LSSL 5385 Book Blogging Part 3

Gephart, D. (2016). Lily and Dunkin. NY: Delacorte

17. Requirement met: required book

Summary: Lily McGrother is about to start 8th grade, which is hard enough, but especially for Lily since she is technically a boy named Tim. The family is coming to terms with it, but Tim's dad is having a difficult time letting go of his son. Norbert Dorfman is new to Tim's school, which is hard enough, but especially for Norbert since he hates his name and he's hiding secrets about his family and his bipolar disorder. Both boys struggle being called names they hate so Tim decides Norbert's name should be Dunkin, while secretly wishing he could tell everyone his name is really Lily. This unites the boys who throughout the story have little to do with each other, but they seem to come into each other's lives at the right moment.  When Dunkin stops taking his bipolar meds to keep his spot on the basketball team, his secret becomes apparent to all the kids at school. For Tim, he decides that the holiday dance will be the time when everyone needs to see who is really is, which is Lily. Both Lily and Dunkin stand exposed of their secrets at the dance and realize that with the support of their families and each other, things are finally starting to look up. 

My take: I found being inside the mind of someone with bipolar disorder to be quite fascinating. His mind really keeps things from being seen as we see them. The longer he went without his medication, the more confusing and overwhelming the world was for Dunkin.  It was heartbreaking to watch and I was completely surprised to learn that his father was dead and that Phineas was not real. Tim's story is also heartbreaking but in a different way. I found his frustration and difficulty more believable than the one portrayed in the story George. The dialogue here between Tim and Dare and Sarah was far more age appropriate and believable than in George's story. I also appreciated that in Lily's case, there were healthy, responsible adults in the picture. 

Textbook Tie-in: Lily and Dunkin are equally the protagonists who are struggling with secrets and want badly to trust each other and be friends. The antagonist, Vasquez, seems to determined to keep them apart and make Tim miserable every chance he gets. The alternating narration allows readers to hear both Lily and Dunkin's thoughts and experience their struggles first hand, which is excellent for developing empathy for the characters. I found myself rooting for both of them but their circumstances seemed so difficult and painful at times. As an educator, I'm grateful to have read about their struggles and the author did a great job of conveying the feelings of these characters. 

Extensions: Random House has created an Educator's/School Counselor's guide that can be found here. The sixteen page guide contains information specifically for teachers with pre-reading activities,  classroom discussion topics and curriculum connections. The Counselor's guide is more focused on small group conversations dealing with both transgender teens and students with bipolar disorder. There is also a list of websites for additional information. 

Sartrapi, M. (2004). Persepolis. NY: Pantheon

18.  Requirement met: required book

Summary: Persepolis tells the story of Marjane, of Marji, and her family during the Islamic Revolution of Iran in the late 70's and early 80's. This graphic autobiography takes a unique approach to telling the history of Iran through the eyes of a young, idealistic girl. Marji's family has a long political lineage and she badly wants one of her relatives to be a hero, which in 1970s Iran means going to prison for their cause. Marji tells the story of how her family and neighbors are affected by raids, closed borders, and changes in the culture and laws of Iran. Her father, the optimist and her mother, the pessimist, really shape how Marji sees her world and what is happening to it. She argues with teachers at schools and exaggerates her understanding of what is happening because she believes in Iran so strongly. Ultimately, her parents determine that the risk is far too great for her to continue living in Iran and this first story in the series ends when she moves to Austria alone at the age of 14.

My take: I found Marji's outspoken nature to be rather dangerous given the hostility she expresses and how often her parents made her aware that she didn't fully understand what she was saying. There were some elements of the Islamic laws that she openly criticizes that I found very interesting, like the wearing of the veil and the lies they told young boys to get them to volunteer to fight. When I think of war-riddled Iran, Marji's family and the way they lived certainly wasn't what I imagined. I learned a lot about their culture, their ideas and how their history shaped who they are. 

Textbook Tie-in: This book is so much rolled into one! Historical, auto-biographical and in a graphic novel format. The illustrations are so effective in telling the story and are able to express her thoughts and fears in ways that words cannot. When answering the question of why we share literature with children, this book teaches empathy and transmits culture through Marji's experiences without being too heavy for students to handle. 

Extensions: Here is a link to a readwritethink lesson plans for high school students who need to improve comprehension. 

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/pictures-tell-story-improving-1102.html 

This site offers a guide for teaching Persepolis with links to resources to help students with background information, lesson activities for teachers while reading the book and summation activities for the story. 

http://teachingpersepoliseng434.weebly.com/teaching-resources.html 

Harris. R. (2009). It's perfectly normal. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press

19. Requirement met: required book

   

Summary - A bird and a bee take kids on a journey through understanding their bodies and sexuality. Harris covers a very wide array of topics, including anatomy, hormones, sexual orientation, sexual development, the ins and outs of puberty, hygiene, conception, pregnancy, birth, intercourse, birth control, AIDS and other STDs, and even Internet safety. There are a couple pages dedicated to some difficult topics that the bird and bee say "are uncomfortable but necessary" like abortion and sexual abuse.

My take - The first time I was introduced to this book was in my children's lit class during my first semester in grad school. I found this to be a questionable choice for children, thinking it was more appropriate for older students. I was relieved to hear Dr. Lesesne say that this book was replaced by a different book aimed at young students for her children's lit class. While this book has good scientific information, I do not feel it applies to elementary students.

Textbook tie-in: This nonfiction book has a great layout and is easy to locate information. The illustrations are unique as they are realistic, yet at the same time cartoonish. Many different body types are used throughout the book. Harris covers a wide range of topics that young adults might be too embarrassed to ask about and does so in a safe environment. When considering that students may seek some of this same information on the internet, It's Perfectly Normal offers safe explanations and facts about sex and body development. 

Connections: My sister teaches high school credit Health and I can't help but feel this book would be a good fit for that class. According to my sister, students ask about everything already covered in this book and they have some very confused ideas about many of them. She has to clear up many misconceptions. Other books by Harris written for younger students

Garden, N. (1982). Annie on my mind. NY: Farrar Strauss Giroux.

