Mod 15: the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Summary:

The Hunger Games follows the perspective of a young woman named Katniss Everdeen as she struggles to survive life in a dystopian future.  The country of Panem consist of an affluent capital where the weathy and those with power reside and 12 (once 13) outer districts.  Life in the districts is hard and those who live there work to provide the capital with its much needed resources.  Katniss lives in District 12, where she often spends her time poaching with her friend Gabe to provide extra food to her family: younger sister Prim, and her mother. 

The Hunger Games are an annual event where two children from each of the outer districts are chosen to fight to the death with other children from the other districts.  The Event is orchestrated to keep the citizens of the districts in line and provide entertainment to the capital citizens.  The even where children are chosen are known as the Reaping.  At this years Reaping Katniss’ sister Prim is one of the children chosen to fight, which prompts Katnis to volunteer in her place.

Peeta is the other district 12 representative chose to fight in the hunger games.  Katniss and Peeta are then sent to the capital where they are paraded for the wealthy and quickly trained for combat by previous winner from the  Hunger Games, a drunk named Haymitch.  

When the games start the fighting is brutal and Peeta is split up from Katniss after he becomes injured.  Katniss forms an alliance with a little girl named Rue from District 7, whom reminds Katniss of her little sister.  Rue is eventually killed, and Katniss takes her first life when she shoots Rue’s killed with a bow and arrow.  The game nmakers then announce that teams consisting of two members of the same district will be allowed to win the match as a team for the first time in Hungergames History.  Katniss realizes she must reunite with the  very injured Peeta.  She then pretends to be in love with him to garner sympathy from the audience and get medicine sent her her in the games.  Peeta and Katniss manage to survive the games after a harrowing battle with some Mutts (genetically engineered creatures that look like a cross between the dead competitors and dogs).  Katniss and Peeta believe they will be allowed to leave the arena together when they are informed that the previous ruling about allowing competitors from the same district to work as a team as been repealed and they must now kill each other.  The decide they will instead commit suicide together with some poisonous berries instead, which forces the game makers to allow them both to live rather than end the games with no champion.  The book ends with Peeta and Katniss returning home, but an ominous threat from President Snow, ruler of Panem, tells us Katniss isn’t out of the fire yet.

Collins, S. (2008). The hunger games. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

My Impressions:

This is a great book, and I’m sad it took me so long to read it  I have already started reading the second book in the series and it is just as good as the first.  I know back when this first came out all my students loved this book and told me I should read it, and I really don’t know what took me so long, I will have to check out the movies now as well.

Reviews:

    Gr 7 Up-In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 14 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Collins's characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds; the plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing. This book will definitely resonate with the generation raised on reality shows like "Survivor" and "American Gladiator." Book one of a planned trilogy.

Baird, H. J. (2008). [Review of The hunger games by S. Collins]. School Library Journal, 54(9), 176-177. Retrieved from: https://libproxy.library.unt.edu:9443/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=brd&AN=518495691&scope=site

Usage in a Library Setting:

The Hunger Games could be used as part of challenged book display to  generate interest in those who like the “taboo” even though I feel that there is nothing wrong with the book.  Or it could be used along with the movie to compare and contrast the two versions in a book club type program.

Mod 14: A Kick in the Head An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms by Paul Janeczko

Summary:

A Kick in the Head is a book of poems collected by Paul Janeczeko featuring illustrations by Chris Raschka. The book begins with an introduction in which Janeczeko explains that the purpose of this book is to demonstrate 26 different poetic styles with examples and brief explanations of the rules for each style. The styles he covers are: Couplet, Tercet, Quatrain, Haiku, Senryu, Tanka, Cinquain, Clerihew, Limerick, Roundel, Double Dactyl, Triolet, Sonnet, Villanelle, Opposites, Riddle Poem, Ode, Acrostic, Concrete, Epitaph, Elegy, Found Poem, Persona Poem, Poem of Address, Ballad, Blues Poem, List Poem, Aubade, and Pantoum. He also includes a section with notes on each form. Each form includes one or two examples of each form along with some fine print notes and colorful illustrations.

Janeczko, P. (2005). A kick in the head. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

My Impressions:

A fun book with simple and easy to understand poems with notes about how they were created. I found the notes espeically helpful as I am not a big poetry person, and many of these forms I had never heard of. Before, such as a “Clerihew”.

