Draper, Sharon. (1996). Tears of a tiger. New York: Simon Pulse. 9780669806988.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Annotated Bibliography
Campbell Bartoletti, Susan. (2010). They called themselves the KKK. New York: Houghton Mifflin. 9780618440337.
The Called Themselves the KKK is a student accessible history of an American hate group. Campbell Bartoletti tells the tale from the inception of the KKK in 1866 to the modern day prejudices that many American’s still face daily. Through the use of pictures, newspaper cartoons and articles, and other primary sources Campbell Bartoletti’s book is a history lesson that doesn’t feel so much like a lesson but more a call to action to end hate. It would work well with any unit on prejudice, bias, bullying, or hate.
Dashner, James. (2009). The maze runner. New York: Delacorte Press. 9780385737944.
Thomas suddenly appears in a new, strange world. He is brought there by way of an elevator. Thomas doesn’t know how he got in th elevator, where he came from, or what he is supposed to do. All That Thomas knows is that he must learn to survive in this new world called the Glade with the bunch of rag-tag boys who call themselves the Gladers. Dashner’s novel is a new age telling of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Dashner explores human nature and the role that power plays in our lives.
Muli Wa Kituku, Vincent. (1997). East African folktales. Little Rock: August House Publishers, Inc. 0874834899.
Dr. Vincent Muli Wa Kituku’s collection of folktales provides a look into the culture in which the author grew up. Rich in cultural heritage, East African Folktales is a compilation of tales used to teach lessons from generation to generation. Muli Wa Kituku adds a unique insight into his culture by providing page by page translations of these tales. They are written in both English and in Kikamba, the language of the author’s East African culture.
Shakespeare, William. (2008). Macbeth. Ill: Ken Hoshine. New York: Spark Publishing. 97814114987116.
This No Fear Shakespeare adaptation of Macbeth does not let the reader off with a simple summary and analysis of Shakespeare’s famous play of witches and royalty. Instead the student must read through the graphic novel using Shakespeare’s own words and an Hoshine’s illustrations to understand the plot. This graphic novel adaptation of Macbeth is a useful tool in making the Bard’s work accessible to all students, regardless of reading level.
Stiefvater, Maggie. (2009). Shiver. New York: Scholastic Press. 9780545123266.
Stiefvater’s novel of love, lust, adventure, and warewolves is sure to please any fan of Twilight. Grace knows there is something special about the wolves in the forest behind her yard. She has been watching them and they have been watching her ever since that fateful night when she was a young girl and the wolves attacked her. Shiver parallels The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet and would be a useful tool in teaching the lasting effect that Shakespeare had on the world of literature.
The Called Themselves the KKK is a student accessible history of an American hate group. Campbell Bartoletti tells the tale from the inception of the KKK in 1866 to the modern day prejudices that many American’s still face daily. Through the use of pictures, newspaper cartoons and articles, and other primary sources Campbell Bartoletti’s book is a history lesson that doesn’t feel so much like a lesson but more a call to action to end hate. It would work well with any unit on prejudice, bias, bullying, or hate.
Dashner, James. (2009). The maze runner. New York: Delacorte Press. 9780385737944.
Thomas suddenly appears in a new, strange world. He is brought there by way of an elevator. Thomas doesn’t know how he got in th elevator, where he came from, or what he is supposed to do. All That Thomas knows is that he must learn to survive in this new world called the Glade with the bunch of rag-tag boys who call themselves the Gladers. Dashner’s novel is a new age telling of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Dashner explores human nature and the role that power plays in our lives.
Muli Wa Kituku, Vincent. (1997). East African folktales. Little Rock: August House Publishers, Inc. 0874834899.
Dr. Vincent Muli Wa Kituku’s collection of folktales provides a look into the culture in which the author grew up. Rich in cultural heritage, East African Folktales is a compilation of tales used to teach lessons from generation to generation. Muli Wa Kituku adds a unique insight into his culture by providing page by page translations of these tales. They are written in both English and in Kikamba, the language of the author’s East African culture.
Shakespeare, William. (2008). Macbeth. Ill: Ken Hoshine. New York: Spark Publishing. 97814114987116.
This No Fear Shakespeare adaptation of Macbeth does not let the reader off with a simple summary and analysis of Shakespeare’s famous play of witches and royalty. Instead the student must read through the graphic novel using Shakespeare’s own words and an Hoshine’s illustrations to understand the plot. This graphic novel adaptation of Macbeth is a useful tool in making the Bard’s work accessible to all students, regardless of reading level.
Stiefvater, Maggie. (2009). Shiver. New York: Scholastic Press. 9780545123266.
