Module 10: The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

 

Book Summary:

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things is about Virginia, a teenager, trying to make it through high school. She is slightly overweight and never hears the end of it from her peers and her family. She misses her best friend, Shannon, who moved away and struggles with her “relationship” with a boy named Froggy. Then she finds out that her older brother, who she looks up to, has been suspended from school because of something bad he has done. This event rocks Virginia’s world and changes her perspective on the world and herself.

APA Reference of Book:

Mackler, C. (2003). The earth, my butt, and other big round things. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.

Impressions:

This book was hilarious and insightful. Virginia is so relatable and I cannot imagine anyone reading this and not loving her. Even though she is dealing with some typical teenager problems, she also has to deal with some major family drama. Virginia learns to find the strength within her to stand up to her family and the negativity they constantly bombard her with. I felt very empowered after reading this, and I think it will help young readers to find their own confidence. Virginia is a great role model of loving who you are, and not trying to conform to a certain type of beauty. She embraces her gifts and uses them to cause change her life and others. I highly suggest this for teenage girls.

Professional Review:

““Froggy Welsh the Fourth is trying to get up my shirt,” begins this eminently accessible journey from self-hatred to confidence. Virginia is 15 and likes fooling around with Froggy, but she’s mortified by her fatness, a shame fueled continually by her emotionally distant and pressuring family. Has she been switched at birth? Why isn’t she perfect like her adored, overachieving older brother? But her brother isn’t perfect after all, and he commits a horrifying act that rocks her world—and prompts her to begin questioning her family’s values. Readers will be rooting for Virginia all the way as she moves from isolated TV-watcher to Website-creator with purple hair and an eyebrow ring. Sexuality, refreshingly, is treated as a good thing. Virginia’s emotions progress from despondence to anger, joy, and strong independence, all portrayed with clarity. An easy read with substance and spirit.”

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things [Review of the book The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler]. (2003, June 15). Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/carolyn-mackler/the-earth-my-butt-and-other-big-round-things/

Library Uses:

 I think this book would make for an excellent book club read for teenagers. Teenage girls would especially be able to relate to things Virginia experiences at home and school. The book club could read through this book together and then meet to discuss it. Topics that could be discussed are self-image, family, friendship, boys, relationships, confidence, healthy mind and body, etc. I think teenage girls would gain lots of insight from discussing with each other the issues that come up in this book. They will be able to see that they are not alone in how they feel, and they will be able to encourage each other.

Module 10: Smile

Smile by Raina Telgemeier

Book Summary:

Raina, a sixth grader, falls one night and messes up her two front teeth. This leads to years of orthodontia and surgery in an attempt to give her back her normal smile. Her teeth problems only add to all the other things she has to navigate in her life (boys, friends, and school). However, through her journey she learns to like how she looks and be confident with herself.

APA Reference of Book:

Telgemeier, R. (2010). Smile. New York, NY: Graphix.

Impressions:

I really enjoyed this book. This is one of the first graphic novels I have ever read, and I liked it surprisingly. Raina was really easy to relate to, especially since I also was forced to wear headgear at one point. I think anyone who had to have braces will really enjoy this book and understand what the main character is going through. This book tells an important story of how we need to be comfortable with who we are on the inside, and that will shine through to the outside. We cannot let how we look affect how we feel. This is a very important message, for teenage girls especially. Raina also has to deal with growing out of friendships and having to find new friends. Even though this is hard, it usually is for the best. I think this is a great book that middle school and high school kids will like. Also, because it is a graphic novel it will probably appeal to reluctant readers.

Professional Review:

“Telgemeier has created an utterly charming graphic memoir of tooth trauma, first crushes and fickle friends, sweetly reminiscent of Judy Blume’s work. One night, Raina trips and falls after a Girl Scout meeting, knocking out her two front teeth. This leads to years of painful surgeries, braces, agonizing root canals and other oral atrocities. Her friends offer little solace through this trying ordeal, spending more of their time teasing than comforting her. After years of these girls’ constant belittling, Raina branches out and finds her own voice and a new group of friends. Young girls will relate to her story, and her friend-angst is palpable. Readers should not overlook this seemingly simply drawn work; the strong writing and emotionally expressive characters add an unexpected layer of depth. As an afterword, the author includes a photo of her smiling, showing off the results of all of the years of pain she endured. Irresistible, funny and touching—a must read for all teenage girls, whether en-braced or not.”

Smile [Review of the book Smile by Raina Telgemeier]. (2010, January 1). Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/raina-telgemeier/smile/

Library Uses:

Since this is a graphic novel, I think it would be fun to do a program and book display on drawing and writing comics and graphic novels. The book display could include normal drawing books, but should also include books specifically about creating comic strips. At the program, you could invite an artist or art teacher to come and show kids different drawing techniques. A variety of graphic novels and comic books could be provided for kids to look at for inspiration. The kids could draw or write about whatever they want in their comic strip. If kids are not sure what to do, encourage them to write/draw about their everyday life, like Smile.

Module 9: My Dog May Be a Genius

My Dog May Be a Genius by Jack Prelutsky

Book Summary:

This book is a collection of silly, witty, and hilarious poems by Jack Prelutsky. The illustrations by James Stevenson only add to delightful experience. Some are short and sweet, others are long and captivating, but all of them are sure to make you smile.

