Module 8: Incarceron

Book Summary:

This book is set in a world that is the world of the future, yet is stuck in the past. While they have very advanced technology, they have reverted to what sounds like 19th-century styles of living and dress. They are required by law to keep up the appearance of what is called “Era” authenticity. Technology, if used, must be kept hidden. Many years ago, a prison called Incarceron had been created to house the worst criminals. There was supposedly no way in or out of Incarceron, and it was its own world. The story is told from the perspective of two different characters: Claudia, the daughter of the warden of Incarceron, who lives in the normal world, and Finn, who is inside Incarceron and does not know anything about his own past. Claudia and Finn begin communicating with each other through the use of a pair of keys, as Finn works his way through Incarceron trying to find a way out. Claudia thinks that Finn is actually the heir to the throne, hidden away in Incarceron to make way for the next in line. She tries to help him escape, and in the end they actually do find a way to get him out of Incarceron.

APA reference:

Fisher, C. (2007). Incarceron. New York: Dial Books.

My impressions:

This was a very enjoyable book. I liked the way the author switched back and forth from the points of view of Claudia and Finn. It was interesting the way more and more of the backstory was gradually revealed throughout the story, although the mystery was still not completely solved at the end. One of the things I liked about this book was the author’s skillful creation of a completely new world. The idea of a world with advanced technology that is forces to remain stuck in the past is one I have not seen before. Incarceron itself is a whole world as well. The biggest shock was in the end, when it was revealed just where and what Incarceron actually is. The characterizations were very nicely done. From the beginning the reader feels that Finn is out of his element, a good man trying to make his way in very tough circumstances where people are rewarded more for bad behavior than good. Claudia immediately is understood to be a very strong character, with no intention of letting people push her around even if she has to appear that way on the outside. The thing I was most disappointed in was how much was left unresolved at the end. While I know there is a sequel to this book that will likely explain most or all of it, I still like for a book to wrap up a little more neatly at the end. This felt like only half of the story. It was a good read, though, and I fully intend to read the second book, Sapphique, as soon as I can.

Professional Review:

Brooks-Reese, K. (2010, February). Incarceron. [A review of the book Incarceron, by C. Fisher.]. School Library Journal 56(2), p. 110. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/

 

Finn is a denizen of Incarceron, a sentient prison in which generations of inmates struggle and fight for survival. Finn, however, is certain he comes from somewhere else. A strange tattoo and vague memories have convinced him that he comes from Outside. Claudia is the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron. Technology has been outlawed and society returned to a feudal time replete with rules, including arranged marriages. When the Queen and Claudia's father conspire to have her impending marriage to the heir moved forward, Claudia vows to do whatever it takes to avoid her fate. Finn and Claudia both acquire mysterious crystal keys that allow them to communicate, and. it begins to be clear that each may be the other's way out. On the surface, Incarceron is a fast-paced if dense adventure that pits Finn against the prison and his fellow prisoners and Claudia against her father, her fiancé, and her society. If that were all, it would be a truly excellent fantasy novel. By delving into the philosophy of imprisonment and the development of society; discussing how history informs the present; and exploring self-awareness and sentience in nonhuman characters, Incarceron becomes something of a tour de force. The history of both Incarceron and Era are explored through excerpts from imagined legends and archival documents at the start of each chapter. The novel's length and complex plot may be daunting to some, but fans of steampunk and epic fantasy alike will be anxiously flipping pages and awaiting the sequel, already released in the U.K.Karen E. Brooks-Reese, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA

Library Uses:

This book could be featured in a display of Fantasy/Science Fiction books—it really fits with either genre. It is actually more of a “crossover” book, and perhaps could be featured with other similar books. It could also be used as a book club book in a group of high school aged readers. There are a lot of things in this book that could be used as discussion points, and I think it is a book that a lot of young people would enjoy reading and discussing.

Module 7: If I Stay

Book Summary:
This book begins with Mia, the main character, getting into a terrible car accident with her family. At the scene of the accident, when she sees her own broken body inside the car, she realizes that she is now only an observer, watching what is going on around her comatose body but unable to participate. Her parents and brother have all been killed, and Mia has to decide whether she wants to stay alive or not. The book takes place both in the present, in the scenes at the hospital, and in the past through flashbacks in Mia’s memory. Mia spends her time going back over key points in her life while deciding what she wants to do.

APA Reference: Forman, G. (2009). If I Stay. New York: Dutton Books.

My Impressions:
This was a very enjoyable and thought-provoking book. The reader gets to know Mia and her family quite well through the flashbacks, as well as her boyfriend Adam. The author gives a very good sense of what kind of people they are through their interactions. By alternating between the flashbacks and the present, the reader gets to follow Mia as she makes her decision, getting to see the good things that have happened in her life as well as the tough choices she was facing even before the accident. Through the flashbacks, the reader realizes that even though Mia’s family is gone, she still has some very good things to live for and people who care about her very much. The author’s style of writing is very easy to read, and the book is difficult to put down. In the end Mia realizes that even though it might seem she has lost everything, she still has much to live for, and many people who love her. This made me think about my own life and all of the good things in it. A truly excellent story, very well-written and hard to put down.

