Turtles All the Way Down

Green, J. (2017). Turtles all the way down. New York, NY: Dutton Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

Summary:


In addition to dealing with her crippling anxiety, Aza has been roped into a mystery. Billionaire Russell Pickett has disappeared after charges of fraud and bribery led to a search warrant of his home with Pickett nowhere to be found. His two sons, however, still live across the way from Aza. The case stirs up an old friendship, a new relationship, and a sudden influx of cash for Aza. But all of the good cannot take away the spiral of her own thoughts.

Reaction:

The beginning of this book sounds like John Green. Since Green wrote this book in an attempt to work through his own problems with mental illness/anxiety, it makes sense the reader would hear his voice. But this made it difficult to become fully immersed in Aza’s story from the beginning.  At some point, Aza manages to break through. Her debilitating anxiety and racing thoughts cause her to stay in her head rather than partake in life around her.  

Unrealistically, Davis Pickett gives Aza money his father stashed away. Aza never asked for the money. She just became interested in the case as something to do with her best friend. But in order to sort of buy her off, he just gives her a duffel bag full of cash? That’s hard to accept. 

Aza and Davis reconnect after years apart. They are understanding of one another and become a support system as Aza’s neurosis gets worse and Davis deals with his father’s disappearance. The character of Daisy is relatable to the reader. Her obsession with Star Wars and her fan fiction was probably one of the highlights of this book. 

John Green is known for leaving philosophy Easter eggs in his books. In The Fault in Our Stars, Green talks about “cantor sets”. Some infinities are larger than others. Turtles All the Way Down is no exception as it is a metaphor for “the problem of infinite regress”. EX: God created everything so who made God? It is God’s all the way down.

Connections: 

Activities: 

Define anxiety. Ask students if this is something they have experienced in their lives. Have them write down an example. They don’t have to share unless they wish to. 

Aza is terrified of the following: Norovirus, Clostridium difficile - C. diff, Human Microbiota, Diplostomum pseudospathaceum, E. coli, and Campylobacter. Have students complete a jigsaw activity where they read an article about each and explain to their classmates. 

Study a geographical map of Central Indiana. Trace the White River. 

If you live near a body of water, an experiment could be made to test the water for different types of wildlife. 

Aza’s friend, Daisy, explains the history of Indianapolis. Research the history and see how much information Daisy got correct. What else did you learn about Indianapolis? 

Tuatara - see if your city’s zoo has one of these animals. The zoo could possibly have a live feed of the animal, and a zoologist could explain the animal to the class. 

Create a visual representation of Aza’s thoughts. They often spiral out of control. 

Create a list of Texting Commandments 

Have students look each other up on social media. See what they can learn about each other based on what they post. If someone were looking into them like Aza and Daisy are looking into Davis and his father, would they learn something they wouldn’t want you to learn? 

Have a lesson about online presence. 

Have students write their own witness account of an event that happened in class. Students should compare with their classmates to see the differences and similarities. How reliable are witness statements? 

Aza holds on to a lot of things of her father’s; his car, his cell phone and charger. What is something you would hold onto that is your parents and why?

What would you do if you came into $50,000? Would you spend it like Daisy? Or would you hold onto it like Aza? Why? 

What are the dangers of drinking hand sanitizer? What could happen from doing this? 

Have students write a fanfiction of their own based on their favorite movie, TV show, or book. One of the characters needs to be modeled after someone in their life. 

How does the title Turtles All the Way Down relate to Aza? 

 

Read excerpts relating to comedian Tig Notaro’s experience with C. diff. 

Notaro, T. (2016). I'm just a person. New York, NY: Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers.

Videos: 

[vlogbrothers]. (2017, September 5). John reads the first chapter of turtles all the way down [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/D3QznppVuGU 

[vlogbrothers]. (2017, July 25). What OCD is like (for me) [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/jNEUz9v5RYo 

Lucky Broken Girl

Behar, R. (2017). Lucky broken girl. New York, NY: Nancy Paulsen Books.

Awards:

2018 Pura Belpré Award for Narration

Américas Award Commended Title

Summary: 

Life in America is beginning to improve for Ruth Mizrahi. The family has recently left Castro’s Cuba for the freedom America offers. Ruth has proved to her teacher she can be in the “smart class”, owns a pair of go-go boots, and has a couple of friends. All of that disappears in a split second when she is in a horrible car accident. Lucky Broken Girl details the better part of the year when Ruth is bedridden. Ruth learns about the meaning of friendship and the importance of facing one's fears. Author Ruth Behar draws from her own experience with the same injury and as an immigrant from Havana, Cuba. 

Reaction: 
“And I know I’m lucky. I’m not as broken as some other people.” (pg 53)

The beginning of this book is rich in the American Dream. Ruth’s family has immigrated from Cuba. She has proven to her teachers that she is not dumb; she is Miss Hopscotch Queen of Queens, and she has finally gotten a pair of beautiful red go-go boots. Her father has bought a blue Oldsmobile that he is infinitely proud of.  “It’s such a beauty and I always wanted a blue Oldsmobile when we lived in Cuba. Now we’re in America and I have one” (pg 29). 

