Bibliography
Black, Holly and Tony DiTerlizzi. 2003. THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES: THE FIELD GUIDE. New York: Simon & Schuster Books. ISBN 0689859368
Plot Summary
As Jared, Simon and Mallory Grace move into a mysterious old family house, they quickly realize that this is more than just a rickety estate. Several strange occurrences ensue, leading the siblings to investigate their origins. As a weird and wonderful field guide is discovered, the children are exposed to a word of fantastical creatures. Working together, the three children come across some great findings, and are introduced to their first fantasy creature. This first book of the Spiderwick Chronicles is merely the start of incredible adventures to come.
Critical Analysis
DiTerlizzi and Black deliver younger readers a whimsical short read that is surely to capture their interest. Secret passages, intriguing riddles, and mentions of faeries and trolls are prevalent throughout the book, allowing the reader to take part in the adventures of the young Grace children. DeTerlizzi and Black offer characters that have a great ability to relate to young children. Divorce is an unfortunate fact that several children must face in their lives. By including that aspect in this story, the authors are letting children understand that they are not alone in their family struggles, and even they can find salvation in something. This world of fantasy allows the characters and the readers to escape the occasional unpleasantries of life.
With humor and wittiness, DiTerlizzi and Black describe an incredible world that exists from the field guide, “As Jared read, each page took him deeper into the strange world of forest and stream, alive with creatures that seemed so close that he could almost stroke the slick, scaly flanks of the mermaids. He could almost feel the heat of the troll’s breath and hear the rumble of the dwarven forges.” The reader holds their breath as the strange and unknown creature, known only as a boggart, is reveled to the young siblings, “There was a loud sound of a throat being cleared, and the three turned toward the desk. Standing on it, in worn overalls and a wide-brimmed hat, was a little man about the size of a pencil. His eyes were as black as beetles, his nose was large and red, and he looked very like the illustration from the Guide.”
The book holds great aesthetic appeal. Black and white ink drawings provide the reader with a visual image of the Grace children, the creepy house, and the interesting characters that will follow them throughout the series. Additional features like pages torn from the field guide, described as “Handwritten note uncovered by Jared Grace in Arthur Spiderwick’s upstairs library”, allow the reader to feel even more involved in the plot.
At the close of the book, the boggart warns the siblings to toss the book into the fire in order escape a horrible fate. It appears that the Grace children have only just embarked on their journey. The last sentence is a cliff-hanger that definitely encourages the reader to continue with the series, “And worst of all, they were only at the beginning.” This fast-paced story will leave the reader fleeing to Book 2!
Review Excerpts
Bookhive
“Adventure, mysteries, secret rooms, strange messages, and a hint of danger— this book has them all!”
Kirkus
“Readers who are too young to read Harry Potter independently will find these have just the right amount of menace laced with appealing humor and are blessed with crisp pacing and, of course, DiTerlizzi's enticingly Gothic illustrations.”
Connections
If students feel comfortable, they can discuss or write about a time that they struggled with divorce or other issues, and what or who they found salvation in.
Students can also create personal field guides, with creatures of their own. They can imagine what could be in the walls of their own homes, whether it be a simple squirrel or a true boggart!
Additional recommended books:
*The Seeing Stone (Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 2) by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
ISBN 0689859376
*Lucinda's Secret (Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 3) by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
ISBN 0689859384
*Queste by Angie Sage ISBN 0060882077
*Physik by Angie Sage ISBN 0060577371
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Saturday, August 2, 2008
FICTION, FANTASY, & YA Review – Monster By Walter Dean Myers
Bibliography
Myers, Walter Dean. 1999. MONSTER. Ill. by Christopher Myers. ISBN 0060280786
Plot Summary
Steve Harmon, a 16 year-old black male, sits in a grim jail cell. He is on trial for felony murder. “Sometimes I feel like I have walked into the middle of a movie. It is a strange movie with no plot and no beginning.” In order to take himself away from the horrors of jail and the uncertainty of the courtroom, Harmon treats his case as if it is a movie script for an upcoming film he will create. An innocent Harlem drugstore clerk has been killed. Several men are said to be involved in the robbery. Was Steve Harmon involved as a lookout? Or was he simply a bystander? Young Harmon constantly wonders if his entire youth will be spent in this nightmare of a jail, “I am so scared. My heart is beating like crazy and I am having trouble breathing.” He often has flashbacks of his childhood, and the events that preceded the robbery. What will his parents and younger brother do if he is found guilty? How will he survive with the constant fear of being molested or killed in this ungodly prison? It is up to the reader to see if young Steve Harmon is a true “Monster.”
