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Callaghan, Morley. Such Is My Beloved. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart,1991.

Summary: This is an older story based from the 1930s. This is also regarded as one of Callaghans finest novels. It is about two hard luck prostitutes and a priest, who is trying to straighten out their lives. The story deals with societies sometimes unclear boundaries of good and evil. There are a number of confrontations that are provoking in which the reader becomes emotionally involved.

For Whom Appropriate? 10th-12th grade students

Teach it or circulate it? This story should be taught. As mentioned, there are some great confrontations in the story that leave themselves open for some lively discussions. It also deals with some issues regarding society.

Dense questions: How much does society influence a persons value system?

Would you do things differently if you were in the position of the priest?

Calvert, Patricia. The Hour of the Wolf. New York: Charles Scribners Sons, 1983.

Jake Matthiesen is a confused teenager whose attempted suicide makes his parents realize he needs to find a slower pace of life to solve his problems. They send him to Alaska where he becomes the friend of Danny Yumiat. Danny intends to run the Iditarod but dies in an accident. Jake decides to run the race in the memory of his friend.

Appropriate for grades 7 to 12. Although this book is written at lower reading level than most twelfth graders would appreciate it has many of the issues high school students face and how to positively resolve them.

I would circulate this book with the hope that students would take the time to understand how Jake resolves his problems.

Jake runs the Iditarod in place of his friend Danny, because Danny has committed suicide. How is this an appropriate memorial for Danny?

Danny commits suicide because he felt too pressured to conform with city life. Describe some of the issues that may have caused so much conflict within Danny that he felt he should commit suicide.

Jake and Danny came from different worlds, yet they both attempted suicide - with Danny being successful. Is it possible for two young men from such different worlds to have such similar problems?

Campbell, Maria. Halfbreed. New York: Saturday Review Press, 1973.

Summary: This book is a true-life account of the difficulties a woman of mixed-race experiences throughout her life. It discusses the effects of government policies on her culture, stereotypes, and the struggle her people went through and continue to go through in order to survive.

For Whom Appropriate: 10th Grade and up (Both Sexes).

Teach it or Circulate it: This book contains many graphic accounts of incidences abuse, alcoholism, and violence. It does provide readers with a overview of the struggles individuals of mixed-race experience; however, I do not feel it would be an enjoyable/comfortable read for many students. For these reasons I would guide students through this book, but I would not teach it in my classroom.

Thematically Related Literature:
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
Arilla Sun Down by Virginia Hamilton

Canby, Thomas Y. Our Changing Earth. Washington D.C. : The National Geographic Society, 1994.

This is a book of photographs that portrays the destruction of our earth caused by humans.

Appropriate: Grades All.

Teach it or circulate it? Circulate it.

Dense Questions: What impact do these photographs have on you? Are they effective in opening your eyes towards the fact that we as humans have done mass destruction to our earth?

Canfield, Jack and Mark Victor Hansen and Kimberly Kirberger. Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications, Inc., 1997.

Summary: This book talks about the confusion, frustration, personal realizations, and triumphs teens feel. This book contains numerous poems and stories to which teens can relate.

For Whom Appropriate: 6th Grade and up (Both Sexes).

Teach it or Circulate it: This book has beneficial contents that students may enjoy; however, many of the pieces are too short to elaborate upon. I would utilize this book for writing prompts, but I would not assign mandatary reading. I would circulate this book.

Dense Questions: When you ever had similar feelings to individuals in the book, have you shared them in writing and if so do you feel it is right to publish such personal pieces (would you)? When have you been in a situation in which someone has shared too much information with you, such as you may have felt while reading this book?

Thematically Related Literature:
Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul II by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Kimberly Kirberger
Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul III by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Kimberly Kirberger

Cannon, A.E. Amazing Gracie. New York: Dell Publishing, 1991.