But it isn’t long before everything goes horribly wrong. 

Author Ruth Behar offers a comparison between immigrant families with the main character Ruth and her neighbor, Rumi. Rumi’s family immigrated from India. His mother is overprotective and untrustworthy of America. Ruth and her family endure the horror of the accident and the lengthy process of healing. They stay in America while, when tragedy strikes Rumi’s family, they flee. 

The main character, Ruth, develops from an excited extrovert to a shy introvert. This can be attributed to the amount of time she spent in bed. When she is released from the cast, the thought of walking during physical therapy scares her to death. But with the support of her family and other important people that come into her life, she slowly makes the transition to going back outside. 


Ruth is not as determined as other characters. She doesn’t make it her mission in life to get better. Instead, she finds comfort in books and painting. Her fear of getting back up and into the world helps shape her into a realistic character. This also could be because of the experience author Ruth Behar had that mirror’s our lucky broken girl.

Connections: 

Activities: 

-“The patient has to have patience.” (pg 73). Students can do a word study on the origin of familiar words. 

-Give students background information to Cuba - music, history, famous people, etc. 

-Have students think about their bedroom. Have them imagine they are lying in their bed. Have them draw and/or describe the view from their bed. Consider this: what if they couldn’t leave their bed for a full year? What would their response be? 

-Ruth shares her favorite Cuban lullaby. Have students look up different lullabies and share their favorites. Explain why. 

-Imagine you are Ruth’s friend, Danielle. Write a letter to Ruth explaining why you stayed away so long. Include events that happened while Ruth was bedridden. 

-Describe sunshine to Ruth. 

-In a science classroom, students can study the different leg muscles in the human body. They can track what will happen to the muscles with little to no movement over the length of time Ruth is bedridden. 

-Students can study an X-ray of a broken leg and compare it to a leg that is intact. 

-Ruth is constantly writing letters to different gods, friends, and idols. Write a letter to one of these people about something happening in your life that you are worried about.

-Compare and contrast the Holocaust with the Cuban Revolution.  

-How do Ruth’s feelings about the boys that cause the accident change throughout the book? Find textual evidence to prove your answer. 

-Promote Lucky Broken Girl during Hispanic Heritage Month. 

-Write a news story about the accident. 

Books About Immigrants: 

Perkins, M. (2017). You bring the distant near. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.

- A multigenerational novel that begins with a family immigrating from India to the United States. 

Littman, S. (2010). Life, after. New York: Scholastic Press.

- Dani has immigrated from Argentina after family members are killed during an attack. 

Gonzalez, C. (2010). The red umbrella. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

- A girl and her brother must flee Communist Cuba to live in Nebraska with a host family. 

Television: 

Kellett, G. C. and Royce, M. (creators). One Day at a Time. Act III Productions, 2017. 

This show is about a family who matriarch immigrated from Cuba. There are strong themes of family and culture. Be advised, there are some mature themes within the episodes. 

LSSL 5385: Chapter 17

Chapter 17: We Need Diverse Books

The We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) campaign advocates for change in the publishing industry in order to release more diverse titles that reflect the lives of readers. Authors Ellen Oh and Dhonielle Clayton serve on the executive committee. Their vision is to have a world in which all children can see themselves in the pages of a book. The diverse experiences the organization recognizes ranges from LGBTQIA, Native, people of color, gender diversities, people with disabilities, and ethnic, cultural and religious minorities. The website provides resources for people to find diverse books and for people to write diverse literature.

I have always been a huge supporter of the WNDB campaign. In college, I had to do an Inquiry Project in one of my literature block classes. My focus was on having culturally diverse books in the classroom. (Handout). I continue to actively seek out diverse literature for myself and my classroom. The explosion of diverse literature helps me learn about the different cultures in my classroom as well as allowing my students to experience them as well. Love, Hate, & Other Filters is about an Indian-American Muslim living in a small town. Even though 9/11 happened over 10 years ago, her family is still suffering discrimination. Kody Keplinger has written two books with asexual main characters, a sexual identity not often explored. Blind Spot by Laura Ellen is about a teenage girl in Alaska who lives with macular degeneration - she does not have her central vision, only peripheral. In Girls Like Us by Gail Giles, the two main characters have graduated from the special education program at their high school and must now live life on the outside.

While diverse books are not a genre onto themselves, it is important to remember to be on the lookout for books with characters different from yourself.

LSSL 5385: Chapter 16

16.  Crowdsourced List of Middle School Authors

This chapter provides an excellent resource for current and future teachers and librarians to become more familiar with young adult authors. It appears as though a Google Form was released and surveyors entered different young adult authors they were familiar with. It is in alphabetical order. 

One thing that could make this resource a more valuable resource is if book titles and/or genres or formats were provided. It would make that particular document messy to read if it were exported as an Excel or Sheet document. On the other hand, it would help teachers or librarians find new genres and/or authors to explore. 

