Week 7: Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice

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 Book Summary:

This biographical book is about the real spark that started the Montgomery bus boycott. Claudette Colvin was just 15 years old and was tired of being treated like a 2^nd class citizen. She decided one day not to give up her seat to a white lady and it got her arrested. She did not even violate the bus seating laws of that time but she was still arrested and mistreated along the way. Rosa Parks does later also protest on the bus but Claudette did it first. She continues to fight this injustice as a plaintiff in Browder v. Gayle. She and the other plaintiffs were successful in the suit and struck down the segregation laws in Montgomery. This book is suited for grades 7-12.  

APA Reference:

Hoose, P. (2009). Claudette Colvin: Twice toward justice. New York, NY: Melanie Kroupa

            Books.

My Impressions:

I really enjoyed learning more about the Montgomery bus boycott and how Claudette was the real inspiration. I had no idea there was someone before Rosa Parks. While Rosa does have her place in history, and a vital one, Claudette, a 15 year old girl, was the first brave one to fight for her rights to be equal. I think the teens that read this book will be inspired to stand up for what they believe in. It is always more interesting for this age group of students (or any, really) to have a peer aged character to read about. It really allows them to become more engaged in the story, especially when it is about a historic event. I was pleased to see that Dr. Martin King, Jr. supported Claudette in her cause. The author also does a good job telling the truths of the time (regarding Claudette’s teen pregnancy) while still remaining respectful.     

Professional Review:

“Gr. 7-12. Nine months before Rosa Parks’ history-making protest on a city bus, Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old Montgomery, Alabama, high-school student, was arrested and jailed for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger. Hoose draws from numerous personal interviews with Colvin in this exceptional title that is part historical account, part memoir. Hoose’s lucid explanations of background figures and events alternate with lengthy passages in Colvin’s own words, and the mix of voices creates a comprehensive view of the Montgomery bus boycott and the landmark court case, Browder v. Gayle, that grew from it. At the center of the headline-grabbing turmoil is teenager Colvin, who became pregnant during the boycott; and her frank, candid words about both her personal and political experiences will galvanize young readers. On each attractively designed spread, text boxes and archival images, including photos and reproduced documents, extend the gripping story. As in Hoose’s We Were There, Too! Young People in U.S. History (2001), this inspiring title shows the incredible difference that a single young person can make, even as it demonstrates the multitude of interconnected lives that create and sustain a political movement. Thorough chapter notes and suggestions for further reading close this title, which will find an avid readership beyond the classroom.”

Review Reference:

Engberg, G. (2009, February 1). [Review of the book Claudette Colvin: Twice toward justice, by

            P. Hoose]. Booklist, 105(11), 49. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/  

Library Uses:

Focus ages: grades 7-12

This book could be a part of a display during Black History Month. A teaser could be displayed with it letting the students know that Claudette was really the first Montgomery bus protestor, and she was only 15 years old. This would draw the students’ attention and they would be more likely to pick the book up and read more.

This would be a great book to do a book talk on during Black History Month using the same teaser mentioned above. This talk would be done in the English classes and would hopefully bring students to the library to check it out.

Week 6: Turtle in Paradise

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Book Summary:

Turtle is the main character in this coming of age book. She gets her name from hiding behind a shell, like a turtle, and not letting many people in. She does not like children and thinks they are basically rotten. She learned how to keep people at arms length because her mom is never able to have and hold onto any relationships. She is always looking for Mr. Right. Turtle is sent to spend some time with relatives she hardly knows and ends up learning how to create friendships. She also learns a lot about growing up and standing on her own two feet. Even though this is a learning trip for her, she does have some scary and exciting adventures including treasure hunts and finding out about long, lost relatives she never knew she had. It takes place during the Great Depression era, so there are many references to olden times and old Hollywood, but children of this modern era can still relate to many situations. This Newbery Honor book will surely entertain children, especially grades 3-6.

APA Reference:

Holm, J. L. (2010). Turtle in paradise. New York, NY: Random House. 

