RU READ 339/439 Fall 2010 Discussions - Making Curriculum Pop2024-03-19T08:53:57Zhttp://mcpopmb.ning.com/group/ruread339439fall2010/forum?feed=yes&xn_auth=no11/29 Teens Top Ten Best Books Discussion for Read 339/439tag:mcpopmb.ning.com,2010-11-29:2665237:Topic:480332010-11-29T02:44:24.947ZPam Goblehttp://mcpopmb.ning.com/profile/PamGoble
<b style=""><span style="">PART 3 - PARTICIPATION CRITERIA FOR THE NING.</span></b><br></br>
<br></br>
<br />
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="">1. Since all of you are reading different books, the idea is to share the many reads students can experience from reading YA literature. For each list you, will get<br></br>
reviews on approximately 20 or more books. <br></br></span></p>
<br></br>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="">2. What must be included in your posts are:…</span></p>
<br></br>
<b style=""><span style="">PART 3 - PARTICIPATION CRITERIA FOR THE NING.</span></b><br/>
<br/>
<br />
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="">1. Since all of you are reading different books, the idea is to share the many reads students can
experience from reading YA literature. For each list you, will get<br/>
reviews on approximately 20 or more books. <br/></span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="">2. What must be included in your posts are:</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""><span style=""> </span> a. A short summary</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""><span style=""> </span> b. A connection to YA Lit criteria</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""><span style=""> </span> c. A link to a resource for further information about the book/novel(
these may include author information, reviews, insight or information<br/>
about issues the text references.</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""><span style=""> </span> d. Your opinion/recommendations of the book/novel relating back to
criteria. A key<br/>
question to consider is whether the book is<br/>
classroom appropriate, and, if so, what reading<br/>
level/grade/students would benefit from reading the text. If it is not<br/>
suited for the classroom, if students are reading the book, what is the<br/>
appeal?<span style=""> </span><br/>
</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style="">3. Lastly, you must respond to at least 2 other posts in detail.</span></p>
<br/>
<span style="">Again have fun...after the<br/>
class is done you can still keep those reviews coming on the NING and<br/>
talk to each other about what your are reading for the year.<br/>on people of the week!!!<br/><br/></span> 11/22/2010 Read 339/439 Grad Discussion on Alex Award Winnerstag:mcpopmb.ning.com,2010-11-22:2665237:Topic:471182010-11-22T06:58:43.469ZPam Goblehttp://mcpopmb.ning.com/profile/PamGoble
<b style=""><span style="">PART 3 - PARTICIPATION CRITERIA FOR THE NING.</span></b><br></br>
<br></br>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">This is for Jen, Heather O and Danielle.</span><br></br></span></p>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="">1. Since all of you are reading different books, the idea is to share the many reads students can experience from reading YA literature. For each list you, will get<br></br> reviews on approximately 20 or more books. For this one, it will…</span></p>
<b style=""><span style="">PART 3 - PARTICIPATION CRITERIA FOR THE NING.</span></b><br/>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">This is for Jen, Heather O and Danielle.</span><br/></span></p>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="">1. Since all of you are reading different books, the idea is to share the many reads students can experience from reading YA literature. For each list you, will get<br/>
reviews on approximately 20 or more books. For this one, it will be 3 books that will be discussed.<br/></span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="">2. What must be included in your posts are:</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""><span style=""> </span> a. A short summary</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""><span style=""> </span> b. A connection to YA Lit criteria</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""><span style=""> </span> c. A link to a resource for further information about the book/novel( these may include author information, reviews, insight or information<br/>
about issues the text references.</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""><span style=""> </span> d. Your opinion/recommendations of the book/novel relating back to criteria. A key<br/>
question to consider is whether the book is<br/>
classroom appropriate, and, if so, what reading<br/>
level/grade/students would benefit from reading the text. If it is not<br/>
suited for the classroom, if students are reading the book, what is the<br/>
appeal?<span style=""> </span><br/>
</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style="">3. Lastly, you must respond to at least 2 other posts in detail.</span></p>
<br/>
<span style="">Again have fun...after the<br/>
class is done you can still keep those reviews coming on the NING and<br/>
