Rapunzel's Revenge by Dean and Shannon Hale

Module 6 - Poetry, Drama, Media, & Graphic Novels

"Read three of the following selections:"

Plot Summary

Rapunzel has been raised in her mother's extensive walled castle, befriending and playing with the guards and staff through the years. As she grows, so does her curiosity for what lies beyond the walls until she finally finds a way over and discovers that her mother is not the woman she has grown up with, but is instead one of the mining slaves outside the wall. As punishment for her escape, she is taken to the woods and imprisoned in a living tower for many years. When she finally stands up to her kidnapper, Mother Gothel, her prison turns against her and she must escape. Following her escape, she vows to find her real mother and bring revenge upon Mother Gothel. Shortly after her escape, she befriends Jack and the two of them travel together through various misadventures to find Rapunzel's mother and seek revenge.

Critical Analysis

The setting of this tale is unique among Rapunzel stories. The placement in the wild west lends a new dialect to the telling of this traditional story. The language chosen also conveys this setting for us through slang and word choices, as is evident in Rapunzel's exclamation when she makes it over the wall, "Well I'll be swigger-jiggered and hung out to dry," or her narration of her time in the tower, "To keep from going batty, I made use of my dratted hair."

The characters are essential to the story, as Gothel, the evil witch, in this version is depleting the surrounding land of its ability to sustain life. Without this magical ability, the story would be fundamentally altered. Rapunzel, is of course a required element to any retelling of the tale. She and her hair play the central role. The adaptation of her locks into a lasso and whip are also essential to the wild west period feel of the story. She ceases to be a damsel in distress and instead takes control of her own fate.

The brightly colored panels convey the setting and emotions of the characters well. Flashback scenes appear in a faded sepia tone to indicate age and reminiscence. The layout, in typical comic book style, take advantage of different panel shapes and layouts on the pages to speed the reader along or to slow them down through important moments. The frames are even broken at times, as when Rapunzel first ever uses her hair as a weapon to intervene in a bar brawl. She SNAPs her hair at the edge of a panel, and the results of that are shown in the panel itself.

Bibliography

Hale, Shannon, Dean Hale, and Nathan Hale. Rapunzel's revenge. New York, N.Y.: Bloomsbury, 2008. ISBN 9781599900704.

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Reviews

From Publishers Weekly:

The popular author of Princess Academy teams with her husband and illustrator Hale (no relation) for a muscular retelling of the famously long-haired heroine's story, set in a fairy-tale version of the Wild West. The Hales' Rapunzel, the narrator, lives like royalty with witchy Mother Gothel, but defies orders, scaling villa walls to see what's outside--a shocking wasteland of earth-scarring mines and smoke-billowing towers. She recognizes a mine worker from a recurrent dream: it's her birth mother, from whom she was taken as punishment for her father's theft from Mother G.'s garden. Their brief reunion sets the plot in motion. Mother G. banishes Rapunzel to a forest treehouse, checking annually for repentance, which never comes. Rapunzel uses her brick-red braids first to escape, then like Indiana Jones with his whip, to knock out the villains whom she and her new sidekick, Jack (of Beanstalk fame), encounter as they navigate hostile territory to free Rapunzel's mom from peril. Illustrator Hale's detailed, candy-colored artwork demands close viewing, as it carries the action--Rapunzel's many scrapes are nearly wordless. With its can-do heroine, witty dialogue and romantic ending, this graphic novel has something for nearly everybody.

From VOYA:

This version of the classic fairy tale Rapunzel is set in the old Southwest, complete with cowboys, coal mines, and coyotes. Rapunzel is a young girl living in a fortress with Mother Gothel, an enchantress who can make plants grow at her whim. Although their home is overflowing with fruits and flowers, it is surrounded by a wall that masks the desert and coal mines outside-Gothel owns everything, and the native people depend on her good will to keep their crops growing. When Rapunzel sneaks over the wall on her twelfth birthday, she sees the desolate world over which Mother Gothel rules, and she meets her real mother who was forced to give Rapunzel to Gothel at birth. To punish her curiosity, Gothel imprisons Rapunzel inside an enchanted tree that has only one window, far above the ground. Just as in the original version, Rapunzel's hair grows prodigiously. But this girl does not need a prince to climb up and rescue her. She uses her braid as a lasso to escape the tree and goes on many adventures that lead her ultimately to reunite with her mother and find true love in a boy named Jack, whose companion is an uncooperative goose. The Hale team creates an engaging heroine. Rapunzel gallivants across the unexpected setting, meets a cast of characters both humorous and threatening, and in the end comes to inherit the land that Gothel had stripped of life and returns it to the native people. This novel presents entertaining girl power at its quirkiest.-Laura Lehner.

From School Library Journal:

This is the tale as you've never seen it before. After using her hair to free herself from her prison tower, this Rapunzel ignores the pompous prince and teams up with Jack (of Beanstalk fame) in an attempt to free her birth mother and an entire kingdom from the evil witch who once moonlighted as her "mother." Dogged by both the witch's henchman and Jack's outlaw past, the heroes travel across the map as they right wrongs, help the oppressed, and generally try to stay alive. Rapunzel is no damsel in distress--she wields her long braids as both rope and weapon--but she happily accepts Jack¿s teamwork and friendship. While the witch¿s castle is straight out of a fairy tale, the nearby mining camps and rugged surrounding countryside are a throwback to the Wild West and make sense in the world that the authors and illustrator have crafted. The dialogue is witty, the story is an enticing departure from the original, and the illustrations are magically fun and expressive. Knowing that there are more graphic novels to come from this writing team brings readers their own happily-ever-after.--Cara von Wrangel Kinsey, New York Public Library

From Booklist:

This graphic novel retelling of the fairy-tale classic, set in a swashbuckling Wild West, puts action first and features some serious girl power in its spunky and strong heroine. Young Rapunzel lives a lonely life, never knowing what lies beyond the high garden walls of her mother's royal villa until one day she climbs the wall to see what's on the other side. When she finds that the world outside is a dark place oppressed by her mother's greed for power and uncovers the real secret of her own birth, she is imprisoned in a magic tree tower. In her years of captivity, she learns a lot about self-reliance and care for her exceptionally long hair, and eventually she is able to escape, vowing to bring down her mother's cruel empire. Hale's art matches the story well, yielding expressive characters and lending a wonderful sense of place to the fantasy landscape. Rich with humor and excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that will become a fast favorite of young readers.--Coleman, Tina

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Module 6 - Poetry, Drama, Media, & Graphic Novels

"Read three of the following selections:"

Plot Summary

Crank follows Kristina's descent into addiction. Sent to spend time with her father in Reno, Nevada for the summer, Kristina releases a repressed side of herself in her character of Bree. Romance buds from day one in Reno as Kristina runs into (insert name here) and feels instant attraction. He shows her the thrills of taking meth, and they spend the summer in and out of a complicated romance with each other and meth. When Kristina finally returns home to her mother and the rest of her family, she closets her desire for meth, but eventually finds an avenue through boys and friends to continue her affair with the monster. Her long distance relationship does not hold up, and she begins to explore other relationships. She later finds she is pregnant, but the math suggests that the father is a boy who raped her rather than the boy who becomes her boyfriend.

Critical Analysis

Hopkins' poems pile layer upon layer within each single page. The free verse style leaves a lot of room for additional meanings to be inserted through the visual form or the lyrical forms. In many of the poems Hopkins will layer an additional meaning by distancing the last word or words from each verse and lining them up to the side. When read together, these last words take on their own meanings beneath or around the full text of their originating poem. For example, in the poem Introduction, the words set aside become, "I am. the face in the mirror only not. I swerved recklessly picked up speed to madness." The poem itself covers much more than just that, but the essence of the poem is distilled into those words and then set aside for convenience.

Kristina's removal from her usual surroundings and placement in a new city with new people allows her to reinvent herself. This change of setting is essential for her character split. This Kristina/Bree dichotomy brings concrete form to the split that many teenagers may feel between who others think they are and who they feel they are. The unsavory characters which she falls in with in Reno are also essential to drag her into the drug scene. If she remained as Kristina in her hometown, she would continue with her existing connections and wouldn't be as likely to fall in with the wrong crowd because of her community ties. The drug connections she finds when she returns to her hometown are accessible to her because she has already become Bree and interacts with them on Bree's terms rather than as Kristina.

The purpose of this verse novel is very much to discourage teens from using drugs, and it is quite obvious in the way the events play out. The accidental pregnancy and lapses into using methamphetamines during the remainder of the pregnancy sets up the next novel to didactically describe the developmental problems for the child as a result of the mother's actions. The VOYA reviewer compares Crank to the rather didactic Go Ask Alice, but thinks "perhaps this more modern version will be more accessible to today's teens."

Bibliography

Hopkins, Ellen. Crank. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2010. ISBN 9781416995135.

