Call It Courage (Armstrong Sperry)

Reviewed by Emilee Hansel, an English Education major at Maranatha Baptist University. Emilee lives in Watertown, Wisconsin.

Background and Summary

Written by Armstrong Sperry, Call It Courage was first published in 1940 and earned a Newbery Medal in 1941. This story takes place on several small islands in the South Seas many years ago when the natives were the only inhabitants of the island and no missionaries or traders had arrived yet. The book opens on the island of Hikueru and tells the tale of Mafatu, who is known as “the Boy Who Was Afraid” in much of the story. The first chapter takes you back to the time when Mafatu is just three years old, and he and his mother search for sea urchins out on the barrier reef. As they turn their canoe towards home, a current sets in and carries them into the outer ocean where they struggle all night through the ocean storm. By morning, they lose the canoe and Mafatu clings to his mother’s neck while watching sharks circle in the distance. With a last effort, his mother makes it to another island and drags Mafatu ashore before she dies.  

Twelve years later, at age fifteen, Mafatu still cannot overcome his terrible fear of the sea and the terrible sea god, Moana. His father, the Great Chief of Hikueru, had named Mafatu, Stout Heart, but Mafatu does not live up to his name. The girls on the island laugh at him, and the boys exclude him from their games. His attempts to sail out with the fishermen always end in disaster, so he is forced to stay behind making spears, nets, or shark lines for the other boys to use.

One day Mafatu reaches the point where he decides that he must prove his courage to himself and to the others, or he can no longer live in their midst. He must face Moana, the sea god, and conquer him. After gathering a few supplies, Mafatu sails off to find a distant island. After barely surviving a storm and losing his canoe in the reef, he finally makes it to shore.

Once Mafatu has found land, he first explores his surroundings. Though he does not find any other inhabitants on the island, he does find an idol, which tells Mafatu that this island is a Forbidden Island where people known as the eaters-of-men make their terrible sacrifices to the idol. These cannibals are Mafatu’s greatest fear, so every day he climbs a mountain to see if the eaters-of-men are coming.

After exploring the island, Mafatu must learn how to survive on his own. He first builds a fire and gathers some breadfruit and bananas from the island. Next, he weaves leaves from a coconut tree into a shelter. Throughout the next few weeks, Mafatu establishes a good routine. Every day he checks for the eaters-of-men and works on building himself a new canoe so he can sail home. In addition, he builds himself knives, fishhooks, darts, and spears when he finds the skeleton of a whale, and he builds a bamboo trap to catch fish.

On the island, Mafatu faces and overcomes several challenges. First, a hammerhead shark keeps breaking into his bamboo trap, so Mafatu kills the shark. Next, he hunts and kills a wild boar. Finally, he narrowly escapes the eaters-of-men. After overcoming these challenges and sailing home to Hikueru, Mafutu has earned his name, Mafatu, Stout Heart.

Gender/Age Interest Level for This Novel

This book would appeal most to boys, but girls would enjoy it as well. Boys would enjoy the adventure and action in the story, and girls would enjoy the internal struggle of Mafatu overcoming his fear.

This book is recommended for readers eight to twelve years old because the book contains just five short chapters as well as creative illustrations. However, older readers would enjoy this book as well because the overall tone and language is formal and imaginative.

Using This Book as a Tool for Developing Mature Readers

This book deals with several tasks that young people face as they mature into adults. First, Mafatu comes to terms with his physical body and discovers his gender role in his society. At the beginning of the book, Mafatu is a fearful young boy. Although he lives on an island, he spends his time away from the water working with his hands to mend nets or make hooks. When he travels to the distant island, Mafatu uses his skills as well as physical strength to overcome challenges such as the shark and boar. By the end of the book, he has accepted his gender role, that of a courageous leader. The book presents this task in a positive way as Mafatu learns to be creative and use the resources around him to survive. Students can learn from Mafatu’s example of hard work and courage.

Not only does Mafatu come to terms with his physical body and discover his gender role, he also grows independent from his parents. When the book begins, Mafatu relives the instance when his mother died in a sea storm. His father, the island chief, is still alive but wants Mafatu to be a brave leader, not a fearful young boy. When Mafatu takes a canoe and sails alone to a distant island, he must build himself a shelter, find food, and build a canoe to get back home. Here he proves himself capable of surviving without his parents, but students can discuss if it was truly necessary for Mafatu to sail to a distant island to prove his courage to his father.  

The final task Mafatu faces is gaining a sense of achievement. At the beginning of the book, he is known by his few friends and everyone on the island as a coward. Some students may relate to this feeling of not fitting in with everyone else. Although Mafatu tries to overcome his fear of the sea, he fails. When he sails away on his own, he is forced to overcome his fear to survive. On this island, Mafatu finally gains a sense of achievement. He kills both a shark and a boar, builds a canoe, and escapes the people-eaters to return to Hikueru. When he returns home, he has overcome his fear and earned his name, Mafatu, the Stout Heart. Students may be inspired by this story of Mafatu’s determination and courage.

Potential Issues With This Book

While this book tells a great story of overcoming fear and finding courage, it also has several issues. First, Mafatu believes in many gods. For example, he frequently mentions “Moana, the sea god” or “Maui, god of the fishermen.” He feels as if he escaped Moana when he survived the storm as a young child, but he thinks that Moana is still trying to kill him. On the flip side, the god “Maui” is a good god, and Mafatu offers prayers to him.

Not only does Mafatu pray to false gods, he also encounters idol worship on the island by a group of people referred to as the “eaters-of-men.” When exploring the island for the first time, Mafatu finds a tall idol with bones lying around the base of the idol. Mafatu understands that the eaters-of-men, cannibals, make their sacrifices to this idol on the island.

These ideas of human sacrifice, idol worship, and praying to false gods are wrong. The Bible is clear that there is only one true God. Psalm 135:15-17 says, “The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.” Students should be aware as they read this book that Mafatu’s gods can neither hear nor respond to his prayers.

Recommendation

This book would be beneficial both for the whole class and individual readers. Because of the short length and good chapter breaks, a teacher could read this book aloud to the class. Students would also benefit from reading this book in small groups or on their own. Many young people struggle with fear or feeling like they do not fit in, and this book shows the courage of a young boy in overcoming his fears. Young students need examples like Mafatu to learn how to overcome their own fears and challenges.

In addition, the book does include some interesting history and geography of the Polynesian people and culture. Students could benefit from learning about people who lived long ago and ways that their lives would be different from ours today.

