Am I allowed to vote for both?? Coming to a decision was my biggest delay in responding until now, but I have - finally! - narrowed it down.

Calvin was a joy to read for the seeming simplicity of a single pursuit.  I felt the break from typically accepted writing construction further underscored Calvin running at "ten Hertz in a seven-Hertz world," and the style, therefore, drew me in. For me, there was a connection between Calvin's feeling different and being treated differently after a diagnosis of schizophrenia and the inconsistent structure. I also really enjoyed how "alive" the icy world became as Calvin and Susie experienced more of their desolate environment. Those stars and galaxies must have looked amazing when they finally looked up at the night sky, and I would love to see for myself the snow goon formations they encountered - what made them glow? Further to that, I felt like the environment also mimicked Calvin's state of being as he fights with not being able to trust his own mind. Being imprisoned by such a wide open space would be terrifying, whether on a frozen lake or inside your own brain. However, I was annoyed at times by some of Calvin and Susie's words and actions. Calvin knew all sorts of great facts about the structure and function of parts of the brain and about the environmental problems Lake Erie is facing, but he "forgot" to plan to bring along extra food and water?  But then we would probably have missed out on the dramatic ending. Also, how many teenage girls are honestly reflective enough to figure out they'd rather spend time romantically with their childhood friend dealing with serious mental health issues than jump back on the popularity train.  Susie seems way too wise at times (for a seventeen-year-old) and although I never really thought she was a delusion on Calvin's part, when she started getting philosophical, I did wonder...

I think that YAs would really enjoy this book for its humour and themes of perseverance, acceptance, and coming of age. I also think that they could learn a great deal that would help in breaking down the myths and stigmas about mental health issues.  I'd recommend it for a book study at the junior high or high school level for sure.

But I really loved The Smell of Other People's Houses and will cast my vote for it.  Sure there were issues with keeping track of all the characters and their relationships with one another, but that's what the Cast of Key Characters was there for, right?  What I found myself enjoying the most was the development of the characters themselves and the complexities in their lives through the simplicity of their routines  I enjoyed how the characters were revealed through their everyday lives and became richer as their relationships formed or strengthened. Each character could have easily had the book devoted to just him or herself, but then we would have lost the interception of the stories. Even though the ending was rather predictable, the most poignant part for me was the healing that finally occurred. I would have liked to know more about Gran's backstory to find out why she is so controlling over Ruth and Lily, and how she became such an unlikeable person.  But in the end, it was her words of wisdom and comfort, and her vulnerability, that made her my favorite character.

I enjoyed both reads immensely, but The Smell of Other People's Houses holds my heart - and gets my vote.

Calvin Vs The Smell of Other People's Houses

I appreciated the simple, script formation of Calvin which made it an easy, fast read.  However, because of this loose structure, I found that I was not able to connect at all with both the characters nor the storyline.  The characters did not have much depth and came out pretty flat for me.  In addition, due to the scripted structure, I had a hard time understanding clearly what was real and what was being manifested inside Calvin's head. It all seemed far- fetched to me, which contributed to my inability to believe in the narrative arc. I was hoping to gain insight about Schizophrenia but I came away feeling confused and no more enlightened about this disease.  

I did enjoy the references to the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes.  The character of Hobbes in the book added humour and cynicism to the novel.  The highlight for me was Calvin's stint in the hospital after his Schizophrenic episode.  The discourse between Calvin, his parents and the Physician, while in the hospital, was the one point where the author successfully anchored the novel to reality.  All in all, I did enjoy the ease of reading this book; however, the premise revealed at the end caught me by surprise. 

I sincerely enjoyed The Smell of Other People's Houses.  The tight structure that was used in this novel allowed me to connect to not only the characters but to the setting (and smells!) of Alaska. I appreciated the interconnectedness of the characters which helped me to identify with the four cast members right away.  The dedication of one chapter to each of the four characters allowed the author to develop each character thoroughly while revealing that character's individual perspective. I felt that the author's use of sensory details helped to clearly depict the terrain of Alaska and the lifestyles of the four Alaskan teenagers. The author's personal connection to Alaska was evident in her illustrative descriptions and enhanced the believability and relevance of the novel. Alaska is a setting rarely used in prose for teens which makes The Smell of Other People's Houses even more appealing as a unique novel for young readers. 

Hitchcock threads the traditional Alaskan experience of the 1970s throughout the book, immersing the reader in the culture and lifestyle of the Alaskan people. What stood out for me in particular is the author's reference to distinct smells throughout the novel (deer blood, Thrift Shop, salmon innards, etc.) which connected me even more intensely with the Alaskan setting and the storyline happening in it. Along with transporting the reader into Alaskan culture, the author successfully explores more serious issues of the human condition (teen pregnancy, parental abandonment, racism, domestic violence, and emotional abuse), but does not delve too deeply into each issue which makes this novel suitable for younger readers.  

Round 1: Delusional, Hurt, & Broken

I enjoyed Calvin, it was engaging and I think kids would like it. I felt the ending was contrived, and I wanted more out of it than what I got. I felt like some of the major plot cruxes were more than my suspension of disbelief could entertain - is there an opposite to Deus Ex Machina where the character is plunged into a problem because they don’t even have the good sense to look out for themselves? Calvin’s "wha-?!" moment he has at the end got a "well yeah, you idiot" response from me. I hated that Hobbes' entire purpose boils down to "stand up for yourself;" it just seems trite. As a HUUUGE Calvin & Hobbes fan, I thoroughly enjoyed the allusions to the comic throughout, but I felt they were more fun than substantial. I left the book feeling like it was a bit gimicky - like the purpose for writing it was "I wonder what Calvin would be like as a teenager."  Maybe there was more going on on another level with the philosophical namesakes, I did do a bit of Wiki-reading when I started the book to be on the lookout for Calvinist or Hobbesian philosophies at work, but I missed it if it was there.

