Readability: 3 It was an easy read because the language was on the level. It might be a little difficult at first because there is some Spanish peppered in there but over all, the book was a page turner.
Teachability: 4 I'm not sure how this book could be taught as a central text to a unit/lesson but it would be good as a supporting text for a utopian/dystopian literature unit/lesson. (9-12)
Did I like it?: Did I like it? Like isn't a strong enough word. I loved this book. There are so many good things about this book I can't even begin to list them here. The characters were great, the themes were really well supported and it was well written. It pulls at the emotions. I was sad, happy, angry, appalled, sentimental, and otherwise in all the right places of the book.
Summary: Matt is a clone. He has a reasonably normal happy childhood until he goes to the mansion. When his creator dies Matt is forced to run away.
Recommended for: Everyone! Boys, girls, women, men. This book has something that anyone could be interested in.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
Jellicoe Road by: Melina Marchetta
Readability: 5 The language wasn't too hard to follow. There are some words that American readers might need to look up (Australian colloquialisms).
Teachability: 7 This is a really good book for teaching flashbacks, foreshadowing chronological order, and sub-plot. To teach this book I would ask that students identify parts of the book that are flashbacks, foreshadows, and sub-plot elements. I wouldn't include chronological order in that activity. It would get too complicated. I think both activities though could be done in their journals (if they have them). That would be a good place for them to practice citing pages without the stress of a grade for it. (Suggested grade level: 9-12)
Did I like it?: Yes, after a while. It was a little hard to get into but once I did, I liked it a lot. There is a lot going on in the story, and a lot of pieces to put together.
Summary: Taylor Markham was abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road when she was little. She goes to the Jellicoe school, now, where she and her school mates battle for territory with the townies and the cadets. On top of the territory wars Taylor has to deal with her feelings about her mother and haunting memories from her past.
Recommended for: Mostly girls because of the perspective, but boys might like it too. The emotional journey is universal.
Teachability: 7 This is a really good book for teaching flashbacks, foreshadowing chronological order, and sub-plot. To teach this book I would ask that students identify parts of the book that are flashbacks, foreshadows, and sub-plot elements. I wouldn't include chronological order in that activity. It would get too complicated. I think both activities though could be done in their journals (if they have them). That would be a good place for them to practice citing pages without the stress of a grade for it. (Suggested grade level: 9-12)
Did I like it?: Yes, after a while. It was a little hard to get into but once I did, I liked it a lot. There is a lot going on in the story, and a lot of pieces to put together.
Summary: Taylor Markham was abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road when she was little. She goes to the Jellicoe school, now, where she and her school mates battle for territory with the townies and the cadets. On top of the territory wars Taylor has to deal with her feelings about her mother and haunting memories from her past.
Recommended for: Mostly girls because of the perspective, but boys might like it too. The emotional journey is universal.
Artemis Fowl by: Eoin Colfer
Readability: 1 soooo easy.
Teachability: 5 It's an alright book but I wouldn't necessarily use it to teach anything. The only thing I would use it for is for point of view. There are a lot of changes in the narrative. It moves from character to character. It would be a good example of how that can happen in writing, but not necessarily a good example of how to go about doing it. (Suggested grade level: 6-8)
Did I like it?: As an adult reader... no. I didn't like it at all. The language and plot structure weren't complex enough to hold my attention for long. I kept putting the book down and finding other things to do.
Summary: Artemis Fowl is a boy-genius... in a criminal mastermind kind of way. He captures a "fairy" and holds her for ransom. To get the ransom he has to work his way around the tricks that the other fairy-folk set in place to stop him.
Recommended for: Boys. There is a lot of action and I think boys would like to relate to Artemis.
Teachability: 5 It's an alright book but I wouldn't necessarily use it to teach anything. The only thing I would use it for is for point of view. There are a lot of changes in the narrative. It moves from character to character. It would be a good example of how that can happen in writing, but not necessarily a good example of how to go about doing it. (Suggested grade level: 6-8)
Did I like it?: As an adult reader... no. I didn't like it at all. The language and plot structure weren't complex enough to hold my attention for long. I kept putting the book down and finding other things to do.
Summary: Artemis Fowl is a boy-genius... in a criminal mastermind kind of way. He captures a "fairy" and holds her for ransom. To get the ransom he has to work his way around the tricks that the other fairy-folk set in place to stop him.
Recommended for: Boys. There is a lot of action and I think boys would like to relate to Artemis.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Holes by: Louis Sachar
Readability: 3 The language was simple but not too simple.
Teachability: 6 It is a really good story to teach flashbacks with. The book is full of them. Another possibility is voice and perspective (or point of view). Any book, really, is good for point of view, but teaching with this one, voice might be a little bit of a stretch. It has good examples of voice in it, but there are other books that would be better suited for the task. I would stick with teaching flashbacks with this one because the flashbacks are so clearly defined. Sidenote: The movie version of this book is very similar to the text. If you are going to quiz on it, make sure to ask about the details that aren't in the movie. (Suggested grade level 7-8)
Did I Like It?: Absolutely! I hadn't read it before, perhaps because when I was first introduced to it, my younger brother was reading it and we were at the stage where we didn't want to do anything the same. I'm sorry that was the case! I really did like this book a lot. It was full of adventure, a little mystery, and a lot of relate-ability.
Summary: Stanley Yelants is unlucky. His whole family was unlucky, way back to his "no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather." So he wasn't all that surprised when he was wrongfully convicted and sent to a correctional boys' camp. He and the other boys at Camp Greenlake are made to dig a hole a day, to umm ... build character.
Recommended for: Anyone. Boys in particular, but girls might like it too. I know I did!
Teachability: 6 It is a really good story to teach flashbacks with. The book is full of them. Another possibility is voice and perspective (or point of view). Any book, really, is good for point of view, but teaching with this one, voice might be a little bit of a stretch. It has good examples of voice in it, but there are other books that would be better suited for the task. I would stick with teaching flashbacks with this one because the flashbacks are so clearly defined. Sidenote: The movie version of this book is very similar to the text. If you are going to quiz on it, make sure to ask about the details that aren't in the movie. (Suggested grade level 7-8)
Did I Like It?: Absolutely! I hadn't read it before, perhaps because when I was first introduced to it, my younger brother was reading it and we were at the stage where we didn't want to do anything the same. I'm sorry that was the case! I really did like this book a lot. It was full of adventure, a little mystery, and a lot of relate-ability.
Summary: Stanley Yelants is unlucky. His whole family was unlucky, way back to his "no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather." So he wasn't all that surprised when he was wrongfully convicted and sent to a correctional boys' camp. He and the other boys at Camp Greenlake are made to dig a hole a day, to umm ... build character.
Recommended for: Anyone. Boys in particular, but girls might like it too. I know I did!
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