O-P

O'Brien, C. Robert. Z for Zachariah. New York: MacMillian Publishing Company, 1974.

Summary: A sixteen year old girl is the only surviving human being after nuclear war. The valley in which she lives has somehow escaped the radiation due to a different weather pattern. She has grown up farming and is sustaining herself by farming off her parents land. One day, another man shows up, making her realize that she is not the only survivor. Yet, her excitement begins to disappear when this man begins to take control of her and her land, and she is left with a life decision. This book is written in the style of her recording the events in her journal as they transpire.

Appropriate: Grades 9-10

Teach it or circulate it? I would circulate this book, and use it as a starter book for my unit. It is an easy read and will get the students thinking about how many things can have a negative effect on the environment.

Dense Questions: If you were put into this situation what would you do to keep yourself alive?
Do you think that it is alright to make animals and nature suffer over human problems?
I have not read any literature similar to this story.

ODell, Scott. Black Star, Bright Dawn. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1988.

Bright Star is an eskimo girl whose father is partially disabled by a hunting accident. After taking a job as a security guard he finds meaningless, he begins to race dogs. He is invited to run in the Iditarod with the sponsorship of his company but suffers a cracked shoulder during training. Bright Star ,who has assisted him throughout his training, takes his place and runs the Iditarod.

Appropriate for 7th to 10th grade students.

I would circulate this book as it is more conducive to reading for pleasure rather than teaching.

Bright Stars father takes up racing after he is forced into a guard job. He does this even though he does not consider racing dogs a traditional part of Eskimo life. Do you think Bright Star is remaining close to her people in part by running the Iditarod?

Loyalty is considered a traditional value in the Eskimo culture, yet the Iditarod is a competitive race in which each racer races against the other races. Would you have been able to maintain loyalty to your culture if you had run the Iditarod instead of Julie?

Julies closest friend in the Iditarod is an old man named ? Who do you believe is a better representative of the Eskimo culture? Julie who wins the race out of loyalty to her father or ? Who follows the old ways when running the race?

Adventure

O'Dell, Scott. Island of the Blue Dolphins. New York: Yearling
books, 1987.

Summary: Karana is Native American who lived on an island with her family. Until one day her family is gone and she is left with nobody. It is up to her to find a way to survive alone against the wild dogs of the island. Karana discovers that she must go against what her culture would expect of her in order to survive. Her worst enemy is to become her only friend for years.

Appropriate: 5th and older. Any age would enjoy this book.

Teach it or circulate it? I would teach this book in either 5th, 6th, or 7th, grade. Other than that I would highly recommend it. My main reason for wanting to teach this book is because many books lack a strong female protagonist and often times people believe that a book that would have a strong female character would not be appealing to males. This book does both. It^Rs an adventure that both boys and girls can look to.

Dense questions:
1. Can you recall a time where you felt as a alone as Karana felt on the island? Describe it.
2. Do you recall a time where you lost a loved one just as Karana did? How can you relate to what she went through?

Thematically related literature:
The Music of Dolphins, Karen Hesse
Hatchet, Gary Paulson
Julie of the Wolves, Jean Craighead George

Olson, Sigurd. Open Horizons. New York: Alfred A. Knoph, 1969.

Summary: This book is a personal account of Olson's trips into the North Woods of Wisconsin and Minnesota. It contains wonderful quotes and Olson's passion and love for the outdoors is almost contagious.

Appropriate: Grades 10-12

Teach it or circulate it? I would circulate this book and later discuss it in class. It is not a difficult read and it flows smoothly and easily. The concepts and ideas are ones the students could easily relate to because most of them grew up in this area.

Dense Questions: Why do you think Olson had such a passion for the outdoors?
Do you have a passion this deep for something, what and why?
I think that any literature by these authors could help; Thoreau, Abbey, Emerson, Leopold.

Oneal, Zibby. The Language of Goldfish. New York: Ballantine, 1980.

~ Megan Eidenschink~

Summary: The novel is about Carrie, an 8th grader who is mentally unstable.  Her family finds no concern and chooses to ignore the feelings Carrie is attempting to share with them.  Throughout this novel Carrie’s fights in hope to make these illusions make sense within her brain.  When all said and done, she finally concludes, these emotions and feelings are her means of crosses the bridge from childhood to adulthood.

