feel loved by a family member.

Erika-San

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Say, Allen. 2009. ERIKA-SAN. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. ISBN 9780618889334.

PLOT SUMMARY
Erika fell in love with Japan after seeing a picture her grandfather had taken when he was in Japan. She studies about the country and language all throughout school and accepts a job in Tokyo after she graduated from college. It took her a while to find what she considered “Old Japan,” but when she did she immersed herself in the culture and her job.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
The plot of this story moves very slow and at times tells years of the story on a single page. For example, one page is used to explain that Erika studied Japanese from middle school through college and moved to Japan after she graduated from college. I was confused by the fact that Erika didn’t know what to expect when she got to Tokyo. Most foreign language classes also include a study of the history and the culture of the people who speak the language. For Erika to think Tokyo still looked like “old Japan” would mean that she hadn’t learned much about modern day Japan.

There are a few Japanese words used in the book and they are directly translated for the reader. Examples are “konnichiwa,” which means hello, “sayonara” which means goodbye, and “komome” which means seagull. The illustrations add authenticity to the story. When Erika first arrives in Tokyo and is greeted by a sea of people, they do not all have the same skin tone and they are dressed in modern clothes. When Erika goes into the Kamome restaurant the menu on the wall is written in Japanese and many things in her classroom are also written in Japanese. In the town she considers “old Japan” the buildings have thatched roofs. On her tour of the town, Aki showed her the rice paddies and a traditional tea house.

Erika takes it upon herself to learn more about the tea ceremony. Although there isn’t much information included about the tea ceremony we learn that you have to wear a kimono and that it takes a lot of practice to get the ceremony just right.

I don’t think this story will hold the attention of children who are between the ages of 4 and 8. There seems to be big gaps in the story that will confuse young children. I think this book is more suited for older readers.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “With luminous watercolors and economical text, Caldecott Medalist Say (Grandfather's Journey) tells of an American girl whose ingenuous hopes of reaching old Japan are finally realized…Although the plot may prove slow going for many in the target audience, aficionados of Say's tranquil work will find both the message and the delivery deeply satisfying.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Say's exquisite paintings provide backdrop for a charming fairy tale with a contemporary, feminist twist…More romantic and idealistic than many of Say's stories, Erika-San will find readers beyond the usual picture-book crowd.”

CONNECTIONS
-Have students write about a time something wasn’t how they expected it to be

Other books by Allen Say:
MUSIC FOR ALICE. ISBN 9780618311187
HOME OF THE BRAVE. ISBN 9780618212231
GRANDFATHER’S JOURNEY. ISBN 9780395570357