Best of "Best Lists" 2011

From Chicken Spaghetti, here is a handy-dandy list of all of the "Bests" in Children's Lit for 2011.  All of the biggies, including the Newbery (above), are still TBA.  That gives you time to enjoy the other lists. 

Books that Moved Me--2011

I need to keep blogging.  Inspired by David Landrum, I've decided to simply recap the books I read this year.  This isn't really a complete list.  I know I've forgotten some of them.  Since I took a Children's and Young Adult Lit class, I read a few more than I normally would have.  I'm not going to list all of the books I read for that class, unless I think those books would be truly worth someone's time to read.  These are in order of remembrance, and I'll note the author if the name comes to me.  One professional goal I have for 2012?  Read more.  Review more.  Blog more.

Books...are like lobster shells, we surround ourselves with 'em, then we grow out of 'em and leave 'em behind, as evidence of our earlier stages of development.--Dorothy Sayers

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
This is hands-down the best nonfiction book I've ever read.  Before that, it was a tie between Simon Winchester and Bill Bryson, but this book came out of nowhere to blow them both away.  It's the story of how Johns Hopkins scientists developed test-tube HELA cancer cells from the ovarian cancer of a poor, African-American woman who died.  What happened to her family as the result of her death is simply unreal, and I truly read this through without stopping (including not sleeping).  Rabih came home at one point, when I had just burst into tears about something I'd read, and I couldn't even tell him why I was crying, I was sobbing so hard.

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell
I said it last summer, and I'll say it again--this man must have sold his soul to the devil to be able to write so well.  Jam packed with beautiful turns of phrase and outstanding imagery.  A nice plot which doesn't end the way you wish it would is also a big plus.  This book would make an outstanding movie, and I'd be disappointed if ChowYun Phat didn't show up in it.

Love Wins by Ron Bell
I had to see what all of the fuss was about, so when this finally made it to Kuwait, I enjoyed reading it.  I found Bell's hipster-doofus-Imma-cool-Christian lingo laughable, and his argumentative style a bit boring.  If you still haven't read this, save yourself some time and read the first and last page of each chapter.  You'll get the idea.

Unbroken by Laura Hilldebrand
True life story of Olympic runner Louis Zamperini, who fought in World War 2, spent what seemed like an eternity in Japanese prison camp, and returned home to do a lot of good by starting a boys camp after he was saved at a Billy Graham crusade.  Oh, yeah, and did I mention he floated around on a rubber raft in the Pacific fending of starvation and shark attacks?  I read one review of this book, wherein the writer complained that the book got bogged down when Hildebrand was describing Zamperini's Japanese imprisonment.  That made me angry.  I guess we could all take the time to read what these men from the Greatest Generation endured for America.  I think this one has a movie coming out, and I hope they do justice to the book..

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
What can I say about this book?  Even if you tried to be cynical about it, it's impossible.  This one has the X-factor, and it's just a good read without anyone having to justify it.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba
Still in the middle of this book, but I can see so many opportunities for interdisciplinary studies with this one. Also, great literary echoes of Heart of Darkness, Things Fall Apart and Poisonwood Bible.

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt (previously reviewed)
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt
These three get grouped together since they are by the same author.  I had the chance to take Children's Lit with Prof Schmidt when I was a student at Calvin (which is before he'd written any of these books).  I read Lizzie Bright for my class this fall and was impressed by Schmidt's images and allusions to Melville.  It was a solid read and the kind of Young Adult novel that's just as rewarding as an adult read.  Wednesday Wars, I didn't care for as much.  The voice of the narrator was a bit unbelievable for me in spots, but I didn't grow up as a kid on Long Island in the late 60s, so who am I to judge?  Okay for Now is getting lots of Newbery buzz (as did the other two).  It was better than Wednesday Wars by a long shot.  Schmidt's imagery was stronger, especially the bird motifs which drive the narrative forward symbolically.  Read it.  You'll like it.

So B. It by Sarah Weeks
A sweet book, suggested by friends.  It's a very realistic book about a very unrealistic life, but it's still believable and you want the heroine to win her coming-of-age battle.  It doesn't have a fairy tale ending, which I find quite respectful from any young adult author.

