11/1 Graphic Novel Discussions

[Pam Goble]

Please post your discussion regarding graphic novels here:

PART 3 - PARTICIPATION CRITERIA FOR THE NING.

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 reviews on
approximately 20 or more books.

2. What must be included in your posts are:

            a. A short summary

            b. A connection to YA Lit criteria

            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.

            d. Your opinion/recommendations of the book/novel relating back to criteria. A key question to consider is whether the book is
classroom appropriate, and, if so, what reading level/grade/students would
benefit from reading the text. If it is not suited for
the classroom, if students are reading the book, what is the appeal?           

3. Lastly, you must respond to at least 2 other posts in detail.

You will enjoy this and have fun on the NING. This is a professional Ning that will be every useful to your in your teaching.

 

Enjoy.

[Samantha Carter]

A Study in Scarlet is like the beginning of all Sherlock Holmes stories. It starts off as a doctor name John Watson wanting a roommate and he is introduced to Holmes. They room together and Holmes reveals that he is a consulting detective. Holmes gets a visitor about a murder that had just happened and him and Watson goes to the murder scene together. Holmes describes the murderer perfectly and says that the murderer (Hope) had forgotten a ring that he would return for again. He puts an ad out for it and an old lady picks the ring up and somehow vanishes out of the cab. After that there was a second murder that happened and Holmes tells that murder for what it was too. The second half of the book tells how the murders began. The murderer was caught and the murders happened out of revenge for a lost love. The murderer wanted to tell the story because he knew he would die before there was a trial and he did, in fact, die the day before his trial due to an aneurism.
This book does not connect to the YAL criteria. This story is told by a man is well over the age of a young adult. The feelings in this book are not what young adults can relate to. The only feeling that they could probably relate to is love. However, the love described in this book is not what they would go through at a young age.
http://www.angelfire.com/ks/landzastanza/scarlet.html this is a link about the main characters in the book.
I would not recommend this book for young people. This book is interesting but at the same time it does not meet the YAL criteria. I think that young people who are not interested in mysteries would not like this book at all. The second half is a lot better than the first half because it really tells what led up to the murders. If there was a way to only recommend that half I would but not the whole book for young people.

[Danielle Sonni]

Lots of murder going on! Was this the type of book where the reader was always trying to figure out what was happening and solve the story them-self? It seems like Holmes gives away the whole murder mystery before the reader even has a chance to try and solve/think about it. This book was a graphic novel, right? What did you think about the illustrations? Could they appeal to young adults?

I think the whole detective genre could appeal to a lot of young adults but it seems like this book just didn't cut it! What are your thoughts about this book being on the list for great graphic novels?

[Samantha Carter]

I was not really trying to figure out who was the murder but I must admit that I did want to go to the end of the book to peek. Holmes describes the scene and that the murderer had come back to retrieve the ring that was left but you dont really know what really happened for sure. If this book was given to young adults they might find it interesting. Its not one of those books that you know for sure whether it would be liked or not. Honestly, I do not know how this book made it on the great graphic novels list because its not really great.

[Pam Goble]

Half and half...mmm...do you think the mystery was the best part?
Pam

[Samantha Carter]

I think finding out why there was a mystery was more interesting. Hope was killing out of revenge and because he was huring. I am not saying that that is a good reason to kill but it made sense. The two men he killed had killed his lovers father and one of them married his lover just for her to die weeks later after the marriage. I thibk that the book should have started with that but that would defeat the point of it being a mystery.

[Adriana]

I can't help but wonder if a majority of young adults would still enjoy reading this story even though it does not meet with important YAL criteria. For example, we just read "The Murders of the Rue Morgue" by Edgar Allen Poe (a mystery/detective story) in one of my classes and everyone loved it. This surprised me because I felt that because of the specific genre some people may not like it but it turns out, everyone in my class did. I'm not sure why everyone loved the story but perhaps it goes to show that it may be a good book to recommend either way because it also gives students the opportunity to read something other then the standard YAL novel.

[Meg Seth]

I agree with you here. I Ioved Edgar Allan Poe growing up, especially during high school. The graphic novel I read was also a a take on a classic. I believe that sometimes classic literature can appeal to a young adult audience, albeit in a different way than modern YA lit.

