American Born Chinese – graphic novel

Bibliographic Information:

Title: American Born Chinese
Author: Gene Luen Yang
Publisher: Square Fish
Copyright date: 2006
ISBN: 978-1-59643-152-2
Pages: 240

Genre(s): Graphic novel, Humor, Folklore

Reading Level/Interest Age: 3rd (lower reading level as a graphic novel) / 8^th-12^th grades interest level

Readers Annotation: Can Jin Wang fit in at his new (white) school? How will Danny deal with his rude cousin? The Monkey King may have the answers.

Plot Summary: There are three separate stories that eventually intertwine at the end of the graphic novel. First, the reader is introduced to Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, who is rejected from being equal to the other gods even though he has earned his right to be there through intense discipline and study. After fighting back, he is trapped under a mountain for half a century before he is finally released by a loyal follower. Then, the reader encounters Jin Wang, a boy who moves from Chinatown in San Francisco to a new and mostly white suburban school and does his best to fit in. He struggles with his identity as the son of immigrants and his feelings for a white classmate. Danny is a white boy who attends Jin’s school, and he has to deal with his obnoxious Asian cousin Chin-Kee, who is the embodiment of all negative Chinese stereotypes. When the three stories intersect, Jin is shown what it means to accept himself and break free of cultural barriers.

Critical Evaluation: This graphic novel is an essential read for anyone wanting to understand the barriers between cultures or is looking to overcome personal racial struggles themselves. The author sets the story in a colorful palette that is easy to read, which is great for reluctant teen readers, and weaves the different tales together in a way that keeps the story going and makes it interesting. The style is entertaining, especially in Danny’s story where it is set up like a tv show sitcom with “canned” laughter running along the bottom of the panels. Young teens and even adult readers would enjoy this book, though older teens specifically could relate to Jin’s character and his general struggle to fit into the teenage social hierarchy, along with being able to understand the racial issues addressed in the story. The graphic novel is available in print or digital format, so it depends on the tastes of the library patrons – it is more satisfying to turn physical pages, though some teens like to read comics or graphic novels on their mobile devices.

Author Bio/Information:

From the author’s website: www.geneyang.com/about

“ I began making comics and graphic novels in the fifth grade. In 2006, my book American Born Chinese was published by First Second Books.  It became the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award and the first to win the American Library Association’s Printz Award. It also won an Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album – New.

In 2013, First Second Books released Boxers & Saints, my two-volume graphic novel about the Boxer Rebellion.  Boxers & Saints was nominated for a National Book Award and won the L.A. Times Book Prize. I’ve done a number of other comics, including Dark Horse Comics’ continuation of the popular Nickelodeon cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender and DC Comics’ Superman!

In addition cartooning, I teach creative writing through Hamline University’s MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. I teach alongside amazing authors like Anne Ursu, Gary Schmidt, Laura Ruby, Matt De La Pena, and more.

In January 2016, the Library of Congress, Every Child A Reader, and the Children’s Book Council appointed me the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.”

Ties to Curriculum Units: Chinese Folklore, Immigration, Multicultural Literature

Booktalking Ideas: Have teens discuss where their families came from, stereotypes associated with different people groups, have them draw part of their life story in the style of a graphic novel (a few panels)

Challenge Issues: The only issues that might arise would be with the racial stereotypes in the story revolving around Danny’s cousin Chin-Kee. I would explain to parents that he embodies all the negative ideas of Chinese people, and that the point is about defeating those stereotypes. I would also link them to an article about an award the book has won (http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklistsawards/bookawards/printzaward/previouswinners/printz07 ) and an article on why Chin-Kee’s character is important (http://www.michiganquarterlyreview.com/2011/04/giving-chin-kee-a-chance-gene-luen-yangs-american-born-chinese/ ).

 

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – audiobook

Biographical Information:

Title: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Author: Mark Haddon
Narrator: Jeff Woodman
Publisher: Recorded Books
Copyright date: 2004
ASIN: 0879356448
Length: 6 hours 6 minutes

Genre(s): Mystery, Coming of Age

Reading Level/Interest Age: 5^th / Upper grades (9-12)

Readers Annotation: For Christopher, the world can be overwhelming. When he finds his neighbor’s dog murdered, it’s up to him to find courage and solve the mystery.

Plot Summary: Christopher Boone is a 15-year-old boy with Asperger’s Syndrome (though it isn’t specified in the book), and the listener experiences the story through his eyes as he deals with the world through math and logic when societal behavior and emotions don’t make sense to him. He lives with his father, and his mother has been dead for two years. When he finds his neighbor’s dog murdered with a pitchfork one morning and comes under suspicion, he decides to solve the case himself (much to the chagrin of his father) and investigates the neighbors to find clues using his logic and puzzle solving skills as well as his excellent memory. His investigation overturns some surprising information about both of his parents and shakes up his worldview, forcing Christopher to overcome his fears and step bravely into the unknown.

