Module 13: Graphic Novels and Series Books

I'm not thrilled with either graphic novels or commercial series (not counting Nancy Drew because she holds a special place in my heart). I chose one because there is a movie coming out soon based on the second of the series, though I read the first. I read Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan.

When a freak show comes to town, Steve is excited to go, but narrator Darren is hesitant, and with good reason. Terrifying things happen at the freak show, but arachnid-obsessed Darren goes back to steal a performing spider from a man Steve thinks is a vampire. It turns out, Steve is right. When the deadly spider bites Steve, Darren is given a choice. He can either let Steve die or become a vampire himself and save him.

This book was only so-so. Compared to all of the other vampire books out there, I wouldn't recommend this book above others. It was a quick read though, so reluctant readers of an appropriate age might find it worthwhile. I do think that the book is gratuitously gruesome, but I'm sure that appeals to middle school boys. I was wondering if it was just me that didn't particularly care for the book, and a few reviews on Amazon.com made me think that perhaps the problem is that the first book sets up the series. It wouldn't be the first series I've read where the first book was much worse than the subsequent books. Maybe after reading the next book, The Vampire's Assistant, I would find that I could recommend the series, but based on this book alone, I cannot.

"This volume is neither as well written nor as compulsively readable as the "Harry Potter" books (Scholastic), though surely J. K. Rowling's endorsement on the cover will win it a few fans. Most of the characters aren't developed much beyond their names and a brief description. The slowness of the plot in the beginning might turn some readers off, but once the supernatural enters, they will be hooked. The fun here is in the details and in the uniqueness of the non-evil vampire monster. Several volumes of the series are already out in England, and the movie rights have already been purchased, ensuring that this title and probably its sequels will be in demand." -- School Library Journal

"The unresolved ending will leave readers begging for more. The gripping plot moves forward at a lightning pace, and Darren's fascination with the grotesque will ring true for many. Though originally published in England, there are no off-putting Briticisms, just a rip-roaring story full of oddities, low-key horror, and occasional, unexpected poignancy." -- Booklist

If I did decide to recommend the series, I would display the books when the movie The Vampire's Assistant comes out on DVD or is shown in the library.

Module 12: Biography and Autobiography

I find that young adult biographies are rather hit or miss. I realize that subject's issues can't be described in a young adult book as in an adult biography, but I don't think that is an excuse to dumb down the book. Kids are smart, and they don't like to be patronized. That is why I found I Am Scout: A Biography of Harper Lee  by Charles Shields to be so refreshing.

The book starts with Lee's childhood and how she became a writer. She grew up next door to Truman Capote (In Cold Blood), and they wrote together on the same typewriter until he moved away. It goes through her college years, then finally to when she moved to New York and started To Kill a Mockingbird. It also gives a detailed account of her involvement in helping Capote research and write In Cold Blood, though Capote himself never fully acknowledged her hard work.

I found the book extremely interesting, and I couldn't put it down. Shields wrote the book as a young adult version of Mockingbird, his adult biography of Harper Lee. However, because I Am Scout seems like it is written for an all ages audience, I do wonder what was left out of Mockingbird. Shields is forthright about Capote's homosexuality and Lee's mother's mental illness in I Am Scout, and he seems careful not to attach any taboo to either issue.

"The author's clear and appealing style is much the same as in Mockingbird and this adaptation appears to have been not so much edited as streamlined. Photos include Lee, her family, friends, and the famous Hollywood actors who made the film version of her book. I Am Scout moves along at a good pace, and Lee's quiet life makes for a surprisingly fascinating read. Perhaps because Shields is pulling from so many sources, the occasional turn of phrase comes across as oddly formal, but generally, this is an immensely readable, intriguing tale of a quiet, private author." -- School Library Journal

"The text does an excellent job of conveying the facets of Lee's personality that made her a writing success, including her honesty, tenacity, sense of justice and adaptability of interpersonal style. In addition to detailing her writing of To Kill a Mockingbird, Shields demonstrates Lee's critical role in the creation of longtime friend Truman Capote's In Cold Blood. Prior knowledge of both works is not absolutely necessary, thanks to an absorbing and easy narrative style; still, readers may not pick this up unless they already have an interest in Lee's life." -- Kirkus Reviews

My idea for using the book in a library would be to promote one classic per month as well as the resources that are linked to the classic. I would promote To Kill a Mockingbird in July because that is when it was published, and I would include I Am Scout in my promotion.

Module 11: Informational Books

Sometimes I think informational books for kids are more interesting than the ones for adults. One example of this would be Actual Size by Steve Jenkins.

In Actual Size, Jenkins uses torn paper collages to create animals in their actual size. For some animals, like termites and the dwarf goby fish, it is amazing to see how tiny they actually are. However, page size doesn't keep Jenkins from portraying large animals, such as the giant octopus whose 12-inch diameter eye is the only thing that would fit on the page spread. Jenkins provides a brief description of the animal on its page and provides further description of all of the animals pictured in the back of the book.

