Table of Contents
Volume 34
Number 2
Winter 2007
Jim Blasingame From the Editors 3 Lori Atkins Goodson Call for Manuscripts & Grant Information 4
Cathi Dunn MacRae Teachers and Librarians Working Together for Teens and Their Reading: 6 Keynote for “Young Adult Literature: Key to Open Minds”
Vicki Sherbert “Ahoy, You Crazy Dreamers”: 13 A Conversation with John H. Ritter
Shelbie Witte Pushed Over the Line: 24 An Interview with Paul Volponi
James Blasingame, Jr. “What a Man Do”: 28 Coe Booth and the Genesis of Tyrell
William Broz The Bully in the Book and in the Classroom: 34 The Professional Resource Connection
C. J. Bott Don’t Look and It Will Go Away: 44 Nancy Garden YA Books—A Key to Uncovering the Invisible Problem of Bullying Patrick Jones Julie Ann Peters
Lori Atkins Goodson Clip and File A1–A8
Chris Goering Interviewing the Interviewer: 52 Talking with Robert Lipsyte
Kay Smith From Hinton to Hamlet: Seeing Old Things New Again 59 The High School Connection
Robyn Seglem Just Listening to Sarah Dessen 61
Carol Lautenbach Follow the Leaders in Newbery Tales 68
Margaret T. Sacco Defending Books: A Title Index 89
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
T ◆ H ◆ E Instructions for Authors ALAN REVIEW ABOUT THE ALAN REVIEW. The ALAN Review is a peer-reviewed (refereed) journal published by the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the National Council of Teachers of English. It is devoted solely to the field of literature for Co-editors James Blasingame, james [email protected] adolescents. It is published three times per academic year (fall, winter, and summer) and is sent to all members, Arizona State University individual and institutional, of ALAN (The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE). Members of ALAN need not Lori Atkins Goodson, be members of NCTE. lagoodson@cox net THE ALAN REVIEW publishes reviews of and articles on literature for adolescents and the teaching of that literature: Wamego Middle School, Wamego, Kansas research studies, papers presented at professional meetings, surveys of the literature, critiques of the literature, articles about authors, comparative studies across genre and/or cultures, articles on ways to teach the literature to adolescents, YA Book Review Editor Lori Atkins Goodson and interviews of authors. Middle School Claudia Katz, National Louis Connection Editor University AUDIENCE. Many of the individual members of ALAN are classroom teachers of English in middle, junior, and senior high schools. Other readers include university faculty members in English and/or Education programs, researchers in High School Kay Smith, Utah the field of adolescent literature, librarians, authors, publishers, reading teachers and teachers of other related content Connection Editor Valley State College areas. ALAN has members in all 50 states and a number of foreign countries. Research Connection Jeffrey S. Kaplan, University Editor of Central Florida PREFERRED STYLE. Manuscripts should usually be no longer than fifteen double-spaced, typed pages. A manuscript Publishers Connection M. Jerry Weiss, Jersey City submitted for consideration should deal specifically with literature for adolescents and/or the teaching of that literature. Editor State College, Emeritus It should have a clearly defined topic and be scholarly in content, as well as practical and useful to people working with and/or studying adolescents and their literature. Research studies and papers should be treated as articles rather Professional Resource William Broz, Connection Editor University of Northern Iowa than formal reports. Stereotyping on the basis of sex, race, age, etc., should be avoided, as should gender-specific terms such as “chairman.” Library Connection Diane P. Tuccillo, Mesa Public Editor Library, Mesa, Arizona MANUSCRIPT FORMAT. Manuscripts should be double-spaced throughout, including quotations and bibliographies. Non Print YAL Jean Brown, Rhode Island A title page with author’s name, affiliation, address, and a short professional biographical sketch should be included. Connection Editor College The author’s name should not appear on the manuscript pages; however, pages should be numbered. Short quotations, as permitted under “fair use” in the copyright law, must be carefully documented within the manuscript and in the Editorial Review Board bibliography. Longer quotations and complete poems or short stories must be accompanied by written permission of Lawrence Baines, University of Toledo the copyright owner. Katherine Barr, San Francisco, California Kylene Beers, Yale University Author interviews should be accompanied by written permission of the interviewed author to publish the interview Jean Borren, Northern Arizona University in The ALAN Review. Interviewers should indicate to authors that publication is subject to review of an editorial board. Cynthia A. Bowman, Columbus, Ohio The title of The ALAN Review should not be used to gain an interview. Linda Broughton, University of South Alabama Jean E. Brown, Warwick, Rhode Island Original short tables and figures should be double-spaced and placed on a separate sheet at the end of the John “Jack” Bushman, University of Kansas manuscript. Notations should appear in the text for proper placement of tables and figures. Michael Cart, Chico, California Melissa Comer, Cumberland College The ALAN Review prefers the use of the Publications Manual of the Modern Language Association (MLA). Chris Crowe, Brigham Young University A 3 1/2-inch IBM compatible disk in a recent version of Word format must accompany all manuscripts. Disks must be Pat Daniel, University of South Florida clearly labeled with author’s name, manuscript title, disk format, and file title. Kevin Dupree, University of Southern Mississippi Joan Elliot, Indiana University of Pennsylvania SUBMITTING THE MANUSCRIPT. Send three clear copies and a disk of the manuscript to: Bonnie Ericson, California State University at Northridge Dr. James Blasingame, Co-Editor, The ALAN Review, Department of English/English Education, College of Liberal Arts Ted Fabiano, Blue Valley Northwest High School and Sciences, P.O. box 870302, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-0302. Karen Ford, Ball State University Nena Foster-Pritchard, North Olmsted High School, Ohio Include a self-addressed stamped envelope to which return stamps are clipped. The manuscript cannot be returned if Montye Fuse, Arizona State University the envelope and stamps are not included. Articles submitted only by facsimile or e-mail cannot be considered, except Marshall George, Fordham University when sent from overseas. Wendy Glenn, University of Connecticut Gail P. Gregg, Florida International University REVIEW PROCESS. Each manuscript will receive a blind review by the editor and at least two members of the Robin Denise Groce, Mississippi State University editorial review board, unless the length, style, or content makes it inappropriate for publication. Usually, authors Kay Bushman Haas, Ottawa, Kansas should expect to hear the results within eight weeks. Manuscripts are judged for the contribution they make to the Judith Hayn, University of Arkansas, Little Rock Kathy Headley, Clemson University field of adolescent literature, clarity and cohesiveness, timeliness, and freshness of approach. Selection also depends Sarah Herz, Westport, Connecticut on the manuscript’s contribution to the overall balance of the journal. Kaavonia M. Hinton-Johnson, Old Dominion University PUBLICATION OF ARTICLES. The ALAN Review assumes that accepted manuscripts have not been published previ Jaime Hylton, University of New England Rita Karr, Oklahoma Road Middle School, Maryland ously in any other journals and/or books, nor will they be published subsequently without permission of The ALAN Review. Joan Kaywell, University of South Florida Should the author submit the manuscript to more than one publication, he/she should notify The ALAN Review. If a Kathryn Kelly, Radford University submitted or accepted manuscript is accepted by another publication prior to publication in The ALAN Review, the Patricia P. Kelly, Virginia Tech author should immediately withdraw the manuscript from publication in The ALAN Review. Daphne Key, Papillon, Nebraska Teri S. Lesesne, Sam Houston State University Manuscripts that are accepted may be edited for clarity, accuracy, readability, and publication style. Terry C. Ley, Auburn University, Emeritus Rob Lockhart, Morehead State University Upon publication, the author will receive two copies of The ALAN Review in which the article appears. Publication usually Caroline McKinney, University of Colorado at Boulder occurs within 18 months of acceptance. Arlene Harris Mitchell, University of Cincinnati William R. Mollineaux, Sedgwick Middle School, Connecticut DEADLINES. Please observe these deadlines if you wish to have your article considered for a particular Elaine O’Quinn, Appalachian State issue of The ALAN Review. Elizabeth Poe, University of West Virginia FALL ISSUE Deadline: MAY 15 Suzanne Reid, Emory and Henry College WINTER ISSUE Deadline: OCTOBER 15 Gary Salvner, Youngstown State University SUMMER ISSUE Deadline: FEBRUARY 15 Barbara G. Samuels, University of Houston at Clear Lake John S. Simmons, Florida State University, Emeritus Cover credits: The ALAN Review cover was designed by Jim Blasingame. Credit lines for individual book jackets as follows: Robert C. Small, Radford University Bone: Out from Boneville. Artwork copyright Jeff Smith 2005. Reproduced by permission of Scholastic, Inc. Indian Shoes. Jacket art © Elaine C. Stephens, Michigan 2002 by Jim Madsen, jacket design by Karin Paprocki, reprinted by permission of publisher, HarperCollins. Tofu and T.rex, Cover design Barbara Stover, Chatfield Senior High School by Tracy Shaw. Reproduced with permission of publisher, Little, Brown. Dateline: Troy. Copyright 1996, 2006 by Paul Fleischman. Lois Stover, St. Mary’s College of Maryland Reproduced by permission of publisher, Candlewick Press, Inc., Cambridge, MA. Andy Warhol, Prince of Pop. Cover reprint permission Alan Teasley, Durham, North Carolina courtesy of Random House Children’s Books. The Telling Pool. Jacket illustration © 2005 by Dan Craig, jacket design by Celina Mary Ann Tighe, Troy State University Carvalho, reproduced with permission of Harry, N. Abrams, Inc. Somebody’s Daughter. Reproduced by permission of Beacon Press. Ellis Vance, Fresno County Office of Education A Boy No More. Cover designed by Debra Sfetsios, cover photograph © 2004 by Tristan Elwell, reproduced by permission of Simon & Elizabeth Watts, Broward County, Florida Schuster. Ann Wilder, Durham, North Carolina Carole Williams, St. Louis, Missouri Susan N. Wood, Florida State University Geri Yaccino, St. Charles Middle School, Illinois Connie Zitlow, Ohio Wesleyan University
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Jim Blasingame & Lori Goodson
From the Editors
record crowd gathered in Nashville for the hopefully, were fortunate enough to grab a few November 2006 ALAN Workshop, a sign that autographs while in Nashville, we’ll add to your A more and more individuals are finding the insight into some of your favorites. This issue features value of young adult literature and understanding extensive interviews with several authors showcased ALAN’S vital role in determining what’s out there and at the conference, as well as reviews of some of their how to use it. works. They include Vicki Sherbert’s conversation If you missed the fall workshop, with the theme with John H. Ritter, Shelbie Witte’s interview with of “Young Adult Literature—Key to Open Minds,” you Paul Volponi, Robyn Seglem’s discussion with Sarah missed being a part of the largest group ever to attend Dessen, and a Chris Goering’s interview with Robert the annual workshop. But, more importantly, you Lipsyte (or was it the other way around?). missed room after room filled with authors, publish James Blasingame discusses Ty rell, by award ers, librarians, and educators enthusiastically sharing winning author Coe Booth. Booth shares with The their expertise through conversations—both formal ALAN Review co-editor that the protagonist’s voice and informal. They formed panels, served as guest seemed to take shape by itself, sharing her experience speakers, led sessions, and gathered in hallways for as a social worker in New York City. “Follow the chats with attendees. Leaders in Newbery Tales” by Carol Lautenbach For those of you who attended—and there were details her examination of 17 Newbery Medal winners plenty of you—you undoubtedly remember the and the leadership perspectives they provide. conversations, the box brimming with young adult Margaret T. Sacco shares her approaches to books, and the connections you made to help your helping classroom teachers prepare for any book students and your own professional development. challenges they may face. She provides an extensive To help record such a significant celebration of list of resources for creating those rationales, including young adult literature, this issue of The ALAN Review specific questions to be answered. Sacco demonstrates keeps with the workshop’s theme and showcases how to select books for the classroom, while compil some of the connections and conversations that ing documentation to explain why those books were occurred. chosen, should there be any challenges. Leading the way is Cathi Dunn MacRae’s keynote William Broz’s Professional Resource Connection address, “Teachers and Librarians Working Together focuses on C.J. Bott’s book, The Bully in the Book and for Teens and Their Reading.” She addresses three in the Classroom. The column highlights extensive challenges regarding students and reading—No Child resources regarding bullying. We also feature an Left Behind, a growing number of teenagers at risk, adaptation of “Don’t Look and It Will Go Away: YA and the growing use of technology. Books, a Key to Uncovering the Invisible Problem of While you may have been able to hear a variety of Bullying,” a panel discussion at the workshop by CJ your favorite authors speak at the workshop and you, Bott, Nancy Garden, Patrick Jones, and Julie Ann
3
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Peters. Kay Smith features a look at “Building Bridges reminds those who attended the workshop of all the for Struggling High School Readers” in her High valuable information and perspectives that were School Connection. offered, while providing those who weren’t able to And don’t forget to check out the Clip and File— attend with a glimpse of just why young adult litera reviews of 31 of the latest in young adult literature. ture is the key to open minds. Find a comfortable Record numbers at the workshop signal a growing chair and enjoy this reflection on an extremely interest in young adult literature. We hope this issue successful workshop.
Call for Manuscripts
2007 Summer theme: Seeing Myself in the Story This theme is intended to solicit articles dealing with the relationships between young adult readers and the characters in their reading. The theme is meant to be open to interpretation, but might, for example, deal with what kinds of protagonists individual readers find appealing and/or identify with, the effects this kind of reading may have on young readers and how teachers use this to help students on the path to making meaning of their reading and their lives. General submissions are also welcome. February 15 submission deadline.
2007 Fall theme: Young Adult Literature: No Genre Unwanted This theme is intended to solicit articles about the many genres within young adult literature and the approaches teachers take in addressing them, from poetry to plays, from autobiography to horror. This theme is meant to be open to interpretation and support a broad range of subtopics, but some possibilities include choosing and using the best of young adult drama, helping students make the connections between their own lives in the present day and the lives of characters in historical fiction, creating a thematic unit on mysteries, performance poetry and more. The sky is the limit! We welcome and encourage other creative interpreta tions of this theme. General submissions are also welcome. May 15 submission deadline.
2008 Winter theme: Helping Teens Develop a Sense of “Place” and “Self” through Young Adult Literature This theme is intended to solicit articles about young adult literature, authors and instructional approaches that facilitate young readers in exploring place and self. Some possibilities include choosing and using the best works that revolve around life in a specific region of the world, or help young adults to define who they are (and place can have a lot to do with that). This theme is meant to be open to interpretation and support a broad range of subtopics, however, and we welcome and encourage other creative interpretations of this theme. General submis sions are also welcome. October 15 submission deadline.
4
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
ALAN Foundation Research Grants
Members of ALAN may apply to the ALAN Foundation for funding (up to $1,500) for research in young adult literature. Proposals are reviewed by the five most recent presidents of ALAN. Awards are made annually in the fall and are announced at the ALAN breakfast during the NCTE convention in November. The application deadline each year is September 15th.
Gallo Grants The Gallo Grants were established in 2003 by former ALAN Award and Hipple Award recipient Don Gallo to encourage educators in their early years of teaching to attend the ALAN Workshop for the first time. The grants provide funding—up to $500 each—for two classroom teachers in middle school or high school each year to attend the ALAN Workshop. (The amount of a grant may be less than $500 if the applicant lives within commuting distance of the convention location where airfare and housing would not be necessary.) The Workshop is held at the annual convention of the National Council of Teachers of English on the Monday and Tuesday prior to Thanksgiving Day. Applicants must be teaching full-time; must have been classroom teachers for less than five years prior to the year in which they are applying; and must not have attended an ALAN Workshop previously. Membership in ALAN is not required for consideration, though applicants are expected to become ALAN members if they receive this grant. Each applicant must fill out the grant application form and submit an essay of no more than 750 words explaining their interest in Young Adult Literature, what they hope to gain by attending this year’s ALAN Workshop, and how they hope to use the experience in their classrooms in the future. A letter of support must also come from the applicant’s school system. The deadline for submission is September 1. Appli cants will be judged on their ability to articulate their understanding of the value of Young Adult Literature as well as their explanation of how they intend to use YA books and the information they gather at the Workshop in their own classrooms. For further information about this grant, contact ALAN Executive Secretary Gary Salvner at [email protected] or 330-941-3414. Information about the ALAN Workshop may be obtained from the ALAN Website—www.alan-ya.org. Information about the NCTE Convention may be obtained on the NCTE Website—www.ncte.org—or by writing to NCTE Headquarters at 1111 West Kenyon Road, Urbana, IL 61801.
5
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Cathi Dunn MacRae
Teachers and Librarians Working Together for Teens and Their Reading Keynote delivered at the ALAN Workshop, “Young Adult Literature: Key to Open Minds.” Nashville, Tennessee, November 20, 2006
elcome, ALAN’s record-breaking audience Let’s examine three challenges that threaten of 480. Who knew that YA lit had become young minds: W this hot? If it’s your first ALAN workshop, First, if you’re an educator in a public school, No you’re about to discover the place to be if you’re a Child Left Behind is a barrier between you and your language arts teacher, an English educator, a librarian, students and the books. You can’t teach reading and an author, a publisher, or just a plain old fan. We writing when you’re teaching to the test. Obviously wouldn’t be here if we didn’t believe that young adult you’re here today despite NCLB, determined to bring literature changes young people’s lives. teens and YA lit together anyhow. Today, I’m asking you to consider how teachers I prescribe some excellent anti-NCLB therapy: and librarians can collaborate to bring this meaningful read Edward Bloor’s YA novel, Story Time, a wicked reading to teens. Having reflected on my work with satire in which a magnet school boasts a “Test-Based schools as a public YA librarian for twenty years and Curriculum.” Its library has actual demons living in having scoured VOYA’s pages for advice that I gathered books that do deserve to be burned. I can’t wait to for the next ten years from many in our professions, I hear, when Edward Bloor speaks this afternoon, how was ready to make suggestions. Or was I? healing it was to skewer such absurd fictional admin Our workshop theme declares that young adult istrators! And to put the truth out there for students literature is the key to open minds. Naomi Shihab themselves to recognize—if they find time to read the Nye’s book, A Maze Me, ends with this poem: book between tests. My mind How are students doing in reading? A September is always 2006 report from the National Center for Education open. Statistics (NCES) gives a 22-year comparison of U.S. I don’t think there’s even high school sophomores’ reading proficiency from a door. 1980 to 2002. There are messages in these figures. At the ALAN Breakfast on Saturday, Naomi was Increasing personal challenges are affecting students’ the perfect speaker to remind us that we are one mastery of what they read. For example, since 1980, human family on this planet. Every child is born with native English-language speakers declined from 95 to an open mind, which this unstable world is all too 86 percent, and students living with a biological or ready to close. What could possibly be a more impor adopted parent declined from 70 to 57 percent. Yet the tant role for teachers and librarians than to cultivate percentage of sophomores planning for college or young minds to remain open? postgraduate degrees nearly doubled, from 41 percent
6
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
in 1980 to 80 percent in 2002. Does their reading VOYA’s December 2006 issue contains the third achievement show this majority—80 percent—of series piece, “The School Library as Sanctuary,” by students capable of the college-bound track? Lynn Evarts. May it convince every teacher and school Unfortunately reading proficiency has descended librarian to see their library as Lynn does. Lynn looks in our new century. In three groups it declined out for isolated students who don’t feel safe or substantially: sophomores in college prep programs, or welcome anywhere—the peer-isolated, often bullied in Catholic schools, and sophomores whose parents students and the self-isolated loners, and finds subtle have graduate or professional degrees—some of the ways to let them know they have a home in the students most likely to be college bound. Might such library. Simply by allowing students to eat lunch in declines be evidence of parents’ heavy pressure on her library, Lynn helps them avoid “the scariest place students to achieve? in any school—the cafeteria at lunchtime.” The next challenge: More teenagers than ever— Another VOYA project that brings teachers and even the high achievers—are at risk. librarians together recognizes the best high school My October 2006 editorial introduced Susie summer reading lists—but we’re not receiving enough Vanderlip, who has reached more than a million worthy entries. Our committee chair, Linda Williams, people in schools across the country with her “Legacy has researched many schools’ lists and is determined of Hope” program. Since 2000, her teen audience to encourage their inclusion of more YA literature, reports “exceptionally high levels of emotional fewer dead white males, and better assessment. We’re problems” from depression to self harm—and high interested in any strategies you suggest. achievers’ severe stress. Now for the technology challenge, a challenge Teachers’ and librarians’ strong tools of reading which is changing our landscape even faster than and writing can help. In the ’80s and ’90s, my public global warming. library groups included alcoholics, expectant mothers, When we talk teens and reading, we usually abuse victims, bullied students, and homeless teens, mean books. We long to inspire young people to love drawn together by their love of reading. Without books as much as we do. We’re worried that teens’ library guidelines about involvement in teens’ lives, I attraction to technology interferes with reading. Yet, winged it. I helped sometimes and sometimes made Gene Luen Yang, whose American Born Chinese was mistakes; could I have prevented one girl from the first graphic novel ever nominated for the National running away? Teachers and librarians discuss these Book Award—and who speaks tomorrow in this crises among ourselves, but we often don’t know what workshop—says: “Technology is changing what it to do. means to be literary, how we read and write.” I’ve VOYA offers counsel in an article series called been facing my own technophobic tendencies this “How Can We Help? In its October 2005 debut, public year, realizing that I cannot do my job without the YA librarian Amy Alessio asked an adolescent psychia expert counsel of VOYA’s technology columnists—who trist all the questions that we ask ourselves. In appear only on e-VOYA on our Web site October 2006, ALAN past president Joan Kaywell built (www.voya.com), not in print. on her 1999 ALAN workshop, “Saving Our Students’ Joyce Kasman Valenza and Linda Braun share the Lives Through Literature and Laughter” with “There’s column “Tag Team Tech: Wrestling with Teens and Hope in a Book,” an article describing her projects as Technology”—an apt description of what they do. an English educator that help us to offer that hope to When Joyce—a cutting-edge school librarian— at-risk teens. Echoing Susie Vanderlip, Joan points out attended her state conference last summer, a librarian that “twenty-five percent of today’s teenagers have in her twenties spoke out. Having seen school libraries inordinate emotional baggage beyond the normal range from traditional bookish enclaves to totally angst of adolescence.” Joan’s forthcoming book, Dear wired, this young woman wondered: “What does a Author: Letters of Hope: Top Young Adult Authors twenty-first-century librarian look like?” That question Respond to Kids’ Toughest Issues, explores the healing inspired Joyce’s latest column, “You Know You’re a of such angst when teens write to authors whose books Twenty-First-Century Teacher-Librarian If. . .,” in have deeply touched them—and authors write back. which she logs twenty technological twists to the
7
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
standard job description, such as promoting reading MySpace. Video gaming is a form of storytelling in with downloadable audiobooks and digital booktalks. which you star in the story. As in those old Choose Our other “Tag Team”-mate Linda Braun, a Your Own Adventure books, the outcome is affected by technology consultant for libraries who also teaches your actions, which require skill and strategy—also online library courses, finds herself playing “Dear known as “thinking.” Most of these electronic activi Abby” for librarians overwhelmed by trying to keep up ties are also communication—give-and-take responses with warp-speed innovations. For VOYA, she manages across time zones and cultures and age ranges. If we to produce a column about each emerging technol teach safe conduct online, cyberspace offers astound ogy—blogs, podcasts, RSS feeds, You-Tube, you name ing opportunities for creativity, learning, and develop it—about five minutes before everyone is talking ment. about it. Meanwhile young people absorb each new Most exciting in our field are online writing technology effortlessly—including young teachers and communities and author Web sites, blogs, and chats. librarians. Cyberspace is their habitat, and if we in Young people’s literary landscapes are fertilized when older generations don’t join them there, we will be they communicate directly with authors. Their writing superfluous. Discounted. Quite literally out of it. skills sharpen with ready access to readers, critics, and So we must do what we have always done when mentors for their own work. Frankly I’m in awe of working with youth. Consult them. Learn from them. how confident and advanced young writers are, from Young virtual-world natives don’t see the boundaries the benefit of sharing or co-creating their work online. that older immigrants experience; they simply inte For several years, VOYA has published “Notes from the grate their online and real-world lives. Teenage Underground,” an occasional column in If you live with a teenager, you have witnessed which teens tell us what they want adults to know. this behavior. When my 19-year-old niece, Liz, stayed Since April 2005 when the column featured high with me last summer, we listened to audiobooks school senior Elisabeth Wilhelm’s Ink for Blood— together, passed books back and forth—including which listed her top ten teen writing sites along with a graphic novels, went to the movies, and watched rant about how condescending adults can be when DVDs. She copied half my CD collection onto her critiquing teen writing online—VOYA’s “Underground” laptop, where I laughed over 500 funny photos of her submissions have increased in quantity and quality. friends. While blogging and using both My Space and (They’re finding us on the Web.) So the April 2007 Facebook, Liz also filled one hardback journal per VOYA will be devoted to teen writing. For an enervat month with handwriting, drawings, ing example of an international photos, and souvenirs. Before she online writing community run by returned to college, she informed Young people absorb each teens, check out Elisabeth’s United me that if I didn’t join Live Journal, Nations award-winning site, it would be hard to stay in touch. new technology effort Absynthe Muse. She was right. Now that e-mail is Although a 2005 Kaiser Family lessly—including young for old people, she doesn’t always Foundation study shows that 86 answer my messages. When I teachers and librarians. percent of youth aged 8 to 18 have phone her dorm room, she’s a computer at home, 74 percent distracted by roommates and Cyberspace is their habi with Internet access, and they boyfriends. Must I add blogging to spend 6 hours and 21 minutes daily my insane schedule? What does an tat, and if we in older using a mix of media—TV, DVDs, Empty Nester do? generations don’t join movies, videogames, audio, We must accept that exploring computers, and print—other a Web page or a blog IS reading. them there, we will be studies show that most teens lack Blogging or posting comments IS the critical thinking skills and writing. Chatting and instant superfluous. Discounted. expertise to use electronic re messaging are reading AND writing, Quite literally out of it. sources effectively. Online at home as is online social networking on without the guidance of teachers or
8
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
librarians, they need us! That’s ALAN’s bitter end tomorrow to why YALSA—the Young Adult Librarians can be teach hear her speak. In September at the Library Services Association of National Book Festival in D.C., her ALA, the American Library Asso ers’ greatest allies. School legions of teen girl fans were ciation—is debuting Teen Tech screaming! Can you guess the only Week from March 4 to 10, 2007, to librarians (often called title that outranked Meyer’s bring teens into libraries for media specialists) exist to vampires at number 1? (Harry technologies from DVDs to data Potter and the Half-Blood Prince). bases. Says Teen Tech Week Chair support your classroom Hundreds of teachers and (and VOYA columnist) Linda librarians are together in this room. Braun: “Technology is key to endeavors. Yet we don’t always understand successful teen development.” each other’s jobs. Let’s survey our Books remain one choice of audience: media. To connect teens with books, many public YA —If you’re a teacher—middle or high school, college librarians not only have Web pages for teens, but or graduate school, please raise your hand. blogs and a My Space presence. In VOYA’s latest YA —If you’re a school librarian, raise your hand. Clicks online column, public librarian Rebecca Purdy —Now public librarians, YA or otherwise. and her teen Web Surfers review librarians’ blogs. The You have an assignment at the next break. Teachers, Web Surfers are amazed to find them very cool, introduce yourself to the librarian sitting closest to covering music and pop culture as well as “library you. Librarians, find a teacher. Tell each other one stuff.” One teen reviewer complains that one blog thing about what you do that the other might not doesn’t mention enough books. (Let that warm the know. cockles of your literary hearts!) Librarians can be teachers’ greatest allies. School Your school or library site must at least offer links librarians (often called media specialists) exist to to lively resources that recommend YA books, such as support your classroom endeavors. Besides purchasing librarian Jennifer Hubert’s Reading Rants, which has materials for the school library’s collection and won teens’ seal of approval. Link to YA author sites helping students to find and use these items (both and chats as well as Don Gallo’s superb author paper and electronic), school librarians offer services interviews at Authors4Teens. While struggling with that teachers might not realize. school reading lists, VOYA just discovered that the Here are three school librarians to challenge your excellent TeenReads site has concocted a list of 250 assumptions: titles with the input of their online community of • Alison Follos declares in her new book, Reviving teachers and librarians. Reading: School Library Programming, Author And there’s YALSA’s Web site itself, containing Visits, and Books That Rock!, that school libraries Best Books for Young Adults, Quick Picks for Reluctant are “underutilized havens.” Alison partners with Readers, Printz Award-winning titles of literary her middle school teachers to engage even the most excellence, and more. YALSA’s Teens’ Top Ten Books is reluctant readers. Her entire school collaborates in a perfect example of teen reading online and off. Since a year-round reading program with “highly read 2003, these recent titles are chosen via national online able” titles. Alison also runs weekly readers’ voting during Teen Read Week each October— workshops in the library for each class, reading individuals or entire classrooms can participate. Using aloud a book that is discussed and journaled about, publishers’ advance copies, selected library teen book followed by a visit from its author. When Janet groups make nominations which appear on YALSA’s McDonald speaks to us later this morning, you’ll Web site so teens across the country can vote for their see why she was an unforgettable author guest at favorites. More than 5,000 voters chose the 2006 Alison’s school. Alison even coordinates a teachers’ Teens’ Top Ten, just announced last week. Its only title reading group with YA books. Her article about by an author appearing in this workshop is ranked at reading aloud will appear in VOYA’s February 2007 number 2: Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight. Stay until issue.
9
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
•Rebecca Moore describes imaginative contests and Some noteworthy school/public library partner games in an August 2006 VOYA article, making her ships covered in VOYA: school library a place where students learn because •A California YA librarian helps an ESL teacher to it’s fun. use audiobooks to improve students’ language •Past ALAN president Teri Lesesne teaches school skills. librarians AND teachers-in-training at her state • An Ohio YA librarian asked teachers to send their university. As you’ll see this afternoon in the students to her Banned Books and Pizza program; audiobook session, Teri is an entire resource in the discussion continued in classrooms the next herself: book blogger, prolific presenter, and a force day. to reckon with in teachers’ AND librarians’ organi •A Kansas YA librarian and a Web developer offer zations. Her two valuable professional books, trainings in schools about using cybertools such as Making the Match: The Right Book for the Right RSS feeds, blogs, and wikis (forthcoming). Reader at the Right Time, and Naked Reading: • Seattle teen librarians built an ongoing cooperative Uncovering What Tweens Need to Become Lifelong relationship with their school system, including a Readers, help us to connect books and teens. joint summer reading program and trainings for Another excellent resource is VOYA’s sister teachers on using the public library. Discovering journal, Teacher-Librarian or TL, which focuses on the reason that schools don’t always welcome school librarians. More research oriented than VOYA, relationships with public libraries—“School it often features collaborations between librarians and librarians don’t want their administrations to get teachers. TL borrows the teacher-librarian job title the idea that public libraries can replace their from Canada, where TL was founded by school library services”—these public librarians insisted on visionary, Ken Haycock. changing schools’ perceptions. In the public library, young adult or YA librar When I was a YA librarian, I made a lifelong ians—often called teen librarians—are expected to friend when a middle school librarian invited me to develop relationships with local middle and high booktalk even though she booktalked beautifully schools. They visit classrooms to booktalk the latest herself. When her students got to know me, they YA books not only to promote reading, but to intro became involved with my teen advisory board and my duce themselves to students who need a friendly face fantasy book group. As high school students, they at the public library, whether for homework help or returned to their old middle school library to present fun programs. When school is closed all summer, teen booktalks themselves! That school librarian, Nancy librarians help students locate school reading list titles Moore, is here today. We stay in touch with our and also run exciting teen reading programs. If you mutual “library kids,” now in their late twenties. It ask them, they’ll even help schools compose summer was booktalking guru Joni Bodart who trained our reading lists, order extra copies of its titles, and send kids to outbooktalk us—and she’s here as well. your students back to school prepared to discuss Every October VOYA announces VOYA’s Most them. When teachers send assignment alerts, public Valuable Programs (MVPs) of the year. Our top 2006 librarians reserve materials so all students can share MVP, Ocean County Library’s “We Empower Teens” in access. New Jersey, is the finest example I’ve seen of school Stylish and appealing new teen spaces—both and public library partnership, revolutionizing the high-tech and comfortable—are multiplying in public entire county’s approach to young people. First, the libraries across the country. VOYA has profiled one in library hired more teen librarians, built staff awareness every issue’s “YA Spaces of Your Dreams” since 1999. of teens’ developmental needs, and added teen You want your students to gravitate to such teen advisory boards (TABs) to most branches. Our ALAN spaces after school, among books, music, and comput President, Diane Tuccillo, trained their teen librarians ers, finding support for their study and social needs. to run TABs, based on her VOYA book, Library Teen Teachers, your first step is to visit your public library’s Advisory Groups. teen space and introduce yourself to its librarian. Next, county library staff and administrators met
10
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
with educators from all county novels must be full of hope—he middle and high schools. Teachers “If a book has done its spells hopeful as hope-full. It is in were amazed at the insights gained our power—teachers and librarians when speaking with local public job,” says McCormick, “it together—to bring the hope in YA librarians about their shared books to the youth who need it. students. In September 2005, the asks something of you. library and schools joined in a Teen Some books . . . demand Cathi Cunn MacRae served as a Summit, “Empowering Teens as young adult specialist in Maryland Community Partners,” with more that you take action. . . . and Colorado public libraries for than 200 teen representatives from twenty years before becoming editor every school, along with teachers, [T]eens . . . may need help in-chief of Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) in 1997 (www.voya.com). librarians, local government from the adults in their From 1988 to 1995, she was YA critic officials, and community partners. for Wilson Library Bulletin, writing Dynamic keynote speaker/activist/ lives: teachers, librarians, “The Young Adult Perplex” review poet Kevin Powell not only spoke and parents. It is up to column in which she also interviewed about leadership but listened to the authors who write for teens. Cathi is teen audience’s ideas. Now those adults to show active in the American Library everyone in Ocean County partners Association (ALA) and is an official with teens themselves. NO teen is young people how. trainer for library professionals in left behind. “Serving the Underserved” workshops In VOYA’s December 2006 run by ALA’s Young Adult Library issue, National Book Award finalist Patricia Services Association (YALSA). She served on the Board of McCormick describes the agonizing process of re- Directors of ALAN from 1999-2003, chairing the ALAN Author Award Committee during that term. She won the searching, in Nepal and India, and writing her 1995 Econo-Clad/ALA/YALSA Award for Outstanding shattering novel Sold, about thirteen-year-old Lakshmi Achievement in the Development of a Literature Program who is sold into prostitution. Its teen readers want to for Young Adults, and has won two state library associa know what they can do about human trafficking. “If a tion intellectual freedom awards. Cathi is the author of book has done its job,” says McCormick, “it asks Presenting Young Adult Fantasy Fiction (Twayne/ something of you. Some books . . . demand that you Macmillan Reference/Gale, 1998). She lives in Annapolis, take action. . . . [T]eens . . . may need help from the Maryland, with her Scots writer husband and their cats, adults in their lives: teachers, librarians, and parents. Archie and Agnes. It is up to those adults to show young people how: A shortened version of the speech previously appeared how to invite speakers to their schools, how to plan a in the December 2006 VOYA editorial. The items in the viewing of a film about the human rights of children, works cited list, along with hyper links, can also be found how to raise money, or how to put their creative at http://www.voya.com/whatsinvoya/web_only_articles/ resources.shtml. talents to use to express their reactions to world news.” Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) is published six times We teachers and librarians know that such books a year by Scarecrow Press. (For a free sample copy, spark action and insight in young readers. Here in the e-mail Editor-in-Chief Cathi Dunn MacRae at ALAN Workshop, we learn directly from authors why [email protected].) http://www.voya.com. they write books that they trust us to put into teens’ hands. Combat testing by introducing your students to Works Cited Lakshmi in Sold. You’ll be hearing Will Hobbs in a Alessio, Amy, with David G. Fassler, M.D. “How Can We Help? moment; bring them illegal Mexican immigrant Victor Counseling Connections for Teens Through the Library.” VOYA in Will’s Crossing the Wire. Later you’ll hear Nancy Oct. 2005: 284-287. Garden; your students’ lives might depend on meeting Bloor, Edward. Story Time. New York: Harcourt, 2004. Braun, Linda W. “Tag Team Tech: Playing Keep Up with Emerging Gray in her Endgame. And so on in our troubled Technologies.” e-VOYA. Aug. 2005
11
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Cahalan, M. W. et al. “United States High School Sophomores: A 2006
12
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Vicki Sherbert
“Ahoy, You Crazy Dreamers”: A Conversation with John H. Ritter
midst throngs of teachers from student to student, rarely gathered outside the Opryland making it back to the shelf. My A Governor’s Ballroom, I heard students had gained a great story, someone call my name. Above a and I had gained something even sea of faces, I saw John H. Ritter as more precious; my students he politely but swiftly moved trusted me to point them toward through the crowd. We had great books. tentatively scheduled time to sit Ritter, whose novels include down and talk during an afternoon Choosing Up Sides, Over the Wall, session of the November 2006 The Boy Who Saved Baseball, and ALAN workshop in Nashville, most recently Under the Baseball Tennessee. John had spent most of Moon, crafts his stories to show the day speaking to middle and his young adult readers that they high school students in Nashville, have choices when life throws and had just arrived at the workshop. them a curve. He uses the game of baseball, the glory I read my first book by John Ritter in 2004. For of music, and the power of the written word to sixteen years I had been a second- and third-grade illustrate how young people can overcome everyday, teacher. I had used children’s literature extensively in and not-so-everyday, challenges. Each book goes my elementary classroom, but six years ago when I beyond the story of the game, beyond the story of the began teaching sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-graders, I problem, right to the heart of Ritter’s message: What realized that I had a lot of catching up to do if I were is really valuable in life? From the first page of Under to become knowledgeable regarding adolescent and the Baseball Moon, Ritter cries, “Ahoy, you crazy young adult literature. With the help of our school dreamers! Welcome to the water’s edge of North librarian, I began to immerse myself in literature for America.” Thus begins the tale of a young boy’s this age group, hoping to find titles to inspire my search for what matters most as he pursues his dream students to read beyond their daily assignments. I of becoming a famous musician. attended a workshop, Igniting a Passion for Reading, As our conversation progressed, John H. Ritter, given by Dr. Steven L. Layne. One of the many books the author, revealed how the passion, pain, and pur he “book-talked” was Choosing Up Sides. By the time pose of John H. Ritter, the person, has brought depth he was finished with his review, I felt that if I failed to and richness to the stories he writes. He shared with read that book, I no longer deserved to teach middle frankness his feelings about the fighting in Afghani school! So I read the book! I book-talked it to my stan and Iraq, and he told me how writing stories of students one day, and from then on the book moved hope helped pull him from depression and despair.
