Showing posts with label LIS 722. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LIS 722. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
LIS 722: Down to the end
I just turned in my final reflection paper. For my last class. Ever. I'm almost free again...
Sunday, April 12, 2009
LIS 722: Week 14
Awwww, yeah...I can see the end from here. Nice.
Week 14: How-to Guides
Books: The Social Climber's Guide to High School by Robyn Schneider & Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-Friendly Life by Linda Sivertsen & Tosh Sivertsen
The best thing I can say about these books is that I'm done with them. Really. I seriously dare you to read The Social Climber's Guide to High School and come out the other side with 1) all your IQ points intact, and 2) without hurling it across the room. Can't be done, I'm telling you.
The Social Climber's Guide to High School is billed as "Tongue in Chic" on the cover. Unfortunately, it's shelved in the 646's, alongside real how-to books. It's all about how to become an "A-lister" in high school. Well, isn't that special? I think if it must be in a library, it should be over in the 828's (humor/satire)...it's much like the 1980's The Preppy Handbook. I'm more alarmed with the thought that someone might take the book seriously. A better target audience would be people who are already done with high school, and who might better recognize the humor. I know when I was picking it up at the library, my kid was carrying my pile of books, and when I tossed this on the top, she refused to carry it, "Someone might think I'm reading it." So, if you really really really just must read The Social Climber's Guide to High School, knock yourself out. Just don't say I didn't warn you.
As for Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-Friendly Life, I was hoping for more of a practical how-to guide than this was; it wasn't really a beginner guide, but more of a 'here's how to take it further'. It was kind of depressing, actually...kind of, "Dude, we're all so screwed anyway, but here's some things you should be doing anyway." We have to start somewhere, doing something, this is true. There's a Generation Green companion website, but it pretty much rehashes the book from what I can tell.
I'm just not convinced these are good "How-to" books, unless they're more of a "how-to-make-your-head-asplode-while-reading" how-to books, in which case, Mission Accomplished.
Week 14: How-to Guides
Books: The Social Climber's Guide to High School by Robyn Schneider & Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-Friendly Life by Linda Sivertsen & Tosh Sivertsen
The best thing I can say about these books is that I'm done with them. Really. I seriously dare you to read The Social Climber's Guide to High School and come out the other side with 1) all your IQ points intact, and 2) without hurling it across the room. Can't be done, I'm telling you.
The Social Climber's Guide to High School is billed as "Tongue in Chic" on the cover. Unfortunately, it's shelved in the 646's, alongside real how-to books. It's all about how to become an "A-lister" in high school. Well, isn't that special? I think if it must be in a library, it should be over in the 828's (humor/satire)...it's much like the 1980's The Preppy Handbook. I'm more alarmed with the thought that someone might take the book seriously. A better target audience would be people who are already done with high school, and who might better recognize the humor. I know when I was picking it up at the library, my kid was carrying my pile of books, and when I tossed this on the top, she refused to carry it, "Someone might think I'm reading it." So, if you really really really just must read The Social Climber's Guide to High School, knock yourself out. Just don't say I didn't warn you.
As for Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-Friendly Life, I was hoping for more of a practical how-to guide than this was; it wasn't really a beginner guide, but more of a 'here's how to take it further'. It was kind of depressing, actually...kind of, "Dude, we're all so screwed anyway, but here's some things you should be doing anyway." We have to start somewhere, doing something, this is true. There's a Generation Green companion website, but it pretty much rehashes the book from what I can tell.
I'm just not convinced these are good "How-to" books, unless they're more of a "how-to-make-your-head-asplode-while-reading" how-to books, in which case, Mission Accomplished.
LIS 722: Week 13
Week 13: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Books: A Step from Heaven by An Na & Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
These were two of the better books this term, I have to say. The topics covered were definitely not happy ones, but I appreciated the way each of the books unflinchingly presented them.
A Step from Heaven is about a Korean girl (Young Ju Park) and her family, and their immigration to the United States when she was a young girl, and subsequent struggle to make a go of it in their new world. Well, it's about more than that, yes, but that's the starting point.
While still in Korea, Young Ju thought that the United States was like Heaven, but was told it was more like a "Step from Heaven", hence the title. Young Ju is the narrator of this story, and while An Na's writing is deliberately spare, what is said gives the reader a good sense of the difficulties experienced by the Park family.
The family struggles to maintain a delicate balance between holding on to their Korean culture and attempting to assimilate into their new culture. Young Ju's father, unable to cope, descends into alcoholism, and becomes increasingly violent towards his wife. Young Ju has figured out that doing well in school will help her get to college and out of reach of her father. Ashamed and afraid, she hides her home and family from even her closest friends, preferring to keep the different parts of her life separate. The book ends with Young Ju calling the police to report her father as he's severely beating her mother; he gets arrested, and the mother is angry at Young Ju. The father returns to Korea, but Young Ju, her mother, and her brother stay in the United States. The reader is left with a sense that the remaining family members will be OK, and will eventually piece their lives back together.
I think these issues transcend culture and place. There are many families who present an "all is well" front to the rest of the world, while hiding alcoholism and domestic violence behind closed doors. Also, the book uses Korean words from the very beginning, but doesn't have a glossary or any explanations of what the words mean. In some ways, it was frustrating...much like what Young Ju experiences when she encounters English. Gradually, it sorts itself out for both the reader and Young Ju, leaving the reader with a sense of understanding.
Dreamland is a story about a girl (Caitlin) whose sister, Cass, basically walks away from their family on Caitlin's birthday...and the resulting family trauma, which ends in Caitlin being abused by her boyfriend. That's the long story shortened.
When Cass leaves (telling her family via a note), the remaining family goes into a tailspin. Well, the mom, anyhow. She's a real piece of work...my guess is that much of her own identity was somehow linked with Cass's, and how Cass did reflected on the mom as well. Caitlin, unaccustomed to being the focus of attention, reacts by trying to do something that Cass (the perfect daughter) hadn't--she tries out for and makes the cheerleading squad. (Of course her mom is ecstatic, but is still missing Cass)
As a cheerleader, Caitlin (of course) starts going to parties and hanging out with a different crowd. It's at one of these parties that she hooks up with Rogerson Biscoe, who is a Bad Boy (of course he is, and of course she does). He deals drugs on the side, and on the night she meets him, she goes along for some of his deliveries.
Her life begins to take a downward turn; she starts taking drugs herself, and skipping classes & cheerleading practices, while lying to her parents about where she is and what she's doing (or not doing, as the case may be). It gets worse one night when she doesn't meet Rogerson as planned, and he ends up hitting her in the face. The violence escalates, and soon Caitlin is withdrawing from her friends, family, and normal life, while starting to wear long sleeves (even though the weather is warmer) and increasing her drug use. Caitlin rationalizes his behavior by saying that she loves him, and he loves her. In the end, her mother witnesses Rogerson beating on Caitlin and calls the Police...Caitlin goes to rehab, and when she comes home, the reader is left hopeful that all will be well in Caitlin's world.
The book is one that may or may not make sense to the teens who read it. They may think, "Well, for God's sake, Caitlin should've known better, and should have left him the very first time he hit her." Well, 'should have' is really easy to say when you aren't the one in the position, I think. I know. I was, when I was in my early 20's. This could've been my story, except I didn't take the drugs, and I didn't live at home. Before it happened, I totally subscribed to the "If a guy hits me, I'm gone" school of thought. While it was happening, I remember being very confused and not quite understanding what in the heck was going on. Luckily for me, I didn't end up dead...but it was literally 2 seconds away one night, when he was hopped up on who-knows-what. That was 20 years ago this year, and sometimes I still wonder if I'll ever be fully healed from it all. It all comes down to this: in the book, Caitlin's family and friends say they should've seen the signs, should've intervened sooner, should've done something to save her; in truth, she had to want to be helped, saved, whatever. The end is hopeful, yes, but it's only the beginning of a really long haul back to herself.
Books: A Step from Heaven by An Na & Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
These were two of the better books this term, I have to say. The topics covered were definitely not happy ones, but I appreciated the way each of the books unflinchingly presented them.
A Step from Heaven is about a Korean girl (Young Ju Park) and her family, and their immigration to the United States when she was a young girl, and subsequent struggle to make a go of it in their new world. Well, it's about more than that, yes, but that's the starting point.
