Biography/Informational Text

"Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction"

David Macaulay 

Bibliographical Info: Macaulay, D. (1973). Cathedral:The Story of Its Construction. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Genre: Informational Texts: Science, Mathematics, and Technical Studies.
Age Range: Grades 6th-8th

Response: This richly illustrated book shows the intricate step-by-step process of a cathedral's growth. The plan is agreed on; the site is chosen; each craftsman's contribution is presented; his tools and materials are described. The details of the construction are graphically explained from the building of the foundation and the erection of the walls through the details of the flying buttresses, vaulting, and roofing, on to the completion of the towers and the casting of the bells. the grandeur of the cathedral unfolds through the book until finally the reader shares with the townspeople of Chutreaux as sense of wonder at the power of their creation. At first, I really didn't think this book would be very engaging, but the illustrations and the amount of detail that went into each picture amazed me and the text never felt like too much. The author did a fantastic job of putting everything into perspective, especially in regards to the time period. This book reminded me of the time I traveled to Mexico during the summer of my junior year and all the beautiful architecture and land marks that just took my breath away. Reading this brought me back to the feeling of  awe and just utter astonishment when walking into one of the cathedrals located in Mexico City. It just goes to show the amount of hard work, dedication, and sacrifice that goes into making something like this possible.

Critique:  Cathedral begins when people from Chutreaux, an imaginary town in France resolve to build one of the highest, widest and beautiful cathedrals following the the lightening disaster that struck their church guided by the Flemish architect William of Planz (followed by an array of other architects). The author first introduces us to the constructors, their tools and plans. Then gradually, it  follows the step by step construction of the cathedral for a period of 80 years. After reading this book, I kept trying to figure out how such a magnificent structure could be built with such fundamental equipment over 800 years ago. The author is realistic in the sense that he brings out the worries of the constructors, and architects who were afraid that they would be dead before they could complete building the cathedral. The language used is simple for younger children to understand. I would recommend this book because it is a useful resource in the sense that it gives the reader a rough idea of engineering in the middle ages. The glossary at the end of the book helps guide readers in how to read the book and gives diagrams and picture that show how the cathedral was erected from its foundation. By the end of the book, we are able to share in the joy of the town people and their collective efforts to build their house of God. I thought the black and white pictures would take away from the aesthetic appeal of this work however, the detailed textured illustrations bring the story to life and engage the reader. The level of knowledge and care that went into each picture is awe-inspiring, and yet instantly legible. Some examples of themes might be: If people work together, they can do something far greater than they could on their own. Competition for glory is a great motivator. True craftsmen can create extraordinary things. 
   

 

Connections: By the end of this lesson, students will know and be able to identify, and explain in a blog, or on paper, at least four techniques people used in medieval times to build cathedrals.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.3 Analyze the interactions of individuals,, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events of how individuals influence ideas or events).

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.6 Use technology, including the internet, to produce, publish and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology's capacity to link other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.

 

Discussion Questions:

1. What is the setting of the story? Why is this setting important? What ideas were important to the people?
2. Provide at least two reasons-ideas or events- that influenced the people of Chutreaux to build a new Cathedral.
3. What is the difference between a craftsman, an apprentice, and a laborer? Why was it important to have all three on the job?
4. Examine the illustrations on pages 8-10, and identify who uses the square and what the purpose of this tool is.
5. Which  craftsmen were responsible for getting the stone blocks for construction? Explain their roles.
6. Examining the illustration on page 16, what were two ways that large pieces of stone were carried out of the quarry?
7. What is the main theme of this story? use specific and relevant evidence from the text to support your answers.

