Dystopian vs. Post-Apocalyptic Week 3- The Brain Lair: Dystopia or Not Dystopia?

Our Dystopian vs. Post-Apocalyptic feature is off to a great start!  First, I ranted about the difference between the sub-genres and last week Jo Treggiari, the author of Ashes, Ashes, shared her outlook on the current trend of dystopian literature. 

Today, I have the honor of sharing a guest post by one of our tweeps, Kathy @thebrainlair.  This feature would have never happened if it wasn't for her.  Let me have her share with you how it began and her thoughts on the discussion: 

I remember it as if it was December 19^th. Ah – we were on twitter – cause, you know, we like being on twitter, and this happened:

But Kellee (which is the proper way to spell her name as noted by her Twitter ID!) would not let it go!

That started a great conversation between us, @mentortexts, and @KimMcCollum about what makes a book dystopia versus post apocalyptic.  After our talk I went with @mentortexts definition 

Though it’s really hard to have a novel if there is no world… So we’ll change that to civilization as we know it ended.  Now, I’ve always enjoyed Dystopias or at least I thought I did. But, according to Jen, maybe what I really enjoyed are Post-Apocalyptic novels. Hmm…take a look at three of my favorite novels:

The Uglies (Uglies Trilogy, 1) by Scott Westerfeld

The Uglies are about a future where at the age of 16 the citizens get an operation that turn them beautiful. They not only look better, they get to move to a better place and their life changes for the “better”.  A group of “Uglies” decide they like it that way. Where are these people hiding and what are their plans?

Dystopia or Not Dystopia?

The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking, 1) by Patrick Ness

Todd finds out that the family that raised him is not his real family. They were keeping a secret from him and now he needs to run if he wants to survive.  Oh and every man in his community, and there are only men, can hear the thoughts of every other man in the community!

Dystopia or Not Dystopia?

Divergent (Divergent, 1) by Veronica Roth

Tris lives in Chicago. It’s totally ruined Chicago and people are divided into one of five factions. Or they are factionless. You choose your faction at 16 and if you don’t choose with your parents – you never see them. Also, you take a test to help you pick a faction. And this test? Would you kill the…

Dystopia or Not Dystopia?

I know what you are thinking – Why do things always happen when you are 16? Ha, kidding, but you are thinking – how can we tell whether these books are dystopias? You can’t unless you read more about the book or sometimes look at the verso page (the copyright page – it’s on the reVERSe of the title page) and read the summary and the subjects, if they are listed.

But, ultimately, that’s not really how I decide what I want to read!  I usually pick a book based on the summary, the cover, and the title. I love a good title! And don’t forget twitter! If you are looking for something good to read – Dystopia or Not Dystopia – check out hashtags #nerdybookclub and #bookaday. You know,  I don’t go looking for dystopias but I do enjoy them when I read them – same with post-apocalyptic titles.  I just like finding something good to read!  
By the way, all those books ARE Dystopias, FTW!

The Brain Lair, or KB, is a middle school librarian with dreams of becoming a bookstore owner. You've heard of a "childrens" bookstore but have you heard of a "teens" bookstore?  That's what she wants to do. Until that day arrives she keeps busy supervising the school's morning news crew, running bookclubs, subbing at the local public library, moderating a Goodreads Mock Printz group, blogging with a few teens at The Brain Lair, tweeting, and being a mom to one crazy-busy and totally awesome 16 year old. Oh, and she likes to read. A lot. Especially dystopias. But really anything. Almost. Unless there are talking animals. Wait, she loved The Familiars and The Cheshire Cheese Cat.  So maybe she does like reading anything. She is going to stop typing now.

Kathy's enthusiasm is contagious! You can see why her motivation is what helped me decided to start this feature.  Thank you Kathy for contributing!


