"The First Part Last" by Angela Johnson

Johnson, Angela. The First Part Last. New York: Simon & Schuster for Young Readers, 2003. Print (Paperback edition). 131 pp. ISBN 13: 978-1-4424-0343-7

Summary:

     Bobby is a typical teenager growing up in New York City. His family isn’t rich – he and his mom live in the city in a walk-up apartment. His dad owns a restaurant and lives in Brooklyn. Bobby doesn’t know what he wants out of life – his time is spent shooting hoops, hanging with his friends and spending time with his girlfriend, Nia. On the day of his 16^th birthday, Nia tells him something that could change his life forever – she’s pregnant and he’s the father.

     Both their parents want them to give the baby up for adoption. Their parents say they’re too young to raise a child because they are only children themselves. Together, they decide to do what they think is the right thing and give the baby up for adoption. A couple has already been chosen to adopt her. Then tragedy strikes, and suddenly Bobby isn’t sure if the “right thing” is so right anymore. Can he handle being a father, or would it be better for adults to raise the baby? What does one do when the lines between wrong and right get so blurred?

Review:

     While short, as far as novels go, at only 131 pages, this book is very powerful and sucks the reader into Bobby’s world from the very beginning. The novel is written in first person from Bobby’s point of view. The chapters tell his story by alternating between “then” and “now” sequences that serve to illustrate the drastic changes that have happened in his life in a short time. This format works very well in this novel because it serves to give the reader short glimpses without telling the whole story all at once. Where usually I can predict within a few dozen pages the entire plot line of a story and exact details of what is going to happen, this book kept me guessing right up to the end without making me lose interest in the story.

     The dialogue and perspectives of the main character and his friends are very true to most of the teens I have had in class, as are their thought processes. Johnson does an excellent job of climbing inside the heads of teenaged boys. I imagine she must spend a lot of time around teenagers either in a professional or a personal capacity. Peripheral characters that could so easily have been “flat” or undeveloped are fully fleshed without having a lot of time words being spent doing so. Johnson is very good at using vivid words to quickly bring a full picture to the readers’ minds.

     The story itself is gripping, heartbreaking and yet hopeful all at once. I am not ashamed to say I teared up while I was reading several different passages. The reader is clearly able to identify with the protagonist.

     There is only one weakness I perceive in this novel, and not everyone will see it as such. When I was reading the novel, it was easy for me to keep straight what happened and when it happened as I bounced back and forth from “now” to “then” chapters. However, I imagine readers who are struggling readers or who have little patience may find themselves confused from time to time trying to keep the storyline straight. This format may lead some readers to put the book down before finishing it. This is the only weakness I see, and it would not be a weakness for all readers.

Awards:

(All awarded in 2004)

ALA Michael L. Printz Award

Abraham Lincoln Book Award Master List (IL)

ALA Best Books For Young Adults

ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

Alabama Author's Award

Booklist Editors' Choice

CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book

Charlotte Award Suggested Reading List (NY)

Coretta Scott King Award (ALA) - 2004

Florida Teens Read Master List

Garden State Teen Book Award Nominee (NJ)

Gateway Readers Award Nominee (MO)

Georgia Peach Book Award Master List

Green Mountain Book Award Master List (VT)

Gryphon Award for Children's Literature

Iowa Teen Award Master List

IRA Young Adults' Choices

Rosie Award Nominee (IN)

Sequoyah Young Adult Master List (OK)

South Carolina Book Award Nominee

Volunteer State Book Award Master List (TN)

YARP Award Master List (SD)

Teaching Extensions:

     This extension could be adapted to Family Consumer Sciences, Health or even English classes. Students would read this book, discussing Bobby’s struggles as a parent as they read. After students have finished the book, the teacher could assign the students an exercise whereby they get a more true sense of what he is facing. For schools with higher budgets and existing Family Consumer Sciences or parenting classes, students would be assigned the mechanical dolls often used in such classes. These dolls are programmed to cry, wet and demand food at irregular hours of the day and night, much like real babies. Students would be required to take the “babies” with them everywhere they went and keep them at home with them all night for a period of no less than one full school week. Additionally, students must also keep a journal during the time when they are parents to convey what challenges they faced and how they coped with their new responsibilities. The students’ parents are forbidden to assist in the care of the “babies” in any way. For schools with lower budgets, bags of flour and raw eggs in shell have been substituted with some success to illustrate the fragility of new life. After students have completed their turns as “parents,” they will reexamine key passages in the book and discuss them in light of their newfound experiences with their “babies.”

