Module 4 Fantasy and Science Fiction

Haddix, Margaret. (1998). AMONG THE HIDDEN. New York: Simon and Schuster.
ISBN 978-0-689-81700-7

Twelve year old Luke is the third son in the Garner family. But there was a law against Luke, and “everyone like him, kids who were born after their parents had already had two babies.” When the government cuts down the woods behind the Garner’s farm to build a new housing development, Luke thought, “I will never be allowed outside again. Maybe never again as long as I live.” The penalty for harboring a shadow child was five million dollars or execution. Luke grew to hate his house. “It wasn’t a sanctuary. It was a prison.” “The Population Law hadn’t been around long….The Population Police had ways of finding out everything,…they’d do anything to enforce the law.” “Of course, he would never get married. Or do anything. He’d never leave the house.” Luke even sometimes guiltily wondered if something happened to one of his brothers, if he would no longer have to hide.

One fateful day, Luke discovers another hidden child, and he plans to sneak over and meet the child. In meeting Jennifer Talbot, whose father works for the Population Police, he learns that Jennifer believes the government is not that competent. She tells Luke, “I am your ticket out.” Her boldness and risk taking make Luke nervous. He learns about the government wanting to keep people on the edge of poverty so they will work harder to survive. She shares her plan for a rally in which all of the shadow children are going to march on the government in protest. Luke will learn just how far her sacrifice will go in order to help others. Luke at times wondered if the government was right, and he shouldn’t exist. The government had shifted from democracy to being totalitarian, and you could not tell the government no. Luke learns that Jen’s father wanted to give her hope that the laws would change, but that hope had a costly price and would eventually endanger Luke.

Haddix introduces the young reader to the serious topics of overpopulation, human rights, and how a totalitarian government may rule, complex issues that may spur thoughtful discussion. She develops the main characters with care using the different personalities of Luke and Jen to play off of one another as they attempt to cope as shadow children. The reader is able to experience the isolation of Luke as he sits apart from his family on the bottom step to eat and when his mother goes to work leaving him with endless lonely hours to fill. We can feel his dejection as he sits in his attic room with no air conditioning and little heat for hours with only a few worn books to read, finally discovering a vent in the roof through which to see the world. The dialogue flows smoothly and is appropriate for the characters. Much of the dialogue for Luke is an inner dialogue as he struggles with the tensions of being a shadow child. Haddix paints a picture with prison like boundaries where we want Luke to break free, run outside, play games, romp in the grass, and be recognized by others as a member of the family with full rights and privileges, rather than his mother being able to quickly hide all evidence that Luke existed. Jen counters Luke’s fears and willingness to follow the rules with her free spirit and inclination to take risks. School Library Journal says, “The loss of free will is the fundamental theme of an exciting and compelling story of one young person defying authority and the odds to make a difference. Readers will be captivated by Luke’s predicament and his reactions to it.


The plot moves quickly, keeping fear and danger ever present in the story. Within the first few lines, one reads, “Luke! Inside. Now. He had never disobeyed the order to hide.” Using brevity of words, Haddix creates the threat of danger, panic and sustains these emotions with intensity throughout the story. Publishers Weekly says, “…the unsettling, thought provoking premise should suffice to keep readers hooked.” A carefully crafted imaginative story makes it believable. Mystery and suspense of the unknown keep the reader turning pages and wanting more when the last page is read. Kirkus Review calls it, “A chilling and intelligent novel.”



Pfeffer, Susan. 2006. LIFE AS WE KNEW IT. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Inc.
ISBN 13-978-0-545-03971-0

Life is ordinary for 16 year old Miranda, her two brothers, and mother living in Pennsylvania. An asteroid is predicted by astronomers to hit the moon and will be visible from the night sky. This event knocks the moon closer to the earth causing devastating results. The world is plagued by tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, and erupting volcanoes. The disaster takes on mega proportions as entire cities, coastlines, and continents are washed away leaving millions of people dead. The story becomes one of survival for Miranda’s family. Working together, the family prepares to deal with the dire conditions of food and oil shortages, trying to stockpile water, food, medicine, and firewood. Miranda records the daily challenges and trials in her journal.

As the story unfolds, the complex relationships in this family are revealed. In the recent past Miranda, like most sixteen year old adolescents, was worried about school, swim meets, friends, and a date for the prom. But now she longs for a full stomach, a hot shower, a light to read by, and news of the outside world. The weather turns bitter cold brought about by the volcanic ash blanketing the atmosphere. The family is faced with spending months huddled in only a portion of the house to keep warm, watching their supplies dwindle, even coping with sickness and physical injury. Epidemics begin to spread with the town’s hospital closing its doors because of the hospital personnel dying. Miranda discovers an inner strength that keeps her doggedly determined to survive as she learns to treasure the things that matter most – family, friends, and hope.

Author, Pfeffer, writes a science fiction story that is believable. Booklist says, “…Readers will respond to the authenticity and immediacy; each page is filled with events both wearying and terrifying and infused with honest emotions. Pfeffer brings cataclysmic tragedy very close.” The reader will endure a frightening sensory experience feeling the painful hunger of the characters, the chilling cold, the choking ash, the sense of hope slipping away. Miranda’s words portray the devastation, “It was eerie standing on the main street of town, seeing no one, hearing no one, smelling nothing but the stench of death.”

