Kiss the Sky: Book Review of Skyward

 

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

Description

In Brandon Sanderson’s Skyward, seventeen-year-old Spensa lives with the burden of her father’s legacy: he is remembered as a coward and a traitor, because he turned back from an important fight against the enemy Krall. In order to prevent other pilots from defecting, his plane was shot down as an object lesson. His name became synonymous with being a coward, which meant that Spensa had to live with the ridicule of her father every day. She knew, in her heart, that her father was not a coward, and she knew that she would prove herself as a pilot.

Now that Spensa is finally of age to take the test the test that will determine her career, she is eager to discover where she will be placed and she is even more determined to become a pilot. But Spensa has no idea how many impediments will be in her path.

Would I teach this book? 

Skyward could comfortably fit into the dystopian fiction unit that I teach in seventh grade. Spensa lives her life trapped on a planet where her people crashed and they are now unable to leave, so they spend all of their energy and resources fighting the enemy Krall. While humans have managed to build a civilization, it is short on anything that does not pertain directly to survival.

Spensa fits into the description of the hero for the hero’s journey and the plot also fits nicely into the hero’s journey. The government and society have many rules governing who is allowed to do what, including tight expectations for behavior based on social standing. Through his cast of characters, Sanderson deals nicely with showing the difficulties of young adults standing at both ends of the socioeconomic axis.

I did not find Skyward to be the same level of excitement as Hunger Games, but I am still curious about what happens in the rest of the series. If I had a student who had read all of the other books that are being offered, I might consider Skyward, but it would not be my first suggestion.

 

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If Than True Lovers Have Been Ever Crossed, It Stands as an Edict in Destiny: Book Review of Stargirl

 

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Description

When I was younger, I was a Jerry Spinelli fan. My favorite of his books was Maniac Magee–a brilliant and emotional book about a boy who moves between two worlds but doesn’t seem to permanently belong to either of them. Stargirl, similarly, tells the story of a girl who doesn’t seem to know how to curl herself into the tight space of a high school student. Stargirl, like her name, is almost ethereal in her goodness and kindness, to the point that her utter concentration on the needs of others seems almost fake. It is almost as though, in her selflessness, she is trying to call attention to herself as a good person.

But let’s step back for a second. Stargirl is told from the point of view of Leo, another student at the high school, the kind of kid who does not like to be the center of attention and who actively seeks to blend in. As for Stargirl, on her first day of school, in front of the entire cafeteria, she walks up to a student and sings “Happy Birthday” while playing on her ukulele. For Leo, she is a great fascination–she is mysterious and flamboyant, the opposite of what he tries so hard to be. She wears clothes that seem to be from another century, sets up her desk like a table in every class, and eventually, she cheers at the football games, performing more dramatically than the cheerleaders, band, or even the football players themselves. She cheers for both teams, and she dances, and she calls attention to herself even more than the players. For this, Stargirl is noticed, and in certain ways, shown admiration. The home team was so terrible, there tended to be more people on the away team’s side than their own. After she began her elaborate performances, the stands were filled and the school and town were rallied.

Stargirl is so outside the norm of the rest of the students don’t really know what to think of her. In the midst of all the excitement and attention that she garners, Leo finds himself developing a crush on Stargirl and wondering if, perhaps, she might feel the same way about him.

Stargirl is the kind of book character we want to see more of--quirky, expressive, and willing to stand out. She has no desire to be popular and seems unaware of whether people like her--or not. She dresses as she likes and brings joy to everything she does. She enjoys acts of kindness, both those that are planned and unplanned, and those for which she receives credit and those for which she doesn't. She appreciates the world around her in a way that many people don't. 

The back of the book praises Stargirl as a "celebration of nonconformity,” but the depiction is much more complicated than that. It is difficult to discuss this book without spoilers, but in Stargirl standing out in such a flamboyant way is not shown as being easy or without consequences. And more complicated is Stargirl's relationship with Leo, who as much as he admires Stargirl, struggles with how much attention she calls to herself.  

Would I Teach This Book?

Would I teach Stargirl? If I were to teach this book to middle schoolers, I would want to have a tough conversation with my students about fitting in. Developmentally, in middle school, friends take on a much greater importance, and often the opinions of friends outranks that of others, including parents. The fear of not having friends or being excluded or teased is very strong, even more than at other points in a person’s life. Fear of not fitting in is a real and powerful thing.

