The Carnival at Bray

The Carnival at Bray

Written by Jessie Ann Foley

Published by Elephant Rock Books in 2014

ISBN: 978-0989515597

Grades 9 & up

Awards: ALA 2015 Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults, 2015 Printz Honor Award Winner, 2014 Helen Sheehan YA Book Prize

Book Review:

The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley is a historical fiction novel that takes place in the early 90s. Sixteen year old Maggie has to move from her home in Chicago to a small town in Ireland called Bray. Her mother married a new man, so in addition to moving to an entirely different environment, she has to adjust to living with another person.  She stays connected to her previous home through her beloved uncle, Kevin.  Kevin is in a rock band and sends many words of wisdom to Maggie, as well as influences her musical tastes.  Maggie soon finds herself settling in to her new home with the help of an old man named Dan Sean and a new love interest, Eoin.  Then tragedy strikes which causes Maggie to go on a whirlwind tour of Europe ending in Rome where she sees her favorite band, Nirvana.  She ends up finding herself along the way.

Professional Review:

Kirkus Review

Teaching Ideas:

English (VA SOL 9.4): The student will read, comprehend, and analyze a variety of literary texts including narratives, narrative nonfiction, poetry, and drama.

      Maggie enjoys poetry and connects to a particular poem by W.B. Yeats called, “A Dream of Death.” Write your own poem about main events in the story or one of the main characters.

  

Adapting to a change in environment is a big theme in this story.  In a paragraph, describe one or two situations in which Maggie had to adapt to her new environment.

English (VA SOL 10.6): The student will develop a variety of writing to persuade, interpret, analyze, and evaluate with an emphasis on exposition and analysis.

            Letter writing leads to important events in the novel, particularly Kevin’s letter to Maggie. Choose two other characters, and write a letter from one to the other. Think about what Aine would say to Paddy.  Or what Ronnie would write to Maggie. Choose the characters that most appealed to you. Adapted from http://www.elephantrockbooks.com/The_Carnival_at_Bray_Study_Guide.pdf

Geography (VA SOL WG.4): The student will locate and analyze physical, economic, and cultural characteristics of world regions.

The book takes place in a small town in Ireland. Students will create a travel guide of a town or city in Ireland featuring the culture, food, and recreation activities in the area.  The idea is to make people want to visit your town.

Music (VA SOL HG.6.1): The student will explore historical and cultural aspects of music by describing distinguishing characteristics of musical forms and styles from a variety of cultures.

      Research the music of the 1990s in the United States.  Create a playlist using hypster.com (or equivalent) to showcase music you think Maggie would like to listen to.

Book Pairs:

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie. Like The Carnival at Bray, it’s a coming of age tale about fitting in somewhere other than home. This book has literary merit based on book awards and is appropriate and relevant  for the 14-18 age group.

Heavier than Heaven by Charles R. Cross.  This book is a biography of Kurt Cobain, whose band Nirvana is a prominent feature in The Carnival at Bray. This book was recommended by Kirkus reviews as a companion.  It is accurate and appropriate for the age group.

And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard. Though through very different circumstances, the main character leaves her home to go somewhere else and learns to deal with life. This book is an award winning novel recommended for the same age group as The Carnival at Bray.

The Collected Poems of W.B. Yeats, edited by Richard Finneran.  In the novel, the main character refers to a poem by W.B. Yeats often.  This collection of poetry is included because students may want to read more after what they encounter in the book.  Poetry is part of the English curriculum, and this would be a nice way to incorporate it.  It is appropriate for high school students.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.  A coming of age novel that takes place during a similar time period, this is a perfect title to read alongside The Carnival at Bray.  It is appropriate for the 14-18 age group.  It is high interest because a movie based on the book came out in 2012.

Further Explorations:

A music playlist to accompany the novel.  The book centers around grunge rock music of the 90s.

http://hypster.com/playlists/user/meganmorsey?7115942

The novel takes place in Bray, Ireland. Students will enjoy learning more about this location on their tourism site.

http://visitwicklow.ie/towns-villages/bray/

Readers interested in this book and the author can follow her on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/JAFoleyNWside

Listen to the author talk about her novel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDU1ESGgjSw

The publisher’s site is filled with information about the title.

http://elephantrockbooks.com/the_carnival_at_bray.html

Students can visit the author’s blog to get more information on this title and other upcoming events.

http://jessieannfoley.com/

Students today may not know much about the grunge movement or how it came about. This site explores that time in music history.

http://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/angst-flannel-and-90s-nostalgia-where-to-start-with-grunge.html/?a=viewall

References:

Alexie, S., & Forney, E. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. New York, NY: Little, Brown.

