ALAN Picks: Celebrating AAPI Heritage Month, Mental Health & Coming of Age

In this month’s ALAN Picks we feature several books both middle grades and young adult by Asian and Asian American authors. There are also recently released books that tell stories of coming of age, social justice and mental health. Squad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and illustrations by Lisa Sterle is a graphic novel about a girl trying to fit in with the popular girls, who also happen to be werewolves. Mina’s Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa is a middle grade historical fiction, coming-of-age story set in Japan. Yolk by Mary H.K Choi examines the relationship between two sisters who used to be very close and are now estranged; it also addresses mental health and eating disorders. Song of Silver, Flame like Night by Amelie Wen Zhao is a YA fantasy about colonialism,Chinese history and mythology and also has environmental elements. Scattergood by H. M. Bouwman is a middle grade coming-of-age novel set in rural Iowa during WWII. Shackled by Candy J. Cooper is a book based on a true story about corruption in the juvenile justice system in a Pennsylvania county. 

Looking For Teen Reviewers: If you know students who are interested in writing book reviews of recently published young adult and middle grade books, let them know they can write for ALAN Picks too! 

ALAN Picks Book Selections: ALAN Picks accepts reviews of books published from spring 2020 to present-day, including soon-to-be-released books. This gives ALAN members who are interested in reviewing books more great titles to choose from, as well as accommodate some great books released during the beginning of the pandemic that still deserve highlighting. If you have some books in mind that you would like to review, please reach out to me!

Let Us Know How You Use ALAN Picks! If you read an ALAN Picks review and end up using the book with your students, let us know! We want to hear all of your great stories and engaging ways you are using young adult and middle grades literature in your classrooms. Remember, ALAN Picks are book reviews by educators for educators! Click on the archives to see previous editions. 

Submit a Review: Would you like to submit a review? Check out ALAN Picks for submission guidelines and email ALAN Picks Editor, Richetta Tooley at richetta.tooley@gmail.com with the book title you are interested in reviewing. Rolling deadline.

–  Richetta Tooley, ALAN Picks Editor

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Synopsis: Squad is a YA graphic novel written by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and illustrated by Lisa Sterle.  The main character, Becca, finds herself in a small, upper-class town after living in L.A. all of her life.  She quickly makes a good impression on the three most popular girls in her high school – who just happen to be a pack of werewolves.  Desperate to fit in and revel in the same popularity that they do, Becca joins them in their murderous ways with the condition that they only kill predatory high school boys…but as time passes, their hunger grows, and Becca finds herself in very morally grey territory.  This story reflects the internal battle many teens face when peer-pressured, and how quickly the consequences can spiral out of control.

Review:

I enjoyed diving into this easy-to-read and colorful graphic novel.  It represents a universal feeling of wanting to belong that everyone has felt at some point in their life, especially in their teenage years.  The graphics in this novel are truly stunning and interesting to look at, and bright colors create some really nice irony and juxtaposition to an otherwise, rather dark storyline.  The pacing is well-done and had me on the edge of my seat waiting for the resolution at the end of the book.  The story itself reads like a Mean Girls retelling with supernatural elements, which was very unique and intriguing.

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Thematic Elements:  This graphic novel features many thematic elements that students could further analyze and relate to other works and media, as well as their own experiences and lives.

• Sexuality
• Feminism
• Rape Culture
• Misogyny 
• Belonging
• Peer Pressure
• Loyalty/Betrayal
• Ethics
• Parent/Child Relationships

Essential Questions

• How do our parents influence our perception of who we are and what our futures will hold?
• Why might some consider peer pressure to be a greater influence than the influence parents hold over us?
• Who gets to decide the consequences of an individual’s actions?  How is society shaped to handle/accept these decisions?  If the consequence is the same, does it matter who carries it out?
• We all know that peer pressure can lead to bad decision-making (particularly bad decision-making in this novel) – do you think real-life situations can ever spiral out of control to this degree? If you take the supernatural elements out of the story, are there still real-life consequences that could have the same effect?

Suggested Teaching Strategies/Activities to Use:

• As table groups, have students pick out a panel from the graphic novel that they found intriguing or eye-catching.
  • Groups will analyze these panels through a literary and media lens: what are the physical attributes of the panel? How do they create literary meaning and symbolism?
  • Groups will take turns informally presenting their findings and inferences about the panel to the rest of the class while it is projected for all students to see on the board.
• Discuss the real-life consequences of peer pressure.
  • Create a list of activities/materials students are likely to indulge in as a result of peer pressure (nicotine products, sex, bullying, new clothing, drugs, alcohol, etc.)
  • Read some articles as a class about real-life examples of peer pressure having drastic consequences.
• Have students create body maps for the four girls in the story: Becca, RiRi, Amanda, and Marley.
  • What are these characters motivated by?
  • What are they still yearning for?
  • How do they identify? How does that influence how they are perceived by the other three girls and the rest of the school?

Formative/Summative Assessments

Formative:

• As an extension of the group activity/presentation, have groups submit an annotated panel of the comic with their findings and inferences.
• Students are tasked with a homework assignment after reading half of the novel in which they will write about their first impressions and predictions as to what may follow in the last half’s chapters.

Summative:

• Using a somewhat similar illustration style to the novel, instruct students to create their own series of panels, enough for a page, that adds something to the original story.  Students can center these panels around an aspect of the story they may still have questions about. Perhaps a deeper exploration of Arianna’s training on how to be an Alpha? Or Becca’s past with her mom? 

Reviewed by Lillian Mantooth, a student at the University of South Florida 

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Synopsis: Mina’s Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa follows character Tomoko as she moves from living in Japan with her mother to her aunt’s extravagant house and lifestyle. The story is told through the eyes of Tomoko as she watches this family dynamic and how it quickly becomes part of her way of life as she lives with them. Tomoko, a 12-year-old Japanese girl lives with her asthmatic cousin Mina and her family for a few months while her mother is busy with her career and school during 1972. During her stay Tomoko enjoys school, learns to play volleyball, talk about boys, and maturing. 

Review

Through reading the characters’ perspectives, I really enjoyed the story. Author Yoko Ogawa expertly shares their heart warming, brilliant story. I enjoyed reading Tomoko’s experiences and memories.

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Themes Connections:

In Mina’s Matchbox the novel explores themes such as: 

• Economic/Societal Classes
• Companionship
• Hardship 
• Tragedy and struggle

Possible Essential Questions:

• Why do you think Tomoko pretended to be reading the books Mina was using from the library to the librarian? 
• Do you think the specificity of the pigmy hippopotamus and its role in the story stood for deeper symbolism? What could the hippo represent? 

Possible Teaching Strategies and Activities:

• Discuss the different characters and how they affected the maturing of Tomoko 
• Discuss the Olympic events when watching the tournament and the tragic events that took place

Formative and Summative Assessment Suggestions:

Formative: Drawing: Students would spend time reading the book and prepare a list of different themes and create an illustration. Students will turn in a detail oriented and professional looking piece of art.

Summative: Literary Map: Students will create a literary map of the major events that took place within the novel Mina’s Matchbox – does not have to be in chronological order but must look well throughout and professional.

Reviewed by: Alexandria McLaughlin, Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts Student at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado

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Synopsis: ayne and June Baek are estranged sisters both living in New York City whose relationship has suffered after moving away from their home state of Texas. Their lives are complicated; Jayne is in fashion school, living in a difficult roommate situation in a rundown apartment, with problems piling up higher and higher. June is a seemingly self-assured professional working in finance struggling to keep it all together while being faced with a monumental diagnosis. Their lives soon become entangled once again, and both sisters must learn to rely on one another. 

Review

Mary H.K. Choi gives Jayne such presence and emotion, the words seem to melt away to reveal the hard truths of Jayne’s inner self. The angst of emerging into adulthood while carrying the baggage of your past is palpable in Choi’s writing, the heartbeat of the characters reflected in the rhythm of the pages. Though Jayne and June’s relationship is fraught with anxiety and confusion, it is easy for readers to feel the protectiveness and the love each sister has for one another. Their relationships with one another reflect the ways that both sisters must learn to look after and take care of themselves. This is a story about family, love, mental health, and the grief and joy that comes from being alive. Through the creation of such a rich internal world, we are able to experience these emotions for ourselves all over again. 

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Essential Questions:

• What role does culture, community, and family have in the lives of an individual?
• How do societal and cultural expectations impact mental health?
• How does race impact the way an individual moves about the world? 
• How does immigration, culture, race, and community intersect?

Thematic Connections:

• Value of family/community
• Impact of culture
• Race and racism
• Mental and physical health, including eating disorders
• Immigration status, inside and outside of the United States

Activity

Community is a very important aspect of Yolk, about what it means to have it, and what it means to be separated from it. 

Sample questions: What does community look like for you? How is it important? How is this relevant to the text? Do you relate to the characters’ search for community?

Instructions: Students will be put into small groups of no more than four where they will discuss as a group their responses to the questions listed above. This small group activity will allow for shared ideas and also strengthen classroom community. Their goal is to brainstorm about the impact the community has, as well as the ways in which the community fits into their individual lives. This will take about 7 minutes.

The second part will be done individually. Each student will write a letter to someone that is important to them in their community. This can be anyone: a family member, friend, teacher, coach, etc. They will write about the ways in which that individual shows community as well as why they are important in the student’s life. 

Formative and Summative Assessments:

Formative: Students will respond in their readers notebook to daily prompts at the beginning of the class regarding the novel. These responses will be a tool for the teacher to get a gauge of student learning, and also learn more about individual students. The prompts will ask students to write their thoughts and questions on the text, as well as ways in which the text relates (or doesn’t relate) to them in their lives through windows and doors. 

Summative: At the end of the unit, students will utilize what they have learned over the course of the unit to create a personalized project that places the novel within a larger societal context. This summative assessment project is designed to be very individualized and allows for a lot of student choice. Students will draw on their previous knowledge, including but not limited to previous formative assessments and activities, as a jumping pad for further research. The goal of this assessment is to allow students the opportunity to explore aspects of the novel and world they find important, relatable, or interesting.  