13
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
TAR: John, you have had a full day already! You spent now, when I give writer’s workshops to adults a the morning with students, and I’d be interested to couple of weeks out of the year, when I’m talking learn about the workshops you conducted with to adults who want to become YA novelists, I try to them. save them about five years off of their road to becoming a published novelist with what I’ve Ritter: Everything I do in schools depends upon the learned along the way because it is probably a ten audience: What is the age range, the size of the year journey, or a ten-year apprenticeship, I usually group, their background? Have they read any of my call it. Sometimes, the apprenticeship happens in books; which ones? I’ve done assemblies where the public eye. Sometimes, you get published too they haven’t even heard of me, and assemblies soon. I’ve seen that happen with writers. They have where the entire school has read one particular a great idea, the book is pretty well executed. Then, novel. Of course, the questions are always so much BAM! Success—of some degree. So they start better when they have read the book. working on book number two, and they don’t have This morning I spoke at a private middle a clue. The idea’s not there, they’re not that strong school and a private high school. One thing I as far as writing goes, they’re just lost. So they always try to do is give them a glimpse of what it stumble, and the sophomore jinx comes up, and takes to write a book. And I always tell them I’ve that second book doesn’t do very well, and by the never known another third book, they’re out of the game. So what I’m writer who writes like me. saying to students is that writing is a tough trade. A writer not only has to And most writers could Don’t rush into it. In fact, learn your chops while probably say the same getting real life experience, because a writer not write well, but has to thing. But I really warn only has to write well, but has to gather a headful them that I’m weird! I start of good stories first. And you’re kind of lucky if you gather a headful of good off by saying that if I could don’t have to learn your trade in the public eye. talk anyone out of becom stories. ing a writer, then I feel TAR: Before you’ve had the seasoning time? that I’ve done some good today! It’s not so much that I want to talk them out Ritter: Absolutely, so that you’re not cringing when of it, but that I want to make sure that when I you read what you wrote in your first book. And a leave, they have a much firmer grounding as to writer should continually evolve with each book. what it takes to be a writer. So many people say, That doesn’t mean each book is going to be better “Gee, I should sit down and write a book. Okay, than the one before; it can be, but your skill level then. How do you get an agent?” And that’s what should be getting better because of what you’ve the general population thinks. But there is no learned. If you just get to a certain plateau and “school,” regardless of what these MFA Creative level off, then I believe you are undershooting your Writing programs say, especially when I was stars. Because there’s no reason why you can’t growing up. I discourage people from going into continue to be a better writer until the day you put MFA programs to learn how to write because I down the pen. The writers I read and the ones I think they can kill a good writer. I would take my want to run with are the ones who do that. They chances on the street, gaining life experiences, are constantly experimenting with form or with rather than sitting down in college and learning style, with voice, and they’re getting their from a barely published professor. Now, that’s not storytelling chops more finely honed and crafted. always the case. I know T. C. Boyle teaches a writing class at USC. I don’t know what it’s like, TAR: That is a concept I’d like to communicate to my but he doesn’t qualify as the bitter professor. middle school students. Reading your novels, I’ve But writing is still something for which been struck by how you combine so many of your there’s no apprenticeship program. Every writer passions; your passion for baseball, your passion who comes along has to reinvent the wheel. And for music, your passion for art and writing; in each
14
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
of your books. You integrate these ideas in a always ask the audience, “Who wants to be an different way each time. Is that a conscious choice artist of any sort? An actor maybe? Is anybody in or plan as you begin each book, or is it more of a drama? Does anybody sing in church? Do you play natural result of pouring yourself into the story? music? How many of you are athletes?” And I lump all of those categories together, athletics as well as Ritter: Well, I’ve never thought about it before! That all the fine arts, because we are all essentially doesn’t mean it wasn’t planned, it just means that . . . fighting the same battle. For anyone in those disciplines, it’s going to take a miracle for you to TAR: Maybe to you it seemed like a natural thing and make a living at it. So I want to talk in terms of we readers are the ones who are amazed at your practicality. craft! That is, “How do you achieve a life that allows you to be an artist?” When I decided I was Ritter: Well, maybe. I know I feel that as a writer, I going to be a writer, the first thing I started to do feel like I can do anything. I mean that technically, was read biographies of craft-wise, I can do anything I want at the moment. writers. Not to find out And so if I want to tie together a baseball story their philosophies or I’m constantly wanting to with a Vietnam anti-war story, I can do it. I take their styles of writing, that as a challenge. I was always one of those over but I wanted to find out go into territory no one active, high-achieving kids who was bored with the the answer to one everyday. But if I got the hint or the feeling that the question: How did they has worked before. So to teacher didn’t think I could do something, then I afford to be a writer? put all my passions—the was on fire, and I went for it! So that’s why not Where did they get the only have I never written the same book twice, I’ve free time? Mark Twain things I really care about— never written anything close to the same book married money; his twice. I’m constantly looking for new territory. I father-in-law gave him into my writing is pretty want to pioneer, to go there first, before it gets a house. Jack Kerouac natural because, why else overridden with writers. lived with his mom When I broke into fiction writing—short until he was 35. Both of would you write? fiction—my stories were about abused children; those solutions are this was in the early nineties. But by the time I got equal in my eyes, in the a book published in 1998, it was the status quo. sense that they bought the authors time. They were They called them ‘problem books.’ “What’s the able to find a way to give themselves time to problem in this book? This is the one with the experience life, to travel, and then to come back alcoholic parent. This is the one with the kid who and write about it without having to punch a time does drugs. This one is pregnant.” Publishing clock, without having to worry about how much Choosing Up Sides saved me a lot of bother, income they were bringing in. So, when I’m in because now I can just push all that stuff off my schools, I’m trying to get students to start to think desk and none of that “kid versus parent” or about what professions are available to an artist so “destructive kid versus self” stuff is going to be on you can pay your bills while you write. Those other my agenda anymore. It’s all being well-covered by possibilities are there; you marry somebody who tons of writers. And me, I’m constantly wanting to has a more normal occupation, you marry a school go into territory no one has worked before. So to teacher, and you have your summers to travel and put all my passions—the things I really care you have an insurance program! about—into my writing is pretty natural because, why else would you write? TAR: Ah, yes, the insurance program! There is also another level to this answer. That is, when I go into schools and talk about Ritter: Yes, I was a contractor for many years. My writing and being a writer, I never stop with that. I wife was a secretary, and we bought two little
15
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
houses in San Diego dreaming about the day when because I was so depressed and so angry—that’s she would be a teacher and I would be a writer— the highest emotion I could muster above depres which took fifteen years to achieve. I tell students sion—and then I would fall back again into depres that if you go to Hollywood, all your waiters and all sion, for over a year. your bartenders are actors and actresses. That’s a When I started seeing the children we were kind of job that allows them to be flexible enough killing in Afghanistan for essentially no reason that they can show up whatsoever, except that an angry, panicked, for a ten o’clock vengeful nation just decided that’s what they My last two books were audition three days in a wanted to do, it just saddened me that I was living row, or whatever it among that many people who felt that way; and so written after 9/11 and takes to pursue their art, I was really thrown off track. I was talking to rather than just saying, Robert Lipsyte about this the other day, and I just after the wars in Afghani “Someday I’m going to said, “I can’t write in anger. The book that would stan and Iraq, which just do this. Someday I’m come out would not be a book anybody would going to . . . .” want to read.” And so I just kind of had to live broke my heart. My books And then I through it. separate writing out and I lost a year of creativity between Over the had to be upbeat, because I tell them it’s the one Wall and The Boy Who Saved Baseball because of I was so depressed and art that you can arrive that huge depression. It just knocked me off my at in your thirties and feet. It literally did. I was in bed for days and days; so angry. forties and still be I went weeks without going outside. And I needed considered a young something to buoy my spirits. And the solution artist. We expect our ended up being just that—kind of a spiritual buoy. I novelists to tell us something we don’t know, or wanted to write a book that was just full of joy and that we haven’t thought all the way through. Kids adventure and hope. Something that was uplifting, hate to hear that, because nowadays, because of and I knew I didn’t want it to have anything to do Harry Potter, they’ve all got a book in them; they’ve with a dysfunctional family, no issues with father got three on the computer! But if you stop to and son, none of this crap! I wanted to have that analyze what these kids are writing, it’s all a driving force of the story to be a band of kids retelling of Eldest or Harry Potter or Inkheart. grouping together in order to pursue some common Essentially, unless they’ve had a unique childhood, goal that just had to be accomplished. It was like there’s really not much that they are going to this instant family had to form, had to get together, discover that hasn’t already been discovered and and had to do something wonderful, something written about by others for hundreds of years. great out there, in spite of any petty little annoy ances, which, of course, were inevitable between TAR: You are trying to help them understand what it them. And that was just a direct reaction to the takes to succeed as a writer. world I saw out my window. I wanted to let children know, let readers know, that this world Ritter: Yes, which goes beyond the gaining of years that you happen to have been born into—or that and life experiences. You need a highway of time in you turned age nine, ten, or eleven in before front of you so you can put it all down. And that’s realizing that you’re part of a bully nation that has the second level of passion I talk about in my taken on a third world country and is blowing them books: Time. The artist needs more than dreams or to bits—is not the only kind of reality or commu talent or desire. We all do. We need unencumbered nity that is possible. There is something else that time. you can strive for. Even in America. And maybe if My last two books were written after 9/11 and just by metaphor, or by my storytelling, I could at after the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, which just least plant the seed of possibility into the minds of broke my heart. My books had to be upbeat, these kids, that striving for money, striving for
16
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Under the Baseball Moon by John H. Ritter Reviewed by Vicki Sherbert
ndy Ramos rides a skateboard. Andy Ramos beat of his buddies on their skateboards, Andy Aplays a trumpet. At the same time. cruises off toward the ball fields. There, he begins From the very first page, the reader gets the to play. He notices a girl in a batting cage and pays message that this is no ordinary sports story. It is a attention to the “dance” of her body. As she swings story about passion, ambition, reflection, and love. away at the balls popping out of the machine, he San Diego’s Ocean Beach neighborhood, OB to the “paints” her with his music. The pitching machine locals, is the setting for a rich tale of music and fast keeps popping, the girl keeps swinging, and he pitch softball under the baseball moon. Among keeps playing. Determined to meet her, Andy hangs other things, the term “baseball moon” is used to around until her practice is over. As he steps onto refer to a daytime moon shining down on a the ballfield grass, he cannot believe it: the girl is baseball game. Glory Martinez. Andy Ramos, the protagonist in John H. Though compelled to stay away from her, Andy Ritter’s latest novel, is a musician with ambition. finds he needs to be near Glory. A close relation After spending his childhood in the backrooms of ship grows between them, and both find they are smoky nightclubs while his mom sang and his dad closer to reaching their individual dreams when played electric guitar, Andy has determined that they are together; Glory pitches better when Andy this is his breakout summer, the summer to launch plays for her, and Andy plays better when Glory is his musical career. Since the fifth grade, he has had in the audience. But a mysterious and somewhat the reputation of being a weirdo, thanks to a girl sinister figure, Max Lucero, arrives on the scene, named Glory Martinez. Glory’s mother sang in the and before he knows what’s happening, Andy band with Andy’s parents, and as her drinking suspects he may have sold his soul to guarantee his problem escalated, Andy found himself being called musical success. upon to calm Glory down when her world pushed Young adult readers will be drawn to the image her over the edge. To his relief, the summer after of Andy blowing one-handed on his trumpet while his sixth-grade year, her mother checked herself skateboarding around the town. Many will relate to into a rehab clinic and Glory moved to Tucson, but Glory and her purpose and determination to climb not soon enough for Andy to escape the ridicule he to the next level in the sport she loves. But most received for simply being associated with her. In will relate to Andy as he must decide between his the years since her departure, Andy has thrown desire to succeed and the person he has come to love. himself into his music. He has spent every minute In Under the Baseball Moon, Ritter gives the he could on the rooftop, on the pier, on his skate reader a taste of the laid back, almost hippie-like board; playing his trumpet, blowing like a jazzman atmosphere of Ocean Beach. As the characters in all to the beat of whatever or whoever was around their uniqueness deal with the choices they must him. He saw it as “painting with music”. make, a stressfulness is introduced to their daily Now at last, at the end of his ninth-grade year, lives that is unfamiliar to them. In the end, this Andy feels he is ready to get his start. He comes up book is about so much more than music or softball. with the name “FuChar Skool,” the informal It is about deciding what is important in life, and version of Fusion Charge Sk8rs Rool, for his band. how much a person is willing to pay to get it. The other two band members get into the new name and the enthusiasm and determination of the Ritter, John H. 2006. Under the Baseball Moon. Philomel. group soars. One afternoon, after playing to the 2006. 224 pp. ISBN: 0-399-23623-6 $16.99.
17
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
status, striving for position and power or global oil Although I think I’ve lost the parents, which is why is not the only reason to get up in the morning; in I write for children, my idea is this: Kids, you still fact, getting up for that stuff is probably the wrong have a choice. So just by demonstration in my reason. And so I wanted to show a town and a novels, I want to show that there is another way to family, who were content with a simple life, who go about life, and in Under the Baseball Moon I say did not declare development to be progress, did not it outright. Though it’s an un-American suggestion declare economic growth to be progress. Rather, in the sense that we are taught to always be they saw it as being striving; striving to go to the greatest college in threatening and detri- order to get the greatest job in order to get the I wanted to put across mental to what they greatest income and live in the greatest house with valued, and what they the greatest blah, blah, blah; and then you come to that concept that there is valued was free time. In the end of your life and see that you never had time The Boy Who Saved to be yourself, you never had time to gather your something rich people Baseball, Doc says to thoughts in the evening or to walk in the woods, or cannot buy. And it’s a very Tom, “Rich people can’t to travel through Europe or South America, or you afford to live like us. know spontaneously . . . valuable thing. It is time, They don’t have the time.” I wanted to put TAR: To really live? it is family, it’s community, across that concept that it’s contentment. there is something rich Ritter: Yeah, to really live! people cannot buy. And it’s a very valuable TAR: And your passions? thing. It is time, it is family, it’s community, it’s contentment. All the things they had in Dillontown, Ritter: The real passion in my life is this: Buying time! beyond what Tom thought about the baseball field I discovered it when I was in college. I worked being magical and so on, beyond that, they had a construction, and we worked so hard in the life that wasn’t driving them crazy. They didn’t summer because this was the big season for this have to jump on the freeway and join that com commercial contractor that I worked for. This was mute every morning. their big season for out-of-town work, seven-days, Like Maggie LaRue says in the book, “Why fourteen-days-in-a row jobs, working twelve-hour not live where you work or work where you live?” days. At the end of that summer, before I went off Save yourself this hassle. You know, if that job that to college, I had enough in my bank account to pay you want is so far away that you can’t afford to live for my next nine months of life. And then the next in that neighborhood, then wait a minute, how summer I did it all over again. And it occurred to valuable is your life to you that you would leave me fairly early on that you could go through life this neighborhood to lose two or three hours a day like this! If you lived very simply, which I did since to commute to work in that other neighborhood I had the advantage of being a hippie—you could that you can’t afford to live in? Maybe you haven’t buy yourself time. My wife and I had a lot of exhausted all the possibilities. Could you stay in roommates. In Under the Baseball Moon Andy’s your own neighborhood and do something else in parents decided they were going to do the same life that will allow you to be close to family and thing—that they were going to buy a house and meet your obligations, or if you love what you’re have a bunch of roommates who were more doing, could you move to that other part of town transitory at that time in the lives than they were. and live in a studio and eke out a living? They were making this house payment that was What kind of example do we give our going to be outrageous if it was just the two of children when we spend an hour on the road them, but by sharing the home and renting out the everyday to and from work, and the traffic is rooms for five or six years, finally they got to the horrible, and the development is out of control? place where the payment was more manageable. It
18
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
wasn’t so hard, and they could wind down, and the nation, the media of the nation, and the then fifteen years later, it’s like they were geniuses consciousness of the majority of the people in the to have done that! My wife and I did it, and I think nation, oppression takes over. It was my way of other young artists can too. saying this is not the kind of country I want to live in; it’s not the kind of world I want to support. And TAR: As I was reading the book, I realized I had really I wished I could demonstrate something, an missed that boat toward financial freedom! alternative to that value system in such a way that didn’t sound preachy, but had undertones of the Ritter: And, that’s why I wrote about it. When I talk message. to young artists, one of the things I urge them to do So I started the book off in the very first is to, early on, make a decision to create a life that paragraph, “Ahoy, you crazy dreamers!” And then I allows you a lot of time. talk about the wagon wheels of the Spanish fathers which cut across the Kumeyaay Indian migration TAR: I loved how in Under the Baseball Moon you trail and changed this land forever. It was an wrote of Glory’s dependence on Andy’s music invasion that was parallel to a war; here we have while she pitched and Andy’s dependence on the people with money Glory’s presence to enhance his music. In the coming to take natural beginning, Andy viewed Glory’s reappearance in resources away from To me, that became this his life with dread. The characters then realized people who were that they could function alone, but that they were content and were doing critical point where he better together. very well, thank you, had to determine what but were told it was for Ritter: Right, but then it got to the point where Andy their own good. Instead was valuable in his life, realized that he didn’t need her, or that he was it did neither one of going to leave her behind and pursue his dream in those cultures any what was important, and the music world. To me, that became this critical good. It did not bring point where he had to determine what was valu out the best in either how important was it to able in his life, what was important, and how one of those cultures, be a big star if it meant important was it to be a big star if it meant living and it destroyed one of this kind of constantly irritated, constantly stressed, them. So, it was just living this kind of con constantly striving lifestyle that it seemed like he my way of saying that had to get into in order to sustain the kind of what we’re doing in stantly irritated, con success he was having. It meant leaving this girl Iraq is not a new thing; stantly stressed, con behind. And so he makes this choice that I don’t we’re doing the same think very many boys would make. old thing over and over stantly striving lifestyle. He had to have come from that town and had and over again. I to have come from that family in order for him to carried that invasion even consider making this sacrificial choice that he theme throughout the book to the point that it ends up making. And that was just part of my wasn’t just this town that was being invaded, it overall theme, and I tell you, it was driven by the turned out this boy’s mind was being invaded by war in Iraq. It sounds funny, but the whole idea this outsider. And to me, when you lose your ability driving this story is that sometimes we have to to think for yourself, as Americans did, to think sacrifice something that is very dear to us in order critically, to compare and contrast and analyze the to make good things happen in the world. And in situation, and you’re just going with the flow due America, fear became very dear to us, and we to fear, you’ve lost the most important thing in life. would not give it up. And when you become a And that’s love. That’s what drove me. Because vengeful nation, that’s a very fearful act, and when clearly America was acting out of fear, not love. that kind of thinking dominates the leadership of So the book was about this whole idea that
19
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
there are two different kinds of invasion. There are Chris Crowe that you always feel that the potential the aggressive armies that come in and destroy, impact with any work is greater on those who bust through a border and destroy the land in order aren’t so set in their ways. So you have the young to occupy and control it. Then there are the adult audience, and you don’t preach to them, but immigrants—who come into this land, like the you create the scenario with the characters. Mexican people who come across the border at great risk to their lives in order to do nothing more Ritter: Right. It goes back to that basic writing axiom: than to benefit our country, to benefit their families show, don’t tell. Don’t preach to me. If you think and enrich the community in which they end up you have such a great idea, show me how it will settling by doing very humble and very necessary work. That’s why I create these towns and these work for low wages. And so in California the same situations. time this war was going on, there was this immi gration battle, because the nationalism of the war TAR: I appreciate the depth of story you concoct with spilled into everything, each book, the rich characters and the tough, out and so the right wing hate of-the-ordinary-yet-oh-so-typical dilemmas and I know that there are groups had this concept issues faced by adolescents today. Even though you that now we have to seal write about incredibly serious things, there is so serious situations and you those borders. And they’re much fun in what you write. Is it difficult to blend not going to say “from the lighthearted with the heavy? have to step up and deal those dirty Mexicans,” with them, but you don’t they are going to say Ritter: I’m going to say “no” immediately, and I think “from the terrorists” who that’s the right answer. I think that’s the proper have to be crushed by could easily come over, way to go through life, to be lighthearted, even in and it’s ridiculous! It was the face of whatever natural or man-made disaster them. It takes a real gen just another way to hide comes your way. I know that there are serious erosity of spirit to be a their racism and to push situations and you have to step up and deal with the agenda of closing off them, but you don’t have to be crushed by them. It happy person. the border to those who takes a real generosity of spirit to be a happy look differently, particu person. Depression is very selfish. I’m not saying larly from Mexico. There that you can just recognize this and talk yourself has never been the cry to seal off the Canadian out of depression, but it is a disease that feeds on border. There’s always the cry to seal the Mexican selfishness, or creates a selfish person. I don’t border. And I hope that this new Congress will be exactly know how it works. If you are going about able to underfund that double wall that they’ve very serious work, say in the medical fields saving proposed, just let it go by the wayside, because it’s lives, or on the street feeding the homeless or in insanity. Those people are not the enemy. school teaching children, whatever the serious Anyhow, that’s how I juxtapose those two work is, there is no reason you can’t do it with an different types of invasions in Under the Baseball upbeat attitude and a joy in your heart. Moon. One based on love, one based on fear. This Again, that’s not something that I just want to is nothing any normal reader or any young reader stand up and tell you, because it does no good, but needs to know, but that was how I was able to I would sure like to show that, and the way to do write this book and not feel like I was surrendering that is to prove it. I have a lot of fun on the page. I to fluff fiction in order to get through my depres use a lot of puns and plays on words, but they are sion. I still said something that was important, but I more than that; there’s a playfulness that I put into could say it in a way that I didn’t have to wake up the text that’s not just for my own enjoyment. I angry every morning. mean, I certainly do enjoy writing that way, but I also use it to demonstrate that you can go through TAR: You had mentioned during an interview with life this way; it’s possible.
20
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
TAR: In each of your books, your characters deal with much more than the initial investment into your some incredibly difficult things; the death of a career. So, how do you do that? You do it by sibling, war, a parent’s depression; and yet they still numbers, by making sure that you earn back your are able to laugh at themselves and to find humor advance, that they don’t lose money on you. As a and relief in the midst of some pretty tough trials. I matter of fact, you make sure that they make think your young adult readers need that. They, money on you. And that means that you, as a first too, face some very difficult, serious things. Many time novelist, have to sell at least 3,000 to 4,000 carry some pretty heavy burdens. Your books allow hardcover books in the first year. That’s not easy to them to connect with characters that carry some do with the giant competition that’s out there now. heavy loads also. Sometimes, you get a lucky break. In my case, The Boy Who Saved Baseball was featured in a small Ritter: I see it all as a part of that big picture, that article in People Magazine. No way could you buy idea about pondering what’s important in life. Hey, that kind of publicity. And my life has never been you may blow the SAT’s, you may get turned down the same since. That was unexpected; I had nothing by three schools, two of which you thought you to do with that. were dead certain to get into, or whatever, and does By and large, to break in, what you really that crush you? Is that the end of the world? The need to do is be just like a musical group who has answer is “No.” But how soon do you find that out, to go out and play the dive bars. You have to start how soon do you realize it? It may be a year or with small regional conferences and introduce your several years. You kind of learn that those are the work to an audience with the hope that they start types of things that you can shake off, those are the to buy your book. It’s like selling CDs out of your types of things that don’t have to kill your spirit for van. You then hope that by word of mouth, other months and years. people will buy the book, and over a period of time, you start to gather a following and therefore TAR: What does your week typically look like, or do build a career. So, you ever have a “typical” week? Has your working typically, in my case, schedule changed with each successive book? my week isn’t broken When I’m creating a book, into sections, but my Ritter: I never have a typical week. And it was very year is. I need to have what I call insightful for you to note the fact that my writing Springtime, in my schedule has changed with each successive book. case, from about March a highway of time in front I’ll just say that the only time you are a pure writer to the end of the of me, two or three weeks is before your first book is published. Once that school year, is when first book comes out, you become a promoter; I’ll be on the road where I will work ten to you’ve got to go out on the road, introduce your doing school visits and work to the audience. There are two hundred to conferences and so on. twelve hours a day for three hundred young adult novels published each In the fall, from the twenty-one days in a row. year. And most publishers have a budget of zero for beginning of school a first novel. They may publish one or two dozen until Thanksgiving I’ll debut novels and essentially what they’re doing is be on the road doing the same thing. I know some throwing them against the wall to see which ones writers who do that all year long, but I won’t. I stick. Meaning, which ones get star reviews; which need that wintertime to create a book. That’s when ones win awards, not the major awards, but just I have to get into that dream shell. And that’s awards in general; which ones are on the ALA another reason why my weeks aren’t typical. I’m a Young Adult Best Book list? Maybe then they’ll take binge writer, and when I’m creating a book, I need an advertisement out, or put that book in a group to have what I call a highway of time in front of ad. In other words, you have to show them you me, two or three weeks where I will work ten to have earning capacity before they want to put too twelve hours a day for twenty-one days in a row.
21
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
My wife will run interference on the phone and good story out of this lump of clay of an idea that I take care of the immediate concerns of the family have. so that I don’t have to be dragged out of this fictional world that I’m in TAR: Well, I eagerly await your next book. What can while I’m shaping this new we look forward to? story. Once I’m beyond That’s why I had to spend that stage I can do my Ritter: Well, you know, when I come to a national three hours with my edi work in shorter spurts of conference like this, my editor and I generally meet. time, two or three days We met yesterday at the hotel for a few hours over tor, Michael Green. He has here and two or three days this next book. I’m working on a prequel to The there. Boy Who Saved Baseball. I’ve gone back to the Gold a degree in psychology There will be days Rush days and Billy the Kid is in the story. It’s and he studied screen when I won’t touch the really funny because my editor came to me with manuscript at all. Then I’m the idea of writing something about Billy the Kid, writing, which to me are in my email mode; I’m and I was against it because I was thinking, “Gosh, arranging my flights or my he’s a gunslinger!” My perception was that he went the perfect qualifications school visits, or whatever out and killed people at random. But, because my to be an editor. He’s not the business side of the editor suggested it and because I saw it as a business is. I hate to mix challenge, I thought, “I wonder if I could tie Billy bogged down in literature; the two; it deadens, it the Kid into a baseball story? Wouldn’t that be adulterates my writing to amazing?” he’s not an English major! mix those things in the It turns out that the Kid was an orphan, from same day. Then when the an early age. He was bullied because he was a By being a psych major, book is nearer the end, small kid. He was a hard worker and had to go to he understands character and I’m doing my simpler work at age fourteen. He was just trying to eke out editing—not so much a living, because his mom died and his dad was motivation. creationary stuff, but never on the scene. He saved his money and working as a chef correct bought himself a gun because there was a full ing the seasoning of a grown man in the lumber camp where he was dish—then it’s no problem to do that in two-hour working who was bullying him severely. And so periods. I look at the book as a seasonal product; here’s a kid who reminds me an awful lot of these the result of what I’m doing each season of my life. kids who sometimes come to school with a gun. I’m looking at a yearly schedule, rather than a daily The first murder Billy the Kid was accused of was or a weekly deal. actually self-defense. But he wasn’t going to get a fair trial because of who he killed, as well as other TAR: And you said you usually start out with pen and circumstances. So he ran away, and from the age of paper instead of computer? fifteen on, he was an outlaw. I saw this book, then, as an opportunity to give Billy the Kid this child Ritter: Yes, I do. I feel like, originally, I’m painting the hood that was stolen from him. So he’s going to words; I’m tapping into that part of my brain where play baseball for a few weeks of his life, and he’s imagery flows. Really, all I’m trying to do is take going to come to Dillontown to do it. that movie in my mind and somehow write it in That’s why I had to spend three hours with some sort of short hand, as fast as I can dream it. I my editor, Michael Green. He has a degree in don’t care about the writing craft, the skills, I don’t psychology and he studied screenwriting, which to care about the similes or literary devices. All that’s me are the perfect qualifications to be an editor. easy for me. I can do that on draft number five or He’s not bogged down in literature; he’s not an seven, later on down the road, but what’s difficult English major! By being a psych major, he under for me is getting a good story in place—carving a stands character motivation. By studying
22
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
screenwriting, he understands story, which is a hardships that can crowd in and cause us to lose weakness in most writers. Most writers love to sight of what matters most. “Ahoy, you crazy write, but they’re not very good storytellers. And dreamers!” he calls to his readers. He’s calling to the good storytellers tend not to be such great you. He’s calling to me. He’s calling to us all. writers—however, they are on the best-seller lists! Which speaks to the fact that we want stories. I To learn more about the works of John H. Ritter, or to don’t care how literary or how high-minded we find reviews, a reader’s guide and teaching guides, think we are, we really want stories. That’s what please visit his website at http:www.johnhritter.com. I’m working on now. Vicki Sherbert, B.S., M.S., teaches 6th, 7th, and 8th grade TAR: My students and I will eagerly await your next language arts at Wakefield Schools in Wakefield, Kansas. book. Thank you for giving me your story here She previously taught 2nd and 3rd grades at Lincoln today. Elementary School in Clay Center, Kansas. She served as a That afternoon in Opryland, John H. Ritter Teacher Consultant for the Flint Hills Writing Project and is currently working toward her Ph.D. in Curriculum and wove his way through a crowd of people and called Instruction with an emphasis in Adolescent and Young my name. In each of his books, John H. Ritter Adult Literature at Kansas State University. weaves his way through the difficulties and
The Writing Conference Inc. announces the 10 finalists for the 2007 Heartland Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature
Al Capone Does My Shirts, Choldenko Code Orange, Cooney Copper Sun, Draper Forbidden, Waite Just Listen, Dessen The Old Willis Place, Hahn Sandpiper, Wittlinger Shug, Han Sleeping Freshman Never Lie, Lubar The Christopher Killer, Ferguson
Check the web site for details: www.writingconference.com
23
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Shelbie Witte
Pushed Over the Line: An Interview with Paul Volponi
here are no shades of grey do I get to Rikers Island?” (It’s on with Paul Volponi, young adult a difficult avenue to find). That T author of Rikers, Black and happened to most people in my White and his latest book, Rooftop. neighborhood, so much so, that Volponi worked for several years we already knew what the people with incarcerated adolescents on were going to ask before the Rikers Island, and he continues to words left their mouth. So I work with at-risk adolescents in a thought up a smart-mouth variety of capacities. Volponi writes response that had my friends the stories as he has come to howling— How do you get to understand them: through the eyes Rikers Island? Rob a bank! and experiences of young adoles But when I looked into the cents struggling to make it in the eyes of the people asking, how heart of New York. To hear Paul tell they were lost, and had to admit it is like hearing it straight from the kids themselves. to a stranger that they were going to visit somebody Gut-wrenching, brutally honest, and so a matter-of they loved in jail, I could never pull the trigger on fact are Volponi’s characters, that an educator can’t that punch line. I also began to notice how every help but hope that every person interested in the one asking was either Black or Hispanic. Many future of young adults reads his thought-provoking years later, I took a job teaching on Rikers, mostly testimony to the very real existence of inequity within because it was one of the few teaching jobs open, the criminal justice system. and so close to my house. That’s when the past and The following interview was conducted through the present sort of blended together for me, and I email during August of 2006. formally began my jail education—a very interest ing look into the heart of yourself and others. TAR: In your novel Black and White, and your latest novel Rooftop, you examine discrimination and the TAR: While researching the facts of adolescent racial inequities of the criminal justice system. How incarceration, I found that since 1972, the dispro did you become interested in the topic? portionate confinement of minorities, primarily African-American and Hispanic males, has risen PV: I grew up several blocks from Rikers Island, and astronomically, with more than 30% of African- as I wandered the streets with a basketball in my American males between the ages of 18 to 25 being hands, many cars pulled up to ask, “Hey, kid, How incarcerated. As a teacher in a suburban area, it is
24
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
difficult to get my head around that number. How TAR: In your latest novel Rooftop, Clay is driven to can this be? How are we losing an entire generation intervene in Darrell’s illegal activity in hopes of of African-American males? saving him from the same fate as Addison, perhaps as a way to quiet his guilt of not telling the entire PV: Not losing, branded—maybe, but I hope not. I truth of the events from the rooftop. Did you feel it encourage all my students to never hide the fact was important to show Clay redeeming himself in that they’ve been to jail—to turn it around and say, the end? maybe I fell into some traps that were set for me, maybe I made some mistakes of my own, too, but PV: Clay doesn’t need to be redeemed, he needs to I’m not down with that anymore. I learned some break free and he does, standing up to the dog. I’m thing from it, and I’m stronger now, and can offer proud to say Darrell’s father does an equal amount something to a college or a job through those of the hard work, because he loves him best and experiences I had. sees he has already lost one son to the streets. If society’s going to try and bury you under a wave for your past, learn how to ride that wave, TAR: I was intrigued by the fact that Clay seemed to and take it as far as you can. do more for Darrell than many of the adults in the book, many of whom turned a blind eye towards TAR: Black and White examines this issue head-on, Darrell’s illegal activi with one reason being that those who can afford ties. Would you care to the best lawyer are afforded the best of circum share your thoughts on I pushed that aside like stances, a very large issue to tackle and a difficult the family structure in concept for adolescents to understand. Did your the novel and its impact any other New Yorker experience with at-risk students give you more on the characters? insight to this situation? who’d seen too much PV: All the characters are tragedy and had nearly PV: Kids understand the social and economic reasons strong—sometimes they why almost every face on Rikers is Black or look out for themselves become immune to it. But Hispanic, but I know that deep down they start to first, and other times look at each other, and begin to think—maybe their family. I think when I started working on there’s something wrong with us. That’s a harsh that’s how it goes in the book, that all came thing for teens who are already on the bottom (in life. But I think they are jail) to wrestle with and overcome. bound together by love. back to me. I don’t think there’s TAR: You have had tremendous experience working any real blame on their with at-risk students through your work at Rikers part—just the way life goes in NYC. And if it didn’t, Island. Many adolescents seemed resigned to the I couldn’t write it that way. notion that their lives have already been decided, destined for a lifetime of crime. Many adolescents, TAR: To make your characters so realistic, do you base like some of the students at Daytop (an outpatient them on people you’ve known? drug treatment facility), have lost hope. As a writer, how difficult is it for you to show the realities of PV: Black and White has basis in real events. When I the choices adolescents make to follow the wrong was an assistant coach for a NYC high school path? basketball team (Aviation), we went to LIC (Long Island City High School) to play a game, but there PV: As a writer it’s not hard at all, because I’m was still a gym class going on, and we couldn’t basically a reporter on what I see. walk through the gym. We knocked at a side door
25
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
and a few kids from the LIC team met us there, ripped a chair leg off and stabbed him through the shaking our hands and taking us around back to back with it, killing him on the court. our lockers. Several weeks later, I saw one of those I pushed that aside like any other New Yorker kids on the six o’clock news. The LIC team had who’d seen too much tragedy and had nearly gone upstate to play in a tournament. There was a become immune to it. But when I started working lot of racial stuff coming out of the stands. Then on the book, that all came back to me, and I made the whole gym went zoo. The news had a white the youngster who got killed a character in Black spotlight on that kid as the guy from the stands and White and someone for Eddie and Marcus to judge their own circumstances against. Also the scene on the subway train in which Rooftop the homeless man (“Shit Drawers”) tries to stir up by Paul Volponi racial tensions among the passengers is almost Reviewed by Shelbie Witte word-for-word out of a train ride I took from Brooklyn to Queens while I was in the middle of writing Black and White. I described that homeless man exactly the way he looked and acted on the lay, a teenager from Long Island City High real train, just putting Marcus, Eddie, and their School, is placed in an outpatient drug C teammates along for the ride. treatment program after his parents catch him smoking pot. His cousin Addison enrolls at TAR: I was impressed to find some of your pieces in a Daytop as well, having been arrested for dealing publication about thoroughbreds, The Blood-Horse, crack. Reunited after years of a family rift, both a much different style and genre of writing. How teens look forward to the future and to getting would you compare your correspondent work to their lives back on track. But when a policeman the work of creating young adult novels? shoots Addison in a rooftop confrontation, Clay is torn between telling what really happened PV: Again, in the novels, I never though I was making when the police burst on to the scene and much up. If it wasn’t true, or a least true from a staying true to his “flesh and blood.” perception of a whole group of people on either Rooftop critically examines the intricacies of side, it couldn’t work. But I enjoy pushing the social justice, racial inequities, and the complexi buttons that a writer can, if he does his job right, ties of politics as the community responds to for the reader in both a fiction and non-fiction Addison’s shooting. The neighborhood becomes setting. consumed by the events, wondering whether the There’s nothing purer than a thoroughbred policeman will be charged with murder or with running at full speed, giving his all. Someone has self-defense. Rhetoric and emotion surge as Clay to speak for him. learns the hard realities of what it mean to become an adult. TAR: What is your writing process like? Paul Volponi gives us a realistic glimpse in to the world of the at-risk teenager, a world PV: I like to write every day, several times a day, with where the line between right and wrong is often lots of breaks in between—getting my daughter off times blurred. Profanity and violence make this to school, walking the dogs, family dinner, shooting novel a more suitable choice for high school baskets, jogging and hitting a heavy bag. students, but its lesson is one that younger A lot of the scenes I’m most proud of oc adolescents could benefit from, as well. curred more or less unplanned, while I was writing, Volponi, Paul. 2006. Rooftop. Penguin. 208 pp. ISBN: so I’m intrigued by this thought—If I don’t sit down 0-670-06069-0. $15.99 to write today, will what I come up with tomorrow be the same?
26
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
That keeps me going when I’m tired or not in get their chance to play the mood to write. I don’t want to miss out on for the championship, A lot of the scenes I’m what may have been coming my way only today. but plenty goes wrong, including the murder of most proud of occurred TAR: You obviously have a gift for working with one of them. adolescents and helping them understand life’s Then, the more or less unplanned, challenges. How do you explain these challenges to following year, Hurri while I was writing, so I’m your daughter? cane Song (Viking 2008), where I put a intrigued by this PV: Sabrina’s only eight, but we live just a few blocks teen protagonist and from Rikers, so she sees the traffic there. My wife, his jazz musician thought—If I don’t sit April (who is an English teacher and assistant father inside the down to write today, will principal in a Queens high school), and I basically Superdome during just answer her questions. But she’s heard me give those nights of hell what I come up with a few book speeches and usually has more ques brought about by tions after that. Hurricane Katrina. I’m tomorrow be the same? extremely proud of that TAR: What’s next for you? Do you have other social one, as well. topics you are interesting in exploring? Shelbie Witte teaches 8th-grade language arts at Fort PV: Next year, Rucker Park Set Up (Viking 2007) will Riley Middle School in Fort Riley, Kansas. She is a co be out. I think it’s a super book about friendship director for the Flint Hills Writing Project. She has put to the ultimate test in the famed Rucker Park presented at the state and national levels on technology basketball tournament, where the pros have integration and adolescent literacy and has published in Journal of Kansas Reading. She is currently a Ph. D. traditionally battled legendary street players. Two student in Curriculum and Instruction at Kansas State teens, who grew up across the street from the park, University.
27
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
James Blasingame, Jr.
