Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Red Hot Salsa
This book was a pretty fast read. Unlike The Poet Slave of Cuba, Red Hot Salsa used a variety of poems to give a clear picture of how life is for young children of Latin decent. I thought it was neat how they placed the poems in English first and then in Spanish. The poems also had a mixture of English and Spanish words which caused me to get lost in the language, but I was able to determine some words by placing them in the context. This a great book for Bilingual or ESL students who are learning the English language because they have the poems in both English and Spanish to help learn the words.
Each poem does a great job telling readers about the culture, any judgements, emotions, and challenges faced by children from a different culture. The poem “I Am Who I Am, So What” (pp.16-17) explains the character’s mood of being a Latino in the United States very well. The poet uses the two phrases, “not Mexican enough, not American enough” to help the readers feel the character’s sense that they do not belong to either country. Do any of today’s students feel that they are not accepted by people or belong to those of their own kind as well as their friends? Are they judged for being who they are?I like how many poems are just nice poems about the world and experiences everyone deals with, such as the poem about eyes on pages 56-57 and the short poem called “Upon Knowing You” on page 70. It is excellent how they have a glossary in the back to help readers understand the Spanish words used in each poem. One question, though. What is up with the poem on page 60?
Each poem does a great job telling readers about the culture, any judgements, emotions, and challenges faced by children from a different culture. The poem “I Am Who I Am, So What” (pp.16-17) explains the character’s mood of being a Latino in the United States very well. The poet uses the two phrases, “not Mexican enough, not American enough” to help the readers feel the character’s sense that they do not belong to either country. Do any of today’s students feel that they are not accepted by people or belong to those of their own kind as well as their friends? Are they judged for being who they are?I like how many poems are just nice poems about the world and experiences everyone deals with, such as the poem about eyes on pages 56-57 and the short poem called “Upon Knowing You” on page 70. It is excellent how they have a glossary in the back to help readers understand the Spanish words used in each poem. One question, though. What is up with the poem on page 60?
Thursday, November 6, 2008
The Poet Slave of Cuba
This is the first time I have read a book told through poems. I would say it was a little hard but written well. Poems are such a beautiful form to explain situations such as slavery. You can’t help but get caught up in words and feel what each character is going through in this book. The treatment and emotions of Juan, his mom, etc. are explained perfectly in each poem. I found it interesting that each poem is titled with the character’s name who is “talking.” I did get lost in some of the language of the poems, though.
At the bottom of page 13 and top of page 14, Dona Beatriz describes Juan’s duckling behavior and people’s reactions to him thinking and acting like Dona is his mother since he rarely knows his own. Can any student relate to not knowing their own parents? Do they find others to take their mother’s or father’s place? Concerns about their family occur back and forth between Juan, his dad, and his mom. Juan’s mother sees how her son is being treated and witnesses him getting whipped (pages 72-73). I could not imagine having to watch as a family member is being abused and injured.
What I found interesting is how the author tells you what is going on without directly saying it. The author uses many descriptive words and phrases to represent thoughts and emotions. For example, on page 42-43, the author does a great job at describing Juan being whipped without exactly telling us what is happening. And such great words with strong meaning behind them are used to help the reader feel the evil nature of La Marquesa de Prado Ameno on page 40 and 41. The words are strong and full of anger. This happens throughout the book in order to give the read a good image of how her character is.
Juan is written as such a strong character, proving to his owner that nothing can make him fall. This is great for young adults, showing them that no matter what kind of situation you are in, you can be confident and stand up for yourself (La Marquesa de Prado Ameno’s poem pages 56-57).You can see how the poems get more and more emotional as the story progresses and also sense Juan’s dream of being set free. And in the end, he escapes!
At the bottom of page 13 and top of page 14, Dona Beatriz describes Juan’s duckling behavior and people’s reactions to him thinking and acting like Dona is his mother since he rarely knows his own. Can any student relate to not knowing their own parents? Do they find others to take their mother’s or father’s place? Concerns about their family occur back and forth between Juan, his dad, and his mom. Juan’s mother sees how her son is being treated and witnesses him getting whipped (pages 72-73). I could not imagine having to watch as a family member is being abused and injured.
What I found interesting is how the author tells you what is going on without directly saying it. The author uses many descriptive words and phrases to represent thoughts and emotions. For example, on page 42-43, the author does a great job at describing Juan being whipped without exactly telling us what is happening. And such great words with strong meaning behind them are used to help the reader feel the evil nature of La Marquesa de Prado Ameno on page 40 and 41. The words are strong and full of anger. This happens throughout the book in order to give the read a good image of how her character is.
Juan is written as such a strong character, proving to his owner that nothing can make him fall. This is great for young adults, showing them that no matter what kind of situation you are in, you can be confident and stand up for yourself (La Marquesa de Prado Ameno’s poem pages 56-57).You can see how the poems get more and more emotional as the story progresses and also sense Juan’s dream of being set free. And in the end, he escapes!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Up Before Daybreak: Cotton and People in America
This book takes one particular subject in our nation’s history (the cotton industry) and explains it so well with pictures, quotes, and text. This book brings to students’ attention the true story of slavery. The treatment and work of slaves is told in truth in this book and I honestly have learned a lot. This was a very fascinating book which kept my interest with its facts, pictures, and interview quotes. A great characteristic of Up Before Daybreak is there are very little pages with just words. There is at least one picture to break up the text which makes it a lot easier to read and to hold the reader’s attention. I love the realistic pictures. They take you back to that time period to see what the world was like and I feel each picture was well chosen and represented the information in the text. Even the quotes said by real slaves allow us to see further into the life of a slave and the work done on cotton plantations. The interviews and pictures of former slaves and their work “give us insights into life in slavery times” (p.3). Students can see that slaves were treated as objects and not people. They were traded like we borrow items from friends or buy something from the store. That is what they did back then and it is important for students to see how far we have come since then. I, myself, was fascinated by the pictures and I caught myself looking at the pictures before reading. I study the pictures before reading so that I can have a general knowledge of what is to come in the text on the page.
I like how the author helps readers understand situations that occurred back then by comparing them to something readers would know about. For example, on page 12, the author helps explain the difficulty of pulling the seeds out of the fibers- “If you hold a boll of fuzzy seed cotton in your hand and squeeze, you can feel the tiny bumps of seeds inside. But when you try to get the seeds out- watch out! It’s tricky. The cotton fiber sticks to them. It’s a little like trying to pull stickers off your socks after you’ve been for a walk in a field or getting burs out of the thick coat of a dog.” The reader can visualize a sticker or bur caught in their sock and probably relate to that frustration. I can relate to and understand that because I had to pull so many stickers out my clothes as a kid after walking/playing in my grandparents’ backyard in central Texas. I am sure there are many other items in this book which students can make connections.
Overall, Up Before Daybreak gives a good amount of information about the cotton industry then and now without overwhelming the reader with too much detail. I enjoyed reading this book, especially because it was not too long and it kept my attention. I love history books and this one was a 5 star book!
I like how the author helps readers understand situations that occurred back then by comparing them to something readers would know about. For example, on page 12, the author helps explain the difficulty of pulling the seeds out of the fibers- “If you hold a boll of fuzzy seed cotton in your hand and squeeze, you can feel the tiny bumps of seeds inside. But when you try to get the seeds out- watch out! It’s tricky. The cotton fiber sticks to them. It’s a little like trying to pull stickers off your socks after you’ve been for a walk in a field or getting burs out of the thick coat of a dog.” The reader can visualize a sticker or bur caught in their sock and probably relate to that frustration. I can relate to and understand that because I had to pull so many stickers out my clothes as a kid after walking/playing in my grandparents’ backyard in central Texas. I am sure there are many other items in this book which students can make connections.
