Module 15: Heather Has Two Mommies

Summary
Heather is a little girl who is hesitant to go to preschool for the first time.  While playing and talking with her new friends, she is surprised to learn that other children have daddies, while she has two mommies.  She wonders if there is something wrong with her family.  The teacher leads the students in a discussion about the many ways that families are made up.  In the end, Heather discovers that the members of a family are not so important as the love that exists between those members.

Newman, L., & Souza, D. (2000). Heather has two mommies (2nd ed., 10th anniversary ed.). Los Angeles: Alyson Wonderland. 

My impressions
Being from a town whose members challenged this book and rallied for its removal from the public library, I was very anxious to finally read it.  Being that homosexuality is such a hot-button topic, I understand why this book has been challenged so frequently.  However, I think that the book does an excellent job of depicting tolerance and diversity in a gentle, age-appropriate way.  It is critical that children see positive depictions of their families in the books they read, and Heather Has Two Mommies does that.  It depicts not only lesbian couples, but also gay male couples, single moms, adopted families, and traditional male/female couples.

Reviews

Heather Has Two Mommies. (2005). Book Links, 14(3), 31.

Heather feels left out because she doesn't have a daddy; instead, she has two mommies. Then Heather's preschool teacher asks the children to draw pictures of the people in their families, and Heather realizes that families are defined by the common fact that family members love one another. Although the message is one of appreciation of diversity, the more distant third-person narration and black-and-white illustrations make this less engaging than other picture books listed here.

Suggestion for library use

 After reading this book to students, I might lead them in a casual conversation about who makes up their family, much as the teacher did in the story.  I would make an effort to keep the tone casual so that the conversation felt more like a discussion than a sermon on tolerance. 

Module 14: 12 Impossible Things Before Breakfast

Summary
12 Impossible Things Before Breakfast is a collection of twelve short stories.  The stories all have fantastical elements, (hence the 'impossible things' in the title), with some being more far-fetched than others.  Stories range from a twist on Alice in Wonderland to grieving vampires to a group of thrill-seeking teenagers. 

Yolen, J. (1997). Twelve impossible things before breakfast: Stories. San Diego: Harcourt Brace. My impressions
This was not my favorite book.  I'm not a big fan of short stories in general, and unfortunately 12 Impossible Things didn't change my opinion.  I find short stories frustrating because, due to their length, you get only a glimpse of a full story.  There is no time for full character and plot development.  The fantasy theme of the stories was enjoyable in some stories, but slightly disturbing in others.  With that being said, the stories are well-written and I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy short stories and/or fantasy.

Reviews

Golodetz, V. (1997). Grades 5 & up: Fiction. School Library Journal, 43(12), 132.

This solid collection of short stories is a good introduction to various types of fantasy. Three of the 12 pieces are new and the rest have been published in other compilations. There is something here for everyone tales that are scary, gross, or fanciful. Some of the selections are reworkings of parts of children's classics, such as Alice in Wonderland (Alice learns how to be tough with the Jabberwock) and Peter Pan (Captain Hook is singing a new tune now that he is married to a modern-day feminist). "The Bridge's Complaint" puts a different spin on "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" by relating events from the bridge's point of view. The tales are set in different times--some in the past, some in the present, and some in the near or distant future. "Wilding" is a chilling futuristic look at New York City's Central Park, based on the gang violence that occurred there in the late 1980s. There's a story of a frightening sea monster, one about a fairy, and another about aliens; all will chill and delight the imagination.
 

Freeman, E. B., & Lehman, B. A. (1998). Children's books: Traditional tales. Reading Teacher, 52(3), 287.

Ever think that maybe Peter Pan was a chauvinistic tyrant? Maybe Alice wasn't tough enough to solve her own problems in Wonderland? Perhaps you would like to work as a "Max" in Central Park and keep an eye on the wild things. In Twelve Impossible Things Before Breakfast (O) Jane Yolen has created a delightfully bizarre collection of short stories with themes deeply rooted within well-known and beloved traditional stories and myths. The book's final section is a treat for readers who wish they could speak with the author as Yolen reflects on each story and provides insights that enrich each reading.

