Saturday, December 3, 2011

When You Reach Me


BIBLIOGRAPHY



PLOT SUMMARY

Miranda’s formerly dependable world begins to unravel as her best friend, Sal, deserts her. Even more terrifying, she must solve the mystery wrapped up in letters appearing in most unusual spots before it is too late to save a life. But who’s life is it?

CRITICAL ANAYSIS

Things You Least Expect: that is the category one would expect to find When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. Normal, low-key Miranda is just traveling through life when she finds a mysterious note from a stranger asking her to do things that made no sense: write a letter; note the location of the spare key. The story is a letter written to this stranger looking back on events that lead to a preventable tragedy…if only Miranda knew how to save a stranger’s life.

Sixth graders Miranda and Sal had been friends forever until one day when Sal gets beat up. When Sal abandons Miranda, she befriends longtime classmates Colin and Annemarie. The trio seems like typical friendly kids who enjoy working at the neighborhood deli. Readers will relate to the realness of these friends.

An additional cast of seemingly minor characters turn out to be some of the most important elements of this book. Mysterious Marcus, however, may turn readers off. After all, he is the one who assaulted Sal and can’t seem to remember much--not names, not people, not violent acts. The Laughing Man, a neighborhood bum, frightens Miranda with his oddities like random laughing and kicking. Julia, the school snob, irritates Miranda with her superior attitude and lavish travel experiences.

Miranda’s mom--single and hard working--shows an understanding of her daughter many readers may covet. Mom’s boyfriend, Richard, relaxes Mom’s serious demeanor and brings completeness to the home.

With three plots in one, readers have many events to juggle and categorize: Mom’s attempt to win big money on a game show; salvaging a friendship; solving the mystery of the notes. Stead uses a form of time travel to introduce situations: flashbacks. Miranda throws out an incident then rewinds to explain how events led up to it, all the while sprinkling clues to help readers connect the dots. While this can be slightly confusing, once the reader reaches the final chapters, everything falls into place, creating “AHA!” moments.

Set in a New York suburb during the 1978-1979 school year, Stead makes careful note of the neighborhood. The accurate description allows readers to visualize locations noted as Miranda travels through each event.

The fantasy theme of time travel is accompanied with the urgency of mystery solving in order to prevent tragedy. In the end, after a sacrifice is made, Miranda herself puts together all the clues to realize whom she needed to save. In a satisfying conclusion, Miranda completes the assigned letter with hopes that she can prevent the death of the time traveler before it is too late.

Miranda’s first-person viewpoint tells the story as a letter. Only Miranda could have told the story with this much detail; a narrator would not suffice. Miranda’s telling of the story allows readers to follow her thought processes and to question what she questions.

The chapter titles that double as game show categories are a clever way to pique readers’ curiosity and tie together the trio of plots.  Once the reader has reached the ending and the list of 47 events, which include the last note, they will find themselves flipping back in the book to reread portions that may have been missed.  Intriguing and perplexing, When You Reach Me is a thoughtful, sophisticated piece of literature that leads readers to quite a satisfying ending.
                                                                                                            
AWARDS AND REVIEWS

John Newbery Medal, 2010
Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 2010
Andre Norton Award Finalist, 2009
Parents' Choice Award, 2009
Lone Star Reading List, 2010
Kirkus Best Children's Books, 2009

“Charmingly eccentric and impossible to categorize, this middle grade novel pays homage to Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time while employing many of that book’s elements as it crisscrosses the boundaries between reality and fantasy, time travel and mystery. Three distinct storylines give the novel momentum: Miranda’s mother’s forthcoming contestant role on “The $20,000 Pyramid” game show, Miranda’s friend Sal being punched by the erudite yet seemingly socially inept Marcus, and the homeless man whom Miranda and her friends dub “the laughing man.”
--Children’s Literature

“The author’s style is appealing because of her character development and clever plot vehicles. The topics are interesting and the short chapters keep the pace flowing quickly.”
--Library Media Connection, October 2009

