Death/Dying – Page 10 – Unleashing Readers

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley

July 31, 2015July 30, 2015 by Ricki

Circus Mirandus
Author: Cassie Beasley
Published January 1, 2015 by Dial

Goodreads Summary:
Do you believe in magic?
Micah Tuttle does.

Even though his awful Great-Aunt Gertrudis doesn’t approve, Micah believes in the stories his dying Grandpa Ephraim tells him of the magical Circus Mirandus: the invisible tiger guarding the gates, the beautiful flying birdwoman, and the magician more powerful than any other—the Man Who Bends Light. Finally, Grandpa Ephraim offers proof. The Circus is real. And the Lightbender owes Ephraim a miracle. With his friend Jenny Mendoza in tow, Micah sets out to find the Circus and the man he believes will save his grandfather.

The only problem is, the Lightbender doesn’t want to keep his promise. And now it’s up to Micah to get the miracle he came for.

Ricki’s Review: I was only a few pages in when I knew this book would be special. I was captivated by the beautifully described setting and the words that seemed to dance off the pages. This book is about magic, but the writing is quite magical in itself. I usually give my ARCs away, but I am hanging on to this copy because I plan to read it to my son when he is a bit older. I’ll likely buy another copy because I am eager to see the illustrations! I suspect that this text will create lifelong readers. It belongs in every classroom in America. Circus Mirandus is the kind of book that takes you to another world—one that will stay in your heart forever.

Kellee’s Review: I liked Circus Mirandus from the very beginning, but as soon as the circus officially enters he story, the magic just engulfs you. I think it is the Lightbender that makes the story. He is a mystery, but also the person that I feel like I connected with the most. I truly feel that he is what makes this book as magical as it is. I also really liked Jenny. Jenny represents the main stream (which is odd to say because Jenny is a little bit odd), but Jenny has already moved past magic and is so straight forward. Convincing her to believe in anything past what she sees and knows was such a challenge for Micah. (But she is such a great friend!)

One of the things I really liked about the text is the theme of helping kids stay kids for as long as possible. Circus Mirandus is around to help keep the magic of childhood alive. That is something I can believe in!

Circus Mirandus was my informal Twitter book club’s choice for July, and I loved chatting with them about the book (and Ricki joined us this time!). To see the archive of our chat, you can view it here. (Warning: There are spoilers for the book in the chat.)
Some of my favorite quotes from the chat were:

“I loved that Jenny was willing to go along on the journey even if she had trouble believing.” -Alyson Beecher

–“Yes! That is what made me love her. She was willing to support her friend.” -Kellee Moye

–“And Jenny needed a friend, found something in herself that “might” want to believe, too?” -Linda Baie

–“I love how great Jenny and Micah are for each other…helping each other find courage and comfort.” -Beth Sanderson

“It was interesting that the light bender just dismissed G., rather as we all should dismiss evil people.” -Linda Baie

“I loved the relationship between Micah and Gpa. He had so many words of wisdom to prepare Micah.” -Leigh Anne Eck

–“The wonderful relationship between Micah and his Grandpa is what I will remember the most about this book.” -Cynthia Alaniz

“I don’t think we should hide kids from life truths like death. Kids need to be taught healthy ways to grieve.” -Ricki Ginsberg

“The artwork is special! It is interesting to read the Ch then look at the art & find the reasoning behind the art.” -Kellee Moye

–“Yes! There is something special when physical aesthetic of book matches aesthetic of the language.” -Christy Rush-Levine

Favorite quotes shared from the book:

“Because when you try too hard to hold on to something, you break it.”

“Who you are is more than good enough.”

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book naturally lends itself to a creative project. I would love to have students work together to design their own circus. Perhaps each student could be in charge of designing a different section of the circus and writing about it. For example, one student might be in charge of writing the opening speech for a circus act; another student could be in charge of writing a newspaper article about the events; another student might be in charge of writing to the mayor to ask permission to use a field for the circus. I’d allow students to generate their own ideas, so they can take ownership of their work.

However, the best place that this book could end up is in as many kids’ hands as possible! It deserves to be read and read widely.

