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Audience for whom the book is written
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Audience to whom it will appeal (might
differ from a.)
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Particular strengths of the book
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Particular weaknesses of the book
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Any special considerations (artwork,
curriculum links, community values, beliefs espoused, etc)
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And, in the School Library Journal’s format:
Your verdict, supported
with details
No plot summaries and no spoilers please. Failure to follow that rule will result in revocation of your authoring rights, guaranteed!!
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ReplyDeleteKorman, G. (2012). Ungifted. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.
ReplyDeleteGr 4-8- Screw-ups come in all shapes and sizes, but this time Donovan Curtis wasn’t being one, he was being saved by one! After a reckless, impulsive move, Donovan fears this is the end of his school career at Hartcastle Middle School as he is sure to be expelled. Instead, a screw-up sends him to a school for gifted and talented kids. Even if he really was gifted, Donovan could have never predicted this! Can he fake being gifted until the heat from ‘The Moment” cools off?
Korman’s use of first person narration to tell the story from different character’s points of view, which draws the reader in and gives the story more depth and meaning. This technique also helps get to the heart of what it really feels like to be ‘gifted’ and ‘ungifted’. Korman also gets you thinking, ‘What IS gifted?’ as you root for the whole cast of unusual characters.
Verdict: Korman writes another heart-warming, fun look at middle school life that will appeal to a large audience. This realistic fiction book is a great read aloud or a read on your own and a must have in every media center - K-5 and 6-8.
It's Kind of a Funny Story By Ned Vizzini
ReplyDeleteIt's Kind of a Funny Story tackles tough topics like suicide, depresion, and anxiety, in a way that many students will relate to. Craig Gilner is your typical New York City rich kid. The only thing he has accomplished in life is get into a prestigious prep high school, for students who are academically gifted. Not that Craig is gifted, per say, he just studied for three hours every day for over a year, so that he could ace the test. You might say that Craig has it pretty good, he has a family that supports him, friends that he can screw around with, and a school that should make him successful. Except, ever since he got accepted, he hasn't been able to focus. He can't sleep, he can't eat (stress induced vomiting is making sure of that), and he feels like a failure. More than that, he feels like he can never be happy again.
So one morning, after seriously contemplating suicide, he checks himself into a hospital. There, he is sent to the adult psychiatric ward, where, he discovers, perhaps things can get better after all.
High points of the novel include that narrators voice, which is young, refreshing, and believable (the author wrote the novel in under a month after his own five day stay at a psychiatric ward), and the relationships that Craig has with his family and friends, and his evolution throughout the novel are all worth mentioning.
The novel has copious references to sex, drinking and drugs, and this may be concerning for younger readers or for more impressionable readers. Craig's father is also somewhat insensitive to mental illness.
Verdict: This is a good book for older readers (15-18), and for students who feel anxious, depressed, or that no one understands them. Nearly one fifth of the adult population has a mental illness of some kind, and students younger and younger are being put on medication. However, there is still a "hush" in our society about mental illness, and this book does a great job of explaining what they are, what they are not, and what it may be like to deal with one. Although students may not be able to identify with everything in Craig's life (student's in an inner city school might not connect much at all), most students should still be able to see some connections with Craig's life and their own, especially concerning the anxiety and worry about not knowing what they are going to do with their lives.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
ReplyDeleteGr 9 & Up, Interest level 8 and up
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is about a 15 year-old, Charlie, and his first year of high school. The book unfolds through letters written by Charlie and addressed to “Dear Friend”, making the reader an immediate confidante in Charlie’s pains and struggles of trying to find friends, fit in and survive high school. The innocence and honesty of the letters effectively captures the loneliness and alienation of this often difficult age. The old school throwback feel of the 80’s (mixed tapes and late night showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show) will appeal to readers. Charlie’s overall resiliency is a message of hope for young adult readers.
Because this book includes some explicit language, sexual situations, and underage drug use, it continues to hold a place on the list of 10 most challenged library books. Although the plethora of teenage struggles, including suicide, sexual abuse, rape, mental illness, alienation, and teenage pregnancy can seem overwhelming, the potential for conversations generated from the story is healthy.
Throughout the year, Charlie reads a series of books suggested by his English teacher. The titles would make an easy list for a high school book club or lit circle. Titles include: To Kill a Mockingbird, Walden, Naked Lunch, On the Road, This Side of Paradise, A Separate Peace, The Great Gatsby, The Catcher in the Rye, Hamlet, The Stranger, and The Fountainhead.
Verdict: This is a timeless addition for all high school shelves as it deals with struggles that have changed very little over the past few generations. It would be an appropriate addition to some, but not all, middle school shelves given the maturity and emotional level of the struggles.
Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
ReplyDeleteGr 5-8
Counting by 7s is about a gifted 12 year-old named WIllow and struggle to survive after her parents die in an accident. Chapters are narrated by different characters so the reader is allowed to witness the story from various points of view. WIthout chapter labels, some readers may work harder to decipher the narrator.
Willow’s tenacious resourcefulness in finding ways to stay with a Vietnamese family she has befriended (including teaching herself their language) are credibly told.
Counting by 7s may bring up conversations of giftedness and of family structure including loss, adoption and foster care.
Verdict - This would be a great addition for elementary and middle school shelves for its positive message of resilience in the face of serious life situations that some children must face.
Thanks! We have a book club set in my library and I have been meaning to read it - Now I can let the teachers know what it is about and that it will give them something to talk about with the students till I have time to read it.
DeleteRenee MA
Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. ISBN-13: 978-0316013697
ReplyDeletePublisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition. April, 2009.
Gr 7-10 (Gr 7 up)--In his first, and as of yet only YA novel, Sherman Alexie spins a compelling tale that tackles coming of age with a foot in two worlds. This winner of the 2007 National Book Award for Young People's Literature and a myriad of other awards lives up to its accolades. Concise writing, gritty humor, and realistic portrayal of a teen wrestling with relationships, poverty, loss and identity make this a strong, thought provoking read. The diary format adds to the genuine nature of this piece, as do the illustrations by Ellen Forney. Although there are no gratuitous portrayals of violence or sexuality, this is a brutally honest work, which may be eye-opening to some readers. This title lends itself to discussion and further inquiry around topics such as resilience, cultural identity, and income inequality. Several thoughtful curriculum units have been developed around this work. Links are included at the end of this post. VERDICT: This believable, engaging read will grip teen readers of all backgrounds and lends itself to further discussion on a myriad of social and economic topics. It is a valuable addition any collection.
http://libwww.freelibrary.org/onebook/obop11/0_Absolutely_True_Diary_Curriculum_full.pdf
https://www.d.umn.edu/~lmillerc/TeachingEnglishHomePage/TeachingUnits/AbsolutelyTrueDiaryofaPart-TimeIndian.htm
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plans/teaching-content/absolutely-true-diary-part-time-indian-storia-teaching-guide/
Great idea to add the links! Very helpful, thanks!
DeleteRenee MA