Textbook Reflections 6-9

Literary Elements/Devices:

The section literary elements taught me that there is a name for every little thing in the story.  I did know a lot, however there were a lot that were new to me as well. For example an archetype (literary device) is something that is used over and over again.  When I read the definition and example for this I knew that, but didn’t know that it was called archetype.  It used Romeo and Juliet as an example.  I did understand all the literary elements, but I liked reading the different definition and all the detail it involved.  I teach all these in my classroom.  We mainly focus on character, conflict, plot, setting, and mood and tone in the second grade classroom.  Themes are not the main idea or the summary of the story.  It is a message that is stated in the book by the author.  For it to be a theme it must be a truism.  A truism is something that has to apply to the world outside of the story.  When I think of themes I think they are kind of like lessons or a way to live your life.  I really enjoyed learning this because I think it could be a teaching method in the classroom.  You can teach theme and talked about how it is a lesson.  This is something that your students can go out and use.  You learn so much through reading and this opened a whole new door.    

Awards:

There are so many different awards that a book can receive.   You can find all the different types of awards at ala.org.  I only knew a few that you could receive.  I am going to discuss some that I learned about.  There is the Printz Award, which is named after a librarian named Michael L. Printz.  A Printz Award exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature.  The Edgar Award is for best mystery.  I want to look into what books have won this award because I love mysteries.  There is an award for the best graphic novels, Great Graphic Novel.  I enjoyed seeing that there was an award for this because they are so detailed and I see so many kids that just love them.  The Sibert Award is given to the most distinguished informational book.  I didn’t even know there were awards for nonfiction books, so that’s pretty cool.  Then there is the Reader’s Choice, this award is chosen by librarian, teens, educators, and young adult enthusiasts.  I really enjoyed reading about all the awards because I had no idea so many existed. 

Poetry:

WOW! When I read and listened to everything about poetry it made me love and appreciate it even more than I already do.  I loved all the different resources that were given to make poetry such an easy task for everyday.  Poetry is not a genre.  It can be found in all different types of literature.  This is something that I did know because I use poetry for different subjects in the classroom.  I obviously use it in language arts, but I also try to find poems for whatever we are doing in math.  Poetry is often neglected or overlooked because people don’t feel comfortable with it usually because of the way they were taught.  I think this is very true because my first year of teaching I wasn’t as comfortable, but the more I teach poetry and integrate it I find myself using it more and more.  What some don’t understand is that poetry has no rules and can be whatever you want it to be.  This is what I try to stress to my students.  The more I understood this the better poets my students became because we practiced writing poetry any way we wanted.  Kids love funny poems, poem with sounds, narrative poems, poems about animals, and poems about themselves or their experiences.  When I heard this I thought about all my students and they do love all of these things.  Also, when I read poems out of picture books they love the pictures that go along with them.  I really enjoy catchy poems that teach something.  I think this is another wonderful reason to share poems with different subjects.  Something that I really took away from this chapter was sharing poems whenever you get the chance to throughout the day.  One of my favorite things that I would like to incorporate this coming up school year is pocket poems.  Always having one or a couple handy to share. These would be poems that you know they will love, be interested in, and can connect with.  I love all the resources you gave us in the second poetry video.  All different types of poets for different types of situations and just about anything you can think of.  I loved hearing Nikki Grimes because last semester I read POEMS IN THE ATTIC, which was very touching.  Just the way you described the type of poems she writes.  I really would like to look into Valerie Worth’s work because I think those would be great go to poems to read throughout the day.  Another thing that I learned was the some of Prelutsky’s poems go to the beat of songs.  I thought that was pretty cool.  Overall, I really enjoyed everything about the poetry chapter.  I plan on going back to the video when I need resources for poetry. 

Historical Fiction:

“Reading historical fiction allows readers the opportunity to vicariously experience what it might have been like to live in a previous time and place.”  I loved reading this because recently historical fiction has been one of my favorite types of books to read.  One reason being to read what the past was like and how people lived.  Seeing how different it was it so intriguing to me.  As teachers we see how different other lives can be from our own.  I think we should share historical fiction with our students when we can, so we can show them how different things used to be.  There is some criteria that needs to be met to make sure it is in fact a historical fiction.  It needs to be a good story that blends with history itself.  You need to make sure that the facts are accurate.  Is the whole story consistent with social milieu, the clothing, architecture, music, and speech patterns?  You also want to make sure that your story relates to your readers.  I am excited to read more and more historical fictions.  One that I really enjoyed reading last semester was PAPER BOY.                                    

