Lee, Harper. (2006). To Kill a Mockingbird [sound recording]. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
Summary:
“Scout Finch, daughter of the town lawyer Atticus, has just started school; but her carefree days come to an end when a black man in town is accused of raping a white woman, and her father is the only man willing to defend him” (SAPL, 2011).
Review:
From Publishers Weekly“Starred Review.
Lee's beloved American classics makes its belated debut on audio (after briefly being available in the 1990s for the blind and libraries through Books on Tape) with the kind of classy packaging that may spoil listeners for all other audio books. The two CD slipcases housing the 11 discs not only feature art mirroring Mary Schuck's cover design but also offers helpful track listings for each disk. Many viewers of the 1962 movie adaptation believe that Lee was the film's narrator, but it was actually an unbilled Kim Stanley who read a mere six passages and left an indelible impression. Competing with Stanley's memory, Spacek forges her own path to a victorious reading. Spacek reads with a slight Southern lilt and quiet authority. Told entirely from the perspective of young Scout Finch, there's no need for Spacek to create individual voices for various characters but she still invests them all with emotion. Lee's Pulitzer Prize–winning 1960 novel, which quietly stands as one of the most powerful statements of the Civil Rights movement, has been superbly brought to audio” (Amazon, 2011).
Impression:
I chose this book after reading the biography of its author, Harper Lee. Of course, I had heard of it and knew it was made into a motion picture with Gregory Peck and Robert Duvall. I knew it was critically acclaimed and figured it was time to read what all the fuss was about. I did not realize that it was a banned book but could see why due to the use of the “N” word. I actually listened to the audio book and have to admit that I winced every time the “N” word was said. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and felt that the language used was appropriate for the time period it took place.
Library setting:
I would engage students in a discussion in why they think the book was banned and if they would agree with that label. I would also challenge them to read other “banned” books and give their own insight into why the books were banned.
Amazon. (2011). [Review of the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee] Amazon. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Kill-Mockingbird-Harper-Lee/dp/0060888695
San Antonio Public Library (2011). [Summary of the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee]. Retrieved from
http://sapl.sat.lib.tx.us/record=b1576933~S1
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Module 14 Tropical Secrets Holocaust Refugees in Cuba
Engle, M. (2009). Tropical Secrets Holocaust Refugees in Cuba. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
Summary:
Daniel is a young Jewish boy from Nazi Germany who finds himself a refugee in Cuba where the ship America bound ship is turned away. He is waiting to reunite with his parents who have been sent to a concentration campy by the Nazis. We learn of his experiences and the people he encounters while in Cuba.
Booklist (January 1, 2009 (Vol. 105, No. 9))
“Grades 7-11. As in The Poet Slave of Cuba (2006) and The Surrender Tree (2008), both selected as Booklist Editors’ Choice titles, Engle’s latest book tells another story set in Cuba of those left out of the history books. In fluid, clear, free verse, two young people speak in alternating personal narratives. Daniel, 13, is a German Jewish refugee whose ship is finally allowed entry in Cuba after being turned away from both the U.S. and Canada. He longs to be reunited with his parents, who sent him away after Kristallnacht. Paloma, 12, discovers that her father is getting rich selling visas to refugees and then selling refugees to the Cuban authorities. She and Daniel help hide a Jewish woman and her Christian husband, who is suspected of being a Nazi spy. When adult narrators fill in background, the voices become diffused. But the international secrets make for a gripping story about refugees that becomes sharply focused through the viewpoint of the boy wrenched from home, haunted by the images of shattered glass and broken family” (Titlewave, 2011).
Impression
According to the author, Cuba accepted 65,000 refugees from 1938 to 1939, the same number that was taken in by the much large United States during the same period (Engle, 2009). The author using narrative prose makes her readers realize that in spite of differences of religion, race, ethnicity; we are all people with feelings, hopes, and dreams. We can’t always control the situation that we are in but we can control our actions and make the most of what we have got. Daniel realizes that he may never see his parents again but that he has a new family in Cuba and tries to help other refugees because he know how they feel living alone in a foreign land.
Library setting
Give a brief history of WWII, Hitler and the Nazis and the Holocaust using prezi presentation. Then have students write a journal or diary entry on how they would feel if they were separated from their family and weren’t sure if they were ever going to see them again. Some other options might be writing a poem or a song rather than a journal/diary entry.
Engle, M. (2009). Tropical Secrets Holocaust Refugees in Cuba. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
Titlewave. (2011). [A Review of the book Tropical Secrets Holocaust Refugees in Cuba]. Retrieved from
http://www.titlewave.com/search?SID=ca7f358a76c565c4b488ea60b832f1aa
Summary:
Daniel is a young Jewish boy from Nazi Germany who finds himself a refugee in Cuba where the ship America bound ship is turned away. He is waiting to reunite with his parents who have been sent to a concentration campy by the Nazis. We learn of his experiences and the people he encounters while in Cuba.