Through the characters life threatening challenges, the reader will ponder the plausibility of natural disasters and how scary it could be. It is an engaging read with horrifying dangers ever present with enough science woven in to add to the realism. The characters are well developed providing an intimate portrayal through Miranda’s voice. Telling the story through Miranda’s journal entries lends an intimacy to her thoughts and words. Both strengths and weaknesses are revealed as each one fights for survival. Publishers Weekly claims, “It is a thoughtful, heart-wrenching engaging story that will leave you asking, “What if?” Themes of survival of natural disasters, family relationships, love and hope offer a variety of topics for thoughtful discussion. It is a story, according to School Library Journal, that will leave the reader “stunned and thoughtful.” novel.” The plot keeps a steady pace. While the primary action is limited to a family’s home, there is an ever present awareness of the world events.

Pfeffer keeps the reader on edge and searching for a glimmer of hope. This is a unique approach using grim subject matter as a backdrop to the adolescent turmoil of emotional highs and lows. It is an Kirkus Reviews writes, “Pfeffer paints a gruesome and often depressing drama as conditions become increasingly difficult and dangerous with the dwindling of public and private services...Death is a constant threat, and Pfeffer instills despair right to the end but is cognizant to provide a ray of hope with a promising conclusion.”

Pullman, Philip. 1995. THE GOLDEN COMPASS. New York: Yearling. ISBN 9780440418320

Lyra Belacqua, a young, free spirited girl, lives at Jordan College in Oxford, the grand and rich center of experimental theology. Lyra, as a child, doesn’t understand experimental theology, what she likes best is, "clambering over the College roofs with Roger the kitchen boy who was her particular friend, to spit plum stones on the heads of passing Scholars or to hoot like owls outside a window where a tutorial was going on, or racing through the narrow streets, or stealing apples from the market, or waging war." One day while hiding in the Retiring room, Lyra overhears a conversation that draws her into mystery and intrigue. It begins with the master unsuccessfully trying to poison her Uncle Asriel, a politically powerful man, who makes expeditions to the lands of the North studying Dust and the Aurora. Upon her departure from the college, Lyra is given an alethiometer by the master. The instrument tells the truth, but she will have to figure out how to use it. Questions begin to nag Lyra: Are the missing children being used as a sacrifice? Why has her friend, Roger disappeared? Does this have to do with the mysterious Dust? Why is her uncle, Lord Asriel being held in a fortress guarded by armored bears? She makes the decision to run away with her pantalaimon to seek answers.

Lyra finds herself on a journey to the North with John Faa and Farder Coram, along with a band of men, and a bear known as Iorek Bymison, the exiled bear. Travel will take them on a ship, sledding through the frozen country and soaring in a hot-air balloon to find and rescue the missing children. It is revealed that Lyra has a great destiny to be fulfilled far beyond the known world. Lyra was brought North by the fates in order that she might follow and bring something to her father.

This is the first volume of Pullman’s His Dark Materials Trilogy. Publishers Weekly calls Pullman “…. a master at combining impeccable characterizations and seamless plotting, maintaining a crackling pace to create scene upon scene of almost unbearable tension.” The Golden Compass is written in the third person, limited omniscient viewpoint. The story is limited to the thoughts and feelings of Lyra. From time to time, the narrator includes background information that is necessary to reveal important plot information. The novel is separated into three sections named after the physical location of the majority of the action. The first part of this book is set in the city of Oxford, while the second and last parts of it are set in the far North of the planet.

Pullman deftly creates a fantasy world with eloquent words and descriptive detail that turns the imaginative fantasy world into reality. There is mystery, action, and excitement with an interesting mix of characters – Scholars, Gobblins, Tartars, witches, armored bears, and Gyptians. Characters are skillfully crafted bringing them alive and making them believable. Through Lyra’s series of adventures, she is portrayed as an intelligent and bold girl.

While this book may be read as an engrossing adventure story with language at a readability level for a younger audience, the themes are complex involving power, separation, and taking on a deeper political and religious undercurrent, making it a book that would lend itself to adult reading with possibilities for group discussion and analysis. However, some may find the anti-religious tones to be unacceptable. In the story, every human’s soul has a daemon, a creature that takes an animal form. The human and daemon are never parted. As an adult, the daemon takes on a permanent form to reflect the adult’s personality.

In spite of this, it is difficult to deny Pullman’s skills as a writer. His writing style is a masterfully crafted dance with words. The dialogue is engaging, emotions are at times gut-wrenching, action is fast paced, characters are complex, and stunning visual scenes jump from the page. Booklist call it, “A totally involving, intricately plotted fantasy that will leave readers clamoring for the sequels.” The story will provide some answers to the mysteries, but the reader will likely be asking more questions by the end of the book. It could easily be reread to discover carefully crafted details that may be missed with a quick read.

