I must confess that my own summer reading is slowing down. This year, I took the opportunity to work through a pile of diverse novels up for review or quite recently approved for use in our secondary schools. My mini-reviews follow below.
Aboriginal Voices
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie [US]
Little, Brown: 2007. ISBN: 9780316013697 230 pages
Alexie’s book was a runaway best-seller, and a great deal of its popularity relates to the informality of the tone, and integration of comic-strip like graphic illustrations. The first-person narrator is a teenaged Native boy, living on the Spokane reserve, and the story follows his struggle to be respected, both by members of his own community, and by the larger, mainstream.
Detail is vivid and realistic – the confessional tone creates a great deal of empathy in the reader – and the story of isolation and finding oneself will resonate with many young readers. Alexie paints life on the reserve in Technicolor detail, and both explodes and recreates stereotypes about Aboriginal people. Some details are particularly disturbing, and this may not be the coming-of-age book for every reader.
Power, by Linda Hogan [US]
W.W. Norton, 1999. ISBN: 9780395319682 235 pages.
This lyrical novel is both a burden and a delight for readers to work through. The actual story is simple, and follows a shocking act committed by a fringe member of a Aboriginal community in Florida. The first-person narrator, a teenaged girl who is also a fringe community member, is a witness to the killing of an endangered Florida panther, and must wrestle with issues of conscience, friendship, family and loyalty.
Detail in setting and atmosphere is beautifully represented, and the novel presents a sensitive look at the community and cultural values of an Aboriginal group which is itself endangered. However, as in Hogan’s other works (see review of Solar Storms in this blog), the action crawls along slowly, and the heaviness of the tone simply may not engage youth readers.
Three Day Road, by Joseph Boyden [CAN]
Penguin Canada, 2005. ISBN: 9780143017868 382 pages.
Boyden’s massive book is a welcome addition to the rich canon of Canadian war novels (think Timothy Findley’s The Wars or Jack Hodgins’ Broken Ground). The lengthy story, told in episodic chapters, juxtaposes the personal narratives of Niska, the last medicine woman in her Cree community, and Xavier, her young nephew, who is fighting in the muddy trenches of France during World War 1. Xavier’s lifeline is his charismatic friend, Elijah, and as the horrors of trench warfare, dehumanize the young men, we witness Elijah’s morphine-addled descent into brutality and madness, leading to a shocking climax.
In terms of representing Aboriginal values and cultural practices, especially traditional ways threatened by white “civilization,” the novel offers vivid snapshots: of residential school life, of subsistence trapping and hunting (and often, starvation), of racism and cruelty – even rape -- at the hands of whites. Perhaps most evocative is the story of Niska’s self-journey and development as a Windigo killer, which finds its echo in Xavier’s final acts in the trenches.
This is a magnificent, and disturbing story, yet as a novel for classroom and/or independent study, the scale of detail will overwhelm many students. The scenes from the battlefront, especially, move from one major engagement to the next, sometimes devoid of the overall context of the war. However, the novel offers a perspective which has too long been missing from discussions of the historical period, and deserves careful “unpacking.”
Recommended by ERAC for use with students in Grades 11-12.
Contemporary Fiction
Can’t Get There from Here, by Todd Strasser [US]
Simon Pulse, 2004. 9780689841705 198 pages.
Strasser’s vivid depiction of the brutality and grittiness of life as a homeless person on the streets of New York is an eye-opening, and compelling, youth novel. The first-person protagonist, Maybe, is a teenaged girl who has run away from horrific abuse at the hands of her mother. Her developing attachment to a younger street girl, coupled with unexpected kindnesses from a local community worker, keep her alive, and focussed on the future, even as a witness to constant violence, criminal activity, substance abuse and exploitative sexual behaviour.
Strasser effectively shows the “vicious circle” relationship between the marginal behaviour of street youth and the marginalizing attitudes of members of the mainstream society. An excellent entrée into discussions of classism and social justice, albeit with content that may disturb sensitive readers.
Recommended by ERAC for use with students in Grades 8 – 10.
The Slow Fix, by Ivan E. Coyote [CAN]
Arsenal Pulp Press, 2008. ISBN: 9781551522470 152 pages
Coyote is a local Vancouver writer, proud of her Yukon heritage. This collection features dozens of clearly written and evocative snapshots of her life, dealing most often with themes in of individual freedom, gender identity and social belonging. She makes readers painfully aware of the social [mis]assumptions made about gender identity, and several of her anecdotes create empathy in the reader. Several stories in the collection are excellent illustrations of themes in social responsibility.
Further, her description of place, as in the four linked episodes in the final story, about Whitehorse, is precise, and vivid, and extremely readable.
