Module 9 - Something Rotten

Summary

Something Rotten is a young adult mystery novel closely modeled after Shakespeare’s Hamlet.  In the story, Horatio Wilkes agrees to help his best friend, Hamilton Prince, discover who murdered his father, Rex Prince.  Horatio has a long list of suspects to weed through, including: Olivia, Hamilton’s on-and-off-again environmentalist girlfriend; Claude, Hamilton’s ne’er-do-well uncle and new stepfather; his mother; and Ford N. Branff, a media mogul wanting to buy Elsinore Paper Plant, the Prince family’s prosperous paper factory.  After an incident at a performance of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and Hamiltion’s near death in a fiery car crash, Horatio is able to solve the mystery.

 

Bibliography

Gratz, A. (2007).  Something rotten.  New York, NY:  Speak.

 

My Impression

I really, really wanted to like this book, but I only found it to be O.K. I liked the concept of using one of Shakespeare’s plays as a model for a mystery, but the execution was so-so.   My problem with it was that it followed the play too closely.  Because I am familiar with Hamlet, it was obvious from the beginning who the guilty party was.  The author did not do enough to make it seem as though all of the suspects could be guilty.  His focus seemed to be on the guilty party.  Also, there was a little plot twist when Horatio obtained a crucial piece of evidence that I found to be totally unbelievable.  I did, however, enjoy the character of Candy, the cowboy, who was an employee of the Prince’s He was entertaining.  Horatio was also a fairly likeable character.

To Read or Not to Read:  Meh, it's hard to say.  If you have some time, pick it up and enjoy it.  If you don't have time, it won't be a big loss in the whole scheme of things.

Professional Reviews

School Library Journal

"Gr 10 Up --This contemporary reworking of Hamlet is told through the voice of quick-witted Horatio Wilkes, who is visiting his boarding-school friend Hamilton Prince. Hamilton's father has been knocked off, and Horatio resolves to solve the crime. Denmark, TN, serves as the mill-town backdrop to the story, and the winking nods to Shakespeare's characters-including Olivia, Roscoe, and Gilbert-are mildly fun to observe. The author tries to remake the protagonist as a sexy Everyman who passes easily through town and into the good graces of its inhabitants, but it feels forced and unrealistic. Women can't resist the teen, apparently, and they all exist merely as a foil for his cad-like ways. When he tires of leering at Olivia and moves on, she has nothing else to do but wait until the end of the novel to kiss him. The fun quotient quickly dissolves for a conceit that had potential." - John Leighton

Leighton, J. (2008). Something Rotten: A Horatio Wilkes Mystery. School Library Journal, 54(1), 118.  Retrieved from EBSCOhost. 

Kirkus Reviews
"Gratz is cornering the niche market of novels containing dissimilar topics. Here he combines Hamlet and hardboiled detective pulp. During a vacation from their academy, Horatio Wilkes accompanies his buddy Hamilton Prince to Denmark, Tenn. Just two months after his father passed away under suspicious circumstances, Hamilton's Uncle Claude has married Hamilton's mother. Claude now controls the Elsinore Paper Plant, a multibillion dollar company blatantly polluting the Copenhagen River. Horatio, with a knack for investigating, is determined to expose Claude's corruption while Hamilton, dismayed by what he believes is his mother's betrayal, drowns himself in alcohol. Ultimately, Horatio relies on environmentalist protester Olivia to reveal secrets about Elsinore. The many parallels to Hamlet are interesting, but Gratz wisely avoids producing a carbon copy of the tragedy. Horatio admirably plays the loyal friend but has a cocky voice that is too self-assured and as a teen rings unauthentic. However, this well-crafted mystery has appeal for readers familiar with both Raymond Chandler's novels and Shakespeare's masterpiece."
Something rotten: A Horatio Wilkes mystery. (2007). Kirkus Reviews, 75(17), 929.  Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Library Uses

The library could host a murder mystery evening for young adults.  The library could either purchase a kit fairly inexpensively or could write a script that goes along with the novel.   