20. Requirement met: required book

Summary: Liza Winthrop is a smart 17 year old from a wealthy family who by chance meets an intriguing girl named Annie at the museum one day. Liza feels a strange connection to Annie and is confused by her feelings towards her. When her small private school puts pressure on her as the student council president to help save the school, Liza draws closer to Annie and is consumed with thoughts of her when they aren't together. Annie and Liza are forced to deal with their physical feelings for each other and whether they consider themselves to be gay. When Liza offers to petsit for her teachers who are on vacation, she and Annie suddenly have a place to be alone and when they finally give into temptation, they are caught by two people from Liza's school. Not only does this reveal the nature of Annie and Liza's relationship but it also outs the two lesbian teachers that everyone just assumed were roommates.   

My take: I'm amazed that this book was written in 1982, but I'm not surprised to hear that it was controversial at the time. By today's standards I would almost call it tame. While there is mention of the girls' physical interaction, it is not graphic or overly sexual. This book shows how far publishers have come in giving readers an opportunity to find themselves in a book. This is even mentioned in the book by Annie and Liza about how difficult it was for them in the early 80s to learn anything about homosexual relationships. The book doesn't glamorize the gay lifestyle, but rather presents the emotional and social challenges the characters face while offering at the end a glimpse of hope for Annie and Liza.

Textbook tie-in: Annie on My Mind is realistic fiction where the conflict is the budding romance between two high school girls. The story is told in first person, from Liza's perspective and is told as a memory rather than when it is actually happening. Readers are aware that Liza and Annie are not currently talking and slowly learn why as the story is being told. According to nancygarden.com, the book has won the following awards: ALA Best Books for Young Adults; ALA/YALSA Best of the Best; Booklist Best; Booksellers' Choice; ALA/YALSA 100 Best Books for YAs.

Extensions: This book would make for an interesting discussion during Banned Book Week by discussing the Kansas City controversy and comparing it to books written today on the same topic.


Smith, A. (2014). 100 sideways miles. NY: Simon & Schuster.

21. Requirement met: Required author Andrew Smith

Summary: Finn Easton lives in California, plays baseball and spends most of his time with his best friend Cade Hernandez. Finn's father is an author made famous when he wrote a book about an alien boy named Finn with different color eyes and a strange scar on his back. The only problem with this is that this perfectly describes Finn, who measures time in the distance the Earth travels. Because of a freak accident as a child, Finn suffers seizures that tend to happen at the worst possible moments. When a new girl moves to town, Finn quickly falls in love with beautiful Julia Bishop who helps him realize he isn't actually the character trapped inside his father's book. When Julia suddenly has to move back to Chicago, Cade and Finn alter their much anticipated road trip to a college in Oklahoma to surprise Julia. Along the way, they become heroes when they see a car go off the side of the road. They jump into action, diving off bridges and risking their lives to save a man and his grandson trapped in a van in the river. The journey taught Finn much about himself, his best friend Cade and the life he wants to lead outside of his father's book.

My take: It was a little tricky to write a summary for a book with such a weak plot. I found this book to be a little pointless. When I'm in the middle of a book, I'm always trying to think what might happen next and ask myself, "Why I'm reading this book?" All I could come up with about this one is "Will Finn have sex with Julia?" Nevermind that Julia had recently been raped which was completely glossed over by the author. The only interesting plot point came when the boys rescued the man and boy from a sinking car, which came when there were only 40 pages left in the book. Finn was obsessed with expressing the measurement of time by the millions of miles the Earth moved and it was quite annoying. Other words or phrases overused in this book include knackery, scattered atoms, boners, "twenty miles" (instead of one second), dead horses falling from the sky and references to the father's fictitious book. I never could buy that a kid as smart as Finn claimed to be really believed he was trapped in his father's book and his horribly obnoxious best friend Cade was the only well developed character in the whole book, and he was awful! The only redeeming quality I found was Finn's relationship with his dad. They are very close and there are some funny and endearing conversations they hold over coffee on the patio.

Textbook Tie-in: This book offered nothing in the way of valuable experiences for readers to learn from or relatable characters to live vicariously through. This book might appeal to high school boys who think its funny to act like they're 13, but otherwise I'd have a difficult time finding the right audience for this one. The characters do not go through any sort of growth through the course of the story other than Finn finding a girlfriend and learning how to have a long distance relationship with her.  The book is realistic fiction, but so often it references the fictitious science fiction novel by his father, that its hard to tell where one book ends and the other begins.

Other books by Andrew Smith

Schmidt, G. (2015). Orbiting Jupiter. NY; Clarion Books

22. Requirement met: Winner of Best Fiction for Young Adults

Summary:   Joseph, 14, comes to live with 12 year old Jack's family and he seems to be hiding many secrets. Jack's simple life with his kind parents is changed with the addition of this strange boy with a strange past, but he immediately trusts Joseph and wants to help him anyway he can.  Fortunately for Joseph, Jack's parents and a few teachers at school see potential in him and encourage him to dream of greater things. Joseph has suffered, living with an abusive father, and his only focus is finding his daughter, Jupiter, allowing him a life with hope and a piece of the love he lost. Jack and Joseph set out to find Jupiter, but then Joseph's father returns. Joseph is desperate to get away from his father and just as the story allows you to hope for Joseph, his life is cut short. This tragic story leaves you saddened by the unfair reality Jack and his family are left with, while also reminding you that all is not lost as a new family has been created.

My take: This book was equally sad and sweet. Its a quiet little story where the focus is on the relationship between Jack and Joseph, who share very little in common. Its a good example of how life can be a product of your upbringing and Jack's and Joseph's couldn't be more different.

Textbook Tie-in: This is an interesting story where the readers immediately ask themselves, what would I do in Jack's shoes or how would I treat Joseph? There are many examples in this book of people who can't look past Joseph's rough exterior to see the young, hurting boy who lost the girl he loves and desperately wants to find his daughter. While the characters in the story are young, the appeal for this one is broad and serves as a good reminder that life certainly isn't fair. Jack experiences the most growth in this book, going from the kid who is reluctant to accept this new family member to statements like "I had his back. And he had mine. That's what greater love is." 

Connections: Joseph is a victim in every sense of the word. This would be an interesting book to read with middle school students and have them look at the world through both Jack and Joseph's eyes. What makes Joseph who he is today? In what ways are the fathers in the book critical to the life their sons lead? How would you feel if Joseph was sitting in your class? 



