Dear Martin

 Dear Martin

Stone, N. (2017). Dear Martin. Random House Children's Books. ISBN 9781101939499

Plot Summary:

Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can't escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.

Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it's Justyce who is under attack.

(Dear Martin (Dear Martin, #1) by Nic Stone, 2017)

Analysis:

Nic Stone’s novel is loosely based on current events. Throughout the book the main character, Justyce, conducts a personal experiment. He keeps a journal answering the question “What would Martin (MLK, Jr.) do?” Justyce lives in a world where he doesn’t know where he belongs. He is from a poor African American neighborhood but is able to attend a private boarding school. The book examines racism, social justice, stereotypes and friendship from angles of privilege as well as poverty. Justyce is profiled and falsely accused by a white cop.  In a second encounter with an off-duty white police officer, Justyce and his best friend Manny are shot and a trial ensues. This starts him on a journey through the complexities of racism in modern culture. Black and white stereotypes and their roots are painfully examined in his lived experience. 

Stone’s characters have strong voices and her writing is clear and intelligent. She asks us not to think about what we will do, but who we will be in a world of complex injustice.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to examine modern American racism. The author inadvertently ignores stereotyping and objectification of women in the story. While this particular injustice is not the focus of the book, it is an unfortunate oversight. The author writes truthfully and approaches sensitive subject matter in a style appropriate for any reader.

Book Reviews:

"Teens, librarians and teachers alike will find this book a godsend...Vivid and powerful." 

–Booklist, Starred Review

"A visceral portrait of a young man reckoning with the ugly, persistent violence of social injustice." 

–Publishers Weekly

Connections:

• This book begins an important discussion about racism and privilege and how we may be perpetuating discrimination without realizing it.

Awards:

A New York Times Bestseller!

A William C. Morris Award Finalist!

An ALAN / Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Finalist!

A 2018 BookExpo Editors' Buzz Selection!

An Indies Introduce Selection!

A Kids' Indie Next List pick!

Dear Martin (Dear Martin, #1) by Nic Stone. (2017, October 17). Goodreads. Retrieved October 11, 2023, from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24974996-dear-martin

Stone, N. (2017). Dear Martin. Random House Children's Books.

This review was created as an assignment for SHSU LSSL 5385.

Only the Good Spy Young

 Only the Good Spy Young

Carter, A. (2016). Only the Good Spy Young (10th Anniversary Edition) (Gallagher Girls, Book 4). Disney-Hyperion. ISBN 9781484785065

Plot Summary:

When Cammie Morgan enrolled at the Gallagher Academy, she knew she was preparing for the dangerous life of a spy. What she didn't know was that the serious, real-life danger would start during her junior year of high school. But that's exactly what happened two months ago when Cammie faced off against an ancient terrorist organization dead set on kidnapping her. 

(Carter, n.d.)

Analysis:

This book was a delightful and mysterious adventure that kept me smiling and on my toes. It is part of a series of books, with three books preceding this one. The book stands alone without any necessary backstory to understand the plot.

“Reading the first three books in the series is helpful but not necessary. There's enough background information to bring readers up to speed on Cammie's world and past adventures. Humorous, fast-paced fun”. 

-Roth, K. (2010). Only the Good Spy Young. School Library Journal, 56(11), 108.

The main characters are tenacious and loyal friends. Like any good spy story, I was always wondering which characters were trustworthy. The teens are supported by parents and teachers who protect them and believe in them. 

The story is fast-paced and a quick read. Like many series, the familiar characters and formulaic plot development are comforting. Readers will want to read the whole series once they get started.

Book Reviews:

“Humorous, fast-paced fun.”

-Roth, K. (2010). Only the Good Spy Young. School Library Journal, 56(11), 108.

Connections:

- A fun and formulaic mystery that would be a good study for story form.

References

Carter, A. (n.d.). Only the Good Spy Young (Gallagher Girls, 4): 9781484785065: Carter, Ally: Books. Amazon.com. Retrieved October 11, 2023, from https://www.amazon.com/Only-Young-Anniversary-Gallagher-Girls/dp/1484785061/ref=asc_df_1484785061/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312061186969&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3041776550068848007&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027786

This review was created as an assignment for SHSU LSSL 5385.

How to Artfully Gift Wrap a Book

Click on the photo below to watch my 

"How to Artfully Gift Wrap a Book (with a single piece of tape)" video.

