Bibliography: Hale, Shannon and Hale, Dean (authors) and Hale, Nathan (illustrator). RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE. 2008. New York: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books. Print. 

 

ISBN: 9781599900704

Plot Summary:

Rapunzel is raised in a sheltered house behind a secret wall, but she has a mother with magical talents and a big secret. As a little girl she lives a charmed privileged life - though she's not allowed to see what's on the other side of the villa. One day after sneaking over the wall and finding her real mother, Rapunzel learns the truth about her step mother, Mother Gothel.  She is forced to return to the villa by Mother Gothel’s guards.  Rapunzel tries to escape from her evil step mother's clutches. But instead, Mother Gothel traps her in a magical tree and she is told to repent. As you can imagine, she doesn't - and the adventure only escalates from there. Not only does Mother Gothel’s spell make the tree grow fruit to feed Rapunzel, but it also makes her hair grow uncontrollably.  She learns to control and use her hair in various ways until one day she manages to escape the tree – and eventually her hair becomes her weapon.

Finally free and bent on getting revenge, Rapunzel continues on a quest to rescue her real mother.  She eventually ends up meeting and pairing up with Jack (from Jack in the beanstalk).  Together they battle bandits, wild beasts and even an adorable little antlered rabbit!  Will this unconventional duo defeat Mother Gothel and rescue Rapunzel’s mom? 

Critical Analysis:

Readers, who enjoy the witty dialog of comic books, as well as fairytales, will love this adventure! Authors Shannon and Dean Hale have transformed Rapunzel from a classic fairytale character to an action hero.  When Rapunzel turns twelve she learns the truth about her real family, it is at this point in the story that Rapunzel’s dynamic character starts its transformation.  Despite being afraid of her wicked step mother Rapunzel finds the strength to stand up to her.  You would think that losing this battle weakens her character’s resolve but instead she fantasizes about escaping, saving her mother, and exacting revenge on Mother Gothel.  After four years inside the magical tree Rapunzel finally escapes.  Although she is not very sure of herself in the beginning of her quest, she grows more and more courageous as she is forced to face some rather trying obstacles, such as a battling a gang of outlaws. 

This is a classic good vs evil story in which Shannon and Dean Hale create a likeable heroin worthy of the adventure. The injustices that Rapunzel suffers are so transparent that the reader will want to seek revenge with her; it is easy to identify with her.     

Although this plot still has plenty of whimsical fairytale elements, its originality will keep the reader interested. Rather than following the classic storyline where Rapunzel is trapped in a tower and rescued by a handsome prince, in Rapunzel’s Revenge we are treated to a new twist in the story.   This Rapunzel is a vengeful heroine who frees herself from a magic tree and sets out on a quest to overthrow her evil step mother so that she can free her real mother and the other inhabitants in the land.   Another unexpected twist is the setting of the story.  This story is set in the Wild West.  Rapunzel uses her long hair like a lasso and bullwhip...knocking down, disarming, and roping the outlaws that stand in her way.  Along the way she meets Jack, from Jack in the beanstalk, who thinks more like an outlaw than a hero.  The dialogue between Rapunzel and Jack is witty, sarcastic and grounds the story to it Wild West roots.     

This is a graphic novel version of the fairytale story of Rapunzel.  Illustrator Nathan Hale has skillfully captured the setting and emotions of the story.  Many parts of the plot are depicted only in the illustrations.  These scenes are essential to advancing the story even without the use of dialogue or asides. With a stoke of his brush Nathan Hale modernizes and helps to reinvent the story of Rapunzel where she is described as a tough and brave cowgirl who will be enjoyed by both boys and girls.    

Activities:

Invite students to create a Venn diagram to compare and contrasts the similarities and differences in the character of Rapunzel in Paul O. Zelinsky's Rapunzel and Rapunzel’s Revenge.

Invite students to create their own heroin or hero story.  Students can follow the writing process to create the story, but instead of writing their final version on paper they can structure the story in a comic strip format and use the website Comicmaster.uk.org to create their final version.  This is a user friendly site which allows users to create their own graphic novels.     

 

Recommended books by Shannon Hale:

• Calamity Jack
• Ever After High: The Storybook of Legends
• Ever After High: The Unfairest of Them All
• Princess Academy

Awards:

• ALA 2009 Notable Children's Book
• YALSA 2009 Great Graphic Novel for Teens
• Cybil Award Winner
• Young Reader’s Choice Award 2011

Reviews:

This graphic novel retelling of the fairy-tale classic, set in a swashbuckling Wild West, puts action first and features some serious girl power in its spunky and strong heroine… Hale’s art matches the story well, yielding expressive characters and lending a wonderful sense of place to the fantasy landscape. Rich with humor and excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that will become a fast favorite of young readers. -Tina Coleman- (Except from Booklist) 