Discussion Questions: What is Jenny’s role in the novel? How does she add to the story?; Do you think you would believe in the circus? Why or why not?; Which characters showed bravery? Why or why not?; What role does fantasy play in this text? How would it be different if it was a work of realistic fiction?

We Flagged: “You never need an invitation to go home.”

Read This If You Loved: Books by Roald Dahl, A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd, Wonder Show by Hannah Barnaby, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, Big Fish by Daniel Wallace, Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Recommended For:

and

**Thank you to Penguin for providing copies for review!**

2015 Big Book Summer Challenge: Revolution by Deborah Wiles & East of Eden by John Steinbeck

July 8, 2015 by Kellee

Big Book Summer Challenge is a challenge hosted by Sue at Book by Book. The inspiration behind the challenge is to push the bigger books to the top of the TBR pile during summer time.

The Details:

Anything over 400 pages qualifies as a big book.
The challenge will run from Memorial Day weekend (starting May 22 this year) through Labor Day weekend (Labor Day is September 7 this year).
Choose one or two or however many big books you want as your goal. Wait, did you get that? You only need to read 1 book with over 400 pages this summer to participate! (Though you are welcome to read more, if you want.)
Choose from what’s on your shelves already or a big book you’ve been meaning to read for ages or anything that catches your eye in the library – whatever peaks your interest!
Sign up on Book by Book.
Write a post to kick things off – you can list the exact big books you plan to read or just publish your intent to participate, but be sure to include the Big Book Summer Challenge pic above, with a link back to Book by Book.
Write a post to wrap up at the end, listing the big books you read during the summer.
You can write progress posts if you want to and/or reviews of the big books you’ve read…but you don’t have to! There is a separate links list below for big book review posts.

Today, we are combining the last three bullet points–we both have finished our big books!

Kellee

Revolution
Author: Deborah Wiles
Published May 27th, 2014 by Scholastic Press
538 pages

Goodreads Summary: It’s 1964, and Sunny’s town is being invaded. Or at least that’s what the adults of Greenwood, Mississippi, are saying. All Sunny knows is that people from up north are coming to help people register to vote. They’re calling it Freedom Summer.

Meanwhile, Sunny can’t help but feel like her house is being invaded, too. She has a new stepmother, a new brother, and a new sister crowding her life, giving her little room to breathe. And things get even trickier when Sunny and her brother are caught sneaking into the local swimming pool — where they bump into a mystery boy whose life is going to become tangled up in theirs.

As she did in her groundbreaking documentary novel Countdown, award-winning author Deborah Wiles uses stories and images to tell the riveting story of a certain time and place — and of kids who, in a world where everyone is choosing sides, must figure out how to stand up for themselves and fight for what’s right.

*A 2014 National Book Award Finalist

Kellee’s Thoughts: What is so amazing about this book is that it doesn’t feel like a big book. Well, it FEELS like a big book because it is heavy and thick, but when you are done reading, it doesn’t feel like you had to trudge through anything. Not once did I feel like there were too many pages. Wiles does an amazing job filling each and every page with important information for the historical context, characterization, or plot development.

Revolution is a perfectly-crafted look at one of the toughest times in American history. What Wiles does is truly delve into the emotions felt during the Freedom Summer and some of the smaller actions that may not have made the history books. One of my favorite things about Wiles’s Sixties Trilogy books is that she includes historical resources throughout the book that truly puts the story in context. The primary sources/stories and other embedded pieces of history really show that the narrative she has created is not truly a work of fiction. It may include fictional characters, but the setting, the feelings, the conflict, the time period, the history–those are all fact.

Revolution couldn’t work without the Sunny and her cast of characters though. This book could have gone terribly wrong if the voice, thoughts, and feelings of our protagonist were not so believable since Wiles was having us learn about such a tumultuous time through the eyes of a child. However, no need to worry about that because Sunny is perfect. She is easy to connect to and seems true. My favorite characters are those around her that push her and help change her: Annabelle, Jo Ellen, and Ray. Annabelle is so patient, truly loves Sunny, and has some of the best lines in the book; Jo Ellen is so head-strong, forward-thinking, and intelligent; and Ray is just crazy but also overwhelmingly brave.

