Module 9: Somebody

Springer, N. (2009). Somebody. New York, NY: Holiday House.

Summary

This is the story of a fifteen year-old girl who moves frequently with her brother and father. She has been told that her mother abandoned them when she was a little kid. She begins to wonder why she has to change her name and hair color with every move. Her father is emotionally abusive to her and changes his story almost as frequently as they move. One day, she remembers a name, Sherica, and realizes that is her real name. She goes to the library and googles her name and discovers that she was kidnapped by her father when she was little. A computer geek who works at the library named Mason ends up helping her with her search for truth and in finding her mother. Ultimately, this is the story of a young girl searching for answers in a life that has been built on lies.

Worth Another Cup of Tea?

Yes, I liked this book and was compelled to see how it turned out. The first person narration of the story helped me really get inside Sherica's head and understand what she was thinking and going through. Her father's cruel abuse and attempts to keep her fat and unhealthy were hard to read yet necessary to understand the character.

Reviews

Gr 6-9-Suspicious of her family's secretive lifestyle, 15-year-old Sherica finally decides to investigate her past. Just why do she, her older brother, and their father move so frequently, always assuming new names and changing their hair color? Why do Daddy's stories about her mother keep changing? Why don't they have family photos, cell phones, or Internet access? She summons up the courage to apply for her first library card so she can use the computer to search online. When she discovers a picture of herself at age five accompanied by the message, "Help this girl's desperate mother find her," she runs from the building in shock. With the help of a geeky teenage library employee, who learns her secret when he assists the next computer user, Sherica gradually decides to contact her mother while attempting to avoid getting her father into trouble with the law. The plot of this book is ridiculously unbelievable and the characters are flat and undeveloped. Because the topic of child abduction is of great interest and the author is known for other, far superior works, many youngsters will be drawn to this novel only to be disappointed. Those looking for a worthwhile read on this subject should stick with Caroline Cooney's perennially popular The Face on the Milk Carton (Delacorte, 1990).--School Library Journal, August, 2009,

Debbie, Suzy, Louanne, Rose, Patty, Marsha, June, Nancy, Ginny, and Dot are the names by which Sherica has been known as her father moved her and her brother from state to state, town to town. Each move always involves a new hair color, a new school, a new house, and a new job for her father. The only constant in her life is her perpetual eating, a ploy to fill the void inside her. She is told that her mother is a slut who left them for a pony-tailed motorcycle rider, but somehow that does not ring true to her. Sherica is befriended by Adelle, the friendly cashier at the Handy Hardware Store and Locksmith, and Mason, a dweeby, skinny library employee with family problems of his own. With their support, she searches the Internet for her mother and finds words like "abducted," "kidnapped," and The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. She desperately wants to locate her mother but does not want to get her father in trouble. This story just does not work. What fifteen-year-old girl would not wonder whether her constant locations changes were a little strange? Would she not think that rental homes, new jobs, and new names were a tad bizarre or doubt that Mason and his family's escape in the middle of the night was standard? Sherica evokes no sympathy or compassion and has no concern for whether or not she becomes somebody. One would expect more from such a talented and proven author. Give readers of this type of book Caroline B. Cooney's The Face on the Milk Carton (Delacorte, 1990) or Twice Taken by Susan Beth Pfeffer (Delacorte, 1994/VOYA June 1994) as alternatives.--Voice of Youth Advocates, April, 2009.

In The Library

I would recommend this to late middle school or high school girls for reading. It could also be used in a book group.

Module 8: James and The Giant Peach

Dahl, R. (1961). James and the giant peach. New York, NY: Penguin.

Summary

This is the story of a little boy named James who loses his parents in an accident and has to live with two mean, cruel aunts. One day he receives magic crystals from a strange man and accidentally drops them near the peach tree in his yard. One peach begins to grow until it is, well, giant! James goes inside the peach and begins a new fantasy life with insects.

Worth Another Cup of Tea?

Absolutely, this is a well-loved children's classic. I couldn't really remember the story (except for the giant peach part!) so I re-read it for this module and thoroughly enjoyed it. It has all the elements of a great children's story: mean, evil aunts, friendly insects, and fantasy galore.