Critical Analysis
Walter Dean Myers reveals this case to the reader in a very unglamorous and gritty way. His use of controversial subjects, such as foul language, violence, gangs, murder, robbery, drugs, and sexual assault are quite prevalent. Though the issues addressed may be controversial to some, they depict how some inner-city youth live. This real-life feeling appeals to young readers who want to hear stories that are not sugar-coated. The reader can feel the strong sense of sexual brutality and physical violence throughout the jail, “First I was scared of being hit or raped…Everybody in here either talks about sex or hurting somebody or what they’re in here for…They had church services and I went. There were only 9 guys in the service, and 2 of them got into a fight. It was a vicious fight…”
Myers allows the reader to understand how much Steve Harmon hates jail and the entire legal process. He is not sure of what is occurring most of the time in the courtroom, but he fears returning to his cell every night, “I hate this place. I hate this place. I can’t write it enough times to make it look the way I feel. I hate, hate, hate this place!!”
As the trial progresses, the reader sees how Harmon is becoming like the other inmates. Harmon knows this fact and writes about it, “I think I finally understand why there are so many fights. In here all you have going for you is the little surface stuff, how people look at you and what they say. And if that’s all you have, then you have to protect that. Maybe that’s right.” As Harmon’s character outlines his movie, he begins to realize that this is not really a script, but his life. He would give anything to have this only be a movie.
The use of script outlines and handwritten journal entries allow the reader to embark on something that is not your typical novel. Christopher Myers adds a haunting reality with grainy black and white photos of jail cells, mug shots and other characters. This format appeals to young readers, offering them an escape from monotonous paragraphs. The reader will enjoy this face-paced thriller, all the while wondering if young Steve Harmon truly is a MONSTER.
Review Excerpts
School Library Journal
“Christopher Myers's superfluous black-and-white drawings are less successful. Their grainy, unfocused look complements the cinematic quality of the text, but they do little to enhance the story. Monster will challenge readers with difficult questions, to which there are no definitive answers.”
Kirkus Reviews
“The format of this taut and moving drama forcefully regulates the pacing; breathless, edge-of-the-seat courtroom scenes written entirely in dialogue alternate with thoughtful, introspective journal entries that offer a sense of Steve's terror and confusion, and that deftly demonstrate Myers's point: the road from innocence to trouble is comprised of small, almost invisible steps, each involving an experience in which a ``positive moral decision'' was not made.”
Connections
A Reader’s Theater would be a wonderful way to share this book. Since it is written in a script format, students can take the role of the lawyers, witnesses, and defendants.
Students can also hypothesize about Steve Harmon’s life after the trial. What did he learn during the process? How did this all change his life?
Additional recommended books:
*The First Part Last by Angela Johnson ISBN 0689849230
*Who Am I Without Him? By Sharon Flake ISBN 1423103831
*Slam! By Walter Dean Meyers ISBN 0545055741
Myers, Walter Dean. 1999. MONSTER. Ill. by Christopher Myers. ISBN 0060280786
Plot Summary
Steve Harmon, a 16 year-old black male, sits in a grim jail cell. He is on trial for felony murder. “Sometimes I feel like I have walked into the middle of a movie. It is a strange movie with no plot and no beginning.” In order to take himself away from the horrors of jail and the uncertainty of the courtroom, Harmon treats his case as if it is a movie script for an upcoming film he will create. An innocent Harlem drugstore clerk has been killed. Several men are said to be involved in the robbery. Was Steve Harmon involved as a lookout? Or was he simply a bystander? Young Harmon constantly wonders if his entire youth will be spent in this nightmare of a jail, “I am so scared. My heart is beating like crazy and I am having trouble breathing.” He often has flashbacks of his childhood, and the events that preceded the robbery. What will his parents and younger brother do if he is found guilty? How will he survive with the constant fear of being molested or killed in this ungodly prison? It is up to the reader to see if young Steve Harmon is a true “Monster.”
