F-H Bookcards

F-H

Fairbanks, Evelyn. The Days Of Rondo. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1990.

Summary: The story of St. Paul's Rondo District's Evelyn Fairbanks, from her birth in the 1920's to her adulthood in the 1940's. It is a story that tells what it was like to live and grow up in a black community in Minnesota during that time period. While telling her life, the book also tells about the lives of the others in Evelyn's life, and those that surround her in Rondo.

For Whom It's Appropriate? 8th to 12th grade students

Teach It or Circulate It? The book is written in a very easy to follow style, which makes it pretty much a quick read. The subject matter is not to hard or challenging, and so I would recommend this book to be circulated with only a little follow up discussion for grades 9 and up. With the 8th graders, I would include a little more historical discussion with the teacher.

Dense Questions: Looking at Evelyn's childhood in the 30's, how does it differ or resemble your's and your neighborhood's? Why do you think Evelyn wanted to take the job at her brother's prison, knowing all that she knew about it, and if you were put in the same position, would you have done the same? At the end of the book Evelyn tells about her old neighborhood's destruction. What feelings do you think went through her mind about it, and what would your feelings be if the same thing happened to your neighborhood?

Thematically Related Literature: Hoops-Walter Dean Myers, Somewhere in the Darkness-Walter Dean Myers

Faulkner, William. Light in August. New York: Random House, 1932.

Summary Lena, a pregnant woman, journeys far from home in search of the father of her child. She finds herself in a small town, where the lives of Byron Bunch and Christmas are revealed.

For Whom Appropriate? 11th or 12th grade.

Teach It or Circulate It? This is very difficult reading but offers a challenge and an exposure to well-written material. It may be too difficult for students to read on their own. For these reasons, the book would be an asset in the classroom.

Dense Questions: How did people's reactions to Christmas change when they learned he had black blood in him? Why do you think Lena really left home? What would you do under those circumstances considering the time period.

Thematically Related Literature: Scarlett Letter--Nathaniel Hawthorne; The Color Purple--Alice Walker.

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Ferris, Jean. Bad. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1998.

Summary:

Dallas, a sixteen-year old girl, was peer pressured into holding a gun in an attempted robbery. She has been sentenced to six months in a Girls Rehabilitation Center, where she meets some girls with very tough lives. She finds strength from her cellmate, Shatasia, a seventeen-year-old girl with a two-year-old daughter, and from her accepting teachers.

Appropriate for:

I think it depends on the community. If, for example, you were teaching in a very urban school with lots of "diversity," I would say seventh grade and up. If you were teaching in a suburb or a small town, I would say 9th grade and up. The content is rather mature, but I think the connections would be very real for an urban teenager.

Teach it or circulate it:

Like I said, in an urban school, teach it. If the student population is mostly Caucasian middle-class, I'd say circulate

Shaded or dense questions:

Are you different or similar than these girls, and where do you both fit in the world? What are some "bad" things that you have done or society says you have done, and did you feel like Dallas (like you weren't really bad) when you were doing them? Dallas began to see the choices she had in spite of the obstacles of her reality. Do you see important choices in your life? If Dallas looked at her life in ten years, what choices do you think she'd make? What choices would you make?

Thematically related literature: Hole in My Life, by Jack Gantos. Touching Spirit Bear, by Ben Mikaelsen. Monster, by Walter Dean Myers. Holes, by Louis Sachar. Black and White, by Paul Volponi.

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. This Side of Paradise. New York: Scribners Sons, 1920.

Summary: A young Princeton student, Amory Blaine, enjoys philosophy and women with his fellow Princetonians. Unfortunately, his true love, Rosaline, refuses him for shallow reasons. He goes off to fight in the war, and comes back a bitter businessman with little to look forward to.

For whom appropriate? Late high school, grades 11, 12, or Advanced Placement.

Teach it or circulate it? Teach. This book probably does require a little guidance, though older students might enjoy it on their own. It's much less boring than the classic "classics."

Dense questions: 1)What type of person would be considered a "Slicker" today? Give personality and physical characteristics.

2) Do you sympathize with Amory, or does his unwavering love for Rosaline throughout the years frustrate you? Can you relate any other stories to Amory's?

Thematically related literature:

Foley, Mick. Have a nice day: A tale of blood and Sweatsocks . New York:

Regan, 1999.

Summary: This is the real autobiography one of the most popular figures in the not-so-real sport of Pro Wrestling. This book not only lets you inside the world of pro wrestling, but it is a human drama about an average guy, Mick Foley, and how his struggled to become famous in the business of wrestling.

For whom is it appropriate? 10 th grade and older.

Teach it or circulate it? Circulate. Although this is an entertaining book, there is little that can be extracted for classroom work. However, it does have a positive message about life and how hard work pays off.

Dense Question: If you were in a situation similar to Mick Foley, where you had to leave everything (your family, home, and job) behind to follow your dreams could you do it? What might be some difficulties that you would encounter in your journey?

Thematically Related:

The Rock says: The most electrifying man in sports entertainment. by The Rock

and Joe Layden

Steve Austin: The Story of the wrestler the call “Stone Cold.” By Dan Ross.

Positively Page: The Journey of Diamond Dallas Page. By Dallas Page.

Fox, Paula. One-Eyed Cat. New York: Bantam Doubleday, 1984.

Summary: The main character, Ned Wallis, an eleven year old boy, struggles with issues of sickness, aging, death, and responsibility, in Paula Fox's book. Ned, the son of a Reverend and an invalid mother with Rheumatoid arthritis, receives a daisy rifle from his uncle on his 11th birthday, and against the orders of his father, sneaks out one night to try it just one time, later finding out that he may be responsible for putting out the eye of a wild cat. Ned struggles with his guilt and the responsibility of caring for the cat while he confronts what it feels like to not be able to tell anyone
what he has done.

Age Level: 10 - 14

This book belongs to the problem novel genre. I would recommend teaching this book to a class as a whole because it deals with many issues of growing up like responsibility for one's own actions, aging, death, sickness, kindness, and love between family members. The book moves slowly in places, and might
be a difficult text for less advanced readers. The book would lend itself to rights, and discussions of aging in our society.

Thematically Related Literature: I think the book would work well with poems on similar subjects, especially poems with strong imagery - possibly something from Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass. It would also work well with Tom Sawyer- Mark Twain, My Brother Sam is Dead, Sign of the Beaver - Elizabeth George
Speare, The Winter Room, Call Me Francis Tucket, and many other Gary Paulsen books.

Dense Questions:

Can you think of a time in your own life when you did something you were afraid to admit because you were
afraid of what someone would think of you?

Ned disagrees with the way Billy treats the snake. Are there times
when you disagree with what your friends do. How do you handle
that? How was Doris's relationship with her father different than Nel's relationship with his family? How might Doris have
behaved differently, or why do you think Doris reacted to her father the way she did? Are there ever times when you feel that you should be treating someone differently than you do? Are there times when it might be uncomfortable to help someone else?

Frank, Lucy. I am an Artichoke. New York: Holiday House, 1995.

Summary: Sarah finds herself a job as a babysitter for a twelve-year-old girl, Emily, in New York. She enjoys her new life in the city looking after Emily. Emily is a prett young girl whom Sarah describes as too independent for a babysitter. Sarah finds out that Emily has anorexia and is caught between her mother and father.

For Whom Appropriate? 8th grade

Teach it or circulate it? Teach it. It is an easy read and provides insight into anorexia.

Dense Questions: Hou would you describe Emily? How does this differ from her image of herself? In gerneral, how are people with eating disorders treated? How do you think that Emilys parents affect her? What are they doing wrong?

Thematically related Literature:

Frank, Anne. The Diary of a Young Girl. New York: Bantam Books, 1952.

Summary: This is the diary of a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl named Anne Frank. It was written when her family was forced into hiding because the Nazis take over in Holland. It provides firsthand imformation of what ocurred and the conditions that surrounded her. It is a wonderfully written and heartbreaking account of her two years in the Secret Annexe.