Chbosky, S. (1999). The perks of being a wallflower. New York, NY: MTV/Pocketbooks.

Cross, C. R. (2001). Heavier than heaven: A biography of Kurt Cobain. New York, NY: Hyperion.

Elephant Rock Books. (n.d.). The carnival at Bray study guide. Retrieved from http://www.elephantrockbooks.com/The_Carnival_at_Bray_Study_Guide.pdf

Elephant Rock Books. (n.d.). The carnival at Bray. Retrieved from http://elephantrockbooks.com/the_carnival_at_bray.html

Elephant Rock Productions. (2014, October 29). Jessie Ann Foley, author of The carnival at Bray [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDU1ESGgjSw

Foley, J. A. (2014). The carnival at Bray: A novel. Ashford, CT: Elephant Rock Books.

Foley, J. A. (n.d.). Jessie Ann Foley, writer. Retrieved from http://jessieannfoley.com/

Foley, J. A. (n.d.). Jessie Ann Foley. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/JAFoleyNWside

Hubbard, J. (2014). And we stay. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.

Kirkus Reviews. (2014, August 20). The carnival at Bray. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jessie-ann-foley/carnival-bray/

Sahagian, J. (2015, July 7). The best of the 1990s: A guide to grunge music. Retrieved from http://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/angst-flannel-and-90s-nostalgia-where-to-start-with-grunge.html/?a=viewall

Visit Wicklow. (n.d.). Bray, Wicklow county. Retrieved from visitwicklow.ie/towns-villages/bray/

Yeats, W. B., & Finneran, R. J. (1997). The collected works of W.B. Yeats. New York, NY: Scribner.

I'll Give You the Sun

I'll Give You the Sun

Written by Jandy Nelson

Published by Dial Books in 2014

ISBN: 978-1-101-59384-4

Grades 9 & up

Awards: 2015 Printz award and 2015 Stonewall Honor

Book Review:

I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson is a story about love, loss, family, betrayal and finding your way back to something that once was. The story is told by twins Noah and Jude, who were inseparable at a young age.  A tragic event causes them to split apart and become estranged from each other.  Through split narratives with Noah telling the early years, and Jude telling the later years, the story of their relationship, falling out, and eventually coming back together is told. Art is a central theme in the book and shapes each of the characters in different ways.  The characters are rich and well developed, but beautifully flawed as you expect of teenagers struggling to find themselves. 

Professional Review:

Kirkus Review

Teaching Ideas:

English/Reading (VA SOL 9.4): The student will read, comprehend, and analyze a variety of literary texts including narratives, narrative nonfiction, poetry, and drama.

      The chapters in the book are written from either Noah or Jude’s point of view.  With a partner, choose one chapter.  Discuss the events in the chapter.  Then come up with a summary of what you think might have happened during that chapter from the other character’s point of view.  For example, the first chapter is from Noah’s perspective.  You will describe this chapter from Jude’s point of view.

English/Writing (VA SOL 10.6): The student will develop a variety of writing to persuade, interpret, analyze, and evaluate with an emphasis on exposition and analysis.

      The student will write a letter to the author of the book explaining why he or she thinks the author wrote the book. The student will include their thoughts about the book and his or her ideas about what they think the author was trying to show through the book.

English/Communication (VA SOL 10.2a): The student will analyze, produce, and examine similarities and differences between visual and verbal media messages. Use media, visual literacy, and technology skills to create products.

After reading the novel, students will prepare a book trailer using multimedia resources to entice others to read the book.  Book trailers will be shared with the class.  Students will vote on their favorite, which will be put on the school library website.

Art (VA SOL 8.6): The student will communicate ideas, experiences, and narratives through the creation of original works of art, using selected media.

Noah expresses himself often through art. Throughout the book, he describes drawings or paintings of certain events, emotions, or thoughts.  Choose one of these occurrences and draw your own rendition of the event.

