Module 9: Room One A Mystery or Two

Summary:
Ted Hammond loves mystery stories and he has two to solve in this book. In rural small town Nebraska his one room schoolhouse is in danger of closing and he saw a face in the window of an old, abandoned house. Ted learns a family lives there, he brings them food, and tries to help them. He ends up confiding in his teacher about the family and she becomes his ally. Eventually the family runs to a different abandoned house, and Ted gets his mom involved in trying to help the family but it's too late. In the meantime Ted's mom, through word of mouth, brings most of the small town out to meet the new family in hiding. However, the family had already packed up and moved to Colorado to stay with the mom's sister. The event drew some publicity for the town on television and the newspaper and the town ended up getting some families to move in, thus saving the one room schoolhouse.

Reference:
Clements, A. (2008). Room One A Mystery or Two. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks.

Reviews:
Phelan, C. (2006, May 1). [Review of Room One A Mystery or Two]. The Booklist, Vol. 102, No. 17.
Gr. 3-5. In a one-room school in a small Nebraska town, Ted is the lone sixth-grader sandwiched between four fourth-graders and four eighth-graders. Besides doing his chores on the family farm, he delivers newspapers, attends 4-H Club meetings, and enjoys reading mystery books. Riding his paper route one morning, Ted spies a girl's face in the window of an abandoned farmhouse. He puts his detective skills to the test as he tries to discover who she is, why she is there, and how he can help her. Though the mystery element in the plot is relatively mild, the story is strong enough that readers will want to find out what will become of Ted's vulnerable new friend. When she entrusts him with a secret, he must decide how best to honor that trust while helping solve her family's dilemma. The convincing, contemporary rural setting is an inextricable element of the novel, which is illustrated with small black-and-white sketches that enhance the refreshingly innocent tone of the story.

My Impressions of the Book:
I enjoyed reading this fast moving mystery story. The setting gave me a feel for what small town life must be like. It was also interesting to see the entire town bond and come together for a united cause to help a family in need.

Uses in a library setting:
This book would be great to introduce the mystery genre to students.

Module 8: Flawed Dogs

Summary:
On a plane trip to go and live with her uncle, Heidy sees a dog who is trying to escape from his kennel so she helps him unlatch his door. The dog, Sam, ends up adopting her and going to live with her and Uncle Hamish. Little does Sam know that a pristine, white and fluffy award winning poodle named Cassius already lives in that home and wants nothing to do with Sam. Cassius sets up an evil plan to get rid of Sam one day, bringing the baby in the house out into the woods in the snow and destroying the infant's room. Cassius tricks Sam into rescuing the baby so he's made to look guilty. Uncle Hamish fires a shot into the air and it grazes Sam's skull. Uncle Hamish is unable to "finish the job" so another person comes in and takes Sam to the National Last-Ditch Dog Depository, where the dogs sit around all day and watch the movie "Lassie Come Home." Sam escapes from this place and is picked up by a man who enters him into a dog fight to earn money. Sam escapes after winning the dog fight, returns to the Last-Ditch Dog Depository, and convinces the seven mutts living there to help him destroy the Westminster Dog Show (where Cassius is expected to be.) Sam and his friends disguise themselves as a human and wreak havoc on the dog show.

Reference:
Breathed, B. (2003). Flawed dogs. New York: Philomel Books.

Reviews:
Chipman, I. (2009, October 15). [Review of Flawed Dogs]. The Booklist, Vol. 106, No. 4.
After forging a brilliant career as a cartoonist, most notably with Bloom County, Breathed applied his well-honed artistic skills to picture books and now takes his first stab at novel writing. His worldview of the lovable loser skewering pomposity is a natural fit for middle-graders, as is the dog-centric nature of this tale. The plot follows Sam the Lion (actually a dachsund), admired by dog-show types for his rare genetic tuft of hair, who is cast out by his adoptive family due to the machinations of a jealous poodle. Over the next few years, any number of terrible/zany adventures befall Sam (including losing a leg and having a soup ladle tied on in its place) before he’s reunited with his owner and justice is done. The story is essentially an animated cartoon in prose form (complete with a mutts-piled-on-top-of-each-other-dressed-as-a-human gag), but Breathed proves an able writer, laying on plenty of over-the-top ebullience that should perk the ears of kids’ inner underdog. A bevy of Breathed’s signature bulbous illustrations—a few in color—add some body to the story.

