REVIEW: Gone

McMann, L.  (2010).  Gone.  New York:  Simon Pulse.

9781416979180

214 pages.


Appetizer:  In the final book of the Wake Trilogy, the town has learned that she is the key witness in the town's big court case and that's drawing a lot of unwanted attention and people have given her the lovely nickname, "narc girl."  So, she and Cabe plan a little summer break and leave town, but their rest is soon interrupted by an emergency call that someone in Janie's family is in the hospital.

I think Gone was a very strong conclusion to this trilogy.  The sparse language is consistent with the previous books.  Plus, the tensions over Janie's worries over her future that were alluded to in Wake, explored during Fade, were brought to the forefront in Gone.

In Gone, I really saw how Janie's relationship with Cabe was her one supportive and loving relationship.  I really liked that McMann included this, since teens often feel like their romantic partner is their world.  While most of the time, I think it's important for teens to remember their friends and family are there too, in Janie's case, her relationship with her mom is so pained, her character really needs the support of someone.  And readers see that.

But at the same time, not everything is perfect with Cabe, since both he and Janie are worried over their future together since they know Janie's power will hurt her more and more as she ages.  I liked that McMann explored these concerns as well as presented the foil of Carrie and Stu's relationship.

Also, with this book, Janie's father makes an appearance.  I do wish that possibility had been foreshadowed a little more in the previous books.

If this is the first you've heard of the Wake Trilogy, it's important to know, dear reader, this isn't really the type of series in which you could pick up any book and start reading.  The books build on one another heavily, so stick to the publication order.


Dinner Conversation:

"24/7/365
It's like she can't breathe anymore, no matter what she does.
Like everything is closing in on her, crowding her.  Threatening her.
The hearing.  The truth coming out.  Reliving Durbin's party in front of a judge and the three bastards themselves, staring her down.  Cameras following her around the second she steps outside the courtroom.  Exposed as a narc, all of Fieldridge talking about it.
Talking about her" (p. 1).

"Janie's not cut out for this--she's a loner.  She is underground.  It's like she hasn't even had time to let all the other stuff sink in--the real, the important.  The janie life-changing stuff.  The stuff from the green notebook.
Going blind.  Losing the use of her hands.

The pressure is breathtaking.
She's suffocating.
Just wants to run.
Hide.
So she can just be" (p. 2).

"Carrie, whose normally dancing eyes are dulled from the weariness of the unusual day, looks at Janie.  "Apparently, it's your father, Janers.  He's, like, really sick."
Janie just looks at Carrie.  "My father?"
"They don't think he's going to make it" (p. 30).

"She leans her head against Cabel's shoulder and slips her arm behind his.  He turns, slides her onto his lap, and they hold on tightly to each other.
Because there's no one else" (p. 45).

"And she imagines life without him.  Blind, gnarled, but loved...at least while things are still good.  And always knowing what struggles he's dealing with through his dreams.  Does she really want to see that, as years go by?  Does she really want to be this incredible burden to such an awesome guy?
She still doesn't know which scenario wins.
But she's thinking.
Maybe broken hearts can mend more easily than broken hands and eyes" (p. 45).


To Go with the Meal:

I think this series is an excellent recommendation for reluctant female teen readers.  All three of the books read quickly and girl's can relate to Janie emotionally.

I also really like that the stories present a dysfunctional family in a lower class living situation.  It's not often enough that this lifestyle is presented in literature.  It can be a necessary window or mirror into a way of living that we need to see more often.

A teacher can also provoke an honest discussion on the experience of having an alcoholic parent and can provide information on where teens can find support.

Gone also references Catch 22 pretty heavily.  So, a teacher could try to drum up some interest in getting kids to hit up that classic next.  Or a teacher could focus discussions on making impossible decisions and the choices students would make.


Tasty Rating:  !!!

Literary Feast Discussion: Fat Cat (pp. 1-81)

Hello all!  So, we're ready to sit down and dish about the first quarter of Fat Cat.  Feel free to share your thoughts.  

And keep in mind, there are some spoilers below.

Shel:  So, this book started out on a strong science-y note.  My English major brain is fighting the urge to zone-out and start singing the Hernando's Hideaway song.   

Monica:  I am having *nightmarish* flashbacks to my Physics and Chem classes.  Shel, this book is already a disaster!  I didn’t realize I was signing on for a left-brain plot! 

Shel: Stay strong, Monica!  We can do this.  The experiment is starting!  Let the torture/funny begin.  I can survive a science course if I get to laugh at a character or two.

Monica:  I had been thinking originally that I’d do her diet at the same time as we were reading the book – you know, just to get into the mind of the character.  Whoops!  I didn’t read far enough ahead before making this plan.  Now that I realize I’d be forced to scavenge for roadkill along the side of the expressway like some sort of vulture, I’ve pretty much given up all plans to mimic her experiment.   

Shel: Yeah, sometimes it feels so good to be a vegetarian.  I get automatic will-be-unable-to-participate status.  Thank goodness.  This book is making feel guilty to open that pop, pick up that bag of chips and grab that cupcake though.

Monica:  Also just realized I would have to give up Diet Coke.  Heck no.  I’ve detoxed from that before, and it is just as insane as what the author’s depicting.  I thought my head was literally going to detach from my neck.  I *wanted* my head to detach from my neck – decapitation was preferable at that point!

Shel: Eek.  Let's avoid that then, for your sake.  Switching gears, I couldn't help but notice how luck Cat is to live in a town where she can walk everywhere....

