Hi my dear readers!
The other author present at the Colorado Teen Literature Conference was Andrew Smith. Like with Wendelin Van Draanen, we were asked to read a book by Smith so that we would be prepared to meet at the conference. (Andrew Smith is nothing like I imagined. I expected a somewhat young and hip author; this video interview actually shows what he's really like. It's awesome.)
The book I picked for the Smith selection was Grasshopper Jungle. The premise is that the world is going to end due to giant preying mantises, but there's this high school love triangle that is taking place that is waaay more interesting than the mantises. Everything is over the top, from body odor to what girls think of guys. It was a fun read that I read in a single day.
In group, we got to talking about why this book made so many waves in the YA market. We decided it was because Grasshopper Jungle is so over the top and in your face about everything. One of the things that came up was wondering if Smith drew from his students for this book. Like, did he take all of the drama that they deal with and make it into this exaggerated narrative. It worked, if that was the case. All of us agreed that the book was humorous and a great read.
The only criticism we had for it was the ending. None of us liked how the story ended.
I would recommend Grasshopper Jungle for high school students and beyond. There is a little bit of crude and graphic stuff in it, but not enough to ruin the story. It will have you cracking up and I highly recommend it.
~Meaghan
Sunday, April 26, 2015
CTLC Novel: Runaway and Group Discussion
Hello my dear readers!
You may remember my blog about the Colorado Teen Literature Conference (found here) and how as a volunteer I got to meet Andrew Smith and Wendelin Van Draanen. Well, before the conference, we were required to pick a text by each author to read and discuss so that we would understand why they have the impact on the YA literature market that they do.
The first one was Wendelin Van Draanen. Wendelin is awesome and a little over hyper, which makes her even more likable in my mind. (Here is a great interview video of her so you can see what I mean.) I chose to read Runaway for her selection.
Runaway is about a 6th grade girl named Holly who runs away from the foster care system and keeps a journal of her day to day life. It's the kind of book I would have gravitated to as a middle school student, it really is. I have always been writing, and while I didn't start keeping an actual journal until I was 15, I know how it feels to need to write about things.
I thought I was going to love it. I didn't even finish it. It just seemed to drag on and on for me.
When we talked about it in group, a lot of the members said they felt like Holly seemed too old for her age. Maybe that's part of why I struggled with it. We wondered if maybe it was because kids in that situation are forced to grow up faster than they should, so they come across as older. Another thing that was prevalent through the book was Van Draanen's idea of "Hope in the Mail". There was a lot of hope by the end of the book (I skipped to the ending and read it) and peppered throughout.
The writing style really does a good job of speaking for the character of Holly though. There are bits of poetry throughout, and you really get a sense of how angry Holly is until the end. I think maybe I just wasn't in the right place to read this book right now; Van Draanen is a very good writer and me not getting through is not a reflection of her.
Overall, this is a middle to early high school book. The consensus in our group is that everyone should give it a look.
~Meaghan
You may remember my blog about the Colorado Teen Literature Conference (found here) and how as a volunteer I got to meet Andrew Smith and Wendelin Van Draanen. Well, before the conference, we were required to pick a text by each author to read and discuss so that we would understand why they have the impact on the YA literature market that they do.
The first one was Wendelin Van Draanen. Wendelin is awesome and a little over hyper, which makes her even more likable in my mind. (Here is a great interview video of her so you can see what I mean.) I chose to read Runaway for her selection.
Runaway is about a 6th grade girl named Holly who runs away from the foster care system and keeps a journal of her day to day life. It's the kind of book I would have gravitated to as a middle school student, it really is. I have always been writing, and while I didn't start keeping an actual journal until I was 15, I know how it feels to need to write about things.
I thought I was going to love it. I didn't even finish it. It just seemed to drag on and on for me.
When we talked about it in group, a lot of the members said they felt like Holly seemed too old for her age. Maybe that's part of why I struggled with it. We wondered if maybe it was because kids in that situation are forced to grow up faster than they should, so they come across as older. Another thing that was prevalent through the book was Van Draanen's idea of "Hope in the Mail". There was a lot of hope by the end of the book (I skipped to the ending and read it) and peppered throughout.
