Stitches by David Small

Stitches is a memoir and a graphic novel by David Small. In the book, David recalls his difficult childhood. When he was little, he needed throat surgery to remove a bump. The surgery went awry and he was left unable to speak. To be honest, I did not really like the book as I had a difficult time relating to David and his situation. What I did like, however, was his art. This is a dark, depressing read, fyi.

Small, David. Stitches: A Memoir. New York: W.W. Norton, Co., 2009.

The Hunger Games Trilogy

This trilogy is AMAZING! The first book is called The Hunger Games, book two is Catching Fire, and the last book (which doesn't come out until Aug. 24) is called Mockingjay.

The series is narrated by the protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, resident of District 12. She lives in the post-apocalyptic Panem, which is now run by the Capital. Each year, the Capital holds a reaping where two children (ages 12-18) from each district are chosen to represent their district in the Hunger Games. The object of the game is to be the last tribute standing, meaning that one must kill the other tributes (unless they die of other causes in the arena). These games are televised and act as a reminder of the Capital's control over the districts.

These books are FULL of suspense and action and make for a quick read. You won't want to put them down!

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press, 2008.

Collins, Suzanne. Catching Fire. New York: Scholastic Press, 2009.

Collins, Suzanne. Mockingjay. New York: Scholastic Press, 2010.

The Book Thief

I can hear my students now, as they pick up this 552 page book in my classroom or the library, "This is too long! I'm not reading this." Please stop judging books based on length!

This book is amazing! It takes place in Nazi Germany during WWII and the protagonist is a young girl named Leisel. Leisel is German and, after the death of her brother, is taken to live with another family as their foster child. Oh...and the book's narrator is Death.

Death first meets Leisel when she steals her first book in a graveyard. She cannot read, but is fascinated with the words on the page. Her foster father soon teaches her to read and she begins stealing more books from none other than the mayor's home. The story evolves and we learn more about Leisel's foster parents and their reluctance/refusal to join the Nazi party. Soon, the family hides a Jewish man in their basement named Max. Max has a profound influence on the whole family, but most importantly, on Leisel.

I'm not going to say any more as I do not want to spoil anything. But I will say that I cried at the end of it.

Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. New York: Alfred K. Knopf, 2005.

Safe Area Gorazde: The War in Eastern Bosnia 1992-1995

This book is nonfiction and is also a graphic novel written by Joe Sacco. It tells the story of life in Gorazde during the Bosnian War from '92-'95.

I read this book for a few reasons: one, based on my husband's recommendation and two, for a better understanding of the war I so often hear my students talking about. I am warning you now that it is an emotional and difficult read at times. Joe Sacco spent a lot of time in Gorazde getting to know what life was like there. I've read other books about various wars before, but having Sacco's illustrations there, along with reading the difficult life stories of the people he met while there, can bring one to tears at times (myself included).

It's a great read and I learned so much about the war in Bosnia. Sacco has two other books about Bosnia and the war: The Fixer and War's End, which I also recommend. I just also finished reading another book of his called Palestine, which was another excellent and challenging read about the tension in the Middle East, particularly between Israel and Palestine.

Sacco, Joe. Safe Area Gorazde: The War in Eastern Bosnia 1992-1995. Washington: Fantagraphics Books, 1992.

Have a Little Faith

I'm a huge fan of Mitch Albom. Tuesdays with Morrie is one of my favorite books of all time and since then, I've read everything else he's published. Have a Little Faith is his first nonfiction book since Morrie. Needless to say, I had high hopes.

This book is the true story of two, at first, vastly different religious leaders in two different states. Mitch is asked by his childhood Rabbi, Albert Lewis, to give the eulogy at his funeral. Mitch, while at first stunned by this request, spends a great deal of time getting to know Rabbi Lewis and his family. He learns a lot about tolerance and faith from this wise man.

To contrast with his experiences with the Rabbi, Mitch spends time getting to know a Detroit pastor, Henry Covington. Henry arrived at his role as a pastor in a way that shocks Mitch. Henry was a drug addict and ex-con. He uses his past to connect with and counsel his parishioners.

Mitch realizes that while the way that these two men lead is vastly different, their unwaivering faiths and passion for helping others are identical. Their faiths--Jewish and Christian--are not as different as Mitch once thought.

This book, as with all of them, is uplifting and inspiring. This book makes me want to be a better person.

Albom, Mitch. Have a Little Faith. New York: Hyperion, 2009.

A Little Bit Wicked

I've been reading a lot lately, due in part to the awesome teacher appreciation sale at Barnes and Noble. I purchased a lot of new books and, since I'm always trying to "beef up" the nonfiction section of my classroom library, picked up two great nonfiction books.

