Bibliograpy: Silverstein, S. (1964). The giving tree. New York: Harper & Row.
Summary: This is a story about a boy and a tree. When the boy is little, he enjoys the tree and the tree enjoys the little boy playing - climbing, playing in the leaves. As the boy grows, he begins to spend less time with the tree. Each time the boy visits the tree the tree provides something for the boy/man. The boy needs money - the tree provides apples to sell. The boy needs a house - the tree provides branches to build. The boy needs a boat - the tree provides his trunk to carve a boat. The boy finally needs a rest, as an old man - the tree provides a stump for him to rest. This simple book demonstrates relationships as they grow in this easy to understand story.My Impression:
This book is easy to read with simple pictures that tell a story of a child and a tree and the bond that they share as they age together until the boy is an old man. The simple text and and pencil drawings make the words powerful of this story about unconditional love. It makes me think of a child / parent relationship, where the parent provides for the needs of the child, sometimes to the point that the parent feels like they have nothing left to give. I have not read this book since I was a child and it left me a little touched, so I took a moment to tell my son that I love him and I would always bee there for him. This is a small little book with a powerful point. Reviews:
1. Canadian Review of Materials This popular classic of modern children's literature was first published in 1963 and has been embraced both by children and adults. It has just been released with a CD narration of the story by Shel Silverstein. This parable teaches lessons on love and acceptance, is simply told. It is illustrated with black and white line drawings and a straightforward text describing how a little boy comes to visit the "giving tree" every day. The tree gives the boy everything from its apples to a place to swing and slide. As the boy grows up, he demands more and more from the tree until finally the tree seems to have nothing left to give. At the end, the boy is an old man and returns to the tree and finds that the tree provides him with one more thing.
The book's theme of love and the cycle of life will resonate with adults and will provide many discussion points when shared with children. Highly Recommended. - Lorraine Douglas, Canadian Review of Materials
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2. Horn Book
This book about a boy and a generous tree, who gives him all she has, has long been cherished as a tale of unconditional, selfless love, and likewise condemned as a story of complete codependency. Its controversial themes now live on in a new format, with the same short text per page and evocative line drawings now made larger for easier sharing with a group.
Horn Book (Fall 2003)
Suggestion for Use:
This book would be great in discussion the give and takes to any relationship and also about unconditional love - from a friend or parent.
Citations:
Douglas, L. (2004). The Giving Tree (Book). CM: Canadian Review of Materials, 10(21), N.PAG. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2104/ehost/detail?sid=5839463e-1cfd-4182-b0e7-71404461a7bd%40sessionmgr114&vid=658&hid=10&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=lih&AN=13855172
Horn Book. (2003). The Giving Tree (Book). Retrieved from Titlewave http://www.flr.follett.com/search?SID=94d9d1ed3c2fe75301d62d89347ead2d Book 1: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Bibliography: Burnett, F. (2010). The secret garden. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.
Summary:
Mary was sent to Yorkshire, England after her parents are killed in India. She is use to having servants do everything for her and is not very happy when she learns that she will have to do many things herself. Martha cares for Mary and teaches her to be nicer to people - rather than treat them like slaves. Mary comes across Collin one evening as she follows the sound of crying. Collin is the son of her uncle that took her in. She was not aware that he had a son, and that she had a cousin. Collin is a sickly child who is mean and filled with anger since he is awaiting his death at any time. Collin's mother died tight after he was born and he was shut away because his father was too filled with grief to see him. He had been told at a very young age that he would die and he believed it, so he stayed in bed and became sickly. He also believes that he will have a growth on his back that will make him hunched, which he fears at every moment that he has a growth that has begun. Mary gets him up and moving and introduces him to Dickon, who is her friend and also the little brother of Martha, her caregiver. Mary teaches Collin a few things about being nice to the staff, things she herself learned earlier from Martha. Dickon and Mary take Collin out to the secret garden, which is the garden that his mother loved and cared for when she was alive. Since her death it has been restricted and hasn't been cared for in years. The three work in the garden and begin to see that things are growing and beginning new life with the spring season. Collin begins to gain more strength and begins to get out of his wheel chair and walking around. When Collin is finally able to walk and run and do the things a normal boy of his age would do, his father returns from being on a long trip. His father is amazed that he is up and running and that he has found the garden and is actually working on bringing it back to its beauty.
