Year of Impossible Goodbyes

Year of Impossible Goodbyes
Written by: Sook Nyul Choi

Year of Impossible Goodbyes did pair quite nicely with So Far From the Bamboo Grove.  It was interesting and somewhat refreshing for me to see two different perspectives from young girls.  As I mentioned in my blog on So Far From the Bamboo Grove my knowledge on the subject on history is pathetic.  These books, although not classified as non-fiction, still helped me develop a better understanding of WWII... and that is HUGE for me.

I would feel comfortable reading this story with my students (paired with So Far From the Bamboo Grove).  Key word: with. As I have moved along in the College of Education I have gained confidence in my ability to deal with tough-to-teach issues.  I feel as though I would have the right tools to back up my purpose for reading this book as well as the tools to answer questions or concerns that students bring up in class discussion.

In addition, I felt as though this book read really smoothly.  Once I picked it up I had finished it before I knew it.  This is a definite plus for reluctant readers.  Especially for readers who are reluctant/nervous to read a chapter book.

Candy Floss

Candyfloss

Written by: Jacqueline Wilson                                                            

Some common themes that shown through throughout this novel are listed below...

1.     -Families can still be functional even after a divorce.

2.    -Don’t let money and S.E.S. define who you are.  Even in poverty situations, love can still, and more than likely will, be present.

3.    -Friendships can occur even when you are least expecting them. 

4.    -Don’t follow the crowd, but instead think for yourself and make decisions on your own.

            The book recommends that its audience be between 9 to 12 years of age, and I definitely agree with this age range.  I believe students 9-12 years would find this book enjoyable because the font is a little larger than ‘normal’ books and a collage of pictures frontload each chapter.  However, even with these aspects the book, at first appearance, does not look like a ‘younger’ students’ book, and this may be a positive aspect for its audience.   Students with an interest in divorced families, step-families, poverty, or friendship may find this book enjoyable to read.  Both boys and girls may found the content of this book interesting; however, the appearance of the book is a bit girlish.  The cover of the book shows the feet of a girl wearing bright pink tights with hot pink sparks on them.  Also, the main character, and many other characters within the book, are female, and due to this boys may be turned off by this story.     

            My overall recommendation to this story is a positive one.  I actually recommended this book to a former classmate of mine.  I’m not sure I would assign this book to an entire class because I didn’t find any of the themes to be dominant enough to focus on.  However, I would recommend this book to my students as an individual read because the plot/content is quite enjoyable.  As previously mentioned, beginning each chapter a collage of black and white pictures were presented that foreshadowed what was to come.  I found this to be very interesting and fun, and I actually looked forward to starting a new chapter so I could view the collage and guess what was going to occur.  I think students would also appreciate this aspect of the book and give them something to look forward to as well.  The ending of the story is a happy one; however, Floss and her family go through a great amount of struggles in order to reach a happy ending.  I also really enjoyed the larger font in the book; however, it wasn’t so large that it was insulting to the reader.  The first paragraph and chapter is fun and exciting and draws the reader’s attention.  Also, the book is written in a first person point of view which will help the reader feel more connected to the main character.  I think this book would be a good choice for a reluctant reader because the story moves along quickly and keeps your attention, and also the story is simply written and doesn’t require deep analyses or further knowledge in order to understand the story.                

Love That Dog

Love That Dog
Written by: Sharon Creech

WOW!  What a fun and fast read.  Holy toledo.  I have never read a book quite like this before, and I absolutely loved it.  I enjoyed reading it for a variety of reasons... for starters:  Although this may sound silly coming from a senior in college, I felt like I accomplished something really big in a short amount of time. I can see students feeling the same way!  I'm not sure how common it is for a student to finish a novel in a day or even finish a novel at all, in general.  This in itself may be a huge accomplishment for many children, and in turn may motivate them to pick up another novel and give it a shot.

The poetry format was another reason I enjoy reading this book.  The words were written on the page in a way that looked like poetry, however, I didn't read it as poetry.  I feel like kids may get caught up in defining poetry by it's appearance.  This book does an excellent job in breaking the norm of poems 'looking and sounding' like stereotypical poetry (a new 'sound' is applied to this story).

