Fiction
Pure
Author: Baggott, Juliana Illustrator: None
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing, 2012
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy Age Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing, 2012
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy Age Level: Young Adult
Plot summary:
This is a young adult book about a dystopian society. In Pure, the Earth has been mostly destroyed by the Detonations. There are two groups of surviving people left, the Pures, the people who were sheltered in the Dome during the Detonations, and the Wretches, those who survived the Detonations outside the Dome. Although the Wretches survived, they were altered; many beyond recognition. They have all been fused with whatever it was they were near when the Detonations went off. Some still appear human, but with glass, metal, toys, or people fused to them. Others fused with animals or with the Earth itself and are no longer really human. The story follows Partridge, a Pure who escapes from the Dome on a hunch that his mother is still alive and living as a Wretch, and Pressia, a Wretch who gets caught up in Partridge's journey when she helps him fend off an attack. The story comes together as Partridge and Pressia learn how their lives are woven together in ways they could never have imagined.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I thought that this book was very suspenseful and fast paced. There were many surprises as I read that kept my interest. The book is well written. Personally, however, I did not enjoy the book, as a whole. It was very harsh and the subject matter was very difficult. I appreciated how Pressia was able to see beauty in her world, but it was not a world in which much beauty was there to be found. The challenges and struggles of the characters seemed never-ending, with very little time to rest or relax into the story.
Memorable literary element:
The most memorable literary element in this book is the setting. Since the world where Pressia and Partridge live is a post apocalyptic version of our own world, the setting is an important variable to help the reader understand the motives and feelings of the characters. The characters are human, so it is easy to identify with them, but to fully understand their motives and the depth of their feelings, the reader must look to the setting. As an example, we quickly get a sense of the destruction in the area where Pressia lives. The elements of life are similar, with people having "homes" to live in and people going to the "market" for food, but quickly we see how the Detonations have altered things. Homes are blown out old buildings, with little shelter or privacy. The market is a dangerous place, with very little to buy. The contrast, then, to Partridge's world of sterile air and orderly movement is stark.
Illustrations:
There are no illustrations in the book.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) "Us 99 percenters will live outside the gates come the future, and it won’t be pretty—especially once the nukes start popping. Baggott (Girl Talk, 2001, etc.), author of fantasies and light comedies alike, takes a somber turn with her latest, which opens with an exceedingly ugly period “after the Detonations,” a time when some people sicken and die from merely drinking the water and others’ faces simply melt away, where “death is sometimes measured”in the rasping coughs of the survivors who have breathed the nuclear winter. Tucked inside the safety of the Dome, where a privileged few are sheltered, young Partridge is safe. Impudently, though, he steals out into that world to find his mother, or at least find out why she refused to leave the city and take cover with her family. Out there, 16-year-old Pressia is trying to keep out of the clutches of the ugly fascist order that has come into power in a time of emergency. It’s a nasty bunch, given to playing games such as Death Spree, “used...to rid society of the weak,” as one of the impromptu band of resisters formed by Pressia and Partridge says, adding, “It’s really the only kind of sport around here, if you can call it a sport.” That band roams the countryside, gathering knowledge and skills, dodging the many, many baddies and bad circumstances that threaten to do them in, making a fine hero quest among the ruins wrought by both bombs and “the Return to Civility and its legislation.” Read between the lines, and the story acquires timely dimensions, though you need not do so to have good fun with the book. As fantasy novels tend to do, Baggott’s tome labors under heavy influences—not just Tolkien, the lord of the genre, but also Rowling, comparisons with whom are inevitable. William Golding’s and George Orwell's and even H.G. Wells’ spirits hove into view from time to time, too. Yet Baggott is no mimic, and she successfully imagines and populates a whole world, which is the most rigorous test of a fantasy’s success. It’s a bonus that the hero of the piece is a young girl, which ought to serve as inspiration for more than a few readers. Whether Baggott’s imagined world is one that you’d want to live in is another matter entirely, of course. Damned Detonations!
Promotion idea:
This book could be linked to a unit on the atomic bomb and on Hiroshima. The book does reference the attack on Hiroshima and poses some interesting questions about whether or not the fusing that happened in this story actually happened in Japan. It also makes the reader think about the idea of a detonation to retaliate against enemies and how that idea could frighteningly morph toward the idea of a detonation to cleanse the world.