Resources for Teaching or Research on the Novel

Several websites would be helpful in teaching this novel. One particular website that could be helpful for teachers is Web English. This site offers a variety of information for teachers such as a summary, analysis, discussion questions, and writing topics. It also provides comprehension questions, follow-up activities, and vocabulary to use in lesson plans. Another page, Book Units Teacher, provides a sample unit plan made by a teacher to use with the book. This plan includes vocabulary, reading and comprehension quizzes, and a list of extra activities for each chapter. The teacher also lists the page numbers for the vocabulary words and provides sample quizzes and tests. A third website that could be helpful is Book Rags. This site details the plot summary, chapters, characters, objects, places, themes, style, and quotes. To view the entire study guide, one must pay a fee, but this site offers good details and credible information about the book so would be beneficial.

Strategies for Teaching Reading with This Novel

Several strategies can be used to teach reading with this book. Students reading this book should be developing reading comprehension skills meaning they not only read the words on the page but also see how the story fits together. The website Reading Rockets offers several strategies to improve students’ reading comprehension. First, graphic organizers such as Venn-diagrams or story maps can help students focus on certain concepts and how they are related to other concepts. For this particular book, students could make a story map on the setting. Not only are graphic organizers useful, answering questions can also improve reading comprehension. The Reading Rockets website shared that questions “give students a purpose for reading and help students to think actively as they read.” Not all questions are the same. Some questions can be found directly from the text, while others require students’ prior knowledge and experience. For example, one question might ask the name of Mafatu’s dog, while a deeper question might ask how the student would feel if he were in Mafatu’s place. These strategies can help teachers develop reading comprehension.

Not only will students develop better reading comprehension from this book, they will also expand their vocabulary. Again, Reading Rockets offers several activities to teach new vocabulary. For example, illustrate the new words as much as possible. You can do this by showing pictures or having the students draw something themselves. Another activity could be “vocabulary charades,” where the students act out the new word. When testing new vocabulary, it is helpful to start with fill-in-the-blank exercises and then to teach students to compose their own sentences using the new words.

Works Cited

Adler, C. "Seven Strategies to Teach Students Text Comprehension." Reading Rockets. 1 Nov. 2007. Web. 22 Apr. 2015.

"Armstrong Sperry: Lesson Plans and Ideas for Teaching Call It Courage." Web English                    Teacher. 17 July 2014. Web. 22 Apr. 2015.

"Call It Courage Lesson Plans for Teachers." Book Rags. 2015. Web. 22 Apr. 2015.

Miller, Gay. "A Resource to Use with Call It Courage." Book Units Teacher. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2015.

Sperry, Armstrong. Call It Courage. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1940. Print.

 

 

 

 

When You Reach Me (Rebecca Stead)

Reviewed by Katie Curtis, an English Education major at Maranatha Baptist University. Katie lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Background and Summary

When You Reach Me, published in 2009, received the Newbery Medal in 2010. The story takes place in the Upper West Side in New York during 1978 and 1979. The protagonist of the story is a sixth grade girl named Miranda Sinclair who lives in a small, dingy apartment with her single mother. Her mom does have a boyfriend, Richard, who is a lawyer and visits their apartment often. A homeless man lives on the corner of Miranda’s street, and because of his tendency to laugh without cause, she calls him the “laughing man.” At the start of the story Miranda’s mother receives a postcard congratulating her on winning an appearance on the game show $20,000 Pyramid. The date of her game show appearance is printed on the postcard and the narrator, Miranda, says, “Just like you said.” The dated postcard is the last proof of the mystery that Miranda has been attempting to solve. She places it in a box under her bed with the rest of the notes she received, and begins to write a letter telling the story of why she received these mysterious notes. She starts at the beginning and says it all started the day a friend her was punched in the stomach.

This friend of hers is Sal who is, or rather was, Miranda’s best friend. Sal and Miranda were walking home from school together when some boys blocked their way on the sidewalk. The boy in front, Marcus, stood defiantly blocking Miranda and Sal from going anywhere, and then suddenly he punched Sal in the stomach. Miranda helped Sal to the lobby of his apartment, but from that day on her relationship with Sal was never the same. Soon after this incident, Miranda receives her first of four mysterious notes. The first note is from someone who says he is coming to save her friend’s life, and after the incident with Sal, Miranda assumes the friend is Sal. Since the day he was punched, Sal appears indifferent and distances himself from Miranda.

In this confusing void left by Sal, Miranda strikes up friendships with Annemarie and Colin, who are both classmates. The three of them find lunchtime jobs working at Jimmy’s sandwich shop. Annemarie and Miranda become really good friends, but there is also tension because Annemarie’s family is wealth, and they own a nice apartment. Miranda is embarrassed to have Annemarie spend the night and is afraid Annemarie will no longer want to be her friend. Tension also arises due to Julia, a jealous girl from school. Not only does Miranda develop a friendship with Annemarie, but she also befriends Colin. He goes to her school, but also works at Jimmy’s sandwich shop. Both develop feelings for each other, and Colin eventually kisses Miranda.

One day after she comes home from school, Miranda finds the door to their apartment open and thinks they have been robbed. When she runs to her bedroom, she finds another note stuck on one of her school books. Miranda tells her mother, and her mother immediately thinks to look for their spare key under the mat. When they check, the key is gone. Sometime later the bank or safe at the sandwich shop is stolen, and Jimmy believes the children were somehow involved. They all lose their jobs, but later Jimmy apologizes for wrongfully accusing them.

As Miranda walks home one day she sees Marcus attempting to stop Sal on the street and apologize for punching him. Sal is scared that Marcus wants to punch him again so he takes off running. Sal looks back for a moment and runs right into the path of an oncoming truck. Miranda looks away, not wanting to see her best friend killed. But when she opens her eyes, she is shocked to see Sal lying on the pavement unharmed. The laughing man had kicked Sal out of the way and had been run over instead of Sal. In the aftermath Miranda finds her last note in the man’s shoe. This note reveals a huge surprise to Miranda: the homeless man is really Marcus, and he has travelled back in time to come and save Sal’s life.

Gender & Age Interest

This book appeals to both boys and girls because the main characters of the book are both male and female. Boys will enjoy the intrigue and mystery, and the book includes a few action scenes that will keep them reading. This book also covers a longer period of time which boys would enjoy, and they would also find the time travel and other scientific references fascinating. However, because the main character is a girl, this book would probably appeal to girls more than boys. The plot is organized, but seems a little confusing just because of all of the flashbacks to the past. The story does not contain a lot of characters, so girls would enjoy the smaller cast as well as the confined setting. The emotional tone in this story would definitely appeal to most girls, but surprisingly, many characteristics seen in other characters would also resonate with boys.

The reading level of this book is said by Scholastic to be around sixth to eighth grade. Early adolescents would love this story because of the mystery and also because its setting is in the past. The book also has some supernatural elements such as time travel. Most of the story revolves around Miranda trying to discover who sent her the notes, and this unknown element adds a tone of adventure and mystery. Early adolescents would be able to easily connect with Miranda and also relate with her different emotions and struggles.

