Mr. Chippendale/ClassDismissed

  Mel Glen uses a unique, sophisticated way in bringing poetry to life.  In Who Killed Mr. Chippendale? the story is told through the perspectives of the students at Tower High.  How clever, creative, and captivating this tale was! Mel Glenn was able to capture the personalities of each individual student and their own personal thoughts/feelings about school, life, love, and of course Mr. Chippendale.
  The fact also that this is a mystery, keeps adolescents fully engaged and ready for more.  Mr. Chippendale is killed on the track one early morning, but no one knows who did it.  Through context clues, the boy in the red sweatshirt is Mike Curry.  On page 7, where we first read about Mike, it would be hard to pick up on him attached to the crime.  However, reading back over a second time, likes such as "Whaddya mean, where was I? Bathroom, man" and "Hey, maybe I'll make the ten o'clock news. Cool!"
Just these two lines alone can make the reader question- how will he make the news? and where was he really during the shooting?
Other important characters mentioned in this short book of poems are Angela and Leah.  ANgela is the guidance counselor, who mourns more than a colleague.  It is apparent they had a love affair at some point in time, and she is mourning a lost love.  It is ultimately she that discovers the murderer, just as the dream on page 24, Robert asked her to.
  I love the connections, the wittiness, and the sense of humor.  The twins on page 10 and 11 shows ow alike, yet so different, people can be.
  I really felt that the last two lines of each poem were really significant for each character because it always led you to know more about the storyline, about the character, or what was coming. Some that stood out:
"Learning about life is a painstaking task,
But it has to be done with
Relish." (28)

"I'm getting tired of cafeteria education,
Where they throw inedible courses at you.
I'm hungry for the open road again." (33)

"This is what America is like, I think,
All speed and violence and
No beautiful words." (87)

This lines can be taken as excerpts and just used as writing quick writes.  Tell me what you think this quote means to you.  (I do this often in eighth grade because expository writign on the NJASK usually asks to have them relate to a quote.  To me, these are beautiful excerpts to have students reflect, and share.  Overall, I think this is a fascinating book- I am happy to add this to my poetry collection.
  Also by Mel Glenn is Class Dismissed, which is a very similar style to Mr. Chippendale.  It is a collection of high school poems, and again, they are written from the perspective of the student.  How clever and concise Glenn is to captivate these young students as authors.  In free verse, it teaches students we are all writers of poetry- free verse allows the mind to think out loud.  Again, he uses the last two to three lines to really intrigue the reader.  Amy Pines, page 76 (Kindle version)

"Someone in class yelled out, 'Hey man, who died?"
Nobody.
Nobody except my formal self."

To me, just the way he figures the words on the page captivates me. (perhaps this is called cesura and enjambment?) The word nobody, left alone on a line of its own.  Beautifully done.
I woud use these poems in isolation- take one here and there and talk about it with students.  Get them to talk about writing and what each character is emotionally feeling.  It is a great way to have kids reflect.

Poetry is a way into a child's mind.  Like we were discussing in class, even the shortest poems can really 'pack the punch' with expression.  I intertwine poetry into teaching throughout the school year, because I do think it is important for kids to be exposed to.These two works by Glen are perfect resources to use and to allow kids to use freely for inspiration.

Flesh and Blood So Cheap

  Sweatshops in America.  The book Flesh and Blood So Cheap written by Albert Martin really focuses on our country during the turn of the century and the conditions citizens worked under.  The particular chapter that caught my attention was "The Third Gate:Fire at the Triangle".  I was fascinated wit the images included in this book, because they were authentic.  In this chapter, a fire is referenced to Newark, NJ that killed twenty-three people.  THe conditions in which they worked under was appalling- It was a cotton underwear factory that used multiple machines, running very hot, and little breaks.  Women were trapped in this fire, and now people around the NY-NJ area feared the worst.
  The Asch building was rather tall- so tall in fact the fire department was not equipped to reach past the sixth floor (107).  The building was made out of steel, so the architect had stated the building was fire proof.  However, he did not mention that the "technology" of a steel building would trap those inside with narrow staircases and doors that pulled in rather than out.
  Smoking was prohibited in buildings, but close to the end of shift, some would often light up a cigarette.  This is believed to be the cause of the fire- Once a month, scraps would be picked up from underneath the working tables.  The scraps had been ignited by ash, and then quickly spread to the rest of the scraps and machines.  The importance of fire safety was never discussed or practiced, because it didn't offer money in return.  As one safety engineer stated, "Let em burn.  They're a lot of cattle anyway- Workers can easily be replaced." (109).  This shows that the safety of workers was irrelevant.
   Within fifteen minutes of the fire starting, it had spread to the eighth floor.  Those desperate for air went to windows and tried going down the elevator shaft.  Martin writes the account in a dramatic fashion to really shows young readers what happened on this day.  He emphasized the amount of bodies that fell from the ninth floor, and how the fire department couldn't reach the top of the building.
  Those on the tenth floor were more fortunate, as a teacher across buildings found a painting ladder on the roof of his building and provided a segway to travel.  The images provided in this chapter show the fire department at the scene, with their tallest ladder reaching only half way up.   The insides of the building were charred, and one image on page 117 shows a collapsed fire escape.
  So, what does this all mean for factory life? The rest of the book continues with how the youth of America, coming from other countries, sacrificed many hours and days in such awful, life-threatening conditions.  One hundred and forty-six men and women died during this fire; a fire that could have been prevented and more workers could have escaped safely.  Reform (139) had to be taken to change the way workers in our country were being treated.  Men and women gathered to fight for this reform.