"Going Bovine" by Libba Bray

Bray, Libba. Going Bovine. New York: Ember, 2009. Print. ISBN 10: 0385733984.

Summary:

16 year-old Cameron Smith is trying his best to skate through high school unnoticed. In fact, Cameron seems to have made an art form out of staying invisible – he works hard to fade into the background in the classrooms and halls of his high school, so much so that he doesn’t have any real friends, just a few students he sometimes meets up with in the men’s restroom to smoke a joint or occasionally occupy the same table in the cafeteria. Going unnoticed is made extremely difficult by two things: 1) His twin sister, Jenna, runs with the pack of popular kids at his school; and 2) He starts hallucinating images so terrifying that he physically reacts to them in public.

Cameron is not on good terms with his parents. His teenaged slacker routine has been so successful that his parents assume his hallucinations are the result of heavy drug use. As Cameron points out in the book, he has never taken hallucinogens because he is afraid of the kinds of things he might see (Bray, 10). However, his parents remain convinced that his hallucinations are the result of heavy drug use or an attempt to draw attention to himself.

It is only after Cameron is diagnosed with the human strain of “Mad Cow” disease (hence the title) that he and his parents realize why he is having hallucinations – and just how serious this is. Basically, there is no cure. His diagnosis is tantamount to a death sentence.

Hope arrives in the form of Dulcie. She’s an angel – but definitely not the kind of angel found in most literature and lore. Dulcie has a bad sugar habit, a penchant for decorating her wings with graffiti, and an affinity for punk-rock attire. Dulcie reveals that Cameron must find a lost scientist known only as “Dr. X” if he wants to be cured. As traveling companions, Cameron takes along Gonzo, a hypochondriac dwarf from his school, and Balder, a Viking god in disguise as a yard gnome. But it isn’t just Cameron’s life on the line – the future of the whole world is at stake!

Review:

I noticed this was not the typical teen novel almost right away because it is a lot more intelligent than much of the fluff published in the YA category. One element that makes it much smarter is the science. Ten pages in, the stoners are huddled in a circle smoking pot while discussing Schrödinger’s Cat – a quantum physics thought experiment. Some of the reviews I read scoffed at “slackers” such as these discussing quantum mechanics while doing drugs. However, I feel their scorn is unwarranted. The particulars of the experiment are grisly enough to fascinate any teen mind, especially those who habitually slaughter and maim on their video game consoles for hours on end. This is not the only case of advanced science creeping into the discourse. From beginning to end, the premise of the book relies heavily on the scientific theory behind parallel universes, time travel, and the endless possibilities posited by the Schrödinger’s Cat experiment.

Secondly, the novel closely parallels the classic novel “Don Quixote.” Cameron and his English class are reading the novel as part of their course work. At several points, Cameron wonders to himself if he is “tilting at windmills” a la Cervantes’ title character. Then there are the elements of the story itself – his fantastic quest across the country side, battling giants, seeing the fantastic instead of the mundane most mortals see. Even the fact that the girl/angel he falls for is named “Dulcie” – which could be short for Dulcinea, Don Quixote’s love interest. Cameron originally goes on his quest not only to seek a cure for himself, but also because he is interested in Dulcie. Over the course of his journey, he falls in love with her.

Lastly, the book incorporates elements of Norse mythology and Latin to go along with the problems and complexities that make up most teens’ maturation process. The big ideas of the novel are nestled comfortably alongside Cameron’s struggle between what his conscience tells him to do and what self-preservation states would be best for him personally. Furthermore, the novel is laugh-out-loud funny in parts, yet moves one to tears in others. This is a complexly layered novel that one does not just read; one mentally has to chew it in some parts. However, the digestion of the more intelligent aspects is just as enjoyable as the coming-of-age story.