Image retrieved from:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/something-rotten-alan-m-gratz/1100474414?ean=9780142412978

Module 8 - Goose Girl

Summary

This novel is a retelling of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale, “Goose Girl.”  It is the story of Anidori-Kildra Talianna Isilee, or Ani, the Crown Princess of Kildnree.  Ani is a shy quiet girl who is not comfortable with her role as the Crown Princess.  Unbeknownst to her, Ani’s mother, the Queen of Kildnree, had arranged for Ani to be married to Prince Geric of Bayern as a means of protecting Kildnree’s borders and planes to make her brother the heir to the thrown in her stead.  On the way to Bayern, Selia, Ani’s lady in waiting, uses her gift of people speak to convince the majority of the soldiers that she should be the princess instead of Ani and leads the men in rebellion.  Ani runs away and escapes.  With the help of some new friends, she makes it to the capital of Bayern, where she takes a job as a goose girl.  Eventually, she discovers Selia’s plot to start a war between Bayern and Kildnree.  With the help of her new friends, Ani must figure out a way to stop the war and expose Selia as a fake and save Kildnree.

 

Bibliography

Hale, S.  (2003).  The goose girl. New York, NY:  Bloomsbury U.S.A.

My Impression

I really enjoyed this book.  I have read other things by Shannon Hale, such as Princess Academy, which is why I decided to pick this book up.  Once I started reading it, I could not stop.  I enjoyed seeing Ani transform from this meek, overly shy person into a confident, strong female character.  I like how she does not make excuses for what she can or cannot do but, instead, finds ways to do what she needs to do.  I found the characters in the book to e realistic and believable.  I fully intend to read the remainder of the series.

To Read or Not to Read:  Definitely read it and discover the awesomeness that is Shannon Hale.

Professional Reviews

School Library Journal
"A magical retelling of the Grimms's fairy tale of the princess who became a goose girl before she could become queen. Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, is born with the ability to speak to animals, a gift that is nurtured by her aunt. When the king dies, the queen announces that Ani's younger brother, not the crown princess, will succeed her on the throne. Unbeknownst to anyone, the queen has promised Ani in marriage to the prince of neighboring Bayern. The devastated teen is sent with a retinue over the mountains to Bayem and is betrayed by Selia, her lady-in-waiting, and most of her guards during the journey. Ani escapes, takes the name "Isi," disguises her distinctive blonde hair, and becomes a tender of geese to survive until she can reveal her true identity and reclaim her crown from the imposter, Selia. Ani meets and falls in love with Geric, who is, conveniently, the prince she is to marry. She is able to convince him and the king of her identity, marry, become queen, and stop a war between the kingdoms. This retelling retains many similarities to the original tale, including the gruesome punishment for treason. Hale's retelling is a wonderfully rich one, full of eloquent description and lovely imagery, and with a complex plot, a large cast of characters, and a strong female protagonist. Fans of high fantasy will be delighted with this novel, the first in a planned trilogy, and impatiently await those to follow."
Jones, T. E., Toth, L., Charnizon, M., Grabarek, D., Larkins, J., & Tyrrell Burns, C. (2003, August). [Book review of the book The goose girl, by S. Hale]. School Library Journal, 49(8), 160. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com.

Kirkus Reviews
"A beautifully textured and deeply re-imagined version of the Grimm Brothers Goose Girl, Hale's first novel is too long by a fair amount, but ensorcelled teen readers, swept up in the romance and the luscious language, probably won't notice. All the elements are here: a princess called Ani is born with the gift of heating and understanding the birds, the wind, and her beautiful horse, Falada. But Ani's mother, the queen, who has the gift of people-speaking, is so disappointed that Ani's gifts are in another direction that she sends Ani off to marry a prince of the next kingdom. On the road, Ani's serving maid Selia and her cohorts kill her guard and Selia takes Ani's place. Ani is cared for by a forest woman, becomes a goose herd in the town, and sees Falada's head hung in the town square. When Ani rallies her gaggle of friends to try to stop the war that Selia is instigating to hide her treachery, it leads to a gorgeous, dramatic climax where stories "tell us what they can. The rest is for us to learn."
[Bood review of the book The goose girl, by S. Hale]. (2003, July 1). Kirkus Reviews, 71(13), 910.  Retrieved from http://www.kirkusreviews.com.