“What a Man Do”: Coe Booth and the Genesis of Tyrell
yrell Green is facing a man’s Tyrell Green, her book’s share of problems. His father protagonist, took her by surprise. T is in prison, his mother is on As the words flowed out onto the probation for welfare fraud, and the page, Coe had no idea where this New York Emergency Assistance teenaged boy’s voice was coming Unit can’t find his family a decent from or where it would take her. place to live. Until more suitable She hadn’t outlined the plot, housing is available, they have been didn’t know where the story was deposited, along with other fami going, and had no idea how it lies, at the Bennett Motel, a dirty, would end. roach and rat-infested, garbage What she did know was that littered, bloodstained dump. Over the manuscript she had been the course of one week, Tyrell anguishing over for her creative needs to earn more money than a Jeffrey Gamble NYC writing class wasn’t working for regular job can pay, secure his her, and she wanted to turn in a family a safer place to live, put food on the table, find different set of pages for the teacher and the class to a new high school and enroll, keep his seven-year-old critique, something new, something real. The basic brother, Troy, alive and safe and out of the custody of idea for Tyrell had been tugging at the corners of her New York’s Administration for Children’s Services, mind for a while, but she imagined him as middle steer clear of drug war gun battles, figure out who he school age, and when the very first line of the narra can trust and who he can’t, and try to make sense of tive flowed onto paper, she was surprised to find the his love life. All at age fifteen. voice of a fifteen-year-old teen, curses and all. Tyrell (Scholastic, 2006) is the creation of BRIO The spirit, as well as the details, of Tyrell Green’s Award winning author, Coe Booth, whose honest and story could not be more accurate. Coe’s career as a accurate portrayal of families caught in “the system,” social worker in New York City provided her with as Tyrell puts it, comes from years of experience as a plenty of background to draw from as she followed social worker in the New York City Emergency Tyrell through a few crucial days of his fifteenth year. Children’s Service. Ironically, as Coe began her MFA in Coe’s record as a social worker is commendable. The creative writing at New York’s revered The New immense workload and high level of emotional School, she had not intended to write about the intensity that accompany a field worker’s job in the experiences of the typical teenage boys she encoun New York City Emergency Children’s Service (ECS) are tered as a social worker. She had other stories in not for the weak of heart or anyone who is less than mind. devoted to the job. In a profession in which 82% of
28
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
public agencies blame “caseloads [that are] too high something and I’m not able to write, I’m not happy. Period! and too demanding” for one of the highest turnover When I was working for ECS I was not writing, I had no time to write, I was miserable. I wanted to start writing rates for professions requiring a college degree again. My friends pointed out to me that I wasn’t writing (O’Neill 1), Coe Booth saw a lot of human tragedy. and that this wasn’t right for me. They believed I was des During the first three years with ECS, she worked out tined to be a writer. of the Bronx field office, working exclusively on sex After Coe left ECS, she would eventually move abuse cases, handling a huge caseload, interacting from part-time to full-time at Bronx Community with families and following them through court and College, teaching English. Even after leaving ECS, her legal proceedings to completion. writing wasn’t what she knew it could and should be. Coe’s BA and MA in psychology gave her special She was not finding the rhythm, the routine, or the preparation for dealing with the clients she encoun discipline. Even though she was writing more, she tered with ECS. Her training also gave her a different didn’t believe her writing was improving as much as it perspective on these clients from the one held by most could. She was certain that if she went back to college of her coworkers, who were more likely to come from for an MFA in creative writing, it would be the criminal justice backgrounds. Coe did not look at her incentive she needed to clients as people in need of punishment, but rather as return the act of writing to people in need of help, people with deep-seated center stage in her life. emotional problems they could not solve themselves. Coe did not look at her Coe was determined “Obviously, criminal offenders had to be prosecuted to to find the right college clients as people in need the full extent of the law,” she explains, but her goal with the right degree was to mend dysfunctional families, figure out what program, one that special of punishment, but rather had gone wrong in a parent or child’s life, try to repair ized in writing for young the damage to a “broken spirit” and guide the family as people in need of help, people. She felt she would to a healthy functioning. be out of place in an adult people with deep-seated After an injury suffered on the job put her on the fiction writing MFA sidelines for seven months, Coe chose to switch to an program if she wanted to emotional problems they even more stressful ECS position and she became a write for teens. She was Crisis Worker. This change in responsibilities put her could not solve themselves. thrilled to discover that on the night shift, beginning each evening at midnight her alma mater, The New and dealing with middle-of-the-night emergencies in School, well-known for its strenuous but innovative which children’s lives, safety and well-being were at programs, offered an MFA in creative writing with a risk, such as police raids or hospital emergency room concentration in children’s writing. It was there that patients whose injuries suggested child abuse. Rather she fell under the tutelage of David Levithan, award than working solely in the Bronx, with the new winning author and founding editor of Scholastic’s position, Coe was required to cover all of New York cutting edge PUSH imprint. The stars were moving City (the entire Five Boroughs area). As she describes into alignment. that experience, she recounts how the sheer physical David Levithan and The New School proved to be exhaustion of 70-hour work weeks, constantly on the exactly what Coe needed: run all over New York City, would often take prece dence over the emotional toll of seeing families in It really made me write. Every few weeks we had to hand nearly impossible situations while she was on-call 24 in twenty pages of what we were working on to be cri hours a day. tiqued. I needed that. I started to feel that I was getting better. Coe’s job meant a lot to her, but she came to realize that it was totally consuming her life, leaving I didn’t think I was going to be writing about the social no time for her lifetime passion for writing. work kind of thing, at all. I had other stories that I wanted to write. When Tyrell came along, I was writing a different I have been writing my whole life. I sometimes judge my story called The Throwaways, a book I had been writing for happiness at a given time by my writing output, so no mat a long time, trying to get it out on paper, putting it away in ter what I’m doing, if I’m writing, I’m OK, but if I’m doing a shoebox, trying again, and putting it away again. I just
29
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
couldn’t get past the sixty-five page hump, which is my father came back or a stepfather entered the picture, a personal barrier. I can write anything at all for sixty-five quick return to childhood would be impossible, and a pages, at which point, I question where the story is going new problem appeared. In a neighborhood where and if it’s not going anywhere, the manuscript goes in a shoebox for another year. drugs and gang violence prevailed, how could the teenaged head of a family succeed? Often turning to I had dug out The Throwaways again as I started at The crime, like selling drugs, or other illicit work, was the New School, but it just wasn’t working. When it was my next turn to hand in twenty pages for critiquing, I wasn’t answer. In some communities, the drug dealers are the satisfied with what I had, and I had the beginning of an ones who have respect, wealth, material possessions idea for Tyrell, a story about and power. a middle-school-age boy, so And yet, many young men choose a different I started writing. I wrote the path. Coe also saw, and continues to see, young men I had nothing more than very first sentence, Tyrell who forego the immediate temptation of quick respect cursed, and I knew imme the first sentence when I diately, he wasn’t going to and money available to them. Coe talks about her students and how many of them walk to her class at began, and anytime I tried be a middle school age stu dent. Bronx Community College, passing, along the way, to force the direction of Tyrell, the protagonist, just their old friends who have chosen another path in life sort of channeled through and are out on the street at work. “I think it’s amazing the story, it would suffer. me. I didn’t know where the that some young men resist that temptation and say, story was going, but I ‘I’m going to get those things later. Right now, I’m So I just followed this wanted the twenty pages to going to go to college.’ If I were a boy that age, and I hand in, so I just let it come was around other guys my age who seemed to have it teenaged boy wherever he pouring out. People in the class were excited about this all, I don’t know if I could resist the temptation. I wanted to go. He seemed new story, much more so admire my students for this.” than they had been about In the story, Tyrell has repeated invitations from to have a story to tell. what I had been working on his best friend, Cal, to join him and his brothers in before. So, I said, ‘Let’s see their family business, drug dealing. They have money, where it goes.’ I really didn’t have a plan. I had no outline or ending. I had nothing more they have expensive cars, they have a nice apartment, than the first sentence when I began, and anytime I tried to they have respect; they have it all. Tyrell has refused force the direction of the story, it would suffer. So I just this offer for as long as he can remember: followed this teenaged boy wherever he wanted to go. He seemed to have a story to tell. I had heard authors in the “Cal, I ain’t working for you.”… past say they just followed their characters as they wrote a Me and him had this conversation ‘bout twenty times al novel, and I thought it was ridiculous, that it couldn’t pos ready, and he know how I feel … “I told you, man, I get sibly work. But it turned out to be true. I had no plan for locked up, Troy gonna end up back in the system. My moms the book, but just let it come out. can’t take care of him by herself. You know how she is.” As I was writing, I started thinking about issues of mascu (62) linity and other aspects of Tyrell’s life, but I didn’t start the What it means to “be a man” is at the heart of story with the idea of illuminating these things. The char this book. At fifteen years of age, Tyrell has made a acter just had a story to tell and I had to go with it. man’s decision. He will forego potential wealth and Tyrell’s story had distilled in the author’s subcon respect as offered by Cal for the sake of the well-being scious over many years from her observations on the of his family, especially his little brother, Troy, who is job. One of the family issues that Coe dealt with often always on the verge of being placed in a foster home in ECS was the absence of a father figure living in the due to their mother’s negligence. home. In this situation, she found that the oldest boy Masculinity is defined differently, however, was likely to be forced into the role of provider and according to who is doing the defining. Tyrell’s mother protector at a very early age. The obstacles to success thinks he is the man of the family and should provide in this role would discourage a grown man, let alone a for them, keep them out of the rat-hole Bennett Motel, boy, and the effects on the young man included a take care of their needs, whatever that takes, and hardening, a toughness that belied his age. Later, if a fifteen is plenty old enough to do it. In this conversa
30
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
tion she makes it clear, the important thing is that the placed in special educa family is taken care of, and the how of that is Tyrell’s tion (Their mother wants “I think it’s amazing that problem” to keep him there for the extra Social Security some young men resist “You damn near sixteen. What kinda man you gonna be? [. . .] Income dollars that come with a special needs that temptation and say, “What you want? You want me to go out there and sell child). A boy needs a man weed? That what you want? ‘I’m going to get those in his life to teach him “We wouldn’t be at Bennett if you was out there, would about sports and how to things later. Right now, we? (22) win and earn respect. Coe has a good understanding of how the pres Tyrell takes Troy to a park I’m going to go to college.’ sures to “be a man” can wear upon a teenaged boy, when he can, to “show If I were a boy that age, especially the twenty-four hour a day expectation of him some moves, let him being in control, as she explains: “Men are under a know that even though and I was around other different kind of pressure than women. It’s hard to be our pops ain’t there, he the man all the time, the one who must appear to be still got somebody to guys my age who seemed confident and in control, the one who has things teach him how to play” to have it all, I don’t know figured out. It seems like it would be hard to be the (222). But, most of all, he person who is always expected to be brave, who is not needs a man to always be if I could resist the temp afraid of anything.” there for him and to show A central problem in Ty rell, a “how to be a man” him how to be a man: tation. I admire my stu- problem, involves being a father, and in particular, I don’t want Troy to grow dents for this.” how to provide a father figure for Tyrell’s little brother, up and miss all that ‘cause, Troy. Tyrell is critical of most of the father figures he to be honest, he need a man knows, including his girlfriend Novisha’s father, as to teach him what a man do. [. . .] well as his own. He criticizes Novisha’s father for Now me, I know I can’t take my pops place or nothing, but divorcing her mother but visiting their house and Troy need somebody for now. So that’s what I’ma try to do. enjoying all the benefits of being married when it suits Be there. (223) him. He is critical of his own father for spending much Even though she has a good handle on the of his life in jail and leaving his wife and children to problems faced by a boy trying to figure out what it provide for themselves. Even so, Tyrell manages to means to be a man, Coe wasn’t sure she could create sort through the truth and falsehood of his father’s and sustain the voice of a young man throughout a few instructions in the interludes when he is out of whole novel: jail. He has been taught that a woman needs to be hit by her man sometimes, but he doesn’t believe it. He I would never have thought I could write a whole book has arrived at some of his own conclusions about from a boy’s point of view. Never. I didn’t assume I could do it as I was writing it, either, but I just wrote another being a man and a father, including that a man needs chapter and another chapter and all of a sudden it had be to think of children before thinking of himself. come a whole book. I didn’t know that voice was inside of Tyrell has also arrived at the conclusion that a boy me. I don’t sound anything like Tyrell. I don’t know where needs a man in his life, all the time. A boy needs a that voice came from. He’s talking about rap music and hip man in his life to look out for his safety. Tyrell is hop, and I don’t know about those things. It came out of me in this very strange way. constantly fearful that Troy is going to get hit by a car or harmed by some derelict because their mother has Nevertheless, the voice in Tyrell’s first person mostly abandoned her role as caretaker. A boy needs a narration is 100% authentic in language and spirit, so man in his life to make sure he gets a fair chance in much so that people are often surprised when they life to reach his potential. Tyrell visits Troy’s teacher meet Coe Booth: “When I do author talks at libraries, when a note comes home from school requesting a sometimes the people there are surprised to find out meeting, and he learns that Troy has been wrongly that I am not a man. I love this because I was worried
31
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
that boys and men might attitude, an attitude that somehow he is going to rise What it means to “be a not find it authentic, not above all this, and if he can just laugh at parts of it, in the real voice of a sometimes, he will survive it all. man” is at the heart of this man.” The book is authentic, the events are informed Coe’s characteriza from real life experiences and the narrator’s voice is book. At fifteen years of tion of the male voice is believable. The most remarkable thing about the book, age, Tyrell has made a insightful even if she however, is the language. Coe Booth takes a chance by doesn’t always under telling the story in first person in the most realistic man’s decision. He will stand the why of it. It’s language possible, and it works. It works like magic. also funny. She is quite The voice is in the exact syntax the real Tyrell would forego potential wealth entertained by some of speak, captured perfectly by the author’s listening ear and respect as offered by the characteristics: and released through her pen: Men have conversations The voice didn’t require a lot of revising at all. It just flowed Cal for the sake of the with each other that are out. It was never a problem. I was concerned at times about just hysterical to me. They where the story was going to go, how it would end, that well-being of his family, hardly say anything, but kind of thing, but the way Tyrell speaks—it just came out. they seem to come away Growing up in my neighborhood, I did hear this vernacu especially his little with meaning from it, lar/dialect from some people. I did not grow up cursing or whereas women tend to using nonstandard English, but I was around it a lot. David brother, Troy. analyze and discuss things Levithan, my editor, thought the language was great, but in much greater detail. when he was in editorial meetings, it would come up at Men’s conversations are so times, in regard to how it might affect sales, but it never quick. Tyrell has a phone conversation with Cal, for ex went beyond that. ample, that consists of one or two word responses: I wrote it for teenagers and I wanted it to be real. I read lots “Yo, Cal.” of books where there is street lingo but no cursing, and I “Ty?” believe that appeals to schools and teachers, and that’s fine, but in my book, I was going for a different thing. This is “What up?” how he speaks. “Chillin’. Where you at?” If anything, it is the language that makes Tyrell, the “Bennett.” character, so real, and helps make Tyrell, the book, “Damn, man.” stand alone among books with similar content. Coe’s association with David Levithan has proven “Word. . .” (58) to be mutually beneficial. David was one of Coe’s I tried to capture that brevity. teachers at The New School and chair of her master’s Tyrell contains humor, humor about the roaches at project, the manuscript that would turn out to be the Bennett Motel, humor about the flaws in human Tyrell. He was supportive, he was instructive, and he nature manifested by the people in Tyrell’s life, humor kept a big secret the whole time she was working on as a coping mechanism. For Coe, humor was an the book, a secret that is a testimony to his integrity as important part of surviving the day to day tragedy and an editor, and as a professor. The secret, which he sadness of being an Emergency Children’s Services waited patiently to divulge to Coe after she graduated worker, much like the humor police use to survive with her MFA, was that he was interested in publish what might otherwise be insurmountable sadness at ing the book through his Scholastic imprint, PUSH. the plight of many human beings. “You have to find This imprint and David Levithan are well known for something to laugh at to survive the tension and discovering new talent and encouraging authors who sadness or you’ll go crazy. I had two cases involving push the envelope of good literature. fatalities that I had to deal with, for example, and you Like many of today’s best authors, and many of have to break the tension somehow or you wouldn’t the authors under the PUSH banner, Coe had experi be able to survive.” Tyrell’s humor comes from an enced something of a hole in the literature available to
32
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
young adults when she was a teen: they tell me the issues they want resolved in the sequel: What will happen to Jasmine, When will Tyrell’s father get When I was growing up, most of the characters in books out, all the things they want me to address. who looked like me were either slaves, or growing up dur ing the Depression, or sharecroppers, or something. I ap Coe’s autobiography is available on her website. preciated those books as I got older, but when I was a teen, She tells the reader that she is a true native of New although these characters may have looked like me, their York City, and grew up in a working class neighbor lives were nothing like mine and I couldn’t make any con hood of mostly immigrants (like her mother, who is nection to them. I could relate better to the Judy Blume type books because they dealt with what I was experienc from Guyana) in the Bronx. She led the happy, normal ing, like the regular insecurities of being a teenaged girl, childhood of an urban child: “dancing school [. . . just coming into adolescence. piano lessons [. . .] jumping double Dutch and riding
I couldn’t get those two kinds of books in one; you know, my bike up and down the block with my friends. like, a story about a little black girl who was getting her Parking lots were our playgrounds and fire hydrants first bra. But I didn’t find that, and so I read what was were our sprinklers on hot, sticky summer days. It was available. A lot of kids are turned off to reading because great! (Booth 1) they don’t find themselves. The stories that I was writing in She also explains that she has been a novelist grade school and middle school were about girls like me since second grade although her masterpieces were and my friends who were living everyday lives and facing those problems. I also want to write middle grade novels sometimes confiscated by unappreciative teachers. By one day. the time she was in middle school, however, she was well-known as a writer among her peers, and just as Coe maintains a beautiful website at http:// the manuscript for Tyrell would eventually be cri www.coebooth.com/, complete with a blog, links, a tiqued by her peers, her fellow middle school students biography, her schedule of appearances, and informa enjoyed reading her “novels-in-progress” and begged tion about her publications. She also has a personal her to keep writing (Booth 1). site at MySpace.com/coebooth and has found that: And, thank goodness, she has!! Her second book, Kids think you’re cool if you have a MySpace account. I did KENDRA is now in progress. a library author visit recently, and the kids were on the computer looking at my MySpace site before I even left, James Blasingame is an associate professor of English at starting to write me messages. Arizona State University. I get lots of emails from boys on my MySpace site. I got one, for example, from a fifteen-year-old boy who said Ty rell was Works Cited the first book he’s ever read. They email me to say that they Booth, Coe. Personal Interview. 19 November 2006. don’t like to read or that they start books but never finish Booth, Coe. 2006. Biography. Coe Booth. Retrieved December them. And they are writing to tell me that they finished 20, 2006, from < http://www.coebooth.com/bio.html> Tyrell. They always tell how long it took, like “I finished Booth, Coe. Tyrell. New York: PUSH/Scholastic, Inc., 2006. this in three days!” O’Neill, John V. (2002). “Private Agency Turnover High.” National Association of Social Workers News. Retrieved November 24, Kids write me, too, who live lives that are nothing like 2006, from
33
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
William Broz Professional Resource Connection
The Bully in the Book and in the Classroom
he Bully in the Book and in Though such text represents though, they would never admit the Classroom (Scarecrow really a small portion of this book, that” (14). T Press, 2004) by C. J. Bott which is otherwise devoted to Like much of our good profes (who was kind enough to loan me reviews of books for young adults sional literature, Bott’s words help her title for this column) is so right and justifications and strategies for me understand and articulate on about school culture that the using them in classrooms, Bott’s aspects of my own professional author must have spent plenty of comments about the issue of experience. I was in my first time on hall duty in a real school bullying contain some great one semester at a new high school. somewhere. From the very begin liners that resonate deeply with my Based on five years of teaching ning Bott is a straight shooter who own experiences in the high school experience and my new master’s surely has written the shortest and classroom. One such truth appears degree in English Education (from most concise preface to any under the heading ”Cautions,” a a young adult literature program), I schoolbook I have read. This section of advice about trying to was pretty confident in my class categorical imperative should rivet initiate a schoolwide anti-bullying room management abilities. I was the attention of every teacher and program: “The biggest obstacle to new to the school, but not entirely administrator. anti-bullying programs is adult new to the school community. attitudes. Some of your staff These details will be important to If a student is afraid of being picked on, bullied, or harassed because that members will probably be bullies— the following story. student is from a different culture; is The classroom discipline policy female; has a different shade of skin; in that school was about detention speaks with a stutter or a foreign or slips issued by teachers and regional accent; is older or younger; “The biggest obstacle to administrators and the detention practices an unfamiliar religion or a hall after school. I had been minority sexual orientation; is too tall, anti-bullying programs is short, thin, heavy, wears glasses; has assured that ejecting a student from an intense relationship with a com adult attitudes. Some of class to sit in the vice-principal’s puter; wears secondhand clothes, all office for the remainder of the black clothes, or cheap tennis shoes; your staff members will period was a serious matter, serious or has hair that stands straight up and enough that students always is midnight blue, that student will not probably be bullies— be able to fully operate in the school actually went to the vice-principal’s environment. So without trying any of though, they would never office without having to be es your skills, you face failure— because corted. like that student, you cannot do your admit that” (14). Though the event happened job in an atmosphere of fear. (xiii)
34
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
many years ago, I believe it must automatic one-hour detention slip have taken place in a section of I do remember the grin of and maybe discuss whether the Individualized Reading, an elective crime warranted additional deten that I had brought to that school, the football player as he tion. I remember thinking at the but which, in its first iteration there time that one aspect of this had not acquired the reputation as did ignore my warnings to “Tweety-Bird” business confused a demanding course in which mind his own business me. This was a small community. students really had to read books. I The parents of the artist were very remember that one of my students and read. Part of his point public and prominent people on the was very right for the course, business scene, and their son, the artistic, intellectual, and bookish. was to see if he could artist, really was an artist who went He knew the titles of modern bully me as well. Then I on to a college career and degree in classics he wanted to read and musical performance. He had some needed little from me beyond the sent him to the vice status then in the music and drama quiet place and time to read them. wing of the school and surely in the He was of slight build, though tall, principal’s office. community because of the promi with very fine yellow-blond curly nence of his family. Naively, I hair. He wore large glasses and should have let it. I do remember thought there should have existed excelled in music. Another of my the angry embarrassment of the some cultural pressure on the students did not find the course to artist as he tried to ignore the working-class football player to his liking. Though there were some comments. Some of that anger was pick a different target, someone good young adult titles in the likely directed at me, the adult who more vulnerable from a socioeco school library by then that I likely controlled the specific world in nomic point of view. Though the recommended, he was not really which he was being verbally artist was certainly no match for interested in reading. He was more assaulted. I do remember the grin the football player physically, interested in testing the will of the of the football player as he did something seemed out of whack new teacher. As I remember it, he ignore my warnings to mind his here. wore his football jersey to school own business and read. Part of his After the final bell, and before I several days a week, not just on the point was to see if he could bully could order the papers on my desk game days when the players were me as well. Then I sent him to the enough to leave the room I got a required to wear them. vice-principal’s office. Though I call on the intercom to report to the One afternoon early in the was new to that school, the football office. I surmised that the football semester I became aware that the player was not the first person I had player had likely returned to the football player had begun referring sent out of class. In my first vice-principal’s office to contend to the artist as “Tweety-Bird,” the impression I was pleased by how that he had not deserved to be sent character of cartoon fame. I guess definite things seemed. I sent the out of class, that his comments Tweety-Bird did have a long neck, kid out and really did not have to were all in good fun, or some other big eyes, and yellow hair. In do anything else until the end of such nonsense that I and the vice hindsight I am sure this name the day when a visit with the vice principal would listen to politely for calling was meant to challenge the principal was on my to-do list for about 30 seconds before sending artist’s maturity and sexuality as after school, which is what had him to the detention hall. But to my well as physique and intellectual happened the first time I had sent surprise the office secretary bent. I cannot now remember if someone out. directed me past the vice-principal’s open and covert comments of The protocol was supposed to office into the principal’s office “Tweet” and “Tweety” occurred in be that all I needed to do was check where I found not the vice-principal more than one class period. I with the vice-principal after school and the football player, but the suspect that in defiance to my to make sure the violator had principal and a football coach. The warnings it went on longer that I appeared and had been issued his football player was already in the
35
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
locker room dressing for football the context of a schoolwide anti practice. For the next couple of bullying program, if he had not For the next couple of minutes been given the false message that the principal and the football coach minutes the principal and his athletic performance set him attempted to explain to me that I above the law, if he had acquired was likely overreacting to whatever the football coach at “alternative behaviors to fulfill his it was that had taken place in my tempted to explain to me [. . .] needs,” the bully might have classroom. They did not seem to stayed in school. know or care much about exactly that I was likely overreact I highly recommend The Bully what had taken place. Because the in the Book and in the Classroom as football player’s ejection from class ing to whatever it was that a tool and as a guide. The book has would automatically result in after had taken place in my seven chapters with titles like “The school detention, thereby interfer Bully, the Target, the Witness,” ing with football practice, I should classroom. They did not “Middle School, the Peak Years strongly consider taking back the . . . ,” and “Hazing, Bashing, and ejection and the detention and seem to know or care Sexual Harassment, Grades 9-12.” getting with the program of not much about exactly what The book begins with two well giving football players detention or researched chapters addressing ejecting them from class during had taken place. what bullying is and “What football season. I was not a new Teachers Can Do—Need to Do.” teacher, just new to a school culture Chapters 3 through 6 discuss grade governed by winning football level specific bullying issues and games, a culture that was secure staring daggers at me. I am guess offer teachers two kinds of re enough within the school building ing that his punishment for missing sources. Each chapter contains that it could ignore the social order football practice because he had several page-length reviews of outside of the building. The detention was physical and un young adult novels about bullying, principal and the football coach did pleasant— more bullying. Two complete with teaching suggestions not yell or threaten as they bullied weeks later the football player for and student reactions to each me. Instead, they tried to good-old made the school district the victim book. The chapters for the upper boy me into going along with of a serious property crime and was grades give special attention to whatever athletes did or whatever expelled. I used to take a kind of I students bullied because of per the athletic program wanted. told-you-so pleasure in telling this ceived sexual orientation, indirect Though the looks on their faces story, but that was before I began bullying by females, as well as indicated disbelief, I declined to serious reading about bullying. special attention to the negative revise my opinion of the football Now, I know that the school and impacts of witnessing bullying. player’s offensiveness or retract his every adult in it failed the bully just Each of these chapters also offers punishment. If they wanted to let as much as it failed the victim of extensive, yet briefly annotated him off they could, but I wouldn’t his harassment. As C. J. Bott says bibliographies of other bullying do it. To be fair, I also knew that in her book, “Each of the three titles appropriate for those grade the vice-principal would not be roles— the bully, the target or levels. While the books reviewed pleased with this attempt to thwart victim, and the witness or by and listed in Chapters 3-6 are classroom discipline. He was new, stander— needs to be looked at mostly novels, Chapter 7 offers a too. closely. The target and the wit six-page annotated bibliography of After that some members of the nesses need empowering skills, and other professional resources about coaching staff frowned at me in the the bully needs awakening and bullying including reviews of six halls. But there was no more alternative behaviors to fulfill his websites. As Bott says, “Teachers Tweety-Bird in my classroom from (her) needs.” (2) If his bullying had usually do nothing about bullying. the football player, only a lot of his been addressed as bullying within Research shows it, kids say it, and
36
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
many teachers will admit it.” (6) future. Throughout the book, are forced to enter the school each This book aims to change that sad readers see “the kid” in Gray even day through a basement, service state of affairs. though on page four, from a serious entrance. Their first task of the day, cell in a serious detention center, each and every day, is to try to *** *** *** Gray describes himself as “Son, make it to homeroom without Here, I will review and recommend brother, friend? Archer. Drummer. having to hear “Faggotssss” (152) two novels about bullying and offer Murderer” (4). hissed at them, in front of teachers readers three briefly annotated In the book’s opening pages we and other students on the front bibliographies—one is a list of learn that Gray, a high school steps of the school building. Gray’s young adult novels that address freshman in a new school in a new mother is cowered by his father. His bullying, one is a list of recent town, has been bullied in middle father, given to fits of anger, wants professional articles on bullying school. His reaction to that bully Gray to be a “normal” boy who and bullying prevention plans; ing, carrying a knife to school, is stands up for himself, likes sports, finally C. J. Bott recommends some part of the reason his family and considers playing the drums a new young adult novels that moved. Gray wants to start over, a pastime instead of a worldview. address bullying. hope upon which he is so intent Gray cannot turn to his parents for that he develops his own mantra, help with the bullies, particularly *** *** *** “Gonna’ be better, gonna’ be better not to his father, who has already here.” But as Gray and his new blamed him for the past bullying. If you read one new book on friend Ross almost immediately Gray’s older brother, Peter, and the bullying I recommend Nancy become the target of the “jock neighbor girl, Lindsay, with whom Garden’s Endgame (Harcourt, pack” lead by Eugene “Zorro” Peter is romantically involved, are 2006). In this book, Garden Baker, school football hero, all hope both seniors at Gray’s school and approaches “jock pack” bullying of a happy and healthy high school know some kind of harassment is and school violence with the same experience is ripped away. The going on. They are sympathetic, but clear-eyed honesty and depth with physical and verbal abuse at the Garden makes us see that the which she approached lesbian hands of Zorro and his teammates feelings of terror experienced by the awakening in Annie on My Mind is so relentless that Gray and Ross target of continual bullying cannot (Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1982). But be felt or understood by those who here there is no joy, bittersweet or are not likewise “trapped.” any other kind. I make this recom As in my football player/artist mendation even though the book His reaction to that bully story above, the adults in the will beat you down just as the school building either do not want focus character, fourteen-year-old ing, carrying a knife to to see the bullying, or as Gray Gray Wilton, is beaten down by observes on a Monday morning school, is part of the bullies at school and by a bullying after a big Friday night football father at home. Reading this book reason his family moved. victory, “Even the teachers treated in the spring of 2006 is the reason I [the jock pack] like kings.” When started composing this column. Gray wants to start over, a Gray and Ross decide to just go After a second reading of the book I about their business, ignoring the remain amazed at Garden’s ability hope upon which he is so ovations and adulations, they are to portray Gray as a sometimes silly immediately sought out by Zorro: fourteen-year-old who can attempt intent that he develops He put his hands around my throat, to navigate a crowded high school his own mantra, “Gonna’ hallway with exaggerated swim and I got that coppery fear-taste in my mouth again [. . .] and I wondered if ming movements, and who can also be better, gonna’ be better maybe they were actually going to kill be passionate about music, and us this time. [. . .] I could feel his hands unreasonably hopeful about his here.” getting tighter and it was getting hard
37
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
to breathe. And then I heard Ross Journal of Adolescent and Adult scream. Zorro lifted his knee up and Endgame does correctly Literacy. snarled, “You want the same treatment *** *** *** as your little girlfriend [meaning Ross]? Answer me, Crater Face. Who’s King show school bullying as a Annotated Bibliography of this school?” (147-148) kind of school-sponsored on Bullying I wish this kind of school experience was fiction. I wish violent assault that can Young Adult Literature Garden could let up on readers lead the most vulnerable From Donna Niday and Young instead of being obligated to show Adult Literature students at Iowa Gray and Ross harassed and students to despair and State University attacked almost every day, some Anderson, Laurie Halse. Speak. times several times a day. The desperate action. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, “endgame” then is death at school 1999. Melinda discovers that that seems inevitable, even almost she is an outsider after her a relief—even to readers—from the Finally, here are three additional phone call to police stops a bullying that Gray believes will resources on bullying. The first drinking party. When her never stop. Endgame does not offers a listing of some recent YA classmates shun her and endorse or condone victims of titles on bullying compiled by pretend to ignore her existence, school bullying striking back with Associate Professor Donna Niday she retreats by not talking to weapons. And certainly neither do and her YA Literature students at friends or family. Only Melinda I. But Endgame does correctly show Iowa State University. My graduate and one other person know the school bullying as a kind of school assistant, Lucie Boukalova, who true reason for the phone call. sponsored violent assault that can reviews a selection of recent HS lead the most vulnerable students professional articles on bullying Bloor, Edward. Tangerine. New to despair and desperate action. and bullying prevention curricula York: Scholastic, 1997. Paul Endgame shows “school violence” and programs, compiled the second must readjust when his family as a term that means more than bibliography. Please note especially moves to Tangerine, Florida, Columbine; it also must mean the annotation for the article by but he fights his way onto a bullying. Kathleen Benson Quinn, et al. tough soccer team. Perhaps I can hear the choirs of critics which describes a teaching unit Paul’s greatest adversaries, now saying, “Oh, another book based on Jerry Spinelli’s book though, are his older brother bashing athletes and athletics.” But Crash (1996). The third bibliogra and his brother’s friends, who the “jock pack” in Endgame is not a phy is provided by C. J. Bott, who threaten him in dangerous necessary product of football or takes this opportunity to list her ways. MS, HS wrestling or any other sport. It is picks for some important novels for Brugman, Alyssa. Walking Naked. the product of “adult attitudes” young adults about bullying that New York: Delacorte Press, (Bott, 14). As Nancy Garden told have appeared in print since the 2002. When Megan befriends the session attendees at one of her 2004 publication of The Bully in the Perdita, she risks alienating her sessions on bullying at the NCTE Book and in the Classroom. current circle of friends. Even Conference in Nashville (2006), though others call Perdita “Freak” loud enough for When you set up a group of impres Bill Broz is Associate Professor of sionable kids and say to them, “You English Education at the University of Perdita to hear, Megan views are kings,” you are asking for trouble. Northern Iowa. He is the co-author of her differently after she Because the school is also saying that Teaching Writing Teachers of High glimpses her personality, these other groups of students are School English and First-Year interests, and home life. The nothing. Composition (Heinemann 2002) and peer pressure builds to a has published articles in English *** *** *** crescendo until Megan must Journal, Voices from the Middle, and
38
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
choose between friendships. wanting to rid the school of and physical frailties, Lani MS, HS horrendous names. Compas must withstand ridicule of Crutcher, Chris. Whale Talk. New sion, caring, and a generous sexual identity. Claire’s world York: Greenwillow, 2001. T. J. dose of seventh grade wit help changes when her friends turn decides to assemble a swim maintain reader interest. MS from mocking Lani to using team consisting of seven Koss, Amy Goldman. The Girls. physical violence. HS “outsiders,” including those New York: Dial Books, 2000. Spinelli, Jerry. Stargirl. New York: who are physically or mentally Candace and Darcy decide to Scholastic, 2000. Stargirl, a new challenged. While other teams drop Maya from their group of student with an unusual name, and coaches in the school five while Brianna and Renee is really different from his other system deride the team, T. J.’s watch guiltily. At first, the peers, and her classmates team members strive to other girls fawn over Candice, consider her ways of caring for improve their records. On the but gradually they realize her others to be odd. Eventually, home front, T. J. and his manipulative manners. MS though, they find her to be adopted parents try to help an Lubar, David. Hidden Talents. New funny and endearing. Leo, the abused wife and children. HS York: Tom Doherty Associates, story’s narrator, starts falling in Flinn, Alex. Breaking Point. New 1999. Martin is sent to an love with her until Stargirl’s York: HarperCollins, 2002. Paul alternative school for his popularity once again begins is excited when Charlie invites abusive language. He discovers plummeting. MS, HS him into his elite group of that his roommates and his Wilhelm, Doug. The Revealers. New friends, but Paul soon realizes pals, who are supposedly York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, the cost of Charlie’s friendship “freaks,” actually possess Inc., 2003. When Russell, a and must decide whether or “hidden talents.” It is only his seventh-grader, becomes a not he can always carry out friends, though, who can see target for abuse, he decides to Charlie’s wishes. HS his own talents. MS, HS uncover why bullies torment Friesen, Gayle. Men of Stone. Oates, Joyce Carol. Big Mouth and others. After questioning other Toronto: Kid Can Press, 2000. Ugly Girl. New York: Harper victims such as Elliot and Kat’s “crush” on Ben angers Collins, 2002. After Matt jokes Catalina, he decides to take Claude, who has no trouble about bombing the school, action to stop bullying. throwing punches. What first rumors start circulating that he Catalina and Russell begin begins as teasing escalates into is planning to be a terrorist. producing an internet newslet Ben’s hospitalization. Ben The rumor mill increases, panic ter called The Revealer to post debates whether to use violent escalates, and Matt’s peers— stories by victims about their or non-violent means, but even his closest friends—begin harassment and abuse. He also when his aunt tells him about avoiding him. Ursula defends asks the boy who bullied him the “men of stone” who Matt and tries to help him about his actions and later guarded the prison camps in reclaim his reputation. Some befriends his own bullier. MS Russia, he realizes that some students decide to combat the people use power to bully “terrorist” by finding, harass Analyses of Bullying others. MS, HS ing, and physically harming Coloros, Barbara. The Bully, the Howe, James. The Misfits. New him. MS, HS Bullied, and the Bystander: York: Atheneum, 2001. Skeezie, Plum-Ucci, Carol. What Happened From Preschool to High Addie, Joe, and Bobby decide to Lani Garver? San Diego: Schools—How Parents and to run for seventh grade offices Harcourt, 2002. In their brief Teachers Can Break the Cycle of on a Freedom Party ticket, but close friendship, Claire and Violence. New York: trying to stop their peers from Lani discover that others do not HarperCollins, 2003. This book name-calling. Each of the four understand them. While Claire analyzes the roles of the has a special reason for copes with her own emotional bullier, the victims, and the
39
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
observers and provides sugges self-report). Canter advocates a the individual states (seventeen tions for how parents/guard comprehensive approach to the states and Guam, reports Dounay, ians and teachers can change issue that should include an action have enacted laws aimed at the bullying scenario. and intervention on several levels reducing or eliminating bullying in (schoolwide: formulating and schools). It informs, among other Dr. Donna Niday is Associate publicizing new school policy, facts, about individual state Professor of English Education and school assemblies; classroom: class sanctions (e.g. in Georgia, any Director of Communications Founda discussions, enforcing classroom student found to be bullying for the tion Courses in the English Depart rules against bullying; individual: third time in a given school year ment at Iowa State University. She is individual and family counseling). must be assigned to an alternative the author of books on mentoring Includes several instructive web school) and parent rights (e.g. New young teachers and has published resources. Hampshire law requires principals articles on YA Literature in, among other places, this journal. • Christie, Kathy. “Stateline: to inform all parents of students Chasing the Bullies Away” Phi involved in a bullying incident *** *** *** Delta Kappan 86.10 (2005): within 48 hours of occurrence). As 725-726. an example of a comprehensive Professional Articles Supported by recent research on state anti-bullying policy, the bullying at schools, Christie author quotes Vermont’s “H.B. about Bullying emphasizes the need for a clear 629.” by Lucie Boukalova anti-bullying legal policy on both • Harris, Sandra, and Jody • Canter, Andrea S. “Bullying at state and local levels. She points to Isernhagen. “Keeping Bullies at School: Strategies for Interven the prevalence of bullying in K-12 Bay.” American School Board tion.” Principal 85.2 (2005): schools, to the often ignored socio Journal 190.1 (2003): 43-45. 42-45. emotional consequences of bully Constantly emphasizing the In her discussion of youth bullying, ing, as well as to the impact of seriousness and extent of the Canter argues that it is a common bullying not only on its victims but problem of bullying in schools but often overlooked problem in also on the school climate in (nearly 5 million of America’s 53 most schools (affecting nearly 70 general. She illustrates her argu million students are bullied every percent of all students) because of a ment with several alarming statis year), the authors propose a ten “tolerant culture that ignores or tics: in its 2003 report, the National step agenda for an effective minimizes it.” Radically opposing Center on Education Statistics prevention of violence. With the the view of bullying as a “normal found that during the 1999-2000 factual and practical support of part of childhood” and as a “rite of school year 29% of schools re their own research, which explored passage,” she emphasizes the ported having more difficulty with incidences of bullying at four critical importance of close coop student bullying than with any schools in Texas and Nebraska eration of the principals with staff, other single discipline problem; a (surveying 250 ninth- and tenth parents and students in order to similar 2004 NCES report revealed grade students in both rural and create a school culture where that in 2003 students’ grade levels urban areas), the authors of the bullying can be identified and were inversely related to the article offer constructive advice to eliminated. The article offers a likelihood that they would be school boards and educators about succinct yet complex overview of bullied, with 14% of sixth-graders, how to keep their schools and physical and psychological factors 7% of ninth-graders, and 2% of students safe. Among other recom characterizing the victims and the 12th-graders reporting being bullied mendations, they stress the impor bullies as well as an instructive at school. Based on a 2005 report tance of open communication approach to the identification of a by Jennifer Dounay, policy analyst between the students and the case of bullying (which should rely of the Education Commission of the faculty (only 2.6 percent of the on a combined assessment of peer States, the article maps the legal bullied students tell a teacher or a nomination, teacher ratings and definition and action embraced by counselor), and of the involvement
40
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
of the entire community. The article (response journals, guided reading, the bully. The article includes gives numerous concrete examples literature circles, readers theatre, numerous bibliographical refer of local anti-bullying programs and graphic organizers); the postreading ences. includes a list of numerous biblio activities stimulate personalization • Smokowski, Paul R., and Kelly graphical and electronic resources. of the reading experience (role Holland Kopasz. “Bullying in • Quinn, Kathleen Benson, et al. playing, creative arts). The novel School: An Overview of Types, “Using a Novel Unit to Help unit opens the way to an intense Effects, Family Characteristics, Understand and Prevent Bullying individual response and connection and Intervention Strategies.” in Schools.” Journal of Adoles to the issue of bullying in the Children & Schools 27.2 (2005): cent & Adult Literacy 46.7 classroom. 101-110. (2003): 582-591. • Scarpaci, Richard T. “Bullying: Grounded in an extensive research This article connects research with Effective Strategies for Its of youth bullying, “the most a practical approach and specific Prevention.” Kappa Delta Pi enduring and underrated problem methodology addressing the issue Record 42.4 (2006): 170-174. in U.S. schools” which affects of school bullying. Even though the Scarpaci believes that reduction of approximately one in three chil authors recognize the relative bullying can be best accomplished dren, the article presents an in efficiency of zero tolerance policies, through a comprehensive, school depth discussion of its dynamics, they argue in favor of a more wide effort that involves every types, characteristics and conse proactive strategy that would make one—especially teachers. He argues quences. The authors identify dealing with the problem a “part of that to accomplish this important bullying as the most prevalent form the daily curriculum.” The article goal, “teachers must confront their of youth violence which may presents their educational experi own beliefs and misconceptions escalate into extremely serious ment of a “novel unit,” developed about bullying, learn skills for forms of antisocial behavior. They and implemented with the belief recognizing the indications of recognize no less than four varieties that a novel offers a natural and bullying, and practice strategies for of bullying behavior: physical, powerful way to “open discussion addressing and deterring bullying.” verbal, relational and reactive. and increase awareness of the topic His article offers a singularly Approaching the issue in its of bullying.” The work they informed and targeted remedy. Its psychosocial and environmental selected for their study was Crash form clearly supports the instruc complexity, they offer a comprehen by Jerry Spinelli (1996) for its wide tive mission: several listings of sive presentation of the profile of appeal to a mixed audience of strategies, definitions and symp both the bully and the victim. They third- to eighth-graders of various toms offer quick and concise discuss not only explicit personal socio-economic backgrounds. A reference materials for educators. characteristics of the two, but also brief synopsis of this story, a The author tries to dispel some of a more general impact of family progressive emotional and rela the most persistent and harmful background on individual behavior tional reformation of a young bully, myths about bullying (“Bullying is as well as short and long-term is followed by an instructive and just teasing” and “Bullying is a effects of the (repeated) confronta inspiring overview of various text normal part of growing up”); he tion for both sides (e.g. 60% of based classroom activities. The offers a comprehensive overview of boys labeled as bullies in grades 6 novel unit consists of three stages behavioral and academic symptoms through 9 had at least one criminal reflected in specific activities. The characterizing the victim of bully conviction by age 24; the issue “prereading” stage activates ing and draws a list of the right might be perpetuated through an students’ knowledge and interest questions for teachers to ask in case intergenerational cycle when former (brainstorming; sharing perceptions of serious suspicion of bullying. victims of bullying adopt an on bullying; making predictions); The list of practically oriented overprotective attitude toward their the “during-reading” phase encour propositions, “What Teachers Can children). The article also draws ages students to extend their Do,” combines the focus on the attention to a highly problematic response beyond the previous limits social skills of both the victim and category of “bully-victims” (also
41
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
called “reactive bullies” or “pro (engaging in gossip, making attacks his pickup with a vocative victims”), children who personal information public) as baseball bat and smashes in all bully others and are bullied well as the key importance of the windows. Clinton, who has themselves. It discusses their detecting early warning signs in a history of harassing Alex characteristics, backgrounds and children (including reluctance to go because of his AIDS, is identification strategies. Finally, the to school, reluctance to academi charged. (MS/HS) authors present a series of preven cally and socially participate, Gallo, Donald R. ed. On the Fringe. tion and intervention strategies for nervousness when another child New York: Dial, 2001. Each educational institutions. An approaches). The author’s proactive story in this collection focuses extensive list of bibliographical approach to bullying calls for a on teens who are on the fringe reference is appended. positive, friendly atmosphere in of acceptance. (MS/HS) •Trautman, Melissa L. “20 Ways class, and the use of cooperative Jones, Patrick. Nailed. New York: To . . . Identify and Reduce group work and role-play activities Walker Books/Bloomsbury, Bullying in Your Classroom.” in the classroom. 2006. Bret Hendricks will not Intervention in School and Clinic conform which gets him a 38.4 (2003): 243-246. Lucie Boukalova is a graduate girlfriend but also gets him in Presented in a purely instructional student and research assistant at the trouble at school and with his format, this article presents a list of Department of English Language and dad, who understands him twenty suggestions and directives Literature of the University of North more than Bret ever could have for teachers that can help them ern Iowa. She holds a double master’s guessed. (HS) degree in English and French philology quickly recognize and effectively Jones, Traci L. Standing Against the from Palacky University, Olomouc, eliminate bullying in the school Wind. Boston: Farrar, Straus Czech Republic. She is currently setting. The author offers a highly working on her thesis dealing with the and Giroux, 2006. Patrice complex approach to the issue reflection of T.S. Eliot’s modernist Williams’ southern ways are no addressing all social and psycho poetics in the works of David Jones match for the tough kids in her logical aspects and stages of the and Basil Bunting. Besides pursuing new Chicago middle school, problem as well as the position of her scholarly interests and various where she gets called Puffy all those involved in an incident of research projects, she has been actively because of her unruly hair, but school bullying. Among other engaged in teaching. She privately Monty sees more in her, and prevention and intervention tutored grade school and high school the two start a friendship that recommendations, Trautman urges Czech students in English and French, will not only help them survive teachers to educate themselves, to and she volunteered as a teaching but also flourish. (MS) assistant in the Czech language get to know the facts about bullying Koss, Amy Goldman. Poison Ivy. classes at UNI. Assisting in Dr. Broz’s (pointing to a survey by the New York: Roaring Brook Press, research project focusing on school National Educational Association bullying has made her fully aware of 2006. Ms. Gold had her which reported that almost 160,000 the serious extent and consequences of government classes conduct a students miss school daily because this issue (not only in American mock trial on an issue present of bullying or the effects of bully classrooms). in their school, the harassment ing, and that a typical student has a of Ivy by three alleged tormen 25% chance of being bullied or *** *** *** tors, Ann, Sophie, and Benita. being involved in bullying). She The jury of adolescents brings emphasizes the educator’s aware Most Recently Published in what they believe is their ness of various types of bullying, Books on Bullying only possible verdict. (MS) including verbal and written compiled by C. J. Bott Muharrar, Aisha. More than a (name-calling, sending negative e Flinn, Alex. Fade to Black. New Label. Minneapolis: Free Spirit mails), physical (pushing, gestur York: HarperCollins, 2005. Alex Publishing, 2002. Muharrar ing, damaging personal posses is HIV positive and while was still in high school when sions) and social/relational sitting at a red light, someone she wrote this book, but it isn’t
42
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
an English class assignment. Carlos Amoroso doesn’t have Picture Books She compiled her research from the confidence to talk to Roxy Ross, Tony. Is It Because? over one thousand Teens Label Rodriguez, but he notices Sal, Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s, Surveys and wove that infor the gay guy at school, has no 2005. Questions plague the mation with her thoughts— trouble talking to girls. Inspired narrator as he tries to figure which are pretty down to earth. by TV’s “Queer Eye,” Carlos out why Wally Wormhead (MS/HS) Non-fiction asks Sal for some help. (HS) bullies him. Peters, Julie Anne. Between Mom Sanchez, Alex. So Hard to Say. New Kristiansson, Leif, Dick Stenberg and Jo. Boston: Little, Brown, York: Simon & Schuster, 2004. illus. Not My Fault. Alhambra, 2006. Fourteen-year-old Nick New to the school, eighth CA: Heryin Books, 2006. Told introduces himself in memories grader Frederick starts playing in the voices of children that tell the story of his life soccer with the other boys after witnessing bullying and not with his two lesbian moms: school and questions his knowing what to do, the book Erin, his biological mother, and attraction to one of them. The ends first with the question Jo, his heart’s mother. (MS/HS) treasure of diversity in this “Does it have anything to do Ruby, Laura. Good Girls. New York: book deals with the needed with me?” and then black and Wendy Lamb Book/Random acceptance of one’s self and white photographs from history House, 2006. When Audrey others. (MS) around the world where the realizes Luke DeSalvo is not Wittlinger, Ellen. Sandpiper. New action of bystanders was and is good for her, she decides to York: Simon & Schuster, 2005. needed. (M/H) end their relationship with In eighth grade, Sandpiper “good-bye oral sex.” She learned that the easiest way to C. J. Bott is an educational consult doesn’t know someone opens get a boyfriend was to offer ant who taught high school English the door and takes a photo oral sex. Now in the tenth for thirty years in northeastern Ohio. until it shows up on everyone’s grade, she is tired of her She has piloted programs for African cell phones and her parents’ reputation, but finds it impos American men, women students, and gay and lesbian students, and was email. (HS) sible to change it. All the recipient of the 2003 NCTE/SLATE Sanchez, Alex. Getting It. New stereotypes are here. (HS) Intellectual Freedom Award. York: Simon & Schuster, 2006.