This book is excellent for younger readers. Most kids will never see many of the animals pictured in the book, but Jenkins allows them to have a personal look and make comparisons between the size of the animal and themselves. For example, I don't think anyone, adult or child, could resist putting their hand up to the gorilla's on the cover.

"Mixing deceptive simplicity with absolute clarity, this beautiful book is an enticing way to introduce children to the glorious diversity of our natural world, or to illustrate to budding scientists the importance of comparison, measurement, observation, and record keeping. A thoroughly engaging read-aloud and a must-have for any collection." -- School Library Journal

"As in many of his previous bestiaries, including the Caldecott Honor Book What Can You Do with a Tail Like This? (2003), Jenkins' newest presents a parade of cut-paper animals, each accompanied by a pithy line of text. The difference here is the scale: everything appears at actual size. Jenkins' masterstroke, though, is his inclusion of creatures both great and small, so while petite critters fit comfortably within 12-by-20-inch spreads, larger ones appear as evocatively cropped bits and pieces: a gorilla's massive hand; a Siberian tiger's snarling mug; the unnerving, basketball-size eye of a giant squid. The resulting juxtapositions will leave children marveling at one species' daintiness, then shuddering as they mentally sketch in the unseen portions of more formidable beasts. Jenkins' artwork is gorgeous (a gatefold of a frog in midleap is particularly memorable), and, at the end of the book, thumbnail images of the featured animals paired with information about habitat and behavior put the piquant visuals into a broader context. An unusual, unusually effective tool for connecting children to nature's astonishing variety." -- Booklist

A great idea for using this book in the library would be to tell kids they were going to make torn paper collages like Jenkins does, but the actual size picture they'll be will be of themselves. They would help trace outlines of each other, then use torn paper to fill in their faces, skin, and clothes.

Module 10: Historical Fiction

As an adult, my dose of historical fiction usually comes in the form of romance novels. I find that for someone who's fairly ambivalent toward historical events, the detail that most books include bogs down the plot to the point I'd rather put the book down than finish reading it. The same is true for children's historical fiction, and I didn't care for some in this module. I started reading and didn't make it past page 5. Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko, however, is one I read to the end and really enjoyed.

Moose Flanagan is a 12-year-old in 1935. His sister, Natalie, is autistic, though there is no such description back then or in the book. Moose moves to Alcatraz Island so that his father can get a job as an electrician and so that Natalie can hopefully be enrolled in a special school. There are few other kids on the island. Despite the title, Moose has only a limited encounter, if it could be called that, with Al Capone close to the end of the book.

Choldenko uses historical detail to provide a frame for the plot and is even meticulous in acknowledging what details were true and which were stretched. The detail and the time period are essential to the story but do not take center stage, which I appreciated.

"In this appealing novel set in 1935, 12-year-old Moose Flanagan and his family move from Santa Monica to Alcatraz Island where his father gets a job as an electrician at the prison and his mother hopes to send his autistic older sister to a special school in San Francisco. When Natalie is rejected by the school, Moose is unable to play baseball because he must take care of her, and her unorthodox behavior sometimes lands him in hot water. He also comes to grief when he reluctantly goes along with a moneymaking scheme dreamed up by the warden's pretty but troublesome daughter. Family dilemmas are at the center of the story, but history and setting--including plenty of references to the prison's most infamous inmate, mob boss Al Capone--play an important part, too. The Flanagan family is believable in the way each member deals with Natalie and her difficulties, and Moose makes a sympathetic main character. The story, told with humor and skill, will fascinate readers with an interest in what it was like for the children of prison guards and other workers to actually grow up on Alcatraz Island." -- School Library Journal

"Twelve-year-old Moose moves to Alcatraz in 1935 so his father can work as a prison guard and his younger, autistic sister, Natalie, can attend a special school in San Francisco. It is a time when the federal prison is home to notorious criminals like gangster Al Capone. Depressed about having to leave his friends and winning baseball team behind, Moose finds little to be happy about on Alcatraz. He never sees his dad, who is always working; and Natalie's condition-- her tantrums and constant needs--demand all his mother's attention. Things look up for Moose when he befriends the irresistible Piper, the warden's daughter, who has a knack for getting Moose into embarrassing but harmless trouble. Helped by Piper, Moose eventually comes to terms with his new situation. With its unique setting and well-developed characters, this warm, engaging coming-of-age story has plenty of appeal, and Choldenko offers some fascinating historical background on Alcatraz Island in an afterword." -- Booklist

For this book I would lead a discussion of the famous prisoners of Alcatraz and have the kids create a poster advertising Piper and Moose's laundry service.