Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing

Angel, A. (2010).  Janis Joplin:  Rise up singing.  New York, NY:  Amulet. In this autobiography of Janis Joplin, we learn that as a young girl she is filled with insecurities.  She is so different in behavior and look from the other girls in school that she goes through taunting and teasing.  She does not want to conform to the mold set up for young ladies.  Her love is singing, and she is able to form a band with other misfits like her, Big Brother and the Holding, Co.  As she is becoming well known, Joplin struggles with the addiction to drugs.  She does try to clean herself up, but fails, and it eventually leads to her death on October 4, 1970.  The book includes many colorful photos of Janis Joplin from childhood throughout her singing career.  It has a useful timeline at the end of the book as well as a bibliography and index.  I believe the book is well written, but I would only include it in a High School library.  There are topics and photos that are not intended for the younger audience.  I liked how the author tells us Joplin story in chronological order so that we are able to see how she her decisions ultimately end her life.  According to Goodreads reviews, it says that this book has “been well researched” since it includes anecdotes from friends and family of Joplin and has many photographs.  In the back of the book, the author includes an extensive bibliography telling me this is an accurate account of Janis Joplin. Even though this book has controversial topics, I liked how the author did not present the information as one sided.  She just stated the facts.

The Tequila Worm

Canles, V. (2005).  The tequila worm. New York, NY: Wendy Lamb Books/Random House.  Sofia is a girl from McAllen, Texas.  She comes from a Catholic family full of traditions, but it is these traditions that bring her family closer together.  After each meal, they have a sobremesa, where the family sits around the table and is able to express themselves.  Sofia faces many obstacles while attending school, but she is able to get herself to the top and earns a scholarship to St. Luke's High School.  It is difficult for her family to let her go, but she wants to be able to experience new opportunities.  I feel that this book has so many similarities to Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian. Both characters want to have new experiences outside their communities.  Sofia does not want to settle for being a comadre and housewife, and Junior does not want to have a menial job and drown himself in booze.  I felt a strong connection to The Tequila Worm because many of the traditions found in Sofia’s home are the same ones that I had growing up.  I especially liked how the author let us get closer to Sofia’s father and admire him to such extent that you actually feel her grief upon his death.  I think that an activity a teacher can have when reading this book to the class is to have the students bring their own bag with artifacts representing different stories belonging to their families.  In this book, we see several of Havinghurst’s theories of developmental tasks.  Sofia must learn how to get along with Terry and Brooks, her roommate, when she enters St. Luke.  She must learn to either go with the comadres or continue to go to St. Luke's.  She also learns that she must fulfill her dream of becoming a lawyer.

Ichiro

Inzana, R. (2012). Ichiro. New York, NY: Houghton Miffin Harcourt Publishing Company. Ichiro has grown up in the United States. His father was killed in the Iraq war, and his mother thinks it would be best if they move to Japan with her father. Ichi does not know his grandfather or the country, but his grandfather takes him to many historical places to show and teach him the history of Japan. At his grandfather’s home, the fruit from the trees is disappearing, so Ichi and his grandfather set up a trap for the creature. When he catches him, Ichiro finds out it is a shape shifter, and it drags him to a kind of underworld. He is only able to leave the world of the dead by accepting the help of Hachiman, a war god and ends up unconscious on a beach. After his mother finds him, Ichiro is more accepting of his new country and grandfather. I think this is a great graphic novel. The Illustrations were colorful and with creative insight. I feel that a reluctant reader can get lost in this book and will learn many things about Japan. I feel that this graphic novel best suits middle school students and up since many of the creatures in the fantasy world would be too frightening or not understandable by a younger audience. This book combines a bit of history and fantasy. As Ichiro’s grandfather takes him on a tour of Japan, he describes many historical events, such as the atomic bomb hitting Hiroshima. Another thing we see in Ichiro is that because of his experiences, he is able to be more open minded about Japan and his grandfather at the end.

