Fiction, Fantasy and YA: "The First Part Last"

Bibliography

Johnson, Angela. The First Part Last. New York: Simon Pulse, 2005.

Plot

Bobby is a typical sixteen-year-old living in New York City.  He is in high school and likes to hang out with his friends and his girlfriend, Nia.  All of this abruptly comes to a halt when Nia becomes pregnant.  Once Bobby and Nia make the decision on what to do about this unplanned pregnancy with the support of their parents, life takes over and changes everything.

Critical Analysis

Johnson writes this story in a style that the reader gets the story from two different time perspectives, the “then” and “now”.  Bobby is the narrator for all of the chapters except for the one entitled “Nia” near the end.  The two parts, the “then” and “now” do not match up until they meet in the middle at the end of the story.  Then it is revealed to the reader how the “now” came from the “then”.  It is a story about more than a young man raising a baby.  It is about a baby and the choices that are made that raise a boy into a man and allows him to see the true value of family.  This realistic fiction novel allows young readers to see the hardships that come with teen pregnancy.

Awards Won and Review Excerpts

Coretta Scott King Award, 2004
Michael L. Printz Award, 2004

Starred Review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Brief, poetic, and absolutely riveting, this gem of a novel tells the story of a young father struggling to raise an infant.”

Starred Review in BOOKLIST: “Johnson makes poetry with the simplest words in short, spare sentences that teens will read again and again.”

Connections

Margaret Bechard’s Hanging On To Max has a similar storyline with a different ending.  The students could compare the two experiences.

The cover art for The First Part Last reveals the love this sixteen-year-old has for his baby girl.  It helps to attract young readers to this compelling story.  Students could create their own cover art for other books using this one as an example.

Fiction, Fantasy and YA: "When You Reach Me"

Bibliography

Stead, Rebecca. When You Reach Me. New York: Wendy Lamb Books, 2009.

Plot

Miranda is a sixth grader who lives with her Mom who is practicing to compete on $25,000 Pyramid in New York City.  First her best friend Sal dumps her as a friend after a strange boy punches him.  Then Miranda begins to get mysterious notes from a stranger with information about the future and an upcoming death.  She continues to get notes and figure out the cryptic messages while going to school, helping her Mom and dealing with friendships, new and old.

Critical Analysis

Rebecca Stead writes this engaging story with a mysterious twist to further tantalize the reader.  Miranda not only solves who the mysterious note writer is, but also finds out a lot about who she is and what she is capable of.  The chapters titles are stylized as if they are answers on $25,000 Pyramid, which offer a clue to the upcoming events.  It is a realistic story with a touch of fantasy, as this mystery man brings in the element of time travel and foretelling the future.  While Miranda is going through this adventure, she continues to support her Mom while she is practicing for the game show.  Friendships, family and the need for communication is another theme that will capture the interest of young people.  Even the titles of the chapters are written as if they are answers on $25,000 Pyramid.  

Review Excerpts

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “An exciting, engaging mix of science fiction, mystery and adventure.”

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY: “Credible and absorbing.  Young readers will find this a journey worth taking.”

Connections

·      Students can research information on the game show $25,000 Pyramid and see if they are any good at guessing the clues.

·      Students can read other mysteries, including First Light also by Rebecca Stead and compare them to this story.

Fiction, Fantasy and YA: "Diary of a Wimpy Kid"

Bibliography

Kinney, Jeff. Diary of a Wimpy Kid. New York: Amulet Books, 2007.

Plot

Greg Heffley is starting his first year in middles school and he records his daily mishaps and adventures in his journal.  He and his friend Rowley get into some tricky situations, all masterminded by Greg.  Greg’s plans usually have a way of backfiring and getting him in a lot of hot water.  Whether it is trick or treating, performing in the school play or sneaking his brother’s CD with explicit lyrics, things never turn out like he intended them to.  And it all takes place in the course of one school year.

