The Importance of LGBTQ Books in Our Schools

Lately on the web there has been much discussion about the difference between Literature-Capital-L and popular literature and which kind should be studied in the classroom and why. Quite honestly, the best answer here is the easiest: both. Students, from middle school through university, should be studying a wide array of literature, including "The Classics," poetry, manifestos, short stories, plays, modern novels, and even young adult (YAL) and middle grade (MG) books. If all students are presented with are the Classics, then that's all they'll know. The same is true if they are only taught modern novels that are written for their specific age group. What we need is balance, and that doesn't apply only to the kind of books read and taught, but also to the content within the books.

The last few decades have been full of revolutions in the way literature has been taught, prompting authors and educators to integrate new voices and focus on minorities such as women, African American, Latino, Eastern and Oriental cultures, etc. Now is the time for the revolution in which LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, & Queer/Curious) literature is brought into the classroom as well. It may not be an easy change, but it is a necessary one.

Why should students study LGBTQ books, authors, and topics in the classroom? For the same reason they are asked to study any other books, authors, and topics: because the books have something to offer, because they represent a part of culture, and because they are needed to teach tolerance. Every day in schools students are teased, bullied, and in some cases even beaten, for not fitting into the "norm." The truth of the matter is, however, that having a student in class that identifies as LGBT is becoming the norm and statistically there is a very good chance that at least one of your students or classmates does identify that way. The norm is changing and so should class reading choices. Educators should create a sense of normalcy by presenting LGBTQ books to students so that the ones who do identify LGBTQ can explore their own identity through literature just as a heterosexual student would with any of the Classics or modern novels with a heterosexual main character, but these LGBTQ books will also provide a "window" (as Katherine Mason calls it) for heterosexual students to see into lives of LGBTQ members. Teaching these books can help all students relate to the characters in these books, not based upon a shared sexual preference, but upon the fact that they feel the same emotions, act the same way, and make the same mistakes as the reader. A good way to do this is to include a book that isn't necessarily deemed LGBTQ, but has homosexual characters or themes presented in them in a normal and respectful way, such as Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Leviathan. By presenting works of literature wherein homosexuality is normal, educators help to make it normal in the classroom as well, which may hopefully lead to less bullying against homosexual students.

Part of creating this sense of normalcy is to teach and make available LGBTQ books, but not just to throw them into the curriculum as the Token Gay Book, just like the problem faced with The Token Girl Book. So often it is the case in Literature classes that the curriculum is comprised predominantly of male authors and that authors like Emily Dickinson or Mary Wollstonecraft are tossed in as an afterthought, often in an awkward place, just so they can include a female writer. The same could so easily happen with LGBTQ books, that educators add them in out of a necessity to have at least one book of its kind, but never really integrate it into the curriculum. The way to fix this is not to think of the text as a Gay Book, but as a book that happens to have gay characters. Teach it the same way you would any other text: by talking about the plot, the characters, the writing style, the cultural significance--surely if professors take the time to read the books as books, they can find a way to teach them as such.

This is not to say, of course, that choosing to include books with LGBTQ characters or themes won't be met with opposition. Some parents may object and ask that you remove the book from the curriculum in order to teach something "more appropriate." The best thing to do here is to let that particular child study another book instead, but do not remove the book completely because one parent has decided to take a stance against it. A parent has every right to censor what their child reads and frankly, it is commendable, because it means they are taking an active role in their child's education. However, there is a difference between not wanting your own child to read a book and trying to take away the opportunity to read said book from the entire class or even the school. If you want someone to respect your choice not to read it or have your child read it, then you must also respect the choice of those who do want to read it and arguably should for the reasons listed above. In her article in the ALAN Review, Katherine Mason quotes a teacher in saying that representing books such as these is part of being a "democratic and culturally responsive classroom," an ideal educators should live up to, despite the beliefs of some parents.

Most of the time the controversy surrounding LGBTQ books has to do with what might be considered "The Usual" in book banning/challenging, i.e. sex, language, and violence. Generally The Usual complaints come out of a person not reading said books. In classrooms, high school and college levels especially, language and violence become less of an issue, if they're presented in literature. The main issue raised against LGBTQ books are that they are supposedly all about sex, and they'd have to be, because the main character is wondering about their sexuality or alienated by it, right? Not exactly. These books are no more all about sex than heterosexual books are. Some will have them, some won't, but generally this is not the focus of the book and many books of this nature do not feature sex at all or treat it like any other YAL book would. In the coming week many bloggers will be discussing this idea that a single sex scene or reference dominates a book in the eyes of a potential book challenger, as a part of Banned Books Week. Just as it is the case with books such as Speak, Catcher in the Rye, and The Color Purple (all challenged in 2009/10), the book in question is more than just sex and still sustains literary merit.

Sometimes educators and librarians, students especially, need to take a stand against injustice, both with the challenging of LGBTQ books and with the way they are excluded from curriculai. The way students are treated by their peers, and sometimes faculty members, for their sexual preference, is an injustice. Writing off an entire genre of literature as not worthwhile because of the themes it presents, is an injustice. In all of these cases, educators and readers can fight back and take a stand, just by integrating books with LGBTQ themes and characters into school curriculai and placing these books on the shelves of school libraries where students can access them, if they want to.

For more on this subject, read "Creating a Space for YAL with LGBT Content in Our Personal Reading" by Katherine Mason, from The ALAN Review, Vol 35, number 3, which you can find here.

