Discussion Board

I found the discussion board to be very useful for connecting with the other students in the class who had read the same books.  The board allowed for a fuller discussion of the novels that would have taken up too much time to be done in class.  Also, without time constraints, one could bring up deeper questions that were brought up in the novels. The use of a discussion board in conjunction with class time is a great idea, and I apprecited being able to post.  Here are a few of the posts that I made.

opic:	Perks of Being a Wallflower
Thread:	Untraumatized Readers

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Author:  Daniel Andrew Scott

Posted on: 2-15-11

The ending and it's effect on the reader I agree with your post. i really enjoyed this novel and felt that I could deeply relate to Charlie. Aside from a few warning signs, Charlie seems to be a perfect example of the smart high school student who is unable to relate to many of peers precisely because he is so smart. The ending came as a complete surprise to me (as the author probably intended). Unfortunately, it really decreased the identification I felt to the book. Having never been molested, I almost felt bad about identifying so deeply with the character because that occurence far outweighs any of the problems I had in high school. Nonetheless, i had a deep emotional connection with this book, and it is my favorite that i have read in this class so far.

Topic:	Little Brother
Thread:	Connection to 1984

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Author:  Daniel Andrew Scott

Posted on: 4-12-11

Connection to 1984 The title of this book is clearly a reference to George Orwell's "1984", and I really enjoyed how it kind of turns Orwell's idea of Big Brother on it's head. Thousands of kids with superior computer skills to their elders turning the internet against the government is an exciting and inflammatory theme. This book has tie-in to other great literature as well, such as Jack Kerouac's "On The Road" and Allen Ginsberg's "Howl". This book would be great to start a reading ladder that leads to the aforementioned books and poem. I think that a lot of teens would really connect with this novel- it is exciting and even somewhat subversive. I really hope that this book is not censored in schools- students would have much to gain and be inspired by in this excellent novel.

Book Talk

I really enjoyed doing my Book Talk.  I chose Ender's Game, one of my favorite books from childhood, as my topic.  Ender's Game has a huge focus on technology and video games, so I decided to bring in some of the video game controllers I have collected ever the years to demonstrate how fast technology advances, and to engage my audience in my topic.  I think that this strategy worked well.  I have included below some of the responses that I received from my presentation.

Cute props with the controllers.  Wow- the thought that you are only allowed to live because of your level of intelligence.  The excerpt you chose makes me want to read the book and I don't always gravitate towards science fiction.  -Danelle

Nice hook.  You certainly got all of our attention.  Funny too.  Sounds like a good book.  -Hilary

Excellent use of visual elements!  Using the game controllers to explain some of the sci-fi elements of the book was a great choice.  This is one of my favorite novels and I think you did well in summing up the complexities of the story in a few minutes  -Jenifer

Spent a lot of time explaining your tie-ins instead of the game.  -Zach

Controllers, innovations, video game techonology, population control- tie to The Giver  Detailed information was very interesting.  I am happy you didn't give away anything about the ending.  -Amanda

Reading Survey

  My intention with my reading survey was to try to gather some information on the impact that the introduction of graphic novels would have on the classroom.  The questions that were most important in my mind at the time were: would students be interested in reading graphic novels? If students were offered a graphic novel version of their text as a supplement, would they still read the main text? Also, is there a correlation between students who are artistically inclined and those who would be interested in reading a graphic novel?  Although my sample group was fairly small, I was able to glean quite a bit of information.  I have included a copy of my survey questions and the text of my Survey Analysis below:

  Survey Questions

1. How much time would you say that you spend reading each week?  Include magazines, internet, comics, newspaper, etc.

A. I don’t read    B. Less than one hour   C. 1-2 hours    D. 2-4 hours    E. 4 or more hours

2. Of this time, how much time would you say that you spend reading magazines or comics?

3.  How much time would you say you spend reading books? 

4. Do you read comic books regularly?

 

5. How much time per week would you say you spend on reading for school?

6. If you were given the choice to read a novel in its original written form or read a comic book that was based on it and told the same story, which would you choose to read?

7. If you were asked to read BOTH a novel and a comic book interpretation of the novel, would you read:

A. Both   B. Just the novel   C. Just the comic    D. Neither

8. Do you enjoy reading the books that your English teacher assigns for you?

9. Do you prefer art class or literature class?

10. Do you prefer movies or books?

Survey Analysis

My intention in selecting the questions for my survey was to determine what high school and middle school students’ reaction would be to supplementing novelistic reading with graphic novels based on the original novels.  There is an increasing trend towards creating graphic versions of classic novels, with novels such as Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury and The Dark Tower by Stephen King now available in graphic format.  Both of these graphic novel translations were created with the involvement of the authors, which shows that many authors are willing to see their work translated into graphic context.  The potential for motivating readers by offering graphic novels as supplementary material is huge, in my opinion, but it comes with inherent dangers as well.  Some students, having been offered a shorter and less reading intensive alternative, may choose to forgo reading the novel altogether.  However, for students who associate better with visual stimuli and don’t enjoy reading, these graphic versions could serve as a jumping off point for getting into books.  Imagine a kid who enjoys reading comics but lacks the motivation or attention span for more “serious” literature.  Giving them a comic book that allows them to more easily connect to the story could actually motivate them to read the novel if they found the story interesting, and that experience might re-motivate them to read books.  It was with these questions and considerations in mind that I constructed my survey. 