Stiefvater’s novel of love, lust, adventure, and warewolves is sure to please any fan of Twilight. Grace knows there is something special about the wolves in the forest behind her yard. She has been watching them and they have been watching her ever since that fateful night when she was a young girl and the wolves attacked her. Shiver parallels The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet and would be a useful tool in teaching the lasting effect that Shakespeare had on the world of literature.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
American Born Chinese
Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel, American Born Chinese, is a story of code switching and cultural identification. It is a book to which any student, or person, can relate. The story begins with the traditional Chinese tale of the Monkey King. The Monkey King wants nothing more than to attain life long fame and importance by being accepted into the world of the gods. Parallel to the story of the Monkey King runs the story of Jin Wang and the story of Danny. Jin Wang is a first generation Chinese-American who is struggling to find his place in his new elementary school. Danny is a seemingly “normal” American teenager who is forced to deal with the fallout of his stereotypical cousin Chin-Kee’s visit. All three stories tell the tale of someone who is struggling to bridge the gap between their culture of birth and the culture in which they want to be accepted.
Yang create three parallel stories and weaves them together not only through the use of a common theme, but also through the use of the graphics that assist in telling the story. When Yang is describing the life of the Monkey King he use bright, bold colors. The Monkey King is surrounded by a clash reds, greens, and yellows. This is a stark contrast to the world of Jin Wang and the world of Danny. These characters, who live in the United States, find themselves in a setting that is made up of mostly muted grays and blues. The difference in the color helps the reader to create the different worlds in which all of the characters find themselves.
While reading American Born Chinese I couldn’t help but think of Sherman Alexie’s young adult novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. In Part Time Indian Junior finds himself learning how to switch between the culture of his reservation and the culture of his predominantly white school. Each of the characters in American Born Chinese also find themselves in a similar situation. Jin Wang and Danny must bridge the gap between home and school. The Monkey King must create a common link between his life on Flower Fruit Mountain and the world of the gods.
This story is one that is similar to most people. I feel as if most, if not all, of my students would be able to relate to Yang’s story. Although many of the students that I work with identify as white or European-American they also must make a shift between their home life and their school life and the cultures that accompany each. Students must learn what norms (language, actions, behavior, etc…) are appropriate at certain time and inappropriate at other times.
When I was first going through my teacher preparation program I remember learning about the bias in traditional American education and standardized tests. Learning about students who have the deck stacked against them before they even begin school breaks my heart. As a teacher I have made every attempt to help these students bridge the gap between their home culture and the culture of school. I don't want a student like Jin Wang and Danny to have to choose between their home and school. Students should be invited to bring their culture into school and use this knowledge to enrich not only their education but also the education of their peers.
Yang create three parallel stories and weaves them together not only through the use of a common theme, but also through the use of the graphics that assist in telling the story. When Yang is describing the life of the Monkey King he use bright, bold colors. The Monkey King is surrounded by a clash reds, greens, and yellows. This is a stark contrast to the world of Jin Wang and the world of Danny. These characters, who live in the United States, find themselves in a setting that is made up of mostly muted grays and blues. The difference in the color helps the reader to create the different worlds in which all of the characters find themselves.
While reading American Born Chinese I couldn’t help but think of Sherman Alexie’s young adult novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. In Part Time Indian Junior finds himself learning how to switch between the culture of his reservation and the culture of his predominantly white school. Each of the characters in American Born Chinese also find themselves in a similar situation. Jin Wang and Danny must bridge the gap between home and school. The Monkey King must create a common link between his life on Flower Fruit Mountain and the world of the gods.
This story is one that is similar to most people. I feel as if most, if not all, of my students would be able to relate to Yang’s story. Although many of the students that I work with identify as white or European-American they also must make a shift between their home life and their school life and the cultures that accompany each. Students must learn what norms (language, actions, behavior, etc…) are appropriate at certain time and inappropriate at other times.
When I was first going through my teacher preparation program I remember learning about the bias in traditional American education and standardized tests. Learning about students who have the deck stacked against them before they even begin school breaks my heart. As a teacher I have made every attempt to help these students bridge the gap between their home culture and the culture of school. I don't want a student like Jin Wang and Danny to have to choose between their home and school. Students should be invited to bring their culture into school and use this knowledge to enrich not only their education but also the education of their peers.
Monday, December 6, 2010
The Arrival
When I was sixteen years old my father took me to New York City. He wanted me to begin to see life through a different perspective. Our first day there he brought me to the top of the Empire State Building where we watched a short video highlighting all that NYC has to offer. This video, almost getting run over while crossing the street (New York drivers did not adhere to the same rules regarding pedestrians that I was used in Minneapolis), and a tour of Ellis Island are three of the strongest memories that I have from that trip.
My dad was a history major in college and passed his love of learning on to me. It was with a spirit of adventure and thirst for knowledge that we set off to Ellis Island on our third day of the trip. At the Ellis Island visitor center we rented the audio tour and began our exploration. To this day my visit to Ellis Island is one of the coolest museums that I have visited. (I have since learned about the Lower East Side Tenement Museum and am yearning to go.)
At the end of the Ellis Island tour is a memorial to all of the immigrants who passed through its doors. My dad and I were able to look up the names of my paternal grandparents and find their names on the memorial. I had always been aware that my grandparents immigrated to the United States from Russia, but until that time I never really thought about what it meant. Seeing their name and visiting Ellis Island helped me to envision what my grandparents went through when immigrating. I was fascinated with the experience and wanted to learn all that I could about it.