For Whom is it Appropriate:  8th – 9th grade

Teach it or Circulate it? I do not feel as if I would want to teach a novel that focuses on the idea of suicide.  I do not have a psych background and it would be hard for me to really analyze or begin to try to figure Carrie out literary.  It is an issue I would not feel comfortably teaching about.   I would highly recommend this novel to my students and have it available if needed. 

Dense Questions: Because this novel was written over 20 years ago, society has become more involved with problems such as parent involvement, eating disorders, emotional/behavior disorders, etc.  Are such problems as these overtaking children at a much younger age?  As a teacher, it killed me to read about Carrie sitting in her class feeling uncomfortable.  Will it be obvious to me as a teacher to look at my class and realize if somebody is struggling on the inside much like Carrie was?  

More Dense Questions: This book was written in 1980, since then it seems as though kids today start to hit puberty at an earlier age. How could this earlier experience with maturing emotions help or aggravate the awkward stage that many pubescent kids go through? In today's society people seem more inclined to seek mental professional help. What kinds of problems do kids have these days that would warrant counseling and what could be done to circumvent the necessity of counseling in the first place?

Thematically Related Literature: Going Crazy by T.J. Hemmings

Orwell, George. Animal Farm. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World Inc., 1946.

Summary: The animals on Manor Farm have had all they can take of being Mr. Jones's slaves. After years of abuse, they finally rebel. They drive Mr. Jones off Manor Farm and rename it Animal Farm. Happiness appears to be theirs. Unfortunately, the pigs on the farm assume leadership and begin giving orders and making rules. The rest of the animals dutifully obey, but soon realize that something isn't right. They aren't sure if they are better off than they were when Mr. Jones owned them. What's worse, they can no longer distinguish the pigs from human beings.

For whom appropriate?: 7th, 8th, and 9th grade students.

Teach it or circulate it?: The reading is simple and most students would probably want to read it on their own if it wasn't assigned. Even so, there are far too many opportunities for great discussions and creative assignments. Definitely teach this book.

Dense Questions: How does the way the pigs rule remind you of our government? How is the propaganda used by Napolean similar to the propaganda our country uses?

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

Orwell, George. 1984. Signet: New York, 1948.

Summary: This is Orwell's haunting prediction of a world to come-- a world of totalitarian rule, mind manipulation, and obliterating of the human race. Winston Smith works in the Ministry of Truth, where he takes news articles and rewrites them for the party. Winston becomes infuriated with this government, and decides that one way or another, Big Brother must be brought down. He meets up with Julia, and together they defy the rules Oceania and Big Brother set upon them. It is not long before they are caught by the thought police, and forced to reveal the hidden hate they have for the Party. This novel is frighteningly parallel to many aspects of our society today.

For Whom Is This Book Appropriate?: Grades 12

Should It Be Taught or Circulated?: This book is very complex and holds many important issues in it. There are also many sexual references in the book. This book should be taught in the classroom with extreme attention to the issues it arises.

Dense Questions: What experiences have you had with harsh regulations that disallowed you to do something you wanted to do? If you were Winston living in East Berlin during the Cold War, how would you react to the situations that surrounded you?

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

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Owens, Louis. The Sharpest Sight. U.S.A.: University of Oklahoma Press, 1992. (summary and questions by Seth Thomas)

Summary : A very challenging novel. Cultural conflict adds to the mystery of who killed Attis McCurtain. Native American spiritual reality is explored. Many characters find themselves unsure of their spiritual beliefs or paths, but seem to find out when faced with true evil.

For whom appropriate? Grade 12

Teach it or circulate it? Teach it, though it would work in some communities better than others. It is challenging, and there is strong sexual content. Teach with high level students in which diversity is a high goal, or American Indian communities.

Shaded/Dense Questions? Attis McCurtain?s death meant something different to each character. Choose one and describe how they grow. What factors influence the way a person deals with death? Mundo, Attis? family, the Nemis, and the FBI agents all want to find Attis? body for different purposes; how should the community decide who gets the body, and who do you think deserves it?

Thematically related literature: The Stranger

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Park, Linda Sue. A Single Shard. New York: Random House, 2001. (summary and questions by Seth Thomas)

Summary: Tree Ear is an orphan in medieval Korea. He must pass a difficult time as a laborer for his village?s greatest clay-worker. It is a test of will and a journey to finding true creative expression and a place in the world.

For whom appropriate: Grades 6-7

Teach it or circulate it? Teach it. With some multicultural scaffolding, it is a great universal story of hard work and reward, strength in family, and ways to be creative.