            The first eight sources on my data sheet were drawn from a Sophomore homeroom at Denver Academy.  The surveys were distributed for me by a classmate works as a teacher.  The remaining four sources were the children of some of my friend’s co-workers.  The last four sources have much more variation in terms of age than the first eight.  I have included the ages of the last four sources on my data sheet. 

            The first question I asked was the estimated amount of time per week the students spent reading.  As one might expect, the two youngest readers estimated the lowest amount of time, with one 14-year-old answering that he doesn’t read at all.  (Interestingly enough, when given the choice between art and literature as his preferred class, he answered literature).  The most common choice for amount of weekly reading was 2-4 hours, while the second most common was 1-2 hours.  This shows, within my limited sample, a trend towards two predominant types of readers- those who read fairly often and those who read infrequently.  Within the 2-4 hour group, there was an even split between students preference for art or literature class. 

            Two students responded that they read for 4 or more hours per week.  One of these students expressed a preference for art over literature, and the other responded that it depends on the teacher.  I had expected to find that the most avid readers would express a preference for literature, but this assumption turned out to be wrong.

            The two most important questions on my survey concerned the use of graphic novels in the classroom.  The first of these questions was a straightforward choice:  If you could choose to read a novel in its original form or read a graphic novel which was based on the book and told the same story, which would you choose?  I found an almost even split on this question, with one student claiming no preference.  The second of these questions was a 4-way choice:  If your teacher asked you to read BOTH a novel and a comic book interpretation of the novel, would you read neither, just the comic, just the novel, or both?  The greatest number of students answered that they would read both.  Among those who would read just one or the other, the general preference leaned slightly towards just reading the comic.  Among those who expressed a preference for art over literature, the majority (3/5) claimed that they would read just the comic, while the remaining two students said that they would read both.  None of the students who prefer art would read just the novel, but would read both, as they had been asked, or read just the comic.  Within the admittedly limited scope of my survey, this shows that students who prefer art would be interested in reading graphic interpretations of novels.

            Only two students indicated that they read comic books regularly.  Both of these students responded that if they were asked to read both mediums they would.  One of these students expressed that if he was given the choice, he would read the novel. 

            Although it is difficult to draw any general conclusions from such a small snapshot, my results from this sample seem to show that the inclusion of graphic interpretations of novels would be positive.  The majority of students, if asked, would read both mediums.  There is a danger here as well- among those who would read only one or the other, slightly more responded that they would read just the comic.  However, this amount was not overwhelming.  The section in our main text by Bucher and Manning is consistent with my findings.  Bucher and Manning stress that the graphic novel should not be written off as “mere fluff”, but can be a valuable teaching and motivational tool, especially for reluctant readers and visual learners.   

            Although this was just a snapshot, I was able to garner some useful information from this survey.  I had been concerned that the majority of students would just read the comic if asked to read both, but the majority claimed that they would read both, so this concern seems to be unfounded based on the snapshot.  I had expected that if given the choice, most students would prefer to read the comic because it would require less time and effort, but my results indicated an even split.  Most students seem to be willing to read the novel, even when offered a less reading-intensive alternative.  This survey was a valuable experience because it showed me that some of my concerns about including the graphic novel as a part of class might not be as grounded as I had thought

Literacy Narrative

The literacy narrative was a great way to start off the semester.  It gave me the chance to share my reading background with the professor, as well as reflect on the book that have made an impression on me over the years.  It was great to think back about books that I read young and will always remember: Ender's Game, the Lord of the Rings, 1984, and Brave New World, as well as many others.  I have included the full text of my literacy narrative below:

     I have been an avid reader since middle school.  The earliest books I can remember enjoying are Ender's Game and The Hobbit.  These books were fascinating to me because they allowed me to escape the mundane and sometimes unpleasant world of the American middle school student and experience fantastic realms where adventure is a given.  I would view my reading during this period as a sort of escapism.  My positive experience with The Hobbit led me to take on The Lord of the Rings as an 8th grader.
    Although my younger years as a reader were dominated by science fiction and fantasy, the two books that influenced me the most as a reader were Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and 1984 by George Orwell.  These books appealed to me in high school, a time when I was heavily questioning the structures of the society I was living in.  These books taught me that literature can be just as destabilizing and rebellious as the punk music that I loved so much at the time.  Another book that I loved during this time was Ralph Ellison's The Invisible Man.  The introduction to this book affected me in a profound way:  so much that I have remembered it ever since.
     I studied philosophy my first time around in college, which introduced me to such fictional works as The Stranger and The Fall by Albert Camus, The Brothers Karamozov and Demons by Dostoyevsky, and The Trial and The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka.  Although these books are not commonly used in the high-school curriculum (I certainly did not encounter them until later in life), I think that most of them would have value to certain high-school students.  With the exception of Dostoyevsky, most of these books are written in a very straightforward, easy-to-understand diction.  The complexities of these novels lie in their subtle implications, which might be only partially understood by high-school students.  To encounter these ideas early, however, would be beneficial to many students.  Philosophy is all to often (read: almost always) overlooked in secondary education, and the introduction of books like these would allow students to encounter philosophical ideas early on without the benefit of a high school philosophy class, which is almost always absent in America.
    In my later life, I have continued to read avidly.  in my twenties I discovered such authors as Tom Robbins, David Foster Wallace, Cormac McCarthy, Kurt Vonnegut, and Phillip K. Dick.  I would have to say that my favorite novel at the moment is Infinite Jest, although Philip Dick's Valis and Vonnegut's Slapstick are right up there.  I hope that I have herein provided a general overview of my reading background.  If there is one value that I see in reading, it is the access to an infinity of ideas inherited through writing and thought, in a way that movies and television can never really approach.

Reflections on the main text

        The main text for this course was quite useful for me.  I plan to become a secondary English teacher and the information it provided seemed well suited to that purpose. I learned the definition of young adult literature (something which, surprisingly, I was unaware of).  I have always been more interested in more adult literature, and I had thought of young adult literature as being something dumbed down for mass consumption.  The discussion of young adult literature and its significance and meaning in the first section of the book helped me to see its value for teaching, and to realize that a knowledge of young adult literature in invaluable for anyone pursuing a teaching career.
        Since I want to teach at the high school level, the primary importance of young adult literature for me is as a motivator or introduction to more advanced texts.  Many of the books we have read this year fit this purpose perfectly.
        The second section of the text concerned the many types of problem novels that exist and the advantages, criticisms, and classroom uses that they have.  There are many types of problem novel, from those that deal with multicultural issues, to those which focus on the rapidly changing body, to those that deal with family or peer relationships.  The chapter also discusses more optimistic novels, such as those about friendship and love, and novels whose protagonist allows readers to live vicariously through them.  The chapter claims that these two types make up the majority of what is considered young-adult literature, but I think that there is literature from many other genres that could be put into this category, such as fantasy (Piers Anthony), sci-fi (Feed), supernatural (Twilight), or magic realism (Zora and Me).  The author probably didn't include these categories because there are many other book in these categories that are adult literature, but I think it is hard to pin down exactly what makes something "young adult".  Almost any genre could have books within it that could be classified this way.
       The next section of the text dealt with censorship, an issue which is critical to the teachers of today.  I appreciated the honest discussion of censorship that I found here.  The book points out that those who wish to censor literature have rights too- their right to free speech gives them the right to hold whatever opinions they wish about what their children read, even when they may be mistaken about its content.  Also discussed are many different types of censorship that occur, from directly taking a book out of the curriculum, to removing from library shelves, to more subtle types of censorship like passing over a book for your syllabus because you suspect that its subject matter may cause controversy.  Censorship is something that has been happening for years, and will continue to happen, but it is a teacher's duty to stand behind a book if they feel it will benefit their students.  The text gives some good tools for doing so.
       The next chapter of the text discusses the benefits of using poetry in the classroom.  I have always been interested in poetry as a writer and a reader so I appreciated the treatment that it got here.  Poetry is often seen as something that the young won't enjoy, but there is massive evidence to the contrary.  Kids all over the world are listening to hip-hop, which is certainly a form of poetry.  The problem isn't that kids don't like poetry- it's that they are not being given poetry that they like.  Books such as Crank, which I read this semester, may be a solution to this problem.  The thing about poetry is that it relies so much on its surrounding culture for its resonance- modern kids want to read modern poetry, not Elizabethan sonnets.
        The final section of out text focuses on comic books, magazines and graphic novels.  While these formats have often been considered "low" by teachers, I believe there is an enormous potential for engaging teens who might otherwise be reluctant in their reading.  Many students connect more to something they can see visually on the page rather than reading it and forming a picture in their minds.  While some may say that the use of these mediums may undermine students imagination, I think that pictures are often more stimulating to the imagination than words.  A huge multitude of artistic styles can be found in graphic novels and comic books.  Who is to say that artistic literacy is any less important than reading literacy?
        All in all, I thought that the selections which were chosen for our main task were engaging, useful, and appropriate.  I have taken a lot from the text, as I am sure the other students in the class have as well, although it was definitely more inclined to those with teaching aspirations.

Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin

Rules of Survival is the story of Matthew Walsh and his two younger sisters, who survive through the emotional and physical abuse inflicted upon them by their mother Nikki.  At the beginning of the novel, Matt is writing a letter to his younger sister Emmy outlining the "rules for survival" with their abusive mother.  Matt and his younger sister befirend a man named Murdoch, who later becomes Nikki's boyfriend.  Their relationship is short-lived however, and when Murdoch breaks up with Nikki she tries to report him to Social Services for abuse.  When this doesn't work, she gets her friend Rob to beat him up, and both Nikki and Rob go to jail.  Matt's father and Nikki's sister gain joint custody of the kids, but when Nikki gets out of jail she kidnaps her 8-year-old daughter and gets her drunk.  The younger sister, Emmy, calls Matthew and tells him where she is, and Matt goes to rescue her only to be confronted by Nikki.  Matt is about to kill his mother when Murdoch shows up and advises her to leave and never come back.  We find out at the end of the novel that Murdoch's family was abusive as well.  Matt decides not to give the letter to Emmy.

Analysis:  This is a very intense book, and perhaps one that should be kept in the library rather than the classroom.  The issues dealt with in this book are unfortunately ones that may have a deep emotional significance to certain members of the class.  While some students may be shocked by the actions of Nikki, others may find them all too familiar.  The book is well-written but the subject matter is extremely negative and emotional.  This book could be read by middle-schoolers, but the subject matter may be a bit too intense for kids of that age, so it might be better saved for high-school or even left out of the classroom and kept in the library.

Ideas: If a teacher does decide to use this book in the classroom, they should know their students very well.  If you suspect that a child may be familiar with this kind of abuse, it is important to talk to them about it so that they are able to confront the issue rather than just feeling attacked.  Kids may say, "No mother is that neglectful and mean", but some kids may already know that this is not true.  This is an emotional novel, and if it is used, the teacher must be ready for a possible emotional reaction- if this occurs, it must be confronted rather than overlooked. 

Peak by Roland Smith

Roland Smith's Peak is the story of a young man of the same name, who is arrested early in the novel for climbing skyscrapers in New York.  Peak's father, who is flown in for the trial, urges Peak to accomplish a goal that is mainly his own- he wants Peak to become the first 14-year-old to climb Mount Everest.  Peak is perfect for this job- he is a born climber and has been climbing for much of his life.  One of the Shirpas who guides them on the climb has a 14-year-old grandson of his own.  The relationship that forms between Peak and Sunjo (the grandson) is of central importance to the novel.  The decision that Peak makes when they reach the top reflects his resentful feelings towards his father (who cares more about what Peak might achieve than Peak himself) and his newfound understanding and appreciation of the Shirpa culture from which Sunjo hails. 

Analysis:  This novel could be great for students who are more interested in sports and the outdoors than reading.  It would probably appeal most to boys- although some outdoor-oriented girls will appreciate it as well.  This is definitely a novel that is aimed at the reluctant reader- it is not difficult to read and deals with sports and adventure rather than more intellectual topics.  This book would be appropriate for middle school and early high-school.

Ideas:  If the school where you work has a gym program that goes off-campus for alternative sports such as mountain-climbing, an instructor could recommend this book to students who are enrolled in this program.  It might help to motivate them in their physical education as well as connect them to the reading, since they may have direct experience with the activity. 

The Book Thief by Markus Zuzak

In The Book Thief tells us the story of Liesel, a girl growing up in Germany before and during World War II.  The story is narrated by Death, who is wearied by the workload created for him by the war.  Liesel's first brush with Death comes when her brother Werner dies during the trip to stay with foster parents.  This event also coincides with Liesel's first act of book thievery, as she takes the Gravedigger's Handbook, which had fallen in the snow.  Liesel continues to steal books from various places throughout the book.  One of these places is the library of Ilsa Hermann, the mayor's wife, for whom Liesel and her foster mother work from time to time.  Ilsa tolerates Liesel's thievery.  Nazi book-burnings were occurring during this time, and Liesel steals a book from one of the burnings.  A Jew named Max is sheltered by Liesel's foster parents and Liesel and he become good friends.  Max encourages Liesel to write her own book, which she entitles The Book Thief.  Liesel's book ultimately saves her from dying in the bombing of Himmel Street, as she was in the basement of her foster parents house when the bombing occurred.  She is the only survivor.

Analysis- The Book Thief  is a great example of postmodern literature.  The choice to have the novel narrated by Death is interesting, and ultimately very meaningful to the novel.  Death in this novel is not portrayed as something evil, but rather as a man wearied by the senseless slaughter of war.  Along with Maus, this would be a great book for a unit focusing on the Holocaust, as it is engaging to readers and frankly confronts the horrors of World War II.  This book would be best for students in middle school and early high school.