Reviews:

Janeczko writes, "Knowing the rules makes poetry--like sports--more fun, for players and spectators alike." This smart new collection, assembled by the creators of A Poke in the I (rev. 7/01), beautifully introduces the rules of poetry on a variety of literary playing fields. The poems--ranging from light verse ("Kitchen crickets make a din, / sending taunts to chilly kin, / 'You're outside, but we got in'") to a Shakespearean sonnet (number twelve) and an accompanying parody--are arranged by form, with tercet, haiku, acrostic poem, limerick, roundel, double dactyl, epitaph, and aubade among the twenty-nine included. Each poem appears along with a small pictorial mnemonic (there's an urn for ode, a pair of birds for couplet) up in one corner of the page, an unobtrusive sentence describing the form, and a bright, full-color illustration that decorates but never dictates meaning. The back matter consists of expanded notes on and explanations of each form. The title poem (an example of concrete poetry, by Joan Bransfield Graham) proclaims that "poetry jumpstarts … imagination"; this book shows how that's done.

Carter, B. (2005). [A review of the book Kick in the Head by P. Janecczko]. Horn Book Magazine, 81(3), 337-338. retrived from https://libproxy.library.unt.edu:9443/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=brd&AN=518478637&scope=site

Usage in a Library Setting:

This book could be used as part of a poetry program to introduce different forms of poetry to the group. Obviously you couldn’t go through the whole thing, but maybe pick some of the shorter forms, introduce them and the rules with this book and then have the group create their own.

Mod 13: Amulet Book One: The Stone Keeper by Kazu Kibuishi

Summary:

This graphic novel by Kazu Kibuishi tells the story of Emily as she and her family move into a house once owned by their Grandfather Silas. Emily finds a strange amulet amoung Grandpa Silas's books. The first night in the house Emily and her family are awakened by a thumping noise in the basement. Emily's mother goes to investigate warning Emily and her brother Navin to stay away. After a few tense moments the mother screams and Emily and Navin run to see what is wrong, but find a strange world under their house, and a tenticled monster has just eaten their mother. After a struggle Navin and Emily escape the monster after Emily is able to call forth energy from the Amulet she found., Though they escape, they are unable to free their mom. They then find a dying Grandpa Silas and his robotic companions. Silas informs Emily that she is a Stonekeeper and has the power to use the amulet to control this strange world called Alledia. Silas dies and Emily then embarks on an adventure to save their mom with the help of Navin and Miskit, a pink bunny robot created by Silas. The trio ends up battling the tenticle monster to save their mother, but also face a mysterious elf who wants Emily's amulet for himself. Just when they think their ordeal is over they discover Emily's mother is now poisoned and they must head off on a new adventure to find the cure.

Kibuishi, K. (2008). Amulet: The stonekeeper. New York, NY: Scholastic.

My Impressions:

This is a great book, and I think the art style is simple yet fun. It is also just “manga” or “anime” looking enough to appeal to kids who are way into the japanese art styles while still being wstern enough to appeal to those audiences as well. The story is very fun and reading this makes me want to run out and pick book two!

Reviews:

Gr 4 Up-Hurrying to pick up her brother, Emily and her parents have a tragic accident, and her father dies. After this dark beginning, the story skips forward two years to when the remaining family members are forced to move to an ancestral house in a small town. Rumored to be haunted, it is unkempt and forbidding. The first night there, Emily's mother goes down to the basement to investigate a noise and doesn't return. The kids search for her and discover a doorway into another world, where their mother has been swallowed by a monster and is being taken away. An amulet that Emily found in the house tells her that together they can save her, but her brother isn't so sure that this voice can be trusted. Still, what other choice do they have in this strange place? Gorgeous illustrations with great color bring light to this gloomy tale. Filled with excitement, monsters, robots, and mysteries, this fantasy adventure will appeal to many readers, but it does have some truly nightmarish elements.-Dawn Rutherford, King County Library System, Bellevue, WA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

[Review of the graphic novel Amulet book one the stonekeeper by K. Kibuishi]. (2008). School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2929/DetailedView.aspx?hreciid=|19561129|27782455&mc=USA#

Usage in a Library Setting:

This book could be used as part of a push to promote Graphic Novels to struggling readers, and to show that the stories in graphic novels are not always about superheroes.  