Examples: Website demonstrating beauty standards throughout decades in America in contrast with Korea as well and a select other countries. Utilizing evidence from Yolk to discuss how beauty standards impact people today and have for centuries. 

Fictional diary entries that detail the impact of migration on the writer. Use Yolk textual evidence to help the writer relate to the experiences of the characters within. 

Reviewed by: Payton Parker, Secondary English Education major at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. 

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Synopsis: Song of Silver, Flame like Night follows two teenagers as they attempt to stop imperial invaders from finding their four ancient demon gods. Set in the fictional land of Haak’gong, the narrative follows Lan, a song girl with a scar on her wrist in the shape of a scroll she can’t identify, that only she can see. Her world gets turned upside down when she meets Zen. Zen, a powerful practitioner, can perform fabled magic said to have been lost many years ago. When Lan demonstrates great power in a moment of intense emotion Zen recognizes that she is no usual song girl and they start out on a journey that takes them across the nation searching for the answer to Lan’s scar, power, and past. Little do they know that this journey will have them facing questions about what they are willing to lose in order to learn the truth. 

Review

Song of Silver, Flame like Night seamlessly balances fantasy worldbuilding with colonial allusions and commentary in order to create a world which deals with difficult questions of identity under imperial rule. Deeply imaginative, Amelie Wen Zhao creates a magical landscape that is rich and intricate, making readers wish they too could learn the art of practitioning. She weaves Chinese mythology and history within the landscape of the story, creating a world which both reckons with colonialism and recognizes its own beauty and mythology. Never a dull moment, the characters travel through bamboo forests, mountains, and across long terrains throughout their journey. The characters are heartfelt and flawed and the story contains compelling twists which will have you at the edge of your seat and rooting for them till the very last page. 

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Thematic Connections Analysis:

• Colonialism
• Environmentalism
• Power and Responsibility
• Balance and Harmony

Essential Questions:

• How can fantasy elements work to reframe historical narratives? 
• How is environmentalism written into text to make it more interesting to the modern reader? 
• How can we integrate ancient lore into modern stories?
• How can we write about colonialism in a way that is accessible to teenagers?
• What does the diversity of the characters add to the text?

Teaching Strategies and Activities to Use:

In the world of Song like Silver, Flame like Night, everything in existence has qi. Qi is energy which can be either negative or positive, with most things having a balance of both negative and positive energy. People called practitioners have the ability to channel this qi. An assignment for this book could be having students go outside or pick a location and write down if they think the objects around them would have negative or positive energy. This would help students be more aware of their environment and their relationship with nature. It could also serve as a grounding technique for kids who struggle with anxiety. 

Another activity the kids could do would be to pick an element from the book they were interested in that was unfamiliar to them and have them do research about it and present that research to their peers.

Formative and Summative Assessments:

Formative: Have students research Chinese folktale and lore and see if they see any connections between the stories they found and the book. Teachers can then help facilitate a conversation about how folklore informs the story and the characters. 

Summative: Because this book left on a cliffhanger, and there is no sequel (yet), teachers could have kids write an outline for a possible sequel. They could outline what will happen to each character in the sequel and why this would be positive for their character development. Creating a full outline for a sequel would help the kids learn about character development as well as story structure. 

Reviewed by: Gracie Neirynck, senior at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. 

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Synopsis: In June of 1941, the United States had not yet entered WWII, though the War and its effects are evident in twelve-year-old Peggy’s hometown of West Branch, Iowa. Through the newspaper and radio, she learns about events in other parts of the world, but it is not until she meets a Jewish refugee at Scattergood Hostel that the reality of the war comes into focus. All at once her typical farm life is turned upside down by the appearance of this young man as well as the leukemia diagnosis of her cousin. Peggy makes it her job to save her cousin, turning to science and then religion for answers. Ultimately, she realizes that life is not like the mathematical equations which come easily to her, instead it can be messy and void of straightforward answers. 

Review

Bouwman weaves together a rich story about family, grief, and coming-of-age. The small American town is an unlikely setting for a WWII story, but one that works well to illustrate another side of the effects of war. With a subtle hand, Bouwman introduces readers to farm life in the United States as well as key events and figures in world history. 

While young readers can relate to Peggy’s coming-of-age story, they will also glean what it was like to live without modern medicine or technology and the struggles and triumphs of such a life. Even Peggy’s parents send her mixed signals regarding where she can go and what she can do with her life. Her mother is content in West Branch, but a young female volunteer at Scattergood Hostel opens Peggy’s eyes to opportunities beyond her family’s farm.

Bouwman wastes no time diving into Peggy’s story. The first page establishes the obstacles Peggy is up against, and by the conclusion of the first chapter readers are acquainted with the characters, setting, and the stakes. The first-person narration and the fluid prose enable the story to flow easily while keeping readers engaged. Peggy’s thoughts allow readers to fully immerse themselves in her daily life and the time period.

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Thematic Topics:

War, Grief, Coming-of-age, Religion, Medicine, Gender Norms

Preliminary Activity:

1. In pairs or individually, students will visit a library and ask for assistance with research on one of the topics below. They will report to the rest of the class not only on their topic, but also on the research process and the tools and techniques they used to gather information. This is also an opportunity to introduce or further develop students’ knowledge of documentation styles, such as MLA.

Topics for Further Exploration:

• Society of Friends
• Rabbi Nachman
• Scattergood Hostel
• Dr. E. C. MacDowell
• The Stock Market Crash
• Robert Losey
• Medicine in 1940s
• United States USS Kearny
• John Keats
• Benjamin Franklin
• Siege of Leningrad
• Farming in 1940s United States
• Westerbork

Discussion Questions: 

1. How did your research process, tools, and techniques differ from those Peggy used in the novel? Which would you prefer to use?
2. Provide examples of scenes when Peggy’s gender and/or age prohibit her in some way. Provide examples of situations when her age and/or gender work to her benefit or disappear altogether.
3. Chapter thirty-two is entitled “I lied to Delia.” Discuss the lie and whether you agree or disagree with it. Much of the novel swirls around lies, near lies, or omissions of truth. Do you believe there is a time and place for lies, and do you agree or disagree with the examples in the book?
4. List ways in which your life is similar and different to Peggy’s life. What would you like and dislike about living in Iowa in 1941?

Creative Exercise:

1. Choose a character and write their next chapter(s). While remaining historically accurate, write about the character’s life in the months or years following the last chapter of the novel. 

Reviewed by: Stephanie Terrill, visiting assistant professor, Massachusetts. 

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Synopsis: Reporter Candy J. Cooper sheds light on the irreparable damage two judges wrought on the youth of their Pennsylvania community. Through her extensive research, Cooper walks readers through the history of corruption in Luzerne County, from the mining days of the late 1950s and child labor to when corruption snaked its way into the juvenile courtroom in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Cooper describes how judges Mark Ciavarella and Mike Conahan used their power and privilege to contrive a diabolical plan to fatten their pockets at the expense of impoverished youth and their families in Luzerne County- open juvenile detention centers and make a profit off of every bed they filled with a juvenile offender, no matter how minor the offenses.  

Review:  

Though a very short book, this story is incredibly compelling. Through court statements, interviews, images, and incriminating documents, readers learn exactly how far people are willing to go to use their power and influence to gain more power and money, regardless of who is harmed along the way. Cooper also points out how negative perceptions of teens, such as the “super predator” of the 1990s, cemented the misguided belief that old-school discipline was an effective way to hold kids and teens accountable for bad choices and typical misconduct. This misguided belief is exactly what led judges Mark Ciaverella and Mike Conahan to commit countless crimes against children, by breaking the laws of the judicial system to make a profit off filling detention centers. Readers learn through Cooper’s interviews with the youth, now adults, how their illegal imprisonment and charges often led to years of mental health crises and addiction that was caused by the trauma of being separated from family and sent to juvenile detention centers or therapy adventure camps. What is most alarming is how fear and silence are weaved throughout this story of the Luzerne County victims. So many adults witnessed the crimes these judges were committing- lawyers, detention center placement officers, etc.- but no one spoke up or advocated for the kids. These judges were in powerful roles and would bully anyone who tried standing in their way into silence. And so, their abominable crime schemes continued for years.  

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Themes for Analysis:

• Class difference
• Class systems
• Social injustice
• Complicity
• Juvenile justice systems
• Adolescent trauma
• Family separation

Essential Questions:

• Does justice always prevail?
• Do punishments always fit the crime? 
• How dangerous can silence and complicity be in the face of injustice?
• Do laws always serve to protect?
• Are all laws effective?

Teaching Strategies and Activities: 

 Pre-reading Journal Question: Describe ways young people break rules and what consequences they deem fair for breaking those rules.  

Formative Assessment 

• Listen to the podcast The Kids of Rutherford County. Compare the experience of adolescents in Luzerne County to those in Rutherford County. Discuss similarities in both cases- crimes children committed, ages of defendants, presiding judges, consequences.  
• Create one-pagers about the people in both the book and podcast who uncovered corruption in their local judicial systems and finally stood up to injustice.  

Summative Assessment: Create brief research presentations about programs that serve as better alternatives to juvenile detention centers and include information about how these alternative programs have served juvenile offenders in more positive ways.  

Reviewed by: Leslie Brenner, School Library Media Specialist at St. Joseph High School, Indiana 

ALAN Picks: Celebrate Hope In Nature, Humanity

In this month’s ALAN Picks we feature books that are connected to the exploration of hope, life and nature. Nature’s Best Hope: How You Can Save the World in Your Own Yard (Young Readers’ Edition) by Douglas W. Tallamy; adapted by Sarah L. Thomson is a nonfiction book that helps young readers explore a grassroots activism approach to saving the planet. Courage to Dream: Tales of Hope in the Holocaust Written by Neal Shusterman and Illustrated by Andrés Vera Martínez is a graphic novel that tells five stories that center different aspects of the Holocaust. Isabel in Bloom by Mae Respicio is a middle grade novel in verse about a young Filipina girl who moves to the United States and finds hope in a school garden. Our Bodies Electric by Zackary Vernon is a young adult coming of age story full of life, community and the hope inspired by a Walt Whitman poem.