Reviews

Lane Smith trades stinky cheese for fantastic fruit with his black-and-white illustrations for Roald Dahl's classic 1961 novel, James and the Giant Peach. The reissue is timed to coincide with the release of the Disney animated motion picture based on Smith's suitably subversive visual interpretation.--Publisher's Weekly, April, 1996.

This newly illustrated edition of an avowed children's favorite has all the makings of a classic match-up: Milne had Shepard, Carroll had Tenniel, and now Dahl has Smith. Yes, there is a movie tied in to all of this, but more importantly, author and illustrator were made for each other, and it's of little consequence that it took almost 35 years for them to meet.--Kirkus Reviews

In The Library

I recommend this book to middle elementary grades. This is also an excellent books to recommend to parents for read-alouds at home. It is a classic that every child should experience.

Module 8: My Summer on Earth

Lombardi, T. (2008). My summer on earth. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

Summary

This is the story of Clint, an alien sent to Earth to bring back another alien who went to Earth and didn't return and has become an actor in Hollywood. When Clint arrives in Los Angeles to look for the alien he is supposed to bring home, he comes in the form of a teenage boy. Instead of getting the job done and taking the alien home, he settles into the life of the teenager. He enjoys the beach and meets lots of interesting characters including a runaway named Zoe whom he falls hard for. Clint has no experience with human sex and much of the book is very graphic as he explores this new area.

Worth Another Cup of Tea?

Not for me, thank you. I found this book too graphic and honestly, I had to make myself finish it. Science Fiction is not a favorite genre of mine, and this is not a book I would want to pick up again.

Reviews

Clint, an alien disguised as a human, is on a mission to Los Angeles. His orders are to retrieve another being who defected from his planet to became an Oscar-nominated actor on Earth. The aliens fear the alien-turned-actor plans to make a film about their planet that will threaten their existence. In order to assimilate into Earthling culture, Clint wears an Earth suit modeled after a younger version of a prominent actor on Earth, Clint Eastwood. Clint has always wanted an adventure, but he is unprepared for life on Earth as a teenage male. Clint is quickly distracted by earthling females and becomes obsessed with experiencing Earthling sex. He is drawn to Zoe, a local runaway, forcing Clint to decide between following through with the mission or defecting to stay with Zoe. Alien disguised as teenage boy seems like a great premise, but this book falls flat quickly. The intended humor of clueless and foul-mouthed Clint fumbling through teenaged life on Earth is lost through the excessive profanity and extreme overuse of the word douche-for example douchey mission. The book's irony is the mature content in the face of excessively immature writing and characterization. The sexual content can be over-the-top, especially when readers discover Clint has a larger than average penis size. The poor writing, crude toilet humor, and mature scenes give this book a very limited audience.--Voice of Youth Advocates, August, 2008.

A potty-mouthed young alien disguised as a teenager wades ashore on Southern California's Venice Beach and discovers that he has a lot to learn, both about impersonating a human and about getting laid. Who better to teach him than a junkie beach bum, a 15-year-old runaway named Zoë, and a member of his own species masquerading as a fading Hollywood superstar? Well, yes, almost anyone else but there you are. Lombardi's debut covers so many bases (romantic comedy, SoCal satire, and a poignant coming-of-age tale) that many readers will suffer mental whiplash, but the inspired premise, the frequent raunchy bits, and hilarious misunderstandings will elicit gales of guffaws from some young echo boomers. Not a first purchase, but fun for some.--Booklist, March, 2008.

In The Library

Honestly, I'm not sure. This is very graphic book with explicit sexual content that would need to be monitored closely.

Module 7: The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things

Mackler, C. (2003). The earth, my butt, and other big round things. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

Summary

Virginia is a young high school girl growing up in New York City whose best friend has just moved away. She is overweight which her adolescent psychologist mother constantly reminds her about. While she has a strained relationship with her mom, she has a pretty close relationship with her dad, although they mostly bond by watching TV and eating Chinese food. Her older brother is away at college. When he date rapes a girl on campus, Virginia's family shuts down and becomes even more dysfunctional. All the while, Virginia is developing a relationship with Froggy Welsh the Fourth who doesn't talk to her much at school but likes to kiss her and touch her in the seclusion of her bedroom. After her brother's crime, Virginia begins to rebel, the culmination being when she buys a ticket to visit her friend in Seattle, dyes her hair and gets a piercing. It is only at the end of the book that she and her mother start to communicate in a more healthy way.