Using This Book as a Tool for Developing Mature Readers

This book deals with five tasks that young people face as they develop into adults. First, Miranda shows her development in relationships with people of the same age. Miranda really only has one friend at the start of the story, Sal, who she describes as being very distant. As a result, she meets Annemarie one day at lunch, and they quickly bond. However, Miranda must work through her embarrassment due to the fact that Annemarie’s family is wealthier than hers. Annemarie proves to be a true and devoted friend, and both girls must work to befriend Julia who treats them both very rudely. Miranda reaches out to Julia, and in the end they develop a peaceful relationship. Through Miranda’s relationships, readers will learn how to develop positive peer relationships even though differences exist.

Miranda also achieves good relationships with the young men she encounters. This is obviously a key emphasis because at the beginning of the novel Miranda struggles to understand why she and Sal have drifted apart. At the end of the story, Sal reveals that he distanced himself from her because he wanted to have other friends besides just her. Miranda realizes that Sal was right, and they become best friends again. Miranda meets Marcus at the beginning of the story because he is the boy who punched Sal. After interrogating him as to why he punched Sal, Miranda discovers that Marcus is really not that bad of a kid and is just looking for a friend. At the end of the story, Marcus is revealed to be the laughing man who time traveled to come and save Sal from being hit by the truck. Lastly, Colin works with Miranda at Jimmy’s sandwich shop, and both develop feelings for one another. Readers will learn that relationships with peers of the opposite sex can be very positive and encouraging if dealt with honestly.

Miranda gains a sense of achievement by discovering who sent the mysterious notes. Throughout the story, Miranda struggles to understand the meaning of all the notes and how someone could know so much about her and the other people in her life. Finally at the end of the story it all becomes clear, and she realizes that her relationships with friends and family are important. The mysterious note sender was the laughing man who is an older version of Marcus, coming back from the future to save Sal’s life. Readers will see that achievement is attainable when they are determined and put forth the effort.

Miranda learns to grow independent from her mother. Miranda lives alone with her mother, but rarely ever sees her because her mother is either at work or sleeping. Her mother also has a boyfriend, Richard, which causes some tension between Miranda and her mom. The interactions they have often result in her mother yelling at her because she is either frustrated with Richard or her work. Miranda often stays at home alone and must learn to fend for herself in most situations. I believe that Miranda’s independence is not presented well because although she and her mother appear to have a loving relationship at the end, Miranda never learns to respect her mother.

Lastly, Miranda learns to find a job and work for pay. Miranda, Annemarie, and Colin all find a lunchtime job at Jimmy’s sandwich shop. The children realize it is important to work hard, and they find this job all on their own. They also demonstrate to Jimmy that they are trustworthy and honest. Working is portrayed very positively in the book, and all of the children work and display a good work ethic even though the job is not always much fun. Through their example, readers will learn the value of working hard to earn money.

Potential Issues

The first potential issue with this book would be with Miranda and her family. Miranda lives with her single mother, who is never around, and her mother’s boyfriend, Richard, comes over quite often. Miranda does not show respect for her mother and often treats her very rudely. For students in a public school this family situation would be a very common occurrence and would provide teachers an opportunity to discuss respect for authority and specifically with parents.

Another issue with this book is the profanity. The last few chapters of the book contain several blatant misuses of God’s name. Most of them occur after the incident where the laughing man dead is found dead. No other inappropriate language is used, but teachers need to be aware of this, especially if they choose to teach this book in a Christian school.

This book is set in a very realistic place and time with a very realistic story; however, the use of magic and time travel detracts from that realistic perspective. Miranda’s favorite book is A Wrinkle in Time, and so throughout the book she makes references to time travel. The whole conclusion to the mystery at the end is resolved when Miranda concludes that the laughing man time travelled to save Sal. The book is very relatable to real life except for this one area.     Bullying is an issue in this book, but the author portrays it very negatively and does not endorse it. The book also shows the effects of bullying, specifically with Sal after Marcus punches him. Marcus realizes his actions were wrong and eventually makes things right with Sal. This would provide teachers an excellent opportunity to discuss conflict resolution.

Lastly, a potential issue is the romance between Miranda and Colin as both develop feelings for each other through the course of the story. This is not a major focus of the book, but they do kiss once. Miranda often stares at Colin while working and notices his physical appearance. Nothing inappropriate happens, but the relationship is something teachers might want to address with students.

Recommendation

I personally enjoyed this book, but would recommend using caution when teaching this book. Depending on the setting of your classroom, it could be difficult to address some of the objectionable issues. I think this book would be great for a public school setting because so many of the circumstances Miranda faces would resonate more with public school students. I most definitely advise all teachers to have this book on their shelves and suggest it for outside reading or a book report project. The mystery of this book will keep students intrigued, and they will enjoy trying to discover, along with Miranda, who is sending the notes. Miranda is also a very relatable character for adolescents, and they will be able to connect with her as she struggles through various emotions and circumstances involving family and friends. This book contains a lot of important elements for adolescents from which they can benefit.

Resources for Teaching

Several websites and materials provide teachers with tools for teaching When You Reach Me. One particularly helpful site I found was LitLovers; it gives background information on the author as well as a short summary of the book. This resource also provides teachers with a number of discussion questions as well as some great ideas for discussion activities. Random House Children’s Books provides a great guide for teachers. The guide is a printable PDF file which contains a summary of the book and background on the setting and author. Also included in this guide are pre-reading activities, vocabulary, discussion questions, and interdisciplinary teaching suggestions. Bookrags also provides a lot of helpful resources such as lesson plans, activities, assessments, and some analysis guides for students to aid in their comprehension. Another useful website is Scholastic. On this site a teacher can find a wealth of information and resources for teaching When You Reach Me, such as author information, strategies and ideas, and discussion questions for the various themes addressed in the book. Lastly, teachers who are considering teaching When You Reach Me should take a look at Rebecca Stead’s website. As the author of the book, she provides a lot of insight as to what inspired her to write all three of her books, and she also provides a lot information on New York. Stead grew up in New York and explains what inspired her to write When You Reach Me which is set in her hometown.

Strategies for Teaching with This Novel

A resource available through Random House Children’s Books provides a guide on connecting When You Reach Me with A Wrinkle in Time. It suggests having students read both novels and create a Venn diagram to compare them. Along with the Venn diagram activity is a post-reading activity where students can create character sketches.

Another strategy, suggested by Bookrags, is to have students create a KWL chart as they read the book. A KWL chart has three columns for students to put what they know, what they want to know, and then what they learn. Students could complete this for every reading assignment given, and then the teacher can discuss their answers in class. This method helps the students read with a purpose and better comprehend what they are reading.