Critical Analysis
Walter Dean Myers reveals this case to the reader in a very unglamorous and gritty way. His use of controversial subjects, such as foul language, violence, gangs, murder, robbery, drugs, and sexual assault are quite prevalent. Though the issues addressed may be controversial to some, they depict how some inner-city youth live. This real-life feeling appeals to young readers who want to hear stories that are not sugar-coated. The reader can feel the strong sense of sexual brutality and physical violence throughout the jail, “First I was scared of being hit or raped…Everybody in here either talks about sex or hurting somebody or what they’re in here for…They had church services and I went. There were only 9 guys in the service, and 2 of them got into a fight. It was a vicious fight…”
Myers allows the reader to understand how much Steve Harmon hates jail and the entire legal process. He is not sure of what is occurring most of the time in the courtroom, but he fears returning to his cell every night, “I hate this place. I hate this place. I can’t write it enough times to make it look the way I feel. I hate, hate, hate this place!!”
As the trial progresses, the reader sees how Harmon is becoming like the other inmates. Harmon knows this fact and writes about it, “I think I finally understand why there are so many fights. In here all you have going for you is the little surface stuff, how people look at you and what they say. And if that’s all you have, then you have to protect that. Maybe that’s right.” As Harmon’s character outlines his movie, he begins to realize that this is not really a script, but his life. He would give anything to have this only be a movie.
The use of script outlines and handwritten journal entries allow the reader to embark on something that is not your typical novel. Christopher Myers adds a haunting reality with grainy black and white photos of jail cells, mug shots and other characters. This format appeals to young readers, offering them an escape from monotonous paragraphs. The reader will enjoy this face-paced thriller, all the while wondering if young Steve Harmon truly is a MONSTER.
Review Excerpts
School Library Journal
“Christopher Myers's superfluous black-and-white drawings are less successful. Their grainy, unfocused look complements the cinematic quality of the text, but they do little to enhance the story. Monster will challenge readers with difficult questions, to which there are no definitive answers.”
Kirkus Reviews
“The format of this taut and moving drama forcefully regulates the pacing; breathless, edge-of-the-seat courtroom scenes written entirely in dialogue alternate with thoughtful, introspective journal entries that offer a sense of Steve's terror and confusion, and that deftly demonstrate Myers's point: the road from innocence to trouble is comprised of small, almost invisible steps, each involving an experience in which a ``positive moral decision'' was not made.”
Connections
A Reader’s Theater would be a wonderful way to share this book. Since it is written in a script format, students can take the role of the lawyers, witnesses, and defendants.
Students can also hypothesize about Steve Harmon’s life after the trial. What did he learn during the process? How did this all change his life?
Additional recommended books:
*The First Part Last by Angela Johnson ISBN 0689849230
*Who Am I Without Him? By Sharon Flake ISBN 1423103831
*Slam! By Walter Dean Meyers ISBN 0545055741
FICTION, FANTASY, & YA Review – Princess Academy By Shannon Hale
Bibliography
Hale, Shannon. 2005. PRINCESS ACADEMY. New York, New York: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 1582349930
Plot Summary
A fragile young girl from Mount Eskel, Miri, feels insignificant and weak as she is not allowed to work in the linder quarry alongside her father. Her mother dies when Miri was a newborn, and her father remains overprotective of his little flower. Just as she feels that she is of no use, the king announces that the prince will choose his next bride from the mountain girls. As she and the other girls are escorted to the academy to prepare themselves for the prince’s arrival, intrigue and nervousness set in. Tutor Olana is the nightmarish teacher that practices insensitive language and cruel punishments. As the girls are forced to tolerate harsh conditions, Miri begins to learn about the world and about herself.