Ideas-  Maus, a graphic novel by Art Spiegelman, would be a great companion to this novel.  A good assignment for a unit that includes these two novels would be a web investigation which explores World War II.  There is a wealth of information on the subject, and chances are students will want to know more about this frightening period of history after reading the two novels.  

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Persepolis is a graphic autobiographical novel written by Satrapi about her childhood in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.  Satrapi's simple but striking illustrations portray Islamic culture from a perspective that helps us to associate with it.  Marjane's parents are upper-class liberal Iranian citizens prior to the revolution, but find themselves having to hide their socio-political views when the spread of the Islamic regime begins to spread across Iran.  Marjane's childhood is dominated by one wish: to be the last prophetess of God; but the oppressive social climate in Iran makes her angry at God as she grows up.  The violent and suppressive history of the Islamic government in Iran is described in shocking detail, which is often gory and disturbing, but allows a realistic of life in Iran that most Westerners would otherwise overlook.  The heartbreaking conclusion to this novel leads into its sequel, Persepolis 2

Analysis-  Satrapi's simple but striking illustrations present a realistic recent history of Iran that could be invaluable to a history or World Lit class.  A realistic understanding of recent Islamic history has never been as important as it is right now, and Satrapi presents her story in a brave and honest way that is sure to engage high-school students.  There is also great value in this novel for its artistic elements.  Visual students who find it hard to relate to the written word may be drawn in by the starkly modern and evocative illustrations, and once drawn in may be more willing to further research the subject.  The value of the graphic novel for the visual reluctant reader is clear to me, and Persepolis provides a great model.  This book would be most appropriate for high-school students of all grades, but it might be better used at the 11th and 12th grade levels.

Class Ideas-  A study of Middle-Eastern history alongside this novel is almost a necessity.  It would be great to construct a Webquest which takes students to various journalistic sites that give more information on the events discussed in the novel.  You could also provide links to sites on punk music (an interest for the protagonist of Persepolis and high-school students all over the world), and even links to the websites of Islamic fundamentalist groups.  To appeal to the artistic side of this novel, you could also provide links to sites that provide information on various cartoonists and graphic novelists such as R. Crumb, Art Spiegelman, and Frank Miller.  

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

Steve Harmon, the main character of Monster, has been accused of being an accessory to murder.  His story is told through two mediums: his diary, which talks about his time in prison and his life before the robbery, and a screenplay which he writes in prison about his trial.  Steve apparently became involved with the wrong crowd- we know that he at least had knowledge of the robbery, and had been asked to serve as a lookout.  Whether he did this or not is never entirely clear- but we know that Steve himself feels a large amount of guilt for his involvement.Whether Steve was involved or not, the robbery ended in the (probably) unintentional murder of the store clerk by James King, one of the two robbers.  The plan, according to the uncertain testimony of Oswaldo (one of the lesser conspirators of the robbery), was for Steve to go in ahead and signal King and another robber if there were any police or customers.  The conclusion shows us that Steve has grown as a person from his experience in the trial and in jail, and that his guilt in the eyes of the law is insignificant when compared to his own ability to live with his choices and mistakes.

Analysis:  The style of this book is very postmodern, blending multiple mediums to unfold its narrative.  Postmodern ideas have been shown to appeal most directly to the current generation of teenagers.  This is not surprising, when you think about it.  They have grown up in postmodernity, and it is postmodernity to which they can most closely relate.  This book is also potent in its discussion of African-American social issues.  This book would work well in a unit dedicated to African-American literature, along with Zora and Me, Invisible Man, and African-American poets such as Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen.

Class Ideas:  The blending of genres of literature in this book is striking.  Ask students to write a short fictional piece, and then attempt to translate it into another medium. (The teacher could first ask the students for a short fictional piece and then later introduce the idea of changing the medium.)  This process is intended to open students minds to possibilities they may not have considered in their writing.  The way you tell a story is just as important as the story itself.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver begins with the semblance of a utopian novel, but as the reader continues the society begins to seem more and more dystopian.  Jonas is twelve years old and part of a society in which everyone has agreed to "Sameness".  This policy of "Sameness" has eliminated much pain and strife from the lives of the population, but we gradually see that it has also resulted in a loss of feeling.  Jonas is chosen to be the "Receiver of Memory" and is made to understand that his purpose is to retain the memories of the time before "Sameness" in case the society has need of someone with experience to resolve problems.  The "Giver" is the previous Receiver of memory, and we find out that he can break some of the rules that the others have to adhere to.  

      Upon receiving the memories, Jonas realizes the trade-off that has occurred.  Although the people in the society think that they are happy, they are only happy because they don't know any other way of life.  Jonas has to make an important decision: Will he stay with the society he was raised in and take on the role intended for him, or will he venture out in search of a better life?

