Module 15: Olive's Ocean

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Book Summary: Martha is surprised when the mother of one of her classmates, Olive, who recently died in a bicycle accident, comes to her house bearing a journal entry in which Olive says she wishes she were friends with Martha. Unsure about what to do with the entry, Martha takes it with her on her family vacation to the beach to visit Godbee, her grandmother. Throughout her stay, she deals with the challenges of growing up, from experiencing her growing interest in boys, particularly the ones who are her neighbors at Godbee's house, to her first kiss. When she remembers that Olive mentioned wanting to see the ocean, Martha fills a jar with ocean water, dubbing it Olive's Ocean, and determines to give it to Olive's mother after their vacation is over. When she gets home and realizes that Olive's mother has moved away, Martha uses Olive's ocean in what is a fitting remembrance of her classmate.

APA Reference of the book: Henkes, K. (2003). Olive's ocean. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.

Impressions: While I was reading this book, I kept waiting for something to happen that would explain why it was on a list of challenged books. When I got to the end I was still wondering, having not seen anything that I found objectionable, let alone objectionable enough to issue a challenge over. This book has an interesting story and effectively reflects the lazy days of summer when there are no pressing concerns. This is overshadowed somewhat by Martha's uncertainty of what to do about Olive's journal entry, but is fairly quickly resolved by her decision to bring part of the ocean back to Olive's mother. Her other challenges are largely internal, such as her dealing with her growing attraction to one of the neighbor boys, and dealing changing feelings toward her family. These she often resolves through talking with Godbee, who is a constant support for her throughout the book. When I looked to see why the book was challenged, it was over a single phrase, in which Martha's brother describes her parents as exhibiting MSB or "morning sex behavior," which, while a little surprising, is not outside the realm of what middle school boy might say in real life. This seems to be one instance of where one phrase, in this case one mentioned in passing, that sparks a controversy about an entire book, one that has many merits besides. Overall, I think this is a book that effectively illustrates the struggles of growing up, and is appropriate for middle and high school students.

Professional Review: " While twelve-year-old Martha Boyle is packing to leave for Grandmother’s cottage on the northeastern coast, Olive Barstow’s mother visits her. Olive’s mother delivers a journal entry Olive wrote about wanting to be friends with Martha (Olive was killed two weeks before in a bicycling accident.). While at her Grandmother’s cottage, Martha discovers her attraction to the boy next door, receives her first kiss, and experiences her first heartache when she finds out he not only kissed her on a bet, he videotaped it! She almost drowns while gathering a jar of seawater to take home for Olive, who also wrote that she hoped to go to a real ocean instead of just a lake. Amid all this activity and with much soul-searching, Martha faces what all young people eventually have to—growing up. Although the plot lines seem disparate, it all fits together into a beautifully developed coming-of-age story with real characters and real angst. Life is portrayed as not all gloom and doom; sometimes happenings charm the reader and some episodes are downright amusing. Most touching is Martha’s decision of what to do with Olive’s “ocean” after she learns that Olive’s mother has moved away. Martha realizes how good her own life really is—what she has in her family and friends. Recommended."

Hoy, S. (2004). [Review of Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes]. Library Media Connection, 22(6), p. 64. Retrieved from: http://www.librarymediaconnection.com/

Library uses: This book could be used in a display of challenged books. It could also be used to discuss with students the challenges of growing up, which Martha experiences in plenty in her summer with her family.

 

Module 14: Stardines Swim High Across the Sky and Other Poems

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Book Summary: In this amusing book of poetry, Jack Prelutsky creates a new set of animals simply by changing one letter, such as changing sardines to stardines. Some of the animals are given different personality traits, such as jollyfish, who are always happy, and others are given a physical change, such as the fountain lion, who has a fountain on top of his head. The poems are wonderful to read aloud and offer an interesting reading experience that is sure to make kids laugh.

APA Reference of the book: Prelutsky, J. (2012). Stardines fly high across the sky and other poems. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

Impressions: When I first read the title of this book, I missed the minor change to the word sardines and was surprised when I saw the cover covered with what were clearly stardines. Once I realized the play on words, however, I was intrigued and read further. The poems have a natural rhythm that makes them fun to read and I greatly enjoyed all the puns. I was also surprised at some of the great vocabulary words used in the poems such as calling slobsters slovenly, describing a magpipe's voice as a "nasal, cacophonic monotone," or describing jollyfish as "ebullient blobs of mirth." Each of these includes high level vocabulary words that have abundant context clues to help students get their meaning, which is a helpful feature. This is an example of my favorite kind of children's poem, fun, silly, but still illustrating different concepts associated with poetry, such as rhyme.