Resources: 
http://www.bookrags.com/lessonplan/cathedral-the-story/#gsc.tab=0
http://video.pbs.org/video/1619317222/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZpOd2pHiI0
http://www.doe.mass.edu/candi/model/units/ELAg7-AuthorsStyle.pdf

Graphic Novel

"The Arrival"

Shaun Tan

Bibliographical Info: Tan, S. (2006). The Arrival. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books.
Genre: Fantasy
Age Range: 4th-8th grade

Response: Upon first reading The Arrival, I'll admit that I was a bit unsure of what the overall message was that this novel was trying to convey through its pictures. The pictures themselves intrigued me and I had never seen illustrations drawn so beautifully. The tones and colors used throughout seemed to heighten and create the mood and there were multiple times when I would just be amazed at the amount of detail. There was also a quietness, or stillness, while reading and the images are odd enough to invite a high degree of personal interpretation, and still maintain a ring of truth. My second time reading, I really tried to picture myself in the place of the main character and tried to feel the weight of each image as the story progressed. The biggest thing I took away was the concept of immigration and it made me think of the United States and how little we often think about the stories of struggle that often go along with people who left their own home country to come here in the hopes of creating a better life for themselves or their family. As a first generation American, it gave me an even greater appreciation for my grandparents who left their home country of Mexico, abandoning their comfort and way of life, and entering upon a new place with its own customs and language unlike their own.

Critique: 

• Summary: The Arrival is a migrant story told as a series of wordless images that might seem to come from a long forgotten time. A man leaves his wife and child in an impoverished town, seeking better prospects in an unknown country on the other side of a vast ocean. He eventually finds himself in a bewildering city of foreign customs, peculiar animals, curious floating objects and indecipherable languages. With nothing more than a suitcase and a handful of currency, the immigrant must find a place to live, food to eat and some kind of gainful employment. He is helped along the way by sympathetic strangers, each carrying their own unspoken history: stories of struggle and survival in a world of incomprehensible violence, upheaval and hope
• Setting: The setting first takes place in the home of the man who is the main character in the story as he says goodbye to his family in the hopes of finding a better place for all them to live. As he embarks on his journey, the landscape and images become more surreal depicting creatures, plants, and places unlike those that exist in the real world. By doing this the author/illustrator aims to convey the strangeness one often feels when entering upon a new land or being a foreigner in an unfamiliar place. The images also switch to show life back at home and the danger that is being faced there.
• Point of View: The story is told in third-person omniscient as the reader oversees the man on his journey while at the same time gaining insight on the lives and stories of the strangers that come to help him along the way.
• Character: The story is driven by the main character as he leaves his family in search of a safer place in the hopes of sending for them later and him readjusting to a new way of life in a foreign place. The reader lives through  his experiences and sees the world through the  interpretations of what he sees from everything around him. He goes through the biggest character changes and grows overall as he adjusts to the culture shock and encounters people who have encountered similar stories such as his own.
• Theme: The Arrival is an immigrant story, but in a more universal sense it conveys the feeling that we've all had at some point of being lost, frightened or confused in an unfamiliar environment. It reminds us that new beginnings can be scary, and the spirit of patience and hospitality are always a welcome port in a storm. Even in a foreign land, far from home, we are all human, and being a stranger amongst strange surroundings is an essential part of the human experience.

 

Connections: Given the graphic novel, The Arrival by Shaun Tan, students will be able to use this book as an example in creating their own 7-10 page graphic novel with them as the main character in a foreign place. They can either research a country other than their own to use as the setting of their novel or create their own foreign world. Other ideas include:

• Having the students pick a scene and describe/discuss what is happening through their own interpretations.
• Research some of the greatest migration movements to occur in the United States and the reasons that lead those people to make this country their new home.
• Describe a time when they were in a new unfamiliar place and describe what they felt and experienced.

 

Discussion Questions:

1. Why does the main character leave his family and does he accomplish what he sets out to do?
2. What is your favorite illustration and why? Describe what is happening in the scene that is being depicted and the feelings it conveys.
3. What is the overall message or theme you got from reading The Arrival?
4. How does the foreign language and surreal images allow the reader to experience what the main character is feeling?