At times, Miri is ostracized by the other girls for her independent thinking. Because of this, she throws herself into the world of books and learning. She discovers how to access the mysterious “quarry speech” that she has heard about from the quarry workers. Soon, all of the mountain girls are able to communicate with the strange internal language. The girls utilize this talent during lessons, examinations, and dealing with Tutor Olana. Miri is even able to use quarry speech to alert her village that the academy has been overtaken by a group of merciless bandits. As the girls await the prince’s decision, Miri contemplates whether or not her true place is in a kingdom. Is it worth leaving her home, sister, father, and her potential true love, Peder?
Critical Analysis
Susan Hale delivers an exceptional story, packed with friendship, unity, love, survival, and the feeling of self-worth. The reader first sees the character of Miri as a diminutive 14 year-old. She is ripped from her home and everything that she has ever known. She and the other girls are forced to live at an academy, transforming themselves into some type of royal lady. It is interesting how Hale enables Miri to discover that she too can perform quarry speech. She was under the impression that only quarry workers could speak it. It is only during a time of incredible need that she is able to conjure up the emotions to communicate with her fellow Mount Esker citizens. While the story first appears to be that of young girls being groomed for a potential crown, the reader quickly sees that this story travels much deeper. It is a story about young Miri trying to make a difference in her beloved mountain. Because she was so firm in her beliefs, her fellow classmates shunned her, which caused her to immerse herself in books, which shed light on many facets of the world that affected her Mount Eskel. It is about how all the people of one land have a gift that allows them to correspond with or warn one another of impending trouble.
Hales detailed description of different settings allows the reader to paint a picture of the Mount Eskel atmosphere, “The festivities slows and families clustered around fire, drinking tea, with honey if they were lucky and singing sleepy tunes…Among the gray scraps of rubble rock, the white and silver linder gleamed like jewels. From the cracks in the rocks all around, the miri flowers were already blooming.”
Hale depicts Miri as the smartest and most likely candidate to be chosen by the prince. As the decision time draws closer, Miri contemplates her future. Hale creates a constant struggle that Miri must battle. She wonders if she will say yes if the prince chooses her, and if she does, will she be happy? What will happen to Mount Eskel? What will happen to her family? The concept of “quarry speech” adds a bit of curiosity to the reader. Is it possible for these mountain people to actually communicate with their minds? This added whimsy offers a fantastical feeling throughout the book.
During the confrontation with the bandits, Hale lets Miri see how united an loyal her mountain community really is, which eventually ends in good winning over evil, “There was Peder, his hands red with cold, no doubt having left too quickly to find his gloves…Her family, her playmates, her protectors and neighbors and friends – those people were her world…She realized with sudden clarity that she did not want to live far away from the village where Mount Eskel’s shadow fell like a comforting arm. The mountain was home – the liner dust, the rhythm of the quarry, the chain of mountains, the people she knew as well as the feel of her own skin.” In the end, Miri takes her gift of intellect and justice and brings it to where it is needed most, her dearly loved Mount Eskel.
Review Excerpts
School Library Journal
“Each girl's story is brought to a satisfying conclusion, but this is not a fluffy, predictable fairy tale, even though it has wonderful moments of humor. Instead, Hale weaves an intricate, multilayered story about families, relationships, education, and the place we call home.”
Booklist
“Hale nicely interweaves feminist sensibilities in this quest-for-a-prince-charming, historical-fantasy tale. Strong suspense and plot drive the action as the girls outwit would-be kidnappers and explore the boundaries of leadership, competition, and friendship.”
Connections
Students can be encouraged to explain why only the Mount Eskel folks could practice quarry speech. Why is community so important in order for lands to run properly? Teachers should also emphasize that even though Miri was small and from a rural area, she was able to accomplish more than she ever thought.
Additional recommended books:
*The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale ISBN 158234843
*Enna Burning by Shannon Hale ISBN 1582349061
*River Secrets by Shannon Hale ISBN 1582349010
Hale, Shannon. 2005. PRINCESS ACADEMY. New York, New York: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 1582349930
Plot Summary
A fragile young girl from Mount Eskel, Miri, feels insignificant and weak as she is not allowed to work in the linder quarry alongside her father. Her mother dies when Miri was a newborn, and her father remains overprotective of his little flower. Just as she feels that she is of no use, the king announces that the prince will choose his next bride from the mountain girls. As she and the other girls are escorted to the academy to prepare themselves for the prince’s arrival, intrigue and nervousness set in. Tutor Olana is the nightmarish teacher that practices insensitive language and cruel punishments. As the girls are forced to tolerate harsh conditions, Miri begins to learn about the world and about herself.