Marie, J. (2009, November 1). [Review of the book Flawed Dogs, the Novel: The Shocking Raid on Westminster]. School Library Journal, Vol. 55, Issue 11, p. 101.
This chapter book is a spin-off of Breathed's 2003 picture book of the same name (Little, Brown). Sam the dachshund was bred to be an award-winning show dog, right down to his priceless "Du glitz tuft." But Sam has no interest in appearances; like all dogs, beautiful or "flawed," all he really wants is to belong to someone special, and to be loved. After a dramatic escape from his frightful new owner, he sneaks into a girl's luggage and soon wins her affections. But Cassius, a champion full-size poodle and denizen of Sam's new home, is not accustomed to being second in anyone's heart and is determined to get rid of him. What follows is a series of misadventures for Sam and a group of abandoned animals from the National Last-Ditch Dog Depository. Featuring some harrowing moments, this is not a story for the faint of heart, but readers will definitely be rooting for Sam and his comically imperfect band of followers. Black-and-white and full-color illustrations, done in the award-winning author's familiar style, are sprinkled throughout, adding depth to an already engaging and well-paced tale.-Jessica Marie, Renton Public Library, WA Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

My Impressions of the Book:
I didn't love this book during the first chapter or even the second, but as I got further into the book I discoverd its greatness. The humorous writing and word choice won me over and it has become one of my favorite books. I have a Dachshund at home that resembles Sam (minus the Duglitz tuft!) so the story was that more endearing to me. I am reading this book aloud to my class after discovering it through this class. They absolutely love it too!

Uses in a Library:
This book could be featured in a fantasy unit or read during a lunctime book club.

Module 7: Mick Harte Was Here

Phoebe Harte's brother, Mick Harte, is dead. She wants readers to know this in the very beginning of the book so we are not surprised. She retells the story of how Mick was killed in a bicycle accident, wavering between grief for Mick and recalling happy times with her brother. No one is immune to grief, depression, and feelings of despair in this book. The family runs the gamet of emotions, but eventually begins to communicate about Mick and how special he was.

Reference:
Park, B. (1996). Mick Harte was Here. New York: Random House.

My impressions of the book:
This book strikes a good balance between grief and happiness. When someone dies it is hard to cope with the loss at first and one's body runs through different stages of grief. I felt like I had an inside view of the family, their personal struggles, and how they were choosing to overcome their family member's death. The book's message is clear and one all children should heed: wear your bike helmet.

Reviews:
List, S.K. (n.d.) Mick Harte Was Here Book Review. Retrieved from http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/mick-harte-was-here/details
This book is a demonstration of the devastating power of simplicity. With breathtaking economy and precise strokes, Barbara Park brings Mick Harte and his sister Phoebe to vivid life. And because Park gives Phoebe such a distinct, genuine voice, her reactions are real and familiar. Park moves the reader back and forth, from Mick to his sister, gradually disengaging them, separating the tightly interwoven strands of their lives, until Phoebe can stand alone. The author makes hardly a misstep; all the book's elements are tied together with enormous skill. Even the lesson about wearing bicycle helmets is made so directly and simply that it doesn't seem at all preachy. In fact, when the father wishes he had made Mick wear his, it's one of the book's most moving moments.

Not all young readers will want or be able to handle the questions Park asks. But those who do will find that, with MICK HARTE WAS HERE, "here" is a lasting place in their hearts.



Use in a library setting:
This books would be well suited for an upper grade book club or for a unit on bicycle safety.

Module 7: Stargirl

Summary:
Susan Caraway, aka Stargirl, was a mysterious, earthy creature who bestowed her presence on Mica High School in Arizona. She dressed in long, flowy skirts and played "Happy Birthday" on the ukelele to people in the cafeteria. She left random gifts for strangers, carried around a pet rat, set coins out on the street for people to find, cheered for the other basketball team, and left presents for fellow students in her homeroom class on special occasions. She didn't fit in with the crowd at Mica High who were into acting and dressing the same. She was truly one of a kind. At first people at school really liked her and then they started to turn at a basketball game where she ran to render aid for a basketball player on the opposite team. Stargirl meets Leo who becomes her boyfriend, the narrator of the story, and he convinces her to try to be normal. It doesn't work, Stargirl is miserable, and goes back to being her old self. Students begin to like her again at the end of the story when she shows up for the Ocotillo Ball and starts the bunny hop. After the dance Stargirl moves to Minnesota with her family without saying goodbye. Fifteen years later Leo still thinks about Stargirl and all of the random acts of kindness she showered everyone with.

