Death/Dying – Page 9 – Unleashing Readers

Not if I See You First by Eric Lindstrom

February 11, 2016 by Ricki

Not If I See You First
Authors: Eric Lindstrom
Published: December 1, 2015 by Poppy

GoodReads Summary: The Rules:

Don’t deceive me. Ever. Especially using my blindness. Especially in public.

Don’t help me unless I ask. Otherwise you’re just getting in my way or bothering me.

Don’t be weird. Seriously, other than having my eyes closed all the time, I’m just like you only smarter.

Parker Grant doesn’t need 20/20 vision to see right through you. That’s why she created the Rules: Don’t treat her any differently just because she’s blind, and never take advantage. There will be no second chances. Just ask Scott Kilpatrick, the boy who broke her heart.

When Scott suddenly reappears in her life after being gone for years, Parker knows there’s only one way to react—shun him so hard it hurts. She has enough on her mind already, like trying out for the track team (that’s right, her eyes don’t work but her legs still do), doling out tough-love advice to her painfully naive classmates, and giving herself gold stars for every day she hasn’t cried since her dad’s death three months ago. But avoiding her past quickly proves impossible, and the more Parker learns about what really happened—both with Scott, and her dad—the more she starts to question if things are always as they seem. Maybe, just maybe, some Rules are meant to be broken.

Combining a fiercely engaging voice with true heart, debut author Erid Lindstrom’s Not If I See You First illuminates those blind spots that we all have in life, whether visually impaired or not.

Review: The story is about a girl who is blind and a runner. I feel like I learned so much for this book from the physical and mental strength of this young girl. Frankly, I can’t quite find the words to express how much it taught me about life. The narrator is feisty, and I appreciated her candor about her disability. I came to realize how incredibly frustrating it would be to deal with the same reactions from strangers every day, particularly when she feels perfectly capable. This is a great book to teach empathy.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: We don’t talk about disability in literature enough. I would love to put students in literature circles, with all of the texts focusing on disability. It would be interesting to have whole-class discussions about the way disability is present in each text. It might be particularly interesting to include texts that feature mental and physical disability. This might lead to good discussions, like: What is disability? Is a disability always visible to others? What is normal?

Discussion Questions: The narrator of the text is unlikable. How does this add to the story? Why might the author have written the text in this way?; Do you think Parker’s rules are fair? Why do you think she has this list of rule?

We Flagged: I flagged this section because it shows Parker’s dry humor:

“‘So you’re blind, huh?’

I cock my head toward the unfamiliar male voice coming from the seat directly in front of me. Low-pitched a bit thick around the vowels. The voice of a jock, but I just keep that as a working hypothesis awaiting more evidence.”

Read This If You Loved: The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen, Girl, Stolen by April Henry, Blind by Rachel DeWoskin, Wonder by R.J. Palacio, Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

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The House of Purple Cedar by Tim Tingle

January 21, 2016 by Ricki

House of Purple Cedar
Author: Tim Tingle
Published: February 18, 2014 by Cinco Puntos Press

GoodReads Summary: “The hour has come to speak of troubled times. It is time we spoke of Skullyville.”

Thus begins Rose Goode’s story of her growing up in Indian Territory in pre-statehood Oklahoma. Skullyville, a once-thriving Choctaw community, was destroyed by land-grabbers, culminating in the arson on New Year’s Eve, 1896, of New Hope Academy for Girls. Twenty Choctaw girls died, but Rose escaped. She is blessed by the presence of her grandmother Pokoni and her grandfather Amafo, both respected elders who understand the old ways. Soon after the fire, the white sheriff beats Amafo in front of the town’s people, humiliating him. Instead of asking the Choctaw community to avenge the beating, her grandfather decides to follow the path of forgiveness. And so unwinds this tale of mystery, Indian-style magical realism, and deep wisdom. It’s a world where backwoods spiritualism and Bible-thumping Christianity mix with bad guys; a one-legged woman shop-keeper, her oaf of a husband, herbal potions, and shape-shifting panthers rendering justice. Tim Tingle—a scholar of his nation’s language, culture, and spirituality—tells Rose’s story of good and evil with understanding and even laugh-out-loud Choctaw humor.

