Module 9: The Humming Room

a.       Roo Fanshaw is a little girl who grew up in the neglect of her father and his girlfriend. She is not very well taken care of from what the reader can tell, and is used to making herself invisible. The story starts off in an awkward way, rambling about the dirt and crystalline figures that are hidden along with her underneath the trailer. It appears that Roo has a very keen sense of hearing that allows her to listen to the earth. It is very strange.  She is quiet as a mouse and waits for the people who trample through her trailer to leave. She successfully hides after hearing her father get murdered. She would not have been found if it weren’t for her nosy, but well-meaning neighbor who tells the police where she is hidden. It turns out that she has a very well off family member that she never knew about who will take care of her. She is shipped off to this tiny island called Cough Rock Island where she is given a room, clothes and strict instructions to not bother her uncle. This island is very mysterious and is rumored to be haunted by the late wife her uncle as well as appearances from a “Faigne”. Roo is very curious and observes everything around her, including its noises and creaks. She begins to wonder about some strange noises she keeps hearing and decides to explore. Everything is very mysterious in her new home because it turns out it was a hospital for very sick children where many of them died. In one of her expeditions, she winds up inside a very dirty sort of garden that has been abandoned. She decided to work on it and make it come alive again. Another mystery is a very distinct crying that she hears. She follows it one night and discovers a little boy in a room with the servant. She is trying to console him but he is a real brat to her. Roo finds out that he is her cousin and is not allowed to be near him. His bratty ways and her disregard for rules make it possible for them to keep each other company. She runs into the Faigne who turns out to be an independent boy who lives along the river. Roo shares her secret garden with him, and later her cousin. Together, they make the garden bloom. Roo is able to understand the earth and listens to its hum. She is connected to it in a way that is similar to her late aunt. Her cousin falls ill, or rather he has a serious tantrum, that his doctor decides to send him away. Since his father doesn’t know what to do with him, he agrees. Roo is so upset that she hides in the garden, where she is discovered by her uncle. He is initially outraged, since he closed it off, but he sees that his son really missed his mother and needs his attention. The garden becomes a tribute rather than a reminder of her death.

b.      Potter, B. (2012). The humming room. Fewel and Friends:New York.

c.        I enjoyed reading this book because it was different. Although it was a tribute to The Secret Garden, it was still a story in its own right. The author adds a mystical element by giving Roo this connection to the earth and nature. Her story is tragic but not similar to the original. Her cousin is still a pain to deal with but she usually gets her own way anyway. I like the overall tone of mystery added to this book. I remember reading The Secret Garden but the level of mystery was not the same. I was more scared and anxious to find out what happened next in this creepy hospital setting. The author’s use of sensory language added to the suspense of finding the garden or discovering her cousin. Overall, I think this tribute was great and interesting to recommend in the future.

d.      In a resonant novel inspired by The Secret Garden, Potter (The Kneebone Boy) pays graceful tribute to the spirit of that classic. The author borrows plot elements effectively, yet her strong characterizations, fluid dialogue, and evocative descriptions give the novel a vibrant life of its own. After Roo's drug dealer father is killed, the 12-year-old girl goes to live with her aloof, widowed uncle in a rambling former tuberculosis sanitarium on the island of Cough Rock in the St. Lawrence River. Roo is a loner who hides to avoid others and often puts her ear to the soil, listening to the sounds of life underground. Other noises--mysterious humming and crying--lead Roo to twin discoveries: Emmett, a cousin she didn't know existed, and a domed, dried-up garden in a remote part of the house. Potter lavishes attention on the gothic island setting and Roo's uncle's estate; it's a thrilling ghost story, but one that, like the story it's drawn from, has love and rebirth at its heart. Ages 9-12. Agent: Alice Tasman, Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency. (Feb.)

e.       I would have the students read the book, then create drawing for their version of Cough Rock Island. Each reader is different and visualizes things in their own way so this would be interesting to see. 