I only see a few weaknesses in this novel. This novel is so intelligent, some teens will not be able to see it through to the end – or if they do, they will not have understood the entire scope of the novel. Furthermore, some of the reviews I read stated they felt the language and content was too mature for teens under the age of 16, while the science discussed would be lost on most students under the age of 18. Finally, because of the language, most teachers and librarians would not be able to create a lesson plan around this book. However, if one had an advanced student and knew the parents of that student were lenient in their book restrictions, this book could be recommended to the student for pleasure reading.

Awards:

Booklist Editors’ Choice: Books for Youth - 2009

Children’s Book Sense Pick – 2009

Publisher’s Weekly Best Children’s Book of the Year – 2009

Booklist Books for Youth Editor’s Choice – 2009

Printz Award Winner - 2010

Nominee: Locus Award for Best Young Adult Book - 2010

Best Books for Young Adults - 2010

Teaching Extensions:

Because of its content, this book will need to be carefully incorporated into the curriculum as one of many options or as part of an archetype study – and only with a signed parental permission slip for the student to read it. According to Nilsen and Donalson, this book would fall under the “Innocent Embarking on a Journey” archetype (325). While Cameron is not innocent in the traditional sense – he does have a naïveté about how the world works and one’s responsibilities in it. “Going Bovine” could be presented as one of many options for students to read after the entire class has read “Don Quixote.” Students would then do an interactive book report on iPad or computer (whichever is more readily available at the school) comparing elements of the two novels.

In high school science classes, this book could be read (again, with signed permission slips!) after students have had a lesson in the Schrödinger’s Cat experiment. Students would then discuss in class how the novel accurately interprets the theory into a literary scenario. This activity is recommended for Junior- and Senior-level classes, or Pre-Advanced Placement/Advanced Placement classes for younger levels. However, if used in Pre-AP/AP classes at younger levels, there are some elements that may not be suitable for less mature readers.

An option for this book in a school or public library is creating an interactive Web 2.0 display that links readers back to “Don Quixote” and books explaining in teen-speak the scientific theories involved with the book, as well as listing books students might like to read along a similar vein (Douglas Adams’ “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” for instance).

References:

Nilsen, Alleen P, and Kenneth L. Donelson. Literature for Today's Young Adults. Boston: Pearson, 2009. Print.

Rouse, Margaret. "Schrodinger's Cat Definition." What Is? TechTarget.com, Dec. 2011. Web. 24 June 2012. <http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/Schrodingers-cat>.

"Schrodinger's Cat." YouTube. Minute Physics, 26 Sept. 2011. Web. 24 June 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOYyCHGWJq4>.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie with illustrations by Ellen Forney

Alexie, Sherman, and Ellen Forney. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian. New York: Little, Brown, 2012. Kindle Edition. ISBN: 0316013684. (Originally published in print in 2007.)

Summary:

14 year-old Arnold “Junior” Spirit feels he is going nowhere fast on his reservation in the state of Washington. It all began the day in his math class when he was given his “new” textbook for the year – and it had his mother’s maiden name written in it. His “new” textbook was more than 30 years old! Junior throws his book in disgust, setting off a chain of events that would lead him to stop attending school on the “Rez” and seek his educational opportunities at the all-white high school 22 miles away. Soon, Junior finds himself a stranger in a strange land – not accepted in his new environment, yet vilified as a “traitor” by the only people he has known his whole life. Will Junior be able to navigate his new world while still staying true to the culture and only life he has ever known on the Rez? Will his family and friends ever forgive him if he does make it in the “white” world?

Review:

This novel is full of the despair and delight that one can only experience in true life. The story’s hero, Junior, is heartbreaking and hilarious all at once. During the reading of this novel, I often found myself laughing out loud while the tears were still pouring down my face from ex especially depressing paragraph. Born with several physical impairments as well as severe speech impediments, Junior is the object of bullying and taunting his whole life. he notes that he wants to grow up to be an artist “because words are too unpredictable…too limited” to get his full meaning across (Sherman, Kindle location 88). But, Junior states, the worst thing about his life on the rez is not the bullying. The worst thing is that the people growing up there have been poor for so long, they have come to feel they deserve their poverty. Despite this, Alexie is able to find with Junior the dark humor present in so many of life’s most depressing situations.

