La Linea Book Review Podcast

Click here for the podcast book review of La Linea.

Annotations

Bradbury, Ray. (2009). Ray Bradbury’s fahrenheit 451: the authorized adaptation. Ill: Tim Hamilton. New York, NY: Hill and Wang. 080905101X.

This graphic novel is an authorized adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s classic dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451. The story of Guy Montag, the firefighter who lives in a world where firefighters start fires, still follows Bradbury’s original character through his search for something more in his book-free world. Readers will enjoy the quick, deep read and beautiful illustrations that portray the ugliness of Guy’s world and the decisions he must make. All readers can enjoy this book as it does not require a previous reading of the original novel, yet it provides a new perspective to those who have already read it in its word form.

Bray, Libba. (2003). A great and terrible beauty. New York, NY: Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers. 0385730284.

Fans of fantasy will enjoy Libba Bray’s first book in her Gemma Doyle trilogy. Set at Spence, a boarding school in Victorian England, this book follows Gemma, a spirited 16-year-old who spent her life in India, and her adjustment to English society after the death of her mother. Behind the prim, wife-making façade of Spence hides a magical world, a lost order and an old diary that helps Gemma understand her mystical visions. Readers will enjoy Gemma’s humor and courage in a school that teaches women to be quiet and subservient.

MacLeod, Elizabeth. (2008). Royal murder: the deadly intrigue of ten sovereigns. New York, NY: Annick Press. 1554511275.

MacLeod brings the history of more than ten murdered sovereigns to life with interesting text, authentic pictures and informational side panels. These stories span across more than 2000 years and dispel myths about some of the most famous and infamous monarchs that have ever ruled. Each story, however, ends with a fascinating, detailed account of the royal murder. MacLeod’s writing brings personality and character to each of these sovereigns and ensures their tragic ends will not become just a footnote in a history textbook.

San Souci, Robert. (1992). Sukey and the mermaid. Ill: Brian Pinkney. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. 0027781410.

Bright, colorful images frame this traditional Caribbean and West African folktale about Sukey, a black girl who lives on an island off the coast of South Africa. After escaping from her abusive stepfather, Sukey runs to the beach, sings a traditional song and calls forth the mermaid named Mama Jo. Mama Jo grants Sukey’s wishes about money, love and a safe place to live. Readers will enjoy the compassion and determination of Sukey along with the rich, rhythmic vernacular.

Film Adaptations in the Classroom

I really enjoy modern adaptations or allusions of old novels and I think it's a great way for students to really understand what is going on in a book if they can connect it to their modern worlds. I would use these film adaptations as pre-reading strategies. Films I might use:

O - Othello

Apocalypse Now - Heart of Darkness

Romeo + Juliet - Romeo and Juliet

Bridget Jones's Diary - Pride and Prejudice

Easy A - The Scarlet Letter

Clueless - Emma

Pleasantville - The Giver

Additionally, I think a great option for a project would be to make one of these modern adaptations of a novel. Students could brainstorm, write a script, storyboard and film, write, drawn or act out their modern adaptations in film, play, comic books, or digital storytelling. The students will have to investigate themes, characters and settings and analyze how they are still applicable to modern society.

Maus Response

I was really excited to read Maus. It was one of the books that I have always had on my list of books to read. I had never read graphic novels before, nor did I have much interest in reading them. I associate them with comic books, which I associate with super heroes. I have never had much interest in either of those. Maus was the first book that made me realize that there are more to graphic novels than I expected - it just took me years to finally pick up the book and read it.

I enjoyed the read: I read it very quickly in one setting. I don’t even recall flipping through it to see if the action picks up, as I often do with books. I had difficulty accepting that this book is a retelling of Spiegelman‘s father‘s true story. With the animal drawings and graphic novel format, it’s difficult for me to understand the content on a serious level. In a strange way, Maus reminded me of fables - stories which use animals to represent human actions and teach a moral. When using animals instead of humans, it seems to soften the blow of difficult topics. Seeing Vladek, Art Spiegelman’s father, starving, fearning for his life, hiding in small places and trying to continually come up with new ideas just to survive, as a mouse makes the story easier to read from a comfort-level position. All of those terrible circumstances were easier for me to digest because I did not see them happening to a human. The question, however, is - is that right? I am a believer in straight talk and being honest, so naturally, I tend to believe that this softening has done harm because I do not take the story as seriously. It is important to note, though, that this softening may be why the book has been so successful. It is a book I have seen many students pick up and read through the entire book. I believe the readers will learn about the Holocaust, the human condition and morality through this book. I believe they will be entertained and learn reading skills along the way. Perhaps, any book that will get students to read should not be given the scrutiny of “How I Would Change This Book.”