Jamieson, V. (2015). Roller Girl. NY: Dial Books for Young Readers

23. Requirement met: Award winner Quick Picks

Summary: Astrid and her best friend Nicole are 12 years old, about to head to middle school and do everything together. After Astrid's mother takes the girls to a roller derby, Astrid falls in love with the sport and imagines that she is a strong, tough roller girl. When she signs up for Roller Derby Camp, she assumes Nicole will love the idea and join her. Nicole has other ideas as she feels drawn to dance and a new friend that isn't too nice to Astrid. Astrid has to hide her concerns about Nicole from her mother while also lying about catching a ride to camp with Nicole's mother. When roller derby  proves to be more difficult than Astrid imagined, she doubts herself but a new friend gives her the boost of confidence she needs to keep going. Astrid is ultimately forced to deal with her friendship with Nicole and she gets her chance to prove herself as a real roller girl. 

My take: My students loved this book this year and were thrilled when it won the Bluebonnet Award of the year. I really enjoyed this book and found it quite funny. Jamieson has a clever way of telling this unique, well-developed story. I was lucky enough to meet Jamieson at the TLA Bluebonnet luncheon in April and get a signed copy of Roller Girl as well as an ARC of her newest book. Those were fun to bring back and show my kids.

Textbook Tie-in: This is a realistic graphic novel told from Astrid's point of view. The struggles she faces are common and relatable to many middle grade students as they mostly deal with growing up and friendship. The book has a light hearted tone and makes for a fun read. 

Extensions: While its popularity is in large part due to the graphic novel format, this book has well developed story elements. This would be a popular choice for a class book study with a look at the characters and the struggle they face as they're growing up. Boys and girls can relate to finding what you love and how difficult it can be to keep friends as you grow up and sometimes grow apart.



Telgemeier, R. (2016). Ghosts. NY: Scholastic

24. Requirement met: required author Raina Telgemeier. 

Summary: Catrina and her family must move to the coast of Northern California for the cool, salty air that will benefit her sister Maya who suffers from cystic fibrosis. Catrina, or Cat, isn't happy about the moving away from her friends but Maya's health is more important than any of that. When the girls set out to explore their new town, they discover that ghosts inhabit much of the area and their new neighbor is willing to show them around. Maya is excited about the idea of ghosts but Cat is not so sure. Cat wants to make her sister happy, but is also worried about her health as she is out looking for ghosts. The story culminates when Cat and Maya celebrate Dia de los Muertos and see the ghosts of their loved ones.

My take: I chose Ghosts because it was the only Telgemeier book I could get in my library. Our copies of Smile and Sisters were always checked out! I talked with a few of the 5th grade girls and this was their least favorite Telgemeier book. After reading it, I have to say that I was far more charmed by the illustrations than the story. I found the plot to be a little shallow and the ghost storyline to be a little strange. It certainly wasn't my taste and I actually found the story to be kind of sad.

Textbook Tie-in: Ghosts is a fantasy told in a graphic novel format. The illustrations are colorful and appealing with a young target audience of about 10-13 year olds. There are cultural elements within the story regarding family and Dia de los Muertos, but may not be historically accurate. Some reviews I read took issue with many of the inaccuracies regarding the culture in the book.

Connections: Other books by Raina Telgemeier...

Block. F. (2009). The waters & the wild. NY: Harper Collins.

25. Requirement met - required author Francesca Lia Block

Summary: Bee is thirteen years old and has never felt like she fits in. When she glimpses another version of herself in the mirror, who claims that Bee has stolen her life, she seeks the advice of the strange boy at school who may know what is going on. Haze, who is also an outcast and believes he is half alien, thinks Bee may have seen her doppelgänger. Bee is reluctant to start a friendship with Haze but she finds herself drawn to him and his quirky ways. Bee also meets a girl named Sara who believes she is a slave who has been reincarnated. The three of them bond quickly and develop a friendship that is new and exciting. They crash the popular kids' party, attempt to fly and imagine that they are invisible. Bee's interactions with her doppelgänger escalate and eventually Bee stops eating and ends up in the hospital. Haze and Sara realize what is happening to Bee but are helpless because their theories are so crazy.  While in the hospital Bee is replaced with her doppelgänger while Bee goes to live in the wild, flying invisibly around Los Angeles. Haze and Sara are left knowing that the new Bee is not their friend and bond over the loss of their friend. 

My take: So much effort was made to write this book lyrically and with beautiful, flowing language that the plot was a little hard to find. I found myself completely lost several times with a shifting omniscient narrator talking about characters that were never properly introduced. The potential to develop these unique characters was instead spent on describing the gardens or pathway to the beach. While these things all are significant to the changeling world Bee really belonged in, they consumed too much of the 113 page book. In the end, the expectation to believe that the new Bee, who totally changed her personality and look, was welcomed with open arms by her family and the popular kids was just too bizarre. **This book does something that drives me crazy!! When I'm lost (or trying to get lost) in a book, particularly one that is fantasy, I hate when the author throws in references to trendy topics. This book could be timeless except for the unnecessary mentions of Google, Wikipedia, or American Idol. It so distracts from the beautiful language that Block creates. 

Textbook tie-in: The Waters and the Wild is a blend of realistic fiction and fantasy. The setting is entirely realistic, switching from Bee's home, their school and other locations around Los Angeles. Like other Block books, LA is almost a character itself. She has a way of describing LA that shows her love of the city. The theme of not fitting in is popular in YA literature and these 3 main characters certainly have some unique tendencies that prevent them from being invited to the popular table. There is no growth of the main character which makes the resolution even harder to grasp because the main character literally disappears. Again, so much attention is spent of the language that the quick jump in the end is confusing and unfulfilling.

Extensions: Block uses a few poems throughout the book as they fit into the plot and relate to changelings or doppelgängers. One poem in particular by Yeats is the inspiration for title for the book.

              For he comes, the human child,

              To the waters and the wild  

              With a faery, hand in hand,

              From a world more full of weeping than the can understand.

LSSL 5385 Textbook Reflections 10-13

Realistic Fiction

Characteristics: Character, setting and theme all appeal to modern readers in a believable plot consistent with the real world.

Criteria:
1. Before recommending realistic fiction, be sure it doesn't promote stereotypes.
2. Speech, behavior and circumstances should be contemporary and believable.
3. Does the theme emerge naturally throughout the story?
4. Does it tackle sensitive topics? Common subject matter can involve death, parent issues, and sexuality. 

