Being a person who uses technology on a regular basis with plenty of ease, it was very humbling to be on the creator end vs the user end of many of the tools that we dove into during this course. More sobering yet is the idea that students can be guided to learn how to be creators as well. All students should be given the opportunity to see the full potential of the tools they may take for granted.
All the tech tools we worked with in this course were important for different reasons. As a foreign language teacher the one that I believe had the greatest impact was podcasting. It's a tool for listening, speaking, differentiating, flipping a lesson, sharing with students and for students to share with me. Most of my students would be surprised to hear me narrate a story for them instead of some unknown person! It would definitely feel more personalized.
The ones I found most difficult to use were the comic strips. It felt like all of them, to some degree, were somewhat restrictive in what you could create due to limited amount of images and space in each box. Students would likely love to work with them and experiment with pictures and color, but I felt it took too much time to get them where I needed them.
All the tools we used in class had merit. I dare say they all are beneficial when used appropriately and match a desired learning outcome. Sometimes students will have to present orally so a podcast might work for them to produce a recording. When their work involves pictures and oral components, a YouTube video might be a better tool. Social media on the other hand will always be attractive to students, easy to use and fast to upload and share. In the end, any tool the students can successfully produce with is a great one.
Taking this class made me a little more bold and less fearful at the thought of handing over the reigns to students, which is where they belong. I am excited at the idea of one day being the librarian who makes teachers feel excited about technology tools, just as I felt during this past semester.
Saturday, December 2, 2017
Friday, November 24, 2017
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
PODCASTS
AUDIOBOOM
This service allows you to sign up but in order to use it, you must pay for the service. I tried exploring the site but there was nowhere one could simply upload a file. This service seems more targeted to businesses or individuals who want to give a promote their podcasts and to people or businesses who want to advertise on the podcast.
SOUNDCLOUD
Upon investigating, I found that Soundcloud is very popular with people who want to upload their own original music. This is what the service has been known for, but you can definitely upload a podcast as well. My feeling regarding this service is that you might end up hosting a blog about education where it might get lost among unrelated podcasts or channels. It's not difficult to use but it would not be my first choice.
PODOMATIC
This service was very comprehensive and easy to navigate through. It was customizable with images and selection of quality level for the uploaded audio. This is one that I would recommend due to ease of use.
BUZZSPROUT
I decided to record or upload my podcast to this service due to incredible ease of use. As a teacher, I value the little time that is left at the end of a day full of responsibilities, but doing a podcast can actually be an extremely fun and meaningful way to help students learn. Most days we search for tools that help us maximize our time and resources and Buzzsprout took me less than one minute to get my information out. The most challenging aspect of creating a blog was making mistakes as I was narrating. I knew what I wanted to record, but mispronouncing a word or stammering was frustrating. Recording the blog was more difficult than uploading it, but with time I believe we get better at narrating without making mistakes. I like blogs as a way to give a lesson, practice foreign languages, and in the case of visually impaired or dyslexic students (like several of mine), it's a valuable way to differentiate and make it easier for them to get instruction. As great as the technology can be, however, we have to keep in mind the students' ability to access tech devices to listen to podcasts. Podcasts alone cannot help a student learn. We must be sure to have many safety nets in place for the successful use of these tools.
Saturday, November 11, 2017
CARTOONS and COMICS
PIXTON
Pixton was not very easy to use in my opinion. It did not feel intuitive and there was very little customization that could be done to the comics. Moving the speech bubbles and characters was not easily accomplished because trying to select what you needed to move didn't always work. I ended up moving components of the background instead and that was very frustrating.
Saving was not difficult, and I did like that Pixton provides the ability to embed your comic on a website; you could even email it. Saving an image however was not possible unless you upgraded to the paid version for $8.99 per month.
Students could use this if they were in middle school or high school, but I don't believe that it would be the most fun experience they could have with making comics.
MAKE BELIEFS COMIX
I liked working with this better than Pixton but was still not impressed much. The images that are provided are nice and detailed but very limited. The range of emotions that you can assign a character make it difficult to take too many creative liberties with the comic. I have worked with it before (more than five years ago) and it has not changed much. It has good potential if more variety was incorporated.
Saving was not an option on the site since Make Beliefs Comix does not store them, but on the plus side, you can save the image and email it just like on Pixton.
Students would likely enjoy the greater ease of use of this comic maker versus Pixton, but I can predict that they would complain about the lack of customization. They would also ask "How can I do it then?"
TOONDOO
Of the three comic making tools I worked with, I liked ToonDoo the best. It had the greatest variety of images to select from. Inserting them was as easy as dragging into the panel, and there were many options for props, including flags of the world. Adjusting the images was also simple, with a tool bar below the strip. You are also able to add your own saved pictures.
The site saves your comics, and you can set them to private or share exclusively with other people through e-mail. There was not an option to save an image but that was easily accomplished by right right-clicking over it and saving it.
The students would likely appreciate the variety of options on ToonDoo and I am confident enough to say that older elementary school students could work with this tool due to greater ease of use.
CONCLUSION
As a librarian I would inform and help the teachers learn how to use a variety of comic making tools. Their students could illustrate their short stories, ESL and foreign language students practice the target language by creating short dialogues, students in theater classes could bring to life lines from a play, or they could create short "about me" biographies for the beginning of the school year. They are creative ways engage students in their content area without the push-back from students who sometimes feel self conscious about their artistic skills.
Pixton was not very easy to use in my opinion. It did not feel intuitive and there was very little customization that could be done to the comics. Moving the speech bubbles and characters was not easily accomplished because trying to select what you needed to move didn't always work. I ended up moving components of the background instead and that was very frustrating.
Saving was not difficult, and I did like that Pixton provides the ability to embed your comic on a website; you could even email it. Saving an image however was not possible unless you upgraded to the paid version for $8.99 per month.
Students could use this if they were in middle school or high school, but I don't believe that it would be the most fun experience they could have with making comics.
MAKE BELIEFS COMIX
Saving was not an option on the site since Make Beliefs Comix does not store them, but on the plus side, you can save the image and email it just like on Pixton.
Students would likely enjoy the greater ease of use of this comic maker versus Pixton, but I can predict that they would complain about the lack of customization. They would also ask "How can I do it then?"
TOONDOO
Of the three comic making tools I worked with, I liked ToonDoo the best. It had the greatest variety of images to select from. Inserting them was as easy as dragging into the panel, and there were many options for props, including flags of the world. Adjusting the images was also simple, with a tool bar below the strip. You are also able to add your own saved pictures.
The site saves your comics, and you can set them to private or share exclusively with other people through e-mail. There was not an option to save an image but that was easily accomplished by right right-clicking over it and saving it.
The students would likely appreciate the variety of options on ToonDoo and I am confident enough to say that older elementary school students could work with this tool due to greater ease of use.
CONCLUSION
As a librarian I would inform and help the teachers learn how to use a variety of comic making tools. Their students could illustrate their short stories, ESL and foreign language students practice the target language by creating short dialogues, students in theater classes could bring to life lines from a play, or they could create short "about me" biographies for the beginning of the school year. They are creative ways engage students in their content area without the push-back from students who sometimes feel self conscious about their artistic skills.
