Genre 6: Fiction, Fantasy, and YA

The First Part Last

Johnson, Angela. 2003. The First Part Last. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-689-84922-2.

Plot Summary

Bobby was a typical urban teenager. He liked nothing better than hanging out with his friends, eating pizza at Mineo's, tagging a blank wall, and spending time with his girlfriend, Nia. Now, he would like nothing better than a full night of uninterrupted sleep. Unfortunately, that is not in his immediate future.

On Bobby's sixteenth birthday, Nia tells him she is pregnant. The First Part Last is told in a Then/Now format. The 'Then' is the time leading up to the birth of their daughter, Feather. Readers see the fear and indecision that comes with making the life-altering decision of whether or not they should put their baby up for adoption. The 'Now' shows us Bobby's struggle to do the "right thing".

Throughout the story readers will notice Nia, the mother, is blatantly missing. We see Bobby's struggle through school days after many sleepless nights. We see a boy become a man as he deals with the consequences of his decisions. Though we receive hints along the way, it is not until the end that readers learn the reason for Nia's absence.

Critical Analysis

Winner of The Coretta Scott King Award and the Michael L. Printz Award, The First Part Last is a short, quick read but a powerful and moving story. Johnson gives readers the treat of two twists in this story. First of all, it is told from the point of view of the teen father rather than the teen mother. Second, the book is free of stereotypes as our main character, though an African American boy living in inner-city New York, is not involved in drugs or gangs. He and Nia, both, are from middle to upper-middle class families. Bobby is planning on graduating high school early and attending college. He is on the road to becoming a successful young man.

Johnson organized the book in alternating chapters that allows readers to experience Bobby's life before and after the birth of his daughter. In the "Then" chapters, Johnson tackles the tough issues that teenagers who find themselves in these situations have to face. Readers are led through a series of events such how to tell the parents, whether or not to keep the baby, and the many doctor’s appointments that pregnant women have to face. We see how the pregnancy affects Bobby's friends J. L. and K-Boy. It is through their conversations that Johnson discusses the use of birth control, and we see varying viewpoints on the subject.

The First Part Last does not romanticize teen pregnancy as we see in the "Now" chapters. Readers witness Bobby struggle with taking sole responsibility for his child. Finding daycare is a major struggle for him as is waking many times during the night to feed the baby, change the baby, and sometimes, just to play with the baby because that's when she likes to play. Though he lives with his mother, he and he alone is responsible for all of these things. The story is told in a manner that draws the reader in; we feel his exhaustion, fear, and trepidation. We feel his helplessness when tells us he wants "nothing else but to run crying into my own mom's room".

The ending is both heart wrenching and fulfilling at the same time. Readers see that Nia does not choose to be absent. Her absence is beyond her control. Though we are given clues along the way, it is not until the end of the story that Johnson reveals the mystery behind Nia's absence. Due to the development of eclampsia, Nia is in an irreversible vegetative coma and must live in a nursing home.

The theme of this realistic fiction novel is accepting responsibility and doing the right thing, whatever that may be. Teenagers will enjoy this powerful and moving story. It will give them insight as to what true responsibility is and what must be sacrificed because of ones actions and choices.

Review Excerpts

School Library Journal: "Brief, poetic, and absolutely riveting, this gem of a novel tells the story of a young father struggling to raise an infant. Scenes in which Bobby expresses his love for his daughter are breathtaking. Teens who enjoyed Margaret Bechard's Hanging on to Max (Millbrook, 2002) will love this book, too, despite very different conclusions."

Booklist: "From the first page, readers feel the physical reality of Bobby's new world: what it's like to hold Feather on his stomach, smell her skin, touch her clenched fists, feel her shiver, and kiss the top of her curly head. Johnson makes poetry with the simplest words in short, spare sentences that teens will read again and again. The great cover photo shows the strong African American teen holding his tiny baby in his arms.

Connections

This book would lend itself to a cross-curricular unit. Language Arts classes could write letters to Nia explaining what is happening with Bobby and Feather. Math classes could find the most recent statistics about teen pregnancy in America and create graphs explaining the results. Art classes could create a piece of art to represent Bobby's emotions throughout the novel as we see him do when he tags the blank wall in the story.

Obviously, this would also be a great book in a lesson concerning taking responsibility for oneself and the consequences of our choices and actions.