Review: The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place by E.L. Konigsburg

I can be seen reading the same book for weeks, taking it a page at a time because I have other things to do that take precedence over the book, but that is not the case with The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place. I read the entire book in two days, even while working the front desk at my job this past weekend. I couldn't put it down, true to the history I have with E.L. Konigsburg books. And when I was done, I wanted more, as I always do.

Margaret Rose Kane, twelve years old and brilliant, goes to a summer camp when her parents go on an archeological dig in Peru--the third most preferable option for her summer. First, she wanted to go to Peru, the second, to spend time with her uncles Alex and Morris at 19 Schuyler Place, but neither of these options was afforded her, so off to camp it was. Eventually, after a few rough days at camp with a cabin full of girls who have it out for her, Margaret Rose is rescued by her Uncle Alex and taken back to Schuyler Place, where she learns of a terrible secret. The three beautiful and magnificent towers in the uncles' backyard—built over 45 years and consisting of pipe, glass, clock faces, and ceramic pendants—one of the things Margaret loves most—are being demolished. Unwilling to stand by and let such a crime be committed, she begins her work at saving these works of art by enlisting some unexpected help.

Konigsburg owns two Newberry medals for a reason: she's brilliant, undeniably and unequivocally. The first reason for this is that her characters are wonderful and memorable, people you can relate to and people you want to become your best friends. Margaret Rose provides for the reader both of these through wit, determination, and, above all, love. Margaret's heart goes out to her uncles, to their structures, and to Jake, the handyman/artist, and your heart will go out to her in return. The many different ways in which her character stretches is amazing and in addition to that, she feels real. She acts and speaks like a true twelve year old. And, honestly, the reason I first fell in love with this book is the portrayal of Uncle Alex in the opening chapters. He is clever and sneaky and fantastic and I wish I had a relative like him.

The second thing Konigsburg excels at in this book is the way it is told. Not linear, like most MG novels are, but rather more like a spiral, each time the circle is repeated with the events a little more is revealed, the story grows, and it continues. The way she plays with language reveals a certain cleverness about the author as well as her main character, telling specific parts of the narrative by breaking down phrases in previous sentences as a way of explanation. Konigsburg and Margaret also play with words and their definitions, which both aids the story and the learning of the reader.

Perfect for its age group, middle graders, but not to be overlooked by those who are older (much like myself), this book is beautiful, heart-warming, quirky, brilliant, and addictive. My God, is it addictive, but in a wonderful way. I highly recommend this novel to dreamers, lovers of both art and the English language, fans of dynamic main characters, and all of you who fell in love with Konigsburg's previous books.

Review: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Dog Days by Jeff Kinney

It occurs to me that I have not done a very good job at keeping up my promise to review all of the books I read this year. I can blame this on the way I've been devouring books the last few weeks, the lack of internet last week, or the severe amount of schoolwork I've had, but instead I will just say that I am sorry, readers. I hope to make this up to you with FIVE reviews in the near future, starting with this one.

Dog Days by Jeff Kinney is the fourth book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. If you've been around here before, you'll know that I rather like this series and the clever way in which it weaves together prose and picture. This is not entirely like a graphic novel and not entirely like an illustrated book, either, but rather somewhere between. This book is no exception and continues that wonderful tradition that Kinney has throughout his books, something that (ideally) keeps the reader interested.

While I do love the series and I did enjoy the book, I found myself wishing there was something a little more to this installment. It has a solid plot, earning money to pay off a debt to Rowley's dad, and the same characters, but it didn't make me laugh in quite the way the first and third*. This isn't, of course, to say that I didn't laugh at all, because I certainly did. The best thing about this series, and Kinney's writing style, is the pure humour behind it.

I honestly don't have much to say about this book, but I did enjoy it and if you like the series, it's worth the read. If you haven't read the series, I highly recommend the first book, which was absolutely fantastic.

*I didn't hate the second, but I did find it to be the least intriguing book in the series.

Money Issues in YA vs Adult Books

I generally reserve this blog for reviews, links, and other "formal" bookish stuff. In my mind there are "blogs" and then there's stuff to put up on my LiveJournal. I'm going to try to redefine my idea of "blog" this summer and work more personal thoughts into this, instead of only reviews. Whenever I want to say something about a book or literature, I will say it. I'll still leave out spoilers, of course.


Generally, I believe that children's literature (including Young Adult) holds more positive qualities than adult literature does, but this isn't the case in all areas. The biggest thing for me, lately, is that in regards to money, adult books seem more realistic. There's a simple reason for this: adults worry about money more. Because they spend their lives working for that money, and they have to pay the bills for water, heat, electricity, medical, insurance, etc etc etc. Then they have to buy groceries and toilet paper and rubber bands. Whatever. The point is, adults are constantly aware of how much money is going in, and how much money is going out. This is reflected in book catered to the adult audience. We see many issues of money in this genre: characters needing to pay rent, or trying to get a raise, worrying about how they'll pay their medical bills whenever something goes wrong.

In children's books, you don't see this. First off, because children don't pay their own expenses, they rely on their parents. This doesn't mean that children don't worry about money. When do we get to read the stories about the child who hides in the bathroom for the first ten minutes of lunch period so they can be at the end of the food line so that no one is around to hear them when they tell the lunch lady they get a free lunch? The story of the kid who has to buy all their clothes at the second-hand store and purchase all their shoes a size or two larger because they can't afford new things all the time? The kid who doesn't go to birthday parties just so they don't have to show up without a gift because the family couldn't afford one?
We don't read these stories very often. I think the main reason of this is that children who are reading the books don't want to read about those problems all the time--especially if they're living them. They might just want to escape the problem, put themselves in place of the main character, and live like royalty for a few hours. That's totally understandable.

