Persepolis - Marjane Sartrapi

Persepolis isn't just a book that you read, it's a book that you fully experience. You live the words on the page. As someone who knew virtually nothing about the Iranian revolution during the 1980's, I found myself completely invested and ready and willing to learn about this major historical event.

As someone who isn't the biggest fan of history books, I was surprised at how completely invested I was in the story. I suppose that it could have something to do with the fact that it is the memoir of a young girl, or the fact that one of my best friends is an Iranian, living in Tehran.

There are a lot of things to be gained from reading Persepolis. Whether you gain a knew knowledge or understanding about this event, or simply find that you are able to appreciate the themes of love, life and resistance in a time of war, it is not a graphic novel to skip over. The message is powerful, and it definitely leaves you wanting more (good thing there is a second half)!

American Born Chinese

I grew up in Japan, so I am no strange to the world of graphic novels. This one was slower than most of the ones I've encountered, but the way it all comes together in the end is awesome! Not all graphic novels end up providing the reader with such a powerful message. The "slower" pace of this graphic novel is necessary to its message, as it deals with issues of identity. The last time I checked, identity formation doesn't happen over night.

I really appreciated the idea of weaving "traditional" and "modern" narratives together that occurred in American Born Chinese. I was somewhat confused about the triple narrative going on as I read, but because it was so strange .... I didn't want to put it down. I also enjoyed the quirky nature of the book (with an intentionally backwards book cover that makes you look like you're reading upside down).

I feel like there are a lot of preconceived notions about graphic novels. I have to say, young adults (and even grown adults) who choose to read graphic novels over regular novels are not missing out on the literary merits afforded by "regular" novels. The messages are equally as powerful and, in fact, the words have to be chosen in a more deliberate way because there are fewer in a graphic novel.

I thoroughly enjoyed following Jin Wang on his journey, and at the end I had to laugh when I flipped back over to the comic (which I've embedded above) and thought, "If only he had never forgotten where he came from, he never would have forgotten who he was."

I highly recommend this graphic novel!

The Ear, The Eye and The Arm

I've never been a huge fan of science fiction, but this book has me second guessing that notion.

One day, in the year 2194, Tendai, Rita and Kuda set out on what is supposed to be a simple, innocent day trek for a scout badge. It turns out to be the biggest adventure of their life time, full of trouble, crime and mysterious folk. The way the past and the future are tied together is incredibly fascinating, and definitely gives you a different perspective into how different cultural pasts have transformed (and will continue to transform) over time. The Ear, The Eye, And The Arm definitely requires to step outside of yourself and see things from a totally different perspective.

One of the most interesting things in the novel was the feel that Tendai, Kuda and Rita are living in a post-racial world. The Mellower is given a race, but he is also from a tribe, and has been inhabited by a spirit of a different tribe despite his physical appearance. There is no greater or lesser value placed on him because of his skin color. There aren't any racial signifiers to describe Tendai, Kuda and Rita other than what is given in context (their African ancestry is a hint, as well as the italicized words), although the three detectives are briefly described in racial terms.

Other interesting topics that come up are environmental issues, authority issues, things related to coming of age and the idea of a Utopia.

Personally, I enjoyed the novel. I feel like it is laced with a variety of things to discuss in a book group or as a class or even just with your family. I read this book out loud to my little sister (who is 10) and she loved it. She is an accelerated reader (reading at almost a 10th grade level) so I wouldn't recommend this book for most 10 year olds, but I would definitely use it with middle and high school aged youth.

The Hunger Games

Living in a post-apocalyptic world, Katniss and the other inhabitants of the various districts are forced to participate in constant reminders of the punishment appropriated to those who rebel against their government. As book one in a trilogy, it paves the way for conflict, romance, loss, uprising, revenge and more.

There are a lot of interesting aspects to The Hunger Games. Katniss is a tomboyish female lead character, who trapes around with a bow and arrow, hunting and trading on the black market to support her family. She has a serious attitude, but despite her somewhat awkward and rigid nature in the beginning of the trilogy, the reader still is invited in to get to know her. After you've invested the time in getting to know Katniss, you can't put the book down. Katniss is definitely a character that anyone can connect with and relate to, boy or girl.