My Impression:
I had not read this book until this assignment. I really enjoyed it and it made my heart happy at the end. To see how Mary changed from being a spoiled little brat, even though where she came from, it was expected. Her relationship with Martha was fun to follow and the humor in the experiences that Mary had after she first came to the house made me chuckle. Dickon and his animals were fun and his opening Mary's eyes to so many things made him a great character to the story. Collin, wow, he was pretty much a basket case, but then it was bred into him from infancy that he was a frail child and he would probably not live long. He was so scared, like anyone would be, but Mary changed all that for him. It was exciting to see the changes in Collin after he started spending time with Mary and to see Her use the lines on Collin that Martha had used on her was hysterical. Collin proved to himself at the end that he would meet his dad on his feet, I'm sure he never thought that he would actually "run" into him. I really enjoyed this book and I found myself still thinking about it days later.
Reviews:
1. School Library Journal
First published in 1911,Burnett's tale of burgeoning self-awareness, new found friendship, and the healing effects of nature is presented in an elegant, oversize volume and handsomely illustrated with Moore's detailed ink and watercolor paintings. Cleanly laid-out text pages are balanced by artwork ranging from delicate spot images to full-page renderings. The outdoor scenes are beautifully depicted, presenting realistic images of animals and flowers, with the hues gradually warming in sync with the store's progression from winter's browns and beiges to the lush colors of spring. The young protagonists - lonely Mary Lennox; her sickly and spoiled cousin, Collin; and likable local lad Dickon - bound to life in the evocative paintings, which reflect the wonders of transformations in both nature and in a child's heart. All in all, a lovely interpretation.- Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal
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2. Library Media Connection
This new edition of Burnett's well-loved classic illustrated in ink and watercolor will stand up well against Tasha Tudor's 1930 version, and is much more engaging than some more recent editions. The story of Mary Lennox, Dickin, and Collin needs no retelling, but the size of the book, about one foot tall, and the new illustrations should be considered if newer versions of the story are needed. The illustrator, who lives in England, has captured the Victorian era in detail, the Yorkshire landscape, and the changes in the garden over time. The children, too, are more lifelike contrasting nicely with the sweetness of Tudor's illustrations and line drawings. The cover, with its embossed gold lettered title is a wraparound scene inviting the reader to enter into the garden along with Mary as she hears the robin's winter song. There are nice details in the other drawings, particularly the flowers, even if some of the animals appear a bit too Beatrix Potterish for me. Perhaps Moore will undertake Burnett's other works and give them an English feel. Recommended.- Leslie Greaves Radloff, Teacher/ Librarian, St. Anthony Park Elementary School,St. Paul, Minnesota
Suggestion for Use:
This book would be good when discussing the power of words and how if one hears them enough they can start to believe them. Another way to use this book would be to discuss the power of friendship. The importance of helping others be the best they can and showing love and support along the way. This would also be excellent to demonstrate how people can handle change. A move from another country, a shift in the things you have always believed, a change in attitude towards people.
Citations:
Fleishhacker, J. (2008). The Secret Garden. School Library Journal, 54(6), 135. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2104/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=5839463e-1cfd-4182-b0e7-71404461a7bd%40sessionmgr114&vid=602&hid=125
Radloff, L. (2008). The Secret Garden. Library Media Connection, 27(2), 69. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2104/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=5839463e-1cfd-4182-b0e7-71404461a7bd%40sessionmgr114&vid=616&hid=13
MODULE 2
June 13 - 10, 2011
Book 1: The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
Bibliography:
Pinkney, J. (2009). Lion and the mouse. New York: Little, Brown and Co. Books for Young Readers.