With YA however, I see it a little differently. Young adults are no longer children, but not yet adults. They're somewhere in the middle, age-wise, and in this issue as well. Or, at least, in my opinion, they should be. That doesn't mean that they are. This is the age, especially in the later teens, that one gets their first job and starts to pay some things on their own. Sure, these things may just be movie tickets or new cds (assuming they even buy hard copies anymore), but it's their own money, and they need to keep track of it. Even still, you don't see this as much as you would expect. Yes, in John Green's Looking For Alaska this issue is tackled through The Colonel, who is always having Pudge pay for his cigarettes because he can't afford them. We go to his trailer even. But the thing is, the Colonel, much as I love him, is not the main character here. He's not the narrator either. It's all Pudge, and Pudge has the money to pay for cigarettes for both of them, to pay for McDonald's, and his family can easily afford the private school. Generally, the main characters have money. This may also go back to how poverty-stricken children want to escape their money issues through literature, but it may just be a way to make things easier on the author. Things are so much easier to get going if the character can afford them.

Still, there are books that address these issues, I'm not saying there aren't. Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson is a great example. The family is having financial troubles and are barely keeping their head above water at the point where the story begins. The hotel is beginning to fall into disrepair and we see the ways this impacts the family members. It's great, and more than that, it's believable. It's something that some of us can relate to. So why aren't there more books out there like this one? Why do our main characters always have to be upper middle class with spare cash and cars (even if they're not new)? Will books featuring a few money issues (even small ones) become more popular in our current economic situation, or will we see rise to more books like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, where the poor boy finds the golden ticket--a way to rise above the current situation? I'd love to hear your thoughts on anything mentioned. Leave them in the comments.

Interview: Hilary!

And the children's book week interviews continue! Sorry I haven't posted every day, exams were rough and so was school. Why is there so much stuff going on at the end of the year, by the way? That's crazy! Why can't they give us some things like like, early March when we are dying of cabin fever?

Today's interview is with my fellow Nerdwriter, Hilary! She blogs on Fridays for the 5NerdsomeWriters, so check her out!

Jez: First off, what is your favorite book in either children's lit or young adult literature? Why?
Hilary: Hmmm.."Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson. It was so intresting I couldn't put it down,

Jez: Is this the same book you loved as a child, or has that changed over the years?
Hilary: Oh, it's changed over the years. I used to hate reading as a kid.

Jez: Is there any book that stands out that really impacted you, either positively or negatively? Any books that you associate with a specific time in your life?
Hilary: Again, "Speak" because it is one of two books that made me like reading again. This being my freshman year of high school and all.

Jez: What was your favorite book that you had to read in school?
Hilary: "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson. It was really "for" school, but my freshman english teacher assigned us to read it. It's now one of my favorite books.

Jez: What do you love most about children's literature? Do you think this gives it an advantage over adult literature?
Hilary: I love how classy and predictable it is for the most part. It has advantages because it deals with a certain group of people, those beginning to read by his or herself with different ranges, without being explicit.

Jez: What is the most important lesson you have learned from a book?
Hilary: Oh god, I never remember. I'm terrible like that.

Jez: Who is your favorite character, or which one do you identify with the most?
Hilary: Margo Roth Spigelman from John Green's "Paper Towns." I love her character. She's just really fun and interesting to read, and mysterious. Even if we're nothing really alike in real life.

I'm starting to get the feeling that I am a lesser person for not having read Speak. I'm sure Hilary will now try to force me to. :)

Interview: Christina

For Children's Book Week I am interviewing basically anyone who wants to be interviewed about their favorite children's/YA books and about the genres themselves. Today we start with one of my best friends, Christina, who asked me to let her do this. So, here we go, my first reader interview!

Jez: First off, what is your favorite book in either children's lit or young adult literature? Why?
Chris: Stargirl. Has wonderful, colorful characters. ♥ Great story. I also really like A Great and Terrible Beauty.

Jez: Is this the same book you loved as a child, or has that changed over the years?
Chris: Not the same books I loved as a child--my books changed with interest. From silly ones: I SPY, ghost stories to Nancy Drew, Stable Club, Babysitters Club...I've always gravitated towards books with great female leads, though. I always loved the Bernstein Bears though (♥ ).

Jez: Is there any book that stands out that really impacted you, either positively or negatively? Any books that you associate with a specific time in your life?
Chris: There was this riddle book I read in the first grade called "Who am I?" I was obsessed with solving the riddle, and read it a bunch of times in the library. That was when I didn't like reading that much at all. I think that's why I got really into Nancy Drew books, because they were great mysteries. I got totally engrossed, and wanted to be just like Nancy--smart and stylish (check!). I think she was a good role model for babyChris. I remember I really liked those historical diary books. I own 4 or 5 and have read a lot of them.

Jez: What was your favorite book that you had to read in school?
Chris: I can't remember any YA books I had to read in school, except for The Diary of Ann Frank and Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. I don't think I liked reading those very much. Read them in...3rd or 4th grade for Excel.
Jez: I'm going to assume that Excel was like super honors, because those are tough books to read as a 3rd grader. I think this is sort of like the Giver in that you can technically "read" it as a young child, but you don't understand the full magnitude (Ann Frank-Holocaust; Giver-Communism) until you are much older.