Undeniably it is a page turner that challenges the reader to think. The Horn Book Magazine says, “The characters of Lord Asriel, Mrs. Coulter, and Iorek Byrnison and the cold and beautiful Northern setting are captivating; the constantly twisting plot and escalating suspense are riveting; and Lyra and Pantalaimon are among the gutsiest and wiliest of adventureres. Touching, exciting, and mysterious by turns, this is a splendid work.” The Washington Post Book World calls it, “…the best juvenile fantasy novel of the past twenty years…”

Module 3 Adventure, Sports & Mystery

Feinstein, John. (2006). VANISHING ACT. NY: Yearling. ISBN 978-0-440-42125-2

Stevie Thomas, 14 year old, from Philadelphia and good friend, 16 year old Susan Carol Anderson, from Goldsboro, North Carolina are both aspiring journalists who attend the tennis U.S. Open in New York where they enter the world of pro tennis and find themselves entangled in a mystery. While in New York, the teens stay with Susan Carol’s uncle, Brendan Gibson who has begun a business as a tennis agent with upcoming star Evelyn Rubin playing her first major championship.

During the play-offs, player, Nadia Symanova, disappears on her way to the Louis Armstrong Stadium court for her match just before 2:00 in the afternoon, causing the match to be cancelled. Her security guards were jostled in the crowds and when they got untangled, she was gone with her racquet bag found a few yards from where it happened. Immediately, exits are sealed and the search begins. Nadia was beautiful, wealthy, and famous, all attributes that could contribute to a kidnapping. Because she wanted US citizenship, it was thought the SVR, the Russian equivalent of the CIA, was involved because of wanting her to continue to represent Russia in the tennis world. It was reported that the SVR made demands that Nadia represent Russia in the Fed Cup and the Olympics for the rest of her career. If the demands were accepted, she would be returned immediately. But the FBI says the SVR are not involved. Someone with a lot to lose sees her as a threat. Perhaps it is an agent, or a clothing company rep with a big contract at stake, if she loses. Rumors begin to swirl with Stevie and Susan Carol determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Suspicion builds as the father’s behavior appears peculiar. At times he acts with calmness as if the kidnapping is an inconvenience then he changes to a brokenhearted father. When the parents, along with Uncle Brendan, are spotted in a restaurant with Glenn O’Donahue, a movie director who does celebrity sensation entertainment, the teens wonder if a movie is being planned.

Complicating matters is the fact that Brendan Gibson signs Makarov to his agency which he blatantly denies. Why would he lie and claim his small agency would not represent her because it would be one of the “big fish” that would sign her. Stevie confronts Susan Carol’s uncle raising the tension and further complicating the mystery.

Events take a nasty turn when Stevie is beaten up as a warning to leave the Symanova case alone. “Would the Symanovas really try to turn their daughter’s kidnapping into something they could make money on?” Kelleher shrugged. “These are tennis people.” “I wouldn’t put anything past them.” Stevie and Susan Carol agree that Nadia or at least her family is involved in something dirty. An unexpected turn of events concerning Uncle Brendan keep Stevie and Susan Carol sleuthing until the mystery is solved.

Author Feinstein takes the reader on taxi rides, subway trains, to the tennis courts and behind the scenes with his detailed descriptions. The reader gets an insider perspective of the players, agents, and media personnel. The Chicago Sun-Times writes, “Feinstein expertly combines tennis action, life in the Big Apple, media coverage, and a realistic plot to explore the fierce competition of tennis.” Tennis players will likely understand the sport’s jargon, but even the non-players will get a sense of the game. The setting is deftly portrayed. The characters of Stevie and Susan Carol are energetic, with dialogue that reflects their respective ages such as their joking with one another about noticing attractive players. The action packed plot moves steadily with twists and turns from beginning to end culminating with a bit of a surprise ending which a good mystery should have. According to Kirkus Reviews, “The prose is taut, the dialogue is snappy, and layers of intrigue are laid down like expert drop shots.”

Paulsen, Gary. 2007. HARRIS AND ME. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 978-0-15-292877-3

The story introduces us to a young, eleven year old city boy whose parents drank, making home an impossibility, causing him to be sent to stay with relatives for extended periods of time. One summer he is sent to the Larson family where he is introduced to his distant relatives, including nine year old cousin, Harris, who live on a farm. Upon meeting the city boy, Harris inquires, “We heard your folks was puke drunks, is that right?” This is the beginning of a brotherly relationship that will blossom over the summer as the boys encounter one adventure after another.

Early in the story the young, city boy acknowledged, “I’d been kicked in the testicles, slammed in the head, worked at the separator until my arms seemed about to fall off, narrowly averted disaster with a manic rooster, wrestled commie jap pigs in a sea of pig crap, ridden horses as big as dinosaurs, had a losing relationship with a lynx, eaten eighteen or twenty meals, and helped to capture mice for God-knows-what purposes.” He was amazed that Harris seemed invulnerable that nothing could harm him, and whatever Harris wanted to do, he backed him up.

The adventures continue one after the other in a fast-paced, highly descriptive, humorous manner. There is hard work to be done interspersed with moments of Harris’ insanity, particularly when the boys are left alone on the farm. Games of playing Gene Autry rounding up rustlers, making bows and arrows to stalk the animals, or Tarzan living on a farm, lead to certain comedic disaster. There are incidents with hand-rolled cigarettes, making war on pigs, mouse hunting, putting a washing machine’s gas engine on an old bicycle, a battery operated electric fence; the adventures hearken back to a time when play was creative and physical.