Professional Review: Adams, L. (2009, July). If I Stay. [Review of the book If I Stay, by G. Forman]. Horn Book Magazine 85(4), p. 422-423. Retrieved from http://hbook.com/


What begins as the gift of a rare snow day in Portland, Oregon, turns suddenly into nightmare. Seventeen-year-old Mia drives off with her family on the unexpected holiday A sudden explosion of metal, and Mia is looking at her dead parents sprawled on the asphalt, her little brother nowhere to be found. An ambulance arrives to take Mia's body, bristling with tubes, to a trauma unit, and incorporeal Mia rides along. Distant kin to the dead narrators of The Lovely Bones et al., Mia hovers somewhere between life and death, watching surgeons bustle around her comatose body. An empathetic nurse clues Mia in that "she's running the show" -- that the choice to live or die belongs to Mia. Forman's one-sitting page-turner moves easily between the present vigil and Mia's past as she considers the ultimate choice. A talented classical cellist, Mia is deeply in love with punk-rock singer Adam, who has more in common musically with Mia's formerly punk, effortlessly cool parents. As Mia holds out for Adam's arrival at the hospital and considers the unbearable pain of living with so much loss, her best friend Kim reminds her that she does have family -- all the relatives and friends out there pulling for her. Apart from a heavy-handed clunk or two ("I realize now that dying is easy. Living is hard"), the stakes are poignantly conveyed through Mia's vivid memories of a rich, rewarding life.

Library Uses:
This book would work well in a display of realistic fiction books for young adults. As well as being a great book to read, it has a lovely cover that would catch the eye in a display. I think it is an excellent book to feature; it has such an intriguing beginning that once started the reader is immediately drawn in. Perhaps this book would lead readers to other realistic fiction after they experience it.

Module 7: Hoot

Book Summary:
This book centers around an environmental issue: a pancake house is about to be constructed on land that is the home for families of burrowing owls. In order to save the owls, one boy is vandalizing the construction site to halt construction. Soon another boy, Roy, gets pulled into the drama. Working with the boy with no name and his sister, Beatrice, Roy and his classmates are able to get the construction stopped in the end, through a dramatic and hilarious sequence of events.

APA reference:
Hiaasen, C. (2002). Hoot. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

My Impressions:
This was a very well-written book. It hooks the reader right away with the mystery of the barefoot running boy seen from the bus, and keeps the reader interested all the way through with the pace and humor of the story. While some of the events of the story seemed unlikely, none of it was impossible. Hiaasen also makes the characters very likable, and makes the reader want them to succeed. The humor is one of the best parts of the story. While the story it about a serious issue, it does not take itself too seriously, and I think that will make it more interesting for young readers. There is almost always something funny going on, making the reader want to keep reading. I have read Hiaasen’s books before, but not one intended for young readers. He has a very refreshing writing style that makes reading his book very good entertainment. I would recommend this book to anyone, even adults, although younger readers will probably really enjoy the fact that the young heroes in the book manage to accomplish their goal and save the owls by themselves.

Professional Review:Carter, C. (2002, November). [Review of the book Hoot, by C. Hiaasen]. Horn Book Magazine 78(6). Retrieved from: http://hbook.com/

Hoot is quintessential Hiaasen — a mystery/adventure set in South Florida, peopled with original and wacky characters — with a G rating. Roy Eberhart the new kid in town, hooks up with teenage runaway Mullet Fingers (so named because he can catch fish with his bare hands) and his sister Beatrice, a "major soccer jock … with a major attitude." The three discover that the proposed site for a Mother Paula's All-American Pancake House is also a nesting ground for small burrowing owls, a protected species, and they attempt to halt construction. Initiating a cover-up that reaches all the way to the mayor's office, Mother Paula's executives ignore the owls and try to speed up ground-breaking ceremonies before the public learns their secret. But Mullet Fingers sabotages their efforts: he removes survey stakes; puts alligators in the portable toilets; and releases a mess of cottonmouth shakes to scare away the guard dogs, The narrative carries a lot of frenzied commotion that only becomes more preposterous with each new character's entrance. There's Garrett, "king of phony farts" at middle school; Officer Delinko, not "the sharpest knife in the drawer"; and Kalo, the amiable rottweiler trainer ("That vun dere is Max. That vun, Klaus. That vun, Karl. And that big vun is Pookie Face"). Each individual has a story to tell, sometimes advancing the plot (Officer Delinko's ambitious investigation provides believable access to all characters) and sometimes imposing an earnestness at odds with the humor (Beatrice and Mullet Fingers endure a dismal home situation). Not consistently a hoot, but worthy of a holler. Hiaasen's first YA book succeeds as a humorous diversion.By Betty Carter


Library Uses:
This one could inspire a whole day or week with a theme. There are two possible themes in this book that could be used: environmental issues, or the power of children to make a difference. It could be grouped with other books on the issue, and there could be talks throughout the time of the theme, with the books as recommended reading. Children these days are very interested in environmental issues, and they could be shown examples of real children who have made a difference so that they know it is really possible for them.