Professional Review: "In a similar vein to his Scranimals (2002), Prelutsky presents hybrid creatures with attributes produced by altering or adding a single letter in their names: "The gloose may be the weirdest bird/ That ever took to wing./ It has an odd propensity/ To stick to anything." A sobcat "spends its time crying/ Continuously," while "Jollyfish are radiant/ Ebullient blobs of mirth." Prelutsky's fake-pompous verse is as clever as ever, and Berger's artwork is its visual equivalent. She creates spectacular three-dimensional paper-craft boxes and collages in the manner of Joseph Cornell, labeling the wooden frames with old-fashioned, typewritten stickers. The glooses' tiny feathers are cut carefully from paper, while magpipes are assembled from engraved images of plucked poultry and brass piping; streamers of paper emblazoned with musical notes curl from the pipes-a witty representation of sound. The poems are typewritten on scraps of paper and mounted with butterfly pins. The whole has the feel of a vintage science project by the weirdest (and most imaginative) kid in class. The zoology may be suspect, but the laughs are guaranteed. Ages 4-8."

[Review of Stardines fly high across the sky and other poems by Jack Prelutsky]. (2012). Publisher's Weekly, 259(52), p. 54. Retrieved from: http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/home/index.html

Library uses: This book could be used to discuss with students the concept of play on words and show them how words can be combined to make new meanings. It could also be used in a display of poetry books in general or about animal poetry in particular.

Module 13: Cirque du Freak:the Saga of Darren Shan

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Book Summary: When Darren is one of only two of his friends who gets the chance to go to Cirque du Freak, a freak show put on in a dingy old theater, he is not prepared for how it will change his life. Of all the acts in the show, he is most fascinated by Mr. Crepsley and his gigantic spider, Madame Octa. Darren becomes so obsessed with her that he even goes so far as to steal her, the consequences of which will change his life forever.

APA Reference of the book: Shan, D. (2001). Cirque du Freak: the saga of Darren Shan. Boston, MA: Little, Brown.

Impressions: When I first started reading this book I was expecting to get sucked in right away because I had heard from other people that it was a good read. However, it wasn't until the climax of the book that I was drawn into the story and could see why it was so well-received. Overall, the story starts out slow, with much foreshadowing as the Darren, the narrator, hints about how much his life is going to change, and not necessarily in a good way. This happens so often that it almost becomes anticlimactic until the events he's been leading up to the entire book actually happen. Once they do, however, the story becomes highly captivating and I felt myself swept up in the story. I will probably read the next book in the series soon to see what happens to Darren.

Professional Review: "Cirque du Freak is the first of a series of four books by Darren Shan, an Irish writer who has long been fascinated by vampires. The novel is full of thrills and chills and slowly building suspense and will appeal greatly to any reader interested in the horror genre.

Darren and his friend, Steve, obtain tickets for a freak show in a rather dirty, dingy, run-down old theatre which, in itself, lends an air of the macabre and supernatural to the story. Fifty pages of the book are given to a detailed, gross and gruesome description of this unreal entertainment. The freaks run the gamut from a vicious wolf man to a contortionist, a fat man, and a spider who apparently works from telepathic signals. The boys are mesmerized by their journey into this world of grotesque creatures and find their experience both thrilling and disturbing, amazing yet horrifying.

Steve is attracted by Mr. Crepsley whom he recognizes to be a famous vampire. Darren, on the other hand, has always been intrigued by spiders and so is fascinated by Mr. Crepsley's pet, Madame Octa. This love of arachnids ends up changing Darren's life completely.

Events spiral out of control: Darren steals the performing spider and subsequently Madame Octa bites Steve, leaving him paralyzed and in a coma, near death. To obtain the necessary antidote, Darren must...... literally..... sell his soul.