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
YOUTUBE, ANIMOTO, and QR CODES
NHS Library
Most helpful: Using the library website
Students want to watch: Tiger visits the library
The Unquiet Library
Most helpful: Using Creative Commons
Students want to watch: New Book Arrivals
Pikesville HS Library
Most helpful: Financial Aid Night
Students want to watch: Senior Party in the Library
BBMS
Most helpful: Refresher on policies and procedures for media center
Students want to watch: Student interviews about Thanksgiving
YouTube Videos to Promote the Library
I would use YouTube videos as a means to tell the entire campus what events are taking place in the library. Student volunteers could help record and be the on-air talent. It could be a way to hold small trivia contests during the morning announcements, to announce new additions to our collections, and to remind students to bring back their overdue library books.Book Trailer
Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero
Gabi Hernandez chronicles her last year in high school in her diary: college applications, Cindy's pregnancy, Sebastian's coming out, the cute boys, her father's meth habit, and the food she craves. And best of all, the poetry that helps forge her identity.
July 24
My mother named me Gabriella, after my grandmother who, coincidentally, didn't want to meet me when I was born because my mother was unmarried, and therefore living in sin. My mom has told me the story many, many, MANY, times of how, when she confessed to my grandmother that she was pregnant with me, her mother beat her. BEAT HER! She was twenty-five. That story is the basis of my sexual education and has reiterated why it's important to wait until you're married to give it up. So now, every time I go out with a guy, my mom says, "Ojos abiertos, piernas cerradas." Eyes open, legs closed. That's as far as the birds and the bees talk has gone. And I don't mind it. I don't necessarily agree with that whole wait until you're married crap, though. I mean, this is America and the 21st century; not Mexico one hundred years ago. But, of course, I can't tell my mom that because she will think I'm bad. Or worse: trying to be White.
Book Trailer
The book trailer was not difficult to put together. Sometimes the images did not upload and there was no reason for them not to, but once the photos were up there it was a quick process to add text and music.
QR codes can be fun and interactive ways to promote new material, to create scavenger hunts, present assignments and to scan for book trailers.
Saturday, October 28, 2017
How To Use Screencasts, Instagram and Flipagram
🔺🔺🔺MY INSTAGRAM FEED HERE🔺🔺🔺
Created with Screencast-o-matic
Created with Adobe Spark
Instagram and Flipagram
Both Instagram and Flipagram were very hands on and fun ways to showcase student work. For activities in a Spanish classroom, like mine, where students have the opportunity to work on realia, there is hardly a better way to share their creations with them and their parents. As the curator of those feeds, taking a picture or short video does not feel like an involved process, so I am more likely to take a quick moment to share out at the drop of a hat.
Both Instagram and Flipagram can also be used by the students to submit work, share things they find interesting pertaining to the class, or to play a cultural and linguistic scavenger hunt around the city, taking and sharing pictures of Spanish words they encounter every day in their lives.
These two tools cannot be used without some element of risk for misuse. When working with middle school students this a risk educators must sometimes take , but if expectations are set for their proper use, and consequences given for their misuse, the learning benefits will outweigh the risk.
Screencasts
Screencast-o-Matic
Using Screencast-o-Matic was extremely intuitive and simple. The steps were clear and the on-screen buttons were easily accessible. Downloading and saving the screen-cast video was as simple as saving a Word document. Retrieving it was also uncomplicated. Using screen-casts in any class can be a powerful tool. It helps to archive lessons, to record them for flipped lessons, to give extra help to students with certain learning disabilities, to provide instruction for students who are absent, and the list goes on.
Being able to go about using a website in real time and simply recording as we go made it appealing to me. There was no need to set up anything, making it a tools that I would definitely consider using in my Spanish class.
Adobe Spark
Adobe spark was both easy and not easy to use. It was great to be able to record and erase audio recordings with a simple click of a button. I could pace myself better and if I made a mistake when narrating I could easily delete the audio and start again. Once I had all my images saved and added, the recording process was a breeze.
The process of having to screenshot the iPad on which I was working was not as simple. Sometimes I had to consider that I would have to give very explicit explanations of what I wanted the students to do, and I had to go back to the website, in this case Quizlet, and take a screenshot again, making sure I could see the buttons that I would instruct students to click on.
For different purposes both Screencast-o-Matic and Adobe Spark would be great tools in a foreign language class like mine. As a librarian this is something I would be very excited about, to share with both teachers and students.
Jing
The last tool, Jing, was not a tool that I was able to use. On my computer running Windows 10, downloading the programming was not successful. I did go online to find how it was used, but the tutorials alone told me that getting familiar with the program would be challenging. Perhaps with enough time to try and learn it would be a worthy tool, but at this moment, the technology was not as user friendly as both Adobe Spark and Screencast-o-Matic.
Of all the screencasting tools I used or tried to use, Screencast-o-Matic is the one I like best and that I would use in the future in the class and as a librarian.
Saturday, October 21, 2017
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Libraries Using Facebook Pages
In the age of digital tech Facebook may seem/feel outdated, but in reality the platform is still the best way for libraries to promote themselves. Community outreach is the goal and posting on Facebook can help libraries and librarians achieve it.
Browsing social media to see what public and school libraries around the country are doing on Facebook, I did not find anything that stood out as particularly innovative but that may simply be the nature of the platform.
Browsing social media to see what public and school libraries around the country are doing on Facebook, I did not find anything that stood out as particularly innovative but that may simply be the nature of the platform.
Several Facebook pages had posts about upcoming community and library events; some school libraries posted notices about bringing in overdue books as well as early closing days. Other libraries shared pictures of recent events, patrons and items created by patrons at their events. They were entertaining and could encourage people to join in future events.
While there was little audience engagement in the form of few likes, it does not mean that the posts did not reach intended audiences.
Having a Facebook page is advantageous because the platform is easy to navigate for most people. It also allows you to browse previous posts by simply scrolling down. A person can read the majority of the post if it's not too long, without having to click on a link, and the accompanying picture is visible from the feed as well.
I would have to say that one major drawback to Facebook is that its does not appeal to most young people. Instagram and Twitter are more widely used by younger patrons, and so the library is not getting as much exposure as it may want.
This is the Facebook Page I have created for my own library
https://www.facebook.com/La-
While there was little audience engagement in the form of few likes, it does not mean that the posts did not reach intended audiences.
Having a Facebook page is advantageous because the platform is easy to navigate for most people. It also allows you to browse previous posts by simply scrolling down. A person can read the majority of the post if it's not too long, without having to click on a link, and the accompanying picture is visible from the feed as well.
I would have to say that one major drawback to Facebook is that its does not appeal to most young people. Instagram and Twitter are more widely used by younger patrons, and so the library is not getting as much exposure as it may want.
This is the Facebook Page I have created for my own library
https://www.facebook.com/La-
Saturday, August 26, 2017
Blogs and Blog Reader
I admit that I am not blog reader. I do find myself reading some every so often, especially when I must read them for a class. I had to research what a blog reader was, and I came across a site that listed some of the best ones. I chose to use Feedly to follow several blogs because it's a good one for customizing my blog feed, but there are others for those who are more serious bloggers. As time goes on and I get more adept to checking the blogs, I may decide to use another blog reader.