Library Uses

The library could host a fairytale evening for older children.  A few of the traditional Grimm Brother fairtales could be shared.  Then, the children could create an illustration for their favorite tale.


Image retrieved from:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/goose-girl-shannon-hale/1100390273?ean=9781582349909

Module 7 - Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes

Summary  

 Sarah Byrnes and Eric "Moby" Calhoun have been each others only friends for many years due to their similar status of being an outcast.  Sarah Byrnes is outcast due to disfiguring burns on both her hands and her face.  Moby was outcast due to his weight.  In the book, it is there senior year, and Sarah Byrnes is in the mental ward of a hospital.  One day, she just stopped talking or reacting to anything.  Moby desperately wants to help her, so he visits her in between school and practicing for the school swim team.  As he delves deeper into her problem and it reasons, he puts himself in grave danger.  Moby has to also deal with a Mark Brittan, an extremely judgemental boy who uses Christianity as a way to condem everyone who does not share the same beliefs. 

 

Bibliography

 Crutcher, C.  (1993).  Staying fat for Sarah Byrnes.  New York, NY:  Harper Tempest.

 

My Impression

I thought that this was a very good book.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.  I found Moby to be a very likeable, if sometimes too perfect, character.  I liked his loyalty to Sarah Byrnes and his determination to help her no matter what problems might arise from his endeavours.  As he was supposed to, Mark Brittan really made me angry at points.  I liked that I was able to get involved, emotionally, with the book.  Also, Elleby was a fantastic character.  I enjoyed his humor and loved his car.  While this book dealt with some serious topics, such as shame and abuse, it had enough humor to make it not be too heavy and too serious.  While reading it, there were several places where I literally laughed out loud. 

To Read or Not to Read:  Read it.  Read it.  Read it.  You won't regret it.

Professional Reviews

School Library Journal
"Gr 8 Up-- Best friends Eric (emerging from obesity) and Sarah Byrnes (horribly scarred from burns and caustically tough) save one another on many levels throughout this breathtakingly complex and harrowing story of emotional heroism and growth. Outstanding on so many levels, it speaks about abuse, loyalty, brutality, and hypocrisy, with some surprising saviors along the way. High school students everywhere, many of whom carry scars of some sort, will immediately relate." - Mary Hofmann
Hofmann, M. (2005, November).  [Review of the book Staying fat for Sarah Byrnes, by C. Crutcher].  School Library Journal, 51(11), 59.  Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/

Horn Book Magazine
"At eighteen Eric Calhoune is an overweight swimmer whose nickname is Moby, though he's not as fat as he used to be and would be even thinner were it not for his friendship with Sarah Byrnes. Eric's success on the swimming team and the weight loss that is the by-product of his strict physical regimen are so threatening to that longstanding relationship, however, that he forces himself into gluttony in order not to jeopardize it. The author has created one of his strongest female characters to date in the physically maimed Sarah Byrnes, who at the age of three was severely burned on the face and hands when her father pushed her into a wood stove. These two teenagers form a close bond based on much that they have in common. In addition to the "terminal uglies," they both have parents -- Sarah's mother and Eric's father -- who left their families, and they both have been granted a larger than normal allotment of intelligence and courage. They share a great deal of anger, too, repressed in Eric but smoldering and quick to surface in Sarah Byrnes. In their last year in high school, she has an apparent catatonic episode and is institutionalized. Eric's attempts to help his friend find her way back into the world make up the bulk of the narrative. Although the central issue of the novel is the insidious and far-reaching effects of child abuse, minor characters introduce several other topics of current interest, such as abortion and religious fundamentalism -- perhaps too superficially and a bit sensationally given the serious nature of these issues. As is usually the case in this author's novels, the book's strength lies in the characterizations. Crutcher possesses a novelist's greatest asset: an ability to create people who are real and believable and about whom the reader can care deeply."
N. V. (1993, May/June).  [Review of the book Staying fat for Sarah Byrnes, by C. Crutcher].  Horn Book Magazine, 69(3), 336.  Retrieved from http://hbook.com/.

