Assignment #6

Love That Dog

Told completely in free verse and is geared toward the teacher or student who is teaching/learning poetry. Gives young boys the knowledge that poetry is not just a girl thing. Would have to recommend this book to students by saying that by the end of this book they will feel the heartwarming sense of accomplishment to a better understanding of poetry. Another novel by this author would be “Hate That Cat”, which is almost exactly like “Love That Dog”. However you can clearly see a more developed sense of poetry in this novel. Sharon Creech also wrote “The Unfinished Angel” and “Walk Two Moons” both written as novels very different from the authors’ style of “Love That Dog”. Both books written with much emotion and humorous text, is what make these scripts similar in writing style of Creech.

Creech, S. (2001). Love that dog. New York: HarperCollins.

 

Wonderstruck

This novel might appeal to the most active young reader, who is able to keep track of two stories at one time until they are ready to intertwine each other. I would attract my students to the challenge of being able to understand the complete novel. Since, one story is told through words and the other is told strictly through pictures. Explaining that the two stories can be very similar but over 50 years apart and coming from a young boys point of view in one story and a young girls point of view in the other story. Other books by this particular author are “The Invention of Hugo Cabret”, “The Houdini Box” and “The Boy of a Thousand Faces”. The Invention of Hugo Cabret is somewhat similar in the sense that it is a complete novel told through words and pictures. “The Houdini Box” and “The Boy of a Thousand Faces” are both great reading material for both children and adults. However, “the Boy of  a Thousand Faces” is geared more towards a mystery, adventure, best read in the dark with a flashlight to add to the fear.

Selznick, B. (2011). Wonderstruck: A novel in words and pictures. New York: Scholastic.

Fantasy

The fantasy genre is filled with various types of "make-believe" books. These types of books contain some sort of unreality or enchantment- what children like to call magic. It is important to know that this genre has certain criteria such as the setting, characters, plot, theme, and style. Here are some books that fall under this genre and I have pointed out some criteria for these various novels.



Krosoczka, J. (2014). Comics Squad: Recess! Random House.

A compilation of hilarious comic strips filled into one book from 8 different  authors. The various stories give an enormous aray of character to this particular book. Ranging from aliens to pizza monsters to talking desserts is what places this manuscript into the make-believe low fantasy genre. This makes the criteria of character of great importance for this copy. Every story, however short they may be, makes sure that the reader is captured immedietly and connected to the characters created by these authors. For this graphic novel, that brings its main focus to the young reader, all comic strips are linked to one theme, school recess. The criteria of theme makes graphic novel especially targeted towards our beginner readers. 

 Gaiman, N., & McKean, D. (2008). The graveyard book. New York: HarperCollins Pub.

This novel follows the typical fantasy theme of good vs. evil but with a slight twist. The good side are the typical supernatural creatures like werewolves, mummys, vampires, and while on the evil side consist of humans from the real world. Right away you are put through this freaky twist of good vs. evil with the story of how Bod ends up living his childhood in the graveyard. Setting can be confusing at times however. Yes, it takes place in a graveyard, however since most of the ghost died many years ago the language spoken brings your imagination to a different setting. Which would also entail one other criteria, style. Keeping the language consistant with the time frame of the deaths of these good spirits.

 Collins, S. (2003). Gregor the Overlander. New York: Scholastic.

The first novel of The Overlander Chronicles, which sets the plot and characterization, some important criteria to state. Filled with a vast amount of color in the characters of this novel, the main chartacter Gregor and his little sister Boots are not easily ignored. The author helps the reader care for the main character which motivates the reader to follow him book after book. These characters only assist in the plot, that give the reader a believable situation. Gregor and little sister fall into an enchanted underland world, where they find out that their missing father has been held captive for years, and Gregor is part of a prophecy in this hidden realm. 

Hale, D., & Hale, S. (2008). Rapunzel's revenge: Graphic novel. London: Bloomsbury.

A graphic novel that takes a small twist on the fairy tale story of Rapunzel. Two important criteria to mention here is setting and style. First, the fact it is a in the form of a graphic novel allows for the reader to have more sense of setting. Since graphic novels are told with tons of illustration along with dialog the illustrator creates the world that the story’s setting is in. The illustrations that give the reader the setting, is assisted in the style of the novel. The style, through its language, gives a point of view that boost the reader needs in order to believe that type of wild west feel to this epic fairy tale. 

Landy, D. (2007). Skulduggery Pleasant. New York: HarperCollins.

This wonderful bookseries of high fantasy is a great novel for the eager young reader. Based on the main character Skulduggery, who is a deceased 12 year old turned detective for this mystical world that is secondary to the world we live in. The author brings this unusal character to life in this fantasy world. Making sure that the reader is eager and willing to follow Skulduggery into any book that trails after.  I would like to touch on another criteria for this particular book such as plot. The plot for these series are large part of the Skulduggery crime solving adventures. There is always a tasks at hand for Pleasant and his useful sidekick partner Valkyrie solve.