Love That Dog, by Sharon Creech

What a cool idea for a book! So often we (as educators) want to know about the teachers perspective... How did they teach to get the "desired result?" But this book brought up a whole new realm of questions for me... How do children think and learn? How do they interact with what they are taught? I would be interested in hearing more about the child's perspective - not just in writing, but in many other academic situations. For instance, what is going on inside the child's minds who have to go to school in temporary trailers that are decrepit and disintegrating around them? What is going on in the minds of children who attend schools thatdon't have enough funding to buy adequate materials? How does their vision of school and learning compare to the vision of the children who attend state-of-the-art facilities with every amenity and resource at their finger tips? Just one of many thoughts that arose in my own mind as I read about Jack and how he learned to open up to the world of poetry in his own school experience. I wish more authors would attempt to write through the child. I think that we have a lot to learn about how children FEEL in their learning environments.

Jack warms up to the ideas that are mingling in his mind, we see him transform into a more confident writer and reader of poetry. At first he is unable to claim his work, he is self-conscious about what others may say or how his work may be judged by his peers. I like Mrs. Stretchberry's approach to this ownership dilemma. She gives Jack time to develop his confidence and eventually he begins to own his work, he even likes to see it displayed on the board.

It's neat how Creech addresses the "loss of the dog" - in fact this, along with the inspiration from Walter Dean Myers, is what initially sparked Jack's interest in poetry. This shows us how poetry can potentially be a valuable tool for getting kids to start expressing themselves with words. The BIGGEST thing that I learned from reading this story, is that teachers need to dig deeper into the thoughts of their learners to help them through their process of thinking.

On last note: I read the excerpt from Creech's sequel Hate That Cat that was in the back of the book. We see how outside influences can diminish and support a child's writing at the same time. His uncle tells him that his writing is not actually poetry, that it needs these other fancy elements... this works as a segue into many other learning agendas.

So Far From the Bamboo Grove, by Yoko Kawashima Watkins

I began this book with a preconceived idea about the Japanese in Korea, based on the book I had just finished reading: Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi (see previous post). I was angry.

The author of this book shows her readers that it was difficult for both groups during this time in history (WWII). I finished this book with yet another new understanding of the conflict. Although the Koreans were controlled by many groups because of the prime location of the country, communist Japanese and the "Korean Anti-Japanese Communist Party" being among those who sought to control Korea and it's people, many of the Japanese in Korea had experienced a considerable amount of ridicule and unfair/violent treatment.

Comparing the books is extremely eerie, in that the two young girls from conflicting national backgrounds, experienced MANY of the same hardships. For instance, both experienced constant travel, running, hiding. The loss of loved ones, death. Hunger, thirst, and fighting for survival. Loneliness, sadness, hopelessness. Even the task of crossing the railroad tracks across the quick moving river was an experience that the two girls shared.

It is interesting to see how the young Yoko transforms in this novel. We see her living comfortably in the beginning with many luxuries, I think "feisty" is a word I have heard her described as, and it works well (that kid on the video in my Child Lit class used that term). She is feisty. In the beginning, her "Honorable brother" tells to be thankful for the carrots that she doesn't like. He says, "You should be grateful that there is food on your plate." Little did she know that she revisit these very words in her own future, and understand what it feels like to have a gnawing in you stomach because you haven't eaten for days and your feet are raw and bloody from travel. And to just wish you could find a raw wild carrot to munch on slowly.

Also in the beginning Yoko sees her "Honorable sister" cast her a discriminatory "spoiled brat" gaze. In the end we see her revisit her past objectively as she thinks about the "spoiled brats" in her new school. Yoko comes to understand what her Honorable sister meant by the gaze, and ultimately came to realize - through devastating and traumatic circumstances - the errors in her previous ways of thinking.