My Review: It took Tingle fifteen years (and many experiences with a Choctaw storyteller) to write this story, and the thoughtfulness of the story makes this feel very true. While this book is marketed for adults, it most certainly has a young adult crossover audience. I was swept away by the lyrical beauty of the words. The book is quite magical. As I think back on the book, vivid scenes replay in my head. I had difficulty putting the book down because the characters were so real. I was wrapped in all of the subplots and did not want to leave the characters. It reminded me much of a John Steinbeck book—East of Eden, in particular. The evilness of Hardwicke in this book reminded me much of Cathy in East of Eden. When I came to the end of The House of Purple Cedar, I felt as if I’d read an epic—or something enormously important. The themes are left to the reader, they are varied, and they pour from the text. This complex story will remain with me for a long time.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Most obviously, teachers could teach this book along with cultural stories from the Choctaw. They might look at reincarnation and its evolution in history and culture, too. Alternatively, teachers could ask students to examine age. What role does age play in this story, and how does it impact character? Teachers might have students read more about the Indian Boarding Schools and their impact on the Native American community.

Discussion Questions: What does Amafo teach us? Would you do the same in his position? How do his lessons impact the rest of the story?; How does Tingle vividly depict characters in ways that make this story come alive? What makes these characters feel so real?; What is Maggie’s purpose in the story? What does she teach us?; What role does family play in this text?

We Flagged: I am choosing a quote that shows just how beautiful Tingle’s language is: “His hand gripped her shoulder and strong fingers seized her upper arm. He flung her on her back and a hot river of strength surged through her. He was massive and his figure blocked the sky.”

Read This If You Loved: Books by Sherman Alexie, House Made of Dawn by M. Scott Momaday, Books by Louise Erdrich, East of Eden by John Steinbeck,

Recommended For:

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

January 14, 2016 by Ricki

Salt to the Sea
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Published: February 2nd, 2016 by Philomel Books

GoodReads Summary: The author of Between Shades of Gray returns to WWII in this epic novel that shines a light on one of the war’s most devastating—yet unknown—tragedies.

In 1945, World War II is drawing to a close in East Prussia, and thousands of refugees are on a desperate trek toward freedom, almost all of them with something to hide. Among them are Joana, Emilia, and Florian, whose paths converge en route to the ship that promises salvation, the Wilhelm Gustloff. Forced by circumstance to unite, the three find their strength, courage, and trust in each other tested with each step closer toward safety.

Just when it seems freedom is within their grasp, tragedy strikes. Not country, nor culture, nor status matter as all ten thousand people aboard must fight for the same thing: survival.

My Review: This is a book about humanity. Each voice serves a unique purpose to foster a complete picture of this great tragedy in history. The characters feel real, and their stories and perspectives are so different that readers are able to fully understand a diversity of experiences toward the war. Wow, wow, wow. I don’t feel that summarizing or reviewing this book will even do it justice. I felt like I couldn’t eat or sleep until I finished it. Salt to the Sea takes readers on an epic adventure and throws them for an emotional tailspin. After I closed the cover, I was reeling. The language is powerful and the story is captivating.