While still in Korea, Young Ju thought that the United States was like Heaven, but was told it was more like a "Step from Heaven", hence the title. Young Ju is the narrator of this story, and while An Na's writing is deliberately spare, what is said gives the reader a good sense of the difficulties experienced by the Park family.
The family struggles to maintain a delicate balance between holding on to their Korean culture and attempting to assimilate into their new culture. Young Ju's father, unable to cope, descends into alcoholism, and becomes increasingly violent towards his wife. Young Ju has figured out that doing well in school will help her get to college and out of reach of her father. Ashamed and afraid, she hides her home and family from even her closest friends, preferring to keep the different parts of her life separate. The book ends with Young Ju calling the police to report her father as he's severely beating her mother; he gets arrested, and the mother is angry at Young Ju. The father returns to Korea, but Young Ju, her mother, and her brother stay in the United States. The reader is left with a sense that the remaining family members will be OK, and will eventually piece their lives back together.
I think these issues transcend culture and place. There are many families who present an "all is well" front to the rest of the world, while hiding alcoholism and domestic violence behind closed doors. Also, the book uses Korean words from the very beginning, but doesn't have a glossary or any explanations of what the words mean. In some ways, it was frustrating...much like what Young Ju experiences when she encounters English. Gradually, it sorts itself out for both the reader and Young Ju, leaving the reader with a sense of understanding.
Dreamland is a story about a girl (Caitlin) whose sister, Cass, basically walks away from their family on Caitlin's birthday...and the resulting family trauma, which ends in Caitlin being abused by her boyfriend. That's the long story shortened.
When Cass leaves (telling her family via a note), the remaining family goes into a tailspin. Well, the mom, anyhow. She's a real piece of work...my guess is that much of her own identity was somehow linked with Cass's, and how Cass did reflected on the mom as well. Caitlin, unaccustomed to being the focus of attention, reacts by trying to do something that Cass (the perfect daughter) hadn't--she tries out for and makes the cheerleading squad. (Of course her mom is ecstatic, but is still missing Cass)
As a cheerleader, Caitlin (of course) starts going to parties and hanging out with a different crowd. It's at one of these parties that she hooks up with Rogerson Biscoe, who is a Bad Boy (of course he is, and of course she does). He deals drugs on the side, and on the night she meets him, she goes along for some of his deliveries.
Her life begins to take a downward turn; she starts taking drugs herself, and skipping classes & cheerleading practices, while lying to her parents about where she is and what she's doing (or not doing, as the case may be). It gets worse one night when she doesn't meet Rogerson as planned, and he ends up hitting her in the face. The violence escalates, and soon Caitlin is withdrawing from her friends, family, and normal life, while starting to wear long sleeves (even though the weather is warmer) and increasing her drug use. Caitlin rationalizes his behavior by saying that she loves him, and he loves her. In the end, her mother witnesses Rogerson beating on Caitlin and calls the Police...Caitlin goes to rehab, and when she comes home, the reader is left hopeful that all will be well in Caitlin's world.
The book is one that may or may not make sense to the teens who read it. They may think, "Well, for God's sake, Caitlin should've known better, and should have left him the very first time he hit her." Well, 'should have' is really easy to say when you aren't the one in the position, I think. I know. I was, when I was in my early 20's. This could've been my story, except I didn't take the drugs, and I didn't live at home. Before it happened, I totally subscribed to the "If a guy hits me, I'm gone" school of thought. While it was happening, I remember being very confused and not quite understanding what in the heck was going on. Luckily for me, I didn't end up dead...but it was literally 2 seconds away one night, when he was hopped up on who-knows-what. That was 20 years ago this year, and sometimes I still wonder if I'll ever be fully healed from it all. It all comes down to this: in the book, Caitlin's family and friends say they should've seen the signs, should've intervened sooner, should've done something to save her; in truth, she had to want to be helped, saved, whatever. The end is hopeful, yes, but it's only the beginning of a really long haul back to herself.
Friday, April 3, 2009
LIS 722: Week 12
Week 12: War/Survival/Adventure
Books: How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff; Maus I: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman & Barefoot Gen: Volume I by Keiji Nakazawa
Well, these books were certainly not the kind of books that I really ever want to read, as the dystopian/survival subgenre isn't one of my favorites. That said...
How I Live Now was set in modern times (Daisy has a cell phone), but felt more like it could have been during World War II. Daisy is an American girl who goes to spend the summer with her British cousins, on their rural farm. While she's there, war breaks out, and life is not good. Although the war doesn't immediately affect life in the country, it does soon enough. Immediately prior to the start of fighting, Daisy's Aunt has left for Oslo (never to return), leaving Daisy and her 4 cousins basically to fend for themselves. This is a story about their survival, even after they've been split up, and the relationships between them all.
There were so many plot threads running through this book, at times it was confusing, and almost overkill. Daisy's relationship with her cousin, Edmund-yes, I get that it was smacking of taboo, but my reaction ended up being, "And so what?" What offended me more was the lack of quotation marks for the conversations, go figure. There was also the violence and fighting (I get it already...war=not good), but for crying out loud, there was a WAR going on, and like it or not, violence and mean things happen. Then there was the handy 'rescue' at the end, when Daisy answers the ringing phone, and it's her father. Um, the infrastructure has been decimated throughout the region, and I'm supposed to buy a phone randomly ringing? Well, it is fiction, I suppose, so carry on. I realize that I'm glossing over quite a bit with this particular book, and yes, I'm OK with that.
Maus I: A Survivor's Tale is a graphic novel that tells about one man's story of the Jewish people and what happened during World War II. Although I was prepared to not like it, I did (for the most part). The different layers of the story are what makes this book interesting for me, such as trying to figure out the different animals used to symbolize the different nationalities and the way the book's perspective kept shifting between the son interviewing his father and the father's re-telling of the story.
The first book can stand on its own, but I would have liked to see how the second half clarified the first half (which is why I bought the all-in-one version for my library). As a history major (undergrad), I really appreciate the difference between "just" a story/event that happened and has been reduced to words on a page and a story/event told by an eyewitness/participant. Mere facts do not always reveal the entire story; Maus I: A Survivor's Tale at least puts a face on some of the people who lost everything just because of their faith.
As for Barefoot Gen: Volume I, I never did find a copy before class. But from what I gathered, it recounts the story of a boy who was living in Hiroshima when the American troops dropped an Atomic Bomb on the city. There are other volumes to the story as well. Here's a link to the Wikipedia article: Barefoot Gen.
All in all, not a really uplifting selection of books this week. There are others that would work well for these topics that I would've liked to have read instead, such as The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau and Peak by Roland Smith.
Books: How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff; Maus I: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman & Barefoot Gen: Volume I by Keiji Nakazawa
Well, these books were certainly not the kind of books that I really ever want to read, as the dystopian/survival subgenre isn't one of my favorites. That said...
How I Live Now was set in modern times (Daisy has a cell phone), but felt more like it could have been during World War II. Daisy is an American girl who goes to spend the summer with her British cousins, on their rural farm. While she's there, war breaks out, and life is not good. Although the war doesn't immediately affect life in the country, it does soon enough. Immediately prior to the start of fighting, Daisy's Aunt has left for Oslo (never to return), leaving Daisy and her 4 cousins basically to fend for themselves. This is a story about their survival, even after they've been split up, and the relationships between them all.
There were so many plot threads running through this book, at times it was confusing, and almost overkill. Daisy's relationship with her cousin, Edmund-yes, I get that it was smacking of taboo, but my reaction ended up being, "And so what?" What offended me more was the lack of quotation marks for the conversations, go figure. There was also the violence and fighting (I get it already...war=not good), but for crying out loud, there was a WAR going on, and like it or not, violence and mean things happen. Then there was the handy 'rescue' at the end, when Daisy answers the ringing phone, and it's her father. Um, the infrastructure has been decimated throughout the region, and I'm supposed to buy a phone randomly ringing? Well, it is fiction, I suppose, so carry on. I realize that I'm glossing over quite a bit with this particular book, and yes, I'm OK with that.
Maus I: A Survivor's Tale is a graphic novel that tells about one man's story of the Jewish people and what happened during World War II. Although I was prepared to not like it, I did (for the most part). The different layers of the story are what makes this book interesting for me, such as trying to figure out the different animals used to symbolize the different nationalities and the way the book's perspective kept shifting between the son interviewing his father and the father's re-telling of the story.