It can be very difficult to express yourself when you are concerned about what others think of you. It is not uncommon for people to make an effort to dress similarly to others and not express unpopular likes and opinions. Of course, repressing yourself does not feel good and is not healthy. People should feel comfortable to be who they are and have the courage to say things that they think. They should choose their friends based on who shows them love and respect and a desire to see them at their best. Due to having little control over who they spend the majority of their day around and a still developing sense of self-esteem, adolescents do not always make the healthiest decisions about who to make friends with. 

Without all of the tools to express themselves, clothing is a big way that students tell the world who they are. For this reason, it’s even more important that they have the opportunity and feel comfortable to dress as they please. Should they wear a band uniform to school when they want to or a chicken suit? Should they be shouting soliloquies at the top of their lungs in the cafeteria? Is it worth it to fit in if you feel like you’re being fake? Is it worth it to stand out if people don’t like you? If they exclude you? 

Admirably, one of the questions that the book asks is how much being an “individual” is about behaving in ways that call attention to how different a person is and how eager they are to dress and behave in a way that positions them against the crowd and how much is simply being your authentic self. Is the authentic self so much outside of a norm created within a culture? Or is nonconformity created in an effort to stand out from the crowd? There is something to be said for creating a community, and for taking care of one another. There is something to be said for having some agreement for behavior and agreeing to rules. What would a school or a work place look like if everyone was not so concerned about unspoken social rules? 

The book also asks: Who are you if you spend all of your time watching the popular kids to know how to dress, what to like, and how to behave? Surely, there is something to be said for not forcing yourself to be a clone of everyone else, but there is also something to be said for understanding certain social behaviors and refraining from some behaviors.  

It is worth the discussion with students to read this book. It is short and at a level that most middle schoolers would be able to digest. In addition to a discussion of celebrating the individual vs. community acceptance, there is a lot to discuss in terms of character development. Under the right circumstances, I would teach this book.

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Let the Library Puns Begin: Book Review of The Overdue Life of Amy Byler

 

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms

Description

In The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms, Amy is a not-quite divorced mother of two who has spent the last three years living a financial nightmare. Her husband left her with two small children, a large mortgage, and no financial assistance. With the help of a close friend, Amy is able to get a degree in library science and secure a job as a school librarian. She is able to hold onto the house and keep her children fed by scrimping and pinching and some more assistance from her friend. When her husband returns and wants to spend time with their kids over the summer, Amy has the opportunity to take some time to care for herself and perhaps make up for lost time. There are plenty of surprises in store for Amy, if she is willing to take some chances.

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler was a book club pick and lead to a rousing discussion about Amy’s abilities to have fun away from her kids and the choices that she makes. There was little talk about her not-quite ex-husband, though I found him to be the worst part of the book. The idea that an adult could leave their spouse with two children and no financial support is pretty terrible. I guess that it happens in real life, too, and people are able to make it through, but ugh! It seems pretty unforgivable. Who should be allowed to do such things?

The book has some creative moments and the backdrop of a school librarian is good for working in some discussions about reading and getting kids to read.

Would I Teach This Book?

Would I teach The Overdue Life of Amy Byler? This book includes romance, single parenting, financial struggles, and making fun for yourself outside your family. All very interesting and important discussions, but the argument for teaching this book would be a hard sell, for a few reasons. The first and most important is that the writing is not all that strong—the prose does not sparkle, and, at times, it tries too hard to be humorous, such as in the diary-letters written from the daughter to the main character. Second, the acrobatics that the author goes through to make Amy’s summer situation more believable are pretty intense. Third, Amy’s situation with her runaway husband and her handling of it is super frustrating.

I could see a scenario in which The Overdue Life of Amy Byler was used to discuss something like how divorced women are depicted in fiction or depictions of women over the age of thirty seeking romance. I would also consider this a good book club pick—while it is not high literature, we had a lengthy and spirited discussion.

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The Roof, The Roof, The Roof Is on Fire: Book Review of The House Is on Fire

 

The House Is on Fire by Rachel Beanland

Description

The House Is on Fire by Rachel Beanland is a book club pick--a fictionalized account of a real theater fire in 19th century Richmond. During a packed performance, the theater caught fire, the blaze quickly growing and causing structural damage. The audience fought their way out, some jumping from second and third stories of the building. Over fifty people died in the fire and the theater was completely destroyed. The grief of the community was overwhelming.