The popular author of Princess Academy teams with her husband and illustrator Hale (no relation) for a muscular retelling of the famously long-haired heroine's story, set in a fairy-tale version of the Wild West. The Hales' Rapunzel, the narrator, lives like royalty with witchy Mother Gothel, but defies orders, scaling villa walls to see what's outside-a shocking wasteland of earth-scarring mines and smoke-billowing towers. Illustrator Hale's detailed, candy-colored artwork demands close viewing, as it carries the action-Rapunzel's many scrapes are nearly wordless. With its can-do heroine, witty dialogue and romantic ending, this graphic novel has something for nearly everybody.  (Excerpt from Publishers Weekly)

This version of the classic fairy tale Rapunzel is set in the old Southwest, complete with cowboys, coal mines, and coyotes… The Hale team creates an engaging heroine. Rapunzel gallivants across the unexpected setting, meets a cast of characters both humorous and threatening, and in the end comes to inherit the land that Gothel had stripped of life and returns it to the native people. This novel presents entertaining girl power at its quirkiest. (Excerpt from VOYA)

The dialogue is witty, the story is an enticing departure from the original, and the illustrations are magically fun and expressive. Knowing that there are more graphic novels to come from this writing team brings readers their own happily-ever-after.-Cara von Wrangel Kinsey, New York Public Library (Excerpt from School Library Journal)

A beloved fairy tale gets a glossy graphic-novel makeover, reworked in a fanciful Old West setting. Rapunzel lives an idyllic life in Mother Gothel's verdant villa until she dares question her about what lies beyond the outer wall.  The Hales apply a new twist (or three) to the classic tale, creating a strong, sassy, braid-whipping character who waits for no prince. Nathan Hale's art, stylistically reminiscent of a picture book, provides a snazzy counterpoint to the folksy text. A dash of typical fairy-tale romance, a strong sense of social justice and a spunky heroine make this a standout choice for younger teens. (Excerpt from Kirkus Reviews)   

'Proving that fairy tales are not just for girls a fabulous, off the wall, cowboy-themed graphic novel' The Sunday Telegraph 'Exciting and fast-paced story makes for compelling reading' NATE, Classroom Issue 'If you ever thought of graphic novels as providing an easy read, this one will confound your expectations. It offers 144 pages of rip-roaring storytelling in which the familiar fairy-tale is hugely extended, gathering in its sweep all kinds of echoes from Wild West and Super-hero films as well as other fairy-stories' (Except from The School Librarian)

Bibliography: Gaiman, Neil. 2008. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. Ill. by Dave Mckean. New York, NY: Harper Collins Children's Books.

 

ISBN: 9780060530945

 

 

 

 

 

Plot Summary:

A family is murdered, a dad, a mom and a big sister by the Man Jack.  But one of the intended victims is missing, a toddler, a curious little boy.  He had wandered off just before the final murderous act took place.  He had been embraced by the fog just outside the front door and had made his way to the graveyard at the top of the hill.  But the killer needed to complete the job and so he too went to the top of the hill.  Fortunately for the boy, the spirit of his newly deceased mother asks for help from the residents of the graveyard.  The ghosts at the graveyard agreed to raise her son as their own.  He was given to the care of the Owens couple and named “Nobody,” Bod for short, as he looks like “nobody but himself.”  Bod is given the freedom of the graveyard and like any other loving parents the Owens see to it that Bod has everything he needs.  But can the graveyard continue to keep him safe from the Man Jack?  Or will the curiosity that once saved his life put him in peril? 

Audio Review:

This title was reviewed by listening to an unabridged, boxed set of 7 CD’s. It was narrated by the author himself, Neil Gaiman. The Sound quality had clear pronunciations with no background noise. Gaiman is soft spoken and this lends itself well both to comfort and to the slightly eerie tone that is present throughout the book.

I began listening to these CD while on my commute to work. This listening experience seemed tiring and slow to engage. Listening to short excerpts at a time simply diminished my ability to enjoy this story. It wasn’t until I decided to listen to the CD at home without distraction that I suddenly wanted to keep listening to the story. In spite of this, I still feel that reading the book would have probably kept me better connected to the story. I still found my mind wandering at times when I was supposed to be listening to this very long audio.   

 

Critical Analysis:

In spite of the horrific start to this story, Bod's story is one that shows that good triumphs over evil. 

Gaiman does a wonderful job of taking a realistic storyline and twisting and turning it until it transforms into a whole new reality.  This plot takes the reader on a fascinating journey as we follow Bod as he comes of age.  Bod narrowly escapes a very real and horrifying murderous plot by wondering into an eerily secluded graveyard which transforms into his sanctuary.  Given the freedom of the graveyard Bod is raised by his ghost parents and guided into maturity by his guardian Silas.  Silas, who is neither alive nor dead, helps Bod to understand both the world of the dead and that of the living.  Since Bod is alive, Silas ensures that he learns some of the skills of the dead from the inhabitants of the graveyard, such as how to fade. He also ensures that he learns some of the skills of the living such as, how to read and write. 

