The Graveyard Book

The Graveyard Book

Citation:

Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book. New York: HarperCollins, 2008. ISBN: 9780060530928

Plot Summary:

                The Graveyard Book opens with a toddler escaping from his crib to go exploring during the middle of the night as a murder “the man Jack” is killing his family with the specific attempt to get the child. The toddler slips out of the house and makes his way to a graveyard where he is found and adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Owens. He is then name Nobody “Bod” Owens. Bod is raised by the ghosts and in-between living in the graveyard. He attempts to go to school, but is bullied which brings too much attention to him. The ghosts and beings are protecting him from the man Jack and his various attempts to murder Bod over the years. These beings also become his teachers. Bod becomes friends with Scarlett Perkins; however her parents convince her that he is an imaginary friend and then move to Scotland. Later, though she moves back after her parents get divorced and she and Bod renew their friendship. Scarlett wants to learn more about Bod’s family so she approaches a historian who lives in his old house, unknowingly leading Bod to the man who murdered his family. She and Bod face off for a final battle against the man Jack, but is so traumatized that Silas wipes her memories and convinces her mom to move back to Scotland. The story ends with Bod out growing the graveyard and his ability to see ghosts.

Critical Analysis:

                The Graveyard Book was written by Neil Gaiman and was the first book to ever make both the author and illustrators shortlists. This book is told in an increment of two year time periods as Nobody “Bod” Owens grows up in a graveyard and thwarts the murder that killed his family. Each chapter is its own short story and could be read as standalone story. The main character is an adventurer who befriends all sorts of characters from werewolves to ghosts and humans. The writing captures the different years of the main characters childhood. The different characters are brought to life through the imagination of the author even though he never comes out and says directly what they are, you can infer from the context clues.

Reviews:

Booklist: "This is an utterly captivating tale that is cleverly told through an entertaining cast of ghostly characters. There is plenty of darkness, but the novel's ultimate message is strong and life affirming..this is a rich story with broad appeal."

Kirkus Reviews: "Wistful, witty, wise-and creepy. This needs to be read by anyone who is or has ever been a child." 

School Library Journal: “This is an utterly captivating tale that is cleverly told through an entertaining cast of ghostly characters. There is plenty of darkness, but the novel’s ultimate message is strong and life affirming. Although marketed to the younger YA set, this is a rich story with broad appeal and is highly recommended for teens of all ages.”

Connections:

-          A monster calls by Patrick Ness

-          Day of the dead celebrations and history

o   http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/articles/dead-history.html

o   http://latino.si.edu/dayofthedead/

-          Halloween

o   http://www.halloweenhistory.org/

All review courtesy of Amazon.com

Looking for Alaska

Looking for Alaska

Citation:

Green, J. (2005). Looking for Alaska. New York: Dutton Books. ISBN: 9780525475064

Plot Summary:

                Looking for Alaska is written in two parts, before and after. The story opens with Miles “Pudge” Halter leaving Florida for Culver Creek Boarding School in rural Alabama. Once there he meets Chip “the Colonel” Martin and Alaska Young. The “Weekday Warriors,” those who go to boarding school during the week but go home to Birmingham on the weekends initiate Pudge by duck taping him and throwing him in the lake. While throwing him in the lake is not unusual, duck taping is and soon Pudge and his friends are in an all out prank war with the “Weekday Warriors.” As the year progresses Alaska and the Colonel take Pudge out of his comfort zone by engaging him in smoking and drinking which ultimately leads to Alaska’s demise. However even though Pudge has a crush on Alaska he dates Lara Buterskaya a Romanian immigrant, who is also part of their group. Pudge falls hard for Alaska and a night of drinking leads to them having a romantic interlude. After Alaska’s untimely demise the group is left to pick up the pieces and put together her last night. Did she commit suicide or was it a drunken driving accident? After Alaska’s death the Colonel and Pudge frantically try to piece together what happened that lead Alaska to commit suicide. They exclude Tamuki and Lara which divides the group as they spiral into depression. Looking for Alaska ends with a letter from Tamuki to the Colonel and Pudge explaining some of Alaska’s last night.

Critical Analysis:

                Looking for Alaska is an incredibly well written book with the characters reflecting teenage thoughts and feelings. The most interesting part of this book is the fact that you never really know why Alaska died, was it from the drinking or did she commit suicide. John Green leaves this for you to decide. The character Pudge is intuitive and sensitive with inner monologues reflecting a teenager’s view. The Colonel has an arrogance and brash sense of humor that stems from his poor background and being the mastermind behind Alaska’s pranks. Alaska’s character has no other words than being an enigma. You are often left with the feeling that even she does not know what is going on in her own head.

