1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Tan, Shaun. 2007. THE ARRIVAL. Singapore: Scholastic. ISBN 0439895293
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this wordless graphic novel, a man threatened by dark shadows, leaves his homeland to make a better life for himself and his family. He sails away on a vessel reminiscent of the old early twentieth century voyages to America from Europe. When he arrives at the harbor of his new country, however, the reader realizes that this is not America at all. The country to which the immigrant has come is a fanciful world created by Tan. Everything depicted seems just as foreign to the reader as it must to the immigrant, which helps the reader feel the loneliness and confusion of the immigrant experience. Everything looks strange, from the flying boats to the alien like animals and foods. Tan even creates a written language unlike any of this world. As the immigrant goes through the steps of finding a place to live, food to eat and a job to allow him to send home money to his family, the immigrant connects with other people who welcome him into their lives and share their own immigration stories. After some passage of time, the immigrant's family is finally able to join him. Upon arrival, his wife and daughter feel the same way he did, but they eventually feel right at home. The book ends with an image of the immigrant's daughter helping a new immigrant woman find her way.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The illustrations in this book are marvelous. They are beautiful to look at, but also carry emotion and interest. Everything depicted seems just as foreign to the reader as it must to the immigrant, which helps the reader feel the loneliness and confusion of the immigrant experience. Even without words, the reader falls for the main character right away and empathizes with him in every situation.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL "sense of warmth and caring for others, regardless of race, age, or background, is present on nearly every page"
BOOKLIST "a unique work that not only fulfills but also expands the potential of its form"
5. CONNECTIONS
*Have students illustrate their own experience of their first day at a new school. Give them full creative license to leave realistic depictions behind in favor of elements that will help the viewer feel the way they did.
*Read a regular novel about the immigrant experience and compare and contrast the effectiveness of the two styles.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Book Review: The Graveyard Book
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Gaiman, Neil. 2008. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. Ill. Dave McKean. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 0060530928
2. PLOT SUMMARY
When Nobody Owens' family is murdered by a Man Named Jack, the still crawling baby escapes to the nearby graveyard. When he arrives there, the ghosts of the centuries dead Mr. and Mrs. Owens vow to the ghosts of Nobody's newly dead parents that they will raise him as their own. The child is given the lay of the graveyard and receives his education from his guardian, Silas and Silas's friend, Miss Lupescu, but all of the ghosts seem to have something to share. His only completely alive friend is a little girl named Scarlet who thinks that Nobody is just her imaginary friend. Sadly, Scarlet moves away after a brief friendship and Nobody is left to find friendship among the dead. Meanwhile, the Man Named Jack continues to look for the child that got away so that he may finish his mission of death. As Nobody grows up, his curiosity gets him into other worldly trouble with ghouls and a monster called the Sleer and there are a few close calls with the Man Name Jack. He becomes a brave young man and decides that he will avenge his family's deaths. When Nobody is a teenager, Scarlet comes back into Nobody's life. She meets Mr. Frost in the graveyard and a friendship develops. Nobody trusts Scarlet with his secret, and thinking that Mr. Frost could be of help, she encourages him to tell Mr. Frost as well. Unfortunately, Mr. Frost turns out to be the Man Named Jack! Nobody saves the day with an elaborate plan involving most of the graveyard that ends with the Man Named Jack being taken by the Sleer for eternity.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
With magic leagues of men, werewolves, ghosts and vampires, this book is pure fantasy. The pace is quick and the interwoven bits of action keep the reader more than interested. Even though most of Nobody's relationships are with the dead, they are very well developed and easily relatable for the average reader. Teens and adults alike will enjoy this suspenseful ghost story.
McKean's beautiful pen drawings do a wonderful job of echoing the eerie mood of the book. There are just enough illustrations sprinkled throughout the book to appeal to the young adult audience.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Newbery Medal Winner
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL "a rich, surprising, and sometimes disturbing tale of dreams, ghouls, murderers, trickery, and family"
BOOK LIST "plenty of darkness, but the novel’s ultimate message is strong and life affirming"
5. CONNECTIONS
* Gather books to share about old British graveyards and the role they played in the social lives of Victorians.
* Older readers might enjoy a chance to read Audrey Neffenger's HER FEARFUL SYMMETRY which is set in the same graveyard and written at the same time as this book. Highly recommended.
