Ricki – Page 101 – Unleashing Readers

The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson

July 27, 2015February 27, 2014 by Ricki

The Impossible Knife of Memory
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Published: January 7th, 2014 by Viking Juvenile

GoodReads Summary: For the past five years, Hayley Kincaid and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since his return from Iraq. Now they are back in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps, for the first time, Hayley can have a normal life, put aside her own painful memories, even have a relationship with Finn, the hot guy who obviously likes her but is hiding secrets of his own.

Will being back home help Andy’s PTSD, or will his terrible memories drag him to the edge of hell, and drugs push him over? The Impossible Knife of Memory is Laurie Halse Anderson at her finest: compelling, surprising, and impossible to put down.

Review: This book reminded me of something incredibly important to remember as a reader—even when I read a book’s summary and feel as if I have read dozens of books with a similar plot, an amazing author like Laurie Halse Anderson will make me feel as if I have never read a book quite like it before. Hayley’s father’s pain ripped right through me. I felt his anguish and wanted to sit beside him to try to comfort him. This book sheds light on an issue that is often kept in the dark. With the war veterans coming home, it is all the more important that we talk about PTSD and try to come together as a country to help these soldiers find peace. This book made me want to stand up and help our veterans, and I think teenagers will feel a similar sense of need for social justice.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: Teachers would be wise to have students research further about PTSD and learn more about other soldiers who struggle with this issue. It is also important for students to learn about what our country is doing for these men and women who served our nation.

Discussion Questions: Can Andy be helped? Does Hayley deal with her father’s condition in a beneficial way?; Why does Hayley hate Trish? Is she justified in her feelings?; How does Finn’s family situation add to the story?

We Flagged: “I needed to hear the world but didn’t want the world to know I was listening.”

“Leaning against my father, the sadness finally broke open inside me, hollowing out my heart and leaving me bleeding. My feet felt rooted in the dirt. There were more than two bodies buried here. Pieces of me that I didn’t even know were under the ground. Pieces of dad, too.”

Read This If You Loved: Personal Effects by E.M. Kokie, The Things a Brother Knows by Dana Reinhardt, If I Lie by Corrine Jackson, Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick, Sunrise over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers

Recommended For:

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Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

July 27, 2015February 20, 2014 by Ricki

Green
Author: Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Published March 27th, 2012 by Roaring Brook Press

Goodreads Summary: Die cut pages bring surprise after surprise in this magical new book from the “Queen of the concept book”—an intricate and satisfying homage to green, the color of all creation.
How many kinds of green are there? There’s the lush green of a forest on a late spring day, the fresh, juicy green of a just-cut lime, the incandescent green of a firefly, and the vivid aquamarine of a tropical sea. In her newest book, Caldecott and Geisel Honor Book author Laura Vaccaro Seeger fashions an homage to a single color and, in doing so, creates a book that will delight and, quite possibly astonish you.

Green is a Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Book of 2012.

Review: The limited words on each page allow the reader to get lost in the beauty of the illustrations of this gorgeous children’s book. I was expecting the typical greens but was pleasantly surprised to see the clever takes on wacky green, slow green, and no green at all. I glided from page to page, appreciating the clever cutouts and visual appeal of this incredible children’s book.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: This text could be used at a variety of levels. In my reading, I felt it is really asking readers: “How many different ways can you look at the color green?” We see objects, colors, and basic things in our world one way, but how can we interpret them differently? I would love to see this used in a creative writing classroom.

Discussion Questions: Where do we see the color green in our world? Go beyond the expected interpretations.; How does the author creatively present this book? What makes a book with so few worlds so very powerful?

Read This If You Loved: A Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss

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Press Here by Hervé Tullet

July 27, 2015February 13, 2014 by Ricki

Press Here
Author: Hervé Tullet
Translator: Christopher Franceschelli
Published March 20th, 2011 by Chronicle Books

Goodreads Summary: Press the yellow dot on the cover of this book, follow the instructions within, and embark upon a magical journey! Each page of this surprising book instructs the reader to press the dots, shake the pages, tilt the book, and who knows what will happen next! Children and adults alike will giggle with delight as the dots multiply, change direction, and grow in size! Especially remarkable because the adventure occurs on the flat surface of the simple, printed page, this unique picture book about the power of imagination and interactivity will provide read-aloud fun for all ages!

