Books with Caring and Compassionate Characters

The Giver - Lois Lowry

Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives.

The Pinballs - Betsy Byars

Three lonely foster children learn to care about themselves and each other.

The Bumble Bee Flies Anyway - by Robert Cormier

Sixteen-year-old Barney is amnesic but, as a voluntary patient, he knows he is different from terminally ill patients. His involvement with the bitter, slowly dying Mazzo brings Barney hope, pain, and a moment of heroic glory.

Pictures of Hollis Woods - Patricia Giff

A troublesome twelve-year-old orphan, staying with an elderly artist who needs her, remembers the only other time she was happy in a foster home, with a family that truly seemed to care about her.

One Year in Coal Harbor - Polly Horvath

In a small fishing village in British Columbia, twelve-year-old Primrose tries to be a matchmaker for her Uncle Jack, befriends Ked, a new foster child, tries to decide if she is willing to go to jail for her convictions, and together with Ked, publishes a cook book to raise money for the Fisherman's Aid. Includes recipes.

Make Lemonade - Virginia Euwer Wolff

Fourteen-year-old LaVaughn, trying to earn the money for college, takes a job caring for the two children of Jolly, a single teenage mom, and must find the courage to make the right decision for all of them after Jolly is fired.

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom—the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged, because she cannot tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by cerebral palsy. And she’s determined to let everyone know it…somehow.

Rules by Cynthia Lord

Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, twelve-year-old Catherine longs for a normal existence but her world is further complicated by a friendship with an young paraplegic.

The Raging Quiet by Sherryl Jordan

Suspicious of sixteen-year-old Marnie, a newcomer to their village, the residents accuse her of witchcraft when she discovers that the village madman is not crazy but deaf and she begins to communicate with him through hand gestures.

Freak the Mighty - by Rodman Philbrick

At the beginning of eighth grade, learning-disabled Max and his new friend, Freak whose birth defect has affected his body but not his brilliant mind, find that when they combine forces, they make a powerful team.

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unswerving honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence, and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina and quiet heroism of one man's struggle for justice—but the weight of history will only tolerate so much.

Boy 21 - Matthew Quick

Finley, an unnaturally quiet boy who is the only white player on his high school's varsity basketball team, lives in a dismal Pennsylvania town that is ruled by the Irish mob, and when his coach asks him to mentor a troubled African American student who has transferred there from an elite private school in California, he finds that they have a lot in common in spite of their apparent differences.

The Misfits - James Howe

Four students who do not fit in at their small-town middle school decide to create a third party for the student council elections to represent all students who have ever been called names.

In My Hands : Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer - by Irene Gut Opdyke

Recounts the experiences of the author who, as a young Polish girl, hid and saved Jews during the Holocaust.

Criss Cross by Lynn Rae Perkins

I recently finished Criss Cross for a youth book club.  When we sat down to discuss this book not a single person in the group liked this book.  I found this interesting because Criss Cross has won awards and came highly recommended to me.  However we all agreed the story was hard to follow and we did not like the conclusion.  Criss Cross is the story of how several people's lives "criss cross" through the novel and how one decision can set off a chain of events that no one could predict.  Interesting right? Well sort of, but the author not only switches between points of view but also writing methods including both illustrations and text in her novel.  She also relies on haiku, and side by side 1st person accounts to tell the story.  I found this confusing and disjointed.  It made it hard to follow the plot.  The book is suppose to take place during the 1970's but this is only very vaguely touched upon, thus leading to further confusion when fashions such as bell bottoms and platform shoes are brought up and listening to a radio show is the a Saturday night's entertainment.  I must admit if a student came into the library looking for a work of historical fiction, I would not suggest this book.

