Lesesne, T. (2003). Making the match. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse.
PART 2: Knowing
the books
1.
Chapter 5 – 8
a.
Key concepts
i.
To find the “good books” each year for your
classroom, a teacher/librarian needs to read the Review Journals, look at the
award lists for the year, keep an eye on the New York Times bestseller lists and teen bestsellers on Amazon.com.
ii.
The books that are chosen need to be considered
for their plot lines, the central conflict of the story, characters that drive
the story, theme, setting, and style.
iii.
Books also needs to be analyzed to determine
their “staying power.” Are they timeless
or will they become dated?
iv.
Not every student likes the same genre,
therefore the best in every genre should be available.
v.
Poetry tends to be avoided by YA readers due to
the jump from children’s poetry to adult poetry. There needs to be a bridge between the two.
vi.
Readers Theater is a good way to incorporate
drama. Don’t forget plays from other
cultures.
vii.
Folktales and Fairytales still draw in young
adult readers and be a good way to tie in stereotypes, archetypes, motifs, etc…
viii.
Good realistic novels provide an insight for YA
readers into their own lives and often give readers the realization that we are
all more alike than we are different regardless of background, gender, religion,
race, and sexual orientation.
ix.
Fantasy and science fiction can be used to escape
the real world, but also show readers another perspective on their lives and
the times that they are currently living.
x.
Historical fiction give YA readers insight to
how we are all connected, even through time.
xi.
Autobiographies and biographies need to use
techniques from fiction to tell a good story.
They should use primary sources to make sure the information is
accurate.
xii.
The author should be qualified to write an
informational text.
b.
Examples from required reading
i.
The Knife of Never Letting Go used foreshadowing
and flashbacks to help tell the story.
It also had a strong conflict that drove the story line. The
setting in this book is also very important.
The new world drives the whole progression of events in the book. The
sentence patterns of the characters help show their vernacular.
ii.
In Period 8 by Chris Crutcher, Paulie
relies on his mentor Mr. Logdon for advice and wisdom. This is an example of an archetype. It also contained a complex plot line that
kept me guessing.
iii.
Wonder has several driving themes in the
story. The main theme seems to be
accepting yourself. Another theme that
pops up is kindness. The principal tries
to impress this upon the students throughout the year.
iv.
Reality Boy by A.S. King uses flashbacks
to tell the story of Gerald during his childhood. The character is well
developed. I emotionally connected with
him and his story.
v.
Brown Girl Dreaming is full of poems that
young adult readers can still relate with.
The poems are not for adults and are from a young girl’s perspective.
vi.
In The Dust of 100 Dogs, gives the reader
a glimpse of what life was like during seventeen century, even though this book
isn’t a complete historical fiction since it switches from present day to her
previous lives. +
vii.
El Deafo is an autobiography that tells a
story of a deaf girls struggles in childhood.
Along with a good story line, it uses illustrations (graphic novel) to
pull the readers into the story.
c.
Future applications
i.
By know the strengths of books available, I can
help teacher’s choose books that will teach specific topics or literary
elements such as theme, plot, etc…
ii.
Books that are popular, but will become dated
might need to be purchased as paperback or hardback. Books that have staying power, that can be
timeless, should be invested in. Buying
these books in library bound versions will save money in the long run by not
having to replace them as often or at all.
iii.
I need to step out of my comfort reading areas
to read other genres and series books that interest my students.
iv.
A librarian’s knowledge of age appropriate poetry
can become a huge benefit for the teacher’s on campus. Working together they can help encourage young
adults to read and hopefully enjoy poetry.
v.
I need to consider purchasing picture books that
retell some of the classic fairy and folktales to help teach literary elements.
vi.
Fantasy
and science fiction can provide hope for students and an escape for those who
are carrying a heavy burden on their shoulders.
vii.
When I am adding historical fiction books to the
library, they must be compelling to readers.
The setting is key, but is nor more important than the action.
viii.
When choosing informational text, I need to
verify the author’s qualifications on the subject, make sure that it has accurate
and current information, that it avoids stereotypes, and has a balanced
treatment of the subject.
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