Shaded/Dense Questions: Tree-ear?s names are signifigant to his life and community, explain this, then ask the people around your home or consult the internet: what does your name mean; if yours was changed, what would it be and why? What?s an important job in this community, and how does it effect who?s here, what it looks like, and how people act? Share a time when you learned something from an adult; what was it, who was the person, and how has it affected your life? (Something close to that was a question on a BST circa 1999).

Thematically related literature: Harry Potter, Whale Rider

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Summary: Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment tells the story of a five kids who were genetically engineered with avian DNA and thus, have grown large wings which enable them to fly. In Maximum Ride, Angel, one of the flock members is taken away by the school, and it is up to Iggy, Fang, Max, the Gasman, and Nudge, to return to the dreaded school where they were created to bring her back. This novel revolves around the flock trying to escape the Erasers and also find the answers to their very existence.

For Whom Appropriate: Grades 5-10

Teach it or circulate it? Because it is easy reading that was meant for enjoyment, it should be circulated. The writing style is not very advanced and there is a lot of young adult slang.

Shaded and Dense questions: Do you believe that it is scientifically possible to engineer humans like in Maximum Ride? What are some positive and negative factors that you witnessed from reading this novel and also that you personally know about.

Thematically related Literature: Frankenstein- Mary Shelly, Uglies-Scott Westerfield

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Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. (by Molly O'Connell)

Summary: This book is about two early teens in a small town. Both do not seem to fit in with their peers or families and make their own world in the woods.

Appropriate for:
This novel is an easy read and the context can be understood at an early age, so I would say any student in forth grade or above.

Teach it or circulate it:
I would use this book to circulate; it would be a great book for literature circles however.

Dense question:
What was the importance of Terabithia? Is there a place in your life that you can escape too? Why may it be important for people to have their own Terabithia?

Related literature:
Someone like you by Sarah Dessen, and Plainsong by Kent Haruf

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Paulsen, Gary. Dogsong. New York: Puffin Books, 1987.

Dogsong describes the adventures of Russel Suskitt when he leaves his village with only a dogteam and the tools his forefathers used to survive to go into the interior of Alaska to find himself. He shuns the modern ways and wants to find an inner peace his ancestors found by wandering the tundra with only themselves to rely on for survival.

Appropriate for grades 7-10.

I would circulate Dogsong as it would be more enjoyable if it was only read for pleasure.

After reading about how Russel finds his song how would you find your song?

Do you believe Russel had to return to the oldways; trekking across the tundra with only a dog team and minimal tools,to find himself , or is it possible to find yourself without testing yourself against nature?

Do you think everyone needs to find their own song to live theirlife by, or will a person feel empty if they do not find their song?

Adventure/Survival

Paulsen, Gary. Hatchet. New York: Puffin Books, 1987.

Hatchet describes the struggle for survival Brian Robeson experiences when he crashes into the wilderness of Canada when flying to visit his father. He must find a way to survive in the wilderness with only a hatchet. In addition to this struggle he is also agonizing over his parents divorce and is forced to find a peace with this issue while trying to survive.

Appropriate for grades seven to nine.

I would both teach and circulate this book as it describes a boy dealing with divorce, and it is entertaining enough to capture a young adolescents attention.

If your parents divorced as Brians parents did, how would you find a peace so you could forgive both of your parents?

Why is it important to learn from your mistakes, even if you are not lost in the wilderness with your life in the balance if you do not learn from your mistakes?

Paulsen, Gary. The Night the White Deer Died. New York: Dell Publishing. 1978.

Janet, experiencing feelings of isolation being the only Anglo 15 year old in the New Mexico art colony, is drawn to an alcoholic Indian named Billy. Through the friendship that develops, and Billy gives Janet an understanding of his culture and shows her the answer to her reoccurring dream.

I would suggest this book for ninth grade students. Janet deals with the struggle of fitting in with others and knowing herself. I suggest this book for circulation.

Have you ever experienced communication with someone else without using any words? How did you do it?

Janet was isolated being the only 15 year old Anglo in the New Mexico community. To cope, she talked herself into believing that she liked to be alone. How would you deal with the loneliness being in Janet's position?

Paulson, Gary. Woodsong. New York: Puffin Books, 1990.

Summary: This is a non-fiction book about Gary Paulson and his
experiences with running the Iditarod dogsled race.

