AUTHOR: Laurie Halse Anderson
AGES: 9-12th grade
REVIEW: Speak is about a high school freshman named Melinda. She called the cops at an end of the summer party and is now an outcast at school. Instead of talking to teachers, parents or classmates, Melinda closes up into her own world. This novel addresses a lot of the hard issues involved in being in high school including peer pressure, parents, skipping class, the cost of popularity, drinking, sex and depression. For a more in depth summary visit Barnes and Noble at http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Speak/Laurie-Halse-Anderson/e/9780142407325.
Ms. Anderson’s writing is magnificent! Although the story deals with many hard issues, her realistic characters and sarcastic humor make this story very enjoyable. You will laugh, cry and maybe even want to reach out and hug the troubled main character. I really enjoyed the symbolism of Melinda’s hideaway. She hangs a poster of Maya Angela on the wall to help her find the courage this historical figure possessed. When she finally finds her voice again, it is in the shadows of this great woman. Melinda’s view of the world makes you reevaluate how you view yours. To read another review visit http://www.rambles.net/anderson_speak.html.
A word of caution if using this in a classroom: The reason Melinda called the cops at the party was because she was raped. This is not a novel you can assign and then talk about weeks later. It needs to be read and discussed as a class in a mature manner. For some very good lesson plans about Speak visit http://www.writerlady.com/speakh.html.
Guest Blogger: My name is Lauren W. I am currently a graduate student at the University of Memphis. I am getting my masters in education concentrating on English as a Second Language. My sister is a high school English teacher. She passed this book along to me to use with my 9th grade ESL students. The reading level isn’t terrifically difficult, but the content is incredibly valuable. They absolutely loved it! Lauren is a student in Dr. Grant's IDT 7061 course.
AUTHOR: Melinda Long
AGES: Preschool - Elementary
REVIEW: How I Became a Pirate will make you laugh...if you're a kid or an adult. The story of Braid Beard offering Jeremy Jacob to join his crew will keep you wondering where the story goes. The pirate language and humorous observations by Jeremy Jacob will make you giggle, and if you use your best pirate voice, then every kid will pay close attention, laughing at all the right parts. Not be missed are the incredible illustrations by David Shannon. the detail and humor in all the paintings are awesome.
I read this one to my duaghter's preschool class (in my best pirate voice) and they were mesmerized and laughing at all the antics from the pirates. They especially like the very end when Jeremy Jacob takes off for soccer practice and they find out what his team is called. While pirates might seem like a "boy's" topic, the girls liked it, too. Everyone kept inching up closer and closer to investigate the illustrations.
Melinda Long's Web site has a short synopsis of the story, and Hallsville Intermediate School's Book Blog has an audio recording of the students reading the book. This would be a great addition if you had emergent readers or struggling readers and they wanted to follow along. Melinda visited my sister Lisa's school and read to the kids. At Melinda's site you can also check out her schedule to see where she'll be and when you might could meet her. Also, at Melinda's blog, you can see updates from the author herself and recommendations for integration into your curriculum. If you like this one, then be sure to check out the sequel in Pirates Don't Change Diapers. Just as funny and entertaining.
The second of the Narnia films is set to release on May 16, 2008. The official site has a great synopsis of the plot, as well as a number of fun activities and downloads. Also, if you're into a little inside "dirt" there is some talk that Disney is considering ditching the Narnia series after the third movie, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Check out FirstShowing.net's post for all the details.
AUTHOR: Jude Watson
AGES: 9th – 12th grades
REVIEW: This was one of the most depressing books I have ever read. If you can get through the first half of the book without giving up, the second half improves. The first half of the novel is completely centered on emotions, and they are dark. To her credit, the author does a wonderful job of nailing the plight of a teenage girl, who is aloof and distant and filled with pain. In the second half of the novel, the action picks up, and the story moves quicker. The mystery/detective work/thriller part picks up and makes this a better read. There is also a sense of hope in the second half of the book that is missing in the first half. But I can see that the author may have wanted us to feel that despair. It was tough reading, though. I was able to finish this book off in one late night when I couldn't sleep.