Library Uses

• This book, along with a few others, such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Speak and Brutal, could be used in a book talk dealing with books about either outcasts or teen violence.
•  This book could also be used in a book display of good YA in order to tempt young adults to read.

Image retrieved from:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/staying-fat-for-sarah-byrnes-chris-crutcher/1100616086?ean=9780060094898

Module 6 - The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs

Summary
This book tells the story of the three little pigs from the wolf's point-of-view. In this version, the book the wolf is just a misunderstood creature with a cold in search of a cup of suger to bake a cake for his granny. While on his search he has several sneezing mishaps which happen to work out in his advantage.

Bibliography
Scieszka, J. (1989). The true story of the 3 little pigs! New York, NY: Puffin Books.

My Impression
I really enjoyed this book. I found it to be humorous and entertaining. I liked the spin on the storyline and the portrayal of the wolf as misunderstood as opposed to the malicious creature he is in more traditional tellings of the story. I also really like the art work in the book. It was different from many picture books I have seen in the past.

To Read or Not to Read:  Read this book.  It is fun for all ages.

Professional Reviews
"One of life's more important lessons is that a second view of the same events may yield a story that is entirely different from another but equally "true." As Alexander Wolf tells his story, he was innocently trying to borrow a cup of sugar from a little pig when he sneezed so hard that the pig's obviously inadequate straw house fell down and killed him, so--rather than let all that good ham go to waste--the wolf ate him. But when the third little pig, safe in his brick house, not only refused to discuss loaning sugar but was rude about the wolf's Granny, the wolf tried to force the door, the pig called the cops, and the wolf was jailed--complaining that reporters blew the story all out of proportion and that he was framed. Scieszka carries off this revision with suitably mordant humor, ably reflected in Smith's dark, elegantly sophisticated illustrations. Not for little children, but middle grades and up should be entertained while taking the point about the unreliability of witnesses."
[Book review of the book The true story of the 3 little pigs, by J. Scieszka].  (1989, August 15).  Kirkus Reviews.  Retrieved from http://www.kirkusreviews.com.

Library Uses

• This would be an excellent book to use for storytime.
• The library could also have a screening of the DVD based on this book.
• The library could host a contest in which patrons create a picture book rewrite of a favorite fairytale from the point of view of the antagonist.

Image retrieved from:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/true-story-of-the-3-little-pigs-jon-scieszka/1100189814?ean=9780140544510

Module 5 - Ninth Ward

Summary

Ninth Ward is the story of Lanesha, her adopted parent, Mama Ya-Ya, and TaShon as they experience Hurrican Katrina and her aftermath in New Orleans. Lanesha is a young orphan, rejected by her uptown relatives, who posses the special ability to see and talk to ghosts. She lives with Mama Ya-Ya, the old midwife who birthed her. TaShon, another child birthed by Mama Ya-Ya, and Lanesha are brought together as friends by the discovery of Spot, a stray dog. Unlike many in her neighborhood, Lanesha and Mama Ya-Ya chose to remain at home instead of go to the Superdome to wait out Hurricane Katrina. After being seperated from his parents at the Superdome, TaShon makes his way to Lanesha's home. Together, they must use the skills and knowledge they posses to remain safe during the aftermath of Katrina and the flooding that devestates the Ninth Ward.

Bibliography

Rhodes, J. P. (2010). Ninth ward. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books.

My Impression

I enjoyed this book. I have had it on the shelf in my classroom and have had several students read it and enjoy it. I enjoyed the little touch of fantasy that was created by Lanesha's ability to see and talk to ghosts. I also really like the relationship between Mama Ya-Ya and Lanesha. Mama Ya-Ya was extremely supportive and loving woman who helped Lanesha find her inner strength. I also really enjoyed the fact that the book was told in first person. This really drew me into the story as it enabled me to experience Hurricane Katrina with Lanesha.

To Read or Not to Read:  I think that you should read this book.  It is magical and enjoyable.

