Poisoned Apples

Title: Poisoned Apples by Christine Heppermann

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Genre: Poetry

Justification:

           Each reader brings their own bias to the table. When looking for a poetry book I went immediately to my love of fairy tales. When looking for a book Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty came up. It received 3.57 stars and 5,197 rating and 1,068 reviews on Good Reads (Goodreads, 2019). The poems included a twist of juxtaposing teenage girls to fairy tales. This fairy tale book of poetry helps females to relate to experiences happening in their own lives. This poetry book is well written and allows the reader to think about their lives in a fairy tale world and how not all fairy tales are perfect.  

Evaluation of the book:

The photographs used in the book helped to reinforce the text. Each picture was dark and helped to express how somber the mood was. Pictures were also not included for each poem but helped to divide the sections of the book. For instance, “Sleeping Beauty’s Wedding Day” and “Photoshopeed Poem” go together and share an image (Hepperman, 2014, pp. 10-12). The photograph and lack of photograph helps the reader know that these two sections go together with each other. Some of the images are just a faint background picture. These images help to set the mood and pinpoint certain words in the text. On page 28 and 29 the background is straw, and the text says “Now she’s building herself out of straw” (Hepperman, 2014).  
          The dark images help to establish the mood. Each of these poems face a different trial and serious topic women face.  The images show the struggle that these women face and encounter. The picture of Prince charming shows a nice outside face but an open inside. This shows that outward appearance can not always be trusted. The darkness of the illustrations show how dark young girls can feel. On page 6 there is a two-page spread of a woman looking in a mirror. What is seen in the background is more mirrors jus glowing deep into the readers soul (Hepperman, 2014). This dark picture with just the light of the mirror is shocking. It makes the reader think about the inside and see where the light is and what we gravitate towards.

This poetry book surprisingly had a main plot and several subplots. The overall plot is that women go through challenges and that we all go through them from when the fairy tales were created eons ago to modern day. The subplot is that each fairy tale has another story that mirrors it. These stories might be about child abuse, alcoholism, vanity, diets, etc… As women we are our harshest critic and we are told to be an object of desire and that we are never good enough. This book calls us out on this. We learned we can be good enough when we are aware. We need to identify and fight the social stigma to succeed or we will become Tinkerbell and fade into nothingness with our crazy diets. We need to have Jack come and break down those beanstalks so we could be safe and free. We need to advocate and let our voice be heard so that our children do not need to go through this cycle.

Response:

          (f) Poisoned Apples reignited my love of poetry. This book used fractured fairy tales and juxtaposed them to experiences of women coming of age to tell a story that relates to women from all walks of life. It was interesting to see the correlations between the fairy tales and the way women are treated and feel. For instance, in the story of “The Giant’s Daughter at Spring Formal” it tells the story of jack and the beanstalk and alcoholism. (Hepperman, 2014, p. 35). These stories and poems are about issues that women face. The giant’s daughter wants Jack to cut down the beanstalk so that she could be free. It was beautifully written with photographs that helped to set the theme of the text.

          (d) From the diet craze I see my coworkers and friends partake in to the conversations we are not allowed have this book discusses a lot of major important issues. (Hepperman, 2014, pp. 57-63). I don’t diet. I also, do not jump on the latest diet craze. When I was in high school my Mom and sister decided to go on South Beach Diet. I looked at them and realized they had so much societal pressure to look a certain way. I could use a diet now and exercise, but I do not want it to define me as it defines so many women. We feel pressured to go on these diets that fade in and out. We are pressured to look and act a certain way even if that way is not healthy or best for us. I also, think we do need to have important discussions and discuss sex ed and what the difference in words mean. This year I have had to shut down several conversations with students because they are not school appropriate. It kills me inside because I do not know fi they will find a place that they can have these conversations, but I know it is not worth losing my job. This book highlighted the societal pressures so we could think and work to change them to make a better world for ourselves and the future.