Review: This is a wonderfully innovative book. It asks the child to interact with the story—pressing, tilting, shaking, etc. at each page. I am not ashamed to admit that I was smiling and following the instructions, eagerly wondering what awaited me on the next pages. I suspect I am going to have a very active child (based on the stories about my husband), and this book will allow him to wiggle and jump as he reads. This is a book that makes reading fun.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: I could see this being a great book for buddy/paired reading. It will evoke a lot of laughter and giggles from kids. I also wonder how this might be used to teach writing to middle and high schoolers. It is certainly innovative, and I bet teachers might use it to teach creativity and breaking the mold of typical writing.

Discussion Questions: What might the author’s purpose be for writing this book?; How does the author creatively reach readers? How can this be incorporated into your own writing?

We Flagged: “There. Well done. Now tilt the page to the left…just to see what happens.”

Read This If You Loved: Perfect Square by Michael Hall, Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, Is Everyone Ready for Fun? by Jan Thomas

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Winger by Andrew Smith (Ricki’s Review)

July 27, 2015February 6, 2014 by Ricki

Winger
Author: Andrew Smith
Published: May 14th, 2013 by Simon and Schuster

GoodReads Summary: Ryan Dean West is a fourteen-year-old junior at a boarding school for rich kids. He’s living in Opportunity Hall, the dorm for troublemakers, and rooming with the biggest bully on the rugby team. And he’s madly in love with his best friend Annie, who thinks of him as a little boy.

With the help of his sense of humor, rugby buddies, and his penchant for doodling comics, Ryan Dean manages to survive life’s complications and even find some happiness along the way. But when the unthinkable happens, he has to figure out how to hold on to what’s important, even when it feels like everything has fallen apart.

Filled with hand-drawn info-graphics and illustrations and told in a pitch-perfect voice, this realistic depiction of a teen’s experience strikes an exceptional balance of hilarious and heartbreaking.

Review: With every page I turned, I fell more in love with this book. I found elements of this text to be reminiscent of Looking for Alaska by John Green, another wonderfully compelling work. Andrew Smith does a beautiful job unraveling the plot of this story. I found it to be incredibly unpredictable—all of my predictions, in fact, were incorrect. The book surprised me in wonderful ways. The characterization and setting shine brightly. I felt as if I was in the boarding school right with the characters, and they were my friends just as much as they were Ryan Dean’s friends. I couldn’t stop reading by the end of the book, and I think readers will equally be hooked to this coming-of-age tale.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: This text would fit in well with many units—particularly those of bullying, heroism, or homophobia. I could also see it matching well with Looking for Alaska, and readers might draw parallels between the two texts.

Discussion Questions: How does Andrew Smith build character? How does this characterization bolster elements of the plot?; What does the book teach us about friendship? About judging people?; Who is the hero of this story?; How does the sport of rugby play a role in the plot, characterization, and theme of this text?

We Flagged: “And then it’s always that one word that makes you so different and puts you outside the overlap of everyone else; and that word is so fucking big and loud, it’s the only thing anyone ever hears when your name is spoken.

And whenever that happens to us, all the other words that make us the same disappear in its shadow.”

Read This If You Loved: Looking for Alaska by John Green, Deadline by Chris Crutcher, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

Recommended For:

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The Living by Matt de la Peña

July 27, 2015January 30, 2014 by Ricki

The Living
Author: Matt de la Peña
Published: November 12th, 2013 by Delacorte

GoodReads Summary: Shy took the summer job to make some money. In a few months on a luxury cruise liner, he’ll rake in the tips and be able to help his mom and sister out with the bills. And how bad can it be? Bikinis, free food, maybe even a girl or two—every cruise has different passengers, after all.

But everything changes when the Big One hits. Shy’s only weeks out at sea when an earthquake more massive than ever before recorded hits California, and his life is forever changed.

The earthquake is only the first disaster. Suddenly it’s a fight to survive for those left living.

Review: It is difficult to review this book without giving any spoilers! It is a thrilling, action-packed text that is sure to keep readers on their toes. I loved how it kept me guessing, and I found it to be utterly unpredictable. By the end, I was surprised when I realized there would be a sequel! I fell in love with Shy’s honest voice, and he reminded me of many teens I know. Matt de la Peña proves, once again, that he can write books that are incredibly different from each other. His character development truly shines in this title.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: This would make a great literature circle text. I loved all of the directions that the plot took, and it would be interesting to have students map the plot in a diagram. This book proves that all books don’t fit a perfect mold, and I think students could have a lot of fun trying to capture the different turns the plot took. I would also use this text to have students make predictions.

Discussion Questions: How does the author develop Shy’s voice? What defines Shy, as a character?; Which genres can this book fit into? If a librarian assigns this book to one of these genres, how might it be limiting?; How does Shy’s family influence his decisions?

