Module 7: The Brontë Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne

The Brontë Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne by Catherine Reef

Book Summary:

The Brontë sisters: The brief lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne follows the lives of these famous sisters and where their inspiration came from for their timeless stories. This book starts with the Brontë family moving to Haworth and almost immediately after their mother dies. Their father, a clergyman, raises the Brontë children on his own. The book follows the sisters and the other siblings as they are sent off to school. It also describes the struggles the girls go through to find work, outside of writing, that will fulfill them and help them make enough money to support themselves. The readers get to learn about the events that shaped Charlotte, Emily, and Anne’s lives and gave them inspiration to write books that are still being read today.

APA Reference of Book:

Reef, C. (2012). The Brontë sisters: The brief lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne. New York, NY: Clarion Books.

Impressions:

I thought this was a very thought provoking biography that allows us to see where the Brontë sisters got their inspiration for their books. I was very interested to read this book because I have read a few of their books. It is funny to see how events that actually happened to them would be transformed and put into their stories. I think Catherine Reef did an excellent job of showing readers what it was actually like for women during that time. Once they finished school, there really were not that many options for them besides teaching and being a governess. I think this aspect of the book would be a real eye-opener for teenage girls that are starting to think about what they would like to do once they go to college and start looking for a job. We have so many more options now. Through this book you see the struggles that the sisters dealt with and how really all they wanted to do was write. Reef also shows the relationship between the sisters, and I was surprised how encouraging the sisters were of each other’s work. I feel like there could have been a lot of room for jealousy between them, but it seemed like they really helped each other out. I also think it was great that Reef showed the good and bad that happened in the lives of the Brontë family members. I think that is so important for biographies and non-fiction books to portray life accurately. This means sometimes including details about people’s lives that are not the most flattering. I think Reef did an excellent job of showing the quirks as well as the genius of the Brontë sisters.

Professional Review:

“Reef’s gracefully plotted, carefully researched account focuses on Charlotte, whose correspondence with friends, longer life and more extensive experience outside the narrow milieu of Haworth, including her acquaintance with the novelist Elizabeth Gaskell, who became her biographer, revealed more of her personality. She describes the Brontë children’s early losses of their mother and then their two oldest siblings, conveying the imaginative, verbally rich life of children who are essentially orphaned but share both the wild countryside and the gifts of story. Brother Branwell’s tragic struggle with alcohol and opium is seen as if offstage, wounding to his sisters and his father but sad principally because he never found a way to use literature to save himself. Reef looks at the 19th-century context for women writers and the reasons that the sisters chose to publish only under pseudonyms—and includes a wonderful description of the encounter in which Anne and Charlotte revealed their identities to Charlotte’s publisher. She also includes brief, no-major-spoilers summaries of the sisters’ novels, inviting readers to connect the dots and to understand how real-life experience was transformed into fiction.”

The Brontë sisters [Review of the book The Brontë Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne by C. Reef]. (2012, August 15). Kirkus Review. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/catherine-reef/bronte-sisters/

Library Uses:

I think a great way to get teenagers and adults interested in reading this biography would be to do a library book display of all the books written by the three sisters. It would also be fun to have a movie viewing of Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights. The biography could be introduced before or after, along with other biographies about the Brontë sisters, and many people would probably be interested to read about the authors that wrote these great stories.

Module 6: Annexed: a novel

Annexed: a novel by Sharon Dogar

 

Book Summary:

Peter Van Pels is a fifteen-year-old Jewish boy during World War II. He and his family are going into hiding with the Frank family (Mr. and Mrs. Frank and their daughters, Margot and Anne). He does not want to go into hiding with them. He wants to be free and to be with Liese, the girl he loves. However, Liese gets taken away and Peter is forced to go into hiding. He is completely miserable for a long time, mourning the loss of Liese and his way of life. But soon Anne brings him back to life. They spend two years in hiding, trying to enjoy every moment because it could be their last. This story gives a different perspective from what we know from Anne Frank’s famous diary about the time these two families spent in hiding.