Overall, Up Before Daybreak gives a good amount of information about the cotton industry then and now without overwhelming the reader with too much detail. I enjoyed reading this book, especially because it was not too long and it kept my attention. I love history books and this one was a 5 star book!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case
I love history books, so I enjoyed this story. I am just like the author in that I have never heard about Emmett Till until I started graduate school. After reading this story and seeing what the author said about the civil rights movement, Emmett Till’s story should have been a major part in the civil rights movement because it dealt with treatment and consequences. “Many historians-and most history textbooks- cite Park’s act of civil disobedience as the beginning of the great civil rights movement, but it was the senseless murder of Emmett Till that galvanized Blacks all over the United States and set the stage for the civil rights movement to begin” (p. 26). It was good that the author told us the story of Emmett Till before and after he was murdered. I think the story was easier to understand after knowing what exactly happened. It was neat when the author gave us a history lesson inside a history lesson- told us what was popular back in the 50s and what places such as Mississippi and Chicago looked like at the time Emmett was alive. What helped in visualizing what America was like back then was all the authentic pictures. I thought it was great how the author incorporated real pictures of Emmett and other people involved. I got a better picture and was able to understand the situation more. The case of Emmett Till reminds me of Tom Robinson’s case in To Kill A Mockingbird. It was very much the same situation- behavior towards Tom and deciding he was guilty even though the evidence was clear that Tom was innocent.
The book gave such a great history of the civil rights movement in addition to Emmett Till’s story. All the information given in the book allows kids to understand how America was back during Emmett’s time. The author mentions in the book that the behavior towards African Americans has been going on since before the signing of the Declaration of Independence (p. 25). There were other killings of African Americans by whites going on even during broad daylight with witnesses, but no convictions were ever made. I found some quotes from the book that help to explain that time in America’s history:
“In a spectacularly intense moment, Mose Wright stood at the witness stand, pointed at Milam and Bryant, and stated that they were the ones who had come into his home to kidnap Emmett. Wright’s act of courage marked one of the first times an African American accused a white of a crime in a Mississippi court of law. Fearing for his life, he had to leave the state immediately after the trial.
Despite the many testimonies, the clear evidence (including Milam and Bryant’s confession to kidnapping), and Chatham’s eloquent closing-argument, after deliberating for barely an hour, the all-white jury declared the defendants not guilty” (p. 22-23).
“The Emmett Till trial is over, but we, as Negroes, should never forget its meaning. The fact that Milam and Bryant were acquitted shows us how tremendous a job we face to bring complete democracy to our entire nation. Negroes and other clear-thinking Americans must combine their efforts to press for freedom and equality through both political and legal challenges” (p. 23).
Getting Away with Murder would be a great book to use in a unit or lesson about civil rights. Students will be able to see how far we have come in our society. Overall, this is a great history book!
“To understand and appreciate the modern history of the fight for equal rights for African Americans, American teenagers of all races should know the story of Emmett Till and its impact on American Society. This book will, I hope, keep alive the memory of the Emmett Till case and provide a broader understanding if the beginning of the civil rights movement” (p. 13).
The book gave such a great history of the civil rights movement in addition to Emmett Till’s story. All the information given in the book allows kids to understand how America was back during Emmett’s time. The author mentions in the book that the behavior towards African Americans has been going on since before the signing of the Declaration of Independence (p. 25). There were other killings of African Americans by whites going on even during broad daylight with witnesses, but no convictions were ever made. I found some quotes from the book that help to explain that time in America’s history:
“In a spectacularly intense moment, Mose Wright stood at the witness stand, pointed at Milam and Bryant, and stated that they were the ones who had come into his home to kidnap Emmett. Wright’s act of courage marked one of the first times an African American accused a white of a crime in a Mississippi court of law. Fearing for his life, he had to leave the state immediately after the trial.
Despite the many testimonies, the clear evidence (including Milam and Bryant’s confession to kidnapping), and Chatham’s eloquent closing-argument, after deliberating for barely an hour, the all-white jury declared the defendants not guilty” (p. 22-23).
“The Emmett Till trial is over, but we, as Negroes, should never forget its meaning. The fact that Milam and Bryant were acquitted shows us how tremendous a job we face to bring complete democracy to our entire nation. Negroes and other clear-thinking Americans must combine their efforts to press for freedom and equality through both political and legal challenges” (p. 23).
Getting Away with Murder would be a great book to use in a unit or lesson about civil rights. Students will be able to see how far we have come in our society. Overall, this is a great history book!
“To understand and appreciate the modern history of the fight for equal rights for African Americans, American teenagers of all races should know the story of Emmett Till and its impact on American Society. This book will, I hope, keep alive the memory of the Emmett Till case and provide a broader understanding if the beginning of the civil rights movement” (p. 13).
Persepolis
For me, this was a tough book to get into. I could not get motivated to read it. I feel bad for saying this, but it is true. It did not capture my attention. I was lost 20 pages into the story. I think what makes it hard for me are the illustrations which are not appealing (all black and white) and I do not know anything about the Iranian culture or history. There was a lot of information given and I could not keep track of all the events. Some parts were serious and then it would go to the little girl and her opinions which were as innocent as can be. I don’t know. I just could not connect with what was happening.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
This was such a great and entertaining book. Once again, my 20-year-old friend read it during my office shift. He read it in one sitting and was constantly laughing. This is proof that even though Diary of a Wimpy Kid is labeled as a Young Adult novel, it is loved by readers of all ages.
I thought the layout of the book, words and pictures together, was an excellent way for the book. Of course, it was the obvious way to record a young adult’s emotions and every day adventures. The pictures supplied a great visual to the jokes the author, Jeff Kinney, wrote. The book does well at relating the every day emotions and activities of middle school and even high school students such as image, girls, popularity (peer pressure, class favorites), friends (fights), abilities, older siblings who make life hard for you just because it’s entertaining to them, etc. to today’s young adults. It could help students feel better about themselves. The book is such a fun read due to the cartoons which helps to break away from having to read so many words. I definitely enjoyed it because most books which have pages after pages full of nothing but words is boring and hard to stay with. Diary of a Wimpy Kid kept me entertained. The personality of Greg is great and he definitely is like many young adults in how he feels about life. The book is an awesome way to attract boys to journaling.
It is funny how the Cheese Touch becomes a sense of stress to Greg- “I don’t need that kind of stress in my life anymore.” The ideas in the book are great and funny. It reminds me of all the strange things, such as cooties-“Circle, circle, dot, dot. Now I’ve got my cootie shot”- that I used to do with my friends in elementary and junior high. In the book, the character, Greg, tells us that they are placed in reading groups- Gifted or Easy- and you can tell which group you were placed in by the assigned book. This is very similar to the school I went to from Kindergarten to Eighth grade. We didn’t have reading groups, but our classes were divided into Honors or Average. Lucky me, I was in each and every average class. Not one honors class. To me, having those divided classes into honors or average brings down students’ self-esteem. It’s horrible. It makes them feel like they don’t have the ability to succeed. They are labeled as “Average.” I was that child labeled as “average” until I reached high school where I made nothing but A’s in each of my classes. I believe teachers ignore the potential in students and just throw them in the average group.