Critical Analysis

Kinney writes the book as a journal, with entries labeled by the day of the week and each chapter is a month.   The style of the book is consistent with a middle school kid.  This includes the illustrations and the writing style.  The pages of the book are even lined to make it look like notebook paper.  Within the storyline there are lessons to be learned by Greg’s mistakes that are not obvious to Greg himself, but the reader will understand.  The humor that is intertwined in Greg’s adventures is what drives the story and will keep the reader wanting more.  Middle school students will be able to relate to this book regarding the elements of bullying, dealing with teachers, and relationships between parents and between friends.

Review Excerpts

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “The first of three installments, it is an excellent choice for reluctant readers, but more experienced readers will also find much to enjoy.”

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY:  “His print debut should keep readers in stitches, eagerly anticipating Greg's further adventures.”

Connections

Students can write their own journal or diary with events from their own lives.  They can add illustrations just as Kinney did. 

Students can continue reading the next three books in this series by Jeff Kinney.

Students can read biographies that are written from actual diaries, like that of Anne Frank and compare the actual diary with the fictional diary.

Historical Fiction: "Nightjohn"

Bibliography

Paulsen, Gary. Nightjohn. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young

     Readers, 1995.

Plot Summary

Sarny, a twelve year old slave girl narrates this story of bravery and hardship.  It takes place on a plantation in the 1850’s.  Sarny’s life changes course when the slave master brings home a new slave, Nightjohn.  He quickly befriends the young Sarny and begins to teach her how to read, even though it is strictly forbidden.  Sarny learns that Nightjohn had once escaped to freedom.  After learning the value of literacy and education, he gives it all up to share with other slaves what he has learned.  The reader is left with a hopeful glimpse of Sarny’s future.

Critical Analysis

The style of this book is consistent with the nineteenth century historical perspective.  The language is written as if an uneducated southern slave girl wrote it.  The reader gets a full-scale view of the abuse and the horrors that slaves faced from plantation owners.  While the story reveals Sarny’s child like nature, it is also apparent the ways she was forced to grow up quickly in this horrific environment.  Sarny becomes a heroine and the reader cannot help but to get behind her effort to learn.  “Nightjohn” is well researched and authentic to the mid-nineteenth century. 

Review Excerpts

PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: “Convincingly written in dialect, this graphic depiction of slavery evokes shame for this country's forefathers and sorrow for the victims of their inhumanity. Ages 12-up.”

BOOKLIST: “What gives the story transcendence is the character Nightjohn, who fires Sarny with hope.”

Connections

Students can read slave biographies and compare their experiences with Sarny and Nightjohn’s. 

Students can read James Lincoln Collier’s “Jump Ship to Freedom” and discuss the horrors and triumphs of the characters portrayed. 

Historical Fiction: "Catherine, Called Birdy"

Bibliography

Cushman, Karen. Catherine, Called Birdy. New York: Harper Trophy, 1994.

Plot Summary

“Catherine, Called Birdy” takes place in the thirteenth century.  Catherine, is thirteen years old, which means it is time to begin thinking about marriage.  Her father is anxious to come into some wealth and begins to negotiate with local well-off bachelors for his daughter’s hand in marriage, no matter what their looks or their age.  Catherine does not take this lying down and instead does everything she can to drive off her perspective suitors.  This all takes place in the midst of her daily life and chores. 

Critical Analysis

Cushman writes this story as stylized entries from Catherine’s diary.   While Catherine’s English, as the narrator, is easy to understand, the book is full of different phrases that are realistic to the time period.  For example, “God’s ears!”, “Corpus Bones” and using the word “mayhap” instead of “maybe”.  This historical fiction novel allows the reader to better understand daily life in the thirteen century.  Cushman describes the lack of bathing, arranged marriages, chores and meals eaten throughout a year, starting in September.   Beginning with October 13^th, each diary entry describes the Saint’s feast day associated with each date.  The reader learns about the strange customs, ointments and foods popular in the 13^th Century while simultaneously reading about Catherine’s fight for independence in a world where young women had little to no rights. 