Critical Evaluation: Since this book has such a unique protagonist, Christopher, who sees the world differently through the eyes of someone with Asperger’s Syndrome, I felt that the audiobook was a great format that allowed me to hear Christopher’s voice. Jeff Woodman is an excellent narrator, speaking in a matter-of-fact tone that matches Christopher’s logical and literal personality. The narration was well paced and engaging, which is important to keep the attention of the listener. The story is poignant, funny despite some sadness, and easy to follow, which should capture the interest of older teens as an adult crossover, especially since the main character is a teenager. It is important for teens to read this story to further understand what it’s like to be someone who deals with autism in their everyday life, as well as learn about the elements of trust and interpreting parts of the world that are strange or scary. There is a print version as well, but the audiobook gives the story added depth.

Author Bio/Information:

From the British Council website: https://literature.britishcouncil.org/writer/mark-haddon

“Mark Haddon was born in Northampton in 1962. He graduated from Oxford University in 1981, returning later to study for an M.Sc. in English Literature at Edinburgh University. He then undertook a variety of jobs, including work with children and adults with mental and physical disabilities.  He also worked as an illustrator for magazines and a cartoonist for New Statesman, The Spectator, Private Eye, the Sunday Telegraph and The Guardian (for which he co-wrote a cartoon strip).

His first book for children, Gilbert’s Gobstopper, appeared in 1987 and was followed by many other books and picture books for children, many of which he also illustrated. These include the ‘Agent Z’ series  and the ‘Baby Dinosaurs’ series. From 1996 he also worked on television projects, and created and wrote several episodes for Microsoap, winning two BAFTAs and a Royal Television Society Award for this work.

In 2003 his novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, was published and has been hugely successful.  It is the first book to have been published simultaneously in two imprints – one for children and one for adults. It has won a string of prestigious awards, including the 2003 Whitbread Book of the Year. His second novel, A Spot of Bother, was published in 2006 and shortlisted for the 2006 Costa Novel Award.

His first book of poetry, The Talking Horse and the Sad Girl and the Village Under the Sea, was published in 2005. His latest books are two new novels, Boom! (2009) and The Red House (2012) and a picture book, Walking on The Moon (2009).

Mark Haddon teaches creative writing for the Arvon Foundation and Oxford University.”

Ties to Curriculum Units: Mystery literature, Coming of Age literature, Psychology (learning about autism/Asperger’s)

Booktalking Ideas: Discuss points of view, do a brief introduction to Asperger’s syndrome, have students solve a mystery in their own lives in the form of a “murder mystery novel”

Challenge Issues: Parents might object to the book due to the higher amount of swearing in it (the f-word and the s-word are used numerous times, and the more offensive c-word is used once), though the main character is unphased by swearing. I would discuss the fact that the book’s deeper themes are worth looking past the swearing. I would also show parents an article about the author discussing swearing in the book (https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/aug/12/curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time-pulled-from-childrens-reading-list) as well as direct them to the list of the awards that the book has won (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Curious_Incident_of_the_Dog_in_the_Night-Time#Awards ).

 

Dead Poets Society – film

Bibliographic Information:

Title: Dead Poets Society
Actors: Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard, Josh Charles
Director: Peter Weir
Studio: Touchstone Pictures
Copyright date: 1989
ASIN: 6305144168
Runtime: 2 hours 8 minutes

Genre(s): Teen film, Drama

Reading Level/Interest Age: Rated PG, but more for older teens due to more mature themes

Readers Annotation: Todd Anderson’s life is forever changed by a professor who teaches him to seize the day, make lasting friendships, and live poetry from the heart.

Plot Summary: Set in Vermont in 1959, the film begins with the protagonist Todd Anderson starting his senior year at Welton Academy, an all boys private school that is known for being extremely strict. He is introverted, but a good student, and befriends his roommate Neil Perry, who quickly brings him into his own entourage of friends at the school. The boys are surprised and impressed by Keating, their English professor, who emphasizes the “carpe diem” way of living and encourages his class to be their own selves even allowing them to tear parts of their textbook pages out when they go against the very idea of what it means to analyze poetry. Through Keating’s influence, the boys come into their own, restarting the previously abandoned Dead Poets Society in order to study poets and share their own prose while accepting their individuality. They are met with resistance from other members of the school staff, their parents, and society in general, who expect them to fit into certain boxes in order to be “successful.” Neil, who discovers that he loves to act and no longer wants to go to medical school, ends up in a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. After opposition from his father and pressure from society’s expectations, however, he withdraws from the play and eventually takes his own life. The other boys are deeply affected, and although many disagree with the choice, they end up signing statements indicating that Keating was partly to blame for Neil’s death. They give Keating a respected sendoff, though, and show him that he had a huge impact on their lives while he was their instructor.