The first book can stand on its own, but I would have liked to see how the second half clarified the first half (which is why I bought the all-in-one version for my library). As a history major (undergrad), I really appreciate the difference between "just" a story/event that happened and has been reduced to words on a page and a story/event told by an eyewitness/participant. Mere facts do not always reveal the entire story; Maus I: A Survivor's Tale at least puts a face on some of the people who lost everything just because of their faith.
As for Barefoot Gen: Volume I, I never did find a copy before class. But from what I gathered, it recounts the story of a boy who was living in Hiroshima when the American troops dropped an Atomic Bomb on the city. There are other volumes to the story as well. Here's a link to the Wikipedia article: Barefoot Gen.
All in all, not a really uplifting selection of books this week. There are others that would work well for these topics that I would've liked to have read instead, such as The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau and Peak by Roland Smith.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
LIS 722: Week 11
Week 11: Growing Up
Books: The First Part Last by Angela Johnson &
Born Confused by Tanjua Desai Hidier
The First Part Last is a surprisingly short, non-preachy book about teen pregnancy kinds of issues. It focuses on the teen father, rather than the mother, and how he is raising the child. It isn't because the mother can't, or doesn't want to raise the baby that the father is, but rather the fact that she can't because she's in a 'persistent vegetative state' brought on by eclampsia gone wrong.
When Bobby and his girlfriend, Nia, found out she was pregnant, they didn't know what to do. They told his parents, then told hers. In the end, they made the choice to give the baby up for adoption, and everything was all ready to go, until Nia developed complications and lapsed into a coma. Bobby then decided to keep the baby, in part because she was all he had left of Nia, and in part because he felt responsible for her (Feather).
I liked how it doesn't pull any punches-the father, Bobby, is tired, can't always think straight, and is pretty much completely responsible for his baby daughter, Feather. Bobby's mother doesn't help out much because she believes that Feather is 300% Bobby's responsibility; it also doesn't appear to be in her nature. Bobby's father is more likely to want to help, but he lives all the way across the city, and so isn't a immediate presence. Johnson's writing is sparse, but packs a wallop. The one thing that drove me batty about the book was the continuous going back and forth between the 'now' and 'then'. I don't mind it if a book starts off in the 'now', and then backs up to the 'then' to explain how the 'now' came about. But for the love of books, it doesn't need to happen forty-two thousand times (give or take a thousand).
Born Confused is a book I thought I wouldn't like. At ALL. It just didn't even LOOK appealing to me, and the length! Wow-500 pages, really? But, I was going to soldier through it because one of my friends was doing a presentation on it; that's just how I am.
So, with dragging feet, I started the book, and was surprised at how much it resonated with me. I really liked it. I could just see it all playing out, hear the sounds, see the brillant colors, and watch the absolute life-changing shift for Dimple.
I thought it was interesting that 'normal' American life was presented as rather colorless and soulless compared to Indian life, which was more underground. It wasn't an overt, "Hey, our culture is better than yours", but it was certainly a celebration of a different culture than what is often found.
Who hasn't either had or known a friend like Gwyn? I thought it ironic that Gwyn wanted to be Indian like Dimple, and sort of believed that it could happen just by wearing Dimple's clothes. I also wondered if Gwyn would've been so eager to want that if she wasn't a blonde white girl; in a couple of my undergrad classes, it was called 'white privilege'. Would she say the same had she not been white? Even if she did say something along the lines of "You don't think I have problems too?", all I could think is, "Honey, you have no idea."
One of the best insights I took away was "Sometimes you have to lose yourself in order to find yourself." I totally get that. There were so many things in this book that made me stop and think about the parallels in my own life. I so remember my parents being dumber than a box of rocks (with the lid off)...all the way until they weren't (they thought it was hilarious when I told them so). I've pretty much always been just like I am now, so I didn't have a big shift like Dimple. But, when I was a teenager in high school, trying to figure out where my place was, I remember sometimes wishing I could just go along to get along...but I'm just not wired that way, which has actually served me better in the long run. Who knows if I'd get as much out of the book if I were to read it again. So, I'm not going to. I've learned enough along the way to let the book be magic as it is.
Books: The First Part Last by Angela Johnson &
Born Confused by Tanjua Desai Hidier
The First Part Last is a surprisingly short, non-preachy book about teen pregnancy kinds of issues. It focuses on the teen father, rather than the mother, and how he is raising the child. It isn't because the mother can't, or doesn't want to raise the baby that the father is, but rather the fact that she can't because she's in a 'persistent vegetative state' brought on by eclampsia gone wrong.
When Bobby and his girlfriend, Nia, found out she was pregnant, they didn't know what to do. They told his parents, then told hers. In the end, they made the choice to give the baby up for adoption, and everything was all ready to go, until Nia developed complications and lapsed into a coma. Bobby then decided to keep the baby, in part because she was all he had left of Nia, and in part because he felt responsible for her (Feather).
I liked how it doesn't pull any punches-the father, Bobby, is tired, can't always think straight, and is pretty much completely responsible for his baby daughter, Feather. Bobby's mother doesn't help out much because she believes that Feather is 300% Bobby's responsibility; it also doesn't appear to be in her nature. Bobby's father is more likely to want to help, but he lives all the way across the city, and so isn't a immediate presence. Johnson's writing is sparse, but packs a wallop. The one thing that drove me batty about the book was the continuous going back and forth between the 'now' and 'then'. I don't mind it if a book starts off in the 'now', and then backs up to the 'then' to explain how the 'now' came about. But for the love of books, it doesn't need to happen forty-two thousand times (give or take a thousand).
Born Confused is a book I thought I wouldn't like. At ALL. It just didn't even LOOK appealing to me, and the length! Wow-500 pages, really? But, I was going to soldier through it because one of my friends was doing a presentation on it; that's just how I am.
So, with dragging feet, I started the book, and was surprised at how much it resonated with me. I really liked it. I could just see it all playing out, hear the sounds, see the brillant colors, and watch the absolute life-changing shift for Dimple.
I thought it was interesting that 'normal' American life was presented as rather colorless and soulless compared to Indian life, which was more underground. It wasn't an overt, "Hey, our culture is better than yours", but it was certainly a celebration of a different culture than what is often found.
Who hasn't either had or known a friend like Gwyn? I thought it ironic that Gwyn wanted to be Indian like Dimple, and sort of believed that it could happen just by wearing Dimple's clothes. I also wondered if Gwyn would've been so eager to want that if she wasn't a blonde white girl; in a couple of my undergrad classes, it was called 'white privilege'. Would she say the same had she not been white? Even if she did say something along the lines of "You don't think I have problems too?", all I could think is, "Honey, you have no idea."
One of the best insights I took away was "Sometimes you have to lose yourself in order to find yourself." I totally get that. There were so many things in this book that made me stop and think about the parallels in my own life. I so remember my parents being dumber than a box of rocks (with the lid off)...all the way until they weren't (they thought it was hilarious when I told them so). I've pretty much always been just like I am now, so I didn't have a big shift like Dimple. But, when I was a teenager in high school, trying to figure out where my place was, I remember sometimes wishing I could just go along to get along...but I'm just not wired that way, which has actually served me better in the long run. Who knows if I'd get as much out of the book if I were to read it again. So, I'm not going to. I've learned enough along the way to let the book be magic as it is.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
LIS 722: Week 10
Week 10: Fantasy/Science Fiction
Books: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman & Feed by MT Anderson
There are some books that work really well in print. And then there are those who are absolutely meant to be listened to via audiobook. These are 2 of those books.
The Golden Compass is narrated by Philip Pullman himself, and performed by a full cast. I first listened to it during Fall Term 2007 for LIS 721 (the children's literature version of LIS 722). Although it was hard at first to keep everyone straight, character-wise, I really enjoyed listening.
There was a hue and cry when the movie came out, about how this book was about 'killing God'. Um, no. Organized religion, yes; God, not so much. But it wasn't even *this* book that addressed that idea so much. I do vividly remember one of our daughter's teachers ranting about all this (it was when she was going to the local Catholic school, so I can't say I was surprised), and how he urged the class to neither read the book nor watch the movie. Our daughter did both anyway. I ended up writing a letter to her teacher, which says what I think about the book quite well. Here's some excerpts:
Yes, Mr. Pullman is an atheist, and yes, he writes books. Yet, the actual content of The Golden Compass does not revolve around those facts; rather, one of the central storylines is the search for truth, and to what extent some people will go to any lengths to cover up that same truth. Although Mr. Pullman does, to some extent, delve into the concept of ‘original sin’, and what it means to religions worldwide, the story is more than that. It is about bravery in the face of danger; it is about friendship; in the end, it is about love. True, Mr. Pullman does lambaste the Church; yet, he does not specifically name which Church- - I truly don’t think he singles out the Catholic Church. Instead, I think he is taking issue with the dogmatism of every religion, which in and of itself, is a valid line of questioning that should be explored.
