Peeled

Module 7: March 1-7


Peeled by Joan Bauer

Summary:
This is a 'David & Goliath' type story in which a teen girl from a small town organizes the downfall of a giant. Hildy, a budding teen journalist, and her friends from the school newspaper set out to discover the mystery behind the eerie events that are occuring at the town's local 'haunted house'. If they don't set the story straight, their town could be heading for disaster.

Thoughts from a Book Worm:
I enjoyed this book from cover to cover. I love the fact that it goes into so many of the aspects of journalism. Hildy is a brave heroine that works hard to uncover the mystery haunting the town. In the process of solving the mystery, she and her friends show that with confidence, hard work, and perserverance, young teens can earn a place of respect within the community.

Reviews:
"Bauer's (Hope Was Here) fans will appreciate this diverting novel's shout-out to the author's debut, Squashed, from which she also harvests a few themes. In an upstate New York hamlet known for its apples, aspiring teen journalist Hildy Biddle treasures her staff position on the high school paper, aptly named The Core. She does whatever it takes to find the facts for a story, hoping she is honoring the memory of her late father, a respected local reporter. But when the opportunistic publisher of the town paper whips the citizens into a frenzy with sensational stories of ghosts and eerie happenings, Hildy and her friends are determined to expose the truth—which involves a disreputable development company. With sharp pacing and an intriguing premise, Bauer renders a fully realized portrait of a small town dependent on an ever-fragile agricultural economy and threatened by modern encroachment. As always, she stocks her work with strong, sage women, the elements for a budding romance and plenty of funny moments. But it's Hildy readers will remember longest, a smart girl who realistically blends the spunkiness, brains and good humor that is Bauer's stock-in-trade. Ages 12—up." - Publisher's Weekly Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

"Ghosts and an economic downturn haunt the apple-growing town of Banesville, New York. Residents respond to the local paper's sinister headlines by selling their farms to a developer. But is this news accurate? Hildy Biddle, a reporter for the high school newspaper, The Peel, decides to investigate. When she prints a rebuttal to the local paper's so-called facts, town officials shut down The Peel. But Hildy and her teenaged buddies find a way to get the truth out. Readers will embrace this can-do tale of First Amendment rights and cheer Hildy as she takes on the big guys—and orchestrates their fall." Reviewer: Mary Quattlebaum -Children's Literature

Suggested Activities: I think this book would be a great way to motivate a class or group to start their own small newsletter/or newspaper. This activity can work for a family, school, or group.

Bibliography: Bauer, J. (2008). Peeled. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.

Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree

Module 6 - February 22-28

Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree

Summary:
This story is about Emma-Jean Lazarus, a seventh grade girl who has always observed her peers from afar. She is the type of girl who appears to get along better with wise and intelligent adults. Although she feels that she doesn't quite fit in with her peers - she enjoys watching and learning more about their actions. One day, Emma-Jean is given the opportunity to help a fellow seventh grade girl in need. She discovers Collen Pomerantz crying in the girl's bathroom and decides that though some creative prolem solving she could work out the problem better than her peers. Eventually, the problems snowball and Emma-Jean finds herself in the middle of the 'messy' lives that she has avoided for so long. She finds that analytical thinking does not always work to solve sensitive emotional issues. She also discovers that living life means that sometimes it gets a little messy.

Thoughts of a Book Worm:
I found this to be a great book that covers emotional situations such as the death of a loved one, bullying, peer pressure, and the desire to be accepted by your peers. In this creatively written book, the reader is allowed to see the situations from two perspectives, Emma-Jean's and Colleen's. In the end, both girls learn important lessons that encourage self-confidence and acknowledge that sometimes life can get a little messy.

Reviews:
"At the beginning of this incisively voiced story, Emma-Jean Lazarus, a self-possessed but socially isolated seventh-grade girl, has no friends her own age. In fact, Tarshis's winning heroine views her classmates as an anthropologist might, observing them with great interest, but not really getting their strangely irrational behavior. And they, in turn, view her as simply strange. This begins to change when Emma-Jean comes across classmate Colleen Pomerantz sobbing her heart out in the bathroom. Colleen needs help in dealing with a girl bully, or as Emma-Jean sees it, the alpha chimp of Colleen's social set. Emma-Jean decides that she'll help Colleen and, later, others by utilizing the reasoning of her deceased father's hero, the illustrious mathematician Jules Henri Poincare. However, emotions have a way of defying logical analysis, and after a while, Emma-Jean discovers that she's become entangled-not only with peers, but with friends. The comic juice in the story comes from Emma-Jean's hyper-rational yet totally skewed take on reality, and her evolution from analyst to actor makes for a captivating, highly satisfying read. (Fiction. 8-12)" - Kirkus Reviews

