Crank---Wow

Poetry has always been my favorite "topic" in ELA if you will, and this verse novel is another one to add to my list of favorites.  I appreciate authors that can write in this style because you have such limited space to say what you want to say.  Ellen Hopkins did an amazing job.  She made so many intentional decisions that could be over-looked by a reader.  Sometimes I was so anxious to find out what was going to happen next that I didn't really take time to look at the page as a whole or to try reading each page in a different way.  I love how she incorporated shape poetry (using hearts when talking about her heart tattoo, and using the letter E when talking about ecstasy).  There were also times that if you read the poem in a different way (ex p 302/303) that the words on the right hand side made their own poem.  She also used this method to distinguish between dialogue! Who knew you could put so much into poetry?! I also LOVE books written this way because they appeal to reluctant readers.  A lot of white space on the pages, but a thick book to make you feel really accomplished as you go.  This book however covered some really "deep stuff," so it would have to be used with an older reluctant reader.  Sharon Creech, author of Love That Dog also writes in this style and would appeal to the younger reader.

Wow, I finished Crank in two sittings because I just could not put it down!  I absolutely loved this book.


Now, to the meat of the text.  I can't say I could really relate to the extremes that Kristina/Bree went to, but I think we all battle that good girl/bad girl thing at some point.  I have always been a Kristina and sometimes feel that I lived in my own little bubble and didn't know what REALLY went on in the world.  It's like the attitude that "this stuff doesn't go on in my home town with the people I know," but now that I am older, I know that is just not true.  Drugs are a nasty nasty addiction that can take over even the most confident, secure people.  I loved how you could feel the character struggle, and you went through her journey from the very beginning and how she even got started with crank and how it just spiraled until it was out of control.  I was a little surprised as to how quickly Kristina transformed into Bree.  It only took one boy to convince her to try crank, and next thing you know she is experimenting and even becoming a drug dealer herself.  At first I thought this was a little unrealistic, but as I thought more about it, it is absolutely true.  These things can happen so fast, especially to a young 16 year old who is trying to find their identity.  I like how raw the novel was and how the author explained how the drugs do make you feel good while you're on them.  I think often times kids learn about drugs from one perspective, like the DARE program where they don't really educate, just tell you to "say no." This book definitely does not promote drug use, but it does show both sides and how it just takes over.  I wonder what it would have been like if Kristina/Bree would have sought help when she knew she needed it and was going out of control?  I read the author's note in the beginning of the book, and she says that although this novel is fiction, it is based loosely on her daughter.  The baby in the end of the book is now adopted by her and her husband and is doing well.  I would love to find out more about the author and her daughter's experience.  Having never done these drugs, I don't really know how accurate the descriptions are, so I would be interested to see if her daughter helped her in writing this novel.  Ahh... I love a novel that makes you think.

Catching Up

Well, I have been incredibly sick the past two weeks.  Really bad sinus infection, double pink eye, the whole works...and to make it worse, I am supposed to be on break from teaching!  I guess it is better now than when I am supposed to be working, but this is the first time I have been able to sit up and look at the computer without feeling awful.  My apologies on being behind!

When I could actually stay awake, I have been busy reading Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson and A Northern Light.  If I was awake and not feeling awful, I did not want to stop reading A Northern Light!  It was definitely one of my favorite novels so far.  I love the real-ness and strength of the main character Mattie.  She is strong, and smart, and determined, and has a lot of qualities that I strive to have.  This novel felt so real to me which is why I think I liked it so much.  The novel didn't really feel to me like it was being romanticized in any way, but was the rather being honest about the good and the bad times.  It took me a little while to get used to the past/present perspective of the chapters, but I actually really like the way it was done in the end.  I think it was unique and really made the reader really think about what was going on. As I was reading, I thought it would be kind of neat if life was like that and you could get a glimpse of what your life would be like  jumping back and forth past to present.  I wonder if I would make different decisions based on knowledge I'd have about my "future."  I've been trying to look at these novels from more of a student perspective lately after my read of The Big Splash.  I truly think my students would enjoy this novel as much as I did from a teacher perspective.  It is captivating and the romance/mystery would invite even the most reluctant readers to enjoy this story.  I also think that her struggle to go to New York City and leave behind her family are something very real.  I know that this has been a personal struggle for me and I could really relate.  I want more than anything to move to NYC and teach there, but I would hate to leave my family and my boyfriend.  Do we do what is right for us, or what is right for everyone else?  This is a topic that everyone struggles with at one point or another and could lead to great discussion.  Did this book remind anyone of  The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo?  It may be far fetched but the murder mystery really reminded me of it for some reason?  Maybe because I read that/saw the movie not too long ago and it is just in my head, but just a thought!