This is a young adult book about a dystopian society. In Pure, the Earth has been mostly destroyed by the Detonations. There are two groups of surviving people left, the Pures, the people who were sheltered in the Dome during the Detonations, and the Wretches, those who survived the Detonations outside the Dome. Although the Wretches survived, they were altered; many beyond recognition. They have all been fused with whatever it was they were near when the Detonations went off. Some still appear human, but with glass, metal, toys, or people fused to them. Others fused with animals or with the Earth itself and are no longer really human. The story follows Partridge, a Pure who escapes from the Dome on a hunch that his mother is still alive and living as a Wretch, and Pressia, a Wretch who gets caught up in Partridge's journey when she helps him fend off an attack. The story comes together as Partridge and Pressia learn how their lives are woven together in ways they could never have imagined.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I thought that this book was very suspenseful and fast paced. There were many surprises as I read that kept my interest. The book is well written. Personally, however, I did not enjoy the book, as a whole. It was very harsh and the subject matter was very difficult. I appreciated how Pressia was able to see beauty in her world, but it was not a world in which much beauty was there to be found. The challenges and struggles of the characters seemed never-ending, with very little time to rest or relax into the story.
Memorable literary element:
The most memorable literary element in this book is the setting. Since the world where Pressia and Partridge live is a post apocalyptic version of our own world, the setting is an important variable to help the reader understand the motives and feelings of the characters. The characters are human, so it is easy to identify with them, but to fully understand their motives and the depth of their feelings, the reader must look to the setting. As an example, we quickly get a sense of the destruction in the area where Pressia lives. The elements of life are similar, with people having "homes" to live in and people going to the "market" for food, but quickly we see how the Detonations have altered things. Homes are blown out old buildings, with little shelter or privacy. The market is a dangerous place, with very little to buy. The contrast, then, to Partridge's world of sterile air and orderly movement is stark.
Illustrations:
There are no illustrations in the book.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) "Us 99 percenters will live outside the gates come the future, and it won’t be pretty—especially once the nukes start popping. Baggott (Girl Talk, 2001, etc.), author of fantasies and light comedies alike, takes a somber turn with her latest, which opens with an exceedingly ugly period “after the Detonations,” a time when some people sicken and die from merely drinking the water and others’ faces simply melt away, where “death is sometimes measured”in the rasping coughs of the survivors who have breathed the nuclear winter. Tucked inside the safety of the Dome, where a privileged few are sheltered, young Partridge is safe. Impudently, though, he steals out into that world to find his mother, or at least find out why she refused to leave the city and take cover with her family. Out there, 16-year-old Pressia is trying to keep out of the clutches of the ugly fascist order that has come into power in a time of emergency. It’s a nasty bunch, given to playing games such as Death Spree, “used...to rid society of the weak,” as one of the impromptu band of resisters formed by Pressia and Partridge says, adding, “It’s really the only kind of sport around here, if you can call it a sport.” That band roams the countryside, gathering knowledge and skills, dodging the many, many baddies and bad circumstances that threaten to do them in, making a fine hero quest among the ruins wrought by both bombs and “the Return to Civility and its legislation.” Read between the lines, and the story acquires timely dimensions, though you need not do so to have good fun with the book. As fantasy novels tend to do, Baggott’s tome labors under heavy influences—not just Tolkien, the lord of the genre, but also Rowling, comparisons with whom are inevitable. William Golding’s and George Orwell's and even H.G. Wells’ spirits hove into view from time to time, too. Yet Baggott is no mimic, and she successfully imagines and populates a whole world, which is the most rigorous test of a fantasy’s success. It’s a bonus that the hero of the piece is a young girl, which ought to serve as inspiration for more than a few readers. Whether Baggott’s imagined world is one that you’d want to live in is another matter entirely, of course. Damned Detonations!
Promotion idea:
This book could be linked to a unit on the atomic bomb and on Hiroshima. The book does reference the attack on Hiroshima and poses some interesting questions about whether or not the fusing that happened in this story actually happened in Japan. It also makes the reader think about the idea of a detonation to retaliate against enemies and how that idea could frighteningly morph toward the idea of a detonation to cleanse the world.