Gaiman makes the characters believable.  In particular I enjoyed that the language used by the ghosts stayed true to the time period in which they would have been alive in.  For example, Mr. and Mrs. Owens were alive about 100 years ago.  Throughout the book, Mr. Owens addresses his wife as “Mistress Owens”.  But my favorite example of staying true to their time period is when Bod is walking back to his parent’s tomb after an ill-fated quest and he realizes that his parents had died “several hundred years before it had been decided that beating children was wrong… Bod’s bottom stung like anything.” It is easy to relate to Bod, he is smart, brave and a loyal friend.  He'd be a perfectly normal boy if it wasn’t for the fact that he was raised by ghost and other supernatural creatures.  When Bod meets Scarlett (a girl raised outside of Bod’s fantastical world) and pulls her into his world where she meets "the Indigo Man," the reader can easily put themselves in Scarlett's place and experience the story with her because she mirrors the disbelief of the reader.   

Everything about the graveyard’s physical description is based on the typical objects found in old graveyards, from the crypts to the broken angels, tombstones and the small chapel.  It is described in such realistic details that it comes across more like a character in this story than just a mere setting.  It is therefore very easy for the reader to visualize the surrounding of the story as it takes place.  More importantly, the graveyard’s secrets such as the “indigo man’s grave” become an integral part of the story.  

The illustrations by Dave McKean help engage the reader’s imagination as well. What the illustration’s lack in color, they make up for in distinctive details. Even the faces of the statues have readable expressions.            

 

Activities:

Invite students to create a book review trailer.  Older students can create a book trailer using Animoto.  Younger students can create a book review narrated by their own avatar on Voki.com.  Students can then share their review with the class. 

Try a grim twist on an old lesson plan.  Instead of creating commemorative stamps to summarize the life of the famous people assigned to your grade level, invite students to create tombstones.  Students can then add the tombstones to a grade level graveyard.  The tombstones can be displayed outside of the classrooms, where other grade levels can take a tour. 

 

Recommended books by Neil Gaiman:

• The Ocean at the End of the Lane
• Coraline
• Unnatural Creatures

Awards:

• Newbury Medal 2009 winner
• Hugo 2009 Best Science Fiction novel
• Boston Glob Horn Book Award - finalist 2009 Fiction and Poetry, Honor
• Carnegie Medal 2010

Reviews:

“Neil Gaiman's fantasies have entranced both younger readers and adults; this gothic fantasy, a coming-of-age story modeled after The Jungle Book and with slight nods to Harry Potter, will appeal to all ages. By juxtaposing the world of the dead with the world of the living, Gaiman creates a fantastical world where the thoughtful protagonist comes to understand the power of family as he experiences the fear, pains, confusions, and joys of growing up. Critics praised each illustrated chapter as its own little gem, with moments both tender and terrifying—and each equally exciting. ”(Excerpt from Bookmarks Magazine)
 

*Starred Review*

"This is an utterly captivating tale that is cleverly told through an entertaining cast of ghostly characters. There is plenty of darkness, but the novel’s ultimate message is strong and life affirming. Although marketed to the younger YA set, this is a rich story with broad appeal and is highly recommended for teens of all ages. " (Excerpt from Booklist)
 

“THE GRAVEYARD BOOK, by turns exciting and witty, sinister and tender, shows Gaiman at the top of his form. In this novel of wonder, Neil Gaiman follows in the footsteps of long-ago storytellers, weaving a tale of unforgettable enchantment.” (Excerpt from New York Times Book Review)


“Like a bite of dark Halloween chocolate, this novel proves rich, bittersweet and very satisfying.” (Excerpt from Washington Post) 
 

*Starred Review*
“Wistful, witty, wise—and creepy. This needs to be read by anyone who is or has ever been a child.” (Excerpt from Kirkus Reviews)

*Starred Review*
“This is an utterly captivating tale that is cleverly told through an entertaining cast of ghostly characters. There is plenty of darkness, but the novel’s ultimate message is strong and life affirming….this is a rich story with broad appeal. ” (Excerpt from Booklist)

*Starred Review*
“Lucid, evocative prose and dark fairy-tale motifs imbue the story with a dreamlike quality. …this ghost-story-cum-coming-of-age-novel as readable as it is accomplished.” (Excerpt from Horn Book)

Bibliography: Green, John. 2005. LOOKING FOR ALASKA. New York: Dutton Children's Books. Print

ISBN: 978-0142402511

 

 

 

 

Plot Summary:
 

Culver Creek High School is known for its academic rigor, infamous pranks, and the illicit actions that only students at a boarding school can get away with.  This is just the place where Miles Halter, a gawky skinny sixteen year old who loves to memorize the last words of famous people, hopes to find his own “Great Perhaps”.  Having left no friends behind at his old high school Miles is surprised when his roommate Chip, who has the self-titled nickname of “The Colonel”, automatically assumes their immediate friendship.  The Colonel is arrogant, intelligent, and a natural born leader.  After a brief introduction between the two, the Colonel gives Miles the nickname of Pudge, an ironic nickname because of Miles' physique.  The Colonel introduces Pudge to bufriedos, cigarettes, Takumi his rap-loving friend, and the girl of his dreams, Alaska Young.  Alaska is a hot mess of natural beauty, intelligence and self-destructive reckless behavior.  From the beginning Miles is on a path to something significant as the chapters continue to count down: “one hundred thirty six days before.” Then it happens and the chapters begin to count up…after.  Can Miles and his friends piece together what really happened?  Can they accept their actions and come to terms with their loss and their guilt. 

