Module 7: Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine

Erskine, K. (2010). Mockingbird. New York: Philomel Books.

Book Summary

Difficult times have befallen Caitlin and her family.  Indeed, her family continues to shrink, as this 5th grader has already lost her mother to cancer, and more recently, her brother to a school shooting. To complicate matters, Caitlin processes the world differently than most, falling on the high functioning end of the autism spectrum. Her ability to communicate what she is feeling often gets lost in translation as she is surrounded by a town trying to "find closure."

Impressions and opinion of the book- 

Getting into this story took some time for me.  The moment that I realized Caitlin, the main protagonist, was autistic, my mind put up barriers.  I had a difficult time comprehending how the author might honor her voice without coming off too clinical or stereotypical.  However, three or four chapters in, those inner disparagements melted away, and the only way I was viewing the world was the way in which Caitlin was viewing it.

Erskine tackles some difficult and sensitive topics in this book, among them, the aftermath of school shootings.  Rather than sensationalize these things, she takes great care to explore how multiple characters are handling everyday life in light of the major events that have shaken this small community.  She draws light to the fact that victims aren't just the ones who were killed or even just the families of the ones who are lost.  In fact, many people are affected by the actions of another, from those who knew him and were related to him, to those who barely knew his name, and those who will forever have it etched into their minds.

Caitlin is so literal, and she has no filter.  Everything that happens, she tells it like she sees it.  Perhaps that is the only way to examine something so unexplainable, though.  By the end, I was genuinely wishing that everyone could see the world through Caitlin's eyes. 

Full-Text Review 

This heartbreaking story is delivered in the straightforward, often funny voice of a fifth-grade girl with Asperger’s syndrome, who is frustrated by her inability to put herself in someone else’s shoes. Caitlin’s counselor, Mrs. Brook, tries to teach her how to empathize, but Caitlin is used to depending on her big brother Devon for guidance on such matters. Tragically, Devon has been killed in a school shooting. Caitlin, her dad and her schoolmates try to cope, and it is the deep grief they all share that ultimately helps Caitlin get to empathy. As readers celebrate this milestone with Caitlin, they realize that they too have been developing empathy by walking a while in her shoes, experiencing the distinctive way that she sees and interacts with the world. Erskine draws directly and indirectly on To Kill a Mockingbird and riffs on its central theme: The destruction of an innocent is perhaps both the deepest kind of psychosocial wound a community can face and its greatest opportunity for psychological and spiritual growth. (Fiction. 8-12)

Kirkus (2010). [Review of the book Mockingbird by K. Erskine]. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/kathryn-erskine/mockingbird/

Library Uses

In the book, the 5th grade students pair up with the 1st grade students to become reading buddies. There are a couple of chapters that highlight those interactions.  While the librarian might not be able to read the entire book to a class, it could be useful to utilize those particular chapters with older students before pairing them up with others.  Using Caitlin and her experiences could be a great springboard into discussing not only the appropriate behaviors for working with younger students, but also to pinpoint for the older students the benefits possible for their younger counterparts with a successful program.

Module 8: Savvy by Ingrid Law

Law, I. (2008). Savvy. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

Summary

Mississippi "Mibs" Beaumont is ready to celebrate her thirteenth birthday, and while this milestone is special for most young adults, to the Beaumont family, it is especially so.  On a Beaumont's 13th birthday, they discover what their savvy, or special power, is.  Unfortunately, Mibs's special day is tainted by misfortune when her father ends up in a horrible car accident.  Mibs is left to navigate this exciting but scary time without either of her parents.  In an effort to utilize her newfound savvy to help save her father, Mibs finds herself on a crazy adventure where she discovers more about herself, her family, and newfound friends than she ever imagined possible.

Impressions and opinion of the book

Were one to try and identify Ingrid Law's savvy, they would undoubtedly land upon the author's uncanny ability to paint a story with her words that are as vibrant as the colors on the dust jacket. She blends time honored colloquialisms with new metaphors and similes smooth enough to become part of Kansaska-Nebransas's own special dialect.