Despite the novel's somewhat predictable nature, there are enough moments of suspense and surprise to leave the reader satisfied. There are also pretty heavy (and easily accessible) themes of living in an economic depression, isolation, starvation, oppression and corrupt governments. The novel also plays with traditional gender roles - this is especially evident in the portrayals of Katniss and Peeta - as well as others, like Cinna.

The Hunger Games is an "I can't put this down" cover to cover read, and the other two books in the trilogy are equally as addicting. The books take you on an emotional ride that leaves you with a new appreciation for those who have endured a rebellion against government oppression, and also a deeper appreciation for the value of individuals in society.

Voices - Ursula Le Guin

Books. They have always been at the heart of many great conflicts, haven't they? Want to suppress a people? Take their written language, smother their voices. Want to control the way they think and feel about the world? Control the literature they are allowed to read. There is the message and recognition that books are powerful, and shouldn't be hidden away, banned, burned, censored, etc. But, that is not really the message I got from Voices, it was more just a thought floating around the back of my mind.

Memer's story (which I suppose is more than the story of Memer) speaks more to the idea that there is good and bad in everyone and that, even in times of war, it is better to try and understand them to try and retaliate. I don't really know how I feel about that, though. On some level that's like asking the Jewish people to understand the Nazi's (and vice versa), or like trying to talk a great many Americans into understanding Middle Eastern terrorists. Maybe it would be helpful for healing, but it doesn't ever make things okay: just because you understand someone doesn't necessarily mean you agree with them, or that it leads to the solving of any type of issue.

I feel like this novel can easily be translated into the goings-on of today. Many young people with refugee status may be able to relate to Memer and her people and their situation. Her story is not all that unlike the stories we read in "My Name Is..." or the experiences of Mai in Tangled Threads. In all three of these pieces of literature, there is a shared anger (and hatred) for their oppressors (generally, the people who brought war to their people). I feel like reading a book like Voices might be a good way to introduce the topic of war and refugees into the classroom, and then maybe move into a text like A Long Way Gone or Tangled Threads as a way of better understanding our own community. This novel easily relates to contemporary issues, and is a good way to bring those issues up in class.

Personally, I struggled with the text. I found it difficult to fully immerse myself in Memer's world. While there were certainly some interesting characters (like Orrec and Gry), I struggled to connect. I could see the relevance, but I kept finding myself confused over what was happening. I felt like I wasn't getting enough background. What are Alds? Why are they fighting again? Where did the author come up with these funny words? How do you pronounce this name?

I found it difficult to stay in the text because I needed so much more background information. I felt like I'd been thrown into a foreign land with no idea of how it operated. Maybe that is also a valuable lesson. I felt displaced, probably like many refugees do when they leave their homeland. I did a little digging around and found out that Voices is the companion novel to Gifts, which sounds like it provides to front-loading and background information I was yearning for. While I appreciated the novel, and definitely had moments when I was enjoying it, I would be hesitant to recommend it to others. I think I will read Gifts, and then see how it affects my understanding of Voices. If it changes it all for me, I'll be sure to recommend that they be read together.

A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle

I have a million things I want to say about this book, and somehow I can't find the words to say them. This is somewhat fitting, seeing as a majority of the book is made up of things people cannot say, and communicating through thoughts and feelings. To be honest, the fact that the author was able to illustrate communication of thoughts and feelings through written words is rather impressive.

I appreciated the theme of "things unfamiliar" throughout the novel. I feel like, over all, this is an easily related theme. Everyone has, at one point or another, been in a new place - a new school, a new church, a new sports team, a new job - so the feelings of unfamiliarity and discomfort of being far away from home are easily accessible. I think young readers who have moved between countries may also be able to relate in the way that everything feels foreign, and there are sometimes no words to explain the things going on around them.

While I appreciated the poetic nature of the novel, I struggled with some of the content. Maybe I'm too old a reader for A Wrinkle in Time, or maybe the recent train of ultra-depressing books I've read has left me feeling somewhat pessimistic about the world, but this novel really seemed to push the idea that "love is all you need." If you just love each other, everything will be great! You can save the world with love! You can overcome the darkness of the world with love! Evil and dark things don't have love, and that's how you can conquer them!

