Bibliography
Kinney, Jeff. 2007. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID. New York: Amulet Books. ISBN 978-0810993136
Plot Summary
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID chronicles the trials and tribulations of Greg Heffley’s seventh grade year. Greg begins writing in his diary at the behest of his mother. Each page entry tells of another one of Greg’s misguided decisions to hopefully lead him to greater social standing among his classmates or to impress the girl. He manages to fail miserably each time. One of Greg’s most endearing qualities is his uncanny ability to not see beyond himself and to honesty believe he is always doing the right thing.
Critical Analysis
In this “novel of cartoons,” Greg is a character just about every boy, age 9-13, will identify with very quickly. Jeff Kinney adeptly addresses nearly every thought and fear of the middle school boy. Dealing with questions of popularity, girls, friendship, family, and embarrassing moments never to be forgotten. Greg tries so hard to improve his social status through such plots as strategically sitting himself in the middle of a bunch of girls to writing a comic strip for the school newspaper. Inevitably, each of his schemes backfires and leaves the reader laughing out loud.
Nothing Greg does is out of the realm of possibility for the boys (and girls) who pick this book up. The reader is hard pressed to put the book down wanting to know what Greg will possibly come up with next. The simple drawings with the comedic (mostly sarcastic) word balloons only add to the hilarity of the story.
Themes of growing up, friendship, the role of family, loyalty and honesty are peppered throughout without be overt. The reader cannot help but feel badly for Rowley, Greg’s supposed best friend. Greg is downright mean to Rowley and the reader is forced to think about Greg’s actions and the consequences. Greg is no better in the way he treats his family. Of course, Kinney relates these lessons in a light-hearted way, but the reader is still getting the message.
As long as there are pre-teen and tween boys out there figuring out there place in the world- at least in middle school- Jeff Kinney will have an audience. The book, with simple sentences and sparse pages accompanied by crude drawings, will lure in boys for generations to come.
Awards Won And Reviewed Excerpt(s)
ALA Notable Book
2008 & 2009 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards: Favorite Book
#1 New York Times Best Seller (three times)
Starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “…a laugh-out-loud "novel in cartoons,"…”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Kinney does a masterful job of making the mundane life of boys on the brink of adolescence hilarious.”
BOOKLIST: “The simple line drawings perfectly capture archetypes of growing up, such as a preschool-age little brother, out-of-touch teachers, and an assortment of class nerds. Lots of fun throughout.”
Connections
*The after reading the book version, kids can watch the film version to compare print to media. Students could also discuss how the movie version differed from the one in their head.
*After reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid, middle schools could write their own middle school experience diary entries to be shared with incoming 5th graders.
Other books in the series:
Kinney, Jeff. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: RODRICK RULES. ISBN 978-0810994737
Kinney, Jeff. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE LAST STRAW. ISBN 978-0810970687
Kinney, Jeff. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: Books 1-4. ISBN 978-1615579181
Other graphic novels:
Fisher, Jane Smith. WJHC: ON THE AIR. ISBN 0974423505
Holm, Jennifer. BABYMOUSE. ISBN 978-0375832291
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Fiction, Fantasy, and YA: When You Reach Me
Bibliography
Stead, Rebecca. 2009. WHEN YOU REACH ME. New York: Wendy Lamb Books. ISBN 978-0-385-73742-5
Plot Summary
“I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own. I must ask two favors. First you must write me a letter.” This is the first of four cryptic letters six grader Miranda receives and sends what is left of her orderly world in to disorder.
Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know the ins and outs of their neighborhood. They know to stay away from the pack of older boys and the laughing man under the mailbox. Things begin to fall apart when Sal is punched without reason and pushes her out of his life. Then the house key comes up missing causing her mother to go into panic mode, and then she receives the first letter.
Three more letters are to follow, no less cryptic. The third letter includes three events that have yet to happen as proof that the letters are true. Miranda only knows one of her friends needs saving and begins to believe she is the only one that can do it.
