Post #4-9

Angleberger, T. (2010). The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. New York, NY: Amulent Books.

Dwight has always been the school weirdo. He digs holes in his backyard and sits in them. He ate 13 servings of canned peaches once at lunch. He stole a girl's shoes just because. He says and does things that no one else gets. But one day Dwight shows up at school with an origami Yoda finger puppet. And like Yoda, it gives really great advice. Is it real or is it Dwight giving the advice and can the advice be trusted? That is what Tommy wants to know, especially since Origami Yoda has told him that he should dance with Sarah. So he interviews each student at McQuarrie Middle School to find out what their experiences with Origami Yoda were like. In the end, he trusts his advice and ends up with the girl.

This was my choice for a book from Tom Angleberger. This book series includes Darth Paper Strikes Back, Secret of the Fortune Wookie, The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppet, Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue!, and Emperor Pickletine Rides the Bus. The books are funny, easy to read, and engaging (especially for boys). This has been one of the most popular series in my classroom for several years. In fact I had to beg a student to hurry up and finish it so I could read it for this! I enjoyed the extra comments from Harvey and the illustrations from Kellen. It adds a touch of humor and sarcasm that a student would love. It also includes a lot about relationships with the opposite sex as well as with peers. I go back and forth about whether this would be considered realistic fiction or low fantasy. It depends on whether you think Dwight is giving the advice or if you think the advice is truly coming from the puppet!

Trailer- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM-JN6D3cAo


Teacher Links - https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=19377

Black, H. (2013). The coldest girl in Coldtown. New York: Little, Brown and Company.

Tana awakens the morning after a party to find most of the guests dead, her ex-boyfriend bitten, and a vampire in the bedroom. They must escape the house and the vampires holed up in the basement. In the process, Tana is nicked by a fang. Tana and Aiden, along with the vampire Gavriel must head to the nearest coldtown before the infection sets in. Vampires are usually found in what are called Coldtowns, cities that have been walled off to keep the vampires and those who have gone "cold" (bitten) in. Their only contact with the outside world is through social media and live video feeds of the parties. Because of this many see coldtowns as glamourous and enter them voluntarily to become part of the lifestyle. But upon entering the coldtown at Springfield, they learn that life is not all glitz and parties. The few humans that live there are in squalor or are a food source for the vampires. Tana has a chip that will allow her to leave if she doesn't turn cold, and that is the most valuable commodity in a coldtown. Gavriel isn't there to live out his life. He's an assassin there to kill Lucien, the head vampire. Ultimately Tana is bitten as she tries to save Gavriel and her sister and her token to leave Coldtown is given to her sister to use to escape.

Ahhh, another vampire story. This was way better than Twilight but still a bit too "vampires are glamourous and cool" for me. I've liked Holly Black's other books, Spiderwick Chronicles, The Magesterium Series with Cassandra Clare, and The Darkest Part of the Forest better. But I wanted to read something I hadn't read before for this post.

This is a low fantasy book with romantic undertones. Black has created her own world with the coldtowns with their own rules. As with YA books, the characters grow only a little, as Tana learns that life in a coldtown isn't what she expected. There are also consequences for her actions, as she is bitten in Coldtown and cannot leave using her token.

Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0nSwPPI3qo


Teacher link - https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?aid=4198

Stead, R. (2007). First Light. New York: Wendy Lamb Books.

Peter lives in New York City with his scientist parents who are preparing for an expedition to Greenland, where his father will study the effects of global warming on glaciers. Peter has been experiencing some weird things with his eyesight as the trip approaches, but has told no one.

Thea lives in Gracehope, a village under the ice of Greenland. As their future leader, she is seeking ways to find more land and resources for her people. She finds a map that shows a tunnel to the surface and prepares to make her way to the surface with the help of her best friend Mattias.

Peter and Thea meet when Mattias becomes trapped in the tunnel. Peter helps bring him back and learns of Gracehope's existence. Peter's mom has been searching for Gracehope also; she left the community years ago and has been desperately trying to return.

Rebecca Stead's other books include When You Reach Me and Liar and Spy. This is very low science fiction. Several of the people in Gracehope have powers, the matriarchal society has strict rules, and the effect of global warming can destroy Gracehope. At first I thought one story was in the past and the other in present. I was pleased when the two protagonists came together. Thea's struggles to have her voice heard is one that many will find relatable. She is trying to find her place in her society and at the same time, wants to explore the world above. All of these are in Havighurst theory.

Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW8hiXthxDs


Teacher Links - https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=10399

Green, J. (2006). An Abundance of Katherines. New York: Dutton.