Critical Evaluation: This film is an unexpected gem of a story that highlights the importance of breaking from the mold of society’s expectations, and as Keating puts it, “mak[ing] your life extraordinary.” The actors playing the boys all contribute striking performances, especially Ethan Hawke and Robert Sean Leonard, and viewers are able to relate to their struggles as they seek out their own identities. Robin Williams gives a commanding performance as Keating, showing his skills in dramatic acting as opposed to his usual comedy films, and manages to portray a teacher who cares deeply for his students and wants them to succeed. Both teens and educators of teens will find this film an extremely worthwhile watch, and will take important life lessons away from the story. The Vermont setting makes for a beautiful background to the story, and the soundtrack contains era-appropriate songs as well as some well placed classical pieces and original score melodies that highlight emotional scenes. The film is available in DVD, Blu-Ray, or streaming video. DVD may be best since the film was not originally filmed in high quality, though teens might prefer to stream it from their devices.

Author Bio/Information:

From Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Weir

“Peter Weir (born 21 August 1944) is an Australian film director. He was a leading figure in the Australian New Wave cinema movement (1970-1990), with films such as the mystery drama Picnic at Hanging Rock(1975), the supernatural thriller The Last Wave (1977) and the historical drama Gallipoli (1981). The climax of Weir’s early career was the $6 million multi-national production The Year of Living Dangerously (1983).

After the success of The Year of Living Dangerously, Weir directed a diverse group of American and international films covering most genres—many of them major box office hits—including the Academy Award nominated films such as the thriller Witness (1985), the drama Dead Poets Society (1989), the romantic comedy Green Card (1990), the social science fiction comedy-drama The Truman Show (1998) and the epic historical drama film Master and Commander (2003). For his work on these five films, Weir personally accrued six Academy Award nominations as either a director, writer or producer.”

Ties to Curriculum Units: Poetry, Coming of Age, Mental Health

Booktalking Ideas: Discuss favorite teachers (and why), poetry and why it is important, discuss people who inspire teens

Challenge Issues: Even though the film is rated PG, it is an older movie and some of the elements would now be considered PG-13, such as the profanity, sexuality, alcohol use, and a character’s suicide. If parents challenged the title, I would bring up the importance of the movie’s message as transcending the more questionable parts of the film, and suggest that maybe it could facilitate good discussions about mental health, depression, and suicide. I would show them the list of awards the film has won (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097165/awards ) as well as a website with parent and teen reviews of the film (https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/dead-poets-society/user-reviews ).

The Fault in Our Stars – book

Bibliographic Information:

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Green
Publisher: Dutton Books
Copyright date: 2012
ISBN:   0-525-47881-7
Pages: 313

Genre(s): Young adult novel, Realistic fiction, Romance

Reading Level/Interest Age: 5th / Upper grades (9-12)

Readers Annotation: As she considers her own mortality, cancer patient Hazel Grace finds herself smitten with Augustus, a cancer survivor who helps her find hope and love.

Plot Summary: 16-year-old Hazel Grace is dying from lung cancer when the story opens, and she seems to be biding her time until the inevitable comes. One day, she attends a cancer support group meeting and notices a new boy around her age there who is supporting a friend with eye cancer. She is immediately drawn to the boy, who is named Augustus (or Gus), and finds out that he has also had cancer, which took one of his legs. They have a strong connection, and start spending a lot of time together. Hazel shares her favorite book, An Imperial Affliction, which she can relate to because of the daughter’s struggle with cancer, and she and Gus talk about their frustrations over the fact that she story ends suddenly and without closure. As Hazel’s condition worsens, she grows closer to Gus, and a year later, he is determined to use his leftover wish (like the real life Make-a-Wish Foundation does for sick young people) to make sure Hazel is able to meet her hero and the author of An Imperial Affliction, Peter Van Houten. The author agrees to meet Hazel in person, and she and Gus travel to Amsterdam to meet him. When they find him, though, he is drunk and bitter, and gives insults instead of answers. Disappointed, they leave, but proclaim their love for one another after visiting Anne Frank’s museum. Towards the end of the novel, Gus is the one who gets worse, and the two teens are faced with losing the other as they contemplate life and what they have learned from one another. Gus leaves Hazel with a better ending to her favorite book, and she finds herself a better person for having known him.

Critical Evaluation: This book is full of thoughtful insights into living life to the fullest and appreciating those around you when time left is uncertain. The prose flows well and is almost poetic at times. I liked that Green dealt with the realities and inconveniences of illness such as Hazel’s oxygen tank or weakness, and he fleshed out Hazel and Gus’s relationship in a believable way. One thing I didn’t care for was the fact that Hazel and Gus sometimes sounded like twenty-something college students when they waxed philosophical with one another, rather than sounding like teenagers, though facing their own mortalities did give them a special sort of wisdom in the story. Teens who have known someone with cancer, or just love a well-written romance story, will appreciate this book. It has also been made into a popular film (2014), and is one of the hit books of the last decade for teens. The format of the book is up to the patrons’ personal preference, though having a physical hard cover copy in the library would be a good idea – paperback should be avoided, as this book will be checked out so often that it will wear out fast.