Jez: What do you love most about children's literature? Do you think this gives it an advantage over adult literature?
Chris: Children's literature is incredibly creative--you don't get as much in adult literature. It relies heavily on the child's imagination and really good books set off some spark--the want to write, draw, play, act, do scientific experiments, solve mysteries, or even make awesome flying crafts out of paper and balloons (thank you, BB). Adult literature is way too serious for its subjects--children's literature can be as goofy as green apes (grapes) and still be effective in conveying a message. Kid's books seem more fun to write, too. P:

Jez: What is the most important lesson you have learned from a book?
Chris: Generation Dead taught me that not all books about zombies are worth reading. Harry Potter told me that magic is everywhere, just hiding from us Muggles. Stargirl said that being myself is the most fun. Flipped reminded me that young love is foolish and funny in its own naive way. A Great and Terrible Beauty showed me that you can create your own paradise as long as you have friends, magic, and the courage to take responsibility for it.
Jez: We've argued zombies before, and you know I don't like zombie books, so we'll skip past that and move on.

Jez: Who is your favorite character, or which one do you identify with the most?
Chris: My favorite character is Stargirl. The most amusing person, I think we would get along swimmingly and be the best of friends. :D
Jez: The potential best friend character seems to be the reason why we pick some of our favorite characters. I mean, I'd give anything to be best friends with Mandie, Claudia, Lincoln, or Ms Frizzle. Of course, I'd like to be most of them also, which is another reason we go towards certain characters.

A big, extra-sized thank you to Christina for forcing me being the first reader interview here at TypesetWorld! You're the best, darling!

Children's Book Week, May 11-17 2009

Today marks the first day of Children's Book Week 2009 and I'm pretty excited for it this year. I have a few things planned and will try my best to post every day this week (exam week actually gives you time, go figure).

To kick things off, what are some of your favorite children's books, and why do you love them? You need not rate them if that's too hard, all you need to do is name a few off the top of your head.

Growing up I remember loving quite a few books, but some stood out more than others. First, there was the Mandie series by Lois Gladys Leppard. My grandmother gave me Mandie and the Jumping Juniper (book 17) for Christmas one year and gave a different Mandie book to each of the girls from my generation. I read through mine and loved it, then I read through my sister's (which I loved more to be honest). Eventually I read through all 40 books, plus the special, the Young Mandie series, and now New Horizons. It actually kind of breaks my heart that I will never know what happens to my favorite young detective (and which guy she ultimately ends up with) because the wonderful author, Ms Leppard passed away last year. I really wish I could have met her and thanked her for how much this series has done for me and all the hard times it got me through. I owe her so much.

Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll was another book that I read and reread constantly. The copy I owned had once belonged to my great (or possibly great-great) grandmother. It was leather bound and small enough to fit in my pocket, and believe me, I carried it every where. I remember one Spring I kept it in my coat pocket and any time I was in a car or a line, I would pull it out and read from wherever I had left off previously. I still own the copy, though I must admit that it is torn and ragged and the front cover fell off. I no longer read that one, but keep it safe, and own a brand-new hardcover version that comes with Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I credit this book with first getting me to enjoy reading, and also to enjoy fantasy.

Holes by Louis Sachar holds a very special place in my heart as well. I'm feeling a little old now because I remember reading this book many times when I was younger, and just October I met Louis Sachar on the 10th Anniversary of his publication of Holes. I first saw it at a book fair and I'm not sure whether I chose it or my mother chose it for me, but somehow I ended up with my own copy. And we read it in school. My best memory, however, is after my mother read it, she decided to read it to the rest of the family. We would sit down together for dinner at that time (something we haven't done in ages now, I admit) and every night she would read us the next chapter of the book. Afterwards, we would discuss it, and sometimes convince her to read a second chapter. It really brought my family together, even for a short time. The Anniversary Tour was great because I was able to go with my mother and my brother (who, coincidentally was reading it in school at that time), so it was something we could share again, 10 years later, though there were only 3 of us instead of 7. Mr. Sachar is a wonderful man, as well. On that night we were also introduced to Small Steps which I had always known about, but had never known was related to Holes--this book is equally brilliant, though completely other.

It's no secret that these days I'm completely in love with Susan Patron's The Higher Power of Lucky, and more recently, its sequel, Lucky Breaks. The messages of these books are so strong and the books are wonderfully and uniquely written as well. Patron's characters stand out among some of my favorite, especially the knot-tying Lincoln. You can read reviews I've written about her books here on my blog (Lucky Breaks was my last post). Ms Patron is a lovely person too, and recently friended me on facebook, which was quite a treat for me.

So, what are some of your favorites? Which ones should I be reading (and reviewing)?

For more information on Children's Book Week, please visit the official webpage. Be sure to check there for events in your area as well!

Review: Lucky Breaks by Susan Patron

I am currently writing an essay on this book, but I thought a regular review would be necessary for the time being. The first part is actually part of my essay, honestly. The rest of it is the pared down, spoiler-free version. Enjoy!