Awards Won and Review Excerpts

Newberry Honor Book

1995 Notable Children’s Book (ALA)

1995 Best Book for Young Adults (ALA)

Quick Picks for Young Adults 1995 (ALA)

Starred Review in THE HORN BOOK- “Fascinating and thought-provoking.”

Starred Review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL- “A feminist far ahead of her time, she is both believable and loveable.”

Connections

Students could research medieval women’s rights and compare them to what they find in “Catherine, Called Birdy” and to what women have today. 

Students can read other books by Karen Cushman: “The Midwife’s Apprentice”, “The Loud Silence of Francine Green” and “Matilda Bone” for further insight into life in the middle ages. 

Historical Fiction: "The River Between Us"

Bibliography

Peck, Richard. The River Between Us. New York: Puffin, 2005.

Plot Summary

Tilly Pruitt, the teenage daughter of a somewhat poor family from Illinois, lives with her mother, sister and twin brother.  They take in two mysterious female borders in 1861, the fancy Delphine and the silent, darker Calinda.    There is much speculation as to who these two women are, but they quickly find a place with this rural family.  As the Civil War draws closer, tensions rise threatening to test everyone’s allegiances.  Noah, Tilly’s brother is sent off to war and from that point on, everything changes.

Critical Analysis

Peck writes a compelling story with the U.S. Civil War as the backdrop that is obviously well researched.  It is authentic, with actual Civil War battles, towns and dates listed.  The reader gets a glimpse of the agony and pain the Civil War caused, not just for soldiers, but for the families they left behind.  A lesser told women’s perspective is given of the U.S. Civil War as Tilly and Delphine experience it first hand on their adventure to save Noah.

The style of the book is written as Howard Leland Hutchings recalls a childhood story of visiting his Dad’s childhood home and learning the stories about his grandparents.  Starting in chapter two, Tilly’s character is the narrator.  The two stories come together in the last chapter.  As the story unfolds, new revelations are made about his family that reveal the issue of race and what implications being white or black held.  This story is realistic to the Civil War era. There was even a distinct dialect difference between northern Tilly and southern Delphine.

Awards Won and Review Excerpts

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “In this thoroughly researched novel, Peck masterfully describes the female Civil War experience, the subtle and not-too-subtle ways the country was changing, and the split in loyalty that separated towns and even families.”


BOOKLIST: “It's a riveting story that shows racism everywhere and young people facing war, not sure what side to be on or why.”

Connections

The students can follow up with “The War Within: a Novel of the Civil War” by Carol Mathis and compare the experiences of the two families.

Students can choose a specific battle listed within “A River Between Us” and research the battle to find parallels from the book. 

Nonfiction- "Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery"

Bibliography

Freedman, Russell. Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery. New York: Clarion

     Books, 1993.

Plot Summary

Freedman explores the life of Eleanor Roosevelt.  He begins with her childhood and takes the reader through her awkwardness as a teenager, meeting and marrying F.D.R., becoming a mother and first lady, the trials of her marriage and eventually her death. 

Critical Analysis

This biography is organized well and follows the chronological order of Roosevelt’s life.  There is a table contents and an index to help the reader find specific information quickly.  The information appears to be accurate and well researched.  Freedman even lists other books written on the life of Eleanor Roosevelt at the end of the biography.   He has many direct quotes from Roosevelt and her family and friends.  There are photos of Eleanor that compliment her story throughout the book and several at the end with captions that allow the reader to better visualize her life story.  The biography is well designed and stylized for middle schoolers, with a somewhat cartoon characture of Eleanor Roosevelt on the cover.  The almost two hundred pages are not stuffed full of text, thus not too overwhelming to younger readers. 

Awards Won and Review Excerpts

Newberry Honor Book

Starred review in BOOKLIST: “This is a book to read across the generations.”

Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “The sensitivity and frankness of this volume, as well as the extensive, supporting black-and-white photographs, mark this as a wide-ranging, honest appraisal of this admirable, courageous woman.”

Connections

This biography could be used to help support the social studies curriculum discussing World War I, the Great Depression, The New Deal and World War II. 

This biography could be used in conjunction with other strong, famous women to compare their contributions.