I think this is what put paid to his argument:
I understand that there will be controversy over both the movie and the book. But, I have to wonder about those who are denouncing either or both without actually watching the movie or reading the books. If indeed, the movie and book are so anti-religion, shouldn’t this be an opportunity for religions everywhere (not just the Catholic Church) to speak up and say, “Well, certainly that is what the movie/book says, but here are our beliefs” rather than raising such a hue and cry? The Church has withstood many challenges in the past 2000+ years, and not always through the “love your neighbor” philosophy (for example, the Inquisition comes to mind, as does the historically documented persecution and killing of the Gnostics); yet even now, when something that is contradictory to its tenets comes around, it still feels the need to yell, “Don’t go see/read/do (fill in the blank)!!!” If a mere movie or book is enough to turn someone away from the Church, or religion in general, then it could be argued that his or her faith was perhaps neither that strong nor grounded to begin with. It could also be said that perhaps the people speaking out against it do not have faith that what their teachers, leaders, parish, or Church is teaching is enough to sway the doubters.
Feed was good too, in a different way. Normally, I'm not much for Dystopian novels, but the narrator just nailed the tone of voice & inflections of a teenager.
It's the other book I'm presenting on this term, so instead of doing anything more here with it, here's the link to the wiki my partner & I set up for it:
Winter Term 2009 LIS 722 Feed Presentation .
Books: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman & Feed by MT Anderson
There are some books that work really well in print. And then there are those who are absolutely meant to be listened to via audiobook. These are 2 of those books.
The Golden Compass is narrated by Philip Pullman himself, and performed by a full cast. I first listened to it during Fall Term 2007 for LIS 721 (the children's literature version of LIS 722). Although it was hard at first to keep everyone straight, character-wise, I really enjoyed listening.
There was a hue and cry when the movie came out, about how this book was about 'killing God'. Um, no. Organized religion, yes; God, not so much. But it wasn't even *this* book that addressed that idea so much. I do vividly remember one of our daughter's teachers ranting about all this (it was when she was going to the local Catholic school, so I can't say I was surprised), and how he urged the class to neither read the book nor watch the movie. Our daughter did both anyway. I ended up writing a letter to her teacher, which says what I think about the book quite well. Here's some excerpts:
Yes, Mr. Pullman is an atheist, and yes, he writes books. Yet, the actual content of The Golden Compass does not revolve around those facts; rather, one of the central storylines is the search for truth, and to what extent some people will go to any lengths to cover up that same truth. Although Mr. Pullman does, to some extent, delve into the concept of ‘original sin’, and what it means to religions worldwide, the story is more than that. It is about bravery in the face of danger; it is about friendship; in the end, it is about love. True, Mr. Pullman does lambaste the Church; yet, he does not specifically name which Church- - I truly don’t think he singles out the Catholic Church. Instead, I think he is taking issue with the dogmatism of every religion, which in and of itself, is a valid line of questioning that should be explored.
I think this is what put paid to his argument:
I understand that there will be controversy over both the movie and the book. But, I have to wonder about those who are denouncing either or both without actually watching the movie or reading the books. If indeed, the movie and book are so anti-religion, shouldn’t this be an opportunity for religions everywhere (not just the Catholic Church) to speak up and say, “Well, certainly that is what the movie/book says, but here are our beliefs” rather than raising such a hue and cry? The Church has withstood many challenges in the past 2000+ years, and not always through the “love your neighbor” philosophy (for example, the Inquisition comes to mind, as does the historically documented persecution and killing of the Gnostics); yet even now, when something that is contradictory to its tenets comes around, it still feels the need to yell, “Don’t go see/read/do (fill in the blank)!!!” If a mere movie or book is enough to turn someone away from the Church, or religion in general, then it could be argued that his or her faith was perhaps neither that strong nor grounded to begin with. It could also be said that perhaps the people speaking out against it do not have faith that what their teachers, leaders, parish, or Church is teaching is enough to sway the doubters.
Feed was good too, in a different way. Normally, I'm not much for Dystopian novels, but the narrator just nailed the tone of voice & inflections of a teenager.
It's the other book I'm presenting on this term, so instead of doing anything more here with it, here's the link to the wiki my partner & I set up for it:
Winter Term 2009 LIS 722 Feed Presentation .
LIS 722: Week 9
Week 9: Horror
Book: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
You know, Twilight wasn't so bad the second time. Really. I think I did all my eye-rolling the first time I read it over Christmas break, right before I saw the movie. Four times. As far as the storyline goes, yeah, it has holes that a double-decker bus could drive through, but hey-it could have been much worse. I still like the movie better, though.
Twilight= girl moves to Small Town, Washington, starts at a new school, eyes up a really good looking guy who just happens to be a Vampire (who's a vegetarian & sparkles, for goodness sake), then gets into trouble that said Vampire has to help her out of, falls in love with him & wants to become a vampire too, meets his family (also vegetarian sparkly Vampires) who play baseball, but who are confronted by bad vampires (presumably neither vegetarian nor sparkly, & who want to eat girl), escapes, but offers herself up as a sacrifice to the bad vampires so others may live, doesn't end up dead, but does have to go to prom in the end. Yep, that about covers it. I knew she'd live, but that's only because there are 3 other books in the series, and well, my momma didn't raise no dummy.
I know that there are plenty of people (not just women) who yell about how misogynistic Twilight is, but you know, I don't know if I agree 100%. I agree that Bella should've taken more opportunities to tell Edward to go jump in a lake when he got all Mr Bossy-Pants at her, sure. But as far as saying that it seems that Edward had to constantly be Bella's rescuer, well, maybe so, maybe not. I'm not sure she would've had a fighting chance against the guys in Port Angeles, and I'm definitely sure she wouldn't have had even a ghost of a chance against James (the bad Vampire guy). Seriously, there's something to be said for bringing more than a knife to a gun fight, yes? And as far as I'm concerned, since it was Edward who got her into the mess with James, it's only fair that he be the one to fix it.
I liked the movie better mainly because I didn't have to keep reading about Edward's beauty. Well, that, and part of it was filmed in Oregon, in the part where I used to live, and it was great being able to see what used to be home. I'm not sure why exactly this was classified under 'Horror', unless it was because of the Vampires and hints of Werewolves. When I think of 'Horror', I think of Stephen King's Christine or some of his other ones--the ones that when I read them, I didn't want to go to sleep at night.
Overall, one of the better books I've read this term, and one that I know is popular across a wide span of patrons. Do I think it's going to be a 'classic'? No. But it's good fun nonetheless.
Book: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
You know, Twilight wasn't so bad the second time. Really. I think I did all my eye-rolling the first time I read it over Christmas break, right before I saw the movie. Four times. As far as the storyline goes, yeah, it has holes that a double-decker bus could drive through, but hey-it could have been much worse. I still like the movie better, though.
Twilight= girl moves to Small Town, Washington, starts at a new school, eyes up a really good looking guy who just happens to be a Vampire (who's a vegetarian & sparkles, for goodness sake), then gets into trouble that said Vampire has to help her out of, falls in love with him & wants to become a vampire too, meets his family (also vegetarian sparkly Vampires) who play baseball, but who are confronted by bad vampires (presumably neither vegetarian nor sparkly, & who want to eat girl), escapes, but offers herself up as a sacrifice to the bad vampires so others may live, doesn't end up dead, but does have to go to prom in the end. Yep, that about covers it. I knew she'd live, but that's only because there are 3 other books in the series, and well, my momma didn't raise no dummy.
I know that there are plenty of people (not just women) who yell about how misogynistic Twilight is, but you know, I don't know if I agree 100%. I agree that Bella should've taken more opportunities to tell Edward to go jump in a lake when he got all Mr Bossy-Pants at her, sure. But as far as saying that it seems that Edward had to constantly be Bella's rescuer, well, maybe so, maybe not. I'm not sure she would've had a fighting chance against the guys in Port Angeles, and I'm definitely sure she wouldn't have had even a ghost of a chance against James (the bad Vampire guy). Seriously, there's something to be said for bringing more than a knife to a gun fight, yes? And as far as I'm concerned, since it was Edward who got her into the mess with James, it's only fair that he be the one to fix it.