Critical Analysis:

This is a story that focuses on the protagonist Miles Halter’s search for an independent identity.  Miles leaves his safe and predictable life in his home town of Florida during his junior year in high school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the “great perhaps”.  Moving to a boarding school in Alabama, Culver Creek, offers him the opportunity that he needs to change his life.  Green does a great job of making you believe that he wants more out of life, that he is ready to take a chance on being accepted, making friends and even finding love.  When he first arrives at Culver Creek he doesn’t say it, Green doesn’t describe it, but Miles is so easy to identify with that you can feel that he wants things to change. All of his unresolved desires are what make Miles such a dynamic character. 

When we first meet Miles, he is very self-aware of his unpopularity and lack of real friends.  His first day at Culver Creek is his first all or nothing moment, will he be accepted or will he continue to be part of the background of the school.  To his surprise his roommate Chip Martin assumes their friendship from the moment that they meet. Living for the first time without his parents and surrounded by new friends, Miles gets a taste of many firsts from smoking to kissing.  He discovers a sense of belonging and freedom which causes him to change and grow in the course of the story. 

The plot is realistic and familiar enough to allow you to identify with the characters and their emotions. Yet you know that Green is setting the reader up for some big unpredictable twist. The story is told by the main protagonist Miles from two perspectives: the before and the after. The before unfolds logically and in an indirect way it allows the reader to get to know the characters, Miles desire to be accepted, Chip’s desire to escape his social economic background and Alaska’s reckless, unpredictable behavior. The dialog among the characters is contemporary, authentic, and believable. Green’s realistic dialog reflects today’s prevailing teenage language and flows naturally between the characters as the plot unfolds. It is Alaska’s storyline that provides the intrigue for this story as it is revealed bit by bit throughout the book. Alaska’s character is so intertwined with the progression of the plot that it is difficult to distinguish the plot from the character.  Young adult readers will find this story fascinating and thought-provoking, without feeling like they are being preached to.       

Activities:

Complete the D.A.V.E lesson (high school) - "ALCOHOL POISONING: SAVE A FRIEND".  In this lesson students will read information and role-play situations where they have to act in order to save a friend’s life. 

Lesson objective:

1. Analyze the effects of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs on an individual, including:

           a. physiological effects

2. Describe the potential consequences of using tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, including:

           a. health consequences
           b. family consequences
           c. school consequences
           d. social consequences

Details for this lesson plan can be found at: http://dave.esc4.net/lessons/search/detail.aspx?pageIndex=0&lessonId=804

 

Invite students to research three universities which they wish to attend upon graduating from high school.  Ask student to input their finding into a Tri Venn diagram.  Then ask students to write a persuasive essay for or against living on campus.

Recommended books by John Green:

• An Abundance of Katherines
• Paper Towns
• The Fault in Our Stars  

Awards:

• Winner of the Michael L. Printz Award
• Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist
• New York Times bestseller

Reviews:

*Starred Review*

"What sings and soars in this gorgeously told tale is Green’s mastery of language and the sweet, rough edges of Pudge’s voice. Girls will cry and boys will find love, lust, loss and longing in Alaska’s vanilla-and-cigarettes scent." (Excerpt from Kirkus)

*Starred Review*

"Miles’s narration is alive with sweet, self-deprecating humor, and his obvious struggle to tell the story truthfully adds to his believability. Like Phineas in John Knowles’s A Separate Peace, Green draws Alaska so lovingly, in self-loathing darkness as well as energetic light, that readers mourn her loss along with her friends." (Excerpt from School Library Journal)

 *Starred Review*

"...Miles is a witty narrator who manages to be credible as the overlooked kid, but he's also an articulate spokesperson for the legions of teen searching for life meaning (his taste for famous last words is a believable and entertaining quirk), and the Colonel's smarts, clannish loyalties, and relentlessly methodological approach to problems make him a true original....There's a certain recursive fitness here, since this is exactly the kind of book that makes kids like Miles certain that boarding school will bring them their destiny, but perceptive readers may also realize that their own lives await the discovery of meaning even as they vicariously experience Miles' quest." (Excerpt from Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books)

"Readers will only hope that this is not the last word from this promising new author." (Excerpt from Publishers Weekly)

Bibliography: Holm, Jennifer L. 2010. TURTLE IN PARADISE. New York: Random House.