Worth Another Cup of Tea?

Definitely! This was an excellent book that I couldn't put down. I highly recommend it to high school girls. Mackler does an excellent job at really getting into the mind of Virginia and helping the reader see everything from her perspective.

Reviews

Gr 7-10-Overweight 15-year-old Virginia Shreves is the misfit in what she perceives as her perfect, thin, good-looking, exceptional family in this novel by Carolyn Mackler (Candlewick, 2003). Her usually absent father and adolescent psychologist mother are so stifling that Virginia's older sister joins the Peace Corp to escape. Big brother Byron is universally adored by all, particularly Virginia, until halfway through the novel when he is suspended from college for date rape. Virginia slowly comes to realize that Byron is the cause of many of her insecurities, and she is the only one in the family to acknowledge and do something about the fact that he did commit this terrible crime. The absence of Virginia's best friend, romantic entanglement with Froggy Welsh, and the many casual cruelties perpetrated on her by the in-crowd cause Virginia stress and create a serious lack of self- esteem. However, once she realizes her perfect family isn't quite as flawless as she thought, Virginia is empowered to stand up to her awful but well-intentioned mother, reestablish contact with Froggy, and even do the ultimate in teen defiance-get a body piercing. Johanna Parker is a superb narrator for this first person novel. She successfully portrays the angry mother, clueless father, whiny and irresponsible brother, vapid in-girls and, best of all, the appealing main character. Pacing is excellent and Parker perfectly conveys the nuances of teen insecurity in all its painful glory. While the author tries to deal with too many issues and ends up giving many of them short shrift, teens will certainly care and root for the marvelous Virginia Shreves.-B. Allison Gray, John Jermain Memorial Library, Sag Harbor, NY--School Library Journal, December, 2004

A "chubby" New York City teen faces pressures from her family to get thin, and her brother is suspended from college on charges of date rape. "The heroine's transformation into someone who finds her own style and speaks her own mind is believable-and worthy of applause," according to PW. Ages 14-up.--Publisher's Weekly, August, 2005

In The Library

While it has been considered controversial, I believe this is an excellent book for high school students, especially girls. There is so much to this book that would lead to thought-provoking discussions; it's a perfect choice for a girls' book discussion group.

Module 7: Stargirl

Spinelli, J. (2004). Stargirl. New York, NY: Random House.

Summary

This is the story of a girl named Stargirl who is new to Mica High School. At first, the other students are amazed by her quirkiness and unique personality (for example, playing a ukulele at school). She is extremely kind-hearted and charitable. Soon she becomes extremely popular and begins dating a guy named Leo, the narrator of the book. Eventually, the school decides she isn't so great, and her world (and Leo's) starts to unravel. Leo wants her to conform to the norm and give up individuality.

Worth Another Cup of Tea?

Yes, this is a very interesting book that explores popularity in high school, conforming to fit in, and what happens when you don't conform. For me, it was a quick read and a real page turner. I was anxious to see how it all played out.

Reviews

Gr 6-10-High school is a time of great conformity, when being just like everybody else is of paramount importance. So it is no surprise that Stargirl Caraway causes such excitement and confusion when she arrives at Mica High in Arizona. Initially, everyone is charmed by her unconventional behavior- she wears unusual clothing, she serenades the lunchroom with her ukulele, she practices random acts of kindness, she is cheerleader extraordinaire in a place with no school spirit. Naturally, this cannot last and eventually her individuality is reviled. The story is told by Leo, who falls in love with Stargirl's zany originality, but who then finds himself unable to let go of the need to be conventional. Spinelli's use of a narrator allows readers the distance necessary to appreciate Stargirl's eccentricity and Leo's need to belong to the group, without removing them from the immediacy of the story. That makes the ending all the more disappointing-to discover that Leo is looking back imposes an unnecessary adult perspective on what happened in high school. The prose lapses into occasionally unfortunate flowery flights, but this will not bother those readers-girls especially-who will understand how it feels to not quite fit the mold and who attempt to exult in their differences.-Sharon Grover, Arlington County Department of Libraries, VA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.--School Library Journal, August, 2000.