Analysis:  This book would make a great early introduction to the dystopian genre.  It is very easy reading, and sets forth its ideas in a subtle way that is not as outright disturbing as other books in the genre such as Brave New World.  It still manages to get its point across, however.  When Jonas sees his father euthanizing a baby, the reader cannot help being disturbed by the lack of feeling in the act.  Dystopianism arose as a counterpoint to utopianism, and it is interesting how this novel disguises itself at the start as a utopian novel and gradually reveals its true nature.  This book would be appropriate for 6th-10th graders.

Class Ideas:  This book would be a great introduction to the dystopian genre.  The real strength of this book is that it presents complex ideas in a way that is easy to understand, providing a gateway to a genre that would otherwise probably have to be saved for older readers.  This book would contribute well to a reading ladder that ends with Brave New World: it has the same gradually encroaching feeling of "wrongness" that Huxley's book has, but without the overt sexual and narcotic themes.  The Giver could be read by much younger students than Brave New World, but the main line of thought is the same.  Could book ladders be constructed that cover multiple grades or even the middle-school-high-school boundary?  This idea might be difficult to implement but there is no rule that says a book ladder can only cover one year of school.

Naked Reading: Uncovering What Tweens Need to Become Lifelong Readers by Teri Lesesne

This book discusses techniques for engaging young people in literature.  Lesesne provides lists of books that are likely to be engaging to kids in their tweens.  Lesesne also discusses a number of classroom techniques that can be used to engage students, such as keeping a library in the classroom, creating book ladders, and assignments that can be used as alternatives to book reports.  Lesense also emphasizes the importance of reading aloud beyond the elementary level.  Lesense gives us examples of situations she has experienced with students and her own family to illustrate her ideas.

Analysis:  I think that this book is an essential read for anyone intending to become a teacher of English.  Although it focuses on tweens, the techniques described in this book would be helpful for teachers of all levels.  I especially like the idea of the book ladder.  Once you grab their attention with one great book, you need to keep it for as long as possible: what better way than to give the other related books?  The book ladder is a way to optimize the benefit of that one special moment when a kid says, "Wow.  This is a great book."

Reading Aloud:
I agree with Lesesne that reading aloud is a great way to engage students.  My mother used to read aloud to me from "The Lord of the Rings" and I still consider that experience one of the main reasons I have become a lifelong reader.  The importance of reading aloud for poetry is obvious:  poetry written down on a page often loses the value it has when spoken.  Books that have interesting language, such as M.T. Anderson's Feed, can benefit from being read aloud.  A Clockwork Orange by Stanley Kubrick would benefit from this as well, although it would have to be used in a high level course

Godless by Pete Hauptman

Godless is a novel about religion and finding meaning in the everyday.  Jason is a teenager who is questioning Catholicism, the religion he was raised in.  Jason considers himself agnostic, but almost atheist.  His parents force him to attend a youth meeting, where he jokingly invents a religion that has the town water tower as its God.  He names his religion "Chutengodianism" and calls the water tower which is its object of worship the "ten-legged god".  Jay's new religion seems harmless enough at first, but soon leads Jay and his friends into dangerous situations.  When they decide to climb the water tower, the Chutengodians have bitten off more than they can chew and end up in trouble with the law.  Jay's best friend Shin becomes disturbingly serious about the mock religion, causing Jay to question his sanity.  Henry Stagg, who begins the novel by punching Jay in the face, becomes a part of Jay's religion (he shows the others how to climb the water tower), and later begins his own splinter religion.  Henry is an interesting antagonist, in that Jason and Henry start as enemies, become friends, and then enemies again.  A main source of this conflict is the beautiful Magda Price, another Chutengodian on whom Jason has a crush.  Magda's attraction to Henry becomes obvious, to Jason's great dismay.  Ultimately, Jason's religion causes nothing but trouble, and Jason wonders how something which was made up in the first place could have become so real.

Analysis:  I find the title of this book to be somewhat off-putting.  Although the book does concern atheism, it doesn't portray religion in as negative a sense as its title implies.  Jason is not "Godless", he has created his own God.  While this might have seemed like a radical thing 20 years ago, in today's society Jason's story is not terribly controversial.  It is almost as if Hautman is trying to drum up controversy with the name, but the content of the novel doesn't really seem too controversial to me.  That said, some religious parents may have a problem with both the name and the content of this book.  It is openly critical of Catholicism, and seems to present the agnostic and atheist points of view as the correct way of thinking.  As an agnostic, I would be reluctant to assign this book as required reading because I wouldn't want parents to think I was preaching my own beliefs.  Also, this book does not really take a thoughtful look at the characteristics of religious thought, limiting itself to snarky comments about Catholic belief.  I would understand if a devout Catholic was offended by this book- perhaps they should be.  All in all, not a great read.  This book would be appropriate for 8th through 10th grade.

Ideas: I would not be inclined to use this book as part of a class, but it could make a good addition to a school library.  Many kids deal with religious doubt, and although I feel that religious discussion is best kept out of the classroom, kids who are experiencing this type of doubt might relate to this book.  One could challenge readers to create their own religion as a literary exercise, but this could also be a bad idea due to possible parental reaction.  This is a book that is best left to the individual.  Religion is really a subject that should be avoided in schools, in my opinion.

