L’Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time. New York: Square Fish, 2007. Print. 9780312367541; Paperback; $7.00; 245 pages.
Awards
1963 Newbery Medal
1965 Sequoyah Book Award
1965 Lewis Caroll Shelf Award
Thursday, September 6, 2012
MultiCultural
Haddon, Mark. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. New York: Vintage Books, 2004. Kindle edition. ISBN: 9781400032716. US $11.99. 226pgs.
Awards
2004- Alex Award
2004- Boeke Prize
Annotation
Christopher Boone is a fifteen year old autistic boy that tests his social inadequacies as he tries to clear his name by finding out how his neighbor’s dog died. Written from the perspective of an autistic boy, this book provides a window into “the autistic world” and has a touch of ironic humor that will pull readers in. Recommended.Book Talk
Christopher Boone is a fifteen year old autistic boy who loves math and solving puzzles. When he is accused of killing his neighbor’s dog, he sets out, just like his favorite detective Sherlock Holmes, to find out who committed the crime. The investigation will lead him to find out more about his social inadequacies and the secrets about his parents’ marriage. As he narrates the story, his ironic humor and at face interpretations open the reader’s eyes to his world:This will not be a funny book. I cannot tell jokes because I do not understand them. Here is a joke, as an example. It is one of Father’s .His face was drawn but the curtains are real. I know why this is meant to be funny. I asked. It is because drawn has three meanings, and they are (1) drawn with a pencil, (2) exhausted, and (3) pulled across a window and meaning 1 refers to both the face and the curtains, meaning 2 refers only to the face, and meaning 3 refers only to the curtains.
Christopher Boone writes down his investigations creating an illustrated book entitled The Curious Incident of the dog in the Night-time. Christopher’s journey through the investigation leads into the world of his logic and reasoning and his struggle to find his place in such a social world.
The author, Mark Haddon, talks about his source of inspiration for this creative novel...
Graphic Novel
Eisner, Will. A Contract with God. New York, DC Comics, 1978. Print. ISBN: 1-56389-674-5 Paperback, $12.95
Book Awards
- The Contract With God is credited with launching the popularity of graphic novels as a literary form.
Annotation
Four short stories set in the 1930’s in a tenement in the Bronx telling about the lives of people in the tenement entitled “A Contract with God”, “The Street Singer”, “The Super”, and “Cookalein”. Portrayed and written through graphic form, this graphic novel is the first of its kind and tells the honesty of the unique characters perfectly through the black ink drawings. Recommended. Book Talk
Frimme Hersh is a very religious man who practices the Jewish faith. He lives in the Bronx of New York City. [ Open the book to display the first couple of pages displaying the descriptive pictures of the tenement] Frimme Hershe is faced with a tragic incident, the death of his daughter Rachele, that causes him to question his very own faith. [ Display page 7] Learn how Frimme Hersh made a contract with God and how it was broken, and of other distinctive characters in the tenement such as the Singer and the Super. A Contract with God contains intricately drawn black ink pictures that honestly portray the lives of the tenement and paint graphic images for the reader.A trailer for a short film based off of 'The Super"......
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Street Lit
Buckhanon, K. Upstate.NY: St. Martin’s Press, 2005. ISBN-13: 978-0312332693; Paperback; 256 pages; $11.12 USD
Awards
2006 American Library Association ALEX Award
2006 Audio Publishers Association Award in Literary Fiction (Audiobook)
2006 nominee for the Hurston/Wright Foundation's Debut Fiction Award
2006 Buckhanon received the inaugural Terry McMillan Young Author Award
2005 Essence Magazine named Buckhanon one of America's "Three Writers To Watch."
Annotation
Natasha and Antonio fight to save their relationship when Antonio is sent to jail; their fight lasts for a period of ten years. Readers will be fighting for their relationship and to find out if it will truly last.Book Talk
Antonio is
seventeen year old teenager living in New York City and Natasha is his sixteen
year old girlfriend. Antonio, to his shock,
finds himself in jail accused of killing his father. Natasha and Antonio want
nothing but to be together, and both make a commitment to stay together even
though Antonio is locked up. Antonio fights every day just to make it while
Natasha is faced with life decisions of her own. The two write letters back and
forth to one another over the course of a decade [ open the book to any page]. Their
paths seem to go into two separate directions but their love and trust in one
another seems to be the only constant in each other’s lives. Antonio and
Natasha sacrifice so much to be together, but they keep writing one another.
