Q-R

Rand, Ayn. Anthem. New York: The New American Library, 1946.

Summary: In a society dominated by the idea of "we," a street sweeper named Equality 7-2521 discovers remnants of the "Unmentionable Times." Resisting the law and his station in life, he rediscovers electricity and falls in love. When he brings his discovery before the "World Council of Scholars," they are infuriated and threaten his life. He escapes to the "Uncharted Forest," followed by his love. There, they discover something even more important than electricity, the word and idea "I."

For Whom Appropriate?: 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students.

Teach it or circulate it?: Like most utopian and dystopian literature, this story contains some confusing ideas and language. For example, all people refer to themselves as we. The content, however, is pretty mild. Still, I think a teacher's guidance would be helpful.

Dense Questions: How would you react if you made an important discovery and instead of being praised, your life was threatened? If the new society is developed around the idea of ego, how successful do you think it will be? Why is or isn't it important for you to be able to say I when you refer to yourself?

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

Utopia, The Blithedale Romance.

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Rand, Ayn. The Fountainhead. New York: Bobbs-Merrill, 1943.

Summary: A gifted architect named Howard Roark finds himself at odds with most of the world. Society wants Roark to conform to its expectations, but Roark refuses to. On the grounds of selfishness and valuing one’s own self-worth, Roark stands as a pillar of unwavering idealism. After many trials, Roark is rewarded for his individual strength by obtaining those things which he has worked hard for.

Appropriate: Seniors or A.P. English. The Fountainhead is almost soap opera like with all the twisted, interwoven relationships. The sex scenes with Dominique and Roark require a more mature audience. Rand’s philosophy of objectivism may ruffle some feathers as well.

Teach or circulate: Both. If given the chance, I would teach it in a heart beat. As teachers, part of our job is to provide different perspectives, and Rand offers one. The Fountainhead would be interesting to look at from a deconstructionist viewpoint or nearly any literary theory really. Character development could be a focus- seeing if Roark ever develops and looking at Wynand and Keating. Discussion topics could include Rand’s writing style, who serves as Roark’s foil (does this shift), and the motivation or reasoning behind the characters and their decisions. If not taught in the class, I still feel there is value in circulating the text, especially to students struggling with and forming ideologies.

Shaded or dense questions: In what way does Rand use Ellsworth Toohey to comment on what she view is wrong with society, and can you think of a figure in today’s age that is similar to Toohey? What ideology do you see more value in, Roark’s or Toohey’s, and why?

Thematically related literature: Atlas Shrugged- Ayn Rand. Walden- Henry David Thoreau

Raskin, Ellen. The Westing Game. New York: Avon Books, 1978.

SUMMARY: A great who-done-it. Residents of Sunset Towers are all heirs to the Westing family fortune, if they can figure out who killed old Samuel Westing. It contains many twists and turns, and a group of unique characters, like Turtle Wexler who likes to keck people in the shins if they mess with her braid, or Doug Woo, a track start who runs everywhere.

FOR WHOM IS IT APPROPRIATE? Seventh through twelfth graders

TEACH IT OR CIRCULATE IT? Circualte it. It is an easy read, doesn't really need any class discussion.

DENSE QUESTIONS:

1.) How is Turtle treated by her mother in the book? Do you know anyone, or have you yourself been treated in a similar fashion by either family or friends, or others?

2.) Have you ever done strange things to draw attention to yourself? Would you ever consider doing something like Sydelle to gain attention?

Reis, Johanna. The Upstairs Room. New York: Harper Collins, 1972.

Summary: In an Upstairs Room, Johanna Reiss describes her experiences as an 8 year old Jewish girl during World War II in Holland. Annie de Leeuw and her sister Sini spend nearly 3 years, separated from the rest of their family, living in a single room of a Gentile family house in order to escape the Nazi death camps.

Age Level: 10 - 14

This belongs to the historical novel genre. This book is a fairly easy read and could be distributed on an individual basis. It would also work well in a unit on World War II literature.

Thematically Related Literature:

Journal of Ben Uchida by Barry Denenberg
So Far from the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins
Night by Elie Wiesel
Number the Stars by L Lowry
Diary of Anne Frank
The Journey Back by Johanna Reis

Dense Questions: Why do you think Johan risked his life, and those of his family, to hide Sini and Annie for so long? Why do you think Annie's mother had so much difficulty accepting the war?

Rice, Anne. Servant of the Bones. New York: Knopf, 1996.