Health (VA SOL 8.1t): The student will identify and explain essential health concepts to demonstrate an understanding of personal health. Describe the short- and long-term health issues related to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use, including inhalants, marijuana, cocaine, stimulants, methamphetamines, opiates, steroids, and performance-enhancing drugs.

Students will research drug and alcohol addiction. Students will create a short pamphlet or poster describing the negative effects of drug or alcohol addiction. In addition, they will come up with a list of resources in their community for people struggling with addiction.

Book Pairs:

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. Readers who enjoy the writing style of I’ll Give You the Sun may want to read another novel by the author. Many similar themes are explored in this novel. It is age appropriate grades 10 and up. It has positive reviews from respected sources.

The Vault of Dreamers by Caragh O’Brien. It’s about a prestigious school for artistic children, similar to the school featured in I’ll Give You the Sun.  It is current and appropriate for grades 9 and up.

Never Mind!: A Twin Novel by Avi and Rachel Vail. This book explores the relationship between a set of boy/girl twins.  It’s appropriate for grades 7-8, or struggling readers in upper grades. It is positively reviewed by well-respected authorities.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz. This book is about two teen boys becoming friends. Family issues and questions about sexuality are explored. This book has won numerous awards and is appropriate for high school.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. This is a story of first love between two awkward teens.  Students who like I’ll Give you the Sun are likely to enjoy this book as well. It is emotionally appropriate for high school students.  It was a Printz award nominee in 2014.

Further Explorations:

The author’s website has information about her books and events.

http://jandynelson.com/books/ill-give-you-the-sun/

This website is from the author and has many of the art pieces referenced in the book.  As art is almost its own character in this novel, students would enjoy seeing the actual art.

http://jandynelson.com/gallery/

With all the art in the book, students may enjoy exploring the Museum of Modern Art’s website.

http://www.moma.org/

A fan-made book trailer for I’ll Give You the Sun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL44jLAR8d0

Information about the book from the publisher.

http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/306095/ill-give-you-the-sun-by-jandy-nelson/

The character Oscar suffers from drug and alcohol addiction. This website has information about drug and alcohol addiction written for a teen audience.

http://teens.drugabuse.gov/

Watch the author describe her books, her favorite writers, falling in love, and more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKA207kDqHo

References:

Avi, & Vail, R. (2004). Never mind!: A twin novel. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Goodreads Videos. (2014, September 16). Jandy Nelson [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKA207kDqHo

Kirkus Reviews. (2014, August 12). I'll give you the sun. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jandy-nelson/ill-give-you-the-sun/

National Institute on Drug Abuse. (n.d.). Drugs and health blog. Retrieved from http://teens.drugabuse.gov/

Nelson, J. (2010). The sky is everywhere. New York, NY: Dial Books.

Nelson, J. (2014). I'll give you the sun. New York, NY: Dial Books.

Nelson, J. (2015). I’ll give you the sun. Retrieved from http://jandynelson.com/books/ill-give-you-the-sun/

Nelson, J. (2015). Gallery. Retrieved from http://jandynelson.com/gallery/

O'Brien, C. M. (2014). The vault of dreamers. New York, NY: Roaring Book Press.

Penguin Random House. (n.d.). I'll give you the sun by Jandy Nelson. Retrieved from http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/306095/ill-give-you-the-sun-by-jandy-nelson/

Rowell, R. (2013). Eleanor & Park. New York, NY: St. Martin's Griffin.

Sáenz, B. A., & Foglia, C. (2012). Aristotle & Dante discover the secrets of the universe. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

Studio 304. (2015, March 12). I'll give you the sun trailer [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL44jLAR8d0

The Museum of Modern Art. (n.d.). Museum of modern art. Retrieved from http://www.moma.org/

We Were Liars

We Were Liars

Written by E. Lockhart

Published by Delacorte Press in 2014

ISBN: 978-0385741262

Grades 7 & up

Awards: School Library Journal Best Young Adult Books 2014

Book Review:

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is a mystery and suspense novel about a seemingly perfect and sophisticated family visiting an idyllic location every summer. Cadence Sinclair is one of the younger family members, and she visits with her four cousins during that time.  An accident one summer leads Cadence to have amnesia about the events of the previous two years, which is the time that the book takes place. As she pieces everything together, a startling revelation becomes apparent.  The story is not only about the events of that one summer, but also about the families and the dysfunction that plagues them. One of the best things about this book is the twisting suspense and unexpected ending.

