Please post on your choice reading in this category. Remember, you are reading like a media specialist, so it is not about your personal likes and dislikes. Include in your post:
No plot summaries and no spoilers please. Failure to follow that rule will result in revocation of your authoring rights, guaranteed!!
a. Audience for whom the book is written
b. Audience to whom it will appeal (might differ from a.)
c. Particular strengths of the book
d. Particular weaknesses of the book
e. Any special considerations (artwork, curriculum links, community values, beliefs espoused, etc)
f. And, in the School Library Journal’s format: Your verdict, supported with details
No plot summaries and no spoilers please. Failure to follow that rule will result in revocation of your authoring rights, guaranteed!!
Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhhà Lại
ReplyDeletea. This book is recommended for grades 4-7.
b. This book would appeal to readers grade 4 and up. While it will obviously appeal to readers who enjoy novels in verse, this particular book is highly accessible to readers not familiar with the format. It would also appeal to readers who enjoy realistic stories about war and the refugee experience.
c. Strengths: This book does an excellent job of placing the reader into Hà’s perspective of the war. While many narratives from the Vietnam war come from a soldier’s perspective, Hà’s story is that of a child trying to understand and adjust to her changing world. As Hà moves to America, her story turns to that of a new immigrant trying to learn English and navigate the systems and customs of a new culture. There is a focus on learning a new language that will help readers begin to understand the experience. Even though many of the topics covered in this book are quite heavy, there are many hilarious moments showing Hà’s humor.
d. Weaknesses: There were very few weaknesses with this book. One potential weakness was that there were parts of the narrative that left a lot of questions, which is likely a result of the novel in verse format.
e. Special Considerations: This book would make an excellent curriculum link with any study of the Vietnam war. It would also be a beneficial read for any group looking to better understand the immigrant experience in America.
f. Verdict: This novel in verse is a must have for any middle grade or high school library because of its hopeful and humorous story, along with an engaging and relatable narrator.
I think middle and high school is a good recommendation with its tie-in to the Vietnam War. Many media centers likely purchased this title because it won the Newbery honor award. Do you think it belongs in the elementary media center?
ReplyDeleteCarver: a life in poems by Marilyn Nelson
ReplyDeletea. Audience for whom the book is written: gr 6+ according to SLJ
b. Audience to whom it will appeal: gr 9+, maybe younger after a conversation with parents/guardians
c. Particular strengths of the book: the reader can learn more about George Washington Carver in a unique poetry format. would be powerful as a teaching resource in a LA or a science classroom. Could see some strong interdisciplinary teaching ideas/unit at the middle school level. Might entice the reader to find out more about Carver
d. Particular weaknesses of the book: some of the poems aren't as well developed as others. feels inconsistent. Carver was a very religious man and the frequent allusions to religion/Bible/God might be both confusing and off-putting to someone who isn't Christian
e. Any special considerations (artwork, curriculum links, community values, beliefs espoused, etc). The n word is used twice and a lynching is brutally described. It's important for kids to understand these parts of American history, but I wouldn't want a student to "stumble" across this book. Thus my comment about reaching out to parents of younger students who may want to read it. Received a Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award
f. A powerful book to have on middle school or high school shelves. Because of intense content needs to be shared with readers carefully and deliberately. Best with the guidance of an adult and parent involvement for younger students
Sounds like there rich themes in this book. I think it might appeal to some but not to all.
DeleteFor the poetry genre, I read two from the class list, Brown Girl Dreaming and Crossover. I have both in my collection and I had not read either. With National Poetry Month in April, I wanted to be ready to recommend some popular authors. I chose to blog about Brown Girl Dreaming.
ReplyDeleteBrown Girl Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson
Audience. The audience is 10 and up and it is written at a 6th grade reading level. The text is not more complex than a daily newspaper.