Looking For Teen Reviewers: If you know students who are interested in writing book reviews of recently published young adult and middle grade books, let them know they can write for ALAN Picks too! 

ALAN Picks Book Selections: ALAN Picks accepts reviews of books published from spring 2020 to present-day, including soon-to-be-released books. This gives ALAN members who are interested in reviewing books more great titles to choose from, as well as accommodate some great books released during the beginning of the pandemic that still deserve highlighting. If you have some books in mind that you would like to review, please reach out to me!

Let Us Know How You Use ALAN Picks! If you read an ALAN Picks review and end up using the book with your students, let us know! We want to hear all of your great stories and engaging ways you are using young adult and middle grades literature in your classrooms. Remember, ALAN Picks are book reviews by educators for educators! Click on the archives to see previous editions. 

Submit a Review: Would you like to submit a review? Check out ALAN Picks for submission guidelines and email ALAN Picks Editor, Richetta Tooley at richetta.tooley@gmail.com with the book title you are interested in reviewing. Rolling deadline.

–  Richetta Tooley, ALAN Picks Editor

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Synopsis: In Nature’s Best Hope, Douglas Tallamy asks readers to explore the powerful ways that they can participate in conservation through advocacy for native plants and other practices to support nature in their yards (and/or school’s yards) to help contribute to a Homegrown National Park. This relevant informational text for grades 6-12, adapted by Sarah L. Thomson, translates Tallamy’s bestseller in order to empower young readers to save the planet through a grassroots conservation approach in their own backyards. Tallamy uses real-world examples, simple terms, and photographs to unpack key concepts.

Review:

Nature’s Best Hope empowers readers to take action. Teens (and adults!) anxious about the state of the world find comfort in this book’s applicable ways to make a difference in their worlds through connections to nature and their communities. Tallamy writes from his wealth of experience and long scientific career, yet this adaptation translates his central message about life into digestible form for readers of all ages. Short chapters with lists and resources make the book easy to excerpt and/or extend for a range of readers.

The book provides practical ways to engage challenging climate realities through actionable choices in both our home and school spaces—making this a book suitable for community reads, cross-curricular units, and interdisciplinary approaches. Suggestions seem doable in all types of communities from spreading the word, hands-on-projects, and easy-to-implement changes. 

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Empowering Questions to Explore with Nature’s Best Hope:

• What can be done in the face of climate change? 
• How can teens use their own yards (or other outdoor spaces) to help combat the negative effects of climate change? What does it mean to support life in your yard?
• What direct actions can teens take as they read to understand science related to conservation?
  • Examples: Plant key species at home, like oaks or asters 
• How can we increase biodiversity in our schoolyard?

Thematic Connections to Explore with Nature’s Best Hope:

• Human relationships with nature and each other; environmental justice
• Role of nature and learning (e.g. benefits of trees outside classroom windows, Vitamin N[ature], etc.)
• Role of grass ecosystem, invaders, and native plants in how life is supported (or not)
• Concepts of life and priorities: “little things that run the world” (Ch. 9); the role of insects, caterpillars, birds, and the right plants

Teaching Strategies and Activities to Use in 6-12 ELA Classrooms:

This book provides a key starting place for ELA instruction that applies Gholdy Muhammad’s principle of criticality as a way for “unearthing joy” through culturally and historically responsive teaching and learning.

Getting Started

• Spark students’ interest by engaging them in techniques for connecting a new book to their identities and lives (“Introducing a New Book” on facinghistory.org) 
• Partner with a master gardener, school garden network, or use an outdoor classroom space to apply Tallamy’s ideas.
• Visit Homegrown National Park with young readers.
  •  Look up your city on the HNP Biodiversity Map. What do you find?
• Look up your zip code with native plants related to birds
• Explore options for biodiversity in a (school)yard or container garden.
• Take a field trip to a local native plant garden or invite a guest speaker.
• “Go On A Poetry Walk” to encourage student writing and thinking. To prepare: read nature poetry from “Nature: Poems for Kids” (poets.org), a poetry collection, or related children’s literature like Honeybee by Candace Fleming.

Exploring Project Ideas and Formative/Summative Assessments

• See Tallamy’s project ideas in “Ten Things You Can Do” (Chapter 14).
• Help students develop inquiry projects based on the “Spread the Word” section:
  • Example: “Can you ask your teacher or principal if you can start a piece of Homegrown National Park next to the playground or on your school’s front lawn?” (226).
• Read Spread the Word examples from your community:
  • Example: Farm Blog by an organic farmer in Peoria: Growing More Than Food – Broad Branch Farm
• Engage with your school’s outdoor space:
  • For schools with gardens, students can ask questions about what they are planting or research additional plants that would help support homegrown life.

Making Interdisciplinary Connections

• Create a proposal with students to increase diversity of plants in some part of the community. Consider partnering with a middle school science unit like Symbiotic Schoolyard middle school science unit:
  • Symbiotic Schoolyard – Homegrown National Park
• Explore the Junior Master Gardener Curriculum (Junior Master Gardener). 

• Explore: How can kids make a local contribution?
• For instance, the Symbiotic Schoolyard has site links that help students research which native plants make sense at their specific location (with easy-to-locate bundles if students are pricing plants for proposals, etc.)
• Partner with History, Social Studies, Civics, and Citizenship: (See facinghistory.org)
  • “Reflecting on Climate Change and Ecological Grief” mini lesson
  • “Young People Respond to Climate Change” mini lesson

Stakeholders To Keep In Mind:

• Master Gardeners
• Parent Councils or Parent-Teacher Groups (for volunteers, donations)
• Local Businesses (for seeds, plants, donations)
• School Maintenance Staff and local Park District 

Related Books for Young Readers:

• The Outdoor Scientist: The Wonder of Observing the Outdoor World by Temple Grandin
• Citizen Scientists: Be Part of Scientific Discovery from Your Own Backyard by Loree Griffin Burns 
• Where Have All the Birds Gone?: Nature in Crisis by Rebecca Hirsch.
• Honeybee by Candace Fleming
• The Hive Detectives: Chronicle of a Honey Bee Catastrophe by Loree Griffin Burns

Review by: Dr. Melinda McBee Orzulak, Associate Professor of English, Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois 

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Synopsis: The YA graphic novel Courage to Dream: Tales of Hope in the Holocaust is divided into five stories with a two-page spread of historical information separating one story from the other. Each story is assigned one of the first five letters in the Hebrew alphabet, with explanations of the letters included at the end of the book. The graphic novel combines historical fiction with surrealism to illustrate the power of hope when faced with the unthinkable. 

• “He Opens a Window” focuses on those who risked everything to help Jews during the Holocaust. A story that echoes that of Anne Frank, is given a fresh take with a fantastical element.
• “The Golem of Auschwitz” takes place in Auschwitz and introduces the folklore surrounding the golem. 
• “Spirits of Resistance” tells of resistance groups who worked against the Nazis. The unique story combines historical fiction with Jewish and European folklore, with focus on Baba Yaga.
• “Exodus” depicts the plight of the Jews of Denmark and the work of the government and people of Sweden to save them. The staff of Moses figures prominently in this story. 
• “The Untold” explores what the world would have been like had the Holocaust never happened.Please note: Graphic scenes of violence are depicted within some of the stories.

Review

I have read my fair share of Holocaust-related texts over the years, and Neal Shusterman’s Courage to Dream: Tales of Hope in the Holocaust stands out because of its varied and unique perspectives. Each of the five stories within the novel has the potential to stand alone and promote rich discussion, and together they convey the power of hope even in the darkest of times. Regardless of the devastating events the characters witness – courage and hope remain central to each story. Additionally, Shusterman intertwines fantasy and folklore with historical accuracy. Appealing to young adults and adults alike, the stories within are sure to open readers’ eyes to new ideas and topics related to WWII and the Holocaust. Courage to Dream: Tales of Hope in the Holocaust is an excellent addition to high school and college reading lists, and it offers a bridge to other examples of hope, humanity, and resistance while providing connections to current and historical events. Lastly, the graphic novel offers a window into other people’s experiences and urges readers to look inward and ask difficult questions.

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Themes Connections and Analysis

Thematic Topics:

• Hope​​​​​/Hate
• Humanity/​​​​Power
• Dehumanization​​​/Resistance
• Complicity/​​​​Heroism

Discussion Questions: 

1. Before the novel begins, Shusterman explains that we all have the potential for good, evil, and inaction. He tasks readers with considering the following question while reading the novel: “‘Who would I be if the impossible suddenly became real?’”
2.  What role does hope play in people’s lives? What happens when one loses hope?
3.  Provide an example of a time when a door closed but a window opened in your life. What is the lesson to be learned from such experiences?
4.  Discuss the metaphor of a drop in the bucket in “The Golem of Auschwitz” (pp. 57-103).
5.  Why does it take courage to dream, and why is such courage essential to survival?

Preliminary Activities:

To introduce the graphic novel and spark discussion, instructors may choose to read Elisa Boxer’s Hidden Hope: How a Toy and a Hero Saved Lives during the Holocaust and The Whispering Town by Jennifer Elvgren to their students, two picture books that detail people who risked their lives to help those who were being persecuted.

Eve Bunting’s Terrible Things: An Allegory of the Holocaust illustrates the bystander effect and serves as an approachable introduction to the Holocaust.

Empowerment Activities:

Individually or in small groups, students research one of the groups persecuted by the Nazis during WWII. Shusterman includes some such groups on page 103. Later, the students teach the class what they learned.

Divide the class into five groups, one for each story in the novel. The groups are responsible for reading and reporting on their assigned story as well as ancillary material they collect through research. The research may include but is not limited to Jewish folklore, historical information, and psychological connections.

The graphic novel can be used to initiate discussion of the role and power of art when depicting difficult topics. Students are then tasked with using art to introduce difficult ideas, feelings, or concepts.