So Hard to Say by Alex Sanchez

Frederick is the new kid in school, who meets Xio and soon become's part of Xio's group of friends.  This novel, told from the perspective of both Xio and Frederick, portrays the emotional conflict of each teen's life realistically.  Xio quickly falls for Frederick and can not understand why he doesn't return her affections, first assuming he is just shy and quickly coming to the conclusion that something must be wrong with her, as girls often do when in this situation.  Frederick, is flattered by Xio's attention but can not get past his unsettling feelings for Victor, the star soccer player at his new school.  Then Frederick meets Iggy, the target of a lot of bullying, because of his alleged homosexuality and Frederick begins to understand what his feelings about Victor might mean.  Alex Sanchez does a terrific job at keeping the voices authentic and telling a story about situations that many students face.  Great book for bringing up  the topics of homosexuality, friendship, bullying, and acceptance.  

Make Lemonade by Virginia Euwer Wolff

Make Lemonade is a novel written in verse.  It is a story of two young girls, one looking to save money so she can attend college and get out of the poverty she lives in, the other is a teenage mother with few prospects for improving her life.  LaVaughn applies for the role of babysitter of Jolly's children.  At first LaVaughn regrets her decision to take the job, but soon she is wrapped up in Jolly's life and falls in love with her children.  Not willing to accept Jolly's station in life, LaVaughn encourages Jolly to attend school and accept the aid of others for her children's sake.  This story touches the heart and warms the soul.

Miracle on 49th Street by Mike Lupica

Miracle on 49th Street is a tale about a girl, Molly Parker, who has recently lost her mother and goes to connect with her father, who incidentally has no idea she exists.  To throw another wrench into the situation, Molly's father is the national basketball hero, Josh Cameron.  At first Josh is very skeptical of Molly's claim, but she convinces him to get to know her, and soon Josh's heart begins to warm to Molly.  Molly has some help along the way namely from her sidekick and best friend Sam, and Josh's housekeeper Mattie.  These two help Molly through some rough times, including Josh's selfishness, and skepticism.  Miracle on 49th Street is a heartwarming tale of friendship, trust, and realizing in order to reap big rewards, one must take huge risks.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

13 Little Blue Envelopes is a fantastic book about first love, self discovery, courage, family bonds,  and forgiveness.  Ginny is a seventeen year old young woman who has just lost her Aunt Peg to a brain tumor.  One day after her death Ginny receives a mysterious envelope with a thousand dollars and a letter from her Aunt, telling her to go to NYC to their favorite restaurant to receive further instructions.  Soon Ginny is off on an adventure, not knowing what the next day will hold.  Each time she completes a task, no matter how strange, she can open the next envelope which will contain a letter from her Aunt with instructions on completing yet another unique task.  Ginny is faithful to her Aunt and ends up completing a quest of self discovery and personal growth.  

This novel would be a fantastic read for anyone who loves traveling, adventures, and unpredictable stories.  It is a great novel for those who are perhaps feeling a little bit stuck in a rut, and looking for a book about self discovery and personal growth.  One will find through this book, that you do not have to travel around the world to learn new things about yourself.  I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and found myself both laughing and crying along with the characters in the book.

Anya's Ghost

I recently read Anya's Ghost by Vera Brogol.  This graphic novel is about a young girl from Russia, trying to fit into American society at a private school.  She is first portrayed as a nasty girl who smokes, and is disrespectful to both her family and friends, but as the story continues the reader sees that Anya is a troubled girl who has poor self-esteem and is very lonely.  While taking a walk in the park, Anya falls into an abandoned well, and when she looks around a ghost appears! Anya just wants to escape the well and when she is soon rescued, she thinks she has left the well and its ghostly inhabitant behind.  The next day she finds out otherwise and as the story continues the readers finds that both Anya and her new ghost friend Emily Reilly are not who they first appear to be!