Trying to find a connection to her life, Miranda begins considering the possibilities, until one day it all finally comes together. Keith, the boy who punched Sal, tries to apologize to him one afternoon after school. Sal, afraid of being punched again, runs away and into the street. The laughing man runs into the street pushing Sal to safety. It is at this moment that all the pieces fall into place and Miranda knows for certain the letters are from someone in the future who also happens to be someone in her present.
Critical Analysis
Every reader will be able to connect with 6th grader Miranda, be they a middle-schooler themselves or having been in middle school before. She is a latch-key kid of a single parent with the pains of changing relationships. When she is shut out by her best friend, she must quickly find a new best friend so that she is not alone- every middle-schoolers worst nightmare. She is also experiencing her first crush and is torn between her loyalty to her new best friend and her own feelings. Another common crisis for tweens.
The story line is part mystery and part fantasy. The reader is looking for clues as to the author of the mysterious letters and deciphering the cryptic messages. The reader is not aware that there is more than meets the eye until the end. Miranda is caught up in the real book A Wrinkle Before Time and tries to understand the concept of time travel. Although there is plenty of foreshadowing leading the reader to several AHA! moments as the mystery begins to come together, it is Keith’s many discussions about time travel that make the reader question not only who wrote the letters, but when did they come from.
The realistic setting of New York City in the late seventies adds to the mysteriousness of this story. The reader easily believes in Miranda’s story as it is not far-fetched. Her story is not that different from the story of millions of kids out there. There are even plausible explanations for the existence of the letters. For instance, the first note was found in an old book and only addressed to M. M could be anyone and the letter could have been left in the book from long ago.
Readers will learn that friendships are not static and they change, just as the people in the relationship change. Miranda eventually learns that Sal did not shut her out because he was punched, but that he had actually started to pull away before that. He needed space to become Sal and not just a part of the Sal and Miranda due that had been since infancy. This is often a tough lesson to learn, especially as a fragile pre-teen, but it is important for them to understand change does not have to me loss.
Readers will also gain insight into cause and effect. A hard lesson for teens, with little frontal lobe development, to learn. Keith punches Sal to see what would happen- testing a theory. This eventually leads to Sal running into the street into on-coming traffic. Future Keith experiments with time travel so that he can come back to save Sal, knowing he causes his death.
When You Reach Me makes and excellent bridge into the world of fantasy for students who think they do not like the genre. Kids will not have a hard time making a connection with the main character or the story line and will enjoy the mystery intertwined within.
Awards Won And Reviewed Excerpt(s)
Newbery Medal Winner
New York Times Notable Book
Booklist Children's Editors' Choice
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
ALA Best Books for Young Adults Top 10
Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “An exciting, engaging mix of science fiction, mystery, and adventure.”
Starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “Credible and absorbing. Young readers will find this journey worth taking.”
Starred review in KIRKUS REVIEW: "When all the sidewalk characters from Miranda's Manhattan world converge amid mind-blowing revelations and cunning details, teen readers will circle back to the beginning and say,' Wow ... cool.”
Connections
*After reading this novel, students can do a research project on time travel to present to the class.
*A discussion on cause and effect, using the punching scene as a catalyst. Can also bring in for Newton’s Law of Motion: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Other books about social situations:
Lowry, Lois. THE GIVER. ISBN 978-0385732550
Collins, Suzanne. THE HUNGER GAMES. ISBN 978-0439023481
Dashner, James. THE MAZE RUNNER. ISBN 978-0385737944
Stead, Rebecca. 2009. WHEN YOU REACH ME. New York: Wendy Lamb Books. ISBN 978-0-385-73742-5
Plot Summary
“I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own. I must ask two favors. First you must write me a letter.” This is the first of four cryptic letters six grader Miranda receives and sends what is left of her orderly world in to disorder.
Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know the ins and outs of their neighborhood. They know to stay away from the pack of older boys and the laughing man under the mailbox. Things begin to fall apart when Sal is punched without reason and pushes her out of his life. Then the house key comes up missing causing her mother to go into panic mode, and then she receives the first letter.
Three more letters are to follow, no less cryptic. The third letter includes three events that have yet to happen as proof that the letters are true. Miranda only knows one of her friends needs saving and begins to believe she is the only one that can do it.