That message just didn't sit well with me. You need more than love to fix the problems of the world. Love won't bring your missing parent home - I think that young readers who have had less than an ideal upbringing may feel a lot of "unhappy" emotions when they read this book. It just isn't real. And, sure, it's not supposed to be...but adolescents don't care about genre tags. They want to relate to their readings, and this novel is really only relatable to for a certain audience.

Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the dynamic between Meg and Charles Wallace. It reminded me very much of my own relationship with my younger brother, and it was fun to think about how our interactions were very similar to Meg's and Charles' (although, my younger brother is no child genius). Overall, it was a good read - maybe something I'd suggest as a bedtime story for your 4th - 6th grade children.

My Name Is....

I really appreciated having the opportunity to read "My Name Is....". All too often, the cruel and violent nature of war-torn countries, and the impact of these events, and the trauma experienced by the people of these countries are forgotten. I loved this project because I loved that it gave these students a voice. It gave them the space they needed to discuss their feelings without judgement.

I feel like these kinds of projects can be useful for all students - not just refugees. Giving students a safe space to voice their thoughts and concerns is beneficial to all. In this case, however, the sharing of stories can be grounds for sympathy, empathy, compassion and understanding. I really enjoyed the discussion questions posed at the end of the packet, which provides a springboard for mature discussion around a sensitive topic.

I was sad to read about the traumas that such young people had gone through, and the statistics at the end of the packet were staggering. They were much higher than I had ever imagined. Many of the voices in this particular packet were from East Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. I would have been interested in reading some of the stories of the refugees from Russia and Eastern Europe, because their stories are equally as valid - and they may share common threads with the refugees I was able to read about in "My Name Is....".

Tangled Threads: A Hmong Girl's Story - Pegi Deitz Shea

Tangled Threads is a story full of the trials faced by a young, Hmong refugee. Because I am neither Hmong nor a refugee of any sort, I can not speak to the authenticity or the accuracy of the story, but the way it is written is believable, and takes you for an emotional ride.

Mai's journey really is relatable to a ball of tangled threads. What starts off as Mai coming of age in a refugee camp, as a young Hmong girl, becomes the journey of a young, Hmong girl coming of age into her own culture, as well as into a new culture. It is the story of a young woman trying to find where she fits in her family, cultural community, and wider American community. What starts off as a single thread becomes a ball of tangled threads, but by the end of the book it seems that she is beginning to find a way for these threads to intertwine, instead of tangle.

While much of the story is relatable (we all know a Heather and a Yer), I had some conflicting feelings toward the story. While the author did a great job of introducing the reader to aspects of the Hmong culture, like Pa'ndua, shaman and funeral practices, many times there wasn't much of a follow through. I was very interested in a lot of the things in the novel, but had no clue as to why they happened. I also found myself feeling really uncomfortable about certain aspects of the culture (teenage brides, multiple wives, abuse) that just seemed to be okay.

Ultimately, I found the novel informative and enjoyable. I found it helpful in understanding my adopted siblings who came to this country as older children, and found myself relating their experiences to Mai's. Even though it left me feeling somewhat uncomfortable, I feel like it provides a valuable message, and it's a read I'd recommend to everyone.

A Long Way Gone - Ishmael Beah

I had the good fortune, several years ago, to go to a small seminar that happened to have Ishmael Beah as the keynote speaker. I remember thinking to myself, "How can anyone who has been through such horrific things be so happy?" Since that day, Ishmael has always been one of the people I try to model myself after. If he can wake up and live life with a smile on his face, so can I.

Even though this was my second time reading A Long Way Gone, I was still as shocked and saddened by the contents of the novel as I was the first time I read it. From scenes with babies that have been shot to death, dismembered community members and imams that have been burnt to death, their remains eaten by animals, A Long Way Gone is certainly a blunt-forced reminder of the terrible cruelty that humans can inflict on one another. Yet, amongst all the horror, Ishmael finds a way to provide bittersweet glimpses of human warmth and kindness. Despite it's grim nature, A Long Way Gone still leaves you feeling hopeful.