Read This If You Loved: We Were Here by Matt de la Peña, Life of Pi by Yann Martel, Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Maze Runner by James Dashner

Recommended For:

litcirclesbuttonsmall

The Man with the Violin by Kathy Stinson (Ricki’s Review)

July 27, 2015January 23, 2014 by Ricki

The Man with the Violin
Author: Kathy Stinson
Illustrator: Dusan Petricic
Published August 8th, 2013 by Annick Press

Goodreads Summary: This gorgeous picture book is based on the true story of Joshua Bell, the renowned American violinist who famously took his instrument down into the Washington D.C. subway for a free concert. More than a thousand commuters rushed by him, but only seven stopped to listen for more than a minute. In The Man With the Violin, bestselling author Kathy Stinson has woven a heart-warming story that reminds us all to stop and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.

Dylan is someone who notices things. His mom is someone who doesn’t. So try as he might, Dylan can’t get his mom to listen to the man playing the violin in the subway station. But Dylan is swept away by the soaring and swooping notes that fill the air as crowds of oblivious people rush by. With the beautiful music in his head all day long, Dylan can’t forget the violinist, and finally succeeds in making his mother stop and listen, too.

Vividly imagined text combined with illustrations that pulse with energy and movement expertly demonstrate the transformative power of music. With an afterword explaining Joshua Bell’s story, and a postscript by Joshua Bell himself.

Review: My aunt bought my son this book when she heard people raving about it in the bookstore. It is an absolutely wonderful story. People pay hundreds of dollars to hear Joshua Bell play his violin, yet few stopped to listen when he played in the subway. It begs the question—just what are we missing each day, as we pass through our lives bustling about, blind to the beauty in the world around us? I can’t wait until my son is a bit older, as I think this would be a fantastic book to read together and then head out into the world, stopping and noticing.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: This would be a great book to read before a field trip or an outdoor walk. I also love that the author turned a news article into a picture book. It would be really fun for students to choose a news article to transform.

Discussion Questions: Just what are we missing each day?; Why do you think children noticed Joshua Bell more often? What does this say about people, in general?

We Flagged: “Who is playing that beautiful music in the subway? And why is nobody listening?”

Read This If You Loved: Walden by Henry David Thoreau, Little Bobo by Serena Romanelli, Little Rat Makes Music by Monika Bang-Campbell

Recommended For:

Top Ten Tuesday: Things On Our Reading Wishlists

January 25, 2014January 21, 2014 by Ricki

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. The feature was created because The Broke and Bookish are particularly fond of lists (as are we!). Each week a new Top Ten list topic is given and bloggers can participate.

Today’s Topic: Top Ten Things On Our Reading Wishlists

We’d love for authors to write about…

Ricki

1. Knowledge

At times I feel that I have read every possible theme and topic out there. My favorite books, though, are the ones that include little tidbits of knowledge in their writing. For example, John Green includes famous last words in Looking for Alaska. I love this!

2. Anxiety

Many of my students suffered from severe anxiety. I would like for authors to include more of this issue in their writing because it is so relevant to my students.

3. Science/Mathematics

There are many books that include the subjects of history and English. I would love to read more fictional books that include scientific or mathematical information (without being didactic).

4. Teen Pregnancy (I am risking it with this one…_

I am not wishing for poorly written problem novels where this topic is the main focus of the books, but I would like more books that more realistically portray pregnancy and parenting than 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom. I don’t think teens realize how hard it is to be moms and dads, and I would love more honest portrayals of this.

5. A Setting within Any Historical Time Period

I am stealing this one from Kellee’s top five below. Like her, I am a historical fiction junkie. I can’t get enough of it! Take me back in time, please!

Kellee

I had never thought about this! So many of the books I want are already out there, but if I could, I would love for authors to write (more) about:

1. Chemical Imbalances

Not suicide, not massive depression, not bipolar, but chemical imbalances which millions of people have.

2. Characters who struggle with reading (and a teacher who helps them)

I’d love for my students to see themselves in books (and for them to see that there is hope).

3. Any random historical time period

I did not have a very good history education throughout my secondary education and love reading historical fiction novels to learn about history.

4. The 90s

Such a wonderful time period! Right now the 80s and before are being written about and modern day is being written about, but what about some contemporary historical fiction books about the 90s.

5. Other sports

My students love sports books, but they keep asking me for random sports like lacrosse, gymnastics, hockey, etc. and I cannot find good books about them.

What is on your reading wishlist?

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