Sunday, October 11, 2009

Holes by Louis Sachar / Newberry Medal Award


"Holes" by Louis Sachar is a great book about boys detained at a work camp. Each boy is "serving time" for a different discipline problem. The boys must dig holes in the hot, hot sun. This camp is in Texas. It's called Camp Green Lake. The grownups, I think, are the ones who should dig the holes. They have no idea how to discipline these young people. This book is so on target because society still doesn't know how to deal with the misbehavior of children or teens. In other words, Camp Green Lake is hell on earth for these boys.


I loved the names of the boys. There are Armpit, X-Ray, Magnet, Squid, Zigzag and Stanley. My favorite guy is Zero. Zero and his mother had been homeless. Then, his mother abandoned him. He becomes close friends with Stanley especially when Stanley begins to teach him to read and write words. Zero isn't stupid. Zero believes there are fifty-two letters in the alphabet not twenty-six. Why? Because of the capital and the small letters counted together come to fifty-two. That gives you an idea of how Zero thinks about the world around him.

Well, I have to bring up the ugly, yucky, lizards. There are plenty of lizards out at the holes. These lizards have red eyes, black teeth and a white tongue. Oh, these creepy critters are awful. The lizards are one of the unwanted adventures the boys experience along with hearing the painful life story of Kate Barlow. She ruined her life when Sam kissed her. It didn't matter if she kissed Sam. The problem was he kissed her. There is also the fact that the boys are digging to find something very important under all that dirt. Those shovels aren't just to dig out the hard core of their hearts and heads. Those shovels are suppose to dig up "treasure."

This book made me think a lot about the right and wrong way to build character in children and myself. The Warden, Mr. Pendanski and Mr. Sir don't always prove good role models. At times, Stanley, Zero and the others had more sense than the grownups.

I also thought about friendship. Friendship involves sacrifice. Sacrifice isn't easy nor is it awarded all the time. The gift gained is a closer bond of trust as friends. Well, I'm dusty with dirt. I'm going to take a shower and pray for rain.

By the way, the boys are different in a very visible way. Louis Sachar plays down the importance of what we look like by not revealing the differences until the middle of the book. By then, the differences didn't matter to me. I just knew I liked these boys. I wanted the years and years of drought to end. I wanted Camp Green Lake to be investigated and shut down. I wanted all the boys to experience a better life.http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/2008/11/2009-young-adult-book

Thursday, August 27, 2009

First Crossing by Donald R. Gallo

"First Crossing" by Donald R. Gallo is a book about teens who have lived in other countries than America. These teens come to America because their parents are wanting to live a better life for the sake of their children. Some teens have been adopted by Americans. Growing up in America makes them curious about their other homeland. These immigrants are heroes and heroines no matter what country or culture they leave. Coming to a new and strange part of the world is like a baby learning to walk again. It's frightening, exciting and confusing. Some teens become the parent while the parent becomes like a child. Children have to become translators of the English language in very important situations. Donald R. Gallo collected ten short stories by different authors. At the end of each story is a bio of the author. The bios of the authors are just as interesting as the stories. I enjoyed "First Crossing" very much. One reason I liked this book is because it gave me a little knowledge about so many different countries: Venezuela, China, Mexico, Romania, Haiti and other countries. It was fun reading about Chinese New Year in January or February. I also discovered in one country a kind word about a meal is a compliment, but in another country that same compliment may be taken as an insult. While Americans think calling someone old is insulting in another country saying a person is old and fat is a compliment. Being slender is not complimentary. I also liked learning how difficult it is to learn a new language while trying with all your might not to talk in your family's original language. Whatever these teens do whether striving to learn English, become friends or looking for their biological families while loving their adopted families, life is tough and is very stressful. Just eating is an ordeal at times. One parent or grandparent kept the bought fish in the bathtub filled with water to keep the fish alive. To her, it was unthinkable to buy and eat a "dead" fish. I think books like this one give us a better understanding of different parts of the world and the people who grow up in different cultures. Donald R. Gallo helped me to understand the importance of respecting other people because they are different. Being different is not bad. Being different makes the world more fun, exciting and stimulates our hearts and minds. I liked reading about China, Russia