Books 1-8

Book 1

Bibliography:

Alexie, Sherman. 2007. THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN.  III by: Ellen Forney. New York, NY: Hachette Book Group. ISBN 9780316013680 

Cover:

Summary:

Sherman Alexie chronicles the life of a young Indian boy that is filled with sadness, failures, and emotions that are filled with humor.  Arnold Spirit Jr. called Junior by his family and friends was born with medical problems, which left him brain damaged after surgery. He talked with a lisp and a stutter and was constantly trying to fight his way through life due to the bullies that picked on him.  At the age of fourteen all the reservation called him retarded.  Junior’s outlet in life was drawing cartoons.  They were like tiny lifeboats that helped him escape the reservation and the life of poverty.  They helped him cope to understand the world and perhaps the world would understand him.  Junior finally finds the courage to leave the reservation to attend and all white school in Reardan after Professor P visited him with his advice to leave or die on the reservation.  Junior leaves with much guilt and sadness as well as hope to escape into a better world.        

Commentary:

This book would show a reader that other children have a hard time too and that some come from backgrounds that they might not choose.  He also had a disability that made him look like he was “retarded,” but he was not.  So, he always understood when others were making fun of him and calling him names.  Junior also had to make a tough decision to leave the reservation not knowing what the future would bring.  He was hopeful that it would be better than the poverty world he was living in.  His inner strength and courage to find a better world and a future with hope is to be admired.  I think another really important thing to point out is that the author has Junior tell the story.  It shows everyone has a story and you can always tell your story. 

Connections:

One thing I really noticed that connects to the textbook is that a student could really connect with this book in a few different ways.  One way being with the bullying, but he keeps on going and find a ways for him self.  Another way would be he is living in poverty and still has hope and makes it work the best he can. Other books by Alexie are RESERVATION BLUES, INDIAN KILLER, WAR DANCES, and THE TOUGHEST INDIAN IN THE WORLD.   

Book 2

Bibliography:

Myers, Walter Dean. 1999. MONSTER.  III by: Christopher Myers. New York, NY: Harper Collins. ISBN 0060280778 

Cover:

Summary:

This story is about a sixteen-year-old boy on trial for felony murder. Steve Harmon and two other men, Bobo Evans and James King went into a drugstore with the intention to just rob Alguinaldo Nesbitt.  Harmon’s job was to go into the store and make sure that no one was in there.  He was to come out and give a signal that Bobo and King could go in.  Osvaldo Cruz was also involved, he was watching outside.  When they went in to rob the store Mr. Nesbitt pulled a gun on them.  After he pulled the gun there was a struggle and King ended up shooting and killing Mr. Nesbitt.  During the whole session in court everyone is trying to blame someone else, so they are not found guilty.  King was trying to say he wasn’t there at all, but Bobo was saying he was.  Harmon just happened to be coming out of the store right before this all started.  He was in the wrong place at the wrong time or was he really involved.

           

Commentary:

I listened to this book on audio.  It was really neat because the audio has a full cast.  I don’t know that I would have enjoyed it as much just reading it because the cast was amazing.  Throughout the whole book Steve is recording all that is going on.  He does this in the way of a filmstrip.  He does this because he loves to film different things.  Steve is in the film club at school.  He also writes little journals throughout the story.  All the journals are what’s going on and his feelings towards everything.  The illustrations in the story are very real like.  They present Steve and what it is like to be in a jail cell.   They are black and white pictures and give the feel of being “dark” and sad. 

      

Connections:

I think that this really will connect with kids that might be hanging out with the wrong crowd.  When you reach your teenage years you start to want to experience with different crowds and different things.  This book might really put it into perspective with someone that might be going through a hard time and with the wrong crowd. I think this would also fall under reading autobiographically because you are reading what other people are like.  Another book similar to MONSTER and also written by Walter Dean Myers would be BAD BOY.      

