Elaine’s Comments (group member since Jan 14, 2010)

Elaine’s comments from the UNC Middle School Lit group.

"... I leaned forward and dropped the note into Julia's lap. I hadn't had much time - it was just the one word: TRUCE."

I feel like Miranda matured a lot here. It was cool "watching" her step out of her comfort zone, swallow her pride, and reach out to help her friends.

If you are reading After Tupac and D Foster this week, please do the following:

[1:] Listen to the Tupac songs mentioned in the book. If you can, watch the music videos as well.

[2:] Write about a celebrity/musical artist whose life or death gave you a new perspective on life. (If you can think of an example during the younger stages of your life, that would be great. If you can't think of any, a more recent experience is acceptable.)

[3:] Write your favorite quote from the book.

Debbie:

Pensive girl wishing
Adventure would come her way
And her wish came true

Wear sunscreen!

These women are so passionate. Wow.
I wouldn't mind attempting the isolation test and the radiation test. I feel like if I had the motivation they had pushing them to excel in every test, that maybe I would pass them too. Yet, there is one test that I really doubt I would pass and that is the freezing water ear injection (vertigo test). My ears are super sensitive; that would be some intense pain.

Yay, controversy! I am most interested in discussing Dust, its concept, and what Pullman wanted portrayed by it.

I would also like to discuss the character of Lyra. When reading the Golden Compass, she came off as a protagonist and an antagonist at the same time. I questioned it the entire time I was reading it.

So pretty much, I want to talk about what messages Pullman wanted to convey/conveyed through this book.

I enjoyed reading American Born Chinese and found it a very easy read. The text and pictures go hand in hand. They worked so well together as a combination that I can't imagine one without the other. The plot interested me, and the way the three stories interwove was genius. It produced a satisfying ending.

It was also a creative way of showing the negative side affects of discrimination in a down-to-earth fashion. The vicious cycle people slip into does indeed exists. The moral of the story: If you treat someone badly, they are more likely to pass on that treatment. If you treat someone well, that treatment passes on as well. Discrimination is a sad but prevalent issue, especially when it comes to immigration issues because of the divides society has place between cultures and races.

This book also encourages the reader to be his individual self and not to be ashamed of it. The monkey king and Jin learn to find satisfaction through being themselves and accepting what they were made. What an excellent message for young readers.

Golden retriever: loyal, gentle, pleasant, and confident.

"Perhaps it's impossible to wear an identity without becoming what you pretend to be." Valentine, pg. 231

This is deep. In a sense this whole book was pretense. The games. The final challenge. The children writers who were influencing the world. But all these illusions ended up being very real. Valentine was the one to first realize it.
It's realistic too. Once you pretend to be something else or someone else (especially for a long time) you end up absorbing this identity and molding it into who you are. Just like Valentine, Ender, the Battle Room students, etc.

Elaine wrote: "The Arrival: Shaun Tan

1. I would say this book counts as historical fiction because it represents a historical event. In addition, the author has not lived in the time period this book is set in..."
Okay I'm iffy on the hard fiction bit for Witness. The main characters of the book are fictional, but there are characters in it who aren't, ex. Coolidge. But If the majority rules i guess it would be soft historical fiction

The Arrival: Shaun Tan

1. I would say this book counts as historical fiction because it represents a historical event. In addition, the author has not lived in the time period this book is set in. You can feel a sense of the history of immigration being portrayed and see similarities in the struggles that the immigrants in The Arrival and in real life lived through during the early-mid 1900s.
2. I would classify this book as soft historical fantasy fiction because the illustrations have fantasy-like creatures and images. It also includes historical elements; but has does not have any historical figures.
3. I think this book holds universal truths for many cultures when it comes to the issues of adjusting to a new place as an immigrant. To help middle schoolers relate, you could compare it to when your family moves to a new place. You feel lost, alone, sad, etc.
4. This would be a great book to incorporate in a lesson about social issues in America focusing on immigration. This book would be great for kids who have good imaginations and want to read unusual books. It’s always good to look at things through different lens to gain a new perspective.

Witness: Karen Hesse

1. This book would definitely count as historical fiction because it is depicting a scenario set in the early 1900s right after the civil war. In a very different way, it shows the hatred and trials people suffered through because of the Ku Klux Klan.
2. I would say that this is hard historical fiction because it included a historical figure (Coolidge) and the historical events that happen effect/cause the turning points of the story.
3. I think that this book is a soft way of presenting the trials and hardships that African Americans, Jews, and Catholics endured. It shows the negative effect of prejudice and bigotry in a way that kids can understand. By seeing these effects, they can embrace a cause to fight against discrimination.
4. This book would be useful when discussing US History/Civil War, specifically to show the aftermath that is not emphasized. This book would be great for kids who are interested in history for sure.

This is my first time reading the Giver too! My favorite part was learning about this very different community and I love how Lowry unraveled the details. I can see how Jonas would be a very inspiring character to many middle schoolers with his conviction to right the wrongs in the community and at the same time show the beauty and preciousness of things we take for granted, like music, color, and love. I think that's why adults really like this book as well.

The ending was essential, but slightly unsatisfying. I definitely want to continue reading about Jonas's adventure outside Sameness because I am curious to find if he survives in the outside world or not. Bringing Gabriel with him upped the suspense even more! I would definitely like to keep reading the sequels and see what happens next.