Reviewed by: Stephanie Terrill, who is an adjunct instructor in Massachusetts. She is in her final semester of the Writing for Children and Young Adults MFA Program at Vermont College of Fine Arts.

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Synopsis: In this realistic fiction novel-in-verse, twelve-year old Isabel is raised by her maternal grandparents in the Philippines, where they teach her to appreciate the natural world and, especially, the plant Jasmine Sampaguita. When her mother, a nanny who left for the United States to better support her family, sends for Isabel to come live with her in San Francisco, Isabel must endure what it means to be uprooted from all she has known. What Isabel learns, though, is that gardens – and herself – can bloom anywhere and her participation in a garden club at her new school helps her learn that she, too, can survive anywhere – just like the Jasmine Sampaguita of her native Philippines and the California poppy seeds she sends her grandfather back in the Philippines. A story of resiliency and hope and love, Isabel in Bloom is a true bloom-where-you’re-planted story. 

Review

Respicio’s middle grades text Isabel in Bloom is everything one could hope for in a novel in verse. Told in named movements, such as “Seed,” “Root,” “Bud,” and “Bloom,” Isabel in Bloom truly brings the saying “Bloom where you’re planted” to life. Isabel’s first-person narration captures her fear about moving to a new place and her desire to “fit in” to a new place. The plants Isabel plants become metaphors for her own self-realization, which blooms just as the seeds she plants. In addition to Isabel’s story of arriving in San Francisco from the Philippines, this is also a text about intergenerational love and support, the evolving nature of a mother-daughter relationship, and how one can not just exist but thrive in two cultures. The historical facts about Filipinos who came to the United States in different time periods as well as an incident where an elderly Filipino man is robbed add much depth to the text and can promote meaningful discussions about cultural understandings. Absolutely stunning lines of poetry characterize this lengthy, yet inspiring, story that grows the typical new-kid-at-school story into something much, much more. 

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Thematic Connections and Possible Essential Questions

As a teacher educator, I like to share texts with my students that they can use to inform their understanding of genres they can use in their classrooms, cross-curricular texts, and how texts can help them learn about the students who will be in their classrooms. 

Pre-Service Teachers
Possible themes pre-service teachers can explore with this text include the following: 

• Significance of school transitions on middle school students as it relates to the way we teach 
• Power of student agency and how to encourage it in our classrooms and schools 
• Intergenerational understandings and how to build upon this in our classrooms 

Essential questions pre-service teachers can answer with this text include the following: 

• How do humans find commonalities even amongst differences?  
• What does it mean to exist within two cultures? 
• How does the natural world help us understand more about ourselves? 

Middle School Teachers
Just as teacher educators can engage their pre-service teachers in a reading of this text, middle grades teachers can also read this text with their students. Possible themes English Language Arts teachers can explore with their middle grades students include the following: 

• The effects of change 
• What nature teaches humans 
• Building relationships with parents 

Essential questions middle grades students can answer with this text include the following: 

• What beauty can be found in change when we open ourselves up to it? 
• How can middle schoolers influence their communities? 
• Is home always a physical space? 

Teaching Strategies and Activities

There are myriad strategies and activities in which pre-service teachers can engage as they interact with Isabel in Bloom. 

Strategy One: Create Welcome Kits  

Colorin’ Colorado (n.d.) recommends creating a welcome kit for new ELLs so that no matter when these students arrive in our classroom, they will have some key information about the school and community. Inviting pre-service teachers to create a welcome kit for a student similar to Isabel who may arrive in their English Language Arts class would be a way for future teachers to create an artifact that demonstrates their cultural responsiveness. 

Strategy Two: Fill Balikbayan Boxes 

In her author’s note, Respicio (2024) discusses the cultural significance of the balikbayan box, a box that those who had come to the United States would fill and send back to the Philippines (p. 359). Pre-service teachers can create a box that either they would send to their relatives in another place or a box that Isabel may send to her grandparents. In this way, pre-service teachers are connecting personally to the text and developing appreciation for cultures that may be outside their own. 

Strategy Three: Observe Students Taking Action 

As teacher educators, we try to make our placement experiences as practical and helpful for our pre-service students. In the spirit of Isabel in Bloom, create an opportunity for future English Language Arts teachers to observe students in their placement taking action. Ideally, this would be a student-led club trying to improve some facet of their school or community. Ask the pre-service teachers to reflect on what this made them think about in terms of student agency and how they may be able to be supportive of students’ causes once they have a classroom of their own. 

Just as there are multiple strategies and activities in which pre-service teachers can engage in terms of Isabel in Bloom, so, too, can middle grades students engage in meaningful activities around this text. 

Strategy One: Home One-Pager 

Isabel makes some realizations about what home really means as she transitions to her new home in San Francisco. Fletcher (2018) writes about the magic of one-pager. Students can create a one-pager about what home means to both Isabel and them. Students can draw, use magazine clippings, quotes from Isabel in Bloom, and quotes from other texts (e.g., books, poems, song lyrics, movie quotes) in order to share about the power of home. Students’ one-pagers can then be used to facilitate meaningful conversations. 

Strategy Two: Friendship Poem 

Middle grades students are learning so much about friendships. Take advantage of the poem-in-verse to have students write their own poems based on the poem “Friendship is a Million Lille Things I Miss” (Respicio, 2024, p. 126). In this poem, Isabel details what she misses about her friendships. Students can use poetic conventions to create a poem that illuminates what their friendships mean to them. 

Strategy Three: Design Extended Metaphor for Life

Respicio’s (2024) text sets up an extended metaphor of a garden to coincide with Isabel’s transition to a new place and school. Invite students to analyze carefully those moments in the text where this extended metaphor really shines through before selecting an extending metaphor for their lives. Ask students to choose movements like Respicio does with her titled sections and then create either a series of poems or prose within each movement. 

Formative and/or Summative Assessments

Pre-Service Teachers

There are multiple ways we can assess our pre-service teachers’ understanding of Respicio’s (2024) Isabel in Bloom so they can successfully teach this book in their English Language Arts classroom. 

Assessment One: Create a Text Set: Respicio’s (2024) Isabel in Bloom sits on the shoulders of several fantastic middle grades novels-in-verse. Asking students to identify an essential question that will help their students understand better Isabel in Bloom before selecting other contemporary novels-in-verse students could read in book clubs will help them create essential questions and think about how to group texts together. Pre-service teachers can create summaries and reviews of each text before sharing how each text will help students answer the essential question. You may also challenge your pre-service teachers to select non-print texts that would fit into the text set. 

Assessment Two: Engaging Families and Community Members Isabel in Bloom (Respicio, 2024) brings up matters of familial connections and how schools can interact with community members. Many scenes (e.g., the sleepover, Isabel’s conversations with her grandparents, Isabel’s conversations with people at the senior center, etc.) relate to finding out people’s stories. Have pre-service teachers design a unit in which students’ family members and community members may play a role. This may look like doing a service project for the community, interviewing family members or community members, etc. Not only will this have pre-service teachers focusing on these familial / community aspects within the text but they will be planning ahead for when they have classrooms of their own.

Middle School Teachers

Just as this text opens up opportunities for teacher educators to assess our pre-service teachers, it also permits middle grades teachers multiple opportunities to assess their students. 

Assessment One: Grow a Resiliency Garden Isabel learns that both the California poppy and the Jasmine Sampaguita, associated with San Francisco and the Philippines, respectively, can grow just about anywhere. This fact relates to the resiliency that she begins to see in herself. Have your students plant seeds of the California poppy the Jasmine Sampaguita, and a flower or plant native to their community or ancestors’ communities. Throughout the growing process, which may include successes and some challenges, invite students to select passages from Isabel in Bloom (Respicio, 2024) that demonstrate the theme of resilience. Invite students to discuss what they learn about Isabel’s and their resilience as they grow a garden in order to step into Isabel’s world.

Assessment Two: Identity Poem

Using “Words for Invisible” (Respicio, 2024, p. 270) as a mentor text, have students create a set of poems, one in which they select a word that represents Isabel and one in which they select a word that represents themselves. Not only does this creative writing piece help students really engage in character analysis and assess their understanding of the text, as they would be asked to support the words they select with passages from Isabel in Bloom but it also allows students to create connections between Isabel’s identity and their identities. A gallery walk in which students walk around and view and comment on each others’ poems would be a wonderful way to showcase students’ work on this assessment. 

References

• Colorin’ Colorado. (n.d.). ‘Welcome kit for new ELLs.’ Retrieved 3 November 2024 from ‘Welcome Kit’ for New ELLs | Colorín Colorado
• Fletcher, J. Y. (2018). The magic of one-pagers. Retrieved 3 November 2024 from The Magic of One-Pagers – National Council of Teachers of English
• Respicio, M. (2024). Isabel in bloom. New York: Wendy Lamb Books. 

Reviewed by: Kathryn Caprino, Associate Professor of PK-12 New Literacies and Director of the Teaching & Learning Design Studio, Elizabethtown College. 

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Synopsis: Tormented by his religious family and the broader conservative community of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, fourteen-year-old Josh struggles with the pressure to conform to their puritanical standards. As he embarks upon his high school years, Josh meets a supportive cast of eccentric small-town characters, falls in love with his classmate, is obsessed with David Bowie, and fumbles in his attempts to make his own thongs. But it’s when his elderly neighbor gives him a copy of Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself that he begins to understand his own sexuality. Our Bodies Electric is a coming-of-age story that celebrates the exuberance of youth, the individual quest for sexual identity, and the joy of finding connections in the most unexpected of places. 

Review

Steeped in the confines of Pawley’s Island, S.C., this novel is at turns hilarious and poignant as it navigates the in-between world of middle school and puberty. Main character Josh is a teenage boy who is both confounded and enthralled by his changing body, yet the repressive nature of his family leaves him with no one to discuss his metamorphosis. He is left to figure things out for himself in the midst of a small troupe of peers, who are so keenly drawn you feel like you’ve met them somewhere. When he is gifted (twice!) a copy of Whitman’s Leave of Grass, he begins to realize that his mind is not “filled with maggots” (as his mother claims) when he relishes his sexuality and physical self. Although Josh’s quest for answers about sex are a key aspect of the novel, the quirky characters are a true highlight. The dialogue and boyhood adventures are reminiscent of Stephen King’s The Body, while depictions of nature draw inspiration from Whitman. There are hamsters that give birth in human hands, seagulls that attack, lizards that hang from earlobes, and turtles that sport shells painted like barn quilts. The novel reads like both a guidebook and celebration of life. 

