UNC Children's Literature in Elementary and Middle Schools discussion
This topic is about
When You Reach Me
Discussion prompt for "When You Reach Me"
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For me, the book that I read and reread was "Holes" by Louis Sachar. Not only was this the first book that I read in one sitting, cover to cover, without stopping -- but it was also the first book in which I felt genuine sympathy for a character. In this book, the main character is falsely accused of stealing a pair of tennis shoes. I remember feeling such legitimate concern about what was to come of him, and such relief every time that his bad luck finally changed within the book.
The book that I read and reread when I was younger was "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants." I just remember yearning to have friendships like those of the four girls in the novel. Friends that support you no matter what and that know every detail of your life. Embarrassing as it is, I was so obsessed with this book that my instant messenger name in middle school was SOTPlvr101. I literally could not put this book down and counted down to the day that the movie came out. I actually decided to reread the book for my shelf discovery essay, and, although I view the book in a new light because I have grown up and experienced more, I still love it just as much. The love between the four friends is just so comforting and the growth of each girl shows that we all have the potential to do something great if we go out and truly work for it.
I never read any books in my childhood that changed my life or shaped how I am today. However, I was slightly obsessed with the Twilight series. I know everyone either hated or loved that series, but those books really made me love to read a story from start to finish. I think I loved the books so much because they portrayed a type of relationship that I want someday in my life, minus the vampires and werewolves. I also could relate to the characters because they were in high school when I was reading them during my high school years. I also liked the fact that I could follow up on the books by watching the movies, which were not as good as the books.
I always reread The Babysitters Club books. I loved how all of the characters were so responsible and they were the models for how I wanted to be when I was a teenager. Although it might sound crazy, I continued to reread these books when I was in high school and sometimes even now whenever I am trying to pass time in my mom's classroom. I think that these books continue to remain popular among elementary age girls because of the characters and the ability they have to show girls what they want to be like when they are older.
I loved Bloomability by Sharon Creech. I reread this book so many times. I used to be able to read in the car without getting sick, and this book stayed in the car incase I ever ran out of new books to read. I loved how Dinnie split her life into two parts with one big event. I reread this book for my Shelf-Discovery Essay and I still love it. It's weird how parts of the book still appeal to me since I'm so much older than when I read it.
When I was little I loved to read the American Girl books, my favorite were the Samantha series. I always got so caught up in the time period that the characters were in and loved imagining what it would be like to have lived like them. Like I said, my favorite was Samantha, and her books are set in Victorian times. She was such a curious character. She wasn't always exactly the proper young lady that some expected her to be. Instead, she was a bit defiant and mischievous. I really liked all of these qualities and wanted to be just like her when I was younger. These books really stuck with me throughout the last two or three years of elementary school and I think it really shaped the way I thought about my own personal characteristics.
The "Harry Potter" books captivated me in a way that no other author has been able to do. J.K. Rowling made me laugh, cry, and sit at the edge of my seat in suspense. I have read "The Sorcerer's Stone" more times than I could possibly count. After reading them, I could not get enough of books in which ordinary children became something extraordinary. It has shaped my taste in books to this day.
If anything it was Harry Potter for me; I've read those books repeatedly since fifth grade. I guess it was just an escape, to travel to such a vivid other world. And it allowed me to bring a little magic to my own life. I remember staying awake half the night on July 31st when I was 11 waiting for my letter to Hogwarts.
I read the entire Hazelwood Series by Sharon M. Draper and Tears of a Tiger was the first book of that series. It was the first book I read on my own will that I truly enjoyed, I honestly hated to read. It's odd because my life is nothing like the lives of the characters in these novels but yet I felt so connected to them. I have read this book over and over, even as an adult. I even made a lesson plan for it last semester because I loved it so much.
To say Harry Potter took hold of my life is an understatement. I tried to read the HP books as a kid but was not a skilled enough reader and couldn't finish event the first one. When I picked up the book as a teenager, I ended up reading all 7 in a month. I was obsessed! And still am. Each time I read them, watch a movie, talk to people about them, I get more and more out of them. The relationships and the lessons about life are so powerful to me, each of the characters feel like real friends.