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Reviews

From Kirkus:

Hypnotic and jagged free verse wrenchingly chronicles 16-year-old Kristina's addiction to crank. Kristina's daring alter ego, Bree, emerges when "gentle clouds of monotony" smother Kristina's life—when there's nothing to do and no one to connect with. Visiting her neglectful and druggy father for the first time in years, Bree meets a boy and snorts crank (methamphetamine). The rush is irresistible and she's hooked, despite a horrible crank-related incident with the boy's other girlfriend. Back home with her mother, Kristina feels both ignored and smothered, needing more drugs and more boys—in that order. One boy is wonderful and one's a rapist, but it's crank holding Bree up at this point. The author's sharp verse plays with spacing on the page, sometimes providing two alternate readings. In a too brief wrap-up, Kristina keeps her baby (a product of rape) while Hopkins—realistically—offers no real conclusion. Powerful and unsettling.

From Publishers Weekly:

Nonfiction author Hopkins pens her first novel, written in verse, introducing 15-year-old narrator Kristina, who reveals how she became addicted to crank, and how the stimulant turned her from straight-A student to drug dealer, and eventually a teen mom. On a court-ordered visit to see her slimy and long-absent dad, she meets-and is instantly attracted to-Adam, who sports a "tawny six pack,/ and a smile." Soon, Adam introduces her to "the monster" (there, she also unleashes a new personality, id-driven Bree). Her addiction grows, as does Bree's control. Readers get a vivid sense of the highs and lows involved with using crank ("I needed food, sleep,/ but the monster denied/ every bit of it"). Her life changes quickly: Soon she's dating two guys, both of whom use crank; says "Fuck you" to her mom, can't keep up with school, and loses her old friends. There are plenty of dramatic moments: The first time she does crank, for example, her dad joins her. That same night, she stumbles into a bad area and is almost raped, and Adam's girlfriend tries to kill herself. Later in the book, she does get raped and starts selling the drug for the Mexican Mafia. Readers will appreciate the creative use of form here (some poems, for instance, are written in two columns that can be read separately or together), and although the author is definitely on a mission, she creates a world nearly as consuming and disturbing as the titular drug.

From VOYA:

Various styles of free verse and shape poems tell the story of Kristina, a quiet high school junior who, as with many teens, often feels like a stranger to herself and wants to test her limits. While visiting her deadbeat dad in Albuquerque, Kristina meets Adam and feels something stir, like a breeze blowing up off the evening sea. She says, My wind had awakened. To deal with these new and alien feelings, Kristina calls herself Bree and begins to think of herself as two separate people: Kristina is perfect, smart, and in control, but Bree gives her the courage to be wild, spontaneous, and a risk-taker. Adam introduces Kristina to crank or crack for the first time, and of course, she falls under its addictive and dangerous spell. After returning home to Reno, she tries to hide Bree from her family, but late nights out partying and long days sleeping off the effects soon raise their suspicions. The story reaches its climax when Kristina becomes pregnant as a result of being date-raped under the influence. Deciding to keep the baby is a courageous choice, but readers understand that Kristina's eternal struggle will be against the temptation of using crack. Although novels in verse are not new anymore, this one still works. Hopkins delivers a gritty, fast-paced read while effectively portraying the dangers of substance abuse without sounding pedantic or preachy. Teens will relate to Kristina's desire to experiment as well as her difficulty balancing conflicting feelings. Similarities to Go Ask Alice (Simon & Schuster, 1971) are undeniable, but perhaps this more modern version will be more accessible to today's teens.-Valerie Ott.

From School Library Journal:

Seventeen-year-old Kristina Snow is introduced to crank on a trip to visit her wayward father. Caught up in a fast-paced, frightening, and unfamiliar world, she morphs into "Bree" after she "shakes hands with the monster." Her fearless, risk-taking alter ego grows stronger, "convincing me to be someone I never dreamed I'd want to be." When Kristina goes home, things don't return to normal. Although she tries to reconnect with her mother and her former life as a good student, her drug use soon takes over, leaving her "starving for speed" and for boys who will soon leave her scarred and pregnant. Hopkins writes in free-verse poems that paint painfully sharp images of Kristina/Bree and those around her, detailing how powerful the "monster" can be. The poems are masterpieces of word, shape, and pacing, compelling readers on to the next chapter in Kristina's spiraling world. This is a topical page-turner and a stunning portrayal of a teen's loss of direction and realistically uncertain future.-Sharon Korbeck, Waupaca Area Public Library, WI

From Booklist:

Like the teenage crack user in the film Traffic, the young addict in this wrenching, cautionary debut lives in a comfortable, advantaged home with caring parents. Sixteen-year-old Kristina first tries crank, or crystal meth, while visiting her long-estranged father, a crank junkie. Bree is Kristina's imagined, bolder self, who flirts outrageously and gets high without remorse, and when Kristina returns to her mother and family in Reno, it's Bree who makes connections with edgy guys and other crank users that escalate into full-blown addiction and heartrending consequences. Hopkins tells Kristina's story in experimental verse. A few overreaching lines seem out of step with character voices: a boyfriend, for example, tells Kristina that he'd like to wait for sex until she is free from dreams of yesterday. But Hopkins uses the spare, fragmented style to powerful effect, heightening the emotional impact of dialogues, inner monologues, and devastating scenes, including a brutal date rape. Readers won't soon forget smart, sardonic Kristina; her chilling descent into addiction; or the author's note, which references her own daughter's struggle with the monster. --Gillian Engberg

Metamorphosis by Betsy Franco

Module 6 - Poetry, Drama, Media, & Graphic Novels

"Read three of the following selections:"

Plot Summary

Through journal entries, drawings, and inspired poems, our narrator Ovid relates his tumultuous junior year of high school. His sister has left and now his parents are cracking down on his freedoms in an attempt to make up for things they felt they did wrong with her. As Ovid makes revelations about his peers throughout the year, they each get a poem penned to them comparing them to the mythological being they most resemble. Ovid keeps his self-flagellation habits in the closet, and by the end as he goes through his metamorphosis indicates that period of his life may be done.

Critical Analysis

There are a lot of deep subjects only briefly touched upon in this novel. Ovid self-flagellates, but his friends around him each have their own problems too. Alexis smokes weed, Nathaniel cuts himself, Myrra was raped by her father, and there are many other huge revelations about the deep secrets of his peers throughout the book. However, each one of them only gets a few pages of mention, maybe a poem, before the narrative moves on to the next point of interest. This lack of depth leaves a lot of questions about each character, even as it also reveals them.

The setting of this novel at an average high school in contemporary times gives Ovid a lot of resources for art and transportation and communication. If the setting were adjusted, the characters might change slightly, but the general plot and format could remain the same. The description of each friend as a different character from mythology and presentation of this in poetic format could be done in any setting. The small community semi-urban California setting brings in a variety of experiences for each of the characters, which Ovid relates through his journaling and poetry.

Ovid spends a good portion of the narrative longing for the girl Mei. When he gets up the nerve to ask him out, but she rejects him, Ovid reveals the conversation with the voices in his head. After he tells them to "SHUT UP!" he re-evaluates his situation and comes to a revelation. The completion of Ovid's metamorphosis is revealed through his epiphany, "The whole thing suddenly didn't seem worth beating myself up over. It just didn't. Not this time, anyway." However, this gets such a small treatment within the book, that readers might walk away wondering what the metamorphosis was and when it happened.

I'm not entirely up to speed on all of the mythologies and the original Ovid's writings, but this book would provide a good jumping off point for students to delve into the original Roman mythologies to see where characters and events might line up. The descriptions of the teens as modern day interpretations of various mythical beings is engaging. The author includes a few pages at the end to describe the historical Ovid and his works which helps to understand the historical context which the character Ovid would have gained through his own reading. Readers could then, if they wanted, explore the original Ovid's writings or further historical writings.

Bibliography

Franco, Betsy, and Tom Franco. Metamorphosis: junior year. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press, 2009. ISBN 9780763637651.

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Reviews

From Kirkus:

Since his brilliant, meth-addict sister, Thena, ran away from home, Ovid just wants his now-overprotective parents off his back, to express his art freely, to understand why he wants to hurt himself secretly and to make sense of high school. Other juniors "wrestling with the messes the gods got us into" include musician Orpheus, obsessed with his girlfriend; incest victim Myrra, trying to find what's left of the girl in her; Alexis, a female Icarus flying too high on weed; and Sophie and Caleb, a cyber Psyche and Cupid. Like his Roman namesake, Ovid captures it all in his private notebook, filled with prose entries in realistic teenspeak, beautifully crafted poems that provide a back story and surreal black-line illustrations, which the author's son reworked from his own high-school notebooks. While the brevity of Franco's first YA novel may disappoint readers who want these archetypal yet complex characters in more detail, this accessible, modern retelling resembles the original by springing from story to story and exploring love and its ability to confound all reason.

From VOYA:

Ovid is an ordinary high school junior with an extraordinary name. Back when his parents were much more carefree, they named him after the Roman poet, and he has paid for it his entire life. But the event that really turned his life upside down was the disappearance of his drug-addicted sister, Thena. Suddenly Ovid receives all of his parents' attention and is being forced to fulfill their frustrated ambitions for his sister. All Ovid wants is to write, draw, sculpt, and hang out with his friends. And because he is Ovid, many of his friends become to him Greek characters in their own modern-day myths. Suddenly they come alive in his poetry with names like Orpheus and Proserpina and in his art, exploding out of the mouths of bears and carrying homes on their backs. Franco takes Greek mythology and morphs it into a tale for today's world, complete with mistakenly dialed cell phones and teens animating the world around them. Although the book is brief, it is not an easy read because of the literary references and the large cast of characters. The art melds well with the story and the other way around. Ultimately it is about being accepted for who you are, regardless of the century you live in. -Lynn Evarts.

