Module 14: Crank

Book Summary:

Kristina is the perfect teenage daughter. She never gets into trouble and is a gifted student. Then while visiting her absentee father, the real Kristina disappears and Bree emerges. Bree is reckless and fearless where Kristina is cautious and a rule follower. When Bree becomes involved with a boy named Adam, he introduces her to the monster, crank or methamphetamines. When she returns home, she tries to hide her secret from her mom while searching out new sources for her addiction. The world of crank begins to take over Kristina’s/Bree’s life and she is in a struggle to keep it together. Everything gets out of control and she is faced with the most difficult decision of her life as she continues to fight her addiction.

APA Reference of Book:

            Hopkins, E. (2004). Crank. New York, NY: Margaret K.          McElderry Books.

Impressions:  

This was a very interesting story of addiction and relationships. Told in verse through the lense of a teenage girl, the reader is taken through the struggles of drug addiction. I found this book easy to read and very emotional. There are many ups and downs as the main character, Kristina, struggles with her addiction. The author provides insight into the thinking of a teenager on drugs and how she deals with relationships. The reader also gets a view of the dysfunctional relationships so many teenagers deal with and how they might deal with that. I did really appreciate how the author was honest and showed all of the ugly parts that come with addiction.

Professional Review:

Nonfiction author Hopkins pens her first novel, written in verse, introducing 15-year-old narrator Kristina, who reveals how she became addicted to crank, and how the stimulant turned her from straight-A student to drug dealer, and eventually a teen mom. On a court-ordered visit to see her slimy and long-absent dad, she meets—and is instantly attracted to—Adam, who sports a "tawny six pack,/ and a smile." Soon, Adam introduces her to "the monster" (there, she also unleashes a new personality, id-driven Bree). Her addiction grows, as does Bree's control. Readers get a vivid sense of the highs and lows involved with using crank ("I needed food, sleep,/ but the monster denied/ every bit of it"). Her life changes quickly: Soon she's dating two guys, both of whom use crank; says "F--- you" to her mom, can't keep up with school, and loses her old friends. There are plenty of dramatic moments: The first time she does crank, for example, her dad joins her. That same night, she stumbles into a bad area and is almost raped, and Adam's girlfriend tries to kill herself. Later in the book, she does get raped and starts selling the drug for the Mexican Mafia. Readers will appreciate the creative use of form here (some poems, for instance, are written in two columns that can be read separately or together), and although the author is definitely on a mission, she creates a world nearly as consuming and disturbing as the titular drug. Ages 14-up. (Oct.)

Publisher’s Weekly. (2004). [Review of Crank]. Publisher’s Weekly. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-689-86519-0.

Library Uses:

Crank could be used in a high school library as a way to support students who might be dealing with drug addiction themselves or know someone who is struggling with addiction. A group could read the book and use that as a springboard for discussion so students don’t have to personal right away. This book is also good for anyone dealing any issues with parents or friends. Mainly I believe that the best way to use this book is to generate discussion on any of the difficult topics addressed in the book.

Module 13: Sisters

Book Summary:

Raina wished for a sister but Amara wasn’t quite what she expected. The girls are quite different and their relationship doesn’t improve over the years. They fight constantly and the addition of a little brother doesn’t help with the tension. The parents try to help the tension by giving up their room so Raina can have her own room. Then the family, minus dad, are setting out on a road trip from California to Colorado to visit family. They can’t seem to get along through dinner, a long road trip doesn’t look hopeful. They will travel in a van with no air conditioning and the close quarters along with the rising temperatures do not help everyone’s mood. As Raina tries to drowned out life with her Walkman she soon discovers, through Amara’s close attention, that their parents’ relationship is in trouble. The disappointing visit with family and the realization about their parents results in the sisters turning to each other for comfort. Will this begin to mend their relationship or is this just a temporary truce?

APA Reference of Book:

Telgemeier, R. (2014). Sisters. New York, NY: Scholastic.

Impressions:

This was a cute and relatable story. I think most children with siblings or other family close in age can relate to the fighting and arguing that takes place in homes. The feelings of being left out when a sibling grows are also addressed. Then there is a small part that addresses the problems with the parents’ marriage and the girls turn to each other with their concern. This is a popular title in my school and I can see how students can relate to storyline.