talk to each other about what your are reading for the year.<br/><br/>You are the 3 main discussion people of the week!!!<br/>Have a great Thanskgiving.<br/>Pam<br/></span> 11/15/2010 Read 339/439 Quick Picks Discusssiontag:mcpopmb.ning.com,2010-11-15:2665237:Topic:464982010-11-15T00:33:39.171ZPam Goblehttp://mcpopmb.ning.com/profile/PamGoble
<b style=""><span style="">PART 3 - PARTICIPATION CRITERIA FOR THE NING.</span></b><br></br>
<br></br>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="">1. Since all of you are reading different books, the idea is to share the many reads students can experience from reading YA literature. For each list you, will get<br></br>
reviews on approximately 20 or more books.</span></p>
<br></br>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="">2. What must be included in your posts are:…</span></p>
<br></br>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""></p>
<b style=""><span style="">PART 3 - PARTICIPATION CRITERIA FOR THE NING.</span></b><br/>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="">1. Since all of you are reading different books, the idea is to share the many reads students can
experience from reading YA literature. For each list you, will get<br/>
reviews on approximately 20 or more books.</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="">2. What must be included in your posts are:</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""><span style=""> </span> a. A short summary</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""><span style=""> </span> b. A connection to YA Lit criteria</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""><span style=""> </span> c. A link to a resource for further information about the book/novel(
these may include author information, reviews, insight or information<br />
about issues the text references.</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""><span style=""> </span> d. Your opinion/recommendations of the book/novel relating back to
criteria. A key<br/>
question to consider is whether the book is<br/>
classroom appropriate, and, if so, what reading<br />
level/grade/studentswouldbenefit from reading the text. If it is not<br />
suited for the classroom, if students are reading the book, what is the<br />
appeal?<span style=""> </span><br/>
</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style="">3. Lastly, you must respond to at least 2 other posts in detail.</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style="">Again have fun...after the class is done you can still keep those reviews coming on the NING and talk to each other about what your are reading for the year!<br/></span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""> Pam</span></p>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial Narrow";">Pam</span> The Reformed Vampire Support Grouptag:mcpopmb.ning.com,2010-11-13:2665237:Topic:463752010-11-13T21:49:07.228ZMonika Andeshttp://mcpopmb.ning.com/profile/MonikaAndes
<p>A. I found this great quick summary on teenreads.com</p>
<p> </p>
<p><font size="4"><span class="title">THE REFORMED VAMPIRE SUPPORT GROUP</span><br></br></font><span class="author"><a href="http://www.teenreads.com/authors/au-jinks-catherine.asp"><strong>Catherine Jinks</strong></a></span><br></br>Graphia Books<br></br><font color="#660066"><span class="genre">Mystery</span><br></br></font>Hradcover: 9780152066093<br></br>Paperback: 9780547411668<br></br>372 pages</p>
<p>If certain bestselling novels and hit…</p>
<p>A. I found this great quick summary on teenreads.com</p>
<p> </p>
<p><font size="4"><span class="title">THE REFORMED VAMPIRE SUPPORT GROUP</span><br/></font><span class="author"><a href="http://www.teenreads.com/authors/au-jinks-catherine.asp"><strong>Catherine Jinks</strong></a></span><br/>Graphia Books<br/><font color="#660066"><span class="genre">Mystery</span><br/></font>Hradcover: 9780152066093<br/>Paperback: 9780547411668<br/>372 pages</p>
<p>If certain bestselling novels and hit movies are to be believed, vampires are passionate, glamorous, romantic and downright sexy. Not so, says Nina Harrison, the narrator of Catherine Jinks’s dark comedy, THE REFORMED VAMPIRE SUPPORT GROUP. Nina, who has been a vampire since she was “fanged” at age 15, may write her own series of bestselling novels starring sexy vampire Zadia Bloodstone. However, in real life, Nina and her group of vampire “friends” (a term Nina herself would probably reject) are anything but glamorous or desirable.</p>
<p>Instead, life with Nina and her companions is a lot like an AA meeting. In fact, the loose-knit group of vampires meets regularly at a church in their native Sydney, Australia, in meetings overseen by a (human) priest. (It turns out, by the way, that the whole thing about vampires despising crosses and garlic was a bit of an exaggeration.) Being a vampire, we find out, is kind of like being an alcoholic. The vampires effectively have an infection that’s impossible to cure but possible to control, mainly by using willpower to overcome their desire for human blood and by fanging small animals (in their case, guinea pigs) and taking enzymes that mimic those in human blood.</p>