I am part of an informal Twitter book club, and our June read was Revolution. Deborah Wiles even stopped by to chat with us! If you are interested in reading it, I archived it here. Warning: There may be spoilers if you haven’t read the book. Some of my favorite quotes from the chat that truly show the impact of the book are:

“What a brilliant idea Deborah Wiles had with these books–to embed all of the history.” -Carrie Gelson

“Sunny’s story hit my heart.” -Michele Knott

“Countdown and Revolution are like…seeing beyond the headlines.” -Cheriee Weichel

“So hard to read how something you think people could do (register) but couldn’t because of effects (lose job, name in paper, etc.)” -Michele Knott

“It took Sunny witnessing the civil unrest to grow up and realize how to accept her own life.” -Kellee Moye

“There is so much about the Civil Rights Movement that seems like it should be easy, but ignorance stops it.” Kellee Moye

“Immerse as much as possible.” -Deborah Wiles, referencing part of her research process

Favorite quote from the book: “Everything is connected. Every choice matters.Every person is vital, valuable, and worthy of respect.” pg. 361

Recommended For:

Ricki

I also plan to tackle Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick, as well, but I am not sure if I will make it by the end of the summer. East of Eden was quite an epic read!

East of Eden
Author: John Steinbeck
Published in 1952
601 pages

Goodreads Summary: Set in the rich farmland of California’s Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families—the Trasks and the Hamiltons—whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel. Here Steinbeck created some of his most memorable characters and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity; the inexplicability of love; and the murderous consequences of love’s absence.

Ricki’s Thoughts: I’ve had this book on my to-be-read list for several years. In fact, I realized I own three identical copies of it, so I have considered reading it for quite some time. I love Of Mice and Men and Grapes of Wrath. In fact, I love the six or so Steinbeck books I’ve read. I’d heard this book was related to the Cain/Abel story, so I never got around to reading it because I thought I knew the ending. As an aside, I didn’t, but even if all of my predictions were accurate, it still would have been well worth the read.

The book consists of several interwoven stories and families. Two good friends (who aren’t avid readers) listened to this book in the car, and they continually urged me to read it. When I finally started, they kept saying, “We know which character you will love.” Sam Hamilton is a good man–a salt of the Earth kind of man. He reminds me of Slim for Of Mice and Men. Essentially, he teaches us what it means to be good to the very hollows of our souls. Another character who will stick with me forever is Cathy. Phew. She is quite a complex character—a sociopath, I would say—and her evilness makes my skin crawl. She is unlike any other character I’ve ever read. I could continue forward and describe more characters, but it feels as if I won’t do them justice.

The story does meander at times, but anyone who appreciates Steinbeck’s work knows that this is, in fact, a positive quality. His stories feel very true to life. We don’t follow plot diagrams. I will never forget reading this book. The story and its characters will stay with me forever. I highly recommend it.

A few great quotes that depict the beauty of Steinbeck’s words:

“I believe a strong woman may be stronger than a man, particularly if she happens to have love in her heart. I guess a loving woman is indestructible.”

“All great and precious things are lonely.”

“I believe that there is one story in the world, and only one. . . . Humans are caught—in their lives, in their thoughts, in their hungers and ambitions, in their avarice and cruelty, and in their kindness and generosity too—in a net of good and evil. . . . There is no other story. A man, after he has brushed off the dust and chips of his life, will have left only the hard, clean questions: Was it good or was it evil? Have I done well—or ill?”

“There’s more beauty in truth, even if it is dreadful beauty.”

Recommended For:

Thank you to Sue for hosting the challenge and pushing us!

What big books do you have planned for the summer? You should join in the challenge too!

and

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

March 13, 2015 by Kellee

The Crossover
Author: Kwame Alexander
Published March 18th, 2014 by Harcourt Brace and Company

Goodreads Summary: “With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . .The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. Cuz tonight I’m delivering,” announces dread-locked, 12-year old Josh Bell. He and his twin brother Jordan are awesome on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood, he’s got mad beats, too, that tell his family’s story in verse, in this fast and furious middle grade novel of family and brotherhood.

Josh and Jordan must come to grips with growing up on and off the court to realize breaking the rules comes at a terrible price, as their story’s heart-stopping climax proves a game-changer for the entire family.