Graphic Texts
The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation, by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon [US]
Hill & Wang, 2006. ISBN: 9780809057399 133 pages
This work is fascinating, and dense with detail. The creators have faithfully represented the content of the original, text-format 9/11 Report. Comic-strip like panels, charts, and multiple text boxes are used throughout in an attempt to show intersecting stories. However, there is just so much detail that less-able readers will be overwhelmed, and lose track of the narrative. Further, the comic-like depictions of the main players, especially those identified as terrorists, may contribute to stereotypes about ugly, evil enemies/villains. A very rich text, but perhaps beyond the reach of readers who minimal prior knowledge of the historical event itself.
Tales From Outer Suburbia, by Shaun Tan [AUS]
McClelland & Steward Ltd/Tundra Books, 2008. ISBN: 9780771084027
Tan’s distinctive creative work is always a shock (his lauded tale of immigration, The Arrival), and often a delight (his Pink Floyd’s-the-Wall illustrations to John Marsden’s fable, The Rabbits). This is a short, colourfully illustrated collection of tales, full of curiosity and wonder, that push readers to question the everyday world around them. Hard to guess which age group this is most suitable for – some tales are simple and direct, others more subtle and mature. Pick it up, if you haven’t yet!
Historical Fiction
The Kite Rider, by Geraldine McCaughrean [UK]
Oxford, 2007. ISBN: 9780192755285 212 pages.
McCaughrean’s lyrical story is the tale of Haoyou, a young Chinese boy coming of age in the time of Kubla Khan. After the tragic death of his father, and his family’s descent into poverty, Haoyou is sold into work for a travelling circus. Taking incredible risks to develop his unique skill as the outfit’s “Kite Rider,” Haoyou comes face to face with ultimate peril: a traitor’s death sentence at the hands of the Mighty Khan himself.
Characters here are vividly drawn, and interesting. Haoyou’s story moves along fluidly, with engaging twists and turns, although historical detail is scanty. Sub-themes of family and the role of women open up discussion of Confucian values, and overall, the novel would complement a Grade 8 Humanities program.
Recommended by ERAC for use with students in Grades 8-9.
A Company of Fools, by Deborah Ellis [CAN]
Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2003. ISBN: 9781550417210 191 pages.
Ellis’s clear, direct style pulls readers into Medieval France, at the time of the Black Plague. The first-person narrator, Henri, is a choirboy in an abbey outside of Paris, who finds his quiet life altered profoundly: at first, by the arrival of young Micah, a profoundly secular lad; and then, by the ghastly horrors of the plague itself.
This novel is easy to follow, and full of historically accurate detail. The characters of the boys are somewhat juvenile, and may not engage high-school readers. Events in the story provide easy entrée to discussion about Medieval superstition and the social role of the Catholic Church. Ellis has included a useful glossary of terms and historical note.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Revisiting Historical Fiction
The most talented authors working in the genre of historical fiction have the gift of making history come alive for young readers. My own early experience with the genre centred on the books of British author Geoffrey Trease: Word to Caesar was a particular favourite. Key to this task is the creation of a compelling central character (think Karen Cushman's heroines or the young boys taking centre stage in the books of Christopher Paul Curtis), who can draw readers into a personal story, set against a backdrop of historical tension.
Private Peaceful, by Michael Morpurgo [UK]
HarperCollins, 2003 ISBN: 978-0-00-715007-6 185 pages
After a pastoral boyhood in the English countryside, 16-year-old Tommo Peaceful, devoted younger brother to Charlie, finds himself counting down the minutes in the filthy, sodden, trenches of Ypres. As we relive the crucial moments of Tommo's life, readers develop an empathetic understanding of the complex relationship between the brothers.
Morpurgo is an extremely successful, prolific,and well-regarded author, with a gift for evoking the reader's sympathy for his characters. However, there is a lack of meaningful character development, and character conflict seems so obvious as to be part of the backdrop -- it is difficult not to see the Peaceful brothers as innocent lambs for the slaughter rather than credible personalities. Morpurgo's use of detail in setting particularly is rich and evocative, yet lacks immediacy: the whole story seems to unfold in two dimensions only. Class conflict, especially, is under-developed as a theme. Despite the use of time-referenced flashbacks as a framing device, plot here is linear, and easy to follow. As an insight into the horrors of war, the novel provides enough detail to illustrate, but not to horrify. In fact, almost 2/3 of the story unfolds before the Peaceful boys arrive in Belgium, and the novel may simply be too slow for many young readers.
The novel is recommended by ERAC for students in grades 10 and 11.
The Red Necklace, by Sally Gardner [UK]
Orion, 2007 ISBN: 978-1-84255-634-4 371 pages
Yann Margoza is a gypsy boy with the gift of reading minds, coming of age in a Paris galvanized by revolution, and soon to be shattered forever by the Terror. Drawn into a web of blackmail and coercion, Yann finds himself faced with a sinister antagonist, Count Kalliovski, who is intent on pulling a beautiful young aristocrat into his deadly clutches. Can Yann and his beloved Sido flee to their allies in London before the guillotin falls?