There was one part of the book which I did not understand. On page 39, I could not tell the difference between the two cartoons. One is supposed to be “a good time to screw up” and the other “a bad time to screw up.” They look the same to me. I did enjoy the part of the book on page 42 when the mom makes Rodrick answer questions she created in punishment for his actions. The last question and Rodrick’s response were great:
Question: “Do you have anything you want to say to women for having owned this offensive magazine?”
Rodrick’s response: “I’m sorry women.”
I would recommend this book to anybody. It is very entertaining a sure winner amongst young audiences. It relates well to what young adults are going through at the middle school age and allows them to laugh and feel better about similar situations they have been in.
I thought the layout of the book, words and pictures together, was an excellent way for the book. Of course, it was the obvious way to record a young adult’s emotions and every day adventures. The pictures supplied a great visual to the jokes the author, Jeff Kinney, wrote. The book does well at relating the every day emotions and activities of middle school and even high school students such as image, girls, popularity (peer pressure, class favorites), friends (fights), abilities, older siblings who make life hard for you just because it’s entertaining to them, etc. to today’s young adults. It could help students feel better about themselves. The book is such a fun read due to the cartoons which helps to break away from having to read so many words. I definitely enjoyed it because most books which have pages after pages full of nothing but words is boring and hard to stay with. Diary of a Wimpy Kid kept me entertained. The personality of Greg is great and he definitely is like many young adults in how he feels about life. The book is an awesome way to attract boys to journaling.
It is funny how the Cheese Touch becomes a sense of stress to Greg- “I don’t need that kind of stress in my life anymore.” The ideas in the book are great and funny. It reminds me of all the strange things, such as cooties-“Circle, circle, dot, dot. Now I’ve got my cootie shot”- that I used to do with my friends in elementary and junior high. In the book, the character, Greg, tells us that they are placed in reading groups- Gifted or Easy- and you can tell which group you were placed in by the assigned book. This is very similar to the school I went to from Kindergarten to Eighth grade. We didn’t have reading groups, but our classes were divided into Honors or Average. Lucky me, I was in each and every average class. Not one honors class. To me, having those divided classes into honors or average brings down students’ self-esteem. It’s horrible. It makes them feel like they don’t have the ability to succeed. They are labeled as “Average.” I was that child labeled as “average” until I reached high school where I made nothing but A’s in each of my classes. I believe teachers ignore the potential in students and just throw them in the average group.
There was one part of the book which I did not understand. On page 39, I could not tell the difference between the two cartoons. One is supposed to be “a good time to screw up” and the other “a bad time to screw up.” They look the same to me. I did enjoy the part of the book on page 42 when the mom makes Rodrick answer questions she created in punishment for his actions. The last question and Rodrick’s response were great:
Question: “Do you have anything you want to say to women for having owned this offensive magazine?”
Rodrick’s response: “I’m sorry women.”
I would recommend this book to anybody. It is very entertaining a sure winner amongst young audiences. It relates well to what young adults are going through at the middle school age and allows them to laugh and feel better about similar situations they have been in.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Craft Lesson 3: Titles (Making Predictions)
Materials:
Book: Acceleration by Graham McNamee
Discussion:
We can consider a title of a book the doorway into the story. For a writer, the title helps to get a story started. Many students, when first writing, just slap a title onto their page but end up not matching their title with their story. The title is an important factor when creating a story and we as teachers should discuss different titles with students and help them in making predictions about the stories by the title, and then discussing whether the story matched their predictions.
How to Teach It:
Do you ever wonder why a writer gives a book a certain title? What does the title of the book tell us about the story? Maybe the title relates to what happens in the book, something the character does or what happens to them, or the title is the general theme of the book. A writer uses a title to enter a story and get it started. As they write the story, the meaning is discovered. Once a writer completes a story, they often go back and reconsider their title to see if it matches what the story is about. They may ask themselves, “Does this title give the reader a doorway into the story?”
When you read a book, you first read the title and then look at the cover to get a general idea of what the book might be about, right? Consider the title of this book: Acceleration. Say it with me- Acceleration. Raise your hand if you have heard that word before. What do you think “acceleration” means? (Allow some students to give responses and write them on chart paper). Let’s look at the cover and see if it can give us some clues to figure out what the title means. What do you see on the cover? (Allow students to give as many items as they see and explain what they might symbolize. Help them out a little with items they cannot distinguish) What do you think the pictures on the cover tell us? Do you think the scary face, cats, subway, and written words connect in some way? (Feel free to give students hints and clues. Continue with the discussion to the point where, as a class, you have discovered that “acceleration” means “an increase in the rate at which something happens or develops” and that the man whose face is on the cover is probably accelerating and/or increasing in something.)
Bibliography:
McNamee, G (2003). Acceleration. New York, NY: Dell Laurel-Leaf.
Book: Acceleration by Graham McNamee
Discussion:
We can consider a title of a book the doorway into the story. For a writer, the title helps to get a story started. Many students, when first writing, just slap a title onto their page but end up not matching their title with their story. The title is an important factor when creating a story and we as teachers should discuss different titles with students and help them in making predictions about the stories by the title, and then discussing whether the story matched their predictions.
How to Teach It:
Do you ever wonder why a writer gives a book a certain title? What does the title of the book tell us about the story? Maybe the title relates to what happens in the book, something the character does or what happens to them, or the title is the general theme of the book. A writer uses a title to enter a story and get it started. As they write the story, the meaning is discovered. Once a writer completes a story, they often go back and reconsider their title to see if it matches what the story is about. They may ask themselves, “Does this title give the reader a doorway into the story?”
When you read a book, you first read the title and then look at the cover to get a general idea of what the book might be about, right? Consider the title of this book: Acceleration. Say it with me- Acceleration. Raise your hand if you have heard that word before. What do you think “acceleration” means? (Allow some students to give responses and write them on chart paper). Let’s look at the cover and see if it can give us some clues to figure out what the title means. What do you see on the cover? (Allow students to give as many items as they see and explain what they might symbolize. Help them out a little with items they cannot distinguish) What do you think the pictures on the cover tell us? Do you think the scary face, cats, subway, and written words connect in some way? (Feel free to give students hints and clues. Continue with the discussion to the point where, as a class, you have discovered that “acceleration” means “an increase in the rate at which something happens or develops” and that the man whose face is on the cover is probably accelerating and/or increasing in something.)
Bibliography:
McNamee, G (2003). Acceleration. New York, NY: Dell Laurel-Leaf.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Book Review 3: Daisy Kutter
Biography: Kazu Kibuishi is an American graphic novel author and illustrator. He is best known for creating and editing the comic anthology Flight and for creating the webcomic Copper. While pursuing a degree in film studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, he drew the comic strip Clive and Cabbage for the student newspaper The Daily Nexus. After graduation, he worked as an animator for Shaded Box, commercials and video game studio. However, he decided to leave animation because there was no writing involved and went back to comics. He started producing the monthly comic Copper at his website, Bolt City. While editing Flight Volume 1, he also created the graphic novel Daisy Kutter: The Last Train which was selected by the American Library Association as one of the best books for young adults for 2006. He is currently producing the children's graphic novel Amulet, which was released in January 2008. Kibuishi lives in Alhambra, California, and married to fellow illustrator and collaborator Amy Kim Ganter.
