Module 15: "Forever" by Judy Blume

Book Cover Image:

                                                                 http://www.goodreads.com/

Book Summary:
High school seniors Katherine and Michael meet at a New Year’s Eve party and soon become inseparable companions.  Their friendship eventually grows into love.  Although they have discussed “going all the way,” Katherine resists.  Her best friend Erica insists that sex is a physical act and has nothing to do with love and romance.  Erica’s friend Arte has some issues too, as he questions his sexuality and wonders if in fact he might have gay tendencies.  This leads to a deep depression and an attempt at suicide.  
By the end of the book, Katherine and Michael do decide to have protected sex, and assure each other of their ‘forever” love.  But forever and enduring are not necessarily one and the same, as Katherine discovers when a summer vacation eventually pulls them apart.
This book touches on many controversial subjects, but ones that do affect teenagers in their daily lives. 

APA Reference:  
Blume, J. (1989). Forever... New York, N.Y: Pocket Books.

My Impressions:

Forever was written by author Judy Blume, who prior to this had written books for middle school age children.  She intended this novel for young adults, but its graphic sexual language and exploration of other controversial subjects has caused it to be one of the most contested books ever published.  I do understand the reasoning behind the controversy, especially in the 70s, when parents expressed concern that their children were reading a book of such an explicit nature.  In their estimation, it undermined marital sex, promoted the use of contraception which is forbidden in some religious factions, and prematurely awakened the feelings of sexuality in young adults.   On the other hand, Katherine is very guarded when it came to having sex.  She was not about to just ‘give it away’ unless she was truly in love, and he felt the same.  She and Michael do have candid discussions concerning the ramifications of their actions, and do not take it lightly.  They date for a long time & they discuss relationships and problems with their parents.  When they do finally decide to further explore their sexuality, they are careful and go to a clinic for Katherine to get on the pill, making it “safer.” 
The book is popular with teenagers because it demystifies the “coming-of-age” experience and explains the progression of first encounters and true love.  Although Michael and Katherine do eventually drift apart after a summer of separation, they both come to the realization that love and sex are inseparable and it is important to not share that gift of oneself too casually.

Professional Review:

“BLUME, Judy.  Forever.  199p.  Bradbury.  Oct. 1975.  $6.95.  ISBN 0-87888-079-8.
YA – Katherine and Michael find each other and it’s first love for both of them.  Katherine loses her virginity, finds out about contraceptives, and learns about VD with lectures inserted as needed.  Actually, both kids are so kind and considerate, so understanding, so everything that readers may wonder what’s wrong with them.  Finally, she realizes that first love isn’t always Forever, that she is growing and accepting changes.  Sniff, sniff.  Obviously it’s not a quality book but that fact won’t bother the many girls who will read it, identify, cry happily, and recommend it to their friends.  Librarians buying for junior high schools should be aware that the sexual scenes, while not at all explicit compared to the run of adult novels, may be more than parents of young teens bargain for.  – Regina Minudri, Alameda county Library, Hayward, Calif.”

[Review of the book Forever…, by J. Blume].  (1975, November). School Library Journal,
 22(3). 95.  Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com.

 Library Uses:

This book was controversial in the 1970s when it was first published due to its uncensored exploration of teen sexuality. But even though attitudes have changed in the last few decades regarding that subject, Forever… was still ranked as the eighth most challenged book in the 1990s - 2000, according to the ALA (American Library Association.)  Forever would be a good selection to add to a library display during “Banned Books Week,” which highlights books that have been challenged throughout the years.

Module 14: "Take Me Out of the Bathtub" by Alan Katz

Book Cover Image:                  www.alankatzbooks.com/katzsillybooks.html

Book Summary:
Take me out of the bathtub contains 14 parodied rhyming verses based on popular children’s nursery rhymes and songs.  David Catrow’s double-paged watercolor and crayon spreads add to the appeal of this silly and entertaining book.  There are enough food fights and zany activities to keep children laughing.

APA Reference:  

Katz, A. (2001).  Take me out of the bathtub. New York, N.Y: Margaret K. McElderry Books.