 

ISBN 978-0-375-93688-3

Plot Summary:

Turtle is an eleven-year old girl who has seen too many of her mom’s boyfriends come and go to believe in the happy endings that Hollywood was selling in 1935.  The Great Depression was in full swing.  People were desperate for work and many families were being displaced and forced to make difficult choices.  When Turtle’s mom is fortunate enough to get a new job as a maid, the homeowner makes it clear that she does not want children living in her house.    

Turtle is sent to live with her estranged family in Key West.  Despite having moved around a lot with her mother over the year, Key West isn't anything like the paradise her mother described, nor is it like anything that Turtle had ever seen.  It’s hot, sticky, and the kids don’t wear shoes.

Turtle quickly meets a variety of interesting characters with names just as strange as hers.  Her cousins Beans and Kermit and their friends Pork Chop and Ira quickly take her in, but she has to work to be a part of things and they don’t officially make her a member of the “Diaper Gang.”

The real adventure begins when Turtle finds a hidden treasure map in her grandmother’s house. Turtle shares the map with the Diaper Gang and they hatch a plan to find the treasure.  Finding the treasure wasn’t the problem, it was getting home.  When the kids are finally rescued the whole town finds out about their discovery.  The money is split fairly between them, including a share to Nana Philly because it was her house where Turtle found the map.

To add to the excitement, Turtle’s mother comes to Key West and introduces her new husband, Archie. Turtle is ecstatic to see her mother and happy because she has always liked Archie.  Could this be the Hollywood ending that Turtle secretly wanted? 

Critical Analysis:

The story takes us through Turtle's journey as she begins to discover who she is and where she has come from, meeting a variety of interesting characters along the way.  The characters in this book seem real and believable. The protagonist, Turtle, learns that like her moniker, she is hard on the outside but soft in the middle.  Her hard facade allows her to adjust to her new surroundings including the people she meets.  When her shoes are stolen she begins to walk around barefoot like the rest of the kids on the island.  She learns that most people are called by a nickname and that due to the abundance of natural resources such as fruit trees and marine life the people of Key West are not going hungry like the rest of the US.  Her quick wit and resourcefulness allows her to do well in the impoverished yet laid back culture of Key West in the 1930's. 

The plot of the story is very realistic to its 1935 time period. The Great Depression caused many people to make very difficult choices.  The poor, economic stricken times are clearly represented by Turtle’s mother when she decide to send Turtle to live with her sister in Key West.  When Turtle arrives in Key West she learns that her uncle works on another island to make ends meet and that her boy cousins take care of the most difficult babies on the island in exchange for candy.  Dreams of “striking it rich” are thought about often in this story by young and old alike.  

Holm gives a vivid and accurate description of Key West, Florida, which makes it very easy to picture.  The names of the streets and the places that still exist in Key West today helps the reader to mentally map out this story.  Holm stays true to her protagonist as she describes these famous streets and places through Turtle’s own perception of what she sees.   

The choice of words used in much of the dialogue between Turtle and the other characters is written so that the readers can actually visualize how people talked during this time period.   For example, Holm uses the word “bungy” to describe a person’s bottom, most specifically referencing all of the babies that the Diaper Gang took care of.    

Holm includes an Author’s note in which she explains why she wrote this historical fiction novel.  She also includes information about how the Great Depression influenced this specific part of the Nation, various black and white photographs that give examples of what a typical Conch neighborhood in Key West looked like and pictures of the real people that helped inspire some of her characters.  This book was a lot fun and very easy to read.  The language used was very understandable and natural. The careful research that Holm’s did to write this book allowed her to learn about her own family heritage that began when her great-grandmother immigrated to Key West. 

Personal Connection:

When I was a little girl my father would take us to the Florida Keys every weekend to go fishing.  We would go to Key Largo, Islamorada and Key West itself.  I have walked countless times on Duval Street and I am Cuban.  So when I read Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm I didn’t need to use my imagination to enjoy this book because I could use my memories.  I have sat in Sloppy Joe’s on Duval street and had Leche with my friends.  I have been on a boat in the Keys without a hat on.  And, I have helped my dad find lobsters using the glass of a diving mask to see down into the reefs.  This novel was so familiar to me and yet I still learned something new.  I have seen many Conch houses but I did not know that they were intentionally built to withstand hurricane winds; I just thought that they were super old and poorly built.

 

Activities:

Social Studies:

•Students can read Ernest Hemingway’s biography. 

•Students can create a chronological time line of the hurricanes that have hit Key West and the impact of these hurricanes on the construction codes and practices of the island. 