Reflection: 
The following are books I have read for this class that are classified as realistic fiction:
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
Angry Management by Chris Crutcher
Gabi: A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero
Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

This genre is one that easily allows readers to develop empathy and learn vicariously through the experiences of characters. Realistic characters and situations make the stories relatable and therefore are a popular choice for teenagers. Personally, this is one genre of YA literature that isn't my first choice although there were several realistic fiction books from this class that I did enjoy. I prefer to escape into a book and living through the difficult teen years is not my idea of escaping, but if I can come away from a book with a new appreciation for a culture or be intrigued by a character then its a win for me. 




Nonfiction

Characteristics: Half your library but is defined by what it is not. 
From Delight to Wisdom by Betty Carter and Dick Abrahamson

Criteria: 1. What are the qualifications of the author? Are they experts in that field or experts at writing nonfiction. 

     History 

• A Kids Guide to the Bill of Rights and a series Women who Broke the Rules by Kathleen Krull
• Life and Death on Adolf Hitler by James Cross Giblin
• Aaron and Alexander by Don Brown

     Science

• Eye to Eye by Steve Jenkins - many books about animals with small tidbits of information
• Loree Griffin Burns - Beetle Busters
• Seymour Simon - Our Solar System 

2. Are the facts accurate? Check resources (content area, expert verified lists) to determine reliability. 

3. What is the purpose and scope of the book? It is important to determine the appropriate age level and if broad or narrow scope is needed. 

4. Organization - does it help readers locate information? (nonfiction text features: table of contents, index, timeline, charts, maps, etc.)

5. What role do visuals play? Not only does it help illustrate the information but it also breaks up the text. 

Questions to ask students about nonfiction:

• Tell how this book would be different if it had been written 50 years earlier or 50 years later.
• Describe your favorite illustrations. Which illustration do you wish you had done yourself? Why?
• Would this book make a good documentary? Why?
• Explain what you think the author did to research and write this book.
• How would this book be different if it had been written for an adult? For a kindergarten student?
• What kind of teacher do you think the author would make?
• If you had a chance to interview the authors of this book, what would you ask them?
• Describe three facts, theories, or incidents that you found particularly interesting. Tell why.
• Examine the title and jacket of this book. Do they present a fair representation of the contents of the book?
• Select the book you think was the most well written. Pretend a book company is considering publishing this book and you must defend this book. Describe what you would say to persuade them of its value in learning.

Reflection: Each grade level in our district does a unit on nonfiction text features so I have spent a great deal of time teaching students about the last two criteria covered in the video, organization and visuals. Since teachers need students to locate these text features, I am always analyzing the nonfiction books to find examples of ones that are both well written and well presented. Without both of these characteristics, the book is likely not be the best choice for my students. Being in an elementary school, I have found that the biggest challenge for developing a nonfiction collection is covering all the needed subjects for a wide span of reading levels. 

Fantasy/Science Fiction

Characteristics: Stories that defy the laws of reality are considered fantasy. All science fiction is considered fantasy, but not all fantasy is science fiction. There are different types of science fiction:

• soft sci-fi (science fiction setting with plots containing drama or realistic elements)
• hard sci-fi (more science than story)
• apocalyptic (stories that happen just after catastrophic events)
• post-apocalyptic (happens many years/generations after catastrophic events, typically has a primitive setting)
• steampunk - features technology involving steam power
• cyberpunk - deals with hacking and computer technology, tends to be bleak and dark
• biopunk - involves the manipulation of human bodies/DNA through bio-technology
• dystopia - propaganda is used and citizens are controlled. Society is an illusion of a perfect world. Often bleeds into post-post-apocalypic. ex. Hunger Games, The Declaration by Gemma Malley, Bumped by Megan McCafferty
• extra-sensory perceptions - (ESP) most commonly associated with book about telepathy, clairvoyance, or precognition (knowing the future)
• robots/cyborgs/artificial intelligence - deals with clones, futuristic technology
• time travel/parellel universes - time travel can be done through either magic or technology
• virtual reality/gaming - characters/story take place in a virtual world

Criteria: Authors who choose to write fantasy have a responsibility to their readers to not only tell the story, but guide readers through it. When a world exists inside the mind of the author, careful attention must be paid to keep the characters and story details believable and consistent. Despite unrealistic settings or fantastic events, there must be a universal theme that allows readers to relate to the characters in the fantasy. 

Reflection: For this class, I read the following books from this genre:
Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
The knife of never letting go by Patrick Ness
When You Read Me by Rebecca Stead

Personally, I enjoy escaping into a well written fantasy book. The popularity of Harry Potter and Hunger Games prove that I'm not alone. The fantasy genre allows for an unpredictability that is captivating and draws in readers. While the setting or plot may be unrealistic, the characters are usually quite relatable making it easy for readers to love them and learn from them. I would agree with Dr. Perry's statement of preferring books that are considered soft science-fiction over books that are more science than story. 

Graphic Novels

Characteristics: Graphic Novels are not a genre, but rather a form or format, that can be historical, realistic, fantasy or nonfiction. Educator's guide for Graphic Novels (I love this, what a great thing to share with my teachers!)

Criteria: 

• Stories are told in sequence with panels, illustrations and speech bubbles. 
• Graphic novels can serve as a bridge between picture books and chapter books. 
• Graphic novels contain all the elements of a traditional story but the addition of the illustrations make some abstract ideas a little more easy for students to understand. 
• Can be used to develop visual literacy
• Important elements include color, line, speech bubbles, composition and frames.
• GN's combine the storytelling elements of picture books, poetry, novels and film and a great for teaching tone and mood. 
• can and should be used in the classroom to teach every subject area; can be used to motivate reluctant readers. 
• CCSS can be taught with GN's for all grade levels 3-12. 

Reflection: For this class I read four graphic novels:
Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
Persepolis by Marjane Sartrapi
Snow White by Matt Phelan

• Not all graphic novels are created equal and I feel this is the genre that many teachers don't understand or appreciate. After attending the Graphic Novel author talk at TLA, I earned a new appreciation for their process. Some authors started with the illustrations while others started with the story. It was interesting to hear their contrasting technique. I got the chance to hear from Nathan Hale, Svetlana Chmakova, and George O'Conner.
• The graphic novels are a very popular section in my elementary library, so much that we do limit students to one graphic novel per visit. Some teachers prohibit them completely but most allow them and are grateful that their students are excited about reading any type of book. 
• Throughout the video prepared by Dr. Lesesne and Dr. Perry, I was relieved to see that many of the recommended graphic novels were ones that I already have in our school library. I inherited a healthy collection of GN's from the previous librarian and have added to it. 
• My personal favorite is El Deafo. I found it to be hilarious and so charming. There are so many valuable lessons in empathy that come out of this book and its very popular with my students. 

