Drita My Homegirl

Biblio Bits Drita My Homegirl by Jenny Lombard, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2006 (ISBN 9780399243806)

Reading Level/Interest Age 690 lexile/Ages 9-12

Genre Realistic fiction

Plot Summary

Drita is a ten year-old refugee from Kosovo who arrives in Brooklyn with her family. Her father, an engineer, escaped over a year ago and has been driving a taxi so he could bring his family to the safety of the U.S. Drita just wants to fit in and be liked by her peers, but things start out pretty lonely for her, with her limited English skills, strange-smelling lunches, and unfashionable clothes. To top it off, Drita's mother is in a deep depression about leaving home and the safety of her extended family .Maxie is an African-American girl who is in Drita's new class. Maxie is one of the homegirls of the fourth grade: she's funny and athletic and has a lot of friends, but she's often impulsive and gets into trouble. Maxie is being raised by her dad and grandmother; her mom died when she was just seven years old and Maxie really wants her back. Maxie is definitely not ready for her dad to have a new girlfriend. Maxie's teacher suggests an unusual social studies project: to study Kosovo, the homeland of the newest class member, and introduce Drita's story to the whole class. This sensitive story includes a lot more than just a book about two friends: it's about the things that we all have in common and about how our differences make the world a smaller place.

Critical Evaluation

This story includes a lot of "food for thought" without being too preachy about it, mainly because the characters and plot development are so well-constructed. The chapters are very accessible, alternating between chapters by Maxie and Drita. Chapters are short and the pace of the story is steady, which may make it a good pick for reluctant readers. Both characters have very distinct narrative voices and, just to underscore the shift in perspective, two different fonts are used in the text. The story of Drita's immigrant experience included many details that readers will find familiar (like any student at a new school) and also surprising. Lombard writes English as Drita hears it, when she is beginning to learn: "Ov curs, Drita. Tek va pass" ("Of course, Drita. Take the pass." p.37). While Maxie at first comes off as a smart-aleck, we quickly see that her antics are to cover the pain that she is hiding about her mother's death. Overall, this book was engaging and readable, a moving story of friendship and family.

Reader's Annotation

We all have things that are hard for us. Some things are obvious, like being a refugee from Kosovo and starting a new school with hardly any English skills. Some things are hidden, like when your mom dies and you don't tell anyone because that would make it real.

Author Information

This is Jenny Lombard's first novel, though she has written a nonfiction book for adults and several plays and TV treatments. She is a public school teacher in New York City and says that she got the idea for Drita's and Maxie's story when she realized that there were nine languages other than English spoken in her classroom. Since the war in Kosovo was constantly in the news at the time, Lombard began to wonder what it would be like for a refugee family. Lombard lives in New York City with her husband, son, and two cats. (Information in this author biography is from the book's official site.)

Challenge issues

Pretty wholesome story here, though some might be turned off by Maxie's behavior at times.

Booktalking Ideas

There are several books about friendship and its benefits and challenges, geared to this audience: Ruby Lu Brave and True (Look, 2004), Julia Gillian and the Quest for Joy (McGhee, 2009), Moving Day (Cabot, 2008) and Ivy and Bean (Barrows, 2006), and The Year of the Dog (Lin, 2006) to name a few. I would focus on Drita's point of view: Imagine being woken up in the middle of the night and leaving your home with only the clothes on your back...Going to a new school and not being able to talk to anyone or understand them...

Curriculum Ties

This book wants to be read aloud and discussed as a class. It would be great to read in a community where there is a large refugee population, or just to raise awareness about refugees and immigrant issues in general. How are Drita and Maxie alike? How are they different? How are their families alike/different? These questions could spark some good conversation. Perhaps this class conversation could lead to a classroom code of conduct for social behavior for all new students (making them feel welcome but not overwhelmed, introducing them to classroom culture, school culture, etc.). Or the class could come up with ideas about how to approach a non-English speaker, which may not sound like an issue for most people, but in Maine this is something we need to teach (and not just to kids!).

Why this book?
The cover of this book caught my eye and was recommended to me by a former youth services librarian.

Awards
MSBA Reading List 2007-2008.

Rockport Public Library owns?

Yes.