My Impressions:

The catchy rhymes and humorous situations will have children giggling non-stop!  I enjoyed it as I read through it.  The illustrations really add to the enjoyment as well.

This book was nominated for many awards, including state awards in Colorado and Kentucky, the Book Sense Book of the Year (2002), and the Cuffie Award for Funniest Book by Publisher’s Weekly.

Professional Review:

Songwriter and television comedy writer Katz provides ludicrous lyrics to 14 traditional tunes, offering playful parodies on some familiar routines. To the tune of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," a boy wearing roller skates claims he has been soaking so long in the tub that he "used one, two, three bars of soap/ Take me out... I'm clean!" Other amusing entries include "I've Been Cleaning Up My Bedroom" (sung to "I've Been Working on the Railroad"), in which a girl tidies her room by shoving all of her belongings "out the door," which Catrow (She's Wearing a Dead Bird on Her Head!) interprets quite literally (he shows her bureau, goldfish, etc., piling up in the back yard), and "Give Me a Break" (sung to the tune of "Home on the Range"), introducing a child whose library book is long overdue. A few songs do not scan so well (e.g., this verse set to the tune of "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean": "My brother flicks peas with his fork and/ They zip down my shirt with a splat/ Next I see a big piece of pork land/ On my head like it's a new hat!"). But the subjects (a sibling with a stinky diaper, a youngster who refuses to go to bed, a cranky poodle think "Yankee Doodle") teamed with Catrow's outlandish illustrations, as hyperbolic as the words, will have kids giggling as they sing. Ages 2-6.

[Review of the book Take me out of the bathtub by A. Katz].  (2001, April 16).  Publishers Weekly
 248(16).  63.  Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com.

Library Uses:

This would be a wonderful book to read aloud during a Storytime of with school tours!  Sometimes the visiting time is limited to ½ hour with first-grade tours, and this book would hold their interest and let them know that the library is a fun place to go.

Module 13: "Rapunzel's Revenge" by Shannon Hale

Book Cover Image:

 Book Summary:                                    www.amazon.com

This is a graphic novel that re-energizes the classic fairy tale of Rapunzel. The story takes place in the old west.  Rapunzel, a young girl, discovers that the woman who has raised her is not in fact her mother, but an evil witch who is the wicked ruler of the land.  Rapunzel tries to escape but is captured and imprisoned in a high tower, with a curse put on her, that of her hair growing to endless lengths.  In the classic tale, Rapunzel waits for the handsome prince to rescue her by climbing up her long tassels, but in this version, she does not wait around for a man.  She frees herself using her own braids and then in true western style, sets about defeating the witch by using her hair as a lariat Along the way she meets a scamp named Jack who just happens to have a goose that lays amazing eggs, and they go off on a grand adventure, travelling through deserts and forests, and righting wrongs.

APA Reference:  
Hale, S. (2008).  Rapunzel’s revenge, Bedford Square, London: Bloomsbury USA Children

 My Impressions:

I am not a huge fan of graphic novels but Rapunzel’s Revenge is a very entertaining book.  The age level recommended is 9-12, but I think any young adult and even adults would enjoy this spunky new version of an old classic.  The story is complete in one book and does not continue on in a series.  The illustrations are wonderful and Hale has the perfect blend of comedic illustration and text to keep the reader interested and laughing all the way through the book.  I enjoyed the strong female role here too – very inspiring to young women.

Professional Review:

This graphic novel retelling of the fairy-tale classic, set in a swashbuckling Wild West, puts action first and features some serious girl power in its spunky and strong heroine. Young Rapunzel lives a lonely life, never knowing what lies beyond the high garden walls of her mother’s royal villa until one day she climbs the wall to see what’s on the other side. When she finds that the world outside is a dark place oppressed by her mother’s greed for power and uncovers the real secret of her own birth, she is imprisoned in a magic tree tower. In her years of captivity, she learns a lot about self-reliance and care for her exceptionally long hair, and eventually she is able to escape, vowing to bring down her mother’s cruel empire. Hale’s art matches the story well, yielding expressive characters and lending a wonderful sense of place to the fantasy landscape. Rich with humor and excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that will become a fast favorite of young readers.