Appropriate: 6-8

Circulate it: While this is a good book I don^Rt feel it would hold the interests of a large chunk of the students in a class.

Dense Questions: What is Gary Paulson^Rs relationship to his dogs and how does that relationship differ from the more common relationship between owner and pet; and how does that relationship reflect the relationship that native peoples have with their environment.

Complimentary pieces:

Dogsong ^V Gary Paulson
The Call of the Wild ^V Jack London

Peck, Richard. An Unfinished Portrait of Jessica. New York: Delacorte Press, 1991.

Summary: Jessica has to live with her mom when her dad moves out, and she doesn't like it. So Jessica decides to spend all of her time in her room. When Jessica goes with her dad to Mexico, she learns that her dad wasn't as great as he seemed either. Going back to live with her mom again, Jessica realizes that her mom isn't so bad after all.

For Whom Appropriate: Grades 5 and up.

Circulate It: This book is very fast moving and extremely easy to understand. It doesn't have a lot of material for discussion.

Dense Questions: Jessica thought living with her dad was going to be the greatest thing in the world. Can you think of a time when something wasn't everything it was cracked up to be? Jessica goes from her mom, to her dad, and then back to her mom again. What are some things that you can think of that would be very hard for her? Jessica thinks that living with her mom is horrible. Can you think of a time when you thought you were in a bad situation, but when you took a step back you realized it wasn't so bad after all? Why do you think you first thought your situation was so bad?

Peck, Richard. Close Enough to Touch. New York: Dell Publishing Co. Inc., 1981

Summary: After the sudden death of his girlfriend Dory, Matt has trouble dealing with his grief. Feeling alone and depressed he spends time at his family's cabin where he meets Margaret. She is able to help him realize that getting on with his life is not a betrayal to Dory and the two become friends.

For Whom Appropriate: 7th or 8th graders

Teach it or circulate it : Circulate it. The book deals only fleetingly with the grieving process, focusing more on romance and day to day activities of a teenager. There really isn't enough material to foster in depth class discussion.

Dense Questions: How do you think Margaret and Dory are different from Matt? How are they similar? Why do you think it is so hard for Matt to get on with his life? If you were in this situation, how would you deal with the death of Dory?

Thematically Related: Bennet, Jay. The Haunted

Peck, Richard. Secrets of the Shopping Mall. New York: Delacorte Press, 1979.

Summary: Barnie and Teresa are 8th grade outcasts who befriend each other just because of that reason. When they get in trouble with a local gang, they take a bus to 'Paradise Park', not knowing what it is. What they find is a complete society of kids who have run away and live in the mall after hours.

For Whom Appropriate? Mostly girls grades 6-12

Teach it or circulate it? This book is very entertaining, especially for girls like me who spent every extra hour over a period of four years at the mall. It doesn't have a lot of literary aspects a literature teacher would want to teach, and for this reason I think it should be circulated.

Dense Questions:

Do you feel that Barnie and Teresa Dealt with their problems in the best way? Could you see any other options they could have taken? What would you have done in their situation?

Thematically Related Literature: Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes- Chris Crutcher; Run, Shelly, Run- Grutrude Samuels.

Peck, Richard. Sounds and Silences. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1970.

Summary: Peck has compiled a unique little collection of poetry to bridge the gap between the young readers and the generations of readers before them. His selection varies from song lyrics that younger readers will relate to, to poems that capture the imagination and reality of being young. Peck does this by categorizing the poems into themes for the reader: Family, Childhood, Isolation, Identity, Realities, Illusion, Dissent, Communication, Love, War, Pain and Recollections.

For Whom Appropriate? 7th - 10th grade students

Teach or Circulate it? Many of the poems in the book need explanation to a younger reader, and with the themes breaking the poems in sections it would be a great book to teach. An older senior high student would enjoy just reading it.

Dense questions: Why do you think the situations in these poems are understood the same or differently now compared to when your father or grandfather was younger? Did any of the poets in this book make you remember a place and time in your life? Explain.

Thematically related Literature: Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle..- Dunning, Lueders, Smith; Mad Sad and Glad- Stephen Dunning; Looking for Your Name- Paul B. Janeczko.

Summary: This book is based on the life of Robert Peck a 12-year-old- Shaker boy living in Vermont. Robert is a very happy boy familiar with work and family obligation. He must grow up rather quickly when his father dies and he becomes the man of the house.