I liked the movie better mainly because I didn't have to keep reading about Edward's beauty. Well, that, and part of it was filmed in Oregon, in the part where I used to live, and it was great being able to see what used to be home. I'm not sure why exactly this was classified under 'Horror', unless it was because of the Vampires and hints of Werewolves. When I think of 'Horror', I think of Stephen King's Christine or some of his other ones--the ones that when I read them, I didn't want to go to sleep at night.
Overall, one of the better books I've read this term, and one that I know is popular across a wide span of patrons. Do I think it's going to be a 'classic'? No. But it's good fun nonetheless.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
LIS 722: Week 8
Week 8: Intimacy: Relationships & Romance
Books: Annie On My Mind by Nancy Garden &
Romiette and Julio by Sharon M Draper
Annie On My Mind is probably one of the first mainstream GLBT books written for teens. Taken in that light, it's good for what it is, and for the time in which it was written. 25 years later, it's a bit dated, but could be a good starting point.
Liza is a teen in NY, just living life, when she meets Annie at a museum. The attraction between the two is instant, although more in a friend-kind of way. They sort out their feelings for each other, and start exploring a more physical relationship.
Of course the girls are caught in flagrante delicto (of course they are-it's just how these stories go) at Liza's teacher's house (the teacher was on vacation with her longterm woman partner, and Liza was taking care of their cat). Liza ends up expelled from school, the teachers end up fired, and Annie & Liza break up.
But all is well in the end, when Liza decides to call Annie from college to see if they can meet over winter break.
Although the story was probably very cutting edge when it was published in the 1980's, it seems rather circumspect now, 25 years later. If I hadn't known what the book was about, I would have wondered what in the world was going on, and tossed it aside. I'm not sure it would really speak to today's teens/YA, but like I said, it at least gives a starting point.
As for Romiette and Julio, well, it was OK, but nothing to write home about. Maybe it's because I already studied Romeo and Juliet, and have read enough stories that are basically R & J repackaged into a more modern format, but I thought that overall, this book was weak.
It follows the same outline, with even the names being similar. There's a part in the book where one of the parents even remarks upon the similarity of the names. Romiette is a young black girl, and Julio is a young hispanic boy. Of course they meet and fall in love immediately, and of course there are those who oppose their love. No surprise there. Thing is, the characters are almost caricatures--Juliio is very hispanic, almost stereotypically so. Romiette isn't as bad, thankfully, but they just didn't ring true for me.
At least in this version, although they come close, nobody dies in the end. So, it's got that going for it.
Books: Annie On My Mind by Nancy Garden &
Romiette and Julio by Sharon M Draper
Annie On My Mind is probably one of the first mainstream GLBT books written for teens. Taken in that light, it's good for what it is, and for the time in which it was written. 25 years later, it's a bit dated, but could be a good starting point.
Liza is a teen in NY, just living life, when she meets Annie at a museum. The attraction between the two is instant, although more in a friend-kind of way. They sort out their feelings for each other, and start exploring a more physical relationship.
Of course the girls are caught in flagrante delicto (of course they are-it's just how these stories go) at Liza's teacher's house (the teacher was on vacation with her longterm woman partner, and Liza was taking care of their cat). Liza ends up expelled from school, the teachers end up fired, and Annie & Liza break up.
But all is well in the end, when Liza decides to call Annie from college to see if they can meet over winter break.
Although the story was probably very cutting edge when it was published in the 1980's, it seems rather circumspect now, 25 years later. If I hadn't known what the book was about, I would have wondered what in the world was going on, and tossed it aside. I'm not sure it would really speak to today's teens/YA, but like I said, it at least gives a starting point.
As for Romiette and Julio, well, it was OK, but nothing to write home about. Maybe it's because I already studied Romeo and Juliet, and have read enough stories that are basically R & J repackaged into a more modern format, but I thought that overall, this book was weak.
It follows the same outline, with even the names being similar. There's a part in the book where one of the parents even remarks upon the similarity of the names. Romiette is a young black girl, and Julio is a young hispanic boy. Of course they meet and fall in love immediately, and of course there are those who oppose their love. No surprise there. Thing is, the characters are almost caricatures--Juliio is very hispanic, almost stereotypically so. Romiette isn't as bad, thankfully, but they just didn't ring true for me.
At least in this version, although they come close, nobody dies in the end. So, it's got that going for it.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
LIS 722: Week 7
Week 7: Identity: A Sense of Self
Books: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang; The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie & What Are You? by Pearl Fuyo Gaskins
American Born Chinese is a graphic novel that would be good for readers of ages 9+, yes, even adults. The basic message is "You are who you are, be proud of it." Well, that, and "Treat everyone with kindness & respect because you don't know what kind of battles they are fighting, or probably even their true circumstances."
In the book, there are 2 (2.5ish) storylines concurrently happening, that all come together at the end. It's a quick read, and is well done.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a semi-autobiographical novel by Sherman Alexie. I liked it just fine, even as I was thinking, "Wow, this is really glossing over the harsh reality, I bet." I grew up in Oregon, but my extended family (both sides) were in central/eastern Washington. 1 set of my grandparents lived in Cheney, which is just outside Spokane, so I know the area in which the book is set. I think he probably has the right tone in the book because I'm not sure anything heavier would have the same appeal. I did listen to a short audioclip of him reading it, and loved the sing-song quality of his voice as he talked. In my experience, that's how stories are told. If it hadn't been for the cartoons in the actual physical book, I would've preferred the audio version.
One of my favorite moments was after his Reardon basketball team stomped the crap out the of the Rez school team, and in the midst of his celebrating, he realized that he'd gotten it backwards. It was his Reardon team that was Goliath, not the Indians. It was the guys from the Reardon team who had all the advantages, both now and in the future, and just because they had beaten the Rez school, well, that didn't mean anything. Beating an 'enemy' that really never stood a chance isn't the right or honorable thing to do, and it was interesting to see him realize that. I've long held the opinion that just because I *can* do something doesn't mean that it's either the right or the honorable thing to do; I try to live my life with that in mind.
I'm glad I got past the award sticker on the front and gave it a go. (I usually stay away from books that get awards, because for the most part, awards=Books Other People Say Are Good and That I Should Read, not books that I'd want to read. There's a difference, slight though it may be.)
What Are You? reminded me of a book I had to read for one of my undergrad classes: GSJ: Dismantling Racism (in 'normal' English, Global Search for Justice). I liked how the voices of the YA/Teens interviewed really come through about their internal struggles with who they are. It comes down to: I'm both (whatever racial backgrounds), and that's who I am.
It also reminds me of something I figured out for myself as a stepmother. When parents get divorced, and especially if it's not amicable and there's lots of smacktalking going on, it's easy to forget that although the marriage is done, the kids still are part of BOTH sides of the family. To talk badly about the ex-spouse is to disrespect that part of the child too, which isn't good. Yeah, I'm not explaining this nearly as well as it is in my own head, I know.
So, all in all, the books this week weren't too bad. Do I think YA/Teens would be beating down my library door to get at them, no. But that's OK too.
Books: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang; The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie & What Are You? by Pearl Fuyo Gaskins
American Born Chinese is a graphic novel that would be good for readers of ages 9+, yes, even adults. The basic message is "You are who you are, be proud of it." Well, that, and "Treat everyone with kindness & respect because you don't know what kind of battles they are fighting, or probably even their true circumstances."
In the book, there are 2 (2.5ish) storylines concurrently happening, that all come together at the end. It's a quick read, and is well done.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a semi-autobiographical novel by Sherman Alexie. I liked it just fine, even as I was thinking, "Wow, this is really glossing over the harsh reality, I bet." I grew up in Oregon, but my extended family (both sides) were in central/eastern Washington. 1 set of my grandparents lived in Cheney, which is just outside Spokane, so I know the area in which the book is set. I think he probably has the right tone in the book because I'm not sure anything heavier would have the same appeal. I did listen to a short audioclip of him reading it, and loved the sing-song quality of his voice as he talked. In my experience, that's how stories are told. If it hadn't been for the cartoons in the actual physical book, I would've preferred the audio version.
