LSSL 5385 Book Blog- Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood

Satrapi, M. (2008). Persepolis: the story of a childhood. London: Vintage Books.

Summary:

Persepolis is the memoir of author, Marjane Satrapi. Using a graphic novel format, she describes her childhood in Iran during the late 1980’s. She is the outspoken daughter of a wealthy, progressive family and struggles with her opposing views of tradition such as wearing a veil, during the revolution. As social injustice wages around her, she suffers through the execution of her uncle Anoosh and finds that she does not agree with the same beliefs of her government. Her family must be secretive with their beliefs and even send Marjane away to Vienna after an incident at school, fearing for her life. Marjane struggles to fit in there too, but her outspoken nature does not go away. She eventually returns to Iran and the revolution continues to wreak havoc on the world around her. After being forced to leave for good, she finds that home isn’t always where you belong.

Connections:

I think Marji’s character is very relatable and a lot of readers would see themselves in her outspoken, rebellious ways. She shows the importance of standing up for yourself despite oppression. The reader watches Marjane find herself despite living in a war-torn country. The graphic novel makes this book easier to follow, while it shows the reality of what life was like in Iran in the 80’s. The simplistic black and white images add to the childlike point of view of Marjane. The strong theme of oppression takes the reader on a journey through cultural differences from one country to another. Keeping in mind that it is important for books to reflect cultural diversity, this book would be a good choice to promote empathy and appreciation of our differences. YA literature centers around contemporary issues, and while this story plays out in the 80’s, both class and social equality are still current issues plaguing society.

**Required YA novel

Book Trailer:

Books with similar themes to Persepolis: 

Eisnar, Will. (2005.) The contract with God trilogy: life on Dropsie Avenue. W.W. Norton & Company.

Spiegelman, Art. (1986).The complete maus. Penguin Books.

LSSL 5385 Book Blog - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian

Alexie, S. & Forney, E. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. New York, NY: Little, Brown, and Company.

Summary:

Told from the point of view of fourteen year old Arnold, or Junior as he’s called, this story details his experiences living on a Spokane Indian reservation.  Due to alcoholic parents, he was born with brain damage and his chances of leaving the reservation were small. With poverty and alcohol getting in the way of most people living on the reservation, Arnold dreams of attending Reardan High, an all white high school, off of the reservation. Despite initially encountering bullying and fearing he wouldn’t fit in, he finds himself on the varsity basketball team. While trying to find his way with all of these new changes, his best friend Rowdy starts ignoring him and his sister leaves home. Arnold is forced to face his best friend Rowdy on the basketball court, which ends with a victory. Even though things seem to fall apart around him after that, Junior finds that his and Rowdy’s friendship is stronger that adversity.

Connections:

This story was heart wrenching as you can’t help but feel the pain that Junior experiences. I think it was smart of Sherman to use first person point of view because it makes the reader feel as if they are right there watching the events unfold. Even though this book is considered YA, some of the undertones, language, and situations in the book are more adult in nature. For example, Junior is forced to deal with the tragic deaths of family members along with his alcoholic parents. In the textbook, it mentioned a New Adult category being from ages 18-30. In a perfect world, this book would be more appropriate for the low end of this age range. However, these are issues that many young adults have faced, making this book a good pick for YA (13-18.) A strong theme of perseverance is evident and the main character, Junior, is easy to connect with as he keeps trying to get ahead despite his world falling apart around him.

**Required YA novel

Book Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXCSwsBlWZo

Other titles by Sherman Alexie:

Ten Little Indians

Reservation Blues

The Toughest Indian in the World

Teaching Ideas:

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plans/teaching-content/absolutely-true-diary-part-time-indian-storia-teaching-guide/  (Educator’s Guide)

LSSL 5385- Ch 10 Summary & Reflection

Historical Fiction

In the eyes of students, the term historical is subjective. They might not really have the schema to understand what historical means. Historical fiction is not a popular pick amongst young readers, so it is important that we make sure they are exposed to this genre. There are important things to consider when choosing historical fiction to share with young readers. The historical connections should fit in with the story to help the readers understand. Historical fiction is a fictional story with historical elements.