The writing style really does a good job of speaking for the character of Holly though. There are bits of poetry throughout, and you really get a sense of how angry Holly is until the end. I think maybe I just wasn't in the right place to read this book right now; Van Draanen is a very good writer and me not getting through is not a reflection of her.
Overall, this is a middle to early high school book. The consensus in our group is that everyone should give it a look.
~Meaghan
The Verse Novel: Crank
Hey there, my readers!
One important genre of YA literature is the verse novel. These novels are written in poetic form. This allows the words to take multiple meanings and the lines to take various shapes, much like in poetry. The subject material can range from biographical to completely fictional.
I read Crank by Ellen Hopkins as my verse novel choice. Hopkins wrote the book in verse form after her daughter dealt with drug addiction. It explores the chaos meth can place on you and your family, as well as how sometimes you don't realize how much you're giving to the drug until you hit rock bottom. Hopkins has a great website that has a place for adults as well as a place for young adults. The adult site focuses on her new adult novels while the YA site has resources for students and teachers.
Crank was a difficult read for me, based on the subject material. Hopkins doesn't shy away from any of the nitty gritty details that go with drug addiction: loss of friends, rape, drug deals gone bad, family struggles, withdrawl. It's all there. Which I think is a good thing, because everyone (especially teens) need to see what comes with the high. The ending was hopeful, which is equally important because it is possible to get better and for things to heal.
The verse form was especially powerful in this book. There are places where you can read across the columns or you can read just one side or the other; both impact the meaning of the story and lend to the madness of the situation. It can be a fairly quick read or it can take longer, depending on how you process it. For me, I had to read sections twice to fully grasp the impact of them.
Crank is also part of a series. It's the first book. The other books in the series follow what happened after the events set in motion. It is considered a work of fiction even though it is loosely based on Hopkins' experiences with her daughter.
I recommend Crank for 11th and 12th grade, and beyond. Younger than that and I think it might be a little difficult. I do think that even with the hard material, everyone should read it. Don't shy away.
~Meaghan
One important genre of YA literature is the verse novel. These novels are written in poetic form. This allows the words to take multiple meanings and the lines to take various shapes, much like in poetry. The subject material can range from biographical to completely fictional.
I read Crank by Ellen Hopkins as my verse novel choice. Hopkins wrote the book in verse form after her daughter dealt with drug addiction. It explores the chaos meth can place on you and your family, as well as how sometimes you don't realize how much you're giving to the drug until you hit rock bottom. Hopkins has a great website that has a place for adults as well as a place for young adults. The adult site focuses on her new adult novels while the YA site has resources for students and teachers.
Crank was a difficult read for me, based on the subject material. Hopkins doesn't shy away from any of the nitty gritty details that go with drug addiction: loss of friends, rape, drug deals gone bad, family struggles, withdrawl. It's all there. Which I think is a good thing, because everyone (especially teens) need to see what comes with the high. The ending was hopeful, which is equally important because it is possible to get better and for things to heal.
The verse form was especially powerful in this book. There are places where you can read across the columns or you can read just one side or the other; both impact the meaning of the story and lend to the madness of the situation. It can be a fairly quick read or it can take longer, depending on how you process it. For me, I had to read sections twice to fully grasp the impact of them.
Crank is also part of a series. It's the first book. The other books in the series follow what happened after the events set in motion. It is considered a work of fiction even though it is loosely based on Hopkins' experiences with her daughter.
I recommend Crank for 11th and 12th grade, and beyond. Younger than that and I think it might be a little difficult. I do think that even with the hard material, everyone should read it. Don't shy away.
~Meaghan
Colorado Teen Literature Conference: Reflection
Hi again, my readers!
A few weeks ago I had the great fortune of volunteering for the Colorado Teen Literature Conference (CTLC), which is a statewide conference for teens and adults alike. There are local authors as well as headliners, classes on various subjects that you can attend all day, and places to buy items from local vendors and authors. (Their website is here and is awesome.)
I had never been before or even heard about it before, so volunteering for it was a great way to get introduced to what CTLC is all about. Most of what I was doing was directing visitors to the various places on my school's campus so they could find their seminars and classes easily. I also got to participate in classes if I felt inclined (I went to one on fairytales in YA literature and now have like 20 more books on my "To Read" list on GoodReads) and hear the guest speakers present.
