LSSL 5385 Young Adult Literature

*All images retrieved from goodreads.com

Harris, R. (2009). It’s perfectly normal. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press

It’s Perfectly Normal, narrated by a cartoon bird and bee, teaches children all about puberty and sexuality. Topics include a wide variety ranging from STD’s to being safe and responsible on the internet. The author takes often embarrassing topics and uses cartoon commentary to make the subject of sex more comfortable for young readers. Because of the very detailed illustrations and diagrams, I have no doubt that this book has received a few challenges by offended readers. However, I see this book as a great educational tool which provides curious young readers with answers to some of life’s most embarrassing questions.

King, A.S. (2013). Reality Boy. NY: Little, Brown and Company.

Everyone in town knows Gerald Faust, but not for a reason he is proud of. At 5 years old, Gerald’s mother signed the family up for a reality show titled, Network Nanny. Even though he is now 17, he is known around town as, “The Crapper.” His psychological damage leads to anger and Gerald finds himself placed in Special Education and therapy even though his sister is the crazy one. Gerald finds solace in his own mind which he refers to as “Gerald’s Day.” At work, Gerald meets a girl, Hannah, who has no idea of his past. The two form a deep friendship and Gerald is able to overcome his demons, escape his horrible family life, and make something of his life. I could not put this book down. The author includes flashbacks from the reality show, which allows us insight into the beginning stages of Gerald’s anger and troubled life. This is an inspirational story of beating the odds and overcoming childhood trauma. This is a good read for students who are struggling with forgiveness and acceptance of wrongdoings.

Macy, S. (2011). Wheels of change: How women rode the bicycle to freedom. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic.

Through vintage photographs, advertisements, and cartons, Sue Macy provides readers with a history of the bicycle and its effect on American culture and the empowerment of women. In my opinion, this is a fascinating book. I had no idea how the bicycle was invented, much less the effect it had on women’s equality. I especially enjoyed the foreward which was written by Leah Missbach Day. Day explains that how the bicycle is still important today, especially for reducing the use of fossil fuels, cardiovascular exercise, and the mobility of those in underdeveloped countries. The following link includes information about the author and sample lesson plans which can be used in the classroom.  http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=22008&a=1

Myers, W. D. (1999). Monster. NY: Harper.

Steve Harmon is accused of being the lookout for a drug store robbery turned murder. Steve chronicles this journey through screenplay form as well as journal entries. The story begins with the courtroom opening statements followed by the witnesses taking the stand. Others involved in this crime include Bobo Evans and James King, both who claim Steve as their lookout. Steve is terrified each night when he must return to his cell, but what scares him the most is his questioning of himself. Is he truly a monster? After closing statements, Steve receives a verdict of not guilty. When Steve turns to hug his attorney, she turns away from him. This haunts Steve even after the trial as he continues to seek answers about himself. This book leaves readers with unanswered questions which allow them to draw their own conclusions and could lead to some great class discussions. Did Steve really commit the crime? Why did his attorney turn away from him?

Ness, P. (2008). The knife of never letting go. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press

Todd is the youngest person in the strange town of Prentisstown where  a germ called Noise makes it possible for thoughts to be heard out loud and is responsible for the death of all the town’s women. To become a “man” in Prentisstown, an act of violence must be committed. When Todd hears a moment of silence, he is told by his foster parents to leave Prentisstown immediately. Todd soon encounters the silence once more and is shocked to discover its cause: a girl! The two set off for safety only to encounter a crazed preacher, Aaron, who kidnaps Viola and stabs Todd. Todd sacrifices his best friend and dog, Manchee, to rescue Viola, and the two once again search for safety. On their journey, Todd learns the truth about Prentisstown: The men are responsible for killing the town’s women rather than the Noise. Todd and Viola head for Haven but once again encounter Aaron. Viola kills Aaron only to run into the mayor’s son, Prentiss Jr., who stabs Viola in the stomach. Todd and an injured Viola finally reach Haven. What is supposed to be a place of safety and refuge has now been taken over by the mayor of Prentisstown, who now refers to himself as President Prentiss. This science-fiction novel takes readers to a distant land to fight the greatest evils as mentioned on page 81 of our textbook. The search for safety of the main characters kept me engaged until the end. I have added the other novels in the series to my summer reading list.