For me, "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom was my book like "A Wrinkle in Time" was Miranda's book. I was first drawn to the book when my sixth grade teacher read it aloud to our class. I immediately thought it was inspirational. Then, I decided to reread the book on my own the following year and have read it recently in college as well. Although I did not physically carry it around with me, I did carry the messages and values that really resonated with me around with me- and still do! I am so glad that I read "A Wrinkle in Time" and "When You Reach Me" back to back. Rebecca Stead did a fascinating job incorporating time travel, tessering and the plot into her book. However, unlike a sequel sometimes does, I did not feel like I was rereading the same message or knew what the ending would be. "When You Reach Me" managed to communicate a completely different feeling and meaning while still adequately making "A Wrinkle in Time" seem significant. The book would have still been enjoyable and fun, but reading the two back to back made me appreciate them so much more!
Alice in WonderlandFor me, I could read that book over and over and never get tired of it. The fantasy of Alice in Wonderland always confused me and intrigued me at the same time. It opened up my imagination and allowed me to lose myself in a different world.
Among the Hidden was that book for me. Not only is it a compelling story, but it exposed me to injustice and made me want to care about things that we're wrong with the world. I've read this book several times and still love it!
No books that I read at a young young age took hold of my life like Miranda's, but when I was in high school I read Divergent and for some reason I was obsessed with the book. It is a book not many have heard of and is similar to the Hunger Games series. For some reason when I read this book I just fell in love with the characters and the story. It was so adventurous and I wished my life could be like that besides the dangerous part haha!
I can remember reading "walk two moons" over and over again. However, to this day I am not really sure what the book was about or why I enjoyed it so much. It was about a girl who went on a road trip with her grandparents. Her mother was dead and she was sort of lost in the world. Honestly I cannot really relate to her character so I would love to reread the book and see what it's appeal was.
I didn't have one particular book I related to like the way Miranda related to A Wrinkle in Time. I read Ender's Game a lot, but I loved to read as a kid and no one book in particular stands out above the rest. Meg's strengths are her faults and I think this might be (partially) why Miranda is drawn to the story. Miranda's life isn't perfect, but she can try to embrace the imperfections in herself, in her mother, in their shabby apartment and in the rest of her life.Because I read both A Wrinkle in Time and When You Reach Me recently, I enjoyed seeing the connections between the two books. I like the way Miranda used A Wrinkle in Time to explain things to herself and people in her life much like the way Mrs. Who used quotations to communicate. Sometimes words we encounter - be it a book, a quote, a poem, or whatever - have a way of articulating or clarifying our own thoughts and feelings in a way that relates or expresses ideas that you couldn't fully grasp or convey before. You can grow a lot just by reading a book and I think that's what A Wrinkle in Time was for Miranda.
I really enjoyed When You Reach Me because everything seemed pretty normal or at least explainable. Then at the end, all these events lead up to this one fantastic, supernatural moment that I never saw coming. This is unlike A Wrinkle in Time which pretty much just dives in to fantastical adventures and phenomena.
My favorite thing the two books have in common is the theme of love. Meg saves Charles Wallace with her love. I love the quote in When You Reach Me when Miranda is talking to Belle about that part in A Wrinkle in Time. "'Well, it's simple to love someone,' she said. 'But it's hard to know when you need to say it out loud.'" (p.149) This is so poignant and Miranda feels like crying. I think she feels this way because she is learning so much about different kinds of love and acceptance throughout the book. The love of family and friends, as well as self-love and romance all play a part in this story as Miranda tries to figure out how to relate to the people around her and the roles people play in her life can change.
Here is the discussion prompt for Wednesday's class. Please try to post a response by then!
Was there any book that took hold of you the way "A Wrinkle In Time" took hold of Miranda -- that you read and reread either as a child or an adult? Why did it take hold of you, and how did it shape your life?
Thanks,
Julia Drabick and Hillary Wall (Discussion leaders)