  In the classroom this is an ideal book to use in conjunction with a history lesson.  I would start with teaching about the fire, and lead the discussion into working conditions during the early 1900's.  I would talk about the clothing market today, and how most clothing comes from a different part of the world.  This could go into a wonderful short research- look at the tag they are wearing, "Made in ___" and do a little it of research about the company and their factories.  They might be interested in what they read.  To me, the images in this book really bring in the reality of how poverty and desperation cause people to work under such conditions.  There are many pictures of young kids scanning through garbage, working in cotton mills, and even picking cotton.  All are great research topics  to have the kids explore and find information to report back to the class.

Gary Paulsen's The River

  A brave and enchanting tale, The River exercises the mind and spirit for optimism and hope.  Paulsen continue's Brian's story: a young boy who was trapped in the woods for fifty-two days with nothing but a hatchet.  He survives, but he will never forget his experiences in mastering the wilderness.  So it isn't a surprise when three men show up at Brian's door asking him to relive the event.
   At first, Brian cannot believe what he is hearing- but then it starts to make sense.  He must recount the events for future boys and girls if they were ever stuck in the woods.  So Derek, the lead companion, encourages Brian's mom and dad to let him go on another expedition.  They will travel to a nearby lake, all new surroundings, and Brian would show Derek how to survive.
   When the plane lands, Brian makes the decision to leave all camping equipment on board- if Derek was going to learn, he needed to know the hard way.  Without too much hesitation, Derek agreed.  The sights and sounds quickly returned, and Brian refocused into survival mode.
  Though the first couple days went smoothly, it quickly reversed with a bolt; Derek had gone into a coma due to a lightning strike.  Now, Brian had to think quickly for the survival of his companion.
   The theme I immediately pick up on is Brian's continued optimism.  From his agreement to revisit the wilderness, to building a raft and traveling one hundred miles downstream, Brian knew what he had to do.  At one point he mentioned, "It had only been forty-right hours since Derek had been asleep, but it became instinctive to check his heart rate and pulse." (approx 110).  He never gave up- and the fact that he could have said no to going back, he could have brought the gear, he could have stayed by the lake. But, he was optimistic- and that's what drove him through his weariness, fog, and hallucinations.
   Paulsen's language is very easy to read and follow.  A mere 132 pages would be a couple of hours for a teenager to accomplish.  The chapters are designed to flow, like a river- one into the next.  He doesn't want you to put the book down, and frankly, the reader doesn't want to either.  Dialogue is limited to show Brian's reliance on himself, and how one must rely on themselves in the wilderness.
    I think this is a great book to use in conjunction with My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George.  Sam Gribley is a young, fifteen year old boy, that gives up city life to life in the Catskills with nothing but a knife.  He manages for nearly fifteen months before his family retrieves him.  I would live to use Hatchet and The River as a series set to read with My Side of the Mountain.  Two groups can be divided; half the class reads Hatchet, half reads River, and then the whole class reads My Side.  This way, students can draw conclusions as well as comparisons on how they two young boys made it through in New York.

  This is a gender-neutral novel that is also timeless.  I feel that even though it was written in 1991, twenty-one years ago, it very much can be accepted by classes today.  Brian is very real, and very relatable to students.  They admire his strength and courage to persevere through the river and bring a man back to life.  Chance- this word was said a lot- and I think that Brian exemplifies how chance (and luck) is part of life.