Alexie includes content and situations that would put this book at the top of many “challenged books” lists – masturbation, violent death, views on homosexuality, bullying – a veritable cornucopia of taboo subjects. But Alexie approaches these subjects in a very natural, conversational tone, completely from the point of view of a 14 year-old boy. I imagine that if I listened in on any teenaged boy and his friends during their most secret conversations, I might hear some of the same topics being discussed. It is because Alexie speaks of these topics in such a “normal” tone that this book should be celebrated rather than attacked. It is important for adolescents to form their own opinions from a variety of sources, then be able to discuss these “hot button” topics at home in an informed manner. Conversational introductions such as the ones presented in this book are an excellent way for teens to begin to form their own opinions. Reading this book and then discussing it together provides a natural means for parents and educators to act as the “frontal lobe” for the developing brain of teenagers (Gorman, 34). As Gorman stated in her article, teens’ brains are still developing, so their own sense of judgment can sometimes be questionable (34). This does not mean, however, that we should step in and prevent them from reading material we feel is risqué. Instead, we should embrace the opportunity to help teens develop their own decision making processes and problem solving skills by discussing topics that we as adults know are being discussed by students, but may normally feel uncomfortable discussing. Just because one is uncomfortable discussing a topic does not mean that topic does not exist in the real world. Students need the input and guidance (without being overbearing) of adults during a time in their lives when their rational decision making faculties are still developing.

Part of the reason why this book works so well is that Alexie states that a great many of the things that happened in this book are based on his own life as a teenager. Alexie is successfully able to put himself back in his teenaged mind-set to offer an authentic and realistic representation of what this particular teenage boy is experiencing and how he reacts to those experiences.

Overall, this novel is very powerful. However, there is one weakness – the final showdown between Junior and his former best friend Rowdy. In the book, Junior is suddenly able to jump higher, out-dribble and generally beat the socks off his former team. I find this a little hard to believe, however, considering the health problems Alexie made it a point to list at the beginning of the book. Yes, having a son with asthma and other health problems, I know it is possible to still play sports with these conditions. I also know that adrenaline is a powerful thing that can make the impossible seem possible. However, I also know that if a student had seizures, brain damage and a host of other physical problems, many schools would not let that student play sports due to liability reasons. That being said, this was the only weakness I perceived in the whole novel.

Awards:

National Book Award – 2007

Boston-Globe Horn Book Award – 2008

International Book on Books for Young People Sweden - Peter Pan Prize – 2009

California Young Reader Medal – 2010

Finalist,  Los Angeles Times Book Prize – 2007

Teaching Extensions:

Have students write a diary-type entry regarding a time in their lives when they felt they had to change something – location, image, hair, etc. – in order to make their lives better. Did it help? Did anything change?

Have students reflect on the scene where the brother are bullying Junior at the powwow. Have them write an entry from the brothers’ point of view explaining why they picked on him. Use examples of rationalizations from the book. Then discuss why these rationalizations are not an excuse to bully others.

Reference:

Gormon, M. (2006). The terrible teens. School Library Journal, 52(6), 34. http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6338706.html

"Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Paulsen, Gary. Hatchet. Aladdin Paperbacks ed. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 2007. Print. 186 pp. ISBN-13: 978-1416948346. (Originally published by Bradbury Books in 1987.)

Summary:

Thirteen year-old Brian Robeson's mom and dad just went through a divorce, and now - instead of spending time with his whole family and his friends during the summer - Brian has to fly to Canada to visit his father. Brian is angry - angry at his parents, angry at the lawyers, angry at the judge and most of all, angry at his mother for The Secret that had torn his whole family apart. The Secret was the reason why his father was living and working so far away in the Canadian oil fields and Brian and his mother lived together in their old house.

In the course of his flight to visit his father, Brian's ripped from his own musings when the pilot - the only other person on the single-engine plane - has a heart attack and dies. Brian survives the initial plane crash but is only able to escape with a ripped up windbreaker and the small hatchet his mother gave him just before he got on the flight. Brian must use his wits and every ounce of strength he has (both mental and physical) in order to survive alone in the Canadian wilderness. Will he be rescued before winter comes? Will he, a soft city kid, be able to survive on his own?

