“Scat”

Posted on April 14, 2009 by Victoria Waddle

NOTE: COHS Titans–The following review is excerpted from the Junior Library Guild. (Meaning that I didn’t write it and don’t want to take credit from something I didn’t do!) We belong to the Junior Library Guild and purchase four books from them each month, so we have access to these reviews. I’m going to start posting excerpts from the reviews in the hope that you will see what great books we get from JLG–and come check them out! If you want to read the whole review, ask your English teacher. I have made copies for him or her to post in the classroom.

Some of you enjoyed reading Hoot and Flush—Scat is by the same author.

Ms. W

Scat
by Carl Hiaasen

Mrs. Starch, the cruelest teacher at the Truman School, humiliates Duane Scrod Jr., an extremely volatile student. Then Mrs. Starch vanishes during a biology field trip to Black Vine Swamp. The authorities initially suspect Duane, but they can’t question him; he’s been missing since the day before the field trip. Certain that something strange is going on, Duane’s classmates Nick and Marta investigate the disappearances. What they discover is definitely strange—it involves endangered panthers, a sleazy oil prospector, and a rampant environmentalist named Twilly Spree.

JLG Review: Carl Hiaasen specializes in accessible and engaging stories with an environmental bent. As with his previous novels for young readers, the conflict in Scat plays out between those who are committed to protecting Florida’s wildlife and the corrupt businessmen trying to profit from it. . . .

Nick and Marta are average kids who just want to know why their teacher suddenly went missing. As they investigate her disappearance, they stumble upon a plot far bigger than they expected. . . .

. . . Combining humor, intrigue, and a dash of danger, Hiaasen has created a fast-paced adventure that will captivate and entertain a wide range of readers—and might even teach them a few things about biology along the way.

Posted in Environmental Issues, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

“The Forest of Hands and Teeth”

Posted on April 14, 2009 by Victoria Waddle

The Forest of Hands and Teeth
by Carrie Ryan

Mary dreams of a world beyond her village. But she also knows how impossible that dream is; according to the Sisters, no other village still exists. The Unconsecrated, the undead who claw at the village’s fence, have infected everyone outside it. But one day the impossible happens: a normal, healthy-looking young woman emerges from the forest outside the village. Her presence gives Mary hope. It is hope she needs when, soon after, the Unconsecrated breach the village fence. To survive, Mary must escape from the village into the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

JLG Review: The zombies in The Forest of Hands and Teeth are both frightening and familiar—and what’s most frightening is their familiarity. . . . Several pages later, Mary’s mother gets bitten, having wandered too close to the fence after seeing her husband on the other side. . . .

After her mother becomes Unconsecrated and disappears into the Forest, Mary is haunted by her memory. But she finds joy in new love. Mary has been sent to join the ranks of the Sisterhood, the religious order that rules the village. One night, Mary’s friend Travis is brought to the Cathedral, requiring medical attention. Mary treats him and prays with him, and, over time, they secretly grow closer. . . .

Suspenseful and sensitively written, The Forest of Hands and Teeth breathes new life into the genre of the undead.

NOTE: COHS Titans–Theabove review is excerpted from the Junior Library Guild. (Meaning that I didn’t write it and don’t want to take credit from something I didn’t do!) We belong to the Junior Library Guild and purchase four books from them each month, so we have access to these reviews. I’m going to start posting excerpts from the reviews in the hope that you will see what great books we get from JLG–and come check them out! If you want to read the whole review, ask your English teacher. I have made copies for him or her to post in the classroom.

Posted in Fiction, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

“Wintergirls”

Posted on April 14, 2009 by Victoria Waddle

You loved Speak–and Wintergirls is by the same author!

Ms. W

Wintergirls
by Laurie Halse Anderson

On Saturday night Lia ignores thirty-three phone calls from her ex-best friend Cassie. On Monday morning Lia learns that Cassie has been found dead in a motel room. Lia has always been skilled at hiding her emotions, and her ongoing struggle with anorexia has taught her how to keep secrets—she sews quarters into her bathrobe to trick the bathroom scale and simulates eating by smearing ketchup on her mouth and making a mess in the microwave. But hiding her guilt over Cassie’s death will push her to the edge—and visions of Cassie’s ghost, beckoning Lia to join her, might push her over it.