From School Library Journal:

Franco pays homage to the poet Ovid's retelling of Roman myths. Her Ovid, a high school junior, is a budding, brooding artist, still reeling from the departure of his meth-addicted sister. His formerly permissive parents are smothering him with concern and attention as they desperately try to ensure that he does not travel the same road as Thena. Ovid writes poems about and draws his high school as Roman myths with students and adults playing the parts of Pluto, Midas, Athena, Ceres, Proserpina, and a host of others. Only readers well versed in mythology will catch all of the references. Mere mortals will need a handy reference source to get the full impact. The pen-and-ink drawings are interesting but sometimes border on the bizarre and don't all fit smoothly into the story. Regardless of readers' levels of knowledge of Roman religion, the story of a teen feeling imprisoned by overly concerned parents and abandoned by an addicted sibling will resonate with many young adults.-Anthony C. Doyle, Livingston High School, CA

From Booklist:

Seems like we're all just groping our way through a labyrinth, fighting our personal minotaurs, morphing into who we really are. Lots of YA novels explore archetypal myths in ordinary life. Here, the cool teen narrator, Ovid, may be on Facebook or texting his high-school friends in northern California, but he also recognizes the parallels between his life and classical mythology. Franco blends references to the classical canon with fast free verse and casual prose, and the wry combination of contemporary technology and archetypes will appeal to teens, even if they don't get all the nods to the mythical stories. One character resembles a female Icarus, ready to crash and burn after a meltdown, and Ovid's own sister, hooked on drugs, is part of a tragedy of mythical proportions. Occasional ink drawings mix human and animal elements, as in the hilarious view of a platypus doing yoga, and show the wildness in everyone.--Rochman, Hazel

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

Module 5 - History, Biography & Non-Fiction

"Read three of the following selections:"

Plot Summary

Holling Hoodhood has a teacher who hates him (or so he thinks) and they're stuck alone together every Wednesday afternoon as the rest of the class goes off to their respective temples for religious education. He is put to work doing various classroom chores, but botches every one of them somehow. Eventually, he is set to reading Shakespeare in this time instead. Over the course of his school year he participates in his first Shakespeare performance, goes on a first date, gives away the secret to his father's latest architectural project to his rival, and he lives every boy's dream of meeting and playing with some spectacular baseball heroes. By the end of the school year, he's formed friendships in unexpected places and been featured twice on the front page of the local newspaper.

Critical Analysis

The student and teacher characters of this novel are the most dynamic of the cast. We see definite changes in the behavior of not just our protagonist Holling, but also Doug, Meryl Lee, Mai Thi, and Danny in various ways. Holling himself grows throughout the novel, realizing more and more about the world and the people in it with every triumph or setback. Most tellingly he gradually becomes friends with his teacher who he thought hated him at the beginning of the year. Doug, Danny, Meryl Lee, and Mai Thi all bully Holling in October. But by the end many of these characters have changed. Danny Hupfer shows significant maturation at several points in the narrative. In December he rejects Mickey Mantle's signed baseball after Mickey refuses to sign Holling's baseball and in March he stands up to eighth grade lunch room bullies on behalf of Mai Thi. Doug Swieteck, who the previous year was suspended for driving Mrs. Sidman crazy with pranks, disposes of his box of rotting food in December, thus giving up on his next teacher prank. Meryl Lee, after bullying Holling earlier in the year over cream puffs, begins to appreciate him more as the year goes on; they date first in February which leads to ruining her family's livelihood and angering Mr. Hoodhood, and by June, Holling and Meryl Lee are making excuses to spend time together at the class camping trip.

Several of the teachers progress over the course of the novel as well. Ms. Sidman and Ms. Bigio noticeably treat students differently between the beginning and the end of the narrative. Ms. Sidman makes it through her nervous breakdown and eventually emerges triumphant over rats and becomes principal. Ms. Bigio loses her husband in Vietnam but ends up coming to terms with her hatred of the Vietnamese and treating Mai Thi with affection and showing cultural appreciation; she even offers to adopt Mai Thi. Ms. Baker doesn't so much change, as simply become more fully revealed. We learn of her background as an Olympic runner and her appreciation for architecture and she simply becomes a more rounded character than Holling's first observations would indicate.

Holling's parents, however, are static and stereotypical. His father is completely wrapped up in work so much that he misses all of Holling's big events, even while pushing his son to do them and do them well because of his business contacts. His mother is consistently in the background of his father's wishes, trying to maintain appearances of the stereotypical nuclear family living in the perfect house. We see his mom hiding her cigarettes from the family and trying to keep up appearances at Kiwanis club meetings, but she still doesn't show up for her son's biggest moments. The family's only appearance together in public epitomizes the image which Mr. Hoodhood tries to maintain:

"My father sat up there, and the rest of us sat below him at a center table with the wives of the Kiwanis Club officers. My mother refused an offered cigarette--I could tell this wasn't easy--and then she chattered to the Kiwanis wives while my sister and I sat silently through the dinner--roast beef and mashed potatoes and buttered lima beans--and through dessert--lemon meringue pie with a whole lot more meringue than lemon--and through the opening greetings and speeches, and then through my father's speech of grateful acceptance."

Holling can see that their ideal family life is a sham as he goes through events such as these, but his idealism still leads him to believe his father will later take him to baseball games and his mother will drive him to New York to pick up his returning sister.

As events unfold around him, Holling consistently brings his current Shakespeare work into use to help explain and understand the world. Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, The Tempest, and The Merchant of Venice are all featured to some degree over the course of the school year. The ways in which Holling applies these classics to his own life might help to draw new young readers into the world of Shakespeare. Of particular note is his early adaptation of Shakespeare's curses to his own uses. "Toads, beetles, bats" becomes Holling's catch phrase as he navigates all the disappointments of the school year.

The setting of this novel in the Vietnam war era gives it a certain flavor that it would lack if it were set during another historical period. Even though the historical mentions are mostly passing mentions and don't impact the story in significant ways, the cultural expectations of the time play a larger role. Ms. Bigio's mistreatment of Mai Thi at the beginning of the novel is typical of the general attitude of Americans towards Vietnamese in this time period. The aspirations of Mr. Hoodhood to maintain appearances as the perfect family and upstanding citizens for career purposes is common to the "Leave it to Beaver" era. The conquests over school bullies and the development of relationships, however, could have occurred during any historical period and come out with merely a different flavor of background events.

Schmidt packs a lot of events into this one school year, but Holling manages them all without seeming too overwhelmed. He stars in a Shakespeare play, runs for the varsity cross country team, plays baseball with the Yankees, reads six or more Shakespeare dramas, releases and runs from the rats, camps with his classmates, and improves a multitude of relationships with those around him. The narrative skillfully blends all of these together without leaving any loose ends. Each episode is fully resolved by the end of the school year. The School Library Journal reviewer observes that "the plot occasionally goes over-the-top, but readers who stick with the story will be rewarded." There is so much going on, it is a bit overwhelming to a reader and it takes a good writer to pull off as ambitious of a narrative so convincingly. The Booklist reviewer even notes "Schmidt ... makes the implausible believable and the everyday momentous." And Publishers Weekly states "Schmidt ... delivers another winner here." If the events were pared down to the most centrally important, the novel might have a more obvious overarching theme, but because of Schmidt's skill it is a compelling read even at its frenetic pace.

Bibliography

Schmidt, Gary D. The Wednesday wars. New York: Clarion Books, 2007. ISBN 9780618724833.

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Reviews

From Kirkus:

Schmidt plaits world events into the drama being played out at Camillo Junior High School, as well as plenty of comedy, as Holling and Mrs. Baker work their way from open hostility to a sweetly realized friendship. Holling navigates the multitudinous snares set for seventh-graders—parental expectations, sisters, bullies, girls—with wry wit and the knowledge that the world will always be a step or two ahead of him. Schmidt has a way of getting to the emotional heart of every scene without overstatement, allowing the reader and Holling to understand the great truths swirling around them on their own terms. It's another virtuoso turn by the author of Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (2005).

From Publishers Weekly:

Schmidt, whose Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy won both Printz and Newbery Honors, delivers another winner here, convincingly evoking 1960s Long Island, with Walter Cronkite's nightly updates about Vietnam as the soundtrack. The serious issues are leavened with ample humor, and the supporting cast-especially the wise and wonderful Mrs. Baker-is fully dimensional. Best of all is the hero, who shows himself to be more of a man than his authoritarian father. Unlike most Vietnam stories, this one ends happily, as Schmidt rewards the good guys with victories that, if not entirely true to the period, deeply satisfy.

