Identity/Coming of Age – Page 21

More Than This by Patrick Ness

July 27, 2015July 18, 2013 by Ricki

More Than This
Author: Patrick Ness
Expected Publication September 10th, 2013 by Candlewick Press

Summary: Readers are thrown into the action right from the beginning of this book. Seth is drowning–he is dying. When he wakes up, he is naked, alone, and unfamiliar with his surroundings. Seth knows he has died, but he isn’t sure where he is. In his distant memories, he remembers the English town that he is in, but he moved away after an enormous tragedy in his childhood, so why has he returned? The town looks very different from the way he remembers it–as if no one has lived there in over a decade. Seth sets out to try to discover where he is. He hopes he isn’t alone, the world hasn’t ended, and he hasn’t arrived in his personal Hell.

Review: At the beginning of my reading, I felt the same feelings as I felt with The Maze Runner by James Dashner. I was bewildered, confused, and very curious about where the book was headed. Patrick Ness phenomenally reveals details so slowly that it makes it very difficult to put this one down. It is highly unpredictable and extremely engaging. This book evades the typical features that would lock it into one genre–it is a thriller, an adventure, and a, frankly, an incredibly thoughtful work of science fiction. More Than This teaches readers about loyalty, resilience, hope, and bravery, amongst other messages that I can’t express without revealing details of the plot. Dive into this one–it will send you to a world that will make you ponder elements of life you may not have ever considered before.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: This is one of the best books that I’ve read that can be used for helping students make predictions. Teachers can use the whole book or excerpts of the text, and students would love predicting plot details, grounded in the evidence the plot provides. Like all of Ness’s writing, this book experiments with language and sentence structure, and students could examine how Ness uses language to advance the plot and overall meaning of the book.

Discussion Questions: How does Ness reveal plot details as a way to engage his audience? Is he effective?; Where is Seth? What might Ness be telling us about the world we live in?; In the beginning of the book, Seth wonders if he has woken up in his personal Hell. Where would your personal Hell be?; What memories shape who you are as a person? Have you learned from them? How?

We Flagged: “There’s an unreality under all the dust, all the weeds. Ground that seems solid but that might give way any moment” (p. 51).

“A book, he thinks at one point, rubbing his eyes, tired from so much focused reading. It’s a world all on its own, too. […] A world made of words, Seth thinks, where you live for a while” (p. 143).

Please note: The above quotes are from the Advanced Reader Copy. They may change when the book is published.

Read This If You Loved: Maze Runner by James Dashner, The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Recommended For:

Thank you to Candlewick Press for sending me the Advanced Reader Copy!

Any Patrick Ness fans out there? Have you read this one or pre-ordered it?

What are your favorite science fiction books?

Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz

July 27, 2015July 12, 2013 by Kellee

Zebra Forest
Author: Adina Rishe Gewirtz
Published April 9th, 2013 by Candlewick Press

Summary: Annie and Rew have only vague memories of their father who died triumphantly and don’t remember their mother at all who decided she didn’t want to be a mom. They now live with their grandmother who suffers with an agoraphobia-type disorder. Some days she rarely leaves her room leaving Annie to be in charge of the household, her brother, and any tough decisions including lying to her social worker. This has lead to Annie having to grow up faster than other 11-year-olds. Most of her days, she spends time with her brother near the zebra forest telling stories and reminiscing about their father and the adventures that he would have taken if he was still alive. Though, like in all of our lives, one moment can change everything and with a rattling, stuck backdoor Annie and Rew’s lives will never be the same.

My Review: Sometimes you come across quiet novels that aren’t being talked about in the mainstream that are very entertaining and well done. This is one of those books. It starts out quietly with amazing stories being told between Annie and Rew and great character development. Then the plot twist changes everything! And the suspense, emotion, and background story really starts to build.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: The most specific aspect of this book that I see to use in the classroom as a mentor text is the creative storytelling talents that she displays throughout the book. She tells amazing stories that include extensions from Treasure Island and adventures of her father (ex. p. 21-26). Also, this book is contemporary fiction and takes place during the Iranian Hostage Crisis which would be a way to teach this important part of history that many students may not be aware of. Mostly, I see this book being used as a read aloud or lit circle to lead to discussion of the plot and characters.