and 

Poems I Wrote When No One Was Looking

Title: Poems I Wrote When No One Was Looking     
Author: Alan Katz  
Illustrator: Edward Koren  
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing  
Publication Date: October 2011   
Genre/Format: Fiction/Poetry
GoodReads Summary: Bestselling author Alan Katz, of Silly Dilly fame, knows kid humor, and he knows just what subjects are funniest—from school to siblings to sports, this assortment of spirited poetry has something for everyone. In the tradition of Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky, with black-and-white illustrations throughout, this collection of more than 100 poems will have kids roaring with laughter!   
What I Think: In my effort to read more poetry in 2012, I grabbed this book at the library. I had a feeling it had the potential to be very Shel Silverstein-ish but it's really not even close. I grew up with Shel  Silverstein and can vividly remember reciting "Sara Cynthia Silvia Stout" and "Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me, Too" by heart. Maybe it's my unfamiliarity with these poems but they really struck me as not that great. I found myself thinking that some of these poems wanted to be Shel's poems and were pretending that they weren't anything like Shel's poems when I really felt like they desperately wanted to be. I'm usually not negative in my reviews but this book left a lot to be desired in my opinion. Of the one hundred poems included, there were five I thought would be worth sharing with kids. It made me kind of sad for the poems.
     One poem I think is fun is "Shhhhh...". This poem is full of onomatopoeia and I can never get enough onomatopoeia. I think onomatopoeia is so much fun. I love sharing onomatopoeia with kids because so often we overlook words that can be considered onomatopoeia. It's fun to talk about it and then challenge kids to pay attention and listen for onomatopoeia. Usually we end up noticing it all over the place, subtly hiding, but this poem definitely brings it to the forefront and bashes you in the head with it.
     The other poem that could be a talking point for kids is "It Doesn't Compute". In this age of technology, I think this poem is really relevant. I was just talking to my mom about how busy life is and how hard it is to juggle everything as a working mom with two kids and she remarked how when I was growing up things were much simpler. There wasn't the same kind of technology - no checking e-mails at home, no surfing the Internet or Facebook, no writing blog posts. I love how technology brings the world together but it does keep me busy. I immediately thought of Lane Smith's It's a Book! when I read this poem because it also talks about how kids are so accustomed to technology now that something like a book is foreign to them.
     As a collection these poems didn't speak to me and I'm not sure how much they will appeal to kids. Some of the topics will probably appeal to them but I wonder if some of the last lines will resonate as funny to them. Some of the last lines that were meant to be something akin to punchlines in a poem didn't flow or sound connected with the poems but I would be curious to hear what kids think.
Read Together: Grades 3 - 5 but some can definitely be relevant to older grades  
Read Alone: Grades 3 - 5
Read With: Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein, It's a Book! by Lane Smith, Sideways Stories From Wayside School by Louis Sachar
Snatch of Text:  

Shhhhh...

Please don't bang!

Or slam!

Or buzz!

And please no loud

bansheeing!

Do not click!

And do not clunk!

I'm onomatopoeiaing.

p. 36

It Doesn't Compute

Daddy's downloading music.

Mommy's downloading pix.

Sister's downloading homework.

Brother's downloading flicks.

Grandma's downloading health forms,

and I have a really big hunch:

They're so busy on their computers,

no one's free to download me lunch.

p. 139

Mentor Text For: Making Connections, Puns, Play on Words, Homonyms, Word Choice, Rhyme  
Writing Prompts: When you are describing using the five sense, try adding in words that sound like the sounds in your scene - how does using onomatopoeia change your writing? 
Topics Covered: Family, Siblings, Friends, School, Morals, Responsibility

 

Zombie In Love

Title: Zombie In Love
Author: Kelly DiPucchio 
Illustrator: Scott Campbell 
Publisher: Atheneum 
Publication Date: August 2011
Genre/Format: Science Fiction/Picture Book 
GoodReads Summary: Mortimer is looking for love. And he’s looking everywhere! He’s worked out at the gym (if only his arm wouldn’t keep falling off). He’s tried ballroom dancing lessons (but the ladies found him to be a bit stiff). He’s even been on stalemate.com. How’s a guy supposed to find a ghoul? When it seems all hope has died, could the girl of Mortimer’s dreams be just one horrifying shriek away? 
What I Think: I'm not a huge zombie-thriller-scary book fan but I love Mortimer. He's just so sweet and endearing in a zombie kind of way. I don't necessarily want to date a zombie but that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve someone's love.
This is an example of a book that goes so well with pictures. The text is great but seeing the pictures matched with the text completely made this book for me. I can't get over his zombie grin. It's so funny. I do feel bad for Mortimer because he's lonely for much of the book. It's not very nice when people giggle or run away from him. In the end, I'm so happy he finds someone to love. I love how this book takes a mushy, love story and makes it into a gory, zombie, love story. As a mom of two boys I so appreciate that.
There are a few instances when you can use this book as a mentor text for puns or show how the author plays with words. Mortimer's ad in the paper is a zombie version of the Pina Colada song by Rupert Holmes. I would play the song and then compare the two versions. I'm sure many kids would never make the connection between the song and this book but you can point it out to them...although, I would only play the song for older students because I don't think it's really a kids' song (if you play the whole thing). Otherwise, there is a pun at the end that you can share with kids of all ages. I always make a point to talk about idioms or how authors play with idioms for my students who are deaf and hard of hearing and any kids who are learning English as a second language because they oftentimes don't catch on.
Read Together: K - 12
Read Alone: K - 12 
Read With: Never Slow Dance With A Zombie by E Van Lowe, Zombies Vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier, Scorch Trials by James Dashner, Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride

Snatch of Text:  

TALL, DEAD, & HANDSOME

If you like taking walks in the graveyard

and falling down in the rain.

If you're not into cooking,

if you have half a brain.

If you like waking up at midnight,

horror films, and voodoo,

then I'm the guy who you've looked for

and I'm dying to meet you!

