Assignment: #10 of ten Narratives
Author: Catherine Ryan Hyde
Publisher: New York: Knopf, 2006
Date: 04/14/07
Format/Genre: Realistic Fiction
Suggested Grade Level: 11th -adulthood
Summary: Eighteen year-old Jordy finds himself in a dark alley in New York City. He has runaway from his abusive family to find himself. He meets a young lady and quickly finds out that she to has been abused. Jordy and Chloe set out of New York City to find all the beauty that life has to offer. They soon find out that the world contains beauty and evil on their voyage.
Comments: I enjoyed reading this story. I could relate to the characters fight with depression and being able to actually see the beauties that life has to offer. The story has many turns and twists that kept me reading and wanting more. The only downfall of the book was the ending. The author shows the true meaning of friendship and how the bound between Jordy and Chloe forms across the country and then she ends the story with a simple letter. The simple letter truly disgusted me. I could only hope that the author may have a sequel ??
Voya: 4Q 4P
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
Assignment: #3 of 3 popular author
Author: Mitch Albom
Publisher: New York: Random House, 2003
Date: 03/25/07
Format/Genre: Afterlife/Inspirational Fiction
Recommended Grade Level: 10th grade- adulthood
Summary: Eighty-Three year old head maintenance man, Eddie, works at Ruby Point Amusement park. He has worked at the park for many years and finds his life quiet disappointing. The story is en laced in three other stories, all of them being about Eddie. The author tells Eddies stories through his death, previous birthdays and the five people that are waiting in heaven for him. Eddie soon finds out that his disappointing life influenced and impacted five people whom he ultimately meets in heaven.
Comments: I had several people keep telling me to read this story. After reading it I found out why. This story truly tells an under dogs tale. The author was able to bring a mans story through and have it relate to the reader. I related in that as a teacher I have impacted many children but some days you don't hear about it until years later.
VOYA: 4Q 4P
Author: Mitch Albom
Publisher: New York: Random House, 2003
Date: 03/25/07
Format/Genre: Afterlife/Inspirational Fiction
Recommended Grade Level: 10th grade- adulthood
Summary: Eighty-Three year old head maintenance man, Eddie, works at Ruby Point Amusement park. He has worked at the park for many years and finds his life quiet disappointing. The story is en laced in three other stories, all of them being about Eddie. The author tells Eddies stories through his death, previous birthdays and the five people that are waiting in heaven for him. Eddie soon finds out that his disappointing life influenced and impacted five people whom he ultimately meets in heaven.
Comments: I had several people keep telling me to read this story. After reading it I found out why. This story truly tells an under dogs tale. The author was able to bring a mans story through and have it relate to the reader. I related in that as a teacher I have impacted many children but some days you don't hear about it until years later.
VOYA: 4Q 4P
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Stuck in Nuetral by Terry Trueman
Assignment: #9 of ten narratives
Author: Terry Trueman
Publisher: New York: Harper Collins, 2000
Date: 03/24/07
Format/Genre: Realistic Fiction
Recommended Grade Level: 5-10th grade
Summary: Fourteen-year old Shawn McDaniels suffers from cerebral palsy. Shawn is wheel chair bound and unable to verbally or physically communicate with anyone. His family has been torn apart by his illness. His father has even left the home because he can no longer handle Shawn's condition. Throughout the story Shawn recollects what life was like before his father left them and now what his fathers ultimate plan is for his son.
Comments: This story was one that kept you reading from start to finish. You quickly find out that Shawn's father has so much love for his son that the disease has driven him away. The story helped me to realize what it must feel like being able to hear and see but not being able to communicate . I cannot even imagine how difficult it must be. The other compelling aspect is how the author leaves the reader suspended after each paragraph. He does this up till the end when Shawn and his father are alone. In the end it seems as if Shawn's father has decided to put his son out of his misery but one will never know because the author ends the book with a seizure. I was upset that the author left it open at the end but I believe that he did this for a purpose. Throughout the story Shawn continually goes back to how he believes his father will kill him but then at the end it is as if when Shawn's eyes meets his fathers that his father realizes that Shawn can really communicate. This book is depressing but at the same time enlightening.
VOYA: 3Q 3P
Author: Terry Trueman
Publisher: New York: Harper Collins, 2000
Date: 03/24/07
Format/Genre: Realistic Fiction
Recommended Grade Level: 5-10th grade
Summary: Fourteen-year old Shawn McDaniels suffers from cerebral palsy. Shawn is wheel chair bound and unable to verbally or physically communicate with anyone. His family has been torn apart by his illness. His father has even left the home because he can no longer handle Shawn's condition. Throughout the story Shawn recollects what life was like before his father left them and now what his fathers ultimate plan is for his son.
