Borderline by Allan Stratton

 

Themes: Racism, Coming of Age, Trust, Family, Traditions, Bullying

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Grade /Reading Level: Grades 7 – 12

Fountas and Pinnell Level: N

Sami finds himself in a position that no one should find themselves in.  What do you do when you start to question the actions of those you trust the most?  Sami’s father enrolled him in a private school where he is the only Muslim student.  He is bullied at his school, but he does have two best friends who attend the local public school.  Sami is suspicious about his father’s motivations behind recent occurrances including the cancellation of a planned son-father weekend, and the accusation of stolen chemicals from his workplace.  Sami finds himself dragging his buddies along in trying to defend his father after he is arrested by the FBI.  The surprise ending was the selling point when sharing this story with my students and colleagues.

ISBN-10: 1554680832

ISBN-13: 978-1554680832

Paperback: 320 pages

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd (Feb 26 2010)

The Kayak by Debbie Spring

The Kayak

by Debbie Spring

Thistledown Press | March 11, 2010 | Trade Paperback; 190 pages; $12.95     ISBN: 978-1897235-71-3

The simplistic realism of this cover … of a young woman paddling a kayak toward the sunset is what first drew my attention to this book! 

 Serenity and peace … an image that also conjurs  a feeling of enjoyment and relaxation.  At the onset, author Spring cleverly has the reader believing  in  this “sense of freedom”  and even  Teresa’s own words while kayaking …. “This is a mystical place. Out here I feel safe and secure.”   is a contradiction of what  this story is really about….. that of a young woman facing  major psychological and physical challenges in order to enjoy the freedoms she once took for granted.

Teresa , once a typical teenager, hanging with friends, and  running track until a tragic accident changes not only her life but that of her family’s.  Entering adolescence is difficult enough for teens, but add insecurities, anger, and doubts and Teresa struggles to push herself  to attempt things that she’s never done before.  As Teresa battles her physical and psychological demons we  also see the impact these adversities have upon her parents and sister.

This is a powerful touching story with a protagonist that displays courage, determination and grit, but also has an inner depth that  truly has the reader cheering for  her!

Highly recommended!!!!

Genre: Realistic Fiction; Romance

Interest Level: Intermediate/ Senior students; interest in the Physically challenged

Weblinks: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/exams/marking_materials/en10/training_papers.pdf

http://www.docshare.com/doc/91928/Debbie-Spring-The-Kayak-A-literary-deconstruc

http://voicethread.com/share/1893491/

The Other Side

 

Author: Jacqueline Woodson

ISBN: 0-399-23116-1

Themes: friendship, racism, tolerance, African-Americans, acceptance

Genre: realistic fiction

Grade /Reading Level: Grade 2/3, Level M

Interest Level: K-8

 Summary: Clover , a young African-American girl, has always wondered about the fence that runs along the side of her house. She is unsure of why the fence is there and why her mother tells her it isn’t safe on the other side of the fence. After watching a young girl, who sits on the fence, she finally builds up the courage to speak to her while her Mama watches from the yard. The fences that are broken down in this story provide excellent discussion throughout the grades. I have used this as a read aloud in my 7/8 classroom with great results. This would tie in well with studies on Civil Rights and character education.

Study Guide Links:

http://suburbanmosaicbooks.org/other_side.htm

http://storybookipedia.sblc.wikispaces.net/The+Other+Side+Activities

http://www.learningtogive.org/lessons/unit40/lesson1.html

Elephant Run by Roland Smith

 Grade Level: 7 – 8

Genre: Historical Fiction

Theme: Relationships, War, Survival

I’ve always been a fan of stories from other countries and other times.  This book is no exception.  I was drawn to the overtly stereotypical Burmese and Japanese characters, to the descriptive settings, and to the various personalities of the the elephants.  This made the read worthwhile, especially when I discovered the disappointing and predictable ending. 

Thankfully for my students, knowledge about 1940s history was not a requirement, and in fact, it was not a leading theme.  It is helpful, though, to recognize when students are open to reading about other ways of living, and when there is just not enough context to make the story interesting to them.  I was not surprised to see some students abandon the book.

For teachers, this book is full of rich symbolism, and provides much to talk about within a classroom setting.  The elephants, the bell, and the complex relationships are all great starting points.

ISBN 13: 978-1-4231-0402-5, 318 pp

Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff

Grade Level: 4 – 7

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Theme:  Coming of Age

This book was recommended to me by a colleague who has suggested it to students who have been in foster homes, or have led transient lives.  It is a story about a girl who has been in and out of foster homes herself, eventually running away from each of them.  Every other chapter describes in great detail a picture which Hollis Woods has drawn that provides a window into her life.

I found this book a little hard to follow to begin with and didn’t really get into it until about three quarters the way through.  It was a short enough book, with easy to follow language.  The characters are colourful and interesting, however the plot didn’t come together quickly enough for my liking!  I, also, might recommend it to students who would be able to connect with the main character.

ISBN: 0-439-57784-5

Pub: Random House 2002