New Kid vs. Field Guide to the North American Teenager

We started this round of books being very familiar with New Kid, although none of us had ever actually read it. It's a book we often recommend to our reluctant readers, with highly positive reviews after. This year I recommended it to one of my more reluctant grade 9s, and he even went on to write an essay about it! Needless to say, my hopes were high, and it didn't disappoint. The art was beautiful and wonderfully interwoven with the story. The main character was relatable and funny, all while raising important issues. My colleagues concurred. They said "I liked the portrayal of his two worlds.  The examples of micro-aggressions that are all-too-familiar, yet so glaringly wrong, could make for interesting conversations with young people.  I like the interplay of the story with Jordan's art.  I LOVE that it is an EASY sell to lots of readers." and "The art is cool and inspiring and the sarcasm is quite clever. There are a lot of hidden meanings that allow for good analysis and discussion.". Overall, it was a very enjoyable read!

The main reason my vote went to New Kid, however, was because I felt Field Guide was problematic. Norris' character was developed to be somewhat unlikeable, intentionally, I think, but I felt that the way his judgemental attitude was created left a lot to be desired. He overtly sexualizes Aarti (he makes a comment about her holding her arms to "make Bs into Cs") and dehumanizes the cheerleaders by referring to all of them by the same name. These events happened early in the novel and just left a bad taste in my mouth that I couldn't shake. Even though he has a redemptive arc in the end (although seriously, his mom was just going to drop her whole career and move back to Montreal??? And then he changed his mind???), I just felt that these particular actions weren't addressed strongly enough by the author. I would hesitate to put this novel in any student's hand, and that was really what put New Kid in the winner's circle for me this round. 

FIGHTING WORDS 

What an amazing story. I’ve read a few of Bradley’s other books and Fighting Words hits the deepest. Della weaves a heartbreaking story of survival and hope that will touch many, many lives. I was incredibly moved by this story; it will stick with me for years. Fighting Words deserves a spot in every junior high classroom. While the content of the novel will be too heavy for some readers, especially in regards to age and reader  maturity - the conversations around consent are essential. Della, encourages Naveah and her friends to find and use their voices to stand up to sexual harassment. While this book should come with several trigger warnings - Fighting Words is an incredible story that too many people should - must - read. The realities of child sexual abuse and parental neglect are discussed delicately in a way that builds the reader up for the heavy conversation to come. Bradley speaks from the heart and from personal experience. She is careful to unravel Della and Suki’s stories slowly with plenty of caution and genuine care and concern for her readers. I can’t say enough about this book! Please put this through to the next round!!! 

 

I have to agree that this novel is a bridge to important conversations; however, I have to say, as a piece of literature it falls short.  I found it simplistic and predictable with very straight-forward, unimaginative writing. None of the beauty of words that make writing special. I would place it in div. 2 for readability, but the content of childhood sexual abuse makes that challenging.  But, that is what makes it accessible for all readers.  This is a book that needs to be read by everyone.  

 

(Karlee)

I found this book incredible. The resiliency Della and her sister show throughout is amazing for their ages and their experiences. I appreciated that it was told from Della’s POV. I can’t quite explain why i felt it was so much more impactful to see it through Della’s eyes- perhaps it is because of the innocence and straightforward way kids can see things. When I explained this book to someone else, I explained how important it is that stories like these be told because of the number of kids who experience trauma like these characters. The relationship between the sisters broke my heart because I could connect with Suki needing to protect her sister. That was such an honest and profound part of their story.  For me this also speaks to the fact that we never really know someone’s experience.

 

I just had a thought. I think this book is important for RIGHT NOW bc kids now are seeing and more exposed to overly and unhealthy sexual and intimate relationships with their continued and often free access to the internet. I think this book can go a long way to reinforcing the message of consent and speaking up when something happens.

 

I agree with Lisa (I think) about how this book would be great for Div. 2 (5’s/6’s) but the sexual abuse is a topic to navigate carefully. Although, I think it IS important for kids that age to know about it because of the shockingly high statistics of childhood sexual abuse, particularly the fact that it is often committed by a trusted adult.   This is a book that needs to be read.  It would be a great read aloud that can be navigated appropriately with the teacher over sensitive issues.  

WHEN THE GROUND IS HARD

This novel was so beautifully written with lovely pacing. I loved how it was specific to its context, but the struggles within are universal and could be found in any middle school. Students would totally connect to this story.

Again, these are stories that need to be told.  The issues of division between white, colour and black in African countries need to be explored.  

I thought this book was beautiful. I think it created a child appropriate way to explain life in another country and the challenges that people face. I appreciate the strong female characters. This story offers sooo many opportunities for incredible discussions: racial divide, difference between cultures, gender roles, female oppression, poverty, judgement, positive friendships, sexual harassment, challenges with peer dynamics, bullying, etc. I really felt that the author “set the scene” without being overly descriptive. It was woven in so well to the story line. 

