The Crossover

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alexander, Kwame. 2014. The Crossover. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN: 9780544107717

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Twelve year old identical twins, Josh and Jordan (JB) Bell, are talented middle school basketball stars. Their dad is a former professional basketball player, and their mother is their school principal. They have always been incredibly close, but after a new girl starts attending their school, JB enters a relationship and Josh suddenly feels left out. Josh begins to misbehave, and after causing a serious injury to his brother on the basketball court, his parents ground him from the team. As the team’s winning streak continues, Josh goes out of his way to try and earn the favor of his brother and parents in order to be able to play again. Unfortunately, the family drama continues when the boys’ dad suffers a heart attack and is hospitalized. Josh eventually makes it back onto the court, but prior to the championship game, his father has a setback and dies which sadly is what leads to the boys’ eventual reconciliation.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This novel in verse, is filled with beautiful poems that vary from rhythmic and rhyming to moving, concrete lines told primarily from the voice of Josh Bell. The main characters are twin brothers who are inseparable until a girl catches JB’s eye. The angst of a middle school crush and the devastation of being left out by your best friend are eloquently captured through each poem. The family dynamics that are described are also very realistic and move from concern over their father’s health, to anger over Josh’s actions, and then the grief of an almost unbearable loss. The setting is modern day and could take place in just about any town nationwide. I got the sense that it was probably in the South, perhaps North Carolina based on some Duke references. The primary theme of this book is about the love and support of a family during all of the changes and challenges of life. After all of the conflict between the brothers, the bond that they have remains unbreakable. Even though JB may still harbor some anger and Josh may still be somewhat jealous, they will always be there to support one another.

Overall, I found this book to be a very enjoyable read. The beginning poems were rather unexpected because of their rhyme and beat, and I admit that it took focusing through several poems before I found my own reading rhythm to match the book’s style. While there are a tremendous amount of basketball references, one does not have to be a basketball fan or even have basketball knowledge to understand the book’s content. This is simply a book about all of the beautiful imperfections of a real American family.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2015 NEWBERY AWARD WINNER

2015 Coretta Scott King Honor

2015 NCTE Charlotte Huck Award Honor for Outstanding Fiction for Children

2015 Penn State/Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award

2015 Paterson Poetry Prize for Young People's Literature

From School Library Journal: “Underscoring the sports and the fraternal tension is a portrait of a family that truly loves and supports one another. Alexander has crafted a story that vibrates with energy and heart and begs to be read aloud. A slam dunk.”

From Booklist: “Alexander eloquently mashes up concrete poetry, hip-hop, a love of jazz, and a thriving family bond. The effect is poetry in motion. It is a rare verse novel that is fundamentally poetic rather than using this writing trend as a device. There is also a quirky vocabulary element that adds a fun intellectual note to the narrative. This may be just the right book for those hard-to-match youth who live for sports or music or both.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other novels in verse such as:

•                      Woodson, Jacqueline. Brown Girl Dreaming. ISBN 0399252517

•                      Engle, Margarita. Mountain Dog. ISBN 1250044243

•                      Creech, Sharon. Hate that Cat. ISBN 0061430943

Gather other Kwame Alexander books to read such as:

•                     Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band. ISBN 1585366889

•                     He said, She said. ISBN 006211896X

•                     Crush: Love Poems for Teenagers. ISBN 1499364784

•                     Booked. ISBN 0544570987 (coming April 2016)

Use in a unit on various types of poetry.

Use in connection with a sports themed unit.

The Fault in Our Stars

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Green, John. 2012. The Fault in Our Stars. New York: The Penguin Group. ISBN: 9780142424179

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Hazel is a 16 year old who has thyroid cancer, which has begun to affect her lungs. In an effort to encourage activities with others, her mother takes her to support group meetings. It is here that she meets and ultimately falls in love with Augustus (Gus), a 17 year old who has a type of bone cancer that is in remission. Hazel shares her love of books with Gus and convinces him to read her favorite, An Imperial Affliction. The book, however, doesn’t have a definitive ending, and after numerous emails, the author agrees to tell them in person. Gus reveals that he has never used his “make a wish” and takes Hazel to Amsterdam to meet with the author. Unfortunately, the visit doesn’t go as planned, but the two enjoy the trip together anyway. After returning home, Gus admits that his cancer has returned, and his condition rapidly deteriorates. Hazel stays with him, loving him and supporting him, through his worst days and finally his death.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This is a beautiful story of two young star crossed lovers, dealing with their daily challenges in dramatically different ways. Hazel seems to take life and her terminal diagnosis rather seriously, while Gus is much more carefree and sees the positive in every circumstance. Both of these characters are believable, and it is easy to become engaged in their day to day lives. The plot, while incredibly tragic and heart wrenching, is logical and convincing as a storyline. The way the characters interact with peers and parents is typical behavior for most teenagers, but no matter how normal things seem, there is an “elephant” in the room that can never be fully ignored. The setting, while technically in modern day Indiana, could be in any town in the present day.