Resources: 
http://www.shauntan.net/books/the-arrival.html
http://www.webquestdirect.com.au/webquest.asp?id=650&page=4916
http://www.bookslut.com/comicbookslut/2007_11_011946.php
http://freshmanmonroe.blogs.wm.edu/2011/07/14/ooo-pretty-uh-i-mean-the-arrival-by-shaun-tan/ 
http://www.npr.org/2011/09/23/140119806/in-wordless-imagery-an-immigrants-timeless-tale

Pre-1990 YA Novels

"Sweet Valley High: Power Play"

Francine Pascal

Bibliographical Info: Pascal, F. (1983) Power Play. Connecticut: First Grey Castle Edition
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Range: 12+

Response: There are so many things that I both loved and questioned when I was reading this book, but even though it was quite a bit much at times, I can say that oddly enough I thoroughly enjoyed it. It dramatized a typical high school scene where you have an outsider who desperately wants to be apart of the in crowd but in turn has to give up who she is, that is, until she has a moment of realization. Like Robin Wilson I know what it's like to want to be apart of the in crowd, but I couldn't help but feel exasperated over how desperately she wanted to be apart of the sorority Pi Beta Alpha. She was relentless and there were moments while reading that I just wanted her to realize that it wasn't worth doing all those crazy and embarrassing things and that she didn't need Pi Beta Alpha in order to feel good about herself. An issue that was brought up that really struck a nerve while reading was the constant mentions to Robin's weight. It hit close to home and the snide and cruel remarks were really offensive, and though I was happily applauding when Robin made a grand comeback, I felt that the fact that it was all based on her loosing weight sent the wrong message to young girls. Along with this, I felt that some of the background stories that were happening at the same time as the real story was irrelevant and had me questioning if they were really necessary. If anything it only seemed to add unneeded stress to one of the main characters which was Elizabeth Wakefield. What really sold me on this story was Robin and how she got revenge on Pi Beta Alpha, the stuck up Bruce Patman, and Elizabeth's snooty twin sister Jessica Wakefield. It's the classic underdog story that one can't help but root for and read over and over again.

Critique: 

• Setting: This whole series of books are set at Sweet Valley High where the popular run the school and money and looks are everything. Being a jock or a member of the sorority Pi Beta Alpha is prestige and being in the 'in' crowd is a constant power struggle.
• Point of View: Power Play seems to be told in third-person omniscient and  the plot constantly switches from Robin Wilson to Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield to Lila Fowler. In a way it adds depth to story because the reader gets different perspectives and subplots happening at the same time which ultimately leads to a better understanding and development of the main characters 
• Character: Jessica and Elizabeth are the perfect images of what every girl (and guy) would dream of, long blonde hair, blue green eyes, beautiful, and slim. The only thing is that they are complete polar opposites. Jessica is selfish, cruel, power hungry, and the queen bee one loves to hate and usually the one causing all the problems where as her twin Elizabeth is caring, compassionate, and a genuine person when it comes to taking care of her sister and others. They are foil characters of each other and though they are both completely different, they balance each other and the story out.  Robin Wilson is the so-called "best friend" of Jessica who desperately wants to be a part of Pi Beta Alpha and the main focus of the story as she goes through the greatest change in character.
• Theme: Classic underdog story but ultimately teaches that being apart of the popular crowd isn't everything and becoming the best version of yourself  is ultimately what matters most in the end. Don't loose who you are as a person in trying to become someone, because at the end of the day, you are who you are.

Connections: After having read Power Play ,by Francine Pascal, the students will be able to create a diagram comparing and contrasting the Wakefield twins from one another drawing from context clues read in the story. Other ideas include having students do a character analysis of one of the characters in the story or write about certain themes or issues that were brought up while reading. They could even be asked to draw connections to popular movies or books they have seen or read before such as Mean Girls or even Cinderella. How has this classic underdog story been told time and time again and what usually happens to the main character?