•Students can create a treasure map using the actual layout of their school as if it is the city of Key West.   Brainstorm parts of the school that they will need to include on the map and record them in a list (gym, cafeteria, library, office, etc.).  Then students can choose which place mentioned in the book these locations will represent.  For example, the cafeteria can be Pete’s.  Students can use current pictures of the places mentioned in the book to illustrate their map.  Divide students into groups of 3-4.  Assign each group a different part of Key West to work on.  As a class, take each group’s pieces of the map and put together on a large piece of butcher paper.  Discuss location of each item and what direction it is located.  Model for students how to add the compass rose and map key.  *Tell each class that they will be getting another class's map and that they will be going on a treasure hunt.  There will be an X on the map that indicates where the treasure can be found.  Each class must decide where to mark the X on their map.  When all of the maps are completed set out on the treasure hunt to find the X.  Ask teachers to participate by “hiding” the treasure in their classes. Treasure can be a class set of pencils.  After each class finds their treasure discuss with students the location of the treasure "What direction did we have to go to find the treasure?";  "What part of Key West is the treasure located?";  “In the book what happened in this place?”   When the class returns to the library you can ask the students to help prepare a cut-in for a class snack. 

Recommended Historical Novels by Jennifer L. Holm:

• Our Only May Amelia
• The Trouble With May Amelia
• Penny From Heaven
• Boston Jane: An Adventure
• Boston Jane: The Claim
• Boston Jane: Wilderness Days

Awards:

• Newbery Honor Book 2011
• Children’s Choices for 2011
• Children’s Books of the Year 2011

Reviews:

*Starred Review*

“Modern-day readers will have no trouble relating to Turtle, though, and the fast-moving plot will keep them interested to the end.” (Excerpt from Horn Book)

 

*Starred Review*

“The many references to 1930s entertainments (Terry and the Pirates, Shirley Temple) will mostly go over kids’ heads, but they’ll get how much comics and movies meant to a population desperate for smiles.” (Excerpt from Book List)

 

*Starred Review*

“Holm's voice for Turtle is winning and authentic--that of a practical, clear-eyed observer--and her nimble way with dialogue creates laugh-out-loud moments. Sweet, funny and superb.” (Excerpt from Kirkus Review)

 

“This book is best suited as a read-aloud where the background of the story has already been established.” (Excerpt from Library Media Connection)

 

“Two-time Newbery Honor author Holm again crafts a winning heroine who, despite her hardened exterior, gradually warms to her eccentric family members, including her unruly cousins and waspish grandmother (who Turtle thought was dead). Infused with period pop culture references, a strong sense of place, and the unique traditions and culture of Key West natives (aka "Conchs"), this humorous adventure effectively portrays Turtle as caught between her mother's Hollywood-inspired dreams and the very real family and geography that offer a different kind of paradise.” (Excerpt from Publishers Weekly)

 

“Readers who enjoy melodic, humorous tales of the past won't want to miss it.” (Excerpt from School Library Journal)

 

 

 

Bibliography: Reilly Giff, Patricia. 2000. NORY RYAN’S SONG. New York: Scholastic.

 

ISBN 0-439-31674-X                

Plot Summary:

Twelve-year-old Nory Ryan and her family lived in Ireland’s countryside village of Maidin Bay for many generations as potato farmers.  Although Lord Cunningham, who owned the land, tried everything to make things hard on the people of Maiden Bay, Nory’s family had always managed to make ends meet with the money that they made from their potato crops and the money their father made on a fishing boat.  Then the unexpected happens, Maggie and her fiancé decide to move to America while their dad is still out at sea and a terrible blight attacks their potato crop.  It is 1845 and the Great Hunger has begun.  Nory must find the courage to care for her sister Celia, her little brother Patch and her grandfather.  She scales dangerous cliffs to find bird eggs to eat and sneaks to the shoreline to catch anything that moves without being caught by the British constable.  The whole village is starving and their best chance of surviving is to go to America, but it is expensive to travel to America.  Throughout this experience Nory discovers a renewed appreciation for the earth and it natural resources, a new compassion for a neighbor she once feared and she discovers that her courage and perseverance can save her and her family.   

Critical Analysis:

The Great Hunger of 1845-1852 was a particularly hard period for the people of Ireland.  Ireland was under British rule during this time period.  The Irish had “no food, no schooling” and – “the clothes they wore were torn and filthy.”  Their struggle to stay alive and stay together is thoughtfully shared through the voice of the protagonist twelve-year-old, Nory.  Young readers will be able to empathize with the timeless theme of realizing the power of family love and commitment.  Overcoming the odds of being separated during this time period and their ability to reunite demonstrates the power of love and the value of devotion and perseverance.  Two other characters ground the values and perspective of this time period.  The beliefs of the British noble class are represented by Lord Cunningham’s character.  He is a cold, selfish man who delights in making life miserable for the Irish who live on his land so that they will leave his land one way or another.  His ultimate goal is to convert the village of Maidin Bay into pasture for his sheep.  The belief of the Irish who inhabited the land before the British came into power is depicted by Anna’s character.  Anna is a local heeler who refuses to leave her home despite all of the adversity that she faces, including being shunned by some neighbors for being a witch.  The raw details included in the story maximize the real effects of what people living in Ireland during this decade went through.      