Reading The Arrival by Shaun Tan reminded me of my visit to Ellis Island. Through the use of pictures, and only pictures, Tan creates the journey of an immigrant to a new country and a new life. His use of sepia toned pictures immediately puts the reader in a foreign time period. It is clear that the man immigrating did so long ago when the world was a different place. The lack of words can at times make the book confusing to follow. This seems intentional to create a strong bond between the reader and the protagonist. The man immigrating in the story must have felt confused and overwhelmed as he started a new life in a new country. The reader can relate to these feelings as they struggle to put together the story without the aid of any words.
Tan continues to create the connection between the protagonist and the reader by his use of made up images. There is a written language that is present in the book, however it is unknown to both the reader and the immigrant. The protagonist must draw a picture of a bed next to his writing in order to convey his message. It is the picture that the reader understands, not the writing. Once he has found a place to sleep, the immigrant must then match the symbol on his key to the symbol on the door. This is the only way that he can find his way to the correct room.
Despite the level of un-comfort that Tan’s drawing create, he also adds just enough of the known to help guide the reader through the story. The protagonist opens his suitcase and is reminded of the life that he left in his native country. The protagonist must navigate his way through everyday tasks such as buying food. The protagonist must find a job, ending up working on a factory line. These are all situation to which the reader can relate.
Following the protagonist through the story is an unknown creature. This creature is a symbol of the protagonist’s journey into the unknown. The protagonist must learn to trust the creature just like he must learn to trust his new society and culture.
My dad was a history major in college and passed his love of learning on to me. It was with a spirit of adventure and thirst for knowledge that we set off to Ellis Island on our third day of the trip. At the Ellis Island visitor center we rented the audio tour and began our exploration. To this day my visit to Ellis Island is one of the coolest museums that I have visited. (I have since learned about the Lower East Side Tenement Museum and am yearning to go.)
At the end of the Ellis Island tour is a memorial to all of the immigrants who passed through its doors. My dad and I were able to look up the names of my paternal grandparents and find their names on the memorial. I had always been aware that my grandparents immigrated to the United States from Russia, but until that time I never really thought about what it meant. Seeing their name and visiting Ellis Island helped me to envision what my grandparents went through when immigrating. I was fascinated with the experience and wanted to learn all that I could about it.
Reading The Arrival by Shaun Tan reminded me of my visit to Ellis Island. Through the use of pictures, and only pictures, Tan creates the journey of an immigrant to a new country and a new life. His use of sepia toned pictures immediately puts the reader in a foreign time period. It is clear that the man immigrating did so long ago when the world was a different place. The lack of words can at times make the book confusing to follow. This seems intentional to create a strong bond between the reader and the protagonist. The man immigrating in the story must have felt confused and overwhelmed as he started a new life in a new country. The reader can relate to these feelings as they struggle to put together the story without the aid of any words.
Tan continues to create the connection between the protagonist and the reader by his use of made up images. There is a written language that is present in the book, however it is unknown to both the reader and the immigrant. The protagonist must draw a picture of a bed next to his writing in order to convey his message. It is the picture that the reader understands, not the writing. Once he has found a place to sleep, the immigrant must then match the symbol on his key to the symbol on the door. This is the only way that he can find his way to the correct room.
Despite the level of un-comfort that Tan’s drawing create, he also adds just enough of the known to help guide the reader through the story. The protagonist opens his suitcase and is reminded of the life that he left in his native country. The protagonist must navigate his way through everyday tasks such as buying food. The protagonist must find a job, ending up working on a factory line. These are all situation to which the reader can relate.
Following the protagonist through the story is an unknown creature. This creature is a symbol of the protagonist’s journey into the unknown. The protagonist must learn to trust the creature just like he must learn to trust his new society and culture.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Book Review: The Strom in the Barn
Phelan, Matt. (2009). The storm in the barn. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. 9780763636180.
Matt Phelan’s The Storm in the Barn brings to life the harsh realities of existing during the Dust Bowl. Phelan’s graphic novel tells the story of eleven-year-old Jack Clark and his family: a disapproving father; two sisters, one sick, one mischievous; the local bullies; and a town struggling to get by during the years of dust.
The Storm in the Barn, set in Kansas in 1937, is the story of Jack’s quest to help his family and his town through these years of hardship. Jack is fighting against a farm that is forcing him to feel useless, “You got older, but the farm didn’t. The dust stopped everything – except you getting older. It’s not your fault that there was nothing for you to do, nothing for you to show us how valuable you are to the farm” (115). Throughout the story Jack works to prove to his father that he has a purpose. He attempts to help his father repair the truck, the family’s mode of planned escape from the Dust Bowl, but is instead relegated to watching after his little sister. The disapproval from his father instills a determination in Jack to put a stop to his family’s hardships. Jack clearly states that, “This must end” (138).