Discussion Questions:

1. Why does Robin Wilson so desperately want to become apart of Pi Beta Alpha?
2. How does Elizabeth agree to help?
3. How are Elizabeth and Jessica different from one another?
4. Who do you think blackballed Robin and why? What evidence can you gather from the reading to prove your point?
5. Who are some of the side characters mentioned in the story and what roles do they play?
6. How does Robin get her revenge and do you agree or disagree with what she did?
7. What is the theme of the story? What are your thoughts of other issues that are brought up?

Resources: 
http://www.series-books.com/svh/sweetvalley1-10.html
http://redlemonade.blogspot.com/2012/04/sweet-valley-high-revisited-power-play.html 
http://shannonsweetvalley.com/2009/02/16/sweet-valley-high-4-power-play/
http://www.amazon.com/Power-Play-Hardy-Boys-Casefiles/dp/0833571923

Challenged Book

"A Wrinkle In Time"

Madeleine L'Engle

 

Bibliographical Info: L'Engle, M. (1963). A Wrinkle In Time. New York City: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Grade Level: 6th to 8th grade

Response/ Critique: A Wrinkle in Time is the story of Meg Murry, a high-school-aged girl who is transported on an adventure through time and space with her younger brother Charles Wallace and her friend Calvin O'Keefe to rescue her father, a gifted scientist, from the evil forces that hold him prisoner on another planet. At the beginning of the book, Meg is a homely, awkward, but loving girl, troubled by personal insecurities and her concern for her father, who has been missing for over a year. The plot begins with the arrival of Mrs. Whatsit at the Murry house on a dark and stormy evening. Although she looks like an eccentric tramp, she is actually a celestial creature with the ability to read Meg's thoughts. She startles Meg's mother by reassuring her of the existence of a tesseract--a sort of "wrinkle" in space and time. It is through this wrinkle that Meg and her companions will travel through the fifth dimension in search of Mr. Murry.

Overall, I thought it was an okay book with powerful themes, but I couldn't help feeling lost while reading this story. The main characters were relatable when it came to their inner struggles,  but I kept getting Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which mixed up and I could not wrap my head around a fifth dimensional world. It did not go into great detail about the "Black Thing" and why it is threatening the universe and where it originated from. I felt like the story jumped around a lot and often times the other worlds they found themselves in were hard to picture along with the creatures they encountered among their travels. In truth, I would be hesitant to implement this book in a classroom setting because even when I got the opinions of others who had read this book, they too shared the same feelings I had and it isn't one a could see children or young adults understanding.