Law's protagonist is a strong, female character, kind yet steadfast, and unwilling to sit idly by. Heroes come in multiple shapes and sizes, and sometimes, enemies turn to friends. Despite her savvy, Mibs is not perfect.  Still, she continues to try and persevere, and when her hope runs low, she has family and friends nearby to encourage her.  This enchanting story is a refreshing reminder that life may not always take us where we expect it to, but sometimes, the twists and turns make it better than we could ever have imagined on our own.

Full-Text Review

Mibs can’t wait for her 13th birthday, when her special gift, or “savvy,” will awaken. Everyone in her family—except beloved Papa, who married in—has one, from Grandpa Bomba’s ability to move mountains (literally) to Great Aunt Jules’s time-traveling sneezes. What will hers be? Not what she wants, it turns out, but definitely what she needs when the news that a highway accident has sent her father to the ICU impels her to head for the hospital aboard a Bible salesman’s old bus. Sending her young cast on a zigzag odyssey through the “Kansaska-Nebransas” heartland, Law displays both a fertile imagination (Mibs’s savvy is telepathy, but it comes with a truly oddball caveat) and a dab hand for likable, colorful characters. There are no serious villains here, only challenges to be met, friendships to be made and some growing up to do on the road to a two-hanky climax. A film is already in development, and if it lives up to this marvel-laden debut, it’ll be well worth seeing. (Fantasy. 10-13)
Kirkus (2008). [Review of the book Savvy by I. Law]. Retrieved from  https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ingrid-law-2/savvy/

Library Uses

Ingrid Law manages to bring words to life in Savvy.  This text would have a wealth of beautiful examples of metaphors and similes to share with students.  Once familiar with the mentor text, other examples could be brought in, maybe even showing how authors of legends, myths, and tall tales steep their works with such language.  Once comfortable with them, students would have fun trying to create their own.

Module 5: Bone Gap by Laura Ruby

Ruby, L. (2015). Bone gap. New York: Balzer + Bray.

BOOK SUMMARY

Finn lives in a small town where everyone knows everyone else.  It's the kind of place where one pays for the sins of his father (or, in this case, mother).  Crime is a rarity, and new people, even more so.  That is why when Roza comes to town, and then suddenly disappears, no one thinks anything is amiss other than Finn.  The rest of the town chalk it up to another woman who feels the need to move on from the O'Sullivan brothers.  Dealing with loss is difficult and can make seeing details near impossible.  Somehow, Finn must convince townspeople who have decided their assumptions are truth that there is something beyond their preconceived notions.  Roza's life depends on it.

Impressions and opinion of the book- very important

If it is possible to equally like and dislike a book, I am neither committed nor wavering in my feeling towards Bone Gap.  There are elements of the typical boy meets girl, boy befriends girl, boy saves girl theme; however, nothing is as it seems, and the town of Bone Gap with its community of slightly off-key characters is the perfect setting for the next Wes Anderson movie.  

The story is a mystery, many of the characters shrouded in secrets, and Ruby keeps the reader turning page after page in an attempt to uncover the answers to multiple questions streaming from multiple plotlines that all lead back to Finn O'Sullivan.  In the end, however, when the final sentence comes to a close, the reader is left feeling fuzzy, seeing all the details, but unable to grasp or hold onto any of them.   The townspeople are proven wrong about Finn and Roza, multiple people end up finding love, the bad guy is overcome (wasn't he?), and Roza returns back home.  Nothing becomes clear in Bone Gap, and just as faces seem to slip from Finn's realm of consciousness, so too, does the closure in this story.

Full-Text Review

Finn has always been considered a little strange, and now that Roza has disappeared, his small town of Bone Gap holds him responsible. Finn alleges that she was kidnapped, but he cannot offer up a useful description of the abductor. Roza had appeared under mysterious circumstances a year before, and was taken in by Finn and his older brother, Sean, who subsequently developed a crush on her—and now wonders if perhaps her departure was a voluntary rejection of him. But Roza has been taken by a dangerous stranger and imprisoned in a series of bizarre supernatural dwellings from which she cannot escape—unless she agrees to marry the kidnapper. As Finn tries to puzzle out how to find Roza, he develops his own romantic interest in the strongly independent Priscilla (Petey, for short), despite what the town may think. Kidnapped young women are not a new trope in YA fiction, but such books often read like mysteries or thrillers, while this one reads more like a fable, with the matter-of-fact inclusion of magical realism. Finn does find Roza, he does fall in love with Petey, and everybody—for the most part—does live happily ever after, but afterward the reader is left to ponder the strange events, quirky characters, and resonant themes.