This is a graphic novel about growing up, being proud of who you are and where you come from, and being comfortable in your own skin.  It is also a thrilling story with twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages.  There is some strong language in this book, and I would recommend for more mature readers who can handle this.  Otherwise an enjoyable tale and a quick read.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent is a fantastic, action packed, and thought provoking novel written in the near future.  The inhabitants of the city once known as Chicago, have been split into factions.  Each faction cultivates a specific virtue in its members. Selflessness (Abnegation), Intelligence (Erudite), Bravery (Dauntless),  Love (Amenity), Truthfulness (Candor).  Each inhabitant takes a special test when they are 16 and are placed in a faction that best fits their personal attributes.  Then there are the odd balls, the ones that walk their own path,  and fit into many places, they are the Divergent.  It is dangerous to be a Divergent.  Tris, the main character, is divergent.

Divergent follows our main character through her chosen faction's, Dauntless, initiation training, through perils, heart ache, new friends, and new romance.  The novel builds to a cliff hanger of an ending, making you biting at the bit for the next book in the series, Insurgent! 

What I liked about this book is that it is great for all readers, it has action and suspense for the adventure lovers and it has romance for the whimsical, and for those that like thought provoking pieces of work, there is a whole lot of soul searching going on in this novel.  Divergent is sure to interest many readers of all ages. And for those Book to Movie lovers, the premier of Divergent the Movie is March 2014!!

Moon Over Manifest

This is a wonderful story told partly from the perspective of Abilene Tucker, a thirteen year old girl just arriving in Manifest, Kansas during the Great Depression.  This novel flashes between summer day adventures of Abilene Tucker and her two newly made friends Lettie and Ruthanne during 1936 and the lives of the Manifest townfolk in 1918.  The novel is told in a variety of formats, including first person narrative, news paper clippings, third person omnipresent storytelling, and letters written by one character to another.  Once the story picks up, it is full of mystery, suspense, humor, and drama.  This great work of historical fiction will keep students attention right through to the end of the book.  I chose to listen to this book as an audiobook, and really enjoyed the narrators voices that she gave each character, making it easy to follow and fun to listen to.  However if you are reading this novel the publisher has chosen to give each perspective a different font which makes the text easy to follow as well.  

Use in the classroom : This novel would fit in greatly with lessons on both the Great Depression and World War I.  Without knocking you over the head with facts this novel does a great job at "showing" the reader what it was like to live in both in the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression, in a small town in 1918, and in the trenches of World War I.

40 Book Challenge!!

Miss. Joy is taking the forty book challenge as well, stay tuned here for synopses of the books I read this year.  I am currently in the middle of Mood Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool.  So far so good!!

What I Saw and How I Lied

What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell was a superb book about a young girl growing up in Post World War II America. Evie's step father is back from the war and is acting weird. He soon is receiving mysterious phone calls. Suddenly he packs the family up and drives down to Florida. They settle in Palm Beach, and soon run into a couple named the Graysons and a charismatic young soldier named Peter Coleridge. Evie is quickly smitten with Peter and does all she can do be with him. But soon, she, her parents and Peter are snarled into a tangled web of lies, deceit, and murder.

This historical piece of fiction written for young adults is filled with facts about life during and after the war. Readers get a sense of what it is like to go through this harrowing time. Young readers will identify with Evie as she experiences her first kiss and her first love. They will start to question what they would do in Evie's place. This books brings up the question of family loyalties and the bonds of friendship.

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

So I'm done with my YA Lit class but still feel I would like to keep this blog running. But since this won't be graded I think I might take a looser approach to the book summary slash review. So here it goes.

Chains is a courageous tale of a young slave fighting for her life, her family, and her freedom. Isabel and her younger sister are promised freedom by their owner, Mary Finch, at the owner's passing. Unfortunately Ms. Finch's nephew has other plans for Isabel and her sister. He sells them to a rich couple from New York and Isabel's life turns quickly from bad to worse. This piece of historical fiction takes place during the Revolutionary War when slaves watched their white owners fight for their freedom and heard promises of their own freedom swirl around their heads. After Isabel's sister, Ruth has another one of her episodes (the reader is led to believe that Ruth had epilepsy) she is sold right out of underneath Isabel's watchful eye. The rest of the book is Isabel's story against the confines of her enslavement and the courageous strides she makes to free herself and save her sister. The book is left as a cliff hanger leaving the reader wanting more.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author did a lot of research previous to writing this book and the reader can tell. The life of this poor slave is described in such detail that it comes to life right off the page. I was left wanting more and will be awaiting Ms. Anderson's sequel to this phenomenal story.