Booklist (January 1, 2009 (Vol. 105, No. 9))
“Grades 7-11. As in The Poet Slave of Cuba (2006) and The Surrender Tree (2008), both selected as Booklist Editors’ Choice titles, Engle’s latest book tells another story set in Cuba of those left out of the history books. In fluid, clear, free verse, two young people speak in alternating personal narratives. Daniel, 13, is a German Jewish refugee whose ship is finally allowed entry in Cuba after being turned away from both the U.S. and Canada. He longs to be reunited with his parents, who sent him away after Kristallnacht. Paloma, 12, discovers that her father is getting rich selling visas to refugees and then selling refugees to the Cuban authorities. She and Daniel help hide a Jewish woman and her Christian husband, who is suspected of being a Nazi spy. When adult narrators fill in background, the voices become diffused. But the international secrets make for a gripping story about refugees that becomes sharply focused through the viewpoint of the boy wrenched from home, haunted by the images of shattered glass and broken family” (Titlewave, 2011).
Impression
According to the author, Cuba accepted 65,000 refugees from 1938 to 1939, the same number that was taken in by the much large United States during the same period (Engle, 2009). The author using narrative prose makes her readers realize that in spite of differences of religion, race, ethnicity; we are all people with feelings, hopes, and dreams. We can’t always control the situation that we are in but we can control our actions and make the most of what we have got. Daniel realizes that he may never see his parents again but that he has a new family in Cuba and tries to help other refugees because he know how they feel living alone in a foreign land.
Library setting
Give a brief history of WWII, Hitler and the Nazis and the Holocaust using prezi presentation. Then have students write a journal or diary entry on how they would feel if they were separated from their family and weren’t sure if they were ever going to see them again. Some other options might be writing a poem or a song rather than a journal/diary entry.
Engle, M. (2009). Tropical Secrets Holocaust Refugees in Cuba. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
Titlewave. (2011). [A Review of the book Tropical Secrets Holocaust Refugees in Cuba]. Retrieved from
http://www.titlewave.com/search?SID=ca7f358a76c565c4b488ea60b832f1aa
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Module 13 The Sons of Liberty Death and Taxes
Citation:
Lagos, A. & Lagos, J. (2011). The Sons of Liberty Death and Taxes. New York: Random House.
Summary:
“With its vile villains, electrifying action, and riveting suspense, The Sons of Liberty casts new light on the faces and events of pre-Revolution America, including Ben Franklin and the French and Indian War. American history has rarely been this compelling-and it's never looked this good” (Lagos, 2010).
In the Sons of Liberty, we meet two escaped slaves with superpowers and how they use those powers to help those in need and in the fight for independence.
Review:
Booklist (September 15, 2011 (Vol. 108, No. 2))“Grades 8-12. Graham and Brody, escaped slaves gifted with superpowers, remain at the center of this continuing pre–Revolutionary War saga of political intrigue and reimagined history. As Benjamin Franklin seeks to stop the stamp tax from falling on the colonies and enemies attack his good name, Graham attempts to arrange an escape back to Africa along with his love, the slave girl Isabel. With the English aristocracy colonizing new territories of foulness, this lacks any complex shades of gray. However, the embellishments, literate dialogue, and several historical truths—effectively counterpointed with glossy contemporary art—keep things fun and suspenseful” (Titlewave, 2011).
Impression:
I was quite impressed with the artwork and action in this book. The Lagos Brothers have presented their own take on an important historical event in American History. I have read other graphic novels based on historical events and have always enjoyed the drawings and dialogue. These types of books are entertaining yet informative. I can see the appeal of them on adolescents and young adults.
Library setting:
I would have students create a timeline of events leading up to the American Revolution, including such events as the Sugar and Stamp Act, Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, and Lexington and Concord.
Titlewave. (2011). [A Review of The Sons of Liberty Death and Taxes by Alexander and Joseph Lagos]. Retrieved from http://www.titlewave.com/search?SID=246338d1510787a9d8771e16eb473c1c
Lagos, A. & Lagos, J. (2010). The Sons of Liberty. Retrieved from
http://www.thesonsoflibertybook.com/Story
Lagos, A. & Lagos, J. (2011). The Sons of Liberty Death and Taxes. New York: Random House.
Summary:
“With its vile villains, electrifying action, and riveting suspense, The Sons of Liberty casts new light on the faces and events of pre-Revolution America, including Ben Franklin and the French and Indian War. American history has rarely been this compelling-and it's never looked this good” (Lagos, 2010).