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Themes for Analysis:

• Man vs. nature
• Gender and sexuality
• Morality
• The environment
• Religion
• The role of friendships

Essential Questions:

• In what ways do authority figures influence our thinking?
• How does the environment in which we live shape our lives?
• Are animals and humans more similar or different?
• What role do friendships play in the development of our beliefs?

Teaching Strategies and Activities to Use:

• Discussion and research into the work of Walt Whitman, Transcendentalism (although Whitman was not technically a Transcendentalist), and/or the coastal regions of the Southern United States. 
• Reading Whitman’s Leaves of Grass and/or the poem “Song of Myself” and discussing the themes.
• Writing “walking around” poems in the style of Whitman in which students observe the natural world and write about it.
• Writing realistic dialogue between modern teenagers in the style of Vernon’s Our Bodies Electric characters.

Assessment Possibilities

Formative Assessments:

• Students discuss the text in small workshop groups, which are self-selected. A different student in the small group leads the discussion each day. Another student takes “minutes” from the discussion on an index card. The cards are bound together at the end of the novel study to hand in.
• Students post their impressions and thoughts on the reading on Flip.com. Workshop members must respond to one or more Flip responses.
• After watching a video on YouTube about Pawley’s Island (Pawleys Island, South Carolina – Things to Do and See When You Go), students journal about what life on Pawley’s Island would be like.
• Students complete a one-pager on the novel: Divide a piece of plain paper into quarters. In one quarter, draw a picture to represent an object from the book; in another, write down a key quote; in another, draw a picture to represent the main character; in the last quarter, draw the setting.

Summative Assessments

• Students write a series of journal entries from their own point of view examining one of the themes of the novel. The entries can take the form of poetry, prose, pictures, comic strips, or songs. 
• Students compile a list of songs that connect to the novel and write a paragraph for each song describing how it relates to the book—and to themselves. The finished project can be titled “Song of Myself.”
• Students research a nature topic of interest from the novel (example: turtles, lizards, snakes, beach erosion, masters, seagulls, hurricanes). They present their findings to the class through a presentation, an art piece, a poem in the style of Whitman, or a traditional research paper.
• Students research the influence of Emerson on Whitman and the birth of the Transcendentalist literary movement. They present their findings to the class. 

Complementary texts:

• Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
• This Wild and Precious Life: A Journal by Mary Oliver
• The Complete Poems by Walt Whitman
• Walking by Henry David Thoreau

Reviewed By: Dr. Clarice Moran, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English Education, Appalachian State University.

ALAN Picks: Surviving Dystopia & Seeking Science Fiction

In this month’s ALAN Picks we feature books that center science fiction and/or dystopian worlds. A Thief Among the Trees by Sabaa Tahir with Nicole Andelfinger and Sonia Liao is a graphic novel adaptation of a book from the Embers in the Ashes series. In All That’s Left in the World by Erik J. Brown, two teen boys must work together to survive in a dangerous world. If you teach students who are into video gaming, check out Walking in Two Worlds by Wab Kinew, a story about an Indigenous girl who spends her time in a virtual world as an escape from Rez life.

Looking For Teen Reviewers: If you know students who are interested in writing book reviews of recently published young adult and middle grade books, let them know they can write for ALAN Picks too! 

ALAN Picks Book Selections: ALAN Picks accepts reviews of books published from spring 2020 to present-day, including soon-to-be-released books. This gives ALAN members who are interested in reviewing books more great titles to choose from, as well as accommodate some great books released during the beginning of the pandemic that still deserve highlighting. If you have some books in mind that you would like to review, please reach out to me!

Let Us Know How You Use ALAN Picks! If you read an ALAN Picks review and end up using the book with your students, let us know! We want to hear all of your great stories and engaging ways you are using young adult and middle grades literature in your classrooms. Remember, ALAN Picks are book reviews by educators for educators! Click on the archives to see previous editions. 

Submit a Review: Would you like to submit a review? Check out ALAN Picks for submission guidelines and email ALAN Picks Editor, Richetta Tooley at richetta.tooley@gmail.com with the book title you are interested in reviewing. Rolling deadline.

–  Richetta Tooley, ALAN Picks Editor

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Review:

A good read for more resistant learners or students with Specific Learning Disorders. Plenty of action and drama to keep a young reader’s brain happy and amused. The formatting of the pages is a little bit off to what I personally prefer but it is still good nonetheless, I was having trouble keeping track of which box I was to look at and read chronologically in the plot, but again that could just be this reviewer’s own Specific Learning Disorders shining through.  Might be slightly too violent for middle schoolers but should be fine for any other cohort.  

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Themes to explore

• Duty vs Loyalty
• Morality vs autonomy of reason
• “good” vs “evil”
• Justice vs injustice

In a middle school classroom, it would be good to let the students read this graphic novel first and see if they even enjoy it. Maybe the teacher can read it to them via the projector so they can read along and see the images as well. The major themes of the novel are centered around senses of morality, duty and the age-old dichotomy between “good” and “evil” and “justice” and “injustice.”

Essential Questions

• What stops the characters from committing murder against their own? 
• How does the characters’ sense of morality impact the decisions they make? 
• What does it mean to be a good soldier for the Empire? 
• Think of the phrase “Just following orders” and apply it to the recruits, what does that look like?

Formative/Summative Assessments

Formative:

• 1-minute paper in the middle of the class session, which is a quick write on how the students are feeling about the content. 
• Anonymous Feedback Boxes for ⅔  of the way through the session, which is when they give their honest feedback to the teacher in a survey format that is to keep their identities hidden. 
• A 3-2-1 feedback Exit Slip at the end of the class session, which is 3 things of interest, 2 questions and 1 take-away. 

Summative:

• A 3-page paper/essay showing they understand the thematic elements of the novel to me seems to be the best assessment to utilize. Gives the students a chance to ‘unload’ their full thoughts and feelings for the educator and allows for a more in-depth knowledge check, then have them split into groups and test them on these thematic elements. 
• Other Creative Components: Utilizing a ‘Know, Wonder, Learn’ as an intro to major theme analysis for the appropriate grade level in question.

Reviewed by: Alexander Mccraw, English Education student at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

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Review

Brown does a wonderful job at building an easily digestible post-apocalyptic world filled with characters showcasing various responses to the grim situation they have all been placed in. The impact COVID-19 has had on the world only serves to make the deadly pathogen featured within the novel more realistic for readers. Characters featured offer diverse backgrounds that provide unique reactions to the circumstances of the universe they have been placed in. The changing point of view across each chapter allows for deeper insights into the personalities of our protagonists and allows for an understanding of how different experiences lead to differentiated reactions when faced with complex moral dilemmas. Representation of queerness is also handled perfectly as Andrew and Jaime’s individual point of views showcases their different understanding of what it means to be queer and how these revelations come to have an impact on their overall character along with the way they interact with the world around them. 

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Thematic Analysis:

All That’s Left in the World contains a variety of themes that young readers may find easy to relate to, with many of these topics being teachable. Teachable elements of this novel come in a wide variety, but universally contribute to building complex relationships and exploring self-confidence. Themes explored in this novel include the following:

• Prejudice
• Friendship
• Love
• Self-Discovery
• Survival

Possible Essential Questions:

• How can someone fight against injustice when their physical voices are stripped? Is silent protesting an effective medium of producing change?
• How does the development of communities shape the way history is written and relayed to future civilizations?
• Do people reveal their inherent nature in times of stress? Is this generally a positive or negative revealment?

Possible Teaching Strategies and Activities:

• Discuss the LGBTQ+ relationship between Andrew and Jamie. Compare and contrast their differing openness upon being LGBTQ+, and how this affects their relationship and interactions throughout the novel.
• Research the various locations Andrew and Jamie travel to as they journey south. Identify any impacting cultural elements present in modern day that affect their interactions, as well as any misconceptions the novel may make.
• Define any connections between COVID-19 and the deadly pathogen present in the novel. Comment upon the message (or lack thereof) the author intends to send with any similarities/differences presented. 

Formative and Summative Assessment Suggestions:

Formative:

• Teachers will have students engage in classroom discussion based on moral dilemmas characters face throughout the novel. These discussions should be limited to exclusively student input, with the teacher initiating conversation over significant events and interactions.
• Upon completion of the novel students will have 10 minutes to design a word cloud or graphic organizer surrounding themes that are presented throughout the story. Themes carrying more significance in the story should be emphasized and clear connections between themes should be commented on. Students will present their artifacts to the class and discuss the importance of selected themes.

Summative:

• Students will construct a research paper following the social consequences of a pandemic such as the COVID-19 pandemic and relate this information to the social encounters Andrew and Jaime face throughout their journey south. Students should be able to effectively make connections between real-world reactions to a pandemic and the occurrences within the novel.

Reviewed by: Harris Ables and Jessica Escobedo, Students at Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

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Review

This book was a great depiction of a young teenage girl living on the Rez. It gives a new perspective while maintaining the integrity of the representation. On top of this, the addition of the virtual world gives it a more modern and somewhat futuristic approach. The author does a good job of tackling the issues when you only rely on the digital world to communicate and interact with others. Overall, a great set of main characters for young adults. The whole storyline was relatable and a book that deserves to be on the shelf in any classroom.

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

For this book, I would suggest including it with a social studies or technology unit, since these two content areas have strong connections to the book. There are also a lot of opportunities to center the discussion around body positivity as well as confidence; something I feel that students would benefit from. Students can relate to the two main characters and find ways to explain how they potentially feel.

Essential Questions:

1. What are some pros and cons of only living in the virtual world?
2. How important are trust and security in a friendship?
3. How can our differences bring us together?