Summary: The spirit Azrael recounts his life and death and his afterlife of the last two millennia. Killed in Babylon, to make Cyrus the Persian king, Azrael saves the Jews as Cyrus allows them to return to their homeland. However, shortly following his death someone casts a powerful and wicked spell on Azrael's spirit and he is forced as a sort of genie to serve the whims of who ever controls his bones. In the centuries that follow, Azrael becomes sorrowful and vengeful as he is trapped on Earth as a spirit, unable to climb the "stairway to heaven." The story is grandiose and masterfully crafted. Babylonian life is recreated in great detail.

For whom appropriate: The book, though popular reading, is somewhat difficult. It requires some historical and biblical knowledge as it doesn't always explain its allusions to both. I'd put the readability at 10th to 12th grade level, but I think even 12th graders may encounter some difficulty.

Teach or Circulate? I'd circulate this book, despite its rich, accurate depiction of the Middle East circa 100 A.D. and its detailed Jewish history.

Dense questions: How is religion viewed similarly or differently in
Babylon in 100 A.D. compared to the United States today? As a spirit Azrael knows a great deal about his Hebrew heritage throughout history, what do you know about your or your family's heritage throughout history?

Thematically related literature: I, Strahd: Memoirs of a Vampire by P.N. Elrod; The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice; Dracula by Bram Stoker

Richter, Hans Peter.   Friedrich .   New York : Puffin Books, 1970.

Summary :   Friedrich is a young Jewish boy living in Germany , pre-Holocaust.   He experiences the discrimination of the Jews from the beginning until it is in full effect.   He loses his home, way of life, and friends all because he is Jewish.  

For whom is it appropriate ?   7 th through 12 th grade.

Teach it or circulate it ?   I would teach the novel.   It would make a great addition to a until on the Holocaust.  

Dense question : Despite the harassment Friedrich receives, he and his family remain at their home Germany rather than leave. What reasons would there be to stay in a country where you are being discriminated against?

Thematically related literature : The Diary of Anne Frank .  

Riley, Patricia, Ed. Growing Up Native American. New York:Avon, 1993.

Summary: A great selection of stories and memoirs from American Indian authors telling about childhood and adolescence, including school memories and the classic adolescent problems of acceptance, identity, and family.

For Whom Appropriate? Middle school and high school students

Teach it, as a whole book or as separate selections.

Dense Questions: What are some of the similarities in the young people in this book? How are they like people you know in real life? How do their stories reflect their culture and heritage, and how are they the same as any young person's story?

Roberts, Willo Davis. Don't Hurt Laurie. New York: Macmillan, 1977.

Summary: Laurie is an eleven-year-old girl with few friends. If Laurie had friends, they might discover that Laurie's mother abuses her. The beatings become so brutal that Laurie fears for her life.

For Whom Appropriate? 7th grade students

Teach it or circulate it? While the book contains simple language, realistic characters and an intriguing plot, the topic can be very disturbing. Teachers need to discuss the topic, the characters and their actions with their students.

Dense questions: Who are people that you think a person in Laurie's situation could confide in? How do you think parents can discipline their children without physical force? What do you think could have caused Annabelle's behavior other than her upbringing? Why do you think Laurie’s other family and teachers didn’t realize what was happening? If you had been asked to keep a secret like this, would you?

Thematically related Literature: Speak by, Laurie Halse Anderson; When She Hollers by Cynthis Voigt.

Rosen, Kenneth, ed. The Man to Send Rain Clouds. New York: Vintage Books, 1975.

Summary: A collection of short stories and poems by various Native American authors. Anna Lee Walters "Chapter I" is a good example of a story about an adolescent.

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

Teach It or Circulate It? Not all of the stories are appropriate for High school classrooms, though most are. Therefore it is almost necessary to teach the book. For a higher level 11th or 12th grade class it may be alright to just circulate it.

Dense Questions: Besides the fact that all the stories were about Native American's, what social connections could you find between the stories? In the stories that portrayed white character's, were they made out to be "good" or "bad," and why were they portrayed that way? How much different are your ideas and beliefs then the ones described throughout the book?

Thematically Related Literature: Ceremony-Leslie Silko, Legend Days-Jamake Highwater

Uchida, Yoshiko. A Jar of Dreams. Brattleboro: Atheneum, 1981.

Summary: One summer of eleven year old, Japanese American, Rinko's life. During that time a visit form an aunt from Japan, and a racial attack on the family's laundry business provides young Rinko and her family a summer they'll never forget.

