THE FIRST PART LAST by Angela Johnson
Johnson, Angela. 2003. THE FIRST PART LAST. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 0689849222.
In the novel, author Angela Johnson creates a story that shows the challenges of overcoming obstacles in one's life. The author created characters, a plot, setting, and theme in a straightforward manner that readers will be able to identify with. The book would be considered contemporary realistic fiction because the story is one that could happen today. Teenage pregnancy touches many lives in one way or another whether or not the pregnancy happens to you, a family member, or friend.
In the story, Bobby is an average boy living in a big city. He is the product of a divorced home like many children today. He has hopes and dreams normal for a young adult. When his girlfriend Nia becomes pregnant his life changes forever. The two teenagers planned to give the baby up for adoption after weighing all of their options. Unfortunately, Nia went into an irreversible vegetative state and the question of what to do with the baby arose. Bobby decided to not put the baby up for adoption, but to raise her himself. This was a big commitment for a teenage boy and his life would never be the same again. In the story, he wrestled with the responsibilities of raising the baby alone while still wanting to do the things that normal teenagers do. He still lived with his mother for much of the story, but she made a real point to make sure that the ultimate responsibility of the care for the baby was his. This was the right thing to do, but it made the situation even more challenging for Bobby.
All of the characters in the story were like real people. Their lives mirror the lives of many Americans. The care that the author took to create believable characters is evident in the book. Their personalities, dreams and fears are all evident in the book. The realism of the characters was powerful and it made the book easy to read. When Bobby told his parents that Nia was pregnant he wasn't sure what to expect. Johnson summed up all of the emotions that parents feel when this happens to them in one simple sentence ("And then, not moving and still quiet, my pops justs starts to cry.") Something about that sentence really touched me and I'm sure it will move other readers.
The style of the writing was appropriate to the subject matter in hand. I thought it was an interesting touch to title the chapters THEN and NOW and rotate between the present and past in the story. It gave the book an interesting angle. Johnson doesn't write in a preachy manner concerning the subject of teen pregnancy. Opinions on the subject aren't forced and I believe it avoids moralizing. She simply created the storyline and most readers will become aware of the tragedy and difficulties associated with teen pregnancy as they turn each page. Simply put, it just flows through the storyline.
Angela Johnson was the recipient of two Coretta Scott King awards and it is evident to me that she will continue to create award winning literature for many years to come. I really enjoyed this book and was unable to put it down once I started reading it. I believe that it is one all young adults should read. It will give them a glimpse of what it is like to be a teenage parent. In my opinion, reading this book would have a more powerful effect than just listening to someone lecture about the hardships and give statistics about teen pregnancy.
THE GIVER by Lois Lowry
Lowry, Lois. 1993. THE GIVER. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 0395645662.
In the fantasy novel THE GIVER author Lois Lowry creates an interesting look at what life would be like in the future in a heavily manipulated and controlled environment. It is a story that often made me uncomfortable for some reason, even though I thoroughly enjoyed it. Young adults will be fascinated with the community that young Jonas lives in and all of the "sameness" that it entailed.
The setting of the story takes place in the future in a community that is very generic. The people residing there follow very rigid rules to ensure that peace and harmony are kept in place. Children are born by women whose chief job is to become pregnant and give birth to a healthy baby. The children are then raised for a time in a nurturing center and then placed with families whose criteria is appropriate for the child. Adults who aren't breeders take pills to keep them from having lustful feelings and procreating with their mate. Love does not play a part in choosing one's mate. Each year in December there is a ceremony in which children receive different things at each milestone in their lives, such as hair ribbons, jackets, bicycles. The upcoming ceremony in December is important to Jonas because he will find out what his assignment (job) will be for his life. Citizens don't choose their profession. It is selected for them by elders who watch them over the years to determine what would be the best fit for them.
At the ceremony Jonas is selected to be the Receiver for the community. This is an esteemed position and requires much training. Basically, Jonas will receive information and memories form the current Receiver. Some of the memories are good and some are bad. They are memories of what life was like before the community turned to "sameness". Jonas soon comes to realize that many faults in his community and that many of their practices are horrible. All of his life he had heard about people being released from the community and he thought it was a happy time for those involved. That was what he had always been led to believe. His knowledge on the subject was greatly changed after his training. In fact, his father was nurturer who had to release children who were deemed unfit for the community. Finding out that his father participated in this cruel practice caused Jonas to greatly question his family and the lives that members of the community led.
The characters in the story are very easy to identify with even though they live in such a different type of community. The families eat dinner with each other and take part in each other's lives. Although, there is a generic feeling to the familial units. Still, with all of the restrictions in their lives children in the story still do things like go to school, play games, etc. They each have strengths and weaknesses like all children. The plot in the story was believable because something like this could actually happen. Readers will be enthralled with the storyline wanting to know what will happen next. The author took great care to create a setting which would support the storyline. Lowry paid great attention to detail when creating this community where "sameness" prevailed. The citizens had no memories or knowledge of the past. They were sheltered from the normalcy of everyday life, such as colors, warmth, cold, love and fear. The storyline will hold readers attention because the world that Jonas lives in is so different from our own.
