Bibliography & Annotations

Bach, Richard. (2002). The ferret chronicles: rescue ferrets at sea. New York: Scribner. 0-7432-2750-6.

Dove, Mourning. (1990). Coyote stories. Ill: Heister Dean Guie. Lincoln, Nebraska: Bison Book. 0-8032-8169-2.

Franco, Betsy, Ed. (2001). Things I have to tell you: poems and writing by teenage girls. Ill: Nina Nickles. Cambridge: Candlewick. 978-0763610357

Hurston, Zora Neale. (1937). Their eyes were watching God. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. 0-06-093141-8.

Janie Crawford, a young black woman in the 1930’s, sets off to find herself in a world that wants her to fade into the background. Along the way she learns about love, happiness, individuality, trust, and peace. Written in dialect, it can be slow to read, but the scene that gives the book its title is beautifully written.

Mason, Bobbie Ann. (1985). In country. New York: Harper & Row. 0-06-091350-9.

It is 1984, and 18-year-old Sam Hughes has never known her father because he died in the Vietnam War before she was born. Now she lives with her “crazy” uncle while her mom has moved away with her new husband. Sam attempts to discover what her father was like, and in the process what makes up who she is. The story is slow but interesting, and culminates with an emotional scene at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Rosengren, John. (2003). Blades of glory: the true story of a young team bred to win. Chicago: Sourcebooks, Inc. 978-1402200465.

The 2000-2001 Bloomington Jefferson High School hockey team is expected to be the best. Author John Rosengren gives an honest portrayal of Coach Tom Saterdalen, Captain Tommy Gilbert, Goalie Timm Lorenz, and the rest of the team as they deal with high school pertinent issues like academics, drugs, girlfriends, parents, getting into college, and being a role model. The sometimes foul language of the players is not cut, giving the book an honest feel that allows the reader to feel as if they’re sitting with the team in the locker room.

Wasserman, Robin. (2008). Skinned. New York: Simon Pulse. 978-1-4169-7449-9.

Lia Kahn was popular, smart, rich, connected, and on the path to success from her high school. Until a car accident took her life. But in this futuristic society, that’s not the end. Lia’s brain has been downloaded into a new, mechanical body and she can continue to live her life, minus the eating, breathing, and sleeping. But she finds herself now an outcast of society, seen as inferior to other people. Themes of “racism,” acceptance, and personal responsibility create a story that teenagers will enjoy.

Review Podcast

Here is our review podcast (the sound kind of drops at the end, sorry):

Response to Persepolis

Like American Born Chinese, I liked this book more than I thought I would. And I feel like there was so much going on, I don’t even know where to start. I guess I’ll start at the beginning. I was laughing on the first page, second panel, when we’re shown a “class picture” but the narrator isn’t in it so we can’t see her. I thought that was really funny.

The first very poignant moment of the book for me was when the narrator says, “Something escaped me…cadaver, cancer, death, murderer…laughter?” (32). She didn’t understand how her parents and grandmother could laugh about such things. It shows a couple of things about older people who have gone through times of such terrible trial for so long. The two most common reasons for such a response are that the adults have been around the terror for so long that they have just become used to it and so it doesn’t even really affect them much anymore, or that when such terrible things are happening people have to find something to laugh at or they would be crushed under the weight of the sadness of their country. It was really interesting how we were shown that the narrator showed us this childish confusion early on in the book, I really liked that.

Of course one of the most interesting parts of the book is the oppression of people and how it is dealt with. Everything from wearing the veil all the time to smuggling modern items to banning all sorts of items that are a part of our everyday life.

I also found it really interesting that there was almost a “my dad is bigger than your dad” attitude going on among the kids. They talk about their family members and parents regarding how long they were in prison or if they killed anyone or where they demonstrated or any number of things that a kid in the United States probably wouldn’t even think of. But as the kids get a little older, they seem to understand more what is going on in their country, which helps them identify with each other a bit more than they used to, creating new types of relationships. The relationships definitely change between the students who just fall into the rank and file and don’t know much of what’s going on and those who take an active role in politics and really do understand what is going on in their country.

One thing I was really surprised about was the mistrust of the media. In the United States, we have certain stations that perhaps slant things a certain way or they may say things that are inaccurate but not on purpose. It’s surprising to me that the media would intentionally say things that are untrue because of a certain agenda. Though I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me that much because it has happened, and perhaps is happening, in our own government.

The ending was heart-wrenching, I thought. Sending off your child to live in another country because the situation in your homeland has gotten so bad that it would be better to divide your family than risk staying put is something that I can’t even fathom. And as a child, knowing that you may not ever see your parents again is something that no child should have to endure.

I would be very interested to get Persepolis 2 to see where the story goes from here, and I think that is one of the marks of a good book.

Response to American Born Chinese

I read this book before Persepolis, and I have to admit that going into this genre I did not think I would like it very much. I liked comic books growing up, but was never super into them, and this genre just didn’t seem like it was up my alley. I was wrong. I really enjoyed most of this book, and would absolutely recommend it to a student. The characters were interesting, the storylines compelling for the most part, and the visual aspect added a ton to the book.