My Impressions:

I really like this book and how it addresses Turtle’s psychological well-being, in a little less serious manner. She begins the book being closed off to most relationships because she and her mother have had so many disappointments with them in the past. Her mom, however, keeps on trying to find the perfect man. Turtle, on the other hand, keeps herself closed off, at least until she moves to be with her cousins. While in Florida, Turtle learns to open up a little more. She learns to be more responsible. I like the surprises the author has for her when she meets her grandma and when she discovers another very important long, lost relative. When the book ends with her mom coming to get her and them both finding happiness in the arms of family and hopefully, a new nuclear family, I was very satisfied. I felt so sorry for her having to be on her own and never really being able to experience the family she surely has always wanted. Even though this story was set back in the 30’s, I think children of today can relate to the issues single parents have and issues we all have with our own extended family. In the end, though, they are family. I think that theme will resonate and be a positive message for elementary aged students.

  

Professional Review:

“Eleven-year-old Turtle is not one to suffer fools gladly. And she runs into a lot of fools, especially the no-goods her starry-eyed mother meets. So it's a tough little Turtle who arrives in Key West in June of 1935. She's been sent to Florida to stay with relatives because her mother's latest housekeeping job doesn't allow children. Unfortunately, Mama has neglected to tell Aunt Minnie she's coming, and Turtle gets the stink eye from cousins with monikers like Buddy and Beans. As Turtle soon learns, everything is different in Key West, from the fruit hanging on trees to the scorpions in nightgowns to the ways kids earn money. She can't be part of her cousins' Diaper Gang (no girls allowed), which takes care of fussy babies, but when she finds a treasure map, she hopes she'll be on Easy Street like Little Orphan Annie. Holm uses family stories as the basis for this tale, part romp, part steely-eyed look at the Depression era. Reminiscent of Addie in the movie Paper Moon, Turtle is just the right mixture of knowingness and hope; the plot is a hilarious blend of family dramas seasoned with a dollop of adventure. The many references to 1930s entertainments (Terry and the Pirates, Shirley Temple) will mostly go over kids' heads, but they'll get how much comics and movies meant to a population desperate for smiles. An author's note (with photos) shows Holm's family close-up.”

Review Reference:

Cooper, I. (2010, April 15). [Review of the book Turtle in paradise, by J. L. Holm]. Booklist,

            106(16), 60. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/

Library Uses:

Focus ages: grades 3-6

This book would be a good addition to a “Summer is Coming” themed display. The librarian can display it a right after spring break so the students have a chance to check it out, along with other themed books, before school is out.

This book would be a fun read aloud and summer collage inspiration. The teacher and librarian could take turns reading the book over time and when completed, the students can create a collage of summertime pictures and trinkets.

Week 6: Tomas and the Library Lady

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Book Summary:

This book is about a migrant farming family who travels from Iowa to Texas to work the crops at harvesting time. Tomas visits the library and makes a new friend in the librarian. She encourages him to read and to keep learning. They read together sometimes and he even teaches her some Spanish words. When he reads, he gets lost in the books. He loves his time in the library. Nevertheless, one day he has to leave Iowa again and head for Texas. He has to say goodbye to his new friend but she presents him with his very own book. He shares this book with his family and keeps reading and learning. This book is well suited for grades 2-4.

APA Reference:

Mora, P. (1997). Tomas and the library lady. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

My Impressions:

I really liked this book. Of course, anytime a teacher or librarian encourages a student to read and they end of loving it, that makes for a great book. I liked that the author was using true life events to inspire this story. This helps it be more historically accurate. I enjoyed learning about migrant farmers in more detail. I really appreciate any book that helps children learn about different cultures. It was a little sad when Tomas had to leave Iowa and the library lady to go back to Texas, but he obviously kept on reading and learning. In real life, Tomas went on to become a very well educated person. He was a writer, professor, and university chancellor in California. I think the fact that this was based on true events, makes it a more appealing book. I think children would also enjoy that fact and it also give the book more authority on the subject. Raul Colon, the illustrator, also helps bring an honest look at migrant life with his detailed artwork.  

Professional Review:

“Ages 4-8. From the immigrant slums of New York City to the fields of California, it's an elemental American experience: the uprooted child who finds a home in the library. Mora's story is based on a true incident in the life of the famous writer Tomas Rivera, the son of migrant workers who became an education leader and university president. Far from his home in Texas, the small boy is working with his family picking corn in Iowa. Inspired by the Spanish stories his grandfather (Papa Grande) tells, Tomas goes to the library to find more stories. The librarian welcomes him into the cool, quiet reading room and gives him books in English that he reads to himself and to his family. He teaches her some Spanish words. Then, as in so many migrant stories, the boy must leave the home he has found. He has a new, sad word for her, "adios. It means goodbye." Colon's beautiful scratchboard illustrations, in his textured, glowingly colored, rhythmic style, capture the warmth and the dreams that the boy finds in the world of books. The pictures are upbeat; little stress is shown; even in the fields, the kids could be playing kick ball or listening to stories. Perhaps the most moving picture is that of the child outside the library door, his face pressed against the pane. In contrast is the peaceful space he finds inside, where he is free to imagine dinosaurs and wild adventure.”