[Meghann Lothson]

"the Rue Morgue" is one of my very favorites! I'm glad you liked it as well. It's sinister, but really creative. You can make anything fun for students, but it can be difficult to find out how. Reading aloud just to give the story some life is even effective! It goes to show you that classics can be fun, too.

[Laura Bychowski]

It's true, young adults often get tired of reading novels told from their perspective. In high school I was forced to read a lot of classics, but I liked the process of getting up to an adult level of cultural knowledge. It's cool how many of these first books were graphic novel takes of classics, perfect for introducing young adults to adult literature.

[Danielle Sonni]

Yummy, The Last Days of a Southside Story by G. Neri

This graphic novel was illustrated very much like a black and white comic strip and had only a few words per image. "Yummy" is the true story of a gang shooting in the Roseland neighborhood of Chicago in 1994. The story is told by the narrator, 11 year-old Roger. Roger is the same age as Yummy and knows him from school and the neighborhood. We learn that Yummy became a member of the Black Disciples gang (at age 11!) and was trying to make a name for himself and gain respect by committing numerous crimes and acting tough. Roger's brother, Gary, is also in the Black Disciples gang. Yummy tries to kill some rivals on the street and innocent bystander Shavon 14 year-old girl, gets killed by Yummy. The shooting is all over the news (gaining national attention, even from Pres. Clinton), everyone in the neighborhood is mourning, and Yummy is on the run. The Black Disciples hid Yummy while a city-wide man hunt (or "boy" hunt as Roger says) ensues. While Yummy is still missing, Roger's teacher asks the class to write about paper about "WHY" Yummy is the way he is. Roger includes the opinions of "WHY" from all types of people: neighbors, kids, adults, police, lawyers, news anchors, politicians, other gang members. Some blame the environment, Yummy, Yummy's lack of love/parental support, the system, the gangs, etc. We hear all points-of-view on the matter of gang violence. After 4 days of hiding, Yummy is scared and alone and calls his grandma to get him, he thinks of turning himself in. Instead, the Black Disciples pick him up and kill him - he was beginning to cause too much trouble and draw too much attention to the gang. At the end, Roger says, "I don't know which was worse, the way Yummy lived or the way he died."

This book fits the YA lit criteria and my summary doesn't fully encompass how sad and depressing this story is. Yummy was described in the book as carrying around a teddy bear and loving candy (hence his nickname), truly a little boy, yet committing very violent crimes. Yummy's dad was in prison and his mother was a drug dealer and prostitute who abused him and he was sent to live with his grandma (who had ~20 other kids to care for). The YA point-of-view is definitely shown, and it is interesting to hear the story from Roger since he is very similar to Yummy (age, neighborhood) and it shows the different ways a young boy can choose to live his life. The issues in this story are sadly prevalent still today in Chicago, and I can imagine many kids can relate to this story. Many CPS students are in the same situation as Roger and Yummy. The pointless violence expressed in "Yummy" is a staple of the local news, kids killing kids every day.

This book is a very easy read and would be appropriate for middle schoolers as well as high schoolers. I think "Yummy" would be a nice companion piece or introduction piece to a a more complex text. "Yummy" will spark a lot of discussion and emotion and would be a great way to start a unit on violence, urban issues, issues of race/justice. Being from Chicago/burbs, the story meant more to me and I think Chicago students would really like this aspect as well (references to the Bulls, Chicago buildings, etc).

I liked "Yummy" because by the end of the book I was not sure who was the villain and who was the blame. It left me questioning why this horrible violence is so prevalent in our city (and society) and asking myself what can be done? And I just feel sick about it. Warning: this is not an uplifting, feel good book!

[Pam Goble]

Danielle,
I will read/buy this book.I have an affinity for "Chicago" books, too. This review "hooks". Did you read any reviews or find any links that would make us understand this GN better?
Pam

[Danielle Sonni]

Sorry - forgot to include the links!

This link is to the author's site about Yummy http://www.gregneri.com/g.neri_yummy.html

This site has a video of G. Neri speaking about the book, reviews, a blog, and historical/factual documents about the true events of Yummy.

Yummy himself was on the cover of TIME Magazine in 1994 due the sensational nationwide coverage and response to the murder. Here is a link to the TIME article: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,981460,00.html