Module 6: The Talking Eggs

Book Summary:
This book was almost a Cinderella story. The main character, Blanche, is made to do all the work around the house by her mother and her mean older sister. One day, when she was at the well filling a bucket of water, she met and old woman and gave her a drink. When she got home, her mother punished her because the water wasn’t cold enough. She ran away, and met the old woman again in the woods. She went with the woman to her cabin, where there were strange animals and happenings beyond her imagination. In the morning, she was instructed to gather eggs, but only to pick up the eggs that asked her to take them. There were many different eggs, some in bright colors and with jewels on them, but only the plain eggs were asking to be taken. When she threw these over her shoulder on the way home as instructed, all kinds of fine things came out of the eggs: jewels and fine dresses, and even a horse and cart. When she got home, her mother and sister wanted some fine things too, so her sister went to the old woman’s house. She did not follow the old woman’s instructions, and instead of fine things there were terrible creatures that came out of the eggs she chose. The beasts chased away her and her mother, and they were never able to find the old woman’s cabin again. Blanche went off to the city by herself to be a fine lady.

APA Reference:
San Souci, R. D. (1989). The Talking Eggs. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

My Impressions:
I have never read anything quite like this book. It was very good. It had many themes that are frequently found in children’s stories: the child who has a miserable life, but is still generous and good-hearted; getting a reward for doing the right thing even as they are tempted not to; and of course the villain being punished in the end for not doing the right thing. I loved the imagination of the story, with the strange animals at the old woman’s cabin and the rabbits square dancing in the yard. It was really strange when the old woman took her head off, but it did add to the mystery of the story. I liked that Blanche followed the old woman’s directions even when it did not seem to make sense, and was always rewarded for it. The illustrations in this book were lovely, and although the story could have been told without them, it would not have been as interesting. The artist is excellent at conveying emotions in the paintings, and it really did add to the story. I know that I would really have enjoyed this book if I had read it as a child.

Professional Review:
Schubert, L. (1989, September). The Talking Eggs (Book Review). [Review of the book The Talking Eggs, by R. San Souci]. School Library Journal 35, p. 244. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/

 This adaptation of a Creole folktale contains familiar European fairy tale elements, but certainly stands on its own and is a unique contribution to the American folktale repertoire. In imagistic language spiced with Southern folk flavor, San Souci tells of a cruel mother and her two daughters, Blanche and Rose. Rose is just like her mother, while Blanche is good and kind, and consequently abused. One day Blanche meets an old woman and treats her with a ``spirit of do-right.'' Soon they meet again, when Blanche runs away from mistreatment and the old woman takes her back to her house. And what marvels Blanche finds there--a two-headed cow, multi-colored chickens, abundant food from nothing, a hostess who takes off her head to comb her hair (the illustrations spare readers most of this last detail), and a glorious scene of rabbits engaged in country dancing. For being obedient, Blanche is rewarded with magic talking eggs that turn into everything she's ever wanted. As expected, her greedy family wants to get in on the action, but Rose, of course, fails to follow the old woman's instructions, and gets nothing but a plague of snakes, toads, frogs, and the like. This lesson about virtue rewarded and greed punished is illustrated with Pinkney's lush, detailed watercolor and pencil art, which literally interprets the story and provides abundant detail. The characters are black, the setting rural, and the themes universal. --Leda Schubert, Vermont Department of Education, Montpelier

Library Uses:
This would be a great story to use for an interactive story time with children. With the illustrations it would be one that a group of children could get really interested in. The reader could stop at certain points and ask the children what they think might happen next. For example, the reader could ask the children: “What do think will happen when she throws the eggs over her shoulder? What will come out of them?” Such things as this could encourage the children to use their imaginations. If there is time after the reading, the children could come up with their own drawings: their own egg designs, or their own crazy animals.

Module 5: How I Live Now

Book Summary:
In this story, the main character (Daisy), is going to stay with her cousins in England for the summer. Very soon after she gets there, her aunt is called away to work and the kids have the farm to themselves. Shortly after that, a war begins, and suddenly the country is occupied by enemies. At first, the war doesn’t affect them much. Eventually, however, soldiers move in and take over the farm. The kids are split up and sent to different places. Daisy, who has been having an intense relationship with her cousin Edmond, is upset at being separated from him, but remains in telepathic contact with him. Soon the conflict in the area gets worse, and Daisy and her young cousin Piper end up out on their own. They manage to survive, but they see many horrible things. In the end, Daisy gets taken back to America by her father, and years pass before she is able to get back to England to her cousins, where she eventually renews her relationship with Edmond, who has been greatly affected by the war.

APA Reference:Rosoff, Meg. (2004). How I Live Now. New York: Wendy Lamb Books.

My Impressions:
This was a very intense book. The author did a great job of creating this world that these children lived in, that at first seemed very unreal, and then seemed to be suddenly jerked into reality. The feelings of the whole world being torn out from under them felt very real. Things such as the little goat, Ding, when they found him starving in the barn, helped to convey the horror of what had happened. The children did seem a little mature for their ages, but it is possible that the situation could have made them grow up faster than they normally would have. Daisy’s desperate wish to be reunited with Edmond is evident throughout the last half of the book. At times she even tries to get the dog to find him, and everywhere she goes she hopes to find him again. In the end, when she is sent back to the United States without even finding out what happened to him, the reader is left hoping as well that they will find each other again. In the end, when they do meet again, it is not the fairy-tale like ending that one would normally expect. Edmond was a witness to a terrible massacre, and it has left him damaged. He feels abandoned by Daisy, and she has to work hard to get him to speak to her again.The character development in this book is very good, and the author is very good at creating mood with the events of the book. The children are tough, and handle all of the horror quite well. It feels as if it could be real. The story of this romance in the middle of a terrible war is not an uncommon story, but it is done very well here, and is not predictable and stale.

