Book Talk: Tears of a Tiger

Tears of a Tiger was one of the first young adult books I read when I started my teaching career. I was amazed at how powerful the story was and at the author's choice in ending. That year, I taught a section of English 9 in addition to my reading classes. I had a student, one I will never forget for other reasons, read Tears of a Tiger first. He came back to me, not too long after I'd given it to him, and said he cried at the end. I was surprised that 1) this big, strong guy cried at the end of this novel (I have since reflected on such perceptions and 2) that he felt comfortable enough with me to admit that he had an emotional response to this book. He went on to read the rest of the trilogy, then Feed by M.T. Anderson and 1984 by George Orwell. Watch the video to find out a little about Tears of a Tiger by Sharon Draper.

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QsCIsVZVwk]

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes

I read Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes in the car on the drive from Nashville to Indianapolis with my grandparents and mother.  I've heard a number of good things about Chris Crutcher, through I had only read Deadline (which is also fantastic). Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes was added to my to-read list at least three years ago when I took an English/Language Arts methods course as an elective for my master's. We did literature circles. The group I was in read Fahrenheit 451, and created a podcast (which I should really find and put on the internet because it was super cool). Other groups read Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar, another title that I don't remember, and Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. So I finally picked it up. Here's the book talk, see if it would work for you.

Review: Rot & Ruin

Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This one I picked up because I heard about it on the podcast Text Messages. Dr. Buehler hasn't steered me wrong yet.

No one knows what caused First Night--the night when the dead awoke and started killing off the living. And what Benny remembers about First Night is his mother in a dress with red sleeves, and that his brother took him and ran away. Now Benny is 15 and has to find himself a job or he risks losing half of his food rations. He wants something simple, something he doesn't have too work hard at, and something that isn't joining the family business and becoming a zombie hunter like his brother.

I didn't think I'd enjoy a zombie novel near as much as I did. Rot & Ruin is well written with complex characters and enough action to keep the pages turning.

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Book Talk: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

Book talk of The DIsreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart.
@ Amazon: http://dft.ba/-frankielandaubanks

National Book Award: http://www.nationalbook.org
Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature: http://www.ala.org/yalsa/printz
Me: http://thebooksupplier.blogspot.com or http://thebooksupplier.tumblr.com

Review: The First Part Last

The First Part Last by Angela Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When a student asked me for a book about teenage pregnancy, this was the first book I thought of. I was disappointed to find out that we didn't have a copy in the library (because I could have sworn that we did). When the second student asked about the same topic, I knew I had to go pick up this title.

First Part Last is written in alternating "Then" and "Now" chapters, and told from the point of view of the father. He is sixteen, discovering that he loves his daughter, and struggling with the role change when he's not done being a child himself.

The story is beautifully told in short enough chapters that it might make an excellent read-aloud.

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Review: Wringer not all birthdays are welcome

Wringer not all birthdays are welcome by Jerry Spinelli

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I don't know what I was expecting with Wringer, when I picked it up at Scholastic. I read Stargirl and enjoyed the story and thought I ought to read some more Spinelli.

Wringer is about the struggle between fitting in and maintaining self-identity. It's about peer pressure and "rites of passage" (that read a little more like hazing to me). And it's about finding the courage to stand up to the people you thought you wanted to be friends with.

While the protagonist is elementary-school aged, I found the themes to be appropriate for even my middle school readers. It will be easy for them to make connections between this text and the middle school life--that which they see in the hallways all the time.



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