Hey there readers!
One of the assignments for our YA lit class was to give a "Book Talk" to our class about a young adult novel that we enjoy. A "Book Talk" is basically where you have three minutes to try to sell the class on why they should read your book. You need to be engaging, bring a copy of the book, and read a small section of the book aloud.
The book I gave my talk on was Luna by Julie Anne Peters. The story follows Regan, a high school girl who deals with the basic troubles of life: babysitting, getting good grades in her advanced classes, crushes on guys she's friends with, female friend trouble, and of course her relationship with her parents. But there's one part of Regan's life that doesn't fit the normal equation: her older sibling. By day, he's Liam: brother, son, and high school genius. At night, he becomes Luna: sister, prom queen wanna be, and make up expert. The story deals with gender roles, expectations, what it means to be transgender, and how being transgender can affect a family.
I read Luna when I was in high school and it has stuck with me every since. It's really well done and is absolutely heartbreaking in places. I remember being 16 or 17 and just bawling my eyes out by the end. Peters writes in a way that gets you emotionally involved with her characters and that tackles issues without being in your face about it. (I read a lot of her stuff as teen; I really loved Define Normal which follows two teens - one a prep and one a goth - as they become friends through a school counseling program.) She's also a local author (which you can read about on her website) who I had the fortune to meet through a writer's group I was in as a teen.
I highly recommend Luna, especially if you're looking for something in the LGBTQ genre for highschoolers.
~Meaghan
Showing posts with label high school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label high school. Show all posts
Sunday, April 26, 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
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