Professional Reviews

School Library Journal
"Hurricane Katrina is whirling toward New Orleans in this touching novel (Little, Brown, 2010) by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Twelve-year-old Lanesha is a confident loner in her Ninth Ward neighborhood. Other kids tend to avoid her because she has the sight--she sees ghosts--and casually ignores them. Lanesha concentrates on her studies. She loves math, words, her teachers, and above all things, midwife Mama Ya-Ya who took her in when her mother died giving birth. Lanesha has snooty light-skinned uptown relatives, but they abandoned her to the loving care of Mama Ya-Ya. Lanesha watches in amazement as her beloved Ninth Ward prepares for the storm of the century. Fortitude, a vocabulary word Lanesha relishes, will be necessary to see her through the storm. After Mama Ya-Ya dies, Lanesha must be brave and save herself and her best friend when the water begins to rise. Sisi Aisha Johnson, a gifted narrator, brings richness and texture to each character and her performance emanates with the humor, warmth, and grace of this fine story. This 2011 Coretta Scott King Honor Book is not to be missed." - Tricia Melgaard
Melgaard, T.  (2011, March).  [Review of the book Ninth Ward, by J. Rhodes].  School Library Journal, 57(3), 77.  Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/.

Publishers Weekly
"With a mix of magical and gritty realism, Rhodes's (Voodoo Dreams) first novel for young readers imagines Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent flooding through the eyes of resourceful 12-year-old Lanesna. Lanesna lives with Mama Ya-Ya, an 82-year-old seer and midwife who delivered Lanesha and has cared for her since her teenage mother died in childbirth. Living in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Lanesha is viewed as an unusual child (she was born with a caul and is able to see ghosts) and is ostracized at school. Lanesha finds strength in Mama Ya-Ya's constant love and axioms of affection and reassurance ("When the time's right… the universe shines down love"). The story becomes gripping as the waters rise and Lanesha, with help from a young neighbor and her mother's ghostly presence, finds a way to keep body and soul together. The spare but vivid prose, lilting dialogue, and skilled storytelling brings this tragedy to life; the powerful sense of community Rhodes evokes in the Ninth Ward prior to the storm makes the devastation and the hardships Lanesha endures all the more powerful. Ages 10-up."
[Review of the book Ninth Ward, by J. Rhodes].  (2010, August 2).  Publishers Weekly, 257(30), 46.  Retrieved from  http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/home/index.html.

Library Uses

• This would be an excellent book to use as a read aloud.
• The library could create an emergency preparedness display.  It could provide patrons with important information on preparing for and handling various emergencies, especially hurricane.  This display could be set up at the beginning of hurricane season.

Image retrieved from:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ninth-ward-jewell-parker-rhodes/1100163909?ean=9780316043083

The library could create a display and provide information and pamphlets about emergency preparedness, especially at the beginning of hurricane season.

Module 4 - Jacob Have I Loved

Summary
Jacob Have I Loved is the story of Sara Louise "Wheeze" Bradshaw and her struggle to find her identity seperate from her twin, Caroline. In the book, Caroline is the golden child, a talented singer who is adored by everyone while Sara Louise is the "forgotten" child. Sara Louise struggles throughout the book with the favortism that she sees begin directed towards her sister. She must also learn to deal with her spiteful, somewhat crazy grandmother. For a time being, she shuts herself of from others while she works as a man with her father on his boat, the Poria Sue. She eventually leaves Rass, and finds herself.

Bibliography
Patterson, K. (1980). Jacob have I loved. New York, NY: Harper Trophy.

My Impression
I chose to reread this book because I read it for the first timenearly twenty-five years ago, when I was eleven or twelve. There were only two things that I remembered about the book: I remember the extreme anger I felt about Sara Louise's treatment, and I remember enjoying the book. It was very interesting to read it again as an adult. The book did not inspire in me the same type of anger it did as a child. As a child, I identified with Sara Louise and how her family treated her versus how they treated her younder sister. As an adult, I, like Sara Louise, have grown to understand who I am and am comfortable with myself. I really enjoyed reading this book and would highly recommend it to others.

