Citation:
Chambers, A (2002) . Postcards From No Man's Land. New York: Dutton's Child's Books.
Genre: "GLBTQ" fiction
Theme: love, homosexuality, self-realization, traveling
Main Characters: Jacob, Geertui
Plot Summary:
Postcards from No Man's Land is two stories in one book.
Jacob's story takes place in modern times and is about a young boy, Jacob, who travels from England to Amsterdam to visit his grandmother's friend. During his stay in Amsterdam Jacob meets a young man who dresses and speaks like a woman and finds himself attracted to him in a way he does not understand. Jacob also is introduced to his grandmother's "friend" and soon realizes that there is a lot he did not know about his grandfather, who was a soldier in the second world war.
Geertui's story takes place during World War II when soldiers from Britain came to Holland and fought to free the people there from German rule. Geertui tells of her adventures helping to save these soldiers and in particular one soldier who she soon falls in love with. The two young people find themselves in a relationship that can only end in heart ache.
Writing Style:
Both stories are told in first person and both are told from the perspective of the main characters in their perspective stories.
Assessment of quality and Utility:
Postcard's from No Man's Land is a superb book. The author does a terrific job at blending the two stories together so that when one is reading the book, one does not feel that the book abruptly switches back and forth. I found that I enjoyed reading Geertui's story more. I felt that each piece of Geertui's story had its place and each character fit and I read the book wishing that it was only the story of Geertui. While the character's in Jacob's story each played their part, and were needed to help him grow as a person, I found myself rushing through his parts of the book. Jacob's storyline did not capture my attention as Geertui's story did. This is not to say that Jacob's story was any less well written or did not play an important part in the book, I just enjoyed the World War II storyline better.
Postcard's from No Man's Land would be a great book to use in an Social Studies class, because it shows the reader how much our lives are intertwined and how actions that might be small to us, can affect others in the future a great deal, having lasting affects for generations. The fact that Jacob was questioning his sexual preferences did not seem to play a huge part in this book as much as it could and it seemed that it was more about Jacob growing as a person and experiencing new things then finding out that he might be gay or bisexual. This fact could make this a good coming of age story for any young adult who might be questioning the direction their life might be taking. Postcard's from No Man's Land should be on every library's shelf for the young adult reader.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Annie on My Mind
Citation : Garden, N (1982). Annie On My Mind. New York: Aerial Fiction
Grade Level: 9-12
Genre: "GLBTQ" Fiction
Themes: young adult relationships, homosexuality, stereotypes, prejudices, love
Main Characters: Liza, Annie, Annie's family, Ms. Stevenson, Ms.Widmer, Mrs. Poindexter
Plot Summary:
Annie on My Mind is a story about two girls who realize their love for each other. It is also a story about how this love is received by others in both their lives. Liza is at first unsure of her feelings for her new friend Annie. Once she realizes that she loves her, they begin a relationship which unfortunately tangles many people's lives together in an very inconvenient way.
Writing Style:
Annie on My Mind was written in the first person, from the point of view of Liza, the main character in the book. The author does a good job at capturing how it must feel to begin realizing your feelings towards not just another person but also a person of the same sex. The awkwardness and troubled thoughts are captured well. When Liza finally realizes that she does not need to be embarrassed by her feelings towards another human being the reader begins to relax a bit with Liza as she experiences the joys of a new relationship.
Assessment of quality and utility:
Annie on My Mind was a wonderful book and a very fast read. The characters are very real and the story is a believable one. The author does a wonderful job capturing what it is like to enter into a relationship that maybe one is not sure of.
Annie on My Mind has been challenged before for its content. However this book has its place in the library. Students need to have books that tell of experiences they are having and emotions they are feelings. Homosexual students need to feel that their experiences are given as much time in books as any heterosexual student. This book would be very useful for any young adult to read to understand better what it is like to be homosexual in today's society. Although this book was written back in the 1980's the feelings and experiences Liza goes through are still very true today. Parents could also read this book to better understand what their homosexual child might be going through and thinking as they experience the feelings of a romantic relationship.