Chains could be used to begin discussions on slavery, the Revolutionary War, inequality, the power of the written word (Isabel gets her courage from Thomas Pain's famous book Common Sense) and fighting against those far more powerful. It is an inspiring tale which is fast paced and draws the reader in quickly.

The Book Thief

Citation: Zusak, Markus. The Book Theif. New York:Random House, 2006

Ages: 14 and up

Genre: Historical Fiction

Theme: Holocaust, Survival, Power of Words, Friendship, Loyalty, Help One Another

Main Character: Liesel Meminger, Hans and Rosa Huberman, Rudy, Max

Plot Summary:

The Book Thief is about a young girl named Liesel who is taken from her mother and handed over to a couple living near Munich, Germany during the years during World War II. The Book Thief is about the many trials of Liesel's life and how she learns to deal with them. First getting used to living in a new home with an overbearing foster mother to finding enough food to feed herself and survive. Soon after moving into her new home, Hans, her foster father begins teaching Liesel to read and she soon learns the power of words. She can not get enough and begins stealing books to satisfy her need to read. Friends such as her neighbor Rudy, the Jewish man living in her basement, Max, and her foster father are the only things making it possible for Liesel to survive these harsh times. The Book Thief describes the horrors of war and what people will do to survive in terrible conditions.

Writing Style:

The Book Thief is told from Death's perspectives. He describes the lives he sees unfolding before him. It gives a strange twist to the story and gives a unique perspective to the novel.

Assessment of Quality and Utility:

The Book Thief is a terrific book that makes the horrors of war and the joy of friendship vivid for the reader. It shows how the power of words can help a person survive and deal with the unfathomable. The Book Thief also teaches the reader about friendship and loyalty even in the face of death. Liesel's life comes alive on the pages of the book and a young reader would have no trouble identifying with her.

The Book Thief is a great book to use in Social Studies units about World War II and the Holocaust. It can really show students the horrors of war and the horrible events that those living in Germany had to endure during the war. It would also be a great book for an English class to read to speak about the power of words and how it could help a person through troubling times.

Goonies

Citation: Goonies. Dir. Ruchard Donner. Perf. Sean Astin, Cory Feldman. DVD. Warner Bros., 2001.

Ages: 12 and up

Genre: Action, Comedy

Themes: Buried Treasure, Friendship, Loyalty, Adventure

Main Characters: The Goonies: Mikey, Brand, Mouth, Chunk, Data, Andy, Stef, The Fratellis, Sloth

Plot Summary:

The Goonies is a story about a group of kids who on the verge of loosing their homes to a country club being built in their place, set out on a treasure hunt to save the town they love. They are soon being raced to the treasure by a family of criminals named the Fratellis, a mother and her two sons. Her third son Sloth, named as such for his physical deformities, joins up with one of the group that is left behind to help save the day when the lives of the Goonies are threatened. In the end the treasure is discovered and enough jewels are found to save the Goon Docks.

Assessment of Quality

Each character has their own lovable qualities and The Goonies is a joy to watch. The movie is fast paced and the special effects are decent for the time period during which the movie was made. For me it is a trip down memory lane watching this movie because it was a favorite of mine when I was a kid. Although the movie was made in the 80’s I believe that young adults of this time period would still enjoy watching this movie. It is funny and exciting. It shows what a band of kids can do if they put their minds to it. The Goonies are a close knit group of friends which I believe young adults can identify with. There is even a bit of romance thrown in to catch the most reluctant watchers attention.