Colin has a thing for girls named Katherine. In fact he has dated 19 of them, with the last one leaving him truly heartbroken. So he and his best friend empty the bank and head off on a road trip. They end up in Gutshot looking for the burial site of the ArchDuke Franz Ferdinand. Along with seeing the grave, they meet Lindsey. Her mother runs the local tampon string factory and allows the boys to stay with them for a while. The factory is what keeps the town alive and Hollis is doing everything she can to make sure that happens, even if it means making string when there are no buyers. The boys are given a job to interview the members of the community and find out what the factory and its founder mean to them. Throughout this, Colin is working on his Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability. This theorem will allow him to predict how long a relationship will last using the data collected over his years of Katherines. As his friendship with Lindsey develops into more, he wonders if he can date someone who isn't a Katherine and will it last.

This piece of realistic fiction covers many different things. It has love and relationships, finding your place in society, relationships with peers, parents, and the opposite sex, and developing morals and values (Havighurst). Colin's angst about his failed relationships is something that many teens can relate to. Hassan's struggles with going to college or not, and facing family expectations is also very relatable. Realistic fiction is supposed to avoid stereotypes, but this doesn't to me. The genius nerd looking for love has been done before. A lot of John Green's male protagonist have the same qualities.

Trailer- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdaUADtRGOo

Teacher Links - https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=56&a=1

Telgemeier, R. (2016) Ghosts. New York: Scholastic.

Catrina's little sister Maya has cystic fibrosis. To help with her breathing, her family has moved to a Northern California town called Bahia de la Luna. The town is reportedly full of ghosts, especially on the Day of the Dead. Cat refused to believe that there are ghosts, but the evidence is there. Maya is fascinated by the idea of ghosts and wants to learn more, especially as she faces her own mortality. A ghost experience with the neighbor Carlos sends Maya to the hospital. Cat continues to worry about Maya and the ghosts. On the Day of the Dead, Cat goes to the celebration and meets the ghost of Carlos's uncle. He shows her that there is life for ghosts and that she has nothing to fear. She brings the ghost to meet Maya. They also meet the ghost of the grandmother they never met and enjoy her amazing food.

This low fantasy graphic novel hit on some very difficult topics. Maya is going to die. Cat is struggling with losing her sister, starting at new school, making friends, and the idea of ghosts. She spends so much time afraid and worried, she isn't really living. Maya, for a very sick little girl, is full of life. She knows that she is going to die and finds comfort in the ghosts and what they share with her. Both girls have to be brave as they face the future. The girls also learn so much about their own culture that they didn't know before.

Raina Telgemeier's books are very popular in my classroom. One of my students snatched the book out of my hands when I took it out of the bag! It's not just the appeal of the format, but they love how real her characters are.

Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6f6wFWmAEU

Teacher Links- https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plans/teaching-content/ghosts-teaching-guide/

https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?aid=6890


Block, F.L. (1989). Weetzie Bat. New York: Harper Collins.

Weetzie Bat is living the club life in Los Angeles. She and her best friend Dirk are partying and doing whatever they want. But is it what they really want? Dirk's grandmother gives Weetzie a lamp with a genie inside who grants her 3 wishes. But as with all stories, be careful what you wish for! She wishes for a cozy house; Dirk's grandmother dies and leave them her house. She wishes for love for herself and Dirk. They find Duck and Secret Agent Man. But Secret Agent Man doesn't want children. So Weetzie sleeps with both Dirk and Duck to father her baby Cheyenne, causing Secret Agent Man to leave. Duck also leaves, but his reason is that he cannot face the fact that he has AIDS. As in all fairy tales, there is a happy ending where they all live together, coparenting and making movies.

This is a modern fairy tale complete with magic, witches, and happily ever after. But this may be one of the few fairy tales to be on the banned book list! The controversial topics of AIDS, premarital sex, group sex, and babies born out of wedlock earned it's spot on the list. But while the story is fantasy, the events are very real. At the time this was written, AIDS was a huge and scary threat. I can remember in high school and college how terrified everyone was of catching AIDS. This story faces it with love and acceptance.

This book has most of the characteristics of YA fiction. It has an independent main character who goes through a major change in life. The consequences of her actions hurt her at first, as she loses the love of her life for conceiving a child with her best friends. It also addresses her relationship with her father and how it changes through her life.

Trailer- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FIxpKaljfU

Teacher Links - http://www.bookrags.com/shortguide-weetzie-bat/#gsc.tab=0