I thought the style of writing was very appropriate for the subject. The storyline was compelling and flowed easily from the beginning of the story until the end. Readers will feel thankful for their lives filled with trials and tribulations after reading this book. The book makes one appreciative of what they have and instills in them the knowledge that even lives that are manipulated to be perfect don't always end up that way. I think there are many themes in the book such as not taking our lives for granted, the courage to change one's life for the better even if it means leaving the only life that person has known, and the desire for love and normalcy. Lowry's writing allows readers to come to their own conclusions about the meaning of the story.
The author makes real abstract concepts, such as the meaning of a life in which there are virtually no choices to be made and no experiences with deep feelings. This tightly plotted story and its believable characters will stay with readers for a long time. (School Library Journal)
I have to admit that when I first picked up this book I was not excited about reading it. It is strange, but something about the picture of the cover turned me off. My attitude changed completely when I started to read the book. It was another book that I read from cover to cover at one setting. The story was in some ways creepy and that's probably why it engaged me in the manner that it did. I would definitely recommend this book to older students and even some of my adult friends.
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE by J.K. Rowling
Rowling, J.K. 1998. HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER' S STONE. Ill. by Marie Grandpre New York:
Scholastic Press. ISBN: 0590353403.
In the book HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE, author J.K. Rowling introduces readers to the charismatic boy named Harry Potter. Readers will delight in the magical story elements of this high fantasy novel. The book will keep readers engaged from beginning to end.
The book would be considered high fantasy because it contains all six motifs of fantasy novels. These include elements such as magic, other worlds, good versus evil, heroism, special character types, and fantastic objects. These elements are very different from the present day United States. The characters in the book are all convincing, even though some of them are otherworldly. Despite his magic powers readers will be able to identify with Harry Potter and his friends and teachers at Hogwarts School. Each of them has an incredible gift of magic, but they still are like normal children in many ways. Even having mean relatives as Harry does is something that many children will be able to identify with.
Prior to going to Hogwarts Harry's life had been an unhappy one. His parents were dead and he lived with his aunt, uncle, and their son. His life changed forever when he arrived at Hogwarts and met other children who were in training to be witches and wizards. His life really began at Hogwarts and he enjoyed being there. ("Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place.") It was a magical and mysterious place and that appealed to Harry. At first Harry and his friends had to overcome many obstacles while at the school. But, by the end of the school year each of them had accomplished many things and even saved the sorcerer's stone from Voldemort.
The plot of the book is fast paced and exciting. There is never a dull moment in the daily life of Harry and his friends. Children will enjoy the story because it is filled with action and even some mystery. As the book progresses readers will celebrate the new things Harry learns and the progress he makes at Hogwarts. What is nice about the characters in the book is that Rowling invested the time to thoroughly develop the characters. This makes the plot more interesting and will keep readers invested in the book. Rowling also did an excellent job creating the setting for the book. She describes each location with great detail. Readers can easily visualize Hogwarts without ever seeing it. The details about Hogwarts are impressive. Rowling notes interesting individuals, animals, and objects such cloaks that make people invisible, talking portraits, ghost teachers, a three headed guard do, etc. Rowling' s attention to detail paid off and the result is an excellent book that will be popular for many, many years. I believe the themes in the book are good overcoming evil, friendship, and growth as a person. The themes blend naturally within the book and do not overpower the story. All of the themes are ones that children can identify with and will enjoy. In fact, may of them will probably wish that they could live in Harry's world.
After reading this entrancing fantasy, readers will be convinced that they, too, could take the train to Hogwarts School, if only they could find Platform Nine and Three Quarters at the King's Cross Station. (School Library Journal)
This was a book that I avoided reading for years. When it first became popular I had many friends that read it, but I always resisted their offers to loan the book to me. Truthfully, I never even saw the movie because I had no desire to. I previously thought that I wasn't a fan of fantasy novels. I never read them and changed the subject when someone mentioned them. I waited to read the book after I had read every other book in this assignment. I just really didn't want to read it. To my surprise, I loved the book. I cared about the characters and what new plot twists were coming with each turn of the page. Reading this book has taught me that I need to branch out and get out of my comfort zone when selecting reading material. I now realize why the series is such a huge international success.
NINJAS, PIRANHAS AND GALILEO by Greg Leitich Smith
Smith, Greg Leitich. 2003. NINJAS, PIRANHAS AND GALILEO. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
ISBN: 0316778540.
In the novel NINJAS, PIRANHAS AND GALILEO author Greg Leitich Smith introduces readers to a brainy group of friends living in Chicago. This book would be considered contemporary realistic fiction because the storyline could happen in present day. The author created likable characters that readers will easily identify with.