Book 3

Bibliography:

Garden, Nancy. 1982. ANNIE ON MY MIND. United States of America: Farrar Straus Giroux. ISBN 0374404143 

Cover:

Summary:

This is the story of two girls in love with each other.  Liza and Annie try to understand their feelings for each other, feelings that society labels as unnatural and sinful. Neither girl understands their strong urge to be together and constantly fight the story that rages inside.  Annie has almost accepted being gay, but Liza is just beginning to become aware of how she feels about Annie.  Liza questions her feelings knowing it is wrong yet it seems so right.  Her mind is in total confusion with both sides of right and wrong.  Liza wrote several letters to Annie, which she never mails.  She tries to sort through her feelings as she writes.  They both keep trying in the beginning to ignore their feelings and pull away from each other thinking they need more time to adjust to what is happening. The summary of the story of two gays can be that, the truth can make one free.  

  

Commentary:

This book was very tasteful and approachable for the topic.  It doesn’t attack the subject.  It simply explains how two girls are in love yet they really don’t understand why they are feeling the way that they are.  It convinces others to be true to yourself and not hide from who you really are.  This is the way you find happiness.  Two teachers in the story were also gay, but had hidden it for many years.  I think telling this story shows that it isn’t something you should have to hide or be ashamed of.     

Connections:

I think this connects to the textbook because it is something that more teens face then I realize.  When you have books that have the same feelings they are having it might be easier to discuss with others.  It shows they are not the only ones going through the situation.  I like that the story was not graphic yet still discussed a heavy topic.  Another young adult book that is like ANNIE ON MY MIND is KEEPING YOU A SECRET by Julie Anne Peters. 

Book 4

Bibliography:

Harris, Robie. Emberley, Michael. 1994. IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL. Somerville, MA: Candle Wick Press. ISBN 9781564028822

Cover:

Summary:

IT’S PERFECTLY NORMAL is a nonfiction book all about growing up and what are bodies are doing and how they are feeling.  It is a very factual book, but really detailed.  Harris does present the book in the most kid friendly way that you possibly could. It would be able to answer almost any question a teen boy or girl might have when going through puberty.  It even discusses what puberty is.  Other topics in the story are Our Bodies, What is Sex, Families and Babies, Decisions, and Staying Healthy.  In the introduction it talks about all the questions you might have.  

Commentary:

Harris does include some humor in the book.  I like this because I think that this is a hard topic to talk about with your kids.  I personally do not think that a child or even teenager should check this book out on his or her own. I think it would be a great reference for a parent to use when starting to have these talks with their kids.  He does have a few comics in the book as well.  The illustrations they include are cartoon like, but show all the parts.  It shows how your body is changing, but also shows “love making.”  Overall, the book does a great job at being factual and to the point.

     

Connections:

I think this piece of literature could defiantly fall under the “who am I, why am I the way I am.” The book also hits on gays, so this would help teen struggling with this. Even though it is nonfiction I think it would benefit some older young adult teens or their parents.  It is a very informational book.  This book will help adolescents because it discussed everything that you are going through and the way you are changing.  The way it shows the physical parts and explains why.  Harris also has a book called IT’S SO AMAZING and IT’S NOT THE STORK that would be beneficial to you if you want to discuss the birds and the bees.   

 

Book 5

Bibliography:

Quintero, Isabel. 2014. GABI, A GIRL IN PIECES. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press. ISBN 9781935955948 

Cover:

Summary:

Gabi is a 17-year-old girl going on 18.  She keeps a journal about her daily activities and feelings.  She is a Mexican-American and dislikes her skin because it is more white than brown.  Gabi feels writing down her feelings is a way to understand herself.  It’s therapeutic and helps her to cope with trying to balance family with a drug-addicted father, getting through her senior year, and getting accepted into a college.  Gabi loves writing poetry and letters she never mails.  She is open about her feelings and talks very candidly about being a virgin, boyfriends, sex, and other concerns that a young girl about to become a woman has to face.  She has an off color sense of humor that fringes on the edge of being vulgar.  Gabi’s father dies of an overdose.  She is devastated although she knew this would probably happen.  Even with this tragic reality in her life, Gabi believes in family.  It’s the glue that makes you what you are.         

Commentary:

This book is written in a journal form from Gabi’s point of view.  She writes in it almost everyday.  I think this is a neat thing because I think more people should keep a journal.  It encourages kids that it is okay to write down how they are feeling and what is going on in their lives.  It helps you to understand how you are feeling and gives you a place to put your words without having to talk to someone.  It is an outlook for you to express yourself.  She could just put it on paper and walk away from it.  The books also show some poetry.  She likes to express her feelings through poems.   

