Banned Books

S sent me a list of banned books from FindLaw. Check it out here. Personally, I love reading banned books if only because it says "Ha!" to those people who would challenge anyone's freedom of expression. Censorship is always a touchy issue, and on the real, I'm not sure where I stand, especially when it comes to censorship within the school system. I will admit that I suggested one of my book buddies not read Gregory Maguire's Wicked because I didn't think it was appropriate yet, and I'll also admit that I suggested that Lauren Myracle's ttyl be pulled from our middle school library because I don't think the students are mature enough for it. Here's where I differ from many who censor and challenge books -- I've read them both. I actually very much enjoyed both novels. And if my book buddy were older and wanted to read the novel -- either novel, really -- I'd give it to her without a second thought. I'll tell you this much, I wouldn't suggest a ten-year-old read Chuck Pahlinuck's short story "Guts" from Haunted either (if you want to read the story, read Palahiniuk's essay on it first), but I think he's one of the most fantasic writers I've ever read. Maybe the argument about censorship and how one sits on the issues depends upon the evidence the challenger can present and the background the challenger comes to the table with. Challengers have to understand that while they may not want their children exposed to novels like Rowling's Harry Potter, there are parents (even religious parents) who see more than just the setting of the novel, or who will allow their children the choice to read such novels. Is it fair to deny other people's children the choice? At what point do the interests of one parent for his or her child extend to the interests of other people's children?

Some of the books I've read from the list of most banned in the last century:

• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
• The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood
• The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton
• To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
• Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes
• Harry Potter (Series), by J.K. Rowling
• James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl
• Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
• Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume
• Lord of the Flies, by William Golding
• Native Son, by Richard Wright
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain
• Where's Waldo?, by Martin Hanford
• Summer of My German Soldier, by Bette Greene

Thoughts on the new Half Blood Prince Movie

When I read blogs, I have this tendency to click the links in other people's blog rolls, just to see what's going on outside the world of blogs that I read on a regular basis. I went back to a post from the NCTE Inbox from a while ago on Five Things I've Gained from Reading (which I will address in five posts in the near future -- hopefully), and I came across the responses of another teacher. I will usually -- and did this time -- go to the present to see what else the blogger has written and decide whether or not I want to follow this newly-discovered blog. I have yet to decide if I want to follow TeacherNinja's blog, but I did want to comment on something that he said in response to the new Harry Potter movie. TeacherNinja says:

I saw the most recent Potter film over the weekend and thought it was fine. There's a lot of younguns out there crying that, OMG they changed things from the book!

Get used to it, kids. It's a completely different medium and things gotta change. I can't remember who it was they were interviewing, but many years ago someone asked an author his thoughts on how the movies had ruined his books. He pointed to them up there on his shelf and said, "No they haven't. They're right there."

I absolutely love this response. Yeah, film is a different medium -- they can do with it what they want. Consider Isaac Asmiov's I, Robot. And then look at the Will Smith movie. Similar? In name only. And I didn't hear anyone complaining about that. All I heard was that Will Smith looks good. Can't argue with that, but I'd hardly call it literary criticism. Heck, Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a novel (a five part trilogy), has been multiple radio programs (which you can get in audio book at iTunes -- man, I want that) and is also a movie. Here's the thing about the movie, though, which is also the case with many of the Harry Potter movies (particularly the first and the sixth): even though they're different, there are certain details removed that people who have read the novel fill in for themselves. For example, in the cave, Harry dips the shell-thingy in the water filled with Inferi. Did anyone explain to only-movie-goers what those things were? Nope! But if you read the book, then you knew why they were there and why they acted the way they did. Chew on that for a minute before you criticize filmmakers too much.

Think about this too: when studios make movies out of books, the sales for that particular book often increase. This is becuause some people want to read the book before they go see the movie. I have been guilty of such things.

And as the author insinutated -- that beloved book will still be intact on the shelf (or under the bed) when you get home from the theatre.

On Read-Alouds

I'm not sure I have a blog roll on my blog anymore, especially since the blogs I follow all run through my Google Reader, but I read this post on The Reading Zone, and had to share.

One of the strategies I started using this year to get my students interested in stories is the read-aloud. I had a novel that I read aloud to the class when we'd have extra time at the end of the period. The only one we got to this year was Dreadlocks by Neal Shusterman, but I already have a list lined up for the fall, including Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Sharon G. Flake's The Skin I'm In, and Richard Wright's Rite of Passage. I might pull in some more Shusterman, but I haven't decided yet. Hopefully, the book talks I'm planning to put into my weekly podcast will help me and the students decide what I should read to them--what will get them interested in reading the most.

My favorite book off of her list has to be The Giver by Lois Lowry. I recently finished the third in the series, called Messenger. Fantastic. I should have blogged about it, but I think it's one of the novels I read recently that has yet to make it up here.

One aspect of TheReadingZone's post that I particularly liked was her students' comments on their novels. She mentions that she has students read a variety of genres, authors, etc. so at least something resonates with each of her students. What I like even more was that she has them register an opinion. I want to take a page out of her book.

The List of novels (and only the novels) I'm considering for my 8th graders (they'll get to choose)

• The Giver by Lois Lowry (of course -- and I might teach this full class instead of small group)
• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
  
• Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
• Bad Boy: A Memoir by Walter Dean Myers
• Tangerine by Edward Bloor
• That Was Then, This Is Now by S. E. Hinton

I think there might be more on that list, but I can't remember off the top of my head.

More made up words

Sarcaustic: Facetious with an edge.

Inzane: crazy in a funny way.

Vokis and examples will be updated soon.

For J: On Feed and 1984

I enjoy the book conversations I have with people. These questions are for J, so he has a purpose for reading and some concrete things to think about as he goes. At some point, I'll record our discussion of these questions.

1. Consider the three party slogans from Orwell's 1984. Give your thoughts/reactions to each in the context of the novel and in the context of your own experience.
2. M.T. Anderson writes his novel to those who resist the feed. Who are those people? What do they look like in the context of today's society. What do they look like in the context of the novel? Are you one who resists the feed? Why or why not?
3. Explicate. Consider diction specifically. "You don't have the feed. You are the feed. You're feed. You're being eaten. You're raised for food" (202).
4. In what ways is the feed in Anderson's novel and Big Brother in Orwell's novel similar? Despite the obvious, how are they different? Given each context, which do you find more intrusive? Why?
5. Do you think we're moving toward a society resembling that of Feed or like that of 1984? Consider both the current consumer and political climates in your response.
6. In your mind, what does the idea of utopia look like? Think about the two novels you just read and the novels you read in AP last semester, like Huxley's Brave New World. Outline the virtues and flaws of each society. How do they measure up to your internalized concept of utopia?

Classic Summer Reads

Despite the big debate between teaching classical literature, teaching YA literature or teaching a combination of the two, a Teen Fiction website that I follow has suggested a few good reads out of the classical canon for teens this summer. I love reading lists. And I love adding to my ever-growing stash of reading lists that I keep in my Evernote. I'm happy to say, that I'm not adding anything to my reading list from this list. I've read all but Joseph Heller's Catch 22, which I remember starting and not finishing when I was in high school, though I did look up the meaning of the term at some point in the recent past.

Take a look at Francine Morrissette's article to see how many you've read or to add some great classic reads to your reading list.

Fence Posting

Capitutipping: the act of giving in on a decision that you had been sitting on the fence about.

Etym: My friend S was pretending to sit on the fence about continuing her education to get a degree in education. Eventually, she was tipped to the side of continuing education. A decision that wasn't a decision in the first place.

For pronunciation, click the play button on the Voki below.

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