LSSL 5385: Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Peck’s Questions 

This chapter is a list of important questions to analyze different pieces of a text. It appears to be geared towards a fiction book and allows the reader a chance to determine various aspects of what they have read. The questions help guide students to consider why they continue to read novels, how they are different from the main character, and how setting can be considered an author’s craft. 

The questions seem as though they would be excellent for class discussions or to apply to a one pager activity. Question 6: Would this story make a good TV series was a particularly interesting question considering streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu adapting books for movies and television. Netflix recently acquired Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone book series to adapt for television not to mention the popularity of Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Julie Murphy’s Dumplin’ which were recently released movies. 
Question one is related to why the reader chose to continue reading. It allows them to reflect on what they find interesting in an author’s writing and what could potentially bore them. These questions allow students to recognize their metacognition, to think about their thinking. It also allows them to connect with the text such as with question 7: What one thing in the story happened to you? 

LSSL 5385: Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Graphic Novels

Graphic novels are a format of storytelling. Different genres can be reflected in this format of writing. It has evolved to catch the attention of all readers. But a survey suggested that 67% of teachers don’t read graphic novels. 
Elements that make up a graphic novel include panels, gutters (which is the space between the panels), dialogue balloons, captions, and sound effects. Reading a graphic novel is just like reading prose or poetry, left to right. Dialogue balloons are meant to be read the same way. 
Graphic novels have grown and popularity and have been found to promote literacy in multiple ways. Students are more motivated to read, and there are benefits within the books for students with special needs. The colors and images used in the panels are great for teaching mood and tone. These books also contain all elements of literacy and are cross-curricular. 

Graphic novels are another form of book that I have little to no experience with. Last semester during the Children’s Literature, I made a point to focus a third of my final project on these types of novels. One of my students reads at a much lower level and asked me for books with pictures in them. He had already read all of the picture books in my personal library. I had a range of graphic novels in my bag for the class to read. I pulled out Amulet and he became engrossed in the book. So much so, he asked me for the second book in the series. Now, instead of playing on his phone, he is often reading a graphic novel. 
I want to buy comic books for my classroom. With the explosion of Marvel and DC Comic movies, they are growing in popularity. I worry about preserving them though. I have gone to a couple of trainings where we analyzed the first page of a comic book for tone and mood. 
The release of graphic novels helps supplement a classroom library for more reluctant readers. As a teacher, we need to make sure that we are taking the time to read what our students are. Now that I have more knowledge of graphic novels, I am a slightly better resource for my students. I’ve learned that graphic novels are not for me. Too much information is missing for me to fully immerse myself in the story. 

LSSL 5385: Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Fantasy/Science Fiction

Fantasy and Science Fiction are comprised of a variety of subgenres. These include: apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic, dystopian, extra-sensory perception, robots/androids/cyborgs/artificial intelligence, space, time travel, and virtual reality. There is a miscellaneous section that focuses on the books that don’t fall under a certain subgenre. When evaluating a science fiction or fantasy book, the characters must behave in a consistent and believable way. There must still be rules that people live by, and the themes should explore universal truths. It is the author's responsibility to help readers suspend belief. An important thing to remember is that science fiction can easily fall into fantasy, but not the other way around. 

This is probably my most favorite genre. I’m drawn to the different worlds and conflicts authors create. Dystopian, apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic and space are my top three favorite subgenres. Within the past few years, I’ve come across several intriguing space books including Mars One by Jonathan Maberry, the Across the Universe series by Beth Revis, the Sky Chasers series by Amy Kathleen Ryan, and Satellite by Nick Lake. Marissa Meyer and Patrick Ness are two of my top favorite authors. I could go on and on about these types of books. They honestly are my favorite. I have found that I enjoy listening to these types of books more than reading them. Often times the characters are given accents that I never would have thought of reading it on my own. 

LSSL 5385: Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Nonfiction

Nonfiction is considered as an umbrella term for expository, biography, autobiography, memoir and narrative nonfiction. When evaluating a nonfiction text, one of the most important criteria is accurate information which depends on the qualifications of the author. Another piece to look at is the purpose and scope of the book, how the organization helps readers look for information, and what role do images and graphics play. 

Nonfiction has never been a high priority for me to have in my classroom. Part of that is because I have a lack of interest in nonfiction, unfortunately. Last year a personal goal for me was to read more nonfiction. This resulted in listening to more memoirs by celebrities. The children’s literature course provided me the opportunity to read a couple more nonfiction books I found interesting. If I remember correctly, boys gravitate towards more nonfiction books. I have a short collection in my classroom, and from what I’ve seen, this is true. 
One point from the video I agreed with wholeheartedly was to check the acknowledgments to verify the author's’ qualifications. Acknowledgments and author’s notes sometimes are my favorite part of a book. Donna Gephart describes her process and provides different resources related to her book Lily and Dunkin. Her inspiration for writing this fictional book was due to a documentary she watched about a transgender person and her son and his struggles with bipolar disorder. She then completed some extensive research about the subject. I appreciate this type of information because it lets me know how close the author felt towards their writing. 
What I should personally do in the future is read physical nonfiction books and apply the evaluation criteria. This way I can add more quality and diverse books for my kids to read.