Summary: Gracie, a fifteen-year-old girl, has a mother who suffers from chronic depression. After years of taking care

of her mother, after her father died, Gracie's mom decides to get married to a man who is irresponsible. After moving to Salt Lake City, mom goes into a depression and attempts suicide when she moves into a small duplex and their freezer gets repossessed. Gracie's fear is that she will be like her mother because they are so similar.

For Whom Appropriate? 8th through 10th grade students.

Teach it or Circulate it? I think that It should be circulated because I think that boys will loose interest in the book really quickly. The text is well written and reads smoothly. Girls should be able identify with the characters but adolescent boys will have a real difficulty with this one.

Dense Questions: Gracie goes to live with Sarah, after her mom's suicide attempt. When Gracie almost gets hit by the train, do you think she is like her mother? Why or why not? Gracie hated lying, but she lied to protect her mother.

What things do you do to protect other people? How are you similar or different from Gracie?

Thematically Related Literature: About David- Susan Beth Pfeffer;

Cannon, Bettie. Begin the World Again. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1991.

Summary: A young girl named Lake Gillespie grows up in a commune with her hippie parents in Kentucky. Eventually her mother decides commune life no longer fits her needs and leaves. Lake struggles between needing more privacy and loving the warm supportive community. She decides to leave for Michigan to live with her maternal grandmother where she attends a large new high school.

For Whom Appropriate? 9th and 11th graders- some issues of developing sexuality

Teach It or Circulate? Either means of using this book are appropriate.

Dense Questions: What do you think of Lake's decision to leave Barataria Farm? What other types of situations can you see this type of decision being made in? What do you think Lake will do when she finishes high school? What do you think motivated Sun Dog to do the terrible things he did?

Thematically Related Literature: Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1962.

Summary: An in-depth investigation into the destructive effects of insecticides in our society. Offers countless examples of the ill-effects of insecticide use, including ravaged environmental health and economic irresponsibility. This book is credited with sparking the American environmental movement.

For Whom is it Appropriate? Mature readers (11th & 12th grade) and readers interested the scientific and political aspects of environmentalism.

Teach it or circulate it? Probably most effectively read as part of an environmental unit.

Dense questions: Carson proposes biological or natural, as opposed to chemical, means of dealing with the destructive properties of insects or weeds. Can you think of other environmental problems in which "natural" solutions could be used? Has this book influenced the way you look at weeds or insects?

Thematically related literature: Aldo Leopold, Wendell Berry, Thomas Berry, Terry Tempest Williams, etc.

Cather, Willa. My Antonia. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1918.

Summary: Antonia Shimerdas and Jim Burden first meet as neighbors on the demanding Nebraska prairie. They begin their lifelong friendship as children, Jim teaching Antonia English. Many events transpire to eventually bring the two to town where they continue to grow up. Antonia becomes a nanny and perseveres through various difficulties unique for her as a woman. Her child outside of wedlock earns pity from the townspeople, but Antonia is not defeated. She remains full of life, unbroken and strong, like the Nebraska prairie she so loves.

For Whom Appropriate? 11th and 12th graders.

Teach It or Circulate? Either is fine. Teaching it may enable to draw more out of Cather's rich prose.

Dense Questions: What lessons does the character, Antonia, hold for today's society? For today's women? Who are some strong, undefeatable women in our world today?

Thematically Related Literature: Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Woodswoman by Anne LaBastille, books by Isabel Allende

Summary: Alexandra Bergson was a Swedish immigrant who spent her life taming the wild Nebraska land. While others left disgusted with the land, she kept her faith in the land. Alexandra had a tenacious spirit for a female, but she led a lonely life and lost many people that she loved.

For Whom Appropriate? 11th or 12th grade students

Teach it or circulate it? This book contains round characters who lived a life that few students would ever be able to imagine. It also has a great amount of imagery and symbolism that would be easy for a student to overlook. These reasons make it a book that should be taught in the classroom.

Dense questions: Do you know of separate communities in the present that have different ethnic backgrounds like the communities in O Pioneers? Do you think that most people would have placed duty or responsibility above freedom as Alexandra did? How do you think that society would react to Emil and Marie's relationship today?