For Whom It's Appropriate? 7th to 9th grade students

Teach It or Circulate It? Because of the issues raised in the book, I would have some discussion about it with 7th to 9th graders. Older students may enjoy it, but the style is extremely easy, and not very challenging. Therefore I would teach it to the Middle school, and circulate it in High school.

Dense Questions: When Rinko's aunt comes with gifts from Japan, Rinko is disappointed in hers. Do you think that with time she will learn to appreciate the gift more (why or why not)? What could be the reason that Rinko's neighbor Mrs. Sugar treats Rinko and her family like any other, but Mr. Starr does not (I want more than "He's just racist and she's not," for an answer)? Do you have relatives that live in another country or state? What would you imagine the trip to be like if you haven't already taken it? If you have, what was it like?

Thematically Related Literature: Finding My Voice-Marie G. Lee, Who's Hu?-Lensey Namioka, Saying Goodbye-Marie G. Lee

Rosenberg, Liz. The Invisible Ladder. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1996.

Summary: Rosenberg brings true life to the poems she chooses by placing photos of the poets with their work. This collection of contemporary American poems for the young reader breaks the stereotype of adolescents that all poets have long since past away. Each poets writes a brief statement before their work and relates to the younger reader in one way or another. These words of wisdom pull the book together as a whole and let you read through it with small story lines to learn. Rosenberg ends with a few pages of examples of how to teach some of the poems in the book to students in your classroom.

For Whom Appropriate? Junior high and Senior high students

Teach or Circulate it? With great tips from the back of the book it would be easy to pull a few short lessons from this book. It is also a great book to sit under a tree with.

Dense Questions? How do you feel the poets in this book related to the younger reader, like yourself? What would you write if you had to introduce some of your poems in a similar book?

Thematically related Literature. Any anthology of poetry devoted to the younger reader. Sometimes they are harder to find.

Ross, Sinclair. As For Me and My House. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1989.

Summary: This story takes the form of a journal. It is the diary of an unnamed and complex female character. It is a description of some of the bonds people have and deals with the not so great side of human relationships. Lots of detail and natural imagery that is very compelling and powerful. This book is hailed as one of Canada's great novels.

For Whom Appropriate? 10th-12th grade students

Teach it or circulate it? Teach it, without a doubt. It is a great thought provoking novel. It would be best with more advanced classes because it does require some thought and insightfulness.

Dense questions: How would this situation be different, or the same for other country women? How would it be different for a woman from the city?

Roth, Arthur. The Iceberg Hermit. New York: Four Winds Press, 1974.

In 1757 Allan had signed on as a deck hand on a whaling vessel to earn money to marry Nancy. The ship crashes into an iceberg and partially sinks but becomes frozen into the same iceberg Allan is thrown onto. The sole survivor of the wreck, he befriends a polar bear cub and eventually finds a tribe of Eskimos to live with. Based on true story, Allan spends seven years in the Arctic before he can find another whaler to take him home.

Appropriate for grades 7 to 12.

I would both teach and circulate The Iceberg Hermit to emphasize the differences and similarities betwixt the ways cultures relate to each other over three hundred years of contact. Allan spends years dreaming of how he would return as a conquering hero but when he does return he finds his dream bride wed and his old school teacher, who had considered him stupid, unimportant issues.

Would have been able to display the maturity Allan displays when he realizes and accepts that life changes peoples viewpoints?

Allan lives for three or four years with a tribe of Eskimos who do not want him to leave. Can you understand the strong desire Allan feels to live in his own culture again ?

Does Allan truly fit into any culture after his experience?

Adventure/Survival

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. USA: Scholastic Press, 1999.

Summary: This is the second book in the series. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and their friend Hermione are all at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft learning the tools of their trade. They encounter an invisibility cloak which allows them to explore where they should not go and they have a number of exciting adventures.

For Whom Appropriate? 6th through 8th Grades

Teach or Circulate? Circulate, since it is is an adventure that requires little analyzing.

Dense Questions?
How is "being different" an advantage for Harry Potter and an encouragement to all of us?
How are muggles portrayed and how does this fit certain types of people?

Thematically-related Literature: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Tomb of Alcazar, and
The Worst Witch All at Sea by Jill Murphy.

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Prisoner on Azkaban. New York; Scholastic.