Summary: Daisy Kutter's bandit days are behind her. She and partner Tom have gone legit, and now she is a respectable small-town citizen, owner of the local general store--and bored out of her mind. Frustration with the tedium of normal life and her own discontents gets her into trouble after she loses the store in a poker game. Mr. Winters, the security mogul who won it, offers a proposition she can't refuse: to test the new security robots on his train. He is willing to pay. In a fit of recklessness, Daisy takes the job.
Review: I read Daisy Kutter in one day and enjoyed it. It was a quick read and easy to understand with the pictures and dialogue in sequence. There is a good balance of pictures and dialogue where the reader can, on their own, discover what is happening. I could not help but admire the illustrations because they are so detailed and the features of each character remained the same throughout the story. (This is important when including illustrations inside a book.) I could see and feel the emotions of each character and could sense the intensity of each action scene because of how well the illustrations were drawn. Reading Daisy Kutter reminded me of when I read Archie comic books when I was younger. I was able to understand those short stories because of the pictures and dialogue supporting each other. I loved the whole train sequence where so much action took place. Once again, I could feel myself inside the story because of how well the illustrations brought it to life. Even though there was no words the majority of the time, I could still understand what was happening and experienced the effects with the pictures. The onomatopoeia was great! There is some language that may not be appropriate for younger students. Daisy Kutter is a book that is best suited for a more mature audience such as high school students. Even though we do not like hearing and using the language in the book, high school students have a better understanding where they will not get too offended by them. Daisy Kutter is a great action filled book that mature audiences will enjoy.
My book review can also be found at Borders.
Summary: Daisy Kutter's bandit days are behind her. She and partner Tom have gone legit, and now she is a respectable small-town citizen, owner of the local general store--and bored out of her mind. Frustration with the tedium of normal life and her own discontents gets her into trouble after she loses the store in a poker game. Mr. Winters, the security mogul who won it, offers a proposition she can't refuse: to test the new security robots on his train. He is willing to pay. In a fit of recklessness, Daisy takes the job.
Review: I read Daisy Kutter in one day and enjoyed it. It was a quick read and easy to understand with the pictures and dialogue in sequence. There is a good balance of pictures and dialogue where the reader can, on their own, discover what is happening. I could not help but admire the illustrations because they are so detailed and the features of each character remained the same throughout the story. (This is important when including illustrations inside a book.) I could see and feel the emotions of each character and could sense the intensity of each action scene because of how well the illustrations were drawn. Reading Daisy Kutter reminded me of when I read Archie comic books when I was younger. I was able to understand those short stories because of the pictures and dialogue supporting each other. I loved the whole train sequence where so much action took place. Once again, I could feel myself inside the story because of how well the illustrations brought it to life. Even though there was no words the majority of the time, I could still understand what was happening and experienced the effects with the pictures. The onomatopoeia was great! There is some language that may not be appropriate for younger students. Daisy Kutter is a book that is best suited for a more mature audience such as high school students. Even though we do not like hearing and using the language in the book, high school students have a better understanding where they will not get too offended by them. Daisy Kutter is a great action filled book that mature audiences will enjoy.
My book review can also be found at Borders.
Craft Lesson 2: Imagery
Materials:
Book: Standing Against the Wind by Traci L. Jones
Book: Acceleration by Graham McNamee
Discussion:
When students are describing items in their stories, they tend to play it safe. As teachers we need to point out that strong and vivid description supports a story. Description becomes richer when two things are compared, especially when the items being compared are not usually thought of as being placed together. Supplying examples from writers’ works will show students how comparison works.
How to Teach it:
A good story has a lot of description to support the characters and the plot. These descriptions allow us to get a better picture of what the write is trying to say. They do not tell us what happens, they show us. One way to write good description is to compare two things you would not normally place together. Listen to Traci L. Jones’s description of the character Patrice from the book Standing Against the Wind:
“Oh.” It was all Patrice could think of to say.
They walked in silence a few steps before Monty spoke again. “You know that
empty lot near school?”
Yeah, why?”
“Well, the whole lot is filled with junk and trash and crap, but last spring, in
the middle of the trash this flower bloomed. This pretty little flower, right
there, in the middle of a lot full of garbage. It was the weirdest thing. I mean,
where did it come from? I didn’t know whether to pick it or let it keep
growing. I’d go by there every day to look at that stupid flower ‘cause it was so
unique and pretty and it tripped me out that it could bloom in the middle of
all that trash. Then one day I went by and someone had thrown an old stuffed
chair over it and broke it. Killed it. I told myself that the next time I saw
something beautiful trying to survive in the middle of trash I’d do what I
could to protect it, to make sure it grew and that nobody messed it up. So, I
guess you’re my flower.” (Ch. 11, pp. 128-129)
Jones took the character Patrice and compared her to a flower who survives in the middle of a lot of trash. She does well at showing us what Patrice looks like amongst everything else by comparing her to a flower. You can visualize a flower and how pretty it is amongst the middle of piles of trash. Consider this next example from Graham McNamee’s book Acceleration where he describes the character Kim:
“I read somewhere—or maybe I saw it in a movie—how people who lose a leg
or an arm can still feel the missing limb sometimes. They’ll get this
impossible itch on a foot that isn’t there anymore, or they’ll feel an ache
where there’s nothing left to ache. They call it a phantom limb, because of the
ghost pains it still sends back to the brain.
That’s what Kim is like for me now—my phantom girlfriend. Gone, but still
aching.” (Ch. 9, p. 52)
Just like Patrice being compared to a flower, Kim is compared to a missing limb in which you can still feel. Even though it is gone, you still have pain. McNamee describes the missing limb very well where you can understand how Kim still causes pain to the main character even when she is not around anymore. You can see and feel the frustration of not being able to get rid of the itch or ache Kim is causing.
Bibliograhy:
Jones, T (2006). Standing Against the Wind. New York, NY: Farrar Straus Giroux.
McNamee, G (2003). Acceleration. New York, NY: Dell Laurel-Leaf.
Book: Standing Against the Wind by Traci L. Jones
Book: Acceleration by Graham McNamee
Discussion:
When students are describing items in their stories, they tend to play it safe. As teachers we need to point out that strong and vivid description supports a story. Description becomes richer when two things are compared, especially when the items being compared are not usually thought of as being placed together. Supplying examples from writers’ works will show students how comparison works.
How to Teach it:
A good story has a lot of description to support the characters and the plot. These descriptions allow us to get a better picture of what the write is trying to say. They do not tell us what happens, they show us. One way to write good description is to compare two things you would not normally place together. Listen to Traci L. Jones’s description of the character Patrice from the book Standing Against the Wind:
“Oh.” It was all Patrice could think of to say.
They walked in silence a few steps before Monty spoke again. “You know that
empty lot near school?”
Yeah, why?”
“Well, the whole lot is filled with junk and trash and crap, but last spring, in
the middle of the trash this flower bloomed. This pretty little flower, right
there, in the middle of a lot full of garbage. It was the weirdest thing. I mean,
where did it come from? I didn’t know whether to pick it or let it keep
growing. I’d go by there every day to look at that stupid flower ‘cause it was so
unique and pretty and it tripped me out that it could bloom in the middle of
all that trash. Then one day I went by and someone had thrown an old stuffed
chair over it and broke it. Killed it. I told myself that the next time I saw
something beautiful trying to survive in the middle of trash I’d do what I
could to protect it, to make sure it grew and that nobody messed it up. So, I
guess you’re my flower.” (Ch. 11, pp. 128-129)
Jones took the character Patrice and compared her to a flower who survives in the middle of a lot of trash. She does well at showing us what Patrice looks like amongst everything else by comparing her to a flower. You can visualize a flower and how pretty it is amongst the middle of piles of trash. Consider this next example from Graham McNamee’s book Acceleration where he describes the character Kim:
“I read somewhere—or maybe I saw it in a movie—how people who lose a leg
or an arm can still feel the missing limb sometimes. They’ll get this
impossible itch on a foot that isn’t there anymore, or they’ll feel an ache
where there’s nothing left to ache. They call it a phantom limb, because of the
ghost pains it still sends back to the brain.
