SLIS 5420 Module 15 Dec. 7-10

Athletic Shorts

Six

Short

Stories

by

Chris Crutcher

Summary

This collection of short stories, while dealing with athletes, is not a "sports" book. Chris Crutcher deals openly and honestly with many taboo subjects and situations, as well as detailing the general pathos of being a young adult. The stories are told with humor and a sense of powerful realism.

My Thoughts

I normally don't enjoy short stories, but I honestly love this book. I can always tell a great book when I see myself nearing the end and I just don't want to get to that last page. After reading Athletic Shorts, I want to read everything Chris Crutcher has ever written. I guess I just love the honesty and lack of fear he seems to have in writing about topics that make people uncomfortable. Even though the topics are controversial, I don't get the "in your face" sense as I do from some authors who seem to have a goal of causing a firestorm. I like how he introduces each story and tries to give the reader background information or an explanation of his mindset as the author. I would really like to suggest this book to my students, but I'm a little afraid of parent reaction.

Reviews

The stereotype of jocks as insensitive dullards is challenged in stories that grapple with the big questions of life as well as with athletic prowess, told with good-natured aplomb and gritty reality."--School Library Journal

"If the stereotype of "bonehead jock" is ever to be defeated, it will be at Crutcher's hands."

--Publishers Weekly

Suggested Activities

Athletic Shorts offers endless possibilities for discussion, but one activity I might try is to have students write another version of "The Other Pin" from the viewpoint of Chris Byers. Since all of the stories center on male athletes, I think it might be interesting to compare the stories written by boys and girls from the perspective of a female wrestler.

SLIS 5420 Module 14 Dec. 1-6

Stop Pretending

what happened

when my big

big sister went

crazy

by

Sonya Sones

Summary

A novel told in verse, Stop Pretending details the events in the life of author Sonya Sones as a young girl when her older sister, whom she adores, is suddenly struck with mental illness which results in long term hospitalization. The poems chronicle life before the illness and the ensuing damage done to a family when one member slips away into an altered reality.

My Thoughts

Stop Pretending is the first novel in verse I have ever read. I found it much more enjoyable than a book of poems each with a different subject and theme. It is great to be able to follow such an intimate story told through poetry. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the book, it did leave me wishing that I had more of the story. I am excited to have a new type of book to explore. Some poetry I love, but there is much that I don't enjoy. The story linking a novel in verse keeps me interested and in the case of Stop Pretending, the story flowed so easily I almost forgot I was reading poetry.

Reviews

"This debut novel shows the capacity of poetry to record the personal and translate it into the universal." --ALA Booklist

"The poems take on life and movement, the individual frames of a movie that in the unspooling become animated, telling a compelling tale."-- Kirkus Reviews

Suggested Activities

I would have students write a mini-novel in verse either using a particularly memorable time in their lives, or just chronicling the past year as a whole.

I think Stop Pretending could be used as a great discussion of how we each pretend at times in our lives that things are fine when in reality we feel our world crashing in. I think it would be a great experiment to have students for one day answer honestly to anyone who asks "How are you?". We could then discuss the reaction of the person who asked and talk about things we ask other people without wanting the truth.

SLIS 5420 Module 13 Nov. 23-30

The Boxcar Children
The Finders
Keepers Mystery

created by
Gertrude Chandler Warner


Summary

The Finders Keepers Mystery, #99 in The Boxcar Children Series follows the Alden Children in yet another mystery they must solve. Jessie, Violet, Henry, and Benny once lived as orphans inside a boxcar in the woods, until their grandfather found them and gave them a home. In their new neighborhood is a creepy old house that the children believe to be haunted. One day Jessie and Benny discover a young woman named Lina who has just moved into the house. They discover the house is not haunted and also discover a new friend in Lina. Lina's great, great aunt Hope used to live in the house and many of her things are still in the attic. The Alden children decide to help Lina clean out the attic and in the process find beautiful old quilts, all except the wedding quilt that Lina knew Hope had made when she was engaged. Soon the Alden children are in the middle of two mysteries when they discover that someone is trying to steal the quilts. They use their detective skills to track down the thief and the wedding quilt.