Monica:  True story.  I would have been doomed if I’d tried this in school.  I’d have had to add a clause to my project:  “Allowed to ride in car to school, as subject would completely fail due to being hours and hours late to class every day, and also due to not wanting feet to fall off.”   

Shel:  I feel like Brande captures high school well.  Giving a friend aspirin being a violation of the drug policy, no cell phones, block scheduling, a girl feeling small with just one glance (or non-glance) from that certain boy.  That's the Hell I knew well.

Monica:  And zombie teachers – don’t forget about zombie teachers! 

Shel: How long do you think it'll take until we FINALLY know what happened with Matt in seventh grade?  I'm getting tired of waiting.  This is why I always read the ending of the books early on.  But alas, the answer is not on the last two pages.  Am I going to have to wait like a normal reader?!

Monica:  If you’d like, I can skim ahead – I routinely read the last sentence (just to make sure the main character is still alive at the end of the book) but for you, I’m willing to do some more advanced scouting.  (Seriously, though, I have the feeling she’s going to drag out the Matt Secret as long as possible.  I hope it’s worth the wait, because if it turns out he just called her “Fatty Fatty Two-By-Four” or something, I don’t know if I can handle the emotional letdown.)  

Okay, a good start.  We'll continue our way through the book and continue our discussion of Fat Cat on Tuesday. Then, pages 82-166 will be up for grabs.  Hope to hear your thoughts then!

REVIEW: Why I Let My Hair Grow Out

Wood, M.  (2007).  Why I Let My Hair Grow Out.  New York:  Berkley Jam.

9780425213803

218 pages.


So, I'm going to begin with a random tangent.  The author of this book's name is Maryrose Wood.  Doesn't that just create pretty images of flowering trees in your mind?  Blue skies and the sun above the tree...maybe a fluttering hummingbird pausing over one of the flowers to drink....

I wonder if she liked growing up with her name.  I don't think I'd be opposed to having such a pretty name.  Not at all.


Appetizer:  Since her boyfriend broke up with her, Morgan's been feeling a little lost.  Separated from her best friend and unhappy, Morgan lashes out at her parents and little sister, so much so that they decide to send her on a bike riding trip through Ireland.

While Morgan is far from happy to be on the trip, she does manage to distract herself with the "tall, beefy, basically okay-looking" Colin who is one of the guides on the bike tour.  But after her plan to attract his attention hits a kink, she goes it alone and off the map on her bike, which results in an accident that sends her back in time to "Long Ago," where she meets Irish warriors of legend and is welcomed as the half-goddess Morganne, the answer to a prophecy.

I like that the story plays with the way femininity is presented with hair.  When Morgan cuts her hair super-short, strangers compare her to Sinead O'Connor (except Morgan went with red and orange stripes).  She presents a tough exterior, but also worries about being mistaken for a boy (which, speaking as a girl who's had super short hair cuts in the past, rang true).  When Morgan is sent back through time and becomes Morganne, a goddess from Celtic mythology, her hair is once again magically long.

With the jumping back and forth in time, the humor and modern language, Why I let My Hair Grow Out feels kind of like an absurd dream.  It's interesting, but also a little scary to think about deeply because there may be no sense to be made of it all.  (The won't be scary for most, but when you're considering using the book in your dissertation, it becomes scary.)

Why I Let My Hair Grow Out is the first book in a trilogy, with How I Found the Perfect Dress and What I Wore to Save the World following it.


Dinner Conversation:

"The first thing I did was take scissors to my bangs.  Snip, snip.  Or maybe I should say, bang, bang.  My heart was beating kind of hard.
It looked okay.  The hair formerly-known-as-bangs was sticking up and out, like the brim of a baseball cap that was tilted way back on my head.  Too jaunty for my current state of mind, though.  I picked up the scissors again" (p. 1).

"Wait," I said.  Time to turn up my attitude.  "Wait.  You want me, by myself, to go ride a bike across a foreign country with towns named, Dingle, just because I cut my hair?  Isn't that a little extreme?" (p. 13).

"He was holding a much smaller, handwritten sign of his own.  It read:
I come to fetch the bonnie Morgan.
Hope your arse is ready for the trip!
Your friends at The Emerald Cycle Bike Tour Company
I guess he could tell by the dumbstruck and pissed-off look on my face that it was me standing in front of him, because he unslouched himself and actually tapped his finger to his forehead in a dorky little salute.
"The bonnie Morgan, I presume!" (p. 17).

"The nightmare reality of putting my skinny arse on a bike seat for an entire week was starting to sink in, and it was not a good feeling.  But anything had to be better than being stuck at home with my white-lipped, worrying parents and robot-girl Tammy, with the total lack of Raphael echoing through every square inch of my open-plan house, my no-name town, my ruined and empty life" (p. 18).

"I was on the ground, but I wasn't sure how long I'd been lying there.  I opened my eyes.
The long gray muzzle of a horse was pushing gently against the side of my head.  I felt its hot breath on my cheek.
"Fergus!" the horse cried.  "Look who's come back!" (p. 57).

"I'd have to bluff, but I wasn't worried.  When it comes to BS I knew I had a talent.  We're talking about someone who made it all the way through Mrs. McKinney's chemistry class without ever figuring out what the periodic table was.  With a B-minus average, thank you" (p. 150).


To Go with the Meal:

Although probably best as a fun read, this book could be used to encourage teen readers to explore Irish myth.

A teacher could also focus on Morgan's emotional development, how she let her boyfriend Raph consume and control her, how she works to figure out who she is through rebellion, and how given the choice, if she has sex, it'll be protected.


Tasty Rating:  !!!