Formative and Summative Assessment Suggestions:

Formative

As the students read the book, I would challenge them to think critically about the characters and the experiences they go through. I would have students answer questions and keep a recorded response of their thoughts and answers.

Sample Questions:

1. How has Bugz and Feng’s relationship evolved over the last chapter?
2. If you were in Bugz position, how would you have handled this conflict?
3. What did you notice about Bugz’s life on the rez versus your own? Is there anything similar? Different?

Summative

Students could create a plan of action that highlights the importance of stepping away from the screen and embracing who they are in real life. The goal is to create an informational poster or digital page that will highlight the importance of body positivity, self-confidence, or the dangers of the virtual world. They would use their answers to the questions to determine which theme is best for them.

Reviewed by: Jordan Fulk, Pre-Service Teacher, West Lafayette, IN

ALAN Picks: Celebrate Black History With Books That Explore Dreaming, Independence and Resistance

In this month’s ALAN Picks we feature books by Black authors as well as a newly released book about teenage resistance. For Every One by Jason Reynolds is a letter to dreamers imploring them to take a chance and not give up. We Deserve Monuments By Jas Hammonds is about self-discovery, family history and small town challenges. Salt the Water by Candice Iloh is a novel-in-verse that addresses personal freedom and coming of age. Newly released Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray alternates between 1940s Germany, 1980 West Berlin, and 2020 Brooklyn as it tells a tale of injustice, history and tee resistance. 

Looking For Teen Reviewers: If you know students who are interested in writing book reviews of recently published young adult and middle grade books, let them know they can write for ALAN Picks too! 

ALAN Picks Book Selections: ALAN Picks accepts reviews of books published from spring 2020 to present-day, including soon-to-be-released books. This gives ALAN members who are interested in reviewing books more great titles to choose from, as well as accommodate some great books released during the beginning of the pandemic that still deserve highlighting. If you have some books in mind that you would like to review, please reach out to me!

Let Us Know How You Use ALAN Picks! If you read an ALAN Picks review and end up using the book with your students, let us know! We want to hear all of your great stories and engaging ways you are using young adult and middle grades literature in your classrooms. Remember, ALAN Picks are book reviews by educators for educators! Click on the archives to see previous editions. 

Submit a Review: Would you like to submit a review? Check out ALAN Picks for submission guidelines and email ALAN Picks Editor, Richetta Tooley at richetta.tooley@gmail.com with the book title you are interested in reviewing. Rolling deadline.

–  Richetta Tooley, ALAN Picks Editor

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Synopsis: Written in prose and as a letter to dreamers, the book For Every One by Jason Reynolds offers readers insights on dreaming, taking chances, and never giving up. The words on each page are intertwined with images. For Every One is available in book form and can also be found, written and performed by Reynolds, here. 

Review:

For Every One is an elegantly written book written in prose with beautiful images accompanying each passage. For Every One would be an excellent addition to a poetry unit or paired with a longer young adult book with similar themes. It would also be a great introduction text at the beginning of a school year or semester. 

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Thematic Connections

• Dreams 
• Dreaming
• Self Exploration
• Connections to Self

Teaching Strategies and Activities 

Before Reading: 

Reflective Prompts

Prior to reading For Every One, invite students to consider the following prompts. These prompts will allow students to begin thinking about the themes of For Every One while making connections to themselves. These questions may be posed as independent quickwrites followed by small group and whole group discussion. Alternatively, these could be posted on chart paper around the room and students could rotate to each chart paper to record their answer and read the answers of others. These questions could also serve as Essential Questions to anchor a unit of study. 

• What dreams or goals do you have for yourself? Why do you have those dreams or goals for yourself? 
• When you think about the dreams or goals you have for yourself, how do you feel? Why do you feel that way? 
• What do you think it will take to achieve the dreams or goals you have for yourself? 
• Do you think everyone has dreams or goals? Do you think everyone’s goals and dreams are the same? Why or why not? 

During Reading:

Identifying Theme For Every One is broken into four chapters. Pause after reading each chapter to discuss the messages and themes conveyed in the chapter. Students can record themes and connections they are making to the themes on a chart, such as the one below.

	Themes	Connection to Self
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Close Reading 

Invite students to select one passage from the book that especially resonated with them and have them return to and closely read this section. To guide their close reading of the section, have students consider what the text says, what this means, and why it matters. Students can record their ideas on a chart, such as the one below. 

What does the text SAY?	What does this MEAN?	Why does this MATTER to me?

After Reading: 

• Book Cover Analysis and Creation: After reading, invite students to look closely at the cover of the book and consider how the book’s themes are reflected in the cover. Have students share their ideas with the class. Following, drawing on the book’s themes, invite students to create and design their own original cover for the book that connects the book’s themes to their own goals and dreams. After creating their original cover, have students write a paragraph that describes how the themes in For Every One are represented in the original cover they created and how their dreams and goals are reflected in the cover they created. 
• Poem Writing: For Every One is written as a letter from the author, Jason Reynolds, to the readers and begins with the words “Dear Dreamer” (p. 4). Invite students to write a poem in the form of a letter that begins with the line, “Dear _______” and replaces “dreamer” with another word. For instance, students could begin their poem with ‘Dear Adventurer’, ‘Dear Traveler’, ‘Dear Lover’, or ‘Dear Friend.’ Encourage students to select a word that connects to their own dreams, goals, and passions. 

Formative/Summative Assessments

Summative Assessment 

One Page Visual 

Invite students to create a one page visual that represents their reading of the book and makes connections to themselves. Ask students to include the following on their one page visual: one word that summarizes the book, a statement describing the book’s message, a statement of how they relate to the book, two quotes from the book, a visual image that connects the book to themselves. Students can create their one page visual using colored pencils, crayons, and markers, or they can create their one page visual digitally using Google Slides or Canva. 

Review by: Andrea LeMahieu Glaws is an Assistant Professor in the School of Education at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. 

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Synopsis: The novel follows Avery all the way to Georgia as she learns to love her grandma, discover herself, and deal with conflicting feelings both inside her family and out. Coming from DC to live in a small southern town is not easy for a young girl who is both black and queer. But that small town in Georgia proved to be a better home for her as she made real friends and learned the family history her mother never told her. Jas Hammonds represents what it’s like to be suppressed in a small town and how it feels to be caught in the middle of the generational trauma being strung along by her Mama Letty and mother. 

Review

This novel proved to be just as beautiful as the cover. It’s a book that pulls you in with the vibrant colors on the front and has you yearning to learn more as you read it. It gives you a character that is relatable no matter your race or gender identity and a story that helps you embrace yourself. We Deserve Monuments is a good read for anyone that has ever felt lost in their life or was ever left wondering who they were. This book finds magic in the mundane and will leave you wanting more of Jas Hammonds’ writing.

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Thematic connections: 

The themes of this book can be relatable to everyone, but especially those dealing with repression, grief, and self-alignment. 

• Race 
• Sexual identity 
• Growth 
• Generational trauma 
• Relationships 
• First love 
• Secrets 

Essential questions: 

• How do each of the characters display growth throughout the novel? 
• What role does generational trauma play in this book? 
• How does this text relate to both the past and the present of racial and sexual discrimination? 
• How does the main character view themselves? How do others view them? 
• What message is the author trying to convey? 

Teaching strategies and activities: 

• Have each student list what they think the themes are and give their own explanations 
• Identify the flat and round characters of the book 
• Make a character map and choose one of them to analyze 

Assessment Possibilities: 

Formative Assessment: 

• At the end of each class, post a quizlet to monitor student understanding of what they are taking away from this piece. 

Summative Assessment:

• Choose two characters from the book and explore/analyze how generational trauma affected their lives and their relationships. Give specific examples.

Review by: Lillian Glover, student, Fort Collins, Colorado 

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Synopsis: Salt the Water is a novel in verse, detailing the discord between Cerulean Gene’s beliefs about what their life could and should be, and the reality of a world that is sometimes unjust. Cerulean, their girlfriend Zaria, and their two friends, Irv and Jai, are working various jobs and side gigs to scrape together enough money to live off grid after they graduate high school. With six months left in high school, Cerulean is suspended after conflict with their antagonist, Mr. Schlauss, who represents all that Cerulean sees as wrong with their world—standardized testing, abuse of power, patriarchy, and antiquated traditions. As Cerulean’s family experiences a tragedy, we begin to wonder if there is a way for Cerulean to find the world for which they are longing.

Review

Salt the Water opens in a powerful way, depicting Cerulean’s frustrations with a bitter teacher. Cerulean challenges the status quo throughout the book, questioning a teacher that is supposed to grow students’ knowledge but instead closes off any critical thinking or discussion. But Iloh’s novel doesn’t stop with a frustrating teacher; it dives into the larger issues school systems are facing, such as outdated and irrelevant required reading, high stakes testing, and teacher shortages. 

Cerulean and their friends are gender queer individuals of color that think about and discuss the world in a nuanced way, offering multiple perspectives on the challenges that students today are facing. Cerulean’s family also depicts the challenges the Gene family faces as immigrants. Their Baba is a chef who has worked his way up to owning his own restaurant, their mama teaches swim lessons at the community recreation center. Their journey has allowed them to send their second child to a private Montessori school, but an accident in Baba’s kitchen brings the mounting pressure of medical bills and dwindles the family’s income down to one. The Gene family demonstrates grace and love as they navigate the precarity of their situation. While Cerulean’s words paint every family member with such detail and personality, we relearn what teenage angst feels like in the 2020s. 

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Themes:

• Family
• Coming of age
• Freedom
• LGBTQ+
• Society

Essential Questions:

• How does a novel in verse introduce new ways for an author to explore their character’s emotions in new ways?
• How does society respond to people who challenge the norm? How does society respond to challenges from individuals in marginalized groups (LGBTQ+, people of color, unhoused, immigrants)?
• Why does Cerulean feel the need to “salt the water”? How does this impact them?