"Emma-Jean is a bit different from the other seventh-grade students at William Gladstone Middle School. Emma-Jean loves to study things around her. She studies the local flora and fauna as well as her peers. She finds her classmates interesting but a bit illogical at times. In the past, she has refused to become involved in interactions with them, but a recent development with Colleen has shown Emma-Jean just how much her assistance is needed. Emma-Jean must draw on previous studies of her peers, love from her family, and a little help from Jules Henri Poincare to solve the problem. Her creative solutions work wonders, and she begins to reach out to help others. Everything runs smoothly until the school bully gets involved. Things quickly spiral out of control for both Colleen and Emma-Jean. The resulting aftermath changes things forever. This often humorous tale has some twists and turns that will surprise some readers. This gem of a book lends itself to a discussion of bullying (especially girl bullying), loss, friendship, character change, learning differences, and problem solving. This book links well with The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita, and Anne of Green Gables." Reviewer: L.M. Montgomery - Children's Literature

Suggested Activities:
A great activity to go with this book would be to have the teacher write up some social scenerios that the students would consider to be awkward or uncomfortable. The class could then be divided into smaller groups. Assign each group a scenerio and have them come up with a role play in which the students deal with/or solve the problem. After the students role play, discuss the situations - How easy were they to solve? Does it require creative thinking? What are some other ways the same situation can be solved?

Perspective could be used as a creative writing activity for older grades. Have the students write about 1 situation from the perspective of 2 different characters.

Bibliography: Tarshis, L. (2007). Emma-jean lazarus fell out of a tree. New York: Penguin Group Inc.

The Diary of a Spider

Module 5 - February 15-21

Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin

Summary:
This is a fun story that depicts the life of a young spider from his own point of view. Each page is a diary entry of Spider's antics and adventures for the day. His adventures include vacuum drills, a run-in with a Daddy longlegs, and encounters with his best friends Worm and Fly. He also includes important spider 'life lessons'.

Thoughts of a Book Worm:
This is an adorable book that is a creative, fun new way to introduce children to the world of spiders. It is also a charming way to teach children to be able to look at situations through another's perspective, in this case - a spider! It is a simple read but the cleverly detailed illustrations add so much more!

Reviews:
"Cronin and Bliss repeat the comic ingredients that made Diary of a Worm so successful in this rib-tickling sequel. This time the diary is written by Worm's friend Spider and filled with similar verbal high jinks, deadpan humor and visual jokes that offer readers a whimsical glimpse of the world from a small creature's point of view. Endpapers feature photos of Spider's family as well as his favorite book (Charlotte's Web), his discovery of a "neat sculpture!" (a toilet bowl) and a playbill from his school's production of "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" (a review blurb by Worm says, "You'll dig this play"). Children will relate to the book's droll humor, as when Spider goes to the park with his sister ("We tried the seesaw. It didn't work") or when he takes his molted skin for show-and-tell. A slight story line about the tension between Spider's friendship with Fly and his Grampa's prejudice against all six-legged bugs threads together the amusing vignettes. (When Grampa says, "Without spiders, insects could take over the world," Bliss features a menacing alien bug as President of the United States.) This endearing book delivers a gentle message that comes through when Spider muses, "I wish that people wouldn't judge all spiders based on the few spiders that bite. I know if we took the time to get to know each other, we would get along just fine. Just like me and Fly." Ages 4-8(Aug.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.-Publishers Weekly

"PreSchool-Grade 3–Children who enjoyed Diary of a Worm (HarperCollins, 2003) will be enchanted by this artistic team's latest collaboration. This time, Spider is the star. Through his humorous diary entries, readers learn about typical events in the life of a young spider. When Spider's mom tells him he's getting too big for his skin, he molts. Fly's feelings are hurt by a thoughtless comment from Daddy Longlegs, and Spider tries to help. He is concerned that he will have to eat leaves and rotten tomatoes when he has a sleepover with Worm. Spider's school doesn't have fire drills; it has vacuum drills (…vacuums eat spiderwebs and are very, very dangerous). Grampa tells him that spider-fly relations have improved over the years and shares the secret of long life–don't fall asleep in shoes. The amusing pen-and-ink and watercolor cartoons, complete with funny asides in dialogue balloons, expand the sublime silliness of some of the scenarios." Reviewer: Beverly Combs Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. - School Library Journal

Suggested Activities:
This book could be used as a lead in about spiders. After reading the book, students can make a list of things that they learned about spiders by reading the entries. Afterwards, the class should go through the list and note which are real facts and which facts are just fantasy from the story.