For Whom Appropriate? 9th or 10th grade

Teach it or Cirrculate it? Teach it. It is a really compelling book. The teacher should be ready to review World War II and the Nazis.

Dense Questions? What do you know about World War II? Does the war have any impact on you today? What is your reaction to the Hitler and the Nazis? How would you describe their political agenda? Are their any events in recent history that have mimiced the dreadful events of WWII?

Thematically Related Literature: The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Bloom or Alicia: My Story by Alicia Appleman-Jurman

Frank,Pat. Alas, Babylon. Bantam. New York, 1959.
(summary and questions by Dave Frankenfeld)

Randy Bragg, the main character, leads a small group of friends and family
through the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust. The workings of a small town in
Florida return to a time before gasoline, electricity, or any government
services whatsoever. The reader is presented with a glimpse of American
culture on the brink of extinction and the horrendously realistic strife of
the realization of the Cold War’s worst scenario.

Appropriate for grades 8-12

This book could be circulated amongst the students. The plot moves quickly,
with only a few main characters to keep track of and dissecting the
ramifications of the narrative is a relatively straightforward affair. Some
dark themes and graphic passages.

Questions: In the book, how is racial tension affected by the destruction of
a majority of America’s population? How is life after the nuclear holocaust
similar to life in the early days of America’s formation? How is it
different?

Thematically related literature: “The Wasteland”, T.S. Elliot

George, Jean Craighead. Julie of the Wolves. New York: Harper Collins, 1972.

Summary: Miyax, a thirteen year old Eskimo from Alaska, struggles to survive in the Alaskan wilderness after finding herself lost. On her way to San Francisco to see her pen pal, Julie, as she is known to her non-traditional friends and family, is accepted by a pack of wolves for food and companionship. In her journey she also finds herself torn between two worlds: the world of modernization at her pen pal Amy's house, and the rich upbringing from her father and the traditional Eskimo way of life.

For Whom Appropriate? Junior high students

Teach it or circulate it? This book was easy to read and moved fast through the plot. It easily spelled out Miyax's problems of old and new worlds and therefore could be circulated. It would be a great book to teach from the multicultural aspects of the characters.

Dense questions: How is the body language used with the wolves just as important as the body language used between humans? How has modernization changed the way we live in Northern Minnesota like it did Julie's culture in Alaska?

Thematically related Literature: Julie-- Jean Craighead George

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Gabaldon, Diana. Outlander. New York: Dell, 1991.

Summary: The heroine, Claire, a practical, passionate, and very modern Englishwoman thrown from post-WWII into 18th century Scotland, where she meets and falls in love with Jamie Fraser, a Highland clansman and outlaw. Diana Gabaldon is a talented storyteller and creates credible, complex characters and rich historical settings. The story looks at everyday life in the 18th century compared to WWII life and what we have gained/lost in that development.

For Whom Appropriate: This book’s subject matter at times is a little advanced so I would say probably more in the later high school range.

Teach it or Circulate it? Honestly, since the book ranges on Historical Romance Fiction, I may have it on my shelves but I think if I allowed anyone to read it I would first have to know the students can be mature and/or get parental permission.

Shaded or Dense Questions: In the advancement of civilization are there things that we have lost that we should have kept? What are some values that have changed from the 18th century, to post WWII, to now?

Thematically related Literature: The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Memoirs of a Geisha: A Novel (Vintage Contemporaries) by Arthur Golden.

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Garwood, Julie. Kill Joy. New York: Ballantine Books, 2002

Summary: Avery works as an analyst for the FBI but hasn’t quite made it as an actual agent. Things change though when her aunt is kidnapped and the kidnapper sets their eyes on Avery. In turns out that the kidnapper is Avery’s crazy Mom who is suppose to have died in a car accident when she was six years old. While looking for her aunt on what her mom call’s a treasure hunt. Avery teams up with a retired special agent named John Paul who helps her solve the case and bury her past fears.

For Whom is it appropriate: I would say more toward high school but there was no reason middle school children couldn’t read it.

Teach it or circulate it? I would circulate it more than teach it. There is a moment of questionable material but I think it would be ok to have on my shelves.

Shaded or Dense Questions: Would you rather have someone who hurt you go to jail for life or be killed in return? Could you kill someone else to save yourself?

Thematically related literature: The Scarpetta Series from Patricia Cornwell.

Gardner, John. Grendel . New York : Vintage Books, 1971.

AVENTURE NOVEL

Summary : This is the story about the Grendel monster from Beowulf . The novel tells Grendel's point of view. He describes growing up being alone, except for his mother. He turns into a terrifying and villainous monster because people treat him like a monster, even though he just wants to have friends. The book ties nicely into the Beowulf story.

For whom is it appropriate ? 9 th through 12 th grade.

Teach it or circulate it ? I would teach it. I think this would make a great accompaniment to the Beowulf story. It shows the Grendel's point of view.

Dense question : Grendel blames his maliciousness on people treating him like a monster. Do you think it is a justifiable excuse to blame society for one's actions, like Grendel has?

Do you think society's discriminations can cause a person to turn criminal?

Thematically related literature : Beowulf .

George, Jean Craighead. Julie. New York: HarperCollins Childrens Books, 1994.

Julie continues the adventure began in Julie of the Wolves ; when a thirteen year old Eskimo girl left her home to walk across the tundra to catch a boat to San Francisco. She becomes the member of a pack of wolves to survive and they lead her to her fathers village. She must now decide how to both support her father in his musk ox industry, and still protect her wolves from her fathers rifle when they must kill musk ox to survive. In addition to this problem, she must also decide which world she wants to live in, the Eskimo world or the White world.

Appropriate for grades 7-9.

I would both teach and circulate this book as it is both interesting and a useful teaching tool.

Do you believe that Julies decision to become a teacher at the conclusion of this book will allow her to act as a bridge betwixt the Eskimo culture and the American culture?

Julie influences her father to let the musk ox run free on the tundra in respect of the old ways, yet she is going to leave the village and possibly return as teacher. How do you think she is respecting both the old ways and the new way of life?

Julie was born into a culture that is in conflict with a more powerful culture. Do you think the Eskimo culture will survive even if people like Julie try to keep it alive by becoming educators to the Eskimo people?

Adventure/Survival

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Greene, Shep. The Boy Who Drank Too Much. Laurel-Leaf: New York. 1979. (summary and questions by Bridget Noonan)

Summary:
Buff, a 15-year-old boy is the star hockey player at school. However, his home life is not as great. He lives with his dad; his mom passed away. Buff's dad is an alcoholic, and soon Buff decides that drinking is the only way he can be good at hockey. His friends try to help him. Buff deals with the issues of abuse at home and life on the hockey rink.

Appropriate for 6-9th grades ?

Teach or Circulate:
I would circulate this book. It is a good book, but is based a lot on hockey and some people might have trouble getting into it. I would recommend this to a lot of boys in my class, because it is one of the few books that has a boy?s perspective. I also would be careful about using this in the classroom because it deals a lot with alcoholism and this could be hard for some students to deal with.

Dense and Shaded Questions:
Have you ever dealt with a family member that has an alcohol problem, how did this affect you? Do you believe that if one of your friends has a drinking problem you should go to an adult and tell them about it? How would you help a friend that has a substance abuse problem?

Thematically related literature:
Canyons - Gary Paulsen

Greene, Bette. The Drowning of Stephen Jones. New York, New York: Laurel-Leaf Books, 1991.

Summary: This is a novel that follow two separate, yet connected groups of characters: Carla and her friends an boyfriend, as well as Stephan Jones and his partner Frank Montgomery. Set in the all-American town of Rachetville, Arkansas, Carla is conflicted between her instinctual urge of tolerance and her community's urge towards resentment toward the new homosexual couple in town. Though Carla finally becomes Andy Harris' girlfriend, she realizes he many not be all she had expected as he begins tormenting and threatening Frank and Stephan. Prom night for Carla and her friends brings them into the midst of a gruesome and horrifying event that culminates in a shifty court case that tests Carla and her friendships like nothing before.