Thematically related Literature: My Antonia by Willa Cather; "Neighbor Rosicky" by Willa Cather; A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley,Where the Lilies Bloom by Vera and Bill Cleaver; Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Summary:
Story of Rainbow, a 15-year-old girl whose mother is never around. It deals with her battle with life on her own and the struggles with being a teenager. Rainbow is being raised by people other than her mom, who is off on ?business trips? all the time. This book goes through the life of Rainbow as she grows up. She is dealing with sex and drugs and how to live on her own and take care of herself.

Appropriate for 7-9th grades ?

Teach or Circulate:
I would circulate this book. I do not think that it has enough ?depth? to use this book in the classroom, and not many students could relate to it. It also is a girl?s perspective, so boys would have trouble identifying with it. This would be in the room on a book shelf or recommended for students.

Dense and Shaded Questions:
Would you be able to survive on your own? How would you be able to get food and know how to pay the bills?How would you deal if you were dating someone who did not have any adults in their life? Have any of your friends tried to pressure you into doing something that you were not comfortable with, as Beryl pressures Rainbow? How did you handle the situation? People tend to judge others by how they speak. How do you feel about the scene where Miss Josie criticizes Rainey on her speech? p 93.

Thematically related literature:
Down These Mean Streets - Piri Thomas
Ellen Foster Kaye Gibbons, Out of Nowhere Ouida Sebesteyan

Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. Ontario: Cover Publications, 1993.

Summary: Edna Pontellier is an independent woman living during a time when a womans duties were to be a faithful wife and mother. She chooses to break away from the ideals of her society. Edna is stuck in a loveless marriage and finds physical love from men other than her husband. The reader encounters marital infidelity from a womans point of view.

For Whom Appropriate? 12th grade students

Teach it or circulate it? The book is relatively short and easy to read. It would be helpful for the students to have some background on the societal norms during the 1890s. For this reason the book should be taught by a teacher who has a good understanding of the period.

Dense questions: Why has the controversy surrounding this books publication lessened with time? Do you agree with the choices that Edna makes? If not, do you see Edna as a selfish woman?

Thematically Related Literature: The Other Two -Edith Wharton

Christopher, John. The Tripods Trilogy: The White Mountains. New York: Macmillan,1967.

Summary: The Tripods Trilogy takes place at some point in the distant future. The earth has been taken over by Tripods - large three-legged machines which stamp across the earth and control people through the use of metal caps permanently attached to the skull during adolescence. The hero of the series, Will Parker, has not yet been capped, and only begins to question the Tripods' authority when his cousin, Jack, becomes distant and changed following his capping. Feeling lost and alone without his
best friend, Will meets a vagrant who tells him about the White Mountains, a place with no Tripods. Fearing his own capping, Will and his cousin, Henry, sneak out of town one night and begin an eye opening adventure filled with discoveries of ancient cities, remnants of mysterious machines, and new people and cultures.

Age Level: 12 - 14+

The Tripods Trilogy is an excellent science fiction series. The books will appeal to young male adolescents because they portray young males seeking new places and identities, discovering unknown machines, and fighting Tripods with everything they have got, including grenades. The books are filled with non-stop, exciting adventures. My only concern about the series is one of gender. The women and girls in the books are portrayed as home bodies who don't partake in adventures, or question the authority of the Tripods. I think some interesting, and thought provoking, discussions on this topic could, and should, arise from reading these books, and for that reason I would distribute them to the whole class.

Thematically Related Literature:

The series would be interesting to use in science classes because of the descriptions of the machines that the boys find. I also think the series would be good for a cultural studies/social studies class because communication problems arise due to cultural differences between the characters, as well as issues of ego and maturity.

Students who like this book would also like Star Wars, books by
Jules Verne, Alana series, and books by Ray Bradbury.

Dense Questions:

Have you ever done something because of jealousy that you later regretted? How did Will overcome his jealousy of Henry's and Bean pole's relationship? Do you think you could learn anything from the way that Will handled this problem?

