Module Ten: American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Summary: Jin is trying to fit it in his school. He is the only Chinese American in the entire school. Reluctantly, he befriends Wei-Chen who is Taiwanese. In the graphic novel, there are twother plots that are being portrayed. There is the Monkey-King who is on a journey for redemption and Danny, who is a perfect Chinese American, must deal with his cousin who is not very good at fitting into American culture. Each story delas with finding oneself in their own culture.

Citation: Yang, G.L. (2008). American born chinese. New York, NY: Square Fish.

Impressions: This is the first graphic novel that I had ever read. I had heard several good things about it but, I was a little reluctant. I am now looking forward to reading many more because of this book. I persoanlly liked how the author uses the three different story lines that all carry a smiliar meaning. I think this is an excellenet book when teaching about other culutres. The style of the book has a way of making the reader feel for involved with lives of the characters. This book has opened a whole new genre for me.

Reviews:
“The graphic-novel format is particularly well suited to managing the flow of three simultaneous storylines, and the action sequences of the Monkey King’s tale and the over-the-top satire on the portrayal of immigrants in American pop culture settle right into their spacious frames on the generously white bordered pages. Compositions are tidy and the palette is softly muted, so that even the strongest colors in the action scenes never reach the intensity of a visual assault. Kids fighting an uphill battle to convince parents and teachers of the literary merit of graphic novels would do well to share this title.”- Elizabeth Bush

Bush, E. (2006). American born chinese (book review). The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, 60(3). Retrieved from the Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database.

“With vibrant colors and visual panache, indie writer-illustrator Yang (Rosary Comic Book) focuses on three characters in tales that touch on facets of Chinese American life. Jin is a boy faced with the casual racism of fellow students and the pressure of his crush on a Caucasian girl; the Monkey King, a character from Chinese folklore, has attained great power but feels he is being held back because of what the gods perceive as his lowly status; and Danny, a popular high-school student, suffers through an annual visit from his cousin Chin-Kee, a walking, talking compendium of exaggerated Chinese stereotypes. Each of the characters is flawed but familiar, and, in a clever postmodern twist, all share a deep, unforeseen connection. Yang helps the humor shine by using his art to exaggerate or contradict the words, creating a synthesis that marks an accomplished graphic storyteller. The stories have a simple, engaging sweep to them, but their weighty subjects--shame, racism, and friendship--receive thoughtful, powerful examination.”- Jesse Karp

Karp, J. (2006). American born chinese (book review). Booklist, 103(1). Retrieved from Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database.

Library Setting: In the library, I would have the patrons come together after they had read the book. I would then have the patrons draw the three stories, and their characters, as they would see it. I would have them color or paint the drawings bright colors. I would then make a large presenation board and have the pictures hanging from it. The title of the board would be "A Graphic Novel through Your Eyes." Make a presentation of other graphic novels by the presentation board.

Module Ten: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Summary: Charlie is becoming a teenage boy and beginning to discover himself. He is making friends, reading new books, and experiencing sexuality. In the form of letters, Charlie writes to an anonymous person about the his Freshman year in high school.

Citation: Chbosky, S. (1999). The perks of being a wallflower. New York, NY: Pocket Books.

Impressions: I really enjoyed how realistic this book is. I also like how Charlie, the narrator, is very honest. I think that is the only way you can really trust him because everyone throughout the novel discusses how brutally honest, almost an innocently, Charlie is. This is an adult novel and I would only recommend it to older teens.

Reviews:
 “Charlie is an observer. A bright loner, the new high school freshman becomes the mascot and confidant of a group of older students. In a voice that is both naive and omniscient, he records the tragic and mundane events in the lives of his friends and family, using a series of remarkable letters addressed to his "dear friend." From Charlie we learn about one friend's suicide, experiments with drugs, heterosexual and homosexual love affairs gone wrong, bitter family memories, and his own mysterious Aunt Helen. Chbosky never falters, always maintaining Charlie's perspective perfectly. By getting to know Charlie's pals, would-be girlfriends, teachers, and family, we find out a great deal about Charlie himself. In the same matter-of-fact voice, Charlie describes watching the rituals of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, taking his sister for an abortion, and being hospitalized for acute depression. Even when he is urged by his English teacher to become a participant and not an observer, he remains oddly detached. Only at the very end of the story do we learn the real reason for Charlie's detachment. The novel has the disjointed and almost dreamlike quality of a music video. Charlie's freshman year provides a framework for the story, with flashbacks to his childhood. Designation of this title as an "MTV Book" should ensure wide readership. I would recommend this coming-of-age story to readers who enjoyed Catcher in the Rye.”- Jamie Hansen

Hansen, J. (1999).The perks of being a wallflower (book review). VOYA, 22(5). Retrieved from Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database.

