The Center of Everything

I recently finished reading The Center of Everything by Linda Urban. Prior to reading, I had never heard of the author or the book, but I found the title as I was browsing through booklists and I decided to check it out.

This story is about Ruby Pepperdine, a twelve-year-old girl who is struggling to cope with the loss of her grandma, Gigi. In Gigi's last hours, Ruby thought her grandmother was trying to communicate with her, but she wouldn't listen. Everything begins spiraling for Ruby and, for once, she is uncertain of what she is supposed to do. Ruby makes a new friend in her quest to understand what Gigi was telling her, while at the same time, her best friend gets mad at her. Ruby feels that her only hope remains in reading her Bunning Day Essay.

I think this book is a really fun story for young readers as it takes the reader on the journey with Ruby. When I was reading, I found myself making connections to my own life, and with young readers, they could make those connections too. Looking back on the type of books that I enjoyed reading in Elementary school, this would have definitely been one of my favorites.

The book also has a really great lesson that sometimes we should just stop and listen, live in the moment. Another aspect that I really enjoyed is when Ruby finally communicates with her family, and she finds out that she isn't the only one who misses Gigi. This is a great lesson for young children because it's true that when they look at adults, they see them continuing their lives like nothing happened, and they try to mimic that behavior; however, in reality, they should know that it is okay to be sad, and when they are sad, they can talk to someone about it. The Center of Everything truly is a fantastic book for young readers.

"If you stopped watching her, you might see it yourself. You might hear it, too. Hear it all coming together.

Listen."

Who Is Stan Lee?

I recently read the book Who is Stan Lee? I read this book with my cousin, who didn't know much about the famous comic book creator. A few weeks after finishing this book, I saw the news of Lee's passing. So, I have decided to blog about this book that details the life of the creator of Marvel Comics. 

As I read this book, I appreciated that it started at the beginning of Stan's life. It not only mentioned the successes he experienced, but also the hard times. I also enjoyed that the author included relevant information to Stan's life, rather than only the basics. For example, the author introduced the life of Stan Lee by stating his birth name and date of birth, but then went further by discussing his start at Timely Comics, and how he worked his way up to Editor. 

From this book, my cousin and I learned a lot that we didn't know about Stan Lee. For example, I didn't know that when he was in the army, Stan's title was "Playwright". My cousin and I found this interesting because it is a fitting title for the comic writer. 

I truly enjoyed reading this book because it was like a mini-biography, but it was also an easy read. It was simple to follow, but it also contained plenty of information about Lee. I think each of the books in this series has the potential to be very informative for anyone who is interested in getting to know about famous people, both past and present. 

The Thing About Jellyfish

Wow! I just finished reading The Thing About Jellyfish, and I am speechless. This book is such a well-written and beautiful work.

As I finished reading the novel, I couldn't help but relate to all of the emotions that Suzy feels. This young girl is desperately searching for answers to how her friend died. Her feelings of anger and sadness are so strong that they resonate with me.

Suzy furthers her research on Jellyfish and eventually has to present her report on the topic. As she presents, this is the most she has spoken in over a year. I felt proud of how much progress she has made. But then the emotions changed and I felt the anger and embarrassment caused by her classmates.

I also learned what happened between Suzy and her friend Franny and what caused the bad blood between them prior to her death. Benjamin does such a great job of drawing a sense of empathy for Suzy as I read through the flashbacks.

As I progressed to the end of the novel, I couldn't stop reading. I felt like I was there with Suzy as she searches for her own peace. She opens up, letting herself be vulnerable, and I got chills when she finally came to accept that she couldn't go through all of this alone. The ending of the novel wasn't what I came to expect, but nevertheless, it was a brilliant conclusion to this beautiful story.

This book really is one of the best books I have read in a while. The story that Ali Benjamin crafts is absolutely stunning. This is such a spectacular novel that I would recommend to anyone.

The Thing About Jellyfish

 I've been reading Ali Benjamin's novel The Thing About Jellyfish. So far, I have only read the first three sections, but I am completely hooked on this story.

So far, I have noticed how Benjamin utilizes descriptive language throughout the text. The images she creates with the detail she uses gives a true sense of how Suzy, the main character, feels throughout each chapter. Using strong diction like "grotesque" gives the reader a picture of who or what is being described. 

I have also noticed the running metaphor that Benjamin creates of Suzy being the jellyfish. Reading as a writer, I think think this is a great way to keep the interest of the audience, and it also creates a feeling of anticipation for the reader. Since I have not gotten very far within the book, I am still waiting to find out why Suzy continues to compare herself to the jellyfish. 

The use of flashbacks fills the audience in on important details of the story that happened prior to the present day of the novel. I appreciated this because this gave me a better understanding of the events that led up to the conflict Suzy faces throughout the story. In other novels I have read, the use of flashbacks threw me off, but with The Thing About Jellyfish, I am glad the author incorporated the detail.

As Dr. Kingsley mentioned in her own blog post about Benjamin's novel, the author clearly did an extensive amount of research about jellyfish to be able to tell this story. Without this research, the novel would be lacking a large portion of its focus.

With this novel, I could teach a mini-lesson on using leads in a narrative. Each of the chapters I have read so far does an excellent job of "hooking" the reader. One opening of text I would use in particular would be:

"During the first three weeks of seventh grade, I'd learned one thing above all else: a person can become invisible by simply staying quiet." 