Gaiman, Neil. 2008. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. Ill. Dave McKean. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 0060530928
2. PLOT SUMMARY
When Nobody Owens' family is murdered by a Man Named Jack, the still crawling baby escapes to the nearby graveyard. When he arrives there, the ghosts of the centuries dead Mr. and Mrs. Owens vow to the ghosts of Nobody's newly dead parents that they will raise him as their own. The child is given the lay of the graveyard and receives his education from his guardian, Silas and Silas's friend, Miss Lupescu, but all of the ghosts seem to have something to share. His only completely alive friend is a little girl named Scarlet who thinks that Nobody is just her imaginary friend. Sadly, Scarlet moves away after a brief friendship and Nobody is left to find friendship among the dead. Meanwhile, the Man Named Jack continues to look for the child that got away so that he may finish his mission of death. As Nobody grows up, his curiosity gets him into other worldly trouble with ghouls and a monster called the Sleer and there are a few close calls with the Man Name Jack. He becomes a brave young man and decides that he will avenge his family's deaths. When Nobody is a teenager, Scarlet comes back into Nobody's life. She meets Mr. Frost in the graveyard and a friendship develops. Nobody trusts Scarlet with his secret, and thinking that Mr. Frost could be of help, she encourages him to tell Mr. Frost as well. Unfortunately, Mr. Frost turns out to be the Man Named Jack! Nobody saves the day with an elaborate plan involving most of the graveyard that ends with the Man Named Jack being taken by the Sleer for eternity.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
With magic leagues of men, werewolves, ghosts and vampires, this book is pure fantasy. The pace is quick and the interwoven bits of action keep the reader more than interested. Even though most of Nobody's relationships are with the dead, they are very well developed and easily relatable for the average reader. Teens and adults alike will enjoy this suspenseful ghost story.
McKean's beautiful pen drawings do a wonderful job of echoing the eerie mood of the book. There are just enough illustrations sprinkled throughout the book to appeal to the young adult audience.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Newbery Medal Winner
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL "a rich, surprising, and sometimes disturbing tale of dreams, ghouls, murderers, trickery, and family"
BOOK LIST "plenty of darkness, but the novel’s ultimate message is strong and life affirming"
5. CONNECTIONS
* Gather books to share about old British graveyards and the role they played in the social lives of Victorians.
* Older readers might enjoy a chance to read Audrey Neffenger's HER FEARFUL SYMMETRY which is set in the same graveyard and written at the same time as this book. Highly recommended.
Book Review: How I Live Now
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Rosoff, Meg. 2004. HOW I LIVE NOW. New York: Random House. ISBN 0385746776
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Fifteen year old Daisy is sent away from her home in New York City by her father and evil pregnant stepmother to live with her aunt and cousins in the English countryside. Everything seems fine until England is invaded by terrorists while Aunt Penn is out of the country for work. At first, the children enjoy their freedom in an adult free home, though even in this happy time, difficult subjects like eating disorders and forbidden sexual relationships are addressed. Inevitably, the children are discovered and the house is commandeered by soldiers. The girls are separated from the boys, and Daisy must take responsibility for keeping herself and her little cousin Piper alive. When they finally make it back home, Daisy regains contact with her father and is taken home to New York. Years later when she is able to return to England, she finds her cousin and lover disturbed and drastically changed by the horrific things he witnessed during the war.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is not for the faint of heart. The plot is intense and the sexual content and images of the destruction of war might make some readers uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the lives of many real teens are equally as intense and this book reflects subjects that they might actually be dealing with in their lives. Daisy must use her own moral compass to decide what is right and wrong for herself, acknowledging that many of her decisions would not be accepted by the outside world.
Rosoff is believable when she attempts to put her take on what would happen if we entered World War III. Readers will come out of this book feeling as if they have been through a war themselves.
4. BOOK REVIEWS
Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature
PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY: "readers will emerge from the rubble much shaken, a little wiser and with perhaps a greater sense of humanity"
HORN BOOK: "a winning combination of acerbic commentary, innocence, and sober vision"
5.CONNECTIONS
*Allow students to write private journal entries about a situation where they made a decision that they thought was right for them, even though they knew that others might find it wrong. Sharing should be optional.
*Use this book to start an open conversation about war and their related feelings and worries.
Rosoff, Meg. 2004. HOW I LIVE NOW. New York: Random House. ISBN 0385746776
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Fifteen year old Daisy is sent away from her home in New York City by her father and evil pregnant stepmother to live with her aunt and cousins in the English countryside. Everything seems fine until England is invaded by terrorists while Aunt Penn is out of the country for work. At first, the children enjoy their freedom in an adult free home, though even in this happy time, difficult subjects like eating disorders and forbidden sexual relationships are addressed. Inevitably, the children are discovered and the house is commandeered by soldiers. The girls are separated from the boys, and Daisy must take responsibility for keeping herself and her little cousin Piper alive. When they finally make it back home, Daisy regains contact with her father and is taken home to New York. Years later when she is able to return to England, she finds her cousin and lover disturbed and drastically changed by the horrific things he witnessed during the war.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book is not for the faint of heart. The plot is intense and the sexual content and images of the destruction of war might make some readers uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the lives of many real teens are equally as intense and this book reflects subjects that they might actually be dealing with in their lives. Daisy must use her own moral compass to decide what is right and wrong for herself, acknowledging that many of her decisions would not be accepted by the outside world.
Rosoff is believable when she attempts to put her take on what would happen if we entered World War III. Readers will come out of this book feeling as if they have been through a war themselves.
4. BOOK REVIEWS
Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature
PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY: "readers will emerge from the rubble much shaken, a little wiser and with perhaps a greater sense of humanity"
HORN BOOK: "a winning combination of acerbic commentary, innocence, and sober vision"
5.CONNECTIONS
*Allow students to write private journal entries about a situation where they made a decision that they thought was right for them, even though they knew that others might find it wrong. Sharing should be optional.
*Use this book to start an open conversation about war and their related feelings and worries.
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