That’s what Kim is like for me now—my phantom girlfriend. Gone, but still
aching.” (Ch. 9, p. 52)
Just like Patrice being compared to a flower, Kim is compared to a missing limb in which you can still feel. Even though it is gone, you still have pain. McNamee describes the missing limb very well where you can understand how Kim still causes pain to the main character even when she is not around anymore. You can see and feel the frustration of not being able to get rid of the itch or ache Kim is causing.
Bibliograhy:
Jones, T (2006). Standing Against the Wind. New York, NY: Farrar Straus Giroux.
McNamee, G (2003). Acceleration. New York, NY: Dell Laurel-Leaf.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Daisy Kutter
I read Daisy Kutter in one day and enjoyed it. It was a quick read and easy to understand with the pictures and dialogue in sequence. There is a good balance of pictures and dialogue where the reader can, on their own, discover what is happening. I could not help but admire the illustrations because they are so detailed and the features of each character remained the same throughout the story. (This is important when including illustrations inside a book.) I could see and feel the emotions of each character and could sense the intensity of each action scene because of how well the illustrations were drawn. Reading Daisy Kutter reminded me of when I read Archie comic books when I was younger. I was able to understand those short stories because of the pictures and dialogue supporting each other. I loved the whole train sequence where so much action took place. Once again, I could feel myself inside the story because of how well the illustrations brought it to life. Even though there was no words the majority of the time, I could still understand what was happening and experienced the effects with the pictures. The onomatopoeia was great! Just like in Acceleration, there is some language that may not be appropriate for younger students. Daisy Kutter is a book that is best suited for a more mature audience such as high school students. Even though we do not like hearing and using words such as bastard, damn it, and bullshit, high school students have a better understanding where they will not get too offended by them. Daisy Kutter is a great action filled book that mature audiences will enjoy.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Book Review 2: Acceleration
Biography: Graham McNamee was born in Toronto, Canada, in August of 1967. His writing began in high school when he took a creative writing course. He got suspended for being "overly confrontational", and failed the course. A few years down the road, he entered a competition for writing a young adult novel. Whoever won got their book published. Graham ended up coming in second place, but his book was published anyway. That was his first book, Hate You which is an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. His next novel, Sparks, won the PEN/Phyllis Naylor Working Writer Fellowship. Acceleration is his third and latest novel which received the Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Mystery. Currently, Graham McNamee works at the Vancouver Public Library.
Summary: There’s a killer on the loose and Duncan, a high school student, becomes the detective after finding the psycho’s diary at the Lost and Found. The diary is full of the killer’s thoughts and past actions which lead Duncan to believe the man is out to get more. No one else knows about the diary, except Duncan’s friend, Vinny, and the police who show no interest in the matter. Vinny and Duncan discover all sorts of clues to in order to crack the case, yet some fall through. In the end, Duncan… wait, what am I doing? The end is for you to find out. Read Acceleration and find out whether the killer is caught or not!
Review: Now I know why they have the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” I expected the story to be a bit more frightening due to the design of the cover, but once I began to read it and got further and further into it, it was not what I predicted it to be. I enjoyed the book and was constantly caught into what the main character, Duncan, was doing and thinking. His interest in the diary and wanting to find the guy kept me anxious to discover what would happen. I did not expect the ending to be what it was. I thought there would be a bigger and exciting ending. The descriptions and events kept my attention throughout. I loved book and would recommend it to any young reader who loves a mystery!
My book review is also located at Barnes and Noble and Borders.
Summary: There’s a killer on the loose and Duncan, a high school student, becomes the detective after finding the psycho’s diary at the Lost and Found. The diary is full of the killer’s thoughts and past actions which lead Duncan to believe the man is out to get more. No one else knows about the diary, except Duncan’s friend, Vinny, and the police who show no interest in the matter. Vinny and Duncan discover all sorts of clues to in order to crack the case, yet some fall through. In the end, Duncan… wait, what am I doing? The end is for you to find out. Read Acceleration and find out whether the killer is caught or not!
Review: Now I know why they have the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” I expected the story to be a bit more frightening due to the design of the cover, but once I began to read it and got further and further into it, it was not what I predicted it to be. I enjoyed the book and was constantly caught into what the main character, Duncan, was doing and thinking. His interest in the diary and wanting to find the guy kept me anxious to discover what would happen. I did not expect the ending to be what it was. I thought there would be a bigger and exciting ending. The descriptions and events kept my attention throughout. I loved book and would recommend it to any young reader who loves a mystery!
My book review is also located at Barnes and Noble and Borders.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Acceleration
Now I know why they have the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” I expected the story to be a bit more frightening due to the design of the cover, but once I began to read it and got further and further into it, it was not what I predicted it to be. I enjoyed the book and was constantly caught into what the main character, Duncan, was doing and thinking. His interest in the diary and wanting to find the guy kept me anxious to discover what would happen. I did not expect for the guy whose diary it was to die at end. I thought there would be a bigger and exciting ending. Overall, I loved book!
When the author describes the Lost and Found basement in which Duncan works, I thought it was depressing. I could actually picture an open place, as big as a school gymnasium where everything echos, with rows and rows of tall, old rusty shelves with a bunch of lost items covered in dust. I could see the lights swinging back and forth and flicker as the subway would go by above. You can’t help but feel Duncan’s mood and what it is like to work at a place such as the Lost and Found.
“I was the one who didn’t save her” (p. 11) was an occurring thought in Duncan’s mind throughout the story. He constantly thought about the drowning of his friend and tied it into what was really happening with the diary. What child has not experienced something that has changed them completely whether for the good or worse? Events, whether small or large, cause a person’s self esteem to decrease or disappear, such as Duncan’s after seeing a friend drown and not being able to save her. I liked Ch. 13 when Duncan had a flashback to last fall right after his friend’s drowning where his dad told the story about the man who was JFK’s body guard being interviewed on TV. It was neat how his dad related the man’s emotions to Duncan’s in order to try and help him feel better. Now, he has recurring nightmares of the girl’s drowning mixed with what is currently going on with the psycho’s diary. Is Duncan’s interest in finding the guy and wanting to save the women’s lives supporting his need to have a second chance in saving someone since he could not save his friend? It’s like Vinny says, “You think because you couldn’t save her----you’re getting, what, a second chance?” (p. 104)
I could see how Duncan’s life was affected by the people he spent time with, especially by the “life of crime” with Wayne and his relationship with Kim. It was interesting how he thinks of Kim throughout story as if it helps him in some way solve the psycho man mystery, and then she shows up by his hospital bed at the end. It is understandable of why Duncan does not share the diary with anyone until the middle of the story when he tells Vinny about it. He is afraid that the police and anyone else will think it is his and that he wrote and drew all the entries. Once the information in the diary about the women is found to be true, Duncan no longer takes the situation about the diary/journal lightly and becomes more intrigued and serious about finding the guy. Duncan becomes a detective. I would be just like Duncan where those types of entries in a diary would interest me, yet gross and freak me out at the same time. He was pretty smart when he was able to figure out clues as he reads and re-reads each page. It’s fun to solve mysteries and any child who reads this book will become involved just like Duncan.