Professional Review:

SLJ Review

Booklist Review

Teaching Ideas:

English/Reading (VA SOL 10.3): The student will apply knowledge of word origins, derivations, and figurative language to extend vocabulary development in authentic texts.

     The story is full of figurative language and metaphors.  Identify 4-5 examples of figurative language.  Interpret the meaning of the language and define its purpose in the novel.

English/Reading (VA SOL 9.4): The student will read, comprehend, and analyze a variety of literary texts including narratives, narrative nonfiction, poetry, and drama.

      The plot of the story jumps around in time. Pick 5-6 major events in the story and put them into an annotated timeline. 

English/Writing (VA SOL 10.6): The student will develop a variety of writing to persuade, interpret, analyze, and evaluate with an emphasis on exposition and analysis.

      After reading the novel, create a Before/After list to compare the ways in which Cadence has changed over the course of the story.  For each item on the list, provide one or more reasons why you think this has occurred.

Cadence writes her own fairytales during the course of the book.  Research fairytales and find a story that relates to your life.  Re-write the fairy tale using your own friends or family as characters, while putting your own twist to it.

Health (VA SOL 9.2t): The student will explain the impact of health risks and identify strategies and resources to limit risk. Explain the importance of community mental health services.

      Cadence suffers from a mental disorder called dissociative amnesia.  She can’t remember events surrounding and following an accident. Students will research the disorder and create a short pamphlet explain the causes and effects of the disorder. 

Book Pairs:

Pretty Girl-13 by Liz Colley. It is about a girl who reappears after being kidnapped, but is unaware that she is suffering from multiple personality disorder. This title is a good choice for lower or reluctant readers. It was listed on YALSA’s Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers in 2014.

Tighter by Adele Griffin. It is about a teenager works as a nanny for the summer. She had a tramautizing school year and takes the job to help recover. She soon realizes that she is seeing things. The genre is similar to We Were Liars. It was on the Kirkus Best Books list in 2011 and is appropriate for high school aged students.

The Basic Eight by Daniel Handler. This is a great pair for We Were Liars because it also has the element of deciphering a tangled web of deceit and lies, but with a different tone. It is most appropriate for 11^th and 12^th grade readers or stronger 9^th and 10^th grade readers.  It is positively reviewed by Library Journal.

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver. This is also a suspenseful novel that has a mystery surrounding a terrible accident. Vanishing Girls is high interest by a popular young adult author. It is appropriate for the high school age group and has many positive reviews from well-respected sources.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. This is a classic literary work that has a theme similar to that of We Were Liars. It is also a story about an outsider being brought in to a prominent family. Wuthering Heights would work especially well as a partner title for 11^th grade students as they study British literature as part of the curriculum.  It would also be good for younger strong readers.

Further Explorations

Listen to the author discuss her favorite twists in other novels.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFtE9KMQ48E

This is an exciting introduction to the novel with information about the author.

http://wewereliarsbook.tumblr.com/

This is a great list of books to read if you enjoyed the twists in this novel.

http://www.bustle.com/articles/24141-we-were-liars-and-8-other-books-youll-love-if-you-were-shocked-by-the-twist

This novel has beautiful writing and several memorable quotes.  This website has many of these great quotes.

http://bookloversbookclub.tumblr.com/post/93547555236/we-were-liars-quotes

Students who are interested in learning more about the mental disorder plaguing Cadence can read more about it here.

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/neurological_institute/center-for-behavorial-health/disease-conditions/hic-dissociative-amnesia

Cadence enjoys writing her own fairy tales in the book. This website gives good information on how to write your own fairy tale.

http://writeshop.com/genres-how-to-write-a-fairy-tale/

This is a short, enjoyable fan made book trailer for We Were Liars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX7jGNL__R4

References:

Amazon Books. (2014, May 14). E. Lockhart on we were liars [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFtE9KMQ48E

Book Lover's Book Club. (n.d.). We were liars quotes. Retrieved from http://bookloversbookclub.tumblr.com/post/93547555236/we-were-liars-quotes

Brontë, E. (2008). Wuthering heights. Waiheke Island: Floating Press.

Cleveland Clinic Foundation. (2012). Dissociative amnesia. Retrieved from http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/neurological_institute/center-for-behavorial-health/disease-conditions/hic-dissociative-amnesia

Coley, L. (2013). Pretty girl-13. New York, NY: Katherine Tegen Books.