Conclusion:

          Poisoned Apples combines text and illustrations to juxtapose fairy tales for women growing up. The poems were well written and addressed issues that all young women will meet either directly or indirectly. The illustrations help to reinforce the text, the poems also establish the mood. This fractured fairy tale book of poetry surprisingly had a strong plot and feminist ideals. This book was well written and has already been passed along and shared with women who will benefit from its deep meaning.

Citation:

Goodreads. (2019). Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty. Retrieved from goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20483085-poisoned-apples

Hepperman, C. (2014). Poisoned Apples. New Yotk: Greenwillow Books .

The University of Texas at El Paso. (n.d.). How to Write a Reaction Paper or Reader Response. Retrieved from Reader Response: http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl0310link/readerresponse.htm

Guts

Title: Guts by Raina Telgemeier  

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Genre: Biography, Graphic Novels

Justification:

          There are some books that are meant to be read. Originally my free choice books were Dear Martin by Nic Stone and Scythe by Neal Shusterman. After reading this book I noticed it was a biography. However, where I was fixing my computer from a virus, I picked up Guts. This book had just arrived from scholastic and had not made it to my after this assignment I will read pile. I read the first chapter and could not put it down. After going on Good Reads I verified that seventh graders could read this book and therefore it counted. The book has received 7,436 ratings and was rated 4.38 stars (goodreads, 2019). This book is a part of a wonderful series that is a best seller. It is also, currently in the Best Middle Grade & Children’s books semifinals (goodreads, 2019).

Evaluation of the book:

Guts by Telgemeier is a graphic novel. This graphic novel tells the story through illustrations. The readers get most of information from the pictures and the speech bubbles. These color illustrations help the reader to feel like they are part of the book. The lines are clear and while it has a cartoon look it is still realistic pictures. The setting can shift as well as seeing the characters expressions help the reader to envision what is going on. This is a unique, interesting way to write an autobiography.

The use of the illustrations extends and develop the plot. When Raina first gets the stomach page the pictures show her getting sick and how she progressed (Telgemeier, 2019, pp. 4-6). The reader does not need as much text because they can rely on the illustrations. Her anxiety become apparent as she gets sicker and starts to shake (Telgemeier, 2019, pp. 20-21). This helps the reader know that her anxiety is building. As the book progresses the reader can see that she stops eating and how her emotions change. The reader sees how she panicked when having to present and how relieved she is when she finally shares with her peers that she in therapy. The illustrations help to the message across without having to use the words and show the reader her struggle and anxiety.

The illustrations reinforce the text. Each speech bubble matches a picture to help further the story. This graphic novel depends on the illustration to spread the message. The text is primarily in speech bubbles with a few sections where some background knowledge occurs. For instance, when Michelle is teaching the class about the salad a lot is told through the pictures (Telgemeier, 2019, pp. 142-144).  The reader can see the mayonnaise on the apples and how the rest of the class enjoys it. It also, shows how Raina is too scared to attempt to eat it.   

Response:

          (a) I have always had stomach issues. When I was a baby I did not grow or gain weight for months. It was so severe that my parents were about to send me to Houston for treatment. Growing up I never wanted anything tight on my stomach and remember always feeling sick. When I went to college it got so bad that I was diagnosed with IBS. My gallbladder exploded and several years later the cause of my stomach pain was finally correctly diagnosed as celiac’s disease. This has shaped everything I have done in life to what I wear, how I eat, and my choices of activities I do. Reading this related to my own life. I know how Raina felt and how hard it is to deal with being different. How it is hard to explain the stomach pain and going to school could be the hardest thing to do. I was tempted to write Raina Telgemeier to tell her how I relate and how it gets better.

          © There is a lot of stigma about seeing a therapist or a counselor. Some of the stigma comes from the families themselves. Growing up there was a stigma about going to therapy and seeking help. It was viewed as if you get help you are broken, there is something horribly wrong with you. This book fights that stigma and lets kids and young adults know it is ok to seek help. Sometimes we need someone in our corner helping us. Her parents should be commended on how they fought to help her. How they went past the stigma until she felt she could share about herself. I wish I had this book when I was younger. It would have helped me to deal with the issues that I faced.