This video is for anyone who believes that books make the best gifts...

(Video was created in Canva.)

Animoto, QR Codes, and Cartoons

I used Animoto.com to create a book trailer for In the Wild Light, by Jeff Zentner.

Zentner, J. (2022). In the Wild Light. Random House Children's Books. ISBN 978-1524720278

Plot Summary:

Life in a small Appalachian town is not easy. Cash lost his mother to an opioid addiction and his Papaw is dying slowly from emphysema. Dodging drug dealers and watching out for his best friend, Delaney, is second nature. He's been spending his summer mowing lawns while she works at Dairy Queen. But when Delaney manages to secure both of them full rides to an elite prep school in Connecticut, Cash will have to grapple with his need to protect and love Delaney, and his love for the grandparents who saved him and the town he has to leave behind. (Zentner, n.d.)

Using Animoto was fun and intuitive. There were several templates on the site with a fair amount of options available. I was happy to see that some background music tracks were included in the free version.  I wanted to upload pictures from the web to use in my trailer. A quick online tutorial helped me learn how to filter google images to find some Creative Commons or Copyright free options. Animoto was relatively easy to use, and I can see potential there for student use. This came together pretty quickly, and I had fun exploring the site. If I was using this for a project, I would spend more time developing the text, which was the hardest part for me. Condensing my thoughts down to a few sentences was a challenge!

I have used QR codes quite often as a teacher. I try to include several ways for parents to access information that I send home. I utilize email with links and QR codes, and also provide good-old-fashioned paper copies (with QR codes included) when there is something important I need them to see. Many of my parents are more likely to scan a QR code with their phones than read the content of an email, so I try to provide the most convenient options when I can. There are several free QR code generators online, I have used www.qrcode-monkey.com several times. I like the customization options they offer.

You can click here or scan this QR code to view my book trailer.

FotoJet.com

I created this comic in FotoJet.com. The site had several templates, but the application was a little clunky for me. The photos were not easy to resize and re-order. To make changes, I had to undo my work with the "undo" arrow, rather than being able to delete just the element that I wanted to adjust. The pictures were not the variety I had in mind, so I uploaded from other websites. 

app.pixton.com

Pixton was fun, they have a cool avatar feature with a lot of customization. I enjoyed creating my comic, but unfortunately, there is a paywall blocking downloads. I took this screenshot of my work. I really like the app, it would be a lot of fun for students to explore.

makebeliefscomix.com

Makebelief took a little getting used to. The website is cluttery, and there is a lot going on on the home page. Once I got my bearings, it was fun to make a multi-pane comic. There are a lot of creative features, but the characters are very limited. It was fun, but it wasn't something that I will go back to often.

I can see myself sharing these comic apps with teachers and students. They are fun to make, and spark creativity. These would be great to assign along with SEL lessons. These are useful tools for expression. The nature of comics forces you to distill the message down to the true essentials. By far, my favorite comic app was Pixton, I plan to explore and see if they have a tool for multi-pane comics. 

In the Wild Light

 In the Wild Light

Zentner, J. (2022). In the Wild Light. Random House Children's Books. ISBN 978-1524720278

Plot Summary:

Life in a small Appalachian town is not easy. Cash lost his mother to an opioid addiction and his Papaw is dying slowly from emphysema. Dodging drug dealers and watching out for his best friend, Delaney, is second nature. He's been spending his summer mowing lawns while she works at Dairy Queen. But when Delaney manages to secure both of them full rides to an elite prep school in Connecticut, Cash will have to grapple with his need to protect and love Delaney, and his love for the grandparents who saved him and the town he has to leave behind. (Zentner, n.d.)

Analysis:

For this novel, I chose to listen to the audiobook version narrated by Michael Crouch. Jeff Zentner’s writing has an incredible voice, his characters are surprising and lovable from the opening pages. Cash and Delaney are best friends with a deep history of trauma. They are each other's solace and support as they navigate life as teenagers in rural Sawyer, Tennessee. 

Drug abuse is common in their poverty-stricken town, and it has affected both of them in profound ways. Cash lost his mother to addiction, and Delaney’s mother seems to be on the same path. Cash lives with his grandparents. They are poor and his grandfather is ill, but they gave him a loving and secure home and welcome Delaney as family as well. Delaney is socially awkward, but likable in a teen genius sort of way. She is always sharing scientific facts and insights about the world around her. Her discovery of a bacteria-killing mold sets the stage for the novel. 

