Genre 6 - Young Adult Fiction - Monster

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Myers, Walter Dean. 1999. MONSTER. New York, NY: Harper Collins. ISBN: 0060280778

2. PLOT SUMMARY
While on trial as an accomplice to a murder, sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon records his experiences in prison and in the courtroom in the form of a film script as he tries to come to terms with the course his life has taken.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Main character, Steve Harmon, must face an increasingly difficult situation. On trial for murder, Steve must come to grips with the choices he’s made. Myers creates a believable character in Steve. The emotions he goes through while in prison seem realistic and credible. The character struggles with thinking that these events aren’t really happening to him and young adult readers will be able to relate to those feelings.
The plot is gritty and true-to-life. As Steve spends time in jail he reflects on what a life term would feel like. Subject matter such as sodomy is discussed candidly. Steve’s relationship with his attorney, Ms. O’Brien, is also well designed. Even after Steve’s not guilty verdict she still looks at him like a monster. This realistic ending can show young adults that all is not forgiven in the real world.
Myers’ writing technique writes this novel in the form of a film script. It is a little choppy at the beginning but it quickly becomes easier. The style is creative and it allows the reader to get a better sense of who Steve is. Could someone who is so talented also be a monster? It is a question that readers will grapple with for a long time.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
BOOKLIST: ”Script and journal together create a fascinating portrait of a terrified young man wrestling with his conscience. The tense drama of the courtroom scenes will enthrall readers, but it is the thorny moral questions raised in Steve's journal that will endure in readers' memories. Although descriptions of the robbery and prison life are realistic and not overly graphic, the subject matter is more appropriate for high-school-age than younger readers. A powerful and provacative novel.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Monster will challenge readers with difficult questions, to which there are no definitive answers. In some respects, the novel is reminiscent of Virginia Walter's Making Up Megaboy (DK Ink, 1998), another book enriched by its ambiguity. Like it, Monster lends itself well to classroom or group discussion. It's an emotionally charged story that readers will find compelling and disturbing.”

5. CONNECTIONS
* Discuss the modern-day legal system. Are lawyers seeking the truth? Which witness in the trial were telling the truth and which were not?
* Discuss the screenplay format. Was it an effective way to tell this story?

Genre 6 - Newbery Award - Tale of Desperaux

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

DiCamillo, Kate. 2003. THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX. Ill. by Timothy Basil Ering. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN: 0763617229

2. PLOT SUMMARY
The adventures of Despereaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the princess he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Besides making the reader hungry for soup, this book left me feeling a little empty. Ms. DiCamillo tries telling three stories that are intertwined but fail to let the reader understand any story completely. Despereaux Tilling is a brave mouse determined to conquer his obstacles and ignores the traditional mouse way of doing things. Independent thinkers will cheer for Despereaux when he challenges the mouse status quo by talking to humans and even falling in love with one. The book takes a heartbreaking turn when Despereaux’s own family leads him to his supposed desmise in the dungeon. Young readers might take this darkness too seriously.
DiCamillo’s writing of specific characters left readers feeling unsatisfied. For example, Miggery Sow, the servant maid really made the book fall apart. Readers can’t tell whether they should like Miggery or hate her. She makes stupid decisions that seem contrived and hokey. Even young readers will feel frustrated by her actions.
The author’s writing style of addressing the reader in some places was choppy and disjointed. These asides were probably meant to add humor to the story but did not seem to do the job.
Mr. Basil’s pencil illustrations do an adequate job of depicting scenes from the story. They are not especially compelling and do not persuade a reader to pick up the book. The back cover does have an especially gloomy picture of the tunnel to the dungeon.
The conclusion that these characters can bond over soup seemed the most ridiculous. If someone wanted to kill someone, soup probably wouldn’t solve the problems. It felt like Ms. DiCamillo needed to wrap everything up quickly and this was the easiest way to do it. Overall, Ms. DiCamillo has much stronger literature like BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE and EDWARD TULANE.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Winner of the 2004 Newbery Award

Starred review in BOOKLIST: ”Forgiveness, light, love, and soup. These essential ingredients combine into a tale that is as soul stirring as it is delicious.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “A charming story of unlikely heroes whose destinies entwine to bring about a joyful resolution. This expanded fairy tale is entertaining, heartening, and, above all, great fun.”

5. CONNECTIONS
Discuss the vocabulary in the book, like “perfidy”.
Discuss other foods that are comforting to readers, like soup was to these characters.