Grade Level: 9-12
Genre: "GLBTQ" Fiction
Themes: young adult relationships, homosexuality, stereotypes, prejudices, love
Main Characters: Liza, Annie, Annie's family, Ms. Stevenson, Ms.Widmer, Mrs. Poindexter
Plot Summary:
Annie on My Mind is a story about two girls who realize their love for each other. It is also a story about how this love is received by others in both their lives. Liza is at first unsure of her feelings for her new friend Annie. Once she realizes that she loves her, they begin a relationship which unfortunately tangles many people's lives together in an very inconvenient way.
Writing Style:
Annie on My Mind was written in the first person, from the point of view of Liza, the main character in the book. The author does a good job at capturing how it must feel to begin realizing your feelings towards not just another person but also a person of the same sex. The awkwardness and troubled thoughts are captured well. When Liza finally realizes that she does not need to be embarrassed by her feelings towards another human being the reader begins to relax a bit with Liza as she experiences the joys of a new relationship.
Assessment of quality and utility:
Annie on My Mind was a wonderful book and a very fast read. The characters are very real and the story is a believable one. The author does a wonderful job capturing what it is like to enter into a relationship that maybe one is not sure of.
Annie on My Mind has been challenged before for its content. However this book has its place in the library. Students need to have books that tell of experiences they are having and emotions they are feelings. Homosexual students need to feel that their experiences are given as much time in books as any heterosexual student. This book would be very useful for any young adult to read to understand better what it is like to be homosexual in today's society. Although this book was written back in the 1980's the feelings and experiences Liza goes through are still very true today. Parents could also read this book to better understand what their homosexual child might be going through and thinking as they experience the feelings of a romantic relationship.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Fairest
Citation: Levine, G.J (2006) . Fairest . New York : Harper Collins.
Grade Level: 10-14
Genre: Fantasy
Themes: fractured fairy tale, specifically Snow White, self-esteem, love, adventure, loyalty, forgiveness, family, beauty, loving yourself the way you are
Main Characters: Aza (Main Character), Ijori (Main Characters love interest), Ivi (Antagonist)
Plot Summary:
Fairest is based loosely on the fairy tale Snow White. Aza lives in a kingdom where singing is part of everyday life. The residents often sing instead of speak to each other. At the beginning of the book the reader is introduced to Aza as a child left on a inn keeper's door step. We eventually find out that Aza has a beautiful voice but not an attractice appearance and she longs to be pretty. She is invited to accompany one of the inn's lodgers to the King's wedding and it is there that she meets Ivi, the new queen. Ivi, is impressed with Aza's voice and her ability to illuse (throw her voice). She employs Aza as her lady in waiting and then tells her she must illuse for her, because Ivi can not sing well and is embarassed about her voice. While living in the castle Aza meets Ijori, the Kings nephew and instantly falls in love. The plot begins to thicken but eventually all ends happily ever after.
Writing Style:
The story is told in the first person from Aza's point of view. The author descibes the life of this fantasy character very well and makes it believable for the reader.
Assessment of quality and utility:
I felt that the messages in this book were very positive. The characters are believable and although the story is a fantasy the reader can identify with many of the emotions the characters experience throughout the book. Aza begins the story feeling extremely embarassed about her appearance and throughout the book is trying with out a lot of success to accept her looks and believe in herself. At the end of the book Aza has come closer to acceptance although she still has a long way to go. This is a great message to give young readers. That self-acceptance is not an easy thing, takes a lot of dedication, and may take a long time to acheive but it is possible. The author also does a superb job to show that the pursuit of beauty, riches, or power can also lead to evil acts, and betrayal. The author shows us that a kind heart and loyalty to friends and family are far more important then beauty or power.
The story does get a bit contrived towards the end. It seems like the author suddenly feels the need to put the "magic mirror" from the Snow White fairy tale in the story and makes quite a stretch to do this. The mirror could have been worked into the story in a much simpler and less confusing way.
This book would make a terrific addition to the English curriculum because it has a lot of discussion fodder in its pages. One could talk about not only fractured fairy tales with this book but also good versus evil, and a variety of other topics. It could also be used in the Health classroom where the discussion of self-esteem and what constitutes beauty are topics covered there. Young girls will identify with Aza and will embrace her as she goes through her many trials both real and mental. This book is terrific for any young girl struggling with poor self esteem to read. The story is also very enjoyable and fun to read and it is interesting to see how the author has taken elements of the original fairy tale and woven them into this novel.