Module 8: The Doll People

a.       The Doll People is about a family of china dolls that have existed for 100 years. They live by a very strict doll code where they cannot be discovered as living, thinking beings. The dolls are mostly content with their lives with the exception of Annabelle. She is the main character who is restless and tired of the same old thing. The dolls have to deal with whatever is thrown at them, including bratty little sisters and watchful cats. She tries to eavesdrop on her owner, Kate, to learn new things like music and books. One day, she discovers a diary that her long lost aunt Sarah wrote many years ago. She realized that her aunt did not always follow the doll code. She did not stay in the same place her owner left them, nor did she stay inside the house. She explored the owner’s house! Annabelle was sure that her aunt must be somewhere inside the big house. After talking it over with her family, Annabelle decides to explore the house with her uncle. During their expedition, they discover that another doll family was purchased and brought home for Kate’s younger sister. This new family is not made out of china, much to their disappointment. These dolls are made from plastic and seem to be less interested in keeping the doll code. However, Annabelle now has a new friend, Tiffany, who also like to explore. Both families make attempts to visit and get to know each other. One of those visits, Annabelle’s father gets snatched up by the cat. They manage a way to save him. Although her family disapproves, Annabelle and Tiffany continue their expeditions. Annabelle discovers that someone is adding to her aunt’s journal with what seem to be clues. She confronts her uncle and he confesses that he has been too cowardly to find her himself even though he has an idea. Armed with that idea, they search the attic and find her aunt! She was trapped under a chest and Annabelle was unable to free her even with Tiffany’s help. They return the next day with more help and are able to free her.

b.      Martin, A. M., Godwin, L., & Selznick, B. (2000). The doll people. New York: Hyperion Books for Children.

c.       This book was definitely an empowering example for girls. I have not read many books where the dolls are the main characters so this perspective was unique to me. The author gives the Annabelle and Tiffany very different backgrounds and personalities but they still manage to form a friendship and work together. This is a great example to teach young readers on prejudices and differences. It would make a great teaching moment for students to think about read world examples where family might not want to allow certain associations due to background. I enjoyed reading the suspenseful moments where Annabelle almost gets caught or when she is trying to get out of a tough situation. The entire story flowed very well and had added depth through with the description of the human family and their involvement.

d.      Review: Gr 3-5 --A lighthearted touch and a dash of drama make this a satisfying read. When Annabelle Doll finds her Aunt Sarah's journal, she hopes it offers a clue to the whereabouts of her aunt, who has been missing for 45 years. Annabelle is forever eight years old-the same age as Kate, the current owner of the Victorian dollhouse in which she and her family have lived for the past century. Their new neighbors, the all-plastic Funcrafts, who arrive for Kate's younger sister's birthday, are modern and brashly confident. Their pink plastic house has a barbecue, a computer, and a VCR. Tiffany, the Funcraft doll-girl, is just the right age to be a first real friend for Annabelle, and her daring spirit inspires the child's quest for her aunt. Determined and brave, she persuades her cautious parents to let her venture out of the dollhouse in search of her relative. Along with the usual perils of moving about in the real world, there is the risk of being seen by a human and succumbing to "doll state" or even worse, "permanent doll state." Selznick's illustrations are perfectly suited to the innocent charm of the dolls and do much to draw readers into their world. The delightful endpapers, which resemble pages from toy catalogs past and present, tell their own tale about the characters. A light and uncomplicated fantasy/adventure in the tradition of Rumer Godden's doll stories or even Pam Conrad's The Tub People (HarperCollins, 1989).

References

Meizner, K. (2000). The doll people (Book review). School Library Journal, 46(11), 128.

e.       After sharing this book with the students through a book trailer, I would like to have students create their own stories based on their favorite toys or dolls. They could create an illustration of their living doll and adventure that they might have them go on in the absence of humans. 