Feed by M.T. Anderson

      Feed is a tragic love story told from the perspective of Titus, a young American who is about to enjoy a vacation on the moon.  Titus and all of his friends have "feeds": a device which is implanted in the brain and allows its user unlimited access to an infinite amount of information provided by the feednet, a futuristic equivalent of the internet.  The feeds also serve a capitalist purpose as well: they are used to market products to the populace, keeping track of items that people buy and using a database to determine what other products one might be interested in to inform future marketing.  These items can be bought at the speed of thought: Titus at one point buys clothing while driving his "upcar" home from a fight with his girlfriend Violet.

              Violet, who Titus meets on his vacation on the moon, comes from a family which is significantly less well-off than those of Titus and his friends.  Due to her family's lack of money, she didn't get her feed until much later in life than Titus or his friends.  This contributes to Violet's much different perception of the world.  She can remember a time when there were no images in her head, no advertising, no stream of information, and she had to read books to find out what she wanted to know.  Violet is very intelligent, and Titus finds her very interesting, so they become a couple.  The contrast between the way Violet sees the world and the perspectives of the other marketing-flooded teens is the subject matter for much of the novel.

     Unfortunately, there is a problem with Violet's feed.  An event which occurs early on in the novel causes a problem with her feed, and she begins to experience debilitating side effects...  Will Titus be able to accept his now-even-more-flawed girlfriend for what she is?  Or will he return to his commercial pseudo-paradise with his more "normal" peers?

Analysis:  Feed paints a disturbing picture of the possibilities of the internet.  We have already experienced a spike in the availability of information: this availability could have all kinds of negative consequences.  Feed is a dystopic novel- a description of a future society which we are supposed to find disturbing.  I found this novel to reminiscent of Brave New World, in that it presents us a society which has both enticing and disturbing aspects.  The ability to access any piece of information in an instant would be nice... and is almost already a possibility.  Of course, the negative aspect is that the kind of banner ads and spam e-mail that we find on the internet would become a part of everyday perception, and corporations would have as easy access to the minds of the public that the public has to their catalogues.  This book would be good as part of the reading ladder I suggested in the section on Little Brother.  It would be well suited to any high school student and some high-level middle school students.

Ideas for Class:  This book would work well in conjunction with an internet assignment.  Maybe your students would like to see how far their internet tentacles can stretch.  Assign each student a topic to research which connects with the novel using the internet.  Who can get the most information on their topic?  Ask students to note how much advertising they had to view in their pursuit of information.  (Maybe keep track of the number of ads they viewed?)
Topic Ideas: computer code, bluetooth technology, a given celebrity or politician, new car model, etc.
     Ask students how they feel about their experience.  Would they prefer to find information in books in libraries or use the internet to access it more quickly, despite the onslaught of advertising that always accompanies its use? 

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

This narrative poem tells the story of Kristina, whose visit to her father occasions her first experience with methamphetamine, and lead to an addiction she finds difficult to control.  Kristina has an alter-ego, Bree, the name she uses for herself when she is being self-destructive.  Kristina's addiction leads to a plethora of problems with the people around her.  She becomes distanced from her family, gains a bad reputation around town, and faces sexual assault and rape.  Her drug problem makes her relationships even more confusing and complicated than the typical teen.   This book paints a terrifying picture of meth addiction.  As Kristina becomes more and more out of control, Bree takes control and leads her to a horrifying situation she never anticipated, and is not necessarily ready to face. 

Analysis:  Crank has a very interesting poetic style; the reader first reads as one normally would, from left-to-right and top-to-bottom, but prompted by odd spacing and arrangement soon realizes that a second poem is occurring along the left or right, the original poem occurring around and within it.  This technique is difficult to describe and really has to be seen to be understood.  Hopkins employs a visual element as well.  Often stanzas of poetry are arranged into shapes which have their own individual meanings.  At one point Kristina/Bree is coming down from meth and the stanzas are arranged to look like arrows pointing towards the bottom of the page.  The stylistic elements of this book are just as, if not more, striking than the actual narrative.  More visually-oriented students may be drawn in by this technique.  Also, the interesting use of poetry is likely to generate an interest in the poetic for students who otherwise think of poetry as boring, flowery, old-fashioned and meaningless.  This book would be most appropriate for high-school (9-12) students due to it's disturbing content.  Some teachers might even want to confine it to the 10th and 12th grades.

Ideas for Class Use:  As mentioned above, the poetic style of Crank is extremely unique, and could serve to inspire students to pursue their own poetic ideas.  Challenge students to create their own poetry using either the techniques used by Hopkins or their own ideas.  Remind them that although Shakespeare and Homer observed rigid stylistic constraints, poetry today really has no rules, the roof doesn't exist!  