I really loved the book Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson as well!  This was a good week for reading because I loved both of my books.  This book was AWESOME because it took a perspective that I was not used to reading from.  The book takes place during the Revolutionary War, and it is from the perspective of two young slave girls.  Their mother has passed away and the two sisters, Ruth and Isabel, are left to fend for themselves.  Their owner has also died, and she had been taking good care of them.  After she passed her nephew was to take over the property and in turn was in charge of the girls.  He quickly sold them to a couple that lived in New York City.  Isabel meets another slave who has connections to the Patriots.  He knows that her owners have ties to the British and wants Isabel to spy on her owners because they may have insight as to when the British are going to invade America.   For good reason, Isabel doesn't want to be involved at all, but when her sister gets into trouble with their current owners, she knows that she has to try to earn their freedom in any way possible.  The book is intriguing and really allows the reader to connect to the characters.  I found myself completely lost in the book when I was reading.  It sounds silly, but sometimes I felt like I was actually in the book with them.  I think this would be a great book to tie in with social studies because I think we usually learn about history from the white American perspective and don't really get a chance to think about it from the slave perspective.  I was doing a little research to see how you could tie this book in and make it cross-curricular (incorporating the common core) which seems to be the new buzz, and right on Laurie Halse Anderson's website was an awesome resource!  http://madwomanintheforest.com/historical-chains/  On the right hand side she has all kinds of links to the history of NYC during this time period including street names etc. It has links to information on slavery during that time period, letters from the Library of Congress etc.  This book is so much more than a story, but a link to history that may actually interest our students because it shows what their life might be like if they lived during that time.  I think this was a creative way to captivate readers.  Definitely on my list of must reads!

The Big Splash

I am over half way through The Big Splash and although I am entertained, I don't find it to be a book that I have trouble putting down.  I like the corky idea that the kids are running an underground business for old tests and hall passes etc.  That seems like every middle schooler's dream to me!  It is a little concerning that kids keep getting away with the squirt gun crimes and no teachers get involved, but it is all in good fun I guess!  You could probably bring up some good conversation about bullying with this book.

I have to be honest, the first chapter or so did not capture my attention at all, but as I got to know Matt a bit more and learn about his family life with his Dad disappearing and his Mom having to work two jobs etc.  The little love triangle also made the book seem a little more "real" to me.

I hate to stereotype, but I definitely see this book appealing to more boys than girls. I think the mystery and little adventure in it would captivate even some reluctant male readers.  It is a fun story that I will most definitely keep on my list of suggestions for students!

Shug is so real...

I just adore this book.  When you first begin the book it seems like it will be a simple story about a first crush and first love, but then it takes a sharp turn for reality. 

 Shug covers the hurt of a first love, and the tough changes that young adolescents have to deal with.  Friends start to change and move on, families start to change; siblings get older and you start to realize that Mom and Dad aren't the super heroes you once thought they were.  Your body starts changing and you feel like you're left behind.  Doing the "right" thing starts to get more and more difficult.  Fitting in is the number one thing in your life.  The book is just plain real.  The author's language wasn't forced, and the story and characters just flowed together so nicely. I felt Shug's pain, and her happiness. I remember feeling all of the emotions she feels when I was a young girl, so I am sure young readers would feel like they finally have someone to relate to.

A great read that I highly recommend to everyone!

Shug....I think I'm in love

So I am about halfway through my new YA book choice read and I just love it. Shug (pronounced like sugar) is a sweet story about your first love.  Shug, an endearing nickname that Annemarie's family gave her, is head over heels for her best friend, Mark, who lives down the street.  Annemarie doesn't feel like is very pretty compared to her sister Celia who EVERYONE has a crush on.  Her best friend Elaine convinces her that she is and tries to give her the courage to make Mark look at her the way she looks at him.

I can completely relate to Shug in this story because my best friend growing up was a boy. He lived right behind me and we played together every day.  We used to catch frogs, and climb trees, play video games and watch movies.  We were inseperable.  When we reached middle school, all of a sudden he was the most handsome thing in the world to me.  I didn't want to be just a friend with him anymore, and I had a mega crush on him. He didn't seem to think of me that way though. As we grew older, he wanted to just be one of the guys and hang out with them (kind of like Mark).  I started to feel like everything we had was lost and was heartbroken for a long time.  I know how my story ended, but I am anxious to hear how Shug's story ends!  Can't wait to keep reading!

The Candidates....a mediocre read

I finished The Candidates a few nights ago, but was too invested in my new book to get online and post!  This book definitely tries to have a Harry Potter or Twilight twist to it, however I don't think it nails it quite as well.  The book started off strong leaving you with a lot of questions, but I found the middle of the book to be quite meaty with a lot of round-about explainations.  It took a while for it to really get going.

Right from the beginning we know there is something a bit strange about the main character, Dancia, and the new school she will be attending, Delcroix Academy.  Not until the last few pages do you figure out what is really going on, and even then it felt like it was kind of thrown in there.

 The majority of the book is really about a love triangle with the main character and two "enemies" if you will. Who will get the girl, the good looking "Mr. Perfect," or the "bad boy" who is always getting in trouble? It talks A LOT about young crushes, and what you do about a boy you like and the conflict Dancia has internally about everything that is going on.

Although I didn't particularly care for the book, thinking about my middle school students, I know a lot of young girls who would probably be very interested seeing as the story has romance, covers a first kiss, has a fantasy element etc.  I think it is almost like a Twilight geared for a younger audience.