Patterson, J. (2011).  Middle school: The worst years of my life. NY: Little, Brown, and Company.

James Patterson tells this story through the eyes of Rafe, a 6thgrader who views middle schools as a prison and trusts no one but his mom and his crazy best friend, Leo the Silent. His only real friend, Leo, mainly communicates through his drawings which are scattered throughout the book. To cope with life’s struggles of an annoying little sister, a dead beat soon to be step dad and the miseries of middle school, Rafe gets a great idea: He is going to break every rule in the school Code of Conduct, and he soon gains the attention of his teachers and peers. Rafe’s mom becomes worried because of his poor grades and his friendship with Leo whom she does not care for. After the police catch him painting a mural on the school wall, Rafe begins to understand the depth of his mistakes. During a meeting between his mother and Mrs. Donatello, readers learn that Leo is actually an imaginary friend and the drawings have been Rafe’s all along. Mrs. Donatello suggests that Rafe could thrive at an art school since he is better able to communicate his feelings through his drawings. Though he has to work extra hard to pull his grades up, Rafe looks forward to a new school year at The intended audience is grade levels 3 through 7, and it will soon be released as a major motion picture. I have been a fan of James Patterson for a long while, but this was the first book for young adults that I have read. While humorous, Patterson touches on issues that many middle school students could easily relate to such as the struggle to fit in and make passing grades.

Quintero, I. (2014). Gabi: A girl in pieces. TX: Cinco Puntos.

This story is told through the journal entries of Gabi who is starting her senior year of high school. While Gabi faces her own struggles such as a drug addicted father and a mother who frequently insists Gabi be a “good girl”, Gabi is behind her best friends 100 percent. Cindy was raped and now pregnant. Sebastian came out to his parents and was kicked out of his home. Gabi reflects on these conflicts through her poetry which is beautiful and profound. A recurring topic of her poetry is sexuality and women’s’ bodies. Her mother often makes judgmental comments about Gabi’s weight and eating habits. Though, Gabi sometimes refers to herself as fat, she is generally   happy with her physical appearance. Throughout her senior year, Gabi dates a few boys before dating one who is respectful and challenges the line , “boys will be boys”. Gabi’s last conflict is the decision to attend college or stay behind and help with her family. Even through the pressure from her mother, Gabi makes her own decision to leave her hometown, attend her dream college, and create new experiences. Gabi is an authentic character who young adult readers will be able to easily relate to.

Roth, V. (2012). Divergent. NY: Katherine Tegen Books.

Beatrice “Tris” Prior is from a futuristic society which is divided   into five factions: Abnegation, Amity, Erudite, Candor, and Dauntless. Tris was raised as a member of Abnegation whose greatest virtue is selflessness. When given the aptitude test to determine which faction is her best fit, her results show that she is a Divergent, meaning she fits into multiple categories. Her test administrator warns Tris that she should never reveal her test results as no Divergents are safe. Beatrice chooses to leave Abnegation and join Dauntless, partly because of their cool appearance. Just because you choose to be a part of Dauntless, doesn’t mean you automatically make the cut. Tris passes the tests and officially becomes a Dauntless member. She makes friends and enemies, and eventually earns the respect of Four (Tobias), one of the Dauntless instructors. When Dauntless members are brainwashed by the Erudite who want to rule all factions, everyone is in a trance except for Tris and Tobias as they are both Divergents. They are both captured and Tris is left to be executed. Her mother saves her but sacrifices herself in the process. Also losing her father along the way, Tris and Tobias are able to destroy the Erudite’s plan and flee the city in search of safety. Follow-up reads include Alligiant and Insurgent.  A great follow up activity I have found to use alongside this book is an aptitude test where students discover which faction they would be most suited for. Students can then right a reflective essay or journal entry on their results. The following link is a sample aptitude test for this assignment. http://practitioner.teengagement.com/four-resources-for-teaching-divergent

Sartrapi, M. (2004). Persepolis. NY: Pantheon.