Can you think of any relics from our societies past that might soon become unidentifiable?

Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street.

New York, NY: Vintage Books, 1991

Summary: The novel covers a year in the life of Esperanza, a year in which her family moves to a house on Mango Street. The house is a big house but it is in poor condition. Esperanza dreams of moving into a large house; one that she has her own room and own privacy. The book deals with issues of sexuality, domestic violence, death, creativity, friendship, and racism. A high part of action occurs when Esperanza is raped. One way she separates herself from the experience is to write poetry.

Appropriate: Despite the rape in the book, it is a good book with a strong female protagonist. I would teach this book to 9th or 10th graders.

Teach or Circulate: Definitely I would teach it, just because the plot is not too thick and readers learn a female perspective.

Dense Questions: Esperanza is a strong girl, how has she acted strong, how could you learn from her strength? Have you moved around a lot like Esperanza? Compare how moving around has affected both you and Esperanza.

Thematically related literature: Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories by Sandra Cisneros, Childtimes: A Three Generation Memoir by Eloise Greenfield, Lessie Jones Little

Clark wrote this book in the years preceding World War II and the rise of Nazism and all it has come to represent. Set in the old west of the United States a rancher is supposedly murdered and lynching mob pursues the perpetrators of the crime with the intent to hang them without a trial. Clark describes how a group of cowboys and ranchers can be led to unjustly lynch three innocent ranchers.

Appropriate for 11th to twelfth graders. This book has a very good conclusion but it is very difficult to follow the character descriptions necessary to understand Clarks intent. It is a powerful book but the student would receive the most benefit if it was studied in a classroom setting under the supervision of teacher. I can particularly see this novel used to explain the rise of Adolf Hitler and the acceptance of his ideas.

How do you think the characters in The Oxbow Incident are similar to either Adolf Hitler or the leaders of his regime?

How do you believe this novel justifies or does not justify this defense used by Nazis tried for war crimes: I was following orders.?

Which character is more moral at the conclusion of the novel; the character who reconciles the entire affair by explaining that he paid ten dollars back to the loser of a poker game or the character that struggles with his guilt?

Cleaver, Vera and Bill. Where the Lilies Bloom. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company, 1969

Summary: Mary Call Luther is a fourteen year old orphan living in the Smoky Mountains with her three siblings. Prior to her father's death, she promised not to let the state separate the family. Mary Call is able to keep the family together with her determination and creativeness.

For Whom Appropriate: 6th or 7th graders

Teach it or Circulate it: I would teach this book to 6th graders to ensure that they understand the complexity of the situation and its ramifications. I think that by 7th grade they could read this on their own, with minimal direction.

Dense Questions: Have you ever made a promise to someone that you found very hard to keep? Why do you think it is so important to Mary Call to keep her family together without letting anyone know her father has died?

Thematically Related:Peck ,Robert Newton. A Day No Pigs Would Die

Cofer, Judith Ortiz. An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio. New York: Orchard Books, 1995.

Summary: This book is a group of short stories about the lives of various Puerto Rican-American kids growing up in their neighborhood or "barrio" as they call it. It details some of the trials of life with only one parent, growing up with the influence of drugs and gangs, and the "non-coolness" of doing well in school, among other things.

For Whom It's Appropriate? 9th to 12th grade students

Teach It or Circulate It? This book includes many topics that may be harder for the students to get the full meaning of without teacher direction. Therefore I would have to say that I would include discussions for this book for all grades. When introducing drugs and running away from home to live with older men, one needs to make sure that the real message is getting across.

Dense Questions: In one of the stories, Anita plans to run away from home to go live with the much older Frank. If you were her mother or father what would you say to her if you found out (Answer in a dialogue between you and Anita)? Looking at how easy it was for some to enter the drug world and it's allure to them, can you think of any reason they may have used to justify their doings, and what would they be? The last story looks at the barrio's repulsion of an old resident who came back with AIDS. What reasons do you think the residents had for not wanting him near the kids?

