Module 15 - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

April 29-May 2, 2013

2007 National Book Award for Young People's Literature

2008 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Fiction and Poetry

2010 California Young Reader Medal

School Library Journal Best Books of 2007

2008 Young Adult Library Services Association Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults

Bibliography:

Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. New York: Little, Brown.

Summary:

Junior, a Native American who lives on the Spokane Indian reservation, was born with water on the brain. This made him just a little bit different than the rest of us. He looks different, stutters and has a lisp, and generally is fodder for every bully around. But there’s something else different about him…he doesn’t want to be just like everyone else after all. Junior struggles with his need to break the mold and do better than following in the same path of poverty like his parents and fellow community members. He risks it all to venture out on his own path and although scary, finds himself in the process.

Impression:

I really enjoyed reading this book. Junior made me laugh, made me cry and made me root for him all the way to the end. This is definitely one of those stories where you’re pulling for the underdog as you remember yourself being in his shoes at least once.

Reviews:

Arnold Spirit, a goofy-looking dork with a decent jumpshot, spends his time lamenting life on the “poor-ass” Spokane Indian reservation, drawing cartoons (which accompany, and often provide more insight than, the narrative), and, along with his aptly named pal Rowdy, laughing those laughs over anything and nothing that affix best friends so intricately together. When a teacher pleads with Arnold to want more, to escape the hopelessness of the rez, Arnold switches to a rich white school and immediately becomes as much an outcast in his own community as he is a curiosity in his new one. He weathers the typical teenage indignations and triumphs like a champ but soon faces far more trying ordeals as his home life begins to crumble and decay amidst the suffocating mire of alcoholism on the reservation. Alexie’s humor and prose are easygoing and well suited to his young audience, and he doesn’t pull many punches as he levels his eye at stereotypes both warranted and inapt.  A few of the plotlines fade to gray by the end, but this ultimately affirms the incredible power of best friends to hurt and heal in equal measure. Younger teens looking for the strength to lift themselves out of rough situations would do well to start here.

Chipman, I. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time indian. The Booklist, 103(22), 61-61.

The line between dramatic monologue, verse novel, and standup comedy gets unequivocally -- and hilariously and triumphantly -- bent in this novel about coming of age on the rez. Urged on by a math teacher whose nose he has just broken, Junior, fourteen, decides to make the iffy commute from his Spokane Indian reservation to attend high school in Reardan, a small town twenty miles away. He's tired of his impoverished circumstances ("Adam and Eve covered their privates with fig leaves; the first Indians covered their privates with their tiny hands"), but while he hopes his new school will offer him a better education, he knows the odds aren't exactly with him: "What was I doing at Reardan, whose mascot was an Indian, thereby making me the only other Indian in town?" But he makes friends (most notably the class dork Gordy), gets a girlfriend, and even (though short, nearsighted, and slightly disabled from birth defects) lands a spot on the varsity basketball team, which inevitably leads to a showdown with his own home team, led by his former best friend Rowdy. Junior's narration is intensely alive and rat-a-tat-tat with short paragraphs and one-liners ("If God hadn't wanted us to masturbate, then God wouldn't have given us thumbs"). The dominant mode of the novel is comic, even though there's plenty of sadness, as when Junior's sister manages to shake off depression long enough to elope -- only to die, passed out from drinking, in a fire. Junior's spirit, though, is unquenchable, and his style inimitable, not least in the take-no-prisoners cartoons he draws (as expertly depicted by comics artist Forney) from his bicultural experience.

Sutton, R. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time indian. The Horn Book Magazine, 83(5), 563-564.

Uses:

This would be an excellent choice for display during Banned Book Week in a high school setting. Students may take more interest in reading this because of the negative connotation placed on it by this categorization.

Module 14 - Cool Salsa

April 22-28, 2013

American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults

American Library Association Quick Picks for Young Adults

Americas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature, Commended

NCSS-CBC Notable Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon Award

Horn Book Magazine Fanfare List

School Library Journal Best Books of the Year

Bibliography:

Carlson, L. M. (ed.) (1994). Cool salsa: bilingual poems on growing up Latino in the United States. New York: Henry Holt and Company.

