Speak- Book Review

Kathey Smith

Bibliography-
Anderson, Laurie Hasle, Speak, Mandy Siegfried, Listen Library: New York 2006, ISBN-0374371520

Plot Summary- Attending a party high schooler Melinda is raped by a popular senior and calls the police.  She becomes an outcast at school for runing the party.  Melinda is so tramatized she can not speak about what happened and the ordeal haunts her over and over.  A few postive people in Melinders life work to crack the shell.  When Melinda can no longer take the trauma she yells out


Analysis- Anderson captured the listners attention in the audio with her interesting and personal plot.  She really captured the feelings of Melinda and the listener can imagine the look on Melinda's face as she expresses her negative views " It was ugly but I'm not going to think about it" as a peer stated she hated melinda.  Anderson also introduce Melinda as she comes to herself and realizes that she is not the cause of what happend to her when she surrender and say" not going to let it kill me".  Anderson captured the high school scene perfectly.   This audio book is very believable.

Excerpt(s)
" This is a gripping account of personal wounding and recovery"  The Bulletin of the Center for Children's books.
" The plot is gripping and the characters are powerfully drawn" Kirkus
" the novels real power lies in the story of Melinda's gradual reclaiming of herself through the help of acompassionate art teacher, her concerned parents, and some caring students, and her ultimate redemption" Children's Literature.

Connections-
Activities- encourage students to write about issue that may have happened to them or someone else and how they reacted allow to share if they choose.
This book is a good resource to talk about rape, or drinking.

Related books- 
A Separate Peace by John Knowles ISBN- 0743253973
Night by Elie Wiesel ISBN- 0374500010

Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown

Kathey Smith

Bibliography- Krosoczka , Jarrett. Lunch Lady and the Camp Shakedown, Alfred A. Knopf, New York: 2010. ISBN 9780357860959

Plot Summary-  Three elementary students attend a summer camp in an area that has a reputation of a swamp monster that appears at night.  The lunch lady and her assistant  from the elementary school are working at the camp.  The lunch lady prepares food items to use to attack the monster, the kids help by using squirt guns to squirt food at the monster.  

Analysis-  This graphic novel by Krosoczka  with two-color art is fun, silly, and really lends a hand for the reader to use their imagination even beyond the book.  This book is great for grades 3-5 with a superhero theme that comes from a all too familiar territory the cafeteria. 

Excerpt (s)

"Younger kids with an appreciation for silliness will love it"- Children's Literature

" A delightfully fun escapist read." Kirkus

" A tough, capable herine plenty of silliness and slapstick" Publishers

Connections- 

Other related books-

 Judy Moody and the not Bummer Summer by Megan McDonald ISBN- 9780763653514

 Junie B. First Grader Toothless Wonder by Barbara Park ISBN- 9780355822230

Have students create their own fiction, fantasy, and young adult literature.





Joey Pigza Loses Control

Kathey Smith - Book Review










Bibliography- Gantos, Jack, Joey Pigza Loses Control, Listen Library, 2009, ISBN 31668042690542

Plot Summary- Joey is  young boy with behavior problems who lives with his mother.  She decides he needs to visit his father for about six weeks so the Joey and his mom take a drive to another city where Joey's father lives.  Although Joey has not seen his father  he is determined to gain the likes of his father.  Joey's father posesses little postive parenting skills and thinks it's best to teach Joey how to take control of his life by not encouraging his to use his medicine as needed for his behavior. Joey knows whats best for him however he wants to please his father.  Joey has a hard time by trying to live up to his fathers instruction and his keep his mothers instructions as well.  Evidence of Joey's wanting his fathers approval is presents in the story when he compares his encounter of snipping the end of a girls nose to his father butting someones nose at a bar.  Joey worked hard to connect with his distant father who suffered from the same behavior disorded as Joey but he still missed his mother and felt as it was a Joey for mom and a Joey for dad because of the two different life styles of each parent.

Critical Analysis- Gantos author and reader of this audio book does a wonderful job with voice inflections and keeping the listener engaged.  Gantos lays out each charcters personality well enough that the listener can imagine how they look and sound.  Gantos shows that Joey is an intellegent kid and is well aware of what is going on with him Joey says " I knew I could be wrong most of the time"  Gantos make Joey a very in touch kid inspite of the behavior problems.

Excerpt (s) "Readers will sympathize with Joey and his father" Children's Literature
"This story is more than a message it is a truly memorable read" Booklist
" A tragic tale in many ways, but a triumph too" Kirkus
 Awards-    Newbery Honor Book 2001, Maine Student Book 2002, Parents Choice 2000 , 2003, White ravens 2001.

Connections- This would be a great book for middle school students who has ADD or know someone with ADD, this book could as be used to help students talk about alcohlism, or father son relationships.