Gardner is a fairly prolific British author, and this in one of her strongest books. The plot dances along, and is simple, yet intriguing, enough, to allow readers ready engagement. Detail is vivid -- even gruesome at times -- and spikes curiosity about the historical period. As a class or small-group novel, there is obvious potential for research and extension activities. Characters are appealing, although not particularly well-developed, and the atmosphere of mystery deepens through the novel. My only complaint is that the ending, clearly set up to allow for a sequel, is abrupt and unsatisfying. An excellent entree to depth study of the French Revolution. Recommended by ERAC for Grade 9 students.
Queen's Own Fool, by Jane Yolen [US]
Penguin 2000. ISBN: 0-698-11918-5 390 pages.
At the beginning of this lengthy novel, Nicola, later nicknamed La Jardinere, is a member of a troupe of wandering actors, starving on the French backroads in the middle of the 16th Century. Good fortune forces an introduction to the young French queen, otherwise known as Mary, Queen of Scots. Nicola's quick wit and loyalty to the Queen take her from France to Scotland, through times of celebration and times of peril, until the young "fool" is finally able to gain her freedom and true love.
Yolen writes with clarity and a precise eye for detail. Characters are credible, and the narrative, although protracted, is easy to follow. Actual historical events are described, and readers might gravitate to extension research activities. The main character, and narrator, Nicola tells her story with humour and some maturity, but some readers may find themselves unable to follow the novel through the several years of action it describes. Recommended by ERAC for Grade 9 students.
Private Peaceful, by Michael Morpurgo [UK]
HarperCollins, 2003 ISBN: 978-0-00-715007-6 185 pages
After a pastoral boyhood in the English countryside, 16-year-old Tommo Peaceful, devoted younger brother to Charlie, finds himself counting down the minutes in the filthy, sodden, trenches of Ypres. As we relive the crucial moments of Tommo's life, readers develop an empathetic understanding of the complex relationship between the brothers.
Morpurgo is an extremely successful, prolific,and well-regarded author, with a gift for evoking the reader's sympathy for his characters. However, there is a lack of meaningful character development, and character conflict seems so obvious as to be part of the backdrop -- it is difficult not to see the Peaceful brothers as innocent lambs for the slaughter rather than credible personalities. Morpurgo's use of detail in setting particularly is rich and evocative, yet lacks immediacy: the whole story seems to unfold in two dimensions only. Class conflict, especially, is under-developed as a theme. Despite the use of time-referenced flashbacks as a framing device, plot here is linear, and easy to follow. As an insight into the horrors of war, the novel provides enough detail to illustrate, but not to horrify. In fact, almost 2/3 of the story unfolds before the Peaceful boys arrive in Belgium, and the novel may simply be too slow for many young readers.
The novel is recommended by ERAC for students in grades 10 and 11.
The Red Necklace, by Sally Gardner [UK]
Orion, 2007 ISBN: 978-1-84255-634-4 371 pages
Yann Margoza is a gypsy boy with the gift of reading minds, coming of age in a Paris galvanized by revolution, and soon to be shattered forever by the Terror. Drawn into a web of blackmail and coercion, Yann finds himself faced with a sinister antagonist, Count Kalliovski, who is intent on pulling a beautiful young aristocrat into his deadly clutches. Can Yann and his beloved Sido flee to their allies in London before the guillotin falls?
Gardner is a fairly prolific British author, and this in one of her strongest books. The plot dances along, and is simple, yet intriguing, enough, to allow readers ready engagement. Detail is vivid -- even gruesome at times -- and spikes curiosity about the historical period. As a class or small-group novel, there is obvious potential for research and extension activities. Characters are appealing, although not particularly well-developed, and the atmosphere of mystery deepens through the novel. My only complaint is that the ending, clearly set up to allow for a sequel, is abrupt and unsatisfying. An excellent entree to depth study of the French Revolution. Recommended by ERAC for Grade 9 students.
Queen's Own Fool, by Jane Yolen [US]
Penguin 2000. ISBN: 0-698-11918-5 390 pages.
At the beginning of this lengthy novel, Nicola, later nicknamed La Jardinere, is a member of a troupe of wandering actors, starving on the French backroads in the middle of the 16th Century. Good fortune forces an introduction to the young French queen, otherwise known as Mary, Queen of Scots. Nicola's quick wit and loyalty to the Queen take her from France to Scotland, through times of celebration and times of peril, until the young "fool" is finally able to gain her freedom and true love.
Yolen writes with clarity and a precise eye for detail. Characters are credible, and the narrative, although protracted, is easy to follow. Actual historical events are described, and readers might gravitate to extension research activities. The main character, and narrator, Nicola tells her story with humour and some maturity, but some readers may find themselves unable to follow the novel through the several years of action it describes. Recommended by ERAC for Grade 9 students.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Feature Book: Over and Under, by Todd Tucker (US)
Over and Under, by Todd Tucker (US)
St. Martin's Press, 2008 ISBN: 978-0-312-37990-2 (275 pages)
There is a kind of American novel which is profoundly steeped in local geography -- think the deep South of To Kill a Mockingbird, coastal South Carolina in The Prince of Tides, and, more recently, the steaming Texas bayou of Kathy Appelt's The Underneath. To read Tucker's Over and Under is to lose yourself in the leafy woodlands of southern Indiana, where you find yourself a complicit witness to the actions and reactions of a community floundering in labour unrest.