From VOYA:

There is a lot going on in this novel not all related to the politics of the turbulent 1960s. The assassinations of Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy, and the unpopular Vietnam War play a part in Holling's seventh grade year but so do two rats, Sycorax and Calliban, with their clacking yellow teeth; a part as Ariel in yellow tights; a track team; bullying and racism; a camping trip; and disappointment in a first love. Ms. Baker gently guides him through everything even as she brokenheartedly deals with the news that her husband is MIA. This novel is funny, warm, sad, and touching all at the same time. Holling Hoodhood will live with the reader for a very long time after he finishes seventh grade and learns to thine self be true.-Kathie Fitch.

From School Library Journal:

This entertaining and nuanced novel limns Holling Hoodhood's seventh-grade year in his Long Island community, beginning in the fall of 1967. His classmates, half of whom are Jewish, the other half Catholic, leave early on Wednesdays to attend religious training. As the sole Presbyterian, he finds himself stranded with his teacher, Mrs. Baker, whom he's sure has it in for him. She starts off creating mindless chores for him but then induces him to read Shakespeare-lots of Shakespeare. Chapters titled by month initially seem overlong, relating such diverse elements as two terrifying escaped rats, cream puffs from a local bakery, his dad being a cheapskate/cutthroat architect, and Holling's tentative and sweet relationship with classmate Meryl Lee. The scary Doug Swieteck, and his even more frightening brother, and the Vietnam War are recurring menaces. A subplot involves a classmate who, as a recent Vietnamese refugee, is learning English and suffers taunts and prejudice. Cross-country tryouts, rescuing his older runaway sister, and opening day at Yankee Stadium are highlights. There are laugh-out-loud moments that leaven the many poignant ones as Schmidt explores many important themes, not the least of which is what makes a person a hero. The tone may seem cloying at first and the plot occasionally goes over-the-top, but readers who stick with the story will be rewarded. They will appreciate Holling's gentle, caring ways and will be sad to have the book end.-Joel Shoemaker, Southeast Junior High School, Iowa City, IA

From Booklist:

Each month in Holling's tumultuous seventh-grade year is a chapter in this quietly powerful coming-of-age novel set in suburban Long Island during the late '60s. The slow start may deter some readers, and Mrs. Baker is too good to be true: she arranges a meeting between Holling and the New York Yankees, brokers a deal to save a student's father's architectural firm, and, after revealing her past as an Olympic runner, coaches Holling to the varsity cross-country team. However, Schmidt, whose Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (2005) was named both a Printz and a Newbery Honor Book, makes the implausible believable and the everyday momentous. Seamlessly, he knits together the story's themes: the cultural uproar of the '60s, the internal uproar of early adolescence, and the timeless wisdom of Shakespeare's words. Holling's unwavering, distinctive voice offers a gentle, hopeful, moving story of a boy who, with the right help, learns to stretch beyond the limitations of his family, his violent times, and his fear, as he leaps into his future with his eyes and his heart wide open.--Engberg, Gillian

King of the Mild Frontier by Chris Crutcher

Module 5 - History, Biography & Non-Fiction

"Read three of the following selections:"

Plot Summary

Chris Crutcher humorously chronicles the events of his life that have made him who he is today. Growing up in small town Cascade, Idaho, sports and family were very important within the community. The first few chapters serve to set up Crutcher's defining characteristics: he has a bad temper and cries very easily. The remainder of the chapters each end with Chris making a great revelation, generally as a result of his own humiliation. Anecdotes are alternately funny or sad (sometimes both), but they all lead to the revelation of profound life lessons for both the author and the reader.

Critical Analysis

Each chapter at times feels as though it's a stream-of-consciousness account of a random smattering of events, but they always end up having a common thread that ties them together and drives home the point. These anecdotes are arranged around a common theme, such as Crutcher's development of his storytelling, or the lesson of relativity. Chapters are roughly arranged as Crutcher matured, with some slippage in the timeline for the sake of drawing together similarly themed events within his personal history.

Photographs are provided at the end of the narrative and provide a brief glimpse into Crutcher's childhood. It would be more engaging if these were included along with the narrative, perhaps even at the beginning of each chapter. The clumping of the images at the end makes them an afterthought. The photo of Crutcher and his brother "Getting ready to 'do something neat'" would have been a perfect introduction to chapter 3 "Something Neat This Way Comes" that established the brotherly relationship for readers. With the pictures at the end readers have to make their own connections to where they might fit within the narrative structure of the book.

Crutcher's narrative style is engaging and humorous, with a variety of anecdotes throughout, so that any one section does not seem overly long. Many of the stories involve Crutcher being either humiliated or triumphantly mischievous, which lends a great deal of humor to the tales. One might even wonder how this child made it through to adulthood with any self esteem in tact. To tie everything together, several groupings of stories are wrapped up with such revelations as:

"In the end, the lesson taught me in the physical world by my father and Limburger cheese and mink scent extended into virtually every corner of my universe and made it possible for me to work in, and tell stories about, a world where searing pain and mind-numbing heroism flow side by side. They intermix and overlap, guiding me away from black-and-white judgments that might come back to haunt and humble me. No one is pretty; no one is ugly. There is no Jesus without Judas, no Martin Luther King, Jr., without the Klan; no Ali without Joe Frazier; no freedom without tyranny. No wisdom exists that does not include perspective. Relativity is the greatest gift."

In these concluding statements to these chapters Crutcher ties together his childhood experiences, his adult experiences, his writing career, and basic truths about life into nice little take-away packets. Crutcher does not include such concise summaries for every chapter, but several include it and these chapters would make for great examples of writing structure and summary in a classroom setting.

Reviewers from Kirkus, VOYA, School Library Journal, and Booklist all consistently paint this autobiography as funny, honest, sad, and touching. This comes across as a bit of a disparate group of terms to describe any one work, but it is his tone which sets the funny, his style which sets it as honest, and the events within that make it both sad and touching. His approach of being "candid" (Kirkus), "brutally honest" (VOYA), and "tough and tender" (Booklist) is what will draw teens in who are skeptical of most adult viewpoints. Crutcher describes his approach to truth in the conclusion to chapter 13 after a very touching anecdote:

"Genius, if you think about it from the four-year-old perspective. Allie was key in shaping me as a writer. If I took those words away from her, she would have no way to test the waters, and though it's a pretty astonishing thing to hear roll off the tongue of a four-year-old, it would be nothing short of disrespectful to take away the language she needed to express her world. If I am to make characters real, I have to treat them with that same respect, and I have to be willing to tell stories about the ruggedness of their lives. Anything less is far more disrespectful than the use of those really meaningless words in print; disrespectful to the character, to the reader, and to the author. So anytime I get a character just right, find that spot where language and circumstance and character merge to tell some tough truth, I thank Allie. And because of her, I never back off the truth as I see it, or the language required to tell it."

As a non-fiction title, this book lacks a useful table of contents, index, or bibliography, but it doesn't need it. This is primarily the story of one man's life and he is the premier expert on the matter.

Bibliography

Crutcher, Chris. King of the mild frontier: an ill-advised autobiography. New York: Greenwillow Books, 2003. ISBN 0060502495.

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Reviews

From Kirkus:

What might have been just a volume of funny or unsettling anecdotes becomes a candid take on lessons learned, with a clear adult perspective. This is a good read and a deeply moral and philosophical work with important messages about life, death, relativity, heroism, and why bad things sometimes happen to good people. Like Gantos's Hole in My Life (2002), it tells a strong story to get at strong truths. Essential for the many fans of Crutcher's work, and new readers will go from here to his fiction.

From Publishers Weekly:

In this funny, bittersweet and brutally honest autobiography, Crutcher recounts his journey from a boyhood misspent in remote Cascade, Idaho ("The information highway was a single-lane logging road winding through steep mountains, dead ending at some nameless `crick' ") to his present life as a writer. The author displays the same impeccable comedic timing that characterizes his young adult novels. ... It is precisely this sense of humility that allows readers to laugh with young Chris, rather than at him. Crutcher can also turn from hilarity to heartache, as when he discusses his mother's alcoholism or his own legendary temper (which plagued hm in his childhood but which he attributes to the compassion he brings to his work as a family therapist). Readers will clasp this hard-to-put-down book to their hearts even as they laugh sympathetically.

From VOYA:

Already a favorite with young adults, Crutcher pens an autobiography of his youth that will find an easy audience in a genre that teachers and librarians sometimes find hard to sell. His stories about the anguish that was his childhood are both sad and funny. He suffers from being nearly three years younger than his brother, from living in a small town where invisibility is impossible, and from being totally unathletic in a school where everyone is expected to play. Through a series of vignettes, Crutcher lays bare many painful memories of his childhood, and readers see the source of some of his best stories and characters. His fiery temper, which flares hottest when he is embarrassed, is later exhibited by his characters in Chinese Handcuffs (Greenwillow, 1989/VOYA June 1989), Ironman (1995/VOYA June 1995), and Whale Talk (2001/VOYA June 2001). His experience on his college swim team with a coach who "invites" the team to a week of stamina training over Christmas break forms the framework for his immensely popular Stotan! (1986/VOYA April 1986). His own struggles with organized religion are reflected by many of his characters, as they try to make sense out of chaos. His work as a family therapist helping damaged children and the adults who torment them colors his characters in many ways and gives edge to his themes. In telling his own story, Crutcher entertains readers, challenges them, and touches their hearts. This is a biography that will be read-not skimmed-and loved.-Leslie Carter.