Related Books

Bechard, Margaret. Hanging on to Max. ISBN 0340883707

Johnson, Angela. Heaven. ISBN 978-0689822902

Johnson, Angela. Looking for Red. ISBN 978-0689863882

Book cover from http://www.librarything.com/

Genre 5: Number The Stars

Number The Stars

Lowry, Lois. 1989. Number The Stars [Kindle version]. Retrieved from Amazon.com. ISBN 0-395-51060-0.

Plot Summary

This is a story of the rescue of Danish Jews during the 1943 Nazi occupation of Denmark. This historically accurate, fictional account is told from the perspective of Mr. and Mrs. Johansen and their daughter, Annemarie. German soldiers fill every street corner in Copenhagen. Though unaware of the true danger, ten years old Annemarie and her friend, Ellen, know to be afraid of the soldiers, the helmets, the shiny boots, and cold, accusing eyes. It is an especially dangerous time for Ellen and her family as the Rosen's are Jewish.

Readers learn that during the occupation, the King of Denmark continues to ride his horse through town every day. A soldier asks a boy “who is that man who rides past here every morning on his horse?” The boy replies that it is the King of Denmark. The soldier asks, “Where is his bodyguard?” The boy replies, “All of Denmark is his bodyguard.” Later, our heroine, Annemarie, is speaking with her father who relates the story of the boys conversation with the guard. Annemarie states, “Well, now I think that all of Denmark must be bodyguard for the Jews, as well.” Her papa replies, “So we shall be.”

As "bodyguard for the Jews", the Johansen's and others in the Resistance, smuggle the Jews out of Denmark and over the sea to nearby Sweden. Annemarie must learn courage and fortitude beyond her years to protect those she loves.

Critical Analysis

In Number the Stars Lois Lowry uses small details to illuminate larger events. A scene as mundane as Mrs. Johansen and Mrs. Rosen sitting and drinking coffee together is transformed when the reader discovers that they are actually drinking hot water flavored with herbs. There is no coffee, tea, or sugar in wartime Copenhagen. Mr. Rosen corrects school papers at night by candlelight, because there is no electricity; Annemarie's little sister, Kirsti, gets new shoes, but they are ugly ones, made out of fish skin rather than leather.

The story is told from Annemarie's point of view, but it is not told in the first person. The story is told through a third-person narrative, and readers learn what Annemarie learns as she learns it. This style of writing creates a suspenseful and moving fictional story that is founded on historical facts of the Holocaust.

In the Afterword, Lowry explains "where fact ends and fiction begins", allowing readers to see the authenticity of this Newbery winner. In the weeks following the Jewish New Year in 1943, thanks to the courage and compassion of the citizens of Denmark and Sweden, "almost the entire Jewish population of Denmark - nearly seven thousand people - was smuggled across the sea to Sweden.

Review Excerpts

School Library Journal: "Readers are taken to the very heart of Annemarie's experience, and, through her eyes, come to understand the true meaning of bravery."

Publisher's Weekly: "Set in Nazi-occupied Denmark in 1943, this 1990 Newbery winner tells of a 10-year-old girl who undertakes a dangerous mission to save her best friend."

Connections

This would be a great book to use in a study of the Holocaust with grades 4 - 6 as it does not go into the gory details of many Holocaust books.

It could also be used in a unit on the true meaning of bravery.

Related Books

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Night by Elie Wiesel

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Book cover from www.librarything.com

Genre 5: The River Between Us

The River Between Us

Peck, Richard. 2003. The River Between Us. New York: Dial. ISBN 0-8037-2735-6.

Plot Summary

This story is told from two different points of view. The first and last chapters are told from the perspective of Howard Hutchings as he, his father, and two younger brothers travel from St. Louis to the small town of Grand Tower in southern Illinois in 1916 to visit his elderly relatives. The rest of the story is told from the point of view of Tilly Pruitt who lived in Grand Tower, Illinois, in 1861.

As the Civil War was just beginning, two mysterious girls get off a riverboat in Grand Tower. With no other place to go, the girls, Delphine and Calinda, take Tilly's mother up on her offer of room and board. From that day on, their very normal, hardworking town is turned upside down by these two unconventional young ladies from New Orleans. Delphine, with her fancy dresses, bonnets, and corsets, and Calinda, with her dark skin and tignon for her head were a mystery to the people of Grand Tower.