Andy, the protagonist, is the son of a junior manager at the local coffin-production plant, shut down by ugliest strike in the town's history. On the picket line stands the father of Tom, Andy's best friend and fellow adventurer. Somewhere is the background lurks the mysteriously attractive Taffy Judd, on the run from her abusive father. And deep beneath the surface of all of this action runs a chain of connected caves, offering shelter, and the promise of new freedom....
A wildcat act of violence at the plant has tragic consequences, including the death of the plant manager, and subsequent escape of two fugitive strikers. The importation of a busload of scab workers and sinister "security forces" continues to put pressure on the struggling community, and Tom and Andy, expert hunters, take on the quasi-heroic role of vigilantes, searching for the escapees, to restore a kind of balance to the town.
St. Martin's Press, 2008 ISBN: 978-0-312-37990-2 (275 pages)
There is a kind of American novel which is profoundly steeped in local geography -- think the deep South of To Kill a Mockingbird, coastal South Carolina in The Prince of Tides, and, more recently, the steaming Texas bayou of Kathy Appelt's The Underneath. To read Tucker's Over and Under is to lose yourself in the leafy woodlands of southern Indiana, where you find yourself a complicit witness to the actions and reactions of a community floundering in labour unrest.
Andy, the protagonist, is the son of a junior manager at the local coffin-production plant, shut down by ugliest strike in the town's history. On the picket line stands the father of Tom, Andy's best friend and fellow adventurer. Somewhere is the background lurks the mysteriously attractive Taffy Judd, on the run from her abusive father. And deep beneath the surface of all of this action runs a chain of connected caves, offering shelter, and the promise of new freedom....
A wildcat act of violence at the plant has tragic consequences, including the death of the plant manager, and subsequent escape of two fugitive strikers. The importation of a busload of scab workers and sinister "security forces" continues to put pressure on the struggling community, and Tom and Andy, expert hunters, take on the quasi-heroic role of vigilantes, searching for the escapees, to restore a kind of balance to the town.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Marathon Reads
We all have them: "the marathon reads." Books that are massive, or relentlessly earnest, or simply unappealing in style and tone. These were the books at the bottom of the pile by my bedside, and although each title has something to recommend it, each represents a marathon read indeed.
The Mysterious Benedict Society, by Trenton Lee Stuart
Little, Brown, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-316-00395-7 (485 pages)
Stuart's book was a New York Times' bestseller, and continues to enjoy a following of dedicated readers, working through at least one sequel. The lengthy, but uncomplicated, plot involves a band of gifted misfit children, handpicked by an eccentric billionaire to save the world from the dastardly plot of a criminal mastermind. There are some humorous moments, and the characters are individualized, and interesting at times, but the story is slow-moving, especially in the first third of the work. Curious coincidences abound, and the ending seems contrived and rather clumsy. Tthe overall effect is of screenplay. However, the book's champions find the problem-solving elements compelling, and the good vs. evil struggle continues to attract and retain a number of different readers. Student readers in our school district have awarded the book a 5/5-star review.
The Corps of the Bare-Boned Plane, by Polly Horvath (CAN)
Groundwood, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-88899-851-4 (269 pages)
Horvath has published a number of novels for "tween" readers in recent years, and has been very well-received by the BC literary community, winning the Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize for this novel, and for two of her previous works. The plot involves a kind of extended, forced, family reunion on an imaginary island off BC's West Coast. Two girl cousins in their early teens find themselves orphaned suddenly, and are adopted by a rich but eccentric uncle. Staying with him at his isolated island retreat, they learn that the island is littered with the wreckage of planes from a failed Air Force experiment, and they conceive a plan to build their own escape plane. Supporting characters, such as a mysteriously talented butler and a melancholy Yiddish housekeeper, emerge, and as the story unwinds -- extremely slowly -- some miraculous coincidences come to light and tie the characters' stories together.
This is a novel that I found very hard to stay with, and even harder to consider a young audience for. Horvath's characters are not very well-developed, and, indeed, the housekeeper is painted in disturbingly stereotypical colours. An overarching theme is absent, and much of the action is simply not credible -- Social Services sends two teenaged girls to live with a bachelor uncle on an isolated island? As a BC resident, Horvath has provided some authentic detail in her setting, but overall, this book lacks appeal.
Solar Storms: A Novel, by Linda Hogan (US)
Scribner, 1995. ISBN: 978-0-684-82539-7 (351 pages)
Our school district has this novel on our recommended learning resources list, and I reviewed it as a part of a wider look at Aboriginal texts. Stylistically, Solar Storms does not read like the majority of Native-coming-of-age stories, and has much to recommend it as a literary work. Unfortunately, both the gravity (and perhaps, to contemporary Canadian readers, the accessibility) of the content, and the density of the descriptive prose, make this a very challenging, slow, read.