LSSL 5385: Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Realistic Fiction 

There are several different names for realistic fiction. Contemporary Realistic Fiction (CRF) or Modern Realistic Fiction (MRF) novels are written in contemporary times with a believable storyline. Gender and culture should be considered in these novels as it is important to avoid stereotyping. Realistic fiction often confronts tough topics that should relate to modern readers. Instead of explicitly stating the theme, it should emerge gradually through storytelling. 

The fact that there are different names for this type of genre is interesting to me. I refer to modern romance books as “contemporary romance” but fictions that take place in a modern or contemporary setting simply as realistic fiction. This is something I’ve known that I have done but not been consciously aware of. 
Realistic fiction seems to find itself in the most trouble with schools and libraries around the world. The Hate U Give sparked controversy with its use of language and content. For almost nine years, Speak was one of the Top 100 Banned Books for “explicit sexual content”. Everyone comes from different backgrounds, good and bad, and books like these are important for society to recognize the negatives in life. 
It’s important for readers to feel connected to what they are reading. The We Need Diverse Books campaigns fights tirelessly to make sure there are books like American Panda, When Dimple Met Rishi, and Love, Hate & Other Filters can make it into the hands of readers that share those cultures and for those unfamiliar with them. Disability in Kidlit is another organization that focuses on literature about characters with different medical needs. Kody Keplinger, author of The Duff and That’s Not What Happened was born blind and has written two books with asexual characters. 
This genre, while already rich in content, is exploding and it doesn’t seem to be stopping any time soon! 

Citation:
The Collegian. (2018, September 28). Banned Book Highlight: "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson. Retrieved February 14, 2019, from https://www.kstatecollegian.com/2018/09/28/banned-book-highlight-speak-by-laurie-halse-anderson/ 

LSSL 5385: Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Historical Fiction 

The definition of historical fiction lives in the eye of the beholder. For young children, history could be something that happened to them only that morning. Older students may think of historical events happening as something that took place when they were younger. Adults think of historical events as something taking place before they were born. No matter the definition, historical fiction allows readers the opportunity to discover what it may have been like to live during a different time period. 
Some criteria for historical fiction books include: 
Having a good story that blends into the history. 
Keeping facts of the time period accurate, as well as popular social and cultural trends such as clothing, slang, and the like. 
Revealing the values of the time period. 
Having a theme that is universal in nature; a theme that contemporary readers can relate to. 

Every time I read a historical fiction book that mentions an aspect of history I am unfamiliar with, I tend to look it up. For example, after I read All the Broken Pieces by Ann E. Burg, I looked up Operation Airlift. It was something I had never heard of before! There is a plethora of historical fiction regarding World War II and the Holocaust, but not Vietnam. When I read books like this or Soldier Boy by Keely Hutton, I am interested in learning the actual history behind the book. 
It wasn’t until the children’s literature course that I realized how loose the definition of historical fiction really is. Things that are happening in my lifetime will become - and have become - considered history. Nick Lake wrote a novel describing an event after the Haitian Earthquake of 2010 titled In Darkness. The book also goes into detail about the Haitian Revolution. At the time I read the novel, not much time had passed. But now, in 2019, this book about the earthquake that rocked Haiti could indeed be considered historical fiction. 

LSSL 5385: Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Poetry 

Poetry is the most neglected format of writing. This could be due to a couple of reasons. The most common reason is that people have had bad experiences with poetry, and it leaves a bad taste in their mouths. Another reason is that people are uncomfortable with the formatting, or don’t understand how to read or write poetry. 
A study done in elementary schools found out the following information about children and poetry. Kids prefer narrative poetry over other forms. This is most likely due to how relatable and contemporary most narrative poems are. Students also enjoyed being able to play with language with rhyme, rhythm and sound devices. The most popular types of poems among elementary-aged students were poems about animals, funny poems, and poems about familiar experiences. The least popular type of poem for students in this age range were free verse and haikus. 
One of the top criteria for a poem or poetry book is to consider if it is good enough for repeated readings. Does it stand the test of time? Also, as with prose, poetry shouldn’t be brought down to what is believed to be a “child’s level”. Poems should affect imagery in some way to the reader, using one or multiple senses. And can kids interact with the poem? Ways to interact with a poem include choral reading, repetition, or noises to add.

One important distinction with poetry is that it is not a genre. It is easy to fall into the trap of categorizing it that way. But it is really a format of storytelling. Novels in verse appear to become more and more common nowadays. For me, it took a while to get used to this format of storytelling. Those types of novels are quick reads that felt lacking in detail and information. Done right, however, novels in verse can have a more lasting impact on readers than a full prose novel. Kwame Alexander has helped reluctant readers all over find joy in reading with The Crossover and others. 
It wasn’t until I became an adult that poetry became more accessible to me. When I was in school, I couldn’t stand learning about poetry or writing it. I started to understand more poetry when I entered college. During my methods course at SHSU, we were required to write our own “book” based on a genre in our own format. I chose to write a contemporary novel in verse because of how uncomfortable I felt with this format. I was quite proud of the end product! 
My husband was also a victim of disliking poetry until he took a course at Lone Star College. It was a creative writing course and a requirement during the month of April was to write poetry. Now he is a fan of the greats, buying books of Walt Whitman and the like. I really think the older you are, the more you appreciate poetry because you have more life experience. 