Ruta Sepetys holds a special place in my heart. She is a powerful force in historical fiction, and this book is no exception. Several years ago, I was fortunate to be sharing a drink with Ruta at the ALAN cocktail party. When I asked her what she was working on, her eyes glinted as she talked about the concept of this book. She felt a connection to this tragedy, and while nothing had been written at the time, I knew it would be a remarkable novel. For the next several years, I thought about the way Ruta described the historical event, and I consistently checked her pages to see if I would see any further information about its progress. Several years later, I would (fortunately) receive this book in the mail. Boy was it worth the wait.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: The teaching opportunities for this book are endless. I would love to use this book to teach the theme: What does it mean to be human? or What does it mean to be a good person? Then, I might pair other texts (e.g. Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini) and create a text set to consider these themes. The perspective and voice of these characters are strong, and I imagine rich classroom discussions about the ways these four characters show us a slice of humanity. (One of the four main characters is debatably evil, and this would offer excellent, critical conversations). Beyond these four characters, readers might consider the minor characters of this text (or tangential war figures, such as Hitler or Stalin). Are humans innately selfish? Are the innately good? Are we all flawed? Are there any universal characteristics amongst these characters, or are they too different?

Discussion Questions: How does the author balance historical information and story? What tools does she use to do this?; Why do you think the author chose to feature four points-of-view rather than one? Does it add or detract from the story? What similarities do you see across these voices? What differences?

We Flagged: “Survival had its price: guilt.”

*Quote taken from an advanced reader copy. It may change after publication.*

Read This If You Loved: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys; The Watch that Ends the Night by Allan Wolf; The Book Thief by Markus Zusak; A Night to Remember by Walter Lord; The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer; Schindler’s List by Thomas Keneally; Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

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A Picture of Grace by Josh Armstrong

November 12, 2015November 12, 2015 by Ricki

A Picture of Grace
Author: Josh Armstrong; Illustrator: Taylor Bills
Published February 17, 2015 by Josh Armstrong

Goodreads Summary: Six-year-old Grace aspires to be an artist like her beloved grandfather Walt. Every week, she goes to his house and watches with great joy as he paints.

Of course, not everyone appreciates Grandpa Walt’s artwork. But as Walt tells Grace, “Some people appreciate the hard work while others just want the painting to be finished. But you can’t be distracted by either group.”

When tragedy strikes, Grace takes it upon herself to honor Grandpa Walt in a special way. Through her act of love and kindness, Grace’s family discovers an amazing secret about Walt’s final, unfinished masterpiece.

My Review: Grandpa Walt’s warmth emanated from the pages. Everyone should have a person like this in his or her life. His impact on Grace is evident both during his life and after his death in the ways she honors him. I loved the ways art connects both Grandpa Walt, Grace, and the others in this text. The book inspired me to want to seek art as an outlet, and I think it will inspire kids, as well.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This would be a great book to use to discuss our heroes and role models. Children might discuss the ways in which Grandpa Walt serves as a role model for Grace and how he impacts her life. Then, they could explore how these qualities exist in other people (both famous and not).

Discussion Questions: How do the author and illustrator show readers that Grandpa Walt has passed away? Why do you think they chose to do it this way?; How is art used to enhance the story? How might you consider it to be symbolic?

We Flagged: “When I grow up, I want to be just like you,” said Grace

“That’s very kind of you,” said Grandpa Walt, “but I can think of nothing better than you simply being yourself.”

Read This If You Loved: The Invisible String by Patrice Karst, Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley, Grandpa Loved by Josephine Nobisso, The Noisy Paint Box by Barb Rosenstock

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Josh Armstrong for providing a copy for review!**

I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

October 15, 2015 by Ricki

I’ll Give You the Sun
Author: Jandy Nelson
Published: September 16, 2014 by Dial

Summary: A brilliant, luminous story of first love, family, loss, and betrayal for fans of John Green, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell

Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah’s story to tell. The later years are Jude’s. What the twins don’t realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

This radiant novel from the acclaimed, award-winning author of The Sky Is Everywhere will leave you breathless and teary and laughing—often all at once.