Reference:
Spinelli, J. (2000). Stargirl. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

My Impressions of the Book:
In Mica High the people who are normal are the ones who conform. Stargirl is different because she doesn't fit into the normal teenage mold. She is uncomfortable to be around because she is not like everyone else, nor does she care to be. This books celebrates being unique and an individual and being proud of who you are. Years later at a reunion people still spoke of Stargirl and the impression she made onm everyone. Her random acts of kindness leave a mark on Leo, probably forever. Spinelli's book probably hits home with a lot of teens and pre-teens that are too shy to stand out of the crowd. Spinelli's book is an enjoyable read, but Stargirl's character is almost too strange and "out there" at times for my taste.

Reviews:
Cooper, I. (2000, June 1). The Booklist, Vol. 96, No. 19/20.
Gr. 6-9. Sixteen-year-old Leo recounts Stargirl's sojourn at Mica High in an allegorical story that is engagingly written but overreaches. Everyone notices Stargirl when she comes to school. She wears a granny gown, strums a ukulele, and sings "Happy Birthday" to kids in the cafeteria. She also carries around a pet rat. Her classmates veer between ignoring her and being discreetly fascinated by her weirdness--dancing when there's no music, speaking in class of trolls and stars. Slowly, Stargirl attracts a following, especially after she gives a spellbinding speech in an oratorical contest and singlehandly stirs up school spirit. But her intense popularity is short-lived as, predictably, the teens turn on her. Leo is attracted by Stargirl and her penchant for good works. But just about the time they get together, the rest of the school is shunning her, and to his confusion and despair, Leo eventually turns his back on Stargirl, too. Spinelli firmly captures the high-school milieu, here heightened by the physical and spiritual barrenness of an Arizona location, a new town where people come to work for technology companies and the school team is called the Electrons. Dialogue, plot, and supporting cast are strong: the problem here is Stargirl herself. She may have been homeschooled, may not have seen much TV, but despite her name, she has lived on planet earth for 15 years, and her naivete is overplayed and annoying. When Leo tells her that not everyone likes having somebody with a ukulele sing "Happy Birthday" to them, she is shocked. That she has not noticed she is being shunned is unbelievable, and, at times, readers may feel more sympathy for the bourgeois teens than the earnest, kind, magical Stargirl. That's too bad, because Spinelli's point about the lure and trap of normalcy is a good one. But to make it real, Stargirl needed to have at least one foot on the ground.

Uses in a library:
This book could be featured in an author study as one of the highlighted books. It would make a good books discussion read. Students could discuss conforming versus individuality.

Module 6: Every Friday

Summary:
This story recounts a special tradition a father and son share every Friday morning. The boy and his dad eat breakfast at a special diner every Friday. They go no matter what the weather is doing. Along the way they see many city sights. The narrator looks forward to the following outing with his dad as soon as they leave the restaurant.

Reference:
Yaccarino, D. (2007). Every Friday. New York: Henry Holt and Company.

My impressions of the book:
Every Friday is a touching short story about a boy and dad that share a special tradition and bond. It's just a simple outing to eat breakfast, but one that has made a huge impression on the narrator. It is rare to find such a special story of a father and son bonding. This story is so simple, yet speaks volumes about their relationship. They enjoy spending time together looking at the events happening in their city and having a pancake breakfast. The fact that they're together seems to be the most important thing.

Reviews:
Porter, D. (2007, June 1). [Review of Every Friday]. School Library Journal, Vol. 53, Issue 6, p. 128.
A young boy and his father have a weekly date for breakfast at a nearby diner, and the walk there is half the fun. As they pass through their urban neighborhood, they count dogs, wave to the man in the newspaper stall, and watch the slow construction of a new building. Upon their arrival at the restaurant, they greet their favorite waitress by name, and she knows to bring out pancakes right away. The story is simple but sweet, and the child's excitement about the time spent with his dad is obvious throughout. Painted in gouache, the illustrations of the cars and characters' clothing and hairstyles give the book a '50s look, as do small touches such as milk bottles in front of the door. Yaccarino uses a warm palette to create rudimentary buildings and simple, friendly faces. This is an excellent book for a parent and child to share, and perhaps some families will begin weekly traditions of their own.-Daisy Porter, San Jose Public Library, CA Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

Uses in a library:
This would be a great book to read aloud for Father's Day. It could also be used to discuss family traditions. The students could then write about a special family tradition they have.

Module 5: Monster

Summary:
This story tells the tale of Steve Harmon, a sixteen year old from Harlem, who ends up going on trial for participation in a robbery and murder. King, an acquaintance from the neighborhood, asks Harmon to scope the convenience store and give them a signal that the coast is clear. Harmon fulfills his end of the bargain, but later on in court claims he is not guilty. The book, written in a script style, shows the action of the trial as it's happening and the jury finds Harmon not guilty at the end.