Marjane Satrapi is a passionate little girl who lives in Iran during a time of political turmoil. Her passion comes from her parents who often protest the Iranian regime. Because Marjane is so passionate about social inequalities, her parents fear for her safety. Marjane is moved to Vienna where she resides in a boarding house run by nuns. The boarding hose is not a good fit for Marjane, and she finds herself in multiple living situations where she never feels comfortable. After winding up homeless, Marjane is able to find her way home to Iran. She decides that living with her family is more important than her freedom. Years later, Marjane realizes she does not belong in Iran and moves back to Europe leaving her family behind. The intended reading audience are students in grades 9 through 12. Through graphic novel format, Satrapi allows readers to visit her past and experience her trials and triumphs as a political activist growing up in political turmoil.

Smith, A. (2011). Stick. NY: Feiwel and Friends.

Stark “Stick” McClellan doesn’t have the best life. He comes from an abusive home and was born with only one ear which often attracts bullies. While his older brother, Bosten, is able to defend him from school bullies, he is not able to offer any solace from their despicable parents. Despite these hardships, Stick manages to be a loving and grateful character. Along with his home struggles, Stick is also dealing with his growing romantic feelings towards his best friend, Emily. When it is revealed that Bosten is gay, he flees from home to escape the wrath from his already abusive father. Stick feels lost without his brother and leaves home in search for him. Stick would do anything to find his brother, including stealing a car. Stick safely finds his brother, the two boys stand up to their parents, and both finally find a safe haven with their aunt. This book really touched on my emotions, especially the child abuse. While one of the themes of this book appears to be child abuse, I believe the main theme is actually unconditional love. Stick and Bosten will do anything to keep one another safe and have an unbreakable bond.

Stead, R. (2013). Liar and Spy. NY: Yearling.

Because of financial reasons, Georges’ parents are forced to sell their house and move to an apartment building. Along with the stress of the big move, Georges is also faced with a school bully and missing his mother who now has to work double shifts to help support the family. While taking out the trash, Georges finds a mysterious note about a Spy Club meeting. Out of his own curiosity and a little push from his dad, Georges decides to attend the Spy Club meeting where he meets Safer. Safer is convinced that Georges’ downstairs neighbor, Mr. X, is a murderer who sneaks dead bodies into his apartment in a suitcase. Georges joins Safer’s intricate spy scheme, but when he refuses to break into Mr. X’s apartment, Safer decides to break in alone. Georges becomes very angry when he discovers that Spy Club is just a game and he ends his friendship with Safer. Georges is so scared when he discovers his mother is ill in the hospital that he refuses to visit. He even pretends like she is still working rather than a patient in the hospital. He works up the courage to visit the hospital and also devises a plan to silence his school bully by bringing together the “nerdy” kids in class. When Georges finally speaks to Safer again, he discovers that Safer is actually afraid of the outside world and barely leaves his apartment building. Georges forgives Safer as he understands his reasoning behind creating the elaborate game. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have recommended it to many students this year. The intended audience of this book are ages 9 through 12.

Woodson, J. (2014). Brown Girl   Dreaming. NY: Nancy Paulsen Books.