One of my favorite moments was after his Reardon basketball team stomped the crap out the of the Rez school team, and in the midst of his celebrating, he realized that he'd gotten it backwards. It was his Reardon team that was Goliath, not the Indians. It was the guys from the Reardon team who had all the advantages, both now and in the future, and just because they had beaten the Rez school, well, that didn't mean anything. Beating an 'enemy' that really never stood a chance isn't the right or honorable thing to do, and it was interesting to see him realize that. I've long held the opinion that just because I *can* do something doesn't mean that it's either the right or the honorable thing to do; I try to live my life with that in mind.
I'm glad I got past the award sticker on the front and gave it a go. (I usually stay away from books that get awards, because for the most part, awards=Books Other People Say Are Good and That I Should Read, not books that I'd want to read. There's a difference, slight though it may be.)
What Are You? reminded me of a book I had to read for one of my undergrad classes: GSJ: Dismantling Racism (in 'normal' English, Global Search for Justice). I liked how the voices of the YA/Teens interviewed really come through about their internal struggles with who they are. It comes down to: I'm both (whatever racial backgrounds), and that's who I am.
It also reminds me of something I figured out for myself as a stepmother. When parents get divorced, and especially if it's not amicable and there's lots of smacktalking going on, it's easy to forget that although the marriage is done, the kids still are part of BOTH sides of the family. To talk badly about the ex-spouse is to disrespect that part of the child too, which isn't good. Yeah, I'm not explaining this nearly as well as it is in my own head, I know.
So, all in all, the books this week weren't too bad. Do I think YA/Teens would be beating down my library door to get at them, no. But that's OK too.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
LIS 722: Week 6
Week 6: Nonfiction
Book: Dear Miss Breed by Joanne Oppenheim
Dear Miss Breed is a book about the Japanese-American relocation camps during World War II, and how one librarian, (that'd be Miss Breed)sent books and care packages to some of her young patrons. Yeah, that's the short version of it all.
I thought this book would be excellent for anyone doing a paper on the subject. It's not one that gets much fanfare when the subject of World War II comes up, that's for sure. Problem is, for about the first third of the book, the author shows her obvious bias for the situation. As the book unfolds, it becomes more balanced. Now I'm not saying that Oppenheim didn't have good reason to be biased--this episode of American history always makes me want to smack the people who came up with the plan to start off with. It's not just about the blatant racism; no, it's about the rampant stupidity stemming from fear, I think.
Dear Miss Breed isn't an easy or fast read. It's meant for grades 7-12, and isn't something that most YA/teens would pick up for a fun read. But, it's a story that needs to be told, and revisited every so often, because yes--that kind of thing can (and has) happen again if we're not vigilant.
Book: Dear Miss Breed by Joanne Oppenheim
Dear Miss Breed is a book about the Japanese-American relocation camps during World War II, and how one librarian, (that'd be Miss Breed)sent books and care packages to some of her young patrons. Yeah, that's the short version of it all.
I thought this book would be excellent for anyone doing a paper on the subject. It's not one that gets much fanfare when the subject of World War II comes up, that's for sure. Problem is, for about the first third of the book, the author shows her obvious bias for the situation. As the book unfolds, it becomes more balanced. Now I'm not saying that Oppenheim didn't have good reason to be biased--this episode of American history always makes me want to smack the people who came up with the plan to start off with. It's not just about the blatant racism; no, it's about the rampant stupidity stemming from fear, I think.
Dear Miss Breed isn't an easy or fast read. It's meant for grades 7-12, and isn't something that most YA/teens would pick up for a fun read. But, it's a story that needs to be told, and revisited every so often, because yes--that kind of thing can (and has) happen again if we're not vigilant.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
LIS 722: Week 5
Week 5: Intelligence: Reaching Understanding
Books: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card & An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio by Judith Ortiz Cofer
I had to read Ender's Game last winter for Reader's Advisory, so this wasn't a new-to-me book. I liked it then, liked it now, even though Sci Fi isn't my first choice of reading genre.
It's a futuristic story, set on Earth at first, then in space at the Battle School. Ender is the 3rd child of his family, which already marks him as different because most families don't have more than 2 kids. His parents received special permission to have him, and it is soon revealed (to the reader) that the reason why is because the fate of humanity will rest upon Ender's shoulders. At the age of 7, Ender is taken away to Battle School, where he will spend the next few years being trained to become the Fleet Commander.
Along the way, Ender realizes that he is being deliberately set up for failure and to be turned into a cold killer. He is equally as resolved not to let that happen, and finds a way to keep his humanity almost intact throughout it all. No matter what is thrown at him, whether in the battle room or out, Ender finds a way to win. I like to call it "using all available resources" to get the job done. As a result, the challenges multiply, and his isolation continues, all in the name of getting him ready to lead the fleet (although he doesn't know that is the driving factor).
In the end, of course Ender triumphs over all and leads the fleet to victory, even though he doesn't know precisely what the deal is until it's all over.
This whole book strongly reminded me of the Spartans. They were trained from a very young age to fight for and if necessary, to die for Sparta. In essence, they were tools used to get a job done. The children were taken at the age of 7 to begin their military training at something strongly resembling Ender's battle school. Divided into small groups, they fought mock battles against each other. They were instilled with the 'win or die' mentality from the beginning. And all in all, taken together, it made for one of the most formidable armies in Ancient Greece.
And as for An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio? Well, I read it. It's a bunch of short stories about a Latino barrio in New Jersey, and the less said about it, the better, I think. I'm sure it's Good, because it won awards. I'm sure it's curriculum-friendly, because it's taught in schools. It may even resonate with some YA/teens. Really. But when Every. Freaking. Story. has a 'so-and-so made the Right Choice' ending, I tend to tune out.
Books: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card & An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio by Judith Ortiz Cofer
I had to read Ender's Game last winter for Reader's Advisory, so this wasn't a new-to-me book. I liked it then, liked it now, even though Sci Fi isn't my first choice of reading genre.
It's a futuristic story, set on Earth at first, then in space at the Battle School. Ender is the 3rd child of his family, which already marks him as different because most families don't have more than 2 kids. His parents received special permission to have him, and it is soon revealed (to the reader) that the reason why is because the fate of humanity will rest upon Ender's shoulders. At the age of 7, Ender is taken away to Battle School, where he will spend the next few years being trained to become the Fleet Commander.
Along the way, Ender realizes that he is being deliberately set up for failure and to be turned into a cold killer. He is equally as resolved not to let that happen, and finds a way to keep his humanity almost intact throughout it all. No matter what is thrown at him, whether in the battle room or out, Ender finds a way to win. I like to call it "using all available resources" to get the job done. As a result, the challenges multiply, and his isolation continues, all in the name of getting him ready to lead the fleet (although he doesn't know that is the driving factor).
In the end, of course Ender triumphs over all and leads the fleet to victory, even though he doesn't know precisely what the deal is until it's all over.
This whole book strongly reminded me of the Spartans. They were trained from a very young age to fight for and if necessary, to die for Sparta. In essence, they were tools used to get a job done. The children were taken at the age of 7 to begin their military training at something strongly resembling Ender's battle school. Divided into small groups, they fought mock battles against each other. They were instilled with the 'win or die' mentality from the beginning. And all in all, taken together, it made for one of the most formidable armies in Ancient Greece.
And as for An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio? Well, I read it. It's a bunch of short stories about a Latino barrio in New Jersey, and the less said about it, the better, I think. I'm sure it's Good, because it won awards. I'm sure it's curriculum-friendly, because it's taught in schools. It may even resonate with some YA/teens. Really. But when Every. Freaking. Story. has a 'so-and-so made the Right Choice' ending, I tend to tune out.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
LIS 722: Week 4
This week's theme: Integrity
This week's books: The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier & Speak by Laurie Anderson
Although I've never read either of these books, and probably wouldn't have picked either of them off the shelf and said, "Wow! These look really great! I can't wait to get home and start reading them!!!", they weren't bad. Well, compared to some I've read, anyway.