Historical accuracy is another thing to consider. If the text is not consistent with the time period, it will not make sense. In addition, the gender roles, clothing, and dialect should all fit in with the time period. Finally, even though it’s set in the past, the material should still be relevant to today’s readers. The overall theme should be a relatable idea and clear.

Chapter 10 Reflection

Although the text notes that the word historical can be complicated, with my elementary students, I would discuss examples and non-examples. That was helpful in deciding what fit into that genre. When choosing books, we look at the story line first. The historical elements do not carry the story, they enhance the authenticity. If the book is not enjoyable, the kids won’t read it.

LSSL 5385- Ch 9 Textbook Summary & Reflection

Poetry

A common misconception is that poetry is a genre, when in fact, it is not. It is actually just a format in which text is presented. Poetry itself can be found in a variety of genres.  There are important considerations to make before helping choose poetry for students. To begin with, poetry should be relatable to the reader. Is it something that they will understand. For example, some poetry is more abstract and might not be suitable depending on the student’s development. Rhyme and rhythm are important for early readers of poetry as well.

Accessible imagery is also a key component when choosing poetry for kids. Visualization is important to ensure understanding. The use of imagery should also be age appropriate and add to the reader’s experience. Rhythm guides students through the poem and helps them understand the beat. Teaching meter is not a necessary component for younger readers. Figurative language plays a big role in most poetry. Kids have been taught similes and metaphors throughout school, so those are easier to grasp. However, some literary devices like allegory and allusion are not commonly referred to.  

My upper elementary students have always loved reading poetry. They really get into the beat and enjoy the humorous poems the most. They love to read it out loud, find the rhythm, and analyze it, both independently and with a group. I usually begin with having them work in groups because some poetry can be more abstract, so it helps to collaborate.

LSSL 5385- Ch 8 Textbook Summary & Reflection

Awards

Each year, awards are awarded to YA books in a various categories.  While many are named after people or organizations, others are based on categories/genres such as graphic novels, mystery, poetry, historical fiction, fiction nonfiction, and audiobooks.  The criteria also includes focus on people groups such as:  reluctant readers, self-awareness, new voices in YA, diversity of the world,  Latino culture, Native American, and African American culture, and people with disabilities.  A majority of the  lists are updated every year, but several cover greater expanse of time and therefore update once every five years. Some titles can receive multiple awards and end up appearing on more than one list.

One of the awards that I think is most beneficial is the Reader's Choice Award. Readers are able to cast votes and help determine the winners annually. This would be a good go-to list that will allow librarians to choose books that their readers want to read.

I also found the Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers to be a very helpful list. This can be a good list to help narrow down choices. There are a variety of ways to utilize the list, including current nominees, past winners, and series.

Chapter 8 Reflection

Libraries should reflect the community they serve so it is important that librarians carefully consider the books they select for their collections. For example, if the school has a high Native American population, it would be important to include a variety of these books, along with books celebrated for their content. We have learned that it is important for students to see themselves with the books they read. In order to accomplish this, librarians should be up to date with the most current lists to keep their collection relevant to their community’s needs. This will also assist them in matching books to readers, ensuring students find books they can relate to in one way or another.

LSSL 5385- Ch 7 Textbook Summary & Reflection

Literary Elements

In this chapter, we see a variety of literary devices, detailed definitions, and examples. Literary devices are used to convey meaning in clearer way. When used correctly, these devices should help provide clarification for the reader, to better understand the content. Understanding literary devices is crucial to being able to read analytically.  It can help readers understand varying types of literature.  

Antagonist - person or force that works against the hero (protagonist) of the story

Allegory - figure of speech that describes abstract ideas/principles in terms of characters or events Allusion - reference to a well known person, place, event, literary work or work of art. Archetype - typical character or situation that represents universal patterns in human nature

Character - one of the people or animals in the story

Conflict - the problem or struggle within the story (Person v. Person, Person v. Self, Person v. Society, Person v. Nature)

Deus ex machina - an implausible or divine character is introduced into a story line with the purpose of resolving the conflict

Hyperbole - exaggeration for emphasis or humor

Imagery - words/phrases that appeal to the reader’s senses (allows visualization)

Metaphor - comparing two things that are not necessarily similar; does not use ‘like’ or ‘as’