The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages (previously reviewed)
White Sands, Red Menace by Ellen Klages
These books are also young adult novels.  I read the first one for class, but liked it so much, I continued on to the sequel.  Set in New Mexico in the 1940s, Klages introduces us two very realistic, very individual young ladies to root for.  The narratives are believable and Klages attention to historical detail is something to appreciate.

Your Own, Sylvia by Stephanie Hemphill (previously reviewed)
I was never a huge fan of Sylvia Plath until I read this book.  Hemphill wrote her own narrative poems to retell the life of Plath, some of which are as good as Plath's.  At first, it might seem like a simple book, until you start to pick up on the themes and motifs that tie the book and Plath's poetry together.  Plath's death was one in a string of tragic deaths surrounding her life.  I'm really glad I had a chance to study her a bit more through this verse novel.

The Poet Slave of Cuba: a Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano
Tells true story of a slave boy in colonial Cuba.  He was born into slavery, educated, set free, enslaved again, horrendously tortured, and finally set free.  It's another verse novel, and a quick read.  Another book that left me wondering about how people can be so cruel and how the human spirit can still endure.

Burning Bright by Ron Rash
I thought my favorite Southern writer was Lee Smith until I read Ron Rash.  I came across snippets of Rash's poetry while reading a book by Silas House (I don't remember which one).  It's like Rash lives in my hometown.  I read each short story right in a row, and didn't stop reading until I was finished.  Rash is definitely on my list for 2012.  I'm addicted.

Mrs. Darcy and the Blue Eyed Stranger by Lee Smith
Every time I read something by Lee Smith, I am amazed that she's not schizophrenic.  She uses so many voices, and this collection of short stories doesn't disappoint me.  I don't like all of her narrators, but there are plenty to chose from. Her turns of phrase are also a treat, such as "a life so hard and flinty that it might erupt at any moment into tongues of fire."  Smith is another author who must have sold her soul to the devil.

All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
Because this book just makes me happy.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Because I find something new in this book every time I read and/or teach it.

Blind Descent (about extreme caving) by James Tabor
Mr. Sam

Mockingbird (previously reviewed)
They Called Themselves the KKK
Hitler Youth

The Silent Act--a review of SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson

Melinda Sordino is a Freshman at Merryweather High, and she’s just about as isolated as they come.  She had friends before, but something happened last summer—something bad, something unspeakable—and now she is shunned, ostracized and outcast.  What’s going on?  Why won’t Melinda talk?  Is it that she can’t or that she won’t—speak? 

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Anderson’s external portrayal of Melinda is about as real as they come. When I taught in high schools, I had at least one girl like Melinda in every English class. They usually tucked their hands inside the sleeves of their baggy sweatshirts, hid their eyes behind their hair, never looked adults in the eye, liked art class, and seemed to shy away from boys. They were usually disinterested and mildly disdainful of their classes. As a teacher, I always wanted to get inside the heads of these girls, and thanks to Anderson, I feel I have.


From Glee to Gossip Girl to Pretty Little Liars to 90210, portrayal of teenagers is rife with stereotypes. And, while the novel is set in high school, the penultimate stereotype factory, Anderson doesn’t stop with the stereotypes, which is what makes Speak ultra-real. Chosing to share Melinda’s story through a series of diary-like entries rather than traditional chapter divisions, Anderson manages to escape stereotypes by allowing the reader to connect with Melinda’s inner dialogue, distinguishing her as an individual. What helps the other characters avoid being stereotypical is the fact that they are freshmen trying to fit in, so their images are shifting. Rachel, formerly a Plain Jane and formerly Melinda’s friend, becomes a Eurotrash wannabe. Nicole, a female jock. The inability of Melinda to speak is juxtaposed with the ability of her fellow classmate, hero, and possible romantic interest, David Petrakis’ ability to stand up for himself in the face of unjust treatment by a teacher, also avoiding stereotypical treatment. 

Contemporary fiction runs the risk of becoming overtly issue-oriented, and for this reader, Speak is almost marred by its pre-occupation with the issue of rape. It was clear to me early in the book that Melinda had undergone a traumatic experience at the party after which she was ostracized. I was 98% sure she had been raped, but the narrative was compelling enough for me to want the details. What keeps this book from going the way of the After-School Special, however, is the strength of its overall theme which is hinted at in the title: Speak. Like so many high school girls, Melinda needed help finding a voice. If an adult reader keeps in mind that a freshman who had been raped by a very popular jock would undoubtedly find it the central, preoccupying issue in her life, the book can be forgiven for its overtness, and may perhaps, be even more real than an adult realizes. This book is a Young Adult novel. It’s meant for teenage girls. Halse definitely understands her audience, and the adults can butt out if they so choose, thank-you-very-much.