With the backdrop of the humorous adventures there is the deep sense of relationships and family. The main character said, “The farmyard became a whole way of life.” At the summers’ end he is faced with the prospect of returning home, causing the reader to feel a deep sense of sadness as the time with the Larson family draws to a close. “Crying to myself thinking I felt like I was home.” “I had come to belong here, wanted to be here, thought of this as home, Harris as a brother, and Glennis as a sister, and Knute as a pa, and Clair as a mother, and didn’t, didn’t ever want to leave.”

Paulsen has created an expertly balanced story of caring relationships alongside comedic adventures. Publishers Weekly writes, “Readers will experience hearts as large as farmers’ appetites, humor as broad as the country landscape and adventures as wild as boyhood imaginations…A hearty helping of old-fashioned, rip-roaring entertainment.” The plot is fast paced with one incident following another written with highly descriptive detail, drawing the reader into the fun and mishaps.

Along with the fun, the characters make us aware of the hard work, responsibility, and sense of teamwork needed to keep the farm going. We see them working together to dip the cows, do the milking, and get the work done when the father, Knute, breaks his hand. The setting is deftly drawn as the reader can see and smell the pigpen, the waist high alfalfa field, the muck of the cows in the milking barn. The reader will feel transported to the farm rich with sensory experiences.

Younger readers will enjoy the humor and older readers may have fond memories of a past time. The Horn Book says the book, “Includes laugh-out-loud passages as well as heaps of nostalgia.” Curse words are sprinkled throughout by the character of Harris, but sister, Glennis, gives him a smack to watch his language for every profanity uttered. This could be a factor in choosing the audience for the book. While the story is a fun-filled adventure, the theme of alcoholism and a dysfunctional family is introduced. There is sadness as this boy is passed from relative to relative, many of whom he doesn’t really know, causing him to use shyness as a means of coping with a difficult situation. Readers will rejoice with him at discovering a sense of belongingness with the Larson family, and then want to cry, as he must return to his home. The ending leaves the reader wondering about the boy’s parents and concern for what will happen to him. School Library Journal says it is, “Fast paced, highly descriptive, and funny…This is storytelling in the tradition of Twain and Harte, memorable and humorous and very much telling of human nature.”

Trueman, Terry. 2000. STUCK IN NEUTRAL. New York: HarperTempest. ISBN 0-06-447213-2

Main character, Shawn McDaniel, describes himself as a fourteen year old, wheelchair bound, total retardate with a mental age of 3-4 months. “They think it’s because my brain doesn’t work. They don’t know that is only partially true.” A victim of cerebral palsy, he is unable to control any of his muscles. But he has learned to read, and he has a power of being able to remember everything with total recall. Shawn is aware of the trouble his condition has put on his family and feels sorry for them, understanding that his condition changed all their lives and hurt everyone in the family. Shawn offers a description of what his role is like. “…there’s an actual person hidden inside my useless body; I am in here, I am in here just sort of stuck in neutral.”

Shawn has a terrible dilemma, he is fairly certain that his dad is planning to kill him, though he would be doing it out of love. “You can’t protect yourself at all! …you’ll never be safe. You’re helpless. Hopeless. Maybe you’d be better off if I ended your pain?” Shawn is convinced his dad loves him it’s the seizures that freak him out as he can’t stand to see his son in pain. This fact is what led the father to divorce the mother ten years earlier. Shawn recognizes his dad divorced him not the family because he was unable to cope with Shawn’s disability.

His dad is a Pulitzer Prize winning poet, having written a poem about Shawn. Now the father, Sydney, is writing a new book about Earl Detraux who murdered his two year old that was brain damaged. The purpose of the project is to help other families and to heighten people’s awareness about what happens when a child like Shawn comes along. “Dad’s fame,” according to Shawn, “has made him a professional victim of our relationship; his “pain” over me is the foundation of his career.” His dad questions, “Why does God have to make him such a total wreck?” Mom says …”It’s not God. It’s just the way things happen sometimes.” The family has been told by doctors that it is impossible for Shawn to have any awareness.

Through Shawn’s voice, the reader is made aware of the many struggles with which the teen must grapple such as being misunderstood by people who often talk about him as though he wasn’t there, dreaming about girls and wondering about love, what it feels like to be kissed, attending a class at school for the severely and profoundly handicapped, living a life of dependence, and wondering about death and if we have souls. He almost endures a brutal attack by a couple of teenagers waiting for a bus, as he sits in his wheelchair on the front porch. His brother, Paul, rushes to his defense beating the two boys senseless and almost setting them afire. Shawn acknowledges, “Each of us knows too that Paul can’t really protect me forever.”

He is always aware of his dependence on others. These thoughts, memories and the burden of his fear of dying, cause Shawn to decide, “I almost trust Dad to do what’s best. I almost trust him to know whether “ending” my “pain” would be the right thing to do. Almost.” The book’s ending will give the reader pause to think about the outcome.

In this 2001 Michael Printz Honor Book, Terry Trueman wrote from a personal perspective. While the character Shawn was an invented character, the author parents a son like Shawn and used the story to give voice to the thoughts of the disabled teen. The Horn Book writes, “The invention of Shawn is compelling, evoking one of our darkest fears and deepest hopes – that a fully conscious and intelligent being may be hidden within such a broken body, as yet unable to declare his existence.”