Review Reference:

Rochman, H. (1997, August). [Review of the book Tomas and the library lady, by P. Mora].

            Booklist, 93(22), 1906. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/  

Library Uses:

Focus ages: grades 2-4

This book can be used in a display of Latin American books.

This book can be used in a read aloud then the librarian and classroom teacher can use it in an extension activity. The students can write about a time when someone helped them. This would be great practice for the state writing tests, as well. 

Week 5: Unwind

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Book Summary:

This book is set in the future in a dystopian society. The government is abusing technology and has almost complete control over its people. Parents are able to abort their children if they decide to when the kids are between the ages of 13 and 17. They call it being “unwound”. You can be unwound if you are tithed to society, are a troublemaker and your parents are tired of you, are an orphan and do not show enough special talent to keep draining the states’ services, or for many other reasons. Those are the reasons the three main characters are on the run from society, however. They are trying to avoid their unwinding. If they do get caught, they will be unwound, their organs will be donated, and they will cease to exist as a whole entity…a person. This Scifi thriller is best suited for young adult readers, grades 9 and up.

APA Reference:

Shusterman, N. (2007). Unwind. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for

            Young Readers.

My Impressions:

Even though Science fiction is not my favorite genre, I did enjoy this book. I think the suspense and unusual, likely immoral, capability of aborting children once they have been born, held my attention. This could be seen as a controversial book because it discusses issues like abortion, organ harvesting (mostly without consent of the donor), religion, and other often political issues. Nevertheless, and maybe because of the controversy, many teens will be engaged by Connor leading the group on their journey of escape. Connor’s parents gave up on him and secretly were going to hand him over to the state for unwinding. Nonetheless, he still believes he is worth saving, and his new friends, too. It was strange to encounter a tithe, one who was always to be eventually unwound, that accepted his destiny. He actually felt like it was his duty to society and God to allow himself to be unwound. Regardless of the circumstances, I think teens will enjoy this read and would love to discuss the values, morals, and outcomes of these teen refugees.  

Professional Review:

“Gr 9 Up This dark futuristic thriller is set after the Second Civil War when parents have the option of retroactively aborting their troublesome teens and donating their organs to others in need. Two Unwinds and a Tithe (a 10th child in a family expressly conceived to be unwound) escape their transport to Harvest Camp and discover an underground network of supporters. A gripping and compellingly told story offering fodder for thought and discussion.”

Review Reference:

[Review of the book Unwind, by N. Shusterman]. (2008, April 2). School Library Journal, 54,

            74. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/

Library Uses:

Focus ages: grades 9-12

This book would be a good book club book that both girls and boys would enjoy. It lends itself to many interesting discussions.

This book would be a good candidate for a series of book trailers on science fiction. It is suspenseful and engaging and would entice students to pick up the book at the school library.

Week 5: The Doll People

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 Book Summary:

This book is about a group of porcelain dolls that are “alive” and have lived in the same house for a hundred years. Annabelle Doll is the main character and has many adventures in this book. She is forever 8 years old and meets a new friend, Tiffany Funcraft that is plastic. She is a newer doll but they are just the right age to become best friends. This book mainly features an adventure these two girls go on, and to some extent this whole doll world goes on, to find Annabelle’s Auntie Sarah who has been lost for 45 years. With the help of Auntie Sarah’s journal, they just might find her. They have several exciting ventures out of their doll houses that are sometimes scary. If they get caught by a human doing something so human-like, like talking, they could become a permanent doll and live in doll state forever. This is because the Doll family took an oath to protect their secret way of life and this would jeopardize that life. The punishment is to become a regular doll again and not “live” like the other dolls. This book is suspenseful and is recommended for grades 3 through 5.

  

APA Reference:

Martin, A. M., & Godwin, L. (2000). The doll people. New York, NY: Hyperion Books

            for Children.