Stormbreaker

Citation: Horowitz, Anthony. Stormbreaker. New York: Philomel Books, 2000

Ages: 14 yrs. and up

Genre: Adventure

Theme: Espionage, Adventure, Conspiracy, Secret Agents

Main Characters: Alex Ryder, Herod Sayle, Mr. Grin, Mrs. Jones, Mr. Blunt

Plot Summary

Alex Ryder is a normal kid who has just lost his only living relative, his uncle, in a car accident. However Alex soon finds out that his uncle is not what he seemed but was in fact a spy for the central intelligence agency in England. The same people who Alex’s uncle worked for ask Alex for his help. Alex agrees and is soon on a mission to check on a millionaire who has donated computers to every school in the country of England. They suspect that he is up to no good. Alex is soon in a harrowing race to save the country from certain death.

Stormbreaker is the first novel in a series about Alex Ryder, YA Spy!!

Writing style

Stormbreaker is written in the third person. The author takes an omnipresent narrative approach to tell the story of Alex Ryder.


Assessment of Quality and Utility

Stormbreaker is a very exciting and spell binding story that young adults will enjoy. The story is well written and it is easy to get caught up into the action of the novel. It is a quick read that will interest even the most reluctant readers. There is not a lot of character development taking place which can be good and bad. Good, because you are put right into the action quickly, the author does not waste time introducing you to the characters in lengthy descriptions but bad, because it is a little bit difficult for the reader to identify with the characters of the book. Many of the events in this book seem very contrived but that is fitting for this type of adventure book. The reader is not supposed to believe that this type of situation could actually ever take place.

This book would be a great novel to offer to a reluctant reader or for a young adult who has some reading issues. It is a low level high interest book that is easy and fun to read. I am a slower reader and I was able to finish it in one afternoon.

An American Plague

Citation: Murphy, Jim. An American Plague. New York: Clarion Books, 2003


Age: 12 and up

Genre: Non-Fiction

Themes: Yellow Fever, Politics, Life in the 1700's

Main Characters: No main characters

Plot Summary

An American Plague is the story of the Yellow Fever during the late summer and early fall of 1793. It tells about the quick spread of the Yellow Fever throughout the city of Philadelphia and all the events that followed. The misunderstanding of sickness during this time period led to the plague killing thousands of people. During this time many people fled the city to escape the disease while others stayed risking their lives to help the sick and dieing. The American Plague speaks about the many heroes that worked hard to end the plague as quickly as possible. The book goes onto to explain how the real cause of the Yellow Fever was eventually discovered.

Writing Style:

An American Plague is told in the third person narrative.


Assessment of Quality and Utility

An American Plague explains in thorough detail what happened during the Yellow Fever onslaught in 1793. The life of the people during this time is told in great detail as well. This is a great book for students who must learn about this time period because it gives all the facts but in an interesting way. The book keeps the readers attention and helps the reader understand what it would feel like to go through such a devastating event.

An American Plague could be used in a Biology class to show students how the study of disease has evolved over the past few centuries. It could open up discussion on how the misunderstanding of bacteria and viruses has led to many deaths in our nation’s past. This book could also be used in Social Studies classroom to open up discussion of this time period.

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World

Citation : Armstrong, Jennifer. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World. New York: Crown Publishers, 1998.


Ages: 12 and up

Genre: Non-Fiction

Themes: Adventure, Exploration, Survival, Loyalty, Friendship

Main Characters: Ernest Shackleton, Frank Wild, Frank Worsley, Frank Hurley

Plot Summary

Shipwreck is about the incredible journey that Shackleton and his men made on the Endurance in 1915. They set off to be the first men to cross the continent of Antarctica. On the trip there their boat got caught in the ice off the coast of Antarctica and they had to endure months cooped up on their boat waiting for the ice to break apart enough to go on shore. Unfortunately what happened instead was the boat was crushed in the ice and the men had to attempt to travel across the ice to the open ocean. Once they made the perilous trek they then had to face the open ocean. They finally landed on a small island in the middle of the ocean. They landed on an island with no inhabitants and six men had to go ahead and get help. The captain did not abandon his men and he returned to save them weeks later. None of the men on the Endurance were lost in this harrowing true story of survival.