There was a part of the book which broke away from the seriousness of the diary. Duncan was home with his mom after a long day of “hunting” and he is thinking, “I’ve spent the last couple of hours fumbling around trying to find one particular psycho in a city that must have hundreds of them. And now, after a hard night of stalking, sweating, and confusion, I’m home eating Mom’s grilled-cheese sandwiches, chatting about an imaginary date I was just on.” (p.76) So, even though Duncan is acting older while solving a mystery, he is still a teen who spends time with his family. Young adults can either relate to or learn from this. You don’t have to be grown up all the time.
When the author describes the Lost and Found basement in which Duncan works, I thought it was depressing. I could actually picture an open place, as big as a school gymnasium where everything echos, with rows and rows of tall, old rusty shelves with a bunch of lost items covered in dust. I could see the lights swinging back and forth and flicker as the subway would go by above. You can’t help but feel Duncan’s mood and what it is like to work at a place such as the Lost and Found.
“I was the one who didn’t save her” (p. 11) was an occurring thought in Duncan’s mind throughout the story. He constantly thought about the drowning of his friend and tied it into what was really happening with the diary. What child has not experienced something that has changed them completely whether for the good or worse? Events, whether small or large, cause a person’s self esteem to decrease or disappear, such as Duncan’s after seeing a friend drown and not being able to save her. I liked Ch. 13 when Duncan had a flashback to last fall right after his friend’s drowning where his dad told the story about the man who was JFK’s body guard being interviewed on TV. It was neat how his dad related the man’s emotions to Duncan’s in order to try and help him feel better. Now, he has recurring nightmares of the girl’s drowning mixed with what is currently going on with the psycho’s diary. Is Duncan’s interest in finding the guy and wanting to save the women’s lives supporting his need to have a second chance in saving someone since he could not save his friend? It’s like Vinny says, “You think because you couldn’t save her----you’re getting, what, a second chance?” (p. 104)
I could see how Duncan’s life was affected by the people he spent time with, especially by the “life of crime” with Wayne and his relationship with Kim. It was interesting how he thinks of Kim throughout story as if it helps him in some way solve the psycho man mystery, and then she shows up by his hospital bed at the end. It is understandable of why Duncan does not share the diary with anyone until the middle of the story when he tells Vinny about it. He is afraid that the police and anyone else will think it is his and that he wrote and drew all the entries. Once the information in the diary about the women is found to be true, Duncan no longer takes the situation about the diary/journal lightly and becomes more intrigued and serious about finding the guy. Duncan becomes a detective. I would be just like Duncan where those types of entries in a diary would interest me, yet gross and freak me out at the same time. He was pretty smart when he was able to figure out clues as he reads and re-reads each page. It’s fun to solve mysteries and any child who reads this book will become involved just like Duncan.
There was a part of the book which broke away from the seriousness of the diary. Duncan was home with his mom after a long day of “hunting” and he is thinking, “I’ve spent the last couple of hours fumbling around trying to find one particular psycho in a city that must have hundreds of them. And now, after a hard night of stalking, sweating, and confusion, I’m home eating Mom’s grilled-cheese sandwiches, chatting about an imaginary date I was just on.” (p.76) So, even though Duncan is acting older while solving a mystery, he is still a teen who spends time with his family. Young adults can either relate to or learn from this. You don’t have to be grown up all the time.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Miracle's Boys
How many children experience something that completely changes them or someone they know very well? Kids today are in the same situations as the boys in Miracle’s Boys. Some have lost their mother or father, have seen a friend or family member be sent off somewhere and return as a different person, and other similar situations. Events such as these have a great affect on children and young adults. Lafayette’s brother,Charlie, has changed, but he does not understand why. He compares what his brother Charlie used to be like before and after attending Rahway Home for Boys. He doesn’t like Newcharlie because he no longer cares. It is difficult to understand what exactly Rahway did to Charlie. I like how the main character calls Charlie a stranger. That is perfect for the situation. He knows it is his brother, but his personality and behavior have changed. Apparently Charlie used to be a nicer guy, but now Charlie finds anything to criticize, such as their dad saving a woman and her dog. “Saving a dog and a white woman is a stupid way to die. Only thing in the world you need to save is your own self” (p.17). This represents Charlie’s new personality, which causes more problems in the family. In chapter 1, Lafayette gives a good image of how Charlie has changed. He compares him to what happens when their great aunt breaks open ripe watermelons. “When we get home, she always takes it out back and breaks it open against a rock, then scoops out the heart of it—the sweetest, reddest part- and hands it to me. I stared out the window. Somebody had done that to Charlie: scooped out his heart and sent the empty bitter rind of him on home” (p.6). I love this because I can picture the watermelon with nothing after its insides are removed. What an excellent image!I realized that many of the events that occur in the book Charlie and Lafayette used to do before Charlie when to Rahway. Lafayette has many flashbacks to better times with Charlie. What I discovered is Charlie denies what Lafayette says he used to do or be like, but Charlie shows in his face that he knows it is all true. Lafayette can’t even make comments in order to correct Charlie because he knows he will get a harsh comment back. I would recommend this book to young adults, especially for read in a classroom because it presents good topics to discuss such as Charlie and what the three boys go through. It was a great book!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
A Step from Heaven
This was a GREAT story. I would recommend this book to young adults. Many of the events the main character, Young Ju, goes through Young Ju reminds me of a young, very curious, and innocent child who finds the world fascinating. Although her family believes she has an imagination, she is asking questions out of curiosity and because that is what she thinks, such as Mi Gook being “Heaven.” I did not know that Mi Gook meant “America” until the end of the section called “Mi Gook.” I interpreted it as another city in Korea. Young Ju learns and satisfies her curiosity through modeling and support of older family members.
I love the short story form instead of the normal long chapters. What An Na had to say for each section of Young Ju’s preparation of moving to and living in America was detailed where I knew what was going on. I believe anyone can relate to Young Ju’s emotions when entering a new situation and atmosphere. As she discovers more of Mi Gook (America) and what her Uhmma makes her do in order to become a Mi Gook girl, I feel Young Ju’s unhappiness. A change in hairstyle, leaving her Halmoni behind because she was told Halmoni was too old and Mi Gook is only for young children makes Young Ju curious that America is not Heaven. I feel Young Ju is scared and sad of what is to come as she moves to America. To leave what you know and have grown with is difficult. Everything is new and Young Ju is unsure about it all.
What is fascinating is we get an inside look as to how a bilingual student who comes in knowing basically nothing, especially the language spoken, interacts with their peers. Young Ju experinces a language barrier when she begins school. Only certain parts of words she recognizes and understands, but she has to watch the other students to understand what is being said. Luckily, I could translate some which was fun to do! Some are below:
· “Ah ri cas, ca mo ve he” translates to “All right, class. Come over here.” (p.29)
· “Go-do-feesh” transates to “Goldfish” (P.32)
Later in the book, Young Ju faces a few challenges, such as her new baby brother Park Joon Ho, money and family concerns (Apa does not provide enough for the family and drinks), has to speak Korean at home, witnessing her brother being abused by their dad, and other similar challenges. Kids today have similar challenges and can relate to Young Ju. This story is realistic in the idea that kids see their friends or family getting abused, their family has crisis, and jealousy and attention issues when someone new is brought into the family.