For Whom Appropriate: 8th graders

Teach it or circulate it: Teach it. This is a great book to use as the main work in a unit on death and grief. It opens the door to issues of legacy, death, the grieving process as well as the path to maturity.

Dense Questions: Why do you think it was important for Robert to be there to help his father kill the pig? If you suddenly became the Man/Woman of the house as Robert has, how would that change your day to day life?

Thematically Related: Cleaver, Vera and Bill. Where the Lilies Bloom.

Petry, Ann. Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the
Underground Railroad. New York: Simon and Schuster. 1955.

Summary: The story of Harriet Tubman's daring, courageous flight from slavery and her journeys back into the South to rescue other slaves.

Appropriate: 7th - 12th grade

Teach or Circulate? Either

Dense Questions: What gives people courage to do
extraordinary things? What conditions, beliefs, or
attitudes make it possible for people to oppress^Weven
enslave^Wothers?

Thematically related literature: Elle Weisel, Night;
Victor Frankel, Man^Rs Search for Meaning

Pfeffer, Susan Beth. About David. New York: Dell Publishing, 1980.

Summary: This is the story of a young girl working through the loss of her closest friend, David. David was a troubled teen who had times of depression and ended up killing his own parents, as well as himself, at a time when he felt he could not do anything else. Lynn, struggles to understand David and why he chose such drastic measures. She writes down her thoughts in a journal whenever she thinks about David and also reads through David's own journal which he had left to her. In these journals is the sadness and frustration felt toward himself and his parents. Lynn shares these journals with the police in hope that they will somehow help others understand people like David, and keep others from reaching the low that he did.

For whom appropriate? 10th through 12th grade students.

Teach it or circulate it? This is a book I would be more comfortable circulating than teaching. It deals with very strong subjects such as depression, suicide, murder, and violence. The topics are handled well, but it would be difficult to know the background of every student in your class and how they might react to it. It might be better to recommend to a student getting through a similar loss, such as a friend to suicide.

Dense questions: 1) Lynn felt frustrated and angry about what her friend, David, did, and why such things as suicide had to exist in this world. What feelings do you think you might have felt in her situation? 2) How close do you think David's view of his parents was to the way they really were, why do you think he might have felt the way he did, and how do you think his parents could have helped him feel more accepted? 3) How do you feel about Lynn's decision to give David's journals to the police, and do you think that they could in any way help people understand people like David? Why or why not?

Phillips, Michael and Pella, Judith. The Heather Hills of Stonewycke. Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1985.

Summary: In this story, Maggie Duncan, a teenager around the age of seventeen, is growing up in Scotland in the mid 1700's. She finds herself in constant need to please her wealthy and powerful father and reach the heart of her loving, but austere mother. She is shocked to find out that her father has secretly promised her in marriage to a man she does not love, but whose family is also wealthy and powerful. She knows her father is not concerned for her, but only their good family name. Things only get worse when she falls in love with a man her father does not approve of.

For whom appropriate? 9th and up.

Teach or circulate? I would most likely circulate this book. It is a very enjoyable read about family relationships, love, and trust that would be a better personal reading experience. But for anyone dealing with problems between themselves and their parents, this book could be very helpful. Maggie's character, though in another time and country, experiences feelings that are common in almost every young adult growing up.

Dense questions: 1) When Maggie found out how her father was trying to deceive her she was very angry and upset. Do you agree with the way she handled the situation? Why or why not? How do you think you would have reacted? 2) Maggie grew up in the 1700's in Scotland, and was probably very different than you in many ways. In what ways do you think Maggie is similar to young people today, and what problems and feelings do you think young people might be able to connect with Maggie's own life? 3) How do you think Maggie's parents could have done better in trying to understand her feelings, and how do you think your parents, and parents today, could better understand young people?

Summary: My Sister?s Keeper is about a young girl, Anna, who has never been sick but she might as well be since she has undergone many surgeries, transfusions and shots. She has done this so her older sister, Kate, can hopefully fight leukemia, even though the chances are slim. However, this is not the only sad part, she has never been sick. Her job in life is to be the other part of her sister so that she can live. Anna decides she is going to go against what her parents say and reject giving her sister anymore treatments. The family is upset about what Anna is doing so a court case begins. As the court case begins, the drama begins to unfold, and a strong willed family is torn apart. Read on to find out what happens to the lives of Anna and Kate.

For Whom Appropriate? Grades 6th and up!