In the Sons of Liberty, we meet two escaped slaves with superpowers and how they use those powers to help those in need and in the fight for independence.
Review:
Booklist (September 15, 2011 (Vol. 108, No. 2))“Grades 8-12. Graham and Brody, escaped slaves gifted with superpowers, remain at the center of this continuing pre–Revolutionary War saga of political intrigue and reimagined history. As Benjamin Franklin seeks to stop the stamp tax from falling on the colonies and enemies attack his good name, Graham attempts to arrange an escape back to Africa along with his love, the slave girl Isabel. With the English aristocracy colonizing new territories of foulness, this lacks any complex shades of gray. However, the embellishments, literate dialogue, and several historical truths—effectively counterpointed with glossy contemporary art—keep things fun and suspenseful” (Titlewave, 2011).
Impression:
I was quite impressed with the artwork and action in this book. The Lagos Brothers have presented their own take on an important historical event in American History. I have read other graphic novels based on historical events and have always enjoyed the drawings and dialogue. These types of books are entertaining yet informative. I can see the appeal of them on adolescents and young adults.
Library setting:
I would have students create a timeline of events leading up to the American Revolution, including such events as the Sugar and Stamp Act, Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, and Lexington and Concord.
Titlewave. (2011). [A Review of The Sons of Liberty Death and Taxes by Alexander and Joseph Lagos]. Retrieved from http://www.titlewave.com/search?SID=246338d1510787a9d8771e16eb473c1c
Lagos, A. & Lagos, J. (2010). The Sons of Liberty. Retrieved from
http://www.thesonsoflibertybook.com/Story
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Module 12 Confucius The Golden Rule
Freedman, R. (2002). Confucius The Golden Rule. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books.
Summary:
The author recounts the life of the well known philosopher Confucius known for his teachings and the impact that they have on society today.
Review:
Horn Book starred (Spring, 2003“With an economy of words, Freedman's text skillfully imparts the few known facts about the philosopher's life. The main emphasis is on his teachings, quoted from The Analects of Confucius and related in wise, often witty, vignettes. Illustrated with Asian-themed art, the volume concludes with an account of Freedman's experiences doing research in China and a note on sources. Bib” (Title wave, 2011).
Impression:
My favorite part of the book was how Confucius stressed the importance of education. As an educator myself, try and stress this to my students and daughter. “Confucius insisted that education be open to all, rich or poor, nobleman or commoner, so that every young man of ability, no matter how humble, might have a chance to serve as a leader” (Freedman, 2002, p. 15). He insisted that when people are educated, distinction between classes disappears. Education is the great equalizer. It doesn’t matter what race or gender we are, we all have the ability to learn and better ourselves.
Library setting:
Allow students to partner up and provide them with a list of sayings from Confucius and have them interpret them and put them in their own words. Have students present their interpretations and sayings to the group.
Note: At the back of the book are a list of sayings from The Analects of Confucius.
Title wave. (2011). [Review of Confucius The Golden Rule by Russell Freedman]. Retrieved fromhttp://www.titlewave.com/search?SID=c4c0b98b061fb45c98c96e987e8f39f6
Freedman, R. (2002). Confucius The Golden Rule. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books.
Summary:
The author recounts the life of the well known philosopher Confucius known for his teachings and the impact that they have on society today.
Review:
Horn Book starred (Spring, 2003“With an economy of words, Freedman's text skillfully imparts the few known facts about the philosopher's life. The main emphasis is on his teachings, quoted from The Analects of Confucius and related in wise, often witty, vignettes. Illustrated with Asian-themed art, the volume concludes with an account of Freedman's experiences doing research in China and a note on sources. Bib” (Title wave, 2011).
Impression:
My favorite part of the book was how Confucius stressed the importance of education. As an educator myself, try and stress this to my students and daughter. “Confucius insisted that education be open to all, rich or poor, nobleman or commoner, so that every young man of ability, no matter how humble, might have a chance to serve as a leader” (Freedman, 2002, p. 15). He insisted that when people are educated, distinction between classes disappears. Education is the great equalizer. It doesn’t matter what race or gender we are, we all have the ability to learn and better ourselves.
Library setting:
Allow students to partner up and provide them with a list of sayings from Confucius and have them interpret them and put them in their own words. Have students present their interpretations and sayings to the group.
Note: At the back of the book are a list of sayings from The Analects of Confucius.
Title wave. (2011). [Review of Confucius The Golden Rule by Russell Freedman]. Retrieved fromhttp://www.titlewave.com/search?SID=c4c0b98b061fb45c98c96e987e8f39f6
Freedman, R. (2002). Confucius The Golden Rule. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books.
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