Comments: This story was one that kept you reading from start to finish. You quickly find out that Shawn's father has so much love for his son that the disease has driven him away. The story helped me to realize what it must feel like being able to hear and see but not being able to communicate . I cannot even imagine how difficult it must be. The other compelling aspect is how the author leaves the reader suspended after each paragraph. He does this up till the end when Shawn and his father are alone. In the end it seems as if Shawn's father has decided to put his son out of his misery but one will never know because the author ends the book with a seizure. I was upset that the author left it open at the end but I believe that he did this for a purpose. Throughout the story Shawn continually goes back to how he believes his father will kill him but then at the end it is as if when Shawn's eyes meets his fathers that his father realizes that Shawn can really communicate. This book is depressing but at the same time enlightening.
VOYA: 3Q 3P
Cage of Stars by JacQuelyn Mitchard
Assignment: #2 of 3 popular author (Adult book with YA appeal)
Author: Jacquelyn Mitchard
Publisher:New York: Time Warner Book Group, 2006
Date: 03/25/07
Format/Genre: Contemparary Fiction
Recommended Grade Level: 10th grade- adulthood
Summary: Twelve-year-old Veronica Swan is living an ideal life in her small Mormon community until tragedy strikes her family. Veronica's two younger sisters, Ruthie and Becky, are brutally murdered by the neighbor , Scott Early. Scott Early has schizophrenic and ends up only spending a short time in a mental hospital. Veronica's family puts there pain and anger into there faith where they forgive. Veronica continues into adulthood with her anger. Ronnie becomes a nanny for Scott Early's daughter and her plans for revenge begin to unfold.
Comments: This book was a page turner. I couldn't put in down once I started. The author has an amazing way of showing Ronnie's character. Mitchard shows the true feelings of an individual who has gone through such a tragic event and wrestles with the feelings of vengeance and mercy.
Voya: 4Q 4P
Author: Jacquelyn Mitchard
Publisher:New York: Time Warner Book Group, 2006
Date: 03/25/07
Format/Genre: Contemparary Fiction
Recommended Grade Level: 10th grade- adulthood
Summary: Twelve-year-old Veronica Swan is living an ideal life in her small Mormon community until tragedy strikes her family. Veronica's two younger sisters, Ruthie and Becky, are brutally murdered by the neighbor , Scott Early. Scott Early has schizophrenic and ends up only spending a short time in a mental hospital. Veronica's family puts there pain and anger into there faith where they forgive. Veronica continues into adulthood with her anger. Ronnie becomes a nanny for Scott Early's daughter and her plans for revenge begin to unfold.
Comments: This book was a page turner. I couldn't put in down once I started. The author has an amazing way of showing Ronnie's character. Mitchard shows the true feelings of an individual who has gone through such a tragic event and wrestles with the feelings of vengeance and mercy.
Voya: 4Q 4P
The Girls by Lori Lansens
Assignment: #1 of 3 popular author(Adult book with YA appeal)
Author: Lori Lansens
Publisher: New York:Little Brown and Company, 2006
Date: 03/21/07
Format/Genre: Realistic Fiction
Recommended Grade Level: 10th grade-adult
Summary: Rose and Ruby Darlen are craniopagus twins that live in Baldoon County, New York. Craniopagus twins are very rare. The twins heads are joined together and they share blood vessels in their brain.Their mother abandoned them after giving birth. The twins were taken in by Aunt Lovey and Uncle Stash. They are not related but Aunt Lovey delivered the two girls. Throughout this book both Ruby and Rose tell their stories from birth to the age of twenty-nine. In their twenty-nine years they learn about love, laughter, hardships of being connected and the hate that can be imposed on others who are different.
Comments: I enjoyed reading the book but it was not one of my favorites . The book was a little wordy in the sense that it continued on long drawn out stories. I did find it to be a moving story because of its accounts on a persons differences. Ruby and Rose are able to find out that life has not just been lemons but a sweet glass of lemonade. The only problem was the ending left the reader hanging. I was expecting the author to end the book with the girls death and instead it ends with Rose finally finding the perfect title for the book. This book would be a great read for a young girl that is wanting to find her own identity.