(Eyeonlifemag.com link is dead)

LSSL 5385: Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Traditional Literature

The term “traditional literature” acts as an umbrella term for stories derived from oral storytelling. The setting for many of these stories is vague, contain an archetype and/or stereotype and recurring patterns or elements such as magic. Myths, legends, folktales, and fables are all examples of traditional literature.

The textbook for the children’s literature course went into detail about the different genres within traditional literature. It was fascinating to learn the different characteristics that made up each term. Legends have always confused me and I now have a better understanding of those types of stories. Learning about “noodlehead tales” was especially entertaining because I had never heard the term before.
In Vardell’s textbook Children’s Literature in Action, she states “Also, don’t assume that all traditional tales are suitable for young children just because they are in picture book form” (pg 87). This is important to remember because while children are smarter than we give them credit for something, they still may not have the maturity level needed for some matters. For example, fairy tales are often more gruesome than what Disney reveals to their audiences. Some children are not prepared for Ariel to commit suicide or to watch evil stepsisters purposefully cut their feet to fit into a pair of shoes.
Many traditional tales have no authors, but by recording them within picture books and more, the stories should continue on for generations to come.


Citation:
Vardell, S. (2014). Children's literature in action : a librarian's guide. Santa Barbara, California: Libraries Unlimited, An Imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC.

LSSL 5385: Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Picture Books  

There is a list of criteria picture books should strive to meet. A picture book should leave the reader with something of significance such as a theme. The illustrations should aide in the storytelling. Illustrations can convey character development, mood and tone to a enhance a story. Most importantly, a picture book should not condescend a reader. While children are often the primary audiences of picture books, adults and older children enjoy them as well. If a picture book talks down to its reader, the audience will be offended. 

Every time I am required to read picture books for a course I am pleasantly surprised at the selection. It’s easy to assume that there isn’t much to picture books. Some of the books I have picked up and read have impressed me to no end. They have also inspired me to want to use them as mentor text in my own classroom. One course I took a SHSU focused heavily on picture books in a middle school classroom. It seemed silly at the time but as the course went on, the possibilities seemed endless! Rather than teach a full blown novel, picture books can aid in teaching theme, character development, and plot at all ages. 
The vocabulary used in many picture books surprised me when I started looking into them more. It makes sense though, since the more you read the more your vocabulary improves. And the diversity in picture books is growing. Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes and illustrated by Gordon C. James tickled me pink. The illustrations appeared to be watercolor renditions of photographs in a barbershop, and it was full of figurative language. It would be an excellent resource to have in the classroom. 
 One huge takeaway from this chapter is something Dr. Lesesne said. It was something along the lines of not using words or phrases that would describe a kitten to describe a book. It’s a trap I often fall under and something to always keep in mind when reading, reviewing, and sharing books with others. 

Lily and Dunkin

Gephart, D. (2016). Lily and Dunkin. New York: Delacorte Press.

Summary: Lily Jo McGrother is about to enter the eighth grade. But there she will be known as Timothy McGrother, her birth name. Lily is a girl in the wrong body. She has decided that this year will be a year of big changes, big risks, and attempting to show the world who she really is. 

Norbert Dorfman has recently moved to humid Florida from New Jersey. An incident with his father has brought him and his mother to live with his Bubbie. He hates his name and loves Dunkin Donuts which is how he earned his nickname from Lily. He is also bipolar. His mother trusts him to take his medication every day. But in an effort to make friends at his new school, Dunkin begins to make some poor decisions. 


The two become friends before school begins, but both of them carry their secrets deep. What will happen when the secrets no longer stay hidden? 

Reaction: Lily and Dunkin contribute to creating a more empathetic society. By writing a book that not only focuses on mental illness but on a transgender person, Gephart is allowing the world a look into what the world is like for these people. Lily is supported by everyone in her family other than her father and grandmother. She is bullied incessantly in school before even having the courage to be Lily. And Dunkin tricks himself into thinking he doesn’t really need his medication, something that happens all too often to those in his position. 

The two characters don’t have a lot of scenes together. The first chunk of the book has the characters meet and become friends. Then school beings and they go their separate ways. It isn’t until towards the end of the book they really unite. Gephart has written a book with parallel lives that manage to intersect at the most important events for each character. 

The most frustrating part of Lily and Dunkin is unresolved bullying. Vasquez, a basketball star, pulls Lily’s pants down in the locker room. He in no way has to suffer the consequences of his actions. Instead, he makes it seem as though Lily has the power to get him kicked off the basketball team. Which, in a way, Lily does. But NO ONE seems to see the bullying other than Dunkin, Dare, and maybe another minor character or two. How is this left unresolved? 