          (e ) This graphic novel does a great job of telling an important message to students in a fun, popular method. Raina Telgemier can tell her story in a way that reaches numerous teens. Her biography uses an untraditional format. It makes the book appear less preachy and more like realistic fiction. She shows how she handled her stress such as drawing comics, and biking. She shows students other coping mechanisms. I loved reading this graphic novel and really related to the characters and her feelings.

Conclusion:

          This graphic novel biography is a wonderful asset to have for middle and high school students. The engaging illustrations extend and develop the plot and reinforce the text. It can relate to students with anxieties, puberty, and those who carry their stress in the guts. As someone who struggles with Celiac’s disease and has always had gut issues this book as affirming and a needed read in my personal collection and will help countless others going through the same thing.

Citation:

goodreads. (2019). Guts (Smile #3). Retrieved from Guts: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42190572-guts

Telgemeier, R. (2019). Guts. New York: Graphix.

The University of Texas at El Paso. (n.d.). How to Write a Reaction Paper or Reader Response. Retrieved from Reader Response: http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl0310link/readerresponse.htm

Refugee

Title: Refugee by Alan Gratz

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Genre: Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Justification:

          Refugee is a perfect mix of historical and realistic fiction. The book ties past events with current events. It also, gives students a relevant introduction and peaks their interest into the world around them. Refugee has received 4.50 starts and 23, 855 ratings from Good Reads (goodreads, 2019). When looking up awards over 55 awards were listed for this book (Gratz, 2019). The awards ranged from every state, to different cultures, to audio books. These awards also do not include the reviews from journals, and various media outlets. This book became a must-read book due to all the praise.

Evaluation of the book:

The book does a great job of balancing the tension. The book gives the readers background information and then has a dramatic event. Then the reader can calm down a little before the next dramatic event. When Mahmoud puts his sister on the boat to save her life the next chapter shows Isabel being given water and food. This helps the reader recover before having to face the next tragedy. As a reader the desire to know if Hana is ever found persists.  All three stories intersect and have common themes from one chapter to the next. This shows how the world is related and things do not happen in isolation.

The book is told through three different points of view. Each point of view takes place in a different time period, but all intersect. The view points are told from Josef a Jewish boy who wants to be a man in the 1930s. Isabel who wants to keep the music in her heart and her family together in 1994, and Mahmoud who wants to keep his family safe and alive in 2015. All three of these children are going their best to stay alive in a traumatic setting. Each child goes over their childhood and how the political climate shifted. They all started with normal childhoods but as politics shifts their lives were torn apart. They also deal with the struggle of coming of age, supporting their families, watching death, and overcoming it all. Each point of view brings a new perspective to the characters.

The book was very accurate. In the end of the book there are maps of the journeys and the research given for each story (Gratz, Refugee, 2017, pp. 313-338).The characters were made up but they were based on real people and real events. The Saint Louis was turned away from Cuba, they had released some people from the concentration camps who were broken. Growing up I remember when people would come from Cuba to seek a better life. The media has portrayed what is happening in Syria. This accuracy helps to teach the reader what has and is happening in the world.

Response:

          (g) A sign of a good book is when you pause after closing a book. When you just stop and think. When I finished Refugee, I wanted to know what happened to Hana? This book has been in my dreams, and thoughts. It has made me more aware of the cycle of the Refugee problems. It is terrible to think about all these people who’s lives started like the life I have and because of turmoil ended up with them having nothing. The book did not sugarcoat the death, and the challenges these Refugee’s face. This book should be a must read for those who believe in tent cities, and depriving others of basic needs. We are not that far detached from the situation that it could be us next.

