Month: October 2019

 

Title: Shouting at the Rain Author: Linda Mullaly Hunt Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books Release Date: May 7, 2019

Summer has come to Cape Cod and Delsie is looking forward to another sun-soaked, fun-filled season with her friend, Brandy. Although Delsie has not changed much from the past year, Brandy has. Now Delsie must deal with the storm this conflict stirs up in her as well as the other clashes it precipitates and feelings it surfaces. Delsie struggles to cope with her altered friendships and her changing perspective about what it means to have family, but she also finds everything she is looking for in unlikely places under unlikely circumstances.

Shouting at the Rain provides a deeply personal look at tough situations: a crumbling friendship, family loss and abandonment, and dealing with a mean-spirited individual. Author Lynda Mullaly Hunt’s writing beautifully captures Delsie’s emotions and paints an intimate picture of her evolving perspective. Yet oftentimes, Delsie’s perspective and shifting views are undermined by plot events that feel forced and at times occur in an almost too perfect sequence. The events also overshadow Delsie’s love for weather. This love is nicely weaved throughout the beginning of the novel but gets lost and all but disappears by the end. The fracture underscores the unfortunate way in which the natural flow in the narrative is interrupted for the sake of tidy endings.

In the end, middle schoolers would certainly enjoy reading about Delsie, her struggles, and her transformation. However, the author does most of the intellectual work for the reader, limiting the extensive classroom application the book’s potential possesses.

Classroom Applications

• Cross-Curricular Study – Teach the novel in conjunction with a nonfiction study of weather.
• Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoy reading about themes of loss, friendship, and family.

Nonfiction Connections

The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.

• Weather
• Fishing
• Cape Cod History

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with Shouting at the Rain. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

• The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart (Character Connections, Themes)
• Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo (Character Connections, Themes)
• Where the Watermelons Grow by Cindy Baldwin (Character Connections, Themes)

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*LIT Lessons participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.

 

Title: Song for a Whale Author: Lynne Kelly Publisher: Delacorte Press Release Date: February 5, 2019

Iris is tech-savvy and curious, deaf and lonely. While she loves to fix radios, she struggles to find her place and make friends in a world where she only knows a handful of people like her. Then, Iris learns about Blue 55, a whale that sings songs in a different frequency from other whales. Her interest in Blue 55 takes her on a surprising adventure to communicate with the whale, leading to her own growth, new friendships, and a new perspective on her world.

Song for a Whale is a touching adventure that will surely garner fans amongst middle grades readers. Author Lynne Kelly provides an intimate perspective into how Iris’s deafness affects her. Iris is smart, capable, and tenacious but certainly not perfect, which makes her character perfectly relatable. The connection between Iris and Blue 55 is captivating, but the chapters told from Blue 55’s perspective take away from his mysterious existence more than it adds to the narrative. Overall, Song for a Whale provides an important perspective about how people can be heard. Its message about inclusion adds to the case that the book merits space on every library and classroom shelf. It will encourage students to consider new points of view, empathize with others, and venture out and try new things.

Classroom Applications

• Cross-Curricular Study – Teach the novel in conjunction with a Science unit about ocean life, whales, acoustic biology, or radios.
• Choice Read – Use the novel as part of a study about inclusivity and/or deaf culture and characters.
• Project – If learning about oceans or sea life in Science class, assign the novel as part of a project assignment.

Nonfiction Connections

The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.

• Whales
• Ocean Life
• Acoustic Biology
• Deaf Culture/ASL
• Radios
• Sound Waves

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with Song for a Whale. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

• Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly (Character Connections, Themes)
• The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (Character Connections, Science Content)
• El Deafo by Cece Bell (Character Connections, Themes)

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*LIT Lessons participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.

 

Title: Front Desk Author: Kelly Yang Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books Release Date: May 29, 2018Interested in teaching Front Desk? Check out the LIT Lessons Front Desk Novel Study.

After immigrating to the United States from China in the 1990’s, Mia Tang and her parents are trying to make their way and create a life they always dreamed about. Yet, life is not easy for the family, even after they are hired to manage a hotel in California. The hotel’s owner is nothing short of cruel, but Mia and her parents try to make the best of their situation. As Mia helps with the hotel operations and faces problem after problem, she finds her voice through writing and discovers how the power of words can affect change.

Kelly Yang’s book, Front Desk, will surely be well-loved by upper elementary and middle grade students. Mia is a strong, determined character that is not afraid to take risks and do what is right. Yang’s writing is captivating and makes for an entertaining, quick read. The quick pace is both a strength and weakness. While there are numerous conflicts and relatable characters, the author’s character development lacked meaningful depth, leading to few character changes or transformations. Yang also missed an opportunity to expand upon the struggles immigrants face in the U.S. each time the Yang family secretly hosted one at the hotel. Lastly, a clear pattern emerged through Mia’s attempt to overcome obstacles; she utilized the power of words. While this lesson is incredibly important for young readers, another incredibly important one is that a person must persevere through failure. Mia’s efforts to persuade others and affect change through writing succeeds every time, which could send unrealistic messages. Regardless, it stands as missed opportunity to show how failure can be an important learning experience too.

Overall, Front Desk would be a great novel to teach in the upper elementary grades. The Tang family’s immigration story is riveting and highlights the struggles immigrants face when starting life anew in the United States. The book also provides numerous opportunities to extend students’ learning about U.S. immigration and its history.

Classroom Applications

• Cross-Curricular Study – Use the Front Desk Novel Study to build background knowledge about the history of Chinese immigration to the U.S. and argumentative writing.
• Literature Circles – Use the novel as part of a study about immigration, immigrants, and refugees.
• Writing – Use the novel as a way to teach a unit about writing letters, op-eds, or argumentative essays.

Nonfiction Connections

The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.

• History of Chinese Immigration to the U.S.
• U.S. History of Immigration
• Life of Immigrants in the U.S.

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with Front Desk. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

• Refugee by Alan Gratz (Historical Connections, Character Connections, Themes)
• Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson (Themes, Character Connections)
• Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga (Themes, Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections)

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*LIT Lessons participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.