A Long Way Gone is certainly its own type of coming-of-age story, and one that I think everybody should read. I don't want to presume what an individual reader can get out of A Long Way Gone, because I think the message gleaned from this memoir is probably different and deeply personal for each reader.

However, I can say that I deeply admire Ishmael's bravery and openness in discussing the horrifying nature of civil war and becoming a boy-soldier. I feel like his memoir provides its readers with a better understanding into this often forgotten world, while also calling into focus the blurry line between right and wrong.

The Circuit

The Circuit is a fascinating, heart breaking and true account of the life of migrant families, more specifically the children of these migrant families. I will admit that, initially, I was hesitant to read it. I thought it would be like every other propaganda-novel about immigration, trying to persuade you one way or the other. I was surprisingly relieved when I realized this story was not like the others. I was immediately sucked in and read the book in one sitting.

While I knew, prior to reading The Circuit, that is was based in truth, I did not get a "non-fiction" feel from the book. In fact, most of the time I kept hoping that I would get to the end to find out that none of this really happened. Each little episode of loss, and the consequent emotions, had me reaching for the tissues. That being said, I was rooting for Panchito the entire time, despite the fact that I knew what was coming (it's not called The Circuit for nothing!).

I was able to see bits and pieces of myself in the novel as well. I grew up in a military family, and could commiserate with Panchito over the anguish and disappointment of having to leave a place you have just grown to love, only to start all over: new friends, new home, new school. On the other hand, I could also relate to the happiness and excitement felt when you get to return to that place. And, while I wasn't deported from the place I called my home for most of my life - I did have to leave (I'm not a citizen of the country I grew up in), and have yet to return.

I think this book is a must-read for any and everyone. It does not matter where you stand politically. This book will pull you in with its emotional, powerful language and will remind you of the hardships that come with trying to attain the American Dream. And, if nothing else, it will remind you of the cyclical nature of life and leave you feeling hopeful that, next time, maybe things will be better.

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World - Jennifer Armstrong

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World is a great book if you are a fan of non-fiction, or have an innate interest in ships or shipwrecks. It is an incredibly detailed account of Ernest Shackleton, his men and their ship as it gets stuck in the ice, and falls to pieces, during their attempt to be the first crew to cross Antarctica. It is most certainly an impressive story of endurance, hardship and miracles.

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World is also full of real life photographs taken during the experience which, honestly, is the only reason I was able to keep reading the book. While I could tell that it was a well written account of the experience, I found that I struggled to stay interested. Even though it is full of little heart warming anecdotes (such as the Emperor penguins and their affinity for the banjo or how the sled dogs loved to chase the penguins), I wasn't totally consumed by the book.

I don't think my being bored with the book was really the fault of the author, so much as it was my own personal disinterest in the topic. I especially didn't like seeing the picture of the handsome man holding the two baby penguins on route to killing and eating them. I know they had to do it to survive, but I didn't need to see the picture of the cute baby penguins on their way to slaughter. It made me sad.

If I had been reading this book after watching Pirates of the Caribbean or Eight Below I may have been more drawn in, but since I just read The Book Thief, I was mostly just bored with Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World.

The Book Thief

Markus Zusak is my new favorite author. The Book Thief has easily been placed in my five favorite reads of all time. Everything about this novel was interesting. It was narrated by death, which is more than appropriate considering the story takes place during World War II. The novel is incredibly sad, but every moment that occurs is so palpable that you can't pull yourself away from the book. The narrator, who is also a spoiler of endings, will have you laughing out loud in one paragraph, and running for tissues in the next.

The Book Thief speaks to the reader in so many ways. On one hand, it is the story of a girl, her 'family' and friends trying to live as normal a life as possible in Nazi Germany. On another hand, it is the sad story of World War II itself. On a different hand, it is the story of Leisel and her books, and discovering the power that words can have (something the narrator seems to have mastered). Every page of The Book Thief will have you on the edge of your seat.