Awards and Reviews
Speak has garnered many awards. The most major awards are listed here, but a full list can be found at the author's site online.

Printz Honor Book
National Book Award Finalist
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
Booklist Editor’s Choice
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon Book
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

“In her YA fiction debut, Anderson perfectly captures the harsh conformity of high-school cliques and one teen’s struggle to find acceptance from her peers. Melinda’s sarcastic wit, honesty, and courage make her a memorable character whose ultimate triumph will inspire and empower readers.” – Debbie Carton, Booklist (September 15, 1999)

“The plot is gripping and the characters are powerfully drawn, but it is its raw and unvarnished look at the dynamics of the high school experience that makes this a novel that will be hard for readers to forget.” – Kirkus Reviews (September 15, 1999)

“Anderson expresses the emotions and the struggles of teenagers perfectly. Melinda’s pain is palpable, and readers will totally empathize with her. This is a compelling book, with sharp, crisp writing that draws readers in, engulfing them in the story.” – Dina Sherman, School Library Journal (October 1, 1999)

“Readers will easily identify with Melinda, a realistic, likeable character. Anderson portrays a large suburban high school with a fresh and authentic eye. …By using a conversational, first-person narrative, the author takes the reader into Melinda’s world. This story has an important lesson: never be afraid to speak up for yourself.” – Rebecca Vnuk, VOYA (December 1, 1999)

“…the book’s overall gritty realism and Melinda’s hard-won metamorphosis will leave readers touched and inspired.” – Publisher’s Weekly (September 13, 1999)

Lesson Extensions
This book covers extremely sensitive subject matter, and might be best suited for reading in a high school Girls’ PE or Health class.
*Teachers could invite a guest speaker from an emergency room, health clinic, or rape crisis center to speak to the girls about date rape, assault, and rape prevention.
*Local martial artists could instruct girls in methods of self-defense.
*The book could be used as a starting point for a discussion about the dangers of peer pressure and stereotyping in high school.

Free study guide available here.

Vital Stats
Anderson, Laurie Halse. (1999). Speak. New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux. ISBN: 978-0-374-37152-4.

New Beginnings--a review of THE ARRIVAL by Shaun Tan

There is more than one way to tell a story, and Shaun Tan uses the absence of words, surrealistic pencil drawings in sepia tones, and multiple points of view to tell the shared experience of modern-day immigrants.

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

From the beginning of the book, it is clear that The Arrival is about leaving old worlds and encountering new ones.  The main storyline follows a young father, who leaves his wife and daughter behind to forge a life ahead for them in a new, industrialized city.  He encounters various fears and obstacles along the way—language barriers, loneliness, unfamiliarity.  However, he also encounters other sympathetic souls who have been on a similar journey.  In a land where the language is not shared, they share their stories with him, giving him a sense of hope and community.  Seasons pass, and the family is finally reunited, adding their story and paving the way for others to follow.

This graphic novel is a complete work of art. The cover is reminiscent of an old book, which sets up the expectation of narrative. The front and end pages are covered with various portraits of immigrants inspired by photographs taken at Ellis Island, New York, from 1892 to 1954. A graphic alphabet that is somewhat-Roman, somewhat-Cyrillic and not at all decipherable adds to a feeling of isolation. Tan tells much of the story through small sequences of still life portraits. Gradually, the smaller portraits focus the action until he finally treats us to the entire picture, and we see how the parts add up to the whole. His attention to detail with this particular technique is stunning, especially in the opening sequence when the father prepares to leave his family. Familiar household items that he is leaving behind give way to a wider view of the family where they can be seen in the context of the family kitchen. When the family is reunited, the same items can be seen again in sequenced still life, but this time, like the family, the items have changed and adapted for use in the new world. Another subtle technique is the subtle shift between sepia tones for creating the warmth of families and friendship and grayscale for creating the distance of sad stories, miscommunication and the unfamiliar. Various animal motifs are used throughout the book. In general, dragons and dragon-like creatures deliver a sense of heaviness and foreboding while birds offer light and hope throughout. Each immigrant has his or her own animagus/avatar/spirit guide that Tan borrows from anime tradition and his other works which adds a whimsical, fantastical element.