Matilda

Biblio Bits Matilda by Roald Dahl, narrated by Ron Keith, Recorded Books, 1994 (ISBN 0788701398)

Reading Level/Interest Age 840 lexile/Ages 9-11

Genre Magical Realism

Format Audio Book

Plot Summary

Matilda is a child genius of two very dull parents who have no idea about her mental capacity. At an early age, she discovers the library and the kind librarian, as an alternative to sitting at home, alone in front of the television (while her mother plays Bingo). Matilda spends her afternoons, at age four, reading classic works of literature. When she enters school, she already knows how to read, do complex math, and spell. Her teacher, Miss Honey, would like to promote her to the top form but Miss Trunchbull has been warned by Matilda's father about this new trouble-maker. Miss Trunchbull is the headmistress, a true Dahl villain, who hates children and reserves a special closet for punishment in her office. So Matilda stays with Miss Honey, who offers her extra work and lessons to augment what she is teaching. Matilda is not conceited about her abilities and has several friends at school. She develops the ability to move things with her mind and these moments, like the clever tricks she plays on her parents, are triumphant. A classic tale of a misunderstood child who finds support outside of her family and ultimately triumphs.

Critical Evaluation

Roald Dahl is a terrific tween author because his protagonists have those qualities of the psychological moment of tweendom---taken to Dahl levels of extremism! Feeling misunderstood? So are Matilda, Sophie (BFG) and James (of Giant Peach fame). Feeling like everyone is out to get you? (Ditto the previous examples!) Are your parents dull and stupid? (Matilda's are!) Dahl's stories have the quality of a fable, since the characters are extremes: so lovely (Miss Honey) or so horrible (Miss Trunchbull). In Matilda, readers will empathize with the awful, embarrassing scene of the boy who is forced by Miss Trunchbull to consume an entire, enormous cake as punishment for sneaking a piece (we are not ever sure that he really did), in front of the whole school. While it is unlikely that readers will have experienced this particular cruelty, we have probably all experienced moments of unjust accusation and public humiliation by adults. The reader, Ron Keith, does an amazing job of giving unique voices to so many characters, with excellent emphasis and sense of drama.

Reader's Annotation

Classic Dahl! Matilda is ignored and maligned by her parents but saved by the lovely Miss Honey, who recognizes her as the child genius she is. The true villain is the nefarious Miss Trunchbull, headmistress of the school.

Author Information

Roald Dahl was born in Wales to Norwegian parents, in 1916. He attended private schools in England and was not considered a student with promise, as this statement from one of his report cards at Repton indicates: "Vocabulary negligible, sentences mal-constructed. He reminds me of a camel." (Gale Cengage, Literature Resource Center). He was a pilot for the Royal Air Force during WWII, also serving as an intelligence agent. Dahl was married to Patricia Neal for 30 years and they had five children; he subsequently remarried Felicity D'Abreau Crosland. Dahl died in Oxford in 1990. (Information in this author biography are from the Gale Cengage, online database Literature Resource Center, and from Wikipedia.)

Challenge issues

Matilda, and other works by Roald Dahl, appear on ALA's list of most frequently challenged books/authors. This book portrays neglect and outright cruelty, as well as telekinesis.

Booktalking Ideas

I would love to have this in a book/movie talk, as I think the film adaptation was excellent. Others might include Because of Winn-Dixie, Mary Poppins, Holes, and Hoot. Or perhaps this could be part of a booktalk of award-winning audio books, with others from the ALSC Notable Recordings list.

Curriculum Ties

Roald Dahl deserves his own author study in a language arts unit. Activities might include a project in which students develop a wiki about this author, his narrative themes, characterization, and style.

Why this book?
Because everyone loves a book where the villains are justly rewarded! A favorite scene from this book is when Matilda puts super-glue on her father's hatband so that the hat gets absolutely stuck on his head. And when it is finally cut off, the hair is pulled off also!

Awards
ALSC Notable Recording, 1995. Matilda also appears on many statewide reading lists, according to NoveList K-8 Plus.

Rockport Public Library owns?

Yes.

Days Are Just Packed

Biblio Bits The Days Are Just Packed by Bill Watterson, Andrews and McMeel 1993 (ISBN 0836217357)

Reading Level/Interest Age Ages 9+, All ages

Genre Comics, Humor

Plot Summary

How to summarize the plot of a collection of comic strips? (Is there anyone left on this planet that would actually need a summary of Calvin and Hobbes?) Calvin is a boy of six (Wikipedia), who has a stuffed animal tiger, called Hobbes. When Calvin and Hobbes are alone, Hobbes is a fully animate "real" tiger who talks, but when anyone else is present, Hobbes reverts to his stuffed animal form. Calvin wages war against reality: his parents, the food they serve, bathing, his teacher, homework, normalcy, his babysitter, and most of all, Susie (his neighbor, classmate, and arch-nemesis). In this collection, frequently individual strips will build upon each other for 4-8 strips, and then be followed by a one-page, full color strip (that would have appeared in the Sunday paper).