Appropriateness: Good for high school age students. Contains some profanity, violent acts, and some religious / controversial content.

Teach it or Circulate it? This novel has a well-developed plot and characters. It offers an interesting and compelling look at American society and instinctual intolerance. It would work well being taught or circulated.
Questions:

1. Have you, like Carla, been torn between what was right and what was accepted? How did you act that was similar and/or different form the way Carla deals with being in this situation? 2. What difficulties did Carla endure that best represent the kinds of problems that people usually face when trying to make friends with those people that society doesn't accept? 3. What part of Carla's conflicts can you best relate to and why? 4. Why do you think people, including Carla, end up in relationships that force them to do things or act in ways that they don't agree with? Why did Carla do it? Why do others? 5. To what extent do you think this book is realistic? Or does it seem more fiction? Explain why.

Thematically Related Literature: 1. Understanding Adolescent Homophobia: An Interview with Bette Greene? - Lynne Alvine 2. Running with Scissors - Augusten Burroughs

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Greene, Shep. The Boy Who Drank Too Much. Laurel-Leaf: New York. 1979. (summary and questions by Bridget Noonan)

Summary:
Buff, a 15-year-old boy is the star hockey player at school. However, his home life is not as great. He lives with his dad, his mom passed away. Buff?s dad is an alcoholic and soon Buff decides that drinking is the only way he can be good at hockey. His friends try to help him. Buff deals with the issues of abuse at home and life on the hockey rink.

Appropriate for 6-9th grades ?

Thematically related literature:
Canyons - Gary Paulsen
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Guest, Judith. Ordinary People. New York: Ballan Books. 1976.

Summary: This is the story of the Jarret family and how the different family members deal with the death of the oldest son, Jordan. There is breakdown in family communication and a suicide attempt that are the main themes in this story.

For what age appropriate: 11th or 12th grade.

Teach or Circulate: Both. The book can be use as part of an
interpersonal communication unit and it deals with suicide in a classroom appropriate way. There is also an excellent film that can be shown.

Dense Question: Which family member in the story do you feel acts most realistically when dealing with Jordan's death and why do you feel this way?

Related Lit: . It's Not the End of the World, Judy Blume. The Language of Goldfish, Zibby Oneal. The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath. On My Honor, Marrion Dane Bauer. Shizuko's Daughter, Kyoko Mori.

Gibbons, Kaye. Ellen Foster. Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books, 1987.

Summary: Eleven-year-old Ellen Foster tells the story of how she moved from living with her invalid mother and alcoholic father to a caring foster home. The racism of the South in the 1950's comes through in many parts of Ellen's narrative. Ellen takes on many 'adult' responsibilities, and the reader sees how this takes a toll in Ellen's physical and mental well-being. Gibbons gives Ellen a remarkable voice; it is painfully honest, wise and endearing.

For Whom Appropriate? 9-12th grade students

Teach or Circulate? This book should be taught because the racist attitudes need to be addressed as a group.

Dense Questions: 1) Do you feel the racist attitudes displayed in this book are different or similar to those of today? How are they similar or different? 2) Do you think it is ever okay to disrespect your elders as Ellen did her aunt, father and grandmother? When?

Thematically Related Literature: Sights Unseen Kaye Gibbons Out of Nowhere Ouida Sebestyen

Gibbons, Kaye. Sights Unseen. New York: Avon Books, 1996.

Summary : Hattie, is a little girl desperately needing her mom. Maggie, her mother, suffers from severe manic depression that is tearing apart her family. Her moments of sanity are touchstones in Hattie=s life which most of the time is a nightmare. In one of her manic phases Maggie hits a women with her car, forcing the family to put her in treatment. After shock treatments and lots of medications she becomes well and the family begins to heal and put their lives back together.

For Whom Appropriate 9th grade and beyond

Circulate it This is an easy reader. It would be helpful to a student who was dealing with a mental illness in their family. The teacher should be available to talk about the book but it does not require teacher involvement.

Dense Questions What are some of the implications of young women growing up without their mothers as positive female role models? How did trying to hide and not deal with Maggie's illness make life harder for the family and could this happen in the 1990's?

Related Literature Dicey's Song--Cynthia Voigt; Ellen Foster--Kaye Gibbons

Goldberger, Miriam. Teenager in Love. New York: Scholastic Book Services, 1962.

Summary: Sixteen short stories about teenagers in love. The stories offer a variety of experiences the are somewhat realistic.

For Whom Appropriate? 7th grade.

Teach It or Circulate It? Since this is a little higher on the literary scale, it could be taught. It could be one way to introduce the short story.

Dense Questions: What misconceptions were made about Libby in The Prettiest Girl in Town? Why did she struggle socially? Have you ever felt this way? How might Dorrie's expectations of Mont in To Each a Dream stifle his natural abilities?

Thematically Related Literature: Nite Kites--M.E. Kerr; Irene Goodnight--Theodore Weesner.

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, Inc., 1962.

Summary: Stranded on an island with no adults, a group of young boys struggle to survive. They attempt to govern themselves, but their egos and ideas of what is important causes dissension. Before long, the main worries of hunting for food, building shelter, and being rescued become secondary to not being killed by the other boys.

For Whom Appropriate?: 11th and 12th grade students.

Teach it or circulate it?: This book is extremely graphic and can be unsettling. Students will definitely need a teacher's assistance to read through it carefully and meaningfully.

Dense Questions: How does the boys' fear of "the beast" remind you of your own fears at that age? What would the advantages and disadvantages be of having no adults around? How are the boys ironically similar to the naval officers who rescue them?

Thematically Related Literature: 1984, Brave New World, Anthem, Animal Farm, Utopia, The Blithedale Romance, The Giver.

Goldman, Katie. In The Wings. New York: The Dial Press, 1982.

Summary: Jessie buries herself in the school play to get away from her home life. Her parents are constantly fighting over nothing, and she doesn't want to get involved. Jessie's parents do finally split up; she goes through denial and depression, but comes out of it in the end with new understanding of her world.

Appropriate for whom?: This book would be good for Jr. and Sr. high students, especially girls.

Teach it or circulate it?: This book could be very helpful for someone whose parents are going through a divorce. It is an easy read and a good book overall; I would recommend that this book be circulated.

Dense questions: Jessie drowns herself in the school play; have you gotten involved in something to escape another situation? It seems that Jessie just doesn't have time for her best friend anymore. How would you balance Jessie's schedule so she can still keep the tradition of spending the night every Saturday at her friends house? Is it important to keep friends you are growing apart from?

Thematically related literature: One Bird- Kyoko Mori, The Divorce Express- Paula Danziger, Holding Me Here- Pam Conrad, What's Best For You Judie Angell, The Melinda Zone-Margaret Willey, My Mother Is Not Married 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

Goodman, Marilyn, Ed.D., When a Friend Dies. Minneapolis: Free Spirit Publishing Inc, 1994.

This is a very easy to read book for teenagers who
are going through a death of someone close to them. Teenagers and professionals talk about death and how teenagers can deal with it.

For whom appropriate: 7th through 12th grades.

Teach it or circulate it: Circulate this to those teenagers that may have experienced a death of a relative or friend close to them.

Dense Questions: Which teenager's feelings about a death in the book do you most identify with?

Thematically related literature: Death is Hard to Live With, Janet Bode.

Greene, Shep. The Boy Who Drank Too Much. New York : Laurel Leaf, 1979.

Summary: Teenager, Buff Saunders, is facing many pressures in his life, but his main source of stress comes from his father who is trying to mould Buff into being a star hockey player. On top of being pressured by his father, he is dealing with the death of his mother and being at a new school. With all of these problems, Buff turns to alcohol for an escape. What follows is how Buff struggles to regain control of his life and become a star hockey player.

For who is it appropriate? 5 th -10 th graders.