In conclusion, I also enjoyed the plot of the story.  Each page is filled with diary-like entires.  However, the audience is only allowed to read the entries written by the writer.  There is a second party involved in the story that is responding to the writer's entries and in turn the writer is responding.  Due to this I felt as though I was sort of a detective trying to figure out what the writer is responding to.  This made the book unique to me.  I would highly recommend this book as a read aloud to younger grades, an individual or group read in the middle grades, and as an individual read in j.h./high school/ and beyond.  I enjoyed reading this book as a college student and I believe others will enjoy it as well.

The Misfits

The Misfits
Written by: James Howe

If I were to rate this book I would give it 3 out of 5 stars.  I realize that this 'rating' is more than likely different than the opinions of my classmates.  My disliking, for lack of a better word, of the book may have been due to circumstances not directly dealing with the book itself (such as where I was reading as well as the time of day I was reading it at), however, regardless this book was unable to capture or hold my attention for longer than a chapter.  In fact, it often took a lot of inner conversation and courage on my part in order for me to successfully complete an entire chapter without setting the book down due to boredom.

The plot and moral of the story is a positive and effective one, however, I found it all to move way too slowly.  I felt as though I was reading through quicksand, pushing aside words one by one.  Perhaps this is due to the world we all live in now... for example if it takes my computer longer than 3-4 seconds to download a webpage, I tend to get annoyed and frustrated.  We, although perhaps I am speaking for just myself, tend to want to experience a quick moving pace in just about everything we do.  Another factor that may affect my opinion on this book is that my age, 22 years old, is not the attended age range for this book.  In fact I was informed that this story is commonly read by upper elementary students.  If I were a 4th or 5th grader reading this I may have a completely different view, and understandably so.  

I did enjoy reading this book from a first person point of view.  This perspective allows the story to seem much more personal and real.  You feel as though you have been placed in a different pair of shoes.  Students will benefit from this as well.  I was told in my Adolescent Literature course that students have an easier time connecting with the main character if they are able to see through their eyes.  Furthermore, I often found the situations in the book heart-wrenching.  I strongly dislike seeing other people being teased, hurt, bullied, etc. and I know first hand how it feels.  With saying that, I think it's important for students to understand and experience that feeling and this book may be a good way of accomplishging that.

So Far From the Bamboo Grove

So Far From the Bamboo Grove
Written by: Yoko Kawashima Watkins

I choose to read So Far From the Bamboo Grove before Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi.  I found this book to be a quick read.  I actually ended up finishing the book in 2 sittings because I had such a hard time putting it down.  I wanted to know what was going to happen next! ;)

The main character, who is often referred to as "Little One', is very well developed, and because of this she very easy to relate to.  While reading this story I felt as if I was in Little Ones shoes, and this may be due to the fact that the majority of the book is written through her P.OV.  I really enjoyed the love-hate relationship that "Little One" had with her sister, Ko.  I felt as though I was really able to connect with them because my sister and I have a similar type of relationship.  With saying that, I'm sure that other siblings that may experience this same type of relationship with one another.  This is beneficial because if a reader can find a personal connection with a story, it helps improve their comprehension and overall interest in the book.  A definite plus.

So from the sounds of it, this book is read by students typically in 5th grade (or there abouts).  If I was a middle school teacher (5/6 grade) I wouldn't be opposed to having this book read in my classroom.  Now, I think it would be a different story if the book was already implemented within the curriculum or if I was bringing it in on my own.  Regardless of the situation, I think that I would feel okay about it.  I think it also has a lot to do with your classroom dynamic, teacher experience, etc.  I would probably be feeling a little 'butterflies in the stomach'-like the first time a classroom discussion began because I'd be unaware as to what questions were going to be asked by the students.  Although I'm sure with experience my confidence level would rise.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book.  The story was told from an interesting view point that really expanded my current view on WWII.  My lack of knowledge of history is pathetic, however, I feel as though I understand the end of WWII a little better now that I did before.  What a great way to bring history and reading together!