Speak

A National Book Award Finalist, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, delves into the depths of darkness for a young teenage girl.  Melinda, nicknamed "Mel" depicts how many teenage girls feel after a severe encounter: rape.  Loneliness, depression, and blame were three themes I focused on throughout this novel.
  First, I examined her parents.  There lack of support, love, and affection really took a toll on how Mel viewed herself.   They were not around for dinner time discussions, let alone mom and dad together in the same room.  To Mel, her parents had fallen apart long ago- they were just prolonging the inevitable until she graduated high school.
  Her parents did show some progressive signs of support.  At Christmas, they bought Mel a canvas and sketch pencils.  Mel recalls, "I almost tell them right then and there.   Tears flood my eyes.  They noticed I've been trying to draw.  They noticed"( 72).  This was such a minor display of affection, and this had almost brought her to tell her parents what had happened to her on that August night.  Like many of they stories we have read this summer, Crash, Centerfield, and Monster, Mel is longing for the attention, love, and support from her parents.  She reminisces of past holidays, and wishes it had been the same.  How often do teens now reflect on their youth and say, "I wish I could go back"- I think this would be a great reflective Interactive journal response.  Students can talk about what they miss the most about their own childhood, like Mel.
  There is also a symbolism of trees.  Her teacher, Mr. Freeman (which, I love how Anderson used play on words for her characters; he certainly was a free-spirited man) gave Mel the encouragement she needed to last her through her freshman year.  After her friends were long gone, her parents were disconnected, there was one person that believed in her and pushed her to be better.  Mr. Freeman and the tree- symbolism of growth? development? nourishment?
  Mel worked the whole year on her tree.  She used various materials, just like teens change year to year in their own youth.  She wanted it to be perfect; the desire for it to look just right- was this because her own self image had disappeared, and happiness could not be obtained for herself?  The entire book is a process- a growth.  Her growth developed, as did her tree.  She was proud of her display, the very last day, because she knew deep inside, it resembled her emotions.
  Mel definitely grows from being somewhat stagnate/flat to a dynamic character.  The rape has caused an inability to feel; her emotions are drawn from her and she cannot seem to regain strength.  With the spring, and courage to make a change, she regains control of her emotions.  The fact that she confronted Rachel about Andy made her feel stronger and empowered, something that had been taken away.  She wasn't about to let that all go away- especially when Andy confronts her for a second time in the janitor's closet.

  I think this book has a very deep and analytical topic that may be too much for eighth graders.  I would focus on having girls read it, perhaps in a reading club setting.  However, the concepts are controversial for a young age, and as they graduate from eighth, I could suggest it for free summer reading.

Lineas to Cross in a Lifetime

   Ann Jaramillo's novel, La Linea, is a fictional story based on real events.  Ann met her husband Luis in the 1970's, where his family welcomed her with open arms.  It was here that Ann developed a sense of understanding when she learns about the difficulties and struggles that many have faced to cross the border line.  The afterwards states, "We didn't come to the United States.  The United States came to us."  This sentence reflects on how many times this country has turned a family around, and provided hope to those with none.
   La Linea is a story of struggle and hope for a young fifteen year old boy who longs to be reunited with his mom and dad in California.  What was a year of promise turned into seven, and on his birthday, the time had come.  San Jacnito did not offer stability of survival; the corn had dried up and families had left behind any hopes and dreams of making adequate income.
  Before he could leave, the reader learns various vocabulary terms, such as 'coyote'.  Through context clues, students quickly learn this is a man to help one travel across the desert safely.  Mata gente is the train that travels north, and pueblitos are communities in which residents help those migrants seeking a better life in the north.
   To me, it was an eye-opener reading this book.  Since I was little, I have heard the stereotypes of Mexicans crossing the border, thinking it is an easy task, which is why so many are here in this country.   Though I have argued the point they are here to better themselves and their children, others still have a distaste for their existence.  Reading about the children riding the mata gente was very frightening; Javi, the adopted companion on Miguel's journey, was concerned for gangs capturing and molesting these children.  It makes you also think about the amount of parents who have left their children behind to provide money and send back to a housekeeper.  How awful it must be to be separated and live across "la Linea".
    One of the most significant lines in this novel to me was "I didn't understand that there are thousands of lineas to cross in a life.  Sometimes you see the border and you walk right across, eyes wide open.  You know you will change.  You know everything will be different.  Other times, you don;t know you've crossed a border until you reach the other side.  Until you turn, and look back at la linea, surprised" (125).    This is a perfect open-ended response to get the students reflecting on their own lines they have crossed in their life.  How many times have we crossed decisions without looking back?
  Miguel knew he wouldn't look back.  The United States was where he longed to be; though throughout the story,  the reader felt dis-contempt for his father.  How could he deny Don Clemente the opprtunity to send his son earlier?  It wasn't until Miguel was older, "It took me years to accept that Papa did what he did out of love, not pride" (121).  Yet, his twin siblings will never know the struggle of la linea.  Something he will carry with him.
    Overall, this book teaches children a lot about struggle for Mexican-Americans.  Miguel and his younger sister, Elena, had to make many life-altering decisions.  If it had not been for certain moments, people, and circumstances, they may not have made it, just as the mom and baby left in the sand.