He must also fight off the symptoms of the new disease sweeping the plain, dust dementia. Jack is certain that the ghostly figure in the neighbor’s abandoned barn is the King of Storms – he is not going crazy. While exploring the empty barn, the home of the King of Storms, Jack discusses his state of mind with himself, “But I know I’m not sick. I’m not demented” (148). With the same vigor that Jack has adopted to prove he can be useful on the farm, Jack will also prove that what he is seeing is not just a figment of his imagination. It is Jack’s self-appointed mission to win back the respect of his father and bring rain to the town by conquering the King of Storms.
Phelan’s sparse use of words puts an emphasis on his pictures, highlighting his haunting images of life during the Dust Bowl. Phelan is able to capture the sparseness of life during a draught. His color choices, mostly grey’s with burnt oranges occasionally mixed in, create a strong image in the reader’s mind. Phelan also uses a liberal pen stroke to create a sense of an ever-present wind. The reader can imagine the constant dust being blown and the inability to escape it.
The Storm in the Barn is appropriate for upper-elementary readers through high school. The layers of Phelan’s text (the history of the Dust Bowl, Jack’s relationship with his father, the towns relationship with the dust) allow the book to be discussed at many different levels. The Storm in the Barn would work excellent as a paired text to Karen Hesse’s Out of the Dust, John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, Russell Freedman’s Children of the Great Depression, Martin Sandler’s The Dust Bowl Through the Lens, or any other text centered on agriculture and life in the 1930s.
Matt Phelan’s The Storm in the Barn brings to life the harsh realities of existing during the Dust Bowl. Phelan’s graphic novel tells the story of eleven-year-old Jack Clark and his family: a disapproving father; two sisters, one sick, one mischievous; the local bullies; and a town struggling to get by during the years of dust.
The Storm in the Barn, set in Kansas in 1937, is the story of Jack’s quest to help his family and his town through these years of hardship. Jack is fighting against a farm that is forcing him to feel useless, “You got older, but the farm didn’t. The dust stopped everything – except you getting older. It’s not your fault that there was nothing for you to do, nothing for you to show us how valuable you are to the farm” (115). Throughout the story Jack works to prove to his father that he has a purpose. He attempts to help his father repair the truck, the family’s mode of planned escape from the Dust Bowl, but is instead relegated to watching after his little sister. The disapproval from his father instills a determination in Jack to put a stop to his family’s hardships. Jack clearly states that, “This must end” (138).
He must also fight off the symptoms of the new disease sweeping the plain, dust dementia. Jack is certain that the ghostly figure in the neighbor’s abandoned barn is the King of Storms – he is not going crazy. While exploring the empty barn, the home of the King of Storms, Jack discusses his state of mind with himself, “But I know I’m not sick. I’m not demented” (148). With the same vigor that Jack has adopted to prove he can be useful on the farm, Jack will also prove that what he is seeing is not just a figment of his imagination. It is Jack’s self-appointed mission to win back the respect of his father and bring rain to the town by conquering the King of Storms.
Phelan’s sparse use of words puts an emphasis on his pictures, highlighting his haunting images of life during the Dust Bowl. Phelan is able to capture the sparseness of life during a draught. His color choices, mostly grey’s with burnt oranges occasionally mixed in, create a strong image in the reader’s mind. Phelan also uses a liberal pen stroke to create a sense of an ever-present wind. The reader can imagine the constant dust being blown and the inability to escape it.
The Storm in the Barn is appropriate for upper-elementary readers through high school. The layers of Phelan’s text (the history of the Dust Bowl, Jack’s relationship with his father, the towns relationship with the dust) allow the book to be discussed at many different levels. The Storm in the Barn would work excellent as a paired text to Karen Hesse’s Out of the Dust, John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, Russell Freedman’s Children of the Great Depression, Martin Sandler’s The Dust Bowl Through the Lens, or any other text centered on agriculture and life in the 1930s.
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World
When I was twelve years old my parents took our family on vacation to Mexico. We stayed in what was then a relatively small and non-touristy fishing town an hour south of Cancun. My father, being a history buff, was determined to bring my family to nearby Mayan ruins. We could not pass up this once in a lifetime opportunity, he said, especially when it was so close at hand.
To save money and give our itinerary the flexibility demanded by a family of five with young children, my parents decided that they would rent a car instead of buying us tickets for a chartered tour bus. My father decided to take his frugality one step farther and secure a free rental car – all he had to do was sit through a time share presentation that would last no more than an hour. No less than three hours later, my family was finally on our way to see the remains of a past civilization. Our chariot was a red compact car (designed to comfortably fit two but advertised to hold five, which is how many we squeezed in) that smelled of stale cigarette and cleaning solution.
Despite our setbacks and less than leisurely travel conditions, our trip to the ruins was uneventful. We toured, we took pictures, we learned, we had a good time. After a long day of trekking through the sun we headed back to our hotel. My brother, sister, and I were dozing in the back seat when an unexpected jolt woke us up. The car that my father had so cleverly gotten for free had a flat tire. We pulled over to the side of the Mexican highway, with cars cruising past at speeds exceeding 80 miles per hour, to change the tire. After much hassle with an old jack and a spare that was definitely not full sized, we finally made it back to our hotel. The rental company tried to charge us extra for getting a flat, after all we did use five tires instead of the normal four, but my father wouldn’t stand for it.