The Giver

The Giver
Written by: Lois Lowry

Unlike the majority of our Children's Lit class, this was the first time I have read The Giver.  I was never assigned to read it in Elementary School and I have no idea why!  I absolutely loved this book.  There were times when I found myself skimming quickly through the pages in order to find the exciting part I was looking for (for example:  I sped read for about 4-5 pages during the twelve ceremony.. I wanted to know what his assignment was sooo badly!)  There were multiple times throughout the story when the suspense was killing me... I couldn't wait to read more :)

I would recommend this book to be read by students in 5th or 6th grade.  There are some chapters, such as the nonchalant wet dream chapter, that younger kids may not pick up on.  So, in my opinion, to understand the story to its fullest an older audience is necessary.  Speaking of that 'wet dream' chapter... is that, like, "okay" to talk about in school?  I'm assuming it is, however, I don't even know how I would begin to discuss this with my students if questions arose.  Send them to the health teacher?  Ha! 

I really liked the reoccurring thoughts the main character, Jonas, had regarding whether or not he was using the "right" word.  Often this question would arise when he was trying to describe something.  This is an important concept that can be brought into the classroom and referred back to at during a mini-lesson.  I think it's important for students to see (or read in this case) another person's, of similar age, thinking process.  This book does a wonderful job of that, and really stresses the importance of using correct, descriptive language.  This would be an excellent way to utilize The Giver across the curriculum.    

Even though the main characters, Jonas and The Giver, are males, I believe this book is not gender-biased whatsoever.  I, being a female, was easily able to relate to the story.  There was never a point where I felt lost, offended, or confused during the story due to my gender.  HOWEVER, with that being said, a 5th or 6th grade female may be very confused when Jonas discusses his wet dreams.  In addition, this book is written in 1st P.O.V. which may help the audience create a bond and a better understanding of the main character.   

Lastly, this story was very abstract.  However, as distracting as that may sound, I was able to visualize what the world was like in Sameness.  I enjoyed the creative usage of the words Sameness and Elsewhere.  I believe this really relates to most people's lives.  There is always 'elsewhere'... as in something you don't understand, haven't been exposed to or experienced, or something you have waiting to discover.  I think this idea is important for everyone to wrap their heads around.  There's always more out there :)  

I would definitely recommend this book to my students (5th/6th grade would be perfect); however, I would always recommend this book to my friends, family, and co-workers of all ages.  The story is unique and captures your attention from front to back.  I think anyone who reads this book would be glad that they did, I know I am :)  

Inside Out

Inside Out

Written by: Nadia Shivack

The book recommend’s its audience to be at least 12 years old. I would extend this age range to 9+. A statistic stated in the book says that 42% of students between the first and third grades want to be thinner. The story is a graphic novel so it’s very easy to follow, it is fun to look at, and its content is interesting and important. I think it’s important for a child to read this book and understand the material as soon as possible, because the earlier an eating disorder is treated the better the outcome will be. The book’s content is extremely important for both genders to read because eating disorders occur in both males and females. A student that has an interest in eating disorders, counseling, or feeling lost/confused may find this graphic novel enjoyable.

This book is very worthy of my recommendation. I would recommend this book to all of my students, my co-workers, my peers, and my family/friends. The material that is covered in the book is extremely important for everyone to read. This graphic novel does a great job with its illustrations to help bring the words on the page to life. The book is easily relatable to the audience as well. I would recommend this book to the students in my classroom as an individual read, and I would consider assigning this book to an entire classroom. 


The topic of eating disorders is often hard to approach so this book would be an excellent and efficient way to frontload the discussion. Also, by approaching the class with the issue of eating disorders it may allow students to identify an eating disorder in a friend, classmate, a family member, or even in themselves. The topic of eating disorders may be controversial for some families. Some families may feel uncomfortable if their children are learning about the issue; however, it may help if a note from the teacher is written and sent home prior to the class reading this book. The overall appearance of the book (title, cover, content) is very appealing and attractive. The only negative aspect I can think of is that some boys and girls may feel uncomfortable carrying around a book that focuses on eating disorders, because some may feel that students are judging them and suspecting them of having an eating disorder if they're reading about them. Students should be able to relate well to the story because the book has multiple points of views and is written in 1^st person.