I am currently following more than five blogs, but these are the ones I will discuss today:
http://blogs.loc.gov/loc - The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world and provides access to their resources in person and online. They curate articles on matters libraries, society and history amongst other. I chose to follow them because I want access to their vast resources.
http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/ - YALSA support libraries and their staff in an effort to empower teen learners through education. I have been teaching teens for seven years and believe that they are not simply overgrown kids; they need to have resources tailored specifically to the way they learn and develop. I chose to follow YALSA to continue learning how to best serve my teen students.
http://letterstoayounglibrarian.blogspot.com/ - This blog belongs to an experienced librarian who gives advice on the trade to novice librarians. I follow this blog because I get input about the realities of the being a librarian, beyond what we learn in our courses.
http://themwordblog.blogspot.com/ - This blog posts information about marketing news and trends for libraries, it also offers other content related to media literacy. I chose to follow it because I want tools and advice that will help me advocate for our library.
http://www.librarystuff.net/ - Library Stuff is a blog dedicated for resources to keeping current and continuing professional development. Articles and other content are archived and can also be browsed through 'tags' that work as keywords. I follow this blog because I found the tags to be a user friendly way to retrieve articles.
I am currently following more than five blogs, but these are the ones I will discuss today:
http://blogs.loc.gov/loc - The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world and provides access to their resources in person and online. They curate articles on matters libraries, society and history amongst other. I chose to follow them because I want access to their vast resources.
http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/ - YALSA support libraries and their staff in an effort to empower teen learners through education. I have been teaching teens for seven years and believe that they are not simply overgrown kids; they need to have resources tailored specifically to the way they learn and develop. I chose to follow YALSA to continue learning how to best serve my teen students.
http://letterstoayounglibrarian.blogspot.com/ - This blog belongs to an experienced librarian who gives advice on the trade to novice librarians. I follow this blog because I get input about the realities of the being a librarian, beyond what we learn in our courses.
http://themwordblog.blogspot.com/ - This blog posts information about marketing news and trends for libraries, it also offers other content related to media literacy. I chose to follow it because I want tools and advice that will help me advocate for our library.
http://www.librarystuff.net/ - Library Stuff is a blog dedicated for resources to keeping current and continuing professional development. Articles and other content are archived and can also be browsed through 'tags' that work as keywords. I follow this blog because I found the tags to be a user friendly way to retrieve articles.
Friday, April 28, 2017
Textbook Reflections 6-9
Literary Elements
Antagonist: Character who stands against the main character (protagonist). Usually seen as the “bad guy”.
Character: Any person, animal or figure who is represented in works of literature.
Conflict: The opposition that the main character must face in order to achieve their goal.
Mood: Element that evokes certain feelings in the reader through words or descriptions. Depends on the reader.
Tone: Attitude of the writer towards the characters or the readers. Usually conveyed through the choice of words or viewpoint.
Plot: Describes the events that make up the main part of the story
Protagonist: The central character in literary works. Usually known as the hero to the readers.
Setting: In literature, the time and date a story takes place. Can include details about the weather and immediate surroundings.
Theme: The central idea in a work of literature.
Literary Devices
Allegory: story in which a symbolic meaning is conveyed through characters and plots.
Allusion: An indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance
Archetype: typical character, an action or a situation that seems to represent such universal patterns of human nature.
Deus ex machina: The introduction of an unexpected character to solve an intractable problem.
Hyperbole: Exaggeration of ideas for the sake of emphasis.
Imagery: use figurative language to represent objects, actions and ideas in such a way that it appeals to our physical sense
Metaphor: figure of speech which makes an implicit, implied or hidden comparison between two things that are unrelated but share some common characteristics.
Motif: an image, sound, action or other figures that have a symbolic significance and contributes toward the development of theme.
Point of view: The mode of narration that an author employs to let the readers “hear” and “see” what takes place in literary work.
Simile: An explicit comparison between two unlike things through the use of connecting words, usually “like” or “as.
Symbolism: To imbue objects with a certain meaning that is different from their original meaning or function. Often used to convey deeper meaning.
Poetry
A format of literature found in many genres.
Children prefer narrative poetry because it tells a story.
Poetry should create imagery.
Does not need to be made childish for child’s enjoyment.
Should be interactive.
Repeated reading of the poem is important.
Historical Fiction
Any story set in the past.
History might be different based on the age of the reader.
Offer the reader the opportunity to live vicariously as they explore what it’s like to be alive during a previous time and place.
Does the author blend the story and the history well?
Are the period facts accurate?
How are the values of the time brought to life?
Is there consistency within the social setting?
Can contemporary readers relate to the theme?
Antagonist: Character who stands against the main character (protagonist). Usually seen as the “bad guy”.
Character: Any person, animal or figure who is represented in works of literature.
Conflict: The opposition that the main character must face in order to achieve their goal.
Mood: Element that evokes certain feelings in the reader through words or descriptions. Depends on the reader.
Tone: Attitude of the writer towards the characters or the readers. Usually conveyed through the choice of words or viewpoint.
Plot: Describes the events that make up the main part of the story
Protagonist: The central character in literary works. Usually known as the hero to the readers.
Setting: In literature, the time and date a story takes place. Can include details about the weather and immediate surroundings.
Theme: The central idea in a work of literature.
Literary Devices
Allegory: story in which a symbolic meaning is conveyed through characters and plots.
Allusion: An indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance
Archetype: typical character, an action or a situation that seems to represent such universal patterns of human nature.
Deus ex machina: The introduction of an unexpected character to solve an intractable problem.
Hyperbole: Exaggeration of ideas for the sake of emphasis.
Imagery: use figurative language to represent objects, actions and ideas in such a way that it appeals to our physical sense
Metaphor: figure of speech which makes an implicit, implied or hidden comparison between two things that are unrelated but share some common characteristics.
Motif: an image, sound, action or other figures that have a symbolic significance and contributes toward the development of theme.
Point of view: The mode of narration that an author employs to let the readers “hear” and “see” what takes place in literary work.
Simile: An explicit comparison between two unlike things through the use of connecting words, usually “like” or “as.
Symbolism: To imbue objects with a certain meaning that is different from their original meaning or function. Often used to convey deeper meaning.
Poetry
A format of literature found in many genres.
Children prefer narrative poetry because it tells a story.
Poetry should create imagery.
Does not need to be made childish for child’s enjoyment.
Should be interactive.
Repeated reading of the poem is important.
Historical Fiction
Any story set in the past.
History might be different based on the age of the reader.
Offer the reader the opportunity to live vicariously as they explore what it’s like to be alive during a previous time and place.
Does the author blend the story and the history well?
Are the period facts accurate?
How are the values of the time brought to life?
Is there consistency within the social setting?
Can contemporary readers relate to the theme?
Textbook Reflections 1-5
Why do we share literature with children?
