Monday, August 6, 2012

Review of THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak (Audiobook)

1. Bibliography 
Zusak, Markus. (Author) and Corduner, Allan (Narrator). 2006. THE BOOK THIEF [CD]. Unabridged version: Cover to cover. ISBN 0739337270

2. Plot Summary
Narrated by Death, The Book Thief is a story about a girl, Leisel Meminger, who loses her mother and brother in a train accident and has to go live with Rosa and Hans Huberman, her new foster parents just outside of Munich in Nazi German. As a way of adjusting to her new life, Leisel begins stealing books, and she finds it to be thrilling. She steals from the lonely mayor's wife, Nazi book-burning sessions, a graveyard, and anywhere else she can get her hands on them. Her painter/accordion-playing foster father helps her learn how to read, and she shares her readings with crabby neighbors, down in basements during bomb raidings, and the Jewish man in her own basement. This is a story of coping with loss and grief, finding friendship in the unlikeliest of places, and learning that the power of words just might save you.

3. Critical Analysis
This audio book is narrated by Mr. Allan Corduner, British actor, and is listened to in eleven compact disks (13 hours and 50 minutes). The suggested audience is young adult, 9th grade and above, more than likely because of its heavy content regarding death and language. It is the unabridged version, so listeners get the benefit of hearing book in its entirety, cover to cover. The other information included on the backmatter are a short summary of the novel and mini biographies about the author and the narrator. The sound quality of the audio was very crisp and clear. There was no music or other background noise during the reading except for the fitting accordion sounds at the very beginning and the very end; the narrator's voice was more than sufficient throughout the rest. Listeners will be completely engaged in this rich audiobook experience. 

The tone and delivery of Allan Corduner complimented Markus Zusak's brilliant writing very well. The fact that Corduner was able to capture each German in the story, even the ladies, was astounding. The list of characters in this thick novel is extensive. Zusak writes Leisel as a quick-tongued, stubbornly intelligent girl, and the narrator captures her attitude perfectly with her coin curse words and comebacks. The listening experience was hard to break away from with Death as the somber but sentimental narrator. The reader captured Death's feelings well with his pauses and sighs and annunciations. 

This book is part part contemporary realistic fiction, and part fantasy, with a little historical fiction mixed in. There are many events described about World War II and its devastating effects on the Germans and the Jewish race and the punishment that comes with trying to help a Jew during Hitler's reign. Death describes these events with sorrow in his voice and an urgency to take care of the souls as gently as he can once they pass away. As Leisel loves and loses many people throughout the course of the story, she never gives up on writing and reading words. The words of books and of writing help the Book Thief stay strong and focused on her greatest task - survival. Themes of budding romance, love between a parent and child, loss and grief, friendship, being strong, and finding oneself through the power of words all resonate within this beautifully read story. I highly recommend listening to the audio book. I would like to go back and look through the pages at some of the German words and phrases used to get a better feel for those. 

Death's final message, "I am haunted by humans" will leave you reeling with thoughts long after this masterpiece is finished. 

4. Review Excerpts and Notable Awards/Honors:
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL STARRED REVIEW: "An extraordinary narrative."

BOOKLIST STARRED REVIEW: "...the astonishing characters, drawn without sentimentality, will grab readers. More than the overt message about the power of words, it's Leisel's confrontation with horrifying cruelty and her discovery of kindness in unexpected places that tell the heartbreaking truth."

USA TODAY: "It seems poised to become a classic."

PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY STARRED REVIEW: "Elegant, philosophical, and moving...Beautiful and important. This hefty volume is an achievement...a challenging book in both length and subject..."

HORN BOOK MAGAZINE STARRED REVIEW: "Exquisitely written and memorably populated, Zusak's poignant tribute to words, survival, and their curiosity inevitable entwinement is a tour de force to be not just read but inhabited."

Winner of/Honored by:


2006- Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book (South East Asia & South Pacific)
2006 - Horn Book Fanfare
2006 - Kirkus Reviews Editor Choice Award
2006 - School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
2006 - Daniel Elliott Peace Award
2006 - Publishers Weekly Best Children Book of the Year
2006 - Booklist Children Editors' Choice
2006 - Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book
2007 - Boeke Prize
2007 - American Library Association’s Best Books for Young Adults
2007 - Michael L. Printz Honor Book
2007 - Book Sense Book of the Year (Indie’s choice)
2009 - Pacific Northwest Young Readers Choice Master List
Winner of the National Jewish Book Award


5. Connections
A. Research a bit about Nazi Germany in 1939-1943 in order to get a better feel for the setting. 
B. Discuss the effects of having Death narrate the story versus someone else. 
C. This novel and audio recording would be excellent for literature circles at the high school level to use with other novels of related topics. 