Teach it or circulate it? Teach it. It deals with many themes that are relevant to adolescents and it is entertaining as well. It is good to cover this book as a teacher so the class can closely examine and discuss the themes of the book.

Dense question: If you were one of Buff's friends, how might you go about getting him help for his drinking problem considering that it might jeopardize your friendship with him as well as his hockey career?

Thematically linked literature: The Outsiders , TEX , by S.E. Hinton. Hoops , Walter Dean Myers.

Greene, Bette. The Drowning Of Stephan Jones. New York: Bantam Books, 1992.

Summary: Carla Wayland finds herself in an unbelievable position. She in enchanted by Andy Harris. She becomes part of his hate campaign against a gay couple, Stephan Jones and Frank Montgomery. Stephan drowns as a direct result of what Andy and his friends do. Carla must decide what side to take before the trial.

For Whom Appropriate? 12th graders

Teach it or circulate it? I would recommend teaching it. It is a good issue to deal with because it is something that almost every single school has to deal with.

Dense questions? Do you think how Stephan and Frank got treated was right? Do you think society thinks thats how a gay couple should be treated? If you were Carla, what would you do? Do you think that would be the right thing to do?

Thematically related Literature: Braided Lives :An anthology of Multicultural American Writing by Minnesota Humanities Commission

Griffin, John Howard. Black Like Me. New York:Signet, 1960.

Summary: John Howard Griffin undergoes a medical procedure to darken his skin so that he can study first-hand the treatment of black Americans in the South. The book is a description of his journey and his experiences with fear, hatred, and occasional kindness in our country.

Appropriate for 11th-12th grade students.

Teach it--maybe even teach only excerpts from the book along with other selections on prejudice

Dense Questions: If John Griffin, or another author, were to repeat his experiment today, what do you think would be the same or different? Drawing on the book and your own knowledge of prejudice, what do you think causes people to act so cruelly to their fellow human beings?

Thematically Related Lit: Frederick Douglass, Narrative, Brent Staples, "Black Men and Public Space," Malcolm X, "My First Conk," Gwendolyn Brooks, "To Black Women"

Grove, Frederick Philip. Settlers of the Marsh. McClelland & Stewart, 1986.

Summary: This is a story dealing with the history of Canada's pioneer past. It is about a young Swedish immigrant who settles in the lush country of Northern Manitoba. This person has dreams of settling down, however two women that he becomes involved with make this dream hard to achieve.

For Whom Appropriate? 10th-12th grade students

Teach it or circulate it? This novel should be taught. There are some great issues in the story that will start some critical thinking, opinion, and discussion. It is a great portrayal of someone determined to build a new life in a new country.

Dense question: What are the easiest ways to develop trust in people from a different country?

Gunther, John. Death Be Not Proud. New York: Harper and Row, 1965.

Summary: This book is a fathers memoir if his son and his losing battle against a brain tumor. It is a very deep, sobering, and moving account of the courage of a very sick young man who is a hero no matter which way you look at it; A very emotional story.

For Whom Appropriate? 9th-12th grade students.Haynes, David. Right by My Side. Minneapolis: New Rivers Press, 1993.

Summary: This is the story of a ninth grader named Marshall. He deals with many different situations within one year of his life. The underlying issue is his mother leaving the family. He deals with having a best friend who is white and beaten by his family. He also deals with his

father bringing new women into his home life. This book is excellent. It is filled with good, solid humor.

Appropriate: 9th and 10th graders.

I would teach it and circulate it. It captures the reader with the characters and events in the book. It would be easy for students to relate to the main character. I think it would be a good book for students who are not inclined to read.

Dense questions: How is Marshall experiences in high school like yours; is this typical of most people's high school experience? From what has happened in the book and what you have experienced from families in your life and in our society, what is going to happen to Marshall after the book ends?

Thematically related literature: It could be used in a unit in which students tell their own stories.

Guy, Rosa. The Friends. Toronto:Bantam Books, 1973.

Summary: This book is a problem novel which deals with issues of friendship, sibling rivalry, moving and death. It is written from the point of view of Phyllisia, a thirteen year old girl from Jamaica, who adjusts to her new life in Harlem with the help of a loyal friend, Edith. Phyllisia encounters life-changing experiences as she fights her way into acceptance at school, works through doubts about her friend Edith, and suffers through the death of her mother. Her personal break-through occurs when she sees her father as a man trying to cope with life, rather than a fiercely controlling father.

For Whom Appropriate? Fifth through Eighth Graders

Teach or Circulate? Either teaching or circulating would work, since the book is mainly about girls, but has many issues that pertain to both genders.

Dense Questions:
What qualities in Edith make for a good friendship?
What problems typically occur for adolescents like Phyllisia moving into new communities?

Thematically-related Literature:
A Solitary Blue by Cynthia Voight, Habibi by Naomi Nye, Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe.

Hamilton, Virginia. Arilla Sun Down. New York: Dell Publishing Co. Inc., 1976.

Summary: Twelve-year-old Arilla feels like she does not identify with anyone in her family. The story discusses the early influences of her African American/Native American father and her African American mother. She eventually comes to terms with her multiracial heritage and develops her own identity.

For Whom Appropriate: 5th Grade (Both Sexes).

Teach it or Circulate it: This book talks about issues of mixed-race in an accessible, non- threatening manner, which would be beneficial to discuss in a classroom setting. The story will expose students to the confusion and frustration individuals of mixed-race many be experiencing. The beginning of the novel contains a form of Native American dialect and eventually flows into "typical American tongue", which will expose students to a varied form of narrative. It draws readers in and promotes a fast read. For these reasons this book should be taught.

Dense Questions: In your life, when have you experienced identity confusion, as Arilla did in the story? When have people in your family or in families that you know experienced conflicting opinions on medical treatment, etc. such as Arilla's?

Thematically Related Literature:
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
Halfbreed by Maria Campbell

Hassler, Jon. Jemmy. New York:Atheneum, 1982.

Summary: This novel is a mixed-blood, seventeen year old who lives outside of a reservation in Minnesota. She is encouraged by her alcoholic father to drop out of school to care for her younger siblings. During Jemmy’s car trouble, she ends up meeting a well-known artist and wife who help change her views on her family and her life. Together they work on a masterpiece that helps return Jemmy to her roots and her discovery of herself.

Appropriate: Grades 7&8

Teach it or circulate it? This novel is up in the air for me. I think I could teach this novel, but I would have to be careful with the issues that are brought up. Depending on the class, I think this novel brings up some real history about Native Americans but also some stereotypes that would be hard to stay away from. This novel could easily be recommended for almost any student, but I would warn them of some of the issues that arise.

Dense Questions: As a teacher, how would you respond to Jemmy’s decision about dropping out of school? In your classroom how could/would you use Jemmy’s background as a tool/guide to a diverse learning environment?

Thematically Related Literature:

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Blithedale Romance. 1852. Columbus: UP of Ohio State, 1964. Vol. 3 of

The Centenary Edition of the Works of Nathaniel Hawthorne. 20 vols. 1962 to 1988.

Summary: A small group of people have decided to reform the world. Among them is a poet named Mr. Coverdale, through whose point of view we are made familiar with Blithedale and its inhabitants. These experimentalists have separated themselves from the rest of the world in pursuit of "equal brotherhood and sisterhood" (24). Merely a summer goes by before Mr. Coverdale returns to society. After stumbling across other supposed experimentalists around town, he seeks to learn about who they are and how they are connected.

For whom appropriate?: 11th or 12th grade students.

Teach it or circulate it?: Hawthorne has a tendency to get wordy, and the plot is not fast moving. The title is misleading, as are the first few chapters in the book. Without some interesting discussions and activities students will quickly lose interest. This novel's only chance is to be taught.

Dense questions: How was the experimentalists' attempt at a new society different than an ordinary summer in the country? Have you ever spent a great deal of time with someone only to find out how little you knew about them from other people? What might the experimentalists have done differently to make their attempt at a better society successful?