Summary:
The lion sees a mouse, catches him and decides to release him. Later, the lion is caught in a net by trappers and the mouse decides to repay him. The mouse climbs the net and chew through the rope until there is a hole big enough for the lion to fall through.
My Impression:
This book has a simple story and beautiful pictures to go along with it. The words used in the story focus on sounds -grrr - squeak -- scratch -- putt putt! Simple, yet effective.
Reviews:
1. Booklist:
*Starred Review* "The intricate lion's face that crowds the cover of Pinkney's latest folktale adaptation is unaccompanied by any title or credits, and that is entirely appropriate—there are no words inside, either. Through illustration alone Pinkney relates the well-known Aesop fable of the mouse who is captured by a lion, only to be unexpectedly released. Then, when the lion finds himself trapped by hunters, it is the mouse who rescues him by gnawing through the twine. Pinkney bends his no-word rule a bit with a few noises that are worked into the art ("Screeeech" when an owl dives; "Putt-Putt-Putt" when the hunters' jeep arrives), but these transgressions will only encourage young listeners to get involved with read-along sessions. And involved they will be—how could they not get drawn into watercolors of such detail and splendor? Pinkney's soft, multihued strokes make everything in the jungle seem alive, right down to the rocks, as he bleeds color to indicate movement, for instance, when the lion falls free from the net. His luxuriant use of close-ups humanizes his animal characters without idealizing them, and that's no mean feat. In a closing artist's note, Pinkney talks about his choice to forgo text." - Krause
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2. School Library Journal:
PreK-Gr 3-This story starts on the cover with the glorious, golden countenance of a lion. No text is necessary to communicate the title: the direction of the beast's gaze and the conflicted expression on his tightly cropped face compel readers to turn the book over, where a mouse, almost filling the vertical space, glances back. The endpapers and artist's note place these creatures among the animal families of the African Serengeti. Each spread contributes something new in this nearly wordless narrative, including the title opening, on which the watchful rodent pauses, resting in one of the large footprints that marches across the gutter. In some scenes, Pinkney's luminous art, rendered in watercolor and colored pencil, suggests a natural harmony, as when the cool blues of the sky are mirrored in the rocks and acacia tree. In other compositions, a cream-colored background focuses attention on the exquisitely detailed and nuanced forms of the two main characters. Varied perspectives and the judicious use of panels create interest and indicate time. Sounds are used sparingly and purposefully-an owl's hoot to hint at off- stage danger or an anguished roar to alert the mouse of the lion's entrapment. Contrast this version with Pinkney's traditional treatment of the same story (complete with moral) in Aesop's Fables (North-South, 2000). The ambiguity- that results from the lack of words in this version allows for a slower, subtle, and ultimately more satisfying read. Moments of humor and affection complement the drama. A classic talc from a consummate artist.- Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library
Suggestion for Use:
I would definitely use it as a friendship book or as a Golden Rule theme - do unto others.
Citations:
Kraus, D. (2009). The Lion & The Mouse. Booklist, 105(21), 63. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2104/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=5839463e-1cfd-4182-b0e7-71404461a7bd%40sessionmgr114&vid=36&hid=110
Lukehart, W. (2009). The Lion & the Mouse. School Library Journal, 55(9), 146. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2104/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=34409fdb-f933-4fc8-a7af-9f736d97a184%40sessionmgr11&vid=34&hid=105
Book 2: Skippyjon Jones by Judith Schachner
Bibliography:
Schachner, J. (2003). Skippyjon Jones. Dutton Children's Books: New York.