Mod 12: The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau by Michelle Markel, illustrated by Amanda Hall

Summary:

This book tell the story of artist Henri Rousseau in his later years as he begins his career as a painter. Henri takes no formal lessons, but that doesn't stop him from painting what he loves, esp. jungle scenes. He takes his artwork to an artshow where critics are harsh and say nothing good about his work, but this doesn't stop Rousseau from practicing his craft and continuing to make art. He lives on very little money and teaches violin lessons to make ends meet. Every year he returns to the art show and every year he is mocked, until a bunch of up and coming artist find they really enjoy Henri's work and style and celebrate it with him. He finds success towards the end of his career, and his happy to continue painting what he loves in his self taught style.

Markell, M. (2012). The fantastic jungles of Henri Rousseau. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books.

My Impressions:

A very fun and informative read about an artist who was shot down repeatedly at first but continued to do what he was passionate about and eventually became known as a master artist of his time. This is a great story for showing kids (esp. fledgling artist). That not everything is going to come easy and you will need to work at your craft despite what naysayers might say to deter you. The artwork is very well done and looks a lot like a Rousseau style paintings!

Reviews:

The career of Henri Rousseau, one of the great self-taught modern artists, began at age forty, when he was an impoverished Parisian toll collector. Markel starts her story here and goes on to present Rousseau as a lover of nature, a dreamer, a painter relentless in the pursuit of his art, and, above all, underappreciated during his lifetime. The sometimes straightforward, sometimes flowery text (“the trees spread their arms, and the sun is a blushing ruby, all for him”) is consistently informative, conveying his groundbreaking flat perspective, his inspiration by the plants and animals of faraway lands, and his determined personality, as well as interesting details of his life, such as his eventual place in a circle of Modernist artists and writers. Appended are an author’s note and an illustrator’s note, which includes keys to two of the book’s illustrations that will assist readers in identifying some of Rousseau’s contemporaries (Gertrude Stein, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque). Though she takes many liberties in scale and perspective, Hall’s lush watercolor and acrylic art bears a clear resemblance to Rousseau’s, especially his characteristic jungle scenes—as she explains in her illustrator’s note, she sometimes literally worked atop reproductions of his paintings, “altering them playfully.” This successful tribute makes Rousseau—an artist so visionary that he was sometimes “startled by what he paints”—accessible, and inspirational, to a young audience.

Hedeen, K. (2012). [A review of the book The fantastic jungles of Henri Rousseau by A. Hall]. Horn Book Magazine, 88(6), 122-123. Retrived from: https://libproxy.library.unt.edu:9443/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=brd&AN=82581575&scope=site

Usage in a Library Setting:

This would be a great book to start and art lesson program where we draw or paint our own jungles in the style of Henri Rousseau. You could also do a cut out jungle with construction paper since his style was kind of simplistic and full of organic shapes that could easily be recreated with paper. 

Mod 11: What If You Met a Pirate? by Jan Adkins

Summary:

Jan Adkin's What If You Met a Pirate is an informational book about what pirates were and are really like. Each two page spread of the book begins by asking a question like “What did a pirate ship look like?” There is then a paragraph where they not only discuss facts about the topic presented, but also points out any movie pirate tropes that appear about the topic and explains why these are simply not true. The book covers a wide range of pirate facts, from what real pirates looked (and smelled) like to their ships, how they plundered, what they did with their booty, and where pirates are now. Each two page spread is accompanied by several colorful illustrations to further the points and show the reader what the text is talking about as well as several bullet point facts accompanying each image.

Adkins, J. (2004). What if you met a pirate? Bookfield, CT: Roaring Brook Press.

My Impressions:

I feel this was a very fun read, and would be very appealing to younger boys in elementary school. I know when I was a younger boy I would have loved this book for sure, especially if the pirates of the Caribbean movies had been out. I also very much enjoyed that they author took the time to explain the false movie stereotypes as well.