Summary:

This collection of poems written by latino writers celebrate a predominant culture in our society and explore the feelings, thoughts and struggles of individuals as they learn to traverse everyday life. The poems express frustrations and questions faced by the writers as they learn a new language, see their differences more vividly (as in Why am I so brown?) and acceptance (We would like you to know). In this journey through latino literature written in both English and Spanish, we see the heart of latino culture and yearn for more.

Impressions:

I particularly enjoyed the perspective brought to readers through short poems on a variety of topics. The utilization of both Spanish and English translations make this ideal to use when working with ESL students trying to improve their English while giving them quality literature they can relate to. I would be happy to have this book as part of my collection.

Reviews:

This collection presents poems by 29 Mexican-American, Cuban-American, Puerto Rican, and other Central and South American poets, including Sandra Cisneros, Luis J. Rodriguez, Pat Mora, Gary Soto, Ana Castillo, Oscar Hijuelos, Ed J. Vega, Judith Ortiz Cofer, and other Latino writers both contemporary and historical. Brief biographical notes on the authors are provided. All the poems deal with experiences of teenagers and are divided into six categories: School Days, Home and Homeland, Memories, Hard Times, Time to Party, and A Promising Future. Though long a part of our heritage, the Latino tradition has only belatedly received the recognition it deserves. Serving as a means of celebrating the Latino culture, the collection also gives teens a basis for thinking about culture, prejudice, and stereotyping. Most of the poems are presented in English and Spanish. Some are translated from original English, some from original Spanish, and a few are written in a combination of English and Spanish. A glossary is included for Spanish terms in those poems that are not translated. Recommended.

York, S. (1994). Reviews: Fiction. Book Report, 13(3), 49.

"Welcome to ESL 100, English Surely Latinized, ingles con chile y cilantro, English as American / as Benito Juarez. Welcome, muchachos from Xochicalco, / learn the language of dolares [dollars] and dolores [pains], of kings/and queens, of Donald Duck and Batman. Holy Toluca!" Gina Valdes' "English con Salsa" leads off this anthology, setting the stage, as it were, for a wonderful assortment of poems that express Latino culture and the concerns of growing up in the U.S. Some of the poems are presented bilingually, translated from the original English or vice versa; others are a telling mix of both languages--"not necessarily Spanglish," according to Carlson. And although the poems are quite diverse stylistically and in subject matter, they all speak to the teenage experience, and the central sense that emerges from the whole is that the very mingling of the two languages is important in assimilating the two cultures and in maintaining an awareness of yourself and your heritage. Hence, slang and fractured grammar slip into both languages here, but at times the Spanish rendition is awkward. (For example, why call the living room el living, rather than la sala?) Some of the pieces express the pain of facing prejudice or brutality; others celebrate the beat of Latino life--the joys of good hot dogs, parties, mangoes, dancing, love.

Estes, S. (1994, November 1). Cool salsa: Bilingual poems on growing up Latino in the United States. Booklist, 91(5), 488.

Uses: Since my library is located in downtown San Antonio, I would display this book and read excerpts to classes during Fiesta and Cinco de Mayo.

Module 13 - Diary of a Wimpy Kid

April 15-21, 2013

Bibliography:

Kinney, J. (2007). Diary of a wimpy kid: Greg Heffley's journal. New York: Amulet Books.

Summary:

Greg is a typical boy starting middle school with all the angst and pressure to fit in and seem normal. He spends his time reluctantly creating a journal about his days, following interactions with teachers and other students and revealing the hierarchy of the middle school food chain. Greg has a best friend, Rowley, but mostly because he feels sorry for him. Greg gets Rowley in trouble for something he did himself and lets Rowley take the blame before fessing up. Rowley and Greg go through the typical talking – not talking – talking phases as they work through their issues and traverse middle school and all its nuances.

Impressions:

I really did not enjoy this book at all. I did like the short, chunked writing and captions but thought that Greg was a poor example for children to follow. My six year old has become interested in the series of books because another kid at school brought his. She likes the comic style of the book but after reading it, I really don’t want her to read it at her age.

Reviews:

The first year in the middle-school life of Greg Heffley is chronicled in this laughout-loud novel that first appeared on the Internet. Greg tells his story in a series of short, episodic chapters. Most revolve around the adolescent male curse: the need to do incredibly dumb things because they seem to be a good idea at the time. Yet, unlike some other books about kids of this age, there's no sense of a slightly condescending adult writer behind the main character. At every moment, Greg seems real, and the engrossed reader will even occasionally see the logic in some of his choices. Greatly adding to the humor are Kinney's cartoons, which appear on every page. The simple line drawings perfectly capture archetypes of growing up, such as a preschool-age little brother, out-of-touch teachers, and an assortment of class nerds. Lots of fun throughout.