Thematically Related Literature: Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida-Victor Martinez, Hunger of Memory-Richard Rodriguez

Cormier, Robert. After The First Death.

New York, NY: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. 1991

Summary: The novel offers a bleak but powerful exploration of concepts such as personal and national identity. The center question througout the novel asks, where and how do we belong in the world? Can we be comfortable with ourselves, let alone with the ideals of our nation and our society? The novel is blunt in its examination of people and of idealism. It is not an elegant story; it is harsh and unforgiving.

Appropriate: This novel will appeal to older adolescents who are ready to move beyond traditional narrative. It is not an encouraging novel, yet it is a gripping and provocative one. I believe that care must be taken when recommending this novel. It could, conceivably, be detrimental to the emotional health of adolescents who are experiencing severe identity crises. The novel offers no guidance, only questions.

Teach or Circulate: Teach, but with caution paying attention to student's religious thoughts.

Dense Questions: How does Miro portray a dual identity, do you think Miro plays a different identity because he has to or wants to, in what ways are you pressured into being a certain way? What else would do you to save yourself if you were in Kate, the bus driver's, situation.

Thematically related literature: We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier, The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

_______________________________________

Cormier, Robert.  I Am the Cheese.  Dell Publishing:  New York.  1977.

Summary:  Adam is taking a mysterious package to his father.  During his trip he is plagued by memories of what has led him to this point. The memories coincide with a psychiatric interview later in the book, leading to a surreal mind-bending experience. 

For Whom Appropriate:  7th-10th grade students

Teach it or Circulate it?:  I would teach this book in school in a unit with The Giver by Lois Lowry.  Both books deal with reality and the search for truth.  Some kids will be put off by the downbeat ending, but it is worth it.

Shaded or Dense Questions:  Have you ever had an experience where reality doesn’t seem to mesh with what you see?  What are the clues that Adam speaks of in the story, how do they tie the story together.

Thematically Related Literature:  Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, The Giver by Lois Lowry, The Lord of the Flies by William Golding.

By, Amy Schmidt

Conrad, Pam. Holding Me Here. New York: Harper & Row, 1986.

Summary: Robins parents are divorced, she lives with her mother and has a great relationship with her father. She never confronts her feelings about the divorce until the boarder comes to live with her and her mother. She snoops in Mary's room and reads her diary whereupon she learns about Mary's past and about herself too.

Appropriate for whom?: This book would be great for Junior High students. It is easy to read and there are a lot of emotions that a younger peers can relate to.

Teach it or circulate it?: I would make this book available to student it is easily read and needs not outside help to get the full effect. I would circulate this book.

Dense Questions: Robin snoops around Mary's room and finds some verypersonal things about Mary's past. When she looks back on it she says

wishes she would have done things differently. Think back on an event regret and wish you could take back; can you relate with Robin, are you sympathetic towards her?

Take a minute and pretend you are Robin and answer these questions. Why did you do what you did? Why didn't you leave well enough alone? What did you learn from it all?

Thematically related literature: One Bird- Kyoko Mori, In The Wings-Katie Goldman, The Divorce Express- Paula Danziger, What's Best For You Judie Angell, The Melinda Zone-Margaret Willey, My Mother Is Not Marrie to My Father- Jean Davies Okimoto, Unfinished Portrait of Jessica- Richard Peck, A Smart Kid Like You- Stella Pevsner, Please Don't Kiss Me Now-Merill Joan Gerber, The T.V. Guidance Counselor- A.C. LeMieux, Now That I know- Norma Klein.

Cormier, Robert. I Am the Cheese. New York: Pantheon, 1991.

Summary: A harrowing tale of a teenage boy's search for his father and his identity. Much more than that, it is also a tale of espionage and government conspiracy. Although it is dark and disturbing (this book, especially its ending was very upsetting to me, 28 year old English major), the tale is gripping and hypnotic. The issues are confusion and struggle for identity are ones that many an adolescent faces.