Reading Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World reminded my of my families adventures renting a car in Mexico. We faced troubles and adversity (long presentations, second hand smoke, flat tires) but in the end we all made it home safely.
Jennifer Armstrong does a magnificent job of creating a compelling story out of Shackleton’s adventure. She has written a non-fiction book that reads like a story but is filled with facts and true-life adventures. Armstrong sets up her story by giving the readers hints that trouble lies ahead. The title of the book, Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World, is a clear indicator that something is going to go wrong as a shipwreck is not the desired result of a voyage. The suspense continues to build when Armstrong explicitly mentions that the voyage does not go as planned, but that Shackleton, being an extraordinary leader, was able to journey to safety without losing any human lives.
By creating suspense Armstrong compels the reader to keep reading. Besides the overarching theme of survival against the odds, suspense is also created in small subplots throughout the book. When The Endurance was first to set sail there was the uncertainty that the looming war brought. Would the ship be able to continue with its original mission or would it be re-commissioned as part of the British Army? Including small details and facts like this helps to create a story that is not only factual, but also highly readable and accessible.
To save money and give our itinerary the flexibility demanded by a family of five with young children, my parents decided that they would rent a car instead of buying us tickets for a chartered tour bus. My father decided to take his frugality one step farther and secure a free rental car – all he had to do was sit through a time share presentation that would last no more than an hour. No less than three hours later, my family was finally on our way to see the remains of a past civilization. Our chariot was a red compact car (designed to comfortably fit two but advertised to hold five, which is how many we squeezed in) that smelled of stale cigarette and cleaning solution.
Despite our setbacks and less than leisurely travel conditions, our trip to the ruins was uneventful. We toured, we took pictures, we learned, we had a good time. After a long day of trekking through the sun we headed back to our hotel. My brother, sister, and I were dozing in the back seat when an unexpected jolt woke us up. The car that my father had so cleverly gotten for free had a flat tire. We pulled over to the side of the Mexican highway, with cars cruising past at speeds exceeding 80 miles per hour, to change the tire. After much hassle with an old jack and a spare that was definitely not full sized, we finally made it back to our hotel. The rental company tried to charge us extra for getting a flat, after all we did use five tires instead of the normal four, but my father wouldn’t stand for it.
Reading Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World reminded my of my families adventures renting a car in Mexico. We faced troubles and adversity (long presentations, second hand smoke, flat tires) but in the end we all made it home safely.
Jennifer Armstrong does a magnificent job of creating a compelling story out of Shackleton’s adventure. She has written a non-fiction book that reads like a story but is filled with facts and true-life adventures. Armstrong sets up her story by giving the readers hints that trouble lies ahead. The title of the book, Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World, is a clear indicator that something is going to go wrong as a shipwreck is not the desired result of a voyage. The suspense continues to build when Armstrong explicitly mentions that the voyage does not go as planned, but that Shackleton, being an extraordinary leader, was able to journey to safety without losing any human lives.
By creating suspense Armstrong compels the reader to keep reading. Besides the overarching theme of survival against the odds, suspense is also created in small subplots throughout the book. When The Endurance was first to set sail there was the uncertainty that the looming war brought. Would the ship be able to continue with its original mission or would it be re-commissioned as part of the British Army? Including small details and facts like this helps to create a story that is not only factual, but also highly readable and accessible.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The Graveyard Book
I had a very tough time connecting to The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, which was surprising to me as I have very much enjoyed other of Gaiman’s books. While reading The Graveyard Book I kept thinking of my childhood and my strong belief that inanimate objects were alive when I wasn’t around. I would imagine my toys having the best time all day while I was at school. I connected this idea to Gaiman’s premise that the dead have another life all their own that we do not know about.
The idea of life after death is controversial and greatly depends on ones religious views. Gaiman asks the reader to suspend belief and come to the understanding that the dead live on after they have left their human bodies. Not only do they live on, but they live among us, not in a world separate from our earth.
I have given very little time or thought to the idea of what happens after death. It has always been my belief that a person lives on in memory through those that he or she touched throughout life. With the recent passing of my grandfather, I found reading The Graveyard Book somewhat comforting. It was a pleasant thought to think of my grandfather hanging out with friends and family members who have previously passed away. I do not think that Gaiman intended The Graveyard Book to be a book of comfort about death, but this is one of the purposes that it served for me.
Gaiman gave his reader many different ways to enter into the fictional world that he created in The Graveyard Book. It is clear that the gates of the graveyard where Bod and his family live are one such entrance. The layout of the book, the chapter breaks, and the illustrations also provide that reader a portal into Bod’s world. The first chapter begins with a minimal amount of words printed in white ink on black paper. This is followed by several pages of drawings intermingled with text. The drawings are black and white and have a sketch like quality, giving the reader just enough information to draw them in without overpowering Gaiman’s words.