As an enriching extension, students can pick and research a different type of insect. After researching the insect, they can create a diary using real facts and some fantasy.

Biography: Cronin, D. (2005). Diary of a spider. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

Missing May

Module 4 - February 8-14

Missing May by Cynthia Rylant

Summary:
Summer finally found a family with her aunt and uncle after the death of her mother. However six years later, Summer faces death again with the passing of her beloved Aunt May. The death of May leaves behind a broken family as Summer and her Uncle struggle to resume their routines without her. Summer, Uncle Ob, and a young friend, Cletus, begin on a journey in which they hope to find a sign from May that will ease their loss and sadness.

Thoughts of a Book Worm:
This is a very touching story of how a family has to restructure after the death of a loved one. I enjoyed the visual images that the author gives the reader of the characters and the setting in which they live. I also appreciated the fact that this story depicts a very non-traditional family. I think that many children can relate to characters that do not necessarily fit the clichéd image of a family.

Reviews:
"This is one of the best books of 1992. When 12-year-old Summer's Aunt May dies, her Uncle Ob's grieving leaves the girl worried that she will lose him too unless she can give him a reason for living. Enter Cletus, a classmate of Summer's, weird according to Summer, but full of ideas and confidence. The 3 go on a trek to find May's spirit and in the process find inner strength in their friendship. What makes this book so memorable in Rylant's writing. In 89 pages, she paints vivid word pictures of the characters and gives us an intimate view of Summer and her deepest feeling for May and Ob that lasts long after the book is closed." 1993 - Children's Literature

"Gr 5-8-- They've been a family for half of Summer's 12 years, and when her Aunt May dies, a little bit of Summer and her uncle Ob dies too--and his whirligigs go ``still as night.'' Ob's 'gigs are his ``mysteries,'' works of art that capture the essence of Storms, Heaven, Fire, Love, Dreams . . . and May. For a time, he seems to be failing, and Summer fears she'll lose him, as well. Then he claims to have been visited by May's spirit. And, stranger still to Summer, he takes a liking to that ``flat out lunatic,'' Cletus Underwood. Lunatic or no, Cletus steps unhesitatingly into the space May has left, and all three take off on a journey in search of May. It's an ill - fated journey that, nevertheless, lets Ob and Summer turn a corner in their grieving--and sets Ob free. With homely detail, Rylant plunges readers into the middle of Summer's world, creating characters certain to live long in their memories. Her tightly woven plot wastes no words; May's death and the course of her husband and niece's grieving are both reflected in and illuminated by the state of Ob's mysteries and the course of that interrupted journey of discovery. There is much to ponder here, from the meaning of life and death to the power of love. That it all succeeds is a tribute to a fine writer who brings to the task a natural grace of language, an earthly sense of humor, and a well-grounded sense of the spiritual." Reviewer: Marcia Hupp - School Library Journal

Suggested Activities:
This book is best suited for students in grades 5-8. This book is very descriptive about the characters and the details of the way that they live. Students can use these details to create a collage that would help Summer and Ob to remember their days with May.

Students can also springboard off of Cletus's hobby and create stories from pictures. Students can look through a variety of magazines and pick a picture that intrigues them. They will then write the story that they feel the picture is telling.

Bibliography:
Rylant, C. (1992). Missing may. New York: Orchard Books.

The Midwife's Apprentice

Module 4 - February 8-14

The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman

Summary:
This story is set in medieval England and starts out with a young, nameless girl between 10-13 who is orphaned and wandering, just living for the next piece of food and warm place to sleep. Her life begins to change when she meets a sharp-nosed midwife who takes her on as an apprentice. She finds herself quietly settling down with a place to stay, food to eat, and even discovers a name for herself. However, self-confidence eludes her and self-doubt eats away at her until she runs away from the village she has come to know as home. After several adventures in which she meets some inspirational characters along the way, 'Alyce' finds that there is meaning in her life and she does have a place in the world.

Thoughts of a Book Worm:
This book would best serve students in grades 6-9. This book has an excellent message about overcoming self-doubt, believing in yourself, and rising up to the challenges that stand in your way. I found it had a very interesting story line - midwifery is not a common subject in most young adult literature. The interesting subject combined with a medieval setting made this one stand apart from other books. Although I would have liked to see some of the other characters developed a little more, overall it was an easy read with a wonderful message.

