Divorce – Page 2 – Unleashing Readers

Life in Outer Space by Melissa Keil (Kellee’s Review)

April 11, 2015January 31, 2014 by Kellee

Life in Outer Space
Author: Melissa Keil
Published August 1st, 2013 by Peachtree Publishers

Goodreads Summary: Sam is a geek movie-buff with a ragtag group of loser friends who have been taking abuse from the popular kids for years. But when the super-cool Camilla moves to town, she surprises everyone by choosing to spend time with Sam’s group. Suddenly they go from geek to chic, and find that not everything boils down to us and them. With their social lives in flux, Sam and Camilla spend more and more time together. They become the best of friends, and Sam finds that he’s happier and more comfortable in his own skin than ever before. But eventually Sam must admit to himself that he’s fallen in love. If he confesses his true feelings to Camilla, will everything change again?

My Review: Loved this book. A perfect combination of Spinelli’s Stargirl, a John Green book, and a rom-com. Loved the voice, quirks, characters, and plot. A sleeper title from 2013 that you should read.

A couple things I really loved about this book:

The characters are such good people. Although they evolve, they never were kids I wouldn’t want my son to hang out with.
A romance-y book from a boy’s point of view!
Camilla is so cool yet so uncool and just shows how the labels and cliques and such of high school are just so stupid. Oh, and that you cannot judge a book by its cover.
The writing, music, and movie references. Just a bit of geeky, but not too much.

Ricki’s Review: Can be viewed here.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I think first and foremost, this book needs to be in libraries so that kids (and adults!) can get their hands on it. In the classroom, it can definitely be used as for a mentor text. I think it is perfect for an example of character development and voice. The characters in this book are so strong and there are lines and passages throughout that show the characters’ personality. There are also parts that deal with writing poetry/music and would be great passages to talk about writing with students.

Discussion Questions: How does Camilla change the dynamic at Sam’s school? And how did she change Sam and his friends?; (During) Why do you think Mike quit karate?; How does Melissa Keil use music and movies to help move the plot? Show character’s personalities?; How is Sam’s parents’ issues affecting him?;

We Flagged: “She is wearing a yellow dress that looks like it belongs to a 1950s housewife, and a pair of flat red boots. Her hair is longer than I’d imagine would be practical; it’s parted in the middle and hangs in brown waves almost to her waist. She peers around the room impassively. She doesn’t look terrified. She doesn’t look insanely overconfident, like Adrian that time in year seven when he performed a song as his book report for The Outsiders. Mike and I mark that event as ground zero for the downward social spiral of our group.” (p. 11)

Read This If You Loved: Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, Paper Towns by John Green, Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Recommended For:

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

July 13, 2014November 14, 2013 by Ricki

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock
Author: Matthew Quick
Published: August 13th, 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

GoodReads Summary: In addition to the P-38, there are four gifts, one for each of my friends. I want to say good-bye to them properly. I want to give them each something to remember me by. To let them know I really cared about them and I’m sorry I couldn’t be more than I was—that I couldn’t stick around—and that what’s going to happen today isn’t their fault.

Today is Leonard Peacock’s birthday. It is also the day he hides a gun in his backpack. Because today is the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather’s P-38 pistol.

But first he must say good-bye to the four people who matter most to him: his Humphrey Bogart-obsessed next-door neighbor, Walt; his classmate Baback, a violin virtuoso; Lauren, the Christian homeschooler he has a crush on; and Herr Silverman, who teaches the high school’s class on the Holocaust. Speaking to each in turn, Leonard slowly reveals his secrets as the hours tick by and the moment of truth approaches.

In this riveting book, acclaimed author Matthew Quick unflinchingly examines the impossible choices that must be made—and the light in us all that never goes out.

Review: I have read every one of Matthew Quick’s books. He is a teacher, and I feel as if he understands teenagers in ways that many people don’t. Quick’s characters feel like real people, and while I read this one, I kept forgetting that I was even reading a book. To be cliché, I was lost in the story.

