From What I Remember...

Title: From What I Remember... 
Author: Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas  
Publisher: Hyperion 
Publication Date: May 15th, 2012 
Genre/Format: Realistic Fiction/Novel 
GoodReads Summary: KYLIE: Tijuana WHAT? I should be putting the finishing touches on my valedictorian speech. Graduation is TODAY, and is this a wedding band on my finger.

MAX: It all started with Kylie's laptop and a truck full of stolen electronics Okay, it was kind of hot, the way she broke us out like some chick in an action movie. But now we're stranded in Tijuana. WIth less than twenty-four hours before graduation. Awesome. 

WILL: Saving Kylie Flores from herself is kind of a full-time occupation. Luckily, I, Will Bixby, was born for the job. And when I found out she was stuck in Mexico with dreamy Max Langston, sure, I agreed to bring thier passports across the border--but there's no reason to rush back home right away. This party is just getting started. 
LILY: I just walked in on my boyfriend, Max Langston, canoodling with Kylie Flores, freak of the century. Still, I can't completely hold it against him. He NEEDS me. It's even clearer now. And I'm not giving him up without a fight. 
What I Think: I stumbled across this book on NetGalley and when I started to read it, I became completely consumed with the story. I love all the characters and I love all the craziness! There are so many different stories going on but making sense at the same time. We get to see so many different perspectives. Once I started reading, I could not put it down...well, I had to, but with every free milli-second, I grabbed it again until I devoured the entire book. 

If ever there was a book that reads like a wild, non-stop movie, this would be it. I love how the authors even mention how events that happen in the book are just like out of a movie...but at the same time unique to the story in the book. I'm glad this book is a book rather than a movie. Anyone who loves the movie The Breakfast Club or other John Hughes' movies will enjoy this book. The fact that chapters switch perspectives helps readers really see into what the characters are thinking and feeling. It's interesting to read about how the characters perceive each other and then to be in the characters' heads and to read what they are thinking and feeling on the inside and how that compares to the front the present to others.


The scenes between Max and Kylie are electric. In the end, the whole book is about going after your dreams and not letting life pass you by. I love it! I remember telling Kellee that she absolutely must get this book because it is awesome. And so should you!


As a teacher, I do have to add a disclaimer that there is possibly some non-parent-teacher-sanctioned teenage behavior in this book so I would read it first and be aware of that before recommending it to students. BUT, I think high school students will love the energy in this book while still getting an intense look at who the characters are and what motivates them.


Enough already! JUST GO READ THIS BOOK! It's the perfect book to kick of your summer reading!
Read Together: Grades 9 -12  
Read Alone: Grades 9 -12 
Read With: Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John  
Snatch of Text: 
     "How could I explain that my stories helped me escape the dreary sameness of my life - the same old TV shows, the same old questions from my parents, the same old mostaccioli on Thursdays and lasagna on Sundays? How could I tell her that for those few moments when I was telling the story, I slipped into a shinier world and lived the life I really wanted?
     I just shrugged."  -Max (taken from NetGalley - so I don't have page numbers)


     "A bunch of people laugh. Ha-ha. So witty. He may be perfect on the outside but inside it's a different story. If he had a thought in his head, it would perish of loneliness. Max, as always, basks in the attention. He tips back in his chair and tosses his shaggy, sandy locks, like a preening bird.
     Like everyone at Freiburg, Max is a spoiled rich kid, floating in a vapid sea of privilege, completely and blissfully ignorant of how the rest of the world lives. Everyone that is, except for Will. Thank God for Will. God knows, I wouldn't have survived without him." - Kylie  (taken from NetGalley - so I don't have page numbers)
Mentor Text For: Characterization, Voice, Stereotypes, Mood, Visualization, Making Connections
Writing Prompts: After people watching, choose one person to write about - how might what you see on the outside be different from this person's story on the inside?
Topics Covered: Friendship, Adversity, Love, Adventure, Determination, Family, Honesty, Taking Risks, Stereotypes, Identity, Dreams, Being True to Yourself

Jen *hearts* It:

One Crazy Summer

Title: One Crazy Summer

Author: Rita Williams-Garcia
Publisher: Amistad

Publication Date: January 2010

Genre/Format: Historical Fiction/Novel

Summary: Delphine was forced to grow up quicker than an eleven year old should. Her mother left her and her 2 sisters 7 years ago and since then, Delphine has been in charge. This doesn't change when the girls finally get to see their mother in Oakland, CA Cecile for a month during the summer of 1968- she wants nothing to do with them and Delphine, once again, has to take care of her sisters. The only guidance Cecile gives the girls is where the Chinese take-out restaurant is and how to get to the Black Panthers's summer camp where they have to spend most of their time. This summer makes Delphine and her sisters grow up even more.

What Kellee Thinks: Rita Williams-Garcia is a genius when it comes to characterization. The two books I've read by her have been VERY different, but the strength of the writing of characters was a constant in both stories. Each character is uniquely written, holds up in dialogue and are completely immersed in the story that Williams-Garcia has put them in. It is a beautiful thing and translates into fluid and poetic narrative. While reading and searching for snatches of text to share, I marked at least 17 different passages that I wanted to share. All in a novel that has a great story and history lesson rolled into one. You want to know what is going to happen to Delphine. You want to learn more about the Black Panthers. You have to keep reading because you want to know more.

What Jen Thinks: I agree that the writing was great in this book. I have to say this is a book that is historical fiction and portrays a time in history but it was hard for me to relate to not knowing much about the topic. It reminded me of The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party by M. T. Anderson because I felt somewhat disconnected from both of them because it was really hard for me to relate to them. I wonder if a student who reads either of these books might need to gather up some background knowledge before reading them? Or at least have an adult to talk to about the historical aspects of the books.
From a mother's standpoint it was hard for me to read One Crazy Summer knowing how the mother treated Delphine and her sisters. I do like the story of sisters, though.