Wonder Show
Author: Barnaby, Hannah Illustrator: None
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2012
Genre: Young Adult Historical Fiction Age Level: Grades 6-8
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2012
Genre: Young Adult Historical Fiction Age Level: Grades 6-8
Plot summary:
Portia was surrounded by family in her young childhood, but when the depression hits, her family starts leaving to find work in other towns. Finally her father leaves her with an aunt, promising to come back. Life with her aunt is not easy, but things get even worse when her aunt sends her to a home for wayward girls. Mister, who runs the home, is not a nice man, and after her friend Caroline dies, Portia decides to run away to find her father. She joins the circus as a "normal" in the Wonder Show. There she learns about herself and the true meaning of family.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I liked this book, though I would have enjoyed a bit more character development. The chapters are short snippets, told mostly from Portia's point of view, but with other characters jumping in here and there with their perceptions. Overall it was a nice book and was accessible to readers.
Memorable literary element:
This book uses instances of foreshadowing to add to the mood of the story. The first instance where the reader gets a feel for something ominous that is coming is when Portia is with her father, telling him stories. When he becomes sad that all of the characters in her story are the family members who have flown away and left them behind he tells Portia that perhaps "we will fly away, too." The next sentence then says, "Of course Portia thought we included her." This forms the base of the story; it is the place where the story begins, and also the theme that drives Portia forward throughout the book. Her father leaves her behind and she spends the rest of the book searching for him and for the love that she has been missing.
Illustrations:
There are no illustrations in the book.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) "Fourteen-year-old Portia joins a circus freak show looking for the father who abandoned her, but she finds much more. Portia’s odyssey takes place in a gothic, Depression-era Midwest. Her idyllic youth, surrounded by the stories of her extended family, ends when her widowed father leaves her with her stoic, thoroughly practical Aunt Sophia—who then turns her over to the distinctly un-homelike McGreavey Home for Wayward Girls, ruled by the sinister Mister. After her only friend commits suicide—an act Portia feels responsible for—Portia steals Mister’s bicycle and runs away to the circus, where she hopes (with no real basis) to find her father. Her way with words wins her a place pitching the ballyhoo to the rubes who visit the titular Wonder Show. The languid, sensuous third-person account is periodically punctuated by the voices of Portia and the members of the Wonder Show, giving readers poignant insight into this fragile found family. The themes that delicately thread their way through the novel—of the power of story, of family and friendship, of seeking and finding—weave themselves together into a compelling depiction of Portia’s very conscious act of self-definition: She can be, as her mentor in the ballyhoo says, whoever she wants to be. Infused with nostalgia and affection, this celebration of the deliberately constructed self will hold readers in its spell from beginning to end."
Promotion idea:
This book could be used as a connection to a unit of study on how people with disabilities were treated in the past. Traveling shows were a way for these people to support themselves and have lives of their own, but at what cost? This is a way to meld the fictional story with the truth of what happened in history. It opens up discussions on how people can survive in difficult situations and how family gets formed when people come together.
Portia was surrounded by family in her young childhood, but when the depression hits, her family starts leaving to find work in other towns. Finally her father leaves her with an aunt, promising to come back. Life with her aunt is not easy, but things get even worse when her aunt sends her to a home for wayward girls. Mister, who runs the home, is not a nice man, and after her friend Caroline dies, Portia decides to run away to find her father. She joins the circus as a "normal" in the Wonder Show. There she learns about herself and the true meaning of family.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I liked this book, though I would have enjoyed a bit more character development. The chapters are short snippets, told mostly from Portia's point of view, but with other characters jumping in here and there with their perceptions. Overall it was a nice book and was accessible to readers.
Memorable literary element:
This book uses instances of foreshadowing to add to the mood of the story. The first instance where the reader gets a feel for something ominous that is coming is when Portia is with her father, telling him stories. When he becomes sad that all of the characters in her story are the family members who have flown away and left them behind he tells Portia that perhaps "we will fly away, too." The next sentence then says, "Of course Portia thought we included her." This forms the base of the story; it is the place where the story begins, and also the theme that drives Portia forward throughout the book. Her father leaves her behind and she spends the rest of the book searching for him and for the love that she has been missing.