Beginning with chapter five, a stanza of the poem, written by Shawn’s father, introduces the text. Trueman acknowledges that none of us knows the thoughts of those profoundly developmentally disabled, yet he creates a voice for Shawn that is believable. The family evokes a sense of realism as each one defines their place and relationship to Shawn and the family. Kirkus Reviews says, “Shawn will stay with readers, not for what he does, but for what he is and has made of himself.”

The author manages to create a sense of action even though the story is internal to the main character’s thoughts. Themes of euthanasia, education for the mentally challenged, quality of life, family support, are but a few of the tough issues brought to the attention of the reader. This book is emotionally intense and thought provoking. School Library Journal states it is an “Intriguing premise, Trueman presents readers with thought-provoking issues. The character of Shawn, compassionately drawn will challenge them to look beyond people’s surfaces.”

Module 2

Abdel-Fattah, Randa. 2007. DOES MY HEAD LOOK BIG IN THIS? New York: Scholastic Inc. ISBN 139780439922333

Amal, a sixteen year old Australian-Muslim-Palestinian girl decides she will begin wearing the hijab fulltime as a badge of her faith. With that decision comes the reactions and questions of her parents, friends, teachers, and even some of the people in public places. Adding to her concern is the normal trials and events of being a teenager, looking attractive and fashionable, shopping at the mall, being accepted, having a boyfriend, reading Cosmo magazine, and phone conversations with her girlfriends. She is picked on at school for being religious and looking different. World events complicate her decision with the head covering when she says, “How naïve I was to ever think that I could find my place in my country and be unaffected by the horrors and politics in the world.” After attending a party with friends she states, “No one is free from prejudice, I guess.” Amal befriends Mrs. Vaselli, a difficult old Greek woman who lives next door whom she learns is lonely and estranged from her son. Amal becomes the catalyst to restore the mother/son relationship. She deals with her friend, Simone’s serious self-image problems, and her friend Leila’s parents who what her to be married more than educated. Through the experiences Amal acknowledged that “Putting on the hijab isn’t the end of the journey. It’s just the beginning of it.” She is challenged to embrace her identity as a young teenage girl coming of age.

The basis of this story is Amal’s journey to find her identity by choosing to wear the hijab fulltime. While she possesses a maturity toward her faith and beliefs, she fears if she can handle the taunts and prejudice of others. Along the way Amal will deal with others views of Islam, set against terrorism, having a place of prayer in school, fasting, religion and dating relationships, and sexism in the Muslim community. There is the struggle with her friend running away because of the friend’s difficult relationship with her mother. And there is the cranky old neighbor that Amal befriends. Author Abdel-Fattah introduces several complicated aspects to this story, but she is able to balance this thoughtful journey toward maturity with humor and teenage issues that any young reader can identify with like eating pizza, reading magazines, phone conversations, going to the mall, and shopping for stylish scarves.

This book takes a serious look at ethnicity through the eyes of a teenage girl. The names are authentic such as Amal Mohamed Narullah Abdel-Hakim and the Chadstone Shopping Centre is an actual location in Australia. The dialogue seems easy and natural to the teenage characters. Details are provided by the main character on how to put on the scarf as a head covering and wear it. Customs and sexism is revealed through Amal’s friend Leila as her brother is given preferential treatment simply because he is male, while the mother dictates to her daughter how she is to behave. The brother does drugs, drinks, and dates unseemly women while Leila is not permitted to have a birthday dinner celebration at a restaurant with her girlfriends. School Library Journal reports, "The details of Amal's family and social life are spot-on, and the book is wonderful at showing the diversity within Muslim communities and in explaining why so many women choose to wear the hijab."

The present day fear against terrorism is an issue that Amal encounters. This glimpse of the current political struggles in the world adds to the realism of the story. The reader learns of Amal arising at dawn to pray with her parents, her fasting, and seeking out a prayer place at her school adds to the authenticity. Outsiders to the Muslim beliefs have a sense of the meaning and demands of the faith through Amal’s character. It is an educational read using Amal’s cultural dilemmas that can be translated across cultural barriers for any reader who searches to know themselves. Booklist says, “…the funny, touching contemporary narrative will grab teens everywhere.” The author uses the Muslim teenage voice which is one that has not been heard, yet she also enables the reader to enter the world of the average teenage Muslim girl and see the ordinary struggles of adolescence. Horn Book Magazine writes, "Though the lengthy analysis on everything from female body image to Palestinian food give the book more message than momentum, the girls' thoughts and dreams are authentically adolescent, providing a bridge between cultures." The author is careful to never tell the reader what to think, but through the careful, detailed construction of characters allows the reader to come to their own conclusions.