Professional Reviews:
Card, Timnah. (2004, September). [Review of the book How I Live Now, by M. Rosoff]. Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books 58(1), p. 37. Retrieved from http://bccb.lis.illinois.edu/

ROSOFF, MEG How I Live Now. Lamb, 2004 [160p]Library ed. ISBN 0-385-90908-X $18.99Trade ed. ISBN 0-385-74677-6 $16.95Reviewed from galleysR* Gr. 9-12After a series of terrorist strikes around the world, protagonist Daisy, a New Yorker who has been sent to England by her father to live with her late mother's relatives, is left alone with her four cousins on their farm. With British peacekeeping forces deployed around the world, enemy forces invade England and settle into an uneasy ceasefire with the British military reserves. Newly engaged in her first sexual relationship (with her cigarette-smoking, Jeep-driving, mind-reading cousin Edmond), Daisy frankly adores the bucolic beauty of Life without Father, until the military reserves take over the property and split up the children. Getting her nine-year-old cousin Piper back to the deserted family farm takes Daisy a couple of months; getting herself back to England after her father has her forcibly removed to the States takes Daisy six more years; finding a way to reconnect with a traumatized Edmond, whose extraordinary sensitivity and caring left him unable to disengage from the wanton destruction of war, takes all the courage and brash New York stubbornness she has. The first three-quarters of Daisy's unapologetic narration is a shockingly funny, disturbingly poignant series of observations in one-sentence, run-on paragraphs involving a believably frequent use of Capital Letters and complete disregard for the conventions of punctuation. Jumping the six years of waiting for the reestablishment of international relations, Daisy picks up the tale upon her return to England, this time using starkly perfect modern prose, a technique which heightens the sense of desperation held firmly in check. Throughout, the paradisiacal setting of the English countryside and the wretched, sometimes horrifyingly violent lives of the embattled people who live there are presented with such luxurious, terrible realism that readers will remain absorbed to the very end by this unforgettable and original story.

Davey, D. (2004, September). [Review of the book How I Live Now, by M. Rosoff]. School Library Journal, 50(9), p. 216. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/

Douglas P. DaveyROSOFF, Meg. How I live now. 194p. Random/Wendy Lamb Bks. 2004. Tr $16.95. ISBN 0-385-74677-6; PLB $18.99. ISBN 0-385-90908-X. LC number unavailable.Gr 8 Up-Daisy, 15, a troubled New York City teen with a distant father, a wicked (and pregnant) stepmother, and an eating disorder, is sent to England to stay on a rambling farm with her deceased mother's sister's family. It is made up of Aunt Penn "who always has Important Work To Do Related to the Peace Process" and her brood of children: Osbert, 16; 14-year-old twins Isaac and Edmond; and 9-year-old Piper. As the kids spend more and more time together, Daisy warms to them, beginning to tune in to a seemingly psychic bond that the siblings share. When Aunt Penn travels to Oslo, Daisy begins a sexual relationship with Edmond. At the same time, hostile forces invade England. Originally enjoying the freedom of a world that seems to have forgotten them, the cousins are inevitably separated, leaving Piper and Daisy to struggle across the countryside and rejoin the others. Daisy's voice is uneven, being at times teenage vapid, while elsewhere sporting a vocabulary rich with 50-cent words, phrases, and references. In addition, Rosoff barely scratches the surface of the material at hand. At times, this is both intentional and effective (the enemy is never named) but for the most part the dearth of explanation creates insurmountable questions around the basic mechanisms of the plot. There is no explanation of how a small force could take out all communications (including cell phones) and proceed to overrun and to control an entire country. Perhaps even stranger, the ramifications of psychic abilities and underage sexual relationships between first cousins is never addressed.ADDED MATERIALDouglas P. Davey, Halton Hills Public Libraries, Ontario, Canada

Library Uses:
This book would be a good book club book. There are a lot of underlying themes that could be discussed by the group; this book is very thought-provoking so there would probably be some excellent discussion. It is also a book that is enjoyable to read, and may encourage people to be willing to read more book suggestions in the future.

Module 5: The First Part Last

Book Summary:
This book is the story of a sixteen-year-old boy who unexpectedly ends up raising a baby alone after his girlfriend is left comatose from the complications of childbirth. There are two storylines running simultaneously: the present, where the baby Feather is already born, and the past, beginning with Nia’s announcement to Bobby that she is pregnant. The reader sees Bobby’s parents reactions, and Nia and Bobby discussing adoption. After the baby is born, we see Bobby’s struggle with sleep deprivation, all the things he needs to remember, and his lack of free time with his friends. It is not until the end that the reader finds out what has happened to Nia, and the reason why Bobby is raising the baby alone.

APA reference:
Johnson, A. (2003). The first part last. New York: Simon & Schuster.

