Hello dear readers!
Today's post is a reflection of my group's discussion of Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. If you need a refresher, the original review of the book can be found here. And as always, this will contain spoilers.
One of the biggest things we talked about in my group was whether or not Sam was actually reliving each day. One girl proposed that maybe Sam was comatose and the whole thing was happening in her head. I hadn't thought about it like that. The group was then pretty evenly split between those who thought that was the case and those who thought she was really reliving each day.
For me, the story loses something if she's in a comatose state. The changes in Sam's life aren't as impactful and it makes me wonder what the point was. So I believe, for the sake of my own reading sanity, that she really was reliving each day.
Another thing that came up was how impressed we all were at the fact that this is Lauren Oliver's first novel. It's incredibly complex and a bold move for a first book. Which is why we believe it got picked up and published; the concept is huge.
We also talked about the compassion aspect as well. The big thing all of us took away from the book is that it is never too late to change how you treat people, to be a kind human being. You never know how your actions will affect those around you, and it's so important to be kind and compassionate. It could save someone's life.
Finally, we discussed some things we wanted to ask Lauren at our upcoming Skype session. We decided we wanted to ask about whether or not Sam really was reliving each day and about her writing techniques and practices.
(Note: I was really sick the day of the Skype session. If I had been there, it would have it's own blog entery. What I gathered from those who were there is that Lauren was very positive that Sam did in fact relive every day in reality. She also gave some great advice about writing, specifically setting a word count goal. Her's is currently 1000 words a day, but she recommended that you start at 80 a day and work your way up. So disappointed I missed!)
Overall, all of our group members really enjoyed the book. We would recommend it for all high school students and adults alike.
~Meaghan
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Thursday, February 19, 2015
The Lauren Oliver Novel: Before I Fall
Hello dear readers!
Today I am reviewing the young adult novel Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. (Lauren Oliver is an up and coming young adult writer, and actually writes a wide variety of genres. I highly recommend you check out her website if you get the chance.)
Before I Fall is a novel that follow a high school girl named Samantha, or as she prefers, Sam. Sam is one of the popular girls and can get away with just about anything. Her clique that she hangs with can be mean (they bully one girl, Juliette, relentlessly) and snobbish. Think of that group of girls we have all known from high school - you know the ones.
Almost from the get go of the story, Sam ends up in a car crash and dies after we've seen a typical day for her. But she is given a second chance. And a third. And a fourth. In the end, Sam ends up reliving the day of her death a total of seven times. Each time is a chance for her to change things: to change how she lives, how she loves, and how she dies.
The novel is incredibly interesting. We see Sam go from a horrible, selfish girl to a compassionate one who changes the people around her for the better. In the end, Sam still dies. But her death is no longer a freak accident of a mean girl. Instead, it becomes a meaningful death in the place of someone else.
Before I Fall is one of those books I struggled with, but in a good way. At the start of it, I hated Sam with a passion. Memories of the girls who teased me in elementary school (before I was homeschooled) came back and I wanted to punch her in the face. But by the end of the book, her transformation was so amazing that I was bawling my eyes out when I finished. If that doesn't tell you it's worth a read, I don't know what else will.
I do recommend Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. I think adults and high school students alike should read it. It's Oliver's first novel as well, so now I'm incredibly interested in reading the rest of her writing to see how it grows and changes. I highly encourage you to check out Lauren Oliver and especially Before I Fall. It will be worth your time.
~Meaghan
Today I am reviewing the young adult novel Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. (Lauren Oliver is an up and coming young adult writer, and actually writes a wide variety of genres. I highly recommend you check out her website if you get the chance.)
Before I Fall is a novel that follow a high school girl named Samantha, or as she prefers, Sam. Sam is one of the popular girls and can get away with just about anything. Her clique that she hangs with can be mean (they bully one girl, Juliette, relentlessly) and snobbish. Think of that group of girls we have all known from high school - you know the ones.
Almost from the get go of the story, Sam ends up in a car crash and dies after we've seen a typical day for her. But she is given a second chance. And a third. And a fourth. In the end, Sam ends up reliving the day of her death a total of seven times. Each time is a chance for her to change things: to change how she lives, how she loves, and how she dies.