Motif - idea, element, subject, or concept with symbolic significance that contributes to the development of the theme

Mood And Tone - the feeling a piece of literature is meant to invoke in the reader

Plot - the action (events) that make up the story

Protagonist - main character in the story  

Point of view - perspective from which the story is told

Setting - frame of time and place of the story

Theme - overall message of the story; truism that can be applied beyond the text

Simile - comparison of two things that are similar, using ‘like’ or ‘as’

Symbolism - use of symbols to represent ideas that give meaning; not a literal meaning

Chapter 7 Reflection

I feel very familiar with these terms because I have taught ELA for ten years. Some of them are more common than others. For example, simile and metaphor are used in every ELA classroom. However, terms like allegory, allusion, and deus ex machina are rarely seen. These literary devices are helpful in understand more complex text. Once familiar with these terms, readers can see a variety of texts in a different way.

LSSL 5385- Ch 6 Textbook Summary & Reflection

Adolescent Development

Adolescent development is a big change and can get in the way of a kid’s everyday life. It is important that students have access to books that reflect what they are going through. YA lit can show them that the things that are happening to their bodies are normal. Seeing themselves in a character can be very reassuring. Piaget noted that students go from sensory-motor thinking to concrete.  Next, they move from concrete to abstract thinking, starting at age 14. Due to these changes, consider questions that you ask students. They might need scaffolding to help guide them to the right books. Some books are concrete while other are more abstract, so if the student is not developmentally ready, it can be a hindrance. If a student is still in the mode of concrete thinking, they might struggle with more abstract books. In addition, learning to get along with peers does change as they become adolescents. At first, they spent time with those closest to them, but now they will look for peers that share common interests. Since some kids develop at different rates, this can affect their relationship with their peers if they are not in that same mode of thinking. At this stage, they also become more aware of the differences between the sexes. Understanding work for pay also takes place, as kids start to recognize the connection between earning something for work that is done. Relationships with family can also change during this stage as kids start questioning authority figures, including parents. They begin considering their future careers based on their interests and goals and are learning to get used to their ever changing bodies. Finally sex roles start to become defined, which can be limiting depending on society.

Kids become to understand pre-conventional level of morality, which means reward vs punishment. Conventional means following rules whether others are around or not, while pre-conventional means following rules when others are watching. Post-conventional morality means thinking of others and the situation at hand before deciding to follow the rules. This morality supercede the laws, and is often considered civil disobedience. Kids struggle to understand the post-conventional level of morality because they are taught to always follow the rules. Maslow’s hierarchy details the levels of need based on their importance to adolescents. The first need is physiologically. Safety both at home and in the classroom is important to kids at this stage as well because they are trying to find their place among society. Finally, esteem and self-actualization top the hierarchy. Kids need to feel like individuals and important.

Chapter 6 Reflection

This chapter was enlightening because I didn’t realize that the abstract thinking stage actually began around age 14. I used to teach seventh grade reading and noticed that there were definitely some kids that struggled with some more complex text that I thought should fit in their age range. While I knew that students development depended on a lot of factors, I didn’t think that they just weren’t in that stage yet. Similar to the video, I thought this stage of abstract thinking started around age 12. I did carefully consider the content of the books as I guided my readers, but now I understand that more scaffolding would have been beneficial.

LSSL 5385 01 Textbook Reflections Ch 1-5

Textbook Summaries Ch 1-5

Amongst many educational reasons to share literature with children, the most important is that it’s fun. It leads to more reading, which is the goal of literacy; building lifelong readers. Current research supports that reading fiction develops empathy. It allows the reader to connect with the characters and life events. Reading through a series can open the door to many other authors and genres, building literacy. Reading ladders are an effective tool to help guide students to find upcoming reads. It also facilitates vocabulary development. Studies show reading twenty minutes a day is directly related success.

Through literature, students can read autobiographical stories that lets them see themselves in characters. It encourages diversity and celebrates our differences. In addition, literature also shapes students’ views on big topics like abortion, sex, and finding self. Reading aesthetically facilitates a more personal experience with the text. The reader is able to delve deeper into the text to find meaning and gain understanding. Literature provides opportunities for readers to experience empathy, vicarious experiences, diversity, and it builds imagination.