JLG Review: “It’s not nice when girls die.” So opens Laurie Halse Anderson’s Wintergirls, a powerful exploration of the distressing world of teen eating disorders. Almost as soon as Lia learns about the death of her former best friend, she becomes haunted by her memories of Cassie. Convinced that she is complicit in Cassie’s death, Lia quickly descends into a familiar pattern of self-destruction. Anderson takes her readers along on Lia’s journey, using a stream-of-consciousness narrative that allows them to understand first-hand Lia’s thoughts and experiences.

This book contains no easy answers. Instead, Anderson precisely details the physical and emotional effects of Lia’s disease. The metaphors she uses are intense, violent images that bring Lia’s inner demons to life.

NOTE: COHS Titans–The above review is excerpted from the Junior Library Guild. (Meaning that I didn’t write it and don’t want to take credit from something I didn’t do!) We belong to the Junior Library Guild and purchase four books from them each month, so we have access to these reviews. I’m going to start posting excerpts from the reviews in the hope that you will see what great books we get from JLG–and come check them out! If you want to read the whole review, ask your English teacher. I have made copies for him or her to post in the classroom.

Posted in Fiction, Literary Read Alike, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

“This Full House”

Posted on April 14, 2009 by Victoria Waddle

This Full House
by Virginia Euwer Wolff

LaVaughn, a high school senior, is finally seeing her hard work pay off . She’s just been accepted to WIMS (Women in Medical Science), a prestigious after-school program for girls from impoverished areas of the city. At first, Dr. Moore, the program’s founder, takes a special interest in LaVaughn and agrees to write her a college recommendation letter. But when LaVaughn uncovers a dark secret from Dr. Moore’s past, their relationship quickly turns sour—and LaVaughn sees her chance at a college education “falling through the air.”

JLG Review: Told in verse, this final novel in Virginia Euwer Wolff ’s acclaimed Make Lemonade trilogy is a tender rumination on the themes of motherhood, responsibility, and endurance.

From the beginning, readers have known LaVaughn to be a studious go-getter, a young girl determined to rise above her circumstances and attend college. In This Full House, LaVaughn’s goal is finally in sight, but several women in her life—each dealing with the consequences of an unplanned pregnancy—test her focus and temporarily send her moral compass spinning.

This Full House never offers easy answers.  Throughout the trilogy, LaVaughn’s tenacity has made her unique, but it’s her capacity to face ambivalence, self-doubt, and change that makes her a true heroine—a character worth growing with and toward.

NOTE: COHS Titans–The above review is excerpted from the Junior Library Guild. (Meaning that I didn’t write it and don’t want to take credit from something I didn’t do!) We belong to the Junior Library Guild and purchase four books from them each month, so we have access to these reviews. I’m going to start posting excerpts from the reviews in the hope that you will see what great books we get from JLG–and come check them out! If you want to read the whole review, ask your English teacher. I have made copies for him or her to post in the classroom.

Ms. W

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Fiction, Hi-Low/Quick Read, Multicultural, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

“A New Life”

Posted on March 18, 2009 by Victoria Waddle

“A New Life” by Ramsey Campbell

For senior students who are reading “Frankenstein” and then comparing it to other works of fiction, “A New Life” is a great story. I understand that those of you in Mrs. Gebhart’s class have read it.

Campbell’s fiction takes “Frankenstein” and looks at the story from the point of view of the ‘monster’—who isn’t a monster at all, but rather, the brain and intellect of a serious philosopher placed in a body that feels too big, “bloated.” The philosopher—who taught in a university and reflects on Pythagoras, Plato, Kant, von Herder, and Goethe—had tried to save a little girl from drowning in the Danube and himself drowned in the effort. Upon awakening in a pitch-dark cell, he moves through a series of thoughts. Is he alive and saved? Is he dead? Is he in hell, with demons coming in to torture him?