The Book Thief is marketed towards adolescent readers, and I think it is done appropriately so. This novel speaks to the power of reading and words, and the power of close friendships, and does so in a way that most adolescents and all adults should be able to understand. It provides a totally different look into the Holocaust and Nazi Germany, and may be more engaging for some readers than The Diary of Anne Frank or Schindler's Ark (which are also both very good). This novel is also great for adolescents because it will allow them to formulate a plethora of questions about topics such as the different uses of point of view and voice, metaphors and similes and running themes (such as the color of the sky during death).

My only complaint about this novel being marketed towards adolescents is that too many adult readers will overlook it, simply based on where it is placed in the bookstore. This simultaneously heart-wrenching, heart-warming novel is too good to be overlooked. It answers so many unasked questions: What were young German girls and boys doing during WWII? What were the experiences of German families living near the concentration camps? Furthermore, it leaves you asking questions: Why the emphasis on the color of the sky? Is Death also a book thief? What more of communism?

On a personal note, I enjoyed that Max was from Stuttgart, because that is where I was born. So while I may not have been able to personally relate to every experience in the novel (despite the fact that I read every moment as though I was the one living it), I did have that - and somehow, perhaps in the spirit of Max's character, that small connection was very powerful.

Esperanza Rising

Pam Munoz Ryan's Esperanza Rising really hit close to home for me, which was totally unexpected. My great-great grandfather, David Patten Black, fled to Chihuahua, Mexico in the late 1800's, to escape the marshals that were hunting down polygamists. There, he met my great-great grandmother (and a second wife), and lived a successful life as a horse-breaker and the sheriff of his town. But, in 1912, Poncho Villa came through and told everyone to clear out unless they wanted to meet their maker. My great-great grandfather's neighbors didn't want to leave their settled land, successful farms, etc. He didn't want to either, but he picked up his wives, kids and a few belongings and left for safety. He did, however, feel an obligation to his neighbors and friends and came back to try to convince them one more time to leave with his family, but when he got back into town, it was too late and everyone had been slaughtered and robbed.

His family, much like Esperanza's family, had to start again with nothing but $25.00 to their name. They had to leave the life they knew for a life of impoverished uncertainty. I found it really interesting that my family history aligned so neatly with the events that occurred during Esperanza Rising. That all being said, my family didn't become migrant workers, and weren't driven out of their home country. Nevertheless, the similarities are there.

In general, Esperanza Rising offers a great look into the experiences of Mexican families during the Mexican revolution, as well as migrant families and workers. It also tackles class issues and hierarchy within the Latino community, something which I think is often overlooked. Even more interestingly, Esperanza Rising also addresses the differences of being Spanish, Mexican, etc., and how people are treated differently based on their roots. Again, this is not a topic that is often discussed as being a problem outside of the dominant culture.

In specific regard to adolescents, I think this novel is a valuable read. It really provides those "windows and mirrors" opportunities. Students will be able to look into Esperanza Rising and see themselves in Esperanza's character. They will be able to identify with teen angst, identity struggles as well as have the opportunity to address the idea of a world outside of themselves (moving away from egocentricity). They will also be able to look into the text and empathize with the struggles of a friend or a neighbor going through financial troubles, or with Esperanza herself. These are important experiences to have.

Also, they will get to learn a few new words in Spanish. An ever expanding vocabulary is never a bad thing.

The House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros

There are a lot of different themes running through this book, but the one that I connected most with was the theme of a young girl trying to find herself. Having grown up in a culture that "requires" women to grow into a social role, I can identify with Esperanza's struggles. Every thing she says and does is underscored with the issue of trying to figure out where she fits and how she needs to adapt. It broke my heart to read the passage about her name (pg 10 - 11), especially when she says, "She looked out the window her whole life, the way so many women sit their sadness on an elbow. I wonder if she made the best with what she got or was she sorry because she couldn't be all the things she wanted to be. Esperanza. I have inherited her name, but I don't want to inherit her place by the window" (pg 11). Those words echo the feelings so many girls have, even in today's society. I personally struggle with feeling like my own thoughts, ideas and desires are suppressed or unwelcome based on the fact that they don't match society's rules and regulations for what is acceptable from females. It's hard to find yourself in a man's world.