Shan introduces themes of horror, magic and friendship. The book is somewhat reminiscent of R. L. Stine, but Shan's writing is darker and more frightening and, therefore, would probably appeal to somewhat older readers. The entire story is told from the viewpoint of an adolescent boy, and so there is a definite emphasis on the gross qualities of the freak show, yet the book remains imaginative and displays a rather dark sort of humour. There is plenty of chilling action throughout as the boys get caught up in an unexpected trap which leads to an equally unexpected ending. Certainly the reader is left wanting to know more about Darren's adventures in the sequels!

Cirque du Freak is soon to be a motion picture from Warner Brothers, and, as well, the novel won the IRA Children's Choice Award in 2002.

Highly Recommended."

 

Ketcheson, A. (2002). [Review of Cirque du Freak: the Darren Shan Saga by Darren Shan]. CM: Canadian Review of Materials, 8(14), n.p. Retrieved from: http://umanitoba.ca/outreach/cm/vol8/no14/index.html

 

Library uses: This book could be used in a display of books about vampires. It could also be discussed in a book club format by students who wanted to read the book to compare and contrast the book's version of vampires with pop culture's version of vampires.

Module 12: Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors?

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Book Summary: This book details the journey Elizabeth Blackwell took to becoming the first female doctor. It tells of her life from growing up as in an independent child to applying and getting rejected from several medical schools before being accepted. The book continues to tell of her life throughout medical school, where her classmates at first scorned her until she proved herself just as smart as they were, and concludes with her graduation at the top of her class from medical school. The author's note at the end of the book provides further detail about her life after medical school and a list of resources used provides additional materials for those interested in learning more to peruse.

 

 

APA Reference of the book: Stone, T. L. (2013). Who says women can't be doctors? The story of Elizabeth Blackwell. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company

Impressions: I greatly enjoyed reading this book for several reasons. Firstly, it tells the story of Elizabeth Blackwell in a way that students will find engaging, particularly younger students. It gives just enough details of her life to give the reader an idea of what she was like without overwhelming the reader with too much detail crammed into the text. Secondly, the bright illustrations bring the story to life, showing the reader what it was like to live in that time period and what the expectations of girls and women were during that time, which also shows just how much social tradition Elizabeth Blackwell defied in choosing to become a doctor. Overall, I think this book is an excellent example of a picture book biography and would definitely spark young reader's interest in the first female doctor.

Professional Review: "K-Gr 2--This picture-book biography of America's first woman doctor takes readers back to the 1840s when "girls were only supposed to become wives and mothers. Or maybe teachers, or seamstresses." Stone presents the highly readable and detailed story of a girl who is sure to inspire aspiring young doctors. The anecdotes are well chosen to demonstrate Blackwell's unflagging determination, and the conversational text and dynamic illustrations present a glimpse of her strong, caring personality. Priceman's vivid gouache and India ink illustrations capture the emotion of each scene, as on the page where an exhausted Blackwell lies on a sofa under a cloud of "no's," overwhelmed by rejections (28 in all). Once admitted to medical school, she was not taken seriously by her peers, but studied hard and graduated first in her class, opening the door for women to follow. An author's note continues her life story as well as the discussion of her impact on modern-day medicine, and a list of sources is included for curious readers. A worthwhile addition to any biography collection."

McLeod, M. (2013). [Review of Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors? The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell by Tanya Lee Stone]. School Library Journal 59(2), p. 96. Retrieved from: http://www.slj.com/

Library uses: This book could be used in a display about women who were the first in their field, and could be used to discuss how gender roles have changed throughout time with students. It could also be used in a display of biography books in general, or picture book biographies specifically.

Module 11: We've Got a Job: the 1963 Birmingham Children's March

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Book Summary: This book gives a detailed look at the Birmingham Children's March that took place in 1963. It gives the reader a look at the march from the perspective of four different people who were children in different parts of the black community in Birmingham at the time. It offers multiple perspectives on the children's march, from why children chose to march in the first place to the perspectives of those who opposed expanding civil rights to include African Americans. The book is organized for the most part chronologically, walking the reader through the events leading up to and through the children's march, detailing the victories and setbacks along the way. It also includes a timeline, map of downtown Birmingham that shows where some of the children's march took place, and an index that is helpful in finding information.

APA Reference of the book: Levinson, C. (2012). We've got a job: the 1963 Birmingham children's march. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree Publishers.