          (d) It is easy to become complacent and disappear in times of adversity.  Isabelle, Joseph, and Mohammad all want to disappear and blend in the book. They end up having to stand out to protect themselves. They all face unspeakable trauma, and experiences in order to have a better life. Right now, the United States is blocking refugees. They are doing unspeakable acts against others. The question then begs who’s next. If we do this and oppress these people who will be oppressed next.  “Manana” became the repeating phrase of this book (Gratz, Refugee, 2017).  Instead of waiting for tomorrow change needs to happen now.

          © It is embarrassing to admit I did not know much about the refugee crisis. I heard of the problems in Aleppo and Venezuela but had not gone into depth. It was eye opening to read about how the problems are all related and the conditions and challenges people must face. I remember hearing about people arriving on boats from Cuba but never thought of what they were giving up and the reason they had to leave everything behind. Its is terrifying to think that you could be sitting at home and the next moment your home is gone. How political turmoil can turn your friends against you and how you are judged before given a chance. We get so busy closing our doors and forget the people who need them open. This book changed my perspective on refugees, and I wish I could do more to assist them.

Conclusion:

          Books can help teach, inform, entertain, and share so much information. The 2019 TEKS talk about the author’s purpose for writing texts. Refugee has it all. It has facts, drama, ad a story that can related to people and educate them. I knew about the Holocaust growing up but was obtuse and unaware of the true struggle of refugees. This week a refugee was killed by lack of medical care at the border. This book brings awareness and knowledge to these issues in a kid friendly format.

Citation:

goodreads. (2019, November 17). Refugee. Retrieved from Good Reads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33118312-refugee?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=hkavKr3F8w&rank=1

Gratz, A. (2017). Refugee. New York: Scholasric Press.

Gratz, A. (2019, November 17). Refugee. Retrieved from Alan Gratz Putting Fictional Kids in Danger since 2006: https://www.alangratz.com/writing/refugee/

The University of Texas at El Paso. (n.d.). How to Write a Reaction Paper or Reader Response. Retrieved from Reader Response: http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl0310link/readerresponse.htm

One of Us Is Lying

Title: One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus  

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Genre: Mystery

Justification:

          When choosing a mystery/suspense book the first goal was to make sure it was not going to be too scary. When researching books One of Us is Lying kept appearing. This book is the winner of 10 awards (Junior Library Guild, 2018). These awards include the YALSA 2018 Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, ILA Young Adults’ choices, and BuzzFeed 28 best YA Books of 2017. These awards and the synopsis made the book rousing. This book draws the reader in and make them sit on the edge of their seats as they try to solve the mystery. After reading this book the sequel was immediately added to my wish list.

Evaluation of the book:

This book is told through multiple points of view. The book shifts between the four main characters. Each character tells part of the story through their point of view. The author titles the viewpoint before each section. Several of the chapters have multiple points of view take place in the same chapter. By doing this the reader can tell what is happening in each person’s head and life. The four accused murders were all different and came from different perspectives and walks of life. The way that each one had a perspective allowed the reader to get to know them. Addy grows significantly in the book from the beginning to the end. This can be mostly seen through her thoughts. Cooper and Bronwyn have secrets they do not share with other people. The view points let the author know what the character feels and thinks such as when Cooper says “I hate that part of me. But it’s there.” (McManus, 2017, p. 310)

The book is full of tension. The first chapter kicks the book off with Simon’s gossip blog. “A sex tape. A pregnancy scare. Two cheating scandals. And that’s just this week’s update” (McManus, 2017, p. 3) From there four students are in detention when a murder takes place. All the evidence points to the four students at first. Each student however is innocent. The book deals with the stigma of them being ostracized, outed, and dealing with the media and social fallout. The students must deal with cops, lawyers, and their families as they become the prime suspects in this murder investigation. As Bownyn works to clear her love interest Nick and herself they learn more about Simon’s disturbing behavior. When the blog entries keep appearing after Simon’s death that also increases the tension of the book. The very end of the book become shocking as Jake tries to kill. The book does have some calm points to make the action scenes more profound.