LSSL 5385 Book Blogging Part 2

Crutcher, C. (2009). Angry Management. NY: Harper Collins. 

16. Requirement met: Required author Chris Crutcher

Summary: Crutcher uses several former characters in this set of three short stories, merging them with the premise of the six characters belonging to the same anger management counseling group. The first story is about Sarah Byrnes and Angus Bethune who both that parent issues. When Angus hears Sarah's tragic story he convinces Sarah to go look for her mother, who abandoned her when she was young. To Sarah's shock, she finds that her mom not only has another daughter, but she named her Sarah, leaving her to feel both abandoned and replaced. The second story involves Montana West who was adopted by an overbearing father and passive mother. When Montana refuses to submit to her father's demands of sending her little sister back into CPS custody, she leaves and moves in with Trey Chase and his grandmother. Together they seek a way to help Montana's sister and show everyone what her father is really like. The third story is about Marcus James who is a black, gay senior in an all white high school. After someone leaves a noose on his locker, the whole school is turned upside down while the suspects (three football players) smugly proclaim their innocence. Matt Miller, the state wrestling champion, calls them out eventually leading to their suspension and Marcus's murder. Each story tells of horrific events in the lives of teenagers, but woven throughout are wise, respectable kids who use strong, supportive adults in their life to find their way.

My take: I read summaries for many Crutcher books before choosing this one, so I had a little bit of familiarity with the characters. I enjoyed these short stories and I found myself getting quickly attached to the characters. The six teenagers who belong in the anger management group have so many redeeming qualities that isn't always the case in YA novels. I loved the line "with guys like Andy Bean, you turn down the sound and watch the picture" and I found the character of Matt Miller, who was named after a Crutcher fan, to be one of the most interesting and unique YA characters I've come across.

Textbook Tie-in: All three stories rely heavily on the conflict faced by the lead characters. Sarah and Angus are in conflict with the world around them partly because of their physical condition, Sarah has burns on her face and Angus is overweight. They both feel judged wherever they go and that conflict is resolved when they end up working at a camp for blind students where they are accepted for who they are. Montana experiences conflict with her father for multiple reasons. In the end, she realizes she doesn't have to win to beat him. Marcus and Matt face conflict in the form of lies and racism. Sadly, Marcus never resolves that conflict and Matt is left to reconcile his feelings with his faith.

Phelan, M. (2016). Snow White. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. 

15. Requirement met: Great Graphic Novel award winner

Summary: Samantha, or Snow as her mother calls her, lives happily with her wealthy parents in pre-Depression era New York. After sickness strikes her mother, Snow is sent away by her greedy, evil stepmother. Snow returns after her father's death only to realize she is in danger and has nowhere to go. She is rescued by seven little street toughs who take her in and give her a safe place to stay. While out finding food, Snow is tempted with a perfect red apple that poisons her and causes her to sleep.  The seven boys are desperate to help her and take her to her favorite spot in New York, the Macy's window display. Snow is discovered by a police detective who is taken by her. His kiss wakes her and they live happily ever after in her father's house with the seven boys who saved her.

My take: Graphic novels are not my first choice of reading material and while I've read some that I really like, this book didn't do much for me. There are very few words and I found the illustrations to be a little hard to make out, as they are supposed to be dark and bleak with a vintage feel. Obviously the story is familiar and there aren't any surprises regarding the plot, but I didn't find myself invested in any of the characters. Phelan does change up the fairy tale by moving the setting to 1920s New York which is what drew me to the book in the first place, but I finished the book thinking "this is one of those graphic novels that causes this genre to be a hard sell with some teachers."

Textbook Tie-in: This book is an excellent example of mood and tone being set by the illustrations. Since the majority of the book lies in the images, the dark and vintage tone carries over to the dialogue. There is a bleak mood set in the images of the stepmother, making the reader feel a tension or dislike for her before she even shows her evil side.

Extensions: If doing a traditional literature unit, this would make for an interesting contrast and open the door for a conversation about the significance of the setting. Phelan takes a classic fairy tale and moves it into a realistic setting in a time period that offers its own unique challenges. Students could analyze this book, as well as Rapunzel's Revenge, against their traditional counterpart for an interesting look at the same story told in two different genres.



Aveyard, V. (2015). The Red Queen. NY: Harper Collins. 

14. Requirement met: Quick Picks for 2016

Summary: Mare is a thief and is considered inferior because of her family, her home and her red blood. Desperate to escape the impending draft (or conscription) into the war, she finds herself making deals with dangerous strangers. Just when she feels she cannot hold her end of the agreement, she meets a generous stranger who not only gives her the money she needs but also a job working for the royal family. Her new employment saves her from war but reveals that she has powers that only belong to the Silvers, those with silver blood and that the kind stranger is Prince Cal. Forced to hide this discovery, the royal family presents Mare as a long-lost Silver princess set to marry Prince Maven. Now Mare is living amongst the people she despises and wants badly to bring them down. Along the way, she meets other Silvers who believe that the war must end and that the Reds deserve a better life. With Prince Maven at her side, they are determined to bring down the Silvers by helping the rebellious Scarlet Guard. As plans are made and Mare's feelings are pulled in many directions, Maven reveals his own intentions and Mare discovers she was a pawn all along. Now the king is dead, the rebellion is finished, Maven is king and Cal and Mare have been sentenced to death. As they face a bloodthirsty crowd and Silver killing squad, Cal and Mare must rely on their initial connection, skill and trust for one another to survive. Just as all hope seems to have faded, they are rescued by the Scarlet Guard and welcomed aboard as they plan to take down King Maven.

My take: My 14 year old read and loved this book so she enjoyed that this was a book I chose to read. As she was reading it last year, I remembered some of the details she shared with me so I had some ideas about plot twists. (She was so outraged by the evil queen and ranted about it one night at dinner!) My daughter also needed to talk through Mare's love triangle so I was very cautious about my feelings about both princes. Mare didn't know which one to choose and neither did I! I enjoyed reading this book and was happy to come across a YA novel that wasn't overrun by profanities. I have found that to be a frustrating distraction in so many books.