My Impressions:

This is a great book for grades 3 through 5. I think even 2^nd grade would really enjoy this but maybe as a story time book. It has much of what children this age like in a book, mystery and fantasy. There is quite a lot of action, too. There are several great parts of this book that really stuck out. One was when Annabelle Doll asked her family if she were missing would they come out of the doll house and try to find her. This shows how courageous Annabelle Doll is to risk so much to find her Aunt Sarah. Another moment in the book that I thought was really sweet and many little girls reading this could relate to, is when Tiffany gave Annabelle a best friends necklace. Each of them have half the heart to wear that says, “Best Friends.” And the last favorite part I like is the ending of this book where the Doll’s current owner, Kate, wonders if they are really “alive.” I love the way children are encouraged to imagine and fantasize with the events of this book. Also, the illustrator, Brian Selznick does a fantastic job bringing life to the dolls with his pencil drawings. It gives the old world feel like back in the day when many girls actually played with porcelain dolls. Even though this book might be leaning toward more of a girl type book, boys this age can also enjoy the fantasy and mystery part of it. 

  

Professional Review:

“Grade 3-5-A lighthearted touch and a dash of drama make this a satisfying read. When Annabelle Doll finds her Aunt Sarah's journal, she hopes it offers a clue to the whereabouts of her aunt, who has been missing for 45 years. Annabelle is forever eight years old-the same age as Kate, the current owner of the Victorian dollhouse in which she and her family have lived for the past century. Their new neighbors, the all-plastic Funcrafts, who arrive for Kate's younger sister's birthday, are modern and brashly confident. Their pink plastic house has a barbecue, a computer, and a VCR. Tiffany, the Funcraft doll-girl, is just the right age to be a first real friend for Annabelle, and her daring spirit inspires the child's quest for her aunt. Determined and brave, she persuades her cautious parents to let her venture out of the dollhouse in search of her relative. Along with the usual perils of moving about in the real world, there is the risk of being seen by a human and succumbing to "doll state" or even worse, "permanent doll state." Selznick's illustrations are perfectly suited to the innocent charm of the dolls and do much to draw readers into their world. The delightful endpapers, which resemble pages from toy catalogs past and present, tell their own tale about the characters. A light and uncomplicated fantasy/adventure in the tradition of Rumer Godden's doll stories or even Pam Conrad's The Tub People (HarperCollins, 1989).”

Review Reference:

Meizner, K. (2000, November 1). [Review of the book The doll people, by A. M. Martin

& L. Godwin]. School Library Journal, 46(11), 128. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/

Library Uses:

Focus ages: elementary students grades 3 through 5:

This book could be used as the first chapter book used in a series reading. It would probably take all school year to finish the whole series. The librarian could read to the students at story time and the classroom teacher could, too. Once this series of books is completed, the class could hold a discussion of the process of this series reading.  Also, between books, they could do write some predictions of what they think will occur throughout the book series. They could then share their predictions once completed.

Week 4: The Earth, My Butt, and Other Round Things

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Book Summary:

This is a realistic fiction book of a 15 year old trying to find her place in this world. She is faced with many trials that a teen faces, especially a teenage girl. She battles with her weight, boys, her mom, and fitting in with her classmates. Virginia, the main character, learns to deal with negative comments from her family and classmates about her weight and how she is nothing like her popular, cute brother. Over the course of the school year, she encounters a brush with love, self-mutilation, tattoos, and other deep issues. She will have to find a way to deal with all of these trying issues that many teens also face. This book is best suited for grades 7 and up, focusing on upper middle school and high school.

APA Reference:

Mackler, C. (2003). The earth, my butt, and other round things. Cambridge, MA:

            Candlewick Press.

My Impressions:

I really liked this book and think it would be a great book for most teen girls. Almost every girl goes through the insecurities that Virginia suffers. Being perfect is an unrealistic feat and I love the way Virginia finally comes to grip with learning to love and accept herself. For example, she deals with her mom’s disapproval of her weight and finally starts showing some independence. She runs off to Seattle to spend time with a friend and while there, she gets a tattoo that her mom will surely disapprove of. Her mom is an adolescent psychologist and really does not know how to deal with her daughter. This is a great cause of Virginia’s problems but over time, they figure a way to have a better, healthier relationship. I think many girls can relate to the body image issues and the parental relationship issues. It could really help teens get through some tough times in their lives. Even though it does deal with some deeper, possibly controversial issues like date rape and self injury, it is a great addition to middle and especially high school libraries.