Illustrations:
There are no illustrations in the book.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) "Fourteen-year-old Portia joins a circus freak show looking for the father who abandoned her, but she finds much more. Portia’s odyssey takes place in a gothic, Depression-era Midwest. Her idyllic youth, surrounded by the stories of her extended family, ends when her widowed father leaves her with her stoic, thoroughly practical Aunt Sophia—who then turns her over to the distinctly un-homelike McGreavey Home for Wayward Girls, ruled by the sinister Mister. After her only friend commits suicide—an act Portia feels responsible for—Portia steals Mister’s bicycle and runs away to the circus, where she hopes (with no real basis) to find her father. Her way with words wins her a place pitching the ballyhoo to the rubes who visit the titular Wonder Show. The languid, sensuous third-person account is periodically punctuated by the voices of Portia and the members of the Wonder Show, giving readers poignant insight into this fragile found family. The themes that delicately thread their way through the novel—of the power of story, of family and friendship, of seeking and finding—weave themselves together into a compelling depiction of Portia’s very conscious act of self-definition: She can be, as her mentor in the ballyhoo says, whoever she wants to be. Infused with nostalgia and affection, this celebration of the deliberately constructed self will hold readers in its spell from beginning to end."
Promotion idea:
This book could be used as a connection to a unit of study on how people with disabilities were treated in the past. Traveling shows were a way for these people to support themselves and have lives of their own, but at what cost? This is a way to meld the fictional story with the truth of what happened in history. It opens up discussions on how people can survive in difficult situations and how family gets formed when people come together.
Son
Author: Lowry, Lois Illustrator: None
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin, 2012
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy Age Level: Ages12 and up
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin, 2012
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy Age Level: Ages12 and up
Plot summary:
This is the conclusion to the Newbery Award winning book,The Giver. The book is in three parts. The first part tells the story of Claire, the birthmother who gave birth to Gabe, and how she meets Gabe and comes to love him as a mother. This part of the story takes place before Gabe and Jonas leave their home at the end of The Giver. The second part of the book tells of Claire's life after she escapes her town on a boat in search of Gabe. The boat she escaped in is lost at sea in a storm, and Claire washes up on the shore of an island with no memory of who she is or how she got there. As she lives for many years on the island, she regains her memory and decides to climb the steep cliff of rocks to leave the island and search for her son. The third part of the book takes us to Village, where Jonas and Gabe have lived ever since they left their old town on the sled so many years ago. Gabe is a young man now. Claire, who has suffered much to find him, has been there watching him for many years. She has not told him who she is, but decides that she must soon, because she is dying.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I really enjoyed reading Lowry's conclusion to The Giver and seeing what happened to some characters that I had come to love. The book is also part of a quartet of books, so there is a feeling of closure and understanding of the full lives of the characters.The book was interesting and kept my attention. I did not think it compared in writing or in feeling to The Giver, however. Where The Giver seemed to have a magical quality that drew readers of all ages in, this book felt like it was a book written strictly for young adults. The ideas were more simplistic and the conclusion was not as detailed or fleshed out.
Memorable literary element:
This story is told through three distinct sections, each with its own setting and mood. All three sections are about Claire, the birthmother who gave birth to Gabe. The story is told in third person, so the voice appears to be the same in each section, but the first two sections focus on Claire and her life and feelings, while the third section focuses on Gabe, with Claire being a secondary character. This brings the story to the dramatic conclusion where Gabe is called upon to save his world and the people in it.
Illustrations:
This book has no illustrations.