• Setting: The story first takes place at the Murray household but as the plot unfolds, the main characters find themselves in different universes as they "wrinkle" through time and space. Among those worlds are Camazotz, where all objects and places appear exactly alike because the whole planet must conform to the terrifying rhythmic pulsation of IT, a giant disembodied brain, and a gray planet called Ixchel inhabited by tall, furry beasts who care for the travelers.
• Point of View: Told in third-person omniscient and the narrator oversees the story and what the characters feel and do as the story unfolds.
• Characters:
• • Meg Murry -  The book's heroine and protagonist, a homely, awkward, but loving high school student who is sent on an adventure through time and space with her brother and her friend Calvin to rescue her father from the evil force that is attempting to take over the universe. Meg's greatest faults are her anger, impatience, and lack of self-confidence, but she channels and overcomes them, ultimately emerging victorious.
  • Charles Wallace Murry  -  Meg's extraordinarily intelligent five-year-old younger brother who is capable of reading minds and understanding other creatures in a way that none of the other Murry children can.
  • Calvin O'Keefe -  A popular boy and talented athlete in Meg's high school who accompanies the Murry children on their adventure. Calvin comes from a large family that does not really care about him, but he nonetheless demonstrates a strong capacity for love and affection, and shows a burgeoning romantic interest in Meg.
  • IT -  The disembodied brain that controls all the inhabitants of Camazotz with its revolting, pulsing rhythm. IT, identified with the Black Thing, is the embodiment of evil on this planet.
  • The Black Thing  -  A cold and dark shadow that symbolizes the evil forces that Meg, Calvin, and Charles Wallace must fight against in order to rescue their father.
  • Mrs. Whatsit -  The youngest of the three celestial beings who accompany the children on their adventure. Meg initially comes to know Mrs. Whatsit as the tramp who stole bed-sheets from their neighbors and then sought shelter from a storm in the Murrys' warm kitchen. She later learns that Mrs. Whatsit gave up her existence as a star in order to fight the Dark Thing.
  • Mrs. Which -  The oldest of the three celestial beings who accompany the children on their adventure. Mrs. Which has difficulty materializing and is usually just a shimmering gleam. Her unconventional speech is usually rendered in capitalized words, with the first consonants repeated several times.
  • Mrs. Who -  The second of the three celestial beings who accompany the children on their adventure. She usually speaks in quotations from famous thinkers and writers because she finds it too difficult to craft her own sentences. When the children first meet Mrs. Who, she is sewing sheets in the haunted house in their neighborhood.
  • Mr. Murry  -  Meg's father and a physicist who works for a top-secret government agency on experiments with travel through space-time in the fifth dimension. In trying to tesser to Mars (i.e., travel through a tesseract, or wrinkle in time), he is captured and imprisoned on the dark planet of Camazotz. When the plot begins, no one on Earth has heard from him for over a year
• Theme: Good conquers evil, light versus darkness, and the power of love. This book also celebrates human creativity and individuality. "You mean you're comparing our lives to a sonnet? A strict form but freedom within it?" "Yes," Mrs. Whatsit said, "You're given the from, but you have to write the sonnet yourself. What you say is completely up to you." We are free to write our own story in life, though the constraints are the same, the messages are different.
• Style: While the genre is science-fiction with a mix of fantasy, L'Engle included a lot of references such as the Bible, The Tempest, and quotes that acted as words of wisdom to the main characters, varying in different languages and dialects. While the story is easy enough to read, a background knowledge of science discoveries/theories is necessary in order to understand some concepts that are presented.

Connections: This book coincides with many of Madeleine L' Engle's common themes in her writing, such as her struggle with Christian theology and her fervent belief in the values of family, love, and moral responsibility.
 After reading A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle and watching a movie adaptation of the book, students will be able to pick a scene from the book to draw or compose in a creative fashion and present to the class drawing from their own imagination/interpretation of the book or based on the way the movie portrayed it. Other ideas include having a contest to see who can create the best Newspaper Headline for the disappearance  of Mr. Murray or telling the students to pretend they are going on a journey through time and space. Their task would be to write a short paper describing the items they will take with them and why.

Discussion Questions:

1. In what way is A Wrinkle in Time informed by Madeleine L'Engle's personal theological and scientific ideas?
2. How are Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which distinguished from one another?
3. Why does L'Engle represent IT as a large disembodied brain? What is the symbolism of this?
4. Describe what makes Charles Wallace so extraordinary. How do these traits both hurt and help him on Camazotz?
5. What are the various non-linguistic ways in which the creatures in this book communicate with one another? Do you think that L'Engle believes that words are ultimately inadequate as a method of communication?

 Resources:
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/wrinkle/quiz.html
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/wrinkle-time-extension-activities
http://books.google.com/books?id=JDsr2Oxn-3YC&pg=PA39&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false

Batchelder (Translation)

"A Book of Coupons"

Susie Morgenstern

 

Bibliographical Info: Morgenstern, S.(2001). A Book of Coupons. New York: Penguin Putnam Books
Grade Level: 4 and up Genre: Realistic Fiction
First published in France in 1999 by l'ecole des loisirs, under the title Joker. Translation by gill Rosner. Illustrated by Serge Bloch.