Lastly, this book lends well to discussion. Every early adolescent struggles with or goes through many issues which are addressed in this novel. Random House Children’s Books also provides a list of the major themes in the book and discussions questions to go along with each. Not everything in this novel is black and white, so students are forced to think critically about various circumstances and struggles found in the novel. Another suggestion this resource gives is to have students journal about whether or not they agree with Miranda’s decisions or how they connect to her. Again, I believe students will find Miranda a very relatable character, but students need to be forced to think critically and not just simply agree. Journaling would force students to put down their own ideas and thoughts.

Works Cited

Bookrags. “When You Reach Me: Study Pack.” Bookrags, 2009. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.
 
LitLovers. "When You Reach Me (Stead)." LitLovers. 2009. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.

Random House Children’s Book. “When You Reach Me: Educator’s Guide.” 2009. Web. 18 Apr. 2015

Scholastic. "When You Reach Me." Scholastic. 2015. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.

Stead, Rebecca. Rebecca Stead Books. Biondo Studio, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.

---, ---. When You Reach Me. New York: Random House Children's Book, 2009. Print

 

 

The Hero and the Crown (Robin McKinley)

Reviewed by Brynn Fitzsimmons, a Humanities major at Maranatha Baptist University. Brynn lives in southern Wisconsin.

Background and summary

Robin McKinley’s The Hero and the Crown was published in 1984, and won the Newbery Medal in 1985. Its prequel, The Blue Sword, is a Newbery Honor Book. The story takes place in the kingdom of Damar, a kingdom filled with memories of magic and great heroes, but very little of that left, ever since they lost the Hero’s Crown generations before. The kings of Damar wear no crown in memory of the Crown, and in hopes that it will return to Damar. The royal family has some Gift that allows them to do small feats of magic (such as mending broken plates by staring at them). They also rely on a plant called surka, which is supposedly fatal to all but the royal family, to induce hallucinations which sometimes end up being visions.

Aerin, the main character, is the daughter of Arlbeth, king of Damar. Unfortunately, Aerin is not the picture of what a princess should be. She is clumsy, and lacks the Gift that normal royals have. She feels she is tolerated, but not loved, except by Tor, her cousin who is next in line to the throne, and Talat, a war horse who was left to himself after being injured in battle. One day, however, Aerin finds a recipe in an old book for kenet, a substance that protects against fire – even dragon fire. After many months, Aerin perfects the recipe. Since she cannot fit in at the court, she decides to go dragon-hunting to prove to her father and everyone else that she isn’t entirely worthless. She starts with smaller, relatively non-dangerous dragons, but eventually fights Maur, one of the ancient dragons, who has been awoken through sorcery from the northern enemies of Damar.

Although she defeats Maur, she is badly injured, and grows gradually sicker over the next few weeks. Luthe contacts her through a dream, telling her to come to him before it is too late. She takes Talat and eventually does find Luthe, who heals her, but in so doing, also makes her immortal. He teaches her magic, and also reveals that her mother’s brother, Agsded, is the one responsible for the sorcery against Damar. A prophecy foretells that only one of his own blood will defeat Agsded. Aerin’s mother was not able to do it, but if Aerin cannot, her beloved Damar will fall.

Aerin barely defeats Agsded, and wins the Hero’s Crown, which Agsded had for all those years. When she leaves his tower, however, she finds a very different world. Apparently, her ascent and descent from the tower were really years rather than minutes. Luthe, however, is able to take her back through time so that she can reach Damar in time for the power of the Hero’s Crown to be able to save it. This she accomplishes as well, promising to return to Luthe after she has fulfilled her duty to her country – which includes not only saving it, but also marrying Tor and becoming Damar’s queen.

Interest group

This book appeals to both genders. Boys will enjoy the number of places Aerin travels throughout the book – Maur’s lair, Agsded’s tower, Damar, Luthe’s mountain, and many other places. They will also enjoy the action scenes, such as when Aerin is fighting Maur or Agsded. The story also takes place over a long period of time, which boys tend to like more than girls do. Damar is also an incredibly developed world with a rich history and very clearly defined rules for magic and supernatural elements. Girls will enjoy the female main character, and the romantic subplots, both with Tor and Luthe. Girls will also enjoy the descriptions of Aerin’s emotions throughout the story, even in the action scenes, which girls may not enjoy as much.

This book would be good for upper high school, probably no earlier than tenth grade. It would be acceptable for younger readers if not for some of the objectionable elements listed previously. Also, the writing style would be hard to follow for younger readers. It deals with coming of age and growing up, but it also deals with harder concepts that would interest older readers. While junior high students may enjoy the story, some of the objectionable elements (discussed later) make it more appropriate for upper high school.

Developing Mature Readers

This book deals with six of the nine tasks for developing mature readers. First of all, Aerin learns about relationships with members of the opposite sex. Unfortunately, this book does not always provide good guidance in this area. As I said previously, Aerin’s relations with Luthe are clearly beyond the boundaries of appropriateness. However, Aerin’s relationship with Tor is a good one, especially in their loyalty to one another. Beyond a kiss, there is no physical involvement in their relationship, and it is Tor who teaches Aerin swordplay, looks out for her, counsels her, and sticks up for her. Even when Aerin thinks she should avoid Tor because of what it might do to his reputation, Tor is a faithful friend. Their friendship grows from something like a brother and sister into romance later. Romance aside though, readers can learn a lot about what it means to be a loyal friend through Aerin’s relationship with Tor.

Aerin also gains an understanding of her gender role and her physical body. She does not fit with the other court ladies at the beginning of the book. Galanna tells her she isn’t really a royal, isn’t really her father’s daughter, and Aerin begins to believe her since she isn’t good at any of the things girls are normally good at in that culture. She is clumsy, overly tall, and not very graceful in social settings. Aerin becoming a dragon-killer gives her a distinctive role, something she is good at, and also gives her the confidence to fill her role as a queen and member of the court later. Aerin can teach readers to focus on what they can do, rather than what they can’t.

Aerin also finds a vocation and sense of achievement during the book. She decides she wants to do something with adventure, so she perfects the kenet and sets out to slay dragons. Dragon killing gives her a sense of achievement, but she also returns to Damar with a new title – Aerin-sol, Dragon-killer. The title gives her a place and earns her the respect of the court, including her father. Eventually, she comes to accept that her differences are part of her purpose – not just slaying dragons, but defeating Agsded, and becoming Damar’s queen.

Aerin also learns independence from parents. She rehabilitates Talat without her father’s knowledge (or so she thinks), and her first dragon-killing attempts are also without any involvement from her father. Through the story, she stops fearing what her father or anyone else will think of her decisions, and just does what she feels is right. Aerin shows readers that they are responsible for their own actions and choices.