Suggestion for library use

For this book, the librarian could lead students in a discussion of what the common theme is in all twelve stories.  The title gives some hint of this, but students could expand on their ideas about the book's general theme.  They could also share ideas for additional stories with the same theme that could be added to the collection.

Module 13: Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Summary
Diary of a Wimpy Kid tells the day to day happenings in the life of Greg Heffley.  With Greg acting as narrator, he insists that he is NOT keeping a diary, even if the book reads like one.  Greg is a middle school student with typical middle school student problems: homework, bullies, jerky teachers, and girls who won't give him the time of day.  Diary uses humorous illustrations and dialogue to transport readers into Greg's world, with highly entertaining results. 

Kinney, J. (2007). Diary of a wimpy kid: Greg Heffley's journal. New York: Amulet Books.

My impressions
I wish that this book had existed when I was in middle school; it would have made living through the whole ordeal much more enjoyable!  I loved the illustrations and the diary-style writing.  I had heard about these books for years, so I wanted to check out for myself why they are so popular.  I understand now!  Kinney does a wonderful job of taking you back to middle school, feeling those middle school feelings, and living those humiliating middle school experiences-- all in a humorous way. 

Reviews

Diary of a Wimpy Kid. (2007). Publishers Weekly, 254(10), 61.

Kinney's popular Web comic, which began in 2004, makes its way to print as a laugh-out-loud "novel in cartoons," adapted from the series. Middle school student Greg Heffley takes readers through an academic year's worth of drama. Greg's mother forces him to keep a diary ("I know what it says on the cover, but when Morn went out to buy this thing I specifically told her to get one that didn't say 'diary' on it"), and in it he loosely recounts each day's events, interspersed with his comic illustrations. Kinney has a gift for believable preteen dialogue and narration (e.g., "Don't expect me to be all 'Dear Diary' this and 'Dear Diary' that"), and the illustrations serve as a hilarious counterpoint to Greg's often deadpan voice. The hero's utter obliviousness to his friends and family becomes a running joke. For instance, on Halloween, Greg and his best friend, Rowley, take refuge from some high school boys at Greg's grandmother's house; they taunt the bullies, who then T.P. her house. Greg's journal entry reads, "I do feel a little bad, because it looked like it was gonna take a long time to clean up. But on the bright side, Gramma is retired, so she probably didn't have anything planned for today anyway." Kinney ably skewers familiar aspects of junior high life, from dealing with the mysteries of what makes someone popular to the trauma of a "wrestling unit" in gym class. His print debut should keep readers in stitches, eagerly anticipating Greg's further adventures.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid. (2007). Kirkus Reviews, 75(2), 16.

Had Dante lived during the 20th century, he would have added a tenth circle to his conception of Hell: Call it Middle School. Here, there are morons, dorks, kids sporting premature facial hair; angst and beatings and really dumb ideas you never get away with--in other words, the realm of Greg Heffley, whose many frustrations and humiliations are caught so unerringly by Jeff Kinney in Diary of a Wimpy Kid. It's a graphic novel of unhinging hilarity and weirdly expressive, barebones artwork, in which Heffley is the comic, unredeemable and unnervingly appealing protagonist. "I think people will be amused by Greg Heffley because he is seriously flawed," says Kinney. "He suffers at the hands of kids above him on the totem pole, but he makes sure he doles it out to the kids who are beneath him. He can be petty and hypocritical, but his utter lack of introspection prevents him from bettering himself." Which, of course, is exactly why so many of his young readers will identify with him. Diary has been running for more than two years on the children's site Funbrain.com, which includes more than 1,000 pages of Greg's myriad follies. But it is print publishing that has the author jazzed up: "There were certain books in my house that were read so many times the pages crumbled," he says. "My greatest aspiration is to have Diary suffer the same type of loving abuse in some kid's hands." An aspiration likely to be realized.

Suggestion for library use

After reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid, students could write their own diaries.  This would give them practice with a different writing style.  It would also give them the chance to experiment with incorporating humor into their writing.

Module 12: Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Almost True Stories of Growing Up Scieszka

Summary
Knucklehead is an autobiography written by the popular children's author Jon Scieszka.  Accompanied by family photos and comic book-like illustrations, Knucklehead offers readers a glimpse into Scieszka's childhood.  Being one of six boys, Scieszka's book is filled with plenty of rambunctious anecdotes that are sure to delight young readers.