I was angry when I began, but as the characters in the novel transformed, so did I. I became emotionally attached to the sisters. I was so sad when they were "orphaned." I was constantly fearful for their "innocence" and their lives. The author has a real gift in creating a captivating experience for her readers. Although difficult to read, I NEEDED to know if they would be okay in the end.

Experience can inform anyone's preconceived ideas about history, so can good literature written and read in many different viewpoints! Intriguing!

Year of Impossible Goodbyes, by Sook Nyul Choi

Oh. That was really an eye-opening account of an extremely tragic and dark time in the history of Korea.

The main character, a young Korean girl Sookan, paints a vivid picture of what life was like in the country that was no longer the country it once had been... (did that make sense?) Themes of loneliness, embarrassment, and loss are represented well in the novel through the author's representation of the character Sookan.

I was depressed through much of the story. I wondered, "How is it that children should have to go through such difficult and traumatic events? It isn't fair! It isn't right!" I imagined what it must have felt like for Sookan and her brother - at one point in the story they were all alone, sick, weak, and scrounging for scraps of food. I had a hard time imagining what it must have felt like for them in these moments of their lives. I have never had to feel the intense pain and loneliness that were felt by the children in the novel, I realized that I COULDN'T imagine it - I hoped that I never would. I cried for them.

How can children develop a self identity and a clear understanding of the world, if they are constantly having to change their name, communication, and beliefs? How can they develop an identity when they constantly worry about their well-being, about their survival? This should be a foreign concern for children! Too bad this is not the case in many parts of the world. I suppose it is much closer to home than I had imagined. Children have real-life problems too.

I think I may have smiled once or twice, when a small glimpse of hope was offered. Other than that, I just felt sad and concerned - uneasy - as I HESITANTLY read the novel. It seemed like every time things couldn't be any worse, they were. I didn't want to turn the page.

On another note: The religious representations were interesting to examine in this book. Sookan seemed to mesh the religions of her Mother and Grandfather into one coherent "way of knowing" that was somehow comforting to her...

Despite the strong feelings of sadness the book provoked, I was enlightened by the author's viewpoint and appreciate the details and emotions she shared. Seriously eye-opening, and leaves a reader wanting to learn more.

The Misfits, by James Howe

This was awesome - it took me right back to my own awkward days of middle-school existence. Howe has a way with words that makes it seem like the reader is right there among the characters. Perhaps the reader IS the fifth member of the Gang of Five? Just a thought. At first the language bothered me, "goes" rather than "said" and the word "like" in like almost like every like sentence, but as I read on I began to think of the audience this book speaks to, and I realized - this language is just like the language that these characters would use. A middle-school or high-school-aged individual would be able to really relate to the dialogue in the book.

I think that this book has the power to speak directly to the prejudices and stereotypes that are reflected in schools, not only among students - but among teachers as well. If you have ever been present in the "teacher's lounge" you know what I'm talking about. In the book we see the transformation that the teacher, Ms. Wyman makes: from a closed-minded "from the books" teacher, into one who is accepting and supportive of the diverse ideas of her students. She decides to make a conscious effort to change herself, which leads to the rise of the No-Name Party and the eventual change of the entire school body.

Another powerful message the book holds, is the power of "free speech" - being able to vocalize what you know is right can make all the difference. My sisters are currently in high-school (important to add - at a very conservative, rural high-school), and as part of their Freshman English class, the entire class now reads the book The Misfits, and orchestrate a "No-Name Campaign" of their own. The book had a massive impact on them, I never realize where their newly found congressional motivation stemmed from until NOW when I read the book for myself. It can spark an interest in democratic politics, and can create a "call for action" among students. This is just what we need! We need students who are willing to speak-up for themselves, and what they KNOW can help create change within the school.

As far as controversy is concerned, the book portrays themes of adolescent hormones, homosexuality, democratic-activism, and non-conformist thinking. Um, the last I checked all of these things are "part of middle-school" and "creating your identity." I don't think that it is fair that this (or any book really) has been labeled as "controversial" because controversy is constructed - it's ambiguous.