Aerin learns to live with her beliefs and values as well. She has to decide how she is going to live her life, and she decides she is not going to let others tell her who she is. She goes and finds out who she is. When she finds out, however, and in the process becomes immortal, she has to decide whether she will go back to Damar. Ultimately, her choice to go back to Damar and marry Tor is a choice she makes according to her own values. Aerin can teach readers that the right choice isn’t always easy, but is still worth making.

Potential Issues With the Book

The potential issues with this novel are few, but definitely worth noting. First of all, language could be an issue. There are no true swear words in the book, however, the characters do swear. Although they technically do not take God’s name in vain – the characters say “gods” rather than “God” – they are still blaspheming their own deities in doing so. The plural use of God’s name is a technicality, and for many, may not make the language any less offensive.

The greater issue has to do with Aerin’s love interests. First of all, there are two love interests – one mortal (Tor), and one immortal (Luthe). Rather than having to choose between them, as a character normally would in a love triangle, Aerin finishes the book with the idea that she can have both. She marries Tor, all the while intending to return to Luthe once Tor dies. Since Aerin is immortal at that point, she knows she will outlive her husband.

The idea that Aerin can have both love interests is more of an underlying idea, however, and is not nearly as concerning as her interactions with Luthe. After her battle with Agsded, Luthe drags Aerin back through time, and they travel together toward Damar, until their paths separate as Luthe travels back to his mountain, and Aerin toward her home. During this journey, Luthe and Aerin sleep side by side. While it is not appropriate for them to do so, for the first few nights, it is simply for comfort, and they are just sleeping.

Unfortunately, it does not stay that way. While the author is not overly descriptive, it is clear that Aerin and Luthe have premarital sex at least once toward the end of the book. Not only is this unnecessary to the plot, it is also presented as perfectly acceptable. Aerin never even has to admit it to Tor, who she marries only a few pages later.           

Recommendation

I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The style is very similar to Tolkien’s, and it occurred to me as I was reading that it would make an excellent stepping stone to reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which many readers struggle to get through in junior high and early high school due to the writing style and tone. Additionally, this book is set in a highly developed and engaging world, with well developed characters and an engaging plot.

That said, I cannot, with a clear conscience, recommend that this book be taught in a classroom. The issues concerning Aerin and Luthe’s relationship could not be adequately discussed in a public school setting, and in a Christian school, I believe most parents would find this book offensive even if it were discussed in class.

Whether or not a teacher should give this book to a student for outside reading should be evaluated on a case by case basis. The scene is brief and non-descriptive, but the student would have to be mature enough to realize that, although it is presented positively in the book, premarital sex is sinful, and the circumstances in which Aerin and Luthe find themselves does not make it any less sinful. The teacher (or parent) could point out how many questionable situations Aerin willingly involved herself in before she actually crossed the line into sin, and in that way, this book could be a useful teaching tool for a more mature reader.

Resources for Teaching or Research

Robin McKinley has both a website and a blog about her work in general. Her website includes links to interviews and speeches she has given. She has summaries of all her books, including the ones she has co-written with her husband. She has a link to her blog, which could be interesting to explore, as it give insight into her personality, but overall is rather odd in her tastes and style.

Scholastic.com gives some basic statistics on the book, including age level, Lexile© measure, and a very brief summary. Teachingbooks.net gives a link to an audio recording of part of the book. Bookrags.com, of course, has lesson plans and packets with activities, quizzes, etc., available for purchase. The website readwritethink.org suggests this book as an option for reading in their set of lessons entitled “Heroes Around Us,” which seems like it could be an interesting set of lessons to consider.

Works Cited

Bookrags. “The Hero and the Crown Lesson Plans for Teachers.” Bookrags, 2015. Web. 12 Apr 2015.

McKinley, Robin. The Hero and the Crown. New York: Puffin Books, 1984. Print.

“Robin McKinley.” Robin McKinley, 2015. Web. 12 Apr 2015.

ReadWriteThink. “Heroes Around Us.” ReadWriteThink, 2015. Web. 12 Apr 2015.

Scholastic. “The Hero and the Crown.” Scholastic, 2015. Web. 12 Apr 2015.

TeachingBooks. “The Hero and the Crown.”TeachingBooks, 2015. Web. 12 Apr 2015.

 

 

The House of the Scorpion (Nancy Farmer)

Reviewed by Clint Saxon, an English Education major at Maranatha Baptist University. Clint lives in Watertown, Wisconsin.

Background and Summary
The House of The Scorpion was written by Nancy Farmer and published in 2002. Farmer’s book won the National Book Award and the Newbery Honor. Many young readers were captivated by the world Nancy Farmer created. Many of these readers were also impacted by the themes in this nonconventional dystopian adventure.

The book is fairly large and complicated despite being written for adolescents. The story takes place in Mexico, in a dystopian future. A powerful drug lord named El Patron has established a country between Mexico and the United States. El Patron’s country is called Opium and he rules cleverly and cruelly. El Patron is a Spanish word meaning boss. His name is actually Matteo Alacran. He chose the name Alacran, because it means scorpion. Over the years the Alacran family has become extremely rich and powerful. El Patron fears dying and losing his precious power and possessions. As a result, he recruits the finest doctors and scientists to keep him alive. They begin cloning El Patron. Whenever El Patron needs to replace a vital organ, the doctors kill the active clone of El Patron and exchange the body parts. This process has made El Patron nearly immortal.

The book picks up with the creation of El Patron’s eighth clone. This version of Matteo Alacran, like his predecessors, is not surgically impaired like most clones, because El Patron allows his clones to actually grow up with cognitive ability so that they can enjoy the childhood he never had. El Patron enjoys this experience vicariously through his clones. The book is broken into sections based on Matt’s (the clone) age. Matt is the protagonist in this story and we see the world through his eyes. For the first six years of his existence, Matt is cared for by a kind woman named Celia. Unfortunately, he stays in a locked up hut all day. Matt has no idea that he is a clone. Celia works for the Alacrans in their big house. One day, a few children from the house discover Matt. They release him from the house, but he injures his foot on some glass. He is taken to the Alacran house where his mistreated for being a clone. Matt soon discovers that everyone despises him, because he is a clone. Matt experiences extreme frustration and identity confusion, because he identifies himself as a human. One of the children who found him is a girl named Maria. Maria and Celia are the only ones who are kind to Matt. Over the next several chapters Matt experiences a variety of abuse from the Alacrans in the house. They all hate him, especially a boy his age named Tom.  