The Graveyard Book reads like a collection of short stories more than a novel. As a whole it follows a very loosely defined western plot arc. Each chapter could almost be read independently of the book. It is almost as if Gaiman was writing down a collection of folk tales or fables from another world. Each story teaches Bod a lesson. In The Witches Headstone Bod learns the importance of honesty and not stealing. He also learns that good intentions are rewarded. In Nobody Owens School Days Bod learns the value of trusting his guardian, Silas, when he tells Bod that leaving the graveyard is a grave idea.
I cannot say that The Graveyard Book was my favorite Neil Gaiman title. In fact, it ranks quite low overall in my young adult list. However, I can see the value in the novel and have tried to understand why it was awarded the Newbery Medal. Gaiman’s writing is accessible to readers of all ages. He is able to effectively tell a compelling story that also teaches a lesson. Gaiman has set up his book of ghost folklore in a fashion that mimics what a western reader would expect of such a book. At the same time Gaiman is stretching his reader’s ideas about the world. Accomplishing all of this and writing a good book at the same time is truly a feat to be honored.
The idea of life after death is controversial and greatly depends on ones religious views. Gaiman asks the reader to suspend belief and come to the understanding that the dead live on after they have left their human bodies. Not only do they live on, but they live among us, not in a world separate from our earth.
I have given very little time or thought to the idea of what happens after death. It has always been my belief that a person lives on in memory through those that he or she touched throughout life. With the recent passing of my grandfather, I found reading The Graveyard Book somewhat comforting. It was a pleasant thought to think of my grandfather hanging out with friends and family members who have previously passed away. I do not think that Gaiman intended The Graveyard Book to be a book of comfort about death, but this is one of the purposes that it served for me.
Gaiman gave his reader many different ways to enter into the fictional world that he created in The Graveyard Book. It is clear that the gates of the graveyard where Bod and his family live are one such entrance. The layout of the book, the chapter breaks, and the illustrations also provide that reader a portal into Bod’s world. The first chapter begins with a minimal amount of words printed in white ink on black paper. This is followed by several pages of drawings intermingled with text. The drawings are black and white and have a sketch like quality, giving the reader just enough information to draw them in without overpowering Gaiman’s words.
The Graveyard Book reads like a collection of short stories more than a novel. As a whole it follows a very loosely defined western plot arc. Each chapter could almost be read independently of the book. It is almost as if Gaiman was writing down a collection of folk tales or fables from another world. Each story teaches Bod a lesson. In The Witches Headstone Bod learns the importance of honesty and not stealing. He also learns that good intentions are rewarded. In Nobody Owens School Days Bod learns the value of trusting his guardian, Silas, when he tells Bod that leaving the graveyard is a grave idea.
I cannot say that The Graveyard Book was my favorite Neil Gaiman title. In fact, it ranks quite low overall in my young adult list. However, I can see the value in the novel and have tried to understand why it was awarded the Newbery Medal. Gaiman’s writing is accessible to readers of all ages. He is able to effectively tell a compelling story that also teaches a lesson. Gaiman has set up his book of ghost folklore in a fashion that mimics what a western reader would expect of such a book. At the same time Gaiman is stretching his reader’s ideas about the world. Accomplishing all of this and writing a good book at the same time is truly a feat to be honored.
Skellig
The novel Skellig by David Almond seems more a novel about the power of love and hope than it is fantasy. However, love and hope are not genres of young adult fiction, therefore fantasy will have to suffice. Reading Skellig reminded me of all the times that the power of hope and love played a tangible role in my life. In particular I was reminded of the struggle that my family went through when my brother was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
Similar to the plot of Skellig, my family went through a crisis. Instead of a baby sister with a heart problem I experienced a brother with a brain tumor. I could relate to Michael’s uncertainty and his inability to help in what he thought was a meaningful way. When my brother was diagnosed with his tumor he lived in Washington, D.C. The distance between us created a chasm that made me feel removed from the problems he was facing. It also made me feel as if I was unable to help. When Michael is left at home with the neighbor or forced to go to school he seemed to experience a similar feeling of helplessness. He was unable to do anything for his little sister and the physical distance between him and his mother made it impossible for Michael to provide physical comfort.
During this time my family spent many days visiting doctors and in and out of the hospital. It need not be said that we wanted only what was best for my brother. Throughout this period, his surgery, and his recovery there was a lot of positive thinking and praying that took place. At times it felt as if I could physically touch all of the prayers, hope, and love that surrounded my family. There were so many people who cared, and so many people who kept my family in mind, that it was hard to ignore the power of all that positive thinking. I felt this positivity; it seemed that Michael manifested Skellig as the physical representation of his hope for his baby sister.
Skellig first appears when Michael and his family move to their new house where things are supposed to be great. However life does not go as planned and Michael’s sister is born premature. Michael is told to pray for his sister and think positive thoughts; only he doesn’t know what positive thoughts to think. It is at this point that Michael finds Skellig, the being who eventually helps to, in Michael’s mind, save his sister. Skellig is a part of Michael’s life for as long as he needs to pray for his sister. Skellig provides Michael with a mystery that is more tangible than the problems with his sister. Michael can help Skellig survive; satisfying the need he has to help his sister.