43
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
C. J. Bott, Nancy Garden, Patrick Jones, Julie Ann Peters
Don’t Look and It Will Go Away: YA Books—A Key to Uncovering the Invisible Problem of Bullying
Adapted from a panel presentation given at the 2006 about it; think about the ripple that will start here ALAN Workshop in Nashville, Tennessee, November today and could change the lives of over 32,000 kids. 20, 2006 Let’s start with the official definition of bullying created by Dan Olweus, the international authority on C. J. Bott opened the session by posing this question to this problem. “A student is being bullied or victimized the entire 480 in attendance: How many of you have when he or she is exposed, REPEATEDLY AND OVER been bullied at some time in your life? Raise your TIME, to the negative actions on the part of one or hand. How many of you have been a bully? Older more other students.” A student can’t call someone a brothers and sisters must raise their hands here. I am name once and be classified a bully. It has to happen the oldest of four and I admit that I resorted to repeatedly—and it can’t be all in one setting; it has to bullying to keep my sisters under control. How many happen over time, day after day. I would also add that of you have witnessed a bullying incident at anytime there is an imbalance of power, one who has power during your life? And finally, how many wish you over one who does not. could had done something differently? You know this, if I give you pairs of stereotypes, All those hands in the air are the only statistic you you can pick which is more likely to be the harasser. need to know this is a problem that we cannot ignore Ninth-grader or fifth-grader? Golfer or football player? any longer. If we are all carrying the bruises from Cheerleader or choir member? bullying, what is happening to our Besides not looking and hoping students? it will go away, another thing we do At this ALAN conference in What is said on this wrong is we don’t start early Nashville, we have the largest enough. We should be starting anti audience ever with 480 people. If panel today can touch the bullying programs in elementary two-thirds of you are classroom school. Another statistic from teachers, and that is a low estimate, lives of 32,200 students. Olweus: “Bullies identified by age 8 that means 322 of you will go back are six times more likely to be Think about it; think to your classrooms. If you average convicted of a crime by age 24 and four classes, that is 1288 classes, about the ripple that will five times more than non-bullies to and I know many of you teach more end up with serious criminal than four. If we take an average of start here today and could records by the age of 30.” Age 8, 25 students in each of those that is third grade. If that child gets classes—that means that what is change the lives of over locked into bullying behaviors to get said on this panel today can touch 32,000 kids. his or her power needs met, that the lives of 32,200 students. Think child’s potential is lost. Males who
44
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
are confirmed bullies often turn into abusive partners, “How can teachers create and maintain a climate and females who are confirmed bullies turn into that discourages bullying in the first place?” abusive moms. We have to start early, and we have to Nancy Garden work with everyone. Bystanders make up about 75-80 Some of what I’m about to say will serve as a bit percent of your school’s population. If you were going of a review to what C.J. has said. to sell a product, wouldn’t you want to market it to When Columbine happened, I, like all of you, was the largest population? We have to create programs shocked and saddened. And as time went on, I was that call upon the witnesses and bystanders to be also shocked when I read people’s assessments of responsible friends and citizens. what had made Eric and Dylan shoot up their school. There are different ways to categorize a bully, but That was when I found that the fact that they’d been the most common is direct bullying and indirect bullied was usually mentioned only as an after bullying. Direct bullying is face to face and the target thought. I found that to be the case, too, in accounts knows the bully’s identity—e.g., the big kid saying, of other school shootings, both before and after “Give me your lunch money.” The target knows where Columbine, and that led me to realize that bullying the threat is, and if the bully is not around, can enjoy hasn’t really been considered a serious problem in a certain degree of safety. Indirect bullying is not like America. That’s why I that. It happens behind the back, and the bully could wrote my novel, Endgame, be anyone. It’s notes written on bathroom walls, which is about a boy It has to happen repeatedly lockers, desk tops, slips of paper dropped into book who’s so badly bullied, so bags—it is a secret and scary attack because the bully ignored, and so devalued —and it can’t be all in one could be anyone. Cyberbullying is the fastest growing by his school, his peers, setting; it has to happen form of indirect bullying. A kid sitting in the security and his family that one of his or her own home, gets on line, and finds a day he takes a gun to over time, day after day. I message directing him or her to a website. When that school and shoots a child opens the website, it is all about him or her. It number of his fellow would also add that there contains embarrassing photos taken by cell phone in students. locker rooms, hallways, classroom—anywhere. There For generations, is an imbalance of power, are bulletin board postings from unknown students we’ve considered bullying one who has power over and sometimes votes for being the dorkiest, ugliest, a natural part of child fattest, whatever-est imaginable. That teen or preteen hood, almost a rite of one who does not. has no idea who created this and suddenly the whole passage for some kids. world becomes enemy territory. He or she cannot tell We’ve said, “Boys will be anyone because the first thing that person will do is boys,” and we’ve told bullies to stop bullying because look at the site. The target feels afraid and ashamed it isn’t nice and it is hurtful; we’ve given them and very alone. For more information on cyberbullying, detention, suspended them—and we’ve also ignored check out the website
45
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Have you heard about kids who extort money and violence into adulthood, becoming criminals or from other kids, steal from them, damage their adult bullies. belongings, threaten them, force them to do things Victims of bullies often skip school because they don’t want to do? they’re afraid, or can’t concentrate on their lessons. All of these examples, of course, are forms of They lie awake at night dreading the next school day bullying. because someone has threatened to “get” them. Even if you’re well aware that bullying does exist Bullied kids become depressed, insecure, or even in your school, you may be seeing only the tip of the suicidal because of being bullied. And, of course, iceberg. Most bullying some end up becoming bullies themselves. goes on in places where Bystanders who witness bullying but don’t report Bullies who are allowed teachers and adminis it or otherwise act to help victims frequently feel trators don’t—and often guilty and are afraid themselves of becoming victims, to go on being bullies are can’t—see it: on the especially if they do report bullying incidents. playground, in the So what are we to do? My research tells me that a at risk of continuing their lunchroom, in locker good start involves having a firm, specific anti pattern of escalating rooms, parking lots, on bullying policy that is followed consistently by ALL the bus, and—espe staff members and ALL kids—not a one-size-fits-all cruelty and violence into cially—in bathrooms. zero-tolerance policy that doesn’t allow for special Increasingly, too, and situations, but one that does set up a predictably adulthood, becoming far easier to hide, a escalating scale of reprimands, warnings, and punish criminals or adult bullies. surprising amount of ments for repeated bullying incidents. But it’s equally bullying occurs online, important to remember that bullies frequently need as cyberbullying. careful professional counseling, as well as punish Ye s, but maybe, since this and the statistics C. J. ment. Remember that many bullies have been bullied quoted show that bullying is so common as to be themselves. It’s important to treat the cause as well as ubiquitous, it might be better to ignore it. Maybe it the result. really IS a necessary rite of passage that kids have to Any bullying prevention policy also needs to weather. address the problems of bystanders. It needs to It’s hard for me to accept that my having been encourage them to report bullying incidents, and—this beaten up periodically on my way home from elemen is vital—it needs to provide reliable protection for tary school was a necessary rite of passage, or that it them when they do report incidents. was a necessary rite of passage for a young lesbian to Of course, anti-bullying policies should address have been raped with a coke bottle by a group of girls the needs of victims in a way that ensures that victims in a school in which I was student teaching, or that it are NEVER made to feel that they brought the bully’s was a rite of passage when a boy who my partner and actions on themselves. I helped bring up was hung by his feet from an upper Just as important as having a consistent anti story of his high school. Years later, shortly after bullying policy, it seems to me, is the atmosphere of Columbine, that boy, then an adult, told me that if he the school itself. Is your school a happy, friendly hadn’t had basketball and music and people like us to place, in which all kinds of people are valued? Or is it talk to, he might well have taken a gun to his school one in which some groups—athletes, for example—are and done what Eric and Dylan did at Columbine. valued above all others and given special treatment. Again, many, perhaps most, school shooters have Or is it a tense, unfriendly place in which all students been victims of bullying. That’s one reason why are divided by clique and hierarchy? stopping bullying is so vital. But even when they don’t As an author, I’ve visited happy classrooms in end up shooting their classmates and teachers or which kids and teachers have been relaxed and bombing their schools—and most, of course, don’t— eagerly engaged, and grim ones in which everyone has bullies who are allowed to go on being bullies are at seemed tense and uninvolved. It’s easy to guess which risk of continuing their pattern of escalating cruelty schools or classes might be likely to have a problem
46
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
with bullying, and which probably would not. “Freak faggot.” Because bullies so often single out kids who don’t I outwardly ignore All-American asshole Bob Hitchings’ fit in or who are “different,” it’s vital for schools to do usual greeting as I take my seat, but the words beat me everything they can to be welcoming and inclusive, down inside. It’s first period on the first day of my junior and it’s equally important for schools to have books year in English class, the great melting pot that makes big that are inclusive, as well. Patrick and Julie will be fat fibbers out of Our Founding Fathers. All men are not created equal; some are smarter, some are stronger. If talking about both those vital areas. It’s important, Jefferson, Madison, and the rest of their ilk had spent a day too, for schools to offer a range of clubs and organiza at Southwestern, they would have flushed that claptrap right tions that validate and empower minorities—including down the toilet. I’m smarter than a lot of people in this sexual minorities. room, more talented in the things that matter to me. But When I was growing up, my mother often said to guys like Hitchings, who are stronger than most people, and guys like me, who are smarter than most people, are me, “Put yourself in the other guy’s shoes.” Encourag not equals. A born athlete, Hitchings cares about kicking a ing kids to imagine how other people have felt in football, capturing a wrestling pin fall, and catching a base various situations, both real and in the books they ball. I’m a born artist who cares about books, music, and read, can foster empathy—which in turn can contrib theater. In my eyes, he isn’t better than me, nor am I better ute to a climate that doesn’t accept bullying. than him; we’re just different, and different is okay with I think all of us are baffled to some degree about me. (26) bullying; despite everything I’ve said here, I know I Bret’s a nail: a kid who doesn’t fit in. Hitchings is sure am. Luckily, there’s now helpful information both a hammer: a kid who does. It seems increasingly the in books and on the Internet. Just Googling “Bullying” hardware of schools consists of hammer and nails. can lead you to much of it. One resource that I’ve Not all nails are like found especially valuable is a pamphlet developed in Bret: artistic kids, creative Maine by the Maine Governor’s Children’s Cabinet in kids. Odd kids. Underdogs. Because bullies so often response to that state’s antibullying law. It’s called Readers. But the kids who “Maine’s Best Practices in Bullying and Harassment get bullied are often those single out kids who don’t Prevention.” Its URL is <
47
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
You can’t test for Helping kids, though literature and through But this work isn’t just humanity. listening, build assets is our test. Maybe you can’t test It is how we test our humanity in this world of about giving kids a list of for it, but you can teach hammers and nails. all these things to your great books, it is about students. *** *** *** listening to them tell Three words: Young adult literature. Is there proof that such books need to be about their lives. It is But this work isn’t available and read by our young people? just about giving kids a Julie Ann Peters about relationships. list of great books, it is What is the proof that such books need to be about listening to them available and read? My mail. tell about their lives. It is about relationships. I wish you could read one week’s worth of the Listening to real teens, like Johanna in my novel mail I receive from young people, so you could see Things Change, trapped in a violent dating relation what’s going on with them. Wow. It’s brutal in the ship; teens like Bret in Nailed, a well-rounded victim trenches. For the most part, kids are resilient, but we of violence trapped in a square box; and teens like forget how fragile they are. They break. Christy in my forthcoming novel Chasing Tail Lights, trapped in a generational poverty and a horrific family Ms. Peters, life. These are made-up teens, but the stories of real Hello. My name is Laili (lay-lee) and I’m an 18 year teens need to be heard. But they’re afraid to talk, not old who just graduated from high school and im queer. fearing retaliation, but afraid to admit their victimiza I don’t like to label myself as lesbian or bi, just queer. tion and thus unable to find validation. Ive been having some troubles with my “fellow peers” Sometimes we provide them a sanctuary, as my and I feel very discouraged . . . when I started coming friend Cathi Dunn MacRae mentioned earlier. A out there were friends who decided not to be friends sanctuary for these kids to be themselves. A place for with me anymore, others who totally shut me down, kids who read, write, paint, create, sing, and dance. A calling me disgusting and saying I’d lied to them, then place for kids to read, then talk about books, and sasha my best friend told all her friends, and now its thereby talk about their lives. all spiraled out of control. Ive become so depressed . . . But sanctuary isn’t enough, because it’s tempo I’ve started cutting myself again (I had stopped for a rary. The problem isn’t going away. year) and I am thinking of taking my own life. There is And the problem IS the problem approach. The no support here at all. I know you aren’t a councelor problem isn’t bullying, the problem is looking at kids Ms Peters but I just needed to tell someone my story. I as problems to be solved. don’t expect you to have solutions but did you ever Instead, we need to look at the assets of the nails have times like this? I don’t think there is any solution and the assets of the hammers. anymore other then suicide . . . im sorry to burden you A strength-based approach, like that of the Search but I really needed someone to know me. Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets framework, challenges us to see the strengths that kids have and For me, for my community, bullying extends to shines light on the assets they need to develop. verbal and physical assault. When you have this (Search Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
48
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Every day is a struggle, people don’t accept me for there would be large groups of guys. GUYS. And they who I am. Some teachers even treat me differently. But would grab me and push me up against the walls. my English teacher, Ms. Wolfe, saw me reading They would just hit me and hit me over again. And Keeping You a Secret one day, and asked me what it nobody would stop them. was about. So I told her. She asked if there was —Quinn anything really inappropriate in it, and I said not really, so she said she’ll read it and see if she can put it Stephanie, a 13-year-old, was asked to choose her on the summer reading list. Wouldn’t it be great if all favorite book and do an oral report in school. She those people who make fun of us would read this, and chose Keeping You a Secret. I wrote and told her how understand? Understand what they’re doing? Under brave I thought she was. Because that takes courage. I stand who we really are? Understand who THEY really wished her luck and told her I’d be there in spirit. She are? It would be amazing. wrote to say that after school, she was ambushed and —Catherine beaten. Her arm and three ribs were broken. I told Stephanie to please report this as a hate crime. Please Discrimination infests my school. To admit that tell people at school; they’ll know what to do. you’re lesbian, gay, or bisexual is like writing “attack Stephanie, I said, they’ll take care of you. Her reply: me” on your forehead. I cried twice while reading KYAS [Keeping You A Secret] because it reminds me so much One of my friends went to the counselors and of how it is here. Luckily, I’m not alone because my principals at our school asking about it and how we two best friends in all the world are bi and gay. We could report that sort of thing. The most of an answer stick together when it comes to fighting the disease of we got to that question was the guidance counselor prejudice. telling us that she would ‘see what she could do.’ So we —Rose just had to let go of the problem, because nobody was willing to help us figure out what we could do about it. I was wondering two things. —Stephanie 1) Do you get a lot of annoying emails like this, from crazy fans, that aren’t actually fanmail? What you can do is step up. Stand up. Give young 2) I’m trapped in a stereotypical Middle School. people role models. Give them tools and trust in you. Meaning: Everyone is always saying, “I don’t like this It saddens me to hear how few trusted adults young assignment. Its gay.” And “you’re stupid. You did people seem to feel they something stupid. You’re a fag. Haha, wasn’t that have in their lives. funny?” I am lesbian, not that these people know. It What you can do is step really hurts me and I want to stand up for everyone The other day I was at who doesn’t stand up for themselves. Do you know work when a gay couple up. Stand up. Give young what I should say? walked in and a co-worker —Cheez of mine was making fun of people role models. Give them and I ended up them tools and trust in My friend David is on the newspaper staff. He arguing with him about wrote this LONG article on gay relationships, and the how wrong I felt that it was you. marriage amendment here in VA . . . It was an for him to be saying what AMAZING article. It became our front page story . . . he was saying and I David got 6 death threats and 137 hate emails in realized it was because of YOU that I spoke up. I began response to the article. to cry and to myself asked why do people had to make —Ang it so hard for other people to be happy with themselves? Thank you because with this one book you gave me For what I have in intelligence I lack in size and and so many others a voice and a place in our hearts strength. I’m one of the shortest and tiniest kids at my for what others go threw day to day. school, so an easy target. There would be days when —Gabi, 18
49
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Recently, Ms. D came out at school. A girl at school Hey my name is Angelle . . . I decided to try out was being harassed, and there was a board meeting. for the basket ball team and I did. I thought I did good Ms. D spoke up for the girl, and basically said, “look, I and so did every one else but I didn’t make it . . . and I know what it is to be harassed. But our school doesn’t asked around and EVERY one I asked said the coach do enough to stop it, even for teachers like myself. We hates lesbians. I look just like most girls, pretty, smart, hide who we are everyday.” lots of friends . . . love sports . . . but ever since I came —Ang quotes, “I believe we are given the gift of a out it all went down the drain. How do I handle this poetic platform so we can use it to speak for all the how do I react to the basket ball situation when I millions who are silenced.” absolutely love the sport. I cant handle this I love being gay but sometimes I wish I could have a break on it. Books can provide comfort and solace, strength and solutions. Books can be friends when you don’t Me too. Why should we care? We dedicate our feel you have a friend in the world. lives to growing good people, to making a difference in the world. We should care out of love. It’s amazing how cruel people are. I would think, “maybe I’m going through so many things that no one Hey dude, else goes through” but I went to my very first anime con and made friends when I read your book with what seems like every hot gay guy alive. I even Books can be friends and so many things are held up a sign that said “Hug me, I’m gay” and like exactly like things in 390,674,530,956 people hugged me. when you don’t feel you my life, it was interest I love being alive. ing and calming for my —Miles, age 12 have a friend in the world. mind. The spray painted locker, to the *** *** *** harassment by big groups of people, it all matched my life and things that C.J. Bott: Did you hear it? Did you hear your assign I knew my friends had gone through too. Keeping You ment? I am very proud of my profession, but I am also a Secret was like my reassurance that I wasn’t alone. embarrassed because for too long we have supported So I really want to thank you. You’ve put a smile on the Don’t Look philosophy, and the problem has NOT my face, that had been missing for a long time. GONE AWAY. —Jessy Your assignment is simple—Do Something. YOU. MUST. DO. SOMETHING. People listen to books in a way they listen to Yesterday someone asked my why I do this work, nothing else, partly, I think, because they identify and and I thought about it all night. The answer is simple. get lost in the story world (you can really start to see How could I not? And now, how could you not? The things from another point of view, put yourself in lives of over 32,000 students depends on it. someone else’s place), and partly because when people (And if every teacher who reads this article read a story they let their guard down. People don’t decides to do something—think of how many more think of a story as something that will change their lives could be touched.) minds, so they fully open them—and look what happens. I never gave thought to TG people before I Additional resources read Luna and now I’m astounded and sympathetic to Bott, C. J. The Bully in the Book and in the Classroom. Lanham, what they go through. MD: Scarecrow Press, 2004. Garden, Nancy. Annie on My Mind. New York: Farrar, Straus and —Elizabeth Giroux, 1982. Garden, Nancy. Berlin: City Split in Two. New York: Putnam, Bullying is a pervasive problem, and it’s not 1971. limited to peer interactions. Garden, Nancy. Case # 1: Mystery of the Night Raiders. New York: Aladdin, 1987.
50
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Garden, Nancy. Case # 2: Mystery of the Midnight Menace. Garden, Nancy. The Door Between. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York: Aladdin,1988. 1987. Garden, Nancy. Case # 3: Mystery of the Secret Marks. New Garden, Nancy. The Kid’s Code and Cipher Book. New York: York: Aladdin, 1989. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1981. Garden, Nancy. Case # 4: Mystery of the Kidnapped Kidnapper. Garden, Nancy. The Year They Burned the Books. New York: New York: Aladdin, 1994. Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1999. Garden, Nancy. Case # 5: Mystery of the Watchful Witches. Garden, Nancy. Vampires. New York: Bantam, 1973. New York: Aladdin, 1995. Garden, Nancy. Watersmeet. New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux, Garden, Nancy. Dove and Sword: A Novel of Joan of Arc. New 1983. York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1995. Garden, Nancy. What Happened in Marston? Stamford, CT: Garden, Nancy. Endgame. New York: Harcourt, 2006. Weekly Reader Books, 1971. Garden, Nancy. Fours Crossing. New York: Scholastic, 1981. Jones, Patrick, Maureen L. Hartman and Patricia Taylor. Connect Garden, Nancy. Fun with Weather Forecasting. New York: ing with Reluctant Teen Reader: Tips, Titles, and Tools. New Houghton Mifflin, 1977. York: Neal Schuman, 2006. Garden, Nancy. Garden, Nancy. Hear Us Out: Gay and Lesbian Jones, Patrick, Michele Gorman, and Tricia Suellentrop. Connect Stories of Struggle, Progress, and Hope, 1950 to Present. ing Young Adults and Libraries: A How-to-Do-It Manual, third New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007. edition, New York: Neal Schuman, 2004. Garden, Nancy. Good Moon Rising. New York: Farrar, Straus and Jones, Patrick, Patricia Taylor, and Kirsten Edwards. A Core Giroux, 1996. Collection for Young Adults. New York: Neal Schuman, 2002. Garden, Nancy. Holly’s Secret. New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux, Jones, Patrick. Chasing Tail Lights (forthcoming in 2007). 2000. Jones, Patrick. Nailed. New York: Walker, 2006. Garden, Nancy. Lark in the Morning. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Jones, Patrick. Things Change. New York: Walker, 2005. 1991. Peters, Julie Anne. Between Mom and Jo. Little, Brown, 2006. Garden, Nancy. Maria’s Mountain. New York: Houghton Mifflin, Peters, Julie Anne. Define “Normal.” Boston: Little, Brown, 2000. 1981. Peters, Julie Anne. Far From Xanadu. Boston: Little, Brown, Garden, Nancy. Meeting Melanie. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005. 2002. Peters, Julie Anne. grl2grl: short fictions (forthcoming in 2007). Garden, Nancy. Molly’s Family. New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux, Peters, Julie Anne. Keeping You a Secret. Boston: Little, Brown, 2004. 2003. Garden, Nancy. My Brother the Werewolf. New York: Random Peters, Julie Anne. Luna. Boston: Boston: Little, Brown, 2004. House, 1995. Garden, Nancy. My Sister the Vampire. New York: Random Websites House, 1992. www.authors4teens.com Garden, Nancy. Peace, O River. New York: Farrar, Straus and www.connectingya.com Giroux, 1986. www.JulieAnnePeters.com Garden, Nancy. Prisoner of Vampires. New York: Farrar, Straus, www.NancyGarden.com Giroux, 1984. Garden, Nancy. The Case of the Stolen Scarab. Ridley Park, PA: Two Lives, 2003.
51
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
T ◆ H ◆ E ALAN
elly
R REVIEW
vin in
er fire,
e
ve
ulsa, OK
ov
T
Barbara Ray Barbara
Shorewood, IL Shorewood,
Science Fiction
2˚ fever. The day 2˚ fever.
Colleen Freeburg
0
ISBN: 0618596313
ve powers
Time Travel/Fiction
ISBN: 0-618-59443-4
.C.
y need a new bass player, Zee is their bass player, y need a new
ork. After all, why memorize things you will memorize things you ork. After all, why
w
the Archer tells Kevin he is successful because he tells Kevin the Archer
ay
by Leander Watts by
When stepping into the world Watts has created, a reader has created, Watts When stepping into the world
r.
wing a rubber ball against the wall, he hears a loud noise and he hears wing a rubber ball against the wall,
we
o
by Linda Sue Park by
y for the Archer to get back to his country in 55 B y for the Archer
vin learns his heritage comes with fascinating stories and is amazed at what the
vin dreads his social studies home vin dreads
ater, earth, and air. She is a goddess of water and, though she does not belie She is a goddess of water earth, and air. ater,
eeps his eye on the goal and practices regularly. Practice is not boring; our minds can Practice regularly. on the goal and practices eeps his eye
steps into a modern world much like today’s, thus giving the story a more believable thus giving the story a more today’s, much like steps into a modern world edge. The plot’s twists and turns will keep readers interested until the last page is interested readers twists and turns will keep The plot’s edge. turned.
in the beginning, she soon sees both his and her own powers at work. But what will at work. powers in the beginning, she soon sees both his and her own happen when another group wants Zee to join them? wants happen when another group Leander Watts uses dynamic characters and a fast-paced story to create a fantasy world a fantasy and a fast-paced story to create uses dynamic characters Leander Watts filled with music and po
The Beautiful City of the Dead Houghton Mifflin, 2006, 254 pp., $16.00 Houghton Mifflin, 2006, “It starts with fire.” It is Zee’s first day of high school, and she has a 1 day first It is Zee’s “It starts with fire.” is a blur except for meeting Relly, the only one who really sees past her name. Relly is Relly sees past her name. the only one who really for meeting Relly, is a blur except the leader of a Ghost Metal band, and when the girl. Zee is swept up into a world of gods and goddesses who ha up into a world girl. Zee is swept w
New York. Kevin and the Archer discover they were both born in the year of the Tiger. both born in the year were they discover and the Archer Kevin York. New They realize there is one more day left in this year of the Tiger, and they must find a and they of the Tiger, left in this year day is one more there realize They wa Ke Archer is able to do. Along the w Archer k make anything interesting. anything make
Archer’s Quest Archer’s Clarion Books, 2006, 167 pp., $16.00 2006, Clarion Books, Ke never need? As he is thr never an arrow darts through his hat, pinning it to the wall! The strange older man that The strange his hat, pinning it to the wall! darts through an arrow appears calls himself Chu-mong and claims he is from Koguryo, now known as Korea. known now Koguryo, calls himself Chu-mong and claims he is from appears He says he was riding a tiger in the mountains before finding himself with K riding a tiger in the mountains before he was He says
2-0
om
exan
ceptive,
wspaper
xperiment
ermillion, SD
Judy Beemer
V
Lisa A. Hazlett
Discrimination
Junction City, KS Junction City,
acial
ISBN: 0-618-66378-9
ISBN: 0-7636-240
finds transplanted Texan finds transplanted
wspaper.
actices in her article. Baldwin actices in her article.
een Girls/Humor/Moral Issues een Girls/Humor/Moral
T
YA Book Reviews Clip & File YA
Historical Fiction/R
es the school.
v
shadowed by sophisticated, sarcastic narration sophisticated, sarcastic by shadowed
ver
yable.
now escorts readers to a haunting, almost Gothic, Bos- to a haunting, almost Gothic, escorts readers now
006, 277 pp., $7.99
Feed
by M. T. Anderson M. T. by
provokes thought by its haunting retelling of history with sophistica- its haunting retelling thought by provokes
gains verisimilitude from supposedly first-person sources—from clas- sources—from supposedly first-person from gains verisimilitude
ents, items potentially troublesome for its marketed younger females. younger for its marketed items potentially troublesome ents,
v
The Rise and Fall of a 10th Grade Social Climber Grade of a 10th The Rise and Fall
wick Press, 2006, 351 pp., $17.99 351 2006, wick Press,
er delightful the style, the story’s implied questions are tough: Has our country fr implied questions are the story’s er delightful the style,
aitor to the Nation
wner uses Mimi’s story and financially sa wner uses Mimi’s
All Q, No A: More Tales of a 10th Grade of a 10th Tales All Q, No A: More
This sequel to
Descriptions are over-long, numerous characters mean uneven development, and events development, mean uneven characters numerous over-long, Descriptions are are not always chronological, causing confusion. Still, Mimi is delightful with per chronological, not always are hilarious narration; she nails NYC’s pretentiousness and matures. Advanced readers should readers Advanced and matures. pretentiousness she nails NYC’s hilarious narration; find her adventures enticing and enjo find her adventures
by Lauren Mechling and Laura Moser Mechling and Laura Lauren Social Climber by Graphia/Houghton Mifflin, 2 Graphia/Houghton
Mimi returning to Baldwin, her ultra-progressive New York City school, and writing “T York New to Baldwin, her ultra-progressive Mimi returning in Gotham,” a column chronicling her experiences for their ne her experiences in Gotham,” a column chronicling Baldwin’s finances fall, but art dealer Serge Ziff’s huge donation means Mimi is assigned Ziff’s finances fall, but art dealer Serge Baldwin’s his interview; she uncovers and reveals his unfair business pr and reveals she uncovers his interview; halts publication, but her piece is leaked, causing chaos until an alumni ne halts publication, but her piece is leaked, o This simple, contrived plot is almost o contrived This simple, of complicated e
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: The Astonishing
tion enough for adults as well as young adults. Both can look forward to volume 2. to volume Both can look forward adults. as young tion enough for adults as well
Tr Candle The acclaimed author of ton, just as the Revolutionary War brews. Octavian appears the privileged recipient of the privileged recipient appears Octavian brews. War ton, just as the Revolutionary a classical education and lifestyle with rational scholars. Only after he dares to open a Only after he dares scholars. a classical education and lifestyle with rational forbidden door does he realize that he is really the object of a ghastly e that he is really forbidden door does he realize affecting not just him but his entire race. affecting not just him but his entire Octavian Nothing sical, scholarly testimonies by Octavian to rough but idealistic soldiers’ letters. How- letters. but idealistic soldiers’ to rough Octavian sical, scholarly testimonies by ev its origin been motivated more by economic gain than by ideals of equality? When and economic gain than by by more its origin been motivated how does rational scientific investigation mislead the public? scientific investigation does rational how Octavian Nothing A1
T ◆ H ◆ E
Blind Faith Behind the Curtain by Peter Abrahams Simon & Schuster Books for Y Laura Geringer Books, 2006, 346 pp., $16.89 2 Ingrid is trying to find out why she was kidnapped. Because Ingrid is a fan of Sherlock F Holmes and loves the theater, everyone thinks she made up the m her mother’s resulting depression is the piano. She soon finds that this isn’t enough, as good job of acting. The fact that she sa Liz’s mother begins attending the Singing Creek Spiritualist Church in an effort to put in the trunk of a car and yet escaped is hard to believe. She has suspects and speak to her own dead mother. With a father scarred as a child by religious experi- motives. Mrs. Groome picked her for the MathFest, and she was on her way to the ences, Liz finds her once intact family cracking like the discarded pottery in her mother’ ev shop. But, through her newfound friendship with Nathan, whose mother dragged her teen athletes, her brother being one of the victims. Julia LeCaine, assistant soccer children to her hometown to await her death, Liz begins to work through her grief and coach, kicked a soccer ball so hard it knocked Coach Ringer out, allowing Julia to helps Nathan and his younger sister along the w coach Ingrid’s team in the most important games. The Ferrand Group would do most anything to get Grampy to sell his farmland. Wittlinger’s melodic sense of humor and compassion create a story that all teens who have suffered a loss of any kind can relate to. It’s a story that illustrates that although This is the second book in the Echo Falls Mystery series, but it stands on its own. There blind faith in an institution can be deceiving, blind faith in those you love can make is lots of humor, suspense, and intelligent deductions as she works to solve the case. y
or Liz Scattergood, the only escape she has from her grandmother’s recent death and
006, 280 pp., $15.95
ou stronger.
ALAN ent when she was kidnapped. Ingrid disco REVIEW
by
Ellen Wittlinger
oung Readers,
ys
she was chloroformed, blindfolded, tied up,
ver
ed that someone is selling steroids to
ay.
Clip & File YA Reviews Book
Death/Family Relationships
ISBN: 978-1-4169-0273-7
y
stery and is doing a
ISBN: 0060737042
Rob
Barbara Ray
Olathe, KS
yn Seglem
Tulsa, OK
Mystery
s
Born to Rock Hyperion, 2006, 261 pp., $15.99 Wov cence, politics, music, sexuality, family, and friendship. When Leo, a typical 4.0 Y R ’80s punk rock group, one crazy summer ensues. King Maggot, said biological father invites Leo along for the group’s revival tour, and Leo commences to live the life of a r pursuits, drummers embezzling emeralds, best friend blog r searches, Leo learns the meaning of friendship, lo While the title and subject matter may suggest a racy book loaded with sex, drugs, and profanity, Korman manages to pack in the adventure and open the discussion without r kids in from the first line, this novel is “born to rock.”
Behind the Eyes P In the projects of El Paso, Texas, there’s no shortage of trouble and grief for sixteen- y the Discípulos, he’s sent away to Furman, a boarding school for troubled teens who show promise. However, Hector slowly realizes that his problems didn’t remain in El P appears. As Hector tries to make sense of his past, he is bombarded by his future. With the arrival of El Topo, a potential hit-man sent by the Discípulos, the story’s intensity rises. This new rivalry hurls Hector into a battle that he does not desire to be part of. He must decide if he’ll resort to violence or maturity, a decision that will shape the rest of his life. Behind the Eyes afford to miss. Some strong language and intense subject matter may keep it away from middle-grade readers.
oadie—minus the drugs, parties, and women—for two months. Amidst late-night poodle
aising the censorship flag. With a co
ear-old Hector Robles. After being hospitalized from a fight with the local gang called
aso and that his so-called “safe and undisclosed” environment may not be all that it
epublican bound for Harvard, finds out his biological father is the lead singer in an
enguin Group, 2006, 246 pp., $16.99
en with wit and anecdotal wisdom,
by Gordon Korman
is a smartly written page-turner that mature young adult readers can’t
by
Francisco X. Stork
v
er that rocks on its own and a story that dr
Born to Rock
y
Coming of Age/Family/Friendship
alty, and responsibility.
is a charming story of adoles-
ev
ISBN: 0-7868-0920-5
elations, and cavity
ISBN: 0-525-47735-7
Narragansett, RI
Hutchinson, KS
Matt Goasdone
Fiction/Gangs
Julie Jones
oung
aws
A2 ,
T ◆ H ◆ E
.
s
ent ALAN 05-8 REVIEW
ed; her
v
econciles
been for-
efield, KS
Nonfiction
ve
Shelbie Witte
Wak
Vicki Sherbert
Manhattan, KS
es.
ISBN: 0-8234-2035-3
Gen that the climate of
ISBN: 978-0-399-237
ailed during this period in
ws
ev
Coming of Age/Cold War/Bullying Coming of Age/Cold
shows that although young adult author that although young shows
to share ways in which the words latched onto their souls in which the words ways to share
s,
ed to stay home after completing eighth grade. Her father is obsessed home after completing eighth grade. ed to stay
w
highlights the best of the letters received by today’s most beloved authors. most beloved today’s by received highlights the best of the letters
Trudy Krishner Trudy
by
A. Barron, Laurie Halse Anderson, Nancy Garden, Neal Shusterman and others write Neal Shusterman and others Garden, Nancy Laurie Halse Anderson, A. Barron,
Dear Author a book. Dear Author reading er changed by
edited by Joan Kaywell of Hope edited by Letters Dear Author: Philomel Books, 2007, 240 pp., $14.99 2007, Philomel Books, Being a teenager is tough business. Young adult authors have the pulse of today’s teens the pulse of today’s have adult authors Young Being a teenager is tough business. and show it with their willingness to approach the very real issues that teens face each real the very it with their willingness to approach and show day. When young adult literature connects to teens, teens often have the desire to the desire teens often have connects to teens, adult literature When young day. connect with the author Dear Author Dear Author T. letters of hope to the teens, offering their insightful, heartfelt, humorous, and some- offering their insightful, heartfelt, humorous, of hope to the teens, letters times emotional responses in return. times emotional responses Whether faced with a life-changing decision or reflecting on events that robbed their that robbed on events Whether faced with a life-changing decision or reflecting innocence, teens profiled speak for the infinite number of people who ha teens profiled innocence, ev
cannot change the tough lives teens have to face, they can guide their readers to finding can guide their readers they to face, teens have cannot change the tough lives the hope within their books and, ultimately, the hope within their liv the hope within their books and, ultimately,
Fallout Holiday House, 2006, 315 pp., $17.95 315 2006, House, Holiday Genevieve must face her ninth-grade year alone. Her best friend Sally has mo alone. year must face her ninth-grade Genevieve
cousin Wills is allo with hurricanes, Communists, and preparing for a nuclear attack. Her mother tries to be and preparing Communists, with hurricanes, the perfect housewife and Tupperware consultant. Gen doesn’t quite know what to make consultant. Gen doesn’t quite know and Tupperware the perfect housewife of the new girl Brenda Wompers or her liberal-thinking parents. When Brenda is assigned When Brenda parents. or her liberal-thinking Wompers girl Brenda of the new as Gen’s Algebra tutor, a hesitant friendship forms. But Brenda’s parents begin to question parents But Brenda’s a hesitant friendship forms. tutor, Algebra as Gen’s the school’s required Civil Defense courses, and the rumor mill of the small town begins and the rumor mill of the small town Civil Defense courses, required the school’s to grind. An assigned project on the Salem witch trials sho to grind. An assigned project insecurity that fed the suspicions in Massachusetts in the 1600s was not that differ insecurity that fed the suspicions in Massachusetts in the 1600s was from the climate of insecurity in North Carolina in the 1950s. the climate of insecurity in North Carolina from Krishner has done a remarkable job developing characters that, through their own social their own that, through characters job developing Krishner has done a remarkable struggles, personify the distrust and suspicion that often pr personify struggles, our nation’s history. Middle and high school readers will relate to Gen as she r will relate Middle and high school readers history. our nation’s the hypocrisies she sees in friends and family with the faith to which she clings. the hypocrisies
y
ed
Bushnell’s
ed format.
amego, KS
Nonfiction
x
W
Manhattan, KS
Todd Goodson Todd
Families/Drugs
F.
ISBN: 0374322511
Nancy A. McFarlin Nancy
ISBN: 0-439-74352-4
glaries.
olutionary War. olutionary War.
is a recommended, quick- is a recommended,
ev
Falling
.
the book might also be consider
aft.
YA Book Reviews Clip & File YA
r,
ve
we
olutionary War) provided as asides in bo provided olutionary War)
ev
, Matt is under suspicion for the bur
by Arthur S. Lefkowitz by
attempts to balance the historical details with personal details of attempts to balance the historical details with personal
should be appealing to middle school students interested in mili- should be appealing to middle school students interested
is a brief account of Bushnell and his cr
Doug Wilhelm
by
is a great story, even if it is a little contrived. Chapters alternate between Matt alternate between Chapters if it is a little contrived. even story, is a great
w people realize the first submarine to appear in the history of warfare was the was submarine to appear in the history of warfare the first w people realize
as) of the first submarine. as) of the first
arrar, Straus & Giroux, 2007, 244 pp., $17.00 2007, & Giroux, Straus arrar,
American Turtle,” developed by David Bushnell during the R David by developed American Turtle,”
ead, high-interest title for students in grades 7-10. title for students in grades ead, high-interest
Submarine Although the tone of the book is somewhat pedantic, Lefkowitz includes a number of Lefkowitz pedantic, Although the tone of the book is somewhat fascinating details about the construction of the Turtle, and chapters are interspersed are and chapters fascinating details about the construction of the Turtle, with frequent discussions of related events or issues (e.g., the destruction of most or issues (e.g., events discussions of related with frequent university libraries during the R libraries university Bushnell’s Submarine Bushnell’s Bushnell and other figures surrounding the development and deployment (such as it and deployment the development surrounding Bushnell and other figures w Bushnell’s Submarine Bushnell’s tary history, construction, or engineering; ho tary history, for inclusion in interdisciplinary or thematic studies for inclusion in interdisciplinary
Bushnell’s Submarine Bushnell’s Scholastic, 2006, 136 pp., $16.99 2006, Scholastic, Falling F Fe “ All he can this year. not playing but he’s good—at basketball, good—really Matt was think about is walking around listening to his iPod and trying to ignore what’s going on what’s and trying to ignore listening to his iPod around think about is walking at home. But what is really going on? Matt has his suspicions, but is too afraid to but is too afraid going on? Matt has his suspicions, But what is really at home. confront his older brother Neal, a former high school b-ball star who didn’t get the his older brother confront scholarship to play Division I ball like he planned. Division I ball like to play scholarship One night, Matt logs in to a teen chat room and “meets” a girl (Katie), and when the and “meets” a girl (Katie), One night, Matt logs in to a teen chat room discover they attend the same high school, they “connect,” spending time together “connect,” attend the same high school, they they discover after school. But when things begin disappearing from Matt’s house, enough to alert house, Matt’s after school. But when things begin disappearing from the parents to call the police the parents Falling Falling and Katie, keeping the book flowing, and elements of high school gossip and popular- the book flowing, keeping and Katie, ity keep the book interesting for girls as well as boys. as boys. for girls as well the book interesting ity keep r A3
T ◆ H ◆ E
P different from the reality of those dreams. Penny learns how to accept things for what they are, not wishing to be someone else or go some place else. It is okay to just be.
est in the history of football.
Heroes of Football: The Story of Americas Game Geography of Girlhood by Little, Brown & Company, 2006, 184 pp., $16.99 Dutton Children’s Books, 2006, 80 pp., $18.99 All Penny can think about is getting a mother did when Penny was six. Her story begins at the end of ninth grade. She is consumed by the great life she sees her sister living. Tara is pretty, popular with bo On the shelf, football. The book’s cover and design suggests lots of colorful pictures and limited text, a and able to defy their father. Problems are compounded when Dad marries and adds a book suitable for struggling readers at the middle-school le stepbrother, Spencer, to the equation. Penny shares her first kiss, infatuation with her history teacher, experimentation with drinking and sex, and finally running a The inside of the book does not match those expectations. The book is a surprisingly her sister’s ex-boyfriend, Bobby. detailed and rich history of American football from its origins in the early da Century through the contemporary National Football League. The text is well written, Kirsten Smith shares, in the form of verse, how fragile life can be while gr r game and a thorough discussion of rule the de played through the years. While the book is clearly well done, it does present two concerns. First, struggling read- ers will be drawn by the book’s style and design and become frustrated by the density of the text. Conversely, strong readers might well be put off by those same design elements Nevertheless,
eplete with lively anecdotes about the personalities involved in the evolution of the
enny gets her wish and runs a
ALAN John Madden with Bill Gutman REVIEW
Heroes of Football
Heroes of Football
by Kirsten Smith
is an invaluable resource for young people with an inter-
appears to be a glossy, light celebration of professional
way with Bobby, only to realize that dreams are so
way from her dull, small-town life, just like her
v
elopment of the w
Clip & File YA Reviews Book
vel.
Contemporary Fiction
ay
ISBN: 0-525-47698-9
Nonfiction/Football
the game has been
ISBN: 0316160210
F.
Todd Goodson
Manhattan, KS
ys
Barbara Ray
of the 20th
o
Tulsa, OK
wa
wing up.
y with
ys,
.
Grand and Humble Harper Tempest, imprint of HarperCollins 2
Grand and Humble lives are intertwined in a m r senator, has premonitions of disaster that haunt his life. The forebodings cause anxiety attacks and a greater rift between his mother and him. The Chess Club geek, Mann e ening scenes of his nightmares. His easygoing father becomes aloof and a questions regarding Manny’s childhood. The connections between the two teenagers seem to surface and the plot unr the engrossed reader realizes an astounding new twist is added. The secret of the two boys lies at the intersection of Grand and Humble
R the negative consequences of Ale
I Am the Great Hors Chicken House, 2006, 401 pp., $16.99 Alexander the Great was a mighty conqueror and a powerful warrior. Little is known about him personally. Perhaps that might be different if his greatest friend could tell his story. That is the premise behind Roberts’ told by his powerful horse, Bucephalas. After Bucephalas kills his first master, he is shipped north to be sold in Macedonia. The instant Alexander sits on his back, their fates are forever intertwined. Bucephalas and Alexander ride into battle, cutting down all who oppose them. Ne is the groom, Charm. Like Bucephalas, who sees ghosts in one e many secrets. She often acts as Ale r our equine narrator never totally answers. I Am the Great Horse
eader presume they are connected. Harlan, the good-looking, popular teenage son of a
ole of liberator and hero. The reader is often left wondering who is right, a question
12 pp., $15.99
xhausted. The geek controls the lighting in the theatr
oberts’ approach allows the reader to revel in the battles while still being able to see
is an intriguing tale of two young men, Harlan and Mann
by
e by Katherine Roberts
is an exciting look at one of the world’s great military leader
Brent Hartinger
y,
y
sterious journey of similarities and opposites, making the
is consumed with nightmares that leave him terrified and
x
x
ander’s conquests.
ander’s conscience, questioning his self-pr
, 2006,
.
I Am the Great Horse
e,
but he cannot contr
Historical Fiction/Action
Mental Health/Family
v
. Alexander’s story is
ISBN: 0-439-82163-0
er far from their side
ye
ISBN: 0060567279
, Charm, too, has
Junction City, KS
Kar
Manhattan, KS
v
P
oids Manny’s
olinde Young
aulette Clark
ol the fright-
av
oclaimed
y,
els, until
whose
A4 s.