Lucky Breaks by Susan Patron (Sequel to The Higher Power of Lucky)

All our favorite characters from The Higher Power of Lucky are back, and a little bit older. For Lucky, these past few months have all been leading up to one big thing: her 11th birthday, and 11 is a very big deal. Sometimes though, growing up isn't so easy. Up until now, even through loosing her mother and gaining a guardian, Lucky has had one constant in her life: Lincoln. At eleven-and-a-half Lincoln has gained some popularity in the knot-tying community (of which he is the youngest official member) and has been talking with the best knot tier in the world, Mr. Budworth, who has offered to let Lincoln stay with them for the summer--maybe even the full year. Loosing Lincoln would be to loose a part of herself, so Lucky doesn't take too well to this. Just the next day though, a group of geologists arrive at Brigitte's new open-air café, one of them bringing along his niece, Paloma, a girl the same age as Lucky. Could this be an opportunity for a new best friend--a best girl friend--that Lucky has been wanting? What will this mean for her and Lincoln? And what happens when a simple treasure hunt in the desert goes wrong?

Hands down, the absolute best part of this book for me was the characters. They were so realistic that I feel like I know them. (And yes, I will admit that I could easily fall for an older version of Lincoln) Lucky was especially well-done and her character showed a lot of depth, and more importantly, was perfect for the age she was supposed to be. Sometimes when authors make their main characters children they make them too young or too old, because it's been so long since they were that age themselves that it's hard to remember. And it's very easy to make your character older to make it easier for them to understand things, as well. I admit that at times I felt Lincoln came off as too old to be only eleven (and a half), but at the same time, I do think there are some young boys out there who are like that. On the other hand, Lucky was undoubtedly eleven. Her "meanness gland" that would crop up at certain times, her need to impress and be close to Paloma, her questioning whether or not she or her friends are good enough, and the fact that she lets her emotions get the best of her prove this fact to me. Paloma was another great character and at first I wanted to not like her, but I think this is impossible. She's so sweet and kind-hearted--and smart too--and makes a great addition to the cast. One thing I didn't like, however, was how Miles was suddenly portrayed as a genius. There is nothing in the previous book that would lead us to think this, and very little in the second as well (aside from his reading of Brain Surgery for Beginners), so to this reader, it just seemed tossed in as an after-thought.

The plot flowed very nicely in this book and had many different strands that all tied together nicely at the end. The book opens with Miles retelling a story that Short Sammy told him about a beautiful woman in the mining days of Hard Pan that died tragically while two men fought over her, and how half of her brooch fell down the well. Lucky wants to look for the brooch, but Lincoln discourages her. This seems to be the end of it for awhile, lost in the background while Paloma takes center stage, but the story comes back later on and is a huge part of this book. The same goes for Lincoln's ever-constant net and Short Sammy's mysterious box. These are frequently mentioned, but not explained until the end of the book when Lucky is given the answers. I particularly liked Short Sammy's small side story because it worked into the first book so well.

I love Patron's style in this series and how it reflects Lucky's personality and interests. The way she ties together science and childhood imagination is wonderful and entertaining. I enjoyed seeing Lucky's list of the similarities between herself and Charles Darwin because it brought back her interest in him, and also reminded me of the list she made at the beginning of Higher Power about how to be a good mother.

Overall, I loved this book and couldn't put it down. It is a great read for middle graders, many of whom are struggling with the same problems that Lucky does--or even perhaps the same problem as Lincoln does. Additionally, it is fun and entertaining, with many parts that will make you laugh out loud. The ending, in particular, is quite heart-warming as well. I highly recommend this book (and its predecessor) to anyone ages 8-80. Rack up another win for Ms Patron!

On a side note, Matt Phelan's art is spectacular and gorgeous. This is one of my favorite pieces of cover art overall; beautiful.

Why You Shouldn't Trust Amazon Reviews (Or Lucky Breaks Pt 1)

Today I have been working on a very in-depth review (or essay?) on Susan Patron's Lucky Breaks which I finished reading last week. While I was taking a break from writing, I decided to see what other reviewers had to say about the book and google brought me to the amazon reviews page. Now, I don't usually read amazon reviews, but I decided to check these out. I remember now why I don't read these: they're not accurate and can't always be trusted.

With reviews, you have to remember that generally they are one's own opinion and are therefore subject to the reviewer's tastes. So you can read a whole load of bad reviews for a book, and then read the book for yourself and end up loving it. The opposite is true also. So, when reading reviews, always take them with a grain of salt.

Now, in my opinion, a good reviewer doesn't just give their opinion, they give a synopsis of the book--without spoiling anyone--and also comment on a few things other than their likes or dislikes. They should mention the flow, the character designs & changes, the style, syntax, strength and continuity of the plot, etc. And you generally can't get that from a review on amazon.

Another thing I ran into was that these reviewers don't always have their facts straight. In a review of Lucky Breaks someone described Brigitte as both Lucky's stepmom and her mother, of which she is neither. She is Lucky's guardian; a woman from France who was once (but is no longer) married to Lucky's father before he married (and left) Lucky's mother. It's all right there in the beginning of The Higher Power of Lucky if you bother to read it. It is also mentioned a few times in Lucky Breaks. I say this only because it is vital to understanding Lucky and Brigitte and their relationship together.

The same reviewer seems to think that Lucky Breaks was only about a quickly formed friendship between Lucky and Paloma and Lucky getting in a spot of trouble (which they spoil, but I will not). Also, that Higher Power of Lucky was simply Lucky trying to figure out what a Higher Power was after overhearing it in a 12 Steps meeting. Yes, these things happen, but they are not what the book is all about. The first book was about survival, trust, and family (even if they aren't blood relations). The second book is about the bonds of friendship, self-confidence, and growing up, with some more about trust and family as well. If you think Lucky Breaks was simply about Lucky and Paloma's "treasure hunt" I seriously question your ability to read a book and fully understand it, as well as question you in your review.