To Read or Not to Read:  If you have time, pick up this book.  It is a good solid read.


Professional Reviews
School Library Journal
"Gr 5-9-Katherine Paterson's acclaimed novel (HarperCollins, 1980) tells of Sara Louise, a girl with a twin so beautiful, talented, and charming that Sara can find no real place or identity for herself either with her family or on the small island in the Chesapeake Bay which is her home. While Sara Louise spends her days in the shadows helping her father with the crabs and oysters that are their livelihood, Caroline becomes a star performer in island concerts, wins a scholarship to Julliard, and eventually claims Sara Louise's fishing buddy as her adoring fiancee. Set during World War II, the story builds slowly to a powerful and believable climax in which Sara Louise realizes that she can come out of the shadows by leaving her family and the island behind. Narrator Christina Moore is more than equal to the difficult task of telling the story from Sara Louise's viewpoint by sounding resentful at times, but never resorting to an unbroken bitterness that would become grating. Her Sara Louise is understandably human with energy, intelligence, and wit that causes listeners to side with and believe in her. The island setting has more than its share of salty, Bible pounding characters, and Moore is able to capture them. All libraries will benefit from owning this outstanding telling of a remarkable tale." - Carol R. Katz
Katz, C. R. (1998, October 1).  [Review of the book Jacob have I loved, by K. Patterson].  School Library Journal, 44(10), 80-81.  Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com.

Library Uses

This book could be used as a read aloud or in a book display.


Image retrieved from:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jacob-have-i-loved-katherine-paterson/1100616181?ean=9780064403689

Module 4 - The High King

 Summary
The High King is the final chapter of The Chronicles of Prydain. In this book, Taran, the Assistant Pigkeeper, is made into a warlord. As a result, he travels to Caer Cadarn in order to gain the support of the craftsmen who live their. They willingly follow Taran as their leader due to the time he spent there as Taran Wanderer. Taran leads the men and his companions-Fflewddur Flam, Eilonwy, Gurgi and Doli- on a perilous journey to the heart of evil, Annuvin, in an attempt to stop the Cauldron-Born from interferring in Gwydion's attempt to regain the sword Dyrwyn and defeating Arawn.

Bibliography
Alexander, L. (1968). The High King. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company.

My Impression
It will be hard for me to address this book alone, as I read the entire series in the past two weeks. I thoroughly enjoyed the series as a whole. I found The High King to be an excellent ending to the series. It was nice to see the transformation of Taran throughout the series. In this book, Taran finally comes into his own. At the end, he chooses the destiny that I hoped he would choose.  This choice demonstrates the maturity that he has achieved over the course of the series. While this novel can be read as a stand alone novel, I do not think that the reader would appreciate Taran's transformation as much. The transformation from the immature, inexperience Assistant Pig Keeper in The Book of Three into the man he is at the end of The High King would not be as evident, nor would it be as meaningful. I also thoroughly enjoyed the action and excitement in the battles that occur throughout the book.

To Read or Not to Read:  To all you fans of fantasy, read this series.  It is a classic.

 
Professional Reviews
Book Links

“The last of the five-volume Chronicles of Prydain series, this good-versus-evil adventure is set in an ancient land reminiscent of medieval Wales.  The books trace the growth of Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper, whose struggles, failures, and eventual successes mold him into the kind of human we all with to become.  

            The characters and the journey are so complex yet so satisfyingly complete that I cried at the end.  But so did Alexander, when he finished the draft.” – James S. Jacobs

Jacobs, J. S. (2006, July). 15 favorite fantasy classics. Book Links, 15(6), 22-24.  Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/BookLinks .

 

Library Uses

• The library could host a hero day. On that day, there could be story time with hero picture books that have heroes who go on a journey, like Taran.  There could be an art contest (for various age groups) in which the patrons could draw and color a picture of what they think the cauldron-born look like.
• This book could also be used as a read aloud.  It is a very exciting book, and many would find it interesting.

Image retrieved from:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/high-king-lloyd-alexander/1100649615?ean=9780805080520