When the war draws nearer to Grand Tower, Tilly's brother, Noah, leaves in the middle of the night to join the army. Distraught over the prospect of losing her son, Mrs. Pruitt sends Tilly and Delphine to find him and bring him home. Through this, Tilly discovers how her mother views her - despensible, and how she views herself - courageous.

Even though Tilly’s and Delphine’s worlds are very different, they share a friendship that will last a lifetime, and their world's become forever intertwined.

Critical Analysis

This story is filled with instances of the author giving us glimpses of things to come as well as enticing us to read more. One example of this is when Howard’s father was telling him the story of the ghost of a woman who, dressed in old fashioned skirts with gray hair streaming down her back, darts out into the road scaring horses as she runs toward the river. It isn’t until the end of the story that the importance of that story is revealed to the reader.

Peck uses figurative language to create vivid images and show emotions within his characters. “I caught a glimpse of happiness, and saw it was a bird on a branch, fixing to take wing.” This is just one of the many examples found throughout the book. The style of writing and dialogue in the novel reflects the language of the time period and the geographical areas represented in the story.

Richard Peck creates a balance of providing readers with factual elements of the places and happenings of the Civil War while blending elements of storytelling as well. Peck pays close attention to historical accuracy by citing his research and the historical events and locations of the novel in a note section at the end of the story. The various settings in the novel are real places that were researched by Peck. Events that were portrayed in the novel such as the Battle of Belmont were actual events of the Civil War.

Review Excerpts

School Library Journal: "In this thoroughly researched novel, Peck masterfully describes the female Civil War experience, the subtle and not-too-subtle ways the country was changing, and the split in loyalty that separated towns and even families."

Booklist: ”Peck's spare writing has never been more eloquent than in this powerful mystery in which personal secrets drive the plot and reveal the history. True to Tilly's first-person narrative, each sentence is a scrappy, melancholy, wry evocation of character, time, and place, and only the character of Delphine's companion, Calinda, comes close to stereotype.”

Connections

This novel can be paired with a social studies unit on the Civil War to bring a new perspective to this period of history.

Students can create a map and timeline of the events in this novel and of the war in Mississippi River region to deepen their understanding of the events and places in this story.

Related Books

A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck

A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck

A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck

Book cover from www.librarything.com

Genre 5: Historical Fiction

The Midwife's Apprentice

Cushman, Karen. 1995. The Midwife's Apprentice. New York: Clarion. ISBN 978-0-395-69229-5.

Plot Summary

A homeless girl known only as Brat lived in a dung heap when she was discovered by "an important looking woman"(p. 3). The woman, a midwife, known as Jane Sharp, took Brat in and renamed her Beetle. Beetle lived with the midwife, working for scraps of food and a bit of floor on which she could sleep. As cheap labor and without the confidence to rise above the level of apprentice, Beetle was the perfect helper for Jane Sharp. Eventually, Beetle attends a Fair where she is mistaken for a girl named Alyce. Thinking this would be the perfect name for her, she renamed herself Alyce. Alyce had worked as an apprentice for several months when she was unexpectantly called upon to act as midwife herself. She failed at the job and, instead of learning from her mistakes, she ran away. Working in an Inn, Alyce learns to face her fears and returns to the midwife.

Critical Analysis

The Midwife's Apprentice is a short, fast-paced, Newbery award winning historical novel set in medieval England. The book describes the sounds and smells of the time in an effective manner. Descriptions of the cottage, its daily care, and Jane's belongings help readers to visualize the setting.

From the beginning, readers understand her intelligence, determination, and cunning. We see her great sense of survival as she lives in the warmth of a dung heap during the winter. Her intelligence is displayed when she cleverly tricks the villagers into believing there is a devil among them. She makes it appear to all that the devil is visiting certain individuals in the village. The villagers believe that since the devil is visiting these individuals there must be a need for them to be punished. In this way Alyce gets revenge from all who have mistreated her. Teens will identify with the hardships Alyce faces. She is teased by boys, she is ostracized because she is different, and she has trouble finding her place in the world.

Unfortunately, Cushman failed to fully illustrate Alyce's epiphanies at the end of the book. The story has a sudden ending that seems rushed and a bit contrived as compared with the rest of the book.

The book ends with an author's note. This section gives factual information on the history of midwifery. This section gives the reader background information on where the occupation began and how it is still practiced today.