From School Library Journal:

Tough and tender reminiscences focus primarily on family, social, and school conflicts, but lessons derived from his career as a teacher, therapist, and writer are also described. Hyperbole lightens the mood as the author portrays himself as a young crybaby, academic misfit, and athletic klutz, utterly without self-aggrandizement. Abrupt transitions, some convoluted sentences, and nonlinear progression may challenge some readers, but the narrative holds undeniable appeal for the author's fans and demonstrates the power of writing to help both reader and writer heal emotional/psychic wounds.-Joel Shoemaker, Southeast Junior High School, Iowa City, IA

From Booklist:

Like his novels, Crutcher's autobiography is full of heartbreak, poignancy, and hilarity. Candid and casual, Crutcher shares stories from his childhood and adolescence in Cascade, Idaho. Reminiscences of some of his youthful rites of passage are laugh-out-loud funny, such as his humiliating initiation into his high-school athletic club. On a more serious note, he discusses his occasionally rocky relationships with his parents and siblings. He talks openly about his struggles with a bad temper that constantly got him into trouble, how he came to terms with questions about God, how he confronted intolerance, and how he found his own place in the world. He also shares several painful glimpses into his work as a child and family therapist trying to help people heal some very broken lives. This honest, insightful, revealing autobiography is a joy to read. Crutcher's fans will relish this intimate glimpse of the author, and the book may win some new readers for his fiction. --Ed Sullivan

Bootleg by Karen Blumenthal

Module 5 - History, Biography & Non-Fiction

"Read three of the following selections:"

Plot Summary

Bootleg begins with a graphic description of the St. Valentines Day Massacre that occurred towards the end of the prohibition era and poses the question "How had such good intentions gone so terribly, terribly wrong?" The rest of the book then goes on to chronicle the rise of prohibition sentiment, the passage of national prohibition, and the results of this law. We get a good glimpse into the personal lives of people caught up in alcohol trafficking as well as an overview of the organized crime that arose as a result of it. The book also treats us to a view of how prohibition was overturned, thus we get to see both sides of the law and just what happens when the majority remains silent in the face of something they find absurd.

Critical Analysis

Bootleg was a fascinating read full of great descriptions of unique people of the era. Not only do we get a good look at the big names in the movements like Carrie Nation and Al Capone, but we also get a personal glimpse into the lives of average citizens like Raymond Parks, James Maxwell, and Leroy Ostransky. These anecdotes give readers a human connection to history and engage the reader in the lives of every day citizens who lived through the era. Without such elements, the book would read as dryly as a textbook listing dates and names and events.

Narrative text is broken up with a smattering of period photographs that bring life to the events described. Photos are so prevalent that rarely is there a two page spread without some visual element to engage readers. The consistent dispersion of the photos makes the blocks of text more approachable. School Library Journal reviewers agree that "Black-and-white period photographs and reproductions of propaganda material add immediacy to the text," and Booklist reviewers also state, "Plenty of archival images lend to the book's pleasant design." The images are a critical part of the information contained within this volume. They engage readers and provide some visual primary source material for those conducting research on the era.

The glossary provides a selection of vocabulary that arose as a result of the prohibition era, but does not attempt to define every possible term in the text. This keeps the glossary down to a manageable size, and makes its terms useful and engaging for readers as they approach the end of the book or might be looking for an unusual term. Basic terms can be found in the index or a separate dictionary for simple definitions. The book would not suffer without this glossary, but it does add a nice exploration of some of the slang terms we've picked up from the period.

The bibliography is broken down by subject and then by chapter, which makes it an invaluable resource to anyone looking for further information on the topics included. Readers looking to jump into their own research can use this section to find more primary or original sources of information. Author Karen Blumenthal also provides a few tips at the beginning of the resources section for budding researchers, "For a real taste of what the debates about prohibition were like, there's nothing like newspapers and magazine articles of the time." She then explains which resources were best and how she was able to access them for free or low cost.

The table of contents lists engaging chapter titles, but they do not give significant information on what might be within the chapter, so it is of limited use for research purposes. The index, however, makes up for the failing of the table of contents; it lists lots of people and events and other terms that would aid research. Photographs related to the topics are also indicated within the index with bolded page number listings. And a page of Picture Credits explains the sources of each image for readers who might wish to seek their original sources for their own purposes.

The author's introduction of the St. Valentines Day Massacre is a great attention grabbing anecdote to draw readers in. And the epilogue leaves readers with a sense of how prohibition politics and sensibilities affect life today through alcohol and drug regulation. The positioning of these two engaging discussions place a nice frame around the description of the historical era and give it relevancy for today's youth that they can relate to.

Bibliography

Blumenthal, Karen. Bootleg: murder, moonshine, and the lawless years of prohibition. New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2011. ISBN 9781596434493.

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Reviews

From VOYA:

Beginning with the grisly St. Valentine's Day Massacre in 1929, Bootleg completely captures readers. Nine chapters highlight the major players and events leading up to the passing and eventual repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The amendment made the manufacture, sale, and transport of alcohol illegal; the book's epilogue evaluates its success. ... Extensive historical research gives a comprehensive picture of the era, including the role of Henry Ford and automobiles. Driving a Model T to transport moonshine, Raymond Parks outran authorities, earned a fortune, and later founded NASCAR. Taken for a ride took on nefarious meaning! Students or anyone interested in the turbulent prohibition era will find this a very worthy resource.-Barbara Johnston.

From School Library Journal:

Gangsters, guns, and political battles-this book has them all-and presents them in compelling prose. Blumenthal opens with the infamous St. Valentine's Day Massacre, then traces the history of the temperance movement from the Puritans through the signing of the 21st Amendment. Important individuals are given the spotlight, some well-known like Al Capone and Carrie Nation, others more obscure but equally essential, such as Senator Morris Sheppard, the Father of National Prohibition. The author also adds a fascinating epilogue that examines the effects of the era, both positive and negative, including advances in technology and progress in legislative theory. Black-and-white period photographs and reproductions of propaganda material add immediacy to the text. The breadth of the well-researched material makes Bootleg a substantial resource for reports; a deep bibliography and copious source notes provide ample opportunities for further study. However, this book is also a lively read and an excellent choice for displays and booktalks. The subtitle alone will pique readers' curiosity. -Rebecca Dash Donsky, New York Public Library

From Booklist:

Blumenthal, author of the Sibert Honor Book Six Days in October: The Stock Market Crash of 1929 (2003), here offers a highly readable, well-shaped look at the Eighteenth Amendment, which she call. the most radical and ambitious social experiment ever tried. She provides concise, clearly written insights into the seeds of temperance movements in the late eighteenth century, which gained steam over the next century and finally reached a tipping point in the early twentieth century as an organized, powerful political movement. Of course, the grand social revolution that was supposed to forever end drunkenness, reduce crime, and make life better for America's families did almost precisely the opposite, and the section on Al Capone will satisfy readers hungry for the gangster-warfare side of Prohibition. A closing chapter makes an argument that despite the mostly disastrous results, there were bright points to Prohibition (like the sharp plunge in alcohol-related diseases) and looks at modern-day reverberations like MADD and school drug- and alcohol-awareness programs. Plenty of archival images lend to the book's pleasant design, and an ample bibliography and source notes close out this top-notch resource, which will also help spark discussion on the current War on Drugs.--Chipman, Ia.

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

Module 4 - Fantasy & Science Fiction

"Read three of the following selections:"

Plot Summary

Liz suddenly wakes up on a boat with a roommate who has been shot in the head. Slowly Liz comes to realize that she is dead, just like everyone else on the boat, and is invited to view her own funeral. When the boat docks in Elsewhere, Liz longs to return to the original dock, but learns she can never go back to her old life. Moving on with her death means that Liz meets her maternal grandmother for the first time. This family reunion is a bit awkward for Liz, since she still clings to her old life. Liz spends months simply watching life back on earth before she finally realizes that she must move on with her death. In death, she eventually finds her true avocation, romance, and friendship. Her romantic relationship is complicated when his wife dies and comes to Elsewhere. Things are bumpy for Liz for a while; death is much like life in that respect. But with the help of her grandmother and friends, Liz lives (or dies?) a happy existence through the rest of her childhood, eventually realizing that life is life, whether you're dead or not.

Critical Analysis

The 3rd person present-tense omniscient narration in this novel was very matter of fact. The characters come through entirely through their dialogue and actions rather than through knowing their thoughts. However, many of them feel very flat because we do not see their inner motivations. Liz and Owen develop as the narrative progresses, and we see this through the change in their actions and behaviors, but the descriptions are still very simplistic and to the point. This narrative style may appeal to reluctant readers due to its very simple sentence structure. It's not hard to get through any one portion of the story because of this narrative style.