The audio version of this book has a male reading the part of Lily. This makes sense for the first half of the book when she is still trying to come out of her shell and is referred to as Timothy. Towards the end of the book, however, she becomes Lily. At this point, it would have made sense for the narrator to be female. 

The bullying and narration aside, this is an important book for middle grade and young adult readers. This is a time when they are discovering who they are and who they are going to be. This book allows them to understand that they are not alone in their struggles for gender identity or mental illness. It opens up conversations and minds. Hopefully, it will open the door to more books like this.

Connections: 

Activities: 

Have students create a KWL chart on either or both terms “transgender” and “bipolar”. 

Lily wrote a letter to the city council regarding a tree in front of her local library. What changes in your community have you disagreed with? Write a letter to your city council regarding the change and why you disagreed with it. 

Dunkin does a lot of things to be friends with the basketball team that doesn’t reflect well on him. Describe a time when you tried to fit in by being someone you weren’t. 

Have students complete a research project on different mental illnesses. Make sure they add celebrities, inventors, etc. that have contributed to society in some way. 

Have students complete the discussion questions at the end of the book. 

Author Donna Gephart was inspired to write Dunkin after first-hand experience with her son. Who in your life would inspire you to write a book? Why? 

Transgender/Gender Variance Resources: 

Home. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.genderspectrum.org/ 

Education and Support Services. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.genderdiversity.org/ 

Saving Young LGBTQ Lives. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.thetrevorproject.org/#sm.0001yu4r910m8f8211k1ugp7175nf 

Kuklin, S. (2014). Beyond magenta : transgender teens speak out. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.

Bipolar Resources: 

Bipolar Disorder in Children and Teens. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder-in-children-and-teens/index.shtml 

Smith, H. (2010). Welcome to the jungle : everything you ever wanted to know about bipolar but were too freaked out to ask. San Francisco, CA: Red Wheel/Weiser.

Federman, R. & Thomson, J. (2010). Facing bipolar : the young adult's guide to dealing with bipolar disorder. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.

Walters, J. (2011, May). On Just Being Crazy Enough. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/joshua_walters_on_being_just_crazy_enough?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare 

Speak

Anderson, L. (1999). Speak. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.

Summary:
Freshmen year of high school is NOT going the way Melinda Sordino expected it. Weeks before school began, Melinda called the police that broke up a party the majority of the school was at. This cemented her reputation as an outcast. But that party did more to her than people realized. Now Melinda refuses to speak and can barely make an effort in her classwork. 


Her art class doubles as a sort of therapy for Melinda as she begins to heal from that awful party. It’s a place of safety; the only class where she is doing well in. And soon enough, she learns that in order to save others and herself, she must speak out.  

Reaction: 

The relevance of Laurie Halse Anderson’s book about sexual assault, the process one must go through to heal, and advocating for oneself has is just as strong today as it was 20 years ago. The #MeToo movement and amount of women standing up for themselves this past year deeply reflect the strength of victims of sexual assault. Laurie Halse Anderson is known for writing on a personal level, and this book shows that brilliantly. 

The character of Melinda is written as nondescript as possible. This helps the reader put themselves into her shoes as she attempts to navigate high school. Melinda is mostly an observer, taking in what is happening around her and trying to process it. Her attacker, referred to as IT throughout most of the book, taunts her with his presence. When Melinda defends herself towards the end of the book, it reveals a tremendous growth on her part. She refuses to be the victim again. And, in a way, she is lucky because there are witnesses to what almost happened to her. Not all victims have that on their side. 

Speak is split into marking periods. Melinda’s grades reflect where she is in the healing process. They are low and she can’t bring herself to care enough. But towards the end of the novel, as she is becoming more of herself, her grades begin to lift. 

This is an important book for Young Adult readers as they enter high school and the “real world”. It shows how a cry for help may not be a cry necessarily. And that sometimes it’s difficult to speak up for one’s self, but necessary.  

Connections:

Activities: 

Create a timeline over the marking periods in the book. Track the changes Melinda has made over time. 

Melinda created a Top 10 Lies Told in High School. Create your own Top 10 Lies Told in High School. Are there any similarities between yours and Melinda? Why do you think that is? 

Throughout the book, the school has a hard time choosing a mascot. Decide on a mascot for the school and explain why this would be an appropriate mascot. 

Create a one-pager for the book. Focus on themes of hope, grief, and isolation. Find text evidence from the book. 

Compare parts of the film adaption to the book. 

Other Books by Laurie Halse Anderson: 

Shout! will be released March 12, 2019.

Anderson, L. & Carroll, E. (2018). Speak : the graphic novel. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.

Anderson, L. (2014). The impossible knife of memory. New York: Viking, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA.

Anderson, L. (2002). Catalyst. New York: Viking.

Other Books Regarding Sexual Assault:  

Maciel, A. (2017). Lucky girl. New York, NY: Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers.

Summers, C. (2015). All the rage. New York: St. Martin's Griffin.

Oakes, S. (2015). The sacred lies of Minnow Bly. Sydney, N.S.W: HarperCollinsPublishers.

