J-Lynn's comments (member since Oct 08, 2007)

J-Lynn's comments from the Young Adult Fiction for Adults group.

The first in the series, Uglies, is being discussed right now on the YA Book Club group. You should check it out.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Questioning--sorry about that, I should have explained.

I need to do a book talk on LGBTQ books for the teen audience. I would prefer to rely on pretty contemporary titles that are well written.

Some of my personal favorites are:

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan
Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger

Any ideas?

Neal Shusterman
Sharon Draper
Chris Crutcher
Scott Westerfeld
Markus Zusak
John Green
John Saul
Geoffrey Huntington
Tamora Pierce
Angela Johnson
Malin Alegria
Nikki Grimes
Pam Munoz Ryan

This book club is awesome! In the first three months alone we are reading The Book Theif, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian and Uglies. And we have already had some good discussions on YA related threads. I highly recommend taking the time to join!

Blah, blah, blah. Hollywood. There are so many amazing stories out there that could evoke empathy, passion, acceptance, understanding, etc. And they choose this book to adapt. All of my objections to the book will be magnified when it is in 10 ft X 30 ft visual form.

I am not big into girly girl books, but here are a few:

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
Estrella's Quinceanera by Malin Alegria
If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson
Incantation by Alice Hoffman

And for the close parallel to the Clique series, without the sex (at least in the first book of the series, I haven't read the sequel):
Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz--it has all of the cliquiness of upper crust Manhattan, but with a vampire twist

I just found out that M.T. Anderson has written picture books! Who knew. Thanks for the suggestions and keep them coming.

alisonwonderland,
I understand what you are saying, but don't think the book was well enough written to look at it as a morality tale.

Re: ARE WE NAIVE ABOUT ATROCITIES THAT OCCUR AROUND US? This is definitely a good discussion point and an important thing to talk about with kids. I think this book does a good job at demonstrating how we tend to only see our own existence.

However, RE:DO WE MAKE CHOICES OF POWER OR PRESTIGE THAT MAKE US COMPLICIT WITH THOSE ATROCITIES? HOW DO WE SEE "THE OTHER", HE WHO LIVES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE? DO WE SHARE COMMONALITIES? I agree that all of these are great discussion points, but they are not developed in the book. We don't learn enough about "the other," Bruno doesn't sympathize or, quite frankly, ever realize what is even going on on the other side of the fence. Bruno doesn't find commonalities, in fact, he often cuts Shmuel off when he starts to talk about what his life is like.

I think the book would have been much more powerful if the focuis was on developing an understanding between the two boys. But, as it stands, I just found it frustrating.

I am putting together a project and need some help.

What are some great authors that don't write for just one age group or grade level? I am looking for authors whose writing spans from picture books through teens--who students can grow up with.

Some authors that I have thought of, include:
Jane Yolen
Jacqueline Woodson
Lloyd Alexander
Ursula LeGuin
Walter Dean Myers
Gary Soto
Pam Munoz Ryan

Who else?

I just read Incantation by Alice Hoffman and highly recommend it. It is set in 1500, Spain during a resurgence of Anti-Semitic laws. It is beautifully written and does a fantastic job of dealing with sexism and religious intolerance through the eyes of a privileged teenager.

I knew there was a discussion about this book somewhere, thanks to Newengland for directing me here.

I figure I will add another perspective as well. People keep using the term "powerful" to describe this book and I just don't get it. I found it frustrating and, quite frankly, disturbing. My question is--HOW does this book add to Holocaust curriculum and discussion about the Holocaust? WHY should it be taught?

I have taught Elie Wiesel's heartbreaking book, Night, for years to my 9th graders and it is one of my most powerful units because students recognize the autrocities that were commited during the Holocaust and can relate to the young protagonist's misery. How would reading about Bruno effect an understanding of anything that happened in WWII Germany?

Bruno is so terrifically dense--naive well beyond his nine years--that I am not sure what the point is. Bruno talks to his Jewish friend on the other side of the fence for over a year--he lives in his house which also serves as the headquarters of Auschwitz for over a year--and I am supposed to believe that he doesn't have any clue what is going on in the camp? I know children are narcissistic and self involved, but this book takes that idea to a whole other level.

What was the point? Surely it wasn't the shocking ending that served little in adding to the greater story of the Holocaust. The ending served no purpose. It didn't make the father see what was wrong, it didn't make the guards question what they were doing, it didn't make the Jews who died in the camp any less tragic, what was the ending's purpose? My guess is just shock value.

I again ask--how does this story add anything to the discussion of the Holocaust?

Anything by Tamora Pierce!

Llama,
That is very cool, thank you.

Marci,
I have Alex Sanchez's Rainbow High Trilogy, but haven't had a chance to read them. My friends have really enjoyed them.

Kelly,
I have read The House on Mango Street and liked it. Thanks for the other suggestions.

About Gary Soto, do you have specific titles to recommend? I have picked up some of his books and have not been able to get into them.

Any recommendations for great reads that are either written by or about Latinos?

My personal collection is sorely lacking.

I have read Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan and Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida by Victor Matinez and loved them both.

Any suggestions? Favorites?

Janis,
It didn't say when Inkheart was coming, but it looked like 2008. The Golden Compass was well done and well acted. I was worried the CGI animals would look fake, but they were well done. The ending was a little anticlimactic, but that is expected since it is a trilogy.

They also previewed The Spiderwick Chronicles which I think comes out soon. The books are so cute and the movie looks equally fun.

Wow, went to see The Golden Compass and Inkheart's trailer played. The movie looks awesome and has a great cast.

There is another discussion going on about this book on the Building a Sci Fi/Fantasy Library's group site http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show_grou...

I've actually taught A Hole in My Life to 8th graders. It was a great unit because most of the students grew up on the Joey Pigza books. So, when they realize what he went through to get to his successful life, it is really inspiring. Plus, I think adults forget how much pre-teens and teens witness in the world. Most of the stuff Mr. Gantos addresses is not a shock to them. I highly recommend it.