Grade Level: 10-14
Genre: Fantasy
Themes: fractured fairy tale, specifically Snow White, self-esteem, love, adventure, loyalty, forgiveness, family, beauty, loving yourself the way you are
Main Characters: Aza (Main Character), Ijori (Main Characters love interest), Ivi (Antagonist)
Plot Summary:
Fairest is based loosely on the fairy tale Snow White. Aza lives in a kingdom where singing is part of everyday life. The residents often sing instead of speak to each other. At the beginning of the book the reader is introduced to Aza as a child left on a inn keeper's door step. We eventually find out that Aza has a beautiful voice but not an attractice appearance and she longs to be pretty. She is invited to accompany one of the inn's lodgers to the King's wedding and it is there that she meets Ivi, the new queen. Ivi, is impressed with Aza's voice and her ability to illuse (throw her voice). She employs Aza as her lady in waiting and then tells her she must illuse for her, because Ivi can not sing well and is embarassed about her voice. While living in the castle Aza meets Ijori, the Kings nephew and instantly falls in love. The plot begins to thicken but eventually all ends happily ever after.
Writing Style:
The story is told in the first person from Aza's point of view. The author descibes the life of this fantasy character very well and makes it believable for the reader.
Assessment of quality and utility:
I felt that the messages in this book were very positive. The characters are believable and although the story is a fantasy the reader can identify with many of the emotions the characters experience throughout the book. Aza begins the story feeling extremely embarassed about her appearance and throughout the book is trying with out a lot of success to accept her looks and believe in herself. At the end of the book Aza has come closer to acceptance although she still has a long way to go. This is a great message to give young readers. That self-acceptance is not an easy thing, takes a lot of dedication, and may take a long time to acheive but it is possible. The author also does a superb job to show that the pursuit of beauty, riches, or power can also lead to evil acts, and betrayal. The author shows us that a kind heart and loyalty to friends and family are far more important then beauty or power.
The story does get a bit contrived towards the end. It seems like the author suddenly feels the need to put the "magic mirror" from the Snow White fairy tale in the story and makes quite a stretch to do this. The mirror could have been worked into the story in a much simpler and less confusing way.
This book would make a terrific addition to the English curriculum because it has a lot of discussion fodder in its pages. One could talk about not only fractured fairy tales with this book but also good versus evil, and a variety of other topics. It could also be used in the Health classroom where the discussion of self-esteem and what constitutes beauty are topics covered there. Young girls will identify with Aza and will embrace her as she goes through her many trials both real and mental. This book is terrific for any young girl struggling with poor self esteem to read. The story is also very enjoyable and fun to read and it is interesting to see how the author has taken elements of the original fairy tale and woven them into this novel.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Cut
Citation: McCormick, P. (2000) Cut. New York, NY : Push Books
Grade Level: 14 years and up
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Themes: cutting, therapy, group homes, anorexia, bulumia, overeating, drug use, frienship
Main Characters: Callie, Therapist, Callie's mother, father, and brother, Sydney, Debbie, Becca, Tiffany, Tara, and Amanda
Plot Summary
Callie is a young girl who is in a group home for girls with a variety of mental health issues. Callie cuts herself. Throughout the book the reader is introduced to Callie's family and the girls who Callie deals with on a regular basis at the group home. Eventually the reader learns the reasons behind Callie's destructive behavior and you go through her many ups and downs of her life at Sea Pines. The reader is also introduced to Callie's therapist who Callie slowly warms up to throughout the book. The reader experiences with Callie an awakening as she realizes what are the roots of her problems and that she can allow her friends "in" to help her through her healing process.
Writing Style:
The story is told through the eyes of Callie. She writes as if she is writing a journal to her therapist. You see the world as Callie would see it, at first scary and suffocating. Eventually as bright and optimistic. The relationship between Callie and her therapist grows slowly throughout the book and with it the reader's relationship with the characters grows as well.
