Dangerously Alice. Written by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. 2007. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, New York. ISBN 13: 978-0-689-87094-1, ISBN-10: 0-689-87094-9. 294 pages. $15.99. Recommended for 7th-12th graders. (Ages 12-18).
As part of a series that is regularly challenged in libraries and schools around the country, Dangerously Alice lives up to its name and keeps up the controversy. Alice, now a junior in high school, continues her journey of self-discovery as she deals with the tamer issues of changing friendships and family dynamics and more touchy subjects of budding sexuality and teenage drinking. After being made fun of for her cautious, goody-two-shoes personality, Alice tries to take more risks and explore the darker side of life, which culminates in a new relationship with “fast” Tony and a dicey secret assignment that puts her and her friend Liz out on the mean midnight streets of a nearby town. Amid the danger, Alice also copes with more everyday troubles—getting used to her step-mother’s new role in the family, crushing on a senior who doesn’t feel the same way, and worrying about the PSAT test. Naylor carefully balances Alice so that she never alienates the reader by making her too risky or shy. Alice is your middle-of-the-road teenager, an “everygirl” as others have put it, allowing girls of every style to see themselves in her.
Not all parents will be comfortable with some of the situations included in the novel. They might not want their child, now blossoming into a young adult, to read candidly about sexual encounters or unsupervised parties gone wild. And yet, whether parents like it or not, these situations are not simply fantasies made up by Naylor. They remarkably resemble a reality that teenage girls face every day. The book doesn’t condone bad behavior or promiscuity, but rather has Alice contemplating her actions and decisions, acknowledging when she is unsure, and asking for help when she needs it. She follows a moral compass, setting an excellent example for today’s teenage girls in a world filled with enticing risks and rapid change.
As schools and public libraries deal with challenges to putting Dangerously Alice on their shelves, the novel provides a ready-made argument against censorship. In public speaking class, Alice’s teacher is sharply criticized by a parent for an assignment about controversial topics and takes it up with the school board. The students rally around their teacher and put on a demonstration to defend their rights to think and speak freely. After the objecting parent has a chance to formally complain, the principal sides with the students, believing that teenagers need to “study a controversial subject from many points of view—the hallmark of an educated person.” Librarians and teachers alike could use this message to defend the novel. The Alice series teaches that controversy is inevitable in our world. Teenagers who read about controversial situations in books or learn it in the classroom might be better prepared when these situations come up in real life.
Dangerously Alice should be commended for its accurate depiction of modern teenage life and the way that Alice navigates through it. Perhaps better suited to public library shelves as recreational reading rather than school libraries shelves of educational standards, this novel still deserves to be openly read and discussed by teenagers and their parents alike.
Monday, March 21, 2011
The Great Gilly Hopkins
The Great Gilly Hopkins. Written by Katherine Paterson. 1978. HarperCollins Publishers, New York. ISBN 0690038372 (original printing), ISBN 0690038380 (library binding), ISBN 006442010 (Harper Trophy paperback). 148 pages. $5.95. Recommended for 4th-6th graders. (Ages 9-12).
Galadriel “Gilly” Hopkins is not short on spunk, tenacity, or clever tricks. This is all part of her charm, though; we learn early on that Gilly is a foster child and has been through several families in her short life. She copes with her tough circumstances by intimidating others with her prowess, thus making her feel better about herself. When she’s not busy scrutinizing her new foster family, made up of veteran foster mother Maime Trotter and another foster child, the quiet William Ernest, Gilly is concocting new schemes to humiliate her teacher, steal money from the old blind man next door, and manipulating friendly Agnes to do her bidding.
Despite Gilly’s bad behavior, reputable children’s novelist Katherine Paterson never pits the reader against her. Instead, we are constantly on her side, rooting for Gilly and hoping that she can open up to the good people surrounding her, offering her genuine love and care with no judgment on her past. But Gilly is intent on reuniting with her biological mother, Courtney. Her vulnerability is exposed whenever she receives a scattered postcard from Courtney or when she steals away to her room to obsess over an old photograph. We are carried along for the rollercoaster ride of mixed emotions—anger, disappointment, and despair. Paterson’s novel peers deep into what it means to be a foster child without patronizing or making quick judgments about the complex life Gilly leads.
While the characters are well rounded and unique, this novel is also packed with plot. Gilly’s cleverness shines, particularly when she tries to pull off a grand scheme of running away to be with her mother in California. This is what makes The Great Gilly Hopkins a classic children’s novel. Never boring, always hopeful, and ultimately redeeming, it stands the test of time. The themes of family, love, and belonging are universal and the book avoids being overly sappy, which can deter some children. Paterson’s mixed ending is bittersweet but we are left knowing that Gilly has found what she was looking for. In the end, readers can see Gilly for who she really is, not just another bad kid that nobody wants, and we are all “greater” because of it.