Connections:

I think this book would connect with a teen girl or boy that their parents are really not there for them.  Also, in her mind she thinks she is fat and thinks that she is not liked because of it.  I think a lot of teen girls struggle with their weight as well.  This is a good book to see that other teenage girls struggle with the same things and that it is hard.

Book 6

Bibliography:

Alexander, Kwame. 2014. THE CROSSOVER.  New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing. ISBN 9780544107717 

Cover:

Summary:

In this novel the author has written an emotionally felt story about a beautiful and loving family.  Twin brothers, Josh and Jordan (J.B.) Bell are inseparable growing up, but now in the 7^th grade J.B. is interested in a girl, so he begins to pull away and is not as close with Josh. The whole family has a love for basketball.  Their father, Chuck Bell, a champion player known as “DaMan” played in Italy.  He began teaching the twins at the age of three to shoot baskets.  Josh is knows to be sneaky and full of surprises on the court.  J.B. is known and the jumper and shooter.  Together they are a winning team on the court.  The father is retired due to a heart problem.  Chuck’s father died at the early age of 45, so he has to be watchful of his health.     

 Commentary:

This is a novel written in verse.  The author’s language and the font will make you feel like you are watching the game in the stands.  You can almost hear the crowd roar and the dad loosing his cool at the game.  This novel will make you laugh and cry.  I think this is a great book to have in your library because it is about a family that isn’t perfect.  So many kids struggle with family problems and this would be a great book to make a connection with.

  

Connections:

This story is very family oriented.  It shows competiveness in good ways.  I also really liked that it showed that families are not perfect.  I think kids struggle with think they are the only one and this really shows they are not.  There can be problems, but still so much goodness in your family.  Another book by Kwame Alexander to check out if you enjoy THE CROSSOVER would be BOOKED.   

Book 7

Bibliography:

Anderson, Laurie Halse. 1999. SPEAK.  United States of America: Farrar Straus Giroux. ISBN 0374371520 

Cover:

Summary:

Speak is what Melinda wanted to do so many times, but she just couldn’t.  Instead she spoke through her art.  Melinda was raped by a classmate named Andy Evans and didn’t talk to anyone about it.  She did call the police, but you don’t know why at the beginning.  That night caused all her friends to reject her because they thought she just called the police.  That night she thought she was having the time of her life, but then everything went wrong.  The one person she trusted and enjoyed being around was her art teacher.  She either hung out there or a janitors closet.  In art she was to create the same thing all year long, a tree.  She has to face Andy Evans throughout the year and it makes he feel sick every time.  She is finally able to face everything and is believed by her friends on the situation. 

             

Commentary:

I think this was a very well written book.  The way it was divided into the four marking periods of the school year really pulled you in.  I like that it didn’t have chapters because you would just keep going.  Throughout the marking period there would be little headings about that section.  All readers will be able to relate to being in school and going through tough situations.  Melinda narrated the story, so you knew exactly how she felt and what was going through her mind.  The story plays out very nicely because everything is understood in the book and has an ending that makes you happy.  Happy because she stands up for herself and makes amends with her friends.    

   

Connections:

I think this book would be great for some high school kids that have been through the same situation.  I think it could give them the courage to stand up for what is right.  Also, it could connect with other young adults in ways that sometimes you are all alone and have no one.  Other books by Anderson are WINTERGIRLS, TWISTED, CHAINS, and FEVER. 

Book 8

Bibliography:

Block, Francesca Lia. 2010. THE FRENZY.  New York, NY: Harper Collins. ISBN 9780061926662 

Cover:

Summary:

At the age of thirteen changes begin to happen to Liv that made her question who or what she was.  The one normal occurrence was her monthly period that was just beginning.  The other problems caused her to be rejected by her peers.  She had a hairy body, long toes, and she had difficulty controlling her anger.  When she felt weird she would escape into the woods and run.  This happened for the first time at the age of thirteen.  She did not remember what happen to her and was standing nude outside Pace’s house not sure why she was there.  Pace was as friend of hers who was gay.  Liv felt she belonged in the woods.  Pace listened and told her that he understood.  Live could not confide her problem to Cory who was he boyfriend.  Cory was black and was not allowed in her home because he was black.  She and Pace pretended to date to hide that he was gay and she wasn’t with Cory.  With so much mystery surrounding her life, Liv goes and searches for answers about the curse.          