Beyond the very obvious reason of doing so for entertainment or to learn new things, sharing literature with children is a way to enrich many aspects of their lives. In their academic futures, reading is an essential skill that will be needed regardless of how far they decide to go in academia. Many school aged children struggle with reading and reading comprehension, but by reading to them, and with them, we guide them down the path of becoming lifelong readers.
Reading is also a way to transmit culture. They get to experience a someone else’s reality, and along the way this fosters the development of empathy.
Children might also seem themselves in the characters they read about. When a story has a main character who overcomes adversity, the reader realizes that they are not alone and that others have been able to overcome,as can they.
Imagination is a crucial skill. Many of the best innovations have been created by people who were able to visualize future needs.
Division of Young People’s Literature
Children's literature (0-8 years old)
Wordless picture books
Easy readers
Illustrated picture books
Early chapter books.
Middle Grade/Tweens- ages 8-12 years old:
not to be confused with middle school books.
Middle school is often confused with middle grade books. These books can deal with romance, schools issues, and some can deal with tougher issues of children who are older than the middle grade.
Young Adult (13-18 years old)
This literature can deal with very serious issues of sex, relationships, and other mature topics, usually with language that would not be found in middle school books.
New Adults (18-30 years old)
Cutting edge fiction that appeals to a young audience.
Usually purchased by adults.
Deal with recent high school graduates, leaving home for the first time and experiencing first major relationship.
Dealing with adult issues without parental supervision
Middle school is not a literature category but a group of students who usually have a hard time finding material that they want to read, and usually want to read YA. Kids want to read up, but we have to be careful in what we recommend to them.
Genres and Formats: They Might Not Be What You Think
There is fiction and nonfiction; everything else is a subgenre.
Fiction branches out to realism and fantasy
Realism branches out further to be historical or realistic
Realistic can be modern or contemporary
Fantasy can be modern or traditional
There are countless subdivisions beyond, such as different levels of fantasy and science fiction, and it is determined by how much the fantasy or sci-fi plays a role in the story.
Non-fiction likewise can be subdivided into many subcategories, beginning with Informational.
Subject are not genres. Terms such as chick lit, mystery, horror, and dystopia to name a few, are not genres although the often are confused.
Formats are ways in which the material is presented. We should let students know that different genres can be found in various formats such as graphic novel, poetry, novels, and picture books.
Genrefying a library can lead to problems of books that fit into many different categories, or having people look for books in a section that is labeled for particular genders.
What is Young Adult Literature?
These are stories in which the main character is a young person, and they are facing issues related to changes as they are growing up. I find that for most of these books, the language used is very authentic and feels like a young person is speaking. Throughout these novels the character experiences some form of mental or emotional growth.
How do Adolescents Develop?
In order to match books to readers, we must know how they develop and grow.
They can develop:
Intellectually
Children develop from concrete to abstract at around the age of 10.
We can recommend books based on how well students can comprehend abstract thoughts.
Morally
Preconventional level of morality
Reward or punishment? Does it determine your actions?
Conventional level of morality
Rules/law are followed
Postconventional morality
Awareness of the law, but they may be violated if they are not morally right
Physically
Am I normal?
When will I look different?
As Readers
Develops empathy
Unconscious delight
Serial reading
Autobiographical reading
Reading to see yourself in the characters
To validate your own life
Reading for vicarious experience
Reading to experience a different reality
Reading for Philosophical Speculation
Asking morals and values questions
Can happen in non-fiction too
Reading for aesthetic experiences
Reading for the joy of the experience
How does the author make you feel about the characters?
Developmental Stages
Moving from childhood to adulthood.
Developing relationships with the opposite sex in non-sexual ways
Changing relationship with parents
Defining their own morals and values
Growing into their own bodies
Defining their own appropriate sex roles
Beyond the very obvious reason of doing so for entertainment or to learn new things, sharing literature with children is a way to enrich many aspects of their lives. In their academic futures, reading is an essential skill that will be needed regardless of how far they decide to go in academia. Many school aged children struggle with reading and reading comprehension, but by reading to them, and with them, we guide them down the path of becoming lifelong readers.
Reading is also a way to transmit culture. They get to experience a someone else’s reality, and along the way this fosters the development of empathy.
Children might also seem themselves in the characters they read about. When a story has a main character who overcomes adversity, the reader realizes that they are not alone and that others have been able to overcome,as can they.
Imagination is a crucial skill. Many of the best innovations have been created by people who were able to visualize future needs.
Division of Young People’s Literature
Children's literature (0-8 years old)
Wordless picture books
Easy readers
Illustrated picture books
Early chapter books.
Middle Grade/Tweens- ages 8-12 years old:
not to be confused with middle school books.
Middle school is often confused with middle grade books. These books can deal with romance, schools issues, and some can deal with tougher issues of children who are older than the middle grade.
Young Adult (13-18 years old)
This literature can deal with very serious issues of sex, relationships, and other mature topics, usually with language that would not be found in middle school books.
New Adults (18-30 years old)
Cutting edge fiction that appeals to a young audience.
Usually purchased by adults.
Deal with recent high school graduates, leaving home for the first time and experiencing first major relationship.
Dealing with adult issues without parental supervision
Middle school is not a literature category but a group of students who usually have a hard time finding material that they want to read, and usually want to read YA. Kids want to read up, but we have to be careful in what we recommend to them.
Genres and Formats: They Might Not Be What You Think
There is fiction and nonfiction; everything else is a subgenre.
Fiction branches out to realism and fantasy
Realism branches out further to be historical or realistic
Realistic can be modern or contemporary
Fantasy can be modern or traditional
There are countless subdivisions beyond, such as different levels of fantasy and science fiction, and it is determined by how much the fantasy or sci-fi plays a role in the story.
Non-fiction likewise can be subdivided into many subcategories, beginning with Informational.
Subject are not genres. Terms such as chick lit, mystery, horror, and dystopia to name a few, are not genres although the often are confused.
Formats are ways in which the material is presented. We should let students know that different genres can be found in various formats such as graphic novel, poetry, novels, and picture books.
Genrefying a library can lead to problems of books that fit into many different categories, or having people look for books in a section that is labeled for particular genders.
What is Young Adult Literature?
These are stories in which the main character is a young person, and they are facing issues related to changes as they are growing up. I find that for most of these books, the language used is very authentic and feels like a young person is speaking. Throughout these novels the character experiences some form of mental or emotional growth.
How do Adolescents Develop?
In order to match books to readers, we must know how they develop and grow.
They can develop:
Intellectually
Children develop from concrete to abstract at around the age of 10.
We can recommend books based on how well students can comprehend abstract thoughts.
Morally
Preconventional level of morality
Reward or punishment? Does it determine your actions?
Conventional level of morality
Rules/law are followed
Postconventional morality
Awareness of the law, but they may be violated if they are not morally right
Physically
Am I normal?
When will I look different?
As Readers
Develops empathy
Unconscious delight
Serial reading
Autobiographical reading
Reading to see yourself in the characters
To validate your own life
Reading for vicarious experience
Reading to experience a different reality
Reading for Philosophical Speculation
Asking morals and values questions
Can happen in non-fiction too
Reading for aesthetic experiences
Reading for the joy of the experience
How does the author make you feel about the characters?
Developmental Stages
Moving from childhood to adulthood.