T ◆ H ◆ E
,
e, ge ALAN
et’s
ades efer- REVIEW
uslan,
sunami
T
en more.
amego, KS
v
W
Judy Beemer
Nancy A. McFarlin Nancy
Junction City, KS Junction City,
ISBN: 1416911650
ISBN: 0-8027-8077-6
Father-son Relationships/Bullying Father-son
sunami
is a disturbing one, but one that will pluck at the heartstrings is a disturbing one,
s,
er sports. At home, his tough-guy dad criticizes Br home, At er sports.
rather than token, ways to take a stand. to take ways than token, rather
oung Readers,
v
e,
astates the area. In the aftermath, Sarah and her brother Peter and her brother In the aftermath, Sarah astates the area.
v
that overtook this region in December 2004. Recommended for gr Recommended in December 2004. this region that overtook
uslan guides them to his father who fixes their engine, and they sail and they their engine, uslan guides them to his father who fixes
by Richard Lewis Richard by
R
ow
e.
orld
Patrick Jones Patrick
by
006, 183 pp., $15.95
on, but not before Ruslan notices Sarah and her crystal blue eyes. and her crystal notices Sarah Ruslan on, but not before Later that morning, both Ruslan’s and Sarah’s worlds are shattered by an oceanic earthquak by shattered are worlds and Sarah’s Later that morning, both Ruslan’s followed by a tsunami that de by followed
The Killing Sea: A Novel about the T Nailed that Stunned the W pp., $16.95 216 and Co., 2006, Walker Simon & Schuster Books for Y The nail that sticks out the farthest, Bret Hendricks just invites someone to hammer The nail that sticks out the farthest, Bret 2 him down. At school, the “jockarchy” call him “Freak Faggot” because of his pr Faggot” call him “Freak school, the “jockarchy” At him down. ence for theater and music o It is a beautiful morning in Meulaboh, Aceh, Indonesia. Sarah and her American family are on a and her American family are Indonesia. Sarah It is a beautiful morning in Meulaboh, Aceh, him to spend time then ignores and baggy Goodwill clothes, ponytail green-tinted sailing vacation and in need of some engine repair. Going ashore, they meet Ruslan, a boy work- a boy meet Ruslan, they Going ashore, and in need of some engine repair. sailing vacation even girlfriend Kylee, one refuge, Bret’s Camaro. instead, with a cherished vintage red ing at a café on the shor to fight the jocks who taunt him. dumps him when he refuses After a year of being hammered on, Bret decides not to yield but to stick out e on, Bret of being hammered After a year He runs for student body president on an anti-bullying platform that endangers both on an anti-bullying platform that endangers He runs for student body president his school career and his physical safety. He also learns he has support from unex- He also learns he has support from safety. and his physical his school career discover their family’s sailboat wrecked, their mother dead, and their father missing. R sailboat wrecked, their family’s discover pected quarters. thinking his father is on a job fixing the engine on a tanker in the harbor, desperately begins desperately in the harbor, thinking his father is on a job fixing the engine on a tanker Bret’s voice will call to adolescents who feel they also don’t quite fit in and will ur will call to adolescents who feel they voice Bret’s searching for him. Thus the story begins for both teens as they search for their missing fathers in for their missing fathers search for him. Thus the story begins for both teens as they searching them to consider constructiv a devastated countryside. a devastated The story, told in alternating chapter The story, – the strength of these teens, and the challenges they face alone, and then together, reflect only reflect and then together, face alone, and the challenges they of these teens, – the strength slightly the immense sorr 7-10.
.
.
e
vil
eep
is a
eser-
ample of
x
olinde Young
Manhattan, KS
Manhattan, KS
Todd Goodson Todd
Kar
ntasy/Adventure
F.
Fa
ISBN: 0-439-70087-6
ISBN: 0-8234-1975-4
Short Stories/Football
er Sir Thursday’s dominions. er Sir Thursday’s
v
YA Book Reviews Clip & File YA
, Arthur’s problems go problems of the Kingdom, Arthur’s The Keys
Love, Football, and Other Contact Sports Football, Love,
ys,
.
vious three books in the series, Nix spins an intricate tale of deception and books in the series, vious three
e
ess, 2006, 352 pp., $ 16.99 2006, ess,
is sure to be popular with fantasy and action lovers in middle school and high and action lovers to be popular with fantasy is sure
Garth Nix Alden R. Carter
ell-crafted, gentle exploration of the extraordinary nature of ordinary adolescents of ordinary nature of the extraordinary gentle exploration ell-crafted,
ation.
w Secondary teachers can recommend this book for independent reading without r this book for independent reading can recommend Secondary teachers v
Just as in the pr survival. The only caution: The series is best read in order to understand the complete story to understand in order The only caution: The series is best read survival.
The Keys of the Kingdom Book Four: Sir Thursday of the Kingdom Book Four: The Keys and Other Contact Sports Football, Love, by by Scholastic Pr pp., $16.95 261 2006, House, Holiday Alden Carter’s most recent offering is a collection of stories following a group of young a group offering is a collection of stories following most recent Alden Carter’s people through high school, football, and relationships. In typical Carter fashion, the high school, football, and relationships. people through Arthur wants nothing more than to go home and lead a normal life. Unfortunately, nothing has Unfortunately, than to go home and lead a normal life. nothing more Arthur wants narratives are set in rural Wisconsin, the characters are deeply sympathetic, and a deeply sympathetic, are Wisconsin, the characters set in rural are narratives been normal since he first encountered the mysterious Monday and found himself appointed Monday the mysterious encountered been normal since he first permeates the book. sense of the Midwest strong heir to the architect. In book number four of heir to the architect. from bad to worse. Not only is his leg still broken, but he finds himself unable to return home but he finds himself unable to return Not only is his leg still broken, bad to worse. from book. Of particular it is a genuinely funny serious themes, While the book addresses note is the story “Pig Brains,” in which our protagonist declares he is going to tak declares in which our protagonist note is the story “Pig Brains,” from the mysterious House, home of the immortal denizens. Just as things seem to be at their home of the immortal denizens. House, the mysterious from Lithuanian fried brains with Cossack sauce to his social studies class as an e Lithuanian fried brains darkest, a messenger arrives with draft papers. with draft a messenger arrives darkest, food reflecting his ethnic heritage. This story would be an ideal read-aloud selection for be an ideal read-aloud This story would his ethnic heritage. food reflecting While Arthur’s friend Leaf battles an evil Arthur look-a-like on Earth, Arthur must try to k Arthur look-a-like friend Leaf battles an evil While Arthur’s high school students his true identity hidden from Sir Thursday and his minions. Even more frightening, an e more Even and his minions. Sir Thursday his true identity hidden from to appeal to both girls and bo Likely army has managed to enter the House and is quickly taking o army
Sir Thursday school. A5
T ◆ H ◆ E
Simon Pulse, 2006, 227 pp., $8.99 R moment when she can escape her gr drug dependent mother. When her kind, good-hearted father drives their dented Subaru onto the manicured campus, Reed has a moment of misgiving. But seeing this as her Merger, a vision of utopia originally designed to abolish racial differences and elimi- only hope, she puts on a br nate conflict, has become a nightmare of reality that only Dirk and his friends ha ability to reverse. With the help of a m This is the story of a young girl’s attempt to escape her painful world and find her place abilities mirror those of the teens, Dirk and his friends refine their abilities and pr in a privileged one. As Reed tries to break into the inner circle of the most elite gr to step back in time to meet Senator Broogue and prevent him from ever setting the on campus, she finds she must choose between the new love in her life and the hope of Merger into motion. becoming one of the Billings Girls. Better suited to high school r in a series left me in complete suspense about the choices Reed will make, the disap- The characters are well-crafted, likeable and vivid; adolescent readers are sure to iden- pearance of her boyfriend, and the ceremony that could change her life. Reading the tify with them. Layne weaves a fantastic story full of action and tender moments sequel is a must! conflict and teamwork. Engaging to reluctant and avid readers alike, science fiction, fantas nates from beginning to end.
Private Mergers P In a world where all races have been blended into one, Dirk, Mateo, Nicci, and K are unique. In addition to their supernatural abilities, they’ve retained their ethnic features, and that’s why Senator Broogue will stop at nothing to destr
elican Publishing, 2 ALAN eed Brennan has won a scholarship to Easton Academy. She has dreamed of this REVIEW
by
by
Kate Brian
Steven L. Layne
006, 206 pp., $15.99
y,
and our all-too-human struggles—pr
av
e face and says good-bye.
ay
, suburban life and her alcoholic, prescription
y
sterious trio of Elders whose ethnicity and
Clip & File YA Reviews Book
Racial Intolerance/Leadership
ISBN: 13: 978-1-4269-1873-8
Coming of Age/Suspense
o
viding a story that r
eaders, this first book
ISBN: 1589801830
Mergers
Vicki Sherbert
Wak
oy
R
achel Lance
them. The
efield, KS
Elgin, IL
blends
ve
epare
eiko
eso-
oup
the
,
Pucker The Murder of Bindy MacK R Arthur A. Levine Books, 2006, 494 pp., $ 16.99 Burn victim Thomas Gale is ignored by his classmates and referred to as “Pucker.” Bindy MacKenzie can do no wrong. She is in the top of her class, notices everything Now, his closest friend is his dying mother. As Thomas’ mother is facing her last da around her, and offers self-help sessions for her fellow students. Bindy is the last per- she asks him a fa son who needs a friendship and de home dimension from which they were banished years ago. personality of vicious animals, and her too American teacher is too much to deal with. Life couldn’t be worse, until it gets worse. As Thomas cons his w healed of his wounds. People finally notice him without disgust. Thomas enjo The mystery behind two teachers’ arguments, the enigmatic and cute Finnegan Blonde attention and starts having trouble deciding how to use his time. Does he want to stay and her own family’s hidden secrets unfold as Bindy tells her story through memos, in Isaura and have friends, or should he be searching for his mother’s cure? His deceit ponderings, letters, and her ever present electronic journal. More mysterious are the gets dangerous as he starts to arouse suspicion. No changes within Bindy herself. Is she being poisoned? Or is she just losing her mind? facing danger, and he must make the right choice—fast. Moriarty spins a fascinating story of an o Melanie Gideon writes a gripping tale on redemption, love, and the blessing of the tations, at the same time presenting an intriguing m unknown future. Readers will walk away from this book inspired to live life fearlessly. the mysteries revealed. An excellent book for upper middle school and high school.
azorbill, 2006, 273 pp., $16.99
by
Melanie Gideon
vo
r.
Thomas must find a cure for his mother’s illness in Isaura—the
ay
back into Isaura, something extraordinary happens—he is
enzie
by Jaclyn Moriarty
v
elopment class. Her fellow classmates take on the
ver
achiever forced to deal with her own limi-
w,
y
stery. Not until the end are all of
Thomas and his new friends are
ISBN: 0-439-74051-7
ISBN: 1595140557
Kar
P
atrick McGrath
Manhattan, KS
olinde Young
Bartlett, IL
Mystery
F
antasy
ys
the
ys,
A6 ,
T ◆ H ◆ E ALAN
eck- ellas REVIEW
e.
Fiction
Nicole Runge
Algonquin, IL
Manhattan, KS
Todd Goodson Todd
F.
age 12-year-old girl age 12-year-old
he can relate to her he can relate
ISBN: 0-8100-5756-6
ver
rs
ve
ISBN: 978-1-4169-0942-2
Nonfiction/History/Espionage
erything is happening fast. All Shug
v
century American history would be enriched by this text, be enriched by century American history would
th
0
oung Readers,
er find their way into the textbooks. While passing reference is While passing reference into the textbooks. er find their way
v
one. Tension mounts at home as Shug’s parents constantly fight parents mounts at home as Shug’s Tension one.
by Janet Wyman Coleman Janet Wyman by
y
e.
Jenny Han Jenny
by
ams, 2006, 114 pp., $24.95 114 2006, ams,
ants is for her life to stay just the way it is. just the way ants is for her life to stay
006, 248 pp., $14.95
and many reluctant adolescent readers would be captivated by the discussions of umbr by be captivated would adolescent readers reluctant and many that fire lethal pellets, listening devices hidden in decorative wall plaques, and all of the other plaques, wall hidden in decorative listening devices lethal pellets, that fire treasures compiled her treasures
Secrets, Lies, Gizmos, and Spies: A History Gizmos, Lies, Secrets, Shug of Spies and Espionage Simon & Schuster Books for Y (with the International Spy Museum) (with the International Spy 2 Abr
As the summer comes to an end, twelve-year-old Annemarie Wilcox, known as “Shug” to known Annemarie Wilcox, As the summer comes to an end, twelve-year-old her family, realizes junior high school is going to be completely different from elementary from junior high school is going to be completely different realizes her family, The International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. is fast becoming one of the most popular Museum in Washington, The International Spy her is changing, and e around school. Everything field trip destinations in the city, and this colorful, glossy book brings the resources of the book brings the resources and this colorful, glossy field trip destinations in the city, w museum to classrooms and libraries. It is hard for adolescents not to be interested in spies and for adolescents not to be interested It is hard and libraries. museum to classrooms All the boys her age are starting to take an interest in girls; however, Annemarie finds in girls; however, an interest starting to take her age are All the boys spying, and this text is replete with high-interest illustrations and photos of cool spy gadgets, and photos of cool spy illustrations with high-interest is replete and this text spying, as too tall, too flat-chested, and too fr being left behind. She thinks of herself herself as well as discussions of spies and spying throughout history and in the popular cultur throughout as discussions of spies and spying as well When led. Annemarie has a crush on her longtime friend, Mark, but he is oblivious. This book is an invaluable addition to any social studies class, providing examples of the kinds examples providing social studies class, addition to any This book is an invaluable Jack, she disco enemy, to tutor her worst Annemarie is forced problems better than an problems of historical details that ne because of her father’s extensive traveling and her mother’s drinking binges. and her mother’s traveling extensive because of her father’s Jenny Han’s descriptive style and realistic dialogue brings Annemarie’s character to life. character dialogue brings Annemarie’s style and realistic descriptive Han’s Jenny Han is able to effectively express the trials and tribulations that an a express Han is able to effectively faces in her first year of middle school. year faces in her first
made to other historical periods, the vast majority of the book focuses on the World War II and War majority of the book focuses on the World the vast made to other historical periods, Cold War eras. Any discussion of 2 Any eras. Cold War
005
Little Rock, AR Little Rock,
Judith A. Hayn
Little Rock, AR Little Rock,
Judith A. Hayn
and attends Sylvia
ISBN: 0-06-057494
ISBN: 0-6-077628-5
,
,” a reference to both his ,” a reference
Baseball/Friendship/AIDS
Identity/Friendship/Family
. Ruby slowly grows up amidst grows slowly . Ruby
ery teen needs.
v
YA Book Reviews Clip & File YA
ensington Heights
ery middle school girl as she has the
K
el was first published in England in 2 first el was
v
the “hot corner
v
a,
ys
en days he must wait for the results. He is the for the results. he must wait en days
v
by Rowan Coleman Rowan by
vide the stability e
o
by Terry Trueman Terry by
ed by the aging actress who plays her mom. Her first screen her mom. Her first who plays the aging actress ed by
uby’s answers, and sections of TV script. answers, uby’s
oung man who pla
v
arker, at 13, would be the envy of e at 13, would arker,
P
by
ell-written story of a y
aiting room of the Spokane Public Health building to take an AIDS test. His best Public Health building to take of the Spokane aiting room
Ruby Parker Hits the Small Time Parker Ruby HarperTempest, 2007, 240 pp., $16.99 2007, HarperTempest, Ru ingénue role on a popular British soap oper ingénue role Lighthouse’s Academy for the Performing Arts. Troubled teens pour out their hearts to Troubled Arts. for the Performing Academy Lighthouse’s her in fan mail, and she solves their problems with ease. Her best friend Nydia sup- Her best friend Nydia with ease. their problems her in fan mail, and she solves ports her fame and celebrity. Her parents live an upper middle class life, while they an upper middle class life, live Her parents ports her fame and celebrity. bank her money in trust and pr bank her money Then her parents decide to divorce; her dad moves into an apartment; her mom is in her dad moves decide to divorce; Then her parents tears; the advice letters begin to mirror her life. She overhears that her role may be cut, may that her role She overhears her life. begin to mirror the advice letters tears; but she thinks she is sa kiss looms with her secret crush, her teen hunk co-star kiss looms with her secret all the drama, both onscreen and off. This no both onscreen all the drama, and includes fan mail, R
third baseman on the undefeated high school baseball team, and Trueman highlights baseman on the undefeated high school baseball team, and Trueman third the plot with baseball action, sports allusions, and flashbacks. This is the powerful, and flashbacks. the plot with baseball action, sports allusions, w
7 Days at the Hot Corner HarperTempest, 2006, 160 pp., $15.99 2006, HarperTempest, This page-turner opens with Scott, a senior in high school, nervously sitting in the This page-turner opens with Scott, a senior in high school, nervously w friend Travis has outed himself in an anonymous interview published in the school interview has outed himself in an anonymous friend Travis newspaper, and his parents asked him to leave home because they are worried he will worried are home because they him to leave asked and his parents newspaper, negatively influence his younger brother. Scott’s dad is allowing Travis to live with to live Travis dad is allowing Scott’s brother. influence his younger negatively them, much to Scott’s discomfort. During impromptu practice at the batting cage, Travis at the batting cage, practice discomfort. During impromptu them, much to Scott’s gets hit and develops a massive nosebleed. Scott now fears the worst result of an result the worst fears nosebleed. Scott now a massive gets hit and develops unexpected homosexual encounter and gets tested. homosexual unexpected The novel follows Scott during the se follows The novel
baseball position and the tense place he finds himself in life. As a bonus, myths about myths As a bonus, baseball position and the tense place he finds himself in life. AIDS are dispelled with accurate information. dispelled with accurate AIDS are A7
T ◆ H ◆ E
Sucking Brain Zombies, tures in ov These two intelligent and sensitive characters, along with their other pals pr created the secret gay-straight alliance at Robert I. Goodkind High School the y before; that story was told in Hartinger’s award-winning provides students from other schools who also act as extras playing normal high school students who gradually morph into zombies. The setting provides the backdrop for teen romance, adolescent treachery, prejudice, and resolution. Hartinger has another winner in this well-written and often poignant story
is told from two points of view—Russel Middlebrook and his best friend Min Wei, 16- y
The Unresolved by T.K. Welsh Split Screen Dutton Books, 2006, 149 pp., $16.99 HarperTempest, 2007, 304 pp., $16.99 In an interesting twist for historical fiction, T.K. Welsh’s first young adult novel, Split screen refers to more than a visual effect as this no Unresolved of the true-life burning and sinking of the steamship the General Slocum in New York City’s East River in June 1904. In the novel, the steamship fire is started after our protagonist, 15-year-old Mallory, r are rotten (a historically accurate detail), and she dr w cannot rest until justice is done. No doubt many adolescents will enjoy this blend of romance and the supernatural set against the backdrop of an American tragedy that is often overlooked.
eceives her first kiss from a young man. He attempts to sa
ear-olds who sign on as extras in the locally filmed version of
ater. He survives, only to be blamed for causing the fir ALAN er Russel’s story. REVIEW
Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies
, develops a tale of romance told from the point of view of a ghost, a victim
by Brent Hartinger
which is also the title of Russel’s tale. Min writes of her adv
Historical Fiction/Ghosts/R
Gay/Lesbian Relationships/Friendships
, which the reader finds by flipping
Clip & File YA Reviews Book
.
o
wns after he pushes her into the
e,
v
ve
el is a flip-the-book. The plot
and our now ghostly narrator
Geography Club
her, but the ship’s lifejackets
ISBN: 0-06-082408-5
ISBN: 0-525-47731-4
A
omance/Prejudice
ttack of the Soul-
F.
Todd Goodson
Judith A. Hayn
Little Rock, AR
Manhattan, KS
. The filming
eviously
The
en-
ear
Trigger Bloomsbury, 2006, 262 pp., $16.95 Jersey Hatch can’t remember the past two years. He can’t remember why he’s blind in one eye, why his once-athletic body no longer works quite right, and most of all, what happened the night he was shot. The night he shot himself. After months of r tion, Jersey returns home, sending him on a quest to find the answer to what made him pull the trigger. T speech, Jersey’s story unfolds through the help of his childhood neighbors: Mama R accept the impact his actions had on his own family. Although not a conventional mystery, this book keeps the reader guessing and w ing what drove this once seemingly perfect boy to attempt the ultimate act. Jer story is not one that will quickly be for
old in the stilted language of a young man who cannot control his thoughts and
ush, Leza, and finally, his ex-best friend, Todd. Along the way, he must also face and
Publishers who wish to submit a book for possible review should send a copy of the book to:
To contact Lori Goodson at [email protected]
submit a review for possible publication or to become a r
by Susan Vaught
Lori Goodson 409 Cherry Circle Manhattan, KS 66503
gotten.
ISBN: 1-58234-920-7
eviewer,
Rob
Olathe, KS
yn Seglem
ehabilita-
Suicide
onder-
sey’s A8
Chris Goering
Interviewing the Interviewer: Talking with Robert Lipsyte
ntimidating. As a sportswriter, gave half answers. He pried. All at Robert Lipsyte covered beats the same time, his soothing voice I ranging from NASCAR to high and warm manner made me feel school football for The New York comfortable sharing with him, a Times. His 40-year career has taken man I had just met who proved him into the locker rooms of anything but intimidating. professional athletes, out to dinner The topic of this interview with coaches, and behind the deals in part with Lipsyte’s scenes of the American sports thoughts and experiences with machine. His successes as a writing and young adult literature. journalist and young adult novelist Additionally, we discuss his latest are well documented. Just outside novel, and he shares experiences of the 2006 ALAN Conference, I sat unique to the high school sports across the table from him and felt culture. It was an honor to myself slipping out of my comfort zone. Suddenly, the interview an author I have admired for many years. legend I eagerly agreed to interview was interviewing His frank, realistic, and forthcoming voice can be me. heard in his words and stories. In talking about his latest book, he asked about my experience playing and coaching high school TAR: What inspired you to be a writer and how much football. I talked about much of the jock culture that I of your writing relies on your contact or former had witnessed firsthand, the steroids and the pressure experiences with people as a reporter? to perform at all costs. He understood; he had seen it before. Just as his new novel, Raiders Night, is making RL: Writing is the only thing I have ever wanted to do. some of the high school sports establishment uncom I was lucky. Emily Dickinson, whom I always liked fortable, I started feeling a bit uneasy. After all, I had a lot, never left her room, and I don’t know how sworn secrecy when my teammate decided to take many people she talked to. I don’t know if that is steroids in high school. He wanted to be bigger, faster, the only thing, but I think it has always been and stronger as our weight program proclaimed we necessary for me that journalism is where I got my should be. I, too, was part of that jock culture, but I ideas. That is really where I got my training. had escaped. Lipsyte asked why I hadn’t taken steroids. He TAR: How often are you still writing for the newspa asked what had happened to my friend that had. He pers? asked if the coaches knew. He followed up when I
52
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
RL: Whenever I need instant gratification. Whenever I so he grew up in a household with two people who think nobody’s listening to me. I sporadically write were writing and that kind of demystified the editorials for USA Today. I do a lot of work for process. He got the idea that it was something not ESPN and occasionally for ESPN.com. I’m starting all that difficult. These people whom he had seen now to write these long pieces every other month; bleary eyed or picking their noses were writers, so The Nation has a blog called Tom Dispatch anybody could be a writer. (www.tomdispatch.com). I just did one on why the Republicans didn’t win; it’s because they alienated TAR: Is there something that’s happened in your NASCAR fans. That’s my whole theory, but it’s career as a young adult author that nobody or not really kind of about NASCAR. I spent a lot of time as many people know about that you consider a covering NASCAR. But at the time I’m kind of highlight? Is there like a single letter, maybe that writing semi-sports political pieces. I write for USA you’ve gotten back from a student? Today and ESPN just to keep my hand in journal ism. The day-to-day work is fiction. RL: There have been a lot of things. I guess the thing that’s in my mind happened about an hour and a TAR: What’s a typical day look like? Do you have a half ago. I was signing, and this guy came up and typical day? said “I don’t want to make you feel old, but I RL: You’ve got to keep hours. I get up at eight o’clock, read The Contender 30 It’s not about The Con something like that. My wife and I, we split our years ago and it time between Manhattan and we have a house on changed my life. I was tender, it’s about people Shelter Island. We have exactly the same setup. We a really reluctant each have the same desktop in each place. So, at reader; people thought I who are still open to new both places, I get up around eight o’clock, get a cup was retarded. Then I ideas, the process of of coffee and go to work. If it’s warm enough I read that book and I’m don’t put clothes on. It’s my house. My office is like going to have my first becoming, and some ten steps away from the bedroom. If it is the first young adult novel draft, I write it in long hand in pencil. After that, I published next year.” really smart teacher put write on the computer, and I generally can fit in a Something like that the right book in his or good six hours. In the afternoon, I’ll do journalism kind of gives you or answer mail. If I’m in the city, I’ll go to the gym. shivers. Every so often, her hands and made the If I’m in the country, I’ll go bike-riding. That’s the you hear something like day. I see my kids, see friends and laugh. that and it’s thrilling. I difference. That’s what think that there are a young adult literature can TAR: You mentioned your son is a writer and has lot of young adult published books of his own. Do you see yourself in writers that would tell do; that’s what keeps us his writing? How? you the same story, and I think that I was just going. RL: Yep, he’s a wonderful writer and his name is Sam lucky to hear that story Lipsyte. He’s written two novels and a book of about The Contender. short stories. He’s a professor of creative writing at But I think that’s what empowers young adult Columbia. I don’t see myself in his writing style. He literature. It’s not about The Contender, it’s about writes very darkly comic novels, every so often I people who are still open to new ideas, the process cringe because I see myself in his stories. Some of becoming, and some really smart teacher put the thing I did or parts of myself. I wonder how he right book in his or her hands and made the knew about that. Uh, he’s absolutely honest, has difference. That’s what young adult literature can no shame in using anything in his life. His mother, do; that’s what keeps us going. my former wife who’s deceased, was also a writer,
53
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
TAR: How does your career as a journalist compare to chemotherapy treatment lost all of his hair, turned your career as a young adult novelist? Is the writing slightly green, gained a lot of weight, and had process greatly different for you when you are superhuman powers. The evolution of that was that working on a young adult novel compared to an about thirty years ago I had cancer, lost all my hair, article? though I didn’t turn green or get superhuman powers, my kids were small. During the treatment I RL: Actually what happened was I was a pretty fast was sitting around the house; I was pretty sick. If I typist. In the Army they sent me to clerk typist was sitting in a chair, my wife would have to help school. Which is great me out. I started telling them these stories about for deadlines and this kid who had cancer and superhuman powers. In the army they sent me journalism, but it really At the end of the book his cancer is cured and he gives a staccato beat to has to face this enormous problem, should he keep to clerk typist school. my writing. When I taking the chemotherapy or give up his superhu was writing The man powers. I have always written realistic fiction Which is great for dead- Contender, the first long and there was an element of fantasy in this; I don’t lines and journalism, but fiction I wrote, I began think people ever quite got it. Or, as I said, maybe it to realize that every was a bad book, but I liked that book. I don’t know it really gives a staccato sentence looked and about the best one I have ever written, but I have sounded the same. That the softest spot in my heart for it. beat to my writing. When is when I started I was writing The Con- writing in longhand. TAR: Do you have a colleague in young adult literature There is a real differ that is your favorite or that you look up to the tender, the first long ence when I am writing most? in longhand, and ever fiction I wrote, I began since that, I have RL: Yeah, there are a lot of people out there that I written all first drafts of admire. Personally, Judy Blume, Walter Dean to realize that every sen all fiction in longhand Myers, Chris Crutcher, Francesca Lia Block, M.E. tence looked and sounded and all journalism I do Kerr, and I think the all-time best is Robert Cormier. completely with the I think he is the man, I really do. One of the books the same. That is when computer. That is is After the First Death. Actually maybe the best mechanical. I have book on terrorism I have ever read. It captures the I started writing in long always needed both. I whole sense of terrorism from both sides. It hand. enjoy the journey of captures the terrorists and the victims. He is an getting out, seeing amazing guy. I found him very inspirational places, and meeting because he was a newspaper columnist and a really people with journalism. Almost everything fictional nice man. I think that of everything in young adult I have written has either come out of my personal fiction, After the First Death is really the most life or out of journalism. powerful. I remember the first time I read it, I read it on a plane, a long flight. I just finished it as the TAR: What is the best book you’ve written? plane landed and I couldn’t get up. Finally the flight attendant came over and said “Sir, is there a RL: I don’t know. Every book has something that problem?” It is the kind of book that makes me glad might make them first. One Fat Summer was the to be part of this genre. closest to my own life. I have a soft spot in my heart for a book that really went into the toilet: The TAR: What do you see as the biggest obstacle for Chemo Kid. It may not have been a good book; that young adult literature in the next twenty years? is always a possibility. I think people just didn’t get it. It was about a kid who got cancer and during his RL: Well, I think there is an awful lot of crap being
54
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
published, pandering series with books that don’t Washington, where some families wanted to have seem to be in the best interest of kids, books that The Contender banned just a couple years ago seem to be commercial projects. It muddies the because there were no middle class black role waters. The problem seems to be that teens are models in the book. It turns out they had not read reading less, and I think the pressure is on teachers, the book because there were middle class black role writers, librarians to get better books into kids’ models in the book. It actually became a case and hands. YAL, as a genre, it has a great responsibility there was a hearing. An educator flew out from to not lie to the youth. It is a real responsibility of Harvard University, from their education school to young adult literature to tell kids the truth no testify. For a time One matter how complex and painful it might be to get Fat Summer was briefly the truth in a book. We can’t lie to them. taken off the shelves in The problem seems to be There is a teaching element to these books. Levittown, New, York. There is kind of a reaching out from one generation A mother reading over that teens are reading to another telling people that you can survive. her son’s shoulder had Other people have done it, and here are some tips seen a masturbation less and I think the pres on how to do it. Adolescents must understand they scene that I do not sure is on teachers, writ are in the process of becoming. It is like the remember writing. That neurobiology of a brain that is vulnerable to was a case where the ers, librarians to get steroids. For the same reason I wouldn’t give teachers revolted and steroids to high school kids, I really don’t want to made a case out of it. better books into kids’ give them bullshit, false values, lies, sentimental, They were not going to hands. YAL, as a genre, it and manipulative stuff. I want to give them the real be pushed around. In literature. Some of the stuff out there is as harmful both those cases, it has a great responsibility as giving the kids dope. You may be screwing up seemed like small stuff. their lives worse or at least as surely as if you were But with Raiders to not lie to the youth. It giving them dope. Night, I sense some is a real responsibility of thing different happen TAR: Raiders Night certainly takes a realistic look at ing. It is not ideologi- young adult literature to high school sports. You mentioned that it is causing cal. It happened in some controversy. Are your surprised that this book Tennessee, it happened tell kids the truth no is a subject of censorship efforts? in Texas, and it hap pened in the District of matter how complex and RL: Censorship is too strong a word. It is more Columbia, that I know painful it might be insidious than that. I have been invited to school about. I really think it by librarians and English teachers and then unin is about money. I really vited by the coaches, athletic directors, and princi think there is now an understanding that high pals. It is not the language. It is not the sex and school sports, particularly football and to a lesser drugs. It is kind of like Friday night darks. It is seen extent basketball, are going to be major money as a negative look at jock culture that these guys makers for school districts. When you’ve got Texas are really invested in. That has been different and high school ballparks selling their naming rights for interesting to me. a million dollars: Tyler, Texas, went for 1.9 million. When you’ve got ESPN televising games nationally TAR: Do you have previous experiences with censor and Gatorade, Pizza, and cell phone companies ship? waiting in the wings to sponsor national tourna ments (if they ever get that off the ground), you’re RL: Not really. So much of censorship is not like talking about a billion dollar industry so this is not Fahrenheit 451. There was a case in Tacoma, something you want to mess around with. When
55
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
your school district stands to benefit from that, you school athletes. Right away the paper got these don’t really want anybody saying, “So, do your email responses from organizations saying “very boys take steroids?” good idea to a point, but here are the five reasons that it can’t work.” There are all of these kinds of TAR: My feeling is that this book would and should financial, privacy reasons. Right away, you know create those questions. What is the central issue at that their skin is itching. It is no violation of hand here? privacy at all. Don’t play. If you don’t want to be tested, go play softball. RL: I wrote an op-ed piece just a couple of days ago in You’ve got to make a stand to stop it (steroid USA Today about mandatory steroid testing for high use) somewhere. With a case like Barry Bonds, the
Raiders Night Reviewed by Chris Goering
nly a handful of high school athletes are As the novel progresses, Matt struggles with Oconsidered to be blue chip prospects, top what he has witnessed and whether or not he recruits good enough to play at the collegiate level. should help the sophomore and reveal the truth. They have NCAA Division I scholarships waiting Sarah, a strong female character and love interest, and often the local fan following reserved for befriends Matt and becomes a confidant, eventually heroes. Between the hype and fanfare, they must helping him toward understanding what has deal with pressure beyond their years. What Matt happened and what he must do. As he nears a Rydek, senior co-captain of the Nearmont High decision, his teammates and community turn on School Raiders football team, did not realize before him and “not everybody” makes it to be a Raider. practice started was that he would be the underdog Lipsyte effectively captures the results of the this year. It would be left up to him to stand for mounting pressure on high school athletes to what was right, even if it cost his team the entire entertain the public through Rydek, the story of a promising season. Mr. Everything who becomes a true underdog. The pressures facing protagonist Rydek are at a This book would appeal to anyone who deals boiling point as the novel begins. Using the steroids, with high school athletes—teachers, romantic pain killers, and sleeping pills to deal with a interests, parents, students, coaches—from the handicapped brother and an incorrigible father, he perspective of understanding the participants of high tries to balance responsibilities of school, football, a stakes high school athletics. Lipsyte, himself, failing romantic relationship, and steering clear of cautions teachers and librarians against using this his co-captain, Ramp. Coach Mac’s cliché speech as book with younger readers without reading it the team heads to camp resonates throughout the carefully—this is not The Contender (1967), a book novel. “’You are heading into Raider country now, a often used in middle schools. Though it does band of brothers going to eat, sleep, breathe football contain violence, profanity, and some sexual for the next five days. Your coaches will be putting content, it is handled thoughtfully. I would not you through the meat grinder, and if you make it— hesitate to give it to high school students and feel not everybody does—you will be a Raider (42).’” the book’s appeal reaches far beyond the boundaries Matt’s world is upset as he and the other seniors of a male high school athlete. witness a sexual assault on transfer sophomore standout Chris Marin during Raiders Night, the Lipsyte, Robert. Raiders Night. HarperCollins Children’s Books, traditional hazing event that gets out of hand under 2006, 232 pp. ISBN: 0-060-59946-4. $15.99 Ramp’s control.
56
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
genie is out of the bottle. When you think of the TAR: How long did the process of writing Raiders neurobiology of 15-16-17-year olds, you don’t want Night take? to mess with that. We are putting the pressure on them to entertain us. RL: I think that maybe the mechanical process was a year, but the gestation of it was a number of years. TAR: If you could address the administrators, athletic It really all started out when Mike Miletic and I had directors, and coaches that rejected your visits, met on a panel. We did a panel on sports for the what would you tell them? American Psychoana lytic Association. We RL: I would like to know what is on their minds. They were both on the panel. When I do talk to their are the ones that are holding the cards. What is it We’d never met before. in the book that disturbs them? What don’t they And we really liked ball players, they are want these ball players to be thinking about? And each other a lot and talking about the pro then if they ask me what I have learned, I would went out to supper tell them that when I do talk to their ball players, afterwards and became found distrust they have they are talking about the profound distrust they friends. He was a have for adults, especially their coaches. Players psychiatrist, and in the for adults, especially their really feel trapped in this situation. They feel like course of the friendship, coaches. Players really the coach doesn’t care about them because he is we realized that we playing them hurt, exploiting them, manipulating both had very similar feel trapped in this situa them against each other. On the other hand, they attitudes towards jock really want to play ball. They love the game; they culture. We decided that tion. They feel like the love the contact; they love being with the guys, but we wanted to write a there is no way out. What are they going to do? book together about the coach doesn’t care about They are stuck. impact of jock culture in them because he is play America. He, from a TAR: In your preparation to write this book, did you psychological point of ing them hurt, exploiting interview specific high school athletes or was it based view, and I, from a more on an overarching experience? Also, what were journalistic point of them, manipulating them your experiences working with a partner? view. And we found out against each other. that our views were RL: Two things. One, I started out as a high school seen as radical. About reporter with the New York Times. That was my steroids, about the idea that there was a clear line first beat for a couple of years. I have always liked from the field house to the white house, about the high school, and I have always over the years gone use of shame and humiliation by coaches, the back to high school for stories. Two, I had some sexism, the homophobia. This stuff pervaded the real serious help from a sports psychiatrist, Dr. culture. Mike Miletic, who really opened his files and we We actually learned about it playing sports— talked a lot. I was a little out of my area psychologi you’re on the team; you’re not on the team, black cally, and I wanted to make sure I connected with and white. We found that there was so much the problems. resistance to the book that nobody wanted to touch I worked with a historian once on a history this subject. Particularly male editors would cross project and my wife and I have written newspaper their legs when we talked. The more we thought stories before. As far as Miletic goes, it was interest about was even if we wrote such a book the people ing because he didn’t do any of the writing, but I who read it, it would be preaching to the chorus. really kind of passed everything through him to We wanted to get the teens, to get to the boys, to make sure it was medically and psychologically get to the athletes. So that was the process when accurate. we said we probably should write a novel. So, it
57
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
kind of evolved how they distrusted coaches. I thought it was I spend a lot of time at differently than any interesting how the teacher approached it. I spend a other book I’ve ever lot of time at signings, through email warning signings, through email done in that sense. teachers that this is not The Contender, that you should not be giving this to your eighth-grade and warning teachers that this TAR: If you could talk ninth-grade class. It is a tough book. It should be is not The Contender, that to the teachers out hand carried to ballplayers, and to their girlfriends. there for a minute I enjoy hearing from kids that have read it. I don’t you should not be giving thinking about mind spending an hour or two each day answering bringing this book email; it seems like an extension of the book, part this to your eighth-grade into their class of the process, but I don’t kid myself, my parents and ninth-grade class. It is rooms, schools to were teachers and I know what the life is like— use, what would you very intense—this is like being a grandfather and a tough book. say? giving the kid back at the end of the day.
RL: I would tell them I Bob Lipsyte invites teachers, librarians, and students to saw it used very contact him about their experiences reading Raiders Night creatively in a high school outside of Chicago. It and other books of his. He can be reached at was taught by a psychology/ sociology teacher. The [email protected] and through his website at kids, seniors, read the book and they talked about www.robertlipsyte.com. moral choices. I thought that was an interesting Chris Goering is a doctoral candidate in curriculum and way. It wasn’t being taught as a unit per se. That instruction at Kansas State University, where he teaches was where I had interaction with a lot of those and serves as a Co-Director of the Flint Hills Writing kids, spent a day in the high school talking to the Project, an affiliate of the National Writing Project. He is football players. They were the ones who started, currently in his seventh year in education. though now it has really mounted up in emails and letters, they were the first ones that told me about
58
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Kay Smith The High School Connection
From Hinton to Hamlet Seeing Old Things New Again
onderful, can’t-put creation, ten years have passed and quantity of adolescent titles has down books on peda since this book’s first publication, also grown exponentially. With W gogy and literacy and in those ten years, animals change and growth, new connec practice are rare, but a second have been cloned and digital music tions are always welcome, and edition of a wonderful, can’t-put now drifts out of mini Ipods. In the here’s why: down book on pedagogy and ten years since the first edition of As an old-hand at teaching, practice is a real treasure. In Sarah From Hinton to Hamlet, the range one who began her career when K. Herz and Donald Gallo’s second, our main objective was to underline revised, and expanded edition of nouns and verbs, I always find it From Hinton to Hamlet: Building extraordinary when I am visiting Bridges between Young Adult As an old-hand at teach schools and see old practices, such Literature and the Classics, teachers as reading and re-reading canonical ing, one who began her and parents feel invited to join a texts, employed in exactly the same meaningful conversation which career when our main way they were too many years ago. includes the need to consider stages Not only does tradition still em of students’ reading development; objective was to underline brace the practice, but also the providing a “comfort level in identical titles we read ten, twenty, students’ reading choices,” and nouns and verbs, I always and even thirty years ago. Timeless “providing quality literature that is find it extraordinary when literature is a moniker that may be accessible.” meaningless to our techno-savvy Sound interesting? Yes, it is! I am visiting schools and and active adolescents. Luckily for Learning HOW to connect teens to those who still valiantly usher text is an interesting part of our see old practices, such as young readers through the time craft, and yet this book offers so reading and re-reading honored likes of The Grapes of much more. Consider the aforemen Wrath, Great Expectations, The tioned discussions as only the tip of canonical texts, employed Great Gatsby, The Scarlet Letter, and the iceberg; this book is filled with of course, Hamlet, we can once new connections, new young adult in exactly the same way again thank Herz and Gallo for literature discussions, and fresh they were too many years showing us the way to couple links to new methods of instruc canonical texts with an adolescent tion. Who could ask for more? ago. text, thereby making the read Although great from its first relevant and even fun. Some might
59
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
disagree, but even the standard, the With this wonderful second rule, the norm, the canon, and the I especially liked Herz and edition of From Hinton to Hamlet law is not compromised when on our personal and library shelves, reading it becomes fun and rel Gallo’s suggestions that teachers will find that their content evant. You’ll be convinced when is enriched, and most importantly, you experience the talent and craft the Westward Movement, that young adult literature is a of Herz and Gallo. issues of immigration, and bridge to comprehension and Showing how to design cognitive work with age-old, wise, “themed” connections by pairing nature and ecology could but nevertheless prescribed texts. canon with young adult literature is This book is a must-have . . . and definitely one of this book’s be taught as part of an as I said before: It is a real treasure! greatest appeals, especially to interdisciplinary approach English teachers. However, with the Kay Smith is an assistant professor of encouragement all teachers receive that shows “reading and English at Utah Valley State College, to create cross-curricular units, the in Provo, Utah. She is an alumna of new and paramount appeal of this writing are not the exclu Utah State and Brigham Young book can be found in a chapter Universities, with degrees in English sive purview of English/ and music education, and school with an interesting name: Other administration. After seventeen years Backyards: Using Young Adult language arts teachers.” as a high school teacher, principal, Literature across Other Disciplines. and college adjunct faculty, she left With that title, with the invitation what she loved and decided to do for all disciplines to use young what she loved even more: teaching adult literature to make connections lessons of fitness become indelible. English education on the college level. to content, this book should be on I especially liked Herz and Gallo’s She currently teaches Young Adult every teacher’s Christmas list. suggestions that the Westward Literature and Methods of Literacy at Why? It’s an easy consideration: A Movement, issues of immigration, Utah Valley State College. She is physical education teacher could and nature and ecology could be married to Michael D. Smith, and they make fitness memorable by assign taught as part of an interdiscipli are the proud parents of seven ing reading! What a novel thought, nary approach that shows “reading children and proud grandparents of six. She can be reached at but after teen athletes finish The and writing are not the exclusive [email protected]. Basket Counts by Arnold Adoff or purview of English/language arts Tangerine by Edward Bloor, the teachers.”