Summary:
Skippyjon is a Siamese cat and with his imagination goes o great adventures. After mama is upset with him for pretending to be a bird -eating worms, he is put in his room for some thinking time. H bounces on his bed and as he looks in the mirror, he sees himself as a Chihuahua. He puts o a mask and gets a sword and now becomes Skippito Friskito - a bandito. He goes on an adventure with a group of chihuahuas to save them from a bad bandito. His mom comes to check on him just as he is crashing out of his closet. Another adventure complete and e is ready for the next one.
My Impression:
This is a very fun book with rhyming words. It has excellent pictures to go along with the fun story. There are Spanish words in the text, so bilingual children will find humor and enjoyment in the references. This book would be great to share when discussion imagination, doing the right thing or love of a family.
Reviews:
1. School Library Journal:
This is a wildly wonderful book about a hyperactive kitten, Skippyjon Jones, whose head and ears are too big for his body, and whose imagination is too intense for his mama. According to her, he needs to so some serious thinking about what it means to be a Siamese cat instead of a bird (Skippyjon always wakes up and eats worms with his feathered friends). She sends him to his room, where he imagines he is a Chihuahua ("My name is Skippito Friskito./I fear not a single bandito"). Chock-full of rhyming chants and Spanish expressions, the feline's adventure as a doggy Zorro ends in chaos. His frazzled mother gives him a hug anyway and says "Good night, Skippyjon Jones." "Buenas noches, mis amigos," says the kitten, as he bounces on his bed all ready for another adventure. The buoyant and colorful cartoon illustrations match the exuberant text perfectly. Spanish speaking children will be especially delighted by the words and humor, others may be a little bewildered by all the foreign phrases and will need some explanation, but the story definately has the potential for a fun read-aloud. A good multi-cultural offering. - Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish, Main Library, LA
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2. Publishers Weekly:
The Siamese hero of this caper sleeps in a nest—with the birds—and is convinced that he's really a Chihuahua in disguise, and saves his pals from a giant Bumblebeeto Bandito. Ages 4-up. (Apr.) PW
Suggestion for Use:
This book would be great to share when discussion imagination, doing the right thing or love of a family.
Citations:
Jones, T. E., Toth, L., Charnizon, M., Grabarek, D., Larkins, J., & Constantinides, J. (2004). Skippyjon Jones (Book). School Library Journal, 50(1), 106. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2104/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=5839463e-1cfd-4182-b0e7-71404461a7bd%40sessionmgr114&vid=540&hid=122
Picture Book Reprints. (2005). Publishers Weekly, 252(20), 65. Retrieved fromhttp://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2104/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=34409fdb-f933-4fc8-a7af-9f736d97a184%40sessionmgr11&vid=20&hid=18
Module 3
June 20-16,2011
Book 1: Ship breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi
Biblio
graphy:
Bacigalupi, P. (2010). Ship breaker. New York: Little, Brown and Company
Summary:
Nailer works as part of a crew to disassemble oil tankers for spare parts. His best friend is Pima who works as part of his crew. After a storm comes through a,. Nailer and Pima come upon a wrecked ship. This is a luxury ship and they know they will find many worthy items on board. What they find is a girl, they name, Luck Girl. She tells them that she will get rescued and they will receive rewards but what they soon find out is that she is being hunted down by enemies of her fathers. Nailer decides that he will take her to find her father, leaving the beach, the only home he's ever known. They go through many adventures as they find many people who are now working for the bad guys. Eventually they find a captain who believes their story and gets them to safety.
My Impression:
I was not sure if this book would meet my expectations. As I read, I enjoyed the development of the characters and the story line. The characters were strong and believable and the story line was different with some interesting twists. I would definitely recommend this book to others and I look forward to a sequel, if one should become available.