Trying to find a connection to her life, Miranda begins considering the possibilities, until one day it all finally comes together. Keith, the boy who punched Sal, tries to apologize to him one afternoon after school. Sal, afraid of being punched again, runs away and into the street. The laughing man runs into the street pushing Sal to safety. It is at this moment that all the pieces fall into place and Miranda knows for certain the letters are from someone in the future who also happens to be someone in her present.
Critical Analysis
Every reader will be able to connect with 6th grader Miranda, be they a middle-schooler themselves or having been in middle school before. She is a latch-key kid of a single parent with the pains of changing relationships. When she is shut out by her best friend, she must quickly find a new best friend so that she is not alone- every middle-schoolers worst nightmare. She is also experiencing her first crush and is torn between her loyalty to her new best friend and her own feelings. Another common crisis for tweens.
The story line is part mystery and part fantasy. The reader is looking for clues as to the author of the mysterious letters and deciphering the cryptic messages. The reader is not aware that there is more than meets the eye until the end. Miranda is caught up in the real book A Wrinkle Before Time and tries to understand the concept of time travel. Although there is plenty of foreshadowing leading the reader to several AHA! moments as the mystery begins to come together, it is Keith’s many discussions about time travel that make the reader question not only who wrote the letters, but when did they come from.
The realistic setting of New York City in the late seventies adds to the mysteriousness of this story. The reader easily believes in Miranda’s story as it is not far-fetched. Her story is not that different from the story of millions of kids out there. There are even plausible explanations for the existence of the letters. For instance, the first note was found in an old book and only addressed to M. M could be anyone and the letter could have been left in the book from long ago.
Readers will learn that friendships are not static and they change, just as the people in the relationship change. Miranda eventually learns that Sal did not shut her out because he was punched, but that he had actually started to pull away before that. He needed space to become Sal and not just a part of the Sal and Miranda due that had been since infancy. This is often a tough lesson to learn, especially as a fragile pre-teen, but it is important for them to understand change does not have to me loss.
Readers will also gain insight into cause and effect. A hard lesson for teens, with little frontal lobe development, to learn. Keith punches Sal to see what would happen- testing a theory. This eventually leads to Sal running into the street into on-coming traffic. Future Keith experiments with time travel so that he can come back to save Sal, knowing he causes his death.
When You Reach Me makes and excellent bridge into the world of fantasy for students who think they do not like the genre. Kids will not have a hard time making a connection with the main character or the story line and will enjoy the mystery intertwined within.
Awards Won And Reviewed Excerpt(s)
Newbery Medal Winner
New York Times Notable Book
Booklist Children's Editors' Choice
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
ALA Best Books for Young Adults Top 10
Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “An exciting, engaging mix of science fiction, mystery, and adventure.”
Starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “Credible and absorbing. Young readers will find this journey worth taking.”
Starred review in KIRKUS REVIEW: "When all the sidewalk characters from Miranda's Manhattan world converge amid mind-blowing revelations and cunning details, teen readers will circle back to the beginning and say,' Wow ... cool.”
Connections
*After reading this novel, students can do a research project on time travel to present to the class.
*A discussion on cause and effect, using the punching scene as a catalyst. Can also bring in for Newton’s Law of Motion: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Other books about social situations:
Lowry, Lois. THE GIVER. ISBN 978-0385732550
Collins, Suzanne. THE HUNGER GAMES. ISBN 978-0439023481
Dashner, James. THE MAZE RUNNER. ISBN 978-0385737944
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Fiction, Fantasy & YA: The First Part Last
Bibliography
Johnson, Angela. 2003. THE FIRST PART LAST. New York: Simon & Shuster. ISBN 978-1442403437
Plot Summary
In this sequel to HEAVEN, Bobby, a 16 year old boy from New York City, tells two parts of the same story. He explains how he came to be a single father to Feather at the same time his is telling the story of how he came to be a man, the father Feather needs him to be.
Bobby-the kid- learns he is to be a father on the same night he turns sixteen. He and Nia, his girlfriend, pretend to live a normal life while dealing with the reality that it is no longer normal. Together, they must decide what to do with the baby once she is here.
