Week Seven

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  Posted by Carol Hacker (she/her/hers) on February 3, 2021 at 5:38 pm

  Post/link your slide of Audience, Summary and Theme here.  Then provide a short recommendation of the book for your classmates.

  For this assignment, it is expected that you review ALL of your classmates’ submissions and provide feedback to all.

• nicole espinal

  Participant

  March 8, 2021 at 1:29 am

  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1A5b0GDWQw0eu4AJurMrQ-CBcNJh4Hme4fqSAOSZgnmg/edit?usp=sharing

  I recommend reading the House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer. This book explores a science fiction topic (cloning) but also has rich cultural content as it takes place between the borders of Mexico and the U.S. One can learn a lot about Mexican traditions and even Spanish words reading this book. You will be hooked from the moment you start reading this book because of the emotional intensity the text projects onto the reader. Children and adults would enjoy this book.
  Zizhen Li

  Participant

  March 17, 2021 at 4:47 pm

  Link for my slide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EkDYdSQMTJhqo65-1b7Wme26SCzhSwEX/view?usp=sharing

  I recommend reading the book “The book thief.” This book tells of WWII was indeed a bloody war, but it’s good to know what happened there and be educated on how life was for those living in Germany at the time. I also think that kids should be able to read this to learn about the country’s history through good and bad times. It really gives the reader an idea of what a child’s life was like during the war. Just trying to be a child, riding bikes, stealing apples, playing soccer while keeping a huge secret, and hiding in basements when there was an air raid. It makes readers think about appreciating what they have and gives a different perspective from WWII. It can be educational and insightful, inspiring young readers to look at the world in a different way. When you read this book, you will see how the war tore families apart, how ideas and words can influence people to do extreme things, and it will show you how powerful words can actually be.
  Rachel Sundermier (She/her/her)

  Participant

  March 18, 2021 at 5:44 pm

  https://drive.google.com/file/d/148mrgt3a4FSofkdnWaG0u4lFwBYYdBme/view?usp=sharing

  I read the book “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” by John Boyne. I highly recommend this book to anyone, as this is a very enlightening read. Bruno is a 9 year old boy who is living in Auschwitz during Nazi Germany, yet has no idea what is going on in the world or even what is going on the other side of camp. When he finds Shmuel, a jewish boy in Auschwitz, he does not see him as the rest of Germany see’s him, but rather a boy who he can play with. This innocent and unlikely friendship reminds the reader that discrimination is often just something society makes and that friendship is a beautiful thing to have. Despite the dark nature of this book, the author did a great job making the book easy to read and comprehend. I highly recommend this book to anyone to remind ourselves that we are all the same as one another.
  Erin Dunn (she/her)

  Participant

  March 19, 2021 at 12:44 pm

  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1bGydKGAd3ZjUO6O7OYH2NkQLITsxiDj-bGDg0ajoEhI/edit?usp=sharing

   

  I read They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera and I highly recommend it. Although it is nearly 400 pages I read the whole thing in one day because I could not put it down once I started. The title of the book does spoil the ending (unfortunately there are no surprise happy endings for the two main characters), but despite that you spend the entire book connecting to Mateo and Rufus because they feel so real. I think both students and adults can enjoy this book, but if you are looking for something with a happy and light hearted ending definitely look somewhere else.
  Victoria Remi

  Participant

  March 19, 2021 at 3:51 pm

  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1nX5Os12pZCdLzYRTt5OI5KS38ITRzp28oQREMxoN9QI/edit?usp=sharing

   

  I read The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen and I would absolutely recommend it. Although it might seem like a typical YA beach read novel, Dessen is able to tackle serious issues, while keeping it relatable to younger readers. The story is about a seventeen year old girl who lost her mom due to addiction and her journey to reunite with her mom’s side of the family and learn more about her history. I loved this book not just for the story, but because of the characters as well. I was able to relate to each one of them in different ways, even though they had personalities that were so different from each other. They actually reminded me of some of my own family members, which is another reason I enjoyed the book. It highlights how not everyone’s family is the same, but in the end we all support and love one another. 
  Yuqi Li

  Participant

  March 19, 2021 at 5:19 pm

  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1cl6gK8h3_cxZTQ7MMDaRYMRr4sj8ZZdnRk7dbcMMa08/edit?usp=sharing

   

  I want to recommend Dear Martin by Nic Stone to you guys. The main character is 17 years old American African boy, and this book also talks about the relationship between a son and a father. In this novel, it also talks about the main character—Justyce didn’t do anything wrong. The police picked him up because of the color of his skin. He was subjected to inhuman treatment. Fortunately, Dr. King’s letter helped Justyce realize that his life was not over. I think this book is only suitable for older students (students over 14) because it has some violent scenes.
  nicole espinal

  Participant

  March 19, 2021 at 5:39 pm

  Link to book theme, audience and summary:
  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1A5b0GDWQw0eu4AJurMrQ-CBcNJh4Hme4fqSAOSZgnmg/edit?usp=sharing

