Month: July 2020

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The Peacemaker by Joseph Bruchac – Book Review

 

Title: The Peacemaker
Author: Joseph Bruchac
Publisher: Dial Books
Release Date: October 27, 2020

The five tribes of the Iroquois have been embroiled in an endless cycle of raiding, war, and death. Nowhere is safe, and when twelve-year-old Okwaho and his best friend go fishing, they are captured by a neighboring tribe. Although Okwaho escapes, the pain and anger of losing his best friend consumes him until vengeance seems like the only remedy. However, a mysterious and captivating figure arrives, bringing a message and plan for peace. Okwaho, his village, and the rest of the Iroquois tribes must decide whether to put down their weapons and replace their thirst for revenge or continue the cycle of war that risks the destruction of their people.

Joseph Bruchac retells the story of Iroquois Confederacy’s creation in The Peacemaker. The author’s inclusion of numerous stories and folktales helps emphasize important themes and develop other literary elements. The telling is not overly dramatic or action-packed, but this natural ebb and flow is not a shortcoming. Instead, it immerses the reader in the time period. Told through the eyes of a young person, readers learn how feelings of anger and revenge fuel the vicious cycle of war. However, an alternative always exists. Through song, storytelling, or a messenger of hope, there are constant messages that peace is possible. The underlying idea about a person being able to choose to bring it about is powerful. Many a reader may find that The Peacemaker not only brings peace to the Iroquois people, but it may just bring some peace to them as well. It is an important tale; it is a real story; and it surely resonates today.

The Peacemaker would be an excellent novel to teach in conjunction with a nonfiction study of First Nations in North America prior to and after the arrival of Europeans. The Iroquois Confederacy’s accomplishments and the subsequent maltreatment of them by the European colonists would only serve to underscore those incredible accomplishments. It would also highlight not only the importance of peace but also its fragility. Such a cross-curricular experience would draw out important lessons and effectively put them in history’s broader context for students.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Dial Books, for an eARC of this book.

Classroom Applications

  • Cross-Curricular Study – Teach the novel in conjunction with a nonfiction study of the history of First Nations in North America, especially prior to the arrival of Europeans.
  • Literature Circles – Use novel for small groups or choice reading with a variety of books about First Nations of North America in a range of settings across centuries.

Nonfiction Connections

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

  • The Iroquois Confederacy
  • History of the Six Great Nations of the Iroquois
  • History of Democracy
  • Great Law of Peace and the U.S. Constitution

Book Companions

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

*LIT Lessons participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.
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Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson – Book Review

 

Title: Before the Ever After
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Release Date: September 1, 2020

Summary

ZJ’s father, a professional football player, is loved by all – fans, friends, and especially his family. Although Zachariah “44” Johnson is a menace on the field, he is anything but off of it. He is loving, caring, considerate, attentive, and honorable. As the football season drags on, ZJ’s father finds himself off the field more and more, suffering from seemingly inexplicable headaches and other worrisome symptoms. When ZJ’s father is sidelined for good, the family’s struggle to cope with the devastating effects of Zachariah’s chronic brain trauma just begins.

 

Review

Jacqueline Woodson’s Before the Ever After is a superb, moving piece of literature. Told in verse, Woodson’s stunning story will deeply move readers of any age. It is, quite simply, outstanding. Woodson’s writing style is at once lyrical and stark as it intimately portrays a family coping with a new, grim reality. Through the challenges that arise from the physical and mental suffering of ZJ’s father’s and ZJ’s grief over an abrupt end to a beloved way of life, readers are forced to confront tough questions about sport, the love of the game, and the responsibility of an individual and organization for the health and wellbeing of its players. There are no easy answers, especially when one starts to consider how society values those that give their mind, body, and soul to sports for the entertainment and enjoyment of others.

Before the Ever After is a must-read. Its execution is exquisite. Its depth bottomless. Its importance paramount. ZJ’s and his family’s story will resonate with lovers of the game of football, watchers of the game, and haters of the game. It is accessible to everyone for reasons far beyond sport. A teacher only needs to decide how deeply they want their students to explore the challenging themes and topics Before the Ever After cultivates.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Nancy Paulsen Books, for an eARC of this book.

 

Classroom Applications

  • Cross-Curricular Study – Teach the novel in conjunction with a nonfiction study of sports and CTE.
  • Literature Circles – Use novel for small groups or choice reading with a variety of books about sports.

 

Nonfiction Connections

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

  • CTE
  • Professional Sports
  • Sports

 

Book Companions

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

  • Rebound by Kwame Alexander (Character Connections, Themes, Novel Structure, Nonfiction Connections)
  • Pop by Gordon Korman (Character Connections, Themes, Nonfiction Connections)
*LIT Lessons participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.
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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins – Book Review

 

Title: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (A Hunger Games Novel)
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: May 19, 2020

Suzanne Collins treats fans of the Hunger Games series with a return trip to the Capitol. This tale provides insight into how the Hunger Games came to be a Capitol tactic to control the Districts. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes also serves as President Snow’s origin story, following him as a young teenager and mentor for the 10th annual Hunger Games. While the novel’s premise is promising, the execution is lackluster. Snow is, was, and always be evil, and his origin story only highlights this fact. While most villain origin stories offer an arc involving a good person’s unraveling, Snow’s mentorship in the Games only amplifies the worst in him. The surprise of breaking that typical arc is noted, but since it proved there was little left to be revealed, it left much to be desired. After all, how do you write a dramatic story about an emotionless villain? Unfortunately, without emotion and without much novelty. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes spends too much time trying to emulate the success of the Hunger Games Trilogy instead of trying to find its legs as a worthy story by its own right. It is not until the last chapters where Snow’s character development truly begins. By then, it is too late, and many disappointed readers might not stick with the story to find out.