Reviews:
1. School Library Journal
A fast-paced post-apocalyptic adventure set on the American Gulf Coast, Nailer works light crew; his dirty, dangerous job is to crawl deep into the wrecks of the ancient oil tankers that line the beach, scavenging copper wire and turning it over to his crew boss, After a brutal hurricane passes over. Nailer and his friend Pima stumble upon the wreck of a luxurious clipper ship. It's filled with valuable goods-a "Lucky Strike" that could make them rich, if only they can find a safe way to cash it in. Amid the wreckage, a girl barely clings to life. If they help her, she tells them, she can show them a world of privilege that they have never known. But can they trust her? And if so, can they keep the girl safe from Nailer's drug-addicted father? Exciting and sometimes violent, this book will appeal to older fans of Scott Westerfeld's "Uglies" series (S & S) and similar action oriented science fiction, -Hayden Bass, Seattle Public Library, WA 06/01/10
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2. Library Media Connection
In the near future, the environmental impact of the Accelerated Age batters the globe. New Orleans II has been destroyed by a Category 6 hurricane and Nailer works doing salvage on the ships stranded by the storms in the Gulf of Mexico. One day an expensive yacht runs aground in a storm, which is a real prize for Nailer and his friend Pima. But the wreck yields another surprise the daughter of a wealthy family. As they try to cash in, it becomes apparent that Lucky Girl's upper-class world may have as many dangers as the salvage yard. Nailer and Lucky Girl will need to outrun his father and the genetically engineered protectors working for Lucky Girl's enemies. Author Paolo Bacigalupi's future world is vivid and scary, but perhaps the scariest aspects are the most commonplace such as Naile r's abusive father and the betrayal within Lucky Girl's family. The story is gritty with strong language and violent situations, but the adventure is compelling. While slightly post-apocalyptic, this title is still very realistic and will have cross- over appeal for both science fiction readers and adventure readers. Highly Recommended. Melissa Bergin, NBCT Library Media Specialist, Niskayuna (New York) High School - Melissa Bergin , NBCT Library Media Specialist, Niskayuma (New York) High School 08/01/10Suggestion for Use:
This would be a good book to discuss doing the right thing. Nailer had many situations that he could have easily taken the easy way out, but he chose to do what he thought was right and that usually caused him difficulties and placed him in danger.
Citations:
Bass, H. (2010). Ship breaker. School Library Journal, 56(6), 94. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2104/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=5839463e-1cfd-4182-b0e7-71404461a7bd%40sessionmgr114&vid=384&hid=13
Bergin, M. (2010). Ship breaker. Library Media Connection,29(1), 80. Retrieved from http://www.flr.follett.com/search?SID=b56baa42114ddbedfccea1a8d06387de
Book 2: Before we were free by Julia Alvarez
Bibliography:
Alvarez, J. (2002). Before we were free. New York: Knopf, Distributed by Random House.
Summary:
Anita lives in the Dominican Republic which is under the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. Anita begins to discover that her life wasn't really what it seemed to be as far as her freedoms were concerned. Her father, uncle and friends were involved in the overtaking of the Trujillo regime. Anita was a questioning child, always looking for answers. As her life becomes chaotic with family leaving for safety in the United States and her family in jeopardy, Anita becomes quiet and withdrawn as she and her mother go into hiding. As Anita stays in the closet at her aunts house, she begins writing in a journal about her fears and feelings. As time continues, she begins to find her voice again. Eventually, Anita and her mother are taken to the United States to be united with other family, where they discover that her father and uncle have been killed by the Trujillo regime.
My Impression:
This book was very interesting and I found that I couldn't put it down. The characters were so normal that I could picture Anita as someone that I knew. I felt her pain and her fear and I was excited and saddened at the same time as she left for the United States. Her fears of being in a new country with different children around and having the fears of not knowing who she can truly trust and if there are "bad" people around her new home like there were at home.