Dyer, M. (2014, August 18). We were liars, things we lost in the fire [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX7jGNL__R4

Griffin, A. (2011). Tighter. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Handler, D. (1999). The basic eight. New York, NY: Thomas Dunne Books.

Kelley, A. (2014, January 1). We were liars. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/We-Were-Liars-E-Lockhart/pid=6493548

Kim. (2014, September 15). How to write a fairy tale. Retrieved from http://writeshop.com/genres-how-to-write-a-fairy-tale/

Lockhart, E. (2014). We were liars. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.

Oliver, L. (2015). Vanishing girls. New York, NY: Harper.

Silverman, K. (2014, September 10). We were liars — Someday my Printz will come. Retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/printzblog/2014/09/10/we-were-liars/

We were liars. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://wewereliarsbook.tumblr.com/

White, C. (2014, May 19). We were liars and 8 other books you’ll love if you were shocked by the twist in gone girl. Retrieved from http://www.bustle.com/articles/24141-we-were-liars-and-8-other-books-youll-love-if-you-were-shocked-by-the-twist

This One Summer

This One Summer          

Written by Mariko Tamaki

Illustrated by Jillian Tamaki

Published in 2014 by First Second

ISBN: 978-596437746                                                           

Ages 12-18

Awards: 2015 Caldecott Honor and 2015 Printz Honor

Book Review:

This One Summer was written by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki.  It’s a graphic novel that tells the story of two young friends at the peak of adolescence.  Every summer, Rose goes with her parents to the town of Awago Beach. There she spends time with her friend, Windy. Throughout the summer, the girls deal with new, more grown-up experiences as they hang around the local teens.  Rose is also dealing with difficult times in her family as well.  The story is told in monochromatic blue images ranging from panels to full page illustrations.  The drawings are realistic and help to immerse the reader in the story.

Professional Reviews:

Kirkus Review

Booklist Review

Teaching Ideas:

English/Reading (VA SOL 10.4): The student will read, comprehend, and analyze a variety of literary texts including narratives, narrative nonfiction, poetry, and drama.

       

Compare the characters of Rose and Windy using a Venn diagram. Include their likes, dislikes, and their reactions to the horror movies discussed in the book. Discuss how their friendship changes over time.
       

 Metaphors and imagery are used heavily in the book.  Find two examples of metaphors and two examples of imagery and discuss how they are used in the context of the story.

World Geography (VA SOL WG.4): The student will locate and analyze physical, economic, and cultural characteristics of world regions.

      This story takes place at Awago Beach, Canada that has a Huron Village. Research the Hurons and their culture.  Create a presentation using Prezi, emaze, or equivalent that showcases the Huron people.

Art (VA SOL 8.6): The student will communicate ideas, experiences, and narratives through the creation of original works of art, using selected media.

      Students will research the process of designing a graphic novel.  Students will then make their own comic strip depicting the events and experiences of their past summer.

Family Life (VA SOL Family Life 8.10): The student will analyze the issues related to teenage pregnancy.

      Teen pregnancy is one of the topics dealt with in this book.  Students will work in small groups to discuss how various characters (Rose, Windy, Dunc, and Jenny) deal with teen pregnancy.  Each group will present to the class and as a whole group will discuss real life options.

Book Pairs

Chiggers by Hope Larson. This is a graphic novel about a girl who returns to summer camp.  Abby finds that things aren’t the same at camp this year and tries to make new friends, but ends up alienating others. This graphic novel is lower level, so it could be used as a companion for lower level readers in grades 8 and 9. It is positively reviewed and was a Cybil Award finalist in 2008.

Take What You Can Carry by Kevin C. Pyle. This novel is about two teenagers from different time periods and countries.  Like This One Summer, it is a coming of age story for each of the boys.  The book is great for boys ages 14-18 and it is culturally diverse.

Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks. This is a graphic novel that is also a story about teenage girls in a small town.  It is a story about building friendships, but with a supernatural twist.  The book is appropriate for children ages 12-16. The graphic novel format may be appealing to struggling readers.  It was one of YALSA’s Great Graphic Novels Top Ten in 2013.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. Rose’s mom struggles with deep depression in This One Summer. All the Bright Places also deals with the issue of depression, but presented in a different way.  It’s a positively reviewed, award winning book with literary merit.  A movie adaptation is upcoming, which generates student interest.