I love love love Kristin Chenoweth! I've been crazy about her since she was in the revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. I loved her in Wicked and about died when I met her after seeing her amazing performance in The Apple Tree. A Little Bit Wicked is her autobiography. She is very candid about growing up in Oklahoma and her road to fame. Kristin, who begins by telling the reader about finding out she was adopted and her early life as a beauty queen, is absolutely hilarious. Her book took me through all sorts of emotions and it was great to learn a little bit more about her.

Fans of Kristin will love this book!

Chenoweth, Kristin. A Little Bit Wicked: Faith, Love, and Life in Stages. New York:
Touchstone, 2009.

American Born Chinese

I've been on a graphic novel kick lately! Early this summer, I read American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. This fictional book is divided into three different, yet related, stories: a tale of the magical monkey king, the story of a Chinese boy named Jin Wang who struggles to fit in, and a middle school boy, Danny, who is embarrassed by his cousin Chin-Kee (an Asian stereotype). This is a quick, entertaining read, but don't be fooled--the author definitely has a message for us all at the end of it (and you'll have to read it to find out what that is)!

I have a copy of this book in my classroom and you can also check it out of our FC library.



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

Maus

Last school year, I read these two FANTASTIC graphic novels by Art Spiegelman, Maus: A Survivor's Tale. My husband, a graphic novel enthusiast (borderline obsessed) told me that these books are by far the most famous graphic novels out there. Now I know why.

While the artwork seems fictional (Jews being depicted as mice, Nazis as cats, etc.), I assure you that these books are nonfiction. Art Spiegelman's parents survived the Holocaust. These books are his interviews with his frail father, Vladek (his mother, we learn, committed suicide). What sets this book apart from other Holocaust novels is Art's ability to retell his parents' story. He is really honest, too, about his at-times strained relationship with his father.

It's a tough read, as all Holocaust texts are, but a great one. I highly recommend these books to anyone who is a WWII buff and/or anyone interested in Holocaust literature. They can be found in our FC library, too!

Spiegelman, Art. Maus I: My Father Bleeds History. New York: Pantheon Books, 1973.
Spiegelman, Art. Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began. New York: Pantheon Books, 1986.

Example Reading Log Entry (for your independent reading assignment)

Plot Notes/Summary for What I Read Today

The soul/Wanderer/Wanda is now required to work the various jobs of the humans who are a part of the colony. She feels everyone staring at her or avoiding her. She also senses that they hate her and the fact that she is in their safe haven.

The rest of the colony is growing increasingly suspicious of Jeb's involvement with the alien host; however, he ignores their concerns. Jamie is still asking a lot of questions about Melanie:
"Why is Melanie so quiet now...what does she do all the time...can you hear her now...do you think she'll go away...do you like her like you like me...did you used to hate her, like she hated you?" (246-7). Wanda answers the questions honestly, which is an important part of her character. She seems to be intent on staying honest with Jamie and Jared because she now cares for them as much (though differently) as her host, Melanie.

Jeb wants Wanda to teach the humans so they can "know more about the world [they] live in" (248). She is reluctant and thinks it's suicide. She also says that aliens "have no Achilles' heal," which is interesting to learn (248). I don't think I believe that. I have a sneaking suspicion that they do, in fact, have a weakness and that it has something to do with Melanie and the impact she's had on Wanda. Clearly, it's affecting the soul's ability to do her job and lead the Seeker to more humans--she's protecting the humans now!

For Next Time: I left off on page 254 (Chapter 26)

Meyer, Stephenie. The Host. New York: Little, Brown, and Company, 2008.

Midnight Sun--DRAMA!

For those of you who are fans of the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, there's some drama with her book, Midnight Sun (Twilight told from Edward's perspective). Read all about it here.

:(

Pretties

I am totally addicted to this series by Scott Westerfeld! Pretties is the second book in the Uglies series and I actually liked it better than the first. It picks up right where Uglies left off, only this time, the majority of the story takes place in New Pretty Town. I don't want to give too much away for those of you who haven't read it, but I will say that I really enjoyed the new dimensions added to Tally (the protagonist). Also, this book is a lot more sci-fi than the first, especially when Tally discovers more about the surgeries performed by Special Circumstances. I'm off to read the next book in the series, Specials.

I have a copy of this book in my classroom and it's in the FC library, too.

Oh, and they are making a film version of Uglies, though I don't know when it'll be out.

Westerfeld, Scott. Pretties. New York: Simon Pulse, 2005.

Mrs. D's Summer Reading Log--Breaking Dawn

Finished the book last night...er...this morning, technically. The darn thing kept me up until 2am! This was the last book in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga series and it was okay. The action was great, but the ending was what not. Maybe it's because I read the four books within a month's time, but I don't feel the same sense of "aww, it's over" that I did after HP 7. Excellent series, though, minus this last book. She's writing another book for the series called Midnight Sun, which tells the story of Twilight told from Edward's perspective. It's an interesting concept and I'm excited to see what she does with the story.