Summery- Harry Potter is a third year student at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. This year there is another new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and Hermoine get a horrible cat that constantly tries to eat Ron's rat, Scabbers. Everybody thinks that Harry's life is in danger, which makes it more difficult for him and his friends to get into mischief.

For whom appropriate- All ages

Teach or circulate- circulate

Dense question- Would you suspect your favorite teacher of doing
something bad, if there was evidence to support it?

Related Lit- A Wrinkle in Time; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; Ella Enchanted.

Summary: As a baby, Harry?s parents are killed and he is sent to live with his aunt and uncle. They take him in, but do not accept him as son being that they already have one. Harry is forced to spend eleven years living in the cupboard under the stairs. On his eleventh birthday, he learns that he is a wizard and is now the age to attend the wizarding school. When he goes, he finds out that the whole community has been awaiting his arrival. He must meet new friends, learn the wizarding lifestyle, and finally discover what really killed his parents.

For whom is this book appropriate? Later elementary school and up.

Teach or Circulate it? I would circulate the book. Some people may have objections about the content.

Dense Questions:
What would it be like to live in a home that did not feel like home?
Harry had a secret disclosed to him later in life? How would you deal with a new sense of identity? Once Harry joins the wizarding community he is in a place where he finally can be himself. Have you ever felt out of place? What did you do about it?

Additional Questions:

1. What parts of this novel and the trials of Harry Potter best describe the kinds of difficulties adolescents can have during their early years?

2. Are your experiences with making friends different or similar to those of Harry Potter? How about the experiences of others that you know? Are they similar?

3. If you were Harry Potter and you were in his situation, what is one thing you would have done differently? And give a reason based on one of your own past experiences.

4. When have you felt out of place like Harry did with the Dursleys? The Sorting Hat divides the children at Hogwarts into different groups, when have you felt that you were put into a group based on someone else’s opinion of you?

Thematically related literature: Matilda- Roald Dahl. Other Harry Potter books.

Thematically Related Literature:

1. Other Harry Potter books

2. The Amber Series - Roger Zelazny

3. Redwall - Brian Jaques

Ruby, Lois. Skin Deep.  New York:  Scholastic Inc. 1994

Summary:  Dan Penner and Laurel Grady are normal teens in their Senior Year in High School.  Their world becomes complicated when Dan becomes embroiled in the Neo-Nazi skinhead movement.  This novel is the story of a young man’s changing world-view and just what constitutes Freedom of Speech.

For Whom Appropriate:  8th-10th grade students

Teach it or Circulate it?  Due to the fact that it is an easy read, with large print and simple sentence structure, as well as filled with universally understood plot elements.  For this reason I believe that the book should be circulated among students.

Shaded or Dense Questions: What should be covered under Free Speech Laws? Should you abandon your ideals because they are not popular?  What would you do if someone you love did something or became something that you were completely against it?

Thematically related Literature:  Night by Eli Wiesel and The Diary of Anne Frank,

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Ruckman, Ivy. The Hunger Scream. New York: Walker, 1983.

Summary: When Lily decides to do something, she overdoes it. She even takes her dieting to the extreme. Lily suffers from anorexia nervosa, and as the pounds drop off, she turns away from everyone who cares about her.

For Whom Appropriate? 9th-12th grade students

Teach it or circulate it? This book does not need to be taught in a classroom, but it deals with many problems that come with anorexia, independence, romance and racial friendships. It even discusses the family structure of an anorexic patient. Because these problems can occur early in adolescence, I would recommend the novel for ninth grade students.

Dense Questions: What would you do if you began to suspect that a person is suffering from an eating disorder? When do you think dieting becomes anorexia? How do you think anorexia affects the people witnessing it?

Thematically related Literature: Early Disorder by Rebecca Josephs; I am an Artichoke by Lucy Frank

Rylant, Cynthia. Something Permanent. San Diego: Harcourt Brace and Company, 1994.

Summary: Something Permanent is an emotionally filled book with story poems and vivid pictures. The pictures are documents from the Great Depression from various places across America. One poem accompanies each picture with a brilliant feel for tone and mood.

For Whom Appropriate? Junior and Senior high students

Teach it or circulate it? I feel that the book carries a great deal of material which could be learned from, but would be better suited for a History classroom. A wonderful book for a student to learn how to write about other art.

Dense Questions: How do you feel the stories in the book related to the pictures and the time period of the Great Depression? Have you ever seen a story in a picture before... explain?

Thematically related Literature: Looking for your name-- Paul Janeczko, Sounds and Silences-- Richard Peck