Salvage the Bones

Salvage the Bones
By: Jesmyn Ward

Esche is a young girl living with her family in an area of Louisiana that is about to be hit by Hurricane Katrina.  She is the only girl in a large African-American family, and has just discovered that she is pregnant.  Esche is just a teenager, about 14 yrs old, and is not prepared for life with a child.  When the book starts, we share in the birthing process that China, the dog of Esche’s brother Skeetah, is going through at the moment.  She is a fighting dog and Skeetah has bred her with another fighting dog so that he can sell the puppies for a lot of money.  Skeetah loves China and will do all that he can to protect her.  Esche sees a lot of herself in China…and identifies with the dog when it comes to her pregnancy.  Esche has spent a lot of time sleeping with other boys that live around her town, but she is in love with Manny, one of her brothers’ friends, and a boy that has little interest in her, save for sex.  Manny ends his friendship with Esche and her brothers when he takes the side of his cousin in a dog-fight against China.  He showed his true colors and that he really only cares about himself. 

Esche lost her mother when she was just 7, her mother was giving birth to Junior, Esche’s youngest brother.  Having lost her mother, Esche loses herself in books dealing with mythology and romance.  She sees herself in the roles of many goddesses, and when she is having sex, she imagines herself to be a mythological goddess that all men love.  Unfortunately, this is only in her head, and this leads to her pregnancy.  This book takes place in the time right before and when Katrina hits.  Many neighbors think that Esche’s father is crazy for boarding up the house and preparing for a hurricane, but in the end, their family is nearly destroyed when Katrina wipes away their home.  Esche and her family must start over, but she now knows that she will not be alone and that she has many people she can trust to help her.   

I picked this book from the same list that had “The Night Circus” listed on it, so I was hoping for a book that would similarly be great for my students.  However, though the book was really good, it would not be a book that I would choose for my students.  There was a lot of sex and violence within the book, and it would not have been the best to teach in class.  The underlying theme of strength is present in the character of Esche.  She has to deal with being the only girl in a very male-dominated southern home, becoming pregnant by a boy who has no interest in her, and has to survive a hurricane.  I do love the strength that she portrays, but the irresponsibility is not something that I would share with any middle-school aged student.  This book would be more appropriate for college-age students that are taking undergrad literature courses.  I did think that this book would be great for cross-curricular activities.  There is so much front-loading that could be done with the subject of Katrina, Fight-Dogs, Teen Pregnancy, and the aftermath of a catastrophic storm. 

Why Aren't There Rating Systems for YA Novels?

After reading so many YA novels this semester, I spent a lot of time thinking of the different plots and themes that I encountered during my reading journey.  I made a point to try and find books that showed empowered teens and how they overcame the hardships and difficult events in their lives.  Book after book, I read, and found myself gasping at the crude content and language.  I kept saying to myself, “I could never put this in my classroom or recommend these to my students for reading!” 

So many books, that I thought would show the strength and character that I wanted my students to read about, were filled with violence, obscenities, and sex!  I do not know why this bothered me so much, as I was reading novels filled with the same things when I was in middle school.  However, the difference between then and now is that I was reading adult-age novels and my students are reading YA novels.  I think that my point is that what was once considered too taboo for young eyes, has now become commonplace in YA reading!  I have never been one for censorship, and in fact I feel that we all have freedom of speech, but there is something to be said by making readers aware of the content of a book before you read it. 

When buying these books, I was under the misconception that when you bought a YA novel, it was the PG-13 version of an adult-age book.  I WAS WRONG!  When I read The D.U.F.F., I was completely enthralled as an adult, but completely disgusted as a teacher of 8^th graders.  I was hoping for a young girl that found herself in a love/hate relationship with a boy that she ended up having in more in common with than she originally thought, while also discovering her own personal strength.  What I got, was a young girl that locked in her emotions by having an inappropriately sexual relationship with the school player.  As I have said before, I look at these books with different eyes.  From the eyes of a student, I see something intriguing and risqué, as an adult I find it an easy read that is basically like an R-rated movie, but as a teacher, I see it as a book that teaches my teenage students that it is better to suppress your emotions and practically prostitute yourself in order to fit-in with the rest of the world. 