You Do Remember I'm the One Who Grades you, Right?

So, when I teach my children's literature course, I like to show how some children's literature has expanded beyond the page.  This takes many forms.  Showing multi-media stories and incorporating videos of authors speaking tend to be the expected routes.

But I also show my students videos of the OSU quidditch team and their facebook page.  I show them where they can find fanfiction on some of the books we read.  I have them listen to songs by Harry and the Potters, Danny D, and The Parselmouths.  I give them a list of all the children's authors that I've been able to find who have Twitter accounts.  I also wear T-shirts with references to specific books.  If the students email me information about the book being referenced, then they can receive extra credit.

I like doing this stuff.  I think it adds some fun to the course and allows students to see how important books can become to people and how creative some responses to literature can be.  Plus, it always gets a few laughs, which is fine.

But this quarter, as I've been presenting some of these (SUPER AWESOME!) aspects of children's literature, some of my students have been going beyond letting a few giggles slide and have been making comments.

Comments like, "What kind of losers have the time to write Harry Potter songs?"  "'Team Peeta' means your one of those crazies who's obsessed with some character," or "Do you not watch TV?  How do you have time to do all of this?"

Now, while each of these comments was made on a different day by a different student,  and while these types of comments don't make me angry, per say, after comments like these are made, I do want to wander over to the questioning student, knock him or her on the head and ask if anyone is home.

Cause you see, I bought the songs by the Harry Potter bands for the students to hear.  I bought and wore the "Team Peeta" T-shirt for the same reason.  And yes, I do watch TV, but I also devoted my life to this children's literature thing, so of course I always want to learn more about it and its many manifestations.  Plus, I multitask when watching TV.  So there.

I'm glad that my students feel comfortable enough to express their opinions and ask vaguely insensitive questions.  But at the same time, I also have to fight the temptation to remind them that I decide what grade they receive.  And while, at the end of the day, I do grade solely on their work and effort, every now and then, I'd like to remind them about social graces and not mocking their instructor's interests to her face.  Cause the instructor's interests are related to the course.

You see, these comments remind of how a professor once cautioned my class to never email a professor about missing a class, implying the class is a low priority in your life.    This lesson seemed obvious.  Not only is it rude, but unwise.  Don't depreciate the person who controls your grade.  Then I became a teacher and started receiving those types of "I had something more important to do" emails.  (Literally.  I once got an email saying "I have something more important to do than attend class."  I should have replied, "I also have important things to do.  Such important things, that I may not remember to give you a good grade in my class." But I didn't and I've since developed a tougher skin.

But the judgmental comments about the subject matter I have chose, is a new development.

These kinds of things can really annoy a professor.

And if you annoy her enough, some professor might decide that instead of reading that one book for next week, she'll require you to write a song from the point of view of a Harry Potter character.

And sing it in front of the class.

Then you'll really have the answer to who writes those weird Harry Potter songs.  Wouldn't that be cruel fun?  Of course, the professor jumping up on the desk and yelling, "Who's the HP loser now, Beeeeeeyooooootches?!" may be a little overkill.  I'll--she'll--try to control herself better next time.

And now we reach the point of my ramblings:

Undergrads of the world, watch how you word that email or question about the awesome  children's literature nerds of the world.  Cause not only am I, your professor, one, but I am also the self-appointed avenger protector of my peeps.

Fear my wrath, for I am a fan of both ironic assignments and yelling.

REVIEW: Owly (Book Two)

Runton, A.  (2005).  Owly:  Just a little blue.  Marietta, GA:  Top Shelf Productions.

1891830643

125 pages


Appetizer:  This time around Owly is having trouble with a family of bluebirds who don't want to be his friends.  But once Owly and Wormy learn that the bluebirds' natural homes are being destroyed, they decide to help build the birds a new home.

Unlike the first book in the series, this volume only focuses on one story and it explores the experience of having a kind gesture being rejected.

This may seem like a dumb and obvious statement since all of the main characters are woodland creatures, but I love how environmentally oriented this series is.  These creatures aren't just allegories for the emotions and experiences of new and young readers, they're the allegories for the emotions and experiences of young readers AND they share information about nature and environmentally kind options.

It's also worth noting that a student could easily pick up any of the Owly books and read.  No knowledge of the previous books necessary (although potentially more enjoyable).



To Go with the Meal:

After sharing this book in the Owly series, students could raise funds to buy (or build) a class bird feeder or birdhouse for outside the school.  Or a teacher could encourage students to work with a family member to build their own birdhouse for outside their house or apartment.

A teacher can also discuss the themes of team work, sacrifice and forgiveness.  Since the story also shows characters working together to solve problems, a teacher can draw students' attention to the way the characters use the tools and animals around them to help find solutions.


Tasty Rating:  !!!

Literary Feast Invite: Fat Cat

As Monica hinted at a few days ago, our next literary feast will be on Robin Brande's Fat Cat.

I'll admit, I'm about 20 pages in already and I'm pretty amused.  But I thought I'd post some of the cover information to get all-ya-alls interested.

Cat is a devoted scientist.  For one of her most challenging classes, she randomly selects an image of ancient Homo erectus that she has to base her big class project around.  In a last minute moment of inspiration, she decides to live like a cavewoman:  eat what they ate, avoid modern technology, etc.  As Cat begins her research, she begins to lose weight, a piece of data that a lot of the boys in her school are taking note of, including that seemingly nice (but truly vile) Matt McKinney, who Cat will battle for the top science prize.