Crackback

Crackback

Written by: John Coy


I really enjoyed reading this book, and I would be happy to recommend it to my students. I think it would be a great book to read as a class as well as an individual read or group assignment. The book addresses situations that more than likely my entire class will hear about or may already be informed about. I think it’s critical that students realize that the use of steroids and the ‘benefits’ one receives from using them does not over-power the negative and long-term affects one also will receive from using these drugs. This topic may be sensitive and controversial to some students and parents. Due to this, it would be a good idea to send home a note to the parents informing them of the material the students will be encountering.


 I feel that the book is somewhat gender biased. I often view football as a masculine sport so I had a difficult time following along when football plays were being explained. Overall I would classify this book as more masculine than feminine, because football is focused on so in depth and also because there are only two female characters mentioned briefly within the story. The cover of the book contains a large image of a football and the title, Crackback, refers to a specific name the football players call out during a play. All of these aspects may be a turn off for females and also possibly some males. However, just because football mostly consists of boys doesn’t mean that girls will not take interest in it. 


The opening paragraph and chapter would be very appealing to someone who is interested in the game of football. The first chapter goes into great detail of Miles Manning’s high school football team’s practice. It definitely keeps your attention and moves along quickly. The story is written in first person from Miles P.O.V, and because of this it will allow the reader to have a deeper connection to Miles. The book as a whole moves quickly and gives great detail. It is easy for someone, like myself, who doesn’t understand the game of football to get lost and confused. However, the book focuses on more than just football and it touches base with the subjects of romantic relationships and family relationships. It is possible to understand the themes of the book without understanding the football plays.  


 
John Coy is an award-winning author. 

Arthur and the Crunch Cereal Contest

Arthur and the Crunch Cereal Contest

Written by: Marc Brown

Brief Summary: Arthur wants to participate in a contest in order to win a year's supply of his favorite cereal, Captain Crunch. In order to win all he needs to do is create a perfect commercial jingle for the cereal. Unfortunately Arthur is experiencing writer's block and can't seem to find a way to clear his head.

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First of all, I hadn't known that Arthur was available as a chapter book! This particular book consisted of 61 pages and 10 chapters. A few pictures were available but most of the time words filled up the entire page. The recommended audience for this particular book is students in grades 2nd through 4th grade. I agree with this age range; the language is appropriate as well as the font size. The book is rather thin and this may be appealing for students who are hesitant to read a chapter book.

The plot of the story moves fairly quickly and keeps the reader's attention. I have previously seen Arthur on television, and due to that I was able to hear arthur and his sister's voice whenever dialogue was used within the story. For me, personally, this aspect also helped keep my attention throughout reading the book.

I would definitely recommend the Arthur chapter books to my students. These books are appropriate for school and they're entertaining.

Utterly Yours, Booker Jones

Utterly Yours, Booker Jones

Written by: Betsy Duffey

Brief Summary: Twelve-year old Booker Jones is quite the accomplished writer. In fact, he has written and submitted over twenty-two books to Hamerstein Books publishing. Booker thinks that he has the perfect writer's name, and believes that he has written some of the best chapter books in the universe! Throughout the story Booker is frantically working on writing a chapter book called Space Cows; however, the majority of his time at home consists of helping out his mother and Pop. As the story continues, he is asked by a fellow classmate to write a speech for a school PTO meeting. The meeting turns into a town event and thousands of people plan on attending. Unfortunately with all the commotion going on at home, Booker is experiencing something that he had only read about.. writer's block. Will he be able to successfully write a good speech by the time the community PTO meeting is held? ...

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This book received the Iowa Children's Choice Award and I can see why! I think this book would be a great recommendation for a male student due to the fact that the main character in the story is a 12 year old boy. The story is written in first person P.O.V. and this will help the reader connect to the main character. I also believe that girls would find this story appealing. I, myself, a female, had a hard time putting this book down; the plot flows smoothly and constantly keeps your attention. The plot of the story focuses heavily on Booker and his writing; he gives great examples of writing and advice on writing throughout the story that would beneficial for students to hear (perhaps understood better from a 12-year-old fictional character than a teacher :). I, personally, would love to read this book to my entire class out-loud. Although, if this could not be done, the book would be just as entertaining as a individual read!