Voya: 3Q 3P
Author: Lori Lansens
Publisher: New York:Little Brown and Company, 2006
Date: 03/21/07
Format/Genre: Realistic Fiction
Recommended Grade Level: 10th grade-adult
Summary: Rose and Ruby Darlen are craniopagus twins that live in Baldoon County, New York. Craniopagus twins are very rare. The twins heads are joined together and they share blood vessels in their brain.Their mother abandoned them after giving birth. The twins were taken in by Aunt Lovey and Uncle Stash. They are not related but Aunt Lovey delivered the two girls. Throughout this book both Ruby and Rose tell their stories from birth to the age of twenty-nine. In their twenty-nine years they learn about love, laughter, hardships of being connected and the hate that can be imposed on others who are different.
Comments: I enjoyed reading the book but it was not one of my favorites . The book was a little wordy in the sense that it continued on long drawn out stories. I did find it to be a moving story because of its accounts on a persons differences. Ruby and Rose are able to find out that life has not just been lemons but a sweet glass of lemonade. The only problem was the ending left the reader hanging. I was expecting the author to end the book with the girls death and instead it ends with Rose finally finding the perfect title for the book. This book would be a great read for a young girl that is wanting to find her own identity.
Voya: 3Q 3P
Sunday, March 4, 2007
In the Shadow of No Towers by Art Spiegelman
Assignment: #3 of three graphic novels
Author: Art Spiegelman
Publisher: New York : Pantheon Books, 2004.
Date: 03/04/07
Format/Genre: Graphic Novel
Recommended Grade Levels: 10th grade-adulthood
Summary: Art Spiegelman portrays the day and the days after the Twin Towers fell. He portrays his families personal accounts of September 11th and his political views following the attacks. The novel itself is large and has colored comic strips that interweave characters form Spiegelmans previous writings (MAUS). Art uses both older cartoons and his own to portray how he feels and also how America feels about the tragedy.
Comments: This was not a favorite of mine. It wasn't difficult to read but in some portions of the novel I had no idea what Spiegelman was talking about. I ended up looking up some of the political jargon and researching some of the older cartoons. It was then that I was able to figure out what he was trying to say. This story was not your everyday writing about the attack on September 11th. I know that Art has previously won a Pulitzer Prize for his writings but, I was not impressed.
VOYA: 3Q 3P
Author: Art Spiegelman
Publisher: New York : Pantheon Books, 2004.
Date: 03/04/07
Format/Genre: Graphic Novel
Recommended Grade Levels: 10th grade-adulthood
Summary: Art Spiegelman portrays the day and the days after the Twin Towers fell. He portrays his families personal accounts of September 11th and his political views following the attacks. The novel itself is large and has colored comic strips that interweave characters form Spiegelmans previous writings (MAUS). Art uses both older cartoons and his own to portray how he feels and also how America feels about the tragedy.
Comments: This was not a favorite of mine. It wasn't difficult to read but in some portions of the novel I had no idea what Spiegelman was talking about. I ended up looking up some of the political jargon and researching some of the older cartoons. It was then that I was able to figure out what he was trying to say. This story was not your everyday writing about the attack on September 11th. I know that Art has previously won a Pulitzer Prize for his writings but, I was not impressed.
VOYA: 3Q 3P
DEMO by Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan
Assignment: #2 of three graphic novels
Author: Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan
Publisher:San Fransico: AIT Planet Lar, 2005
Date: 03/04/07
Format/Genre: Graphic Novel
Recommended Grade Levels: 10th grade-adulthood
Summary: Demo is a collection of 18 short stories that are depicted with comics. These stories depict stories about rebellious teenagers, drugs and alcohol, sex, anger,rage and family issues. It is a very graphic sentiment into the minds of teenagers and what they are feeling.
Comments: I was totally disgusted with this graphic novel. I found it to be very raw. The content was fantasy verses reality in some of the stories and others were just twisted tales of rage. The language choice was very offensive to me. The authors tell you in the foreword that these stories are based on there lives. I found it very disturbing that two people could feel the way that is depicted through the whole novel.
VOYA: 3Q 2P
Author: Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan
Publisher:San Fransico: AIT Planet Lar, 2005
Date: 03/04/07
Format/Genre: Graphic Novel
Recommended Grade Levels: 10th grade-adulthood
Summary: Demo is a collection of 18 short stories that are depicted with comics. These stories depict stories about rebellious teenagers, drugs and alcohol, sex, anger,rage and family issues. It is a very graphic sentiment into the minds of teenagers and what they are feeling.
Comments: I was totally disgusted with this graphic novel. I found it to be very raw. The content was fantasy verses reality in some of the stories and others were just twisted tales of rage. The language choice was very offensive to me. The authors tell you in the foreword that these stories are based on there lives. I found it very disturbing that two people could feel the way that is depicted through the whole novel.
VOYA: 3Q 2P
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