A true work of art offers something new to each person who views it, every time it is viewed. Tan’s book is a true work of art in this regard, and readers will enjoy finding new meaning each time they pick it up.

Awards and Reviews

Australian Children’s Book of the Year Awards
West Australian Premier’s Australia Asia Literary Award
American Library Association Notable Books for Children
Book Sense Book of the Year
Hugo Award Nominee
Publisher’s Weekly Best Books of the Year
Virginia Reader’s Choice Awards
Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards
Locus Awards
Garden State Teen Book Award
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

“[Readers] will linger over the details in the beautiful sepia pictures and will likely pick up the book to pour over it again and again.”—Alana Abbott, School Library Journal (September 1, 2007)

“Filled with subtlety and grandeur, the book is a unique work that not only fulfills but also expands the potential of its form.”—Jesse Karp, Starred Review, Booklist (September 1, 2007)

“Stunning, powerful, gripping, moving-Tan’s book is meticulously wrought out and perfectly wrought, making use of both high-brow surrealism and extensive research into photographic records of immigrant stories.”—Joe Sutliff Sanders, VOYA (August 1, 2007)

“Wordlessly, through pages of beautifully crafted illustrations, Shaun Tan conveys the universal experiences of all those who leave their homes either by choice or from necessity. …A brilliantly imaginative and affecting graphic novel for all readers.”—Julia Eccleshare, Guardian UK (February 2, 2008)

Lesson Extensions

This book is suitable for teaching the history of the American Immigrant Experience in any social studies class. I would use it with students in Grade 8 or higher, or with advanced middle school students, as rather sophisticated viewing skills are required for decoding Tan’s highly complex artistic images. Using the book would be a fantastic way to enhance student understanding of visual literacy.

Although Tan is Australian, the Artist’s Note in the back of the book refers to photographs taken at Ellis Island, New York, from 1892 to 1954. Some resources for teaching Ellis Island and the Immigrant Experience are available from The History Channel. The possibilities are endless, but go here as a starting point for ideas.

Ellis Island is a national park, and in addition to the possibility of leading students on a field trip to New York City, they offer extensive curriculum materials for all grade levels here.

Moving beyond the obvious, teachers could extend the historical discussion to the experience of modern day immigrants in America. A lesson plan incorporating primary sources from the Library of Congress American Memory Collection can be found here as a starting point.

Since Tan’s family migrated to Australia, it might be interesting to compare migratory routes of people groups in an overview of Human Geography. The Migration Heritage Center in New South Wales, Australia, is a great place get started.

Finally, this is a graphic novel, and wordless one at that. At some point, using graphic novels in the classroom requires that teachers enable students to discuss the book in terms of visual literacy. A lesson plan giving general guidelines for analyzing images as texts can be found here.

Vital Stats
Tan, Shaun. (2006). The Arrival. Ill. by Shaun Tan. New York: Arthur A. Levine.

Control Freak--a review of JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL by Jack Gantos

Joey Pigza’s life is far from “normal.” But, then again, what is normal? His single mom, who supports herself and Joey on a beautician’s income, is stressed herself, even more so when Joey’s ex-con father has decided he’s gotten himself back on track and wants Joey to stay with him for the summer. Enter Joey’s grandmother, an oxygen-dependent chain smoker, who doesn’t really enjoy taking care of her hyperactive grandson or mangy Chihuahua Pablo. Joey is nervous about his summer with his father, and he has a right to be. Joey’s alcoholic father tries to fix his own mistakes by inflicting his unachieved dreams on Joey, including becoming a superstar pitcher. When Joey’s dad decides to ditch his nicotine patch, he forces Joey to give up his Ritalin patch…the only thing that had been keeping Joey from inflicting hyperactive harm to himself and others. Can Joey stand up for himself?