APA Reference of Book:

Dogar, S. (2010). Annexed. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Impressions:

This book was a very interesting read. I read The Diary of a Young Girl a long time ago, so I do not remember Peter playing a big role. It was very interesting to hear the story from a teenage boy’s perspective. Peter mourns his loss of freedom and his chance at young love. I cannot even imagine the difficult circumstances they go through, and I can only imagine what it would have been like if these things happened when you were a teenager. You have not lived much and you are seeking your own freedom, trying to decide who you want to become. Then the world seems to turn against you and you have to grow up quickly. Instead of gaining freedom, it gets taken from you.  I think Sharon Dogar does an excellent job of showing the fear they experienced while in hiding: the never knowing if they will have another day together. Books like this one are hard to read because you already know the end result. You know the horrible events that have occurred in the past. But it is important to read books like this, especially kids, because we need to know that these horrible things have happened. We need to know so that we never repeat the same mistakes.

Professional Review:

“Dogar relates the well-documented events in the secret annex of Anne Frank’s diary from the point of view of Peter van Pels. The fictionalized 15-year-old is frustrated and angry to be in hiding and frequently butts heads with Anne before coming to see her with new eyes. This is a poignant look at a young man grappling with existential questions and trying to survive during this horrific time.”

Jones, T., Toth, L., Charnizon, M., Grabarek, D. and Fleishhacker, J. (Eds.).(2010, December 1). Best Books 2010 [Review of the book Annexed, by S. Dogar]. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/2010/12/reviews/best-of/best-books-2010/

Library Uses:

Since this story is connected to Ann Frank’s diary and the The Diary of a Young Girl, I think it would be great to read the both books together and compare. This could be part of a young adult book club. The movie The Diary of Anne Frank could also be viewed at the library. A book display could be created with other books about the Holocaust (non-fiction, fiction, biographies). Or a display about Anne Frank, including quotes from The Diary of a Young Girl, facts about her and pictures.

If these displays or programs would be too serious or controversial for your library, a display could also be done on writing on keeping a diary or journal. It could include tips on creative ways to write or draw in a journal.

Module 6: The Wednesday Wars

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

Book Summary:

It is 1967, and Holling Hoodhood is beginning seventh grade. He believes that his teacher, Mrs. Baker, does not like him. On Wednesdays, half of his class goes to Hebrew school and the other half goes to Catechism. That leaves only him left in class with Mrs. Baker and she has some big plans for him; she has Holling read all the different works of Shakespeare. Holling ends up enjoying his Wednesdays with Mrs. Baker and Shakespeare. Holling experiences many interesting things during the school year, like being a fairy in a play, being a hero, battling against the class pet rats, accidently sabotaging his father’s project and much, much more. All of the Shakespeare Holling has been reading has given him a different perspective on all these events and helps him become who he wants to be.

APA Reference of Book:

Schmidt, G.D. (2007). The Wednesday wars. New York, NY: Clarion Books.

Impressions:

I loved this book! I was not sure at first if I was going to like it, but it really surprised me. The main character Holling Hoodhood is such a funny character and he makes seventh grade seem like fun. Even though I’m still not sure that a seventh grade boy would enjoy reading Shakespeare, I still thought Gary D. Schmidt really captured the mind of a middle school boy and how funny their thought process is. Holling goes through quite a bit in one school year, and you see his growth as a person. He sees the effects of war, experiences the pressure of living up to his father’s expectations, feels fear for his sister’s safety, sees the effects of the Vietnam War on his country and city, and he takes on new challenges even though he know he will be criticized for it. Along the way Mrs. Baker becomes a mentor to Holling, and teaches him more than just the stories by Shakespeare. I think this would be a great book to introduce to readers who have not read much historical fiction before. Even though it is set during the Vietnam War, you feel like some of the same things could be happening today. I think this is an indicator of good writing as well as how we can always relate and learn from the past.

Professional Review:

“Now, with Schmidt's new novel, The Wednesday Wars, he has achieved something equally rare: a book that manages to be an accessible, humorous school story, and at the same time an insightful coming-of-age tale set during one of the most turbulent times in 20th-century America.”