This year, the guest speakers were Andrew Smith, author of Grasshopper Jungles, and Wendelin Van Draanen, author of Runaway. They were amazing. Hearing them speak about why they became writers was one of the most inspirational experiences of my life.
Wendelin started writing as a way to cope (she called it revenge writing) when her family's business was destroyed in an arson act. She used to teach computer programming and math at the high school level and wrote in her free time. When she decided to start sending things to publishers, she came up with the term "Hope in the Mail"; what it means is that as long as something is out there, there's hope.
Andrew is a high school English teacher and also writes in his free time. He mostly wrote things for himself and was convinced by a friend of his to send some of his stuff off to a publisher. He now has two contracts and writes two novels a year while teaching. One of his books required for him to figure out how many miles the earth moves in a period of time. The answer is 20 miles in five seconds. He tries to encourage all his students to stop thinking about what they're going to do with the rest of their lives; instead, he wants them to think of what they're going to from 20 miles to the next.
I was able to meet both the authors and get Andrew to sign my book. I also got this wickedly awesome picture with Andrew that Wendelin photo bombed. Of course I blinked.
It was fantastic. If you get the chance to go to CTLC, I highly recommend you take it.
~Meaghan
A few weeks ago I had the great fortune of volunteering for the Colorado Teen Literature Conference (CTLC), which is a statewide conference for teens and adults alike. There are local authors as well as headliners, classes on various subjects that you can attend all day, and places to buy items from local vendors and authors. (Their website is here and is awesome.)
I had never been before or even heard about it before, so volunteering for it was a great way to get introduced to what CTLC is all about. Most of what I was doing was directing visitors to the various places on my school's campus so they could find their seminars and classes easily. I also got to participate in classes if I felt inclined (I went to one on fairytales in YA literature and now have like 20 more books on my "To Read" list on GoodReads) and hear the guest speakers present.
This year, the guest speakers were Andrew Smith, author of Grasshopper Jungles, and Wendelin Van Draanen, author of Runaway. They were amazing. Hearing them speak about why they became writers was one of the most inspirational experiences of my life.
Wendelin started writing as a way to cope (she called it revenge writing) when her family's business was destroyed in an arson act. She used to teach computer programming and math at the high school level and wrote in her free time. When she decided to start sending things to publishers, she came up with the term "Hope in the Mail"; what it means is that as long as something is out there, there's hope.
Andrew is a high school English teacher and also writes in his free time. He mostly wrote things for himself and was convinced by a friend of his to send some of his stuff off to a publisher. He now has two contracts and writes two novels a year while teaching. One of his books required for him to figure out how many miles the earth moves in a period of time. The answer is 20 miles in five seconds. He tries to encourage all his students to stop thinking about what they're going to do with the rest of their lives; instead, he wants them to think of what they're going to from 20 miles to the next.
I was able to meet both the authors and get Andrew to sign my book. I also got this wickedly awesome picture with Andrew that Wendelin photo bombed. Of course I blinked.
It was fantastic. If you get the chance to go to CTLC, I highly recommend you take it.
~Meaghan
Book Talks: Luna
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
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
Supernatural Fiction: The Graveyard Book
Hello again dear readers!
So in my YA lit class, we read supernatural fiction. Supernatural fiction isn't anything new to the genre (remember Goosebumps from elementary school anyone?) and can be seen, in my opinion, as an introduction to the horror genre. That isn't to say they are all scary, though.
I read Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book as my selection for the supernatural. I'll be completely honest: I'm not a huge Gaiman fan. I tried to read Stardust but got bored with it a third of the way through. I also tried American Gods and had similar trouble. But The Graveyard Book was something altogether different.
The first time I read it was for Children's Literature last year, so this was my second reading. I enjoyed it completely both times. The Graveyard Book follows young Nobody Owens. Nobody's family is murdered when he is a baby and yet he somehow evades the killer (named Jack) by crawling to the graveyard up the hill. The hosts of the graveyard (ghosts) take him in and raise him as one of their own. His mentor is a vampire named Silas. As Bod (his nickname) grows older, his adventures become more and more wild. By the end of the story, he has to face the killer of his family as a young man.
The writing is well done and the story is great. It is a middle school level book, so it's less intense than some of Gaiman's other works (like the ones I mentioned above that I couldn't get through). The pages are set up in a manner so that there are some illustrations to help guide the story along. There are also places where the page layout lends to the feel of the story, such as a dark background around a chapter opening.