Korman, Gordon. 2002. SON OF THE MOB. New York: Hyperion Paperbacks.
ISBN 0-7868-1593-0

Gordan Korman’s SON OF THE MOB tells the story of Vince Luca, a teenager whose family has “a reputation in law enforcement circles.” The storyline offers chuckles and laugh out loud adventures. Publishers Weekly says it is, “Funny and unexpectedly affecting.” Vince realized at a young age his family was not like other families. His older brother, Tommy explained, “Dad’s mobbed up.” Vince mistakenly believed when younger that it meant his dad had a lot of friends. As the brothers grow into adolescence Tommy quits school to join the business, but Vince wants no part of it. Yet he keeps finding himself drawn into it despite his best efforts. The story begins with Vince discovering an unconscious body in his Mazda Protégé trunk on a date. Along the way the reader learns about diamonds hidden in his snack of Cracker Jacks, money discovered by preschool children stuffed in his jacket pockets, a 16th birthday gift of a stolen Porsche, and a delivery of cookies to the school that turns out to be “hot” watches. The Luca’s home is bugged by the FBI and all conversations must occur in the basement where his dad’s woodworking hobby drowns out their conversations.

Vince meets his first love, Kendra Bightly, whose dad is an FBI agent. Through a series of comedic events she becomes convinced that Vince is a loan shark. He says, “In the golden age of screw-ups, this will make the top-ten list. And the sad part is…there’s still nothing I can do about it.” Relationships become complicated as Vince tries to prevent Kendra from learning the truth about his family. In time he makes a discovery about his father, the mob boss, “Sure, I knew he was behind a lot of criminal activity, but I never thought he was intrinsically rotten. Until today.” But the father becomes just as exasperated with his son as he tells him, “You’re like crabgrass! Every time I turn around, you’re in another part of the lawn!” Vince’s brother, Tommy, who dropped out of school to work in the family business, begins using a website Vince created as a class requirement, for illegal activity. And then there are the uncles, lots of uncles: Uncle Fingers, Uncle Puke, Uncle Shank, Uncle Fin, Uncle Pampers, Uncle Exit, Uncle Big-Nose and Uncle No-Nose. Vince’s mother, portrayed as trying to be June Cleaver plays a surprising role in the story. At the end, Vince manages to find warm feelings for his Dad and refers to the breakthrough as a “Hallmark moment” to know his Dad really cares. Family and love manage to triumph, even if the family happens to be mobsters.

Korman has written a delightfully funny book. The characters are well developed and believable. The protagonist, Vince, struggles with common problems of growing up: a best friend, finding and keeping a girl friend, getting a car, athletics at school, is planning for college, and coming of age and standing up for one’s values and beliefs. Of course the idea of having a mob family lends the story twists and turns along the way with unique problems and adventures. Booklist calls it, “An expertly plotted escapade.”

But underlying the humor are themes about truth, friendship, and family relationships. Korman keeps the pace of the story moving with one adventure after another. According to The Horn Book it is, “A fast-paced, tightly focused story.” The dialogue and humor are never forced but flow seamlessly throughout. While the family belongs to the mob, the reader is able to identify and sympathize with their problems thanks to Korman’s rich descriptions. The style of writing results in a very readable book that is fun from the first page to the last.


Sonnenblick, Jordan. 2004. DRUMS, GIRLS & DANGEROUS PIE. New York: Scholastic Inc.
ISBN 0-439-75520-4

DRUMS, GIRLS & DANGEROUS PIE introduces us to Steven, a thirteen year old who describes himself as a skinny geek, with mouse-brown cowlick-y hair, glasses an inch thick and braces making his mouth look like a train wreck. In contrast, his brother, Jeffrey, who is eight years younger, has perfect teeth, 20-20 vision, and little blond ringlets. The younger brother idolizes Steven. Following an accidental fall early one morning, Jeffrey is taking to the emergency room, and it is discovered the little boy is sick with leukemia. Steven views himself as Jeffy’s protector and will come to realize the full meaning of the label. Things begin to change for the Alger family. The mother must resign her job as a teacher to care for Jeffrey, financial problems beset the family, Steven’s grades begin to suffer in school as he deals with the sickness of his brother, and there are the frequent absences of the mother and Jeffrey as they visit the hospital out of town. Family emotions cause Steven to miss the companionship of his parents. He comes to see how the situation is affecting his parents, he thinks his mother looks older and tired, he sees his dad cry with worry of the hospital bills, and overhears angry words between his parents related to Jeffrey’s cancer. In trying to fix the problem, Steven makes promises to God. Drumming was his big escape. As the story unfolds, Steven must acknowledge his brother’s illness. He tells the counselor at school “…I can’t change all the ROOTS of the problems. I can’t change the basic situation.” She leaves him with something to think about, “Instead of agonizing about the things you can’t change, why don’t you try working on the things you CAN change?” Steven struggles to accept the unfairness of what has happened to his brother. In a touching moment, Steven shaves his head to give morale support to Jeffrey. Steven meets a girl, Samantha, at the hospital where his brother gets treatments and learns she too has cancer. It is a brief friendship that will have a lasting impression on the teen. He makes a promise to her that he will always be there for his brother. Steven’s school band has a fundraiser for Jeffrey to fulfill community service hours. The relationships and experiences grow Steven from a boy into a young man.