Appeal. This poetry collection has a very broad appeal. Younger readers will love hearing Woodson’s story of growing up and developing as a writer. Writing becomes her safe friend. She discovers her skill and voice as a writer, poet, despite not being her sister’s star-student equivalent in this collection of reflective, auto-biographical poems. New-adult readers will love the reflections about childhood, since it has a “hindsight is 20/20” feel. Poetry does not appeal to all readers, but this book has many prose-like qualities to serve as a bridge, including settings (South Carolina and New York), narrative (story developed over several poems with callbacks to previous stories), speech (signified with the use of italics), and distinct point of view (first person throughout).
Strengths. For a book of poetry, this is the bee’s knees. The poems are lyrical, cadenced and contain Woodson’s authentic voice. Readers learn about growing up in South Carolina in the 1960s and 1970 in the shadow of Jim Crow, where some are “emancipated but not free.” The poems are about everything we as human beings care about: growing up, finding ourselves, finding our voice, understanding religion, understanding our family, hoping for a meaningful future, honoring our creativity, knowing our audience, and being a part of something bigger than ourselves.
Weaknesses. Few come to mind. If a student says they do not like poetry, this book may be a “way in” to the genre. It may be very helpful for students to understand the 1960s and 1970s in the United States from a social and political point of view. While not required for appreciation, poetry students will get a lot more from Brown Girl Dreaming if they apply critical lenses or literary theories like formalist lens, historical/biographical lens, feminism, or reader-response theory to the text.
Special considerations. No explicit content or language, which makes the book appropriate for upper elementary to adult. Woodson reads all the poetry and the Author’s Note at the end of the audiobook. The design of the cover, the rough-edge pages, and paper quality enhance the reading experience. Some readers may not appreciate how Jehovah’s Witnesses are portrayed.
Verdict: Make sure to have a lot of Woodson's books, including Brown Girl Dreaming, available in all school libraries (elementary, middle, and high school). If your library purchases audiobooks, your patrons will love hearing Woodson read her work. --Kendrick Davies, Library Media Specialist Candidate, Earle Brown Elementary STEAM, MN.
I loved this line and couldn't agree more: "For a book of poetry, this is the bee’s knees."
DeleteYes, it's wonderful. Since I read it, I've turned Woodson on to a couple 5th grade teachers at my school.
DeleteUnbound: A Novel in Verse
ReplyDeletea. This book is intended for grades 3-8.
b. I think that anyone past fourth grade who enjoys historical fiction should read this book. There is value in learning about the history of slavery in our country, and connecting with characters in a book.
c. Strengths - This novel is told from the unique perspective of a young girl who is a slave on a plantation during the time of slavery. Students can relate to the main character in how she sees unfairness in the world, and wanting to speak up about what she believes. It is also a way to introduce students to how some slaves escaped and built a hidden community in the Great Dismal Swamp, and provide great discussion for the idea of freedom.
d. Weaknesses - There are very few weaknesses to this story. One potential weakness might be that the author’s ethnicity is Caucasian. I could see some media specialists wanting to bring diverse books into their collections that are written by authors of color.
e. Special Considerations - This book would make an excellent addition to anyone studying about slavery in America. It is a powerful book that would bring about good discussion about our current world as well.
f. This historical fiction novel told in verse is a must have for elementary and middle school libraries. It is told from a unique perspective, and reminds readers that all humans have the right to be free.
You might appreciate Laurie Halse Anderson's Seeds of America series when we get to historical fiction. it is a trilogy: Chains, Forge, and Ashes.
DeleteHow I Discovered Poetry by Marilyn Nelson
ReplyDeleteAudience: How I Discovered Poetry is an autobiographical collection of poems. The author, Marilyn Nelson, shares memories of her childhood in the 1950’s. The target audience is sixth grade and up.
Appeal: Students with an interest in civil rights, African-American history, and stories in verse would enjoy this book. The poems are introspective and nostalgic, so I think high school students may appreciate it more than middle schoolers.
Strengths: Unique story about an African-American child growing up with a military officer father. It also weaves in current events like the Cold War and the Red Scare from the perspective of a child.
Weaknesses: I wish it was longer, and continued the story into adulthood. May not appeal to students that dislike poetry.