Review:

This book was riveting from start to finish. Paulsen's work contains many of the qualities of good Young Adult literature discussed in Chapter 1 (Nilsen and Donelson, 17-37). The book involves switches back and forth through time as seen through Brian's memories of the events leading up to his parents' divorce and his trip to visit his father. While the book is not written in first person, it is written in an omniscient third person that allows the reader to see the world as Brian sees it and experience his thoughts and emotions fully. The action in the book centers around Brian's survival, which is accomplished purely through his own actions - thereby giving him the credit for his own accomplishments. The action is also fast paced, with edge-of-the-seat suspense both in pivotal scenes and a continuing tension throughout the novel centering around Brian's continued survival and his possibility of rescue. Despite all of the tension and despite a few (natural) outbursts by the main character, the book also retains a sense of optimism that Brian will be rescued, even if that means Brian must work harder on his own to make sure he is found. Just when it seems he is about to give up, something happens to give Brian the courage to keep surviving and keep working to help his would-be rescuers find him. Last but not least, there is additional tension in the book as readers try to discern just what the Secret is and why Brian is so angry about it. Through this work, readers are authentically able to relate with Brian's feelings about divorce, his mother's actions, and the legal system that so blithely split his family into pieces. One weakness about the story, in my opinion, is the scene where an animal attacks Brian for no apparent reason. The way it was written seemed to me as almost a random occurrence. There is no explanation for it. The scene would have been more believable if Paulsen had explained that the animal was protecting its baby nearby. But the way it occurs feels almost like Paulsen needed something bad to happen to Brian, so he pulled a scenario out of a hat. But that is the only weakness I perceived in the novel.

Awards:

"Hatchet" has won numerous awards, including its selection as a Newbery Honor Book, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, an ALA Notable Children's Book, a Booklist Editor's Choice book, a Notable Children's Book in the Field of Social Studies, and multiple awards on the state level.

Teaching Extensions:

As a middle school English/Reading teacher, I could build an entire unit around this book. The Reader's Guide at the end of the edition I purchaced suggests that teachers ask students to create a list of 10 things they would NEED in order to survive. Once students had all created their lists, the teacher should ask the students to keep their lists in their binders to be used in a later exercise. Once the book had been read all the way through, engage the students in a discussion comparing their lists to the tools Brian had in "Hatchet."

While the students are reading the book, when they reach key passages, engage them in discussion regarding how they feel they would act and behave in similar situations. Most of my students have never lived outside of a city. With what survival skills, if any, would they be equipped to survive in the wilderness for 54 days? Discuss what keeps Brian optimistic about his rescue, and in what situations does that optimism slip?

When the book is finished, have the students write a different ending for the book in which Brian is NOT rescued before winter comes. What do they envision happens to Brian? When they have completed their versions, have the class read "Brian's Winter," Paulsen's vision of what would have happened to Brian if he had had to survive longer in the wild. Have the students write a comparison and contrast essay between their ending and Paulsen's revised one.

Assign the students to rewrite the story creating a version in which Brian must crash land the plane in an urban environment. What elements of the story would be different? Would it be harder to crash land a plane in the wilderness or in the city/suburbs?

As a tie-in with science and social studies, have students study about the area of Canada in which the story is set. Are Paulsen's descriptions of the landscape, geography and animal life correct? Do the animals actually behave in the ways Paulsen described? Are there really tornadoes in Canada? Can you eat raw turtle eggs and "gut cherries" without poisoning yourself?

Reference:

Nilsen, Alleen P, and Kenneth L. Donelson. Literature for Today's Young Adults. Boston: Pearson, 2009. Print.

Nation

Author: Terry Pratchett
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins; Reprint edition (September 22, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780061433030
ISBN-13: 978-0061433030

Synopsis: Mau is just returning from his rite-of-passage voyage to his island home, Nation, when a great tsunami hits, nearly destroying everything and everyone. Caught between man and boy, Mau must struggle to keep what is left of his home together, and find more strength when he discovers he isn't the only survivor - and has somehow become their chief! Also caught up in the wave is young Ermintrude, an English girl of gentile breeding who was sailing to meet her father in his post of governor of a tropical island. Ermintrude - who rechristens herself Daphne because she hates her given name - is the sole survivor of her ship (or so she thinks) and must quickly learn a new language, a new culture and a new way of life.