Anxiety turns to deep fear of his condition. This works well with the ethical questions on ‘creating life’ that you are being asked as you study “Frankenstein.” After reading about the philosopher turned monster, I wonder whether you stopped to think about humankind’s responsibility in creating life. Could you discuss these question which you will later debate in class?

1. What is a soul? Does a soul differ from a spirit?

2. Where does a soul come from? Does it only begin to exist at the time of birth, at conception, or possibly before conception? Does it ever cease to exist?

3. Do other animals have souls or are they unique to human beings?

4. In man’s quest to study and manipulate the natural process of reproduction and the creation of life, does man have an ethical or spiritual responsibility to protect, advance, or abstain from scientific experimentation with human life in any form, or should there be no limit to experimentation in the name of science and medical advancement?

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Fiction, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Literary Read Alike, Short Stories | 1 Comment

“Mistaken Identity”

Posted on February 12, 2009 by Victoria Waddle

“Mistaken Identity” by Don and Susie Van Ryn and Newell, Colleen and Whitney Cerek with Mark Tabb

I must have been in hiding in 2006 because I don’t remember this story from the news at all. However, it is so bizarre, the fact that it is true boggles the mind. I think you’ll race through this memoir of two families (despite the fact that the writing isn’t great) because your disbelief will keep you turning the pages.

Whitney Cerak and Laura Van Ryan were students at Taylor University, a small, Christian college with campuses in Michigan and Indiana. Both are victims of an accident that killed five of the six students in a school van. One girl, who lived, was thrown 50 feet from the accident and sustained traumatic brain injuries. She was identified as Laura Van Ryn by someone from the university. For five weeks, the Van Ryn family stayed with their daughter round the clock, helping her to recover. Until she wasn’t their daughter anymore. She was actually Whitney Cerek. Laura had died in the accident. Whitney had lived. Imagine the pain for both families—Whitney’s family had already had a funeral and was grieving, believing she was dead. Laura’s family was posting a regular blog on her progress. Now they needed to understand that she had never made it through the accident.

What sustains both families is their faith. In a world where such a situation just sings LAWSUIT, the families don’t lay blame and look to God to sustain them. The book includes many examples of others who are so moved by the families’ faith, that their own faith is renewed. You’ll enjoy this on many levels—the strangeness of the story, the dedication of both families. And if stories of faith inspire you, these families will renew your belief in the goodness that is possible in the worst of times.

Posted in Biography/Memoir, Faith-Based/Religious Element | Leave a comment

What book are you?

Posted on January 30, 2009 by Victoria Waddle



I took the book quiz to see what I am–and this is it. Oh well, at least it’s a classic by a Nobel Prize winner!  The link follows if you’d like to see what book you are.

Ms. W.

You’re The Sound and the Fury!
by William Faulkner
Strong-willed but deeply confused, you are trying to come to grips
with a major crisis in your life. You can see many different perspectives on the issue,
but you’re mostly overwhelmed with despair at what you’ve lost. People often have a hard
time understanding you, but they have some vague sense that you must be brilliant
anyway. Ultimately, you signify nothing.

Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

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“A Nation of Wimps”

Posted on January 27, 2009 by Victoria Waddle

“A Nation of Wimps” by Hara Estroff Marano

I just finished reading “A Nation of Wimps” this weekend, and while high school students are not its target audience, it is about people like you—what helps you succeed and what makes you fail. The information, case studies, and statistics discussed can be useful for a psychology class research project. For a more ingenious use of the book, you can read it, and then blame your parents for anything that you don’t achieve in your life.

This book, written by an editor of “Psychology Today” magazine, blames American parents for being so invasive in their modern parenting styles that they are raising kids who can’t help but fail—a nation of wimps. I had heard the term ‘helicopter parenting’ before, and Marano uses it in describing the popular style of parenting in which mom and dads ‘hover’ over their kids, in an attempt to make sure nothing ever happens to them. Unfortunately for the kids, when nothing happens, they never learn to have coping skills. This infantilizes them—they’ll never be adults who deal with the stresses of everyday life. Marano also uses the term ‘snow plough’ parenting, one I hadn’t heard before, to describe this style. Her metaphor is that parents clear all blocks from their children’s roads in life, but they also leave high piles of ‘snow’ on the sides that prevent young adults (that’s you) from taking new paths.