Through free verse poetry, Jacqueline Woodson tells her story of   growing up in both the North and South during the Civil Rights Movement. Her life begins in Ohio where she lives until the age of one with her two older siblings and her parents. Jacqueline’s mother, Mary Ann, finds comfort in her mother in law who is also from the South, but Ohio never feels like home. Mary Ann teachers her children to use manners especially when in the South but always assures her children that they are “as good as anybody.” (p. 31). At age one, Mary Ann leaves her husband and moves her three children to South Carolina. With her siblings gone, the South no longer feels like home. Mary Ann leaves Jacqueline and her siblings with their grandparents while she searches for a new life in New York. The children love living in South Carolina, where their grandmother raises them to be Jehovah’s Witnesses. Mary Ann eventually returns to take her children to New York. Being A Jehovah’s Witness was often hard in New York as people there didn’t understand all the rules. Even through the many family moves and struggles, one constant remained: a strong family bond. Jacqueline received her first notebook before she could write. Though she loved to write, school wasn’t her strong point Jacqueline often makes up stories which her mother considers lying but her uncle loves and encourages. Her words are so beautiful that her own sister doesn’t believe they are her own. With inspiration all around her (the revolution, family struggles, and nature), Jacqueline becomes closer to her dream of becoming a great writer. The intended audience for this book is grades 5 through 9.

Textbook:

Lesesne, T.S. (2003). Making the match. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.

LSSL 5385 Young Adult Literature

*All images retrieved from goodreads.com

Brown, J. (2013). Star wars: Jedi academy. NY: Scholastic Inc.

Roan is crushed when he is rejected by the Pilot Academy and unable to follow in his father’s footsteps. Mysteriously, he does get accepted into an academy that he didn’t even apply for: the Jedi Academy. Roan decides to give the Jedi Academy a chance, but he doesn’t quite fit in right away. The other students were accepted at a very young age and have known one another for years. The Jedi Academy isn’t all light sabers and the Force like you would think. Roan also participates in normal school stuff like Student Counsel and school dances. Even through his struggles to fit in, Roan comes to the realization that the Jedi Academy is right where he is supposed to be. Roan’s adventure is told through a scrapbook-like format which includes letters, journal entries, illustrations and papers collected from school. The intended audience for this book is grade levels 3 through 7.  Follow up readings include Jedi Academy: Return of the Padawan and Jedi Academy: The Phantom Bully. There is also a companion journal which allows readers to create their own characters and write their own story lines!

Cooner, D. (2012). Skinny. NY: Point.

Ever weighs 302 pounds at only 15 years of age. She desperately wants to try out for the school musical, but Skinny, Ever’s inner voice, silences her. Skinny is always reminding Ever of how disgusting she is to others. To get rid of Skinny, Ever decides to undergo gastric bypass surgery. Though she loses over 100 pounds, Skinny is not as easy to lose as Ever thought. With the support of her best friend, Rat, Ever realizes that her weight gain was never the problem but a result of shutting others out for so many years after the death of her mother. In the end, Ever discovers her self-worth and that other had loved her the whole time. Ever is a very relatable character as so many of us struggle with accepting our appearance and could lead to some great discussions about depression, self-esteem, and inner conflict. The intended audience for this book is grade levels 7 to 12.

Crutcher, C. (2001). Whale talk.   NY: Greenwillow Books.

T.J. Jones was abandoned at a young age by his drug addicted mother. T.J. experienced anger as a result of his abandonment, but was able to overcome these feelings with the help of his loving adopted parents. T.J. is a gifted athlete, especially in swimming. However, he associates bullies with athletes and refuses to participate in group sports to avoid being labeled as such. Mr. Simet, T.J.’s favorite teacher, talks him into starting a school swim team. T.J. doesn’t recruit your typical Jocks. Instead, he creates a team of outcasts including boys struggling with developmental and physical disabilities. Though most of the team has no experience in swimming, T.J. and Mr. Simet are able to convince the Athletic Committee to allow the team to earn letter jackets as long as each swimmer improves his best time at each swim meet. The jocks are disgusted that a group of misfits will also be wearing letter jackets, so they attempt to retract the Athletic Counsel’s agreement. Though the team does not achieve their end goal, they formed something even more special: strong friendships. Throughout the story, the author provides readers with background knowledge about each misfit boy who have individual struggles ranging from child abuse to death. Anyone who feels left out can relate to one of these characters. My largest complaint about this book is the cover. While I enjoyed the book, I would have not chosen it based on its appearance. Luckily, I researched Chris Crutcher books and the plot involving a group of outcast teens, one being a student with special needs, caught my interest.