Genre 6 - Fantasy - The Giver

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lowry, Lois. 1993. THE GIVER. New York, NY: Random House. ISBN: 0440237688

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Lowry gives her audience a credible, futuristic book in THE GIVER. The main character, Jonas, is a realistic character struggling to make hard decisions. Young readers and adults will be able to relate to his challenges. Jonas is revealed to the reader through his thoughts and actions. His opinions about his community change as he learns more about his community. Readers will feel his loneliness as he begins to stand apart from his beloved community and family.
The plot moves along swiftly as Jonas is given the important job as Giver in his community. Readers will be as curious as he is to know more about his new job duties. The futuristic setting is also believable. The community has been able to eradicate hurt and pain but has lost out on things as a result.
Readers will be able to relate to the community’s desire of wanting to eliminate hardship and Jonas’ feelings of betrayal. Lowry examines the side effects of these decisions so readers can also relate to those as well. A well organized book that can lead to many worthwhile discussions.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Winner of the 1994 Newbery Award

NEW YORK TIMES: ”A powerful and provacative novel.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “In a complete departure from her other novels, Lowry has written an intriguing story set in a society that is uniformly run by a Committee of Elders. The author makes real abstract concepts, such as the meaning of a life in which there are virtually no choices to be made and no experiences with deep feelings. This tightly plotted story and its believable characters will stay with readers for a long time.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*Read CITY OF EMBERS and compare the two communities.
*Discuss how life would be in this community and find pros and cons.
*Write a sequel to tell what happens to Jonas after he escapes.
*Read GATHERING BLUE and MESSENGER and see how these stories relate.

Genre 5 - Biography - Michelangelo

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Stanley, Diane. 2000. MICHELANGELO. New York, NY: Harper Collins, Inc. ISBN 0688150861

2. PLOT SUMMARY
A biography of the Renaissance sculptor, painter, architect, and poet, well known for his work on the Sistine Chapel in Rome's St. Peter's Cathedral.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Stanley’s attention detail is evident from the beginning of the story. The author’s note and bibliography are further evidence of her research. Students will enjoy reading about Michelangelo cutting up bodies to study anatomy and seeing the morgue picture. The history of the famous Medici family is intriguing and Stanley presents it in a captivating manner.
The book’s design is eye catching. Stanley uses computer images of Michelangelo’s sculptures to integrate them into her sketches. The technique will provoke conversations because students will be excited to find out that these are the actual sculptures.
The book is organized chronologically as it follows Michelangelo’s life. Stanley does an excellent job portraying Michelangelo’s ego as he becomes famous. Incorporating direct quotes like, “Painting and sculpture have ruined me…It would have been better if in my youth I had hired myself out to make sulfur matches!” makes the book feel personal. Information on the Sistine Chapel is also very interesting because it dispels the myth of Michelangelo painting lying down. Stanley’s presentation will allow readers to understand much more about a complex man.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Starred review in BOOKLIST: “Stanley continues her series of outstanding biographies, but this time she puts a new twist on some venerable art by using computer images. One of the most pleasing things about Stanley's books is the way her sturdy texts stand up to her strong artwork. That's particularly evident here, as she tells the story of Michelangelo's turbulent life in a style that is so readable, and occasionally so colloquial, that even children not readily interested in the subject will be drawn in. Readers will be intrigued to learn, for instance, that Michelangelo's art was not shaped by his own creative desires but by the popes and patrons who demanded the tombs, sculptures, and decorations that Michelangelo created.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “As Michelangelo breathed life into stone, Stanley chisels three-dimensionality out of documents. Her bibliography lists original material as well as respected scholarship; from these sources she has crafted a picture-book biography that is as readable as it is useful. She approaches her subject chronologically, from the artist's early childhood with a wet nurse in a household of stonecutters through his long history of papal commissions to his deathbed musings. In addition to the direct (although uncited) quotes and delineation of his life's journey and major works, she provides an unobtrusive explanation of the style, technique, and meaning of Michelangelo's sculptures, architecture, and paintings. She includes an iconography of the Sistine Chapel, shown in all its restored glory.”

5. CONNECTIONS
· Research famous art pieces made by Michelangelo.
· Read other biographies by Diane Stanley and make some comparisons.

· Make a timeline incorporating important events in Michelangelo’s life.

Genre 5 - Historical Fiction - Bud, Not Buddy

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Curtis, Christopher Paul. 1999. BUD, NOT BUDDY. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc. ISBN0439221889

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Ten-year-old Bud, a motherless boy living in Flint, Michigan, during the Great Depression, escapes a bad foster home and sets out in search of the man he believes to be his father--the renowned bandleader, H.E. Calloway of Grand Rapids.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Christopher Paul Curtis crafts a memorable character of Bud Caldwell. Readers will be able to identify with Bud’s desire to belong and have a family. As the story opens at the orphanage, readers understand this book will be about his quest to find a place where he belongs. Bud is a strong and smart character. Readers will want to root for him to make his way.
Set in economically depressed Michigan during the Great Depression, readers will be able to grasp the historic implications of this setting. Times are tough and Bud experiences this when he’s at the orphanage and living in the shanty town.
Curtis’ style is easy to read and Bud has a memorable voice. Young readers will be hooked by page twelve, when Bud gets the pencil shoved up his nose by Todd. “Wow! You got all the way to R.” Readers will cheer when Bud gets his revenge. Curtis obviously did research when writing this book because there are mentions of appropriate jazz artists.