Matt’s life changes drastically when El Patron gives him a personal body guard named Tam Lin. He is the third kind and understanding character in this story. Tam actually treats Matt like a boy instead of an animal. Tam Lin teaches Matt how to think and survive. Matt’s mentor also consistently helps Matt choose to do good instead of follow his basic instincts and be cruel like El Patron. Matt discovers over time that El Patron is a truly evil and extremely materialistic man. Once El Patron has possession of something, he never gets rid of it. This rule applies to his possessions and to people. Matt begins to figure out the purpose of his existence which is to serve as El Patrons lifeline. Tam Lin eventually gives a book to Matt which reveals the history of El Patron and Opium. The book chronicles El Patron’s bloody rise to power. Matt discovers that El Patron uses technologically altered brain dead people as workers. The workers are called “eejits”, and they are the key to El Patron’s success. These zombies are brainless and machine operated. Matt realizes that El Patron is an evil man who must be stopped. One day El patron grows deathly ill. The doctors take Matt and prepare to transfer his organs. Celia steps up and reveals that she has lightly poisoned Matt. She concocts this plan to make him unusable in order to save Matt and destroy El Patron.

This plan works miraculously, El Patron finally dies at the age of 148 years old. Matt knows that his life is in danger without El Patron’s protection from the Alacrans, so he runs away. Matt flees from Opium to a land called Aztlan. This country stands where Mexico once stood. Matt desires to join Maria, whom he loves, in the city of Saint Luis. Matt barely survives escaping Opium, but he is immediately taken captive in Aztlan by men called Keepers. The keepers place Matt in a work environment where they teach anti individualistic ideals. The keepers sound suspiciously communistic as they teach many young boys to work hard and reap the equally distributed benefits. Matt vocalizes his disapproval early on and therefore places a target on his back. The Keepers refer to Matt as an aristocrat. They continually attempt to break him through humiliation and eventually torture. Matt develops two good friends in these factories named Chacho and Fidelito. The three of them manage to start an uprising and then escape the factories. They are nearly killed, but they do reach Saint Luis. In Saint Luis, Matt is reunited with Maria and he meets her mother. Maria’s mother is an active politician and critic of El Patron. She actually wrote the history book about Opium which Tam Lin gave to Matt. Maria’s mom tells Matt that because he is El Patron’s clone then legally the Alacran estate belongs to Matt. Matt travels back to Opium to see what happened when he fled. Celia is there to explain that the Alacran family obeyed El patron’s final request to drink his wine at his own funeral. The wine was poisoned, it destroyed the house of scorpions. Tam Lin was also killed at this time which devastated Matt. The book concludes with Matt deciding to take responsibility of El Patron’s estate. Matt plans on freeing the eejits, and then using his new wealth of resources to accomplish good.

Gender/Age Interest Level for This Novel

This book will appeal primarily to males. The primary reasons are the large cast of characters, the sprawling context and the action sequences. Males will most likely relate best with the protagonist Matt. Matt struggles with acceptance and other insecurities which can relate to all teens. Girls would also enjoy viewing the progression of Matt’s maturation into the teenage years. Girls would most likely enjoy the romance between Matt and Maria more than boys would.

I believe this book is best suited for upper adolescents. Upper level high school students would enjoy this book most. The book is relatively lengthy and wordy. The protagonist experiences extensive abuse and neglect. The story includes death and torture throughout. The House of the Scorpion is best suited for a high school upperclassmen male.

Using This Book as a Tool for Developing Mature Readers

The book deals with many aspects of students’ developing maturity. Matt greatly struggles with the first task of coming to terms with his physical body. Matt is mistreated, because he is a clone. Matt’s frustration is rooted in the fact that he did not do anything to make himself a clone. Everyone can relate to being mistreated for circumstances outside of their control. Matt eventually learns to accept who he is, and to use the abilities he does have for others benefit. Matt also learns to develop relationships based on mutual interest. Matt becomes friends with his bodyguard/mentor Tam Lin. Tam Lin teaches Matt a variety of skills. Matt learns that his relationship with Tam Lin is built upon trust. This trust is proven at a critical point in the story when Tam Lin saves Matts life. Matt develops relationships with the opposite sex as well. Matt likes Maria right away, but he does not know how to interact with her. Matt struggles with Maria’s friendship with Tom. Matt makes a critical mistake in taking Maria’s dog hostage in order to get her attention. Eventually Matt learns how to care for Maria and they fall in love.

Matt also learns to grow independent from his guardians. When Matt is six he is taken away from Celia. Celia had done everything for Matt, without her influence Matt is forced to develop independence. Matt’s next mentor is Tam Lin, Matt has to leave Tam Lin when he is 14. At this age, Matt uses what he has learned from his guardians to be a good leader. Over the course of the book, Matt becomes aware of his beliefs and values. Matt struggles between following Tam Lin’s good example and becoming the next El Patron. Matt does choose to be a good man and then he has to live consistently with those values. Matt comes to terms with these convictions as he is abused by the Keepers in the Plankton factory. Finally, Matt experiences a sense of achievement. Matt sees the positive results of taking care of Fidelito. Matt feels accomplishment after tolerating the abuse of his many captors while retaining his dignity. In the end, Matt experiences accomplishment as he takes final control over El patron’s resources.

Potential Issues with This Book

The book has a few potential issues which need to be addressed. The book has scattered profanity. One character named Chacho makes a few immature remarks. There are a couple mildly crude moments among the boys in the factory. Overall, it is a clean book. The book deals with bullying which is clearly important when teaching to high school students. I think these sequences are handled well by the author. Early in the book, Matt responds violently to abuse. He matures through the book, and eventually discovers the right way to handle people trying to hurt him. I imagine some readers may find Matts relationship with Maria to be a potential issue. They are in love and occasionally interact in a romantic way. In my opinion, these portions of the book were appropriate and effective.

Recommendation

I recommend this book for older adolescent readers. The story was extremely creative. Nancy Farmer succeeded in creating an imaginative world with some unique factors I had not seen before. I found myself relating heavily with the protagonist. Despite the dystopian setting, I still related to his general insecurities and frustrations. I found solace in his protector Tam Lin, and I grew to hate Matt’s enemies. The book would serve as a good transition from shorter, less intense options to slightly heavier content. I give this book my recommendation; however, I do have a few reservations. I think the author did not communicate the passing of time well in the story. The book is broken into sections of Matt’s life. Within the section, the author doesn’t specify how much time is passing. Farmer also has very young characters doing actions which would more realistically be done by someone older. I felt this way as Matt endured torture as a six year old. She stayed consistent though and he does progress and mature from there. By the time he is 14, Matt is in love and ready to lead a powerful nation. Despite these small concerns, I give the book my recommendation.

Resources for Teaching or Research on the Novel

A variety of websites would be helpful to provide resources for teaching The House of The Scorpion. Bookrags is a useful site to find information, lesson plans, and other resources for teaching literature. Its pages on The House of The Scorpion are rich with valuable information and literary help. If you desire a basic overview of the story, Schmoop is a helpful site as well. It summarizes the chapter and includes interesting commentary as well. Simon and Schuster also gives useful comments on various themes and lessons which can be drawn from the story.