Throughout the book dialogue is incorporated. The reader can hear each character internal and external voices. The conversations with the police officers are recorded as dialogue. This helps to set the tone of the book.  The dialogue is sandwiched between the characters thoughts to give the reader a full view of the scene. The dialogue sets the tone of the book and helps illustrate how the characters are treated. Detective Wheeler is calm and concerned about Addy treating her like a child (McManus, 2017, p. 82). The dialogue builds the relationships, the scene and supports the story.

Response:

          © Having a child brings out certain characteristics in people. Everyone says I am hard on my daughter and hold her to high expectations. This book made me think of Brownyn’s cheating. She cheated in a class because her expectations where too high and unattainable. This was mind changing. After reading the book I became a little lighter. I thought about the consequences. I love my daughter but want her to know it is ok to fail.

          (d) Addy never learned to speak up for herself. This book teachers her to become her own person and stand up for herself. In the beginning of the book she depends on her boyfriend. He makes all the decisions of them and is very controlling. As they break up, she learns to control her own life and destiny. I think this is very important for young women and men to read. Teens need to know they can be their own person and make their own decisions. This emotional abuse took a large toll on her. She needed to find herself after all the trauma. It is important for women to see the importance of finding themselves and not letting a man control them or just hop from one relationship to the next.

          (a) This book hit me hard in two different ways. The first was a boy who I felt was like a brother committed suicide. This book reminded me of him and how lost and alone he must have felt. It made the memories flood back, the second way it hit me was on how we have a violence problem in the United States. Today when I opened my phone the first thing, I saw was another shooting. It has become a common place occurrence.  There needs to be more support and counseling services. Online websites like the one Simon ran should be checked. His browsing history should become a red flag. Simon was determined to take down as many people as possible and cause the most damage while making himself a saint. This needs to be stopped and it should not be glorified and celebrated. In the movie Coco they stress the importance of remembering the good and not the bad. As a society we should focus on the good, help, and not focus on the bad. She should help them and monitor. We should not glorify the bad.

Conclusion:

          One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus is an amazing read. This book is engaging and nail biting. While reading it I wanted to jump to the end to read who did it. The book uses multiple viewpoints, tension, and dialogue to progress the story and keep the reader on the edge of their seat. McManus has written two other books that have been added to my wish list after reading this book. The twist at end is a comment of society issues as well as the importance of not jumping to conclusions. This book deserved to be a New York Times Bestseller.

Citation:

Junior Library Guild. (2018). One of Us is Lying. Retrieved from Junior Library Guild: https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9781524714697J

McManus, K. M. (2017). One of Us is Lying. New York: Random House.

The University of Texas at El Paso. (n.d.). How to Write a Reaction Paper or Reader Response. Retrieved from Reader Response: http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl0310link/readerresponse.htm

The Hate U Give

Title: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

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Genre: Fiction

Justification:

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas has won seven major awards including the Printz Honor, National Book Award, William C. Morris award, Coretta Scott King, Boston Globe-Horn book, and New York Times bestseller (Thomas, 2019). This book was originally chosen because it was a Printz Honor Book. The book was so popular it also became a movie. This book tackles controversial issues such as police killing, gangs, and drugs. This book will pertain to multiple students in the world as each child comes with their own drama and baggage.

Evaluation of the book:

          All books must be rooted in some fact to give them accountability and allow the reader to connect. The Hate U Give does a great job of including similar incidents that have been all over the news. The book takes a societal problem and makes it understandable. The riots in the book match the Black Lives matter riots and marches. The unfair treatment and view point of African American males is what makes this book stand out. On a page called pantsuit nation there was a parent who discussed having the talk with their child. This is not the birds and bees talk instead it is the talk of what you are supposed to do when you are black. This is the same talk Starr got from her parents at twelve years old (Thomas A. , 2017, p. 12). It is tragic that students must have this talk. In 1968 a Terry Stop came apart (Legal Information Insititute, 2019). This law targeted African American Males. It resulted in males being stocked and frisked more then once. In The Hate U Give Starr watches Khalil and her dad targets and stopped and frisked more then once.