Developing relationships with the opposite sex in non-sexual ways
Changing relationship with parents
Defining their own morals and values
Growing into their own bodies
Defining their own appropriate sex roles
Textbook Reflections 10-13
Realistic Fiction
Set in modern times.
Everything in the story is consistent with the real world.
All elements of the story must be believable and reflect the contemporary world.
The story’s theme should be engrained in the story and should not be obvious.
Can readers relate to the book’s subject matter?
Nonfiction
There is no one template for nonfiction. It includes narrative and expository approaches.
It includes biography, autobiography, and expository as well.
Children’s non-fiction can be evaluated against the following criteria:
Author qualifications
Accuracy of facts
Purpose and scope of book
Does the organization of the book allow reader to find information easily?
Do visuals contribute positively to the book?
Fantasy and Science Fiction
Within the subgenres of science fiction and fantasy, there must be rules for the fantasy world.
Characters must be consistent and believable.
Themes should be relevant to contemporary times.
Readers must be able to believe in the impossible world of fantasy in order to get enjoyment despite the lack of logic and realism
Set in modern times.
Everything in the story is consistent with the real world.
All elements of the story must be believable and reflect the contemporary world.
The story’s theme should be engrained in the story and should not be obvious.
Can readers relate to the book’s subject matter?
Nonfiction
There is no one template for nonfiction. It includes narrative and expository approaches.
It includes biography, autobiography, and expository as well.
Children’s non-fiction can be evaluated against the following criteria:
Author qualifications
Accuracy of facts
Purpose and scope of book
Does the organization of the book allow reader to find information easily?
Do visuals contribute positively to the book?
Fantasy and Science Fiction
Within the subgenres of science fiction and fantasy, there must be rules for the fantasy world.
Characters must be consistent and believable.
Themes should be relevant to contemporary times.
Readers must be able to believe in the impossible world of fantasy in order to get enjoyment despite the lack of logic and realism
Saturday, March 4, 2017
Blog submission 1-3
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
by Sherman Alexie
Summary:
In "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian", Arnold Spirit 'Junior' is facing the struggles of living in poverty with his family on an Indian Reservation in Washington State. Like many of the Indians there, his small family lives in poverty and is plagued by alcoholism which, which will severely impacts many aspects of Junior's life. Through his teacher’s encouragement Arnold attends high school off the Reservation in Reardan, facing the challenges of being an outsider. All the while he is seen as a traitor to his people on the Reservation. Life strikes plenty of blows, but Arnold manages to keep fighting in order to overcome the bleak future that surely awaits him if he chooses to stay.
Commentary:
The story of Arnold’s ongoing struggles are a perfect example of YA literature. We see 14 year old Arnold go through what is likely the most trying time in his short life, and he is forced to do so relatively alone. His family has little means to help him navigate the impending struggles of being a minority in a new school, but Arnold makes the best of his situation, at times even succeeding marvelously. We meet him at a low point in his life, and while it never does become a perfect life, Arnold demonstrates an ability to adapt to the changes that occur over his first year in high school.
This book is a perfect example of Arnold’s independent spirit and emotional growth. A great lesson on resilience can be extrapolated from Alexie’s novel.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/gXCSwsBlWZo
Read Alikes:
If I Ever Get Out of Here
Black Boy White School
Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. New York, NY: Little Brown Books for Young Readers.
Speak
by Laurie Halse Anderson
Summary:
Melinda Sordino is starting out her freshman year of high school as the most unpopular student on campus. Due to an unknown event, Melinda calls the cops to a summer party, causing more than friction between her and most students at her school. She is ostracized and bullied, and even her parents don’t know what to do about her lack of motivation and progress in school. In her effort to survive this freshman year, she tries to make a friend and immerses herself in her art, but eventually the events of the summer party catch up to her. We find that the reason Melinda called the cops that day was because she was raped, by no less than Andy, an upperclassman who is now dating her former best friend. When he confronts her in a janitor's closet and assaults her once again, Melinda finds the voice she lost.
Commentary:
Anderson’s novel gives a voice to those who have lost their own as a result of sexual assault. Because Melinda is a teenager who experiences severe trauma, young adults can identify with her fears, her anxiety, and all the emotional and physical pains that she endures. Unfortunately events like this are a part of the reality of many students, but authors have given them a voice through books, and this is one way for those students to cope and hopefully heal
This novel and others by Anderson explore traumatic and serious social and emotional issues facing students, and they could be good books to study as part of small groups led by counselors.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/ySpPkHZ66aI
Read Alikes:
Recovery Road
Identical
Anderson, L. (1999). Speak. New York, NY: Farrar Straus Giroux.
Feed
by M.T. Anderson
Summary:In what appears to be the near future, the majority of the U.S. population has a computer network implanted in their brains. Corporations run the country and most aspects of daily life such as entertainment, shopping and communication are dictated by those same businesses. Even natural human reproduction appears impossible in this dystopian novel. While on vacation to the Moon, Titus and his friends meet Violet, a girl who is not thoroughly convinced that the feed and all it represents is something good, despite the fact that Violet also has a the feed. While at a club their feeds are hacked by an anti-feed activist, and it causes temporary problems, except for Violet, whose health begins to deteriorate progressively as a result of the hack. Titus and Violet date, and but as her condition worsens and she becomes more adamant about resisting the feed, Titus feels he can't stay with her, breaking off the relationship and eventually facing Violet's death.
Commentary:
This novel speaks volumes to the society we live in. Today more than ever before young adults can compare and contrast our current global and national events to those in the book. It gives students the opportunity to explore the value of constant connectivity versus more free thought. This is a novel that might resonate with them because it is likely that in the near future we may have the ability to participate in this form of technology.
Studying this dystopian novel may also open up discussions about corporate ethics and the possible consequences of embracing free surrender to corporate greed.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/7O0xw7ni_QE
Read Alikes:
Proxy
Invitation to the Game
Anderson, M.T. (2002). Feed. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.
Scowler
By Daniel Kraus
Summary:
Monsters are real, and sometimes they live inside of us. This is what Ry, comes to realize as he, his mother and little sister live their lives under the shadow and heavy hand of his abusive father Marvin. He commits a crime so heinous that Marvin will spend ten years in prison, escaping one day when a meteorite hits the prison. All the abuse did not spare young Ry emotional well-being, and as a growing boy he has battled with the demons of his father’s brutality. Now that his father has come back with a vengeance, Ry is forced to rely on three childhood “friends” that manifest themselves in his mind. All, but particularly one, will give Ry determination to rid their lives of the Marvin and his savage oppression, but not without making the reader question his sanity.
Commentary:
Young adult literature such as Scowler offers the reader insight into the outcomes of serious actions without actually living those experiences. Because of the horrors that Ry survives as a child, he comes out of it with emotional trauma that is not directly addressed. Readers however can explore the possibility that as a coping mechanism, Ry has developed three distinct personalities that help him survive and protect his family.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/buONFkNBpYk
Read Alike:
The Waking Dark
Rotter
Kraus, D. (2013). Scowler. New York, NY: Delacorte.