Textbook Tie-in: Red Queen offered a great story about a fictitious and imaginative world with a well-developed setting, intriguing characters and great plot twists. This is one of those books that has great appeal for readers in both middle school and high school, with much to offer for either age group.

Connection: This would be a great book to use for a character study. The wide range of characters we meet in Mare's world shows a huge contrast, from her ever-hopeful mother to the evil, vindictive queen. From poverty to power, analyzing the variety of characters used by Aveyard would be an interesting way for students to use this book.

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Sepetys, R. (2011). Between Shades of Gray. NY: Penguin Books.

13. Requirement met: William C. Morris award winner

Summary: Lina and her family were living a comfortable life in 1940s Lithuania, when they were suddenly ripped apart by Soviet soldiers and forced onto a crowded train car with hundreds of people. Lina, her brother and her mother find themselves sentenced to live in a Siberian work camp where they must endure hunger, hard labor, horrible Russian soldiers and miserable living conditions. Lina uses her artistic ability to document the people and events they experience while also trying desperately to send word to her father. When Lina thinks her circumstances can't get worse, she learns her father has been killed and her family will now be sent away again forcing her to leave her only friend Andrius. Forced even further north, near the Arctic Circle, Lina and the other prisoners face harsher conditions and are made to build their own housing. The cold and disease spread with Lina forced to watch many die, including her dear mother. When Lina's brother is close to death, they are saved by a Russian doctor who comes to the camp to report on the living conditions. He brings the needed medicine and saves many, including Lina's brother. The story comes to a close with a flash forward to the 1995 discovery of a time capsule detailing Lina's sentence of 12 years, which was widely unknown to the rest of the world.

My take: I love historical fiction but I put this book down twice with the intention of not coming back to it. It is not an easy read. I read this on my way to a family vacation to the beach so reading a 16 year old's description of babies dying and being thrown from moving trains or women being shot in the head was not how I wanted to spend this time but I'm glad I stuck with it. The atrocities suffered by these poor people is little known and as soon as I finished I did my own research into the history of Lithuania. I was so captivated by Lina and the author does a beautiful job of telling the story through her eyes.

Textbook tie-in: This book is chock full of antagonists! Lina must endure the evil of Joseph Stalin by way of his NKVD soldiers, the bald man who liked to spread his misery and cause fear, the grumpy woman who did nothing to make life easier for the other prisoners and the war. There is so much fear that the unknowns become an antagonist of sorts.

Extensions: If I were teaching World History, this would be a book I would recommend to my students. Not only does teach on the atrocities of World War II, but it covers a little known aspect of the war and the affect it had on the Baltic states. The topic naturally lends itself to a comparison of Nazi concentration camps and would make for an interesting discussion for students. It also would serve as beneficial for students to gain some perspective on fairness and the liberties we enjoy in the US.

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Ness, P.  (2008). The Knife of Never Letting Go. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. 

12. Requirement met: required book

Summary: Todd is almost a man in a womanless world where men's thoughts can be heard through their Noise. Todd's life consists of his dog Manchee, his father figure Ben and the thoughts of all the men in Prentisstown. After discovering silence in the form of a girl in the swamp, Todd is forced to leave Prentisstown and run for his life. Everything Todd has ever been told is tested as he runs from the men he's known all his life with a girl, Viola, who shouldn't exist. As they meet people that want to help, they realize they aren't safe anywhere and no one can protect them from the danger chasing after them. Their hope is in a town called Haven but they are unsure if they will find refuge there or if they can even survive the journey. Todd must survive attacks, pain and hunger while taking an emotional beating as he learns that everything he knows is all a lie. The tension and difficulties of the journey come to a close when they finally defeat the horrible Aaron and walk into Haven, only to find it abandoned and filled with the men of Prentisstown, leaving the reader to wonder if Viola can survive her gunshot wound and if Todd will join the army of men.

My take: When I started this book, I knew nothing about it! I did that on purpose. I didn't know it was science fiction and didn't until Todd spots Viola's spaceship! I didn't know it was a series until the very end when it ended on a cliffhanger with the words "end of book one" UGH!! I was hoping for a resolution and that all their hope would be fulfilled by Haven. I was captivated by the action and I couldn't put it down. (I literally read a few pages while I was pumping gas) The plot was so unique and Todd and Viola were so relatable and likable, which for me, is the perfect combination. Give me something different with characters I can root for. I'm so grateful that Noise is not part of our reality and I hope I never come across the likes of Aaron.

Textbook Tie-in: This is one of those books that you can get lost in easily. For me, I found the phonetic spelling to be charming and a reflection of who Todd is. (Normally this would drive me crazy!) While typical YA protagonists are independent, I would consider Todd to be more alienated than independent. The story is told over a manner of days yet it feels like a lifetime as each harrowing experience is detailed. Todd must make more decisions than most protagonists and each one affects him in his journey to Haven. 

Connections: Next in series...

This premise would make an interesting creative writing assignment. Imagine we could hear each other's thoughts. Reflect on what life would be like and explore some advantages and disadvantages of this condition. After students have a chance to think this through and write their thoughts, a teacher could introduce the series.

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Black, Holly. (2015). The darkest part of the forest. NY: Little, Brown and Company.

11. Requirement met: Author Holly Black

Summary: Hazel lives in a strange town where strange things happen. People and faeries live side by side and with the exception of a few violent attacks on tourists, they coexist. As children, Hazel and her brother Ben dreamed that they would grow up to fight and battle the monsters that lurk in the forest. They also share a fascination with the mysterious horned boy that sleeps in a glass coffin in the middle of the woods. As teens, Hazel and Ben get their chance to fulfill their dreams when a monster is set loose on the town, their friends are being attacked and the horned boy wakes up. Hazel suspects that she has played a part in releasing the horned boy and the search for answers takes her on a journey that reveals secrets she has kept from herself. Hazel must decide if she trusts her night self who is in service to the faerie king or her day self who is loyal to her brother and her friends. In the end, Hazel and her brother get the chance to prove their bravery and are successful in defeating the faerie king.