The plot of the book moved at a quick pace. The reader becomes invested in the characters. This plot is also applicable to a lot of our students. Starr deals with coming of age, gangs, murder, boyfriend drama, and racism. As the problems accumulate Starr finds a way to handle them and come up with a solution. This clear plot moves the story along quickly. This makes the book hard to put down. Even when rereading for quotes and information it was easy to get sucked right back into the text. Thomas spends a lot of time on character growth. She also does not rush into details so that the reader can ease into the book. At the beginning of the book Starr is upset with her boyfriend. Thomas does not give us the reason for her upset until page 80 (Thomas A. , 2017). This allows the reader to digest of issue at a time. The plot is so applicable to everyone. Everyone deals with bias’s and unfair treatment. From the shifting of friendship and the battle for right and wrong this coming of age story has a wonderful plot.

The tone of this book was somber. Starr is dealing with post traumatic stress, as well as being a teenager. Her family is trying to decide what is the best decision for them and their community, and Starr is also deciding what is worth fighting for. Even with this somber tone the author puts in light hearted elements to lift the reader up. The book is full of strength. Starr’s mom, Dad, and Uncle Carlos lift Starr up. They help her work through her grief and make a difference. The neighborhood supports Starr. At the end when her dad’s store burns down the neighbors offer up their stores to support her family. The book can handle serious issues without weighing the reader down. The book also can give practical solutions to problems. For instance, making a list and deciding if the work is worth it or if you should move on. The tone helped with address the serious of the issues and all the side issues that occur with them.

Response:

          (b) This book does a great job of mirroring the current political climate. The news discusses how African Americans are killed by cops at an alarming rate. The book also, discusses the helplessness of the victim and the bias of society. The book discusses how people are judged based on the colors of their skin. It also talks about how the drug problem is prevalent and how hard it is to avoid the gang life and make wise choices. The book talks about how Starr’s father was a King. How he only got out of being a King because of a family connection and his time in jail. Khalil was never in a gang but was treated like he was to save the gang’s reputation. He was forced to sell drugs to protect his family. These are a lot of heavy topics that needed to be shared and addressed.

          © I was lucky I grew up in a middle-class household. We had food on our table and a roof over our head. My parents were involved and supported us. We never had to sell drugs, or join a gang to fit in. This book really opened my eyes to the struggle of African Americans and how the system is unjust. When reading this book the voices of my minority friends kept replaying in my head. “When I am walking people cross the street, I hate being followed in stores”. This has made me more aware and I try to fix the problems in ways that I can. I do not cross the street if I see a black male walking. I always stop to show my receipt at stores exits especially because I notice minorities get stopped but I do not. “The key is to never stop doing right.” (Thomas A. , 2017, p. 154). This line is so important and made me aware of how I need to never stop doing right to fix the system.

          (g) This book deserved all the awards it has received. Its an amazing story and has a lot of power to do good. This book needs to be in libraries, and bookstores. It needs to be shared. The book does a great job of handling sensitive issues at the same time as bringing the characters up and making them better. The reader learns that you do not have to suffer to make the world better, and that is it ok to let go of things that bring you down. Starr shows a lot of strength and perseverance while still dealing with normal teen issues like a boyfriend, overprotective parents, and school work. She learns to live with grief and bring joy to others and the safe correct way to battle. Her bravery in this book will be an inspiration to others.

Conclusion:

          The Hate U Give was made into a movie. After reading the book I can see why. This well-crafted book was a page turner. It became impossible to put down.  Angie Thomas uses tone, plot, and accountability to bring Starr to life. This book will trigger flash backs of media reports, Black lives Matter, and the unfair struggle of being a teenager. The book also inspires hope. The reader wants to root for Starr and her family and the ending shows that even in times of turmoil peace can be found. “If the good outweighs the bad” it’s worth fighting for (Thomas A. , 2017, p. 433). This book shows it is always worth fighting for.