60
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Robyn Seglem
Just Listening to Sarah Dessen
t was the second week of school, reception and at the conference, and I had just brought my copy where she spoke about romance Iof Sarah Dessen’s Just Listen to and YA literature. As expected, my classroom to put on my she was easy to talk to, and shelves. As we waited for first hour shared insights into her career as to begin, Callie, a bright-eyed 7th an author: grader, rushed toward me, explain ing that she had just seen the list of TAR: I first discovered your work recommended books in my class when I was teaching sopho room newsletter and had noticed more English in 2000. When the newest Sarah Dessen title. Did I my librarian recommended have it? Reaching for it on my Dreamland to me, I immedi shelves, I shared with her that I not ately read it and fell in love only had the book, but I would with Caitlin’s story. My have the privilege of interviewing and meeting Sarah students quickly began passing it around, and I’m in Nashville at the ALAN convention. From that not sure it ever went back on the library’s shelves moment, Callie and I shared a bond that went beyond that year. Then, a couple years ago, I switched to the student-teacher bond: it was a bond shared by seventh grade English, and figured I would have to avid readers. discover new authors that would appeal to a August, September, October and, finally, Novem younger audience. To my surprise, these younger ber were peppered with Callie’s questions. Would I girls embraced your characters just as quickly, and ask her this? How about that? Could I get an auto today, I’m not sure which girl has my copy of Just graph? Could I please take her with me? And Callie’s Listen. Why do you think your characters speak to enthusiasm was not unique. When it came time to such a wide range of age groups? actually write the review of Just Listen, I approached student after student in search of my copy. I cannot SD: I like to think that it’s because there are a variety say I was surprised. Similar reactions to Sarah’s books of themes in each book, and many of them are have occurred throughout my career as a teacher and universal. When I was a teen, I never wanted to an advocate of YA lit. Sarah Dessen understands the read just about girls my age. I was always inter fears and triumphs of young girls, and it is because of ested not only in what was happening, but what this that I was interested in learning more about not came next as well. In addition to that, several of the just her books, but her approach to writing. books have a strong family component, which I While this interview was conducted via email, I think many girls can relate to even if they haven’t had a chance to meet with Sarah at both the ALAN yet had experience with boys or any of the other
61
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
issues that are part of the story. In all truth, though, they were no longer friends. The fact that Annabel I think as an author you can’t put too much focus was there when Sophie did these things means that on trying to appeal to everyone. I just try to write people aren’t exactly reaching out when the same the story I want to read, and then hope for the best. thing happens to her. At the same time, I had to show why Sophie was appealing to Annabel in the TAR: In Just Listen, Annabel finds herself afraid to first place, that she was dynamic and different and speak to the classmates she has grown up with, opened up this whole new world that hadn’t been simply because of an act that has been done to her. there before. It’s a delicate thing, to show the draw Do you think this is a typical reaction of teenage and the subsequent price paid for befriending girls who find themselves in similar situations? someone like that. It was actually very similar to what I had to do with Rogerson, the abusive SD: In my mind, it’s more complicated than not boyfriend, in Dreamland. wanting to speak to people because of what’s happened to her. It’s also TAR: Speaking of Rogerson, many of your other that she’s had conflicts characters have unusual names. Every time you with many of these people write a new story, you essentially give birth to new Annabel is afraid of con in the past—her former people. With so many new people populating your friends Clarke and Sophie, world, how do you come up with the names for all frontation, which I think is for instance—that have your characters? Have you ever had to change a made it that much harder character’s name because it didn’t seem to fit the very typical for girls. At to be open with them character’s personality? the same time, though, about anything, much less something as big as a SD: When I’m starting a new book, the narrator’s there is a lot of shame sexual assault. Annabel is name always comes first. I find them in all kinds of afraid of confrontation, places: Halley from Someone Like You was obvi associated with sexual which I think is very ously from the comet, but I’ve stolen names from assault, which makes it typical for girls. At the people I’ve met (Colie, from Keeping the Moon, was same time, though, there the name of a girl who came to a book signing) or very difficult for anyone, is a lot of shame associ just heard of (Remy, from This Lullaby, was the first ated with sexual assault, name of a football player I overheard interviewed and teenagers especially, which makes it very on the radio). To me, names are crucial: if I pick the difficult for anyone, and right one, at least some of the attributes of that to be open about it. teenagers especially, to be character jump into my head soon after. I think I open about it. always pick somewhat unusual names because when I was younger, I always wished my name was TAR: It used to be that bullying was considered an more exotic. Now, I love being a Sarah, but then I issue only among boys. However, it has become was so envious of my best friend, whose name is more and more apparent that girls participate in a Bianca. I’ve never changed the name of a narrator, subtler version of bullying. Many of Sophie’s that I can remember, although I have changed other actions, as well as those of her followers, reflect characters’ names. Usually it’s because it conflicts this type of bullying. Were you trying to illustrate with another name, or I realize the character has the effects of these actions while writing about changed, and the name doesn’t work for them Sophie? anymore.
SD: It was necessary to show how Sophie operates— TAR: Honesty and self-confidence seems to be recur intimidating people, getting revenge on those she ring themes within your novel. Is this a conscious believes have wronged her—in order to make it decision on your part as you are developing your believable that Annabel would be so isolated once characters?
62
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
SD: It’s not as much a conscious thing as it is the fact certainly not always the case. (See those seven that these were things I was struggling with a lot as books, above.) I don’t outline, but I do write in a teen. It’s easier to be confident once you’re older, order, always, which means that each scene and with a lot of experiences under your belt, but in chapter has to be strong enough to support what high school everything is happening for the very comes after it. So I’m often tinkering, and rewrit first time. There’s no primer, or flow chart, to show ing, trying to get things right, and that takes time. you how to handle every situation, which can lead to a lot of doubt and stress. You only grow confi TAR: You mention that you have several books that dence and strength by enduring things, and I try to won’t see the light of day. Do any of the elements show that with my characters, that they’re girls or characters reincarnate themselves in your other who go up against challenges and come out books? What are your feelings about these unpub changed in many ways on the other side. lished books? Are they as valuable to you as the published ones? TAR: Many authors who write stories that deal with issues that young adults experience find themselves SD: I’ve definitely used Since Just Listen was approached by their readers. These readers fre things from books that quently feel thankful that a story similar to their haven’t worked. published in April, I’ve own has been told. Have you ever had any such Dreamland, in particu heard from several people experiences? lar, came from a novel that was too long and who told me about their SD: I’m often very overwhelmed by what I hear from weighty, but had a my readers. The most emotional responses I’ve subplot with Caitlin and own experiences being gotten have been via email, through my website. Rogerson, although it For example, since Just Listen was published in was much different in assaulted, a few of whom April, I’ve heard from several people who told me its initial incarnation. I had told no one else. about their own experiences being assaulted, a few put the same amount of of whom had told no one else. I also heard from a work and time into lot of girls after Dreamland came out who wanted every book, whether it works or not; I’d never start to tell me about being in abusive relationships. On a book if I expected it to fail. So I’m attached to all the one hand, it’s amazing that they feel comfort of them, even the ones that no one but me will ever able enough to reach out to me and be so open. At read. In some ways, I might even learn more from the same time, I do worry about the right way to them because I have to figure out what doesn’t respond. It’s a lot of responsibility. Usually, I work. It can be hard to let go. If you read The Truth encourage them to talk to someone else, their About Forever, there’s a character mentioned at the parents, a clergyperson, a counselor or a friend. very beginning named Amy Richmond. I wrote an entire book about Amy, and know everything about TAR: What is the most difficult aspect of the writing her and her story. It ended up not working, so I process for you? snuck her into the next one in the hopes that she’d still get out there somehow. And she did. SD: The first draft is definitely the hardest part for me. When I’m working on a book, I work every day, TAR: Some authors build support networks with other seven days a week, and it’s usually pretty slow authors to help each other over the rough spots that going, because I’m very meticulous. I think it’s often come when crafting a story. Do you have partially because I’ve learned a lot from writing other authors that you converse with regularly? Or seven books (that were published: I have about is there another support network that you rely on? seven more that will never see the light of day). I like to think that I have a better idea now what SD: I’m lucky to have several friends who are writers, works and doesn’t work for me, although this is which I think can be very helpful. I don’t discuss
63
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
the specifics of what I’m working on with anyone— think there’s a lot to be said for allowing students I tend to be very private, the book’s like a secret I to just write, with a minimum of a prompt or no want to keep for as long as possible—but it’s prompt at all. It’s not easy, and I know, because I always nice to have someone to commiserate with taught Intro to Fiction Writing at UNC-Chapel Hill who really understands, especially when you’re for seven years. My students were often completely stuck or frustrated. Writing is one of those jobs that overwhelmed when I’d say, “Write about some there’s really no right way thing that really affected you,” or just “write a to do, no manual you can story.” They’d sit there, blank faced. But once they Writing is one of those buy and follow. You just started, something came, and often it surprised learn as you go, and them. It’s like a different way of thinking about jobs that there’s really no sometimes, that learning is words and your use of them, and I think it can only hard. It helps to be neu help all the other ways you write. But that’s just my right way to do, no rotic, I think, so you’re opinion, of course. manual you can buy and already used to feeling a little crazy every day. I’m TAR: With today’s focus in education on high-stakes follow. You just learn as fortunate in that I have a tests, many English teachers feel that there has great husband and very been a tendency to neglect writing instruction you go, and sometimes, supportive friends, who at within schools. As a creative writing teacher at the that learning is hard. this point just roll their university level, do you feel that this shift in focus eyes when I say I’m has impacted student writing? convinced I’ve lost any talent I ever might have had and am considering a SD: My students had a really hard time breaking the new career path, like, say, working at the CVS or rules they’d been taught about writing. They never something. They, unlike me, always remember that wanted to use contractions, for example: I got a lot there’s a point in every book when I think I can’t of “We are going to the store,” and “I will take the go on. And then they tell me to do just that. bus.” I kept saying to them, “Real people don’t talk like this!” Also, like I said above, they had a hard TAR: It’s great that you have such a support system. time just writing without being told very specifi Do you ever read fellow authors’ novels and cally what to write. They didn’t want to use first provide feedback before they reach the published person. Their writing was so clean, but fiction isn’t stage? supposed to be clean: it has to be messy, especially in a first draft, when you’re just getting it down. SD: I have on occasion, but only with my students, Eventually, they learned this. But it did take time. and close friends. It’s a very vulnerable thing to show someone an unedited manuscript, and I think TAR: To build upon the idea that many secondary you have to trust them very much. I get asked a lot English teachers feel forced to neglect writing through my website to read manuscripts, but for instruction in order to prepare for reading tests, legal reasons, I just can’t. what do you think about this neglect? Do you think that students are being short-changed in their TAR: You stated on your web page that you hated English instruction? Or do you believe that natural being told what you were to write when you were writers will pick up the skills on their own? in high school. What advice would you give English teachers about writing instruction? SD: I would hope that natural writers are reading enough to be learning on their own, but it’s hard to SD: I understand that it’s hard to motivate kids to say. There’s always been that debate about whether write, and that in high school, it’s crucial to learn writing can be taught at all, and I believe it can, to how to write argumentatively and craft essays. But a point. You can take what someone writes and writing creatively has its own benefits, as well. I show them how to improve it. But there are some
64
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Just Listen by Sarah Dessen Reviewed by Robyn Seglem
hat makes the perfect girl with the perfect it is Owen who reaches out and rescues her. Wfamily tick? Despite appearances to the Through Owen, she learns the value of friendship, contrary, don’t ask Annabel Greene. Annabel is the of listening to oneself, of telling the truth, no girl that younger girls idolize. A teen model, matter the costs. Despite these lessons, however, groomed by her mother from a young age, can she find the courage within herself to help Annabel’s image flashes across television screens others by telling the truth about the event that and across the stage as she models for Kopf’s ended her friendship with Sophie? And can she department store. By all appearances, Annabel has reach out to her family, helping them heal them everything a teenage girl can want. But perfection selves without sacrificing her own self? is seldom a reality. Annabel’s reality includes Fans of Sarah Dessen will not be disappointed Sophie, a volatile girl who Annabel once called best by Annabel’s story. Told from Annabel’s point-of friend, but who now stalks the halls verbally view, Dessen’s book has captured the voice of attacking Annabel at every turn of the corner; young girls across the country. Unfortunately, Annabel’s sister Whitney, an ex-model who has today’s schools are filled with girls who have been returned home from New York to battle a serious attacked both physically and mentally, and eating disorder; and her mother, a woman driven to Annabel’s story captures the range of emotions this battle her own depression by pushing upward her abuse creates. Yet, Annabel’s story illustrates the daughters’ modeling careers, careers that mean power friendship and trust can have over the more to Annabel’s mother than the girls them healing process. While her journey is not an easy selves. It’s no wonder that Annabel feels she has no one, the ultimate destination brings her a newfound one to confide in, to let in on the secret that peace and confidence, teaching her the power of destroyed her friendship with Sophie and eats away just listening. In an era where many teen issue at her soul. stories do not have happy endings, this one does, When Annabel meets Owen Armstrong, she is giving girls who can connect to Annabel’s situation intrigued by the strange boy who appears to be as a belief that there is hope for healing. much an outcast as she has become. At first, she watches him from afar, but in a moment of weak Dessen, Sarah. Just Listen. Viking (Penguin Group), 2006, ness, when Sophie’s cruelty drives her to sickness, 371 pp. ISBN: 0-670-06105-0. $17.99.
things you either come to naturally, or you don’t. I TAR: As a daughter of a classicist and a Shakespearian saw this again and again in my classes, where I professor, you were obviously well-versed in the often had students who were decent writers and value of the classical canon. Today’s schools often worked hard, but never could get that real spark debate between the philosophy of teaching only the that makes words jump off the page. Then there literary canon and teaching young adult literature. would be the ones who had that the very first day What place do you see young adult literature and wrote something that blew me away. I would having within schools? What would you say to the hope that students like that would seek out creative critics who label the genre as “brain-candy” with writing in college if they weren’t able to have it in very little literary value? high school. But you just never know.
65
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
SD: Well, of course as a YA writer I’m not going to SD: One of my writing teachers at UNC, the great agree that all fiction for adolescents is mindless. Doris Betts, always told us that forced symbolism That’s a ridiculous assumption. I do think it’s doesn’t work. She said that you have to trust that important to read the classics, but why can’t there your story will provide you with the things that you be a balance of classic need to make it resonate. (I’m paraphrasing here, of literature and more course: Doris would say this much more elo I do think it’s important to modern voices? The most quently.) If you decide a sandwich is a symbol, and important thing about plant it with that intention, its purpose will be read the classics, but why reading, to me, is connect obvious to the reader and take away from what ing with a story and its you’re trying to do. The best symbols in my books can’t there be a balance characters. It would be have been completely unconscious, ones that just of classic literature and great if everyone could do come in the course of writing and then later I think, that with Beowulf, but I “Oooh! That’s good.” But doing that requires a lot more modern voices? The just don’t think it’s of faith, and a giving up of control, neither of possible. However, if you which is my strong suit when I’m working. I try, most important thing give students something though. about reading, to me, is that they can relate to, it can open up an apprecia TAR: Having had some censorship issues within my connecting with a story tion of reading that they own classroom, I have found adults who fear the might not find otherwise. tough issues that many young adult books, includ and its characters. It My mother is a very ing your own, possess. What are your thoughts would be great if every intellectual reader, and about this fear? Would you ever change the way when I was in high school, you craft a story because of fears of censorship? one could do that with she was always dismayed that I preferred Stephen SD: I long ago learned that certain people are not Beowulf, but I just don’t King over the more going to like the books I write, and me trying to “literary” books she was argue otherwise was about as fruitless as them think it’s possible. hoping to interest me in. convincing me to write differently. It’s just not “At least you’re reading!” happening. Adolescence is a tough time, and I she’d sigh, and I was. Not just Stephen King (who I think to write honestly about it, you often have to love) but also lots of other things. I loved to read address dicey issues. When I’m working on a book, because I’d been allowed to try all kinds of things, I’m not thinking about how someone might be and find out what really appealed to me. offended by the choices I’m making on the page. It’s entirely counterproductive, because you’ll never TAR: As an English teacher and lover of YA lit, I be able to please everyone. Instead, I focus on completely agree that it’s important to expose kids writing the best book I can. That’s all I can do. to a variety of authors and genres, and I have had great debates with fellow teachers about the ability TAR: In your on-line journal, you reference several to teach traditional literary elements with YA favorite TV shows, and you have had the experi novels. In fact, your books do possess these ence of two of your books being turned into a elements, i.e. the symbolism of the glass house in movie. Have you ever considered moving beyond Just Listen. In my own experiences, I frequently the female YA audience into screenwriting or find symbolism difficult to pull off in a way that perhaps another genre? doesn’t seem forced. Do you ever have similar problems when developing a symbol within your SD: I’d like to write a novel with an older narrator, story or does it come naturally as the story evolves? eventually. I mean, a lot has happened to me since
66
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
high school that would be fun to write about. But I’d be a big deal here. But there are so many as long as I keep having good ideas that intrigue amazing writers, and everyone’s known me forever. me, I’ll probably stick to YA as well. For whatever Occasionally, people recognize my name, or my reason, it works for me. As far as a screenplay, I face, but more often than not they went to high think it would be fun to try sometime. But since school with me, or know me from my waitressing that is MUCH more like writing by committee, I days. And that’s fine with me. have a feeling it might be hard for me. Never say never, though. Robyn Seglem is a language arts teacher at Trailridge Middle School, Shawnee Mission, Kansas. She is a co TAR: What is it like to have become a celebrity within director of the Flint Hills Writing Project, an affiliate of the the community you grew up in? Do you find that National Writing Project. She has been teaching for seven people you knew as a child treat you any differ years and is currently working on her Doctorate in ently? Curriculum Instruction from Kansas State University.
SD: I don’t consider myself a celebrity at all. Now, if I played forward for the UNC basketball team, THEN
67
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Carol Lautenbach
Follow the Leaders in Newbery Tales
oday’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders.” weren’t waiting for adulthood before putting their This statement, or some variation of it, skills to productive use. “T can be seen on billboards, promotional I selected eight leadership perspectives for this brochures, and advertisements for a variety of organi study, all of which have been well documented in zations and institutions. However, the time lag implicit studies of leadership, are cited in comprehensive in the statement reveals a misunderstanding about resources on leadership, and provide a good overview youth leadership; after all, aren’t today’s youth today’s of the range of interpretations possible when analyz leaders? Young leaders are less like dormant seeds and ing leadership. These perspectives include the person more like saplings that need nurturing, pruning, and ality, formal, democratic, political, subjective, ambigu strengthening to develop. ity, moral, and the cultural/symbolic perspectives The youth leadership garden can be tended right (Table 1). In the process, I looked for the answers to now by providing growing leaders with young adult four questions: (1) What leadership perspectives are novels in which young people are putting their evident? (2) Which perspectives are dominant? (3) leadership skills and perspectives Does the portrayal of the perspec into practice (Hanna, 1964; Hayden, tives change over time? (4) Does 1969; Friedman & Cataldo, 2002). the gender of the protagonist have What better books for this purpose My interest in the charac an effect on leadership perspective? than the venerable Newbery Medal I examined seventeen Newbery ters themselves led me winners? This prestigious award has Medal winning fiction books, each been given to authors since 1922, to look at them in a with a protagonist between twelve encouraging creativity, emphasizing and fifteen years old, that convey a the significant contributions authors broader way, to see what variety of leadership perspectives make, and giving children’s librar cloaked in narrative form (Table 1). ians an opportunity to promote good picture of leadership While my study focused on writing. Because all literature is born readers would get as identifying leadership perspectives in a context, it seems that a content in the selected stories, my interest analysis of carefully selected they vicariously faced the in the characters themselves led me Newbery works could yield informa to look at them in a broader way, to tion about leadership perspectives. challenges the protago see what picture of leadership So I set out to discover what nists faced and experi readers would get as they vicari leadership perspectives exist in ously faced the challenges the Newbery realistic fiction, and in the enced the consequences protagonists faced and experienced pages of those books I met some the consequences of their actions. amazing adolescent leaders who of their actions. So, a narrow focus drove my
68
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Table 1: Perspectives, Descriptors, and Cited Summary Descriptions
Leadership perspective Descriptors characteristic of Cited summary descriptions those displaying perspective Personality perspective Possessing physical traits, cognitive Leadership is a function of the abilities, affective abilities, supernatural leader’s charisma and personal traits traits, creativity (Starratt, 1993; House, 1997; Northouse, 1997); leaders can be heroes with supernatural ability to lead (Gardner, 1995); vision of leader inspires others (Starratt, 1993). Formal perspective Creating structures promoting leader Leadership exists to create, maintain, ship, demonstrating and/or valuing and manage the workplace so that efficiency, demonstrating management productivity goals are met (Bush, skills, valuing productivity, valuing 1995) and vertical and horizontal action structures are maintained (Yukl, 1998); management, not leadership, is primary (Northouse, 1997); emphasis is on action not traits (Carlson, 1996). Democratic perspective Demonstrating expertise, attempting to Every voice in an organization must build consensus, sharing responsibility be heard (Bush, 1995); consensus building a hallmark (Bush, 1995; Carlson, 1996); personal initiative valued (Fiedler, 1967); expertise honored (Bush, 1995). Political perspective Manipulating others to retain power, Negotiation and compromise are negotiating to maintain control, using needed to move an organization compromise to retain power; dark side forward (Bush, 1995). Power is a of Democratic perspective driving force (Pfeffer, 1992); interest groups influence decision making (Bush, 1995; Carlson, 1996). Subjective perspective Expressing interpretations of situations, Individuals’ interpretations create the acknowledging changing realities, reality of an organization (Bush, demonstrating personal qualities 1995). Personal qualities, not position resulting in power; less desirable in the organization, determine complement of Personality perspective leadership roles (Bush, 1995). Ambiguity perspective Expressing uncertainty about the Leaders will have trouble with leadership situation, experiencing purpose, experience, and success unpredictability, ambiguity, chaos, and (Bush, 1995) and will experience disorder, relying on luck or chance inevitable unpredictability and uncertainty (Bush, 1995). Moral perspective Valuing followers’ personal growth, Organizational leaders exist to relying on a guiding principle to make strengthen individuals (Greenleaf, decisions, putting own interests behind 1980; DuPree, 1990), acknowledge those of followers individual interpretations (Bush, 1995), and lead a moral enterprise (Sergiovanni & Starratt, 1998). Cultural/Symbolic perspective Referring to or creating group codes/ As an active transformer of society symbols, acknowledging importance of (Starratt, 1993), the leader acknowl rituals, participating in ceremonies edges rituals and symbols of organization (Bush, 1995) and engages others in discussions which promote renewal of the organization.
69
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
research, but a broader view captured my interest. 1.2 The protagonist has cognitive abilities that While I will briefly identify the perspectives I discov indicate leadership. ered, I’ll focus my discussion on the stories as wholes, 1.3 The protagonist has affective abilities that thus giving my reader the opportunity to choose books indicate leadership. from this set to read, enjoy, and use as leadership 1.4 The protagonist has supernatural traits that models. The books I analyzed included: indicate leadership. 1. Crispin: The Cross of Lead (Avi, Hyperion, 2002) 1.5 The protagonist has other traits consistent with 2. Dicey’s Song (Cynthia Voigt, Atheneum, 1982) the personality perspective. 3. A Gathering of Days (Joan W. Blos, Macmillan, 1.6 The protagonist has creative/artistic abilities 1979) that indicate leadership. 4. It’s Like This, Cat (Emily Cheney Neville, Harper Performing the content analysis in this way & Row, 1963) allowed me to determine which of the eight perspec 5. Jacob Have I Loved (Katherine Paterson, Crowell, tives were most and least common in this subset of 1980) Newberys. Most of the books conveyed multiple 6. Johnny Tremain (Esther Hoskins Forbes, perspectives. The moral perspective came out on top Houghton Mifflin, 1943) (16 of the 17 books), followed by the personality and 7. M.C. Higgins, the Great (Virginia Hamilton, ambiguity perspectives (14/17), the subjective (9/17), Macmillan, 1972) the democratic (6/17), the political (4/17), and the 8. Missing May (Cynthia Rylant, Orchard, 1992) formal and cultural/symbolic (3/17). 9. The Midwife’s Apprentice (Karen Cushman, While these and other corollary findings were Clarion, 1996) gratifying to discover (after all, moral leadership won 10. Onion John (Joseph Krumgold, Crowell, 1959) a rousing victory), it was even more interesting to 11 . Out of the Dust (Karen Hesse, Scholastic, 1996) have the opportunity to get to know the literary 12. A Single Shard (Linda Sue Park, Clarion, 2001) leaders in these fiction works as well as I did, so well 13. The Slave Dancer (Paula Fox, Bradbury, 1973) that their stories interested me far more than the 14. The Trumpeter of Krakow (Eric P. Kelly, leadership perspectives on which I focused my Macmillan, 1928) attention. The protagonists in these stories exhibit 15. Up a Road Slowly (Irene Hunt, Follett, 1966) behavior ranging from bossy arrogance to meek 16. A Year Down Yonder (Richard Peck, Dial, 1998) humility to noble service. They participate in a variety 17. Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze (Elizabeth Fore of leadership tasks; leading a country to revolution man, Winston, 1932) (Johnny Tremain) and protecting the ashes of a loved one on a journey home (Dicey Tillerman) are just two Leadership Perspectives examples. The seventeen authors who gave birth to this brood of eight girls and nine boys call them In order to focus on identifying, quantifying, and “hero,” “prodigal son,” and “outcast.” Of the seven analyzing the eight common leadership perspectives, I teen, most are Caucasian, two are Asian, and one is created a code book derived from an analysis of African American. They are a diverse lot, and they research conducted about the eight perspectives, react to the scripts written for them in diverse ways. assigning a code to significant, contiguous blocks of The leadership summaries that follow will allow the text, counting the number of times each of the thirty reader to enjoy getting acquainted with this group of eight possible codes appeared, and ranking the codes leading adolescents. by prevalence. For example, the personality perspective was Whole-book Rankings and Summaries analyzed using the following codes derived from a review of leadership literature. I added Code 1.6 after I What follows is a summary of each book, written noticed its prevalence in the Newbery literature and to focus on the leadership activities, attitudes, and absence in the code book: behaviors in each book as a whole. Instead of intro 1.1 The protagonist has physical traits that indicate ducing the protagonists and their stories in historic leadership.
70
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
order, they will be introduced in order of strength of discovers that that is a gross misrepresentation of the leadership perspectives portrayed in the books under truth. In fact, Jessie’s talent for playing the fife has consideration. The focus in the research study was on landed him on the ship; his dreadful leadership role is the protagonist and his or her leadership to play tunes to make the slaves—that soon will perspective(s); the focus here is on the books as whole inhabit the filthy holds—dance, so that they arrive at units, thus highlighting that a good story transcends port in marketable the sum of its parts. So, for example, while the condition. His confusion is protagonist may be a strong leader, the tasks (s)he had understandable, and The protagonists in these to accomplish may diminish the overall reading expressed often in this experience (e.g. The Trumpeter of Krakow and M.C. first-person, historical stories exhibit behavior Higgins, the Great). The purpose of this method is to fiction account. ranging from bossy arro highlight the “wholeness” of each piece of literature. Jessie fulfills his role, The order presented below was arrived at by sometimes belligerently, gance to meek humility to assigning each book a 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 (high to low) in but mostly uncertainly. He terms of five categories: (A) Strong, clear leadership feels his “life [has] turned noble service. They par perspectives(s) presented in protagonist’s activities, upside down” (p. 51), and attitudes, and behaviors; (B) Believable leadership he spends much of the ticipate in a variety of tasks within probable plot; (C) Balanced protagonist rest of his journey express leadership tasks; leading who exhibits normal range of human emotions; (D) ing his confusion in Engaging story; (E) Other leaders who also inhabit the contrasting couplets: he a country to revolution story. Ranking results are presented in Table 2; bold hates the crew’s cruelty type indicates books with a female protagonist. but admires their fearless (Johnny Tremain) and This whole-book ranking produced the following ness (p.40); he dislikes protecting the ashes of a results ranked from strongest to weakest leadership one man’s slowness but perspective. Ties within each place are presented thinks his sudden burst of loved one on a journey chronologically: energy repulsive (p.71); he 1st place: The Slave Dancer; Dicey’s Song; A Single remembers the delight he home (Dicey Tillerman) Shard felt when he spied on a are just two examples. 2nd place: Johnny Tremain young woman undressing 3rd place: Out of the Dust; Crispin: The Cross of Lead but is mortified as he is 4th place: Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze; The now allowed to look at the naked bodies of the slaves Midwife’s Apprentice; A Year Down Yonder (p. 75). Jessie tries to make sense of the contradictions 5th place: Onion John; Jacob Have I Loved in his new-found life, but his interpretations of his role 6th place: The Trumpeter of Krakow; M.C. Higgins, the in the sorry affair leave him unsatisfied. Even though Great he pities the slaves, he grows to hate them for being 7th place: Up a Road Slowly; Missing May the reason he is on the boat in the first place (p. 79). 8th place: A Gathering of Days As master of the slaves’ exercise program, Jessie 9th place: It’s Like This, Cat performs his duties with dread, so much dread that his music suffers (p. 101). In fact, he exhibits few First place (1 of 3): The Slave Dancer by personality traits that would make him fit for the task Paula Fox he has been pressed into. He does sort out the personalities of the crew, and he avoids those who will Ironically, the book that received one of the bring him harm. The rich cast of characters he learns highest whole-book rankings has one of the most to interpret include the dangerous Captain Cawthorne, reluctant leaders in the sample. Thirteen-year-old kind Purvis, dishonest Stout, and unfortunate Spark, a Jessie Bollier is kidnapped from the streets of New Mate who was bound and thrown overboard after Orleans in the mid-nineteenth century. Told he is killing a murderous slave—thus reducing the profit the going on a “fine sea voyage” (p. 11), he quickly Captain will reap. The crew members’ leadership roles
71
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
are prescribed and rigid, and Jessie often cannot see broadens her influence at the store by helping her fill the logic in the actions of others on board. out merchandise order forms. Likewise, at home, As if this human drama were not enough to keep Dicey’s self-imposed responsibilities increase; sister the reader interested, Fox increases the tension in the Maybeth’s inability to read is making her lag behind final chapters of the book. When it becomes clear to the other third-graders. Dicey consults and cooperates the captain that an American ship has discovered their with others to solve this problem creatively and dirty trade, he orders all the shackles thrown over successfully. So, with 30 pages down and over 300 to board. Before the splash of the iron restraints hits the go, how is Dicey going to keep up this leadership deck, the slaves are hurled overboard too. From this pace? Fortunately, Gram rescues her: “You’re not the point forward, The Slave Dancer belongs to Jessie only one responsible, girl. You’ve been responsible a Bollier. Whether the leadership tasks he has been long time and done a good job. Take a rest now.” (p. forced to perform or his own resources guide him, he 37). takes charge and helps Ras, a slave boy his own age, Dicey takes the advice, though the book hardly escape the chaos on the deck. As the weather and the becomes Gram’s Song. Dicey spends more time behavior of the crew become rougher and rougher, restoring her beloved boat, but even this activity Jessie and Ras hide below deck, sharing a bit of food becomes an opportunity to help brother Sammy figure and “strange conversation” (p. 127), given that neither himself out. James, her oldest brother, becomes her speaks the language of the other. The bond serves idea man; she realizes he has the brains while she has them well; they manage to survive the storm that the management skills needed to carry out the plans crushes the ship (the only ones on board who do he concocts. She tries to follow Gram’s guiding survive). Jessie’s heroic actions lead them to land and principle—“Hold on to people. They can get away to safety. Daniel, the man who finds and cares for from you” (p. 126)—advice which Dicey thinks may them, leads Jessie to his home and Ras to freedom in reveal her grandmother’s own regrets. the north. Though Dicey handles adult responsibilities better than many adults, she doesn’t fare as well in age First place (2 of 3): Dicey’s Song by appropriate situations. She snubs and avoids two Cynthia Voigt peers who show interest in her, she refuses to achieve in classes that don’t hold her interest, and she is Getting kids ready for school, holding a job, falsely accused of plagiarism when she writes an essay planning for the family’s future, restoring a boat, and about her ailing mother. Mina, a classmate who shares helping a child with a learning disability are uncom Dicey’s intellectual capabilities, declares, “You are a mon tasks for most 13-year-olds. Dicey Tillerman, hard person to be friends with, Dicey Tillerman” (p. though, is a rather uncommon person. Her position as 84). But friends they become, and Dicey continues to the oldest of four gives her the status she needs to learn that being part of a group can help one tackle ensure cooperation from the younger kids, and the life’s problems. Gram’s adoption of the four siblings is unfortunate situation of being parentless (due to her concrete evidence of the truth of that statement. father’s absence and her mother’s mental illness) At the end of the story, life’s problems come to creates a void that Dicey is ready and willing to fill. Dicey’s world via the postal service. Gram receives a She is as confident in her leadership role as Jessie of letter from Boston, and she makes hasty plans to The Slave Dancer is hesitant in his. This contemporary travel there with Dicey. Dicey follows, literally most of story opens at Gram’s house in Maryland, the destina the time, as Gram leads her to her dying mother’s tion that Dicey and her siblings hoped to reach from hospital room. As Dicey takes a break from the Boston before summer ended. emotional scene to buy Christmas gifts for the others, Grateful to Gram for taking them in, Dicey decides she experiences the kindness of strangers. that having a job would ease the burden, so she Galvanizing Gram’s guiding principle—reach out negotiates hours and duties for herself with a local and hold on to those you love—both Gram and Dicey shopkeeper. She recognizes the same reading disability discover who the dying woman was to them person her young sister has in Millie, her employer, and Dicey ally. Dicey leads the way home by calling and telling
72
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
her siblings the news and by carrying her mother’s hopes of gaining a lifetime commission. Tree-ear ashes in a hand carved wooden box that a sympa volunteers to deliver them to the capital, Songdo, a thetic stranger gave to her. Though Dicey is again journey that will take many weeks. He is pleased completing adult tasks, she does so with less pride when Min accepts his offer, but is heartbroken when and more good will to others who reach out to her, Min also tells him that he will never teach him to realizing the “confusion [called life] was going to be a make pottery; that honor can only be bestowed on a permanent condition” (p. 359). son, and Min’s son died long ago. He leaves Crane-man in the care of Min’s wife First place (3 of 3): A Single Shard by (being careful to guard his elderly friend’s pride by Linda Sue Park telling him that she needs his help with household tasks), and he begins the journey that each day “is Both of the other first place finishers in this only as far as the next village” (p. 93). Nearing his whole-book leadership ranking lived and led in adult destination, Tree-ear is robbed and his precious cargo worlds. Likewise, Tree-ear, a Korean orphan from the is thrown over a cliff. Recovering a single shard which 1100’s, wakes each day to forage for food for himself shows the handsome inlaid handiwork of his master, and his elderly companion Crane-man. For many in he continues on, gains the royal commission, and his situation, that would be the end of the story. But returns home. His happiness turns when he finds out 12-year-old Tree-ear’s curiosity, courage, and creativity Crane-man has died, but returns when Min helps him transform him from lackey to hero, and much more. construct a pottery wheel and Min’s wife addresses Tree-ear’s historical fiction adventure begins as he him as a son. patiently, daily, fetches clay and wood to be used by the potter, Min, as he creates his celadon-tinted Second place (1 of 1): Johnny Tremain pottery, renowned in all of Korea. He has a debt to pay by Esther Forbes to Min, a master potter, and it was Tree-ear himself who suggested he toil for the man whose work he had Another historical fiction character joins his male carelessly broken. However, when the obligation is counterparts Tree-ear and Jessie in the Newbery paid, Min keeps Tree-ear on as a willing servant, a exemplary-leadership lineup. His emotional life isn’t very fortunate choice for both master and boy. as balanced as Tree-ear’s and, unlike Jessie’s tale, the Tree-ear picks up the trade quickly, and daily he length of the story makes it lose its steam by the time hopes for the chance to make a pot on the wheel. it reaches its destination. Like Dicey, he is a leader Min’s wife shows kindness to him, even providing from the first page in the story, a story that includes food and clothing that he shares with Crane-man. His fictionalized details about many leaders in early own personality serves him well in his new life: he is American history. He is a poster boy for the personal courteous, curious, and contemplative. His humility ity perspective. He’s “boss of the attic [workshop], (fostered by cultural norms) leads him to credit good and almost of the house” (p. 2) and, though his fortune with much of his happiness. personality softens a bit, he finds ways to be in charge But it is curiosity and a respect for doing the right throughout the story that ages him from 11 to 16. thing that turns the tale into a great adventure. Tree Johnny, like Tree-ear, is a craftsman’s apprentice. ear notices that a rival potter, Kang, is trying out a He is talented at silver smithing, and he is arrogant new technique, one that will be sure to catch the about his skill. He orders, argues with, and belittles Emperor’s eye and earn him the highest honors. the boys who work alongside him, and his “semi Knowing that taking ideas that do not belong to him is sacred” ability (p. 4) and ability to read and write stealing, Tree-ear waits to tell Min of the pottery make him a rival, not a companion. He even disputes method. When Kang’s work is put on public display, his master when he thinks it is necessary, and, Tree-ear knows that the idea belongs to everyone, and fortuitously, obtains work from John Hancock after he shares the secret of the inlaid design with Min. doing so. To top this hubristic personality off, he also Min, being a greater craftsman than Kang, produces has three names, unheard of among poor folk, and two beautiful vases to be presented to the Emperor, in this link to a wealthier past proves to be both a
73
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
stumbling block and a step up in the future. Johnny is the ensuing meeting Johnny realizes that the local setting himself up for a fall—which comes in the form fight is a battle against tyranny everywhere. His of an “accident” which burns his hand and renders it leadership in it takes on heroic status, and his work as useless for silver work. His detailed future plans a spy results in early victories. He befriends a British disappear, and his new life in pre-revolutionary stable boy and negotiates a trade: a disguise for the America begins. boy so he can escape in exchange for his musket. But Lucky for him, Rab, another orphan a few years the young deserter is caught and shot, and Johnny older than he, gives him a delivery job for the The wonders if he himself has as much courage as his role Observer, a newspaper. As a role model, Rab shows model Rab. His dreams evoke his wakeful leadership him how to dress to impress, how to temper his fears. volatile personality, and, most importantly, how to be When Rab goes off to war with the musket a member of the Sons of Liberty revolutionaries. Johnny acquired for him, Johnny’s world turns upside When he is falsely accused of stealing a silver cup down: “He half wished he might cry and was half-glad which his mother gave him (the inscription “Lyte” he was too old for tears.” (p. 209). His continued links him to a wealthy merchant), Rab and Johnny’s spying helps alert the patriots; his continued quest for friend Cilla help in obtaining his release and in real action is denied. He has a role to play, and he earning the anger of the wealthy man. saves many lives by doing it well. In a strange twist, His life as a secret patriot begins well: he tames a he becomes the heir to the Lyte fortune: His mother spirited horse—“an almost impossible thing” (p. 93), was a Lyte, and, in an even stranger twist, his wealthy learns about politics and current events, masters the relative symbolically bestows the family fortune on use of his left hand, reads prolifically, and continues, him as she touches his widow’s peak—“all that he had through Rab’s prodding, to modify his character. His ever got from the beautiful Vinny Lyte [his mother]” quest for revenge on Dove, the boy who orchestrated (p. 235). the maiming accident, fades as his interest in regain In disguise, Johnny surveys the war landscape. He ing his lost silver cup rises. The old, unsettled Johnny discovers that Rab has been shot, and he comforts his still surfaces. friend before he dies. He is numb from all the blood However, he has earned the “implicit trust” (p. shed and confusion, but as the doctor remedies his 117) of Samuel Adams, and Johnny is one of the many crippled hand by cutting the scar, Johnny also is freed Sons of Liberty leading the Boston Tea Party. He is from his crippling experiences, now able to see the entrusted with delivering codes, blowing the whistle larger significance—human freedom—of the current for action, and remembering a secret countersign, events in the American colonies. which he repeats to Paul Revere. Through Rab’s help, he earns a job delivering messages for a British doctor. Third place (1 of 2): Out of the Dust by By doing so, he discovers the plans of the British and Karen Hesse helps the patriot’s cause. His crippled hand keeps him Billie Jo is a protagonist who likes to think things from learning to shoot, but his intellect keeps him at through. She muses and interprets her way through the center of the revolutionary drama. He predicts war the hardships of life. Her personality and introspective will come as he interprets the events around him. nature are reflected in this first-person historical When given the opportunity to take back the cup that narrative poem. Rather than producing the tedious is rightfully his, he refuses to have anything to do with rambling of a 14-year-old, however, the author the wealthy British: “This is the end. The end of one skillfully personalizes a very difficult time in a family’s thing—the beginning of something else. . . . [T]he life and in America of the 1930s. cards are going to be reshuffled. Dealt again . . . ” (p. Billie Jo tells us at the very beginning of the story 165). that her daddy wanted a boy; thus, her feminized The “something else” that is soon to begin male name. Later in the story, Billie reveals that Ma is frightens Johnny, for he is not prone to violence. Sam pregnant again, so the future is full of hope, even Adams asks Johnny to call the rebels together, and at though dust, wind, and drought threaten their Okla
74
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
homa farm. Billie Jo has quite a life to live. She is an Dust accomplished pianist, and she negotiates with her piles up like snow across the prairie, mom to let her accept an invitation to play weekly at dunes leaning against fences, the Palace, a local club. Her dreams to earn money to mountains of dust pushing over barns. (102) help the family and to play someday for President Roosevelt seem to be on track. Smart, talented, and The whole community is in the same boat, and others honest, she rises above the chaos of dust and debt, are even less seaworthy than Billie Jo’s (Out of the joking about the family’s “peppered” potatoes and Dust) family. She takes the challenge, sharing and “chocolate milk” (p. 21): serving others who also are drowning in dust. She emulates Ma’s previous action by donating her when really all our pepper and chocolate, brother’s feed-sack nightgown to a newly born baby. it’s nothing but dust. This generosity is a temporary catharsis; Billie’s piano She also is surly, loves companionship, tries to figure playing earns third place at the Palace talent contest. out her mom, and wants to move away. In other Billie Jo knows that she is no substitute for the words, she is a character most adolescent readers wife that Daddy now seems to be looking for. As could understand. another bout of dust descends, Billie Jo seems even It’s that identification with the protagonist that more in need of escape. She leads a car and lost driver makes what follows so compelling. Ma, preparing through a storm, thinks of the cattle dying of muddy coffee, mistakes a pail of kerosene for water, and lungs, eats food laced with grit, and sees hopelessness pours “a rope of fire” (p. 60) from pail to stove. As Ma in her father’s eyes. Life has to be better somewhere runs outside for help from Daddy, Billie Jo wisely else. grabs the burning pail and flings it out of the door. But So she leaves. Getting on a train in the middle of Ma was on her way back in, and she turns in to a the night, she heads west, out of the dust. Her boxcar “column of fire” (p. 61). More painful than the burned escape transforms her; a man who left his family also hands (cf. Johnny Tremain) that keep her from her rides the rails away, and she realizes that her place is piano are the nightmares Billie Jo has as she watches with her father: her Ma and baby brother die (p. 64): As we walk together, Daddy called to me. He asked me to bring water, side by side, Ma was thirsty. in the swell of dust, I brought up a pail of fire and Ma drank it. She had I am forgiving him, step by step, given birth to a baby of flames. The baby for the pail of kerosene. burned at her side. As we walk together, side by side, Billie takes on a familial leadership role at the funeral. in the sole-deep dust, When her father does not respond when asked the I am forgiving myself baby’s name, Billie Jo names him “Franklin,” after her for all the rest. (206) beloved President Roosevelt. Faulting her father for She leads her dad to physical and emotional healing putting the kerosene by the stove in the first place, by convincing him to seek treatment for the dust Billie Jo grows uncertain, afraid, and a co-leader in a cancer on his face and by accepting his new wife. household where she is quietly resented. Billie Jo leads herself home. She continues to interpret life through analogies, and the encouragement of others makes her try Third place (2 of 2): Crispin: Cross of playing the piano again. In little ways, hope seems to Lead by Avi be returning: she longs to see a bigger world, she continues to do well in school, and she’s inspired by The second third-place whole-book leadership the creativity of others. She tries to fill the void left by contender is 13-year-old Crispin, an orphan living in her mother, but Daddy is preoccupied and distant, medieval England. Unlike the orphans before him, believable reactions given that: Dicey, Tree-ear, and Johnny, he has even bigger problems than finding food and work. Like Johnny, he