Through his adept characterization of Joey, Gantos has given us a realistic and unapologetic glimpse into the “normal” struggle of a hyperactive kid from a broken family who is trying his best to be good, without much help from the adults in his life. Joey’s antics are funny, when he pretends to be a mannequin in a fancy department store, yet heartbreaking at the same time, when the reader realizes that Joey does this because he has been abandoned by the adults in his life and is wandering the streets of Pittsburg alone and unmedicated for the day. The thing is, every educator knows a kid like Joey. They are scrappy, unkempt, usually friendless because of their behavior, and, at best, dreaded by some teachers.  Yet, somehow these kids find a spot in the hearts of those who root for the underdog. Being an underdog seems to be Gantos’ theme, for everyone in the book is an underdog. Joey’s mother, his father, his grandmother, and Joey all struggle. The reader wants them all to win, but not everyone in Joey’s life does. That’s precisely what makes this book realistic. In real life, not everyone wins, even if you hope they do. Some people don’t change. Life experience has lots of lessons, and not all of them are nice. Gantos doesn’t give us a storybook ending for Joey because real life doesn’t consist of storybook endings. But there is laughter, and there is hope. And that’s all we get sometimes.

Awards and Reviews
Newbery Medal Honor Book, 2001
ALA Notable Book, 2001

“Readers will be drawn in immediately to the boy’s gripping first-person narrative and be pulled pell-mell through episodes that are at once hilarious, harrowing, and ultimately heartening as Joey grows to understand himself and the people around him.”—Starr LaTronica, School Library Journal (September 2000)

“Gantos lifts this account of a kid with a lot of problems well above the stock problem novel: Joey’s view of the world is compelling regardless of what he’s dealing with, and it’s realistic in both its perceptions and their limitations.”—Deborah Stevenson, Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (September 2000)

“Gantos’ skillful pacing, sly humor, and in-depth characterization make it a truly memorable read.”—Susan Dove Lempke, Starred Review, Booklist (September 1, 2000)

Classroom Extensions
One of my favorite suggestions is a Board Game Activity. The start would be Joey’s dad’s house and the finish would be his mom’s house, because throughout the story, all he wants to do is be home with his mother. The pawns could be Joey, his mother, his father, his grandma, and Pablo. The students would roll the die and move accordingly. Landing on a square, they would draw a card. Some of the cards will have questions about the book, which if they get it right they advance two spaces. If they get it wrong, they stay where they are. Other cards will state something that happened to Joey either good or bad. For example, one of the cards might say, Joey’s dad throws away his medicine, go back five spaces, or Joey pitches a perfect game, go forward four spaces.

Another activity suggested at this site is to have the students make postcards from Joey to his mother. These two suggestions may not exactly be new approaches, but they both work very well for this book and the website gives good examples for each.

Keifer, M.J. (2005). “Classroom Activities for Joey Pigza Loses Control.”  Accessed November 27, 2011, from http://kieferja.tripod.com/page3.htm.

Scholastic offers an excellent language arts lesson plan for the book which addresses student understanding of conflict in the novel through personal reflection, class discussion, and poetry writing.  Suggestions for other books about family issues are also given. 

Gold, Lauren (n.d.). “Joey Pigza Loses Control Teaching Plan.”  Scholastic.com. Accessed November 24, 2011, from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/joey-pigza-loses-control-teaching-plan.

Books on Tape offers a free Listening Library Guide, which offers ways to enhance a listener’s experience with the book on audio.  Struggling readers may be able to identify with Joey and his struggles due to the causes of reading difficulties.  Listening to the book may be a perfect way for such students to get into "reading" the novel.

Vital Stats

Gantos, Jack. (2000). Joey Pigza Loses Control. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.

A Story Better Told--a review of LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMINSTER BOY by Gary D. Schmidt

Turner Buckminster is a “preacher’s kid,” and he doesn’t fit into his new life in Phippsburg, Maine, in 1912.  His peers don’t accept him, his father is demanding, and the townspeople hold him up to higher expectations than he can sometimes meet.  He is so miserable that all he can do is think about “lighting out for the territories.”  Then, a chance meeting with a local island girl, Lizzie Bright, gives him hope that life will be more bearable after all.  However, the events that are about to spiral out of control for the star-crossed friends are less than hopeful.  In fact, they are tragic.  In an honest coming-of-age novel about a boy on the verge of manhood, Gary Schmidt delivers a cast of memorable characters and an unforgettably tender story in his Newbery Honor book. 