The story involves the journey of a four Native American women to the Northern [Canadian?] ancestral home of the great-grandmother. Each woman grapples with her own sense of identity and self-worth, but the story centres around the character development of the great-granddaughter, who has been horribly abused by the natural mother she re-encounters late in the novel. The women's personal journeys play out against the backdrop of profoundly invasive, large-scale industrial development in the North, and the struggle to validate Aboriginal rights to land is heartbreakingly illustrated.
Hogan is Chickasaw, from Oklahoma, and her sense of detail, especially in describing setting, is precise, evocative, and deeply poetic. You simply can't rush through this story -- the journey itself seems to unfold in "real time" -- and yet the action seems removed and distant from readers. Hogan is showing us so much that is vital, yet I'm not sure I have met the teen reader able to follow this dense, dense novel to its conclusion.
The Mysterious Benedict Society, by Trenton Lee Stuart
Little, Brown, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-316-00395-7 (485 pages)
Stuart's book was a New York Times' bestseller, and continues to enjoy a following of dedicated readers, working through at least one sequel. The lengthy, but uncomplicated, plot involves a band of gifted misfit children, handpicked by an eccentric billionaire to save the world from the dastardly plot of a criminal mastermind. There are some humorous moments, and the characters are individualized, and interesting at times, but the story is slow-moving, especially in the first third of the work. Curious coincidences abound, and the ending seems contrived and rather clumsy. Tthe overall effect is of screenplay. However, the book's champions find the problem-solving elements compelling, and the good vs. evil struggle continues to attract and retain a number of different readers. Student readers in our school district have awarded the book a 5/5-star review.
The Corps of the Bare-Boned Plane, by Polly Horvath (CAN)
Groundwood, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-88899-851-4 (269 pages)
Horvath has published a number of novels for "tween" readers in recent years, and has been very well-received by the BC literary community, winning the Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize for this novel, and for two of her previous works. The plot involves a kind of extended, forced, family reunion on an imaginary island off BC's West Coast. Two girl cousins in their early teens find themselves orphaned suddenly, and are adopted by a rich but eccentric uncle. Staying with him at his isolated island retreat, they learn that the island is littered with the wreckage of planes from a failed Air Force experiment, and they conceive a plan to build their own escape plane. Supporting characters, such as a mysteriously talented butler and a melancholy Yiddish housekeeper, emerge, and as the story unwinds -- extremely slowly -- some miraculous coincidences come to light and tie the characters' stories together.
This is a novel that I found very hard to stay with, and even harder to consider a young audience for. Horvath's characters are not very well-developed, and, indeed, the housekeeper is painted in disturbingly stereotypical colours. An overarching theme is absent, and much of the action is simply not credible -- Social Services sends two teenaged girls to live with a bachelor uncle on an isolated island? As a BC resident, Horvath has provided some authentic detail in her setting, but overall, this book lacks appeal.
Solar Storms: A Novel, by Linda Hogan (US)
Scribner, 1995. ISBN: 978-0-684-82539-7 (351 pages)
Our school district has this novel on our recommended learning resources list, and I reviewed it as a part of a wider look at Aboriginal texts. Stylistically, Solar Storms does not read like the majority of Native-coming-of-age stories, and has much to recommend it as a literary work. Unfortunately, both the gravity (and perhaps, to contemporary Canadian readers, the accessibility) of the content, and the density of the descriptive prose, make this a very challenging, slow, read.
The story involves the journey of a four Native American women to the Northern [Canadian?] ancestral home of the great-grandmother. Each woman grapples with her own sense of identity and self-worth, but the story centres around the character development of the great-granddaughter, who has been horribly abused by the natural mother she re-encounters late in the novel. The women's personal journeys play out against the backdrop of profoundly invasive, large-scale industrial development in the North, and the struggle to validate Aboriginal rights to land is heartbreakingly illustrated.
Hogan is Chickasaw, from Oklahoma, and her sense of detail, especially in describing setting, is precise, evocative, and deeply poetic. You simply can't rush through this story -- the journey itself seems to unfold in "real time" -- and yet the action seems removed and distant from readers. Hogan is showing us so much that is vital, yet I'm not sure I have met the teen reader able to follow this dense, dense novel to its conclusion.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Graphic Novels for Secondary Students
This genre's share of the YA market continues to grow, and several samples are in the process of review for suitability as classroom texts. (Check out my earlier blog for write ups on Maus 1, American Born Chinese, Louis Riel, Persepolis, and Malcolm X.)
pop gun war: gift, by farel dalrymple
Dark Horse Comics, 2003. ISBN: 978-1-56971-934-3
Surreal, dark, imagistic: an atmosphere of menace, ugliness, and [sub]human powerlessness. This novel's linked chapters present a complicated story of urban angels, demons, and mysterious alter egos. Peculiar use of symbols and magic realist elements make this book a challenging read. Think Terry Gilliam or Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.