The novel is incredibly interesting. We see Sam go from a horrible, selfish girl to a compassionate one who changes the people around her for the better. In the end, Sam still dies. But her death is no longer a freak accident of a mean girl. Instead, it becomes a meaningful death in the place of someone else.
Before I Fall is one of those books I struggled with, but in a good way. At the start of it, I hated Sam with a passion. Memories of the girls who teased me in elementary school (before I was homeschooled) came back and I wanted to punch her in the face. But by the end of the book, her transformation was so amazing that I was bawling my eyes out when I finished. If that doesn't tell you it's worth a read, I don't know what else will.
I do recommend Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. I think adults and high school students alike should read it. It's Oliver's first novel as well, so now I'm incredibly interested in reading the rest of her writing to see how it grows and changes. I highly encourage you to check out Lauren Oliver and especially Before I Fall. It will be worth your time.
~Meaghan
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Group Discussion: The Book Thief
Hello my readers!
Today I'm posting a reflection of my group's discussion of Markus Zusak's novel The Book Thief. If you have not read the book, there will be spoilers in this post. You have been warned.
The Book Thief takes place in a German town during World War II. It's great in that it gives a different aspect of World War II from the typical view we as readers get in the world of fiction. Instead of focusing on the Nazis and on the death camps, The Book Thief instead focuses on what life was like for a family living in the thick of it. It shows things like how survival depended on being part of the Nazi party even if someone didn't agree or believe in it, and the risks involved with day to day life. It shows that there are two sides to every story and that to save yourself, sometimes impossible choices must be made.
One of the biggest things about The Book Thief is the use of narrator. Death is our narrator through the novel and acts as an omnipresent force remembering his time during the war. Zusak has Death repeat ideas and themes throughout the book, telling readers about things before they happen. When I read The Book Thief, I felt a little frustrated with this because for me, it didn't make things such as bombings and character deaths leave as much of an impact. But through group discussion, it came to light that by having Death foreshadow and repeat so much actually allows young adult readers to absorb the full impact of the situation more. They see it coming and they still have to experience it. Now that I understand that technique, I'm planning on re-reading the book.
Another interesting thing about The Book Thief is the title. Yes, the main character steals books. But Zusak is referring to more than just her. The story is full of people who steal books. Max, the Jew that Lisel's family takes in, has a stolen copy of Mein Kampf that he ends up writing a new story over. Lisel of course steals books. And even Hitler, through organized book burnings, stole books during the war. If you look at The Book Thief with those thoughts in mind, it opens a whole other dimension to the tale.
Through our discussion, my group ultimately decided that The Book Thief is like an onion. It has so many layers that you need to read it multiple times. Each time you read it, your experiences and knowledge causes it to add another dimension of meaning. It's a great book that makes World War II accessible to young adults in a way that is more meaningful and intimate than a documentary or textbook can do.
The Book Thief is a fantastic read that I would recommend to anyone in high school or beyond.
What do you think, dear readers?
~Meaghan
Today I'm posting a reflection of my group's discussion of Markus Zusak's novel The Book Thief. If you have not read the book, there will be spoilers in this post. You have been warned.
The Book Thief takes place in a German town during World War II. It's great in that it gives a different aspect of World War II from the typical view we as readers get in the world of fiction. Instead of focusing on the Nazis and on the death camps, The Book Thief instead focuses on what life was like for a family living in the thick of it. It shows things like how survival depended on being part of the Nazi party even if someone didn't agree or believe in it, and the risks involved with day to day life. It shows that there are two sides to every story and that to save yourself, sometimes impossible choices must be made.
One of the biggest things about The Book Thief is the use of narrator. Death is our narrator through the novel and acts as an omnipresent force remembering his time during the war. Zusak has Death repeat ideas and themes throughout the book, telling readers about things before they happen. When I read The Book Thief, I felt a little frustrated with this because for me, it didn't make things such as bombings and character deaths leave as much of an impact. But through group discussion, it came to light that by having Death foreshadow and repeat so much actually allows young adult readers to absorb the full impact of the situation more. They see it coming and they still have to experience it. Now that I understand that technique, I'm planning on re-reading the book.