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt

Some readers may not know that Gary Schmidt is an English professor. His careful crafting of Turner’s story reflects his vast knowledge of literature as a craft. In Turner’s encounter with a whale, readers hear definite echoes of Melville’s Moby Dick:

“Turner reached the whale’s eye, and they looked at each other. They looked at each other a long time—two souls rolling on the sea under the silvery moon, peering into each other’s eyes. Turner wished with a desire greater than anything he had ever desired that he might understand what it was in the eye of the whale that shivered his soul” (80).
The motif of cold, moonlight is repeated in the death of Turner’s father and in the new life Turner forges for himself.

Schmidt’s characters are wonderfully drawn, and most of them are dynamic and full of surprises. The villain, Mr. Stonecrop, is truly regenerate, and Schmidt leaves his final end unresolved. The crotchety Miss Cobb, for whom Turner is forced to play the organ for one hour every afternoon, is a perfect old spinster, obsessed with what her last words might be. She reprimands Turner, “Have you thought about what your last words might be? You’re never too young to know what your last words might be. Death could come along at any moment and thrust his dart right through you” (25). Seeming friends become insidious enemies, and enemies become lasting friends. Schmidt uses the various seasons of the New England landscape as a backdrop for the story. Spring and summer bring hope and fulfillment while fall and winter harbinger change and death.

The novel humanizes a horrific story. I recently read about what happened to African-Americans of this era when they were sent to mental institutions.  While the true story of Malaga’s ousted community may be too much for young readers to bear, Schmidt’s book raises awareness of the event, which is truly a dark blotch in American history, in a way that young people will understand. He doesn’t sugar-coat the events, but he limits the reader’s experience to that of Turner’s, which is heavy enough for a young reader. Lizzie’s death is truly upsetting. Themes of becoming an individual, friendship, and love and loss are universal. More importantly, they are realistic, as the novel doesn’t deliver a fairy tale ending, even when it seems that one might be possible. Young adults will respond to Schmidt’s respectful candor. The story of Malaga Island—a story best left untold—is probably best told through the lens of historical fiction. Schmidt is a master storyteller.

Awards and Reviews

Newbery Honor Book, 2005
Michael L. Printz Honor Award, 2005
Young Hoosier Book Award
Volunteer State Book Award
Garden State Teen Book Award
West Virginia Children’s Choice Book Award
Sequoyah Book Award
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award
Virginia Reader’s Choice Awards

“Schmidt's writing is infused with feeling and rich in imagery. With fully developed, memorable characters and a fascinating, little-known piece of history, this novel will leave a powerful impression on readers.”—Connie Tyrrell Burns, School Library Journal (May 2004)


“The author bases this story on facts from the early 1900s, telling it with a lyrical style that supports Turner's steady path toward maturity while dealing with racism, religious belief, intellectual development, family ties, and loyalty. There are many subtle dimensions to Turner's progress with grace under pressure as he learns to stand up for what he believes.”—Patricia Morrow, VOYA (August 2004)


“Schmidt takes his time with his tale, spinning gloriously figurative language that brilliantly evokes both place and emotion. Turner himself is a wonderfully rich character, his moral and intellectual growth developing naturally from the boy the reader first meets. There can be no happy ending to this story, but the telling is both beautiful and emotionally honest, both funny and piercingly sad.”—Kirkus Reviews (N.d.)

Lesson Extensions

Watch “Malaga Island: a Story Best Left Untold,” a radio documentary and photo exhibition that covers the true story of what happened to people of mixed race from the Malaga community. There are images of the island and its settlers before and after. The truth hurts more than the fiction, so beware of sensitive students.

Random House offers an excellent Educator’s Guide for this novel covering themes such as coming-of-age, family relationships, friendship, racism and prejudice, and self-esteem. There are curricular connections to various subject areas, a writing exercise about personification, and a revealing interview with the author.


Katherine Ruppel (2006) has created A Teaching Guide for Gary D. Schmidt’s Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. This standards-based unit emphasizes literary elements as well as issues of prejudice and personal responsibility.


Vital Stats
Schmidt, Gary D. (2004). Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. New York: Random House. ISBN 0553494953

Rosenthal., R. and Philbrick, K. (2009). Malaga Island: a story best left untold.  Accessed November 17, 2011 from http://malagaislandmaine.org/index.htm.