It’s Perfectly Normal
By Robie Harris
Summary:
This informative book is a great resource for parents and children who have questions about their developing bodies and human sexuality. The information is scientifically sound and the age appropriate illustrations help parents discuss these important matters with their children. This book covers nearly any topic that one can imagine relating to human development, from changing bodies to pregnancy. No topic is off limits in this informative book.
Commentary:
This book can be explored to research a particular question, or can be browsed to find out more about what to expect as we grow from childhood to adolescence. Depending on the age or grade level, parents, teachers or students can use this book a great tool.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/Vya_DTyPbgU
Read Alikes:
It's So Amazing!: A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families
Deal with It! A Whole New Approach to Your Body, Brain, and Life as a gURL
Harris, R. (2009). It’s perfectly normal. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press.
Annie on my Mind
By Nancy Garden
Summary: Liza and Annie are two high school seniors from different backgrounds. Liza an affluent girl
attending private school in New York; Annie a girl of modest means living with her immigrant parents and grandmother in a shabby apartment. Both coincide at the Metropolitan Museum of Art where they begin a close friendship despite their different academic goals. With time, the girls realize that they are falling in love and, and in the case of Liza, she realizes that she might be gay, something that she had not completely considered. Over Thanksgiving break both girls are outed as lesbians through an unfortunate discovery by Liza’s school administrator, and Liza shamefully ends her relationship with Annie. It is only after they have each moved on to college that they are on the verge of a possible reunion.
Commentary:
Students in our schools are as different and unique as snowflakes. No two are ever alike, but all would like the opportunity to see themselves in the characters they read about. This experience should apply to all students, regardless of their sexual preferences or orientation. While incorporating this book into curriculum could be a hard sell, librarians and teachers should be aware of it because we will have students who can benefit from reading about positive experiences of gay teens.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/v3aChHmZYac
Read Alikes:
Empress of the World
Dare Truth or Promise
Garden, N. (1982). Annie on my mind. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Monster
By Walter Dean Myers
Summary:
After a drugstore robbery gone wrong, a man is dead and 16 year-old Steve Harmon is on trial for
murder along with other defendants. While Steve’s innocence is not clearly stated, his lawyer Ms. O’Brien fights to demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that her client is innocent. Steve finds himself writing about his experience in this trial in the form of a script, complete with camera angles and movements. While Steve’s film club sponsor speaks on Steve’s behalf as character witness, we sense that the relationship with his father will suffer. Steve wonders if others see him as a monster, and interactions between him and his father, as well as his lawyer, seem to confirm that despite being found not guilty, he will never be able to outrun the their perception.
Commentary:
Myers writes a compelling story about the lived experiences of some Black youths. The unexpected writing style catches the reader’s interest and leaves us wondering if at any point Steve will confess that he indeed committed a crime. This books wonderfully allows for great discussions about the justice system in our country, and the disadvantages that Black people face in the mechanisms of this system.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/G2tKzK4B8-o
Read Alikes:
Tyrell (Tyrell #1)
Homeboyz
Myers, W. (1999). Monster. New York: HarperCollins.
The Notorious Benedict Arnold
By Steve Sheinkin
Summary:
Due to his betrayal of the Continental Army, many know only one part of the life or Benedict Arnold.
Sheinkin opens for us the human side of a man who loved his country and fought bravely for it. While it does not make excuses for his betrayal, as we read about his early life and the tragedies that befall Arnold, you find that it is easy to root for a great hero who frequently did not receive the respect of his superiors. No surprises abound in this nonfiction book, but reading about the last failed years of Benedict Arnold and his family makes your wonder what our history would be different if he had fought with the Americans until the end.
Commentary:
The story of Benedict Arnold is woven into the fabric of our history. While many books give a third person account of his life and misdeeds, The Notorious Benedict Arnold allows students to explore his life from his own point of view.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/nY_6OpyUZ-A?t=53
Read Alikes:
Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way)
Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: The Story Behind an American Friendship
Sheinkin, S. (2010). The notorious Benedict Arnold. New York, NY: Macmillan.
Gabi, a Girl in Pieces
By Isabel Quintero
Summary:
Gabi Hernandez is a first-generation American high school senior in Southern California. She’s a
loyal friend to her best friends Sebastian and Cindy. She loves food (by her own admission), poetry, and recently she’s been crushing on several boys. Gabi must deal with the typical teenage dilemmas, but must also face her Mexican mother warning her about premarital sex and trying to act “white”, worry about her drug addict father who sometimes disappears for days at a time, and be a good role model to her younger brother, all while trying to get accepted to Berkeley. Quintero gifts us a very genuine look into the life of a young Hispanic girl in this very unique novel where you can’t help but cheer for Gabi.
Commentary:
This very authentic novel resonates with with any anyone who’s ever had to navigate through the demands of being a high school senior. So much happens in the span of one year, and to top it off, Gabi’s life gets exponentially more difficult with the tragic death of a parent, dealing with the the rape and teen pregnancy of a best friend, her gay friend's coming out, and issues of body image. After reading Quintero’s novel, one can attest to the power of perseverance in the face of adversity.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/Hy_Iwrzy2-Y
Read Alikes:
Girls Like Us by Gail Giles
Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina
Quintero, I. (2014) Gabi, a girl in pieces. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press.
Code Name Verity
By Elizabeth Wein
Summary:
In Wein’s novel about a friendship forged between two young British girls during the beginning of
World War II, Julie and Maddie, British spies and pilots, will prove their loyalty to each other. Held in an Ormaie, France hotel, Julie has been forced by the S.S. to give up information will have them tactical war-time advantage. Little do they know that Julie has been feeding them lies, embedded within the story of her and Maddie’s friendship. Maddie on her part has kept herself alive in France, plotting with Resistance members to free Julie and other prisoners from Ormaie. Buying herself time before being executed, Julie is able to get her message to Maddie, who will in turn make the ultimate sacrifice to spare her friend a torturous death.
Commentary:
Despite the complexity of information and history in this great novel, the umbrella theme was friendship. It was Julie’s desire, not so much to talk about the events that took place as a result of the war, but to share the amazing feats that her friend Maddie had accomplished.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/yEz6nPVubck
Read Alikes:
The FitzOsbornes at War by Michelle Cooper
My Family for the War by Anne C. Voorhoeve
Wein, E.E. (2012). Code name verity.
Freak Show
By James St. JamesSummary:
Billy Bloom is fabulous, in every sense of the word. The gay teen and over-the-top drag queen has
just moved to Florida with his father, and he’s determined to make an impression on his ultra conservative new school. Billy more than ruffles the collective feathers of students and teachers, and becomes the target of bullying and violence. With the help of a few allies, he challenges the norm to postulate himself as Homecoming Queen, running against the school’s most popular (and secretly disliked) girl. Thorough confident speeches and moments of self doubt, Billy goes from surviving to thriving at his new school and amongst classmates who slowly learn to accept him as he is.
Commentary:
This book of realistic fiction gives a voice to teens struggling with issues of gender identity. It speaks to grit and a desire to overcome in the face of even the most harrowing adversity. Billy overcomes, but also inspires others to confront their own self-doubts and preconceived notions of what others should be like.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/LPn-P8rXcTg
Read Alikes:
Boy Meets Boy
Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda
St. James, J. (2007). Freak show. New York, NY: Dutton Books.