Bobby-the single father- is left to care for his daughter mostly on his own as his parents take a hands-off approach and Nia is absent. He struggles with staying up all night and going to school during the day.
Bobby quickly realizes for him to be a man, to be the father Feather deserves, he must make a hard choice.
Critical Analysis
THE FIRST PART LAST is no doubt a book many kids, both male and female, will connect with. The narrator, Bobby, a teenager who must deal with the consequences of his choices, finds himself to be a single father at sixteen. Many kids at this age are dealing with tough choices and the very real consequences of their actions. Many of these same kids will find it easier to connect with him because he is not a bad kid. Some might falsely assume that being from New York City he will be into drugs, gangs, have absent parents, be a high school dropout, etc. The refreshing truth is that he is a kid with two parents who love him, are successful themselves, and instill values in their kids such as responsibility, respect, and education. He is not perfect, but he is not dreadful either and kids will respect this about him.
Written is mostly simple sentences, the story line is easy to follow, even though it goes back and forth between now and then. By choosing to tell different parts of the same story at the same time, the reader is given an interesting glimpse into the person Bobby was and who he is becoming. Even though Nia, the girlfriend, appears periodically, the story does not shine a light on her. The reader is left wondering where she is in all of this. Did she decide to back out? Did Bobby insist on keeping the baby? What happened to her? Even though there are hints, some foreshadowing, it is not until the end that the reader learns the shocking and sad truth.
Right from the beginning, the setting is clearly New York City as Bobby describes his fantastic birthday which included a ride to the top of the Empire State Building. The reader feels for Bobby as he describes how he must leave the house at 5AM to make it to the babysitter on time to make it to school on time as he has several bus changes on the way. The reader can only feel sympathy for him as he describes his real fear of leaving her on the subway in his sleep deprived state and losing her forever.
In this story, Bobby weaves his way through a crisis point in his life to come out the other side a man. He used to laugh when “Just Frank” would ask if he was being a man. The day he took his daughter home, he finally knew he was being a man.
Just about any teenager who picks up this book will be captivated from the very beginning. It is a compelling story and the reader is pulled into this impossible situation of the character. The reader wants him to succeed and to do the right thing. The question is what is the right thing? and that keeps the reader reading page after page.
Awards Won And Reviewed Excerpt(s)
ALA Michael L. Printz Award
Coretta Scott King Award
Abraham Lincoln Book Award Master List (IL)
ALA Best Books For Young Adults
Booklist Editors' Choice
Starred review in BOOKLIST: “Johnson makes poetry with the simplest words in short, spare sentences that teens will read again and again.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “…gem of a novel…”
Starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “The author skillfully relates the hope in the midst of pain.”
Connections
*THE FIRST PART LAST could be used as a required reading for a unit on sex ed in a Health class. Students could discuss the choices Nia and Bobby made and the consequences of those choices.
*In one section, Bobby describes Just Frank and his haunting question, “Are you being a man?” Prior to reading the story, a journal question can be posed: What is a man? Or What does it mean to be a man? At the end of the novel, either a discussion or another writing can be assigned again asking the same questions or asking if Bobby was being a man.
*A discussion about childhood innocence versus adult reality could be discussed throughout the novel.
*This story can also be used in conjunction with character education classes. The story lends itself beautifully to discussions on integrity, responsibility, trustworthiness, respect, caring, compassion, courage, commitment, and perseverance to name a few.
Other books in the Heaven Trilogy:
Johnson, Angela. HEAVEN. ISBN 978-689822902
Johnson, Angela. SWEET, HEREAFTER. ISBN 978-0689873850
Other books about teen life:
Booth, Coe. TYRELL. ISBN 978-0439838801
Draper, Sharon M. NOVEMBER BLUES. ISBN 978-1416906995
Meyers, Walter Dean. MONSTER. ISBN 978-0064407311
Johnson, Angela. 2003. THE FIRST PART LAST. New York: Simon & Shuster. ISBN 978-1442403437
Plot Summary
In this sequel to HEAVEN, Bobby, a 16 year old boy from New York City, tells two parts of the same story. He explains how he came to be a single father to Feather at the same time his is telling the story of how he came to be a man, the father Feather needs him to be.