We all loved both the books, and so again, lent them to some of my avid grade 9 readers, and they both suggested Fighting Words to go through:)

The Ground Was a Little Harder Than We Thought

 

It seems like it has been awhile since I launched into a Smackdown blog without starting with a literal or metaphorical sigh, as prelude to a lot of “Yeah, butting” that usually amounted to, “Here’s all the good things about these books, but we really didn’t like them that much.” I’m happy to report, dear readers, that this was not the case for this round of the smackdown. We had a good old fashioned Smackdown battle on our hands that comes from reading two really good YA books. We actually all started in on Fighting Words together and the texts started flying in short order about what a great book it was. I had somehow missed that this was written by the author of The War that Saved My Life - a book from previous years that I loved - until I had finished the book, but once I realized this I recognized the same attention to detail in those small moments that help us genuinely care about characters. We loved these girls and there was much talk of breaking the fourth wall and just stepping in to adopt them both. We also spoke at some length about how we could get this into the hands of more kids and adults in our school community to allow for a way into an important discussion about how we create safe spaces for kids to talk about what may seem to be unspeakable. If we had a reservation it was perhaps that the tremendous empathy and connection we felt with Della and Suki maybe wasn’t quite matched by the narrative momentum of the novel. The strength of this novel is its tiny moments of grace and love, and I don’t think any of us emerged from the novel feeling critical about the lack of narrative sweep,   . . .but then we read When The Ground is Hard. 

 What can I say? Malla Nunn’s novel is every bit as moving and nuanced as Fighting Words, but it is also both carefully crafted and beautifully written. This is a passage from the final pages of the novel:

 

I imagine Mother in the crosshairs of Bosman’s rifle. A girl alone, singing to blunt the sense of danger that lurks in the forests and the tall grass. A girl alone, singing to let the world know she is alive and well, and to come to look for her if her song ever stops.

 Even if you haven’t read the novel yet, this small passage will give you a sense of the poetry it contains and the continued interplay between beauty and danger that runs throughout the book. If you have read it, you’ll recognize this as just one of numerous passages that sets timeless themes in a very specific physical space. This book is a wonder and I’m excited for you to read it and it is our choice to go through.

 Breaking news: The votes are in and When The Ground is Hard lost by two votes. If you are looking for another book to read to complicate your Zombie selection, I’d encourage this to be the one. 

 

Zoe Didn’t Make Us (all) Clap!

As is now becoming the norm we met (virtually) and argued (with passion) and came to (another) close decision.     

In our own words here is our debate:  

Most passionate quote: “If you don’t vote for Zoe your next bake will burn!” 

Most ‘sitting on the fence’ quote: “I didn’t love either book, but they were both fine.” 

Most ‘thoughtful’ quote: “I can’t vote for a book I don’t support the premise of and don’t want children to emulate.” 

Most ‘puzzling’ quote: “It makes me wonder, how often does this happen?” 

Most ‘insightful’ quote: “It makes you think about what it’s like to be a young woman in different cultures.  It makes you think about how where you are born affects your choices.” 

Most ‘we all agree’ quote: “You can’t give Clap to all kids.”  

For Zoe:  

“This book explores the injustices in incarceration for younger readers.” 

“I read it in one sitting, I was committed to the story, it was engaging.” 

“I liked it because I like cupcakes!” 

“It is a great book for social justice issues and the ending wasn’t too neat.  I liked that it used an epilogue.” 

For Clap: 

“It makes you think about immigrant families and what they leave behind.  It was a page turner.” 

“It was compelling the first time, but I wasn’t hooked the second time I read it.” 

“It hits so many issues!” 

“This was the better written book.” 

“I loved it, I read it fast, but it wrapped up too neatly.” 

“I was often confused about which of the sisters was speaking but it came to me that maybe the author wanted it that way?  Somehow, they were so far apart and yet so close together and both so confused.  I did not want to say that until I heard someone else say they had trouble figuring out who was speaking also! I still loved this book because it was a new issue to me.”  

Overall, it was another great discussion with Clap coming out on top : Ben, Arlene and Holly were sitting with Zoe at her desk while Andrea, Dia, Sarah, Lisa, Tammy, and I were clapping as we landed.   

- Arlene on behalf of Annabel

 

Team 1

Stand on the Sky (Erin Bow) vs This Place: 150 Years Retold  (Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm)

                                    

Smackdown at its finest~ We have a tie right down to the 11th hour and are waiting with baited breath to see where the last three votes will be allotted. 

The consensus was that both books have a place on the bookshelf and could easily be recommended to students; in fact, they should be.