When looking at this book critically, I was very impressed by its use of genre. When reading graphic novels, sometimes I worry that they will just try to make an illustrated novel, instead of one that takes advantage of its medium. I believed Maus did this, especially as it is seen as a sort of pioneer for the genre. The illustrations showed plot advancements, such as the change in emotions, settings and action. It is user-friendly, as the reader never has to guess which decade she is in, what is going on, or how the characters feel about the circumstances of each section. These questions are all answered; however, the fantastic thing about this book is how subtly these questions are answered. Each chapter does not need a grand entrance; the changes between decades and settings do not need elaborate explanations; new characters do not have a lengthy description of their insides and outsides. Instead, the characters walk into the action and the reader does not question their motives. This, I believe, comes from good use of the medium and good writing. I do not believe that this is a naturally occurring phenomenon in all graphic novels.

Finally, I would like to talk about the depths of this book. I know Maus is studied in many literature classes, both secondary and post-secondary. I am interested in reading some of the literary criticism articles about this book because I want to read others interpretations of the depths of this text. I want to be able to study the text and talk to others about it. The book does not leave me with many unanswered questions; instead, it leaves me with the feeling that I should have questions, but I have not gone deep enough into the text to begin asking those questions. This text is not just about surviving the Holocaust; it is about family relationships, psychological trauma from tragedies, friends, ingenuity, love and compassion. It is a text that readers can tie to themselves and their worlds. It’s a multi-layered text that can incite meaningful conversations. Most importantly, it’s a good book with a great story and a high level of interest. I read through the book quickly, non-stop, which is not how I usually read books. I believe people will generally enjoy reading this text; the benefits of good discussion and deep reading will come later.

American Born Chinese

While I was really excited to read Maus, I was a little apprehensive about reading American Born Chinese. I had never heard of this book before we were assigned to read it; not only that, but I don’t know much about Chinese-American culture. This is a bit of a strange thing to admit, as I have Chinese-American friends, students and family members, but as far as their family’s culture and their current culture goes, I am very much uneducated.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say my views of Chinese-American culture included visions of Chin-Kee, because his character (for good effect) is too strong of a stereotype; however, I can say my ideas of Chinese-American stereotypes affected my interest in reading this book. I hate to admit my stereotypes and prejudices, but I honestly thought this book was going to be about ancestors, family honor and the sort of reverence for elders and traditions that I typically associate with Chinese texts. I suppose I’ve read several modern writers who use these themes in their books to talk about the loss of tradition and Chinese identity, but I had missed that point and lumped Chinese texts into a tradition-loving, family-revering heap. This book surprised me, because it touched on these themes of loss of tradition and Chinese identity without touching what I view as stereotypes. To me, it was more of a real novel that had power beyond the Chinese-American audience. It was a worldly book about adolescence, identity, power and navigating the social world. It speaks to more than just adults and adolescents, Americans and non-Americans, people of many different ethnicities and cultures and, well, to me, it’s a book that can speak to just about every person.

This was a fantastic book and a very quick read. I was so impressed by how this book uses the graphic novel medium to its advantage. The experience felt more like watching a movie than reading a book. It used visuals to its advantage, such as pauses for dramatic (or comedic effect), characterization through visuals, and style. For example, the parts with Danny and Chin-Kee look like a sitcom, which it is supposed to reflect.

This book used humor effectively. It uses it to keep the reader interested and entertained, but to also further the theme. For example, on page 48, Danny’s father is seen in the background carrying Chin-Kee’s luggage. His luggage is not a suitcase, but three take-out containers. It is a subtle addition, but serves as humor and an introduction to how ridiculous Chin-Kee’s stereotype is. It also catches the reader off-guard a bit. Sure, I don’t believe that Chinese travelers use giant take-out containers to carry their clothes and toiletries when they go on trips. I do, however, subconsciously associate those containers with Chinese culture. I felt as if I were ‘called out’ during that scene for my subconscious associations, even if I consider myself an open and accepting person.

I was a little disappointed in the ending in that I saw how the stories were connected, but the fantasy twist confused me. I didn’t have enough time to suspend my belief and understand the supernatural connection between all three stories. To deal with it, I wrote the ending off as some sort of dream. I like the supernatural connection, in theory, but I’m such a skeptic that I distrust supernatural explanations that are thrown at me. Even though I did struggle with accepting the ending, it did not ruin the experience of reading the book for me. The book was just very enlightening and enjoyable. I loved the quick, television-like pace of the story; I also think it’s one I could read several times more to pick up on additional themes and subtleties. Most importantly, I think it’s a book I can put in my classroom library and students will pick it up, read it, and love it.

Music

I listen to a lot of music genres; the only genre I really cannot stand listening to is country. I rarely go to concerts and I'm not sure why. I prefer music as a private event - when I'm driving, doing the dishes, lounging around. It's not something very social for me. In fact, it's very personal. I rarely talk about what I enjoy listening to, because it seems like a part of my personal life.

I just bought the new Kanye West CD and I've been listening to the song "Lost in the World" a lot. It has what I enjoy in a lot of songs: layers, good rhythms, electronic elements. Most importantly, to me, it has a message of social justice. I like songs that just have good beats, but I love songs that point out problems in our society in a mature way. The song (and album) ends with a repetition of "Who will survive in America?" that makes the question unavoidable for any listener. It stays in that person's head and forces them to consider the fact that American society is constructed in a way that favors certain groups of people over others. If I were to use this song in a classroom, I would use it as an example for any text or unit dealing with postcolonialism, civil rights, critical race theory or social class theory. More than the song, I would use that final question. Who will survive in America? It is a complex question that invites many detailed answers.