4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
BOOKLIST: “Told in the boy's naive, desperate voice, with lots of examples of his survival tactics ("Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar out of Yourself"), this will make a great read-aloud. Curtis says in an afterword that some of the characters are based on real people, including his own grandfathers, so it's not surprising that the rich blend of tall tale, slapstick, sorrow, and sweetness has the wry, teasing warmth of family folklore.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “In a Victorian ending, Bud uses the rocks he has treasured from his childhood to prove his surprising relationship with Mr. Calloway. The lively humor contrasts with the grim details of the Depression-era setting and the particular difficulties faced by African Americans at that time. Bud is a plucky, engaging protagonist. Other characters are exaggerations: the good ones (the librarian and Pullman car porter who help him on his journey and the band members who embrace him) are totally open and supportive, while the villainous foster family finds particularly imaginative ways to torture their charge. However, readers will be so caught up in the adventure that they won't mind. Curtis has given a fresh, new look to a traditional orphan-finds-a-home story that would be a crackerjack read-aloud.”

5. CONNECTIONS
· Create an author study of Curtis by reading other books, like THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM and ELIJAH OF BUXTON.
· Read other books set in the Great Depression and compare those situations to Bud’s.
· Investigate the Great Depression by looking at nonfiction materials and photographs of the time period.
· Research Christopher Paul Curtis' background. Discuss what influences led him to write BUD, NOT BUDDY.

Genre 5 - Historical Fiction - The Land

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Taylor, Mildred. 2001. THE LAND. New York, NY: Random House. ISBN 0803719507

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Mildred Taylor’s prequel to ROLL OF THUNDER HEAR MY CRY focuses on the life of Paul-Edward Logan. Paul-Edward grew up torn between the two sides of his family. The son of a slave and wealthy land owner, Paul-Edward has never fit in. After a family disagreement, Paul-Edward runs away vowing to never return to the land he loved. His friendship with the son of a sharecropper, Mitchell, is the only thing that connects him to his past. Together, Paul-Edward and Mitchell work together to create a new life for themselves on land they can call their own.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
THE LAND begins slowly as the reader is introduced to the main character, Paul-Edward Logan. Taylor wants the reader to be keenly aware of the insecurities Paul-Edward feels being of mixed race. Readers of all races will be able to relate in some way because we all have our own insecurities. The friendship between Paul-Edward and Mitchell also slowly develops. Although this technique can be frustrating to the reader at times, it is realistic of a friendship that evolves over the years. The deep friendship that eventually develops was carefully crafted by Taylor and the reader appreciates it more. When Paul-Edward sits with Mitchell on his deathbed, the reader will deeply reflect on their years of friendship. The emotion of the moment was very strong.
Taylor crafts another excellent character by creating Paul-Edward’s love interest, Caroline Perry. When Paul-Edward is introduced to the strong-willed character, Caroline, the reader will feel the energy change. Caroline is a ball of energy and is able to keep up with Paul-Edward and Mitchell. Even when Mitchell and Caroline marry, the reader can sense the fondness between Paul-Edward and Caroline. It was not surprising that those characters ended up together after Mitchell’s death.
THE LAND is an excellent book to share with students learning about Reconstruction and the trials of sharecropping. Taylor definitely doesn’t sugarcoat the past. Her use of the “n” word is common but used appropriately in the setting. Teachers can use this book to start meaningful discussions about racism and race in America.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Starred review in BOOKLIST: “Gr. 7-12. Like Taylor's Newbery Medal book, ROLL OF THUNDER HEAR MY CRY (1976), this powerful historical novel, a prequel to ROLL OF THUNDER, refuses to "whitewash" history. As the author notes in her afterword, the language was painful and life was painful for many African Americans, including her family. Drawing directly on her family history, especially what she knows about her great-grandfather, she goes back to the time of Reconstruction to tell a searing story of cruelty, racism, and betrayal. She also tells a thrilling coming-of-age story about friendship, hope, and family strength.
Taylor's characters are drawn without sentimentality. Not all whites are demonized; some whites help Paul. But many are vicious racists, like the farmers who don't want blacks owning land nearby. The "n" word hits like a blow each time it's used. But, as the author writes, that's what her grandfather endured. Let's hope that the historical truth, the words, and the violence don't cause adult censors to keep this landmark book from young adults who will want to read it and talk about it.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “The Land by Mildred Taylor (Putnam, 2001) is a wonderful novel of close friendship, harsh prejudices, and deep yearning. Fans of the author's Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Dial, 1976) saga will enjoy learning how the love of the land was instilled into the family through the story of Paul-Edward Logan, Cassie's grandfather.”

5. CONNECTIONS
· Read ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY and draw parallels between the main characters.
· Students should be allowed to have thoughtful conversations after tense racial moments in the book.
· Tie together with THE GLORY FIELD by Walter Dean Myers to examine the struggle of African Americans over the years.