Commentary:

This book was a really easy and flowy read.  It kept you at the edge of your seat wondering what was going to happen to Liv, Pace, and Cory.  This book was one that you could not judge by its cover.  When I saw the cover I thought it was going to be about another high school girl with “high school” problems, but it was so much more.  Block does a great job at including so many different complications with her characters.  Each character has something going on that they are struggling with and want to fix.  

Connections:

This story connects with teenagers on a lot of different lever.  Being gay, interracial dating, and not being like anyone else.  Even though you can’t turn into a werewolf, teens do go through difficulties that they have a hard time facing and going through.  Other books by Block are WITCH BABY and I WAS A TEENAGE FAIRY.     

Textbook Reflections 1-5

“Literature develops the imagination.”  I loved hearing this because I feel as though today so many kids are watching TV or playing a video game to develop some sort of imagination.  I remember as a child reading and imagining what was going on in my head. I would always want to draw a picture of what I thought it would look like.  In the first part of our textbook we went over 10 reasons what we should share literature with children.  The most important one is that we want to create lifelong readers.  We as teachers and librarians have to be the ones that show our students it is fun to read and you can find a book on anything.  Reading for others experience is so important because there are so many kids that don’t even leave the city that they grow up in.  We have to show them all the different things that are out in the world through books.  We have to provide the window for them to see out of; so maybe one day they will take risk and chances to explore the world.  Something else that is really important for our kids to read is autobiographically.  Our kids need to know that other people experience the same things they do and that it is completely normal.  One more that really stuck out to me was transmit culture.  This is about us sharing different cultures with our students.  We shouldn’t just share cultures a couple times a year; we should be sharing it all the time.  All books were written for a reason and we have to share all the goodness with our students.  You need to encourage them and help them in any way you can, so they want to read! They should be reading 20 minutes a day. 

There are 4 divisions of Young People’s Literature.  You have Children’s Literature, which is 0 to 8 years old.  This starts with wordless pictures books all the way to little chapter books with few illustrations.  Second, you have Middle Grade/Tween (8-12), not to be confused with Middle School.  This division is a little tricky because your 12 year old might get bored with some books, but your 8 year old doesn’t need to be reading some books that would be in a middle school.  Next, you have then Young Adult Books (13-18).  In my opinion this is kind of a wide range because a 13 year old is so different than an 18 year old.  You as the librarian have to know where you need to lead kids based on the interest and what they are looking for. Last, in the New Adult (18-30).  A lot of these books will deal with the next chapter after high school.  All about the new that happens then like independence, relationships, and adult issues.

“Might not be what you think” This was a perfect quote to describe genres and formats.  You have to be very careful when organizing your library if you choose to organize it with subjects or categories. Some subjects and categories are horror, sports, war, humor, mystery, and so on.  You might think a book is romance when really someone else might think it is a mystery.  There are really only two genres, fiction and nonfiction. These two lead into more subgenres that are more detailed as to what kind of book you are reading.  You then have formats. Some formats are poetry, drama, novels, chapter books, short stories, picture books, and graphic novels.  Whatever way you organize your library, make it in a way that your students have to browse a little bit.  You will be able to lead them in the right direction and help them, but give them a reason to look around and maybe find other books that might interest them. 

When you have students entering into reading Young Adult Literature you might want to explain it a little bit to them.  Young adult books have different points of view and change a little bit from what they have been reading. 

At first when I saw the title of the chapter, “How do Adolescents Develop,” I wondered in how many ways will this have to do with reading. It has everything to do with reading, what books they choose, why they choose those books, and just how they are growing.  In this part of the book it talked a lot about different theorist and the way we grow and mature.  This is important to librarians because you have to think about the questions you are going to ask kids to assist them in finding the book they want.  Also, they are always searching for answers and a lot of their answers might be in a book they are going to read.  It could be a fiction book or a nonfiction book.  They want to know that they are normal and they are starting to be curious about what they are going to do in life.  Teens are constantly changing and they are all different.  Everything happens at different times.  You want to find books that speak to where kids are in their life.  Have a conversation with them, know that there are no limits, and just do your best to meet their needs.  

After hearing all the different views of Young Adult Literatures I am more understanding of some of the text.  Some that I have already read I have thought that it is too much or too graphic.  Now, I see that it is where some kids are and they are experiencing some of these same experiences.  All books have a purpose and might be the perfect book a student needs to read to cope with something that they are going through.