Ultimatum by KM Walton
Oscar and Vance are brothers, but they couldn't be more different if they tried. Oscar is into Mozart and art, while Vance is into reggae and lacrosse. Oscar looks like their dad, but is more like their mother, and Vance looks more like their mother and acts like their dad. In short, they don't get along very well because they don't understand each other and where they are coming from.
They lost their mother in a car accident three years ago, and now their father is in hospice because he has basically drunk himself to dead. They're kids, and they have to figure out each other, as well as life after losing their parents.
This is told in two perspectives. Oscar tells his in the present, while Vance tells his in the past working toward the present. This is handy because you can see the progression and the catalysts for why and how things have ended up this way.
In a lot of ways, this doesn't live up to the standards set by Walton's first book, but in a lot of ways it surpasses it too. Definitely worth the read.
Monday, February 18, 2019
Sunday, February 10, 2019
Frequently Challenged
Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher
A few weeks ago, I decided to do a Frequently Challenged Book Unit with my Pre-AP students. I compiled a list of fifteen frequently challenged books that I happen to have in my classroom library. Of the fifteen, I had read all but two. This was one of the two, and this was my reason to move it up on my to be read list. Honestly, I wish this is one I had read earlier because I would've book talked the heck out of this for my students. Like everything else I have read by Chris Crutcher, this is phenomenal.
There's a lot going on in this book: bigotry, abuse, racism, athleticism, you name it, it's probably in this book. I read one of the one-star reviews on Amazon that basically indicated that all of the things going on in this book detracted from the story and nothing was resolved. I wish I could shake some sense into that person because they were completely wrong.
This is told by The Tao Jones, or TJ, as everyone calls him. He's a senior at Cutter High. Apparently, all the athletic teams at school want him, but he refuses to be a part of the athletic culture because it is made up of jerks. Case in point: one of the star football players threatens a mentally challenged student because said student is wearing his dead brother's letterman, and that is "against the rules." TJ himself is adopted, having come from an abusive and neglectful situation, so he sees himself in the underdog most of the time.
TJ is approached by one of his teachers to start a swim team. Nevermind that the school doesn't actually have a pool. TJ thinks about it, and what makes him decide to do it is the letterman incident I just mentioned. He thinks that if there is a way for that student to earn his own letterman, maybe the football players will leave him alone. So he recruits a handful of misfits to become his swim team.
Over the course of this book, we see these young men grow in ways you don't expect, but especially TJ. I could write for days and not cover everything that needs to be said about this book, but take it from me, you won't be disappointed that you read this.
A few weeks ago, I decided to do a Frequently Challenged Book Unit with my Pre-AP students. I compiled a list of fifteen frequently challenged books that I happen to have in my classroom library. Of the fifteen, I had read all but two. This was one of the two, and this was my reason to move it up on my to be read list. Honestly, I wish this is one I had read earlier because I would've book talked the heck out of this for my students. Like everything else I have read by Chris Crutcher, this is phenomenal.
There's a lot going on in this book: bigotry, abuse, racism, athleticism, you name it, it's probably in this book. I read one of the one-star reviews on Amazon that basically indicated that all of the things going on in this book detracted from the story and nothing was resolved. I wish I could shake some sense into that person because they were completely wrong.
This is told by The Tao Jones, or TJ, as everyone calls him. He's a senior at Cutter High. Apparently, all the athletic teams at school want him, but he refuses to be a part of the athletic culture because it is made up of jerks. Case in point: one of the star football players threatens a mentally challenged student because said student is wearing his dead brother's letterman, and that is "against the rules." TJ himself is adopted, having come from an abusive and neglectful situation, so he sees himself in the underdog most of the time.
TJ is approached by one of his teachers to start a swim team. Nevermind that the school doesn't actually have a pool. TJ thinks about it, and what makes him decide to do it is the letterman incident I just mentioned. He thinks that if there is a way for that student to earn his own letterman, maybe the football players will leave him alone. So he recruits a handful of misfits to become his swim team.
Over the course of this book, we see these young men grow in ways you don't expect, but especially TJ. I could write for days and not cover everything that needs to be said about this book, but take it from me, you won't be disappointed that you read this.
Monday, February 4, 2019
TAYSHAS 2019 #14
Mary's Monster by Lita Judge
Running out of TAYSHAS that I want to read, and all the ones I want to read have long waitlists. I saw that this was reasonably short when I came across my department secretary reading it the other day, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Good call.
This is told in free verse, which I told my students today, lends a conversational quality to the reading. That is exactly how I felt reading this: like the narrator was having a conversation with me.
I was a little disappointed because the name of the book implies that the story is about how Frankenstein came to be. One could argue that that is EXACTLY what this book is about, but for me, it was a simple biography of Mary Shelley. Maybe I am missing something, but there was very little in her story that could be considered a direct link to the creation of her most well-known book.
All that said, it was interesting to get a glimpse into the life of the WOMAN who created the sci-fi genre as we know it. Her story is every bit as depressing as that of Edgar Allan Poe, but a lesser known one, it seems.
My biggest complaint about the book was the format. I downloaded it to my kindle, or tried to anyway. I could not use my paperwhite, but when I tried to read it on my fire, I couldn't increase the size of the font. Luckily, I was able to enlarge the font on my Ipad, but then I had to contend with the glare. I know, I know--first world problems.