Nevertheless, The House on Mango Street is full of hope. All the while, the reader knows that Esperanza isn't the kind of girl who takes what life gives her. She tries to make the world work the way she wants it to, and she constantly clings to her desire to break away from the norms which is illustrated best in "Four Skinny Trees" (pg 74 - 75). But trying to change her world doesn't come easily (it comes with sexual assault), and not without watching other girls, like Sally, fall victim to the life she doesn't want. The House on Mango Street reads like a diary, which I think makes it seem all the more real. You know that you are reading the best and the worst, her hopes and her dreams, and you want her to succeed.

I think that The House on Mango Street is a great book for adolescents to read. It speaks loudly to the adolescent female population to have hope and to, for lack of a better phrase, "be the change you want to see in the world." It speaks to the racism, poverty, danger, shame associated with communities like Esperanza's while also speaking to the feeling of "otherness" and feelings of inadequacy that adolescents of all backgrounds experience. No matter who you are, there will be something in The House on Mango Street that speaks to you.

Monster

I enjoyed Walter Dean Myers' Monster. That being said, I wish I'd had a strong reaction to the novel as a whole. The book certainly caused me to reflect on the treatment of young, African American men in this country, which then lead me to think about the recent execution of Troy Davis. He was thrown in jail, just like Steve Harmon, as a young man. Although there was no real evidence to link him to the murders he was accused of, he was found guilty and sentenced to death. This lead me to ask the same question I'd been asking myself during Monster: Did he really do it?

Then I started thinking about the Amanda Knox case. She, too, was accused of brutally murdering someone. She was found not guilty, and has recently returned home. If Troy Davis had been a young, white female would his fate have been different?

In Monster, Steve narrowly escapes the fate met by Troy Davis. If he had been a young, white female would he have been implicated in the robbery-gone-wrong at all? Why is it that so many young, African American men end up in prison? This book left me with more questions than answers.

That being said, I really enjoyed the portrayal of Steve's character. So many times we are exposed to young black characters like Bobo: thugs, gang bangers, hoodlums from broken homes. Steve is different. He has two parents who love him and each other. He is a smart kid who tries hard in school. He wants to be a good role model for his little brother. He doesn't want to be like Bobo. What frustrated me most was that, even though he had all these great attributes, people were afraid to give him the benefit of the doubt. You see it when O'brien refuses to hug him. You see it in the minor collapse in the relationship between him and his father. You see it in his mother's face. Why do so many people have such little faith in Steve? I will admit that I did a small "fist pump" when James King was found guilty. I was so happy that Steve was separated from the image of wrong doing!

I also enjoyed that the book was written as a screen play. The changes between font (switching from hand writing to typing) was slightly distracting, but I realize there was a purpose for that. I also enjoyed that Steve's film had a relatively happy ending. Reading Monster was kind of like watching an episode of Law & Order, only with an ending that does justice to the character on trial.

I feel like this would be a good book for adolescents to read. It helps to break the stigma that all young, African American men are criminals. It shows a much more raw, emotional side of what goes on in these types of scenarios and helps to remind you that there is more to someone than the color of their skin or the neighborhood they live in, and that these things don't define a person.

The People Could Fly

I have not had a lot of experience with Black folk tales. To be honest, Virginia Hamilton's The People Could Fly was my first exposure to these tales. As I was reading them I was upset that I hadn't had more exposure to these kinds of tales. They are full of great lessons and stories: stories of trickery, honesty, life lessons and freedom. There is so much to be learned from these tales. They could easily be paired with Native American trickster tales, and I don't understand why these Black folk tales aren't regularly implemented into primary and secondary language arts classes.

It is exactly this type of literature that can be used to send a powerful message to students of color that their background and their heritage is valuable. By excluding them from the classroom, it's like saying that they have nothing to offer. These kinds of stories don't have to be saved for Black History Month, either. They can be used in a short story unit, a folk tale unit, a history class, an American literature class or unit and more. Students of any race, ethnicity, heritage, religious background, sexual orientation, and so on can connect with or learn something from these texts. They can compare them with tales they know, and discuss the similarities and differences. They can talk about how freedom is a universal desire. They can discover how magic and talking animals are symbols for deeper expressions.