The setting of Elsewhere is essential to the book. Not only is it the title, therefore the focal point of the book, but the essential elements would not exist in any other world. Elsewhere, the afterlife, is unique in that time flows backwards. Liz will become younger as time goes on, which is quite distressing when you've never reached adulthood in the first place. Liz feels she has nothing to look forwards to because she already knows what to expect from being younger than she is now, but she laments never attaining the milestones of adulthood like her first romance. If the setting did not contain this element of time, the primary issue that Liz has to confront would be fundamentally different.

The ending of the book feels a bit rushed. Liz's self-discovery phase dominates the majority of the narrative, and then time is skipped past after that to give closure to her situation. We see the remainder of her 15 years pass in the last tenth of the book. Perhaps the author chose to do this so that Liz's story would be complete. We do get to see her live out her death, even if it happens so briefly. However, if this section were omitted, it would leave room for a sequel where further events of Liz's life are explored in greater depth. Although, with the near-utopian nature of Elsewhere, there may not exist enough conflict beyond the acceptance of death which Liz has already endured.

For a book that begins with a dog's narration of her owner's death and ends with the re-birth of our protagonist as a new baby, this book is significantly lacking in concrete spiritual references. There is one mention of God early on in the book during Liz's orientation to Elsewhere:

"God's there in the same way He, She, or It was before to you. Nothing has changed."

Leaving God out of events may negate many of the complaints various faiths might have about the narrative. For the most part, the story is about living life and accepting and enjoying it rather than fretting over who is in charge of things. God is not mentioned again throughout the rest of the novel.

Reviewers differ on their perspective of the spirituality within this title. The Publishers Weekly reviewer comments:

"Prudently skirting the issue of God's role in Elsewhere...Zevin...bends the laws of physics and biology to create an intricately imagined world" (emphasis mine)

Whereas the Booklist reviewer states:

"Zevin's conception of the afterlife will inevitably ruffle many theological feathers, the comfort it offers readers grieving for lost loved ones, as well as the simple, thrilling satisfaction derived from its bold engagement with basic, provocative questions of human existence, will far outweigh any offense its metaphysical perspective might give."(emphasis mine)

Clearly there is some debate as to whether or not the lack of spirituality is innocuous or not, but it certainly does not play a very large role in the enjoyability of the narrative itself. This book would appeal to anyone who worries or wonders about the afterlife, or just wants to explore another concept of what it might be like. Readers of all faiths can find it acceptable as long as they can suspend disbelief long enough to get into the world of Elsewhere.

Bibliography

Zevin, Gabrielle. Elsewhere. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005. ISBN 0374320918.

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Awards/Reviews

ALA Notable Book for Children

From Publishers Weekly:

Even readers who have strong views on what happens after death may find themselves intrigued by the fascinating world of "Elsewhere," the place 15-year-old Liz ends up after she is killed in a bicycle accident. A surreal atmosphere permeates chapter one as Liz awakens on a ship (mostly occupied by elderly people), unaware of its destination. ... readers will likely be intrigued by the "strictly forbidden" Well. Prudently skirting the issue of God's role in Elsewhere (when she asks about God, Liz is told simply "God's there in the same way He, She, or It was before to you. Nothing has changed"), Margarettown author Zevin, in her first novel for young people, bends the laws of physics and biology to create an intricately imagined world.

From School Library Journal:

Zevin's third-person narrative calmly, but surely guides readers through the bumpy landscape of strongly delineated characters dealing with the most difficult issue that faces all of us. A quiet book that provides much to think about and discuss.-Sharon Grover, Arlington County Department of Libraries, VA

From Booklist:

Although the book may prove too philosophical for some, Zevin offers readers more than a gimmick-driven novel of ideas: the world of Elsewhere is too tangible for that. "A human's life is a beautiful mess," reflects Liz, and the observation is reinforced with strikingly conceived examples: a newly dead thirtysomething falls in love with Liz's grandmother, who is biologically similar in age but experientially generations older; fresh arrivals reunite with spouses long since departed, creating incongruous May-December marriages and awkward love triangles (as Liz experiences when her boyfriend's wife suddenly appears). At one poignant moment, four-year-old Liz loses the ability to read. The passage she attempts to decipher, which comes from Natalie Babbitt's Tuck Everlasting, 0 is another meditation on the march of time and change. Although Zevin's conception of the afterlife will inevitably ruffle many theological feathers, the comfort it offers readers grieving for lost loved ones, as well as the simple, thrilling satisfaction derived from its bold engagement with basic, provocative questions of human existence, will far outweigh any offense its metaphysical perspective might give. Far more than just a vehicle for a cosmology, this inventive novel slices right to the bone of human yearning, offering up an indelible vision of life and death as equally rich sides of the same coin. --Jennifer Mattson

From Voice of Youth Advocates:

Readers who get past the dialogue, featuring a dog's account of its young mistress's death, will find this fantasy about the afterlife a fun and thought-provoking page-turner. ... Readers unwilling to suspend disbelief might find this story irritating. Zevin never explains how a fully grown baby enters its new mother's womb. Others will resent the instances of stereotyping-a rock star who overdoses, teens who drink, drive, and die. Still others will relish Zevin's lively imagination and her fast-moving plot. Buy this book for them.-Mary E. Heslin.

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Module 4 - Fantasy & Science Fiction

"Read three of the following selections:"

Plot Summary

Luke has lived his entire life in hiding. As the third child born in a world where families are limited to two, his mere existence is a crime punishable by death. When the woods behind his house are sold and cut down to make way for fancy new houses, his limited ability to play outside with his brothers is abruptly cut off. Luke can not even look out the windows for fear of being discovered. But he finds a way. When he observes closely, he finds one of the new wealthy neighbors also has a hidden third child. Luke braves the fear of discovery to sneak over to the house and find out for sure. The two hidden "shadow" children form a friendship, but their very different personalities lead them in different directions.

Critical Analysis

Among the Hidden was a fairly short novel at just over 150 pages. It's a little lacking in exciting adventure, so it doesn't read too quickly due to the narrative events, but rather because it is so short. And the book even ends on a cliffhanger moment, prompting readers to seek out the next book to find out what will happen to Luke as he ventures into the rest of the world with his false identity. This is a great gimmick to hook readers to a series!

The setting of this dystopian story is primarily focused on the localized setting of Luke's family's farm and the encroaching housing development. There is mention of the social environment outside of the farm itself, like shopping centers and city locations and such, but because our narrator's entire world has been limited to the farm, we too are limited. The farm itself offers protection to Luke in his early years, due to its remote location and tree cover. If Luke's family had lived elsewhere, his experience would have been significantly different, as evidenced by the character of Jen and her very different experience of being a shadow child in a baron family. Jen is able to contact others, but Luke's entire social contact is only with his immediate family. Not even his aunts know about him.

The greater setting of the novel, however, is the depth of the U.S. government's social control over the lives of its citizens. How deep does that control run? Is there a possibility of individuals making a difference? We learn only so much about the government in this book; they are not afraid to gun down a group of shadow children and squelch news of the event. The efforts of Jen and the potential Luke has to influence future events and possibly reform or escape the governmental control is a highly compelling factor in the narrative. Maybe more about the government will be revealed in the rest of the series. The evolution of our modern day society into this totalitarian society is a believable jump; some nations have already implemented limits on child-bearing. Readers can draw similarities between modern day problems and their extension into the future to create this society.

The greatest excitement of the plot centers around Luke's discovery of the outside world and what he is able to learn from Jen and her books. The character of Jen is not as well developed as some might like, but she is definitely the secondary character of the novel even if she only exists occasionally for about fifty pages. Without her as a catalyst, Luke might foreseeably remain hidden in the attic for his entire life. Instead, Luke expands his vocabulary, learns more about government and society, contributes to the family livelihood, and begins to explore technology because of her influences. His final determination to strike out on his own is inspired by the loss of his friend. He says "I'm doing this for you, too, Jen. Someday when we're all free, all the third children, I'll tell everyone about you. They'll erect statues to you, and name holidays after you..." She is his motivating force.

Reviewers from Publishers Weekly criticized the novel in 1998 because "the plot development is sometimes implausible and the characterizations are a bit brittle", but this novel has held up well to the test of time. With the current rapid expansion in the YA dystopian genre, this shorter volume can be useful to bring lower-level high school and upper-level elementary readers into the fold. Among the Hidden is a title that has been fairly well tested in the classroom; I attended a seminar at 2011 TLA on using social media to teach the novel and series. It brings up a lot of serious world issues for discussion without including such things as violence and romance that might be offensive in a classroom situation. The most violence the book includes is the brief description of the gunning down of the rally-goers:

"They shot all of them. All forty kids at the rally, gunned down right in front of the president's house. The blood flowed into his rosebushes. But they had the sidewalks scrubbed before the tourists came, so nobody would know."

Bibliography

Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Among the hidden. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1998. ISBN 9780689817007.

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Awards/Reviews

From Publishers Weekly:

Haddix (Running Out of Time) chillingly imagines a dystopia in this futuristic novel. ... The plot development is sometimes implausible and the characterizations are a bit brittle, but the unsettling, thought-provoking premise should suffice to keep readers hooked.