I liked the chapters that were all about the daily adventures of Young Ju and Joon. It was a good break from the troubles and concerns Young Ju had. It made it seem as if her life was good at times in America and not everything was bad. But even though Young Ju’s family has moved to America, they do not like how Americans behave, especially girls Young Ju’s age because they are boy crazy and are not serious about their studies. This was interesting to me. I wonder if immigrant families felt/feel this way after moving here. What I did not expect was for Apa to become so upset by Young Ju’s behavior of “becoming too American” as the story explains. It is normal for a family to not want their child to forget their culture and where they come from, but I did not think that her dad would be so against her spending time with Amanda. From the beginning, Uhmma was saying how America is better for her children, but as the story goes on, Uhmma and Apa feel American ways are not good because they see Young Ju changing in her behavior. It was neat how, at first, Young Ju did not like America and what she had to do in order to be a good American when she was younger, but as she grew and was exposed to the American culture, she found herself wishing her family could show some of the American behaviors. She was no longer afraid and sad about being there.
I realized that Young Ju spends more time with Amanda and becomes more American because her family, more or so her Apa, has become abusive towards her Uhmma and herself, and Amanda’s family provides a safe and happier environment. Her family is kind towards Young Ju and makes Young Ju feel appreciated and important.
I liked how each chapter has Young Ju and her family getting older. I actually didn’t realize that was going on until a few chapters in. Also, each chapter would have a new name of either a family member or friend and I had no idea who it was until a description or clue was given later in the chapter or story.
And at the very end, I enjoyed how Uhmma shared pictures that were hidden all the past years with Young Ju and one of them was a picture of Apa, Young Ju, and Uhmma at the beach in Korea. It was the day Apa taught Young Ju how to be brave jumping into the waves which was the very first chapter of the story. That was so neat and a very personal connection for Young Ju.
I love the short story form instead of the normal long chapters. What An Na had to say for each section of Young Ju’s preparation of moving to and living in America was detailed where I knew what was going on. I believe anyone can relate to Young Ju’s emotions when entering a new situation and atmosphere. As she discovers more of Mi Gook (America) and what her Uhmma makes her do in order to become a Mi Gook girl, I feel Young Ju’s unhappiness. A change in hairstyle, leaving her Halmoni behind because she was told Halmoni was too old and Mi Gook is only for young children makes Young Ju curious that America is not Heaven. I feel Young Ju is scared and sad of what is to come as she moves to America. To leave what you know and have grown with is difficult. Everything is new and Young Ju is unsure about it all.
What is fascinating is we get an inside look as to how a bilingual student who comes in knowing basically nothing, especially the language spoken, interacts with their peers. Young Ju experinces a language barrier when she begins school. Only certain parts of words she recognizes and understands, but she has to watch the other students to understand what is being said. Luckily, I could translate some which was fun to do! Some are below:
· “Ah ri cas, ca mo ve he” translates to “All right, class. Come over here.” (p.29)
· “Go-do-feesh” transates to “Goldfish” (P.32)
Later in the book, Young Ju faces a few challenges, such as her new baby brother Park Joon Ho, money and family concerns (Apa does not provide enough for the family and drinks), has to speak Korean at home, witnessing her brother being abused by their dad, and other similar challenges. Kids today have similar challenges and can relate to Young Ju. This story is realistic in the idea that kids see their friends or family getting abused, their family has crisis, and jealousy and attention issues when someone new is brought into the family.
I liked the chapters that were all about the daily adventures of Young Ju and Joon. It was a good break from the troubles and concerns Young Ju had. It made it seem as if her life was good at times in America and not everything was bad. But even though Young Ju’s family has moved to America, they do not like how Americans behave, especially girls Young Ju’s age because they are boy crazy and are not serious about their studies. This was interesting to me. I wonder if immigrant families felt/feel this way after moving here. What I did not expect was for Apa to become so upset by Young Ju’s behavior of “becoming too American” as the story explains. It is normal for a family to not want their child to forget their culture and where they come from, but I did not think that her dad would be so against her spending time with Amanda. From the beginning, Uhmma was saying how America is better for her children, but as the story goes on, Uhmma and Apa feel American ways are not good because they see Young Ju changing in her behavior. It was neat how, at first, Young Ju did not like America and what she had to do in order to be a good American when she was younger, but as she grew and was exposed to the American culture, she found herself wishing her family could show some of the American behaviors. She was no longer afraid and sad about being there.
I realized that Young Ju spends more time with Amanda and becomes more American because her family, more or so her Apa, has become abusive towards her Uhmma and herself, and Amanda’s family provides a safe and happier environment. Her family is kind towards Young Ju and makes Young Ju feel appreciated and important.
I liked how each chapter has Young Ju and her family getting older. I actually didn’t realize that was going on until a few chapters in. Also, each chapter would have a new name of either a family member or friend and I had no idea who it was until a description or clue was given later in the chapter or story.
And at the very end, I enjoyed how Uhmma shared pictures that were hidden all the past years with Young Ju and one of them was a picture of Apa, Young Ju, and Uhmma at the beach in Korea. It was the day Apa taught Young Ju how to be brave jumping into the waves which was the very first chapter of the story. That was so neat and a very personal connection for Young Ju.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Book Review 1: Standing Against the Wind
Biography: Traci L. Jones has written ever since she was a child. She loves to write for teens and stated in her biography, "It is such a hectic, wonderful, turbulent time in life. Full of promise and full of misery. A time to laugh while crying." Standing Against the Wind is her debut novel and it received the Coretta Scott King Award. She currently lives with her husband and four children in Denver, Colorado.
Summary: Patrice had a happy life when she lived in Georgia. She was taken from her home to live with her grandma because her mom was sent to prison. Patrice and her sister are now stuck living with their Auntie Mae. Patrice longs to get away from Chicago where she is teased and frightened by a group of guys who make fun of her wild hair. But, Monty Freeman who is a member of that boys group is different because he is kind towards Patrice. Monty becomes interested in Patrice due to her interest in schoolwork and good grades. While taking care of her cousins one day, Patrice learns of a scholarship for a prestigious African American boarding school in Mississippi. She wants to apply and attempts the challenge of filling out the application and all its parts by herself. Will she get in? You will have to read to find out!
Awards: Coretta Scott King Award
Review: Standing Against the Wind is a great, simple story which is easy to understand. I love how the story is from Patrice's point-of-view. It is perfect for junior high students, especially since they can relate to being picked on whether it has been themselves as the target or picking on someone else. The vocabulary throughout the book is not too challenging, yet the dialogue may be hard to follow if students are not aware of that kind of speaking. Overall, it is a great story. I give it two thumbs up!
My review can be found at Barnes and Noble and Borders.
Summary: Patrice had a happy life when she lived in Georgia. She was taken from her home to live with her grandma because her mom was sent to prison. Patrice and her sister are now stuck living with their Auntie Mae. Patrice longs to get away from Chicago where she is teased and frightened by a group of guys who make fun of her wild hair. But, Monty Freeman who is a member of that boys group is different because he is kind towards Patrice. Monty becomes interested in Patrice due to her interest in schoolwork and good grades. While taking care of her cousins one day, Patrice learns of a scholarship for a prestigious African American boarding school in Mississippi. She wants to apply and attempts the challenge of filling out the application and all its parts by herself. Will she get in? You will have to read to find out!
