1.)
Norris, S. (2008). Something to blog about. New York, New York: Amulet Books, pp 246.
I read an uncorrected proof of this book.
2.)
Libby Faucet is like most other girls in high school. She is unsure of herself and prone to dwelling on her flaws. She dwells on those flaws in her private blog throughout the fall of her 10th-grade year. Starting with a hair burning incident involving a Bunsen burner, Libby’s fall semester of school is a roller coaster of emotions. Libby’s mother is dating a new man who also happens to be her arch enemy’s father. Seth, Libby’s crush of two years, asks her to tutor him in chemistry—to bad the only chemistry that interests Libby is what she hopes will happen between her and Seth. All the while, her arch enemy continues to torment her at school. However, things hit the top of the hill of that roller coaster when Angel posts Libby’s no longer private blog all over the school.
3.)
Honestly, I picked this book out of Dr. Goering’s had because it was pink. As I started reading I was slightly disappointed but later in the novel a message became clear. This books takes an approach to privacy and the amount of information that young people put on the internet that is non-threatening and not condescending. I know that when Libby’s blog was posted around the school I should have been upset and felt sympathy for her but I was happy that someone had written a book that addressed the issue without acting like they thought the internet was evil and full of stalkers. Also, I thought the romantic high school relationship was a realistic depiction.
4.) I would use this book as an individual choice. I might read it aloud to the class if I thought that there could be a problem.
5.) This book would be appropriate for students in grades 8 and up.
6.) I enjoyed reading the book because it only took me a short amount of time and I thought the message was unique. This book may get a mention or two because it is a bit different than many of the other books I have read and seen other people read for this project but I doubt that it wins the Newberry Award or the National Book Award. I thought it was a realistic depiction of young people today and would be very relatable for students.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Eclipse
1)
Meyer, S. (2007). Eclipse. New York: Little, Brown and Company 629pp.
Teen Fiction, Teen Drama
2.)
Eclipse is the third book in Stephenie Meyer’s vampire love series. In this book, Edward and Bella continue their romance under the impossible circumstances. Jacob and his werewolf pack are ever present as are threats from the Voltori and Victoria. Edward claims he wants Bella to make an informed and well thought out decision to become a vampire. Jacob makes a convincing argument to Bella about the amount of love he has for her. At the end of the book, Bella is still human and even more confused about who she loves. However, she is engaged to Edward but there is a shadow of doubt in her mind.
3.)
Again, this story is very suspenseful and very entertaining. In the other two books, Meyer addressed the issue of premarital sex. However, this book really tackles it and conservative parents would be pleased with Edward’s responses. At the end of the previous book, I was angry with Edward and Bella because I thought their relationship was unhealthy. They were completely fixated on each other in an extremely unhealthy way. I still believe that but now I am annoyed with Jacob too. He was such an interesting character when he was introduced and even as he became a werewolf. However, his attempts to win Bella’s love are not in keeping with his personality before he was a werewolf and that is why I not longer claim to be on “Team Jacob.” I am on “Team Bella.” I want her to become a strong woman who believes in her decisions.
4.)
Again, after reading further into the series, I would only recommend this book for individual choice. If a group of students selected it for a literature circle, I would not protest.
5.)
I believe it would take an older student to understand the dynamic between the characters. Perhaps, the reader of these books should age with the characters. Between the beginning of Twlight and the end of Eclipse there is about 1 ½ years.
6.)
Again, I enjoyed reading this book but at this point might be a little embarrassed to be seen with it on an airplane. I read it very quickly and ignored phone calls as I read the last 100 pages. I am very excited about the new book coming out and plan to read it as soon as it does. I am also excited that kids are excited about reading this. I would be curious to see how the Bronte sisters’ sales are going since this book came out too.
Meyer, S. (2007). Eclipse. New York: Little, Brown and Company 629pp.
Teen Fiction, Teen Drama
2.)