It's Perfectly Normal

Harris, R. (2009).  It's perfectly normal:  Changing bodies, growing up, sex, and sexual health.  Boston, MA:  Candlewick Press. It's Perfectly Normal touches upon the issues of the changes that happen to the body when growing up, sexuality, making babies, and staying healthy.  The book is divided into seven sections:  Lots of Questions, Our Bodies, What is Sex?, Puberty, Families and Babies, Decisions, and Staying Healthy.  As you go through the book, special terms are defined on the side with actual definitions from a dictionary.  The author also uses illustrations and descriptions to explain what parts of the anatomy are used when it comes to the changes in puberty and sexuality.  As an overprotective mother, when I first opened this book, I thought, “what is this book doing in our library?”  After reading the book, I realize that I could have used this book to help explain many of the questions my sons had on sexuality when growing up.  I also realize many parents are not able to or willing to discuss some of the difficult topics in this book, but I feel that a student (10 or above) can pick this book up on their own and be able to have a better understanding of what is going through their bodies as they are growing up. I also liked how it brought to light difficult decisions they might have to make at one point in their life, such as abstinence or being active, and present it in a way so that they make logical decisions and not based on perceived taboos.  Harris consulted many doctors, nurses, psychologists, nurses, parents, members of clergy, and scientist to create this book.  As you read the book and encounter topics that require decisions, she is not bias, but presents two points of view and lets the reader make their own decision.

Pretty Dead

Francesca, L.B. (2009). Pretty Dead. New York, NY:  HarperCollins Publishers.   At 17, Charlotte Emerson was created in 1925 by the vampire, William Stone Eliot. He teaches her to lure couples into their whereabouts in order to make a meal of their blood.  After almost a century of being under the William’s influences, she manages to break free of him.  He finds her, and in an almost unconscious state, William tricks her into making Emily, her best friend a vampire.  Char thinks Emily committed suicide, and through her grief, she becomes close to Emily’s boyfriend, Jared, and learns she is becoming human again.  William wants to do the same Jared, but Char intervenes and is at last free from William.  I truly enjoyed how Block was able to vividly make me see the different cities with her unique descriptions and the use of figurative language, such as “… a dazzle of gold like a handful of tossed coins.”  It also reminded me of Ann Rice’s book Interview with a Vampire when the main character also seeks to leave his maker.  I think teachers could use this book to teach students the use of imagery to make their writing come to life.  I would rather that this book be read by high school students since there are some topics that are too mature for younger students.  In Pretty Deadly, we see the physical and emotional development with the main character.  As she is getting older emotionally and not physically, she decides she will not wear what William decides.  She studies the trends with high school students and tries to fit in with them.  As Char gets older mentally, she realizes she does not see things the same as when she was 17.  She has change and has new desires and impossible yearnings, such as having a child.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Alexie, s. (2007).  The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian.  New York, NY:  Little Brown. Junior is an Indian living on a reservation.  He sees that his family, friends, and those living on the "rez" have "failed dreams" because nobody notices them, so they drown themselves in booze.  Junior does not want this life, so he asks his parents to transfer him to Reardan, an all white school.  As he attends this school, his grandmother is killed by a drunk driver, and his sister dies in a fire because she had gotten drunk and fell asleep after her party.  As Junior reflects on his decision to be different from those on the “rez” and on all the sacrifices he makes, he does not regret his decision of getting an education off the reservation.  I truly admire Junior’s character because he has so much against him, and yet, he is able to pull himself through.  I think that these trials have made him realize that despite of how his parents are (constantly drinking), they truly love him and will sacrifice for him.  We see Junior develop socially as he is learning that there are some things that are socially acceptable in his tribe and not at Reardan, yet, he also sees that his tribe can also be just as cruel and filled with prejudices as those in the white community.  We also see the emotional development of Rowdy.  At first, he becomes belligerent when things do not go his way.  As the book comes to an end, we see that he has accepted Junior’s reason for leaving and makes efforts to rekindle their friendship.  I think this is a great read for middle school students seeking humor, acceptance, and determination in stories.