Friday, July 15, 2016
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by A.S. King
King,
A.S. (2014). Glory o’brien’s history of the future. New York, NY: Little, Brown
and Company.
“There is not one thing that is eternal.” A.S. King’s
Glory O’Brien’s History of the Future really shakes things up. Glory, our main
character, is the “atypical” teenager who has no major plans after high school
although UNCERTAINTY seems to be a constant in her life.
Her mother’s suicide left her with a partial stigma
that maybe that is the only venue available for her to journey. However, the
unexpected occurs one day, and Glory soon discovers that after taking a dried
bat’s alcoholic potion she develops a “superpower” that grants her the ability
to look in different directions in life, both the past and the future.
While the past is somewhat revealing, the future is
surely grotesque with all sorts of unimaginable although with predictable
occurrences. Ironically, though, Glory jots down an account of all of these
events, hoping they’ll make a difference. Her future might look somber, really
somber, but she definitely won’t let it pass inadvertently.
The theme of feminism unravels in this story as only
Glory is getting terrifying glimpses of a second Civil War where women’s rights
disappear completely and the entire United States is thrown into poverty and
chaos. Suicide is also present and it affects Glory’s father and Glory. Glory’s
mother Darla committed suicide years ago and they can’t move forward with their
lives. Suicide scars the love ones that are left behind in different ways,
whether with self-esteem issues or feeling worthless because sometimes the
affected parties feel responsible for the person who committed suicide.
This book could be used by a reading teacher to teach
the elements of fiction, as this book successfully meets the criteria of
fiction. This book is suitable for readers ages 14 through 18. If you like
reading this book, which consists of 360 pages, perhaps you may also enjoy
Reality Boy, which is also written by A.S. King.
El Deafo by Cece Bell
Bell, C. (2014). El
Deafo. New York, NY: Abrams.
Anyone’s childhood poses a rollercoaster of emotions,
especially when you enter grade school. In her autobiographical account about
her early years, El Deafo, Cece Bell
shares with the reader what it was like to be the “different” kid. Perhaps
carrying a hearing aid was out of the ordinary and unavoidably uncomfortable;
however, there are, unfortunately, some impediments in life that are by far
more hindering than an unwelcomed disability.
For instance, thinking that one does not even have the
right to befriend another person and that settling for any friends is much
better than to have no friends at all. Nonetheless, her panorama changes when
she twists her own fate and acknowledges the fact that instead of an obstacle,
her deafness is really what makes her strong and unique. And it even gets her a
sidekick!
Beautiful graphic novel! This story is depicted
through colorful comic strips. The story unravels through cartoon characters,
but that helps the reader understand its theme better. I was able to perceive
the feelings and actions of the characters through the images. I was able to
connect to the main character, as I had a student that used to wear hearing
aids and had to carry a similar pouch/purse on her chest. As a teacher, I
understand the importance of meetings the disability needs of children.
Any teacher could use this story to teach students how
students with disabilities face bigger challenges than us, that we don’t have
serious disabilities or any disabilities like they do. The colorful pages and
comic strip format will sure capture their total attention. Students, ages 10
and up could easily pick up this book and read it.
If you enjoyed reading, El Deafo, which consists of 233 pages, perhaps you may also like The Sleepover, which is also written by
Cece Bell.
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