[Review of the book Rapunzel’s Revenge, by S. Hale].  (2008, September 1). Booklist,
 105(1).  100.  Retrieved from http://www.booklist.com.

Library Uses:

This book would be great to read as an alternative fairy tale in a middle school setting or to display in the Juvenile or YA reading section of the library with the graphic novels.

Module 12: "Home on the Range" by Deborah Hopkinson

Book Cover Image:

                                                            www.goodreads.com

Book Summary:

This beautifully illustrated picture book presents the biography of John Avery Lomax (1867-1948).  In his early childhood, Lomax worked on the family ranch in Texas and often listened to the ballads sung by cowboys and ranch hands while on the trail.  His love for music led him to a career as one of America’s greatest folk singers.  He is most recognized for his song, “Home on the Range.”

APA Reference:  

Hopkinson, D. (2009).  Home on the range: John A. Lomax and his cowboy songs. New York, N.Y: Putnam Juvenile.

My Impressions:

The book contains biographical information on Lomax’s life as well as music notation for some of his compositions.  The ink and watercolor illustrations add to the overall appeal and charm of the book, as it flows across the lifestyle of southern Texas’ landscapes and its animal life.

Professional Review:

Interspersing her narrative with verses from "Home on the Range," "Sweet Betsy from Pike," "The Old Chisholm Trail" and like cowboy chestnuts, Hopkinson retraces the early career of the greatest collector and recorder of American folk songs ever. Taking minor liberties with the historical record (and compensating with a detailed afterword), she follows him from rural Texan childhood to the halls of Harvard, and then back out onto the trail, where, with a notebook and a primitive "Ediphone," he gathered verses and performances from anyone who would sing for him. In Schindler's atmospheric illustrations a dapper young man mingles comfortably with brushy-mustached, Stetson-topped cowpokes--and sits in one scene with a colorfully clad fortuneteller--in settings that are mostly wide, outdoorsy spreads of western prairie. Capped with a fuller picture of the work of Lomax and his son Alan, as well as enticing source notes, this account can't help but broaden the insight of little dogies everywhere into the histories and meaning of these enduringly popular songs. (Picture book/biography. 7-9)

[Review of the book Home on the range: John A. Lomax and his cowboy songs, by D. Hopkinson].  (2008, November 15). Kirkus Reviews, 76(22).  Retrieved from http://www.kirkusreviews.com.

Library Uses:

I think this would be a great addition to a ‘western sing-a-long” at the library for both children and adults.  Lomax’s many famous cowboy ballads will be familiar to most, and if you are lucky enough to know someone who could strum along on the guitar, that would add greatly to the overall authenticity.  You might also want to decorate the room with hay bales, a fence and some rope...and have your guests dress up in western gear for the occasion!

Module 11: "An Egg is Quiet" by Dianna Aston

Book Cover Image:                     http://sciencenetlinks.com

Book Summary:

This beautifully illustrated non-fiction book won the 2007 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books. It describes many different types of eggs in detail, with pictures to emphasize their beauty and uniqueness and matches them up with their wild ‘parents’ so readers can learn information about eggs and where they come from.

Eggs are a staple in the nutritional life of human beings as well as developing chicks.  They are a  graet source of protein, iron and many vitamins. They are used in baking and in agriculture (as fertilizers and animal feed).

APA Reference:  

Aston, D. (2006).  An egg is quiet.   San Francisco, CA:  Chronicle Books.
   

My Impressions:

I thought this book was extremely detailed and gave lots of good information about animals and birds that produce eggs.  There are so many different types of eggs in nature, as well as different sizes, colors, etc.  But they all serve the basic function of sustaining life for the growing chick, and in some cases, provide food for humans as well.  This book would be great to introduce young ones to the beauty and miracles of nature.