<p>Nina still lives at home with her mother (who’s now in her 70s), and she socializes by necessity with the other reformed vampires in her group. The only one she is at all fond of is fellow teenaged vampire Dave, a sensitive but moody soul who she likes in spite of herself. Nina can take or leave the other vampires, especially Casimir, the creepy instigator of the group. But when Casimir is staked through the heart <em>and</em> shot with a silver bullet, the Reformed Vampire Support Group must figure out which modern-day Van Helsing was out to get him --- and which of the other vampires might be the next target.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>B. Even though Nina is technically fifty-one (she was changed in 1973) she is in the body of a fifteen-year-old, qualifying her for YA age appropriate. In the book, she even says that she's upset about looking her age, because she can never get a license. The book also deals with many adolescent issues. She has to accept who she is. There is no cure to being a vampire, so she must come to terms with it. Nina's a writer. She writes books about a superhuman vampire that kicks butt on a daily basis. We all do this at some point. We fantasize about being different, superhuman. Our dreams help us become us. Nina has to reconcile her dreams to her actual abilities. Also, there is the issue of family. Like it or not, Nina's support group is pretty much her family (in addition to her zany mother). Therefore, she has to find a way to get along with them and not go entirely insane. Nina is also in love with her friend Dave, which is adolescent appropriate. She constantly talks about how she doesn't want Dave to see her in bad situations or misunderstand what he sees. The book is also a fast read, and it is very entertaining. One thing that I think many adolescents will like is how Catherine Jinks deconstructs the "typical" vampire. This group has no superhuman strength or speed, they can't go into the sunlight, and they are frequently ill. Nina also constantly makes fun of other vamps, like those in <em>Twilight.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>C. For more information about the book, go to <a href="http://catherinejinks.com/default.asp?PageID=166">http://catherinejinks.com/default.asp?PageID=166</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>D. This book is age appropriate, although I don't know how you coud really teach it in a classroom. I love the discussion questions that I was coming up with. It's a great book to discuss. I think that if you were going to teach it, freshman/sophomore classes would benefit the most by reading it. The appeal of the book is that it's inviting, and it is so unlike other vampire books. There is no glorifying becoming a vampire or a werewolf. I loved that the most in the book. Finally, there is a book that doesn't make being a vampire sound at all appealing. For that I am greatful.</p> Gentlemen by Michael Northroptag:mcpopmb.ning.com,2010-11-11:2665237:Topic:462962010-11-11T18:41:07.487ZChristina Abruzzinihttp://mcpopmb.ning.com/profile/ChristinaAbruzzini
<p><strong>Summary:</strong></p>
<p>This book is about four high school friends who go by the nicknames of Michael, Tommy, Mixer, and Bones. They are troublemakers, to say the least, and that is how everyone in their school sees them. The four of them do not seem to mind misbehaving in school/getting in trouble/being up to no good. It is almost like they are in their own little gang as the four of them are really tight and close-knit. They have a teacher by the name of Mr. Haberman who is their…</p>
<p><strong>Summary:</strong></p>
<p>This book is about four high school friends who go by the nicknames of Michael, Tommy, Mixer, and Bones. They are troublemakers, to say the least, and that is how everyone in their school sees them. The four of them do not seem to mind misbehaving in school/getting in trouble/being up to no good. It is almost like they are in their own little gang as the four of them are really tight and close-knit. They have a teacher by the name of Mr. Haberman who is their remedial English teacher that calls them "Gentlemen." There is a mishap in their math class one day as the teacher asks Tommy for an answer. Tommy has a difficult time prounouncing that specific number and he thinks the teacher knows that and asked him that on purpose. Tommy ends up flipping over his desk and gets sent to the principal's office. After this occurrence, Tommy disappears. Michael, Mixer, and Bones cannot seem to find Tommy at all. They try calling him, he is not showing up to school, and he is nowhere in sight. Tommy's own mother even calls Michael to see if he knows where he is. The boys start to think of what could have happened although Tommy had left town before for a while and then come back--it was something not surprising for Tommy. However, when the town sheriff comes to the school to investigate Tommy's disappearance, they know this is more real than they had expected. During all of this, Mr. Haberman brings a barrel to class one day and asks students to guess what is in it. Nobody guesses it right, so he doesn't explain what its contents are. He does ask for Michael, Mixer, and Bones to help carry it out to his car after class. It is extremely heavy and their suspicions start to surface. Could Tommy be in the barrel? Did Mr. Haberman kill him and then stuff him in the barrel? All along, the boys