Review: I haven’t been able to stop talking about this book since I read it. I anxiously awaited its release after reading (and loving) The Sky is Everywhere, and it most certainly didn’t disappoint. Jandy Nelson writes characters that step off of the pages and into readers’ hearts. I cried along with Jude and Noah and felt their grief as if it was my own. The passion of the characters was refreshing, and I felt as if they were my friends by the end of the book. Jandy Nelson is a literary genius. This book is quirky, colorful, and different, which makes it unforgettable for me. I plan to use this in my future Methods courses, and I only reserve those reading spots for the best of the best in YAL. It crosses genres a bit (Jude talks to ghosts), and the alternating perspectives span several years in the siblings’ lives. Students and teachers will find many topics and literary qualities that are worthy of analysis and discussion.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: Nelson touches on many life lessons in the text, and she presents them in an implicit way. (We all know that readers hate didactic texts!) I would ask my students to create a billboard: “Lessons I Learned from I’ll Give You the Sun.” Then, they could create a word map of different lessons they learned and cut out quotes or draw illustrations of scenes that taught these life lessons.

Discussion Questions: What does this story teach us about humanity?; How do the different characters cope with tragedy? What outlets (creative, emotional, etc.) do the characters use as coping mechanisms?; How does Jude and Noah’s relationship evolve throughout the text?; How does the nonlinear format impact the story?

We Flagged: “I gave up practically the whole world for you,” I tell him, walking through the front door of my own love story. “The sun, stars, ocean, trees, everything, I gave it all up for you.”

Read This If You Loved: All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven, Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira, The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson, The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, The Secret Hum of a Daisy by Tracey Holczer, Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

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Review and Author Interview!: Ebola: Fears and Facts by Patricia Newman

September 30, 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!

Ebola: Fears and Facts
Author: Patricia Newman
Expected Published October 28th, 2015 by Lerner Publishing Group

Goodreads Summary: Ebola is a deadly contagious disease. From 1975 to 2013, it killed about 1,500 people. But a 2014 epidemic killed more than six times that number. At first the outbreak was contained to one country. But soon it spread to two others―the virus was on the move, and people were scared. When two American healthcare workers became infected and were sent to the United States for treatment, many people feared a pandemic―an outbreak that would spread all over the world. Could it happen?

Ebola: Fears and Facts takes you behind the sensational headlines to address questions and concerns about the virus. Learn about the history of the disease, its symptoms, and how it spreads. Find out how the 2014 epidemic compares to past Ebola outbreaks, as well as to outbreaks of other infectious diseases. With a question-and-answer section and reference maps, Ebola: Fears and Facts will help you to better understand this most-feared disease.

My Review: The Ebola epidemic of 2014 caused pure panic around the world. Because of the 24-hour news coverage of the disease as it entered the U.S, Ebola became a hot topic; however, there was so much misconception about the disease. As a teacher during the epidemic, I saw how scared students were of the disease and how little they knew about it. The text is a wonderful resource to help kids learn about the disease.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Patricia Newman’s middle grade nonfiction texts are a necessity for middle school classrooms. They teach the reader so much about the topic though do so in an interesting way to keep the readers’ attention. They are also about important topics that kids can make a difference by learning about. Her books, including Ebola, need to be available to students.

I really like how the book is set up. It begins with the history then goes into the way Ebola works and finally looks at the 2014 outbreak and how Ebola could possibly be conquered. It allows readers to navigate to the section they want or build up their knowledge from beginning to end.

Discussion Questions: What did you learn about Ebola that you didn’t know before reading?; What is the difference between Ebola and diseases like the measles?; How did the Ebola virus begin?; How is the Ebola virus a threat to apes in Africa?

“Truth or Hype?…The next time you come across a story about Ebola–or any topic–ask yourself the following questions. 1. What does the storyteller want us to remember? 2. How might different people understand the story? 3. Does the storyteller present facts or opinions? How do we know? What words are used? Does the storyteller quote scientific or eyewitness sources? 4. What action does the storyteller want us to take? 5. Do our emotions influence the way we evaluate the story?” (p. 35)

Author Interview: Thank you to Patricia for answering some of my questions!

What research did you do when writing Ebola?