My impressions:
First Part Last is a very well written book. I enjoyed the “flashback” style of writing, with part of the story being flashbacks and part of it being in the present. I was glad to see such an accurate portrayal of what life with a new baby is like. Bobby longs to spend time with his friends, playing basketball like he always has, and one time he makes it all the way to the corner before he remembers about Feather. He has to pack a full diaper bag before going anywhere, and take a long chain of buses to get to her daycare to drop her off so he can go to school. One day, he drops her off with a neighbor and spends the whole day painting graffiti. His emotions: love for his child, frustration for his situation, longing to be free again, are all obvious to the reader. The author did a very good job of getting the reader to identify with the main character and feel what he was feeling. While it was a very serious book, it was also short and not at all difficult to read. It was a thoughtful book and not easy to forget.

Professional Review:
(2003, September). [Review of the book The first part last, by A. Johnson]. Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, 57(1), p. 18. Retrieved from http://bccb.lis.illinois.edu/

DSJOHNSON, ANGELA The First Part Last. Simon, 2003 131pISBN 0-689-84922-2 $15.95R Gr. 7-12Bobby's sixteenth birthday came with some shocking news: his girlfriend, Nia, was pregnant. Months later he's trying to raise Feather, their baby, without burdening his family any further, without quitting school, without losing touch with his friends, and without Nia. There's been a resurgence of literary teen parents and especially teen fathers lately (such as Horniman's Mahalia, BCCB 6/03), and this tenderly told story is one of the most appealing. There's some sentimentality to the underpinnings (it's finally revealed that Bobby's adored Nia suffered eclampsia that sent her into an irreversible coma, which is what made Bobby decide to raise Feather rather than putting her up for adoption), but that'll please some readers all the more. Even without that backstory, the lyrical expression of Bobby's devotion to his daughter and his fears about his great responsibilities ("She only wants Daddy. That scares the shit out of me") is moving indeed, with Johnson's finely wrought prose breathing intimacy into every line. The story is deepened by realistic portrayals of Bobby's loving but tough mother, who refuses to raise her son's child, and his softer, more forgiving father, but mostly it's the unfolding tale of Bobby and Feather as he tries to find the best way to raise his child, remember her mother, and live his life. Many readers will be drawn by the photograph on the cover (handsome young man tenderly holding a small baby), and they'll find the book well worthy of the cover's promise.

Library Uses:
This book would be a good one to use for a teen book club; it deals with a very intense teen issue in a very realistic way. It would benefit most teens to read this book and think about the serious issues it covers. It could perhaps be introduced in a series of realistic fiction. This is the kind of book that can really make people think, so would be excellent material for book club discussions.

Module 4: When You Reach Me

Book Summary:
This book is an interesting time travel story. In the beginning, the main character, Miranda, loses her best friend for a reason she doesn’t know. The story outlines her beginnings of new friendships, her strange family relationships, and some very odd events as she receives notes from a complete stranger who is not identified until the end. At first the notes frighten her, but eventually she realizes that they are from the future, as they predict events that have not yet happened. In the end of the story, her friend Sal (the one who has not been speaking to her) is almost hit by a car and killed, but is saved at the last moment by a homeless man from the corner. At the very end, she finally figures out the significance of the notes and some of the strange events that have been happening, as well as who wrote the notes. She and her friend manage to salvage their friendship as well, though it is not as intense as it had been in the beginning.

APA reference:
Stead, R. (2009). When you reach me. New York: Wendy Lamb Books.

My Impressions:
This book was fascinating. At first it was a bit confusing, because it was a little unclear what was happening. As the story went on, however, things began to become clear. The mystery that kept up through the story made it more interesting. The author gave just enough information as the story went on to keep the reader guessing but not too confused. It was fairly early on in the story that I realized that the mysterious notes she was receiving were from the future, but it was not until nearly the end that I knew who it was who was sending them.The little mysteries throughout the story made it very fun. I also liked the interaction between Miranda and her new friends, as well as her family. Her mother’s obsession with the game show is amusing, and I enjoyed reading about her and her friends working in the sandwich shop over their lunch hour.This book had a lot of good themes in it. One seemed to be that things are not always as they seem. Miranda didn’t realize that her friend Sal had actually stopped having much of a relationship far earlier than she had even realized, and that the act of bullying on the way home did not even have anything to do with it. Her friend Annemarie has a health problem that she did not even know about, and which is the real reason for Julia’s seeming hatred for Miranda—she is angry with Miranda because she is concerned for Annemarie and Miranda is not helping to take care of Annemarie. There is also the feeling that Miranda is jealous of Julia not only because of the friendship with Annemarie but because she has money and Miranda’s family does not.It seems also that Miranda is a bit wrapped up in herself and therefore doesn’t notice these things around her. She did not notice Sal’s distant behavior until it had already been happening for some time. She did not realize that Annemarie had a medical condition even though there were many clues on the way. She does, however, notice that Annemarie likes the same boy she does. She worries about how it may affect their friendship if he chooses one of them over the other.One thing I really enjoyed about the book was how all the little clues fit together at the end. It all tied together very nicely, with very little having to be explained by the time all of the events were over. I think that children reading this book would be kept interested all the way through by the clues that are dropped and the chain of events.