Reviews:
"With simplicity, wit, and humor, Cushman presents another tale of medieval England. Here readers follow the satisfying, literal and figurative journey of a homeless, nameless child called Brat, who might be 12 or 13-no one really knows. She wandered about in her early years, seeking food and any kind of refuge and, like many outsiders, gained a certain kind of wisdom about people and their ways. Still, life held little purpose beyond survival-until she meets the sharp-nosed, irritable local midwife, which is where this story begins. Jane takes her in, re-names her Beetle, and thinks of her as free labor and no competition. Always practical but initially timid, the girl expands in courage and self-awareness, acquiring a cat as a companion, naming herself Alyce, and gaining experience in the ways of midwifery. From the breathless delight of helping a boy to deliver twin calves, to the despair of failure during a difficult birth, to the triumph of a successful delivery, Alyce struggles to understand how she can allow herself to fail and yet have the determination to reach for her own place in the world. Alyce wins. Characters are sketched briefly but with telling, witty detail, and the very scents and sounds of the land and people's occupations fill each page as Alyce comes of age and heart. Earthy humor, the foibles of humans both high and low, and a fascinating mix of superstition and genuinely helpful herbal remedies attached to childbirth make this a truly delightful introduction to a world seldom seen in children's literature." Reviewer: Sara Miller - School Library Journal

"Like Cushman's 1994 Newbery Honor Book, Catherine, Called Birdy, this novel is about a strong, young woman in medieval England who finds her own way home. Of course, it's a feminist story for the 1990s, but there's no anachronism. This is a world, like Chaucer's, that's neither sweet nor fair; it's rough, dangerous, primitive, and raucous. Cushman writes with a sharp simplicity and a pulsing beat. From the first page you're caught by the spirit of the homeless, nameless waif, somewhere around 12 years old, "unwashed, unnourished, unloved, and unlovely," trying to keep warm in a dung heap. She gets the village midwife, Jane Sharp, to take her in, befriends a cat, names herself Alyce, and learns something about delivering babies. When she fails, she runs away, but she picks herself up again and returns to work and independence. Only the episode about her caring for a homeless child seems contrived. The characters are drawn with zest and affection but no false reverence. The midwife is tough and greedy ("she did her job with energy and some skill, but without care, compassion, or joy"), her method somewhere between superstition, herbal lore, common sense, and bumbling; yet she's the one who finally helps Alyce to be brave. Kids will like this short, fast-paced narrative about a hero who discovers that she's not ugly or stupid or alone." Reviewer: Hazel Rochman - Booklist

Suggested Activities:
Students can journal about a time that they faced (or are facing) a challenge that they felt they could not rise up to meet. Students should write about how they found a way to rise up to the challenge and what the end result was. If they are choosing to write about a current challenge, they should be encouraged to write about ways that they can improve the situation or meet the goal.

This book also can serve as a great lead in to a unit on medieval times. Students can research various aspects such as food, clothing, hygiene, midwifery, economic classes, jobs, and social expectations of men and/or women.

Bibliography:
Cushman, K. (1995). The midwife's apprentice. New York: Clarion Books.

Bud, Not Buddy

Module 3
February 1-7

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

Summary:

This is a heartwarming tale, set in the Depression Era, about a young African American boy who has lost his mother and never knew his father. The story begins with young Bud in an orphanage about to be taken to a new foster family. The foster family is not very kind and Bud soon runs away. He sets out on an adventure to find the man who he assumes to be his father. Bud shows tremendous courage and determination as he makes his way to Grand Rapids, Michigan. He meets interesting characters along the way who help him on his journey. His naivety shows through as he seems unaware of the dangers that face a young African American boy working his way through an area that is filled with racial hatred. Although his adventure does not end as he expected, he does find the love and support he was searching for.

Thoughts of a Book Worm:

This is a great book choice for older children in grades 4-7. I thought this was an entertaining tale of a young boy filled with humor and determination to find the love and acceptance of family. Curtis does a great job of filling the story in with factual aspects of the depression, racial tensions, as well as the music industry during this time. Boys as well as girls will enjoy the adventure, drama, and present in this story.

