Young Adult Lit/Crit

The Prophecies of Ohm Phlegm Pot Cleaner

I just finished reading Eoin Colger’s Artemis Fowl.  The main character is the antagonist, a twelve year-old criminal mastermind determined to steal gold from fairies.  Colger’s distinction of the fairies as more humane and more environmentally conscientious than humans was refreshing without being too heavy-handed.  Deciphering the fairy code was also fun.  Middle-school students interested in fantasy would love this story.  Thank you Dawn for the recommendation.

http://www.artemisfowl.com/thebooks.html#

Matt

Here's a link to the Artemis Fowl series:

How do authors treat teachers in novels?

Alright, so teachers aren't necessarily portrayed as saints or saviors in novels.  Okay, that's fine.  But how are teachers, English or otherwise, discussed when they're given air-time in novels?

I just read Philip Pullman's THE WHITE MERCEDES, and I found a section I HAD to share with all of you:

Jenny had never thought of teachers as being anything but alien, sullen, hostile failures.  The thought of this pretty, pleasant, sensible woman being a teacher made her see all kinds of possiblities for a moment.  The world seemed an open and friendly place. (102)

I thought I had misread this paragraph for a moment...so are teachers "alien, sullen, hostile failures"?!!!!  Sure, the character of Jenny kind of changes her mind, but why would she think that...

What do all of you think of this?  Sure, she's one character of thousands, but is this how this world of one perceives teachers in general? hmm...

Oh yeah, I also just started Kevin Brooks' THE ROAD OF THE DEAD. 

Intriguing? Yes.  Interesting? Yes.

Dawn

It's Dave!

Picture: g/f and I picking up trash at Mercereau Park in Endicott over the weekend.  What have you done for our environment lately?!?  Huh?!?

Book Club: I'll be bringing a couple books I've been working on over the past couple weeks, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Age 13 3/4 and Watership Down.

Lit Circle: Lennon people... I've got a nice bio talking about Yoko Ono's artistic career, as well as a pretty cool piece about a performance of "Cut Piece" (which is discussed in the book) in 2003 in Paris.  It goes on about the symbolism of the artisitic performance... world peace and stuff like that.  Pretty interesting stuff, I think, and definitely ties in with her relationship with John.

Tech stuff: Check out these cool links I've stumbled upon in the past week.

Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Applauds Easton's Laptop Program; Highlights Need to Implement 'Classrooms for the Future' - laptops for every high school student in PA!

Technology in the classroom (Talladega, AL) - interesting quotations include:

"State law requires that schools provided a certain amount of technological instruction, but local educators find it's what the students want anyway."

"We're trying to reach out to our audience. (Technology) allows the teachers to be more engaging, and it's more interesting to the students."

"Anything you can do to bring an interactive capability helps capture students' imagination, so they'll engage in the material."

Blogs reshape communications (Indianapolis, IN) - why kids like to blog, and how it can be used in the classroom

Party: PARRRRRTY!!!

See you all tonight!

Airborn

Kenneth Oppel's Airborn is okay.  Opel's plot, heroic main character, and setting remind me of Treasure Island and The Jungle Book with a sci-fi twist.  Middle school students (or below) may find this book interesting.  My two major complains are that the foreshadowing is too obvious and some of the main character's actions are unrealistic.  Also, the significance of the title, "airborn," is too repetitive and dull as a metaphor.  Furthermore, in attempting to create an exotic atmosphere, the author may be insulting to some people.  For example, Oppel describes a certain pair of pants worn by the main female character as "harem pants."  I kept thinking, these pants are also worn by women that are not part of a harem, and they are worn by men.  Aside from my complaints, the book is entertaining.  If you like Rudyard Kipling or Robert Louis Stevenson, you might want to try reading Airborn.

Matt     

Catcher

Hiya!  I have been inspired to finally read the granddaddy of all YA lit -- A Catcher in the Rye.  I haven't gotten too far, but so far I find it hysterical!  I love that I've finally found the perfect time to read this book.  There are so many "classics" that I've missed out on; I try to  grab them any way I can: summer reading, books on tape, young adult litcrit class, etc...  Am I the only one out there who didn't read this as part of her compulsary education?

By the way, I did read the article about the misfit who fell for English as a result of reading this book.  I have to believe that that happened to all of us (with some book) at some point, no?