For a quick synopsis of the plot, visit my fave Barnes and Noble. You can also see some other reader's reviews there, too.
AUTHOR: Meg Cabot
AGES: 10th – 12th grades
REVIEW: This teen thriller is not disappointing. You can find synopses of the plot at Barnes and Noble or The Reading Zone. Cabot nails the teen language, sarcasm and insecurities. You probably know Cabot from The Princess Diaries but she also write under pseudonyms.
The strength of this book is that it is pure entertainment. There really aren't other commentary or underlying themes. It's pretty much Jesse's story and the complications she faces as a result of gaining her new psychic powers. Her oldest brother is fragile after his suicide attempt. She comes to understand that everyone who is being searched for isn't lost. While there aren't additional plots, we get little hints at teen angst and struggle from her overweight best friend to detention to cliques. A great quick read.
AUTHOR: E.L. Konigsburg
AGE: 8th – 12th grade
REVIEW: It is an understatement to say that this novel ended where I thought it was going. Having read other beloved novels by Konigsburg, like From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and The View from Saturday, I expected a humor-filled story with an engaging plot and a lot of texture in characters and sub-plots. In Heroic World we get all that, plus a lesson in World War II intolerance, prejudice and decadence. Books for Kids offers a great summary of the story and characters or you can visit Barnes and Noble for a variety of reviews. NPR also has a nice excerpt as well.
This story is for an older group. At some sites I visited, the youngest age suggested dipped to 5th grade. I think that is a little too young for the content of this book. While approximately 80% of the book would be appropriate, the last 20%, where all the coincidences and histories begin to fall into place, brings in some rather mature ideas that might be too much for a young child or may be too much for a teacher/librarian/parent to be prepared to deal with. Themes of homosexuality, arranged marriages and the atrocities are of the mid-century Nazis are prevalent throughout the last section.
I enjoyed this book tremendously. The humor is more sophisticated and cynical than her other works. The children are precocious beyond their years. I did find it interesting, though, that the characters didn't seem to change or grow in the pages of the book. I think, instead, they all seemed to come to an understanding about one another—and the different understandings is really the point of the book. Through the characters' discoveries, we come to understand the deep effects the decisions from the past have played on the characters we see now. The coincidences are almost plausible, but we are asked to accept a little too much. Certianly, Heroic World is a worthwhile read. Just go in knowing where you start isn't anywhere close to where you'll end.
AUTHOR: Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black
AGES: 7 – 12 years old
REVIEW: I just finished all five of the original Spiderwick Chronicles, and I have to say that I was pretty impressed for such short books. These novels are quick reads and really targeted at second through fifth graders. So, the plot lines are pretty simple, and the language is very accessible for children. For a review of The Spiderwick Chronicles, see Blais' article for USA Today.
While many movie and books sites, such as Cleveland Free Times and About.com, will give you the synopsis of the storyline about faeries, hobgoblins, boggarts, gryphons, dragons and ogres, the main story of Spidewick as us to suspend our disbelief about the world of Fey. As we follow the children's introduction into the Faerie world, we are also initiated into the new world around us. With each book, we delve deeper into the fantastical world.
However, the most real aspect of this book is the much less obvious subplot about "bad dads." As soon as The Field Guide begins, we meet the Graces, who are recovering from the separation of mom and dad. In later installments, we come to understand that Aurthur Spiderwick became obsessed with his field guide and the world of Fey, which caused his disappearance and broke his family. Finally, in The Wrath of Mulgarath, we understand just how self-absorbed Mr. Grace is and how angry the children are at him for collapsing their family and sending them into this dangerous spiral of events.
I believe the books improve over the series. Mulgarath to me is the bes of the five. The action, setting descriptions and emotions are all best portrayed in this book. I would certainly recommend The Spiderwick Chronicles to anyone. They are certainly appropriate for the 7th through 5th grader, but I would encourage a teen to pick through them as well.
Nickelodeon brings us the motion picture adaptation of the The Spiderwick Chronicles open in theatres February 14, 2008. Here's the trailer courtesy of YouTube. I think because of the relatively short stories, the movie adaptation may be very good at following the storyline. We'll see.
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