Galadriel “Gilly” Hopkins is not short on spunk, tenacity, or clever tricks. This is all part of her charm, though; we learn early on that Gilly is a foster child and has been through several families in her short life. She copes with her tough circumstances by intimidating others with her prowess, thus making her feel better about herself. When she’s not busy scrutinizing her new foster family, made up of veteran foster mother Maime Trotter and another foster child, the quiet William Ernest, Gilly is concocting new schemes to humiliate her teacher, steal money from the old blind man next door, and manipulating friendly Agnes to do her bidding.
Despite Gilly’s bad behavior, reputable children’s novelist Katherine Paterson never pits the reader against her. Instead, we are constantly on her side, rooting for Gilly and hoping that she can open up to the good people surrounding her, offering her genuine love and care with no judgment on her past. But Gilly is intent on reuniting with her biological mother, Courtney. Her vulnerability is exposed whenever she receives a scattered postcard from Courtney or when she steals away to her room to obsess over an old photograph. We are carried along for the rollercoaster ride of mixed emotions—anger, disappointment, and despair. Paterson’s novel peers deep into what it means to be a foster child without patronizing or making quick judgments about the complex life Gilly leads.
While the characters are well rounded and unique, this novel is also packed with plot. Gilly’s cleverness shines, particularly when she tries to pull off a grand scheme of running away to be with her mother in California. This is what makes The Great Gilly Hopkins a classic children’s novel. Never boring, always hopeful, and ultimately redeeming, it stands the test of time. The themes of family, love, and belonging are universal and the book avoids being overly sappy, which can deter some children. Paterson’s mixed ending is bittersweet but we are left knowing that Gilly has found what she was looking for. In the end, readers can see Gilly for who she really is, not just another bad kid that nobody wants, and we are all “greater” because of it.
The London Eye Mystery
The London Eye Mystery. Written by Siobhan Dowd. 2007. David Fickling Books, New York. First American Edition. ISBN 9780375849763. 323 pages. $15.99. Recommended for 4th – 8th grades. (Ages 9-14)
There’s no mystery why The London Eye Mystery won the 2010 Dolly Gray award for children’s literature in developmental disabilities. This accurate portrayal of a child with Asperger’s syndrome incorporates the main symptoms of the autistic disorder into a well-rounded and engaging narrator, Ted. Around him swirls a mystery involving his missing cousin Salim who has disappeared from an observation pod on the giant bicycle-wheel-like attraction, the London Eye. Ted, whose brain “runs on its own unique operating system,” uses his Asperger’s to his advantage, solving the mystery in a way that no one else can, not even the police.
Dowd’s ability to explain Asperger’s from Ted’s point of view in a natural and unaffected way makes The London Eye Mystery a special read. Ted’s unique behavior and style of thinking are integral to the plot and the visit of his Aunt Gloria and cousin Salim allows Ted to explain his syndrome with sounding contrived. Throughout the book, Ted struggles to understand body language and phrases people use in everyday communication--“another funny thing people say that doesn’t mean exactly that,” Ted explains when his cousin uses an idiom.
Asperger’s is also defined by a singular obsessive interest. Ted’s is the weather, at times lyrically described and lovingly admired amidst the encyclopedia of information stored in his brain. His routines of listening to the shipping forecast and observing weather patterns come as naturally as brushing his teeth. Ted’s high level of intelligence may not make him popular with his schoolmates but it’s perfect for solving a complex mystery. His unique traits are celebrated rather than ostracized and it’s because of his Asperger’s that the case of Salem’s disappearance is cracked.
Dowd takes a disability that is often seen as strange to outsiders, especially children, and weaves it into a story that respectfully displays Asperger’s syndrome, and views it as a benefit rather than a detriment. The biggest mystery in The London Eye Mystery is the puzzle of Asperger’s syndrome. Some believe it is a puzzle that needs to be solved, a disease that needs to be cured. This novel proves that as puzzling as Asperger’s can be, those with the disability are different, but not less, and can lead successful, fulfilling lives (for example, Albert Einstein and Andy Warhol.) Salim says it best when he learns of Ted’s unconventional mind: “Why bother trying to be something that you’re not?”
There’s no mystery why The London Eye Mystery won the 2010 Dolly Gray award for children’s literature in developmental disabilities. This accurate portrayal of a child with Asperger’s syndrome incorporates the main symptoms of the autistic disorder into a well-rounded and engaging narrator, Ted. Around him swirls a mystery involving his missing cousin Salim who has disappeared from an observation pod on the giant bicycle-wheel-like attraction, the London Eye. Ted, whose brain “runs on its own unique operating system,” uses his Asperger’s to his advantage, solving the mystery in a way that no one else can, not even the police.
Dowd’s ability to explain Asperger’s from Ted’s point of view in a natural and unaffected way makes The London Eye Mystery a special read. Ted’s unique behavior and style of thinking are integral to the plot and the visit of his Aunt Gloria and cousin Salim allows Ted to explain his syndrome with sounding contrived. Throughout the book, Ted struggles to understand body language and phrases people use in everyday communication--“another funny thing people say that doesn’t mean exactly that,” Ted explains when his cousin uses an idiom.