  I would like to recommend this book to anyone who is interested in young adult novels. This book will change the way you view the world and other people around you as it is based on an African American teenager name Justyce who struggles to fit in a society where he is judge by the color of his skin. No matter how well educated or how good he tries to be, people still look down on him. Besides the theme of racial injustice, you will want to keep reading about his love story.
  Brian Bhowmik

  Participant

  March 19, 2021 at 8:05 pm

  Link to book theme, audience and summary:

  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1myYy-nx_dzLNBEpdAL2FISS5-y_IwPZO7H5MAPglsLg/edit?usp=sharing

  I read the novella “The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm” by Christopher Paolini. I recommend this book to anyone under this condition: You should read Christopher Paolini’s first book in his Ineheritance Cycle “Eragon”. The novella covers three short stories on the aftermath of the war in the kingdom of Alagaesia. In the book the protagonist Eragon is named leader of the Dragon Riders after he takes down the evil king Galbatorix. This novella would interest students who are into dragons/witches.

  • This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by Brian Bhowmik.
  • This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by Brian Bhowmik.
  Ariana Acosta (She/Her/Hers/)

  Participant

  March 19, 2021 at 8:29 pm

  I would recommend this novel “The Poet X” by: Elizabeth Acevedo for adolescent readers in the grades 8 through 12. The book has some parts that can be considered explicit but in my opinion they are important cultural & social issues that 8th grade students should be exposed to as well. This book gives a direct insight into the realities of the Latino and Latina communities and mimics many similar experiences dealt with across cultures. The best thing about this story is that it takes you through the perspective of a real 15 year olds life and their thoughts and emotions. I also enjoyed that this story was authentic because it was written by an actual Latina author.The way Elizabeth Acevedo wrote this story was in short poems and can help get students interested in poetry writing and spoken word. For high school students this book would be very engaging because it makes many connections to the pop culture of today.

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  Safa Sajjad (she/her/hers)

  Participant

  March 20, 2021 at 12:54 am

  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1wsN46f2WM3wfXxBK-8sbzLzubVsgrZtl822ZoADrWCU/edit?usp=sharing

  I read the novel, The Grace Year, by Kim Liggett. This was an amazing book, and definitely a page turner. I would highly recommend this book for anyone’s own pleasure reading, especially if you were a fan of The Handmaid’s Tale, Lord of the Flies, or Hunger Games. If used in the classroom, this book would be best suited for older students, such as 11th or 12th graders, only if the teacher/school is comfortable teaching books like The Handmaid’s Tale.

  The Grace Year is a feminist, dystopian thriller. It explores themes of femininity, patriarchy, religion/superstitions, and survival. The story is about a society in which 16 year old girls are banished to the woods in what is known as their “grace year”. We see how the grace year unfolds through the eyes of the main character, Tierney James, who is skeptical of the entire society she lives in. One interesting aspect is that the book is very inferential, and the author leaves many details vague, such as the time period that the book is set in. This allows the reader to make their own inferences and connections about the book.
  Susan Malinauskas

  Participant

  March 20, 2021 at 1:44 pm

  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/16_e8cwvbXv5RyBHDzOaB6dT62DfTs4MeEc0oO-hFssA/edit#slide=id.p

  I highly recommend the book Refugee by Alan Gratz.  It is a historical fiction novel about the trials and tribulations that refugees encounter in their home country, the journey to the new country and their experiences once they reach their destination (new home country). Each character was escaping political instability in their respective country of origin:  Germany, Cuba and Syria.  Their stories are interconnected even though they take place during different time periods.  I had to keep on reading because I was captivated with the stories of the three brave main characters.  I kept forgetting how young they were throughout the novel because of the experiences that they had to go through.  I know I’m repeating myself, but this book was excellent and very well-written.

  • This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by Susan Malinauskas.
  • This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by Susan Malinauskas.
  Zizhen Li

  Participant

  March 20, 2021 at 4:02 pm

  I love this book, too Nicole! This is a book that is full of suspense, action, mystery, and even a bit of horror. This book will make you cry and make you laugh, but no matter what you will definitely enjoy this book.
  Ariana Acosta (She/Her/Hers/)

  Participant

  March 20, 2021 at 8:19 pm

  Nicole your lede gave so much detail about this book! I would definitely use it in a H.S. class. You are correct when you say that age group could relate to the struggles experienced in the book. This story reminded me of the movie “The Hate You Give” it had similar  events that happened to a young African American boy. This text is especially relevant to the times we are in now in society.
  Ariana Acosta (She/Her/Hers/)

  Participant

  March 20, 2021 at 8:23 pm

  Rachel your lede was very engaging visually. I like how you subtly incorporated important points of the text in the images you used. I also appreciated the way you clearly explained the important aspects of the book without using so many words. Love this book definitely should be incorporated in any curriculum teaching about the Holocaust.
  Ariana Acosta (She/Her/Hers/)

  Participant

  March 20, 2021 at 8:28 pm

  Erin, this story seems very interesting after reading your lede.I like how you explained what goes on in the story without giving away every detail. I find this story especially interesting for adolescents because at this stage in their lives they don’t seem to consider death as a real consequence of their actions sometimes. I also enjoyed the way you created the city theme as the background that is something I was thinking about incorporating in my own ledes in the future.