Reviews:
1. Publishers Weekly (July 22, 2002)
In her first YA novel, Alvarez (How the García Girls Lost Their Accents) proves as gifted at writing for adolescents as she is for adults. Here she brings her warmth, sensitivity and eye for detail to a volatile setting the Dominican Republic of her childhood, during the 1960-1961 attempt to overthrow Trujillo's dictatorship. The story opens as 12-year-old narrator Anita watches her cousins, the García girls, abruptly leave for the U.S. with their parents; Anita's own immediate family are now the only ones occupying the extended family's compound. Alvarez relays the terrors of the Trujillo regime in a muted but unmistakable tone; for a while, Anita's parents protect her (and, by extension, readers), both from the ruler's criminal and even murderous ways and also from knowledge of their involvement in the planned coup d'état. The perspective remains securely Anita's, and Alvarez's pitch-perfect narration will immerse readers in Anita's world. Her crush on the American boy next door is at first as important as knowing that the maid is almost certainly working for the secret police and spying on them; later, as Anita understands the implications of the adult remarks she overhears, her voice becomes anxious and the tension mounts. When the revolution fails, Anita's father and uncle are immediately arrested, and she and her mother go underground, living in secret in their friends' bedroom closet a sequence the author renders with palpable suspense. Alvarez conveys the hopeful ending with as much passion as suffuses the tragedies that precede it. A stirring work of art. Ages 12-up. (Aug.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information. Roback, D - (July 22, 2002)
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2. School Library Journal
By the morning of her 12th birthday, in December, 1960, Anita de la Torre's comfortable childhood in her home in the Dominican Republic is a thing of the past. The political situation for opponents of the dictator Rafael Trujillo has become so dangerous that nearly all of her relatives have emigrated to the U.S., leaving only her uncle, T'o Toni, somewhere in hiding, and her parents, still determined to carry on the resistance. Over the next year, the girl becomes increasingly aware of the nature of the political situation and her family's activities. Once her father's cotorrita, or talkative parrot, she grows increasingly silent. When the dictator is assassinated, her father and uncle are arrested, her older brother is sheltered in the Italian Embassy, and Anita and her mother must go into hiding as well. Diary entries written by the child while in hiding will remind readers of Anne Frank's story. They will find Anita's interest in boys and her concerns about her appearance, even when she and her mother can see no one, entirely believable. Readers will be convinced by the voice of this Spanish-speaking teenager who tells her story entirely in the present tense. Like Anita's brother Mund'n, readers will bite their nails as the story moves to its inexorable conclusion. 08/01/2002By Kathleen Isaacs, Edmund Burke School, Washington, DC
Suggestion for Use:
This book could be used as a historical reference regarding teh Trujillo regime and would provide great background information and the struggles of the people. It could also be shared as a story of strength and how most people don't realize how strong they are as they go through tough situations.
Citations:
Jones, T. E., Toth, L., Charnizon, M., Grabarek, D., Larkins, J., & Isaacs, K. (2002). Before we were free (Book). School Library Journal, 48(8), 182. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2104/ehost/detail?sid=7a87cd8b-4f2b-41fe-a3a0-0bc09d25192e%40sessionmgr110&vid=102&hid=126&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=lih&AN=7100199
Roback, D., Brown, J. M., Britton, J., & Zaleski, J. (2002). Before we were free (Book). Publishers Weekly, 249(29), 180. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2104/ehost/detail?vid=63&hid=126&sid=7a87cd8b-4f2b-41fe-a3a0-0bc09d25192e%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=lih&AN=7068206
Module 4
June 27 - July 3, 2011
Book 1: Tangerine by Edward Bloor
Bibliography:
Bloor, E.(2006). Tangerine. New York: Harcourt Children's Books.
Summary:
Paul moved with his parents and brother to Florida for his dad's new job. His brother Erik was a football star in high school and he was a bully. Paul was legally blind since early in his childhood and was a good soccer player. After a sink hole at his school destroyed several buildings on campus, Paul decides to attend another school that is filled with students who work in orchards. It is a tough school, with tough kids, but Paul fits in because of soccer. During a freeze, Paul helps his friends try to save as many trees in their orchard as they can and in doing so he sees a different way of life, experiences loyalty in their families and with his new friends. Paul is really attracted to this difference in lifestyle. His brother Erik causes problems for Paul's new friends but Paul stands up for them, standing up for the first time against his brother. Paul's parents finally come to see Erik for what he truly is like as a bully, and they see Paul becoming more assertive, self confident and loyal.