believe more and more that Mr. Haberman killed their friend Tommy. During class with Mr. Haberman, they are reading a book about murder and the way the teacher emphasizes certain parts of the book makes it sound more and more realistic that this murder in the book is actually a real-life murder. ***SPOILER ALERT: In the end after much communication among the three friends, they decide to confront Mr. Haberman...at his own house. They ask him about the barrel and demand to know what was in it. He laughs and tells them it was recycled materials. Michael feels he is being completely honest and is ready to leave but Bones has a different idea. He pulls out a fish club, (Mr. Haberman's club actually which Bones had taken from his classroom), and beats Mr. Haberman unconscious into a coma. Michael and Mixer are beyond shocked as their intentions were to just find out where Tommy was and what was in that barrel. Michael knew it was wrong but he felt at that time he had to stick with his friends and go along with it. They end up leaving Mr. Haberman's unconscious body and go home. In the end, Michael ends up testifying against Bones. Michael wanted to do the right thing, and he also realized that Bones needed help and did not want to continue standing by his side. Michael and Mixer do end up getting sent to juvie where Michael actually finishes the book from Mr. Haberman's class, and writes him a letter as an apology. Mr. Haberman writes Michael back telling him how gifted he is. Tommy reappears and the reason he had "disappeared" was to find out who he was and came to the realization that he was gay. Great ending! <br/></p>
<p><span><strong>Connection to YA Lit criteria:</strong></span></p>
<p><span><em>*YA authors write from the viewpoint of young people</em>- This story is told from Michael's view point. He is in high school and many of the opinions throughout the book are definitely expressed from a high schooler's eyes. It is definitely a relatable trait of the book.<br/><em>*YA lit gets rid of parents so the young person is free to take credit for his/her own accomplishments</em>- While there are minor parts in the book where we hear from Michael's mom, it is not at all significant in the book. (Michael's dad has not been in his life since he was little.)<br/><em>*YA it is fast paced</em>- This book is extremely fast paced! It flew by, and it was exciting all the way through. I was on my toes until the very end.<br/><em>*YA lit includes a variety of genres and subjects</em>- This book covers a lot of major high school-related issues: sexuality, dating, trying to fit in and find your place, individuality, friendship, family, sexual experiences (both positive and negative), violence, drugs, alcohol, humor, and mystery.</span><br/><span><span><em>*YA books are optimistic w/characters making worthy accomplishments</em>- In the end, Michael stands up to his friend in order to do the right thing. He knows it is wrong to not tell the truth, so he does testify against his own friend Bones.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span><span><em>*Successful YA novels deal with emotions that are important to young adults</em>- There is a wide range of emotions included in this book: love, anger, fear, confusion, etc.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoFooter"> </p>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span><strong>Link to a resource for further information about the book/novel:</strong></span></p>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6061941-gentlemen">http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6061941-gentlemen</a> --> A site that includes a summary and reviews about the book.</span></p>
<p class="MsoFooter"> </p>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span><strong>Your opinion/recommendations of the book/novel relating back to criteria:</strong></span></p>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span>I really enjoyed this book! It was fast paced which made it a lot more exciting. It was also really unpredictable which always makes for a nice surprise. I am a fan of mysteries, as I have mentioned, and this was definitely a great mystery! Nothing unraveled until the very end, and it kept me guessing throughout. I feel that this book is appropriate for high school grade levels and above. I do not think it is appropriate for children younger than high school because of the brief violence and sexual encounter. It may be effective to use this primarily in a classroom library, but it probably would not be used very effectively for a class lesson/unit. I do not think that this book has enough to go on to use for classroom teaching purposes, but it is a great read for students to read for fun.<br/></span></p>
<br/> 11/8 Best Books for Young Adults 2011 Discussiontag:mcpopmb.ning.com,2010-11-08:2665237:Topic:461312010-11-08T04:11:00.051ZPam Goblehttp://mcpopmb.ning.com/profile/PamGoble
<b style=""><span style="">PART 3 - PARTICIPATION CRITERIA FOR THE NING.</span></b><br></br>
<br></br>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="">1. Since all of you are reading different books, the idea is to share the many reads students can experience from reading YA literature. For each list you, will get<br></br> reviews on approximately 20 or more books.</span></p>