I believe that there should be something, like a TV/Movie rating system, that is used for YA novels.  Too many parents pick up books for their kids that they think looks great because of a pretty cover, yet it ends up having content that hurts their self-esteem or their perception of life.  Yes, this may seem over-the-top, but we live in a world where kids are growing up so much faster than they should be at this age.  It may be hard to get them to read, but there should be some subjects that are left for the adult-age sections.  When I was in 6^th grade, I started reading adult-age books because I found YA novels to be too dull for me.  Now, if I compare YA novels from my past to the ones today…I would consider these new books to be adult!  Maybe I am over-reacting, but I think that there should be a level of maturity, intelligence, and understanding needed before reading content that is intended for older eyes. 

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Lexile 890

Ransom Riggs did a great job with this book, but I am not sure how students would feel about it.  The book introduces us to a young boy named Jacob.  Jacob knew that he was different, and he thought that his grandfather was crazy, but he ended up discovering that his grandfather knew of things that he could never even dream.  Jacob’s grandfather was a “peculiar” child.  He had the power to see threatening beings that attacked other people like him.  Jacob always thought that his grandfather was eccentric, but when his grandfather was murdered in the woods, Jacob started to think otherwise.  By the suggestion of his therapist, Jacob travelled to England to see where his grandfather had come from year ago.  Jacob knew that his grandfather had been with “Miss. Peregrine”, but was not sure who she was and where she was as well.  It turned out that she and the other peculiars were living in a time loop that repeated the same day over and over again.  Jacob had discovered this loop and Miss Peregrine and the Peculiars, which included a girl that could fly, a boy that had bee’s in his stomach, and a teacher that turned herself into a bird.  The peculiars were in danger, and part of the reason was because Jacob had trusted the wrong people.  Turns out the person he trusted the most was using him to attach Miss Peregrine and The Peculiars.  In the end, the loop that they protected for so long was destroyed, and now they had to find a new loop, or die.   

At first, I really loved this book, and I continued to enjoy it as I read, but it (like the name of the kids) was quite peculiar.  The concepts were a bit crazy, but so was the whole book.  I was a bit freaked out by the pictures that were included in the book.  They were of the many peculiar children and their abilities, or interesting looks.  I was curious about the connection between the character of Emma and Jacob.  Emma basically transferred her feelings from Abe, Jacob’s grandfather, onto Jacob.  Jacob opened up this whole new world for her, but unfortunately, the time loop stopped her from leaving with Jacob.  I thought that it would be interesting for my students to think about what their lives would be like if they had to live the same day over and over again.  Would they go a little crazy, or would they enjoy it?  I think that my students would like this book, but it might be a bit confusing. 

The Night Circus - All Done!!

We are introduced to our main characters, Celia and Marco, in unconventional ways.  Before we truly understand the context of the book, we find our main characters being locked into a duel that they did not sign up for, by their “mentors.”  Celia has her father, a great magician, as her mentor.  Marco, however, was picked out of an orphanage by a mysterious man in a grey suit.  Both children were taught the ways of magic by their mentors, and informed that they would have to compete against another magician when they are ready.  Marco and Celia were never told about one another, but because of the creation of Le Cirque des Rêves, they are drawn together by this magical circus.  Though there are many side stories within this book, the lives of Marco and Celia touch every other character.  Marco takes on a job as an assistant for the Circus director, and in the process, meets Celia when she auditions for the part of a magician.  It is at the moment that he realizes that she is his competitor, but Celia does not figure it out till much later in the story.  Eventually, the two discover that what they create in the circus directly relates to the competition.  They both create tents that are more amazing every time, and that completely amaze the patrons that come to see the spectacle.  During this time, Marco and Celia begin to fall in love.  Their tents turn from spectacles for the patrons into gestures of love to one another.  Unfortunately, Marco and Celia realize that the only way for the competition to end is for one of them to die. 