Teach it or circulate it? I think that this book could be taught in a lesson. A lesson on the freedom of choice or lack thereof, and also on the question of genetically creating a child could be powerful. Both of these are issues that have been brought up before in life, and I believe that all students can benefit from this book. The book is really powerful and is one that I believe students will not want to put down!

Shaded and Dense Questions: Is it morally ethical to reproduce a baby so that it has predetermined genetic traits? Is it alright for the older sister Anna to fight against what her family thinks is unacceptable? What would you do if the only reason you were reproduced was to be a life saver for your sibling? Are the parents wrong in what they are doing? Compare this book to your own life. How is Anna?s life similar to yours? How is Anna?s different?

Thematically Related Literature: The Sibling Bond, The Perfect Sister, Reviving Ophelia

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Pike, Christopher. Gimme a Kiss. New York: Mass Market Publishing, 1997.

Summary: Jane is plotting revenge against her best friend by faking her own death. Her boyfriend becomes a casualty of her vengeful plot and drowns in an attempt to save Jane's life. Following Jane's "death", she hides out at a friend's house until she can murder her best friend.

For Whom Appropriate: 7th & 8th Grade (Both Sexes).

Teach it or Circulate it: This book draws in readers and causes internal questioning and hypothesizing; however, the plot is fashioned for casual reading. Elements of the text are violent and I would not feel comfortable discussing premeditated murder in the classroom. For these reasons I would circulate this book rather than teach it.

Dense Questions: How might you have plotted your escape into society differently than Jane? When reading newspapers or seeing stories on the news similar to the premeditated crimes Jane committed, what do you feel the motivation behind these crimes may be and why?

Thematically Related Literature:
I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncas
Summer of Fear by Lois Duncas

Pike, Christopher. The Starlight Crystal. New York: Pocket Books, 1996.

Summary: Paige Christian lives in the future and is about to leave on an expedition into space with her father. The week before she leaves, she meets her soul mate, Tem. While in space, Paige finds a way to be with Tem forever. Using clones and time travel, Paige makes interesting discoveries.

For Whom Appropriate? 10th-12th grade students.

Teach it or circulate it? I think that with avid science fiction readers, this book could be circulated, however, the time travel is very confusing, and the cloning is something that would probably be best discussed as a group, which makes me think this book should be taught.

Dense Questions:

In your opinion, is the plot of this book plausible? What aspects are or are not? What are your ideas about the future?

How did you feel about the way that Paige cloned herself and her family? Would you have done the same thing? Why ore why not?

Thematically Related Literature: 1984- George Orwell; Scavanger Hunt- Christopher Pike, Frankenstein- Mary Shelly.

Pinter, Harold. 100 Poems by 100 Poets.

New York, NY: Grove & Atlantic Inc. 1992

Summary: This book contains 100 poems from 100 classic poets. Such poets like Larkin, Yeats, Keats and Elliot.

Appropriate: Any grade level is appropriate. Most poems deal with issues of love, betrayal, inspiration, change, and growing older. Maybe 9th grade should be considered if students were going to learn structure and analyzing.

Teach or Circulate: The book is a good circulation book, unless you are having a poetry unit, in which this book would do quite well.

Dense Questions: Write some of your own poetry using the themes discussed in particular poems you liked. Try writing in the poets voice; do you think that the poets learned poetry by this method?

Thematically related literature: The American Bible of Outlaw Poetry, The Body Electric

Summary: This book is a compilation of stories of individual girls facing common issues among adolescents such as anorexia, drugs, sex, and parental issues. The author gives us fact and statistics about adolescent girl?s success in school and the reasoning behind it. By using personal accounts the book relates to many young girls.

For whom is it appropriate? 8th grade and up, it would be great for a girl who was facing one of the issues in the book to give them someone to relate to. This book would also be great for parents of adolescent girls.

Teach or circulate it? I would circulate it or use it as part of a lit circle. The books is so gender specific that boys in a class may feel left out.

Dense Questions:
What has been the most challenging issue you have dealt with in your adolescence?
What are the stress factors that cause girls to have such a challenging time in adolescence?
How can a young girl succeed in school when they are facing such intense issues?

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Plath, Sylvia. The Bell Jar. New York: Harper & Row. 1971.
Summary: An autobiographical retelling of a young woman's summer and how she felt her life fall apart. Her suicide attempt and recovery in a hospital are main parts in this book. This real-life account lets the reader see how the woman went through a rollercoaster of emotions.