Awards: Coretta Scott King Award
Review: Standing Against the Wind is a great, simple story which is easy to understand. I love how the story is from Patrice's point-of-view. It is perfect for junior high students, especially since they can relate to being picked on whether it has been themselves as the target or picking on someone else. The vocabulary throughout the book is not too challenging, yet the dialogue may be hard to follow if students are not aware of that kind of speaking. Overall, it is a great story. I give it two thumbs up!
My review can be found at Barnes and Noble and Borders.
Craft Lesson 1: “I Can Feel It!” (Description)
Materials:
Book: Standing Against the Wind by Traci L. Jones
Discussion:
When young adults read a story, they automatically get into the characters and the plot of the story. Their attention is grabbed by what the characters are like and what happens in the story. But one thing young adult readers may miss is the variety of descriptive words and phrases the authors use in supporting the story and keeping it alive. With descriptions, the young adult reader has an open window to further understanding the story. They can picture what the character is feeling and what the world around the characters is like.
How to Teach It:
A good story has a lot of description and strong words in order to show and allow the audience to feel what is happening. Description helps the reader to fully understand what a character is going through and experiencing. Strong descriptions of people, objects, and occurrences create a picture which makes a story stand out. Writers make a character and their life realistic by using descriptive words and phrases. Listen to the descriptions and words Traci L. Jones uses in her book Standing Against the Wind:
Ex 1: "The January wind blew directly into Patrice's face. It seemed to reach right through her coat's thin fabric and under her hand-me-down sweatshirt, and pinch her arms with icy, sharp fingers." (Chapter 1, p. 4)
What is Jones talking about when she used the words “icy, sharp fingers” Why did she use those words? Are there really icy, sharp fingers pinching Patrice? What does Jones want you to understand? Jones is comparing the January wind to a bunch of icy, sharp fingers in order to show how cold the wind is upon Patrice’s skin as she walks along the sidewalk. Notice the descriptions Jones uses when she describes Patrice’s clothes. She uses the phrases “thin fabric” and “hand-me-down sweater.” What do think about and picture when you hear “thin fabric?” What about “hand-me-down sweater?” Listen to the descriptions in another example from Standing Against the Wind:
"Patrice glanced from Michael to Monty and felt relief flood through her body." (Chapter 1, p. 19)
What do you feel and think of when you hear the word “flood” in general? What did you think of and picture in your mind when you heard Jones use “flood” in the sentence? What was Patrice feeling? Patrice's emotion of relief is described well. That sentence and the word “flood” allow you to visualize the strong sense of relief she felt.
Bibliography:
Jones, T (2006). Standing Against the Wind. New York, NY: Farrar Straus Giroux.
Book: Standing Against the Wind by Traci L. Jones
Discussion:
When young adults read a story, they automatically get into the characters and the plot of the story. Their attention is grabbed by what the characters are like and what happens in the story. But one thing young adult readers may miss is the variety of descriptive words and phrases the authors use in supporting the story and keeping it alive. With descriptions, the young adult reader has an open window to further understanding the story. They can picture what the character is feeling and what the world around the characters is like.
How to Teach It:
A good story has a lot of description and strong words in order to show and allow the audience to feel what is happening. Description helps the reader to fully understand what a character is going through and experiencing. Strong descriptions of people, objects, and occurrences create a picture which makes a story stand out. Writers make a character and their life realistic by using descriptive words and phrases. Listen to the descriptions and words Traci L. Jones uses in her book Standing Against the Wind:
Ex 1: "The January wind blew directly into Patrice's face. It seemed to reach right through her coat's thin fabric and under her hand-me-down sweatshirt, and pinch her arms with icy, sharp fingers." (Chapter 1, p. 4)
What is Jones talking about when she used the words “icy, sharp fingers” Why did she use those words? Are there really icy, sharp fingers pinching Patrice? What does Jones want you to understand? Jones is comparing the January wind to a bunch of icy, sharp fingers in order to show how cold the wind is upon Patrice’s skin as she walks along the sidewalk. Notice the descriptions Jones uses when she describes Patrice’s clothes. She uses the phrases “thin fabric” and “hand-me-down sweater.” What do think about and picture when you hear “thin fabric?” What about “hand-me-down sweater?” Listen to the descriptions in another example from Standing Against the Wind:
"Patrice glanced from Michael to Monty and felt relief flood through her body." (Chapter 1, p. 19)
What do you feel and think of when you hear the word “flood” in general? What did you think of and picture in your mind when you heard Jones use “flood” in the sentence? What was Patrice feeling? Patrice's emotion of relief is described well. That sentence and the word “flood” allow you to visualize the strong sense of relief she felt.
Bibliography:
Jones, T (2006). Standing Against the Wind. New York, NY: Farrar Straus Giroux.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Standing Against the Wind
Standing Against the Wind is a great, simple story which is easy to understand. I love how the story is from Patrice's point-of-view. It is perfect for junior high students, especially since they can relate to being picked on whether it has been themselves as the target or picking on someone else. The vocabulary throughout the book is not too challenging, yet the dialogue may be hard to follow if students are not aware of that kind of speaking.The descriptions and comparisons of characters between objects and objects between other objects are great. For example, in Chapter 1, Jones compares the January wind to a bunch of icy, sharp fingers: "The January wind blew directly into Patrice's face. It seemed to reach right through her coat's thin fabric and under her hand-me-down sweatshirt, and pinch her arms with icy, sharp fingers." Further in Chapter 1, Monty asks Patrice to come to his apartment because he has a favor to ask of her. Patrice's emotion of relief when asked to help Michael, Monty's brother, with homework is described so well: "Patrice glanced from Michael to Monty and felt relief flood through her body." That sentence allows you to visualize the relief she felt after a few minutes of feeling nervous and sick to her stomach. In Chapter 2 (p.29), Jones mentioned Raven, a girl that goes to Patrice's school. It was neat how she explained that Raven fit her name. Raven became a metaphor when she was given the same characteristics as the Raven bird: "Raven was a big black girl with little eyes and a harsh voice. She always seemed to hover around the edges of a conversation, picking up bits of gossip and spitting out the information to anyone who would listen....ravens were known for eating dead bodies after battles and were sometimes associated with death and disaster. With her nasty habit of spreading gossip, even if it hurt other people, Raven was just like the bird."You can feel the tension and irritation Patrice has with her sister throughout the book. Cherise is one who focuses on herself, leaving everyone else out of the picture. Students could relate to this sibling relationship. Not everyone has a closeness with their brothers or sisters and can feel irritation as Patrice does when their brother or sister enters the room.I thought the conversation between Patrice and her sister in Chapter 7 was a great change to the events of the story. We see a different side to Cherise than what Patrice has described to us. We see more of a sister relationship between the two girls where Patrice feels comfortable talking about more personal things that are going on in her life, such as her friendship with Monty, her brother in juvenile boot camp, and applying for the Dogwood Academy scholarship. It was neat how Cherise encouraged the application to Dogwood thinking that it will be good for Patrice to get out of their aunt's house so that their aunt can take care of things herself and drop her second job.Finally, I love how I can feel the emotions Patrice experiences throughout the book. Her relationship with Monty grows so much from Chapter 1 to Chapter 17 and you can experience each emotion of Patrice with every single event that takes place.
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