The Silk Tapestry, and Other Chinese Folktales, by Patrick Atangan
NBM, 2004 ISBN: 1-56163-403-4
Atangan's attractive little book is a comic strip retelling of three classical Chinese folktales. Most useful for teachers might be "Pan Gu: the First Man," which represents the Confucian? creation story with elegance and simplicity. "The Silk Tapestry," the second entry in the book, is rather more pedantic -- a solemn tale of an aging Chinese woman whose humility and perseverence earn her a fantastic afterlife. The subtext about respecting elders is culturally appropriate, but somewhat banal. "Sausage Boy and the Magic Brush," the third story, is the richest, with a terrific variety of artistic style and a humourous undertone to the cautionary tale about greed limiting opportunity. Overall, as a window into Chinese culture, the book is illustrative, but not particularly information; as a work of art, Atangan's style has colour and a certain appeal.
Pride of Baghdad, by Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon
DC Comics, 2006. ISBN: 9781401203153
This is a colourful, readable rendition of the actual story of a family of lions, who are "liberated" when their Baghdad zoo is bombed. The animal characters are well-defined, and the situation that they find themselves in, although extreme, is credible. The destroyed landscape is vivid, and evocative, and the book is a good illustration of "casualties of war" themes. Recommended by ERAC for students in Grades 10 -12.
Seven Sons, by Alexander Grecian and Riley Rossmo [US]
AIT/Planet Lar, 2006. ISBN: 978-1932051469 106 pages.
An Asian-American teenaged girl finds herself inside a Chinatown curiousity shop, whose proprietor tells her the legend of the seven Chinese brothers: the tale of a Chinese woman who brings her specially gifted sons to Gold-Rush-era California. A tragic miscalculation leads to the family's persecution at the hands of angry townspeople, and the escalating violence leads to natural disaster.
This is a beautifully illustrated, easily readable story, and the creators provide some comparative folk versions of the story at the end of the book. The graphic style involves sparing use of text, and very subtle illustrative detail. An excellent entree into the genre for Grade 8-9, with rich possibilities for extension activities.
Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons [US]
DC Comics, 1986. ISBN: 9780930289232
Retired superheroes find themselves targeted by an unknown mastermind bent on world reconstruction.
This book has been well-received for several years, and there are several layers to the main plot. The creators make interesting use of "documentary" text inserts to provide background and dimension. Many characters are individualized, and vivid -- female characters, however, are stereotypical and limited -- and violence in the unfolding story is explosive and unmitigated. The sheer length and complication of the story may be hard for many readers to follow, and I have difficulty imagining how this text would work in a classroom setting, even at the senior secondary level it has been recommended for.
pop gun war: gift, by farel dalrymple
Dark Horse Comics, 2003. ISBN: 978-1-56971-934-3
Surreal, dark, imagistic: an atmosphere of menace, ugliness, and [sub]human powerlessness. This novel's linked chapters present a complicated story of urban angels, demons, and mysterious alter egos. Peculiar use of symbols and magic realist elements make this book a challenging read. Think Terry Gilliam or Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.
The Silk Tapestry, and Other Chinese Folktales, by Patrick Atangan
NBM, 2004 ISBN: 1-56163-403-4
Atangan's attractive little book is a comic strip retelling of three classical Chinese folktales. Most useful for teachers might be "Pan Gu: the First Man," which represents the Confucian? creation story with elegance and simplicity. "The Silk Tapestry," the second entry in the book, is rather more pedantic -- a solemn tale of an aging Chinese woman whose humility and perseverence earn her a fantastic afterlife. The subtext about respecting elders is culturally appropriate, but somewhat banal. "Sausage Boy and the Magic Brush," the third story, is the richest, with a terrific variety of artistic style and a humourous undertone to the cautionary tale about greed limiting opportunity. Overall, as a window into Chinese culture, the book is illustrative, but not particularly information; as a work of art, Atangan's style has colour and a certain appeal.
Pride of Baghdad, by Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon
DC Comics, 2006. ISBN: 9781401203153
This is a colourful, readable rendition of the actual story of a family of lions, who are "liberated" when their Baghdad zoo is bombed. The animal characters are well-defined, and the situation that they find themselves in, although extreme, is credible. The destroyed landscape is vivid, and evocative, and the book is a good illustration of "casualties of war" themes. Recommended by ERAC for students in Grades 10 -12.
Seven Sons, by Alexander Grecian and Riley Rossmo [US]
AIT/Planet Lar, 2006. ISBN: 978-1932051469 106 pages.
An Asian-American teenaged girl finds herself inside a Chinatown curiousity shop, whose proprietor tells her the legend of the seven Chinese brothers: the tale of a Chinese woman who brings her specially gifted sons to Gold-Rush-era California. A tragic miscalculation leads to the family's persecution at the hands of angry townspeople, and the escalating violence leads to natural disaster.