My Review: Wow. What a powerful piece of narrative and poetry. Any poem from Josh’s story could easily be taken out of context and used as a piece of exemplar poetry writing. In addition to the amazing writing, Josh is a kid that is so easy to connect with. He is so real. You love him (even if he is a little cocky). By the end of the book, you feel like you are part of Josh’s family, and you don’t want to leave.

And to top it all off: one of my reluctant readers grabbed this book and zoomed right through it. It quickly became one of his favorite books! I love when the Newbery Medal winner is accessible to students. Now to just get more students to read it and experience the awesomeness.

(Also, Kwame was one of my favorite presenters at ALAN, and he was such a pleasure to meet!)

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I cannot wait to have my students make vocabulary poems like Josh does. Such a fun way to play with words. Additionally, like I stated above, any poem in this novel could be used in a poetry unit. I’d also love to have students come up with rules like Josh’s dad did for basketball and have them write them in verse.

Discussion Questions: Why is Josh so impacted by Jordan getting a girlfriend?; Who do you think influences Josh more: his dad or his mom? Explain.; Within his poems, Josh uses formatting, bolding, and different fonts to put emphasis on certain words. Why does he do this?; Josh uses figurative language throughout his poems. Find an example and share why you think Josh used it.; How are Josh and Jordan similar? Different?

We Flagged:

Read This If You Loved: Jumped In by Patrick Flores-Scott (YA), The Sports Pages edited by Jon Sciezska, The Moves Make the Man by Bruce Brooks, Summer Ball by Mike Lupica

Recommended For:

Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick

July 27, 2015March 11, 2015 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday is hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and was started to help promote the reading of nonfiction texts. Most Wednesdays, we will be participating and will review a nonfiction text (though it may not always be a picture book).
Be sure to visit Kid Lit Frenzy and see what other nonfiction books are shared this week!
**This book is technically historical fiction, but I felt it was pretty darn close to nonfiction**

Never Fall Down
Author: Patricia McCormick
Published May 8th, 2012 by Balzer + Bray

Goodreads Summary: This National Book Award nominee from two-time finalist Patricia McCormick is the unforgettable story of Arn Chorn-Pond, who defied the odds to survive the Cambodian genocide of 1975-1979 and the labor camps of the Khmer Rouge.

Based on the true story of Cambodian advocate Arn Chorn-Pond, and authentically told from his point of view as a young boy, this is an achingly raw and powerful historical novel about a child of war who becomes a man of peace. It includes an author’s note and acknowledgments from Arn Chorn-Pond himself.

When soldiers arrive in his hometown, Arn is just a normal little boy. But after the soldiers march the entire population into the countryside, his life is changed forever.

Arn is separated from his family and assigned to a labor camp: working in the rice paddies under a blazing sun, he sees the other children dying before his eyes. One day, the soldiers ask if any of the kids can play an instrument. Arn’s never played a note in his life, but he volunteers.

This decision will save his life, but it will pull him into the very center of what we know today as the Killing Fields. And just as the country is about to be liberated, Arn is handed a gun and forced to become a soldier.

My Review: When I started Never Fall Down, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I began it because Ricki recommended it to me, but I didn’t read the back or have any prior knowledge about the book. So, when I began, I had no idea how tough this book was going to be.

I also have to preface with my ignorance of the Cambodian Genocide. I blame my lack of world history education because this is a time of history that should be taught. It, along with the Holocaust and Armenian Genocide, was based in racism and the attempt to purify a country. Reading Arn’s story throws you right in the middle of the genocide, and Patricia McCormick doesn’t hold anything back. Every time you think nothing can get worse for Arn and the Cambodians, something does, but you also have such hope for Arn’s survival as you seen him overcome every obstacle he faces. Even though death actually stares him in the face throughout the book, this young boy somehow continues. He continues through starvation, excessive work, lack of sleep, and murder surrounding him. Arn stated in interviews with McCormick that music saved his life, but I think it was more about his willingness to do whatever was needed to survive and especially anything to help those he cared for to survive.