Scieszka, J. (2008). Knucklehead: Tall tales & mostly true stories about growing up Scieszka. New York, N.Y.: Viking.

My impressions
Biographies and autobiographies in particular are usually a tough sell with me.  I often find them disappointing, either because they go into too much detail or because I find out things about the subject that I would rather not have known.  However, Knucklehead was a refreshing change from that.  Written for a younger audience, the book had a sweet message amidst all of the fart jokes and pranks.  Definitely an enjoyable read.

Reviews

Whitehurst, L. S. (2008). Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Mostly True Stories About Growing Up Scieszka. School Library Journal, 54(10), 174-175.

Just try to keep kids away from this collection. Inspired book design makes the volume look like an old-school comic. The front cover features an elementary-aged Scieszka popping up out of a military tank, surrounded by explosions and bombers, while the back advertises a "Treasure Chest of Fun" and displays chapter titles and excerpts along with nostalgic graphics. Scieszka answers the oft-asked question, "Where do you get your ideas?" with a slew of childhood anecdotes and his family's escapades that have given him plenty of material from which to draw. Born in 1954, the second of six brothers, he writes about Catholic and military schools, buying gifts, chores, and hand-me-downs-all familiar experiences related with a specific Scieszka twist. His mother, a nurse, insisted that her sons use proper terms for anatomy ("rectum" rather than "butt") and bodily functions ("urinate" rather than "pee"), making way for several laugh-out-loud moments. Some stories are just amiably funny, such as wearing recycled Halloween costumes, while others help readers understand more about how the author developed his unique sense of humor. Although it includes the car trip story from Guys Write for Guys Read (Viking, 2005), Knucklehead is aimed at a younger audience. Family photographs and other period illustrations appear throughout. Entertaining and fast-moving, silly and sweet, this homage to family life is not to be missed.

KNUCKLEHEAD: Tall Tales and Mostly True Stories of Growing up Scieszka. (2008). Kirkus Reviews, 76(17), 957.

Offering an answer to the perennial query about where his ideas come from, the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature looks back to his early 1960s youth. Fans will not be surprised to learn that, except for his mother (a nurse, fortunately) he grew up in an all-male household: father, five brothers and "even our dogs and cats and fish." The resulting memories include group pukes in the back seat, slipping toy soldiers into the Christmas cr'che, playing neighborhood games like "Slaughterball" and idyllic summer expeditions into the woods around his grandparents' cottage--not to mention the pleasures of random dips into the household children's encyclopedia and spurning "those weirdos Dick and Jane" to "find out more about real things like dogs in cars and cats in hats." Illustrated with truly dorky school-yearbook photos and family snapshots, this account of a thoroughly normal childhood doesn't match Gary Paulsen's memoirs for hilarity or Tomie DePaola's for cultural insight, but it will draw chuckles of amusement from middle-graders (particularly less eager readers) and of recognition from their parents and grandparents.

Suggestion for library use
After reading Knucklehead, students could write their own mini-biographies.  They could supplement their writing with pictures and drawings, as the author did.

Module 11- How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous

Summary
This informational book describes in vivid, often gruesome, detail how 19 different historical figures died.  Accompanied by quirky, comic illustrations, How They Croaked puts a light-hearted twist on a taboo topic.

Bragg, G., & Malley, K. (2011). How they croaked: The awful ends of the awfully famous. New York: Walker & Co.

My impressions
I was not expecting to like this book, but in the end I looked forward to reading it each night!  The comic tone in which it is written kept it from being overly depressing or textbook-like.  It presented information in a fun way, and I could see many middle school-aged students enjoying it.

Reviews

Danner, B. (2011). How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous. School Library Journal, 57(4), 189-190.

Gr 5-9--King Tut died of malaria; Edgar Allan Poe is suspected to have had rabies. Beethoven and Galileo both met their ends due to lead poisoning. Fifteen other historical figures, including world leaders, writers, and scientists, were felled by things as mundane as pneumonia and as unpredictable as angry mobs. Each entry provides the circumstances of the person's death and gives context to those circumstances, from discussions of the political climate to medical practices of the time. Chapters are separated by a spread of brief facts related to the individual, the demise, or the era. Lively, full-page caricatures set in decorative frames appear throughout, along with spot illustrations. Back matter includes a lengthy list of sources. The sometimes-snarky writing gives the material a casual, conversational tone that will appeal to many readers. The title alone provides an easy booktalk; expect this one to be passed around and pored over.