This matters very much as kids become adults and move onto college. (Again, that’s you!) Once there, they often cannot handle being somewhat on their own. They are still tied to their parents, in a way that earlier generations never were, through cell phones. Parents on speed dial still tell their over-eighteen kids what to do and how to solve every problem. In the meanwhile, college counseling centers are seeing a huge rise in student need for psychological services as normal life issues with relationships and university life send them over the edge.

Marano tells parents that they should allow their kids to fail—and fail early—so that they can develop the life skills needed to simply get over it and move on. Children are not trophies and their achievements do not belong to their parents. Use this book as an argument for your parents to allow you that post-graduation road trip across the country with your friends. And if you get a flat tire, make sure you know how to change it yourself—or have had the forethought to join the auto club. Your parents won’t be there to smooth the way to happiness, but the happiness will come because you’ll be facing meaningful challenge.

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“The Audacity of Hope”

Posted on January 26, 2009 by Victoria Waddle

“The Audacity of Hope” by Barack Obama

It’s actually been a few years since I’ve read this book, and while it may seem surprising now, I read it to find out who Barack Obama was. I knew he was running for the Democratic Party presidential nomination (I didn’t think he had much chance against the much better known Hillary Clinton), but otherwise knew nothing about him. So, I learned that he was a good writer before I learned that he was a good speaker.

Though some of the political positions Obama discusses are now quite well known—positions on the war in Iraq, free trade, education, and renewable energy—this is still a worthwhile read. It’s a great choice for those of you looking for a nonfiction book to read to fulfill an American Government class assignment.

Two things that you probably don’t know about Obama and politics will emerge. One is his interpretation of the Constitution, which he explains while giving examples of other interpretations by past Presidents and Supreme Court justices. Another is just how crazy the political game really is. If you think there’s anyway that a successful politician can keep his or her hands clean by refusing to compromise with lobbyists, fundraise for election campaigns, woo the media, and swap favors with other legislators, Obama is going to gently remove those rose-colored glasses. He criticizes both parties (more so the Republicans, as you might imagine) for the many failures that our political system generates. The ‘audacity’ is in hoping for better. And while I don’t believe that what he argues for is all that audacious, it is worth trying to achieve.

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“The Post-American World”

Posted on January 21, 2009 by Victoria Waddle

“The Post-American World” by Fareed Zakaria Perhaps I’m feeling too much like ‘Chicken Little” (“The sky is falling!”), but lately I’ve been drawn to books about the future of both the world and the United States. Thankfully, I’ve generally enjoyed reading them, as I find their assertions to be thought-provoking without being alarmist. I also think that they would be very useful for a debate or an ‘issue’ paper. So it is with “The Post-American World,” a book that provides rich detail about the future of the world and the United States’ place in that future—economic, political and cultural.

I know the author’s work from reading copies of “Newsweek” magazine where Zakaria is an editor and consistently contributes articles on international issues. The title of “The Post-American World” sounds alarming, but Zakaria’s take on the future is very positive—provided that we don’t panic and remember that America has adapted to change before and has learned to excel. Zakaria argues that the United States is not ‘racing to the bottom,’ but that other countries are coming up in the world to be on more equal footing with America—and that’s a good thing because it takes people out of poverty and desperation. Excellent topics of research and discussion in this book include the rise of both India and China. India is an ‘inefficient’ democracy—as all democracies are because people can’t be told what to do by a dictating government. China on the other hand, though embracing capitalism in the last twenty years as an economic system, is still a dictatorship, willing to use brutal tactics in the name of progress and efficiency. Zakaria shows the reader why ‘inefficient democracies’ can continue to grow and succeed in changing times.

Another topic that would make a great argument for a history class project is what the United States should do to secure its future (and how it must be unlike Britain of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries)–not as a unipolar world power but as a legitimate broker of world power, the ally that is the hub in a wheel of nations, connected to the US through spokes of diplomacy.

Posted in Controversial Issue/Debate, Environmental Issues, Human Rights Issues, Non-fiction | Tagged , , | Leave a comment