For those of you out there who are science oriented and not opposed to laughing, this may be the book for you.  So, please join us in our discussion of Fat Cat beginning with the first 81 pages on

Literary Feast Finale: Al Capone Does My Shirts

Hello dear readers!

The time has come -- we've reached the end of Al Capone Does My Shirts. I, for one, think it has been fairly epic. But let's get right to the discussion, shall we?

PAGES 179-225

SHEL: Aww, such a nice little birthday party.

Monica: Except the aftermath of it made me want to sob uncontrollably. Seriously, the part where the dad asks Nathalie how old she is, and she lets them all know -- what an awesomely heartbreaking moment. You have to wonder what she has been thinking this whole time, as her mother lies about her age and she is completely and totally aware of it herself.

SHEL: Yeah, I know.  It was impressive the way those tensions were drawn out.  In other news, Mrs. Kelly wound up being sort of awesome and helpful. I honestly hadn't expected that. At all.

Monica: What a shocker! I too was anticipating her being nothing but a worthless busybody, but she pretty much pulled through for us at the end. Nathalie is speaking in entire sentences! (PS, speaking of the end, this book may have been the best ending of all time. Chapter forty is *love*.)

SHEL: Yeah, I know.  I love the logic about mentioning Al Capone's mom on page 210. Entertainment. And true.

Monica: It's nice for there to be a few events that you can pinpoint as being completely factual. I liked the way the author referred back to them in the notes; it helps once again bring the story back to a historical context. I'd sort of lost track of it, in all the Nathalie drama, and the evil warden drama, and the horrid Piper drama (although she sort of fell by the wayside towards the end, didn't she?) and... yes.

SHEL: So, overall, what do you think of the way Al Capone is characterized. In the Author's Note, Choldenko mentions that he's sometimes considered a Robin Hood figure. Do you buy that? Do you think Al Capone has become a character of legends?

Monica: I 100% buy that. I don't know if he's quite a Robin Hood type of character -- giving to the poor after robbing the rich, and all that -- but he is definitely the stuff of legends. I doubt if the average person off the street could describe any of his actual criminal actions, but everyone knows his name.

Good times, friends!
Thanks for hanging with us for this discussion. Next up, we'll be checking out Fat Cat, which looks fantaaaastic, so be sure to grab a copy in preparation.

A (Teacher's) Rant

My pet peeve as a teacher is that one student. That one student who doesn't attend classes. EVER.

Since the vast majority of my students are in my class to learn how to teach children's literature in educational settings, you'd imagine they would value attending class. And many do. But not the chronic skippers.

Now, I know it's a common belief that you can be a college student, never attend class, hand in assignments and still get good grades.

And I tell you now, NOT IN MY CLASS, KIDDIES! My course is discussion based and built on the idea that the students and I will make more meaning about children's literature by discussing the books together. Reader Response Theory, my friends. I'm all about it.

And as a teacher and person, I know bad stuff happens. I know that individual students occasionally have to miss a class for one reason or another. I respect that. And all I ask is that the students let me know that they have to miss and then approach me to discuss the subject of the session they missed so I can share the key points and activity ideas.

But, within the last two quarters I've had three of these chronic skippers. One went to my class twice. One attended once. And the third I've never seen face-to-face. For reals. And while these students might send one email sharing that they regret to miss my class once, I don't hear from them or see them for weeks at a time. And they usually don't hand in several of the assignments.

This frustrates me so much because my class is only two hours long and it meets once a week. I try to make each class as interesting, accessible, relevant and informative as possible. The same is true for the assignments. And I have trouble understanding how a person can't show up and sit in a chair for two hours, once a week.

Then, inevitably, around week eight or nine of the ten week quarter, I receive an email from the chronic skipper, informing me of their personal sob story, of everything that has gone wrong with them over the last few months. But what they fail to include in these emails is why they couldn't contact me sooner. Did all their fingers break? Did they not have a friend or relative who couldn't get a note to me? They also don't share why, exactly, they couldn't hand in those two to three assignments they didn't complete (or, I imagine, even start). On time. Late. Or at all. And why they didn't look up my policy for late papers which is also clear in the syllabus.

In my replies to these students, I always strive for that balance between respectful and authoritative. But, inside, I am raging.

And that rage is starting to show in my syllabus and class. I've added a note in the attendance policy that if a student misses six or more of the ten class sessions they will fail the course. And I've planned the speech to go with it when I mention this point on the first day of the quarter. It involves phrases like, "If you can't attend class for a few hours a week, how do you think you'll be able to teach a classes from 8 AM to 3 PM, five days a week? HOW?!" and "If you think it's difficult being a student, I assure you, being the teacher is much more difficult. It will take more time, more studying and you'll have to become even more organized. If you can't attend class and complete five assignments as a student, then I don't want to see how you'd do as a teacher."

Except, when I go over the speech in the shower, there's a lot more swearing.

Does sharing this information make me a mean professor? Am I being unreasonable? When I ramble on to friends about these students, they usually think I'm being too nice. Yet, there are students who earn failing grades, but who seem to expect something much closer to the front of the alphabet. And I don't understand. I don't understand at all. And so I rant.

But here's the thing, if I go "teacher as researcher" on myself for a moment, I would look at the attendance sheet and learn that all of my chronic skippers begin by skipping the first week of class. So, when I rant to my students, I'd essentially be speechifying at and terrifying the students who aren't my pet peeves.

Solution? Record myself ranting, post it on youtube and email the link to the chronic skippers when their behavior becomes obvious by week four or five. I'm sure the university wouldn't have a problem with that. Not a one.

Thanks for listening.