Professional Review:

“Gr 7 Up-- Virginia is the sassy, sad, chubby teen in a perfect, prominent family. Cracks occur when idolized college brother, Byron, commits date rape. Piercings and wild clothes symbolize Virginia's rebellion, enhance her confidence, and unexpectedly help heal family rifts. The teen's funny, rocky journey to self-acceptance also includes a brush with self-mutilation, incredulity that the boy she experiments with sexually likes her, and the support of a sister who escaped to the Peace Corps.”

Review Reference:

Hofmann, M. (2005, November 1). [Review of the book The earth, my butt, and other

round things, by C. Mackler]. School Library Journal, 51(11), 58. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/

Library Uses:

Focus ages: grades 7-12

This book would be a great “Just Between Us Girls” themed booktalk or bookclub. The librarian can hold this talk after school and open it to all girls who are interested. They can all be invited to read the book before the event and bring a conversation starter question they may have. This could be a valuable way to use a book as a therapeutic outlet. 

This book could be a part of a special collection on bullying. Most schools have some sort of anti-bullying efforts and it could be displayed when the bullying campaign begins.

Week 4: Because of Winn-Dixie

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Book Summary:

This is a book catering to grades 1 through 5. It is about a 10 year old girl named, Opal. She and her preacher father are on their own and have to move from town to town every few years because he is a preacher. Her mom left them when Opal was little and sometimes she gets a little lonely. One day she finds and adopts a stray dog and names him Winn-Dixie, since that is the store in which she found him. Throughout the book, Opal is finding misfits, just like her and Winn-Dixie, to befriend. She ends up bringing a whole community together just by trying to appreciate everyone and their individuality.

APA Reference:

DiCamillo, K. (2000). Because of Winn-Dixie. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

My Impressions:

I did like this book for its sweet message of accepting others for who they are. Winn-Dixie is a stray dog that looks like one but Opal takes him in and through that relationship, is able to extend her love to others in the community who are not always appreciated. She befriends an ex-convict, an old lady who runs a private library, and a “witch-like” lady that all the local children are afraid of. She is not as comfortable with children her own age probably because she has had to grow up quicker than most. She has had to move many times and has not been able to develop close relationships with classmates. There are some realistic and unrealistic elements in this book that will probably entertain many elementary aged children. For example, one day Opal goes into the pet shop and notices the storekeeper is playing his guitar to all the pets. However, none of them are in cages and none of them are trying to escape. That of course, is not realistic but I think many younger readers will enjoy that and will keep reading to see what other surprises are in store for them. It is a mainly light-hearted book with a few more serious issues but overall, most children in elementary school would enjoy.

  

Professional Review:

"My name is India Opal Buloni, and last summer my daddy, the preacher, sent me to the store for a box of macaroni-and-cheese, some white rice, and two tomatoes and I came back with a dog"--so begins this exquisitely crafted first novel. Each chapter possesses an are of its own and reads almost like a short story in its completeness; yet the chapters add up to more than the sum of their parts. Opal, the 10-year-old narrator, will win readers over just as quickly as the stray she names Winn-Dixie wins her over. Abandoned by her mother when she was three years old, Opal gains the courage to ask her father about her mother through the love she gains from her new pet. True to its title, the story develops as her furry companion leads the heroine into new and unlikely friendships with Miss Franny Block, the town librarian; Gloria Dump, a loner whom her neighbors, the Dewberry brothers, deem a "witch"; Otis, a misfit but gifted musician who runs the local pet store; her peer, "pinch-faced" Amanda; and the canine also leads Opal into a deeper connection with her preacher father. Scenes of Winn-Dixie raising a ruckus in the church (converted from a grocery store) or racing through their trailer-park home in terror of a thunderstorm deftly combine tension and humor. This bittersweet tale of contemporary life in a small Southern town will hold readers rapt. Ages 9-12. (Mar.)”

Review Reference:

[Review of the book Because of Winn-Dixie, by K. DiCamillo]. Publishers Weekly,

            247(8), 88. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/

Library Uses:

Focus ages: grades 1-5

This book can be used in a read aloud. Once completed, the library can host a movie night showing the movie version. The students and librarian can discuss the similarities and differences between the book and the movie. They can tell which one they prefer and why it might be more beneficial the read the book before watching the movie of the same title.