Response: I absolutely loved this book!!! Before having it my hands, and only knowing the title, I had no idea what to expect and was wondering why one would go through the trouble of translating a book if it was only about coupons. This got me thinking of what qualifies a book to get translated and published in another country. With this in mind, my whole view as to why someone would translate this book shifted once I got a look at the cover, and especially after reading the book. The coupons are no ordinary coupons and offer passes for things such as, sleeping late, skipping a day of school, being late to school, losing your homework, forgetting your books, not listening in class, sleeping in class, copying from your neighbor, not going when called to the blackboard, getting out of trouble, eating in class, making a lot of noise, singing at the top of your lungs wherever you like, dancing in class, taking a break from class, clowning around, telling a lie, giving the teacher a kiss on the cheek, hugging whomever you like, taking your own sweet time, never-ending recess, forgetting the books for your assignment, for a longer vacation, and a wild card. As a person who has gone through the education system, I can't tell you how much I wish I had these coupons when I was going to school.

It was Monsieur Noel and his approach to life that sold me completely on this book and his imparting lessons are something I will carry with me the rest of my life. On the first day he talks about the reason he became a teacher, because he loves giving presents, and that every single day he is going to give them to his students. "I"m giving you the whole year of lessons for free. I'm giving away books. I'm giving away penmanship and spelling. I'm giving away math and science. I'm giving away everything life has taught me." This character made me reevaluate everything from something as simple as a dictionary, to my own life, and all these "coupons" we often take for granted. I have an even greater appreciation for all things I am blessed with in my life, my family, friends, and education, and especially all my teachers who have gifted me tremendously over the years. "Even if this book does not legally belong to you, it is yours from the moment that you read it. My gift to you is the story, the characters, the words, the ideas, the style, the emotions. Once you have read the book, all these things will be yours for life." Ultimately, this book reminds us of what is important in our lives and my only hope is that I will use up all coupons life has graciously given me.

Critique: 

• Setting: Elementary school in France, specifically Monsieur Noel's 5th grade classroom
• Point of View: A third-person omniscient narrator who overlooks the story.
• Character: Monsieur Hubert Noel a fat,wrinkly, old, kind-hearted man who's teaching can be unconventional at times, but always meant with the best intentions. His classroom of students act as supporting characters who at first are disappointed when they walk in the first day of school, but by the end learn to love him and his lessons that leave a lasting impression on all of them. Incarnation Perez is the stern principal who acts as the antagonist in the story who disapproves of Monsieur Noel's teaching and ultimately leads to his retirement.
• Theme: Life is like a coupon book, you should use them all while you have the chance.
• Style: The style of this book is very care-free and humorous. The author writes with simple sentences and although it is a quick read, it manages to have such a great and insightful message.

Connections: After having read, A Book of Coupons by Susie Morgenstern, students will be able to create their own book full of 20 meaningful coupons to present to the class.

Discussion Questions:

1. How did the students view of Monsieur Noel change from the first day of school to the last day of school?
2. Was Monsieur Noel a good teacher? Why or why not? 
3. What is the greatest lesson that Monsieur Noel teaches his students through the book of coupons?
4. If you were given this book of coupons what would your reaction be? Which ones would you use first? Make up 5 new coupons that you would add.
5. Recall a time when someone you cared about taught you something important. Please describe in detail what they said and how you have carried their advice with you up until your life now.

Multicultural/ Global Literature Book

"Pink and Say"

Patricia Polacco

 

Bibliographical Info: Polacco,P. (1994) Pink and Say. New York: Philomel Books

Response: This story really touched my heart and the fact that it has such a personal connection to the author makes it even more special. This story really moves you and the reader can not help but fall in love with the characters and the friendship they develop. This book also reminded me of a childhood friend I used to have back in the day named Mickey. She lived on my block and as a kid we would roller blade around the neighborhood or she would come over my house to play. Though she was African- American and I was Mexican-American,  our race never really hindered our friendship and at such a young age we had no idea of such concepts. She ended up having to move, and to this day I often wonder what ever became of her. It saddens me that despite all the progress that has been made, racism is still prominent today and that some people are not willing to look past their discrimination.