Impressions: This book was one that I enjoyed reading and that kept me interested throughout. It provided a balance between the personal narrative of the four people interviewed for the book and the facts and figures related to the events of the march. I also liked that it provided a look at the attitudes of Bull Connor and the others who opposed the civil rights movement, and why they felt that way. It also provided a look at the few white people in Birmingham who were in favor of the civil rights movement but were reasonably afraid of the KKK and the others who would violently oppose them. Overall, I think the book provided a balanced look at a volatile time in U.S. history, and gives a variety of perspectives on a complex issue.

Professional Review: "Gr 7 Up--This photo-essay stands out for its engrossing content, excellent composition, and riveting use of primary-source material. Covering the history of the Birmingham Children's March from inception to full impact, Levinson traces the stories of four young people between the ages of 9 and 15 in 1963. Audrey Hendricks, Washington Booker III, Arnetta Streeter, and James Stewart came from very different segments of the city's black community, but all risked their lives and spent time in jail to fight for their freedom. Tracing their different routes to activism and melding it beautifully into the larger history of race relations in Birmingham and in the American South, the author creates a multidimensional picture of the times and the forces at work. Interviews with the four principals, one of whom died in 2009, give the narrative power and immediacy. Reproductions of period photos, notices, and documents provide additional insight. The map of downtown Birmingham, with locations mentioned in the text delineated, is a great help in placing both photos and text in a landscape. With a helpful list of abbreviations, excellent source notes, photo credits, a fine bibliography, and a comprehensive index, this a great research source, but it's also just plain thought-provoking reading about a time that was both sobering and stirring. Recommended for middle and high school library collections to stand together with Charlayne Hunter-Gault's To the Mountaintop (Roaring Brook, 2012), Ann Bausum's Marching to the Mountaintop (National Geographic, 2012), and Larry Dane Brimner's Black & White: The Confrontation Between Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth and Eugene "Bull" Connor (Boyds Mills, 2011)."

Welton, A. (2012). [Review of We've Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children's March by Cynthia Levinson]. School Library Journal, (58)5, p. 130. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/

Library uses: This would be a great book to include in a display about the civil rights movement. It would also be good to use when discussing with students the difference people their age can make in the world.

Module 10: Amelia and Eleanor Go For a Ride

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Book Summary: This book gives the reader a look at what happened the night that Amelia Earhart took Eleanor Roosevelt up in an airplane after being invited to the White House for dinner. Based on actual events, the author describes the view of Washington, D.C. from above, with all the monuments lit up and shining bright for them to see. After landing back at the airport and heading back to the White House, Amelia and Eleanor decide to sneak off for a ride in Eleanor's car, which she knows how to drive.

APA Reference of the book: Ryan, P. M. (1999). Amelia and Eleanor go for a ride. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

Impressions: This story is one that has an almost magical quality to it, at least for me. As a kid, Amelia Earhart was one of my heroes, even though I didn't personally have any ambitions about becoming a pilot. This story shows a different side of both Amelia and Eleanor, and shows that while they both could be serious, each had a mischievous side and knew how to be playful. The illustrations in the book help lend an air of excitement to the story, which slowly unfolds as the reader gets to see what the characters might have seen when flying that night. The unexpected twist at the end of the story with the women sneaking off to go for a ride in Eleanor's car shows how alike they were in pursuing skills that weren't necessarily considered feminine at the time. Overall, I think the book gives insight into two of the most influential women in the United States at that time, and shows that even historical figures, who are often portrayed as overly serious, knew how to have fun.

Professional Review: "In this sparkling picture book based on a true incident, Ryan (Riding Freedom, with Selznick) proves that Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt truly were "birds of a feather." Friends in real life, America's First Lady invited the "First Lady of the Air" to dinner at the White House in 1933. Eleanor, inspired by Amelia's descriptions of Washington viewed from her plane at night, accepts the pilot's offer of an after-dinner flight over the capital. Before dessert can be served, and over the protests of the Secret Service agents, the two are off to the airport and up in the sky, thrilling to the brilliance of the city below. Hewing closely to documented accounts, Ryan's inviting text adds drama and draws parallels between the two protagonists with fictional touches: she places them alone together in the plane (an author's note explains that in fact they were accompanied by two male pilots) and adds a final scene in which Eleanor takes Amelia for a zippy ride around the city in her brand-new car. Selznick's illustrations, black-and-white graphite accented with touches of purple pencil, both capture the vibrancy of his subjects and evoke the feel of a more glamorous era. A brief but compelling slice from the lives of two determined, outspoken and passionate women. Ages 5-9. (Oct.)"