This is a poignant story that captures the emotional ups and downs of a family in crisis with a seriously ill child. Kirkus Reviews notes it is, “Readable and raw and heartrending…hysterically funny as well.” The plot revolves around the daily activities of the family and how the ordinary, everyday activities change as the medical needs of the child move to the forefront. The characters grow and change as they cope with this unexpected tragic circumstance. They are not portrayed as perfect but as individuals challenged to deal with a situation beyond their experiences, learning as they go. Fear, courage and perseverance are uniquely displayed in each character. This book may not be for everyone for there are points where it loses a bit of momentum as the medical procedures are described in detail. But for those who have lived the experience or known someone who has, this is the reality of dealing with this type of situation. The story is told through the protagonist, Steven’s English journal. Multiple themes surface such as finding encouragement in unexpected places as Steven did with Samantha, making sacrifices and serving others, persevering through trials, communication, family relationships, and working with professionals. It is a touching story that makes the reader appreciate the present not knowing what tomorrow may hold. Booklist says, “Sonnenblick shows that even in the midst of tragedy, life goes on, love can flower, and the one thing you can always change is yourself.”

Module 1

Zindel, Paul. 2005. THE PIGMAN. New York, NY: HarperCollins Children’s Books. ISBN 0-06075735-3

The Pigman is told through the alternating voices of high school sophomores, John and Lorraine. Lorraine describes John as extremely handsome, he smokes and drinks too much, tells fantastic lies, and will do anything to stir up excitement. John’s response is, “Actually, I hate school, but then again most of the time I hate everything.” John has a troubled relationship with his ex-alcoholic father and a mother described as a “disinfectant fanatic.” Lorraine desires to be a writer and views herself as compassionate. She too has a dysfunctional family living with her mother, for her dad deserted them fifteen years ago and has since died. Her mother is a private nurse who often steals from her employers. At every opportunity, Lorraine’s mother reminds her daughter she isn’t beautiful. In Lorraine’s words, “It’s not exactly easy being her daughter, and more than once I’ve thought about what a good psychiatrist could do for her.”

Against this backdrop, Lorraine and John, with some friends, play telephone marathon as a practical joke. Through this game, they meet Angelo Pignati, whom they refer to as the Pigman, a lonely old man who lives alone. Over time their lives become entwined. In time, John and Lorraine confess their practical joke to Mr. Pignati explaining they are only high school kids. “We just had to be honest with you because we like you more than anyone we know.” This moment of honesty causes the Pigman to make a confession about his wife, Conchetta, whom he has said was away. When Mr. Pignati is hospitalized with a heart attack, he grants John and Lorraine permission to use his house. This privilege leads to the pair having a wild party at Mr. Pignati’s house where things are broken and destroyed and the police become involved. Feeling guilty about what happened, they talk the old man into going to the zoo to visit his only other friend, Bobo, the baboon. With peanuts in hand to feed Bobo, they learn the baboon died the previous week. Upon hearing the sad news, Mr. Pignati slips to the ground and dies. John said, “But when he (Mr. Pignati) died something in us had died as well.”

Paul Zindel has crafted a story that touches the emotions, dealing with complicated issues of addiction, difficult home environments, finding a sense of belongingness and acceptance, growing up, friendship that crosses generational lines, and the similarities in the needs of both the young and old, and death. Using two narrators provides a contrast of perspectives that extends the richness of the story. The characters evoke realism as we see both their flaws and strengths. The pace of the novel is steady with dialogue that will draw the reader into the story allowing the reader to experience the complexities and pain of growing up. Zindel chooses to use symbols for expletives and explains that he feels there is a difference between the spoken and written word and curse words do not add to the literary merit. While the story may seem simple on the surface, it is anything but, as the reader discovers the intricacies with which the relationships of the characters are woven.

In an interview with Zindel, Teri Lesene acknowledged this book was considered by many critics to be the “first truly young adult book” where the author depicted the teens dealing with real problems.

Publishers Weekly review calls it “Headline news…remarkable…Zindel has written a story that will not be denied.”
Young Readers’ Review says, “This is a shocker of a book. Startling and truthful and vivid.”
Awards for The Pigman:
Children’s Book of the Year, Child Study Association of America, 1968
New York Times Outstanding book of the year, 1968
Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book, 1969
Maxi Award, Media & Methods, 1973
ALA Notable Children’s Book, 1940-1970
ALA Best Book for Young Adults, 1966-1988



Engle, Margarita. (2006) THE POET SLAVE. Ill. Sean Qualls. New York: Henry, Holt and Company, LLC. ISBN 978-0-8050-7706-3

The life of Juan Francisco Manzano is told in narrative prose through the various character voices. The story begins with Juan’s first owners Dona Beatriz de Justiz, La Marquesa and Don Juan Manzano on the sugar plantation where as a six year old boy he is treated as a pet poodle. He is called upon to entertain with recitations at Dona Beatriz’s parties. She says, “The boy is a genius, a pleasure to behold, a wonder to hear.” His mother who was set free to marry is filled with rage at leaving him and vows to stay close. In time, upon the death of Dona Beatriz, he is given a new owner. He was to have been set free but finds himself trying to please a “mad woman, crazy, cruel.” His one desire is for reading books and writing words, but this brings him severe punishment. Often being blamed for trivial incidents of which he is innocent, his legs are locked in stocks; he is tied to a cross or to a ladder and savagely lashed. At one point, he is made to run in front of horses and hungry dogs, suffering a savage attack. Twice his mother paid for his freedom, and it was denied. Throughout his ordeal, he longs to write and secretly practices. Besides sewing like his father, he is famous for curing the ill, creating pastry delicacies and painting. Juan demonstrates how words are a source of hope. After his mother dies, knowing that she had purchased his freedom that was denied, Juan escapes on horseback.

