THE UNDERNEATH by Kathi Appelt
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Appelt, K. 2008. THE UNDERNEATH.
New York,
NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 978-1-4169-5058-5
2. PLOT SUMMARY:
A pregnant calico cat is abandoned by her
family, but finds comfort in the companionship of a lonely hound chained to a
tree in the backwaters of the bayou. These two become an unlikely family who
work together to raise their mismatched family. This family must stay safely in
the underneath though for fear of Gar-Face. Unfortunately, not everyone follows
the rules, and the whole family is put at risk.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
Appelt
has created a piece with the most extraordinarily interesting characters. We
care deeply for the protagonist and her family, while our curiosity for the
alter plot with grandmother remains alive. We are reassured often of the books
fantastical nature with each story plot as well.
The
plot is extremely creative and keeps the reader engaged. Two characters with in
the story find themselves on journeys to accomplish a task. On these journeys, they
both run into many obstacles along the way. Some that nearly cost them their lives.
The
setting is well researched, and the reader is provided with an opportunity to
learn about the Caddo people while reading this novel. The description of the
bayou and all the creatures with in the ecosystem will engage the reader and make
them feel as if they are traipsing through the bug ridden backwoods while caked
in mud. The transition between the two paralleled stories becomes foggy
sometimes towards the end of the novel, but for the most part the time and
place remain clear to the reader.
Many
common themes that are known to transcend time and place are found within the paralleled
stories of this novel. We see the basic theme of good vs evil whenever Grandmother
and Night Song are mentioned or anytime Gar Face comes into the scene. Love is
more important than power, especially an evil power, is a theme easy to spot
when the story focuses on the misfit family of pets living in the underneath
and the relationship between Grandmother and Night Song.
The
author’s poetic style with in some portions of the novel can come off as
unclear and confusing, but for the most part, her style of writing is clear and
consistent. The fantasy portion of the novel that involves Grandmother can appear
to be somewhat unbelievable, but is made to be more believable when the
traditions and beliefs of the Caddo people are uncovered.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
·
Newbery
Honor Book
·
National
Book Award Finalist
·
Booklist says this tale is “a rare example of youth fantasy with
strong American underpinnings.”
·
Cynthia Kadohata, Newbery Medal-winning author of Kira-Kira
says "The Underneath is as enchanting as a hummingbird, as
magical as the clouds."
·
The Los Angeles Times calls THE UNDERNEATH “An extraordinary tale
of epic scope.”
·
Horn Book Magazine raves “[A] fine book…most of all distinguished
by the originality of the story and the fresh beauty of its author’s voice-a
natural reading aloud.”
·
Louis Sachar, Newbery Medal-winning author of Holes calls THE
UNDERNEATH "A mysterious and magical story; poetic yet loaded with
suspense."
5. CONNECTIONS
·
Have
the students’ research bayous
and compile a report.
·
The
majority of this story is told through the eyes of the creatures. Have the
students create a piece telling a story through the eyes of an animal of their
choosing.
·
Have
the students’ research the Native American group called the Caddo who lived in East
Texas and Louisiana. Encourage the children to focus on the traditions and
beliefs of this group.
·
The
mother hound is initially attracted to the lonesome song sung by the hound.
Have the students create their own song lyrics based upon an emotion of their choosing.
·
The
mythology of certain animals such as the humming bird is discussed in the book.
Have the children research the mythology of certain selected animals, creating
and illustrating a report.
SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Anderson,
L. 1999. SPEAK. New York, New York: Penguin Putnam Inc.
ISBN:
0-14-131088-X
2. PLOT
SUMMARY:
Abandoned by her friends for calling the cops at
an end of summer party, Melinda becomes isolated and hated by everyone in
school. She works through her feelings and eventually comes into her own.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The main character is extremely identifiable to a young adult reader.
The reader is able to empathize with the main character and is easily able to
relate to her pain. The main character,
Melinda, grows in her strength and individuality, and the reader is able to
make a text to self-connection while reading. The language of the book is
believable and can with stand time.
The plot is extremely realistic and believable to the reader. The events
that take place within the book could potentially occur in the reader’s real
life, and help the reader identify with the main character and her plight. The
plot is logical for the most part. The only portion that may seem a bit forced
occurs toward the end when Melinda’s attacker actively seeks her out again and
she is conveniently rescued in the nick of time.
The setting should not anchor this novel to a particular time period.
The setting is a generic high school in a generic city. The setting is vague
enough too possible remain relevant through the years. The main character
struggles with her parent’s divorce and feelings of isolation with in her
school which are common struggles of the typical teen.
The most popular themes of the contemporary realistic novel are present
in this tale. The main character struggles with finding her own identity, her awkward
transformation into adulthood, and finally understanding her place with in
different groups. These themes emerge naturally as we learn more about Melinda
and her feelings.