Generally, I don't think there are enough good book reviewers out there, at least not in the places people are looking. Let's face it, people do read amazon reviews as a way of choosing whether or not the book is worth the money. I think it's really unfortunate that the reviews they are reading are of such low quality and are seriously selling the book short. The worse the review, the less likely someone is to give the book a chance, and then a good number of amazing literature gets lost in the shuffle.

My Depressing Taste in Reading

I think I mentioned this before, but I am really bad about blogging on more than one site at a time. This one has been the one that has (unfortunately) been neglected. And most of the things I've been posting belong here more than anywhere else, so I'll be adding them all here in the next few days.



My top 3 favorite books (one for each level of reading):
Adult: The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald
YA: Looking for Alaska by John Green
Children: The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron
(spoilers for Alaska & Gatsby will follow)

+ Gatsby: Main character dies
+ Alaska: A main character dies
+ Lucky: How to get on after a loved one dies

In one chapter of my book CT, Ciera requests Erin to bring her a few books. They include: The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares, Charlotte's Web by EB White, & Feed by MT Anderson. (short list, she may request more, idk) Why? Because she wants to read books that deal with death, because she herself has to deal with it.

Let's look at my own writings, shall we?
CT: About death & how we deal with loved ones dying
The Conqueror: a civil war/power struggle; Many loved ones died in "The Overthrow"; death & how to move on afterwards (Basically it's the story of the people caught in the crossfire)
You Always Knew*: Just go read this one, okay? It's short (and leave comments here if you have any, that journal is no longer used)
The Elementist: Not a major theme or anything, but Tara has to deal with her mom remarrying a few years after her dad's death. (Note: This is the comedy of the group; totally satirical & funny, not depressing)

And then we have Marhsall Manor where OMG NO ONE DIES. But it's still about a kind of loss, but regaining it. Basically that old theme of Love Always Wins in the End. It's HAPPY.

*My only published piece. In a high school literary magazine. Made it past query & full request, but was ultimately turned down for a proper publication.

So, we can all agree now that I am completely morbid and move on. That is all. :)

Oh! And if you could recommend any books like those listed above, that would be great.

Another Book Meme!

I was tagged via twitter by the awesome Sarah Maclean (check out her new book, The Season!), so here goes!

1. What author do you own the most books by?
Lois Gladys Leppard. I'm on a quest to someday own the entire Mandie series! (All 41 of them)

2. What book do you own the most copies of?
Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll

3. What fictional character are you secretly in love with?
...Lincoln Clinton Carter Kennedy? ^^; In my personal fandom he's an aloof, sweet-hearted 18/19 year old. It's a fanfic thing. But you see why this was a secret, right?
Also: Calvin O'Keefe, Jonathan Guyer, Jamie Madrox, and so many many more, but those aren't secrets ;D

4. What book have you read more than any other?
Hm...Through the Looking Glass or Looking for Alaska by John Green. The adult book I've read the most is The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald.

5. What was your favorite book when you were ten years old?
Most likely one of the Mandie books; or Holes by Louis Sachar, which came out about that time.

6. What is the worst book you’ve read in the past year?
If I don't like a book, I don't finish. Although I was pretty upset with the NOT ending of Superior Saturday by Garth Nix

7. What is the best book you’ve read in the past year?
I'm still pretty in love with Looking for Alaska...do re-reads count?

8. If you could tell everyone you tagged to read one book, what would it be?
The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron. Powerful stuff, man.

9. What is the most difficult book you’ve ever read?
I'm with Sarah, Ulysses is definitely up there for me. But I think overall Crime and Punishment by Fyodr Dostoyvsky (whose name changes spelling all the time)

10. Do you prefer the French or the Russians?
I think my last answer would give you a hint, but if not: French. I like Camus, hate Dostoyvsky.

11. Shakespeare, Milton or Chaucer?
...that's hard. Uh...uh...Chaucer. I love Shakespeare, I really do, but all his plays are kind of the same? Plus, Paul Bettany never played Shakespeare.

12. Austen or Eliot?
Austen, no contest.

13. What is the biggest or most embarrassing gap in your reading?
(Sarah, DON'T. They're awful) I've never read a lot of the High School English classics. They were always required for the other classes, but not mine. Like To Kill a Mockingbird, Catcher in the Rye, & One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

14. What is your favorite novel?
Like I was explaining last night, I don't have one favorite, I have three: one for each reading level I read/study.
Adult - The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald
YA - Looking for Alaska by John Green
Children's - The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron.
(notice a theme there? Yeah, so did I. I have depressing taste in books, I know...my own novel has kind of the same theme too)

15. Plays?
Love 'em. My favorite is The Taming of the Shrew by Shakespeare

16. Poem?
Eh, it really depends. I can love them, hate them, or not care. I really like Emily Dickenson & Not Waving but Drowning by Stevie Smith.

17. Essay?
Not so much, but I guess if it had a really fantastic topic then I might.

18. Non Fiction
It really depends on the topic, but overall I'm not much for nonfic.

19. Graphic Novel?
YES. I work in a comic book store, okay?

20. Science Fiction?
Love 'em!

22. Fantasy?
Oh absolutely!

23. Who is your favorite writer?
Maureen Johnson. I know, I know, it goes with nothing else I mentioned in this post and all her books are happy & funny & not morbid. I don't know, I just like her style.