For Whom Appropriate: Although the protagonist is a 13 year old boy because of the disturbing nature of the novel, I'd recommend it to only the most mature 9th and 10th graders, but certainly 11th and 12th graders could handle it.

Teach or Circulate? I'd recommending teaching this book in 9th or 10th grade to help guide students through it, and to soften the book's distressing conclusion.

Dense Questions: Have you ever experience as situation, like Adam does, in which things weren't as they seemed? Based on what you know, how realistic do you think I Am the Cheese is in portraying the way the government operates?

Thematically Related Literature: The Pig Man and Me by Paul Zindel; We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier; Patriot Games by Tom Clancy; The Firm by John Grisham

Cormier, Robert. Tenderness. New York: Bantam, Doubleday, Dell, 1997.

Summary: A few years ago, Lori Cranston came across a handsome young stranger who talked to her. Now, she sees the face again, being released from a juvenile facility after serving his sentence for murder. Compelled by curiosity and the need to belong, Lori seeks him out. Together, they travel t an ironic end.

For Whom Is This Appropriate? 11th or 12th grade

Teach or Circulate? I would almost say teach, because it^Rs an interesting novel with twists that will keep readers engaged. It also has valuable lesson and could be the source of heated, lively discussion.

Dense Question: Compare Lori and Eric^Rs home lives. Do you think Lori could have done what Eric did? Have you ever felt ^Sfixated^T like Lori did? What did
you do?

Related Literature:

Cormier, Robert. The Chocolate War. New York:
Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, 1974.

Summary: Jerry Renault, a freshman at a male prep
school, must refuse to sell chocolates for his assignment by the secret society known as the Vigils. When the assignment is up, however, Jerry continues to refuse to sell for the school, defying
both the Vigils and the school. He becomes a hero, but is soon rejected and harassed. Ultimately, he stands his ground at immeasurable costs.

Appropriate: 10-12 grade

Teach or Circulate? I would teach this book because
it is ripe for character analysis and thematic exploration that could yield tremendous variety and creativity.

Dense Questions: How much do you think people should
follow the norms and expectations of society? At what
point do you think people should go against the norms and expectations of society? Can somebody win and lose
at the same time?

Thematically related literature: Harper Lee, To Kill A
mockingbird; J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye;
Shakespeare, Hamlet; Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game.

Cormier, Robert. We All Fall Down. New York: Delacorte, 1991.

Summary: On a drunken rampage, four upper-middle class boys break into the home of Jane Jerome; they utterly destroy the house. When Karen, Jane's younger sister, comes home unexpectedly, they sexually assault her, and push her down a flight of stairs. Only one of the boys, Buddy, feels remorse, but his life even prior to that night, has become one of alcoholism and despair. He slips deeper and deeper towards drunken destruction until one day he falls in love with. . .Jane Jerome, herself. Now, he has to guard his terrible secret or lose Jane forever. Things are complicated further when an unknown "Avenger," who knows who trashed the Jerome house, decides to take revenge on the boys.

For Whom appropriate: The story contains harsh language, details of sexual assault, and issues of teen alcoholism and divorce. Like Cormier's other books, some students many find the content especially disturbing. This book would be best suited for more mature readers: 10th to 12th grade.

Teach or Circulate? It'd be interesting to teach this book as it deals
with many issues that effect adolescents. Although, it would be very challenging to teach, teaching this book would definitely require parental permission slips. It is well-written, however.

Dense questions: If you had a secret, like Buddy does, that would hurt a loved one, how would you handle it? If you were Buddy, how would you confront problems such as peer pressure and divorce?

Thematically related literature: Rats Saw God by Rob Thomas; The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Crane, Stephen. Maggie: A Girl of the Streets (A story of New York). 1893. Bedford Cultural Edition. Kevin J. Hays, ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 1999.