Cohen, J. (2011). Leverage. New York: Dutton Books.

Scott, E. (2008). Living dead girl. New York: Simon Pulse.

Awards: 

SCBWI Golden Kite Award for Fiction (1999)

Edgar Award Nominee for Best Young Adult (2000)

South Carolina Book Award for Young Adult Book Award (2002)

Evergreen Teen Book Award (2002)

Boston Globe-Horn Book Award (2000) National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature (1999) 

Oklahoma Sequoyah Award for YA (2002)

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

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

Summary: Life on the Indian reservation isn’t easy. Just starting high school, Junior realizes that he wants something better for himself. He wants out of the life that had destroyed the spirits of so many people before him. He wants to attend a school where the textbooks are current, not hand-me-downs. In an effort to take steps to make a new life for himself, Junior asks his parents if he can attend the “white” school 22 miles away. They agree. 

Now Junior is trying to find out where he belongs. At school, he is the only Indian student, and at home, he is treated as a traitor. How can he make everyone happy without risking his own future?


Reaction: Junior is a budding artist and often draws cartoons of his life. Drawings are throughout the book during important events and when he is trying to figure out his own life. 
The masturbation talk is a little off-putting, but then the reader has to remember that the book is being narrated by a 14-year-old boy. It is natural. 
It is also heartbreaking as Junior begins to lose some of the most important people in his life. Junior’s decision to change his own life for the better showed him how brave he could really be. 
Readers of all ages can relate to the troubles Junior endures as he attempts to find his place in the world. This book also brings attention to the lives of Native American people living on reservations. While it may seem like Junior’s experiences are exaggerated, they do represent the life author Sherman Alexie lived. It’s hard not to cheer Junior on as he finds joy in basketball, his family, and his friends, new and old.


Connections: 

Activities: Junior lives on an Indian reservation. Have students research the different reservations in the area of Spokane. 

Junior and his sister e-mail back and forth. Write an e-mail to Mary as Junior describing what life has been like on the rez and what he has been experiencing at school.

Draw a cartoon representing a chapter you’ve read.

Draw a cartoon representing an event from your own life.

Compare the schools on Native American reservations to that of black schools in segregated states. How are they different? How are they the same?

Older students can discuss the claims of sexual harassment against Alexie and determine if they believe his American Indian Youth Literature Award for Best Young Adult Book (2008) should have been rescinded. Students can use the following article to help support their claim: https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=aila-rescinds-sherman-alexies-2008-ya-book-year-award

Article: Pyrillis, R. (n.d.). Sorry for not being a stereotype. Retrieved February 4, 2019, from https://www.manataka.org/page392.html 

Other Books with Native American Protagonist: Bruchac, J. (2005). Code talker : a novel about the Navajo Marines of World War Two. New York: Dial Books.

Gansworth, E. (2013). If I ever get out of here : a novel with paintings. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books.

American Indian Youth Literature Award Winner List: https://ailanet.org/activities/american-indian-youth-literature-award/


Awards:

National Book Award for Young People’s Literature (2007)

Odyssey Award (2009)
Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction (2008)

California Young Readers Medal for YA (2010)

LSSL 5385: Chapter 5

Chapter 5: What is YA Literature 

Several components come together to build Young Adult Literature. The protagonist is youthful therefore utilizing a point of view that presents an adolescents interpretation of the events going on around them. The high independent protagonist also undergoes a significant life change. This character must also reap the consequences of their actions which will ultimately lead to gradual character growth. YA literature also mirrors concerns over contemporary issues (EX: Black Lives Matter movement - The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes, All American Boys by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds, Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles) and takes place over a brief time period.

One aspect of Young Adult literature that I enjoy is the mirror of concerns over contemporary issues. Diverse books fall under this category. Love, Hate and Other Filters by Samira Ahmed reminded readers that even though 9/11 was over a decade ago, the hate for Muslims has never really gone away. The young characters in Young Adult books reflect the problems with society and how they chose to process these issues. Sometimes the protagonist must deal with being part of the problem (Quinn in All American Boys) and think of how to be part of the solution.

I honestly never really thought about the fact that these books often take place over a brief time period with a limited setting. Maybe it’s because I have read so many series that span over a length of time. But if I were to think about each book individually, they often don’t span more than a year. One series that stands out to me is Gabrielle Zevin’s Birthright series. The three books take readers on a journey of two years into Anya’s life, but I remember it feeling like she was much older by the end than 18. This could have been a case of the author wanting to end Anya’s story before having to transition to New Adult.

LSSL 5385: Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Genres and Formats

When thinking about genres, there are really only two types. Fiction and Nonfiction. Other genres can piggyback from these two but to an extent. Fiction, for example, can split further into Realism and Fantasy. Realism splits into Realistic and Historical. Fantasy splits between Modern and Traditional which in turn have their own splits. And Nonfiction is Informational text that splits into Biography, Autobiography, and Memoir to Narrative Nonfiction to Expository Nonfiction. Everything after these genres fall under subjects or categories.
Genres are not to be mixed up with formats. A format is a way the information is presented whether it is poetry, a drama, short stories, graphic novels, etc. Formats are oftentimes listed as genres. When thinking about the books in your library, consider both the genre and the format. Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson is from the Realistic genre told in a poetry format.