Morning, T. (2007). Diary of a wimpy kid. The Booklist, 103(15), 45-45.

Now on many a best-seller list, Kinney's print incarnation of the Web-based "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" comic is a laugh-out-loud journal kept by middle-schooler Greg Heffley (Just don't expect him to be "all 'Dear Diary' this and 'Dear Diary' that.") This "novel in cartoons" features a mix of text and black-and-white spot art, and the first-person narration is a hoot, whether Greg is describing the difference between school and TV wrestling, or the reason why his grandma's house was T.P.'d. Perfect for reluctant readers, this is the first of five promised Wimpy Kid books.

Tillotson, L. (2008). Diary of a wimpy kid. Book Links, 17, 19-20.

Uses: I would use this book and the others in the series to create a section celebrating and highlighting the books of authors in their birth month (his is in February). Each month I would select an author and display their work, organize a reading and encourage students to read what the author has written.

Module 12 - Martin's Big Words

April 8-14, 2013

Jane Addams Children’s Book Award

National Council of Teachers of English, Orbis Pictus Honor Book

Caldecott Honor Book

Coretta Scott King Honor Book

ALA Notable Children’s Book

Bibliography:

Rappaport, D. (2001). Martin's big words: the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books For Children.

Summary:

In this book, we see the future civil rights leader as a child processing the prejudice he sees in the world around him. His mother influences him to understand that he is just as good as anyone else. As he grows into a minister and speaks of tolerance and equality, he seeks to make change for his people by using his words, not his fists. King becomes an history maker with his words and makes the world a better place for African Americans before his life is taken in Memphis.

Impressions:

Written for lower grades, this book is beautifully presented with stunning collages and few words, lending itself for simple storytelling and conversation. I like the simplicity of the story, just the facts, along with the list of important dates at the end. Although popular at the elementary level, I was delighted to find this as part of the collection at my high school library as well. It invokes a great message, use your words and make them count.

Reviews:

"Big words" influenced young Martin Luther King, Jr. in his resolve to heal a racially troubled nation. "Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that." A minimal text and dramatic collage paintings create a stunning introduction to King's life and words. Video & audio avail. from Weston Woods.

Bock, L. (2003). Martin's big words. School Library Journal, 49(2), 98-98.

Using words instead of weapons, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., changed the course of history by galvanizing the civil rights movement with his passion for politics and pacifism. His profound belief in equality informed every aspect of his life and continues to enlighten people around the world today-if you want peace, work for justice.

Designed for younger children, this picture book biography pairs uncomplicated narrative text with short excerpts from some of King's well known speeches: The sheer power of his words is enhanced visually by a larger, bolder typeface, and Bryan Collier's collages-combining water-- color paintings, photographs, and patterned papers-effectively create a journalistic, you-are-there sense of immediacy. A timeline, bibliography, and Internet search tips are included for children who want to learn more.

Burke, L. T. (2002). Martin's big words. Reading Today, 19(4), 32-32.

Uses:

At the elementary level, I would use this book to read to classes as the school celebrates Martin Luther King’s birthday in January. Students could then create a collage to mimic the design of the pages in the book.

Module 11 - The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins

ALA Notable Book

Caldecott Honor

Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

Bibliography:

Kerley, B. (2000). The dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins: an illuminating history of Mr. Waterhouse Hawkins, artist and lecturer. New York: Scholastic.

Summary:

Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins was an artist and who worked closely with a scientist to bring dinosaurs to life. Waterhouse was able to make determinations about the fossils to create life-size replicas of what the dinosaurs in Europe may have looked like, based on what scientists knew at the time about the fossils and how they compared to existing animals of the time. He used this as an opportunity to educate people about dinosaurs and was given the opportunity to create models of American dinosaurs for an area of Central Park dedicated solely for this purpose. That is until a corrupt politician and vandals put an end to it. So he moved on and created skeletons and murals for Princeton and the Smithsonian Institution before heading back home to Europe at the age of 71. Although many of his creations have been proven to be inaccurate as more fossils are discovered, he gave modern society the first glimpse of another time period. Some of his creations are still standing today.