Garden, N. (1982). Annie on my   mind. NY: FSG

When Liza meets Annie at the Metropolitan museum, her world begins to change forever. Though the girls come from different worlds, Liza from a rowdy public school and Annie from a prestigious private school, they have an immediate connection after they discover their common interests including a love for cats. Liza turns to Annie when school becomes stressful due to being suspended after witnessing her best friend break a school rule. Over time, Liza and Annie’s friendship deepens and turns romantic. . At first, both girls are timid and turn away from physical touch, but eventually they overcome their fears and the new struggle becomes finding a safe place to be alone together. The girls are comforted after they discover that 2 of Liza’s female teachers are lesbians. The 2 relationships are discovered and turned into the school supervisors. The teachers are fired, but Liza and Annie discover that it was for the best as the two are happier than ever in their retirement. After graduation, the girls lose touch due to the struggle of dealing with their sexuality. However, Liza realized how much she misses Annie and they arrange to reunite over the holidays. The intended audience for this book is grade levels 7 to 12. This book addresses a topic that will be discussed for many years to come: sexuality. Even though it was written in 1982, students struggling with their sexuality could easily relate to the main characters.

Gidwitz, A. (2011). A Tale Dark   and Grimm. NY: Puffin Books.

Faithful Johannes is a servant to the king as he was for many kings before. As a request from the king’s father, Johannes is to keep the king from finding a secret portrait of the Golden Princess. Johannes fails, the king finds the portrait, and falls madly in love with the princess. The king becomes cursed after he steals the princess and makes her his queen.  Johannes is able to break the curse but is turned to stone for doing so. The king will do anything to bring back his faithful servant…even chop of his children’s heads! Thankfully, Johannes is brought back and the children are spared their lives, but this isn’t your normal happily ever after ending. When the children, who are actually Hansel and Gretel, learn of their father’s betrayal, they run away from home and begin the greatest adventure of their lives. The two have anything but a safe journey. They encounter an evil witch, an attractive cannibal who lures young girls to his home only to eat them, and a deadly dragon who terrorized their kingdom! Hansel and Gretel devise a plan to beat the dragon which saves their kingdom from a dark and grimm ending. I really enjoyed reading the story of Hansel and Gretel integrated into a collection of gruesome, lesser known Grimm fairy tales. When I first started reading this book, I have to say I was a bit worried that I would be annoyed by the narrator’s frequent interruptions. Although the narrator can seem a bit intrusive at times, his warnings of upcoming gore kept me wondering, “what will happen next?!” Follow up readings include The Glass Grimmly and The Grimm Conclusion.

Gino, A. (2015). George. NY: Scholastic.

Fourth grader, George, is so excited about trying out for the school play, Charlotte’s Web. There is only one problem: George desperately wants to play the part of Charlotte, but only girls are allowed to audition for this part. Though George is physically a boy, she has always felt like a girl on the inside. She is scared to tell her family and friends the big secret, but George finally opens up to her best friend, Kelly who offers her support. Together, the two develop a plan which allows George to play her dream role of Charlotte and let people know her true identity: Melissa. I found this story to be a little heartbreaking. While George had support from Kelly and eventually his older brother, his loving mom was not able to accept George’s identity as a female. The intended audience for this book is grade levels 3 through 7. George is a great book for young adults struggling with their identity.

Green, J. (2012). The fault in our stars. NY: Dutton Books.