Hopkinson, D. (2007 July). The Wednesday wars: After-school lessons in Shakespeare, and life [Review of the book The Wednesday Wars by G.D. Schmidt]. BookPage. Retrieved from http://bookpage.com/reviews/5296-gary-d-schmidt-wednesday-wars#.U8MW5KgvsjU

Library Uses:

Since this is book for older children and young adults, I think this would make a great book club book. You could even read a Shakespeare play along with this book. You could even have cream puffs like they do in the story. A Shakespeare actor could come and perform as well.

For a library display, you could display Shakespeare plays, movies, and quotes. Or you could also do a history display and showcase all the books and movies about the Vietnam War. You could include facts about the differences between then and now (pictures of town then and now, prices of food and gas then and now).

Module 5: Uglies

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Book Summary:

Tally Youngblood is about to turn 16 and in her city that means she is about to become a Pretty. Everyone in her city is an Ugly until they turn 16, then they undergo surgery to become beautiful. Tally cannot wait to finally be a Pretty, but then she befriends Shay. Shay tells her about a place outside of their city where you can go if you don’t want to have the surgery. It’s called the Smoke. This makes no sense to Tally, but that doesn’t stop Shay from running away. The city finds out about Shay running away and forces Tally to find her and bring her back. On Tally’s journey to find the Smoke and Shay she begins to see that maybe being a Pretty is not the most important thing.

APA Reference of Book:

Westerfeld, S. (2005/2011). Uglies. New York, NY: Simon Pulse.

Impressions:

When I first read the description of this book I was a little unnerved by it. I mean it sounded like a book about teens having plastic surgery so that they can be beautiful, which in a way it is. However, there is so much more to the story than that. It is a science fiction type book about a world where it is tradition that when you turn 16 you have surgery to become beautiful. That is their normal. I think this book does an excellent job of taking our society’s obsession with beauty and good looks, and shows up how obsessed and crazy we are becoming. Everyone wants to be beautiful. Some people do not care what they have to do to become beautiful. I will even admit that after reading a little bit of the book, I thought to myself, “It wouldn’t be that awful if everyone could just be pretty and then we wouldn’t have to be obsessing about it all the time.” I almost took on Tally’s attitude. She did not see anything wrong with the system that her city had in place. Then after befriending Shay and going to the Smoke, she begins to realize how her city has pretty much brainwashed them into believing that they can’t be beautiful unless they have the surgery. This is so relevant to teens today! Not just teens but everyone! Society has convinced us that in order to be considered beautiful we need to be a certain size and look a certain way. What we forget to take into consideration is that flaws can add to beauty. Personality also plays a huge factor. After Tally has been at the Smoke for a while, she starts to see how beautiful people become once you get to know them. Then David’s parents discover some interesting things about how the surgery affects people’s brains. This brings on even more interesting concepts on what you would give up in order to be beautiful.

I love the concepts about beauty that this book presents and how relevant it is to our society. It takes our views and amplifies them to show us just how crazy our ways of thinking have become. I definitely think this book should be read by teens, especially teen girls. Even with these great themes, this book still provides adventure and romance, which will keep readers interested. It also has a dystopian feel to it, which is very popular genre right now. Overall, I loved this book and am going to recommend it to everyone.

Professional Review:

“Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld—Hard-hitting sci-fi with plenty of romance and suspense. Intense, yet shouldn’t offend anyone by being overly graphic. A great story that doesn’t need sex, graphic violence, or profanity to propel the action. I had a popular, athletic girl bring Uglies to a pep rally to read!”

Chen, D. (2011). Susan guest blogs: “Walking in sunshine”- Non-depressing fiction for younger readers [Review of the book Uglies, by S. Westerfeld]. School Library Journal, Retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/practicallyparadise/2011/06/22/susan-guest-blogs-%E2%80%9Cwalking-in-sunshine%E2%80%9D%E2%80%94non-depressing-fiction-for-younger-readers/

Library Uses:

I think that the best activity for this book would be to read this for a teen book club. There are so many important things to discuss in this book that are so relevant to teens. Beauty is a goal that so many people are striving to achieve. People become obsessive about it and sometimes dangerously so. I also think it is important for teens to be able to discuss the concept of beauty with their peers and to be able to talk about how important individuality and uniqueness is important. Since there is so much to discuss in this book, you could have meet once a week or twice a month. Since this book is supposed to be made into a film, it would be fun to have teens read the book together and then go see the movie together.