Classroom Applications

  • Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoyed reading The Hunger Games trilogy.

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

*LIT Lessons participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.
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The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate – Book Review

 

Title: The One and Only Bob
Author: Katherine Applegate
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: May 5, 2020

Bob is back. After living for several years at the Big Top Mall, George and Julia adopted Bob and took him home. Now, Bob regales readers with his story of abandonment, loss, friendship, adventure, and so much more. Bob begins his story by threading details about his past in with the present. Then, when he visits Ivan and Ruby at the zoo, a dangerous storm thrusts Bob into a new role: a hero. With plenty of laughs and tears alongside breathtaking moments and surprises, Bob proves once again just how unique and special he is.

After being introduced to Bob in The One and Only Ivan, author Katherine Applegate has continued Bob’s story in The One and Only Bob. Applegate’s writing is superb. The descriptive prose, imaginative figurative language, and vibrant imagery create a truly sensory reading experience. It all helps the reader feels as though they are a true companion to Bob standing aside him as he recounts his trials and tribulations. Although some readers may tire of Bob’s lengthy introduction and commentary about life as a dog, this exposition initiates his transformation to come because it allows him to begin processing the traumas of his past. Closer examination of this portion of the novel as presented through Bob’s perspective ultimately reveals many larger truths about humans and the natural world. Like with him and the novel as a whole, one must be willing to take that deeper look. Meanwhile, other portions of the novel are action-packed. They set a feverish pace, and Applegate proves, once again, her versatility as a writer. After Bob’s heroics save the day, the ending is at once messy and hopeful, creating a realistic finale to a heartwarming tale.

Just as The One and Only Ivan garnered countless fans, young and old alike, readers will love The One and Only Bob. The novel could possibly stand alone in classroom applications; however, deep analysis of certain aspects of the book would require the context provided in the first story. Still, The One and Only Bob could serve as a fantastic summer reading and project, early finisher work, or a fun read aloud.

Classroom Applications

  • Read Aloud – Read the novel aloud in class as part of direct instruction or a novel study.
  • Literature Circles – Use novel for small groups or choice reading with a variety of books that incorporate animal rights.
  • Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoy reading about animals.

Nonfiction Connections

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

  • Animals
  • Dogs
  • Animal Rights
  • Animal Shelters
  • Zoos

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with The One and Only Bob. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

  • The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (Character Connections, Themes, Plot Structure, Nonfiction Connections)
  • Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White (Character Connections, Themes, Nonfiction Connections)
  • Pax by Sara Pennypacker and Illustrator Jon Klassen (Character Connections, Themes)
*LIT Lessons participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.
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Paola Santiago and the River of Tears by Tehlor Kay Mejia – Book Review

 

Title: Paola Santiago and the River of Tears
Author: Tehlor Kay Mejia
Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents
Release Date: August 4, 2020

School is out, and Paola Santiago, an analytic and science-loving mind, is excited to spend more time with her best friends, Emma and Dante. Their first get together involves trying out a new telescope on the banks of the infamous Gila River. But all three must keep their plans from their parents, especially Pao. Pao’s mother lives in a world where ghosts, myths, and legends are very much real. To the fact-based, logical Pao, her mother’s “nonsense” has created a very wide and very real chasm between them. Despite recent abductions in the area and Pao’s mother’s warnings about the evil river, Pao and Dante go to meet Emma. However, Emma is a no-show. When Pao and Dante begin searching for their friend, they are thrust into an alternate reality where the ghosts, myths, and legends Pao’s mother always believed in are indeed alive and well. As a result, Pao must fight demons, both inside and out, to save her friendships, save her relationship with her mother, and save the world. Hopefully, Pao can do it all before it’s too late.

Paola Santiago and the River of Tears is an action-packed adventure that will appeal to those that love mythology fantasies. Similar to other Rick Riordan Presents publications, Tehlor Kay Mejia’s novel incorporates all the classic, familiar elements of a hero’s journey. These elements, along with excellent character development and the inclusion of Mexican culture and folklore, create an engaging, fun quest that young readers will devour. Unfortunately, readers may experience mythology/fantasy/quest fatigue depending on the number of Rick Riordan Presents books they have read. While Tehlor Kay Mejia writes a unique story, its similarity to other series in plot structure and even writing style prevent it from standing apart from other offerings. This is no fault of the author. La Llorona’s story is captivating and the focus on Mexican folklore is another strength of the novel. This could still yet separate it from other tales with similar arcs; those plot lines have appeal for a reason. Paola Santiago and the River of Tears is a gripping tale that demonstrates why all over again.

Young readers will surely love Paola Santiago and the River of Tears, especially those that cannot get enough of the Rick Riordan-esque novels. If considering classroom applications, it would be a perfect addition to literature circles that use 5-6 mythology fantasy novels (see suggestions below).

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher, Rick Riordan Presents, for an eARC of this book.

Classroom Applications

  • Literature Circles – Use novel for small groups or choice reading with a variety of books that incorporate folklore.
  • Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoy reading mythological fantasies.

Nonfiction Connections

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

  • La Llorona
  • Mexican Folklore

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with Paolo Santiago and the River of Tears. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

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