Children's literature (0-8) includes picture books, easy readers, and some chapter books. Middle grade and tween incorporates graphic novels. Middle grade and middle school are two different ranges (11-13). Middle school books deal with tougher issues, geared more towards thirteen and older, whereas middle grade doesn’t necessarily include some of the more controversial topics. There is some iffy middle ground between middle school and young adult. Some topics, while considered young adult (13-18), might still be inappropriate for younger readers. New adult, appearing in 2009,  is aimed at 18-30 range. Its range can be from young adults leaving to college and even the older end of the YA spectrum.

Chapter three was a prime example of efferent reading. Within that chapter, the parts of a book were broken down from the well known end papers, to the case wrap. The diagram presents information from the inside, out. A vocabulary section is provided to help the reader understand verbage. While this text isn’t directly related to the other four chapters, it was interesting to find out names for things that I didn’t know had names. It shows that a lot goes into the making of books.

Genre has become a somewhat confusing word to our students. It basically breaks down into fiction and nonfiction, with subcategories. Within the fiction genre, is realism, which includes realistic, modern, contemporary, and historical. It then branches into fantasy, which contains modern and traditional.  Nonfiction is not as large, but branches off into informational, which then branches into biography, autobiography, memoir, narrative nonfiction, and expository nonfiction.  The confusion comes from the term genrefying in itself. Libraries of this nature are not organized by genre, by rather by topic such as: sports, mystery, war, and horror. Libraries can also sort by format, adding to the confusion. It’s important for students to understand that poetry, drama, graphic novels, and picture books are not genres; they are formats. These divisions are important to know in order to maintain an appropriate collection for your readers. Understanding that some books might fall in between two divisions can prevent a lot of issues. For example, a middle school book might not be appropriate for a middle grade student because some of the content might be more appropriate for an older reader.

I have seen the popularity of young adult literature grow significantly. It is geared towards a younger reader and is centered around contemporary issues. The protagonists are not dependent on others, and the brevity of the time period prevents full development of the characters.  These books show the relationship between actions and consequences, highlighting adolescent development. The main characters face a major life event, yet experience gradual growth.

Reflections

Sharing literature with children is the greatest gift we could give them. Some of my fondest memories as a kid involve reading books. For me, it was all about vicarious experiences. I could see myself in the characters and traveling to crazy places. I also agree that literature builds empathy. Within the classroom, I incorporated character development through literature on a regular basis and additionally when a teachable moment presented itself. Using fiction, with characters the students could relate to, to teach empathy, allowed the students to see the events in action or as a sort of role play. It gave them some background knowledge for what appropriate actions and words would look like. Show rather than tell has always been a more effective way to teach students.

When considering genre in the elementary library, it is important for students to be able to find the books they are wanting. The argument for genrefying claims to be the answer. While it might aid some students to quickly locate subjects, I think it can also be confusing because just like with DDC, some books might fall into more than one category. For example, What if I had Animal Ears? could technically fall into fiction and nonfiction. Organizing a library by topic or format allows for too much subjective thought and might prevent a student from finding books, which negates the purpose of a library. In addition, consistency within the library is very important for transient learners. In my library, I have included topic specific signage on the shelves to help the students navigate through the non-fiction. On the signs, I included both words and pictures to facilitate comprehension. This enables me to help students learn the sections within Dewey more thoroughly, and ensures that they will be able to successfully navigate other libraries that are not genrefied.

Successfully matching readers with books is crucial to cultivating a love for reading in students. In order to accomplish this, educators should understand adolescent development and use this information to guide students. I remember those years being such a struggle because you aren’t quite a kid, and you aren’t an adult. While some students might relate to some books, others may relate to something completely different. When choosing books, it is key to take into consideration the needs of your population. It is important for students to see themselves reflected in the books. The developmental stages directly affect interests and what type of literature the reader will relate to. The issues addressed could range from single parent families, tragedies, friendship, and sex. As noted in chapter one, literature also shapes the reader’s views, so when choosing books, their personal views will also have an impact on their choices. As a librarian, I will use this knowledge to guide my book selections. I will make sure to include books that resemble my community's needs and fit within the appropriate developmental level for my students.