I visited East Africa several years ago, so I had a general sense of the landscape, the bush, the people, the cadence of their speech. But the crowded cities and steamy jungles of West Africa are different than the wide open savannas of the east. Of course, I needed to learn about the physiology of the disease, but I also wanted to know where in the jungle it came from and how it affected all aspects of peoples’ lives.

I interviewed a CDC epidemiologist who’d just returned from Liberia; read books by David Quammen and Peter Piot; deciphered scientific studies in journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine and Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases; scoured the CDC, WHO and MSF websites for case counts and anecdotal information; and read every news story (or watched every video) I could get my hands on. I also interviewed a nurse at a Sacramento hospital near my home who specializes in speaking to children about serious illnesses. Her compassion and common sense were tremendously helpful. A small fraction of my sources are listed in the back of the book.

My nurse-source also gave me a full set of Ebola protective gear. I share it with students at school visits and talk to them about how health-care professionals put it on and take it off.

Why did you decide to research and write about Ebola?

My editor, Carol Hinz, came to me in November 2014 with the idea. Millbrook Press wanted to publish a book about the 2014 epidemic, and thought I was the person to do it. I was flattered by their faith in me and overjoyed with the way they handled Plastic, Ahoy! Investigating the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, so I said yes. Carol and I learned a lot from this book. Because the deadline was so tight (my final manuscript was due February 1, 2015) we developed the outline together. Before we went to press, we revised or otherwise massaged every line in the book, always working to stay abreast of current reports. At one point I added several hundred words because of planned vaccine trials and Ebola survivors. Thank goodness Millbrook paid for a fact checker because the editing process became more and more chaotic. For example at one point in April, I gave an all-day writing workshop to a group of conservation scientists interested in writing their research for children. During my lunch break I had to edit Ebola one final time before it went to press!

What is the biggest misconception you have found about Ebola?

I think there are two frequent misconceptions. The first is that Ebola is airborne like measles or the common cold. It is not, nor is it every likely to be. Ebola is spread by contact with bodily fluids (saliva, vomit, stool, sweat, blood, semen). Generally one person infected with an airborne disease spreads the disease to more people than one person infected with Ebola. For instance, one Ebola patient infects between 1.5 and 2 people. In comparison, one measles patient infects 18 others (assuming those people have not been vaccinated). NPR wrote an interesting article about this concept.

The second misconception is that Ebola is deadly no matter what we do. Based on our success treating Ebola patients in the U.S., and the successes in some of the vaccine trials, Ebola need not be a death sentence. Two factors that contributed to the high death rate in West Africa were the lack of education about communicable diseases and the lack of high-quality medical care.

As information about the disease changes rapidly, what would be the best resources for people who want to continue learning about the disease?

News from the front lines altered the manuscript even as my editor and I were preparing it for printing, and I worried about how my readers will stay informed as our understanding of Ebola develops. I decided to include a sidebar in the last chapter of the book, Conquering Ebola, to help readers stay informed by sharing the Ebola pages for WHO, CDC, USAid, and Doctors Without Borders. For students writing Ebola reports, many of these sites have RSS feeds that will deliver information straight to their inbox.

What is the topic of your next book?

I have a book proposal under consideration at Millbrook—hopefully the editorial team will decide to take it—so for now the topic is a secret. But I can tell you to expect more science.

We Flagged: “Ebola. The word calls up images of sick people in Africa and doctors wearing space-suit-like protective gear. Before 1976, however, Ebola was simply the name of a winding river in central Africa.” (p. 5)

Read This If You Loved: Plastics Ahoy! by Patricia Newman

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Patricia and Lerner for providing a copy for review and specifically to Patricia for the Q&A!!**

Children Growing Up with War by Jenny Matthews

August 13, 2015August 12, 2015 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Children Growing Up with War
Author and Photographer: Jenny Matthews
Published October 14th, 2014 by Candlewick Press

Goodreads Summary: Through personal narrative and candid photographs, a photojournalist chronicles young lives upended by violence and strife.