Module 7: Frindle

a.      Frindle is a story about a boy who manages to get his way with most every teacher year after year. In this school year, Nicholas Allen is dreading the teacher than no one can get past, Mrs. Granger. She is a stickler for things like definitions and owning a dictionary. Once the school year begins, Nicholas start his antics by trying to outrun the clock but he is not so successful as he thought. He winds up with additional homework in the worst form: a book report. He then decides to hog up almost the entire class time giving an oral report of his work. He goes on and on about the history of the dictionary, including a show and tell of his own personal dictionary and rambling questions of the meaning of words.  He isn’t successful in consuming the class time, since Mrs. Granger manages to cram an entire day’s worth of lessons into eight minutes and sends the kids off with homework. Nicholas later hatches a plan to make up his own word for pen, now a frindle, to get under Mrs. Granger’s skin. He is successful in landing anyone who uses the word frindle in detention. Administrators try to support her and parents manage to discredit her, saying that it is a harmless act. This creates this media sensation in the local paper. Mrs. Granger and Nicholas both agree to come together once everything is over, and she will give him a letter. As with all fads, a local businessman creates tshirts and other merchandise to jump in on the craze. Considering copyrights, he reaches out to Nicholas’ dad to get permission for his word. This extra money is put aside as Nicholas becomes a very wealthy man, while strengthening the use of the word frindle. Many years later, the word frindle is finally included in the dictionary. Nicholas receives a packet containing a note, a heavy new dictionary and the old letter from 5^th grade. In her short note, she explains that she now uses him as an example to all of her students on how new words are created and added to the dictionary. He also sends sweet gift of a fountain pen or frindle or whatever she chooses to call it.

b.      Clements, A. (1996). Frindle. New York: Simon & Schuster Books.

c.       My first impression of this book was that I did not like it. I was not enjoying the consistent battle that made Mrs. Granger out to be the bad teacher. She was simply upholding a standard. The author really created this whole domino effect with this word. I guess a new idea can create a money-making opportunity but that’s for something tangible! This was simply a word and it made Nicholas rich. The author reveals Mrs. Granger to be inwardly proud of Nicholas and his accomplishments as she expected his word to be included in the dictionary. This is all fine and dandy but I still could not enjoy this book. I thought to be too exaggerated as opposed to funny. His character left me hoping that students would not make a habit of undermining the teacher’s plans and making a spectacle of her.

d.      E.S.W. (1996). Frindle. Horn Book Magazine, 72(6), 732.

Frindle(g)
(*) Andrew Clements

Illustrated by Brian Selznick.

               105 pp. Simon 10/96 ISBN 0-689-80669-8 15.00

(*) indicates a book that the majority of reviewers believe to

be an outstanding example of its genre, of books of this

particular publishing season, or of the author's body of work.
(g) indicates that the book was read in galley or page proof. The publisher's price is the general retail price and does not indicate a possible discount to libraries. Age levels are only suggestions; the individual child is the real criterion.