Another interesting thing about The Book Thief is the title. Yes, the main character steals books. But Zusak is referring to more than just her. The story is full of people who steal books. Max, the Jew that Lisel's family takes in, has a stolen copy of Mein Kampf that he ends up writing a new story over. Lisel of course steals books. And even Hitler, through organized book burnings, stole books during the war. If you look at The Book Thief with those thoughts in mind, it opens a whole other dimension to the tale.
Through our discussion, my group ultimately decided that The Book Thief is like an onion. It has so many layers that you need to read it multiple times. Each time you read it, your experiences and knowledge causes it to add another dimension of meaning. It's a great book that makes World War II accessible to young adults in a way that is more meaningful and intimate than a documentary or textbook can do.
The Book Thief is a fantastic read that I would recommend to anyone in high school or beyond.
What do you think, dear readers?
~Meaghan
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Classic Novel 2: The Book Thief
Hello readers!
Today I'm going to be giving my review of Markus Zusak's novel The Book Thief.
The Book Thief has been around for a little while and was a book I was actually recommended for reading when I was in upper high school. I never got around to reading it. In hindsight, I'm not sure why I didn't. The story takes places during World War II in Nazi Germany, which is something I've always been interested in. The only thing I can figure the recommendation came during a period where I wasn't reading much.
I was incredibly pleased to read The Book Thief for this literature class, and the book did not disappoint me. As mentioned above, the story takes place in a Nazi Germany town. Most of the action occurs on Himmel Street, which translates into Heaven Street. The narrator is an omnipresent individual (I won't spoil for you who the narrator is in this post) and tells us (the readers) the story of Lisel, a young girl living with a foster family.
The town they reside in is very pro-Hitler. Lisel is forced to participate in the Hitler Youth program and the activities they put on. These contain, among other things, book burnings. Lisel doesn't know how to read in the beginning of the story, but she begins stealing books anyway. As the story progresses, her foster father begins to teach her to read in the basement of their home, until Lisel is reading on her own and able to devour all the books she's stolen.
Through events out of her control - including hiding a Jewish man in the basement, the bomb threats that begin constantly plaguing the street, and the increasing stress from Hitler - we experience Lisel's growth and struggles.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Book Thief. It brought a refreshing take on World War II by showing a different side that we rarely get to see. The book is funny, smart, and emotional. There were parts where I felt the narrator was over explaining their intentions, but I do understand why Zusak chose to write it that way. I highly recommend The Book Thief for high schoolers and adults alike.
What are your thoughts on The Book Thief?
~Meaghan
P.S. : If you want more information on this book or on Markus Zusak, his website can be found here.
Today I'm going to be giving my review of Markus Zusak's novel The Book Thief.
The Book Thief has been around for a little while and was a book I was actually recommended for reading when I was in upper high school. I never got around to reading it. In hindsight, I'm not sure why I didn't. The story takes places during World War II in Nazi Germany, which is something I've always been interested in. The only thing I can figure the recommendation came during a period where I wasn't reading much.
I was incredibly pleased to read The Book Thief for this literature class, and the book did not disappoint me. As mentioned above, the story takes place in a Nazi Germany town. Most of the action occurs on Himmel Street, which translates into Heaven Street. The narrator is an omnipresent individual (I won't spoil for you who the narrator is in this post) and tells us (the readers) the story of Lisel, a young girl living with a foster family.
The town they reside in is very pro-Hitler. Lisel is forced to participate in the Hitler Youth program and the activities they put on. These contain, among other things, book burnings. Lisel doesn't know how to read in the beginning of the story, but she begins stealing books anyway. As the story progresses, her foster father begins to teach her to read in the basement of their home, until Lisel is reading on her own and able to devour all the books she's stolen.
Through events out of her control - including hiding a Jewish man in the basement, the bomb threats that begin constantly plaguing the street, and the increasing stress from Hitler - we experience Lisel's growth and struggles.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Book Thief. It brought a refreshing take on World War II by showing a different side that we rarely get to see. The book is funny, smart, and emotional. There were parts where I felt the narrator was over explaining their intentions, but I do understand why Zusak chose to write it that way. I highly recommend The Book Thief for high schoolers and adults alike.