During my time student teaching, the library was organized by genre. I distinctly remember the “girl books” section of the library. Most of the books were pink with girls on the cover. When it came time to have my own library, I had to think about how I wanted to categorize my books. With so many different formats and cross-genres (I suppose I need to reevaluate the way I consider the thought of “cross-genre” now), I decided alphabetically would be best. Not that it stays that way.
I personally feel that thinking of books as genre and format will help in the future as I consider books to suggest to my students. What format is best for them to receive the information? Do they prefer low fantasy over high fantasy?

After watching Dr. Perry’s video, I think that an integrated library gives students more room to grow as readers since they will be exposed to different genres in their search. By splitting books up into genres and/or subjects or formats, it boxes students rather than gives them room to grow. Shannon Hale wrote an article about how promoting “girl” and “boy” books can do more damage than good (https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/parents-and-teachers-please-stop-discouraging-boys-from-reading-books-about-girls/2018/10/09/f3eaaca6-c820-11e8-b1ed-1d2d65b86d0c_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.c00516c33a9d). A librarian should be there to promote the love of reading, no matter the content.

LSSL 5385: Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Anatomy of a Book 

A book is made up of more than just characters, setting, acknowledgments and font choice. Most people are familiar with the backbone, or spine, of a book. It’s one of the first lessons learned about books. But what about the casewrap? When you have a hardcover book but want to preserve the book jacket. Sometimes there is a nice design, colors, or images underneath. Or the book block? This is basically the edges of the book facing out towards the reader. Sometimes publishers will color this gold, silver, red or black. And the headband is that small decorative strip of textile found at the top and bottom of the spine of the book to fill in the gap between spine and cover.

While this chapter may seem boring and out of place in a Young Adult Literature class, it also makes perfect sense. A librarian must know the anatomy of a book, not only to explain to students but when they must doctor those books that have been loved to death or horribly mistreated. A book is more than what is in between the pages. It is also all of the parts that make it a book. I found this section to be incredibly interesting, specifically the casewrap and book block. The fact that these parts of the book have names surprised me. The next time I come across a book with an interesting book block, I will know the correct name to refer to it as.

LSSL 5385: Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Division of Young People’s Literature 

There are four categories for literature for young people: Children’s literature, Middle Grade/Tween, Young Adult, and New Adult. Children’s literature is meant for ages 0-8 years and is contained of mostly picture books, illustrated chapter books, easy readers, and some books with mostly text such as Ramona Quimby and Because of Winn Dixie. The next category, Middle Grade/Tween, is not to be mistaken with middle school. This type of literature is meant for ages 8 to 12 years old while middle school children are between 11 and 13 years old. After Middle Grade/Tween literature is Young Adult which is meant for ages 13 to 18 years old. A newer genre emerged in 2009 under the name of New Adult. Protagonists in New Adult are typically high school graduates living life on their own and experiences a multitude of firsts. These type of books are meant for an older audience in the range of 18-30 years old.

It feels like the difference between Middle Grade and Middle School books should be obvious, but it truly isn’t. There is so much opportunity for overlap. To use Lily and Dunkin as an example, I had it on my TBR list, but I don’t know what I would have originally thought about its classification until this chapter. I honestly would have considered it to be a Middle-Grade book because of the setting.

New Adult is an interesting new category that I personally have struggled with. Colleen Hoover is a popular New Adult author that I have yet to read. The few novels I have read that are considered New Adult lead me to think of it as a form of erotica. The plotlines have been weak with shallow characters. But it does make me wonder about books like When Dimple Met Rishi. The story takes place the summer before the two characters begin their freshman college school year. Shouldn’t this then be considered New Adult vs. Young Adult? Or does it hover over that invisible line?

LSSL 5385: Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Why Do We Share Literature with Children? 

There are multiple reasons for sharing literature with children. Reading allows the use of the imagination to escape into other worlds. If children find joy in reading, it has the potential to create lifelong readers. The various genres and stories shared through reading helps children develop empathy and learn about the different cultures around them. This is not to mention the fact that reading helps build vocabulary.

This chapter reaffirms everything I think about reading. My mother made sure to read to me when I was a child, and I couldn’t imagine life without the stories I bury myself in when I open the pages of a book. I am also a huge proponent of the We Need Diverse Books campaign. I always try to present books with diverse characters in all ways. Last week I told my class I was reading Lily and Dunkin and told them a little about it. A student has already asked me where they could find a copy of the book.
What I found most interesting in this reading and watching the videos was the article from Psychology Today. In it, it states that “reading fiction taps into the same brain networks as real-life experience.” It also says that “your brain is living vicariously through the characters at a neurobiological level.” This is fascinating to me. Could it be part of why I enjoy reading so much? Do I enjoy living these interesting and different lives? The main reason I enjoy reading is the fact that everyone has a story and I want to learn theirs. Maybe I also enjoy living those lives from afar?