I’ll start with the visual aspect, since that is what creates this genre. My favorite part was probably the face of the Monkey King, especially on the bottom of page 145. I laughed out loud at his loss for words, and there is no way that would have come across as well without the visual. The other one I liked was the “hmph” on page 149. I thought that was really funny, too. I also like the pictures because they add different layers to the text that would be hard, if not impossible, to do with just traditional text narrative. During the scenes with Chin-Kee, the constant “HA HA HA HA” underscoring the story is a really cool addition that would not have been possible any other way. Also, the “lighting bolts” that show Jin’s confidence just add that extra something that is so much more interesting than saying, “Jin felt a jolt of confidence.”

One of the big reasons I think this book works so well as it does is that the author uses the characters’ facial expressions beautifully. I already mentioned the Monkey King, but another perfect example is on the bottom of page 179 when Jin is asked not to see Amelia again. That picture of his dumbfounded face surrounded by nothing says more than any bit of text ever could. That was a beautifully portrayed emotion. Also, (okay, I’m rambling a bit, but I’ll move on soon) on page 72 the Monkey King breaks out of the box on the page, and I thought that was a really funny use of the conventions of the genre.

Okay, the character of the Chin-kee is, as the book says, “the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype” (inside flap). I thought it was hysterical, but I almost felt bad laughing at this character and his antics because of how absurdly inappropriate the character, jokes, and portrayal are. Of course, the author seems to be trying to make a point about stereotypes, judgementalism, and how people are treated, but I’m not sure the point comes across as well as it could. With how Chin-kee acts (making a ruckus by singing in school, peeing in a guy’s Coke, making inappropriate remarks to girls, etc.) is Danny expected to just let him do things like that without getting angry or embarrassed? I’m just not sure I completely understand how Chin-kee was supposed to serve as Danny’s conscious with how extreme Chin-kee’s actions were. I’m not sure anyone would be able to react much better than Danny did.

Speaking of Danny, I did not completely understand why or how the switch was made. I know it brought it back to the old herbalist lady and how she said, “It’s easy to become anything you wish…so long as you’re willing to forfeit your soul” (29). So did Jin forfeit his soul or scruples or whatever in exchange for becoming Danny and being popular? Did the old lady do something to change him or did he just believe or want it so much that it actually happened? When that change happened, I’ll admit, I rolled my eyes. I just found it really unbelievable, and to that point I was loving the book. The last 30 pages had me wrinkling my brow and wondering why it had to go that way.

Response to Luna

This book presented some problems for me. I’m not even really sure how to go about responding to it, but I’ll give it the ol’ college try.
Okay, let’s start with the fact that I really like how the book is organized and written. The characters were believable, though not likable (we’ll get to that), the situations felt real to high school, and the insertion of the flashback scenes I thought added a lot to the narrative and were way better than if the narrator had just described those scenes to us.
Speaking of the narrator, I thought it was a great decision to have the narrator be Liam’s sister. It makes it so much more interesting to read because we don’t just see Liam and what he is going through, but we see how others are affected and how Liam’s life does not just center on himself, but has a huge impact on the lives of others, particularly Regan. She was a fascinating character, and the way her relationship developed with Chris probably would strike a chord with a lot of high schoolers. The awkwardness, the wonder, the “I don’t have time for this right now,” the jealousy, all of it is very “high schooly” and students would identify with that.
Okay, I guess I have to get to the elephant in the room. Or…on the page. Whatever. I am not okay with the topic of this book. I don’t want to make anyone angry, but my belief system does not allow for the GLBT philosophy to be okay. I believe saying it is okay for someone to be transgender implies that God made a mistake when he created them, and I don’t believe in a God who can make mistakes. I really don’t believe it’s appropriate to get into all that in depth in my book response, so I’ll try to stick with this book. When I saw what the book was about, I immediately thought, “I don’t want to read this book” and I actually considered asking if I could read a different one. But I thought it was important to have the same book experience that my classmates are having, so I read it. I wonder what I would do if a student asked me, “Do you know any good books about transgender teens?” Would I recommend this book knowing that it is a good book, but goes against what I believe in? Would I lie and just say no? Would I hand it over without a word? I really don’t know.
Interestingly, the character I had the biggest problem with in this book was not Liam. He seemed like an honest, caring, hard-working person. Granted, he maybe took advantage of Regan a little bit, and he made some really poor decisions (like dressing up during the babysitting gig), but on the whole he seemed like a likeable guy. No, the characters I had the biggest problem with were Liam’s parents. His mom didn’t take care of her family, and the outburst of “I’ve had it with you. I’ve had it with you and these kids and my life. It isn’t enough” (137) is extremely selfish. But it all starts with Liam’s dad. He obviously did not know how to make his wife feel loved, leading to the aforementioned scene. And his insistence on pushing Liam into sports when Liam clearly did not want to sends a terrible message. But of course it culminated with the lines “You’re sick” and “If you walk out that door, don’t bother coming back” (222-223) I don’t care if what someone does is against your beliefs, you just don’t treat people that way. I believe the culture of the home and family start with the husband/father, and this guy failed miserably.