Module 5: Splendors and Glooms

Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz

Book Summary:

It is Clara Wintermute’s birthday and she is excited to have the puppet master Grisini come perform at her party. She befriends Grisini’s assistants, Lizzie Rose and Parsefall. However, soon after the birthday performance Clara disappears, and many believe the fault lies with Grisini himself. Lizzie Rose and Parsefall find out some disconcerting information about Grisini while trying to find Clara. Fearing for their own safety, they leave London hoping to begin a new life with some help from a friendly stranger. Little do they know that the friendly stranger has plans of her own, plans to free herself but ensnare Lizzie Rose and Parsefall.

APA Reference of Book:

Schlitz, L.A. (2012). Splendors and Glooms. York, PA: Candlewick Press.

Impressions:

Splendors and Glooms has a very dark and mysterious tone running throughout. When I first read the description for this book I could not wait to read it. However, when I actually started reading it, I could not really get into the story. Some parts seemed to drag along for me. I did become more interested towards the second half of the book, eager to find out how things would end. The characters are well developed and you hope that everything turns out well in the end for them. Clara is living in the shadows of her family’s grief for her dead siblings. She cannot help but feel guilty and that she should have died with them. Many children will be able to relate, whether they have lost a family member or just feel like they are living in their sibling’s shadow. Lizzie Rose and Parsefall are living in tough conditions at the mercy of Grisini. Neither of them chose to live this way, but they are doing what they need to do to survive. This a fantasy story with the themes of good versus evil and magic. Some parts are a little creepy for a children’s story, like when Madama or Cassandra uses Magic against Grisini. I would not recommend it for younger readers. I think it is better suited for teens. It deals with grief, magic, overcoming one’s circumstances, and courage. I think overall though it is an interesting story that many readers will love.

Professional Review:

“This is Splendors and Glooms of course, by Newbery-winning author Laura Amy Schlitz.  It is surely “highly anticipated”.  I find it daring: Schlitz has firmly chosen a pacing, voice, and structure to suit her story and characters.  It unwinds slowly and circuitously, as if in homage to Dickens’ serial novels.  It is not “shaped” like the kind of novel many of us expect to be written for children today.   But its meandering tone allows her to set scenes so vivid you’d swear you’d been transformed into a puppet in her stage.   Allows her characters to develop intricate quirks and nuances that serve the final development.   Would Parsefall have been able to fill the role he does if we didn’t understand completely his individually crafted moral view of the world, and his reliance on the artistry of puppetry to feed his soul?  Would Clara have been able to be a sympathetic heroine in her horrible visage if we didn’t come to an understanding along with her of the dysfunction of her family? And the story stays true to itself to the end; it is a happy ending for the protagonists, but not one of a post-Freudian 21st century children’s novel.   Happy here means money, food, friends, and thus: joy.

No story is perfect. I am sure there are moments within this novel that were thinner than others. (Of all the characters, we are never allowed sympathy for Grisini.  Even Clara’s father gets the tinniest bit, but not our evil mustache-twirler.  Perhaps the story needed one solidly bad bad guy, but it’s the one thing that felt slightly off-kilter to me.)  But by giving readers so much in the form she did, Schlitz allows herself and her readers room for all of it, and there is so much “real” here that anything else fades away.  For the reader who appreciates the length and pacing of this story, it becomes an incredible buffet, a constantly evolving landscape of words and scenes and emotions and action to savor. It addresses every one of the Newbery Criteria with writing of a quality and individuality we’ve rarely seen, making it–to my mind–truly distinguished.”