<br></br>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="">2. What must be included in your posts are:…</span></p>
<br></br>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""></p>
<b style=""><span style="">PART 3 - PARTICIPATION CRITERIA FOR THE NING.</span></b><br/>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="">1. Since all of you are reading different books, the idea is to share the many reads students can experience from reading YA literature. For each list you, will get<br/>
reviews on approximately 20 or more books.</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="">2. What must be included in your posts are:</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""><span style=""> </span> a. A short summary</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""><span style=""> </span> b. A connection to YA Lit criteria</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""><span style=""> </span> c. A link to a resource for further information about the book/novel( these may include author information, reviews, insight or information about issues the text references.</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""><span style=""> </span> d. Your opinion/recommendations of the book/novel relating back to criteria. A key<br/>
question to consider is whether the book is<br/>
classroom appropriate, and, if so, what reading level/grade/studentswouldbenefit from reading the text. If it is not suited for the classroom, if students are reading the book, what is the appeal?<span style=""> </span><br/>
</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style="">3. Lastly, you must respond to at least 2 other posts in detail.</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""> Have fun this week; I did... reading your work.<br/></span></p>
<br/>
<p class="MsoFooter" style=""><span style=""> </span></p>
<br/>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Arial Narrow";">Enjoy.<br/>Pam<br/></span> Twlilight--general issues and question of worthtag:mcpopmb.ning.com,2010-11-06:2665237:Topic:459622010-11-06T18:39:55.225ZMeghann Lothsonhttp://mcpopmb.ning.com/profile/MeghannLothson
There's a question I've been curious about since the beginning of the semester concerning everything we have read and have yet to read. Do you guys think there's more to the Twlilight series than meets the eye? What are some popular books that you find are good to bring into the classroom?<br></br><br></br>I have friends who loved the Twilight books, and I read them to see what the fuss was about. I thought I'd get a surprise, or at least something pretty interesting. Instead, I was met with an…
There's a question I've been curious about since the beginning of the semester concerning everything we have read and have yet to read. Do you guys think there's more to the Twlilight series than meets the eye? What are some popular books that you find are good to bring into the classroom?<br/><br/>I have friends who loved the Twilight books, and I read them to see what the fuss was about. I thought I'd get a surprise, or at least something pretty interesting. Instead, I was met with an underdeveloped storyline, unbelievable characters, and mediocre character development and depth in general. The book was poorly written, and seemed to be trying so hard to be deep and provocative--but it was a miss altogether. Everything that happened was completely unrealistic, and it had nothing to do with the plot about vampires and wolves. A good book will suck you in, tooth and nail, and make you believe anything. Many of my favorite books have fantasy storylines. This was just silly.<br/> <br/>I know it is a young adult novel; it meets the criteria pretty well. Parents take a backseat to let their teenage children carry the story. It
concerns issues of love and friendship, bravery and taking chances. However, these issues were not explored to the extent or direction that good books are able to. It was about lust, and not about real connection. The friendships were structured and lacked depth and weren't real relationships. Lastly, the bravery and action were frenzied and pointless. Very staged. I felt like saying, "Whoa! Were are we going now? Um, okay...I'll go along." I could feel the book trying to manipulate me into feeling the action--but it wasn't going well. It felt laughable.<br/><br/>The books that we have read work on a much higher level--like the difference between a five-star steak and a burnt hamburger. All of them are different, and we liked some more than others, but all of them work in different ways to get a truly worthy message across. Looking for Alaska, Speak, Make Lemonade, Monster, American Born Chinese, and more. Yes, many of them have swearing, sex, and other controversial issues. However, they possess a worthy depth and substance that I can't describe. They make you feel for the characters and really consider your personal convictions. There's growth involved. There's a good reason for students to be able to read them and talk through the issues involved. <br/><br/>There are some books (like Twilight, in my opinion) that you couldn't have those conversations about because there's nothing to work with. But there are plenty of great books that kids really love that are really worth the read. What books have you guys heard of that you are glad that kids read? How about the Harry Potter series, or even the books that we grew up reading? How about books that you grew up reading, and did they seem like good selections to teach? I'm curious about what everyone thinks about current and past popular teen books.<br/><br/> formatting issuestag:mcpopmb.ning.com,2010-11-05:2665237:Topic:458302010-11-05T07:04:59.276ZMeghann Lothsonhttp://mcpopmb.ning.com/profile/MeghannLothson