24. What are you reading right now?
Some birds outside & my dog snoring. It's very quiet here.

25. Favorite Genre:
YA - Realistic fiction. Go figure.

I tag YOU.

Inkheart vs Stravaganza & A Wrinkle In Time

Okay, those of you who follow me here know that I also have a blog on which I post my favorite quotes: Typeset Quotes. When I was on there today I clicked the Madeleine L'Engle tag and it took me to all of the posts on wordpress with that tag (which is odd & I don't like this feature) but it lead me to this post (which contains big spoilers for A Wrinkle in Time). In the post the author compares A Wrinkle in Time with Cornelia Funke's Inkheart. I brought this up with my friend Casye and I think that blog would have been better if they had continued with the Inkheart line of thought, because it was interesting. So I have a few points to add to what they said.

I will do my best to exclude spoilers, but I promise nothing for the little stuff. Big spoilers will not appear here, ever.

A Wrinkle in Time: main character is Meg
Inkheart: main character is Meggie
Well...yes, that's true, but I don't think that really says much about the book.

A Wrinkle in Time: father is mysteriously missing
Inkheart: mother is mysteriously missing
Okay, a good point, and a driving point in each book. This is actually a very common theme in books, to not have one parent there. It's definitely prevalent in Disney movies and I really do not understand that. The fact that one of the parents is gone is a good emotional topic with the main character. Do they feel resentment? Do they feel pain or sadness? Are they indifferent? Something like this can be taken in a lot of different ways.
Now, when we bring in the "mysteriously missing" part, we open a whole new world of questions. Where have they gone? When did they go? How did they get there? Was it against their will? Will the child find out? Does someone else know and keep this secret from the child? Will the child go to find them? Will they ever find them? These kinds of questions are the things readers wonder, and that's exactly what the author wants. These are the kinds of questions, when approached in a good way, make a great book. I think this worked out well for both of the examples listed.

A Wrinkle in Time: a stranger shows up on a stormy night (Mrs. Whatsit)
Inkheart: a stranger shows up on a stormy night (Dustfinger)
Okay, now this is the point that I really wanted to discuss. It is a very good correlation between the two books, but I think it can be taken a step farther. They are strangers that show up on a stormy night, yes, but they are also strangers who become integral to the plot and very important to the main character. Meggie would never have known about her father's gift in Inkheart if it were not for Dustfinger, nor would Meggie & Mo know about the kind of trouble they were in. If Dustfinger hadn't shown up at that time, who knows what would have happened. We may have never met Elinor! That would have been a travesty! And without Dustfinger the story would have ended at book 1 (and we wouldn't have been able to see Paul Bettany shirtless in the movie ;D )
In A Wrinkle in Time, nothing would have happened without the appearance of Mrs. Whatsit on that stormy night. We would not have known that Meg's father was still alive, that there was such a thing as a tesseract, anything about The Black Thing, never have met Mrs. Who & Mrs. Which, never gone to Uriel or anything else. We would have spent the next 100 pages sitting in the Murry's kitchen talking about how bed sheets have gone missing in the town. I don't think I am even exaggerating here. This is proof that a good character, or a good entrance, can be the deciding factor in the success of a book.
[On a side note, these are also my two favorite characters in their respective books.]
------
Now, when I was trying to think of other things to say between these books, all I could think of was how similar Inkheart was to the Stravaganza series by Mary Hoffman. I've been thinking this a lot lately as I've just begun reading City of Secrets the fourth and newest book in the series. Let's take a look, shall we?

Inkheart: Main character can be transported in & out of book worlds
Stravaganza: City of Masks: Main character is transported between worlds with the use of a book
This is very imporant in both books, in fact, the entire plot of each book rests on this point. Inkheart would be nothing without the ability to bookjump (I'll borrow the phrase from Fforde's Thursday Next series). I mean, really, do you want to read about a book doctor? Let's spend whole chapters on how he chooses which endpapers to use. NOT. And City of Masks would have been extremely depressing if all it we read about was how Lucian was slowly dying of cancer. No, it's so much better if he gets transported to Talia where he is healthy and awesome and gets to have adventures. As readers, don't we all wish books would open themselves up to us in new ways and let us simply fall in? They already take us on adventures, but we only get to live these vicariously, wouldn't it be so much better if we experienced these for ourselves? I thought so, that's why these books are such a hit.

I need to cut this short because it's 23:49 and I have an anthropology exam at 900 which I know nothing for. But let me just add this one last thing:
Inkheart: Meggie has an aunt Elinor who is obsessed with books
Stravaganza: City of Secrets: Matt has an aunt Eva who is obsessed with books

I will try to expand on this tomorrow if I can.

To all you readers out there, I do highly recommend Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, Stravaganza: City of Maks by Mary Hoffman, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, and also Thursday Next: The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde.

The Triad of Dysfunction (My YouTube Collab Channel)

This year I will be doing a video correspondence channel with my two best friends who are away at school. You can all watch us here on YouTube, or just go to YouTube & search "triad of dysfunction"
You can also watch me on my regular channel, here.

So far we only have up our project introduction and my personal introduction, but I will be bothering the other girls to get up videos soon.

