When I read the jacket of Good Enough, I was more than intrigued. It sounded like a little bit of mystery, a little bit of teen drama, and a healthy dose of discussion about a serious mental health issue. However, I found it lacking in every category. The story was mildly interesting, and the main character had strong character traits, but it really ended up being repetitive and lacking in depth.
Mason Buttle, however, was an interesting read filled with complex characters and an interesting story line. One of my colleagues said "it had a Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime kind of vibe. I loved Mason as a character and the mystery will be an easy sell,", and I think that sums up the appeal of the book. It was highly readable and I think it would garner a lot of interest, especially in the grade 6-8 crowd.
Kerri and the Westminster team
Smackdown Books 2021
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Patron Saints of Nothing vs. We'll Fly Away
Although I enjoyed both books, ultimately I enjoyed Patron Saints of Nothing more. I felt it was a compelling story that intrigued me enough to do some research, both on who the author actually was and also what was really happening in the Philippines. I think many students can relate to the struggle of finding their own identity within the expectations of family traditions and being true to themselves. For that reason my vote goes to the Patron Saints of Nothing.
ABM Final Votes- 8 Patron Saints of Nothing , 2 We'll Fly Away
Although I enjoyed both books, ultimately I enjoyed Patron Saints of Nothing more. I felt it was a compelling story that intrigued me enough to do some research, both on who the author actually was and also what was really happening in the Philippines. I think many students can relate to the struggle of finding their own identity within the expectations of family traditions and being true to themselves. For that reason my vote goes to the Patron Saints of Nothing.
ABM Final Votes- 8 Patron Saints of Nothing , 2 We'll Fly Away
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Mason pulls out the win!
An
underdog story takes the win. Many members of the team found Mason
a captivating character with charm to spare. Others commented on his resilience
and the eclectic mix of characters that were developed throughout the
story. There were some votes for Good Enough as the theme of being not "good enough" was something that many readers could identify with. However, there were questions about the character development and whether the topic of eating disorders would appeal to only a select group of
readers. So... drum roll please.... our group (Kym, Cathy, Andrea,
Amanda, Shelley, Gail, Linda, Colin and Maureen) although divided in our pick,
chose Mason Buttle as the winner of this battle.
Moon Rising on an Octopus
Two strong contenders. Either could be a zombie pick.
Two desperate families, both with absent fathers. Two teenagers in impossible situations.
Did Ed do it? We mostly believe his story. Does it matter? It's his brother Joe's tale
While most of our students can't identify with the level of poverty Zoe faces, her family struggles do hit a bit closer to home than Joe's. Can you believe Zoe's mother? She made us angry, and when you're emotional, you know it's an impactful book. More kids could likely connect to this one than Moonrise; most of us will never be visitors on death row. Maybe that's part of the reason we need to read it though; it offers a unique perspective far beyond our own experiences, especially in Canada.
Although it was close, we have a slight preference for The Benefits of Being an Octopus. We'd also be more likely to recommend it to our students.
Renee, Dianne, Megan
Ottewell Junior High
Ghost Boys and The Prince and the Dressmaker
I saw Emmett Till this
week at the grocery store
Eve L. Ewing
looking over the
plums, one by one
lifting each to his eyes and
turning it slowly, a little earth,
checking the smooth skin for pockmarks
and rot, or signs of unkind days or people,
then sliding them gently into the plastic.
whistling softly, reaching with a slim, woolen arm
into the cart, he first balanced them over the wire
before realizing the danger of bruising
and lifting them back out, cradling them
in the crook of his elbow until
something harder could take that bottom space.
I knew him from his hat, one of those
fine porkpie numbers they used to sell
on Roosevelt Road. it had lost its feather but
he had carefully folded a dollar bill
and slid it between the ribbon and the felt
and it stood at attention. he wore his money.
upright and strong, he was already to the checkout
by the time I caught up with him. I called out his name
and he spun like a dancer, candy bar in hand,
looked at me quizzically for a moment before
remembering my face. he smiled. well
hello young lady
hello, so chilly today
should have worn my warm coat like you
yes so cool for August in Chicago
how are things going for you
oh he sighed and put the candy on the belt
it goes, it goes.
lifting each to his eyes and
turning it slowly, a little earth,
checking the smooth skin for pockmarks
and rot, or signs of unkind days or people,
then sliding them gently into the plastic.
whistling softly, reaching with a slim, woolen arm
into the cart, he first balanced them over the wire
before realizing the danger of bruising
and lifting them back out, cradling them
in the crook of his elbow until
something harder could take that bottom space.