75
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
has a secret past, is falsely accused of theft, and learns transforming him from servant to master, and teaching the meaning of the word “freedom;” unlike Johnny, he him to think for himself—essentials for the leadership lives in a more dangerous time where courts of law task he will perform later. are hanging ropes. His life is endangered early on in His first experience of consciously choosing to be this first-person historical fiction tale; the reason why his own master turns disastrous. He leaves the lodging is not resolved until the end. he and Bear share, even after being warned not to. He Crispin is a product of his world; as a serf he feels is recognized and pursued. His skill and plan help him both fortunate—he does have food, and unfortunate— escape, but it takes Bear to make a full rescue. He begs he is not free to choose a life for himself. He expects forgiveness, but Bear says none is needed because it is God to produce both prizes and punishments, and he he who has forgotten how little Crispin really knows. is sure he deserves the latter most often. He is Though his own past is mysterious to him, he is shunned, even as his mother lives; he is hunted when beginning to piece together Bear’s true life as a leader he becomes an orphan. Known only as Asta’s son, he in a rebellion against the norms of medieval England. doesn’t know he has his own name—Crispin—until His suspicions are confirmed by the widow who his friend Father Quinel tells him. All of this ambiguity provides them lodging. She urges Crispin to look out adds up to mass confusion: For reasons unknown to for Bear—to preserve the life of both master and him, Crispin has been declared a “wolf’s head” by the servant. Crispin’s leadership role has been defined. manor’s steward; he can be killed without fear of Fortunately, Crispin has many personality charac retribution, a most disgraceful situation to be sure. teristics which help him through the ambiguity that The kind priest gives him his mother’s lead cross, into crowds around him. He is observant, and he notices which she scratched an inscription. He was not aware when armed men are about to invade the place where that she could read and write, and he certainly cannot, Bear and his compatriots are meeting. Furthermore, he so he looks forward to the priest’s promised explana recognizes that one of the men is John Aycliffe, the tion. steward of the manor and the one who has declared Which never comes. The priest is murdered, and him a “wolf’s head,” so he puts himself in mortal Crispin is pursued, finding himself leaving the only danger when he alerts Bear and his band. Bear assists life he knows. He relies on Christ, crosses, saints, and the others as they escape, but he himself is captured. signs for protection, protection that ironically comes in He cries out, “Go Crispin. Get out of the city. It’s you the form of a mere man named “Bear.” Crispin swears they want, not me” (p. 204). a sacred oath to this unpredictable man, and his life as Crispin returns to the widow’s ransacked house. a juggling musician’s apprentice begins. Bear recog He comforts her, and she reveals what has been secret nizes Crispin’s talent and wit, but chides him for his to him throughout the tale: His cross is inscribed with religious beliefs: “As God is near—and surely He the words, “Crispin—son of Furnival.” Though Crispin always is—He needs no special words or objects to thinks he understands the significance of the revela- approach Him” (p. 99). As if Bear’s view of the next tion—Lord Furnival is nearing death and Crispin has a world were not shocking enough, he tells Crispin that claim to his land—the widow makes it plain: “What he is his own master. Crispin’s worldview is rocked: ever noble blood there is in you is only . . . poison. “Surely God Himself put us all in our places: Lords to Lady Furnival, who’s the power here, will never let rule and fight. Clergy to pray. All the rest—like me— you have the name. She’ll look on you as her enemy, were on earth to labor, to serve our masters and our knowing that anyone who chooses to oppose her will God” (p. 101). Meek Crispin hardly sounds like an use you and what you are” (p. 217). Her other exemplary leader, but this story is full of surprises. revelations about his past make his present clear: Bear Under Bear’s guidance, Crispin learns his trade. is being held as bait to catch him. He is shocked when Bear upsets the global order by He takes the bait, frees Bear from torture, and giving him the coin he earned entertaining others. He negotiates their release. He boldly declares himself remains undetected, though rumors about the “wolf’s Lord Furnival’s son, and compromises his own noble head” circulate through the towns and villages they position by saying that if he and Bear are escorted visit. Bear continues to help him interpret experiences, safely out of the town gates they never will return nor
76
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
claim his rights. To seal the deal he agrees to hand damages the copper piece he was sent to deliver. over the cross, the only evidence short of DNA testing Young Fu seems like a leader, but, as yet, an unpol that proves his parentage. They are double-crossed ished one. Once again he vows to do better, and he and a bloody fight ensues; Crispin and Bear gain the hopes his success will mean his mother does not have upper hand. True to his word, Crispin lays his cross of to work anymore. lead on the steward’s body and, accompanied by Bear, His skill and knowledge increase (as does his emerges from the town “a full member of the guild of overweening pride). He is conned into buying a watch free men” (p. 261). and then sells snow (“Dragon’s Breath”) to pay his debt. His quick mind causes him to doubt supersti Fourth place (1 of 3): Young Fu of the tions; so, despite his mother’s warnings against Upper Yangtze by Elizabeth Foreman foreigners, he rushes to watch as fire burns the foreign Lewis hospital. Serendipitously, he helps a foreigner save her house from the widening fire, an action which reaps The second (and final) Asian protagonist in the future benefits. The grateful woman rewards him with sample is Young Fu. He has much in common with money; Young Fu gives her a gift from the shop in other protagonists in previous rankings. Like Tree-ear, return. He imagines what wealth a foreign patronage Johnny, and Crispin, he is an apprentice. He lives in might bring the shop, and he concludes that, twice, he China, a world proscribed by rules and roles, as does has tested superstitions and won. Crispin; but, unlike Crispin, he early-on questions the Predictably, his bold defiance of accepted social social order and suggests new interpretations. He is norms produces fruit. When his friend Small Li fatherless like Jessie Bollier, but Young Fu’s mother is collapses, he decides that the foreign woman can help less a victim of circumstances than Jessie’s is. Though him. He uses humor, charm, and negotiating skill to he leads in many ways, the episodic nature of this convince Li’s very traditional family to try the historical fiction story set in the early 1900s fails to foreigner’s remedy. Small Li is cured and would surely engage the reader as fully as the stories in previous have died from his ruptured appendix otherwise. rankings. Next, Young Fu accompanies Tang on a journey Young Fu begins his life in the city of Chunking, down the river, to deliver brass pieces to a customer. apprenticed to the coppersmith Tang. He is ridiculed He is honored to have been asked. He saves the silver as a country bumpkin, but he is driven to learn the that has been given in payment for the brass by hiding trade so his mother will have life’s necessities. His it under himself, undergoing severe discomfort as he is mother’s superstitious ways are not his; for example, stepped on by the bandits in his hiding place. Again, he shows no fear of foreigners who, according to his his ability and personality save the day. His pride, mother, could bring harm just by catching one’s eye. once again, surfaces as he plans to share his tale with He learns the ways of the shop and city. Running his shop mates. His mother’s superstitions are voiced errands for Tang, he becomes familiar with the city. again, but, even so, Young Fu doesn’t mind his next He remains curious throughout the story, even after adventure either: spending the night outside the city being victimized by a soldier. Work demands his time, gates. When the river floods, it’s Young Fu to the but he longs to learn to read and write. Though he rescue! He leads many who live outside the gates to knows his duty is to Tang, he takes time to observe safety. His charisma and courage save the day. Chinese writing, and he welcomes Wang Scholar’s When revolutionaries begin ruining businesses offer to teach him. However, he disappoints his wise and attacking citizens, Tang puts Young Fu in charge neighbor by failing to see the ultimate value of of the shop while he is away. Young Fu turns away learning: “It has been given that men might learn how intruders, but narrowly escapes death due to Tang’s to live, not to win fortune” (p. 54), Wang teaches. The intervention. Young Fu continues to think about his lesson takes. Young Fu vows to live a life that is many experiences, to question superstitions and honorable to his father and ancestors. This proves a prejudice, to learn to read and write, and to look difficult promise to keep; immediately afterward he forward to owning his own shop. Echoing the confi gets lost in thoughts of his own self-importance and dence his employer has in him, his mother leaves him
77
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
alone while she travels to visit a sick relative. Unfortu she was forced into (cf. Jessie Bollier), but is even nately, Young Fu gambles away the money she left more afraid of being “turned cold and hungry out of him. He worries that she won’t trust him, and strikes the midwife’s cottage” (p. 24). a bargain with Tang to repay his debt. She is pleased A case of mistaken identity transforms “Beetle” to when she returns, “you are beginning to fill your “Alyce,” and she decides that, hard as it may be, she father’s place in the household” (p. 195), and admires will answer only to that name. She proceeds to bestow him for his honesty about the gambling debt. the same favor on others; as though she were Adam But his episodes of leadership are not over. He himself, she names the cat, the cow, and the young discovers his master’s stolen pieces in the market boy she rescues, symbolically transforming them to place, and his status and wages continue to rise. creatures with lives of worth. She can be noble, but Though he credits the gods for his success, his drive to she can be manipulative too. Alyce dupes the supersti do well for his master also motivates him. Like Tree tious villagers into thinking the Devil himself has been ear, his merits are noticed by his employer, who treats wandering through the town, visiting those who have him as a son. Like Dicey, he is adopted, and wears the been less than scrupulous. The Devil leaves indetermi garments in which “he would resemble one of Tang’s nate tracks in the snow as he wanders about, courtesy intimates rather than an employee” (p. 228). of the blocks of wood Alyce carved just for this deceptive purpose. Not only does she gain retribution, Fourth place (2 of 3): The Midwife’s she also reveals (only to the reader) her logical Apprentice by Karen Cushman mistrust of superstitions (cf. Young Fu). She is getting bolder and more skillful; some The fourth apprentice in the sample is also the grateful mothers even pay her for her help, thus first female apprentice in this whole-book ranking. Her earning a little for herself (cf. Crispin). Ironically, she life is ambiguous from the start: She is of indetermi learns that kindness can assist a birth better than nate age (12 or 13), and her name changes in five insults not through her experiences with human birth, pages from “Brat,” to “Beetle,” to “The Midwife’s but by watching a farm boy help twin calves enter the Apprentice.” Her intelligence and cleverness get her world (“Twins, Alyce!” cried Will. “You have brought into this job, and her personality gets her reinstated at me great luck, for Tansy be having twins” [p. 51]). She the end of the tale. Furthermore, she dubs herself crafts her own trade by combining the best of what “Alyce,” and she makes a practice of symbolically kindness and the midwife have to offer. Much more, legitimizing the people and animals around her by now, than “the midwife’s hand or arm” (p. 53), Alyce giving them respectable names. is learning to lead in her own way, though she worries She learns early on that “midwife’s apprentice” about easing reluctant babies into the light, a doesn’t necessarily mean “birth helper.” It seems she foreshadowy foreboding. Her failure to do so for a is more of a “supply carrier.” She’s quite sure the villager named Emma forces her to leave the best life midwife doesn’t want to reveal her secret skills and she has yet known. spells, but she is smart and observant and picks up She finds a place for herself and her cat at an inn, the trade in her own way. She doubts that superstition as kitchen sweeper and mouse chaser. A guest at the and magic have much to do with the process (cf. inn befriends her and teaches her to write letters. He Young Fu), though later in the story she may wish she respects her enough to ask what she wants, to which had had some magical intervention. she replies, “A full belly, a contented heart, and a Forced into tending alone to a mother in labor, place in the world” (p. 81). She needs the help of she panics. Trying the midwife’s own routine of verbal others to see that she is entitled to those things, and, assault on the laboring woman produces results: a ironically, it is her hard-hearted mistress who gives shower of household implements thrown at her, but her courage to try her craft again. no baby born. When the midwife herself comes to the But not right away. Before she returns to Jane she rescue, she slaps the mother, forces wormwood tea makes sure Edward, the boy she rescued earlier, is down her throat, and, order restored, delivers a baby. safe, and she delivers a baby from a woman who Beetle is frightened by the chaotic leadership situation didn’t know she was pregnant. Her courage comes
78
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
from remembering the words and advice of those in her hoped-for-boyfriend Royce, Grandma, shotgun in her past, and she returns to her “place in the world” hand, scares a woman clad only in a snake out of the (p. 81), to Jane’s house, to a future as the midwife’s attic she has rented to an artist. Mary Alice thinks the apprentice. embarrassment will end her life, but of course, Grandma has other plans for her. Fourth place (3 of 3): A Year Down Mary Alice’s concern and care for Grandma Yonder by Richard Peck grows. She leaves graduation practice to check on her during a tornado. Grandma passes the kindness on by Though this protagonist has less of a strong, clear checking in on ailing neighbors during the storm. leadership perspective than others rated lower overall, With Grandma as role model, they together clean up the believable protagonist and the strong supporting the community. It comes as no surprise when the actress kept it in fourth place in the whole-book author fast forwards through time, and the reader ranking. Though the story is in the first-person learns that Mary Alice will be married in her beloved narrative point of view, it seems less about “I” and grandma’s house. more about the quirky grandma who the reader learns to love early on. It takes the protagonist longer to love Fifth place (1 of 2): Onion John by her. Joseph Krumgold Hard times have hit Chicago in 1937, and desper ate measures were used to survive. Mary Alice, 15, is If the tenth book in this whole-book ranking sent south to live with her grandmother (cf. Dicey): followed suit with the previous nine, the protagonist “No telephone . . . [Y]ou had to go outdoors to the should be the product of a home split by death, privy. Nothing modern” (p. 2). In other words, no abandonment, uncertain paternity and/or financial good. But good does come to Mary Alice; though, with hardship. But it doesn’t fit the pattern. Onion John is a sneaky, manipulative, heart-of-gold grandmother to like an Ozzie-and-Harriet breath of fresh air in a place watch out for, the road to happiness is a bumpy one. grown stale from the problems defining it. Twelve Most of Mary Alice’s time is spent trying to stay two year-old Andy starts his first-person narrative pro steps behind Grandma: she plays along as Grandma claiming the value of team work, and the book retains teaches a neighbor a lesson, she helps make glue that that theme throughout. He wins the championship will mark the boys who intend to knock over her baseball game by hitting a home run. He shares the privy, she’s a partner in crime as Grandma steals credit for the win with his teammates, and he credits pumpkins and pecans to make pies for charity, and luck and superstition with partial responsibility (cn. she watches as Grandma manipulates others to raise Young Fu and Alyce, cf. Crispin and Mary Alice). money for a needy woman. “I walked in Grandma’s Preferring to visit his friend John in the dump instead shadow” (p. 61) sums life up well. of joining the team for an ice cream celebration, Andy Mary Alice is not entirely passive, however. She is again the recipient of magic power as he interprets recognizes bad omens (cn. Young Fu and cf. Crispin) what old John says: “’Cows in the sky?’ I asked him. as she gets ready to play the lead in the Christmas ‘Is that what you said?’ . . . He nodded. They were nativity, a show that is talked about (for various right, the words I’d heard. No one else ever under reasons) for many years. Mary Alice begins to love stood anything he said . . .” (p. 20). Andy’s ability to Grandma by looking past her quirks to that good that interpret both Onion John’s words, actions, and inspires her. Mary Alice reaches out to others, adopt emotions fuel this story’s plot; the boy’s many ing Grandma’s manipulative ways as necessary: She personality traits are often used to determine what to pens anonymous “Newsy Notes” for the local newspa do in the subjective situations Onion John draws him per, revealing harmless gossip and highlighting into. community shortcomings in her cryptic words, and The story contains at least three plots. One she orchestrates a Valentine scam to deflate the ego of involves Onion John and his interactions with Andy an overbearing classmate. But she’s a mere amateur in and his friends. The second includes Onion John, the conniving department: As Mary Alice entertains Andy, Andy’s father, and his father’s friends. The third
79
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
revolves around Andy’s relationship with his dad. So, he comes to realize that the loss of the modern house first things first. Onion John is a mystical man who is a good thing, for now Onion John can choose his talks in indecipherable codes (for most people, that own life for himself, even if that life includes ritual is), lives in an unconventional house, and has unor ized gold-making and unorthodox goat-based rem thodox ways of dealing with the problems in his edies. world. Andy is charmed by him, and, because of his Likewise, Andy and his dad are learning some stable home life, is able to form opinions about the thing about shared decision making. Andy’s dad sees man with the care and concern of his parents. the potential Andy has in science and math, and he When Onion John wants to try to break the dreams that Andy will become an astronaut. He even drought by fasting, having a procession, carrying arranges a summer job for Andy at General Magneto, torches, singing, etc., Andy doesn’t see what harm it a local leader in technology. Rather than welcoming could do to try: “It’ll make him happy. And it can’t do this opportunity, Andy realizes that it will take him any harm. And what if it works? We’ll be the first ones away from his dad and their pleasant summers in Serenity who ever made it rain!” (p. 30). His dad is working together at the hardware store. He decides his less sure that this spectacle will do no harm, but he only escape from a future that is being planned for respects Andy’s right to learn for himself. When it him is to run away with Onion John. His parents get pours three days later, Andy’s dad is the first to wind of the plan. Eventually, they reconcile in a way congratulate the rain makers. However, when Onion which values the worth of both parties’ opinions. John cooks up a Halloween plan to fumigate Andy’s Andy’s dad tells him his life is his to plan, and he house of witches, dad draws a line in the sand: To be leaves room for Andy to make his own decisions. friends with Onion John either they have to regress to But Onion John already knew he was master of the fourteenth century ideas he has, or he has to be his own life, and he decides he will stick with the plan brought up to the 20th century life they are living. to run away. He feels that Andy has outgrown him, Andy is not sure he wants to give up the rituals, secret and he also wants to avoid having a new house built codes, and excitement that Onion John brings, but he for him to replace the modern marvel that almost accepts the obvious choice. His dad puts flesh on the killed him. The town has learned a lesson about bones of the plan by suggesting that building Onion deciding someone else’s future: Everyone agrees not to John a new, modern house would be a step in the rebuild. Andy’s dad has learned a lesson: Don’t use right direction. Onion John is consulted, agrees, and others to make up for your own losses. And Andy sub-plot 2 is underway. learned a lesson: He can confidently make his own The Rotary Club and the members’ wives are decisions, knowing his dad will support him because excellent examples of the formal perspective on “the only [person he] ever come across, who’s leadership in action. They plan, schedule, assign, and anything great, is [his dad]” (p. 241). act—all in an effort to construct Onion John’s house on schedule. Andy helps in this effort, and from Fifth place (2 of 2): Jacob Have I Loved demolishing, to framing, to shingling and painting, he by Katherine Paterson is there to interpret events for the rather confused Onion John. The stove and the bathtub cause Onion As good an example of the ambiguity perspective John to fret, and one of these modern devices later as The Slave Dancer, this tale falls to a lower place in causes Andy’s dad to do the same. When the house is the whole-book ranking because the main character is finished, it is a marvel of modern construction. Andy so consumed by jealousy she is almost crippled and helps Onion John prepare a speech to thank all those because the book doesn’t offer much help for her in who helped. He steps out of the best-friend-of-Onion- the form of other leadership examples, because most John spotlight, and he declares his father the best of the characters we meet are as self-involved as she. friend Onion John could have. But Andy himself takes It doesn’t take long to figure out what makes the blame when Onion John burns down the new Louise Bradshaw, 13, tick. She’s barely welcomed us house, thinking that the new stove needed wood to to her world when she reveals that the very sound of fuel it. However, through conversations and musings, her twin sister’s voice makes her nauseated. Her
80
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
animosity throughout the book seems to be fueled masters” (p. 129). She comforts Hiram as he realizes only by her own self-centered jealousy; the first all is lost. Her chaotic feelings about him reveal an person narrative form makes this negativism immedi adolescent crush, one that causes her many ambiva ate and raw. Twin sister Caroline, her beauty and lent feelings as she and her family offer their home to talent well-known, seems much better able to handle him as a temporary refuge. She is miserable, and she the comparisons that are inevitable in twinships. lets those around her know it. For Louise is no slouch. She has talents which But the world keeps spinning, and time moves on. bode well for life on an island: a sense of humor, skill Through a chain of events involving Hiram and his at poling a skiff and finding oysters, and a love for the past, a sum of money is entrusted to him. He credits water. She is unhealthily introspective, and she spends Louise with giving him the idea, and announces that a lot of time figuring herself out. Unlike Billie Jo’s he is going to use the money to send Caroline to music (Out of the Dust), Louise’s observations about life school on the mainland. How does Louise interpret make her less believable, especially if extent of this good fortune?: “God had chosen to hate me” (p. hardship in the two cases is compared. Louise and her 181). sister live with both parents and a grandmother, and, With seemingly nothing left to lose in her miser though poor, they all work together to make a life on able, overshadowed, self-dominated life, she negoti Rass Island in Chesapeake Bay. ates a deal with her parents. She’ll stay out of school Early on, Louise gets rid of her victim mentality so she can catch crabs with her father. She finds long enough to set out on an adventure with her happiness in this teamwork, and she even manages to serious-minded friend Call. They stake out the house find humor in her grandmother’s strange outbursts. of a man who has just arrived on the island; Louise But this doesn’t last long. Her friend Call announces dreams that he may be a spy and that she will be his marriage to Caroline, and Louise’s jealousy flares hailed as a wartime hero. Using many admirable again. Grandma hits her with a Bible when she quotes leadership skills—planning, adopting a code, and deprecating Scripture, and Louise is befuddled about being observant—they come face-to-face with the how her own mother can abide this woman so calmly. mysterious man. He turns out to be a former island Is there any hope that Louise will find balance in her resident, and almost as mysterious as a spy: “If he was life, or will she forever identify with the Biblical Esau, not a spy, if he was indeed Hiram Wallace, why had the outcast twin brother of Jacob, who was loved? he come back after all these years . . .?” (p. 83). Balance comes in the form of schooling off the Louise catches crabs on the beach, and sells them island, marriage, and a family. The final scene is of to make money to help her family. She rationalizes Nurse Louise, a new mother herself, nursing a weak keeping some of the money for herself, but makes a newborn twin for a mother who was feeding the point to honor the conservative Christian values held stronger sibling. She is a leader who has learned, by the islanders. She reminds the newcomer of the finally, that those who give get more in return. Biblical principles that guide the island, but realizes that her own life has its share of inconsistencies. She Sixth place (1 of 2): The Trumpeter of does reach out to another when she agrees to clean up Krakow by Eric P. Kelly the house of a neighbor, and she shows more love for cats than for her own sister. Her leadership—she As readers get further away from the top whole quotes the commandments as her authority—spares book leadership ranking in the sample, even noble the lives of many of the marauding felines. When characters in the stories have a harder time measuring Caroline comes up with an ingenious remedy to the up to a Billie Jo or a Jessie Bollier, two well-rounded cat problem, Louise’s jealousy resurfaces. characters who perform their leadership tasks in Her heroic deeds continue. During a storm, she believable ways. The trumpeter of Krakow, Pan alerts Hiram and helps him get to safety in her own Andrew, is a very noble man, as is his son, the future home. After the storm, she poles him to the wreckage trumpeter. The fifteenth-century Polish patriot hides a of his house, imagining herself like “a wise [Egyptian] national secret in his home, and he has sworn that he slave who can read and write and dare to advise their will deliver the object safely to the king. On the
81
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
journey to do so, his son carries on the family tradi set out with the alchemist to do so, thus fulfilling tion of doing good deeds. Josef, at 15, demonstrates Josef’s father’s oath. The crystal’s significance and many traits which serve him well in leadership roles: history are made plain, and the king promises him a He observes, plans, thinks ahead, wonders, and, most proper reward. All seems well. However, the alche of all, interprets situations. In addition, he is brave, mist, realizing the power of the stone, grabs it and intelligent, pious, and humble. These characteristics throws it in the river, where it still rests: “There had and actions help him foil a bandit, save a girl from a been in its history too much of suffering and misfor savage dog, and discover a place for him and his tune to make it a thing at all desirable to possess, in parents to stay in the beautiful city of Krakow. But life spite of the purity of its beauty” (p. 214). Josef’s story, is about to take an unexpected turn, and the future of part of that suffering and misfortune, ends—happily— Poland seems to be falling into Josef’s hands. with his university education and his marriage to Literally into his hands. For his father, in addition Elzbietka. He is a shining example of the positive to harboring a national treasure, also has a job to do characteristics of his people. in the city. He stands at each of the four sides of the tower of the Church of Our Lady Mary, and he plays Sixth place (2 of 2): M.C. Higgins, the the Heynal, a hymn to Mary “which every trumpeter Great by Virginia Hamilton in the church had in the past sworn to play each hour of the day and night—‘until death’” (p. 4). In the past, In M.C., the reader meets the first and only black death had come to one trumpeter before he finished protagonist in the sample. Similar to his whole-book the song, and a new tradition of playing the song co-sixth-place finisher, M.C. takes family responsibility without the final notes began. It is this tune that seriously, maybe too seriously. He and his family live Josef’s father plays, and it is this broken tune that in the shadow of an oily coal mine spoil heap that, Josef wisely repairs to save the city. M.C. believes, is going to dislodge and bury them. He He is a quick study and picks up the tune well. is like a prophet, proclaiming doom and destruction to After a brief time of playing just one of the four those who won’t heed his words. His quest is to Heynals with his father, his chance to go solo arrives. convince his dad to move, the outcome of which the As the hourglass sands drop closer to the hourly duty, reader doesn’t learn until late in the tale. the same evil man who had threatened him and his Though his obsession makes him seem weak, 13 family earlier in the tale shows up in the tower. He is year-old M.C. has many personality traits which equip after the hidden treasure, which Josef now learns is him for his leadership roles. He is tall, intelligent, the Great Tarnov Crystal, and it is up to Josef alone to strong, imaginative, graceful, creative, has keen be sure that the traditions of the country—the Heynal senses, and is in touch with people around him. He and the crystal—are preserved. Can he do it? Fortu motivates a new friend to do an impossible thing, and nately, Josef had thought about just such a situation he accepts the “witchy” six-fingered Killburn family. happening, and had arranged a code with Elzbietka, He, himself, is quasi-supernatural. M.C. has secret his friend. If he played the Heynal all the way through, ways of doing things, and his visions and premoni she would know trouble was brewing. So he does. tions sometimes give him clues about the present. And Elzbietka notices, alerts the authorities, and saves the why shouldn’t he be all these things? He is “the Great” day. after all, and the 40-foot-pole in his yard that he sits However, in an exciting twist, the author reveals atop seems a suitable throne for this God-pretender: that the crystal is not in his father’s possession, but “He fluffed the trees out there and smoothed out the that it had fallen into the hands of the alchemist sky. All was still and ordered, the way he like to Kreutz; his selfish experiment to make gold from brass pretend he arranged it every day” (p. 27). almost torches the entire city. He gives the crystal that He proves his greatness in a variety of ways. He he has hidden in his robes to Josef’s father, and Kreutz loves his family, valuing the traditions and songs that declares madly that it is cursed. Realizing that the have been passed down. He shows this love in at least crystal must be delivered as quickly as possible, Josef, three ways: First, “[m]ost of the time, the children his father, Elzbietka, and the scholar-priest Jan Kanty were in M.C.’s care” (p. 72), because his father works,
82
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
though sporadically. His mother’s employment and nonsense guardian, she is also her emotionally M.C.’s hunting skill keep them from starving, and the detached teacher. Uncle Haskell provides some comic pole he sits atop inspires them: “It had been M.C.’s relief in the plot, though his lying and thinly-disguised fancy to make the children cherish the pole even more drinking hardly make him a good role model for this than they would have, by putting shiny wheels and young person. hard-looking pedals on it” (p. 54). He resents his Her first act of leadership is to organize the custodial role because he has responsibility but little ongoing shunning of a mentally-challenged school power to make the decision to move, the one decision mate. Her next leadership role is to help her sister that would really benefit his family. Another way he when her daughter, Julie’s namesake, is born. Even cares for his family is by encouraging his mother: he this role is clouded by self-interest: She resents her recognizes that her singing talent may be their ticket brother-in-law’s primary status in her sister’s life. The out of the shadow of the slag heap, and he directs the pages in between these events have to do with her recruiter to their home and orchestrates the audition. inner life and “manipula[tion] . . . in the world of A third way he shows he cares for his family is his adults” (p. 29). She’s lonely, resentful, and dismissive concern for his father and his drinking problem. M.C. of those who don’t suit her purposes: “I had no is comfortable enough with his dad to negotiate about interest in anyone’s feelings save my own” (p. 37). moving, but he also fears and misunderstands him. It Uncle Haskell does what he can to modify her charac takes his mom to sort out some of this relationship, and ter by talking to her and writing her pointed notes. the information M.C. gains from her helps him cope. She does reach out to Aunt Cordelia, assisting in But M.C. leads others too. He encourages a new the kitchen, and she defends her aunt’s strictness to a friend to swim through a tunnel, taking her where she wealthy classmate. When her Father remarries, she is didn’t even know she wanted to go: “They were in a her one attendant. When it comes time for her to world all their own, where she was older but he was move back home, though, she negotiates to stay with the leader” (p. 157). He negotiates a good price for the Aunt Cordelia. She seems to be learning that marriage supply of ice they need. Though he accepts the witchy relationships do take priority, and her decision pleases Killburns and their six-fingered, ice-selling, snake all involved. In a rather Gothic twist, Julie helps tend charming ways, he is wary of them. When he realizes to a woman who, out of her senses, wanders off and that, despite their strange habits, their worldview gets lost. She offers to help Brett, another classmate, makes sense, he accepts them. with his schoolwork. Soon, he takes advantage of her His crowning achievement is the wall he builds at intellect and, in another Gothic twist, of her infatua the end of the story. Accepting his mother’s explana tion with him. Uncle Haskell rescues her, and her tion for his father’s unwillingness to move—the pole integrity remains untarnished. With Aunt Cordelia’s actually marks ancestral burial ground—M.C. begins help, she recovers from her broken ego and heart, and building a wall. His father contributes the gravestones finds room in her life for two new interests: Danny that he had tucked under the porch, and M.C., putting and writing. Contributing to her transformation, Uncle his own pride aside, accepts the building materials “to Haskell encourages her writing ability, (and dies soon make the wall strong” (p. 277). after from a mysterious fall from the bridge), and little Julie “followed me around with a devotion I had never Seventh place (1 of 2): Up a Road known before . . .” (p. 147). The book ends with a Slowly by Irene Hunt characteristically narcissistic Julie glowing with pride at the applause rendered for her marvelous graduation Julie lives in a house where something is “terribly speech. wrong” (p. 2). Upset by news that she may be mov ing, she is sedated and sent off to live with her Aunt Seventh place (2 of 2): Missing May by Cordelia. She describes herself in this first-person Cynthia Rylant historical fiction account as overindulged. As she ages from 12 on, “self indulged” describes her best. To Once again, the Newbery award-winner is about compound her troubles, her aunt is not only her no an orphan. Summer tells the reader the story of her
83
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
life with the aunt and uncle she has lived with for six Eighth place (1 of 1): A Gathering of of her twelve years. They are a loving couple who dote Days: A New England Girl’s Journal, on Summer. Aunt May declares, “I always told [Uncle] 1830-32 by Joan Blos Ob he was my moon and sun. And when you came to us, Summer, honey, you were my shining star” (p. 87). This first-person, historical fiction story begins When May dies, this little universe spins out of kilter. with a letter from a great-grandmother to her name Following his wife’s advice to hold on to those you sake great-granddaughter, explaining that she, herself, love (cf. Dicey), Ob decides that the way to restore penned the journal the year she turned 14. Similar to balance is to contact May through a spirit interpreter, Out of the Dust, this story records details in the life of an idea planted in his head by Summer’s friend Cletus. Catherine Hall, from daily events, to decision-making, Summer is so afraid that Ob’s grief is going to kill him, to duties fulfilled. It is a tale of a life defined by that she goes along with this plan “to mend his sorry goodness, guiding principles, and a girl’s own discov broken heart” (p. 16). eries about herself. Catherine is motherless (cf. Dicey, Her care and concern for Ob are real and ex Billie Jo, and Julie), but loved by her father. She is pressed often in word and deed. She cooks for him, virtuous and skillful, valuing good handwriting, self encourages him to pursue his whirligig hobby, and discipline, and care for others. When confronted with tries to encourage him. Her own self worries are also a moral dilemma—helping a stranger who left her a real. She’s not sure happiness is always around the note by giving him one of her mother’s quilts—she corner, and she wishes that she were enough to make agonizes over its many mysteries: Is the stranger a Ob want to go on. The formal systemized funeral sinner or sinned against, slave or free, young or old? parlor way of dealing with death has left her cold, and She feels sorrow for leaving her father and her best books and popular media offer no answers. She is on friend out of the discussion about what to do. She her own in helping Ob. decides, after consulting with her friend Asa and Though she doubts that contacting May is weighing the principles involved in the matter, to possible, she sees it as her only hope: “. . . if it kept leave a quilt in the woods for the stranger to warm Ob grinning and chasing after some hope, I knew I’d himself. She confirms her decision in her mind by have to be willing to follow him” (p. 54). Fortunately, praying for the man on Christmas. Her phantom, as some of her leadership burden has been shifted to she calls him, is not through with her yet. Cletus, though she expresses doubts about the plan Life goes on. She’s happy when spring comes, and they have agreed to. After manipulating Cletus’ she admires the schoolteacher for his stand on using parents so that Cletus can accompany them, they, classroom materials that advance moral development, “like three visitors heading for Oz,” (p. 71), set out. though the materials are not approved by the school Unfortunately, their savior, the Reverend Miriam officials. She has a birthday and resents it when her Young of the Spiritualist Church, has died. They set father implies that her childhood has been taken from out to return home; Summer is dejected, depressed, her because of her responsibilities (cf. Dicey). She and worried, “praying for something to save Ob and wins a spelling bee, wisely uses their dwindling me” (p. 76). That salvation comes in the form of a supply of food, mends, and does the family laundry. It detour to the West Virginia state capitol, a place Ob appears that her adult-like duties may soon be over: revered. When Summer breaks down in grief as an Father has expressed interest in a new wife. owl, May’s symbol, flies in front of her, Ob is able to She is conflicted about this, (“I will not call her comfort her, putting life back in her. The natural order mother” p. 75), and her emotions spill over when the is restored when Ob reclaims his parental duties and missing quilt affair is revealed and her father’s wife rediscovers the joy his whirligig hobby brought to promises to help her make a new replacement one, the him. In an authoritative, fatherly way, he states that punishment decided on by the newlyweds. As the the spirit messages’ purpose is to console those who step-relationship grows, she begins to call her suffer. Summer’s quest for Ob’s healing seems to be “Mammann”—a hybrid name which seems to fit the over. situation well.
84
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Crisis comes to Catherine when her friend Cassie though Dave’s reluctance to interact with the opposite dies. Guiding principles offered by others help her sex seems to be the real trouble here. Dave and Nick cope. She realizes that Cassie was dear to others too. eventually come to blows, literally, and the friendship Moving beyond self-pity helps restore order to her is put on hold. world of learning, farming, and news of unrest in the Tom reappears, and, after meeting Dave’s mom, South. Aphorisms, Biblical sayings, and guiding he and his friend explore the sidewalks and subways principles are the wind in her sails as she moves on of the city. He interprets Tom as “an island” (p. 46). with life. When a letter arrives, written in the same His ex-friend Nick shows up and he and Dave start handwriting as the message that began the quilt summer vacation together, a “dull routine” (p. 54). incident, Catherine learns that the man she helped is Then Tom reappears, with a girlfriend, and Dave and now free—and very grateful—in Canada. Hilda discuss what Tom should do with his life. Dave Catherine discovers that life is full of opposing decides to enlist his dad’s help, which he agrees to do. realities, and, as she prepares to leave home to care Dave takes the lead in suggesting employment, and for her aunt’s new baby, she leaves the reader with his dad makes the contact. Tom gets the job. this characteristic dichotomy: “. . . [N]ever is a place One of Dave’s biggest dilemmas is whether or not so loved as when one has to leave it” (p. 142). to have Cat neutered. He gets advice from others and Reminding the reader of the writer of the journal, the decides that the surgery is in his wandering cat’s best author ends the tale with a letter written, again, from interest. Cat survives the surgery and Dave’s worrying. the great-grandmother. It closes characteristically: Cat is the beneficiary of Dave’s concern later when “Life is like a pudding: it takes both the salt and the Dave braves traffic to rescue him. sugar to make a really good one” (p. 144). Dave overcomes his girl-phobia and takes Mary, someone he met earlier, to see a play. The meeting Ninth place (1 of 1): It’s Like This, Cat by wasn’t prearranged, and Dave doubts that he has the Emily Neville skills needed to make the effort needed to pursue a relationship: “I sort of can’t imagine calling up and Meet Dave, a 14-year-old boy who decides to get a saying, ‘Oh, uh, Mary, this is Dave. You want to go to cat because his dad thinks a dog would be a good pet. a movie or something, huh?’” (p. 78). So, he takes the Their bickering is a constant sub-plot in this book, lead by orchestrating another “chance” meeting, though Dave does manage to overcome his adolescent leaving the details to work themselves out. Mary lives rebellion long enough to convince his dad to help two a bohemian life, and Dave thinks about the differences of his friends. Neither of these humans, though, get as between his family and her family. Dave gets annoyed much page time as Cat, the pet who is loved because with independent Mary; he wants to be in the lead, “[a]nything a cat does, he does only when he wants and she won’t let him. When she turns to him for to” (p. 7) . He acquires the cat from Kate, a reclusive assistance, Dave recruits his dad and they help her. cat-lover who, later in the story, inherits her brother’s Ben is the newest entry in Dave’s cavalcade of fortune. Dave’s dad helps her manage both the cats friends. He attends school with him, and Dave and the cash. introduces him to Tom and to New York’s natural When Cat gets lost and Dave trespasses to find world. Tragedy strikes, however, when Cat pounces on him, he meets Tom Ransom, a young man who is a the salamander that Ben captured. Dave and his dad suspected burglar. Because he is nicer than the agree to reduce bickering so Mom’s asthma doesn’t superintendent of the New York apartment in which flare up; Dave gives Cat partial credit for bringing he lives, Dave hopes that Tom makes a big haul. There together some of the people in this tale. seems to be a guiding principle here, but moral doesn’t describe it. Dave writes to him when he finds The Nature of Leadership out he’s in jail, and he and his family befriend and help Tom. The study focused on eight well-documented Dave’s friend Nick is a little annoyed by Cat. He leadership perspectives, and, obviously, was crafted to spoils a date he arranges for him, Dave, and two girls, affirm these perspectives given that the codes used to
85
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
gather data were constructed themes of literature, especially literature that has It is instructive to note from thirty-eight sub withstood the test of time (Probst, 1984). Kinman and categories that describe the Henderson (1985, p. 887) highlight the importance of whether the dominant perspectives. And, indeed, realistic fiction: every perspective was perspectives (moral, Adolescents are confused over what they will become, as represented to one degree or well as who they are, and they role play attitudes and be personality, ambiguity, another within the sample. It haviors. Literature then must deal with characters assum is instructive to note whether ing adult behaviors and searching for adult identity. The and subjective) are in- the dominant perspectives books’ characters and situations must have an element of (moral, personality, ambigu reality: Readers can then accept that the character’s experi ences are similar to their own. dicative of a transforma ity, and subjective) are tional or transactional indicative of a transforma Because adolescent readers live in the present tional or transactional moment, the books that appeal to them probably will emphasis on leadership. emphasis on leadership. be “grounded in the realities of their own lives” Burns (1978) makes the (Hamilton, 2002, p. 61). The study I conducted was following distinctions crafted to analyze these books in light of Probst’s, between the two types: Transactional leaders engage Kinman and Henderson’s and Hamilton’s parameters. in you-scratch-my-back, I’11-scratch-yours tactics to Newberys have withstood the test of time and the accomplish goals common to both parties. In transac sample correlates to the lives (as measured by charac tional leadership, an exchange of goods is always ters’ ages and realistic story lines) adolescents live. “It made. These relationships can be short lived. In fact, is true now, as it was true when John Newbery Burns (1978) says that the relationship will last only published children’s books, that what is published for as long as necessary; it is fluid and changeable. To use children reflects the contemporary society’s opinions an analogy, transactional leaders are like merchants, of what children should read . . .” (Sutherland, 1997). exchanging, bartering, and trading to achieve goals. The content analysis and summaries presented Transformational leaders, on the other hand, are here are intended to give readers another tool to use intellectuals who use criticism, imagination, and as they choose books that will help grow adolescent thought to affect ends beyond present means. Trans readers and leaders. This study should serve as a formational leadership links people together by valuable tool for those who wish to harness the inspiring engagement with one another so that a implicit themes in stories to help develop leaders who common purpose is achieved; trust, vision, and are aware of the transactive and transformative powers empowerment mark transformational leadership of leadership. It affirms Burns’ conclusions, which are (Burns, 1978; Carlson, 1996). Transformational leaders based on theories of need hierarchy, moral develop are like gardeners, tending to the needs and growth of ment, and personal growth: “If the origin of the others. This study favors transformational leadership, leader’s value system lies in childhood conscience, because most of the four top-ranked perspectives favor adolescence and adulthood bring new overtures and a transformational approach: Moral and subjective are new closures as norms are interpreted and applied in part of a transformational emphasis, personality is ever-widening, ever more differentiated social collec either, depending on the leader’s qualities, while the tives (1978, p. 73). Adolescent experiences with ambiguity perspective is the only leading perspective literature could very well be a “new overture” in the clearly not within the transformational emphasis. development of leadership attributes and characteris tics. Fiedler (1971) and Burns (1978) say that adoles The Value of Adolescent Literature in cent leadership is spontaneous and not influenced by the Formation of Leadership overt attempts to develop it; therefore, implicit Characteristics messages may be a powerful influence. This study helps one begin to understand adolescent leadership Adolescents want to make sense of the world, of in this way (using dominant sub-categories as the good and bad, of work, even of death; these are the sources for the descriptors): The adolescent leader is
86
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Table 2: Whole-book Ranking in Five categories
1. Strong 2. 3. 4. 5. Total Whole- Leadership Believable Balanced Engaging Other book Perspective Tasks Protagonist Story Leaders Rank
Trumpeter of Krakow 43 2 3 2 1 46 th Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze 45 4 3 3 1 94 th Johnny Tremain 55 4 3 5 2 22 nd Onion John 33 3 2 5 1 65 th It’s Like This, Cat 1 1 2 1 2 7 9th Up a Road Slowly 12 3 2 2 1 07 th The Slave Dancer 54 5 5 4 2 31 st M.C. Higgins, the Great 53 2 2 2 1 46 th A Gathering of Days 1 2 3 1 2 9 8th Jacob Have I Loved 54 2 3 2 1 65 th Dicey’s Song 55 4 4 5 2 31 st Missing May 11 4 2 2 1 07 th The Midwife’s Apprentice 54 4 3 3 1 94 th Out of the Dust 54 5 5 2 2 13 rd A Year Down Yonder 2 45 3 5 1 94 th A Single Shard 54 4 5 5 2 31 st Crispin: Cross of Lead 54 4 4 4 2 13 rd
emotionally connected to others (1.3) as s/he willingly DuPree, Max. Leadership is an Art. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Media shares responsibility (3.3) in a selfless way (7.3), as s/ Books, 1990. he discovers solutions (5.1) to confusing leadership Fiedler, Fred. A Theory of Leadership Effectiveness. New York: McGraw Hill, 1967. situations (6.2), and as s/he feels both interested (5.1) Forbes, Esther. Johnny Tremain. New York: Bantam Doubleday and uncertain (6.1) about the leadership situation. Dell, 1943. If educators are to transform culture, they must Fox, Paula. The Slave Dancer. New York: Bantam Doubleday critically examine the implicit and explicit curricula Dell, 1973. and materials that inhabit the classroom. This study Friedman, Audrey, & Cataldo, Christina. “Characters at Cross roads: Reflective Decision Makers in Contemporary Newbery will enable decision-makers to understand what kinds books.” The Reading Teacher, 56.2 (2002): 102–112. of adolescent leaders are hiding in exemplary literature Gardner, Howard. Leading Minds: An Anatomy of Leadership. and to use this understanding to transform culture. New York: Basic Books, 1995. Greenleaf, Robert. Servant. Peterborough, NH: Windy Row Press, Carol Jasperse Lautenbach teaches English Language 1980. Arts at Lee Middle School in Wyoming, Michigan and Hamilton, Gregory. “Mapping a History of Adolescence and Litera Secondary Content Area Literacy at Calvin College, Grand ture for Adolescents.” The ALAN Review, 29.2 (2002): 57–62. Hamilton, Virginia. M.C. Higgins, the Great. New York: Aladdin, Rapids, Michigan. She earned her doctorate in Educational 1974. Leadership from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Hanna, Geneva. “Promoting Adolescent Growth Through Michigan. Reading.” In Thomison, Dennis (Ed.), Readings about Adolescent Literature. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow, 1964. Works Cited Hayden, Gretchen. A Descriptive Study of the Treatment of Avi. Crispin, the Cross of Lead. New York: Hyperion, 2002. Personal Development in Selected Children’s Fiction Books Blos, J. A Gathering of Days. New York: Aladdin, 1979. Awarded the Newbery Medal. Doctoral dissertation, Wayne Bush, T. Theories of Educational Management. London: Paul State University, 1969. Chapman, 1995. Hesse, Karen. Out of the Dust. New York: Scholastic, 1997. Carlson, Robert. Reframing and Reform. White Plains, NY: House, Robert. “A 1976 theory of charismatic leadership.” In J. Longman, 1996. Hunt & L. Larson (eds.), Leadership: The cutting edge (pp. Cushman, Karen. The Midwife’s Apprentice. New York: 189–207). Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, HarperCollins, 1995. 1977.