“Miranda is a typical sixth-grade student until things begin to go astray. She loses a friend over a fight she wasn’t even part of, and then she begins to receive mysterious notes. The notes only say that she is to write a letter describing herself in detail to the unknown person. They say if she wants to save her friend’s life as well as the person who is writing the notes, she must comply. Will she be able to save them, or is she already too late? This book is very thrilling and intriguing right up until the unexpected end. What an adventure Stead leads the reader through to a very satisfying end!”
-- The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews, Vol. 22, No. 2


CONNECTIONS

Related Books
L’Engle, Madeleine. 2007. Wrinkle in time. New York: Square Fish. ISBN 9780312367541

Audio Interview/Talk Show
Listen to author Rebecca Stead’s audio interview at this website: http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/whenyoureachme/interview.html
Create your own interview questions, and create and perform a morning talk show script reporting on the facts discovered from the interview.

Main Street
Mr. Tompkin’s class studies buildings and created a Main Street project each year. Work with a group to construct Miranda’s neighborhood based on the descriptions in the book.

Lunch Lady and the Bake Sale Bandit


BIBLIOGRAPHY



PLOT SUMMARY

The Lunch Lady and the Breakfast Bunch work together to solve the mystery of the who stole all the bake sale goodies.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Lunch Lady may seem like any other beloved school cafeteria worker, but she’s so much more. Her relationship with students makes her quickly loveable (unlike other stories of crabby cafeteria ladies). Lunch Lady’s co-worker and sidekick Betty is the genius behind many of Lunch Lady’s gadgets.  The Breakfast Bunch--Dee, Hector, and Terrence--are just typical students with a knack for solving puzzling events. They work hand-in-hand with Lunch Lady to find answers to the mysteries of school. Lunch Lady may love them, but Orson, the rule following, conniving Safety Patrol Officer, thinks differently of them.

In this episode of the Lunch Lady mysteries, the Breakfast Bunch must figure out who is responsible for swiping all the field trip bake sale goodies. With all the grouchy adults infiltrating the school, the culprit could be anyone! In their quest to gather clues, the trio faces other conflicts like detention and kidnapping. Lunch Lady’s creative gadgets and Betty’s quick wits allow a speedy resolution and the quick take-down of the villain: Brenda, the bus kid-hating driver and her evil tricked-out bus. The rapid action holds readers attention until the very end.

The standard school setting (principals roaming the halls, grumpy teachers, bitter custodians, and annoying hallway patrollers) makes readers believe the story will be a normal story about daily occurrences. However, the zany Lunch Lady quickly throws out that idea and replaces it with bizarre incidents that require unnatural gizmos and schemes to settle basic good versus evil themes.

With the accompaniment of yellow, black, and white illustrations, this quick-moving graphic novel encourages readers to think outside the comic strip box. Who would have thought the sweet, loveable Lunch Lady would be the heroine?! How does Betty think up all those quirky contraptions? The author even includes some hints about the next mystery by showing the silhouette of a previously shown villain at the end of the book. (Dun, dun, dun…)

REVIEWS

“The clever and inventive Lunch Lady along with her protĂ©gĂ©s, elementary-school students Dee, Hector, and Terrence, take on the titular bad guy in another satisfying episode of schoolwide politics, derring-do, and a bit of appealing fantasy, culminating in the attack of the villain’s supercharged Buszilla. A know-it-all fellow student, a crusading health teacher, and a maniacal bus driver are among Krosoczka’s funny and over-the-top red herrings. The high action of the yellow-washed, black-and-white cartoon panels is echoed in the narrative’s pacing. The end clearly sets up the gang’s next adventure.”
--Booklist, February 2011

CONNECTIONS

Related Books
Pilkey, Dav. 2008. Captain Underpants and the invasion of the incredibly naughty cafeteria ladies from outer space (and the subsequent assault of the equally evil lunchroom zombie nerds). New York: The Blue Sky Press. ISBN 9780545073028

Story Elements
Use this text to learn the basic story elements such as conflict, rising action, climax, and resolution. Use the Plot Structure Graphic Organizer found at http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson223/plot_mountain.pdf

Create Your Own Comic
Use an online source such as http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/ to create your own action-packed comic with a conflict, fantastic abilities, and a satisfying ending (all the parts of the story elements study).