Delaney and Cash are admitted to a prestigious private high school far from home. It is here that they truly come of age. Their playfully rough banter is brutally honest. It has an undercurrent of heartache and profound love. The characters explore self worth, make bold choices, and ultimately come to know that they are not alone in the world. 

Themes of death, illness, poverty, and addiction are addressed with dignity. These heavy subjects give the character’s a place to grow from, and they reach for the light with all they have. Delaney grows as an academic, and Cash develops a love for poetry that brings his old-soul to life. Pap, the grandfather in this story, is wise and loving. His death hits hard, but like so many other things they have faced, Cash and Delaney make beauty from ashes.

I highly recommend this book, but with awareness that the author explores sensitive subject matter; addiction, death, assault, etc. 

Book Reviews:

"A brilliant treasure of a book that holds up a mirror to the best parts of our humanity." 

—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

 “A wise, gorgeous exploration of loss and survival that will make readers cry...Lyrical and heartbreaking.”

—School Library Journal, starred review

Connections:

• This book gives a teenage viewpoint on drug addiction and its effect on families. It could be used as a discussion starter about addiction and a way to introduce help and resources that are available.

• In the novel, Cash discovers an affinity for poetry and finds that it unlocks something he has felt his whole life but didn’t have a way to express. This would be a great way to introduce poetry and even explore processes for writing poetry.

Awards:

The New York Times named In the Wild Light one of the 25 best YA books of the year.

This review was created as an assignment for SHSU LSSL 5385.

When I Grow Up

 When I Grow Up

Krimstein, K. (2021). When I Grow Up: The Lost Autobiographies of Six Yiddish Teenagers. Bloomsbury USA. ISBN 9781635573701

Plot Summary:

When I Grow Up is New Yorker cartoonist Ken Krimstein’s new graphic nonfiction book, based on six of hundreds of newly discovered, never-before-published autobiographies of Eastern European Jewish teens on the brink of WWII―found in 2017 hidden in a Lithuanian church cellar.

These autobiographies, long thought destroyed by the Nazis, were written as entries for three competitions held in Eastern Europe in the 1930s, just before the horror of the Holocaust forever altered the lives of the young people who wrote them.

(Krimstein, n.d.)

Analysis:

Ken Krimstein has brought to life an incredibly unique and significant work titled When I Grow Up. In the 1930’s the Yidisher Visnshaftelkher Institut (YIVO) sponsored a series of writing contests for Yiddishuanian youth aged 13-21. They were encouraged to tell the true stories of their families, teachers, schools, ambitions, and events that made a great impression on their lives. Over 700 entries were received and cataloged using a system to protect their anonymity. 

The autobiographies would be judged and winners announced on September 1, 1939. Ironically this was the day the Nazi’s invaded Poland. Their hand-written stories were hidden away and protected during the war, but eventually their whereabouts were forgotten. Most of the young authors did not survive the war. 

When the stories, discovered in a Lithuanian church, resurfaced in 2018, Krimstein began a journey that would result in this haunting non-fiction graphic novel. He selected six stories, translated from their original Yiddish, and presents them here in stirring graphic novel form. He presents the stories with humor (even in the footnotes) and humanity that preserves the author's youthful voices. He captures their teenage longing and quest for meaning. Their stories are filled with desire and angst and ambition. His pen and ink illustrations are beautiful and haunting. It is remarkable to think that at the time of their writing they were unaware of how drastically and tragically their lives were about change. 

This book is a stark reminder to find joy in the everyday, to seek purpose and meaning in our lives, and to remember how quickly it all can change. A beautiful work that I would recommend to anyone.

Book Reviews:

By depicting the personalities of youth lost—with easy beauty and a lack of preciosity—rather than how they died, Krimstein conveys the depth of human and cultural loss that much more profoundly.

(When I Grow Up: The Lost Autobiographies of Six Yiddish Teenagers. (2021). Publishers Weekly, 268(46), 62.)

A moving work of literary archaeology, rescuing Jewish texts from the oblivion of history.

(WHEN I GROW UP: The Lost Autobiographies of Six Yiddish Teenagers. (2021). Kirkus Reviews, 89(21), N.PAG.)