My take: I'm not one for creepy or dark books, but I enjoy stories that create fantastic or magical worlds. In Black's attempt to create a mythical world that closely borders a realistic teenage world, she throws out references to timely elements like Sharpie markers or Facebook. I found these references to be so disruptive to the world she was trying to create. It was very distracting! Also, there wasn't a single character in this book that appealed to me. Hazel realized that the fate of the town was in her hands and yet, I was ambivalent about her success.  Unlike other protagonist with similar expectations, like Harry Potter or Katniss Everdeen, Hazel is reckless and unpredictable. Her motivation is mostly selfish and I found myself just wishing the story would end. I found the storytelling to be disjointed with flashbacks that were only occasionally relevant. With constantly shifting third person perspective, it was sometimes difficult to follow the plot.

Textbook Tie-In - The biggest takeaway for me was the creativity and imagination this book evoked as I read it. So much of the magical world comes from Black's imagination that her appreciation of the faerie world is evident in her careful details and descriptions.

Other books by Holly Black: 

   

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Alexander. K. (2014). The Crossover. NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

10. Requirement met: Author Kwame Alexander

     Summary: Presented in a variety of poetic forms, Crossover tells the story of twin brothers Josh and Jordan Bell, their basketball player dad and their assistant principal mom. Josh and Jordan are gifted basketball players, but as they near their teen years, their attention often shifts to school, girls and family struggles. Their dad is sick and refuses to go to the doctor, which adds strain to Mrs. Bell and the boys. Josh takes the reader through their family's story that models a loving father, a strong mother, and devoted sons. When tragedy strikes, Josh's love for his father and their shared love of basketball is truly touching and heartbreaking at the same time.
     My take: The rhyme and verse set the tone for this family and their world as it revolves around basketball. Their enjoyment of music creeps its way into the poetry and many pages read like a song. Each turn of the page reveals a new style of verse without losing any rhythm in the plot or distracting from the characters. Kwame Alexander managed to capture the essence of basketball, family and heart in this innovative approach to poetry and it is a masterpiece. In my experience, this is one of those novels that can grab the attention of reluctant readers and expose them to storytelling in a wonderful new way.

Textbook Tie-In - This is one of those books you can get lost in, at least I did. It's tone and tempo are so unique and the story so engaging that I felt like the pages turned themselves. Before I read it, I had a 5th grade boy tell me that as soon as he finished this book, he went back to the beginning and read it again. He unashamedly told me he cried both times, so I had to read it. There's nothing like having an 11 year old highly recommend an amazing book!

Other books by Kwame Alexander:

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Stead, R. (2009). When you reach me. New York, NY: Wendy Lamb Books.

9. Requirement Met: Author Rebecca Stead

Summary: Miranda is 12 years old in 1978 New York City, where she has safely learned to navigate her neighborhood with her best friend Sal. One day, Sal is beaten up on his way home from school and their friendship takes the biggest hit. Miranda tries to learn the delicate balance of new friends, her single over-worked mother, and a handful of men who she faces everyday. When she starts receiving cryptic, future-telling messages, she learns there are some things you have to face alone. The underlying mystery of the notes is always in her mind, but her focus is on her new friends and her mom's upcoming appearance on The $20,000 Pyramid. In the end, the promises of the notes come to fruition and she realizes she has been closely watching the future version of her friend Marcus who has traveled through time to right a wrong.

My take: Honestly, I only stuck with this book because of the Newbery Medal on the front cover. I kept expecting some great connection to all the elements of the story, but for me it was a bit anti-climactic. The discussions and elements of time travel were confusing to me and the main character. She finally gave up trying to figure it all out, which gave me permission to do the same.

Textbook Tie-in: I would consider this low fantasy geared to the middle grades. It hits most of the bullet points for YA literature; an independent protagonist, contemporary issues, limited setting and facing circumstances on her own. 

Connections: Throughout the novel, she reads from and quotes A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle which would make a great companion novel for a book study. Despite the lackluster plot, there were some great quotes and revelations that students can learn from and relate to sprinkled throughout the novel. 

"Sometimes you never feel meaner than the moment you stop being mean." 

"It's simple to love someone,' she said. 'But it's hard to know when you need to say it."

"That's when I officially gave up the forgetting and started doing all this thinking."

"Einstein says common sense is just habit of thought. It's how we're used to thinking about things, but a lot of the time it just gets in the way."

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5385 Textbook Chapters 6 - 9

Literary Elements

• Antagonist - character or group of characters that oppose the main character. Also known as "the bad guy" but can be thought of as the rival, opponent or competitor. Without an antagonist, there is no conflict and without conflict, there is no plot.
• Character - one of the essential elements of a story in the form of a person, animal or inanimate object. The protagonist and antagonist are both characters. There are several other types of characters such as dynamic (changing), static (unchanging), round (well-developed), flat (under-developed) or stock (doesn't change during story).
• Conflict - struggle within the plot. Internal conflict is when the struggle is two opposing forces within the protagonist. This type of conflict creates tension where there is a lack of action. External struggle is usually a conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist.
• Mood And Tone - mood is the feeling that the writer creates with descriptions, words and emotional situations. Tone is the feeling that the author has towards either the subject or the audience. Both mood and tone affect how the reader feels while reading the story.
• Plot - the events that make up a story that follow a sequence or order. The elements of plot include the introduction which established the setting and conflict, the rising action, climax, falling action and resolution.
• Protagonist - the main character or leading figure in a poem, narrative, or novel. Also known as the "good guy" or "hero." The events of the story are told from the protagonist's perspective.
• Setting - social environment, location and time period of story. There are two types of setting: Backdrop where the setting does not affect the plot or the Integral setting where the characters and/or plot are greatly affected by the time or place of the story.
• Theme - main idea of a story, helps readers better understand the main character's feelings and beliefs as it is expressed through thoughts or conversations. Some common literary themes include love and friendship, war, crime and mystery, and revenge.

Literary Devices

• Allegory - a figure of speech used in both prose and poetry through characters or events to teach a moral. The use of allegory creates multidimensional characters or stories by causing the words of the author to mean something other than what they seem. 
  
• Allusion - a brief reference to a person, place or idea that calls to the mind of the reader something more complex. It allows the author to make a quick or passing reference to something complex without much effort.
  