Asperger’s is also defined by a singular obsessive interest. Ted’s is the weather, at times lyrically described and lovingly admired amidst the encyclopedia of information stored in his brain. His routines of listening to the shipping forecast and observing weather patterns come as naturally as brushing his teeth. Ted’s high level of intelligence may not make him popular with his schoolmates but it’s perfect for solving a complex mystery. His unique traits are celebrated rather than ostracized and it’s because of his Asperger’s that the case of Salem’s disappearance is cracked.
Dowd takes a disability that is often seen as strange to outsiders, especially children, and weaves it into a story that respectfully displays Asperger’s syndrome, and views it as a benefit rather than a detriment. The biggest mystery in The London Eye Mystery is the puzzle of Asperger’s syndrome. Some believe it is a puzzle that needs to be solved, a disease that needs to be cured. This novel proves that as puzzling as Asperger’s can be, those with the disability are different, but not less, and can lead successful, fulfilling lives (for example, Albert Einstein and Andy Warhol.) Salim says it best when he learns of Ted’s unconventional mind: “Why bother trying to be something that you’re not?”
Pigs Make Me Sneeze! An Elephant & Piggie Book
Pigs Make Me Sneeze! An Elephant & Piggie Book. Written and Illustrated by Mo Willems. 2009. Hyperion Books for Children, New York. First Edition. ISBN 9781423114116. 57 pages. $8.99. Pre-school to 2nd Grade (Ages 2-8).
Gerald the Elephant and Piggie’s friendship is threatened by Gerald’s raging sneeze attacks that send Piggie flying across the pages in Mo Willems’ fantastic easy reader. The action begins on the front endpages with Gerald in funny sneezing positions, and continues with Gerald’s concern that he could be allergic to his best friend. Piggie tries to help (“What if you tried to sneeze more softly?”) but eventually has to run for cover under a helmet after being bowled over by Gerald’s fits. After seeking the help of Doctor Cat, Gerald happily learns that he has a cold and shares the good news with Piggie. In a funny twist, Piggie is surrounded by a mountain of used tissues, mimicking Gerald’s earlier ill condition from the cover illustration.
With no environment to speak of except for ample white space, this book’s design expertly highlights the characters and their relationship. The text is entirely spoken by the characters in speech bubbles that match the color of the speaker, leaving no room for confusion about who is doing the talking. The large typeface changes in size and font when emphasizing drama or volume. Gerald’s sneezes in particular are extremely funny; the font turns into a blocky, shaky line and draws out the “Ah” in “Ah-Choo!” as well as adding extra exclamation points. Through the use of sparse illustration, Willems manages to create vibrant, action-packed scenes and inventive expressions for Gerald and Piggie to keep children’s visual interest without being too busy or confusing. The only thing confusing about this book is why the elephant gets a name but the pig doesn’t!
Despite its 57 pages, beginning readers will find this a quick read because several pages contain only one word or short sentence. A controlled vocabulary filled with simple sight words will have kids memorizing the story after several readings. The dialogue format of the text invites readers to make up character’s voices and even read aloud with a partner. With its comic characters and minimal yet creative illustrations, I predict Pigs Make Me Sneeze! and the other books in the series will be a favorite among fans of Dr. Seuss and other iconic author/illustrators.
Gerald the Elephant and Piggie’s friendship is threatened by Gerald’s raging sneeze attacks that send Piggie flying across the pages in Mo Willems’ fantastic easy reader. The action begins on the front endpages with Gerald in funny sneezing positions, and continues with Gerald’s concern that he could be allergic to his best friend. Piggie tries to help (“What if you tried to sneeze more softly?”) but eventually has to run for cover under a helmet after being bowled over by Gerald’s fits. After seeking the help of Doctor Cat, Gerald happily learns that he has a cold and shares the good news with Piggie. In a funny twist, Piggie is surrounded by a mountain of used tissues, mimicking Gerald’s earlier ill condition from the cover illustration.
With no environment to speak of except for ample white space, this book’s design expertly highlights the characters and their relationship. The text is entirely spoken by the characters in speech bubbles that match the color of the speaker, leaving no room for confusion about who is doing the talking. The large typeface changes in size and font when emphasizing drama or volume. Gerald’s sneezes in particular are extremely funny; the font turns into a blocky, shaky line and draws out the “Ah” in “Ah-Choo!” as well as adding extra exclamation points. Through the use of sparse illustration, Willems manages to create vibrant, action-packed scenes and inventive expressions for Gerald and Piggie to keep children’s visual interest without being too busy or confusing. The only thing confusing about this book is why the elephant gets a name but the pig doesn’t!
Despite its 57 pages, beginning readers will find this a quick read because several pages contain only one word or short sentence. A controlled vocabulary filled with simple sight words will have kids memorizing the story after several readings. The dialogue format of the text invites readers to make up character’s voices and even read aloud with a partner. With its comic characters and minimal yet creative illustrations, I predict Pigs Make Me Sneeze! and the other books in the series will be a favorite among fans of Dr. Seuss and other iconic author/illustrators.
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