Classic Young Adult Literature
Anne is a young girl with a very outgoing personality and she is chosen to go to a family who is expecting a boy who will help out on the farm and around the house. The family is very unhappy that they have received a girl, but they are taken by Anne and keep her. Anne seems to find trouble in every direction, so there is some humor in her escapades. The brother and sister who have taken Anne in, slowly become attached to her and actually start to love her. Anne changes their lives and they have changed hers.
This is one of those classic books that is a happy, fun story with some twists but ends up leaving the reader happy and satisfied with the story. It is an easy read and I would recommend this book.
The Pigman
Bibliography:
Zindel, P. (1968). The pigman. New York: Harper Collins.
John and Lorraine are sophomores and are fixated on a man named Mr. Pignati who collects ceramic pigs. That's where he earns his nickname - The Pigman. John is a prankster and Lorraine is right by his side. They are always into something and when they decide to start prank calling Mr. Pignati, they have no idea how they lives are about to change. Their prank leads them to the person who will make a profound mark on their lives by being the one person they can openly and honestly talk to and ultimately becoming friends. The relationship between the teens and Mr. Pignati allows the teens to explore themselves, their identity, their feelings, and dreams for the future within his safe environment. When Mr. Pignati dies, the teens find that they have learned about love, friendship and communicating with others which allows them to communicate better with peers and also aids in their social interactions. This books has humor, good story, friendship and love and life lessons. I would highly recommend this novel.
The Chocolate Wars
Bibliography:
Cormier, R. (1974). The chocolate wars. New York: Random House.
Jerry Renault is chosen to defy the headmaster in selling his allotment of candy at the annual chocolate sale. He was told that he would not accept the chocolates to sell for 10 days and then on the 11th day he would accept his share and begin his sales. Jerry decides that he doesn't want to sell the chocolates after the ten day, so on the 11th day, he again says "no" to accepting his candy. He has now defied the group that put him on this path and now he must pay the price. Throughout this story is a group of kids who are bullies and not only do they bully the student body nut the faculty also. Jerry has done something that no one else dare to do and the group deems it necessary to make him the poster child of what happens to those who don't follow orders. This is a powerful book that lays out the process and manipulation in the bullying process. The power and control of the group and the fear and humiliation of the bullied are described and felt by the reader. The ending is realistic and this is one of the classic books that doesn't wrap up with a happy ending and a bow on it. I would highly recommend this book.
This week the discussion is regarding Classic Young Adult Literature. Throughout the week, it was noted that classic literature is coming of age stories, which are stories about children who have profound moments or experiences that they overcome to guide them into adulthood. Classics are known for their rich characterization and figurative language and they stand the test of time. Which means that a book that was written a hundred years ago is still in print today because of the demand for the book.When I think of classics, I think of great stories in a perfect setting that wraps up with a happy ending. I know that is not the case for all classics, but overall, that is how my thinking goes.
Now, I have another line of thinking when it comes to classics. Are classics classics because they are great stories or because they are required reading in school? I think the answer is probably both. My personal experience in school was that I had to read a bunch of books that had nothing to do with my world, that were hard to read because of the language style and happened a LONG time ago. So, I believe this is the moment to stop and think about the way we are teaching classics. Are we having students read them on their own and then discussing, or are we reading them together where the discussion can be constant to ensure that the students are understanding and can have examples provided for them. A classic book may be difficult for students because they may have no background knowledge on the time period and acceptable behavior of people of that time. It can also be difficult if the student can't relate to the characters and the experiences since they don't pertain to the students life.
I believe that cliff notes could be used with the classic novel to help pick apart the setting, plot, characters, etc. to aid the student in a better understanding of the story and will provide the student with a greater understanding of the novel. I also believe that there are more current books that could be used with or instead of classics to get the same idea across about writing and the effects on readers. The whole point in sharing classics with young people is to expose them to good writing and help them become good readers who will have a desire to pursue reading on their own. If we continue to cram classics down their throats without helping them gain and understanding of them, then we are creating a group of young people who will hate to read as they grow older. This will defeat the entire purpose of sharing classics when they are young. We should look for ways to make this experience enlightening while providing a foundation for further independent investigation of writing styles and various topics.
The following books are what I read for this weeks module.
Anne of Green Gables
Bibliography:
Montgomery, L.M. (1998). Anne of green gables. London: Starfire Publishing.
This is one of those classic books that is a happy, fun story with some twists but ends up leaving the reader happy and satisfied with the story. It is an easy read and I would recommend this book.
The Pigman
Bibliography:
Zindel, P. (1968). The pigman. New York: Harper Collins.
John and Lorraine are sophomores and are fixated on a man named Mr. Pignati who collects ceramic pigs. That's where he earns his nickname - The Pigman. John is a prankster and Lorraine is right by his side. They are always into something and when they decide to start prank calling Mr. Pignati, they have no idea how they lives are about to change. Their prank leads them to the person who will make a profound mark on their lives by being the one person they can openly and honestly talk to and ultimately becoming friends. The relationship between the teens and Mr. Pignati allows the teens to explore themselves, their identity, their feelings, and dreams for the future within his safe environment. When Mr. Pignati dies, the teens find that they have learned about love, friendship and communicating with others which allows them to communicate better with peers and also aids in their social interactions. This books has humor, good story, friendship and love and life lessons. I would highly recommend this novel.
Bibliography:
Cormier, R. (1974). The chocolate wars. New York: Random House.
Jerry Renault is chosen to defy the headmaster in selling his allotment of candy at the annual chocolate sale. He was told that he would not accept the chocolates to sell for 10 days and then on the 11th day he would accept his share and begin his sales. Jerry decides that he doesn't want to sell the chocolates after the ten day, so on the 11th day, he again says "no" to accepting his candy. He has now defied the group that put him on this path and now he must pay the price. Throughout this story is a group of kids who are bullies and not only do they bully the student body nut the faculty also. Jerry has done something that no one else dare to do and the group deems it necessary to make him the poster child of what happens to those who don't follow orders. This is a powerful book that lays out the process and manipulation in the bullying process. The power and control of the group and the fear and humiliation of the bullied are described and felt by the reader. The ending is realistic and this is one of the classic books that doesn't wrap up with a happy ending and a bow on it. I would highly recommend this book.