The author has created a fresh, imaginative plot that will have readers smiling all the way through, if not laughing out loud. Nick, a champion time-waster, faces the challenge of his life when confronted with the toughest teacher in school, Mrs. Granger. Always counted on to filibuster the impending test or homework assignment away, Nick has met his match in "Dangerous Grangerous," who can spot a legitimate question in a second and has no patience with the rest. In answer to "Like, who says that d-o-g means the thing that goes 'woof' and wags its tail? Who says so?" she replies, "You do, Nicholas. You and me and everyone in this class and this school and this town and this state and this country." And thus is born frindle, Nick's new name for pen, promising and delivering a classic student-teacher battle along the lines of — but far funnier than — Avi's Nothing But the Truth (Orchard). The battle assumes the proportions of a tall tale, and although outrageous and hilarious, it's all plausible, and every bit works from the premise to the conclusion. The brisk narration is rapid-fire, and Nick is one of the most charming troublemakers since Soup. The merchandising future of this one is too terrible to contemplate; the cutting-edge gift this Christmas has got to be a frindle.

~~~~~~~~

By Elizabeth S. Watson

e.       I would incorporate a craft activity. Students would choose a word to remake, then advertise it using posters with illustrations and reasoning for the new word. All entries would form a student dictionary for display in the library. 

Module 7: Out of My Mind

a.       Melody is a young girl with cerebral palsy that wishes she could be out of her mind. Initially, all of her thoughts, feelings and needs are crammed inside her mind with no way of expressing them. Melody cannot move her body at will nor can she communicate. She describes the ways she began to realize at a young age her differences and the reactions other people have to her. Melody is a very bright girl who has the same feelings and experiences in school as most other students. She worries about what others will think, if she has friends who truly like her or just deal with her. She worries about people talking about her or ignoring her. The difference is she can blame it on her disability. At the same time, her disability causes those around her to underestimate her abilities. Her family believes in her as well as Mrs. V. but other people simply do not see her potential. She goes through many school years with incapable or uninterested teachers who do little to get to her her class well. The story also provides fantastic events that seem a bit unbelievable like making the quiz team, then the team making it to nationals but they leave her without calling. That seemed like a stretch. Mr. Dimming’s would have been in hot water with administration for that. All in all, Melody’s story was enjoyable, a tearjerker and one to recommend.

b.      Draper, S. (2010). Out of my mind. New York: Atheneum Books.

c.       Draper did a fabulous job of creating an honest and realistic work of fiction about the life a girl with disabilities. She writes about her life so that readers can feel what it is like in her shoes, feeling her emotions and frustrations. Melody is not a mopey girl whose story drags on and on. Her story has twists and turns that you wouldn’t expect. She is blessed with a loving family and small network of support. While reading this story, I was reminded of individual that I have met before and wondered if they felt the same way. Most people believe that there is nothing going on the minds of people with disabilities and this book makes you wonder just how wrong we are. The author included assistive technology that is priceless for Melody while also highlighting the mounds of paperwork and slow approval process that insurance follow just to get people what they need. Once Melody gets her keyboard, she is on fire. It was exciting to watch unfold from her perspective as she hoped to earn her spot on the time while worrying about what others thought of her.

d.        Follos, A. (2010). Out of my mind. School Library Journal, 56(3), 156.

^DRAPER, Sharon M. Out of My Mind. 304p. CIP. S & S/Atheneum. Mar. 2010. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-7170-2. LC 2009018404. Gr 4-6-

Born with cerebral palsy. Melody, 10, has never spoken a word. She is a brilliant fifth grader trapped in an uncontrollable body. Her world is enhanced by insight and intellect, but gypped by physical limitations and misunderstandings. She will never sing or dance, talk on the phone, or whisper secrets to her friends. She's not complaining, though; she's planning and fighting the odds. In her court are family, good neighbors, and an attentive student teacher. Pitted against her is the "normal" world; schools with limited resources, cliquish girls, superficial assumptions, and her own disability'. Melody's life is tragically complicated. She is mainly placed in the special-ed classroom where education means being babysat in a room with replayed cartoons and nursery tunes. Her supportive family sets her up with a computer. She learns the strength of thumbs as she taps on a special keyboard that finally lets her "talk." When she is transitioned into the regular classroom. Melody's undeniable contribution enables her class to make it to the national quiz team finals. Then something happens that causes her to miss the finals, and she is devastated by her class- mates' actions. Kids will benefit from being introduced to Melody and her gutsy, candid, and compelling story'. It speaks volumes and reveals the quiet strength and fortitude it takes to overcome disabilities and the misconceptions that go with them.-Alison Follos, North Country School, Lake Placid, NY