I knew him from his hat, one of those
fine porkpie numbers they used to sell
on Roosevelt Road. it had lost its feather but
he had carefully folded a dollar bill
and slid it between the ribbon and the felt
and it stood at attention. he wore his money.
upright and strong, he was already to the checkout
by the time I caught up with him. I called out his name
and he spun like a dancer, candy bar in hand,
looked at me quizzically for a moment before
remembering my face. he smiled. well
hello young lady
hello, so chilly today
should have worn my warm coat like you
yes so cool for August in Chicago
how are things going for you
oh he sighed and put the candy on the belt
it goes, it goes.
Ghost Boys for the win.
Octopus for Harry Ainlay
This was a difficult choice for our team at Harry Ainlay. Both novels were engaging, however, The Benefits of Being An Octopus won.
Moonrise
This novel will impact readers on various levels. It was an emotional read on many levels: family relationships; poverty; advocating for a brother; the criminal justice system; and the complex idea of hope. The issues we faced in our discussions was the accessibility of the text and the plausibility of the death penalty in a murder with reasonable doubt. We know the author is shedding light on the faults of the criminal justice system. Could that exploration and narrative be stronger? More plausible? Yes and it should be.
Octopus
This novel is accessible to middle year readers. Various topics are approached with nuance, empathy, and integrity. Complex issues arise from this text which make the reader think of their stance and the complexity of the issue. The metaphor of a young girl who takes on a parent role was so fitting as many of the children in our classrooms can relate.
Moonrise
This novel will impact readers on various levels. It was an emotional read on many levels: family relationships; poverty; advocating for a brother; the criminal justice system; and the complex idea of hope. The issues we faced in our discussions was the accessibility of the text and the plausibility of the death penalty in a murder with reasonable doubt. We know the author is shedding light on the faults of the criminal justice system. Could that exploration and narrative be stronger? More plausible? Yes and it should be.
Octopus
This novel is accessible to middle year readers. Various topics are approached with nuance, empathy, and integrity. Complex issues arise from this text which make the reader think of their stance and the complexity of the issue. The metaphor of a young girl who takes on a parent role was so fitting as many of the children in our classrooms can relate.
Moonrise vs. The Benefits of Being an Octopus
Audiobook vs hard copy of a book can , at time, make a difference!
Checking out EPL as soon as I got my titles, I quickly took out the audio version of Octopus, and hated it. Perhaps it is due to me trying to distract myself on the treadmill while listening, but I just could not buy in to the characters, or the plot. The reading level was low, perhaps appealing to grade 4/5 and I can't see my Junior High students sticking through the muck of this book! However, as time goes, my audio copy returned and eventually, I resorted to the hard copy. Through reading the final few chapters on my own, I liked the story and characters a bit more but sadly, I quickly realized that although sad and desperate, Zoey's life will never improve with such negative mentors around her. Even those that should be in her corner, disappoint. Her mother, in an abusive relationship, finally makes one good decision but I was already too far gone in my dislike of all the characters to change my mind. I want to feel bad for Zoey, I really do, but her story is just simply too negative to vote this one through (and yes I know this is a reality for many students/ kids but perhaps my real life students have all my sympathy right now in their struggles)!
Now onto the good stuff!
Moonrise was such a pleasant read. Dealing with the date of your brother's execution while he sits on death row is unimaginable; dealing with an innocent brother on death row is unforgivable. In this heartbreaking story, the reader is taken on a journey with the protagonist to spend time with the brother he barely knows before his impending death. Knowing you' re going to lose someone that you are finally getting to know and that all hope, no matter what you or any one does, is fruitless, grips the reader's attention from the beginning and keeps you hanging on in hopes of redemption. A lovely story, although truly sorrowful, the plot is relevant, appealing, and new.
~Jan Reimer readers
Audiobook vs hard copy of a book can , at time, make a difference!
Checking out EPL as soon as I got my titles, I quickly took out the audio version of Octopus, and hated it. Perhaps it is due to me trying to distract myself on the treadmill while listening, but I just could not buy in to the characters, or the plot. The reading level was low, perhaps appealing to grade 4/5 and I can't see my Junior High students sticking through the muck of this book! However, as time goes, my audio copy returned and eventually, I resorted to the hard copy. Through reading the final few chapters on my own, I liked the story and characters a bit more but sadly, I quickly realized that although sad and desperate, Zoey's life will never improve with such negative mentors around her. Even those that should be in her corner, disappoint. Her mother, in an abusive relationship, finally makes one good decision but I was already too far gone in my dislike of all the characters to change my mind. I want to feel bad for Zoey, I really do, but her story is just simply too negative to vote this one through (and yes I know this is a reality for many students/ kids but perhaps my real life students have all my sympathy right now in their struggles)!
Now onto the good stuff!