Hunt, J. (2015). [Review of the book Bone gap, by L. Ruby]. Retrieved from http://www.hbook.com/2016/01/choosing-books/recommended-books/reviews-of-the-2016-printz-award-winners/#_

Library Use

Bone Gap would be a great story to study symbolism in.  There are multiple items throughout the book that stand for other things, making the story almost poetic or modern day myth.  From the bees to the black horse to the corn of Illinois, students could research everyday items that have come to stand for more abstract concepts throughout time and history.  It might be interesting to have them look into objects that have different symbolic meanings in different parts of the world, as well as things that seem to have universal meanings to all.  Not necessarily confining the research to objects in Bone Gap would allow students to see how multiple stories connect to one another through symbols.  Another avenue would be to have students choose a symbol in the story and then try to find other stories with the same symbol.

Module 2: The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander

Alexander, L. (1964). The book of three. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.

Book Summary

Taran, the Assistant Pig-Keeper to Hen-Wen, a very special pig, is conscripted into the kind of adventure he always thought he wanted when forces in nature cause the ocular pig to run away. Charged with protecting the pig at any cost, Taran ventures into the forest, meeting magical and mystical beings, both good and bad as he attempts to find and save his pig.  He learns that real adventures aren't aren't necessarily the "stuff that dreams are made of."

Impressions and opinion of the book

The Book of Three is a delightful adventure based on Welsh folklore and myths.  Reminiscent of both King Arthur's knightly tales and the epic Lord of the Rings, Lloyd Alexander brings chivalry and valor to young adults using language they can understand.  Though aimed at a younger audience than most epic journeys, the author is not condescending. He might not have created whole new languages for his fantastical worlds and creatures in the first of his trilogy chronicling the adventures of those in Prydain , but he plays with the English language in a masterful and beautiful way. Despite the original publishing date of 1964, Alexander's cunning use of word and humor still hold up.  The characters come to life, leaving the reader to ponder if they actually existed in a far off time and place.

Luckily, even though the adventures might come to an end when the final page is turned, the reader can take solace in the knowledge that there are four more books in which to join Taran, Hen-Wen, Prince Gwydion, Eilonwy, and Fflewddur Fflam.  In addition, this novel serves as a great introduction to Welsh mythology and stories.  While often overlooked here in the States, Alexander hands North American children a wonderful gateway into the worlds of the Mabinogion.

Full-Text Review 

School Library Journal (January 1, 2015) 

Gr 4-7-While the general public may be more familiar with the second book in the series, The Black Cauldron, due to the 1985 Disney film adaptation, true fantasy lovers know The Book of Three as one of the most iconic and influential works of middle grade fiction from the 20th century. Based on Welsh mythology, the tale stars Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper on a hero's quest, joined by a comic cast of supporting characters. Filled with wit, wordplay, and an epic battle of good vs. evil, Alexander's novel helped pave the way for countless fantasy adventures. Included in this 50th anniversary edition is an introduction by Shannon Hale, an author's note, a rather helpful pronunciation guide, an interview with Lloyd Alexander, a story from The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain, and the first chapter of The Black Cauldron. The physical presentation will appeal to collectors; this edition features a deep red cloth binding accented with ornate gold and black illustrations on the cover, and deckled edges, befitting a classic. An absolute must-have for fantasy fans.

The Book of Three. (2015). School Library Journal, 61(1), 61.

Library Use

Filled with rich characters and timeless settings, The Book of Three would be a fitting introduction to fan fiction.  While the sites are somewhat outdated, there are many devoted to exploring Prydain and it's characters beyond where Lloyd Alexander left them in his final book,  The High King.  Allowing students to extend the stories would be beneficial in helping them internalize the meanings of and importance of character and plot development, not to mention truly empowering them to bring what they have read to life.

There is also a film adaptation of the first two novels in the series, The Book of Three and The Black Cauldron.  I'll admit, I always get excited when I discover that books for children and young adults have been re-imagined into movies.  I never think they are going to be better than the novel, and I would never use them in place of reading the book with students.  However, I think that after having read something, seeing the movies can often help students make concrete concepts and ideas from the novels that they might not have been able to conceive on their own.  It is important to train their visual imagery, and reading the author's version and then seeing Hollywood's interpretation opens the door for many rich conversations.  