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes

"Bronx Masquerade" is one of my favorite YA books. This is because I had the chance to feel what teens are truly feeling. Often, teens hide their emotions for fear of being laughed at by peers, being disciplined by parents or just because there not sure they aren't the first person in the whole wide world who has felt the same way or wanted to act the same way. "Bronx Masquerade" is about students in a New York school have a very creative teacher. This book is mostly about Mr. Ward's Friday's class, "Open Mike Friday." On Fridays the boys and girls have a chance to speak to the class. They share what they have written during the week. Tyrone is the voice that acts as interpreter. Every so often he will speak out in a chapter telling more about a student, about himself or sharing what he doesn't make sense to him yet. All of the teens come from a wide range of experiences. So, each poem is unique as a person's handprints. This made me think about how wrong it is to try and compare teens. Their feelings seem to be as wide as the ocean. Even though this is true I could identify easily with each poem. My favorite part of "Bronx Masquerade" are the poems. Each poem is passionate. Each person is special who got up from seat and read their words. I would gladly read this book again and again.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

the first part last by Angela Johnson

Awards Winner of the 2004 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Literature for Young Adults Angela Johnson has truly written an award winning book. Bobby and Nia are two teens in New York. They become sexually active with one another. Nia becomes pregnant with a baby. There present, past and future plans become tumbled like clothes in a dryer. All of a sudden their lives are headed in a totally different direction than what they would have chosen for themselves. Their parents become involved and shocked. Social workers become involved. Nothing seems clear. Life has become a blur. I recommend this book to all teenagers and parents and grandparents. It's a rich book on so many different levels. What happens to Bobby and Nia? What choices do they make? I won't tell. I will say you will remember Feather, Nia, Bobby, Heaven, Ohio and you must have kleenexes available. Angela Johnson knows how to move the heart.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

The Dream Bearer by Walter

"The Dream Bearer" by Walter Dean Myers is a story about David, his family and friends. David has a brother, named Ty. David's best friend's name is Loren. Another interesting character is Mr. Moses. Mr. Moses is an old man without a home. He has a grocery cart, wears two sets of coats and is sickly. He spends lots of time sitting on the porch bench. Mr. Moses claims to be a little over three hundred years old. He is a Dream Bearer. Not being familiar with the title "Dream Bearer" I decided to think of Mr. Moses as a wise old man. I also enjoyed reading about Sessi Mutu. Sessi is from Africa. Her family want to become American citizens. Sessi is very proud of being an African. To keep a strong memory of her homeland she begins to construct an African house on her family's rooftop. This book gave me the chance to think of Africa in different way. Africans are very hospitable. When Mr. Moses becomes sick, Sessi's mother doesn't think of herself. She thinks of Mr. Moses' well being. She quickly cooks a soup. Then, takes it over to the park to him. Also, Sessi's mother serves tea and cookies to neighbors in order to celebrate a happy occasion. Watching Sessi grow up between two cultures, American and African is fascinating. There is more in this book. Ty is an interesting character. He leads a life apart from his family. Reuben, David and Ty's father is a sad character. He comes across as cynical and angry. All of the characters are multilayered and fun to psychoanalyze. Even the angry characters have moments when they wear their hearts on their sleeves.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Jazmin's Notebook by Nikki Grimes

This book is very special. I love to read the diaries and notebooks of people. "Jazmin's Notebook" is really interesting. She doesn't just write about jumping Double Dutch, braiding a friend's hair or going window shopping. Jazmin writes about what really bothers her and what she wishes were different in her life. Jazmin lives in New York with her sister, CeCe. I liked reading about the bond between the two sisters. CeCe becomes a mother to Jazmin although there is only a five year difference in their ages. It just proves that age, sometimes, has nothing to do with maturity. I also loved "Jazmin's Notebook" by Nikki Grimes because Jazmin writes poetry. At the beginning of each chapter is a poem written by Nikki. These poems are really good too. Jazmin doesn't know how to hide her emotions. She's truthful with herself. This helps the pain to seep out of her like air out of a balloon. Afterward, she feels weightless. I won't tell why Jazmin's parents aren't in her life. I'll let Jazmin tell that important part of the story. Nikki Grimes won the Coretta Scott King Award for this book. I am so glad she received the reward. This book is great.

Guardian by Julius Lester

"Guardian" by Julius Lester is a powerful book. Julius Lester is a Newberry Honoree and Coretta Scott King Award winner. After reading this book I am not surprised he is an award winning author. "Guardian" is an emotional, unforgettable and painful story about life in a Southern town named Davis in 1946. Because the story is full of racial tension I would recommend this book for older teens; However, librarians might differ with me. I loved this book because it is about a small town. Another part of me hated reading about this small town which was typical of so many southern towns during this time. A small town where we are shown the brutal face of racism during this period. To back up his story Julius Lester piles on the facts including a chart of statistical information. Then, there is always the other side of the coin. We have come so far from the days when so much behavior was questioned, just not allowed and/or just called plain out criminal. I especially enjoyed reading about the friendship between Ansel and Willie. These two boys are so different. One difference, besides race, is that Willie's father is mentally unstable. Just imagine how this must seem very stressful and perplexing to a child. Before the summer is over both boys will have changed and matured. It is unfortunate that both boys will learn "Trees remember." The cover of the book is awesome giving a bit of an idea what the boys will see in Ansel's fourteenth summer.