Reviews:

School Library Journal: “Green's dialogue is crisp, especially between Miles and Chip. His descriptions and Miles's inner monologues can be philosophically dense, but are well within the comprehension of sensitive teen readers. The chapters of the novel are headed by a number of days "before" and "after" what readers surmise is Alaska's suicide. These placeholders sustain the mood of possibility and foreboding, and the story moves methodically to its ambiguous climax. The language and sexual situations are aptly and realistically drawn, but sophisticated in nature. Miles's narration is alive with sweet, self-deprecating humor, and his obvious struggle to tell the story truthfully adds to his believability.

Publisher’s Weekly: "Readers will only hope that this is not the last word from this promising new author." 

Kirkus Reviews: “What sings and soars in this gorgeously told tale is Green’s mastery of language and the sweet, rough edges of Pudge’s voice. Girls will cry and boys will find love, lust, loss and longing in Alaska’s vanilla-and-cigarettes scent."

Connections:

-          Other books by John Green

o   The Fault in Our Stars

o   An Abudance of Katherines

o   Paper Towns

-          Suicide awareness

o   www.save.org

o   www.suicide.org

All reviews courtesy of Amazon.com

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute

Citation:

Krosoczka, J. J. (2009). Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books. ISBN: 9780329714536

Plot Summary:

                Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute opens with Hector, Terrence, and Dee musing about the daily lives of their lunch ladies. The graphic novel opens with the Lunch Lady stopping a robbery. The children, also known as the Breakfast Bunch, are addressing the question of what she does when Hector is targeted by the school bully Miloe, but before he can steal Hector’s lunch money, a substitute teacher stops him! Now, who is the substitute, and who is he subbing for? Why Mr. O’Connell, the math teacher, but that just does not make sense because he is never out sick and he never gives them this much homework. Mr. O’Connell was the favorite teacher of the year, but not with this new substitute. The Lunch Lady and Betty have a secret lab in the boiler room where they test out new gadgets and monitor the school. The Lunch Lady decides to inspect the substitute’s classroom while he is in the teacher’s lounge and she finds a disc! The Lunch Lady decides to follow the substitute after school, and the Breakfast Bunch decides to follow her after school too. They follow the substitute to a warehouse and find that he’s not human, but a robot Mr. Edison invented. The Breakfast Bunch follows the Lunch Lady into the warehouse room only to be confronted by a heap of robots. Then Betty captures Mr. Edison and Hector saves the day by turning off the robots with his remote for his science project.

Critical Analysis:

                Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute is a children’s graphic novel that delves into the depths of what does the Lunch Lady do when she is not serving meals at school. The pictures and captions capture the feel of a school and the Lunch Lady’s sayings like “good gravy!” and “cauliflower!” adds life and character to her. The pictures are ink drawings that tell the story are phenomenal because of the simplicity and the story they are sharing. This book will teach children to wonder about what teachers and others they interact with do in their spare time when they are not at school. This is the first graphic novel I have ever read and now I am going to read the whole series!

Reviews:

Booklist: “This tongue-in-cheek superheroine graphic novel will hit the spot for chapter-book readers. Lunch Lady and Betty, her assistant in both the cafeteria and her role of wrong-­righting supersleuth, investigate the strange case of an absent teacher, his creepy substitute, and a plan to grab the Teacher of the Year Award by truly foul means. Three little kids join in the action as Lunch Lady, equipped with a variety of high-tech kitchen gadgets like a spatu-copter and a lunch-tray laptop, tracks a cleverly disguised robot to his maker’s lab, where a whole army of cyborgs require kicking, stomping, and the wielding of fish-stick nunchucks. Yellow-highlighted pen-and-ink cartoons are as energetic and smile-provoking as Lunch Lady’s epithets of “Cauliflower!” and Betty’s ultimate weapon, the hairnet. There is a nice twist in the surprise ending, and the kids’ ability to stand up to the school bully shows off their newfound confidence in a credible manner. Little details invite and reward repeat readings with visual as well as verbal punning.”