Professional Review:

PreS-Gr. 2. This beautifully illustrated introduction to eggs resembles pages drawn from a naturalist's diary. The text, scrolled out in elegant brown ink, works on two levels. Larger print makes simple observations that, read together, sound almost like poetry: "An egg is quiet. . . . An egg is colorful. An egg is shapely." On each spread, words in smaller print match up with illustrations to offer more facts about bird and fish eggs across the animal spectrum. The illustrations are too detailed for read-alouds, but there's a great deal here to engage children up close. The succinct text will draw young fact hounds, particularly fans of Steve Jenkins' Biggest, Strongest, Fastest (1995) and his similar titles. Long's illustrations are elegant and simple, and the gallery of eggs, as brilliantly colored and polished as gems, will inspire kids to marvel at animals' variety and beauty. A spread showing X-ray views of young embryos growing into animal young makes this a good choice for reinforcing concepts about life cycles. Gillian Engberg

[Review of the book An egg is quiet, by D. Aston].  (2006, April 15). Booklist,
 102(16).  48.  Retrieved from http://www.booklist.com. 

 Library Uses:

Although the pictures are too detailed to make this a good storytime read, you could still use it along with other books on eggs and chicks to start a discussion of eggs, especially around Easter time when children are potentially handling eggs more than usual and could show an increased interest in them.  You could have fingerplays about chicks and hatching from an egg.  In the book, readers learn that it takes chickes about 21 days to hatch.  Children could all sit on the floor and wrap their arms around themselves, and imagine what it would feel like to be a chick and hatch…to imagine themselves inside the shell, and then pretending they are the chick, breaking out.  How would that feel?

Module 10: "Day of Tears" by Julius Lester

Book Cover Image:

Book Summary:

The book “Day of Tears” by Julius Lester is a historical novel based on the true account of the largest slave auction in United States history that took place in the year 1859.  Wealthy landowner, Mr. Pierce Butler holds the slave auction at his plantation in Georgia.  436 slaves were auctioned off that day, including some from Butler’s own household.  It seems he was in some financial trouble and had to sell a young slave girl named Emma, whom he was close to and promised never to sell, since she had served faithfully as a house servant for 12 years. The story follows Emma as she moves with her new “owner” from Kentucky.  She eventually gains her freedom when she marries and escapes to Canada.

APA Reference:  

Lester, J. (2005).  Day of tears: A novel in dialogue. New York, N.Y: Hyperion Books for
     Children.

My Impressions:

The book is written in a dialogue format, with different characters speaking various dialects.  It is a difficult story to read for some, due to the format and also due to the subject matter.  The text clearly illustrates how inhumane slavery was and forces the reader to look at this evil practice through the eyes of the slaves themselves.  Although the book covers a dark period in American history, it is essential that it be read and remembered.  History has a way of repeating itself, and this is one practice that hopefully will never be reintroduced into society ever again.

Professional Review:

From School Library Journal
Starred Review. Grade 6-9–This powerful and engaging historical novel is told in dialogue and through monologues. It also moves around in time, from the period when the story takes place to "interludes," in which the various characters look back on these events years later. It begins with a factual event–the largest slave auction in United States history that took place in 1859 on Pierce Butler's plantation in Georgia. The book introduces Butler, his abolitionist ex-wife Fanny Kemble, their two daughters, the auctioneer, and a number of slaves sold to pay off Butler's gambling debts. Emma, a fictional house slave, is the centerpiece of the novel. She cares for the master's daughters and has been promised that she will never be sold. On the last day of the auction, Butler impulsively sells her to a woman from Kentucky. There she marries, runs away, and eventually gains her freedom in Canada. Lester has done an admirable job of portraying the simmering anger and aching sadness that the slaves must have felt. Each character is well drawn and believable. Both blacks and whites liberally use the word "nigger," which will be jarring to modern-day students. The text itself is easy to read and flows nicely. Different typefaces distinguish the characters' monologues, their dialogues with one another, and their memories. Still, middle school readers may have some difficulty following the plot until they get used to the unusual format. Altogether this novel does a superb job of showing the inhumanity of slavery. It begs to be read aloud, and it could be used in sections to produce some stunning reader's theatre.