I loved this book more than I ever thought that I would.  It took me awhile to get started, but as I read, I found that this book got more and more interesting.  The connection between the characters and the content drew me in, and I was so sad to finish the book.  I did not know that this would end up being a love story.  I thought that it was just a story about magic, but it ended up being this romantic story that was weaved in and out of a magical circus.  Marco and Celia just started out as pawns in a magical contest, but finding out that they were literally in a contest of  Nature vs. Nurture magic was kind of interesting.  Which is better…magic that is inherited, or magic that is taught?  I thought that this was a quite an interesting idea for the book.  It would also be a great idea for teaching my students.  They could create nature vs. nurture ideas for different talents and argue what would be better!  I only wish that there were a companion novel that I could read as well!

The Night Circus - Almost finished!!

I feel like I have been reading The Night Circus forever, as it is quite a long book.  However, it has been a wonderful read!  As I get closer to the end of the book, I find that it is not just a book about magic, a circus, and fantasy...it is a love story! 
The more I read, the more I realize that I do not want this book to end!  I have been thinking, throughout the book, that this would be so wonderful to read with my class!  Though there is one single part that I would omit when reading.  Unfortunately, the two lovers consummate their love, but it is only half of one page. 
I could see this book being great for both boys and girls.  The idea of magic and to manipulation of this circus would certainly draw in male readers, and the story of love would capture the girls' hearts! 
Marco and Celia have discovered that they are competing against one-another in a game that will end in one of their deaths.  It is heart-breaking when they discover that their love can only be fleeting!  On a side-note, there are some very interesting characters that have developed throughout the story.  There are Poppet and Widget, twins that were born on the day that the circus opened.  They both have the power of sight, but in a way where one sees what has happened to people in the past, and the other can foresee the future.  Their abilities allow them to see the events that will occur and why they will happen. 
The circus itself, Le Cirque des Reves, is a kind of magical battleground for Marco and Celia, though they do not realize this fact until about the middle of the book.  Marco was drawn to Celia as soon as he met her, yet she did not fall in love with him till years later.  Though they are not at the circus together, Marco and Celia create magical tents to show their love to one-another.  A tent that is a beautiful ice garden, a tent full of clouds that you can climb till you are in the sky, and many labyrinths that encapsulate the whole of the circus. 
As the book comes to a close, we find our lovers at a precipice.  They know that if their battle continues, that one of them must die.  The question remains, how can one live when the other dies? 

I hope to finish the book this weekend, and I will be so sad when it is over!!
 

The Night Circus - Book Trailer 

The Continued Reading of "The Night Circus"

 

 

I found myself relaxing in Orlando this weekend, but could not seem to tear myself away from The Night Circus.  This book, out of all of the books that I have read for this class, is by far my favorite!  I find it very funny that this book is technically written for adults, but I find it to be the most appropriate for all of my students.  The content of the book is perfect for holding the attention of any teenager, and definitely any adult.  I am more than halfway through the book, and it continues to fascinate me.

The one thing that may be confusing for some, but that I really like, is that the book jumps back and forth between years.  This gives the reader an opportunity to do some great inferencing while reading.  The reader has the opportunity to try to figure out how Celia and Marco will perform their magical duel, while falling in love with one another. 

Many new characters have been introduced in the book, but the most interesting seem to be the auxillary characters that come in contact with the many performers in the circus. 

 

I will add more to this post, but the book is calling me!!!!



What is a Lexile Score?

As a Reading/Language Arts teacher, I feel that it is important for any reader, especially important for all readers to understand the appropriate Lexile level for reading.  I have gone back through my blog in order to label each title with the appropriate Lexile Level for each book that I have read or will be reading.  A Lexile level is given to represent a person’s reading ability or the difficulty of a particular text. 

Each year, all students are tested at the beginning of the year in order to see what their Lexile Measure is after a summer without school.  The understanding a Lexile score is especially important for teachers and parents.  While most Reading teachers are taught about the complexity of a Lexile score, very few others know how they are used, or that they exist at all.

The reason that Lexile scores are given, is so we are able to see at which grade level students should be reading, while showing their actual leveled Lexile grade equivalency.   When we are able to know how low students reading abilities are, we are able to employ specific strategies in order to help them improve.  Throughout the year, we continue to test students to see if their Lexile scores improve over time.  By checking regularly, we are able to adjust our lessons, strategies, and suggestions for the improvement of our students' reading abilities.