Reviews:

Laurie Edwards
PreS-Gr 4--Adkins begins with a stereotypical picture and description of a pirate, then proceeds to debunk the myths that surround these mysterious figures. Contrary to popular belief, pirates did not command large ships with guns and cannons, but preferred smaller, more nimble vessels so they could take victims by surprise and make a quick escape. Real pirates were as skillful with a needle as they were with a cutlass; most sewed their own clothes and mended sails. Packed with interesting but little-known facts, the text illuminates life on the high seas and answers many questions children may have: Did pirates force captives to walk the plank (no) or bury treasure (rarely)? Do pirates still operate today? Each of these questions and more are answered in spreads that include full-color spot illustrations, diagrams, and cross-sections. Adkins's detailed renderings will be as familiar to fans of his other nonfiction books as his tongue-in-cheek humor, both of which appeal to a broad range of ages. A fun and informative read.

Edwards, L. (2004). [A Review of the book What if you met a pirate? By J. Adkins]. School Library Journal, 50(12), 125. Retrived from https://libproxy.library.unt.edu:9443/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=brd&AN=518465322&scope=site

Usage in a Library Setting:

This book could be used as part of a program for younger children where we learn a little about real pirates using the book then either make up stories about ourselves as pirates or draw images of what we might have looked like as a pirate. We could also create drawings of our ships as well, and come up with a pirate allias.

Mod 10: Light in the Darkness by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James E. Ransome

Summary:

Light in the Darkness tells the story of a young slave girl named Rosa and her mother as they attempt to learn how to read in a secret pit school. The story begins in the dead of night with Rosa and her mother sneaking away from their slave quarters. They come to a pit where they are lowered in by other slaves and a literate slave named Morris teaches Rosa, her mother and the other slaves gathered the first few letters of the alphabet.

Learning to read is very dangerous for the slaves as Rosa recalls an incident where their master whipped another slave once for each letter she learned to read. Rosa is very excited about learning, and is good about keeping what she knows very quiet. Rosa and her mother sneak off a few times with out incident, but on one evening the group is almost spotted by the slave patrols. It is decided that the school must stop temporarily until it is safe again. Rosa waits several days but grows more and more impatient as she is read to start making words with all the letters she has learned. One night she wakes her mother up instead fo her mother waking her and they return to Morris in the pit school. It seems as though no one else will show up, until they hear footsteps near by. They think it may be the patrol again, but a friendly bird whistle reveals it it is more slaves to join the school. They help the newcomers into the pit and Rosa teaches a new girl how to spell her name.

Cline-Ransome, L. (2013). Light in the darkness. New York, NW: Disney Jump at the Sun Books.

My Impressions:

This is a great book and the watercolor illustrations are really impressive. Even though it is a short and simple read the subject mater and first person narrative along with the visuals really builds tension and illustrates one of the darker periods of US history. The story makes me want to research more on the slave pit schools as well.

Reviews:

A slave mother and her daughter learn to read in spite of the great danger inherent in their enterprise. Rosa's mother awakens her at night to walk to a "pit school," a hole dug in the ground and covered over where slaves gather to learn their ABC's. Their teacher is a fellow slave who had been taught to read. The patrollers make their journey perilous. Still, the men, women and children gather as often as they can. Cline-Ransome sensitively tells the story from Rosa's viewpoint, endowing her with a yearning and determination that overcome her mother's weariness and fear. The author learned of these schools while researching her book on Frederick Douglass, Words Set Me Free (2012). In this tale, she makes the point that learning was not just a dream of a few famous and accomplished men and women, but one that belonged to ordinary folk willing to risk their lives. Ransome's full-page watercolor paintings—in beautiful shades of blue for the night and yellow for theday--are a window, albeit somewhat gentle, into a slave's life for younger readers. A compelling story about those willing to risk "[a] lash for each letter." (author's note, further reading) (Picture book. 5-8)

[Review of the book Light in the Darkness by L. Cline-Ransome]. (2012). Kirkus Reviews, 80(23), 57. Retrieved from https://libproxy.library.unt.edu:9443/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=brd&AN=83766992&scope=site

Usage in a Library Setting:

This story could easily be used as part of a program on the history of slavery in the US. One of the social studies teachers at my school plays an underground railroad game with his students every year while teaching his slavery section. A game such as that or a modified pit school version could be created to go along with this book to educate and interact with patrons.