The Chocolate War is about a kid, Jerry, who goes to a private school. At said school, there's a bunch of guys, The Vigils, who are like a gang (dunno what else to call them...well, anything that isn't a swear word, anyway) and whose members take great delight in making other students' lives a living Purgatory. Charming, I know. Anyway, the Vigils give out assignments to various students. Why? Because they can. There's a big fundraiser going on (selling chocolates), and Jerry is instructed to refuse to sell for a set period of time. And so he does. Thing is, he keeps on refusing, even after his assignment is up; this only serves to get him into trouble with the teachers and the Vigils. Not a good thing, as Jerry gets the ever-loving crap beat out of him at the end of the book because of it. Ah, yes. Did I fail to mention that this is not a 'happy ending' kind of book? And that, no, the good guys don't always win?
Except that for me, it was a good (not necessarily happy) ending, even if the good guy doesn't overtly win in the end. See, I think the good guy does win, just not in a universally recognized manner. Although Jerry could've sold the chocolate after he was allowed to do so, he refused. He didn't let his chain get yanked (too much), and was willing to stand up and be brave, even faced with all the awfulness the Vigils had to offer (and it was plenty).
Sometimes it ain't about the damn chocolate. Sometimes it's doing what needs to be done, even knowing that at some point, there will be a reckoning, which may or may not be detrimental to one's health. Sometimes it's knowing that even when one gets knocked down, the right thing to do is to get up and try it again. Keep daring to disturb the universe. Keep daring to be that light in the darkness.
The other book of the week was Speak. It's about a 9th grade girl who goes to a end of summer party, where she gets raped by an upperclassman. Melinda calls the police, who come and shut down the party. So, she's pretty much ostracized by all her friends, even though she hasn't told anyone what happened to her. The book covers the school year, and her attempts to just hold it together.
In her art class, she's assigned to explore/create/understand/whatever a tree. For the entire year. As she struggles to capture the essence of 'tree', she is also struggling to just keep living. At some point, she becomes almost mute, and is afraid she's lost her voice. Her parents are upset by the sudden change in grades and attitude, but not to the point where they try to figure out what exactly is wrong. It's not until the end of the year, when the same upperclassman tries to attack her again, that Melinda rediscovers her voice and can say what happened so many months before.
I'm sure that there are many lessons to be learned from Speak. Some of what I took away from it is that everyone is fighting his or her own battles, and that for some, it's all s/he can do to make it through the day, and come out the other end still alive. Sometimes all I can do is listen, but sometimes that may be all the other person needs.
So,Speak is a definite hit, The Chocolate War, not so much. Interestingly, the YA/teens that come into the library pretty much felt the same way.
This week's books: The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier & Speak by Laurie Anderson
Although I've never read either of these books, and probably wouldn't have picked either of them off the shelf and said, "Wow! These look really great! I can't wait to get home and start reading them!!!", they weren't bad. Well, compared to some I've read, anyway.
The Chocolate War is about a kid, Jerry, who goes to a private school. At said school, there's a bunch of guys, The Vigils, who are like a gang (dunno what else to call them...well, anything that isn't a swear word, anyway) and whose members take great delight in making other students' lives a living Purgatory. Charming, I know. Anyway, the Vigils give out assignments to various students. Why? Because they can. There's a big fundraiser going on (selling chocolates), and Jerry is instructed to refuse to sell for a set period of time. And so he does. Thing is, he keeps on refusing, even after his assignment is up; this only serves to get him into trouble with the teachers and the Vigils. Not a good thing, as Jerry gets the ever-loving crap beat out of him at the end of the book because of it. Ah, yes. Did I fail to mention that this is not a 'happy ending' kind of book? And that, no, the good guys don't always win?
Except that for me, it was a good (not necessarily happy) ending, even if the good guy doesn't overtly win in the end. See, I think the good guy does win, just not in a universally recognized manner. Although Jerry could've sold the chocolate after he was allowed to do so, he refused. He didn't let his chain get yanked (too much), and was willing to stand up and be brave, even faced with all the awfulness the Vigils had to offer (and it was plenty).
Sometimes it ain't about the damn chocolate. Sometimes it's doing what needs to be done, even knowing that at some point, there will be a reckoning, which may or may not be detrimental to one's health. Sometimes it's knowing that even when one gets knocked down, the right thing to do is to get up and try it again. Keep daring to disturb the universe. Keep daring to be that light in the darkness.
The other book of the week was Speak. It's about a 9th grade girl who goes to a end of summer party, where she gets raped by an upperclassman. Melinda calls the police, who come and shut down the party. So, she's pretty much ostracized by all her friends, even though she hasn't told anyone what happened to her. The book covers the school year, and her attempts to just hold it together.
In her art class, she's assigned to explore/create/understand/whatever a tree. For the entire year. As she struggles to capture the essence of 'tree', she is also struggling to just keep living. At some point, she becomes almost mute, and is afraid she's lost her voice. Her parents are upset by the sudden change in grades and attitude, but not to the point where they try to figure out what exactly is wrong. It's not until the end of the year, when the same upperclassman tries to attack her again, that Melinda rediscovers her voice and can say what happened so many months before.
I'm sure that there are many lessons to be learned from Speak. Some of what I took away from it is that everyone is fighting his or her own battles, and that for some, it's all s/he can do to make it through the day, and come out the other end still alive. Sometimes all I can do is listen, but sometimes that may be all the other person needs.
So,Speak is a definite hit, The Chocolate War, not so much. Interestingly, the YA/teens that come into the library pretty much felt the same way.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
LIS 722: Reading Autobiography
I'm not sure why it's so hard for me to write anything that gives even a little bit of insight into why I am who I am, but it is. So, just remember that while you're reading this:
My Name is Lisa, and I’m a Reader
My Name is Lisa, and I’m a Reader
LIS 722: Week 3
This week's books: Go Ask Alice by Anonymous & The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares. The theme of the week is: "Independence/On Their Own/The Journey".
This week I'm part of a group that's going to do a presentation on Go Ask Alice. It's a classic, sure, and was the first of its kind as far as 'problem novels' go, but I'm thinking my group is going to just light it up. One of us has a major issue with the fact that although it's supposed to be written from a 15 year-old's point of view, it wasn't (it was written/"edited" by a grown woman). Another of us thinks there were better books to choose from now that perhaps would've been more relevant. Another of us doesn't care much one way or the other, but just wants to inflict the made-for-TV movie on the rest of the class (Hey, now, I'm only *1* of the three; all of these opinions are not my own).
Anyway, Go Ask Alice is about a young teen who mistakenly ends up hooked on drugs after she goes to a party and gets a Coke laced with LSD. She doesn't get hooked right away; it's more a slow but steady slide. She alternates between moments of complete lucidity and complete addiction. The book's diary entries detail her descent into the 'drug world' and her struggles to get and stay clean. Ultimately, the demons of drug addiction are too much, and in the epilogue, we are told she is dead; from drugs, suicide, or what, we are not told.
Going from that to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was a 180 degree change. The Sisterhood is made up of 4 girls who have known each other almost all of their lives. Faced with the prospect of spending the summer apart from each other, they find a way to stay connected via a pair of 'magical' pants (simplified version, I know). What's interesting is how the girls learn to cope with the different challenges that arise in their lives. Some lash out, some get introspective, all grow as people.
I'm not sure Go Ask Alice is a book that teens would freely choose to read; some of the teens I talked to this week about the book thought it sounded "lame", "corny", and "too much like what an English teacher would assign for class" (Yup, yup, and bingo). The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants gets more readers, but it's usually the pre-teens, or the ones just making the jump from the easier chapter books (intermediate books) to the "big kids" chapter books.
This week I'm part of a group that's going to do a presentation on Go Ask Alice. It's a classic, sure, and was the first of its kind as far as 'problem novels' go, but I'm thinking my group is going to just light it up. One of us has a major issue with the fact that although it's supposed to be written from a 15 year-old's point of view, it wasn't (it was written/"edited" by a grown woman). Another of us thinks there were better books to choose from now that perhaps would've been more relevant. Another of us doesn't care much one way or the other, but just wants to inflict the made-for-TV movie on the rest of the class (Hey, now, I'm only *1* of the three; all of these opinions are not my own).
Anyway, Go Ask Alice is about a young teen who mistakenly ends up hooked on drugs after she goes to a party and gets a Coke laced with LSD. She doesn't get hooked right away; it's more a slow but steady slide. She alternates between moments of complete lucidity and complete addiction. The book's diary entries detail her descent into the 'drug world' and her struggles to get and stay clean. Ultimately, the demons of drug addiction are too much, and in the epilogue, we are told she is dead; from drugs, suicide, or what, we are not told.