This section of text is the opening of the first chapter in the whole book. Instantly, the reader's attention is grabbed, leaving them wanting to read more. For a mini-lesson, I would take this quote, or others like it, and have the students practice "hooking" their audience. With this, they could practice introducing the main idea of their narrative, without giving the reader too little or too much information. 

This novel would be a great mentor text because of the way that the author can leave the reader wanting to read more. I cannot wait to continue reading to find out what happens with Suzy and the jellyfish. 

Harbor Me

"Once there were six of us. Once we circled around each other, and listened. Or maybe what matters most is that we were heard."

I just finished reading Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson. I had been seeing many teachers sharing their thoughts on the book, and I wanted to read it for myself.

I had a relative idea of what the book would be about, as I have read other works by Jacqueline Woodson before, but I had no idea that this book would take me on such an emotional journey. 

Six kids. A group of six "special" boys and girls are put into their own classroom to sit and talk freely about anything. In the ARTT room (A Room To Talk), these six students are allowed to discuss things the would never tell anyone else. 

As these students sit in a circle, they listen to each other tell stories about the cruelty of life. As I read each student's story, my heart shattered. Each of these students is facing a challenge that no child should ever have to experience. But as they each share their story, the others sit in the circle and listen and support each other. Although it is heartbreaking that these children are going through such unimaginable situations, it is heartwarming to see them supporting each other, harboring each other. 

I loved reading this book. Jacqueline Woodson does such a great job of giving a voice to each of the characters, while at the same time, giving a voice to those whom these characters stand in place of. These characters are the inspirational voices of the men, women, and children who experience similar realities of life. This is a fantastic book with a powerful message, and I encourage you all to read it. 

Frindle

I just finished reading Frindle by Andrew Clements. This book follows the journey of a boy named Nicholas Allen. The beginning of this book poses the question, "Was Nick Allen a troublemaker?" Throughout the book, the narrator aims to answer this question. 

Nick Allen is a fifth-grade boy who would be described as the class clown, and he is known for entertaining his classmates with his creative ideas. On his first day of class with Mrs. Granger, however, he realizes it won't be as easy to get away with his antics as he is used to. Nick is challenged by Mrs. Granger, and nearly feels defeated until he has the idea to use her own words against her. After learning that every person determines what a particular word means by the way it is used, he picks up a pen, and names it "frindle". Nick's new word eventually catches on, causing a frenzy. Throughout the rest of the year, Mrs. Granger continues to challenge Nick, but he never gives in.

I remember in sixth grade, my teacher read this book to our class. After finishing the book, our entire class had found a wave of creativity. We all went around the room and made up fun names for different objects. 

Since I enjoyed reading this book so much as a child, I decided to read it again. This time around, I noticed elements of the book that I wouldn't have considered as a sixth-grader. Even as an adult I am able to find humor in Nick's actions. I related to some of Mrs. Granger's frustrations. I am still inspired by the determination of Nick as he followed his dreams. 

This book is a great read for students because not only is it entertaining, but it also encourages the young minds who read it to be creative and to never give up on their dreams. 

Inside Out & Back Again: Part III and Part IV

I recently finished the rest of the book Inside Out & Back Again. The last two parts of this book took me on an emotional roller coaster. Thanhha Lai does an excellent job of using descriptive language to create a picture of what Hà is experiencing.

In Part III, my heart broke for Hà several times as I read about the mistreatment she and her family face. These Vietnamese refugees are taken to Alabama, and they immediately are treated like unwelcome guests. Hà begins school, and I nearly cried when I read how her classmates, and even her teacher, tease her and say incredibly rude comments. It takes a while for the family to fully adjust to American life, but for Hà, it never seems to get easier.

She does find some hope for happiness along the way, as she begins to be tutored by a retired school teacher. Hà also makes friends who allow her days at school to be more bearable. At the end of Part III, Hà and her family find out troubling news, but they can all rely on each other to help get through the difficult times.

While Part IV is short, it is able to bring the whole book to an end. While it may not be the ending I expected, I was not disappointed.  I loved reading this book! It is an excellent book that gave me a sense of what life was like for Vietnamese refugees after the Vietnam war. I think everyone should read this book and go on Hà's journey to new places and new experiences.

Inside Out & Back Again (Part I and Part II)

I have recently started reading the book Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai. This book is written in poetry format from the point of view of a young Vietnamese girl, Kim Hà. Because of the format, I was hesitant to read this book at first. However, once I started reading, I was instantly engaged.

In these first two Parts, I am taken on a journey as Hà and her family are forced to flee their Saigon home on a Navy ship, seeking refuge from the communists taking over their country. 

In Part I, Hà describes the conditions she and her family are facing after the U.S. soldiers left Vietnam. I can't help but feel a connection to the 10-year-old girl as she vividly describes the struggles of the poor Vietnamese citizens. I couldn't help but hope with her. As I read, I was able to feel the same love, the same worries, and the same frustrations as she and her family experience. I couldn't help but wonder what I would do if I was in the same situation. At the end of Part I, I was on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what would happen next.

In Part II, Hà and her family are on the ship with other refugees. Again, I feel the hope and the worry these men, women, and children face. Would I have been able to survive a crowded ship, and at the same time be near starving with small rations of rice. Through all the worry, however, Hà also lightens the mood with her innocent humor. I laughed out loud when I read how she viewed the American man. It wouldn't be easy being a 10-year-old girl, fleeing from the only home you've ever known, but Hà stays brave and hopeful for a better future. This hope remains as Hà and her family wait to be rescued and taken in by another family.

I look forward to reading the rest of this book and finding out what lies ahead for Hà and her family as they find refuge in America.