Beanland tells the story from the points of view of four distinct characters: Sally, a widow at the theater with her her dead husband’s brother and his wife; Jack, a young stagehand, Cecily, a slave accompanying the slave owner’s daughter; and Gilbert, a slave who was not at the performance, but who rushes to find the daughter of his wife’s slave owner. While the experiences of each are very different, all four survive the fire, and all four deal with the aftermath in different ways.

Would I Teach This Book?

Would I teach The House Is on Fire? Beanland uses the fire as a vehicle to explore gender relations, the experience of the enslaved, and employment, among other topics. There is certainly much to discuss and Beanland shows great imagination in creating the lives of the four characters. In a genre writing class, the book could serve as an example of a lot of the moves that contemporary historical fiction makes. There is a strong female character who bucks against societal norms, a graphic show of how the “good slave owner” is nothing more than a myth, what appears to be a well-researched account of what theater life was like, and a historical event on which the plot is built. For all these reasons, it creates a good example to aid in a discussion about how historical fiction works. I did enjoy reading the book over all, but I would put at least a few other historical fiction novels ahead of The House Is on Fire.

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Which 17th Century Spanish Painter Would You Be?: Book Review of I, Juan de Pareja

 

I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Treviño

Gratitude

Thank you to Montgomery County Public Libraries for making I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Treviño readily available at no cost to the public.

Description

Juan was born a slave and grew up with a slave owner who treated him much like a pet. When the slave owner died, he was inherited by her relative. In his new home, he became the assistant to Diego Velázquez, the famous painter. As Velázquez’s assistant, among Juan’s new responsibilities were stretching his canvases and mixing paint colors. He waited on Velázquez and helped him with his paintings as needed, but Juan was not allowed to create any paintings of his own.

As a slave, it was illegal for Juan to paint. The more he learned and the more he watched Velázquez and the apprentices he took on, the more that Juan wanted to create his own art. He saw where the apprentices flourished and where they failed, he understood the lessons that Velázquez wanted them to learn, and he felt the passion behind creating art. What will happen when the desire to paint becomes more than Juan can bear?

Would I teach this book?

I, Juan de Pareja is historical fiction, based on an actual man who was a slave to Velázquez. The story, then, is loosely based on events that actually occurred and were embellished through the imagination of Elizabeth Borton de Treviño. As this was a true story, I appreciated the intense drive to make good art. I appreciate the FOMO of having to sit backstage as others are able to preform. It was strange to me, however, to read of Juan’s complacency at being a slave. He was born into slavery, and while he was not poorly treated, the first slave owner did not treat him as a human child, instead, he was looked upon as a somewhat pampered animal. The lack of bitterness and his simple acceptance felt odd.

The book is not set in the United States, where slaves were treated violently and used for hard agricultural labor in addition to domestic work. The culture and practice of slavery in Spain at that time seems different from that in the United States. However, it felt jarring to treat slavery as though it was not a great injustice and as though it did not diminish owners in their humanity. It felt like a perpetuation of the “good slave owner.”

Slavery is addressed in the fact that it is illegal for Juan to paint and draw, but this seems a bit subordinate to some basic rights such as moving about freely. Perhaps the real de Pareja did not so much question the position that he was born into, but the conversation cannot be ignored today. If I were to teach this book, I would certainly prepare to have this discussion and help students to think through how slavery is presented in the book and how we regard human rights today.

I, Juan de Pareja does provide an interesting discussion about passions and wishing to pursue them, as well as what one might have to suffer in order to follow one’s dreams. Too often, inspirational tales are shown not as “look at what you could do” but more “look at what someone in a more difficult situation did.” As in, giving the message that those without means can still overcome their challenges and not that you must work hard to overcome your challenges. The empathy falls out of it–students often feel so removed from the situations (such as an enslaved person in seventeenth century Spain) that they do not get that they also must strive to reach their dreams, not simply dream. We must not only dream big, but we also must work to help ourselves and others to achieve their dreams.

Have you taught I, Juan de Pareja? Or, have you read I, Juan de Pareja and have thoughts about how it might be discussed? I would love to read your thoughts in the comments. 

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In Case of Emergency, Which Kid Would You Save?: Book Review of The Accidental Favorite

 

The Accidental Favorite by Fran Littlewood

Gratitude

Thank you to Goodreads Giveaways and Henry Holt for the review copy of The Accidental Favorite by Fran Littlewood.