Roback, D. and Brown, J. M. (1999). Forecasts: Children's Literature [Review of Amelia and Eleanor go for a ride by Pam Munoz Ryan]. Publishers Weekly, 246(39), p. 105. Retrieved from: http://www.publishersweekly.com/

Library uses: This book could be used in a display about books from that particular time period. Also, it could be used to discuss the similarities and differences with students between Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt.

Module 9: The Case of the Missing Marquess

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Book Summary: When Enola Holmes's mother disappears without a trace on her 14th birthday, Enola is convinced that she needs to find her. However, her brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft, are determined that she should go to finishing school and become the proper lady that her mother never made sure she was. With money left behind for her by her mother, and discovered by Enola alone after using the book of ciphers left for her by her mother, Enola leaves her home of 14 years for London, thinking that will be the best place to find her from. On her way there, she stumbles on the case of a missing boy, who has disappeared  as suddenly as she. Determining that he has run away rather than been kidnapped, she follows him to London, and finds herself with adventure aplenty as she plots her new life spent dodging her brothers and searching for her mother, who has run away from a life of the expectations of London society.

APA Reference of the book: Springer, N. (2006). The case of the missing marquess: an Enola Holmes mystery. New York: Puffin.

Impressions: This was a book I happily consumed in a few short hours and actually went back to the library to get the rest in the series. Having read a few of the original Holmes mysteries, I found this take on "the great detective" as he is often referred to in the story, to be interesting. In the book, Sherlock is shown as being the reasonable brother, whereas Mycroft is determined that he knows best and tries to force Enola into a life she does not want, to which she responds by running away. Because of this, we see a more sympathetic version of Sherlock than is presented in the original stories, but he is still an interesting character. As for Enola herself, she takes after her younger brother, having both his skills of deduction and a penchant for getting into trouble. She is a strong female character who uses her knowledge of the world gained from free access to her mother's library as a child and her knowledge of society to maneuver through difficult situations and solve whatever mystery is at hand. Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the rest in the series.

Professional Review: "Gr. 5-8. Springer, author of the popular Tales of Rowen Hood series featuring Robin Hood's daughter, mines the classics once more, and finds Sherlock Holmes' 14-year-old sister, Enola Holmes, who also has keen powers of observation. Enola lives alone with her mother on the family estate. Mrs. Holmes has always been a free spirit, but Enola is shocked when, on her birthday, her mother goes missing. Sherlock and Mycroft, , Enola's long-absent, much-older brothers, arrive and assure her they will look into the disappearance; she will be sent away to boarding school. Determined to avoid that fate, and anxious to find her mother on her own, Enola leaves for London, where she thinks her mother may be--a plan as shaky as the bicycle she sets off on. Along the way, she becomes enmeshed in another disappearance, the case of a young marquess, who seems to have been kidnapped, and in true Holmes fashion, Enola uses her powers of deduction to figure out his fate. This is a terrific package. Springer not only provides two fine mysteries (complete with clues and ciphers to solve), breathtaking adventure, and key-eyed description but she also offers a worthy heroine, who will be the center of a new series (the cover proclaims this "An Enola Holmes Mystery.") Enola is a high-spirited girl, just the right mix of nascent nineteenth-century feminist and awkward teen, with a first person voice that's fun to hear. Reader can move from this to Phillip Pullman's Victorian thrillers, the Sally Lockhart trilogy, which begins with Ruby in the Smoke (1987)."

Cooper, I. (2005). [Review of The case of the missing marquess: an Enola Holmes mystery by Nancy Springer]. Booklist, 102(7), p. 42. Retrieved from: http://www.booklistonline.com/

Library uses: This book could be included in a display of mystery novels. It could also be compared in a lesson to the original Sherlock Holmes mysteries to see how the characters of Sherlock and Mycroft are portrayed in comparison to original books and even in current television and movies (i.e. the BBC series Sherlock, and the Sherlock Holmes movies starring Robert Downey Jr.)