Review Excerpts

School Library Journal: "Earthy humor, the foibles of humans both high and low, and a fascinating mix of superstition and genuinely helpful herbal remedies attached to childbirth make this a truly delightful introduction to a world seldom seen in children's literature."

Booklist: "Kids will like this short, fast-paced narrative about a hero who discovers that she's not ugly or stupid or alone."

Connections

This book can be used in a history class to illustrate life for women in medieval times.

This novel can be used to study character development.

Related Books

Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman

Any of the Crispin books by Avi

Book cover from www.librarything.com

Genre 4: How Many Ways Can You Catch A Fly?

How Many Ways Can You Catch A Fly?


Jenkins, Steve & Robin Page. 2008. How Many Ways Can You Catch A Fly?. Ill. by Steve Jenkins. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 978-0-618-96634-9.

Plot Summary

How Many Ways Can You Catch A Fly explores the adaptations of animals all around the world, and how they learn to survive with their interesting characteristics and ingenious solutions to problems. Readers examine how different animals might snare a fish, hatch an egg, use a leaf, eat a clam, dig a hole, and of course, catch a fly. Jenkins and Page even provide us with an encyclopedia-like glossary, which offers even more fascinating facts and figures at the end of the book.

Critical Analysis

One can't help but note the prominent role the number six plays in this book. The book is separated into six sections: How many ways can you… snare a fish? hatch an egg? use a leaf? catch a fly? dig a hole? and eat a clam? In each of these sections, Jenkins depicts six different animals using their unique adaptations to survive in their given environment. While some of these animals are well-known, students will not be familiar with many of the animals depicted in this book. Jenkins and Page look at animals from the familiar grizzly bear and dolphin to the lesser known anhinga, net-casting spider, and assassin bug. Through out the pages of this book, readers are treated to nuggets of knowledge that will surely pique the interest of even the most reluctant reader, such as the ichneumon wasp, who lays its eggs inside caterpillars. Once the eggs hatch, the wasp larvae devour their surrogate mother from the inside out!

Reluctant readers will enjoy this book as it can be read cover to cover or dipped into for interesting tidbits of information. At the back of the book, the authors provide two-page spreads of additional information on the thirty-six featured animals. Each detailed description is accompanied by a small image of the creature. The bibliography offers readers resources to gain even more information and adds credibility to the book.

Jenkins created his ingenious illustrations using cut and torn paper collage. Each animal is large enough to provide readers with intriguing detail. While all of the illustrations are accurate and detailed, a few seem to come alive on the page, including the soulful orangutan holding a leaf above his head to keep dry, the pouncing slender loris, and the clam-breaking raccoon.

Review Excerpts

Booklist starred: "An enthralling read-aloud, especially in small groups, where children can crowd up close to the images."

Kirkus: "Similar in format to their highly successful What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? (2003), this stunning creation combines Jenkins's gorgeous hand-made paper illustrations with an engaging text that's wonderful for both group reading or sharing one-on-one."

Library Media Connection: "The book is rooted in solid research, but is presented in such an appealing way that a child might be able to dip into it for answers but also devour it like a Mexican burrowing toad. It is a must for school and public library collections."

Connections

This book would be great to use when learning about adaptations and animals’ characteristics that help them to survive.

Related Books

What Do You Do When Something Wants To Eat You? by Steve Jenkins
What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? (Caldecott Honor Book) by Steve Jenkins
Biggest, Strongest, Fastest by Steve Jenkins

Cover art from http://www.librarything.com/

Genre 4: Our Eleanor

Our Eleanor: A Scrapbook Look at Eleanor Roosevelt's Remarkable Life



Fleming, Candace. 2005. Our Eleanor: A Scrapbook Look at Eleanor Roosevelt's Remarkable Life. New York: Atheneum Books For Young Readers. ISBN 978-0-689-86544-2.



Plot Summary
Our Eleanor chronicles the life of Eleanor Roosevelt. Mrs. Roosevelt fought social injustices in the world with a tough exterior while hiding her insecurities and loneliness. A child born to privilege, who was emotionally abused by her mother and neglected by her alcoholic father, Mrs. Roosevelt defied decorum and lived a life of purpose. When her husband, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was stricken with polio, she traveled the world, becoming his eyes and ears. As such, she shaped our world in ways few others have been able to emulate. As interesting and influential as Mrs. Roosevelt was perceived by many, she was not liked or admired by all. While some of our more recent first ladies have tried to emulate her ways, it is interesting to note the negative reaction a few of immediate successors seemed to have of her. Our Eleanor, written as a scrapbook, presents a collection of illustrated photographs and stories representing the life and career of Eleanor Roosevelt.


