Here is a Prezi of the Reading Ladder I created for READ 594.
Along for the Ride
Contemporary Fiction
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Copyright: 2009
“It's the things you fight for and struggle with before earning that have the greatest worth. When something's difficult to come by, you'll do that much more to make sure it's even harder -if not impossible- to lose."
This is one of the many things Auden learns her summer before college, when she decides to live with her father in the beach town of Colby. Never one for sleeping, Auden finds companionship in Eli, another insomniac. After growing up in an adult world where childhood was something to be overcome, Auden embarks on a quest to reclaim her childhood with Eli as her guide. A coming of age novel that provides food for thought, this novel is also a good read that keeps you turning the pages. I feel this would be a good book for reluctant readers, as Dessen's voice pulls you in and makes you want to read her other books. While I don't see an immediate use in a typical classroom, I have a librarian colleague who has used this book with good success in student book clubs. Students seem to respond well to it and it is a jumping off point for some good conversations on change, relationships, trust, family dynamics, and more.
Related Links:
- Book Profile on Goodreads.com - This social media site contains more reviews by readers and information on the author.
- SarahDessen.com - This is the author's website. It has information on her books, a blog written by the author, and other resources.
- Twitter - The author of this book is a frequent user of Twitter. You can communicate with here there and ask questions.
Maus:
A Survivor's Tale
Graphic Novel
Author: Art Spiegalman
Publisher: Pantheon
Copyright: 1986
“It would take many books, my life, and no one wants anyway to hear such stories.”
As the winner of the first Pulitzer Prize for a comic book and the fact that this work is still a top seller after 25 years, we can see that many people do want to hear Vladek's stories. This is the true story of the Siegalman's father, a Jew in World War II Poland. It tells of Vladek's experiences struggling to survive when it seemed everything was out to bury him. Vladek is a resourceful person who does what he can to try and take care of his wife and family, with trust as a central theme. Often cited as an important work in the world of graphic novels (and literature in general), the author uses animal caricatures to portray his characters and get at the brutality of the holocaust. This book can be (and is) used in many history, literature and art classrooms to teach a variety of topics.
Related Links:
- Book Profile on Goodreads.com - This social media site contains more reviews by readers and information on the author.
- Teacher's Guide - From the Vancouver Holocaust Education Center, a guide on using this book in social studies, language arts and visual arts.
- Maus II - The Goodreads.com entry for the sequel to this book.
- YouTube - There are a variety of videos on this book's author, Art Spiegalman. Interviews, lectures, and more.
- 'MetaMaus': The Story Behind Spiegelman's Classic - An interview with the author on NPR's Talk of the Nation after the publication of MetaMaus, a book that looks into the process of writing the Maus series.
King of the Mild Frontier:
An Ill-Advised Autobiography
Biography/Autobiography
Author: Chris Crutcher
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Copyright: 2003
" 'Wanna do something neat?' are four words that strike terror in my heart to this day. My answer was always yes when the question came from my brother. Then he'd tell me what the neat thing was, and it would always seem not so neat until he explained how what seemed like something that could really get you in trouble was, in fact, neat. Then I'd get in trouble."
So goes the life of Chris Crutcher, a popular young adult literature author. At times hilarious and at other times sad, this is an honest telling of one adolescent's experiences in small town America. There were times this book made me laugh out loud, meaning I had to share what I was reading with whoever was around. It is an entertaining read, but it also makes you think about larger questions such as "why do bad things happen to good people?" While mainly about his often embarrassing teenage trials, Crutcher also discusses some of his adult experiences as a child abuse therapist and his process as a writer. This book could easily be used in history or language arts classes. The parts of the book that discuss Crutcher's writing process could be especially helpful to students.
Related Links:
- Book Profile on Goodreads.com - This social media site contains more reviews by readers and information on the author.
- Author & Loudmouth, Chris Crutcher - This is the author's official page. It has lots of different resources, including Crutcher's views on current events, teacher's guides for his books, and videos.
- YouTube - There are a variety of videos with Chris Crutcher on YouTube.
Stop Pretending:
What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy
Poetry
Author: Sonya Sones
Publisher: HarperTeen
Copyright: 2001
Suddenly I'm running, stumbling,
Sister's demons chasing after,
leering, laughing,
right behind me
lurching at my heels
remind me:
I could have been the one.