My Impression:
I really enjoyed this book. The dynamic of Paul's family are similar to many families. Erik is the all-star who everyone sees has a future in football. Paul, with his eye issues takes a backseat to all of Erik's events and practices. The parents turn their head not wanting to see the person that Erik has become while Paul's soccer events are not once attended by his family. The characters are well developed and realistic while the events of the story are also somewhat startling but also realistic and possible. This book demonstrated what true loyalty to friendship looks like and what happens when you have to deal with the consequences of your actions.
Reviews:
1. Book Links
Paul and his dysfunctional; family have just moved to Tangerine, Florida. Despite being legally blind since an ominous accident when he was little, Paul tries out for the school soccer team. But it's his relationship with his football star brother that puts Paul and his new friends in danger. -Wojahn, Rebecca May 2006.
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2. Horn Book
Paul Fisher is legally blind and has lived most of his life in the shadow of his football star brother, Erik. But Paul can see; with his prescription goggles he is an excellent soccer player. He can also see things that his parents somehow can't, like what kind of person Erik really is. When the family moves to Tangerine County, Florida, things start to change. Paul's father is still obsessed with the Erik Fisher Football Dream, and his mother with her various committees. But behind the sterile perfection of their housing development lurks a series of bizarre disasters: an underground muck fire burns incessantly with putrid smoke; termites run rampant under the houses; and lightning strikes savagely every afternoon, once killing a boy at football practice. In this eerie atmosphere, random memories start cropping up for Paul, and he senses that knowledge of the mysterious accident that damaged his eyes at age five — an incident his family never discusses but one he knows involves Erik — is almost in his grasp. When Paul's school is sucked into a giant sinkhole during a rainstorm, he transfers to Tangerine Middle School, where the tough kids are in charge. There Paul's decency, sense of humor, and soccer skills win him an unlikely new crew of friends. The nightmarish disasters and Paul's pervasive fear of Erik are balanced in the novel by his genuine love of soccer playing and his joy in the scent and beauty of the Tangerine fields, a joy he shares with tangerine grower Luis. So much happens so quickly that you are pulled right along in the story, and the engaging sports scenes highlight the personalities of the players as well as the action on the field. Events move even faster after Paul witnesses Erik and his henchman using a blackjack in a vicious assault on Luis, who dies a week later from the blow. All truths finally come pouring out as Paul remembers Erik's horrifying assault on his eyes, and he confronts his parents with all they've been denying. Paul Fisher is an immensely likable character — a bright, funny, straight-talking, stand-up kid — and it's a real pleasure to watch him grow in Tangerine. By Lauren Adams Jul/Aug 97
Suggestion for Use:
This would be an excellent source to be used with themes such as self-confidence, bullying, loyalty and just about coming to your own in a dysfunctional family.
Citations:
Adams, L. (1997). Tangerine. Horn Book Magazine, 73(4), 449-450. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2104/ehost/detail?vid=163&hid=19&sid=7a87cd8b-4f2b-41fe-a3a0-0bc09d25192e%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=lih&AN=9709035084
Wojahn, R. (2006). Shooting, Scoring, Sparring, and More: Recommended Sports Novels. Book Links, 15(5), 46-50. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2104/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=7a87cd8b-4f2b-41fe-a3a0-0bc09d25192e%40sessionmgr110&vid=160&hid=19
Book 2: Son of the mob by Gordon Korman
Bibliography:
Korman, G. (2002). Son of the mob. New York: Hyperion Paperbacks.