Thematically Related Literature: Utopia, Brave New World, Lord of the Flies, 1984, Animal Farm, The Giver, Anthem.

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Cambridge UniversityPress, 1997.

Summary: Hester Prynne is condemned to wear a scarlet letter on her chest. The scarlet letter is a sign of her adultery and has a strange and disturbing effect on those around her.

For Whom Appropriate? 11 or 12th graders

Teach it or circulate it? You should definitely teach this book. Its part of the canon and a good piece to have students read and discuss.

Thematically related Literature Mr and Mrs Bo Jo Jones by Ann Head

Head, Ann. Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones. New York: Signet, 1967.

Summary: Two teenagers, Bo Jo and July, decide to get married after July finds she's pregnant.

Teach It or Circulate It? This might be a good book to offer as an option. It portrays a very realistic situation, but it might be better to not force it on an entire class.

Dense Questions: How does this situation relate to problems faced when teenagers are in this situation? How do their difficulties in marriage show realistic situations?

Thematically Related Literature: Sharelle--John Neufeld; Light in August--William Faulkner.

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Hearn, Julie. The Minister?s Daughter. New York: Atheneum, 2006. (summary and questions by Seth Thomas)

Summary: In England during the 17th Century, a small village becomes the front line of the war on witchcraft. The target: a midwife/healer and her wild-child granddaughter, Nell. Nell must be an apprentice to her grandmother, midwife to humans and elves alike, and survive other adolescent girls who today would be called "witches."

For whom appropriate? Grades 10-12

Teach it or circulate it? This book contains some tough vocabulary, a complex plot, and many historical references. It also deals with many issues relating to teens including multiculturalism, teen pregnancy, family issues, and personal responsibility. Because of these things the book should be read in an educational environment.

Dense Questions: Is Nell a "witch"? Explain why or why not. What could have prevented the events in The Minister?s Daughter? Explain. Who is guilty in this story: Nell, Patience, Grace, The Minister, The Cunning Woman, the whole town? Explain.

Thematically related literature: ?The Crucible?

Hemingway, Ernest. A Moveable Feast. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1964.

Summary: It is a memoir of his life in Paris in the 1920s. It describes his interactions, his writing, and his practice of writing. The book follows his daily life and his meeting many other writers. The story offers insight into who Hemingway was and what he believed as a young writer. It is a celebration of the 1920s in Paris and his life there. The book also describes some of his travels and his many different experiences. It also describes his endless habit of walking before and after writing.

Appropriate Level: 10th, 11th, or 12th grades.

Circulate it: It would be a great source for a paper about Hemingway, or a great read for someone interested in writers or in other Hemingway books. It might not interest every student.

Dense Questions: What do you think Hemingway shows about the art of writing in this book? Do you think that the way Hemingway writes about conversation and the way he writes conversation are realistic? How do you think Hemingway shows his dedication to writing throughout the book?

Thematically Related Literature:

Hemmings, T.J. Going Crazy. New York: Ace Books, 1979.

Summary: Sandy is a teenager trying to cope with the stress that surrounds her. She begins the story by leaving a mental hospital; it is presumed that she is "well." What people fail to realize is that it is her family that is driving her crazy in the first place. This being the case, it isn't long after her return home that she turns to anorexia in a desperate attempt to exercise some control over her own life. After nearly dying, Sandy and her family a throttled into therapy sessions that continue throughout the rest of the book.

For Whom It is Appropriate: Any student between the ages of 15 and 18 years old.

Teach it or Circulate it? This book is definitely one for the book cart. This book is one to keep in mind to suggest to young girls ( and maybe boys too) who might be having some family or personal problems.Dense Questions: What about Sandy's family makes them different than any other family? How do you think Johnson's techniques are used in the present day psychological community?

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Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1929.

Summary: An American fighting in the Italian army during WWI, Fredric Henry, finds himself in a weird state of being. He meets a beautiful English nurse named Catherine Barkley and they begin a game of flirtation that helps both escape from the pains they suffer in the world. Their game leads to real love, and Catherine becomes pregnant. Catherine’s son is strangled by the umbilical cord during birth and she dies shortly after due to hemorrhages, leaving Henry to face a world that brings pain by war and love.

Appropriate: Tenth grade (potentially) and up. It’s a longer novel, three hundred pages plus, so the teacher would have to judge whether or not students can handle it. It includes sex and violence and has typical Hemingway male figures.

Teach or circulate: Teach. I’m a strong believer in teaching the “great” American writers in the class room, looking at good and bad. This novel has much that can be used in the classroom. A teacher can look at the use of language by Hemingway, the portrayal of Catherine, and look at how male characteristics are shown. Combine this with history, and A Farewell to Arms offers plenty of material to use in teaching. Be aware, however, that some students may try to get by on watching the movie.

Shaded or dense questions: How does Hemingway’s writing style change according to what’s going on in the novel, and what effect does it have on you? Some of the characters doubt the “glory” the war is supposed to bring. Do you feel that war today has a lingering romanticized side, one that brings “glory?” Defend your opinion.

Related thematic literature: Catch 22- Joeseph Heller, Slaughterhouse Five- Kurt Vonnegut

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Hemmingway, Earnest. For Whom The Bell Tolls. New York : Scribner’s, 1968,
c1940.
(summary and questions by Dave Frankenfeld

This classic follows four days in the life of Robert Jordan, a dynamiter for
a band of guerrillas fighting in The Spanish Civil War. We see the internal
struggle of a man who is falling in love with a local Gypsy, Maria, all while
coordinating a risky attempt to blow up a nearby bridge in service of the
republic. Readers are exposed to a unique perspective on war and love as well
as Robert Jordan goes about the daily activities of mounting an insurgent
attack against the enemy stronghold.
Appropriate for teaching at 10-12 grade classes.
I think it’s a book that would best be taught as a class and read in one to
three chapters at a time. Hemingway’s dialogues are dense, as well as his
descriptions of the environment. Major events in the plot often enter
quietly, so group discussions about what is happening in the novel would need
to happen as frequently as possible.

Robert Jordan is caught between the love of his life on one hand and and a
war he his committed to on the other. Have you ever felt torn between two
opposing forces? How can you relate examples of Robert Jordan’s level of
commitment, both towards the war effort and towards Maria, to a conflict
you’ve experienced?

What conclusions does Robert Jordan come to about his own life during the
short time he is with Maria?

If you were Robert Jordan, would you stay and do your duty to the republic,
or escape with Maria? Why? Use details from the text to support your answer.

At the end of the book Robert Jordan waits in the woods preparing to take one
final shot. If you could whisper in his ear and give him some advice, what
would you say?
What is the relationship like between Robert Jordan and Pablo?

Related Texts: Catch-22, Garcia Lorca, A Farewell To Arms, Red Badge of
Courage

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Hentoff, Nat The Day They Came to Arrest the Book. New York, New York Dell
Publishing Co. 1983.
Summary:
Barney Roth is a student at George Mason High School and editor of the school newspaper gets involved with a book censorship. Some students and parents do not agree with the reading of ?The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? in the classroom. A hearing is held that causes a lot of attention for the school and Principal.

Appropriate age/level: 8-9
Circulate it:
There are topics that every student might not find appropriate. It has a great discussion about book censorship and would be an interesting read for some students.

Questions:
What would you do if someone wanted to censor your favorite book? Take some examples from the story.
Do you think that it is okay for a book to be taken out of a class because of one person?s disagreement? Why or why not?
When do you think that it is appropriate for a book to be taken out of a classroom? Why? What do you think other options should be?

Other Readings:
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
News articles on censorship
Short stories on censorship

Heron, Ann, editor. Two Teenagers in Ten. Boston: Alyson Publications, 1994.

Summary: A collection of writings by gay and lesbian teenagers. Some are sad, some are happy, all are a good read. Great for anyone who works with teenagers.

For whom appropriate? This book has stories by writers ages 12 to 24.