Connections:

-          Lunch Lady series

-          Platypus and the Police Squad: the Frog who Croaked

o   Jarrett J. Krosoczka

o   ISBN: 978-0062071644

-          Babymouse series

o   Jennifer Holm

All review courtesy of Amazon.com

The Midwife's Apprentice

The Midwife’s Apprentice

Citation:

Cushman, Karen. The Midwife's Apprentice. New York: Clarion Books, 1995. ISBN: 9780395692295

Plot Summary:

                The Midwife’s Apprentice is the story of Alyce, formally Beetle, who is found by the town’s midwife, June. Beetle becomes the woman’s apprentice, but she is not allowed to take part of the practice and the midwife refuses to allow Alyce to accompany her to the birth. Alyce begins to watch from the windows of the house. The village boys tease Beetle, but she saves Will from drowning in the river and he respects her by using her name, Alyce. As Alyce becomes craftier she takes to hiding in the shadows during the births and learns which medicines to use. When Beetle renames herself Alyce she gains self esteem and respect for herself and begins to help the townsfolk with deliveries. As she becomes more knowledgeable the villagers begin asking for her rather than the June, but when a difficult birth arises Alyce does not know what to do and calls on the midwife. After the birth Alyce runs away in humiliation with Purr, her cat. Alyce asks to become the apprentice again after declining a job with a family she helped deliver a baby for.

Critical Analysis:

                The Midwife’s Apprentice is written in third person. This is an interesting take on a historical fiction novel because a lot of times the authors want you to understand the thoughts of the narrator. This novel painted an accurate portrait of Medieval England and the small towns where these midwives took up residence. The story handles bullying and children left alone, whether because they were abandoned or their parents died. The writing for the characters addresses pride and humbling experiences that give the characters light.

Reviews:

Publisher’s Weekly: “Cushman "has an almost unrivaled ability to build atmosphere, and her evocation of a medieval village, if not scholarly in its authenticity, is supremely colorful and pungent."

Connections:

·         History of medieval England

·         Newbery Medal winners

o   Holes by Louis Schafer

o   The Giver by Louis Lowry

·         Books by Karen Cushman

o   Catherine, called Birdy

o   Alchemy and Meggy Swann

All reviews courtesy of Amazon.com

One Crazy Summer

One Crazy Summer

Citation:

Williams-Garcia, Rita. One Crazy Summer. New York: Amistad, 2011. ISBN: 978-0060760908

Plot Summary:

                One Crazy Summer follows Delphine, a responsible and astute eleven year old as she journeys cross country with her two sisters to meet the mother, Cecile, that abandoned them seven years ago. Set during the summer of 1968 in Oakland, California the girls find themselves at a loss to explain their mother’s strange visitors and her disinterest in them as she sends them to a community centee hosted by the Black Panthers rather than spend time with them herself. The narrator is left to piece together her past as she learns about her mother from this group. As the summer progresses we learn of the pride that Delphine has for her name and why Cecile named the girls what she did. Cecile left shortly after Fern was born stems because of her own childhood issues, but she left them with their names which are important to her.  When her mother is arrested Delphine does not call her father because she is afraid he will take the back home, but when Cecile comes home she explains her life to Delphine, which is completely overwhelming. Finally we learn that Fern’s original name was Afua and that is why she will only address her as Little Girl.

Critical Analysis:

                One Crazy Summer is a critically acclaimed novel that focuses on the Civil Rights era of the sixties and introduces the Black Panther group. The narrator’s voice brings to life a story rich in history as it is emotionally as Delphine faces questions of abandonment and racial issues. The descriptions are spot on for a child dealing with being an adult and child at the same time. Delphine is raising her sisters, but she is also a child herself. The confusion that encompasses her feels real and brings the narrator to light. This is a historically accurate book that addresses race issues that amasses in California in the 1960’s.

Reviews:

School Library Journal: “With memorable characters (all three girls have engaging, strong voices) and a powerful story, this is a book well worth reading and rereading.”

Booklist: “Set during a pivotal moment in African American history, this vibrant novel shows the subtle ways that political movements affect personal lives; but just as memorable is the finely drawn, universal story of children reclaiming a reluctant parent’s love.”

Connections:

·         Books by Rita Williams-Garcia

o   Jumped

o   Like sisters on the homefront

·         Scott O’Dell award books

o   Chickadee by Louise Erdrich

o   The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan

·         Use in connection to the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s

All book reviews courtesy of Amazon.com

Turtle in Paradise

Turtle in Paradise

Citation:

Holm, Jennifer L. Turtle in Paradise. New York: Random House Children's Books, 2010. ISBN: 9780375836886

Plot Summary:

                Turtle in Paradise is a coming of age story written by Jennifer Holm set in Florida. Turtle is a girl of eleven in 1935 who has been sent to live with her extended family because of her mother’s job. Her mother, Sadiebell, is a maid and a client that she is currently working for does not care for children, hence the move for Turtle. As Turtle adjusts to life in Florida she attempts to make friends with her cousins and his friends who are part of the “Diaper Gang,” who have a secret formula for curing diaper rash. Turtle finds a map and discovers a treasure. Throughout the book, as Turtle is discovering herself, family secrets come to life, like Slow Poke is her father. As Turtle finds a place within her family and makes some friends, her mother comes back with a fiancé to take Turtle away to start a new life. Before the trio can leave, Turtle has to say goodbye to everyone and reconnects her mother and grandmother. The mother and daughter both believe in the fairy tale ending Archie is selling them, until he disappears with Turtle’s treasure.