Connections:

• Because this book touches on many complicated and deep subjects, the opportunities for connection are plentiful. This could be a part of a Jewish studies unit, a look at the evolution of languages, a study on war, or a unit about the significance of autobiographical writing.

References

Krimstein, K. (n.d.). When I Grow Up: The Lost Autobiographies of Six Yiddish Teenagers. Amazon.com. Retrieved September 29, 2023, from https://www.amazon.com/When-Grow-Up-Autobiographies-Teenagers/dp/163557370X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1EHNNXZ4DOPX9&keywords=when+I+grow+up+krimstein&qid=1696030721&sprefix=when+i+grow+up+krimstein%2Caps%2C128&sr=8-1

Krimstein, K. (2021). When I Grow Up: The Lost Autobiographies of Six Yiddish Teenagers. Bloomsbury USA.

This review was created as an assignment for SHSU LSSL 5385.

Living Without Borders, Growing Up Mexican in America

Living Beyond Borders

Growing Up Mexican in America

Longoria, M. (2021). Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America (M. Longoria, Ed.). Penguin Young Readers Group. ISBN 9780593204979

Plot Summary:

In this mixed-media collection of short stories, personal essays, poetry, and comics, this celebrated group of authors share the borders they have crossed, the struggles they have pushed through, and the two cultures they continue to navigate as Mexican Americans. Living Beyond Borders is at once an eye-opening, heart-wrenching, and hopeful love letter from the Mexican American community to today's young readers.

- (Jane, 2022)

Analysis:

In this collection of stories, twenty different authors offer their unique expressions of what it means to be Mexican American. I was struck by the depth of feeling in their words, and also by the artistry in their writing.  I was reminded that for all of our differences, as a human family we have much in common. The authors told stories of anger and insecurity, love and jealousy, pride and contentment. They fell in and out of love, they wandered in search of  themselves, and in the end they all long for a sense of belonging. Longoria's craftsmanship is evident as she facilitates a diverse and captivating flow in her collection. Each story moves effortlessly into the next. The book is an impressive gathering of respected authors. Their contributions helped me understand a perspective different from my own, and changed the way I see the world around me. This is a beautiful book that I would recommend for any YA reader.

Book Reviews:

These selections explore how it feels to be seen as “other,” even while having been a part of this land for generations. The stories encourage Mexican American readers to listen to their inner voice and not let it be silenced. Each selection offers something distinct in this multifaceted work that doesn’t prioritize the white gaze. It will make a lasting impression on all readers. 

(Paz, S. (2021). Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America. School Library Journal, 67(8), 90.)

This superlative collection of fiction, essays, poetry, and graphic vignettes is as varied as its contributors. The experiences portrayed in this anthology are deeply personal with sharp, heartfelt ruminations on the experience of living on the "cusp of two cultures," as Longoria notes in the introduction. 

(Agudelo, J. (2021). Living beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America. Booklist, 117(22), 51.)

Connections:

• After reading these stories, I wanted to read more from the contributing authors. The back of the book gives a brief bio for each one and some titles for further reading.

References

Jane, R. (2022, August 30). Retrieved September 29, 2023, from https://www.amazon.com/Living-Beyond-Borders-Growing-Mexican/dp/0593204980/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1MLOZP86N33DU&keywords=living+beyond+borders&qid=1696022202&sprefix=living+beyond+borders%2Caps%2C109&sr=8-1

Longoria, M. (2021). Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America (M. Longoria, Ed.). Penguin Young Readers Group.

This review was created as an assignment for SHSU LSSL 5385.

Infographics

Infographics are everywhere. They are a valuable tools used to distill and distribute information. My campus uses Canva, and I have used it to create several infographics and other media. Today, I explored three new (to me) platforms for creating infographics: Easel.ly, Infogram, and Piktochart.

All three have have pros and cons. Each has a free version, but features are extremely limited until you are willing to upgrade and subscribe. The price point varies widely, with infogram at the high end of the scale. Easel.ly only had three options for charts, while Piktochart and Infogram had many. Easel.ly allows you to download “low quality” versions of your project for free. Piktochart allows two free downloads then you have to subscribe. Infogram did not allow any downloads in their free version. All three offered data uploading. I thought the Piktochart platform was the most user-friendly option for this feature, you could easily upload from several spreadsheet applications like Google Sheets or Excel. The graphics available on Easel.ly were by far the best, with many options to choose from. The following are the results of a quick creation on each platform. I used this Pew Research Article for the data represented, and I used Canva to put all of the pieces together.