The right to adequate nutrition and medical care.
The right to free education.
The right to a name and nationality.
The right to affection, love, and understanding.

In conflict zones around the world, children are denied these and other basic rights. Follow photographer Jenny Matthews into refugee camps, overcrowded cities, damaged villages, clinics, and support centers where children and their families live, work, play, learn, heal, and try to survive the devastating impact of war. This moving book depicts the resilience and resourcefulness of young people who, though heavily impacted by the ravages of war, search for a better future for themselves, their families, and their cultures.

Kellee’s Review: This was a very tough book to read. I thought I’d be able to sit and read it all in one sitting, but I couldn’t. As a mother and a teacher, I love children, and it truly saddened me to see the situations that these children are in.

Fortunately, as an American, very few wars touch our lives. Unfortunately, our news doesn’t focus on many of the tumultuous conflicts that are active throughout the world, so we have become detached from reality. Our students are even more detached. That is why this book is important. It puts it all into perspective and really makes me feel and think. We rarely look at the humans that are being affected by the wars, we always focus on getting the bad guy. This book puts faces to the people, specifically the children, being affected every day. I found it very interesting how the author set up the book. You can tell she is a photojournalist because it is set up to give information in the most impactful way.

Ricki’s Review: When I was teaching high school, one of my main goals was to provide my students with a more global perspective. I wish I had had this incredible text available at the time because it evoked powerful emotions in me. I know it would do the same for my students. The balance of photography and words is very well done, and I will admit that I took many breaks because these images and words hit me to my core. This is an important book that belongs in classrooms. It is a good length that teachers will easily be able to use it as a pairing with other texts about war and genocide. It is important to learn about our past, but it is just as important to understand the wars that persist today—which is foundational to this book. I wish I could meet this author to thank her for writing a text that moved me so deeply.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book presents many different discussion opportunities (e.g., the affects of war on children throughout the world, different active wars,Rights of the Child, importance of journalism). It would be fascinating to read with students and hear their perspective on the very tough topics and perspectives shared in the book.

Also, the book sets up nicely for a jigsaw discussion. The author set up the book to look at the different ways lives are affected: home & displacement, family, health, work, and school & play. Within each of these sections, she also looks at different places in the world such as Tunisia, Jordan, Afghanistan, Uganda, Rwanda, Gaza, and Kurdistan. She also includes different Rights of the Child throughout the book. The teacher could jigsaw either with the topic, the places, or the Rights and have students dig deeper.

Another way to look at this book is from a journalistic/photography point of view. I [Kellee] teach journalism, and I already plan on using Photos Framed as part of my photography unit, and I think this book will add an even deeper look into the importance of photography/journalism and with a topic (children’s lives) that my students can connect with.

Discussion Questions: How does Jenny Matthews’s photos, books, and stories help children who are growing up with war?; Why would Jenny Matthews choose to go into such dangerous situations?; If you had to choose one single photo to sum up Children Growing Up with War, which of these would you choose? (p. 42); Which of the UN’s Rights of the Child are affected when war is involved?; In what different way does war affect the children growing up in the conflict area?

We Flagged: “How would you feel if you lost your home and had to flee from your own country? Imagine losing some or all of your family, either as a direct result of fighting or indirectly through illness or disease. You might have to work to support your family or fight and kill other people just to survive. And how can you go to school if it’s being used as an army command outpost and all the books have been destroyed?

This is the reality for too many children and their families in the world. Today, children are still growing up with war—the consequences of which they’ll live with for the rest of their lives” (p. 3).

Read This If You Loved: Photos Framed: A Fresh Look at the World’s Most Memorable Photographs by Ruth Thomson
This would be an excellent nonfiction companion to: Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick, Endangered by Eliot Schrefer, Caminar by Skila Brown, The Other Side of the Wall by Simon Schwartz, The Milk of Birds by Sylvia Whitman, or Son of a Gun by Anne de Graaf.

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