My Thoughts

I remember reading the Boxcar Children Mysteries when I was young and I recall enjoying them. I'm not sure if being an adult or just living in a different time now caused me to feel that the Finders Keepers Mystery was really corny and dated. Although the original creator of the series died in 1979, the series has continued. This book referred to modern things like researching the history of quilts on the computer, but the whole story felt like it was set in the 5o's. Everything was just a little too perfect and the children were way too excited about cleaning out the attic of a neighbor and helping her prepare for a garage sale. I knew where the wedding quilt was about a third of the way into the book, but kids might not know until close to the end and might feel satisfaction in figuring out the mystery. I think only very young readers might enjoy The Finders Keepers Mystery.

Reviews

There are no reviews available other than this short synopsis.

The Aldens help their neighbor Lina search for treasure, which may be hidden in her attic.

Suggested Activities

Since I believe the Finders Keepers Mystery would be best suited for younger readers, a nice idea would be for the librarian to have a treasure hunt set up in the library with each clue leading to the next. Each clue could be on the back of a square of paper with a quilt design. The final clue would lead to lemonade and cookies just like Lina made for the Alden children. The clues with the quilt pattern would then become a puzzle for the children to put together to make a miniature quilt.

SLIS 5420 Module 12 Nov. 16-22

The Voice

That Challenged

A Nation-

Marian Anderson

and the

Struggle for

Equal Rights

by

Russell Freedman

Summary

The story of the famous opera singer, Marian Anderson, is chronicled from the time she was a child growing up in Philadelphia to her death in 1993. The defining moment of her career was on Easter of 1939 when she sang on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to a crowd of 75,000 after being denied a venue at Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution, who would only allow white performers to rent the space. Marian did not set out to be a civil rights champion, but her voice and determination opened doors for many other African Americans.

My Thoughts

I had a vague recollection of the name Marian Anderson, but I really couldn't have said for sure who she was. I read a lot of historical non-fiction, so I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't know her story. She was a remarkable woman, but I was glad to read also about her doubts and fears about her singing abilities. When she received less than stellar reviews for her first big New York concert, Marian was crushed and gave up on her singing career, at least for many months. It's good to see someone like her who did not have immediate success, but picked herself back up and tried again. She wasn't happy just being a good singer, she wanted to be a great singer. I like that she was quiet and unassuming, and although she didn't like controversy, she set precedents for African Americans. I thought it was interesting that her concert at the Lincoln Memorial may have been what prompted many similar events during the civil rights movement at that particular location. The connection between Marian and Eleanor Roosevelt was also a very interesting part of this book.

Reviews

"a fully realized portrait of a musical artist and her times...an outstanding, handsome biography. Freedman at his best. "-- Kirkus Reviews, starred

Awards/Honors

The Robert F. Sibert Medal

A Newbery Honor Book

Suggested Activities

I would have students find recordings of Marian Anderson's famous songs to share with the group. It is one thing to read about a brilliant voice, but another to actually experience it.

The book mentions several times that Marian was unable to stay in a hotel in the U.S. even after touring all over Europe and Asia. I would have the readers do some research to find out when the laws changed allowing African Americans to book hotel rooms. We would then discuss what it would be like to travel, but not have a reliable place to stay.

SLIS 5420 Module 11 Nov. 9-15

Who Was First?

Discovering the Americas

by

Russell Freedman

Summary

Was Columbus really the first explorer to "discover" the Americas? This notion has been challenged for years, but Russell Freedman goes beyond the "discovery" debate to explore who the original inhabitants of the Americas were and when they first arrived, which he theorizes was much earlier than we have previously thought.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed the concise way in which Freedman lays out the historical facts and mixes them with some less conventional ideas as to the origin of the earliest settlers in America. I knew a little bit about many older civilizations, such as the Aztecs, Olmecs, Mayas, and Incas, but I learned more about their origins, locations, and demise than I had previously known. I learned things about Columbus's struggles with his "discovery" and the people he first encountered called the Tainos. I have a great student named Savannah and I think she'll be surprised that her name is one of just a few surviving Taino words that made it into the English language. I love learning unique facts from history, so this was a great book for me.