Citation:

Legal Information Insititute. (2019). Stop and Frist . Retrieved from Cornell Law School : https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/stop_and_frisk

The University of Texas at El Paso. (n.d.). How to Write a Reaction Paper or Reader Response. Retrieved from Reader Response: http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl0310link/readerresponse.htm

Thomas, A. (2017). The Hate U Give. Germany: Balzer + Bray.

Thomas, A. (2019, November 25). The Hate U Give. Retrieved from Angie Thomas Author: https://angiethomas.com/the-hate-u-give

Geekerella

Title: Geekerella retold by Ashley Poston

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Genre: Romance, Fairy Tale

Justification:

          Fractured fairy tales are very popular. When looking for a young adult romance Geekerella (Once upon a Con #1) came up in a search. This book was rated 4.03 on goodreads and received 34,066 ratings and 7,803 reviews (goodreads, 2019). It was on the Spring 2017 Kids Indie Next List Pick, 2017 Goodreads Choice Award finalist for Best Young Adult Fictions, and Seventeens “12 Life-Changing Books you have to read this summer” list (Barnes and Noble, 2019). This romance and coming of age story are perfect for younger students because it does not become overly graphic.

Evaluation of the book:

The book shifts between two different points of view throughout the whole story. Each chapter has the characters name on the top when it is their point of view. As you read the story you can see the character develop and become flushed out. It also allows the readers to predict and infer what is going to happen. The author uses different voices for the two characters as well. Elle’s voice screams her insecurity while Darien’s voice shows his kindness and willingness to do whatever it takes. It also shows Darien’s fear. As readers it is nice to reminded that even people who act like superheroes have fears.

The characters are a mix of dynamic and static. Catherine and Chloe are static. They remain the same throughout the book. Chloe and Danielle however are dynamic characters. They change and shift as the book is read. Danielle or Elle begins the book as standoff. She does not trust anyone and has no friendships. As the book progresses, she becomes more trusting and open. She stops closing herself in. As Sage and her form, a relationship she shares information about herself. The surprising dynamic character is Chloe. Although, she has a minor role the reader learns that she is not evil. This character development allows the reader to make connections and change assumptions and misconceptions.

          The plot of this story is a fractured fairy tale. It begins with a “evil” stepmother and a character who must take care of everything. However, this shows more redeemable characters. The Elle character is not as submissive as the traditional fairy tale. She has small rebellions such as working for “The Magic Pumpkin” and watching her show. She also hides peanut butter for herself and saves the dog. This story however had all the elements of the classic fairy tale as well. There is a character named Ella, a Prince charming, a magic pumpkin, and a fairy godmother. Each of these elements were modernized including diverse, culturally relevant character.

Response:

          (d) This book does a great job representing diversity. Poston uses a diverse set of characters to tell her story. She uses main characters from different races, as well as lesbian characters. This is wonderful to see. She makes sure that everyone is represented and does not white wash the characters. She also does a good job of writing a fairy tale with a modern-day twist. (g) When she uses blogs and comic-cons to tell her story it helps the reader understand the story. This applies well to teens in a world of vloggers and bloggers. She tackles feelings of insecurity, the struggle to make and keep friends, and how important it to not shut the world out. This is refreshing to see. (e) The text does start slowly. In traditional Cinderella stories the disdain for the stepmother begins almost immediately. In this story it comes slower. The reader has more empathy for the stepmother. As she sits at the table upset about the Comic con it becomes apparent that she feels guilt that she could never connect in that way. This was in interesting way to handle the situation. It made the reader see that not all characters are fully bad.

Conclusion:

          This was an enjoyable read. It would be great for young adults. The book is full of diversity and well-developed characters. Its focus on comic-cons and superheroes is applicable to a modern-day audience. This book will connect with multiple young adults. The book features multiple viewpoints, strong characters, and an easy to follow plot. This book is the first in a series and I am excited to see what the rest of the series holds.