Read Together: 3-8

Read Alone: 5-8

Read With: Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan, The Gold Cadillac by Mildred D. Taylor, Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kahohata, The Watsons Go To Birmingham- 1963 by Paul Christopher Curtis, Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport

Snatch of Text: "Mother is a statement of fact. Cecile Johnson gave birth to us. We came out of Cecile Johnson. In the animal kingdom that makes her our mother. Every mammal has a mother, dead or alive. Ran off or stay put. Cecile Johnson- mammal birth giver, alive, an abandoner- is our mother. A statement of fact... Never Mommy, Mom, Mama, or Ma. Mommy gets up to give you a glass of water in the middle of the night. Mom invites your friends inside when it's raining. Mama burns your ears with the hot comb to make your hair look pretty for class picture day. Ma is sore and worm from writing your wet clothes and hanign them to dry; ma needs peace and quiet at the end of the day. We don't have one of those. We have a statement of face." (p. 14)

"Even the seagulls were seagullier than the ones that flew and squawked around Coney Island. These wide-winged birds seemed bigger and majestic, both close-up and far away. Or maybe it was that we could see and smell the ocean and the tar, salt and wood from the wharf. I breathed in deep to get it all. Too bad there was no way to capture the wharf sell in a jar to take with me." (p. 164)

"At night I talked to myself to stay awake. I said the poems of Homer and Langston Hughes. I liked the words. They comforted me. Their rhymes. Their beats. They made a place for me. They kept me strong." (p. 208)

Fabulous examples of similes in the text on pages 1, 2, 85, 161, 163, 174, 190, 191

Some beautiful pieces of poetry on pages 148-149, 196-197

Reading Strategies to Practice: Characterization, Making connections, Poetry

Writing Strategies to Practice: Descriptive, Dialogue, Figurative language, Sensory details

Writing Prompts: The Black Panthers were trying to change something about society they thought was an injustice. If you could change one thing about the world today, what would it be?

Topics Covered: Integration- Social Studies, Civil Rights, Black Panthers, Poetry, Family, Prejudice, Tolerance

Translated to Spanish: No

and

The Pirate Cruncher

Title: The Pirate Cruncher     
Author: Jonny Duddle
Illustrator: Jonny Duddle
Publisher: Templar Books
Publication Date: 2009 
Genre/Format: Fiction/Picture Book   
Summary: In this swashbuckling tale, Captain Purplebeard and his crew set off to an unknown island in search of treasure (of course!) but find a (not-so-pleasant) surprise awaiting them!
What I Think: I think the illustrations are awesome in this book...but I have to say, I read it about three times before I really understood the story.  Maybe that was just me being obtuse; when I finally did get it, I loved it.  This book is definitely a book that should be read with a child because it's pretty complex.  I did read it with Peanut, who is only 3, so maybe an older child would catch on, but I didn't at first so it's hard to tell.  I would definitely make sure to read this book and think about the tone you are going to use, it could be kind of spooky!
     If I were to teach this book, I would use it to talk about being greedy with younger kids and about stereotypes with older kids.  I would start by asking students what they know about pirates and characteristics of pirates, helping them brainstorm and making sure being greedy made it to the list.  Then, I would start the book by talking about the letter at the beginning and ask lots of questions about who is writing the letter (you can tell from the tentacle in the illustrations!) and model making inferences for them.  It's so important to the story that the kids realize who is leading the pirates to the island.  After getting to the end of the book I would talk about who did actually lure the pirates to the island and how clever he was.  AND, I would make sure to talk to them about this character's character, it's really not all that nice to deceive them the way he did.
     For middle school and high school students, I think this might lead to a great discussion about people and morals.  Pirates can definitely be used to examine stereotypes, I actually really like this idea because it's not like using jocks or geeks as examples which could make someone feel bad...most high schoolers I know aren't pirates...  Because of the Disney's recent Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy, I would venture to say students would be able to brainstorm stereotypes that define pirates.  Beyond identifying stereotypes, it's interesting to look at how the Pirate Cruncher used those stereotypes to his advantage.  Let's face it, pirates aren't supposed to be examples of upstanding citizens, but do they deserve their fate in this book?  I think students would be able to make some connections with stereotypes and with how people treat other people.  And then what about researching or learning about the history of pirates?  This would be a great introduction. 
Read Together: K - 12 
Read Alone: 4 - 12 
Read With: How I Became a Pirate and Pirates Don't Change Diapers By Melinda Long; The Curse of Snake Island #1  and other books in the Pirate School series; The Pirateology Handbook: A Course in Pirate Hunting (Ologies) by Captain William Lubber/Dugald Steer; Nonfiction about pirates 
Snatch of Text: 

"All was unusually quiet in Port Royal...

but if you listened carefully, on the docks,

down the alleyways,

and in the candlelit taverns,

you could hear the faint sound of a fiddle floating on the wind."  

(These are on the first two-page layout in the book...kind of spooky, huh?)

Reading Strategies to Practice: Activating Background Knowledge, Making Connections, Asking Questions, Making Inferences, Author's Purpose
Writing Strategies to Practice: Prepositional Phrases, Tone/Mood, Alliteration  
Writing Prompts: Think about what makes the mood of The Pirate Cruncher spooky, then write your own spooky story including prepositional phrases
Topics Covered: Pirates, Greed, Morals
Translated to Spanish: No