Reviews

"Clear and packed with interesting details...this engaging work presents history as a story still being written. --Kirkus Reviews, Starred

"Students will discover fascinating information as well as a fine example of the research process in this thought-provoking work. --School Library Journal, Starred

Awards/ Honors

Junior Library Guild Premier Selection

Suggested Activities

I would have students work in groups to make and decorate a timeline depicting the explorations and settlements of the "New World", as well as recording the dates and interesting facts about ancient cultures.

SLIS 5420 Module 10 Nov. 2-8

Chains

by

Laurie Halse Anderson

Summary

Thirteen-year old Isabel has lived her entire life as a slave, but she has yet to discover how difficult that life can be when her master dies and she and her younger sister are sold to a couple in New York during the midst of the American Revolution. Master Lockton is on the side of the British and has no patience with American Patriots. Isabel is befriended by a young slave boy owned by a Patriot master. The young boy convinces Isabel to pass messages for the Patriots to try to win freedom for herself and her sister. Isabel soon finds she can only depend on herself for survival, and she must do so carefully, so as not to incur the wrath of the hateful Mistress Lockton.

My Thoughts

I loved this book not only because it is well written, but also because I learned quite a bit about the American Revolution, and in particular slavery in New York during that time period. I have read quite a few fiction and non-fiction books about slavery, but all of them have been set during the 19th century. I also enjoyed the interview with the author at the end of the book because I could see how much research she put into making this book and the obvious passion she has for the subject of slavery and for getting the details of its history correct.

Reviews

"Laurie Halse Anderson's Chains is searing and has so many brilliant sparks I became lost in it. Isabel's harrowing journey into a nightmare realm of slavery, betrayal, loss, and ultimately hope quite literally had me sobbing." - Three time Coretta Scott King Award winner and Michael L. Printz Award winner, Angela Johnson.

Awards / Honors

A Junior Library Guild Premier Selection

Suggested Activities

Chains would be an excellent resource to use in the classroom for a study of the American Revolution. With this book I might incorporate a study of the development of New York City from its slavery roots during its more rural beginnings to the ban on slavery as the area developed into a much larger urban area. There is so much potential to study the geography, landscape, industry, and immigration patterns for New York City as it developed into what it is today.

SLIS 5420 Module 9 Oct.26-Nov.1

Acceleration

by

Graham McNamee

Summary

Duncan is working a summer job in the "lost and found" department for the Toronto Transit Commission. He is hoping it will at least help him forget about the girl who died at the beach; the girl he tried to save. What he thinks is going to be the most boring summer of his life, quickly becomes anything but dull when Duncan finds a beat up leather journal that holds the key to the mind of a killer.

My Thoughts

I think this is a book that teens would really like. It has enough edge that it would capture their attention like so many movies they see. The line "Me and you going after this guy...is like the Hardy Boys meet Hannibal Lecter" is right on the back of the book and I think it would get a kid's attention and make them choose the book. I think the story line of the boys tracking down the potential serial killer is well done and filled with the right amount of tension, but the parallel story line of Duncan's intense guilt over the accidental drowning of a girl he tried to save, is a little less believable and doesn't seem to have a concrete relation to the story. Overall, however, the book is well written and I enjoyed it. I think teens would like the fact that Duncan and his friends figured out everything on their own and never even told the police or their parents they had caught a potential killer.

Reviews

"McNamee smoothly integrates snapshots from Duncan's escapades with a new buddy and his wild best friend, who lives teetering on the edge of the law, with information plucked from the diary. He never overexploits the sensational potential of the subject and builds suspense layer upon layer, while injecting some surprising comedy relief that springs from the boys' friendship."-Booklist

Awards / Honors

Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Mystery

An ALA Best Book for Young Adults

Suggested Activities

I would ask student to rewrite the end of the story. I would have them start at the point at which Duncan finds himself in the killer's basement, and have them create a new story line and resolution.