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow

Little Brother is a novel about surveillance: both the government's surveillance of its citizens and citizens surveillance of their government.  The title comes from Orwell's 1984, and the book is loosely based on the aforementioned work.  The novel is told from the perspective of Marcus Yallow, a young man who is as adept at getting around the security systems his government has subjected him to as his government is at monitoring its citizens.  Marcus is a master of code, able to use computers to do things that most of peers can only dream of, and of which the adult world is largely unaware.   A major terrorist attack takes place at the start of the novel and Marcus, in the wrong place at the wrong time, is taken into custody as a suspect.  The Department of Homeland Security has become extremely corrupt, and is holding suspects without informing their families.  When Marcus is released, he is told that if he tells his parents about what has happened to him he will disappear forever- he is also told that he will be watched.  Discovering that his computer has been tapped by the DHS, Marcus creates an unobservable network of hacked Xboxes in order to communicate with his friends securely.  The network quickly grows beyond Marcus' original intentions and becomes a massive underground movement in opposition to increasing surveillance by the DHS.  Both sides become completely out of control, leading to a conclusion both reminiscent of and more optimistic than the conclusion of 1984.  

Themes:  Technology, surveillance, governmental oppression, subversive literature, dystopia, family relationships

Analysis: This is one of the best books I have read this semester.  It draws on its predecessors in the literary tradition adeptly to provide an excellent introduction to its genre.  The predecessors I am thinking of here are the obvious 1984, and to a lesser degree other dystopic novels such as Farenheit 451, Brave New World, Clockwork Orange, and the work of Franz Kafka.  I am a fan of subversive literature, and although this book is not an all-out denunciation of government or a guerilla tactics guide like Steal this Book or The Anarchist Cookbook, it belongs on the shelf alongside such subversive classics as the work of Allen Ginsberg, Hunter S. Thompson, Tom Wolfe, and Jack Keruac.  Ginsberg and Kerouac are quoted in the novel.
        I found the way that this novel re-explores and updates the themes of 1984 very interesting.  Although the theme of governmental oppression and surveillance is definitely a theme here, this book is just as much about Marcus and his underground network's observation of their government as it's observation of them.  Ultimately, Marcus and his friends are able to create a network that is too big and too well-protected to not be dangerous to the powers that be.  They are able to succeed where Winston couldn't, giving this novel a somewhat more positive ending that is suited to its intended audience.
       I can't say it enough- this book would be a great way to introduce teens to the dystopic genre.  It would be best suited to grades 10-12, due to some sexual and controversial content, but advanced readers of a younger age would probably respond positively to it as well.

Reading Ladder Proposal:
The following is a set of books that I think would make a great reading ladder either for an individual student or for an advanced English course.  This ladder begins with Little Brother.

1. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
2. Feed by M.T. Anderson
3. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
4. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Phillip K. Dick
5. On the Road by Jack Kerouac
6. Howl by Allen Ginsberg
7. Radical Chic and Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers by Tom Wolfe
8. Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut
9. Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
10. 1984 by George Orwell

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a story of teenage alienation and acceptance told through a series of letters written by Charlie, a high-school freshman, to an anonymous reader.  Charlie starts off the novel as an outcast, but he meets Patrick and Samantha, who are step-siblings, and they help to bring him out of his shell and experience the social world of high school.  Charlie struggles through issues of drugs, homosexuality, relationships, and suicide in his distinctive detached-yet-observant manner.   Charlie's unconventional nature is ultimately revealed to be the result of a trauma that he experienced in his childhood, and the discovery leads to a short stay in a mental institution.   He is released with a positive outlook on the future, having faced his problem and overcome it through acceptance.

Themes: social alienation, sexual abuse, drugs, underage drinking, sex, homosexuality, violence

Reflections on the Reading
I found this book to be an excellent read, and one that many high-schoolers would instantly relate to.  We have all had the experience of feeling socially out of place, and Chbosky's character Charlie is a subtly charming mirror for the alienated teen mind reminiscent of Holden Caulfield from Catcher in the Rye.  This book would be an excellent lead in for the above-mentioned novel.  Although it not very difficult to read, I think that this book would be ideal for high-school students, since it deals with a set of problems that usually don't crop up until high school

Discussion Questions
1. Do you feel that you can relate to Charlie's character in this novel?  Why or why not?

2. There is a kiss between Patrick and Charlie in this novel.  Do you think that Charlie is gay?  Why or why not?

3. Drug use occurs in this novel.  From the scenes in this novel, do you think that the author is advocating drug use or just portraying the situation realistically?  Why or why not?

4. How did you feel about what we found out about Charlie's aunt at the end of the novel?  What does it tell us about Charlie's introverted personality?

5. Music is an important part of Charlie's social awakening.  Have you ever had the experience of feeling "infinite" while listening to a song that you like?  What song and group?