Eclipse is the third book in Stephenie Meyer’s vampire love series. In this book, Edward and Bella continue their romance under the impossible circumstances. Jacob and his werewolf pack are ever present as are threats from the Voltori and Victoria. Edward claims he wants Bella to make an informed and well thought out decision to become a vampire. Jacob makes a convincing argument to Bella about the amount of love he has for her. At the end of the book, Bella is still human and even more confused about who she loves. However, she is engaged to Edward but there is a shadow of doubt in her mind.
3.)
Again, this story is very suspenseful and very entertaining. In the other two books, Meyer addressed the issue of premarital sex. However, this book really tackles it and conservative parents would be pleased with Edward’s responses. At the end of the previous book, I was angry with Edward and Bella because I thought their relationship was unhealthy. They were completely fixated on each other in an extremely unhealthy way. I still believe that but now I am annoyed with Jacob too. He was such an interesting character when he was introduced and even as he became a werewolf. However, his attempts to win Bella’s love are not in keeping with his personality before he was a werewolf and that is why I not longer claim to be on “Team Jacob.” I am on “Team Bella.” I want her to become a strong woman who believes in her decisions.
4.)
Again, after reading further into the series, I would only recommend this book for individual choice. If a group of students selected it for a literature circle, I would not protest.
5.)
I believe it would take an older student to understand the dynamic between the characters. Perhaps, the reader of these books should age with the characters. Between the beginning of Twlight and the end of Eclipse there is about 1 ½ years.
6.)
Again, I enjoyed reading this book but at this point might be a little embarrassed to be seen with it on an airplane. I read it very quickly and ignored phone calls as I read the last 100 pages. I am very excited about the new book coming out and plan to read it as soon as it does. I am also excited that kids are excited about reading this. I would be curious to see how the Bronte sisters’ sales are going since this book came out too.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Bad Boy
1.)
Myers, W. (2001). Bad Boy. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 214 pp.
Memoir, African American Author, Coming of Age,
Author has won: 1994 ALA Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults, 1994 ALAN Award for outstanding contributions to the field of young adult literature.
2.)
Bad Boy is a story of a young man finding his path in life. Strong and smart, Walter struggles to discover is place in a society that does not value his intelligence. Growing up in Harlem during the 1940’s and 1950’s, Myers relates a tale of the struggle of a young black man who wants to do more with his life than work in the garment district. Myers is an avid reader and writer and a relatively good basketball player with a quick temper. When he joins the Special Progress class he realizes for the first time that he has an opportunity to become something more. However, as he begins Stuyvesant High, Myers begins to realize that the opportunities that await many of his white classmates do not await him. This book is a reflection on how Myers coped with that realization and how he was a “bad boy.”
3.)
Myers delivers an eloquent memoir about how he became the writer he is today. He shows how he struggled with poverty, racism, and a general lack of opportunity. While he adoptive mother and father play an important role in his development, the strongest character in the novel is Walter. His insights belong to those of a matured adult who is proud of struggles to become accomplished. To a young reader, this book may make all the petty worries in the life of a teenager seem small. Walter’s father can not read, Walter is constantly under the threat of being caught by a gang, and reminded that his family will not be able to afford to send him to college if he could get accepted as an African-American. In this book, Myers addresses the complicated issues of racism and poverty with the experience of a talented children’s author.
4.)
I would select this book for a possible read aloud. Also, if I had a group of students who had read and enjoyed Myer’s other books (Monster) I would suggest this book for a literature circle- knowing that the reading level is higher and I would have to provide them with guidance. Also, throughout the book, Myers drops the names of some books he liked when he was reading. I took some ideas for future reading from him and I would hope my students would too.
5.)
This book is at a higher level than many of Myer’s other works that classmates have reviewed. I would recommend this book to 8th grade and up. I believe that older students who have not read anything by Myers in a while can still get a lot out of this particular book.
6.)