Professional Review:
Cooper, I. (2009, June 1). [Review of the book When you reach me by R. Stead]. Booklist, 105, (19/20.) Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/default.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

 If this book makes your head hurt, you’renot alone. Sixth-grader Miranda admitsthat the events she relates make her headhurt, too. Time travel will do that to you. Thestory takes place in 1979, though time frames,as readers learn, are relative. Miranda and Salhave been best friends since way before that.They both live in a tired Manhattan apartmentbuilding and walk home together from school.One day everything changes. Sal is kicked andpunched by a schoolmate and afterward barelyacknowledges Miranda. Which leaves her tomake new friends, even as she continues to reread her ratty copyof A Wrinkle in Time and tutor her mother for a chance to competeon The $20,000 Pyramid. She also ponders a puzzling, evenalarming series of events that begins with a note: “I am coming tosave your friend’s life, and my own . . . you must write me a letter.”Miranda’s first-person narrative is the letter she is sending to thefuture. Or is it the past? It’s hard to know if the key events ultimatelymake sense (head hurting!), and it seems the whys, if notthe hows, of a pivotal character’s actions are not truly explained.Yet everything else is quite wonderful. The ’70s New York settingis an honest reverberation of the era; the mental gymnasticsrequired of readers are invigorating; and the characters, childrenand adults, are honest bits of humanity no matter in what place ortime their souls rest. Just as Miranda rereads L’Engle, children willreturn to this. —Ilene Cooper

School Library Journal
Augusta, C. (2009, July 1). [Review of the book When you reach me by R. Stead]. School Library Journal 55, (7), p. 93. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/

( July 01, 2009; 9780385906647 ) Gr 5-8-Sixth-grader Miranda lives in 1978 New York City with her mother, and her life compass is Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. When she receives a series of enigmatic notes that claim to want to save her life, she comes to believe that they are from someone who knows the future. Miranda spends considerable time observing a raving vagrant who her mother calls "the laughing man" and trying to find the connection between the notes and her everyday life. Discerning readers will realize the ties between Miranda's mystery and L'Engle's plot, but will enjoy hints of fantasy and descriptions of middle school dynamics. Stead's novel is as much about character as story. Miranda's voice rings true with its faltering attempts at maturity and observation. The story builds slowly, emerging naturally from a sturdy premise. As Miranda reminisces, the time sequencing is somewhat challenging, but in an intriguing way. The setting is consistently strong. The stores and even the streets-in Miranda's neighborhood act as physical entities and impact the plot in tangible ways. This unusual, thought-provoking mystery will appeal to several types of readers.-Caitlin Augusta, The Darien Library, CT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Library Uses:
This book would be a good one to feature in a display, perhaps with other time-travel books or mysteries for teens. It is actually the kind of book that would appeal to fans of many different genres, such as science fiction, mystery and suspense, and even realistic fiction. It would work in a collection of any of these genres, as well as a simple display of teen fiction covering broad subjects. The cover art makes it a good candidate for an appealing display, as it is colorful and interesting, and the unusual subjects may draw readers to it.

Module 4: A Wrinkle in Time

Book Summary:
In this story, a young teen girl (Meg), her brother and a friend end up traveling through space and time trying to rescue her father, who has been missing for several years. When they meet some strange creatures who appear in the form of old women, they are introduced to a form of travel called “tessering”. On one of the planets they visit, Meg’s brother Charles Wallace is taken by “IT”, the dark creature that is taking over not only that planet but others as well. In order to rescue her brother, Meg has to be very brave and risk her own life. In the end, they rescue not only Charles Wallace but also her father.

APA Reference: L’Engle, M. (1962). A wrinkle in time. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc.

My Impressions:
I really enjoyed this book as a child, but I had not read it for about 30 years, so I decided to read it again to see if it was like I remembered. In a way, it was, but it seemed more dark and scary than I remembered. I enjoyed the characters; the author had a way of being able to develop the characters quite well with only a little background. The reader learns just enough about Calvin’s family to understand a lot about his character. With a few well-placed sentences the reader learns much about the uniqueness of Charles Wallace’s mind, and Meg’s strong personality hidden under the shy exterior.One of the more interesting things was how many fantastic and strange things happened to this perfectly normal family, and how they were able to deal with it all. The children allowed Mrs. Whatsit to take them on the amazing journey simply because they felt they had no choice but to trust her; this must have taken much courage. Once they were on another planet, and they saw the bad things that “IT” was causing, they knew they needed to do something to change things. In their first confrontation with IT, Charles Wallace was taken over by the creature, and the others were forced to flee to save their lives. On another planet, Meg was allowed time to recover. On this planet, she was taken care of by a very motherly alien and treated like a small child. Again, she had to make a very difficult decision: to go back by herself and face IT. Her bravery was very impressive.I think my favorite thing about this story was in the strength of Meg. I have always liked books with strong female lead characters who can take care of themselves while still having compassion. So many times, strong women are portrayed as heartless and hard people, who do not have feelings like other women do. In this book, the reader can see that it does not have to be that way. The others characters also helped her; without their support, particularly Calvin’s, she would not have had the strength to come back. One of the main themes seemed to be that people need each other, and need the bonds of love and friendship, to get through troubled times.There were many religious allegories in the book, which I had not even noticed when I read it as a child. This was interesting, because they were quite obvious to me now. It seems they were subtle enough that they could be missed by a young reader.Overall, this was an excellent book that is still very enjoyable despite its age.