From School Library Journal:

This is a near future of shortages and deprivation where widespread famines have led to a totalitarian government that controls all aspects of its citizens' lives. When the boy secretly ventures outside the attic and meets the girl in the neighboring house, he learns that expressing divergent opinions openly can lead to tragedy. To what extent is he willing to defy the government in order to have a life worth living? As in Haddix's Running Out of Time (S & S, 1995), the loss of free will is the fundamental theme of an exciting and compelling story of one young person defying authority and the odds to make a difference. Readers will be captivated by Luke's predicament and his reactions to it.-Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PA

From Kirkus:

Haddix offers much for discussion here, by presenting a world not too different from America right now. The seizing of farmlands, untenable food regulations, and other scenarios that have come to fruition in these pages will give readers a new appreciation for their own world after a visit to Luke's.

From Voice of Youth Advocates

...this bleak allegorical tale ends with Luke leaving to attend school, then rejoin the outside world. This is an easily understood, younger reader's 1984 or Brave New World, presenting a chilling vision of a possibly not-too-distant future. Haddix's other books include Don't You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey (Simon & Schuster, 1996/VOYA December 1996).‘Debbie Earl.

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

Module 4 - Fantasy & Science Fiction

"Read three of the following selections:"

Plot Summary

On Gemma Doyle's sixteenth birthday in 1895, she and her mother are strolling through a marketplace in India. They argue and Gemma takes off running, just as the visions hit her and she watches her mother's death. Months later she is sent to school in London, just as she had wanted, but with dire circumstances surrounding her. At the school she must make new friends and find her place among a new crowd. With the guidance of her visions and an old diary, Gemma leads her entourage of girls, The Order, into the lands of the realms. Once there, however, the addiction of the magic overtakes them and their adolescent invincibility leads them to discover the evil side of this beautiful land and the true identity of Gemma's mother.

Critical Analysis

A Great and Terrible Beauty was a rather lengthy Victorian era fantasy. The title, cover, and description of this book had never caught my attention, but because I've enjoyed other books and stories by Libba Bray I wanted to go back to this one and give it a read. The narrative grabs you from the first few pages. Insolent Gemma and her inconsiderate, controlling mother create a situation that many teens can relate to, even if it is set in the distant past of 1895 and in a foreign land. This introductory scene is gripping in its mystery and its character interactions.

The historical setting of this novel is critical to its plot, as the role of young girls and women have changed significantly since then. During that time period, however, boarding schools for girls were common for those who could afford them. Preparation for a life of marriage and subservience was the primary goal of education for young girls. The oppression inherent in that system is also necessary for the girls, so that they can explore the realms where they have power and are free on their own terms. Without the contrasting background of oppression, the freedom of the realms would not be as remarkable.

I liked that the book never really gives much of a name to the forces at work in the book. The character of Kartik appears and disappears almost like a mythical vampire would, but no name is given to his mysteriousness. The magic which the girls are able to control also isn't named. The land they escape to is merely called "the realms" and the group merely called "The Order." The vagueness of names gives it further mystery. I kept hoping that the nature of things would be revealed in the next chapter, and yet it never was, but that suspense added inspiration to continue further into the story.

Several of the characters feel undeveloped and flat even as we learn more about them. The School Library Journal reviewer states:

"Bray's characters are types-Felicity, clever and powerful; Ann, plain and timid; Pippa, beautiful and occasionally thoughtless; Gemma, spirited and chafing under society's rules-but not offensively so, and they do change as the story progresses."

So there is some perceived change on the parts of each of the girls, but if one looks at their larger actions at the beginning and the end of the narrative, their fundamental natures and motivations remain the same except for Gemma's. When we first meet Ann she is quiet and demure and rather overlooked by the other girls. In the middle, Ann begins to find her confidence as she practices her singing and influence within the realms. But when we leave Ann at the end of the book, Ann has faded back into the background and hides modestly behind the assertive Felicity's decisions rather than making her own. Felicity enters the novel as a snooty back-stabbing girl. In the middle she seems to join forces with Gemma and the others, but by the end she is leading the mutiny to try to gain her own powers rather than relying on Gemma's. She is also the mastermind behind blaming the diary and other events on the art teacher Miss Moore. She has not changed fundamentally, but remains a vicious self-preserving harpy to the very end. Pippa, the stunning beauty of the group, makes her first appearances as Felicity's lackey. When she begins to show herself through their late night explorations and within the realm she is deeply romantic, wanting nothing more from life than true love. At the end she chooses not to leave the realms, and in a final act of defiance she eats the grapes and remains forever with her knight in shining armor rather than go back to her life as the wife of Mr. Bumble. Gemma, however, shows a great amount of personal growth between being the insolent brat in India, to becoming the leader of the girls' adventures, and finally as she owns up to her failures and makes great personal sacrifices. Gemma even forgives her mother the evils she has committed and therefore is able to defeat the evil welling up from the realms.

There are many themes to explore in this novel. Most obviously is the battle between good and evil within the same person. As the true identity of Gemma's mother is revealed, Gemma must come to terms with this aspect of her history. She concludes:

But forgiveness... I'll hold on to that fragile slice of hope and keep it close, remembering that in each of us lie good and bad, light and dark, art and pain, choice and regret, cruelty and sacrifice. We're each of us our own chiaroscuro, our own bit of illusion fighting to emerge into something solid, something real. We've got to forgive ourselves that. I must remember to forgive myself. Because there's an awful lot of gray to work with. No one can live in the light all the time.

However, the issue of a woman's place is also considered throughout the book as these girls struggle with their adolescence and society's expectations of them as young ladies. The final line of the novel gives voice to what Gemma and the others must be feeling:

"Because I want to see how far I can go before I have to stop."

Bibliography

Bray, Libba. A great and terrible beauty. New York: Delacorte Press, 2003. ISBN 0385730284.

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Reviews

From Publishers Weekly:

Bray brilliantly depicts a caste system, in which girls are taught to abandon individuality in favor of their man's wishes, as a deeper and darker horror than most things that go bump in the night. While aimed at female readers, it will be just as delectable to boys brave enough to be seen carrying a book sporting a corset-clad girl on the cover. The pace is swift, the finale gripping. A delicious, elegant gothic.

From School Library Journal:

An interesting combination of fantasy, light horror, and historical fiction, with a dash of romance thrown in for good measure. ... The author also makes a point about the position of women in Victorian society. Bray's characters are types-Felicity, clever and powerful; Ann, plain and timid; Pippa, beautiful and occasionally thoughtless; Gemma, spirited and chafing under society's rules-but not offensively so, and they do change as the story progresses. The ending leaves open the likelihood of a sequel. Recommend this to fantasy fans who also like Sherlock Holmes or Mary Russell.-Lisa Prolman, Greenfield Public Library, MA

From Booklist:

The jacket, a photo of a young woman in a tightly laced corset and lacy camisole, bespeaks a steamy love story (Gemma does have some sexy dreams about a young gypsy), but the costume is really a metaphor for the strictures against women of the period, which Bray limns extremely well in her debut novel. The Realms and the mystery surrounding the diary are less well handled, yet there's no doubt the mystical elements, along with a touch of forbidden romance, will draw a large, enthusiastic audience, who will come away wanting more about stubborn, willful Gemma and the strange world whose doors she can open at will. --Stephanie Zvirin

From Kirkus:

A Gothic touched by modern conceptions of adolescence, shivery with both passion and terror.

From Voice of Youth Advocates:

This classic boarding school drama with gothic tones deals with real issues-a woman's place, the question of self-determinism, the impact on young lives of a lack of parental love and attention-within an excitingly supernatural framework. Plot, setting, and characterization are all strong. Questions of life, love, maturity, responsibility, and the harrowing nature of choices are seamlessly worked into a compulsively readable story, open ended enough to hint at the possibility of a sequel. Soundly researched and credible, this exhilarating and thought-provoking read is for the junior high level up, especially for girls who have enjoyed Mary Hoffman's Stravaganza series and are ready for something a bit more challenging and mature.-Ann Welton.

I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have To Kill You by Ally Carter

Module 3 - Adventure, Sports & Mystery

"Read three of the following selections:"

Plot Summary

The Gallagher Academy is a super-secret spy school for girls. Cammie the chameleon has always blended in, unseen. Until she is spotted one day by a boy in town as she fulfills her first mission and falls madly in love. Through the use of spy techniques learned in classes, Cammie and her friends pursue the boy, just in case he is a honeypot (an agent who uses romance to compromise a target). Through carefully coordinated meetings, Cammie and Josh develop a bit of a relationship, but when Cammie reveals the truth to him, just before her big final exam, everything comes crashing down around them. Literally.

Critical Analysis

The glimpses into the fascinating world of spy school are believably fantastic. There are spy gadgets and spy secrets and spy techniques hinted at in nearly every explanation. It is not hard to imagine being a student at such an exceptional school, and the secretiveness and seclusion of the school makes the fact that we've never heard of such a school entirely believable.

Within the setting of the Gallagher Academy, the girls must each prove their worth as a spy. Without their parents around, the girls form their own support teams among roommates. The removal from parents for this story is essential so that each girl can show her own individual potential, but especially our protagonist, Cammie. Even though her mother is present as headmistress of the Gallagher Academy, she is a very hands-off spy-mother which allows Cammie to shine as a spy herself. For example, at the end even as her mother reveals that Cammie's "had one of the more extensive Covert Operations exercises this school has ever allowed," she also reveals that she has known about it all along and simply allowed it to continue rather than interfering in her daughter's spy and boy experiments.