Going from that to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was a 180 degree change. The Sisterhood is made up of 4 girls who have known each other almost all of their lives. Faced with the prospect of spending the summer apart from each other, they find a way to stay connected via a pair of 'magical' pants (simplified version, I know). What's interesting is how the girls learn to cope with the different challenges that arise in their lives. Some lash out, some get introspective, all grow as people.
I'm not sure Go Ask Alice is a book that teens would freely choose to read; some of the teens I talked to this week about the book thought it sounded "lame", "corny", and "too much like what an English teacher would assign for class" (Yup, yup, and bingo). The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants gets more readers, but it's usually the pre-teens, or the ones just making the jump from the easier chapter books (intermediate books) to the "big kids" chapter books.
Monday, January 12, 2009
LIS 722: Week 2
For this week, I endured A Catcher in the Rye and read King Dork.
I had read A Catcher in the Rye when I was 16 because I knew it was one of those Books I Would Be Expected To Know About. Even then I felt like smacking Holden Caufield upside the head. It wasn't that I didn't understand the book, because I did. I understood most of the themes and all that; I 'got' what it was to be sort of lost when faced with adulthood. No, the problem that I had (have) with A Catcher in the Rye in general and Holden Caufield in particular is that Holden is able to do what he does in part because he's a white male, and in part because his father is so successful.
No, I'm not one to yell, 'Unfair!!!!' about it all. I'm just thinking that if Holden hadn't been from an upper-class white family, the story wouldn't have gone quite the way it did. He knew that even though he'd just gotten kicked out of yet another school, the only thing that would happen was that his parents would find another one for him, and life would go on. Somehow, he reminds me of Paris Hilton, et al, and not in a good way.
King Dork was almost as inane, but at least the main character (Tom Henderson) didn't walk around calling everything "crumby" (a word I hope NEVER to hear again). The action in the book is seen through his eyes, and is sort of plausible, except where it's so not. I'd actually started listening to this book this last summer, but soon came to the realization that, well, I just didn't care. Not about Tom Henderson, or Sam Hellerman, or any of their band names. I didn't care what happened with Fiona, the vice principal, or Little Big Tom. The storyline, although fairly well-written was rather confusing, and I just can't buy the absurd plot twists (especially the ones where dang near every girl ends up giving Tom blow-jobs & the whole thing with the VP/pornography deal). And, although I know life isn't always neatly wrapped up, I really don't like it when books can't/won't/don't do so by the end of the story.
I had read A Catcher in the Rye when I was 16 because I knew it was one of those Books I Would Be Expected To Know About. Even then I felt like smacking Holden Caufield upside the head. It wasn't that I didn't understand the book, because I did. I understood most of the themes and all that; I 'got' what it was to be sort of lost when faced with adulthood. No, the problem that I had (have) with A Catcher in the Rye in general and Holden Caufield in particular is that Holden is able to do what he does in part because he's a white male, and in part because his father is so successful.
No, I'm not one to yell, 'Unfair!!!!' about it all. I'm just thinking that if Holden hadn't been from an upper-class white family, the story wouldn't have gone quite the way it did. He knew that even though he'd just gotten kicked out of yet another school, the only thing that would happen was that his parents would find another one for him, and life would go on. Somehow, he reminds me of Paris Hilton, et al, and not in a good way.
King Dork was almost as inane, but at least the main character (Tom Henderson) didn't walk around calling everything "crumby" (a word I hope NEVER to hear again). The action in the book is seen through his eyes, and is sort of plausible, except where it's so not. I'd actually started listening to this book this last summer, but soon came to the realization that, well, I just didn't care. Not about Tom Henderson, or Sam Hellerman, or any of their band names. I didn't care what happened with Fiona, the vice principal, or Little Big Tom. The storyline, although fairly well-written was rather confusing, and I just can't buy the absurd plot twists (especially the ones where dang near every girl ends up giving Tom blow-jobs & the whole thing with the VP/pornography deal). And, although I know life isn't always neatly wrapped up, I really don't like it when books can't/won't/don't do so by the end of the story.
Monday, January 5, 2009
LIS 722: Week 1
So, I read The Outsiders, even though I didn't wish to do so. (Amazing what I'll do for school, sometimes). I read it for the first time when I was 11-12ish, and thought it was OK then. Difference was, then, in the late 1970's, there wasn't much in the way of YA books to choose from, so as books went, it was pretty good, then anyway. Now, at 39, I was able to see it through the lens of 28 years more life experience, and have to wonder if it really resonates with today's YA anymore than it did for me back when.
Thematically, the story holds up even all these years later, possibly because it's a story as old as time. It's about looking beyond the labels and actually seeing the real person. It's about understanding that we're all more alike than we are different. It's about realizing that every single one of us is fighting our own battles every single day. It's about knowing that there are unknown depths of strength in everyone. It's about accepting that things are not magically better on the other side of the fence.
I don't know if too many teens would read it for fun, though. In one of the local schools, it's read in an English class; this alone almost automatically takes it out of the running for a for-fun good book.
Thematically, the story holds up even all these years later, possibly because it's a story as old as time. It's about looking beyond the labels and actually seeing the real person. It's about understanding that we're all more alike than we are different. It's about realizing that every single one of us is fighting our own battles every single day. It's about knowing that there are unknown depths of strength in everyone. It's about accepting that things are not magically better on the other side of the fence.
I don't know if too many teens would read it for fun, though. In one of the local schools, it's read in an English class; this alone almost automatically takes it out of the running for a for-fun good book.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
LIS 722: Reading List
LIS 722 (Literature for Young Adults) Reading List Winter Term 2009
Week 1: Who are young adults & what do they read?
Book: The Outsiders by SE Hinton
Week 2: History of YA & YA Literature
Books: The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger & King Dork by Frank Portman
Week 3: Independence/On Their Own/The Journey
Books: Go Ask Alice by Anonymous & The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
Week 4: Integrity
Books: The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier & Speak by Laurie Anderson
Week 5: Intelligence: Reaching Understanding
Books: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card & An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio by Judith Ortiz Cofer
Week 6: Nonfiction
Book: Dear Miss Breed by Joanne Oppenheim
Week 7: Identity: A Sense of Self
Books: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang; The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie & What Are You? by Pearl Fuyo Gaskins
Week 8: Intimacy: Relationships & Romance
Books: Annie On My Mind by Nancy Garden & Romiette and Julio by Sharon M Draper
Week 9: Horror
Book: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Week 10: Fantasy/Science Fiction
Books: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman & Feed by MT Anderson
Week 11: Growing Up
Books: The First Part Last by Angela Johnson & Born Confused by Tanjua Desai Hidier
Week 12: War/Survival/Adventure
Books: How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff; Maus I: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman & Barefoot Gen: Volume I by Keiji Nakazawa
Week 13: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Books: A Step from Heaven by An Na & Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
Week 14: How-to Guides
Books: The Social Climber's Guide to High School by Robyn Schneider & Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-Friendly Life by Linda Sivertsen & Tosh Sivertsen
Week 1: Who are young adults & what do they read?
Book: The Outsiders by SE Hinton
Week 2: History of YA & YA Literature
Books: The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger & King Dork by Frank Portman
Week 3: Independence/On Their Own/The Journey
Books: Go Ask Alice by Anonymous & The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
Week 4: Integrity
Books: The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier & Speak by Laurie Anderson
Week 5: Intelligence: Reaching Understanding
Books: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card & An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio by Judith Ortiz Cofer
Week 6: Nonfiction
Book: Dear Miss Breed by Joanne Oppenheim
Week 7: Identity: A Sense of Self
Books: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang; The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie & What Are You? by Pearl Fuyo Gaskins
Week 8: Intimacy: Relationships & Romance
Books: Annie On My Mind by Nancy Garden & Romiette and Julio by Sharon M Draper
Week 9: Horror
Book: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Week 10: Fantasy/Science Fiction
Books: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman & Feed by MT Anderson
Week 11: Growing Up
Books: The First Part Last by Angela Johnson & Born Confused by Tanjua Desai Hidier
Week 12: War/Survival/Adventure
Books: How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff; Maus I: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman & Barefoot Gen: Volume I by Keiji Nakazawa
Week 13: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Books: A Step from Heaven by An Na & Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
Week 14: How-to Guides
Books: The Social Climber's Guide to High School by Robyn Schneider & Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-Friendly Life by Linda Sivertsen & Tosh Sivertsen
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