The Best Book I've Ever Read

"Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in his or her life, because we all overcometh the world." - Auggie

Through all of the trials and tribulations in their lives, the Pullmans overcome the confused stares, the awkward introductions, and the harsh treatments of all those who have the honor of meeting August. Despite his lackluster appearance, August sees the world like any "ordinary" kid- he sees the popular crowd, the D&D crowd, and the smart-kid crowd. He also sees how he doesn't fit in any of the groups at Breecher Prep, along with Summer and Jack- two genuine friends that teach Auggie not all of his peers are afraid of something (or someone) different. 

I have never felt so convicted by a novel before reading Wonder. It really made me think about all the times I could have said something positive to someone- genuinely, as a friend. I'm glad I can honestly say I've never talked badly about someone with any sort of deformity in the past, but I'm deeply ashamed that I've never been a true friend to anyone with a deformity either. Why not? Was I afraid of being associated with someone perceived as "different"? Was I afraid I would catch a sort of "plague" like some of August's peers? Why did I avoid the student whom everyone talked about behind his back? Was I afraid of getting made fun of behind my own back? Was I so afraid of being associated with someone like Auggie that I hurt someone in the process? As I read this book, I began to ask myself all of these questions... Though I'd like to say I never intentionally hurt someone like August, that simply isn't the case. I must have, at some point, made the intentional decision to not befriend the student with the scar across the face or the student with only one arm. I shied away from being their friend, because I was uncomfortable. How terrible is that? I am like Charlotte. I would be nice if an adult was around, or if I was expected to treat someone kindly. Other than that, though, I would simply say, "Hi" in the hallway. I wouldn't join them at an empty lunch table on the first day of school. I wouldn't stand up for them in front of my peers. I certainly wouldn't punch the most popular student in the face. After finishing this amazing book, I have come to this conclusion: I was a coward in middle school.

I loved the idea of Mr. Browne's precepts. I might even do something similar in my own classroom. These precepts caused me to think about my own rule "about something important". I thought a long time about this, especially after feeling so unbelievably convicted by Wonder. I decided on this:

"We must all seek to obtain the courage of a child."

I have to be honest, my yoga instructor really sparked this idea in my head when she claimed that children are the bravest people in the world. At first, I didn't know what she meant by this. Instead of focusing my energy on Yoga and my inner happiness, I thought about her claim. I thought about the bravery of a child. How can a child be brave? He or she is ultimately helpless. Children can't drive; they can't buy things; they can barely tell the difference between good people and bad people. Then I realized it- Children are courageous because they aren't afraid of being themselves. They don't care what other people think- they just do what they want. They don't see the differences between themselves and others; they just see the similarities. They become excited when someone is wearing the same pink shirt as them or when someone else loves the latest Justin Bieber song. They don't know what "normal" or "ordinary" are. They simply love those who love them. 

I think this is very applicable to August's story and his peers as well as to the story of most any middle school student. They must put their lives into the perspective of a child. They must seek to be themselves, even if that means some persecution. 

This books was truly a pleasure to read. I'll remember it for many years to come, as it as taught me priceless life lessons through the eyes of children. Most importantly  I will seek to remember the conviction this book brought and all of the implications such conviction brings to my future life as an educator. 

PicLit in Response to Banned Books

Stephanie and I have similar feelings about Banned Books. We feel as though banning books only takes away from the potential enrichment that books can provide. Some difficult subjects are certainly found in books, but we feel that running away from these themes is an injustice to our future students. Students encounter life; thus, they encounter some of the challenged and banned elements in books. As teachers, we should provide support and guidance in a safe, open environment.


Here is our PicLit that conveys our feelings about books, as a whole.

No matter how old you are or what your background is, books allow you to ...

By: Julia Lacy and Stephanie Dowst

My Reading Autobiography

My Reading Autobiography

            I cannot remember a time in which I was not able to read. I have always loved reading- looking at the words and decoding their meanings… I feel like I have always been able to read. I know this is not true, but I believe this feeling comes from the fact that I have always been surrounded by books.