Running out of TAYSHAS that I want to read, and all the ones I want to read have long waitlists. I saw that this was reasonably short when I came across my department secretary reading it the other day, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Good call.
This is told in free verse, which I told my students today, lends a conversational quality to the reading. That is exactly how I felt reading this: like the narrator was having a conversation with me.
I was a little disappointed because the name of the book implies that the story is about how Frankenstein came to be. One could argue that that is EXACTLY what this book is about, but for me, it was a simple biography of Mary Shelley. Maybe I am missing something, but there was very little in her story that could be considered a direct link to the creation of her most well-known book.
All that said, it was interesting to get a glimpse into the life of the WOMAN who created the sci-fi genre as we know it. Her story is every bit as depressing as that of Edgar Allan Poe, but a lesser known one, it seems.
My biggest complaint about the book was the format. I downloaded it to my kindle, or tried to anyway. I could not use my paperwhite, but when I tried to read it on my fire, I couldn't increase the size of the font. Luckily, I was able to enlarge the font on my Ipad, but then I had to contend with the glare. I know, I know--first world problems.
Saturday, February 2, 2019
TAYSHAS 2019 #13
Dear Rachel Maddow by Adrienne Kisner
I love books told in an epistolary format, so when I realized that was the case with this one, I was excited to read it.
Brynn is a junior in high school. She used to care about school, but hasn't lately, so all her classes are in the lower level of the school, where the special ed kids are. Honestly, context clues told me she had a learning disability of some kind, but she used to be with the other kids and seems kinda bummed that she isn't anymore.
Brynn's older brother is dead, her dad left, her mom is married to a loser, her girlfriend broke up with her, and there are jerks at school implying that those not in honors classes are somehow less than. Suffice it to say, Brynn has a lot to deal with. So, when her English teacher has them email a famous person, she does. She even gets a response from Rachel Maddow, the celebrity she chose. Because she received a response, her teacher encouraged her to contact Ms. Maddow again. What results is a series of unsent emails to Rachel Maddow where Brynn works through her life's difficulties.
I liked this because it gave me an insight into the mind of a troubled teen. She's not so different than the ones sitting in my classroom day after day, and anything that helps me to empathize with them is a good thing.
I love books told in an epistolary format, so when I realized that was the case with this one, I was excited to read it.
Brynn is a junior in high school. She used to care about school, but hasn't lately, so all her classes are in the lower level of the school, where the special ed kids are. Honestly, context clues told me she had a learning disability of some kind, but she used to be with the other kids and seems kinda bummed that she isn't anymore.
Brynn's older brother is dead, her dad left, her mom is married to a loser, her girlfriend broke up with her, and there are jerks at school implying that those not in honors classes are somehow less than. Suffice it to say, Brynn has a lot to deal with. So, when her English teacher has them email a famous person, she does. She even gets a response from Rachel Maddow, the celebrity she chose. Because she received a response, her teacher encouraged her to contact Ms. Maddow again. What results is a series of unsent emails to Rachel Maddow where Brynn works through her life's difficulties.
I liked this because it gave me an insight into the mind of a troubled teen. She's not so different than the ones sitting in my classroom day after day, and anything that helps me to empathize with them is a good thing.
Six Classes, Six Short Stories
Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
February 1 was World Read Aloud Day. As a librarian wannabe, I felt it was my duty to participate. I learned earlier in the week that this was supposed to promote picture books, which I was not averse to, but I didn't want to have to find a million picture books to read to my high school students. So, I did a little research and discovered that it didn't necessarily have to be picture books. Thank goodness for that because I just might have gone nuts.
Since I could pretty much read what I wanted to, I thought it might be best to go with some short stories because I wouldn't be able to get through a whole book with each class. I chose this one because Chris Crutcher is an awesome author, and I happened to have this on the shelf of my classroom library. It turned out to be perfect because this is a compilation of six short stories, and I teach six classes. As I told my students, each class would have their own unique experience.
This is a set that did not disappoint! From reading about Anges with my first period class and being grossed out with licking perspiration soaked fingers, to the stories of Johnny and Petey in second and fourth periods, the heartbreak of Lion in fifth, racism and laughing too hard in sixth with the Telephone man, and learning not to be a bigot in seventh, it was a great day of reading to my kids.
February 1 was World Read Aloud Day. As a librarian wannabe, I felt it was my duty to participate. I learned earlier in the week that this was supposed to promote picture books, which I was not averse to, but I didn't want to have to find a million picture books to read to my high school students. So, I did a little research and discovered that it didn't necessarily have to be picture books. Thank goodness for that because I just might have gone nuts.
Since I could pretty much read what I wanted to, I thought it might be best to go with some short stories because I wouldn't be able to get through a whole book with each class. I chose this one because Chris Crutcher is an awesome author, and I happened to have this on the shelf of my classroom library. It turned out to be perfect because this is a compilation of six short stories, and I teach six classes. As I told my students, each class would have their own unique experience.
This is a set that did not disappoint! From reading about Anges with my first period class and being grossed out with licking perspiration soaked fingers, to the stories of Johnny and Petey in second and fourth periods, the heartbreak of Lion in fifth, racism and laughing too hard in sixth with the Telephone man, and learning not to be a bigot in seventh, it was a great day of reading to my kids.
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