In this particular case, the conversation might revolve around how Hollywood can really mess up a good thing.  In my humble opinion, the adaptation is just terrible.  I'm not sure there are any redeeming qualities, and I'm a Disney girl through and through.  I'm sure Walt Disney was rolling in his grave for this one, or at least wishing he could become one of the Cauldron-Born so he could at least seek revenge on the screenplay writer.  That being said, this would be a wonderful case and point to middle school or high school students to persuade them that the book is usually better than the movie (and also that it's not the smartest idea to watch the movie version instead of reading the book---especially if tests and quizzes are involved).  Filling out a graphic organizer on how they different would make this so clear with this particular case that one would not need an ocular pig to decipher the findings. 

Module 4- The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg

Konigsburg, E. L. (1996). The view from Saturday. New York, N.Y: Atheneum Books
    for Young Readers.

BOOK SUMMARY

Sometimes, the thing that makes someone fit in is finding the others who don't seem to fit in either.  This seems to be the case of 4 students and their teacher in The View from Saturday. Noah, Nadia, Ethan, Julian, and even Mrs. Olinski begin the book, each of them wavering in their confidence on how, exactly, they fit into the class.  Ultimately, though, they discover that each one of them has something special to offer, something that, combined with the others, makes them indomitable.

Impressions and opinion of the book- very important

Looks can be deceiving, and assumptions unfounded.  Konigsburg manages to weave together multiple stories that somehow connect her characters in a way that highlights their self-discovery and independence while still maintaining their ultimate dependence on one another.  Each character has a piece of the puzzle, and just as the team cannot win their competition without the unique experiences of each member, the reader cannot fully comprehend what is happening without knowing all of their stories.  They start out adrift, but by the end, they become The Souls.  

The timeline is fluid, interlacing back and forth, as each character brings forth things that have happened from their own perspectives.  Each character "meets" one another multiple times, and the reader discovers new ways they are connected each time a new voice chimes in.  The style has potential to be confusing and disjointed, but Konigsburg manages to keep the words and stories flowing seamlessly, using the style to surprise the reader more than once.

Characters in the novel learn to cherish their own struggles and differences, while also admiring the differences of others.  They learn to stop and listen to one another, and while the underdog coming out on top often leads to a cheesy ending in novels geared toward the middle grade reader, Konigsburg manages to draw the reader into the lives of each character, causing them to cheer each success as one of their own.

Full-Text Review

Admirable acts, challenging ideas, and grace notes positively festoon this superb tale of four sixth graders and a paraplegic teacher forming a junior high Academic Bowl team that sweeps away the competition. The plot is composed of interwoven puzzles. What prompts Mrs. Olinski to choose Noah, Nadia, Ethan, and Julian for the team over the usual overachievers and honor students in her class? What do they know about her, themselves, and each other that puts them so precisely on the same wavelength and gives them such complementary knowledge and experience? Each has a tale to tell, in the course of which all four witness acts of kindness and respect that teach them to find those feelings in themselves and others. In wry prose filled with vivid imagery, information, and often oblique clues, Konigsburg takes her team through bonding, drills, and a series of contests as suspenseful as any in sports fiction; the children and Mrs. Olinski's public triumph mirror inner epiphanies of rare depth and richness. The large cast, looping plot line, and embedded stories with different narrators require careful sorting, but the effort is eminently worthwhile, and Konigsburg kindly provides answers at the end.

       Kirkus (1996). [Review of the book The view from Saturday, by E.L. Konigsburg]. Retrieved          from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/el-konigsburg/the-view-from-saturday/

Library Use

Perspective can sometimes be a difficult thing to teach to students, but Konigsburg does a beautiful job of sharing situations from multiple vantage points, as the main characters all get a chance at some point throughout the story to narrate what is happening.  Using a chapter or two from the novel as a mentor text and then allowing the students to try imitating this technique, either writing about one of the characters from the story or creating their own situation in which there are multiple witnesses to the same scenario might help them to gain a better grasp on perspective.  Where do their characters view from?