Protagonist Cammie and her roommates provide the focal point for this story. The supporting cast of Bex, Liz, and Macey each have their own strengths which combine into a powerful team of super-spy-girls. This support group allows Cammie to grow and shine as the chameleon she is. It's also easy for readers to choose one of these girls to identify with as they go through the novel because each of them is so different from the other, and yet they all work together for the benefit of their spy team. Reviewers from Publishers' Weekly and School Library Journal both feel as though characters were not fully developed, but since this is the beginning of a series, there is promise that the relationships will develop further and additional details about characters will be revealed in the further installments of the series.

The relationship between Cammie and Josh develops predictably but also serves as a vehicle for the use of the recently learned spy techniques. The ending of their relationship follows a realistic curve, as he responds to the disclosure of the truth in an expected but not entirely stereotypical manner. Josh is still willing to talk about it all at the end and see Cammie around after the summer break, even though her so-called "life" was a lie throughout most of their relationship. Readers are left to wonder, however, whether the tea he shared with Cammie's mother will erase his memories or not. The romance in this novel does not eclipse the fact that this is primarily a spy novel. In fact, it facilitates it. Cammie is able to try out her spy training to discover what this mysterious boy means by the things he says and does. Boys truly are a mystery to the life-long inhabitants of the Gallagher Academy for girls, so the recent addition of Macey to the team provides the "more experienced" role of worldly advisor for the other girls as they embark on adventures relating to fashion and cute boys.

It's not just a spy adventure novel, but it also chronicles typical teen concerns like decoding what boys mean by what they say. As Cammie says early on, "even though the Gallagher Academy is a school for girl geniuses, sometimes the emphasis should be kept on the girl." Within the form of spy adventure, we're essentially just looking at the trials and tribulations of being a girl at an all girls boarding school.

Bibliography

Carter, Ally. I'd tell you I love you, but then I'd have to kill you. New York: Hyperion Books for Children, 2006. ISBN 1423100034.

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Reviews

New York Times Bestseller

From Publishers Weekly:

Readers may find some details familiar (Cammie lost her spy father during a mission; her CoveOps teacher is a handsome, intense man who seems to get along too well with her mother) and wish that rich, bratty Macey, a new recruit who is "capable of cracking the Y chromosome code," had been developed more fully. But the author escalates the tension well, leading to the night of the final exam, where Cammie finds herself blindfolded, kidnapped and facing off against the retired spies of the facultyand also confronting Josh. Readers will eagerly anticipate the next installment.

From School Library Journal:

The teen's double life leads to some amusing one-liners, and the invented history of the Gallagher Girls is also entertaining, but the story is short on suspense. The stakes never seem very high since there are no real villains, and the cutesy dialogue quickly becomes grating. However, the novel has been optioned for a film and will likely attract readers who enjoy lighthearted, frothy tales and squeaky-clean romances. Unfortunately, it lacks the warmth and appeal of other teen books turned into movies, such as Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries (HarperCollins, 2000) and Ann Brashares's The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Delacorte, 2001).-Miranda Doyle, San Francisco Public Library

Voice of Youth Advocates:

Written in an easy-to-read, conversational tone, this novel combines the real (learning how to talk to boys) and the unreal (learning how to be a secret agent for the government) in a strangely believable way. Think Alias meets Gilmore Girls. The causal explanation for the complex inner workings of the secretive Gallagher Academy and the diversity of the group inside its walls make a unique and enjoyable setting. The characters and their relationships, including Cammie's mother-Headmistress of the Gallagher Academy-propel this story beyond just being an action-packed novel into something special. The promise of a second Gallagher Girl book is the promise of good times to come.-Stacey Hayman.

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher

Module 3 - Adventure, Sports & Mystery

"Read three of the following selections:"

Plot Summary

Eric and Sarah Byrnes have been best friends since forever. Brought together because they were both outcast for their appearance (he is obese, she is burned), they've formed a strong friendship on this basis. When Sarah is suddenly taken away to a psychiatric hospital because she is no longer talking or responding to anyone or anything, Eric loyally visits her daily. Eventually she begins to communicate through secret talks, symbols, and a notebook of writing, to share with Eric details about why she is behaving this way. The more Eric learns, the more angered he becomes and he is unable to sit by while she goes on like this. He discloses the secret to his most trusted teacher and coach, Ms. Lemry, and she is able to work with Sarah to start on a path towards escape.

Critical Analysis

The cast of characters is fairly large in this novel, but the primary action centers around Eric's response to Sarah Byrnes' current stupor. The other members of the school and town community are essential in establishing the history of the characters' relationships and developing the conflicts. The action-filled part of the story took a while to really get going. Eric spent a good deal of time trying to crack Sarah Byrnes's hard exterior. But once the action starts, the story flies by. Beneath it's cover as a book about swimming and friendships, it was an angering look at the effects of child abuse on its victims and the community. The gradual reveal of the horrors Sarah Byrnes has been subjected to entices the reader to read more, even as it angers the reader further with each new detail. There is a rather storybook happy ending, as pointed out by the Kirkus and Booklist reviewers, but with such horrific experiences for the last 17 years, readers may feel that Sarah Byrnes deserves a happy ending.

The discussions which occur within and surrounding Eric's classes and swim practice are also an essential part of the plot, as relationships with characters are developed and disclosed through these everyday interactions. The development of the community is essential as the plot progresses and Sarah Byrnes' condition is fully revealed and the solution sought out. Without the community reaction and support, Sarah Byrnes would still remain hidden in the shadows and be subjected to her abusive father.

Eric's disclosure of Sarah Byrnes' secrets to his trusted swim coach and teacher Ms. Lemry can provide a role model for teens faced with similar situations. Sarah Byrnes' concerns that Lemry will immediately involve CPS are also valid, as teachers are required to report suspected abuse to CPS and Lemry strikes out into vigilante territory herself by taking the situation into her own hands personally. Lemry provides an alternative possibility to the usual results of "telling a teacher." But Eric provides a positive example by choosing carefully who he tells and proceeding cautiously to approach the authorities.

The small to midsize town setting of the novel is essential for the development of the story, because the significant and lasting relationship history must exist for each of the characters. The friendship between Eric and Sarah Byrnes is an established feature even as the novel begins. The history with the school bully of years past is essential, as is his availability and predictability later in the narrative. If the setting were a city, the abuse experienced by the characters would not evoke the same response from the community. Children's Protective Services would have been involved early on because of the anonymity of a city. But within the smaller town, each is more responsible for those around them because the turnover of inhabitants is limited. The consistency of the class composition is also essential, as each of these characters has already established their relationship with the others in the school. A community must be in place to truly show the widespread effects of child abuse.

Bibliography

Crutcher, Chris. Staying fat for Sarah Byrnes. New York: HarperTempest, 2003. ISBN 9780060094898.

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Reviews

From Kirkus:

Though Crutcher doesn't always play fair in developing his themes--all the conservative Christians here are humorless dupes or hypocrites, and one tries to commit suicide after it comes out that his girlfriend had an abortion--his language, characters, and situations are vivid and often hilarious. In the end, he deals out just deserts[sic] all around: Eric gets a stepfather he can respect; Virgil, a vicious mauling plus 20 years in stir; Sarah, a new and loving set of parents. Readers may find the storybook ending a welcome relief, though it does seem forced after the pain that precedes it. Pulse-pounding, on both visceral and intellectual levels--a wild, brutal ride.

From Voice of Youth Advocates:

This is a book that punches you in the stomach and never gives you a moment to breathe. Crutcher has tread along similar lines before, using the motif of a swim team in Stotan! (1986); courage and recovery in Crazy Horse Electric Game (1987); and abuse in Chinese Handcuffs (1989). Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is more tightly plotted than his earlier YA novels, yet it also allows a full, complete character development of the teen protagonists in related subplots. This is Crutcher's darkest and most riveting work to date, almost entirely unrelieved by any humor. Older YAs are likely to read this in one sitting, and then will be left thinking about it for weeks afterward. Perhaps it will jar some into considering that many teens, maybe their own classmates, are just like Sarah Byrnes, except that they carry their horrifying burns inside of them._Susan R. Farber.

From Publishers Weekly:

Such superlatives as ``riveting'' and ``powerful'' can only hint at the craftsmanship on display in this transcendent story of love, loyalty and courage. While probing such issues as friendship, free speech and moral values, Crutcher ( Chinese Handcuffs ; Stotan! ) tells a tale whose mordant humor, poignancy and suspense pack a breathtaking wallop. ... Superb plotting, extraordinary characters and crackling narrative make this novel one to be devoured in a single unforgettable sitting.

From Booklist:

Crutcher ties up loose ends and subplots a little too rosily for real life, but his book is satisfying all the same. It's strong on relationships, long on plot, and has enough humor and suspense to make it an easy booktalk with appeal across gender lines. ~--Janice Del Negro