Bobby-the kid- learns he is to be a father on the same night he turns sixteen. He and Nia, his girlfriend, pretend to live a normal life while dealing with the reality that it is no longer normal. Together, they must decide what to do with the baby once she is here.
Bobby-the single father- is left to care for his daughter mostly on his own as his parents take a hands-off approach and Nia is absent. He struggles with staying up all night and going to school during the day.
Bobby quickly realizes for him to be a man, to be the father Feather deserves, he must make a hard choice.
Critical Analysis
THE FIRST PART LAST is no doubt a book many kids, both male and female, will connect with. The narrator, Bobby, a teenager who must deal with the consequences of his choices, finds himself to be a single father at sixteen. Many kids at this age are dealing with tough choices and the very real consequences of their actions. Many of these same kids will find it easier to connect with him because he is not a bad kid. Some might falsely assume that being from New York City he will be into drugs, gangs, have absent parents, be a high school dropout, etc. The refreshing truth is that he is a kid with two parents who love him, are successful themselves, and instill values in their kids such as responsibility, respect, and education. He is not perfect, but he is not dreadful either and kids will respect this about him.
Written is mostly simple sentences, the story line is easy to follow, even though it goes back and forth between now and then. By choosing to tell different parts of the same story at the same time, the reader is given an interesting glimpse into the person Bobby was and who he is becoming. Even though Nia, the girlfriend, appears periodically, the story does not shine a light on her. The reader is left wondering where she is in all of this. Did she decide to back out? Did Bobby insist on keeping the baby? What happened to her? Even though there are hints, some foreshadowing, it is not until the end that the reader learns the shocking and sad truth.
Right from the beginning, the setting is clearly New York City as Bobby describes his fantastic birthday which included a ride to the top of the Empire State Building. The reader feels for Bobby as he describes how he must leave the house at 5AM to make it to the babysitter on time to make it to school on time as he has several bus changes on the way. The reader can only feel sympathy for him as he describes his real fear of leaving her on the subway in his sleep deprived state and losing her forever.
In this story, Bobby weaves his way through a crisis point in his life to come out the other side a man. He used to laugh when “Just Frank” would ask if he was being a man. The day he took his daughter home, he finally knew he was being a man.
Just about any teenager who picks up this book will be captivated from the very beginning. It is a compelling story and the reader is pulled into this impossible situation of the character. The reader wants him to succeed and to do the right thing. The question is what is the right thing? and that keeps the reader reading page after page.
Awards Won And Reviewed Excerpt(s)
ALA Michael L. Printz Award
Coretta Scott King Award
Abraham Lincoln Book Award Master List (IL)
ALA Best Books For Young Adults
Booklist Editors' Choice
Starred review in BOOKLIST: “Johnson makes poetry with the simplest words in short, spare sentences that teens will read again and again.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “…gem of a novel…”
Starred review in PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “The author skillfully relates the hope in the midst of pain.”
Connections
*THE FIRST PART LAST could be used as a required reading for a unit on sex ed in a Health class. Students could discuss the choices Nia and Bobby made and the consequences of those choices.
*In one section, Bobby describes Just Frank and his haunting question, “Are you being a man?” Prior to reading the story, a journal question can be posed: What is a man? Or What does it mean to be a man? At the end of the novel, either a discussion or another writing can be assigned again asking the same questions or asking if Bobby was being a man.
*A discussion about childhood innocence versus adult reality could be discussed throughout the novel.
*This story can also be used in conjunction with character education classes. The story lends itself beautifully to discussions on integrity, responsibility, trustworthiness, respect, caring, compassion, courage, commitment, and perseverance to name a few.
Other books in the Heaven Trilogy:
Johnson, Angela. HEAVEN. ISBN 978-689822902
Johnson, Angela. SWEET, HEREAFTER. ISBN 978-0689873850
Other books about teen life:
Booth, Coe. TYRELL. ISBN 978-0439838801
Draper, Sharon M. NOVEMBER BLUES. ISBN 978-1416906995
Meyers, Walter Dean. MONSTER. ISBN 978-0064407311
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