Patricia McCormick tells our story in a broken English dialect that was influenced by “Arn’s own beautiful, improvised English” that McCormick heard in her head after interviewing him and traveling with him to Cambodia over a couple of years. The extent that Ms. McCormick went to ensure that Arn’s story was a true representation of his trials and heroism is honorable.

Teachers’ Tools For Navigation: This would be a perfect cross-curricular text! It could be read in a world history class in full or in parts. Although it is McCormick’s writing, it is definitely Arn’s story, and Arn’s story is one that needs to be shared. This book could also be used in lit circles where each group has a different book about a piece of history or an individual who/that is not usually learned about (maybe with Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys, Sold, Caminar by Skila Brown, The Glass Collector by Anna Perera, Son of a Gun by Anne de Graaf, Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai, Guantanamo Boy by Anna Perera, A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park, The Queen of Water by Laura Resau, or Now is the Time for Running by Michael Williams).

One of my amazing 8th grade students read this book recently, and she was as enthralled with it as I was. Immediately after finishing, she got online and started learning more about Arn and Cambodia. She came across an amazing video with both Patricia McCormick and Arn in it. It is 27 minutes long, but it is so worth watching:

Discussion Questions: What do you think ultimately helped Arn survive?; How did Sombo save Arn’s life at the orphan camp? When the war with the Vietnamese started? At the killing fields?; Do you think music is what saved Arn?; How were the Khmer Rouge able to make their prisoners do whatever they wanted them to?; Why did the Khmer Rouge kill all the educated Cambodians?; Why was Sombo so unsure about the Coca Cola?

We Flagged: “All the time now we hear girl screaming, girl running, girl crying. At night but also sometime in the daytime. All the tie, the Khmer Rouge they chase the girl, cut the hair. Sometime with scissor, sometime with knife. Chop short, to the chin, like boy. The girl, they cry and sometime they run. They run, it’s no good. The Khmer Rouge may shoot them, maybe take them to the bushes, do whatever they want. A lot of the girl afterward, they pull on their hair, pull like maybe they can stretch it, make it long, make it beautiful again.

My number two big sister, Maly, her hair like silk. Most proud thing about her, her hair. Shiny black, like blue, like a crow has. Every night she brush her hair, every morning. Sometime even she brush her hair not thinking, just dreaming maybe about the boy she love. One morning I wake up before everyone and see her making rice. Her neck, it’s bare now, her skin there is pale, never saw the sun, her long hair gone. Last night while I was asleep, the soldier, they cut her beauty. So now when she give me a bowl of rice soup, her eyes stay on the ground.” (p. 29-30)

Read This If You Loved: Titles listed above in Teachers’ Tools for Navigation

Recommended For:

The Secret Hum of a Daisy by Tracy Holczer

February 26, 2015 by Ricki

The Secret Hum of a Daisy
Author: Tracy Holczer
Published: July 24, 2014 by Annick Press

Summary: Twelve-year-old Grace and her mother have always been their own family, traveling from place to place like gypsies. But Grace wants to finally have a home all their own. Just when she thinks she’s found it her mother says it’s time to move again. Grace summons the courage to tell her mother how she really feels and will always regret that her last words to her were angry ones.

After her mother’s sudden death, Grace is forced to live with a grandmother she’s never met. She can’t imagine her mother would want her to stay with this stranger. Then Grace finds clues in a mysterious treasure hunt, just like the ones her mother used to send her on. Maybe itis her mother, showing her the way to her true home.

Lyrical, poignant and fresh, The Secret Hum of a Daisy is a beautifully told middle grade tale with a great deal of heart.

Ricki’s Review: The Secret Hum of a Daisy truly pulled my heartstrings. Readers of this blog know that I am a slightly critical reader of middle grade texts, and I often prefer high school texts, but my oh my, this one is beautiful. Having lost loved ones and friends, I know that grief hits you at random times. Holczer captured this reality beautifully. This book feels melancholy at the same time as it feels hopeful and lyrical. Young people will learn strength and resilience in Grace. Holczer’s thoughtful pacing makes this poignant coming of age story quite beautiful.