 Library Setting: Since this is a mature novel, I would probably set up a book talk. I would discuss with teen patrons about some questions they may have from reading the book. I would also ask the patrons what songs would they put on a mix tape to give another person. Have them design an album cover and shares the music that they would like to give to another person.

Module Nine: Dizzy in Your Eyes: Poems About Love by Pat Mora

Summary: This is collection of poetry that captures that passion of life from the teenage years. More uses different styles of poetry to show words can be used to portray deep emotions. There are several poems describing love, loss and growing up.

Citation: Mora, P. (2010). Dizzy in your eyes: poems about love. New York, NY: Alfred A.Knopf.

Impressions: Mora has written a fantastic collection of poetry that will appeal to teenagers. I am personally fond of the fact that she has given small definitions of certain poetic styles that she uses. It is an easy and realistic read for any teenager. This is great book to show students how poetry is not just a thing of the past. I also like that Mora chooses to emerge the Spanish language into her poetry as well.

Reviews:
“From family and school to dating and being dumped, the subjects in these 50 poems cover teens’ experiences of love in many voices and situations. Several entries incorporate Spanish words and idioms, as in “Ode to Teachers,” a moving tribute in English with a Spanish translation. A few poems hit a too-sweet tone with forced rhyme, but the best are wry, passionate, casual, and honest (“It’s nice having a sister especially when boys come over, / and some of them like you better”). One of the best is “Silence,” in which a girl speaks about waiting and waiting for her childhood friend to invite her to the prom. Mora writes in free verse, as well as a wide variety of classic poetic forms—including haiku, clerihew, sonnet, cinquain, and blank verse—and for each form, there is an unobtrusive explanatory note on the facing page. The tight structures intensify the strong feelings in the poems, which teens will enjoy reading on their own or hearing aloud in the classroom.”-Hazel Rochman

Rochman, H. (2009). Dizzy in your eyes: poems about love (book review). Booklist, 106(6). Retrieved from Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database.

“Forty-nine poems, most barely a couple of pages long, broadly treat the topic of love, sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly; sometimes happily, sometimes regretfully, and sometimes uncertainly; some relating to love of family and friends, some to romantic love. Additionally, Mora employs a variety of poetic styles and forms, with a brief explanation of the relevant form on the page facing the poem. While the poems are more often solid than sparkling, a few of them display imagery or authenticity that lifts them, and overall, they’ve got a grounded realism that makes them accessible to the poetry-skittish; the formal experimentation means they’ll be useful in the classroom.”-Deborah Stevenson

Stevenson, D. (2010). Dizzy in your eyes: poems about love (book review). The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, 63(6). Retrieved from Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database.

Library Setting: One of the most wonderful things about poetry is that there are different forms that can be used as guide to write. In the library, present patrons with some of the forms that are mentioned in the book such as villanelle, sonnet or sonnet. Read these poems or give them a hard copy so they can see the forms themselves. Have the patrons write poems using the forms you have discussed. Make two copies of the poem or poems they have created. One may go with home with the patron and the other can hang on the library walls.

Module Nine: Your Own Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath by Staphanie Hemphill

Summary: This book tells the story of Sylvia Plath's life from the her childhood through her adulthood. The author uses poetry to write her biography. Each poem or verse tells a different story either her or a person who played a significant role in her life.

Citation: Hemphill, S.(2007).Your own, sylvia: a verse portatit of sylvia plath. New York, NY: Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Impressions: This is one of the very best books I have ever read. Loving poetry and Syliva Plath may have a lot to do with the adoration for this book. It uses verses that are similar to the style of Plath's to describe her life. I very fond of the different voices from her mother, friends and boyfriends who assist in the narration of this book. This a very unique way a telling about someones life. Bravo!

Reviews:
"Plath's own voice is evident in the poetic forms, though, with many of the poems written "in the style of" specific works. The result is an intimate, comprehensive, imaginative view of a life that also probes the relationships between poetry and creativity, mental fragility, love, marriage, and betrayal. Some readers may be slowed by the many poems that chronicle the bitter dissolution of Plath's marriage, and readers who know the Plath poems Hemphill references will have an advantage. But Plath's dramatic genius and personal struggles, particularly the difficulties of reconciling the writing life with the roles of wife and mother, have long attracted teen interest, and this accomplished, creative story may ignite new interest in Plath's original works.”-Gillian Engberg

Engberg, G. (2007). Your own sylvia: verse portrait of sylvia plath (book review). Booklist, 103(12). Retrieved from Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database.