Because this was my first experience with "Gullah" and other Black vernacular tales, I did have a bit of a difficult time understanding a few of them; I had to read them out loud to get the message. That being said, I thoroughly appreciated the blurbs at the end of the stories that gave a little history and context to them. It helped me to connect with them, it helped me to understand them, and overall it helped me to appreciate them more. I also enjoyed the chronology. I do not know if that was intentional, or if it just happened that way, but I liked seeing the tales move from folky, mythic trickster-like "Gullah" tales to tales of freedom, all of which were incredibly powerful.

Sold

Sold is a fantastic piece of literature. It illustrates, in an almost episodic way, the world of child sex trafficking. We all know it exists, but generally turn a blind eye to it. Perhaps it is out of guilt, or maybe it is because we feel helpless. Either way, Sold does not let you turn a blind eye. It stares you in the face and you must tackle the topic, and your feelings, head on. Most surprisingly, Sold manages to utilize a variety of techniques that seem to be saved for novel writing. Maybe it is not uncommon for verse novels to use literary elements such as foreshadowing, rising action, climax or falling action but it was a first for me and I appreciated the depth that the inclusion of these literary elements provided to the story.

On a lighthearted note, Sold seems to illustrate two seemingly universal truths. One being that all adolescent girls will develop a crush on someone at some point in their life, as seen in the poems about Krishna, and another being that all adolescent girls love sweets, as illustrated by the many poems that include candy and sweet cakes. Just by including these two elements into the text, I found myself better able to connect with Lakshmi's character. These smaller elements also seemed to invoke the message that girls who are sold into the sex trade are more than victims - they are girls with families, crushes, likes and dislikes, and lives that shaped them prior to their misfortunes. In some way it offers a sense of hope that, if these girls can be rescued, that things might be okay.

Because of the complex nature of this verse novel, I think it has a lot to offer both adults and adolescents. More specifically, in a classroom setting this text could be used in a variety of ways. The poems can be looked at on an individual level, without a back story, and still provide a meaning. Or, the poems can be read as they are intended to be read - as a collection - and the discussion can be had about how poetry employs literary elements to portray a message, make a collection more interesting and so on. A text like this also provides a great segue into discussing topics such as social justice and other inequalities in the world that we seem to turn a blind eye to. Ultimately, this text can be used in a variety of valuable ways because of its complexity; it would be a shame to not take advantage of all this text affords.

JoyFul Noise

As a great lover of nature, I really appreciated the insect theme of this poetry book. Each poem was a surprisingly emotional journey through the life of the insect at hand. It is obvious that Fleischman put a lot of thought into each poem. I often forgot that I was reading the words of an insect that couldn't speak. These poems made it seem natural that a bee or a preying mantis would be able to tell me about their life. I found it entertaining, educational and believable.

Several of the poems really "spoke" to me. One of these was "Mayflies". It reminded me of a time when my fiance had purchased a new car, and decided to drive it up north to show to his friends. It was Mayfly mating season, and he ended up driving through a thick cloud of mating flies. They caked his windshield, the hood of his car and anything else they could adhere to. While I was reading this poem, I couldn't help but be a little perturbed with my fiance that he would kill these little mayflies when they only had a short time to live anyway. After reading this poem, I took a step back and laughed. I'd been empathizing with an insect! I think the poem certainly did its job in getting the reader (me) to see the world of insects from a totally different perspective.

What makes Joyful Noise so memorable is that it is, as it says on the cover, a book of "poems for two voices". The message and playfulness and joyful, sometimes serious nature of the poetry come across easily while reading it. The only flaw is that, as a piece of text, it is somewhat hard to gauge what the full "out-loud" effect would be. I can't help but wonder, would the message come across to me in the same way? Would hearing the poem make it mean something different to me than what I feel when reading it?