Response to The Life and Death of Adolf Hitler

I found this book enthralling. I didn’t know much about Hitler before his rise to power, and to see his whole background is very interesting. Of course, the first thing almost anyone thinks about Hitler is, “How can someone follow a person like that?” This book answers the question beautifully. With the political climate at the time, the results of the First World War, the state of Germany, and so many other factors, it really was the perfect storm for Hitler to rise to power.
One of the most interesting aspects of the story I thought was his young adult years spent in Vienna and trying to make it as an artist. Imagine, if he had just gotten into art school, none of this would have ever happened. To hear how he struggled, how he hid his trials from friends and family, and how he was really was just a lost young man adds depth to a person normally viewed as simply a monster who hated for no reason.
Speaking of why he hated, I really liked that the book does not try to offer a definitive explanation for Hitler’s hatred of the Jews. It is simply unfathomable to think that someone could hate another person that much simply because of their religion, race, gender, size, or any other aspect of character that should have no bearing on how people are treated. And while the book does offer some possibilities, it does not try to give an outright explanation, knowing that it is impossible to do so.
After the question of hate comes the question of love. Is it possible to love someone so much that you will poison yourself, have your body burned, and even kill your own children because that someone will no longer be the leader of your country? The persons of Eva Braun and the Goebbels are arguably just as fascinating as Hitler himself. Who voluntarily goes to their grave over this? At no point did Eva Braun think to herself, “You know, we’re not even married, and this war really isn’t going that well. Maybe Hitler isn’t the best guy to be connected to right now”? And when the story is told of Magda Goebbels killing her own children with poison and saying, “A world without Hitler and National Socialism is not worth living in” (214) I could barely contain my rage. Really? A world without Hitler is not worth living in? He was one guy! He orchestrated the death of millions of people! And he’s the one guy that makes the world worth living in?! I feel bad enough when I accidentally bonk my son’s head with the car door, and she poisoned her kids on purpose! It just really shows the length to which these people were brainwashed.
Interestingly, I believe Hitler could be cast as a sort of tragic hero to the people who followed him and knew exactly how to get people to do what he wanted and how to get them to think a certain way. He was loved by so many for so long, but his pride became his tragic flaw. He refused to believe there was anything he couldn’t do, and started making decisions that were irrational out of pride. Everyone knew the move into Russia was a poor decision, but he went ahead with it and it basically cost him the war. He ordered troops not to surrender when that was really the only course of action. He thought he knew the military strategies of other countries, but didn’t. His downfall came because of his own pride, and had he not believed in himself so much, he probably would have won.

Response to The Circuit

I really enjoyed this book, even with how sad much of it is. I feel like even through the sadness, there is a ray of hope that constantly shines through. Maybe it’s because the father really does believe there is a better life that they are working toward, or maybe it’s because there are characters throughout the book with whom we sympathize, but mainly I think it’s because the main character does not seem to hold any animosity toward the life he lives. There are moments of sadness and misery, of course, but it seems that few of them actually have to do with their lot in life. The sadness comes when the bird dies or when he tries to help pick cotton but ends up destroying it or the fact that he is nervous about reciting the Declaration of Independence (more on that later). But never, to my recollection, does he say things like, “I wish we weren’t so poor” or “Why did God give us this crappy life?” There is no “woe is me” in regard to the life they lead, and that makes the reader sympathize with their plight much more easily.
The beginning of the book was a little hard to read for me because the family has grand ideas of moving to California for a better life, but right away we know what likely awaits them, and we know that it is no better. I think the father knows it immediately, and maybe even knew it before, when they arrive and are told they cannot start work for two weeks and they will all stay in a little tent. We wonder right away if they would have been better off just staying in Mexico. But also in the first chapter we see the unbridled optimism that the boys have. When the train conductor drops a bag of food for them, Roberto exclaims, “See, it does come from California!” (7). Even with the life they now lead, the boys are holding onto the idea that there is a California out there somewhere that is a land flowing with milk and honey. They refuse to believe that this is the end of their journey.
Two specific spots in the story really stuck with me. The first is the game of kick the can in the chapter “Learning the Game” when Panchito refuses to play unless Manuelito is also allowed to play. I love that this story is woven into the story of Gabriel, who refuses to do the work of an animal and is fired and deported. The injustice of Gabriel’s story sits in stark contrast to what Panchito decides he must accomplish. It is one small moment, in one small field, with a few young children, but in that moment, justice was served and discrimination was destroyed because one small boy took a stand against something that he knew was not right. World changes begin with moments like that.
The second part that struck me was the ending. I loved the buildup of trying to learn the Declaration of Independence to recite it in front of the teacher, especially the repetition of the famous words of equal creation. Before the recitation comes, however, Panchito is taken away by what I assume is the INS. The fact that the teacher is making the students memorize these words and then turns in Panchito is, for me, at the same time very aggravating but kind of understandable. We want Panchito to succeed, and we want to believe that everyone has the right to freedom and happiness, but at the same time he is here illegally and the laws of the country must be upheld or there would be total chaos. So it creates a moral dilemma of helping the child but submitting to authority. Tough.