Reading Strategies to Practice: Activating Background Knowledge, Making Connections  
Writing Strategies to Practice: Word Choice - Puns, Personal Narrative
Writing Prompts: Write about a time in your life when you felt lonely because no one seemed to have the same interests as you or a time in your life when you connected with others who did have something in common with you and how you felt. Choose a line from a song or poem or a well-known idiom and change it to refer to something specific like zombies or something other than what it refers to originally.
Topics Covered: Zombies, Love, Friendship, Loneliness, Taking Risks

   

Ruby Red

Title: Ruby Red

Author: Kerstin Gier
Translator: Anthea Bell

US Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

US Publication Date: May, 2011

Genre/Format: Fantasy/Novel

Summary: Gwyneth's cousin Charlotte has a special gene that means that between the ages of 16 and 17 she'll begin traveling through time. Gwyneth is waiting along with everyone in her family for Charlotte to finally travel through time. But while everyone is focusing on Charlotte and all of her symptoms, Gwen has started having the same symptoms and one day on the way to the store, disappears completely and ends up in the past. This is a totally unexpected turn and truly puts a wrench in everyone's plans. So now Gwen needs to be let in on all of the secrets and some people are not okay with her new involvement with the family secrets. This puts Gwen right in the middle of an adventure that she had not bargained for. 

What I Think: I was skeptical when I started this book and the prologue actually confused me; however, Gwen and her friend (sidekick) Lesley won me over. They are such a fun duo! Gwen is so snarky and Lesley is the logical one. Gwen is Holmes and Lesley is her Watson. I love that unlike other female protagonists, Gwen and Lesley are strong, funny, stand alone characters who are smart and not push overs. And of course there is a very good looking, charming gentleman character who maybe a bit narcissistic, but wins you over! All of the characters in this novel were well done. They were all well rounded and have full personalities. Even the minor characters stood on their own. 

Gier has also given us a very complicated story line that is revealed slowly enough that the reader is not lost but also at a quick enough pace as to hold the reader's attention. And the story that unfolds is so much fun and filled with intriguing twists and turns. Just beware: This book is obviously the exposition to a much bigger story and you will definitely be left hanging when you finish.

Read Together: Grades 6 - 10

Read Alone: Grades 7 - 12

Stealing Magic

Title: Stealing Magic     
Author: Marianne Malone   
Illustrator: Greg Call  
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers 
Publication Date: January 24, 2012 
Genre/Format: Fantasy/Novel 
GoodReads Summary: Ruthie and Jack thought that their adventures in the Thorne Rooms were over . . . until miniatures from the rooms start to disappear. Is it the work of the art thief who's on the loose in Chicago? Or has someone else discovered the secret of the Thorne Rooms' magic? Ruthie and Jack's quest to stop the thief takes them from modern day Chicago to 1937 Paris to antebellum South Carolina. But as more items disappear, including the key that allows them to shrink and access the past worlds, what was once just an adventure becomes a life and death race against the clock. Can Ruthie and Jack catch the thief and help the friends they meet on the way before the magic—and the rooms—are destroyed forever? Fans of magic, mystery, and adventure will love this rollicking sequel to Marianne Malone's The Sixty-Eight Rooms. 
What I Think: I listened to the first book in this series, The Sixty-Eight Rooms and I thought the narration was great. Jennifer with Books On Tape sent me the ARC of Stealing Magic to read and I have to say I liked this book better. Both are fun books, about two kids who discover they can shrink and become small enough to fit into the famous Thorne Rooms(sixty-eight miniature rooms housed at the Art Institute in Chicago). The first book brings excitement and mystery but I enjoyed the mystery in this second book a bit more. Maybe it was getting used to all the magic in the first book and in this book it wasn't about exploring and figuring how it all worked, it was more about looking out for the rooms.
I love books like this that are basically realistic fiction with a bit of fantasy thrown in plus some art appreciation and even historical fiction. There aren't many books like this but Blue Balliett's books come to mind (Chasing Vermeer, The Wright Three, and The Calder Game). If there were ever a book or book series to give to a child I think any of these would be great - you can give a miniature playset or a "magic" key to go with it or take a trip to the Art Institute or another museum and imagine exhibits coming to life.
We had been planning to visit the Art Institute to take my oldest son to visit the coats of armor there. When we did, we had to also make a visit to the Thorne Rooms. Peanut helped me wander through the rooms in search of the exact room on the cover of this book. We found it! There were a few that looks similar but we had to compare the details to find just the right one!

I wish I had been able to take the time to look through the other rooms to find other rooms that they talk about visiting in the book but it was super crowded and I had the whole family in tow (including a cranky 1 1/2 year-old) so we were lucky to find this one from the cover. There is something very magical about the rooms.
Read Together: 4 - 6
Read Alone: 4 - 8 
Read With: Chasing Vermeer, The Wright Three, The Calder Game by Blue Balliett
Snatch of Text:  
"They left the museum and crossed the street to Millennium Park, finding an empty bench near the Cloud Gate sculpture, which everyone called 'The Bean.'
'Tell me everything,' Jack said. 'And breathe slowly.'
Ruthie recounted how she had found the apples in the bottom of Dora's bag. 'Who walks around with that many apples?'" p. 155
Mentor Text For: Activating Background Knowledge, Making Connections, Personal Narrative
Writing Prompts: Imagine you are only 4 or 5 inches tall and write a story about how the world is from that perspective. 
Topics Covered: Friendship, Family, Loyalty, Trust, Thievery, Honesty, Communication, Courage, Taking Risks