Special considerations: Coretta Scott King honor book
Verdict: buy this and suggest to students reading popular books in verse by Kwame Alexander and Jason Reynolds. Also a great book for students that liked Brown Girl Dreaming.
Do you think the kids will have a hard time relating to this book since it takes place in the 50s or is the writing so good it is relateable?
DeleteThe book does not feel dated or unrelatable. It was published six years ago, so it has a modern feel. There are many poems about friendship and family; subjects that are timeless. There are also poems about unique aspects of the 1950s, like classroom drills for nuclear bomb threats. This reminded me of the active shooter drills that kids are familiar with today. The writing is very good and the book was similar in feel to Brown Girl Dreaming
DeleteBrown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
ReplyDeletea. This memoir is recommended for grades 5-6, ages 10 and up.
b. I think that this memoir would appeal to anyone ages 10 and up. Woodson uses poetry to describe what it was like growing up as an African American with her time split between the south and New York City.
c. Particular strengths of the book - Woodson is a phenomenal writer and uses her poems to tell her story and make the reader feel that they are there. It’s an interesting read of her life story and to hear more about her family and what they went through while Woodson was growing up.
d. Particular weaknesses of the book - I think some would be turned off by the fact that this is poetry, as it’s not as popular of a genre. Other than that, I can’t think of any weaknesses.
e. Any special considerations - this memoir was chosen for the Coretta Scott King Award, a Newbery Honor Award, the NAACP Image Award and the Sibert Honor Award. I think this would be a good edition for students learning about the south and what it was like living there after the civil rights movement. It would be good to contrast Woodson’s families behavior between the south and New York City.
f. Your verdict - This would be an excellent edition to middle and high school media centers that want to add an excellent poetry memoir to their collection.
You make a good point. This is an excellent book, but it is the size of a novel, so if the reader is not expecting to read something in verse, they may be taken by surprise.
DeleteSalt: A Story of Friendship in a Time of War by Helen Frost
ReplyDeleteAudience for Whom Written: This book was written for a middle school audience. The two main characters are 12-year-old boys.
Audience to Whom Appeals: Anyone interested in war history, Native American history, or Colonial times would find this book appealing.
Strengths: While still being a narrative it is written in prose. The Native American character Anikwa’s words are centrally justified, forming visually appealing organic shapes. The Colonial character James’s words are left justified in rigid couplets, reflecting the culture he comes from. This book is a good introduction to historical fiction for a younger audience. Both boys seem to be realistic characteristics and have different voices. Throughout the story, there is a strong theme of friendship overcoming prejudice, cultural and language barriers.
Weaknesses: While it is written in a culturally respectful way, this is not an Own Voice book. Some readers may see the poetry style as a barrier.
Special Considerations: 2015 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award Nominee
Verdict: This book should be included in elementary through high school libraries. Depicts Native American boy and his family in a respectful and realistic way.
Did you like the way the poems were shaped? I thought that was a very novel idea.
ReplyDeleteBrown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
ReplyDeletea. Audience: This book would be appropriate for students grade 6 and higher.
b. Appeal: This book would appeal to people who love poetry, the 60s, the civil rights movement, and an exploration of family dynamics.
c. Strengths: The descriptive language in this book is understated and excellent. Woodson weaves in stories throughout, placing you in Ohio, on the various buses the characters take to South Carolina and Brooklyn, all the while providing the perfect amount of sensory details. You can smell the smells. You know or have a corollary to knowing the taste or sight she describes.
d. Weaknesses: People expecting this book to have a profound civil rights angle will likely be disappointed. It is present, but is tertiary to the family narrative. This is very much an autobiographical account of her life and her family, which again, may not be front and center in the descriptions.
e. Special Considerations: The entire book is poems. It won the Newbery Award, National Book Award, and a Coretta Scott King award.
f. Verdict: Woodson's life and family journey is rich and fertile ground in this autobiographical account told through a collection of poems. I recommend this book be included in every middle school library, and possibly high elementary.