APA Reference of Book:

Prelutsky, J. (2008). My dog may be a genius. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.

Impressions:

I was smiling and laughing through this entire book! The illustrations and poems work well together. Children will love how silly and outrageous these poems are. I love that some concrete poems were included which really makes reading exciting. I think this is a great book to get kids hooked on reading poems. Usually when I think of poems, I flash back to my high school days where I was forced to memorize a very lengthy poem and then recite it to the whole class. Awful, just awful. Making kids memorize and recite poems that they do not like or care about ruins poetry for them. Jack Prelutsky’s poems show how fun and hilarious poetry can be. My Dog May Be a Genius reminds us that poetry does not have to be super complicated or have hidden meanings in every line. Sometimes poems can be exactly what they say and do not need any explanation. They can just be fun.

Professional Review:

“Two grand masters team up to produce a decidedly goofy illustrated poetry anthology. Prelutsky, who must surely dream in iambs, so plentifully do they fall from his pen, offers some 100 plus poems on subjects varying from pets to imaginary beasties. He’s totally cued in to childish solipsism: Just about half of the poems begin with “I” or “my.” Stevenson’s quick pen-and-ink vignettes appear equally effortless, lumpy elephants and hapless children staring benignly from the page. Some of the poems, in form or in wordplay, are unquestionably inspired. “The Call of the Longwinded Clumsy Owl” consists of one word—“WHOOPS”—rendered with enough intervening Os to occupy the whole page; “When the Butcher Was Delivered” asks readers to consider the punny possibilities in otherwise unrelated words. Still, one must wonder if the book would pack more of a punch if it were about half as long. Too many of the poems consist of rhyming couplets in lockstep rhythms that dwell on mild sillinesses, resulting in an uneven collection in which the only-pretty-good overwhelms the truly-great.”

My Dog May Be a Genius [Review of the book My Dog May Be a Genius by Jack Prelutsky}. (2008, February 1). Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jack-prelutsky/my-dog-may-be-a-genius/

Library Uses:

Jack Prelutsky’s poems are really relatable and fun, so I think it would be great to have kids write their own poems. A book display could be made include all types of poetry books. Kids could use these as inspiration to write their own poems. A wall display could be set up, where the kids could hang up their poems if they want. Worksheets could be provided that help kids get their poems started, but they can also just start writing whatever they want. This activity would allow kids to read lots of well-written poems, express their own creativity, and share their poems with other library patrons.

Module 9: Crank

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

 

Book Summary:

Kristina goes to visit her father in Albuquerque for the summer. While she is there she meets a boy, who also introduces her to the monster. The monster makes her feel and act like a different person. She calls this new version of herself Bree. Then she goes back home, but she is not the same person as she was before. The monster takes over her life and changes everything about the old Kristina. She doesn’t want to go to school, she makes new friends (who only encourage her new habits), new boys, and her relationship with her family is even more distance. Kristina begins to see the affects the monster is taking on her life, and all her decisions begin to catch up with her.

APA Reference of Book:

Hopkins, E. (2004). Crank. New York, NY: Margaret K. McElderry Books.

Impressions:

This book was really difficult for me to read. Ellen Hopkins writes beautifully and I love the free verse style of this book. However, it is really difficult to read about a teenage girl making horrible life decisions that will affect her the rest of her life. I think books like this are important because they highlight a lifestyle that many people do not get to see. I also think it helps us become more aware of the struggles that addicts face. It is definitely not a comfortable read. I always had to read a happier book after reading parts of this book. I think situations like the ones in this book are very prevalent in high school. I think teenagers would be able to personally relate to this or know someone who deals with these issues. Again I think Ellen Hopkins does an excellent job of using free verse to tell this story. Each page has a different layout and that makes it very interesting to read. I think this book is written very well and will speak to teenagers like other books do not. However, I do not think I could read other books with these types of themes.

Professional Review:

“Hypnotic and jagged free verse wrenchingly chronicles 16-year-old Kristina’s addiction to crank. Kristina’s daring alter ego, Bree, emerges when “gentle clouds of monotony” smother Kristina’s life—when there’s nothing to do and no one to connect with. Visiting her neglectful and druggy father for the first time in years, Bree meets a boy and snorts crank (methamphetamine). The rush is irresistible and she’s hooked, despite a horrible crank-related incident with the boy’s other girlfriend. Back home with her mother, Kristina feels both ignored and smothered, needing more drugs and more boys—in that order. One boy is wonderful and one’s a rapist, but it’s crank holding Bree up at this point. The author’s sharp verse plays with spacing on the page, sometimes providing two alternate readings. In a too brief wrap-up, Kristina keeps her baby (a product of rape) while Hopkins—realistically—offers no real conclusion. Powerful and unsettling.”

Crank [Review of the book Crank by Ellen Hopkins]. (2004, October 1). Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ellen-hopkins/crank/

Library Uses:

This book has very controversial material, so I do not think a discussion of the book would go very well in a public library setting. I think that it would be great though to introduce teenagers to more poetry and free verse books. A book display of various types of poetry books could be displayed in the young adult or teen section. I also think it would be great for teenagers to have the opportunity to hear poetry spoken. This could be carried out through a poetry reading or poetry slam. You could have teenagers share their own poetry or they could recite famous poems. Depending on the resources available to you, you could also have slam poets come in and recite poems for the teenagers.