            As a small child, my parents read to me every night. My mom or dad would take turns “tucking me in” to bed. My mom would lie next to me- holding a book above our heads with outstretched arms. I would look at the colorful pages as she read the book with imaginative voices. Each character had a different voice, and it made the story so real. I always was excited to have my dad read to me. It certainly didn’t happen as often as my mother’s tale-telling; so when it did, it was an event. My dad would sit next to me and do the same sort of voices as my mom, but slightly different. I remember my dad insisting that we end our reading time with a tale from Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit. He loved those stories, despite their underlying themes. I loved reading- I loved looking at the pictures and turning the pages when I thought it was the “right time” to change the page.

            The first books I can remember reading were the golden bound story books, known as “Little Gold Books”. The collection has a golden spine with small animals and characters outlined in black on the binding of the books. I had dozens of them- lining the walls of my room and lining the surfaces of my book shelf. I also remember a giant blue book full of nursery rhymes, though I cannot recall its title or its author. I loved that book- it was full of exciting stories and poems that I had heard in school. Each page was dedicated to its own rhyme, and the entire page was illustrated to depict the rhyme. I would spend hours with that book, sprawled out in the middle of my playroom. Sometimes, I wouldn’t understand the rhyme, so I would look at the pictures instead- I would try to understand the rhymes through the pictures.  I can particularly remember trying to make sense of “Little Jack Horner”, who was pictured sitting in a corner with a plump, delicious-looking pie. His thumb was sticking into the top with purple ooze climbing up his hand.

            Of the Little Gold Book stories, there are few, that I can recall the most. My favorite is The Monster at the End of this Book. The story’s main character is Grover; he speaks to the reader in first person, warning against turning the next page. Despite Grover’s warnings, the reader follows the furry blue character through the story. Each time the page is turned, Grover fusses at the reader. He insists that the reader should not turn another page. He is afraid of reaching the end of the book, for he knows there is a monster at the end. The interactive nature of this book captivates the reader into turning the next page in order to figure out the nature of the mysterious monster. Finally, the reader reaches the end of the story. Instead of discovering a terrible, scary monster, Grover is the only one on the page. Then, Grover realizes it- he’s the monster at the end of the book! He isn’t scary at all- he’s just furry, lovable Grover from Sesame Street! The ending of this book still makes me smile. It’s such a great resolution to the potentially frightening ending of this children’s mystery.

            One of my favorite memories of this is story is reading it with my Oma, my mother’s mom, my grandmother. I can remember lying down, comparing our blonde hair. I can remember Oma attempting to do Grover’s voice with little success, making me laugh out loud through the story. I remember Oma being confused about the story’s unique narration. My favorite part was seeing Om’s reaction to the ending- I was so surprised that story actually fooled her!

            Between the ages of three and twelve, my mom would take my younger brother and me to the library on a weekly basis. Because our house was so close the local library, we would walk; it was about a mile and a half. We would spend an hour or so- grazing the shelves of the children’s section. I would always pick up Chika Chika Boom Boom as a young child. I’d never check it out; I would just read it in the aisle of the library.  Sometimes, the librarians would have special readings. They would use puppets to help tell the stories.

            As I grew older, I ventured into the “teen section”. I’ve discovered, over the years, that this section is really meant for the younger teens. As an older teenager, one usually explores the “young adult” section; it seems like libraries insist on pushing us readers to the next level. As I ventured into the teen section, I discovered the series, The Baby-sitter’s Club. I read every single one! I realized that I had anew found love for reading books that were a part of a series. I love getting to know characters and following them through all of their many adventures throughout various stories.

            In middle school and high school, I discovered that I loved assigned reading. It is kind of an oxymoron- a student who thrives off of required reading lists. I realized that I would never have experienced some of the best books I ever read if it was not for teachers requiring them to be read. My two favorite of these are The Outsiders and The Count of Monte Cristo. In eighth grade, Mrs. Richardson, my favorite teacher on this planet, required us to read The Outsiders. During this novel study, we were asked to discuss the themes and the deeper meanings of the text; this was the first time I was prompted to truly think critically about the books I was reading. It was during this school year that I developed my true love for reading and writing. Since then, I have decided to become a language arts teacher.

            I have truly been blessed with the amount of reading that was accessible to me as a child. I had an ample amount of books at home, and I visited the public library on a weekly basis. I never felt trapped as a reader. I could choose any amount of books I wanted at the library- my reading world was limitless. With that being said, I believe my reading spectrum could have certainly been widened. Despite my mother’s presented freedom in my book choice, I steered away from multicultural books. I really have no idea why I did this. I chose books with covers that typically pictured white girls or women. Books with African American, Native American, or Asian characters depicted on the front were unappealing to me. I don’t know why this was… perhaps because I was afraid I would not understand books from a perspective different from my own. My parents and teachers should have presented me with more options of texts that dealt with cultural diversity. Reading such books could have increased my understanding of the world and those who were different than me.