Culturally responsive and sustaining teaching strategies and activities 

• Close reading of the text to determine how formatting expresses the internal experience of Cerulean
  • What emotions cause Cerulean to use less spacing?
  • How does the author use enjambment and visual poetry to express ideas and emotions?
  • Why does Iloh include multi-genre elements in including the original letter sent by the school regarding Cerulean’s absences?
• Gathering evidence and generating claims about the use of the motif of salting the water
  • Where does this idea first occur, and what does it mean to Cerulean?
  • When does Cerulean have to “salt the water”? What happens before and after? Do you notice patterns?
    • Have students complete a chart that provides evidence of Cerulean’s thoughts and emotions before and after each occurrence, then come up with an overarching claim about what causes this
• Have students write one final poem that expresses Cerulean’s emotional state after they disappear.
  • Where is Cerulean? What are they doing and with whom?
  • Does this new reality offer the freedom Cerulean was seeking?
  • How does Cerulean feel about leaving their family?

Assessment Possibilities: 

Formative 

1. Have students map out characters and their interactions with Cerulean along a certain dimension (e.g. freedom to constraint, change to tradition). Have students describe how the various character’s impact Cerulean’s expression of self.
2. Have students find a poem with unique formatting (spacing, capitalization, italics) and analyze how this poem contributes to a theme of the novel.
3. Cerulean finds Baba’s cooking to be therapeutic. Have students write a “recipe” for one of the characters in the book.
4. Have students compare Mr. Shlauss to Chanel, then depict key differences on a one-pager using words and symbols.
   1. How are these teachers characterized differently (speech, actions, looks, interactions)? 
   2. What are the differing beliefs and attitudes that these teachers hold?

Summative

• Argumentative essay prompt: Why does the novel end from Airyn’s perspective? Defend a claim about why Iloh chose not to include Cerulean’s perspective after they left their family.
• Literary analysis essay: Explore how Iloh’s use of formatting and use of colloquial diction support the development of Cerulean’s perspective. How does this impact the reader’s experience and develop a theme?

Optional Components:

• Multiple books: Have students read Salt the Water and Long Way Down. These two novels in verse explore teenagers coming of age and being at odds with the values their society holds. While Cerulean comes from a home that is described as “free spirited” and feels resentment over attending public school while their brother attends a private school, their conflict drives them to want to run away and live off grid. Will, on the other hand, lives with his mother, who is in shambles after Will’s brother is killed, and Will comes from a society that offers no escape, rather rules to survive that are passed down from brothers, uncles, and cousins. Students will work to compare the differing themes of these novels, exploring how the families and larger society around each of the protagonists impact their beliefs and actions. Students can analyze perspective and find examples of how the authors’ use of formatting and style express a similar emotional experience under differing circumstances. 

Reviewed by: Heather Gray, Teacher at Columbia Public Schools, Columbia, MO.

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Synopsis: Under the Same Stars alternates between 1940s Germany, 1980 West Berlin, and 2020 Brooklyn. Interspersed is “The Tale of the Hare and the Deer,” an allegorical fairy tale. Best friends Sophie and Hanna cannot ignore the realities World War II has brought to their small town, and they are pushed to decide between action and complicity. Brought to West Berlin by her controlling parents, Jenny discovers its punk scene and with it an understanding of her identity. In the early days of the lockdown, Miles and Chloe submerge themselves in an unsolved mystery from 1940s Germany while also witnessing injustice in their own city and country. Slowly, readers unravel the threads that connect the storylines and the historical events that marked the time periods. At the heart of the novel is the resistance of teens when faced with injustice. 

Review

Under the Same Stars is not only engrossing but also brimming with information. Libba Bray packs the pages full of story and knowledge. From romance to history to activism to music, there is something for everyone. Readers are sure to learn about a new person, event, or part of history they were unaware of before beginning the novel. The effortless prose goes down smoothly despite the weighty topics. Through vibrant and captivating characters, Bray brings history to life by providing windows and mirrors. While the novel offers teens a mirror that reflects their experiences during lockdown, it also offers them a window into decades they may have only heard about.

Bray’s language celebrates the power of words and the beauty of stories, both exhibited in the storylines and elegant words on the page. Lovers of language will be compelled to note lines that call to them.

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Preliminary Activity:

1. Read Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s essay “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors” and discuss the necessity for books in which readers see themselves and others.

Thematic Topics:

• Resistance
• Oppression
• Injustice: racism, antisemitism, homophobia
• Identity: race, religion, sexual orientation

Topics for Further Exploration:

• Los Desaparecidos – Argentina
• Argentina’s Dirty War
• Book Burning and Book Banning
• Hans and Sophie Scholl (White Rose)
• Freddie and Truus Oversteegen
• Bund Deutscher Mädel
• The Berlin Wall
• Rise of the Punk Scene in East Germany
• George Floyd
• Breonna Taylor
• Edelweiss Pirates

Discussion Questions: 

1. In an email correspondence from Ms. Diaz to Miles, she quotes her friend: “‘The truth will set you free. But first it hurts’” (347). Discuss this idea and provide examples to support its validity.
2. Sophie argues that stories are love letters “‘[s]ent from the present or the past to the future,’” when arguing against Hanna’s belief that stories are “‘pretty lies’” (233). With whom do you agree, Sophie or Hanna? Explain and provide examples as support.
3. In one installment of “The Tale of the Hare and the Deer,” Bray personifies books and states that while the books burned the ideas did not (227-8). Book burning and book banning are part of our past and present. What drives people to destroy or ban books? Do you believe that while books may burn, the ideas do not? Explain.
4. Sophie loves fairy tales and is fascinated by words. Provide at least one example of the power of words from each of the storylines in the novel.
5. “‘When you read about the lives of others, you form a kinship. You learn to see the world not just through your own eyes. […] It exercises the mind—but also, the heart’” (94). Provide at least three examples from the novel where you see the world through a character’s eyes. Did you experience empathy or anger or something in between? Did you learn something new about yourself or about the world? Discuss your feelings and reactions to these moments.

Empowerment Activities:

1. Frau Hermann explains why she believes adults share fairy tales with children. “‘We tell them to give children the code for survival. Fairy tales tell us how to see the monsters. How to defeat them. How to carry on despite grief and loss and injustice. They teach us how to make meaning from chaos. How to forgive’” (146). 

• Task students with creating a fairy tale that begins with “Once upon a time” and which makes meaning from chaos, teaches the reader how to carry on or how to forgive. Students should include literary devices, such as metaphor, symbolism, or personification, as Bray does, to create evocative stories.

2. Students will choose a cause for which they feel passionate and educate themselves on its origins and major talking points. Instructors may choose to include a mini lesson on research at this point. Students will then create a pamphlet, zine, or poster to educate others about the issue which will be shared via a gallery walk.

3. During a class on interview etiquette, students will brainstorm tips for conducting a fruitful interview, from first contact with the interviewee to following up after the interview. Students will contact someone who was alive in the 1940s and/or the 1980s and ask them for an interview. As a class, draft questions that focus on what the person remembers most about that time period, both personally and historically; their feelings about that time period now; and advice they would give today’s teens. The final project will take the form of an oral presentation and/or a profile essay.

Reviewed by: Stephanie Terrill, visiting assistant professor, Massachusetts. 

ALAN Picks: Celebrate Latine Heritage Month

n this month’s ALAN Picks we feature two books for Latin Heritage Month and two books for spooky season. To kick it off, we have Our Shadows Have Claws edited by Yamile Saled Méndez and Amparo Ortiz that features multiple Latine authors, each writing their own scary story – perfect for October! The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes is about a teen girl struggling with making space for her identity in a hostile environment. For Spooky season, Missing Dead Girls by Sara Walters features a classic murder mystery and thriller that touches on LGBTQ issues. For those into the zombie trope, we are featuring a second review of This Delicious Death by Kayla Cottingham. It’s about a group of teen zombie girls attending a concert when one of them turns feral. 

Looking For Teen Reviewers: If you know students who are interested in writing book reviews of recently published young adult and middle grade books, let them know they can write for ALAN Picks too! 

ALAN Picks Book Selections: ALAN Picks accepts reviews of books published from spring 2020 to present-day, including soon-to-be-released books. This gives ALAN members who are interested in reviewing books more great titles to choose from, as well as accommodate some great books released during the beginning of the pandemic that still deserve highlighting. If you have some books in mind that you would like to review, please reach out to me!

Let Us Know How You Use ALAN Picks! If you read an ALAN Picks review and end up using the book with your students, let us know! We want to hear all of your great stories and engaging ways you are using young adult and middle grades literature in your classrooms. Remember, ALAN Picks are book reviews by educators for educators! Click on the archives to see previous editions. 

Submit a Review: Would you like to submit a review? Check out ALAN Picks for submission guidelines and email ALAN Picks Editor, Richetta Tooley at richetta.tooley@gmail.com with the book title you are interested in reviewing. Rolling deadline.

–  Richetta Tooley, ALAN Picks Editor

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Synopsis: In this collection of fifteen short stories acquainting Latine mythos and genre-bending, blossoming authors of Latin origin elicit curiosity and terror in numerous creatures and fantastical concepts. Some stories dwell more potently in the intersectionality of queer and Latinx identity, such as that in Racquel Marie’s “La Patasola”, a harrowing tale that follows a queer girl’s coming out crossed with a South American spirit; whereas, other stories might simply wish to frighten, evident in Alexandra Villasante’s “El Viejo de la Bolsa”, which follows a horrifying and nightly occurrence of children gone missing from their beds.

Review:

Each author demonstrates meticulously-woven creativity, intersectionality of intricate, marginalized identities, and curious allusions to an undoubtedly unfamiliar mythos. Despite each story encapsulating traditional aspects of horror, which in itself is no negative remark, the collection harbors a sense of thematic complexity, featuring genre-bending that weaves romance, drama, mystery, and fantasy into spectacles of short fiction. A grand addition to the book is Ricardo López Ortiz’s illustrations that greet readers at the introduction of each new story. The drawings — which depict each story’s antagonist or concept — provide a semblance of classic noir horror, sketched and rendered in entirely black and gray, and linger in the reader’s mind as they immerse themselves into fresh characters and terrors. Indeed, this collection is a wonderful and unique extension to contemporary short fiction, enduing readers with insight on Latinx identity, and the ever expansive monsters and tales of Latine mythos.