Author Bio/Information:

From John Green’s website: http://www.johngreenbooks.com/bio

“John Green is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, and The Fault in Our Stars. He is also the coauthor, with David Levithan, of Will Grayson, Will Grayson. He was the 2006 recipient of the Michael L. Printz Award, a 2009 Edgar Award winner, and has twice been a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Green’s books have been published in more than 55 languages and over 24 million copies are in print. John is also an active Twitter user with more than 5 million followers.

In June 2014, the movie adaptation of The Fault in Our Stars was released, directed by Josh Boone, produced by Fox 2000 and Temple Hill, and starring Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, and Nat Wolff. The screenplay was written by Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber, who went on to adapt Paper Towns for film. Fox 2000 and Temple Hill released Paper Towns in the summer of 2015, starring Nat Wolff, Cara Delevingne, Justice Smith, Austin Abrams, Halston Sage, and Jaz Sinclair. In the second half of 2015, John signed a first look production deal with Fox 2000.”

Ties to Curriculum Units: Health (learning about cancer), Coming of Age literature

Booktalking Ideas: Discuss meeting your heroes, writing an ending to your favorite book, make a ‘bucket list’ and have discussion on friends or family with cancer

Challenge Issues: The book does not contain much objectionable content, except for maybe Hazel’s favorite author drinking too much or her love scene with Gus, which isn’t even very detailed. Heavy topics such as cancer and depression are sometimes difficult to process, though, so it is important to remind parents that they can have open conversations with their teens after they read these kinds of books. I would direct them to discussion questions on the book to share with their child (http://www.litlovers.com/reading-guides/15-young-adult-fiction/8711-fault-in-our-stars-green?start=3 ) and also link them to a list of awards and book reviews to show the impact the book has had since its publication (http://www.johngreenbooks.com/the-fault-in-our-stars/ )

Hamilton: The Original Broadway Cast Recording – music CD

Bibliographic Information:

Title: Hamilton: The Original Broadway Cast Recording
Lyricist/Writer: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Label: Atlantic
Copyright date: 2015
ASIN: B013JLBPGE
Length: 2 hours, 22 minutes

Genre(s): Contemporary R&B, Ballad, Show tune

Reading Level/Interest Age: The musical is geared toward those interested in history (and musicals), so it could be any age, but some of the lyrics are explicit and contain sexual themes, making it more appropriate for those in high school or older.

Readers Annotation: Who knew that three of the best rappers were Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson? This musical makes history entertaining, and extremely catchy!

Plot Summary: The musical follows the life of founding father Alexander Hamilton, beginning with an introduction to his humble beginnings and the loss he suffered before he came to America to make a name for himself (“Alexander Hamilton”). He enters college and works hard to make a difference as a law student, where he encounters his future killer, Aaron Burr and befriends him (“Aaron Burr, Sir”). Young Hamilton soon joins with Burr, Lafayette, Mulligan, and Laurens with plans for revolution (“My Shot”/”The Story of Tonight”). After his skill with a pen is proven (“Farmer Refuted”), his name begins to gain in popularity among revolutionaries, such as George Washington himself, where he is made Washington’s aide-de-camp (“Right Hand Man”). There are also appearances by King George throughout the story (“You’ll Be Back”/”What Comes Next”/”I Know Him”). Hamilton also meets his wife Eliza Schuyler at a ball and immediately falls for her, but also has attachments to her sister Angelica (“Helpless/Satisfied”). The musical then goes through parts of the Revolutionary War, including the Battle of Monmouth where Charles Lee is a terrible choice for leadership and insults Washington, leading to a duel that causes Hamilton to be sent home(“Stay Alive”/”Ten Duel Commandments”/”Meet Me Inside”). Eventually, Washington calls Hamilton back, and he helps lead them to victory (“Guns and Ships”/”History Has Its Eyes on You”/”Yorktown/The World Turned Upside Down”).