Review from a selection aid:
(School Library Journal) "Those frustrated over the ambiguous ending of Lowry's The Giver (1993) will be thrilled with the conclusion (2012, both Houghton Mifflin) to the quartet. Listeners are brought full circle, returning to the fate of Gabriel, the little baby saved from "release" by Jonas. The story begins with Claire, who emerges
from unconsciousness following a difficult birth to find that her child (or product) has been cut from her, and she has been "decertified." In the haste to get her to a new assignment, no one has bothered to supply her with the pills that everyone must take to keep them from feeling things. Claire develops an intense longing to find her son, leading her on a daunting and epic journey that weaves together the worlds and characters of the first three novels. Bernadette Dunne's whispery voice is perfectly suited to this dramatic, satisfying tale. Whether portraying the naive 14-year-old Claire or the evil Trademaster, Dunne captures the very essence of the characters. Lowry has again created a powerful tale rich with themes like sacrifice, loss, the importance of memory, and the restorative power of empathy that will elicit exciting classroom discussions." (Audio version)
Promotion idea:
This could be used as a part of a study of the seven basic plots in fiction. There are many conflicts in this story and in the quartet of stories that are written in an accessible way for students to see and grasp. This could lend well to showcasing several of the basic plots of fiction.
This is the conclusion to the Newbery Award winning book,The Giver. The book is in three parts. The first part tells the story of Claire, the birthmother who gave birth to Gabe, and how she meets Gabe and comes to love him as a mother. This part of the story takes place before Gabe and Jonas leave their home at the end of The Giver. The second part of the book tells of Claire's life after she escapes her town on a boat in search of Gabe. The boat she escaped in is lost at sea in a storm, and Claire washes up on the shore of an island with no memory of who she is or how she got there. As she lives for many years on the island, she regains her memory and decides to climb the steep cliff of rocks to leave the island and search for her son. The third part of the book takes us to Village, where Jonas and Gabe have lived ever since they left their old town on the sled so many years ago. Gabe is a young man now. Claire, who has suffered much to find him, has been there watching him for many years. She has not told him who she is, but decides that she must soon, because she is dying.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I really enjoyed reading Lowry's conclusion to The Giver and seeing what happened to some characters that I had come to love. The book is also part of a quartet of books, so there is a feeling of closure and understanding of the full lives of the characters.The book was interesting and kept my attention. I did not think it compared in writing or in feeling to The Giver, however. Where The Giver seemed to have a magical quality that drew readers of all ages in, this book felt like it was a book written strictly for young adults. The ideas were more simplistic and the conclusion was not as detailed or fleshed out.
Memorable literary element:
This story is told through three distinct sections, each with its own setting and mood. All three sections are about Claire, the birthmother who gave birth to Gabe. The story is told in third person, so the voice appears to be the same in each section, but the first two sections focus on Claire and her life and feelings, while the third section focuses on Gabe, with Claire being a secondary character. This brings the story to the dramatic conclusion where Gabe is called upon to save his world and the people in it.
Illustrations:
This book has no illustrations.
Review from a selection aid:
(School Library Journal) "Those frustrated over the ambiguous ending of Lowry's The Giver (1993) will be thrilled with the conclusion (2012, both Houghton Mifflin) to the quartet. Listeners are brought full circle, returning to the fate of Gabriel, the little baby saved from "release" by Jonas. The story begins with Claire, who emerges
from unconsciousness following a difficult birth to find that her child (or product) has been cut from her, and she has been "decertified." In the haste to get her to a new assignment, no one has bothered to supply her with the pills that everyone must take to keep them from feeling things. Claire develops an intense longing to find her son, leading her on a daunting and epic journey that weaves together the worlds and characters of the first three novels. Bernadette Dunne's whispery voice is perfectly suited to this dramatic, satisfying tale. Whether portraying the naive 14-year-old Claire or the evil Trademaster, Dunne captures the very essence of the characters. Lowry has again created a powerful tale rich with themes like sacrifice, loss, the importance of memory, and the restorative power of empathy that will elicit exciting classroom discussions." (Audio version)
Promotion idea:
This could be used as a part of a study of the seven basic plots in fiction. There are many conflicts in this story and in the quartet of stories that are written in an accessible way for students to see and grasp. This could lend well to showcasing several of the basic plots of fiction.
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Author: Riggs, Ransom Illustrator: None
Publisher: Quirk Books, 2011
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy Age Level: Ages13-17
Publisher: Quirk Books, 2011
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy Age Level: Ages13-17
Plot summary:
Jacob grew up with the wild stories and photographs that his grandfather shared with him about growing up on an island off the coast of Wales, but as he got older, Jacob believed that the stories were made up. When his grandfather died in a strange and violent way, Jacob goes to find the island to see if it might help him put the death behind him. What he finds there surprises him. He realizes that the stories of peculiar children with special talents were true and that he himself has a place in their world.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I enjoyed the book very much. It was suspenseful and engaging. The author took vintage photographs and weaved them into the story which added an extra layer to the tale. I think it would keep the interest of young readers and adults alike.