It might also be a good connection to inform students of other books written in such a style, with multiple perspectives given (ie- Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea or Wonder by R.J. Palacio).  This way, they can choose to reinforce the technique, if they wish, by reading more examples of it.

Module 6: Z is for Moose by Kelly Bingham

Bingham, K.L. & Zelinsky, P.O. (2012). Z is for moose. New York: Greenwillow Books.

BOOK SUMMARY

Under the direction of Zebra, it is time for a new alphabet book.   All the items patiently await their turn to showcase their letter... all of them, that is, except Moose.  Moose is so excited to be part of the new book, that he doesn't even wait until his turn.  Popping in and out of other letters, it is obvious his excitement is wearing on Zebra.  In fact, by the time the story arrives to the letter "M," Moose is replaced by a little mouse, a fact that causes some serious repercussions.  All works out in the end, though, and the story has a happy, albeit surprising, ending.

Impressions and opinion of the book

By the time children reach kindergarten, they have heard countless books and songs that are related to the alphabet.  Repetition is vital in the initial process of recognizing and identifying letters.  Bingham manages to enliven the experience, taking readers "behind the scenes," so to speak, of the alphabet book production process.  While it is all imagined chaos, young children will still be able to reinforce letter recognition and older children will get a kick out the unexpected twists and turns that Moose instigates in this postmodern take.  This adult quickly fell in love with Moose and his antics.  I am certain children will embrace him, too.

There are many characters in the story, each of them charming in their own way.  Zelinsky manages to bring Bingham's story to life with his simple, yet colorful pictures.  The pictures and words complement one another flawlessly, and the story would not be the same if either element were missing.  This is a picturebook that will surely stand the test of time.

Full-Text Review

A wry twist on an alphabet story makes for laugh-out-loud fun.

Poor Moose. He tries to get into the alphabetic act on every letter page from D to L, but Zebra, who’s directing the assemblage, insists it’s not his turn yet and that he must move off the page. When it IS time for M, Zebra decides to go with Mouse, and Moose flips his antlers—well, his lid. Zebra tries to console the despondent moose, telling him he can still be in the book even though the only letter left is Z. Solution? Z becomes “Zebra’s friend, Moose.” How perfect that Z-elinsky is the illustrator. His often-elegant style turns comedic here, with brightly colored borders framing each letter in a simple scene. The borders become a design device for Moose, as he pokes his head over the edges or stomps the scene within angrily. In others, Moose tries to camouflage himself, as when he squeezes behind an Ice-cream cone or hitchhikes a ride in the Kangaroo’s pouch. Dialogue balloons express Moose’s eagerness, asking, “Now?” and declaring (mistakenly), “Here it comes!” Zebra, wearing a referee’s black-and-white striped shirt and carrying a clipboard, answers, “NO, not yet!” Kids who are learning their ABCs or have just learned them will find this hysterical, and it has great potential for storytimes.

Just label it F for funny. (Picture book. 4-6)

Kirkus (2012). [Review for the book Z is for moose, by K. Bingham and P. Zelinsky].   Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/kelly-bingham/z-moose/

Library Use

I was curious about the collaboration process of Bingham and Zelinsky.  I've heard that often times, the author and illustrator of a picture book work independently of one another, and I was interested to know if this was the case for Z is for Moose.  My curiosity led me to a wonderful interview with both author and illustrator (the link is below, if you want to check it out).  I also stumbled upon a book trailer created by Bingham and Zelinsky (also listed below).  It is sheer perfection, and something I think students would love to see.  

In Brehl's (2012) interview, Bingham reveals that her son was the inspiration behind the book.  Four at the time, he was tired of the straightforward alphabet books he kept reading, and wanted a funny alphabet book. After watching the trailer and hearing the book, allowing students to create an alphabet book in a different style would be a great task.  There is even the potential for students to publish their works through a student publishing program (ie- Student Treasures, Bookemon, Classroom Authors, etc.) and add them to the school collection.

Hall, B. and Zelinsky, P (2012, June 11).  Behind the scenes with Kelly and Paul. Retrieved    from https://youtu.be/aP52OtZxPdg

S. Brehl (2012, May 6). Z is for Zelinsky, and Bingham, too! [Web log comment]. Retrieved     from http://unpackingpicturebookpower.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/z-is-for-zelinsky-and-    bingham-too.html