After the war, Hamilton returns to New York to begin forming the new government, and eventually becomes the new secretary of the treasury, even writing the Federalist Papers (“Non-Stop”). He clashes with several other members on government issues regarding formation of banks (“Cabinet Battle #1”), but wisely compromises with Jefferson and Monroe over the placement of the country’s capital in order to get what he wants (“The Room Where It Happens”). After Hamilton wins another argument over whether to help the French in their Revolution (“Cabinet Battle #2”), Jefferson, Burr, and Madison conspire to take down Hamilton any way they can (“Washington on Your Side”). After Washington steps down as president (“One Last Time”), John Adams takes over and butts heads with Hamilton, eventually firing him and dissolving the Federalist Party (“The Adams Administration”). When Burr, Jefferson, and Madison confront Hamilton about suspicious financial activity, he admits to having an affair with Maria Reynolds and paying off her husband in order to clear his name of any possibility of treason, then fearing the truth coming out, he decides to write his own confession, essentially destroying his personal reputation even though he saves his professional one (“We Know”/“Hurricane”/“The Reynolds Pamphlet”). Years later, after Hamilton’s son Philip is an adult, he challenges a man to a duel after his father is insulted, but is shot and killed when he shoots into the air in protest (“Blow Us All Away”/”Stay Alive”), devastating his parents. In 1800 when Jefferson runs against Burr and ties with him, he wins in a landslide after Hamilton offers his support (“The Election of 1800”). This angers Burr, who challenges Hamilton to a duel, which Hamilton agrees to after refusing to apologize for questioning Burr’s morals (“Your Obedient Servant”). Burr and Hamilton duel in the same place where Phillip died, and thinking Hamilton is going to try and kill him, Burr shoots before realizing that Hamilton has shot into the air (“The World Was Wide Enough”). After Hamilton dies, his wife Eliza tries to continue his good work and tell her husband’s story (“Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story”).

Critical Evaluation: I was highly impressed by the educational and literary quality of this musical. Since it is nearly impossible to get tickets to the actual show at present, the Broadway cast recording of the musical is the next best thing, and unlike other cast recordings, every part of the musical is included and no dialogue is cut out, so the listeners get the entire story. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s lyrics are incredibly layered and full of wit, with catchy choruses that will get teens hooked and singing along to the music in no time. Every member of the cast shines, particularly Miranda as Hamilton, Odom Jr. as Burr, Soo as Eliza, and Diggs as Jefferson. It is difficult to pick out any one track over the others, because the quality of each song is exceptional. As far as sound production goes, the recording is a professional one, and the music doesn’t overshadow the vocal performances. The musical seems to have a universal appeal, even to people who don’t usually like musicals, so it could be enjoyed by all teens, especially when learning about the Revolutionary war and the formation of the American government in their history classes. The cast recording is available as a physical CD or in digital MP3 format, and either would work for a library. The digital format might be the best choice investment-wise since a CD could get scratched and would eventually be unplayable by teen patrons if it were too damaged.

Author Bio/Information:

From Lin-Manuel Miranda’s website:

“Lin-Manuel Miranda is an award-winning composer, lyricist, and performer, as well as a 2015 MacArthur Foundation Award recipient. His current musical, Hamilton – with book, music and lyrics by Mr. Miranda, in addition to him originating the title role – opened on Broadway in 2015. Hamilton was awarded the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in Drama and earned a record-breaking 16 Tony Nominations, winning 11 Tony Awards including two personally for Mr. Miranda for Book and Score of a Musical. The Original Broadway Cast Recording of Hamilton won the 2016 Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album. Both Mr. Miranda and Hamilton won the 2016 Drama League Awards for Distinguished Performance and Outstanding Production of a Musical, respectively. For its sold-out Off-Broadway run at The Public Theater, Hamilton received a record-breaking 10 Lortel Awards, as well as 3 Outer Critic Circle Awards, 8 Drama Desk Awards, the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best New Musical, and an OBIE for Best New American Play. Material from the show was previewed at the White House during its first-ever Evening of Poetry & Spoken Word in 2009, Lincoln Center Theater’s 2012 American Songbook Series and New York Stage and Film’s 2013 Powerhouse Theatre Season at Vassar College. The Chicago production of Hamilton opened in October 2016, with a National Tour and London production scheduled for 2017. The Hamilton Mixtape, a concept album inspired by the shows score featuring top rappers and musicians in the music industry will be released on Dec. 2, 2016.

Mr. Miranda’s first Broadway musical, In the Heights, received four 2008 Tony Awards (including Best Orchestrations, Best Choreography and Best Musical), with Miranda receiving a Tony Award for Best Score, as well as a nomination for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. In the Heights also took home a 2009 Grammy Award for its Original Broadway Cast Album and was recognized as a Finalist for the 2009 Pulitzer Prize in Drama. In 2016, Miranda won the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music for the Original London production of In The Heights. Off-Broadway, In the Heights received a Drama Desk award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance, the Lucille Lortel Award and Outer Critic’s Circle Award for Best Musical and Mr. Miranda received an Obie Award for Outstanding Music and Lyrics.

Mr. Miranda is a recipient of the National Arts Club Medal of Honor and the ASCAP Foundation’s Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award. He serves as a Council Member of The Dramatists Guild, board member of Young Playwrights Inc. and was appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio to New York City’s Theater Subdistrict Council in 2015.”

