LSSL 5360 Module 6: Smile

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Telgemeier, Raina. 2010. Smile. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780545132053.

PLOT SUMMARY

Raina’s own memoir, Smile begins with a Girl Scout meeting that concludes with a fall on the concrete to roll out what ends up being a long and arduous dental journey.  She ends up with braces off and on, surgery, endless teasing, embarrassing headgear, and the worst of all, a retainer with fake teeth attached to it.  Among these horrific hurdles are boy confusion, an earthquake, and friends who begin to show their unfriendly colors.  

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In an amazingly illustrated graphic novel, the reader is sucked into Raina’s story from the very beginning.  Funny and relatable to young people, this novel is sure to be a hit with any middle schooler or person who have ever experienced dental trauma of any kind.  Raina changes and matures throughout the story as she makes choices about her supposed friends, which presents as a good lesson for any young reader.  Walking away from those who are unkind and appreciating the ones who love and accept us for who we are is a difficult lesson we all experience in life, and Raina did a beautiful job of putting her major life lessons into an engaging story for others to enjoy and connect to.       

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

"Charming... This book should appeal to tweens looking for a story that reflects their fears and experiences and gives them hope that things get easier." --Publishers Weekly

"...The equivalent of a Judy Blume novel: younger readers can turn to it for understanding and comfort. [Smile] hits home partly because there is nothing else out there like it."

---New York Times Book Review

"Telgemeier's storytelling and full-color cartoony images form a story that will cheer and inspire any middle-schooler dealing with orthodontia." --Booklist

"Irresistible, funny and touching - a must read for all teenage girls, whether en-braced or not."

--Kirkus Reviews

CONNECTIONS

Readers of Smile would likely also enjoy Telgemeier’s other graphic novels including:

Sisters

Ghosts

Drama

And even graphic novel versions of the popular Baby Sitters Club.

This graphic novel would be good for the use of a girls’ book club and would spark conversations about empathy, acceptance, and kindness.  

LSSL 5360 Module 6: Sisters

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Telgemeier, Raina. 2014. Sisters. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780545540605.

PLOT SUMMARY

In a sequel to Telgemeier’s earlier graphic novel, Smile, we reunite with her in another memoir, this time featuring her mom and sister on a road trip from San Francisco to the Colorado Rockies for a family reunion.  They now have a baby brother and have noticed things in their parents’ relationship and realize that it’s high time they figure out how to get along.  This time her story is a present day narrative containing well placed flashbacks that give the background between Raine and her sister, Amara.    

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Telgemeier does it again with another graphic novel that is perfectly relatable for middle schoolers and their sibling struggles.  The different colored panels make it easy to decipher when the story is a showing a flashback.  The interwoven blasts from the past do a beautiful job laying a groundwork for the relationship between the two sisters.  Telgemeier’s art style is pleasing to the eye and is reminiscent of vintage style comics with a modern twist.  The fact that this is part of an autobiographical series adds to its’ interest and is such a fun, unique way to share family history.     

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

"Telgemeier's art complements her writing to great effect, offering a cheerful, vivid cartoon simplicity that allows readers to instantly engage even as it leaves room for deeper truths to take hold." -- Booklist

"A wonderfully charming tale of family and sisters that anyone can bond with." -- Kirkus Reviews

"A must-have follow-up to Smile " -- School Library Journal

"Alternately poignant and laugh-out-loud funny."  -- Publishers Weekly

CONNECTIONS

Readers of Sisters would likely also enjoy Telgemeier’s other graphic novels including:

Smile

Ghosts

Drama

Or other girl-centered graphic novels including

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova

Sunny Side Up by Jennifer Holm

This is another book that would make a great girls’ book club novel.  Conversations about family relationships, especially sisters, could result from reading this book.  A fun extension activity could include students beginning their own graphic novel type of autobiography highlighting the present school year or a particularly memorable life event.

LSSL 5360 Module 6: Flora & Ulysses

BIBLIOGRAPHY

DiCamillo, Kate. 2013. Flora and Ulysses. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN 9780763660406.

PLOT SUMMARY

The story begins with a squirrel being sucked into a vacuum cleaner.  Comic book loving Flora witnesses the event, runs to the squirrel’s rescue, and discovers it possesses super powers.  Besides being able to lead over tall building and fly, Ulysses, as the squirrel is now named, is also able to write poetry.  Flora does the only logical thing when befriending a superhero squirrel and dubs herself as responsible for aiding him in fulfilling his destiny and identifying his nemesis.  Only...how do you identify your nemesis?  And what do you do when your nemesis ends up being close to you?

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Kate DiCamillo does it again with a children’s book sure to appeal to all.  With a different tone than her other titles, this story is guaranteed to keep the reader in stitches.  Comic strips contained throughout the book are visually appealing and add to the overall theme and character of the book.  Charming and full of rich vocabulary, DiCamillo creates a delightfully entertaining story about a finding happiness and friendship.  

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Newbery Medal 2014

Texas Bluebonnet Award 2014-2015

Ten-year-old Flora Belle Buckman's life changes when she befriends a squirrel with superpowers. There's only one problem: Flora's self-absorbed, romance novel writing, squirrel-hating mother. DiCamillo imbues her novel with warmth, humor, and emotion, focusing on large life issues such as loss and abandonment, acceptance of differences, and the complexity of relationships. Full-page and spot pencil illustrations accentuate the mood. - Horn Book Guide, 2013

Original, touching and oh-so-funny tale starring an endearingly implausible superhero and a not-so-cynical girl.

—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

CONNECTIONS

Readers who enjoy this novel should visit each of Kate DiCamillo’s other works.  An author study could be done to compare her style of writing in each book.

The Tiger Rising

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

Because of Winn Dixie

The Tale of Despereaux  

LSSL 5360 Module 6: Echo

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ryan, Pam Munoz. 2015. Echo. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780439874021.

PLOT SUMMARY

The story begins with Otto, lost in the woods and frightened.  He meets three mysterious girls and they embark on a quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica.  Decades later, the harmonica appears in the lives of Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California. All three children face hardships in life including orhpaned brothers, economic strife, shunning of cultural differences, and one locked away in an asylum due to a physical deformity, despite being a gifted musician.  All the stories are pulled together and intertwined with the story of the three sisters from the beginning into a masterful tale.  

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Munoz’s book is a work of diversity for kids.  With four historical settings, it is well researched and accurately portrays each time period and the issues dealt within their contexts.  The stories are thought-provoking and diverse as they contain the backdrop of Nazi Germany, a Japanese internment camp, and the striking difference between the privileged and the poor.  

With each story thought provoking and woven together by the harmonica music they build up to an unforgettable finale.   

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

New York Times Notable Book

Publishers Weekly Best Book

ILA Notable Book for a Global Society

ALA Notable Children's Book

*“The story of Otto and the cursed sisters honor timeless and traditional folktales [and] Ryan has created three contemporary characters who, through faith and perseverance, write their own happy endings, inspiring readers to believe they can do the same.” --School Library Journal, starred review

*“A grand narrative that examines the power of music to inspire beauty in a world overrun with fear and intolerance, it's worth every moment of readers' time.” --Kirkus, starred review

*“Each individual story is engaging, but together they harmonize to create a thrilling whole.” --Publishers Weekly, starred review

CONNECTIONS

With a similar setting and time period, readers interested in WW2 era in Germany should also read The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.  

Other titles by Pam Munoz Ryan also include

Esperanza Rising

Riding Freedom

Becoming Naomi Leon

LSSL 5360 Module 5: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kelly, Jacqueline. 2009. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. New York, NY:Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 9780312659301

PLOT SUMMARY

The year is 1899 and Calpurnia Tate is eleven years old.  She yearns for more than the life of a housewife her mother is already pushing her towards, and finds an unexpected kindred spirit in her elderly, scientific-minded grandfather.  He encourages her in her inquisitions about the things around her and teaches her not only about science, but about great women scientists.  The book follow six months of her life as she learns from her grandfather, navigates life with six brothers, and lives as a girl during the turn of the century.              