HOW THEY CROAKED The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous. (2011). Kirkus Reviews, 79(3), 201.
 The most reluctant of readers will find it difficult to resist this consistently disgusting chronicle of the gruesome deaths of 19 will famous people. Bragg opens with King Tut, discussing in gory details the embalming and mummification processes of the ancient Egyptians. Among the many macabre details is an explanation for why mummy eye sockets look empty: "Eyeballs shrink to almost nothing during the drying process" (the author notes that if mummy eyeballs are rehydrated, they return to almost normal size). Among the other famous figures profiled are Henry VIII, whose corpse exploded in its coffin while lying in state; George Washington, who was drained of 80 ounces of his blood by doctors before dying; and Marie Curie, who did herself in with constant radiation exposure. The accounts of how ill or injured people were treated by doctors through the 19th century reveal that medical practices were usually more lethal than the maladies. Between each chapter, there is a page or two of related and gleefully gross facts. Bragg's informal, conversational style and O'Malley's cartoon illustrations complement the flippant approach to the subject; the energetically icky design includes little skulls and crossbones to contain page numbers. Engaging, informative and downright disgusting.  

Suggestion for library use
After reading this book, students could choose a historical figure whose death they would like to research.  After gathering the information, they could write a report in a style similar to this book, which would give them practice with different writing styles.

Module 10- The Book Thief

Summary
The Book Thief tells the story of a young girl, Liesel, growing up in Nazi Germany.  She is sent to live with foster parents after her mother is unable to care for her brother and her.  The story that follows is a vivid description of Liesel's daily life in her new home in a small town outside of Munich.  She overcomes numerous tragedies and difficulties, making friends and enemies along the way.  Among her adventures are various episodes of book stealing, from which Liesel gets her alter ego and the book its name.  The Book Thief is a touching story of enduring friendship, strength, love, and survival.

Zusak, M. (2006). The book thief. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

My impressions
I think that this may be one of my favorite books of all time.  The fact that Death acts as the narrator gave the book such a unique feel and tone.  There was enough humor interspersed throughout the book to keep it from being too depressing.  Yet I couldn't help but be moved to tears as the story continued and Liesel and her family suffer through seemingly never-ending tragedies.  One thing that I liked in particular about this book was that it gave the perspective of everyday Germans living through World War II.  I haven't found this perspective in many books, and it was refreshing to explore the complexities of the characters and their struggles.

Reviews
The Book Thief. (2006). Publishers Weekly, 253(5), 70-71.
This hefty volume is an achievement--a challenging book in both length and subject, and best suited to sophisticated older readers. The narrator is Death himself, a companionable if sarcastic fellow, who travels the globe "handing souls to the conveyor belt of eternity." Death keeps plenty busy during the course of this WWII tale, even though Zusak (I Am the Messenger) works in miniature, focusing on the lives of ordinary Germans in a small town outside Munich. Liesel Meminger, the book thief, is nine when she pockets The Gravedigger's Handbook, found in a snowy cemetery after her little brother's funeral. Liesel's father--a "Kommunist"--is already missing when her mother hands her into the care of the Hubermanns. Rosa Hubermann has a sharp tongue, but Hans has eyes "made of kindness." He helps Liesel overcome her nightmares by teaching her to read late at night. Hans is haunted himself, by the Jewish soldier who saved his life during WWI.

The Book Thief. (2006). Kirkus Reviews, 74(23), 26.
Said Kirkus, "When Death tells a story, you pay attention." More so when he's got a mordant sense of humor and a pathological fear of humans, like the narrator of Markus Zusak's elegant story of a young German girl's small rebellions against the Nazi government. "I just thought of the old theory that war and death are like best friends," says the author. "So why not use Death to narrate a novel set during war--since he was everywhere during that time." In his many travels around the continent, Death becomes mesmerized by Liesel Meminger after her brother dies and she's given over to a foster father (who's also hiding a Jewish man in his Munich basement). Watching her steal books from Nazi book-burnings and tend to her hidden refugee, Death attempts to understand the dueling human compulsions toward great evil and great generosity. It's Death's vulnerability that appeals to Zusak: "As soon as I thought that Death would be afraid of humans because of what we do to each other, I had the voice I needed," he says. "I also loved the irony that Death would be afraid of us." "Philosophical and moving," said Kirkus. "This big, expansive novel is a leisurely working out of fate, of seemingly chance encounters and events that ultimately touch, like dominoes as they collide… even at its length, it's a work to read slowly and savor." 