    In reference to the text, Young Adult Literature in the Classroom, "the eleven million immigrants age 10 or over who came to the United States during the 1990s accounted for more than one third of the nation's population growth" (45).   This, to me, tells the struggle of so many children and so many people to better their lives.   Students need to be exposed to diverse culture and diverse literature for this specific reason: ten million is all over our country, including our own towns.  As the text states, "Literature provides one important resource for all students to learn about themselves and others" (47).   I like the teacher idea on page 60, which lists character analysis vocabulary to help students identify dynamic words to describe the characters.  With this list, students can identify web cards to describe Javi, Elena, Miguel, Mama, Papa, and even Abuelita.  It would allow students to examine how dynamic they were to the main character, and how they worked together.  Overall, this novel has a lot of insight to offer young minds about the biases in our country.  I feel eighth graders could use a novel like this to break stereotypes, and to understand the struggle behind the travel.  Because even when they reach their destination, there are always more "la lineas" to cross.

Missouri River Mud

How captivating a tale is in Jerry Spinelli's Crash.  A young boy nicknamed Crash, is a typical young boy.  He is a little egocentrentric as he hains his fame in the game of middle school football.  He takes pride in the fact that he's bigger and stronger than most seventh grade kids, and he likes to play rough with his friends.
   When he meets the young boy Penn from down the street, he immediately doesn't like his over-the-top friendly attitude.  He teases the poor kid about his buttons and his vegetarian family.  I thought it was sad that he didn't respond to their kindness as, perhaps, a girl would have.  When Crash decides he was going to hate this young boy, who has declared him his best friend on the block, he throws a meatball at their front door!

   A lot of different themes and motives for conversation came up during this book.  For one, the concepts of Quakers.  Most people do not understand the fundamental values of living a Quaker life, just like Crash had said, "The only time I ever saw a Quaker was on the front of the oatmeal box."  This would be a great history lesson in teaching students how our founding fathers in this country, including William Penn who received the state of Pennsylvania as a present from King Charles the II, was a Quaker himself.  He set up religious tolerance and freedom, as well as Quaker idealism of no violence, no war.  This is a very interesting concept for students to learn because isn't the root of all religion tolerance?
   Besides religion, I also was interested in learning about the Penn relays.  I loved how Penn took honor in his name from his grandfather.  It shows honor and reverence, which is something I feel the youth has somewhat lost over the years.
  As the story unfolds, and Crash continues to be the tough guy, his father returns home.  As a man with many years of stories and tales, Crash and his sister love his Grandpa Scooter.  They look to him for support, (which Crash noted how frequently Scooter came to his football games but his parents were absent) and advice.  I enjoy how Crash's younger sister looked to Penn as a role model.  Her aspirations of a wildlife habitat in the backyard is admirable.
   Sadly, when Scooter suffered a stroke, something in Crash changed.  He missed his grandpa.  The only one who came to support him in this struggle was Penn.  I thought it was very touching that he offered the prized possession that he had owned his whole life to a friend that abandoned him.  Doesn't this show how his religion and tolerance never failed?  The possession was Missouri River mud.  The legend as Penn was told that if anyone ever got hurt, to mix a little water in with the dirt to make mud.  Put the mud on the wound, and it will cure it.
   Sometimes, it is the small gestures, and I believe Crash felt moved by Penn.  He might have been different, but his loyalty was stronger than any friend he'd ever had.
   Crash and Centerfield were very similar; only, Crash was from the perspective of a boy five years younger.  The importance of parental support lacked in both stories, and the influence of a boy from a different crowd made the main characters better people.  In my classroom, I would incorporate both of these novels together in a Lit circle, two groups, and then discuss how they both influence change and tolerance.  I could also assign mini web quests (if allowed by school) to do research on historical topics such as Quakers and Penn Relays.