Critique: 

• Setting: The opening scenes begins with Pinkus Aylee (Pink) findign Sheldon (Say) in a Georgia battlefield close to death. It later switches to the Aylee household in the outskirts of their old master's house.
• Point of View: At first the story is told in the perspective of the narrator (Polacco) and switches back to her in the end. The rest of story is told by Sheldon Russel Curtis (Say) at fifteen years of age and his experience during the Civil War.
• Character: Say is revealed in the opening scene slipping in and out of consciousness until Pink comes along and comes to his aide. Moe Moe Bay is the mother of Pink and with a gentle and caring heart nurses Say back to health. All the characters grow to love one another and become a family. The character who goes under the greatest growth and change is Say who at first feels like a coward for running away from his unit and doesn't feel he is nearly as brave as Pink because he fears death. It isn't until Moe Moe Bay is killed by Marauders that his "steps were as sure as they had ever been since the war started."
• Theme: Paying tribute to an unheard of hero and the power of friendship and love.
• Style: The author pays particular attention to language in regards to Pink and Moe Moe Bay. She creates a southern accent and colloquial terms such as 'gotta,' 'mornin,'  and 'gittin' that would be used during that time period.

Connections: There are very few children's books about the Civil War and Pink and Say  tells the story of the unsung hero who is rarely talked about. Often when learning about wars in history class, all those people who sacrificed their lives become a number and we often forget that they were somebody's son/daughter, husband/wife, or brother/sister. Though this story isn't a perfect picture of happiness and has a dark ending, it adequately depicts the negative effects of war. This reading also provided insight into Polacco's family history as she is the great-great-grandaughter of Sheldon Russel Curtis (Say) who owes his life to Pinkus Aylee (Pink) and keeps his memory and honor alive by telling his story.

Discussion Questions:

1. What really happened to Say that made his leg burn and prevented him from walking?
2. Why was finding his unit and fighting for the war so important to Pink? 
3. What is Pink so afraid of?
4. Is Pink a hero? Why or why not? 
5. How does Patricia Polacco tie into the story and what does she ask the reader to do at the end of the story?

Caldecott

"Owl Moon"

Jane Yolen

Illustrated by John Schoenherr 

 

Bibliographical Info: Yolen, J. (1987). Owl Moon. Illus. by John Schoenherr. New York: Philomel Books. Contemporary Realistic Fiction

Response: Overall, I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and that it is one that I could picture reading to my future children all snuggled up on a winter day. The way in which it is written allows the reader to feel as if they are right there experiencing this intimate moment with the girl and her father as they go owling. The ambiance that the pictures in this book creates is just so welcoming as it invites you to leave the real world behind and just partake in this moment that it has to offer. It is so beautifully written and illustrated that the story just comes to life.  My favorite part of the entire book would probably be the ending when the narrator says, "When you go owling you don't need words or warm or anything but hope. That's what Pa say. The kind of hope that flies on silent wings under a shining Owl Moon." It teaches that life is about the little things and the moments you share with the ones you love.

Critique: 

• Setting: A late winter night with the full moon bright above and the white of snow covering the woods all around. A  sense of stillness seems to encompass the whole story.
• Point of View: A young girl who's name is not mentioned tells of her experience going owling with her father.
• Character: The characters revealed are the young girl and her father as they go owling one night. Right away one can sense the love they have for one another as the girl listens to everything her father tells her and the lessons the father is teaching her through this experience.
• Theme:  Love between a father and daughter, Hope, and to appreciate all the moments with loved ones that the world has to offer.
• Style: The story is almost poetic in a way and the author chooses descriptive words that are pleasing to the ears. Every picture and word written go along with making the story so real and believable.

Connections: At first, I never really paid attention to what books got awards. As a child I just remember thinking to myself this one has a funny sticker on it, but now as an adult aware of what these awards mean it gives me an even greater appreciation for literature. I never knew what a Caldecott was, but after reading this book I can definitely see the magic behind a book beautifully written and the pictures that add even more depth to the story it tells.

Discussion Questions:  

1. Why do you think the father asks his daughter to be quiet?
2. Can you remember some times when you had to be quiet? Give some examples.
3. Why do you think the father took his daughter owling?
4. What is the biggest lesson the narrator learns from owling with her father?