If you do watch, leave a comment! I love opening my email and seeing all the notifications for new comments. It brightens up my day.

Okay, that's all I wanted to say, really...hm...maybe I should make this more blog-y?

Well, today I pulled out my old laptop and started typing up everything on this laptop from one of my books. See, my old laptop only has a floppy drive (it's that old, I had a PC in between), so it's really hard to get information off of there. I could save it to floppy, transfer it to the PC, and then get it on my macbook via the network, but the PC is acting up and refuses to cooperate with much of anything today. And I really needed those old chapters. So I did it all manually and it's a pain, but I think I prefer it. This way I get to read through all of the older chapters and refresh my memory or find things to bring up again later. It's great for me! That, and I get to laugh at all my old jokes. :D


If anyone cares to read it, I wrote a ridiculous children's story here that is not meant to be a serious story, but as a joke for my friend Jenny. If I ever want to though, I'm convinced I could easily rework it into a real story.

More Top List Stuff, of My Own This Time

Today is apparently a very good day to blog, because when I got on this morning (admittedly not until about noon) my LJ flist of friends & feeds was pretty full of people doing their bloggy thing. I love days like this.

This is also the day where I go back & talk about the books I read this year. In the past years I have put up monthly lists of what books I have read, when I read them, etc, but this year you may have noticed that I haven't done that here. Instead I favored for the master list of books I've read and movies I've watched in 2008. It was an idea that started out small (a meme I was tagged in by harvardbarbie that I kept up with. It doesn't have all the details of the original, but I was more likely to update it. I did leave out quite a few comic issues though, considering I read tonnes this year (what with getting a job at a comic shop & all).

Anyway, here's what I have to say about that list:
I have listed 198 books that I read this year, though I read more than that & forgot to write them down....

Children's Books
Best Children's Book I Read This Year: The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron (this would also go under Most Controversial, which I don't agree with)
Best Sequel: Small Steps by Louis Sachar, Sequel to Holes
Book I Most Often Recommend to Children/Parents: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Best Picture Book: Flotsam by David Weisner
Funniest: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules! by Jeff Kinney (not as good as the first, but still hilarious)
My Favorite Children's Book I Read in 2008: The Witches by Roald Dahl. (though Lucky was a very close second)

Young Adult & Adult Books
Best Book of the Year (Published in 08): Paper Towns by John Green
Book I Believe Every Teen Should Read: Looking for Alaska by John Green (I read it twice this year)
Most Overhyped Book: Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
Best Teen Series: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares (I'm excited for her new series in 09!!)
Best Sequel: Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones (Sequel to Howl's Moving Castle)
Book That Was Far Better Than the Movie: Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Most Controversial: Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult (because of this, I believe it was a great pick for the high school's book club)
Biggest Cliff Hanger: Superior Saturday by Garth Nix (do not read this until Lord Sunday comes out)
Best Collaborative Effort: Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, & Lauren Myracle
Best Sci-Fi Book: Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Best Superhero Story: Hero by Perry Moore


What about you folk? What were your favorite books that you read in 2008? Do you have any special categories? What book do you most recommend for me to read?

Encouraging Reading, Part 2

My younger brother Joe just read Small Steps by Louis Sachar in less than a day. I just loaned him A Wrinkle in Time by Madeliene L'Engle, which I've been re-reading lately. I figure he'll finish before I get a chance to read it again (NaNo takes time!) so I let him have it tonight.

My brother never really was a reader, but suddenly he can't seem to get enough of books. He'll read a book every now & again, but they're usually for school. A great motivator for him though, is to see his friends read a book, or to convince him that it's the "cool" thing to do. (And btw, reading is cool)

Another great way is to find a book that he really loves, and this is usually the hardest part. His class is currently reading Holes in school, and he finished far before the class did because he liked it so much. This was only a few days before I went to see Louis Sachar at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, IL with my mum, so we brought him along. He seemed to really get into it and we bought him his own copy of Holes which he got signed. In his presentation Sachar mentioned Small Steps, which I had always seen around, but never knew the story of. Joe really wanted to read it, but we were already buying so much that night, we passed on it. The next week I bought one of the signed copies Anderson's had from the event. Then a few days after that my mom caught Joe reading my sister's copy of House by Ted Dekker, which she thought was too scary. To keep him from reading that, I presented my new, shiny copy of Small Steps, which he immediately devoured.

So, this just adds to my theory that all you need to do to get a child hooked on books, is to find that one right book for them. Holes is one I like to suggest, as is The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (this one looks daunting, but it's half pictures & flip book! Kids love that). The other night a mother saw me looking through the children's books at the Sachar event and asked me to recommend a book for her daughter, and after talking to the woman I suggested The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler by EL Konigsburg.

I think the problem is that most people don't pay attention to a child's unique interests enough to be able to pick out the right book. They'll suggest something new, or a best-seller, or maybe something they loved as a child. And sometimes these work, but some children are really stubborn and they need that exact right book for them, not for you. So talk to your child, find out what they want to read. My children's literature professor last year said that she's sometimes annoyed with the fact that all her son wants to read are Pokemon novelizations, but that she'd rather him read those than read nothing at all. If it gets them started reading, I agree with her. If they find something they love to read, they won't find books so boring or scary, and maybe they'll pick up another. And another. And another.

Just listening to your child is probably the best you can do in any situation, in my opinion anyway. I don't think parents always do that.

...Okay. Back to my NaNo, I promise. (I've written about 1700 words today so far)