[Review of the book  Day of Tears: A novel in dialogue, by J. Lester].  (2011, February). School Library Journal,  57(2).  35.  Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com.

Library Uses:

The Day of Tears is based on a historical event that most people have not heard about, called “The Weeping Time.”  A good project would be to do some research on this event and create a poster to be displayed in the library, on slavery and the things leading up to the Civil Rights movement.  Famous freedom fighters could be highlighted and displayed with relevant library books on the subject.

Module 9: "The Face on the Milk Carton" by Caroline B. Cooney

Book Cover Image:                                   www.hellogiggles.com

 Book Summary:

The Face on the Milk Carton is the story of a young girl, now a teenager, who sees a picture on a milk carton during school lunch and comes to the realization that she could possibly be the missing child in that picture.  The photo shows a normal little 3-year-old girl in pigtails and a pinafore, who had been kidnapped from a mall in New Jersey over twelve years ago. Janie Johnson is shocked to see her face staring back at her from the carton.  Up until now, her life has been normal.  She is the only child of parents she loves and adores.

In a search to discover the truth, Janie asks her parents facts surrounding her birth, including the question of why there are no baby pictures of her.  They are vague and insist that she shouldn’t worry about it.  But one day when she looks through some hidden items, she finds the exact dress shown in the picture on the milk carton.

Not knowing how to handle this troubling information, she confides in Reeve, a friend and neighbor, and together they reveal their findings to Janie’s parents.  Janie struggles with bouts of depression and self-esteem issues, not knowing who she really is or why this event occurred.

The truth eventually comes out as Janie’s parents disclose that they had taken her away from their daughter who had become involved in a cult.  They insisted they had done it out of love.  But further investigation revealed that Janie did not belong to their daughter either, and that she had kidnapped Janie from that shopping mall years ago. 

The book ends as Janie accepts the situation and contacts her birth parents.  The story continues in Cooney’s second book, Whatever happened to Janie?

APA Reference:  

Cooney,  C.B.  (1996). The face on the milk carton.  New York, N.Y.  Delacorte Books for Young Readers.

My Impressions:

The Face on the Milk Carton is a young adult novel written by well-known author Caroline B. Cooney.  It addresses the important issue of missing and kidnapped children in America.  As I read the book, it was easy to get caught up in Janie’s growing fear and insecurity as she faced the real possibility that she was a kidnapped child, and that her parents had lied to her all these years.  Just being a teenager and facing the normal anxieties and pressures of that time in life would be difficult enough for a young girl to deal with, but her search for the truth consumed her thoughts and twisted her emotions.  The normal ‘rite of passage’ for every teenager is self-discovery.  Janie’s entire perception of who she is was shattered by one moment of horrified recognition as she glanced at a random milk carton. Her life would never be the same.

Although the plot in this mystery would be of interest to teens, I didn’t feel the characters were developed as well as they could have been.  Another problem I had with the story was Janie’s sexual experimentation with Reeve.  She was already dealing with so many mixed-up emotions regarding her heritage that entering into such a relationship at that point only further complicated the situation.  Overall though, this is an intriguing story that keeps the reader flipping pages to find out what the ending will be.  The situation, however, is not resolved in the first book – you have to read the sequel(s) to discover how it all turns out.

Professional Review:

A milk carton portrait causes a 15-year-old girl to question her true identity; citing the novel's "strong characterizations and suspenseful, impeccably paced action," PW added, "The roller-coaster ride Jane experiences with her emotions is both absorbing and convincing." Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

[Review of the book The face on the milk carton, by C. B. Cooney].  (1995, April 10). Publishers Weekly,  242(15).  17.  Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com.

Library Uses:

The theme of family and heritage is emphasized throughout this book.  A good project for older children might be to research their family tree and create a crest with names of their ancestors on both sides, going back several generations.  Other possible themes to explore would be adoption and step-families, as well as kidnapped and missing children.