By the way, I had some major formatting problems with this. I typed out<br />
this review on Word because my internet was acting weird, and copied and<br />
pasted it here. It made the font totally crazy and spaced everything<br />
at, like, two or three words per line. Every time I tried to fix it here<br />
and post it, it just messed it up more. It took <span style="font-style: italic;">forever</span>.<br></br>
Random solution-- I copied and pasted it into the body of a facebook<br />
message, then copied and pasted that…
By the way, I had some major formatting problems with this. I typed out<br />
this review on Word because my internet was acting weird, and copied and<br />
pasted it here. It made the font totally crazy and spaced everything<br />
at, like, two or three words per line. Every time I tried to fix it here<br />
and post it, it just messed it up more. It took <span style="font-style: italic;">forever</span>.<br/>
Random solution-- I copied and pasted it into the body of a facebook<br />
message, then copied and pasted that back here. I figured it would help<br />
format it because MC Pop is a similar program. It worked!<br/>
<br/>
Just to warn you guys if ever anyone pastes anything here from Word-- it<br />
will majorly misbehave. <br/>
<br/>
Thanks! Resistance: Book 1tag:mcpopmb.ning.com,2010-11-05:2665237:Topic:458282010-11-05T07:03:49.910ZMeghann Lothsonhttp://mcpopmb.ning.com/profile/MeghannLothson
Here is a review I found extremely helpful. It describes the book extremely effectively, and though it does not mention the criteria by name, it discusses the book just as if the criteria were part of it. It's great.<br></br><br></br><a href="http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25297">http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25297</a><br></br><br></br>Resistance: Book 1 is a graphic novel about the French Resistance movement during World War II. It is the first in a series of…
Here is a review I found extremely helpful. It describes the book extremely effectively, and though it does not mention the criteria by name, it discusses the book just as if the criteria were part of it. It's great.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25297">http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25297</a><br/><br/>Resistance: Book 1 is a graphic novel about the French Resistance movement during World War II. It is the first in a series of three books by Carla Jablonski. The main character is a boy named Paul Tessier who lives with his family in Vichy, France. He is an artist, and carries is sketchbook absolutely everywhere with him. Paul has an older sister, Sylvie- about 18 or 20, and a younger sister, Marie- about 8 or so. His father was captured and is a prisoner of war. He lives with his siblings and his mother, taking care of the house. Paul also has a best friend, Henri Levy, who is Jewish. Before the story starts, there is an illustrated explanation of what was happening in France at the time of the book. The Nazi Party had taken over the Northern region of France, while the much smaller southern region was still being run by the French government. Vichy, where the story takes place, is in that southern region that is holding onto freedom. When Henri's parents disappear, Paul and Marie know they need to help him get back to his family. They hide him, and eventually they find out that their family and friends are part of a Resistance movement. The family plans to takes Henri to his parent's hiding place in Paris.<br/>Henri is restored to his family, and it is time for Paul to say goodbye. They realize that they might never see each other again, but the reader is left with an uplifting feeling that they would all find each other again one day when the war was over. The book ends with Sylvie, Paul, and Marie getting back on the train for home, suspecting aloud that their adventures—and dangerous sacrifice—are only beginning. <br/><br/>The book definitely fits with YAL criteria. Paul and Marie are young, and they are the main players of the story. Their mother, though a beloved and appreciated figure, is in the background. She purposely steps back in the book to allow them to make these very adult decisions, but the reader still knows that she is a solid force of love and support. It also shows incredible growth in the main characters. At first, Paul and Marie are regular children like their friends. They must deal with hearing these other children discuss the Jewish people in degrading ways, repeating rumors about them and acting like kids do when they believe someone is weird and wrong. However, the Tessier children rise above that by not only rejecting that, but by making a very difficult decision to protect Henri. Issues such as belonging, prejudice, uneducated hatred, fear, and unconditional love are present throughout. Teens could definitely relate to Paul and what he is going through, despite the fact that few of them will ever experience anything like what he goes through. Paul, Marie, and Henri act just like kids- fighting with siblings, other kids, and learning to cope with the world around them. They can connect with the essence of the feelings he has, and draw it to their own lives. Jablonski does a great job of writing the story in such a way that Paul is totally relatable.