            My reading activity currently seems to sadly be more efferent than aesthetic. I am constantly reading articles on pedagogical methods or textbooks on the importance of authentic teaching and learning. It is almost exhausting. On top of all this interesting, but dry, reading, I am reading countless middle-grade-level novels. Though some of the novels are far too rushed for my liking (one to two novel in four days every week), I am appreciative for the opportunity to read them. As I mentioned before, I am a sucker for required reading. I feel as though I would have never picked up some of my favorite books without the assigned list.

            In years to come, I want to instill such a desire for reading in other young minds. Students should be constantly challenged in their reading and prompted to critically think about the text. I am so excited to (hopefully) become a student’s Mrs. Richardson in the near future.

           

References

Archambault, J. & Martin, B. (1989). Chika chika boom boom, illustrated by Lois Ehlert. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Carey, H. (1725). Little Jack Horner.

Dumas, A. (1846). The count of monte cristo. Paris: Petion. In London: Chapman and Hall.

Harris, J. C. (1907). Uncle Remus and brer rabbit. New York: Frederick A. Stokes.

Hinton, S. E. (1967). The outsiders. New York: Viking Press.

Martin, A. M. (1986-1993). The baby-sitter’s club. New York: Scholastic.

Stone, J. (1971). The monster at the end of this book: Starring lovable, furry old Grover, illustrated by Michael Smollin. Racine, WI: Golden Books, Western Publishing Company.

Banned Book Week

Books that are kept out of Libraries, Schools, and Young People's Minds

For this assignment, we were asked to choose a book off the banned and challenged book list. I was absolutely astounded by the amount of books found on this list- everything from Crank and Twilight to The Hunger Games and The Bridge to Terabithia. For some reason or another, these books are deemed inappropriate or unqualified for students and their libraries and classrooms. I think the claim that certain themes or contexts are inappropriate is absolutely ridiculous. As we all know teachers wear about 45938247 different "hats" on any given day. One of our many jobs is to prepare our students from the future and the "real world". In doing so, students must be exposed to elements of the world... and let's be honest- what better way to do this than to expose children to great literature, full of deep themes, perplexing story lines, and wondrous worlds?

As I was reading over the list, I stumbled across an ever familiar title: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I couldn't believe why anyone, in his or her right mind, would challenge or ban this book. It's the classic representation of the dangers and implications of racism. It prompts an endless amount of interpretation, dissection, and deeper understanding. Why would someone take such a treasure away from students? 

I decided to revisit this book for this assignment- paying close attention to detail that could possibly be considered ban-worthy. 

Though I'm almost certain everyone has read this book at some point in his or her life, I am going to briefly summarize the plot:

Scout, the main character of the book, lives with her brother (Jem) and father, Atticus. Her mother has died before the story takes place. The three family members live in Maycomb Alabama. The story takes place in the 1930s- during the Great Depression. Despite the hard economic times, the Finches are doing well for themselves, because Atticus is a well-known lawyer. During one summer, Jem and Scout discover a run down house with one of their friends, Dill. This house is known as Radley Place- the only inhabitant is Boo Radley, and he never comes outside of the house. 

The following fall, Scout attends school for the first time. She feels as though school is not the place for her. During this time, Scout and Jem find little presents inside the knothole of a tree on the Radley property. Scout believes these gifts are left for them intentionally. The following summer, their friend, Dill, returns for the summer. With his pushing, the three try to figure out the story of Boo Radley, being unintentionally discriminatory and mean. Scout's father find out and tells the children to put themselves in Boo's shoes. He also tells them to not be judgmental. The children don't listen at first, and they return to the house. Nathan Radley (Boo's brother) shoots at the children in their attempt to escape. Jem loses his pants after tearing them on a fence. When he returns for them later, they are mended and folded neatly over the fence. Eventually, Nathan Radley plugs the hole in the tree in which the children had continuously found gifts left by Boo.  

At the same time, a man in the community has been accused of raping a woman. The key to this is that the man is Black and the woman is White. Atticus agrees to represent the African American man, Tom Robinson. Everyone in the community is pretty much outraged. How could such a prominent lawyer stoop so low as to represent an African American rapist? Because of his gallant decision, Scout and Jem are made fun of by the other children. 

After many threats and mobs, the actual trial finally begins. Scout and Jem sit with the African American community during the trial. Atticus certainly proves that Tom Robinson is telling the truth- he did not rape Mayella. Instead, Mayella solicited Tom Robinson. Her father caught her, and he hit Mayella. Although everyone in the courtroom knows the truth, the jury (made up of all White people) convict Tom Robinson. He is shot after trying to escape from prison. 

Mayella's father vows for revenge because he is so embarrassed- even though he "won" the trial. He tries to hurt Tom Robinson's wife. He also tries to harm Scout and Jem one night, but Boo Radley saves the children, but kills Mayella's father in the process. Boo carries the children back to the Finch house, prepared for his punishment. However, the sheriff insists that Mayella's father tripped and fell on his own weapon. 

At the end of the book, Scout has learned many lessons. She has learned to empathize with those whom she is not familiar. She has learned to put herself in the shoes of another, attempting to understand them from a different perspective. She has learned that life is not always fair. She has learned the cruelty and brutality of people as well as  the kindness and acceptance of people. Most of all, she has learned the importance of standing up for what is right- even if that mean she is standing alone. 

This book is challenged because of its mature themes including rape and violence. It is also challenges because of offensive language and racism. I take issue with these reasons. Children are NOT stupid- they know of the dark elements of this world. Presenting these elements in a classic novel should be  frowned upon encouraged. it allows for reflection and critical thinking in a safe school environment. I certainly I don't think I would use this book in elementary school, but middle school aged children are certainly old enough to read this book. I think it is a crime to take it away from them honestly. Children must be sheltered know of the hate out in the world- and it still happens today; racism is not obsolete. The lessons learned in this book are so deep and important for students to understand- especially the lesson about standing for what is right no matter what. Other books do not contain such imperative lessons or thought-worthy topics. I believe this book allows for deep discussion- especially in a school that is "only-white". These children most likely have not thought about some of the lessons learned in this book.

To Kill a Mockingbird does not go  into the details of the apparent rape. It does not include unreadable, gory details. I'm a squeamish person, and I did not feel uncomfortable while reading some of the descriptions. I did, however, feel uneasy while reading of Tom's unfair treatment as well as the outrageous discrimination. It actually made me cry, reading it this time. I think that's shameful  perfectly okay. Some might say such uneasy feelings should not be brought upon middle school students. Why not? It's important to feel uncomfortable when talking about unfairness, discrimination, and racism. We wouldn't be human if we didn't have these feelings... Reading this book might provide children with their first sense of uncomfortable, uneasy feelings they have from themes such as these. There is nothing wrong with exposure. Kids need to feel this way in order to become the adults we want them to be. We don't want them to be ignorant of reality or ignorant of history. This book is fiction, but events in the book really took place- we all know it.

Exposure to mature themes is not bad. It is necessary. Middle school is supposed to prepare our students to become responsible citizens and knowledgeable young adults. How can this happen unless they are aware of the evils in the world? 

Lee, H. (1982). To kill a mockingbird. New York: Warner Books.

The Banned and Challenged Book List can be found here!

3 Picture Books

I really enjoyed all three of these books! I definitely had a favorite and a not-so-favorite, but they truly do have captivating and memorable story lines.

For this assignment, I read Come See the Earth Turn by Lori Mortensen, House Held Up by Trees by Ted Kooser, and The Sandman by William Joyce.

Come See the Earth Turn (FAVORITE)
Come See the Earth Turn is an informational text, describing the life long goal of Leon Foucault. Because this story is based on true events, its illustrated depictions and detailed texts offer an ample opportunity of understanding for young readers and older readers alike.
The story of Foucault involves his aspirations for proving the world spins on its axis. As the story tells, numerous scientists had been trying to figure out a way to prove this, but none of them were ever successful. The story tells of Foucault's social struggles in school, claiming that he was a "shy and awkward boy who often sat in a corner reading by himself "(7). The climax of the story takes place when Foucault finally (after many sleepless nights and careful study) figures out a way to prove that the Earth spins on its axis. He invites scientists and other distinguished guests to the Meridian Hall in Paris in order to prove his claim. After his difficult childhood and hard work, "... the frail, awkward boy... had proved the earth turned"(28)!
This books includes accurate dates, places, and figures during this time period in which science was really reaching its height in interest and discovery. Come See the Earth Turn does an excellent job at providing relevant, interesting information while still maintaining readers' interests. Furthermore, the book includes a glossary at the back of the text, which readers could certainly utilize to decode some of the scientific terminology.
I would most definitely use this book in my future classroom. It provides great opportunity for literacy across curriculum. It also allows for students to work on their skills for pronunciation and using a glossary. I honestly believe this book allows for easier, deeper understanding of Foucault and his contributions to modern society. It would be great as a supplemental text, even in 7th or 8th grade!

House Held Up by Trees (NOT-SO-FAVORITE)
House Held Up by Trees is a story of change and the means by which one is "supposed" to accept change. I think it does a great job of relaying several deeper meanings within the text, while also engaging the reader in the story. I didn't like it as much as Come See the Earth Turn, especially for a classroom. It lacks relevancy. The story is also a bit depressing.
The story takes place in a distant location- a house is shared by a father and his two children: a boy and a girl. All characters are unnamed and are never pictured directly from the front. The main focus of this book is the trees and their names. The author constantly names the trees that surround the house, but never really gives a reason why. Hidden between the lines are themes such as growing up, becoming older, resilience, strong sibling bonds, and accepting change.
The father becomes too old to take care of the house, after his children grow up. He moves away and allows the yard to grow unruly  (earlier in the book, he constantly mows the grass around the house) around the house. He is resistant to change at first, but then understands that it is time to let go.
House Held Up by Trees is a good story with complex themes. I believe it is engaging as well. However, I would not use it in my classroom. It is written poorly with terrible sentence structure, and its tone is far too depressing.

The Sandman
The Sandman is a fun story, that would most likely be classified as a traditional text, as it involves folklore and legend. It tells the story of the "Sandman", or "Sanderson Mansnoozie". The story details how nightmares and dreams came to be. The story sort of serves as a comforting reminder that nightmares are not real.
 I believe this books would be great fro lower elementary students, but I think it might be a little below middle school level. 4th and 5th grades students might (secretly!) enjoy this book, as it really does make the legend of the Sandman come to life. The illustrations are bright and detailed- truly amazing and captivating  I found myself taking more time to look at this illustrations in this book than the other two stories combined. 
I would use this in my classroom as a 4th or 5th grade teacher, especially for days like "Pijama Day". It's a fun, carefree story that allows the reader to recall times of childhood legends and tall tales. I also think that this book brings comfort to those struggling with uncertainty in themselves as being "good enough". Themes such as these really shine through the text of the story as well as the illustrations. 

Articles We Read this Week
As both articles reference, picture books are commonly used in elementary schools. There is a sort of stigma around these books that confine them to young children. However, using materials such as picture books, in middle school classrooms could actually be beneficial in some cases. For example, the first book I mentioned in this post, Come See the Earth Turn would be an excellent book to utilize in a middle grades classroom, especially in a social studies as a supplemental text when learning about Foucault. The AMLE website  asserts that picture books can be "interpreted at different levels";  this is absolutely true. There are many layers to picture books, and students should be challenged to think both critically and abstractly while reading these books. Usually, there are always deeper meanings between the basic lines of the story book's text. 
It is important for middle grades teachers to select appropriate texts as well. Students must be challenged with rigorous material in order to learn efficiently  Thus, selecting picture books that have no deeper meaning or do not have informational/ historical basis is probably not the best choice. 
The most important aspect of picture books that these articles highlight is that books are not just meant for language arts classrooms. Instead, picture books can be used in social studies (really any subject area!) classrooms as well. I love that this fact is being brought up in these articles, as my second content area is social studies. As I previously stated, picture books provide excellent sources for supplemental text. They allow for easier understanding while still encouraging scholarly habits. 


Joyce, W. (2012). The Sandman. New York, NY: Antheum Books for Young Readers.
Kooser, T. (2012). House Held Up by Trees, illustrated by Jon Klassen. Somerville, MS: Candelwick Press.
Mortensen, L. (2010). Come See the Earth Turn, illustrated by Raul Allen. New York, NY: Tricycle Press.

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