Citation:
Myers, W.D. (1999). Monster. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

My Impressions of the book:
This book was an interesting read, but not one that I would recommend to anyone younger than high school age. There are many adult themes running through the story such as murder, robbery, drugs, sex, and prision violence. It would take a special mature reader to deal with some of the issues and understand what is happening at the trial. I liked the style of the book, written as if it were a script for a movie. Different fonts were used to distinguish between Steve was writing in his journal and when he was writing his script. Some photographs are incorporated into the pages giving it a sense of being true to life. Throughout the story I was rooting for Steve, but was on edge in anticipation of the ending.

Reviews:
Carton, D. (1999, May 1). [Review of Monster]. The Booklist, Vol. 95, No. 17.
Gr. 9-12. Myers combines an innovative format, complex moral issues, and an intriguingly sympathetic but flawed protagonist in this cautionary tale of a 16-year-old on trial for felony murder. Steve Harmon is accused of acting as lookout for a robbery that left a victim dead; if convicted, Steve could serve 25 years to life. Although it is clear that Steve did participate in the robbery, his level of involvement is questionable, leaving protagonist and reader to grapple with the question of his guilt. An amateur filmmaker, Steve tells his story in a combination of film script and journal. The "handwritten" font of the journal entries effectively uses boldface and different sizes of type to emphasize particular passages. The film script contains minimal jargon, explaining camera angles (CU, POV, etc.) when each term first appears. Myers' son Christopher provides the black-and-white photos, often cropped and digitally altered, that complement the text. Script and journal together create a fascinating portrait of a terrified young man wrestling with his conscience. The tense drama of the courtroom scenes will enthrall readers, but it is the thorny moral questions raised in Steve's journal that will endure in readers' memories. Although descriptions of the robbery and prison life are realistic and not overly graphic, the subject matter is more appropriate for high-school-age than younger readers.

Use in a library setting:
I would either set up the book on display for black history month or Printz prize winners or use it in a book club with mature readers.

Module 5: Goin' Someplace Special

Summary:
'Tricia Ann really wants to go to "someplace special" by herself and Mama Frances finally allows her to go. She gets on the bus and reads a sign that says "colored section." She is unable to enjoy sitting on a partk bench looking at a fountain because the bench states "For whites only." As she tries to enter a hote she is thrown out my the manager. She almost gives up on going somewhere special until Blooming Mary talks her into completing her trip. Someplace special turns out to be the public library, a place that decided to open its doors to all people even though segregation ruled in the city. Although racism exists, 'Tricia Ann finds the freedom to read in her library - someplace special.

Reference:
McKissack, P.C. (2001). Goin' Someplace Special. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

My impressions of the book:
I've read a lot of stories about segregation, but this one was different. It involved a girl out on her own searching for her own freedom, yet she learns she isn't free while out and about on her journey. In all of the unjustice and hate, the public library opens its doors to her and lets her have all of the freedome in the world she craves just by opening pages of a book. The book has a nice message to send to children. The library is a welcoming place that opens its doors to everyone regardless of race. The watercolor pictures in this book are enjoyable, eye-catching, and soothing to view.

Reviews:
Wilms, D. (2001, August). [Review of Goin' Someplace Special]. The Booklist Starred, Vol. 97, No. 22.
Ages 5-8. Tricia Ann excitedly gets her grandmother's permission to go out by herself to "Someplace Special"--a place far enough away to take the bus and to have to walk a bit. But this isn't just any trip. Tricia's trip takes place in the segregated South of the 1950s. That means Tricia faces sitting at the back of the bus, not being allowed to sit on a whites-only park bench, and being escorted out of a hotel lobby. She almost gives up, but a local woman who some say is "addled,"but whom Tricia Ann knows to be gentle and wise, shows her how to listen to the voice inside herself that allows her to go on. She arrives at her special destination--the public library, whose sign reads "All Are Welcome."Pinkney's watercolor paintings are lush and sprawling as they evoke southern city streets and sidewalks as well as Tricia Ann's inner glow. In an author's note, McKissack lays out the autobiographical roots of the story and what she faced as a child growing up in Nashville. This book carries a strong message of pride and self-confidence as well as a pointed history lesson. It is also a beautiful tribute to the libraries that were ahead of their time.

Use in a library setting:
This book would be perfect to share in February for black history month. It sends such a positive message for students. They'd probably love to guess where her someplace special was. This could lead into a writing activity where students could write about their someplace special and it could be displayed in the library.