e.       Out of My Mind is a great book for upper grades as well as staff. I would suggest it to teachers and staff for professional development. Although it is a work of fiction, I think the lesson is very plainly that all students are different and can achieve differently when the right people are rooting for them. Melody and all children can do so much more when they have the support and love of their teachers, families and friends. 

Module 6: I Want My Hat Back

a.       A bear cannot find his hat and begins to search for it. He politely asks animals and reptiles that he passes, all of whom say they have not seen it. One in particular provides a very nervous and suspicious response, while wearing a red, pointy hat. After many questions, the bear falls to the ground and thinks about his hat despair. All of a sudden, he shoots up and starts running back to one animal in particular. After a shout, they stare at each other and the next page just shows the bear happily wearing his hat. All is well.

b.      Klassen, J., (2011). I want my hat back. Massachusetts: Candlewick.

c.       I enjoyed this book more after the second read through. I did not fully capture the details in the story the first time and did not like it then. After reading a classmate’s comment, I decided to read it again. The second time, I noticed that the bear did find his hat but that it was stolen by the rabbit. The first time I was confused because I thought he beat up the rabbit mistakenly. I did love the very polite manners the bear had while searching for his beloved hat. The illustrations are nice and do not overpower the story.  Like the review mentioned, I wondered where the rabbit went and concluded that he sat on the rabbit. Not once did I think he ate him. Now that I think about it, his line, “I would not eat a rabbit” totally gives him away.

d.      I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen; illus. by the author, Primary Candlewick 40 pp. 9/11 978-0-7636-5598-3 $15.99

Klassen’s animation and design skills are evident on every page in this sly, subversive tale. A bear has lost his red hat and is on the search. Each critter he questions—fox, frog, rabbit, turtle, snake, and armadillo—has the same dead-pan eyes, the whites of which are highlighted by the cream-colored background surrounding the sepia-hued animals. These first encounters all take place on the left-hand page, with repeated dialogue until the bear, giving up, finally falls flat on his back in bereavement for his missing hat. Here his eyes beseech the heavens. At the page turn, a deer looks into those eyes, asking, “What’s the matter?” This simple question knocks free a recent memory (one that the young reader is just waiting to be recovered) and leads the bear to a red-hot conclusion (and hot-red background color), spurring his race back to the thief. Adults and older children will chuckle mordantly at rabbit’s sudden disappearance, while young children might actually wonder, with Squirrel, where the rabbit has gone. Robin L. Smith

e.       I would use this book for a story time to reinforce context clues with readers. The small hints like, the rabbit not stealing the hat or the bear not eating a rabbit were tricky. I would also recommend to re-read texts for my readers to avoid missing important details. 

Module 5: Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass

a.       Piddy Sanchez is a new girl to the area and quickly bullied by a bad girl in her new school. She is at first clueless but a gossipy young girl fills her in on her transgressions which she obviously has no control over. Piddy tries to ignore her bully but several incidences occur that she cannot turn a blind eye to. After much aggravation, Piddy becomes the unfortunate victim to a physical transgression which leaves her exposed to the cyber world. Yaqui Delgado posts a video of the beatdown to the internet, leaving Piddy literally naked from the waist up, begging for help. Piddy cannot face the student body in part because of her bruised and batter face and also from the video, so she starts skipping school with a bad boy from her local neighborhood who makes her feel good. After many absences, she is forced to attend school or lose an academic year. It is then that her administration finally notices the abuse that Piddy has been experiencing and steps forward. After some coaxing, Piddy tells them what has happened and Yaqui is formally charged. Piddy has the option to leave this high school and takes it.

b.      Medina, M. (2013). Yaqui delgado wants to kick your ass. Somerville: Candlewick Press.

c.       I truly appreciated the story of Piddy and the trauma that bullying places on you. It was realistic and respected te awful situation placed on the victim. Being that I was bullied in school, I respect the considerate and empathetic view placed on a victim of bullying. No pity was given to the bully which is usually the case. Fortunately, Piddy was able to leave the area where her aggressor was powerful although that is not usually the case in real life. This story shows that no matter how much love and support you have at home, what happens at school is just as powerful and can derail even the best of students. Bullying is serious and must be disciplined.

d.      Hutley, K. (2013). Yaqui delgado wants to kick your ass. Booklist, 109(16), 59.