The author’s style is evident in her writing. She has believably disguised
her writing as the words of a real life American teenager. The thoughts and
dialogue of the main character are written so that it is believable to the reader.
4. REVIEW
EXCERPT(S)
·
Michal L. Printz Honor Book
·
The Library Journal calls
SPEAK “A story told with acute insight, acid wit, and affecting prose.”
·
Booklist says “Melinda’s voice is
distinct, unusual, and very real as she recounts her past and present
experiences in bitterly ironic, occasionally even amusing vignettes. . . .
Melinda’s sarcastic wit, honesty, and courage make her a memorable character
whose ultimate triumph will inspire and empower readers."
·
Kirkus Reviews says it
is “A frightening and sobering look at the cruelty and viciousness that pervade
much of contemporary high school life, as real as today’s headlines. . . . The
plot is gripping and the characters are powerfully drawn . . . a novel that
will be hard for readers to forget.”
·
Publishers Weekly states
that “In a stunning first novel, Anderson uses keen observations and vivid imagery
to pull readers into the head of an isolated teenager. . . . Yet Anderson
infuses the narrative with a wit that sustains the heroine through her pain and
holds readers’ empathy. . . . But the book’s overall gritty realism and
Melinda’s hard-won metamorphosis will leave readers touched and inspired.”
·
The School Library Journal says “Melinda’s
pain is palpable, and readers will totally empathize with her. This is a
compelling book, with sharp, crisp writing that draws readers in, engulfing
them in the story.”
·
The Horn Book calls
SPEAK “An uncannily funny book even as it plumbs the darkness, Speak
will hold readers from first word to last.”
5. CONNECTIONS
·
Invite guest speakers to talk with the
students about rape and sexual assault.
·
Discuss
the importance of the closet to Melinda. Have the children write about a possible
safe place they may have that can be compared to Melinda’s closet at school.
·
Just
as Melinda’s art class did, have students pick objects out of a bowl for their
very own art project. Discuss the importance the art project may have had to
Melinda, and encourage students to continue working on their art projects
outside of class for extra credit.
- Divide
the class into four discussion groups. Provide each group with a “marking
period” (1st
Marking Period: Fall, 2nd Marking Period: Winter, 3rd
Marking Period: Deep Winter and 4th Marking Period: Spring).
Each group will discuss their opinions and finding for each marking period
and present their findings with the class.
LUNCH LADY AND THE CYBORG SUBSTITUTE by
Jarrett J. Krosoczka
5.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Krosoczka,
J. 2009. LUNCH LADY AND THE CYBORG SUBSTITUTE. New York, NY: Random House Inc.
ISBN: 978-0-375-84683-0
2. PLOT SUMMARY:
Having always wondered about their
school’s lunch lady, Hector, Terrence, and Dee take it upon themselves to
uncover the truth. The three children soon discover that their lovable lunch
lady and her sidekick Betty lead a way more exciting life than they expected.
The group soon teams up with a plan to fight crime.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
Any elementary aged child would be
able to easily identify with the brave children found in Krosoczka’s graphic
novel, LUNCH LADY AND THE CYBORG SUBSTITUTE. Readers will enjoy imagining
themselves as brave and heroic as Hector, Terrence, and Dee are. The lunch lady
as well is a strange character, but students can relate to her desire to fight
crime and stop the bad guys.
The plot is believable enough within
the realm of fantasy. The reader understands that these events could not happen
in real life, but the events flow naturally with in the plot so that they are
not too farfetched. The plot is extremely interesting and the reader will enjoy
reading about all the high tech kitchen gadgets. The plot reveals a quick paced
story with lots of action and comedy.
The setting is very easy to picture because
this form of writing includes a lot of pictures. The reader is able to use the
pictures to help effectively understand the plot and humor of this piece.
The main theme of good vs evil is
clearly evident in this action packed super hero novel. The good guys are easy
to spot, and the bad guys are too. The author uses language that the reader is
sure to understand, and any nonsensical words do not need an in depth
explanation. The language and sound effects are consistent throughout the piece
creating a natural flow.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
·
Booklist
say “Little details invite and reward repeat readings with visual as
well as verbal punning.”
5. CONNECTIONS
·
Check out this website: http://www.lunchladycomics.com/index2.html
·
Provide the children the opportunity
to create their own comic book strip/series based on a character of their choosing.
Encourage the children to choose a mundane character with an exciting alter
ego.
·
Have students write about substitutes
they have had in the past. Have any been as horrible as the Cyborg Substitute? What
qualities do they like best in a substitute.
·
Have students create a piece sharing
what they would do with a robot of their own. Would they use it for evil? For
good? What would they call their robot?
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