Critical Analysis
In Our Eleanor, Candace Fleming gives readers an up close and personal look at the life of Eleanor Roosevelt, a woman who, many would argue, was one of the greatest women in our history. Our Eleanor is presented in a loose chronological manner, divided into chapters arranged both chronologically and thematically. By arranging the book in this manner, Fleming allows readers to focus more on the story of her life rather than dealing with date after date, which tends to become monotonous after a time.

Fleming's use of photographs allows readers to see Eleanor in action, from deep inside an Ohio coal mine to a Puerto Rican slum to Guadalcanal to Christmas with her family and playing with her grandchildren. In a successful attempt to break up the text, Fleming used a variety of fonts, separation lines, and hand-written letters. Readers are even treated to Eleanor's report card from school. By arranging the book in this manner, Candace Fleming was able to create a non-fiction book that reads as a story.

With source notes and related readings listed at the end of the book, Fleming gives readers ample opportunity to learn more about Eleanor Roosevelt.


Review Excerpts
Horn Book starred review: "This richly rendered account of the life and accomplishments of Eleanor Roosevelt is both unabashed tribute and absorbing history."

School Library Journal: "This presentation does for the longest-serving First Lady what Russell Freedman's Lincoln: A Photobiography (Clarion, 1987) did for an earlier inhabitant of the White House."

Kirkus Review: "Had Eleanor Roosevelt kept a scrapbook-an incredibly well-organized and thorough scrapbook-this is how it might feel to look through it."


Connections
This book would be beneficial for lessons pertaining to women in politics, American history, civil rights, human rights, or people who have made a difference in the world.


Related Books
Lincoln: A Photobiography by Russell Freedman
My Day: The Best of Eleanor Roosevelt's Acclaimed Newspaper Columns, 1936-1962 by Eleanor Roosevelt
Ben Franklin's Almanac: Being a True Account of the Good Gentleman's Life by Candace Fleming

Cover art from www.librarything.com

Genre 4: Nonfiction

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World

Armstrong, Jennifer. 1998. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: the Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance. New York: Crown. ISBN 1413136478.

Plot Summary

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World chronicles the voyage of Sir Ernest Shackleton as he leads his crew of twenty-eight men on an ill-fated Antarctic expedition.

The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition set sail from England on August 8, 1914, aboard the Endurance, Shackleton's 4-deck ship. By October, they were at port in Buenos Aires. Here they replaced crew members as needed and added "sixty-nine half-wild sled dogs from Canada". Setting sail on October 26, 1914, Shackleton and his men planned to be the first team to ever cross the Weddell Sea, make landfall, and set out across the continent of Antarctica.

Their dreams of glory, though, began to wither when on January 19, 1915, Endurance became trapped in pack ice. After waiting months for the ice to break apart enough to once again set sail, the unthinkable happened and the Endurance was crushed by the ice. Stranded on the ice, the men had no option but to take only what was necessary for survival and set out on foot across the frozen sea. The men find themselves in a life and death race toward civilization.

After surviving an Antarctic winter and a treacherous 600 mile voyage to the uninhabited Elephant Island, Shackleton was forced to leave his men behind, when he and five others set out in a 20-foot open boat on April 24, 1916. Their destination was a whaling station on the tiny South Georgia Island, an 800 mile trip across the southern Atlantic Ocean. Remarkably, they were successful in their journey over the ocean and the unmapped mountain range they were forced to zigzag across once they reached the island.

In April, 1916, 19 months after the Endurance became trapped in the ice, Shackleton led a rescue party back to Elephant Island to retrieve his men. Defying all odds, every crew member survived.

Critical Analysis

Jennifer Armstrong brings this unbelievable journey to life with amazing attention to detail. Her story unfolds in chronological order and with such dramatic style that it reads more like an adventure story than a typical work of non-fiction. One of the most important criteria for non-fiction is accuracy. Armstrong based her book on the personal accounts of the men who lived the tale. Shackleton, Worsley, McNeish, Hurley, and others kept diaries during the harrowing journey. Armstrong used these diaries as well as newspaper and journal articles to write her story. Also, she included maps of their journey, which I often found myself referring to as I read.