This is a beautifully illustrated, easily readable story, and the creators provide some comparative folk versions of the story at the end of the book. The graphic style involves sparing use of text, and very subtle illustrative detail. An excellent entree into the genre for Grade 8-9, with rich possibilities for extension activities.
Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons [US]
DC Comics, 1986. ISBN: 9780930289232
Retired superheroes find themselves targeted by an unknown mastermind bent on world reconstruction.
This book has been well-received for several years, and there are several layers to the main plot. The creators make interesting use of "documentary" text inserts to provide background and dimension. Many characters are individualized, and vivid -- female characters, however, are stereotypical and limited -- and violence in the unfolding story is explosive and unmitigated. The sheer length and complication of the story may be hard for many readers to follow, and I have difficulty imagining how this text would work in a classroom setting, even at the senior secondary level it has been recommended for.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Historical Fiction for Secondary Readers
Blood Secret, by Kathryn Lasky [US]
Harper, 2004. ISBN: 978-0-06-000063-9 282 pages
Jerry is a teenaged girl who has spent most of her life in the care of social services, and is mute. Moving to stay with a charismatic elderly great-aunt in New Mexico, Jerry is exposed to long-standing and mysterious family secrets. Understanding her family history -- that of Jewish conversos fleeing the Spanish Inquisition -- Jerry finds herself unlocking the enigma of her own story.
I picked up this book to share it with a close friend, who is Jewish, and found myself immersed in the mosaic of stories Lasky weaves together. Many generations of the family are introduced, and the "flashback" style may overwhelm some readers. However, Lasky vividly invokes emotional and traumatic past times, creating a sense of eyewitness. The trauma of the Spanish Inquisition is undenied here, but not over-stated, and readers are compelled as the separate stories of the generations of characters move irrevocably forward to Jerry's present. A strong evocation of personal identity and cultural journey.
Harper, 2004. ISBN: 978-0-06-000063-9 282 pages
Jerry is a teenaged girl who has spent most of her life in the care of social services, and is mute. Moving to stay with a charismatic elderly great-aunt in New Mexico, Jerry is exposed to long-standing and mysterious family secrets. Understanding her family history -- that of Jewish conversos fleeing the Spanish Inquisition -- Jerry finds herself unlocking the enigma of her own story.
I picked up this book to share it with a close friend, who is Jewish, and found myself immersed in the mosaic of stories Lasky weaves together. Many generations of the family are introduced, and the "flashback" style may overwhelm some readers. However, Lasky vividly invokes emotional and traumatic past times, creating a sense of eyewitness. The trauma of the Spanish Inquisition is undenied here, but not over-stated, and readers are compelled as the separate stories of the generations of characters move irrevocably forward to Jerry's present. A strong evocation of personal identity and cultural journey.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Exceptional Books for Elementary Readers
The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman [US]
Harper Collins, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-06-053092-1 312 pages
Gaiman's recent Newberry winner is, as is expected from this author, darkly unusual. The story of a young boy who grows up and comes of age in a British graveyard, the novel sees Bod, the protagonist, interact with all manner of fantastic creature -- ghosts, ghouls, werewolves, vampires -- as he struggles to escape the mysterious killer who is trying to track him down.
Bod's innocence is compelling, and the goodbye which concludes the story is very poignant. Gaiman's imagery is dangerously close to nightmare at times, and this is not the story for the sensitive child. Personally, I find the sprawling, gray style of the illustrations off-putting, but they do not distract from the story. Not exactly bedside reading, but a very interesting and distinctive story, well worth sharing.
Home of the Brave, by Katherine Applegate [US]
Square Fish, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-312-53563-6 267 pages
Kek is a young Sudanese refugee boy who finds himself strangely safe in the frozen world of Minnesota. Literally torn from his mother, Kek is lonely, and hungry for the love of his cousin. As he finds his way in this new and puzzing society, he clings to the symbols and memories that give his life meaning, yet finds new friends, and a different kind of strength of self.
The story is told in the poetic-fragment-making-a-narrative style used successfully by Jacqueline Woodson and Sharon Creech, and the simple, evocative language is accessible and easy to follow. Kek is very likeable, and young readers will empathize with his longing for kinship and struggle to make sense of the strange world around him. The book is rather "over-endowed" with endnotes and discussion questions, but the story itself would be an excellent companion to study and discussion about global migration and cultural identity.
How to Steal a Dog, by Barbara O'Connor [US]
Square Fish, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-312-56112-3
O'Connor's protagonist, Georgina, is struggling with the extreme poverty of her family. Dad has deserted, and Mom works two jobs, and still has no money for rent -- the family lives out of their car. With her reluctant younger brother in tow, Georgina decides to steal a dog so that she can earn the reward money. The plan backfires, and the new people she meets teach her much about social responsibility. Although this subject matter is "heavy," the novel is very readable. Characters are credible -- it's hard not to like Georgina -- and the plot is a good example of multiple levels of conflict. A great opener to discussions about urban poverty and social values.
