Week 5

Alternating Narrators

Each of these novels this week was written with more than one narrative. This writing style allows the reader to view the situation at hand from several different perspectives, therefore gaining more of an understanding of the impact of the event. I enjoy this type of book because it opens the story up for a more in-depth look at the whole situation which involves more than on person and one point of view. It also allows the reader to absorb the interaction of more than one character and how that the characters affect each other from each characters perspective. It is fun for me to share in the sarcasm between characters when they share their moment with the reader and then the other shares comments about the others last entry. This writing style also allows the reader to share how the characters feel about what the other just wrote in the last entry. The emotions of how they are affected by whatever is happening. This presents the reader with a wider view of the situation and shares a larger range of what is really happening around the characters that has put them in the situation they are in.

If you have not read this type of novel, I would recommend it. It may be strange at first, but I believe that if you give it a try, you may find that you have found a writing style that you really enjoy. If you don't like it, then that's ok, because there are other books out there for you to enjoy!  There are many different writing styles and genres for many different types of reader !!

 The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June

Bibliography:

Benway, R. (2010). The extraordinary secrets of April, May, and June. New York: Razorbill Publishing.

After their parents divorce, April, May and June find that they have special abilities.April, the oldest, discovers that she has visions of the future.May, the middle child, has the ability to become invisible and June, The youngest, is able to hear other people's thoughts. As they start the year at a new school, their new, untamed abilities cause all kinds of conflicts for themselves and others. The girls will need to learn how to handle their gifts but until they master that, there will be chaos. The girls get themselves into all kinds of trouble while trying to decipher the information that they are acquiring. The book is written with each of the sisters writing a chapter, so the focus changes from perspectives to tell this humorous, adventure of siblings who have special abilities, along with the normal teen age issues.

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares

Bibliography:

Cohn, R. and Levithan, D. (2010). Dash and Lily's book of dares. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

It's Christmas time in New York and Dash is in a bookstore looking around and killing time. He comes across a read notebook on top of books on the bookshelf and inside is a clue to begin a quest.  Answering the questions takes someone who is familiar with literature of various genres and Dash finds each of the books that he has been lead to. He responds in the red notebook and the verbal journey begins with notebook communication between the two. They find that they communicate well with one another in words, but what about in reality? Will they like each other if they meet? Will the expectations that they each have be dashed by reality? Will they be able to communicate by talking as well as they can by writing? Dash and Lily answer each others messages and find the notebook after it has been strategically hidden by the other. Are they destined to meet or will they continue to play this correspondence seek and find game indefinitely?

The Other Side of Dark

Bibliography:

Smith, S. (2010). The other side of dark. New York: Simon & Schuster.

One of the books I read this week was The Other Side of Dark by Sarah Smith. Katie, who's mother just died, is now drawing what she sees - ghosts. When a mansion  is about to be demolished, Law realizes that Katie has more insight than she should about the history of the mansion. Law's father is an African American history professor and his mother is an architect who is white. Law feels the strain of his racial identity as he learns about himself, the present and the past. Law and Katie have to deal with the struggles of family and finding their own identity and values while dealing with the current issue of the mansion and its history.

The story goes back and forth between Law and Katie's perspective and does a great job in relating each of the characters thoughts and feelings as well as providing a great deal of historical information to the plot. Law, who's father has ties back to the mansion with his family as slaves is struggling to understand the anger he has. Katie's father dies when she was a baby and her mother was killed last year, is struggling to survive. She is an artist with great potential but her drawings have become disturbing since her mother's death. Katie has been drawing people at the time of their death and the ghosts are then attracted to her. Law and Katie help themselves and each other as they make this common journey in saving this mansion.

I enjoyed this book because the author provided a rich historical aspect to the story along with two conflicted teens who need support and friendship to help them get past their overwhelming issues. I would definitely recommend this book.