The plot is realistic for the time period and it is supported by the accurate description of the attitudes and value of the characters of this story and place on which the story is set.  Nory’s family slept on beds made out of straw, they made their clothes out of scraps and they foraged for food wherever they could.  It is this poignantly described meager existence that creates an atmosphere of despair and desperation to survive that was prevalent during that time.  Giff doesn’t just recreate Ireland in vivid detail in the people’s lives, but in depictions of the land itself. The rolling green hills, the rocky coastline and most importantly, the rotting potato fields are all brought to life.  

Giff’s writing style is both reflective of the setting and easy for younger readers to appreciate.  Although, the Irish dialect included in the novel was authentically written and clearly explained in the glossary before the story begins.  I found it distracting and difficult to understand while reading it in the novel.  It interrupted the flow of the story.  I had to stop and refresh my memory by referring to the glossary whenever I encountered an unfamiliar dialect.  A note to the reader is offered at the end of the book explaining Giff’s powerful interest to understand as much as she could about the Great Hunger of 1845-1852 in Ireland.

 Awards:

Parents' Choice Award 2000: Gold Fiction

Golden Kite Award Honor Book for Fiction 2001

Activity:

Students can complete a mini research project on modern day Ireland.  Is Ireland still dependent on the agriculture of potatoes?  Is Ireland still under British rule? As part of the project students can locate as many recipes as they can find that use potatoes.  They can also share their favorite potato recipe as part of their presentation.  

After reading this book, lead a social studies lesson on needs and wants.  Have students create a T chart using spidercribe.com label one side needs and the other wants.  Then have student focus on what they would sacrifice if famine started where you lived.

Nory’s actions are ideal examples to use in a character education lesson on courage.  Have the students write about a person in their lives that they feel is courageous and explain what make them courageous.
 

 

Recommended historical fiction books by Patricia Reilly Giff:

• Water Street
• Willow Run
• All The Way Home
• Lilly’s Crossing
• Read Giff’s sequel to Nory Ryan’s Song called Maggie’s Door

Reviews:

"Giff meticulously re-creates the Great Hunger as she traces a 19th-century Irish girl's struggle to survive," (Excerpt from Publishers Weekly)

*Starred review*

“The finely paced novel balances the physical and emotional horrors of famine--described in visceral detail. Giff brings the landscape and the cultural particulars of the era vividly to life and creates in Nory a heroine to cheer for. A beautiful, heart-wrenching novel that makes a devastating event understandable.” (Excerpt from Booklist)

“Reflective in tone rather than suspenseful, the novel is structured in short chapters that match the age and experience of the central character, allowing the reader to become an eyewitness to history. This is not a pretty story but rather an account of raw courage that ends hopefully if not happily.” (Excerpt from Horn Book)

“Giff covers the major issues: emigration and the dissolution of families; deprivation; the British appropriation of Irish property and indifference to the plight ravaging Ireland's largely agricultural population. . . . {She} renders Ireland's western countryside and the hardships of rural home life vividly and with minimal sentiment.” (Excerpt from New York Times)

“Today's readers will appreciate this compelling story with a wonderful female protagonist who is spirited and resourceful, and has a song in her heart.” (Excerpt from School Library Journal)

Bibliography: Williams-Garcia, Rita. 2010. ONE CRAZY SUMMER. New York: Amistad.

 

ISBN 978-0-06-076088-5

Plot Summary:

In the summer of 1968, 11-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern, fly to Oakland, California to visit their mother, Cecile.  Cecile had inexplicably deserted them shortly after giving birth to Fern.  However, now, according to their father, seeing Cecile is “something whose time had come.”

After arriving the girls quickly realize that Cecile has no use or desire to have them around.  Their mother doesn't want them there, so the girls can't imagine why their father thought this was a good idea.  Nzilla, as Cecile is now called, is inhospitable and intimidating.  She is so focused on her poetry that she has little attention left over to share with her 3 daughters or anyone else.  Her extreme selfishness forces Delphine to act like a mother to her two younger sisters, making sure their hair is brushed and that they have something to eat. The girls are disheartened but not surprised when their selfish mother forces them to spend all day, every day, at a community center run by the Black Panthers.  Despite their initial fears of Oakland, the community center and their mother, the girls return to the Bronx with a new understanding of their civil rights and their mother. 
 

Critical Analysis:

This is a story that shares the importance of standing up for what you believe in, awakening one’s ethnic pride and the importance of family.  Set in Oakland, California during the summer of 1968 Rita Williams-Garcia does an excellent job of accurately describing the social fabric of the times and the patterns of daily life.  There was a sense of restlessness to the Civil Rights movement which Williams-Garcia was able to capture through her depiction of the community center run by the Black Panthers and Cecile’s character. 

The general restlessness of the community was sensed the moment Delphine, the protagonist, and her sisters enter the center.  They notice that everyone, not just blacks, were welcomed.  The Panther’s served breakfast every morning.  They ran a summer camp for the neighborhood kids which included lessons in community activism.  Furthermore, they organized events such as the community rally. 