*Steps off the soap box.*

REVIEW: Knights of the Lunch Table

Cammuso, F.  (2008),  Knights of the Lunch Table:  The dodgeball chronicles.  New York: Scholastic.

043990322x

141 Pages.


Appetizer:  Artie and his family have just moved to a new house and Artie is nervous about starting his new school, Camelot Middle School.  And he learns he had reasons to be nervous.  It turns out the school is ruled by bullies and an unjust principal.  It falls to Artie and his two new friends to rise and battle the bullies (the equivalent of a horde of Roman soldiers) in a game of dodgeball.

Students already familiar with Arthurian legend will meet many twists on familiar characters that are mapped onto a modern school setting.  Merlin is now Mr. Merlyn the science teacher.  The Lady of the Lake becomes the lunch ladies of the icky, green, pea soup.  The sword in the stone is a locker that only a student "true of heart" can open.  And on and on.

I was greatly entertained by this book.  Not only because the way myth and legend are presented in children's literature is the subject of my dissertation, but I was also impressed by how thorough Cammuso was in his re-presentation.  I can't help but wonder if he can keep it up for the sequel, The Dragon Players.  (Tune in at some unknown future date for that review!)

I especially liked that there was multicultural representation with the characters.  Guinevere is re-imagined as Gwen Lee and Merlin and Percy are both African American.  This can visually welcome in young readers who feel like traditional tellings of Arthurian legend may not represent or welcome them in.

I was also entertained because there are messages about what the role of education is. The principal, Mrs. Dagger, states, "Some teachers, like Mr. Merlyn, would have you believe that a successful education is based on freedom, respect and understanding.  I'll tell you what that's a combination for...failure.  Education means discipline, control, fear..." (p. 19).  Such a nice conversation starter for undergraduate education majors.  Of course, another option would be to use a passage like this one to ask high school students "what does education mean to you?"  Asking something like that could influence the way a teacher could conduct their class over the following year.

Having said all of this though, the ending of the graphic novel did feel a little abrupt.  And I didn't like how Artie...did something.  It felt like cheating.  But I don't want to give spoilers.  If you've read the book, feel free to leave a comment and we can discuss more.


Dinner Conversation:

ARTIE:  "My stomach hurst.  Can I stay home?
MOM:  It's just butterflies.  Besides, you can't miss your first day at the new school.
ARTIE:  Why did we have to move?  What if the new kids don't like me>  What if they find out I stink at sports?  What if my locker doesn't open?  What if..." (p. 4).

PERCY:  "See those guys playing dodgeball?  That's THE HORDE.  They push everybody around.  They take our stuff.  They kinda rule the school" (p. 16).

PERCY:  "Dwayne Ferryman.  He's with the horde.  Those jerks shake me down every week.
ARTIE:  Why doesn't the principal do something about them?
PERCY:  Principal Dagger?  Are you kidding?  She's worse" (p. 17).

LUNCH LADIES:  "Ham 'n cheese...and onion rings...'tis the locker of the king."
ARTIE:  "Ok, how'd you know my last name?"
LUNCH LADIES:  "Chicken patty...and macaroons...be forewarned, a battle looms" (pp. 36-37).

PERCY:  "Ok, but if we win [at dodge ball], you have to leave us alone."
JOE:  "And when we win, he shows me how to open this locker and I prove once and for all that I rule the school."
PERCY:  "Deal."
JOE:  "You heard the geek!  Dodge ball match, Friday after school, geeks against the horde, winners rule the school" (p. 52).


To Go with the Meal:

A teacher could pair Knights of the Lunch Table with a more traditional account of King Arthur or could explore the history behind the legend and the theories about who the actual Arthur was/may have been.

The book is excellent for discussion the very realistic concerns of going to a new school, deciding to be yourself, making friends and facing bullies.  (Plus, the shares the truth that some girls are rock stars at dodgeball, so you have to let them play)


Tasty Rating:  !!!

REVIEW: When the Whistle Blows

Slayton, F.C. (2009). When the Whistle Blows. New York: Philomel Books.

9780399251894

162 pages.


Appetizer: Rooted in the history of 1940s Rowlesburg, West Virginia, this fictional story shares how Jimmy spends each All Hallows' Eve starting with the year he's twelve or thirteen to the time he's about eighteen or nineteen. Over the years, Jimmy and his friends and family deal with the loss of a loved one, seek revenge for a prank, battle for a day off of school, and compete in an intense football game, among other things.

The opening on the first page (quoted below) and the following descriptions of the space and of Jimmy's world sucked me in and kept me reading. For example, I absolutely love the description on mage five:

"It's cold out here. The fog's oozing down the sides of the mountains. Typical West Virginia October. But not typical Rowlesburg. I don't think I've ever been outside so late--or so early?--in my whole life. I blink to get my bearings. The town's different this time of night--like a log all hollowed out with dark rot. There are no bunches of us boys kicking the can in the street. No ladies headed towards the five-and-dime, swatting their kids in line behind them. Just lampposts and pavement and fog. Even the echo of the Mallet engine's whistle sounds like a ghost of its daylight self."

Nice, right?

Jimmy is growing up with the whistles of the trains always in the background and it seems with death always near by, since working the rails is dangerous work. As Jimmy ages, he takes on dealing with his evolving relationships with his older brothers and father. His father desires for Jimmy to stay in school and graduate instead of quitting to work on the railroad as the rest of his family has done. But Jimmy would like nothing more than to join his father and brothers.

I love the structure of the book, showing a short piece of Jimmy's life during the Halloween season and continue to grow the same tensions and reference the events of the previous years. Very well put together.