Reviews:
"Children's book fans had a red-letter day when the Newbery Award was announced. Curtis' book follows a young African-American boy as he struggles to find a home during the Depression. The author takes on a difficult time and seemingly sad plot, but Bud, the hero, has humor and originality that will open new doors and understanding about this era." Reviewer: Susie Wilde - Children's Literature

"Gr 4-7-When 10-year-old Bud Caldwell runs away from his new foster home, he realizes he has nowhere to go but to search for the father he has never known: a legendary jazz musician advertised on some old posters his deceased mother had kept. A friendly stranger picks him up on the road in the middle of the night and deposits him in Grand Rapids, MI, with Herman E. Calloway and his jazz band, but the man Bud was convinced was his father turns out to be old, cold, and cantankerous. Luckily, the band members are more welcoming; they take him in, put him to work, and begin to teach him to play an instrument. In a Victorian ending, Bud uses the rocks he has treasured from his childhood to prove his surprising relationship with Mr. Calloway. The lively humor contrasts with the grim details of the Depression-era setting and the particular difficulties faced by African Americans at that time. Bud is a plucky, engaging protagonist. Other characters are exaggerations: the good ones (the librarian and Pullman car porter who help him on his journey and the band members who embrace him) are totally open and supportive, while the villainous foster family finds particularly imaginative ways to torture their charge. However, readers will be so caught up in the adventure that they won't mind. Curtis has given a fresh, new look to a traditional orphan-finds-a-home story that would be a crackerjack read-aloud." School Library Journal - Kathleen Isaacs, 1999, Cahners Business Information

Suggested Activities:
This book could serve as a great lead in to discuss various music artists at this time. Various sound clips of music styles and popular artists could be played. Students could compare and contrast music from this era to music of the current era.

This book also addresses topics such as racial discrimination and how these issues affected African Americans during this time period. Students can discuss racial discrimination and how it affects others. Students can then create a collage to depict fairness and equality.

Bibliography:
Curtis, C. P. (1999). Bud, not Buddy. New York: Delacorte Press.

Snapshots From the Wedding

Module 3 - February 1-7

Snapshots from the Wedding by Gary Soto

Summary:
This is a very descriptive book that takes the reader through the events that make up a hispanic wedding. Starting from the moments of getting ready, to the ceremony at the church, and finishing up at the lively reception. The events of the wedding are detailed moment by moment by the young flower girl, Maya. Spanish words are sprinkled throughout the text giving it a very authentic retelling. The illustrator creatively uses three dimensional objects in a 'shadowbox' design to illustrate the pages.

Thoughts from a Book Worm:
I thought this book was fantastic peek into a Latino celebration. The book draws the reader in with the descriptive details from the young flower girl. You can almost hear the sounds, feel the textures, and taste the foods. The creative illustrations and fun-filled celebration will make this a book your little one will want to read over and over.

Reviews:
"Photographs with shadowboxes filled with sculpted clay figures form the eyecatching art for Soto's "diary" of Maya, a flower girl. The text sprinkled with Spanish words, is eloquent and funny (a bride's hands are "soft as doves"; a cousin wiggles his tongue "in the space between his baby teeth, white as Chiclets") - and it deftly captures the flavor of a Latino wedding, complete with mariachi band. Garcia's singular, deliciously creative artwork steals the show here, however. More playful than the dioramas she composed for The Old Lady and the Birds, these lifelike, three-dimensional scenes serve as an elaborate stage set. Readers will be enthralled by Garcia's use of details, from the "actors" and "actresses" decked out in wedding finery to the garlanded ribbons festooned across the shadowboxes to the objects that enhance each scene (tiny silk flowers in the bride's bouquet; potato chips on the buffet table.) Using Soto's words as a springboard, Garcia tweaks the perspective, offering a legs and feet only view, for instance, of a scene in which Maya describes the younger wedding guests' "shoes off" romp down the hallway (complete with authentically dusty soles of socks). Another snapshot shows a pair of sculpted hands holding a plate with a flower-topped slice of wedding cake. A happy marriage of talents. Ages 4-8. - Publisher's Weekly

Suggested Activities:
This book would be a wonderful lead in to a discussion on various customs and how they can differ between cultures. Have the children compare details of weddings that they have been to. How did people dress? What was the wedding ceremony like? Where did it take place? Was there a party or celebration afterward? What kind of food was served? What kind of music was played?

The artwork in this book is another aspect to highlight. After discussing the details in the various pages - encourage children to create their own shadowbox art. Encourage them to think of an important event in their lives: for example, a wedding, a birthday celebration, or a graduation. Provide a variety of materials, paper, clay, 3-D objects, cloth, and other materials.

Biography:
Soto, G. (1998). Snapshots from a Wedding. New York: Penguin Group.