Teach it or circulate it? Circulate, although taking a piece or two out to teach might not be a bad idea. A good resource to have in the classroom for any student looking fro guidance.

Dense questions: 1) Have you ever felt you were ridiculed because of any certain aspect of you? How did you handle it?

2) What kind of stereotyping do you see in school?

Thematically related literature: Living in Secret

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Hesse, Herman. Siddhartha. New York: New Directions Publishing Corp., 1951. (summary and questions by Seth Thomas)

Summary: The spiritual quest of the title character moves from wealth to ascetism to a life of the flesh to eventual enlightenment. ?The true profession of man is to find his way to himself.? A great story of mistakes and self discovery. A journey of the soul.

For whom appropriate? Grades 10-12

Teach it or circulate it? Teach it! Though it would require some multicultural scaffolding, the text is rich with ideas of personal fulfillment in society. It?s an eyebrow raiser on many levels.

Shaded/Dense Questions: How, and in what areas is Siddhartha a responsible person? Of Siddhartha?s friends, who teaches him the most, and Why? Siddhartha lived three very different lives: a monk, a businessman, and a solitary ferryman. Where would you feel most at home? Share an experience in which you gained wisdom, and how you use it.

Thematically related literature: What the Buddha Taught, Memoirs of a Bookbat.

Hinton, S.E. The Outsiders. New York, New York: Laurel-Leaf Books, 1989.

Summary: This is a novel about the struggles of a group of young boys growing up together in the poor section of a city. Forming a kind of family or gang, the group, including Ponyboy and his brothers, must rely on each other as they soldier on through fights with the rich kids, trouble with the law, and even problems with school. When Ponyboy and his friend find themselves mixed up in an unintended murder, they must think on their feet and make the toughest choicest of their lives. This novel looks at a group of kids and their struggles growing up in a tough, unfair environment.

Appropriateness: Great for middle school level students.

Teach it or Circulate it? This novel is fairly easy to understand and follow. It is fairly short and is written in a laidback, easy style. It would work well to be read in anyway, but it has something for everyone in it and could be taught to an entire class.

Questions:

1. How well do you think this book accurately depicts the problems young people face in your community or the problems you yourself have faced?

2. How are the conflicts that the greasers face different from yours or from young people you know?

3. How does the distribution of wealth affect the city in this book and the cities and lives of those around you?

4. Which character do you think you are most like and how, and also, what persons do you know are like other characters in this book?

Thematically Related Literature:

1. That Was Then, This is Now - S.E. Hinton

2. The Great Teen Fruit War - Jay Dubya

3. Little Altars Everywhere - Rebecca Wells

4. Who Will Run the Frog Hospital? - Lorrie Moore

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Hinton, S.E. Tex. New York: Delacorte Press, 1979. (summary and questions created by Kasey Kiehl)

Summary: This is a story about an easy-going teenager named Tex who is very trusting of everything and everyone. He lives with his older brother, Mason, who is the star basketball player of the high school team and different from Tex in many ways. Together, the two boys deal with a lot of real-life issues that some teenagers may have to face in their own lives. In the end, they finally understand what it means to be brothers; even though they find out they are not blood related.

Appropriate for: Grades 8-9

Teach or Circulate? I think this book is a book that should be taught. It has so many issues that are great to discuss in a full class setting. The themes that can be drawn out of the book are themes that students can relate to their everyday lives.

Shaded and Dense Questions: Do you think that Tex has the right to hate Mason after Mason has kept the secret that he is not Pop?s child for so long? Have you ever hated someone because he or she kept something important from you? When Tex loses Negrito (his horse), he loses something that he loves very deeply. When he tries to get Negrito back, his new owner will not sell him back to Tex. What is worse: losing something or someone because of a death, or losing something or someone and not being able to get them back, even though they could be right in front of you? Is Tex and Mason?s Pop a bad father? Do you think that he really cares about BOTH of his boys?

Hurwitz, Jane. Coping in a Blended Family. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group. 1997.

Summary: This is a nonfictional guide to coping with a blended family. It talks about divorce, death in the family, and how to deal with those issues as well as how to deal with step-parents and siblings. It gives answers to questions that children may have, and has dozens of short stories of experiences that people have had in dealing with a blended family.

For Whom Appropriate? 5th - 8th grade students.

Teach it or circulate it? I would definitely recommend it to a student that might be having problems at home with a divorce or a death in the family. It is a good resource if someone were doing a report. I would not teach it.

Dense Questions: Have you ever had a death in the family like the ones described in this book? How did that feel? Have you ever had to deal with a divorce or a new parent? What is that like?

Thematically related Literature: Everything You Need to Know About Step-Families, Bruce Glassman. It9s Not the End of the World, Judy Blume. The Divorce Express, Paula Danziger. A Solitary Blue, Cynthia Voight.

Hesse, Karen. The Music of the Dolphins. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1996.

Summary: The main character of the book is Mila, a teenage girl who was raised by dolphins from the age of four. The book opens with her being rescued from an unpopulated island off the coast of Florida. Through Mila's eyes we learn what it means to be human, and how sometimes our humanness has its shortcomings.

Age Level: 10 - 14

I would place this book in the problem novel genre because it fits best there, but the book is fairly unique in subject matter and doesn't address typical adolescent problems. It does discuss family relationships, trust, and growing up so I do believe that adolescents will be able to relate to it well. The book is a fairly easy read and would be good for individual distribution. Some interesting discussions could be elicited about identity, culture, language and human relationships if it was presented to a whole class.

Thematically Related Literature:

Island of the Blue Dolphins
Julie of the Wolves
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Dense Questions:

How do you think the text in this book is related to the way people
learn and communicate? How is it related to Mila? Have you ever found a way to communicate other than with words? Why do you think it might have been right to return Mila to the sea? If you don't think it was right. How do you think the situation might have been handled differently?

Hesse, Karen. Out of the Dust. New York: Scholastic, 1997.

Summary: It is the 1930's and dust is blowing across Oklahoma. Billy Jo is thirteen and growing up in the dust bowl of Oklahoma during the depression. Billy Jo knows what it is like to be poor, and she knows what it is like to have dust as a daily part of your existence. For Billy Jo, the only thing that gives her enjoyment is playing the piano, but a terrible accident leaves her unable to play. This story is about survival - both Billy Jo's and the people living in the dust bowl.

Age Level: 10 - 14

This book fits in both the historical and the adolescent problem novel genres. It would appeal to middle school students, especially females, though I think it has enough historical interest to appeal to young males as well. The book is easy to read because it is written as a girl's diary and consists of short entries on each page. This book could be combined with history about the depression and the dust bowl and taught to a class, or distributed to individual readers.

Thematically Related Literature:

If a reader likes this book they would probably enjoy other historical fiction in diary form like the Dear America series and Diary of Anne Frank. Other historical fiction writers are Ann Rinaldi, Paul Fleischman, Irene Hunt, and Johanna Reis.

Dense Questions:

Billy Jo is forced to work out her feelings about her father after the
accident. What do you think helps her come to terms with the part her father played in the accident? Have you ever felt torn between the love or feelings you have for someone and something they have done? Do you think this can happen between friends as well?

Music helped Billy Jo survive the years in the dust bowl, and eventually recover emotionally from the accident that killed her mother. Is there any thing in your life that helps you through difficult times?

Hesse, Herman. Siddhartha. New York: Bantam Books, 1951.

Summary: Siddhartha is a young man that leaves his family for a simpler life. Siddhartha is not content with any of the choices he has been making. He comes to a river where he hears a sound, a sound that guides him to the new beginning in his life. The beginning of suffering, hardship, peace and wisdom.

For Whom Appropriate/ Teach or circulate: This book could be taught to 11th and 12th graders, but I would suggest teaching it in a philosophical manner.

Dense Questions:

1. Have you ever felt like disappearing from your present life and making a fresh start elsewhere?

2. Some people believe the river Siddhartha found has magical powers. Was it the river that transformed Siddhartha or something within Siddhartha himself?