Professional Review:

In “Sisters,” the latest graphic memoir by Raina Telgemeier, it is the summer before high school and Raina is stuck between a squirrelly little brother and a volatile younger sister in a van without air conditioning. They are on a weeklong drive from their home in San Francisco to a family reunion in Colorado Springs, and as temperatures rise, so do tempers. Raina and her sister, Amara, argue over everything, from what to do about a snake on the loose (“What if we shut him in a suitcase till we’re home?”) to their parents’ relationship (“You don’t think Mom and Dad are gonna split up . . . do you?”). Memories of improbable pet deaths, their father’s unemployment and the difficulties of coexisting in a small apartment are woven into the tale of their emotional and sometimes tense journey through the American West.

Readers may remember Raina from Telgemeier’s “Smile,” published four years ago, which followed her struggles to navigate adolescence, friendships and prolonged orthodontic misadventures. Through “Smile,” I watched Raina grow up and learn to hold her head high, and I was totally rooting for her. Telgemeier’s honesty and humor made it easy to feel as if I knew her. Saying goodbye was bittersweet, so I was excited to read “Sisters.” Although the story follows the same characters who appear in “Smile,” “Sisters” could easily be read as a stand-alone. “Smile” focused mainly on Raina’s struggles to fit in and find her place in school; “Sisters” takes a closer look at sibling relationships, challenges at home and what it means to be a family.

“Sisters” has one of the most accurate portrayals of a family reunion I have ever read. As little kids charge unsupervised through the house and adults exist in a separate realm of arguing, Raina tries to revive her relationship with her cousins after years without them. Although her extended family is friendly, Raina never quite feels included or comfortable. I, too, have spent nights on a relative’s floor in a sleeping bag wondering when the cool older cousins outgrew me. In those awkward moments, I, like Raina, turn toward siblings, because even though we often fight, we’ve got one another’s backs.

Throughout the book, Raina spends a lot of time tuning out the noise of her everyday life. With the help of a Walkman and some cassette tapes, she manages to disappear into her own world. But as the road trip continues, it becomes clear that Amara, though younger, has picked up more clues about what’s going on between their parents than Raina has, and Raina starts to pay more attention.

“Sisters” is a quick read as well as a fun one. Telgemeier uses her expressive, cartoon-style drawings to bring context and emotion to the minimal text, which is almost entirely dialogue. I love her work, not because it is exotic or unusual, but because she writes stories we have all lived, and tells them in a way that feels uncomfortable yet transcendent. “Sisters” is about ordinary family conflict, about things never going exactly to plan. But that is life. The profound thing Raina discovers is that we do not have to navigate the difficulties alone. Whether we are born into one or find one later in life, we have families. And although we may not get along 100 percent of the time, they are there for us during those unforeseen bumps in the road. Even if they will tease us about it later.

Van Wagenen, M. (2014). [Review of Sisters]. New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/books/review/sisters-by-raina-telgemeier.html?_r=0

Library Uses:

Sisters could be used in the library as a way to introduce the genre of graphic novels to students. Excerpts can be read and the pictures shown to illustrate to students that there are books that they may want to read. This is especially helpful for reluctant readers. This could also be helpful to assist students who are dealing with difficult situations like those addressed in the book such as, sibling rivalry and parents’ marital issues.

Module 12: Miss Moore Thought Otherwise

Book Summary:

There was a time in history when children were not able to check out books from a library. During this time many didn’t understand the importance for children to read. There was one lady who thought otherwise and her name was Miss Anne Carroll Moore. Many people didn’t like for children to check out library books because they thought the children would damage the books. Miss Moore wanted children to borrow the books so she instituted a pledge for the children to sign, promising that they would take care of the books. Miss Moore went on to become a pioneer in the design of a children’s area in the New York Public Library which became the model for libraries everywhere.

APA Reference of Book:

Pinborough, J. (2013). Miss Moore thought otherwise. Boston, MA: HMH Books for Young Readers.

Impressions:

The story of Miss Moore was a very sweet and surprising story. The inspiration that one woman could make such a change in a time when women didn’t have much of a voice for change is amazing. The idea that anyone didn’t allow children to borrow library books is so surprising. I am thankful to Miss Moore for her foresight and persistence to create a space for children in her library. It is very interesting that she shared her ideas with so many others and is seen as such a larger than life historical figure in the area of librarianship.

Professional Review:

In her pleasant picture book biography, Jan Pinborough’s debut highlights a woman who transformed libraries from hushed rooms designed for polite adults to vibrant environments that include children—with all their wild imagination and energy.

Brightly illustrated with Debby Atwell’s playful acrylic paintings, Miss Moore Thought Otherwise: How Anne Carroll Moore Created Libraries for Children sprinkles colorful little details that reveal a likable and somewhat lively heroine.