The Twilight movie comes out December 12, which is exciting. The movie looks okay, though no film really ever compares to the book for me. While I'm on the website kick, check out Stephenie Meyer's website. She created a soundtrack for each book, which is awesome.

Meyer, Stephenie. Breaking Dawn. New York: Little, Brown, and Company, 2008.

Mrs. D's Summer Reading Log: Eclipse

OMG! I just finished reading Eclipse, the third book in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series, and I loved it. It was better than New Moon, which makes me totally excited for this weekend. That's right, folks! This SATURDAY is THE BIG DAY--Breaking Dawn comes out and I can't wait :) After getting all excited and, after last summer, emotional over the Harry Potter series, I never thought there'd be another series that could get me as excited over a book release--and then I read Twilight.

Meyer, Stephenie. Eclipse. New York: Little, Brown, and Company, 2007.

Mrs. D's Summer Reading Log--New Moon

I read this book at the beginning of the month and realized (because I'm in the middle of Eclipse) that I never posted about it. New Moon is the second book in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series and it picks up right where Twilight left off. I do not want to go into the plot, especially if you've not read Twilight. I'll just say that this is the book where Jacob's character is really developed and it adds a new dimension to Bella's character as a result.

One last thing to note: These books are not just for girls. There is plenty of suspense and action in it that'll captivate any reader. That's all--read these books :) More from this series once I finish Eclipse and Breaking Dawn!



Meyer, Stephenie. New Moon. New York: Little, Brown, and Company, 2006.

Mrs. D's Summer Reading Log--The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

I picked up this YA title last year for my husband because Sherman Alexie is his favorite author. This is Alexie's first YA novel about a boy named Junior (well, Arnold, but everyone on the rez calls him Junior). Junior lives on the reservation with his mom and dad and sister (until she moves away...). He is really candid about life on the rez--his parents are drunks (as are a lot of others), they're poor, he's really smart but people on the rez don't ever go to college, and he's a total nerd. He decides to leave the school on the rez and go to a "white" school to get a better education. There, he is an outsider at first because he's the only Indian there. Then, he makes friends and makes the varsity basketball team. Unfortunately, Junior's life is not without tragedy (I don't want to give anything away...). These events make him realize how important his family and best friend, Rowdy, are and how Indians and whites are not all that different from one another.

Part of Junior's character is that he's an artist, a cartoonist, specifically. Thus, the book is filled with HILARIOUS cartoons and commentary. One thing to note is that while Alexie is writing from the perspective of a 14 year-old boy, he definitely left in some of his adult humor found in his other works. I do think that the occasional swearing and dirty jokes actually make the story more realistic and believable. In the end, the book is less humorous and much more heartwarming.

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2007.

Mrs. D's Summer Reading Log: Persepolis

I just finished reading Persepolis (a memoir) and LOVED IT! Marjane begins with her childhood and what it was like growing up in Iran. She was born in 1970 and, in 1979, the Islamic Revolution began and everything changed. She was forced to wear a veil and go to an all girls' school. Her parents would participate in demonstrations, her uncle was imprisoned and killed, people could no longer play games or participate in anything "western." This meant that Marjane had to hide what she loved from anyone but her family. She once got in trouble for wearing tight jeans, Nike shoes, a denim jacket, and a Michael Jackson button.

When she was 14, she was kicked out of her second French school for talking back to the teacher (and once for hitting a principal who tried to take her bracelet) and her parents decided that it was safer for her in Vienna. So they put her on a plane and off she flew to live and get an education. Her parents said they would move there in six months, but that never happened. In the second part of the book, she writes of her struggles to fit in in Vienna, falling in love (and then being hurt) for the first time, and participating in protests and parties. Then, she comes home to Iran...and I'll leave it at that. I am forever thankful for the freedom to say, do, believe, and wear what I want.

The pictures are wonderful--I especially love the facial expressions. My favorite part, however, is the dialogue. Marjane is so sarcastic and her dry humor is great! This graphic novel has been made into a film and it is a fantastic adaptation. The film is so true to the book and the music really enhanced the story for me. Go read the book and then watch the film.

Satrapi, Marjane. The Complete Persepolis. New York: Pantheon, 2004.

Mrs. D's Summer Reading Log--Crank

This is a NY Times Bestseller novel-in-verse and each page reads like a poem as it advances the plot. This is a fictional story (though based on truth) about 17 year-old Kristina who goes to visit her deadbeat father, meets a boy named Adam, adopts the pseudonym Bree, and tries and becomes addicted to the monster, or crank.