Strategies for Teaching Reading with This Novel

Bookrags provided a variety of essay topics which students could write. These essays would engage the students mind and teach them to read thoughtfully. The students could write about leadership. Leadership is an important theme in this book as it is exemplified by both positive and negative characters. Students could write and identify the differences among these leaders.

A second strategy is for teacher to have the students identify new vocabulary. The book has is influenced by Hispanic culture, and therefore includes a little Spanish. It also contains a few larger works which might be new to some readers. Students could write down new words as they discover them. This practice would teach the readers to think about the words as they read. It would also allow the student to expand their own personal vocabulary.

A final method to teach reading with The House of The Scorpion is to have the students write about their favorite or least favorite characters. This story is full of distinct people and over the top personalities. A good reader will be able to distinguish between the many characters, and identify their positive and negative characteristics.

 

Works Cited

Bookrags. “The House of the Scorpion.” Web. 22 Apr. 2015.

Farmer, Nancy. “The House of the Scorpion.” Atheneum Books, 2002. Print.

Schmoop. “The House of the Scorpion.” Web. 22 Apr. 2015.

Simon and Schuster “The House of the Scorpion.” Web. 22 Apr. 2015.

Kira-Kira (Cynthia Kadohata)

Reviewed by Emily Hinsenkamp, an English Education major at Maranatha Baptist University. Emily lives in Harrison Township, Michigan.

Background and Summary

Kira-Kira, written by Cynthia Kadohata, received the Newbery Medal award in 2005. Kadohata, a Japanese-American author, wrote many stories identifying with the struggles of the Japanese-American children. Told in the first-person voice of four-year-old Katie Takeshima, this novel begins with a Japanese-American family living in the United States during the 1950s (Kadohata, 1). This time period exhibited discrimination against many minorities including the Japanese-Americans. Less than a decade had passed since WWII when the Americans held the Japanese in internment camps because of the fear brought from the attack on Pearl Harbor. Because of the negative identification with Japanese-Americans during WWII, some Americans held on to their bitterness toward the Japanese even after the conclusion of the war.

The story of Kira-Kira begins with a Japanese American family living in Iowa. Katie, her sister Lynn, and their parents run their own Japanese market, but when the market goes out of business, Katie and her family move to Georgia where her parents work with other Japanese-Americans in the chicken hatchery. When the family makes the move to Georgia, Katie experiences the harsh realities of discrimination for the first time in her life. Her older sister, Lynn, explains to her that some people simply do not like others because they are different. From that moment on in the story, Katie continues to develop and mature.

As the story continues to develop, the reader recognizes the close bond between Katie and her older sister. She practically worships Lynn who loves school and receives straight A's. Lynn, always looking on the bright side, teaches Katie to enjoy all the "kira-kira" (glittering) things of life. After their move to Georgia, however, the sisters begin to grow apart as Lynn makes friends her own age at school. While Lynn spends more time with her friend, Amber, Katie spends more time taking care of her little brother, Sammy. Because Katie's parents work long hours, Katie must take on more responsibilities at home. Masao and Kiyoko Takeshima, Katie's parents, both work long days in order to save enough money to buy a house for their family. Kiyoko, Katie's mother, possesses a protective spirit for her family, and she seems to be in a constant state of worry. Masao, Katie's father, possesses the spirit of a kind and generous man who would go to the end of the earth for his family. Throughout the remainder of the story, the family must take on many new struggles together.

At this point the story reaches a climax when the family receives the horrible news that Lynn has cancer. In order to give Lynn extra comfort, her parent's buy a new house. Because of rising medical bills and house payments, Katie's parents must work even longer hours. During the time of Lynn's sickness, Katie begins to "grow-up" as she takes care of Sammy and other tasks at home. In her maturing process, she begins to realize the importance of school. Throughout her life, Lynn encourages Katie to read and make goals for herself, but Katie does not fully understand the significance of school until she sees her sister dying.

The story takes a tragic turn when Lynn passes away, and her family goes through a state of mourning. Katie's father lashes out in anger, and her mother cries all the time while Katie tries to deny the fact that Lynn is gone. At the end of the story, the family eventually finds peace with the loss of Lynn when they visit the ocean in California. Katie smiles when she sees the sun shining on the ocean, and she remembers "kira-kira."

Gender/Age Interest Level for This Novel

This book mostly connects with girls because of the age and gender of the narrator and main characters of the book. The novel centers on Katie, who ages from four years old to twelve years old within the course of the novel, and her sister, Lynn. Young girls would also enjoy the smaller cast of characters which mainly consists of family members. The emotional aspect of the book, also, draws the attention of girls as they can relate to Katie's experiences with jealousy, anger, hurt, sadness, and happiness. Although the book appeals mostly to girls, the book possesses some characteristics which may appeal to boys as well. Boys may enjoy the broader setting as the family moves from Iowa to Georgia, and in a few different instances, the family takes camping trips into the woods. Boys may also connect with the realism in this story.

The interest level of this book falls anywhere from sixth to eighth grade and is considered early adolescent. Although the interest level tends to be more middle-aged adolescents, the reading level of the book is actually fourth or fifth grade. Younger adolescents tend to enjoy this book for its features such as the following: the historical setting of the 1950s, the focus on a particular family, and the historical content of racial discrimination.

Using This Book as a Tool for Developing Mature Readers

This book deals with four of the nine major adolescent tasks. First, both Lynn and Katie begin to develop relationships with people of the same sex. Lynn gains a friend in Amber, and Katie gains a friend named Sylvia or Silly. Both sisters develop meaningful relationships with these friends, and these friendships are portrayed as typical and healthy. For example, Katie meets Sylvia at the chicken hatchery where Katie's mother works. Katie's mom, however, does not agree with some of the views of Sylvia's mom. As a result, Katie's mom does not care for Sylvia at first. Even though Katie and Sylvia's mothers do not get along, the girls still find friendship in one another. The girls show respect for their parents while trying to maintain their friendship with one another. At the end of the book, Katie's mother puts aside her differences with Sylvia's mother and shows hospitality toward Sylvia and her mother.

The book also develops the adolescent relationships with members of the opposite sex. In chapter five, Katie and Lynn go camping with their aunt and uncle. On this trip, Lynn invites her friend Amber to come along. The two girls are extra excited about this camping trip because two boys their age are going to be at the same campsite. While camping, Lynn and Amber spend most of their time with the two boys from their class and begin to develop crushes on the boys. Katie, on the other hand, thinks Lynn and Amber are silly for being “in love” with these boys, and Katie would rather go play with her cousins, David and Daniel. The novel does not directly address the relationship with the opposite sex, but the novel gives an impression of what relationships with the opposite sex are at a certain age. At Lynn’s age, she begins to develop a sense of infatuation with the opposite sex; whereas, at Katie’s age, she wants to play with and hang-out with the opposite sex. The book portrays Lynn and Amber’s relationship with boys in a loose and silly way. As a Christian teacher in public school setting, the teacher should address how students should be interacting with friends of the opposite sex. Students should develop healthy relationships with other students of the opposite sex, but they should be careful to guard their emotions at such a young age when it comes to dealing with the opposite sex.