Touchstone

"The Giver"

Lois Lowry

 

 

Bibliographical Info: Lowry, L. (1993) The Giver. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Science Fiction. 12 years-16years

Response: Among the long list of books I am anxiously awaiting to buy and read, "The Giver" was among the few I was finally able to purchase and had anticipated reading all summer. The dystopian setting appealed to me along with the fact that it has been integrated in classrooms all around the world. Surely a book with this much fame would live up to the hype and as wished, it did. After having reading "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins and "Divergent" by Veronica Roth, which had strong female main characters, "The Giver" provided a different outlook of a dystopian world with Jonas as the introspective and often quiet male lead. When Jonas was selected to be The Receiver I wondered what it would be like to have our roles assigned to us and whether I would have the intelligence, integrity, courage, wisdom, and the capacity to see beyond to be given/burdened with that amount of responsibility. To be the only one to know the warmth of sunshine, the sting of coldness, what colors are,  and the depths of despair & suffering would overwhelm me. Would I be able to continue on if I knew that those around me would never know what loves is and that they would be incapable of feeling it? Would I had done what Jonas did? 

It was very easy to get lost in the story and often I drew similarities between what Jonas was encountering to my own life. I know that in high school and even now in college I am still having a hard time figuring out what I want my place to be in this world. Having others choose for me based on what they see in me sounds like a good idea if it meant I was being placed in my rightful occupation, but would I be willing to give up my freedom to choose my own path in life, granted it might not be the right one? Was I already allowing that to happen to me now? Am I in total control of my life right now and deciding for myself what I want for my future or am I letting the fear and pressure to meet everyone's expectations get to me? 

"Jonas did not want to go back. He didn't want the memories, didn't want the honor, didn't want the wisdom, didn't want the pain. He wanted his childhood again, his scraped knees and ball games." This quote stuck out to me the most because it reminds me that we are going to have to face growing up and choosing our path in life. That path may not be easy and may be faced with trials ahead, but we must remember to persevere even when we feel like giving up, just as Jonas does until the very end. Like the future ahead of us that is faced with uncertainty and anxious anticipation of what may happen next, much like the ambiguous ending of this book, we must remember that what happens next is solely based on us to determine.

Critique: 

• Setting: Dystopian community that experience "Sameness" in which everyone follows a routine schedule, there are no true understandings of feelings, and devoid of color. The only time that viewpoint changes in the Annex where Jonas has his instructional training with the Giver and when he decides to run away.
• Point of View: Thought the story is told by a 12 year old boy named Jonas, his view of the world around him is influenced by the memories the Giver chooses to share with him from the past that have been passed down for generations.
• Character: Though considered a great honor to be given the role of the Receiver, Jonas goes through a change by breaking through the chains that hold him back and deciding his own future. He allows his emotions to become the focus in his life, specifically love as he saves Gabriel's life by taking him with him to Elsewhere.
• Theme: The importance of learning from the past as Jonas learned through the memories that were shared to keep him and Gabriel alive. Choosing one's own fate as he decides to change the course of nature. Love and sacrifice as he leaves behind the world he knows with all the people he has learned to love but at the same time saving Gabriel from Release.
• The author shows great command for language and her diction ties in with the communities value of "precision of language." Every occupation, place, or feeling in the book is named so perfectly that Lois Lowry should be given the title of the Name Giver.

Connections: Given the book "The Giver" by Lois Lowry, students will be able to discuss the importance that memories and feelings such as love and suffering play into making a person who they are by writing an essay describing how Jonas' character develops/changes from the beginning of the story to the very end.

Discussion Questions: 

1. What do you believe became of Jonas and Gabriel once they encountered Elsewhere? What of the Receiver and the Community once they were exposed to the memories?
2. What memory would you use to express the true meaning of love to someone for the first time? What about sadness?
3. Would you entrust a group of professionals to analyze you and then pick your future occupation for the rest of your life? 
4. Is ignorance truly bliss? Why or why not?