  
• Archetype - a character or situation that fits a universally accepted personality or pattern of behavior. For the reader, this allows for a connection with a familiar social context. Typical character archetypes include the hero, the villain, the mother figure or the scapegoat. Archetypical situations include good vs. evil, the fall or the journey.
  
  
• Deus ex machine - Latin term referring to the use of an implausible concept or character that is introduced to resolve an impossible conflict. Commonly used in mythology and creates a surprise ending for readers.
  
  
• Hyperbole - a figure of speech that uses exaggeration to convey humor or create emphasis. It is commonly used in everyday conversation and often employs the use of a simile or metaphor to create an exaggeration. ex. He is as strong as an ox.
  
  
• Imagery - the use of figurative language that creates a visual representation of an idea or object that appeals to the readers senses. Imagery employs the use of similes, metaphors, personification, or onomatopoeia to aid the reader's imagination. 
  
• Metaphor - a figure of speech that compares two unlike things that share a common characteristic. The comparison is implicit or implied, never explicit like a simile. Used regularly in poetry to express complex feelings or images.
  
  
• Motif - an object, image, sound or action that has symbolic significance and is repeated throughout a literary work. This recurring element is used to support or explain the theme while helping readers understand the author's intent.
  
  
• Point of view - the mode of narration chosen by the author to tell a story. 
• 1st person is told from the main character's perspective - indicative by the use of "I" or "me." Allows reader to only see what the main character to see.
• 2nd person is told from a narrative onlooker who is writing to the reader. Uses the pronoun "you" and is the least employed mode of narration
• 3rd person is told from an outsider to the story, can be limited in their understanding of the main character's feelings or omniscient.

• Simile - the use of direct comparison to show similarities between two things, with the help of the words "like" or "as." Because of its common use in everyday language, similes bring a familiar quality to a character or literary work.
  
  
• Symbolism - giving symbolic meaning to an idea in order to imply it means something other than its literal definition. In order to use symbolism in their writing, authors must use similes, metaphors or allegory to convey their meaning. Symbolism allows writers to convey a more profound meaning that the literal definition.

Young Adult Literary Awards

Poetry

Poetry is often overlooked in our teaching because of the complexity of teaching poetry or because of our own bad experiences with poems. Have short poems ready to share with students everyday.

poetryforchildren.blogspot.com/2006/08/kids-1-favorite-poem.html

Criteria for Poetry - (Based on research done with elementary students in 1974 and 1993)

1. Kids prefer narrative poetry 
2. they typically do not like free verse or haikus - partially because of the lack of rhyming
3. Poems with sound devices or playing with language
4. Kids love funny poems, familiar experiences and poems about animals
5. Kids prefer contemporary poems - although many poems considered classic were not written for children. (ex. Robert Frost)

Important considerations for poetry:

1. Visual images - poems should evoke imagery
2. Poems shouldn't be watered down for kids
3. A poem should allow interaction ex. readers theater poetry, repeated readings
4. Poems should be lively with rhythm and meter
5. There should be an emphasis on sounds and play on words
6. Poems should contain simple stories and introduce stirring scenes of action
7. Subject should be relevant to children
8. Poems should be good enough for repeated readings

Example poems/poets

1. John Ciardi - Mummy slept late, Daddy fixed breakfast
2. Kalli Dakos - If you're not here, please raise your hand
3. Technically, Its not my fault - concrete poems
4. Many Luscious Lollipops - part of series about parts of speech
5. Judith Viorst - Sad Underwear and If I were in Charge of the World

Awards

1. NCTE award - given to a poet for a body of work 

• A Jar of Tiny Stars  - collection of poems by NCTE winners
• Marilyn Singer - most recent winner for Mirror Mirror and Follow Follow - reverso poems 
• Joyce Sidman - winner for poems about animals - Dark Emperor and Winter Bees - great for science teacher
• J. Patrick Lewis - Please Bury me in the library and Book of Animal Poetry
• Lee Bennett Hopkins collections - I am the Book and Nasty Bugs
• namesake for Lee Bennett Hopkins award

• Nikki Grimes - Daddy Poems and Words with Wings
• Mary Ann Hoberman - I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly (narrative and cumulative poetry)and A House is a House for Me. 
• X. J. Kennedy - funny poems Exploding Gravy and Brats
• Eloise Greenfield - Nathaniel Talking and Honey I love
• Barbara Esbensen - Swing Around the Sun and Dance with me
• Valerie Worth - All the Small Poems - writes about common objects 
• Arnold Adoff - Roots and Blues and Eats Poems 
• Lillian Moore - I feel the same way
• John Ciardi - You read to me and I'll read to you
• Eve Merriam - You be good and I'll be night
• Myra Kohn Livingston - Birthday Poems and Calendar
• Karla Kuskin - Moon, Have you met my mother?
• Aileen Fisher - Going Barefoot 
• David McCord - Every Time I Climb a Tree
• Mary O'Neill - Hailstones and Halibut Bones - full of color poems
• Paul Fleischman - Joyful Noise - Poems for two voices (Newbury Winner)
• Douglas Florian - Dinothesaurus and Shiver Me Timbers 
• Roald Dahl - Revolting Rhymes
• James Stevenson - funny poems - Cornstalks
• Shel Silverstein - Where the Sidewalk Ends and Light in the Attic
• Arnold Lobel - Pigericks
• Jack Prelutsky - funny poems full ph rhythm
• Kenneth Koch - wrote books about how to teach kids to write poetry
• Paul Janeczko - A kick in the head (poems about how phrases came into being) and The death of a hat (history of poetry) 
• Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong - books of poems for each day of school and teachers guides

Historical Fiction

Historical Fiction can be difficult to define as history is a relative to the reader. Stories about September 11th are historical for my 14 year old daughter but not for me. Historical fiction books should:

1. tell a good story while blending history into the plot, affecting characters and the setting.
2. contain historical facts that are accurate. Authors should not embellish here for the sake of the story. Any mention of historical references must be factual.  The Council on Books for Children is a good resource to review the reliability of a book's content.
3. accurately represent what was valued at the time, despite the controversy those views might represent in today's time period. This goes back to an accurate representation of the time period. 
4. accurately represent the elements of a time period. Architecture, clothing, music, and technology should all be portrayed with accuracy. Speech patterns should also be appropriate to the setting both in time and location.
5. appeal to contemporary readers. Despite the historical nature of the book, the overall theme of the book should be universal in order to appeal to more readers.