My Friend Dahmer: A Graphic Novel
By Derf BackderfSummary:
To the world, Jeffrey Dahmer is a notorious serial killer, a monster. But to John Backderf, he was a
misunderstood friend who never fit in. Odd and easy target for bullies in high school, Dahmer embraced the role of freak, all the while trying to suppress budding sadistic sexual urges, and a growing fascination with death. Jeffrey turns to alcohol to quell the demons inside, but soon even that cannot stop the fantasies. Before graduation, he is abandoned by his family, and teachers and friends don’t realize what is brewing inside of him. No one could have guessed the horrors that he would go on to unleash on his future victims. Backderf makes no excuses for him, but does paint him a more human light, to the point where you find yourself wishing that someone had lent a helping hand along the way before it was too late.
Commentary:
This graphic novel not only gives insight into the life of a serial killer, it paints him in such a way that makes you wish you could reach back through time and offer words of support and lend an ear. This novel is a great reminder that every person is fighting their own battles, some more difficult than others, but empathy and compassion could have changed the life a person who would go on to unleash great devastation onto others.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/MxAyCtsKvbc
Read Alikes:
Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Hellen Keller
Primates: The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas
Backderf, D. (2012) My friend Dahmer: A graphic novel. New York:
Six of Crows
By Leigh BardugoSummary:
In the magical land of Ketterdam, Kaz Brekker is hired by wealthy merchant Van Eck to break
scientist Yul-Bayur out of Fjerda, an impenetrable prison complex. In order to pull of this complicated heist, Kaz must recruit the best crew, and he does. Six of the best criminals in the city make up the team, but not all things are simple. Some of them are in it to for their own reasons, making it difficult to trust one another. To complicate matters further, other people are looking to break out Yul-Bayur too, adding to the intensity of this fantasy novel. Kaz and his team risk it all to collect on the reward.
Commentary:
This high fantasy novel is a great book that still satisfies the reader’s desire for action and heist, while at the same time setting the reader in a new world to explore.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/am0Ouzf_AqU
Read Alikes:
The Lies of Locke Lamora
The Thief
Bardugo, L. (2015). Six of crows. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown
By Holly Black
Summary:
Commentary:
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/F0nSwPPI3qo
Read Alikes:
Cinder
Team Human
Black, H. (2013). The coldest girl in Coldtown. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
Lily and Dunkin
By Donna GephartSummary:
On the eve of 8th grade, both Lily (born Timothy) and Dunkin (real name, Norbert) are facing serious
inner struggles that will spill out as they make their way through the last year of middle school. Lily is a transgender girl desperate to take hormones before she begins to get the masculine features of a boy. Dunkin is a boy struggling with bipolar disorder, and is new to the city and state, moving in with his grandmother. Both become unlikely friends. The narration of the book from each of their points of view gives them each a unique voice that allows the reader to empathize better with each character. Lily will face the merciless bullying of the group that recruits Dunking to the basketball team, and Dunking will have to determine if stopping his medication in order to play better is worth the consequences. Both of them have a strong support system at home for the most part (Lily’s father refuses to allow hormones for her), but self acceptance is the best outcome for Lily and Dunkin.
Commentary:
This book offers a great lesson on empathy, acceptance, and self acceptance. It is a realistic fiction book written from the point of view of both Lily and Dunkin.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/qBDtalThIRE
Read Alikes:
Whatever.: Or How Junior Year Became Totally F$@cked
Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit
Gephart, D. (2016). Lily and Dunkin. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.
InvisibleBy Pete Hautman
Summary:
Doug is more than a little strange and socially awkward. He is plain weird. Others see it. The only
who does not seem to mind is his friend Andy. In fact, Andy is the only person who talks to him. Dougie has been spending two years in his basement, building model trains. He’s obsessed with making it just perfect. He also has an unhealthy obsession with fire. Despite therapy, Doug is not getting better, and he refuses to take his medication, exacerbating his condition. Through therapy, Doug is re-discovering the memory that his friend that his friend Andy died in an accidental fire at Tuttle Place three years ago, and we discover that all his interactions with him were Doug’s imagination.
Commentary:
This realistic nonfiction novel reads like a thriller due to the first person account from Doug, and the reader is never quite sure if what he says is true.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/rP19ElP92hk
Read Alikes:
Trigger
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.
Hautman, P. (2005) Invisible. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Glory O’Brien’s History of the Future
By A.S. KingSummary:
Glory’s Senior year of high school is coming to an end, but this is not a joyous occasion for her. She
is still coping with the emotional burden of her mother’s suicide and contemplating her after graduation. All the future’s uncertainty is cast away when she and her best friend Ellie, drink a concoction of dried bat blood that gives them the clairvoyant to see past and future of all they meet. And the future is terrifying, not only for the devastation of war, violence, and sanctioned crime against women, but also because of what Glory does not see: her own future. Glory felt lost going into adulthood, but after realizing what the future holds, she makes it her mission to record as much as possible in hopes that it will help others avoid their tragic destiny.
Commentary:
This contemporary realistic novel gives both a look into the present and also a look into what the future might hold.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/Co0BFLRCERg
Read Alikes:
We Are the Ants
King, A. (2014). Glory O’Brien’s history of the future. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
I Hunt Killers
By Barry Lyga
Summary:
Son of convicted serial killer, Jazz Dent leads a somewhat normal life. In his small town, he struggles
with the demons of his father’s crimes, to which he was a witness and apprentice, wondering if he could one day become like him. His father is now in prison, so when a woman’s body turn up near the town, emotions and demons from the past come rushing back to Jazz. His first hand experience with his father’s crimes put in him position to help the police track this new killer down. Through the quest to find the killer, Jazz faces the demons that keep him wondering if there is a killer inside him too.
Commentary:
This novel reads like a true crime thriller. It is a realistic novel that leads us to question, along with Jazz, the likely that he’ll turn into the killer that his father was.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/0wwRp7Ou53E
Read Alikes:
How to Lead a Life of Crime
The I-5 Killer
Lyga, B. (2012). I hunt killers. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.
The Knife of Never Letting GoBy Patrick Ness
Summary:
In Prentisstown, where a strange germs called Noise has killed all the women, and made everyone’s
thoughts loud enough for all to hear, Todd is tasked with the dull jobs because he is the youngest. One day at a nearby swamp, Todd hears silence, a hole in the noise. He comes back home to his foster parents, and after telling them about the silence, they instruct him to leave and never come back. Todd heads back towards the swamp, being chased by the mayor’s son. There he encounters Viola, a girl and the source of the silence. In their search for the safe city of Haven, Todd learns that the women of Prentisstown were killed by all the men. The entire community of Prentisstown is a community of outlaws. When Todd and Viola reach Haven, they find only Mayor Prentiss, now President, and he welcomes them to his New World Order.
Commentary:
In this soft science fiction novel we have elements of science fiction set against contemporary times.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/tj4fowWo7xM
Read Alikes:
Red Blood Raod
Ship Breaker
Ness, P. (2008). The knife of never letting go. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.