*Other novels with related themes:
Wiesel, Elie. NIGHT. ISBN 9780374500016
Coelho, Paulo. THE ALCHEMIST. ISBN 9780061122415
Hughes, Dean. SOLDIER BOYS. ISBN 9780689860218

Image from Amazon.com



Sunday, August 5, 2012

(Graphic Novel) Review of THE ODYSSEY by Gareth Hinds based on Homer's Epic Poem


1. Bibliography
Hinds, Gareth. 2010. THE ODYSSEY. Based on Homer's epic poem. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. ISBN 978076364268

2. Plot Summary
An ancient classic comes back to life through this vivid graphic retelling and 250 pages of watercolor illustration. The same adventures and antics of Odysseus with a few added twists and turns will take readers on an updated version of the epic poem by Homer.Odysseus, who is returning home from his battles and triumphs in the Trojan War, desires more than anything to see his wife and son and his homeland, Ithaca. However, the king angers the god of the sea, Poseidon, and blows his ship off course, forcing him to face years of violent storms, tempting sirens and spells, monsters and sea creatures only to come home to fight off greedy suitors that are trying to take his wife and his kingdom. This is the classic fantasy story of good versus evil told in a fresh new way by Gareth Hinds.

3. Critical Analysis
Gareth Hinds' beautiful watercolor illustrations bring the classic tale of The Odyssey to life in a very new way. Epic poems are extremely long because of the long journeys and quests the hero must take, and with this book, because of its vibrant and expressive illustrations, the pages seem to fly by quickly. The detail that Hinds was able to get into each picture, each facial expression of the characters, is astounding. Readers will be able to get a clear picture of each event in detail; not one thing was left to the imagination. The watercolors seem to jump off of the page and into your living room. The background colors are strategically planned out as well - from more grays and blues when there is great contemplation from Odysseus or another character to burnt oranges and reds when there is more dire action occurring such as the showdown with the cyclops, Polyphemus. The fantasy genre is at its best here with vivid depictions of sea creatures and unearthly monsters, a powerful sorceress, wrathful gods, beautiful sirens, and lands and places that can only be seen within the imagination.

The text that appears in the book is cleverly placed, helping readers get a further, clear picture of the adventures of Odysseus. Hinds has added a modern feel to the words of Homer's epic poem without taking away from the meaning of the original text. Such as when Poseidon sees Odysseus when Odysseus is able to leave Calypso's island, Poseidon says, "So I go off to Ethiopia for a few days and the other gods decide to release Odysseus?" Hinds has a knack for making the characters seem as though they could be here in the modern world versus the ancient world in which they reside. The element of fantasy is not forsaken, and even with the modern twists with the words, the illustrations still take the reader to another place and time that cannot exist in the real world. Readers will feel sorry for Odysseus at times and then at other times feel that he needs to suffer for his stubbornness and overly-confident attitude. Even the non-human, one-eyed Polyphemus will receive a few sympathy votes when readers realize the way his father, Poseidon, treats him. Through all of Odysseus' character flaws, his ability to never give up is what gets him home to his family. Readers will quickly pick up on this theme of perseverance, as well as messages of love can conquer all and good reigns over evil.

4. Review Excerpts and Notable Awards/Honors:
THE HORN BOOK STARRED REVIEW: "Accessible and effective...A timeless long-ago past comes alive."


BOOKLIST STARRED REVIEW: "A lavish retelling...a grand example of Hinds' ability to combine historical adventure with human understanding."

Winner of/Honored by:
  • Junior Library Guild Selection
  • An American Library Association Great Graphic Novel for Teens
  • Best-of 2010 lists including Booklist, Kirkus, Roger Sutton, Monica Edinger, and by many libraries.  
5. Connections and Personal Connection
A. Watch movie versions (clips) of The Odyssey. There are many clips of different versions on YouTube. Clips of more modern-day versions of stories such as The Lotus Eaters and others can be seen in such movies as Perseus Jackson and The Lightning Thief
B. Students could research a mythological character or creature of their choosing and present their finding to the class using a Web 2.0 tool.
C. Most of the time, epic poems seem suitable for middle school and beyond, but because this is a graphic novel, the story of Odysseus and others could be introduced to children as young as ten.
C. Look at Gareth Hinds' website http://www.garethhinds.com/aboutme.php for further information.