In order to help everyone to better understand how the Lexile scores are used, I will use an example based on my own 8th grade class.  Review the chart below to better acquaint yourself with the basic Lexile Measures and how they match up to grade levels.

Typical Text Measures, by Grade

Grade	Text Demand Study 2009 25th percentile to 75th percentile (IQR)	2012 CCSS Text Measures*
1	230L to 420L	190L to 530L
2	450L to 570L	420L to 650L
3	600L to 730L	520L to 820L
4	640L to780L	740L to 940L
5	730L to 850L	830L to 1010L
6	860L to 920L	925L to 1070L
7	880L to 960L	970L to 1120L
8	900L to 1010L	1010L to 1185L
9	960L to 1110L	1050L to 1260L
10	920L to 1120L	1080L to 1335L
11 & 12	1070L to 1220L	1185L to 1385L

 

 

 

As you can see, an average 8th grader should be reading with a Lexile score of 1010L-1185L.  As a teacher of Intensive Reading students, I have students that read anywhere from a 450L to a 850L.  Because many of my students range from a 2nd grade to 6th grade level, my students are working towards a goal of a 1010L in order to be on grade level.  I will spend the school year helping my students to improve their reading abilities while teaching them grade level information so they do not fall behind. 

There are many reasons why Reading, General Content Area, and parents should understand Lexile scores when teaching/helping an student.

Reading Teachers:

Using Lexile levels will help to improve the content of lessons, and help to set and measure goals throughout the year.

General Content Area teachers:

Using Lexile levels will help these teachers to understand the abilities of their students when reading the complex text in their classrooms.  Accommodations or different strategies should be employed in order to guarantee the success of their students.

Parents:

When choosing a book for your child, it is wise to know what their Lexile score is in regards to their grade level abilities.  You can ask your child's reading teacher for this information.  Lexile levels are available for almost all books, especially Young Adult literature. 

 

References

Lexile-to-Grade Correspondence . (n.d.). The Lexile Framework for Reading. Retrieved October 20, 2012, from http://www.lexile.com/about-lexile/grade-equivalent/grade-equivalent-chart/

The Lexile Framework for Reading. (n.d.). The Lexile Framework for Reading. Retrieved October 20, 2012, from http://lexile.com/

What is a Lexile® Measure? . (n.d.). The Lexile Framework for Reading. Retrieved October 20, 2012, from http://lexile.com/about-lexile/lexile-overview/

 

 

The Night Circus - The beginning

The Night Circus - Lexile Level: 950

I just started to read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.  When I first decided to choose this book for my reading list, I was apprehensive, as it is a book written for an adult audience.  However, this book was mentioned to be interesting for teens as well.  As I began reading, I could see how this book could be easily enjoyed by young adults as well as adults. 
The Night Circus is a 2012 Alex Award Winning book.  The Alex Awards are given yearly through the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA).  These awards are given to "to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18."  I think that it is very important for young adults to be exposed to writing that is intended for adults, not in the sense of context, but by writing style.  Young adults are inundated with so many books that center around middle/high school writing styles that are simplified for reading, so they are not exposed to more challenging vocabulary that could truly improve their learning, testing, and general understanding in all areas.  The fact that YALSA takes the time to give out awards for books that are able to transcend adult/young adult reading levels, shows how they value the importance of young adult exposure to challenging reading. 
The Night Circus circles around two magicians, Mr. A.H. and Prospero the Enchanter,  and their young apprentices, Marco and Celia.  However, these are no ordinary magicians.  Though Prospero veils his natural abilities with magic by performing with a circus, he quickly shows that he is more than just a stage act.  He has a long-standing rivalry with Mr. A.H, a mysterious acquaintance that he has known for many years.  The author has yet to unveil the reason behind their rivalry, but when Prospero discovers that he has a daughter, Celia, he decides to rekindle their competitive sides.  Celia has the same natural gift for magic as Prospero.  Prosporo challenges Mr. A.H. to a magical duel between his daughter, and a contender that Mr. A.H. will choose himself.  Marco, a young orphan, is taken in by Mr. A.H. and is being groomed to compete in this magical duel that he does not yet understand.  The competition will take place sometime in the not-so-distant future.  For now, Celia and Marco are subjected to unconventional training that will prepare them for this event.
As I continue to read, I will share my thoughts and important information regarding the book.  I am looking forward to continuing to read The Night Circus, and look forward to finding out who will win, Marco or Celia!!