Writing Style

Shipwreck is in the third person narrative. The story was put together from accounts of the men who were on the Endurance and narrated for the reader. The author does take some artistic license with her description of the goings on throughout the book, such as when she gives the penguins human qualities at different points in the story.


Assessment of Quality and Utility

Shipwreck is a fantastic book which quickly draws the reader in. Soon the reader does not even realize he or she is reading a non-fiction book but feels more like they are reading a novel about survival and adventure. The author does a superb job of describing the setting of the story so that the reader can fully understand the trials and tribulations that each crew member of the Endurance had to go through. By the end of the book the reader fully understands the miracle that their survival was.

This book is sure to catch any young reader’s attention but would probably grab the interest of young adult males best because they tend to be very attracted to survival stories. Shipwreck is a story that could teach readers about perseverance and sticking by your friends throughout the worst of times. A unique use of this book could be in a Science class where students must learn about the ecosystem of the South Pole. While the reader reads the story of these heroic men, they also learn about environment these men had to endure. Of course this book could also be used in a Social Studies class where turn of the century events are discussed.

A Northern Light

Citation: Donnelly, Jennifer. A Northern Light. New York: Harcourt Inc., 2003.

Ages: 13 and up

Genre: Historical Fiction

Themes: Turn of the Century Life, Northern New York Culture, Farming, Friendship, Murder,

Main Characters: Mattie, Weaver, Mrs. Wilcox, Mattie's Father and Sisters, Royal Loomis

Plot Summary:

Mattie is a young girl living in the North Woods of New York state during the early 1900's. Her mother has died of cancer and she is now the responsible female in the household taking care of her father and her three sisters. She is a very smart girl and enjoys going to school. Her teacher encourages her to take her Regents exams, get her high school diploma, and go to college but she feels that she can no not break the promise she made to her mother on her death bed, which was to take care of her family. She decides to apply anyway and she gets in with a full scholarship. She longs to go but her father will not allow it. Mattie is soon being courted by a young man in the town and decides perhaps she will not attend college and marry instead. Meanwhile her best friend in school is Weaver Smith, an African-American boy who also wishes to go to college and become a lawyer. They each take a job at the Glenmore Inn to earn cash over the summer and while they are there a young woman, Grace Brown visits the inn with a her fiance, Chester Gillette. The woman is killed in what at first is thought to be an accident but Mattie knows better because before the woman died she gave Mattie a number of letters to burn which reveal the truth about her sudden death.

Writing Style:

A Northern Light is written from Mattie's perspective. The story goes back and forth between past and present tense, or before Grace Brown's death and after. Mattie and her friend Weaver love words and each day Mattie looks up a new word in the dictionary to learn. The way the author distinguishes between the past and present tense is by putting words in bold letters at the beginning of the chapters which tell about Matties life before the young woman's murder.

Assessment of Quality and Utility:

A Northern Light is a fantastic book about choosing between right and wrong, sticking up for what is right, friendship, loyalty to family, keeping one's promises and ultimately making decisions that are best for yourself. Mattie is a terrific role model for any young adult reading this book. She evetually learns to believe in herself and in her convictions and turns out to be the one responsible for ensuring that the right man was arrested and convicted of Grace Brown's death in the book. Mattie's friends are also respectable people who show that it is more important to look out for each other then to get ahead in life. A Northern Light truely shows how life was in the past because it is well researched.