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

Teach or circulate: Circulate. The subject matter can be disturbing. If someone wants a book on the topic of suicide, this would be a good suggestion.

Dense Question: I can not write a dense question for this subject matter.

Related Lit. It's Not the End of the World, Judy Blume. The Language of Goldfish, Zibby Oneal. Ordinary People, Judith Guest. On My Honor, Marrion Dane Bauer. Shizuko's Daughter, Kyoko Mori.

Powell, Randy. Is Kissing a Girl Who Smokes Really Like Licking an Ashtray? New York: HarperCollins, 1992.

Summary: Biff, a slightly shy eighteen-year-old, is hopelessly in love with Tommie, a girl in his class. He's been planning to make the first move for almost two years, but before he can, he meets Heidi. Heidi isn't normally someone Biff would be interested in, but...

For whom appropriate? Early high school, grades 9 and 10.

Teach it or circulate it? Circulate. It's a formula romance told from a guy's perspective.

Dense questions: 1)What are the possible repercussions of being rejected by a lust object? Is Biff just a coward?

2)Heidi smokes as sort of a cop-out. Many people do this. Relate any issues that have made people you know start or continue smoking.

Thematically related literature:

Power, Susan. The Grass Dancer. New York:Berkley, 1994.

Summary: This is a book full of voices, and each voice tells a story that teaches something about all the stories that came before and all the stories yet to come. They are the voices of the residents of a Sioux reservation in North Dakota, and their stories tell of joy and pain, birth and death, good and bad medicine, dancing, visions, war, school, religion, and red moccasins.

For Whom Appropriate? Older high school. Themes and content are handled beautifully but are adult matters. In a sense, it is a coming of age book that includes the best and worst parts of growing up.

Circulate it--give it to students with an interest in Native American culture, because it is rich in this.

Dense Questions: Why do you think Power writes the character of Jeanette McVay? What does her presence suggest about the role of white people on the reservation?

Dancing plays a very important role in the lives of these people. Describe how it creates a sense of community and spiritual growth. Is there any equivalent in the white society?

Thematically Related Lit: "Veteran's Dance" by Jim Northrup, Black Elk Speaks by John Neihardt, The Woman Who Lives in the Earth, by Swain Wolff, Ceremony, by Leslie Marmon Silko

Preiss, Byron and J. Michael Reaves. Dragonworld. New York: Bantam, 1979.

Summary: Dragons have attacked the lands of Fandora, a country of simple poor farmers. The Fandorans blame the attacks on the Simbalise, who are wealthy technologically advanced country. Fandora decides to go to war with Simbala. Amsel, an inventor, is accused of being a Simbalise spy and runs to Simbala for his life to warn King Hawkwind of the coming war.

For Whom Appropriate? 8th grade +.

Teach it or Circulate it? I think that it can be taught, but be prepared, as with all fantasy, there are elements of magic and mythical beings that stretch the imagination. Some parents may object.

Dense Questions: Hawkwind is the son of a miner and is not of royal blood. There is much political unrest in his kingdom. How should Hawkwind deal with his political enemies and why? Amsel is a scientist, although he is accused of being a wizard. How do you think Amsel can make the council of elders come to reason about Simbala.

Thematically Related Literature: Time of the Twins- Hickman and Weis.

Puckett, Kirby. I Love This Game: My Life and Baseball. New York: HarperCollins, 1993.

Summary: The autobiography of former Minnesota Twins star and future Hall of Famer, Kirby Puckett. Puckett details his childhood as the youngest of nine children and growing up in urban Chicago. He then chronicles his years with the Twins and playing in the major leagues, including descriptions of his contributions to the 1987 and 1991 World Series victories. Along the way he delves into his personal life in which he discusses: meeting his wife, feelings about fans, living in Minnesota, and adopting his daughter.

For Whom Appropriate? This book seems appropriate for all ages. Grades 5-12.

Teach or Circulate? I'd circulate this book. While it is a moving and interesting story, it is not that "meaty."

Dense questions: How are Puckett's attitudes about baseball and fans different or similar to other baseball players you know about? Would you, based on Puckett's description of business end of the sport and you own observations of baseball clubs, like to play Major League Baseball?

Thematically Related literature: Striking Out and Farm Team by Will Weaver; No Room for Cry Babies by Dennis Green; For the Love of the Game: My Story by Michael Jordan; Gretzky: An Autobiography by Wayne Gretzky