Hazel Grace is not your normal teenage girl. Why? Her body is fighting cancer which makes it hard for her to breath. While attending a support group, Hazel meets an attractive boy named Augustus, and the two have an immediate connection. After Hazel shares her favorite book, An Imperial Affliction, the two spend hours obsessing over the book’s unresolved conclusion. As a surprise for Hazel, Augustus contacts the author who invites to two teens to Amsterdam to discuss the books ending. Augustus uses his “last wish” to arrange the trip for Hazel. Hazel’s family and doctors finally agree that she can travel to Amsterdam. Hazel is crushed after discovering that her favorite author is a mean drunk who refuses to answer any of her questions. Feeling horrible for the teens, Mr. Van Houten’s assistant takes to two on a tour of the city. The two share their first kiss and take their relationship to the next level after returning to the hotel. Soon after, Augustus tells Hazel that his cancer has returned, and his health begins to deteriorate quickly. Hazel stays by his side until the very end and even delivers the eulogy at his funeral. Mr. Van Houten shows up at the funeral and Hazel learns the root of his anger: He had a daughter who also died from cancer. The story ends with Hazel reading her eulogy that was written by Augustus. This book is filled with love and heartbreak and will have readers emotionally engaged with the characters. The intended audience for this book is grad levels 9 through 12.

Textbook:

Lesesne, T.S. (2003). Making the match. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.

LSSL 5385-Young Adult Literature

*All images retrieved from goodreads.com

Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. NY: Little Brown.

Sherman Alexie tells us the story of Junior, a young man who lives on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Junior isn’t the most popular kid on the rez, but he is smart. After realizing that he will never be able to make something of himself on the reservation, Junior decides to take his future and education into his own hands. He enrolls at Reardon, a rich white school, even though he will be viewed as a traitor by his fellow Indians and an outcast by his new classmates. Though he encounters struggles along the way, Junior is able to find balance between his life on and off the rez. The intended audience for this book is grades 9 through 12. I found this book to be humorous and heartbreaking at the same time. I feel like many students would be able to relate to the main character and his struggle with fitting in. The narrator’s sense of humor and use of illustrations will also keep readers engaged throughout the story. I couldn’t put this book down! The link below includes a sample lesson plan from Scholastic.com. http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/absolutely-true-diary-part-time-indian-storia-teaching-guide

Angleberger, T. (2010).  The strange case of origami yoda. NY: Amulet Books.

Dwight, the weirdest kid in the 6th grade has one thing going for him: He makes origami. Not only does he make origami, his origami Yoda provides the whole 6th grade with answers to life’s most important questions. Tommy, who doesn’t quite buy into Yoda’s advice, compiles a case file to determine if Yoda is real. Tommy collects evidence from his classmates, and he and his best friend Harvey, who is a major skeptic, provide commentary at the end of each case. Because Dwight is so weird, the boys can’t believe that his Yoda’s advice actually works! When Dwight’s popularity increases, Harvey creates his own Yoda which doesn’t give quite as good advice as Dwight’s. Dwight eventually becomes upset with the boys and their constant picking at his strange habits. Tommy wins back Dwight’s friendship just in time for the big dance. Yoda’s advice gave Tommy the courage to walk up and dance with his crush, Sara, who actually had a crush on him the whole time! This book is among the most popular in my library. My students love this book, and I do too! The intended audience for this book is grade levels 3 through 7. Follow-up reads include Darth Paper Strikes Back and The Secret of the Fortune Wookie.

Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. NY: Penguin.

Melinda begins her high school career as the most unpopular kid in school. After being sexually assaulted at an end of summer party, Melinda calls the cops which results in the party being busted. Melinda is too scared to report her attack, so the whole school thinks she called the cops just to bust up the wild party. Even her best friends mouth ugly comments when they meet her in the hallway. The trauma of her attack causes Melinda to feel that silence is the only way to be safe. Her grades drop which leads conflict within her parents. When her ex-best friend starts dating her attacker, Melinda struggles with the decision to save Rachel or simply hope that Rachel doesn’t suffer her same fate. In the end, Melinda finds the courage to talk with Rachel. Even though Rachel is cruel and doesn’t believe her at first, the truth comes out when “IT” strikes for the second time in an old janitorial closet. This time around, Melinda puts up a fight and “IT’s” true self is revealed to the entire school. This book felt real and authentic. Its intended audience is students in grades 7through 12. This book can lead to some in-depth discussions among student readers, especially about internal conflict.