As I continued reading though, I did start to wonder about the lack of racial representation. Part of this is because in the first story, Jimmy is woken by his brother to follow the adult men to a secret society meeting. When reading that, my mind immediately went to the dark KKK place. And it was a nice break that that wasn't the direction the story was going. But as the stories went on, racial tensions are never addressed. World War II only gets one or two brief references and all of the female characters in the book exist at the very periphery of the stories.

Now, having given that critique, none of those things are the focus of the story. This is very much a boy book about the relationships among guys.

Dinner Conversation:

"Every time I go to jump on a steam train as it chugs its way through Rowlesburg--
Every time I throw out my hands to grab the rusty metal rungs and haul myself up onto the side of one of them black coal cars, hoisting my knees up over its churning, screeching wheels--
Every single time I jump on a train--my heart thumps even noisier in my ears than the clanking of the old iron horse I'm hopping onto" (p. 1).

"The society? A pilot light goes on in the back of my head. Whisperings I've heard before. Rumors about men meeting in the dead of night. Of unseen rituals. Secret initiations. My memory kick-starts, recollecting the way me and Mike--and in my earliest memories, even Bill--used to peek down the steps late at night, way after bedtime, watching Dad walk out the kitchen's door with a bottle of whiskey in his hand. Going to a meeting, Mary Etta, he'd say to Mom. A society meeting. A meeting we kids weren't supposed to know anything about, much less discuss" (p. 7).

"Meet me back here at eight o'clock to defend the honor of this Platoon!"

Cheers go up as if we're already avenged. Everyone gets on their bikes and rides off towards home. Everyone but Neil Fisher.

"Okay, ol'Platoon buddy, what's the plan?"

"I'll 'splain you the whole thing when we meet back here at eight, Neil."

"So you don't have one then."

I look over at him. "Right" (pp. 33-34).

"Mr. Evans came to Rowlesburg direct from New York City, and he thinks hunting is what he calls "savage." Us kids think he's what we call "an idiot." Lonnie Brice, who's been in the tenth grade for the last three years, called him a daggone Yankee to his face in the hallway just yesterday. Lonnie got a three-day suspension for that little bit of protest. So then Wigger Bowles did the same thing, and he got a three-day suspension, too. It wasn't until Mr. Evans had suspended about ten other boys that he finally figured out that he'd been suspending them all so they wouldn't have to be in school tomorrow, which is the first day of hunting season. Of course that's exactly what they'd wanted in the first place, so Mr. Evans had to back up and cancel every last one of their suspensions. Dad says they got all kinds of sense in New York City excepting the common kind" (p. 49).


To Go with the Meal:

To bring When the Whistle Blows into a class, I would probably read one of the early chapters aloud around Halloween. Then to incorporate a creative activity, a teacher could assign students to write their own All Hallows' Eve reflections or works of fictions.  Students could also voice or write the stories of how their own families arrived in the U.S.

A teacher could also include the book into social studies lessons about American life in the 1940s. A teacher could focus on the book's sense of regionalism and the fact that Rowlesburg was a railroad town and the economic impact that has on a location as technologies change or companies close.   A student interested in trains would probably enjoy the way they enter into the settings and tensions.


Tasty Rating: !!!!


I received a copy of this book as a part of 1 ARC Tours. I read it and sent the ARC on to the next reviewer.

Literary Feast Discussion: Al Capone Does My Shirts (pp. 125-175)

Round three of our Al Capone Does My Shirts Discussion!  Let's hop to it, shall we?

SHEL: And the frustrations continue!  Now Piper AND the mom are on my poopie list.

Monica:  ::: LAUGHS :::  I’m glad to see this book is enhancing your vocabulary set.  ;)  But seriously, I love the mom, but she is driving me up the wall.  I recognize that you’re stressed and all, Mother, but you do have *two* children…. 

SHEL: Okay, so I take it back about what we discussed about the cover.  I still like the photo of Alcatraz, but I've decided I don't like the rest of the cover.  The little coat-hanger hanging off the text and the handwritten "I live here" feel too young for the content.  This isn't a cartoonish, humorous novel.  There's serious stuffs within these pages.

Monica:  I think I took it more along the lines of how he’d explain things to the kids at school.  “My name is Moose.  I live here.  At Alcatraz.  Al Capone does my shirts.  The End.”   But I definitely get where you’d coming from – the actual fun moments of this book are few and far between, with a whole lot of tears and drama packed in the rest of it.  Have… have we been hoodwinked *again* into reading a serious book, Shel?! 

SHEL: That's a good point.  And yes, we have wound up with a serious book again (I blame you).  Serious but good (I still blame you).  Although, I am very glad to finally see some nice father-son bonding here.

Monica:  It sort of makes me want to cry.  The dad has, up to this point, sort of blended into the background.  I assume it’s because that’s the way his family sees him – Nathalie is Nathalie, Mom attention is obsessively and all-encompassingly (word?) focused on Nathalie, and Moose is as self-absorbed as your average kid.  So it’s nice to see Dad step up as a real character… and a super-sympathetic one at that!

SHEL:  I'd say Moose is even less self-absorbed than the average kid.  I doubt I could have handled his situation with such...grace?  Is that the word I want?  Yeah, I'll go with that.

Monica:  Grr.  That Mrs. Kelly is getting on my last nerve.  I realize that she’s trying to help (and honestly, her suggestions seem better than most of what we heard – I’m still all freaked about the description of the time when Nathalie became permanently ten years old) but… you can’t take away her buttons!