I think this book has a lot to offer adolescents. Joyful Noise is full of poems that are sure to spark an interest in their minds about the poetry genre. I think it is a great alternative to offer students so that they know that poetry isn't all sonnets and haikus. I think it is also important to point out that these poems offer an opportunity for students to participate in the taking of a different perspective, which seems to be a common struggle in secondary education. They could even do an exercise where they work in groups to come up with a poem to "add" to the collection. There is personal, group, literary and educational value in Fleischman's work and it would be a shame not to take advantage of all it has to offer.

Looking For Alaska

In reading Looking for Alaska, I was impressed by how multi-faceted each of the characters were. It didn't seem as though there were any one dimensional characters. Everyone had a backstory: Pudge and his life in Florida, the Colonel and his mom and his dreams, Alaska and her traumatic past, Takumi and his secretive nature, etc. Most importantly, the characters serve as perfect examples of the impassioned, impulsive and melodramatic nature of teenagers.

The realness and complexity of these characters, as well as other elements, make this story very credible. For example, there are multiple instances of adolescent deviant behavior: drinking, having sex, swearing, smoking, bending rules. However, at no time are any of these things condoned or made out to be acceptable forms of adolescent behavior. Engaging in this behavior eventually results in the very worst of consequences.

This novel is relevant to all adolescents, regardless of whether or not they've engaged in "risky" behaviors. Even the 'sex' scene plays a valuable role: it exposes the vast differences in value between purely carnal relationships and deeper, emotional relationships. Another reason this novel is so valuable can be summed up nicely in the words of Michael Cart: "Another value of young adult literature is its capacity for fostering understanding, empathy, and compassion by offering vividly realized portraits of the lives - exterior and interior - of individuals who are unlike the reader, In this way, young adult literature invites its readership to embrace the humanity it shares with those who - if not for the encounter in reading - might forever remain strangers or - worse - irredeemably 'other'" (Cart 3).

Looking for Alaska exemplifies all of the aforementioned qualities of valuable adolescent literature with themes of hope, life, death, finding oneself, finding the truth and, ultimately, forgiveness.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part - Time Indian, Sherman Alexie

In this novel, the major theme that resonates with me is the theme of leaving the world you know for a world which will, hopefully, be able to help you succeed in the long run. On some level, I think all readers (so long as they have been an adolescent at one point or another) can relate to this theme; all young people have that moment when they say “I'm ready to leave. I'm ready to move beyond this place.” But, like is also expressed in the novel, not all people get that opportunity, and so it needs to be seized when it presents itself.
Although the story revolves around and the narrator is a young man, I still was able to connect his experiences to my life. Several times I felt as though I knew exactly what he was feeling. [large excerpt removed for privacy reasons - but the teacher knows what's there!]
I appreciate this novel because it isn't often that narrators (or authors, I should say) are so comfortable with their writing. For example, Junior talks about uncomfortable topics quite frequently: breasts, masturbation, alcoholism, abuse, death. In most young adult novels I've read, albeit written by white authors, the narrator implies an uncomfortable situation but never delves into it. Even though it made me a little uncomfortable at times, probably just because I'm predisposed to be a little uncomfortable, I really enjoyed that Sherman Alexie didn't dawdle. He laid it out there. It seemed to say to me: These things are REAL! These things are what happen in the world. Like Michael Cart says in his article, “That period of passage called 'young adulthood' is a unique part of life, distinguished by unique needs that are – at minimum — physical, intellectual, emotional, and societal in nature” (Cart 2). I think it is safe to say that authors like Sherman Alexie are helping meet these needs by writing novels to which adolescents can fully relate to. Through his writing, he seems to know that the real and uncomfortable things are what students relate to, and it is so important that we bring it up.
I think the only issue that could arise with this book is that because it is a male author and a male main character, it may be a slight turn-off to younger female audiences. Nevertheless, this book has a lot of offer adolescents, male or female. Everyone can learn something from or relate to Junior's trials in some way. He is raw and real and makes you laugh and cry all at once. Even if there had been no lesson to learn or message to relate to in this novel, at the very least the reader would get to experience the height of different emotions. Just being allowed to feel in that way should make the story valuable to all who read it.

Cart, Michael. "The Value of Young Adult Literature." 1-3.