Cecile’s character represented the sense of freedom and independence that women of that time period were starting to exhibit.  Although Cecile’s character would be considered selfish and dark in any time period, her willingness to be free and independent at all cost mirrors the social fabric of this era. Cecile’s ability to write poetry empowers her to stand up for what she believes, while Delphine is empowered to stand up for herself and her sisters by her strong sense of family responsibility and commitment.    

The plot is realistically presented. The reader feels great sympathy for these characters and experiences an accurate sense of the internal conflict that the protagonist Delphine felt towards the two primary values of the time.  Delphine did not know whether to act, believe and continue to internalize the values of her grandmother, Big Ma’ or to accept the values of the Black Panther’s and her mom. 

The way in which this internal conflict was addressed in this book was brilliant, to see it addressed through the insight of a child simply made the difference really transparent and palatable.  Big Ma’ had raised her, she had cared for her when her mother abandoned her.  Big Ma’ had taught her how behave in front of white people so that they would not judge her by the color of her skin.  But, the Black Panthers and her mom’s independence represented her newly discovered sense of ethnic pride. 

Delphine reconciles this conflict by accepting her newly aroused sense of ethnic pride, while continuing to behave in the responsible manner which everyone including herself has come to expect of her. 

The importance of family is the theme which speaks the loudest to the readers of today.  This story is skillfully written, it is at times heartbreaking and triumphant.  Williams-Garcia grounds this theme to this time period by delicately weaving historical details into the story.  Delphine, and her sisters learn first-hand about the Black Panthers because their mother needs a place to dispose of them during the day so that she isn’t bothered.

During this daily exposure, the girls absorb the pro-active measures that the Black Panthers take to represent themselves.  Some activities such as making and distributing pamphlets for the community rally help the girls to discover their sense of ethnic pride and accept the new set of values that they are learning from their new community. 

This exposure however, does not change the way Delphine and her sisters speak to each other.  Throughout the story they talk in a familiar and knowing way. The two younger sisters clearly think and act like their age, while 11-year -old Delphine is left with the responsibility to think more like an adult, since Cecile is not interested in playing that role.   

Activities:

Social Studies:
Invite students to research the Black Panther Party by visiting www.blackpanther.org and view a historical photo tour of the Black Panthers at http://www.bobbyseale.com/phototour/1.htm Then invite students to research Southern Christian Leadership Conference lead by Martin Luther King Jr. at http://sclcnational.org/our-history/ .  Finally, invite students to create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the principles of the Black Panther Party to that of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.  

Writing:
Students can write a persuasive essay for joining either The Black Panther Party or the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.  Older students can have a formal debate.

Recommended books by Rita Williams-Garcia:

• P.S. Be Eleven
• Like Sisters On The Homefront
• Jumped
• Fast Talk On A Slow Track

Awards:

• Newbery Honor Book 2011
• King Medal Author Award 2011
• Booklist Books for Middle Readers 2010
• Best Books of the Year 2010
• Book Links Lasting Connections 2010
• Fanfare 2010
• Historical and Realistic Fiction 2011
• Notable Children’s Books for Middle Readers 2011
• Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts 2011

Reviews:
*Starred Review*

Emotionally challenging and beautifully written, this book immerses readers in a time and place and raises difficult questions of cultural and ethnic identity and personal responsibility. With memorable characters (all three girls have engaging, strong voices) and a powerful story, this is a book well worth reading and rereading.—Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library (Excerpt from School Library Journal )

*Starred Review*

Regimented, responsible, strong-willed Delphine narrates in an unforgettable voice, but each of the sisters emerges as a distinct, memorable character, whose hard-won, tenuous connections with their mother build to an aching, triumphant conclusion. Set during a pivotal moment in African American history, this vibrant novel shows the subtle ways that political movements affect personal lives; but just as memorable is the finely drawn, universal story of children reclaiming a reluctant parent’s love. --Gillian Engberg (Excerpt from Booklist)

“The setting and time period are as vividly realized as the characters, and readers will want to know more about Delphine and her sisters after they return to Brooklyn with their radical new ideas about the world.” (Excerpt from Horn Book)

“Modern young readers will find it interesting to read about the conflicting views of the African-American community at that time, as I was. They certainly will be intrigued by the plight of these three children who are caught up in the major issues of that time, made all the more poignant by the insightful first-person narrative of this precocious young girl. Highly Recommended.” (Excerpt from Library Media Connection)

*Starred Review*

“Williams-Garcia provides details that make each characterization crystal clear. The depiction of the time is well done, and while the girls are caught up in the difficulties of adults, their resilience is celebrated and energetically told with writing that snaps off the page.” (Excerpt from Kirkus Review)

“A growing awareness of injustice on a personal and universal level is smoothly woven into the story in poetic language that will stimulate and move readers.” (Excerpt from Publishers Weekly)