Part fairy godmother, part outcast, part dream-come-true, the star of Spinelli's latest novel possesses many of the mythical qualities as the protagonist of his Maniac Magee. As narrator Leo Borlock reflects on his junior year in a New Mexico high school, Stargirl takes center stage. Even before she appears at Mica High, Spinelli hints at her invisible presence; readers, like Leo, will wonder if Stargirl is real or some kind of mirage in the Sonoran Desert. By describing the girl through the eyes of a teen intermittently repulsed by and in love with her, Spinelli cunningly exposes her elusive qualities. Having been homeschooled, Stargirl appears at Mica High dressed as a hippie holdover and toting a ukulele, which she uses to serenade students on their birthdays; she marks holidays with Halloween candy and Valentine cards for all. As her cheerleading antics draw record crowds to the school's losing football team's games, her popularity skyrockets, yet a subtle foreboding infuses the narrative and readers know it's only a matter of time until she falls from grace. For Leo, caught between his peers and his connection to Stargirl, the essential question boils down to one offered to him by a sage adult friend: "Whose affection do you value more, hers or the others'?" As always respectful of his audience, Spinelli poses searching questions about loyalty to one's friends and oneself and leaves readers to form their own answers. Ages 12-up.--Publisher's Weekly, June, 2000.

In The Library

I would recommend this for middle school or early high school students. Because of the themes of popularity, conformity, cliques, etc. it is a great book for a group discussion. It would provoke lots of thought provoking questions and comments.

Module 6: Clementine

Pennypacker, S. (2006). Clementine. New York, NY: Hyperion.

Summary

Clementine is a little girl with reddish orange hair who keeps finding herself in trouble without trying to do anything wrong. She means well, and her mischievous ways really are the result of her trying to do what she thinks is the right thing. This book is about one particularly bad week when she cuts her friend Margaret's hair, draws on her head with permanent marker (to replace the cut hair), continuously gets sent to the principal's office, etc. She lives in the basement of a New York City apartment building with her artist mom and building handy-man dad and little brother.

Worth Another Cup of Tea?

Yes, the Clementine series of books are fun, quick reads that make me smile. I like her spunky attitude and somewhat clueless nature. She always thinks she's doing the right thing but always manages to get in trouble. In today's world, Clementine would be labeled ADD and prescribed medicine. I like how she gets to float through life leaving mischief in her wake in these stories.

Reviews

Gr 2-4-In Sara Pennypacker's beginning chapter book (Hyperion, 2006), Clementine is always being told that she doesn't pay attention to her teachers, but she does focus on details that are important to her. These observations get Clementine into trouble, but often help her save the day, such as dealing with a pigeon problem in the front of her apartment building. Pennypacker shows empathy for the third-grade experience as Clementine describes the ups and downs of a week in her life via a series of very humorous scenarios. Jessica Almasy's childish tone is completely believable in her first-person narration. Have the book available so listeners can read along and see Marla Frazee's wonderful pen-and-ink illustrations that perfectly capture Clementine's spirit. An entertaining listen for classes or individual students.-Cynthia Grabke, Halifax Elementary School, MA Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.--School Library Journal, November, 2007

As Clementine says, Spectacularful ideas are always sproinging up in my brain. All the better for readers who like to laugh. Reminiscent of both Ramona and Junie B. Jones, Clementine is an ingenuous third-grader with a talent for trouble and a good heart. Her best friend is her neighbor Margaret, a fourth-grader who experiences both qualities firsthand. After all, plenty of kids may have had their hair chopped off by a helpful friend in an effort to get the glue out, but how many of those friends would think to improve matters by drawing hair back on the scalp, forehead, and neck with a Flaming Sunset permanent marker? It looked beautiful, like a giant tattoo of tangled worms, Clementine observes in the fresh, funny, first-person narrative. Frazee's expressive ink drawings capture every nuance of the characters' emotions, from bemusement to anger to dejection. Sometimes touching and frequently amusing, this engaging chapter book is well suited to reading alone or reading aloud to a roomful of children.--Carolyn Phelan, Booklist, October, 2006

In The Library

This is a fun book to recommend to mid-late elementary age students. I think that even boys would like it because Clementine is always getting into trouble and feels that it is unfair.