Leonard Peacock is a complex character. Even with his evil intention to murder a fellow classmate, the reader comes to understand that he is deeply troubled and not at all evil on the inside. His plan is to give three gifts to three individuals who have positively impacted his life, then kill his classmate, and then kill himself. I read this book with an uncomfortable stomach. I couldn’t put it down because I needed to know how the plot unraveled. Kids will be hooked. It teaches incredible messages of bullying and loneliness. Leonard’s mother is such a terrible parent that I think it will make many teens appreciate their own parents. I had the urge to scream at her at several points in the book. I have read many books that are somewhat similar to the themes of this text, yet it felt very different. I would urge teachers to read it because it sheds light on issues that are often difficult (or maybe even taboo) to discuss.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: My initial thought was that this would make an incredible read-aloud. I think all types of kids would appreciate it. My only hesitance are there are several references to awkward scenes (like masturbation), and even the most liberal teachers might feel a bit uncomfortable reading these aloud. That said, I think this would make an excellent whole-class text or literature circle book. Teachers would also find value in close readings of portions of this text to jumpstart difficult (but important) conversations with students about bullying, depression, and suicide. The book has over sixty footnotes, and it would be interesting to discuss this text feature and/or the experiments that Quick takes with the text structure. The book ends a bit abruptly, and I think students would love to write and discuss extended endings to the text. I would love to see this book bridged with classic texts like The Awakening by Kate Chopin or Hamlet by William Shakespeare. There are a plethora of Shakespeare references that will make teachers drool!

Discussion Questions: What leads a person to make rash, violent decisions? Can s/he be stopped?; How does our past influence our psyche?; Is revenge sweet? Can it ever be justified?; How do our parents shape our mental behavior?; What happens after the conclusion of this text?

We Flagged:

“I admire [Humphrey] Bogart because he does what’s right regardless of consequences—even when the consequences are stacked high against him—unlike just about everyone else in my life” (p. 23).

“How do you measure suffering?

I mean, the fact that I live in a democratic country doesn’t guarantee my life will be problem-free.

Far from it.

I understand that I am relatively privileged from a socio-economical viewpoint, but so was Hamlet—so are a lot of miserable people” (p. 94).

Read This If You Loved: Endgame by Nancy Garden, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, Hamlet by William Shakespeare, The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick, Burn by Suzanne Phillips, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson, Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King, The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp, Inexcusable by Chris Lynch

Recommended For:

Blog Tour and Review!: Jake by Olivia Carter

July 27, 2015August 15, 2013 by Ricki

Jake
Author: Olivia Carter
Publication: April 29th, 2013 by Acacia

Summary:

“‘It’s very nice to finally meet you.’ Jake said.

‘Finally?’ I asked” (p. 31).

Molly Parker’s home life is not ideal. Her father recently left, her mother doesn’t show any love, and she wants to get more involved with religion, despite her mother’s misgivings. While she enjoys her friends, she doesn’t feel they understand her. When Molly meets Jake, her world changes. He seems to understand her in ways that no one else ever has. Their chemistry is unmistakable, and Molly isn’t quite sure how someone she’s never met can understand her so well. These two will discover a secret that will change their lives forever.

Review: The peculiar chemistry between Molly and Jake kept me engaged in this book. It reminded me of Lucas by Kevin Brooks, where I wasn’t quite sure if I was going to be reading a fantasy, a peculiar romance, or something much different. Molly is a freshman in high school, and I would recommend this book to upper middle school and lower high school students.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: Carter weaves similes, metaphors, and personification throughout the story. “‘Jakey says your life’s been much like a ceiling fan, always working hard to com around to nothing” (p. 193). While I was reading, I kept flagging Carter’s great use of figurative language, and teachers could use this text as a model to students.

Discussion Questions: In what ways is Molly and Jake’s relationship different from others?; How does Carter build suspense?; How do the adults in Molly’s life affect her growth, emotionally?