Moonrise was such a pleasant read. Dealing with the date of your brother's execution while he sits on death row is unimaginable; dealing with an innocent brother on death row is unforgivable. In this heartbreaking story, the reader is taken on a journey with the protagonist to spend time with the brother he barely knows before his impending death. Knowing you' re going to lose someone that you are finally getting to know and that all hope, no matter what you or any one does, is fruitless, grips the reader's attention from the beginning and keeps you hanging on in hopes of redemption. A lovely story, although truly sorrowful, the plot is relevant, appealing, and new.
~Jan Reimer readers
Monday, February 24, 2020
Moonrise Vs. The Benefits of Being an Octopus
My vote for this round is definitely Moonrise by Sarah Crossan. I found it much more engaging than The Benefits of Being an Octopus. I think this book is suitable for Junior High School students. The short, free verse poems as a way of storytelling would keep them interested. The format reminds me of Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds. We focus mainly on fairness and moral dilemmas for the Language Arts 8 book clubs at my school. This is an area that many grade 8 students are interested in and have an opinion about. I think they would enjoy this as an independent read far more than The Benefits of Being an Octopus. Onto the next round!
A Spotlight on Hopelessness
Holly said sometimes you need a spotlight on hopelessness and that's why she voted for We'll Fly Away. It's also why I hated that book so much. I wanted there to be some hope, I wanted to believe in the bedrock of Luke and Toby's friendship and the mere weeks they had to hold out for their dream. Holly also said it could be a book in a reading ladder with Free Lunch and The Benefits of Being an Octopus. Of course when you get to the top of this ladder it will be pitch dark. Bliss made me care, then he made me really, really mad (just not bar fight mad).
Tammy agrees with me but voted the opposite - which is why I love the Smackdown:
I am voting for I'll Fly Away. Both books provided new characters as well as story lines that were fresh, thoughtful, and, to say the least, deeply disturbing. I didn't like the way either book made me feel but I applaud the willingness of both authors to explore these uncomfortable and ugly topics.
Patron Saints of Nothing had plausibility issues. Specifically, the timeline of 1-2 weeks to solve such an incredibly complex disappearance\murder seemed wrong. I questioned why strangers (the professor) would put themselves in danger for someone they really didn't know; particularly when the penalty may be death. The story line was good but it felt like it needed at least a year to develop the relationships and trust needed to make the events happen.
I'll Fly Away was expertly crafted. I was compelled to keep reading because of the letters. I needed to find out what the seemingly 'more promising' of the two boys had done. I felt that the boy with the stolen car and loser\career criminal father was destined for jail. But the second boy, who had a scholarship (and hence a chance at success) was the one in prison, and then I learned Death row. Wow! What could have happened? I was hooked and that's why it gets my vote.
I don't want to read either book again and I'm not sure I would recommend either book to a student. I still want a story that will inspire and enlighten me. I, too, would like some unicorns and rainbows and for that I will not apologize.
Our remote ABM'er Annabel had this to say:
I kept thinking how delighted Lisa would be at the depth of sadness I felt through reading both these books. Both tackled timely and sensitive topics with grace and thought. The characters all came alive for me and at no time did I feel the situations or actions of the characters were particularly unrealistic. Although I love my books to end up with unicorns and rainbows I knew from the get go with these two novels that an outcome like that would not be in the cards and nor would it be realistic to the plot. Both novels made me think and hopefully would be windows to many students reading them. Hopefully these novels grow compassion and advocacy in equal parts. Ultimately I am voting for Patron Saints of Nothing. Why? Probably because of just how timely this book is; this is a 'right now' book.
Andrew, Ben, Lil, Arlene and I had a great discussion. Ben described how much Patron Saints of Nothing was a mirror into his life and worried if that made his judgement skewed but our preferences always come into our reading experiences and mirrors are for looking into. Andrew found this book to be a window but he enjoyed learning about the political history (social teacher - duh). Lil has been to the Philippines but has also worked with kids whose home lives made We'll Fly Away completely plausible to her. However she found both books to have parts that seemed contrived to her.
In the end we vote: 7 Patron Saints, 2 Fly and Andrea and Angie who can put their thoughts down on a later post.
For anyone doing a deep dive on Smackdown history - yes Andrew and I agreed! Maybe that spotlight is an eclipse!!
We'll Fly Away vs. Patron Saints of Nothing
We’ll Fly Away
We found this book to be very dark, depressing and unrelatable, but also formulaic.
In the last round we read the book Moonrise which was a more beautiful written and thought provoking
story about story of inmates on death row.
In the last round we read the book Moonrise which was a more beautiful written and thought provoking
story about story of inmates on death row.
The plot was predictable, but the characters seemed very unrealistic.