Suggestion for library use
Given the great difference between the portrayal of Germans living through World War II in this book versus others, it would be nice to explore that difference in more detail.  After reading The Book Thief, students could compare and contrast the normal ways that Germans in this time period are portrayed versus the way they are depicted in the book.  This could also lend itself to a discussion of the way our own perspectives are shaped by these portrayals.

Module 9- Code Name Verity

Summary
Code Name Verity is a tale of friendship, heartbreak, and strength set in World War II.  The two main characters, Maggie and Queenie, become friends while working as part of the British War Effort.  Queenie narrates the first part of the story, having been captured by Nazis in France.  She makes a deal with her captors and spills information about the British War Effort in the form of a written story.  The second part of the story is narrated by Maggie, who makes certain details in Queenie's story clearer.  Through Maggie's telling, we also discover truths that Queenie has not shared, as well as the ultimate fate of the two friends.

Wein, E. (2012). Code name Verity. New York: Hyperion.

My impressions
What a wonderful book!  As hard as it was to read, Code Name Verity was thought-provoking, heartbreaking, and always interesting.  I saw this book as more of historical fiction than mystery.  There were mysterious elements, but they had more of a thriller feel than a traditional mystery.  But whatever category the book fits in, it is one of those unforgettable, haunting books that stays with you long after you finish reading it.

Reviews
CODE NAME VERITY. (2012). Kirkus Reviews, 84.
Breaking away from Arthurian legends (The Winter Prince, 1993, etc.), Wein delivers a heartbreaking tale of friendship during World War II. In a cell in Nazi-occupied France, a young woman writes. Like Scheherezade, to whom she is compared by the SS officer in charge of her case, she dribbles out information--"everything I can remember about the British War Effort"--in exchange for time and a reprieve from torture. But her story is more than a listing of wireless codes or aircraft types. Instead, she describes her friendship with Maddie, the pilot who flew them to France, as well as the real details of the British War Effort: the breaking down of class barriers, the opportunities, the fears and victories not only of war, but of daily life. She also describes, almost casually, her unbearable current situation and the SS officer who holds her life in his hands and his beleaguered female associate, who translates the narrative each day. Through the layers of story, characters (including the Nazis) spring to life. And as the epigraph makes clear, there is more to this tale than is immediately apparent. The twists will lead readers to finish the last page and turn back to the beginning to see how the pieces slot perfectly, unexpectedly into place.

A carefully researched, precisely written tour de force; unforgettable and wrenching.

 

Code Name Verity. (2012). Publishers Weekly, 259(16), 66.

Wein (The Empty Kingdom) serves up a riveting and often brutal tale of WWII action and espionage with a powerful friendship at its core. Captured Scottish spy Queenie has agreed to tell her tale--and reveal any confidential information she knows--in exchange for relief from being tortured by Nazis. Her story, which alternates between her early friendship with a pilot named Maddie and her recent sufferings in prison, works both a story of cross-class friendship (from an upper-crust family, Queenie realizes that she would likely never have met Maddie under other circumstances) and as a harrowing spy story (Queenie's captor, von Loewe, is humanized without losing his menace). Queenie's deliberately rambling and unreliable narration keeps the story engaging, and there are enough action sequences and well-delivered twists (including a gut-wrenching climax and late revelations that will have readers returning to reread the first half of the book) to please readers of all stripes. Wein balances the horrors of war against genuine heroics, delivering a well-researched and expertly crafted adventure. Ages 14-up.

 

Suggestion for library use

As complicated as this book was, I think that it would be good to have a discussion about its plot, characters, and sequence of events.  I am still confused about some of the details, and discussing it would be beneficial to me!  Students may have similar experiences and benefit from a discussion.  I also see this book as stirring up some strong emotions in readers, warranting a good discussion.