The three main characters in the book are a group of children named Elias, Shohei, and Honoria. All three of them have been friends for many years while attending the Peshtigo School in Chicago. The Peshtigo School is a private school with very intelligent students. The group sticks together during good and bad times. The upcoming science fair has all three of the students occupied with what to do. Readers will be drawn to the characters because each of them is likable. There isn't any stereotyping in the book. Sometimes Asian children are stereotyped to be overachievers, but in this book Shohei is somewhat of a slacker who puts off doing his part of the science project. Honoria is the real overachiever in the book. Her desire to win the science project fair is intense. Elias comes from a large family that contains some very academically impressive siblings. I think that in many ways he feels he is the inadequate one in the family.
The plot of the story is very realistic. It follows the lives of three ordinary children struggling with difficult classes, mean teachers, peer pressure, and first crushes. The interesting part of the book is that the author divided the chapters by the three main characters. It offers readers the opportunity to understand each character's perspective about what was going on in the story. Elias is reluctant to take part in the science fair and eventually uses one of his older brother's projects as the basis of his own experiment. This ends up causing him many problems. This is what will appeal the most to readers. Many readers have lives much like those of Elias, Honoria, and Shohei and will be able to relate to them. The setting in the story is very believable and contemporary. However, the Peshtigo School is probably somewhat special compared to many present day schools. ("The Peshtigo School of Chicago has a reputation for being intense. We have to take at least one foreign language, all kinds of math and science, a musical instrument, a fall or spring sport, and at least one nonathletic extracurricular activity.") But, this may just be because it is an esteemed private school. My only knowledge of schools are those that are part of a public school system. The Peshtigo school is definitely one to be envied. I think that friendship and overcoming obstacles are major themes in the story. These are themes that are timely and relevant and will make the book easy to identify with. In no way do the themes overpower the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The author created an interesting plot and characters. However, some parts of the book seemed a bit wordy to me and that might deter some readers. I would recommend this book to students. I think that most readers will relate to the three friends at The Peshtigo School of Chicago.
MAKE LEMONADE by Virginia Euwer Wolff
Wolff, Virginia Euwer. 1993. MAKE LEMONADE. New York: Henry Holt. ISBN: 080502287.
In the novel MAKE LEMONADE author Virginia Euwer Wolff has created a touching novel about the difficulties of being a teenage parent and babysitter for a teenage parent. The novel would be considered contemporary realistic fiction because the plot of the book could actually happen in today's society.
The author created complex detailed characters in the book. LaVaughn is a fourteen year old high school student who looks for an after school job to save money for college. When she comes upon ad advertisement for a babysitter job she thinks it would be an easy after school job. Her life changes when she meets Jolly and her children. Jolly is a seventeen year old single mother of two who is struggling with the demands of work and parenthood. Jolly dropped out of school and her lack of skills has led her to nothing but dead end jobs. Jolly's apartment is a mess and her children are poorly taken care of. ("Here's how it was at Jolly's house: The plates are pasted together with noodles and these rooms smell like last week's garbage and there isn't a place I can put my book to study for school except places where something already is.") Jolly is obviously a person who needs a lot of help. She has no family to help ease her burden. LaVaughn takes the babysitting job, but often has doubts about whether she can handle it or not. Eventually, the group becomes somewhat of a family. LaVaughn tries to help Jolly so she can have a better life. In the end, Jolly goes back to school to gain skills that will help her and her children have a better future.
The plot of the story was heartbreaking at times. It was just so difficult to read what the characters had to go through. But, it paints a very realistic picture of what life is like for many unwed teenage mothers forced to scrape by for survival. Readers will want to jump up and shout when Jolly finally enrolls in school and takes the steps to improve her life. Both of the teenage girls grew throughout the story by being around one another. LaVaughn was such a positive influence on Jolly. She really tried to take care of the children and make their lives better despite their situation. The setting of the story is very believable and contemporary. The story is told in first-person and is arranged in open verse. The flow of the book is incredible. The author's detailed descriptions of the setting really bring the story to life. Readers will cringe at the descriptions of the apartment where Jolly and her children reside. Themes that came to mind as I read the book were friendship, dedication, and overcoming obstacles. Each of these themes are relevant today and readers will be able to identify with them. The themes are not forced. They just flow naturally within the storyline.
Make Lemonade is a triumphant, outstanding story. (School Library Journal)
This book is powerful reading. The storyline touches your heart and causes you to have a vested interest in the characters. The book is in no way preachy about the subject of teenage parents, but I would imagine that most readers will come to the conclusion that it's a very sad and difficult situation to be in. I believe that all young adults should be required to read this book and plan to recommend it to friends who teach older students.
References
Kellman, Amy. 1993. Review of THE GIVER, by Lois Lowry. School Library Journal 39 (May): 124.
Mitnick, Eva. 1998. Review of HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE, by J.K. Rowling.
School Library Journal 44 (October): 145.
Noah, Carolyn. 1993. Review of MAKE LEMONADE, by Virginia Euwer Wolff. School Library Journal 39 (July):
103.