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass. By Meg Medina. 2013.272p. Candlewick, $ 16.99 (9780763658595). Gr.8-ll. When Piedad "Piddy" Sanchez hears that Yaqui Delgado is going to crush her, she has no idea why she has become a target of one of the roughest girls in her new Queens school. But Yaqui tells everyone Piddy is a skank who shakes her ass when she walks, and as the bullying escalates from threats to physical attacks, Piddy finds herself living in constant fear. A strong student with a bright future at her old school, Piddy starts skipping school, and her grades nosedive. After a truly upsetting attack on Piddy is uploaded to YouTube, she realizes this isn't a problem she can solve on her own. Medina authentically portrays the emotional rigors of bullying through Piddy's growing sense of claustrophobic dread, and even with no shortage of loving, supportive adults on her side, there's no easy solution. With issues of ethnic identity, class conflict, body image, and domestic violence, this could have been an overstuffed problem novel; instead, it transcends with heartfelt, truthful writing that treats the complicated roots of bullying with respect. —Krista Hutley

e.       Piddy’s experience would be best utilized in a book club where students could really analyze her experience and learn from it. Far too many student keep bullying to themselves and put up with abuse. Piddy learns to accept help from her administration which is so important for our students to hear. 

Module 5: 90 Miles to Havana

a.       Julian is the youngest of three boys born to a wealthy family in Cuba during the revolution. He spend a lot of time with his family’s servant named Bebo. Bebo is described as a smart man who can fix anything and always takes the time to explain things to Julian, who is usually dismissed or teased by his family. After many questions, Bebo explain what this revolution means to his country. Bebo compared the revolution to eggs. Just as eggs are cracked and drained for their resources, so will Cuba be damaged and then reshaped into an omelet. Some will not like the new omelet and others will. Julian’s parents do not like what they see and try to get the family out but sadly, only the boys manage to leave first with one suitcase each, through fraudulent passports. His parents promise to follow soon after. The boys land in the United States and are shuffled into camp that is not as fun as it seems. They meet a few kids from their old neighborhood, some of which are friends as well as enemies. Julian and his brothers are targeted by El Caballo, a boy that resents them for being wealthy in their old neighborhood. The reader can tell that El Caballo was mistreated back then and is getting his payback now by making the boys’ lives miserable. After a series of arguments and accusations, Julian’ older brother get sent off to an orphanage in Colorado. Julian starts to fight El Caballo back by pulling several pranks, which makes him want to get rid of Julian too. Julian pulls his biggest prank in order to get to go to the city. When he gets there, he meets a friend who takes him on as a roommate. Julian learns that he has to do whatever work he can find in order to survive outside of the camp. His friend takes him on a crazy rescue mission that helps several families get out of Cuba as well. Soon after, his mother manages to get a hold of him and his brothers but they family is still incomplete without his family. Julian and family experience what many others went through in order to escape a country they no longer wanted to be a part of.

b.      Flores-Galbis, E. (2010) 90 miles to havana. New York: Roaring Book Press.

c.       90 Miles to Havana was an interesting read. I felt that some parts were a bit hard to believe but then again, I never went through something like that. For example, the part where he is included in the rescue mission seems to far-fetched. He is just a young boy! His tales of being a young boy in the city trying to find work reminded me of my father and his childhood. Julian and his brothers went through so much here in the U.S. without their parents and it was nice to see them reunited with their mom at the end.

d.      Regel, J. (2010). 90 miles to havana. Library Media Connection, 29(1), 76.

Flores-Galbis, Enrique

90 Miles to Havana

2010. 304pp. $16.99 be. Roaring Brook Press.

978-1-59643-168-3. Grade 6 & Up

The pampered lifestyle of young Julian and his brothers is abruptly halted when their parents make the difficult choice to send them to the United States after the rebellion in Cuba. Like many other children, they are separated from their parents and are forced to live in a Miami "camp" with other Cuban children while temporary homes are located for them. Julian holds the key to a promising future in America For his entire family-a jeweled heirloom hidden in a secret compartment in his suitcase. Overcoming obstacles such as a camp bully, separation from his brothers, lack of money, homelessness, a rescue mission to Cuba, and a relentless policeman, Julian is finally reunited with his mother and brothers. The book ends hopeful that the father will be able to join them in the United States. This easy-to-read, heartwarming piece of historical fiction is taken from the author's own childhood experience during the 1960s. 90 Miles to Havana will be enjoyed by readers who appreciate a coming of age story that captures a segment of Cuban and American history. Recommended.

Jennifer Regal Parker, NBCT, Librarian, Magee (Mississippi) High School.  

e.       90 Miles to Havana would be a good book to use for students to see a different sort of coming to America story. I would use it for a booktalk to get them interested in reading this story. I would like to invite students and staff to share their story if applicable in a display. This would be a great opportunity to get to know different experiences in entering our country.