“With her brilliance, marriage to a famous fellow poet, and dramatic suicide, poet Sylvia Plath quickly became a legendary literary figure. Hemphill tells the story of that legendary life in poems, many of them closely modeled on Plath’s own verses, written from the viewpoint of the people in Sylvia’s life or in a third-person imagining of Plath’s own experience. Though there’s an un-Plathian grammatical carelessness to some of the writing, the poems are generally capably executed, especially in their technical underpinnings (the explanatory notes attached to each poem are inclined to be randomly if genuinely informative); the author clearly takes Plath’s side, but the poems honestly acknowledge the poet’s unlikable tendencies toward entitlement and superiority. It’s certainly an intriguing biographical approach, and teen fans of confessional poetry in general and Plath in particular will find it inviting; its main achievement is imitative, though, and readers ready for these verses will reach to their originals, so the book is likelier to contribute to young writers’ own experimental projects than to a readerly understanding of Plath or poetry.” –Deborah Stevenson

Stevenson, D. (2007). Your own sylvia: verse portrait of sylvia plath (book review). The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, 60(1). Retrieved from Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database.

Library Setting: In the library, the programmer could introduce some of Plath's poems to the patrons. On a much smaler scale, ask the patrons to write three poems that could descibe their usual day. The programmer could ask the patrons to describe their small daily task vivdly as seen in this book. Plath was also known for winning writing contest at a young age. The programmer could also have a youth writing contest for the patrons. There could be different categories such as short story, poetry and play.

Module Eight: Shattering Glass by Gail Giles

Summary: Four young men decide to make Simon Glass into the most popular boy in school. The pack leader, Rob, is determined to make this project work. It only takes a short period of time for the project to go wrong and someone dies.

Citation: Giles, G. (2002). Shattering glass. Brookfield, CT: Roaring Book Press

Impressions: This is a very chilling book. From the very first page, the reader will discover a darkness about this novel. I think this is a good book for a teen audience. This book takes a deeper look at the darkness of people and cliques in high school. I would not recommend this book for a younger audience. There are some "adult" situations throughout the novel.

Reviews:
“Simon Glass was easy to hate . . . we each hated him for a different reason, but we didn't realize it until the day we killed him." The tension-filled story's narrator is Young Steward, a member of the cool group run by Rob Haynes, a student who transferred in and immediately took over with a wide-reaching power. Rob manages to transform Simon, the class nerd--and transform his classmates' attitude toward Simon--with the finesse of Svengali. But Simon is not content with his newfound popularity. He begins collecting information about his benefactors, and the secrets he learns about them, especially Rob and his devastating past, come out in a horrifyingly realistic scene in which the boys beat Simon to death. This first novel has flaws. Some of the adults are caricatures, and if you look too closely at the plot, you'll find cracks in places. But the pacing is superb, and the story's twists are unexpected and disquieting. Heading the chapters are the comments of those involved, five years after the event. This conceit extends the story and will keep readers wondering.”-Ilene Cooper

Cooper, I. (2002). Shattering glass (book review). Booklist, 98(13). Retrieved from Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database.

“Rob, the very popular leader of the senior class, decides for his own enjoyment to transform the not so popular class nerd into Prince Charming. What follows is a series of events that manipulates Rob's friends to carry out his wishes. The reader will soon discover that this novel is not so different from Robert Cormier's famous coming of age book The Chocolate War. The pranks, the sinister accomplishments all carefully constructed by Rob, give the reader the utmost feeling of manipulation -- very Archiesque. The problem for Rob, of course, is that all is not going to end as he has planned. His cruel challenges lead to violence and death. A compelling read -- one that is somewhat slow in the middle -- but one that moves to a tension-filled close.”-John Bushman

Bushman, J. (2002). Shattering glass (book review). The ALAN Review, 29(2). Retrieved from Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database.

Library Setting: In the library, I believe the best way to present this book is through a book talk. There will definitely be several questions to ask after the book has been read. Have the patrons discuss other options that Young, Coop, Bobster or Simon could have made rather than follow Rob's lead. Discuss what the patron could do if they ever felt that they were trapped in a bad friendship the same way the characters in this novel were.