Crank, Burned

So I have found a new love in books.  Ellen Hopkins' CRANK and BURNED.  They are thick, dense books, but the pages are filled much like THE WEIGHT OF THE SKY, with prose poetry telling the entire story.  This radically changing style of text is GREAT!  I read CRANK in two sittings, and sadly, wanted more.  Until I found BURNED, which is much different, but the style is the same. 

I'm in love!

I wish I had found this writing style much sooner...I would have loved to experiment with my own kind of prose poetry fiction story thing.  I guess that's what summers are for...

Dawn

I Am Not Esther

...by Fleur Beale
Thou shalt not.....
Kirby's nightmares begin when she is forced to live with long lost relatives who are strict followers of the Circle of  Fellowship. Not only must Kirby relinquish her clothing, name, and habit of swearing, she must also abandon communication with the evil world. Can Kirby/Esther Pilgrim endure Uncle Caleb's discipline?  Does she finally walk down the path of righteousness? The book begins slowly but quickly picks up speed. Examine Beale's book through cultural studies, feminist criticism, psychological criticism, or even new historicism. Beale wrote the novel  after learning about a student being beaten up and expelled from his family for  going against  their religious beliefs.
Nancy

Reading and more reading

No new news here: I LOVE to READ!

And for this week/next week, I have been reading like crazy.  Besides that, it provides a most needed distraction from my "real" work!

First, I finished PREP, which I found out is not a YA book, but is one that has been published as a crossover novel, between adult and YA.  Not bad, though the book dragged (it's over 400 pages) and I almost started disliking the narrator's whiny (sp?) voice...but, it ended and I have no hard feelings toward Lee Fiora.

Then, I dove right into Jeff Stone's first book, TIGER, which is a part of a five-book series entitled THE FIVE ANCESTORS.  If any of you remember the article Prof. Stearns gave us on his books, this is the first book he has written.  Though it is definitely written toward a younger audience (the narrators are between 11 and 13 years old), I was captured by the prose and the great contrast the author placed between the relatively old setting and the mostly-modern language.  His descriptions are awesome, to say the least.  CHECK this one out!

Then, because I promised I wouldn't bash the girly girl books anymore without first reading one of them, I picked up the first GOSSIP GIRLS book.  Alright, it WAS exactly as I thought: narrated by an anonymous girl in the clique at a private girls' school for the rich.  BUT, it was just what some girls need, this book and other like it.  Remember reading trashy romance novels by old authors like Dannielle Steele?  Well, this is the next generations' trash with a high-tech, super advertising flair...not that I would automatically think of these books for girls in my classroom, but no, I would NOT deny them their right to disappear, escaping into the unreal world of the gossips.  And besides, I cannot NOT say that I didn't enjoy it myself...

Finally, I read McCormick's short novel CUT, which was disappointing considering my past experience with a friend who had the same addiction (but worse than the novel Callie depicts her own tryst with the obsession).  It was a short read and an interesting slant on the topic...not as real as it could have been...but then it never really is.

See y'all later.

Dawn ;)

Shattered

"War is not healthy for children and other living things."
Jennifer Armstrong

In her book Shattered, Jennifer Armstong weaves a collection of fictional short stories about war with non-fictional news-worthy information that runs along the bottom of each page like ticker-tape.  Shattered portrays war's destructive effects on children and teens through characters involved directly in the fighting, as innocent by-standers in school or community, or as next-generation victims. The book is introduced with a photo of a young "commando" girl, who appears to be about 11 years old, holding a machine gun almost as big as herself. In the background, youngsters are seen in rank and file formation, apparently in training for fighting. The image is chilling.
I think Shattered is appropriate for all YAL age groups. It would be helpful when you are teaching a war unit to help students understand that war affects everyone.
Nancy

"Luke. I am James Earl Jones"

I remained on "the Dark Side," as Professor Stearns likes to say, and read a couple more graphic novels this week.  Ironically, they deal with Star Wars.  I read some reviews on amazon.com and Darkhorse.com to find star wars graphic novels that are related to the original trilogy, are well written, and are teen friendly.  Based on the reviews, the Star Wars Empire series was the best fit.  Each volume (I have three) contains two to four short stories of what happened between Episodes IV-VI.  One of my favorites follows the inner monologue of a storm trooper who is programed to believe in the Empire, while his commander has become a rebel spy.  If you're not into Star Wars, it's a mixed bag of good and bad stories.  More to say in class... with pictures.

Matt