Going Bovine

Going Bovine

By: Libba Bray

Random House Inc. ©2009

9780385733977

A punk rock angel, giant fire demons, the Copenhagen Interpretation, Disney World, a talking gnome and the road trip of a lifetime, what could these things possibly have in common? Cameron Smith is an average, underachieving high school student. He is completely disconnected from his family and has few friends at school. Cameron takes his life for granted until he is diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, the human equivalent of mad-cow disease. When a punk rock angel named Dulcie shows up in his hospital room and tells him that he needs to find Dr. X in order to save the world and himself, Cameron isn’t sure if he’s lost his mind or if he really is the world’s last hope. Libba Bray takes the reader through a labyrinth of coincidences, teaching Cameron to appreciate the small pleasures in life and not take it for granted. Bray developed a wide variety of quirky characters from a four-foot, hypochondriac dwarf to a Norse god trapped in the body of a garden gnome and each one plays a role in changing Cameron’s view of the world. She keeps the reader rooted in the real world with brief glimpses of the hospital Cameron thinks he has escaped. “My dreams kaleidoscope in and out of each other. I’m lying in my hospital bed, listening to the whirr of a respirator, Glory marking something on my chart” (Bray 306). These random snippets of life at the hospital make the reader question the reality of the story. Bray’s unique writing style can be confusing in the beginning but she ties everything together in the end, making a complex and engaging story that leaves the reader wondering what was reality and what was dream.

This novel could be the introduction to a writing assignment such as “if I had two weeks to live, I would…”. It also creates a rich opportunity for the class to discuss/debate what was reality and what was dream/hallucination. This novel would also make an awesome brown bag book report.

This novel is the winner of the 2010 Michael Printz Award.

Horn Book Magazine—“Readers will have a great time trying to sort everything out and answer the question at the heart of it all: even if Cameron’s experiences are all a dream, are they any less real?” (C.M.).

Booklist—“Give this to teens looking for some philosophical nuttiness—is Cameron’s trip real or not?” (Cruze).

Works Cited

C. M., H. "Going Bovine." Horn Book Magazine 85.5 (2009): 553-554. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.

Cruze, Karen. "Going Bovine." Booklist 106.9/10 (2010): 110. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.

Rapunzel’s Revenge

Rapunzel’s Revenge

By: Shannon and Dean Hale

Illustrated by: Nathan Hale

Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children’s Books ©2008

ISBN #: 9781599900704

This graphic novel is an interesting combination of the Rapunzel tale with a little bit of Jack and the Beanstalk thrown in. Rapunzel’s world comes crashing down on her twelfth birthday when she discovers that Mother Gothel is not really her mother. Rapunzel goes on an adventure to save her mother and the people of the surrounding lands from Mother Gothel’s iron grip. She is trapped in a tower (or really tall tree) and her hair does grow impossibly long; however, Rapunzel doesn’t wait around for some prince. She uses her hair as a lasso and sets herself free. She teams up with the disreputable Jack and his goose; fights bandits, wolves and a giant snake; and discovers Mother Gothel’s secret to her power. This story has action, adventure, romance, and humor. In this high-fantasy tale, Shannon and Dean Hale create an engaging story in a concise, fast-paced format that is wonderfully enhanced by Nathan Hale’s artwork. The Hales have a quirky voice in this fractured fairy tale that is only truly understood when combined with the illustrations. “There were three books in the tower. By the second year, I had them pretty well memorized. And then I started to find other ways to pass the time” (Hale 30). This quote is matched with various pictures. One shows Rapunzel reading a book entitled “Girls Who Get Saved and the Princes Who Save Them.” The next few frames show Rapunzel performing acrobatics.

In a unit on fairy tales, this graphic novel could be used in a compare and contrast assignment. In an English or art class, this graphic novel could inspire students to illustrate or make a comic strip of their favorite fairy tale.

Horn Book Magazine—“Readers familiar with graphic novels will feel at home with the conventions of image cropping, text placement, and facial emotional cues. Newbies may not realize how particularly well-matched the Hales’ gutsy tale is to its format, but this introduction—with its high action quotient, immediate sensory thrills, and wisecracking heroes—should win many converts” (Burkam).

Booklist—“Rich with humor and excitement, this is an alternate version of a classic that will become a fast favorite of young readers”(Coleman).

Works Cited:

Burkam, Anita L. "Rapunzel's Revenge." Horn Book Magazine 84.6 (2008): 705-706. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.

Coleman, Tina. "Rapunzel's Revenge." Booklist 105.1 (2008): 100. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.

The Graveyard Book

The Graveyard Book

By: Neil Gaiman

Illustrations by: Dave McKean

HarperCollins Children’s Books ©2008

ISBN#: 9780060530921

“There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife” (Gaiman). When the man Jack was sent to kill a family, the toddler was the least of his worries. However, that child chose that night to climb out of his crib and wander… all the way to the town cemetery. He is then saved and adopted by the ghosts of the graveyard and named Nobody (Bod) Owens. The world of the living is not a safe place for Bod to be; his forays out of the graveyard end in disaster. The man Jack is still looking for him, hoping to prevent a prophecy from coming true. The Graveyard Book is an accounting of Nobody’s lessons and adventures, where he learns things about the living world and about the dead. Bod learns the traditional lessons of reading, writing and arithmetic but he also learns how to fade, create fear and other tricks given to him by the graveyard. Neil Gaiman roots his story in the world we all know and then introduces ghosts, ghouls, spirits and even a Hound of God. He weaves a complex tale of mystery and intrigue from the first line of the story. All of Bod’s interactions with various characters play an integral role in the climax of the story. Readers won’t be able to stop until they discover who the man Jack is and why Bod is so important.