Bell, C. (2014). El Deafo. NY: Abrams.

Through graphic novel format, Cece Bell tells her story of  growing up deaf. Cece begins school in a special education class to learn how to hear her new hearing device and how to us visual clues to communicate with others. When Cece’s family moves to a new town, she desperately wants to fit in. While she does make new friends, Cece becomes annoyed by their flaws. Laura is just plain mean and Ginny puts too much emphasis on Cece’s deafness even though she is very kind. When at school, Cece must wear a bulky hearing device called the Sonic Ear. Though it is hard to hide, the device gives Cece super hearing powers! She can even hear her teachers in the lounge and bathroom! Cece imagines herself to be “El Deafo”, a super hero who isn’t afraid to stand up for herself. Cece finally meets Martha who doesn’t make any fuss about her disability. A cute boy named Mike even moves in next door! When her new crush, Mike, learns about the power of her Sonic Ear, Cece’s popularity soars. Her classmates don’t think it’s weird: They think it’s cool! Cece no longer feels like an outsider. She feels normal, accepted, and happy. The intended audience is for students ages 8 to 12. This adorable book teaches a lesson of acceptance. It could especially be helpful for younger readers who feel different and struggle with fitting in.

Black, H. (2013). Doll bones. NY: Margaret K. McElderry Books.

Alice, Zach, and Poppy are best friends who share a similar struggle: a troubled home life. To escape the struggles of home, the three friends escape by playing with figurines. When Zach’s father throws away his figurines, he doesn’t let the girls see his devastation. He simply leads them to believe he has outgrown the game. Poppy pulls him back in by telling him about her crazy dreams involving the Queen figurine being possessed by a dead girl whose ashes are housed within the doll. To avoid being permanently haunted by the dead girl, the three friends set out on a journey to fulfill her wish: to be returned to her grave. They escape many obstacles along the way including breaking into a library and stealing a boat. The story ends as the three friends return the haunted doll to her grave, despite the haunting encounters she caused throughout the journey. While reading this book, I thought about the inner child mentioned in the text book. Alice, Zach, and Poppy had difficulty coping with the thought of their game ending as they weren’t quite ready to give up their childhood. The intended audience is grade levels 5 through 9.

Brown, D. (2013). The great American dust bowl. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

Through graphic novel format, Don Brown tells the story of the Great American Dust Bowl. Brown uses images and text bubbles to explain the beginning process which later lead to the dust bowl including the shift of tectonic plates, the formation of the Rocky Mountains, and the drought that began in 1931. The wind blew the dry dirt high and fast causing a giant black cloud to fill the sky. At times, the storm was so bad the air was still black even when it was light outside. Usually beautiful white snow looked like chocolate mush. Cars and homes were destroyed, animals were harmed, and even people were suffocated by the thick, black air. No matter how hard they tried to keep it out, dust filled homes and even got in the food. Many people died from ingesting too much dust over time. The dust bowl caused harsh winters and summers which caused an overabundance of ants, spiders, grasshoppers, and rabbits. Desperate for rain, the people gave into superstitions such as hanging dead snakes on fences for miles and miles. People gave what little money they had to rainmakers who claimed they “could coax water from the heavens” (p. 52). To help those affected by the dust, The U.S. Government planted millions of trees to block the wind, replanted the land with Buffalo grass, and taught farmers to work the fields so that the soil was not injured. Ten years after it began, the drought came to an end and with it came hope for the future. The intended audience for this book is grade levels 7 and up.

Textbook:

Lesesne, T.S. (2003). Making the match. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.