Mod 9: Where's the Big Bad Wolf by Eileen Christelow

Summary:

Officer Doggity is constantly having to stop the Big Bad Wolf (BBW) from trying to eat the other animals. Every time he catches BBW in the act BBW promises he will be good from now on. One Night Doggity hears a puffing and huffing and the air is filled with straw, and the sounds of squealing pigs can be heard. When doggity investigates a strange sheep calling herself Esmeralda is pulling the pigs from the straw. She claims to have saved them. The old cows next door say they warned to pigs not to use straw and doggity searches for the wolf. He finds BBW at home sick, but doggity knows somethings is up!

The next day Esmeralda instructs the pigs to build a new house of sticks. The cows warn that it is still too flimsey but the Pigs don’t listen. That night Doggity stakes out the pigs new house to watch for the wolf, only Esmeralda is seen walking about, and Doggity falls asleep. A huffing wakes him up and Doggity finds the pigs again in their destroyed house and Esmeralda helping them up. The cows take the pigs in that night and read them the story of the 3 little pigs.

Doggity finds the wolf at the hospital, but still knows this is not right. The next house the pigs build from bricks, which Esmeralda is not happy about. The cows and Doggity stake out the new house when it is done and they hear a huffing a puffing, but the house stands strong. Doggity spots Esmeralda running away and followers her until she climbs into the hospital window, and Doggity realizes it was the wolf in sheep’s clothing. The wolf is arrested and promises to be good again. The next day a strange horse is in town giving the pigs bad gardening advice.

Christelow, E. (2002). Where's the big bad wolf? New York, NY: Clarion Books.

My Impressions:

A fun little story with a mystery that I solved with the first picture of the “sheep” who looked like a wolf with a wool around his head. I am unsure as to whether or not small children would be able to figure it out so quickly, but I have a feeling that some would. It could add to the fun though if reading to a group of children and some of them try to identify the wolf but a clever reader could downplay it maybe.

Reviews:

“Gr 1-2-A determined Detective Doggedly pursues the elusive BBW (Big Bad Wolf) in a delicious parody of the traditional tale. Three dim-witted and naive pigs, a wolf with a taste for unusual costuming, and three sharp-eyed residents of the nearby "Home for Elderly Cows" create a mystery worthy of the slightly befuddled detective: who is destroying the pigs' houses, when the wolf is currently hospitalized with mysterious flulike symptoms? Doggedly catches the culprit, but one doubts that this "egg-snatching, pie-pinching, chicken-chasing, pig-poaching" villain is ready to change his habits when released. Christelow's pen-and-ink and gouache cartoons show sticks and straw flying across pages, the not-too-bright protagonist, and a hilarious wolf in sheep's clothing. Characters comment on all the goings-on in dialogue balloons that add to the fun and humor. Pair this book with Jon Scieszka's True Story of the Three Little Pigs (Viking, 1989), another choice for lovers of fractured tales.-Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.”

[Review of Where's the big bad wolf? by E. Christelow] (2002). School library journal. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2929/DetailedView.aspx?hreciid=|10737822|7528314&mc=USA#

Usage in a Library Setting:

This could be used to spark ideas in children to come up with other common fairytales they know and think of different ways to tell the story which they could ten draw or maybe go around telling their stories.

Mod 8: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Summary:

Katsa, niece to King Randa of the Middluns was born Graced, which means she is unnaturally skilled at a specific talent. When it is descovered that Katsa's Grace is Killing the King makes her into his personal assassin. Katsa doesn't want to kill and torcher, however, and would much rather rescue people.

While rescueing an old man, who is the prince Tealiff of the lienid kingdom, from a dungeon of Sunder Katsa encounters another a man Graced with fighting. She beats him and knocks him unconscious. Katsa hides and nurses Tealiff back to health at her cousin's castle. The Graced fighter shows up and reveals himself to be Prince Tealiff's Grandson named Po.

Katsa decides to remove herself from her uncle Randa's service and goes off with Po to descover why Tealiff was kidnapped. Signs lead the pair to King Leck of the Monsea kingdom, Leck is belived to be a kinda benevolent ruler, but it turns out these are all lies as Leck is graced and able to manipulate anyone he talks to.

Katsa and Po then must save Bitterblue, Leck's daughter, from a horrible fate Leck has in store for her. Po is injured and Katsa is forced to leave him to get Bitterblue to saftey. Along the way Katsa discovers her Grace is not killing, but survival, which lifts a great burden from her shoulders.