87
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Hunt, Irene. Up a Road Slowly. New York: Berkley Jam, 1966. Peck, Richard. A Year Down Yonder. New York: Penguin, 2000. Kelly, Eric. The Trumpeter of Krakow. New York: Aladdin, 1928. Pfeffer, Jeffrey. Managing with Power: Politics and Influence in Kinman, Judith, & Henderson, Darwin. “An Analysis of Sexism in Organizations. Boston: Harvard University Press, 1992. Newbery Medal Award Books from 1977 to 1984.” Reading Probst, Robert. Adolescent Literature: Response and Analysis. teacher, 38.9 (1985): 885–889. Columbus, OH: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company, 1984. Krumgold, Joseph. Onion John. New York: HarperCollins, 1959. Rylant, Cynthia. Missing May. New York: Bantam Doubleday Lewis, Elizabeth. Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze. New York: Dell, 1992. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1932. Sergiovanni, Thomas, & Starratt, Robert. Supervision: A Redefini Moshman, David. Adolescent Psychological Development: tion. Boston: McGraw Hill, 1998. Rationality, Morality, and Identity. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Starratt, Robert. The Drama of Leadership. London: The Falmer Erlbaum Associates, Inc., 1999. Press, 1993. Neville, Emily. It’s Like This, Cat. New York: HarperCollins, 1963. Sutherland, Zena. “The Newbery at 75: Changing with the Northouse, Peter. Leadership Theory and Practice. Thousand Times.” American Libraries, 28.3 (1997): 34–36. Oaks, CA: Sage, 1997. Voigt, Cynthia. Dicey’s Song. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1982. Park, Linda Sue. A Single Shard. New York: Dell, 2001. Yukl, Gary. Leadership in Organizations (4th ed.). Upper Saddle Paterson, Katherine. Jacob Have I Loved. New York: River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1998. HarperCollins, 1980.
88
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Margaret T. Sacco
Defending Books: A Title Index
“. . . It takes a village to raise a child, but it takes only one complaint to raze a curriculum.” —Reid & Neufeld 1999, p.1
ack in the winter of 1993, I contributed an before the censor appears. The titles that comprise the article, “Defending Books: A Title Index,” to index are predominately young adult fiction with B The ALAN Review, encouraging teachers to find classics and a few films, plays, poetry books, and reviews and write their own rationales for books using nonfiction. For the sake of brevity, the children’s ideas from the published ones (Sacco1993). A ratio- books have not been indexed as well as an additional nale is defined by Jean Brown and Elaine Stephens 700 or more rationales that are available from the (1994) as the articulation of reasons for using a National Council of Teachers of English when a particular literary work, film, or teaching method (1). challenge occurs. New rationales are frequently added The sources of book rationales in that 1993 article are to NCTE’s database. Every teacher and educator presently out of print even though they are still very should become familiar with the rationales indexed useful and should not be weeded from teacher or and documents at the NCTE’s Anti-Censorship Center library collections. It appears from examining the website as well as American Library Associations’ reports of book challenges by Charlie Suhor and Millie Intellectual Freedom Manual (2006). An educator does Davis that books with rationales sent by NCTE are not have to be an NCTE member to go to NCTE’s more likely not to be banned than website and fill out the “Report A those that do not have rationales Censorship Incident Form” to report although empirical data on this It is imperative, for ex- a censorship problem or call 1-800- likelihood are not currently avail- 369-6283, ext. 3634 to get the able. ample, that they have excellent assistance of Millie Davis, Since that 1993 piece of mine, NCTE Director of Communications many excellent, newer sources of written rationales avail- and Affiliate Services, if films and rationales have come into print of videos, teaching methods, or able to parents and the challenged and/or more recently literary works are challenged. published books. Therefore, I community for each book I continue to help as many as prepared an up-to-date title index twenty teachers each year with (see Appendix A, An Index to taught in a classroom, censorship challenges, but only one Rationales) to the best sources of teacher in the past five years was rationales presently in print to help although no books should prepared with written rationale. educators locate rationales and to be required reading. Teachers are well-advised to be assist them in writing their own proactive as they select the litera-
89
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
ture that enters their classrooms and may also find Writing Rationales themselves better prepared to teach. It is imperative, Ken Donelson (1991) gives his usual wisdom to for example, that they have written rationales avail- educators when he suggests that one of the best able to parents and the community for each book rationales for writing rationales is that “they force taught in a classroom, although no books should be teachers to write and have their writing available to required reading. Students should be able to select the public.” He insists that a good rationale answers their reading from an approved English department the following questions: book list. The instructional materials should be (1) Why would you want to use this work with this selected to meet the class at this time? written educational (2) How do you believe this work will meet your Once a book is used in objectives and philosophy announced objectives? of the English department (3) What problems of style, texture, tone, and theme classroom teaching, teach- as well as specific literary exist for students in reading this work and how will criteria stated on an ers should collect student you meet those problems? evaluation form. Each (4) Assuming that the objectives are met, how will the work to prove that their member of the English students be different for having read and discussed department should read this work? (18) educational objectives and evaluate each book Additionally, there are numerous resources, articles and sign and date the were achieved. All this about rationales with forms for teachers to fill in to evaluation form. In point write rationales and examples to help them write a information should be put of fact, Don Gallo once rationale at NCTE’s Anti-Censorship Center. recounted the experience in a file to defend the of a Connecticut curricu- lum specialist who suc- Recommended Sources of Rationales book if it is challenged. cessfully defended Bridge The resources that are annotated over the follow- to Terabithia by using ing pages should be purchased and made available to evaluations forms to prove that teachers judiciously teachers in English departments and/or school selected the book for classroom teaching. libraries not only because they are examples of If a book is selected for use, all available ration- excellent defenses of books but also because they can ales, photocopies of the reviews that recommend the be used to get ideas to defend similar works or works book and entries of the books in recommended by the same author. For example, when I write a letter bibliographies should be collected. Once a book is to defend the use of the offensive “n-word,” in school used in classroom teaching, teachers should collect literature, I have found individual essays defending student work to prove that their educational objectives Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn were achieved. All this information should be put in a written by Jack M. Kean (1993) and Arlene Harris file to defend the book if it is challenged. Additionally, Mitchell (1993) in Nicholas Karolides, Lee Burress and since teachers with censorship problems are vulner- John M. Kean’s (1993) Censored Books: Critical able to being formally reprimanded, educators should Viewpoints to be very useful. Additionally, there are insist that their teachers’ union put an academic many valid arguments in these sources that educators freedom clause in their teaching contracts prohibiting can use to defend intellectual freedom. Educators reprimands from being placed in their personnel files should think of well-written rationales as food for the if they receive a censorship challenge. Instructional brain. The various writing styles used in the individual materials policies must be written stating that the sources to defend books illustrate that there is no one complainant must prove in writing that the material best way to write an effective rationale. challenged is inappropriate to insure intellectual (CD1) Rationales for Challenged Books, Vol.1. (CD- freedom. ROM). Urbana, IL: The National Council of
90
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Teachers of English and The International dom, a form for writing your own rationales, and a Reading Association, 1998. (NCTE, 1111 W. sample presentation to a school board in defense of a Kenyon Rd., Urbana, Il 61801, No. 38276 challenged book. members: $29.95; nonmembers: $39.95) (CB1) Karolides, Nicholas J., Burress, Lee & Kean, (CD2) Rationales for Challenged Books, Vol.2. (CD- John M. (Eds.). Censored Books: Critical ROM). Urbana, IL: The National Council of Viewpoints. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, Teachers of English, 2005. (No. 73314 mem- 1995. (ISBN 0-8108-4038-3 $44.50 pap.) bers: $29.95; nonmembers: $39.95) (CB2) Karolides, Nicholas J. (Ed.). Censored Books In 1995, NCTE and SLATE devised a plan to II: Critical Viewpoints, 1985-2000. Lanham, collect rationales for educators. I made a presentation MD: Scarecrow Press, 2002. (Scarecrow Press, to the Standing Committee Against Censorship and 4720 Boston Way, Lanham, MD 20706, ISBN SLATE suggesting the necessity of creating a database 0-08108-4147-9 $48.) of rationales and offering the services of Miami Both editions contain scholarly rationales of often University young adult literature students to contribute challenged poetry, nonfiction, and/or fiction for to the collection. M. Jerry Weiss solicited donations children and young adults that are frequently taught in from publishers so the rationales would be available to schools. The rationales are well-written by acclaimed teachers for a modest price. Rationales for Challenged authors, librarians, and/or scholar teachers and Books, Vol. 1 consists of over 200 rationales of over illustrate several ways to write an effective defense of 170 books and film titles appropriate for young adults. books. There are several rationales written by the All titles are arranged alphabetically. Miami University authors of the frequently censored books. The brief young adult literature students wrote most of the essays address why the books are challenged and the rationales. Rationales vary in length from three to over outcomes and gives specific reasons why the books twenty pages. There are a few children’s books, should not be banned. Censored Books: Critical nonfiction, and films in the collection. Rationales Viewpoints covers controversial books challenged usually contain an introduction that identifies awards during the years from 1950 to 1985 and is comprised won by the book or author; suggestion of youngest of two parts. Part I consists of essays by noted authors age or grade level that the book is appropriate for with on perspectives on censorship by omission and an APA citation; summary of the book, theoretical and commission; and Part II is composed of 63 rationales redeeming values of the book; teaching objectives; in alphabetical order. Censored Books II includes lesson plans; why the book is controversial, why the rationales of the most challenged books available to book should not be banned; annotated alternative children and young adults from1985 to 2000 and books, information about the author, and references. consists of an excellent foreword by Nat Hentoff and In Rationales for Challenged Books, Vol. 2, 11 2 65 rationales that include five series titles. The rationales are arranged alphabetically by title and rationales are in alphabetical order with an index of written by Jocelyn Chadwick’s Harvard University authors and titles in one alphabet. School of Education graduate students and Miami (RCM) Reid, Louann (Ed.). Rationales for Challenged University young adult literature students. The Materials. Fort Collins: CO: The Colorado collection consists of less-known and well-known Language Arts, 1987. (Louann Reid, English young adult titles and classics that may be used in Department, Colorado State University, Fort middle and high schools. Each three- to four-page Collins, CO 80523-1773 $8). rationale frequently includes intended audience of the The purpose of Rationales for Challenged Materi- work; a brief plot summary, potential objections to the als is to help teachers select and defend good books work and advice on how to address such objections; and films for young adults. Educators contributed 25 list of reviews of the work and awards, if any, it has well-written rationales of books that would appeal to received, and usually alternative works are suggested. and benefit young adults. Each article contains In addition, valuable resources are provided such as bibliographic information; intended audience, a NCTE Guidelines on Censorship & Intellectual Free- summary of the work, relationship of the material to
91
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
the educational program, impact on readers; potential with censorship and selection, how to write a book problems with the work and ways to address them; rationale by Gloria Pipkin, the Library Bill of Rights, references used; and alternative works. Articles about and ALA’s statement, The Freedom to Read. censorship and resources for combating censorship are (RTYAL) Reid, Louann, & Neufeld, Jamie Hayes included. In one article, Reid suggests and annotates (Eds.) Rationales for Teaching Young Adult the following novels that can be used singly or as Literature. Portsmouth, NH: Boyton/Cook, pairs or groups to teach young adults about censor- 1999. (Heinemann, P. O. Box 6926, Ports- ship: Fahrenheit 451, The Day They Came to Arrest the mouth, NH 03802-6926, ISBN 1-693056-04-X Book, Memoirs of a Bookbat, A Small Civil War, and $23.) The Last Safe Place on Earth. Contains 22 excellent rationales of worthwhile (HLC) Becker, Beverley C. & Stan, Susan M. Hit List books for young adults arranged in alphabetical order for Children 2: Frequently Challenged Books. and recommended for classroom teaching. Each 2nd Ed. Chicago, IL: American Library Asso- rationale contains bibliographic information, an ciation, 2002. (ALA, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, excerpt from the book, intended audience, summary Il 60611, ISBN 0-8389-0830-6 nonmember $25, and relationship of the material to the program, member $22.50). impact on readers, potential problems with the work (HLYA) Lesesne, Teri S. & Chance, Rosemary. Hit List and ways to address them, references, and alternative for Young Adults 2: Frequently Challenged works. The thought-provoking introduction and Books. Chicago, IL: American Library Associa- afterword should be read by all in-service and pre- tion, 2002. (ISBN 0-8389-0835-7 members service teachers. Additionally, there is an author index $22.50 nonmembers $25.) of titles mentioned in the text and an index of ration- Both of these publications of the ALA’s Office for ales by recommended grade level and theme. Intellectual Freedom contain rationales of the most In addition, educators have so many other commonly challenged books appropriate for young invaluable resources that can be used for defending adults and/or children and update the previous out-of- individual works and/or justifying the use of young print editions, Hit List for Children: Frequently Chal- adult literature in the classroom such as From Hinton lenged Books (1996) and Hit List: Frequently Chal- to Hamlet: Building Bridges Between Young Adult lenged Books for Young Adults (1996). Hit List for Literature and the Classics (Hertz and Gallo 2005), Children 2 offers suggestions for protecting 24 books, Adolescent Literature as a Complement to the Classics which includes two series and is arranged in alpha- series (Kaywell 1993-2000), Reading Their World: the betical order by author. In Hit List for Young Adults 2 Young Adult Novel in the Classroom (Monseau and the editors suggest how to protect 20 books and the Salvner 2000), Interpreting Young Adult Literature: essays are arranged in alphabetical order by title. Each Literary Theory in the Secondary Classroom (Moore entry in both books gives full bibliographical informa- 1997), Teaching Banned Book (Scales 2001) and tion and range in length from 1–4 pages. The essays Adolescents in the Search for Meaning: Tapping the include a summary of the challenged book with Powerful Resource for Stories (Warner 2006). These information that defends the use of the book in the excellent resources should be in every English depart- curriculum or library; a history of its censorship with ment library. results; reviews of the book; articles about the book; A chart of previously challenged books and the background articles; references about the author; and sources for their rationales follows. sources recommending the book. An appendix in Hit List for Children 2 informs the reader what ALA does Margot T. Sacco is an associate professor in the Depart- to help librarians. Hit List for Young Adults 2 has the ment of Teacher Education, at Miami University of Ohio. following invaluable appendixes: reference works She has been teaching Adolescent Literature for 33 years about authors, resources recommending challenged and has been a member of ALAN since its beginning. She books, selected recent books on intellectual freedom, was a member of the Standing Committee against Censorship for three terms. Her publications have ap- internet sites of intellectual freedom advocates, peared in The ALAN Review, The ALAN Newsletter, internet guides to intellectual freedom, tips for dealing
92
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
Computers in Libraries, Emergency Librarian, Preserving Intellectual Freedom Manual. 7th ed. Chicago, IL: American Intellectual Freedom, Writers for Young Adults, Vol 3, Library Association, 2006. Ohio Media Spectrum, ERIC: Resources in Education, and Mitchell, Arlene Harris. “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Focus: Teaching English Language Arts. She is a contribu- Review of Historical Challenges.” In Nicholas J. Karolides, Lee tor to Rationales for Challenged Books, Vol. 1 & 2 (CD- Burress, and John M. Kean, Eds. Censored Books: Critical Viewpoints. Metuchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow Press, 1993. R0M) (NCTE). Monseau, Virginia R. and Salvner, Gary. Reading Their World: The Young Adult Novel in the Classroom. 2nd ed. Ports- Works Cited mouth, NH: Boynton/Cook, 2000. Brown, Jean E. and Stephens, Elaine C. “Rationales for Teaching Moore, John Noell. Interpreting Young Adult Literature: Literary Challenged Books.” SLATE Starter Sheet. (April 1994):1-7. Theory in the Secondary Classroom. Portsmouth, NH: Donelson, Ken. “10 Steps Toward the Freedom to Read”. The Heinemann, 1997. ALAN Review 20.2 (Winter 1993):14-19. Reid, L., & Neufeld, J. H. (Eds.). (1999). Rationales for Teaching Herz, Sarah K. and Gallo, Donald R. From Hinton to Hamlet: Young Adult Literature. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Building Bridges Between Young Adult Literature and the Heinemann. Classic. Westport, Ct: Greenwood Press, 2005. Sacco, Margo. “Defending Books: A Title Index.” The ALAN Kaywell, Joan F. Ed. Adolescent: Literature as a Complement to Review. 20.2 (Winter 1993):39-41. the Classics (Vols. 1-4). Norwood, MA: Christopher–Gordon, Scales, Pat R. Teaching Banned Books: 12 Guides for Young 1993-2000. Readers. Chicago, IL: American Library Association, 2001. Kean, John M. “A Rationale for Teaching The Adventures of Warner, Mary L. Adolescents in the Search for Meaning: Tapping Huckleberry Finn.” In Nicholas J. Karolides, Lee Burress, and the Powerful Resource for Stories. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow John M. Kean, Eds. Censored Books: Critical Viewpoints. Press, 2006. Metuchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow Press, 1993.
93
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
RTYAL
10-19
81-88
116-123
RCM
3-4
10-13
HLYA2
1-2
6-8 9-10
3-4
HLC2
31-35
CB2
20-27
10-19
28-38
51-57
42-50
109-116
1-9
58-69
CB1
51-71
72-79
80-86 87-97
98-108
CD2
X
X
X
X
X
X
CD1 X X X
X X
X X
X X
X
X
X X X
X X
X
X
Appendix A: An Index to Rationales
ank
r
wain
den
oung Girl, Anne F
aulkner
ar, Robert Cormier Robert ar,
, Frank Mosca , Frank
I Lay Dying, William F
fter the First Death, Robert Cormier Death, Robert fter the First fter the Rain, Norma Fox Mazer Norma Fox fter the Rain,
thletic Shorts, Chris Crutcher thletic Shorts,
Title
365 Days, Ronald Glasser Ronald 365 Days, About David, Susan Beth Pfeffer The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark T The Adventures
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain Sawyer, of Tom The Adventures A A
The Afterlife. Gary Soto The Afterlife. Alice (series), Phyllis Reynolds Naylor Alice (series), Phyllis Reynolds All Hallows’ Eve, Charles Williams All Hallows’ Eve, All-American Boys Always Running, Luis J. Rodriguez Always Running, Am I Blue? Coming Out of the Silence, Marion Dane Bauer Am I Blue? Coming Out of the Silence, Angel Face, Norma Klein Angel Face, Animal Farm, George Orwell George Animal Farm, Anne Frank: The Diary of a Y Anne Frank:
Annie on My Mind, Nancy Gar
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, Judy Blume Margaret, Me, God? It’s There, You Are Arizona Kid, Ron Koertge Arizona Kid, Ron Armageddon Summer, Jane Yolen & Bruce Coville Jane Yolen Armageddon Summer, As A Baby Be-Bop, Francisca Lia Block Baby Be-Bop, Francisca Battle of Jericho, Sharon Draper Battle of Jericho, Sharon The Bean Trees, Barbara Kingsolver Barbara The Bean Trees, Beggar’s Ride, Theresa Nelson Theresa Ride, Beggar’s Beginner’s Love, Norma Klein Love, Beginner’s Being There, Jerzy Kosinski Being There, The Bell Jar, Sylvia Platt The Bell Jar, Beloved, Toni Morrison Beloved, Toni Best Girl, D.B. Smith Best Girl, D.B. Beyond the Chocolate W
The Bible Black Boy, Richard Wright Richard Black Boy,
94
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
47-54
8-12
13-15
5-7
11-14
15-18
47-48
3-5
38-40
7-114
10
115-119
70-79
87-94
120-125
95-99
117-124
100-106
80-86
0-143
3
159-166
144-158
167-178
179-184
185-190
191-200
125-129
87-97
X
X
X
X
X
X
X X
X
X
X X
X
X
X
X
X
X X X
X
X
X
X
X
X1
X
X
ofessor
elzer
razier
ace, Louis Sachar ace,
ye, J. D. Salinger ye,
, Dav Pilkey
urt Vonnegut
oopypants
P
Carrie , Stephen King
A Break with Charity, Ann Rinaldi with Charity, A Break The Breakfast of Champions, Kurt Vonnegut Kurt of Champions, The Breakfast Bridge to Terabithia, Katherine Paterson Katherine Bridge to Terabithia, Broken Bridge, Philip Pullman Bridge, Broken Bucking the Sarge, Christopher Paul Curtis Christopher Paul Bucking the Sarge, The Bumblebee Flies Anyway, Robert Cormier Robert The Bumblebee Flies Anyway, The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer Geoffrey The Canterbury Tales, Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Pr Captain Underpants and the Perilous
Catch-22, K The Catcher in the R Catherine Called Birdy, Karen Cushman Karen Catherine Called Birdy, The Cay, Theodore Taylor Theodore The Cay, Chain Letter, Christopher Pike Chain Letter, Cherokee Bat and the Goat Guys, Francesca Lia Block Francesca Bat and the Goat Guys, Cherokee A Child Called “It,” Dave P The Chocolate War, Robert Cormier Robert The Chocolate War, Christine, Stephen King Christine, The Clan of the Cave of Bear, Jean Auel The Clan of the Cave of Bear, Class Trip, Bebe Faas Rice Bebe Faas Class Trip, A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess A Clockwork Orange, Cold Mountain, Charles F The Color Purple, Alice Walker The Color Purple,
Black Ice, Lorene Cary Lorene Black Ice, Black Like Me, John Howard Griffin John Howard Black Like Me, Bless Me, Ultima, Rudolfo Anaya Ultima, Rudolfo Bless Me, Bless the Beasts and Children, Glendon Swarthout Bless the Beasts and Children, Blubber, Judy Blume Blubber, The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison Toni The Bluest Eye, Boy Meets Boy, David Levithan Boy Meets Boy, The Boy Who Lost His F Brave New World, Aldous Huxley New World, Brave
Continental Drift, Russell Banks Continental Drift, Russell Crazy Horse Electric, Chris Crutcher Horse Crazy Crazy Lady, Jane Leslie Conly Lady, Crazy
95
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
63-71
163-170
16-17
19-21
22-23
24-25
152-158
126-137
138-143
159-162
163-166
167-172
09-219
220-225
201-208
2 87-97
226-236
X
X
X
X
X X X
X
X X X
X
X
X
X
X
X X X
X X
X
X
X
X X
,”
ank
r
armer
oigt
olen
dlitschka
doff
aul Zindel
P
ade, Robert Cormier Robert ade, ahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury Ray 451, ahrenheit allen Angels, Walter Dean Myers Walter allen Angels, amily of Strangers, Susan Beth Pfeffer amily of Strangers, amily Secrets, Norma Klein amily Secrets,
“The Crucible,” Arthur Miller “The Crucible,” Cujo, Stephen King Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Mark Haddon Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Curses, Hexes, and Spells, Daniel Cohen and Spells, Hexes, Curses, Dancing Naked, Shelley Hr David and Jonathan, Cynthia V David v. God, Mary E. Pearson David v. A Day No Pigs Would Die, Robert Peck Robert Die, A Day No Pigs Would “Death of a Salesman,” Arthur Miller Deenie, Judy Blume Deenie, Deliverance, James Dickey Deliverance, The Devil’s Arithmetic, Jane Y The Devil’s The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition, Anne F The Diary of a Young Dixie Storms, Barbara Hall Barbara Dixie Storms, Dogsong, Gary Paulsen Don’t Look Behind You, Lois Duncan Don’t Look Behind You, Double Date, R. L. Stine Double Date, Dragonwings, Laurence Yep Laurence Dragonwings, Drowning Anna, Sue Mayfield Drowning The Drowning of Stephan Jones, Bette Greene of Stephan Jones, The Drowning The Duplicate, William Sleator The Duplicate, Eats: Poems by Arnold A Eats: Poems The Ear, The Eye, and the Arm, Nancy F The Eye, The Ear,
The Eclipse of Moonbeam Dawson, Jean Davies Okimoto “The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds “The Effect of Gamma Rays
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, Tom Wolfe Tom Test, Acid The Electric Kool-Aid Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton Ethan Frome, Ever After, Rachel Vail Rachel Ever After, The Executioner, Jay Bennett The Executioner, The Face on the Milk Carton, Caroline Cooney on the Milk Carton, Caroline The Face F F F F F
96
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
21-22
18-20
29-31
26-28
26-27
7-9
41-43
57-58
44-46
13-224
187-191
173-175
176-181
182-186
199-205
206-212 2
249-255
261-267
256-260
237-248
268-277
278-287
X X
X X
X X X X X X
X
X
X
X X
X
X
X
X
X
X X
X
X
X
X X
X
X
X
X
X
X
eyes
aysen
owling
ewell to Manzanar, Jeanne Wakatuski Houston Jeanne Wakatuski ewell to Manzanar,
ever, Judy Blume ever,
eed, M. T. Anderson eed, M. T. ell, M. E. Kerr
ountainhead, Ayn Rand ountainhead, Ayn
F F Finding My Voice, Marie G. Lee Finding My Voice, Flowers for Algernon, Daniel K Flowers For F anny and Zooey, J. D. Salinger Franny and Zooey,
A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway to Arms, A Farewell Far
eak the Mighty, Rodman Philbrick Rodman Freak the Mighty, enchtown Summer, Robert Cormier Robert Frenchtown Summer, Gangsta Rap, Benjamin Zepaniah Gangsta Rap, Gathering Blue, Lois Lowry Gathering Blue, Geography Club, Brent Hartinger Brent Club, Geography Girl, Interrupted, Susanna K The Giver, Lois Lowry The Giver, The Giver, Lynn Hall The Giver, Go Ask Alice, Anonymous Alice, Go Ask The Goats, Brock Cole Brock The Goats, Going After Cacciato, Tim O’Brien Going After Going for the Big One, P.J. Petersen P.J. Going for the Big One, The Golden Compass, Philip Pullman The Golden Compass, The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck The Good Earth, Pearl Good Night, Maman, Norma Fox Mazer Good Night, Maman, Norma Fox Good-bye and Keep Cold, Jenny Davis Good-bye and Keep Goosebumps (the series), R. L. Stine The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck of Wrath, The Grapes The Grass Dancer, Susan Power Dancer, The Grass The Grass Harp, Truman Capote Harp, Truman The Grass The Great Gilly Hopkins, Katherine Paterson Katherine Gilly Hopkins, The Great Grendel, John Gardner Grendel, The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole, Sue Townsend Mole, of Adrian Pains The Growing The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood Margaret Tale, The Handmaid’s The Harmony Arms, Ron Koertge Ron The Harmony Arms, Harry Potter (series), J. K. R Harry Potter
The Headless Cupid, Zilpha K.Snyder
97
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
171-179
139-145
55-62
96-103
34-36
32-33
22-23
19-20
250-258
225-233
234-242 243-249
279-284
259-263
269-278
288-293
294-298
322-330
299-316
331-337
338-342
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
ess
oigt
rumbo
, Norma Klein
d Sings, Maya Angelou d Sings,
olkien
err
azy Horse, Peter Matthiessen Peter azy Horse,
alph Ellison
affir Boy, Mark Mathabane affir Boy,
Here’s to You, Rachel Robinson, Judy Blume Robinson, Rachel to You, Here’s A Hero Ain’t Nothing But a Sandwich, Alice Childr A Hero The Hobbitt, J. R. R. T The House of Spirits, Isabel Allende The House of Spirits,
I Never Promised you a Rose Garden, Joanne Greenberg Garden, you a Rose I Never Promised If Beale Street Could Talk, James Baldwin Could Talk, If Beale Street If I Should Die Before I Wake, Han Nolan I Wake, If I Should Die Before In Country, Bobbie Ann Mason In Country,
Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad Heart of Darkness, Heartbreak and Roses, Janet Bode & Stan Mack and Roses, Heartbreak Hello, I Lied, M. E. K
House of Stairs, William Sleator House of Stairs, The House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros Sandra The House on Mango Street, How I Paid for College, Mark Acito for College, How I Paid How the Gracia Girls Lost Their Accents, Julie Alvarez Girls Lost Their Accents, How the Gracia How to Eat Fried Worms, Thomas Rockwell Worms, How to Eat Fried I Am the Cheese, Robert Cormier Robert I Am the Cheese, I Heard the Owl Call My Name, Margaret Craven Margaret the Owl Call My Name, I Heard I Know Why the Caged Bir
In the Spirit of Cr Interstellar Pig, William Sleator Interstellar Invisible Man, R Invitation to the Game, Monica Hughes Invitation to the Game, Ironman, Chris Crutcher Ironman,
It’s Not Easy Being Bad, Cynthia V It’s It’s Ok If You Do Not Love Me Ok If You It’s It’s Perfectly Normal, Robie Harris Normal, Robie Perfectly It’s Jack, A.M. Homes Jacob Have I Loved, Katherine Paterson Jacob Have I Loved, Katherine Joey Pigza Loses Control, Jack Gantos Joey Pigza Loses Control, Johnny Got His Gun, Dalton T The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan The Joy Luck Club, Jubilee, Margaret Walker Margaret Jubilee, Jubilee Journey, Carolyn Meyer Carolyn Jubilee Journey, Julie of the Wolves, Jean Craighead George Jean Craighead Julie of the Wolves, K
98
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
37-46
72-80
130-138
187-196
23-28
27-29
37-38
54-56
285-289
290-295
0-378
1-357
5
7
343-350
485-489
358-362
363-369
X
X X
X
X
X X
X
X
X X X
X X
X X
X
X X
X X X X3
X
X
X X
e3
om Spanbauer
own
sX
atson
eeping Christina, Sue Ellen Bridger
Like Water for Chocolate, Laura Esquivel Laura for Chocolate, Like Water
The Lords of Discipline, Pat Conroy Pat of Discipline, The Lords “The Lottery,” Shirley Jackson “The Lottery,” Love is Not Enough, Marilyn Levy The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold The Lovely Bones, Lucky, Alice Sebold Lucky, Lucy, Jamaica Kincaid Lucy, Lyddie, Katherine Paterson Katherine Lyddie, The Man Who Fell In Love with the Moon, T The Man Who Fell
K Kill the Teacher’s Pet, Joseph Locke Pet, Kill the Teacher’s Killing Mr. Griffin, Lois Duncan Killing Mr. The Kitchen God’s Wife, Amy Tan Wife, The Kitchen God’s Lakota Woman, Mary Crow Dog & Richard Erdoes Dog & Richard Mary Crow Lakota Woman, The Last Mission, Harry Mazer The Last Safe Place on Earth, Richard Peck The Last Safe Place on Earth, Richard The Late Great Me, Sandra Scoppetone Sandra Me, The Late Great Learning How to Fall, Norma Klein Learning How to Fall, The Learning Tree, Gordon Parks Gordon The Learning Tree, A Lesson Before Dying, Ernest J. Gaines A Lesson Before A Light in the Attic, Shel Silverstein A Light in the Attic,
The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe, Little Altars Everywhere, Rebecca Wells Rebecca Everywhere, Little Altars Long Live the Queen, Ellen Emerson White Long Live the Queen, Ellen Emerson The Lord of the Flies, William Golding of the Flies, The Lord
Manchild in the Promised Land, Claude Br Manchild in the Promised
Maniac Magee, Jerry Spinelli Maniac Magee, The Maritian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury Ray The Maritian Chronicles, “Master Harold”… and the Boys, Athol Fugard Athol and the Boys, “Master Harold”… May I Cross Your Gold River, Paige Dixon Paige Gold River, Your May I Cross The Merchant of Venice, William Shakespear of Venice, The Merchant Memoirs of a Bookbat, Kathryn Lasky of a Bookbat, Kathryn Memoirs The Messenger, Lois Lowry The Messenger, Mick, Bruce Brooks The Midwife’s Apprentice, Karen Cushman Karen Apprentice, The Midwife’s Montana, 1948, Larry W
99
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
89-95
146-154
27-36
1-42
39-40
43-44
10-12
5-323
1-323
0
324-332
333-343
31
344-350
379-381
382-387
395-397
398-413 414-423
424-430
431-441
X
X X
X
X
X
X X X X4
X3
X
X
X
X X
XX388-394 X X X
X X X X
X X
X X
X X X
elutsky
ooks
aulsen
d Wright
aulsen
don Me, You Are Stepping on My Eyeball, Paul Zindel Stepping on My Eyeball, Paul Are You don Me,
ay it Forward, Catherine Ryan Hyde Catherine Ryan ay it Forward,
edro and Me, Judd Winick and Me, edro
et Sematary, Stephen King et Sematary,
My Brother Sam Is Dead, James & Christopher Collier My Brother My Crooked Family, James Lincoln Collier Family, My Crooked My Darling, My Hamburger, Paul Zindel Paul My Darling, My Hamburger, My Losing Season, Pat Conroy My Losing Season, Pat My Posse Don’t Do Homework, Lou-Anne Johnson My Posse Native Son, Richar Never Cry Wolf, Farley Mowat Farley Never Cry Wolf, Night, Elie Wiesel Night Kites, M. E. Kerr Night Kites, Nightjohn, Gary P Nightmares: Poems to Trouble Your Sleep, Jack Pr Your to Trouble Poems Nightmares: Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell George Nineteen Eighty-Four, The Obsession, Jesse Harris Oedipus Rex, Sophocles Oedipus Rex, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck On Fire, Ouida Sebestyen On Fire, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Alexander Solzhenitsyn One Fat Summer, Robert Lipsyte Robert Summer, One Fat One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kessey Nest, Ken One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Ordinary People, Judith Guest People, Ordinary Othello, Julius Lester Other Bells for Us to Ring, Robert Cormier Other Bells for Us to Ring, Robert Our Bodies, Ourselves, The Boston Women’s Health Collective The Boston Women’s Ourselves, Our Bodies, Out of Control, Norma Fox Mazer Norma Fox Out of Control, Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse Out of the Dust, Karen The Outsiders, S. E. Hinton The Outsiders, Par P Peace Like a River, Leif Enger Like a River, Peace P The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky of Being a Wallflower, The Perks
The Monument, Gary P The Moves Make the Man, Bruce Br
P The Pigeon, Jay Bennett The Pigman, Paul Zindel The Pigman, Paul
100
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
155-162
30-33
30-33
34-36
45-46
49-51
7-114
357-365
366-371
10
380-386
351-356
372-379
442-448
449-455
456-463
X X X X X
X
X X X X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X X
X
X
X
d
gX
anco Zeffirelli
r
aveling Pants, Anne Brashares aveling Pants,
r
Raisin in the Sun,” Lorraine Hansbury in the Sun,” Lorraine Raisin
agtime, E. L. Doctorow agtime,
ebecca, Daphne Du Maurier
emembering the Good Times, Richard Peck Richard emembering the Good Times, evolting Rhymes, Roald Dahl Roald evolting Rhymes,
omeo and Juliet (film), F uby, Rosa Guy Rosa uby, un, Shelley, Run, Gertrude Samuels Run, un, Shelley, unning Loose, Chris Crutcher unning Loose,
The Rats Saw God, Rob Thomas Saw God, Rob The Rats R The Red Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane Badge of Courage, The Red The Red Pony, John Steinbeck Pony, The Red R R Ricochet River, Robin Cody Robin Ricochet River, A Rock and a Hard Place, Anthony Godby Johnson Place, and a Hard A Rock R R R R
Plainsong, Kent Haruf Plainsong, Kent The Power of One, Bryce Courtenay of One, The Power The Prince of Tides, Pat Conroy Pat The Prince of Tides, Push, Sapphire R “A
The Sacred Circle of the Hula Hoop, Kathy Kennedy Tapp Kennedy of the Hula Hoop, Kathy Circle The Sacred Sahara Special, Esme’ Raji Codell Special, Esme’ Raji Sahara Saturnalia, Paul Fleischman Saturnalia, Paul The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne The Scarlet Letter, Scary Stories (series), Alvin Schwartz Schindler’s List (Film), Steven Spielber Schindler’s The Secret Life of Bees, Susan Monk Kidd Life of Bees, The Secret A Separate Peace, John Knowles Peace, A Separate Shade’s Children, Garth Nix Children, Shade’s The Shadow Brothers, A. E. Cannon The Shadow Brothers, Shattering Glass, Gail Giles Shattering Glass, The Shining, Stephen King
The Sisterhood of the T
Shizuko’s Daughter, Kyoko Mori Kyoko Daughter, Shizuko’s Show Me! William McBride Siddhartha, Herman Hesse Singularity, William Sleator Singularity, Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady, Selina Hastings & J. Wijngaar Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady,
101
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
124-129
104-115
37-38
39-41
47-48
49-50
395-402
409-413
387-394
414-418
464-470
471-475
476-484
X
X X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X X
X
X X X X
X
X
X X
X
X
X
X X X X X X X X X
a Neale Hurston
go
son
, Kurt Vonnegut , Kurt
Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee Kill a Mockingbird,
aming the Star Runner, S. E. Hinton aming the Star Runner, ears of a Tiger, Sharon Draper Sharon of a Tiger, ears ell Us Your Secret, Barbara Cohen Barbara Secret, ell Us Your enderness, Robert Cormier Robert enderness,
unnel Vision, Fran Arrick unnel Vision, Fran wist of Gold, Michael Morpur
Slaughterhouse-Five Slave Dancer, Paula Fox Paula Slave Dancer, Snow Falling on Cedars, David Guterson on Cedars, Snow Falling Song of Solomon, Toni Morrison Song of Solomon, Toni Sons and Lovers, D. H. Lawrence Sons and Lovers, Soul Daddy, Jacqueline Roy Soul Daddy, Space Station Seventh Grade, Jerry Spinelli Space Station Seventh Grade, Speak, Laurie Halse Ander The Spirit House, William Sleator The Spirit House, Spite Fences, Trudy Krisher Trudy Spite Fences, Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, Chris Crutcher Byrnes, for Sarah Staying Fat Steffie Can’t Come Out to Play, Fran Arrick Fran Steffie Can’t Come Out to Play, Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert A. Heinlein Land, Robert in a Strange Stranger Stranger with My Face, Lois Duncan with My Face, Stranger Stuck in Neutral, Terry Trueman Terry Stuck in Neutral, Summer of Fear, Lois Duncan Summer of Fear, Summer of My German Soldier, Bette Greene Summer of My German Soldier, Summer Rules, Robert Lipsyte Robert Summer Rules, Surviving the Applewhites, Stephanie Tolan Surviving the Applewhites, Sweet Sixteen and Never, Jeanne Bethancourt Sweet Sixteen and Never, T T T T
The Terrorist, Caroline B. Cooney B. Caroline The Terrorist, That’s My Baby, Norma Klein My Baby, That’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zor Watching Their Eyes Were Then Again Maybe I Won’t, Judy Blume Maybe I Won’t, Then Again Tiger Eyes, Judy Blume Tiger Eyes, Time Windows, Kathryn Reiss Kathryn Time Windows, To The Truth Trap, Francis A. Miller Francis Trap, The Truth Tunes for Bears to Dance To, Robert Cormier Robert to Dance To, for Bears Tunes T T The Unfinished Portrait of Jessica, Richard Peck of Jessica, Richard The Unfinished Portrait
102
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007
0-26
2
180-186
2
4
15-16
23-25
427-435
115-119
419-426
436-445
452-457
446-451
458-465
485-489
X
X
X
X X
X
X
X X
X
X
X X
X X X X
X
X
X
X
X X
X
X
X X X
X
X X
as
an Arrick
r
ds by Heart, Ouida Sebestyen
All Fall Down, Robert Cormier Down, Robert All Fall
uthering Heights, Emily Bronte uthering Heights,
atership Down, Richard Adams Down, Richard atership
eetzie Bat, Francesca Lia Block eetzie Bat, Francesca
oman Hollering Creek, Sandra Cisneros Sandra oman Hollering Creek,
alley of the Horses, Joan M. Auel alley of the Horses,
Up a Road Slowly, Irene Hunt Irene Slowly, Up a Road Up Country, Alden Carter Up Country, Up in Seth’s Room, Norma Fox Mazer Norma Fox Room, Up in Seth’s Ups and Downs of Carl Davis III, Rosa Guy Ups and Downs of Carl Davis III, Rosa V Vampire Almanac, R.C. Welsh Vampire Vision Quest, Terry Davis Vision Quest, Terry
The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, Christopher Paul Curtis Go to Birmingham—1963, Christopher Paul The Watsons A Way of Love, A Way of Life, Frances Hanckel & John Cunningham Frances of Life, A Way of Love, A Way We W The Westing Game, Ellen Raskin Game, The Westing What’s Happening to My Body?, Lynda Madar What’s
Wor A Wrinkle in Time, Madeline L’Engle in Time, A Wrinkle
Walk Two Moons, Sharon Creech Sharon Moons, Two Walk The Warmest December, Bernice L. McFadden December, The Warmest Wart, Son of Toad, Alden Carter Son of Toad, Wart, The Watcher, James Howe The Watcher, The Water is Wide, Pat Conroy Pat is Wide, The Water W
When Dad Killed Mom, Julius Lester When She Hollers, Cynthia Voigt When She Hollers, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Shel Silverstein the Sidewalk Ends, Where Where’d You Get That Gun, Billy?, F You Where’d The White Mercedes, Philip Pullman The White Mercedes, Who Killed My Daughter, Lois Duncan Who Killed My Daughter, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Edward Albee Edward Woolf?, of Virginia Afraid Who’s Winning, Robin Brancato Winning, Robin The Witches, Roald Dahl Roald The Witches, Witness, Karen Hesse Karen Witness, W
W The Year of the Gopher, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor Phyllis Reynolds of the Gopher, The Year The Year without Michael, Susan Beth Pfeffer The Year
A Yellow Raft in Blue Water, Michael Dorris in Blue Water, Raft A Yellow
103
THE ALAN REVIEW Winter 2007