Run, sister, run!
This is the poignant, autobiographical story of one young girl's struggle with the realities of her sister's mental illness. When Cookie's sister suddenly has a nervous breakdown and is committed to a psychiatric hospital, young Cookie is left without her big sister to contemplate the fear of losing her own sanity. Told in verse, this collection of poems explores the variety of emotions experienced by family members of those who struggle with mental illness. It faces the ideas of guilt, shame, fear, hopelessness, hope, and more. Winner of multiple awards, this short book would be a good choice for reluctant readers. This collection of poems is a great discussion starter for how society sees and deals with mental illness. It could easily be incorporated into psychology courses or other classes where such issues are addressed. I recommend this emotional read.
Related Links:
- Book Profile on Goodreads.com - This social media site contains more reviews by readers and information on the author.
- Sonya Sones - This is the author's official web page. It has a lot of different resources, including a video tour of her writing room, narrated by the author herself. The site gives a good idea of what her reading and writing processes are like.
- An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness - A riveting adult memoir by Kay Redfield Jamison about her experiences with bi-polar disorder. This book helped me to have a much better understanding of this mental illness. It is a worthwhile read.
Once
Historical Fiction
Author: Morris Gleitzman
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company, LLC
Copyright: 2005
"Once I was living in an orphanage in the mountains and I shouldn't have been and I almost caused a riot. It was because of the carrot."
This book grabbed my attention from the first line and never let go. This is the story of Felix, a boy caught in 1942 war-torn Poland. Felix is a storyteller, on a quest to find and save his parents. He experiences many adventures, meets interesting people, and of course, tells a lot of stories. The style of this book is similar to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, in that much of the information of Felix's story is inferred rather than directly stated. This gives the story more poignancy and gives special insights into Felix's character. This aspect of the story also provides a wealth of teaching opportunities for the classroom. This book is great for students who want to read more about World War II or the Holocaust on their own or as a class novel. It is well written and captivating the whole way through. I will be reading the rest of the books in this series.
There are many thoughtful quotes in this book that would lend themselves to some great discussion. Here is one example:
“Sometimes...parents can't protect their kids even though they love them more than anything in the world. Sometimes, even when they try their very hardest, they can't save them.”
Related Links:
- Book Profile on Goodreads.com - This social media site contains more reviews by readers and information on the author.
- Then - The next book in this series.
- The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - This is a link to the free lesson plans provided by the Holocaust Museum to teachers.
When My Name Was Keoko
Multicultural
Author: Linda Sue Park
Publisher: Clarion Books
Copyright: 2002
"If a war lasts long enough, is it possible that people would completely forget the idea of beauty?"
This is a question asked by ten-year-old Sun-hee. She and her thirteen-year-old brother, Tae-yul, are growing up in Japanese occupied Korea during World War II. As Koreans, they experience many different types of oppression by their Japanese rulers. Among these are the requirement that Koreans take Japanese names (hence, the title of the book). The narrative alternates back and forth between the perspectives of Sun-hee and Tae-yul. It details what life was like in Korea during the war and highlights various aspects of both Korean and Japanese culture. Based on the experiences of the author's parents, this novel tells of the struggles faced by one family and by a nation in their struggle to survive. The themes of identity, loyalty and courage are central to the telling of this story.
This novel could easily be used to teach multicultural themes, showcase the different cultures of Japan and Korea, and the struggle of identity. In history courses, this could be used to teach students about non-U.S. or European aspects of World War II, as well as the general ideas of occupation, assimilation, and resistance. With connections to current controversies, this novel also opens up many possibilities for discussions on how we view our past and how we want others to view our past. The Korean and Japanese perspectives on this time period are very different and can be used in teaching many important historical concepts.
Awards:
- Publishers Weekly - Best Books of the Year
- School Library Journal - Best Books of the Year
Related Links:
- Book Profile on Goodreads.com - This social media site contains more reviews by readers and information on the author.
- Linda Sue Park - The author's official page.
- A Long Walk to Water - Another good YA book I've read by Park. It's based on a true story about a girl and a boy in Sudan.
- In New Jersey, Memorial for 'Comfort Women' Deepens Old Animosity - This New York Times article from this past spring shows how the topic of WWII Korean "comfort women" is still a controversial topic. While this topic is included in Park's book, it is addressed very indirectly.
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