Discussion Questions: After reading Treasure Island, do you agree with Annie and Rew’s favorite characters (p. 70-71)?; Have you ever lied in a situation because you felt that it was necessary? Explain.; Research the Iran Hostage Situation. From Annie we learned the basics about the crisis; what did you learn from research about it?

We Flagged: “Outside, I could smell the Zebra. Even if for some reason I stopped feeling cold or hot or rain or sun, I bet I could close my eyes and still tell which season I was in just by the smell of the tees and dirt there. Spring was sweet mud and flowers. Fall had a kind of moldy edge to it, and winter was all dust and bark. As for summer, the Zebra carried a mossy, thick aroma full of baking leaves and oozing sap, which I guess was its growing smell.” (p. 87)

“Most recently he [their father] was a secret agent, working to free those hostages in Iran. Rew loved to imagine the Middle Eastern desert, sandstorms and mullahs and veiled ladies, and our father somewhere among them, bartering for hostages in a dusty marketplace or smoking a hookah with a sheik.” (p. 22)

Read This If You Loved: One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson, Paperboy by Vince Vawter, My Mixed-up Berry Blue Summer by Jennifer Gennari [Zebra Forest is a very unique book. I chose the books because they have similar tone or the characters and are for similar age levels.]

Recommended For:

What is a favorite book of yours that flies under the mainstream radar?

**Thank you to Candlewick Press for providing a copy for review. Jen also reviewed this book at Teach Mentor Texts, so make sure to check out her review, too!**

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley

July 27, 2015July 10, 2013 by Ricki

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!

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen
Author: Lucy Knisley
Published April 2nd, 2013 by Macmillan

Summary: In this autobiographical graphic novel, Lucy Knisley reveals her love for food. Raised by foodies, Lucy recalls that all of her earliest memories are reflected in food that she was eating at the time. Brimming with recipes and stories told through taste, Relish is sure to please readers, even advanced chefs. From her recipe for “The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies” to an “exploded view” of Huevos Rancheros to a diagram of how to make sushi rolls to a “Cheese Cheat Sheet,” each chapter ends with an illustrated recipe that will make readers want to jump into the kitchen.

Review: Admittedly, I am obsessed with food (both cooking and eating). I can spend hours watching Food Network, so this was a sure-winner for me. It is easily one of the best graphic novels I have read. The illustrations made me laugh out loud, and I didn’t want to put it down–except to try out a few recipes (that were all delicious!). The book is a coming-of-age story. Lucy’s rebellious teenage years are reflected in the foods she ate, and she learns lessons from her dining experiences. While food is the center of this graphic novel, Kinsley shows how she grew as an individual from life-changing events like her parents’ divorce to a trip to Europe. She does a fantastic job showing passion–it reads like a beautiful love letter to food. Readers who don’t love food will still identify with her passion.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: We all have interests that shape our memories. For example, I can’t recall where I went on my trip to South Carolina, but I do remember the books I read on the beach that week. Students have interests like sports or hobbies that shape their memories. My husband can recall more soccer games than I care to count. Teachers might have students use this graphic novel as a model for students to illustrate how their interests have shaped their memories. The dialogue adds much to this book, so teachers could ask students to analyze how the dialogue shapes the story. As another option, I bet students would enjoy creating a graphic novel page of a step-by-step, illustrated recipe. This would lead to some great (and delicious) presentations.

Discussion Questions: What are your earliest food memories?; How has your family influenced your eating habits?; What is your favorite recipe? Why?; How has food shaped your life? Or, how has some other interest or passion shaped your life?

We Flagged: “I was a child raised by foodies. My parents probably don’t recall how old I was at my baptism, but they remember what I ate that day” (p. 8).

“When I got home, my mother, having heard about my rebellious breakfast, began a smear campaign to convince me that the hamburgers at McDonald’s were actually made of worm meat. Miraculously, I was undeterred. I remain undeterred to this day. It’s not often, but every once in a while, I need those fries. Say what you will…We wouldn’t be eating it if it didn’t taste good” (p. 49-50).

Please note: Our flagged passages don’t contain the gorgeous drawings and hilarious quote bubbles. Click on the “Look Inside” feature on the book cover to see samples from the graphic novel. We didn’t want to break copyright laws!

Read This If You Love: Graphic novels or food/cooking memoirs like Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell

Recommended For:

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What did you think? Which recipe was your favorite?