Summary: Vivid, realistic portrayal of a poor tenement-dwelling family. Traces factors that lead Maggie to a life of prostitution and her eventual death--violence, alcoholism, poverty, and the moral conventions that viewed loss of chastity as an irreversible "high crime." The meager hopes that Maggie does have to transcend her impoverished upbringing are placed upon Pete, who turns out to be a misleading drunken pimp.

For whom is it appropriate? Probably best for 11th and 12th grade.

Teach it or circulate it? Teach. References to prostitution and lost chastity are quite subtle. Much violence and drunkenness. Language is relatively advanced. This particular edition offers much helpful cultural context for teachers.

Dense questions: How important was staying "chaste" for young women at this time in American history? Does this seem fair? What role does alcoholism play in the book?

Thematically related literature: Theodore Dreiser's Sister Carrie. Anything by fellow realists: Garland, London, Howells, etc. Sinclair Lewis's The Jungle. The Scarlet Letter. John Hassler's Jemmy.

Summary: Salamanca is a thirteen year old girl how was forced to move states with her father after her mother left. A few months later, Salamanca takes a road trip with her grandparents to see her mother who was resting peacefully in Idaho. During this ride, she tells her grandparents the story of her friend Phoebe. As she is telling this story, she?s learns a little about herself, and her mother.

For whom is it appropriate? 6th grade and up

Teach or Circulate it? I would teach it or circulate it.

Dense Questions:
What would you do in a situation that you felt abandoned?
If you had an estranged family member, would you be accepting of them as though they were part of your family?

Crutcher, Chris. Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. New York: GreenWillow, 1993.

Summary: The two 'ugliest' kids in school become friends because of their shared social life. When one of them goes into a mental hospital because of her problems, they learn what true friendship is about.

For Whom Appropriate? 10-12th grade.

Teach it or Circulate it? Because of the very heavy religious and moral problems faced by the characters in the book, this should be taught in a class with a lot of discussion time.

Dense questions: How does society treat Sarah and Calhoune? How have you treated others like them? Is it fair? Why or why not ( don't forget your own treatment of 'outcasts'.

Thematically Related Literature: Memoirs of a Bookbat- Kathyrn Lasky.

Crutcher, Chris. Chinese Handcuffs. New York: Dell, 1989.

Summary: Two stories in one. Dillon Hemingway, a triathlete, strives to come to terms with his older brother's suicide, while at the same time trying to help a female friend, Jennifer Lawless, escape her stepdad's sexual abuse.

For whom appropriate? Older high school students, grades 10-12.

Teach it or circulate it? Could be taught, but it's maybe a little bit touchy...Crutcher puts together many issues that teens can identify with, and this book will appeal to both males and females.

Dense questions:1) Is there a time when it is necessary to break your word?

2)Does Jennifer's mother have any valid excuse for her blindness? Are there times when it is easier to be blind than to face up to things? Take examples from your own life, other books, television or movies.

Thematically related literature: Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes; When She Hollers

Cushman, Karen. The Midwife's Apprentice. New York: HarperCollins, 1995.

Summary: A young girl, otherwise known as Beetle or Dung Beetle struggles for food, shelter, and a desire for a content heart finds herself staying warm in dung heap. It isn^Rt until she is discovered by the village^Rs midwife, Jane that she starts to work for some food. With little confidence in herself she learn about childbirth. Beetle struggles to find a place to fit in and doing so she learns a valuable lesson to her survival the hard way.

Teach it or circulate it? This book is fast and easy reading with a good lesson on determination. It would need some explanation on what a midwife is and how the name came about. However, I see it as a good book to read to the class an have a discussion on Alyces^R struggles with self-confidence and the importanc
of not giving up when things get hard. Otherwise I would circulate it.

Dense questions:
1. When is it, if ever, right to treat someone badly because they have no money or a home, just as Alyce was treated?
2. Have you ever found comfort in an animal as a friend or companion like Alyce found in her cat? If so how can an animal serve as a friend to a human?

Thematically related Literature:
Birdie, Karen Cushman
Books by Loyd Alexander