I highly recommend The Graveyard Book. Even if you are like me and struggle with Gaiman's work, I think this one is worth a try.
(Also, here is some fantastic fanart that fans of the book have done. Harper Collins publishes it on their Tumblr page. I am impressed.)
~Meaghan
So in my YA lit class, we read supernatural fiction. Supernatural fiction isn't anything new to the genre (remember Goosebumps from elementary school anyone?) and can be seen, in my opinion, as an introduction to the horror genre. That isn't to say they are all scary, though.
I read Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book as my selection for the supernatural. I'll be completely honest: I'm not a huge Gaiman fan. I tried to read Stardust but got bored with it a third of the way through. I also tried American Gods and had similar trouble. But The Graveyard Book was something altogether different.
The first time I read it was for Children's Literature last year, so this was my second reading. I enjoyed it completely both times. The Graveyard Book follows young Nobody Owens. Nobody's family is murdered when he is a baby and yet he somehow evades the killer (named Jack) by crawling to the graveyard up the hill. The hosts of the graveyard (ghosts) take him in and raise him as one of their own. His mentor is a vampire named Silas. As Bod (his nickname) grows older, his adventures become more and more wild. By the end of the story, he has to face the killer of his family as a young man.
The writing is well done and the story is great. It is a middle school level book, so it's less intense than some of Gaiman's other works (like the ones I mentioned above that I couldn't get through). The pages are set up in a manner so that there are some illustrations to help guide the story along. There are also places where the page layout lends to the feel of the story, such as a dark background around a chapter opening.
I highly recommend The Graveyard Book. Even if you are like me and struggle with Gaiman's work, I think this one is worth a try.
(Also, here is some fantastic fanart that fans of the book have done. Harper Collins publishes it on their Tumblr page. I am impressed.)
~Meaghan
Science Fiction Novel: Feed and Group Discussion
Hello dear readers!
For my YA lit class, one section of material we covered was science fiction. The selection I picked was Feed by M.T. Anderson, a novel in which everyone in a future society has tech systems embedded in their heads that are constantly marketing to each individual. When the main character meets a girl named Violet who wants to break the system and break free of the "feed", he thinks she's nuts initially. But as the story progresses, he begins to understand why she's doing what she does.
(M.T. Anderson is a really interesting writer. If you go to his website, it's very much "steampunk" which I think speaks for his writing. I recommend checking out his books.)
In our group, we had an interesting discussion about the role of technology in the lives of kids today. Many kids can't be seen without their smartphones in hands, checking Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr. The premise of Feed is that these streams would be pushed directly into the minds of everyone who had a "feed". The interesting thing is that Anderson wrote this novel in 2001, which was before the Facebook boom.
Another interesting thing about Feed is that the language is very dumbed down. The reason for this is to make a point that too much technology can reverse the learning process. We felt this was a very deliberate choice on Anderson's part; while it does make the novel hard to read in some places, it gets the feeling of this society all about consumption across well.
Overall, I enjoyed Feed. I think it could be a really good launch point for discussion with teens and adults alike.
~Meaghan
For my YA lit class, one section of material we covered was science fiction. The selection I picked was Feed by M.T. Anderson, a novel in which everyone in a future society has tech systems embedded in their heads that are constantly marketing to each individual. When the main character meets a girl named Violet who wants to break the system and break free of the "feed", he thinks she's nuts initially. But as the story progresses, he begins to understand why she's doing what she does.
(M.T. Anderson is a really interesting writer. If you go to his website, it's very much "steampunk" which I think speaks for his writing. I recommend checking out his books.)
In our group, we had an interesting discussion about the role of technology in the lives of kids today. Many kids can't be seen without their smartphones in hands, checking Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr. The premise of Feed is that these streams would be pushed directly into the minds of everyone who had a "feed". The interesting thing is that Anderson wrote this novel in 2001, which was before the Facebook boom.
Another interesting thing about Feed is that the language is very dumbed down. The reason for this is to make a point that too much technology can reverse the learning process. We felt this was a very deliberate choice on Anderson's part; while it does make the novel hard to read in some places, it gets the feeling of this society all about consumption across well.
Overall, I enjoyed Feed. I think it could be a really good launch point for discussion with teens and adults alike.
~Meaghan
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)