I think The Smell of Other People's Houses was the better book. The characters were complex and the themes relatable. I meant to to read it over a few days, but once I started, I had to finish it (in all fairness, the same is true of Calvin). I will concede that the ending was also a bit contrived - a la Playing by Heart (90s romcom reference anyone?) - but the superficiality of the romantic ending is overshadowed (rightly) by the beauty of the harder-to-negotiate familial reconciliation, so I felt it was handled well.  I am not sure I would recommend this book to young readers as I feel it has adult themes, but I also think that kids do struggle with these sorts of themes and we're kidding ourselves if we think they don't.

Overall, I think The Smell of Other People's Houses is the more important book.

Calvin v The Smell of Other People's Houses

These were two worthy selections but one definitely rose about the other.  Calvin was good.  Like my teammate Adrienne, I enjoyed being immersed in the world of Calvin and Hobbes, a familiar favourite from my childhood.  However, I wondered how many students in this generation would know about Calvin and Hobbes like we did.  Without that prior knowledge, much of the foundation of the this book is lost on the audience. I found Suzie to be the most well-developed character with the most humanity.  I enjoyed the format of the story, with it's paucity of description and script-like format, making it an easy read that allowed me to fill in the blanks as the reader.  But in the end, it was flat.  

I loved The Smell of Other People's Houses!  Granted, this book had me at the title.  I have so many memories associated with the smells of people and their homes.  But the book itself was a wonderful read. Again, it wasn't challenging, but there was a cleverness to it that engaged me throughout.  As the intersections started occurring, I was thrilled, but as more and more intersections happened, they lost their novelty and I began to become a bit skeptical.  However, it in the end, there is a richness to this book that is missing from Calvin.  Each character contributes to a deeper understanding of this little slice of the world.  And it made me cry, not because a dog or cat was hurt or dead which is what usually makes me cry, but because so many of things touched me.  They were small things but the simplicity of the presentation made them heartbreaking.  I just wanted to know more about Gran's experience because there is a huge disconnect between her early life and her later life.  This one is it for me.

Brave Optimists (Nancy Adamson, Rachel McOuat, Shelly Honey and Lisa Hauk Meekr)

It was nerve wracking to be among the last groups to pick our pair of Smackdown books, and we were left with one book that looked enjoyable and one with a cover that made me cringe.  What a delight to find out that both books were great reads!  Annother great start with Smackdown!

As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds introduces us to Genie, a New Yorker boy sent to his grandparents home in rural Virginia as his parents struggle with their marriage.  A new and different lifestyle involving chores, the outdoors and aging grandparents lead Genie to create unending journal questions.  Reynolds explores bravery, family relationships secrets and honesty in this really delightful middle school novel.  

Optimists die First by Susin Nielson had the book jacket that turned me off... but the old cliche held true.  The protagonist, Petula De Wilde. is paralyzed by anxieties and guilt stemming from the untimely death of her baby sister.  Her relationships with other classmates ('misfits') in her school art therapy group lead her to some romance, some resolution to  her stresses, to questioning and developing friendships and honesty, and ultimately to optimism.  Petula is quirky and I totally grew to love her.  

Hard vote for me as I truly enjoyed both books.  Although As Brave as You would go in my classroom library as it is most grade appropriate for Grade 6, I have to cast my vote for Optimists die Young!  

(***Caveat:  Due to the implied consensual sex, this book may not be appropriate for all grade levels)

Bottle Creek vs Holding Up the Universe

It has been a couple weeks since I finished both books. And, since then I have been thinking about how I could change things up in my post. I am glad to see that Maureen has completed the inaugural bracket post as mine is, well, more brief. I did not get to consult our team either. And we work in the same building!

In our Community of Practice, we had been talking about microfiction and I thought I would give embedded tweets a try. I still only have 140 characters to work with even though I know that many, including Holly, are now able to write in the new longer tweet length. In their book called Empower, Spencer and Juliani talk about the power of constraints so I thought I would give this constraint a try.

Cort must overcome increasingly insurmountable obstacles to survive hurricane on Gulf Coast. Terror at Bottle Creek by @wattkeyauthor

— arllennium (@arllennium) November 26, 2017

Returning to HS, Libby Stout, America's Fattest Teen, meets Jack Masselin who has a secret. Holding Up the Universe by @jenniferniven

— arllennium (@arllennium) November 26, 2017

I knew that my students enjoyed Holding Up the Universe as it was very popular last school year.

I had never heard of Terror at Bottle Creek or the author Watt Key. As soon I held up my copy plus an extra I found (sorry, Dia), they were scooped up by two boys. Their reviews were polar opposites. On one end, a more reluctant reader loved the action which kept him reading. On the opposite end, a more sophisticated reader finished it because he said he never abandons books but predicted the events as they were unfolding.

I am torn as I am happy to have found another book that I know will entice our most reluctant readers. And, even though there was a little more action than I would like (hurricane, snakes, alligators, ants, wild hogs), I know that reluctant readers love action.

I already know more students who have read and loved Holding Up The Universe but I also know that Terror at Bottle Creek will have many readers who will love it. I think it is for that reason that my vote is going to go to Terror at Bottle Creek. I will leave it to the rest of our team to break the tie that we now have.