As I was reading the book, I kept thinking of Anne Petry’s The Street. I was reminded of how everything seems to come down on Lutie and then she finally exploded and kills someone with a candlestick. Well, Walter did not explode like Lutie- he acted out consistently. That is why he was a “bad boy.” I kept this train of thought going until Myers said he read The Street and hated it. Yes, there are many behaviors in this book that I would not want my students to mirror but that fact would not keep me from suggesting it to anyone. Yes, Walter skips school but he skips school to sit in Central Park and read. If I grew up in Harlem, I probably would have done the same thing. At the end of the book I was proud of him for his success (kind of jealous actually). I would recommend this to adults for pleasure reading as well.
Myers, W. (2001). Bad Boy. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 214 pp.
Memoir, African American Author, Coming of Age,
Author has won: 1994 ALA Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults, 1994 ALAN Award for outstanding contributions to the field of young adult literature.
2.)
Bad Boy is a story of a young man finding his path in life. Strong and smart, Walter struggles to discover is place in a society that does not value his intelligence. Growing up in Harlem during the 1940’s and 1950’s, Myers relates a tale of the struggle of a young black man who wants to do more with his life than work in the garment district. Myers is an avid reader and writer and a relatively good basketball player with a quick temper. When he joins the Special Progress class he realizes for the first time that he has an opportunity to become something more. However, as he begins Stuyvesant High, Myers begins to realize that the opportunities that await many of his white classmates do not await him. This book is a reflection on how Myers coped with that realization and how he was a “bad boy.”
3.)
Myers delivers an eloquent memoir about how he became the writer he is today. He shows how he struggled with poverty, racism, and a general lack of opportunity. While he adoptive mother and father play an important role in his development, the strongest character in the novel is Walter. His insights belong to those of a matured adult who is proud of struggles to become accomplished. To a young reader, this book may make all the petty worries in the life of a teenager seem small. Walter’s father can not read, Walter is constantly under the threat of being caught by a gang, and reminded that his family will not be able to afford to send him to college if he could get accepted as an African-American. In this book, Myers addresses the complicated issues of racism and poverty with the experience of a talented children’s author.
4.)
I would select this book for a possible read aloud. Also, if I had a group of students who had read and enjoyed Myer’s other books (Monster) I would suggest this book for a literature circle- knowing that the reading level is higher and I would have to provide them with guidance. Also, throughout the book, Myers drops the names of some books he liked when he was reading. I took some ideas for future reading from him and I would hope my students would too.
5.)
This book is at a higher level than many of Myer’s other works that classmates have reviewed. I would recommend this book to 8th grade and up. I believe that older students who have not read anything by Myers in a while can still get a lot out of this particular book.
6.)
As I was reading the book, I kept thinking of Anne Petry’s The Street. I was reminded of how everything seems to come down on Lutie and then she finally exploded and kills someone with a candlestick. Well, Walter did not explode like Lutie- he acted out consistently. That is why he was a “bad boy.” I kept this train of thought going until Myers said he read The Street and hated it. Yes, there are many behaviors in this book that I would not want my students to mirror but that fact would not keep me from suggesting it to anyone. Yes, Walter skips school but he skips school to sit in Central Park and read. If I grew up in Harlem, I probably would have done the same thing. At the end of the book I was proud of him for his success (kind of jealous actually). I would recommend this to adults for pleasure reading as well.
New Moon
1.
Meyer, Stephenie. (2006). New Moon. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 562 pp.
Teen Fiction, Teen Drama
New York Times Best Sellers List
2.)
New Moon is the continuation of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight. Shortly after the second novel begins, Edward leaves Bella. Then, Bella makes terrible attempts to recover from her loss. She begins to pursue a new interest in motorcycles and a new friendship with a character that played a minor role in the first novel, Jacob. Jacob helps to rebuild the junk motorcycles Bella recovered and expresses romantic interest in Bella after a trip to the movies with the ever-annoying Mike. Shortly after Bella explains why she believes the two can never be more than friends, everything changes very quickly (but not in Jacob’s favor). Bella nearly kills herself with a cliff diving adventure, Jacob becomes a werewolf, Alice Cullen returns and then the fantasy adventure gets really crazy.