Critical Evaluation

Watterson has masterfully captured what is universal about childhood, through Calvin's eyes, while also peppering his strips with clever cultural references built into the narrative. Quotes from Paul Gauguin, Calvin's diatribes against the marketing machine, destiny versus free will, and the homogeneity of TV culture are just a few of the gems that made it into the pages of this collection. But then there are just the straight-up funny ones. Like when Calvin sticks his nose in a jar of mustard and gets shot right out of his shoes (p.113). Or this family favorite, in which the phone rings and Calvin answers: "Hello, we are unable to come to the phone right now...So please leave a message at the sound of the click." Followed by a frame that depicts Calvin, slamming the phone down (p.76). Truly, there is something here for everyone.

Reader's Annotation

The best snow sculptures ever (more here) and the best fantasy/humor/sci-fi/adventure/philosophy/realistic fiction in one volume. Can any other volume boast the same?

Author Information

Bill Watterson was born in 1958 in Washington D.C. He spent time drawing and cartooning as a child, and cites Charles Schulz as an inspiration. Watterson graduated from Kenyon College (OH) with a degree in political science and continued to hone his artistic talents as a cartoonist for the college newspaper. He began the Calvin and Hobbes strip in 1985 and retired the strip in 1995. Within the first year, the strip was syndicated in over 250 newspapers. Watterson is a very private person and has not published any other strips. He is credited with changing the format of the Sunday strip, to allow for the merging of frames, diagonal reading, and frames-within-frames. He currently lives in Cleveland with his wife. (Information in this author biography is from Wikipedia.)

Challenge issues

Calvin is an equal opportunity offender. You could say that he's sexist, since he hates Susie, his mom, and babysitter, but he also attacks Moe and his Dad with equal aplomb. There are ideas in these strips that are decidedly complex for kids and that perhaps adults would be uncomfortable explaining to them.

Booktalking Ideas

Oh, do we have to? Again, my guess is no need to booktalk this one. Kids love Calvin. And they know about Calvin. But it would be an obvious selection for a booktalk on graphic novels and comics, and since there is lots of genre cross-over here, you could promote it in a humor or science fiction or fantasy or realistic fiction booktalk. But how about in a booktalk on winter sports? It would be excellent to show some of the more creative snow sculptures and snowball fight sequences.

Curriculum Ties

Older students could be asked to "read" Calvin and Hobbes for cultural references and then research their origins and context for more information. Younger and older students could be asked to create a simple strip with themselves as the protagonist, in the style/spirit of Watterson. Have they experienced a "Calvin moment" with a teacher, parent, or arch-nemesis? Their would not even need to include text at all, as there are many examples of strips that include no or few words.

Why this book?
As with Tintin, any collection without a representative the Calvin and Hobbes would be remiss. Calvin and Hobbes books, also like Tintin, are read and loved to death in the library. These comic strips appeal to all ages, at a variety of levels from burp humor to deep philosophy.

Awards
Watterson has received many awards, including multiple Harvey Awards, Eisner Awards, and Reuben Awards, and an Adamson Award.

Rockport Public Library owns?

No. (But there are others!)

Cigars of the Pharaoh

Biblio Bits Cigars of the Pharaoh by Herge; Little, Brown, 1975 (ISBN 0316358363) [First published in Belgium as a comic serial between 1932-1934, then as a black-and-white album in 1934, then redrawn in color and published in 1955.]

Reading Level/Interest Age Ages 9+ (really, All Ages)

Genre Graphic Novel, Adventure

Plot Summary

Tintin and Snowy are relaxing aboard a cruise through Asia, "for a change." Pretty soon, as per usual, the two are embroiled in a new adventure. They meet Professor Sarcophagus on board, who is absent-minded and eccentric, as well as the hot-tempered film tycoon, Rastapopoulos. When unseen evil forces identify the "young journalist" as a nuisance and demand his disposal, the detectives Thomson and Thompson are brought in to arrest him. (This is the first time in the series that we meet this bumbling pair.) Tintin escapes, of course, and follows Sarcophagus into the Port town to the tomb of Kih-Oskh where they are all drugged and disposed of in coffins and set to sea. The adventure unfolds with almost non-stop action from here, including Tintin and Snowy's rescue by a gun-running captain, capture by a vengeful sheik (who is a Tintin fan, we find out), thwarted firing-squad death and burial of Tintin, escape by plane into the Indian jungle, learning elephant language, an evil fakir who is a hypnotist, poison blow darts, etc. Until, finally, Tintin solves the mystery in an intense conclusion, uncovering an international crime ring in the process.