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Thematic Connections

For a collection of fifteen short stories, it comes as no surprise that each story contributes overlapping or singular themes brimmed with relatability and significance to ethnic identity.

• Queer relationships & love
• Violence against queer peoples
• Coming-out
• Grief and mourning
• Gender
• Power imbalances
• Empowerment 
• Environmental destruction

Essential Questions

Close-reading questions revolving around the thematic and intersectional relationships of each story would be most engaging and effective to learning.

• How do the stories draw from traditional horror within contemporary literature and media? How do they not?
• How do some of these stories diverge from external horror in creatures and spirits? And, instead, diverge a reader’s suspense or terror through the hardships of relationships and teen life?
• In what ways do intersectional identities in the book provide a personal (and real) horror for ethnic and queer insiders to the text?
• Would ethnic and queer outsiders to the text encounter challenges while reading the stories? If so, what challenges?
• Queer themes and characterizations have become overtly prevalent in the horror genre, especially in contemporary media. In what ways does Our Shadows Have Claws contribute to this development?

Formative/Summative Assessments

Formative: Students can note and conceptualize the methods of intersectionality across each story, which can be framed using the questions and themes listed above. They can further analyze the way that identity and themes interact with the horror genre and cultural mythos.

Summative: After the students have concluded their reading and notes, allow them liberty to formulate their own horror short stories based and personalized after their own cultural identities.

Encourage students to pursue their own writing process, be it through outlines, brainstorm maps, etc. before writing a rough draft; then, to encourage education of other identities and cultures, have peers exchange and edit for revision. Finally, a final draft of the short story can be written and optionally shared among a community-like setting in the classroom.

Reviewed by Marlene Morán, Undergraduate Student studying English Creative Writing at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.

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Synopsis: After being outed at her previous school, 16 year old Yamilet Flores must learn to navigate the trials of her new mostly white catholic school, where being different is comparable to wearing a target on your back. Here, Yami is determined to keep her identity a secret. She has bigger things to worry about, like keeping her brother out of trouble and proving herself to her mother. Her plan becomes much more difficult once she meets Bo, the only out and proud kid in the whole school, and one of the only people Yami feels connected to. With everything on the line, she must consider what she is willing to give up.

Review

Set against the backdrop of a harsh and unwelcoming Catholic school, Reyes weaves a captivating story of a young girl trying to discover herself. Packed with beautifully developed characters that urge a sense of connection with the reader, The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School addresses the difficulties of growing up and how it can be especially challenging when done so within the harsh constraints designed by one’s religion, peers, and family. This book is about making a space for yourself in a world that seems to reject you, and how even in the face of uncertainty, love prevails.

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Thematic Connections:

This novel explores themes critical to the development of self identity and the fundamental understanding of belonging. Themes include:

• Homophobia
• Racism and racial stereotypes
• Power imbalances
• Family structures

Essential Questions:

• How and why are stereotypes harmful to those they are directed at?
• How do our surroundings influence our expression of self?
• How do accepted standards play into our acceptance of ourselves and others?

Teaching Strategies and Activities:

• Students can participate in an online discussion board where they can candidly discuss their thoughts and ideas about the themes and plotlines of the book. 
• Students may have group discussion about how the voice and tone in which the author writes the characters affects the way in which the story is presented. Groups can share ideas with the class and are encouraged to engage with the ideas of other groups by considering how they may be similar or different.

Formative and Summative Assessment Suggestions:

Formative: Students can consider how the development and expression of identity contributes to a person’s wellbeing and sense of self. Using magazine clippings and any other suitable supplies, students can create a collage that showcases their identity and anything else they deem to be important to them. Students should consider what items the characters of the book would want to include in their collage, and whether they would feel comfortable including them given their surroundings.

Summative: Students can research the connection between religion and sexuality and how this connection has translated into society today. They can explore how these connections affect individuals and communities. Students can write a short paper discussing their findings and their critical analyses of them.

Reviewed by: Hannah Uhl, Marketing Student at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana

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Synopsis: After moving away from Philadelphia following her junior year of high school, Tillie begins her journey in the suburbs of Pennsylvania by befriending Madison Frank: the most popular girl in town. The two quickly fall in love, struggling with the pressures of feeling comfortable displaying their same sex relationship in a not very accepting community. Although Tillie is constantly warned about Madison, the pair work together in a unique plot of revenge on someone from Madison’s past. When Madison is suddenly murdered and gruesome photos are spread around the entire school by an unknown number, everyone points fingers at Tille, forcing her harsh past to resurface as she confronts her situation. 

Review

Missing Dead Girls may be a story that is initially interpreted as a very classic murder mystery; however, the focus on themes such as same sex relationships, trauma, and sexual assault allow for the book to address many difficulties that young adults may experience when it comes to their personal identities. Walters successfully displays social challenges that are placed upon two lesbian characters in a homophobic community, highlighting a theme that is extremely prevalent in modern day society. Missing Dead Girls is an engaging read filled with popular culture references and raunchy banter, making it a perfect read for a younger audience.

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Thematic Connections:

There are many themes that a young adult audience should be aware of that are addressed throughout this text. Students could be asked to consider the following ideas in relation to their own identities and experiences through discussion and/or reflection opportunities. 

• Trauma
• Sexual assault 
• Homophobia 
• Friendship 
• Justice and revenge 
• Change and adjusting to a new environment 

Essential Questions:

Missing Dead Girls touches on many topics related to the challenges of self-identity such as dealing with trauma and harmful social expectations. The following essential questions explore ideas that are relevant to the text.

• How might one’s trauma have an affect on how they behave with their surroundings?
• What effect do social pressures have on one’s ability to feel comfortable in their identity?
• Does social environment have an impact on how someone may be perceived? How do you think this might influence an individual’s view of their own personal identity?

Teaching Strategies and Activities:

Quickwrite 

• In Missing Dead Girls, Tillie and Madison’s actions are seen to be greatly affected by experiences that they had in their pasts. 
• Using the same first person voice that is used throughout the text, write about a meaningful experience in your past that you believe has had an effect on who you are today. 

Rewriting a Scene 

• Identify a scene within Missing Dead Girls in which Tillie and/or Madison experience homophobia. 
• Using the same first person voice, rewrite the scene in a way that you think might help Tillie and/or Madison to feel more accepted within their community.
• Share with a partner and discuss how the character might be affected by your scene in comparison to the original scene. To what extent are someone’s actions influenced by their social environment? 

Formative and Summative Assessments:

Formative: Students could be asked to write a short letter that proposes changes that could be made in order to create a more inclusive and accepting social environment. They could include steps that they will personally take in order to make everyone feel comfortable in their identities while also considering how they might influence others to do the same. 

Summative: Students could be asked to create a portfolio compiled of three short memoirs that outline memorable past experiences. The portfolio could also include a reflection aspect that asks students to write about how these experiences have impacted their current identity. Then, students could be given the opportunity to share their portfolio with their peers, helping them to learn more about one another and build a strong classroom community. 

Reviewed by: Megan Benjamin is a third year student at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado.

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Synopsis: The Hollowing occurred two years ago, a transformation experienced by a fraction of the population. The people affected became ghoul-human hybrids and they survive on human flesh. In response, a synthetic version of human meat was created to sustain them. Zoey, Celeste, Valeria, and Jasmine are four hollow girls and best friends headed to a musical festival in the desert with a cooler of SynFlesh. One night at a party, Valeria goes feral and kills someone. Soon after, more people go missing and the girls discover that hollow people are being targeted. They have to find a way to stop it or everyone at Desert Bloom will end up dead. 

Review

Cottingham explores a variety of topics in this horror-mystery-thriller. Cottingham’s use of imagery immerses the reader into this alternate universe and sends chills down their spines. While telling this thrilling horror story, Cottingham is promoting inclusivity and diverse voices. There are four girls, each with a different story and identities. Cottingham portrays the power of female friendship and how even one commonality can unite people who may not have crossed paths otherwise. This novel also touches on prevalent issues like transphobia, racism, and mental health. 

Suggestions for Curriculum & Classroom Use

Thematic Analysis Topics:

• Sexuality
• Religion
• Feminism/Women Empowerment  
• Self Acceptance
• Race/Ethnicity 
• Identity
• Mental Health 
• Gender
• Friendship 
• Family Dynamics

Essential Questions:

• How is identity important?
  • How do life experiences and environments influence self-acceptance? 
• What are the effects of a traumatic event on mental health? 
• How is the importance of friendship portrayed in the novel? 

Teaching Strategies and Activities to Use:

• Students can find four images that reflect how they perceive each character and join in small groups to explain to each other why they chose those images. After the discussion, each member will share a perception they had of a character that was similar or different from another member in their group.
• Students can get into small groups and a member from each group will reach into a hat and pull out a piece of paper that will have a theme on it. In their groups, they will have to find 2 examples of the theme in the book and write them down on a sheet of paper.  

Formative and Summative Assessments:

Formative:

• Students can choose two themes from the book that interest them and write a letter, addressed to their friend, explaining why these themes are significant to them. They will also draw or select images to accompany the letter that shows at least three examples of these themes in the book and include a short interpretation at the back of the pictures. 
• Students can do a prediction exercise where they try to predict who is responsible for the Hollow people going feral and killing innocents. They will create a crime board where they use textual evidence from the novel so far to determine who the culprit could be. They will also add a short analysis at the bottom to disclose who they ultimately think the culprit is and why. 

Summative: Students can design a portfolio for each main character (Zoey, Celeste, Valeria, and Jasmine). They can provide the following about each character: background information (before-during the Hollowing), family dynamic, identities, highschool reputation, personality traits, interests, and future goals. They will write an analysis at the end of each character’s portfolio to discuss how it contributed to the story’s plot and themes.

Reviewed by: Danni Garcia, Student at the University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida