The One and Only Ivan

5/5 stars

The Skinny:

Ivan, a lonely silverback gorilla, has lived in the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade for 27 years. Ivan’s only friends are an elephant named Stella, A small dog named Bob, and a human girl named Julie. Ivan is content in his domain (as he calls it), because he does not really know any differently. One day, a new animal arrives at the struggling Big Top Mall. Ruby, a baby elephant awakens something within Ivan. Suddenly his domain doesn’t seem so warm anymore; now it seems like the small cage that it is.

The Review:

This story was heart-warming and heart-wrenching all at the same time. My heart strings haven’t been pulled quite so much by a book this entire year.

I don’t know how she did it, but if gorillas could truly talk, I think they would sound exactly like how Katherine Applegate wrote Ivan’s voice. Ivan, through his words and actions, came across as almost innocent throughout most of the novel. Because of his unintentional innocence, Ivan was also often humorous.

You can only throw so many me-balls at humans before you get bored. A me-ball is made by rolling up dung until it’s the size of a small apple, then letting it dry. I always keep a few on hand. For some reason, my visitors never seem to carry any. Ivan is completely serious when he says this.

”Poor old Ivan,” she says. “I’ve been ignoring you, haven’t I?”
I grunt again, a dignified indifferent grunt.
Julia thinks for a moment, then smiles. She walks over to my domain, to the spot in the corner where the glass is broken. She slides paper through. She rolls a pencil across my cement floor.
“You can draw the baby elephant too,” Julia says.
I bite the pencil in half with my magnificent teeth. Then I eat some paper.

This innocence that Ivan embodies changes after Ruby arrives. Ruby makes Ivan recognize his past, which he had shut out, and also helps him to see that the Big Top Mall is not the right place for Ruby. Ivan cares for Ruby so much that he does not want the Mall to be the last place she sees; he doesn’t want Ruby to end up like him.

“Do you think,” she asks, “that I’ll die in this domain someday…?”
Once again I consider lying, but when I look at Ruby, the half-formed words die in my throat. “Not if I can help it,” I say instead.
I feel something tighten in my chest, something dark and hot. “And it’s not a domain,’ I add.
I pause and then I say it.“It’s a cage.”

If I had to pick one thing that this book is about it would be friendship. The friendships that are developed in this story are of the truest kind. They are the type that help you to grow as a person, and to challenge yourself and what you’ve always known.

On a darker note, this book is about humanity, more specifically the nature of humans. As I read, I kept asking myself why some of us are so greedy and self-absorbed. I also wondered how people can do the things they do and still sleep at night.

Overall:

The One and Only Ivan sent for me a tail-spin; I felt both intense happiness and sadness as I read. When I picked this book off the shelf, I wasn’t anticipating the love I would have for this story. I feel like children and adults alike could find a place for Ivan and his friends in their hearts.

Luna

3/5 stars

“Like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, I thought. An exquisite and delicate creature, unfolding her wings and flying away. Except in Luna’s case, the butterfly is forced to rein in her wings and reinsert herself into the cocoon every day. Every single day, she has to become a shell of a person.”

The Skinny:
This is the story of a young man, Liam; a boy on the outside, yet a girl on the inside. By night, Liam is Luna, a girl who loves make-up and fashion. By day, Liam is an introverted boy who is only a shell of a person. Told in the voice of his younger sister Regan, we are privy to not only the trials and tribulations Liam must face in order to become Luna, but also the confusion Regan feels as she tries to simultaneously protect her brother and accept all of his changes.

The Review:
As I was reading many of the other reviews for this book, a huge source of contention for other readers was Regan’s ‘selfishness.’ Apparently Regan was an unlikable narrator due to her self-centered nature, which impacted peoples’ enjoyment of the novel. I have to say that while Regan was selfish at times, I did not dislike her as a narrator because of this. In fact, I felt that Regan was a more reliable narrator because of this character trait; what young high school student is not egotistical? As a high school teacher, I can say virtually none (I say so lovingly, because I too was like this :D). Also, I feel that some of Regan’s decisions and feelings were warranted. For as long as she can remember, Regan has been protecting her brother’s secret – I think that this would take a toll on anyone.

What impacted my enjoyment of the novel, far more than Regan’s selfishness, is the cardboard quality of some of the characters and situations. In particular, I felt that the relationship between Regan and her parents was pretty cliché. Regan’s mom plays the aloof parent, while her dad plays the mans-man father. Sorry, but I’ve seen these types of parents far too often in books and movies. I also felt that the relationship and dialogue between Regan and Chris was cringe-worthy at times. Regan is the ‘clumsy girl’ always falling and breaking things (hello, Bella!), and Chris is the hot guy that goes for the misunderstood girl. Their dialogue is frequently cheesy and awkward (yes, high-schoolers can be awkward, but this was a bit TOO much). I feel that Regan and Chris could have been very sweet, but instead I just felt that they were…blegh.

Despite the manufactured quality of some of the characters and happenings, I did like reading about Liam. I don’t know if ‘like’ is the right word. I felt for Liam, and I felt for his struggles. I found Liam’s story to be painful, but also interesting; this is the first book I’ve read about this subject matter. It saddened me to know that Liam felt like he had to keep his true self hidden. While this story was fictional, I know that there are people out there who have had to hide as well. I can’t imagine how painful of a thing that must be, and I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone.

Overall:
I liked the subject matter of this novel because I haven’t really read anything else like it. I wasn’t totally sold on the story because of the cardboard quality of some of the characters and events. This being said, I loved Liam’s character. I felt that he was really eye-opening and made me think and consider things I hadn’t before.

Paper Towns

4.5 I was going to write a review where I just copy and pasted ‘I love you, John Green’ over and over again. I thought that might be a bit overzealous, so I decided to write a micro-review instead. This was my first foray into the world of John Green, and clearly it was a success 😉 From the first few pages I knew I was reading something special. I was quickly sucked into the story, and snuck as much time as I could to read. I was so obsessive, that I would read a quick two or three pages in between teaching each of my classes. I found the characters in this book to be entirely engaging, realistic, funny, yet flawed. I loved Ben, for his ‘cool guy’ act that usually missed the mark. I was wowed by Radar and his smartypants ways. I respected Quentin (Q) for not giving up, while simultaneously being pissed at him for his Margo obsession. I grappled over my feelings for the elusive, Margo. I grew to like Lacey for her ability to see beyond “Bloody Ben” to the guy beneath. The characters of this book were the core of the story. All of them banded together to try to help Q solve the Margo riddle. At times, I thought his friends would get annoyed with him, and say enough is enough. But they always came back to help, even when sacrifices needed to be made. With his friends by his side, Q was able to find the truth about Margo, but also was able to discover himself along the way. Was this book without faults? No. I found myself really irritated at times by certain characters. I couldn’t help but think Margo was selfish. I couldn’t stop myself from thinking Q was a TAD obsessive. Despite this though, I just can’t get past the depth of the characterization, and John Green’s mad writing skills. An absolutely brilliant ‘thinker’ of a book. I can’t remember the last time a YA book has asked so much of me. If you are looking for something a little deeper, while still managing to be humorous and heartwarming, then you should try this book!! The micro-review that was not micro.

The Nightingale

If I was given an option of 10 books, and 9 were fiction and 1 was fantasy, I would most likely pick the fantasy book. Ever since I can remember I’ve been drawn to fantasy; I love the fantastical elements, the other-worldly setting, and ultimately, the escape from reality that I always experience. The genre I most tend to avoid is realistic fiction. I can be quite an emotional person, so realistic fiction often has the ability to impact me in a powerful way – everything is too real, too heartbreaking. Although The Nightingale is categorized primarily as historical fiction, it is also an extremely realistic book.

It should come as no surprise then, that my emotions upon finishing this book were in a state of turmoil. The events that took place over the course of the novel deeply moved and saddened me, yet the subject matter of the book intrigued and inspired me. I have read countless WWII novels, although very few of them have focused on the accomplishments and sacrifices of women. This book not only focused on their accomplishments and sacrifices, but also portrayed them as heroes in their own right. It was stunning to read about what some of the women did to protect their families and to help with the resistance. While this book is ultimately fiction, the author based Isabelle, one of the main characters, on the actual ‘nightingale’ from history. So, while many of the things that happened in the book were not actual occurrences in real life, they were grounded in (some) real people and events.

I feel that a spark has been lit within me; what other powerful women from WWII have I never heard of? What can I discover?