Eventaully, after passing through and impassible mountain pass, Katsa meets up with Po's family defeats Leck, and makes Bitterblue the new queen of Monsea. In the end she is reunited with Po as well after she goes back for him and resolves to spend the rest of her days with him.

Cashore, K. (2008). Graceling. Orlando, FL: Harcourt inc.

My Impressions:

I really enjoyed Graceling, and I feel it was a compelling read. Once I started I was unable to put the book down. The world is really well developed and fleshed out, and the characters are fantastic. It was also interesting how Katsa's grace turned out to be survival, and the only reason she was good at killing people is because it helped her survive. I am definitely planning on reading the other books by Cashore set in this world.

Reviews:

“Lady Katsa of the Middluns, the most central of the Seven Kingdoms, was born with a terrifying Grace (the Seven Kingdoms term for the hyper-developed talents that occasionally surface in their populations). Katsa's seems to be for killing, and her thuggish uncle, the king, makes her his brute squad. She rebels by forming the Council, a sort of social justice league, and it is through this affiliation that she is drawn into a mystery involving the kidnapping of an elderly cross-kingdom prince, the secret Grace of the king of nearby Monsea, and the kidnapped royal's wicked cute, super-sensitive grandson Po -- also, like Katsa, a Graceling. Katsa's assertion of her independence, and her harnessing of her Grace as subservient to her humanity, form the philosophical skeleton of the narrative, but for the most part this is a straightforward journey-adventiure with a hearty dose of too-good-to-be-true romance. Creepy villains aside, Graceling is light fare, anchored in Katsa and Po's fairly simple relationship; with a butt-kicking but emotionally vulnerable heroine, it should appeal to fans of recent girl-power urban fantasies as well as readers who've graduated from Tamora Pierce's Tortall series.”

Gross, C. E. (2008). [A Review of the book Graceling by K. Cashore]. Horn Book Magazine, 84(6), 697-698 retrieved from https://libproxy.library.unt.edu:9443/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=brd&AN=518499299&scope=site

Usage in a Library Setting:

Perhaps after a book talk or discussion of what graces are students or patrons at a program could be asked to think of what Grace they would have if they were graced, write about it or draw some images of themselves with a grace.

Mod 7: 8th Grade Superzero by Reggie McKnight

Summary:

8^th Grade Superzero  follows the story of Reggie  McKnight, who is given the unfortunate nickname of “pukey” after throwing up in front of the whole school at the start of the school year.  He tries to fly by under the radar from here out, and instead spends time with his friend Ruthie who sticks up for him, and Joe who he creates a superhero comic called Night Man with.

He is eventually pressured by a student named Vicky to be her campaign manager during the school election even though he doesn’t want to, and she just wants to run for selfish reasons even though Reggie has a real interest in community service.  He forms an attachment with a kindergartner named Charlie in the Big Buddies program.   He also works with his church youth group doing a project for Olive Branch a housing for the homeless facility by creating a documentary.  His first visit to the shelter he interviews a man named George, whose situation and drinking/substance problem reminds him of his father.  This causes him to question his faith and God.

Reggie becomes more disillusioned with school and Vicky’s campaign, and his friend Joe begins pursuing new interest meaning Night Man is no longer being made.  He instead throws himself more into his work with Olive Branch and helps George and Charlie create a make-believe cardboard city at the shelter.  

Reggie later comes to Charlie’s defense against an 8^th grader bully by making fun of him in front of a school wide audience.  He then fails to stand up for Vicky in a later encounter and she fires him from being her campaign manager.  He feels bad for not standing up for her, and then Charlie makes fun of a little girl who was picking on him just like Reggie made fun of the bully, and Reggie decides he needs to set a better example for everyone and runs for class president himself.  His platform is based on civic responsibility and community service at the Olive Branch.

Back at the Olive Branch George has disappeared, which has made Charlie and the other kids depressed.  Reggie and his father look for George, but do not find him, but instead they engage in real conversation for the first time Reggie can remember.