In a third task of adolescents, Katie begins to grow independent from her parents. Katie is an independent-minded young girl, and so she tends to figure things out for herself. At the beginning of the novel, because both of her parents work long hours at the chicken hatchery, Katie must learn to do things on her own. One particular scene demonstrates this independence. When Katie and Lynn find out that their parents would like to buy a new house but cannot afford one at the time, the sisters decide to save their “candy” money in order to help their parents. In this situation, Katie’s parents do not have to ask them for the money, but they choose to give the money in their own independent will. Katie continues to grow independent when the family discovers Lynn’s sickness. As Katie’s parents spend more time at work to pay medical bills, Katie must help with house chores and meals, and because Katie’s mother must care for Lynn, Katie takes on much of the responsibility of caring for her younger brother, Sammy. The novel teaches respect and not rebellion as Katie grows independent from her parents.

Finally, Katie begins to find a sense of mission and purpose in her life. Although she is still young at the end of the novel, Katie matures throughout the story and begins to understand what she wants to do with her life. At the beginning of the novel, Katie cannot understand why Lynn loves school and reading. By the end of the novel, Katie learns to work harder in school, and she understands the purpose of getting a higher education so that she can prepare herself for a vocation in the future. The novel demonstrates the importance of reading and education, and the author shows the growth of Katie as a maturing person.

Potential Issues with This Book

For Christians, the biggest issue with this book is its portrayal of death. After Lynn's death, her family goes through a time of mourning in which her mother cannot keep up with the house work, her father explodes into a temper, and her sister, Katie, denies the reality of Lynn's death. The book does not end with the continuation of this mourning; however, the characters' source of peace is completely hopeless in the eyes of the Christian. First, Katie's uncle teaches her a Buddhist belief that the dead person's spirit remains on the earth for forty-nine days after the person's death. On the forty-ninth day after Lynn's death, Katie opens the window to their room and "releases" Lynn's spirit. At this point in the story, Katie finally accepts the fact that her sister is gone. At the very end of the book, Katie and her family visit California, and when Katie looks out at the ocean, she believes she hears Lynn's voice in the waves.

As students read this book on their own or with the class, the teacher should address this issue on death. In a public school, the teacher may not be able to teach only the biblical view of death; however, the teacher should address the subject in discussion with the class. The teacher can ask students in the class their "hope" or "peace" in death. In a public school classroom, Christian students may speak about their beliefs in this situation, or the teacher may be able to explain multiple views on death including the biblical hope.

Recommendation

I would not suggest this book as a class read, but I would recommend keeping a copy of the book on your classroom bookshelf. Although the book deals with issues such as discrimination and death, which should be discussed in a classroom setting, I believe that many other novels deal with the same issues from a better perspective.

On the other hand, I think that teachers should have this book available to their students. The book relates mostly with young girls, but some boys may enjoy it as well. Because of the deeper issues dealt with in the book, I would suggest the novel to middle school; but because of the easier reading level, this book would appeal to girls as young as fourth grade. Girls in general connect with the main character of the book, but young girls in minority groups may especially relate and empathize with the characters because of the discrimination experienced in the book. I think, though, that any group of young girls should read this book in order to learn to empathize with other ethnic groups that they may be unfamiliar with such as the Japanese-Americans.

Resources for Teaching or Research on the Novel

Novel Guide provides excellent information on the book Kira-Kira. Not only does this site provide research and background information to the book, but the site also provides information to enhance the lessons as well. For example, the site provides a summary of each chapter, as well as suggested themes and character profiles. The site also includes potential essay question and answers. Simon and Schuster is another great source of information for the teacher to use in student reading groups. The site offers potential research topics such as researching the role of women in Japan today, and the site also provides pre-reading questions to give the students background knowledge prior to reading the book.

Google Books also provides a literature unit based on Kira-Kira. The book is sold online, but this book can be partially accessed online. The vocabulary lists provided in this unit plan offer a great tool for teaching vocabulary along with the reading. Webteaching.com also offers many great ideas for lesson plans centered on Kira-Kira. On this site, teachers can find novel activities, writing activities, vocabulary words, and even an online test.

Strategies for Teaching Reading with the Novel

Jigsaw is one reading strategy that can be incredibly effective in the classroom. In the Jigsaw process, students break into groups of four or five. Once the students are in their groups, each student receives a particular question that he or she will be responsible for answering. After the students decide which question they want to answer, they will break off from their original group into "expert" groups. Every student with the same question will find his or her "expert" group and discuss their question/topic together. Once they have discussed their particular question, the students will go back to their original group and share their knowledge with the group. This strategy works well because the discussion allows students to hear others' opinions and learn more than they would have learned independently.

Another thought-provoking reading strategy is Annotating Text. Basically, the annotated text monitors the thought process of the students as they read. Students write down any questions, comments, key passages, etc. that they find within a given text. When using the annotated text with Kira-Kira, the teacher should print a copy of a key text found within the story. In class, students can take the time to read and reread the text and annotate as they go through the process. Once the students have had sufficient time to do their annotation, they can share with a partner what they learned or they can ask questions that they may have. The teacher might also encourage students to use the annotation process during their take-home reading assignments.

One more reading strategy that can be used is Reciprocal Teaching. With this strategy, students will work in groups of four. The teacher will then assign each student in the group a job title. These jobs include the predictor, the questioner, the clarifier and the summarizer. In their group, the students will read one chapter of the book. Before they begin to read, the predictor will try to guess what with the plot and characters in that chapter. Then, the questioner will ask any questions that may arise during the reading, and the clarifier will be the one to help clarify those questions and any other confusing items in the chapter. At the end of the chapter and discussion, the summarizer will review the chapter.

 

Works Cited

Kadohata, Cynthia. Kira-Kira. New York: Alladin Paperbacks, 2004. Print.

Kadohata, Cynthia. "My Life, Real and Imagined." Cynthiakadohata.com 2014-2015. Web. 14    Apr. 2015.

Louisianabelieves. "Whole Class." Louisiana Department of Education, Louisianabelieves.com.    Web. 13 Apr. 2015.

Novelguide. "Kira-Kira: Novel Summary." Novelguide.com 1999-2015. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.

Scholastic. "Kira-Kira." Scholastic.com 2015. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.

SimonandSchuster. "Kira-Kira." Simonandschuster.com 2015. Web. 12 Apr. 2015.