Module Eight: The Top Secret Files of Mother Goose by Gabby Gosling

Summary: Mother Goose is the detective who is trying to solve the mystery of who has stolen the Queen's strawberry tarts. He spends time questioning all the usual suspects such as Knave of Hearts, Mary Contrary, and Humpty Dumpty. Mother Goose finally solves the mystery with a little help from all the King's men.

Citation: Gosling, G. (2004). The secret files of mother goose. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens Publishing.

Impressions: This is cute book with an interesting twist on some of the original nursery rhyme characters. This is also a good book to teach young children about how to solve a mystery. Mother Goose asks many  people until all the evidence adds up. The illustrations are vivid and colorful. This book is sure to appeal to any young patron.

Reviews:

“Consequently, The Top Secret Files of Mother Goose potentially has a very wide audience. While the book obviously belongs in early years collections, it would not be out of place in middle and senior years schools where, in addition to just providing enjoyment, it could be used as a catalyst for creative writing.”- Dave Jenkinson

Jenkinson, D. (2003). The top secret files of mother goose (book review). CM Magazine, X(2). Retrieved from Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database.

“ The Top Secret Files of Mother Goose is an enjoyable story encompassing many favourite Nursery Rhyme characters. Children will be delighted to play along and try to solve the case using all the clues and reasonable deduction. The detailed illustrations by Tim Banks lend a whimsical touch to the story line.”- Judy Cottrell

Cottrell, J. (2004). The top secret files of mother goose (book review). Resource Links, 9(3). Retrieved from Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database.

Library Setting: In the library, a programmer could read this book to the children. This would be a great oppurtunity to let the young patrons use puppets! If you have a puppet stage, have the patrons renact the story only with puppets. Encourage the patrons to use different voices when performing. In addition, patrons could make their own puppets out of brown paper bags. Each patron could design their patron as one of the characters in the book. The patrons could also use these puppets to perform a play.

Module Seven: An Egg is Quiet by Diana Hutts Aston; Illustrations by Sylvia Long

Summary: This book tells the importance of an egg and the many stages that an egg goes through. It is a scientific book that appeals to young children. The illustrations are intricate drawings of different eggs' colors, shapes, and sizes.

Citation: Aston, D. (2006). An egg is quiet. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

Impressions: This is a lovely and beautiful book that is perfect for elementary aged children. It is interesting and yet informative about eggs. This information book would be great for any school library. This book could be read casually or be used in a science class.

Reviews:
"The succinct text will draw young fact hounds, particularly fans of Steve Jenkins' Biggest, Strongest, Fastest (1995) and his similar titles. Long's illustrations are elegant and simple, and the gallery of eggs, as brilliantly colored and polished as gems, will inspire kids to marvel at animals' variety and beauty. A spread showing X-ray views of young embryos growing into animal young makes this a good choice for reinforcing concepts about life cycles. "-Gillian Engberg

Engberg, G. (2006). Book Review: An egg is quiet. Booklist, 102(16). Retrieved from Children’s Comprehensive Literature Database.

“The title of this book is the first sentence of what passes for a story line, which ends with "an egg is noisy!" accompanied by a drawing of hatchlings of the "quiet" egg illustrated on the first page. (This ending line really should have been rephrased, since it's the newborns that are peeping, not the broken eggs.) In between, some characteristics of eggs are noted (e. g., they are colorful and textured), and adaptations, such as being speckled or "pointy," are briefly explained. The hand lettered text is richly garnished by over 100 ink and watercolor illustrations of eggs (and many of the adults that produce them) of a rather eclectic array of species, all identified by common names. As is to be expected, birds make up the majority (75%) of the animals pictured, but insects (1,586), crustaceans, fish, reptiles, and amphibians are represented as well. No part of the book has gone unillustrated; even the front and rear endpapers (pastedowns) are decorated with the shell pattern of one of the eggs. This book is visually pleasing, educational, and utilitarian—destined to be a "keeper" in many homes. A child who might have had it read to him or her as a preschooler could use it several years later to identify an unknown egg found on a field trip.”-Robert E. Knowlton

Knowlton, R. (2006). An egg is quiet (book review). Science Books and Films, 42(4). Retrieved from Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database.

Library Setting: During the Spring this would be a great book to start off a series of several library programs. The programmer could read the book and the patrons could make their own eggs out of paper and watercolors. In addition, using the names of the eggs, the programmer and patron could learn about the animals from which the eggs come from.