The Final Round of Smackdown

 

Time has not shifted. You read correctly. We really feel that this first round is great enough to be our last round. We had to decide between Furia and Punching the Air. Obviously we want whichever book that finishes second to be heavily considered for the zombie pick.

Furia opens a window into Argentina that none of us were familiar with before and, of course, this is one of the very best things reading can do. Andrea was so moved by this feminist story that she started researching this area and introduced the rest of the team to the definition of femicide. Furia is a young girl in a very poor area of Argentina who just wants to play football like all the boys in the neighborhood; like her dad did before an injury cost him his career. Girls are not encouraged to play, not by society at large and certainly not by her dad. This is a feminist tale that holds strong to it's convictions right through to the end.

Punching the Air is a novel in verse written in part by one of the members of the Exonerated Five. Tammy encourages everyone who reads it to read the end notes first. This is a story of a boy who ends up in juvenile detention after a fight between two groups of boys turns into a turf war based on skin color. Some of the poems written by the character Amal were actually written by Yusef Salaam when he was incarcerated. This book was so hard to read. It follows stories we know but want to believe could not happen anymore. Instead we are confronted by examples of systemic racism daily. For a few of our us the depiction of a teacher's role starting in elementary school - reminded us of how influential we can be in forming a student view of themselves.

In the end of course, we smile; knowing we have to make a choice but knowing that we have just had some of the best reading experiences of our entire year!

Oh yeah...Furia for the win!

Round One: Land of the Cranes vs. Indivisible

Land of the Cranes

Indivisible

I am always happy to have preconceived ideas upset. I came into this matchup expecting to choose Indivisible largely because I am not generally a particular fan of books written in verse like Land of the Cranes, however, I was happy to join the consensus of our team and vote for it as it overrode those biases and at times overwhelmed me emotionally. This is not to say that Indivisible is not worthy of reading or passing along, I just found it didn’t click for me, or leave the same impact that Land of the Cranes did. 

Both books tell the stories of young people with undocumented parents, and the challenges that they face when their parent(s) are detained. The protagonist in Indivisible has to grow up too fast, and support his sister when both his parents are taken in, while the protagonist in Land of the Cranes is left alone with her mother at first when her father is detained. Because of the similar content and themes as both stories deal with the challenges of being undocumented in (not explicitly, but clearly) Trump-era America, they make a good pair, but to me, it also made the disparity more clear. 

The plot of Indivisible to me felt quite clear and predictable, and followed the narrative arc I expected early on, while Land of the Cranes may not be wholly unique, it went into directions I didn’t expect that furthered the story and my emotional connection. In particular, I wanted to highlight a few aspects of the writing that stood out to me. Within the book, our protagonist creates picture poems that we see, which do not tell the bulk of the story, but make the choice to write in verse seem like a narrative choice, and not just a stylistic one. The style of writing works throughout the book, but this aspect justified it further to me, and was certainly part of what made me engage with it more deeply. It has a great focus throughout on the ability of writing (in particular her picture poems) to convey feelings that are difficult to communicate. Secondly, the book, as is alluded to in the title, makes great use of an extended metaphor our protagonist inherits from her father about their migratory journey being likened to Cranes. This metaphor is carried throughout the story and her picture poems, and is both impactful, but also would make for a good teaching tool for extended metaphor. Finally, maybe the most powerful aspect of the book, for me at least, was the sensory details in the writing, in particular her description of the emotion attached to scent. 

I have no idea why, as a person who in their real life, has a fairly limited sense of smell, that rarely greatly impacts my life, I often feel the most emotionally connected to writing when sensory details of smell are described. In the case of The Land of the Cranes it is a pillowcase that smells like her father that she carries in various forms throughout the story, but the lengths she goes to save it, and the feeling and memory attached to her smelling it, until it no longer smells like him were very moving for me. 

Overall, team fourteen required fairly minimal deliberation to declare The Land of the Cranes our winner in the first round, and we eagerly await round two!

Ben Severson, Shelley Gosse, April Aitken, Noelle Goudreau, Lisa Landry-Jones

Lore vs. All Thirteen - Apples and Broccoli

 Here we go! We’re the second group mostly out of QE, nearly all first time Smackers. Round 1’s matchup was Lore vs All Thirteen. It’s rare that we see each other in person during the week, mostly due to scheduling/size of our building, but it’s been fun to see one another's reactions in passing in the hallways.

Initially, we were confused….How were we supposed to compare two distinctly different texts? It’s not apples and oranges so much as apples and broccoli....Both are good for you, but they wouldn’t be compared unless it was under some arbitrary match up (like the Smackdown). Naturally, we fell into the trap we warn our students not to do - judging a book by its cover, and/or our preconceived biases about the genre. Lore was the one most of us naturally gravitated towards, with its intriguing Medusa-inspired cover and hints at Greco-Roman myth inspired action yet to come. In a way, it was the more comfortable teen dystopian ‘you know what you’re getting’. Conversely, with All Thirteen, the textbook-like appearance, both in dimensions and - wait, is that colour photos? - was an unexpected pick...and then we found out it was non-fiction. What’s revealing about this is it forced us to confront our own biases with how we approach and select texts, both for ourselves and our students. Us ‘teachers’ were now back in the position of ‘readers’. 