MUSIC VIDEO!

Kid Cudi - Day N' Nite

I remembered hearing this song on the radio one day, thinking it was very good and then being disappointed that I never heard it again. I finally found it and was happy with what I saw.

So...why? Well, let's begin with the visuals. First of all, Kid Cudi looks very nice. He's casual, but he has a fashionable edge to him. He's smooth. He doesn't dance like Michael Jackson, but he doesn't jerk and flop around. In other words, he looks approachable, but talented.

What does the video do for the song? Well, the song is built in a binary. My goodness, it's called Day N' Nite - there are two opposite things right there. The video continues this theme by presenting a binary world between real and imagined. The real is video while the imagined is animated.

Does this make me want to buy some music? Absolutely. I like song meanings; the video continues that meaning. Plus, Kid Cudi just looks cool and smooth; he gets all the ladies, but he doesn't have to try hard like Usher does.

Teaching With Music Videos

I really believe music videos can be a great tool in the classroom. They are easy to access texts with high interest; they can be used to scaffold or introduce high concept ideas. With music videos, like most things in the classroom, they do not teach on their own. Instead, dissecting the videos, using graphic organizers to analyze elements and having discussions or writings encourage students to see the connections between these traditionally promotional tools, literature and the world.

Good websites for music video ideas:

Youtube

MTV

Yahoo

Lists of top music videos:

Top 100

Best Music Videos of All Time

Things to consider about music videos: Make sure to watch all the videos beforehand and look up lyrics to the songs. I know many of the videos that are posted by VEVO on YouTube are edited, but use common sense and don't show booty-shakin' in your 7th grade classroom. Also, use a mix of current and older videos as to not alienate students; also, stay away from polarized heartthrobs. When using a Justin Bieber video in a classroom activity, the students turned on each other and divided themselves into BB Lovers and BB Haters. It's not good for morale.

How to Use Videos:

Literary Elements: Characterization, Plot, Symbols, Theme, Tone, Figurative Language; most videos contain elements of characterization and plot. ALL videos have a tone and audience.



Daft Punk - Around the World

Ideas for Use: This video can be used to introduce symbolism or metaphor. Each group (i.e. the skeletons, the robots) stands as a part of the music. When that part of music is in the foreground, the group is in the foreground. When multiple parts are mixing together, the groups mix together.

The Chemical Brothers - Star Guitar

Ideas for Use: This video can be used to look at the imagery and structure of poems. Each beat of the song has an image on the screen. These images add together to create a larger image and meaning for the video. This is like poems, where not every line needs to be decoded to get meaning, nor does a poem need to have a structure like a story.

Pre-reading Activities: Videos can be used to raise interest and introduce the targeted idea of an upcoming short story or novel. These videos can be used for a discussion or writing prompt to get students thinking about ideas or themes.

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

Ideas for Use: Use this with any dystopian literature (The Giver, 1984) to explore feelings of occupation, whether its understood or not. Additionally, this video allows students to think about the ideas of freedom, childhood and community.

Spiritualized - Come Together

Ideas for Use: Use this video for novels that involve highly-publicized crimes or trials, such as Inherit the Wind, Monster, Native Son, or Kafka's The Trial.

Radiohead - Just (for better video quality, click here)

Ideas for Use: This video has elements of non-conformity and finding one's identity. Use it to introduce novels like Catcher in the Rye and The Outsiders.

Critical Lenses: Using music videos to introduce critical lenses is a great idea since music videos are texts that are easier to access for most students. It's much easier to introduce the idea with a music video than a Faulkner short story. As with the other uses of music videos, they are more useful when dissected, instead of just presented. Use graphic organizers, checklists or worksheets to have students identify the elements of the lenses. Use those elements to model how to read literature critically.

The Decemberists - 16 Military Wives

Ideas for Use: Post-colonialism! Who has the power? Who takes the power? How is power earned?

Kanye West - Can't Tell Me Nothing (Language Warning)

Ideas for Use: Okay, so I don't exactly expect this one to be used in a classroom, but I decided to put it on here because it's funny and an example of what kinds of videos you can look for. I would use this video to talk about class theory, critical race theory and deconstruction. When deconstructing this music video, what does it say about class? This is Kanye West's voice coming out of Zach Galifianakis's mouth - what does that say about class? Race? What binaries are being broken down here? Rap videos usually don't have tractors, chainsaws or (ahem, excuse my disregard to gender theory) plain women. Yes, this is all done for humor, but there is a commentary on our society here.

Beyonce - If I Were a Boy

Ideas for Use: Beyonce examines gender roles and imagines how she would interpret events differently if she were a different gender. Your students will do that too by using this video to introduce or supplement the idea of the gender lens.

Daft Punk - Da Funk

Ideas for Use: I think this video is great to examine critical race theory and the social class lens because it presents class or race as a metaphor, instead of using real world examples of discrimination that may be too personal for students.