At times, Miri is ostracized by the other girls for her independent thinking. Because of this, she throws herself into the world of books and learning. She discovers how to access the mysterious “quarry speech” that she has heard about from the quarry workers. Soon, all of the mountain girls are able to communicate with the strange internal language. The girls utilize this talent during lessons, examinations, and dealing with Tutor Olana. Miri is even able to use quarry speech to alert her village that the academy has been overtaken by a group of merciless bandits. As the girls await the prince’s decision, Miri contemplates whether or not her true place is in a kingdom. Is it worth leaving her home, sister, father, and her potential true love, Peder?
Critical Analysis
Susan Hale delivers an exceptional story, packed with friendship, unity, love, survival, and the feeling of self-worth. The reader first sees the character of Miri as a diminutive 14 year-old. She is ripped from her home and everything that she has ever known. She and the other girls are forced to live at an academy, transforming themselves into some type of royal lady. It is interesting how Hale enables Miri to discover that she too can perform quarry speech. She was under the impression that only quarry workers could speak it. It is only during a time of incredible need that she is able to conjure up the emotions to communicate with her fellow Mount Esker citizens. While the story first appears to be that of young girls being groomed for a potential crown, the reader quickly sees that this story travels much deeper. It is a story about young Miri trying to make a difference in her beloved mountain. Because she was so firm in her beliefs, her fellow classmates shunned her, which caused her to immerse herself in books, which shed light on many facets of the world that affected her Mount Eskel. It is about how all the people of one land have a gift that allows them to correspond with or warn one another of impending trouble.
Hales detailed description of different settings allows the reader to paint a picture of the Mount Eskel atmosphere, “The festivities slows and families clustered around fire, drinking tea, with honey if they were lucky and singing sleepy tunes…Among the gray scraps of rubble rock, the white and silver linder gleamed like jewels. From the cracks in the rocks all around, the miri flowers were already blooming.”
Hale depicts Miri as the smartest and most likely candidate to be chosen by the prince. As the decision time draws closer, Miri contemplates her future. Hale creates a constant struggle that Miri must battle. She wonders if she will say yes if the prince chooses her, and if she does, will she be happy? What will happen to Mount Eskel? What will happen to her family? The concept of “quarry speech” adds a bit of curiosity to the reader. Is it possible for these mountain people to actually communicate with their minds? This added whimsy offers a fantastical feeling throughout the book.
During the confrontation with the bandits, Hale lets Miri see how united an loyal her mountain community really is, which eventually ends in good winning over evil, “There was Peder, his hands red with cold, no doubt having left too quickly to find his gloves…Her family, her playmates, her protectors and neighbors and friends – those people were her world…She realized with sudden clarity that she did not want to live far away from the village where Mount Eskel’s shadow fell like a comforting arm. The mountain was home – the liner dust, the rhythm of the quarry, the chain of mountains, the people she knew as well as the feel of her own skin.” In the end, Miri takes her gift of intellect and justice and brings it to where it is needed most, her dearly loved Mount Eskel.
Review Excerpts
School Library Journal
“Each girl's story is brought to a satisfying conclusion, but this is not a fluffy, predictable fairy tale, even though it has wonderful moments of humor. Instead, Hale weaves an intricate, multilayered story about families, relationships, education, and the place we call home.”
Booklist
“Hale nicely interweaves feminist sensibilities in this quest-for-a-prince-charming, historical-fantasy tale. Strong suspense and plot drive the action as the girls outwit would-be kidnappers and explore the boundaries of leadership, competition, and friendship.”
Connections
Students can be encouraged to explain why only the Mount Eskel folks could practice quarry speech. Why is community so important in order for lands to run properly? Teachers should also emphasize that even though Miri was small and from a rural area, she was able to accomplish more than she ever thought.
Additional recommended books:
*The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale ISBN 158234843
*Enna Burning by Shannon Hale ISBN 1582349061
*River Secrets by Shannon Hale ISBN 1582349010
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