Ties to Curriculum Units: Revolutionary War, American Government, Music Appreciation

Booktalking Ideas: Play samples, see what teens know about Alexander Hamilton before listening, discuss the use of rap/hip hop as storytelling

Challenge Issues: There is a Parental Advisory label on the soundtrack due to occasional swearing and sexual innuendo (there is a song about Hamilton’s affair), so some parents might object to their teens checking out the soundtrack. I would inform them that there is a clean version of the soundtrack available for listening, but it is important to hear the musical as it was originally intended, and the message is so much more than the swearing it contains. I would link them to a Tony Awards introduction from the Obamas themselves detailing the importance of the musical to our nation in front of an example performance (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5VqyCQV1Tg ). Another helpful link details the list of awards that the musical has won since its introduction two years ago (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_(musical)#Awards_and_nominations ).

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – audiobook

Bibliographic Information:

Title: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Author: Douglas Adams
Narrator: Stephen Fry
Publisher: Random House Audio
Copyright date: 2005
ASIN: B0009JKV9W
Length: 5 hours 51 minutes

Genre(s): Comic science fiction, Science Fiction, Comic novel, Humor, Speculative fiction

Reading Level/Interest Age: 6^th grade / Upper grades (9-12)

Readers Annotation: Have you ever wondered about life on other planets? Arthur Dent is forced into a wacky space adventure with aliens after Earth is suddenly demolished.

Plot Summary: Arthur Dent is trying to live out his normal, boring life, but is met with difficulties when his house is set to be demolished to make room for a roadway. After deciding to protest, he runs into his old friend Ford Prefect, who informs him of a similar but correspondingly huger problem that the Earth is going to be destroyed by aliens called Vogons to make room for a space highway. Thanks to Ford, Arthur is saved just before Earth is destroyed, where they hitch a ride with the Vogons and discover they are terrible poets. Unfortunately, Arthur and Ford are ejected from the Vogon ship into space, but they are saved by Zaphod Beeblebrox, Trillian, and their companion robot Marvin in a stolen spaceship (the Heart of Gold). Beeblebrox is supposedly the President of the Galaxy, but rather than lead, he wants to find the legendary planet Magrathea (though he’s not sure why). Once they actually find the legendary planet, where planets are created for rich aliens, they meet Slartibartifast, who tells them that Earth was created as a supercomputer to come up with the Question after another supercomputer had figured out that the “ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything” was 42 but didn’t know what the question was. The beings behind the creation of Earth (who turn out to be mice) try to dissect Arthur’s brain since he’s the last Earthling and may contain information related to the Question, but he escapes with Zaphod and the group in their ship. The story ends with them being pursued by intergalactic police, but they decide to stop to eat at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

Critical Evaluation: Reading Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is amusing enough in its own right, with Douglas Adams’ quirky British humor and spot on comedic observations about human behavior, as well as his entertaining style of inserting sections of the actual guidebook throughout the story to explain certain things that Arthur encounters. With the addition of Stephen Fry’s narration of the audiobook, however, the enjoyment of the story is amplified. Fry provides an animated telling of the story, complete with variations in character voices and an engaging pace, and the fact that his humor as a comedian syncs well with the story enhances the experience of the listener greatly. While not directly written for teens, the story is exciting, humorous, and wacky enough to catch their interest, and as a classic science fiction story, it is a perfect way to introduce them to the story if they are hesitant to jump into physical reading right away. Teens might even want to listen to the audiobook as they read along, or read the book later after they’ve heard it to get a fuller understanding of the story. The format for the audiobook is both audio CD and as digital content, but accessing the audiobook digitally is probably the preferred format for teens so that they don’t have to have a CD player to listen to it when they want to.

Author Bio/Information:

From Douglas Adams’ website: http://www.douglasadams.com/dna/bio.html

“Douglas Adams was born in Cambridge in March 1952, educated at Brentwood School, Essex and St John’s College, Cambridge where, in 1974 he gained a BA (and later an MA) in English literature.

He was creator of all the various manifestations of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which started life as a BBC Radio 4 series. Since its first airing in March 1978 it has been transformed into a series of best-selling novels, a TV series, a record album, a computer game and several stage adaptations.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’s phenomenal success sent the book straight to Number One in the UK Bestseller List and in 1984 Douglas Adams became the youngest author to be awarded a Golden Pan. He won a further two (a rare feat), and was nominated – though not selected – for the first Best of Young British Novelists awards.