    In reference to the text,  Young Adult Literature in the Classroom, I can definitely bridge connections between the text and writing.  On page 29, it states, "You can extend these personal connections to story by inviting readers to talk about books with a partner in groups of three to six.  A lively exchange of ideas will move students deeper and deeper into the meaning of a story, often enabling them to step beyond the limitations of their own thinking."  I think this is very important for young readers to do because this is how they can really interact and engage in a personal conversation. I would have the students reflect on critical writing skills by incorporating details from the text to support a thesis.  just as the text states, I "identify each part of the essay so students can better observe and understand my goals".  Students then work independently on their own thesis statement with connections to the text.  Perhaps I would ask the students the influence of parental support.  Students can draw conclusions from both texts on how Mike and Crash looked for their parents, and were disappointed in their absence.    I also like the idea mentioned on page 33, "Characters Personality: What have you learned about this character? How and why has the character changed from the beginning to the end?" As long as the students reflection on the themes in both books, students will grasp the understanding of what the author is trying to convey: don't be set in stone with what you believe.  Dare to change your mind, and you might be surprised by what you find.

Stay

If I Stay, written by Gayle Forman, is the most captivating book I have read in a long time.  I, myself, have many connections to Mia, as many young readers may also have.  Beginning to read, I was wondering where the story was headed.  A quintessential "different" kind of family off for a drive; then, it is all different.

  I thought it was beautiful how Forman unraveled the story of Mia's love and passion for music, and mostly her cello.  I am a very strong advocate for tapping into multiple intelligences, especially in middle school because I played the violin for thirteen years.  I still occasionally bring it out for school functions, and have played it in front of grades three through eight in the Catholic school in which I taught.  Mia's frequent references to becoming one with the music, and losing herself in the bow motions, I can picture because I have experienced.
  I imagine her family dynamic is every child's ideal; parents who are "cool" and "hip".  They seem very down to earth, and tell it how it is.  I loved when the conversation Mia had with her mom about the fallout Mia feared with Adam after dating some time.  Her mom said, "Love's a bitch.  You win, you lose."  She wasn't afraid to tell her daughter the truth, and confront your fears.  Too many times parents don't want their children to feel heartbreak, feel defeat, and feel loss.  When in actuality, her parents exposed her to these feelings.  Choices were made by Mia alone.
  The text was phenomenally written.  Such beautiful discourse, and Forman wasn't overly powerful with shock value.  My favorite paragraph is actually the very end, when she accomplishes what she's been longing- to feel. Page 195- "Somewhere inside of me I am crying, too, because I'm feelings things at last.  I'm feeling not just the physical pain, but all that I have lost, and it is profound and catastrophic and will levee a crate in me that nothing will ever fill."  To me, these words truly expel an emotional response from the reader.  I want to cry for Mia, because I know her life will be hard.  This is no win-win situation.  Like she said, Living is the hard part.
  I can imagine my students talking about the influence of her closest friends to her decision.  I can discuss with them, who, at this stage in their life, is more influential? Some may argue their parents, but many will argue friends and relationships.  Mia was a girl that knew the love for Adam was deeper than a high school relationship, as her mom explained.  Julliard was her goal, and Shooting Star was his.  Together, they'd find a way.
  The life that could be flashed ahead of Mia, and she knew it would be hard.  I couldn't imagine this being an easy conversation in the classroom.  But I can imagine students really opening up about their own decision-making.  Naturally, we don't know how we'd react until the situation arises.  But as eighth graders, students have lived long enough to understand life, death, and finality.
   I think there are a variety of writing samples students could complete with this text.  Interactive journals, letter writing, and reflective note-taking are just a few examples.  I could also have the students consider writing a persuasive letter to Mia from the perspective of Teddy begging her to live.  I would want the perspective to be from a character in the book, so students could use context clues in describing reasons based on that character.

  In reference to the textbook, Young Adult Lit in the Classroom, I found vrious teacher ideas to apply to Forman's book.  Descriptive poems would be a great way to vividly depict some scenes that Mia described throughout the story.  For musically inclined, I would challenge them to write a song or lyrical piece to captivate Mia's struggle.  This would be a great project for eighth graders towards the end of the year because they woud be more comfortable in their classroom setting.  Overall, I am very happy I have come across such a fine read.  This truly is a gem, and  I will recommend this book for my eighth graders in years to come.