This is her journey with the monster and how it destroys her life. I don't want to say anymore about the plot (more boys, more drugs, more trouble..), but I will say that it was hard to read at times because of the plot. I don't know if it's appropriate for students, though I am sure, like the author states in the beginning, that this story is one that happens more often than we realize.

There is a sequel to this book, called Glass. The author also wrote other novels-in-verse with different plots that are supposed to be good, too. One is called Burned and the other is called Impulse.

Hopkins, Ellen. Crank. New York: Simon Pulse, 2004.

Mrs. D's Summer Reading Log--Stealing Buddha's Dinner

I first heard about this book from one of my students--his cousin is the author! In this memoir, Bich talks about escaping Vietnam after the fall of Saigon and what life was like growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She really struggled with the feeling that she didn't quite fit in anywhere--she didn't feel a connection to the Vietnamese population in GR and certainly didn't feel like the Dutch either.

She talked a lot about the food she loved and reminisced about 80's pop culture (I, too, am a child of the 80's and loved that part). What I liked the most is that she was very real and honest about her feelings towards her family (grandmother, father, step-mother, and later, biological mother), her heritage, and her Caucasian neighbors and school friends. I loved her special relationship with her grandma Noi!

Now, of course, Grand Rapids is a melting pot of ethnicities, but in the early 80's, she was certainly one of few Asians in her school. It must have been so isolating. At any rate, it's a great read, especially for GRap folks!

Nguyen, Bich Minh. Stealing Buddha's Dinner. New York: Viking, 2007.

Mrs. D's Summer Reading Log--Goodbye, Chunky Rice

This is the first graphic novel that I've read and it was such a great read! In Craig Thompson's first graphic novel, we meet a turtle, Chunky Rice, who is moving away and dealing with missing his friend, Dandel (a mouse). He embarks on a journey and meets a lot of wacky characters (a racist boat captain, siamese twins, etc.), but is really grief-stricken over leaving Dandel. Meanwhile, Dandel writes him a letter in a bottle every day, as she does not want to say goodbye to him and misses him, too. I read on Craig Thompson's blog that he wrote this when he was moving and had to say goodbye to his friends. I can see how this would be therapeutic for him. In the end, the message seems to be one of "you don't know what you have until it's gone" and "home is where the heart is." Both sweet, and the friggin' cute turtle and mouse don't hurt, either.

The graphics in this novel are so whimsical and I love the sub-plots of Chunky's friend, Solomon, too. His language is fun (very, "country") and he, too, is dealing with loss. This was such a quick read, but I was smiling the whole way through. Reading this makes me want to read the other graphic novel we own of his called Blankets (my husband tells me that one isn't wholly appropriate for ninth graders, however).

Thompson, Craig. Goodbye, Chunky Rice. New York: Pantheon Books, 1999.

Mrs. D's Summer Reading Log--The Only Road North

The Only Road North, by Erik Mirandette, is the true story of two brothers and their two friends who decide to take a bike trip from Cape Town, South Africa to Cairo, Egypt. I chose to read this book because the author, Erik, and his brother, Alex, are graduates of East Kentwood and I'd read about their story on the news. Erik, the elder brother, decides to take time off from the Air Force Academy and do some missions work in Spain and Morocco. While there, he is saddened by all of the poverty, violence, and disease he sees and really wants to do more. During a month-long trip back home, he talks with his brother about doing more work in Africa. They get two friends to join them on this 9,000 mile journey through the most remote parts of the continent.

To be honest, the four boys are really naive about all the dangers that lie ahead of them. They have their motorbikes and some maintenance supplies; however, they did not make any plans as far as where they'd sleep, for example. Keep in mind that they're young--Alex is only 18! When they come upon a village and need rest, they simply ask a local if they can bunk with his family. They are not always welcome wherever they go and get themselves into some sticky situations, particularly while driving (that's all I'll say).

When they reach Cairo, they are victims of a suicide bomb, are severely injured, and, sadly, Alex does not make it. I'm not giving away anything by stating this (it's on the back cover and was all over the news). I found that part of the book the most challenging to read because it was just so tragic. I am extremely close to my sister and cannot imagine losing her, especially like that. I feel for Erik and his parents and all those who loved Alex. Because of what happened, Erik's faith was tested and, as a person of faith, I cannot imagine why this would happen to such good people. They were on this journey for unselfish reasons--they wanted to help others and did not deserve such pain.

If it's not obvious by now, I loved the book and think that it's a great read for anyone. Their story is one that is important for people to read, not just those of us who have a connection with the Mirandette family.

Mirandette, Erik. The Only Road North: 9,000 Miles of Dirt and Dreams. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007.