Kellee’s Review: This is one of those books that grabs you and sucks you in. I mostly love our main character. She has had to grow up too quickly thus making her a bit rough around the edges, but the way that friendship, family, history, poetry, and stories smooth her out is just so well done. Although at times I felt Grace came off older than she is, I realized, after talking to Carrie G., that it is because of the hardships she has endured. And the cast of characters, family and friends, who play a role in Grace’s transformation all are so well crafted. The Secret Hum of Daisy is a beautiful book because of Holczer’s word choice, Grace’s story, and the look at grief, family, and friendship.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: The Robert Frost references in this book easily lend themselves to instructional supplements for teachers. The sadness of this novel is important to discuss with students. They might consider poetry or journaling as an outlet for their emotions. Additionally, teachers my show students the stages of grief to help them better understand Grace’s emotions. Grace says that she gathers “every bit” she can of her Mama. Teachers might consider asking students to gather bits of people they love and sharing these with the class. Curriculum Guide from Penguin.

Check out our Guest Post from Tracy Holczer here!

Discussion Questions: Does Grace’s mom make mistakes in her parenting? What might she have done differently?; Do you agree with Grace’s decision to live in the shed? Do you consider this to be immature or strong of her? Why?

We Flagged: “Mama pulled me into her lap and her yellow chair creaked under our weight. ‘You have to trust me, Grace. We don’t need anyone else.'” (p. 8)

“Trying to ignore the blasts of rain against the tin roof, I dug a flashlight out of one of the boxes and laid my sleeping bag and pillow on our flower-garden sofa. I took my latest notebook out of my duffel and climbed into the sleeping bag.

I hadn’t written anything in the six days since Mama died, and the words were scratching at me in the way they always did. I hoped to find the end of that string inside of myself–the string that tended to work into knots–and pull it straight. That was how the words felt sometimes as I wrote them down. Like I was taking something scrambled and unscrambling it.” (p. 24)

We also loved page 57, 97, and 134.

Read This If You Loved: In This Moment by Wendy Glenn, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson, Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira, The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley, All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin, Torn Away by Jennifer Brown

Recommended For:

and

**Thank you to Tracy Holczer for providing copies for review**

YALSA Morris Finalists’ Blog Hop: The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley

May 2, 2015January 30, 2015 by Ricki

The Carnival at Bray
Author: Jessie Ann Foley
Published: October 1, 2014 by Elephant Rock Books

Goodreads Summary: It’s 1993, and Generation X pulses to the beat of Kurt Cobain and the grunge movement. Sixteen-year-old Maggie Lynch is uprooted from big-city Chicago to a windswept town on the Irish Sea. Surviving on care packages of Spin magazine and Twizzlers from her rocker uncle Kevin, she wonders if she’ll ever find her place in this new world. When first love and sudden death simultaneously strike, a naive but determined Maggie embarks on a forbidden pilgrimage that will take her to a seedy part of Dublin and on to a life- altering night in Rome to fulfill a dying wish. Through it all, Maggie discovers an untapped inner strength to do the most difficult but rewarding thing of all, live.

The Carnival at Bray is an evocative ode to the Smells Like Teen Spirit Generation and a heartfelt exploration of tragedy, first love, and the transformative power of music. The book won the 2014 Helen Sheehan YA Book Prize.

Ricki’s Review: When I read the back of this book, I thought, “Hmm.” It felt like a (recent) historical fiction with its emphasis on ’90s grunge music and the highlights of Kurt Cobain’s life. Because my teen years spanned through part of the ’90s, I was intrigued.

My favorite aspect of this book was the fact that the writing felt effortless. Too often, books’ messages or prose feel forced, and with this book, I felt as if I was whisked along for the (very bumpy) ride. As a former high school teacher, I enjoyed the myriad, richly realized themes. The reader feels a wild sense of adventure, the uneasiness that comes with living in a new environment, the loyalty that is tied with love, the heartbreak that emerges with loss and grief, and the utter purity that comes with finding oneself. At times, YA texts feature absent (or horrid) parents, but the complexity of Maggie’s mother was realistic to many parents, I believe. This will leave teens (and adults!) pondering their own relationships with their parents. The intricacies of this text will allow for book groups, students, and readers to have much to ponder and discuss.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: This would be a great novel to discuss theme. As stated in my review above, there are many themes to ponder. I would put butcher paper around the room and write a different theme on each paper. Students could travel around the room, discussing each theme, placing post-it notes with evidence from the text. Or, the teacher might discuss a different theme on each day. Beyond the classroom setting, I think this would be an excellent selection for book clubs.