This novel could inspire a discussion and/or essay answering the question: “If you could ask a ghost three questions, what would they be?” It could be used as an exercise in prediction. A teacher could have the students predict why Bod’s family was killed or how they think Bod will get out of this predicament. Before finishing the book, the class could debate whether or not Bod should go out into the world.

The Graveyard Book was given the 2009 Newbery Award.

Horn Book Magazine—“Gaiman delivers an enthralling concoction of suspense, adventure, and humor in a Gothic fairy tale that’s even more memorable as an audiobook” (Crawford).

Booklist—“There is plenty of darkness, but the novel’s ultimate message is strong and life affirming. Although marketed to the younger YA set, this is a rich story with broad appeal and is highly recommended for teens of all ages” (Koelling).

Works Cited

Crawford, Philip Charles. "The Graveyard Book." Horn Book Magazine 85.2 (2009): 218. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 1 Dec. 2010.

Koelling, Holly. "The Graveyard Book." Booklist 105.2 (2008): 54. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 1 Dec. 2010.

The Green Glass Sea

The Green Glass Sea

By: Ellen Klages

Puffin Books ©2006

ISBN#: 9780142411490

It’s 1943, and Dewy Kerrigan is on her way to a town that—officially—doesn’t exist. The United States is in the middle of World War II and Dewy’s father is one of the scientists working on “the gadget.” Susan also lives on “The Hill” and wishes she was back in her old life at Berkley. Little do these girls know, but their lives are soon to be tangled together when Dewy’s father has to go to Washington for meetings about “the gadget.” Dewy and Susan don’t see how they could have anything in common. However, over time they realize that Susan’s passion for art is very similar to Dewy’s passion for inventing and that misfits need to stick together. The Green Glass Sea shows how World War II had an impact on even the youngest life.

Klages immerses the reader in war time with finer details such as food rations and gasoline coupons. She also incorporates real scientists as characters in her story to give it more authenticity. Klages brings the truth of the raw destruction of the atomic bomb to life. “They walked in from the edge until all they could see was green: splattered at their feet, merging into solid color at the edges of their vision” (Klages 314). The atomic bomb turned the desert sand into glass. She also makes it apparent that there were some scientists who questioned whether or not the bomb should be used through the arguments between Susan’s parents.

This novel could be used in a discussion about the pros and cons of developing the atomic bomb. In a science class, this novel could be used to inspire students to make inventions of their own. It could also inspire artistic students to experiment with different materials. This novel could also help students develop an understanding for the quote “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” because of the girls’ fondness for searching through the dump.

Winner of the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction in 2007.

Horn Book Magazine—“Cameo appearances are made by such famous names as Richard Feynman (he helps Dewey build a radio) and Robert Oppenheimer, but the story, an intense but accessible page-turner, firmly belongs to the girls and their families; history and story are drawn together with confidence”(S.R.).

Booklist—“The novel occasionally gets mired down in detail, but the characters are exceptionally well drawn, and the compelling, unusual setting makes a great tie-in for history classes” (Green).

Works Cited

R., S. "The Green Glass Sea." Horn Book Magazine 82.6 (2006): 716-717. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 9 Nov. 2010.

Green, John. "The Green Glass Sea." Booklist 103.6 (2006): 61-62. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 9 Nov. 2010.

Boston Jane

Boston Jane

By: Jennifer L. Holm

HarperCollins Children’s Books ©2001

ISBN#: 006028739

Boston Jane is set in 1849. Jane Peck is on her way from Boston to Shoalwater Bay to marry the man of her dreams, William. Jane has spent the last five years learning to be a proper young lady, even though her father taught her to think and speak her mind. However, things just keep going wrong for Jane. She loses her best friend on the journey and arrives only to find that William is gone. Jane faces any number of adventures, finds friends in unlikely places and discovers that “she ain’t no lady.”

Boston Jane will make readers laugh, but it will also make them think. It has a lighthearted tone, but presents some very heavy topics that could be discussed. In this novel, Jennifer L. Holm challenges society’s view that women should be meek, passable possessions of their husbands. Holm shows that life on the frontier made women into resourceful, independent, free-thinkers. Jane becomes a business partner and the areas doctor. Holm also addresses the misconceptions about native Indians in that area. Jane gets to Shoalwater Bay and believes all Indians are savages, but she quickly learns differently. Holm accurately depicts the hardships of travel and life on the frontier. It takes Jane’s ship 180 days to travel from Boston to Shoalwater Bay and she loses her closest friend in the process. Moreover, she learns that everyone has to help out and do their part.

This novel could be the basis for a classroom debate. In the novel, the frontiersmen do not agree on whether or not to move the Indians to a reservation. A teacher could split the class into two groups and debate both points of view. This novel could also be the starting off point for a discussion about the hardships of travel and life on the frontier or the roles of women in that time period.

Horn Book Magazine—“The comical overabundance of incident, combined with Jane’s indignant responses to the affronts perpetuated by the frontier and its inhabitants, create a slapstick romp that will entertain anyone in search of a fast-paced, feather-light read” (Burkam).

Works Cited:

Burkam, Anita L. "Boston Jane." Horn Book Magazine 78.5 (2002): 574. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 9 Nov. 2010.