Critical Analysis:

Turtle in Paradise is set during the Great Depression and is accurately represented by the voice of the narrator and shares connections with the history of the era. The story is told by an eleven year old with a tough exterior as she navigates the throws of adolescence and a new home. The information is brought to life through Turtle as the reader sympathizes with the hard times of the period and her loneliness in her new home. The writing has a ring of authenticity that is heard through Turtle.

Reviews:

School Library Journal: “In 1935, jobs are hard to come by, and Turtle's mother is lucky to find work as a live-in housekeeper. When she learns that her employer can't stand children, she sends her 11-year-old daughter from New Jersey to Key West to live with relatives. Turtle discovers a startlingly different way of life amid boisterous cousins, Nana Philly, and buried treasure. This richly detailed novel was inspired by Holm's great-grandmother's stories. Readers who enjoy melodic, humorous tales of the past won't want to miss it.”

Booklist: “Reminiscent of Addie in the movie Paper Moon, Turtle is just the right mixture of knowingness and hope; the plot is a hilarious blend of family dramas seasoned with a dollop of adventure.”

Connections:

·         The Great Depression era history

·         Books by Jennifer L. Holm

o   Penny from Heaven

o   Our only May Amelia

·         Newbery Award winners

o   The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

o   Three times lucky by Shelia Turnage

All reviews courtesy of Amazon.com

What to do about Alice?

What to do about Alice?

Citation:

Kerley, B. (2008). What to do about Alice? New York: Scholastic Press.

Plot Summary:

                WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE? is a biography about Alice Roosevelt Longworth, the daughter of Theodore Roosevelt. The story begins with Alice as a child before her father is elected President of the United States, and the book recounts what Mr. Roosevelt has done, but how he cannot figure out what to do about Alice! Every morning Teddy Roosevelt would carry Alice to breakfast, piggy back style. Alice had to wear braces on her legs for several years and she refused for anyone to take pity on her. Roosevelt decided it was time for Alice to attend boarding school, but Alice convinced her father that she could teach herself from his library. Alice grew up and became a goodwill ambassador for our nation. She christened yachts, went to Cuba and Asia, and became known as Princess Alice. She came back from abroad with many gifts from friends and strangers she has met, and a fiancé. Alice became the wife a congressman, but she continued to enjoy life wherever she went.

Critical Analysis:

                WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE? was a biography is written by Barbara Kerley and illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. It was also a Texas Bluebonnet Nominee for the 2009- 2010 school year. The text is descriptive and hilarious with repetitive phrases that would make it easy to share with a child. The illustrations are colorful, amazing, and capture the essence of the Alice’s character and Kerley’s writing. The freedom of inhibition exhibited by this young woman is to be admired by any young person, and she is an excellent role model for young girls.

Reviews:

Booklist: "Irrepressible Alice Roosevelt gets a treatment every bit as attractive and exuberant as she was....The large format gives Fotheringham, in his debut, plenty of room for spectacular art." 

Kirkus: "Theodore Roosevelt s irrepressible oldest child receives an appropriately vivacious appreciation in this superb picture book.... Kerley s precise text presents readers with a devilishly smart, strong-willed girl who was determined to live life on her own terms and largely succeeded."

School Library Journal: "Kerley s text gallops along with a vitality to match her subject s antics, as the girl greets White House visitors accompanied by her pet snake, refuses to let leg braces cramp her style, dives fully clothed into a ship s swimming pool, and also earns her place in history as one of her father s trusted advisers. Fotheringham s digitally rendered, retro-style illustrations are a superb match for the text."

Connections:

-          Activities

o   http://suzyred.com/2009-what-to-do-about-alice.html

o   http://www.edhelper.com/books/What_To_Do_About_Alice_How_Alice_Roosevelt_Broke_.htm

-          Other books by Barbara Kerley

o   GREETINGS FROM PLANET EARTH

o   SONGS OF PAPA’S ISLAND

o   A COOL DRINK OF WATER

-          Other Texas Bluebonnet Nominees from 2009-2010

o   HELP ME, MR. MUTT! By Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel

o   SOMEONE NAMED EVA by Joan Wolf

o   TWO-MINUTE DRILL by Mike Lupica