<br/><br/>The book was incredibly creative. It was a little slow and could have been clearer. Maybe tightening up the story in the beginning would have helped. However, I loved how relatable the characters are. It relates to the ever-popular teen issue of cliques, where all of your friends are saying something about someone else that is completely untrue. You can sense Paul’s frustration. I also loved how Jablonski uses Paul’s art to convey how he is feeling. Some of the frames of the story are sketches out of his notebook, and they speak what he feels and experiences very clearly. For instance, at the story’s beginning, there is that explanation of the state of France at the time. The first frame of the story is a drawing of Paul’s—the French countryside with a dark cloud rolling over it. The cloud eventually transforms into a monster crawling across the land—a sign of present and impending danger. The drawings also convey Paul’s feelings about other people. When he hears the other children making fun of Jews, he draws one of them in a little Nazi uniform. Also, after Paul and Marie become Resistance fighters, they are nervous about being caught. As they walk through the village, the reader can see the ever smiling faces on everybody the children face. However, in Paul’s book, the people are drawn with monster-like features, dark faces, and suspicious eyes. The reader can see Paul’s fears, hopes, convictions, and real mood through those drawings.<br/>I loved the cover to the book as soon as I saw it—a boy’s slingshot aimed directly at the back of a Nazi soldier’s head. It gave a feeling that would even further connect with young readers—a feeling that young kids are capable of great things. The Nazi soldiers are such feared figures in history, and this book gives the feeling that these young kids are part of a major movement that will really screw them up. Though the slingshot cover gives the idea that these kids are going to fight the Nazis in their own little raid of water balloons and spitballs, that is not what it’s really about. Because of the connection to younger children, the book would probably be best taught to Jr. High through sophomore year. Older kids could definitely appreciate it, but they might need something a little more mature in nature.<br/>Thumbs up for this one.<br/> Nightschool: Volume 1 by Svetlana Chmakovatag:mcpopmb.ning.com,2010-11-04:2665237:Topic:457882010-11-04T19:26:02.505ZChristina Abruzzinihttp://mcpopmb.ning.com/profile/ChristinaAbruzzini
<p><font face="Arial Narrow" size="4">Summary:</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial Narrow" size="4">Svetlana Chmakova's "Nightschool" takes place in a school, but not just any school...a school for vampires, werewolves, and witches. During the day, it is a regular school with human children but at nighttime, the school gets transformed into a school for all kinds of mystical creatures. The story centers on a young witch name Alex who is homeschooled. (It is unclear why she is homeschooled…</font></p>
<p><font size="4" face="Arial Narrow">Summary:</font></p>
<p><font size="4" face="Arial Narrow">Svetlana Chmakova's "Nightschool" takes place in a school, but not just any school...a school for vampires, werewolves, and witches. During the day, it is a regular school with human children but at nighttime, the school gets transformed into a school for all kinds of mystical creatures. The story centers on a young witch name Alex who is homeschooled. (It is unclear why she is homeschooled although this is only Volume 1). She lives with her older sister Sarah who is the new night keeper for the "Nightschool." Throughout the story, they show vampire hunters, witches casting spells, and this dark force called "The Rippers." One night when Sarah is at work at the school, Alex leaves the house to go practice a spell. (Keep in mind that Sarah told her sister to stay inside while she is not home but of course she doesn't which tells us something ominous will come of this..) Alex sets out and stops by a graveyard to practice magic when she hears people. These "people" turn out to be vampires and vampire hunters having a quarrel. In the middle of this quarrel, these Rippers come and terrorize them. Some of the people end up getting killed and others just injured. Alex is in shock seeing all of this and runs home in a panic. This same night, Sarah is at the school and a young girl, who looks almost menacing, tells her there are spells going on in a forbidden hallway. Sarah follows the girl into this dark hallways and the girl points to this open door leading underground that looks like it goes into some kind of vortex. Sarah goes ahead of the girl and heads down