Assessment of quality and utility:
Cut is a very emotionally driven and gut wrenching book. As each character deals with her own demons the reader can not help but feel empathy towards them. The writing of this book is well researched and touches upon several sensitive subjects. The author does a superb job at dealing with these subjects in a heartfelt and knowlegable way.
This book would be very useful for a therapist to use with his or her patient. The feelings that the characters experience in this book are real. The story is real and does not try to sugar coat anything. The reader struggles along with the characters and it could show a young reader that they are not alone in their struggles to make sense out of the emotions they are feeling. This book would also be a wonderful book for a parent with a child who cuts themselves to read. It would help that parent to better understand what might be going through their child's mind that would provoke them to take such actions against their bodies. Cut is also a great book to introduce the idea that one cannot blame oneself for the choices that other people make.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
My first book review will be a classic written back in the 1970's.
Blume, J (1976). Forever. New York: Pocket Books. 220 pages.
Grade Level: 9-12
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Themes: Young Adult relationships, Sex, Suicide, Homosexuality, Birth Control, College
Main Characters: Katherine, Michael, Erica, Artie, Jamie (Katherine's sister) Katherine's Parents
Plot Summary:
Katherine is a senior in high school, she meets Michael at a New Year's Eve party and a relationship begins between the two. The book continues to tell the story about the relationship between the two young adults and all the emotions that go along with it. They find themselves talking about being together "forever". They face together decisions about sex, birth control, going away to college and seperating from each other. Katherine's friend Erica meets a boy named Artie who is struggling with his sexual preferences and there is an underlying story line about these two young adults as well. Artie finds himself depressed and attempts to commit suicide and the whole group of friends is forced to deal with their friend's depression in different ways.
Writing Style:
The story is told through the eyes of Katherine. The author captures the thoughts and feelings of a young teenage girl very well. The reader can really identify with the storyteller and is drawn in very quickly into Katherine's life.
Assessment of quality and utility:
Forever is a great book to introduce any young person to the feelings and thoughts they might be having in a new relationship. Judy Blume characters feel real feelings and think real thoughts. They experience what many other young adults might experience as young adults facing situations like the pressure to have sex, homosexuality, depression or the realization that the person you thought you were going to spend the rest of your life with might not be "the one".
Although written in the 1970's this book still hold true today in many ways. This book would be a terrific book for a health teacher to use in their classroom. Yes the book does have sex scenes in it but nothing very descriptive and it opens up the door to many hard to discuss issues that many teens are still facing today. It could also be a good piece of fiction for a mother-daughter book club to use to open up lines of communication between parent and child.
Blume, J (1976). Forever. New York: Pocket Books. 220 pages.
Grade Level: 9-12
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Themes: Young Adult relationships, Sex, Suicide, Homosexuality, Birth Control, College
Main Characters: Katherine, Michael, Erica, Artie, Jamie (Katherine's sister) Katherine's Parents
Plot Summary:
Katherine is a senior in high school, she meets Michael at a New Year's Eve party and a relationship begins between the two. The book continues to tell the story about the relationship between the two young adults and all the emotions that go along with it. They find themselves talking about being together "forever". They face together decisions about sex, birth control, going away to college and seperating from each other. Katherine's friend Erica meets a boy named Artie who is struggling with his sexual preferences and there is an underlying story line about these two young adults as well. Artie finds himself depressed and attempts to commit suicide and the whole group of friends is forced to deal with their friend's depression in different ways.
Writing Style:
The story is told through the eyes of Katherine. The author captures the thoughts and feelings of a young teenage girl very well. The reader can really identify with the storyteller and is drawn in very quickly into Katherine's life.
Assessment of quality and utility:
Forever is a great book to introduce any young person to the feelings and thoughts they might be having in a new relationship. Judy Blume characters feel real feelings and think real thoughts. They experience what many other young adults might experience as young adults facing situations like the pressure to have sex, homosexuality, depression or the realization that the person you thought you were going to spend the rest of your life with might not be "the one".
Although written in the 1970's this book still hold true today in many ways. This book would be a terrific book for a health teacher to use in their classroom. Yes the book does have sex scenes in it but nothing very descriptive and it opens up the door to many hard to discuss issues that many teens are still facing today. It could also be a good piece of fiction for a mother-daughter book club to use to open up lines of communication between parent and child.
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