He followed this success with The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (1980); Life, The Universe and Everything (1982); So Long and Thanks for all the Fish (1984); and Mostly Harmless (1992). The first two books in the Hitchhiker series were adapted into a 6 part television series, which was an immediate success when first aired in 1982. Other publications include Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (1987) and Long Dark Tea-time of the Soul (1988). In 1984 Douglas teamed up with John Lloyd and wrote The Meaning of Liff and after a huge success The Deeper Meaning of Liff followed this in 1990). One of Douglas’s all-time personal favourites was written in 1990 when he teamed up with zoologist Mark Carwardine and wrote Last Chance to See – an account of a world-wide search for rare and endangered species of animals.

He sold over 15 million books in the UK, the US and Australia and was also a best seller in German, Swedish and many other languages.”

Ties to Curriculum Units: Literature appreciation (science fiction literature study, maybe)

Booktalking Ideas: Play a sample of the audiobook, discuss ideas for writing a funny guide to Earth for aliens, describe uses for a towel from the story

Challenge Issues: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy hasn’t had many issues with being challenged, aside from the odd case of language used in the story, but I would follow standard complaint protocol with parents who had an issue with the title. While discussing the importance of the story as a classic title in science fiction literature, I would direct parents to the list of awards that the book has won (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchhiker’s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy_(novel)#Awards ) and show them a list of parent and adult reviews of the book (https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/the-hitchhikers-guide-to-the-galaxy-hitchhikers-guide-series-book-1/user-reviews/adult ).

The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond – music CD

Bibliographic Information:

Title: The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond
Artist: Various
Producer: T. Bone Burnett
Label: Republic
Copyright date: 2012
ASIN: B0072HTHKS
Length: 58 minutes

Genre(s): Country music, Folk music, Alternative rock, Indie rock, Americana

Reading Level/Interest Age: The movie is rated PG-13, so the target audience for the soundtrack would be 13 and older.

Readers Annotation: For fans of the Hunger Games film, here is a folksy companion album with top artists who capture the tone of Panem for your listening pleasure.

Summary: The soundtrack is made up of songs by various artists that were based on or inspired by elements of the Hunger Games story,

Track List:

1. “Abraham’s Daughter” by Arcade Fire
2. “Tomorrow Will Be Kinder” by The Secret Sisters
3. “Nothing to Remember” by Neko Case
4. “Safe & Sound” by Taylor Swift featuring The Civil Wars
5. “The Ruler & The Killer” by Kid Cudi
6. “Dark Days” by Punch Brothers
7. “One Engine” by The Decemberists
8. “Daughter’s Lament” by Carolina Chocolate Drops
9. “Kingdom Come” by The Civil Wars
10. “Take the Heartland” by Glen Hansard
11. “Come Away to the Water” by Maroon 5 featuring Rozzi Crane
12. “Run Daddy Run” by Miranda Lambert ft Pistol Annies
13. “Rules” by Jayme Dee
14. “Eyes Open” by Taylor Swift
15. “Lover is Childlike” by The Low Anthem
16. “Just a Game” by Birdy

 

Author Bio/Information:

From T. Bone Burnett’s website: http://www.tboneburnett.com/

“T Bone Burnett’s 40 years of experience in music and entertainment have earned him an unparalleled reputation as a first-rate innovative artist, songwriter, producer, performer, concert producer, record company owner and artists’ advocate. Burnett’s highly sought-after involvement in music, film, television and stage projects is marked by his uncanny ability to successfully combine his unique artistic sensibilities with massive commercial appeal. He is a champion for artistic freedom and independence, and a driving force in the elevation of our popular culture.

Burnett is a 13-time Grammy Award winner, earning his latest statue earlier this year in the category of Best Song Written For Visual Media, along with collaborators Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars’ Joy Williams and John Paul White. The foursome composed “Safe And Sound” for the blockbuster film, The Hunger Games. Burnett was awarded a Grammy in that same category in 2011 – having co-written “The Weary Kind” with Ryan Bingham for the Oscar-winning film, Crazy Heart – as well as in the category of Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for that same film.”

Ties to Curriculum Units: Hunger Games (if book assigned to read for class), Music Appreciation

Booktalking Ideas: Play samples of songs, discuss what music they might listen to in the story, read a scene with Katniss and Rue and play “Safe & Sound”

 

Into the Wild – book

Bibliographic Information:

Title: Into the Wild
Author: Jon Krakauer
Publisher: Villard
Copyright date: 1996
ISBN: 978-0385486804
Pages: 240

Genre(s): Biography, Travel, Travel literature, Autobiography, Non-fiction, Speculative fiction

Reading Level/Interest Age: 8^th grade / Upper grades (9-12)

Readers Annotation: Follow Jon Krakauer as he explores the life of Christopher McCandles, a story of traveling adventures in America that ends in the harsh Alaskan wilderness.

Author Bio/Information:

From Jon Krakauer’s website: http://www.jonkrakauer.com/bios/jon-krakauer

“Born in 1954, Jon Krakauer grew up in Corvallis, Oregon, where his father introduced him to mountaineering as an eight-year-old. After graduating from Hampshire College in 1976, Krakauer divided his time between Colorado, Alaska, and the Pacific Northwest, supporting himself primarily as a carpenter and commercial salmon fisherman. For the next two decades, however, his life revolved around climbing mountains.