Summary:
Vince Luca is a good 17 year old boy. His best friend is Alex, who is trying to live his love life vicariously through Vince and his girlfriend, who happens to be an FBI agent. Problem: Vince is the son of a mobster. Vince has a heart of gold and helps two men who have crossed his dad, thinking that he can keep his dad from having to hurt them. The men just end up causing Vince more trouble. Vince's brother Tommy, turns the website he created for a school project into a bet booking site. Ray who works for his dad and is one of Vince's closest friends turns out to be an undercover FBI agent. Through all the conflict, Alex and Vince stay friends and Vince and Kendra decide they can stay together even though her dad has their house wire tapped.
My Impression:
This book was fun to read and poor Vince was just in all kinds of trouble every direction he went. The more he tried to help in some way, the more trouble he would create. The character were very believable and the situations were realistic. Once the story gets going, it slows down briefly for a breather here and there. Vince runs into things that surprise him about as often as he tries to do the right thing.
Reviews:
1. Booklist
The Sopranos meets Romeo and Juliet in this briskly comic romance, costarring a crime kingpin’s son and an FBI agent’s daughter. Tony and Kendra are mad for each other, but that doesn’t mean that Tony is ready to tell Kendra who his father is—especially after his horrifying discovery that her father is on the listening end of the bugs and wiretaps scattered through his house. Realizing that it wouldn’t be wise for either dad to find out what’s what, Tony has to do some fancy footwork to keep the fathers, and Kendra’s suspicions, at bay—a task considerably complicated by his unwilling involvement with a pair of petty hoodlums. Stubbornly battling to preserve his illusion that the family “business” has nothing to do with him, Tony presents a winning mix of good instincts and innocence that will have readers cheering him on as he weathers a succession of amatory and ethical crises, to emerge at the end of this expertly plotted escapade with relationships, self-respect, and even conscience more or less intact. —John Peters 11/1/02
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2. Publishers Weekly
The Sopranos (minus the vulgarity and violence) meets Leave It to Beaver (minus the "aw-shucks" tone and dated sensibility) in Korman's (No More Dead Dogs) brassy, comical caper. With its razor-sharp dialogue and bullet-fast pace, this tale could fly on either the small or big screen, yet it makes a page-turner of a novel. Korman shapes a believable and likable crew--despite the less than reputable profession of some. Many of the novel's conflicts revolve around the fact that the affable narrator, 17-year-old Vince Luca, refuses to become involved in the family "vending machine business." But of course, since his father is the Mob boss, and his older brother serves as their father's loser lackey, Vince cannot avoid being tainted (e.g., he lands in jail "because my sixteenth-birthday present [a Porsche] turns out to be hot"). Mom turns a deaf ear to the shady goings-on, cooking up a steady storm in the kitchen and willing "to serve a sit-down dinner for fifteen guys at four in the morning with ten minutes advance notice." Things heat up when Vince begins dating--and eventually falls in love with--the daughter of the FBI agent determined to bring down Vince's father. The boy also gets sucked into the maelstrom when he loans money to one of his father's underlings for whom he feels sorry. Funny and unexpectedly affecting, this will grab-and hold onto-even the most reluctant of readers. Ages 12-up. (Oct. 28, 2002) By Diane Roback, SENIOR EDITOR; Jennifer M. Brown, FORECASTS EDITOR and Jeff Zaleski, FORECASTS EDITOR
Suggestion for Use:
This book could be used as a general realistic fiction demonstration. It could also be used with themes of doing the right thing, standing up for what you believe in and dysfunctional families.
Citations:
Peters, J. (2002). Son of the mob (Book). Booklist, 99(5), 485. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2104/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=5839463e-1cfd-4182-b0e7-71404461a7bd%40sessionmgr114&vid=73&hid=24
Roback, D., Brown, J. M., & Zaleski, J. (2002). Son of the mob. Publishers Weekly, 249(43), 73. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2104/ehost/detail?sid=7a87cd8b-4f2b-41fe-a3a0-bc09d25192e%40sessionmgr110&vid=37&hid=108&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=lih&AN=7686996
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