The life of Juan Francisco Manzano is known only because some of his notes were smuggled to England. Little is known about his life after the escape. He lived for many years as a fugitive. Juan was eventually arrested on charges of trying to stir up a slave rebellion and imprisoned until 1845. The censorship in Cuba prevented poets from writing anything having to do with slavery. His life as a slave provides a powerful witness to the triumph of freedom. At the end of the book are an informative historical note and a couple of excerpts of his poetry. Illustrator Qualls captures the deep sadness of the slave poet. The artwork successfully complements the raw emotions often stirred as the reader is able to vividly picture the hardships and cruelty endured by Juan. Author, Engle, has written an intense book that portrays the violence and brutality of the time. In spite of the horrendous life experiences of the main character, Engle successfully keeps hope alive, inspiring the reader with a deep appreciation of the human spirit. Themes abound for discussion related to slavery and more specifically the emergence of slavery in Cuba, censorship, sacrifice, and the yearning for knowledge. This book is a compelling read.

This 2006 Pura Belpre medal Book Author Award is a tragic biography depicting Manzano’s ability to maintain his dignity in the face of a brutal existence. The School Library Journal, starred review, says, “An absolutely lovely book…that should be read by young and old, black and white, Anglo and Latino.”
Horn Book, starred review, claims it is, “A work of literary imagination. Engle’s skillful portrait will spark readers’ interest in Manzano’s own poetry.”
Booklist, starred review, asserts, “Readers will hear the stories and never forget them.”


Myers, Walter D. 1999. MONSTER. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. ISBN 0064407314

Steve Harmon, a 16 year old black youth,is incarcerated at the Manhattan Detention Center, accused of felony murder during a failed robbery attempt in Harlem where the drugstore owner, Alguinaldo Nesbitt, was shot and killed with his own gun. He was one of four persons involved in the conspiracy to rob the store with Steve’s role being to go into the store prior to the robbery to check it out and make sure there were no police in the store.

Steve tells his story from his journal entries written as a screenplay. Steve says it is thinking about his movie that keeps him from going crazy. “All they talk about in here is hurting people.” Steve says, “I want to look like a good person. I want to feel like a good person because I believe I am. But being in here with these guys makes it hard to think about yourself as being different. We look about the same, and even though I’m younger than they are, it’s hard not to notice that we are all pretty young.” Steve continues to emphasize that he is not a bad person. He knows with certainty that in his heart he is not bad. Steve’s lawyer cautions him that there are bad guys he knows taking the stand, and the jury may not see a difference between the bad guys and him. Sadly, Steve believes his own dad thinks the same thing. The lawyer tells him her job is to make him different in the eyes of the jury. While hearing this, he thinks how he wanted to be tough like the bad guys. Steve fears being hit or raped while locked up, but the fear grows as the reality of getting 25 years to life takes over his thinking, realizing he will have to serve at least 20 years. Surrounded by violence or the talk of violence he yearns for his life to be normal again. He admits to thinking like all the other prisoners, trying to convince himself that everything will be all right, that the jury can’t find him guilty. “We lie to ourselves here. Maybe we are here because we lie to ourselves.” Thinking of his younger brother, Jerry, he desires to caution him to “think about all the tomorrows of your life.”

Monster is a novel written in a screenplay format with Steve’s journal entries mixed in throughout. The character in Monster is a composite character created by the author after interviewing many young men with similar stories. Myers is able to make the character, Steve real, and the reader is able to get into his thoughts and experience his feelings. The overriding emotion is fear. Fear of the loss of a normal life. Fear of being surrounded by violence. Fear of a life spent behind bars. Fear of being perceived as a bad person. Fear of the loss of family. Fear of the loss of hope. Fear that becomes so palpable the reader can taste it. The main character, Steve struggles with confronting the fear that he is a monster.

The reader is pulled into the courtroom drama and experiences a sense of the raw reality of the inner workings of the courtroom. We see that crime never touches one life but it ripples throughout the lives of those involved. It is not just the perpetrators and victims but families of mothers, fathers, younger siblings, teachers, citizens of neighborhoods, lawyers, and the ripples continue. The dialogue can be edgy, keeping the reader turning pages, searching for answers. Finally, the reader may find him/herself doing just what the jury must do – make a decision about guilt or innocence. The ending of the story takes a twist that leaves the question of Steve’s guilt or innocence unanswered. This plotting strategy keeps the reader thinking about the themes of the story and grappling with the complexity of finding truth. Myers has written an intelligent book that makes one think long after the last page has been read.

Publishers Weekly says, “This riveting courtroom drama will leave a powerful, haunting impression. An insightful look at a teenage suspect’s lost innocence.”
ALA Booklist finds it, “A fascinating portrait of a terrified young man wrestling with his conscience. The tense drama of the courtroom scenes will enthrall readers, but it is the thorny moral questions raised in Steve’s journal that will endure in readers’ memories.”
Kirkus Reviews writes, “A riveting novel. A taut and moving drama.”
The Bulletin said, “The drama and ethical questions raised will keep the audience not just reading but thinking.”