Citation:

Barnes and Noble. (2019, October 23). Geekerella (Once Upn a Con Series 1). Retrieved from Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/geekerella-ashley-poston/1123918421?ean=9781683690436#/

goodreads. (2019, October 22). Geekerella. Retrieved from goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30724132-geekerella

The University of Texas at El Paso. (n.d.). How to Write a Reaction Paper or Reader Response. Retrieved from Reader Response: http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl0310link/readerresponse.htm

Thirteen Chairs

Title: Thirteen Chairs by Dave Shelton

Image:

Genre: Horror  

Justification:

          Thirteen Chairs is a collection of scary stories embedded into one larger story. This horror book has a series of ghost stories. When choosing a horror book, I began by looking at the interest level. The logic was that the younger the book the less scary it was likely to be. It received 3.38 stars on goodreads and has 1,474 ratings (goodreads, 2019). The cover of the book states that is was “The New York Times Bestseller” (Shelton, 2015).

Evaluation of the book:

The mood of the story sets the tone. Jack is standing outside a door debating is he should go in. As he debates you can feel his insecurity. When he enters the room, he sees the chairs and the candles. As each person blows out their candle it becomes darker and darker. The stories themselves become darker and darker. The mood becomes tenser. Jack’s worry can be felt, and each story becomes scarier. There is she in the story. In this story the mood shifts from dark and scary to somber. This shift allows the reader to come back and listen to a more lighthearted tale to finish the story. The mood helps to progress the story and allows the reader to relate to all the characters.

Through most of the story Jack is thinking about what ghost story to tell. When he gets to the last person, he realizes he is not supposed to tell a ghost story. The author uses unexpected insights to shift the mood and the plot of the story.  “I am Frederick William Osterley and in death, as in life, I am among the dead. And I help them to their rest” (Shelton, 2015, p. 231) These two simple sentences change the entire story. The readers then realize that everyone, but Jack has moved on but not fully. It also explains why they all refer to Osterley as the leader in the entire book. It was simply done but had a lot of meaning.

The book is told from multiple points of view.  Fifteen different stories are told within the same book. There is a story for each of the thirteen chairs and one story for Megan the next year. Each of the points of view is a different story. As everyone in the book shares their story you can hear their voice change and style change depending on their personality. This helps the reader understand each character and life. The characters each give a brief introduction to themselves from Jack’s point of view then it shifts into their own perspective for their story.

Response:

          (g) Horror is not a genre of books that I would naturally look for. This book was well written and thought out. The book still gives me nightmares. One of the stories about the cook and his brother still stays with me. I did like how Shelton ended his book. He changed the narrative to that of ghost stories to the power of living. (a) That is important to understand the power of living and how we can not move on until we live. It shows the importance of observing the world different ways and changing your views so that others can move on. Sometimes it is easy to get stuck in one mindset where it becomes impossible to move on. This year I have worked hard to see the other actions from a different perspective so that I can understand their actions. This book does a great job of modeling that. ( e ) This book was well written. It goes thought multiple ghost stories and uses two characters to tie the whole book together. As the book is being read the stories become scarier and scarier and the book is somber. The story from Mr. Osterley shows how we need to see the world in a different light. He talks about how we must support and help others. This is a positive message in a ghost story.

Conclusion:

          While horror is not a genre I would normally read, it was a good experience to read it.  This will help give me some ideas for recommendations for students. This book will be donated to someone who enjoys horror. As a reader is not a good fit genre for me, but it has literary merit. This book taught me how not every book is meant for every reader. The author uses mood, unexpected insights, and multiple points of view to share twelve ghost stories. This was written and thought out. Students will enjoy the book.

Citation:

Goodreads. (2019, October 22). Thirteen Chairs. Retrieved from goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23436913-thirteen-chairs

Shelton, D. (2015). Thirteen Chairs. Oxford: Scholastic.

The University of Texas at El Paso. (n.d.). How to Write a Reaction Paper or Reader Response. Retrieved from Reader Response: http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl0310link/readerresponse.htm