I finished The Nightingale at 11:00 am today, and it is now after 6. I have not been able to decide on a star rating for this book. Not because I didn’t ‘like it,’ but because: how can I rate something that reveals such ugly aspects of WWII and people, and simultaneously stands for the power of people and the hope of tomorrow? Maybe at some point I will be able to put a star value on this book, but as of now it isn’t possible. Some books are too much for a rating, and this is one of those books.

Satan’s Garden

*5 Stars* *The best book I’ve read so far this year*

“He only came for one, there and gone in the blink of an eye.”

The Skinny:

How can two ever equal three? When you are Dani and Keely, the sum of the two together equaling another person, it is possible. One day, one seemingly ordinary day, a man tries to alter the “three” that the twin girls had come to rely on. He comes for one twin, and leaves the other behind. What follows is a story of how two young girls learn to live without one another –physically separated, yet never truly apart.

The likes:

First thing that needs to be said: this did not read like a debut novel. The words flowed seamlessly, painting the story. There were several times that I found myself rereading passages because they were so mesmerizing. Honestly, this is one of, if not the best, debut novel I have had the pleasure of reading.

“I had always thought that death would be cold. When I reached that edge in time, straddling the line that separated me from this world and another, I prepared for it to come. I waited for the freeze to creep through my body, spoiling the ending of my own story. Instead, all I felt was consuming heat. It was a living thing inside of me, an arsonist that took shelter within my bones and reminded me of the pain one last time. I knew in that moment, I was already halfway to hell.“

Because the writing was so consuming, the emotions I felt throughout this book felt infinitely more intense. There were moments I felt sad. There were moments that I felt angry. There were moments I felt hope, even when hope seemed lost. I was shocked at the intensity, and variety of emotions I experienced.

The biggest “like” I had when reading this book was discovering the depth of the characters. Keely and Dani, the two main characters, could have lost hope. At times, I would have not blamed them at all for giving up. Yet, I think they shocked even themselves by their strength of character. When the going got tough, and then tougher, they refused to give in. Not only did many characters embody a deep seated hope for life and themselves, but many of the characters also surprised me with the strong bonds they formed with each other. Keely, throughout the novel, is searching to find herself. During this time she neglects many of her friends. Despite this, her friends always have her back and are always there for her. I can only wish that I had those types of friends in high school. The bond between Keely and Dani, the bond between Keely and Max, the bond between Keely and Hillary; each of these bonds had a strong foundation, and carried the characters through to the end of the book.

Overall:

This is a book that many different types of book-lovers would enjoy. Mother’s would feel for this story. High school students would identify with this story. Anyone who enjoys a read that causes deep seated emotions would love this story. Guys, I don’t know how else to say this: give this book a shot!

Hope is a Ferris Wheel

I had my teacher hat on when writing this 🙂

Heavenly Donuts! What a great book! This was a funny, cute, sad, and thoughtful read. I loved the main character, Star Mackie 🙂

Summary (some spoilers):
Star, a 10 year old girl, lives in a trailer park called Treasure Trailers. She does not have any friends, and is teased due to her “mullet-like” haircut. Our quirky narrator is very lonely due to her lack of friends, an absent father, and a confusing relationship with her sister. Gradually, through her trailer park club (turned Emily Dickinson club), Star begins to form several tentative friendships. By the end, Star has made several fast friends, straightened out her relationship with her sister, and come to an understanding concerning her father.

For teachers:
I am definitely going to use this book next year in my 7th grade English class (self-contained/lower readers). The main character in the book is in 5th grade, so has a young view of the world, yet I still feel that this book can be used in a 6th/7th grade classroom.

Some potential lesson ideas:
*Metaphors (have students make their own metaphor for “Hope”)
*Poetry (Emily Dickinson, and several others)
*text to self connection opportunities
*Letter writing (can have students write a letter/postcard. Star writes a letter and postcard)
*Vocabulary (The main character writes out her school vocabulary list on numerous occasions. She uses the vocabulary in numerous sentences)
*Short story writing (Star’s sister, Winter, writes short stories)
*Poetry writing (specifically haiku)
*Common core questions about author’s craft

Some deep topics in the story:
*Teen pregnancy (Star’s sister is pregnant)
*Poverty
*Absent father figure