The child from Limerick, ME, who loved heart-thumping toboggan rides as well as the stories her father read aloud would one day pack her bags to attend the Pratt Institute library school in Brooklyn. She chose one of the few professions open to women in the early 20th century: library studies.

She first worked at the local Pratt Free Library, which had, to her mind, a delightful new feature: a library space just for children. In an era in which other librarians cultivated the reading interests of only adults, “Miss Moore thought otherwise”—a refrain Ms. Pinborough uses to delineate how her approach differed from that of the majority.

Word spread about Miss Moore’s abilities, and in time she was hired to oversee the children’s departments in all 36 branches of the New York Public Library. Finally she was in a position to make changes that would have an impact on thousands of families.

To her dismay, she found many librarians still did not allow children even to touch books, let alone take them home. She set about changing that.

Unlike her contemporaries, Miss Moore did not believe the library was meant to be as quiet as a tomb. One cheerful, full-page painting shows Miss Moore in her floor-length skirt helping to take down a huge black sign with the word “silence.”

She urged librarians to talk to children, to tell them stories. And what about those dull books no one wanted to read? Out with them! Instead, she brought in the likes of Tom Sawyer and The Swiss Family Robinson to satisfy children’s taste for adventure.

Then came a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. A grand new library would be built at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. Annie Moore had the chance to create the very best children’s library for New York City’s youth.

The innovations she introduced at the New York Public Library have now been adopted around the world. Such logical features include child-size furniture, bright, attractive artwork and displays; the inclusion of cozy seating; and kid-pleasing book collections. Reading clubs and visits by talented performers, artists, and authors enlivened the children’s room, then and now.

In her interesting afterward, Ms. Pinborough notes that in reality, Anne Carroll Moore was one of a number of strong, independent women librarians who revolutionized children’s library services.

What distinguishes this woman, she asserts, is her “unique combination of intelligence, imagination, and ambition – coupled with her connections with authors, illustrators, and publishers and her situation at the iconic New York Public Library. . . .”

In his 1959 “Poema de los Dones” (“Poem About the Gifts”), Jorge Luis Borges compared paradise to a library. Thanks to leaders like Anne Carroll Moore, we can all enter that heady realm here and now.

Durante, J.F. (2013). [Review of Miss Moore Thought Otherwise]. New York Journal of Books. Retrieved from http://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/miss-moore-thought-otherwise-how-anne-carroll-moore-created-libraries-children

Library Uses:

Miss Moore Thought Otherwise could be used in the library as a resource for a student doing research on influential women in history. Including resources on people like this a teacher and librarian can help broaden the scope of the assignment. This helps bring in new and different types of influential people.

Module 11: Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon

Book Summary:

The story of the making of the atomic bomb by a host of brilliant physicists, organized by the United States government is a story few know a lot about. The events that led up to the making of the bomb are chronicled. From the discovery that uranium atoms could be split to the dropping of the bomb, all is revealed.

This told in story form from three distinct angles. Readers will learn about what the United States went through to build the bomb, how the Soviet Union tried to steal America’s ideas, and how a main focus for the United States was to keep Germany from building a bomb at all. The facts are told in narrative form with many photos and quotes from all of the key players. Readers will learn about the science to build the bomb as well as the lengths individuals went to steal ideas from the U.S. The race to build bombs is an excellent example of genius and teamwork. It is also a story of moral struggles for those involved in the bomb creation. This is a story that continues today.

APA Reference of Book:

Sheinkin, S. (2012). Bomb: The race to build and steal the world’s most dangerous weapon. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

Impressions:

This book, Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, was such an enjoyable read. I’ll admit that I’ve had this book on my shelf for some time but never took the time to read it. I am so glad that I chose to read it now. Not only does it go well with some of the reading for my own classroom, it taught me so much. The way this book was written made this topic so interesting and easier to read. It’s not often that a book can deliver the information necessary in such a clear and interesting manner. I found myself anxious to get back to the book to learn more about the physicists, the spies, the Soviets, and the Germans. I never knew most of the information presented, just some very basics about the bomb and espionage. Never would I have thought that I would want to know more about this subject. Mr. Sheinkin did a fantastic job making this topic irresistible.

Professional Review:

In late December 1938, German chemist Otto Hahn discovered that uranium atoms could be split, and just a few months later the race to build an atomic bomb was on.