Lindsay, N. (2012). Splendors and glooms: Nina’s take [Review of the book Splendors and Glooms, by L.A. Schlitz]. School Library Journal, Retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2012/09/24/splendors-and-glooms-ninas-take/

Library Uses:

For a library display, you could display the history of puppets. You could have images of different kinds of puppets and how they have changed over time. You could also include any books from your collection about puppets, including Splendors and Glooms. For a library event, you could have a puppet show come and do a performance. Since this book is geared for a little bit older readers, you would want to have a show that is a little more advanced.

Module 4: Slob

Slob by Ellen Potter

Book Summary

Owen Birnbaum is an overweight, genius teenage boy. He hasn’t always been overweight, but something in his past has triggered his extreme weight gain. School would be a breeze for a genius like him; except for all the bullying he receives from classmates and his gym teacher. Owen’s hurt from the bullying is fueling his desire to find out answers about his painful past. Answers that will hopefully help him get back to his normal self.

APA Reference of Book

Potter, E. (2009). Slob. New York, NY: Philomel Books.

Impressions

I thought this was a very intriguing book. It shines a light on being a teenager, obesity, and bullying. At points it is hard to read about some of the things that happen to Owen. It helps us reflect on how we treat others and is another reminder to not judge people by how they look on the outside. Owen is easy to relate to and you root for him to have success with his Nemesis project. I think this gives a realistic outlook of what it is like to be an overweight teenage boy who is struggling to fit in.

Professional Review

“For me, SLOB is one of those tear jerker books because I know of a young person (very close to me) who suffers with weight issues. And this kid is constantly defending herself from kids who say, "I didn’t know you could run like that, since you’re so big." Needless to say, it hurts me when I read a book like this. However, Potter’s SLOB, fights the bully back with the brain not the fists. I added it to my son’s. Bravo, Ellen!”

Bowllan, A. (2009). Slob: A book for boys to read [Review of the book Slob by Ellen Potter]. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/bowllansblog/2009/06/16/slob-a-book-for-boys-to-read/

Library Uses

A major theme in this book is bullying. I think a great activity to go along with this book would be to have a program about bullying. You could feature a selection of books, including Slob, that feature a character that deals with bullying. You could also have a public speaker come in. Then at the end you could have the option for people to sign a pledge to not be a bully or to always choose to stand up for others. You could also create kindness or compliment cards. You could give each person that attends some of these compliment cards and encourage them to write a compliment on them and give them to different people.

Module 4: Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look

 

Book Summary

Alvin Ho is a young boy who is scared of many things, one of them being speaking at school. It’s hard to make friends at school when you never talk. Alvin Ho does have one person who wants to be his friend…a girl. That just won’t do. Then Alvin Ho has a great item for show-and-tell that he thinks will help him makes friends, but things go terribly wrong. Alvin Ho struggles with overcoming his fears and making friends, while also trying to be a gentleman.

APA Reference of Book

Look, L. (2008). Alvin Ho: Allergic to girls, school, and other scary things. New York, NY: Schwartz & Wade Books.

Impressions

Alvin Ho is a hilarious young character. I loved how he was always trying to remember how to act like a gentleman, but usually fell a little bit short.

Professional Review

“Funny. Multiculturalism/diversity doesn’t stick out, it’s just there. Funny. Episodic chapters–each one a complete narrative arc–serve a young audience that’s still learning to read novels. Funny. Each chapter builds, realistically if only slightly, on the theme of overcoming fears. Funny. Funny. Funny. Funny. Funny. Funny.”

Lindsay, N. (2009). Anatomy of a mock Newbery [Review of the book Alvin Ho: Allergic to girls, school, and other scary things]. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/heavymedal/2009/01/13/anatomy-of-a-mock-newbery-2/

Library Uses

Since this is a chapter book, you would not be able to sit down and read the entire book to a group of kids. So I would maybe feature it as “Book of the Month” and have a mini book club. There could be a program at the beginning of the month where the book is introduced. An excerpt could be read and a list of discussion questions could be given out. A display could be set up for that month where kids write or draw what they are “allergic” to. This could be a fun activity to show kids that they have something in common with each other. Then at the end of the month you could have a book club party where you discuss the book, talk about if they have ever overcome their fears, and celebrate reading a book together.