Someone Like You by Sarah Dressen.  This novel has themes of friendship and teenage pregnancy, which are two concepts in This One Summer.  It’s appropriate for the high school age group.  It was on YALSA’s best books list the year after it was published.

Further Explorations

A link to the author’s blog. http://marikotamaki.blogspot.com/

A link to the illustrator’s blog. http://blog.jilliantamaki.com/

This is a great guide on how to create a graphic novel. http://www.penguin.com/static/pdf/teachersguides/you_can_do_a_graphic_novel_TG.pdf

Watch this exciting booktalk about This One Summer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq1CENzgW6Q

This site shows what a traditional Huron village is like in Quebec, Canada. Students may like to explore this site as the main characters visit a Huron village in the book.

http://www.huron-wendat.qc.ca/index-en.html

Explore information about depression written for teens.

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/teenagers-guide-to-depression.htm

The author and the illustrator discuss the book during a festival in 2015.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODS7znhendE

References:

Dessen, S. (1998). Someone like you. New York, NY: Viking.

Detroit Public TV. (2015, May 1). Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki on this one summer - 2015 L.A. times festival of books [video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODS7znhendE

Hicks, F. E. (2012). Friends with boys. New York, NY: First Second.

Hunter, S. (2014, April 15). This one summer. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/(X(1)A(Zuax9QfK0AEkAAAAZjI3M2Y3NTUtZWNmNS00MGNiLWEwOWMtMWNiOGNjNTgzNWM0lKUIBidAce1bf9_OoqJAHUP5YJA1))/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=6707159&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

Kirkus Reviews. (2014, April 9). This one summer. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/mariko-tamaki/this-one-summer/

Larson, H. (2008). Chiggers. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Niven, J. (2015). All the bright places. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Pyle, K. C. (2012). Take what you can carry. New York, NY: Square Fish.

Slate, B. (2010). You can do a graphic novel. Retrieved from http://www.penguin.com/static/pdf/teachersguides/you_can_do_a_graphic_novel_TG.pdf

Smith, M., & Segal, J. (2015, July). A teenager's guide to depression: Tips and tools for helping yourself or a friend. Retrieved from http://www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/teenagers-guide-to-depression.htm

Tamaki, J. (n.d.). Jillian Tamaki sketchblog. Retrieved from http://blog.jilliantamaki.com/

Tamaki, M. (n.d.). Mariko Tamaki. Retrieved from http://marikotamaki.blogspot.com/

Tamaki, M., & Tamaki, J. (2014). This one summer. New York, NY: First Second.

Tiny Reads. (2015, February 17). Book talk - This one summer [video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq1CENzgW6Q

Village des Hurons Canada. (n.d.). Traditional Huron site. Retrieved from http://www.huron-wendat.qc.ca/index-en.html

The Great American Dust Bowl

The Great American Dust Bowl

Written & Illustrated by Don Brown

Published in 2013 by HMH Books

ISBN: 978-0547815503

Ages 10 - 18

Awards: 2015 YALSA Great Graphic Novel for Teens

Book Review:

The Great American Dust Bowl, written and illustrated by Don Brown, is a graphic novel.  It is non-fiction and gives a historically accurate account of the events leading up to and during the time in America known as “The Great American Dust Bowl.”  It starts with a short description of the beginning of the Dust Bowl period and then takes you back to explore the geological, economic, and cultural history before that time in the 1930s when large dust storms wreaked havoc in the great plains of the United States.  Major events are described in visual detail, such as when it rained mud during rare rainfall events or when millions of grasshoppers appeared and ate everything. The illustrations evoke a feeling of the dreary environment of the times with the use of muted browns and yellows.  With the use of sketch-type drawings, the reader really gets a sense of what it felt like to be there.  The comic-panel style with some pages with small panels and other full page illustrations helps move the narrative along.  I would recommend this title to middle grade students with an interest in the history of the United States. 

Professional Reviews:

Kirkus Review

Teaching Ideas:

English/Writing (VA SOL 8.7): The student will write in a variety of forms, including narration, exposition, persuasion, and informational.

      Students will research the events of the dust bowl. They will choose one significant event and write a newspaper article describing what happened. 

       Students will work in pairs.  One will pretend to be living in the Midwest during the dust bowl period and the other will pretend to be living on the East or West coast.  Students will write a letter to each other describing what is going on in their lives. Things to include are information on economic and familial hardships.

Art (VA SOL 8.6): The student will communicate ideas, experiences, and narratives through the creation of original works of art, using selected media.

      Students will create a comic strip with at least 8 panels depicting the events of the dust bowl. The comic can be modeled after the events shown in The Great American Dust Bowl, but with their own spin.

English/Research (VA SOL 8.9): The student will apply knowledge of appropriate reference materials to produce a research product.

Students will go to the library to research more about the dust bowl using reference materials. Students will create a presentation using PowerPoint, eMaze, Prezi, or equivalent to teach others about the time period.

History (VA SOL US.10): The student will demonstrate knowledge of key domestic events of the 1920s and 1930s by describing how Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal relief, recovery, and reform measures addressed the Great Depression and expanded the government’s role in the economy.

      Students will research the causes of the Great Depression and explore FDR’s New Deal . They will write a short essay that answers the question, “What role should the government play in an economic crisis?”

Book Pairings:

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. This classic novel makes an excellent pair as it takes place during the same time period in the U.S. and the characters deal with events of the dust bowl.  It is a well-known and highly respected novel that is appropriate for ages 12 and up.

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. Though this book was published in the late 1990s, it has several positive book reviews indicating its literary merit.  It’s a fiction novel that takes place during the dust bowl.  The reading level is lower, which will help accommodate struggling readers.

The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan. This book is fiction graphic novel about the same event. It would be useful in the English curriculum as a comparison text.  It is appropriate for the same age.  The book is positively reviewed by authoritative reviewers, such as School Library Journal.

The worst hard time: the untold story of those who survived the great American dust bowl by Timothy Egan. This nonfiction book would be a good choice if using as companion book at higher grade levels. It is an awarding winning look at a difficult time in American history. More appropriate for upper grades or stronger readers in lower grades.

Ashfall by Mike Mullin. Ashfall is a post-apocalyptic young adult novel that deals with struggle and loss, similar to what the people suffered during the dust bowl, but on a grander scale. It was one of Kirkus reviews best books of 2011 and is appropriate for grades 7-12.

Resources:

Part of the PBS website for the Ken Burns documentary series, The Dust Bowl.  A “Choose your own adventure” interactive experience to show students what it was like. http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/dustbowl/interactive/

A collection of interviews with people who lived through the Dust Bowl of the 1930’s. http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe30s/water_02.html

Timeline of events in for the Great American Dust Bowl http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/timeline/dustbowl/

The author’s website. http://www.booksbybrown.com/

A collection of poetry about the dust bowl period. http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211010

Facts and a historical perspective of the events during the Great American Dust Bowl event. Includes video, photographs, and text.

http://www.history.com/topics/dust-bowl

A collection of information about the Great Depression including original art and photographs.

http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/depression/depression.htm

References:

Brown, D. (2012). Books by Brown. Retrieved from www.booksbybrown.com/

Brown, D. (2013). The great American dust bowl. Boston, MA: HMH Books for Young Readers.

Egan, T. (2006). The worst hard time: The untold story of those who survived the great American dust bowl. Boston, MA: Mariner Books.

Ganzel, B. (2003). Farming in the 1930s. Retrieved from http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe30s/water_02.html

Hesse, K. (2009). Out of the dust. Boston, MA: Great Source.

History.com Staff. (2009). Dust Bowl facts & summary. Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/dust-bowl

Kansas Historical Society. (n.d.). Dust storm collection. Retrieved from http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211010

Kirkus Reviews. (2013, July 7). The great American dust bowl. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/don-brown/the-great-american-dust-bowl/

Mullin, M. (2012). Ashfall. Terre Haute, IN: Tanglewood Press.

Nelson, C. (n.d.). The Great Depression. Retrieved from http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/depression/depression.htm

PBS. (2012). Interactive dust bowl. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/dustbowl/interactive/

PBS. (n.d.). Timeline: Surviving the Dust Bowl. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/timeline/dustbowl/

Phelan, M. (2011). The storm in the barn. Somerville, MA: Candlewick.

Steinbeck, J. (1996). The grapes of wrath and other writings, 1936-1941. New York: Literary Classics of the United States.