Life and prison throw their lives in different directions with different choices,
but they keep writing one another. Natasha and Antonio’s desperate longing for
one another is almost unbearable, but they keep writing one another. [Slowly keep turning pages to show the format
as you pan it around the room emphasizing the years that go by] Why? They can’t seem to let go of the love
that started when they were sixteen and seventeen. Because first loves are hard to let go and even
at every obstacle life and prison throw at them they are there for each other
even if it is just through letters. After ten years, they still correspond with
one another…… are they able to stay together? Is their love that strong?
Listen to an audio excerpt from the book.....
Fantasy
Lowry, Lois. The Giver. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1993. Print.ISBN-13: 978-0547424774; Hardcover; $13.59; 240 pages.
Awards
The 1994 Newbery Medal
The 1996 William Allen White Award
American Library Association listings for Best Book for Young Adults
ALA Notable Children's Book"
100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–2000
Annotation
Jonas lives in a Utopian society and is assigned the role of the Giver;through his role, he learns the truth about his world. Follow Jonas in his journey for the truth.
Book Talk
Jonas lives in a utopian society absent of emotion, pain, and suffering. At the ceremony of twelve, he is assigned his role in the community. He is assigned a highly honored role; as his training starts, he learns the shocking reality about his world and what it truly means to be The Giver.
Listen to what the author, Lois Lowry, has to say about the book......
Horror
Stine, R.L. Dangerous Girls.NY:Harper Collins Publishers, 2003. Print.ISBN-13: 978-0060530822 ;Paperback ;320 pages ;$6.99 USD.
Awards: None
Annotation
Destiny and Livvy are twins that are both bitten by vampires and they struggle to find a cure before they are changed forever. Readers will turn pages to find out what the twins will become.
Book Talk
Could you imagine being bit by a vampire? Destiny and
Livvy realize when they return home from being camp counselors for the summer,
they’ve been changed somehow. Loranzo the vampire who bit them is waiting to
seal the deal while the girls attempt to find a cure. Their friends are
dropping one by one and there is a group of vampire hunters in search of
answers. Did the twins kill their friends? Will Destiny and Livvy ever find a
cure? Will Loranzo make them immortal forever?
Meet the author, R.L. Stine, and learn about
how he became a writer....
Relationships
Sanchez, Alex. Boyfriends with Girlfriends. NY: Simon &Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2011.
Book Awards
2011 ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers
2011ALA Rainbow List
2011Bankstreet College of Education Children's Book Committee 2012
2011 Best Children's Books of the Year;
2011Lambda Literary Award 2011 Finalist.
Annotation
Lance is gay and looking for a relationship, Sergio is bisexual and pursues Lance; their two friends Allie and Kimiko explore their relationship as well. Readers will be intrigued by the dynamic relationships in this novel.Book Talk
Well: Can someone be
bisexual? This book is the story about different friends all exploring their
relationships. Lance is outwardly gay
and is good friends with Allie who has a boyfriend. Sergio, a bisexual, is
weary of a new relationship. He is best friends with Kimiko who is outwardly
gay and currently single. The two groups of best friends meet up with the
intention of a date for Lance and Sergio, but much more stems from this meeting. As the relationships form between Sergio and
Lance and surprisingly Allie and Kimiko, they test the waters of their
relationships. Allie wonders if she is bisexual and Lance wonders if one can
truly be bisexual. As you read the intertwined story of relationships , you will
understand how complicated relationships can be and the importance of having
good friends. Will Sergio and Lance form a lasting relationship ? Will Allie
fall for Kimiko and realize she’s bisexual?
Author Alex Sanchez talks about his experience as a teen in this short video entitled "It Gets Better".
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)