Shazam!--a review of THE GREEN GLASS SEA by Ellen Klages

There is a wealth of information to discover in well-crafted historical fiction.  The Green Glass Sea, a remarkable debut novel by Ellen Klages, is a treasure chest of facts about the Atomic age carefully tucked away in a compelling fictional narrative of a young girl who didn’t mind being different.

The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages

Dewey Kerrigan doesn’t fit in. She is a sympathetic character from the beginning of the novel, where we find her waiting outside on the steps for her father, a mathematician who works for the government in an "undisclosed location," to pick her up. Dewey has a weird name, she has a limp, she likes “boy things” like radios and mechanics. None of this matters to Dewey, though, because she is about to find herself in a secret city surrounded by men—and women—of genius, including Dick Feynman and Robert Oppenheimer, who share her interests. Suze Gordon is a misfit, too, but unlike Dewey, she wants to fit in; the harder she tries, the worse it is. Suze and Dewey find themselves thrown together in Los Alamos through a series of unfortunate events which happen to Dewey. The story of their unusual friendship is set against the backdrop of the race to develop the “gadget,” toward the end of World War 2. Much like the girls in the story, the reader is drawn into the web of unavoidable circumstances surrounding the quest to end the war and left to ponder the broader implications of science for both creation and destruction.

I am so glad I read this book. I didn’t know much about Los Alamos, the Manhattan project or the people who were involved in it, but I could have learned about this from any book. What really stands out as special about Klages’ novel is the very practical and matter of fact nature of her storytelling. While Dewey's relationship with her father is particularly poignant, Klages doesn’t employ emotional tricks to earn the reader’s sympathy. She very realistically portrays two young ladies as unique individuals who are trying to find their place in the world that they find themselves in. Her attention to historical detail is evident in her re-creation of a child’s world in the 1940s—comics, Nehi soda, LIFE Magazine. The reader experiences this world through the eyes of the heroines as they learn that “bad stuff happens” but there is also friendship and beauty to be discovered. The author’s note is brief, but offers some very concise resources for readers who may want to learn more about the history that inspired this captivating story.

Awards and Reviews

Scott O’Dell Award, 2007
New Mexico Book Award, 2007
Judy Lopez Award, 2007
Finalist, Quall Awards, 2007
Finalist, Northern California Book Awards, 2007
Finalist, Locus Award for Best First Novel, 2007
Children’s Picks List, BookSense, 2006/2007

Starred Reviews
Horn Book Guide (Spring 2007)
VOYA (February 2007)
Horn Book (November/December 2006)

“Clear prose brings readers right into the unusual atmosphere of the secretive scientific community, seen through the eyes of the kids and their families. Dewey is an especially engaging character, plunging on with her mechanical projects and ignoring any questions about gender roles.”—Steven Engelfried, School Library Journal (November 2006)

“Klages evokes both the big-sky landscape of the Southwest and a community where ‘everything is secret’ with inviting ease and the right details.”—The Horn Book Magazine, Nov/Dec 2006

“…the characters are exceptionally well drawn, and the compelling, unusual setting makes a great tie-in for history classes.”—John Green, Booklist (November 15, 2006)

“…the view of the Manhattan Project through the eyes of two out-of-the-loop children is an intriguing entrée to this somber piece of history.”—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (January 2007)

Lesson Extensions


The historical tie-ins for this book are obvious. I would have students research old copies of LIFE Magazine, the Saturday Evening Post, and other magazines contemporary to the times. Many artifacts from this time are also available in local antique shops and “junk” stores. It would be interesting for collaborative groups to create a History Box surrounding this era.

Students in science could study more about atoms and nuclear energy through the lives of the scientists who researched it. It’s also a good book for discussing the ethics of scientific research. Students could watch the movie Fat Man and Little Boy to learn more about the feelings of the people who created the world’s first weapon of mass destruction.

For Grade 5 or 6 Literature Circles, Scholastic offers a Literature Cirlce Reading Guide with Questions and Extension Activities.
The Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award (Illinois) has a website with activities and resources to accompany books which have received this award. Resources for The Green Glass Sea include links to the history of Los Alamos, the Manhattan Project, the Trinity Test Site, a biography of Robert Oppenheimer, videos of nuclear explosions, and information about Trinitite (the mineral behind the name The Green Glass Sea).

Vital Statistics

Klages, Ellen. (2006). The Green Glass Sea. New York: Viking. ISBN 0670061344