3. Siddhartha leaves his family and then leaves the son he helps conceive. Would today's society consider Siddhartha irresponsible for abandoning then in order to find himself?

Related Literature: A River Sutra could be tied in with this novel for a joined unit.

Highwater, Jamake. Eyes of Darkness. New York: Lothrop, Lee and Sheparrd Books, 1985.

Summary: Native American Alexander looks back at his youth on the eve of Wounded Knee. It details his growing up free with his tribe, and the hardships they face as a result of the white ways.

For Whom It's Appropriate? 7th to 11th grade students

Teach It or Circulate It? Aside form the issues of Wounded Knee, the subject matter in the book is appropriate for students to read on their own. A little background about Wounded Knee and Native American issues of the time may be helpful if a majority of students choose to read it.

Dense Questions: Looking at the problems Alexander faced in his youth, and the problems that today's Native American youths face, are the problems still a result of the white population (Explain, not just yes or no)? In his later life, Alexander works on a Reservation. Using all your knowledge about Native American Reservations, would you rather live on a reservation with your people, or would you rather assimilate into the white population (explain why)? Alexander's father is converted to the Christian faith at one point in the book. Create a dialogue between his father and his captors who would eventually convert him. What did they say to convince the once powerful Native American warrior to shed his old life for a new one?

Thematically Related Literature: The Man to Send Rain Clouds-Kenneth Rosen ed., Legend Days-Jamake Highwater

Hillerman, Tony. The Dark Wind. New York:Harper, 1982.

Summary: A mystery/detective novel set on the Navajo-Hopi Joint Use Reservation, the Dark Wind is the story of Jim Chee, Navajo Tribal Police, as he works to unravel an unidentified corpse, a windmill vandalism, and a midnight plane crash involving a million dollars' worth of cocaine.

For Whom Appropriate? For high school students.

Teach or Circulate? Probably circulate. It's an interesting book and well-written.

Dense Questions: Look at the scene where the FBI agent Johnson apprehends Chee at his home so forcefully. How does this scene remind you of incidents in real life or on T.V./movies?

Do you think it is ever right or ethical for a police officer to break the law in order to solve a case, as Johnson does in the above scene or as Chee does when he starts the tumbleweed fire at the Hopi Cultural Center?

Thematically Related Lit:Mystery novels, detective stories of Edgar Allen Poe, John Grisham, Tom Clancy.

Hinton, S.E. The Outsiders. New York: Laurel Leaf, 1973.

Summary: Fourteen-year-old Pony Boy experiences life without parental constraints. His gang activity leads to a murder carried out by one of his best friends, Johnny.Boys to whom school is fairly insignificant, they are forced to run from the authorities after Johnny kills an enemy gang member in self-defense.

For Whom Appropriate? Eighth through Tenth Grades

Teach or Circulate? This could be taught because the issues of personal choice affect teveryone.

Dense Questions:
How can schools help students reflect on their personal lives, such as Pony Boy's did?
What makes boys such as Johnny protected by people like Darry?

Thematically-related Literature: West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein and Tex by S.E. Hinton.

Hinton, S.E..Tex. New York: Laurel-Leaf, 1979.

Summary: Fifteen-year-old Tex lives a basically unsupervised life, except for his older brother. His mother is dea, father a wanderer and his brother a high school basketball star. Tex is a self-reliant teen-ager in love with his horse, sold for needed funds by his brother. He has strong ties to his father only to discover that his father is not related by blood.

For Whom Appropriate? Seventh through Ninth Grades

Teach or Circulate? This would be a book to circulate since the reading flows easily and it is not very long.

Dense Questions:
What teaches a person such as Tex how to make choices in his or her best interest?
What problems occur as in Tex when parents are non-existent?

Thematically-related Literature: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and A Solitary Blue by Cynthia Voight.

Hinton, S. E. That Was Then, This Is Now. New York: Bantam Books, 1971.

Summary: Bryon and Mark have been friends all of their lives, but Bryon is starting to get sick of all the violence that occurs around them. Everything between Bryon and Mark begins to change. Mark is a kid of the streets, who starts to sell drugs to get money. Bryon is faced with many moral controversies and the decisions he has to make are not always easy.

For Whom Appropriate: Grades 8 and up.

Circulate It: The book is extremely fast moving and is quite short. The book covers many adolescent topics, but they will not need guidance when reading it.

Dense Questions: What are some situations in which you had to do what Bryon did, even though you thought you were betraying a friend? Everyone is always looking for a place to fit in. M&M feels that he is really misunderstood by everyone, so he looks for friendship elsewhere. What are your friends like and how are they like you? What were some things Bryon had to consider when he turned Mark into the police? Do you think he made the right decision? Why or why not?

Hirschfelder, Arlene and Beverly R. Singer, Ed. Rising Voices. NewYork:Ivy, 1992.

Summary: A collection of writings by young Native Americans, including poetry and essays. Collected in thematic chapters on identity, family, ritual and ceremony, education, and harsh realities.

For Whom Appropriate? Middle school and high school students. Works vary in difficulty.

Teach it: Teach in parts or whole, many segments will fit into other thematic units, and the selections are very relevant to high school students because they are written by adolescents.

Dense Questions: How do you think the selections of this book help young Native Americans define their own identity and their role in the world? Why is it important for everyone to have some kind of opportunity to create their own literature? In what ways do you use literature to define yourself?

Thematically Related Literature: Growing Up Native American, edited by Patricia Riley, Jemmy by Jon Hassler

Holland, Isabelle. Heads You Win, Tails I Lose. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co; 1973.

Summary: Melissa Hammond, a fifteen-year-old overweight girl is faced with family and friendship problems, and learns to feel in control of her life by being able to control her eating habits. She finds the weight control pills her mother uses while trying to force Melissa to lose weight the "healthy" way and is addicted. The book looks at her fall into weight obsession, and how she gets help.

For Whom Appropriate: Mostly girls students grades 5-12.

Teach it or circulate it? Because of the lack of "strong literary content" (symbolism, etc.;) I think this book would be better circulated. It's written very well, is very funny, and easy to relate to the characters. The age level I gave is so low because I have heard statistics of first grade girls being on diets. I think that any teenage girl would enjoy reading this book even if she didn't have a weight problem.

Dense Questions:

Melissa deals with many other problems in the course of the book: parent's marital difficulties, boy problems, etc.; Do you think those problems had any effect on her eating problems? Why or why not. Give evidence from the book.

Do you feel that the media (super models, actresses, etc.;) are the reason that so many girls are unhappy with their weight? Why or why not?

Thematically Related Literature: I Was a 15 year old Blimp- Darci Goldberg

Homer. The Iliad. West Haven: Pendulum Press, 1979.

Summary: Paris takes Helen back to Troy, thus starting a very gruesome war between Greeks and Trojans. Many inconsequential characters are introduced as the war goes on for nine years. In the end, the Greeks build a horse and trick the Trojans into opening their gates. This is how they won the war.

For Whom Appropriate? 5th or 6th grade students. Possibly older
students having a hard time with a different version of the text.

Teach it or circulate it? I would not teach this edition because of
it's senseless violence and comic book style. I might however,
recommend it to students who have trouble reading or like illustrations.

Dense Questions: Have you ever became friends with someone that you started out fighting with as many of the characters in this story do? Have you ever gotten into a fight over a boy/girl as the Trojans and Greeks do in this story? Would it be worth it?

Thematically related Literature: The Odessy, Homer. Different
versions of The Iliad.

Hotze, Sollace. A Circle Unbroken. New York: Clarion Books, 1988.

Rachel Porter is a fourteen-year-old white girl who has returned to her father after living with an Indian tribe for the past seven years. Nothing she does seems right or familiar to her as she struggles to fit in with her family.

For whom appropriate: 9th-12th grade girls.

Teach it or circulate: I would circulate this book. It is great for
girls who are going through difficulties because the character is stronger through her experience.