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In a book that is basically a series of vignettes, the reader can engage with Calpurnia and the events of her life that seem so real.  Her hilarious observations and driving curiosity entertains throughout the book.  Though there doesn’t seem to be an actual plot, Calpurnia’s life will keep the audience reading and waiting for the next event to unfold.  

It is also evident that there was research that went into making the historical aspects of this novel realistic such as the celebration of the turn of the century with the brand new “Coca-Cola.”  

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Newbery Honor Book 2010

Josette Frank Award 2010

Audie Award for Children 2011

Life at the turn of the century is not easy for a girl who loves books and science. Kelly's first novel presents spirited heroine Calpurnia (Callie) Virginia Tate, a middle child with six brothers, growing up in the isolation of Fentress, Tex., in 1899. To her family's dismay, Callie is stubborn, independent and not interested in darning socks or perfecting her baking skills like a lady. “I would live my life in a tower of books,” she thinks to herself. She spends most of her time with Harry, “the one brother who could deny me nothing,” slowly befriending her Granddaddy, a mysterious naturalist who studies everything from pecan distillation to microscopic river bugs. Together they dream up experiments and seek answers to backyard phenomena, discovering something new about the invisible world each day. Callie follows her passion for knowledge, coming to realize her family “had their own lives. And now I have mine.” Callie's transformation into an adult and her unexpected bravery make for an exciting and enjoyable read. Kelly's rich images and setting, believable relationships and a touch of magic take this story far. - Publisher's Weekly, 2009

CONNECTIONS

This novel would be good for a middle school book club and could springboard discussions related to gender roles in history, women scientists, the scientific method, and the collaboration of scientists before the internet existed.  

There is also a second book about Calpurnia that readers can read following this first one.

LSSL 5360 Module 5: The Wednesday Wars

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Schmidt, Gary D. 2007. The Wednesday Wars. New York, NY:Scholastic Inc. ISBN 0545178134

PLOT SUMMARY

It’s 1967, Holling Hoodhood is a seventh grader at Camillo Junior High, and he just knows Mrs Baker, his teacher, hates his guts.  Holling is the lone Presbyterian in a class filled with Catholics and Jews.  Because of this, the other kids attend religious classes on Wednesdays while Holling passes the afternoon solo with Mrs. Baker.  More complex school word, extra tasks like cleaning erasers, and reading Shakespeare after school are just a few reasons why Holling is sure Mrs. Baker resents him.  In addition to this, Holling deals starting track, a sister who runs away to California, and a father who is focused on his architecture business.  All of this, while the Vietnam War is going on.  As the school year progresses, so does Holling as he learns about himself and finds friendship in the least expected places.           

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Portrayed as a typical junior high student, Holling is easy for readers to relate to.  Schmidt does a great job creating realism in this story and within each character.  Holling faces circumstances just like any junior high student might, troubles with classmates and his feelings towards his teacher, while Mrs. Baker is going through troubles of her own including receiving telegrams about her husband who is away fighting in the war.  The Vietnam War is seamlessly interwoven into the storyline and includes Walter Cronkite’s news updated alongside all the things happening in the rest of Holling’s life.  In addition to this, there are other major historical events that take place and are mentioned as the plot moves along including the shooting of Martin Luther King, Jr.  With a touch of humor, the novel is enjoyable and easy to read.  Pieces of history are blended together with fiction to create a believable story.    