3.)
This book was entertaining in a suspenseful, young person appropriate trashy romance novel sort of way. Other than that, I would not say this is a piece of literature everyone should read. Many parts of the plat of this book were dictated by what appeared to be unimportant details in the first book. So, for a reader whit a good attention to detail, this book would be more about watching things unfold and looking for details that will be important in the third book. The relationship between Edward and Bella has developed into one of the unhealthiest relationships in the history of literature (that may be a bit harsh). I understand that high school relationships are usually overly dramatic but add the vampire werewolf element and they become more emotional. This book also brings up the idea of “suicide in the name of love.” I do not think that the issue is condemned enough in the book because no one dies they just all think up crazy ways of attempting to kill themselves.
4.)
After reading further into the series, I would only recommend this book for individual choice. If a group of students selected it for a literature circle, I would not protest.
5.) I would up the age on this book a bit from my last suggestion. Issues like suicide and murder of innocent people lift the tone up a bit more, thus restricting the age. Maybe---14 or 15 and up
6.)
I enjoyed this book for the same reason my grandma reads large print editions of Danielle Steel- I don’t have to think much when I read it and I am entertained. However, I have come to the conclusion that entertained readers make life long readers- and that is the goal after all, right? I must add that this book is a feminist nightmare. The way Bella acts when she is around Edward drives me insane. **Spoiler** Even when she stands up to him near the end of the book and asks his family to vote if they want her to become a vampire or not, I thought the entire scene was ridiculous. Edward runs out to the next room and breaks something. Yeah, that makes him a keeper.
Meyer, Stephenie. (2006). New Moon. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 562 pp.
Teen Fiction, Teen Drama
New York Times Best Sellers List
2.)
New Moon is the continuation of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight. Shortly after the second novel begins, Edward leaves Bella. Then, Bella makes terrible attempts to recover from her loss. She begins to pursue a new interest in motorcycles and a new friendship with a character that played a minor role in the first novel, Jacob. Jacob helps to rebuild the junk motorcycles Bella recovered and expresses romantic interest in Bella after a trip to the movies with the ever-annoying Mike. Shortly after Bella explains why she believes the two can never be more than friends, everything changes very quickly (but not in Jacob’s favor). Bella nearly kills herself with a cliff diving adventure, Jacob becomes a werewolf, Alice Cullen returns and then the fantasy adventure gets really crazy.
3.)
This book was entertaining in a suspenseful, young person appropriate trashy romance novel sort of way. Other than that, I would not say this is a piece of literature everyone should read. Many parts of the plat of this book were dictated by what appeared to be unimportant details in the first book. So, for a reader whit a good attention to detail, this book would be more about watching things unfold and looking for details that will be important in the third book. The relationship between Edward and Bella has developed into one of the unhealthiest relationships in the history of literature (that may be a bit harsh). I understand that high school relationships are usually overly dramatic but add the vampire werewolf element and they become more emotional. This book also brings up the idea of “suicide in the name of love.” I do not think that the issue is condemned enough in the book because no one dies they just all think up crazy ways of attempting to kill themselves.
4.)
After reading further into the series, I would only recommend this book for individual choice. If a group of students selected it for a literature circle, I would not protest.
5.) I would up the age on this book a bit from my last suggestion. Issues like suicide and murder of innocent people lift the tone up a bit more, thus restricting the age. Maybe---14 or 15 and up
6.)
I enjoyed this book for the same reason my grandma reads large print editions of Danielle Steel- I don’t have to think much when I read it and I am entertained. However, I have come to the conclusion that entertained readers make life long readers- and that is the goal after all, right? I must add that this book is a feminist nightmare. The way Bella acts when she is around Edward drives me insane. **Spoiler** Even when she stands up to him near the end of the book and asks his family to vote if they want her to become a vampire or not, I thought the entire scene was ridiculous. Edward runs out to the next room and breaks something. Yeah, that makes him a keeper.
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