Critical Evaluation

Herge's art is masterful, and in this installment those moments of beauty and clean composition come during the desert and ocean scenes. Cigars of the Pharaoh is one of the earlier stories, so Herge is still pretty tied to the narrative boxes. Sure, as referenced above, the plot is pretty predictable: capture, escape, capture, escape, repeat until Tintin thwarts the evil forces in a stunning conclusion. There are many readers who, especially as they are building their fluency and skills, find Tintin stories accessible and engaging. This is also true for reluctant readers, for the fast pace and simple text. Unlike some comics, Herge's are easy to navigate in terms of the flow of the boxes and text.

Reader's Annotation

Great snakes, it's Tintin! He's on another global adventure with Snowy, on the trail of an international crime ring, that begins in the Middle East and ends up in the jungle of India. (For the Tintinologists out there: What other Tintin adventure is visually referenced in this installment?)

Author Information

The Belgian author/illustrator known as Herge was born Georges Prosper Remi in 1907 and died in 1983. He is best known for his Tintin adventures, but began his career as a journalist and illustrator for the Catholic newspaper Le XXe Siecle. This position soon began to include more illustrative work and then a comic strip called Totor. Herge was the recipient of many awards, both within his lifetime and posthumously, and in 2009 the Herge Museum opened. (Information in this author biography is from Wikipedia and Tintin.com)

Challenge issues

Oh, Tintin, how tweens (and others) still love you, though you are dated in your sexist and racist ideas. Somehow Tintin adventures continue to captivate readers of all ages, though we know these things, and that is what makes this book a classic. Racist: nonwhite people are usually portrayed stereotypically in their features. They are also likely to be "bad guys" or servants and to speak in a simplistic manner. Sexist: Bianca Castafiore is the only female character in the whole series who has any significance. There are also frequent references to drugs and smuggling and some violence.

Booktalking Ideas

Again, another book that won't need a booktalk. But I think any booktalk on graphic novels would be incomplete without some sort of Tintin presence, since Herge is considered the godfather of the graphic novel. Since these are books that are pretty much entirely in the genre of adventure (a little humor!), any Tintin book would also work in an adventure booktalk.

Curriculum Ties

This would be a great series to use to identify stereotypes and bias and to discuss the historical context that created them. Is it still OK to read them today, when we know differently? How might these books be offensive and to whom?

Why this book?
What kind of tween list would this be without Tintin on it? Tintin books are read to death in the library, until their pages are falling out, and they've been repaired until they can't be repaired any more. My twenty-three year-old brother still returns to his collection of Tintins, particularly when he's sick, re-visting stories that he has known since before he could read them himself.

Awards
Herge's awards include Adamson Awards for notable cartoonists, Sweden,1971; Grand Prix Saint-Michel comic award, Belgium, 1973; Hall of Fame, Harvey Awards for notable cartoonists, 1999; Eisner Award, Judge's Choice, 2003; 2007 commemorative coin motif, 20 Euro value, to celebrate the anniversary of Herge's birth.

Rockport Public Library owns?

Yes. (Volume 1, which includes three adventures.)

Shiver

Biblio Bits Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, Scholastic, 2009 (ISBN 9780545123266)

Reading Level/Interest Age 740 lexile/Ages 13+

Genre Supernatural, Horror, Romance

Plot Summary

Grace, age 17, is sort of raising herself: her mom is a self-absorbed artist and her dad is usually absent with his own work. Grace has two close friends and has a strong connection with the woods behind her house and the wolf pack who inhabits it. She was attacked by wolves the winter she was nine, pulled right out of her back yard, but a wolf with curious yellow eyes intervened and Grace survived. Since then, that special wolf has become a bit of an obsession for Grace: she watches for him and frequently catches glimpses of him, watching her from the edge of the woods. When a youth at her high school is viciously attacked by, what appears to be, the wolf pack, the townspeople stage a hunt to exterminate the wolves. Grace discovers her own wolf, in human form, badly hurt from a shot to his neck and takes him in. There is strong tension in the story, both romantic (Romeo and Juliet go paranormal!), and when a new werewolf is running wild in the community, without the rules or protection of the pack.