But this blog isn’t like one of those book reports where the student waxes poetic about the cover, and you’re left wondering if they actually read it :) 

Lore fits comfortably within the YA dystopian genre. This is the novel you recommend to kids who liked The Mortal Instruments series/Cassandra Clare books, or The Hunger Games series. However, the twist here is that the characters and their world is embedded in Greco-Roman mythology. On the one hand, this was a fresh twist on the dystopian genre, and the readers in our group with a strong background in the area had a ton of fun seeing familiar gods become more fully developed characters than we often see in their original myths. On the other hand, there are a TON of characters to contend with, and if a reader does not have that background, it’s likely they’ll be significantly less invested in it. Allegory, allusions, the hero's quest - this novel has it all and would pair very well with a mythology unit. Pro’s included a strong female protagonist, a good ‘hook book’ into what’ll likely be a book series and/or movie, and a lot of action (once you get past the halfway point). Con’s included too many characters, too soon, making it difficult to connect to them right away, and half the novel feels like exposition before the ‘payoff’ action sequences (but they are hard hitting and exciting!). General consensus seemed to be that if you were already interested in mythology, this is great...but if not, there are other books awaiting on the shelf.

All Thirteen was an altogether different experience. Layout alone, it presents like a text book geared towards tweens: narrative passages, photos, sidebars, technical detail pages, etc. Initial response was more muted and uncertain - the same skepticism as being forced to read an ‘assigned’ book. Boy were we wrong! All Thirteen follows the harrowing experiences of the Thai boys soccer team trapped in a cave in 2020. Written with a Western audience in mind, what sets it apart is the sensitivity towards Thai culture, and the overall sociocultural context, which it gently instructs its readers. Similarly, the boys are part of a team, but more importantly, individual kids, whom you can’t help but feel invested in. The pictures and site notes really enhance the reader's connection to the text. It would work quite well as a cross-curricular text within science classes. Although at times it gets bogged down in technical details, what could easily have become a dry play by play account (where let's face it, most readers already know the outcome) instead becomes a moving narrative about the power of hope, the importance of the bonds we share to our non-blood families, and faith. In a world where shortly after covid physically isolated us, this one hits particularly strongly about the story of people all over the world coming together with a shared goal. 

 

In conclusion, it was not unanimous, but our winner for the round is All Thirteen. What’s surprising is that when faced with two books on an ersatz shelf (well, the table in the principal’s office with the metaphorical apple and broccoli), this is the one most of us would have ignored due to our own biases towards non-fiction. Lesson learned, and let's go Round 2!

 

It was not a knock-down-drag-out kind of battle. It had the potential. Six voters, evenly split. The truth is, most of us didn't feel strongly enough about our preference to fight for it.

Both of these books were good. Neither was outstanding. 

Nikki Grimes, author of many verse novels, turned her attention to telling her own story in verse in Ordinary Hazards: A Memoir. Her poetry is beautiful. The story of her childhood and adolescence is heavy, filled with periods of darkness. Nevertheless, Grimes finds ways to shine light and to illuminate the power of words and writing. The brevity of her poems allows Grimes to choose just the right words to convey her emotions and memories. Because this is a memoir, there is less of a plot arc than many would have liked. However, the poetry is a powerful vehicle, drawing us to the author and her feelings rather than specific events. Some of us were hooked by the impactful narration.

The graphic novel Snapdragon might get more love in a classroom, especially from young readers. One 11 year-old would-be reviewer grabbed it, devoured it, and gave it two thumbs up. It's approachable. The story is fun. The pace is engaging. There's humour. There's the potential for tears. The magic is unexpected. The art is really well done. Young artists will likely enjoy the sketches in the back showing Leyh's process. There are a few spots with abrupt transitions that create some confusion about who's speaking or when and where we are, but they're not huge problems. Leyh covers a lot of issues (maybe too many? is she trying to tick boxes?): gender identity, queer relationships, interracial relationships, bullying, judging and fearing those who are different, toxic dating relationships, and feelings of not fitting in. Many young readers will be able to find characters or events they can relate to.  

In the end, we went with Ordinary Hazards, though on another day, we might have tipped the other way.

Renée, Kristen, Evelyn, Lynette, Kelly, and Nikki

Back in the Smack: Radium Girls vs. Tune it Out

I’m glad to be back in the Smack after a hiatus of several years! This was a solid first round and while I enjoyed both reads, my vote also goes to Tune it Out.

When I first picked up Radium Girls, I had high hopes that it would be like 2014-pick Bomb, a gripping non-fiction dive into the race to create the atomic bomb. And while Radium Girls had its share of shocks and excitement, I often found myself wanting to quickly just get to the next section as the book felt longer than it needed to be. There were certainly memorable  moments, and I felt compelled to share the story with several friends and colleagues that I encountered in the days following my reading. I appreciated the underlying message of “people before profits” and a new sense of gratitude for OH&S standards and advances on the labour front. I suspect that many students would be excited by the underdog-fighting-for-justice story and moved by some of the more graphic descriptions of the tragically painful illnesses and deaths of the women.