What are your thoughts on The Book Thief?
~Meaghan
P.S. : If you want more information on this book or on Markus Zusak, his website can be found here.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Group Discussion: Looking for Alaska
Hello my readers!
Last week, my class broke into small groups to discuss the first classic novel we read for Young Adult Literature. This post is a reflection of that discussion and will contain spoilers for Looking for Alaska by John Green and, to a lesser extent, spoilers for The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.
You have been warned.
The group I was in was comprised of five students, including myself. We had all read the John Green novel Looking for Alaska. (For a brief summary of the book, check out my post here.) Our discussion started with the ending. How did the ambiguity of the ending (never really finding out if Alaska died from just an accident or if it was a suicide) impact the book?
I feel like we all struggled a little with it. I know I did. What we ultimately came up with was that the ambiguous ending made the book more powerful. By not knowing for sure what really happened, Looking for Alaska has a duality when you read it. If you believe it's a suicide, you read it a little bit differently than if you believe it's an accident. This makes the book more relatable for the teens who read it: almost everyone knows of someone who has died of either suicide or an accident, and it lets both spectrums of youth feel less alone.
Another thing we noted in our discussion was how Alaska's death happens in the middle of the book. Most books have the death of a character near the end, so you never really get to see how their friends handle the grief. Because the accident happens in the middle of the book, we as readers get to see how Pudge and his friends deal with their grief. We get to watch them continue to grow; it makes for a refreshing take on a book like this.
What makes Looking for Alaska so great is that there is the whole countdown (the sections in the first half of the book are listed as "x days before") to the death which causes the reader to get dragged into the book. We really loved that in our group. Then you have the opposite ("x days after") after the accident. We decided that this technique of writing and labeling gives teens the incentive they need to stick with the book to the end.
Finally, we all agreed that Looking for Alaska has a very "Breakfast Club" kind of vibe. The kids are ultimately a group of misfits that band together so they survive this boarding school they reside at. It's something every generation can relate with and makes the book humorous as well as meaningful for everyone who reads it.
Overall, Looking for Alaska is a mature book that we would recommend to upper high schoolers. The ambiguity of how Alaska died is crucial in making it more relatable to youth and adults, and the countdown in labeling the sections is important in helping readers stay engaged throughout.
Looking for Alaska was not the only book option we had for our Classic Novel selection. The groups for each other book gave us a blurb about what to expect with the other three books in the Classic Novel 1 section. Here is what I took away from each:
The One and Only Ivan is a book about a gorilla living in a mall. When a baby elephant is brought in to be on display with him, he gets mad and decides that living in an enclosure is no life for her. The spokesperson form the group that read it said it's a great book geared for middle school. He told us not to judge text by size; even though the book is filled with larger print, the story is immensely complex. He explained that the book contains many levels of complexity and great one liners. Overall, he would recommend that you have young readers read it twice (once in middle school and once again in high school) so that they can gather all the levels in it.
American Born Chinese is a graphic novel about the lengths teens go to fit in. The group leader explained that it's comprised of three different stories that all wrap together with the use of mythology, the Bible, and modern day settings. He told us that it explores the use of stereotypes in America as well as cultural differences across the board. The book is recommended for high schoolers and is something that a lot of young people can relate to on some level.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a down to earth read for teens. It follows a teen who group up on a reservation and decides to go to a white school. The group leader for it explained to us that it really is about taking risks and finding yourself, which is something all teenagers are trying to do. The book is filled with humor and drawings. She also said that the writing comes off as extremely honest, which is something that teens need. Overall, the book is recommended for 9th and 10th grades.
So what did I learn from all of this?
It's so important to have books and stories that young adults can relate to. The view of the world can be similar, but far away enough that it's easier for the readers to deal with than if it's happening to the young adult in real life. This allows the teens to explore their own world in a safe environment and gives them ways to deal with what is going on in their own lives.