The black-and-white photos found throughout the book help to tell this perilous story. Many were take on glass plates by the expedition's photographer, Frank Hurley. Though he was forced to leave many behind on the ice, most survived are of exceptional quality. It's interesting to note how numerous the photos are at the beginning of the book and how few there are toward the end as the situation becomes increasingly more deadly. In a situation few of us can even imagine, these candid photographs offer realism to the reader. They illustrate the dire circumstances and brutal conditions these men not only faced but survived.

Review Excerpts

School Library Journal: "Filled with intriguing details and written with dramatic style, this riveting account of the ill-fated Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition reads like an adventure novel."

Kirkus: "This unbelievable story is enhanced by the vigorous prose; from the captivating introduction through the epilogue, it is the writing as much as the story that will rivet readers."

Publishers Weekly - starred review "Armstrong's absorbing storytelling, illustrated with dramatic black-and-white photographs, makes this an enthralling adventure."

Connections

This book could be used in teaching lessons on people who have triumphed insurmountable odds. It could also be taught in connection with other adventure/survival stories as a non-fiction pairing.

Related Books

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing

The Shackleton Expedition by Jil Fine

Sir Ernest Shackleton: By Endurance We Conquer by Patricia Calvert

Ice Story: Shackleton's Lost Expedition by Elizabeth Kimmel

Cover art from www.librarything.com

Genre 3: One of Those Hideous Books Where The Mother Dies

One of Those Hideous Books Where The Mother Dies


Sones, Sonya. 2004. One of Those Hideous Books Where The Mother Dies. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-689-85820-8.


Plot Summary
When Ruby's mother dies of cancer, the 15 year old is forced to move from Boston to Los Angeles to live with a father she's never met. Ruby must leave the only home she's ever known, her best friend in the whole world, and a boyfriend she cannot live without. To make matters worse, her father is the stunningly handsome movie star, Whip Logan, who longs to have a father/daughter relationship with Ruby. When she spurns every attempt he makes, Ruby's father showers her with every material gift a teenage girl could want. Ruby, however, is determined to make him pay for ignoring her all those years. Throughout this novel-in-verse, Ruby learns to deal with the grief over her loss, resentment towards her father, and adjusting to life in Hollywood.

Critical Analysis
Sonya Sones' use of free verse poetry is the perfect avenue for Ruby to tell her story of loss, love, and redemption. Sones displays Ruby's affable personality with her humorous quips and clever word plays. This novel-in-verse is told through Ruby's diary, letters, and emails to her dead mother, her best friend, and her not so loyal boyfriend.

Readers will find an ironic twist when comparing the happy-go-lucky girl on the cover of this book with the angry, grieving girl on the pages of this book. As in her other books, Sones treats us to a poignant, surprising, and outright funny look at dealing with loss and learning to forgive. Ruby takes us through her journey with an honest voice while she deals with such topics as death, betrayal, homosexuality, and absolution. Of course, due to these very topics, One of Those Hideous Books Where The Mother Dies often finds itself on lists of books parents would like to ban from school libraries. These are also, though, topics teenagers must learn to deal with.

This is a book that will resonate with anyone who has lost a parent. It will also provide a quick and easy read for reluctant readers.

Review Excerpts
School Library Journal: "This is not just another one of those gimmicky novels written in poetry. It's solid and well written, and Sones has a lot to say about the importance of carefully assessing people and situations and about opening the door to one's own happiness."

Booklist starred review: "It's Ruby's first-person voice--acrimonious, raw, and very funny--that pulls everything together, whether she is writing e-mails to her deceased mother, attending Dream Analysis class at a private L.A. high school, or finally learning to accept her father and embrace a new life. A satisfying, moving novel that will be a winner for both eager and reluctant readers."

Connections
Use this book and other novels in verse along with a poetry unit to show others ways of writing poetry.
Use this book when dealing with a student who is working through the grief process.

Related Books
Other books by Sonya Sones:

What My Mother Doesn't Know
What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know
Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy

Book cover art from www.librarything.com

Genre 3: Insectlopedia

Insectlopedia


Florian, Douglas. 1998. Insectlopedia. Ill. by Doulas Florian. New York: Harcourt. ISBN 0152013067.