Professional Review:
(1962, March 1). [Review of A wrinkle in time, by M. L’Engle]. Kirkus Reviews.

A WRINKLE IN TIME (reviewed on March 1, 1962)An allegorical fantasy in which a group of young people are guided through the universe by Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which and Mrs. What -- women who possess supernatural powers. They traverse fictitious regions, meet and face evil and demonstrate courage at the right moment. Religious allusions are secondary to the philosophical struggle designed to yield the meaning of life and one's place on earth. Young Meg's willingness to face IT in the form of a black beast in order to save a dear friend is one sign of her growing awareness. Readers who relish symbolic reference may find this trip through time and space an exhilarating experience; the rest will be forced to ponder the double entendres.

Library Uses:
For libraries that host book clubs, this would be a good book for a group to read. It is not too long, and is very readable. It appeals to a wide range of readers, and has many different themes that could be discussed by the group. Even leaving out the religious themes, there are the themes of working together to accomplish a goal, and the strength of family and friendship. It is also, as mentioned before, a good example of a strong female character, which would be another point for discussion. Perhaps the book could be paired with other books with such characters for comparison.

Module 3: Rapunzel

Book Summary:
In this book, Rapunzel’s mother, before she is born, has cravings for the Rapunzel plant growing in the garden next door. Her husband finds a way into the garden and takes some of the Rapunzel for his wife. One time when he is doing this, the owner of the garden, a sorceress, catches him in the act. As payment, she takes the baby as soon as she is born. She raises Rapunzel as her own. She locks her in a tall tower, where the only way in is a high window up at the top. The sorceress uses Rapunzel’s long hair to climb in and out of the tower. Eventually, a handsome prince stumbles across the tower, and he climbs Rapunzel’s hair to the top. They fall in love and had their own wedding ceremony in the tower. When the sorceress realizes that Rapunzel is pregnant, she cuts off Rapunzel’s hair and turns her out into the wilderness. Then she pushed the prince from the tower the next time he climbs up, and he is blinded by the fall. After he wandered blindly for a year, he came across Rapunzel and the children. Her tears of joy bring his vision back, and they go together to his kingdom.

APA Reference:

Zelinsky, P. O. (1997). Rapunzel. New York: Dutton Children’s Books.

My Impressions:
This is a classic story that has been retold many, many times over the years. This was a version of it that I had never heard. The mother’s craving for the Rapunzel plant was something I do not recall hearing of before, as well as the prince being pushed from the tower and blinded. It was a very interesting story, and I think it would be interesting even to children who have heard the story before, since it is a little different than most versions of Rapunzel. The illustrations are lovely and very detailed. The artist’s style suits the story very well because of its detail and formality; the illustrations have a sort of “old-world” feel. The artist is also excellent at conveying moods in his characters with their posture and facial expressions. Between the lovely illustrations and the story, this is a book that children will enjoy over and over again. While they may miss some of the more “mature” themes (such as why her dress is too tight), this should not detract from their ability to enjoy the book.

Professional Review:
Reduced to its plot, the story of "Rapunzel" is the ultimate melodrama: a hapless child, because of her mother's longing for a particular herb, is given to a sorceress to be raised in a formidable tower until an undaunted prince breaches the defenses. Pregnant, she is banished; he is blinded by a fall. Both must wander through a desolate wilderness until their final triumphant reunion. But, as Zelinsky's extensive notes reveal, the tale is far more than a folktale version of a long-running soap opera. Dating back to Basile's Il Pentamerone (1637), it underwent several meta-morphoses before being included by the Brothers Grimm in the first edition of their Household Stories (1812). Various retellers obviously knew a good story when they found one-and "Rapunzel," with its roots in the human psyche, is all of that. But it takes a scholar's mind and an artist's insight to endow the familiar with unexpected nuances-which Zelinsky does with passion and dazzling technique. Given the story's Italian origins, his choice of a Renaissance setting is inspired, allowing for many allusions to the art and architecture of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries. Yet these are not slavish imitations of masterpieces; rather, he has assimilated the sources and transformed them, giving depth to the characters and endowing the story with an aura of otherworldiness that enlarges upon the historical references. There is both love and menace in the sorceress's face; the landscape through which Rapunzel and the prince wander is both beautiful and desolate. Simply put, this is a gorgeous book; it demonstrates respect for the traditions of painting and the fairy tale while at the same time adhering to a singular, wholly original, artistic vision.Most of the books are recommended; all of them are subject to the qualifications in the notes. [*] indicates a book that the majority of reviewers believe to be an outstanding example of its genre, of books of this particular publishing season, or of the author's body of work.~~~~~~~~By Mary M. Burns

(1998, January/February) [Review of the book Rapunzel by P. Zelinsky]. Horn Book Magazine, 74, 1, p. 85.

Library uses: a librarian could use this book in a display of fairy tale books, especially including different versions of the same story. Librarians could encourage readers to try different versions of the same story to see all the different ways it has been written over the years.