Also, the world of Young Adult Literature is a great bridge for the gap between young adults and adults. If you read the books, you know what your students are possibly dealing with; it also encourages the youth to trust you because you aren't shying away from them. Overall, young adults and adults can find a middle ground through reading.
What are your thoughts?
~Meaghan
Last week, my class broke into small groups to discuss the first classic novel we read for Young Adult Literature. This post is a reflection of that discussion and will contain spoilers for Looking for Alaska by John Green and, to a lesser extent, spoilers for The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.
You have been warned.
The group I was in was comprised of five students, including myself. We had all read the John Green novel Looking for Alaska. (For a brief summary of the book, check out my post here.) Our discussion started with the ending. How did the ambiguity of the ending (never really finding out if Alaska died from just an accident or if it was a suicide) impact the book?
I feel like we all struggled a little with it. I know I did. What we ultimately came up with was that the ambiguous ending made the book more powerful. By not knowing for sure what really happened, Looking for Alaska has a duality when you read it. If you believe it's a suicide, you read it a little bit differently than if you believe it's an accident. This makes the book more relatable for the teens who read it: almost everyone knows of someone who has died of either suicide or an accident, and it lets both spectrums of youth feel less alone.
Another thing we noted in our discussion was how Alaska's death happens in the middle of the book. Most books have the death of a character near the end, so you never really get to see how their friends handle the grief. Because the accident happens in the middle of the book, we as readers get to see how Pudge and his friends deal with their grief. We get to watch them continue to grow; it makes for a refreshing take on a book like this.
What makes Looking for Alaska so great is that there is the whole countdown (the sections in the first half of the book are listed as "x days before") to the death which causes the reader to get dragged into the book. We really loved that in our group. Then you have the opposite ("x days after") after the accident. We decided that this technique of writing and labeling gives teens the incentive they need to stick with the book to the end.
Finally, we all agreed that Looking for Alaska has a very "Breakfast Club" kind of vibe. The kids are ultimately a group of misfits that band together so they survive this boarding school they reside at. It's something every generation can relate with and makes the book humorous as well as meaningful for everyone who reads it.
Overall, Looking for Alaska is a mature book that we would recommend to upper high schoolers. The ambiguity of how Alaska died is crucial in making it more relatable to youth and adults, and the countdown in labeling the sections is important in helping readers stay engaged throughout.
Looking for Alaska was not the only book option we had for our Classic Novel selection. The groups for each other book gave us a blurb about what to expect with the other three books in the Classic Novel 1 section. Here is what I took away from each:
The One and Only Ivan is a book about a gorilla living in a mall. When a baby elephant is brought in to be on display with him, he gets mad and decides that living in an enclosure is no life for her. The spokesperson form the group that read it said it's a great book geared for middle school. He told us not to judge text by size; even though the book is filled with larger print, the story is immensely complex. He explained that the book contains many levels of complexity and great one liners. Overall, he would recommend that you have young readers read it twice (once in middle school and once again in high school) so that they can gather all the levels in it.
American Born Chinese is a graphic novel about the lengths teens go to fit in. The group leader explained that it's comprised of three different stories that all wrap together with the use of mythology, the Bible, and modern day settings. He told us that it explores the use of stereotypes in America as well as cultural differences across the board. The book is recommended for high schoolers and is something that a lot of young people can relate to on some level.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a down to earth read for teens. It follows a teen who group up on a reservation and decides to go to a white school. The group leader for it explained to us that it really is about taking risks and finding yourself, which is something all teenagers are trying to do. The book is filled with humor and drawings. She also said that the writing comes off as extremely honest, which is something that teens need. Overall, the book is recommended for 9th and 10th grades.
So what did I learn from all of this?
It's so important to have books and stories that young adults can relate to. The view of the world can be similar, but far away enough that it's easier for the readers to deal with than if it's happening to the young adult in real life. This allows the teens to explore their own world in a safe environment and gives them ways to deal with what is going on in their own lives.
Also, the world of Young Adult Literature is a great bridge for the gap between young adults and adults. If you read the books, you know what your students are possibly dealing with; it also encourages the youth to trust you because you aren't shying away from them. Overall, young adults and adults can find a middle ground through reading.
What are your thoughts?
~Meaghan
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