a.
Audience for whom the book is written
b.
Audience to whom it will appeal (might
differ from a.)
c.
Particular strengths of the book
d.
Particular weaknesses of the book
e.
Any special considerations (artwork,
curriculum links, community values, beliefs espoused, etc)
f.
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!!
Shurtliff, L. (2013). Rump: The true story of Rumpelstiltskin. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.
ReplyDeleteGr 4-8: In a land where your name is your destiny, what does that say about you when your name is “Rump”? Rump is sure there was supposed to be more to his name, but when his mother died while naming him, that is all the name he’s got. Follow Rump on his journey full of misadventures and heartache to find his true name and his destiny.
Shurtliff’s clever adaptation of the fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin makes the reader root for the underdog, Rump. Her first person writing style lets the reader see Rump’s true feelings as he journeys from the only home he has ever known in search of more. Anyone with an interest in fairy tales or fantasy will enjoy Rump’s journey.
Verdict: While an engaging and amusing read, the abrupt and uninspiring ending leaves the reader feeling a little flat.
Dystopia
ReplyDelete5 to 1 by Holly Bodger
Gr 7 and up, Interest level Gr 5 and up
The title 5 to 1 signifies the ratio of boys to girls in the year 2054 India, a result of generations of gender discrimination. The dystopian society of the story have created a system for boys to compete to win a wife from the scarce supply of girls.
The story is told from two points of view: that of Sudasa, a privileged daughter who has come of age and must now chose a husband, and that of Kirin, a market boy who is now old enough to compete in the games for a wife. Sudasa’s narrative is told in verse, an engaging method of stops and starts, fleeting and desperate thoughts. Kirin’s voice, on the other hand, speaks to the reader through solid, honest prose, effectively grounding his character to his societal status. With family structures and gender roles portrayed upside down from even our current society, readers will have pause to stop and evaluate personal biases.
Verdict: 5 to 1 is a must have addition for upper elementary, middle and high school libraries, ready for use for both pleasure reading and in social studies conversations. The original plotline, dual narratives and varied text structures make this book a page turner.
DiTerlizzi, T. & Black, H. (2003). The field guide. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.
ReplyDeleteDiTerlizzi, T. & Black, H. (2003). The seeing stone. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.
DiTerlizzi, T. & Black, H. (2003). Lucinda’s secret. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.
DiTerlizzi, T. & Black, H. (2004). The ironwood tree. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.
DiTerlizzi, T. & Black, H. (2004). The wrath of Mulgarath. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.
Gr. 3-6: After the divorce of their parents, siblings Jared Grace, his twin, Simon, and their older sister, Mallory moved with their mom to the dilapidated Spiderwick Estate, far from what they know. Soon odd things start happening, things go missing, sounds are come from within the walls, and someone is playing ‘pranks’ of all sorts. After exploring the estate and finding their great uncle, Arthur Spiderwick's field guide, it soon becomes clear to the kids that this is far from normal. Fairies, goblins, dragons… Some of these creatures are not happy with the Grace family and their presences on the estate and have started to become violent. Can the Grace siblings solve a years-old mystery and ultimately survive?
Throughout the 5 volumes of the Spiderwick Chronicles, we get to know the Grace family and a few of the creatures personally. The authors have made the dynamics between the kids and the creatures cute and clever. The creatures are written in a way that makes them seem real, with feelings and struggles of their own. This keeps the audience reading, wondering, what will happen to them?
Verdict: Many sites list the interest level of this series as 4-8 grade, (which is why I read them to begin with, I was going to use it as my book/movie compare/contrast) however, these quick, fun reads fit well in an elementary library, not the middle school.
Shusterman, Neal. (2007). Unwind. New York, New York: Simon & Schuster.
ReplyDeleteThe premise of this book is that the United States has declared that abortion in illegal, and in place of it, has decreed that all teens ages 13-18 can be "unwound" by their parents or gaurdians, a process which effectively gets rid of them, but does not technically end their life, as all their parts are given (or sold) to those that need them. The story follows three teens, all from different backgrounds, who are running for their lives, in an attempt to make it to 18 without being unwound.
Special strengths of the book include the presentation of different beliefs and ideas, without the promotion or negation of any of them. Students have to decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong, and sensitive topics are explored rather than glossed over.
The book also contains a lot of violence, which may turn readers away and might be a sore spot for concerned parents. Positions of power, including those of parents, the government, and religious leaders are sometimes not respected and questioned.
This book was written for ages 12 and up, and it would most likely appeal to the same age category.
Verdict: This book would be a good addition to a high school media center, and some middle schools. However, some precautions should be taken with younger readers, including a warning of violence.
Discussions from this book could delve into several content areas, including science, humanities, and social science. It may even be able to connect to comparisons of historical (and even current) oppression and situations of human rights violations.
DeleteI have to say, the whole idea of this book freaks me out, and that's hard to do. Shusterman should get bonus points for that!
DeleteSilvera, Adam. (2015). More Happy Than Not. New York: Soho Teen.
ReplyDeleteMore Happy Than Not is a gripping, gritty read for teens, and is appropriate for readers grade nine and up. Set in the Bronx in what could be the recent past or near future, Silvera’s debut novel is semi-autobiographical with a subtle science fiction twist. The strengths of this novel include the unique voice of the protagonist, Aaron Soto, a 16-year-old comic book reading, video game playing, Puerto Rican American kid, and the picture he paints of his family, friends and community. The reader is drawn into Aaron’s struggle to define and find happiness in the wake of his father’s suicide. The novel explores wide ranging topics including the impact race, culture, sexuality, sexual orientation, abuse, homophobia, stereotypes, violence, incarceration, teen pregnancy and drug culture have on Aaron and his community. The science fiction element of the novel is central but subtle. Readers looking for flashy science fiction elements might be disappointed.
Other than the cover art, there aren’t any illustrations, but the smiley and sad emojis used throughout the book add a quirky, unifying element. Despite dealing with difficult topics, this work is imbued with hope. It has received many awards and star reviews including a YALSA Rainbow List selection and top ten YA Novel of 2015, A New York Times editor’s choice, and a Kirkus best teen book of 2015.
Verdict: Silvera’s debut novel is a strong addition to any high school library media collection because it brings a diverse voice and tells a compelling story. Readers of all backgrounds will identify with the protagonist and his effort to become more happy than not.
This sounds like a great addition to add representation to a collection and, hopefully, promote empathy and ability to view other perspectives.
ReplyDeleteThe Giver by Lois Lowry
ReplyDeleteDystopia
Gr. 6-9
The Giver, 1994 Newbery Medal winner, is the first in a series of four books. This first book takes place in a future perfect society. The world is void of crime, pain, and ultimately choice. The Giver examines what life would be like and what people would be willing to give up in an effort to “live” life without any worries. During the Ceremony of Twelves, Jonas is selected as the Receiver of Memories. It is during his training that he sees the faults in this way of living and decides that something needs to be done.
Lowry does a tremendous job of character and plot development the readers almost feel like one of the community members. The vivid writing allows the reader to feel the emotion of Jonas as he receives all the memories from “back and back and back”. The books causes the reader to ask more questions that are answered through the course of the story. Even the ending is left to the interpretation of the reader.
Verdict - The Giver does an excellent job of presenting the reader with a glimpse of what life would be like if every aspect of it was decided for you; choice, with all of the positives and negatives, were eliminated. It is a resource that certainly belongs in the middle school library.