SHEL:  I agree.  I am pro-buttons.  I also have to wonder, even if Nat gets into the school, how much help can they REALLY give her?  I mean, they dropped her after one morning of screaming.

Monica:  Pshaw.  What a defeatist attitude.  What would Mom say?!  (Answer:  She wouldn’t say anything – she is too busy tweaking out about her eldest to hear anything negative you might say about her Great Plan for Nathalie.)

Okay, cool cats, we're going to finish up this book and our discussion of this book on Saturday.  Let's all hope for a happy ending, hmmm.  See, you all then!

REVIEW: Bunnicula

Howe, D., & Howe, J.  (1979).  Bunnicula:  A rabbit-tale of mystery.  New York:  Aladdin Paperbacks.


1416928170

98 Pages.


Appetizer:  Howard the dog and Chester the cat are surprised when their family brings home an unexpected creature from the Dracula movie they had attended:  A rabbit.  The family quickly names their new member Bunnicula, and as the humans--eight-year-old Toby and ten-year-old Pete among them, favor the rabbit, Chester begins to suspect there's more to the small bunny than anyone imagines.  Chester sets about convincing Harold that Bunnicula, who sleeps through the day and escapes his cage at night to suck the juice from vegetables, may be a VAMPIRE!!!!!!!!

So, months and months and months ago, my friend Catherine said, "You should review Bunnicula."
And I was all.  "Good idea!  I will do that!"

And the months passed.

The only reason I got off my bum-bum to review Bunnicula now is because my students chose to read it as their final group read for the quarter.

Let me tell you, it was strange picking this book up.  I remembered that I absolutely loved it when I read it in the fourth or fifth grade.  And I remembered the general idea of a bunny joining the Monroe family and Chester the cat working tirelessly to prove Bunnicula was a vampire bunny.

But when I picked the book up as an adult, I was surprised by the voice of Harold, the family dog and narrator.  He's so....academic?...high-brow?...Smart?  Chester as well.  It surprised me and entertained me.  In this book, it's the humans who are the slow ones.

And Bunnicula?  He's silent.  I mean, really?  Why doesn't that bunny speak?
I once took a folklore class in which the teacher shared a tale about a woman who did not speak and so the objects and people around her starting creating stories about her. That's very much what happens to Bunnicula.

Bunnicula creates a lot of excellent humorous images.  I particularly like when Chester attempts to "steak" Bunnicula by using his paws to pound a slab of meat against the sleeping bunny.  But the best part is, with all the humor, I have yet to meet a child who thinks this book is scary.  Is there anyone out there who will admit to at some point finding the thought of a vampy bunny scary?

Since the book is referenced, a teacher could also try to create some interest in Treasure Island.  Another direction would be to introduce the students to the rest of the Bunnicula series or other vampire stories.


Dinner Conversation:

"I shall never forget the first time I laid these now tired old eyes on our visitor.  I had been left home by the family with the admonition to take care of the house until they returned.  That's something they always say to me when they go out:  "Take care of the house, Harold.  You're the watchdog."  I think it's their way of making up for not taking me with them" (p. 3).

"I joined the family and serious thinking began.  We all peered into the box.  It was the first time I had really seen him.  So, this is a rabbit, I thought.  He sort of looks like Chester, only he's got longer ears and a shorter tail.  And a motor in his nose" (p. 14).

"Let's not have any more arguments.  We'll compromise.  He's a bunny and we found him at a Dracula movie, so we'll call him Bunny-cula.  Bunnicula!  That should make everybody happy, including me" (p. 15).

"There in the moonlight, as the music filtered through the air, sat the bunny, his eyes intense and staring, an unearthly aura about them.
"Now this is the part you won't believe," Chester said to me, "but as I watched, his lips parted in a hideous smile, and where a rabbit's buck teeth should have been, two little pointed fangs glistened" (p. 23).

"Now tell me, Harold, have you noticed anything funny about that rabbit?"
"No," I said, "but I've certainly noticed a lot of funny things about you recently."
"Think about it.  That rabbit sleeps all day."
"So do I.  So do you."
"Furthermore, he's got funny little sharp teeth."
"So do I.  So do you."
"Furthermore, he gets in and out of his cage by himself.  What kind of rabbit can do that?"
"A smart one," I said" (p.45).


To Go with the Meal:

At heart this is a story about sibling rivalry (and vampire bunnies!  AND remembering to eat your veggies!).  A teacher could use this book to discuss the animosities that can emerge when new children are introduced to a class, a group of friends or a family.  Topics under this heading would include not to jump to conclusions, keeping in mind that although a new sibling often gets an unfair amount of attention, that doesn't mean the parents love the rest of the children any less, etc.

Having said that though, this book is probably best as a fun read.  

But if a teacher is desperate for activities to go with the book, he or she could discuss (age appropriate) folklore about vampires, the behaviors of various types of pets and how to care for them.  A creative route would be to have students imagine the conversations their own pets or favorite animal might have.

Tasty Rating:  !!!!

Just Checking In

Hello All (or rather, Hello Few),

Not too much going on over here.

And by "not too much," I mean that I live with two crazy cats. Who despite having two litter boxes available at all times insist upon doing the majority of their...business...in the smaller of the two boxes. Then one of the cats enjoys rolling in the litter and then begging for attention, tempting me to pet and kiss her only to be left with the scent and taste of cat litter on my skin and in my mouth. Disgusting. But the cat seems to think it's perfume.