I am a regular Canva user, and at the end of the day, this is still what I prefer. Partly due to familiarity, but I also find it to be intuitive and user friendly and it has all of the features I like in one place. 

Learning to create infographics is a skill that can have a big impact. These tools take a job that was once very tedious and make it easy to present data in a user-friendly and engaging manner.

References

(n.d.). Piktochart: Infographic Maker Trusted By 11 Million Users. Retrieved September 28, 2023, from https://piktochart.com/

(n.d.). easel.ly | create and share visual ideas using infographics. Retrieved September 28, 2023, from https://www.easel.ly/

(n.d.). Infogram: Create Infographics, Reports and Maps. Retrieved September 28, 2023, from https://infogram.com/

Jiang, J. (2019, January 4). More Americans are using ride-hailing apps. Pew Research Center. Retrieved September 29, 2023, from https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/01/04/more-americans-are-using-ride-hailing-apps

 The Outsiders

Hinton, S. E. (2016). The Outsiders 50th Anniversary Edition. Penguin Young Readers Group. ISBN 978-0425288290

Plot Summary:

"No one ever said life was easy. But Ponyboy is pretty sure that he's got things figured out. He knows that he can count on his brothers, Darry and Sodapop. And he knows that he can count on his friends—true friends who would do anything for him, like Johnny and Two-Bit. But not on much else besides trouble with the Socs, a vicious gang of rich kids whose idea of a good time is beating up on “greasers” like Ponyboy. At least he knows what to expect—until the night someone takes things too far." (Hinton, n.d.)

Analysis:

The Outsiders is a classic YA novel and an original example of the genre. The author was only fifteen when she began writing about Ponyboy, Sodapop, Johnny and the rest of the gang. From the opening lines, we are captivated by the intense emotion and drama of our teenage characters. They live their lives so much in the moment, we can’t help but feel the fear and the thrill in their experience of their small world. 

The author writes in a conversational narrative that is easy to follow and hard to put down. The book is mostly young men with only a couple of female characters. This would be an outrageous imbalance by today's writing norms, but given the time of the writing and the setting of the book the absence of female characters is more a footnote than an offense. 

Hinton so artfully wraps us up in the thoughts of Ponyboy and his crew that we forget there is an author behind the pen at all. Themes of violence, homelessness, family tragedy, social hierarchy, and danger are all addressed in a matter of fact tone. It is simply the way it is, and our characters develop as they try to make sense of their plight in any way they can. The references to Gone With the Wind, and Robert Frost’s poetry add a lyrical aesthetic to the plot, giving our characters dimension. They are not just delinquents, or orphans, or misguided teens. They see the world in a poetic way that lends an unexpected softness to their circumstances.

I would recommend The Outsiders to any YA reader who craves an intense and engaging story. There is violence that could deter some readers, but the characters will have your attention from the first page turn.

Book Reviews:

 "The Outsiders transformed young-adult fiction from a genre mostly about prom queens, football players and high school crushes to one that portrayed a darker, truer world." 

—The New York Times

"This remarkable novel gives a moving, credible view of the outsiders from the inside...we meet powerful characters in a book with a powerful message." 

—The Horn Book

Connections:

• The Penguin Books edition of the outsiders (ISBN 9780142407332) offers a discussion guide for students to further explore themes, attitudes, and references made in the book.

• An interview with author S.E. Hinton is printed in the book that gives insight and explanation for the story and the author herself.

• The 1983 motion picture adaptation honors the integrity of the book and was directed in association with the author.

Awards:

A New York Herald Tribune Best Teenage Book

A Chicago Tribune Book World Spring Book Festival Honor Book

An ALA Best Book for Young Adults

Winner of the Massachusetts Children's Book Award

References

Hinton, S. (n.d.). The Outsiders: S. E. Hinton: 9780142407332. Amazon.com. Retrieved September 16, 2023, from https://www.amazon.com/Outsiders-S-Hinton/dp/014240733X/ref=sr_1_4?crid=SNJO9KAVWN1O&keywords=the+outsiders&qid=1694907032&sprefix=the+outsiders%2Caps%2C184&sr=8-4

Hinton, S. E. (2016). The Outsiders 50th Anniversary Edition. Penguin Young Readers Group.

This review was created as an assignment for SHSU LSSL 5385.