There are many different themes that come through in this book. One that stood out to me is that life isn’t fair and there is no rhyme or reason why one person may face terrible suffering during their lifetime. “The world is not a wish granting factory” no matter how much we would like for it to be, and unfortunately, the presence of childhood cancer is very real for many families today. Facing this diagnosis would be devastating for anyone, but books like this might help some to feel like they are not alone and could eventually help the healing process.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2012 TIME Magazine’s #1 Fiction Book

TODAY Book Club Pick

#1 New York Times Bestseller

#1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller

#1 USA Today Bestseller

#1 International Bestseller

#1 Indie Bestseller

From The Washington Post: “John Green deftly mixes the profound and the quotidian in this tough, touching valentine to the human spirit.”

From New York Times Book Review: “[Green] shows us true love—two teenagers helping and accepting each other through the most humiliating physical and emotional ordeals—and it is far more romantic than any sunset on the beach.”

From Booklist, starred review: “Beautifully conceived and executed, this story artfully examines the largest possible considerations—life, love, and death—with sensitivity, intelligence, honesty, and integrity. In the process, Green shows his readers what it is like to live with cancer, sometimes no more than a breath or a heartbeat away from death. But it is life that Green spiritedly celebrates here, even while acknowledging its pain. In its every aspect, this novel is a triumph.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other books with characters suffering from chronic or terminal conditions such as:

•                      Andrews, Jesse. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. ISBN 1419701762

•                      Downham, Jenny. Before I Die. ISBN 0385613466

•                      Picoult, Jodi. My Sister’s Keeper. ISBN 0743454537

Gather other John Green to read such as:

•                     Looking for Alaska. ISBN 0142402516

•                     Paper Towns. ISBN 014241493X

•                     An Abundance of Katherines. ISBN 9780142410707

John Green has a fantastic educator guide for four of his novels available at: http://www.penguin.com/static/images/yr/pdf/JohnGreen_Guide_june_2014.pdf

Rapunzel's Revenge

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hale, Shannon and Hale, Dean. 2008. Rapunzel’s Revenge. New York: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books. ISBN: 9781599900704

2. PLOT SUMMARY

This story is a modern day adaptation of the classic Rapunzel story. It begins in a beautiful villa, surrounded by a wall, where Rapunzel lives with her mother Gothel. At the age of 12, curiosity gets the best of her and in her discovery outside the wall, finds out the truth about her original family and her real mother’s status as a slave. In anger, she confronts mother Gothel who locks her in a magical tree. During this time, her hair grows long, and she is able to use it as a rope to escape in hopes of rescuing her mother and fixing all of the problems that mother Gothel has caused throughout the land. At the beginning of her journey, she meets Jack and his goose, and together, they outsmart various groups of outlaws looking to harm them. Finally, she makes it back to the villa, triumphs over mother Gothel, saves her mother, and makes all things right.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This book turns Rapunzel from the traditional damsel in distress story to an action adventure filled with danger, humor, and even a little love. While the beginning villa setting seems somewhat familiar to any reader of classic fairy tales, most of the action in this graphic novel takes place in what can only be described as the Wild, Wild, West. This setting allows Rapunzel to act in a rather uncharacteristic manner, using her hair as a lasso, riding a boar, fighting coyotes and a sea snake, and even besting gun toting bad guys around almost every corner. Readers can’t help but cheer on the fearless and determined heroine as she sets out to right wrongs and ultimately help good triumph over evil.

The illustrations by Nathan Hale are nothing short of amazing. He is clearly able to capture the ever changing emotions of the main characters as they experience the highs and lows of this journey together and interact with a motley group of people along the way. The captions are witty and progress the story at an appropriate pace, and even young or reluctant readers will be able to access this text. It is, however, more content appropriate for a 5th-8th grade audience. Overall, even though this book has a predictable fairy tale storyline and a theme where good wins and everyone lives happily ever after, it is a unique take on the classic that many readers will instantly love.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2008 CYBIL AWARD WINNER

2009 LEAH ADEZIO AWARD FOR MOST KID-FRIENDLY WORK

2009 YALSA Great Graphic Novel for Teens

2009 ALA Notable Children’s Book

From School Library Journal: “The dialogue is witty, the story is an enticing departure from the original, and the illustrations are magically fun and expressive. Knowing that there are more graphic novels to come from this writing team brings readers their own happily-ever-after.”