Here's bits about what some said about This Place:

I voted for This Place because of the variety of stories included. The authors and illustrators provide much needed representation and the fact that it’s a graphic novel is obviously a plus. (Caitlin)

 It’s important to start to fill in the gaps that exist in the Canadian consciousness about the Treaties, when they were made, what was promised, and how things have gone from there. (Erin)

 ... incredible visuals, the background to each story, and the historical narratives it told. (Lynette)

 I think this text affords us the possibility to discuss the intersection of print and visual text with students, and the varying complexities in the narratives allow us to discuss the “how?” and “why?” of authorial choice.  ... pages that inspire classroom discussions about craft and style and aesthetic effect (I’ve already built a “Form Informing Content” commentary assignment for pages 132/133). (Brad)

 It will definitely have a place in my teaching of Grade 9 Social moving forward. (Renee)

This graphic novel is an essential read for all Canadians - not just our youth. This Place is a celebration of truth, resiliency and story-telling from a perspective that is often slogged by systemic racism. (Isaac)

It is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel told in short stories. (Amine)

The font is difficult to read and I am not sure how many young people will persevere and push through it, however, it is an important collection of essential stories. (Gisele)

Here's pieces about what some said about Stand on the Sky:

Stand on the Sky seems like a straightforward read, and the characters are certainly relatable for younger readers. That said, Bow makes many artful choices and weaves thoughtful motifs throughout that contribute to deeper understanding. Her narrative style drew me into their world that was both unforgiving and beautiful (and not just because we’re colder than Antarctica in Alberta right now.). (Carrie)

Did I mention there were horses?  There’s nothing like a great horse story.  The imagery created with Aisulu racing to beat the impending storm was incredible, right down to the description of the kids using the horse blankets to create a shelter while the horses huddled together to weather the storm. (Kym)

 And now a word from our sponsor ... Take it away, Suanne.

One little tidbit I discovered is Erin Bow, author of Stand on the Sky, lives in Canada. Another interesting fact is that she is a physicist (shout out to Women and Girls in Science!), poet and novelist. Kenneth Oppal just picked Stand on the Sky as his next #ReadCanadian Day pick.

  I appreciated that this “feels” like a big book for older readers, but it’s written simply so that a student who may be below grade level can get it. Although the author isn’t from this culture, I think she must have done some research before doing this book. Maybe it could inspire other authors actually from this group to tell their own authentic stories.... (Brandy Lee)

It is definitely written for a younger audience, and there were missed opportunities to develop themes. My concern with this text is the “researched voice” of the author. (Shelley)

The courage that many of the characters exhibited resonated with me and it is meant for a younger audience... I think it is a worthy read. (Maureen)

So, there are some thoughts from Team 1. Looks like you will have to wait for Part Two before we declare a winner.

Part Two: At the stroke of midnight we declare Stand on the Sky as the book moving on to the next round.

Apparently there is a Part Three: We have had a voter flip (just wondering if Brad contacted any of you...hmmmm) so our official winner and the book moving to the next round is This Place.

 Team DS Mackenzie 

This was a tight race!! In fact, it came down to a tie breaker vote. Ultimately, From The Desk of Zoe Washington took our winning spot. "Zoe" is an accessible read for most junior high students which appealed to us as it allows some important topics to be covered without heavy reading. The struggle that Zoe faces when faced with the reality that the justice system is not always fair to those that look like her, and the fact that she may have lost all of these years with her father due to a corrupt justice system, are heartbreaking. Yet, the book is written with a certain lightness. Zoe's drive and determination to make in the culinary world mixed with her somewhat innocent fight with her best friend, keep the book feeling "young" and approachable. With that being said, some of us may have shed some tears, especially towards the end as Zoe gets to know her father and eventually finds out whether he is innocent. 

Since it was such a close call though, we can't ignore the beauty of Clap When You Land. Another great read, that felt authentic, gritty at times, raw, and certainly pulled us in from the start. The only downfall is we felt it had a more narrow audience than "Zoe". 

  vs 

Team Sweet Grass:

We met, we discussed, mics were dropped, gauntlets were thrown but in the end our vote goes to Field Guide to the North American Teenager over New Kid.  

What we learned is that we, as a group, are not fans of the graphic novel and not growing up with them we struggled with a lack of character and story development. We also know that most of us just read the words and moved over the pics quickly.  Until Jon talked about some of the symbolism in the books and how profound it was, most of us missed it.  And while we are not the “new generation” we wonder how many of our kids are missing it, too.  Was it a book we could put in our elementary library and is a book we want kids to read? Yes, and it’s in the library and the kids are reading it. 

Was it the better of the two books...depends on what you are looking for.  Some of us were reading to find books we could use in class, some were reading just to get personal enjoyment, some were reading to find books for our own kids.  Jon said Field Guide was better but then went on to defend NK  (almost to the death) as the book to move on because he felt it had more purpose.  

While we all acknowledged that FG was predictable, and had characters we loved and hated equally, there was a John Hughes movie appeal to it.  We knew what was going to happen but the ride along the way was still interesting and engaging.  Emily flat out despised Norris but wanted to know more about the supporting cast.  Jon, who is from the States, assured us that Norris would, in fact, be called “Canada” by his peers.  Predictable? Yes, delightful..also yes. Could it go in an elementary library? No.  So there you have it - the elementary school chooses the book that could not be used with it’s students.  As Mel says, it really was choosing apples over oranges so just depends on the fruit you prefer.