Download the comprehensive study guide (from Elephant Rock Books) here.

Discussion Questions: How does Maggie handle the challenges she faces? Do you think she makes the right choices? Is she brave?; What does her uncle teach her? Was he an admirable character?; What role does the setting (both time and place) play in this novel?; Is Maggie’s mother a positive or negative role in her life?

We Flagged: “But don’t you think that never suffering at all—is its own form of suffering?” (p. 150).

I am not sure whether or not I agree with this quote, but weeks later, I am still thinking about it.

Read This If You Loved: Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira, Timely Persuasion by Jacob LaCivita, Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone, The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler, Get Happy by Mary Amato

Recommended For:

Make sure to stop by Cinco Puntos Press blog to see the other stops on the tour!

**A special thank you to Jessica Powers at Cinco Puntos Press for organizing this blog hop and to Elephant Rock Books for providing this book for review!**

YALSA Morris Finalists’ Blog Hop: Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero

May 2, 2015January 29, 2015 by Kellee

Gabi, A Girl in Pieces
Author: Isabel Quintero
Published October 14th, 2014 by Cinco Puntos Press

Goodreads Summary: For all the gorditas, flaquitas, and in-between girls trying to make their space in the world. Don’t worry, you got this.

Gabi Hernandez chronicles her last year in high school in her diary: college applications, Cindy’s pregnancy, Sebastian’s coming out, the cute boys, her father’s meth habit, and the food she craves. And best of all, the poetry that helps forge her identity.

Author Bio: Isabel Quintero is a library technician in the Inland Empire. She is also the events coordinator for Orange Monkey and helps edit the poetry journal Tin Cannon. Gabi is her debut novel.

Kellee’s Review: What I found in this book was a book of truth. While I normally find a book that has so many topics in it to be cumbersome (just some of the topics hit were: pregnancy, abortion, meth, family, religion, ethnicity, school, homosexuality, sex, death, poetry, college, rape, and gender expectations), I felt that Gabi was just truthful. Her story was just a story full of real life which just happens to be messy. I enjoyed the unique format, the diversity (not just race/ethnicity, but lbgt, body size, class, ELL, etc.), and the amazing cast of characters. Gabi’s voice rang true throughout, and even got stronger as she became more independent within the story. Well done.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: Parts of Gabi’s story could easily be pulled out to be a mentor text for many different literary elements; however, I feel like one of the best ways it could be used is to have students emulate Gabi’s writing. For example, Gabi writes letters to her father sharing how she really feels. Students could write to someone sharing something with them that they are keeping from them. You could also use Gabi’s magazine and poetry the same way. Gabi’s writing is very raw, and I think that students will definitely connect with it.

Discussion Questions: Gabi makes a choice towards the end of the book that makes Cindy be upset with Gabi. Do you agree with what Gabi did?; Gabi’s mother is very protective of her. Why do you think she is so hard on Gabi?; Gabi deals with body issues throughout the book. How do you think our society affects how she pictures herself?; Sebastian and Cindy’s parents are both disappointed in their kids for different reasons and deal differently with their disappointment. Do you agree with how they treat their children?

We Flagged: “My brother is fifteen. He knows many things. He knows how to make a pipe out of an apple, and he knows how to make beautiful murals on public property. He likes wresting and biking and skateboarding but doesn’t like school because school doesn’t understand kids like us. My brother–the brat, the crybaby, the quite one, the brown one, Mami’s favorite: where will he go? I ask myself the question over and over. Y no se. I don’t know where he will go, but I hope wherever it is it’s better than here.” (p. 94)

Read This If You Loved: Yaqui Delgado Wants To Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina, Jumped In by Patrick Flores-Scott, What Can(t) Wait by Ashley Hope Perez, Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia MacCall, Bridget Jones Diary by Helen Fielding

Recommended For:

Make sure to stop by Cinco Puntos Press blog to see the other stops on the tour!

**A special thank you to Jessica Powers at Cinco Puntos Press for organizing this blog hop!**