Speak


BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anderson, Laurie Halse. 1999. Speak. New York: Penguin. ISBN 9780142414736


PLOT SUMMARY

Ninth grader Melinda tells of her struggle to adjust to high school after losing her friends and being the victim of rape, about which she refuses to speak out.


CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Through an unconventional set-up of chapters (no page breaks, only chapter headings), Melinda’s first-person account of ninth grade stress flows freely from one aspect of high school to another: from social cliques to lunatic teachers to harboring the tragic event of the summer before. Had the story come from a perspective other than Melinda’s, the truth of such events would lack the depth and intensity that Melinda is able to provide with both seriousness and sarcasm.

Melinda, mysterious, scarred, bitter, and angry, uses silence and ostracizing to speak for herself.  Totally opposite, new-girl Heather can’t narrow down the clubs and societies she wants to join. Anderson does not overload readers with cultural details about the characters-just general descriptions of social groups. She includes all the character types found in high school: the jocks, the preps (both the home-making and promiscuous types), the self-loathing, and even the activists. And the teachers are not exempt: the predator-type (Mr. Neck), the unkempt English teacher (known as Hairwoman), and the non-conformist art teacher (Mr. Freeman).

Even though the book was written over ten years ago, the high school scene has not changed so much: the same stuffy, uninspiring classrooms (save the art room), abandoned janitor closets, hormone-filled hallways, sweaty locker rooms. The descriptions of the characters and setting allow readers to feel as though they attend Merryweather High School, Home of the Constantly Changing Mascot!

Written almost as a freshman year diary, the plot chronologically follows the school year. Tellings include unimpressive report card grades, abandonment by friends, an impossible art project, and blips of drama caused by “IT” (Andy Evans, the rapist). Anderson purposefully includes small details that establish importance later in the plot. For example, the mention of former-friend and jock Nicole seems somewhat out of place until she and her lacrosse team come to Melinda’s rescue later.

Anderson leads readers to an unexpected climax through events that indirectly affect Melinda: former-best friend Rachel dating then going to prom with Andy and Melinda’s snubbed attempt to warn Rachel. These seemingly small events lead Melinda to her secret closet, trapped with aggressive, angry Andy. Andy tries to assault Melinda again; however, this time, Melinda finds her voice as Andy finds the lacrosse team attacking him.

While the ending maybe cannot be considered “happy”, it is satisfying and hopeful. Melinda found and used her voice, successfully completed the impossible art project, and became a familiar face in the hallways.

Through their year, Melinda and Heather show emotional growth: Heather, in trying to find acceptance, rejects Melinda as a friend then later returns to her. Melinda accepts the now-anticipated rejection as she deals with her secret tragedy alone. In the end, Melinda grows out of her silent period and begins to speak about her rape. She restores relationships with her peers. Readers, adolescent or adult, can perceive and relate to Melinda’s transformation from loner-outcast to socially acceptable survivor.


AWARDS AND REVIEWS

National Book Award Finalist
Michael L. Printz Honor Book, 2000
Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 1999
School Library Journal Best Books, 1999

Reviews Listed in 10th Anniversary Edition

“An uncannily funny book even as it plumbs the darkness, Speak will hold readers from first word to last.”
--The Horn Book, starred review

“Anderson infuses the narrative with a wit that sustains the heroine through her pain and holds readers’ empathy.”
--Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Melinda’s sarcastic wit, honesty, and courage make her a memorable character whose ultimate triumph will inspire and empower readers.”
--Booklist, starred review

CONNECTIONS

Art Connection
Melinda works feverishly throughout the book to make a linoleum carving of a tree. Research this form of artistic expression and examples. Attempt a carving of your own!

Public Service Announcement
Create a public service announcement for victims of sexual assault or abuse. Refer to this book and the resources and statistics given at the end of the 10th anniversary edition.