Impressions:

What a fantastic story! I was entranced at the leap of faith this artist took by essentially creating something from almost nothing. What he did was bring the past to meet the present and although outdated now, he was a visionary for his time. I think students can connect to this person who went out on a limb and did something great.

Reviews:

Barbara Kerley's biography covers three periods in the life of Waterhouse Hawkins in England and America to chronicle his lifetime pursuit of scientific information and the artistic representation of dinosaurs. In the mid-1800s, with only a few dinosaur bones and tremendous creativity, Hawkins became the first person to extrapolate what dinosaurs might have looked like and to cast molds of them for the world to see. Aided by Richard Owen, the leading comparative anatomist of his time, Hawkins sculpted and gave "life" to dinosaurs housed, even today, in England's Crystal Palace. By contrast, his attempt to create similar models in New York City was thwarted by Boss Tweed's revengeful destruction of his work. Kerley baits readers by suggesting that the remains of Hawkins's dinosaur models may still be unearthed in Central Park. Kerley portrays the eternally inquisitive Hawkins as an entertainer as well as an artist and a scientist. Using a circus like design, from the Iguanodon dinner invitation used as the front bookplate to the menu on the back endpaper, Selznick reveals Hawkins's eccentricity. Dinner inside an Iguanodon is too good to miss.

The extensively researched endnotes by the author and the illustrator demonstrate use of primary documents such asl9th-century newspapers and Hawkins's own scrapbook, a 50-cent garage sale find. This scrapbook inspired the simulated leather cover and many of Selznick's artistic interpretations. Hawkins and Kerley model the inquiry process and may inspire readers to pursue biographical or scientific knowledge.

Duthie, C., Nancy, L. H., Julie, M. J., Richard, M. K., & al, e. (2002). The dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins. Language Arts, 80(1), 71.

Hawkins, a British artist who combined scientific observation with sculptorly imagination to create the earliest full-scale dinosaur reconstructions, receives fanciful biographical treatment in three "ages" (chapters), corresponding to stages in his career. Kerley focuses on his commissions in England and the United States and on the destruction of his models-doubtless at the orders of New York's infamous Boss Tweed. Although there is much intrinsic interest in this aspect of Hawkins' story, dinophiles are here to see how Hawkins' interpolations stand the test of subsequent scholarship, and this juicy topic gets short shrift. Selznick's closing scene of comparative dinos displays anatomical contrasts, but it does so in a cartoonish fashion that may not satisfy children who take all this quite seriously. Dinosaurs rendered in fierce blues, teals, and purples would likely feel more at home on a toy shelf than on a museum display, and the two concluding pages of dense, double-columned author and illustrator notes pack intriguing details that listeners would probably have appreciated within the text. Still, this is a childfriendly introduction to an aspect of scientific procedure, and young museumgoers might justly ponder how today's life-size reconstructions may alter in years hence.

Bush, E. (2001). The dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 55(2), 62.

Uses:

Since my library is part of a magnet school which concentrates on law and medicine, I would use this book to assist the art and science departments with introducing a unit on reconstruction of faces when only a skull is found.

Module 10 - The Other Side

March 25-31, 2013

ALA Notable Book

2001 Time of Wonder Award

2002 IRA Teacher’s Choice Award

2004 Louisiana Young Reader’s Choice Award

California Young Reader Medal Nominee

2003-2004 South Carolina Book Award Nominee

Bibliography:

Woodson, J. (2001). The other side. New York: Putnam's.

Summary:

Set in the South during a time of prejudice and segregation, Clover and Annie live on opposite sides of the same fence. They don’t understand why they cannot play together but they are from different races. Set in a time where races did not mingle, the girls balance obeying their mothers’ wishes to stay on their own side with wanting to play and build relationships.

Impressions:

Although I was not born yet when these issues were prominent, I recall my grandmother’s prejudices because of her upbringing in Arkansas and distinctly remember not being able to have friends over who were not white. In elementary I was one of three white kids in the entire school and I saw no differences. Color never mattered to me, as with these two children. It is the prejudice of the parents and their generation that was being impressed upon them and they were making their own choices. I felt a familiarity with this story and will share it and my own experiences with my children as they grow older.

Reviews:

Told by their mamas to stay on their own sides of the fence that divides their racially segregated town, two little girls (one black and one white) find a way to straddle the barrier and become friends. Glorious watercolors capture the long summer days. It's a slice of recent American history made accessible to young children.