Edit: I just discovered Zorrie, a National Book Award nominated novel about a woman who works at the Radium Dial Company featured in Radium Girls. It looks great! https://www.amazon.ca/Zorrie-Laird-Hunt/dp/1635575362

I should say that I don’t feel like Tune It Out is a far superior read. I chose it to advance because I think that it is a book that more students would be drawn to. I don’t read a ton of middle-grade books these days, but this struck me as fairly typical in its straightforward narrative and characters with just the right amount of complication to be interesting without being morally ambiguous. Family is loving, sometimes disappointing. Teachers and social workers are helpful. Friends are quirky and understanding. Drama class is a place of belonging. Problems always have a solution that is just around the corner. It all felt very wholesome. The representation of sensory processing disorder (SPD) provides an opportunity for readers to understand a form of difference that is often ignored.  The main character’s friend, Well, provides a humorous, if somewhat stereotypical (“the movie stars Bette Middler!”), portrayal of a boy who doesn’t fit the mould of normative masculinity. I liked that the author didn’t feel compelled to explain or resolve his gender or sexual identity but rather allowed him to just exist as he was. Sadly, his side story felt a bit under-developed. My one critique is that at times the narrative voice (and voice of her peers) felt a bit older than 12 (who in grade six is going to work on English essays at a local coffee shop?). I also sometimes wondered if the novel lacked a high-stakes (in the context of a 12 year old’s world) problem that really gave it a narrative thrust. Nevertheless, I could see it holding the interest of many young readers.

Looking forward to reading in round 2!

Round 1: Tune it Out vs The Radium Girls

We had a competent bout between two solid entries: in the blue trunks, Tune it Out by Jamie Sumner - and in the stangely glowing green trunks, The Radium Girls by Kate Moore.  Here's a blow-by-blow (or perhaps glow-by-blow would be more apt given the latter of our fighters).  Both books came out swinging with compelling stories.  But early in the bout, it was clear to this humble judge that Tune it Out already had the advantage, with its longer reach, tighter footwork, and a reliance on skill over shocking slugging. 

Ok, enough with the boxing metaphors.  Overall, I found Tune it Out the better choice for its accessibility, linear plot, and relatable characters.  While the premise of Radium Girls is compelling, and though I found moments that were both shocking and beautiful, it would be more of a niche recommendation for specific students.  

I found the writing style of Sumner's entry to be more consistent in its tone, imagery, and structure.  For me, the memory of ice cream in chapter seven started the rounding of the protagonist's characterization, but it was the look at Sensory Processing Disorder that made the book shine.  The experience on the flight early in the novel and the fire alarm scene later was written with compelling vividness that brought this disorder into the limelight in a wonderful way.  I also enjoyed the character of Well - an  entertainingly fresh and positive character - though his struggle with fatherly acceptance wasn't quite enough to add dimensionality to him.  Though relatively simple, the fact that it doesn't descend into the cliche of the main character being "discovered" keeps the book honest and, combined with its original premise, it becomes a charming enough for any reader.  

On the flipside, Radium Girls' strength is in its historical relevance, and the legacy outlined in the epilogue that makes it just as relevant today in its controversy and comment on "bottom line" of large businesses.  Moore captures the country’s romantic fascination with the miracle of radium, the glamour of glowing dial painters, and WWI prolific use of radium-painted objects like watches, compasses, dials. The image of Mollie Maggie sitting in the dentist chair as her corroded jawbone could be lifted out was shocking, as was her death four months later at twenty-four years old. And that was the overall impact of the book:  the shock value.  From buried reports, to pieces of jaw being admitted into evidence as part of a lawsuit, Radium Girls relies less on character development and consistent writing, and more on the immersive research done for book.

However, there weren't many of the historical figures to whom I felt connected; the names came and went with a relative rapidity that didn't make me feel connected to them, and therefore a disconnection from the story was the result. Then there's Moore's style with an inconsistent tone that ranges from detached and journalistic, to inflammatory and enraged.  Not that the latter wasn't warranted, and granted few students would really be impacted by this tone issue, but it was the lack of consistency that derailed me at times. I didn't feel riveted until part three during the testimony (pieces of jaw placed into evidence), collapse (hearing that her condition was fatal) and determination (bedside hearing) of Catherine Donoghue. It was in these last moments of the book that had me hooked, hoping she would live in time for the compensation to be legally possible. 

But can a handful of moments shining with connection in the final rounds, combined with historical-modern relevance in its footwork, make Radium Girls beat out Tune it Out?  From this judge's point of view, the decision needs to go to the blue trunks. 

We Begin Again!

 Welcome back Smackers! It's the 12th installment of The Mighty Smackdown. Stay tuned for the first bracket deadline on November 19th!