Review: I could not put this book down. I've been a fan of Terry Pratchett since I read his collaboration with Neil Gaiman ("Good Omens"), but had read more of Gaiman's works than Pratchett's. The tagline on the book cover reads "When much is taken, something is gained." These wise words were spoken by an old man in Mau's village, and they set the theme for the entire novel. I heartily enjoyed everything about this book - romance, sacrifice, humor, peril, science - as well as the fact that the author states it took place in a parallel universe that had some of the same people in it as ours and many similar features, but not exactly the same. Within a few moments of opening the book, I was hooked and had suspended all disbelief. The characterizations were rich and lush. The animals and scenery were not just backdrops to the story, they were part of the fabric of the book and integral to everything in it. I recommend this book for "children" of all ages!

Awards/Reviews:

§         School Library Journal Best Book

§         Horn Book Fanfare

§         Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Book

§         Bulletin Blue Ribbon (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books)

§         Publishers Weekly Best Book

§         Michael L. Printz Honor Book

§         ALA Notable Children’s Book

§         ALA Top 10 Best Book for Young Adults

§         ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults

§         ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice

§         Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book

§         Chicago Public Library Best of the Best

§         Horn Book Fanfare

§         Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Book

§         Bulletin Blue Ribbon (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books)

§         Publishers Weekly Best Book

§         Michael L. Printz Honor Book

§         ALA Notable Children’s Book

§         ALA Top 10 Best Book for Young Adults

§         ALA Best of the Best Books for Young Adults

§         ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice

§         Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book

§         Chicago Public Library Best of the Best 

"The main characters are engaging and interesting, and are the perfect medium for the author's sly humor. Daphne is a close literary cousin of Tiffany Aching in her common sense and keen intelligence wedded to courage. A rich and thought-provoking read." - School Library Journal, starred review

"Critics praised Nation as a hybrid, deeply philosophical book aimed at young adults, but one likely to appeal to adults as well, much like Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy or J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. With echoes of William Defoe and William Golding, Nation takes the form of a “classic Robinsonade,” notes the Washington Post—that is, a book in which characters on a desert island recreate civilization. As his characters grapple with questions of leadership, humanity, and survival, Pratchett explores fundamental ideas about religion and culture. This might all sound rather heavy, but there is plenty of originality and humor—and cannibals, spirits, and secret treasures—to go around. In the end, Pratchett offers a vision of a deeply humane world." - Bookmarks Magazine review

"It is hard to imagine a reader who won’t feel welcomed into this nation." - Horn Book, starred review

Connections:

After reading the novel, give students print outs of Terry Pratchett's essay on the inspiration for "Nation" at http://www.harpercollins.com/author/authorExtra.aspx?authorID=7848&isbn13=9780061433016&displayType=bookessay. After reading, look up the Krakatoa and Indonesian tsunamis and compare news/history accounts with how Pratchett described it in his book. What was different? What was similar? Turn this into a journal entry.

On page 1, the fable of how Imo Made the World is told. In their journals, have students write prose or poetry of their own creation myth. What would the god(s)' name(s) be? How did the create the world? What did they put in it?

After students have done this, have them write a story of what happens in this imagined world. Is it like our world, or completely different?

Lunch Lady and The Cyborg Substitute

Author: Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 96 pages
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (July 28, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780375846830
ISBN-13: 978-0375846830

Synopsis: Lunch Lady is not only serving up meals in the cafeteria, she's serving up justice so she can make sure the students are safe! Follow the adventures of Lunch Lady and her faithful assistant Betty, along with student sleuths Hector, Dee and Terrence as they discover there's something fishy about the new substitute, and it isn't just the daily special they're smelling!

Review: This graphic novel was a quick read, but a very fun one. As would be expected, there's lots of action and humor. I especially enjoyed all of Lunch Lady's weapons disguised as ordinary cafeteria fare and utensils! Although the only colors in the graphic novel are black, white, gray and yellow, this does not detract from the plot line in the book - in fact, it seems to point the reader to where the focus needs to be, without a lot of background "clutter" to get in the way. I especially enjoyed the cliff-hanger ending of the book, sure to send readers scrambling for the next installment.