Krakauer’s writing has been published by Outside, GQ, National Geographic, Rolling Stone, Architectural digest, Playboy, The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Byliner.com. An article he wrote for Smithsonian about volcanology received the 1997 Walter Sullivan Award for Excellence in Science Journalism. His 1996 book, Into the Wild, remained on the New York Times bestseller list for more than two years.

In 1999 Krakauer received an Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, intended “to honor writers of exceptional accomplishment.” According to the Academy’s citation, “Krakauer combines the tenacity and courage of the finest tradition of investigative journalism with the stylish subtlety and profound insight of the born writer. His account of an ascent of Mount Everest has led to a general reevaluation of climbing and of the commercialization of what was once a romantic, solitary sport; while his account of the life and death of Christopher McCandless, who died of starvation after challenging the Alaskan wilderness, delves even more deeply and disturbingly into the fascination of nature and the devastating effects of its lure on a young and curious mind.’”

Ties to Curriculum Units: Biographies, Studying survival and travel stories based in America

Booktalking Ideas: Have a globe and discuss places to travel to if money were no object, discuss survival techniques, ask teens how they would write their future travel story

The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven – short story collection

Bibliographic Information:

Title: The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven
Author: Sherman Alexie
Publisher: Perennial
Copyright date: 1993
ISBN: 978-0060976248
Pages: 240

Genre(s): Short story

Reading Level/Interest Age: 5th grade / Upper grades (9-12)

Readers Annotation: Steeped in folklore, family, racial identities and stereotypes, these stories show the good, the bad, and the ugly side of life on the Indian “rez”.

Author Bio/Information:

From Sherman Alexie’s website: http://fallsapart.com/press/

“Winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the PEN/Malamud Award for Short Fiction, a PEN/Hemingway Citation for Best First Fiction, and the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, Sherman Alexie is a poet, short story writer, novelist, and performer.

He has published 25 books including his first picture book, Thunder Boy Jr, and young adult novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, both from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; What I’ve Stolen, What I’ve Earned, a book of poetry, from Hanging Loose Press; and Blasphemy: New and Selected Stories, from Grove Press.

He has also published the 20th Anniversary edition of his classic book of stories, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven.

Smoke Signals, the movie he wrote and co-produced, won the Audience Award and Filmmakers Trophy at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival.

A Spokane/Coeur d’Alene Indian, Alexie grew up in Wellpinit, Washington, on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Alexie has been an urban Indian since 1994 and lives in Seattle with his family.”

 

Ties to Curriculum Units: Multicultural literature

 

Booktalking Ideas: Discuss Native American folklore, brief lesson on Native American history & oppression, spotlight on author Sherman Alexie

 

The Lovely Bones – book

Bibliographic Information:

Title: The Lovely Bones
Author: Alice Sebold
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Copyright date: 2002
ISBN: 978-0316666343
Pages: 328

 

Genre(s): Supernatural Thriller, Coming of Age

Reading Level/Interest Age: 6^th grade / Upper grades (9-12)

Readers Annotation: After her brutal death, Susie Salmon watches her friends and family as they try to identify her killer, often putting their own lives at risk.

 

Author Bio/Information:

From the Stephen Barclay Agency website: http://barclayagency.com/site/speaker/alice-sebold

“Rarely has an author had such an impact on international literature with her first novel, especially when it focuses on the dark subjects of rape, child murder, and the dissolution of families. Yet with The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold seemed to manage the impossible.

“My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was 14 when I was murdered on December 6, 1973.” So begins The Lovely Bones, one of the best-reviewed novels of the decade. The book quickly became an unprecedented international bestseller, with translations in over 45 languages and American sales alone of over five million copies. A film version of The Lovely Bones (Fall 2009) was adapted, written and directed by Peter Jackson. Three months after the publication of The Lovely Bones, Sebold’s 1999 memoir Lucky, an account of her rape at the age of 18 and the trial that followed, also rose to number one on The New York Times bestseller list. Lucky is being reissued by Scribner, with a new forward by the author, in 2017.

Born in Madison, Wisconsin, Sebold grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and attended Syracuse University as well as the University of Houston and UC Irvine. She has contributed to numerous anthologies and edited The Best American Short Stories 2009. She selected and edited the first four published books with Tonga Books, a Europa Editions imprint specializing in works of literary fiction by American authors.”

Ties to Curriculum Units: Coming of Age literature, Child safety/self defense possibilities for physical education

Booktalking Ideas: Discuss ideas of what your heaven would be like, if you could watch those you left behind, discuss child safety and awareness with strangers