Dense Questions: Would you want to go back to your Indian tribe, as Rachel wanted to after returning to your family? Would you be able to understand and forgive your father is he was as mean and strict as Rachel's father was?

Thematically related literature: Walks Alone, Brian Burke. Eyes of
Darkness, Jamake Highwater.

Houston, James. Frozen Fire. New York: Antheneum, 1977.

Frozen Fire describes the move Matthew Morgan and his father make to the Canadian Arctic in search of the rare mineral Matts father believes he will find. Matts father goes in search of a mineral and is reported lost. Matt and his Eskimo friend go in search of him and their rescue attempt turns into an attempt to avoid their own deaths when they are forced to abandon their snowmobile and return to the village on foot.

Appropriate for grades 7 to 10.

I would circulate and teach this book as it is very interesting to read and still contains a lot of information on which is the best way to live - Eskimo or American. Matthew finds the mother lode when he is struggling to find his way home and attempts to carry a packful of gold home while his friend realizes gold will not help them survive.

How does this example from the book define the difference betwixt the two cultures?

Matts father takes a teaching job after he and Matt are reunited giving up his quest for the rare mineral that will make him rich. Do you think he has found a greater wealth and if so what is it?

Matts father has given up the search for fame and fortune after learning a greater lesson. Do you think it would be appropriate for Matt to tell his father about the gold now that he would not be blinded by it?

Adventure/Survival

Houston, Jeanne W. Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese

American Experience during and after the World War II Internment.

New York, NY: Bantam Books, Inc. 1981

Summary: The book begins when Pearl Harbor is bombed. Jeanne is seven years old and soon Jeanne and her family are moved to Manzanar, where the government has set up camps for Japanese-Americans, who they fear will not be loyal to America. As an adult woman writing this book, Jeanne reflects upon Manzanar as the place where her life began.

Appropriate: This book is appropriate for 8th graders.

Teach or Circulate: It is a good book to read and it is fast paced, I would teach it.

Dense Questions: What are some contrasts from the life at the camp opposed to home, how would you make your at stay Manzanar homier? How would you have answered the interviewer's questions if you were in a camp because your nationality's country bombed Pearl Harbor?

Thematically related literature: Legends from Camp: Poems by Lawson Fusao Inada, I Have Lived a Thousand Years: Growing up in the Holocaust by Livia Bitton-Jackson

Hunt, Irene. Across Five Aprils. New York: Berkley, 1965.

Summary: Across Five Aprils is a story about a boy, named Jethro Creighton, growing up during the Civil War. All of Jethro's brothers leave to fight in the war, and when his father suffers a stroke, Jethro, at the age of ten, has to take on a man's job of running the farm and plowing the fields. Struggling to keep the farm running, Jethro deals with the death of one brother, a cousin
who has deserted, and another brother who has decided to fight for the South. Adversity shows Jethro how much he is capable of.

Age Level: 10 - 14

This book belongs in both the historical and problem novel genres. It would work well to assign to the whole class because it contains a great deal of potential discussion material. I would teach it while supplying background information on the Civil War because it would be important for students to understand how divided our country was in order to understand some of the character's motivations, and story conflicts. This book could be recommended
as an outside reading book to a good reader. Some of the reading is difficult as it covers details of specific battles during the Civil War. The text is also small, and there is some dialect represented throughout the book which may cause difficulty for some readers.

Thematically Related Literature:

The Fifth of March by Ann Rinaldi
Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss
Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons by Ann Rinaldi
The Journey Back by Johanna Reiss
Night by Elie Wiesel
Diary of Anne Frank
Diary of a Slave Girl

Dense Questions:

Has there ever been a time when you believed something different than your family or friends? What did you do?

Hunt, Irene. No Promises In The Wind. New York: Putnum, 1970.

Summary: This is a story of a 15 year old boy, named Josh, growing up during the depression. His family is hungry, and his father is out of work and angry about life in general, and, it seems to Josh, Josh in particular. Josh decides to set off with his brother to explore the world on their own. The book describes their adventures, and the realizations Josh comes to about
growing up, and about how much he is like his father. Through these realizations, Josh begins to understand his father's anger.

Age Level: 10 - 14

This book belongs to both the historical and problem novel genres. This book would work well combined with other literature from the depression era. It could be used with a class as a whole or recommended on an individual basis. It deals with issues of growing up like responsibility, love, and family relationships. The book is a fairly easy text. It would lend itself to good class discussions about the depression and how different people react tostress and difficult times.

Thematically Related Literature:

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Out of the Dust Bowl by Karen Hesse

Dense Questions:

Do you think Josh was right to set off with his brother on their
own? What do you think Josh learned about himself, and the frustration and anger people can experience when faced with difficult situations? Have you ever experienced anger because you were frustrated about something? Why do you think the difficult times made the people in the circus closer? How did the people in the circus handle the situation differently than Josh's father?

Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1978.

Summary: The life of Janie, as she retells it to her friend. Details her marriages to three different men, and her life with each of them in the days of post Civil War Florida.

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

Teach It or Circulate It? I would probably teach it through all the grades just because of the dialect that Hurston uses throughout the book. It takes getting used to, and may make it a difficult read for many students. Context wise there's nothing too overtly offensive about the book.

Dense Questions: In the book Janie starts a friendship with Tea Cake that later turns out to become more. Seeing as how her husband Joe was a wealthy man, and that Tea Cake was pretty poor monetary wise, would you have done the same thing that Janie did in her choosing of men? Meaning, would you go from being rich to being poor, and what would make you do so or not. In your opinion who was the best husband of the three, and why? Do you think that men were portrayed badly in this book (why or why not)?

Thematically Related Literature: Days of Rondo-Evelyn Fairbanks, Motown and Didi: A Love Story-Walter Dean Myers

Hurwin, Davida Wills. A Time for Dancing. New York: Little, Brown, and Company, 1995.

Summary: Two girls, Sam (Samantha) and Jules (Julie) have been best friends since they met in ballet class in 9th grade. At the beginning of the summer before their senior year, Jules experiences acute pain during dance class. Eventually she is diagnosed with diffuse histiocytic lymphoma (cancer). Sam must deal with Jules' illness as well as her own issues. The book follows the journey through Sam and Jules' friendship as it winds up and down through the hills and valley til Jules' tragic death at the end. This book is extremely moving and well-written in its' exploration of a family's experience of cancer and the struggles and beauties of a deep friendship.

For Whom Appropriate? This book does use occasional adult language. It is quite intense, and would best be used for mature 10th graders, 11th and 12th graders. It's a good read for adults too.

Teach It or Circulate? Either is fine. Be sure to have it available if the issue of cancer arises!

Dense Questions: How have you witnessed the value and beauty of a friendship like Sam and Jules' in this community? What advice would Sam give us in leading our lives? How about Jules? What do people do to deal with and understand the kind of grief created by a tragedy such as Jules' death?

Thematically Related Literature: The Refuge by Terry Tempest Williams, Paula by Isabel Allende

Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper & Row, 1932.

Summary: London has turned into a technologically manufactured Utopia. The book does not concentrate on one central character, but rather several characters who explicate their opinions of the Utopia. The drama begins when Bernard Marx, an Alpha Plus by arranged social status, brings back two savages, John and Linda, from New Mexico. Linda identifies the man who is John's father, but is put into a hospital for speaking nonsense. John then struggles to make known the errors of the people according to his society's standards.

For Whom Appropriate?: grades 10-12

Teach It or Circulate It: This book has many complex situations that are parallel to society today, and these parallels should be drawn out by the teacher to explain each scenario in class discussion.

Dense Questions: What can soma be compared to in our society? How do the Alphas, Betas, etc.... relate to class conflict in our society?

Related Literature: 1984, Animal Farm by George Orwell; The Giver by Lois Lowry; Anthem by Ayn Rand; Lord of the Flies by Sir William Golding; Utopia by Thomas More; Gulliver's Travels by Jonathon Swift.