We Flagged: “Captivation seized every particle of me, chaining even my soul to his. By the curve of his chin it was certain that he knew I was helpless; in sheer awe I stood, abhorring him for his trickery. I looked up into his eyes, where I found deep troubles. Sorrow; Jake was in pain. Emptiness; he’d been neglected. Distrust; Jake was hiding in himself, and then sincerity. Jake was real” (p. 73).

Please note: The above page numbers from the pdf e-book.

Read This If You Loved: Lucas by Kevin Brooks, How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff, Brother/Sister by Sean Olin

Recommended For:

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**Thank you to Irresistible Reads Book Tours for sending the e-book and for hosting this blog tour! Check out the other stops on the book tour!**

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley

July 27, 2015July 10, 2013 by Ricki

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday is hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and was started to help promote the reading of nonfiction texts. Most Wednesdays, we will be participating and will review a nonfiction text (though it may not always be a picture book). Be sure to visit Kid Lit Frenzy and see what other nonfiction books are shared this week!

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen
Author: Lucy Knisley
Published April 2nd, 2013 by Macmillan

Summary: In this autobiographical graphic novel, Lucy Knisley reveals her love for food. Raised by foodies, Lucy recalls that all of her earliest memories are reflected in food that she was eating at the time. Brimming with recipes and stories told through taste, Relish is sure to please readers, even advanced chefs. From her recipe for “The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies” to an “exploded view” of Huevos Rancheros to a diagram of how to make sushi rolls to a “Cheese Cheat Sheet,” each chapter ends with an illustrated recipe that will make readers want to jump into the kitchen.

Review: Admittedly, I am obsessed with food (both cooking and eating). I can spend hours watching Food Network, so this was a sure-winner for me. It is easily one of the best graphic novels I have read. The illustrations made me laugh out loud, and I didn’t want to put it down–except to try out a few recipes (that were all delicious!). The book is a coming-of-age story. Lucy’s rebellious teenage years are reflected in the foods she ate, and she learns lessons from her dining experiences. While food is the center of this graphic novel, Kinsley shows how she grew as an individual from life-changing events like her parents’ divorce to a trip to Europe. She does a fantastic job showing passion–it reads like a beautiful love letter to food. Readers who don’t love food will still identify with her passion.

Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: We all have interests that shape our memories. For example, I can’t recall where I went on my trip to South Carolina, but I do remember the books I read on the beach that week. Students have interests like sports or hobbies that shape their memories. My husband can recall more soccer games than I care to count. Teachers might have students use this graphic novel as a model for students to illustrate how their interests have shaped their memories. The dialogue adds much to this book, so teachers could ask students to analyze how the dialogue shapes the story. As another option, I bet students would enjoy creating a graphic novel page of a step-by-step, illustrated recipe. This would lead to some great (and delicious) presentations.

Discussion Questions: What are your earliest food memories?; How has your family influenced your eating habits?; What is your favorite recipe? Why?; How has food shaped your life? Or, how has some other interest or passion shaped your life?

We Flagged: “I was a child raised by foodies. My parents probably don’t recall how old I was at my baptism, but they remember what I ate that day” (p. 8).

“When I got home, my mother, having heard about my rebellious breakfast, began a smear campaign to convince me that the hamburgers at McDonald’s were actually made of worm meat. Miraculously, I was undeterred. I remain undeterred to this day. It’s not often, but every once in a while, I need those fries. Say what you will…We wouldn’t be eating it if it didn’t taste good” (p. 49-50).

Please note: Our flagged passages don’t contain the gorgeous drawings and hilarious quote bubbles. Click on the “Look Inside” feature on the book cover to see samples from the graphic novel. We didn’t want to break copyright laws!

Read This If You Love: Graphic novels or food/cooking memoirs like Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell

Recommended For:

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What did you think? Which recipe was your favorite?