the stairs. The girl slams the doors down and says, "It's done." I definitely got the chills after reading that! While Alex is at home, she notices a picture frame that used to be of her and her sister but her sister has now disappeared from the picture. Worried and confused, Alex calls the school to talk to her sister. When Alex calls the school and asks for Sarah, they say that there is nobody there by that name nor was there ever anyone named Sarah that worked there. Alex knows that she needs to get to that school but upon her arrival, everything is dark and empty. She knows that at this hour, the magic school should still be going on yet nobody is around. Alex is walking down the hall saying, "hello?" when all of a sudden, there is some kind of dark figure that says, "Well, well, well, who have we here?" With that, the book ends! This is a series of books with numerous volumes, so having an ending like that makes you want to get the next one!</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial Narrow"> <br/>YA Lit Criteria:</font></p>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Narrow'"><span><font size="3">1. YA authors write from the viewpoint of young people: This story is told by a young witch named Alex which makes it relatable for younger people. <br/>2. YA lit gets rid of parents so the young person is free to take credit for <br/>his/her own accomplishments: Alex lives with her older sister Sarah, and it is unknown where their parents are. When Sarah disappears though, Alex is then on her own to try and figure out what is happening at the school.</font></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Narrow'"><span><font size="3">3. YA lit is fast paced: This story is really fast paced. Aside the fact that there are not many words on each page, the story itself goes quick. There is a lot of action happening and with the mystery aspect, it definitely makes the book fly by.</font></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Narrow'"><span><font size="3">5. The body of work includes stories about characters from many different <br/>ethnic and cultural groups: This story does an excellent job of portraying people from all different backgrounds. All of the mystical creatures are of various ethnicities, along with the human children in the school.</font></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Narrow'"><span><font size="3">6.YA books are optimistic w/ characters making worthy accomplishments: This book is not that optimistic; however, because it is only the 1st volume, I think that Alex will eventually find her older sister and things will turn out well. The book ends with Alex trying to find her sister, so it leaves off with a cliffhanger.</font></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Narrow'"><span><font size="3">7. Successful YA novels deal w/ emotions that are important to young adults: In the story, there is a part on two people being in love. There is also Alex, the main character, who is an outcast which definitely relates to younger people. There is the battle between the two mystical groups which younger people can relate to because of the various conflicts they go through with friends/enemies. It is also important for young people to see Alex, a young girl, who has to fight by herself to find Sarah. I think that shows empowerment for younger generations.</font></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Narrow'"><span><font size="3">Links in relation to the book:</font></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Narrow'"><span><a href="http://www.svetlania.com/">http://www.svetlania.com/</a> --> This link will bring you to the author's personal webpage.</span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Narrow'"><span><a href="http://www.yenpress.com/nightschool/">http://www.yenpress.com/nightschool/</a> --> This link will bring you to the various volumes of this series, as well as summaries of each one.</span></span></p>
<br/><p class="MsoFooter"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Narrow'"><font size="3"><span>Personal Response:</span></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoFooter"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Narrow'"><font size="3"><span>I really enjoyed this book. As a fan of mystery, this book held my interest throughout. I also was a fan of shows like "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" and "Charmed" which this book reminds me of as well. This book takes you to this fantasy world that is not realistic yet very exciting because it puts you in that mystical realm. I think many students would find this book quite interesting; however, it may also depend on the types of books children like. This is a mystery that involves mystical creatures like vampires and witches, and there are students that do not find that kind of thing appealing. It definitely is age-appropriate with middle school and high school students. While it does get dark, it is nothing too inappropriate that would scare the mentioned age groups. I do think it may be startling for students that are younger than middle school. If you are someone that finds vampires, werewolves, and witches to be fascinating, then this is the book for you! :) </span></font></span></p>