P.S. On the news a couple days ago, I saw that - according to the tabulation of students who reported being bullied, or bullying others, on a survey conducted in accordance with Iowa's anti-bullying bill - "bullying" has decreased from 23% of students to 13%. It would be interesting to know when the original data was collected. Could it be a reflection of Howe's book being used in high-schools, or an increased awareness of the problem? Good news anyway, for those of us who are ready for a change on the issue.

The Giver, by Lois Lowry

Oh, I never knew what a powerful message this book held until NOW! I read the book in elementary school (sixth grade) and honestly I couldn't remember any of it. It was an entirely new experience.

What a grim existence Jonas must have lead, knowing that he had all of the feelings, memories, and emotions of "The Past," and at the same time that he could not share any of it because he was among a community of ignorance - conformed-against-their-will "NON-THINKERS!" As the Giver told Jonas, "They know nothing." And it was true.

"Ignorance?" Isn't it our job as teachers to "ward off ignorance?" To inform, educate, and enlighten? I think that this book speaks directly to teachers - and perhaps even more so than it does to students - because it reiterates the power of education and acquisition of knowledge as a deterrent against "ignorance."

This novel is wonderfully well written, and kept me thinking the entire way through. It made me realize that no matter how hopelessly desperate it may seem to work as an agent of change (whether in a closed-minded, conformist, even cult-like community as in Lowry's novel, the classroom, the district, school board, or whatever...), there's always hope if you are willing to sacrifice enough of yourself for the better of the group. Take risks, learn, gain wisdom, don't stagnate, and NEVER resort to SAMENESS.

The Legend of Hong Kil Dong: The Robin Hood of Korea, by Anne Sibley O'Brien

Gasp! This graphic novel was amazing. It took some strategy to get used to reading this style of writing, but once I got comfortable with it, I enjoyed everything about it. It took me back in time to 17th century Korea. I am not sure I would recommend this book for children younger than twelve - there are many controversial issues and themes presented throughout the story and the reading is actually pretty difficult (despite it's picture book appearance). But, for older readers, especially those interested in learning about other cultures and legends, this is a highly recommended graphic novel.

The graphic novel based on a traditional Korean folktale, tells a story about the "illegitimate" second-born son (Hong Kil Dong) of a powerful minister. Hong Kil Dong leaves his father's estate when he realizes he will never be able to "claim his father" or become a man. He discovers magical powers inside himself, and becomes an influential leader among peasants who steal from the corrupt and spread the stolen wealth among the poor.

The art is wonderful, and seems to have been researched thoroughly, as it is reminiscent of what I would imagine the setting of seventeenth century Korea to be like. The picture boxes seem overwhelming at first because there's so much going on. Drawings, speech bubbles, and text boxes everywhere! But, the reader is quickly finding themselves reading everything they can find, the story is so engaging. The author includes some very interesting information in the final pages of the book: about the author, sources, translations, traditional Korean clothing/hairstyle/accessory key, and the 10 symbols of longevity. BONUS!

Time passes in the story, and the author uses wonderful descriptive text to describe it, for instance: "As the grain ripened in the fields..." "Under the brilliant blue skies of autumn..." "As the last winds of winter chilled the air..." The language paints a rich image. The story is written beautifully. The author does something "strange" along the sides of the pages. There is a little symbol made up of a series of lines of varied lengths, following the symbol it will say something like "The creative/active: power of a leader awakens higher nature of men" . . . I don't know what it means, I think it follows the story, but it's another example of an interesting feature in this graphic novel/Korean folktale.

Skim, words by Mariko Tamaki & drawings by Jillian Tamaki

Whew! "Emo" . . .