Module 3: Flotsam

Book Summary: This book is one of David Wiesner’s wonderful “wordless” books. The story, told only in pictures, shows a boy at the beach who finds an old-fashioned box camera washed up with the tide. When he realizes there is film in it, he takes it to be processed. The pictures he gets back show fantastical underwater scenes with strange clockwork fish, cities of marine life, alien creatures and starfish islands. The last picture on the roll is a photo of a young girl, holding up a photo of another child holding a photo. As he looks at it first with a magnifying glass and then a microscope, he sees images all the way back to a boy in very old-fashioned dress waving at the camera. When he sees this, he re-loads film into the camera and takes a photo of himself holding up the last photo, then tosses the camera back into the water. The camera continues on another underwater journey, and ends washing up on another beach for another child.

APA Reference:Wiesner, D. (2006). Flotsam. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.

My Impressions:
This story was truly magical. The illustrations were beautiful, especially the cover. No words were necessary to tell the story; the illustrations did a fine job. The underwater scenes shown in the pictures are delightful and would appeal to anyone’s imagination. His multi-pane paintings do a very good job of describing the sequence of events, and he is very good at using the character’s expression and body language to tell the story. For example, the scenes that show the boy waiting for the film to be developed show very well how impatient he is, with the boy fidgeting and shown in a different pose in each pane. I really enjoyed the part where he was looking at the photograph of the child with the photo, and realized that there was photo within photo back to the very beginning. The camera and the photo connected all of these children from all different times and places, even though they likely never met each other. I was a little surprised to see his pictures all washing away with the tide in the end, but at the same time it was interesting to think that having no evidence would mean that this would stay a secret that only these children knew. Showing the camera’s journey after he tossed it back in, and seeing the next child pick it up, it makes the reader wonder and speculate about what that next child is going to see.

Professional Reviews:Publishers WeeklyTwo-time Caldecott winner Wiesner (Tuesday; The Three Pigs) crafts another wordless mystery, this one set on an ordinary beach and under an enchanted sea. A saucerlike fish's eye stares from the exact center of the dust jacket, and the fish's scarlet skin provides a knockout background color. First-timers might not notice what's reflected in its eye, but return visitors will: it's a boxy camera, drifting underwater with a school of slim green fish. In the opening panels, Wiesner pictures another close-up eye, this one belonging to a blond boy viewing a crab through a magnifying glass. Visual devices binoculars and a microscope in a plastic bag rest on a nearby beach towel, suggesting the boy's optical curiosity. After being tossed by a wave, the studious boy finds a barnacle-covered apparatus on the sand (evocatively labeled the "Melville Underwater Camera"). He removes its roll of film and, when he gets the results, readers see another close-up of his wide-open, astonished eye: the photos depict bizarre undersea scenes (nautilus shells with cutout windows, walking starfish-islands, octopi in their living room ? la Tuesday's frogs). A lesser fantasist would end the story here, but Wiesner provides a further surprise that connects the curious boy with others like him. Masterfully altering the pace with panel sequences and full-bleed spreads, he fills every inch of the pages with intricate, imaginative watercolor details. New details swim into focus with every rereading of this immensely satisfying excursion. Ages 5-8.

(2006, July 24). [Review of the book Flotsam by D. Wiesner]. Publishers Weekly 253(29), p. 56-57. Retrieved from http://subs.publishersweekly.com/

School Library JournalK-Gr 4-A wave deposits an old-fashioned contraption at the feet of an inquisitive young beachcomber. It's a "Melville underwater camera," and the excited boy quickly develops the film he finds inside. The photos are amazing: a windup fish, with intricate gears and screwed-on panels, appears in a school with its living counterparts; a fully inflated puffer, outfitted as a hot-air balloon, sails above the water; miniature green aliens kowtow to dour-faced sea horses; and more. The last print depicts a girl, holding a photo of a boy, and so on. As the images become smaller, the protagonist views them through his magnifying glass and then his microscope. The chain of children continues back through time, ending with a sepia image of a turn-of-the-20th-century boy waving from a beach. After photographing himself holding the print, the youngster tosses the camera back into the ocean, where it makes its way to its next recipient. This wordless book's vivid watercolor paintings have a crisp realism that anchors the elements of fantasy. Shifting perspectives, from close-ups to landscape views, and a layout incorporating broad spreads and boxed sequences, add drama and motion to the storytelling and echo the photographic theme. Filled with inventive details and delightful twists, each snapshot is a tale waiting to be told. Pair this visual adventure with Wiesner's other works, Chris Van Allsburg's titles, or Barbara Lehman's The Red Book (Houghton, 2004) for a mind-bending journey of imagination.-Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Fleishhacker, J.

(2006, September 01). [Review of the book Flotsam, by D. Wiesner]. School Library Journal 52(9), p. 186-187. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/

Library Uses: I think that this book is a great one for inspiring the imagination. One thing that a librarian could do with this book is, after having the children read it or read it to them, have them come up with some ideas of what they think the next child might see in the pictures. The children could write down their ideas, draw them out, or even just talk about them. To me the value in this book, along with its visual beauty, is the possibility of inspiration. Children have wonderful imaginations, and using this book as a springboard, they could almost certainly come up with some amazing ideas.