Critical Evaluation

This book received starred reviews from both School Library Journal and Publishers Weekly, so I was prepared to be wowed by a book that is being touted as the "next Twilight." This one has more elements of horror, more actual gore as well as some pretty scary situations that involve suspense. The narrative alternates between Sam and Grace, which works to give the story some perspective. Clearly, Stiefvater has worked hard to create a seamless world in which lycanthropes have a place, and some of the details seemed perfect (explaining the mental differences that Sam experiences in his two forms) while others seemed a bit forced (the elaborate emphasis on the permanent change to wolf form). Somehow I just couldn't get emotionally engaged with Grace's character. Sam's character seemed much more accessible and fully-formed; I got a clear sense of the emotional angst and the haunting troubles of his past, as well as the challenges of pack life. For fans of the emotionally-charged, doomed, paranormal romance story, this will be a sure bet.

Reader's Annotation

In the mood for a tense story of first love gone terribly wrong? Grace and Sam know their moments together are numbered; Sam will be changing into wolf form for good this year, and Grace is just a regular girl.

Author Information

Maggie Stiefvater was born in 1981 and has worked as a waitress, calligraphy instructor, and technical editor. She describes her current life as "eccentric" and lives in Virginia with her husband and two children. She has a pretty snippy tone on her bio page regarding questions that she won't answer (if it's something she has already posted on her FAQ page) and adds that she likes "plain English" instead of text-speak when fans write emails to her. I certainly wouldn't write her a fan email after reading that sort of condescension, and I don't even know text-speak! (Information obtained from her bio page on her official website.)

Challenge issues

Lots of romantic tension here (Sam's sleeping in Grace's bed!), some very passionate scenes, but nothing too explicit. What was more disturbing is the image of Sam's parents who attempted to slit his wrists and kill him when they found out what he was. And there are some explicit moments of graphic violence.

Booktalking Ideas

Paranormal romance for teens is pretty much the order of the day, since Twilight, so there are plenty of booktalking bedfellows for this title. I might also include it in an Adrenaline Books booktalk, since that covers both horror and suspense.

Curriculum Ties

I would love to do a comparison of various representations of werewolves in teen literature, from Professor Lupin of Harry Potter fame to the "shifters" of Cynthia Leitich-Smith's books to Jacob from Twilight. Each author has a unique take on the parameters, powers, and limitations of lycanthropes.

Why this book?
Another book that falls into the "If you like Twilight..." category. I saw the cover as a full-page advertisement on the back cover of Horn Book, so I decided to see where the Meyer-inspired literary explosion is going.

Awards
Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2009; Amazon's Top Ten Books for Teens.

Rockport Public Library owns?

No.

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies

Biblio Bits One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones, Simon and Schuster, 2004 (ISBN 9780689858208)

Reading Level/Interest Age 820 lexile/Ages 14+

Genre Realistic Fiction, Poetic Narrative

Plot Summary

When Ruby's mom dies, she has to go live with her father in Hollywood. She leaves her best friend and boyfriend behind to go live with the man who never took the time out of his very busy life as a famous movie star to know her. Ruby's life is over! Now she's a celebrity daughter whose dad is trying annoyingly hard to make up for lost time. She attends an alternative private school with lots of other celebrity-offspring and weird classes like: Dream Interpretation, Organic Gardening, and The History and Uses of Aromatherapy. Ruby is trying to hold the pieces of her old life together, while figuring out how to trust this new life with a dad she's never known.

Critical Evaluation

Sones has created an engaging story with a realistic protagonist. Ruby's concerns about leaving her friends behind, her surliness with her dad, her concerns about her new school all ring very true. Sones' poetry is comprised of very visual, cinematic vignettes, or chapters, that strongly evoke emotions, details, and nuances that move the plot along. Although the plot was predictable, it was an enjoyable read. The amount of white space on the page will entice reluctant readers or readers with challenges. Because the content is suitably mature for upper-middle and high school, older readers with low skills might find both the content and presentation accessible.

Reader's Annotation

It's not just that her mom died, but Ruby's being shipped off to Hollywood to live with the dad that never took the time to know her. Oh, and to make matters worse? He's a totally famous movie star!

Author Information

Sonja Sones grew up in Newton (MA) and earned her B.A. at Hampshire College in film-making and photography. She moved to Hollywood to work as a personal assistant, but when she realized she was awful at making coffee she found work as a film editor, animator, production assistant, and photographer. Sones is married with two children, and lives near Hollywood. (Information in this author bio is from her official site.)