By "not too much," I also mean I'm taking an evil class (quite possibly my last class EVER) and it's proving to be a HUGE distraction. I spend most of my days working on doing the class's ridiculous number of assignment or avoiding the class's ridiculous number of assignment.

And so, you, my dear blog and blog readers, have gone ignored. And will most likely continue to be ignored for the next several weeks.

Do you mind terribly?

Would it help if I told you that at least one of my distractions from evil class is to work on my newest story? It makes me happy. And blog and one-and-only-blog-reader, if you're not happy that I'm happy than we shall have a problem. Do you want to have a problem? I didn't think so.

But if it makes you feel any better, you're not the only one being ignored. That pesky, silly, short analytical paper, otherwise known as my dissertation, is also being ignored. And my friends, Dissertation does not like to be shoved into the corner. Dissertation is a bit of a pill when it feels ignored. Do you think there's something we can do to make Dissertation nicer?

I've rambled on about me long enough. How are you blog? Blog reader? Internets?

REVIEW: To Dance

Siegel, S.C. (2006).  To Dance:  A ballerina's graphic novel.  New York:  Richard Jackson Book.

0689867476

58 pages.

Appetizer:  This middle grade graphic novel is a memoir of Siena Cherson Siegel's desire to become a ballerina.  The story follows her as Siena moves from Puerto Rico to the U.S. and back, realizes she wants to be a ballerina and makes sacrifices to achieve her dream.

Throughout the background of Siena's ever increasing number of dance practices, her parents struggle to make their marriage work, at times living in separate countries.

The illustrations throughout the graphic novel are nice.  When the protagonist imagines dancing or watches dancing, Mark Siegel illustrated the story to include a lot of curved and flowing lines.

My favorite panel of this story is early in the text.  After seeing Maya Plisetskaya perform, nine-year-old Siena breaks the fourth wall of the text and looks directly at the reader.  Her eyes are determined, her expression series.  The text reads "I wanted to be a ballerina."  I liked it!


Dinner Conversation:

"Big, empty spaces always made me dance.
A long hallway or a parking lot just begged for dance...like it wanted to be filled...and I wanted to put dance in it.  A big empty space was always an invitation."

"I wanted to be a ballerina."

"I took more and more ballet classes, even on the weekend, which meant missing my Saturday morning cartoons.  But I got to perform in The Nutcracker."

"Here, some of the greatest ballet dancers in the world walked around and took classes with some special teacher.  Little girls and big girls...I had stepped into a whole different world."


To Go with the Meal:

This graphic novel has a very specific target audience--DANCERS!  A teacher can give this story to novice dancers, who might be interested in learning about some famous dancers and ballets.  It can also be a great read for students who want to devote their lives to dance, who need to see the sacrifices and difficulties that come with that commitment.

A teacher could also use this book to discuss the Russian influence upon American ballet and to explore the way dance has historically been presented in the media.  Another option would be to explore the connection between dance and athletics.  (Siena reflects on how she found a dance in the moves of a Miami Dolphins game that she watched)

It's important to note that this is not a graphic novel that teaches dance steps.  This is the story of one girl's journey to becoming a professional dancer.  A teacher could focus on how Siena used dance to escape her parents' fighting and divorce.  After sharing this story, a teacher could encourage a student to express their feelings through dance or another art form.

Since the story references A Very Young Dancer, a teacher can also make certain that a young reader can have access to that book to read too (of course, I recommend trying a library first as all the prices on Amazon.com are a little ridiculous).


Tasty Rating:  !!!

Literary Feast Discussion: Al Capone Does My Shirts (pp. 60-122)

Hey all! We're back with the next section of Al Capone Does My Shirts -- pages 60 to 122, to be precise. Ready for it? Onward!

SHEL: It's really frustrating to read about all the advice Moose's family has received about helping Natalie. Part of it's frustrating because Autism is still such a mystery and so you know there's no perfect way to help Natalie within the time period.

Monica: It’s completely heartbreaking. And Moose knows that his mom is just grasping at straws, but there’s nothing any of them can do! (I did want to smack that guy – what, they’ve got a system set up for *boys* but not for *girls*? Way to be useless, school director. Way to be useless.

SHEL: Have I mentioned that I hate that Piper girl? HATES!

Monica: Are you sure she’s not a tragic figure? I mean, I loathe her too, but it’s also tempered with the fact that her father seems like a creep, and she’s grown up with the whole Warden’s Daughter idea hanging over her head, and… I’m supposed to hate her, aren’t I? I’m just reading too much into it, trying to understand her? Right. Forget everything I just said, we’ll go with HATES.

SHEL: I'm glad you're back on my side. WE MUST HATE PIPER AS A UNITED FRONT! But, I like your empathetic effort. And oh my goodness, this section was overall frustrating! Poor Moose! It's okay, I know you’re innocent! I think you will play ball again!

Monica: Seriously. Because otherwise, this is one heck of a depressing book, and I will feel fairly upset with the author that she didn’t give me enough advanced warning. I like tissues with my tragedies, thank you very much!

SHEL: Is anyone else fighting the urge to watch The Rock right now? Or am I alone in this?

Monica: Giiiiirl, we’re definitely having a movie night. I am 100% picturing Nicholas Cage racing around through the underbelly of the island. Of course, Piper would tattle on him if she found out.

SHEL: Yeah, but Sean Connery would take care of her in a minute flat. Crudsies, I gotz to watch that movie.

Monica: You get the DVD, I’ll get the supreme butter-flavored popcorn!

SHEL: It shall be done!

Well that's it for now, friends! Next up is Part Two -- we'll have our update for the next sixty pages or so on Wednesday. Hope to see you there!