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Newbery Honor Book 2008

YALSA Best Book for Young Adults 2008

Schmidt has a way of getting to the emotional heart of every scene without overstatement, allowing the reader and Holling to understand the great truths swirling around them on their own terms…another virtuoso turn… –Kirkus Reviews

[A] quietly powerful coming-of-age novel. . . . [Schmidt] offers a gentle, hopeful, moving story of a boy who, with the right help, learns to stretch beyond the limitations of his family, his violent times, and his fear, and leap into his future with his eyes and his heart wide open. –Booklist

One of my favorite books of the year. -Tanya Lee Stone, New York Times Book Review

CONNECTIONS

Okay for Now is the companion novel also written by Gary D. Schmidt

Scholastic also has a lesson guide to accompany this novel which can be found at the following link

http://www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/teachers/connections/pdf/wednesdaywars.pdf

LSSL 5360 Module 5: Catherine, Called Birdy

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cushman, Karen. 1994. Catherine, Called Birdy. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 9780547722184

PLOT SUMMARY

Catherine is the fourteen-year-old daughter of a knight and lady during the medieval times. A tomboy who prefers to go by the nickname “Birdy,” Catherine desires nothing more than to sing with the other peasants of the village and help with a festival.  However her father’s plans for her include marrying her off to the most suitable bachelor, the man with the most money.  As her mother words on teaching her proper manners and how to be a good wife, Catherine works doubly hard to get rid of any and all suitors that come her way.        

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Cushman does a wonderful job of creating a relatable character who possesses typical teenage qualities while fitting the time period the novel is set in.  Her diary entries are amusing and sometimes laughable to those reading them as she shares what she really thinks of the suitors pursuing her.  With an engaging plot, readers remain interested as they watch her quickly get rid of suitor after suitor.  

With an authenticity that shines through, and a theme that is relatable to teens even today, this is a novel that is sure to remain a classic.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Newberry Honor Book, 1995

Birdy's journal, begun as an assignment, first wells up in the reluctant and aggressive prose of hated homework, and then eases into the light hearted flow of descriptive adventures and true confessions; the narrative device reveals Birdy's passage from rebellious child to responsible adult.- Publisher’s Weekly

CONNECTIONS

This novel would be a perfect addition to the study of medieval times.  It would provide a different angle than that of most books involving knights.  

LSSL 5360 Module 5: Dash

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Larson, Kirby. 2016. Dash. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780545416351

PLOT SUMMARY

Set just after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Mitsi Kashino, a Japanese American girl, is separated from her dog when her family is sent to an incarceration camp.  All Americans of Japanese descent are treated with disdain - bullied, ostracized, and removed from their homes.  Misti is forced to leave her dog, Dash, behind in the care of a neighbor since pets are not allowed in the sparse living conditions of the camp.  Misti tries to obtain permission from the General for her dog to join her, but she is denied.  Just when her family begins to adjust to life in one camp, they are shipped off to another camp in Idaho and left to wonder if they will ever see their home and their beloved Dash ever again.       

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Despite the grim and true circumstances present during the time period, Larson write a historical fiction novel that can be enjoyed by all.  Based on an actual letter written to General DeWitt by Mitsue Shiaishi whose dog had to be left behind, Dash is a story of bravery, courage, and patriotism in a time of great despair.  

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

After Pearl Harbor, Mitsi Kashino's family has to go live in a "camp." Worse, her beloved dog, Dash, isn't allowed to accompany them. Luckily, elderly neighbor Mrs. Bowker takes Dash in. When amusing letters "from Dash" start arriving at camp, they help Mitsi make friends and spread happiness. A companion novel to Duke, Dash is another diverting wartime dog story. - Horn Book Guide, 2015

Newbery Honor author Kirby Larson presents the heartrending story of Mitsi Kashino, a young Japanese girl whose world is turned upside down following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Anti-Japanese sentiments force the incarceration of her family. Worst of all is her separation from Dash, her beloved dog who stuck by her through all of the difficulties. Though her family has lost their home, will they lose their sense of family? Larson deftly weaves heart and history, and gives young readers a sense of what it felt like to live during this period. Dash is a character that will resonate with dog lovers, and the kindly neighbor will reassure readers that kindness thrives in harsh conditions.  - Library Media Connection, 2015

CONNECTIONS

This story would be a great conversation starter regarding patriotism and perseverance.

Dogs of World War 2 is a series by this author, so a great companion for a novel study is her other title, Duke.