Challenge issues

Oh yeah. Lots of material here, like some swearing, mature themes, sexual themes (wanting/thinking about having sex, not doing it), homosexuality, references to drugs (not doing them), etc.

Booktalking Ideas

If the middle school girls that I know are any indication, this is another title that probably won't need booktalking because the students will be promoting it among themselves. I think it would liven up a poetry booktalk to include this title (or some of Sones' other books), showing that poetry can be narrative. I would want to read a short selection to students so they can hear the authenticity of Ruby's voice.

Curriculum Ties

Poetic narrative is such an intriguing notion that I think an 8th grade language arts class might try it as part of a creative writing unit. I would envision an assignment that asks students to sketch the outline for a short story and then translate it into a short story told in poetic narrative. The "chapters" have a way of capturing a moment, providing evocative imagery, yet still giving information about relationships and plot. It is a very visual way of telling a story, almost like a story told in pictures.

Why this book?
Well, Sonya Sones. The 8th grade girls all love her and the books are hardly ever on the shelves, but I had resisted reading one of her books until now. I was surprised to actually like it!

Awards
MSBA Reading List 2005-2006.

Rockport Public Library owns?

Yes.

Out of the Dust

Biblio Bits Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, Scholastic Press, 1997 (ISBN 0590360809)

Reading Level/Interest Age Ages 11-14

Genre Poetic narrative, Historical fiction

Plot Summary

This 1998 Newbery Award winner introduces fourteen year-old Billie Jo Kelby, a girl living in the Oklahoma dustbowl in the 1930s. Billie Jo narrates the story through spare, poetic free verse, and conveys a story of struggle and devastation, small victories and hope. The Kelby’s own a piano, which is unusual for a family of their position, and both Billie Jo and her mother play, though in differing styles. When Billie Jo loses her mother and newborn brother after a fire, she and her father must recover from their grief and forge a new relationship. Billie Jo’s hands have also been badly burned, which means she cannot play the piano without pain. This is an engaging portrait of personal triumph, set in a unique time and place.

Critical Evaluation

Hesse succeeds in drawing a vivid portrait of this period of hardship from American history; the land itself and the weather play important supporting roles in this story. Each entry includes a title with a month and year; sections are marked by the seasons, which underscores the importance of the land and growing periods at this time and in this place. There is a lot of white space on the pages, and though it "looks" like a book of poetry the narrative element and character development makes a strong, and sometimes suspenseful, plot that will carry readers along. This could also be a good historical fiction selection for a reluctant reader.

Reader's Annotation

Sometimes just the act of living is courageous. When Billie Jo is responsible for a terrible accident, she loses her mother, her baby brother, and her music. What will her new life be like, with just her dad, surviving the Great Depression?

Author Information

Karen Hesse was born in 1952 and grew up in Baltimore (MD). She credits her fifth-grade teacher with encouraging her love of language and writing, and though she worked at a variety of jobs, she "never gave up dreaming about publication" (Scholastic, n.d.). Hesse currently lives in Vermont with her husband and two daughters. (Information in this author biography is from her official site at Scholastic.)

Challenge issues

Bleak and devastating, in keeping with the historical time period, and some references to the dancehalls. Nothing explicit, however.

Booktalking Ideas

I would want to give listeners a feeling for the vastness and importance of the landscape and land in this book. The land is sometimes fickle, untrustworthy, difficult, and punishing. I would choose to put this in a booktalk with other engaging, historical books from various time periods. But it could also fit as an obvious choice with books on the Great Depression, both fiction and nonfiction. Showing some of Dorothea Lange's or Walker Evans' photographs could round out a presentation.

Curriculum Ties

Well, it's an obvious choice for a historical fiction unit in a language arts class, as well as for a social studies class on the Great Depression; it's a deeply atmospheric book that offers insight into the life of a real girl living during this time. But it could also be a great book for small literature circles or book groups since there is so much that is said and unsaid on the pages, giving readers a lot to discuss.

Why this book?
This book was the first that brought poetic narrative for young adults to my attention. There's something about the spareness of the page and the words that makes for a powerful impact on a reader. Since then, others have experimented with the genre including Sharon Creech and Sonja Sones.

Awards
Newbery Award, 1998; Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award; Booklist Editor's Choice, Books for Older Readers; ALA Notable Children's Books, 1998; School Library Journal Best Books, 1997.

Rockport Public Library owns?

Yes.