Plot Summary
Insectlopedia is a collection of twenty-one poems that uses rhymes to describe different types of arthropods such as the inchworm, praying mantis, weevils, and even ticks. Some of Douglas Florian's poems describe the insect’s physical features, while others discuss insect habitats, diet, or natural inclination.

Critical Analysis
The verse form in Florian's book is as varied as the bugs of which he writes. Florian's use of shaped or pattern poems enhances his writings of the inchworm, whirligig beetles, and termites. He creates a dramatic effect with his use of alliteration, rhythms, and rhyme. Florian incorporates rhymes at the ends of lines. Additionally, he plays with sound and meter, word choice, and even the placement of words on the page to create poems that entertain readers while evoking an emotional response. His use of action words in his description of the whirligig beetles paints a vivid visual image for readers.

The humor in each illustration adds to the overall appeal. As each selection is given its own page, Florian was able to use a large type and provide his readers with full-page watercolors. His portraits incorporate the anthropomorphic qualities he gives his insects, including the daddy longlegs lifting weights, the inchworm inching his way down the highway, and a waterbug reading his Father's Day card. The insects appear engaged in the action of the story and shape the mood with first person dialogue. Florian created his illustrations using collage and watercolor on primed brown paper bags to create effective and engaging visions.

Review Excerpts
School Library Journal: "There are other books of poetry about insects and lots of collections of humorous verses about animals but none match Insectlopedia."

Kirkus Review: "Read alone or read aloud, each of these ticklish tidbits features an individual member of the insect world, and focuses on attributes, foibles, and antics displayed in the eight-legged community."

Publishers Weekly: "The silly, imaginative verses about whirligig beetles and waterbugs (almost) match the exquisite pictures in playfulness and wit. The result is downright stunning."

Connections
Integrate Insectlopedia into a cross curricular study of insects with science classes.

Related Books
Other books by Douglas Florian:

Mammalabilia
Lizards, Frogs, and Polliwogs
On the Wing
Beast Feast: Poems


Book cover art from www.librarything.com

Genre 3: Poetry

This Is Just To Say

Sidman, Joyce. 2007. This Is Just To Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness. Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780618616800.

Plot Summary
When Mrs. Merz asks her 6th grade class to write apology poems, they enjoyed the assignment so much they decided to put them together in a book. One of her students suggests a second part to their book. He suggests they actually send their apology poems to the people they were apologizing to. Their poems are based on William Carlos Williams poem by the same name. The poems range from a girl who snuck into the kitchen to eat brownies with out permission to a little girl asking her daddy to please move back home. The responses are found at the back of the book in a separate section. When a recipient chose not to respond, classmates stepped in and wrote a response.

Critical Analysis
With This Is Just To Say, Joyce Sidman gives us an enjoyable and touching book of poetry. Her poems of apology, along with responses, is at times humorous and at times moving and profound. We see forgiveness extended to some kids, while others were not forgiven. Sidman's book was a Texas Bluebonnet nominee in 2008. Parents may find themselves concerned over some of the language Sidman chose to use. In one poem a father says to his son, "Christ, forget about the window", while in another, a sister proclaims, "I'm still really pissed off at you." I found myself highly disappointed to learn at the end of the book that this was a fictional class.
Pamela Zagarenski's artwork captures the emotions of each poem using sketches created with a variety of media, collage, and computer graphics. Zagarenski's drawings bring to mind authentic sketches you might find in the journal of any typical teenager.


Review Excerpts
School Library Journal starred review: "This is an important book both for its creativity and for its wisdom."

Kirkus Review: "Packed with the intensity of everyday pain and sorrow, kids and adults exchange the words that convey grief, delight, love and acceptance of themselves and others."

Library Media Connection: "Lessons about accepting responsibility, seeking forgiveness, and righting wrongs are all part of the fabric of this book. Each school library could benefit from adding this wonderful book of poems to its collection."

Connections
Students could compare different poems within Sidman's book, This is Just To Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness, with each other to determine how each author made sure his new poem sounded so much like the original poem and how each author made sure his new poem has unique qualities from the original.
Students could write their own poems of apology and ask for responses.

Related Books
Other books written by Joyce Sidman:
The World According to Dog: Poems and Teen Voices
Song of the Water Boatman
Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow
Meow Ruff: A Story in Concrete Poetry
Just Us Two: Poems/Animal Dads
Like the Air: Poems

Book cover art from www.librarything.com