Description

In The Accidental Favorite, the Fischer family has gathered together to celebrate first the naming of the eldest daughter’s baby and then the mother’s seventieth birthday. Along the way, many crazy things ensue, including a clear indicator that their father has a real and evident favorite.

Told through the perspectives of the mother, Vivienne, and sisters Nancy, Eva, and Alex, the story moves between memories from the women’s childhood and the week-long family get together. Eva, the youngest and prettiest, has the oldest grandchild, and is now a successful entrepreneur. Nancy, the middle child, the one who acts out, is divorced with one child, and she became a successful doctor. Alex, the oldest, is an ambitious music teacher, married to another teacher, and together they have three children, including the youngest of the grandchildren, baby Dolly. At the same time the sisters have close, loving relationships, they also have insecurities and jealousies, begun in their childhood.

Would I Teach This Book?

Would I teach The Accidental Favorite plays on common family dynamics and entertains the question of if these dynamics shape who a person will be in their adulthood, as well as the impact that off-hand parental comments and favoritism plays on identity and behavior. Will the oldest child be the most responsible and successful? The middle child the one who gets in trouble and pushes boundaries in order to get attention? The youngest the most pampered and least tried, with a much easier childhood and adulthood than the others? Maybe. But I also wonder about the dramatization of the family structure in The Accidental Favorite.

The characters were mostly likeable and mostly understandable. Mostly, I was in their corner. Mostly. But Alex was really, really difficult to like at times. Really. She was so difficult to appreciate. Yes, she had a lot to deal with in her life, more than the other two women, but her behavior toward her sisters--well.

In addition, the idea that grown women in their thirties and forties would still be so hung up on sibling rivalry--I suppose it is something that remains throughout life, but to have such an impact? I don’t know. Is this common? Do many people actually experience this in their forties? Just thinking this one out.

The book might be a potential to be taught in a contemporary literature course--maybe. It lacks the bite of many things that I have read as of late. It is doubtful that I would teach it in a creative writing class. If I did, I would use it to teach writing through multiple perspectives.

The narration is in third-person, yet still demonstrates distinct differences when it is attached to each of the characters. The sisters have their own separate personalities, attitudes, and beliefs about themselves, the past, and the current reality. The names at the beginning of the sections and the time frame help to clearly orient the reader without being distracting.

I would readily recommend this book for a book club, as it offers a significant discussion about sibling dynamics and how to read the different characters

.

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The Way to Healing Is Through the Stomach: Book Review of Crying in H Mart

 

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Description 

Crying in H Mart is Michelle Zauner’s memoir of grief and appreciation of culture, particularly in the cuisine of her Korean heritage.

Zauner lost her mother when she was only twenty-five and had just begun to develop a more mature relationship with her. She describes herself as having been a difficult child and her parents struggling to help her through depression when she was in high school. Music, as she writes, was what saved her in her adolescence, but it was food that helped her in the mourning process for her mother.

From her early childhood, the strongest connection Michelle had with her mother was food. Her mother paid close attention to the food preferences of others and lauded Michelle’s Korean palate. Every other year, they went to Korea to visit family and take in the country in which her mother grew up and lived until she married Michelle’s American father and left after her birth. In Korea, and with extended family, food is still the language of love and joy.

The book describes a difficult reality between daughter, mother, and father, as well as including details about her mother as she was dying of cancer.

Would I teach this book? 

Would I teach Crying in H Mart? Crying in H Mart, as a memoir, seems to have less distance from the death of the mother and less reflection than some other similar memoirs, such as Jennette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died. The point of telling is fresh and incredibly youthful. It’s a vibe, and not one that I dislike.

Crying in H Mart was a book club pick, my first book club pick, and it is a book that I might have found my way to without book club. The majority of the non-fiction that I read, which is admittedly significantly less than the fiction that I read, is memoir. I love a good story. My mother recommended this book to me, and when it was my turn to suggest books, I put this one on the list.

Crying in H Mart is a good book to teach as well as a good book for book club. As for teaching, Crying in H Mart illustrates how pairing a common experience, such as the loss of a parent, with a point of passion, such as Korean cuisine, helps to make a work both personal and universal. In terms of representation, as Zauner discusses looking for role models with whom she can identify in music, including Korean American voices, the representation her voice offers is important. Zauner’s relative youth at the point of writing the book is also significant in terms of including diverse points of view.

If you were a fan of Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert or Wild by Cheryl Stayed, you will likely enjoy Crying in H Mart, though I enjoyed Crying in H Mart much more than the other two.

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