The life of Skellig and the life of Michael’s sister mirrored each other throughout the course of the novel. Michael’s sister had ups and downs; she was allowed to come home from the hospital and then forced to go back; she had the tubes and wires removed and then put back. It was uncertain whether or not she was going to survive. This same uncertainty surrounded Skellig. At first Michael was not sure if he really existed. Once Michael confirmed the existence of Skellig he still did not know who he was or what he was doing in Michael’s garage. After moving Skellig to the abandoned house, Michael wanted to know what Skellig was and why he was there. Skellig’s true nature is never revealed. He simply states that he is, “Something like you, something like a beast, something like a bird, something like an angel” (167). Skellig is able to fill all of the rolls that Michael needs him to play.
Similar to the plot of Skellig, my family went through a crisis. Instead of a baby sister with a heart problem I experienced a brother with a brain tumor. I could relate to Michael’s uncertainty and his inability to help in what he thought was a meaningful way. When my brother was diagnosed with his tumor he lived in Washington, D.C. The distance between us created a chasm that made me feel removed from the problems he was facing. It also made me feel as if I was unable to help. When Michael is left at home with the neighbor or forced to go to school he seemed to experience a similar feeling of helplessness. He was unable to do anything for his little sister and the physical distance between him and his mother made it impossible for Michael to provide physical comfort.
During this time my family spent many days visiting doctors and in and out of the hospital. It need not be said that we wanted only what was best for my brother. Throughout this period, his surgery, and his recovery there was a lot of positive thinking and praying that took place. At times it felt as if I could physically touch all of the prayers, hope, and love that surrounded my family. There were so many people who cared, and so many people who kept my family in mind, that it was hard to ignore the power of all that positive thinking. I felt this positivity; it seemed that Michael manifested Skellig as the physical representation of his hope for his baby sister.
Skellig first appears when Michael and his family move to their new house where things are supposed to be great. However life does not go as planned and Michael’s sister is born premature. Michael is told to pray for his sister and think positive thoughts; only he doesn’t know what positive thoughts to think. It is at this point that Michael finds Skellig, the being who eventually helps to, in Michael’s mind, save his sister. Skellig is a part of Michael’s life for as long as he needs to pray for his sister. Skellig provides Michael with a mystery that is more tangible than the problems with his sister. Michael can help Skellig survive; satisfying the need he has to help his sister.
The life of Skellig and the life of Michael’s sister mirrored each other throughout the course of the novel. Michael’s sister had ups and downs; she was allowed to come home from the hospital and then forced to go back; she had the tubes and wires removed and then put back. It was uncertain whether or not she was going to survive. This same uncertainty surrounded Skellig. At first Michael was not sure if he really existed. Once Michael confirmed the existence of Skellig he still did not know who he was or what he was doing in Michael’s garage. After moving Skellig to the abandoned house, Michael wanted to know what Skellig was and why he was there. Skellig’s true nature is never revealed. He simply states that he is, “Something like you, something like a beast, something like a bird, something like an angel” (167). Skellig is able to fill all of the rolls that Michael needs him to play.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Luna by Julie Anne Peters
Luna
On the surface Luna is the story of a teenage boy, Liam, who was born into the wrong body, that of a girl. But just like Liam, the novel has layers and is really about the journey of self-discovery that every teen must travel, regardless of gender identity. It is this universal truth, the truth that we all must discover who we are and we might need help doing it, that makes Julia Anne Peters’ book accessible to all readers.
Peters made the conscious choice to tell the story through the eyes of Liam’s sister, Regan. At first it seems odd to tell the story of a teen going through the beginning stages of a gender identity transition through the eyes of a straight sibling. How can Regan possibly know the struggle that her brother is going through? Is it possible for Regan to truly understand her brother? It is these questions that plague the reader in the beginning pages of Luna. The unreliability of Regan as a narrator seems as if it will doom this novel that tells such an important, and often overlooked and under told, story. However, it is soon apparent that Regan is struggling just as much as Liam. At sixteen years old, Regan does not know who she is. She has always lived in the shadow of her brother. Liam has depended on Regan and in turn Regan has almost become an extension of her brother. “It’s always about my brother,” (117), complains Regan. Her life has begun to revolve around her brother gender identity.
There is a point in the novel, after Regan’s first date with Chris, where Liam’s future seems more certain than Regan’s. Liam is determined to transition to Luna. It is almost certain that the future will bring a new, more appropriate life for Liam, a life where he can identify as his true self, as Luna. Regan, on the other hand, seems to have no control over her life. When Regan first encounters Chris after their first date she, “locked herself in a stall and waited. Waited until the earth stopped spinning. Until the roar in my head subsided,” (182). It is Regan’s future that is spinning out of control, not Liam’s. One would think that in a book about gender identity, it would be the opposite.
Peter’s choice to make Regan’s struggle parallel Liam’s is what makes Luna such a beautiful and accessible books. Through Regan any reader can identify with Liam and his struggles, for the reader is not asked to identify directly with Liam, but instead with his sister and her point of view. Looking through Regan’s eyes makes it easier to comprehend Liam’s struggles; the non-transgendered reader is allowed to make stronger and deeper connections to the text.