Memorable literary element:
One literary element employed in the book is irony, which plays out in a very suspenseful way. Jacob is devastated by the loss of his grandfather and by the terrible way in which he died. He struggles to deal with his emotions and with how he no longer feels he can relate to others after the murder. Jacob finally begins to feel better after working with his therapist. His therapist even recommends that he go on a trip to find the place where his grandfather claims to have grown up. Once there, the therapist helps him get through a difficult time with his dad, and convinces his dad to let Jacob stay. At the end, however, the therapist ends up being the enemy. He has been in Jacob's life for many years, playing different roles in an effort to get to the peculiar children through Jacob. The revelation is very intense, both for Jacob and for the reader.
Illustrations:
There are no illustrations in the book, however, the vintage photographs that the author weaves into the story really add to the book. The photographs bring the story to life and add an authenticating quality to the strangeness of what the
story is about.
Review from a selection aid:
(School Library Journal) "Sixteen-year-old Jacob, traumatized by his grandfather's sudden, violent death, travels with his father to a remote island off the coast of Wales to find the orphanage where his grandfather was sent to live to escape Nazi persecution in Poland. When he arrives, he finds much more than he bargained for: the children from his grandfather's stories are still at the orphanage, living in a time loop in 1940. The monsters that killed Jacob's grandfather are hunting for "peculiar" children, those with special talents, and the group at the orphanage is in danger. Jacob must face the possibility that he, too, has certain traits that the monsters are after and that he is being stalked by adults he trusted. This complex and suspenseful story incorporates eerie photographs of children with seemingly impossible attributes and abilities, many of whom appear as characters in the story. The mysterious photographs add to the bizarre and slightly creepy tone of the book. Jacob is a strong and believable character, though only a few of the secondary characters are fully realized. The pacing of the story is good, alternating action sequences with Jacob's discoveries of his grandfather's long-hidden secrets. Readers will find this book unique and intriguing."
Promotion idea:
This books lends itself as a great way to tie technology into the study of writing skills. Students could take their own photographs and write a short story to go along with them or use an app (such as iMovie) to create their own video story with narration. There could be a great discussion on mood and setting and how the photographs help create that mood.
Jacob grew up with the wild stories and photographs that his grandfather shared with him about growing up on an island off the coast of Wales, but as he got older, Jacob believed that the stories were made up. When his grandfather died in a strange and violent way, Jacob goes to find the island to see if it might help him put the death behind him. What he finds there surprises him. He realizes that the stories of peculiar children with special talents were true and that he himself has a place in their world.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I enjoyed the book very much. It was suspenseful and engaging. The author took vintage photographs and weaved them into the story which added an extra layer to the tale. I think it would keep the interest of young readers and adults alike.
Memorable literary element:
One literary element employed in the book is irony, which plays out in a very suspenseful way. Jacob is devastated by the loss of his grandfather and by the terrible way in which he died. He struggles to deal with his emotions and with how he no longer feels he can relate to others after the murder. Jacob finally begins to feel better after working with his therapist. His therapist even recommends that he go on a trip to find the place where his grandfather claims to have grown up. Once there, the therapist helps him get through a difficult time with his dad, and convinces his dad to let Jacob stay. At the end, however, the therapist ends up being the enemy. He has been in Jacob's life for many years, playing different roles in an effort to get to the peculiar children through Jacob. The revelation is very intense, both for Jacob and for the reader.
Illustrations:
There are no illustrations in the book, however, the vintage photographs that the author weaves into the story really add to the book. The photographs bring the story to life and add an authenticating quality to the strangeness of what the
story is about.