Printz List
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things
By Carolyn MacklerSummary:
Ginny Shreves feels like an outsider in her own family. She is the daughter of a perfect mother who
is an adolescent psychologist, and the sister of perfect siblings. She is also overweight and self-conscious about it. She has a make-out buddy, Froggy, and that’s all he is, for now. Her mother criticizes Ginny about her weight, her father compliments the looks of skinny girls. This drives her to question her self worth. Her older sister is a beautiful thin girl who joined the Peace Corp to escape her crazy mother, and to boot, she faces the reality that the brother she idolizes, date raped someone. Ginny realizes that the perfection that everyone tried to portray was non-existent, and she starts taking steps to stand up to her mother and get control of her own life.
Commentary:
A realistic fiction novel that explores themes of body image, sex, appearance and transformation.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/uvXRH72GdiM
Read Alikes:
45 Pounds (More or Less)
Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging
Mackler, C. (2012). The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things. Cambridge. MA: Candlewick Press.
Best Fiction for Young Adults
The Hunger Games
By Suzanne CollinsSummary:
In a dystopian North American future, Panem is a 12 district collective in which where each year, a
boy and girl from each district must join all others in an arena-style fight to the death. Randomly chosen is young Primrose as a female tribute (victim) from District 12. But her older sister Katniss, a skilled archer, will take her place to fight. Along with Peeta, her community acquaintance, she represents District 12, meeting up with 22 other tributes in this violent fight where only one will survive. Falling in love and breaking rules along the way, Katniss will go down in Panem history for a an unprecedented turn of events at the conclusion of the hunger games.
Commentary:
A low fantasy novel set in a dystopian future explores issues of ethics.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/YQcgJTqGsqs
Read Alikes:
The City of Ember
Legend, Book 1
Collins, S. (2009) The hunger games. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.
Chris Crutcher Book
Whale Talk
By Chris Crutcher
Summary:
T.J. is the adoptive son of a loving couple in Washington State. He is of athletic build but refuses to
join the school’s elite athletic program as a means to control the anger issues that have plagued him since childhood. Eventually, as a sign of protest and and defiance, he sets out to form a team of misfit swimmers along with a friendly school coach. Students who were bullied are actually thriving in the team with the help of T.J., their coach, and a homeless man who helps to coach them too. The are aiming to meet letterman requirements, and the succeed, upsetting people along the way. In the face of racism they succeed, but issues of the past will come back to make their victory bittersweet, and T.J. will lose a parent but gain a brother through fate.
Commentary:
A realistic fiction novel, you hope against hope that T.J. and his underdog team succeed.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/rvnohDtZP4o
Read Alikes:
The Arizona Kid
Night Hoops
Crutcher, C. (2002). Whale Talk. New York, NY: Dell Laurel-Leaf.
Maggie Stiefvater Book
ShiverBy Maggie Stiefvater
Summary:
Grace was nearly killed when a wolf attacked her. But she does not recall it as a bad thing. She is in
love with Sam the werewolf, but she does not know that he can also turn human. Jack, a high school student, is killed by wolves, and the Boundary Woods are searched to hunt them. In the search, Sam is shot and at this point Grace discovers that he can also turn human. But Jack is not dead, he's a werewolf. Grace herself is attacked by Shelby, a she-wolf, and despite Sam and Grace’s dad’s effort to kill her, Shelby survives. Sam spends his days hunting Jack in order to avoid him exposing the secret of the wolves to the world. Jack, desperta for a cure, kidnaps Sam and Grace, because she did not turn after being attacked. Jack’s sister, Isabel, believes this was due to the high fever Grace develops, so she sets out to get the inflected blood of a man with meningitis in order to inject Jack and Sam. Sam turns into a wolf in the middle of the procedure, and runs away. Jack dies three days later. Grace believes Sam to be dead, but they reunite one cold night when he comes back as a human.
Commentary:
This is a low fantasy novel set in contemporary times. It explores interspecies relationships as well as human relationships.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/a-8lvY8ni8Y
Read Alikes:
Taken by Storm
The Dark Divine
Stiefvater, M. (2009). Shiver. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.
Matt de la Peña Book
Mexican WhiteboyBy Matt de la Peña
Summary:
Danny is a half-Mexican half-white 16 year old boy who lives with his mother and sister in
California, but his father is out of the picture, back in Mexico, and Danny hasn't seen him in three years. He’s a fast pitcher, and could hone his skills to play baseball. That summer, when his mother and sister move up to San Fransisco with mom’s boyfriend, Danny decides to stay behind with his father’s family. He makes a friend, Uno, who like him is trying to connect with his father. Danny spends the days trying to fix his bad pitch and finding where he fits in a world where he is seen as an outsider.
Commentary:
A realistic fiction novel that takes us on Danny’s emotional journey to connect with one part of his cultural identity.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/5IdaTUQXv0k
Read Alikes:
Brown Girl Dreaming
Yaqui Delgdo Wants to Kick Your Ass
De la Peña, M. (2008). Mexican whiteboy. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.
Neal Shusterman Book
Unwind
By Neal ShustermanSummary:
After the Heartland War, parents have the option have have their child “unwound”. This process, done
to children between the ages of 13 and 18, maintains their consciousness intact, while their body parts are harvested and used for others who need them. Three teens about to be unwound, Connor, Risa, and Lev, meet by chance and each finds a reason to fight the unwinding. Together they join an Underground Railroad for “unwinds”, children slated for the unwinding process, and they meet others like them who are hoping to survive past their 18th birthday, when they are exempt from the unwinding process.
Commentary:
A hard science fiction novel in which the process of “unwinding” is the driving force behind the story.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/40MfyB2ym2o
Read Alikes:
The Adoration of Jenna Fox
The Secret Under My Skin (Secret Under My Skin #1)
Shusterman, N. (2007). Unwind. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
New Adult Book
Fangirl
By Rainbow RowellSummary:
Cath has just started her first year of college, and the socially anxious and awkward half of a set of
twins is unsure about how this first year will go. She is the author of popular Simon Snow (Harry Potter-esque) fanfiction, and she’s frantically trying to complete her new book before the release of the new Simon Snow novel. To add to her mental anguish, she worries that her sister Wren’s drinking is getting out of control, gets in trouble for submitting one of her fan fiction pieces for a literature class, and starts to fall for Levi, the ex-boyfriend of her roommate. Back on the homefront, Cath still suffers the emotional repercussions of her mother’s abandonment and her father’s bipolarity. Despite Cath’s hesitations, her introvertedness, and minor setbacks, Cath manages to have it all by the end of year.
Commentary:
Cath is struggling with real issues. While most people will not find fame as fanfiction writers, her concerns as a first year college student are real. Unlike her Wren, Cath was the worrier. She was concerned for her father and for Wren’s well being. She worried about herself and about her fans. Despite a nice resolution to most of the first-year-of-college dilemmas, Cath is still unable to resolve the issues with her mother and that’s OK.
Book Trailer:
https://youtu.be/uYk1H3DV8yk
Read Alikes:
Afterworlds
Anatomy of a Misfit
Rowell, R. (2013). Fangirl. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.
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