Not what I expected. This book is recommended for ages 14 and up, and I can DEFINITELY see why. This book is not appropriate for children. The book is riddled with harsh language and imagery, which honestly kept the book pretty exciting for me (well, probably would for a kid too, but not necessarily sending a "good" message). This may be a good book for an adolescent-aged individual, someone who is going through that awkward stage of rebellion. Perhaps seeing the strangeness of it all outside of yourself (through reading about Skim's life or others) is just what we need to thwart the magnetic temptations of adolescence...

The main character, Skim (Kim), considers herself a "gothic," she is a depressed high school student who smokes, practices witchcraft, and is obsessed with thoughts of suicide, love, death, isolation, conflicts of identity, and sexual confusion. All of these controversial topics heighten the "danger" aspect of this realistic fiction novel. The rest of Skim's story needs to be left up to reader to discover. It is a really good dramatic story of the experiences of a teenage girl. READ IT!!! YOU WILL BE INTRIGUED . . .

The layout of the book is really neat too! There are diary entries from Skim throughout the book which strengthen the deep feelings felt by the reader as they read about Skim. The art is amazing. I especially enjoyed the way the author and illustrator synchronized their work so well, this is one of the "smoothest-flowing" graphic novels in terms of readability, that I have ever read.

Piper Reed: Navy Brat, by Kimberly Holt & illustrated by Christine Davenier

This is a good chapter book for early readers. Children who have just moved or are part of a military family would really be able to relate to the story. The book is a little but long (160 pages) but the simple text is meant for younger readers. The main character is 9, so I would say kids older than this would most likely think it was too immature for them.

The book tells a humorous story of a girl named Piper and her family. Her mother is a painter and her father is in the Navy, so the family is always traveling from place to place. Piper has to learn to adjust to a new place and finds a lot of adventure along the way.

The story talks about a lot of things that kids can relate to and seems to be very true to life - bossy older siblings, whiny younger siblings, disagreeing with parents, long car rides, meeting new friends, among some. I really enjoyed the book, as I read, I noticed that I was getting anxious to know what was coming next. Holt's descriptive writing style definitely pulls in the reader, and gets them involved in the text. The illustrations add a little bit to the story, and seem to match up with Piper's personality and what's happening in the story.

A Series of Unfortunate Events #1: The Bad Beginning, by Lemony Snicket and illustrated by Brett Helquist

This short children's fiction novel is appealing right off the bat. The book looks old fashioned and mysterious. Snicket begins the book with a warning to potential readers explaining that if they like happy endings then this is not the book for them because there is no happy ending just misfortune, despair, and sadness. I know that this immediately fed into my own curiosity, and I was wondering if the author was serious about the dark nature of the book.

The book introduces in detail the characters that will be present in the thirteen-book series. The three Baudelaire orphan children (their parents were killed in a "horrible accident") are the main characters. The children are sent to live with the most awful of all relatives and the story just keeps getting more and more dark and "unfortunate." It seems like just as things are starting to brighten up for the Baudelaire's, things all of a sudden get worse.

Although the series may be too dark and depressing for some readers, they really are page-turners. The book is not all negative either, the text reinforces the positive habits and outlooks of the children. For instance, reading is an important pastime for the children in their dire environment and they become very creative attempting to plan their escape.

No matter how horrid life seems for the Baudelaire children, they always see the light at the end of the tunnel - NOTHING IS COMPLETELY HOPELESS.

Wanna Buy an Alien? by Eve Bunting & illustrated by Tim Bush

I randomly chose this book from a list of "transitional fiction for kids" at the library. I wasn't sure what I was getting into, but the book ended up being really enjoyable. If kids are ready for some more challenging and informative reading material, and they like suspense, mystery, and science fiction genres, then Wanna Buy an Alien? is a great book to use in the 2-4th grade classroom. It's a newer publication also (2000) so the book contains a lot of references to technology and computers, good for the technologically-savvy student. The text includes all kinds of dialogue, important "clues" and "letters," and other new formatting which translates into = beneficial read-a-loud in the classroom.