References

YALSA's Alex Awards | Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). (n.d.). American Library Association. Retrieved October 20, 2012, from http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/alex

Scars

Scars - Lexile Level 560 

The author, Cheryl Rainfield, drew on her own personal demons to write this book.  Like the main character, Kendra, Rainfield had been sexually assaulted when she was younger. 
Normally, I would have written about this book as I read it, but I read it in one night, so I will give my thoughts on it as a whole book. 
As a teacher, I really do not think that this would be appropriate for all students.  It is definitely for older middle school or high school students.  I found the book to be well-written, but the subject matter is very touchy.  I actually had a chance to discuss this book with one of my Adolescent Literature classmates, and she agreed that it is a good book, but it would not be wise to share this with a whole class.
The main character is Kendra.  She is a young girl that is a survivor of a sexual assault that she cannot fully remember.  She sees a therapist regularly, but is still unable to remember any tangible moments from the assault that would help her remember the man that abused her.  In order to calm her nerves, she cuts herself regularly.  Sometimes the cutting is to prove that she has control of herself, and other times the cutting controls her to the point that she severely harms herself. 
While dealing with the assault and her cutting, Kendra is also dealing with pressure from her mother to be a more successful artist, and also meeting a young girl with whom she falls in love.  Kendra expresses herself through her art, and it is because of this expression that her abuser resurfaces and starts to stalk her.  Kendra feels paranoid all of the time, but she knows that she is closing in on the memories that she needs as the abuser gets progressively closer and closer.
This book is not one that I would share with emotionally unstable students, which is why I would be unlikely to share this with my class.  The part of the book that I dislike the most, is when Kendra's therapist discovers that she is cutting.  Instead of trying to help her stop, she chooses to show Kendra how to keep it clean and protect herself.  This bothered me, and it makes me weary of sharing it students. 

Sahara Special



 

Sahara Special - Lexile Level 660 

Sahara Special was a book that was given to me my first year of teaching.  It had made a home on one of my bookshelves 6 years before I ever took the time to read it.  Esme Raji Codell did an excellent job sharing the scared feelings of a young student.  In all honestly, I wish that I had read it sooner!  This book made me look at my students through different eyes.  Sometimes we want our students to be perfect, open-books that have no problems.  Unfortunately, the truth is that our students have just as many problems as we do…sometimes more!  After reading this book, I actually used Ms. Pointy’s journal writing idea.  It has allowed my students to be more open with their feelings, without fear of being persecuted for their thoughts!

Sahara Jones is a young girl that has created a self-imposed separation from all people and responsibilities.  She has no real friends, other than her cousin Rachel, and her mother has given up trying to help her with school.  Sahara will be repeating the 5^th grade because she refused to do or hand in any work during the previous year.  Though she yearns for friendship, she is so unsure of herself that she pushes away other students that want to befriend her. 

When the new year starts, Sahara finds herself in the 5^th grade and now with a new teacher, Ms. Pointy.  Ms. Pointy is an eccentric teacher that definitely breaks the mold when it comes to 5^th grade teachers.  She is exciting, inventive, and a little weird. 

One of my favorite parts of the book is when Ms. Pointy assigns each student to have a journal that they are to write in every day.  Students can leave the page for the teacher to read, or they can mark it as private.  Ms. Pointy does not care what they write about, as long as they are writing.

Sahara is a writer, and she lets Ms. Pointy know it.  Unfortunately it takes her quite some time to finally come out of her shell to share her talents. 

Sahara is also dealing with problems at home.  She is trying to get over her father leaving her, but finds it hard to understand why he has left.  Over the course of the year, she finds that she worries less about her father, and more about what she wants in life.

This book is amazing, and though it is geared more towards young secondary students, I think that it definitely resonates with any teacher.  I high recommend this book to ANY teacher!

Sahara Special book trailer