A Northern Light could be used in a Social Studies class discussing the turn of the century life. It is particularly interesting to those living in New York state because it takes place here in the northern region of the state and many of the town and city names are recognizable for students, bringing the story home for them. The story is very interesting but at the same time the reader is learnering about a real murder that really took place. A few of the characters are real and many of the facts are real as well. It would be a great book to help students learn what it was really like to live at the turn of the century in Northern New York.

Persepolis

Citation: Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis: A Story of a Childhood. Paris: Random House, 2003.

Ages: 13 and up

Genre: Graphic Novel, Multi-Cultural

Themes: War, Friendship, Religion, Islamic Culture, Protesting, Politics

Main Characters: Marjane Satrapi (Author), her mother and father.

Plot Summary:

Persepolis is a graphic novel written by Marjane Satrapi about her life as a young child in the country of Iran during the Iranian revolution. It gives a child's view of the world during this time, while all around her friends were going to jail for protesting, and her parents are trying to figure out where they fit into the world in which they live. Marjane is just trying to make sense of the situation, she does not quite understand what is happening. She must comfort the relatives and friends around her who are loosing their families while feeling the desire to do her part in the protests. As she grows older she starts to rebel against the strict rules around her. Finally her family decides to send her to Austria so that she will be safe.

Writing Style: Persepolis is written in graphic novel form. There is a lot of dialogue between characters and is narrated by Marjane herself.

Assessment of Quality and Utility:

Persepolis does a good job at explaining what it was like to grow up in Iran during the revolution. Marjane Satrapi takes the reader through her life and expresses the emotions one might go through if you were experiencing her life. The confusion and then realization that the world she knows is crumbling down around her.

Persepolis would be a good book to introduce students the Iranian Culture. Also to what it is like to experience revolution and war. It would make a good discussion starter for a Social Studies class discussion of war, and what it feels like live in a world that is unsettled by revolution and strife.

American Born Chinese

Citation: Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese. New York: First Second Books, 2006.

Ages : 13-18

Genre: Graphic Novel

Themes: Heritage, Family, Friendship, Loyalty, Modesty

Main Characters: Jin Wang, Monkey King, Chin-Lee, Danny

Plot Summary:

American Born Chinese is three stories in one book. The first story follows an Asian young man, Jin Wang, who has moved into a town and wants to fit in. He does his best to fit in and lay low until another Asian teenage boy moves into the town and wants to be friends with Jin Wang. At first he just wants this boy to leave him alone but eventually decides that he will be friends with this boy. Meanwhile he has met and fallen in love with a Caucasian girl. He wishes to also be Caucasian so that this girl will love him back.

In the second story the reader learns about the Monkey King who is extremely conceded and determined to gain as much power as he can. He teaches himself a variety of skills all aimed at gaining more and more power. He wants to become God. God confronts the Monkey King but the Monkey King is very rude to God. God decides to put hm under a mountain of rock to keep him from doing any harm and show the Monkey King, who really has the power. The Monkey King however is given a chance to free himself by helping anothe individual.

The third story is about Danny a young man who is extremely embarassed by his cousin who comes to visit each year from China. His cousin Chin-Lee is the stereotypical Chinese person and really upsets his cousin Danny. Danny spends the entire story trying to avoid his cousin and get in good with one of the basketball players of his school.

Eventually all the stories come together In a surprising manner.

Writing Style:

American Born Chinese is written as a graphic novel. It is narrated by an unnamed omnipresent being.

Assessment of quality and utility:

American Born Chinese was not an enjoyable read for me. It was hard to follow and I feel I missed certain points of the book. It was a quick read and the pictures certainly do help the reader understand the story, but it was bit too obscure for me to follow. It is the ending that I really did not like. Also although I know Chin-Lee was suppose to be the stereotypical Chinese person it really bothered me how demeaning his characterization was.

American Born Chinese could be used in English class where there could be discussion of the choice of its form. It could be used in a Health class where it could be used to open up discussion on self-esteem and the desire to fit in. Finally this book could be used in a Social Studies class to open discussion on stereotypes and prejudices.