I had never read a graphic novel before, even though many of my students have tried to get me to read one over the last few years. I was presently surprised that I enjoyed it! I guess my apprehension before was that I would be bored because I "just wasn't into that type of book," but the pictures took me away, and even though the book was 250 pages, I finished it within a few bedtime sessions. It was a rich experience to get lost in the pictures and illustrations of another world and to not be over-whelmed with text. I can see why young adults love this type of book.


*Other graphic novels to explore by the same author:
Hinds, Gareth. BEOWULF. ISBN 9780763630232
Hinds, Gareth. GIFTS FROM THE GODS. ISBN 9780547152295
Hinds, Gareth. KING LEAR. ISBN 9780763643447
image from Amazon.com

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Contemporary Realistic Fiction - A Review of AFTER TUPAC & D FOSTER by Jacqueline Woodson


1. Bibliography
Woodson, Jacqueline. 2008. AFTER TUPAC & D FOSTER. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. ISBN 97803999246548

2. Plot Summary
In the mid 1990s in New York, before Tupac's death, two eleven-year-old friends meet a mysterious, third friend, D Foster, and embark on a journey to find their Big Purpose. D's circumstances are slowly revealed, and the friends carry each other through family hardships, double-Dutch the summers away, and explore new territories. The three bond over the messages in Tupac's music and learn to look at life in new ways as they grow older together until D's real mother comes back into her life.


3. Critical Analysis
Jacqueline Woodson tells a story of finding friendship and learning to accept things that you cannot control, using some life events of Tupac and his music lyrics as a link for the three girls to explain things in their own lives. The plot line is very simple and easy to follow as is the author's style of writing. Woodson's writing is best described as normal and easy-flowing; it is very conversational and captures the age and attitudes of the pre-teen girls. D's life is slowly revealed, bit by bit, which will keep readers wanting to read and find out more. Her story is not completely filled in since she does not know all of it herself. The main narrator's name is never revealed, which may leave readers wondering why that is, but it does give the novel an authentic feel - someone simply telling her story. The events that are included regarding Tupac line up with events in the girls' lives within the way the narrator tells their stories. The narrator explains her own growth and journey of "finding herself" through the telling of the other girls' lives. Readers will be drawn in by the simplicity and easiness of the girls' friendship and the way they are just there for each other. The main theme is about growing through friendship, with other realistic sub-themes such as over-coming prejudices (a gay brother wrongly serving time in prison) and being strong through loss (D's absent mother). The book is composed of a variety of every-day conflicts but always comes back to the main theme of friendship. This book will gain readers' attention, (as it did mine), if they are interested in Tupac, as his face is on the front cover. However, potential readers should know that the book is about much more than Tupac, so there could be disappointment if they are looking for more about the rap artist within the read.

4. Review Excerpts and Notable Awards/Honors:
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL STARRED REVIEW: "...will immediately appeal to teens...the emotions and high-quality writing make it a book well worth recommending."

BOOKLIST: "Beautifully capturing the girls' passage from childhood to adolescence, this is a memorable, affecting novel about the sustaining power of love and friendship and each girl's developing faith in her "Big Purpose.

Winner of/Honored by:
  • Newberry Honor Award (2009)
5. Connections
A. Reviewing some of the songs mentioned in the book written by Tupac (watch out for inappropriate lyrics) could be discussed and related to themes and events within the novel. Teachers could also use Tupac's book of poetry (listed below) for discussions. 
B. Students could choose their own realistic fiction book that has similar themes and write a review of the book on a class wiki to share with their peers. 

*Other books about Tupac Shakur:
Shakur, Tupac. THE ROSE THAT GREW FROM CONCRETE. ISBN 9780671028459 (Poetry)

Other great contemporary fiction books:
Halse Anderson, Laurie. TWISTED. ISBN 9780670061013
Hubbard, Kristin. WANDERLOVE. ISBN 9780525478188
Sonnenblick, Jordan. AFTER EVER AFTER. ISBN 9780439837064


Image from Amazon.com