From Booklist: “Hale’s art matches the story well, yielding expressive characters and lending a wonderful sense of place to the fantasy landscape. Rich with humor and excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that will become a fast favorite of young readers.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other Rapunzel adaptations to read such as:

•                      Zelinsky, Paul O. Rapunzel. ISBN 0142301930

•                      Gibb, Sarah. Rapunzel: Based on the Original Story by the Brothers Grimm. ISBN 080756804X

Gather other books written by Shannon and Dean Hale or illustrated by Nathan Hale such as:

•                     Calamity Jack. ISBN 1599903733

•                     The Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party. ISBN 0763665118 (or others in this series)

•                     Princess Academy. ISBN 1619636131

Use with a study of graphic novels.

Use with a unit on fractured fairy tales, retellings, and other adaptations.

Use with a unit on making inferences. Action and emotion is usually told within the pictures rather than the words. Are readers slowing down enough to read the pictures, comprehend the story, and infer what is not being said?

Paperboy

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Vawter, Vince.  2013. Paperboy. New York: Random House. ISBN:9780385742443

2. PLOT SUMMARY

In Memphis, Tennessee, during the summer of 1959, Vince, known as Little Man, agrees to take over his best friend’s paper route for a month after busting his lip with a baseball. Little Man is excited about the job because being a really great baseball pitcher should make it easy. However, he is concerned about collecting money each Friday because a severe stutter makes it difficult for him to communicate, and he is easily embarrassed by his speech difficulties. Throughout the month Little Man meets a rather unique group of people including an alcoholic housewife, a brilliant merchant marine, and a “TV boy.” Problems arise with the neighborhood junkman and Little Man’s housekeeper, Mam, risks her life to intervene and help. In the end, Little Man’s experiences that summer change him and his outlook on life for good.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This books gives a realistic look at life in Memphis in 1959.  Social injustices and race inequalities are evident through Mam’s conversations with Little Man, and Vawter does a great job describing the details like the heat of the summer and the smell of Ara T. Readers can even hear the southern dialect of the characters throughout the book.

I listened to this as an audiobook, and it really helped bring the main character to life. The technique that he uses to force out words without stuttering is unique to my ears and helped me to really hear how he would have sounded as he tried to push out a little air before forming a sound. I would not have read it the same way in my head, and I think hearing it aloud not only gave life to Little Man but also gave me the opportunity to really think about how he was perceived by others and what he thought of himself.

The interactions with the other characters lead to the major plot development in the story. While some of the conversations seem inconsequential, each exchange brings about a change in Little Man. The lessons that he learns from talking with Mr. Spiro eventually allow him to stand up for himself against another paperboy and admit to Mam the trouble he is having with Ara T. Ultimately, he finds an inner strength that leads him to be able to come to terms with his personal struggles. His perseverance is a timeless tale that many young readers will appreciate.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2014 NEWBERY HONOR BOOK

ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book

IRA Children’s and Young Adults’ Choice

IRA Teachers’ Choice

Junior Library Guild Selection

Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year

From Publisher’s Weekly: “[A] tense, memorable story.”

From School Library Journal: “Vawter portrays a protagonist so true to a disability that one cannot help but empathize with the difficult world of a stutterer. Yet, Victor's story has much broader appeal as the boy begins to mature and redefine his relationship with his parents, think about his aspirations for the future, and explore his budding spirituality. The deliberate pacing and unique narration make Paperboy a memorable coming-of-age novel.”

From Booklist: “In some ways, the story is a set piece, albeit a very good one: the well-crafted characters, hot Southern summer, and coming-of-age events are reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird. But this has added dimension in the way it brilliantly gets readers inside the head of a boy who stutters. First-time author Vawter has lived this story, so he is able to write movingly about what it’s like to have words exploding in your head with no reasonable exit. This paperboy is a fighter, and his hope fortifies and satisfies in equal measure.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other books about children with stuttering problems such as:

•                      Christopher, Matt. Glue Fingers. ISBN 0316139394

•                      Kline, Suzy. Mary Marony and the Snake. ISBN 0440411327 (or others in the Mary Marony series)

Gather other books set in the 1950s such as:

•                     Holm, Jennifer L. Penny from Heaven. ISBN 037583687X

•                     Levine, Kristin. Lions of Little Rock. ISBN 039925644X

•                     Holt, Kimberly Willis. My Louisiana Sky. ISBN 0440415705

Use with a history unit on the 1950s.

Use with a guidance lesson on learning differences.