Awards/Reviews:

- WINNER 2009 Kid's Indie Next List "Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers"
- WINNER 2010 Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices

"Yellow-highlighted pen-and-ink cartoons are as energetic and smile-provoking as Lunch Lady’s epithets of 'Cauliflower!' and Betty’s ultimate weapon, the hairnet. There is a nice twist in the surprise ending, and the kids’ ability to stand up to the school bully shows off their newfound confidence in a credible manner. Little details invite and reward repeat readings with visual as well as verbal punning." - Booklist review

Connections:

Get students to make their own superhero weapon for Lunch Lady to use. Print handouts of a page from the book at  http://www.lunchladycomics.com/llfinishthestory.pdf and let students write and draw their own dialouge and superhero gadget!

Print out more gadget blueprints for students from http://www.lunchladycomics.com/bettysblueprints.pdf and let students make their own blueprints and gadgets. Then have students write a journal entry about how Lunch Lady uses the new gadget(s). If students are artistically inclined, they can write it in graphic novel form. If not, prose is fine.

Prior to using this book in class, download and peruse the teachers' resource on the use of graphic novels from Random House  http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/teachers_guides/9780375846830.pdf. There are great ideas for integrating graphic novels into the classroom!

Joey Pigza Loses Control

Title: Joey Pigza Loses Control
Author: Jack Gantos
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (March 5, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780064410229
ISBN-13: 978-0064410229

Synopsis: In the second book in this series about mixed up, tumbled-about, hyperactive Joey Pigza, Joey and his dog, Pablo, go to visit his father for the summer - A father Joey doesn't remember. Carter Pigza turns out to be just like Joey, only bigger and in denial that he has problems. Carter insists that Joey doesn't need medication to control his ADD, he just needs willpower. Just when Joey had a handle on his ADD, Carter comes into his life and flushes all Joey's medicine down the toilet. As Joey feels his control slipping away and all his old bad habits coming back, he wonders (as does the reader) if he will ever find his way back to control again.

Review:  As the parent of a child with ADHD (although not nearly as severe as Joey's), my heart hurt reading this book. Carter's insistence that all Joey needs to be "normal" is more willpower is so familiar to me. The fact that my son is medicated to help him focus has been questioned (and re-questioned ad inifinitum) by family, friends, and even people who are virtual strangers. Joey is a fully formed, multidimensional character. He practically leaps off the page; however, the same cannot be said for some of the adult characters. At times, the adults in Joey's life seem more like caricatures than real people. Because the books are aimed at middle schoolers, this is not detrimental to the story. As it should be, the main focus is on Joey and his internal dialogue. While in some parts the book was depressing, it was also by turns uplifting and hilarious.

Awards/Reviews:

 - Newbery Honor Book

 - ALA Notable Book

 - Publishers Weekly Best Book

 - School Library Journal Best Book

 - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon Book

 - New York Times Book Review Notable Book

 - Booklist Editors' Choice

 - Horn Book Fanfare Book

"Hilarious, harrowing, and ultimately heartening." - School Library Journal, starred review

"A truly memorable read." - ALA Booklist, starred review

"Like its predecessor, this high-voltage, honest novel mixes humor, pain, fear and courage with deceptive ease. Struggling to please everyone even as he sees himself hurtling toward disaster, Joey emerges as a sympathetic hero, and his heart of gold never loses its shine." - Publishers Weekly

"Jack Gantos's second book about Joey Pigza is just as delightful and soulful as his first. Joey's attempts to keep the fragile peace in his life intact are touching, and his intense longing to just be normal will mirror the feelings of most preteens, whether they have ADD or not. Joey Pigza may sometimes lose control, but he never loses his heart. This is an exceptional sequel." - Amazon.com

Connections:

Read students the passage on page 52 in which Joey talks about "becoming two Joeys" — "one Joey for Mom and a different Joey for Dad."

As a class, discuss what Joey means in the above quote. Ask students: Have you ever felt this way? When? Why? They may wish to share their personal stories of feeling like two different people; for example, a student may feel like one person with their friends and a different person with their parents or teachers. What problems does this cause for you? What problems does this cause for Joey?

As a follow-up to this discussion, have students write a journal entry (prose or poetry) about a time in their lives when they felt like they had to be two different versions of themselves.

Ask students to further explore the idea of dual identities. Ask students to imagine the "two Joeys" having a dialogue or conversation. What would they say to each other? What is on the mind of "Mom's Joey"? What is on the mind of "Dad's Joey"? Make a list of the different thoughts, concerns, and opinions of the two Joeys.