Luke was too good to be true in being the perfect athlete, the full-time caregiver,
a good student, and an excellent friend. Joyce could not stand the twins Jack-Jack and Petey
and found their story to be off-putting and annoying. We have a hard time believing that
no one knew about the abuse that Toby was suffering at the hands of his dad, or that Luke
wouldn’t have gone to his coach for support with anything from his home life, or to help Toby.
Luke was too good to be true in being the perfect athlete, the full-time caregiver,
a good student, and an excellent friend. Joyce could not stand the twins Jack-Jack and Petey
and found their story to be off-putting and annoying. We have a hard time believing that
no one knew about the abuse that Toby was suffering at the hands of his dad, or that Luke
wouldn’t have gone to his coach for support with anything from his home life, or to help Toby.
Patron Saints of Nothing
We all really enjoyed The Patron Saints of Nothing. The novel is appealing and engaging
as the mystery unfolds about what happened to his cousin, and all the systems of oppression
that the Phillipine people are facing under the Drug War. This was something current
that none of us were aware was happening in the Phillipines that made us learn more about.
as the mystery unfolds about what happened to his cousin, and all the systems of oppression
that the Phillipine people are facing under the Drug War. This was something current
that none of us were aware was happening in the Phillipines that made us learn more about.
The characters were realistic and believable. It was wonderful to experience the growth
and change in Jay as he explored and became connected to his culture and family in the
Phillipines. The relationship between Jay and his Uncle was interesting as the Uncle was
a well developed character and you could see the tension being created around him as he
was an upstanding and affluent member of the police force, and the struggle to be an empathetic
father when your son resists the life you lead.
and change in Jay as he explored and became connected to his culture and family in the
Phillipines. The relationship between Jay and his Uncle was interesting as the Uncle was
a well developed character and you could see the tension being created around him as he
was an upstanding and affluent member of the police force, and the struggle to be an empathetic
father when your son resists the life you lead.
The novel is able to realistically capture the immigrant experience.
Our vote is for The Patron Saints of Nothing.
Smackdown the 10th
Round 3
Vanessa, Deb, Norma, Joelle
vs
Ghost Boys The Prince and the Dressmaker
Vanessa: The story behind the Prince and the Dressmaker is lovely and although I appreciate
that storyline, it was a reaaaaallllly short story. For me, it could not hold up to the meat of Ghost
Boys. Ghost Boys was not a five star book for me it’s likely because it is a softer, more
elementary version of the Hate U Give (and I loved the Hate U Give). So although my story is
short, it is not the short story that is moving on. Ghost Boys FTW
Deb: To be completely honest, I didn’t love either of these books. “The Prince and the
Dressmaker” is a book I would have in my classroom and I think it would resonate with some
students, but I didn’t find it to be overly engaging. “Ghost Boys” is my winner this round,
although I wouldn’t say it's my favorite book this year. I do think it is a good read and gives
students an accessible entry into modern day civil rights issues and the historical racism which
paved the way for some of the issues which persist in the present.
Norma: I concur with what Vanessa and Deb wrote. The Prince and the Dressmaker was an
easy read but was just o.k. Ghost Boys was a bit better but I didn’t love it. It was an easy read
but not as compelling as it could have been. It didn’t hold my attention for long periods of time.
Given the choice between these two, my pick to move forward is Ghost Boy.
Joelle: This was totally apples and oranges I thought. The plots were so different, the characters were so different. I loved the Prince and the Dressmaker, read it twice and will probably steal this copy, but I totally agree, it just didn’t have the heft (?) to move the story on. Honestly, it didn’t really have the heft to say anything new or challenging about the ideas behind it either; at least Ghost Boys did that I thought, even if it was quite boring at times. Which was strange because I expected to love Ghost Boys from the premise alone. And I did like it a lot, but it almost didn’t have the ooomphf it needed to compete either. I’ll say Ghost Boys for the win.
Joelle: This was totally apples and oranges I thought. The plots were so different, the characters were so different. I loved the Prince and the Dressmaker, read it twice and will probably steal this copy, but I totally agree, it just didn’t have the heft (?) to move the story on. Honestly, it didn’t really have the heft to say anything new or challenging about the ideas behind it either; at least Ghost Boys did that I thought, even if it was quite boring at times. Which was strange because I expected to love Ghost Boys from the premise alone. And I did like it a lot, but it almost didn’t have the ooomphf it needed to compete either. I’ll say Ghost Boys for the win.
Friday, February 14, 2020
Ghost Boys vs. The Prince and the Dressmaker
Ghost Boys wins in the opinion of our team. It speaks to diverse themes that are important for our students to read and discuss. The book was impactful, relevant and engaging. Social themes were discussed from multiple points of view. And besides that, it had text rather than pictures. :-)
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