Review from a selection aid:
(School Library Journal) "Sixteen-year-old Jacob, traumatized by his grandfather's sudden, violent death, travels with his father to a remote island off the coast of Wales to find the orphanage where his grandfather was sent to live to escape Nazi persecution in Poland. When he arrives, he finds much more than he bargained for: the children from his grandfather's stories are still at the orphanage, living in a time loop in 1940. The monsters that killed Jacob's grandfather are hunting for "peculiar" children, those with special talents, and the group at the orphanage is in danger. Jacob must face the possibility that he, too, has certain traits that the monsters are after and that he is being stalked by adults he trusted. This complex and suspenseful story incorporates eerie photographs of children with seemingly impossible attributes and abilities, many of whom appear as characters in the story. The mysterious photographs add to the bizarre and slightly creepy tone of the book. Jacob is a strong and believable character, though only a few of the secondary characters are fully realized. The pacing of the story is good, alternating action sequences with Jacob's discoveries of his grandfather's long-hidden secrets. Readers will find this book unique and intriguing."
Promotion idea:
This books lends itself as a great way to tie technology into the study of writing skills. Students could take their own photographs and write a short story to go along with them or use an app (such as iMovie) to create their own video story with narration. There could be a great discussion on mood and setting and how the photographs help create that mood.
Divergent
Author: Roth, Veronica Illustrator: None
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books, 2011
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy Age Level: Ages14-18
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books, 2011
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy Age Level: Ages14-18
Plot summary:
Beatrice Prior lives in Post Apocalyptic, Chicago, in a city where people live in one of 5 factions. The factions are Abnegation (the selfless), Erudite (the intelligent), Amity (the peace loving), Dauntless (the brave), and Candor (the honest). At age 16, teens must make a choice of what faction they will live in for the rest of their life. Choosing a faction means that you devote your life to the values and people of that faction. If you transfer from the faction of your birth to another faction, it also means that you leave your family behind forever. Shortly before Choosing Day, Beatrice learns that the results of the simulation test, designed to help teens choose their appropriate faction, show that she is Divergent…that she has the aptitude for more than one faction. She also learns that being Divergent is dangerous and that she cannot share this information with anyone. Alone and scared, Beatrice makes the biggest decision of her life. She changes allegiance and transfers from her family faction of Abnegation to the bold and adventurous Dauntless faction. This choice transforms her life and begins the plot of this fast paced and thrilling book.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I thought that this was a very well written book. It drew my attention immediately with the accessible style of writing and the interesting plot. The book is able to balance the gritty fight scenes of the book with more thoughtful internal dialogues of the characters. I found that I didn't want to put the book down.
Memorable literary element:
Conflict is a literary element in this story. There are many instances of conflict throughout the book. The first conflict that we are introduced to is when we understand that Beatrice is going to have to choose between Abnegation and Dauntless. This, for her, is choosing between two parts of herself and of her personality. She is also choosing between her family and a new, exciting world. She also has a conflict within herself when she understands that she is Divergent and must keep this fact a secret. Once Tris has chosen Dauntless, there are many outward conflicts within her faction. She is competing for a place in her faction, and others do not want her to succeed. Her life is at risk. Finally, we see conflict when Erudite takes over the Dauntless faction and uses them to kill the Abnegation faction. Tris has to fight to help save Abnegation and the people she loves.
Illustrations:
There are no illustrations in the book.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) "Cliques writ large take over in the first of a projected dystopian trilogy. The remnant population of post-apocalyptic Chicago intended to cure civilization’s failures by structuring society into five “factions,” each dedicated to inculcating a specific virtue. When Tris, secretly a forbidden “Divergent,” has to choose
her official faction in her 16th year, she rejects her selfless Abnegation upbringing for the Dauntless, admiring their reckless bravery. But the vicious initiation process reveals that her new tribe has fallen from its original ideals, and that same rot seems to be spreading… Aside from the preposterous premise, this gritty, paranoid world is built with careful details and intriguing scope. The plot clips along at an addictive pace, with steady jolts of brutal violence and swoony romance. Despite the constant assurance that Tris is courageous, clever and kind, her own first-person narration displays a blank personality. No matter; all the “good” characters adore her and the “bad” are spiteful and jealous. Fans snared by the ratcheting suspense will be unable to resist speculating on their own factional allegiance; a few may go on to ponder the questions of loyalty and identity beneath the façade of thrilling adventure. Guaranteed to fly off the shelves."