Peter’s does a magnificent job of creating deep and believable characters. Despite the fact that Regan, at first, appears to be an unrealistic narrator, she comes alive through the spectrum of emotions that she faces throughout the novel. At times she depends on her brother, she needs his affirmations as much as he needs hers. A few pages after this deep connection with her brother, Regan will think about how Liam and Luna are ruining her life, or the life that she so deeply desires. She will then become defensive of Liam, scolding Aly for having the same thoughts that Regan herself has had about Luna. This rollercoaster of emotions makes Regan seem like a real person. She does not live in a perfect world of love and acceptance. Instead Regan is forced to deal with the realities of life. These true to life emotions make it easier for the reader to connect to and trust Regan, and through Regan the reader knows, trusts, and begins to understand Liam and Luna.
Luna is a text about self-discovery and accepting who you are, but it is also a text about accepting who others are. During my reading of Luna it was impossible for me to separate the novel from the tragic news stories of the multiple LGBT identified teens who have committed suicide in the past few months. These stories have been weighing heavily on my mind and my heart. It is impossible for me to separate my reading of the text from the fact that there are teens who are taking their own life because of their identity struggles. It is through the lens of the text that I examine these recent news stories and my responsibilities as a teacher. What is my role in this crisis that our country is currently facing? How can I as a teacher effectively promote the idea that intolerance is not tolerated?
Reading Luna helped me to begin to think through some of these questions. I could relate to Regan who wanted so badly to be able to save her brother from all the hurt and ugliness in the world while at the same time she wanted to leave her brother behind and take care of herself. I too want to shelter my friends, family, and students from the ugliness of the world. However, facing these realities, and learning to deal with them, is part of becoming a productive global citizen.
Monday, October 4, 2010
The People Could Fly
Upon first sitting down to read The People Could Fly by Virginia Hamilton I was filled with memories. I think this, filling ones mind with memories, is one of the intended purposes of folktales. Indeed, before I even started to read the book my mind was taken to the summer of 2000 when I spent six weeks touring Poland and Israel with my youth group. While in Poland, in the town of Chelm, one of the staff members read to us from a collection of folktales about the wise men of Chelm. While reading The People Could Fly I kept thinking back to my one night in Chelm spent in an old hotel listening to stories that I had been told many times before, only this time was different. This time I was in the origin of the stories, Eastern Europe, and I was being told the stories not only in English but also in Yiddish.
I strongly believe that, much like poetry, folktales are meant to be heard, not read. It is hard to take seriously a story about a bear and a rabbit who tame a lion, or a man who marries the moon’s daughter by morphing into various animals and finally killing a boar. However, when heard, these stories take on a new meaning. The reader’s imagination is set free by the various intonations of the storyteller’s voice. A listener will buy into a story if told by a good storyteller. This was the same experience that I had in Chelm.
There are many personal connections that I can make to folktales, besides my night in Chelm, I was also reminded of my time working at a non-profit that served primarily Native American youth in south Minneapolis. During my time working at this non-profit Native Elders would come to work with and teach the youth about Native culture. Stories are a big pat of Native culture, as they are in most cultures. I learned that Ojibwe storytellers only tell stories when there is snow on the ground. I do not remember the reason for this, but it seemed so much more appropriate to tell a tale when it was cold outside and warm and cozy inside. It created a connection based on shared warmth between the storyteller and the listener.
My personal reflections on storytelling, which only begins to scratch the surface of the flood of memories that came at me when I began reading The People Could Fly, made me sad that I was reading the book and not listening to it. It seems that I would be able to get so much more out of the folktales if I could interact with a storyteller. Having little context provided to me before reading the folktales made it hard to analyze them. It was hard for me to understand each folktale with knowing the history behind it, I had a tendency to over analyze the tales, looking for meaning in each word and action.
The Beautiful Girl of the Moon Tower read like song lyrics. The theme of the story, that love and beauty can conquer all, is indeed a popular theme in music. The repetition throughout the tale lent itself to the chorus of a song. Anton repeatedly calls out “Ai, Ai! Make of me a…” The simple sentence structure also made the story easy to understand and allowed it to read like a poem or song lyrics, “When he spoke, Anton turned into himself. / The girl asked of him, ‘What are you doing here?’ / Anton answered, ‘I’ve come to get you to marry me.’ / ‘I cannot marry you,’ she said. ‘My father will not let me’ (57). The call and response between Anton and the girl also lend itself to song.
Another common theme that ran throughout The People Could Fly was the numbers three and seven. In one story alone, Manuel Had a Riddle, the numbers three and seven show up multiple times. Manuel was given three loaves of bread and three cakes by his mother. His dead donkey was eaten by three vultures. The three vultures were eaten by seven robbers. Manuel was given three rabbits to take to the field to fatten up Manuel was visited three times while he was in the mountain. The story of Manuel Had a Riddle teaches that the truth can be distorted through riddle and fancy talk.
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