Rovenger, J. (2001). The other side. Scholastic Parent & Child, 9, 18.

A fence in rural segregated America separates two girls, one African American and one white. Their mothers tell them not to go on the other side of the fence, but they never forbade sitting on the fence; through that beginning, the girls become friends. Their friendship shows how people can take small steps to change a negative environment.

Goss, G. (2004). The other side. Book Links, 13, 26.

Uses:

In addition to Martin’s Big Words, I would use this book to read to lower grades when they are studying Martin Luther King, Jr. and civil rights. It is useful for interpreting the prejudices of adults passed down to the children who don’t understand.

Module 9 - The Face on the Milk Carton

March 18-24, 2013

Cooney, Caroline THE FACE ON THE MILK CARTON

Bibliography:

Cooney, C. B. (1990). The face on the milk carton. New York: Delacorte Press.

Summary:

Janie Johnson is a typical teenager looking forward to getting her driver’s license. Whenever she asks her mother for her birth certificate, she is always given an excuse as to why she can’t get it for her. Although this is curious, it is not as unsettling for Janie as her red hair. No one else in her family has red hair. Where did it come from? And why aren’t there any baby pictures of her? These nagging questions remain just that until one day in the cafeteria she notices a picture of a little girl on the side of a milk carton. She looks familiar, as does the polka dot dress she is wearing. It seems to set in motion memories of twins and other children in a kitchen. Janie didn’t want to believe this could be true so she set about checking things out for herself. She and her best friend skipped school and went to the town where the missing girl was from and found the house she lived in, as red-headed children, including twins, got off the bus after school and went inside. Further research in her home revealed the polka dot dress she remembered wearing as a child, and memories of willingly going with someone who bought her ice cream as a young girl. Janie’s conversation with her parents revealed an interesting story, one in which she was actually her granddaughter, at least they thought. Their own daughter brought this girl to them to care for before going back to the cult she had fallen into. Only Janie did not think this was entirely true. The story ends with a cliffhanger, where you are left to create for yourself the reactions of a family who have mourned their loss for far too long.   

Impressions:

This was a quick read, and one which catches any parent right in their heart. I remember seeing pictures on the milk cartons when I was a kid and never thought anything of it, except that it was sad. But as a parent myself now, I can’t imagine losing a child in such a way, or having my child grow up never realizing what their true story is. Although this is a story with a happy ending, at least we are led to believe that, I find myself sad for the lost years and memories that will never be reclaimed.

Reviews:

Alyssa Bresnahan brings to life the character of 15-year-old Janie Johnson, a teenager whose typical angst is compounded when she discovers her picture on a milk carton as a missing child. Searching for the truth behind the kidnapping consumes Janie as she tries to maintain the balance between the craziness of her discovery and the teenage world of school, dates, and friends. Bresnahan deftly portrays each character, creating a unique voice for each. The sense of terror that develops in Janie is exhibited by the rising tension in the narrator's voice. Read equally well is the part of Janie's parents-their voices changing during the course of the story from professional and upbeat to wary and defeated. The progression of the characters complements the piece nicely. While the pace of the recording remains steady, it is slightly too slow and tedious at times to accompany this suspenseful tale. However, this does not outweigh the value of Caroline B. Cooney's excellent story (BDD, 1996) which has been a favorite read for young teenagers, an IRA-CBC Children's Choice Book, and the subject of a television special. The popularity of the book will cause this recording to leap off the shelves.

Freeman, D. B. (1998). The face on the milk carton. School Library Journal, 44(9), 152.

As she stares at the face of a little girl on a milk carton, fifteen-year-old Janie Johnson recognizes herself in pigtails and a white-collared dress. Unable to concentrate on her current life, she gropes for an answer, a personal history, a way back to the lively world she has loved for so many years. This fine book has suspense. It has romance. It has characters so real you will want to check your own family album! Caroline Cooney beckons the reader with fine writing that offers immediate action and an abundance of sharp, accurate descriptions.

Christian, J. A. (1992). Serious business -- The face on the milk carton by Caroline B. Cooney. English Journal, 81(2), 89.

Uses: I would use this book to highlight the mystery genre to students, along with a selection of other books that fit. As a book club, I would also use this book for review and discussion.