The story unfolds in three parts, covering American attempts to build the bomb, how the Soviets tried to steal American designs and how the Americans tried to keep the Germans from building a bomb. It was the eve of World War II, and the fate of the world was at stake, “[b]ut how was a theoretical physicist supposed to save the world?” It’s a true spy thriller, ranging from the football stadium at the University of Chicago to the mountains of Norway, from the deserts of New Mexico to laboratories in East Tennessee, and all along the way spies in the United States were feeding sensitive information to the KGB. Groups of photographs are sprinkled throughout the volume, offering just enough visual support for the splendid character development in the writing, and thorough documentation is provided in the backmatter. It takes a lot of work to make a complicated subject clear and exciting, and from his prodigious research and storytelling skill, Sheinkin has created a nonfiction story young people will want to read.

A superb tale of an era and an effort that forever changed our world. (source notes, quotation notes, acknowledgments, photo credits, index) (Nonfiction. 10 & up)

Kirkus Reviews. (2012). [Review of Bomb: The race to build and steal the world’s most dangerous weapon]. Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/steve-sheinkin/bomb/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=_cat%3Akirkusreviews.com&utm_campaign=DSA.

Library Uses:

Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon could be used in the library to aid in the research of the topics presented in the book. If someone is doing research on any number of historical figures like Robert Oppenheimer or Albert Einstein or on the time period. Students will find useful information on science, inventions, the war, world leader, and espionage. This book could also be used in the library to show students how informational books can be quite interesting. The librarian could merely read an interesting excerpt to interest readers in this book and other informational text available.

Module 10: Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad

Book Summary:

Henry’s master has given him to his own son to work in a tobacco factory. He must leave his mother and the rest of his family on the plantation. Henry went to work for his new master and worked very hard. He then met Nancy, another slave, and they were married. They had three children and were as happy as the slaves could be in this situation. One day Nancy and the kids were sold in the slave market, disappearing from Henry’s life. He continued to go to work and do his job but his joy was gone. He then asked a doctor for help and mails himself in a wooden crate north to friends who don’t like slavery. Henry endures a cart ride, a train ride, and a steamship ride where he is carelessly tossed all around. He finally finds arrives in Pennsylvania at the friends’ house and is welcomed to his first day of freedom.

Additional information is included at the back of the book about Henry’s real life story and what happened to him after arriving in Pennsylvania. The information also includes a bit of history about the Underground Railroad and what slaves endured during this time in history.

APA Reference of Book:

Levine, E. (2007). Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad. New York,               NY: Scholastic Press.

Impressions:

This was a really good telling about the experiences of a slave with the Underground Railroad. The pictures add so much emotion and depth to the story. The book provided just enough information to pique the readers’ interest which might cause them to want to know more about events from this time period. Reading about Henry gave me some interesting insight into somethings I didn’t know happened during this time in history. I had heard of the Underground Railroad but wasn’t aware of things like what happened to Henry. I had no idea that slaves shipped themselves north to freedom. I enjoyed learning this new information and would like to know more about Henry and others like him.

Professional Review:

Levine (Freedom's Children ) recounts the true story of Henry Brown, a slave who mailed himself to freedom. Thanks to Nelson's (Ellington Was Not a Street ) penetrating portraits, readers will feel as if they can experience Henry's thoughts and feelings as he matures through unthinkable adversity. As a boy, separated from his mother, he goes to work in his new master's tobacco factory and eventually meets and marries another slave, with whom he has three children. In a heart wrenching scene depicted in a dramatically shaded pencil, watercolor and oil illustration, Henry watches as his family—suddenly sold in the slave market—disappears down the road. Henry then enlists the help of an abolitionist doctor and mails himself in a wooden crate "to a place where there are no slaves!" He travels by horse-drawn cart, steamboat and train before his box is delivered to the Philadelphia address of the doctor's friends on March 30, 1849. Alongside Henry's anguished thoughts en route, Nelson's clever cutaway images reveal the man in his cramped quarters (at times upside-down). A concluding note provides answers to questions that readers may wish had been integrated into the story line, such as where did Henry begin his journey? (Richmond, Va.); how long did it take? (27 hours). Readers never learn about Henry's life as a free man—or, perhaps unavoidably, whether he was ever reunited with his family. Still, these powerful illustrations will make readers feel as if they have gained insight into a resourceful man and his extraordinary story. Ages 4-8. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly. (2007). [Review of Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad]. Publishers Weekly. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-439-77733-9.

Library Uses:

Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad can be used when introducing the topic of slavery. A librarian can read this to tie into the curriculum for 5^th or 8^th grade to add some additional context to the information being learned in history.