Promotion idea:
The idea of the world being split into 5 factions is interesting and there is a lot of nuance in the book that could be discussed with students. Are these 5 traits really the main 5 traits that humans possess? If so, how do the factions in the book serve their members well, and how have they strayed away from the original embodiment of those traits? This leads well into talking about peer pressure and how easy it is to feel the need to express the characteristics of a group you are in, even if those characteristics are not completely you. Is it possible to be in a faction or peer group and still embody characteristics of other groups, and is it ok to let those other characteristics show? Does this show strength or does it mean you are a traitor?
Beatrice Prior lives in Post Apocalyptic, Chicago, in a city where people live in one of 5 factions. The factions are Abnegation (the selfless), Erudite (the intelligent), Amity (the peace loving), Dauntless (the brave), and Candor (the honest). At age 16, teens must make a choice of what faction they will live in for the rest of their life. Choosing a faction means that you devote your life to the values and people of that faction. If you transfer from the faction of your birth to another faction, it also means that you leave your family behind forever. Shortly before Choosing Day, Beatrice learns that the results of the simulation test, designed to help teens choose their appropriate faction, show that she is Divergent…that she has the aptitude for more than one faction. She also learns that being Divergent is dangerous and that she cannot share this information with anyone. Alone and scared, Beatrice makes the biggest decision of her life. She changes allegiance and transfers from her family faction of Abnegation to the bold and adventurous Dauntless faction. This choice transforms her life and begins the plot of this fast paced and thrilling book.
Personal reaction/evaluation:
I thought that this was a very well written book. It drew my attention immediately with the accessible style of writing and the interesting plot. The book is able to balance the gritty fight scenes of the book with more thoughtful internal dialogues of the characters. I found that I didn't want to put the book down.
Memorable literary element:
Conflict is a literary element in this story. There are many instances of conflict throughout the book. The first conflict that we are introduced to is when we understand that Beatrice is going to have to choose between Abnegation and Dauntless. This, for her, is choosing between two parts of herself and of her personality. She is also choosing between her family and a new, exciting world. She also has a conflict within herself when she understands that she is Divergent and must keep this fact a secret. Once Tris has chosen Dauntless, there are many outward conflicts within her faction. She is competing for a place in her faction, and others do not want her to succeed. Her life is at risk. Finally, we see conflict when Erudite takes over the Dauntless faction and uses them to kill the Abnegation faction. Tris has to fight to help save Abnegation and the people she loves.
Illustrations:
There are no illustrations in the book.
Review from a selection aid:
(Kirkus) "Cliques writ large take over in the first of a projected dystopian trilogy. The remnant population of post-apocalyptic Chicago intended to cure civilization’s failures by structuring society into five “factions,” each dedicated to inculcating a specific virtue. When Tris, secretly a forbidden “Divergent,” has to choose
her official faction in her 16th year, she rejects her selfless Abnegation upbringing for the Dauntless, admiring their reckless bravery. But the vicious initiation process reveals that her new tribe has fallen from its original ideals, and that same rot seems to be spreading… Aside from the preposterous premise, this gritty, paranoid world is built with careful details and intriguing scope. The plot clips along at an addictive pace, with steady jolts of brutal violence and swoony romance. Despite the constant assurance that Tris is courageous, clever and kind, her own first-person narration displays a blank personality. No matter; all the “good” characters adore her and the “bad” are spiteful and jealous. Fans snared by the ratcheting suspense will be unable to resist speculating on their own factional allegiance; a few may go on to ponder the questions of loyalty and identity beneath the façade of thrilling adventure. Guaranteed to fly off the shelves."
Promotion idea:
The idea of the world being split into 5 factions is interesting and there is a lot of nuance in the book that could be discussed with students. Are these 5 traits really the main 5 traits that humans possess? If so, how do the factions in the book serve their members well, and how have they strayed away from the original embodiment of those traits? This leads well into talking about peer pressure and how easy it is to feel the need to express the characteristics of a group you are in, even if those characteristics are not completely you. Is it possible to be in a faction or peer group and still embody characteristics of other groups, and is it ok to let those other characteristics show? Does this show strength or does it mean you are a traitor?