Ruthie and Joe help Reggie with his campaign, but misses a school assembly to help Charlie who is still upset about George.  Ruthie is upset with him, but realized he did the right thing and forgives him for missing the assembly, and the campaign convinces other students to help out at the Olive Branch.  He ends up loosing the campaign, but he reaffirms his faith despite not understanding why suffering is present in the world, and the story ends with Ruthie and Reggie sharing a kiss. 

Olugbemisola, R. P. (2010). 8^th grade superzero. New York, NY: Arthur A. Levine Books.

My Impressions:

I had a hard time getting into this book as I am not a very religious person and there is a lot of religious overtones to the story.  I feel it has some positive messages and is your typical coming of age story otherwise.  It is well written and good fi you are into these kinds of stories, I simply am not, and never was.

Reviews:

    “Gr 6-8-Reggie McKnight is a smart but somewhat geeky eighth grader growing up in New York City. He earned the nickname "Pukey" during an unfortunate incident at assembly, and he hasn't been able to shake it. Life at his alternative school isn't all bad, though. Reggie's friends Ruthie and Joe C. have his back most of the time, and then there's beautiful Mialonie, who is showing some interest in him. But these days Reggie has a little more on his plate than lie can handle. His dad is out of work, and his mom works too much. He gets involved at a homeless shelter, befriending two of its residents, but is often at a loss for how to make a difference. And will lie ever work up the courage to overcome his reputation as "Pukey" and run for class president? The novel takes on a number of weighty issues including religion, homelessness, and getting involved without the heavy language and situations that are often a part of urban fiction. Although this moderately paced story will likely require some selling, it is a good one to recommend to readers who are looking for realistic fiction with a focus on social responsibility.”

Marie, J. (2010). [Review of the book 8th Grade Super Zero by R. Olugbemisola]. School Library Journal, 56(2), 123.

Usage in a Library Setting:

This could be used as part of a movement to make student sand teens aware of homeless issues in the the libraries town.  There could be a talk about the book and how patrons can help at local shelters or other ways.

Mod 7: Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Summary:

In Hatchet Brian Robeson is a 13-yr old boy with a lot on his mind.  His parents are getting divorced, and he knows a secret about an affair his mother was having.  He is flying to visit his father in Canada in a bush plane.  The pilot allows him to fly a little, but it doesn’t take his mind of his problems, and even when the pilot starts to complain of strange pain in his arm Brian can’t stop thinking about the divorce.  That is until the pilot suddenly dies of a heart attack.

Brian crash lands the plane in a lake in the middle of the Canadian wilderness, and things go from bad to worse.  The only tool he has is a hatchet given to him by his mother before he left.  He has trouble with animals, finding shelter, eats some poison berries, and fails to signal a plane passing overhead.  At his lowest point Brian attempts to kill himself with the hatchet, but fails. 

After he wakes up Brian takes on a new outlook and becomes determined to survive.  It is still hard for Brian but he always remembers that crying about things solves nothing and he is able to catch birds, fish and even finds the plane wreckage and is able to get the survival kit out of it.  He messes with a transmitter in the pack, but is unsure if it ever works, but he is eventually rescued, but his outlook on life is forever changed.

Paulsen, G. (1987). Hatchet. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

My Impressions:

This book is great.  I feel it stands out as realistic fiction because it is an appealing story for boys unlike most realistic fiction that is chosen for youth to read in school settings.  It is wonderfully written and descriptive.  Paulsen is also able to really get into the mindset of a 13-year old boy and I find Brian’s reactions and actions in the book incredibly believable.

Reviews:

“Gary Pulsen’s Hatchet has been loved, reread and, sometimes, done to death by teachers and kids since it came out. There’s a good reason for all this attention: Hatchet is an outstanding survival story, simply and beautifully written, but with real meat to it.  Since I first read it, I’ve eagerly grabbed every Paulsen book I could find an I’ve never been disappointed. Now Paulsen has given us a sequel to Hatchet and we’re off again to the beauty and dangers of the woods.”

Hurst, C. O. (1991). Survival story [review of Hatchet by G. Paulsen]. Teaching Pre K-8, 22(1), 128.

Usage in a Library Setting:

This book could be used as part of a wild survival program were perhaps either speakers who survived in the wild themselves are brought in to speak about their experiences along with some book talks about this and other survival books, or there can be lessons on how to create things in the wild using information from non-fiction survival books in the library.