Lost Riders, by Elizabeth Laird [UK]
Macmillan, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-230-52895-6
Laird, author of The Garbage King and Oranges in No Man's Land, has a strong commitment to provoking discussion about child poverty, and other issues of global equity. In this book, Rashid, a young Pakistani boy, finds himself sold into slavery in the UAE, racing camels for wealthy Arab investors. Conditions are harsh -- even inhumane -- and Rashid's inner strength, and family and friendship ties, are sorely tried. A very readable story, with vivid imagery to illustrate the action. Although the ending seems rather contrived, it underscores Laird's central theme of hope winning out over despair.
The Underneath, by Kathi Appelt [US]
Atheneum, 2008. ISBN: 9781416950585 311 pages
This a very special book, in the class of Charlotte's Web and other much-loved animal stories. Appelt beautifully evokes the swampy, mysterious, and rich world of a Texas bayou and the creatures -- human and animal, good and evil -- which inhabit it. Stylistically, chapters are short, and descriptive, and at least two major plots are interwoven. The principal plotline involves a the hero journeys of hound-dog and two kittens, who face danger at the hands of the twisted man who owns the dog. Braided through their story is the tale of mysterious creatures who are half-animal, half-human, and who find their immortality in swamp legend. An incredible, and very unusual novel, which would work well as a read-aloud.
Harper Collins, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-06-053092-1 312 pages
Gaiman's recent Newberry winner is, as is expected from this author, darkly unusual. The story of a young boy who grows up and comes of age in a British graveyard, the novel sees Bod, the protagonist, interact with all manner of fantastic creature -- ghosts, ghouls, werewolves, vampires -- as he struggles to escape the mysterious killer who is trying to track him down.
Bod's innocence is compelling, and the goodbye which concludes the story is very poignant. Gaiman's imagery is dangerously close to nightmare at times, and this is not the story for the sensitive child. Personally, I find the sprawling, gray style of the illustrations off-putting, but they do not distract from the story. Not exactly bedside reading, but a very interesting and distinctive story, well worth sharing.
Home of the Brave, by Katherine Applegate [US]
Square Fish, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-312-53563-6 267 pages
Kek is a young Sudanese refugee boy who finds himself strangely safe in the frozen world of Minnesota. Literally torn from his mother, Kek is lonely, and hungry for the love of his cousin. As he finds his way in this new and puzzing society, he clings to the symbols and memories that give his life meaning, yet finds new friends, and a different kind of strength of self.
The story is told in the poetic-fragment-making-a-narrative style used successfully by Jacqueline Woodson and Sharon Creech, and the simple, evocative language is accessible and easy to follow. Kek is very likeable, and young readers will empathize with his longing for kinship and struggle to make sense of the strange world around him. The book is rather "over-endowed" with endnotes and discussion questions, but the story itself would be an excellent companion to study and discussion about global migration and cultural identity.
How to Steal a Dog, by Barbara O'Connor [US]
Square Fish, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-312-56112-3
O'Connor's protagonist, Georgina, is struggling with the extreme poverty of her family. Dad has deserted, and Mom works two jobs, and still has no money for rent -- the family lives out of their car. With her reluctant younger brother in tow, Georgina decides to steal a dog so that she can earn the reward money. The plan backfires, and the new people she meets teach her much about social responsibility. Although this subject matter is "heavy," the novel is very readable. Characters are credible -- it's hard not to like Georgina -- and the plot is a good example of multiple levels of conflict. A great opener to discussions about urban poverty and social values.
Lost Riders, by Elizabeth Laird [UK]
Macmillan, 2008. ISBN: 978-0-230-52895-6
Laird, author of The Garbage King and Oranges in No Man's Land, has a strong commitment to provoking discussion about child poverty, and other issues of global equity. In this book, Rashid, a young Pakistani boy, finds himself sold into slavery in the UAE, racing camels for wealthy Arab investors. Conditions are harsh -- even inhumane -- and Rashid's inner strength, and family and friendship ties, are sorely tried. A very readable story, with vivid imagery to illustrate the action. Although the ending seems rather contrived, it underscores Laird's central theme of hope winning out over despair.
The Underneath, by Kathi Appelt [US]
Atheneum, 2008. ISBN: 9781416950585 311 pages
This a very special book, in the class of Charlotte's Web and other much-loved animal stories. Appelt beautifully evokes the swampy, mysterious, and rich world of a Texas bayou and the creatures -- human and animal, good and evil -- which inhabit it. Stylistically, chapters are short, and descriptive, and at least two major plots are interwoven. The principal plotline involves a the hero journeys of hound-dog and two kittens, who face danger at the hands of the twisted man who owns the dog. Braided through their story is the tale of mysterious creatures who are half-animal, half-human, and who find their immortality in swamp legend. An incredible, and very unusual novel, which would work well as a read-aloud.
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