Poetic Expression
In the 10th Anniversary Edition, Anderson includes a poem called “Listen” which consists of only two original stanzas. All other lines are from correspondence with readers. Pretending you are Melinda, write a poem expressing her feelings about one of the following events:
1) The morning after being raped
2) After the first day of high school
3) Once Heather tells her they can’t be friends
4) At the end of the book when she finally speaks out.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Turtle in Paradise


BIBLIOGRAPHY

 
PLOT SUMMARY

Due to her mother’s working conditions, Turtle is sent to live with an aunt in Key West, Florida. Unexpected and unwanted, Turtle turns her miserable new existence into a rewarding experience; from hanging around the obnoxious boys to finding a side job to being the hero and gaining full acceptance. Turtle’s life changes completely in just one summer spent with family she’s never met before.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Turtle in Paradise is full of realistic characters—partly because they are based on real people. The children in the book are ordinary kids. Turtle’s main goal is to survive a summer without her mama and with the insufferable boys from Key West. Although she knows she is not wanted, Turtle tries to fit in.  She quickly learns about the mischievous boys and how they operate: swapping babysitting for candy; cheating the ice cream man out of treats; pranking neighbors without getting caught.  These kids idealize youth of their day by working and working the system.

The plot, somewhat based on the author’s family experience, does not overload the reader with historical particulars. Holm embeds political thoughts through character dialog such as suggestions for the President. Children will understand the hardships the characters face through the example of the Diaper Gang working for candy rather than cash. Turtle’s Uncle Vernon is gone most of the book working on a construction project in another town—a common scenario in this era.

Along with historically accurate information, Holm subtly includes plot twists that brighten up the book and intrigue the reader. Two examples include the inference that can be made about who Turtle’s real father is and the true identity of the writer in the cafĂ©. These and other twists surprise the reader, encouraging them to continue reading.

The setting is a crucial element of the story. During the Great Depression, Key West tried to build itself up as a tourist area. The description of the run-down homes and muddy roads allows readers to picture what Turtle sees. An interesting aspect of the setting is that this area attempted to rebuild itself, which illustrates how the depression affected the area. However, the setting is not Wall Street or New York or even a major city which are the settings of many stories during the Great Depression. This setting allows readers to see in what ways and how wide spread the depression touched the nation.

The adults’ work (odd jobs, out-of-town work, etc.) portray the lives of people of this time. The theme of working hard to survive trickles down to even the children as is evidenced in the Diaper Gang. Other themes include attempting to assimilate to a new locale as Turtle did. Turtle, the Diaper Gang and other neighborhood kids, and even some of the adults had to think resourcefully in order to get what they wanted.  All of these themes have some relevance today.

Holm incorporates references to popular comic strips of the time as Turtle compares herself to the likes of Shirley Temple and Orphan Annie. The language Holm uses is reflective of the people, time period, and location: “fellas”, “Conch”, “swell lot of gold”. Holm also includes a note to readers at the beginning differentiating between the shell “conch” and the people “Conch”.

The story of Turtle is inspired on the author’s great-grandmother’s stories and real people. The story, the people, and the black and white photographs included at the end could be enough proof of authenticity. However, to her credit, Holms goes a step further and researches the Labor Day Hurricane, Great Depression resources, and websites about Key West’s history.

AWARDS AND REVIEWS

John Newbery Medal, 2011
Golden Kite Award, 2011
Smithsonian Notable Book for Children, 2010
Notable Children's Books, 2011

Turtle is just the right mixture of knowingness and hope; the plot is a hilarious blend of family dramas seasoned with a dollop of adventure.”
Booklist, April 2010, starred review

“Holm's voice for Turtle is winning and authentic—that of a practical, clear-eyed observer—and her nimble way with dialogue creates laugh-out-loud moments. Sweet, funny and superb.”
Kirkus Review, April 2010

CONNECTIONS

Comic Strip
Turtle alludes to several popular comic strips of the day. Create your own comic strip to sketch out your favorite part of the book.

Key West Travelers
Key West, FL is currently a popular tourist destination. Research some of the attractions and create a travel brochure that will convince readers to vacation here.

Letters Home to Mama
Divide the book up into sections: when Turtle first arrives, after her first few days in town, after several weeks in town, and right around the time of the Labor Day Hurricane. Write a letter from Turtle to her mama expressing how she felt about at that point about her time in Key West.